Europe

German drone nearly hits 100-passenger Airbus jet – leaked video

"The classified drone camera footage drew public attention after the German defense ministry scrapped a drone program for its lack of anti-collision technology. After the encounter, the drone was caught in the plane’s wake turbulence, lost control, and crashed over the Afghan capital Kabul, Der Spiegel reported. The video was leaked a week after German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière decided to scrap the $652 million EuroHawk program – meant to be a replacement for existing reconnaissance aircraft – including the Luna drones." Continue reading →

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Dutch government answers questions about Bitcoin, indicates Bitcoin taxable

"A taxpayer who has a source of income with activities in the course of trade, such as income from business or income from an activity, will have to pay taxes over that in compliance with the provisions of the Income Tax Act 2001. The fact that the benefits from such a source are calculated using a scheme other than the legal tender in force in our country does not make a difference. Such a benefit in the form of a result in Bitcoins will also lead to taxation. However, the determination of a taxed income will mean that the value of the results achieved in Bitcoins must be converted into an amount in euros. For the wage and sales tax, a similar approach applies." Continue reading →

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France Prohibits Sending Currency, “Coins And Precious Metals” By Mail

"In new legislation which was enacted May 23rd, the French government decreed that it is forbidden to send all forms of currency - coins and cash and all forms of precious metals – coins, bars and jewellery by mail. There were no communications and nobody in the government justified or explained this decision. 3 months ago in March, Fedex began stopping French people from taking delivery of precious metals. At the start of the year, UPS began stopping French people from taking delivery of precious metals. In recent days Fedex have stopped allowing companies and individuals to send or receive precious metal bullion by insured mail in Germany and the UK." Continue reading →

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‘Anti-Gravity’ 3D Printer Uses Strands to Sculpt Shapes on Any Surface

"3D printers build objects by cross-section, one layer at a time from the ground up—gravity is a limiting factor. But what if it wasn’t? Using proprietary 3D printing materials, Petr Novikov and Saša Jokić say their Mataerial 3D printing system is gravity independent. The duo’s method allows a robotic arm to print objects on floors, walls, ceilings—smooth and uneven surfaces. It uses a thermoplastic that cures on contact with the air, not unlike the 3Doodler, a Kickstarter project that places an extruder in human hands to draw 3D forms on the air." Continue reading →

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French government minister urges public e-cigarette ban

"French Health Minister Marisol Touraine has called for electronic cigarettes to be banned from public places and their sale to be restricted to over-16s only. In an interview with French radio station France Info on Friday morning, Touraine urged that electronic cigarettes be treated in the same way as normal cigarettes. 'We want the same laws that apply to normal cigarettes to apply to electronic cigarettes,' she said, adding that advertisements for e-cigarettes should also be banned. The pen-sized instruments have grown increasingly popular among the smoking community, especially young bar-goers. 'I want us to rally against smoking,' she said." Continue reading →

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Lies the IMF Tells

"The International Monetary Fund has published a scathing internal self-assessment of its bailout of Greece three years ago. It isn't pretty. The IMF underestimated the damage that fiscal austerity would do to the Greek economy in its earliest rescue of the nation in 2010. It was too slow to promote a write-down of the nation's debts to more sustainable levels. And it was compromised by a sometimes unwieldy partnership with major European institutions in what became known as the 'troika.' The IMF could have handled its 2010 bailout of Greece quite a bit better, a staff review found." Continue reading →

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Austrian bank employee drops 90,000 euros into river

"An Austrian bank employee has found himself in hot water after he unloaded bags containing 90,000 euros ($117,000) from his car boot to fix a puncture — only to see the money to fall into a river below. The police, fire department and mountain rescue teams conducted a thorough search of the waterway but were only able to recover 3,000 euros, the Austria Press Agency said. The police said no criminal investigation has been launched. The employee, who was using his own car for the money run, has been sacked for not following procedure, according to the bank. The police has warned potential fortune hunters not to go searching for the money." Continue reading →

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Far-right and anti-fascists face off over London soldier murder

"Dozens of people were arrested in London on Saturday as rival far-right and anti-fascist groups faced off over the murder of a British soldier by suspected Islamists. London’s Metropolitan Police said 58 people from the Unite Against Fascism pressure group were arrested after they gathered to oppose a rally by the far-right British National Party (BNP) near the Houses of Parliament. The arrested UAF protesters, who were part of a group of around 300 people opposing the 150-strong BNP rally, were detained on suspicion of breaching the Public Order Act, Scotland Yard added." Continue reading →

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Bill Bonner: Fed’s policies are bringing poverty

"The Panic of 1907, before all these 'protections' were put in place, was over in 3 months...followed by full employment. The Crash of 1921 took longer - about 18 months - but when it was over anyone who wanted a job could find one. But now, we've been in the Great Correction for 5 years. Millions of people have given up; they're no longer even looking for work. And suicide has replaced car accidents as the number one threat to working-age Americans. You want to reduce the rate of suicide? Eliminate the barriers to saving, capital formation and employment." Continue reading →

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