Loan Adviser

The EU condemns the use of European passports in the murder of Mabhuh but without mentioning Israel

EU foreign ministers tried today of murder in Dubai on 20 January, and several expressed their “concern” about the use of European passports to his Israeli counterpart, Avigdor Liberman, who was visiting Brussels. Liberman avoided ruling on the alleged involvement of the Israeli Mossad in the assassination, and asked about it after meeting with European Parliament president, saying only: “I think you all are too James Bond films. According to a statement released in Jerusalem by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Lieberman said “there is no report linking Israel with the incident” and stressed that ” if there is alternative information beyond the press, Israel will respond, ” The sta1000tement agreed by EU Ministers today said that” the EU strongly condemns the fact that those involved in this action have used passports and credit cards from EU Member States. He added that the assassination of Al Mahbuh “is an activity which can lead to peace and stability in the Middle East” although there is no formal condemnation of the act. The agreed text contains no mention of Israel, the prime suspect in the murder, because that country has not officially acknowledged its participation. “There is a recognition of the facts,” he said at a news conference after the meeting of chief ministers of European diplomacy, Catherine Ashton.

The Dubai authorities have identified eleven suspects in the killing of Mahmoud al Mabhuh, who traveled to the Gulf emirate with passports from the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany.

These passports and credit cards were “acquired through identity theft of EU citizens,” said the European Union in its text. The EU also ensures that EU passports are still ” of the safest in the world “as they include various security measures” to prevent forgery and misuse “. (continue reading…)

Countercurrent: Alain Robert, the lord of the skyscrapers

Alain Robert has no limits. The dreams of French grandeur of this result in reaching the summit of the world”s tallest buildings climbing the walls and windows without any other help that her hands, feet and some talc against sweat, the same as used to meet their next challenge. And this climber is 47 years now aims to climb the newly opened Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world, with 164 floors and 828 meters high, which rises in Dubai. A task that has us accustomed to having already conquered the ancestors of this building. The last time was in September 2009 when Petronas towers crowned Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia ). The daredevil athlete, also known as “French Spiderman”, only took 45 minutes to climb the 88 floors (452 meters), a feat that could not complete on two previous occasions because he was detained. In this third attempt also failed to escape the law, was arrested after stepping off the building. The daring cost him a fine of 400 euros. Five years earlier, in December 2004, Robert also managed to dominate the Taipei 101 in Taiwan, the building that took to the Petronas first place as the world”s tallest tower. Although on this occasion, Robert climbed in nearly four hours the 101-storey building (508 meters) with the aid of ropes, much of the rise, and only with hands and feet in other sections. “Everyone knows me by climbing without safety gear, but this was different,” he said, because the building owners had asked him to wear ropes, which also was necessary because the rain meant that the windows are slippery . The climber said he risked will climb the building without using ropes. The arrest he suffered in Malaysia was not the first. His peculiar way of making a living as an audacious publicity stunt, has led to police stations in several cities in the world on various charges like attempt on his life and that of others, violation of private property or exhibit inappropriate behavior. In June last year, was arrested for climbing the headquarters of Royal Bank of Scotland, a 41-story building located in Sydney, Australia. This recurring problem with the law does not shy away. (continue reading…)

Midwestern Blair hopes to resume talks in weeks –

ABUJA (Reuters) – The envoy of the Quartet of Middle East negotiators, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Saturday he expected the Israelis and Palestinians resume peace talks within weeks, following a break of more than a year. Recently, Washington said that Blair would intensify it1000s work with the U.S. negotiator George Mitchell to mediate the talks. “I hope we can take them up in the coming weeks, but who knows, “Blair told Reuters during a visit to Nigeria. “The Israelis want to enter into negotiations, the Palestinians want to enter the negotiation, the question is under what terms,” he said. Much of Blair”s role as U.S. envoy, EU, UN and Russia is helping to prepare an eventual Palestinian state alongside Israel. Blair said efforts would increase, not only to strengthen the Palestinian economy and allow greater freedom of movement, but also to promote the practice of law on the Palestinian side and ensure a functional criminal justice system. Peace talks have not resumed since the war Israel-Gaza between December 2008 and January 2009, due largely to the Palestinian demand that Israel imposed a total freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to which Jerusalem is denied. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected a limited and temporary detention of construction imposed by Israel late last year, calling it inadequate, and want assurances that the new talks quickly seek a final agreement on issues key. (continue reading…)

Minaret collapse leaves 16 dead in Morocco

“I myself counted 13 dead. Their bodies were pulled from the rubble by rescue teams. My colleagues and hospital staff told me there were three more dead,” the lawmaker told Reuters Bouanou Abdallah, who is also a doctor, from the scene. About 35 people were hospitalized, he said. “A man is being rescued alive from the rubble now.”s speaking. I can see and hear as I speak, “he said. MAP The state agency, quoting an official provisional statement said 11 people were killed and 50 injured in the collapse. Up to 80 people were trapped under the rubble, and soldiers are working to reach them, said Khaled Rahmouni, resident in the city of Meknes, where the mosque collapsed. (continue reading…)

Holbrooke praised Pakistan-US cooperation on Taliban

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – The renewed collaboration between the U.S. and Pakistan led to recent successes against the Taliban, among them account capture second in command of the group, said Thursday the special envoy of the White House to the region. Hours after the arrival of the envoy Richard Holbrooke to Islamabad, a bomb in a village in the Khyber area on the Afghan-Pakistan left 30 people dead, underscoring the fragile security environment in the region. Among the dead was a commander of a militant faction that does not belong to the main Taliban alliance in Pakistan, security officials said, adding that th1000e blast appeared to be the result of factional rivalry. Holbrooke praised the capture of top Taliban military strategist Afghan Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar this month, which came as U.S. forces comandan a major NATO offensive against the group. “It is very significant in itself. Very significant,” Holbrooke told reporters. “It represents another peak for the Pakistani and U.S. collaboration. Baradar was arrested in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi in an attack by Pakistani and U.S. agents. Baradar is the most senior Taliban commander arrested in Pakistan. Pakistan, an important U.S. ally, Taliban battle against their native and has taken little action against the Afghan Taliban operating from its territory and not face the Pakistani state. Pakistani Taliban movement supported by Al Qaeda, which is freely associated with the Taliban Afghans launched a series of bombings in Pakistan in retaliation for offensives their strongholds. (continue reading…)