Germans prepare to bring back EU Constitution "faster than anyone realises." Prodi advisers to shape strategy for bringing back the text. The German Ambassador to the UK Wolfgang Ischinger has told the Guardian that his government will work hard to resurrect the EU Constitution during its 2007 EU Presidency. He said, "Germany remains committed to the Constitutional process - whether you want to call it a Constitution or not is, in my view, a question of presentation. The important thing is the substance of it, and we believe the substance of it is very important - and remains important...
Meshaal is officially the head of the diplomatic desk of Hamas, but is recognized as the number one man in the terrorist organization. The target of a failed Israeli assassination attempt a decade ago, Meshaal told a Lebanese newspaper this week that Hamas will not hesitate to resume its armed warfare against Israel.
Specifically, he threatened, "If within six months, the international community does not come up with a plan for the establishment of a Palestinian state in the 1967 borders [i.e., on all the land liberated by Israel in the Six Day War - ed.] and for the return of the refugees, the Palestinians will turn to an armed struggle against Israel."
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is worried about a fall in the US dollar that is eroding member states' purchasing power.
"In just a few short decades, Hollywood has gone from producing classics like 'The Ten Commandments' and family-friendly TV shows like 'Bonanza' to today's toxic fare like 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,'" said WND Managing Editor David Kupelian. "This Whistleblower edition reveals why."
We are approaching rapidly a series of currency crises of a greater magnitude than ever seen before in history.
Whilst the U.S.$ will be the prime recipient of these, many currencies trying to protect their international competitiveness or their own stability will be dragged into the crisis that will affect to a greater or lesser extent the bulk of currencies across the world.
There will be few currencies and consequently their economies that will escape the ripple effects of the dramatic changes in exchange rates.
The UK Government agreed at last week's Cabinet meeting to launch a new PR campaign to overcome British scepticism and apathy towards the EU. A memo titled, Reframing the Debate suggests that Ministers should try to promote the EU brand by linking it to popular, or warm European themes such as the UEFA Champions League and the Eurovision song contest even where these are unrelated to the EU. It also suggested a ban on mentioning themes that leaves the public cold, including terms such as EU Directive, Brussels or Eurocrat.
Every Whitehall department will be assigned a Press co-ordinator to promote these ideas, and rebut stories that show the EU in a negative light. They will be issued with a new core script and toolkit outlining the new narrative on Europe. The plan has been drawn up by Howell James, Whitehall's communications head and close friend of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. The paper reports that the move comes because of the Government's growing expectation that Brussels would revive plans for an EU Constitution.
Reports that KGB defector Alexander Litvinenko converted to Islam before his mysterious poisoning with radioactive polonium 210 is raising suspicions that he may have been involved in a plot to smuggle the deadly substance to terrorist groups willing to pay millions even for a gram.
Treasury Secretary, Henry M. Paulson, is rushing off to China next month and will lead a delegation to Beijing for the inaugural meeting of the U.S China Strategic Economic Dialogue. He'll be taking high-ranking Administration officials with him, including Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben S. Bernanke. Because Hank and Ben are responsible for stabilizing the financial markets and need to work together to try and stabilize the dollar, their activities in China will undoubtedly be closely watched worldwide.
The U.S. Dollar has been the world's reserve currency since World War II. Yet, the Bush administration, reversing the actions in the Clinton years, has changed the playing field by allowing the dollar to drift lower. In this analysis, Dr. Duarte looks at several key factors that are influencing the action of the U.S. Dollar, and that may have some long lasting consequences.
The U.S. Dollar is nearing a multi-year low, as measured by the Dollar Index. The common wisdom suggests that the status of the dollar is based on economic fundamentals. Yet, there is data that suggests that beyond the slowing economy, the long term trend and the increasingly dangerous of the dollar is stemming from policy decisions made by Congress and by the White House.
Sterling broke through the $1.98 barrier this afternoon, hitting a fresh 14-year peak of $1.9847 as manufacturing activity in the US plunged to the lowest level in three-and-a-half years, sparking fears of a hard landing for the US economy.
From the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary's house near Ephesus, Benedict XVI implored for peace in Jerusalem and the whole world.
"Strengthened by God's word, from here in Ephesus, a city blessed by the presence of Mary Most Holy -- who we know is loved and venerated also by Muslims -- let us lift up to the Lord a special prayer for peace between peoples," exhorted the Pope in his homily at a Mass attended by Turkish Catholics today.
To live peacefully with Muslims and Jews, Christians must put aside the notion that their faith requires the creation of a Christian kingdom on Earth, a Lipscomb University theologian told an interfaith gathering at the university.
"We are not going to get very far in our relationship with Jews or Muslims if we do not let go of this idea," Lipscomb professor Lee Camp said at Tuesday's conference.
ANKARA, Turkey -- Pope Benedict XVI, who sparked Muslim anger in September when he quoted a 14th-century ruler's characterization of Islam as a religion spread by violence, reached further back for more conciliatory words yesterday as he began a four-day visit to Turkey, his first papal trip to a Muslim country.
In a speech that stressed the need for honest and open dialogue between Christians and Muslims, Benedict recalled the words of Pope Gregory VII, who in 1076 wrote a letter of thanks to a North African Muslim ruler for his benevolence to Christians.
The dollar has continued its recent decline, falling to fresh 20-month lows against the euro as concerns grow about a US economic slowdown.
In early Wednesday afternoon trading, the dollar was hovering around $1.31 against the euro, after earlier falling as low as $1.32.
The dollar's continuing weakness came after US data showed a fall in both the price of goods and consumer confidence.
Analysts now predict US interest rates will have to be cut early next year.
Followers of the militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took over state-run television to denounce the Iraqi government, label Sunnis "terrorists" and issue what appeared to many viewers as a call to arms.
The two-hour broadcast from a community gathering in the heart of the Shiite militia stronghold of Sadr City included three members of al-Sadr's parliamentary bloc, who took questions from outraged residents demanding revenge for a series of car bombings that killed some 200 people Thursday.