Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

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PROTESTERS DEFEAT MUBARAK
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The West Loses Its Favorite Tyrant
In the end, the refusal of pro-democracy protesters to back down sealed
his fate. The people on the streets of Egypt insisted that Mubarak
leave. But the West stood by the leader almost to the end, despite the
fact that the despot had turned his country into a police state and
plundered its economy.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,745104,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: Egypt Bids Farewell to an Autocrat
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-64586.html#ref=nlint


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MUBARAK STEPS DOWN
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Egyptian President Leaves Office, Hands Power to Military
Following 18 days of mass protest calling for him to step down, Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak resigned on Friday. Crowds are converging on
Cairo to celebrate his departure. Mubarak has turned rule of the country
over to the military.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,745080,00.html#ref=nlint

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'SEVERE BLOW'
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Weber's Departure Undermines Merkel's EU Clout
Friday's official announcement that Axel Weber, the president of
Germany's Bundesbank and leading candidate as the next head of the
European Central Bank, will step down has weakened Angela Merkel. It
casts a spotlight on problems with the chancellor's EU policies and
threatens to further erode her authority in Brussels.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,745071,00.html#ref=nlint

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MERKEL ECB CANDIDATE
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German Central Bank Head Axel Weber Resigns
Following a week of speculation about his future, German central bank
President Axel Weber has resigned, effective at the end of April. The
move is a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel, and leaves her without a
candidate for the presidency of the European Central Bank.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,745083,00.html#ref=nlint

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THE WORLD FROM BERLIN
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Weber's ECB About-Face Makes Merkel Look Vulnerable
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was blind-sided by Axel Weber's decision
to withdraw his name from contention for the European Central Bank's top
spot. Commentators say it makes her look weak, and that she has very
little time to bring the situation under control.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,745015,00.html#ref=nlint

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QUEER CINEMA AT THE BERLINALE
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'Normality Will Never Exist for Gays and Lesbians'
Queer cinema is stronger than ever, but how mainstream can it become
before it loses its identity? Wieland Speck, head of the Berlin
International Film Festival's Panorama section, talks to SPIEGEL ONLINE
about the festival's famous Teddy awards and the ongoing battle for gay
and lesbian rights.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,744955,00.html#ref=nlint

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EMOTIONAL PLEA FROM IRANIAN DIRECTOR
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Berlinale Opens with Strong Political Message
The 2011 Berlin International Film Festival opened on Thursday evening
with a strong message of support for the Iranian director Jafar Panahi,
who is facing six years in prison in his native country. Jury head
Isabella Rossellini read out an open letter from the filmmaker in which
he is openly critical of the Tehran regime.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,744983,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: 2011 Berlinale Opening Gala
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-64573.html#ref=nlint


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HARDENED CRIMINALS HELD IN FREEDOM
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Doing Time on Norway's Island Prison
No bars. No walls. No armed guards. The prison island of Bastøy in
Norway is filled with some of the country's most hardened criminals. Yet
it emphasizes self-control instead of the strictly regulated regimens
common in most prisons. For some inmates, it is more than they can
handle.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,744851,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: The Most Liberal Prison in the World
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-64537.html#ref=nlint


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THE GERMAN HAIR FORCE
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A Failed Experiment in Military Manes
For 15 months during the 1970s, Germany's armed forces, the
Bundeswehr, allowed soldiers to wear their hair long, reflecting trends
in society. The move angered the country's NATO partners during the
height of the Cold War and earned the military the disparaging nickname
of the "German Hair Force."

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,744992,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: Germany's Hairball Heroes
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-64414.html#ref=nlint


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PICTURE THIS
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Glorious Mud


http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,745048,00.html#ref=nlint