- November 28th, 2008
- Posted by EUEditor
The Australian Defence Force has released the name of the Army officer killed in Afghanistan on Thursday (27.11.08).
Lieutenant Michael Fussell, 25, unmarried, died after the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) during a dismounted patrol by commandos from the Special Operations Task group in Oruzgan Provice. Two others were slightly wounded. His death brings to seven the number of Australians killed during the present Afghanistan commitment.
The Australian Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, has reiterated demands for stepped up contributions of troops from European countries in the North Atlantic Alliance, to the NATO-led military effort in Afghanistan. (See EUAustralia Online, 24.3.08, Rudd Takes NATO – Afghanistan Concerns to the Top; 11, 18.2.08, More Say on Afghanistan).
Click for ADF statement. … Read More »
- November 27th, 2008
- Posted by EUEditor
The days of squabbling over trade and Pacific islands, between France and Australia, have been pronounced dead by the new French Ambassador, Michel Filhol.
… Read More »
- November 27th, 2008
- Posted by 7thmin


The appearance-aware Italian PM, Silvio Berlusconi, looks to be ready for a new foray into confidence-building between nations; he’s quoted as wanting to smooth the way for America’s President-elect, Barack Obama:
“I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States where a new generation has come to power, and I don’t see problems for Medvedev to establish good relations with Obama who is also handsome, young and suntanned”.
Pictured: Barack Obama; suntanned Silvio Berlusconi, 72; and a sometimes pasty-faced Russian President, Dimitri Medvedev, here obligingly showing a little colour, (russiablog.org).
Reference: “Hearsay”, The Big Issue, Melbourne, No. 317, 18.11-1.12.08, p 10
- November 14th, 2008
- Posted by 7thmin
COMMENTARY: Convening the “G20†meeting of leading industrial states can bring together main proposals for dealing with an urgent financial crisis, but action needs to follow on any agreement. … Read More »
- November 13th, 2008
- Posted by 7thmin
An Ambassador of the European Union, Bruno Julien (Picture), says the world financial crisis has shown that its member countries need to work much closer together as a bloc — and they have made progress in that direction, in the last month. … Read More »
- November 13th, 2008
- Posted by EUEditor
The Australian government and the European Union declared they wanted a table of measurable goals and results, not just friendly phrases, when they drew up their new partnership agreement (See EUAustralia, Australia-EU Deal Signed, 30.10.08).
That was the main achievement of the day that it was signed, in Paris on 29.10.08, according to the European Commission Ambassador engaged in getting the agreement made, Bruno Julien. … Read More »
- November 10th, 2008
- Posted by Amelia Birnie

While Anzac Day has become Australia’s main day of commemoration, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is always remembered.
Today marks the 90th anniversary of the Armistice and hundreds of Australians have traveled to Northern France and Flanders to pay their respects.
… Read More »