Daily Archives: 17. Mai 2018


17.05.2018 - 23:45 [ German Foreign Policy ]

Ein schwarzes Loch in Südosteuropa

Thaçi ist bereits im Jahr 2005 vom BND als „eine der drei Schlüsselfiguren“ eingestuft worden, die im Kosovo die Verbindungen der Organisierten Kriminalität in die Politik herstellten; demnach habe er „direkte Kontakte zur organisierten Kriminalität in Tschechien und Albanien“ gehalten und sei persönlich „in umfangreiche Drogen- und Waffengeschäfte“ verwickelt gewesen.[6] Im Jahr 2010 ist ein Sonderermittler des Europarats, der Schweizer Liberale Dick Marty, nach zweijährigen aufwendigen Ermittlungen zu dem Ergebnis gekommen, Thaçi und weitere einstige UÇK-Anführer seien in Organhandel und diverse Kriegsverbrechen verwickelt gewesen

17.05.2018 - 21:43 [ theGuardian.com ]

Calls for inquiry into Israel’s Gaza killings

We, Israelis who wish our country to be safe and just, are appalled and horrified by the massive killing of unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza (Reports, 15 May). None of the demonstrators posed any direct danger to the state of Israel or to its citizens. The killing of over 50 demonstrators and the thousands more wounded are reminiscent of the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960 in South Africa. The world acted then. We call upon decent members of the international community to act by demanding that those who commanded such shootings be investigated and tried.

The current leaders of the Israeli government are responsible for the criminal policy of shooting at unarmed demonstrators. The world must intervene to stop the ongoing killing.

17.05.2018 - 21:08 [ Haaretz ]

Dangerous Immunity

The uncompromising backing that Donald Trump gives Israel has liquidated the international community’s power to use diplomacy to restrain Israel’s behavior.

Under the auspices of an American president who recycles Israeli propaganda in his speeches and gives the Israelis carrots and the Palestinians sticks, Israel treats the international responses to the bloodbath in Gaza with contempt.

17.05.2018 - 20:54 [ Wall Street Journalq ]

Trump Presses Germany to Drop Russian Pipeline for Trade Deal

President Donald Trump is pressing Germany to pull the brakes on a major gas deal with Russia as the price for avoiding a trans-Atlantic trade war, according to German, U.S. and European officials.

The officials said Mr. Trump told German Chancellor Angela Merkel in April that Germany should drop support for Nord Stream 2, an offshore pipeline that would bring gas directly from Russia via the Baltic Sea. This would be in exchange for the U.S. starting talks with the European Union on a new trade deal.

17.05.2018 - 20:42 [ Ansa.it ]

Rethink Italy part in missions: Those ‚far from national interest‘

A new version of the government contract being finalised by the 5-Star Movement and the League says it is opportune „to reassess the presence of Italian contingents in individual international missions that are geopolitically and geographically, and not only, distant from Italian national interest“.

17.05.2018 - 20:27 [ SRF.ch ]

Neue Regierung in Sicht? – Ein Wunschzettel für Italien

Ebenfalls durchgesickert ist, dass man vom Ausstieg aus dem Euro offenbar Abstand nimmt. Warum?

In den letzten Monaten hat die Fünf-Sterne-Bewegung ihre Meinung zum Euro verschiedentlich geändert, wogegen die Lega in ihrer Kritik am Euro viel konsequenter ist. Nun scheint sich aber die Fünf-Sterne-Bewegung durchgesetzt zu haben – wobei man fragen muss, für wie lange.

17.05.2018 - 19:45 [ Lower Class Magazine ]

Pinkwashing im SchwuZ

(15.May) Die Liste der problematischen Konzerne, die bei Sticks&Stones auflaufen, ist so lang, dass man nicht fordern kann, einfach den ein oder anderen besonders grauenhaften Betrieb auszuladen. Das gesamte Konzept der Veranstaltung ist Pinkwashing. Die versammelten Verbrecher*innen schicken ihre »Diversity«-Experten, zeigen sich von ihrer flauschigsten Seite und kehren zum Alltagsgeschäft zurück: aus dem Leid anderer Menschen ordentlich Geld zu machen.

17.05.2018 - 19:23 [ Global News.ca ]

EXCLUSIVE: Canada’s plan for managing the return of ISIS fighters revealed in documents

(14.May) Calling terrorism “complex and resource intensive,” the documents caution that “there may not be sufficient evidence for charges” and say the fallback is to “mitigate the threat through efforts outside the criminal justice system.”(…)
The RCMP also “may use undercover officers to engage with the HRT [High Risk Traveler] to collect evidence, or monitor them during their flight home.”(…)

17.05.2018 - 19:02 [ Sott.net ]

Leaked draft agreement indicates Italy may ditch Russian sanctions

A draft of a joint program of the two parties was leaked and published by Italian media on Thursday. The 40-page document reportedly calls for end to treating Russia as a threat and refers to it as a partner, calling for more openness towards it.

17.05.2018 - 18:39 [ IBNA ]

Athens expects staff level agreement with creditors by Saturday

Speaking to Greek media on Thursday, Finance Ministry sources confirmed that talks with the inspectors representing the country’s official lenders have culminated in an agreement to reduce pensions in January 2019 as agreed, and slash the income tax-free threshold in 2020.(…)
Remaining stumbling blocks reportedly include delays in the selection of new general secretaries for Greek ministries, over which the government was warned by troika representatives.

17.05.2018 - 18:29 [ Wafa ]

Vietnam renews support for state with East Jerusalem as capital

“The firm position of Vietnam was to support the just struggle of the Palestinian people and to support the two-state solution, including the establishment of a Palestinian State living side by side with the State of Israel along the borders of 1967 and East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.”

17.05.2018 - 16:13 [ Politico.eu ]

Italy’s populists seek collision course with Brussels

The new draft still contains elements that would be difficult for Brussels to digest, especially coming from a founding EU member and the third largest economy in the eurozone. These include a call for “reducing EU competences,” as well as changes to the treaties and a denunciation of austerity policies.

17.05.2018 - 15:39 [ (EPI) Economic Policy Institute ]

Uber and the labor market

(15.May) The findings reinforce our skepticism that Uber, and “gig work” more broadly, represent the “future of work.” Our results indicate that Uber drivers earn low wages and compensation and the total hours and compensation in the gig economy represent a very small share of total hours and compensation in the overall economy. These findings—and the fact that many Uber and other workers who provide personal services via a digital platform do so on a part-time basis primarily as a way to earn supplementary income—argue for a change in perspective.

17.05.2018 - 14:55 [ Reuters ]

Denmark pulls special forces out of Iraq

Denmark will still have around 180 military personnel posted to the al-Asad air base in Iraq, and contribute to radar surveillance as part of an international coalition fighting the Islamist militant group.

17.05.2018 - 14:39 [ Wahlrecht.de ]

GMS (Gesellschaft für Markt- und Sozialforschung): Wenn am nächsten Sonntag Bundestagswahl wäre …

(17.5.2018)
CDU/CSU 34 %
SPD 16 %
Grüne 12 %
FDP 9 %
Linke 10 %
AfD 14 %
Sonstige 5 %

17.05.2018 - 14:19 [ hdb / Twitter ]

#Sputnik wird nicht müde das s-400 Flugabwehrsystem loben zu lassen. Fakt bleibt aber, die PR-Angaben wurden noch nie praktisch verifiziert und Russland vermeidet auch jeden Praxistest! Warum wohl?

17.05.2018 - 14:17 [ Haaretz ]

Israel Says Informed Russia Ahead Large-scale Strike on Iranian Targets in Syria

(10.5.2018) Israel forewarned Russia of its strikes on Thursday against multiple targets in Syria, an Israeli military spokesman said.

„The Russians were informed prior to our attack by the established mechanisms that we have,“ Lieutenant-Colonel Jonathan Conricus told reporters without elaborating.

17.05.2018 - 14:15 [ Moscow Times ]

Putin Says Russian Frigates With Cruise Missiles ‚on Permanent Standby‘ Over Syria Threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russian military vessels with Kalibr cruise missiles would be on permanent standby in the Mediterranean to counter what he said was the terrorist threat in Syria.

17.05.2018 - 13:48 [ Reuters ]

Turkey seeks U.N. General Assembly motion on Jerusalem: foreign minister

Turkey wants the United Nations General Assembly to pass a motion regarding Jerusalem, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Thursday, as the discomfort over Palestinians killed in Gaza by Israeli forces grows.

17.05.2018 - 13:47 [ Reuters ]

Italy‘s 5-Star and League put final touches to government deal

Italy’s two anti-establishment parties met on Thursday to finalize a governing accord that would slash taxes, ramp up welfare spending and pose the biggest challenge to the European Union since Britain voted to leave the bloc two years ago.

17.05.2018 - 13:46 [ Suedtirolnews.it ]

EU verständigt sich auf harte Haltung im Handelsstreit mit USA

Die EU-Staaten haben sich im Handelsstreit mit den USA auf eine harte gemeinsame Linie verständigt. Die angedrohten US-Schutzzölle für Stahl- und Aluminium-Einfuhren aus der EU müssten “ohne Konditionen und ohne Limit” fallen, sagte Frankreichs Präsident Emmanuel Macron am Donnerstag nach einem informellen Abendessen der 28 EU-Regierungschefs am Vorabend in Sofia. Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel bekräftigte die Position:

17.05.2018 - 13:35 [ Zeit.de ]

EU-Gipfel: EU steht zu Atomabkommen mit Iran

Nach der Abkehr der USA vom Atomabkommen mit dem Iran bekennen sich die 28 EU-Staaten geschlossen dafür. Die Staats- und Regierungschefs waren sich bei ihrem Treffen in Sofia nach Angaben von Diplomaten einig, an dem Vertrag festzuhalten – solange der Iran das auch tue.

Damit geht die EU auf Konfrontationskurs zum US-Präsidenten.

17.05.2018 - 13:33 [ ZDF ]

„EU arbeitet an Instrumentenkasten“

(16.5.2018) Die Staats- und Regierungschefs der EU beraten in Sofia über die Rettung des Atom-Abkommens mit Iran. ZDF-Korrespondent Stefan Leifert berichtet aus Sofia.

17.05.2018 - 13:25 [ Donald Tusk, President of the European Council / Twitter ]

Looking at latest decisions of @realDonaldTrump someone could even think: with friends like that who needs enemies. But frankly, EU should be grateful. Thanks to him we got rid of all illusions. We realise that if you need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of your arm.