Purim. Einer der gleichermaßen bei allen beliebtesten jüdischen Festtage – bei den orthodoxen, traditionellen und sogenannten säkularen Juden. In den Straßen drängen sich Kinder und Erwachsene in Kostümen, geschminkt und auf alle möglichen Arten maskiert, auf dem Weg von einer fröhlichen Purim-Party zur nächsten. Glückliche Tage. Hinter den Karnevalsmasken lauern jedoch unheilbringende Dämonen.
Daily Archives: 4. März 2013
All Calm at Polls as Kenya Votes in Crucial Election
Despite the promise of peace ahead of the election, 15 people were killed Monday in a seaside Kenyan town by machete-wielding gang members. Laura Heaton reports on the important election since independence.
DARPA scientists want to create database of all conversations
Your digital footprint could be getting a whole lot bigger: Pentagon scientists are searching for a way to transcribe every real-world conversation that happens into computer-readable files.
Hey Congress: Make the Sun Shine on the Targeted Killing Memos For All to See
Well, we‘re still waiting for the president to open the windows and let the sun shine on the targeted killing memos for all to see.
‚Privilege, not a right‘: UK on secret passport-revoking crusade
“Neither of these individuals had been charged with any offense in the UK. We know they were accused of serious terrorist offenses, but no charges were ever laid against them,” Woods said, arguing that the process is highly secretive.
Banks unlawfully foreclosed on military members while they were on tours of duty
Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo all foreclosed on military families, a discovery that was made while analyzing mortgages during the multi-billion dollar settlement with the government, the New York Times reports.
Venus sparkles in views from Saturn
NASA‘s Cassini spacecraft has been sending us eye-filling pictures of the giant planet Saturn for almost nine years, but every so often, the camera also sees the small fry of the solar system — such as Venus, which shines in the two latest offerings from the Cassini imaging team.
A ‚betrayal‘ of British values: Tories accused of damaging UK’s reputation on human rights
Government attacks on human rights legislation were condemned last night as an “unhinged” betrayal of British values, destined to destroy the country’s reputation on the world stage.
US, Saudi Arabia Stand United for Democracy in Syria?
Secretary of State John Kerry stopped off in Saudi Arabia on Monday to stand united in the name of democracy in Syria. The Associated Press called it “a united front,” reporting that Kerry and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal “warned Syrian President Bashar Assad that they will boost support to rebels fighting to oust him unless he steps down.”
Inside The 2013 Billionaires List: Facts and Figures
The names, numbers and stories behind the 1,426 people who control the world economy.
Associated Press Laments Tragic Plight Of The Very Wealthy
The Associated Press’ Stephen Ohlemacher is out with an article lamenting the tax burden levied on the richest Americans who are “paying some of their biggest federal tax bills in decades even as the rest of the population continues to pay at historically low rates.”
Ausstieg aus Stuttgart 21
Der Aufsichtsrat der Deutschen Bahn soll morgen der Erhöhung des Finanzierungsrahmens des umstrittenen Bahnhofsprojekts Stuttgart 21 um zwei Milliarden Euro nicht zustimmen. Das forderte der Hauptvorstand der Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (GDL) nach eingehender Bewertung der Chancen und Risiken in der Hauptvorstandssitzung vom 4. bis 6 März 2013 in Eisenach.
Egyptian comedian tests the limits of post-revolution satire
In the revolution that would eventually make him a star, Youssef lent his medical expertise to help wounded protesters, but then he decided to do more beyond attending protests.
Feds re-open abandoned Nunavut oil field for bidding
The federal government plans to hold a call for bids for oil and gas discovery licenses for the Bent Horn lands off Baffin Island in Nunavut.
The oil field is on Cameron Island, northwest of Bathurst Island, and was already the site of exploration and production.
Red Lake Nation Tribal Members Blockade Enbridge Pipelines
Red Lake Nation Tribal Members Blockade Enbridge Pipelines
First Nations prepared to fight Harper government, Enbridge in international court
Darla Goodwin wasn’t surprised when she first heard about the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.
Fukushima ist überall
Am 9. März, zum zweiten Jahrestag des Super-GAUs von Fukushima und sechs Monate vor der Bundestagswahl, wollen wir gemeinsam ein Zeichen gegen die Atomkraft setzen, an dem niemand vorbei kann. Bundesweit und in Nachbarländern wird es dazu viele große Aktionen geben:
Activist arrested for wearing ‘Occupy Everything’ jacket
If you’re planning a trip to Washington, DC, you might want to choose your wardrobe wisely. A federal judge says that a Florida man was not wrongly arrested for wearing an “Occupy Everything” jacket inside the Supreme Court.
The Libertarian Republican Heritage
The Republican party wasn’t always the party of war, unlimited military spending, and reckless foreign entanglements. There is a long albeit largely unknown tradition of opposition to militarism in the GOP, starting with the so-called „isolationist“ opposition to US intervention in World War II and continuing right up until the 1960s, when an outgoing Republican president said farewell to the nation, and I quote:
U.N.O.: Alle Akten zu C.I.A.-Verbrechen auf den Tisch!
“Keine Freikarte für offizielle Straflosigkeit”
Czech President Vaclav Klaus faces treason charge
The senators also accuse Mr Klaus of flouting the constitution by refusing to ratify European treaties, and for refusing to rule on the appointment of judges despite being ordered by courts to do so.
Stuttgart 21: WikiReal fordert BMVBS zur Freigabe der Wirtschaftlichkeitsrechnung auf!
Mit Wirkung zum 01.03.2013 hat die Faktencheckplattform WikiReal.org, vertreten durch Marc Braun, beim Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bauwesen, Städtebau und Raumordnung sowie dem Wohnungswesen, kurz BMVBS, nach dem Informationsfreiheitsgesetz Antrag auf Veröffentlichung der Wirtschaftlichkeitsrechnung zu Stuttgart 21 gestellt.
Salt Sugar Fat: NY Times Reporter Michael Moss on How the Food Giants Hooked America on Junk Food
Food companies have known for decades that salt, sugar and fat are not good for us in the quantities Americans consume them. But every year, people are swayed to ingest about twice the recommended amount of salt and fat — and an estimated 70 pounds of sugar.
Israeli court refuses to delay ex-PM trial over key witness‘ death
Pundits and legal experts told Israeli media that the prosecution may drop the charges against Olmert following the recent developments. Meantime, other experts insisted that the case will continue at least until Yossi Olmert has made his testimony.
Shoigu visits Cam Ranh Bay naval base
During the consultations, the high-ranking officials will exchange views on a wide range of issues and discuss further development of military and military-technical cooperation.
Live: A SCOTLA
ASCOLTA „La Cosa“
Herr Präsident,Indonesiens Wälder brauchen Ihre Hilfe
Verzweifelt kämpfen die Bewohner der Dörfer Pandumaan und Sipituhuta in der Provinz Nordsumatra um den Erhalt ihrer Lebensgrundlage. Seit fünf Generationen bewirtschaften und bewahren ihre Familien die Regenwälder am Tobasee. Vor allem die Weihrauchbäume sichern ihnen ausreichendes Einkommen.
Obama plans to extract timetable for Israeli pullout from West Bank
Israeli sources said Obama, scheduled to arrive in Israel on March 20, wants a detailed Israeli withdrawal plan from Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu during the president’s visit. The sources said the Israeli plan would be considered in what could be an imminent U.S. initiative to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank in 2014.
Zwillingssonden entdecken weiteren Strahlengürtel um die Erde
Zu den zwei bekannten Strahlungsgürteln gesellt sich hier und da ein erst jetzt entdeckter dritter hinzu. Die Strahlungsgürtel sind in dieser Illustration der Daten gelb dargestellt.
Report: Obama wants timetable for pullout from West Bank
World Tribune quotes Israeli sources as saying US president expects to see detailed plan for Israeli withdrawal from West Bank during his visit to Israel as part of initiative to establish Palestinian state in 2014
Middle East: Israeli, PA officials quietly meet in Istanbul
Labor MK Yitzchak Herzog had arrived in Istanbul to meet with senior PA official Yasser Abed Rabbo in Turkey‘s largest city over the weekend to discuss the upcoming visit to the region of U.S. President Barack Obama.
Nuclear weapons must be eradicated for all our sakes
No nation should own nuclear arms – not Iran, not North Korea, and not their critics who take the moral high ground
Finanzbeamter: China bestens auf Währungskrieg vorbereitet
China ist zu allem bereit, sollte es zu einem drohenden, obwohl „vermeidbaren“ Währungskrieg kommen, sagte der stellvertretende Gouverneur der chinesischen Zentralbank, Yi Gang spät am Freitag.
Turkish group seeks Islamic debt for Istanbul finance hub
Agaoglu Group, a Turkish company with interests in construction, energy and tourism, plans to raise USD 2 billion in Islamic debt to finance the construction of Istanbul‘s financial district as Bloomberg reports.
Billionaire Seeks Sukuk for Istanbul Finance Hub
Agaoglu Group, a Turkish company with interests in the building industry, energy and tourism, plans to raise $2 billion in Islamic debt to finance the construction of Istanbul’s financial district.
Athens: Ex PASOK Defence Minister, acting Golden Dawn MP stand trial
Athens courts have a busy day on Monday with prominent defenders appearing before the judges.
Crisis: Cyprus; Troika to return to Nicosia this week
The Troika (European Central Bank, European Commission and IMF) will be in Cyprus this week to continue negotiations on the bailout deal that could be reached in the second half of March, economic daily Financial Mirror reported quoting a senior Eurozone official as saying Friday in Bruxelles.
Insight: Brazil‘s leftist president fights to win back business
„Brazil needs to focus now on issues like productivity and reducing costs, because that‘s the only way we can grow in a sustainable fashion,“ said Marcelo Odebrecht, who runs a global conglomerate that bears his family‘s name.
EU-Proteste: ARD-Tagesschau kann nicht zählen
Nach der peinlichen Berichterstattung über die Massenproteste in Madrid gegen das Spar-Diktat der Troika im vergangenen Sommer und der danach eingeräumten Verfehlung verharmloste die beliebteste Nachrichtensendung im deutschen Fernsehen auch dieses Wochenende einen massiven Widerstand gegen das Spardiktat der EU.
Herr Wowereit: East Side Gallery retten! Keine Luxuswohnbebauung auf dem ehemaligen Todesstreifen
Berlinerinnen und Berliner, Teile der denkmalgeschützten East Side Gallery sollen schon diesen März abgebaut und umgesetzt werden! Warum? Grund für die geplante, große Lücke ist eine Luxuswohnbebauung des ehemaligen Todesstreifens direkt hinter der East Side Gallery.
Sie wollen die East Side Gallery bewahren? Dann unterschreiben Sie jetzt. Sobald Sie unterschrieben habe, leiten Sie die Petition an Ihre Freunde und Bekannte weiter.
Augen auf, Herr Ramsauer: Stuttgart 21 ist eh schon tot!
Riesiges Banner über S21-Brache gehängt
THE PP‘S HIDDEN FINANCES: Mystery still surrounds the abortive inspection by police at PP headquarters
– Interior opens inquiry to determine who ordered fingerprints to be dusted at party’s offices
– Lawyer says that Bárcenas’ computers were not stolen, just put in another room for safekeeping
Eurozone crisis live: Spanish jobless total hits five million; Cyprus bailout talks resume
• Spain‘s Labour ministry reports a 1.2% rise in unemployment in February
• Eurogroup finance ministers to discuss aid package for Cyprus, and situation in Italy, today
Crisis: Spain, registered jobless break 5 million record
Spain has a record 5 million workers registered as unemployed, the labour ministry said on Monday in the worst result in its historic series.
Athens: Barking strays protest the Troika …in the name of all Greeks (picts)
The representatives of Greece’s lenders had a rather unpleasant encounter on Sunday: they came face to face with the famous Athens strays. Three, four doggies had taken position outside the finance ministry as the Troika moved to meet minister Yiannis Stournaras and check the pulse of Greece’s austerity progress.
Israel’s New “Palestinians Only” Bus Lines Draw Apartheid Comparisons
Although the official word is that the new bus lines are only meant to help decrease overcrowding, Ynet News talked to several drivers who said that if Palestinians try to board the “Israeli lines” they’ll be asked to leave.
Ministry launches ‚Palestinians only‘ bus
The ministry alleges that the move is meant to ease the congestion felt on bus lines used by Jews in the same areas, but several bus drivers told Ynet that Palestinians who will choose to travel on the so-called „mixed“ lines, will be asked to leave them.
Cardinal Keith O‘Brien: how Britain‘s Catholic leader fell from grace
The four complainants in the Cardinal O‘Brien affair, who have accused him of inappropriate behaviour, haven‘t rated much sympathy within this strange moral hierarchy. „Who are they?“ I have been asked all week. „Where are they?“ has been another frequent question. But I have rarely been asked: „How are they?“
Stuttgart 21: Ingenieure22 ermitteln tatsächliche “Ausstiegskosten”
Der größte Posten der vermeintlichen “Ausstiegskosten”, die die Bahn immer wieder nennt, ist die Rückabwicklung des Grundstücksgeschäftes der von der Stadt Stuttgart vorab erworbenen Gleisflächen samt Zinszahlungen. Dies sind jedoch keine “Ausstiegskosten”, denn der Bahn entsteht dadurch kein Vermögensschaden. Sie zahlt lediglich das 2001 erhaltene Geld samt Zinsen an die Stadt Stuttgart zurück und erhält dafür die Besitzrechte an ihren Gleisflächen wieder.
Sylvia Mathews Burwell: Six things to know about the new White House budget director
Her longest relationship thus far has been with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She served as executive vice president from 2001 to 2002, as chief operating officer from 2002 to 2006, and as president of the Global Development Program from 2006 to the end of 2011. Burwell was considered to replace Gates Foundation chief Patty Stonesifer upon her retirement in 2008, but was passed over for Microsoft executive Jeff Raikes. In late 2011, she was picked to lead the Walmart Foundation. See a complete timeline of Burwell’s career here.
Erste Jahrestagung des 12. NVK startet am Dienstag
Die erste Jahrestagung des 12. Chinesischen Nationalen Volkskongresses wird am Dienstagvormittag eröffnet und am 17. März abgeschlossen, erklärte die Sprecherin der Jahrestagung des 12. Nationalen Volkskongresses Fu Ying am Montag vor der Presse.
Swiss Voters Approve a Plan to Severely Limit Executive Compensation
“I am very proud of the Swiss people who have sent a very strong signal to the establishment,” Mr. Minder told Swiss television. Despite the fact that his referendum had been opposed by Switzerland’s main political parties, Mr. Minder, who is an independent member of the Swiss Parliament, called on all lawmakers to cooperate in swiftly enacting the law.
1’615’720 Stimmen (68%) «gegen die Abzockerei» – ein Rekord-Ja!
1’615’720 Stimmbürgerinnen und Stimmbürger (68%) haben heute der eidg. Volksinitiative «gegen die Abzockerei» zugestimmt – ein Rekord-Ja! Diese enorm hohe Zustimmung ist die dritthöchste bei Volksinitiativen überhaupt.
Helmut Kohl‘s sons go public on family feud
They accuse him of cheating on their mother in the 1990s with a woman 34 years his junior, Maike Richter. Then an employee in the chancellor’s office and now the ex-chancellor’s second wife, she is accused by the Kohl brothers of being an obsessive stalker who wears their dead mother’s clothes and jewellery.
Helmut Kohl is kept ‚like a prisoner‘ by his new wife, sons claim
Former German chancellor‘s sons go public with bitter family feud, claiming father‘s new wife will not allow them to visit