March on Monsanto - October 12, 2013

National Library of Spain discovers rare fragment of Vicenzo Bellini score

The Spanish News in English: National Library of Spain discovers rare fragment ...: Spain's National Library (BNE) announced on Wednesday the discovery of a rare fragment of an opera score, handwritten by 19th century...

The Spanish News in English: 50,000 participate in "Night of Sport" for Madrid'...

The Spanish News in English: 50,000 participate in "Night of Sport" for Madrid's Olympic 2020 bid...: A host of people turned out on Saturday night to support Madrid's bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, taking part in a range of sporting ac...

Spain Blogger: Spring is the time to visit the south of Spain!

Spain Blogger: Spring is the time to visit the south of Spain!: After what feels like an endless winter, spring is finally creeping up on us, with some gorgeous warm, sunny days on the way!

Manning Leaked Testimony: US Army a 'child torturing ants with magnifying glass'

A speech freedom advocacy group has released audio of Bradley Manning's testimony about his motives for leaking secret US government documents to WikiLeaks. 

This marks the first time the public has heard Manning's voice since his 2010 arrest.

Manning's full testimony can be heard here. 

Artists Against Fracking: New anthem - "Don't Frack my Mother"

Artists Against Fracking have come up with a new musical video to convince Governor Cuomo of New York State to ensure that the moratorium on fracking passes and continues way past the current two-year mark.

To celebrate the progress made so far in the fight against fracking, with New York State Assembly passing a two-year moratorium on fracking in the state, Sean Lennon has written a little ditty.

"Don't Frack My Mother" is the new anthem of the anti-fracking movement. The fight is not yet over, as the bill still has to pass the State Senate, to then get signed into law by Governor Cuomo, so there is a definite need to keep up the pressure.

Interested parties can tweet Governor Cuomo to remind him why fracking is such a bad idea and share the song with him.

You may recognize a few of the faces in the video - you will see that by sharing the video and sending a tweet to Governor Cuomo, you are in very good company!

Just in case, below is a list of the artists who have contributed: 

Adrian Grenier, Alexa Chung, Ben Lee, Carrie Fisher, Daniel Pinchbeck, Devendra Banhart, Fred Armisen, Ione Skye, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Josh Fox, Liv Tyler, Lindsey Wixson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mark Ronson, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Michael Skolnik, Natasha Lyonne, Penn Badgley, Reggie Watts, Sean Lennon, Susan Sarandon, Yoko Ono, Zoë Kravitz.

Along with band members from:

Au Revoir Simone, Black Lip, Cibo Matto, The Citizens Band, The Like, The Strokes, Wilco, Wild Belle.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/345399

'Operation Helmet' launched against Spanish tomb raiders

While it might sound like something out of the movies, "Operation Helmet" has been launched by the Guardia Civil (civil guard) to recover archaeological pieces from the Celtiberian period in Spain.

As part of "Operation Helmet," the Spanish civil guard has recently recovered more than 4,000 archaeological pieces in the Zaragoza province, which pertain to different cultures, but are particularly from the peninsular Celtiberian period.

 

The latest culprit is 60-year-old Ricardo G. (surname withheld), who is a retired truffle collector from Aragon, who obviously decided to collect rather more valuable objects. The Spanish pensioner has become the unlikely mastermind behind a massive black market sale of plundered Spanish treasure.

 

Following a tip from a German museum, police raided the home of Ricardo G. to discover over 4,000 historical artifacts. It seems that the pensioner has spent the last 20 years, armed with a simple metal detector, hunting for historic artifacts. He has since been selling arrowheads, breastplates, brooches, swords and pieces of helmet discovered in the fields around his home. Many of the pieces found are from the Roman and later Vandal era and mostly date from between the third and first centuries BC.

 

According to researchers, Ricardo G. might have plundered not only the site of Aranda de Moncayo but also Tiermes, which is part of the Sorian territory of Montejo de Tiermes, known by archaeologists as "the Spanish Pompeii". Another site was probably Numancia (Garray).

 

The civil guard were initially given a tip in 2008, when the Romisch Germanisches Zentral Museum in Munich claimed that some of their exhibition pieces had left Spain illegally. The pieces were seized by prosecutors and Spanish authorities were told to reclaim them within three months.

 

Eventually, under the auspices of "Operation Helmet," the pieces have now been traced back to the Aragon region of northern Spain and the infamous Ricardo G. The culprit was arrested but has since been released pending trial for theft.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/345374

Writing, editing and proof-reading service on offer

My name is Anne Sewell.  I have a background in the following fields:

• Legal Secretary
• Word Processing Teacher (Secretarial colleges)
• Software Trainer
• Webmaster in the travel field

I have been self-employed for 16 years, running a series of travel-related websites.  With the current economic crisis, travel is less affordable for people these days, and of course, Google keeps moving the goal posts, making it harder and harder to make a decent living on the Internet.

I currently write news articles for Digital Journal at:

http://www.digitaljournal.com/user/345171

and

http://guardianlv.com/author/sewellanne

But this writing pays extremely little - you can basically compare the payment to Chinese or Indian minimum-wage.

Therefore... I am now offering my services as a writer (preferably in the travel or news field), and also as an editor or proof-reader (in any field).

I have an excellent command of both UK and US English.  My situation is that I have spent most of my life in southern Africa, but now live in southern Spain. For anyone on the Costa del Sol in Spain needing someone to type for them, I can also offer that service.

Please contact me by commenting below if you think I could be of service to you.

Thousands in Portugal protest austerity (videos)

In yet another example of the fact that austerity just doesn't work, hundreds of thousands of Portuguese people took to the streets in around 30 cities all over Portugal on Saturday and protests will continue on Sunday.

The mass protest, probably the largest since September last year, was dubbed 2m, and will continue on Sunday under the name 3m, and is also generally known as "Que Se Lixe a Troika", or "Screw the Troika."

Organizers are estimating numbers at around 500,000 in Lisbon, with many thousands more countrywide. Some protests are also being held in other cities around the world outside Portuguese embassies.

Coinciding with a quarterly review by the EU/IMF bailout inspectors, thousands of people hit the streets, protesting the austerity measures imposed by a government which hopes to avoid the bailout, and lift the country out of recession. 

As with similar ongoing protests in Spain recently, the protests were coordinated with several different groups. In Lisbon, teachers protested outside the Ministry of Education. Healthcare workers demonstrated outside one of the major hospitals which may be closed as a result of government cuts. 

All the various groups joined together for a major protest march through the center of Lisbon in the afternoon and an estimated 200,000 people filled the Lisbon street leading up to the Finance Minister's office. 

People have had enough of the Troika, referring to the lenders from the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund. Banners and placards seen in the street reading, "It's time for the government to go!" and "Screw the Troika, we want our lives back."

 Other protesters were heard to sing "Grândola Vila Morena", which is a protest song from the 1974 "Carnation revolution" which ousted the fascist dictator Antonio Salazar and brought the end of the military rule in the country. 

Apparently activists have been heckling government ministers throughout the week by singing this song when they make public speeches. The video below shows a speech by the Prime Minister in a recent plenary session, interrupted by activists singing the protest song:



Major reasons for the mass protests countrywide are cuts in public wages and an increase in taxes, which has been imposed by the "Troika" in exchange for the 78 billion euro bailout which was agreed in mid-2011. These measures have effectively pushed unemployment in Portugal to record levels of 17%. 

On Thursday last week, Portugal's Prime Minister, Pedro Passos Coehlo, promised yet more spending cuts as part of a deep reform. He says these are necessary to make lower taxes possible in future. 

However, protesters are this weekend demanding a complete change of government policies in an aim to revive Portugal's economy, as the country faces the worse recession since the 1970's. 

Veronica Pereira, is an unemployed mother who has no means to send her daughter to college. She said: "Our people have the habit of letting things happen, but I think this is changing radically now. We need to protest to change things." 

49-year-old journalist and protest organizer, Nuno Almedia told the WSJ, "We want the government out because it is pushing through a program that is only bringing hardship to the population." 

"People are desperate, seeing their incomes fall sharply, their families and friends without jobs." he added.One elderly protester in Lisbon who preferred not to give his name told Reuters, "We are in a new dictatorship. Everything that the revolution achieved is being destroyed." 

Euronews interviewed protesters including a woman, angry at Portugal's prime minister, who said, “I just want to tell Passos Coelho that I have the right to scream and show everyone how revolted I am at his incompetence, mediocrity and dishonesty – at everything.” 

Another man told the news service, “If the government pays attention to what is happening and understands that the people are against them, they should get out. If not, this wont stop.” 

Reuters quoted one of the protesters, Fabio Carvalho, a movie-maker, as saying, "This government has left the people on bread and water, selling off state assets for peanuts to pay back debts that were contracted by corrupt politicians to benefit bankers."

 "If not today, things have to change tomorrow and we need to remain in the streets for the government to fall," he added.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344711

3 Modern Family cast members get stuck in an elevator for an hour (video)

Three cast members of ABC's popular sitcom, "Modern Family" got trapped in a crowded elevator on Friday night, on their way to a fundraiser in Kansas City, Mo., with much hilarity.

Watch More News Videos at ABC | 2012 Presidential Election | Entertainment & Celebrity News

Seeming like an episode of the ABC sitcom itself, with cries of "Get us out!", actors Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson were among 15 people who got stuck in an elevator on the third floor of the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center.

Bowen, Stonestreet and Ferguson were in town to headline a fundraiser, "Kids Night Out 3013", for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City. 

At first they were a little panicky, yelling for rescue workers to "Get us out!", but for the most part they kept their cool, taking photos, making videos and tweeting from the elevator.

“This is us right now. 45 minutes stuck in this elevator,” Jesse Tyler Ferguson tweeted, including a snapshot of the trio to his followers followed by "Finally made it out of the stuck elevator at the one hour mark. At least the firemen in K.C. are cute."

Rescue workers from the Kansas City Fire Department finally made it from the 40th floor to free the trapped people including the three stars.

While the comedy trio were expected to take the stage at 9 pm, they only finally made it after 10 pm. According to the Kansas City Star, many in the audience thought it was a joke at first when they didn't come on, but unfortunately nearly a third of the crowd left before they finally arrived.

Once they did get on stage, Bowen, Stonestreet and Ferguson joked with the audience in true "Modern Family" style, with Stonestreet ending the night with a warning to the audience not to use the hotel’s elevators.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344713

Syngenta Charged for Covering up Livestock Deaths from GM Corn

Syngenta Charged for Covering up Livestock Deaths from GM Corn

Biotech giant Syngenta has been criminally charged with denying knowledge that its genetically modified (GM) Bt corn kills livestock during a civil court case that ended in 2007.

Read more

If you are planning on a trip to Malta, here's somewhere really great to stay

The Island of Gozo in Malta is a beautiful destination.  A little quieter than the major cities, beautiful scenery and everything is, well, just there and convenient for your holiday pleasure.

If you would like to be just that little bit more independent while vacationing in Malta, consider the Kempinski Residences San Lawrenz on the island of Gozo.

Offering studio, one- and two-bedroom beautiful homes-from-home, there is something to suit any group or family.  Plus not only do you have everything that you need in your residence, you have the facilities of a 5-star hotel available too.

Enjoy a splash in the pool, a massage in the Spa, and a dinner in the restaurant!

Read more about this lovely destination here.

Ikea in Europe withdraws wiener sausages due to horsemeat

Recently Ikea in Europe withdrew its stock of Swedish meatballs, after tests found horsemeat content. Now it seems their wiener sausages are also suspect.

Digital Journal reported recently on the horsemeat scandal and Ikea's meatballs, which had to be withdrawn from sale.

After Czech Republic food inspectors found traces of horsemeat in the Swedish-made meatballs, the company withdrew them from stores in 21 European countries and in Hong Kong, Thailand and the Dominican Republic.

Now it seems that you can't eat a hot dog safely at an Ikea store in some countries in Europe either, as they were apparently coming from the same supplier.

After testing in Britain, France, Spain, Ireland and Portugal tests have confirmed "a few indications of horsemeat", yet another popular food item at the Ikea cafeteria bites the dust.

According to company spokeswoman, Ylva Magnusson, other stores were getting sausages from different suppliers. 

Magnusson confirmed that some of the meatballs, despite their labeling, didn't just contain beef and pork. She said, "Based on some hundred test results that we have received so far, there are a few indications of horse meat."

"Together with the Swedish supplier in question we have decided to withdraw from sales also the wiener sausages ... from that supplier."  

The wieners are supposed to be made of ground pork and beef and while she is not 100% sure if the wieners tested positive for horsemeat, Magnusson did say, "but I know that at least some of the meatballs have shown traces of DNA from horse."

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344454

Shooting incident at factory in Menznau, Switzerland claims lives

A shooting incident at a factory in Menznau, Switzerland has claimed three lives and injured several people, according to local police.

As RTE reports, the Kronoswiss factory belongs to Kronospan, a wood processing company, based in Menznau, close to the city of Lucerne in Switzerland, according to police.Reportedly the incident started in the canteen at around 09:00 (08:00 GMT) on Wednesday morning.

According to the BBC, Swiss police said emergency services are currently at the scene and three helicopters had arrived. They also said an emergency telephone line has been set up for families of the factory's employees.  

RTS has reported that at least three people have died, including the gunman, and that another seven have been wounded.  

Prosecutor's spokesman, Simon Kopp told the Swiss Blick newspaper, "There were three dead and seven injured, some of them seriously injured," adding that the assailant is among the dead.

The rescue helicopter service REGA has reportedly flown four seriously wounded people to hospital. 

According to police, the 42-year-old unnamed suspect, had worked at the factory for a decade and had always been considered “very calm” and “somebody you would not notice.”  However, it seems the man did not fire at random, but picked off specific colleagues with a handgun. It is unclear as yet how the suspect himself died. 

Mauro Caprozzo, chief executive of the wood processing company Kronoswiss, denied rumours that job cuts were due to be announced at the factory today.

He said the killer was a quiet, unassuming character.  "One almost didn't see or notice him," Caprozzo said.

As ABC reports, Switzerland is known to have one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. That said, there is relatively little gun crime in the country.

There is no real gun register in Switzerland. However a shooting incident in the regional parliament of Zug in 2001, which caused 14 deaths, did prompt calls to tighten laws. However, the majority of Swiss citizens rejected the proposal for additional measures, which would include the creation of local arsenals for military weapons outside of service periods.

Read more http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344437

Video: Going back in time with the 'Best Picture' Oscar winners

As the Oscars are announced once again for another year, an enterprising video-maker has put together clips from all the "Best Picture" winners going back to the year "dot" in Oscar history. Sit back, relax and remember.

Digital Journal reported on the latest winners in the glitzy award ceremony held on Sunday night, with the Best Picture award going to "Argo."

There have been many excellent films in the past to win this prestigious award, and digital film maker/producer and editor Nelson Carvajal decided to put together a 4 minute video with clips from every single Best Picture Oscar winner since the start of the Oscars.

The first to hear those precious words "And the Best Picture Award goes to..." was William A. Wellman's "Wings" in 1927. The video ends with Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist" from the award ceremony held last year.

Sit back and enjoy a brief introduction to all the "Best Pictures" in history. Apparently the music backing the video is "November" by Max Richter. How many of these wonderful films can you name?

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344270

Horsemeat scandal romps along as Ikea's meatballs test positive

While initially found in Ikea's meatballs in the Czech Republic, IKEA withdrew sales of meatballs in 14 European countries after tests found traces of horsemeat in a batch made in Sweden. Then there was the pasta and more "beef" burgers. 

Meatballs are a traditional part of Swedish cuisine, and are consumed in large quantities by customers in Ikea’s in-store cafeterias with mashed potato and cranberry sauce. They are also offered on sale frozen in Ikea’s in-store food shops for customers to take home.

Although the problem was initially found in the Czech Republic Ikea stores, it seems that meatballs from the same batch were sold in several European countries, including the UK, France and Portugal, according to a spokesperson for the company.

The announcement came on Monday after the Czech State Veterinary Administration found horsemeat in 1kg (2.2lb) packs of meatballs which were manufactured in Sweden and then shipped to Ikea stores in the Czech Republic.

In total, 760kg (1,675lb) of the affected meatballs were intercepted and stopped from reaching the Czech stores.

Ikea posted a message on its Swedish Facebook page to the effect that it was halting all sales of meatballs at its stores in that country. A later announcement advised that meatballs from the same, affected batch had also been sent to Ikea stores in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Hungary, Netherlands, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Spain and the UK.

Reportedly Ikea insists that in-house tests run two weeks ago had found no horsemeat, but they did say that new tests will now be carried out.

"We do not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in our recipes or specifications, secured through set standards, certifications and product analysis by accredited laboratories," a statement said.

Meanwhile the Czech State Veterinary Administration has said that horsemeat has also been found in beef burgers imported from Poland. The scandal further continues as the Swiss company, Nestlé has advised that it had found horse DNA in meat from the Spanish supplier, Servocar.

On Monday, the Spanish agriculture ministry announced that traces of horsemeat had been found in beef pasta meals produced by Nestlé brands. According to a statement on Nestlé's company website, the Swiss company is withdrawing six "La Cocinera" products and one "Buitoni" product from shops in Spain. The company has also halted all deliveries from the meat supplier, Servocar.

These further discoveries of horsemeat and horse DNA come as EU agriculture ministers are holding talks which are expected to focus on the growing horsemeat scandal.

According to Nestlé, they are testing their products across the board, just a week after announcing that they are withdrawing two types of beef pasta meals from supermarkets in Italy and Spain, supplied by a company in Germany, H J Schypke.

A Nestlé spokesman has apparently told the BBC that this is not an indication that the problem is widespread across the company, but that "we are testing like mad".

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344292

'23F Citizen's Wave': Major anti-austerity protests in Spain

Tens of thousands of people from all walks of life hit the streets of Spain on Saturday in a "Citizen's Wave" anti-austerity demonstration.

As part of the ongoing and neverending protests all over Spain against austerity measures and budget cuts in the country, the latest event saw tens of thousands of people in the streets of Spain, carrying banners, banging drums, blowing whistles and hooters and generally making their anger known.

One woman carried a flag depicting Argentinian-born Cuban revolution hero Che Guevara. Others carried posters just saying a simple message, "No" or "No dictatorship." A firefighter carried a placard reading, "If there is no justice for the people, there will be no peace for the government."

The people of Spain have had enough of the hardship brought on by the financial crisis in the country, along with what they call the corruption of the government, referring to the recent scandal involving Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and slush fund payments.

While thousands marched countrywide, possibly the biggest demonstration was in the capital, Madrid, as thousands marched on the Spanish parliament, targeting the "coup of the financial markets."

Many have been badly affected by public sector cuts and tax hikes introduced by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government, launched to tackle the country's debt problem. According to Rajoy, these measures have been imposed to cut a "path for the future", but the Spanish public disagrees.

The people say that the "pressure of the financial markets" along with government corruption have led to the current situation and that because of this, the people are being punished, not those actually responsible for the crisis. Unemployment continues to soar at 26%, with 50% and more among the youth. 

The protest has been dubbed "Citizens' Wave 23F" and includes workers from virtually every field including professors, teachers and students, doctors and nurses, miners, political activists, firefighters and environmentalists.

The current protest marks the 32nd anniversary of a failed attempt by right-wing officers to overthrow Spain's new democracy and restore military rule. 

 

Millions in Spain are now at risk of poverty, with ROAR Magazine saying that Oxfam projects that some 18 million Spaniards (almost 40 percent of the population) could face a life of destitution by 2022.  

On Friday, Spain badly missed the 6.3 percent of GDP target for 2012 with a result of 10.2 percent, so things can only get worse for the people.

Luis Mora, a construction worker in Madrid told AFP, "We have come because of it all - unemployment, corrupt politicians, the young people who have no future - it's a combination of everything." 

 

RT and photographer Erwin Sarkisov have some impressive photos of the event.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344189

Women protest mini-skirt ban in Windhoek, Namibia (video)

Namibian women were out in the streets of Windhoek in their hundreds, protesting over police intentions to arrest women wearing mini-skirts for "indecency." 

Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, saw over 300 women protesting in Windhoek's Zoo Park, carrying banners reading, "Arrest rapists and not fashionists" and "How dare you minimize my freedom of choice."

Organized by the Women in Solidarity organization, the protest happened after 40 girls were arrested for wearing mini-skirts in December 2012 in Rundu, around 700 kms north of Windhoek.

Top law enforcer in the city, Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, insists that if women are found outside to be dressed indecently, they will be arrested. He claims that alluring dress provokes rape, adding that those who wear mini-skirts should "cover the essentials."

He told the local media on Tuesday, "At least put on something, even if it's short it should cover the essentials. You can't walk in town while people can see your buttocks. I don't want to prescribe how people should wear, even if it's new fashion style, it should be within our tradition."

"Those who are behaving outside the normal tradition of an African will be dealt with. At Rundu, both traditional and political leaders were happy and supported our actions," he added. Ndeitunga also blamed media reports for causing public outrage over his alleged threat to arrest any woman found wearing "short and revealing" mini-skirts, as he claimed his words were misquoted.

"I did not say we will arrest those in mini-skirts. I was talking about indecent dressing,” he stressed.

While younger women and human rights activists do not take well to the initiative, some elder Namibian citizens apparently praised the police for acting on mini-skirts.

However, Rachel Coomer of the Legal Assistance Center argued against Ndeitunga's remarks saying, "A person who has been raped should not be blamed for the rape. This includes what they were wearing at the time the rape occurred."

Vice Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia Margaret Mensa-Williams, agreed that the wearing of mini-skirts does not cause women to be raped. "That is absolutely nonsense in my eyes. Babies and children are raped. What revealing clothes do they wear? How does a six-month-old or a one-year-old entice and encourage these so-called rapists," she said.

Despite arguments on both sides, Namibia does have one of the highest levels of violence against women, with 38 women killed during sexual assault related crimes in 2012.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344142

Athens flooded after torrential rainfall and thunderstorm

Several hours of torrential rain and a thunderstorm have left the Greek capital, Athens, under water.  Roads and homes are flooded, and there are traffic jams and disruption to the train and tram network.

   

Basements have been flooded by the deluge and authorities have been forced to close a central subway station and underpasses on Friday morning.

According to the fire department, they have received at least 600 calls to drain water from homes and businesses, while many of the city's streets are at least ankle-deep in water.

Sotiris Georgakopoulos told NET state TV that,  "It was one of the worst thunderstorms we have ever had in the greater Athens area [since 1961]." 



He said that at one point the rainfall was so intense and heavy, parked cars were swept away by the rising waters.

According to a senior traffic police officer,  Dimitris Papanagiotou, "There are cars immobilised on several Athens highways and we have dispatched tow trucks to clear the roads."
 
Parts of the city reportedly experienced short power cuts as key electricity substations were flooded.

Fortunately no injuries have been reported and fire chiefs have around 60 crews tackling the floods throughout Friday and they hope the water will recede.  The Greek National Weather Service estimates that the adverse weather phenomenon will gradually recede by Saturday.

IDF 'hitman/assassin' posts disturbing pictures on FB, Instagram

IDF is yet again on the defensive over its troops’ use of social media, after an elite regiment soldier posted pictures of himself half-naked, and smoking drugs on his Instagram, and boasted about killing an Arab on Twitter.

The pro-Palestinian news resource Electronic Intifada mined publicly available images and comments of Osher Maman, a 20 year-old private in the Golani Brigade, who recently moved from the US to Israel on a special military recruitment program.

Maman, who calls himself a “hitman/assassin” in one of his public posts says he joined the elite unit “to beat up terrorists and sh*t”.

In one tweet from January last year, he boasts “Just took an Arab out… Whataa a feeling.”

His Instagram feed features a mock-up of a popular WWII poster that says “Keep Calm and Take Over Gaza” and a map of the territory, which the Israeli Defense Force left in 2005, with the Hebrew inscription “Soon to be a giant theme park.”

The soldier has since been reprimanded by his superiors, and all the social media accounts have been taken down.

“This is a grave incident, which do not represent the IDF,” said Capt. Eytan Buchman, a military spokesman, who noted that an investigation into the private’s behavior is ongoing.

Maman’s feed also contained pictures, apparently taken by others with access to the armory, of the soldier naked, covering his genitals with the barrel of a gun, and rifles arranged into a Star of David.

Another set shows Maman smoking what appears to be a joint in his hand (an Army offense) and showing off a clump of marijuana in his palm.

The controversy comes only days after another 20 year-old soldier was investigated for posting a picture of what appears to be an Arab boy in the crosshairs of a rifle. The soldier, Mor Ostrovski, said he found the picture on the internet.

The same explanation is unlikely to wash for Maman’s highly-personalized photo collection.

To the source: http://www.rt.com/news/idf-instagram-weed-guns-naked-240/

Russian meteorite fragment sent for testing

RT is reporting that a fragment of the meteorite that fell in Russia’s Chelyabinsk region in the Urals a week ago was delivered on Friday to Moscow’s Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry. 

The stone will be researched, and an application to include it into an international catalogue will be prepared. The main part of the meteorite fell on February 15 into Chebarkul Lake, and fragments were found nearby. Scientists confirmed their extra-terrestrial origin.

According to Chemical and Engineering News, the meteor that exploded over the Che­lyabinsk region of Russia on Feb. 15 was an ordinary chondrite, with a stony composition common to most of the meteorites that land on Earth, according to an initial chemical analysis by Russian scientists.

Viktor Grokhovsky, a professor at Ural Federal University and member of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Committee on Meteorites, led an expedition to retrieve remnants of the meteor that survived the plunge through Earth’s atmosphere. Grokhovsky says that the fragments his group analyzed at the university contain magnesium-rich chrysolite and sulfite, and are about 10% iron/nickel alloy. His group plans further analyses to fully characterize the meteorites.

The 10,000-ton meteor was 55 feet across and is the largest reported since the 1908 Tunguska meteor strike in Siberia. The recent meteor’s fall to Earth was captured by numerous car dashboard video cameras. Broken windows and debris from its plunge to Earth injured about 1,000 people.

Read more about the meteorite and view videos