After last week's informal EU summit, European leaders stated that the EU would like to be a trail-blazer in overcoming the world's financial crisis. Concrete proposals have been elaborated for next weekend's World Financial Summit, WHICH COULD PROVOKE A POWER STRUGGLE WITH THE UNITED STATES, because they are diametrically opposed to US priorities and are seeking to weaken the US position in the global financial system.

THE DAYS OF THE DOLLAR'S UNCONTESTED PREDOMINANCE ARE OVER, and it is about time that the Euro's growing importance is reflected in the rules of the world's financial exchanges, French President Sarkozy declared in the name of the EU. German government advisors see a certain risk: if the EU surges ahead, it would likely end in failure. The German government is attempting to camouflage its German-European offensive for gaining influence as a transatlantic alliance "renewal" proposal, supplemented with proclamations of sympathy for President-elect Barack Obama.

The EU's insisting tone is being attentively registered in the United States, particularly since the EU's proposals are diametrically in contradiction with Washington's interests. Berlin and Brussels are demanding that "NO FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, NO MARKET SEGMENT AND NO JURISDICTION MUST ESCAPE PROPORTIONATE AND ADEQUATE REGULATION OR AT LEAST OVERSIGHT," Over the past few years, the USA - not least because of cooperation with numerous EU countries including Germany - increased its fortune, thanks to the deregulation of financial markets and is refusing to comply with extensive international rules and regulations. SERIOUS CONFLICTS CAN BE EXPECTED.

Ads proclaiming, "WHY BELIEVE IN A GOD? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December. The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday. In lifting lyrics from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," the Washington-based group is wading into what has become a perennial debate over commercialism, religion in the public square and the meaning of Christmas.

"We are trying to reach our audience, and sometimes in order to reach an audience, everybody has to hear you," said Fred Edwords, spokesman for the humanist group. "Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion."

The humanists' entry into the marketplace of ideas did not impress AFA president Tim Wildmon. "It's a stupid ad," he said. "HOW DO WE DEFINE 'GOOD' IF WE DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what's good and bad and right and wrong. IF WE ARE EACH OURSELVES DEFINING WHAT'S GOOD, IT'S GOING TO BE A CRAZY WORLD."

Stock markets and commodity prices fell as gloomy data from major economies and an ever-worsening corporate outlook convinced investors the world was heading into a long, painful downturn. U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday urged the Bush administration to back a second stimulus package for the world's biggest economy and aid to the stricken car industry.

Corporate profit warnings mounted and General Motors shares fell to levels not seen since World War Two. "Whether it's economic indicators or company news, it's just too awful," said Takashi Ushio, head of the investment strategy division at Marusan Securities in Tokyo.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick warned global trade may drop next year for the first time in more than a quarter of a century as the world-wide credit crisis cuts into trade financing. "IT IS OUR ESTIMATE THAT TRADE COULD ACTUALLY FALL, not grow more slowly or have growth fall, but actually fall next year, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1982," Zoellick said in an interview with Reuters ahead of a meeting of world leaders.

But, it warned, there was a "major gap" in research and it would not recommend clothes with nanoscale silver. It is thought around 600 products - such as cosmetics, sunscreen and clothing - contain the particles. AT ISSUE IS THE FACT THAT AT SUCH TINY SCALES, MATERIALS BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY DO WHEN THEY COMPRISE LARGER OBJECTS. Professor Sir John Lawton, the commission's chairman, cited fibres made from carbon nanotubes as an example. "Carbon nanofibres are fundamentally different from graphite," he said.

Another potential concern is NANOPARTICULATE SILVER, which has made its name recently as a highly effective bacteria killer. It has been incorporated into fabrics to prevent the bacterial build-up that causes odours. But as it is worn away during washing, nanosilver's bacteria-killing properties could wreak havoc on delicate ecosystems, or municipal waste water systems that depend on bacteria. "We are concerned about nanosilver in clothing getting into the environment because it could be potentially very damaging," Sir John said.

"I wouldn't recommend nanosilver clothes and I wouldn't wear them myself. At the moment the concentrations are way below anything likely to do damage, but if it became common, it could lead to problems."

He promised the "most open and transparent" ever handover of power. Both Mr Obama, who takes office on 20 January, and Sen McCain railed against lobbyists during the election campaign, ACCUSING THEM OF PEDDLING FAVOURS AND INFLUENCE TO SWAY CAPITOL HILL LAWMAKERS IN A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION.

At a briefing in Washington, Mr Podesta told reporters Mr Obama had "pledged to change the way Washington works and curb the influence of lobbyists". Under the new measures, Mr Obama will not allow lobbyists actively petitioning the federal government to work with the transition, said Mr Podesta. The guidelines will also prevent anyone who has acted as a lobbyist over the last 12 months from working on any policy area in the transition in which they had been active.

He added that anyone who works on the transition and then becomes a lobbyist will be barred from approaching the administration for 12 months in the area in which they worked.

As world leaders try to deal with the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, President Dmitry Medvedev is echoing his French and British counterparts in calling for far reaching changes to the world financial system.

"We will need a new international agreement. The financial system must have common sources, which implies a multiplicity of world financial centres and reserve currencies. We need to form a new risk-management system, which would be based on new techniques, not the principles that the Bretton Woods agreement was based on," Medvedev said. NOW MEDVEDEV IS ESSENTIALLY CALLING FOR A LOWERED DEPENDENCE ON THE DOLLAR, according to experts. They say it would reduce U.S. influence on the world economy.

The world will be watching the G-20 meeting in Washington in mid-November, which will be the first to bring together the developed and the developing nations, for the answers.

Some manufacturers believe the technology can deliver the benefits of products in a more effective way. But critics say the size of THE PARTICLES MAY ALLOW THEM TO PERMEATE PROTECTIVE BARRIERS IN THE BODY, SUCH AS THOSE SURROUNDING THE BRAIN OR A DEVELOPING BABY IN THE WOMB. Their scale also changes the way they interact with other cells, WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO UNFORESEEN TOXIC EFFECTS.

Following a report which raised concerns that some firms are not declaring their use of nanoparticles, 'Which? Magazine' Has called for the so-called 'grey goo' technology to be banned unless it is proved to be safe. Its concerns have been backed by Professor Dame Ann Dowling, of the Royal Society, the UK's independent science academy. She has condemned the beauty industry for failing to provide information on safety testing and use of the controversial ingredients.

Research by 'Which?' Found that 87 per cent of customers are unaware that the technology is in use. The consumer group wrote to 67 cosmetics companies asking them about their use of nanotechnology, the benefits they thought it brought and how they ensured product safety. Only 17 responded - and only eight were willing to provide information about their use of nanotechnology or particles.

The two most common ingredients are Ultrafine titanium dioxide and Zinc oxide

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The plan aims to merge the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) into one regional economic market. LOCAL REPORTS SAID THE MERGER WOULD CREATE A FREE TRADE AREA COMPRISING OVER 527 MILLION PEOPLE AND A COMBINED GDP OF $624 BILLION. Leaders said they asked a tripartite task force to work on a 'roadmap' to implement the merger within six months.

They also said they work towards setting up a single customs union. But local reports said the merger may have to overcome several hurdles to become a reality including some countries' multiple memberships to various trade blocs. Some also fear weaker economies of being flooded by goods from stronger counterparts like South Africa and Egypt. Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni welcomed the agreement, stating that regional integration is a strategic tool that can ensure the future prosperity of Africa.

Sarkozy, who chaired a special meeting of EU nations, said the financial crisis and economic downturn required a quick deal on an overhaul at a NOV. 15 SUMMIT IN WASHINGTON bringing together leaders of the world's 20 largest industrialized nations and emerging economies.

"We are in an economic crisis. We have to take this into account," Sarkozy said. "We have to react and we have no time to lose. I'm not going to take part in a summit where there is just talk for talk's sake," Sarkozy told reporters after talks between the heads of the EU's 27 nations. "WE WANT TO CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME IN THE FINANCIAL WORLD."

The EU is calling for a second global summit next spring to flesh out changes to the way the world economy is governed. They want to see far more supervision of big financial companies and are urging governments to jointly monitor them. THEY WANT TO PREVENT A REPEAT OF THE WALL STREET EXCESSES THAT CAUSED HAVOC IN MARKETS WORLDWIDE — and are bringing emerging economies China, India and Brazil on board for talks on shaping a new world economic order.

Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, affirmed this at the fourth seminar for ministers of nations that belong to the European Cultural Convention, which took place last week in Nuremberg and Dachau.

It is important, Archbishop Bruguès continued, to keep alive the memory of these facts, especially as time passes and there are fewer remaining eye witnesses, so that "a similar tragedy is not repeated in any corner of Europe. The memory of the drama of the victims, the honor of their memory, demands that everyone realize that those sinister circumstances should be a call to responsibility for constructing the today and tomorrow of our continent," he said.

Archbishop Bruguès contended that it is necessary to "redouble efforts" in the fight against racism, exclusion, marginalization and xenophobia, and cautioned that hints of these evils can be found in modern society. He continued, "WE RUN THE RISK OF FALLING AGAIN INTO BARBARITY if we don't have passion for justice and liberty and if we don't work, each one according to his own capacity, to ensure that evil does not prevail over good."

During Thursday's closing ceremony of the first Catholic-Muslim seminar, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, spoke about the highlights of the historical final declaration, jointly written by members of both religions. "WE BELIEVE THAT CATHOLICS AND MUSLIMS ARE CALLED TO BE INSTRUMENTS OF LOVE AND HARMONY AMONG BELIEVERS, and for humanity in general, rejecting any type of oppression, aggressive violence and terrorism, above all when it is committed in the name of religion, and maintaining the principle of justice for all," the prelate affirmed, citing the declaration.

At the closing ceremony, Joseph Maila, one of the advising participants and a Lebanese professor from the faculty of social and economic sciences at the Catholic Institute of Paris, asserted that religion "cannot be a principle of discrimination" because it is the "force that leads to peace."

Therefore, he continued, EACH BELIEVER IS "RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HE DOES IN THE NAME OF RELIGION," which is the reason that each one should see themselves "under the gaze of God." Speaking of the atmosphere of respect among the members, he said, "No one can compromise if he does not love his brother as himself."

Since Friday, skiers and boarders at Snowbird have taken advantage of THE RESORT'S SECOND-EARLIEST START IN ITS 38-YEAR HISTORY. "It feels fantastic to be out this early. I forgot how it felt to be out here," said Plummer, who was at the resort with his son and some friends. "It's pretty good skiing. There's some rocks showing through, but I'm not picky. I'm hoping this means a long and epic season."

A major commemoration is taking place in Verdun, north-east France, where French and German troops fought for eight months. The battle was the war's longest, and Verdun has since become a symbol of Franco-German reconciliation. Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, and the Duchess of Cornwall are French President Nicolas Sarkozy's guests of honour at the event.

But no veterans are in attendance, says the BBC's Jonny Dymond, at the service. Not one member of the two huge armies that clashed on the fields of Verdun survives. Only the dead are left to be remembered, and the backdrop of the service is the ossuary, which contains the bones of 130,000 men who died in the fighting.

Remembrance ceremonies have already been held in Australia, which lost 60,000 men in the conflict. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd used a speech at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to issue a call for peace. "We have all endured a most bloody century," he said. "LET US RESOLVE AFRESH AT THE DAWN OF THIS NEW CENTURY... THAT THIS MIGHT BE A TRULY PACIFIC PEACEFUL CENTURY."

World War I was the world's first industrialised war. It toppled four European empires, led to the creation of the Soviet Union, and marked the end of Europe's long global hegemony.

"I think solar minimum is behind us," says sunspot forecaster David Hathaway of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. His statement is prompted by an October flurry of sunspots. "Last month we counted five sunspot groups," he says. That may not sound like much, but in a year with record-low numbers of sunspots and long stretches of utter spotlessness, five is significant. "This represents a real increase in solar activity."

Hathaway tamps down the excitement: "We're still years away from solar maximum and, in the meantime, the sun is going to have some more quiet stretches." Even with its flurry of sunspots, the October sun was mostly blank, with zero sunspots on 20 of the month's 31 days. But it's a start. Stay tuned for solar activity.

Finance officials from the G20 group of developed and biggest emerging economies agreed on Sunday to "urgently take forward" the proposals backed by their leaders at the Washington summit, which is also expected TO DISCUSS MEASURES TO STAVE OFF A GLOBAL RECESSION.

The G20 meeting in Brazil's business capital also exposed opposing views on how to regulate financial markets and the role institutions like the International Monetary Fund should play in overseeing A NEW GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER. A showdown appears to be brewing about whether broader groupings like the G20 should supplant the elite, rich-country G7 as the main forum governing the world economy.

France, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, is leading a drive for tough new regulations and oversight in financial markets. Many countries want to beef up the IMF and some want to give it a regulatory surveillance role. "WE SEE FRICTION BETWEEN ANGLO-SAXON CAPITALISM ON THE ONE HAND AND THE EUROPEAN-STYLE CAPITALISM ON THE OTHER HAND," French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde told reporters on Sunday on the sidelines of the G20 finance officials meeting in Sao Paulo.

"On the Anglo-Saxon side the balance is more toward letting the market rules play out and THE EUROPEAN SIDE PROBABLY HAS A BIG CONCERN ABOUT REGULATION."