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Greece Agreement 'Old Deal In New Clothing'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Februari 2015 | 20.48

The clue came right at the start of Yanis Varoufakis' press conference.

Up until last night's bailout extension deal, the Greek finance minister spent most of his international media appearances addressing an international audience - speaking fluent, verbose English, taking questions from outlets from around the world.

Last night, in the small Greek briefing room in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, he was talking to someone else entirely.

His eyes fixed down the barrel of the cameras, for a quarter of an hour he spoke only in Greek.

"We are now co-authors of our own destiny," he said.

"Negotiation means compromise. But this deal is a small step in the right direction.

"We are no longer following a script given to us by external agencies," he added.

Unusually for him, though, he was reading his speech rather than talking off the cuff.

It did not take a political genius to work out what was going on.

Syriza came to power in Greece last month promising not to do a deal with the shady characters in Brussels.

It promised not to sign up to a continuation of the unpopular bailout programme.

It promised not to have its domestic policies monitored and influenced by the so-called Troika of lenders (the International Monetary Fund, European Commission and European Central Bank).

But the deal it signed up to on Friday night involved, essentially, all of the above.

There were changes in some of the terminology.

The "programme" is now renamed the "contract"; the hated "memorandum of understanding" which entailed the reforms the country needed to make, is called the "Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement"; the "Troika" is now referred to as "the institutions".

But, for the most part, the bailout extension Greece signed up to looks like precisely the thing Syriza and Varoufakis said they would not agree to.

True, there are some important changes: Greece will be given more leeway on its public finances this year; it will have the opportunity to curtail some of the tougher reforms, such as firesales of assets and changes in pension provisions - though these, too, will have to be approved by the Troika, sorry, institutions, in conversations starting on Monday.

Crucially, Syriza can rightly claim that its government has eased the conditions on the bailout a lot more than its predecessors.

However, this was hardly the revolution in economic policy that many Greeks will have hoped for.

It does not represent a new deal - so much as an old deal in new clothing.

Then again, perhaps that is the best that could have been expected.

This is only a short-term extension to bide the country over.

Without it, there was a distinct chance it would have defaulted and left the euro - the latter of which the vast majority of Greeks are set against.

The country's financial system was looking perilously exposed.

Throughout the Eurogroup meeting, the ECB president Mario Draghi warned repeatedly that unless Greece and its euro counterparts came up with a deal soon, money could start escaping from Greek bank accounts rapidly that there might be a full-blown financial crisis as soon as Monday.

This was a difficult meeting for Mr Varoufakis.

The former academic has taken the political world by storm in recent weeks, carrying out a whistlestop tour of European capitals to explain the Greek position.

However, so visible has he been in this period, so adamant that Greece will not water down its demands, that the events of the past 24 hours may prove tough to contextualise.

What made the job harder still is the fact that he and the finance ministry were marginalised towards the end of the negotiations.

Alexis Tsipras, the Prime Minister, stepped in and carried out some of the talks behind the scenes with his fellow leaders when things looked as if they were breaking down.

After the previous Eurogroup meeting on Monday descended into farce, amid a flood of leaks, the PM insisted that all press communications should be done through his office, rather than Mr Varoufakis'.

It was said that behind-the-scenes, the Germans were refusing to talk to Mr Varoufakis - that some Greek finance officials had been urged to get rid of their boss.

That would be a terrific mistake: their new finance minister is one of the biggest assets Greece has, particularly when it comes to explaining to an international audience why austerity has not worked, and why future deals might have to be different.

And there will almost certainly need to be another deal once these four months have elapsed.

In the meantime, Mr Varoufakis and his colleagues have a tough job on their hands explaining why what was agreed in Brussels was a triumph rather than a defeat.

Their previous feat - overturning decades of two-party domination in Greece - may end up looking easy in comparison.


20.48 | 0 komentar | Read More

Super Tide And Strong Winds Brew Up Flood Risk

"Super tides", 50mph winds and large waves are threatening to combine to bring flooding misery for coastal communities in England this weekend.

The warning comes as many in the South East woke up to a covering of snow on Saturday, with forecasters predicting further blizzards for northern areas.

The biggest flood risk is in the southwest, with six "immediate action required" warnings issued by the Environment Agency (EA), mainly for the Somerset coast, and five for the northwest.

Two warnings are also in place around the Wye Estuary in the Midlands. There are also dozens of lower-level amber flood alerts - meaning flooding is possible.

"It's possible we could see some large waves and spray and urge people to take care near coastal paths and promenades and not to drive through flood water," said the EA's flood risk manager, Jonathan Day.

The spring "super tides" occur regularly when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon combine.

But the pull of the planets is also at an 18-year peak, making the tides slightly bigger this year, according to the EA.

Surfers on the River Severn made the best of the tidal boost, riding the incoming bore wave on Saturday morning.

Crowds gathered on the banks to watch the phenomenon, which at its peak can reach 13mph and three metres in height.

Saturday's wave is one of several large surges expected in February and March.

Meanwhile, heavy snow is also set to add to a turbulent mix of weekend weather, causing travel problems in Pennine areas and the Highlands.

Parts of southeast England have already had snow this weekend, with rural areas of East Sussex, Surrey and Kent seeing some picture postcard scenes.

The Met Office said freezing temperatures on Saturday night would see more wintry showers sweeping in in the morning.

"The whole of the country will experience strong winds and severe gales over the course of tomorrow, meaning it will be a wet and windy day for many - and a snowy and windy day for northern parts," said Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge.

"Winter is not over just yet."


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What's In This Year's £100,000 Oscars Gift Bag?

What's In This Year's £100,000 Oscars Gift Bag?

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

There are two sides to the Oscars. One is the glitz and glamour of endless parties and expensive gowns. The other is the dirty side of the movie industry, promotion.

Whether it is Harvey Weinstein pushing the latest Miramax film to the forefront of judges' minds or a C-lister arriving early on the red carpet to get seen, the Oscars is an opportunity to make a name for yourself.

There is one promotional tradition now firmly ingrained in the Oscars build-up - the gift bag.

The bag is handed over to nominees in the acting and directing categories by LA-based Distinctive Assets, which describes itself as a "niche marketing company".

This year, it has upped the bag's value to $160,000 (£104,000), making last year's $85,000 (£55,000) bag look like an insult to Hollywood's A-listers.

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  1. Gallery: Who's In The Running For An Oscar?

    Steve Carell transformed himself for Foxcatcher and has been recognised for his performance

Eddie Redmayne is nominated for best actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything

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Felicity Jones has won rave reviews for her role as Jane Hawking in The Theory Of Everything and is named in the best actress category

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Benedict Cumberbatch stars as WWII codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. He is now up for an Oscar and a BAFTA

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Michael Keaton plays an out-of-work actor/superhero in Birdman. He won the Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy

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What's In This Year's £100,000 Oscars Gift Bag?

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

There are two sides to the Oscars. One is the glitz and glamour of endless parties and expensive gowns. The other is the dirty side of the movie industry, promotion.

Whether it is Harvey Weinstein pushing the latest Miramax film to the forefront of judges' minds or a C-lister arriving early on the red carpet to get seen, the Oscars is an opportunity to make a name for yourself.

There is one promotional tradition now firmly ingrained in the Oscars build-up - the gift bag.

The bag is handed over to nominees in the acting and directing categories by LA-based Distinctive Assets, which describes itself as a "niche marketing company".

This year, it has upped the bag's value to $160,000 (£104,000), making last year's $85,000 (£55,000) bag look like an insult to Hollywood's A-listers.

1/18

  1. Gallery: Who's In The Running For An Oscar?

    Steve Carell transformed himself for Foxcatcher and has been recognised for his performance

Eddie Redmayne is nominated for best actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory Of Everything

]]>

Felicity Jones has won rave reviews for her role as Jane Hawking in The Theory Of Everything and is named in the best actress category

]]>

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as WWII codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. He is now up for an Oscar and a BAFTA

]]>

Michael Keaton plays an out-of-work actor/superhero in Birdman. He won the Golden Globe for best actor in a musical or comedy

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PM: Schools Must Fight 'Appalling' Teen IS Trend

David Cameron has told schools, colleges and universities they must play a role in stopping teenagers travelling to Syria to fight alongside Islamic State terrorists.

The Prime Minister's comments were made amid questions over how three schoolgirls from East London were able to leave their homes and travel to Turkey without being stopped.

Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16 and a third 15-year-old girl, who has not been named, were last seen on Tuesday morning as they left their homes in East London, telling their families they would be out for the day.

It has emerged they were questioned just two months ago after one of their classmates, also 15, travelled to Syria and yet they were still able to board a Turkish Airlines flight at Gatwick which landed at Istanbul on Tuesday evening.

The Prime Minister said their disappearance was "deeply concerning," stressing that authorities would do "everything we can to help these girls."

However he said their case proves the fight against Islamist extremist terror is "not just one that we can wage by the police and border control."

"It needs every school, every university, every college, every community to recognise they have a role to play," he said.

"We all have a role to play in stopping people from having their minds poisoned by this appalling death cult."

The Metropolitan Police disclosed the three girls were questioned by officers in December as part of a "routine inquiry". According to The Times none of the three was subsequently monitored by counterterrorism police. 

It was only when their families raised the alarm that authorities discovered the girls had fled the country.

Sky News has also uncovered a tweet sent from Shamima Begum's Twitter account two days earlier, asking a friend already in Syria to follow her so they can start messaging privately.

The friend is understood to be a former private school pupil from Glasgow who travelled to Syria to marry a fighter.

In a statement the Metropolitan Police said they found "nothing" in December to indicate the girls were likely to flee.

IT said: "There was nothing to suggest at the time that the girls themselves were at risk and indeed their disappearance has come as a great surprise, not least to their own families."

Turkish Airlines reportedly did not notify authorities that the girls had boarded the flight to Turkey - a known stop for would-be jihadists travelling to Syria.

Questions have now been raised over how the girls - who attended the Bethnal Green Academy school and were described as "straight-A students" - were able to leave the UK so easily.

Former Metropolitan Police border control officer Chris Hobbs told Sky News that checks for people departing from UK airports made it a "walk in the park for jihadis and girls like this" to leave.

"At the moment you go through security, you get on the plane, you might be checked by a private security guard," he said.

"Unless you're very unlucky you won't pass under the eyes of anyone from UK law enforcement.

"If you're on a watch list then you will ping the system. If you're not on the radar then the odds are you will get on the plane without too many problems."

The number of Westerners who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join IS is thought to be about 3,000, including as many as 550 women, according to the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Police have issued the following descriptions of the girls.

:: Shamima Begum, 15

Shamima is around 5ft 7in tall and was wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses, a black hijab, a light brown and black leopard-print scarf, a dark red jumper, black trousers and jacket.

She was carrying a dark blue cylindrical holdall with white straps. She is a British national of Bangladeshi heritage and speaks English with a London accent. She also speaks Bengali.

:: Kadiza Sultana, 16

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  1. Gallery: Schoolgirls May Have Gone To Syria

    Scotland Yard are trying to trace three teenage girls from the same East London school who are believed to have run off to Syria

CCTV captured images of the girls at Gatwick Airport

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Schoolgirls Feared To Have Travelled To Syria

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Februari 2015 | 20.48

Police are trying to trace three schoolgirls feared to have run away from east London to Syria.

The girls were last seen on Tuesday morning as they left their respective homes telling their families they would be out for the day.

Instead they met and travelled to Gatwick airport and boarded a Turkish Airlines flight which landed at Istanbul later that evening.

The missing girls are Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and a third female aged 15 who is not being named at the request of her family.

The three girls are pupils at a school in east London and are close friends. 

Metropolital Police Commander Richard Walton said: "We are extremely concerned for the safety of these young girls and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to police. Our priority is the safe return of these girls to their families.

"We are reaching out to the girls using the Turkish media and social media in the hope that Shamima, Kadiza and their friend hear our messages, hear our concerns for their safety and have the courage to return to their families who are so worried about them."

Officers have released CCTV pictures of the girls and have urged anyone who has seen them to contact police.

More follows...


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Music Teacher Jailed for Sex Attacks On Girls

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

A top musician and conductor has been jailed for 11 years for sex assaults on his teenage students.

Philip Pickett used soundproofed music practice rooms to rape and indecently assault pupils who idolised him.

When one victim's parents complained to the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, its principal took months to reply, took no action and suggested the girl take lessons elsewhere.

Pickett was allowed to continue his celebrated career as a leading authority on baroque music, touring abroad and playing concerts with some of the world's top performers.

He became a musical director at London's Globe theatre on the South Bank and founded the New London Consort ensemble.

The 64-year-old was finally arrested when one victim reported him to police two years ago in the wake of publicity around the Jimmy Savile scandal.

He denied a string of charges from the 1970s and '80s involving sex attacks against young female students.

Pickett, one of the world's leading woodwind instrumentalists, was convicted of two rapes and two indecent assaults on three pupils. He was cleared of six alleged attacks on four others.

Judge Charles Wide described his crimes as "terrible".

"You were their teacher," he said.

"To a degree they were in awe of you, especially the schoolgirls.

"There is the location of the offences, the practice rooms of the Guildhall School of Music, soundproofed and dark. Even if they had shouted they could not have been heard."

One victim, who was 16 at the time, told the Old Bailey jury that during a music lesson in 1978 he demanded she take off her top "to work on your breathing" and then molested her. At her next lesson he raped her.

She did not report him at the time, but told her mother she did not want any more lessons.

In 1984, another victim told her parents of an assault and they wrote to the school asking for an explanation.

But the then principal John Hosier took months to reply and eventually told them he had received no other complaints, advising their daughter to find lessons at another school.

Mr Hosier, who is now dead, wrote to Pickett saying he was frustrated that the tutor had not contacted him to discuss the allegation, according to documents discovered by the City of London police.

Det Supt Maria Woodall said: "Philip Pickett used his position of authority as an accomplished professor to abuse young talented women who were vulnerable due to their age and the fact they were pupils of his.

"He knew how difficult it would be for them to report his crimes to the school or to the police.

"His access to young women over such a period of time means there could be more victims who have yet to come forward.

"I would urge these people to contact the City of London Police."

Among former students of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama are Beatles producer Sir George Martin, the flautist Sir James Galway and the opera singer Bryn Terfel.

The school said in a statement: "Although these events took place several decades ago, this does not diminish our utter shock that a professional music teacher could abuse the trust placed in him by the school and its students.

"The Guildhall School wholeheartedly welcomes the verdicts. Justice has been done and our thoughts are with the victims of these dreadful crimes.

"The Guildhall School takes the duty of care of its students extremely seriously. Robust safeguarding procedures are in place at the school to ensure safe learning environments for all students and these measures are regularly reviewed."

Pickett lived with his wife in the pretty Cotswold village of Lyneham near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire.

He tried to delay his sentence so he could attend music festivals abroad.

He was jailed last week, but a reporting ban was imposed until today when the Crown Prosecution Service decided to drop more charges against him.


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UK 'Guilty Of Sleep-Walking' In Ukraine Crisis

The UK Government has been accused of "sleep-walking" into the crisis over Ukraine in a scathing report by a House of Lords committee.

Peers accused both Britain and the EU of a "catastrophic misreading" of mood by European diplomats in the run-up to the stand-off between Russia and the West.

The House of Lords' EU committee said a decline in expertise on Russia in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and other EU foreign ministries had left them ill-equipped to formulate an "authoritative response".

It said for too long the EU's relationship with Moscow had been based on the "optimistic premise" that Russia was on a trajectory to becoming a democratic country.

The result was a failure to appreciate the depth of Russian hostility when the EU opened talks aimed at establishing an "association agreement" with Ukraine in 2013.

Kiev and the West accuse Russia of arming the insurgents and sending soldiers into Ukraine - something Russian President Vladimir Putin denies.

Despite Britain's role as one of the signatories to an international agreement assuring the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the Lords' report said the Government "has not been as active or as visible as it could have been" in seeking to resolve the crisis.

The findings come as a further blow to David Cameron after Britain's former senior NATO commander, General Sir Richard Shirreff, said the Prime Minister had become a diplomatic "irrelevance" in the crisis.

In the report, committee chairman Lord Tugendhat said: "It (the committee) believes that the EU, and by implication the UK, was guilty of sleep-walking into this crisis.

"The lack of robust analytical capacity, in both the UK and the EU, effectively led to a catastrophic misreading of the mood in the run-up to the crisis."

A foreign office spokeswoman rejected the criticism, saying: "The UK has played a leading role in supporting Ukraine's right to chart its own future by ensuring that the EU imposed tough sanctions on Russia for seeking to dictate these choices."

The office "has strengthened its expertise on Russia and the region and will continue working to ensure a strong and united response to Russian aggression", she added.

On Thursday, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon warned that EU NATO members Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania could be the next target of Russian interference.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Aleksandr Lukashevich said his comments were "beyond diplomatic ethics" and warned that the Kremlin would "find a way to react".

The row erupted as Russian bombers were spotted near to British sovereign airspace, the latest incident in a trend seen as a show of strength by Russia.


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UK Warning As Germany Rejects Greek Loan Plan

The continuing stand-off between the eurozone and Greece over its debt could lead to a "full blown crisis", George Osborne has warned.

The Chancellor made his comments as eurozone finance ministers prepare for crunch talks this afternoon on whether to extend the EU loan programme to Greece.

The discussions - which have been delayed by an hour - will centre on Athens' bid for more cash over six months but without strict austerity conditions attached.

Negotiations have been continuing behind the scenes in advance of the meeting in Brussels today, which the eurogroup had set as a deadline for a deal.

A member of the Greek team, Elena Panaritis, told Sky News it was clear the country's creditors wanted Greece to bleed and politics had got in the way of economics.

It has been suggested there is now 80% agreement on the Greek plan - which the eurozone's paymaster, Germany, had previously dismissed as a "Trojan horse, intending to get bridge financing and in substance putting an end to the current programme".

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras told Reuters on Friday he was "certain" his government's request would be accepted despite Berlin's objections and called for a "historic political decision" to seal a deal.

He insisted his nation had done "everything possible".

His anti-austerity government is seeking a compromise as it runs the risk of running out of cash and defaulting on its debts without agreement by the end of the month.

It has ruled out the prospect of any deal under the terms of its previous rescue because of its mandate from the Greek people who swept the anti-austerity Syriza party to power last month.

The formal Greek request pledged to honour all Greek debts and not take unilateral action that would undermine agreed fiscal targets.

The government of Alexis Tsipras blames the conditions attached to its €240bn (£178bn) bailout of hampering the country's recovery and leading to a deterioration of living standards.

Unemployment remains at more than 25%.

On Monday, the government rejected a eurozone plan to extend its current bailout commitments, describing it as absurd.


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Russia A 'Real And Present Danger' To NATO States

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Februari 2015 | 20.48

Russia A 'Real And Present Danger' To NATO States

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

There is a "real and present danger" Russia could repeat its covert campaigns in the Crimea and Ukraine to destablise former Soviet bloc countries, the Defence Secretary has warned.

Michael Fallon said NATO must be ready for Russian aggression against alliance members including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

He warned the action could involve using irregular troops, cyber attacks and inflaming tensions with ethnic Russian minorities.

"NATO has to be ready for any kind of aggression from Russia, whatever form it takes. NATO is getting ready," he said.

Mr Fallon added that he was worried about Russian President Vladimir Putin's "pressure on the Baltics".

Last night RAF jets intercepted a Russian Tu-95 bomber off the coast of Cornwall. The incident comes two weeks after jets were scrambled to see off a similar Russian plane which flew down the English Channel off the coast of Bournemouth.

"It is the first time since the height of the Cold War that has happened and it just shows you the need to respond each time he does something like that," said Mr Fallon.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said: "They came down the west coast of Ireland and were met by RAF typhoons which had been scrambled from RAF Coningsby.

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  1. Gallery: Nov 1: RAF Redirects Russia Bombers

    Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian military 'Bear' bombers for the second time in a week, it has emerged (Pic: MoD)

The aircraft were were sent up from RAF Lossiemouth on Friday, 31 October, to escort the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft (Pic: MoD)

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On Wednesday, 29 October, RAF Typhoon fighter jets intercepted another two Russian bombers over the North Sea (Pic: MoD)

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This image taken by one of the RAF fighters during the 29 October incident shows another Typhoon tailing the Russian aircraft (Pic: MoD)

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The intercepts come amid what NATO described as an "unusual level of activity". (Pic: Norwegian army)

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Russia A 'Real And Present Danger' To NATO States

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

There is a "real and present danger" Russia could repeat its covert campaigns in the Crimea and Ukraine to destablise former Soviet bloc countries, the Defence Secretary has warned.

Michael Fallon said NATO must be ready for Russian aggression against alliance members including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

He warned the action could involve using irregular troops, cyber attacks and inflaming tensions with ethnic Russian minorities.

"NATO has to be ready for any kind of aggression from Russia, whatever form it takes. NATO is getting ready," he said.

Mr Fallon added that he was worried about Russian President Vladimir Putin's "pressure on the Baltics".

Last night RAF jets intercepted a Russian Tu-95 bomber off the coast of Cornwall. The incident comes two weeks after jets were scrambled to see off a similar Russian plane which flew down the English Channel off the coast of Bournemouth.

"It is the first time since the height of the Cold War that has happened and it just shows you the need to respond each time he does something like that," said Mr Fallon.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said: "They came down the west coast of Ireland and were met by RAF typhoons which had been scrambled from RAF Coningsby.

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  1. Gallery: Nov 1: RAF Redirects Russia Bombers

    Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled to intercept Russian military 'Bear' bombers for the second time in a week, it has emerged (Pic: MoD)

The aircraft were were sent up from RAF Lossiemouth on Friday, 31 October, to escort the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-95 aircraft (Pic: MoD)

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On Wednesday, 29 October, RAF Typhoon fighter jets intercepted another two Russian bombers over the North Sea (Pic: MoD)

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This image taken by one of the RAF fighters during the 29 October incident shows another Typhoon tailing the Russian aircraft (Pic: MoD)

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The intercepts come amid what NATO described as an "unusual level of activity". (Pic: Norwegian army)

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Victim Says 'Lock Up' Racist Chelsea Fans

The man caught on video being abused by Chelsea fans on the Paris Metro says he thinks they should be jailed for their actions.

The 33-year-old, who is only identified as Souleymane S, told Le Parisien newspaper it was not the first time he had been a victim of racism.

The French-Mauritanian was filmed being pushed back as he tried to board a train on the French capital's underground system by a group of Chelsea fans.

Having prevented him from boarding, the men began singing: "We're racist, we're racist, and that's the way we like it."

Chelsea Football Club, whose fans were in France to watch their team play Paris St Germain, condemned the behaviour and said it will support criminal action against them.

Le Parisien said Souleymane did not know he was at the centre of an international scandal until it alerted him to the video.

He told the paper: "I did not know I had been filmed. The fact that I am now talking about it will give me the courage to complain to the police.

"These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up. What happened should not go unpunished."

The married father-of-three, who was born in Paris but grew up in the town of Val d'Oise, told the newspaper the whole incident lasted about six or seven minutes.

He said: "I wanted to get into the carriage but a group of English fans blocked me and pushed me away.

"I tried to force my way in several times. In the scramble, I lost my phone.

"They told me things in English but I did not really understand the meaning of their words. I do not speak a word of English.

"I understood that it was Chelsea fans and I made the connection with the PSG match, which took place the same evening.

"I understand also that they were attacking me because of the colour of my skin.

"You know, I live with racism. I was not really surprised by what happened to me even though it was the first time it had happened on the subway."

He said one of the people on the platform told him he was brave to stand up to such people.

At one point, staff from the train company tried to intervene to prevent any fighting, but he said they were more concerned with making sure the trains ran on time.

"No other passengers defended me, but anyway, what could they do?" he added.

"I took the next metro and went back home without telling anyone, not even my wife or kids. What would I have told my kids? That daddy was pushed in the Metro because he's black?"

Police in France said no arrests were made in relation to the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Since the video appeared on websites on Wednesday, the behaviour of the fans has been widely condemned across the French and English media, and by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

The Metropolitan Police in London have appealed for anyone with information about the incident to come forward.


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NATO Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bomber

Video has emerged showing NATO fighter jets 'buzzing' a Russian Tu-95 bomber.

The footage shows three RAF Typhoons and at least one French Mirage fighter flying within yards of the Russian plane and broadcast on Russian television channel TV Zvedza, which is owned by the Russian Defence Ministry.

The time and location of the incident has not been disclosed.

However, based upon the squadron insignia seen on the aircraft, it is believed the video was shot during a close encounter on 28 January when two Russian military planes flew close to UK airspace.

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall said: "Events of this kind have tripled in recent months but what it shows is one of these events happening from the other side.

"Once we work out when the last time the French and British worked together on one of these we might be able to date exactly when this happened.

"If the Russian bombers were flying from British air space into French air space, or the other way around, they would hand over to each other.

"It is quite fascinating seeing this from the other angle. You can see how close they get to each other and what the British and French would essentially be doing is trying to speak to the Russians and make sure they do not stray into sovereign airspace."

The Ministry of Defence have confirmed the video shows RAF Typhoons from 1 Squadron, 6 Squadron and 11 Squadron.

The increase in close encounters between Russian military planes and RAF fighters comes amid increased tension between Russia and the West over the war in Ukraine.

The video was released as it was revealed RAF jets intercepted a Russian Tu-95 bomber off the coast of Cornwall on Wednesday evening, and two weeks after British jets were scrambled to see off a similar Russian plane which flew down the English Channel.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "It is the first time since the height of the Cold War that has happened and it just shows you the need to respond each time he does something like that."

Speaking earlier about the crisis in Ukraine, Mr Fallon said there was a "real and present danger" Russia could repeat its covert campaigns in the Crimea and Ukraine to destabilise former Soviet bloc countries.

He added NATO must be ready for Russian aggression against alliance members including Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.

David Cameron said: "When this happens, what we do, we launch our Typhoon aircraft escorting these planes out of the area of UK interest. At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK military airspace.

"This illustrates we have the fast jets, the pilots and the systems in place to protect the United Kingdom.

"The Russians are trying to make a point and we should not dignify it with a response."


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Greece Crisis: Germany Rejects Loan Proposal

Germany has rejected Greece's plan for a crucial loan extension, calling it "no substantial proposal for a solution".

The office of the German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble issued the terse response, just hours after Greece formally lodged its bid for a six-month deal to effectively replace its bailout, due to expire at the end of the month.

German finance ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger added that it amounted to a request "for bridge financing without fulfilling the demands of the (bailout) programme".

The country's new anti-austerity government is seeking a compromise to break the deadlock with European creditors, especially Germany, as it runs the risk of running out of cash and defaulting on its debts without agreement.

It has ruled out the prospect of any deal under the terms of its previous rescue because of its mandate from the Greek people who swept the anti-austerity Syriza party to power last month.

The details of the Greek request were not made public but the Reuters news agency said it had seen a document which suggested Greece had watered down its previous demands.

The letter, purportedly written by Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, pledged  to honour all Greek debts and not take unilateral action that would undermine agreed fiscal targets.

The government of Alexis Tsipras blames the conditions attached to its bailout of hampering the country's recovery and leading to a deterioration of living standards.

Unemployment remains at more than 25%.

On Monday, the government rejected a plan to extend its current €240bn (£178bn) bailout deal, describing it as absurd.

Eurozone finance ministers had given Greece until Friday to request an extension of its current austerity and reform programme.

Germany has been particularly vocal in insisting the country sticks to the terms of its commitments.

The formal Greek request was made in a letter to Jeroen Dijsselbloem, head of the eurogroup of finance ministers.

The document was submitted after the European Central Bank (ECB) agreed to increase its emergency funding to Greek banks amid a capital flight from the country.

Depositors are fearful the lack of a deal will force Greece from the single currency and back to the drachma, representing a significant devaluation.

A source told the AFP news agency the ceiling for emergency liquidity assistance - or ELA - to the banks was raised by the ECB from €65bn to €68.3bn (£50.3bn).

According to the source, the Greek central bank had requested an extension of roughly €10bn.

More follows...


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Raid On HSBC's Private Bank In Switzerland

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Februari 2015 | 20.48

Prosecutors in Switzerland have launched an investigation into allegations of money laundering at HSBC's Swiss private banking arm.

It follows a report that the bank turned a blind eye to illegal activities of arms dealers and traders in blood diamonds while helping rich people evade taxes.

Geneva's prosecutors said that the premises of HSBC Private Bank (Switzerland) in the city were being searched.

A statement said: "Following the recent revelations related to the HSBC Private Bank (Switzerland), the public prosecutor announces the opening of a criminal procedure against the bank ... for aggravated money laundering."

The prosecutors said that although the probe was against the bank itself, the direction it would take may be widened to include individuals "suspected of committing or participating in acts of money laundering".

The announcement came just over a week after HSBC Switzerland found itself at the centre of a global scandal following the publication of secret documents.

The cache of files, made public in a French newspaper, claimed HSBC's Swiss private banking arm helped clients in more than 200 countries evade taxes on accounts containing £77bn ($119bn).

The files, which include the details of 30,000 accounts and the names of celebrities, were originally stolen by former HSBC IT worker Herve Falciani in 2007.

The documents were passed to the authorities in France and on to the HMRC which says it has subsequently clawed back £135m from some of the 3,600 Britons identified as potentially avoiding tax.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which analysed the list for the Le Monde newspaper, said accounts were held by arms dealers, dictators' associates, diamond smugglers and other "outlaws".

According to the files, the bank's clients included former and current politicians from Britain, Russia, India and a number of African countries.

Those named in the files include people sanctioned by the US, such as Turkish businessman Selim Alguadis and Gennady Timchenko, an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin who was the subject of sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

A statement from HSBC said: "We have co-operated continuously with the Swiss authorities since first becoming aware of the data theft in 2008 and we continue to co-operate."

Last week, the CEO of HSBC's Swiss private bank Franco Morra said it had shut down accounts from clients who "did not meet our high standards" and that the revelations about "historical business practices" were a reminder that the old model of Swiss private banking was no longer acceptable.


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Ukrainian Troops Withdraw From Key Town

Ukrainian Troops Withdraw From Key Town

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Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the town of Debaltseve following fierce fighting with pro-Russian rebels, the country's president has said.

Petro Poroshenko said: "This morning the Ukrainian armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation for a planned and organised withdrawal from Debaltseve.

"As of now we can say that 80% of our units have left."

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Ukrainian troops were believed to be trapped in the strategically important town, which links the two rebel-controlled regions in the east of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk.

A pro-Russian rebel official cited by the separatist press service DAN earlier said hundreds of government troops were surrendering to separatist forces there.

Russian television station Channel One showed the rebels hoisting their flag over a high-rise building in Debaltseve.

But Mr Poroshenko denied claims the pro-government forces were encircled, and said the troops were leaving with weapons and ammunition.

The Ukrainian leader said another two columns were expected to leave Debaltseve, and added he was heading to the front line to meet soldiers.

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  1. Gallery: Ukraine Troops Leave Debaltseve

    Ukrainian servicemen ride on military vehicles as they leave an area around Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

President Petro Poroshenko said 80% of units had left the town, in order to comply with the current ceasefire

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Mr Poroshenko: 'Armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation for a planned and organised withdrawal from Debaltseve'

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Fierce fighting with pro-Russian rebels has raged around the strategically important town, which links the rebel-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk

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Continue through for more pictures

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Ukrainian Troops Withdraw From Key Town

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the town of Debaltseve following fierce fighting with pro-Russian rebels, the country's president has said.

Petro Poroshenko said: "This morning the Ukrainian armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation for a planned and organised withdrawal from Debaltseve.

"As of now we can say that 80% of our units have left."

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Ukrainian troops were believed to be trapped in the strategically important town, which links the two rebel-controlled regions in the east of Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk.

A pro-Russian rebel official cited by the separatist press service DAN earlier said hundreds of government troops were surrendering to separatist forces there.

Russian television station Channel One showed the rebels hoisting their flag over a high-rise building in Debaltseve.

But Mr Poroshenko denied claims the pro-government forces were encircled, and said the troops were leaving with weapons and ammunition.

The Ukrainian leader said another two columns were expected to leave Debaltseve, and added he was heading to the front line to meet soldiers.

1/18

  1. Gallery: Ukraine Troops Leave Debaltseve

    Ukrainian servicemen ride on military vehicles as they leave an area around Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine

President Petro Poroshenko said 80% of units had left the town, in order to comply with the current ceasefire

]]>

Mr Poroshenko: 'Armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation for a planned and organised withdrawal from Debaltseve'

]]>

Fierce fighting with pro-Russian rebels has raged around the strategically important town, which links the rebel-controlled regions of Donetsk and Luhansk

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Continue through for more pictures

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