Archive for October, 2014

European Union Requests Meeting On Norwegian's DOT Application

Thu, Oct 16, 2014

In what is being called an "unprecedented" move, the European Commission requested an urgent meeting between the European Union and the United States to discuss Norwegian Air International's pending application for a foreign air carrier permit before the U.S. Department of Transportation. The extraordinary meeting, which is being requested by the Commission on behalf of the European Union as a party to the U.S-EU Open Skies Agreement, sends a clear message that the European Union is closely watching Norwegian Air International's application, to fly to the U.S from several cities in Europe which has been pending for over eight months.

Norwegian Air International says it welcomes the European Union's action to protect the rights of European airlines under the U.S.-EU Open Skies Agreement, which obligates parties to grant operating authority "with minimum procedural delay." Asgeir Nyseth, CEO of Norwegian Air International, said, "We are confident that the Department of Transportation will do the right thing and grant our application without further delay."

Norwegian Air International's application has taken nearly four times as long as applications of other European carriers applying for the same authority. "We look forward to bringing new competitive and affordable fares on new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to the U.S.-Europe market," said Nyseth.

With over 300 U.S. based crew, and plans for a pilot base in New York, Norwegian says its new service will bolster the U.S. economy through increased tourism, jobs, and support of the nation's largest exporter, Boeing.

(Image from file)

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European Union Requests Meeting On Norwegian's DOT Application

Sri Lanka: European Court annuls EU restrictions on LTTE

4TH LEAD [TamilNet, Thursday, 16 October 2014, 08:40 GMT] In a landmark victory for the legal initiatives of Eezham Tamils, the Court of Justice of the European Union has ordered the Council of European Union on Thursday to annul the restrictive measures taken against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The case has been won by the LTTE on procedural grounds, said the lawyers representing the LTTE. Commenting on the judgement, Mr Lathan Suntharalingam, one of the initiators of the legal move against EU ban on LTTE said: More than 40 countries in the world directly and indirectly abetted the Sri Lankan State in its genocidal onslaught on Eezham Tamils. The US paradigm of War Against Terror was used to crush the LTTE-defended State of Eezham Tamils. The ECJ verdict on Thursday is a milestone achievement for Eezham Tamils in demanding global justice against the Tamil genocide. The Court annulled specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities by the EU with its view of combating terrorism.

In addition, the Court has ordered the Council of the European Union, which lost the case, to pay its own costs and the costs of the LTTE. The Netherlands, the UK and the European Commission were ordered to bear their own respective costs.

The court decision will come to effect after three months.

Finding the current restrictions implemented by the EU inappropriate, the Court has given a minimum period of two months, extended on account of distance by 10 days, for the EU to come out with a new restrictive measure with respect to the LTTE, if appropriate.

The case, initiated by Tamil activists on behalf of the LTTE and originally filed in April 2011 with additions later, was represented by the lawyers V. Koppe, A. M. van Eik and T. Buruma.

The Council of the European Union was the defendant, supported by the Netherlands, the UK and the European Commission.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) is the highest court in the European Union in matters of European Union law.

The judgement was delivered in open court in Luxembourg on 16 October 2014.

The judgement part of the court document follows:

The case came under following title:

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Sri Lanka: European Court annuls EU restrictions on LTTE

The Voice of Afghanistan: Result Show – Episode.22 – Video


The Voice of Afghanistan: Result Show - Episode.22
Who is 1 step close to become the winner Subscribe to watch, Individual Performances, The Blind Auditions, The Battle, Th...

By: The Voice Of Afghanistan

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The Voice of Afghanistan: Result Show - Episode.22 - Video

The Voice of Afghanistan: Live Performance – Episode.23 – Video


The Voice of Afghanistan: Live Performance - Episode.23
This week the last Live Show took place ...

By: The Voice Of Afghanistan

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The Voice of Afghanistan: Live Performance - Episode.23 - Video

Home from Afghanistan, soldier surprises daughter – Video


Home from Afghanistan, soldier surprises daughter
My husband had been in Afghanistan for 10 months, and our daughter had no clue he came home while she was in school!

By: Meg Kaplan

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Home from Afghanistan, soldier surprises daughter - Video