OF THE
TIMES
"This framework protects each and every one of you, the citizens of Israel. This framework protects Israel as a Jewish and democratic state."He said his framework, if adopted, would constitute a victory for all Israelis. He stressed:
"The proposal is fully obligated to the principles of the Declaration of Independence. It entrenches the independence and autonomy of the judicial system, and entrenches human rights and civil [for all Israelis], men and women alike, including Israel's minorities."He warned that having heard passionate views on the controversy from hundreds of Israelis in recent weeks:
"Those who think that a real civil war, with human lives, is a border we won't cross, have no idea." In Israel's 75th year, the abyss is within touching distance. A civil war is a red line. At any price, and by any means, I won't let it happen.
"I heard real, deep hatred," albeit from "a very small minority of people... I heard from people, from all sides, that, heaven forbid, the idea of blood in the streets no longer shocks them."
"I took 'decisive action' to strengthen the bank as its continues to implement a major overhaul announced last fall. My team and I are resolved to move forward rapidly to deliver a simpler and more focused bank built around client needs."Credit Suisse's shares soared 32% at the open but erased some of those gains to close up 19% in Zurich. The cost of buying insurance against the risk of default by the bank eased back from record highs hit Wednesday.
MR. RUSSERT: The president used his radio address yesterday, and tomorrow in the Rose Garden, to talk about a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
SEN. BIDEN: You know, think about this. The world's going to Hades in a handbasket. We are desperately concerned about the circumstance relating to avian flu — we don't have enough vaccines, we don't have enough police officers — and we're going to debate, the next three weeks, I'm told, gay marriage, a flag amendment, and God only knows what else.
I can't believe the American people can't see through this. We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act. We've all voted — not, where I've voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman and states must respect that. Nobody's violated that law, there's been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman. What's the game going on here? And now we're going to also vote, right after that, about desecration of the flag. If you can't...
Via RTDespite violating airspace, the US will continue to do whatever it wants:
Russia's ambassador to the US has accused Senator Lindsey Graham of trying to provoke a "dangerous escalation" between the two countries, after the senior lawmaker urged the Pentagon to fire on Russian fighter jets.
Asked about Graham's comments on Wednesday, Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said the senator's call to shoot down Russian aircraft went "far beyond common sense" and risked all-out war between the world's largest nuclear powers.
[...]
Graham appeared on Fox News earlier on Wednesday to discuss a recent close encounter between Russian fighter jets and a US MQ-9 Reaper drone near Crimea, calling for a tough response from President Joe Biden after the UAV was sent plunging into the Black Sea.
"What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down, if they were threatening our assets," Graham told the outlet, referring to the US leader who served at the height of Cold War brinkmanship with the Soviet Union.
[...]
Washington has flown drones and surveillance craft near the Russian border on a near-constant basis over the last year, providing intelligence - along with weapons, ammunition and money - to the Ukrainian government even as it insists it is not a party to the conflict. The exact location of this week's drone encounter was not confirmed by either government, though Russian news outlets have reported that the Reaper's last location was about 60 kilometers (37 miles) southwest of the Crimean port of Sevastopol.
Via RT... and wherever international law does not allow.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin reached out to his Russian counterpart, Sergey Shoigu, on Wednesday, for the first time in months, to discuss the incident in which an American spy drone went down in the Black Sea waters off Crimea.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Shoigu told Austin that the incident was caused by the Americans violating the airspace restriction declared by Russia, with all the proper international notifications in place. Shoigu called US drone flights off the Russian coast "provocative in nature" and risked an escalation of tensions in the Black Sea.
While Russia does not desire such a development, it will "continue to respond proportionately to all provocations," Shoigu said. He added that the two nuclear powers "must act as responsibly as possible," which includes keeping a military channel open to discuss any crisis.
Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing, Austin confirmed that he made the call, and said it was "important that great powers be models of transparency and communication." However, he insisted the US would "continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows."
Comment: From the research paper: Makes one feel all warm and fuzzy about the CDC's reassurances, doesn't it? And this study was done TEN years ago.