Friday 26th September 2008
MEDIA HEADLINES IN ENGLISH
You’re listening to NEWS REPORT, a summary of
today’s media, prepared by UNMIK ON AIR
Kosovo forgotten by the International community,
New EU cars face new carbon emission targets, and
China sends first man space mission
KOSOVO
The International community has stayed far from its commitments to support
the new state of Kosovo, says a report by theInternational Crisis Group
(ICG). The report states that I the supporters of the Ahtisari plan
for Kosovo have failed to implement it due to the Serbian and Russian
opposition, insufficient political will, and poor coordination.
Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said that Serbia’s
attempt at the UN to call on the International Court of Justice to review
the legitimacy of Kosovo’s independence could damage stability
in the Balkans. Thaci is convinced that the EU Member countries will
act reasonably and act against Serbia’s evil initiative.
Kosovo Foreign Minister, Skender Hyseni, said that
European countries along with some countries from Central and Latin
America are expected to very soon recognize Kosovo. Hyseni gave no more
details but said that all the countries whose representatives he met
in New York are seriously considering recognition of Kosovo.
Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said yesterday
that his delegation to the UN has met more than 150 delegations seeking
their support for Serbia’s initiative to question Kosovo’s
independence.
The Kosovo government will partly out source its lobbying
program to gain international recognition of Kosovo, deputy Prime Minister
Hajredin Kuçi said yesterday. The Government has allocated about
3 million Euros for the initiative, which is considered to be more effective.
Polish President Lech Kaczynski says he will block
attempts to establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo at ambassadorial
level. Speaking in New York, Kaczynski once again condemned the Polish
government’s decision to recognize Kosovo. “The government's
decision is legitimate, but … there will be no signature of mine.
UNMIK chief, Lamberto Zannier’s confirmed yesterday
that his priorities are; the situation in the north of Kosovo, the opening
of the courts, the return of Serb police officers to their jobs and
the operation of Customs. Zannier admitted that Mitrovica is not an
easy issue but that “we are working on the ground to resolve it.”
The Assembly failed to elect Kosovo’s Ombudsperson
once again yesterday. The three applicants for the post, have to wait
for another session to be held soon, according to the speaker of the
Assembly, who added that he was pressured to cancel the election of
Ombudsperson.
At yesterday’s cabinet meeting, the Government
nominated Driton Gjonbalaj as General director of the Civil Aviation
Authority, decided that the retiring age of Prishtina University professors
be extended from 65 to 70 years. And adopted a Bill on Amnesty.
REGIONAL
European car makers face tough new targets for cutting carbon emissions
after Members of the European Parliament rejected industry pleas for
more time to produce greener cars. The parliament voted for compulsory
cuts of around 17% within 4 years.
More than half of Europe's amphibians could be extinct
by 2050, a team of UK researchers has warned. Climate change, habitat
destruction and disease were the main factors threatening the species'
long-term survival, they added.
Austria makes history in the European Union on Sunday
by becoming the first member of the 27-nation bloc to give 16-year-olds
a voice in national elections. Around 200,000 Austrian teenagers will
be able to vote in the weekend's elections.
INTERNATIONAL
Late last night China launched its third manned space mission. The Shenzhou
VII capsule soared into orbit atop a Long-March II-F rocket from the
Jiuquan spaceport in the northwest of China. The 70-hour flight will
include a spacewalk undertaken by 42-year-old fighter pilot Zhai Zhigang.
The United States military says US and Afghan forces
have exchanged gunfire with Pakistani troops across the border with
Afghanistan. A senior US military official says a five-minute skirmish
in which no one was injured broke out after Pakistani soldiers fired
warning shots near two US helicopters.
Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney has played his first
gig in Israel in 43 years, front of an estimated 40,000 cheering fans.
The 66-year-old singer kicked off the historic concert on Thursday evening
with the familiar Beatles' song Hello, Goodbye at Tel Aviv's Yarkon
Park.
WEATHER
A maximum of 10 degrees is expected today. Over the weekend, light rain
and partly cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures moving from
4 to 11 degrees Celsius.
And that was all for today, thank you for listening
and have a nice weekend.