Japan - Hiroshima and Nagasaki Genocide: 70 years on: Survivors remember horror of nuclear bombs

More than 200.000 civilians massacred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Thursday July 6 marked 70 years since the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

It killed around 140,000 people in the Japanese city by the end of 1945. The only structure left standing on ground zero is now known as the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome.

Now recognised by UNESCO as “a stark and powerful symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind”, it has been transformed into a peace memorial.

During World War II, the building was used to house government offices.

Kimie Mihara, now aged 89 and a great-grandmother, worked there as a teenager.
“I survived because I was late for work,” she said.

“So I felt lucky because I was not here at the time but when I think of those who died because they were diligent and on time, I am just so sorry for them.”

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped by the US on the city of Nagasaki bringing the total number of people killed to over 200.000 people,  and on August 15, Japan surrendered.

Their ranks dwindling, survivors continue to suffer the after-effects of radiation. Some find it too painful to talk about their experiences.

Others do speak out, so that the world will never forget.

Read more: Hiroshima Genocide:  70 years on: Survivors remember horror of nuclear bomb | euronews, world news

Germany: Boost for German industrial orders

Strong demand from abroad has helped boost German industrial orders. According to figures from the economy ministry contracts for goods from Europe’s largest economy were up 2.0% on the month.

The increase for industrial orders was the biggest in the April-June period since early 2011 despite a slowdown in China and uncertainty caused by the Greek debt crisis.

A breakdown of the data showed factories received 4.8 percent more bookings from abroad while domestic orders fell by 2.0 percent.

“Boom. German industrial orders just defied any concerns about a slowdown in the economy,” was one economist’s reaction.

Read more: Boost for German industrial orders | euronews, economy

EU Migrant Crises: The economics behind Europe’s migrant crisis - by Mohamed A. El-Erian

Fleeing economic and social miseries of home countries

As our Eurostar train zipped from London through the Chunnel to Paris, I couldn't help thinking about the thousands of migrants languishing on both sides of the English Channel. Once again, national and regional political systems are struggling to cope with a mounting human tragedy whose spillover effects involve disruptions to commerce, and all this is stoking a political crisis.

The economics of the Channel migrant crisis are quite clear, being basically about supply, demand and regulatory failures. They also shed light on the potential solutions, though they will take time to materialize.

The supply of migrants to Europe is fueled by waves of people fleeing the economic and social misery of their home countries — and, in some case, political oppression, persecution and violence.

They do so in hopes of a better future for themselves and their children. The temptation for some to try and make it all the way to the U.K., often after a perilous sea crossing and a fraught trip through western Europe, is amplified by the attractiveness of an economy with low unemployment, comprehensive social services and a country where many already know the language. 

Although the supply of migrants has increased, the demand for migrant labour has gone the other way. Tougher laws have made it harder and more dangerous for employers to hire undocumented workers. And with a European unemployment rate of more than 10 per cent, the demand is further damped. 

This imbalance in supply and demand isn't one that can be sorted out by the markets' normal equilibrating mechanism. The market-clearing wage — that is, the price that would lower the migration incentive while facilitating the absorption of those still inclined to risk life and limb — is well below the minimum wage prevailing in Europe; and any meaningful reduction in the wage would involve significant and unacceptable social disruptions to local populations in Europe.

Read more: The economics behind Europe’s migrant crisis: MIGRANTS

Oil Giant Shell Dumps ALEC Over Climate-Change Position - by Ben Geman

Royal Dutch Shell said Friday that it's severing ties with the American Legislative Exchange Council, a coalition of companies and conservative state lawmakers, over differences on climate change.

"ALEC advocates for specific economic growth initiatives, but its stance on climate change is clearly inconsistent with our own.

We have long recognized both the importance of the climate challenge and the critical role energy has in determining quality of life for people across the world," Shell said in a statement.

Shell, which has faced pressure to dump ALEC from groups including the Union of Concerned Scientists and Common Cause, said it would let its association with ALEC lapse when "the current contracted term ends early next year."

It's the latest major corporation to bolt ALEC, which is under pressure from liberal activists over its stance on global warming and attacks on state green-energy standards, among other issues. Over the last year, a number of major corporations including Google, Facebook, BP, and Occidental Petroleum have abandoned the group.

Read more: Oil Giant Shell Dumps ALEC Over Climate-Change Position - NationalJournal.com

EU-Digest July-August Poll results shows majority polled want stronger European Union - by RM

A recent EU-Digest poll  (see insert) shows a majority of those polled favor a stronger, better structured and governed European Union.

Only 20%  favored a return to independent nationhood for the 28 nation member Union.

A large percentage (40%) felt that the EU has not become stronger, or more unified over the past 10 years to face the challenges of globalization

If there is any finger pointing to be done about the progress that has been made so far in Bruxelles, as to creating a stronger and better functioning Union, it must be noted that more than half of the 28 EU governments are run or led by Conservative and right-leaning Liberal governments. This political picture is also reflected in the EU Commission and the EU Parliament.

Consequently legislation on a Financial Transaction Tax, the regulation of casino capitalism, off-shore tax evasion, an independent foreign policy, or more social justice in the area of immigration and migrant policies have not been forthcoming. Mainly because legislation within the EU and among member states has been blocked by inward looking nationalist and conservative political forces 

Another major issue looming high above the EU's weak and "toothless" legislative structure is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or TTIP, as it is known. TTIP will be the most important global trade agreement of its kind, representing nearly half of the world's GDP.  It is a trade deal between the USA and the EU, whose impact will be felt by all and everyone.

Is the EU able to control these negotiations, or at best, to keep them on an even playing field against the slick US corporate trained and supported negotiating team? Not really, if one looks at how the US's NSA got away with spying on the EU commission, EU corporations, local EU governments and EU citizens.

Bottom-line: Europe needs some imaginative thinking and vision to lift it out of its current torpor.

Watered down solutions will eventually bring this amazing and most promising global project of this century, called the EU, which has brought peace and prosperity to the European continent now for over 50 years, to a standstill.

Our new EU-Digest is about the election of the EU President  - should it be by popular vote or by parliamentary majority ? 

EU-Digest 

Turkey - Erdogan'sTurkish prosecuters launch investigation into leader of pro-Kurdish opposition

The leader of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party, Selahattin Demirtas, is under investigation by a Turkish prosecutor over allegations that he “provoked and armed” protesters during demonstrations in the country last year.

Demirtas has accused Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan of launching air strikes in Syria and Iraq to prevent Kurdish territorial and political gains.

Demirtas said: “Erdogan is doing this to create a false perception among the general population. His main objective is not to disarm the PKK but instead make sure the People’s Democratic Party pays the price for PKK violence. He doesn’t care about peace,” he added. “Erdogan wants to take revenge out on the People’s Democratic Party for their results in the elections.”

The investigation comes as Ankara carries out air strikes against the PKK in Iraq, a move that has brought years of peace efforts close to collapse.

Read more: ErdoganTurkish prosecuters launch investigation into leader of pro-Kurdish opposition | euronews, world news

Refugees: Britain calls emergency meeting on Calais migrants

British Prime Minister David Cameron is due to chair an emergency meeting on the situation in Calais, where thousands of people have tried to stowaway to the UK. Cameron has come under fire for calling them a "swarm."

The meeting of the UK government's COBRA emergency committee was due to be held Friday, following another night in which hundreds of people attempted to reach the Channel Tunnel which links the French port of Calais - and mainland Europe - with Britain.

Prime Minister David Cameron's office posted on its official Twitter channel that the meeting would be about how the government would "tackle" the problem.

Note EU-Digest: It's amazing to see with what incompetence this problem is handled by the EU, France and Britain.

Read more: Britain calls emergency meeting on Calais migrants | News | DW.COM | 31.07.2015