Archive for April 3rd, 2013

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03/04/2013

Russia: Cyprus Bailout Shows EU’s 'Lack of Values'

Exclusive by EurActiv*, 3 April 2013 – Europe’s claim to be a union of values is looking “rather bleak,” Russian ambassador Vladimir Chizhov has told EurActiv in his first public interview since the Cyprus bailout.

Russain Ambassador speaks out | EurActiv

Russain Ambassador speaks out | EurActiv

Chizhov – who previously worked in Cyprus as a diplomat (1985-1992) and Russian special representative (1997-2000) said that the Cyprus bailout – known as a “haircut” for larger depositors – is tantamount to a ‘scalping’.

Portraying the large number of Russians residing on the island as oligarchs was “a big misperception in the Western media,” he added.

Oligarchs may hold money in Cyprus, he said, “but those Russians resident there are either representatives of SMEs or retirees.”

In a provocative move, the Russian ambassador said that the Cyprus bailout should be assessed against “the EU’s lofty words about values”.

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03/04/2013

Soaring Unemployment in EU: Over 26 Million Jobless – One in Four in Greece, Spain

Human Wrongs Watch

The euro area1 (EA17) seasonally-adjusted2 unemployment rate3 was 12.0% in February 2013, stable compared with January4. The EU271 unemployment rate was 10.9%, up from 10.8% in the previous month4. In both zones, rates have risen markedly compared with February 2012, when they were 10.9% and 10.2% respectively. These figures have been published* on 2 April 2013 by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.

An unemployed youth. Photo: ILO

An unemployed youth. Photo: ILO

Eurostat estimates that 26.338 million men and women in the EU 27 member countries, of whom 19.071 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in February 2013.

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03/04/2013

Steady Growth of Death Machines' Global Trade

Human Wrongs Watch

By SIRPI*, Stockholm – China has become the fifth largest exporter of major conventional arms worldwide, according to new data on international arms transfers published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This is the first time China has been in the top five arms exporters since the end of the cold war. Overall, the volume of international transfers of major conventional weapons grew by 17 per cent between 2003–2007 and 2008–12.

world’s top 20 arms exporters for the period 2008–2012. | Source: SIPRI

World’s top 20 arms exporters for the period 2008–2012. | SIPRI

The five largest suppliers of major conventional weapons during the five-year period 2008–12 were the United States (30 per cent of global arms exports), Russia (26 per cent), Germany (7 per cent), France (6 per cent) and China (5 per cent).

This is the first time that the UK has not been in the top five since at least 1950, the earliest year covered by SIPRI data. China’s displacement of the UK is the first change in the composition of the top five exporters in 20 years.

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Posted in Africa, Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Market Lords, Middle East, Mother Earth, Others-USA-Europe-etc., The Peoples, War Lords | 1 Comment »

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