US and Germany in joint spy satellite project: cable

LEAK: US, Germany in joint spy satellite project...
The United States and Germany are jointly developing secret spy satellites under the guise of a commercial programme despite opposition from France, leaked US diplomatic cables showed Monday. The project, named HiROS, envisions the construction of an undetermined number of high-resolution observation satellites capable of spotting any object on the planet down to a size of just 50 centimetres (about 1.5 feet), according to classified cables from US Embassy in Berlin leaked to Wikileaks and obta...

Germany denies secret spy project with US
Germany's aerospace centre has denied it is working with the US on a $US270 million ($A266 million) high-tech secret spy program, insisting that its plans for a high-resolution optical satellite have purely scientific and security uses. US State Department cables obtained by Wikileaks and revealed by Norwegian daily Aftenposten say Germany joined a partnership with the US to create a satellite spying program that was presented as a commercial enterprise, but is actually run by the German intelli...

You Heard It Here Second, But Before the Guardian or Times
Almost two weeks ago (Dec. 22), I griped about the US government hiring out its diplomatic staff in France to Monsanto. This revelation, or confirmation of obvious fact depending on how you look at it, came to us thanks to Wikileaks. The Establishment here in class-free America is rushing to cover up all the details revealed when the curtain was pulled back. I noticed at that time a complete lack of mention of this cable, pointed out by Mike Ludwig at Truthout, at the Times or the Post. Well, on...

Crisis In Euroland
The euro, that artificial Funny Money used by 331 million Europeans in17 nations -- the 17th, Estonia, joined the euro just this week -- was conceived in sin and born in Corruption. The New Year brings the prospect that the sins of the European Union's Founding Fathers will be visited on its hapless citizens in the form of financial turmoil and fiscal pain. The original sins at the euro's conception included stealth, lies, and hypocrisy. That at least was consistent with the creation of "Europe"...

Spain enacts tough anti-smoking law
MADRID - Tapas bars — the noisy and bustling Spanish success story that combined delicious morsels with good wine and often a cloud of Cigarette smoke — are now smoke-free. So are restaurants, discos, casinos, airports and even some outdoor spaces. Spain on Sunday introduced an anti-smoking law that is likely to turn the EU's fourth largest tobacco producer from a cigarette-friendly land abounding with smoky bars and restaurants, into one of Europe's most stringently smokeless....

Iran invites world powers to visit nuclear sites
Iran said on Tuesday it has invited ambassadors of some of the six world powers and European Union nations to visit its nuclear facilities ahead of talks in Istanbul over its atomic programme. "The representatives of some European Union countries, NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), and some representatives of the five-plus-one (six world powers) have been invited to visit our nuclear sites," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters. He did not specify whether arch-foe the United S...

Germany-U.S. Secret Spy Project Denied
Berlin — Germany's aerospace center denied Monday that it is working with the U.S. on a $270 million high-tech secret spy program, insisting that its plans for a high-resolution optical satellite have purely scientific and security uses. U.S. State Department cables obtained by Wikileaks and revealed by Norwegian daily Aftenposten say Germany joined a partnership with the U.S. to create a satellite spying program that was presented as a commercial enterprise, but is actually run by the G...

Paris conference brings together speakers from across Europe to rail against dangers of Islamization
Source: Global Post Brazon joined hundreds of like-minded people to hear a procession of speakers from countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and the United States detail the dangers of Islam in Europe, notably the religion’s fundamental incompatibility with modern Western society, many of them said. Swiss politician Oskar Freysinger delivers a Speech at the International Conference on the Islamization of Our Countries in Paris “Maybe you will have been the starting point of something ..

Henin wins second Hopman Cup game
Justine Henin continued her comeback from injury by helping Belgium to a 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan in the Hopman Cup mixed team event in Australia. Belgium meet top seeds Serbia in their final Group A game. And the team of Henin and Bemelmans know they must win that tie against the Serbian team of Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic to stand any chance of reaching Saturday's final. Henin, who has won seven Grand Slam titles, eased through the first set and reeled off five straight games after tr...

Aftenposten: Germany, US plan secret spy project
OSLO, Norway - Wikileaks documents published by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten say that Germany and the U.S. are engaged in a $270 million satellite spying program that is causing friction in the European Union. Citing diplomatic cables sent from the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, the newspaper said Monday that the project was presented as a commercial enterprise but is actually run by the German intelligence service. Aftenposten cites cables revealing that the HiROS venture — a network of...

Germany denies it plans secret spy project with US
Berlin — Germany’s aerospace center denied Monday that it is working with the U.S. on a $270 million high-tech secret spy program, insisting that its plans for a high-resolution optical satellite have purely scientific and security uses. U.S. State Department cables obtained by Wikileaks and revealed by Norwegian daily Aftenposten say Germany joined a partnership with the U.S. to create a satellite spying program that was presented as a commercial enterprise, but is actually run...

The world in 2011
THE EU THE fundamental question facing the EU this year is one of leadership - is there anyone with the vision to lead the 27-nation bloc forward after a very tough 2010? Britain is of course in a different position from the other big western European count ADVERTISEMENT ries, being outwith the Eurozone - it is the now 17 countries using the currency that have most to lose if national economic interest triumphs over concerted action. However, these are same European countries that make up...

Aftenposten: Germany, US plan secret spy project
Source: WP Oslo, Norway -- Wikileaks documents published by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten say that Germany and the U.S. are engaged in a $270 million satellite spying program that is causing friction in the European Union. Citing diplomatic cables sent from the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, the newspaper said Monday that the project was presented as a commercial enterprise but is actually run by the German intelligence service. Aftenposten cites cables revealing that the HiROS venture - a network ...

Aftenposten: Germany, US plan secret spy project
Oslo, Norway — Germany and the U.S. are planning a $270 million satellite spying program that is causing friction in the European Union, according to Wikileaks documents published by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten on Monday. Citing diplomatic cables sent from the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, the newspaper said the project was presented as a commercial enterprise but is actually run by the German intelligence service and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. According to the cables sent in 200...

Dollar climbs at start of 2011 on hopes for growth
That suggests that the broader economy grew at an annual rate of about 4 to 4.5 percent, said Capital Economics analyst Paul Ashworth. The U.S. economy grew 2.6 percent in the July-September quarter. In late trading in New York, the Euro dropped to $1.3364 from $1.3367 late Friday. The British pound dropped to $1.5491from $1.5590, while The Dollar rose to 81.65 Japanese Yen from 81.21 yen. Seventeen European nations use the Euro after Estonia on Saturday adopted the common currency. It has dro...

Japan Pushed U.S. on Whale Group, Cables Show
Source: Wall Street Journal JANUARY 4, 2011. Japan Pushed U.S. on Whale Group, Cables Show By YOREE KOH In the first set of cables leaked by Wikileaks that originate from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan asked the U.S. to take action against an antiwhaling Activist group for harassing Japanese whalers, including taking away the group's tax-exempt status. The cables, which Wikileaks posted online with a release date of Jan. 1, were sent two months before a Japanese harpoon vessel collided with ...

Merkel must get Germans to back sound EU
The Debt crisis has strengthened Germany's hand in Europe, but Chancellor Angela Merkel will have a tough time convincing voters that leadership might also mean digging deep for additional aid. "So far, people do not see the costs that might be associated with what politicians have agreed to, namely some nation states underwriting the Debt of others," Barclays Capital Economist Thorsten Polleit told AFP. As the de facto Eurozone paymaster, Merkel has imposed strict aid conditions and insisted me...

China will continue to buy Spanish debt: Vice Premier
Madrid | Mon Jan 3, 2011 3:58am EST Madrid (Reuters) - Chinese officials have faith in Spain's Financial System and will continue to take part in government Debt auctions, China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang wrote in an editorial in El Pais on Monday. "China is a responsible, long-term investor in the European Financial Market and particularly in Spain, and we have confidence in the Spanish financial market, which has meant the acquisition of its public debt, something which we will continue to d...

Cost of Roman holiday soars as city rolls out tourist tax
A Controversial tourist tax has been imposed on visitors to Rome which officials hope will bring in more than €80 million (£69m) a year. From New Year's Day, visitors staying at any of Rome's 3,800 hotels, bed and breakfasts, guest houses and campsites have had to pay a daily tax of up to €3. Tourists at campsites will pay an extra €1 a night, those in guest houses and hotels up to ADVERTISEMENT and including three star hotels €2 and those in four and five star hotels will hav

Spain's ACS snaps up stake in German builder
Spain's biggest Public Works group ACS said on Tuesday it has succeeded in snapping up more than 30 percent of shares in German rival Hochtief, a key step towards taking overall control. ACS, led by Real Madrid football club chairman Florentino Perez, said it has acquired 30.34 percent of the German group, which had battled furiously against the Spanish bid. Under German law, ACS is now allowed to buy its prey's shares on the open market, opening the way for it to take a majority stake and bec...

Air Force dominated Army in European events
Interservice cooperation turned into Air Force domination of Military sports scene in Europe in 2010. With deployments, transformation and Budget cuts continuing to gut a once-extensive program in Europe, the consolidation of the Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer and slow-pitch softball service championships into single U.S. Forces events did little but underscore the superiority of USAFE entries in each sport. The most potent examples follow as this year’s Military sports stories of the year...

Iran invites world powers for nuclear sites visit
Iran said on Tuesday it has invited envoys of world powers and European Union states to visit its nuclear facilities ahead of talks in Istanbul on its Controversial atomic programme. The invitation to ambassadors of the countries represented in the UN atomic Watchdog comes as Tehran works to garner support for its atomic drive in the run-up to talks with six world powers in Turkey at the end of January. "The representatives of some European Union countries, NAM (Non-Aligned Movement), and some r...

China backs Spain to emerge from crisis: Beijing
China is confident Spain will recover from its economic crisis and Beijing will buy Spanish public Debt despite market fears of an Irish-style Bailout, a top Chinese official said Monday. The comments by Vice Premier Li Keqiang were made in an op-ed piece in Spain's leading daily El Pais one day ahead of his arrival in Madrid for a three-day official visit, the start of a European tour that will also include Britain and Germany. "Since China is a responsible investor country in the long-term ...

Iran 'to hold nuclear sites tour'
Iran has invited foreign Diplomats to tour its nuclear facilities, according to reports. The invitation, which has not been confirmed by Tehran, comes ahead of fresh talks with key world powers over Iran's Controversial nuclear programme. Delegates from Russia, China and the EU are among those invited, but not the US, AP news agency reported. Many Western countries suspect Iran is developing Nuclear Weapons but Tehran says its programme is peaceful. A senior European diplomat in Brussels to...

One Minute Macro Update
US : Futures higher in the early morning as the market rings in the New Year. With today's data featuring the ISM readings for December, expectations are high for the start of 2011. The week ahead will likely be bolstered by a slew of economic data that should serve to feed the positive tone, however we caution that the risks to the Global Economy remain high. Europe : London closed and eyes return to the periphery with issuance scheduled this week from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Malta, G...