EU-DIGEST

Labels: Sex

We are living in liberal times; we are more tolerant of homosexuality, divorce and illegitimacy than ever before. Yet talking about sex even inside a good relationship is still difficult for many people. Meanwhile, fidelity has acquired a new importance. A Gallup poll in 2006 found that Americans were more tolerant of polygamy and human cloning than infidelity.

We no longer need to get married to have sex or children and many now enjoy a range of sexual experiences with different people before they "settle down", at which point being faithful to that special person is completely bound up with our feelings of love for them. Given how long we live and expect to be together, achieving this can be very difficult.

The only way a relationship can be made to work in these sex-obsessed times is with an understanding that we should never take each other for granted. Monogamy and fidelity cannot be expected from another person as a right. It is a gift offered from one mature human being to another because they care enough about their feelings not to want to hurt them. That's the deal most of us strike, and most of us do our level best to keep to it.

For more: Is an affair a sackable offence? | From the Guardian | The Guardian

Labels: Divorce, Ethics, Morality, Sex

Sex lags behind bathroom visits in popularity:Dutch survey

Sex might be fun, but the Dutch don't find it as fun as a pleasant trip to the bathroom, if survey results reported Thursday by the ANP news agency are to be believed. According to the poll of 1,000 adults, 88 per cent listed a visit to the bathroom as something "they enjoy the most," making it the most popular activity chosen, reported ANP. Only 21 per cent did the same for sex. ANP described the survey as "representative." It was conducted by the Intomart GfK institute for the popular scientific magazine Quest. The second most popular activity, according to the survey, was having a good chat with friends. Outdoor recreation took third place.

Labels: EU, Netherlands, Sex

British commercials for vibrators and condoms are the best in the world - by Jennifer Gunter

Misinformation is the biggest enemy of a healthy and safe sex life. If you don't know how to have good sex it is harder to be sexually fulfilled.
Vibrators are a great way for women to enhance their sexual experience. The problem? They are also one of the best-kept secrets. There is an occasional column in a women’s magazine, but the only advertisement to hit the public airwaves is from Trojan for their finger-vibe. It only appears on late night television and it is so bad is laughable (even worse than the ads for erectile dysfunction!). Trojan has made an inspiring commercial before, their “Men are pigs unless they wear a condom ad”, so it is disappointing they couldn’t find the same creative spark to support female orgasm, especially when they want women to shell out $19.99 for their product. Perhaps Trojan realized they wouldn’t get these ads on television so didn’t invest the capitol. After all, two of the major networks, FOX and CBS rejected the Trojan “Pigs” commercial all the while running advertisements for erectile dysfunction.

This is not the case in Europe. Ads for vibrators not only appear on television but they are also creative and cheeky. Hands down the best ads come from Durex, a British company whose motto is “ Sex plays a fundamental role in our physical and emotional wellbeing and a rewarding sex life should be everyone’s to enjoy”. Amen sister!

Labels: Advertising, EU, Sex

Poland: Teens prostitute themselves for brand clothes and vacation money

Twenty percent of teenage prostitutes in Poland sell their body in order to earn money for brand clothes, concert tickets or holiday, shows a report commissioned by Poland’s Children Ombudsman’s Office. The shocking report reveals that the number of teenagers who become prostitutes is growing and the age of teen prostitutes is coming down. Girls usually enter the sex business at the age of fifteen to sixteen. Boys also go on the streets as early as fourteen or fifteen. Twenty percent do it on their own free will. They choose to sell their bodies in order to earn money for brand clothes, fashionable gadgets or concert tickets. Material goods help them gain respect of their peers. “Young people feel they need to attend trendy clubs, wear brand clothes and have enough money for expensive alcohol and cigarettes in order to be accepted,” said Jacek Kurzępa, the co-author of the report. Another reason why teenagers decide to enter sex business is the desire to earn money easily and quickly. It is a particularly tempting option for those who collect money for holidays, pets or tickets to all kinds of music and sports events, because it saves time. There is also a group of teenagers who prostitute themselves just for a thrill, to taste a forbidden fruit, says the report. Prostitution is not perceived as bad or even shameful by many teenagers, the report shows. Young people, instead of calling prostitution by its name, use the term “sponsoring”, which softens its true meaning. For some, teenagers, those who have a sponsor, can even be role models.

Note EU-Digest: The above report also accentuates that the moral authority of the Polish Catholic Community which used to be quite influential in these matters has caved in to the powers of the consumer society?"

Labels: EU, Poland, Prostitution, Sex, Teenagers

Labels: Carnaval, Germany, Sex

Its forbidden to buy sexual services anywhere for Norwegian Citizens – but what now? - Stavanger Aftenblad

From the New Year onward it became illegal for Norwegian citizens to buy sex. "Human beings are not trade items," maintains the Norwegian Minister of Justice. Now in its 14th day of operation, a new law in Norway makes it a criminal act to pay for sexual favors both within the country and outside it if you’re a Norwegian citizen. Based partly on a similar law instituted by Sweden in 1999, it is expected to greatly reduce the number of prostitutes currently working the streets of Oslo and Stavanger. The prostitutes selling their services, however, will not be liable to prosecution under the new law. Only the customers will face charges of buying sex. Those caught could be given six months in jail, a fine, or both. If the sexual act involves minors or other special circumstances, the penalties could be much greater.

Labels: Norway, Prostitution, Sex

Christians and sex - One preacher's message: Have hotter sex - by Brian Alexander

"Beam, a portly, silver-haired basso profundo dressed in khaki slacks, a sweater vest and brown tasseled loafers that make him look like a retired country-club golf pro, walks to the front of the room and proceeds to tell the men in the audience how to make their semen taste better. Sweet stuff works, he says, which provides a built-in excuse because "then you can say, 'I'm eating this cake for you, baby!'"

The San Diego Church of Christ is Beam’s sponsoring group today, but as far as he is concerned it could be any conservative Christian denomination. The message would be the same: Married Christians ought to be having more — and hotter — sex. Welcome to the world of hot Christian love".

Labels: Christianity, Christians, Sex

Emotions, Robots & the Future: - by Anastasia Mavromatis

In his book, Love and Sex With Robots (2007, Harpercollins), artificial intelligence expert Robert Levy is of the view that relationships with androids and similar other artificially enhanced machines will be inevitable by 2050. His view is based on studying the historical relationships between humans and machines. Completely different from the Hollywood version of robotics, namely The Terminator franchise, new features (such as emotions) can affect the sex industry, making sex workers redundant as well as minimizing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.

Robots offering emotional feedback, such as the recent example in the UK, and the potential this may have for realistic sex dolls can lead to one thing – the safest form of sex. It seems that sexual evolution is heading into the mechanical sector.

Labels: Artificial, Sex

Where to find sexiest women and men in world (excluding us, of course) - by Paul Makishima

The Matador Knights have compiled a list of where you can find the world's sexiest -- outside of the United States. I know this is not the criteria by which most plan their travel. But frankly I have heard of worse reasons
So, where can you find the sexiest women and men? Note EU-Digest: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Based on that criteria Paul Makishima did a good report.

Labels: Sex, Sex Appeal

Sex in Europe - European Sex and Prostitution - by Durant Imboden

Forget history and culture: To judge from what readers are ogling on my travel site, sex and prostitution are the main reasons for visiting Europe. Of the more than 2,500 pages at Europe for Visitors, only a few (perhaps a dozen) are about sexual topics. Yet those pages are among my most popular--a fact that probably shouldn't be surprising, since most guidebooks and online travel sites give short shrift to Red Light Districts and other topics that earlier generations might have termed "racy."

Labels: Europe, Sex

Labels: Casanova, EU, Sex

U.S., France move to block online child pornography

Governments and internet service providers in both the U.S. and France struck deals on Tuesday to block access to child pornography. In the United States, ISPs Verizon, Sprint and Time Warner Cable also agreed to pay $1.1 million US to help fund efforts to remove online child pornography created and disseminated by users through their servers. The changes, which will affect U.S. customers worldwide, were announced Tuesday by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Labels: EU, Ponography, Sex

For the complete report from guardian.co.uk Books click on this link

Publishers battle to sign up Europe's sex sensation - by Jason Burke

Charlotte Roche's exploration of filth in all its meanings now tops Germany's literary charts. Soon it will hit the shelves in her country of birth. Wetlands, which has beaten Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns and Ken Follett's latest to the top of Amazon's international sales list, has sparked a frenzy among major British publishers. Roche's German publishers last week refused to speak to The Observer or to arrange an interview with Roche to avoid pre-empting what is expected to be a massive UK deal and publicity campaign. 'No, nothing, impossible,' they said.

For whether it is the fantasies about sex, the polemics against the use of deodorants, the avocado cores grown specially for use in masturbation, or the detailed and inventive passages of scatological or genital description, Wetlands has left few indifferent.

Labels: Britain, Charlotte Roche, EU, Germany, Literature, Sex

The dirty weekend guide to Europe - by Stephen Bleach

Let me take you away from all this, ma chérie. Let us fly to a little place I know, an intimate escape from the cares of this world, where our love may bloom like the bougainvillea, our hearts burn like the sunset, our passion be fulfilled like a ... Yes, all right, I’ll stop there. You get the drift. If you want to kindle new love, or rekindle old, there’s nothing like a romantic break. But, and I speak from experience here, hotels are not the answer.

Labels: EU, Sex, Tourism

French ask British for help in bed - by Matthew Campbell

Hoping to put a bit of oomph back into their love lives, the French are turning national stereotypes on their head by seeking help from, of all people, les rosbifs.In a curious reversal of roles, the new craze in France for chic designer boutiques offering tips to couples on how to spice up their sex life is being fuelled by erotic products from over the Channel.Pruvot, a 40-year-old former advertising executive, is one of a new breed of erotic entrepreneurs catering to what recent surveys have shown is a growing number of French couples complaining of boredom in bed. He is also at the cutting edge of a trend being described as the “democratisation” of sex shops.

Labels: Britain, EU, France, Sex

'100 000 Years of Sex' opens in Germany

Erotic carvings and excavated Roman artefacts connected to sex will go on display on Saturday in Germany's best-preserved ancient Roman city, Trier. The temporary exhibition, 100 000 Years of Sex, comprises 250 items, mainly archaeological. They date back to the Stone Age and show how our ancestors experienced lust and procreation, said Mechthild Neyses-Eiden, deputy director of the museum. Devised in the Netherlands and first mounted in 2003 in another museum, the exhibition is being supplemented at the Rhenish Museum in Trier with about 50 local Roman-period artefacts recovered by archaeologists.

Labels: EU, Germany, Sex

Just when you think the US media couldn't get any worse - by dlindorff

Obama, whose oratorical skills have left the robotic and monotonous Hillary Clinton sounding like a pull-string Barbie on the stump (remember "Math is hard!"?), has had the Clinton campaign frantically casting around for a rejoinder, and the best they could come up with to date was a charge that he's "all hat and no cattle" (itself a line lifted, uncredited, from Texas populist Jim Hightower, if I recall, though I think it has an older lineage among Texans, and has been appropriately applied to President Bush on numerous occasions). Obama decided to respond using some of Patrick's lines.

Now, one could argue that Obama would have been better advised to give fair attribution to Gov. Patrick, but since when have politicians gone around putting footnotes on their public speeches? Most political speeches are excercises in cut and paste, full of regurgitated pablum and lifted quotes. If plagiarism were a political crime, 90 percent of members of Congress would be out on their ears. (For that matter, if plagiarism were a crime, Hillary Clinton herself would be behind bars. Her book, "It Takes a Village," was largely written by Barbara Feinman, a Georgetown University journalism prof who was reportedly offered $120,000 for the job, but her name appeared nowhere in the volume, which Clinton still claims as her own work.)

Labels: Press, Sex, US elections

On Dec. 20, three days after his resignation as secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Christos Zahopoulos jumped from the fourth floor of his flat in Athens city centre. He has partly recovered but is going to face serious long-term health problems. The following day, Giannis Andrianos, press officer for Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, handed judicial authorities a DVD showing Zahopoulos engaging in intercourse with an ex-employee of the ministry. He claimed the DVD was given to him by a journalist. The material suggested that Zahopoulos attempted suicide because he was being blackmailed by Tsekou, who wanted permanent employment in the ministry. The ministry employs thousands of workers on seasonally updated contracts for long periods; as a result they face continuing insecurity about their employment status.It is still unclear who brought the DVD to the press officer of the PM, and for what purpose. But the situation has exposed an all-out war among big media tycoons connected to shadowy interests attached to political power. This has led to widespread expression of disenchantment with political life in the country. The government's handling of the case is particularly damaging Prime Minister Karamanlis who had made Zahopoulos, an old friend, his personal choice for the post. Karamanlis's New Democracy (ND) party has sought to present Karamanlis as a leader determined to fight corruption and to revive political ethics.

Labels: EU, Greece, Political, Sex

Bringing sex out of the shadows - by David Brinn

Don't try comparing Nitzan Kirshenbaum with America's famous sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Kirshenbaum is a vivacious Tel Aviv-area former model and mother of two, and Dr. Ruth is, well, Dr. Ruth."In comparison to Europeans, I think that Israeli society is relatively closed when it comes to sex. In Europe, the issue is out in the open, there are expos like this all the time, and sex isn't hidden behind unmarked doors," she said. "In the US, it seems like there's a double standard. Adult material is available everywhere, but you would hardly ever see a women go topless on the beach. But as a whole, sex is more hinted at in the US than in Europe." "In Israel, it's sort of divided. In Gush Dan, there's a feeling of more openness regarding sex than in the periphery. I suppose that is mostly due to the religious modesty that's more prevalent in the rest of the country."

Labels: Israel, Sex

Sex Trade in Europe: Europe’s fight against trafficking in human beings, a new form of slavery - by Terry Davis

Europe may well have abolished slavery 200 years ago, but it has not yet been stamped out. Across Europe criminal gangs are getting rich through the trade in human beings—and many governments are not doing enough to stop it. Trafficking in human beings is not the most discreet form of crime. Its victims can be found every evening on the banks of a canal near the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg, and in other cities in Georgia and across Europe. The heavy make-up does nothing to conceal their anguish and despair. Occasionally, they are rounded up by the police and deported to their countries of origin. In most cases, they will be forced back into slavery in some other corner of Europe before the ink of the signatures on their deportation orders has had time to dry. Regrettably, criminals always seem to be one step ahead. While the traffickers are getting rich, the trafficked are paying the price.

To put an end to this frustrating and shameful state of affairs, the Council of Europe produced a groundbreaking new Convention in 2005 to strengthen international co-operation, prevent trafficking, prosecute traffickers, help the victims and create a monitoring mechanism to ensure that governments comply with what they have signed. The Convention will enter into force on 1 February and have immediate legal effect in the first ten countries to ratify it: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, France and Norway, which have ratified it in January, it will enter into force on 1 May.

Labels: EU, Prostitution, Sex

Sex Trade in the EU - Human trafficking campaign ends in Czech Republic by Kimberly Ashton

The Czech Republic has long been a destination for sex tourists from the West. Brothels line the road in some border towns and hordes of stag partygoers have filed through Prague’s numerous sex clubs.
Now a nonprofit group has teamed with the government to expose a side of the industry some customers would rather not think about — or don’t know about — and to seek help from them. “The customer might be for the victim of human trafficking the only connecting link to the outside world and the only person who can primarily help her,” said Kristina Klepková of the nonprofit group International Organization for Migration (IOM). Klepková led a three-month program, called Together Against Human Trafficking, which ended last week, to raise awareness of sex slavery in the Czech Republic.

Labels: EU, Prostitution, Sex

Dutch/Turkish TV producer Senay Özdemir

For the complete report from Radio Netherlands click on this link

The right of young Turkish Muslims to have sex

Muslim parents in the Netherlands tell their daughters to stay virgin until the day of their wedding. An impossible requirement, says Senay Özdemir. It only leads to hypocrisy and disturbed family relations. Young Muslim women should have more freedom to experiment with sex before marriage.Former tv-presenter Senay Özdemir is a young Dutch woman of Turkish origin. As the editor of a digital magazine for women of immigrant background, SEN Magazine, she knows very well what is going on in the minds of young Muslimas in the Netherlands. Last week she published her view in an opinion article in the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad. What many Muslim parents in the Netherlands are forgetting, writes Ms Özdemir, is that they themselves were mostly married at a young age and thus could legitimately have sex. In modern Dutch society, however, the age at which young Muslim women marry is steadily rising. The average age is now 23 years, but more educated women often do not marry before 30.

Ms Özdemir knows what she is talking about. As editor of SEN Magazine she daily receives e-mails in which young Muslim women speak freely about their love-life. "Young women of immigrant background increasingly consider oral sex as something quite normal and feel they can't refuse their boyfriends when they ask for anal sex, as that would not damage their virginity."She calls it the 'virginity paradox'. The prohibition of sex, argues Ms Özdemir, is totally ineffective. It has in fact the reverse effect that young Muslim women as well as men become obsessed by sex.

Labels: EU, Muslims, Netherlands, Sex, Turks

Project to clean up Amsterdam’s sex trade which employs 25.000 people - by Ashley Doodnauth

Of the approximately 16.5 million people living in the Netherlands, about 20,000-25,000 individuals are sex workers, and 90% of those individuals are female. Most of the prostitution is concentrated in Amsterdam, a city that was established at the end of the 12th century. By the end of the 17th century, Amsterdam was known throughout Europe for being able to satisfy any carnal pleasure. In 2000, the Netherlands legalized prostitution in hopes of bringing the profession out of the shadows and protecting the city’s sex workers. However, the government now wishes to partially reverse the legislation, as it did not fulfill its purpose. According to Reuters, Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen wants to focus on eliminating the organized criminals whose presence has corrupted the Dutch city. Cleaning up the Red Light District would include the elimination of human trafficking, money laundering and drug abuse. By greatly decreasing the prostitution windows in the city area, it will pave the way for “upmarket boutiques.” The city council realizes that the seedy history of the area is part of their identity, so they are refraining from eliminating all prostitution.

Nonetheless, the critics are up in arms about the proposed change that will most likely result in forcing hundreds of women, who once made their living by selling sex, out of work. Even worse, the displaced women could be forced underground, making the legalization of prostitution ineffective.

Labels: Amsterdam, EU, Netherlands, Sex

Sex in Britain: I pay a man for regular sex

Every month for three years I have spent up to euro 800 on Justin, who makes me a calmer and happier person. Once, sometimes twice, a month I meet up with Justin, a 36-year-old divorcé. We go out for a meal and maybe to a club before spending the night in a hotel. I am a divorced mum and work part time to spend as much time as I can with my four children. Justin also has four children. But what differentiates our dates from the norm is that I pay for Justin’s company, including having sex with him.

My ex husband and I had a great sex life, so when our marriage ended, I decided to go on-line and see if anyone out there could fill the gap. I found a huge number of websites and adverts offering a wide range of services. In the end I found Justin. He costs euro 270 for an hour, euro 365 for three hours and euro 800 for overnight – and every penny is well spent. Our first encounter was nerve-racking and my main worry was that I might not find him attractive, although I definitely went out with sex on my mind. I booked into a hotel and spent ages getting ready, then Justin came to collect me and we went out to dinner. He’s very good-looking and extremely fit, so despite my nerves there was an instant spark and we had a great time.

Labels: Britain, EU, Prostitution, Sex

Have sex, get UK visa!- by Nabita Sircar

A probe has been launched following a newspaper report that staff at Britain's biggest immigration centre was giving UK visas to attractive foreigners in return for sex. A former employee told the Sun tabloid that workers at the centre in Croydon, south London, used their influence to seduce pretty asylum seekers whereas "ugly" migrants would see their applications rejected.

The whistleblower, Anthony Pamnani, a former administration worker at Lunar House centre which deals with 300,000 visa and asylum applications a year made the claims. 23-year-old Pamnani said, "One girl came in and told us an administrative officer had visited her flat and they slept together. She got indefinite leave to stay." Staff treated Brazilian girls most favourably, he claimed. They would allow them to stay twice as long in Britain as their male counterparts. However, he said unattractive women would receive the opposite treatment.

Labels: EU, Immigration, Sex

Dutch court allows Srebrenica lawsuit against UN, Netherlands to proceed

A court in the Netherlands ruled Tuesday that the families of approximately 8,000 Bosnian Muslims who were killed in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre [BBC timeline; JURIST news archive] can proceed with their class action lawsuit [JURIST report; case backgrounder] against the United Nations and the Netherlands filed June 4, according to lawyer Marco Gerritsen, who represents approximately 6,000 family members of victims in the lawsuit. Gerritsen said the court ruled the case can proceed in spite of the UN's claim of immunity [JURIST report; press briefing transcript] under Article 2 Section 2 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations [PDF text], which says that the UN's property and assets "shall enjoy immunity from every form of legal process except it has expressly waived its immunity." The thousands of Srebrenica survivors who filed the lawsuit allege that both the Netherlands and the UN are liable for their failure to protect civilians, many of whom were refugees that relocated to the Srebrenica enclave declared [S/Res 819, PDF] to be a "safe area" by the UN Security Council in 1993.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

E. Africa bloc signs interim trade agreement with EU

Five East African countries agreed a new trade deal with the European Union on Tuesday, weeks before a preferential trade pact is due to expire, EU officials said. Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi -- which form the East African Community trading bloc -- and the European Commission inked an interim deal, covering goods and fisheries. The move was a step towards a new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) covering issues such as services and investment to be reached by mid-2009, the Commission said.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

Number of New HIV Cases in European Union Nearly Double Since 1999, Report Says

The number of new HIV cases recorded in European Union countries has nearly doubled from 28.8 cases per one million residents in 1999 to 57.5 cases per one million residents in 2006, according to a report released on Friday by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, BBC News reports. More than 50% of cases are through heterosexual transmission, although men who have sex with men are at higher risk of infection, ECDC said (BBC News, 11/23). The EuroHIV data, published in ECDC's journal Eurosurveillance, found that in 2006, a total of 86,912 new HIV cases were reported across 50 of the 53 countries of the World Health Organization European Region. A total of 26,220 cases, or 30%, reported in E.U. countries, according to the data. The average rate of new HIV diagnosis across Europe is about 111 cases per one million residents, and the rate among countries in the European Union is 67 cases per one million residents (ECDC release, 11/23). According to the report, the number of HIV cases is continuing to rise in non-E.U. areas of Europe, with 288 cases per one million residents in Ukraine and 275 cases per one million residents in Russia (BBC News, 11/23). The data indicate that former Soviet countries had the highest number of new HIV cases in 2006, primarily because of drug use, Reuters reports. Former Soviet countries reported 59,866 new HIV cases in 2006, which is more than all of the new cases in Western and Central Europe combined (Reuters, 11/23).

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

UK broadband network 'lagging behind the rest of Europe' - by Gary Cleland

The broadband network needs urgent improvement or it will fall behind the rest of Europe, industry experts have claimed. Telecommunications leaders said internet access needed a faster broadband network to cope with rising demand for services. They claimed at a Government-organised summit that the flagging network could be left behind by other countries. Almost nine out of 10 British internet users connect via broadband yet they have to put up with some of the slowest broadband speeds in Europe - worse than Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

EU to get its own GPS system: Galileo to be partially funded through EU farming subsidies

Following months of disagreements, the EU has reached a funding compromise and resolved the crisis around its Galileo satellite navigation system. Two thirds of the missing 2.4 billion euros will be provided from EU farming pots alone. This was announced by the Portuguese Chair of the European Council in Brussels on Friday night following more than 12 hours of budget negotiations for 2008 by the EU Ministers of Finance or their representatives. Germany could not uphold its reservations against fully funding Galileo from the EU budget, reported EU diplomats. Berlin didn't want to put the EU's long-term financial plan on the line, which runs until 2013. According to German Minister of Finance Peer Steinbrück, the German government was also apprehensive of straining its national budget by an additional more than 500 million euros. European Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget Dalia Grybauskaite spoke of an "important decision". As she had suggested, farming subsidies would for the first time be used to improve the EU's competitive position. The current Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Portuguese State Secretary of Finance Emanuel Augustos Santos, said that farming subsidies had not been exhausted this year, and that therefore nothing would be taken away from anybody.

Unlike the US system GPS, the European Galileo satellite navigation system is intended mainly for civilian purposes. It was initially planned to be available this year. The planned start has been postponed to 2013. Apart from the European Union, both China (COMPASS) and India (IRNSS) plan to launch their own satellite navigation systems into the earth orbit. The Russian GLONASS system is planned to be fully functional again from 2009.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

Dollar down, euro up, so what - by John M.Berry

The U.S. dollar is still at the center of the world's financial system, and its importance isn't fading in the face of exaggerated claims to the contrary.Nevertheless, the dollar continues to dominate foreign-exchange markets, U.S. financial markets are the world's deepest and most liquid, and Treasury securities remain the globe's premier risk-free investment. And, of course, the US is a market second to none, to which foreign companies supplied more than $2.2 trillion worth of goods and services last year.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

A New French Revolution - by Fareed Zakaria

In an essay in the current issue of The American Interest, Brookings scholar Philip Gordon writes that Sarkozy might well be able to make France a larger player in the world, "punching above its weight," the way Tony Blair did during the 1990s and early 2000s. Blair, and Thatcher before him, were able to create a new image for Britain and made the country a modern world power. But that transformation rested on the revival of the British economy, which became a symbol of success in a globalized age. France currently ranks 18th in the World Economic Forum's annual competitiveness rankings. That's not bad, but it is nowhere near commensurate with the place that the French imagine for themselves in the world.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

Ukraine - Shell terminates MoU Ukraine Deal, confirms Regal

Shell has terminated a Memorandum of Understanding covering interests in Ukraine signed with oil explorer Regal Petroleum last week, Regal said Monday. “The company is considering its options for the development and commercialization of its Ukrainian assets,” said Regal this morning. The agreement with Shell over a sale of a 51% stake in its Ukraine interests was announced last Wednesday.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

Archbishop of Canterbury says "US is‘worst’ imperialist - by Abul Taher

In a wide-ranging interview with a British Muslim magazine, the Anglican leader linked criticism of the United States to one of his most pessimistic declarations about the state of western civilization. He said the crisis was caused not just by America’s actions but also by its misguided sense of its own mission. He poured scorn on the “chosen nation myth of America, meaning that what happens in America is very much at the heart of God’s purpose for humanity”. He went on to suggest that the West was fundamentally adrift: “Our modern western definition of humanity is clearly not working very well. There is something about western modernity which really does eat away at the soul.”

Williams suggested American leadership had broken down: “We have only one global hegemonic power. It is not accumulating territory: it is trying to accumulate influence and control. That’s not working. He contrasted it unfavourably with how the British Empire governed India. “It is one thing to take over a territory and then pour energy and resources into administering it and normalising it. Rightly or wrongly, that’s what the British Empire did — in India, for example. “It is another thing to go in on the assumption that a quick burst of violent action will somehow clear the decks and that you can move on and other people will put it back together — Iraq, for example.

Labels: Britain, China, Elections, Energy, EU, France, Immigration, Iran, Netherlands, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex, Trade, US

Utherverse and Amsterdam's popular Red Light Centre Website now offering virtual sex and drugs hits Canada - by Suzanne Fournier

Police are concerned about a website being set up in B.C. that combines Facebook-like social interaction with virtual drug deals and naked characters having sex. Bruce Shuster, owner of Utherverse Inc. and Amsterdam's popular Red Light Centre site, claims he's already had 40,000 free hits, and found 1,200 people willing to pay $20 per month for an avatar - computerized persona - that can get naked, have sex, get into the "passion club," and buy virtual alcohol and drugs.Shuster claims his site is restricted to "18 and over"and he insists "it's an incredibly self-policing community. "Any time a minor pops onto one of our sites we boot them out."

Shuster wouldn't disclose if he has a way to verify age.He also insists "pedophiles are not going to be trawling our site because none of our avatars are children." Far from hiding or encouraging stalkers or predators, Shuster says his site promotes sexual liberation. "Users feel liberated. Women e-mail me saying they appreciate another aspect of their sexuality by using an avatar."

Labels: Amsterdam, Canada, Ottawa, Sex

Prostitution Britain: Market forces - by Mark Gould

In Croydon, south London - home to Lunar House, the UK's border and immigration agency - it appears that buying a trafficked woman for sex is as easy as ordering pizza. That is what concerned residents, posing as punters, were shocked to discover when they phoned 100 brothels, saunas and escort agencies advertising in their local papers. They found that 84% of the women being sold for sex were from overseas, most of them trafficked.

Official figures estimate that some 4,000 women a year are trafficked into the UK to feed a growing sex industry facilitated by shrinking borders and changing attitudes towards buying sex.

Labels: Britain, Council of Europe, Prostitution, Sex

Europe's plunging birth rate 'will lead to pensions crisis' - by Nina Lakhani

Europe is getting old, and fast. Birth rates are falling below those necessary to replace older people as they die. The average birth rate in the European Union is down to 1.5 children per woman, and officials warn that unless it rises to 1.7, the EU will have difficulty financing its pension system. Portugal's birth rate fell last year to the lowest level since records began in 1935. Poland, with one of Europe's lowest fertility rates, recently began a program of tax breaks, longer maternity leave and better pre-school provision to encourage larger families. The Nordic model includes financial incentives and flexible working, and has seen the birth rate increase slightly in Norway and Sweden.

The population projection for the EU in 2050 is 450 million, almost 10 million fewer than in 2005. Before the end of the decade the proportion of people aged 60 or over will exceed the proportion of those under five. There are steadily fewer people of working age to support the elderly.EU Digest Comment: Enjoy sex, make babies, Europe needs your help.

Labels: Birthrate, EU, Sex

Steamy sexy video gets Brussels hot under the collar, most Europeans turned on, and Polish Government upset - by Vanessa Mock

Cries of ecstasy and clothes torn off in a fit of passion are not what you would normally expect to come out of the European Commission. But its steamy clip of famous sex scenes has scored a surprise hit on YouTube - as well as grunts of displeasure from Polish politicians.The 40-second film is a sequence of love scenes in European cinema taken from films such as Breaking the Waves and Amelie. It shows couples getting it on in toilets, in kitchens and more traditionally, in the bedroom, with a heady soundtrack that crescendos into all-out screams of pleasure."Since we put it on YouTube in February, we've had over 270,000 visitors and top ratings," Commission spokesman Martin Selmayr beams.

Online punters might be lapping it up, but not the more conservative elements in Polish politics. Polish members of the European Parliament, including Maciej Giertych and Marcin Libicki, are reportedly "offended" by a short gay sex sequence, which they say undermines Catholic values.

Regardless of the criticism, it is clear that this is one of the few occasions when the EU Commission has managed to turn Europeans on - not off.

Labels: EU Commission, Sex, YouTube

Amsterdam Symposium: "Menopausal Women Need Good Food and Lots of Sex say Spanish Medical Experts"

"In a document presented at the recent Menopause Symposium in Amsterdam, the Spanish Association for the Study of the Menopause (AEEM) presented a document in which it was noted that an adequate diet and an active sex life contributes towards a better general health of the menopausal woman. The 22 million women who make up about half of the Spanish population are the female Europeans with the longest expected lifespan, at almost 83 years old, which will rise to 85.1 years old by the year 2020, if the upward curve continues at the same rate. The Spanish health experts also stressed the importance of the support of a partner, which is certainly the best way to face the menopause."

Labels: Menopause, Sex, Spain

Swedish woman jailed for sex with boy

A Swedish woman has been sentenced to six months in jail for sexually abusing a child. The woman, who is said to be a high profile company director, was traveling abroad six years ago when she met the boy and began a sexual relationship. At that time he was twelve years old and she married with two children.

Labels: Sex, Sweden

Bulgaria: British Teenagers Come to Bulgaria for "Orgies of Boozing, Sex"

Bargain flights, cut-price hotels and cheap drink are giving British teenagers licence to save their money and lose their inhibitions in Bulgaria.

Labels: Bulgaria, Sex

European Sex Text Messaging becomes The Latest Technology Fad For Hooking Up in America-by Em and Lo-by Em and Lo

It was only a matter of time before New Yorkers started getting hot and heavy via text message. We’re a little late to the game (those cheeky Europeans, masters of hand-to-phone coordination, have enjoyed the sexual benefits of texting for years). But all it took was a catchy moniker—you gotta love “sex messaging”—and a little time for people to develop thumb dexterity while drunk. “I use text messaging to schedule all my booty calls,” says Deborah, 27, a publicist. “It usually takes about ten messages until we’re on our way to meet.” It doesn’t stop there. “We continue to text-message until the door of my place or his is opened and we connect. We even send BlackBerrys from the elevator.” Texting as foreplay: ideal for the busy urban booty caller."

Labels: Cellular Phones, Sex, Text messaging, USA

SEX - European Sex and relationship psychologist gives her predictions for 2007

"This year you can expect to see a lot of media coverage in Europe, the US and Canada on ‘great’ or ‘super’ sex. This will be in the form of books, television programmes and magazine features and include topics such as ‘how to have the best sex ever’, ‘how to have the best sex in the world/universe’, ‘how to have more/better orgasms’, ‘how to get more sex’, and ‘how to be really fantastic in bed’.

Related to these programmes/features will be classes run from either sex stores or by individuals teaching ‘great sex’ techniques. Most of this coverage won’t be based on evidence but will be based on a one-size-fits-all approach to sex.

Contrary to good sex advice, rather than encouraging exploration and adventure we’ll be told what good sex is and how to achieve it. The programmes/articles will be built around product placement and feature ‘sexperts’ who may not be the best qualified to offer advice.

Labels: Sex