a,toms shoes sale, was closed for several hours Saturday, and some roads were closed because of high winds and heavy snow. The situation improved in Croatia on Sunday, but a warning against driving remained in place because of icy roads. Croatian authorities said it was the heaviest snowfall in Zagreb in 57 years. Authorities in Serbia and Croatia warned people to stay indoors. Blizzards also hit Slovenia and Bosnia. As the storms headed east across the Balkans on Sunday, Romania's army was trying to clear snowbound roads as the country voted in a parliamentary election. ____ Associated Press writer Alison Mutler contributed from Romania. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press,http://zuolingyouli.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=727203. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. An insider's guide to politics and policy, available on the iPad or as a PDF download.[标签:标题]
By MICHAEL CASEY, Associated Press DOHA, Qatar (AP) Holding a high-profile U.N. climate change conference in Qatar, smack in the middle of the region that produces so much of the fossil fuel blamed for global warming, was a gamble. In the end, it displayed the hosts' drive for a leading place on the world stage and evoked a surprising new regional awareness of the environmental crisis. The two-week conference that ended Saturday challenged the tight control Qatar and other Gulf nations keep over their societies,cheaptomsshoessalei.com, and protesters took the brunt of that. It tested the ability of Qatar's ambitious effort to pilot an unwieldy gathering with divergent ideas to a successful conclusion as an example of its capabilities for future efforts, and the hosts got mixed grades. In an unexpected bonus, the very presence of the U.N. climate talks in energy-rich Qatar introduced the big-spending Gulf public to the issue of climate change close up for the first time. Dozens of young Arab activists from across the region most of whom never attended climate talks before headed home inspired to pressure their governments to do more for the environment. In a classic culture clash,http://www.cnprnet.com/plus/view.php?aid=524960, the conference highlighted some of Qatar's growing pains as it seeks to expand its global profile. Gulf countries want to reach out for events that offer prestige, but international conferences also feature messy debates and protests that conflict with the region's strict controls,cheap toms, which effectively outlaw public criticism of local rulers or their policies. "I'm glad it was in Qatar for many reasons," said Wael Hmaidan,http://www.forum.beijingcp.com/home/space.php?uid=307559&do=blog&id=2390205, a Lebanese activist and director of the Climate Action Network who challenged the host country for much of the week to show greater leadership. "The main reason was how it impacted the region, how initiatives started in region, how it change of mindset on all levels," he said. Qatar, which until recently showed little interest in climate negotiations, saw the conference as a chance to boost its image. Tiny Qatar already has an outsized presence on the world stage, including winning the bidding to host the football's 2022 World Cup and taking a leading role in aiding Syrian rebels. Its lack of envir