EU
plans to admit more refugees - 2 September
The European Commission has unveiled plans to allow more
refugees from conflict zones and poor nations into European
countries. The scheme is aimed at discouraging immigrants -
mainly from Africa - from attempting to reach Europe illegally.
Many risk their lives as they try to enter the EU, often on
rickety boats and relying on human traffickers. - BBC
News website
France
Stupidity
tax may keep dunces out of trouble - 1 September
Governments charge taxes for all sorts of things such as earning
money, buying property, flying in airplanes and getting gas. Now
the French have come up with a new idea: a tax on being stupid.
This could be a huge windfall if applied generally. The French
Foreign Ministry is proposing a very narrow law requiring
citizens foolish enough to wander into international danger
zones, regardless of public warnings, to pay at least part of
the cost of their own rescue. - Bloomberg
website
Holland
Arabs
charged over Dutch cartoon - 2 September
An Arab organisation is to be put on trial in the Netherlands
over its publication of a cartoon deemed offensive to Jews,
prosecutors say. The cartoon, published by the Arab European
League (AEL) on its website, questions the Holocaust. It said
the decision to prosecute illustrated bias against Muslims. It
said the same standards were not applied to the Dutch MP Geert
Wilders, who made a film including cartoons of the Prophet
Muhammad. - BBC News
website
Italy
Genoa
killing 'was self-defence' - 25 August
An Italian police officer who shot dead an anti-globalisation
protester in 2001 acted in self-defence, the European Court of
Human Rights has ruled. Mario Placanica was one of thousands of
security force members who fought with demonstrators at the G8
summit. But the court ruled the Italian government failed to
carry out a full investigation of the incident. It awarded the
family of Carlo Giuliani, who died, 40 000 euros (nearly $60 000
; £35 000) in damages. - BBC
News website
Russia
New
Politkovskaya probe ordered - 3 September
Russia's Supreme Court has ordered a new effort to catch those
who planned and carried out the killing of the journalist Anna
Politkovskaya. Three men were acquitted of involvement in the
murder in February, but have since been sent for retrial. But
lawyers say that case will now be halted and merged with the
hunt for the killer and the mastermind. Ms Politkovskaya won
international renown for her dogged investigation of Russian
abuses in Chechnya. - BBC
News website
Slovakia
Protests
over Slovak language law - 1 September
Thousands of ethnic Hungarians have demonstrated in Slovakia, to
protest against a new law that limits the use of minority
languages there. Only Slovak can now be used in public offices,
and in institutions like schools and hospitals. Slovakia says
the move is in accord with European standards, but protestors
argue it breaks international laws. The Hungarian government
says it has turned to international human rights organisations
for help. - BBC News
website
Keyphrase :
Language policy
Switzerland
US
agrees Swiss tax deal over UBS - 19 August
The US and Switzerland have signed an agreement designed to end
a tax evasion dispute surrounding UBS's US customers. The Swiss
banking giant will now give the US tax authorities the details
of 4 450 accounts, US officials said. Internal Revenue Service
Commissioner Doug Shulman said the accounts held $18bn in assets
at one time, and many have since been closed. Hours after the
deal was agreed the Swiss government said it was putting its 9%
stake in UBS up for sale. - BBC
News website
Swiss
pair indicted in tax probe - 21 August
A Swiss banker and lawyer have been indicted by the US Justice
Department on charges they helped wealthy Americans evade taxes.
The allegations relate to banker Hansreudi Schumacher, who has
now been sacked by employer Neue Zuercher bank, and lawyer
Matthias Rickenbach. The indictments are part of a tax probe in
the US, centred on UBS bank. - BBC
News website