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Clean-up starts after storms lash Norway
Norway has been battered by powerful storms, causing widespread damage and disruption. Major landslides have swept away everything in their path. Roads have been closed and thousands of people have been left without power. Phone lines have also been knocked out. There is a threat of further landslides, forcing residents to evacuate areas at risk. A clean-up operation is getting underway. “They talk about a battlefield, but it’s worse than that,” one resident said. The storms have left many communities cut off. “We just had to get ourselves to safety. There are so many rocks, big rocks. Strong forces have been at work here,” said another resident. So far, there are no reports of any deaths. The storms also cut electricity at a gas processing plant. More about: Norway, Storm, Weather

Britain’s regulator turns off Iran’s Press TV
Britain’s independent media regulator has pulled the plug on Iran’s state-funded Press TV, claiming its editorial policies are controlled by Tehran. The London-based news channel says the move was politically motivated and that the body, Ofcom, was acting at the government’s behest. Ofcom says its decision was based on Press TV’s failure to declare that Tehran rather than London was its editorial base when it was granted the licence. The British Foreign Office denied the government was involved but added that it had been concerned about allegations Press TV had broadcast interviews with people making confessions under duress. The roots of the Ofcom decision lie in a ruling last month to fine Press TV for airing an unauthorised interview with an imprisoned Newsweek journalist. The move is likely to further escalate already soaring tensions between Iran and Britain. More about: Iran, Media, Television, United Kingdom

PSG miss out on ‘Golden Balls’ Beckham
Paris Saint Germain ended months of speculation on Tuesday when they announced David Beckham will not move to the French capital club.?�The big-spending Ligue 1 outfit said both sides were not far from reaching an agreement but it is believed family issues were the main reason why the deal fell through.?�The 36-year-old’s contract with the LA Galaxy ran out at the end of the last year but having helped his club to the MLS title in November, it is expected he will sign a new one year rolling contract with the American club.?�The breakdown of the deal is only a minor blow to the French club who highlighted their ambition last week when they appointed former Chelsea and AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti as their new coach.?�Qatari-owned PSG spent 85 million euros in the summer including 42 million for 22-year-old Argentina international Javier Pastore.?�PSG are currently in Dubai readying themselves for a friendly against AC Milan – who boast Brazilian duo Kaka and Pato – two players high on Ancelotti’s transfer wish list.?� More about: David Beckham, Football, France, Paris, USA

Denmark not ‘daunted’ by debt crisis, says Danish PM
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has outlined her government’s EU presidency priorities to the European Parliament. Addressing MEPs in Strasbourg she admitted the next six months would be a challenge, but insisted Denmark would not be daunted. “Budget discipline, growth and jobs, green policies and ensuring the safety to our citizens and the voice of Europe in the world – these are our priorities. In the middle of an economic crisis, I don’t expect the Danish presidency to be easy, but I can assure you that the presidency will not be daunted either. We are not built like that.” Though it does not use the euro, Denmark has made the bloc’s debt crisis a key issue during its presidency. That includes drafting a new ‘fiscal compact’ which aims to impose stricter budget rules in the eurozone. More about: Denmark, EU Parliament, EU Presidency, Europe

Two-wheeled tourists saved from freezing in Turkey
Two Spanish tourists on a round-the-world bike trip are recovering after almost freezing to death in eastern Turkey. Local journalists are said to have found them unconscious by the roadside after they got caught in a snowstorm in Bitlis province. Undaunted, the pair now plan to continue pedalling around the planet. More about: Cycling, Snow storm, Tourism, Turkey, Weather

Back in the Day: the start of the ‘Prague Spring’
January 5, 1968 Alexander Dubcek is elected First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, and immediately goes about implementing liberal reforms including lifting restrictions on free speech and freedom of movement. The changes were part of Dubcek’s policy to provide “socialism with a human face” in a country that had lived through a period of Stalinist control under the Soviet Union. His election heralded what was to be known as the Prague Spring. However it lasted only eight months. The Soviet response to the liberalisation of one of its satellite states was to send hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of tanks into Czechoslovakia on August 20, 1968. The invasion was, at first, resisted by unarmed protesters, mostly students but they were no match for the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact. The Prague Spring was quickly crushed and Gustav Husak was instated as Party leader to bring Czechoslovakia back into line with Soviet-style socialism. Dubcek was downgraded to a post as a forestry official. Also on January 5: work begins on San Francisco’s Golden gate Bridge (1933); in Cambodia the Khmer Rouge declares the constitution of Democratic Kampuchea (1976); singer Cher’s ex-husband Sonny Bono is killed in a skiing accident (1998). Born on January 5: Konrad Adenauer (1876), King Juan Carlos I of Spain (1938), Marilyn Manson (1969). More about: Back in the Day, Czech Republic, History, Slovakia

Egypt’s Mubarak trial resumes after three months
The trial of ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has resumed after a three month break. The 83-year-old was stretchered into court in Cairo. He is being held under arrest in hospital where doctors say he has a heart condition. Mubarak, his two sons Alaa and Gamal, the former interior minister and six senior police officers are in the dock. All deny charges including involvement in the deaths of protesters and corruption during Mubarak’s three decades in office. Around 850 people were killed in the 18-day uprising that overthrew him in February. He could face the death penalty if convicted although Field Marshal Tantawi, the head of the ruling military council, has said Mubarak did not give orders to shoot. Activists looking to a new democratic course for the country have accused the army of trying to protect its former commander. More about: Egypt, Egyptian politics, Hosni Mubarak, Trial, Unrest in Egypt

Danuta H??bner on I Talk
Alex Taylor, euronews: One of Europe’s problems is that it’s simply too big. People find it hard to identify with huge multi-national institutions, and in some of the more federally-minded countries there’s not even a very strong sense of national identity either. Perhaps this is why more and more people are turning to their regions. Is smaller sometimes better? It’s time for your questions to Danuta H??bner, chairwoman of the committee on regional development here in the European Parliament. Mrs H??bner, hello, welcome. You’re from Nisko, which region is that in Poland? Danuta H??bner: It’s in the south east of Poland. Today it’s Podkarpacie. When I was born a long time ago it had a different name. Taylor: OK, right, first question here on I-Talk. Question from Ajar: Hello, I’m Ajar from Brussels. We’ve just seen the end of Poland’s presidency of the European Union. I’d like to ask what Poland was able to do to help Europe out of the financial crisis? Taylor: Just in two or three sentences, what has Poland done? Danuta H??bner: Poland kept Europe together. Poland allowed us to avoid the division into a double-speed Europe. This is, I think, the most important thing that we got from Poland. Taylor: In what way exactly, by implementing what policies? Danuta H??bner: Poland was always against this idea of having the eurozone talking separately, deciding separately. Now we will have the discussion on the future together, between the 27 with the 17 voting on what concerns them, but we will be together. Taylor: Are many Polish people favourable to join the euro or not? Danuta H??bner: The majority used to be in favour. Now, I think they are more reluctant, but more than 80 per cent are happy with being in the European Union. Taylor: OK let’s have another question on Europe… the second question here on I-Talk. Question from Claudia: Hello, I’m Claudia, originally from Poland. I live in Brussels the European capital and I wonder why many Poles are euro-sceptics? Taylor: The same theme. Danuta H??bner: I don’t agree with my young compatriot. I believe that all the public opinion polls show clearly huge support, strong support. Taylor: There’s disappointment though since Poland joined. When it joined it was vastly enthusiastic but there’s been some disappointment obviously. Danuta H??bner: You know, the last public opinion poll shows higher support than it was in 2004. I really believe that we are very much in favour and really happy with what we get from the European Union. Where we are probably most sceptical now is exactly what we discussed which is accession to the eurozone. Taylor: OK, let’s have another question… outside Poland now. Question from Silvio: My name is Silvio, I’m a Croat living in Belgium. I have a question regarding my homeland, Croatia. As Croatia is now approaching the EU, what is the policy for regional development for south-eastern Europe to Croatia? Are there some concrete plans and some funds to help raise the standard of the whole region? And are there concrete funds for some other countries who will try to approach the EU in the forthcoming years? Taylor: Are you going to open your pockets wide Mrs H??bner? Danuta H??bner: I want to say that I’m very happy that Croatia is basically in. We have signed the treaty, so (now) it’s just the ratification and in 2013 Croatia will be the 28th European Union member state. And already in the pre-accession phase Croatia was benefiting largely from what we call ‘pre-accession instruments’… Taylor: What does that mean? Danuta H??bner: ….which means that Croatia was getting money, also for the regional policy, to prepare also for the better absorption of the funds… Taylor: But in times of crisis do we have money to give to these new countries? We can’t even give money to our own regions. Danuta H??bner: No, that’s not true because we have the budget now which has been decided years ago. We are now negotiating the new budget and of course it is difficult. There are member states who want to cut it. There are member states who say ‘we consolidate’ – which means cut national budgets, we should also cut the European budget. But we should remember that Europe needs growth, and the European budget is purely an investment budget, so we need the funding. And then if Croatia finally joins in less than 2 years from now it will be a part of European policies that are benefiting all citizens of the European Union. Taylor: OK, let’s have another question for Danuta H??bner. Question from Jean-Francois: Hello Mrs H??bner – Jean-Francois here. I’m Belgian. Are workers from the east, particularly Polish plumbers who are so often talked about, cheaper than western workers from France or Belgium? I’d like to hear you opinion on that. Thank you very much. Taylor: A very big theme in the past – the Polish plumber. What about differences in wages now? Danuta H??bner: First of all let me say that now we have total free movement for the Poles to work wherever they can find a job, and wherever (people) want to have a Pole employed. That’s one thing. Of course our salaries at home are much lower than in many other member states, that comes with the level of development, and Polish GDP per capita, which is measuring the development level, is around 55 per cent of the European average. Taylor: What can you do on a regional level to change the discrepancies, to make the situation more even? Danuta H??bner: There is no other way but just to grow. To grow, and be more developed and with this, also the level of salaries also goes up. As long as were are really less developed – which means our productivity is lower, that we produce less per person annually – also our salaries are lower. But let’s hope that with the years passing Poland will be more developed and our national salaries will be higher. Taylor: OK another question now here on I Talk on euronews Question from Miriam: Hello, I’m Miriam. Originally from Latvia, born in Bruges and raised in an international environment. When are we finally going to advance European unification on the social level? I??�m talking about social protection, salaries, etc. It would avoid a lot of disloyal competition between the different member states. Taylor: It’s a general question, but how can regional policy make things more fair and equal in social questions? Danuta H??bner: We have to remember that social policies are still largely national competences, so Europe as such does not have very much to say, or much to do. But we are moving on this, and there is more and more in European competences as well on this. But everything, I think, starts with the level of development, and regional policy which is an investment policy contributes to accelerating growth – mobilising the local growth potential – is generating the conditions to reduce the disparities also in social benefits. But to a large extent it’s still in the hands of the national governments, and Europe is helping to move further on growth and development. And also, Europe is providing a level playing field for social rights, and this is something I think is very important for us. Taylor: OK let’s have a final question on today’s I Talk. Question from Constantin: Hello, I’m Constantin and I come from Romania. How do you envisage linking regional development policy with sustainable development policy, which is a main pillar of the new common agricultural policy? Taylor: Green issues? Regions? Danuta H??bner: A lot of things. I think through the regional policy we have very clear roles in that we have to invest in an environmentally-friendly way and we have to invest more than now in energy-efficiency, making the use of all natural resources more efficient; respecting all the environmental rules and directives – the union has a lot of them – and now we are also investing in everything that’s related to climate-change, and this is for all the regions across Europe. Taylor: Just one final question. When the world is becoming more and more concentrated on blocs – we have China, we have America, we have Europe – should we really be concentrating on the different regions and perhaps exacerbating the difference between our small regions? Is that what we need to be doing? Danuta H??bner: If you think in terms of global challenges that we all live with, and you look for the responses to global challenges you will find them locally… on anything. On energy-efficiency you have to act locally; to make decisions on how you cope with the transport at city level. So most of the responses to big global challenges are at the local level. That’s why we have to be down there on the ground. More about: European Union, Geography, Legal institutions, Poland

Croatia votes on whether to join EU
Croatia will decide if it wants to be in or out of the EU on Sunday in a referendum to join the club. Polls point to a ‘Yes’, with around 55 to 60 percent of those questioned saying they would vote in favour. Even so, support appears to have ebbed recently. Analysts have said that is less to do with the eurozone’s debt crisis but more to do with losing sovereignty and scant details from leaders on what EU membership will mean. ‘No’ campaigner Roko ?�iki?� from the group ‘I love Croatia’ agrees: “Senior officials in this country speak to us via the TV. They don’t put forward any arguments. Instead they simply say, ‘I am the president, I promise you that this is good for our country.’” Like much of the rest of Europe, Croatia has had a hard time economically over the last two years. Deep in recession, national debt remains high though living standards are still low compared to countries in the EU. Some feel membership will change that. One woman in Zagreb said: “I think that Croatia could gain a lot from EU membership. For example, if we look at Poland, it’s taken full advantage of the benefits of being inside the EU.’‘ The Roman Catholic church has given the ‘Yes’ camp a major boost, advising believers to support membership. But not everyone is on message. “I think there’s been too much talk about how it would be great and how everything will be lovely and nice for everyone once we join. Things won’t be much better,’‘ one man said. If the referendum passes, Croatia will be the second ex-Yugoslav republic to join the EU, after Slovenia in 2004. More about: Croatia, European Union, Referendum