Europe Intelligence Wire articles from March 2009

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from March 2009

Japanese experts are ready to elaborate plan for utilization of methane.
March 31, 2009... (From The Ukrainian Times) Byline: Svetlana Sytina Reserves of methane gas in the Donetsk basin alone are estimated at 11.5 trillion cubic meters. Presently, up to 1.5-2 trillion cubic meters can be utilized at 25% of coal mines. ...

History rewritten, systematically distorted in Western Ukraine.
March 31, 2009... (From The Ukrainian Times) Byline: Vladimir V. Sytin Although history should not be revised, it has long been rewritten and systematically distorted in Western Ukraine by deleting foul deeds performed by Ukrainian jingoists. ...

Security chief accused of unlawful activities, mess-up at SBU.
March 31, 2009... (From The Ukrainian Times) Valentin Nalivaichenko, pro-American chief of the state security service SBU, messed up this institution and has long been begging president Viktor Yuschenko to appoint him ambassador of Ukraine to the United...

Ministers address 'Green Enterprise and Local Government' event.
March 31, 2009... (From Athens News Agency) Development Minister Kostis Hatzidakis on Tuesday said the development ministry placed great emphasis on policies promoting "green" energy sources during his address at an event on "Green Enterprise and Local...

Businesses given more time to pay business rates.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] HM TREASURY PN 33/09 31 March 2009 Businesses given more time to pay business rates Businesses will be able spread payment of this year's inflation up-rating to Business Rates over three years, under...

Red tape cut for small charitiesVBCRLF.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] CABINET OFFICE CAB023/09 31 March 2009 Red tape cut for small charities Thousands of small charities will save up to GBP5million a year as the Government cuts red tape by raising the income thresholds...

Agency steps in to bat for Lancs star Keedy.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: simon donohue ONE of Manchester's newest PR agencies has knocked the opposition for six with a prestigious new cricketing account. Democracy will step up to the crease to support Lancashire's...

Media matters.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) THERE is a widely held view (mainly in London) that regional and national centres of media excellence are never sustainable, while others doubt that moving on a serious scale, such as Mediacity:UK, can be...

Circle Club unveils a GBP250,000 restaurant.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: Kevin Feddy MANCHESTER'S private members' Circle Club today took the wraps off its new GBP250,000 restaurant, which opens for trading next Monday. Kitchen At The Circle will be run by...

Olive's reward for taking the pain out of training.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: jill burdett GLOBETROTTING trainer Olive Strachan has picked up an award for the international success of her Manchester-based company. Started 10 years ago, her company has built up a...

What's left in pensions piggy bank?
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) IT'S all right for Sir Fred Goodwin. With a pension guarantee of GBP700,000 a year backed up by a pension pot of GBP17m the former Royal Bank of Scotland boss is not going to have to worry about the...

The business park that's defying the downturn.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: David Thame RECESSION? What recession? So say the bosses at a Warrington business park, celebrating deals totalling 160,000 sq ft. MEPC's Birchwood Park, defied the downturn last year, with...

Expo shows way to build green.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: Ben rooth THE construction industry's role in slashing greenhouse gas emissions will come under the spotlight this summer at a major new event in Manchester. Greenbuild Expo is set to...

How our 31 MPs ran up.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: david ottewell THE 31 MPs in our region claimed a total of GBP4.5 million in expenses in just one year, it has emerged. The figures cover everything from staff costs and travel to the...

Fight to stop last orders for hundreds of pubs.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: ian craig HUNDREDS of north west pubs have closed over the last five years and the government was urged today to take urgent action to support them. A new report claims that local community...

Beeb takes a historic first step into Salford.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: ian wylie THE BBC celebrated its historic first step into Salford today - with a new digital learning centre. It marks the corporation's first physical presence in Salford as part of the...

Skipper injury blow for Lancs.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: chris ostick LANCASHIRE look set to start the new season without their captain. Glen Chapple is facing a race against time to be fit to lead out the side against the Glamorgan Dragons in the...

Wembley pipedream.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) SALFORD chairman John Wilkinson revealed his lifelong ambition when he addressed the entire squad back in January in Jacksonville. It was to lead out the Reds at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final. ...

Peel the Lion King.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) RUGBY legend Jason Robinson is backing Dwayne Peel to bounce back from a traumatic first season with Sale Sharks and book his place on the British Lions tour to South Africa. The Welsh scrum-half...

Silkmen stay positive.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: SIMON CARTER KEITH Alexander goes back to his home town of Lincoln tonight increasingly concerned about Macclesfield's loss of confidence. Now just nine points off the drop-zone, Macc have...

Darren makes it big!
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) DARREN Ham-ilton went off to sea after coaches at Stoke, Crewe and Stockport gave him the same heartbreaking news: "Sorry son, you're too small to be a pro." But life on an ocean waves aboard HMS...

Royle ascent for kids.
March 31, 2009... (From Manchester Evening News) Byline: stuart brennan OLDHAM boss Joe Royle is set to give youth a chance for the last six games of the season. With the Latics' lingering play-off hopes all but disappearing in Saturday's defeat...

The long French holiday is long gone.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) According to a recent survey , la crise is really making itself felt in France: fully 51% of the French plan to stay at home (as in, not go anywhere -- not even in France) this summer. Aha, I can hear you...

NHS must do more to eradicate racial discrimination, say watchdogs.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Health watchdogs called today for urgent action throughout the NHS in England to identify and eradicate racial discrimination against ethnic minority patients and staff. In a final report before going out of...

Myners accused of misleading parliament over Goodwin pension.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) A leading Tory MP demanded today that the City minister, Lord Myners, resign after the row over Sir Fred Goodwin's pension was inflamed by new evidence given to the Treasury select committee. Sir Tom...

Bungalow blows up 45 minutes before eviction.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Police were today searching for a man whose council house blew up 45 minutes before he was due to be evicted. Donald Joyce, 58,who is partially sighted, was set to be evicted from his two-bedroom bungalow in...

Owen determined to prove he is not yesterday's man.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) While the debate about his international future rages on, Michael Owen has spent the past 10 days quietly putting in some intensive training on Tyneside. With Geordie attention increasingly centred on the...

So teachers think TV is bad for children? Computers worry me far more.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) There are two different, slightly contradictory stories in the news about kids and television. The first is that having tellies in their bedrooms leaves young children so isolated and socially unskilled that...

British army hands control of Basra to US forces.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Britain today handed the US control of Basra airport, where thousands of its troops have been based since the invasion of Iraq, six years ago. In a ceremony marking the UK's official withdrawal from Iraq,...

Talk about virtue.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) How do we talk about the virtues? This was a question posed at the third of the Capitalism in Crisis events by one of the participants, Dr Rowan Williams . His fellow panellists, the sociologist Professor...

Wigan may buy Gleeson after swap deal falls through.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Wigan Warriors' move for Warrington's Martin Gleeson is now understood to hinge on whether the clubs can agree a transfer fee for the 28-year-old England centre. Reports have suggested that Wigan could swap...

RBS pay policies to be voted down.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Royal Bank of Scotland will suffer a humiliating defeat of its pay policies at Friday's annual meeting following a decision by the government majority shareholder to vote against the remuneration report. The...

Time to give menial chores back to football apprentices.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) There was nothing enjoyable about cleaning the gullies next to the baths that Nicky Summerbee had earlier urinated in or, for that matter, picking a pair of slips up off the dressing room floor that had more...

UCB 2008 Annual Report / Rapport Annuel 2008 / Jaarbrochure 2008.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) 2008 Annual Report now available online Dear Sirs, We would like to inform you that the 2008 Annual Report is now available online on the UCB website: http://www.ucb.com/investors/financials/annual-reports.asp ...

Insider Trading.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Auethkenni utgefanda/Trade ticker: OSSR Nafn utgefanda/Issuer: Ossur hf. Dagsetning tilkynningar/Date of announcement 31 March 2009 Nafn fjarhagslega tengds aethila sem a viethskipti/Name of related party...

Total voting rights.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) SHORE CAPITAL GROUP PLC (the "Company") VOTING RIGHTS AND CAPITAL In conformity with the Disclosure and Transparency Rules (DTR 5.6.1), we hereby notify the following: The Company's issued share capital as at 31 March 2009...

Transaction in Own Shares and Total Voting Rights.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) 31 March 2009 NORTHERN VENTURE TRUST PLC ("The Company") PURCHASE OF OWN SHARES AND TOTAL VOTING RIGHTS The Company announces that on 31 March 2009 it purchased for cancellation under an existing authority granted by...

Portfolio update.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) M&G Equity Investment Trust P.L.C Investment Company's disclosure M&G Equity Investment Trust P.L.C. announces today that as at 31 March 2009 the Company's top ten holdings were: Royal Dutch Shell 'B' 8.40% BP 7.96%...

Heathrow diverted to bottom of the pile by air passengers.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Airline passengers who fly from Heathrow and Gatwick suffer the worst airport experience in the country, according to a new survey. Heathrow's terminal one came bottom of the pile, with customers giving it...

Colleges and schools told they will not get funding for every sixth-former.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Schools and colleges reacted angrily today to confirmation that they will not be fully funded for all 16-year-olds they enrol next year -- and demanded that the government make good the shortfall. If the the...

Three multinationals accused of tax dodging.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The offshore banking activities of French multinationals came under scrutiny today when three leading names were accused of dodging taxes via accounts in Liechtenstein. The oil and gas firm Total, tyre maker...

Eco Soundings: London US embassy invites press to watch 11th Hour.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) We don't know what films were shown at the private cinema inside the fortress that is the US Embassy in London during the previous administration, but it probably wasn't Leo DiCaprio's global warming epic, The...

Retreat from Iraq.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) They have been beating retreat at Basra airfield today as the British hand over command to the Americans for the next two years. This marks the end of the latest British military promenade into Mesopotamia and...

Eco Soundings: Defra defends Central Vet Lab's energy record.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Last week, Eco Soundings identified the Veterinary Laboratory Agency's HQ building in Surrey as possibly the most energy inefficient in the land. But Defra, the owners, have rushed to its defence, saying it is...

No 517: Dirty Stop Out.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Hometown: London. The lineup: Joe Corre (vocals), Mick Jones (guitar), Luca Mainardi (electronics). The background: Dirty Stop Out are one of those new bands with some familiar members. Really familiar:...

Boris Johnson to slash London environmental team in half.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The team in charge of London's bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase recycling and biodiversity is to be cut in half in a major shake-up that calls into question the commitment to the environment...

Only 3% of public trust journalists.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Here's a sobering, if not entirely surprising, poll finding. Journalists are among the least trusted professionals in Britain. According to a survey conducted for the Bar Standards Board , we are down there with...

Injured Khan's England tour ends early.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Amjad Khan, the Kent and England fast bowler, is to miss the final few days of the Caribbean tour because of injury. Khan is suffering from cartilage damage in his knee and was due to fly back to England last...

The boat really did rock.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) BUDDING DJs took to the waves on a boat on the Tyne. As a film about pirate radio, The Boat That Rocked, is released, contestants competed in DJ Idol in a boat under the Millennium Bridge. ...

pounds 45m plans are approved.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: NEIL MCKAY AMBITIOUS pounds 45m plans to redevelop Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground were given the green light by councillors yesterday. Following a two-hour debate,...

Vision of the future for our health.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A TOP doctor played a key role in highlighting ambitious plans for the next decade of healthcare in the region. Prof John Burn addressed more than 130 senior health service staff at the Centre for...

Struck in face.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A MAN suffered facial injuries outside a city centre bar. Police are appealing for witnesses after the victim was hit across the head and face by two attackers in their 20s. One is believed to...

Pat's back again.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: ADAM JUPP Chief Reporter BRAVEHEART Patrick Skinner is back home after amazing medics. Patrick was one of two youngsters to have heart-swap ops within hours of each other. The...

SAYING THANKS FOR HELP.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) KEVIN Skinner and his friends are taking on a coast-to-coast challenge to thank those who saved his son's life. They will ride from Whitehaven, Cumbria, to Tynemouth, to raise cash for the two...

pounds 12bn pledge to beat rail blues.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) PASSENGERS were today promised relief from overcrowding as part of a five-year, pounds 35bn spending programme by Network Rail. Almost pounds 12bn of the money will be invested in projects designed...

M&S starts the big fightback.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) MARKS & Spencer reported a slowdown in its sales decline today after a better-than-expected fall of 4.2% over the first three months of this year. Promotions such as its Dine in for pounds 10 offer...

Khmer Rouge executioner standing trial.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: ADAM JUPP Chief Reporter TWISTED tyrant Pol Pot's chief executioner is standing trial accused of killing at Tyneside backpacker more than 30 years ago. Kang Kek Leu - known as Comrade...

Live power cable lands on Metro.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: SARA NICHOL METRO passengers escaped unharmed when a live overhead power cable crashed down on a train. Commuters on the service between North Shields and Tynemouth at around 7am today...

Live power cable lands on Metro.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: SARA NICHOL METRO passengers escaped unharmed when a live overhead power cable crashed down on a train. Commuters on the service between North Shields and Tynemouth at around 7am today...

Man dies in cliff plunge.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A MAN plunged 30ft to his death from a cliff. Police and a fire crew from South Shields were called to Lizard Lane, in South Shields, after reports of a 31-year-old man had fallen into the quarry....

Stabbed in the street.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A MAN was stabbed on a busy city street in broad daylight. Police were called to the AMF Bowling Alley, on Westgate Road, Newcastle, at lunchtime yesterday after receiving reports of an assault. ...

Evening Chronicle COMMENT: Questions for MPs.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) IT IS high time some MPs entered the real world of their constituents. Today's publication of expenses highlights a wide range of differing claims. With many people losing their jobs, seeing...

Bosses at centre of the probe.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: CHRIS ROBINSON THESE are the bosses at the centre of what is feared could be one of the country's biggest property scams. Some enjoy lavish lifestyles with flash homes, cars and holidays...

Baby is due & we've just 28 days to get out.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: SOPHIE DOUGHTY YET more victims of an alleged mortgage scandal today told of their anguish. Up to 2,000 folk could lose their homes amid a police investigation into North East Property...

Tenant fearing for her future.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) ROSEMARY Scott has put every last penny into her home for the last 15 years. The 57-year-old, of Longbenton, Newcastle, sold her house to North East Property Buyers when she was hit with financial...

Company bosses' pounds 80m homes con.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: DANIEL JAMES FIVE company directors paid for a lavish lifestyle by ripping off investors during a multi-million pound property scam, a court heard today. John Potts, Peter Gosling,...

Family help plan rapped.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) AN MP has criticised a Government scheme aimed at helping families facing the loss of their homes. The Mortgage Rescue Scheme was announced last November by the Government following a rise in the...

Arson attack.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A GROUND-FLOOR flat was set alight by suspected arsonists. Firefighters from Colby Court were called to the unoccupied flat, on Elswick Road, Newcastle. The blaze spread from the ground floor to...

Village's tree is replaced.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A TREE which was the pride of a village until it was lost in floods is to be replaced. The walnut tree was planted many years ago by an Ingram resident and its fruits were harvested yearly for...

House builder makes big loss.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) FALLING house prices, fewer sales and exceptional charges of more than pounds 66m pushed housebuilder Bellway into a pre-tax loss for the six months to the end of January. The Newcastle builder...

Beat the biting.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A NORTH east expert is helping battle one of the world's deadliest diseases. Durham University entomologist Dr Ulrike Fillinger is studying ways to combat mosquitos carrying malaria. And she...

Pensioner is fuming after being hit with a surge in his power bills.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: DAVID OLD A PENSIONER is furious after his energy firm put up his bills despite him being in credit. Eric Keem, 89, monitors his gas and electric use to ensure he does not fall behind...

Dance for Danny.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) A FUND-raising cancer charity event is being held in memory of a popular teenager. The dance event is being held to honour leukaemia victim Danny Petini. Sports science student Danny, 18, died...

Don't be fooled.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) HOAXERS have been calling on homes claiming to be council salesmen. They have been going around Gateshead claiming to be selling plants on behalf of the council and The Gateshead Housing Company. ...

Staff aim to help.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) WORKERS in Newcastle are more willing to cut energy to save cash. Research by the Carbon Trust says 94% of staff want to help save money in the recession. And more than half of employees say...

pounds 50m offer.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) CONTRACTS worth pounds 50m will be up for grabs at an event for firms. The day has been organised by neprocurement, a consortium of 11 Registered Social Landlords, to help firms get work within the...

Vandals hunted.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) POLICE are appealing for information after two incidents in a Northumberland village. Thieves and vandals have been at work in Lynemouth, near Morpeth, last week. The first incident happened...

Pupils urged to help charity.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) CHARITY Maggie's is asking school children in the region to get involved in helping make its North East centre a reality. The charity can provide balloons, banners and someone to talk to children...

Making Waves.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: SONIA SHARMA WITH a pirate ship and new wave machine, a leisure pool is set to become a star attraction. The old Whitley Bay Leisure Pool has been transformed. It closed in June...

MAKING WAVES.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) WITH a pirate ship and new wave machine, a leisure pool is set to become a star attraction. The old Whitley Bay Leisure Pool has been transformed. It closed in June 2007 for a pounds 6m revamp and...

Man killed in blaze at home.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: CHRIS ROBINSON A MAN has died after a fire ripped through his home. The blaze started in the property in Cairnsmore Close, Walkergate, Newcastle, and is thought to have burnt itself out....

Surprise in store for shoplifters.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: NEIL MCKAY TWO suspected shoplifters got more than they bargained for when they were confronted by three dozen uniformed cops outside the store. The man and woman had walked out of...

Uni planning reunion.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) IF you graduated from Sunderland University between 1992 and 2008 your old college is planning a reunion. Wear Back 2009 is the first annual reunion for all of Sunderland's graduates. The...

North's MPs claim pounds 1.6m of your cash.
March 31, 2009... (From Newcastle Evening Chronicle) Byline: ADRIAN PEARSON TYNESIDE MPs last year claimed pounds 1.6m in expenses, travel bills and office costs. The taxpayer funded bills including travel costs for wives and husbands of various...