Νέφωση στις σχέσεις Σουηδίας-Ισραήλ..[ 387 ]

Δημοσίευμα για Ισραήλ προκαλεί εντάσεις

Ο υπ. Εξωτερικών της Σουηδίας, κ. Μπιλντ, ανέβαλε την επίσκεψή του στο Ισραήλ, όταν πληροφορήθηκε ότι ο Ισραηλινός πρωθυπουργός εξέταζε το ενδεχόμενο να μην τον συναντήσει.

Η ΝΑΥΤΕΜΠΟΡΙΚΗ Δευτέρα, 7 Σεπτεμβρίου 2009 07:00

Η προγραμματισμένη επίσκεψη στο Ισραήλ του υπουργού Εξωτερικών της Σουηδίας, Καρλ Μπιλντ, αναβλήθηκε επ' αόριστον, δήλωσε χθες εκπρόσωπος του ισραηλινού υπουργείου Εξωτερικών. Η Σουηδία ασκεί το τρέχον εξάμηνο την προεδρία της Ε.Ε. Η επίσκεψη ήταν προγραμματισμένη να αρχίσει στις 11 Σεπτεμβρίου.

Το επίκεντρο της διαμάχης είναι δημοσίευμα σουηδικής εφημερίδας («Aftonbladet» στις 17ης Αυγούστου), το οποίο ανέφερε ότι το Ισραήλ αποσπούσε τα όργανα νεκρών Παλαιστινίων. Σύμφωνα με τις καταγγελίες, οι σοροί των Παλαιστινίων που σκοτώθηκαν στη Δυτική Οχθη επιστράφηκαν στις οικογένειές τους με κάποια ζωτικά όργανά τους να έχουν αφαιρεθεί.

Ο συντάκτης του άρθρου συνέδεσε την καταγγελία αυτή με τις πρόσφατες συλλήψεις στην Πολιτεία του Νιου Τζέρσεϊ στις ΗΠΑ πολλών Αμερικανοεβραίων, ανάμεσά τους και ραβίνοι, για μία σειρά από εγκλήματα, όπως η διαμεσολάβηση για την πώληση ανθρώπινων οργάνων για μεταμόσχευση.

Η καταγγελία αυτή προέρχεται από τις οικογένειες των θυμάτων και έχει δημοσιευτεί και στο παρελθόν.

Σύμφωνα με τα ισραηλινά μέσα επικοινωνιών, ο κ. Μπιλντ αποφάσισε να αναβάλει την επίσκεψή του όταν πληροφορήθηκε ότι ο Ισραηλινός πρωθυπουργός, Μπενιαμίν Νετανιάχου, εξέταζε το ενδεχόμενο να μην τον συναντήσει εξαιτίας της άρνησης της Στοκχόλμης να καταδικάσει το επίμαχο δημοσίευμα.

Ο Νετανιάχου ζήτησε από τη σουηδική κυβέρνηση να καταδικάσει το δημοσίευμα, όμως η Στοκχόλμη, επικαλούμενη νομοθεσία που προστατεύει την ελευθερία του λόγου, αρνήθηκε να το πράξει.

Σημειώνεται ότι το Σάββατο ο ύπατος εκπρόσωπος της Ε.Ε. για την Εξωτερική Πολιτική και την Πολιτική Ασφάλειας, Χαβιέ Σολάνα, ζήτησε από το Ισραήλ να εγκαταλείψει τα σχέδιά του για επιτάχυνση του εποικισμού στην κατεχόμενη Δυτική Οχθη, προτού προβεί σε οποιοδήποτε «πάγωμα», ώστε να μην υπονομεύσει τις πιθανότητες επανάληψης των ειρηνευτικών διαπραγματεύσεων με τους Παλαιστινίους.

Προεκλογικός Πυρετός [ 386 ]

Ξεκίνησε η προεκλογική περίοδος Πυρετώδεις διεργασίες στα κόμματα εν όψει της 4ης Οκτωβρίου

ΑΠΕ

Ξεκίνησε ο προεκλογικός αγώνας εν όψει της 4ης Οκτωβρίου (φωτ. αρχείου)

ΑΘΗΝΑ 07/09/09 08:11 Σε πυρετώδεις διεργασίες εν όψει της εκλογικής αναμέτρησης της 4ης Οκτωβρίου βρίσκει τα κόμματα η επίσημη έναρξη της προεκλογικής περιόδου από σήμερα, Δευτέρα. Συγκεκριμένα, υπό την προεδρία του πρωθυπουργού, Κώστα Καραμανλή αναμένεται να συνεδριάσει στις 13:00 το μεσημέρι της Δευτέρας η Κεντρική Εκλογικού Αγώνα στα Κεντρικά Γραφεία του κόμματος. Στη συνεδρίαση αυτή αναμένεται να συζητηθεί το θέμα της στελέχωσης των «γαλάζιων» ψηφοδελτίων. Ο πρόεδρος του ΠΑΣΟΚ, Γ.Παπανδρέου, εν όψει της επίσκεψής του στην 74η ΔΕΘ, το Σαββατοκύριακο, συναντάται στον Πειραιά με εκπροσώπους επιχειρήσεων, μέλη του Εμπορικού Συλλόγου της πόλης, του Επαγγελματικού Επιμελητηρίου και εργαζόμενους με τους οποίου θα συζητήσει την κατάσταση της οικονομίας και τα προβλήματα που αντιμετωπίζουν οι μικρομεσαίες επιχειρήσεις και οι εργαζόμενοι. Στη Θεσσαλονίκη βρίσκεται ο πρόεδρος του ΛΑΟΣ, Γ.Καρατζαφέρης, ο οποίος στις 11:00 θα συναντηθεί με τον νομάρχη της συμπρωτεύουσας, ενώ στις 13:30 θα παραχωρήσει Συνέντευξη Τύπου στο συνεδριακό κέντρο «Νικόλαος Γερμανός». Την Τετάρτη θα φτάσει στη Θεσσαλονίκη η γγ του ΚΚΕ, Αλέκα Παπαρήγα και την Πέμπτη ο πρόεδρος του ΣΥΝ, Αλέξης Τσίπρας. Στη Θεσσαλονίκη βρίσκονται ήδη και οι Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι. Newsroom ΔΟΛ

Mexico:Caditate & family killed..[ 385]

Mexican legislative candidate, family killed

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -September 6, 2009 -- Updated 2134 GMT (0534 HKT)- A legislative candidate was killed, along with his wife and two children, bringing campaigns for statewide offices in the southeastern state of Tabasco to a halt, the state-run news agency Notimex reported.

PRI candidate Jose Francisco Fuentes Esperon was killed, along with his wife and their two sons.

The bodies of Jose Francisco Fuentes Esperon, his wife and two young sons were found inside their home in the capital of Villahermosa on Saturday.

According to local reports, Fuentes' wife was shot in the head, and the boys, ages 10 and 13, had been asphyxiated. Less clear was the candidate's fate. Some reports said that his body had signs of torture and had a wound on his neck, which may have been from a gunshot.

As of Sunday, authorities had not released a motive for the crime, though speculation of a drug cartel hit or a robbery circulated in Tabasco.

Fuentes' party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, immediately announced a campaign moratorium for all of its candidates for the state's October 18 elections. Other political parties followed suit.

"The PRI cannot go out at this moment and ask citizens for their vote when it finds itself with a broken heart because of the homicide of its candidate," Tabasco PRI director Adrian Hernandez Balboa said, according to Notimex.

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In response, the Tabasco state government offered all political candidates protection during their campaigns if they requested it, a statement from the office of Gov. Andres Granier Melo said.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon called Granier to offer his condolences and show his support for the investigation, the statement said.

The weekend slaying was not the first time an entire family has been killed in Tabasco.

In February, a Tabasco police official who had arrested a drug trafficker a week earlier was killed together with his mother, wife, children and nieces and nephews. His brother, also a state police officer, was wounded, as were two others.

The day before Fuentes and his family were killed, unknown gunmen fatally shot two state police officers in Villahermosa and injured two others.

Bangladesh : Seas 'threaten 20m level [ 384 ]

Seas 'threaten 20m in Bangladesh'

By David Shukman

BBC News, Bangladesh Monday, 7 September 2009 05:59 UK

Up to 20 million people in low-lying Bangladesh are at risk from sea-level rise in the coming decades, according to new research.

Flood defences in many parts of the country are not up to job, experts say (Photo M.Georgiou)

Scientists predict that salty water could reach far inland, making it hard to cultivate staple foods like rice.

The research comes as the government appeals for $5bn (£3bn) over five years, to combat climate change.

In May, Cyclone Aila left thousands homeless, killed many and caused widespread flooding and damage.

The predictions come from the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (Cegis) in Bangladesh.

It suggests a surprisingly small area of land will be permanently lost to the waters, but notes that vast tracts in the south-west could be inundated every monsoon season.

Food threats

Ahmadul Hassan, a senior scientist at Cegis, told the BBC that the intrusion of salt water would disrupt rice production in one of Bangladesh's poorest regions.

"These are very poor people, and vulnerable. For four months they'll have nowhere to work," he said.

Floating gardens help in vulnerable areas - Video of projects courtesy of DfID

"So people will migrate to the cities for jobs, because of the uncomfortable situation with sea level rise.

"We are talking about 20 million people," he adds.

According to the researchers, data from 11 Bangladeshi monitoring stations show an average sea-level rise of 5mm per year over the last 30 years, with climate models forecasting further rises.

Of Bangladesh's total rice production, nearly half is so-called "monsoon" rice and much of that is grown in the areas most vulnerable to flooding.

In an interview with BBC News, Bangladesh's Minister of Disaster Management, Dr Muhammed Abdur Razzaque, said he wanted sea defences similar to those in Holland.

"We have to have new designs for embankments and we have to raise their height," he said.

"We are expecting $5bn over the next five years in support from the international community.

"This must be a grant, not a loan with interest," he stipulated.

I think it is not possible to live in this country any longer, we have to move Asma Khatun Gabura Island resident

Bangladesh is among a number of developing countries campaigning for finance to help adapt to the effects of climate change.

There are hopes that the richest nations will agree to massive funding at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen in December.

Staff from the charity Oxfam point to the damage caused by Cyclone Aila last May to highlight why Bangladesh needs help preparing for future sea-level rise.

Abdul Khaleque is managing Oxfam's emergency response in Satkhira region, where more than 20,000 people lost their homes on Gabura Island.

He said: "This place is very near to the sea and we know climate change is causing sea levels to rise.

"If the situation gets worse then these people cannot go back to their villages, so permanent arrangements to improve these embankments need to be made."

Defences breached

Four months after the cyclone, the sea defences are still breached and the island floods with every high tide.

The chairman of the Gabura Island "union" or council, Shofiul Ajam Lenin, is calling for the embankments to be far higher.

"If the current design is not changed then not only my union, but the other unions as well will not exist."

The flooding has ruined the island's freshwater supplies and hygiene in the camp is poor.

Among those living in tents on a narrow strip of high ground is Asma Khatun, a 25-year-old widow, who is now eager to leave.

"I think it is not possible to live in this country any longer. We have to move to other countries.

"We can't live here just by drinking this water. It is not possible to live here."

Venezuela: More radio closures coming [ 383 ]

Venezuelan minister: More radio closures coming

(CNN) -6-9-09- The Venezuelan government initiated a new charge against a private television broadcaster and said that 29 additional radio stations would soon be closed, the latest move in what critics call a crackdown on freedom of expression.

Demonstrators hold up a picture of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at a pro-Chavez rally on Saturday

The Saturday announcement by Minister of Public Works and Housing Diosdado Cabello, who oversees the state telecommunications regulator, came at a counter-rally to marches protesting the hardline tactics of President Hugo Chavez.

Friday's marches against Chavez were in part to protest the government's closure of 32 radio stations and two television broadcasters last month. The government said the stations were shut down for violations relating to their broadcast licenses. Critics say the president was clamping down on critical press.

"There are 29 [radio stations] that will be off the air shortly," Cabello said at Saturday's pro-Chavez rally.

Cabello also announced a new legal complaint against television broadcaster Globovision as a sanction for allegedly calling for a coup against Chavez during its coverage of Friday's rallies.

Globovision carried text messages from viewers on a ticker on the bottom of the screen during the anti-Chavez protests that called for an overthrow of the government, Cabello said.

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"If you call for a coup, if you call for assassination, assume your responsibility," he said.

The government has already initiated a number of charges against Globovision. The station, known for being critical of Chavez, is being investigated for breaking a law on "social responsibility" on some programs on certain dates. The station violated a statute that makes it illegal to utilize telecommunication channels to further criminal acts, the government alleges.

Venezuelan authorities had also opened an investigation into whether Globovision broke the law May 4 when it reported about an earthquake before an official report had been issued on the matter.

Two other investigations had previously been launched against the station.

The relationship between privately-owned media in Venezuela and the leftist Chavez have never been rosy. Chavez has accused private television stations of supporting his brief ouster in 2002, and the president was a driving force behind denying a license renewal in 2007 to one broadcaster he said cooperated with the opposition.