------------------------------------------------------------------------ A 'TEFLON' CHANCELLOR AND 'WILDCARD' FOREIGN MINISTER ------------------------------------------------------------------------ How America Views the Germans The State Department dispatches that have now been released show just how critically the US views Germany. They see Chancellor Merkel as "risk averse" and Foreign Minister Westerwelle as a "wild card." The US Embassy in Berlin has informants at all levels of German government. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,731645,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: The Berlin Cables http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-62162.html#ref=nlint Photo Gallery: How the US Sees Select World Politicians http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-62152.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'TYPICAL COCKTAIL PARTY CHATTER' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Berlin Goes into Damage-Control Mode on Unflattering Cables The German government is trying to appear laid-back in its reaction to the secret US diplomatic cables which portray senior German politicians in an unflattering light. But in reality foreign policy experts are concerned about the future of the trans-Atlantic relationship, warning of a "deep rupture" in the usual diplomatic communications. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,731907,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE 'TRIBUNE OF ANATOLIA' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ America's Dark View of Turkish Premier Erdogan The US is concerned about its NATO ally Turkey. Embassy dispatches portray Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a power-hungry Islamist surrounded by corrupt and incompetent ministers. Washington no longer believes that the country will ever join the European Union. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,732084,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ KINGDOM OF THE CHAIN SMOKER ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The US Eyes the World of Kim Jong Il Dump trucks, kids and cows -- US diplomats report whatever clues they can about North Korea to their superiors in the State Department. They rely heavily on informants who travel to the country, and have been told that the regime of Kim Jong Il may not exist much longer. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,732039,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: A Peak within Kim Jong Il's Regime http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-62202.html#ref=nlint SPIEGEL 360: Our Complete Coverage of the WikiLeaks Diplomatic Cables http://www.spiegel.de/international/topic/wikileaks_diplomatic_cables/#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE WORLD FROM BERLIN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'A Weapon of Mass Destruction on the Last Traces of Trust' The dust is still settling after Sunday's revelations about the contents of 250,000 confidential US diplomatic cables, but it's already clear that the WikiLeaks disclosure is hugely damaging for the American government. German commentators are divided over whether Julian Assange and his comrades are heroes or villains. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,732007,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ AMERICA'S GUANTANAMO FILES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Haggling with Allies over New Homes for Detainees Guantanamo must be closed. That was one of US President Barack Obama's first pledges upon taking office. But the newly released US dispatches make it clear that the search for new homes for the detainees wasn't easy or cheap. The list of demands from potential recipient countries, including Germany, was often long. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,731853,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'AT LEAST THE WEATHER WILL BE BETTER' ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Managing Expectations for a Climate Deal in Cancun Copenhagen was a disaster, and now the next United Nations climate change conference is beginning in sunny Cancun. Despite generally low expectations and setbacks of his own, German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen sees sunny prospects and even a bit of progress at the summit in Mexico. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,731805,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- Photo Gallery: Will Sunnier Climes Deliver Climate Breakthrough? http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-62158.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FEARS OF EURO CRISIS CONTAGION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Portuguese Central Bank Warns of Risks to Banking Sector Portugal's central bank fanned concerns about the country's financial stability on Tuesday by warning that austerity measures put in place were likely to hit banks' bottom lines. The institution also believes that bank borrowing from the European Central Bank is unsustainable. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,731942,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MASTERPLAN FAILS TO CALM MARKETS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Europe's New Debt Mechanism Has Come too Late for Euro Crisis Europe is celebrating its new masterplan to shore up the euro -- a debt rescheduling mechansim that forces private sector creditors to write down government debt in some cases. Analysts say the system is overdue but won't solve the current crisis. http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,732024,00.html#ref=nlint -------------------- SPIEGEL 360: The Euro Crisis http://www.spiegel.de/international/topic/euro_crisis/#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SEARCH QUERIES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EU Launches Anti-Trust Investigation against Google A number of Google's rivals accuse it of abusing its dominant position in the online search business. Now the European Commission has launched an anti-trust investigation into the company. http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,732050,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRAVEL CHAOS AND BEAUTY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Snow and Freezing Weather Hits Germany Winter arrived early in Germany and much of Europe this week, causing thousands of accidents and travel chaos but also creating snowy landscapes of exquisite beauty. Temperatures are expected to remain well below freezing for the rest of the week and more snow is expected. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,732088,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PICTURE THIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fire in the Sky http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,732065,00.html#ref=nlint
Everyday of Freedom is an Act of Faith for my writings ============> http://robertoscaruffi.blogspot.com for something on religions ===> http://scaruffi1.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
