In just a few years, Croatia could be celebrating its EU accession - no mean feat for a nation involved in the bloody Balkan wars less than two decades ago.
In a progress report the European Commission says this country of 4.4 million people “is expected to reach the final phase of accession negotiations by the end of 2009, if it has taken the necessary preparatory steps”.
For the first time, the Commission proposes a detailed timetable for agreeing terms in all the 35 areas covered by membership talks by the second half of next year.
If both Croatia and the EU stick to it, the country could join the bloc by 2011, after the ratification of its accession treaty by all 27 EU member states, a process expected to take around 18 months.
But that’s a big if. The timetable is “indicative and conditional” and the report stresses that significant challenges remain for Croatia.
The Commission highlights the fight against corruption, continued discrimination and hostility towards Serbs and attacks against journalists, particularly those working on corruption cases and organised crime.
Just weeks ago, a car bomb killed the newspaper editor Ivo Pukanic and a colleague. In another recent high-profile murder, the daughter of a prominent lawyer was gunned down in the Croatian capital Zagreb.
In the current economic downturn, sport - like any other industry - is having to fight hard to retain not only the consumer pound, euro or dollar, but also a continuous supply of cash from other sources, principally sponsorship.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton could bring more sponsorship revenue into sport
But in a sign of the times, Saracens rugby union club has recently lost one of its sponsors, a financial services firm, and at the other end of the scale Manchester United has seen its shirt sponsor AIG nationalised by the US government.
Yet there is optimism that sport can weather the worst of the downturn because of the escapism it offers to its followers during this bleak period.
“The one thing about sport in a recession is that it touches the heart,” says Sir Keith Mills, the driving force behind London’s winning bid for the 2012 Olympics.
“Lewis Hamilton did touch the heart and soul of a nation in a way no other marketing can.”
After the economy, healthcare is the biggest domestic issue influencing voters in the US presidential election.
Both candidates have ambitious plans to reform the health system to expand the group covered by health insurance, and to control costs.
But the scale of the financial bail-out and the growing size of the US budget deficit could limit any attempt at reform, whichever candidate is elected.
“Do we have the money to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper? The answer is No,” says health economist Uwe Reinhardt of Princeton University.
The US healthcare system is the most expensive in the world.
Employer-based insurance plans cover most people in work, and there is government insurance for older people - but 45 million citizens have no health insurance at all.
This is why voters see healthcare reform as an urgent priority.
Rap star Will.i.am is releasing a new song and video to mark Barack Obama’s win in the US presidential election.
The musician spent election night editing the final version of It’s A New Day, which is set to make its internet debut on Wednesday.
The Black Eyed Peas singer said the song was a tribute to the American people and their part in events.
Will.i.am scored a viral hit with Yes We Can earlier this year, in support of Obama’s White House bid.
Testimonials
It set an Obama speech to the rapper’s music and racked up millions of hits in February.
The song also featured vocal contributions from stars including actress Scarlett Johansson, jazz legend Herbie Hancock and Pussycat Dolls frontwoman Nicole Scherzinger.
The new song and video is due to debut on the Dipdive website.
Will.i.am also asked for celebrity video contributions for the project.
He said: “The whole thing is really for people to leave testimonials… to create a page and leave testimonials on how they feel about this American accomplishment.”
The musician, who scored a top ten hit with Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole in April, spent part of election night in Chicago, where Obama delivered his victory address.
Best-selling author Michael Crichton has died in Los Angeles aged 66 after a “courageous and private battle against cancer”, his family has said.He penned Jurassic Park, as well as books like Congo and Disclosure, all of which were adapted into films.His books have sold more than 150 million copies. He also created the long-running US hospital drama ER.”He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched,” his family said in a statement.A private funeral service is expected.
Crichton is survived by wife Sherri and daughter Taylor.
CRICHTON’S BEST-KNOWN NOVELS
Lost World, from the Jurassic Park trilogy
Odds On (1966)
The Andromeda Strain (1969)
The Great Train Robbery (1975)
Congo (1980)
Jurassic Park (1990)
Disclosure (1994)
The Lost World (1995) - pictured
Timeline (1999)
State of Fear (2004)
Next (2006)
The family’s statement paid tribute to a “devoted husband, loving father and generous friend”.
It added: “Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand.”
A new Crichton novel had been scheduled to come out in the US next month.
Publisher HarperCollins said the book would now be postponed indefinitely.
