Nations of the World, I bid you arise and welcome the Republic of Kosovo

Welcome to the Republic of Kosovo
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Kosovo declares independence
The move to become an “independent and democratic state” is backed by the US and key European allies but bitterly contested by Serbia and Russia.“Kosovo is a republic – an independent, democratic and sovereign state,” parliament speaker Jakup Krasniqi said as the chamber burst into applause.Across the capital, Pristina, revellers fired guns into the air, waved red and black Albanian flags and honked car horns in jubilation at the birth of the world’s newest country.
Krasniqi, Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and President Fatmir Sejdiu signed the declaration, which was scripted on parchment.The declaration was carefully orchestrated with the US and key European powers, and Kosovo was counting on swift international recognition that could come as early as tomorrow, when EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels, Belgium.
Source & Cont'd: Breakingnews.ie
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ALSO
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Ireland to recognise independent Kosovo
Ireland will recognise an independent Kosovo as the world’s newest country, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern declared today.Dermot Ahern said Serbia lost the Balkan province through its own actions in the 1990s.Celebrations are already under way in the Kosovan capital Pristina as it was poised to formally declare its independence.Ahern, who held lengthy talks with all sides in the western Balkans last November, insisted the new state must be embraced.“We are faced with a decision to recognise Kosovo. My intention is to do so,” he said.“Serbia effectively lost Kosovo through its own actions in the 1990s.

Source & Cont'd: Breakingnews.ie

For the Love of Standards!

Ok I was going to be very lazy today & not post anything, however I needed (yet another) distraction from doing college work low and behold I came across this from the breakingnews.ie website: Dustin The Turkey in running for Eurovision . For my Irish readers, no introduction is needed. For the Internationals heres the wikipedia article! Those of you who know me personally, know of my somewhat erratic musical tastes. Those same people also know that most of that erratic musical taste is sourced from the Eurovision Song Contest. Who could possibly match Scooch-Flying the Flag (UK, 2007) or Vera Serduchka-Dancing Lasha Dubai(Ukraine, 2007) or the memorable pink shoe on the stage from Iceland in Eurovision Semi-Finals 2006, Sylvia Night-Congratulations. (We will forgive her little outburst after she didn't get through: For those of you wish to view it, well I'm not a tabloid gossip column-I'm a classier burd than that- but if you search"Silvia Night goes crazy" in Youtube you will find it. [:-) ).

Anyway back to the topic at hand. Right Dustin and the Eurovision. Now call me old fashioned but I like to see my Eurovision performers on stage using their legs, arms & whatever implements they are legally allowed bring into the host country! Dustin is a puppet. It is bad enough that our record of SEVEN Eurovision wins-in 1970, 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996- has not been added to in the last couple of years. I don't blame Dervish for coming last in 2007 for the record. I did enjoy the song, it just needed a little tweaking before it went to Europe. I do not however want to see a puppet representing my country in a European wide Song Contest watched by some whatever million people across the world! Dustin is fine for Children's daytime television but most assuredly not for Eurovision. They are trying to keep Kosovo within the borders of Serbia remember-if we send a Turkey, Kosovo will laugh itself into independence from Serbia, while it laughs the other way! I find Mr. Bill Huges', (chair of the Judging Panel) comment that "each and every one of these six acts would do us proud on the Eurovision stage"(via breakingnews.ie) slightly annoying considering the panel has allowed a puppet Turkey go forward as a possible act for Eurovision. I mean somebody must be surely taking the piss somewhere...right?


Eurosong goes out on RTE 1 during this month and will be broadcast by Ray D’Arcy from University Concert Hall Limerick, with viewers voting by phone and text for the winning song that will be performed in the first semi-final on Tuesday, May 20. Score one for Limerick at least.

Sites:
RTE Eurosong 2008
Eurovision Website