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 Dutch city plans to pay citizens a 'basic income', and Greens say it could work in the UK

Quote

It's an idea whose adherents over the centuries have ranged from socialists to libertarians to far-right mavericks. It was first proposed by Thomas Paine in his 1797 pamphlet, Agrarian Justice, as a system in which at the "age of majority" everyone would receive an equal capital grant, a "basic income" handed over by the state to each and all, no questions asked, to do with what they wanted.

It might be thought that, in these austere times, no idea could be more politically toxic: literally, a policy of the state handing over something for nothing. But in Utrecht, one of the largest cities in the Netherlands, and 19 other Dutch municipalities, a tentative step towards realising the dream of many a marginal and disappointed political theorist is being made.

The politicians, well aware of a possible backlash, are rather shy of admitting it. "We had to delete mention of basic income from all the documents to get the policy signed off by the council," confided Lisa Westerveld, a Green councillor for the city of Nijmegen, near the Dutch-German border.

"We don't call it a basic income in Utrecht because people have an idea about it – that it is just free money and people will sit at home and watch TV," said Heleen de Boer, a Green councillor in that city, which is half an hour south of Amsterdam.

Nevertheless, the municipalities are, in the words of de Boer, taking a "small step" towards a basic income for all by allowing small groups of benefit claimants to be paid £660 a month – and keep any earnings they make from work on top of that. Their monthly pay will not be means-tested. They will instead have the security of that cash every month, and the option to decide whether they want to add to that by finding work. The outcomes will be analysed by eminent economist Loek Groot, a professor at the University of Utrecht.

A start date for the scheme has yet to be settled – and only benefit claimants involved in the pilots will receive the cash – but there is no doubting the radical intent. The motivation behind the experiment in Utrecht, according to Nienke Horst, a senior policy adviser to the municipality's Liberal Democrat leadership, is for claimants to avoid the "poverty trap" – the fact that if they earn, they will lose benefits, and potentially be worse off.
The idea also hopes to target "revolving door clients" – those who are forced into jobs by the system but repeatedly walk out of them. If given a basic income, the thinking goes, these people might find the time and space to look for long-term employment that suits them.

But the logic of basic income, according to people to the left of Horst, leads only one way – to the cash sum becoming a universal right. It would be unthinkable for those on benefits to be earning and receiving more than their counterparts off benefits. Horst admitted: "Some municipalities are very into the basic income thing."

Indeed leftwing councillors in Utrecht believe this is an opportunity to prove to a sceptical public that people don't just shirk and watch television if they are given a leg-up. "I think we need to have trust in people," said de Boer.

Caroline Lucas, the Green party's only MP in the House of Commons, agrees. A basic income – the Greens call it a "citizen's wage" – has long been party policy. It did not make the cut for their manifesto because they couldn't find a way to fund it.

But developments in the Netherlands, and a parallel pilot in Finland, have bolstered Lucas's belief that this idea's time has come. The Royal Society of Arts has been examining the feasibility of the idea, as has campaign group Compass.

To those who say it is an unaffordable pipedream, Westerveld points out the huge costs that come with the increasinglytough benefits regimes being set up by western states, including policies that make people do community service to justify their handouts. "In Nijmegen we get £88m to give to people on welfare," Westerveld said, "but it costs £15m a year for the civil servants running the bureaucracy of the current system. We will save money with a 'basic income'."Horst adds: "If you receive benefits from the government [in Holland] now you have to do something in return. But most municipalities don't have the people to manage that. We have 10,000 unemployed people in Utrecht, but if they all have to do something in return for welfare we just don't have the people to see to that. It costs too much."
Lucas says she will seek a parliamentary debate on the policy in the new year, and will ask the government to look into the feasibility of a "basic income" pilot here. "I think in Britain people have quite a puritanical idea of work," she said. "But this is an urgently needed policy. With increased job insecurity, the idea of everyone working nine to five is outdated. People go in and out of work these days." "People are increasingly working in what they call the gig economy. The current system is not fit for purpose."
The idea faces a tough political headwind, of course, not least in the Netherlands. Last Tuesday, Johanna von Schaik-Vijfschaft, 41, could be found updating her CV on one of the computers made available to benefits claimants at the Utrecht council building. A cleaner at a local department store, she had been told by council officials to find more work than the 12 hours she currently does.
But she will be under even more pressure in a few years when her 19-year-old son turns 21 and leaves her care. Once she has no dependants, she will lose £150 of her £500 monthly benefit payment and come under the remit of the participation laws, legislation recently brought in by the rightwing central government to make benefits claimants work harder for their cash. Von Schaik-Vijfschaft could be ordered to do some community work for the council in return for her benefits, and will face the threat of losing more of her income if her application rate for jobs falls away. And if Von Schaik-Vijfschaft were to dress inappropriately for interviews or, worse still, miss an appointment, she will lose all her benefits for a month.
The country's second city, Rotterdam, has even trialled a "work first" system, where aspiring benefits claimants must put on an orange jacket and spend two months clearing rubbish before they are handed any payments.
"Rules, always the rules," von Schaik-Vijfschaft said. "But of course I want to work. I want to be busy – we all do." If the experiment can prove that, maybe Tom Paine's idea will have its day yet.
HOW IT WORKS ■ A "basic income", first proposed by Thomas Paine is an income unconditionally granted to all on an individual basis, without any means test or requirement to work.
■ It is paid irrespective of any income from other sources.
■ It is paid without requiring the performance of any work or the willingness to accept a job.
■ Advocates say it will allow people to genuinely choose what sort of employment they take, and to retrain when they wish.
■ Its proponents also claim that a basic income scheme is one of the most simple benefits models, and will reduce all the bureaucracy surrounding the welfare state, making it less complex and much cheaper to administer.

razmisljao o ovom na nekom gejmerskom topicu, ali prelazilo bi i crni "humor".

Sa svojih 120 kilograma sjeo na vlastitog sinčića i nasmrt ga zgnječio 'jer je bio neposlušan'

QuoteMuškarac težak preko 120 kilograma optužen je za ubojstvo nakon što je navodno sjeo na svog šestogodišnjeg sina i doslovce ga zdrobio dok je igrao videoigru na Badnjak. Svemu je svjedočio godinu dana stariji brat koji je prema zapisniku kasnije policiji rekao: 'Kad ga je tata zgnječio, umro je.'

Policija je objavila da su James 'Rick' Dearman i njegova djevojka Ashley Cole rekli djeci oko 19:30 da odu na spavanje, prenosi Independent.

Međutim, Dearman se uzrujao jer dečki nisu poslušali pa su im za kaznu naložili da stoje okrenuti prema zidu i budu mirni. Dearman je navodno 'ulovio' mlađeg sina kako gleda prema njima dok igraju videoigre.

Sjeo je na njega i svom težinom ga pritisnuo na kauč. Pritom je nastavio igrati videoigre i ignorirao djetetov plač i vriskove da ne može disati.

Maknuo se tek kad im se dijete učinilo beživotno te su pozvali policiju i hitnu pomoć koja ga je pokušala oživjeti. Dječak je u bolnici proglašen mrtvim.

Šef policije okruga Sarasota na Floridi John Walsh rekao je da je ubojstvo bilo 'stravično i zlonamjerno'. Dearman se trenutno nalazi u pritvoru.

doživeh

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pantry/info

funkcioniše savršeno

kako će prodavnice oko nas izgledati na duže staze, ostaje da se vidi
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/dec/30/ocado-shares-plunge-as-amazon-pantry-leaves-supermarkets-anxious

Nemačka javnost je u ššoku nakon otkrića da je u novogodišnjoj noći došlo do više seksualnih napada, silovanja i pljačkanja žena u nekoliko većih nemačkih gradova, pri čemu su počinioci bili uglavnom muškarci iz severne Afrike.

- Potpuno je neprihvatljivo da našši gradovi postanu zone bezakonja. Našši građani i našši gosti se moraju osećati sigurno - rekla je gradonačelnica Kelna Henrijeta Reker.

Danas će biti održan krizni sastanak na kojem će predstavnici politike i policije analizirati kako je doššlo do eskalacije u novogodiššnjoj noći kad je, prema sadaššnjim saznanjima, grupa od preko hiljadu stranaca iz arapskog tj. severnoafričkog područja, počela da divlja oko glavne žželezničke stanice u Kelnu.


http://www.blic.rs/vesti/svet/uzas-u-nemackoj-za-novu-godinu-bilo-ih-je-na-stotine-opkolili-su-nas-i-seksualno/cyr3bbd


zosko, propade ti Dojčland

a dobro, ljudi se malo opustili od generalne diskriminacije. treba im ponekad ventil, nije to nista strasno.

Quotedoživeh http://www.amazon.com/gp/pantry/infofunkcioniše savršeno

Šta ti to znači "funkcioniše savršeno"? I u tvojoj rodnoj Vienni?

Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 05-01-2016, 21:11:00

Šta ti to znači "funkcioniše savršeno"? I u tvojoj rodnoj Vienni?

funkcioniše savršeno znači da mi je poštar juče doneo kutiju od 20 kg na vrata

http://www.amazon.de/b/ref=s9_acss_bw_hsb_khhome_s1_s?_encoding=UTF8&node=8608859031&pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=13YP0QXZ217HKW2BEN9Y&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=798595027&pf_rd_i=5787992031

raj za nas koji mrzimo shopping!
(ja i cipele kupujem preko amazona.  )

Quoteraj za nas koji mrzimo shopping!

Svašta?! I nikada nisi davala uzorak kose za proveru pola?

Quote from: Mica Milovanovic on 06-01-2016, 14:40:11
Svašta?! I nikada nisi davala uzorak kose za proveru pola?

i'm your man

Quote from: Pizzobatto on 05-01-2016, 19:30:14
Nemačka javnost je u ššoku nakon otkrića da je u novogodišnjoj noći došlo do više seksualnih napada, silovanja i pljačkanja žena u nekoliko većih nemačkih gradova, pri čemu su počinioci bili uglavnom muškarci iz severne Afrike.

- Potpuno je neprihvatljivo da našši gradovi postanu zone bezakonja. Našši građani i našši gosti se moraju osećati sigurno - rekla je gradonačelnica Kelna Henrijeta Reker.

Danas će biti održan krizni sastanak na kojem će predstavnici politike i policije analizirati kako je doššlo do eskalacije u novogodiššnjoj noći kad je, prema sadaššnjim saznanjima, grupa od preko hiljadu stranaca iz arapskog tj. severnoafričkog područja, počela da divlja oko glavne žželezničke stanice u Kelnu.

http://www.blic.rs/vesti/svet/uzas-u-nemackoj-za-novu-godinu-bilo-ih-je-na-stotine-opkolili-su-nas-i-seksualno/cyr3bbd

zosko, propade ti Dojčland

sad priznali da je ipak rijec o izbjeglicama iz sirije, afganistana i iraka koji tek kratko u nj, sto prvo pokusali negirati i zatajiti kao "politicki brizantno".
diskriminirani stranci ocigledno ne poznaju najbolje njemacku povijest, sve aspekte/dimenziju filantropije i nacin funkcioniranja...

Pored Saudijske Arabije evo ga i Meksiko na mojoj my daughters, never ever travel to this shit-hole! listi

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/killers-of-temixco-mayor-gisela-mota-start-revealing-drug-war-secrets/

Quote from: Pizzobatto on 05-01-2016, 19:30:14
zosko, propade ti Dojčland

do sad u kelnu 170 prijava, od toga tri cetvrtine zbog seksuanog zlostavljanja. znaci, bilo sta zensko tu nije moglo proci bez opkoljavanja i hvatanja, pa i one u pratnji. 
hm, sad sve nesto razmisljam kako bi se to dalo prakticno primijeniti u guzvi maskare. nimalo losa ideja.

Quote from: Pizzobatto on 05-01-2016, 19:30:14
Danas će biti održan krizni sastanak na kojem će predstavnici politike i policije analizirati kako je doššlo do eskalacije u novogodiššnjoj noći kad je, prema sadaššnjim saznanjima, grupa od preko hiljadu stranaca iz arapskog tj. severnoafričkog područja, počela da divlja oko glavne žželezničke stanice u Kelnu.

Nasilje bilo koordinisano

QuoteShabani, the witness spoken to by the Guardian, said she had viewed the events from the cathedral steps, having gone to the city centre to experience her first German new year, eight months after arriving as a political asylum seeker from Iran. She said she had been astounded by the police's nonchalance. "They seemed to just let it happen," she said. "I watched as men fired large firecrackers horizontally into the crowd and they police just stood at the side of the square with their hands on their hips".

QuoteOf the 31 people identified, nine were Algerian, eight Moroccan, five Iranian, four Syrian and two German, plus an Iraqi, a Serb and a US citizen.

Naravno da su žene bile prve na udaru, kao najranjivija grupa. Sad, ova šarenolika grupa migranata možda pre govori o njihovom nezadovoljstvu statusom i životom u Nemačkoj (mada zbunjuju ovaj američki državljanin i ova dva nemačka državljanina, verovatno ih je ponela masa ), nego o nekom novom vidu islamskog ekstremizma/terorizma (mada ne treba odbaciti ni tu mogućnost).

Come to think of it, ako se o napadima misli kao o terorističkim (ako nategnemo definiciju terorizma, a da se ja pitam ovi grupni napadi na žene bi svakako bili, u svakom smislu, tretirani kao teroristički), podilaze me žmarci.

Quotea Serb

Bemti zivot, vazda u losem drustvu

Quote from: Dybuk on 09-01-2016, 12:56:58

Quotea Serb

Bemti zivot, vazda u losem drustvu

pa da, vidis sta ucini tek jedan srbin, kakvu lavinu nasilja pokrene. i onda se pitamo sto eu tako zatvorena spram srbije...

Sta bi sa tim kineskim zidovima i bodljikavim zicama sto planira EU da pravi?
Oce li to, ajmo brze malo,,,inace eto Srbije u EU, BUUUUAAAHAHAHAAAAA!

Haha, klasik zosko

Has Belgium created 'a system of apartheid'?

QuoteTwo months after the Paris attacks, Belgium is in the midst of an anguished debate about Islamist radicalisation. There's anger in Molenbeek - the Brussels district that was home to three of the attackers - at government plans for house-to-house searches. And a former senior police official has warned that Belgium's failure to integrate its Muslim minority has created a de facto "system of apartheid".

Text je poduzi pa ga necu skroz citirati, ali veoma korisno stivo za razumevanje cele ove IS krize i radikalizacije mladih muslimana, "home grown" terorizma.

Jedna stvar koja mi je bas ostala u secanju prilikom upoznavanja sa kulturom i navikama francuza na jednom kursu je, otprilike ova, parafraziram predavaca: francuzi ce vas pitati, kao expate, jeste li sami i da li ste u kontaktu sa svojom zajednicom. Na indirektan nacin pokusavajuci da utvrde jeste li "materijal" za druzenje. Ukoliko odgovorite sa "da, sam/a, ne nisam u kontaktu sa svojom zajednicom u Parizu", dace vam sansu za druzenje i bolje upoznavanje. U protivnom, nece se ni truditi, njih ne zanima da se upoznaju sa celim "coporom" vec sa jedinkom. E, tako se stranci (muslimani) u stvari okrecu svojima, porodici, prijateljima, zemljacima, nemajuci gotovo nikakav kontakt sa Francuzima.

Tako se zatvara krug i stvaraju geta, izmedju ostalog.

Da budem iskrena, super sam primljena u Belgiji. Administracija im je u haosu, u Briselu po državnim institucijama pričaju samo francuski, pa neko kome je prvi jezik holandski može da dođe u nezgodnu situaciju da u sred svog glavnog grada ne može da se sporazumeva sa svojom državom (isprobala ja, povela flemiš druga u opštinu da mi pomogne oko izdavanja lične karte. On je namerno (iziritiran) pričao holandski, a šalteruša em ne znam holandski, em ne zna ni engleski).

Osim što su me policajac (koji mi je proveravao prebivalište) i supervizor u instituciji EU "nagovarali" da u Belgiji ostanem ilegalno , segregacija postoji, ali ne mislim da su je oni u potpunosti svesni. Više je negacija u pitanju. Takođe, mi Srbi smo u Briselu "egzotični", nije kao u Nemačkoj, radoznali su prema nama. Ali sumnjam da i boja kože (u mom slučaju i boja očiju) imaju veze sa tim prihvatanjem, da.

Primera radi, sprijateljila sam se sa jednim mladim, obrazovanim i vrlo pametnim Belgijancem. Pričali smo o svemu i svačemu, delili smo kancelariju. U jednom trenutku, poveli smo razgovor o islamskom ekstremizmu i terorizmu, i ja, onako, usput, primetim kako će uskoro da se trese i Brisel. Njegova reakcija je bila neočekivana negacija i uveravanje da su muslimani u Belgiji integrisani i mirni, da imaju sva prava, da imaju svoje privatne biznise itd. I nije hteo da priča dalje o tome. I sada, posle svega, posle napada u Parizu i potrage za teroristima u Molenbeku, kada mu pomenem taj razgovor - neće da priča o tome. Ali je, recimo, sam izneo podatak da belgijski poslodavci kada vide muslimansko ime na biografiju i ne otvaraju aplikaciju.

Kroz Molenbek sam prošla par puta potpuno nesvesna da je kraj "muslimanski". Par puta sama, jednom sa drugaricom iz Srbije. Nikada ništa neprijatno nisam doživela, osim kada nam je u jednoj radnjici prodavac rekao da smo zalutale u loš kraj i da je bolje da uzmemo metro do destinacije umesto pešačenja kroz Molenbek. A napolju sunce, dečica se igraju na igralištu, žene ih čuvaju, muškarci prolaze u čoporima i gledaju nas, ali osećaj pretnje nije toliko veliki kao u Parizu, recimo.

Brisel ima taj neki šmek mirnog i spokojnog života. Ali to je samo zato jer je dom tolikim džihadistima i njihovim porodicama. Niko neće da udara na svoj dom. Zato su teroristi iz Molenbeka i otišli do Pariza da tamo napadnu. Ne verujem ni da će biti nekog jačeg terorističkog napada u Briselu skoro.

Takođe, prvo što sam primetila nakon posete skupštinama i panelima institucija EU je da tamo nema non-white predstavnika. Ili su jako retki.

Dosad nisam imala prilike da zadjem u geta i zloglasne delove grada, a i ne zuri mi se. Obicno vidim zabradjene zene sa coporom dece i po jednim u stomaku, to je sav moj "kontakt" sa tom populacijom. Iskreno (sad bi bata rekao da su moji pogledi fasistoliki) sa tim zenama nemam nista zajednicko, a ni one sa mnom. Stvari su tako postavljene da se nase dve kulture uopste ne dodiruju, mozda u supermarketu ili trznom centru, to je sve. U tom smislu, lako je uvideti kako i oni stvaraju taj religiozno/kulturoloski zid oko sebe, a i reakcije su odgovarajuce. Da ne ulazim u licemerje drustva koje ih prihvata ali ne prihvata, samo navodim one prve utiske, povrsinske.

Pa da, ali kad bi popričala s nekom od njih, pa te ona pozvala u svoju kuću, da dođeš sama bez muškog pratioca, onda bi joj videla lice, i to lice bi bilo prijateljsko. Možda biste mogle i da razgovarate o knjigama i filmovima, događajima u okolini i svetu. Možda bi se svidela njenoj maloj deci, koja bi tražila od tebe da im čitaš slikovnicu, i tako to..

Tu zabrađenost mi vidimo kao zid, a oni kao osnovnu kulturu u javnosti, ali u kući nije tako.

One razgovaraju sa svojim zemljakinjama ili rodjakama u cijem su drustvu, na arapskom. Tesko bismo se sporazumele, sve i da govore francuski Hocu reci, i one su krajnje izolovane, a ja taj zid nemam razloga da rusim, sto ne znaci da bih odbila kontakt, samo ne vidim okvir u kome bi se on ostvario.

I ja bih volela da je tako, mac. Delimo romantičarski pristup. Ali on je retko ostvariv u realnosti.

Žene muslimanske veroispovesti, baš tako zabrađene, mahom gaje osećanje prezira prema "zapadnim" ženama, koje se šetaju u minićima, dekolteima, otkrivene kose. Kažem, mahom, nisu sve takve, ali ne zaboravi da je u njima snažno internalizovan koncept ženske skromnosti i skrivenosti od (muških) očiju javnosti. Otkrivene žene su haram u njihovom sistemu.

Evo primera: u Dubaiju su se lokalke uvek držale zajedno i sa prezirom gledale "zapadne" žene koje im "otimaju" muškarce. Nijednu prijateljicu lokalku nisam stekla. Njihovu pažnju privukla sam tek kada sam postala glasna u borbi za prava radnika, pa su mi prilazile, jedna po jedna ili u parovima, da mi se stidljivo smeškaju i pitaju šta je bilo na sastanku sa menadžerom (kapitalizam ugnjetava sve podjednako, pa i zaštićene lokalce. Ispalo je da, paradoksalno, zagovaram i prava Emiraćana u njihovoj rođenoj zemlji ). Opet, nijedna nije bila zainteresovana da ostvari dublji kontakt. Muškarci su već drugačiji i tu imam prijatelja i poznanika.

Zid je obostran, ni ja još nisam sasvim sigurna kako se ruši, jer kada pred sobom imaš osobu kojoj se ne vidi lice, dakle - ne vidiš joj mimiku ni osmeh, ne možeš da proceniš da li je raspoložena za komunikaciju ili joj smetaš, teško ćeš da priđeš takvoj ženi. Ta skrivenost lica delom i ima funkciju da odbije od komunikacije.

Jezik je velika prepreka, ali i interesovanja, kulturni milje. Ma, neces se druziti sa nekim s kim nemas o cemu, ko te na neki nacin ne inspirise, zanima itd ni da ti je rod, a kamoli da pokusavas da premostis toliki jaz. Imam i za to pricu, na primeru jednog ruskog para ovde, ali o tom-potom

Junker se, fala bogu, brine pre svega za tržište    EU states 'failed to deliver' on migrants: Juncker

Quote
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said EU member states have "failed to deliver" on the migrant crisis and warned that restoring borders in response to the problem could kill off the internal market.
Outlining his priorities for the New Year, Juncker vowed not to abandon his plans to relocate thousands of asylum seekers from Italy and Greece that were finally approved in October despite opposition from several eastern European capitals.
So far just 272 refugees have been moved to other countries out of the 160,000 that European Union nations agreed to relocate as the continent faced a wave of people fleeing conflict in Syria and elsewhere.
"It's not the commission that has not delivered," Juncker, the head of the executive branch of the 28-nation union, told a press conference.
"But a number of member states have failed to fully deliver on what we need to do and what needs to be done," he added.
Instead of working together for a common solution, he complained, member states were reintroducing border controls that ultimately threatened the Schengen system of passport-free travel and the broader EU project.
"Who kills Schengen will eventually put the internal market to the grave," Juncker said, adding it would lead to "an unemployment problem which will not be manageable any more."
Europe is already struggling with a massive economic problem with more than 10 percent out of work, including 50 percent of young people in countries like Greece and Spain.
"When all this breaks down, the economic price, the loss of growth and the damage for the European growth perspectives will be enormous," he said.
"Without Schengen, free movement of workers, without freedom of European citizens to travel, the euro makes no sense," he said, referring to the 19-country single currency zone.
Juncker said he was "getting a little tired" that the commission was coming under fire for not doing enough to resolve the worst migrant crisis since World War II when it has spent months drawing up joint relocation and other plans.
He excoriated member states for struggling to implement plans they had themselves agreed on, warning that the EU was "moving toward a serious crisis in terms of credibility" if they don't assume their legal and political commitments.
An EU commitment to offer Turkey three billion euros ($3.3 billion) of aid in return for Ankara's help to stem the refugee flow is also delayed, mainly due to foot-dragging by Italy.
Italian Finance Minister Pier Carlo Padoan said Friday that the EU must explore "further ways to make better use of the European budget resources before requesting national contributions" for the fund.
Germany, deeply affected by the migrant crisis, has urged that EU states meet their commitments swiftly.

Istorijski:

  US, EU lift sanctions against Iran amid landmark nuke deal

Quote
VIENNA (AP) -- The U.N. nuclear agency certified Saturday that Iran has met all of its commitments under last summer's landmark nuclear deal, crowning years of U.S.-led efforts to crimp Iran's ability to make atomic weapons. For Iran, the move lifts Western economic sanctions that have been in place for years, unlocking access to $100 billion in frozen assets and unleashing new opportunities for its battered economy.
                 
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and the top diplomats of Iran and the European Union hailed the accord, reached after years of setbacks and a full decade after the start of international diplomacy aimed at reducing the possibility that Tehran could turn its nuclear programs to weapons making.
                 
"Today marks the first day of a safer world," Kerry declared in Vienna. "This evening, we are really reminded once again of diplomacy's power to tackle significant challenges."
                 
Additionally, Kerry linked the trust built between Iran and the United States over the past two years of talks to the release by Iran Saturday of four Americans who also hold Iranian nationality.
                 
"Thanks to years of hard work and committed dialogue," he said, "we have made vital breakthroughs related to both the nuclear negotiations and a separate long-term diplomatic effort" that led to the freeing of the Americans.

EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini — in a statement also read in Farsi by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Jawad Zarif — said the accord "demonstrates that with political will, perseverance, and through multilateral diplomacy, we can solve the most difficult issues and find practical solutions that are effectively implemented."
                 
In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama signed executive orders lifting economic sanctions on Iran, while Kerry confirmed that the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency could verify that "Iran has fully implemented its required commitments."
                 
The July 14 deal, struck after decades of hostility, defused the likelihood of U.S. or Israeli military action against Iran while creating an opening for future cooperation on calming the tumultuous Middle East. But proof that it had been fully implemented had been lacking until Saturday.
                 
For Tehran, the report translates into a huge financial windfall while also helping its efforts at international image rehabilitation.
                 
Beyond sanctions lifting and the unlocking of frozen assets, certification by the IAEA opens the path to new oil, trade and financial opportunities that could prove far more valuable for Tehran in the long run.
Not even waiting for the IAEA report, Iranian Transport Minister Abbas Akhondi said his country had reached a deal with the European consortium Airbus to buy 114 passenger planes once the sanctions are lifted.
                 
As diplomatic maneuvering on the nuclear issue dragged into the night, another source of U.S.-Iranian tension moved toward resolution with officials of both nations announcing the prisoner releases. The four Americans imprisoned in Iran were exchanged  for seven Iranians held or charged in the United States.
                 
U.S. officials said the four — Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati, pastor Saeed Abedini and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari — were to be flown from Iran to Switzerland on a Swiss plane and then brought to a U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany, for medical treatment.
                 
In return, the U.S. will either pardon or drop charges against seven Iranians — six of them dual citizens — accused or convicted of violating U.S. sanctions. The U.S. will also drop Interpol "red notices" — essentially arrest warrants — on a handful of sought Iranian fugitives.
                 
Rezaian is a dual Iran-U.S. citizen convicted of espionage by Iran in a closed-door trial in 2015. The Post and the U.S. government have denied the accusations, as has Rezaian. He had been held more than 543 days.
U.S. officials said a fifth American detained in Iran, a student, has been released in a move unrelated to the prisoner swap. They said the student, identified as Matthew Trevithick, was already on his way home.
                 
Among the sanctions lifted will be those imposed between 2006 and 2010 by the U.N. Security Council as it attempted to pressure the Islamic Republic to curb uranium enrichment and other activities that could also be used for nuclear weapons. Iran sees that move and the recent closure of a decade-long investigation of whether it worked on such weapons as a formal end to the allegations against it.
                 
But the deal is also a boon for the White House. U.S. President Barack Obama's greatest foreign policy triumph, it has turned tensions into a first step toward cooperation with Iran, a major regional power instrumental for ending the Syrian conflict and other Middle East crises.
                 
The July 14 deal with six world powers puts Iran's various nuclear activities under IAEA watch for up to 15 years, with an option to re-impose sanctions should Tehran break its commitments.
                 
It aims to increase the time Iran would need to make enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon from several months to a year, primarily by capping Tehran's ability to enrich uranium, which can create material ranging from reactor fuel to warhead material. Under the deal, Iran committed to reduce its operating centrifuges enriching uranium by two-thirds, to just over 5,000 machines.
The IAEA report, obtained by The Associated Press, ticked off that commitment and others as met.
                 
With news of the deal's implementation breaking long after midnight in Tehran, there was no repeat of the boisterous street celebrations that met agreement in July on the accord. But social media networking sites were abuzz.
                 
"Hello to life without sanctions," said one message. Another praised both Zarif and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose taking office in 2013 led to the start of serious negotiations after years of essential deadlock.  "Thank you Rouhani," one said. "Thank you Zarif."
                 
Since the world's attention focused on Iran's nuclear program more than a decade ago with revelations of its secret uranium enrichment program, Tehran has insisted that it was working only to power a future network of reactors and on medical and scientific research.
                 
Iran denied any work or interest in nuclear arms even after the IAEA closed a prolonged probe with a November assessment that Tehran had an organized research and development program into such weapons up to 2003 and more scattered research and development activities up to 2009.
Still, it had little choice but to negotiate an end to the conflict after years of seeing as its revenues from oil sales — its chief income — dry up due to increasing U.S., European Union and other sanctions.
                 
But the talks turned serious only after the pragmatic Rouhani took office in 2013.
                 
For years, Washington had refused to even sit at the same table with Iran, joining the nuclear talks only in 2008, five years after the first international attempts to negotiate a deal.
                 
By the fall of 2013, however, Kerry had met with his Iranian counterpart and Obama had called Rouhani in what was the first direct communication between a U.S. and Iranian president since the 1979 Islamic revolution led to the U.S. Embassy hostage taking and a diplomatic freeze.
                 
The public goodwill quickly faded, however, and the realities of negotiating a mutually acceptable deal sank in. Deadlines were repeatedly extended by months.
The bickering went on to the very end, with the July 14 agreement emerging only after a series of white-knuckle late and overnight sessions, punctuated by threats from both sides to walk away from the table.
                 
Both sides took hits amid the diplomatic maneuvering — Iran from hardliners accusing Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of selling out his country's interests and the White House from skeptics at home and abroad — particularly in the Middle East  — who said the deal would keep Tehran's bomb-making capacities intact.
                 
All-out lobbying by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the agreement also was unsuccessful. Warning that Iran has not given up its nuclear ambitions, his office urged world powers Saturday to respond harshly to any violations of the deal by Iran.
                 
Without that, "Iran will think it can continue to develop a nuclear weapon, destabilize the region and spread terror," the statement said.

horror seriously

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/sweden/12104299/Swedish-Josef-Fritzl-doctor-drugged-and-raped-woman-to-keep-in-dungeon-for-years.html

When in Rome Paris

Iran and France cancel diplomatic lunch to welcome Hassan Rouhani after French refuse to take wine off the menu

QuoteIranian officials asked that a lunch between the two countries' presidents be Halal and alcohol-free.
A lunch between the French and Iranian presidents in Paris has been scrapped after the hosts refused to take wine off the menu.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani had been due to eat lunch with French President Francois Hollande in an upmarket restaurant as part of Mr Rohani's tour of Europe - but negotiations broke down after the Iranians requested a halal, alcohol-free meal.

French officials insisted on serving traditional local food and wine and said making a meal "Iran friendly" went against their Republican values.
The Elysee Palace suggested the heads of state share breakfast instead but this was rejected as "too cheap".

A source told French radio station RTL: "The leaders have missed out on a great opportunity to meet in the relaxed environment of a meal."

Mr Rouhani is currently visiting several European countries to sign business deals worth billions of pounds as Iran comes back in from the diplomatic cold after years of economic sanctions.
His visit to Italy went much more smoothly with officials keeping alcohol off the menu at state dinners and even covering up its ancient nude statues in Rome as they signed £12bn worth of business deals.

Iranian officials did not request the statues be covered up but were said to appreciate the gesture.

But some Italians thought it was a sign of "cultural suicide".

Meanwhile, French protesters have demanded Mr Hollande challenge Mr Rouhani over human rights abuses in Iran - where people are jailed, executed and flogged  or speaking against the regime or being gay and women are treated as second class citizens.

Bravo za francuskog predsednika. Doduše, mogli su iranskom predsedniku bar halal jelo da posluže, jer to je isto kao kada imate vegetarijanca za ručkom na primer, ali da alkohol ostane. 

Nego, ovo nije nesporazum, već jasna diplomatska i političko-kulturološka poruka. I neka.

Ah, ali on je trazio sve ili nista a alkohol je dil brejker

Za razliku od Italijana koji pokrise nage statue da ga ne uvrede *fejspalm* dzampa di strajta dropa di bola

Eh, Dubyk, upravo je i diplomatski štos dati mu pola. Pola njemu, pola domaćinu. Dakle, domaćin je spreman na kompromis, a gost nije. Što gosta čini nedobronamernim i nevoljnim. Ovako su Francuzi ispali veći gadovi nego što su morali jer bi i sa kompromisnim rešenjem postigli isti efekat, a očuvali bi imidž dobronamernih.

Nisu to Italijani uradili iz poniznosti ili ustupka, već zato što ih zabole dupe. Nisu oni tom činu ni pridali neki značaj. Pokrili kada su ovi došli, otkrili kada su ovi otišli, dobili pare i ajmo dalje. Čak bih se i zaklela da su u svemu videli sprdnju. Ali oni nemaju problem sa Arapima koji imaju Francuzi.

Meanwhile u Finskoj...

Mi pljujemo po Vučiću što se primio na priču o štednji u javnom sektoru, što pušta nauku i visoko obrazovanje niz vodu, kad ono Finci:

Helsinki University to shrink payroll by nearly 1,000

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University of Helsinki staff will be reduced by 980 people, with 570 being laid off by the end of 2017. In addition, the university will reorganise and incorporate certain divisions including continuing education. Professors, teachers and researchers are criticising the cuts, which coincide with the university's administrative and educational overhaul.
The overall number of University of Helsinki staff will be reduced by approximately 980 by the end of 2017.
"The University of Helsinki's rise in rankings among the leading research universities in the world would not have been possible without professional and committed employees. I am deeply sorry that we are forced to let go of competent staff members," said Rector Jukka Kola in a press release on Wednesday.
Kola says that staff cuts are unavoidable because of the current government's drastic funding cuts to education.
According to the university's calculations, the need for cost-cutting will amount to 106 million euros annually by the end of Prime Minister Juha Sipilä's government term in 2019-20.Academic criticismThe Finnish Unions of University Professors and University Researchers and Teachers feel that the cuts at the University of Helsinki are too radical.
"It appears as though the University of Helsinki sees its staff as a mass, an expense, that can be cut to achieve the government's massive funding cuts," according to a joint press release by the two unions.
The unions say the terminations are being taken care of in one fell swoop rather than in a more sustainable way, which would be to check the situation annually and make cuts accordingly.
The cuts coincide with the university's current overhaul and renewal of its administrative, faculty and educational functions.
Staff costs make up about two-thirds of the institution's total expenses.570 redundancies this springThe university estimates that of the 980 positions, terminations during this coming spring will account for 570 positions. Of the employees to be made redundant, 75 are teaching and research staff and 495 other staff.
The number of fixed-term positions is expected to be reduced by 210 by the year 2020. Of these, 160 are teaching and research positions and 50 are other (non-academic) positions. By the end of 2017, 200 employees will retire from positions which will not be filled after their retirement. Of these, 60 are teaching and research positions and 140 other non-academic positions.
At the end of 2014, the university employed more than 8,000 people and had more than 36,000 students.

Da se razumemo, od 980 radnih mesta, "samo" 75 su nastavne i istraživačke pozicije, ali ovo ipak deluje šokantno u državi koja je jako mala (Finaca je manje i od Srba, malo manje pod pet i po miliona), kojoj je ovo najvažniji univerzitet (vele da bez njega ne bi bilo ni Nokije ni Linuksa (Linus Torvalds ga je završio), i u kojoj je pristupačno visoko obrazovanje uvek tretirano kao nacionalni prioritet najvišeg nivoa (finski ustav u sekciji 16 kaže da je besplatno visoko obrazovanje svačije pravo). Ovo je, pretpostavljam rizik investicije u javni obrazovni kapacitet i demokratije u kojoj naravno na vlast može da dođe i neko ko misli da su uštede bitnije od proizvodnje vrednosti...

France and Germany among 5 countries that may face end of visa-free travel to the US

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Following the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, the US passed a bill in December denying visa-free entry into the country for people with dual citizenship of Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria or those who travelled to any of these countries in the past five years, even if they held passports from one of the 38 countries in the US visa-free travel programme.
The visa waiver bill was passed after an alarming increase in the use of fake passports that the US is worried could be used by terrorists plotting attacks on the country. The spike in black market documents can be attributed to the influx of asylum seekers into the EU. The rule came into force following its announcement on 21 January.
According to Politico, the US Department of Homeland Security notified five countries – France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Greece that they have until 1 February to fix "crucial loopholes" in their passport systems or face being removed from the visa waiver programme.
"At this time, no determination has been made on changing the status of any current visa waiver programme partner country," said SY Lee, a Department for Homeland Security spokesman, but Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson will report to President Barack Obama on how these countries have progressed following next week's deadline.
31 of the 38 countries in the visa waiver programme are part of the European Union.
The Daily Telegraph had earlier reported that British Intelligence was concerned about terrorists entering Europe using counterfeit passports and posing as refugees. A senior British intelligence official said, "Islamic State is skilfully exploiting the migrant crisis to smuggle terror cells from Syria into major European countries such as the UK. Jihadis travel to Raqqa to meet up with commanders, where they receive training and new passports.
"They then make their way back to Europe posing as migrants with new identities, making it virtually impossible for security officials to detect potential terrorists among those fleeing persecution."
The new bill has not become a law as of yet but members of Congress are already concerned about the repercussions and stated that it might have "unintended consequences."
"This unfair provision was rushed through the House in the wake of the horrific terror attacks in Paris, and won't make our country safer," said Assistant Senate Democratic Leader Dick Durbin. "The Visa Waiver Program should be reformed, but singling people out because of their national origin is fundamentally at odds with American values and invites discrimination against American citizens who are dual nationals. Our focus should be on people with possible links to terrorism, regardless of their nationality. I commend the Obama Administration for providing guidance on waivers for legitimate travelers to Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria, and urge the Administration to issue similar guidance for dual nationals of these countries."
Homeland Security has clarified that journalists, humanitarian workers and people conducting business in Iran, Iraq, Sudan or Syria may be exempted from the restrictions but the same will be based solely on individual assessment.

pa krasno...

Niko ne komentarise Svedske vatrene odnose ka imigrantskim kampovima!?

Quote from: Meho Krljic on 30-01-2016, 08:32:44
Meanwhile u Finskoj...

A onda, meanwhile u Danskoj:
Massive layoffs to hit research and education

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SAVINGS The University of Copenhagen is cutting deep into its staff in response to the Danish government's cutbacks. Even though a great deal of the savings are aimed at administration and service, they will affect the quality of education and research many years ahead
 
More than 500 teachers, researchers and employees in service and administrative jobs will now be leaving the University of Copenhagen. This corresponds to 7% of all staff. 209 employees can anticipate being laid off while 323 jobs are either discontinued or terminated via voluntary redundancy. In addition to this, the university will have to reduce its PhD intake by 10% in the coming years. This is the outcome of the government's 2016 Budget which imposes huge savings on research and education.

"Losing so many good employees is a considerable loss of knowledge and competencies. We have found the larger part of the savings within administration and service in an attempt to spare education and research as much as possible. But this also means that important support functions around students, researchers and teachers will lapse or be conducted on a smaller scale. And we will have to reduce our PhD production, which corresponds to cutting into the vital research value chain. This will have a noticeable effect on Danish research capabilities in 5-10 and 20 years' time," says Rector Ralf Hemmingsen.

Around half of the positions now being shed have been found through voluntary redundancy. The university's administration has also suffered significant cutbacks,  with, for example, procurement, the annual celebration and study administration being reorganised. Altogether, the university must save DKK 500 million or the equivalent of around 6% of total revenue. The largest faculties – Science and Health – account for more than 330 discontinued jobs. At the Faculty of Humanities, the number is around 90.   
Uncertain future
For several years, the universities have increased their production on a broad scale while also streamlining to the effect of more than 2% a year. Among other things, this is a result of the government's annual cut in taximeter funding for education. Since 2010, funding has been slashed by some 10% per student.  But the cutbacks in Budget 2016 have created an entirely new economic framework for Danish universities.

"Despite many years of declining education funding, the University of Copenhagen has managed to maintain a stable economy thanks to a stable basic subsidy, a high level of research and the ability to attract more external funding for the university's activities. Unfortunately, this economic situation has now been changed radically. And politically, we have no security for our budgetary situation in 2019. So we're going to have to cut to the bone in some places. We're now reviewing how the organisation goes about solving tasks. And we will see faculties that will need to make further adjustments as a result of local developments in revenue and expenditure," Ralf Hemmingsen says.

At the moment the university is in the process of assessing how many small language programmes may be offered in the future, just as some of the medical science programmes with expensive equipment, laboratories and stalls will be given a thorough makeover to see if they are financially viable in the future.
  About UCPH finances With Budget 2016, the University of Copenhagen is certain to lose approx. DKK 300 million a year as a result of the reprioritisation payment on education, reduction of the state research reserve and a special rent subsidy regulation with regard to the new South Campus building on Amager. Around half of the savings will be found within administration and service, with the other half coming from education and research, including the PhD intake.
With redundancies, dismissals and discontinuation of a total of 532 positions, these savings have now been found. However, in addition to this, the Budget has created uncertainty about the universities' long-term finances, just as programme resizing and the study progress reform create uncertainty about revenues. In any case, the University of Copenhagen will lose another DKK 200 million from the Budget funding allocation in a couple of years. These savings are yet to be found. A number of organisational analyses have been initiated in order to find opportunities for additional revenue, cost savings and even more efficient administrative services.
 

Sa ogromnom pažnjom ovih dana pratim predizbornu kampanju u Americi. Dešava se po prvi put nešto bez presedana - jasno se definišu dva politička pola. S jedne strane imamo veoma jadne republikance, sa Donaldom Trampom koji i dalje vodi u istraživanjima javnog mnjenja. Donald je inače bio smiješan lik, ali je sada shvatio da može da se bavi politikom nudeću Amerikancima retoriku koja najviše podsjeća na, pa, Šešelja. Naravno, natečeni tajkun bi imao mnogo toga da uči o manipulaciji masama od Šekija, ali je jasno da njegova retorika privlačna neobrazovanim i ljutitim masama - što užasno podsjeća na neku situaciju na Balkanu. A u njegove stavove spada javno zagovaranje podizanje zidova i zabranu ulaska u SAD muslimanima, najava još gorih "taktika" mučenja prema ratnim zarobljenicima, otvorena mizoginija, histerična vriska da su izbori pokradeni nakon poraza u Ajovi i slično.


Ostali kandidati u republikanskoj stranci su takođe čemer i jad. Trenutno je najozbiljniji kandidat senator iz Teksasa Ted Kruz za kojeg je u više navrata dokazano da je lažov, jedan smutljivac čiji stavovi uopšte ne odudaraju od Trampovih (zapravo je još i gori, ako uzmemo u obzir stav prema LGBT), i koji svaki predizborni skup počinje molitvom. Ovo zadnje ga je dovelo da pobijedi u Ajovi, uprkos velikoj prednosti koju je Tramp imao.


Treći kandidat kod Republikanaca je Marko Rubio koji bi trebalo da bude "umjereni" Republikanac i čija podrška u poljednje vrijeme raste. Međutim, Marko Rubio jednostavno nema harizmu, nije tip "pravog vođe", a u posljednje vrijeme se ozbiljno dovode u pitanje njegovi nervi i intelektualne sposobnosti. Naime, ako se neko vidno unervozi i trese tokom debate, kako će se ponašati usred ozbiljne krize? Nakon posljednjeg nastupa donator su odjednom zatvorili novčanike i novac već predviđen za Rubija odlučili da zadrže do daljnjeg.

Ostali kandidati su potpuni autsajderi i nemaju ozbiljne šanse da se kvalifikuju za opšte izbore.


I s druge strane, kod Demokrata, postaje veoma interesantno. Hilari Klinton, uz podršku većine glavara Demokratske stranke, njenog muža koji aktivno sudjeluje u kampanji sa njom (čak je i nama dobro poznata i omiljena Medlin Olbrajt govorila na tribini sa njom prije par dana), prethodno iskustvo, uz milione koje su sasute u njenu kampanju i ogromno lično bogatstvo - ona i Bil su od 2007 inkasirali preko 160 miliona zarade, dugo je bila apsolutni favorit. Osim toga, ona se oslanja na podršku žena da po prvi put u istoriji dođe do toga da se u Bijelu kuću usele Predsjednica i "Prvi džentlmen". Ali ne lezi vraže, izgleda da opet nije dovoljno. Malo je bilo što je Obama praktično išamarao 2008 iako su je svi smatrali za favorita.


Izuzetno simpatični čičica od 74 godine, senator iz Vermonta Berni Sanders, Jevrej sa bruklinškim akcentom i socijalista - sebe zove demokratom socijalistom - koji se relativno nedavno pridružio Demokratama i kojeg ne podržava gotovo nijedan kongresmen ili senator - izazvao je pravi zemljotres. Berni je bio potpuni autsajder, prije manje od godinu dana istraživanja su mu davala nešto oko 10% glasova, dok je za Hilari Klinton predviđano preko 60%. Prošlog vikenda su održani prvi unutrapartijski izbori, u Ajovi. Klintonova je "pobijedila" sa 49.9% prema 49.6%. Sljedeći je Nju Hempšir u kojem Berni ima značajnu prednost - trenutno 54% prema 42%.
Ono što je nevjerovatno za Bernija Sandersa, i što se dešava po prvi put u američkoj istoriji jeste način na koji se finansira njegova kampanja, a to je "crowdfunding". Samo u januaru njegova kampanja je prikupila preko tri miliona dolara. Prosječan iznos uplate - 27$. Donacije od velikih korporacija niti prima niti mu se nude. Zato što ih je proglasio neprijateljima i američke ekonomije, i što je još važnije, američke demokratije. Jer Berni postavlja veoma neprijatno pitanje koje se toliko rijetko čulo u javnom diskursu u Americi - ako ogromne korporacije uspu milione u kampanju za senatora, kongresmena ili predsjednika - koliko je ta osoba zaista nezavisna? Da li u tim kompanijama rukovode moroni koji tolike pare loše investiraju?


Prva stavka njegovog programa - zauzdati Vol Strit, strogo regulisati sa federalnog nivoa trgovinu akcijama. Najveće banke rasparčati i regulisati. On se zalaže i za to da pošte! daju Amerikancima male zajmove, kako ih private banke ne bi muzzle sa nenormalnim kamatama. Druga stavka - oporezovati debelo "gornji 1%", odnosno klasu milijardera. (Skoro je jedan Trampov glasač upao na Bernijevu konferenciju i počeo da viče. Berni je sa govornice staloženo odgovorio - evo jedne osobe zabrinute za Donalda Trampa i njegove milijarde!) Dalje, skoro duplirati minimalnu zaradu. Treće, Obamacare nije dovoljan. Besplatna zdravstvena zaštita treba da postane ljudsko pravo u Americi i tačka. U gotovo svakom intervjuu Berni podsjeća da je SAD jedina razvijena zemlja na planeti gdje ovo još nije uvedeno. Pa postavlja pitanje - ako Velika Britanija i Francuska ovo daju svojim građanima - je li to znači da te zemlje nisu demokratske?


Paradoksalno, Bernija koji ima 74 godine najviše podržavaju mladi, u toj populaciji on ima podršku po nekim istraživanjima od preko 80%. Razlog je u dobroj mjeri sljedeća "radikalna" tačka programa - besplatno studiranje na državnim univerzitetima i pomoć mladim ljudima da se oslobode kredita koje su digli za studiranje. Uz to, Berni se zalaže i za značajno smanjenje vojnog budžeta, ukazujući na to da se u tom sektoru ogroman novac i rasipa, umjesto da se racionalno troši, što niko ne preispituje. Što se spoljne politike tiče, njegov stav je gotovo izolacionistički - tu se podudara sa Trampom.


Sve ovo je veoma privlačno sve većem broju ljudi. Klintonovu očigledno hvata nervoza jer su lični napadi na njega sve učestaliji. Čak je na posljednjoj debati djelovala i pomalo histerično. Berni je za to vrijeme bio džentlmen, uzdržavajući se od ličnih kvalifikacija i uporno vraćajući diskusiju na problem i njihova rješenja. Iako je i dalje malo vjerovatno da će na kraju pobijediti Klintonovu - izbori u Nju Hempširu bi mogli da to promijene.


A što se tiče istraživanja javnog mnjenja, pokazuje se da često griješe. U Ajovi je Tramp bio izraziti favorit, pa je na kraju završio na jedva drugom mjestu.


Šta god da se na kraju desi, posljedice po cijeli svijet će biti značajne.

Odlično, a imaš i poseban topik posvećen ovoj temi:

http://www.znaksagite.com/diskusije/index.php?topic=14504.0

Pa možda da ponoviš post na njemu??

баш хтео да квотујем корвинов пост тамо


едит. цитирао сам га

Russia Declares There's No Such Thing as 'NATO Airspace'

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In the bitter quarrel with Turkey over the latest alleged violation of the Turkish airspace by the Russian Sukhoi SU-34 frontline bomber, Russia sees no role for NATO to play.

On the contrary, Turkish Prime-Minister Ahmet Davutoglu instructed his country' s Foreign Ministry to demand from Russia to give the explanations over the alleged incident straight to the NATO secretary general, Russia's RIA News agency reported.

Russia's diplomats have been strongly denying the latest accusation by Turkey and its partners, the Russian Ministry for Defense called it the "unsubstantiated propaganda" made by "ignorant propagandists watching Hollywood blockbusters."

"There were no violations of Turkish airspace by planes of the Russian air group in the Syrian Arab Republic," the Ministry's spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said last week. "[Even if there were], none of the [Turkish] radars are able to establish the type and the nationality of the aircraft—whether Russian or of the U.S.-led so-called anti-ISIS coalition."

Turkey, the U.S. and NATO insisted that the violation of Turkey's airspace indeed took place on Jan. 29. The U.S. State Department's Assistant Secretary and spokesperson John Kirby called it "not accusation" but a "simple fact."

Not for the first time, the U.S. stood strongly by its ally Turkey. "We are aware of reports and can confirm that yesterday another Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish—and NATO—airspace," the Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said in a written statement on the next day after the incident.

"On the 29th of January, another Russian combat airplane violated Turkish—and NATO—airspace," the State Department's John Kirby said, echoing word for word his colleague from the Pentagon.

Mr. Kirby declined the offer to provide any proof of the Turkey airspace violation by Russian bomber. "It's not our responsibility to provide proof to the Russians for something they did wrong," he said to the RT reporter.
For its part, NATO also strongly endorsed Turkey's claim of Russian aircraft violating Turkish and NATO airspace. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made a statement calling on Russia "to act responsibly and to fully respect 'NATO airspace.'"

"Russia must take all necessary measures to ensure that such violations do not happen again," Mr. Stoltenberg said. "[NATO] stands in solidarity" with Turkey, its member.

Russia' s blunt reaction on this cognate NATO and U.S. statements sheds light on Russia' s perspective on the "NATO airspace" question—probably with far-reaching implications around the world.

"It's strange to hear the reports that address us to go to the [NATO] alliance [to clear the situation over the alleged violation] because such a notion as 'NATO airspace' does not exist," said Andrei Kelin, head of the department of European cooperation of the Russian Foreign Ministry to RIA News agency.

"What does exist is the sovereign airspace of each country separately. [Just] last fall the Turkish representatives were saying that this [alleged violation of the Turkish airspace by the Russian jet-fighter that was shot down by Turkey] was not NATO's issue but the issue exclusively of the bilateral relations. ... I see no reason for this role [to negotiate the settlement of the current conflict] to be taken on by NATO."

The Russian public holds Mr. Stoltenberg in low regard for his clumsy and unprofessional response to the mass slaughter of children by Anders Breivik in 2011 in Norway when 77 people were killed and more than 150 wounded. At the time of Breivik's terrorist attacks Mr. Stoltenberg served as Norway' s prime minister.

Meanwhile, the Russian media blames Turkey for the latter's everyday violations of Greek sovereign airspace.

Since employing its cutting-edge S-400 air-defense systems in Syria, Russia has taken full control over Syrian airspace (and a big chunk of Turkish airspace, too), becoming a master-in-chief of the Syrian skies and longing for a chance to avenge herself for the Russian plane shot down by Turkey and the Russian pilot killed by pro-Turkey insurgents last November.

For now, when the Russia-backed Syrian army fights Assad's enemies less than 20 miles from the Turkish border, Russia made it clear that when she has a chance, she is not going to allow Turkey to hide behind NATO. The dangerous escalation has a chance soon to make it known if there really is such a thing as "NATO airspace" after all.

 Here's What Happens When You Compare Violence in the Quran to Violence in the Bible

Daj , bre ,Mexane, ne zajebavaj, mladi Nemci pitaju Nemce o necemu sto nemaju pojma, pogotovo sto ne razlikuju starozavetna prorocanstva i zakone od svog Hriscanstva
Sirotani...
El ima negde topik ovde o Hriscanstvo vs Islam...? da se ne raspaljujem ovde...
...jaaadni Nemci ,,,i katolici i protaestanti...sirocad duhovna...

Ako nema tema možemo da napravimo. Za naslov predlažem "Babe vs. žabe"

'ebga, mac, znam i ja da su ateisti ljudi koji bi poslednji u rat,,,al' sta ces, vise je nas ovakvih....

 Europe's churches find new spirit from unexpected source: Muslim refugees                           

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Though Protestant and Catholic churches have aided refugees from the Mideast out of altruism, doing so has also ginned up enthusiasm among congregants – and even spurred some refugees to convert. Broby, Sweden; and Vienna — On a recent Sunday in Broby in southern Sweden, some 100 people settled in for morning service at their Lutheran church. There was nothing unusual about the liturgy – apart from the fact that some 20 worshipers were wearing headphones to hear a simultaneous translation. They were asylum seekers from Muslim countries.
Their presence has grown increasingly customary at this 1930s-era, peach-colored church in the past half year. In fact, as the population of asylum seekers has grown in this town of 3,000, so too has a new curiosity about Christianity.
Reverend Dan Sarkar, the local vicar here, says it started last summer when a Syrian man turned up at their doors. "He said, 'I don't want to be a Muslim anymore. Can you tell me about what it's like to be a Christian?,'" Rev. Sarkar recalls. "Then an Iranian turned up asking about it, too, and since then there has been a steady stream of new people." Sarkar decided to launch a weekly baptism class for the newcomers, to which he later added a weekly Christian education class. Most attend both.
As many fear an influx of Islam into Europe, Christianity is also getting an unexpected – if anecdotal – boost. "The humanitarian and charitable efforts on behalf of refugees have given new meaning to both Catholic and Protestant churches in Europe," says Andrew Chesnut, an expert on global Christianity at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Partially it's a matter of logistics. Facing a declining number of parishioners, churches have the space and infrastructure to offer temporary or permanent housing or host language and integration courses. It's also driven by a sense of religious purpose: Europe's Catholics, buoyed by Pope Francis's appeal in September for every parish to house a refugee family, have mobilized in a massive humanitarian effort. Protestant volunteers have been driven by the same spirit to help.
But churches are also experiencing a development that reaches beyond exercising their charitable muscle: people who genuinely want to explore Christianity. Some are just seeking solace in a spiritual community, while others are actually converting.
And although conversion of Muslims is not without controversy – and won't significantly reverse declines in Christianity – the migration taken together is amounting to what Mr. Chesnut says is a "re-enchanted European religious landscape" among European congregants and newly arrived refugees and migrants alike.Energized congregationsCaritas, the charitable arm of the Catholic Church, has sat on the front lines of the crisis. In Austria, Caritas provides housing to a third of the nearly 100,000 asylum seekers who entered the country last year and are waiting to see if they will be granted refugee status. The group has had to hire 500 more employees, says spokesperson Margit Draxl, and welcomed 15,000 new volunteers to their efforts.
At one of their centers in the capital Vienna, which houses some 230 people, two-thirds of them men, construction is underway to turn the residence into permanent housing. Bunk rooms that house up to 50 will be divided into single rooms housing two to four.
In Belgium, Caritas International and local bishops launched an appeal in August to homeowners willing to rent out property to those who have received refugee status - one of a new refugee's greatest challenges. Caritas agreed to act as the intermediary. Nearly 500 offers have come in, says Gilles Cnockaert, a spokesman, and he says the group has been flooded by those asking how they can help.
Not all have rolled up their sleeves. In rural, southeastern Poland, Jerzy Paul, a national parliamentarian in Warsaw who is from this region, says his reaction to Pope Francis's appeal is simple: he'd welcome Christian refugees if he had to but not Muslim ones. His position is common in this part of Poland where, though devoutly Catholic, there has been a generalized rejection of Muslim newcomers.
This weekend Germany's Cardinal Reinhard Marx, meanwhile, called for reducing the number of refugees into the country, saying the country can't "take in all the world's needy."Teaching the Bible to PersiansOthers have seen this as an unparalleled opportunity. With church membership on the decline among Germany's Lutherans and Catholics, refugees have been a welcome, if unexpected, addition.
"I was supposed to be retiring, so I chose this job thinking it would be a quiet place," says Sister Rosemarie Götz, a Lutheran deaconess at the Haus Gotteshilfe church in Berlin.
It turned out to be quite the opposite. An Iranian woman showed up wanting to learn about the Bible, and soon Afghans, Kurds, and other Iranians followed. "I improvised," says Sister Rosemarie. "We read the Luther Bible and I explained it word by word."
Haus Gotteshilfe now runs Bible classes and baptism preparation attended by some 60 refugees, and Sunday services have grown so crowded that the congregation has decided to add a Persian-language service. Reflects Sister Rosemarie, who has already baptized many of them: "I would never have thought that I'd be teaching the Bible to Persians."
Germany's Lutheran church has sent an official guide to its pastors on how to deal with asylum seekers eager to convert.
Sweden's congregations are also moving into uncharted territory. At St. Clara's church in central Stockholm, Sunday services are now translated into Farsi. The Centrumkyrkan, a Pentecostal church in the town of Alfta in central Sweden, is now finding itself a destination for Syrians, Albanians, Ethiopians, and others staying at the local refugee residence. It recently launched an Alpha course – which teaches the basics of Christianity – specifically for them. The refugees, in turn, boost service attendance.The right reasons?The conversion movement has raised some eyebrows. Some religious groups have been criticized for aggressively seeking to convert Muslims who find themselves in a precarious situation. Officials in Germany have also questioned how genuine it is since asylum seekers can claim likely religious persecution if their claims are rejected.
But many religious workers and refugees report a real curiosity amid the destruction of war, family separation, terrorism, and the biggest migration in Europe since World War II.
One asylum seeker in Nuremberg, Germany, a father from Syria who did not want his name published, spoke with bitterness about his religion. He isn't considering conversion, but he says he does ask himself why "German Christians are the ones doing all the work, while Muslim countries aren't helping."
Sarkar says that such probing is common. "Some of our participants want to leave Islam but aren't sure which religion they'd like to belong to, while others have already left Islam and know they want to become Christians," he says.
But the process of conversion, Sarkar tells the asylum seekers, is not to be taken lightly. "I tell every new participant: 'Being here won't improve your chances of getting asylum. On the contrary, if you convert and are rejected for asylum you will face extreme problems when you leave Sweden.'" Anybody who doesn't agree with the conditions should leave the class, Sarkar tells his pupils.
So far, only one has.

E, sad, test je sa Kriščn Sajns Monitora pa treba aplicirati zrno soli itd.

Saudis and Russia agree oil output freeze, Iran still an obstacle

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DOHA (Reuters) - Top oil exporters Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to freeze output levels but said the deal was contingent on other producers joining in - a major sticking point with Iran absent from the talks and determined to raise production.

The Saudi, Russian, Qatari and Venezuelan oil ministers announced the proposal after a previously undisclosed meeting in Doha. It could become the first joint OPEC and non-OPEC deal in 15 years, aimed at tackling a growing oversupply of crude and helping prices recover from their lowest in over a decade.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said freezing production at January levels - near record highs - was an adequate measure and he hoped other producers would adopt the plan. Venezuelan Oil Minister Eulogio Del Pino said more talks would take place with Iran and Iraq on Wednesday in Tehran.

"The reason we agreed to a potential freeze of production is simple: it is the beginning of a process which we will assess in the next few months and decide if we need other steps to stabilise and improve the market," Naimi told reporters.

"We don't want significant gyrations in prices, we don't want reduction in supply, we want to meet demand, we want a stable oil price. We have to take a step at a time," he said.

Oil prices (LCOc1) jumped to $35.55 per barrel after the news about the secret meeting but later pared gains to trade near $33 on concerns that Iran may reject the deal and that even if Tehran agreed it would not help ease the growing global glut. [O/R]

OPEC member Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional arch rival, has pledged to steeply increase output in the coming months as it looks to regain market share lost after years of international sanctions, which were lifted in January following a deal with world powers over its nuclear programme.

"Our situation is totally different to those countries that have been producing at high levels for the past few years," a senior source familiar with Iran's thinking told Reuters.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh also indicated Tehran would not agree to freezing its output at January levels, saying the country would not give up its appropriate share of the global oil market.



SPECIAL TERMS

The fact that output from OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia and non-OPEC Russia - the world's two top producers and exporters - is near record highs complicates any agreement since Iran is producing at least 1 million barrels per day below its capacity and pre-sanctions levels.

However, two non-Iranian sources close to OPEC discussions told Reuters that Iran may be offered special terms as part of the output freeze deal. "Iran is returning to the market and needs to be given a special chance but it also needs to make some calculations," said one source.



Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said freezing output was not a problem for his country as he anyway expected its production to be flat this year versus 2015.

An Iraqi oil ministry source said Baghdad was also happy to freeze production if all parties agreed.

"The agreement (if successful) should support oil prices but there are reasons to be cautious. Not all OPEC members have signed up to the deal - notably Iran and Iraq. History would also suggest that compliance may be an issue," said Capital Economics' analyst Jason Tuvey.

OPEC has been quarrelling for decades over output levels and Russia, which last agreed to cooperate with OPEC back in 2001, never followed through on its pledge and raised exports instead.

Also complicating any potential agreement is the geo-political rivalry in the Middle East between Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran. Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies are fighting proxy conflicts with Russia and Iran in the region, including in Syria and Yemen.

In Syria's five-year-old civil war, Riyadh politically and financially backs some rebel groups battling President Bashar al-Assad's government, which has gained the upper hand with the help of Russian warplanes and Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias.



RUSSIAN BUDGET

The Doha meeting came after more than 18 months of declining oil prices, knocking crude below $30 a barrel for the first time in over a decade from as high as $115 a barrel in mid-2014.

The slump was triggered by booming U.S. shale oil output and a decision by Saudi Arabia and its OPEC Gulf allies to raise production to fight for market share and drive higher-cost production out of the market.

But although U.S. output has begun to decline and global demand has been robust it has still not been enough to offset booming global production which has led to oil stockpiles rising to record levels.

Saudi Arabia has long insisted it would reduce supply only if other OPEC and non-OPEC members agreed, but Russia - the world's biggest oil producer and No.2 exporter - has said it would not join in as its Siberian fields were different from those of OPEC.

The mood began to change in January as oil prices fell below $30 per barrel.

While Venezuela has been the hardest-hit producer, current oil prices are a fraction of what Russia needs to balance its budget as it heads towards parliamentary elections this year. Saudi finances are also suffering badly, running a $98 billion budget deficit last year, which it seeks to trim this year.

But while talking about potential cooperation with OPEC, Russia raised its output to a new record high in January. For a table on OPEC and Russian output, click here

"Even if they do freeze production at January levels, you have still got global inventory builds which are going to weigh on prices. So whilst it's a positive step, I don't think it will have a huge impact on supply/demand balances, simply because we were oversupplied in January anyway," said Energy Aspects' analyst Dominic Haywood.



(Additional reporting by Alex Lawler, Reem Shamseddine, Ahmad Ghaddar and Amanda Cooper; Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov; Editing by Dale Hudson and Pravin Char)

A sa druge strane:

IS faces budget crunch, cutting perks and trimming salaries

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BEIRUT (AP) — Faced with a cash shortage in its so-called caliphate, the Islamic State group has slashed salaries across the region, asked Raqqa residents to pay utility bills in black market American dollars, and is now releasing detainees for a price of $500 a person.
The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall. Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.
Necessities are dwindling in its urban centers, leading to shortages and widespread inflation, according to exiles and those still suffering under its rule. Interviews gathered over several weeks included three exiles with networks of family and acquaintances still in the group's stronghold in Raqqa, residents in Mosul, and analysts who say IS is turning to alternative funding streams, including in Libya.
In Raqqa, the group's stronghold in Syria, salaries have been halved since December, electricity is rationed, and prices for basics are spiraling out of reach, according to people exiled from the city.
"Not just the militants. Any civil servant, from the courts to the schools, they cut their salary by 50 percent," said a Raqqa activist now living in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, who remains in close contact with his native city. But that apparently wasn't enough close the gap for a group that needs money to replace weapons lost in airstrikes and battles, and pays its fighters first and foremost. Those two expenses account for two-thirds of its budget, according to an estimate by Aymenn Jawad al-Tamimi, a researcher with the Middle East Forum who sources Islamic State documents,
Within the last two weeks, the extremist group started accepting only dollars for "tax" payments, water and electric bills, according to the Raqqa activist, who asked to be identified by his nom de guerre Abu Ahmad for his safety. "Everything is paid in dollars," he said. His account was bolstered by another ex-Raqqa resident, who, like Ahmad, also relies on communications with a network of family and acquaintances still in the city.
Al-Tamimi came across a directive announcing the fighters' salary cuts in Raqqa: "On account of the exceptional circumstances the Islamic State is facing, it has been decided to reduce the salaries that are paid to all mujahedeen by half, and it is not allowed for anyone to be exempted from this decision, whatever his position."
Those circumstances include the dramatic drop in global prices for oil — once a key source of income — airstrikes that have targeted cash stores and oil infrastructure, supply line cuts, and crucially, the Iraqi government's decision to stop paying civil servants in territory controlled by the extremists.
A Russian-backed Syrian government offensive in Aleppo province, where IS controls major towns including Manbij, Jarablus and al-Bab, is also putting pressure on IS. Government troops and allied militiamen have advanced toward the town, considered an IS bastion, leading many militants to send their families to Raqqa.
An exile from al-Bab said low-level fighters there have begun to grumble, and townspeople have overheard Islamic State officials discussing crippling airstrikes on oil infrastructure in Syria and Iraq and the cutoff of supply lines and revenue sources. The resident, who asked only that his first name Oussama be used because he still has family in the city, said dozens of residents of al-Bab have fled, ignoring orders from the extremists.
"You can sense the frustration, their morale is down," Oussama said of the fighters.
A former Raqqa resident now living in Beirut said Syrians abroad are sending remittances in dollars to cover skyrocketing prices for vegetables and sugar. The resident, whose wife and baby still live in the city, did not want his name used for their safety. One of the other ex-residents, now living in Gaziantep, Turkey, said the road to Mosul was cut off late last year, and prices have risen swiftly — gas is up 25 percent, meat up nearly 70 percent, and sugar prices have doubled.In Iraq, where Islamic State has slowly been losing ground over the past year, the Iraqi government in September cut off salaries to government workers within territory controlled by the extremists, after months of wavering about the humanitarian costs paid by those trapped in the region. Iraqi officials estimate that Islamic State taxed the salaries at rates ranging from 20 to 50 percent, and analysts and the government now estimate a loss of $10 million minimum each month. Between the loss of that money — and the U.S.-led bombing of cash warehouses — American officials are optimistic that the effect could diminish Islamic State's wealth.
"We are seeing our efforts having some effect on their financial flows. And it's difficult to get a handle on just how much because of the different illicit ways in which they are handling their finances but you've seen the efforts that our military has taken to take out cash storage sites, and I think it is our hope and expectation that that will have demonstrable effects. On what order of magnitude, I think it's difficult to say," said Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama's counterterrorism adviser.
In the Iraqi city of Fallujah, fighters who once made $400 a month aren't being paid at all and their food rations have been cut to two meals a day, according to a resident. The account of the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of death at the hands of extremists, was supported by that of another family trapped in Fallujah that said inhabitants can only leave the city if they pay $1,000 — a sum well beyond the means of most in the Sunni-majority city that was the first in Iraq to fall to Islamic State in 2014.
IS is also allowing Fallujah residents to pay $500 for the release of a detainee, the family in Fallujah told the AP, saying that they believed the new policy was put in place to help the group raise money — a system akin to bail.
Mosul residents contacted by AP say IS has begun fining citizens who do not adhere to its strict dress code, rather than flogging them as before. The residents say they believe this is in response to financial problems in part because the group has already confiscated anything valuable, namely cars and other goods that are later resold in Syria.
American officials have said fighters are more constricted in their movements and spending than they have been in months. But the group still controls a vast amount of territory, and they say the Syrian government has made few gains against the extremists themselves. Islamic State, meanwhile, keeps up its deadly combination of threats and payments for anyone wavering in their support.
The Soufan Group, in a Jan. 27 analysis, said the group is looking for alternative funding streams in Libya, where it is under less pressure — and doesn't face airstrikes. And fighters still get their food baskets and free electricity — even if, as one of the Raqqa exiles said, they no longer get Snickers bars and energy drinks.
"I don't think this is fatal for IS," said al-Tamimi. "I still don't see internal revolt as what's going to be the outcome. It's more like a scenario of gradual decay and decline."
___
Associated Press writer Philip Issa in Beirut contributed reporting.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/amid-europes-refugee-crisis-fears-of-anti-semitism-rise/

http://bulevar.b92.net/bizar.php?yyyy=2016&mm=02&dd=18&nav_id=1097942
Amerikanka Nataša Smit koja je imala vezu na daljinu sa Džeredom Kvinsom koji je studirao u Ostinu, tvrdi da je Isus Hrist otac njenog nerođenog deteta.

PM: EU Deal 'An Historic Moment For Britain'

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David Cameron says he has secured a "historic" deal on the UK's relationship with the EU after two days of intense negotiations.
At a news conference shortly after the deal was done in Brussels, Mr Cameron said: "In the last hour, I have negotiated a deal to give the United Kingdom special status inside the European Union.
"This deal has delivered on the commitments I made at the start of this process.
"Britain will be permanently out of ever-closer union, never part of a European super-state, there will be tough new restrictions to our welfare system for EU migrants - no more something for nothing - Britain will never join the euro and we've secured vital protections for our economy.
"I believe that this is enough for me to recommend that the UK stays in the European Union, having the best of both worlds."
:: Live: EU Leaders Agree New Deal For UK
He said all 28 member states in the EU Council had signed up to "concrete reforms" in each of the four areas that he set out.
That, he said, means:
:: For the first time, the pound is protected as the EU has agreed there is more than one currency and responsibility for securing the financial stability of the UK remains in the hands of the UK.
:: British taxpayers will never be made to bail out countries in the eurozone, British businesses cannot be discriminated against just because they are outside the eurozone and the eurozone cannot act as a block to undermine the single market.
:: On competitiveness, it will be easier for services industries to compete in the EU and for businesses to access capital, and the EU has given commitments it will establish trade deals with other blocs.
:: On migration, there will be new powers to stop criminals coming to the UK and to deport them if they commit crime.
:: On benefits, anyone coming to the UK from the EU who does not find work within six months can be required to leave, there will be an emergency brake - that Britain already qualifies for - that allows the UK to stop paying in-work benefits for seven years, and EU migrants working in Britain can no longer send child benefit home at UK rates.
:: On protections against further union, treaties will be changed so that the principle of ever-closer integration will not apply to Britain.
After attending a Cabinet meeting at 10am on Saturday, he is expected to call a referendum.
It kicks off potentially four months of campaigning with those who want to stay in and those who want to leave battling to sway the result of the vote, which is likely to be in June.
Mr Cameron added: "When I said I wanted reforms that are clear and legally binding, that is what I got. Tomorrow I will present this agreement to Cabinet ... and commence the process set out under our EU referendum act to hold a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union.
"The British people must now decide whether to stay in this reformed union or to leave... This is an historic moment for Britain."
EU Council President Donald Tusk, who helped negotiate the deal and quoted Winston Churchill in a news conference soon after, tweeted: "We have achieved a legally binding and irreversible deal decided on by all 28 leaders, strengthening Britain's special status in the EU.
"The #UKinEU settlement addresses all of PM @David_Cameron 's concerns without compromising our fundamental values. We didn't walk away from the negotiating table. We were willing to sacrifice part of our interests for the common good, to show our unity."
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal did not give Britain a veto over eurozone issues. "The text makes that crystal clear," he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European leaders had agreed on a "fair compromise" deal and wished him "all the best" for the coming months.
But commenting on the deal, Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said: "(David Cameron) will now declare victory but it is an entirely hollow one: the EU courts are still in control of our borders and our laws, we still send £350m a week to the EU instead of spending it here on our priorities and we have not taken back any control."Crucially, this deal is not legally binding and can be ripped up by EU politicians and unelected EU judges."

Vienna named world's top city for quality of life 

Study examining socioeconomic conditions places Austrian capital at apex of index while London, Paris and New York fail to make top 35 
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/23/vienna-named-worlds-top-city-for-quality-of-life?CMP=fb_gu