I. IRISHCENTRAL - Twice as many leave Ireland as rest of Europe
European research shows that there are more people leaving Ireland that any other country in the EU. Not only that but there are twice as many people leaving Ireland as there are leaving Lithuania, who have the second highest rate. The EU Commission’s statistics office, Eurostat have compiled figures which show Ireland to be at the top of the chart for emigration. Ireland boasts of the EU’s highest birth rate and lowest death rate currently and as work dries up the number of Irish emigrating is skyrocketing. Eurostat calculated that the 27 countries in European Union now have a population of 501.1 million all together. This number is on the up from 2009 when the figure was just 499.7 million. The Irish are doing their part to boost this number with birth rate figures that have not been seen since the 1890s. In 2009, nine people in every thousand Irish emigrated. This is the exact opposite of the population situation in 2000 when there was a massive inflow of people at 8.4 per thousand. Last year, 4.6 people in every thousand left Lithuania who came second in the chart. Their figures are just halve of Ireland’s whopping eight out of every thousand. Economic Social Research Institute economist, Thomas Conefrey told the Irish Times that a significant amount of the emigration reflects non-Irish nationals who are going home as work dries up. He added ““In terms of labour market mobility, it would be expected to be highest among people who came here to work and who are no longer in employment,” Mr Conefrey said. “This tendency for the rate of outflow to be highest among non-Irish nationals is backed up by the quarterly national household survey, which measures labour force trends.”
II. FINANCIALMIRROR - Population in Cyprus records increase
Population in Cyprus increased in 2009 by 1.000, reaching 798.000 inhabitants. According to Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, in 2009 around 10.000 births were recorded in Cyprus and 5.000 deaths. On 1 January 2010, the population of the EU27 was estimated at 501.1 million, compared with 499.7 million on 1 January 2009. The population of the EU27 grew by 1.4 million in 2009, an annual rate of 2.7 per 1000 inhabitants, due to a natural increase of 0.5 million (+1.0‰) and net migration of 0.9 million (+1.7‰). Compared with 2008, the demographic situation in 2009 in the EU27 is characterised by a slight decrease in the crude birth rate and a constant crude death rate, while net migration fell more significantly.
III. WSJ - Kosovo's Disastrous Precedent
On Feb. 17, 2008, the ethnic-Albanian authorities of Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence against the will of the U.N Security Council and in contravention of my country's constitution. We made it immediately clear that we would never recognize the unilateral declaration of independence, implicitly or explicitly. This position will not change. Serbia will continue to use all diplomatic resources at the disposal of a sovereign state to oppose Pristina's attempt at partitioning our country. No democratic and proud nation—whose territorial integrity is under threat—would act differently. From the onset of this grave crisis, we responded to the unilateral declaration of independence peacefully. In October 2008, the General Assembly of the United Nations overwhelmingly approved a resolution seeking the legal opinion of the International Court of Justice on the lawfulness of the unilateral declaration of independence. After many months of deliberation, the court delivered its findings. It neither endorsed the view that this unilateral declaration of independence was a unique case, nor Pristina's claim that Kosovo is a state. Moreover, the court failed to approve the province's avowed right of secession from Serbia, or any purported right to self-determination for Kosovo's Albanians. Instead, the court chose to narrowly examine the language of the unilateral declaration of independence. This strictly technical approach made it possible to say that the text of the declaration itself did not violate international law. The Kosovo Albanian authorities are deliberately misinterpreting the court's views as a legalization of their attempt at secession. This may produce extensive and deeply problematic consequences for the international community. Ethnic minorities across the globe could take advantage of the opportunity to write their own declarations of independence according to the Kosovo textual template. This would put them in a position to plausibly claim that such texts sufficiently legitimize their respective acts of secession, and for their proclaimed independence to be in conformity with international law. The inherent dangers of such a scenario must be prevented. Otherwise, the borders of every multi-ethnic state would be permanently threatened by secessionism, producing lasting instability throughout the world. The court has left it up to the U.N. General Assembly to manage the political repercussions of the advisory opinion. This has been confirmed by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who stated that the General Assembly "will determine how to proceed on this matter." The forthcoming debate will therefore focus on the consequences and implications of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in light of the court's findings. We must ensure that the outcome of this debate makes a positive contribution to global governance. We must find a realistic approach to close the Pandora's box opened up by Pristina. The only way forward is to commence peaceful dialogue between the parties that produces a compromise, a mutually acceptable solution to all outstanding issues. The consequence of a failure to agree on Kosovo would be the establishment of a universally applicable precedent that provides a ready-made model for unilateral secession. Serbia is committed to working with the international community to prevent such a disastrous scenario. What we seek is an equitable outcome that both sides can embrace. This is the only way to reinforce shared priorities, to normalize relations, and to complete the democratic transformation of the Balkans into a stable, prosperous region fully integrated into the European Union.
Somalia's al-Qaida-linked group has warned African countries against plans to send additional troops to the war-ravaged country, saying they would be "annihilated." African leaders and U.S. officials have called for stepped-up efforts in Somalia after the country's most feared militant group, al-Shabab, claimed responsibility for twin bombings during the World Cup final in Uganda on July 11. Earlier this week at an African Union summit in Uganda, Africa's leaders pledged 4,000 more troops to aid the 6,000 Ugandan and Burundian soldiers now stationed in Mogadishu. Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, al-Shabab's spokesman, said late Wednesday that those 6,000 troops are already "suffering" from al-Shabab attacks, and that "whoever they bring in will end up in the same fate as his predecessor." Al-Shabab said it targeted Uganda on July 11 because Ugandan troops have killed Somali civilians in Mogadishu. Shelling is a near-daily occurrence in Somalia's capital, and international rights groups have decried the deadly impact on civilians. Al-Shabab is stirring up emotions against African troops, whose mandate includes protecting top Somalia officials and manning key installations in the capital. Islamic insurgents including al-Shabab have been trying for three years to overthrow the fragile, U.N.-backed government, which is holed up in a small section of the capital. Civilians have suffered through nearly two decades of violent chaos in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, since the country's government was overthrown in 1991. The AU force, known as AMISOM, has long been criticized by human rights groups for civilian deaths in Somalia, and internal reports obtained by The Associated Press show the mission itself is aware of the problem.
A U.S. judge in Arizona has put key parts of the border state's tough new immigration law on hold before it is due to come into effect on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department had argued provisions of the law encroached on federal authority over immigration policy and enforcement. Here are some scenarios for what could happen next: Arizona Plan to Appeal - Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer said the state plans to file an expedited appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit seeking to lift the injunction against the immigration law. The appeals court, based in San Francisco, could consider whether to lift the injunction and let the full law go into effect or request legal briefs and arguments from both sides before ruling on Arizona's request. It was not clear how quickly Arizona would move to file its appeal. Regardless of how the appeals court rules, either side could then appeal that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. U.S. Court Hears Formal Arguments - While Judge Susan Bolton granted a preliminary injunction against the Arizona law, she did so on the grounds that she believes the Obama administration would ultimately succeed on the merits of the case when presented in court. Therefore, Bolton would still need to hear arguments from both sides on the merits of the federal government's challenge, requiring lengthy legal briefs, and likely hear oral arguments, a process that can take months. Either side could then appeal to the Ninth Circuit and ultimately the Supreme Court. Congressional Action - With the initial victory in hand, that could lead some lawmakers in the U.S. Congress to try to forge a compromise on a comprehensive immigration reform plan that has been elusive regardless of which political party holds the White House. But the chances are slim that the Obama administration and lawmakers will reach a deal before November's congressional elections in which Republicans are expected to make gains. Republicans demand more effort to secure the southern border with Mexico and have said the initial deployment of National Guard troops to the border was inadequate. Many Republicans also oppose giving amnesty to the nearly 11 million illegal immigrants believed to be in the United States to allow them to remain in the country. Obama supports allowing undocumented immigrants in good standing to pay a fine, learn English and get on the track to citizenship. He also has supported tightening border security and clamping down on employers that hire undocumented workers. State Legislature - With the ruling, the Arizona legislature could try to alter the law to address concerns raised by Judge Bolton. Arizona's governor could call a special session to make those changes. State lawmakers already have amended the immigration law once to try to prevent racial profiling. Under the changes, police will be required to investigate the immigration status of people they reasonably suspect are in the country illegally only in the case of lawful contact such as a traffic stop.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has called on military top brass to build “total defense” and accused Russia of planning to “overthrow Georgian democracy.” Not only has Russia not given up its “plan to control Georgia, but they are working intensively on that,” Saakashvili said, speaking at a meeting with army top commanders and senior Defense Ministry’s officials. The president said his assessment was based on Russia’s “rhetoric and information war carried out on daily, minute-by-minute basis against Georgia.” The Georgian leader expects an attack of “the enemy force… from the ethnically-cleansed territories,” referring to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, recognized by Russia as independent states in 2008. Saakashvili set the task for his military to “burn each and every square meter of the Georgian land” beneath an enemy if it decides to invade the country. For this, the country should develop not only armed forces, but also a civil defense system, he said. Defense of the country is “a matter for each and every citizen” and “each village should be able to defend itself,” he stressed. Although Tbilisi had to cut military budget for 2010 because of the economic crisis, “money will be invested in education, training and the increase of professionalism,” Saakashvili said. Meanwhile, the Georgian army is gaining experience in Afghanistan. The participation in the military operation in that country is important from a geopolitical point of view and it is “a good military school,” Saakashvili said. “We need experience, as we need total defense,” he added. “Fear sees danger everywhere,” an anonymous source in the Russian Defense Ministry told Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily. “No one is planning to do anything against Georgia, unless its government repeats the cruel behavior it resorted to two years ago. The fruits of that mistake proved to be bitter for the Georgian leadership, and it should have learned its lesson.” The president’s speech does not contain any real threat, believes Georgian political scientist Gia Khukhashvili. When speaking before the military, the head of any state tries to raise the army’s morale, because such are “the rules of the game,” he told the daily. And thinking of a military revenge against Russia is “simply illogical,” he stressed.
VII. MOSPAT - Patriarch Kirill and Metropolitan Vladimir celebrate Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Laura of the Caves in Kiev
On July 28, the commemoration day of St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles and the Day of the Baptism of Rus’, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Laura of the Caves in Kiev. The liturgy took place in the monastery’s square overcrowded with worshippers. The service was broadcast live by the Ukrainian television. After the Lesser Entrance, Patriarch Kirill elevated Archbishop Alexander of Kazakhstan and Astana to the rank of metropolitan in keeping with to the Holy Synod’s decision defining the canonical and legal state of the metropolitanate in the Republic of Kazakhstan. After the reading of the Gospel the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church delivered a sermon.