Yearly Archives: 2009

Taliban commander reportedly plots to retake Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — Afghanistan’s former Taliban leader is pursuing a strategy to reclaim power, the top U.S. intelligence official said Thursday, identifying a key administration concern as the White House prepared to unveil a new strategy to step up combat operations and stabilization efforts.

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Bosnia Aims to Apply for EU By End of Year

`Bosnia wants to become a candidate for the European Union by the end of the year,` said Sven Alkalaj. Bosnia hopes to become a candidate for European Union membership in November or December despite outside concern the Balkan country is not politically or economically ready, the foreign minister said on …

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Ukraine Slams EU Travel Rules, May Reimpose Visas

Viktor Baloga: `Such treatment is humiliating and clearly contradicts the spirit of the agreements reached between Kiev and Brussels.` Ukraine is considering reimposing visas for European Union citizens, a top presidential aide said on Thursday, complaining of “humiliating” visa procedures for Ukrainians travelling to the EU. Ex-Soviet Ukraine scrapped visas …

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Bulgaria To Free 200-300 Prisoners Early

The Socialist-led government initially planned an early release of about 3,000 inmates with light sentences. Bulgaria’s parliament passed an amnesty law on Thursday but cut the number of offenders that the bill initially aimed to free to avoid public outrage before elections. The Socialist-led government initially planned an early release …

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Ukrainian PM Wants Constitutional Change

Presidential powers have been trimmed in Ukraine since the Orange revolution and the president has lesser sway. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, describing herself as “Ukraine’s biggest nationalist”, on Thursday called for an overhaul of the constitution to end “chaos” in the way the country was run. Interviewed by Reuters …

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Bosnian Serb Mayor Seeks To Reinvent Infamous Town

Practical and energetic, he is the type of leader Western diplomats and analysts are counting on to overcome animosities from the war. Serb mayor Zdravko Krsmanovic is trying to turn the eastern Bosnian town of Foca, best known for wartime atrocities and harbouring war crimes fugitives, into a centre for …

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14 Die In Russian Bus Accident-Ministry

Rescue workers used a crane to peel the blackened roof from the twisted metal frame of the bus on the outskirts of Petushki. Fourteen people died and four were injured on Thursday when a bus burst into flames after colliding with a lorry just east of Moscow, Russia’s Emergency Ministry …

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Serbian, Bosnian Ministers Want Army Cooperation

During his visit to Bosnia Herzegovina, Sutanovac said that the past cannot be forgotten, but more can be done for a better future. The defence ministers of Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, Dragan Sutanovac and Selmo Cikotic, announced on Wednesday in Sarajevo the possibility of strengthening the cooperation of the two …

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SDP files no-confidence motion against FBiH cabinet

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The Social Democratic Party (SDP) filed a no-confidence motion against the cabinet of the Federation of BiH (FBiH) on Wednesday (March 25th), citing the aggravated economic situation as a cause for the motion. Several smaller parties are expected to support the proposal. The Dnevni …

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