American jets hit targets in Syria on Tuesday in the US-led fight against Islamic State. Although the US has not declared war since 1942, this is the seventh country that Barack Obama, the holder of the Nobel Peace Prize, has bombed in as many years.
Daily Archives: 23. September 2014
Ki-Moon: Syria didn’t ask to carry out airstrikes on its lands, but it was informed of the operation
Reuters quoted Ki-Moon as saying at a press conference with French President François Hollande “I acknowledge that today’s airstrikes have not been done upon a direct demand from the Syrian Government, but it was taken into consideration that the government was informed of the process in advance.
Israeli refuseniks expose Occupation’s dark underbelly
Netanyahu is only too aware how to keep the Israeli public compliant. Last week he warned of an apparently alarming new threat: Hamas had responded to the operation in Gaza by waging “cyber attacks” on Israel, aided by Iran.
The insinuation was clear. Unit 8200 is all that stands in the way of the Jewish state’s destruction by the mullahs of Tehran. Those who undermine intelligence work endanger Israel’s survival.
Netanyahu knows it is a message that will find favour with Israelis. Their military is no callous and brutal leviathan. And they can continue to sleep easy at night, still history’s victims.
Renzi party rebels file amendments – update 2
A dissenting minority of as many as 38 MPs from Premier Matteo Renzi‘s Democratic Party (PD) said Tuesday it will file seven amendments to an enabling law on the premier‘s Jobs Act.
Die UBS fühlt sich verfolgt und will vor den EU-Menschenrechtsgerichtshof.
Und zwar werden sie von den fiesen Franzosen verfolgt, die ihnen wegen jahrelanger systematischer Beihilfe zur Steuerhinterziehung das Hinterlegen einer Kaution in Höhe von 1,1 Milliarden Euro aufgedrückt haben. Ich würde da normalerweise jetzt ein paar gehässige Kommentare bloggen, aber der Tagesanzeiger hat das schon für mich getan.
Gute Nachrichten: Spaniens Regierung stellt fest, dass ihr neues „katholisches Abtreibungsgesetz“ keinen Rückhalt im Volk hat und — macht es dann nicht.
Nanu? Wo gibt es denn sowas!? Seit wann hören Regierungen auf ihre Bevölkerung!?
Call to Mayor de Blasio from Jewish New Yorkers: NYC needs strong condemnation of Islamophobia
Dear Mayor de Blasio:
As you know, hateful, bigoted signs that denigrate Muslims will be posted this week in NYC subway stations and on public buses. The American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), the sponsor of this ad, is one of three groups co-founded by Pamela Geller that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as anti-Muslim hate groups.
While a court has ruled that the First Amendment prevents the MTA from rejecting these virulently anti-Muslim ads, NYC has the right—indeed, the obligation—to denounce the message they promote and to ensure that all New Yorkers are treated with dignity and respect.
Informationsfreiheits-Ablehnung des Tages: Bundesregierung schützt Arbeitsweise ausländischer Geheimdienste
Anfang August hatte das Auswärtige Amt die ausländischen Botschaften in Deutschland aufgefordert, ihre Spione und Agenten an die Bundesregierung zu melden. Mit einer Informationsfreiheit-Anfrage hatten wir die entsprechende diplomatische Rundnote veröffentlicht, mit dem Kommentar:
„Aber spannender als die Frage sind natürlich die Antworten. Wir glauben zwar nicht, dass es da wirklich substantielle Antworten geben wird, aber wir haben immerhin mal nachgefragt.“
Jetzt hat das Auswärtige Amt entschieden: Die Antworten der anderen Staaten bleiben geheim, weil “das Bekanntwerden der Information nachteilige Auswirkungen auf die internationalen Beziehungen haben kann.”
Informationsfreiheits-Ablehnung des Tages: Bekanntwerden etwaiger Überwachungslücken gefährdet innere Sicherheit
Vor zwei Wochen berichteten wir, dass die Bundesregierung nach Möglichkeiten sucht, um Inhalte verschlüsselter Kommunikation auch ohne Staatstrojaner zu überwachen. Unter dem Namen “Projekt tGatt” erforscht das “Strategie- und Forschungszentrum Telekommunikationsüberwachung (SFZ TK)” “technische Alternativen im Kontext der Telekommunikationsüberwachung”. Auch die Firma Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH (ESG) hat eine gleich lautende Studie erstellt, die bereits Juli 2013 fertig sein sollte.
Wir haben per Informationsfreiheitsgesetz alle Informationen zur Erforschung grundrechtsschonender Alternativen zur Quellen-TKÜ, alle Informationen zum Projekt tGATT, sowie die fertige Studie angefragt. Jetzt wurden alle drei Anfragen abgelehnt.
“Tarnfirmen und Tarneinrichtungen” von Geheimdiensten zahlen keine Steuern, da angeblich nicht gewinnorientiert
Zur Tarnung eingerichtete Firmen deutscher Geheimdienste dienen der Verschleierung von Operationen und “nachrichtendienstlichen Methoden”. Sie zahlen keine Steuern und werden lediglich durch “behördeneigenes Personal” betrieben . Auch die für eine Gründung zuständigen Institutionen oder Kammern werden nicht über den “beabsichtigten nachrichtendienstlichen Zweck” in Kenntnis gesetzt. Dies teilt die Bundesregierung jetzt in der Antwort auf eine Kleine Anfrage der Bundestagsabgeordneten Martina Renner mit.
BND-Überwachung: Regierung plant Maulkorb für Ermittler im Spähskandal
Schaar will diese Vorgänge nicht kommentieren. Den Konflikt zwischen beiden Behörden sieht er pragmatisch: „Das Verhältnis zwischen Prüfern und Geprüften ist nun einmal nicht durch Liebe gekennzeichnet“, das sei völlig normal. Seine Behörde sei von den Nachrichtendiensten immerhin „nicht systematisch hinters Licht geführt worden“.
Die Akten sind geschwärzt, die Regierung schließt die Antworten auf Kleine Anfragen weg oder lügt direkt, sie wisse von nichts, damit ist doch eigentlich jeder Anflug von Demokratie-Wahrnehmung erfolgreich verhindert.
Die Datenschutzbeauftragten dürfen jetzt keine Fragen mehr zu Dingen stellen, von denen die Bundesregierung glaubt, sie fielen in ihre „exekutive Eigenverantwortung“. Damit sind in erster Linie die Geheimdienste gemeint.
US launches anti-ISIS raids in Syria, Italy to provide support
„If there are other needs in future we will evaluate the response to make,“ Pinotti said. „We have officers at the operation‘s command headquarters in Tampa, Florida. They will update us on the programming and evolution of the situation,“ she added.
Brazil‘s Rousseff overtakes Silva in potential Oct runoff: poll
Rousseff would win the runoff by 42 percent of the votes against 41 percent for Silva, who was leading by almost three percentage points in the previous survey by polling firm MDA two weeks ago.
Iranian workers hold protest in Tehran
The reason for the protest was low salaries. The workers handed over a statement, signed by 40 thousands of workers, to the parliament and demanded improvements.
Iranian mine workers strike in protest against arrest of strikers
(31. August) In an increasingly tense and prolonged stand off between striking miners, the Bafgh Iron Ore Mines, and judicial officials, which originally began in May 2014 over plans to privatize the mine, a new round of strikes at the mines began on August 19 over the arrests of some of the strikers, reportedly involving some 5000 miners, according to ILNA, and drawing in the surrounding community in sit ins protesting the arrests.
Azerbaijani, Israeli officials soon to be able to make visa-free travels
From December 12, 2014 any Azerbaijani and Israeli officials possessing diplomatic or service passports will be able to travel without visa, Israeli Ambassador in Azerbaijan Rafael Harpaz said in an interview with Trend.
Russia will add 80 new warships to Black Sea Fleet: fleet commander
In comments made to President Vladimir Putin as he visited the port city, Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko said a second Black Sea base was needed in addition to the main base on the Crimea peninsula annexed from Ukraine because of NATO expansion.
South Africa says nuclear power deal with Russia in early stages
South Africa‘s nuclear cooperation deal signed this week with Russia is part of a tender process that will involve other competing countries and is not a contract to build power plants, government officials said on Tuesday.
Foreign Ministry : Minister al-Moallem received letter from US counterpart informing him that the US will target ISIS positions in Syria
Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs said “After Syria’s confirmations on many occasions that it is ready to cooperate in combating terrorism in the framework of the full respect of its national sovereignty, and after many countries agreed on the necessity of respecting the UN Charter which affirms respecting the countries’ sovereignty and their territorial integrity, Syria’s permanent representative to the UN was informed on Monday that the US and some of its allies will target the terrorist organization of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” ISIS” in Syria hours before launching the airstrikes.”
Moscow Exchange ready to start Hong Kong dollar-ruble trade
The committee has also recommended the Moscow Exchange to organize trading of the yuan-ruble pair jointly with the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Russlands Außenamt: US-Luftangriffe in Syrien verschärfen Lage im Nahen Osten
„Die Versuche, eigene geopolitische Ziele durch einen Verstoß gegen die Souveränität von Regionalstaaten zu erreichen, verstärken die Spannungen und destabilisieren die Lage nur noch weiter.“
Die Verfechter der einseitigen Stärke-Szenarien trügen die Verantwortung für deren Folgen gemäß dem internationalen Recht.
Did Israel help US by downing Syrian jet?
In a sign that Obama’s war on ISIS in Syria could quickly be extended into a war against Syrian president Bashar Assad, Israel downed a Syrian jet inside Syria this morning with a US-funded Patriot missile. According to Israel, the Syrian plane had passed 800 metres into its territory before heading back into Syria, during what the Israeli media say was a sortie against “rebels” operating close to the Israeli border (that’s right – the people Obama is currently bombing but whose injuries are being mended in Israeli hospitals).
Of course, we only have Israel’s word for it that the plane briefly crossed into Israeli territory, but watch to see how completely the western media will assume Israel’s story to be the only valid account.
Nato ‘not involved in strikes on Islamic State’
“There is no Nato involvement,” an alliance official said in response to a query from Reuters.
Nato distanziert sich von Luftangriffen auf IS-Stellungen in Syrien
Die Nato hat sich von den Luftangriffen der USA und mehrerer arabischer Länder gegen Terrormilizen des „Islamischen Staates“ in Syrien distanziert, meldet Reuters.
„Die Nato steht in keiner Verbindung damit“, erklärte ein offizieller Sprecher der Allianz, der von der Agentur darauf angesprochen wurde.
U.S Secretary of State invited to visit Kazakhstan
„The sides discussed relevant international issues, including the situation in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as Iran‘s nuclear program, during the meeting,” the statement said.
Armenian president to visit U.S.
During his visit, Sargsyan will also deliver a speech at the Columbia University, and meet with leading U.S. experts in international relations and the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) Chairman Nasser Kazeminy.
In New York, he will attend the opening of the ArmTech Congress‘14, the 7th annual high-tech industry business forum and conference, as well as meet with representatives of the Armenian community in the U.S.
Qatar will not host World Cup: FIFA Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger
„Of course, it was a mistake. You know, one comes across a lot of mistakes in life,“ he told Swiss television station RTS in an interview at the time.
Merkel und Valls: Nicht New York – katzbucklen beim BDI ist angesagt!
Wer wirklich diktiert, dürfen Valls und Merkel und ihr kleiner Dicker, Gabriel, heute am jährlichen Tag der deutschen Industrie verkatzbucklen.
BDI-Chef Grillo läßt beide antanzen und diktiert in die Mikrofone der Staatssender Deutschlandradio und ZDF was Sache zu sein hat: Öffentliche Austerität und öffentliche Investitionen durch Umschichtung!- Selbstverständlich keinesfalls duch Belastung des steuerflüchtigen 15-% besteuerten, ausgewiesenen Gewinnkapitals in der EU.
France undertaking reform, German criticism a ‚caricature‘: Valls
„I am aware that here in Germany people like saying that France is unwilling to reform and that now France is a sick man,“ Valls told a conference in Berlin hosted by the BDI industry association.
Renzi‘s party in Senate won‘t vote on Jobs Act on Tuesday
Big divisions have emerged within the PD over the reform of the labour market, which includes changes to Article 18 of the 1970 Workers Statutes guaranteeing people unjustly sacked the right to their job back.
‚I have no masters‘ says Renzi
„If the premier is free of godfathers and masters it‘s a sign Italy is tired of certain rituals and a certain way of doing politics,“ Renzi told 150 Italian-American entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
„We might fail, but as Silicon Valley teaches us, failure is how we learn to do better,“ the premier said.
Healthcare.gov Is A Security Disaster… And Those Working On It Knew It, And Tried To Stop Independent Security Review To Hide It
We‘ve written before about how problematic the technology is behind the federal healthcare.gov website, pointing out that the federal government hired political cronies rather than web development experts to build it. There was an effort to open source the code, but after the feds put the code on github, they removed it after people started pointing out just how bad it was. Then, just about a month ago, we noted that the government turned down a FOIA request from the Associated Press concerning the site‘s security practices, arguing that it might „give hackers enough information to break into the service.“ As we noted at the time, if revealing the basic security you have in place will give hackers a road map to breaking into the site, the site is not secure at all.