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KINGSTON, Jamaica, Jan 20, CMC Jamaica has received Euro 6.5 million (One Euro=US$1.29 cents) from the European Union.

Finance Minister Audley Shaw said that the disbursement aims to assist the Government in reducing poverty and improving the living standards of the rural population in sugar dependent areas affected by the EU sugar reform.

He told the ceremony that EU Hand-Over instrument is yet another channel of external development assistance through strengthened bilateral relations between Jamaica and the EU.

He said that the European Union Accompanying Measures for Sugar Protocol Countries, AMS 2013, was signed on March 25, 2014 and that the fixed tranche was disbursed in the sum of approximately Euro7.07 million on October 23, 2014.

He said the first variable tranche, which was officially handed over on Thursday, was disbursed in November 2016 in the sum of Euro6.5 million.

The second tranche is expected to be disbursed in March 2018 in the sum of Euro15 million, Shaw said, noting that the disbursement of this first variable trance of Euro6.5 million further aids the governments mission to reduce the economic and social disparities of our rural areas by creating sustainable productivity increases to hundreds of people moving out of poverty.

He said the specific objectives include a creation of a commercially viable sugar cane Industry by strengthened sector management, improved field and factory productivity; the development of the Sugar Dependent Areas to strengthen and support the improvement of living conditions in the Sugar Dependent Areas (SDAs) based on sustainable economic and social development.

He said it is also aimed at supporting the National Policy Environment by improving the environmental and energy performances of the industry to promote the sustainable management of environmental resources and to contribute to an inclusive, economy, social and environmentally sustainable growth.

Shaw said it is important to note that the EU remains Jamaicas largest provider of grant assistance, providing over Euro1.2 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA) since 1975.

The government of Jamaica appreciates the continued contribution of the EU to Jamaicas agriculture sector and other key sectors, particularly to the Sugar Cane Industry, given the existing challenges which the Government is seeking to address over the long term.

Jamaica is committed to continuing the work being done under the AMS 2013, to the benefit of sugar-dependent areas in Jamaica and their residents and looks forward to the sustained partnership arrangement with the EU towards the achievement of critical environmental, agricultural and economic growth objectives, Shaw added.

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Jamaica receives funds European Union - Antigua Observer

As Donald Trump took the podium on a cold Washington day to deliver his inauguration speech, the world held its breath. Viewers hunched over televisions or internet streaming services watched Trump mouth thank you to the camera, no doubt wondering how he could possibly live up to his deranged late-night Twitter persona. In newsrooms across America, reporters unsure when they might next get access to a president whoseems to delight in denying them the right to ask questionsgot ready to parse his words for any clue as to what was to come. Some, deciding they couldnt bear to watch, studiously busied themselves with other things.

But when the moment came, Trumps speech was uncharacteristically professional at least compared to his previous performances. The fractured, repetitive grammar that marks many of his off-the-cuff statements was missing, and so, too, were most of his most controversial policy ideas.

Trump told the crowd that his presidency would determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come before expressing his gratefulness to President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama for their gracious aid during the transition. They have been magnificent,"Trump said, before leading applause of thanks from the crowd.

If this opening was innocent enough, however, it all changed in the next breath. The new president moved quickly to the historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before, that elected him President. Following the small-state rhetoric of his campaign, Trump promised to take power from the establishment and restore it to the American people. This moment," he told them, Is your moment. It belongs to you.

A good deal of the speech was given over to re-iterating his nationalist positions while also making repeated references to the key issues Islamic terrorism and families that remain points of commonality within the fractured Republican GOP.

The loss of business to overseas producers was blamed for destroying our jobs. Protection," Trump said, Will lead to great strength." He promised to end what he called the American carnage caused by drugs and crime.

From this day forward," Trump said, Its going to be only America first."

There was plenty in the speech, then, that should worry viewers, particularly if you read Trumps promises to make America unstoppable so it can win againin light of his recent tweets about China.

Butit was the things Trump didn't mention that should worry us most. Trump, we know, doesnt use official channelsto communicate his most troubling ideas. From bizarre television interviews to hisupsetting and offensive ralliesand, of course, the infamous tweets, the new President is inclined to fling his thoughts into the world as and when he sees fit, not on the occasions when hes required to address the nation (see, also, his anodyne acceptance speech).

Its important to remember that Trumps administration wins when it makes itself seem as innocent as possible. During the speech, Iwas remindedof my colleague Helen Lewisrecent thoughts on the gaslighter-in-chief, reflecting on Trumps lying claim that he never mocked a disabled reporter. Now we can see," she wrote, Afalse narrative being built in real time, tweet by tweet."

Saying things that are untrue isnt the only way of lying it is also possible to lie by omission.

There has been much discussion as to whether Trump will soften after he becomes president. All the things this speech did not mention were designed to keep us guessing about many of the Presidents most controversial promises.

Trump did not mention his proposed ban on Muslims entering the US, nor the wall he insists he will erect between America and Mexico (which he maintains the latter will pay for). He maintained a polite coolness towards the former Presidentand avoiding any discussion ofalleged cuts to anti-domestic violence programsandabortion regulations. Why?Trump wanted to leave viewers unsure as to whether he actually intends to carry through on hiselection rhetoric.

To understand what Trump is capable of, therefore, it is best not to look to his speeches on a global stage, but to thepromiseshe makes to his allies. So when the Presidents personal website still insists he will build a wall, end catch-and-release, suspend immigration from terror-prone regions where adequate screening cannot occur; when, despite saying heunderstands only 3 per cent of Planned Parenthood services relate to abortion and that millions of women are helped by their cancer screening, he plans to defund Planned Parenthood; when the president says he will remove gun-free zones around schools on his first day - believe him.

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For the Ukip press officer I slept with, the European Union was Daddy - New Statesman

Newly elected European Parliament's President Antonio Tajani attends a debate on the priorities of the incoming Malta Presidency of the EU for the next six months at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, January 18, 2017.. (photo credit:REUTERS/CHRISTIAN HARTMANN)

European Jewish groups on Wednesday welcomed the installment of Antonio Tajani as the European Parliament president.

Tajani, 63, of the center-right European Peoples Party, beat Center-Left leader and fellow Italian Gianni Pittella by 351 votes to 282. Tajani is an ally of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and a former vice president of the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Moscow Chief Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, said that at a Conference dinner in the Great Synagogue of Europe in Brussels in September, Tajani had reassured him that he would do everything in his powers to preserve the rights and safety of the Jewish community in Europe.

Goldschmidt continued, We look forward to working with Mr. Tajani in his new role as we continue to work toward making Europe a safe, open and inclusive place for members of all religions to call home.

The American Jewish Congress congratulated Tajani on his election.

The AJCongress looks forward to working with Mr.

Tajani during his stewardship of the European Parliament, to further strengthen the strong relationship between Israel and the European Union, AJC President Jack Rosen said.

Throughout his time in the European Parliament, Mr. Tajani has been a strong supporter of Israel, he continued. Notably, Mr. Tajani led a delegation of industry associations and company representatives from EU countries to Israel, to strengthen business relations between the EU and Israel.

The AJCongress hopes that Mr. Tajani will continue his strong support for Israel in his new role, Rosen said.

One of Tajanis first activities in his new post will be to host the EU event to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day next week, held every January at the European Parliament in collaboration with the European Jewish Congress.

European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor lauded Tajanis involvement in this event, saying that his ongoing concerns for the preservation of the memory of the Holocaust and for fighting antisemitism and racism are commendable.

We welcome the election of new European Parliament President Antonio Tajani, Kantor said. We very much look forward to working with him on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

President Tajani has been a good friend of the Italian Jewish community and the State of Israel and has been a fearless proponent of stronger ties between Israel and the European Union, especially in trade and technological cooperation, Kantor added.

Kantor paid tribute to Martin Schulz, whom Tajani succeeded on Tuesday, for ensuring that the Holocaust remembrance event became an official annual event in the European Parliament.

We are very grateful for the friendship and assistance that president Schulz has shown us at the EJC and the wider European Jewish community during his tenure, Kantor said. We especially thank him for his work on ensuring that this event takes place and is well attended by all levels of the European Union.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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New York Times

UK Set to Choose Sharp Break From European Union New York Times LONDON If British plans for leaving the European Union have been a dance of the seven veils, the British government removed one of them on Sunday, letting slip to news media that Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to choose to exit Europe's single ... EU politicians and businesses warn May over 'difficult' BrexitThe Guardian In Brexit speech, British PM outlines clean break from European UnionChicago Tribune May sets out Brexit vision with vow to quit European Union single marketThe Denver Post New York Daily News -TheStreet.com -90.3 KAZU all 3,876 news articles »

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UK Set to Choose Sharp Break From European Union - New York Times

BRUSSELS European Union legislators lashed out at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday for saying the British decision to leave the bloc would turn out great and predicting more countries would follow.

It is insane, Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the largest liberal group in the European Parliament, said, decrying what he saw as meddling in European politics and insisting on a much stronger EU reaction

What would happen in the United States when European leaders would say Oh, we think California will break away, Verhofstadt asked rhetorically, adding the EUs ambassador would immediately be summoned to Washington for chiding.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the biggest parliamentary group, the EPP Christian Democrats, said no one should underestimate the EU as an economic juggernaut on the world stage.

I want to stress that the EU is as large as the U.S. in economic terms, Weber said.

Trump indicated in a weekend interview with two European newspapers that he was indifferent to whether the EU stays together or not. His position is a sharp break from Obama, who encouraged British citizens to vote to remain.

I do think keeping it together is not gonna be as easy as a lot of people think, Trump said.

The British exit from the EU would end up being a great thing, he said.

Combined with the stinging criticism Trump offered of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European NATO allies, Trumps interview did not go down well in EU capitals.

We must tell all those who are threatening Europeans, especially European businesses, that we, too, can ask tough questions to U.S. companies, said Weber, a German whose party is closely aligned with Merkel.

If the U.S. is saying U.S. first, then we are allowed to say Europe first, Weber said.

Both Weber and Verhofstadt, who leads the European Parliaments ALDE liberal group, said Trump presidencys should spur the EU into action and force it to display more unity.

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European Union legislators snap back at Trump - Press Herald