Drug traffickers will face divine justice for the scourge of illegal narcotics across Latin America, Pope Benedict XVI warned yesterday, telling dealers that "human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way."
To be sure, the path beyond tolerance will be strewn with obstacles. But there really is no alternative if human beings are to improve the chances for peace on our increasingly interdependent, yet conflict-ridden planet.
A leading British historian, who is Jewish, weighs in on the Yad Vashem description of Pope Pius XII's war-time role, calling it "distorted shorthand".
The Czech Foreign Minister appreciated the economic and cross-border cooperation of the Czech Republic and Bavaria.
US and German officials believe a terrorist attack against Americans in Germany is imminent.
Chancellor Merkel on Saturday said Germany needs the support of EU members, in particular the next 2 EU presidencies Portugal and Slovenia, if Europe's stalled constitution is to move forward.
The EU's faltering relations with Russia will be put under the spotlight this week when the two gather for a summit in Samara, Russia, on Friday. A series of disagreements have marred the relationship to the extent where some diplomats have questioned whether the meeting should take place at all, and some MEPs have openly called for it to be postponed.
"Tonight, France is back in Europe," Nicolas Sarkozy declared after winning the presidential election on May 6th. To casual observers, it may have seemed baffling (where else had France been?). But in Brussels and other European capitals, his message was clear. Mr Sarkozy was reclaiming France's place at the heart of the EU, nearly 2 years after the voters had cast her into limbo by rejecting the EU constitution.
With the announced departure of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, an era in Western Europe will come to an end. Three master politicians whom the continent has witnessed in the last few decades - the finest of European bourgeoisie, if you will - will have left the scene. After an expected British Conservative victory in the next general elections, the 3 key countries will be led by 3 conservatives: David Cameron (UK), Angela Merkel (Germany) and Sarkozy himself.
Nearly 70 years after the invasion of Poland marked the beginning of a global cataclysm, the Central European nation once again finds itself confronting a foe it sees as a threat to Western civilization. While the rest of Europe largely accommodates a rising tide of secularism, many Polish leaders are prepared to fight back with a bold, traditional social agenda they envision not only for their own country but for the continent and the world.
The outlook is darkening in Kosovo—and in Serbia.
Russia may veto a draft UN Security Council resolution providing for effective independence for Kosovo, Russia's ambassador to the UN said. "Such a scenario is becoming more and more likely. We are trying to find a diplomatic solution but we cannot find such a solution simply accepting positions of countries we have deep disagreements with."
The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe is about to collapse, a senior Russian military official said. "Before guaranteeing European security, the Pentagon should prove that it can protect the United States." He also said Iran's missile threat has been exaggerated and cannot serve to justify the deployment of elements of US missile defense in Europe.
European Union countries will not take part in the celebrations marking the 40-year anniversary of Jerusalem's reunification, EU president Germany said in a diplomatic letter sent to the Foreign Ministry and the Knesset. The US Ambassador to Israel will also not participate in the events.
A radical plan by Al-Qaeda to take over the Sunni heartland of Iraq and turn it into a militant Islamic state once American troops have withdrawn is causing alarm among US intelligence officials. A power struggle has emerged between the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq, an organisation with ambitions to become a state which has been set up by Al-Qaeda, and more moderate Sunni groups.
Chaos gripped the streets of Karachi yesterday as gun battles left at least 31 people dead and hundreds more injured, threatening a complete breakdown of law and order in Pakistan's largest and most volatile city. As the sense of crisis deepened, a crisis meeting between Gen Musharraf and the prime minister resolved to send in paramilitary troops to restore order, and to place the army on standby. The men agreed that a state of emergency would be imposed if the first two options failed.
Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to build a new natural gas pipeline north from the Caspian Sea. The agreement ensures Russia's access to Turkmenistan's gas, and is a setback to rival US and EU plans.
Rumors were spreading up and down the narrow streets here, in front of the Noah pharmacy and Millennium Cafe, through the rectangular mosques and domed Orthodox churches of this northern Ethiopian city. Muslims were said to be training to attack Christians. Christians were said to be stockpiling weapons for an assault on Muslims. Fears of an all-out religious melee became so rampant last year that the archbishop of the Orthodox Christian church sent spies to a mosque thought to be harboring Islamic fighters.
The Chinese foreign ministry has announced the appointment of a new special representative to Africa and confirmed plans to send 275 military engineers for UN peacekeeping operations.
President Ahmadinejad said that relations with neighboring states is among priorities of Iran's foreign policy. "We hope the visit will lead to strengthening ties and be a major stride towards peace, security and progress of the Persian Gulf region."
Iran will not be pushed by sanctions to suspend work on its disputed nuclear program, President Ahmadinejad said on Saturday, 2 days after 6 world powers met to discuss Iran's defiance of UN demands. "We are at the last stage of becoming 'nuclearised' and nuclearisation means proving that Iran is worthy of becoming a free, independent and honorable model for other nations."
Americans have a dangerous fondness for monarchy.
Does France know the full implications of what it has voted for?
Nicolas Sarkozy explains how he plans to get his country back on track to catch up with Britain.
One of the most striking images to come out of the final days of France's recent presidential campaign was Nicolas Sarkozy astride a white horse, at first glance looking every bit a Texan. But such signs can be deceiving, as can the language that politicians use. Where Americans saw a cowboy, the French saw a "gardian," the traditional horseman of the Camargue region in southern France, where the picture was taken.
High gas prices are posted at a Shell gas station in San Francisco. With gasoline prices poised to break records at the pump, energy futures prices jumped Thursday as traders noticed a gas supply imbalance in the fine print of Wednesday's government inventory report.
Instead of fixing the system the Fed has adapted a wall of money and credit policy, which in itself has become another unsustainable financial bubble, which is about to pop. The Fed knows darn right well that a storm is brewing and concentration is massive.
When it comes to identifying whether a person is really a Christian, there's an "outward-inward" dynamic that we sometimes fail to realize. The outward without the inward is only an empty shell.
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