Roberto Abraham Scaruffi

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OUTFOXED BY THE OPPOSITION
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Defeat in Presidential Battle Leaves Merkel Isolated
In accepting the opposition's candidate for the next German president,
Angela Merkel has suffered the bitterest defeat of her chancellorship.
Her junior coalition partner, the FDP, teamed up with the two main
opposition parties to push through their choice. The ignominious
defeat could mark a turning point for the German chancellor.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,816442,00.html#ref=nlint

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GERMANY'S NEXT PRESIDENT
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'I'm No Superman'
Joachim Gauck could help repair the damage that Christian Wulff did to
the German presidency. The country's next head of state is a modest man,
but also a fearless democrat, and is unlikely to shy away from
controversy. The former East German civil rights activist is known to
speak his mind. And he fights for what he believes in.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,816407,00.html#ref=nlint

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JOACHIM GAUCK TO BE NEXT PRESIDENT
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German Parties Choose Christian Wulff's Successor
Germany's political establishment has agreed on a successor to Christian
Wulff, who resigned as president on Friday. Joachim Gauck, a respected
former East German civil-rights activist, is set to be Germany's next
head of state. But his nomination came only after a fierce conflict
within Merkel's coalition government.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,816362,00.html#ref=nlint

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THE WORLD FROM BERLIN
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Gauck Will Be 'an Unpredictable President Who Irritates'
Chancellor Angela Merkel nominated Joachim Gauck for the role of German
president on Sunday, backing a candidate she had previously rejected for
the post. German commentators on Monday say the popular pro-democracy
activist is a good choice, but warn that his tendency to speak his mind
could irritate politicians from all parties.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,816441,00.html#ref=nlint

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STOP THE SECOND BAILOUT PACKAGE!
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EU Should Admit Greece is Bankrupt
Greece is bankrupt and will need a 100 percent debt cut to get back on
its feet. The bailout package about to be agreed by the euro finance
ministers will help Greece's creditors more than the country itself. EU
leaders should channel the aid into rebuilding the economy rather than
rewarding financial speculators for their high-risk deals.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,816498,00.html#ref=nlint

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US ECONOMIST KENNETH ROGOFF
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'Germany Has Been the Winner in the Globalization Process'
In an interview with SPIEGEL, Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff, 58, says
it was a mistake to bring all the southern European countries into
the common currency. He also argues that Greece should be granted a
"sabbatical" from the euro and that a United States of Europe may take
shape far sooner than many believe.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,816071,00.html#ref=nlint

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TOP GERMAN ECONOMIST
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'Restructuring Greece Within the Euro is Illusory'
Europe's finance ministers plan to approve a second bailout for Greece
on Monday but Hans-Werner Sinn, the head of Ifo, a top German economic
think tank, warns that the money will only help international banks --
not the Greeks. He argues that Greece can only solve its crisis if it
quits the euro.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,816410,00.html#ref=nlint

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INTERNET PARANOIA
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Are Protesters' ACTA Concerns Justified?
Hundreds of thousands of people have demonstrated across Europe against
the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, much to the surprise of the
continent's politicians. A new protest movement is forming around the
issue, amid concerns that users could be severely punished for minor
copyright infringements. Meanwhile, Internet experts warn against
anti-ACTA hysteria.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,816210,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: Protesting against ACTA
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-78844.html#ref=nlint


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CARNIVAL PARADES
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Germany Shuts Down for Mass Party
German carnival culminated on Rose Monday with huge parades in the
cities of Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz. Hundreds of thousands lined the
streets to catch sweets and watch the marching bands and satirical
floats, one of which illustrated the close relationship between Angela
Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,816538,00.html#ref=nlint

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Photo Gallery: German Carnival Floats Lampoon Euro Crisis
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-78691.html#ref=nlint


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'CALL TO DISOBEDIENCE'
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A Rift in the German-Speaking Catholic Church
A call by reform-minded Catholics in the German-speaking world for the
church to soften its stances on homosexuality, divorce and celibacy
among priests and to end its ban on women in the clergy is drawing loud
criticism from conservatives. They argue the group is threatening to
create a schism within the Catholic Church.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,816528,00.html#ref=nlint

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PICTURE THIS
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Shiva's Shine


http://www.spiegel.de/international/0,1518,816533,00.html#ref=nlint