“Human Rights. Trade. In That Order.” EU-CELAC Civil Society has told High Representative of the European Union, Federica Mogherini. Their statement came as Brussels prepares to host the Second Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean on 10 and 11 June. The high-level meeting will bring […]
Eastern Partnership Having ‘Positive Impact’ Says Georgia’s Margvelashvili
Georgian president Giorgi Margvelashvili speaking at the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee discussed the Eastern Partnership ahead of the Riga summit on 21-22 May. He said the Eastern Partnership has had a positive impact on Georgia, not only because we reached the association agreement, but also because it gave us opportunities and mechanisms for reforming our economy, […]
Uzbekistan, Justice For Central Asia’s Forgotten Massacre?
The killing of hundreds of protesters by Uzbekistani security forces in the early hours of 13 May 2005 must be independently investigated and the ongoing persecution of those connected to the unrest must end, Amnesty International said on the 10th anniversary of the Andizhan killings. A decade after security forces indiscriminately gunned down mostly peaceful […]
TAXE – Go Slow. The Order Of The Day.
At a public hearing in the European Parliament, Brussels, United Left MEPs declared their frustration with the Special Committee on Tax Rulings (TAXE) and what they saw as a lack of any real progress by the Committee towards protection for whistle blowers and journalists. GUE/NGL MEP Fabio de Masi, TAXE shadow rapporteur, said: “The majority in […]
EU Needs Rethink On Latin America Relations
EU relations with Latin America should promote greater cooperation and socioeconomic equality with a focus on human rights, according to NGOs meeting at the second EU-CELAC Civil Society Forum held today in Brussels. The event was hosted by Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs as EU leaders prepared to meet […]
Altapura, Val Thorens – Ski Palace Perfection
You’ve heard of a ‘ski palace’, right? Me neither. Not until I ascended into the clouds surrounding Val Thorens and was greeted by the five star Altapura hotel. At a heady altitude of 2300m, it could have been the lack of oxygen, or the sheer elegance of the hotel, hard to say – but I […]
Koh I Nor, Val Thorens – Sparkling Luxury
Val Thorens, is “Anti-Bling Luxury” or so the tourist board says; they have a point. Even though the newest hotel on the block is named after a 105.6 carat diamond, the feeling is still of ‘do what you like, as you like, when you like’. Pretention dissipates and that in itself is a promising start […]
The Merrion Hotel, Dublin. Hidden Treasure, Elegant Delight.
Merrion Square is the epitome of Georgian Dublin. Wandering around, it is hard to believe that around 250 years ago the area was farmland on the edge of Dublin city. A far cry from the plush, leafy suburbia that it is today. As a child, Oscar Wilde lived at No 1 where rumour has it […]
EBX Q&A – With Peter McCann, General Manager of The Merrion Hotel, Dublin
Sarah-Jayne Smith speaks with Peter McCann, General Manager of The Merrion Hotel, Dublin EBX: What motivates you most – in practical terms, and in emotional terms? PMcC: Emotionally, it’s the people that who work in the hotel. You can be having a bad day and meet someone who puts you in a good mood. We […]
Europe Complicit With CIA ‘War On Terror’ Says Amnesty International
European governments that cooperated with the CIA’s secret detention, interrogation, and torture operations as part of the USA’s global “war on terror” must act urgently to bring those responsible to justice following a US Senate report containing new details said Amnesty International in a new briefing paper. Breaking the conspiracy of silence: USA’s European ‘partners […]