The US State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism released it’s annual Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Details of Google’s proposed settlement with the European Union to avoid antitrust charges have been leaking out of Brussels over the weekend. And while EU competition authorities appear to have accomplished more that the gentle tap on the wrist meted out by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the deal as so far revealed doesn’t do enough to end Google’s anti-competitive practices.

A new Cyprus bailout deal worth 10 billion euros was announced today by EU leaders which involved shutting down one of the country’s largest banks. The deadline for such a deal was set for today by the European Central Bank.

The bank holiday in Cyprus that was supposed to end Thursday has been extended again which has done little to ease the anxiety of Cypriots desperate to withdraw their savings for fear of having them taxed. Unrest has been breaking out around banks with people protesting for “dignity” and voicing opposition against any plans to tax deposits to pay for a bailout.

Jon Leibowitz, Chair of the FTC, will be holding a press conference at 1pm ET announcing the settlement with Google for ” for alleged anticompetitive conduct.”

Yes, indeed, it is a little-acknowledged feat of miraculous life-saving power that Europe has not gone to war with itself — other than that whole Yugoslavia thing — since World War II. It’s as clear a demonstration as anything that people can choose to stop fighting. It’s a testament to the pre-war peace efforts that criminalized war, the post-war prosecutions of the brand new crime of making war, the reconstruction of the Marshall Plan, and … and something else a little less noble, and much less Nobel-worthy.

A variety of links to articles/interviews/speeches on current issues that may be of interest.

The EU has come up with a plan, to be discussed at this week’s summit, to dramatically consolidate fiscal policymaking power in a Eurozone leadership figure, without authorizing the kind of fiscal transfers that would smooth over imbalances and make the currency union a true “United States of Europe.”

Of all the European countries surveyed by Pew it was only Germany where a majority of people believe European economic integration has strengthened the economy. In most other European countries the people believe it has weakened their economy. And while many do not like the Euro, they still may want to stay within the Euro for fear of the alternatives.

A variety of links to articles/interviews/speeches on current issues that may be of interest.