February 23, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Calls for a national DNA database… rejected?
Yes, that’s right. The police have asked that every single last one of us has our DNA sampled just in case we commit a heinous crime. And the government are AGAINST it. Hang on. Was there a coup d’etat overnight … Continue reading
February 22, 2008
by Nosemonkey
7 Comments
Yes, I’ve been slagging them off a lot over the last couple of days – but there are always two sides to everything. Jon Worth makes a lot of sensible points about the current expenses scandal: MEPs get the same … Continue reading
February 22, 2008
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
Putting EU money to good use A coffee-making robot. That’ll also pick up your clothes. 6.3 million euros? Bargain! (tags: EU) EU ministers consider Kosovo security forces amid unrest The question everyone’s asking, of course, is whether these attacks are … Continue reading
February 22, 2008
by Nosemonkey
10 Comments
Well, according to the European Parliament it can go jump in a lake. Because they’ve voted not to respect the result of the Irish referendum (constitutionally required, lest we forget) on the Lisbon Treaty. What we effectively have here is … Continue reading
February 21, 2008
by Nosemonkey
2 Comments
So the British government has admitted that they’ve twice been in breach of the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances over extraordinary rendition flights. And Foreign Secretary David Miliband has – bless him – said … Continue reading
February 21, 2008
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
Quick question: why is there so little condemnation from the pro-EU camp of the European Parliament’s recent actions in trying to stifle eurosceptic proponents of referenda on the Lisbon Treaty? To redress the balance: I’m pro-EU and I’m anti-referendum – … Continue reading
February 20, 2008
by Nosemonkey
3 Comments
“Oh noes!” Say the eurosceptics. “Teh Lisbon tweety dat am weely teh constitootion am gonna make teh EU a state and stuff! Got foreign minister! Oh noes! Dat mean common foreign policy! Our sovereignty gone bye-byes! Waaah!” I really can’t … Continue reading
February 20, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on links for 2008-02-20
Nationalists Obsess Over Medvedev’s Roots Could anti-semitism scupper Medvedev’s chances (hint: no – but an interesting article nonetheless) (tags: Russia) EU to relax internal restrictions on trade And about bloody time too… Well, depending on the details, of course – … Continue reading
February 20, 2008
by Nosemonkey
6 Comments
Tiny Liechtenstein is currently at the centre of a storm that says a lot about how much independence non-EU Europe really has. Continue reading
February 19, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on And so it begins…
After the little-reported grenade attack on a UN court on Sunday afternoon, it seems that Kosovo’s Serbs aren’t going to accept independence without a fight. Reuters: U.N. police pulled out from a Kosovo border post that was destroyed on Tuesday … Continue reading
February 19, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on links for 2008-02-19
Serbian President Warns UN Over Kosovo Independence is “a flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution 1244” (tags: kosovo serbia UN) Tadic’s speech to the UN in full And in English, thankfully… (tags: Serbia Kosovo UN) “Europeans Hide Behind the Unpopularity … Continue reading
February 19, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on Two dictators gone in the same day
Hurrah, etc. One supported by America throughout his time in power, one persecuted by America for half a century. But there aren’t any double standards, oh no… (And yes, I know Musharraf hasn’t gone, and it was only parliamentary elections … Continue reading
February 18, 2008
by Nosemonkey
Comments Off on links for 2008-02-18
Why Tony Blair would make a good EU president An alternate take from Global Power Europe (tags: EU) Economic Interdependence Knits Europe Together (Perhaps) A fascinating (and worrying) case study from the Balkans that could prove significant in the coming … Continue reading
February 18, 2008
by Nosemonkey
5 Comments
Spotted in a decent French article on Kosovo’s independence, a throwaway line that made me ponder: L’indépendance du Kosovo se fera sous supervision internationale. Malgré ces divisions, l’Union européenne a décidé, sans l’aval de l’ONU, de déployer au Kosovo une … Continue reading