Tag Archives: David Cameron

Britain faces triple-dip recession

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s economy contracted by a worse-than-expected 0.3 percent in the last three months of 2012, raising the possibility that it might fall back into recession for the third time since the global financial crisis.The Office for National Statistics said Friday that there was no growth in the nation’s big services industry while output of production industries fell by 1.8 percent, including a 1.5 percent drop in manufacturing.Britain emerged from a nine-month recession in the third quarter, when GDP grew by 0.9 percent. But if the economy shrinks again in the first quarter of 2013, it will be officially back in a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.”Today’s numbers have greatly increased the risk of a new recession and a downgrading of the U.K.’s AAA credit rating,” said Chris Williamson, chief economist at financial data company Markit.All three of the big rating agencies — Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch — have placed Britain’s rating on negative watch.The latest figure was worse than the market consensus of a contraction of 0.1 percent, and came just two days after the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund said it was time for the government to reassess its focus on spending cuts.Continue Reading… Read More

Algerian hostage toll rises to 81 with reports of nine Japanese deaths

At least nine Japanese nationals reported killed in attack claimed by veteran Islamist fighter on behalf of al-Qaida The death toll from the four-day siege at an Algerian gas plant deep in the Sahara has risen to at least 81, with nine Japanese nationals also reported killed in an attack claimed by…

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‘Al-Qaeda threat used by NATO as smoke screen for re-colonization of Northern Africa’

A convoy of Malian soldiers are pictured on their way for Mopti, on January 19, 2013 in Kongena (AFP Photo / Fred Dufour) (37.3Mb)embed videoWith more western countries getting indirectly involved in the conflict in Mali, there’s increasing speculation about their motives. Journalist and broadcaster Neil Clark told RT, that the intervention has ‘only economic reasons’.Several western countries have already offered France, which is to boost its force to 2,500 soldiers next week, aid in Mali. The UK is providing logistical air assistance, while the United States is providing surveillance and other intelligence help.Washington also announced it will supply transport planes for French forces and consider sending refueling tankers for French warplanes.Canada has joined with the allies to support the on-going military intervention by dispatching a heavy-lift military transport. The country is also making an indirect contribution by training counter-terrorism operatives in neighboring Niger.Italy is ready to offer logistical support for air operations, but it will not be joining French troops on the ground. The country’s defense Minister Giampaolo Di Paola told the Senate on Wednesday that Italy’s offer was confined to air operations only.Journalist Neil Clark told RT he believed economic reasons were behind every single western military adventure of the last 30 years – and Mali was no different. RT: The UK is helping this French campaign in Mali with supplies and several British hostages have now been killed in Algeria. How concerned do you think the British public and politicians are about getting involved?Neil Clark: I think the public is very concerned, because what’s happened here is David Cameron, who spent most of last year cheering on Islamist rebels in Syria, has now taken the line that Islamist rebels in Mali are the biggest danger to the world and we must intervene, Britain must help France regardless of the consequences for Britain. And I think it’s a very misguided po
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licy. Unfortunately the political elite in Britain seem to be all behind his policy, which is very disturbing, but I think the public is very concerned about what’s going on.RT: What’s in this for the UK – what’s London looking to gain from supporting France?NC: It’s very interesting, because if we think back to 2011, it was David Cameron and William Hague people like this, who were the loudest and most aggressive cheerleaders for the deposing of Colonel Gaddafi. And now the very same people – Cameron and Hague are the ones saying we’ve got to get involved in Mali operation to put down Al-Qaeda groups there. And so there’s a real inconsistency here, real hypocrisy. Why is fighting Al-Qaeda in Africa the biggest task? Why do we play such an active role in toppling leaders? And what’s in it for Britain? I think that what’s happening is that this Al-Qaeda threat is being used as a smoke screen for the re-colonization of Northern Africa by NATO forces, by France, Britain and the US.RT: Do you think that’s why we they are ignoring of the rise of Al-Qaeda in Syria? NC: Absolutely! Because, of course, one of the biggest myths in international relations is that western powers are impeccably opposed Al-Qaeda for the last 20-30 years. They are not. They will use the Al-Qaeda threat in some circumstances to invade certain countries like Afghanistan. But elsewhere they would actually back Al-Qaeda militants to topple secular regimes, like in Syria and Libya. It’s going to a Frankenshtein’s monster, and of course it all dates back to Afghanistan in the 1980s. And Al-Qaeda and radical Islamic groups were used by the West to help topple the Red Army. And that’s all part of the policy.RT: How far could the British involvement in North Africa potentially go – and what further reaction could there be?NC: I think we are going to be dragged more and more into it, because last week David Cameron was telling us that we just can’t allow Islamists to take power in Mali. Although he withdrew those comments a few days later, saying that it doesn’t really matter, if the Islamists take power in Mali. So, he has talked himself into a corner on this one by bringing up the situation. So, I very much fear, I mean the neo cons haven’t got their war against Syria, so, now it seems we’ve all got to support this intervention against Mali.RT: Africa has plenty of untapped natural resources. Which countries appear most interested in securing and possibly expanding their interests there? And how could those interests clash?NC: Very possibly, because I think obviously France from Mr. Hollande’s point of view – their economy is in a very bad state in France – and I think that he is hoping that a successful intervention in Mali would boost his popularity ratings back home. So, it’s a uranium issue and how France needs uranium there. And Mali is a big producer of uranium. There are resources there. So, I think France – this is very clear – has economic reasons. And I think economic reasons are behind every single western intervention of the last 30 years. If we look back at attacks on Yugoslavia, the attacks on Syria, the Libyan war – all these were dressed up as humanitarian interventions. But they were not. They are economic interventions. And the west wants resources, the west wants to get control of resources in this region. And I think NATO is going to relocate in North Africa. I think that’s clearly what this is all about. The Al-Qaeda threat is being bigged up in order for when NATO leaves Afghanistan, it will relocate to North Africa. Read More

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Europas ledere uenige om fremtidsudsigterne

Opslag til denne artikelEmneord:eurokrisen, nytårstaler Personer:Angela Merkel, David Cameron, François Hollande Organisationer:EU Varierende grader af optimisme og skulderklap – især på egne skuldre – kendetegner de europæiske stats- og regeringschefers nytårstaler ved udgangen af et vanskeligt år for unionen. Især Frankrigs præsident, François Hollande, synes at se lysere tider forude og antyder, at EU først for alvor har fået styr på krisen, efter at han tiltrådte i forlængelse af valget i maj 2012.»I aften vil jeg fortælle jer om min tiltro til vores fremtid: Eurozonen er blevet reddet, og Europa har endelig vedtaget de instrumenter, stabilitet og vækst, som det savnede. Dette resultat syntes uopnåeligt for blot seks måneder siden,« sagde Hollande i sin nytårstale.Referencen var imidlertid den eneste henvisning til EU og eurokrisen i en tale, hvor han primært koncentrerede sig om hjemlig krisestyring, efter at landets forfatningsdomstol havde underkendt hans 75 procent skatterate for landets rigeste.Denne kortfattethed i forhold til eurokrisen og EU kendetegnede imidlertid også andre regeringslederes taler, bl.a. den tyske kanslers. Angela Merkel var desuden knap så sikker på, at eurozonen nu er i bedring.»De reformer, vi har vedtaget, er begyndt at bære frugt. Ikke desto mindre vil vi få brug for en masse tålmodighed. Krisen er langtfra ovre,« sagde Europas mest magtfulde politiker, som genopstiller ved parlamentsvalget i landet til september.Hun fulgte desuden op med krav om strammere regulering af finansmarkeder og banker og anerkendte, at mange vil være »bekymrede ved indgangen til det nye år«.»Og det økonomiske miljø vil i virkeligheden ikke blive lettere, men snarere sværere næste år. Men vi bør ikke lade det få os ned med nakken; snarere bør det anspore os,« sagde hun.BeslutsomhedDenne beslutsomhed kunne i endnu højere grad spores i nytårstalerne i programlandene Grækenland og Portugal.»Jeg er helt sikker på, at vi kan vende den nuværende situation … at denne historie vil slutte,« sagde den græske præsident, Karolos Papoulias, i sin nytårshilsen – en optimisme og beslutsomhed, der blev bakket op af landets premierminister, Antonio Samaras.»I 2012 trodsede vi skrækscenarierne, og i 2013 vil vi overgå de bedst tænkelige scenarier,« lovede han.Portugals præsident, Anibal Cavaco Silva, sagde i sin nytårsmeddelelse, at »2013 vil blive et år, i hvilket den negative tendens i den hjemlige produktion og beskæftigelse vil begynde at vende«.»Unge entreprenører med innovativ ånd kan eksportere, hvad de producerer, og bør opmuntres af regeringer og støttes af banksystemet,« tilføjede præsidenten, der dog også – som en række andre regeringschefer – anklagede EU’s stramningspolitik for at have haft en negativ indvirkning på landet.»Vi bliver nødt til at skabe balance i budgetterne og reducere den offentlige gæld, men vi kan ikke ignorere, at det i 2012 blev klart, at en proces, hvor vi reducerer ubalancerne i de offentlige regnskaber akkompagneret af negativ økonomisk vækst, er tilbøjelig til ikke at være socialt bæredygtig,« sagde han.Cyperns præsident – hvis land håber på en EU-hjælpepakke senere på måneden – var endnu mere kritisk over for unionens stramme økonomiske politik.»Det må indrømmes, at de politikker, der er blevet implementeret på pan-europæisk niveau, ikke har været succesfulde i forhold til at tilvejebringe en løsning på de økonomiske problemer skabt af krisen,« sagde præsident Demetris Christofias i sin nytårstale.»Tværtimod har de genskabt og forværret økonomisk og social uretfærdighed. Der er brug for en anderledes tilgang, som vil betone udvikling, social sammenhængskraft og sand solidaritet inden for unionen. Desværre har vi kunnet konstatere et fravær af sådanne politikker.«SelvstændighedEuropas sammenhængskraft – både mellem Nord og Syd samt internt i landene – var et tema, der dukkede op igen og igen i 2012, hvilket også blev omtalt i nytårstalerne. Angela Merkel talte om at ramme den »rette balance« i forhold til »vores velstand og vores solidaritet«.I Catalonien – en af det kriseramte Spaniens mest udviklede regioner – talte den regionale præsident, Artur Mas, i sin nytårshilsen om sine planer om at afholde en folkeafstemning om uafhængighed. Et flertal af Cataloniens befolkning »ønsker at bygge et nyt land«, sagde han.I Skotland lød der lignende toner fra førsteminister Alex Salmond, der afsluttede sin tale med at sige, at den skotske selvstyreregering har en »positiv vision for fremtiden. Vi kan bygge en ny, uafhængig nation.«I London, der er omdrejningspunkt for det skotske uafhængighedskrav og selv synes på nippet til at forlade det europæiske samarbejde, var nytårshilsenen fra premierminister David Cameron også positiv:»Vi gør, hvad der er rigtigt for vores land og vores børns fremtid.«Om disse børn vil bo i et Storbritannien, der inkluderer Skotland og som er del af EU, kom han imidlertid ikke med noget bud på. Læs også ’Frankrigs millionærskat er udskudt’ på side 13Det sagde andre europæiske ledere:’Det problem, som markederne oplever, er af europæisk karakter, men man ville slet ikke kunne have forsøgt at skabe en fælles løsning i EU, hvis ikke Italien havde bragt orden i de offentlige budgetter og samtidig investeret i vækst og social lighed.’ Italiens premierminister Mario MontiVores arbejde har endnu en gang båret frugt. Vi var i stand til – i krise­tider for den europæiske økonomi – at fastholde vores vækst og bevare vores økonomis konkurrenceevne. Polens præsident Bronislaw Komorowski’Det europæiske samarbejde står for frihed og demokrati. Det er et fællesskab, der har samlet Europa, så Danmark i dag er omgivet af lande, der vil os det godt. Det er et fællesskab, hvor vi tager ansvar for hinanden, også under krisen. EU er ikke perfekt. Men vi skal huske på, at uden EU ville hvert land stå alene.’Danmarks statsminister Helle Thorning-Schmidt Read More

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Britain could deploy more troops to Gulf, says David Cameron

Britain could deploy more troops to the Gulf, says David Cameron, pictured here with Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud of Oman’s Council of Ministers. Photograph: ReutersBritain could deploy more troops to the Gulf in the coming years as it reduces its combat commitment in Afghanistan, the prime minister has said before a visit to Oman.David Cameron expects to seal a £2.5bn deal with the Omani government for 12 Typhoon fighter jets, the latest sales of a plane the prime minister said he was “very keen” to promote. The government hopes to secure sales of 100 aircraft to the Gulf next year.Cameron’s visit to Muscat comes weeks after an agreement to set up a defence partnership with the United Arab Emirates, potentially focused on the Typhoon jet, made by BAE Systems. The Emirati government expressed interest in ordering up to 60 of the aircraft, Reuters reported.”What you are seeing specifically with the United Arab Emirates is not just a plan to sell Typhoon aircraft, but a big, significant defence co-operation, which could lead to more British troops stationed in their country,” he told journalists at Camp Bastion in southern Afghanistan.”This is an exciting possibility for both countries to have a proper strategic defence relationship, a defence partnership, and I think that’s the way the world is going. People don’t just want to just buy equipment now, they want to have a proper industrial and defence partnerships.” Britain has a small military presence in Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates, Cameron added.His statement ties in with a vision laid out last week by Britain’s top military officer for the country’s defence in coming decades, which includes drones and closer alliances in troubled areas as cuts shrink armed forces.General Sir David Richards signalled a major military presence in the Gulf, saying he envisaged the army
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bonding further with militaries there and in Jordan. Two or more of the army’s seven “adaptable” brigades could form “close tactical-level relationships” in the region.Days after saying Britain would bring home nearly 4,000 troops from Afghanistan next year, Cameron added that the withdrawal could be speeded up before a 2014 deadline for the departure of all combat forces if the Afghan police and army were ready.”I would make the point that so far things have surprised on the upside in terms of the capabilities of the Afghan national forces, so it may well be that we may be able to move a little faster,” Cameron said after meeting troops for carols and table football as well as security briefings.”The 2014 deadline doesn’t change, what is obviously moveable is how the transition goes … there is flexibility because all the time commanders are seeing how fast Afghan forces can take over particular patrol bases, particular roles.”Cameron said there had been little progress on peace negotiations with the Taliban, but Britain would be focused on bringing the uneasy neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan together, and would host a meeting with their presidents early in 2013.”I think the biggest role the UK government can play there … is working to enhance relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and working to encourage the maximum amount of reconciliation, because we need a political track as well as a military track,” he said. Read More

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67 years overdue: UK to finally honor WWII Arctic Convoy heroes

British and Soviet pilots in the Arctic. The British pilot (forth left) died in the suburbs of Murmansk. RAF 151 Wing arrived in northern Russia on first convoy from UK in Sep 1941 (RIA Novosti)After years of campaigning, the surviving British veterans of the Arctic Convoy, which carried crucial supplies to Russia during World War II, will finally be awarded medals for their valorous acts.­The decision was announced on Wednesday by Prime Minister David Cameron, who reported to Parliament on recommendations from a review of military medals carried out by Sir John Holmes, a former diplomat. Cameron said an Arctic Convoy Star medal will be awarded to those who braved the deadly missions.An estimated 66,500 British sailors manned convoys of merchant transport ships to Russia, guarded by Allies warships over the course of the war. More than 3,000 seamen died from attacks by Nazi Germany’s U-boats, which hunted the vessels travelling the frigid Arctic waters. The convoys carried much-needed materiel for Soviet troops under the Lend-Lease program.”I am very pleased that some of the brave men of the Arctic Convoys will get the recognition they so richly deserve for the very dangerous work they did,” the British prime minister told MPs.Cameron added that the UK government will also award a new medal to airmen of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, who carried out dangerous sorties over Germany. These soldiers “have been treated inconsistently with those who served in Fighter Command,” which was responsible for defending British skies from the enemy, the prime minister said.The announcement is marred by the fact that many veterans have already died while the Government dragged its feet on the issue, said Commander Eddie Grenfell, 92, who led the campaign for an Arctic Convoy medal.”We are pleased but not delighted. As soon as David Cameron came to power I reminded him of the promise – only now has he got around to doing it,” Grenfell said. “In the meantime God knows how many of my Arctic Convoy chums have died waiting.”Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage, another prominent campaigner, urged the government to act swiftly on its promise: “After years of waiting, time is no longer a luxury that these brave men have on their side.”Only 200 to 400 British veterans of the Arctic Convoy are believed to still be alive today. Their heroic efforts went overlooked during the Cold War, since it was impossible to award a medal for actions that aided the West’s new enemy.In 1946, the UK Admiralty ordered that the Atlantic Star, the medal for maritime supply missions, should be awarded to those with six months’ service. However, the harsh conditions experienced by sailors during the Arctic Convoy meant that few could meet the criteria.After the Soviet Union collapsed, the veterans’ bid for recognition was rebuffed because of a rule that medals could be awarded only within five years of the end of a war. The UK government has finally decided to bend this rule, 67 years after the Nazis were defeated. Read More

British government divided over new proposals to curb press

British lawmakers started work Friday on a draft law to regulate the nation’s unruly newspapers as proposed by a major press inquiry, despite Prime Minister David Cameron’s strong objection to the legislation. Cameron’s government is divided on the future of the press after the…

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