Storyteller said:

The elections and related stuff no longer dominate the headlines in Israel, but the fun continues.

The National Fraud Unit has declared that they have sufficient evidence to prosecute Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for fraud and breach of trust over the 1998 Israel Investments Center affair. Two other indictments are already pending judiciary hearing. (Better late than never, I say).

Yigal Amir, the killer of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, is making headlines yet again - he has filed an appeal against the court decision to ban him from making phone calls. The ban was imposed after Amir after he gave a phone interview to the media, in violation of the terms of his sentence.

Sallai Meridor, Israeli ambassador to the US, has announced his intention to quit his post, apparently because he believes that "it is fitting and proper that the new Government will have the opportunity to appoint, immediately upon its formation, the man or woman of its choosing as Ambassador to Washington." Less apparent reasons are rumored to involve him being asked by one of the Israeli government officials to leave the room during a meeting with US officials.

Admiral Eli Merom, the Chinese-Israeli commander of the Israeli Navy whose appointment I've mentioned here before, has found himself in hot water after having been spotted in a Tel-Aviv strip club. The media are having a feast, and both the army and the public are furious, since the army officers are supposed to be "role models" for the rest of the society. Two female Brigadier Generals have already spoken against Marom, and many are demanding his resignation or demotion.

(I've mentioned this story to a British friend of mine, and her reaction was: "You have women generals?"

Quote:

Student hurls boot at John Howard

12:00 AEST Wed Nov 4 2009

Former prime minister John Howard has become the latest victim of a shoe-throw attack after a Cambridge University student hurled a work boot at him.

The unidentified man threw the Doc Martin shoe just moments after Mr Howard began his speech on "leadership in the new century" for the 400-strong university union crowd last Friday, The Australian newspaper reports.

"Go home, you racist, I am ashamed to be an Australian," the man yelled.

Mr Howard escaped injury after the boot was caught by a cricketer sitting in the audience.

"He threw it with some force but I managed to catch it," Andrew Chapman said.

Mr Chapman was later praised for his ball skills by Janette Howard.

"Mrs (Jeanette) Howard thanked me for stopping the work boot and said 'you must be a cricketer'," Mr Chapman said.

UK police are interviewing the attacker, who was described by witnesses as a white man with a long, blonde-coloured ponytail.

Mr Howard told The Australian the man's throw was "awful" and that he "wasn't as good as the Iraqi journalist", referring to the man who threw a shoe at former US president George Bush.

Mr Howard continued his speech and did not appear perturbed by the attack.

The man was removed from the audience and is expected to be charged with assault.

Officials did not return his boot.


link

Quote:

The Mexican economy grew by about 2.7 per cent in the third quarter of the year, marking the end of its recession, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said Thursday. "This figure is very good news because it means the end of recession, of economic contraction in the country," Calderon said at the opening of the Bloomberg Economic Forum in Mexico City.

In the first quarter of 2009, Mexico's gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 8.2 per cent, while in the second quarter it fell by 10.3 per cent.

The half-year report issued by Mexico's central bank in July estimated that 2009 would end with an overall contraction of 6.5 to 7.5 per cent.

Calderon said his government is working "hard" so that recovery persists. The Mexican economy suffered greatly as a result of the severe crisis in its main export market, the United States, which receives over 70 per cent of Mexico's exports.

"What we expect for next year is that the economy grows by at least 3 per cent," Calderon said.

He noted that he hoped to have 5-per-cent annual growth by the end of his mandate in 2012.

vison said:

What was the word they used in Spain? During the Inquisition? M - something. Can't remember.

Quote:

Last night Liberal backbencher Peter Abetz spoke in support of the legislation and used the example of Hitler.

He said the dictator gained support because he provided people security in a time of anarchy.

Quote:

Mr Abetz says he was not citing Hitler as an example of effective security, but was merely repeating his German mother's explanation of how Hitler gained the support of the German people.