WorldThe torture methods used by the CIA to extract information from detainees have sparked another debate in Parliament in the wake of the US Senate publishing its report on the CIA's detention and interrogation programme. MEPs were asked to vote on two different resolutions on this on 11 February, but only one of them was adopted. We talked to S&D member Birgit Sippel and EPP member Elmar Brok to find out why their political groups had different views on the issue. EU member states have relaunched peace talks with Russia and Ukraine to prevent the situation in the country from deteriorating any further. On Monday the EP's foreign affairs committee discussed the situation with Alexey Pushkov, the chair of the Duma's international affairs committee. After the meeting, we talked to Othmar Karas, an Austrian member of the EPP group and chair of the EP delegation to the EU-Russia parliamentary cooperation committee, to find out his views. EU Foreign Affairs Council confirms inclusion of additional Russian, Ukrainian citizens in EU sanctions list2015-02-10, 11:30During the European Union Foreign Affairs Council's meeting in Brussels on Monday, a decision was made on the inclusion of additional Russian and Ukrainian citizens in the list of EU sanctions, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (Unity) wrote in his "Twitter" profile last night. Ukraine has asked Lithuania to provide practical expertise solving concrete euro-integration issues in railway, sea transport and mail sectors. President Dalia Grybauskaitė, currently attending the international Munich Security Conference, met with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. During their bilateral meeting, the Presidents discussed the situation in Ukraine and EU support for this country. On Saturday, February 7, President Dalia Grybauskaitė is travelling to Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference. The President has been invited to this international conference as a keynote speaker at the presidential debate on European security and situation in Ukraine. Lithuania is getting ready to export beef to Japan. While it is undergoing necessary authorisation procedures, Lithuanian exporters will participate in the international exhibition of food and drinks Foodex Japan 2015. The 40th exhibition takes place in Tokyo on 3-6 March. Some 1.7 million Europeans still die because of cancer every year, making it the second most common cause of death in Europe. As up to 40% of cases can be prevented, World Cancer Day on 4 February is a great occasion to remind people of how thousands of lives can be saved, namely with proper prevention, early detection, access to proper treatment and care. Negotiations between the EU and the US on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could lead to the world's largest free-trade area. Although this could help to boost economic growth and create jobs on both sides of the Atlantic, there are concerns about the consequences the deal could have. This is why the European Parliament is following the talks very closely to ensure the agreement's benefits do not come at an unacceptable cost. Lithuania will join the Council of Europe's aid to Ukraine. Lithuania's Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe, Vytautas Leskevicius, has signed an agreement with the council on Lithuania's voluntary contribution to partially fund the Action Plan for Ukraine. |
|
© 2013 All rights reserved to the public enterprise ‘L24plius’. |