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LONDON: The 28-member European Union has temporarily banned the import of Alphonso mangoes, the king of fruits, and four vegetables from India from May 1, sparking protests from the Indian community, lawmakers and traders.

The recent decision by the grouping's Standing Committee on Plant Health came after 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013 were found to be contaminated by pests such as fruit flies and other quarantine pests.

The temporary ban, proposed by the European Commission, includes mangoes, eggplant, the taro plant, bitter gourd and snake gourd, and prohibits the import to tackle the "significant shortcomings in the phytosanitary certification system of such products exported to the EU".

Though the prohibited commodities represent less than 5 per cent of the total fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the EU from India, the potential introduction of new pests could pose a threat to EU agriculture and production, the committee noted.

UK's Defra (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) that is backing the ban said it was necessary due to pests which could threaten the country's 321 million pound salad crop industry of tomato and cucumber.

The UK imports nearly 16 million mangoes from India and the market for the fruit is worth nearly 6 million pounds a year.

A revision of the ban will take place before December 31, 2015. Businesses claimed they will lose hundreds of thousands of pounds due to the ban.

Wholesalers and retailers in Indian-dominated regions of the UK have opposed the ban, which comes into effect on May 1, saying it will hit them hard.

"This is Euro-nonsense and bureaucracy gone mad. Indian mangoes have been imported to Britain for centuries. I am furious with the lack of consultation with those who will be affected by the ban," said Indian-origin MP Keith Vaz, who has written to the European Commission president after his constituents in the city of Leicester made a plea.

He has also written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ascertain if the Indian government was consulted on the matter.

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European Union bans Indian Alphonso mangoes, veggies from May 1

Seeking to broaden sanctions on Russia, European Union (EU) leaders will meet to decide on adding more names to a list of proscribed Russian individuals alleged to have links to separatist actions in Ukraine, a media report said Monday.

According to official reports, 15 names will be added to the existing list of Russian individuals on whom sanctions have already been imposed, BBC reported.

Along with the EU, the US and the Group of Seven or G7 (US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan) industrialised countries have also planned to take further steps against Russia in their meeting in Brussels.

The EU and the US have already frozen assets of Russian individuals accused of involvement in the annexation of Crimea and issued travel bans on them.

The US has said that it would Monday add names of people close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and firms to the sanctions list and will also impose new restrictions on high tech exports.

Pentagon spokesman Col. Steven Warren had last week disclosed that Russian aircraft had entered Ukrainian airspace several times and asked Moscow to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.

Eight foreign observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), taken hostage Friday, were led to the Sloviansk town hall in east Ukraine by masked gunmen and shown to the media Sunday.

One of them was freed later in the day.

Self-declared Sloviansk Mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov said there was a possibility of exchanging the monitors for militia members held by the Kiev government.

Russia, an OSCE member, has pledged to take all possible steps to secure the release of the observers.

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European Union to intensify sanctions on Russia

Apr.28 (GMM) The European Union is "monitoring" the controversial new system of decision-making within Formula One, it has emerged.

Earlier this month, we reported that F1's four smallest teams - Marussia, Caterham, Force India and Sauber - had written a letter complaining about the new and rule-influential Strategy Group.

The Group is made up of the grid's powerful 'big five' teams and, for historic reasons, Williams, who recently vetoed FIA president Jean Todt's plans for a 2015 budget cap.

Force India deputy Bob Fernley told the Guardian that the big teams also receive the lion's share of the commercial revenue distributed by Bernie Ecclestone.

"We have a situation where we have enriched and empowered five teams and disenfranchised six," he said.

Germany's Sport Bild suggested that the letter, described as "explosive" by one team insider, made clear the small teams' belief that the Strategy Group could be contrary to European competition law.

Now, the London newspaper The Times claims that European Union officials, specifically the competition authority, are "monitoring" the situation.

"A full (EU) investigation would throw F1 into turmoil, potentially wrecking agreements and finishing any prospect that the sport could be floated on the Singapore Stock Exchange", correspondent Kevin Eason said.

Eason revealed that "two people close to the sport" have already been interviewed by European officials, who are "said to be showing concern".

They are reportedly also concerned about the FIA's current role, after a previous EU investigation ruled that the governing body not be involved in F1's commercial matters.

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European Union could investigate F1 group - report

What the European Union needs is someone like John Jay.

Appealing in 1787 for the ratification of the U.S. constitution, the American founding father said a cordial Union, under an efficient national government would provide the best security that can be devised against hostilities from abroad.

From Ukraines upheaval and the renewed Russian menace to Syrias civil war and chaotic post-revolutionary Libya, todays EU confronts no shortage of external dangers. But instead of knitting the blocs 28 countries together, the threats have exposed what is keeping them apart.

The EU is internally divided about the right answer, said Jan Marinus Wiersma, a former Dutch member of the European Parliament who is now with the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. As long as there is no common direction in how to react to Russias ambitions, we will keep a divided Europe.

Throughout history, perils from abroad have been spurs to unity. Continued British animosity after the American revolution led to the setup of the U.S. federal government; the consolidation of federal power after the U.S. Civil War was one of the factors that led Britain to turn its Canadian colonies into a confederation. Switzerland evolved out of a medieval alliance to defend Alpine trade routes.

A European Union (EU) flag, left, and a Ukraine national flag hang from the windscreen of a taxi on the outskirts of Kiev. The EU confronts no shortage of external dangers, including Ukraines upheaval, but instead of knitting the blocs 28 countries together, the threats have exposed what is keeping them apart. Close

A European Union (EU) flag, left, and a Ukraine national flag hang from the windscreen... Read More

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A European Union (EU) flag, left, and a Ukraine national flag hang from the windscreen of a taxi on the outskirts of Kiev. The EU confronts no shortage of external dangers, including Ukraines upheaval, but instead of knitting the blocs 28 countries together, the threats have exposed what is keeping them apart.

The modern-day EU has taken a different path, and hasnt gotten as far. Post-World War II western Europe relied on the U.S. for defense, allowing it to stitch together a market that culminated with the creation of the euro currency in 1999. The result is a loose federation with limited authority in Brussels and most power residing in national capitals such as Berlin, Paris and London.

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No John Jay in Europe as Russia to Syria Sow Divisions

Elite US NAVY Seal Team Shot Down and Killed Over Afghanistan
Elite US NAVY Seal Team Shot Down and Killed Over Afghanistan videolarn Hospital security guard hired to protect staff shoots and kills one doctor and two ...

By: News World TV

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Elite US NAVY Seal Team Shot Down and Killed Over Afghanistan - Video