Major EU Countries Denounce Trump Decision on Golan Heights

In a fierce reactive mode, five major European countries that sit on the UN Security Council on Tuesday denounced US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize the Golan as Israeli territory and voiced concern the move could have broad consequences.

These countries included Belgium, Britain, France, Germany and Poland. The countries reiterated that the European position had not changed and that the Golan remained Israeli-occupied Syrian territory, in line with international law enshrined in UN resolutions.

“We do not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them to be part of the territory of the state of Israel,” Belgian Ambassador Marc Pesteen de Buytswerve told reporters.

It may be recalled that Three UN Security Council resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from the Golan, which it seized from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and annexed in 1981, in a move that was never recognised internationally.

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BrExit: The blame game begins with an uncertain UK future

After the so called historic decision by the British to part ways with the EU, the blame game has started, mostly by the Britain's teenagers and also someone more important.

Most of the underage teenagers blame the aging voters who wanted to revert to a traditional UK with no influence from other European Countries. In a number of interviews shown on TV, many a teenagers and youngsters have shown their dismay of the majority decision and say that those fading away should not play with the future of the British youth.

While the youth seem mostly unsatisfied, president of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has been blamed by some within Europe for the result of the UK's EU referendum as was branded a 'negative symbol' of federalism by Czech foreign minister Lubomir Zaoralek. 

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EU imposes new sanctions on Syrian regime

The European Union on Monday banned the sale of luxury goods and products to Syria that can have military as well as civilian uses as the U.N. political chief demanded that the Syrian government stop using heavy weapons and comply with a cease-fire.

The EU ban on luxury items appears to take direct aim at some of Syrian President Bashar Assad's most loyal supporters: the business community and prosperous merchant classes that are key to cropping up the regime. An influential bloc, the business leaders have long traded political freedoms for economic privileges in Syria.

Read more: Jakarta Post

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Women face £362 rise in car insurance in EU

Millions of women drivers could have to pay an extra £362 a year for their car insurance after a ruling by European judges, it emerged yesterday.

The increase follows a decision that men cannot be charged more for their policies even though they are more likely to have a serious crash.

The ruling, described by critics as ‘madness’, means that from December 21 women drivers – although generally safer – will no longer be able to access cheaper car insurance rates because of their gender.

read details: Mail Online

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Athens burn as Law Makers adopt a Severe Austerity Bill

Greek lawmakers on Monday approved harsh new austerity measures demanded by bailout creditors to save the debt-crippled nation from bankruptcy, after rioters in central Athens torched buildings, looted shops and clashed with riot police.

The historic vote paves the way for Greece's European partners and the International Monetary Fund to release $170 billion (euro130 billion) in new rescue loans, without which Greece would default on its debt mountain next month and likely leave the eurozone – a scenario that would further roil global markets.

Read more: Huffington Post

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EU to have a permanent bail out fund

Today will mark an important day to ease out the crises the EU is facing as the EU members will get together to sign a permanent bailout package for the Eurozone Monday.

The bailout package is the result of some 17 meetings held by the EU leaders within a span of two years to find a permanant solution for the economic recovery. The bailout package is likely to ensure availability of jobs, besides healthy recovery from the economic woes of the Europe.

Read more: Reuters

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France to be austere after low rating award

France’s prime minister said on Saturday his country will push ahead with cost-cutting measures after its top-tier debt rating was downgraded, a blow with repercussions across financially beleaguered Europe.

Other European countries from Austria to Cyprus assailed ratings agency Standard & Poor’s after a raft of downgrades Friday night. The move may make it more expensive for struggling countries to borrow money, reduce debts and avoid a new recession.

Read more: France24

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EU moves towards Iran crude oil ban

[ via BBC News Middle East ] 5 Jan

EU member states have agreed in principle to ban imports of Iranian crude oil to put pressure on the country over its nuclear programme.

The move is expected to be announced formally at an EU foreign ministers' meeting at the end of January.

Iran has dismissed the threat of new sanctions and denies Western claims that it is trying to develop a nuclear weapons programme.

Iran has also denied that a record low of its currency this week was linked to punitive US measures against its banks.

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German Chancellor Merkel says Britain a key EU partner

[ via BBC Europe ] 14 Dec

Chancellor Angela Merkel has told German MPs that the UK will remain a strong EU partner, despite its decision not to sign up to an EU summit deal.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressing the Bundestag 

Addressing the Bundestag (parliament), she said she very much regretted that UK PM David Cameron had been "unable to join us" on the path to fiscal union.

Last week 26 of the 27 members of the European Union backed new fiscal rules, with only the UK abstaining.

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EU deal creates two Europes

[ via The Irish Times ] 13 Dec

FRENCH PRESIDENT Nicolas Sarkozy has hailed the Brussels agreement as marking the birth of a new, two-speed Europe led by the euro zone.

“You have to understand this is the birth of a different Europe, in which the watchwords will be the convergence of economies, budget rules and fiscal policy."

Mr Sarkozy called the deal “a decisive step towards European integration” and said there would now be “two Europes”, with the UK representing the outer circle.

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Cracks in EU: Many Britons want UK to quit the EU

[ Mail Online ] 11 Dec

While the news that Germany is wanting to lead the EU in its own forceful manner to resolve the ongoing crisis, may Britons are of the opinion that it is time to quit EU.

A recent survey concludes that most people believe the euro is doomed to fail and almost half think the EU will break up. They also fear the summit has given too much power to Germany.

Read full report for more details.

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A new EU in the making - with Germany in charge

[ The New York Times ] 10 Dec

Europe’s worst financial crisis in generations is forging a new European Union, pushing Britain to the sidelines and creating a more integrated, fiscally disciplined core of nations under the auspices of a resurgent Germany.

New EU - less England

German Chancellor Angela Merkel persuaded every current member of the union except Britain to endorse a new agreement calling for tighter regional oversight of government spending. The accord, approved at a summit meeting in Brussels early on Friday, would allow the European Court of Justice to strike down a member’s laws if they violate fiscal discipline.

Read full report for details

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UK Isolated as Europe agrees on new Fiscal Union

[ Reuters ] 9 Dec

Europe divided on Friday in a historic rift over building a fiscal union to preserve the euro, with a large majority of countries led by Germany and France agreeing to move ahead with a separate treaty, leaving Britain isolated.

UK Isolated as Europe agrees on new fiscal union

Twenty-three of the 27 leaders agreed to pursue tighter integration with stricter budget rules for the single currency area, but Britain said it could not accept proposed amendments to the EU treaty after failing to secure concessions for itself.

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S&P may downgrade European Union, large euro-zone banks

[ Reuters ] 8 Dec

Standard & Poor's warned on Wednesday that it could cut the credit ratings of the European Union and large euro-zone banks if a mass downgrade of euro-zone countries materializes.

S&P said on Monday it may downgrade nearly all 17 euro-zone countries if EU leaders fail to agree on a solution for the region's debt crisis during Friday's summit.

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WHO issues Measles Warning to Europe

[ BBC Health ] 2 Dec

WHO cautions European countries against spread of measles and has asked them to act now to tackle measles outbreaks.

The WHO report says there were over 26,000 measles cases in 36 European countries from January to October 2011. Already, Western European countries reported 83% of those cases, with 14,000 in France alone.

In England and Wales, there were just under 1,000 confirmed measles cases in that period - compared with just 374 in the whole of 2010.

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