Building on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s theme of “smart cities” will be a key objective as Singapore’s Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam begins his India visit on Tuesday. Mr. Shanmugam is the latest in the string of high-profile visitors in Delhi wanting to engage with the new leadership, following close on the heels of Ministers from China, Russia and France, and just ahead of U.S. Senator John McCain and British Foreign Secretary William Hague.
Daily Archives: 30. Juni 2014
US urges restraint after teenagers bodies found
US Department of State Spokesperson Jen Psaki called the discovery „a tragedy“ and urged „Israelis and the Palestinians continue to work with one another “ in spite of the enormous pain on the ground“.
SIA Cargo to stop carrying shark’s fins from August
“SIA Cargo carried out a thorough review which took into account increasing concerns around the world related to shark-finning. Following this review, SIA Cargo will no longer accept the carriage of shark’s fins, with effect from Aug 1,” said a SIA spokesperson yesterday.
China expels retired general from party
In the most far-reaching public move so far in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s drive against corruption, the Communist Party leadership yesterday expelled a retired military commander from the party and handed him over for a crime investigation on charges of taking massive bribes in return for military promotions.
“Color Revolutions”: US State Department Document Confirms Regime Change Agenda in the Middle East
The October 22, 2010 document, titled “Middle East Partnership Initiative: Overview,” spells out an elaborate structure of State Department programs aimed at directly building “civil society” organizations, particularly non-governmental organizations (NGOs), to alter the internal politics of the targeted countries in favor of U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives.
Armenia to Receive Tax-Free Gas, Other Commodities from Russia
Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has ratified an intergovernmental agreement on deliveries of natural gas, petroleum products and natural rough diamonds to Armenia, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.
The agreement was signed on Dec 2, 2013, in Yerevan. It provides for duty-free delivery of these goods from Russia to Armenia before the latter joins the Eurasian Economic Union. The agreement prohibits re-export of these goods to a third country.
Pacifist sets himself on fire in Tokyo protest against Japan defence policy changes
A man in Japan set himself on fire at a busy intersection in Tokyo yesterday in an apparent protest against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s plans to ease limits of the country‘s pacifist constitution.
‚Stop war‘: Thousands protest in Japan over military expansion law change
Thousands gathered outside the Japanese prime minister‘s office to protest constitutional changes that would expand Japan‘s military role and allow overseas deployment. It comes one day after a man set himself on fire in protest against a proposed law.
What Facebook will do with your data once they get it? Don‘t want to find out? Opt out:
cms.fightforthefuture.org/facebookopt-out/ … pic.twitter.com/9aLicNRlLq
Please consider attending various #Tor Developer events in Paris this week:
trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/org/meetings/2014SummerDevMeeting … https://blog.torproject.org/events/tors-summer-dev-meeting-paris-france …
Why are 6,000 reporters keeping a U.S. nonsecret?
Journalists ought to publish news wherever they find it, whatever it is, damn the consequences. Credible media organizations don’t protect government secrets. They don’t obey spy agencies. Real journalists don’t cooperate with government — any government, anytime, for any reason. My editor and I believed that by demonstrating a little fearlessness, we might inspire other media outfits to grow a pair and stop sucking up to the government.
Americans’ confidence in government down as 7 percent now have trust in Congress
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New security force to debut soon in Mexico
What precise functions the new corps may have are not yet clear. A gendarmerie is usually a militia that carries out police functions in rural areas, most often in Europe. The French one was established in the late 18th century. The Italian carabinieri followed in 1814 and the Spanish Civil Guard in 1844.
Also yet to be determined: How will the Gendarmerie and the Federal Police divide their functions? Both operate across the country. The answer might become clearer in a month.
Ukraine: Kiew und Moskau einigen sich auf Waffenruhe
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Barzani: Kurds will hold referendum in Kirkuk and other disputed areas
Barzani made the statement in Arbil after receiving the UN envoy to Iraq, Nikolai Miladinov, and briefing him about the latest developments in Kirkuk and the neighbouring areas. He also invited the UN to observe the referendum.
Referendum is impossible in any country without central government’s permission
It is impossible to hold a referendum in any country without the permission of the central government, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, member of the bureau, Azerbaijani MP Azay Guliyev said on June 30.
He was commenting on changes and amendments to the draft resolution „Helsinki 40: For the safety of every person“ discussed at the committee meeting.
Die FAZ hat versucht, Mißfelders Russlandreisen hinterherzurecherchieren und bekam es am Ende mit anwaltlichen Drohungen zu tun. Nanu?
Was hat denn der Mißfelder in Russland getan, das so sensibel ist, dass die FAZ keinesfalls darüber berichten darf?
Suu Kyi races to change Myanmar constitution before 2015 elections
Suu Kyi became an international icon after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her pro-democracy efforts and spent most of the next two decades under house arrest where she continued to resist Myanmar‘s military rulers.
She remains wildly popular at home, but is nonetheless unable to fulfil her wish to become president due to a constitutional clause written to exclude her from office.
What’s going on in Greece? Oh, the usual stuff…
„A friend, a self-employed photographer, was informed by the tax office that he has to pay €1,850 euro tax for the annual income of €3,000 euro in 2013. It is taxing from the first euro plus tax in advance. In addition, the man has to pay €250 for social security per month.
My friend freaked out!“
In other news, all media analyze today why our National Football team lost against Costa Rica last night.
PSA: Blackwater heißt jetzt nicht mehr Academi sondern „Constellis Holdings“.
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Facebook conducted secret experiment on users’ emotions
Facebook has conducted a secret massive psychology experiment on its users to find out how they respond to positive and negative messages – without telling participants. What Facebook did was to alter the tone of the users’ news feed to highlight either positive or negative posts from their friends, which were seen on their news feed. Scientists working in the project then monitored the users’ response, to see whether their friends’ attitude had an impact on their own.
Pope tells young people to ‚think big‘
In a message to a national Catholic youth meeting in the Netherlands, Francis urged them to be „revolutionaries“ as outlined in the Beatitudes, in which the pope assured they will „find a new plan“.
Extrabreit – Mama, hol uns hier raus
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34 % aller Bürger in E.U.-Staaten wissen nicht, dass sich die Erde um die Sonne dreht
Das letzte Wort haben Extrabreit.
Polish far right party moves into third place: survey
New Right Congress‘s 71-year-old leader Janusz Korwin-Mikke has said Adolph Hitler was probably not aware of the Holocaust, and that women should not have the right to vote because they are less intelligent than men.
Russian and Ukrainian OSCE PA Delegations pledge to pursue two-track dialogue
Members of the Russian and Ukrainian Delegations to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly met today on the sidelines of the 23rd OSCE PA Annual Session in Baku. The Delegations welcomed the opportunity to continue their direct communication following their initial meeting in Vienna in April, as first proposed by OSCE PA Vice-President Doris Barnett (MP, Germany) and hosted by OSCE PA President Ranko Krivokapic, who also initiated today‘s meeting.
Inter-parliamentary group to be created in OSCE
The corresponding proposal was reflected in the amendment to the draft resolution of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly‘s (PA) Committee on Political Affairs and Security during the 23rd session of the OSCE PA in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Russian sailors arrive in France for amphibious assault ship training
About four hundred Russian sailors arrived in western France on Monday for training on Mistral amphibious assault ships before the first of two is delivered to Moscow by the end of the year.
#RIP #Christian #Führer. Danke für soviel #Engagement und #Mut!
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New EU sanctions against Russia to affect Finnish, Estonian economies — Estonian PM
The European Union’s possible new sanctions against Russia would negatively affect the economies of Finland and Estonia, Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Roivas said after a meeting with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb on Monday.
E-Mail-Verschlüsselung bleibt Ausnahme
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Zurück in die Kohlezeit? Was der Bundestag mit dem neuen EEG beschlossen hat
In unglaublicher Hektik hat der Bundestag am Freitag die EEG-Novelle beschlossen. Die neueste Textversion lag erst wenige Tage vor der Beschlussfassung vor – und das bei einem Dokument mit 218 Seiten! Noch kurz vor Schluss wurden wichtige Passagen geändert, ohne dass für den Bundestag die Möglichkeit bestand, hier noch wirklich zu prüfen. Der Antrag der Opposition nach mehr Beratungszeit wurde aber mit GroKo-Mehrheit abgeschmettert.
“EU-USA Ministertreffen” in Athen verabredet mehr Zusammenarbeit von Polizeien und Geheimdiensten – Datenschutz nur Feigenblatt
Und wozu sollen also mehr “Informationen” ausgetauscht werden? Es zeichnet sich ab, dass insbesondere das Phänomen der “ausländischen Kämpfer” zu weiteren Einschränkungen der Grundrechte und zu mehr Kooperation der Geheimdienste und Polizeien führen wird. Dabei geht es um Staatsangehörige der EU-Mitgliedstaaten, die die z.B. in Syrien kämpfen und anschließend in ihre Herkunftsländer zurückreisen. Um Anschläge wie jenen im Mai in Brüssel zu verhindern, sollen neben dem verbesserten Informationsaustausch auch mehr “Bedrohungsanalysen” angefertigt werden.