Japanese PM cancels trip to Russia because ‘Putin not feeling well’

(this is the true reason why polish president crashed in Smolensk)

http://rt.com/politics/putin-health-problems-peskov-985/

The Kremlin has denied rumors about President Putin’s ill health and said the visit by Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was not delayed since its date has never actually been determined. However, the trip might take place in January.
“We hope that the visit will take place and proceed from the assumption that it will take place in the second half of January," Vladimir Putin’s press-secretary Dmitry Peskov told Itar-Tass.
After Putin’s meeting with Noda in Vladivostok at the APEC summit, several options for the visit were considered.
"As far as I know, until the last moment the opportunity for making the visit in the second half of January has been discussed," Peskov added.
Earlier on Friday, the Japanese PM said he postponed his trip to Moscow over Putin’s “health problems.”
Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov called such “leaks” from the Japanese side about the trip dates “unethical”.
“It’s not appropriate to talk about this,” he stated. He said he has been dealing with organization of the visit since October, but the agreeing of possible dates is a closed diplomatic process. But since there was a “leak” anyway, he said, the sides have so far agreed about January.
The talks about Putin’s health started earlier this week after Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko unexpectedly decided to dwell on this subject in his interview with Reuters news agency.
"I know he has this problem. He loves judo. He lifted a guy, threw him, and twisted his spine," Lukashenko said. He added that he had suggested Putin play ice hockey with him, but Putin had to refuse.
Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Lukashenko’s statement, but earlier he acknowledged that Putin really had had “an ordinary sports trauma,” without specifying when and where it had been received.
The head of the Kremlin Administration, Sergey Ivanov, confirmed on Friday that the Russian president had “a light” sports trauma.
“Don’t worry, he is in good physical condition, and he will continue to do sports,” Ivanov told journalists. “The president’s schedule for December, I think, proves that everything is fine with his health,” he added.
Dmitry Medvedev stressed earlier that the rumors were greatly exaggerated.
“He takes a lot of physical exercise. This is what he does in fact. So he is alive and well, and thank God everything is fine with him,” the prime minister stated in an interview with Finnish media.

Immigrants Help Drunk Politician off the Ground, Then he Calls Police on Them for Stealing a Backpack That he Left at the Bar

Disclaimer: Comic drawn by another artist who might join us soon.

http://theintelhub.com/2012/11/30/immigrants-help-drunk-politician-off-the-ground-then-he-calls-police-on-them-for-stealing-a-backpack-that-he-left-at-the-bar/

This week in Sweden, a politician named Lars Isovaara has come under media scrutiny after a binge drinking episode where he called the police on a group of immigrants who helped him back into his wheelchair when he fell down drunk on the sidewalk while on his way home.  In reality, the politician had left his things at the bar in his stupor and he also seems to have some deep seeded animosity towards immigrants, which may be the reason behind the call to police.
Much to his dismay one of the police who arrived on the scene was actually an immigrant, and they [the police] were treated very harshly by him as a result.  The police reported that Isovaara was insulting the officer that he took issue with, even spitting at him and making growling noises.

Soviet soldiers' botched re-burials 60 years ago 'monstrous', claims Russian TV

http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/120002,Soviet-soldiers-botched-reburials-60-years-ago-monstrous-claims-Russian-TV

The Vremya news magazine on Channel One in Russia reported on Wednesday evening that when Polish authorities decided to dig up the remains of Russian soldiers who died fighting Nazi German forces in Kostrzyn nad Odra western Poland, at the end of WW II, so as to re-bury them in large cemeteries around the country, they did so by only partially removing all the body parts.
A research dig in October this year found that 102 out of 110 bodies had been re-buried with their skulls or other parts missing.
“On the first day [of the dig] we found 30 bodies. In total, there were 110, of which only eight were complete,” Polish researcher Zbigniew Romanowski told Russian TV.
The Russian news programme claimed the “barbaric” exhumations showed a “monstrous lack of respect for the dead” and reported that Russian authorities had called on Poland to give a full explanation as to why the bodies of “soldiers who liberated Poland from Nazi Germany” were shown so little respect.

French students sue Twitter, call to name and shame anti-Semitic users

http://rt.com/news/french-students-sue-twitter-750/


A French Jewish student union has opened a lawsuit against Twitter that could force the site to hand over the names of anti-Semitic tweeters. Recently the social forum has increasingly been used as a platform to disseminate extremist views.
The Jewish Student Union of France (UEJF) has taken legal action to discover the identity of those social media users who had posted tweets under the hashtag #unbonjuif (#agoodjew) in October.
They seek to prosecute the offending parties under anti-hate speech laws over thousands of offensive images, holocaust jokes and inflammatory messages. A court hearing has been scheduled for January 8 in Paris to deal with the lawsuit.
Although Twitter emphasized that it does not mediate content, the social media site caved under pressure from the student group and consented to remove anti-Semitic tweets flagged by the UEJF. Additionally, it wiped tweets with similar offensive messages about Muslims.

“If we are alerted to content that may be in violation of our terms of service, we will investigate each report and respond according to the policies and procedures outlined in our support pages,” said Twitter in a statement.
At the same time, the company underlined that “we reserve the right at all times (but will not have an obligation) to remove or refuse to distribute any Content on the Services.”
The tweets in question are thought to have been sent from around 60 different computers last month.
The UEJF’s lawyer decried Twitter for not taking the matter seriously when it was initially raised back in October. The association’s president, Jonathon Hayoun, attacked the social media site for “not taking the necessary measures against racism and anti-Semitism when the situation in France has never been so serious.”

Hungary anti-Semitism: MP condemned over 'list of Jews'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20510648

During a debate on the conflict in the Gaza Strip, Mr Gyongyosi, deputy group leader of Jobbik, said it was time to "assess how many MPs and government members are of Jewish origin and who presents a national security risk to Hungary".

Jobbik, an opposition party purporting to protect Hungarian values and interests, also has three MEPs in the European Parliament. The party has been linked to uniformed vigilantes who say they are safeguarding public order in areas with large Roma (Gypsy) communities.

The statement from a government spokesman on Tuesday said the government took "the strictest possible action against every form of racism and anti-Semitic behaviour" and did "everything in order to ensure that malicious voices incompatible with European norms are driven back".

Floods sweep UK, killing 4 and damaging hundreds of homes

Snake: Welcome CineHeathen, and I cannot draw ducks orz

https://rt.com/news/floods-hit-britain-damage-610/

Four people were killed and 901 homes were damaged by raging floodwaters across Britain. The country’s south has been spared the worst of the heavy rains and high winds, as the midlands, west and north brace for the brunt of the storm.

Over 500 flood alerts were issued during the last few days for England, Wales and Scotland.

Four people died over the weekend, and one person was declared missing.

A 21-year-old woman, reportedly homeless, was killed in Exeter on Saturday when a tree fell on her tent. Two other men were injured in the incident. In Cambridgeshire, a 70-year-old man was pulled underwater when his car plunged into a swollen river that evening. A bystander dragged him to the shore, but the man was later pronounced dead by paramedics.

After nearly 200 years, Mexico may make the name official

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/22/world/americas/mexico-name-change/index.html

It's the one fact about Mexico that you probably didn't know. The country's name is not really Mexico, at least not officially. After gaining independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico officially became the "United Mexican States."

The American independence movement had inspired Mexican leaders of that era and since Mexico, in fact, also was a territory composed of states, the name stuck and became official in 1824.

But the reality is the official name is used only by Mexican officials who deal with diplomatic protocol and official documents pertaining to international relations. For the rest of Mexicans -- and the world -- the country is simply known as Mexico.

That's why outgoing Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday sent to the Mexican Congress a piece of legislation to change the country's name officially to simply Mexico.

UN says Japan is underestimating nuclear fallout risks

http://rt.com/news/un-fukushima-underestimate-nuclear-626/

A UN official charged with investigating Japan’s handling of the health risks from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 says the authorities are not doing enough to protect the population from effects of the accident.
Anand Grover, a UN special rapporteur on the right to health, says the Japanese government is not screening enough of its people, and is being overly optimistic with radiation exposure thresholds.
Grover has just conducted an independent on-site report for the government.
Currently, only residents of the Fukushima area surrounding the power plant that failed after the tsunami and earthquake caused its reactors to melt down in March 2011 are given medical screening. Only a quarter of the region’s 2 million people have been tested so far.
Grover believes that the check-ups should be extended throughout the North East of Japan, as radiation may have spread in an unpredictable pattern.

Fire kills 14 at German workshop for disabled

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20494988

The blaze occurred at the centre run by the Caritas charity in the Black Forest town of Titisee-Neustadt, some 40km (25 miles) east of Freiburg.
About 50 people were believed to be in the building when the fire started.
The cause is unclear, but local media reports that there may have been an explosion in a store room.
[...]
More than 100 firefighters backed by helicopters tackled the blaze - some, wearing breathing apparatus, braved the thick smoke to rescue a number of people trapped inside.
But police confirmed that not every one made it out.
"We can tell you that we have 14 dead. The process of identification is ongoing," local police spokesman Karl-Heinz Schmid told N24 television. He said it would "take days" for the investigation to get to the cause of the fire.

Update 27 Nov: Fire was apparently caused by a gas stove.

North Korean Assassin Armed With Unconventional Weapons

CNN on the North Korean weaponry.

A South Korean activist was targeted for assassination by North Korea for sending anti-NK propaganda over the border, with balloons. The assassin was found out before he could complete his task and his weapons have now been revealed to the public; two poison pens and a flashlight loaded with three bullets.

Dhaka Bangladesh clothes factory fire kills more than 100

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20482273

The blaze broke out late on Saturday in the multi-floor Tazreen Fashion factory in the Ashulia district on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka.
Some people died after jumping from the building to escape the flames.
It is unclear what caused the fire, which started on the ground floor trapping many victims in the factory.

Wealthy Singapore ranks as world's most stoic nation

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/23/world/asia/singapore-emotions-gallup/index.html

The most emotionless society is Singapore's despite its reputation for being among the world's richest, a new survey has revealed.

Gallup looked at 150 countries where about 1,000 residents were asked whether they experienced five positive and five negative emotions a lot during the course of a day. The results were based on interviews taken over a three-year period.

Questions included whether people felt well-rested or enjoyment, smiled and laughed or felt worry, sadness, stress or anger.

The 36% in Singapore who reported feeling anything is the lowest in the world, the Washington-based research and analytics organization found. This figure is an aggregation of data from 2009-2011; in Gallup's latest measure taken last year, just 30% of those surveyed in Singapore felt anything at all.

Deaths in dumpster expose plight of China's street kids

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/21/world/asia/china-boys-dead-dumpster/index.html?hpt=ias_c2

Eight Chinese officials have been fired or suspended after five boys died in a rubbish bin after suffocating on fumes from charcoal they burned to stay warm, according to state-run media.

The bodies of the boys, aged between 9 and 13, were found by a trash collector on Friday in Bijie in China's southwestern Guizhou province, Xinhua reported.

They are believed to have died the night before, as rain fell and temperatures plunged to as low as six degrees Celsius (43 degrees Fahrenheit).

First toilet theme park opens in South Korea

http://www.3news.co.nz/First-toilet-theme-park-opens-in-South-Korea/tabid/420/articleID/277909/Default.aspx

There's a theme park for everything. What Disneyland did for mice, Napoleonland did for Napoleon, and you can even watch the crucifixion of Jesus at Holy Land in Florida.

But here's one to rival them all.

At the theme park in South Korea, they don't just love the humble toilet; they've gone completely potty for it.

“I think it could change someone's perception, particularly if they're a little uptight or embarrassed about toilets or because it makes them laugh,” says American tourist Malissa Sheets-Nygard.

According to the internet, we'll all spend around three years of our lives sitting on the can – this being the longest relationship many of us will ever have.

Thieves Steal 18 Tons of Chocolate

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/thieves-steal-18-tons-chocolate-17793857

Thieves with a huge sweet-tooth have driven off with 18 tons of chocolate in Austria.
State broadcaster ORF says on its website that the driver of a Slovak tractor trailer loaded the 33 pallets of milk chocolate onto his vehicle from the producer in the western town of Bludenz earlier this week — supposedly to deliver an order from a company in the Czech Republic. But, police in the westernmost province of Vorarlberg say that the license plates and papers of the Slovak truck and driver were apparently counterfeit.
The trip should have taken less than a day, but as of Friday — four days after the truck was loaded — the delivery was still outstanding.

EU nations far apart on budget as summit rolls on

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20459398

The talks had continued late into Thursday night.
A revised proposal from summit chairman Herman Van Rompuy keeps the spending ceiling in place but reallocates funds.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron told reporters in Brussels on Friday it was not "a time for tinkering" with the EU's 2014-2020 budget, and "unaffordable spending" should be cut.
He held talks with French President Francois Hollande and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said she doubts the summit will reach a deal and Mr Hollande has also cautioned that an agreement might not be possible.
The chances of success do not look great, the BBC's Matthew Price reports from Brussels.

Spoof charity single asks Africans to donate radiators to Norway

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/nov/19/radi-aid-charity-single-africa

Who ever said Norwegians don't have a sense of humor? Just in time for the holidays, a Norwegian group calling itself Radi-Aid has launched an appeal to ship radiators from Africa to Norway. Their cause is the plight of freezing children during Norway's harsh winter months. It's complete with a new music video, and incorporates all the right tropes (see here, here and here) — some people might miss the satire.

These people aren't playing around though. Their effort is a serious critique of misguided development, and of the Western media coverage which often accompanies it.

FBI had a 'classified investigation' open on PETA

http://rt.com/usa/news/stratfor-fbi-investigation-peta-093/

The FBI conducted a top-secret investigation into the People for Ethical Treatment for Animals, or PETA, according to the Stratfor intelligence agency.
In emails sent through Stratfor in 2009 and compromised last year by hacktivists aligned with the loose-knit Anonymous movement, Fred Burton, the vice president for intelligence at Strategic Forecasting, or Stratfor, acknowledges that the United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation has waged a clandestine probe into the animal rights group.
The PrivacySOS.org website published a blog last week shining light on one of those Stratfor emails hacked by Anonymous that has since been published by the WikiLeaks whistleblower site. In it, Burton cites a classified investigation carried out by the FBI in reference to an email from Coca Cola asking for intelligence about PETA that could be put to use.
“Coca-Cola just sent me a long list of questions regarding PETA/Animal Activism and the upcoming Olympics in Vancouver,” Stratfor’s Anya Alfano writes in an email from June 2009. “I'm not entirely clear on how much we can task the public policy group at this point--is there any guidance you can give me
on that front? Coke has asked for a short teleconference with one of our analysts to discuss this issue…”
According to Alfano’s email, representatives for Coca Cola were curious about any methodology and planning behind PETA-led activism and even inquires as to if anarchical “non-PETA hangers-on” from others groups, such as the Animal Liberation Front, could pose a problem.
Responding to Alfano’s email, Burton writes, “The FBI has a classified investigation on PETA operatives. I'll see what I can uncover.”

'Ice cream' murder woman gets life sentence in Austria

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20453491

Estibaliz Carranza, who has joint Spanish-Mexican citizenship, will now be put in a secure mental institution.
The 34-year-old shot dead her ex-husband in 2008, and killed her lover while he slept two years later.
She cut up the bodies with a chainsaw and buried them in concrete in the shop's basement in Austria's capital.

Chinese company plans to build world's tallest building in only 90 days

http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-06/15/chinese-skyscraper-built-in-90-days

Broad Sustainable Building (BSB) claims the 838m-tall SkyCity One will be assembled in the southern Chinese city of Changsha from prefabricated materials built offsite. The building will be 10m taller than the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, currently the tallest manmade structure on earth.
SkyCity One, with a rather imposing design, will contain 1,610,000m² across 220 storeys, containing a mix of residential, commercial and retail space and capacity for between 70,000 to 120,000 people.

Polish man 'planned to blow up parliament'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20405741

A 45-year-old academic researcher has been arrested on suspicion of planning to detonate four tonnes of explosives in a vehicle at the parliament building during a budget debate, they say.
He has been charged with planning a terrorist attack and faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

[...]
The man's motives were described however as "nationalistic, xenophobic and anti-Semitic" in character.
He is described by Polish officials as having been inspired by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway last year, most of them teenagers at a Labour Party youth camp.

Moody's downgrades France's credit rating

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20408406

Senior Economist Diego Iscaro from IHS Global has said Moody's downgrading of France's debt was not unexpected.
Speaking to the BBC he said, "It's obviously not good news but i don't think it's terrible news either."
Moody's downgraded France's debt from Aaa to Aa1, and kept its negative outlook, meaning it could be cut again.

Foreigners offered chance to stay in Spain for 160,000€

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/9689008/Foreigners-offered-chance-to-stay-in-Spain-for-130000.html

Spain plans to offer foreigners residency permits if they buy houses worth more than 160,000 euros, in a desperate attempt to reduce the nation's glut of unsold property.
The plan, aimed principally at the Chinese and Russian markets, was announced yesterday by the secretary of state for trade, who insisted it was necessary to reduce Spain's housing stock in a stagnant market.
"In coming weeks, we will start to reform the law regarding foreigners to reactivate demand abroad and contribute toward reducing housing stock," Jaime Garcia-Legaz said at a conference in Madrid.
The scheme would also allow foreign buyers to move around the 25-nation Schengen zone freely, as the agreement allows holders of a residency permit of one country in the area to travel to - thuogh not work in - any other.

Twinkies Maker Hostess Going Out of Business, CEO Blames Union Strike

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/NATL-Twinkies-Maker-Hostess-Going-Out-of-Business-179643161.html

Hostess, the makers of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread, is going out of business after striking workers failed to heed a Thursday deadline to return to work, the company said.

“We deeply regret the necessity of today’s decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike,” Hostess CEO Gregory F. Rayburn said in announcing that the firm had filed a motion with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to shutter its business. “Hostess Brands will move promptly to lay off most of its 18,500-member workforce and focus on selling its assets to the highest bidders.”

Hostess Brands Inc. had earlier warned employees that it would file to unwind its business and sell off assets if plant operations didn't return to normal levels by 5 p.m. Thursday. In announcing its decision, Hostess said its wind down would mean the closure of 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, approximately 5,500 delivery routes and 570 bakery outlet stores in the United States.

Hostess suspended bakery operations at all its factories and said its stores will remain open for several days to sell already-baked products. In the Chicago area, there were reports of Hostess products flying off the shelves.

Rayburn told The Associated Press that there was no buyer waiting in the wings to rescue the company. But without giving details, he said that there has been interest in some of its 30 brands. Experts agreed that it was likely the biggest brands would survive.

The Irving, Texas-based company had already reached a contract agreement with its largest union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. But thousands of members in its second-biggest union went on strike late last week after rejecting in September a contract offer that cut wages and benefits. Officials for the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union say the company stopped contributing to workers' pensions last year.

NBC's Savannah Guthrie read a statement on "Today" from the bakers' union that said: “Despite Greg Rayburn’s insulting and disingenuous statements of the last several months, the truth is that Hostess workers and the union have absolutely no responsibility for the failure of this company. That responsibility rests squarely on the shoulders of the company’s decision makers.”

Rayburn responded that he had been “pretty straightforward in all the town hall meetings I’ve done at our plants to say that in this situation I think there is blame that goes around for everyone.”

He denied that the decision to shut down could be a last ditch negotiation tactic to get the union back to the table.

“It’s over,” he said. “This is it.” 

Although many workers decided to cross picket lines this week, Hostess said it wasn't enough to keep operations at normal levels; three plants were closed earlier this week. Rayburn told the AP Hostess was already operating on thin margins and that the strike was a final blow.

"The strike impacted us in terms of cash flow. The plants were operating well below 50 percent capacity and customers were not getting products," Rayburn said.

The privately held company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, its second trip through bankruptcy court in less than a decade. The company cited increasing pension and medical costs for employees as one of the drivers behind its latest filing. Hostess had argued that workers must make concessions for it to exit bankruptcy and improve its financial position.

The company, founded in 1930, was fighting battles beyond labor costs, however. Competition is increasing in the snack space and Americans are increasingly conscious about healthy eating. Hostess also makes Dolly Madison, Drake's and Nature's Pride snacks.

If the motion is granted, Hostess would begin closing operations as early as Tuesday.

"Most employees who lose their jobs should be eligible for government-provided unemployment benefits," Hostess said.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Israel gives Hamas 36-hours ultimatum before starting major offensive

https://rt.com/news/israel-ultimatum-hamas-offensive-028/

Israel has demanded that Hamas cease firing rockets into Israel for a period of “several years” and that they stop the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. The conditions are part of a six-part proposal put forward by the Israeli government at negotiations with Hamas in Cairo.

In addition, the proposal asked that Israel be allowed to hunt down terrorists in the event of an attack or if it obtains information on an imminent attack. An Israel official told AP on condition of anonymity that a diplomatic solution was preferable, though they would “escalate” if diplomacy did not “bear fruit.”

The official maintained Israel was not looking for a “quick fix” which would result in renewed militant activity in the near-distant future. He also said the Israeli’s wanted “international guarantees” Hamas would not rearm or use Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as a staging ground for future attacks.

Innocent victims: Children among dozens killed by Israeli airstrikes

https://rt.com/news/gaza-israel-children-killed-993/

Israeli airstrikes killed seven children and wounded many others in Gaza on Sunday. At least 13 children have been killed since Operation Pillar of Defense began. That number could potentially rise if Israel launches a ground operation on Gaza.

An Israeli missile flattened a three-story house in Gaza City, killing at least 9 civilians – including four children.

Eighteen-month-old Iyyad Abu Khusa was killed in a strike east of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. His brothers, aged four and five, were seriously wounded in the raid, Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP.

Hours earlier, two toddlers were killed by strikes in the towns of Beit Hanun and Beit Lahiya. The children were identified as three-year-old Tamer Abu Saeyfan and his one-year-old sister, Jumana Abu Saeyfan.

Michelin Coup Signals New Era of German Cuisine

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/michelin-stars-signal-new-era-of-german-cuisine-a-867191.html

Contemplate German food. It's a sea of brown and white characterized by meat and potatoes, sausage and bread, and cabbage that's been fermented until all the color has drained away. German cooking is often described with the rustic adjectives herzhaft and deftig, or "hearty" and "hefty." It's thought of as comfort food, not fine dining.
But in the last few years, at least as far as the haute cuisine kingmakers at the Michelin Guide are concerned, Germany has bucked this stereotype to become an anointed powerhouse of European gourmet cuisine. With the 2013 "Michelin Guide," unveiled at a ceremony last week in Berlin, the number of two-star restaurants in Germany has doubled in the last two years, from 18 to 36.

Poland's largest meteorite officially weighed

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/118651,Polands-largest-meteorite-officially-weighed

Geologists at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, western Poland, have been engaged in a painstaking cleaning process over the last fortnight, ultimately brushing off some 18 kg of debris.
“We're proud that we managed to clean it up, and from next Monday, the meteorite will be on display at the Earth Museum of our department,” enthused Professor Andrzej Muszynski, head of the research team, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
The 261 kg marvel was found on 8 October at Poznan's Morasko Meteorite Nature Reserve.

Portuguese protest ‘mourns’ Merkel as German chancellor makes pro-austerity visit

https://rt.com/news/portugal-protest-merkel-visit-532/

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting Portugal in a show of support for a recent series of austerity measures in the bailed-out eurozone state. Protesters gathered in Lisbon to denounce Germany’s decision to back the harsh reforms.

Dozens of peaceful demonstrators gathered outside the Palace of Belem in Lisbon on Monday, as the German chancellor met with Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva.

She also held talks with Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho and a conference attended by leading German and Portuguese corporations.

Russia cracks down on drunk air passengers

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/9675659/Russia-cracks-down-on-drunk-air-passengers.html

The transport ministry said its proposal came as a result of airlines complaining about a rise in disruption caused by inebriated travellers.
[...]

Under the proposed changes, passengers will still be served limited alcoholic refreshments but will be unable to swig at will from their own supplies.

In draft amendments to Russia's Aviation Code published on its website, the transport ministry said duty free drinks bought either in airports or during flights should be handed over to air stewards

"In the interests of air safety, alcoholic products will be handed back to passengers at the end of the flight," it said

Belgium to issue stamps that taste of chocolate

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/9665001/Belgium-to-issue-stamps-that-taste-of-chocolate.html

In the wacky spirit of Road Dahl's eccentric candy-maker, the Belgian Post Office will play tribute to Belgium's chocolatiers with special stamps that will taste of chocolate when licked.

Recipients of the specially hallmarked letters or post cards will be able to enjoy the aroma of the candy celebrated on the postage stamps.

"With such stamps we prove our sense of modernity and innovation," said Johnny Thijs, the CEO of Bpost.

Barack Obama re-elected as US president

https://rt.com/usa/news/obama-wins-presidential-election-920/

Barack Obama has been elected to a second term as President of the United States. Republican candidate Mitt Romney has conceded the race, and wished Obama a successful term in his concession speech.

“We're all in this together. That's how we campaigned, and that's who we are. Thank you,” the president wrote on Twitter shortly after the projection was reported.

In his acceptance speech, Obama praised the American spirit that helped the country unify and overcome its darkest hours, and said he would work with Republicans to move on and achieve their common goals.

Obama thanked all those who voted on Tuesday, and those who helped his campaign. He said he is returning to the White House more inspired than ever, and pledged to realize the vision of a prosperous, technologically superior, well-defended and inspirational America.

Poland to build Europe's largest telescope

http://www.thenews.pl/1/9/Artykul/117645,Poland-to-build-Europes-largest-telescope

A consortium of nine Polish universities and research units are to build Europe's biggest radio telescope in Tuchola, northern Poland.
The telescope's diameter of 120 meters will make it the third-largest of its kind in the world.
[...]
The radio telescope will be tat he heart of the planned National Center for Radio Astronomy and Space Science, coordinated by Professor Zbigniew Sikora at the University of Gdansk.
The total cost of the telescope is estimated at about 100 million euros and will be operational in 2017.

'Elixir of life' invented – in yogurt form

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/9657853/Elixir-of-life-invented-in-yogurt-form.html

 Scientists in Kazakhstan say they have invented a life-lengthening yogurt drink after the country’s veteran leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, pleaded for “an elixir of youth and energy” in order to continue his rule.

The drink, called “nar” (nourishment), “will enable the improvement of quality of life and its prolongation” said Zhaksybay Zhumadilov a researcher at Nazarbayev University in the capital, Astana.

EU funds spent on Caribbean music festival

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/9653405/EU-funds-spent-on-Caribbean-music-festival.html

 Every year, Britain gives around £4.2 billion to Brussels for the European Union’s “structural and cohesion funds”.

[...]

The fund also provides cash to an annual four-day music festival on Marie-Galante, in Guadeloupe, the French group of islands in the Caribbean.
Organisers had hoped Terre de Blues would attract visitors to the island, which has suffered from depopulation and is home to around 12,400 people, but only 10 per cent of its audience came from abroad last year.

Bulgarians take to Facebook to lambast bad, lazy, dangerous cops

Snake: Welcome back Bernd

https://rt.com/news/bulgaria-police-facebook-corruption-865/

Thousands of Bulgarians have joined a Facebook group collecting photos of local police breaking rules while on duty. The law enforcement agency is already subject to special monitoring by the EU for failing to tackle corruption and organized crime.

Created less than a week ago, the “Film the Police” group already has more than 8,000 members and hundreds of allegedly incriminating photos.

Most show policemen routinely taking up disabled parking spots, and asleep en masse in a patrol car during work time. Others supposed violations are more serious; a photo of a policeman at the wheel holding a large opened bottle of beer, or an officer on a motorcycle performing a dangerous stunt on the wrong side of the road. Some are accompanied by names and comments showing specific policemen demanding bribes, or calmly looking upon a group of apparent prostitutes on the curb.