Getting behind Israeli 'frankness'

here's an old joke in which a reporter says to an Israeli, a Russian and an American, "Excuse me, can I get your opinion on the food shortage in Africa?" The Russian says: "What's an opinion?" The American says: "What's a shortage?" and the Israeli says: "What's 'Excuse me'?" Now, of course before anyone accuses me of stereotyping, I realise the punchline will work with pretty much any nationality. But, on a recent reporting trip to Israel, I did encounter that special trait for which Israelis have gained a bit of a reputation - a certain, shall we say, straightforwardness, a brusqueness of manner, so familiar to frequent visitors to Israel that they treat it as a source of humour. In fact, there were daily encounters - from the taxi driver who argued with me over where...

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Posted in: Business,Entertainment,Middle East

Brazil beefs up air defenses with German guns for sports events

People check the Maverick, an internal security vehicle, at the Defence and Security International Exhibition Latin America Aero and Defence (LAAD) trade show for the defence and security industry in Latin America, in Rio de Janeiro April 9, 2013. BRASILIA, April 11 – Brazil plans to buy 34 used anti-aircraft tanks from the German army to help bolster air defenses as it prepares to hold two global sporting events and host a visit by Pope Francis. The Brazilian army said the contract to buy the self-propelled Gepard 1A2 anti-aircraft guns would be signed in the next few days and included ordnance, maintenance and training. The value is still being negotiated, an army statement said, adding the first lot would arrive by June. The Flakpanzer...

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Posted in: Politics,Sport,war

Iranian magician to make Bitexco building disappear

A night shot of Bitexco Financial Tower, the highest building on the left, from the Saigon River. Iranian magician Mahdi Moudini will make buildings in Ho Chi Minh City, including the Bitexco in District 1, disappear this April. Tony Hassini, a famous magician and one of the mentors of David Copperfield and Mahdi Moudini, told the media on Monday that this young illusionist, who started to study magic at the age of five and has worked for 28 years as a magician, will perform many interesting feats, such as making buildings disappear in a wink, walking on water, and escaping from a huge basin of water. All of these performances will be filmed in late April in HCMC for the first Vietnamese television program about magic, 13 episodes of...

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Posted in: Experimental Society,Vietnam,xã hội

European Stocks Fall Before U.S. Retail Data, Euro-Area

European (SXXP) stocks fell, snapping a four-day rally for the benchmark Index, before a report that may show American retail sales stagnated and as euro-area finance ministers prepared to meet in Dublin. U.S. index futures and Asian shares were little changed. Cap Gemini SA (CAP) declined the most in three weeks after Indian peer Infosys Ltd. forecast annual sales that were lower than analysts’ estimates. Croda International Plc (CRDA) lost 2.2 percent after UBS AG downgraded its recommendation on the stock. Rio Tinto Group retreated 1.4 percent after halting operations at its Utah copper mine due to a wall slide. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped 0.3 percent to 294.14 at the 8:04 a.m. in London, paring the increase this week to 2.4 percent. Contracts on the...

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Posted in: Business,European,Kinh tế,USA

Nữ phó phòng phủ nhận phá xe Chủ tịch tỉnh

Thừa nhận mình có gây rối tại trụ sở ủy ban nhưng bà Ly cho rằng "không thể đập kính xe, đập cửa phòng Chủ tịch tỉnh vì chân yếu tay mềm". Trao đổi với VnExpress về hành vi gây rối tại UBND tỉnh Trà Vinh, bà Trần Hồng Ly (34 tuổi, Phó phòng Quản lý doanh nghiệp và lao động, Ban quản lý Khu kinh tế tỉnh Trà Vinh) phủ nhận việc đập kính xe, đập cửa phòng Chủ tịch tỉnh, đánh một công an bị thương. "Tôi là phụ nữ tay yếu chân mềm sao làm được chuyện đó. Nếu tôi manh động như vậy, cảnh sát bảo vệ mục tiêu tại ủy ban tỉnh còng ngay chứ làm gì lại để yên", nữ phó phòng nói. Báo cáo của Công an phường 1, TP Trà Vinh trước đó nêu, bà Ly bất chấp yêu cầu dừng xe của cảnh sát bảo vệ, phóng xe SH vào trụ sở UBND tỉnh Trà Vinh. Sau đó,...

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Posted in: Vietnam,violence,xã hội

‘Nếu nói thật thì trái ý Nhà nước’

Một vị cựu quan chức trong chính quyền Việt Nam nói các cuộc họp lấy ý kiến cho dự thảo Hiến pháp sửa đổi do Nhà nước tổ chức đều không đáng tin cậy vì ít có ai dám ‘nói thẳng nói thật’. Chính quyền nói đa số người dân ủng hộ vai trò lãnh đạo của Đảng trong Hiến pháp Các hoạt động góp ý cho dự thảo Hiến pháp trong hơn ba tháng qua đều được truyền thông nhà nước đưa tin là tất cả các ý kiến đều tán thành và thậm chí yêu cầu làm sâu sắc hơn nữa vai trò lãnh đạo của Đảng trong Hiến pháp. Tuy nhiên, trên các trang mạng không chính thống lan truyền rất nhiều ý kiến đòi bỏ vai trò lãnh đạo Đảng, tam quyền phân lập và cho phép người dân được sở hữu đất đai và bác bỏ quy định quân đội trung thành với Đảng. Những ý kiến này, trong đó có nhiều...

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Posted in: Asia,Politics,Vietnam,xã hội

Người đẹp LX gây sốc khi khoe nhà 'có đủ điều kiện'

Cô gái sành điệu chạy xe vespa trắng bỏ đi sau khi suýt gây tai nạn vì lao vào giữa ôtô và một chiếc xe nôi. Thế nhưng mọi chuyện không dừng lại ở đó... Sáng chủ nhật rồi, tôi tranh thủ ngày nghỉ để đi chợ cóc gần nhà, đường Hoàng Đạo Thúy, Hà Nội. Đang ngó bên này một tí bên kia một tí thì tôi thấy một chị tóc xoăn dài ngang lưng, nhuộm hơi vàng, đi xe vespa LX trắng. Chị nhìn khá xinh đẹp, tầm trên dưới 30 tuổi, nói chung là sành điệu. Lúc này có một bác đứng tuổi đẩy xe nôi trẻ con đi trước mặt tôi và chị đi LX kia. Đường cũng không to lắm, lại có một ôtô đang tiến đến. Xe ôtô với cái xe đẩy trẻ con kia cách nhau khoảng 1 mét. Chẳng hiểu chị đẹp gái kia nghĩ gì phóng lên vượt mặt tôi và vọt qua cái khe một mét ấy. Tay lái của chị ý đập vào ôtô bật ngược ra rồi va vào cái xe trẻ con....

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Posted in: Kinh Nghiệm sống,Vietnam,xã hội

Pentagon: NKorea Can Likely Launch Nuclear Missile

A Pentagon spy agency concluded for the first time that North Korea likely has the ability to launch nuclear-armed missiles, illustrating the high stakes surrounding the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula. But a Defense Department spokesman later on Thursday cast doubt on whether Pyongyang is fully capable of firing nuclear missiles, as a study dated last month by the Pentagon’s own Defense Intelligence Agency suggested. The secret assessment — which was mistakenly marked as unclassified and partially revealed at a congressional hearing — said the agency had “moderate confidence” that North Korea is able to launch nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. But it said the weapons would probably be unreliable. The evaluation was made public by Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn as he...

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Posted in: Korea,Politics,USA,violence

Japan Gives Taiwan Rare Concession in East China Sea Dispute

Taiwan Coast Guard patrol ships are seen during a drill held about 30 nautical miles northwest of the port of Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan, March 30, 2013. TAIPEI — Japan gave Taiwan an unusual break this week in a stubborn ocean territorial dispute that also involves China. The first-ever concession met with applause in Taipei and a word of warning from Beijing. Japan controls the waters, but China and Taiwan both make unwavering claims.Taiwan had pushed Japan for expanded fishing rights since 1996, vying with Tokyo and China for control of a massive stretch of the East China Sea believed rich in fisheries and natural gas.On Wednesday talks reached a breakthrough, when Japan agreed to give Taiwanese fishing boats unconditional use...

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Posted in: Asia,Japan,Society

Đối thoại Nhân quyền thường niên giữa Hoa Kỳ và Việt Nam

Trang web của Bộ Ngoại Giao Hoa Kỳ đã ra thông báo chính thức về buổi Đối thoại Nhân quyền thường niên giữa Hoa Kỳ với Việt Nam lần thứ 17. Cuộc đối thoại sẽ được tổ chức ở Hà Nội vào ngày 12 tháng Tư, năm 2013. Dân Làm Báo tổng hợp những tin tức liên quan, gửi đến các bạn trong thôn. Trước đó, trong buổi điều trần về Nhân Quyền tại Hạ Viện Mỹ, Dân biểu Chris Smith, Chủ tịch Tiểu ban Nhân quyền của Ủy ban Đối ngoại Hạ viện Mỹ cho rằng Hoa Kỳ cần đưa Việt Nam vào danh sách Quốc gia đặc biệt quan ngại - CPC - Country of particular concern. Ông cũng cho rằng những cuộc đối thoại về Nhân quyền giữa Hoa Kỳ và nhà nước cộng sản Việt Nam trong quá khứ là không có hiệu quả. Trong thông báo gửi Dân Làm Báo, ông Brad Adams, giám...

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Posted in: Politics,USA,Vietnam

Facebook's Zuckerberg Launches Group to Tackle Immigration Reform

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calififornia, March 7, 2013. WASHINGTON — Facebook chairman Mark Zuckerberg, among the world’s wealthiest people, is wading into politics to help some of America’s poorest people – undocumented immigrants.The multi-billionaire announced he and other high-tech entrepreneurs are launching a group called FWD.us to push for immigration reform in the United States.“We have a strange immigration policy for a nation of immigrants. And it’s a policy unfit for today’s world,” Zuckerberg wrote in a Washington Post Op-Ed article Thursday introducing the new non-partisan group.Noting that America’s current economy is based primarily on knowledge...

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Posted in: Computer,Facebook,Politics,Society,USA

Pentagon: Inaccurate to Say N. Korea Has Nuclear-Armed Missiles

North Korean missile launch (2012) The Pentagon late Thursday said North Korea does not have nuclear-armed missiles, playing down an intelligence report leaked earlier in the day which said Pyongyang had the capability to build atomic warheads that could be fitted on missiles.Pentagon spokesman George Little says it would be inaccurate to suggest the North has fully tested, developed, or demonstrated the nuclear capability mentioned in the report.Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn surprised Pentagon officials during a routine budget hearing Thursday by reading what he says was an unclassified paragraph from a U.S. military intelligence report. Lamborn said intelligence officials are moderately confident the North has nuclear weapons capable...

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Posted in: Korea,nuclear,Politics,USA,war

Japan carmakers to recall 3.4m cars over airbag defect

Japan's top four carmakers are recalling a total of 3.4 million cars over a defect in passenger airbags. In the UK, Toyota, Nissan and Honda are all recalling certain models Toyota, which is recalling 1.73 million cars, said the vehicles had a defective part which "could cause the airbag inflator to rupture and deploy the airbag abnormally in a crash". Globally, Honda is recalling 1.13 million cars, Nissan almost 500,000 and Mazda 45,000. In the UK, Toyota, Nissan and Honda are all recalling certain models. The cars were sold in the years 2000-04, and the firms said the defective part was supplied by parts maker Takata Corp. UK models affected include: 76,000 Toyota vehicles, including Corolla and Yaris, 60,000 Nissans, including...

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Posted in: Asia,Business,Japan,Toyota

Samsung unveils 6.3in Galaxy Mega smartphone

Samsung has unveiled the biggest smartphone to date - the Galaxy Mega, which features a 6.3in (16cm) screen. The Galaxy Mega is only slightly smaller than Google's 7in Nexus tablet The firm suggested its size made it ideal for watching videos or running two apps alongside each other. Samsung helped popularise the so-called "phablet" category - in which phones approach tablet dimensions - with its original 5.3in Galaxy Note in 2011. That proved more popular than many expected, but one analyst suggested the latest device might be a step too far. Samsung is marketing the Android-powered handset as having a high-definition screen - however, a spokesman was unable to confirm whether it supported 720p or the "full HD" 1080p resolution. Another...

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Posted in: Business,Điện thoại,Smart Phone

North Korea: US urges China to rein in Pyongyang

The US says it is urging China to use all its leverage to help rein in North Korea's "destabilising" actions. North Korea says its armed forces are a war footing US officials travelling with Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington wanted Beijing to evoke "a sense of urgency" in its talks with Pyongyang. North Korea has ratcheted up tensions in the region, threatening nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US. Meanwhile, the Pentagon has denied a report suggesting Pyongyang is able to mount nuclear warheads on missiles. Earlier, a US Congressman leaked details of a Defense Intelligence Agency study that, he said, assessed "with moderate confidence" the North could fire a nuclear-armed missile, though with "low reliability". Pentagon...

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Posted in: Asia,Korea,Politics,violence,war

City wastes millions on dysfunctional traffic control system

Traffic lights on Ho Chi Minh City’s Vo Van Kiet Street Ho Chi Minh City authorities are apparently stuck with a multi-million dollar traffic control system that has barely worked for several years now. The system, mostly funded with French ODA and World Bank loans totaling more than US$27 million, has a control center to monitor traffic lights and detect traffic density at several crossroads. The traffic lights were installed by two projects. The Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper quoted an unnamed officer of the HCMC Traffic Police Division as saying that his agency had requested the city transport department several times to repair the system but nothing has been done. “The Transport Department and the HCMC Public Lighting Company...

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Posted in: Business,Kinh tế,Society,Vietnam