Total's purchase of Arctic oil shipment sparks row over offshore exploration

Greenpeace accuses oil giant of hypocrisy due to its previously stated position on not producing oil in the Arctic

theguardian.com, Carly Chynoweth, Wednesday 30 April 2014

Total's chief executive on dangers of drilling for oil in the Arctic - "oil
on Greenland would be a disaster". Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Total has purchased a shipment of Arctic oil from Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, in apparent contradiction to earlier statements made by the French company's chief executive about the potential dangers of offshore oil exploration in the region.

A spokesperson for Total said: "Total has bought this cargo to feed its European refining and trading system. Crude oil is an open international market and for many years we [have bought] crude oil from Russia."

In 2012 Christophe de Margerie told the Financial Times (paywall) that drilling for oil in Arctic waters was too risky, saying that "a leak would do too much damage to the image of the company" and that "oil on Greenland would be a disaster". However, he also said that offshore gas exploration in the region was much less dangerous; the company is not against Arctic exploration per se, and has onshore oil and gas operations in the region.

Greenpeace, however, has criticised the purchase: "Total's decision to buy this oil smacks of real hypocrisy," said Ben Ayliffe, a campaigner for the environmental group. "Its CEO has already pledged not to drill in the icy waters of the far north, and yet he is apparently happy to buy the stuff if Gazprom takes on the risk. Mr De Margerie cannot have his cake and eat it."

Total's spokesperson denied any inconsistency. She said: "This is not in contradiction with our position regarding the Arctic. In fact we stand [in] the same position about producing oil in the Arctic: we do not operate in the icepack and we focus primarily on natural gas projects."

Ayliffe also raised concerns about the political implications of buying Russian oil. "As this tanker nears Europe the controversy surrounding it increases by the day," he said. "Buying the first shipment of offshore Arctic oil increases our dependence on Russian energy firms and only serves to strengthen president Vladimir Putin's hand in the geopolitical game he's playing.

He added: "We must urgently shift away from fossil fuels towards more efficient, clean technologies. This is no longer a purely environmental imperative. It is increasingly crucial to our national security."

The oil comes from Gazprom's Prirazlomnaya platform in the Pechora Sea, which has been the target of several high-profile actions by Greenpeace, including one in 2012 that saw six campaigners occupy the rig, and one last year in which 28 campaigners and two journalists were arrested on charges of piracy and hooliganism.

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Alstom's plight illustrates France's problems

Deutsche Welle, 29 April 2014

German tech giant Siemens and US company GE are competing for the French concern Alstom. The French president has vowed to intervene in the affair, which reveals many of the country's problems.

Alstom CEO Patrick Kron and his General Electric counterpart Jeffrey Immelt appeared to have everything signed, sealed, and delivered. GE, one of the biggest technology companies in the world, was to take over the French company for almost ten billion euros ($13.8 billion) - but the two companies had not banked on the interference of politicians.

"We will not allow this national flagship to be sold behind the back of the shareholders, the employees, and the French government," Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said on Twitter on Monday morning (28.04.2014). The state would "defend the economic and industrial interests of France," he added.

Political outrage

Alstom is considered a strategically important company in France, because it is part of the energy sector, manufacturing turbines for the country's many nuclear power stations. But there is more at stake: the Alstom case is "unfortunately another sign that France has gone off the rails," Jean-François Copé, chairman of the conservative opposition UMP party, told the Europe 1 network.

"Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past," tweeted former socialist cabinet minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement, before naming "Pechiney, ArcelorMittal, Lafarge" - all companies that had been swallowed by the foreign competitors.

Jeffrey Immelt thought he
had the deal sewn up

Not included in Chevènement's list was PSA-Peugeot-Citroën, which has just been bought by Chinese investors Dongfeng and the French state . Shareholders gave the green light for the bailout last Friday.

Industrial-sized losses

These examples show that France is in danger of losing its industrial base. The European Union statistics office Eurostat has calculated that industry accounts for only 12.8 percent of the country's economic power - half as much as in Germany, and significantly less than in Spain or Italy.

Ten years ago, a conservative French government bailed out Alstom with taxpayers' money, preventing a takeover of its energy sector by Siemens. Now that same plan - Siemens buying the energy tech component of Alstom - is supposed to provide a solution. In return, the German company is said to be prepared to devolve its rail business to Alstom. At the moment, the French firm's high-speed TGV trains are in direct competition with Siemens' ICE trains.

Advantage Siemens

General Electric (GE) and Siemens each have a turnover of some 75 billion euros, dwarfing Alstom's 20 billion euros.

"Alstom has global sales, but a lot of its activities come from French costumers, for example SNCF or Electricité de France," said Thomas Michalski, economist at the HEC economic school in Paris. "And those customers haven't brought a lot of business in the past few years."

The French government seems to prefer Siemens' offer to that of GE, but has no objections to a foreign takeover in principle.

"There is still a knee-jerk reaction to keep French companies in French hands," Michalski told DW. "However, I would say the French government knows it's heavily indebted; it still runs a huge deficit; the financial capacity to intervene is very limited."

Slow change

But Michalski sees signs of a change of heart that is not just down to the lack of means. When steel company ArcelorMittal closed down its plants in Lorraine in 2012, there was some political outrage - but no intervention. Nor did the government do anything when Lafarge, the world's second biggest manufacturer of construction materials, announced that following its merger with market leader Holcim it was moving its headquarters to Switzerland.

Siemens and Alstom both
make high-speed trains

On the other hand, the state did attempt to prevent storied industrial company Pechiney from suffering the same fate. Then the fourth biggest aluminum producer in the world was taken over by the Canadian Alcan group in 2003.

"Alcan dismembered Pechiney, sold it in pieces and laid people off," said Michalski, adding that for the French it was shocking, because they have more of a stakeholder culture.

He also argued that it had been a shock to the French to see the protection of jobs and tax income subordinated to the interests of shareholders.

"That's why the French prefer alliances with companies from Germany, which also has a stakeholder culture, to alliances or takeovers by firms from the Anglo-Saxon shareholder culture," he said.

For the French economy minister, the Siemens offer could create two European champions. Montebourg compares the current situation with the establishment of European airplane manufacturer Airbus, which now competes with the previously dominant US manufacturer Boeing.

"We will either be bought by Boeing," Montebourg said on Twitter, "or we create one Airbus of energy and one of transport."

German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, for his part, likes the idea. His spokesman said the fusion of Siemens and Alstom offered "huge opportunities" for both countries.

Outrage over banana insult to footballer in Spain

Yahoo - AFP, April 29, 2014

Outrage over banana insult to footballer in Spain

Barcelona (AFP) - A storm over racism in Spanish football erupted on Monday after a fan threw a banana at Barcelona full-back Dani Alves, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter joining widespread outrage.

A spectator -- who has since been identified -- threw the banana onto the pitch near the 30-year-old Brazilian international as Barcelona played at Villareal on Sunday night.

Alves won praise for his reaction, picking up the banana to take a bite before getting on with the game and setting up a goal in Barcelona's dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory.

There have been several racist incidents in Spain -- Alves has personally suffered several during more than a decade, first with Sevilla then Barcelona.

"The player Dani Alves gave a daring and strong response to racism in sports," Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff said in a series of Twitter messages. Such racism had become "unfortunately common," she added.

Blatter also reacted on Twitter on Monday, saying: "What @DaniAlves2 tolerated last night is an outrage. We must fight all forms of discrimination united. Will be zero tolerance at #World Cup."

Referee David Fernandez Borbalan noted the banana-throwing incident in his match report, which Spain's football authorities will review on Tuesday pending possible sanctions.

Barcelona issued a strong message of support for Alves, who is likely to be a key player for World Cup hosts Brazil in June.

"FC Barcelona wishes to express its complete support and solidarity with our first team player Dani Alves, following the insults he was subject to from a section of the crowd at El Madrigal on Sunday during the game against Villarreal," said the club in a statement.

Villarreal take action

Villarreal themselves released a statement expressing their "absolute rejection of any act" of "violence, discrimination, racism and xenophobia."

"Villarreal CF wants to communicate that the club deeply regrets and condemns the incident that happened...during the match against FC Barcelona in which a fan threw an object onto the field of El Madrigal," they added.

"The club has already identified the author and has decided to withdraw his season tickets, permanently banning his access to El Madrigal."

After Sunday's game, Alves said: "I have been in Spain 11 years and it has been the same for 11 years. You have to laugh at these backward people.

"We are not going to change it, so you have to take it almost as a joke and laugh at them."

Team-mates and fans lent public support, including compatriot and clubmate Neymar, who posted a photograph of himself on the Instagram social networking site showing him eating a banana and his two-year-old son hugging a cuddly banana toy.

"We are all monkeys, we are all the same. Say no to Racism! It's disgraceful that such shameful prejudice exists in 2014," Neymar said.

Chelsea's Brazilian stars Oscar, David Luiz and Willian also posted to social media, with Luiz holding a banana, while Manchester City's Argentinian star Sergio Aguero tweeted a picture of himself and Brazilian five-time world player of the year Marta both eating one.

"With my colleague Marta from Brazil we say #NoToRacism. We are all equal," said Aguero.

Former England international and former Barcelona star Gary Lineker tweeted after the match: "Utterly brilliant reaction from Alves. Treat the racist berk with complete disdain!"

Football's world and European governing bodies FIFA and UEFA have repeatedly tried to campaign against racism and last November, Blatter said he was "sickened" to see some Real Betis supporters make monkey chants at their own player, Brazilian defender Paulao, in a city derby against Sevilla.

Earlier in the season, two Elche fans were fined 4,000 euros ($5,400) and banned from attending sporting events for 12 months for racially abusing Granada defender Allan Romeo Nyom.

Incidents have also stained top level games in Italy, Russia and other European nations.

Ghana international Kevin-Prince Boateng walked off the pitch over racial insults made during a friendly between his then club AC Milan and a lower-league Italian side in January last year.

UEFA in February punished the Serbian federation, Russian club CSKA Moscow and Cypriot side Apollon Limassol for racist behaviour by fans.

Serbia's under-21 team were ordered to play a match without home fans after their supporters made monkey chants during a game against Belgium on November 15.

 Dani Allves FC Barcelona 20.04.2013 

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Spanish island to be fully powered by wind, water

Yahoo – AFP, Katell Abiven, 28 April 2014

Wind turbines are pictured near the upper reservoir of the Gorona power
station on El Hierro island on March 28, 2014

The smallest and least known of Spain's Canary Islands, El Hierro, is making a splash by becoming the first island in the world fully energy self-sufficient through combined water and wind power.

A wind farm opening at the end of June will turn into electricity the gusts that rake the steep cliffs and green mountains of the volcanic island off the Atlantic coast of Africa.

Its five turbines installed at the northeastern tip of El Hierro near the capital Valverde will have a total output of 11.5 megawatts -- more than enough power to meet the demand of the island's roughly 10,000 residents and its energy-hungry water desalination plants.

The lower reservoir and hydropower station

 at the Gorona power station on El Hierro

 island on March 28, 2014. (Photo by

Desiree Martin/ AFP)

Although other islands around the world are powered by solar or wind energy, experts say El Hierro is the first to secure a constant supply of electricity by combining wind and water power and with no connection to any outside electricity network.

Surplus power from the wind turbines will be used to pump fresh water from a reservoir near the harbour to a larger one at volcanic crater located about 700 metres (2,300 feet) above sea level.

When there is little or no wind, the water will be channelled down to the lower reservoir through turbines to generate electricity in turn.

"This system guarantees us a supply of electricity," said the director of the Gorona del Viento wind power plant, Juan Manuel Quintero who is supervising final tests before the plant starts functioning in a few weeks.

Emplyees work in the pump room at

 the Gorona power station on El Hierro

\ island on March 28, 2014. (Photo by

Desiree Martin/ AFP)

The plant will account for 50 percent of the island's electricity demand when it is officially inaugurated at the end of June, a figure that will rise to 100 percent over the following months.

The scheme will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 18,700 tonnes per year and eliminate the island's annual consumption of 40,000 barrels of oil.

El Hierro will maintain its fuel oil power station as a back up, just in case.

'World pioneer'

The island is cited as a pioneering project by IRENA, the international organisation for renewable energy, and other experts such as Alain Gioda, a climate historian at France IRD science research institute.

"The true novelty of El Hierro is that technicians have managed, without being connected to any national network, to guarantee a stable production of electricity, that comes 100 percent from renewable energy, overcoming the intermittent nature of the wind," he said.

A Turbogenerator set (L) and a lubrication

 (blue) at the Gorona power station on

 El Hierro island on March 28, 2014.

(Photo by Desiree Martin/ AFP)

El Hierro's wind power plant has sparked interest from other islands seeking to follow its example.

Officials from Aruba, Hawaii, Samso in Denmark, Oki in Japan, and Indonesia have all shown interest.

"It is a project which is considered at the world level as a pioneer and it is one of the most important in the production of renewable energy," said the president of island's local council, Alpidio Armas.

"El Hierro can be a sort of laboratory," he added, providing an example to other islands around the world which are home to around 600 million people.

El Hierro, the westernmost of Spain's Canary Islands, has also been invited to present its project at several international conferences, including in Malta and South Korea.

Electric vehicles

El Hierro wants to extend its environmental credentials even further by ensuring that by 2020 all of its 6,000 vehicles are run on electricity thanks to an agreement with the Renault-Nissan alliance.

A recharging point for electric vehicles at

 the Gorona power station on El Hierro

 island on March 28, 2014. (Photo by

Desiree Martin/ AFP)

The wind power plant cost 80 million euros ($110 million) to build.

The island authorities own 60 percent of the plant, with 30 percent held by Spanish energy company Endesa -- a subsidiary of Italian group Enel -- and 10 percent by a local technology institute.

"We wanted to be the owners of the majority of the plant. That means that the profits as well as the possible losses, that is the destiny of Gorona del Viento, is the responsibility of the residents of the island," said Armas.

Revenues from the plant will boost the island's budget by about one to three million euros per year, he said.

"These are revenues that can go to the local residents, to subsidise water prices, infrastructure, social policies," he said.

El Hierro, designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve with 60 percent of its territory of 278 square kilometres (107 square miles) protected to preserve its natural diversity, also hopes its green energy drive will draw visitors interested in nature and science.

"We cannot turn down the benefits that tourism brings, but we don't want mass tourism," said Armas.

Popes John Paul II and John XXIII made saints in double canonisation

Hundreds of thousands gather at Rome to witness canonisation of two great figures of 20th-century Roman Catholicism

theguardian.com, Lizzy Davies in Vatican City, Sunday 27 April 2014

Pope Francis has declared two of his predecessors, John Paul II and John XXIII, saints of the Roman Catholic church in an unprecedented double-canonisation mass in St Peter's Square.

The two towering figures of the 20th-century church were canonised to great applause from hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in the Vatican piazza.

Pilgirms attend the canonisation mass of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II
on St Peter's at the Vatican. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

"We declare and define Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II to be saints and we enrol them among the saints, decreeing that they are to be venerated as such by the whole church," said Francis in the official proclamation at about 10.15am.

People prepare to spend the night in Piazza Navona in Rome ahead of
the double canonisation. Photograph: Massimo Percossi/EPA

Later, in his homily, the Argentinian pontiff paid tribute to "two men of courage" who he said had "co-operated with the Holy Spirit in renewing and updating the church". "They were priests, bishops and popes of the 20th century. They lived through the tragic events of that century, but they were not overwhelmed by them," he said.

John XXIII, he said, was a pastor to the church, "a servant leader" who had called the Second Vatican Council. John Paul II, meanwhile, was "the pope of the family".

Pilgrims gather on Saint Peter's Square ahead of a ceremony that will see popes
John Paul II and John XXIII recognized as saints. Photograph: Claudio Peri/EPA

As the church approaches a crucial synod at which thorny issues to do with the family are expected to be tackled – such as the status of remarried divorcees in the church – Francis said he hoped the two new saints would intercede with God "so that … [the church] may be open to the Holy Spirit in pastoral service to the family".

Pope Francis celebrates mass during the canonisation ceremony in St Peter's
 Square at the Vatican of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Photograph:
Max Rossi/Reuters

Carrying flags, backpacks and rolled foam mattresses, pilgrims from all over the world had flocked into Vatican City overnight and were let into St Peter's Square from 5.30am when the piazza was opened by authorities. The Vatican said they totalled around 500,000 in St Peter's Square and the surrounding streets, while 800,000 people were thought to have gathered for the mass in Rome as a whole.

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"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… I gave you a channelling years ago when Pope John Paul was alive. John Paul loved Mary, the mother. Had John Paul survived another 10 years, he would have done what the next Pope [The one after the current one, Benedict XVI] will do, and that is to bring women into the Church. This Pope you have now [Benedict XVI] won't be here long.* The next Pope will be the one who has to change the rules, should he survive. If he doesn't, it will be the one after that.

There it a large struggle within the Church, even right now, and great dissention, for it knows that it is not giving what humanity wants. The doctrine is not current to the puzzles of life. The answer will be to create a better balance between the feminine and masculine, and the new Pope, or the one after that, will try to allow women to be in the higher echelon of the Church structure to assist the priests.

It will be suggested to let women participate in services, doing things women did not do before. This graduates them within church law to an equality with priests, but doesn't actually let them become priests just yet. However, don't be surprised if this begins in another way, and instead gives priests the ability to marry. This will bring the feminine into the church in other ways. It will eventually happen and has to happen. If it does not, it will be the end of the Catholic Church, for humanity will not sustain a spiritual belief system that is out of balance with the love of God and also out of balance with intuitive Human awareness. …”

"CURRENT EVENTS" - April 10, 2005 (As channelled by Lee Carroll for Kryon) – (Text Version)

“… The Last and Next Pope

[Note that this was channelled right after the death of John Paul II, and before the conclave of Catholic Cardinals had selected the next pope.]

"Kryon, we just lost what appears to be a great religious leader, Pope John Paul II. What are the ramifications of this?" My partner eluded earlier to the man called Karol who became the pope [spoken of earlier within the seminar]. He discussed what his goals were and what he did on this planet that really had nothing to do with his religion. Oh, perhaps the hat he wore did, and the places he walked did, and the ceremony around him did. But this was only given to facilitate what he could do.

But you see, like you, we knew Karol. He leaned into the wind of birth, too - just as you did. He was no different. And Spirit said to him, "You're going to have a chance to change the earth because the energy of this planet has the potential of being very different. There are potentials when you get to be a certain age where there'll be something called the Harmonic Convergence on the planet, and things will begin to change. You can fit into this as a world leader. Are you ready for that?" And he said yes.

No angel asked Karol if he wanted to be a Catholic, as he leaned into the wind of birth. That was simply the vehicle that got him into the position where he could change the planet the way he did. You couldn't have had the absence of the Armageddon that you've experienced without Karol. Did you know that [speaking of his direct involvement in the influence of the fall of communism]? So his belief system not only served him well, but it propelled him to a special place that was his alone to be in, and one that allowed him to touch billions all at once. And so it was that this great religious leader, who also knew intuitively what he was doing, had a love of humanity. His favorite thing was to be among common people - and he was, every time he could be. When he got to the position where he could make a difference, he did.

Now, there's something you don't know about Karol. The last decade of his life, he was very frustrated. Go look at the pictures. Go look at the pictures of the first 16 years. Then look at those from the last ten. The last ten, he was suffering - not just with his health - he was anguishing over a situation that none of you truly know about. For in his last ten years this man wanted to make some more changes while the time was ripe, but he knew he was too old.

Karol didn't have the energy to make the changes he really wanted to make, and those around him fought him to keep things the way they were. It was all very political, and someday this information may come out into the open, and you'll hear about those who influenced him in the last ten years and helped to keep things on an even keel. He was too old to make a difference and he knew it.

Karol was not of a consciousness to make some of the changes that many cried out for - about poverty and the role of women in his organization (that will come later). But Karol cried out in his heart for the children that were abused by the priests, and he wanted to do something about this and make a difference. He believed that his Savior wanted him to make a difference, but he couldn't do it. So what might look to you like inaction was instead the pope suffering, for he was not allowed to do what he wanted - due to his lack of energy and those around him who made certain he didn't.

"Kryon, here we sit with conclave of cardinals about to meet and select a new pope. What's the potential based upon the energy right now of the selection? What's going to happen?" I'll give you two potentials of what might take place in the next few days, because your future is always about free choice. There is no entity who can tell you about the future, since it's totally in the hands of the free-choice of humanity. However, based on the energy of the moment, here's what we see: (1) You're either going to have an interim, temporary pope for only a short amount of time (relative to the last one), who will lead to a radical pope; or (2) You're going to go right to the radical pope. Either way, you're going to eventually end up with a man who's going to do things to shake up the establishment.

Let me give you some of the potentials of what the radical pope may be involved in: This religion he leads on earth has doctrines that no longer "square up" with what humanity is seeing around itself. He absolutely has to address this issue, for the sophisticated Humans will leave the church otherwise. There will be those who may even call him "the evil pope" because he's going to go against tradition when he slowly starts a process that honors the Virgin Mary more than any pope ever has - therefore honoring women within the church, elevating them to higher positions... even to priests.

He will speak about family planning, and start processes that will slowly justify it in the eyes of God [this will take awhile], but it must come from the man who "sits in the chair" [ex cathedra] to change the doctrine of the whole organization. Because of this, he will also be in danger and will have to have constant protection.

Then he'll talk about what to do with priests who abuse children. Watch for this. Even if you receive the interim pope, he'll set the stage for the radical pope in this area. For this is in the energy aura of what we would call the potential future around this grand event. The earth is filled with free choice and it can go any direction, but I've just given you the potentials of what is here and now. …”

Kryon Q&A

Question (2004): What is the function of the current pope? What role did he play in the end of communism, and why is he still alive? To me, he seems to be part of the old energy: a reactionary and a chauvinist.

Answer: Dear one, this pope is the last of a lineage of old-energy spiritual leaders. Although he indeed carries this old mantle, which includes an apparent chauvinistic attitude of his age and culture, he is also a bridge to what is to come, which began to really show itself after the end of communism. First, he is the only pope to come to an understanding of the fact that what he represents [his church] is changing drastically. This brought him to a place where he not only apologized to the peoples of earth for the Spanish Inquisition, but also asked for forgiveness for what took place regarding the Vatican and its position during the Holocaust. No pope has ever done these things. It opens the door to the fact that the church is fallible, and that is a large step for any pope. He's also aware that he's the last one of his kind, and he's holding on to this as long as he can.

He won't be with you much longer, but things are not ready just yet for the new one who is coming. The timing will be within the next four years (or sooner if things move quickly), and it will be obvious why. The new pope will eventually represent a large change in the Catholic Church, and will create much upheaval within the ranks. The church must come to grips with a real changing consciousness on the planet, and prune itself of old energy practices, as well as an image that, increasingly, is not anything the new generation is interested in.

Honor this man. He has walked a tightrope of tradition versus new thinking. He's told you that there is no such thing as heaven or hell, yet he did it in a way that would not go against hundreds of years of church doctrine that says the opposite. He asked forgiveness of Galileo's family 300 years after the fact, yet did it in a way that didn't make the other popes appear to be wrong. This truly is a man who "knew" he was the last of the old popes, and he's tried to bring the church's energy to a place where it would be more prepared for what was coming. He didn't tackle the hardest problems, which are now on his doorstep. He knows better. It will be taken care of by the next pope, a younger one whom history may call "the evil pope." Not "evil" in the sense of being ungodly, but evil in the sense that he will go against the grain of tradition and history. He will make waves, just like the prophet they worship did. Jesus the Jew was known by the Essenes as the "wicked priest." It was because he went against all Jewish tradition, and empowered those around him.

Think about it.

Beijing eyes improved EU ties to increase global leverage

Want China Times, Staff Reporter 2014-04-27

Xi Jinping shakes hands with European Council president Herman Van
Rompuy, right, during his visit to Brussels on March 31.

Europe is becoming more and more important to China's strategic goals as evidenced by President Xi Jinping's first EU trip as leader earlier this year, reports Guangzhou's South Reviews.

China has faced difficulty in building up its geopolitical leverage, while the United States has a number of aces up its sleeve: its military alliances with Japan and South Korea, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). These alliances provide the US with leverage and put pressure on China.

To address this disparity, Beijing will have to seek leverage by conducting acts of goodwill with major powers, notably in Europe, which is at the heart of the global political games, the magazine said.

For a long time, Beijing has at most seen the EU as a trading partner and a technology transfer, failing to cultivate its geopolitical potential. But after Xi's successful EU tour, its potential to China's geopolitics has gradually emerged. Beijing will now look to build closer ties with European countries to improve China's strategic position.

Meanwhile, changes have occurred between the two sides, seeing each other on equal footing. During the tour from March 22 to April 1, Xi was greeted warmly in the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium, with the Dutch King Willem Alexander even going to the airport to receive him, showing respect to China.

However, there are still many obstacles facing Europe and China as the current strong bilateral economic and trade relationship cannot guarantee a sound strategic partnership. Without deeper military and security cooperation and the interaction of society and culture, the Sino-European strategic partnership will lack a solid foundation.

King Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima officially welcome Chinese
 president Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at Schiphol airport. Photo: Novum

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"The Timing of the Great Shift" – Mar 21, 2009 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) - (Text version)

“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013. They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader 

These leaders are going to fall over. You'll have a slow developing leadership coming to you all over the earth where there is a new energy of caring about the public. "That's just too much to ask for in politics, Kryon." Watch for it. That's just the beginning of this last phase.

Many years ago, the prevailing thought was that nobody should consider China as a viable player on the economic stage. They were backward, filled with a system that would never be westernized, and had no wish to become joined with the rest of the world's economic systems. Look what has happened in only 30 years. Now, look at Africa differently. ...”

Pope promises to help Ukraine

Yahoo – AFP, 26 April 2014

Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (R) meets with Pope Francis during

a private audience on April 26, 2014, at the Vatican (AFP Photo/Vincenzo Pinto)

Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk (R) meets with Pope Francis during a private audience on April 26, 2014, at the Vatican

Vatican City (AFP) - Pope Francis told Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Saturday that he would "do everything possible" for the country, amid fears that Russia could be about to invade.

Yatsenyuk said he asked Francis "to pray for Ukraine and for stability in Europe" and told him he was grateful for the support.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk

(C) exchanges gifts with Pope Francis during

a private audience on April 26, 2014, at the

Vatican (AFP Photo/Vincenzo Pinto)

He said the Vatican had already averted wars during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and the Argentina-Chile territorial dispute in 1978.

The Vatican said in a statement that Francis and Yatsenyuk had discussed the "specific role" that religious organisations could play "in fostering mutual respect and harmony".

"Mention was made of possible further initiatives by the international community in this regard," the statement said.

Yatsenyuk's spokeswoman said the premier was cutting short his trip to Rome and will miss the canonisation of John Paul II and John XXIII, as tensions mount in the eastern part of the ex-Soviet country and Western nations threaten sanctions.

Yatsenyuk spent 18 minutes behind closed doors with the pope, who had urged the international community to "prevent violence" in Ukraine in his Easter Sunday message.

At an exchange of gifts, Yatsenyuk presented Francis with a photograph of Maidan square in Kiev on New Year's night.

"This is where Ukrainians fought for their freedom and rights. Millions of people," he said.

The pope in return offered the Ukraine leader a pen, saying "I hope this pen will sign the peace", to which Yatsenyuk replied "I hope so."