Eurozone leaders reassure Greece

14 September 2011 Last updated at 20:25 GMT George Papandreou spoke with Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel by telephone The leaders of Greece, France and Germany have said that Greece is an "integral" part of the eurozone.

It follows a telephone call between Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Greece also reiterated that it is determined to meet all the deficit reductions plans it agreed to in exchange for its two bailouts.

Concerns continue that Greece will default on its debt.

The comments are aimed at calming markets that have seen turbulent trading in recent weeks over fears surrounding Greece's finances.

This has also increased speculation that Greece may have to leave the 17-nation single currency zone.

Greek government spokesman Elias Mossialos said: "In the face of the extensive rumours of the last few days, it was stressed by all that Greece is an integral part of the eurozone."

Ms Merkel and Mr Sarkozy said in a joint statement: "Putting into place commitments of the (bailout) programme is essential for the Greek economy to return to a path of lasting and balanced growth."

The European Union and the International Monetary Fund agreed in May of last year to give Greece 110bn euros ($151bn; £96bn) in emergency loans, which it is still receiving in tranches.

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[Greeece sticking to its targets] is the precondition for the payment fo future tranches of the program”

End Quote Spokesman for Angela Merkel It was then agreed in July of this year that Greece would gain a second bailout fund of 109bn euros, but this still has to be ratified by the parliaments of a number of eurozone member states.

Greece is set to receieve the next loan from its initial bailout later this month, but it will only get this if inspectors from the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund agree that it is keeping up with its spending cut targets.

There are some fears that they may rule that Greece has fallen behind. Without this month's loan, Greece will not be able to meet its debt payments by the middle of next month.

A spokesman for Ms Merkel said: "[Greeece sticking to its targets] is the precondition for the payment fo future tranches of the program."

Eurobond proposal

The talks between Ms Merkel, Mr Papandreou and Mr Sarkozy came after EU president Jose Manuel Barroso said he would urge the eurozone nations to issue joint bonds as a means to tackle the debt crisis.

Under so-called eurobonds, member states would be able to borrow money collectively.

The idea is that this would strengthen the positions of the more indebted nations such as Greece and Portugal as it would allow them to borrow more cheaply.

However, Germany has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the idea.

Because Germany is the strongest economy in the eurozone, it can attract buyers to its existing government bonds with much lower interest rates, so it has much to lose from eurobonds being introduced.

Also on Wednesday, credit rating agency Moody's downgraded two French banks after reviewing their exposure to Greek debt.

Credit Agricole was cut from Aa1 to Aa2 and Societe Generale from Aa2 to Aa3.

A third bank, BNP Paribas, was kept on review for a possible downgrade.

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Somali leaders agree to hold elections in a year

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Leaders in Somalia signed a deal on Tuesday planning to hold elections within a year, aiming to end a string of ineffective transitional U.N.-backed administrations.

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The deal commits the government to a new constitution, stipulates reforms in governance and security services and calls for talks with armed opposition groups. It also says African Union troops supporting the government should spread beyond the capital of Mogadishu.

That is all the territory the transitional administration currently holds. Most of the rest of southern Somalia is held by Islamist insurgents, although allied militias hold a few other areas in southern Somalia.

The plan says the international community will provide financial support based on the achievement of results. The government currently gets little direct support from Western donors, who worry about corruption. But over the past two years it has received tens of millions of dollars in cash, mainly from Arab states. Most of that is unaccounted for.

The plan is an "important measure" that sets out timelines and benchmarks, said Augustine Mahiga, the top United Nations official working on Somalia.

"The Somali people are expecting us to achieve full security so that they can have a good life. We will sustain and honor their dignity, and will lead them to prosperity," said Somali President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the agreement by Somali leaders on a "roadmap" for completing the current transitional period and urged them to implement it "in the interest of bringing unity, peace and stability to Somalia and its people," according to the spokesperson for his office.

A long-running feud between the president and the speaker of parliament is one reason the government has remained weak and divided.

War-ravaged Somalia was supposed to have elections last August but the government extended its mandate by a year after the international community could not agree what to do. Somalia has had transitional administrations for the past seven years but has not had a functioning central government since 1991.

The current administration is widely perceived as corrupt and ineffective, and many analysts say that as long as it is assured of the support of the international community in the fight against the Islamist insurgency it has little incentive to change.

Currently four million Somalis — over half the population — are dependent on food aid, according to the U.N. Around 750,000 living in famine-affected regions are at risk of starving to death in the next four months. Aid cannot reach most of them because the insurgents block many aid agencies from working in their territory and even in government-held areas shoot-outs at aid distributions are common and up to half of food aid is stolen and sold.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Suspected ‘Crush’ Video Ring Leaders Arrested

PETA and NBI Investigation of Gruesome Videos Depicting Cruelty to Animals Leads to Arrest of Dorma and Vic Ridon

Burgos, La Union — Dorma (“Chita”) and Vicente Ridon, the couple charged with crimes related to the production of a series of “crush” videos in which scantily clad young girls engage in the torture killing of animals, were arrested by the police early on Tuesday morning in Burgos. The arrests came as the result of a year-long investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The Ridons, who have posted bail, have been charged with violations of child abuse (RA 7610) and animal welfare (RA 8485) laws, and expected to face further charges involving human trafficking (RA 9208), and wildlife protection (RA 9147) laws. They are expected to face trial within the year.

PETA’s hotline received more than 200 reports in the week following the group’s appeal for help.

“The vicious disregard for the animal suffering shown in these sadistic videos must be severely punished,” says PETA Asia’s campaigns manager, Rochelle Regodon. “This is a warning to anyone who would commit cruelty-to-animals crimes: The public takes it seriously and will do all it can to see justice served.”

The “crush” videos depict extreme cruelty to animals, including a rabbit as he or she was skinned alive, rabbits as they flailed and screamed while their ears were cut off and as they were set on fire, a dog as he or she was burned with a clothes iron, a monkey and several dogs as they were repeatedly hit in the eye with the sharp end of a stiletto heel, and puppies as they were crushed until they vomited their own internal organs.

For more information, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.

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As Norway names dead, religious leaders and counselors offer comfort to a nation (The Christian Science Monitor)

Oslo, Norway – As Norwegian police begin naming the victims from last Friday’s terrorist attacks, adding a human face to the country’s loss, caregivers and aid organizations say they stand ready to help the public sort out its raw emotions.

Survivors and mourners alike are still coming to grips with the heavy death toll from the shooting spree at the lake island of Utoya and the bombing in downtown Oslo which killed at least 76. Many are particularly disturbed over the mass murder on Utoya, where police claim Anders Behring Breivik shot 68 people – many of them in their late teens and early 20s – dead at a summer camp.

“Everyone seems beaten,” says Oslo resident Sigvald Sveinbjornsson, calling the deaths “extremely meaningless.”

“It’s impossible to comprehend,” he adds.

RECOMMENDED: Norwegian police under scrutiny after terror attacks

Investigators have portrayed Mr. Breivik’s actions as chilling, saying he hunted down the campers, many of whom hid in the woods or dove into the lake to escape. The attacks have triggered an outpouring of sympathy both at home and from abroad, with world leaders and Norway’s institutions offering their support.

Police have provided grief counseling and lawyers to the victims to help them navigate the impending legal process. The University of Oslo has opened telephone lines and prayer rooms to those seeking solace, and made the university’s priest available to students.

The Oslo Cathedral has also become a magnet for memorials and visitors. A gathering of flowers and flags that began on Friday outside of the church has only grown, engulfing much of the adjacent square.

“It has been overwhelming,” senior pastor Elisabeth Thornsen says of the response. She says the church now has to restrict the number of visitors inside the cathedral at one time after a small fire broke Monday night from candles placed throughout the building.

To meet the demand, Ms. Thornsen says the cathedral has extended its hours and will offer services every night this week. She says the state church has sought to give the public a space to grieve but also impart a sense of hope.

“I think it’s important to give a sense of peace; to let people feel what they feel and try to give room for that,” she says. “What I feel is very important is to say what the church always is saying; that there is hope. We believe in hope.”

Astrid Arnslett, spokeswoman with the Norwegian Red Cross, says its volunteers have been working with the authorities since the afternoon explosion in central Oslo. She says the organization has aided with search and rescue operations amid the rubble and on Utoya as well as provided psychological care to victims from both attacks.

Mrs. Arnslett was with many of Utoya’s victims over the weekend, sorting out practical details like finding new pairs of shoes and offering a shoulder to cry on. She says the mood was mixed as victims, overjoyed to be alive and reunited with friends, increasingly became filled with a sense of survivor’s guilt after it became clear dozens had died.

She says as more and more names are released, the number of those grieving will only increase, since victims on Utoya hailed from across the sparsely populated country. As a result, the Red Cross is keeping its centers open nationwide and is preparing to stay in touch with victims as they leave Oslo for home or head back to school.

“These young people have been through things that we’ll never understand,” she says. “Some of these kids will need people to talk to for a very long time.”

Experts agreed the healing process would be long and difficult for those who lived through the attack, especially the young. Rather than trying to shield them from what happened, officials said it is best to keep them informed and open to discussions.

“The more they understand the better they cope with the situation,â€

He doubts the attacks would ultimately scare young people away from politics, instead predicting they could fuel their interest in activism. In any case, he said the attacks would be seared into the public’s conscience, which in the end may serve to benefit Norway’s future generations.

“It is important to remember so that we can work to prevent such a thing in the future,” he says.

RECOMMENDED: Norwegian police under scrutiny after terror attacks

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Moray leaders meet Scots minister

21 July 2011 Last updated at 03:57 GMT Finance Secretary John Swinney is meeting business leaders Moray's business leaders are set to meet Finance Secretary John Swinney to discuss the local economy in the wake of the defence review.

RAF Lossiemouth was saved from closure under defence cuts which were announced on Monday.

RAF Kinloss will shut as an air base and be taken over by the Army.

Members of the Moray Economic Partnership and community and business leaders are due to meet Mr Swinney in Forres.

There was a high-profile campaign by local businesses and politicians who feared losing the bases would devastate the Moray economy.

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