Thursday 25 February 2010

News For February 24, 2010

UN: 346 Afghan Children Killed in 2009, More Than Half by NATO

By DPA

She said 131 children were killed in airstrikes, while 22 were killed in nighttime raids by international special forces. Continue

Afghan Senators Demand Execution of Foreign Troops

By Juan Cole

Some senators went farther, demanding that NATO or US military men responsible for the deaths be executed. Senator Hamidullah Tokhi of Uuzgan complained to Pajhwok that the foreign forces had killed civilians in such incidents time and again, and kept apologizing but then repeating the fatal mistake: "Anyone killing an ordinary Afghan should be executed in public." Continue

The Warlord's Tune:
Afghanistan's War on Children

By Mark Bannerman for Four Corners

Sexual slavery involving boys as young as 10 is being condoned and in many cases protected by authorities in northern Afghanistan. Continue

The Rationale for Keeping U.S. Forces in Iraq

By Jeremy R. Hammond

With the deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq at the end of next year creeping nearer, the U.S. has to find some way to convince the Iraqi government to allow a continued military presence, which is the likely outcome despite the U.S.-Iraq status of forces agreement containing the deadline. Continue

US Cash For Terror
US Offered Rigi 'Extensive Aid' for Iran Attacks

By Press TV

The following is the detailed transcript of Rigi's confession, stated in Farsi, as broadcasted on Press TV. "After Obama was elected, the Americans contacted us and they met me in Pakistan. Continue

Listen to the Heroes of Israel

By John Pilger

"Our children," said Nurit at a rally last December to mark the anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza, "have learned this year that all the disgusting qualities which anti-Semites attribute to Jews are actually manifested among our leaders: deceit, greed, and the murder of children … " Continue

Reporters with Conflicts of Interest in Israel

By Jonathan Cook

Do you have to be Jewish to report on Israel for the New York Times? Continue

How Prime Minister Hotoyama Can Stop The "Japan Bashing"

By Mike Whitney

Japan should not allow itself to be publicly humiliated by the world's biggest human rights abuser. Continue

Waiting to be Saved
The Sad Case of the ‘ Unconnected Dots ‘

By Philip A Farruggio

The apathy level seems to be greater now than even under the Bush & Cheney Gang’s rule. Maybe that’s it. Maybe all the good folks, the ones who did not buy into the crap that the Bush & Cheney Gang was selling, maybe they are now locked into Mr. Obama and the Democrats. Continue

We are all Mexicans now
Tortillas and the Corporate State

By Joe Bageant

Denying the existence of class, deeming all Americans (excepting a few too-obvious-to-be denied cases, such as inner city blacks and the poorest of immigrants), "middle class" was one of American capitalism's great strokes of genius. Continue

Occupation 'killed 346 Afghan kids' in 2009: "131 of these were by aerial strikes, 22 by search-and-raid by Special Forces; 128 were killed by anti-Government elements, including assassinations and suicide bombings," she said during a visit to Kabul.
Nato admits that deaths of 8 boys were a mistake: Ten children and teenagers died when occupation force troops stormed a remote mountain compound near the border with Pakistan in December.
100 "Taliban militants" killed in operation: One hundred Taliban militants have been killed and 50 others detained since the Operation Moshtarak or Together against Taliban bastion in Marja in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province was launched 13 days ago, Defense Ministry spokesman Zahir Azimi said Thursday.
Second British occupation force solder killed in Afghanistan in two days: A soldier was shot dead while on patrol in Afghanistan today - the second British serviceman killed in two days, the Ministry of Defence said.
Afghan flag flown over Marjah town: But the government faces an uphill battle to win over locals in Marjah. Many young men in the area admitted to Al Jazeera that they had fought for the Taliban in the past.
Officials puzzle over millions of dollars leaving Afghanistan by plane for Dubai: A blizzard of bank notes is flying out of Afghanistan -- often in full view of customs officers at the Kabul airport -- as part of a cash exodus that is confounding U.S. officials and raising concerns about the money's origin.
Extrajudicial Killing: US kills nine suspected militants in Pakistan: Nine suspected militants from Punjab were killed in a US drone attack on a house in Peerano Killay near Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan, on Wednesday, official and tribal sources said.
Three killed in two separate attacks in northern Iraq: Three civilians were killed in two separate attacks on Thursday in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, according to a local police source.
Anti-American bloc gains ground ahead of Iraq vote: The political movement of Iraq's best-known anti-American cleric has emerged as a major contender in next month's national elections, raising the possibility that the next prime minister could be openly hostile to the U.S. and friendly toward Iran.
Did Tony Blair use Hitler’s rhetoric to go to war in Iraq?: ABUSE of rhetoric led Britain into invading Iraq in the same way the Nazis used oral propaganda to mobilise for war, a leading communications professor in East London argues.
Iraq to sack 376 security officers for alleged Baath links: An Iraqi body responsible for purging Saddam Hussein's Baath party members from government jobs on Wednesday issued a list of 376 Iraqi police, army and intelligence officers to be fired over links to the outlawed Baath party.
Ahmadinejad: Arab world will usher in new Mideast without Zionists: Before leaving Tehran, Ahmadinejad told reporters that 'the Zionist regime and its sponsors' are rapidly approaching a dead-end, according to the Iranian Students News Agency.
Iranian bank wins ruling against UK sanctions: The government has accused the privately owned bank of providing financial services to companies involved in Iran's nuclear and missile programs. The Treasury acted in October to forbid any U.K. financial companies from doing business with the bank.
France: Dubai assassins stole French identities: Earlier Thursday, Australia warned Israel that if it was involved in the alleged use of three forged Australian passports in the assassination of a Hamas leader in Dubai, it would not be considered the act of a friend.
I will leave here an innocent man, vows Olmert at start of graft trial: Ehud Olmert became the first former prime minister in Israel's history to stand trial Thursday, as he arrived at Jerusalem District Court for the opening of his trial for alleged corruption.
Bribery and corruption: Deputy FM: Israel will increase aid to S. America in return for support: Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said "Israel intends to increase the aid it sends to South American and Latin American states, but in return it expects support from them in the UN."
Cuban president regrets jailed dissident's death: Cuban President Raul Castro issued an unprecedented statement of regret Wednesday over the death of a jailed dissident after a lengthy hunger strike that has sparked condemnation in Washington and in European capitals.
We don't need US, says Latin America: - Latin American and Caribbean nations have agreed to create a new regional alliance, without the United States and Canada, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said at a summit here on Tuesday.
Change. What change? Senate votes to extend Patriot Act: Democrats retreat from adding new privacy protections to the law
UK: 100,000 WORKERS FORCED OUT AT 65: The figure emerged from a survey of almost 1,000 people aged between 60 and 70, suggesting that employers were using forced retirement as a “cheap alternative” to redundancy.
Concerns grow over China's sale of US bonds: Evidence is mounting that Chinese sales of US Treasury bonds over recent months are intended as a warning shot to Washington over escalating political disputes rather than being part of a routine portfolio shift as thought at first.
End of the road for GM's Hummer: General Motors's struggling Hummer brand appears to be on its way out after Chinese regulators rejected a $150m bid for it by a Chinese heavy machinery maker.
Blue-collar workers hanging on by thread: The workers punch the clock at precisely 7:30 a.m., not a minute later since they would be docked 14 minutes and nobody in America works 14 minutes for free. A quiet resignation settles over them as the roar of the screw grinding machines rev up. Want it or not, they need to be here. After this place, there is no place. Not in today's America.
New U.S. Homes Sales Plunged to Record Low in January: The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new home sales dropped 11.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 309,000 units, the lowest level on records going back nearly a half century
Underwater Mortgages Hit 11.3 Million: Eleven million, three hundreds thousand homes had underwater mortgages as of the fourth quarter of last year. That number represent 24% of all residential homes loans in America.
U.S. economy is a shambles, with no improvement in sight: President Obama's claim that a second depression isn't possible doesn't square with the relevant numbers
Double Dip Recession Risk Is Near: CIO: The global economy looks set to plunge back into recession as the sovereign debt pressure currently rocking Europe intensifies, Ashok Shah, CIO of London & Capital, told CNBC Wednesday.

Wednesday 24 February 2010

News For February 24, 2010

Gates Calls European Mood a Danger to Peace

By BRIAN KNOWLTON

Mr. Gates’s blunt comments came just three days after the coalition government of the Netherlands collapsed in a dispute over keeping Dutch troops in Afghanistan. It now appears almost certain that most of the 2,000 Dutch troops there will be withdrawn this year. And polls show that the Afghanistan war has grown increasingly unpopular in nearly every European country. Continue

Marja Offensive Aimed to Shape U.S. Opinion on War

By Gareth Porter

Senior military officials decided to launch the current U.S.-British military campaign to seize Marja in large part to influence domestic U.S. opinion on the war in Afghanistan. Continue

Marjah: ‘This is not Fallujah’

So says McChrystal as the US surge goes full steam ahead in Marjah — a new "gentler" war.

By Eric Walberg

Marjah also represents the US project of replacing the UN with NATO as the world’s peacekeeper. The coalition of almost 60 nations is pursuing an illegal war launched by the US , with the UN -- the only legitimate forum for world peacekeeping -- now in tow solely as window dressing. Continue

The Right Should Not Wage A Hundred Years War.

By George W. Carey

The single most important factor accounting for the lack of dissent within Republican ranks is the mentality created and nourished by the Cold War. During that era, individuals were habituated to think in terms of a determined enemy, an “evil empire” intent upon imposing a totalitarian order. Continue

The New McCarthyism in Israel

Human rights groups face crackdown

By Jonathan Cook in Nazareth

The Israeli government and its right-wing supporters have been waging a “McCarthyite” campaign against human-rights groups by blaming them for the barrage of international criticism that has followed Israel’s attack on Gaza a year ago. Continue

U.S.: CIA Briefed Congress on Renditions

By Willim Fisher

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) briefed members of Congress from both political parties numerous times about the agency's interrogation and detention programmes, several prominent human rights groups said. Continue

Explosive News

By Jennifer Harper

A lingering technical question about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks still haunts some, and it has political implications: How did 200,000 tons of steel disintegrate and drop in 11 seconds? A thousand architects and engineers want to know. Continue

Secret AIG Document Shows Goldman Sachs Minted Most Toxic CDOs

By Richard Teitelbaum

The New York Fed, which secretly engineered the bailout, prevented the full publication of the document for more than a year. Continue

The War on Toyota: It's All Politics

By Mike Whitney

Does anyone really believe that Toyota is being pilloried in the media for a few highway fatalities? Continue

Fighting the Subversion of Our People's Sovereignty

By Jim Hightower

With their ruling, five unelected guys in black robes have subverted our people's sovereignty with a semantical perversion that twists special-interest things into "people" and money into "speech." Continue

In Case you missed the video:
U.S. is Ranked #37 in Health Care in the World

By Karen Harper

Except for the United States, the more money spent on health care in a nation translates to better health for the respondents. Continue

Civilian body counts 28 civilian deaths in Marjah: The Afghan human rights commission reported Wednesday that 28 civilians have been killed so far in NATO's offensive on the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, and urged pro-government forces to take greater care in distinguishing between noncombatants and militants
33 Civilians Killed by NATO Airstrike in Afghanistan: At least we said we're sorry. I know an "aw, shucks" statement would calm my rage if those had been my kids. Yup. Like a charm.
In war, casualties are more than numbers; they have names: Let's relate those numbers to people - people dying one at a time, or in groups of three, or in a house of 12.Innocent people. Slain civilians caught up in a war that is far from being over.
Taliban: Dutch are right to leave: ‘It is right and just for the Dutch not to give their lives for American goals’, Qari Yousef Ahmadi told the paper during a telephone interview.
US slams European pacifism: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has declared a "crisis" exists in the NATO alliance, claiming a wave of pacifism sweeping Europe's political class was making it difficult for the US "to operate and fight" with its continental partners.
UK: Military chiefs say more troops needed for conflict: Army must recruit more than 100,000 soldiers to continue Afghan fighting
Karzai Asserts Control Over Election Body: President Hamid Karzai has moved to ensure that he can handpick members of an electoral monitoring commission, removing significant United Nations oversight of future elections.
Extrajudicial Killing:: US attack kills 8 in Pakistan: A US drone aircraft fires three missiles into northwest Pakistan, killing at least eight people in a tribal district near the Afghan border.
Buying the right to murder Pakistani citizens: US transfers $ 349.3 million to Pakistan from coalition support fund : The Coalition Support Fund covers payments for money Pakistan spends in support of the ongoing international operations in Afghanistan.With the latest transfer of funds, claims for dues up to December 2008 have been cleared, sources said.
Four killed in Pakistan after rocket lands on house : A mother and three children were killed in the blast and three others in the house at the time were also injured.
'US spies' killed by Taliban: Witnesses said suspected Taliban militants shot dead two men they accused of spying for the US in a northwest Pakistani tribal region along the Afghan border.
Four policemen killed, five injured in separate incidents in Mosul: Four Iraqi policemen were killed and five others were injured Tuesday in separate violent incidents in the city of Mosul northern Iraq.
Gunmen kill 3 Christians in Mosul: Unidentified gunmen killed three Christians from the same family in western Mosul on Tuesday, according to a security sour
At least three dead, five injured in Baghdad suicide bombing: A suicide bomber killed at least three people, including himself, and wounded at least five in central Baghdad Tuesday
Judge shot dead in western Baghdad: Gunmen using pistols fitted with silencers have shot dead a judge and wounded his nine-year-old son as they were leaving their western Baghdad home in a car, Iraqi police said.
US war embezzlement visualized: 4-minute video banned from Congress testimony: “Iraq for Sale”
Russia opposes harsh Iran sanctions: A Russian official has indicated that Moscow could support new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, but not ones as severe as Western countries and Israel are seeking.
Iran forces down airliner to arrest alleged leader of terrorist group: Iran forced down a civilian airliner yesterday and boarded it to arrest the leader of a terrorist group it claims is backed by Britain, Israel and the United States.
Pakistan helped Iran nab Jundallah chief: Pakistan played a role in helping Iran arrest its most wanted Jundallah chief Abdolmalek Rigi who was seized onboard a flight from Dubai, Islamabad's ambassador to Tehran Mohammad Abbasi said on Wednesday.
Iran to reveal evidence of Jundallah ties with US: Iran says it has irrefutable evidence confirming that terrorist ringleader Abdolmalek Rigi had been aided and abetted by the US government before his arrest.
In case you missed it: The Secret War Against Iran: A Pakistani tribal militant group responsible for a series of deadly guerrilla raids inside Iran has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials since 2005, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence sources tell ABC News.
Vanunu: Take me off list of Nobel peace prize nominees: "The reason he gave was that Shimon Peres had received the Nobel Peace Prize, and Peres he alleged was the father of the Israeli atomic bomb and he did not want to be associated with Peres in any way," Lundestad said.
US demands Syria distance itself from Iran: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Syria must stop intervening in Lebanon's affairs, stop providing weapons to Hezbollah, and promote renewed peace talks with Israel
Israel's Livni hails murder of Hamas official: Former Israeli FM says death of Mabhuh 'good new' whether in Gaza or Dub
Dubai names 15 more suspects in Mabhouh hit: "The new list of suspects includes people who offered prior logistical support and preparations to facilitate the crime, and others who played a central role," said a statement released on Wednesday.
At least 10 Israelis share names of new Dubai hit squad suspects: Video of Suspects: : 10 of those suspects share the names of Israelis who hold dual citizenship, Haaretz has learned.
Is The Mossad Using Iran As a Haven?: "Dubai police also released passport photos and closed-circuit television footage of the suspects, and said two of them had left Dubai by boat for Iran."
Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory: 6 Palestinians, including one child, were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Judith Butler: As a Jew, I was taught it was ethically imperative to speak up: Philosopher, professor and author Judith Butler talks about the dehumanization of Gazans, and how Jewish values drove her to criticize the actions of the State of Israel.
Hamas founder's son worked for Shin Bet for years: The son of a leading Hamas figure, who famously converted to Christianity, served for over a decade as the Shin Bet security service's most valuable source in the militant organization's leadership, Haaretz has learned.
Hamas: Story about leader's son on Shin Bet payroll is Zionist propaganda: Hamas parliament member Mushir a-Masri said that the article was not worthy of a response and called it Zionist propaganda against the Palestinian people.
HAITI: Private Contractors 'Like Vultures Coming to Grab the Loot': Critics are concerned that private military contractors are positioning themselves at the centre of an emerging "shock doctrine" for earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Leaders agree to create Latam bloc: New Latin American and Caribbean grouping would exclude the US and Canada.
Cuba activist dies of hunger strike: His death is reportedly the first time in 40 years that a Cuban political prisoner has succumbed during a hunger protest.
Australia to use face-scanning and fingerprints to combat terrorism: Australia plans to fingerprint and face-scan visitors from 10 high-risk countries in an attempt to combat terrorism, which has become a "permanent" threat to the country.
CIA briefed 68 lawmakers on interrogation program: CIA officials briefed at least 68 U.S. lawmakers between 2001 and 2007 on enhanced interrogation methods like simulated drowning that were being considered or used against captured al Qaeda members, according to declassified documents released on Tuesday.
Clashes erupt at Greek strike march: Police fire tear gas at protesters as strike over austerity measures cripples services.

Tuesday 23 February 2010

News For February 23, 2010

Report From The Afghanistan Resistance
Marjah Operations are an Exemplary Lesson for the Invaders

By Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Despite the preparations, boasts and propaganda stunts, the enemy have not been able to make any headway against a small group of Mujahideen who are not more than 1000 armed men and their weapons are no match with those of the enemy. But still the sacrificing and committed Mujahideen have bravely blocked the invaders’ way successfully. Continue

America’s Warfare State.
Liquidating the Empire

By Patrick J. Buchanan

We invaded Panama and Haiti, smashed Iraq, liberated Kuwait, intervened in Somalia and Bosnia, bombed Serbia, and invaded Iraq again – and Afghanistan. Now we prepare for a new war – on Iran. Continue

The Unstated Script of the Wiesel Open Letter to President Obama

By William A. Cook

Let’s draw up the bill of particulars that is hidden from the world, the subtext, the unsaid prayer no one in this American government wants revealed and certainly no one in Israel wants displayed publicly. Continue

Amateur Night in Dubai

Mossad's Latest Blunder

By Gwynne Dyer

The hit team, though ridiculously large, was less incompetent: the victim died, and they all got out of Dubai safely. The fact that they left enough evidence behind for the Dubai police to figure out what happened does not exclude Mossad from consideration: it has bungled operations before. Continue

Big Story-The Jewish Lobby in Britain

By Press TV

Press TV's journalist Amina Taylor, searches for the truth behind the headlines of the most important stories in the UK. This time it is the Jewish Lobby. Continue

America’s First Suicide Bomber

By Paul Craig Roberts

“Violence,” Stack wrote, “not only is the answer, it is the only answer.” Stack concluded that nothing short of violence will get the attention of a government that has turned its back on the American people. Continue

Is the United States a Failing State?

By Barry Weisberg

The American provision of public services such as health care, education, social welfare or public safety, is a failure. Fewer people are covered by health care than in any industrial country (the World Health Organization ranks the US 37th in health care delivery); the infant mortality rate has sunk from 12th in 1960 to 29 in 1990 and 30th in 2005; Continue

'Death of American Capitalism:'

The 10 Final Scenes

By Paul B. Farrell

Do Main Street's 95 million investors know something Warren Buffett's long-time partner, Charlie Munger, doesn't know? Munger is warning us "It's Over" for America. Yes, "o-v-e-r," America's in decline, at the end-of-days, coming to "financial ruin," says Munger. Continue

Once More For The Record

An update on The Annotated Obama

By Joe Bageant

Obviously Barack Obama has wiped his ass on his campaign promises. That's yesterday's news. Americans demand jazzy new and ever more shocking "news" daily, or else they fall asleep before their TV sets face down in their sausage pizzas from Brooklyn to Beaumont. Continue

Gov't Sued Over Cell Phone Tracking

By William Fisher

If you are a U.S. resident who owns a cell phone, you should care about the outcome of a court case that "could well decide whether the government can use your cell phone to track you - even if it hasn't shown probable cause to believe it will turn up evidence of a crime." Continue

The Drive to Eliminate Social Security Accelerates

By Shamus Cooke

Tackling Social Security has been on the to-do list of the corporate elite for years, and they’re not waiting any longer. Continue

How Advertising Manipulates Our “Caveman” Brains
Why We are Susceptible to Manipulation
By Washington's Blog

Research shows that one of the most powerful ways to stimulate more buying is celebrity endorsement. Neurologists at Erasmus University in Rotterdam report that our ability to weigh desirability and value doesn’t function normally if an item is endorsed by a well-known face. Continue

At least 23 dead in spate of attacks in Iraq: A series of bombings, beheadings and shootings rippled through Iraq on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead, including nine children, and intensifying concern about a spike in violence with less than two weeks until national elections.
U.S. leader in Iraq says pullout may be delayed: Army Gen. Ray Odierno said his staff had drawn up contingency plans for a delayed withdrawal that he has shared with Pentagon leaders and other U.S. officials during a visit to Washington over the past week.
Bombs kill 10 civilians in Afghanistan: Ten civilians were killed and 17 injured by bombs in eastern and southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, officials said.
Lashkar Gah Blast Kills 8 Civilians : A bomb engineered in a bicycle exploded in the southern Afghan town of Lashkar Gah on Tuesday, killing eight civilians
Romania occupation force soldier Killed in Afghanistan: A soldier was killed and another one wounded in occupied Afghanistan when their vehicle drove over an explosive device, Romania's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
Fort Carson Occupation Force Soldier Killed In Afghanistan: The Defense Department says a soldier from Fort Carson was killed in Afghanistan when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades.
U.S. Ordered Afghan Strike That Killed 27 Civilians: The airstrike Sunday hit a group of minibuses in a remote part of the south near the border between Uruzgan and Daykundi provinces.
Kucinich Challenges Gates on Civilians Killed in Afghanistan: The buck doesn't appear to be stopping anywhere in Afghanistan.
Anger spreads on Marjah's front line: People in Marjah district in Helmand province, where a Western and Afghan military operation aims to oust the Taliban, say several civilians have been killed in addition to the 12 acknowledged by the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF. They also say the fighting has caused hunger because people cannot leave their homes to fetch food.
Suspect admits New York bomb plot: An Afghan immigrant has pleaded guilty to planning a suicide bomb attack on New York City's subway system. - "To me, it meant I would sacrifice myself to bring attention to what the US military was doing to civilians in Afghanistan."
Top UN official calls for talks with Mullah Omar: The top UN official in Afghanistan has called for direct peace talks with Mullah Omar's Taliban leadership to find a political settlement to the eight year war.
Pakistan warns US over Operation Moshtarak: Islamabad has criticized the US over the ongoing military offensive in neighboring Afghanistan, saying the anti-Taliban offensive could threaten the stability of Pakistan.
British woman among 8 killed in Pakistan suicide blast: Channel 4 News reported that the British woman was married to a local man and lived in the area.
Four militants killed in Kurram Agency blast: Four militants were killed and five others were injured in a bomb blast in the Dar area of central Kurram, officials said.
Hamas to EU: Put Israel on terrorism list: "We urge the EU to include the Zionist entity on the list of countries that support terrorism, as it represents a threat to international peace," Hamas said in a statement released Monday.
Iran grounds plane with Rigi holding US-issued passport: Iran's intelligence minister says the leader of Jundallah terrorist group was at a US base in Afghanistan 24 hours before his capture, in possession of a US-issued, forged Afghan passport.
Iran expounds on Rigi's links with CIA, Mossad: Moslehi said that Rigi had contacts with CIA and Mossad and had even met the NATO military chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Afghanistan in April 2008.
More British passports found in hunt for Hamas assassins: Eight forged British passports were used in the assassination of a top Hamas agent in Dubai, it was revealed yesterday, as pressure mounted on Israel to co-operate with European investigations into the identity thefts.
New suspects in Dubai terror operation identified: Dubai police have identified four more suspects, carrying British and Irish passports, in the terror operation against Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month.
Miliband: Israel should cooperate with fake passports probe: Israel needs to cooperate with the investigation launched by Dubai into the assassination of a Hamas official using forged European passports, British foreign minister David Miliband told his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman on Monday.
Israel refuses to help Britain with inquiry into fake passports: Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman yesterday flatly rebuffed David Miliband's request for cooperation with an investigation into the use of forged British passports in the assassination of a Hamas leader.
Barak heads to U.S. to discuss Iran, Mideast "peace" talks: Barak is to speak with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and senior Pentagon officials, followed by a meeting in New York with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
"What Does Netanyahu Want?" : It is widely accepted that Israel’s hard-line Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, does not want peace with the Palestinians or even with Syria -- or, at least, not the sort of peace that would involve ceding territory. The right-wing coalition he heads would not allow it. But does he want war?
Iran Willing to Swap Nuclear Fuel Inside Iran: Iran says it is willing to swap its low-enriched uranium for more highly processed nuclear fuel, but the exchange must happen on Iranian territory.
Manufacturing Consent For Attack On Iran: Prepare for war with Iran -- in case Israel strikes: Let's be serious for a moment: Barack Obama will not bomb Iran. This is not because he is a liberal, or because he is a peacenik, or because he doesn't have the guts to try and "save his presidency" in this time-honored manner, as Daniel Pipes has urged and Sarah Palin said she would like him to do.
Robert Dreyfuss: Attack Iran?: "Can we live with a nuclear Iran? Well, we're living with a nuclear North Korea (boxed in and contained by its neighbors). And we lived with a nuclear Soviet Union and Communist China.
Tell Congress: No to $3 Billion Budget Request for Military Aid to Israel: Click here to write a letter to your Senators and Representative below telling them that you oppose $3 billion in military aid to Israel this year because of its human rights abuses of Palestinians and that you would rather see that money spent on domestic priorities in your state and Congressional district.
Abbas warns Israel 'heritage sites' may spark religious war: In a speech to the parliament in Brussels, Abbas said Israel's attempt to steal the Palestinian heritage is part of a larger scheme to take over religious Muslim sites.
Palestinian PM Haniyeh calls for West Bank uprising: The democratically elected Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has called for uprisings in the occupied West Bank over a controversial Israeli plan to confiscate two holy sites in the territory as "national heritage."
Clashes over Israel heritage sites: Israeli soldiers have used tear gas and stun grenades against stone-throwing Palestinian protesters in the West bank town of Hebron.
Yemen arrests 80 separatists over southern unrest : Yemen has arrested some 80 suspected separatists after army positions in south Yemen came under fire and shops owned by northerners were burnt, an official and southern residents said Monday.
US approves $150m funding for Yemeni forces: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has approved a $150 million funding to train and equip Yemeni security forces to combat al Qaeda, US defense officials said.
Say ‘No!’ to Corporate Control of Agriculture and Food! : On April 17th 1996, nineteen landless Brazilian peasants who were defending their right to produce food by demanding access to land were massacred by the military police.
MI5 facing five more torture investigations: Te attorney general, has been studying the cases of five British men alleged to have been unlawfully detained and tortured in Pakistan with the complicity of MI5.
Poland admits role in CIA rendition programme: Warsaw air control service confirms that at least six CIA flights landed at disused military air base in northern Poland in 2003
Haiti orphans facing neglect: Homeless earthquake victims said police were halting deliveries of food and water to try to force them to leave their camp on the grounds of the prime minister's office.
Obama's New Budget Increases Funding for Nuclear Weapons Production Facilities: In the new budget request for 2011 the Obama Administration proposes to freeze discretionary domestic spending for programs such as education, nutrition, air traffic control and national parks for three years while dramatically increasing funding for new US nuclear weapons production facilities.
Boeing prepares to cut nearly 800 IT workers: The company sent 60-day layoff notices to the workers, who are at risk of being laid off on April 23. Of those notices, about 800 went to employees of Boeing's engineering, operations and technology unit; most of the people in that unit are in IT, according to Tim Healy, a company spokesman.
Consumer confidence falls sharply in February: The index plunged to 46 from January’s 56.5, following several months of boosts, according to the Conference Board. The economy is stable only when the reading surpasses 90.
The Bloom Box: Video report: Large corporations have been testing a new device that can generate power on the spot, without being connected to the electric grid. Will we have one in every home someday? Lesley Stahl reports.

Monday 22 February 2010

News For February 22, 2010

NATO Kills 27 Civilians in Afghanistan

By Associated Press

Reports indicated that NATO planes fired at a convoy of three vehicles, killing at least 27 people, including four women and a child, and injuring 12 others. Continue

Fears of Humanitarian Crisis in Marjah

2 Minute Video Report

More than a week into the Nato-Afghan military offensive against the Taliban in the southern Helmand province town of Marjah, warnings of a humanitarian crisis are growing. Continue

Pentagon Quietly Explores De-Citizenship of US Citizen Terrorists

By Steve Clemons

At the highest levels of the US military, a quiet discussion is going on about putting in place a legal framework that would permit the US government to strip American citizenship from "terrorists". Continue

New Grist for Hype on Iran

By Ray McGovern

Here we go again.  A report issued Thursday by the new Director General of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Japanese diplomat Yukiya Amano, has injected new adrenalin into those arguing that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Continue

The Flailing Falsehoods of America's War Criminals

By Glenn Greenwald

I didn't think it was possible, but former Bush officials -- desperately fighting what they know will be their legacy as war criminals -- have become even more dishonest propagandists out of office than they were in office. Continue

Mossad’s Murderous Reach:

By James Petras

The Mossad’s acquisition and alteration of official British, French, German and Irish passports of dual Israeli citizen’s underscores the cynical and sinister nature of Israel’s exploitation of its dual citizens in the pursuit of its own bloody foreign policy goals. Continue

Cut The "Ambiguity", Ambassador, Or Pack Your Bags

Challenging UK support for Israeli criminals

By Stuart Littlewood

Let me tell you something. If I were the British foreign secretary there would be no more "friendly chats". Continue

Israel's Smiling PR Drive

By Seth Freedman

Israeli citizens are being recruited to boost the country's image abroad – but the campaign amounts to papering over cracks. Continue

Armageddon

By Martin D. Weiss, Ph.D.

If you thought Wall Street’s debt crisis was traumatic, wait till you the see the consequences of Washington’s debt crisis! Never before in history has a world power like the U.S. been so utterly buried in debt! And never before has that debt been financed so massively by foreign investors! Continue

This Is Liberalism?

By David Michael Green

You gotta hand it to the agents of the regressive right for playing the weakest imaginable hand so well. I’m talking about the Lee Atwaters and Frank Luntzs of the world, who both understand human psychology (read fear) and are absolutely pitiless about employing it for purposes of assisting the rich and powerful in raping the rest of us. Continue

Venezuela’s Revolution Faces Crucial Battles

By Federico Fuentes, Caracas

The campaign for the September 26 National Assembly elections will be a crucial battle between the supporters of socialist President Hugo Chavez and the US-backed right-wing opposition. But these battles, part of the class struggle between the poor majority and the capitalist elite, will be fought more in the streets than at the ballot box. Continue

Boycott FedEx

By Chris Hedges

Workers in our corporate state earn little when they work—Henderson made $18 an hour—and they are abandoned when they can no longer contribute to corporate profits. It is the ethic of the free market. It is the cost of unfettered capitalism. And it is plunging tens of millions of discarded workers into a collective misery and rage that is beginning to manifest itself in a dangerous right-wing backlash. Continue

Afghanistan slams US-led forces as 27 civilian's killed: The Afghan cabinet condemned the killing of 27 civilians by US-led NATO forces in the south of Afghanistan, describing it as an "unjustifiable" act.
Afghan police: 15 killed in suicide bombing: In eastern Afghanistan, a suicide bomber killed 15 people on Monday, including a tribal leader who played a key role in a failed attempt to capture al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden at Tora Bora in 2001, police said.
Bomb explosion kills two more NATO soldiers: A bomb explosion has killed two NATO soldiers in southern Afghanistan, the alliance said Monday without releasing the nationality of the troopers.
4 more NATO occupation force soldiers killed in Afghanistan: Four NATO soldiers, two of them part of the anti-Taliban offensive known as Operation Mushtarak, were killed in Afghanistan over the weekend, the alliance said.
US general: Marjah just the start: "This is just the initial operation of what will be a 12 to 18-month campaign" - "People who are ill cannot get to hospitals and others cannot bring them medicines," Ajmal Samadi, the head of the Afghan Rights Monitor group, said. "They cannot get food or even go outside to look after their farms."
Dutch government collapses over military deployment in Afghanistan: The collapse of the Dutch government represents a serious blow to the US administration’s military strategy in Afghanistan.
Pakistan: 11 killed, 32 injured in Swat suicide attack: A suicide bomber attacked a military convoy in Pakistan’s north-western Swat region on Monday, killing 11 people and injuring 32 others. The dead included four women and three security personnel.
19 Iraqis slaughtered in Baghdad: -- Unknown militants Monday slaughtered 19 Iraqi civilians in two separate incidents in the Iraqi capital, the police said.
Shiite family of 8 killed in Iraq, some beheaded: Eight members of one Shiite family were killed south of Baghdad on Monday in the worst incident of a bloody day across Iraq that left at least 23 dead. The spate of attacks - and the fact that some of the family were beheaded - raised fears that insurgents are trying to re-ignite sectarian warfare at a time when the country is preparing for critical March elections.
Police: 3 killed in western Iraq after car bomb explodes outside police building: Police officials say a suicide bomber exploded the car outside the Internal Affairs office in the provincial capital, Ramadi.
Uni. prof. assassinated in Baghdad: A university professor has been gunned down in eastern Baghdad, a local police source said on Monday.
War game shows how attacking Iran could backfire: Israel launches a pre-emptive strike against Tehran's nuclear complex. The strike is successful, wiping out six of Iran's key sites and setting back its suspected quest for a bomb by years. But what happens next isn't pretty.
‘S-300 delivery a serious development’: Should Teheran acquire the system, a potential military strike on Iranian nuclear sites could become far more difficult, but it remains far from clear when and if Moscow intends to transfer the military hardware to Iran.
Clinton avoided Israeli nuke question : A SAUDI student blasted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for skirting her question on Israel's nuclear arsenal during a "town hall'' meeting at a Jeddah college.
Clashes over Israel heritage sites in occupied West Bank: : The unrest on Monday followed a decision by the Israeli prime minister to include a shrine in the city, and another in Bethlehem, on a list of Israeli heritage sites.
UN: Israel 'heritage sites' are on Palestinian land: The United Nations is concerned over Israel' recent decision to include two West Bank holy sites in a planned "heritage trail, Robert Serry, the UN's special coordinator for the Middle East said on Monday.
Israel's immigrant children fight deportation: The girls' parents come from the Philippines, Thailand and Sudan but they sing, shout and chat together in Hebrew.
Israel is Americans' fifth favorite place: According to a new Gallup poll released over the weekend, Israel ranks fifth among the countries viewed most favorably by Americans, behind Canada, Great Britain, Germany and Japan.
China circled by chain of US anti-missile systems: Military experts have noted that Washington's latest proposed weapon deal with Taiwan is the key part of a US strategic encirclement of China in the East Asian region, and that the missiles could soon have a footprint that extends from Japan to the Republic of Korea and Taiwan.
Haiti quake toll may reach 300,000: Haiti's president has warned that the number of people killed in last month's devastating earthquake could jump to 300,000 as rubble is cleared and more bodies are uncovered.
President Obama releases health reform proposal: One notable absence in Obama’s plan – a public health insurance option, a favorite of liberals, but a provision that became the most controversial part of the congressional debate on reform. Obama has long said he would sign a bill without it, and his own legislation confirms that.
California Death Spiral: Here’s the story: About 800,000 people in California who buy insurance on the individual market — as opposed to getting it through their employers — are covered by Anthem Blue Cross, a WellPoint subsidiary. These are the people who were recently told to expect dramatic rate increases, in some cases as high as 39 percent.
Poll: Less than 3 in every 20 Americans have faith in govt.: A recent poll suggests that only 14 percent of Americans have complete faith in the United States government and the way it functions.
Citigroup Warns Customers It May Refuse To Allow Withdrawals: The image of banks locking their doors to keep customers from making withdrawals during a bank run is what immediately came to mind when we heard that Citigroup was telling customers it has the right to prevent any withdrawals from checking accounts for seven days.
Doomsday Predictions Tax Illinois: The state’s red ink has already caused a backlog of unpaid bills to public universities and schools, transit systems and social service

Sunday 21 February 2010

Israeli Immigration Officials Copied British Passports Used by Hit Squad, Ministers Told

Israeli immigration officials at Tel Aviv airport secretly copied the British passports which were then used by the hit squad which assassinated a leading Hamas official, ministers have been told.

By Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor

February 21, 2010 "
The Telegraph" Feb. 20, 2010 - The six British citizens whose identities were stolen and used by the killers all had their passports taken away from them briefly during routine checks at the airport, it has been claimed.

The revelation by diplomatic sources that the Foreign Office has been told that the passports were copied by Israeli officials is the first time Israel's involvement has been directly alleged.

It will put further pressure on the Israeli government which has been at the centre of a growing diplomatic storm over its possible involvement in the murder of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai last month.

Diplomatic sources say ministers have been briefed that the passport fraud was committed by immigration officials who stopped the British nationals, who all now live in Israel, as they went through the airport during recent trips.

The passport numbers were taken, most likely by photocopy, and then used to create new documents which were used by the hit squad.

The identities of French, German and Irish citizens were also used.

The suspects used fake passports bearing their own pictures, but the names and numbers of the innocent Europeans.

All six British passports were not biometric, which means they did not have a computer chip embedded in them and so the fraud would have been relatively straightforward, experts believe.

The revelation will put further pressure on Israel to come clean about what it knows following widespread speculation about the involvement of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, in the killing, although other organisations have not been ruled out.

Mabhouh was one of the founders of Hamas's military wing and has been wanted by Israel for his role in the 1989 kidnapping and killing of two Israeli soldiers on leave.

He was murdered in a Dubai hotel room in January after an elaborate plot involving at least 11 assassins, including at least one woman, posing as tourists, with some wearing wigs and false beards.

Six holders of British passports, three with Irish documents, one with a German passport and another with a French passport made up the hit team.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, held talks with the Israeli ambassador to London, Ron Prosor, last week as the row threatened to escalate into a major diplomatic crisis.

He denied that the Government was merely "going through the motions" and described the use of fake British passports in the assassination as an "outrage".

But the Foreign Office said it was too early to speculate on who could have carried out the identity theft.

Michael Levi, a professor of criminology at Cardiff University and an expert on identity theft, said the passports would not have been difficult to tamper with.

He said: "The sort of organisation that can pull off a hit like that will be able to make those sort of changes to a passport."

The Conservative leader, David Cameron, said Israel must provide assurances that it would never sanction the use of UK papers in operations by its secret service.

He also called for answers from the Government about when it knew that falsified documents were used in the murder on January 20. Reports last week alleged that ministers may have had a prior tip-off.

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2010
'Netanyahu Authorized Dubai Assassination'

By Press TV

February 21, 2010 "
Press TV" -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly authorized the assassination of senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh early January in Tel Aviv.

According to a report published by Times Online
Netanyahu held a meeting with Mossad chief Meir Dagan in early January inside the briefing room of the headquarters of the spy agency where "some members of a hit squad" were also present.

Citing Mossad sources, the report said "as the man who gives final authorization for such operations, Netanyahu was briefed on plans to kill Mahmoud al-Mabhouh."

Sources said Mossad had received intelligence that the Hamas commander was planning a Dubai trip and they started preparing for an operation to assassinate him.

"The team had already rehearsed, using a hotel in Tel Aviv as a training ground without alerting its owners," according to the report.

Thanks to Dubai's extensive system of CCTV cameras, the work of the assassination team was revealed.

Dubai police released the identities of 11 people carrying European passports, including six Britons, three Irish and two French and German, who allegedly were Mossad agents carrying fake European documents.

Interpol has issued "red notices" for the 11 suspects to help find and arrest them anywhere in its 188 member countries.

Dubai police also threatened earlier to arrest Netanyahu, if it determined that Mossad was behind the assassination.

News For February 21, 2010

'Netanyahu Authorized Dubai Assassination'

By Press TV

According to a report published by Times Online Netanyahu held a meeting with Mossad chief Meir Dagan in early January inside the briefing room of the headquarters of the spy agency where "some members of a hit squad" were also present. Continue


Meir Dagan: The Mastermind Behind Mossad's Secret War

By Uzi Mahnaimi

Netanyahu gave his authorisation, in effect signing Mabhouh’s death warrant. Continue


Israeli Immigration Copied British Passports Used by Hit Squad

By Melissa Kite, Deputy Political Editor

Israeli immigration officials at Tel Aviv airport secretly copied the British passports which were then used by the hit squad which assassinated a leading Hamas official, ministers have been told. Continue


Watch Mohammad Bakri's Jenin Jenin

By Gilad Atzmon

Jenin Jenin depicts the true story of Israeli colossal barbarism. There is no doubt left, the Jewish State is the ultimate enemy of humanity and humanism. It also presents the Palestinian ordeal facing the Zionist evil. Clearly, surviving the Israeli occupation is nothing but heroism. Continue


70% Of American Believe Iran has Nuclear Weapons

By Political Ticker

"If economic and diplomatic efforts fail, support for military action rises to 59 percent, with only 39 percent opposing military action under those circumstances" Continue


Report: Bush Lawyer Said President Could Order Civilians to Be 'Massacred'

By Michael Isikoff


The chief author of the Bush administration's "torture memo" told Justice Department investigators that the president's war-making authority was so broad that he had the constitutional power to order a village to be "massacred," according to a report released Friday night by the Office of Professional Responsibility. Continue


US Super-rich Get Five Times More Income Than In 1995

By Andre Damon

The incomes of the very rich in the US grew phenomenally between 1992 and 2007, while their tax rates plummeted, according to recently uncovered IRS statistics. Continue


40 Killed in Pakistan: The armed forces on Saturday said at least 30 Taliban were killed in an airstrike when jet fighters pounded their positions in the Shawal mountains of South Waziristan Agency.

Four killed in suicide attacks on police stations in Pakistan: A senior local police officer and three assailants were killed on Saturday in two suicide attacks on two police stations in northern districts, said police.

CIA wants to move captive Taliban official: The Taliban military commander captured last month in Pakistan has refused to provide information that could be used against his insurgent network, prompting the CIA to push for his transfer to an American-run prison in Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Friday.

Minister says Pakistan will not hand captured Taliban leaders to United States: Pakistan will not turn over the Afghan Taliban's No. 2 leader and two other high-value militants captured this month to the United States, but may deport them to Afghanistan, a senior minister said Friday.

Hamid Gul : Mouthpiece for the Taliban? : Video Interview: Lieutenant-General Hamid Gul was a military commander in the Pakistani Army in the 1980s, and served as the head of the country's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency from 1987 to 1989.

Seven Afghans killed as Karzai urges NATO to avoid civilian deaths: President Hamid Karzai urged international troops to prevent civilian casualties during military operations in an emotional appeal on Saturday, as six civilians were killed in two blasts and another was shot dead by NATO troops in southern region.

6 NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan: Six NATO soldiers were killed during a join operation by ISAF and Afghan forces near the Taliban’s stronghold Marjah town, APA reports. Losses of Afghan Army have not been reported.

Two NATO occupation force soldiers killed as Afghan offensive enters second week: Two NATO soldiers were killed in separate attacks in occupied Afghanistan, the alliance said Sunday .

Premature explosion kills Taliban commander, 4 others in N. Afghanistan: Five Taliban militants including their commander were killed as a mine went off prematurely in Afghanistan's northern Kunduz province Friday, spokesman for provincial administration Mahboobullah Sayedi said Saturday

Three civilians killed in S. Afghanistan: Two Afghan civilians have been killed in a roadside landmine blast in southern Afghanistan on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, a third civilian was killed in firing by the international troops in Nad Ali district of the same province.

Helmand elders want US-led forces out: Tribal elders in the southern Afghan province of Helmand want an end to the US-led anti-Taliban offensive there, citing Western troops' disregard for civilian lives as a reason.

US compensates Afghans for death, damage from war : The death of a child or adult is worth $1,500-$2,500, loss of limb and other injuries $600-$1,500, a damaged or destroyed vehicle $500-$2,500, and damage to a farmer's fields $50-$250.

Taliban put up tough fight in Marjah: The number of foreign troops killed in the Operation Mushtarak rose to 12 with the death of an ISAF soldier during fighting Friday as NatoĆ­s biggest assault against the militants moved into its second week

Dutch troops to pull out of Afghanistan by the end of year after coalition falls: The government fell because of a dispute between its main partners over how long its soldiers should stay in the war.

Three police killed in Iraq blast: Three policemen were killed and two injured Saturday when an explosive device went off near their patrol in northern Iraq, a local police source said.

3 Killed In Northern Iraq: Two insurgents were killed when a bomb they were planting exploded in central Tikrit, 150 km (95 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

Fifth Christian killed in a week in north Iraq: Iraqi police said they found a Christian shopkeeper shot to death in the restive northern city of Mosul on Saturday, the fifth Christian killing in a week thought to be related to March elections.

Sunni Party Calls for Boycott of Iraq Vote: — The Sunni political party whose two most prominent leaders were disqualified from next month’s parliamentary elections in Iraq because of supposed ties to Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party called Saturday for a boycott of the vote, raising fears of worsening sectarian tensions in an already volatile campaign.

Iran says intelligence agents kill 4 armed Kurdish separatists near border with Iraq: The report cited a statement by the country's intelligence department saying its agents ambushed and killed the four near the Kurdish town of Sardasht, about 310 miles (525 Kilometers) west of the capital Tehran and near the Iraqi border.

Juan Cole: Top Russian General: An American Attack on Iran would lead to US Collapse; "The consequences of such an attack will be terrible not only for the region but also for us. Iran is our neighbor and we are very carefully following this situation."

In case you missed it: Iran Nuke Laptop Data Came from Terror Group: The George W. Bush administration has long pushed the "laptop documents" - 1,000 pages of technical documents supposedly from a stolen Iranian laptop - as hard evidence of Iranian intentions to build a nuclear weapon.

Russia says to supply Iran S-300 missiles - Ifax: Russia intends to fulfil a contract to supply S-300 air defence missile systems to Iran, Interfax news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Friday.

Russia opposes 'paralyzing sanctions' against Iran: Russia has categorically opposed paralysing sanctions against Iran, saying if they were to be imposed on Tehran they should be aimed exclusively at strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

US lawmaker urges Iranian gasoline blockade: "The vision of the world in which I don't think we should embrace is one in which the national security of the West, and especially our allies in Israel, depends on a hope that the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) does not transfer nuclear weapons to Hezbollah," the Republican congressman from Illinois told the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

French PM: World to take action if Iran refuses nuclear talks: French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said world powers would have to take new action against Iran in the next few weeks if Tehran continues to reject Western proposals on its disputed nuclear program.

Impending Explosion: U.S. Intensifies Threats To Russia And Iran: The United States, separately and through the military bloc it controls, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is accelerating military deployments and provocations throughout Eurasia and the Middle East

New Israeli drone fleet 'capable of flying over Iran': Air force officials said the Heron TP drones have a wingspan of 86ft making them the size of passenger jets. They said the planes can fly 20 consecutive hours, and are primarily used for surveillance and carrying payloads.

In case you missed it: Iran and The International Bureau of Double Standards: Video - Demonstrating that the continued attacks being made on Iran, by presidents, prime ministers and the mass media, are smokescreens for the real danger to world peace: Israel and more lies about weapons of mass destruction.

Evidence confirms Mossad involvement in Dubai murder: Dubai says new evidence, including credit card payments and phone calls made by suspects, confirms the involvement of Israel's spy agency in the recent assassination of a top Hamas official.

Top EU official: Dubai hit may harm ties with Israel : Dubai police: Assassins used diplomatic passports; U.A.E. urges European investigation.

Hezbollah warns of terrorist tourists after Dubai hit: The Lebanese resistance movement's Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem urged vigilance against the terrorists who would attempt to clear the Lebanese customs using forged European passports.

Israel rebuffs France over possible Palestine recognition: Israel has rejected the idea of foreign countries recognizing a Palestinian state, after France suggested the recognition could soon take place.

France to aid Jordan in realizing 'nuclear ambitions': Visiting French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Sunday his country will help Jordan realize its nuclear ambitions with the signing of an agreement Sunday to mine its uranium reserves.

World oil supplies are set to run out faster than expected, warn scientists: Scientists led by the London-based Oil Depletion Analysis Centre, say that global production of oil is set to peak in the next four years before entering a steepening decline which will have massive consequences for the world economy and the way that we live our lives.

Allied bid for Obama to remove US European nuclear stockpile: European NATO allies are to urge President Barack Obama to remove all remaining US nuclear weapons from European soil, as domestic pressure grows to rid its soil of outdated Cold War-era aerial bombs.

Niger demonstrators celebrate coup: About 10,000 people gathered outside the parliament building in Niamey, the Nigerien capital, on Saturday, following an appeal by the Co-ordination of Democratic Forces for the Republic, an opposition coalition.

ICC outrage over Guinea massacre: Probe into last year's killing of opposition activists hint at crime against humanity.

Bias claims dog Mexico's drug war: Critics of Felipe Calderon, Mexico's president, and his so-called war on drugs have alleged that the Mexican government may be favouring the Sinaloa cartel, one of the country's most powerful drug-trafficking organisations.

Three men charged with financing Hezbollah in Miami: Three men were charged in an indictment unsealed Friday with illegally exporting electronics and video games to a South American shopping center that U.S. officials claim funnels money to the Hezbollah militant group.

US Muslim group calls IRS plane attack terrorism: A major US Muslim group has decried officials' "double standard" in refusing to label Texas suicide plane crash as an act of terrorism.

Prime Number: 345: The average amount, in millions of dollars, earned by the 400 highest-earning households in the United States in 2007, according to Internal Revenue Service data reported by Tax.com

Obama appoints panel to slash social programs: President Barack Obama’s establishment by executive order of a bipartisan commission on deficits on Thursday is the latest step in his administration’s attack on health care and retirement programs upon which millions of Americans depend.

US states slash Medicaid: The cuts are being enacted in response to huge budget deficits in states throughout the country and a sharp increase in enrollment fuelled by the unemployment crisis.