Thursday, Aug 4 '11, Av 4, 5771
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1. 'Jonathan Sounded Weak and in Pain'
by Gil Ronen
Esther Pollard, wife of Jonathan Pollard, was allowed to hold a short telephone conversation with her husband after he underwent a difficult operation. She said he sounded weak and seemed to be in pain.
Pollard was not allowed to stay in the hospital for recovery and was taken back to the prison's sick ward the morning after the surgery. His doctor told him the operation had been successful but that he may require another operation soon.
Esther told Jonathan that since news about his hospitalization had come out, people have been calling her nonstop, inquiring about his health, expressing support for him and wishing him freedom. She also told him many people had taken pictures of themselves with signs calling for his release.
"I felt that this encouraged him," she said. "It is so important that he know that he is not alone. The success of the operation gives temporary relief but his situation after 26 years [in jail] has worsened and become very unstable. He needs to come home and receive the care and rehabilitation he needs so much.
Pollrd was found guilty of spying on the United States on behalf of Israel and sentenced to life in prison in 1987. Similar cases of spying for a friendly nation usually yield sentences of less than five years, but U.S. authorities have refused to release Pollard. Many observers believe Pollard is being singled out for harsh and cruel treatment because he is a Jew who spied for Israel.
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by Gil Ronen
Esther Pollard, wife of Jonathan Pollard, was allowed to hold a short telephone conversation with her husband after he underwent a difficult operation. She said he sounded weak and seemed to be in pain.
Pollard was not allowed to stay in the hospital for recovery and was taken back to the prison's sick ward the morning after the surgery. His doctor told him the operation had been successful but that he may require another operation soon.
Esther told Jonathan that since news about his hospitalization had come out, people have been calling her nonstop, inquiring about his health, expressing support for him and wishing him freedom. She also told him many people had taken pictures of themselves with signs calling for his release.
"I felt that this encouraged him," she said. "It is so important that he know that he is not alone. The success of the operation gives temporary relief but his situation after 26 years [in jail] has worsened and become very unstable. He needs to come home and receive the care and rehabilitation he needs so much.
Pollrd was found guilty of spying on the United States on behalf of Israel and sentenced to life in prison in 1987. Similar cases of spying for a friendly nation usually yield sentences of less than five years, but U.S. authorities have refused to release Pollard. Many observers believe Pollard is being singled out for harsh and cruel treatment because he is a Jew who spied for Israel.
Comment on this story
2. Israel Frees Top Terrorist - Because Prisons Are Too Crowded
by David Lev
Israel's prisons are too crowded – so, in order to ensure compliance with newly-instituted rules on the amount of space prisoners are entitled to, the Prisons Service on Thursday released some 800 prisoners, who had been convicted of various crimes, from misdemeanors to felonies.
Among the 800 who were released were 200 security prisoners, mostly Arabs who had been arrested, tried, and found guilty of terrorist activity – and among that group released Thursday was Sheik Hassan Yousef, a Hamas founder and one of its top operatives in Judea and Samaria, who helped plan many of the terrorist group's attacks in the region. Yousef is the father of Mosab Hassan Yousef, who was revealed in 2010 to be a Shin Bet operative working undercover in Gaza. He is credited with helping to prevent dozens of terror attacks, thanks to the information he supplied Israelis security with.
The elder Yousef was serving a six year sentence for conspiracy in several bombing attacks. He had been set to be released in about two months.
According to a new regulation enacted several days ago by the Prisons Service after much pressure from the Knesset Interior and Environment Committee, the maximum number of prisoners in Israeli penal institutions cannot exceed 17,700. According to the regulation, each prisoner must be given at least 3 square meters of living area, and dividing that area with the amount of space in all of the country's prisons yields a figure of 17,700. After Thursday's release, the prisoner population is now “in balance;” however, when new prisoners are added, veteran prisoners will have to be released to make room for them. Prisons Service officials, by contrast, said there was enough room for all prisoners.
It should be noted that the space limitation applies only to prisoners serving proper sentences in regular prisons; it does not apply to people being held in detention centers after they were first arrested (usually for 24 or 48 hours) or to prisoners whose remand has been extended and are awaiting trial. It also does not extend to illegal aliens, who are held in separate facilities. A prisoner census update will be taken once every few weeks, and when the prisoner population exceeds 17,700, a group of prisoners – hopefully close to the end of their sentences – will be released.
However, Israel's prisons may have to “shed” many more inmates soon; MK Amnon Cohen (Shas), who heads the Interior and Environment Committee, is preparing to propose a law that will more than double the amount of space that must be provided to prisoners – from 3.1 square meters to 6.5 square meters. “Lack of a code on prison overcrowding, and failure to improve the conditions under which prisoners are held, is unacceptable in a country that purports to defend the rights and dignity of the individual.” Under his new law, Cohen said, the Prisons Service “will have to free prisoners if it cannot provide them with the minimal conditions of support, as is the practice in enlightened Western countries.”
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by David Lev
Israel's prisons are too crowded – so, in order to ensure compliance with newly-instituted rules on the amount of space prisoners are entitled to, the Prisons Service on Thursday released some 800 prisoners, who had been convicted of various crimes, from misdemeanors to felonies.
Among the 800 who were released were 200 security prisoners, mostly Arabs who had been arrested, tried, and found guilty of terrorist activity – and among that group released Thursday was Sheik Hassan Yousef, a Hamas founder and one of its top operatives in Judea and Samaria, who helped plan many of the terrorist group's attacks in the region. Yousef is the father of Mosab Hassan Yousef, who was revealed in 2010 to be a Shin Bet operative working undercover in Gaza. He is credited with helping to prevent dozens of terror attacks, thanks to the information he supplied Israelis security with.
The elder Yousef was serving a six year sentence for conspiracy in several bombing attacks. He had been set to be released in about two months.
According to a new regulation enacted several days ago by the Prisons Service after much pressure from the Knesset Interior and Environment Committee, the maximum number of prisoners in Israeli penal institutions cannot exceed 17,700. According to the regulation, each prisoner must be given at least 3 square meters of living area, and dividing that area with the amount of space in all of the country's prisons yields a figure of 17,700. After Thursday's release, the prisoner population is now “in balance;” however, when new prisoners are added, veteran prisoners will have to be released to make room for them. Prisons Service officials, by contrast, said there was enough room for all prisoners.
It should be noted that the space limitation applies only to prisoners serving proper sentences in regular prisons; it does not apply to people being held in detention centers after they were first arrested (usually for 24 or 48 hours) or to prisoners whose remand has been extended and are awaiting trial. It also does not extend to illegal aliens, who are held in separate facilities. A prisoner census update will be taken once every few weeks, and when the prisoner population exceeds 17,700, a group of prisoners – hopefully close to the end of their sentences – will be released.
However, Israel's prisons may have to “shed” many more inmates soon; MK Amnon Cohen (Shas), who heads the Interior and Environment Committee, is preparing to propose a law that will more than double the amount of space that must be provided to prisoners – from 3.1 square meters to 6.5 square meters. “Lack of a code on prison overcrowding, and failure to improve the conditions under which prisoners are held, is unacceptable in a country that purports to defend the rights and dignity of the individual.” Under his new law, Cohen said, the Prisons Service “will have to free prisoners if it cannot provide them with the minimal conditions of support, as is the practice in enlightened Western countries.”
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3. IDF Responds to Grad Attacks, Strikes Terror Targets in Gaza
by Elad Benari
IAF aircraft targeted overnight Wednesday two terror activity sites in the northern Gaza Strip and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF spokesman said in a statement.
According to the statement, the aircraft scored direct hits and returned safely to their bases.
The attacks came in response to the continued firing of rockets by Gaza-based terrorists into Israel in recent days.
On Wednesday evening, terrorists fired a Grad rocket at the Lachish region. The rocket fell in an open area between Sderot and Kiryat Gat, close to one of the communities in the Lachish Region.
One woman suffered anxiety but no other injuries were reported and no damage was done.
Army Radio reported that the “Red Alert” siren was heard in the communities in the area just before the rocket fell. The report noted that this was the farthest that a rocket has been fired since before Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2009.
Not two hours later, a second Grad rocket was fired from Gaza, slamming into an open area near the city of Ashkelon. There were no reports of physical injuries or damage.
The IDF Spokesperson noted that these two attacks have raised the amount of rockets and mortars fired from Gaza at the Israeli home front since the beginning of 2011 to over 340.
On Monday, a Kassam rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel. It landed in an open field near Ashkelon, wounding a Bedouin woman in a nearby tent.
“The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and will respond with determination to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel,” the IDF Spokesperson’s statement said. “The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.”
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by Elad Benari
IAF aircraft targeted overnight Wednesday two terror activity sites in the northern Gaza Strip and a smuggling tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip, the IDF spokesman said in a statement.
According to the statement, the aircraft scored direct hits and returned safely to their bases.
The attacks came in response to the continued firing of rockets by Gaza-based terrorists into Israel in recent days.
On Wednesday evening, terrorists fired a Grad rocket at the Lachish region. The rocket fell in an open area between Sderot and Kiryat Gat, close to one of the communities in the Lachish Region.
One woman suffered anxiety but no other injuries were reported and no damage was done.
Army Radio reported that the “Red Alert” siren was heard in the communities in the area just before the rocket fell. The report noted that this was the farthest that a rocket has been fired since before Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2009.
Not two hours later, a second Grad rocket was fired from Gaza, slamming into an open area near the city of Ashkelon. There were no reports of physical injuries or damage.
The IDF Spokesperson noted that these two attacks have raised the amount of rockets and mortars fired from Gaza at the Israeli home front since the beginning of 2011 to over 340.
On Monday, a Kassam rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel. It landed in an open field near Ashkelon, wounding a Bedouin woman in a nearby tent.
“The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and will respond with determination to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel,” the IDF Spokesperson’s statement said. “The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.”
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4. 930 Homes Approved for Har Homa
by David Lev
The Interior Ministry on Thursday authorized sale and construction of 930 new housing units in the Har Homa neighborhood in the southern part of the city. The plan, first approved by a local committee two years ago, was authorized by the Ministry for marketing by the contractors who won development tenders, and for eventual construction.
The Ministry announced that at least 20% of the units to be built will be small, suitable for young families. The size and number of rooms were not announced, however. Speaking to reporters, Interior Minister Eli Yishai said that “we continue to build in Jerusalem and all around the country. The housing crisis is a a serious one, and we shall not stop building new projects.” Yishai added that he had instructed Ministry employees dealing with building plans to give priority to plans that include smaller apartments “in order to enable all Israelis to purchase a home,” he said.
In a statement, the Ministry stressed that the delays in moving forward with the plan were strictly bureaucratic, and had nothing to do with the building freeze in Judea and Samaria. Har Homa is in an area of Jerusalem liberated in the 1967 Six Day War.
Observers said that if the government, by approving the apartments in Har Homa, hoped to reduce the pressure from tent protesters demanding more and affordable housing, they were likely to be disappointed. “As we all know, the New Israel Fund and other leftist groups are among the main organizers of these protests. They certainly will not be appeased by constructions of homes in an 'occupied' place like Har Homa. I think they would prefer to live in a tent than in Har Homa,” the observer said.
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by David Lev
The Interior Ministry on Thursday authorized sale and construction of 930 new housing units in the Har Homa neighborhood in the southern part of the city. The plan, first approved by a local committee two years ago, was authorized by the Ministry for marketing by the contractors who won development tenders, and for eventual construction.
The Ministry announced that at least 20% of the units to be built will be small, suitable for young families. The size and number of rooms were not announced, however. Speaking to reporters, Interior Minister Eli Yishai said that “we continue to build in Jerusalem and all around the country. The housing crisis is a a serious one, and we shall not stop building new projects.” Yishai added that he had instructed Ministry employees dealing with building plans to give priority to plans that include smaller apartments “in order to enable all Israelis to purchase a home,” he said.
In a statement, the Ministry stressed that the delays in moving forward with the plan were strictly bureaucratic, and had nothing to do with the building freeze in Judea and Samaria. Har Homa is in an area of Jerusalem liberated in the 1967 Six Day War.
Observers said that if the government, by approving the apartments in Har Homa, hoped to reduce the pressure from tent protesters demanding more and affordable housing, they were likely to be disappointed. “As we all know, the New Israel Fund and other leftist groups are among the main organizers of these protests. They certainly will not be appeased by constructions of homes in an 'occupied' place like Har Homa. I think they would prefer to live in a tent than in Har Homa,” the observer said.
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5. IAF Generals 'Loudly' Demanding Strike on Iran – Report
by Gil Ronen
The commanders of the IDF, especially those in the Air Force, are making "increasingly loud" demands to strike Iran's nuclear program, a German news source reported Wednesday.
According to Der Spiegel, the question of how Israel will eventually deal with the threat of a nuclear Iran depends in part on a battle of prestige between the military and the Mossad – the latter being in charge of assassinations, and favoring them as a result. Mossad is behind the killings of three Iranian scientists in the last 18 months, the paper claimed.
A fourth scientist was wounded and subsequently appointed to head Iran's nuclear commission.
According to "sources in Israeli intelligence," the targeted assassinations are part of a campaign to sabotage or slow down Iran's nuclear program. The alleged campaign also involves the Stuxnet computer virus.
"But for hardliners in the Israeli military, the covert action does not go far enough," wrote Spiegel's Ulrike Putz. "The calls for bombing Iran are getting louder and louder, especially among Israeli Air Force officers." She added:
"Until now, Mossad experts have been able to convince decision-makers that the construction of an Iranian bomb can best be delayed through attacks on key figures and nuclear facilities. But it is unclear how long Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will continue to follow this advice. Politicians in Jerusalem know well that Mossad is also pursuing its own interests when it argues that its agents should play the leading role in the struggle against Iran."
"As long as Mossad is leading the fight against the bomb, it will get the big budgets," the source told the newspaper. And the question of whether Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities will partly depend on the internal power struggle between the IDF and Mossad.
"Just like with everything, this is also about prestige," the source said, adding that the recent assassination of Darioush Rezaei was "the first serious action taken by the new Mossad chief Tamir Pardo."
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by Gil Ronen
The commanders of the IDF, especially those in the Air Force, are making "increasingly loud" demands to strike Iran's nuclear program, a German news source reported Wednesday.
According to Der Spiegel, the question of how Israel will eventually deal with the threat of a nuclear Iran depends in part on a battle of prestige between the military and the Mossad – the latter being in charge of assassinations, and favoring them as a result. Mossad is behind the killings of three Iranian scientists in the last 18 months, the paper claimed.
A fourth scientist was wounded and subsequently appointed to head Iran's nuclear commission.
According to "sources in Israeli intelligence," the targeted assassinations are part of a campaign to sabotage or slow down Iran's nuclear program. The alleged campaign also involves the Stuxnet computer virus.
"But for hardliners in the Israeli military, the covert action does not go far enough," wrote Spiegel's Ulrike Putz. "The calls for bombing Iran are getting louder and louder, especially among Israeli Air Force officers." She added:
"Until now, Mossad experts have been able to convince decision-makers that the construction of an Iranian bomb can best be delayed through attacks on key figures and nuclear facilities. But it is unclear how long Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will continue to follow this advice. Politicians in Jerusalem know well that Mossad is also pursuing its own interests when it argues that its agents should play the leading role in the struggle against Iran."
"As long as Mossad is leading the fight against the bomb, it will get the big budgets," the source told the newspaper. And the question of whether Israel will attack Iran's nuclear facilities will partly depend on the internal power struggle between the IDF and Mossad.
"Just like with everything, this is also about prestige," the source said, adding that the recent assassination of Darioush Rezaei was "the first serious action taken by the new Mossad chief Tamir Pardo."
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6. Will the Building Committees Law Help Make Housing Cheaper?
by David Lev
The Building Committees Law (properly called the Law on Planning for the Expedition of Residential Construction) is the keystone of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's response to the demands by protesters nationwide for cheaper housing. The law passed its second and third reading Wednesday, supported by 57 MKs and opposed by 45, with the vote mostly going along party lines; Netanyahu and his right-leaning coalition in favor, and Kadima and the leftist bloc mostly opposed.
The law is one of the more maligned in recent Israeli history, especially by protesters who have set up tent cities in Tel Aviv and other places; in a takeoff on its Hebrew name “the Vadalim law,' for example, the protesters have taken to calling it “the Vandalim law,” implying a level of “government vandalism” in the law's rationale.
However, Likud MKs – as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu – believe that the law will significantly increase the number of housing units available for Israelis, “flooding” the market with apartments that within a few years will lower price pressure, making homes more affordable for everyone.
The law is designed to bypass the usual lengthy approval process for new homes, and to streamline the process for construction of public housing. Currently, plans for construction must pass through a number of bureaucratic layers – local and regional building councils, the Israel Lands Administration, environmental impact committees, and others. The new law, which was enacted for a test period of 18 months, will override the current system, setting up six regional committees consisting of nine members, seven of whom will represent the various government ministries (Environment, Infrastructures, Education, etc.) and two of whom will represent local organizations. In addition, the regional committees will deal only with housing (as opposed to business projects, malls, etc.), so the hope is that plans can be processed that much more quickly.
The committees will be in charge of approving building plans for mostly state-owned lands that have been put up for tender. The committees will award the tender and set conditions, such as requiring projects to be built within a certain amount of time, or that a percentage of units be set aside for rentals. Tender winners will have to submit all their impact statements (infrastructure, environment, etc.) within six weeks of approval, at which point public hearings may be held, the last stage before final approval. Infrastructure for all projects must be completed within two and a half years of the date of approval. If the committee does not meet the timetable, an official of the Prime Minister's Office will be able to intervene to get the process moving. The law makes the Prime Minister responsible for ensuring that projects are carried out, instead of the Interior Minister, who has had the final say on projects until now.
Much of the opposition to the law comes from environmental groups, who fear that the local committees will ride roughshod over environmental strictures and build in areas that until now have been considered off-limits to construction: beaches, dunes, and adjacent to nature preserves. In response the government says that it has a list of areas where housing could be built without having a major environmental impact, and that the law is meant to push construction in those areas. Contractors have also criticized the law, saying that it did not go far enough; instead of applying it only to public lands, it should be applied to privately held property as well. The government has responded to that stance as well, saying that experience shows that it would be much more difficult to secure approval quickly from private owners than from the government itself.
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by David Lev
The Building Committees Law (properly called the Law on Planning for the Expedition of Residential Construction) is the keystone of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's response to the demands by protesters nationwide for cheaper housing. The law passed its second and third reading Wednesday, supported by 57 MKs and opposed by 45, with the vote mostly going along party lines; Netanyahu and his right-leaning coalition in favor, and Kadima and the leftist bloc mostly opposed.
The law is one of the more maligned in recent Israeli history, especially by protesters who have set up tent cities in Tel Aviv and other places; in a takeoff on its Hebrew name “the Vadalim law,' for example, the protesters have taken to calling it “the Vandalim law,” implying a level of “government vandalism” in the law's rationale.
However, Likud MKs – as well as Prime Minister Netanyahu – believe that the law will significantly increase the number of housing units available for Israelis, “flooding” the market with apartments that within a few years will lower price pressure, making homes more affordable for everyone.
The law is designed to bypass the usual lengthy approval process for new homes, and to streamline the process for construction of public housing. Currently, plans for construction must pass through a number of bureaucratic layers – local and regional building councils, the Israel Lands Administration, environmental impact committees, and others. The new law, which was enacted for a test period of 18 months, will override the current system, setting up six regional committees consisting of nine members, seven of whom will represent the various government ministries (Environment, Infrastructures, Education, etc.) and two of whom will represent local organizations. In addition, the regional committees will deal only with housing (as opposed to business projects, malls, etc.), so the hope is that plans can be processed that much more quickly.
The committees will be in charge of approving building plans for mostly state-owned lands that have been put up for tender. The committees will award the tender and set conditions, such as requiring projects to be built within a certain amount of time, or that a percentage of units be set aside for rentals. Tender winners will have to submit all their impact statements (infrastructure, environment, etc.) within six weeks of approval, at which point public hearings may be held, the last stage before final approval. Infrastructure for all projects must be completed within two and a half years of the date of approval. If the committee does not meet the timetable, an official of the Prime Minister's Office will be able to intervene to get the process moving. The law makes the Prime Minister responsible for ensuring that projects are carried out, instead of the Interior Minister, who has had the final say on projects until now.
Much of the opposition to the law comes from environmental groups, who fear that the local committees will ride roughshod over environmental strictures and build in areas that until now have been considered off-limits to construction: beaches, dunes, and adjacent to nature preserves. In response the government says that it has a list of areas where housing could be built without having a major environmental impact, and that the law is meant to push construction in those areas. Contractors have also criticized the law, saying that it did not go far enough; instead of applying it only to public lands, it should be applied to privately held property as well. The government has responded to that stance as well, saying that experience shows that it would be much more difficult to secure approval quickly from private owners than from the government itself.
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7. Parliamentary Committee Report: UK No Longer Front Line Power
by Amiel Ungar
In addition to public fatigue and aversion to nation building efforts in the Middle East that seem to yield meager dividends, the economic crisis in the West is creating a situation where the West will simply lack the means to carry out missions.
A British Parliamentary Select Committee has just published a report that confirms the obvious - Britain has suffered "strategic shrinkage" and can no longer be regarded as a front line power.
The parliamentarians claim that the budgetary and foreign policy are not aligned. It was impossible to starve the military forces for resources and then tack on a mission in Libya.
“We can only conclude that the Government has postponed the sensible aspiration of bringing commitments and resources into line, in that it has taken on the new commitment of Libya while reducing the resources available to the Ministry of Defense.”
The strategic shrinkage inevitably would produce "an influence shrinkage" unless the government could show improvements in military capabilities that compensated for the cutbacks. The committee concluded that the government could not demonstrate such improvements.
The report was particularly scathing about the cancelation of the Nimrod project. The earlier version of this project was credited with facilitating the reconquest of the Falklands Islands from Argentina in the 1982 Falklands (or Malvinas) War by using this advanced radar plane to detect the presence of enemy vessels prior to amphibious landings. The modernization of the program had involved huge cost overruns but the project was nearing completion upon its cancelation.
Across the Atlantic, the trend is in the same direction. In the recently concluded battle over the debt ceiling in the United States some liberals saw the cuts in defense spending as one of the silver linings of the debate. Either because, like Israel bashing Peter Beinart, they are opposed to the "War on Terror" or because they are convinced that Republicans like Senator John McCain who swallowed hard as he voted for defense cuts will ultimately prefer higher taxation to further defense reductions.
The West is going to cut military spending as China, India and Brazil increase spending. This trend is altering the military balance of power.
Comment on this story
by Amiel Ungar
In addition to public fatigue and aversion to nation building efforts in the Middle East that seem to yield meager dividends, the economic crisis in the West is creating a situation where the West will simply lack the means to carry out missions.
A British Parliamentary Select Committee has just published a report that confirms the obvious - Britain has suffered "strategic shrinkage" and can no longer be regarded as a front line power.
The parliamentarians claim that the budgetary and foreign policy are not aligned. It was impossible to starve the military forces for resources and then tack on a mission in Libya.
“We can only conclude that the Government has postponed the sensible aspiration of bringing commitments and resources into line, in that it has taken on the new commitment of Libya while reducing the resources available to the Ministry of Defense.”
The strategic shrinkage inevitably would produce "an influence shrinkage" unless the government could show improvements in military capabilities that compensated for the cutbacks. The committee concluded that the government could not demonstrate such improvements.
The report was particularly scathing about the cancelation of the Nimrod project. The earlier version of this project was credited with facilitating the reconquest of the Falklands Islands from Argentina in the 1982 Falklands (or Malvinas) War by using this advanced radar plane to detect the presence of enemy vessels prior to amphibious landings. The modernization of the program had involved huge cost overruns but the project was nearing completion upon its cancelation.
Across the Atlantic, the trend is in the same direction. In the recently concluded battle over the debt ceiling in the United States some liberals saw the cuts in defense spending as one of the silver linings of the debate. Either because, like Israel bashing Peter Beinart, they are opposed to the "War on Terror" or because they are convinced that Republicans like Senator John McCain who swallowed hard as he voted for defense cuts will ultimately prefer higher taxation to further defense reductions.
The West is going to cut military spending as China, India and Brazil increase spending. This trend is altering the military balance of power.
Comment on this story
8. Netanyahu: Populism Sweeping Country
by Gil Ronen
Speaking in the Knesset plenum Wednesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the large housing protests and said that "a wave of populism has been sweeping the country" in recent weeks. "There is a serious statement about problems, and there are much less serious statements about the solutions," Netanyahu said, sticking a pin into the press-inflated protest balloon.
The special Knesset session to discuss the protests was proposed by the Opposition and held under the heading "the failure of the Netanyahu government in diplomatic, economic and social spheres."
Netanyahu compared the economy to a tree. "The tree yields fruit and one may pick them," he explained. Three years down the line, if you have finished picking but you have not been hoeing and watering, then the tree withers up and gradually yields less, until it gives nothing at all."
Netanyahu noted that Israel's economy can boast of great successes, including ones on an international scale, and problems that need to be solved. However, this needs to be done in a responsible manner, he went on. "The solutions must be given while preserving the tree – the free economy – and providing solutions to social problems at the same time."
"The worst option is that you not only neglect to water the tree, but you cut it down – because that is how you reach an avalanche. You cannot cut down the tree if you want to enjoy its fruit." Some European economies, he said, are like forests that have been cut down – or are almost at that stage.
The Knesset voted to accept the Prime Minister's statement 52:42.
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by Gil Ronen
Speaking in the Knesset plenum Wednesday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the large housing protests and said that "a wave of populism has been sweeping the country" in recent weeks. "There is a serious statement about problems, and there are much less serious statements about the solutions," Netanyahu said, sticking a pin into the press-inflated protest balloon.
The special Knesset session to discuss the protests was proposed by the Opposition and held under the heading "the failure of the Netanyahu government in diplomatic, economic and social spheres."
Netanyahu compared the economy to a tree. "The tree yields fruit and one may pick them," he explained. Three years down the line, if you have finished picking but you have not been hoeing and watering, then the tree withers up and gradually yields less, until it gives nothing at all."
Netanyahu noted that Israel's economy can boast of great successes, including ones on an international scale, and problems that need to be solved. However, this needs to be done in a responsible manner, he went on. "The solutions must be given while preserving the tree – the free economy – and providing solutions to social problems at the same time."
"The worst option is that you not only neglect to water the tree, but you cut it down – because that is how you reach an avalanche. You cannot cut down the tree if you want to enjoy its fruit." Some European economies, he said, are like forests that have been cut down – or are almost at that stage.
The Knesset voted to accept the Prime Minister's statement 52:42.
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Neues Deutschland Franz-Mehring-Platz 1 10243 Berlin +++ Werbung in eigener Sache: Veranstaltungstipp Buchvorstellung: "OHNE DIE MAUER HÄTTE ES KRIEG GEGEBEN" Der 13. August 1961 gilt als Chiffre für die Errichtung der Berliner Mauer. In diesem Jahr liegt das Ereignis 50 Jahre zurück. Viele werden sich mit unterschiedlichen Motiven daran erinnern. Die beiden Autoren Heinz Keßler und Fritz Streletz tun es ebenfalls. In ihrem Buch analysieren die beiden Zeitzeugen und ranghohen Militärs der DDR die militärstrategische und politische Lage jener Zeit, die zum Weltereignis führte. Moderation: Olaf Koppe, ND-Geschäftsführer 10. August 2011, Beginn: 18.30 Uhr IN KOOPERATION MIT DER EULENSPIEGEL VERLAGSGRUPPE 10243 BERLIN, FRANZ-MEHRING-PLATZ 1 MÜNZENBERGSAAL, EINTRITT 2 Euro Liebe Leserinnen und Leser, hier erfahren Sie, welche Themen im ND vom 05.08.2011 behandelt werden. +++ Titel: Euro-Krise erreicht Japan Notenbanken intervenieren gegen Währungsturbulenzen / EZB will wieder Anleihen kaufen Von Hermannus Pfeiffer --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203769.euro-krise-erreicht-japan.html +++ Inland: Sind die Grünen genussfeindlich? Till Seiler (Grüne) über Renate Künasts Plädoyer gegen Drogen --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203759.sind-die-gruenen-genussfeindlich.html Unangenehme »Dortmunder Verhältnisse« Polizei und Justiz lassen in der Ruhrmetropole Konsequenz im Kampf gegen Rechts vermissen Von Markus Bernhardt --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203752.unangenehme-dortmunder-verhaeltnisse.html Entschädigung wegen Folterandrohung Verurteilter Mörder Gäfgen erhält mehr als 3000 Euro / Gericht: Polizei hat Menschenwürde verletzt --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203753.entschaedigung-wegen-folterandrohung.html Wettern gegen blinde Kurswechsel Altersriege der CDU beäugt misstrauisch die Merkelsche Politik des Pragmatismus Von Uwe Kalbe --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203754.wettern-gegen-blinde-kurswechsel.html Ausstand abgesagt und angekündigt Gericht untersagte Streik bei Flugsicherung Von Jörg Meyer --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203755.ausstand-abgesagt-und-angekuendigt.html Gut, aber nicht gut genug Mehr Geld für Kitas, beitragsfreies Jahr: Die Kritiker des Kinderbildungsgesetzes in NRW sind dennoch zahlreich Von Marcus Meier --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203748.gut-aber-nicht-gut-genug.html Gera sträubt sich gegen Neonazi-Konzert Die NPD belästigt die Einwohner seit Jahren mit einem Festival - Proteste formieren sich --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203749.gera-straeubt-sich-gegen-neonazi-konzert.html Ostafrika-Hilfe: Niebel weist Kritik zurück --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203750.ostafrika-hilfe-niebel-weist-kritik-zurueck.html Die Zuversicht der Ursula von der Leyen Obwohl das Bildungspaket für arme Kinder kaum nachgefragt wird, gibt sich die Ministerin optimistisch Von Fabian Lambeck --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203751.die-zuversicht-der-ursula-von-der-leyen.html Dialektik an der Neiße In Görlitz/Zgorzelec kann man erleben, wie Europa zusammenwächst und im Alltag funktioniert Von Harald Lachmann --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203703.dialektik-an-der-neisse.html Kein Ende im Fall Wöller Doktorarbeit von Dresdener Minister wird untersucht --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203704.kein-ende-im-fall-woeller.html Asylbewerber falsch behandelt Thüringer Ärzte ziehen erhaltenswerte Zähne --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203705.asylbewerber-falsch-behandelt.html Die Welt der »Mousfallskramer« Im Eifel-Dorf Neroth zeigt ein Museum, wieso die Bauern im Ort einst sogar bis Königsberg lieferten Von Walter Schmidt --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203706.die-welt-der-mousfallskramer.html Seehofer verlangt Disziplin Bayerns Regierungschef droht allen Abweichlern --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203707.seehofer-verlangt-disziplin.html Die Befreiung der Isar Münchens großer Fluss war lange Jahre eher ein dreckiger Kanal. Jetzt feiert die Stadt seine Renaturierung Von Eva Huber, dpa. --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203708.die-befreiung-der-isar.html Züge lassen Rheintal erzittern Zulässige DIN-Norm weit überschritten --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203709.zuege-lassen-rheintal-erzittern.html +++ Ausland: UNO verlangt Ende der Gewalt in Syrien Deutschland fordert Sondergesandten / Hama weiter eingekreist / Parteiengesetz per Dekret in Kraft --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203767.uno-verlangt-ende-der-gewalt-in-syrien.html Athen baut Grenzgraben zur Türkei Projekt soll die illegale Migration stoppen --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203770.athen-baut-grenzgraben-zur-tuerkei.html Hunger greift Immunsysteme an In Äthiopiens Flüchtlingslagern droht eine Masern-Epidemie Von Kristin Palitza, Kapstadt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203760.hunger-greift-immunsysteme-an.html »Endlich kommen die Amis!« Im südrumänischen Dorf Deveselu weckt das Raketenabwehrsystem der USA große Hoffnungen Von Silviu Mihai, Deveselu/Bukarest --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203761.endlich-kommen-die-amis.html Justiz ermittelt gegen IWF-Chefin Lagarde Vorwurf: Veruntreuung und Komplizenschaft --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203742.justiz-ermittelt-gegen-iwf-chefin-lagarde.html Neuer Generalstab in der Türkei Necdet Özel als Chef des Gremiums bestätigt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203743.neuer-generalstab-in-der-tuerkei.html Pakistan: Offiziere vor Militärgericht Vorwürfe wegen Taliban-Angriff in Karatschi --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203744.pakistan-offiziere-vor-militaergericht.html Afghanistan: Soldaten der NATO getötet Attacken im Landesosten --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203745.afghanistan-soldaten-der-nato-getoetet.html Grenzstreit: Kosovo lenkt offenbar ein --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203746.grenzstreit-kosovo-lenkt-offenbar-ein.html Zu vage und an der Wirklichkeit vorbei Berlusconis versuchter Befreiungsschlag in der italienischen Finanzkrise missglückt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203747.zu-vage-und-an-der-wirklichkeit-vorbei.html +++ Wirtschaft/Soziales: Russland legt Plan zu Privatisierung vor Teilverkauf von Konzernen wird konkreter --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203738.russland-legt-plan-zu-privatisierung-vor.html Megatrend und Mummenschanz Wie »Zukunftsforscher« Horx für die Versicherungswirtschaft trommelt Von Velten Schäfer --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203739.megatrend-und-mummenschanz.html Gewinneinbruch trotz Kostensenkung Telekom: Bei der Vorstellung der Halbjahresbilanz blieb der Stellenabbau außen vor Von Marcus Meier, Bonn --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203740.gewinneinbruch-trotz-kostensenkung.html Lehrstellen bleiben unbesetzt --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203741.lehrstellen-bleiben-unbesetzt.html Proteste in USA gegen BMW Teamster-Gewerkschaft macht wegen Niedriglohnplänen mobil Von Max Böhnel, New York --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203699.proteste-in-usa-gegen-bmw.html Planen für die Energierevolution Hochschulen ermitteln Möglichkeiten zur Selbstversorgung in der Bodensee-Region Von Claudia Rindt, Konstanz --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203700.planen-fuer-die-energierevolution.html Energielabel für Autos in der Kritik --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203701.energielabel-fuer-autos-in-der-kritik.html Effizientes Vorgehen Verbände stellen erstmals gemeinsam energiepolitische Forderungen an Bund und Länder Von Katja Herzberg --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203702.effizientes-vorgehen.html +++ Feuilleton: Bobby an JFK: Lass uns aus Berlin abhauen! Auch der US-amerikanische Autor Frederick Kempe ist überzeugt: Ohne die Mauer hätte es Krieg gegeben Von Karlen Vesper --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203710.bobby-an-jfk-lass-uns-aus-berlin-abhauen.html Dribbling in der Telefonzelle Am Freitag startet die Fußball-Bundesliga: kleine Mannschaftsbildung mit Goethe, Schiller, Wagenknecht, Beckenbauer Von Hans-Dieter Schütt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203711.dribbling-in-der-telefonzelle.html Berichtigung --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203712.berichtigung.html Zwei Töne! Cage in Halberstadt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203713.zwei-toene.html Das BE Vera Tenschert 75 --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203714.das-be.html +++ Berlin/Brandenburg: Hochschulen am Limit Das Land Berlin erwartet jährlich mehr Studienanfänger - zum Wintersemester werden es besonders viele sein Von Sonja Vogel --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203762.hochschulen-am-limit.html Wowereit gegen Mauerverklärung --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203731.wowereit-gegen-mauerverklaerung.html Pokerräuber schweigt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203732.pokerraeuber-schweigt.html Hanfparade durch Berlin --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203733.hanfparade-durch-berlin.html Zwei Tote nach Schießerei in Wedding --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203734.zwei-tote-nach-schiesserei-in-wedding.html Gewalt im Wahlkampf: Warnung vor NPD-Aktion Die rechtsextreme Partei will am Samstag in Berlin plakatieren / Zwei Kandidaten attackieren Nazigegner Von Paul Liszt --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203735.gewalt-im-wahlkampf-warnung-vor-npd-aktion.html WahlKampf à la Rechtsaußen Sarah Liebigt zu Übergriffen von NPDlern --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203736.wahlkampf-a-la-rechtsaussen.html Demokratie per Mausklick Internetplattform ermöglicht Dialog mit Kandidaten der anstehenden Abgeordnetenhauswahl Von Nissrine Messaoudi --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203737.demokratie-per-mausklick.html Vergebung statt Rache Im Stadtbad Steglitz tobt »Der Sturm« von Shakespeare Von Volkmar Draeger --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203727.vergebung-statt-rache.html Im Soul-Organismus Die Ausnahmekünstlerin Erykah Badu verzauberte mit Charisma und Pathos das Tempodrom Von Tobias Riegel --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203728.im-soul-organismus.html Streit zwischen Tim Renner und Motor FM --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203729.streit-zwischen-tim-renner-und-motor-fm.html Gelesen Sagenhafte Sammlung Von Andreas Fritsche --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203730.gelesen.html +++ Sport: Liga mit mehr Spannung und mehr Fans Deutsche Klubs investieren im europäischen Vergleich weniger und streben doch nach oben Von Alexander Ludewig --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203763.liga-mit-mehr-spannung-und-mehr-fans.html Zahlen & Fakten --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203764.zahlen-fakten.html Ein Plus an Gewinnern --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203765.ein-plus-an-gewinnern.html »Extrem motiviert« zum Grand Prix Deutschlands Volleyballerinnen wollen in Pusan und Macau den Grundstein für Olympia 2012 legen Von Michael Fox, dpa --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203719.extrem-motiviert-zum-grand-prix.html Wolfsburgs Trainer Magath zeigt Nerven Mehrere Bundesligisten sind noch mit Personalsorgen und internen Querelen beschäftigt Von Nikolaj Stobbe, SID --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203720.wolfsburgs-trainer-magath-zeigt-nerven.html Jeder will nur Herausforderer sein Start der Bundesliga: Warum selbst die Titelverteidiger aus Dortmund den FC Bayern als Meisterfavoriten sehen Von Christian Heinig --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203721.jeder-will-nur-herausforderer-sein.html Löw beruft Gündogan DFB-Team ohne Özil und Khedira gegen Brasilien --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203722.loew-beruft-guendogan.html +++ Meinung/Kolumne: Unten links --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203766.unten-links.html Standpunkt Remis im Rat Von Roland Etzel --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203768.standpunkt.html Ablenkungsmanöver Kommentar von Aert van Riel Von Aert van Riel --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203756.ablenkungsmanoever.html Immer für alle Kommentar von Markus Drescher Von Markus Drescher --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203757.immer-fuer-alle.html Harte Probe Kommentar von Jörg Meyer Von Jörg Meyer --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203758.harte-probe.html +++ Betrieb & Gewerkschaft: Wer den Zucker hat, hat auch das Recht Eine Gewerkschaft der Landlosen reagiert auf gewaltsame Räumungen im Norden Argentiniens Von Benjamin Beutler --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203723.wer-den-zucker-hat-hat-auch-das-recht.html Bäckerstreik in Suhl Mehr Geld gefordert --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203724.baeckerstreik-in-suhl.html Eine Familie braucht keine Gewerkschaft, oder? Wie ein türkischer Zulieferer von Hugo Boss versucht, die Gewerkschaft loszuwerden Von Jan Keetman --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203725.eine-familie-braucht-keine-gewerkschaft-oder.html Beruf und Organisation --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203726.beruf-und-organisation.html +++ Europa: »Deutschland muss das Urteil reflektieren« Ein Nachfahre von Opfern des Massakers im italienischen Cervarolo über den Prozess gegen Wehrmachtssoldaten --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203695.deutschland-muss-das-urteil-reflektieren.html Polens schwierige Ost-Mission Dem EU-Gipfel zur östlichen Partnerschaft im September droht das Mittelmaß Von Kay Wagner, Brüssel --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203696.polens-schwierige-ost-mission.html Ashton beruft EU-Botschafter Umbesetzungen im Auswärtigen Dienst --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203697.ashton-beruft-eu-botschafter.html Kultur? Gut? Brüsseler Spitzen Von Ingolf Bossenz --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203698.kultur-gut.html +++ Bildung: Fluch des »heiligen Elternwillens« Diskussionen um das G 8-Abitur reißen nicht ab / Föderaler Flickenteppich und Eltern als Hilfslehrer Von Dieter Hanisch --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203715.fluch-des-heiligen-elternwillens.html »Prüfer haben nie das Prüfen gelernt« Viele Studenten scheitern nicht am Lernstoff, sondern weil sie die Studienordnung nicht genau kennen Von Robert Meyer --> [für Abonnenten] http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203716.pruefer-haben-nie-das-pruefen-gelernt.html Bildungsrauschen Gute Nazis, böse Nazis --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203717.bildungsrauschen.html Aus für Uni-Maut im Ländle? Von Peter Nowak --> http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/203718.aus-fuer-uni-maut-im-laendle.html
RFE/RL Headlines
8/4/2011 7:16:24 PM
A daily digest of the English-language news and analysis written by the staff of Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyRFE/RL is looking for guest bloggers, preferably writing from and about our broadcast region. If you're interested, drop us a line at webteam@rferl.org. |
From Our Bureaus
Shale Gas Sought In Armenia
A Western company has pledged to explore Armenia's untapped deposits of shale gas and to possibly attract foreign investment for commercial exploitation. More 
Islamic Party Activists' Trial Starts In Azerbaijan
Islamic Party of Azerbaijan leader Movsum Samedov and six party activists went on trial today in Baku's Court for Serious Crimes. More 
Russian Suspect Saved From Lynching
Additional police have been deployed in the western Russian city of Tula after outraged residents threatened to lynch a man suspected of beating to death five members of a local family. More 
Moldova Seeks To Ease Gagauz Tensions
Interim Moldovan President Marian Lupu says both the central government and the authorities in Moldova's Gagauz autonomous region share the blame for tensions over state language exams. More 
Jailed Belarusian Activist's Fiancee Also Jailed
The fiancee of a jailed Belarusian youth activist has herself been sentenced to 12 days in jail for taking part in a protest near the prison where he is being held. More 
Kyrgyzstan Allocates Land For Kyrgyz From Exclave In Uzbekistan
The authorities in southern Kyrgyzstan have allocated up to 18 hectares of land to build homes for Kyrgyz citizens who want to leave an exclave in neighboring Uzbekistan. More 
Kazakh Bid For More Kyrgyz Water Fails
Kazakh and Kyrgyz officials have failed to reach agreement on a Kazakh request for additional water supplies from upstream Kyrgyzstan. More 
Fireworks Blast In Kyrgyz Capital
An explosion at a fireworks store at the Dordoi market in Bishkek has caused a large-scale fire. More 
Iranian Academic Brands Court Illegal
A former chancellor of Tehran University charged with waging war against God has told the court hearing his case that it is illegal. More 
Step Aside, Acai: Could Siberian Berry Be The New 'Superfruit'?
Russian grannies consider oblepikha to have a wide variety of health benefits, and they may be correct. But if you believe the claims on websites like seabuckthornoil.net and seabuckwonders.com, Russians may have been ignoring a veritable panacea in their midst. And a marketable one at that. More 
'Political Guides' Mobilized To Indoctrinate Would-Be Voters
Preparations are under way by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for Iran's next national elections. More The Swat Valley was once the only place in Pakistan's Pashtun regions where women could pursue careers as singers and dancers. Then Taliban extremists banned all music after taking over in 2007. They've since been driven out, but their prohibition on music, and especially women in the arts, has done lasting damage to Swat's musical culture. More |
More Website News:
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Artist Who Criticized Tent Protests May be Fired  |
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Knesset Approves 'Anti-Terror Law' |
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Report: Turkey Seizes Another Iranian Arms Shipment |
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Gaza Terrorists In Large Scale Training |
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Japan Says It Reads Chinese Naval Buildup as Looming Threat |
La BCE veut éteindre l’incendie européen en deux temps
Barroso appelle à une réévaluation du Fonds de soutien européen
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Les retraités français se ruent sur internet
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Selon Médiamétrie, en un an le nombre des internautes de plus de 65 ans a augmenté de 40%. Ils sont désormais plus de 3,5 millions. |
Affaire Tapie : la CJR va ouvrir une enquête contre Christine Lagarde
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La directrice du FMI est soupçonnée de "complicité de faux" et de "complicité de détournement de fonds publics" dans l'affaire Tapie. |
Le rennais Oberthur va passer sous pavillon américain
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Le groupe familial a confirmé être en "négociations exclusives" avec Advent. Ce fonds rachèterait ses activités dans les cartes à puces pour 1,15 milliards d'euros. |
Très légère embellie pour le chômage aux Etats-Unis
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Le nombre des nouveaux demandeurs d'emplois a baissé pour la première fois depuis avril. |
La dette américaine passe au-dessus des 100% du PIB
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La dette des Etats-Unis s'est alourdie de 238 millions de dollars en une seule journée. Le gouvernement estime que d'ici la fin de l'année, le PIB sera supérieur à la dette du pays. |
La Grèce pèse peu dans les résultats de Groupama
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Le résultat net du groupe s'élève à 147 millions d'euros contre 127 millions réalisés à la même période en 2010. Fitch a néanmoins décidé d'abaisser la note de Groupama. |
Domenech empoche 975.000 euros d'indemnités
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L'ancien sélectionneur de l'équipe de France est enfin parvenu à un accord avec le président de la Fédération française de football (FFF), Noël Le Graët. |
Kraft Foods va se couper en deux
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Le géant américain qui exploite, entre autres, les marques Lu, Cadbury, Milka et Maxwell souhaite que ses activités outre-Atlantique fassent l'objet d'une cotation spécifique. |
Les chômeurs non indemnisés seront moins pénalisés pour leur retraite
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Même s'ils n'ont pas cotisé, le nombre maximal de trimestres entrant dans le calcul de leur pension de retraite a été revu à la hausse. |
Le gouvernement étudie une taxation des très hauts revenus à la rentrée
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La première piste envisagée est l'imposition à 1 ou 2% des 30.000 contribuables dont le revenu fiscal de référence dépasse 1 million d'euros. |
Au plus haut, le franc suisse fait le bonheur... des Français
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Grâce à l'envolée de la devise helvétique, les 100.000 frontaliers ont vu leur pouvoir d'achat augmenter de 25% depuis juin 2010. De quoi agacer les Suisses qui n'ont droit à aucun coup de pouce. Challenges.fr a mené l'enquête. |
Les actionnaires de Skyrock enfin d'accord sur la reprise du capital
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La revue de presse de Challenges.fr. A la Une des journaux également, les parfums Annick Goutal qui battent pavillon coréen, et les avocats de Nafissatou Diallo qui lancent un appel aux hôtesses d'Air France... |
Le bénéfice net d'Axa
en hausse de... 324%
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Le chiffre d'affaires de l'assureur a beau être en baisse de 5% au premier semestre, l'amélioration des marges et des cessions d'actifs font monter le bénéfice net à 4 milliards d'euros. |
Les pertes poussent Veolia à quitter de nombreux pays
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Malgré un chiffre d'affaires en hausse de 15,5% au premier semestre, le groupe de services s'attend à un résultat annuel en retrait par rapport à 2010. |
Linda Evangelista réclame 46.000 dollars par mois de pension à Pinault
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L'ancien mannequin a demandé cette somme à un tribunal de New York pour subvenir aux besoins de l'enfant qu'elle a eu il y a quatre ans avec le P-DG de PPR. |
La Russie va céder au privé ses grandes entreprises d'Etat
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Banques, pétrolier et transporteurs, anciennement détenus par l'Etat russe, devraient progressivement laisser entrer les investisseurs étrangers dans leur capital. |
Le gouvernement allemand incite les médecins à s'installer à la campagne
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Devenus rares dans les régions rurales, les médecins vont bénéficier d'exonération de charges sur leurs honoraires en janvier 2012, grâce à un plan de 320 millions d'euros. |
La Chine a-t-elle espionné internet pendant cinq ans ?
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Des experts en sécurité informatique de la société McAfee ont mis au jour une vague de cyber-attaques sans précédent. Parmi les victimes, les Nations Unies, des gouvernements et des entreprises du monde entier. |
Et si la Wallonie devenait française ?
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Rattacher la Wallonie et Bruxelles à la France comme le souhaite un nombre croissant de Belges aurait un coût pour la Sécurité sociale et la dette, mais permettrait à Paris de faire jeu égal, économiquement, avec Berlin. |
RIM veut contrer l'iPhone en étoffant sa gamme de Blackberry
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Le groupe canadien a annoncé le prochain lancement de nouveaux smartphones Blackberry Torch et Blackberry Bold pour contrer la concurrence de l'iPhone. |
Le palmarès des grandes fortunes
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Pour la quinzième édition de notre classement, nous avons évalué le patrimoine des principaux actionnaires individuels français à partir des comptes de leurs sociétés, au terme d'une procédure contradictoire. Le classement intègre les non-résidents de nationalité française. Sont exclus des évaluations les biens immobiliers détenus à titre personnel, les œuvres d'art et les signes extérieurs de richesse non durables. |
Surendettement: les emprunteurs bientôt fichés ?
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Le ministère de l'Economie a lancé une consultation publique sur la création en France d'un "fichier positif" des emprunteurs pour lutter contre le surendettement des ménages. |
Légaliser le cannabis rapporterait plus d'un milliard d'euros à l'Etat
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Dans un entretien au quotidien Le Monde, Pierre Kopp, professeur d'Economie à Paris I s'est livré à une première estimation s'appuyant uniquement sur les recettes fiscales que générerait cette légalisation. |
Les voitures électriques de Nissan transformables en groupe électrogène
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Le constructeur japonais a doté la batterie de la Leaf d'un système permettant de la connecter à l'installation électrique d'une maison et de distribuer du courant pendant deux jours. |
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 La dette américaine, un héritage des années Bush |
 Pourquoi l'accord sur la dette américaine ne profite à personne |
 NokiaE6 : sur les traces de BlackBerry |
 FIFA 2012 : trailer et interviews |
 Les riches en 2011 sont toujours plus riches |
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| Blogs | |||
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Association de malfaiteurs Par Henri de Bodinat |
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Moi Tarzan, toi Jane Par Anne-Marie Rocco |
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Les indignations d'un ex-directeur du Trésor Par Pierre-Henri de Menthon |
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L'étrange vidéo de Lagardère Par Marc Baudriller |
| Voir tous les blogs | |||
------------------------------------------------------------------------ DIPLOMATIC MANEUVERING ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Palestinians Plan Application for UN Membership The Palestinians want to apply for membership in the United Nations. They know they will fail, but they hope the international effort will generate more support for their cause, and set new ground rules for negotiations. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,778128,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE WORLD FROM BERLIN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'A Milestone for the Entire Arab World' The revolution is being televised: Deposed Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak appeared not just in court but on live TV Wednesday morning, claiming his innocence on charges of corruption and murder. But does the trial represent a democratic milestone, or dangerous showmanship by Egypt's military rulers? http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,778349,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OPINION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once Upon a Time in the West This week, the United States nearly allowed itself to succumb to economic disaster. Increasingly, the divided country has more in common with a failed state than a democracy. In the face of America's apparent political insanity, Europe must learn to take care of itself. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,778396,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SHRINKING POPULATION, GROWING POVERTY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Germany Offers Alarming Statistics on Children Despite substantial subsidies aimed at increasing the birthrate, the number of children in Germany continues to shrink. A new report by the federal government has found there are 14 percent fewer children under 18 than in 2000 -- and 15 percent of them, alarmingly, live in poverty. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,778351,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LABOR MINISTER VON DER LEYEN ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 'Why Should Women Apologize For Being Ambitious?' Conservative German Labor Minister Ursula von der Leyen, 52, speaks to SPIEGEL about female power gestures, the harshness of politics and her lonely fight to introduce quotas for leading women in top German firms. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,778441,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ WIPING THE WALL AWAY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Before and After Photos of Germany's East-West Border Soldiers once patrolled the border between East and West Germany, sealed 50 years ago. The inner border was more than 1,400 kilometers long, and many people lived within sight of the wall. Our interactive feature enables a comparative view of the border areas -- before and after German reunification. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,778463,00.html#ref=nlint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PICTURE THIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lady of the Lake http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,778386,00.html#ref=nlint
Il Ministro
dello Sviluppo Economico ha annunciato che entro il 15 settembre il
governo presenterà alle parti sociali la bozza del Piano energetico
nazionale
Grossi passi
avanti nella commercializzazione dell'E-Cat, mentre anche la Nasa mostra
di essere interessata e di voler collaborare
Il Mit lavora su un nuovo fotovoltaico, capace di funzionare senza sole e di sostituire le attuali batterie a ioni a litio
Bando della
buste di plastica. Dal Cdm arriva lo stop definitivo e un quadro
normativo più chiaro. Soddisfazione del ministro Prestigiacomo
In Giappone
saltano le prime teste ai più alti livelli a causa della pessima
gestione dell'emergenza nucleare post-terremoto che sta mettendo in
crisi il paese
Not a Fair Shake
Seth Hanlon mines IRS data to show how millionaires, entirely spared by this week’s debt limit deal, are also enjoying 26 percent lower tax rates than in 1995.More: Making More, Contributing Less
From the Cartoonist Group.
RFE/RL Watchdog
8/4/2011 6:21:03 PM
A blog of human rights, media freedom, and democracy developments from RFE/RL's broadcast region.
For more, please visit and bookmark Watchdog . |
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Jailed Belarusian Activist's Fiancee Also Jailed
The fiancee of a jailed Belarusian youth activist has herself been sentenced to 12 days in jail for taking part in a protest near the prison where he is being held. More 
Iranian Scholar Begins Prison Term
Iranian religious scholar Ahmad Ghabel has begun his prison term for spreading antistate propaganda and insulting the supreme leader. More 
Belarusian Inmate's Supporters Held
About 20 supporters of jailed Belarusian activist Zmitser Dashkevich have been detained for holding a protest near the prison in eastern Belarus where he is jailed. More 
Azerbaijani Rights Activists Launch Eurovision Campaign
Several Azerbaijani rights organizations have launched a public campaign about rights violations in the country ahead of Baku's hosting of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest. More 
Ukrainian Journalist's Apartment Set On Fire
Ukrainian and international NGOs are calling on officials to accelerate an investigation into an arson attack on the apartment of an investigative journalist. More Ali Osman Zor, 43, is a Turkish journalist detained by Kyrgyz police on May 2. Turkish officials suspect him of involvement in a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda that wants to create an Islamic caliphate in the Middle East. More 
Baha'is Arrested In Several Iranian Cities
Abdolkarim Lahiji, vice president of the Paris-based International Federation of Human Rights Leagues, told RFE/RL that when the head of Iran's High Council for Human Rights openly and officially calls Baha'ism a "cult" and expresses the establishment's hostility toward cults, state persecution of Baha'is increases. More 
Sacked Judge Slams Armenian Judiciary
Samvel Mnatsakanian told RFE/RL that the local judiciary cannot be considered a separate branch of government because many judges are more concerned with not upsetting senior government officials than with enforcing laws. More 
Baku Sends Former Regime Foe To Iran
The relatives of an elderly Iranian citizen who fought against the Iranian regime some 25 years ago, 71-year-old Mahmud Ardahali, say Azerbaijani border guards have deported him to Iran. More |
RFE/RL Balkan Report
8/4/2011 6:26:06 PM
A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the countries of the western Balkans.
For more stories on the Balkans, please visit and bookmark our Balkans page . |
Interview: Kosovo's President Defends Decision To Control Northern Border
Tensions remain high along Kosovo's northern border with Serbia following a move by the Kosovar government last month to establish control over checkpoints there. More 
Serb Who Fought For Bosnia Back After Extradition Battle
Jovan Divjak, the retired Serbian-born Bosnian army general at the center of a high-profile extradition battle, has arrived in Sarajevo following Austrian authorities' dismissal of a Serbian handover request. More 
EU Calls For Calm In Kosovo
The European Union has urged Serbia and Kosovo to defuse tensions after a series of incidents on their common border, and to quickly resume negotiations on the normalization of ties. More 
The Arrest Of A Fugitive, And A New Future For Serbia
When Serbian police forces moved into the quiet village of Krusedol early in the morning of July 20 and arrested the country’s last fugitive war crimes suspect, they closed a chapter on a long and tortuous history. More 
Goran Hadzic's Modern Art Mystery
Goran Hadzic has been called many things in his day. Some in the Croatian city of Vukovar, where he is accused of playing a leading role in the 1991 massacre of more than 250 non-Serbs, refer to him as “the master of life and death.” Until his capture yesterday (eds: July 20), the UN-backed war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia called him their last remaining fugitive. But never in his life has Hadzic been called an art collector. He doesn’t merit that distinction today either. But in revealing how police finally nabbed the former leader of ethnic Serbs in Croatia, officials traced an unexpected link between Hadzic and the more savory world of fine art. More 
EU Enlargement Official Pushes For More Serbian Reforms
European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele has hailed Serbia's arrest of fugitive war crimes suspect Goran Hadzic. But he was quick to point out that this was not enough for Belgrade to achieve its coveted EU candidate status later this year. More |
