During the last reflection on the great Fathers and Doctors of the Church of this catechesis, I spoke about St. Gregory Nazianzen, bishop of the 4th century, and today I would like to continue with the portrait of this great teacher. Today we will summarize some of his teachings.
In an end-of-summer rite, Chancellor Merkel's coalition government gathers today to seek unity and direction before the new parliamentary session. But this year, as her coalition approaches the middle of its term in power, analysts said it would be hard-pressed to come up with any new initiatives to see it through until the 2009 federal election.
German press...
Chancellor Merkel will host a cabinet conference this week to stake out what media commentators say will be an unambitious policy agenda for the remainder of her term. The 2 rival parties in her coalition will focus on scoring points against each other up to the 2009 election.
The ongoing US financial crisis has highlighted the fact that many Americans live with high levels of debt. While the traditionally risk-averse Germans are far from this, attitudes towards money and debt are changing.
The German cabinet gave its support to a 1-year extension for the deployment of German navel units patrolling the Lebanese coast under a UN mandate to keep weapons from being smuggled to Hezbollah guerillas.
Germany fears its peacekeepers and aid workers in Afghanistan have become targets of the Taliban and other insurgents who want to force Berlin to pull its soldiers and citizens out of the country. German police, soldiers and aid workers have been killed and civilians kidnapped, intensifying debate in Germany on whether it is time for Germany to call it quits.
Poland's Prime Minister criticized the "dominance" of Germany in Europe, further straining relations between the 2 countries as Poland gears up for early elections.
Gordon Brown and Angela Merkel, his German counterpart, on Wednesday sought to establish a new partnership after a series of changes that have altered the political map of Europe.
(LX cartoon: The Scottish goalkeeper)
In one of his last acts as premier, Tony Blair agreed at a European summit in June to a new organizing Treaty for the EU. The Treaty, whose final text has yet to be completed, has now become the latest chapter in the bizarre saga of the EU's new draft Constitution.
Prime Minister-designate Yves Leterme's bid to form a center-right government teetered on the brink of collapse today after all-night negotiations failed to resolve a deadlock between French- and Dutch-speaking parties over more self-rule for their regions. French-speaking politicians fear Flemish demands for greater regional control in areas such as employment, transport and justice could undermine Belgium as a federal state.
To the consternation of many of his allies, Silvio Berlusconi is promoting a striking 39-year-old redhead with sparse political experience as the future "saviour" of the Italian Right.
Austria's defense minister said a planned US missile shield defense system in eastern Europe was a "provocation," and called on Washington to abandon the project, according to a news report published today. "I regard it as a provocation." He reportedly accused Washington of "unnecessarily reviving old Cold War debates."
The international community has for years been trying to hammer out an agreement on Kosovo's final status. But according to a new think tank study, the time has come to abandon those negotiations - and for the EU to lead Kosovo to independence.
A NATO naval unit's trip around Africa is preparing the alliance's new military operations. The German Navy is also a participant. The military expedition of the "Standing NATO Maritime Group 1", that is already in progress, is qualified as historical by the alliance. Military maneuvers with African armies are planned, alongside the reconnaissance of African territorial waters.
Tehran has threatened to bar major German banks that are pulling out of Iran due to US pressure and steep administration costs from returning to the country. The vice governor of the Iranian central bank told the Financial Times Deutschland that the banks' actions could have long-term consequences. "We are not happy with the banks' decision. There is no guarantee that one can return when the good times are here again."
Iran has developed a new 2,000-pound "smart" bomb, state-run television reported today, the latest in a recent series of announcements heralding new weapons systems.
Members of Iran's Majlis have in a statement proclaimed their support for IRGC vis-à-vis the US threat to designate it as a terrorist group. "The US brutally kills hundreds of innocent people around the world on a daily basis. Its enmity toward IRGC is a source of national pride. However, the world's peoples will observe and judge who the real terrorist is. Should we not designate the US military as a terrorist entity for it is the only army that has ever used atomic bombs and has exterminated hundreds of thousands of civilians in just a few seconds in Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"
The Bush administration has leaped toward war with Iran by, in essence, declaring war with the main branch of Iran's military, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. The White House's move is dangerous to the core, opening the way for open confrontation with Iran. One plausible scenario is the US's "hot pursuit" of the IRGC inside Iranian territory, initially through "hit and run" commando operations, soliciting an Iranian response, direct or indirect, potentially spiraling out of control.
The Bank of Japan has opted to keep its key interest rate unchanged at 0.5% for the 6th month in a row.
In the wake of the global financial jitters following the US housing crisis, the European Central Bank announced Wednesday it would pump millions into European money markets and signaled a likely interest rate hike.
German industry has appealed to the European Central Bank to cancel a rise in interest rates next month, warning that the credit crunch risks triggering a worldwide economic downturn. "What we are seeing in the credit markets is likely to have a major effect, damping economic dynamism in coming months, not just in Germany but across the world."
We're enjoying our vacation but we can still take a minute to reckon. And what we're reckoning with is a growing awareness that the US boom is a flim-flam…and attempts to keep it going are a menace to genuine prosperity. Instead of holding the line against inflation, the Fed is now bailing out Wall Street financiers and speculators.
Once again, we are witnessing the madness of crowds: herd instinct at its most irrational. Bull markets have the capacity to weaken brains; in America, some have turned to mush. Eager punters have been hurling themselves into dangerous waters, like wildebeest plunging into the crocodile-infested Grumeti. Many have already been eaten alive and others will not escape.
The US Treasury took 2 years to persuade the International Monetary Fund to police global currency markets - and just 2 months to trash the initiative once the IMF adopted it. Treasury officials recruited the Fund to be a currency cop as China and other countries meddle with exchange rates to gain a trade advantage. Instead, the IMF took aim at the dollar.
In a world driven by bias and indulgence in myths, even facts are to some extent unintentionally fictional. This would give rise to a scary situation if reporters of those facts decide to deliberately tamper with truth. With free information accessible on the Internet, this is often made too easy. Therefore, one would be well-advised to harbor a constant sense of caution about almost everything one comes across on the Net.
According to a new research study, refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine - one of the most addictive and harmful substances currently known.
Water is still a big mystery for researchers who are from time to time lucky to discover new characteristics, including medicinal ones of water. Water together with fire is a great attraction for both children and adults.
=========================
