Categories
Society

Germany’s Latest Media Star Is A Wayward Country Cow

Yvonne, a dairy cow, has been hiding since May in the woods near Zangberg, a tiny Bavarian municipality. So far, she has eluded all attempts at capture – but now it’s Ernst the bull’s turn to be trucked in, in the hopes he can woo her out.

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Society

Journalist’s ‘Swiss Suicide’ Sparks Euthanasia Debate In Israel

With the help of an organization called Dignitas, well-known Israeli television and radio personality Adi Talmor ended his life last week in Switzerland. The euthanasia case came as a huge surprise in Israel, which is now busily examining the issue of ass

Categories
Food / Travel

Counterfeit Wine In China: Can You Smell That Fake Bordeaux?

As wine grows in popularity with a new Chinese elite, some shady sellers are hocking “French” wine made with artificial flavors and colors. But the labels look great!

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Geopolitics

Exclusive: Rift Opens In U.S.-Russia Relations Over Dueling Blacklists

Russia has drawn up a list of Americans who will be banned from entering Russia. The move comes as a response to Washington’s blacklisting of Russian officials linked to suspected human rights violations.

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Geopolitics

ARABICA – A Daily Shot Of What the Arab World is Saying/Hearing/Sharing

A R A B I C A ارابيكا TARGET: MINARETA Syrian television station showed footage of the Othman Mosque in the besieged eastern city of Deir a-Zor, now reportedly occupied and subdued by the Syrian military. The top of the minaret has been blown off as gunfire crackles and artillery booms in the background. This […]

Categories
Economy

Why The Economic Crisis Should Kill Keynesian Conventional Thinking

Op-Ed: A countervailing conservative French economist blames the West’s imploding economy on long-accepted Keynesian policies of boosting consumption via public spending.

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Society

Al-Azhar: Separating Egyptian Islam From The State. But To What End?

In post-Mubarak Egypt, both devout Muslims and ardent secularists are calling for the autonomy of Cairo’s authoritative Islamic institution and center for learning. But they have very different ideas about where it will lead.

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Society

What Made London So Ripe For Riots

The uniquely integrated socio-economic mix within the city’s individual neighborhoods are a benefit for London — when times are good. But once the economy tanks, the differences lived up close can be an explosive source of conflict and resentmen

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Geopolitics

And Where Does Lebanon Stand On Syria?

Lebanon’s recent history has long been inextricably linked to its northern neighbor. In the face of Damascus’ crackdown on a popular uprising, the current pro-Hezbollah government has been loathed to criticize the Syrian regime. But the

Categories
Economy

Is Ireland A Model For How The West Can Recover?

Lower salaries and a well-structured bailout have made Ireland competitive again, though its export-driven growth is still vulnerable to the fallout of a reeling world economy. Looking for signs of a way out for us all.

Categories
Future

French Winemakers Use Satellites And Infrared To ‘Spy’ On Their Own Crop

A month before harvest begins in Bordeaux, a new technology is being used that takes incredibly detailed images from 800 kilometers above to allow wine growers to gather their grapes at the right moment for maximizing quality.

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Geopolitics

From Moscow To Kiev: What’s At Stake In Trial Of Ukraine’s Top Opposition Leader

A court in Kiev has rejected a request to free opposition leader Yulia Timoshenko from detention during a trial of abuse of office. Russia has surprised many by siding with the former Prime Minister.

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Geopolitics

Exclusive: Clues That Gaddafi’s Daughter, “Killed” In ’86 U.S. Strike, Is Still Alive

Hana Gaddafi supposedly died 25 years ago during an American bomb attack. Die Welt has turned up evidence that the Libyan leader’s daughter is alive and well, as doubts swirl around other reported Gaddafi family deaths.

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Economy

Addicted To Debt: To Cure Economy, Credit Junkies Need A New Dose Of Shame

Op-Ed: The worldwide debt crisis means that citizens, governments and the financial world must confront a bitter reality: living on credit has to stop, and dangerous deficits should be forbidden. The transition will be painful. But it’s high time.

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Geopolitics

What’s Behind Putin’s New Push To Tame Far-Right Racism?

Recent race riots and far-right pre-election rhetoric have brought the issue of xenophobia back into the national spotlight in Russia. Prime Minister Putin is proposing a new government body to help keep ethnic tensions at bay, though some activists are s

Categories
Future

Measuring Mount Everest — With Ever More Precision

Mount Everest is unquestionably the world’s highest mountain – but just how high, exactly, is it? Toting the latest technology, a team of climbers is heading for the rooftop of the world to find out.

Categories
Geopolitics

War, Famine And Facebook: Deadly Propaganda Of Somalia’s Al-Shabaab Terrorists

Millions of people in Somalia are suffering from hunger – not least because militant al-Shabaab Islamists are refusing to let aid organizations in with food supplies. Meanwhile, the group with ties to al-Qaeda is seeking converts to their cause with a biz

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Geopolitics

ARABICA – A Daily Shot Of What The Arab World is Saying/Hearing/Sharing

A R A B I C A ارابيكا PERSUASIVE BY DESIGN*The Syrian Revolution Facebook group has a new logo, with a face split down the middle; half civilian and half clad in military gear. “We will not serve in an army that is killing us,” the banner reads at the top. The design reflects the […]

Categories
Geopolitics

Don’t Let The Mafia Disturb Your Perfect Italian Beach Vacation

Authorities say one stretch of the picturesque region of Puglia is infested with local mob bosses who extort money from beach resort owners and use the coastline for drug trafficking. Locals are scared silent.

Categories
Economy

Why The Global Economic Crisis Has Only Just Begun

After an ineffective weekend flurry of phone calls among world leaders, confidence in governments’ ability to react is eroding. And the uglier it gets, the more politicians will focus on their own skin rather than finding a common solution. Buckle up.

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Eyes on the U.S.

Honduras: A Vicious Cycle Of Poverty, Emigration And Deportation

Some 40,000 Hondurans are deported each year from the United States back to their homeland, one of the poorest in Latin America. Many arrive only to once again brave the perilous journey north.

Categories
Economy

World Bank Chips In On Turkey’s Next Challenge: Gender Parity In The Workplace

With women long shut out of positions of power in Turkish society, the World Bank has created a new program to offer its official stamp of approval for businesses in Turkey that strive for gender parity.

Categories
Economy

From Milan To Manhattan: The Making Of A Horror Film Called The Western Economy

Analysis: How a toxic mix of public debt, slow growth and paralyzed politics has put the global economy on the edge of another crisis.

Categories
Society

Polite Like A Cactus: A Tale Of Manners In Modern Israel

One of the fruits of the Israeli pioneer spirit is scant attention to politeness and proper manners. A French reporter asks why a nation has so little time for formalities.

Categories
Society

In Germany, Therapy For Sex Offenders In A Hard Metal Setting

A new German law requires therapy for criminals who served their full sentences but are still deemed too dangerous for release. In the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, therapy sessions are set to begin in a refurbished facility that looks a lot like a prison

Categories
Future

China: When The State Wants To Protect You By Owning Your Privacy

Op-Ed: Some heavy skepticism, and sarcasm, by a Chinese commentator toward a new program that requires Internet cafes in Beijing to pay for a new system to allow authorities to control personal information by online users.

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Geopolitics

Lifting A Veil On The Macabre Final Months Of Sri Lanka’s Civil War

Sri Lanka’s government likes to proclaim that the country has put its bloody civil war behind it. But a visit to the Tamil stronghold reveals open scars everywhere.

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Geopolitics

Putin At Summer Camp: Up Close As Russian Leader Mingles With Youth, Plays Politics

Vladimir Putin went to an annual summer camp organized by the pro-Putin youth group Nashi, in what was widely seen as an early stop on his election campaign to retake the Russian presidency.

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Geopolitics

In Bolivia, Morales Government Pushes Controversial “Phone Hacking” Law

A new bill would give Bolivian authorities permission to listen in on electronic communications in times of emergency. Critics call it a power play against President Evo Morales’ media opponents.

Categories
Economy

A German Slow-Growth Recipe For Greater ‘Prosperity’

Charged with redefining the way well-being is measured in Europe’s biggest economy, German social scientist Meinhard Miegel sees the national debt crises as a sign that people will need to find new ways of being satisfied with less.

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Geopolitics

ARABICA – A Daily Shot Of What the Arab World is Saying/Hearing/Sharing

A R A B I C A ارابيكا PARTY LINE, TAKE ONEHezbollah-backed Al-Manar broadcaster reports on Prime Minister Najib Mikati, an ally of Hezbollah, defending his stance that Lebanon should not judge events in Syria. “This position is consistent with the Lebanese position of not interfering in the affairs of other countries,” Mikati told reporters. […]

Categories
Food / Travel

No Longer Niche, Mosque-Sanctioned ‘Halal’ Food Finds Mass Market

French retailers and food manufacturers are realizing there’s money to be made by embracing halal, food produced according to Islamic law. Though sales tend to spike during Ramadan, halal is very much a year-round market.

Categories
Society

Anorexia Victims Are Getting Younger And Younger

Children from 5 to 15 years old are increasingly being diagnosed with the eating disorder. It can be difficult to detect by parents who can’t believe their young child could suffer from a disease that is still largely caused by social pressures.

Categories
Geopolitics

Exclusive: Turkey Intercepts Iranian Arms Delivery Destined For Hezbollah

“Süddeutsche Zeitung” sources reveal an operation last spring where Turkey intercepted an Iranian arms delivery, in bald violation of UN sanctions. The weapons were thought to be headed for Syrian-based members of the Lebanon Shiite grou

Categories
Society

In Italy, The Leaning Power Of Ikea. Swedish Furniture Store Blocked Again

After big plans in Pisa for a new Ikea store were scrapped, the Swedish furniture mega store has run into another local administrative wall outside of Turin. The price of entering the Italian market remains frustratingly high.

Categories
Geopolitics

Jordan: Mixed Marriages, Geopolitics And A Gender Double Standard

The husband and children of a Jordanian woman can never become a citizen, and enjoys no basic rights in the country. Many of those shut out are Palestinian, which makes the law even more difficult to undo.

Categories
Future

Under The Knife, At Risk: Study Shows Rising Death Rates From General Anesthesia

Modern medicine makes it possible to perform ever riskier operations on ever older patients. The result? A rising rate of post-anesthesia deaths, according to a study published in the Germany Medical Association’s Deutsches Ärzteblatt journal.

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Geopolitics

Politics And Pollution Make For Troubled Waters In The Bay Of Gibraltar

The Bay of Gibraltar has a serious pollution problem. Efforts to clean up the mess, however, have so far been hindered by historic animosities between British and Spanish authorities, which have conflicting claims over the bay.

Categories
Geopolitics

The Real Reason Behind The Turkish Generals’ Mass Resignation

Op-Ed: Turkey’s top military brass resigned en masse, setting off speculation of why, and what will happen next. But the origins of the move can be traced to the military’s many attempts to discredit the ruling party of Prime Minister Erdogan.

Categories
Economy

On The Trail Of The Fugitive Who Blew The Cover On Global Tax Evasion

After outing some high-profile tax evaders by selling Liechtenstein bank account information to investigators, Heinrich Kieber disappeared. Recently, he turned up in Australia, only to disappear again.

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