Analysis: Jews flooding into Germany

WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- The turbulent relationship between Jews and Germany is taking yet another stunning turn. Seventy years after Hitler's ascendance to power and 60 years after the Holocaust, more Jews are flooding into Germany than into any other country, Israel included.

This makes Germany the one nation with the fastest-growing Jewish community in the world. Ironically, one reason for this state of affairs is the anti-Semitism in their countries of origin, chiefly successor states of the former Soviet Union, Julius H. Schoeps, head of the Moses Mendelssohn Center for European-Jewish Studies in Potsdam, told United Press International Thursday.

posted by Frodgie at 6:16 AM

 

Volkswagen to end production of Beetle, says report

THU June 5 2003 14:30:36 ET



Stuttgart, Germany (dpa) - German car manufacturer Volkswagen plans to cease production of the VW Beetle next month, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten reported in its issue to hit newsstands Friday.

The last VW Beetle will leave the production line in Puebla, Mexico at the end of July, marking the end of a nearly 70-year history and more than 21.5 million cars, the newspaper said.

At present, only 53 Beetles daily are being produced in Puebla. A VW spokesman said the production of the car was nearing the end, but the exact time had yet to be decided.

The last Beetle to be made in Europe left the production lines in Germany in 1978.


posted by Frodgie at 4:26 PM

 

U.S. soldier killed in Iraq attack

CNN) -- A U.S. soldier was killed and five were wounded early Thursday in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, the U.S. Central Command announced -- the latest casualties in the city, which has become a center of resistance.

An unknown assailant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the 101st Airborne Division soldiers in Fallujah, which is 43 miles (70 kilometers) west of Baghdad.

The injured were evacuated to a military medical facility.

Last week, two soldiers were killed and nine wounded in a firefight with hostile forces in Fallujah, and on May 21, at least two Iraqis were killed there when gunmen opened fire on a U.S. patrol in the city center with rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles

posted by Frodgie at 10:07 AM

 

'Mission accomplished'

DOHA, Qatar (CNN) -- President Bush told U.S. troops in Qatar on Thursday that their duty and sacrifice had liberated the people of Iraq and that their efforts were helping the United States defeat global terrorism.

"Our actions sent along a clear message that our nation is strong and our nation is compassionate," Bush told the troops at the military-style pep rally.

"America sent you on a mission," Bush added, "and that mission has been accomplished."


posted by Frodgie at 6:41 AM

 

A Summer for thrifty travelers

(CNN) -- Travelers face the daunting task of making arrangements that meet both their expectations and their budgets before they can pause to savor the anticipation of taking off on a sun-drenched summer adventure.

Whether it involves calling a travel agent or combing the Internet for the best rates, planning a vacation can be nerve-wracking, particularly with looming economic uncertainty and fears of terrorism and SARS.

Travel industry professionals are finding that Americans still want to get away, but they are taking world events into account when tailoring their plans.

"People are still traveling, but they're staying closer to home. ... [T]hey're going to the Caribbean, and they're still going on their honeymoons, and they're still going on cruises, they're just keeping a little closer," said Jeff Walters, a travel agent for Carlson Wagonlit in Atlanta, Georgia.


posted by Frodgie at 6:50 AM

 

LOO-SOSA:Dam him

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs was ejected when umpires found illegal cork in his shattered bat during Tuesday's 3-2 Interleague win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Sosa broke his bat in the first inning on a grounder to second base with Chicago runners at second and third.

But crew chief Tim McClelland examined the bat along with the three other umpires immediately after the out was called and the run scored.

The umpires showed the bat to Chicago manager Dusty Baker before ejecting Sosa, who was standing in the dugout.


posted by Frodgie at 6:47 AM

 

Now you will all Die: CIA says al Qaeda ready to use nukes

Al Qaeda terrorists and related groups are set to use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in deadly strikes, according to a new CIA report.
"Al Qaeda's goal is the use of [chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons] to cause mass casualties," the CIA stated in an internal report produced last month.
"However, most attacks by the group — and especially by associated extremists — probably will be small-scale, incorporating relatively crude delivery means and easily produced or obtained chemicals, toxins or radiological substances," the report said.
Islamist extremists linked to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden "have a wide variety of potential agents and delivery means to choose from for chemical, biological and radiological or nuclear (CBRN) attacks," said the four-page report titled "Terrorist CBRN: Materials and Effects."


posted by Frodgie at 8:40 AM

 

Study: Blocking blood vessels improves cancer survival

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- For the first time, doctors have convincingly shown that blocking tumors' blood supply can help cancer patients live longer, at last proving a theory that has cycled through years of hope and frustration.

The idea -- the lifelong quest of Harvard's Dr. Judah Folkman -- is that cancer needs a growing network of blood vessels to survive. Shutting down this process, called angiogenesis, should arrest tumors and even obliterate them.

After decades of obscurity, Folkman's theory became front-page news in 1998 with reports that his angiogenesis-blocking drugs cured mice. Some predicted he was on the verge of curing human cancer, too.


posted by Frodgie at 10:41 AM

 

Chamberlain throws open the closet door

Now, at age 69, gentle and handsome Richard Chamberlain is revealing a side of himself that he has tried to keep secret for most of his life: He's gay.

For the past two years, he has been writing the story of his journey toward self-understanding, including his experiences with Transcendental Meditation, Gestalt therapy and even LSD. The result: His new book, Shattered Love (ReganBooks, $25.95), hits bookstores this week.

Chamberlain lives a quiet life in Hawaii, where he paints, swims in the sea each day and is building a dream house with Martin, his partner of more than 26 years. (Even though he "outs" himself, Chamberlain does not give his partner's last name. Other sources name him as Martin Rabbett, an actor, director and producer.)

This week, Chamberlain begins a two-week book tour. He hopes interviews dwell not on his being gay, but on the parts of the book that encourage a life of openheartedness, love and forgiveness.

"I never thought I'd write a book," he says. The impetus was, "I've been thinking a lot about life lately." But when he started to write a "philosophical tome," his editor said, "No, no, no. You've got to make it more personal."

posted by Frodgie at 10:07 AM

 

Europe imports an American problem: spam

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- The junk e-mail plaguing Europe has something decidedly in common with the American variety.

Nearly all the spam messages are in English, originate in the United States and don't even bother to price their wares in Euros.

"It's always some unbelievable business opportunity, which is what we get from America," said Olle Thylander of the Swedish University Computer Network, a Stockholm-based group that oversees Internet traffic for Swedish universities.

Although there are no complete figures about the volume of spam Europeans receive, many contend it's on the rise. Yet Europeans find little common ground on how to combat the American scourge.


posted by Frodgie at 9:01 AM

 

Blair Says Iraq Weapons Secrets Will Be Publicized

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted on Sunday that Britain and the United States would unearth evidence of Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction" and make it public before long.

In an interview with Britain's Sky Television at a Russia-European Union summit, Blair said he had already seen plenty of information that his critics had not, but would in due course.

"Over the coming weeks and months we will assemble this evidence and then we will give it to people," he said. "I have no doubt whatever that the evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction will be there."

Months before war was launched, Blair produced what he said was intelligence that Saddam Hussein could launch biological or chemical weapons at short notice, in Iraq or at its neighbors.

That became London's justification for joining Washington's



posted by Frodgie at 7:25 AM