EU: Moments of Margaret Thatcher in Meryl Streep Film and EU Debates

Meryl Streep Film and EU Debates Bring Maggie Thatcher's Moment - The Daily Beast: "A British Prime Minister, splendidly isolated, faces down a phalanx of scowling European leaders, all harrumphing censure in accents that are German, French, Italian. We've witnessed the scene before. Decades ago Margaret Thatcher warred with her European counterparts just as David Cameron did this month in refusing to yield control of national budgets to Brussels. The difference is that the Iron Lady did not speak softly when she wielded a big stick. She lambasted ambitious bureaucrats; the artificial Utopian megastate you want to build, she told them, will be a "tower of Babel" dominated by Germany and riven by economic crises. Though she was ousted in 1990 over her refusal to join the monetary union, her skepticism seems to be vindicated with every euro crisis. December 2011 is very much Maggie's moment, and with serendipitous timing, she's there on the big screen in a biopic, The Iron Lady, portrayed with preternatural realism by Meryl Streep."

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Guatemala & El Salvador: U.S. government suspends training for new Peace Corps volunteers while it assesses security concerns

US Nixes Peace Corps Class For Guatemala, Salvador - From the Wires - Salon.com: "A Peace Corps statement says a training course for volunteers scheduled for January will not take place, but those already serving in the two countries are “safe and accounted for.” The corps said Wednesday that “due to ongoing security concerns, the agency is enhancing operational support to currently serving volunteers.” Corps spokeswoman Kristina Edmunson says the corps will try to place volunteers who planned to serve in Guatemala or El Salvador in other countries. Both countries have suffered waves of violent crime and drug-related violence."

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India: Parenting is no kidding- We have moved fr joint families to nuclear families & single parenthood, leaving young parents w/more responsibilities

Parenting is no kidding : North News - India Today: "Family structures have changed over the years. "We have moved from joint families to nuclear families and single parenthood, leaving young parents with more responsibilities," says Komal Mathur, counselor, transaction analysis. "Juggling between careers and home makes it increasingly difficult for parents to keep tabs on their children," admits parent-child counselor, Jessina Merchant. The multiple distractions and options available to kids these days make a parent's job even harder. The influence of the peers is not limited to school and neighborhood any more. "While parents want to keep track of their kids' activities at school, they don't want to intrude too much either," says Reena Nath, family therapist. "

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North Korea: China continued to express support for Mr. Kim's son and apparent successor, Kim Jong Un

Clinton: North Korea Should Follow ‘Path of Peace’ Following Kim’s Death « VOA Breaking News: "In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered condolences to the North Korean people and reaffirmed his long-standing commitment to peace and security in the region. The official gesture came as the U.N. General Assembly condemned human rights abuses in North Korea – a vote taken annually by the world body.
In London, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Mr. Kim's death could be a turning point for North Korea. He also said Pyongyang's engagement with the international community offers the North its best hope for improving the lives of ordinary North Koreans.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said France is wary about the consequences of a power transfer in the secretive communist state. He voiced hope that North Korean citizens will gain expanded freedoms."

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Pakistan: Pak critical to peace talks in Afghanistan as it’s Taliban’s hub: Karzai | Firstpost

Pak critical to peace talks in Afghanistan as it’s Taliban’s hub: Karzai | Firstpost:

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Facebook Makes Peace With Greenpeace - Hardware - Data centers - Informationweek

Facebook Makes Peace With Greenpeace - Hardware - Data centers - Informationweek: "Greenpeace in April rated Facebook's data the second dirtiest in a group of IT companies that also included Akamai, Amazon.com, Apple, Google, HP, IBM, Microsoft, Twitter, and Yahoo. Apple's energy usage was deemed to be the most reliant on coal (the source of 54.5% company energy usage) and Facebook followed, with 53.2% of its energy coming from coal. Yahoo fared best in the report, with only 18.3% of its energy usage supported by coal.
Faced with the objections of some 700,000 Facebook users, not to mention petitions, videos, and even an airship above its headquarters promoting renewable energy sources, Facebook has agreed to collaborate with Greenpeace. The social utility, as Facebook refers to itself, will be giving serious thought to how it uses electric utilities."

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UN chief, Security Council urge Cypriot rivals to accelerate peace talks - The Washington Post

UN chief, Security Council urge Cypriot rivals to accelerate peace talks - The Washington Post: "In a resolution extending the U.N. peacekeeping force in Cyprus until July 19, 2012, the Security Council also called on Cypriot President Dimitris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Dervis Eroglu to intensify the momentum of negotiations and try to resolve key outstanding issues before the meeting.

Ban noted that Cyprus takes over the EU presidency in July 2012 and will be heavily involved in other European issues, “so the window of our opportunities for further progress in negotiation is very much limited.”"

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