Rudd In EU: The Economy; Security Talks; The Asia-Pacific; Remembering World War I …

January 20th, 2012
Posted by EUEditor

The Australian Foreign Minister, Kevin Rudd, has begun a one-week tour in Europe taking in consultations in Brussels on the economic situation, security talks in London and a new bilateral agreement in France, signed on Friday (20.1.12).

NEW AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE INCLUDES PACIFIC, AND THE WESTERN FRONT

An agreement signed in Paris with the French Foreign Minister, Alain Juppe, raised the status of the relationship between the two countries to that of a strategic partnership. … Read More »

Women In Uniform

December 28th, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

The Australian government announced this year (27.9.11) that women in the armed forces will be allowed to serve in any frontline combat roles by 2016.

While women are prominent in many roles already, as senior officers, crew members on warships, air force pilots, and soldiers in Afghanistan, the move excited debate over security and safety issues for all troops, with two sexes in the ranks. … Read More »

Liege: Lone Shooters Bane Of Society

December 26th, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

Another social outsider able to keep guns: the attacker who fired on shoppers in Liege on 13.12.11 took six lives with some 100 others hurt. … Read More »

“A World Of Wonder And Delight”: Christmas Messages 2011…

December 26th, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

Christmas celebrations in 2011 were marked with calls for the protection of innocents, love of family, and salvaging of the Earth itself.

Pope Benedict XVI in Rome said the earth was “stained with blood”, praying for the victims of war in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, and for victims of natural disasters.

The Christian festival, as sometimes will happen, saw the creation of martyrs. More than forty people were killed in a round of bigotry and religious hysteria in Nigeria, by bombs set off while they were in church, on Christmas Day (25.12.11). Blasts were recorded in the capital, Abuja, Jos in the centre of the country, and other places, in the North-east. Friction between Christian and Islamic communities in Nigeria has got worse in recent years. … Read More »

Decision On Debt At Brussels

October 27th, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

The gathering of European Heads of Government at Brussels (26.10.11) has announced a three-point plan for stability and a resolution of the Greek debt crisis. … Read More »

Europe Debts: Pause Between Summits

October 25th, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

European heads of government are having a summit in-between summits at the start of this week, after ending one gathering at Brussels on Sunday, and limbering up for another this Wednesday (26.10.11).

The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, were instrumental in the extraordinary move of convening a second round of talks. … Read More »

Sarkozy Baby

October 21st, 2011
Posted by EUEditor

In France the Presidential team took on a new campaign worker, 19.10.11, with the birth of a little girl, Giulia, to Carla and Nicolas Sarkozy. … Read More »