NEWS,13.03.2013

Cardinals opt for seasoned, popular pontiff

In choosing a 76-year-old pope on Wednesday, cardinals clearly decided that they didn't need a vigorous, young pope who would reign for decades but rather a seasoned, popular pastor who would draw followers to the faith.The cardinal electors overcame deep divisions to select the 266th pontiff  Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina in a remarkably fast, five-ballot conclaveBergoglio, who chose the name Francis, became the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium.Looking stunned, Francis shyly waved to the crowd of tens of thousands of people who gathered in St Peter's Square, marvelling that the cardinals needed to look to "the end of the earth" to find a bishop of Rome.Francis asked for prayers for himself, and for retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprising resignation paved the way for the conclave that brought the first Jesuit to the papacy."Brothers and sisters, good evening," Francis said to wild cheers in his first public remarks as pontiff."You know that the work of the conclave is to give a bishop to Rome. It seems as if my brother cardinals went to find him from the end of the earth. Thank you for the welcome."Bergoglio had reportedly finished second in the 2005 conclave that produced Benedict - who last month became the first pope to resign in 600 years.After announcing "Habemus Papam" "We have a pope!" - a cardinal standing on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica on Wednesday revealed the identity of the new pontiff, using his Latin name.The longtime archbishop of Buenos Aires has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests.Like other Jesuit intellectuals, Bergoglio has focused on social outreach. Catholics are still buzzing over his speech last year accusing fellow church officials of hypocrisy for forgetting that Jesus Christ bathed lepers and ate with prostitutes.Bergoglio has slowed a bit with age and is feeling the effects of having a lung removed due to infection when he was a teenager.In a lifetime of teaching and leading priests in Latin America, which has the largest share of the world's Catholics, Bergoglio has also shown a keen political sensibility as well as the kind of self-effacing humility that fellow cardinals value highly, according to his official biographer, Sergio Rubin.

He showed that humility on Wednesday, saying that before he blessed the crowd he wanted their prayers for him and bowed his head."Good night, and have a good rest," he said before going back into the palace.Tens of thousands of people who braved cold rain to watch the smokestack atop the Sistine Chapel jumped in joy when white smoke poured out a few minutes past 19:00 local time, many shouting "Habemus Papam!" or "We have a pope!" - as the bells of St Peter's Basilica and churches across Rome pealed.They cheered again when the doors to the loggia opened, and again when Bergoglio's name was announced."I can't explain how happy I am right now," said Ben Canete, a 32-year-old Filipino, jumping up and down in excitement.Elected on the fifth ballot, Francis was chosen in one of the fastest conclaves in years, remarkable given there was no clear front-runner going into the vote and that the church had been in turmoil following the upheaval unleashed by Pope Benedict XVI's surprise resignation.A winner must receive 77 votes, or two-thirds of the 115, to be named pope.For comparison's sake, Benedict was elected on the fourth ballot in 2005 - but he was the clear front-runner going into the vote.Pope John Paul II was elected on the eighth ballot in 1978 to become the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.Patrizia Rizzo ran down the main boulevard to the piazza with her two children as soon as she heard the news on the car radio."I parked the car... and dashed to the square, she said. "It's so exciting, as Romans we had to come."The Vatican spokesperson the Reverend Federico Lombardi said it was a "good hypothesis" that the pope would be installed next Tuesday, on the feast of St Joseph, patron saint of the universal church.Unlike the confusion that reigned during the 2005 conclave, the smoke this time around has been clear: black during the first two rounds of burned ballots, and then a clear white on Wednesday night - thanks to special smoke flares akin to those used in soccer matches or protests that were lit in the chapel ovens.The Vatican on Wednesday divulged the secret recipe used: potassium perchlorate, anthracene, which is a derivative of coal tar, and sulfur for the black smoke; potassium chlorate, lactose and a pine resin for the white smoke.The chemicals are contained in five units of a cartridge that is placed inside the stove of the Sistine Chapel. When activated, the five blocks ignite one after another for about a minute apiece, creating the steady stream of smoke that accompanies the natural smoke from the burned ballot papers.Despite the great plumes of smoke that poured out of the chimney, neither the Sistine frescoes nor the cardinals inside the chapel suffered any smoke damage, Lombardi said.

John Kerry's Norwegian impresses

US Secretary of State John Kerry showed off more of his hidden language skills on Tuesday, revealing he still knew some Norwegian picked up as a boy when he spent a couple of years in Oslo.

And he won praise from his Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide, who said after talks at the State Department that Kerry "can even speak quite [impressive] Norwegian phrases".

America's new top diplomat had tried out some phrases "and we were quite impressed by his memory", Eide told journalists.

During his first overseas trip after taking over as secretary of state from Hillary Clinton, Kerry delighted his European hosts by speaking French, German and Italian on stops in Paris, Berlin and Rome.

The son of an American diplomat, Kerry spent much of his boyhood in Europe as he accompanied his father to various postings.

He told Eide that he had "wonderful memories of Norway" and the times he had spent in the "parks and the fjords there".

Kerry also praised Norway's role on the global stage.

"On almost every challenge or conflict in the world today, Norway plays one of the giant outsized roles of any country on this planet," Kerry said. "I think it's safe to say that Norway is one of the great global citizens."

George P Bush runs for Texas office

 

George P Bush filed paperwork on Tuesday to run for Texas land commissioner next year, hoping to continue his family's two-president political dynasty in one of the country's most conservative states.

Spokesperson Trey Newton told that Bush filed the official paperwork to run for the office, which is a popular stepping stone to higher posts.

Bush is the nephew of George W Bush and grandson of George HW Bush.

An attorney and Spanish speaker whose mother is originally from Mexico, Bush is considered a rising star among conservative Hispanics.

Hispanics accounted for two-thirds of Texas' population growth over the last decade and now make up 35% of its population. They tend to vote overwhelmingly Democratic. Bush is a Republican.

The Texas land commissioner administers state-owned lands and mineral resources.
 
Bush is the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba, who was born in Mexico.

George P Bush has been active in politics for years. Last summer, he was promoted to deputy finance chairperson of the Texas Republican Party.

Even though he had yet to officially settle on an office, Bush's campaign raised an impressive $1.3m between early November and 31 December.

Current Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said he believes running with the Bush name is "both a blessing a curse". He described Bush as smart and qualified but stopped short of offering an official endorsement on Tuesday.

Matt Glazer, executive director of the liberal advocacy group Progress Texas, suggested it may be too early to anoint the next Bush a future political force to be reckoned with.

"Serving in elected office is a privilege, not a birthright," Glazer said in a statement. "George Bush must go through the same public screening as any other candidate."

North Korea confirms end of war armistice

 

North Korea confirmed on Wednesday that it had shredded the 60-year-old armistice ending the Korean War, and warned that the next step was an act of "merciless" military retaliation against its enemies.

A lengthy statement by the North's armed forces ministry added to the tide of dire threats flowing from Pyongyang in recent days that have raised military tensions on the Korean peninsula to their highest level for years.
The statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency argued that the real "warmongering" was coming from the US and its "puppets" in Seoul.
"They would be well advised to keep in mind that the armistice agreement is no longer valid and [North Korea] is not restrained by the North-South declaration on non-aggression," a ministry spokesperson said.
"What is left to be done now is an action of justice and merciless retaliation of the army and people" of North Korea, the spokesperson said.
The North announced last week that it would nullify the 1953 armistice and peace pacts signed with Seoul in protest over joint South Korea-US military manoeuvres that began on Monday.
Because the Korean War was concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, the two Koreas have always remained technically at war.
Voiding the ceasefire theoretically opens the way to a resumption of hostilities, although observers note this is far from the first time that North Korea has announced the demise of the armistice.
The armistice was approved by the UN General Assembly, and both the UN and South Korea have repudiated the North's unilateral withdrawal.
"The terms of the armistice agreement do not allow either side, unilaterally, to free themselves from it," said UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky.
The North has also threatened to launch nuclear strikes against the US and South Korea in response to fresh UN sanctions adopted after the North carried out its third nuclear test last month.
While the threats have been mostly dismissed as bluster, there are strong concerns that the North will attempt some form of military provocation in the coming weeks.
The South's Yonhap news agency on Wednesday quoted a senior military source as saying sorties by North Korean fighter jets in recent days had reached "unprecedented" levels, with around 700 counted on Monday alone.
As well as nullifying ceasefire agreements, the North severed a Red Cross hotline that was one of the few means of communication between Pyongyang and Seoul, which do not have diplomatic relations.
However, a spokesperson for the presidential Blue House in Seoul said a military hotline was still operating.
"The military communication is working normally and we will seek to convey any message to the North via the channel when necessary," she said.
Wednesday's statement by the armed forces ministry was notable for carrying the first official criticism of South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, since she took office a little more than two weeks ago.
While the spokesperson did not mention Park by name, he said the "frenzy" stirred up the "warmongers" in South Korea was orchestrated by the "swish of the skirt made by the owner of Chongwadae [the Blue House]."
He also slammed Park's recent comments that the North's obsession with nuclear weapons would bring about its own collapse as "utter ignorance" and an echo of the "confrontational" policy of Park's predecessor Lee Myung-Bak.
Park had campaigned on a pledge of greater engagement with North Korea, but February's nuclear test put any rapprochement on indefinite hold.

G20 economies grow despite dip in Europe

Economic growth in G20 countries climbed by 0.5% in the fourth quarter of 2012, slowing only slightly from the 0.6% pace recorded in the previous three-month period despite heavy contractions across Europe, preliminary estimates from the OECD showed on Wednesday.
For the full year 2012, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said that gross domestic product (GDP) in the G20 group of 20 major global economies expanded by 2.8%, down from 3.8% a year earlier.
The OECD said that as economic trends were still diverging widely within the G20 - with China posting the strongest growth in the quarter and Italy dipping deep into negative territory - the aggregate growth rate "continues to mask" mixed patterns among the world's largest economies.
China's economy grew by 2.0% in the fourth quarter compared with the third quarter, while Italy's contracted by 0.9%.
The OECD said that the economies of all of the G20's European members, including Britain, France, Germany and Italy, contracted in the last quarter of 2012 compared with the previous three-month period.
Japan and the United States remained stable however, while emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico, and South Africa showed higher growth, it said.

Spain's plan to get youth back to work

Spain pledged €3.5bn over four years on Tuesday to easing mass unemployment among the country's youth, as the government tries to stem a relentless tide of layoffs and lengthening jobless queues.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy presented 100 different measures including tax breaks for young freelance workers and for companies that hire workers in their twenties.
Many of the measures, such as lower social security payments for young self-employed workers and up-front payment of unemployment benefits for entrepreneurs, had been announced previously.
On Tuesday they were wrapped into a single strategy.
During five years of economic stagnation and recession, Spain's unemployment rate has risen to 26% - the highest level since the 1970s and one of the highest in the European Union - and more than half of 18-25 year olds are out of work.
More and more young Spaniards are studying German and English and heading abroad to find work.
Public anger is growing over austerity measures to tackle government overspending, which have aggravated economic problems, and over €40bn in public debt spent on rescuing banks that loaned too freely to builders during a real estate boom that ended in 2008.
With more than 5 million people out of work, job losses have accelerated in the first months of 2013.
Spain's 35 blue chip companies have announced more than 35 000 layoffs so far this year, compared with 18 000 layoffs by the same companies last year, according to a report in El Economista newspaper.
Rajoy spoke to an audience of union, company and government representatives at the Moncloa government palace.
But labour union leaders did not wait to hear the details before expressing scepticism over the new strategy.
"If the government does not re-orient its economic policy to make growth and jobs a priority instead of deficit cutting, the effects of the plan will have a limited effect and the economic recession and job destruction will continue," Spain's two biggest union federations, CCOO and UGT said in a statement just before Rajoy made the announcement.
Rajoy has said that any stimulus measures for the economy and jobs will not undermine his determination to cut the budget deficit in line with EU demands.
The government has trimmed the budget by tens of billions of euros this year and last, cutting public sector wages and limiting health and education spending at a time when the economy is shrinking an estimated 1.5% per year.
A third of the funding for the jobs plans will come from a European Special Fund, Rajoy said.     

EU to suspend aviation carbon tax

The European Union is set to partially suspend its controversial airlines emissions tax scheme, officials said Tuesday, as part of a bid to push international critics into reaching a global aviation deal.
Since last year, all airlines landing and taking off from EU airports have been liable for their carbon dioxide emissions, a move that infuriated countries such as the United States, China, Russia and India.
But after the bloc's parliament and governments struck a deal on Tuesday, the EU is now set to "stop the clock" for airlines flying intercontinental routes until the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) holds its general assembly in September.
The suspension should go into effect before April 30, EU parliamentarian Peter Liese said. Internal flights within the EU will continue to be liable for their emissions.
In the past, the EU had justified its decision to proceed unilaterally on aviation emissions by pointing to 15 unsuccessful years of pushing for a global agreement.
"It is now up to ICAO to deliver," said Irish Environment Minister Phil Hogan, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. "I hope this ... derogation will serve as an incentive in the negotiations."
"Nobody should put our determination in question to address the problem of aviation emissions," Liese added.
The European Parliament and EU governments still have to endorse the deal reached on Tuesday, but the move usually is a formality.

Putin, Seagal team up for sports

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday teamed up with American action movie actor Steven Seagal to promote the Soviet-style regime of rigorous physical training for Russian schoolchildren.

Accompanied by the black-clad star of "Under Siege" and "Above the Law", Putin, himself an avid sportsman, toured a newly-built complex at a prominent sambo martial arts training centre in Moscow.
After attending several training sessions, the Russian strongman said too many Russian children were sickly, noting they should take up sports to be able to defend themselves - and the country.
"We should not have any children who, as they say, sit on the bench during physical education classes. Everyone should practise sports, everyone without exception," Putin said at the Sambo-70 sports complex.
Sambo, a mixture of judo and wrestling, was the official in-house martial art of the KGB security services, which Putin practised before switching to judo.
Saying that two-thirds of Russian teenagers suffered from chronic illnesses by the age of 14, Putin called on the government to reintroduce the Soviet-era national fitness programme that used to be known by its abbreviation GTO, or Ready for Labour and Defence.
"Children should become strong, they should be healthy, love sports and have an opportunity to practise them, should know how to defend themselves, their loved ones, their family," Putin said in remarks released by the Kremlin.
"Ultimately, they should be able to defend their motherland."
Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian reporters that the Russian president and Seagal have been friends "for a long time" and regularly meet.
Earlier in the day, the two men had breakfast at Putin's residence outside Moscow, Peskov was quoted as saying.
In 2010, Putin, then the country's prime minister, visited a championship match of ultimate fighting in the company of Hollywood star Jean-Claude Van Damme.