Archiv: extreme quick comprehenders / geniuses on the rocks


26.07.2023 - 10:43 [ CNN ]

Civil unrest, legal appeals and military disobedience: What Israel may face after Supreme Court law change

In 2021, the court outlined very narrow circumstances under which a Basic Law can be annulled. A number of petitions were filed challenging the constitutionality of the Nation State Law. While the court did not strike down the law, Supreme Court President Esther Hayut said that “there is one restriction, exceedingly narrow, which is incumbent on the Knesset in its function as the constituent authority, that it is unable to revoke Israel’s essence as a Jewish and democratic state through a Basic Law.”

The court could strike down a Basic Law if it endangers democratic principles such as those that deal “a mortal blow to free and fair elections, core human rights, the separation of powers, the rule of law, and an independent judiciary,” Hayut said.

28.06.2023 - 12:49 [ NHK.or.jp ]

Lukashenko: Wagner will not guard Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has reportedly stressed that the Wagner mercenary group will have no role in guarding Russian tactical nuclear weapons that are being transferred to his country.

A state-run news agency in Belarus cited Lukashenko as saying on Tuesday that a substantial amount of Russian nuclear weaponry has been moved into the country.

(…)

The report said Lukashenko denied such views, saying, „It is our job. And I am personally responsible for the security of the weapons.“

26.06.2023 - 10:06 [ OSETinstitute.org ]

Electronic Voting Banned in Germany

(Sep 2, 2022)

Earlier this year, there was an important legal dispute in Germany, about whether electronic voting machines were legal for use in German government elections. The dispute was decided by the German Constitutional Court (similar to the U.S. Supreme Court), and the short answer was „no.“ Now, we have available an official English translation of the ruling. As I had been told before, the ruling really does seem to ban any kind of computing equipment from being used in German elections. The legal reasoning was interesting enough that I thought I‘d share one reflection on it. The basis for the ruling was the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (similar in function to the U.S. Constitution) and the principle that „all essential steps in the elections are subject to public examinability.“

10.06.2023 - 19:45 [ Haaretz ]

Meet the Hard-core Protesters Putting Their Lives on Pause to Defend Democracy

Far from being your typical extremists or “anarchists” – as the protesters are often denounced by representatives of Israel’s religious-right government – many of those devoting themselves full-time to the movement have never been involved in a political or social cause before (…)

In explaining the largely unanticipated, fierce pushback against the government by these mainstream Israelis, Ben-Porat likes to cite the famous parable about the frog in the pot of water: When the water’s temperature is turned up gradually, the frog fatally stays in the pot. But if it is thrown into the boiling water, it jumps out.