Hungarian sludge disaster darkens mood
KOLONTAR, Hungary – The disaster that buried three Hungarian villages in caustic red sludge last week is deepening the gloom of a country gripped by recession, polarization and the near-ubiquitous feeling that its people are doomed to be victims of calamity.
Hungary: Chemical Waste Reservoir Still Dangerous
By Marietta Le
As it was widely reported, a flood of red sludge hit villages in Western Hungary earlier this week. The disaster caused by a spill of toxic material from an alumina plant reservoir affected seven villages in the area: Tüskevár, Kolontár, Kisberzseny, Somlóvásárhely, Apácatorna, Devecser, Somlójen?. (A zoomed-in map with the reservoir is here.)
MAIN FOCUS: Toxic sludge reaches the Danube | 08/10/2010
In the aftermath of the serious accident at a Hungarian alumina factory on Monday the toxic sludge has now reached the Danube river. The government in Budapest has asked Brussels for disaster relief. The press complains about the generally low level of environmental awareness in Eastern Europe and calls on the EU to impose its standards.
[THE CULTIVATION OF FEAR AND DISCOMFORT] The emergence of a new government in Holland by Peter Edel
After the elections last June in Holland, the Freedom Party (PVV) achieved a landslide victory. The PVV hardly needs introduction. Party leader Geert Wilders became infamous for his rude and baseless remarks about Islam.
Serbia: Belgrade Pride Takes Place, Rioting Reported
Divisions remain over euro reform
by Katinka Barysch
Europeans agree that the management of the euro must be improved to prevent future crises, or deal with them better if and when they happen. The European Commission is hopeful that it can get all 27 EU countries to agree on a package of reforms it published at the end of September. However, recent conversations in various EU capitals left me with the impression that divisions still run deep on crucial aspects of eurozone reform. Not everyone shares the Germans? sense of urgency, and there is a risk that complacency sets in before a sustainable new framework has been created.
European Union Fair Trial Rights: EU Justice Ministers Approve a Law to Guarantee Translation and Interpretation Rights in Criminal Proceedings in All EU Courts
Several egregious miscarriages of justice have occurred in the past in the European Union (EU) because criminally accused persons have been criminally tried without knowing the language of the accusing EU Member State. A landmark precedential development on fair trial rights in criminal proceedings in the EU is thus in the make to solve this problem.
Interactive timeline: The path to the euro
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