Van Rompuy will retire from politics

President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, has announced that he will retire from politics in 2014, when the term ends.
"Members of my family will be on the electoral rolls in Belgium. Those who want to vote for someone from the family Van Rompuy, will have the chance to do so. In late 2014, my political career is going to end, "said Van Rompuy to the Belgian media.
Former Belgian Prime Minister and Party antëtari Flemish Christian-Democrats and was elected president of the Council of Europe on 1 January 2010, while his second term, which he won in 2012, ended November 30 year 2014.

Syrian opposition seeks government formation

Leading Syrian opposition groups launched today a two-day meeting in Istanbul.

Representatives of the National Coalition of Syria plan to choose a rebel government, which will challenge the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
For prime minister running 12 candidates, including former Minister of Agriculture.
Syria rebels have launched a revolt against the regime since March 2011.
The United Nations says the fighting between them and the regime forces have left about 70,000 people dead.

Courts attacked in Pakistan

At least two people were killed and dozens of others were injured by an attack by militants at the compound in Pakistan Peshauar courts.
Official sources say that at least one suicide bomber detonated explosives, but it is believed that several other militants took hostages inside the court.
Enhanced security forces have surrounded the compound. Other details of the incident were not available.

Private plane crashes, 2 killed

Two people have died in Indiana in the United States, when a private plane crashed in a residential neighborhood.
The victims were on board the aircraft, which crashed in the town of South Bend.
Officials say the pilot of the aircraft Beechcrat reported mechanical problems before it crashed.
The plane was flying from Tulsa Oklahoma.

UN launches discussion on arms treaty

Diplomats and experts gathered today at the United Nations headquarters in New York for a new round of negotiations aimed at developing first binding treaty to regulate the arms trade in the world.
Negotiations starting today, will last until March 28.
General Assembly of the United Nations, in an attempt to put pressure on world powers to reach agreement, said that negotiations are "last attempt" to the treaty.
Talks in July last year ended without any result.
Among the countries there are sharp divisions over eventual treaty.
His supporters want legally binding requirements for countries to review cross-border transfers of weapons and ensure that they are not used for human rights violations or embargoes.

Cyprus pushes tax vote again

Cyprus Parliament has postponed the vote on the proposal that the forces applied in the Cyprus help finance aid package for the country.
Voting is now expected to take place on Tuesday.
International lenders proposal calls depositors to pay up to 10 percent tax on their savings, in exchange for $ 10 billion bailout.
He has caused outrage among Cypriots, some of whom have called theft.
Has caused anger in Russia, as many banks, companies and individuals Russians have deposited their money in banks in Cyprus.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the proposal is "unfair, unprofessional and dangerous."
To enter into force, the proposal must be ratified by the Parliament of Cyprus. The latter was supposed to vote for the dielën.ksat

China's president visits Russia

President of China, Xi Jinping, will travel this week to Russia.
Kremlin Press Office has announced that the Chinese leader and President Vladimir Putin will discuss a wide range of issues, including cooperation in trade, economy, energy and investment.
They are also expected to discuss international issues such as the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, then in Iran, Afghanistan, the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
Xi will stay in Russia from 22 to 24 March.

Egypt "to help end the conflict" in Syria

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, has asked his Egyptian counterpart, Muhammad Morsi, supporting efforts to end the bloody conflict in Syria.
He made ​​the remarks during a meeting in Islamabad with President Morsi.
"Let us work together to end the bloodshed in Syria and find a peaceful solution to the crisis", was quoted as saying Zardari.
Morsi stayed in Pakistan for one day visit, as part of the tournament in South Asia.
His visit to Islamabad is the first by a leader egjptian since the 1960s, when there remained Gamal Abdel Nasser.

"Kim Jong-un, mentally unstable"

One of the most important congressmen Americans expressed his concern over the "mental stability" of North Korea's dictator, Kim Jong-un, after months of provocative statements and aggressive behavior of the communist state, the possessor of nuclear weapons. "North Korea has in its running a 28-year-old, who is trying to strengthen its influence over the army and the army is eager to use this moment to reinforce its impact on the country," said Rep. Mike Rogers , chairman of the Congressional Intelligence Committee.
"The combination of these two factors can result in fatal indeed," he added.
The tension on the Korean Peninsula has been a dangerous escalation spiral since December, when Pyongyang sent into space a satellite, through a long-range missile and conducted a nuclear explosion, in February, in the context of weapons testing new.
As a result of these actions in violation of the covenants and commitments signed by North Korea before the UN, communist, became the subject of new economic sanctions, which Pyongyang responded so challenging, reversing the 1953 ceasefire with Korea South and restore the state of war, along with the complete destruction of nuclear threats.
"The fact that North Korea is threatening to open the United States of America with a nuclear attack is a serious problem. This is much more troubling, since we do not know their leader's mental stability reiterate, is only 28 years old. We simply hipotezojmë and we trust that these threats do not materialize into concrete actions, but you can not know

What is the future of Europe?

One of the challenges of the European Union enlargement process, on the one hand with the Western Balkan countries, on the other hand the countries of birth.British writer and historian Timothy Garton Ash, in an interview with Radio Free Europe, talks about the importance of expanding to countries such as Ukraine and Turkey."It is essential. For the future of the European Union, which has reduced the world's population and economy, we need to further expansion, including Ukraine and Turkey, which are two big countries, "says Ash.European bloc has set a number of conditions to be met for countries aspiring to membership. Among others, the latter must be liberal democracies, have the rule of law, independent media and market economy.Asked how he sees the prospect of other countries in the region, including: Belarus, Moldova, Armenia and Georgia, Ash is not optimistic about their membership in the EU in the near future."When you meet the criteria for membership in the European Union, they will become members of the EU. I bet that for 20 to 25 years they will join, "says Ash.For Russia, he says he has not yet decided what it would be: an empire of an alternative civilization or a normal state in Eurasia. Only when you decide what the European Union can work in long-term relationships, says Ash."Russia has lost an empire and has not yet found its role. Russia needs to decide what it will be. And, as we know in the UK, it takes some time, "said Ash.Another challenge that afflicts the European Union debt crisis, which has put at risk the survival of the common currency - the euro. Cyprus has now become the fifth country of the eurozone, after Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, which has sought international finance to survive the debt crisis.Asked whether the euro will survive, Ash gives this answer:"A senior French politician said: euro crisis is over, the crisis in the euro continues to be strong. I think that is right. Eurozone will survive, but the question is what price, especially for companies and Southern European policies, which are going through really rough unimaginable for us, five or ten years ago, "says British writer and historian Timothy Garton Ash.