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Iceland plans vote on bank payout. Iceland's president has announced plans to hold a referendum on the payment of compensation resulting from the collapse of the country's banks. Olafur Ragnar Grimmson said he would not sign a controversial bill to repay $5bn lost by UK and Dutch savers in Icesave accounts.

Dutch demand explanation why Icesave bill not signed Tue Jan 5, 2010 6:50am EST. M, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The Dutch finance ministry said on Tuesday it will demand an immediate explanation from the Icelandic government, after the president of Iceland declined to sign a bill repaying Great Britain and the Netherlands for loans made following the collapse of online bank Icesave in 2008.

Top News. Iceland President Blocks U.K. Dutch Foreign Depositor Accord January 05, 2010, 06:29 AM EST Story Tools. President Olafur R. Grimsson blocked a depositor accord with the U.K. Netherlands that lawmakers passed last week, threatening to undermine the island’s efforts to repair international relations.

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Only once in the republic's 65-year history has a president, whose post is largely symbolic, refused to sign a bill into law. It has steadily become more apparent that the people must be convinced that they themselves determine the future course," Grimsson told a news conference.

A woman listens to Barack Obama's speech at theCopenhagen climate change conference on 18 December. Axel Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images. And sure enough,the aid agencies, civil society movements and environmental groupsall took the bait. The failure was "the inevitable result of richcountries refusing adequately and fairly to shoulder theiroverwhelming responsibility", said Christian Aid.

CapeBreton on Monday has died in hospital. Delorey was found by a search and rescue team, sufferingfrom hypothermia and found with a weak pulse after almost 48 hourslost in the woods in blizzard conditions near his home north ofSydney, N.S.

By Michael Macdonald And Alison Auld (CP)– Dec 8, 2009. X, N.S. — James Delorey, the CapeBreton boy who died in hospital after miraculously surviving twonights lost in the frozen wilderness, was remembered Tuesday as acalm and quiet child whose big brown eyes did most of thetalking.

A funeral will be held later today for James Deloreywho died of hypothermia after getting lost in the woods outside hisCape Breton home last week.

James Delorey disappeared on Saturday afternoon. Cape Breton Regional Police)A seven-year-old autistic boy who disappeared from his CapeBreton home two days ago was found alive, unconscious, sufferingfrom hypothermia and huddled in an area of thick brush and snow onMonday.

Russia policeman jailed for death of Kremlin critic. Russian court has sentenced a policeman totwo years in jail for the killing of the owner of a websitecritical of the Kremlin. Magomed Yevloyev died from a gunshot wound sustained whiletravelling in a police car in the restive southern Russian regionof Ingushetia.

Obama defends war as he picks up Nobel Peace Prize. Barack Obama has said the US mustuphold moral standards when waging wars that are necessary andjustified, as he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize. Oslo, he defended the US role in Afghanistan,arguing the use of force could bring lasting peace.

Iraq oil development rights contracts awarded. Iraq has the world's third largest oilreserves. Shell andMalaysia's Petronas oil companies has won the right to developIraq's giant Majnoon oil field. 44 companies are bidding for 10 fields in the secondsuch auction since the invasion in 2003. Shell and Petronas beat a rival bid from France's Total andChina's CNPC.

I like to put on a big spectacular'Page last updated at 11:15GMT, Friday, 11 December 2009.

U offers 7.2 blneuros in climate aidDecember 11, 2009 -11:59PM. Union nations have agreed to give 7.2 billion euros tohelp developing nations tackle climate change, the Swedish EUpresidency announced Friday. The EU total is equal to 2.4 billion euros per year," over thenext three years, with voluntary pledges coming in from all 27 EUmember states, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said aftera two-day EU summit in Brussels.

By JOHN HEILPRIN (AP) –9 hours ago. European nations pressed formerEast bloc neighbors to help create a multibillion-dollar fund forpoor countries suffering the most from global warming, while keyU.S. President Barack Obama will pledge at the U.N.

By Pete Harrison and Luke BakerBRUSSELS (Reuters) - European leaders on Friday pledged billions of euros to developing countries to try to win their support for a climate deal in Copenhagen.

U agrees climate pledge to boost Copenhagen. EU leaders have agreed to pay 7.2bn euros(£6.5bn; $10.6bn) over the next three years to helpdeveloping nations adapt to climate change. Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldtsaid all 27 EU member nations would contribute and that the EU wasdoing its "fair share".