MERKEL STAZI

German Chancellor has speaking on public television has told of how the Stazi tried to recruit her as a young physics students in the former East German state. As outlined in Frankfurter Allgemeine, she was applying for a job as a teaching assistant when approached by members of the secret service.

In French paper, Le Figaro, the story is also taken up. Merkel, tongue in cheek, claimed she cannot hold her tongue and seeing as keeping silent on activities was a key requirement she refused.

CHURCH ABUSE IRELAND

A report released yesterday in Dublin outlines decades of sexual and physical abuse suffered by tens of thousands of children in Ireland. This appalling treatment was meted out by religious institutions that had an important role in educating and caring for children in Ireland throughout the 20^th Century. An editorial in the Irish Times captures the anger of many faced with such a glum assessment of the response of the Church and the State to repeated accusations of institutional abuse. It calls the report the ‘map of an Irish hell…which defines the contours of a dark hinterland of the State.’ For much of the history of the State, founded in 1922, there existed a ‘deliberately maintained structure of vile and vicious abuse.’ It is important that everyone who can, should read this report, the editorial concludes, saying it is owed to those who broke the silence on this dark chapter of Irish history.

IRAN MISSILE

Iran has tested a mid-range ballistic missile that could reach Israel. Weapons expert Yitzhak Ben Yisrael told the Ynet News website in Israel that this technology does not pose any immediate threat to Israel as it will take 4-5 years to develop the technology. Strategically he says this changes little as Iran had already developed a missile that can strike the Jewish state. However, Lebanon’s French-language daily, L’Orient le Jour outlines concerns in the West that these missiles could be fitted with nuclear warheads should such technology continue to be developed by Iran.

The Washington Post reports a positive spin put on events by the top White House non-proliferation official Gary Samore. He says this test could help persuade sceptics like Russia that Iran is developing dangerous weapons.