Cool way to get high

German press mocks “Cut and Paste Baron”
The latest chapter in German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg’s bible of bloopers may be the final straw for his public image. He is now accused of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, obtained in 2007 and published in book form in 2009. Entire passages, including spelling mistakes, appear to have been lifted from newspaper and magazine articles, academic journals and speeches, think tanks, universities, and even works from the US embassy, without citations. At least 15 authors have allegedly had their work stolen. “He has the chance to say: ‘OK, bad things happen! I made a mistake, I did not deliver an academically rigorous work.’ But in any case, he will have a problem regaining his credibility and the sympathy and support he’s had in the polls until now”, said political counsellor Klaus-Peter Schmidt-Deguelle. The 39 year-old Baron enjoys a straight-talking reputation, and has a glamorous image. Many have tipped him as a future Chancellor. Credibility has seen him through armed forces scandals in Afghanistan and on the training ship Gorch Fock. Observers say the only elegant escape may be for him to surrender his Beyreuth University diploma. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Ivory Coast may cause region-wide crisis
As the world’s attention is focused elsewhere, the power struggle in Ivory Coast has escalated and now threatens a region-wide humanitarian crisis. Laurent Gbagbo remains the de facto leader of Ivory Coast despite finishing second in the November 28 presidential elections. He contests that result and has called on the country’s youth to join him in taking up arms. Thousands of supporters answered his call. His rival, Alassane Ouattara, is recognised by the international community as the rightful winner of the election and legitimate president of Ivory Coast. He is backed by rebel forces, whom he has adopted as his army. According to the United Nations, at least 435 people have been killed and as many as 450,000 have fled their homes since the political crisis began. Human rights groups claim atrocities have been committed by both sides. Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, whose country is hosting some 90,000 Ivorian refugees, said that Ivory Coast is already “at war” and that the tensions will further destabilise a region that has struggled with bloody conflict for many years. “It’s a serious threat to the stability of Liberia, and I might say to the stability of all neighbouring countries,” says, adding that “the crisis in Ivory Coast slipped off the radar,” given the focus on recent events in Japan, Libya and the wider Arab world. Ouattara last week recognised the 2002-2003 rebels as his military and renamed them the Ivory Coast Republican Forces (FRCI). The FRCI has captured a fourth town in the west this week, Reuters reported. But major clashes have also been reported in the capital Abidjan. The rebels have controlled the north of the country since the end of the civil war, although that conflict appears to have restarted. There are real fears that an Ivory Coast at war will destabilise the whole West Africa region. The International Monetary Fund has warned of “serious risks” for the region. Ivory Coast is the world??�s no.1 cocoa grower. The crisis means exports have stopped, mainly as a result of European Union sanctions. The fate of almost 200,000 tonnes of mid-crop beans that is still on tress remains unknown. As economic conditions become bleaker, the ground becomes ever more ripe for conflict. By Ali SheikholeslamiLondon Correspondentali.sheikholeslami@euronews.net Copyright © 2011 euronews

Belgium “world champions” of political crises
249 days: the length of time Belgium has been without a government has prompted newspapers to proclaim the country world champions of political crises. Whereas Iraq finally managed to bring together rival factions after months of deadlock, in Brussels there is still no national administration in sight. Students plan to demonstrate in protest. “It’s a bit late for people to start taking action, we should have begun long ago… but still it’s good that we’re getting mobilised to bring about change in Belgium,” said one young man. “I’m sick and tired of it. I’m waiting for it to happen and once there’s a decision I’ll take an interest, but for now: I’m just sick and tired,” said a woman in Brussels. For two weeks mediator Didier Reynders has been trying to bring together rival French and Dutch-speaking parties, who have failed to agree a coalition since a parliamentary election on June 13th last year. King Albert has now extended his mandate until March 1st. Some see the funny side. Inspired by Tunisia’s “jasmine revolution”, Belgian student groups are calling for theirs with fries: a “r?�volution des frites”. The difference is that whereas many in Arab countries are trying to overthrow governments, Belgians want to have one. Recent weeks have seen other tongue-in-cheek protests. There have been calls for politicians’ partners to refuse to have sex until a deal is reached. And last month one of the country’s best known actors, Benoit Poelvoorde, urged men to “grow a beard for Belgium” by not shaving until a new government was in place. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Ireland awaits result of historic poll
Ireland is bracing itself for one of its biggest political shake-ups since independence after polls in the country’s general election closed. Ruling Fianna Fail looks almost certain to be reduced to a rump amid voter anger over the economy. The centre-right opposition Fine Gael, led by Enda Kenny, appears set to be the big winners, although whether the party can achieve an outright majority still remains too close to call. Kenny has promised to renegotiate the terms of a massive multi-billion euro bailout from the EU and IMF. But, Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams, who is contesting in the Irish Republic for the first time, has called for a referendum on the rescue deal. Voter turnout yesterday was estimated at around 70 percent and the first results are expected to filter through later today. Reckless property lending by Irish banks and the subsequent crisis following the global credit crunch has seen Ireland go from economic pin-up to eurozone struggler. So much so, many people are returning to farming. While most other sectors of Ireland’s economy are seeing job cuts, agriculture is reported to be booming. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Bangladesh ousts microlender boss Yunus
Bangladesh’s central bank says it is removing Nobel peace prize winner Muhammad Yunus as boss of the microlender Grameen Bank. He was ordered to quit on the grounds that he is ten years beyond the retirement age. There has also been allegations of financial irregularities at the bank. Yunus denies that. His supporters said this was a political move stemming from a feud with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Grameen Bank said it had not received any notification from the central bank, and Yunus has said the bank’s board, which is mainly made up of borrowers, allows him to stay on as long as he is able to perform his duties. “There is no directive on Professor Yunus to cease functioning as managing director, nor is there any suggestion of his being removed from this post,” spokeswoman Jannat-E-Quanine said in a statement. Late last year, the government, which holds a 25 percent stake in the microlender, appointed a new chairman critical of Yunus, a move supporters of the so-called banker to the poor said was ultimately aimed at the state taking over the bank. This month, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said Yunus should step down, as he was now “old and we need to define the bank’s role and bring it under close regulation.” Prime Minister Hasina has called Yunus a “blood-sucker of the poor” and sharply criticised Grameen Bank’s microlending practices. Yunus won the Nobel peace prize in 2006 for his work to battle poverty through microfinance – lending small amounts to people – particularly women – to set up businesses. Previously they had had to borrow from moneylenders who charge extremely high interest rates. Copyright © 2011 euronews

State of emergency in Yemen after protest bloodbath
Yemen has declared a state of emergency after a massacre at an anti-government rally. More than 40 people were killed and at least 300 others injured when plainclothes police reportedly opened fire on protesters after Friday prayers. President Ali Abdullah Saleh described it as a tragedy and blamed the violence on people within the crowd who were carrying weapons. “I express my extreme sorrow for what happened today after Friday prayers in the university district,” Saleh told a news conference in Sanaa. Yemen is the second country in the region to declare emergency rule this week after Bahrain introduced martial law – a move immediately followed by a massive crackdown on demonstrators. But it is unclear whether Yemen’s president has the military power to enforce such an order, with the country deeply divided and racked by weeks of protests in which more than 70 people have been killed. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Gaddafi attacks repelled in Benghazi
A hospital in Benghazi says 26 people are dead and and 40 injured after bombardments by Gaddafi’s forces. The rebels say that a fighter jet shot down over the city, was one of theirs sent out to repel the government attack. TO READ – Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy The fighting will be viewed by the international community as a clear breach of the ceasefire announced by the Libyan government yesterday, although a spokesman earlier insisted that they were honouring the policy and that it is the rebels who are attacking them. Reports are still hard to verify with claim and counter-claim, but the insurgents do appear to be in jubilant mood in Benghazi, claiming to have repelled the attacks and captured a tank in the process. Residents seem almost in a celebratory mood as they patrol the streets, waving rebel flags and firing guns in the air. People living in the another rebel held town, Misrata, also claim Gaddafi is breaking the ceasefire with snipers shooting people from the rooftops. They also said there’s been some shelling of the city though not as much as on Friday. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Berlinale: Cinema for Peace
The Cinema for Peace charity gala is one of the highlights of the Berlin Film Festival, attracting film-makers, artists, politicians and celebrities from around the world. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Bahrain police break up protest camp
Bahrain police have attempted to clear demonstrators over night who have been camped out in a square in the capital Manama. Witnesses say at least three people have been killed and many more injured as riot squads broke up the camp while most of the protesters were asleep. Prior to the operation about 40 police trucks positioned themselves round the square. Although earlier in the day relations were tense, the move does suggest a change in tactics by the security forces against the anti-government demonstrators. Bahrain’s Shia Muslims – 70 percent of its population – have been ruled by a Sunni minority for the past three centuries. Two people have already died in clashes in the last few days. The mainly Shia protesters want greater political freedom, more jobs and a new constitution. They had been hoping, by taking to the streets to emulate the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Copyright © 2011 euronews

“Milad-ul-Nabi” celebrations in India
A boy poses on a motorbike during a religious procession to mark Milad-ul-Nabi, or birthday celebrations of Prophet Mohammad, in the old quarters of Delhi, in India. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi Copyright © 2011 euronews

Libya: Benghazi braces for all-out Gaddafi assault
The battle for Benghazi looks to have already begun, from the skies. Colonel Gaddafi has now warned of an imminent all-out ground assault on the rebel stronghold. Insurgents insist they will stand firm and will not be deterred by threats made by the Libyan leader. He has warned his forces will show no mercy to fighters who resist them but says those who lay down their arms will be pardoned. Pro-Gaddafi forces have retaken a string of rebel-held towns in recent days. Fighting has left parts of Libya’s third city of Misrata in ruins. A government spokesman said the Colonel’s forces expect to be in full control of the city during the course of Friday. There were reports on Friday morning that bombardments left at least four people dead and more than 70 wounded. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Latest mobile trends showcased in Barcelona
Some 50,000 visitors are in the Spanish city of Barcelona this week for the World Mobile Congress. ?�In an industry where nothing is cutting edge for more than a few months, the exhibition showcases the latest products and trends.?� Copyright © 2011 euronews

Moussavi ‘prevented from joining protests’
Ardeshir Amirarjomand, senior advisor to Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi, spoke to euronews this afternoon in a phone interview from Sweden about today’s events in Iran. “Two hours ago Mr Moussavi, Mr Karroubi and Mrs Rahnavard were going to take part in the demonstrations but the security forces stopped them. They seized Mr Moussavi’s car keys from his bodyguards. Mr Moussavi has not been able to leave his house and they have parked a big car in front of his front door so no-one can pass.” Ardeshir Amirarjomand was asked if the support for the peoples of Egypt and Tunisia had been a pretext of the opposition to call for this demonstration. “There has been no pretext, we have called for a demonstration in support for the freedom-seeking movements in the region, and if the Iranian government thinks that the Iranian people’s situation is the same as the situation of the Tunisian and Egyptian peoples, then that is another matter,” he said. “We had applied for official permission to hold demonstrations based on a genuine intention to support the peoples in the region and we are also calling for democracy and freedom for the Iranian people.” Copyright © 2011 euronews

Fresh air strikes hit rebel Libyan town
Libyan military aircraft have launched fresh air strikes on the rebel-controlled town of Brega. Brega, in the east of the country, is strategically important as it is key export hub for Libyan oil. There were no reports of any casualties. The attacks come one day after clashes between Gaddafi loyalists and anti-regime forces in the town left 14 people dead. The rebels’ National Libyan Council yesterday called for the international community to intervene and stop the violence. They control a number of locations in the east of Libya. The fighting has been concentrated in Brega and Ajdabiyah. Colonel Gaddafi still holds the capital, Tripoli, and a number of cities in the west, including his home town, Sirt. A spokesman for the rebels said military planes had also dropped bombs in Ajdabiya, another anti-Gaddafi stronghold. Gaddafi has told the West not to intervene, warning that it would cause “another Vietnam.” Copyright © 2011 euronews

Kubrick traveling exhibit hits Paris
Stanley Kubrick fans will get to take an intimate look inside the legendary film director’s life and career at a traveling exhibition which has just hit Paris. It includes movie props, costumes and film clips, as well as recreated film sets from classics such as “2001: a Space Odyssey” and “The Shining”. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Official guided tours begin of Chernobyl
Official guided tours have begun of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, closed since the catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986. Tourists can also visit the nearby deserted city of Pripyat. Pregnant women are not allowed on the tours, nor is anyone under 18. Tours have been available before, but these are the first sanctioned by Ukraine’s government. Copyright © 2011 euronews

UN condemns Gaddafi regime’s violence
The UN Security Council has condemned the violent crackdown in Libya by Muammar Gaddafi’s regime. After meeting in closed session, all 15 council members backed a statement read out by Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, President of the Council: “The members of the Security Council expressed grave concern at the situation in Libya. They condemned the violence and use of force against civilians, deplored the repression against peaceful demonstrators, and expressed deep regret at the death of hundreds of civilians”. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton earlier revealed the EU was taking practical steps and suspending a framework trade agreement it had been negotiating with Libya. “I want the authorities to listen to the aspirations and demands of their people. I’ve called a meeting of the EU ambassadors to discuss what measures can be taken now,” said Ashton. In Washington the message was the same. But so far there has not been overt support for the implementation of sanctions like some other countries. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: “The United States continues to watch the situation in Libya with alarm. Our thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives have been lost and their loved ones and we join the international community in strongly condemning the violence as we received reports of hundreds killed and many more injured.” UN Council members also called for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held to account. Copyright © 2011 euronews

Benghazi rally thanks coalition for air strikes
People in Benghazi have held a rally in support of the allied air campaign against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces. Coalition air strikes are credited with stopping an advance by government forces in its tracks, and giving a huge morale boost to the rebels. Among the crowds were banners expressing thanks – in English and French – to the countries involved, and plenty of pre-Gaddafi era Libyan flags. As the UN prepares again to discuss Libya, there were also some words of advice for those who have not backed military action. “Russia and China, better to be with the Libyan people than this tyrant”, read on banner. Reports from New York say the breakaway Libyan delegation at the UN backing the rebels is trying to build a diplomatic network parallel to that of the Gaddafi’s regime. The rebels are asking the international community to do more to protect civilians. Our correspondent in Benghazi, Mustafa Ba??, said: “The Gaddafi-controlled Libyan media claimed that the people here didn’t support the no-fly zone. But today they reacted against that, as the gathering here in front of the law courts shows. There are plenty of women in the crowd which totals roughly 15,000.” Copyright © 2011 euronews

Worker install canvas covers on Germany’s highest mountain
Workers install canvas covers on the glacier ice on top of Germany’s highest mountain, the 2,962 metre (9,718 feet) Zugspitze, near the southern Bavarian resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, May 10, 2011. To keep ski-lift sections safe for the winter season, the glacier ice is protected from melting from May to September. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle Copyright © 2011 euronews

Benghazi rebel leaders hail no-fly zone
The United Nations may have answered the prayers of the people of Benghazi, finally authorising a no-fly zone to protect them, after long deliberations. But worshippers in the rebel stronghold are looking to a higher power for strength, faced with an ever-present threat from Colonel Gaddafi’s forces. To read : Libya: a timeline of international diplomacy Leaders of the uprising in the city stress the importance of imposing a no-fly zone. The insurgency itself has a limited air capability but it is not in a position to carry out significant airstrikes of its own, explained rebel military high commander Khalifa Heftar. “Airstrikes are not part of our strategy,” he said. “The important thing is to stop Gaddafi’s planes from striking the rebels.” In the space of a few hours, Benghazi’s plight has changed considerably, with international support now official. But its future remains uncertain. Copyright © 2011 euronews