Afghanistan -Video Clip Shows French soldiers in action against Taliban and discusses likely future French policy

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Overall the collapse of WTO benefits the Irish economy

The collapse of the WTO talks is on the whole beneficial for the Irish economy. Certainly some Irish manufacturing and service sectors stood to gain from a WTO deal. However its likely benefits were strongly oversold not alone by some big business interests, but also by certain academics and elements in the media.

Irish proponents of the WTO proposals arrogantly dismissed their overall potential negative influences on the Irish economy. Opponents of the WTO proposals were painted as unpatriotic and representative of selfish agricultural interests.
Some big business interests in Ireland claimed to have concern for the poor of the Third World. Of course they were prepared to wrap themselves in a cloak of concern for the poor in an effort to convince a cynical Irish public of the merits of the WTO proposals.

Concessions made by Peter Mandelson at the WTO talks would have put 50,000 farmers out of business and wiped out at least another 50,000 jobs in food processing and services to the agricultural sector in Ireland alone. Agricultural proposals at the WTO would have benefited large ranchers in Australia, Brazil and the US. There were few if any benefits for the poor farmers of the Third World.

The loss in jobs to the Irish economy and devastation of rural Ireland would have far outweighed any potential gains in some industrial and service sectors. Indeed some Irish service jobs are now moving to India-such as Hibernian Insurance. So much for the security of service jobs in the financial sector.

The 100,000 jobs that Ireland stood to lose are based on indigenous natural resources.
We have had too much of the live horse and you will get grass approach-too many half-baked promises. To sacrifice 100,000 jobs would be economic lunacy.
Thankfully Nicolas Sarkozy galvanised opposition to the proposals. Ireland now owes him a huge debt of gratitude.

Ingrid Betancourt Libertad Libertad (Freedom):Slideshow

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A chronicle of the 2322 days suffering endured with tremendous bravery by Ingrid Betancourt and which thank God ended on July 2nd. This slideshow has some exceptional pictures of Ingrid and her family and of the demonstrations and campaign seeking her release. (Cronica del ultraje que durante 2322 dias sufrio, con enorme valor nuestra compatriota Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio, y que gracias a Dios termino en Julio ).

Betancourt is freed in Colombia

Jul 2 - Ingrid Betancourt was among 15 captives rescued from leftist guerrillas by Colombian troops posing as aid workers. The rescue was a huge coup for popular President Alvaro Uribe, an anti-guerrilla hard-liner who has used billions of dollars in U.S. aid to put the FARC rebels on the defensive. Ingrid Betancourt's six year ordeal is over. Ingrid said, “God has carried out this miracle.” She acknowledged the power of God and the Virgin Mary. This is so moving in a week of gloomy economic news.

Deborah Lutterbeck reports.