The gas crisis in Europe online

Iran's Larijani slams proposals on Gaza

A senior Iranian politician on Thursday described proposals put forward by Middle Eastern and European states to end the Gaza conflict as "honey injected with poison" that would not protect Palestinian rights.

Ali Larijani, a major figure in the Islamic Republic and its speaker of parliament, was apparently referring to ideas put forward by Egypt and France to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran.

"These plans were called plans to deal with massacres in Gaza. Some of these plans were proposed by some of the states in this region and some of them were put forward by some of the European states," Larijani told reporters in Beirut.

"We agree that these proposals do not protect the rights of the Palestinian people. These proposals are proposals ... resembling honey injected with poison," he said after talks with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

Larijani met Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Damascus on Wednesday. No details emerged from their deliberations and little is known on the advice Iran and Syria, another backer of Hamas, have given the group during its conflict with Israel.
Saeed Jalili, a senior Iranian security official, also met Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials in Damascus this week.

Larijani was visiting Lebanon together with the parliament speakers of Syria and Indonesia. "As a troika, we are looking for logical and reasonable solutions," he said.

Israel, Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have entered talks with Egypt to try to agree terms of a ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 750 people have been killed since Israel began its offensive against Hamas on December 27.

Here is the link for the rest of the report: Iran

Even the porn industry wants a bailout

Finally, in this era of unprecedented government bailouts, there is an industry worthy of our tax dollars.

In a story that no sportswriter could invent, CNN last night reported that another major American industry is asking for assistance as the global financial crisis unfolds.

Hustler publisher Larry Flynt and Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis said yesterday they will request that Congress allocate $5 billion for a bailout of the adult entertainment industry.

Things must be tough all over.

Here is the link to the original story: porn


Here are a few links that offer more information:

Blue Bailout: Larry Flynt's cap in hand to Congress

Flynt, Francis Want $5 Billion Porn Bailout

Afghans sign up to fight Israeli troops in Gaza

KABUL (Reuters) - More than a thousand Afghans signed up on Thursday to say they wanted to go and fight Israel in the Gaza Strip, many of them blaming the United States which has some 30,000 troops in Afghanistan, for supporting the Jewish state.

Accusations by Taliban militants and some Muslim clerics that Israel and its main ally, the United States, aim to destroy Islam have a strong impact on public opinion in Afghanistan, where Washington plans to almost double its troop numbers this year.

Scores of young men crowded into the library of Kabul's Milad ul-Nabi mosque, lined with banners reading "Death to Israel" and "Death to America," to sign up to fight Israel.

"More than a thousand brave Afghans registered their names here to fight Israeli troops in Gaza," said Habibullah Assam, the imam of the mosque and organizer of the campaign.

"Several hundred Afghans, including doctors and teachers, have also volunteered to give blood to help the miserable people of Palestine," he said.

"The acts of Israel against the innocent Muslims of Gaza are barbaric and inhumane and widely helped by the Americans," Assam said, adding that nearly 10,000 people across Afghanistan had so far volunteered to fight in Gaza.

One Afghan at the mosque said he fought in Chechnya in the 1990s after being trained by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba Islamist militant group which India says is behind the Mumbai attacks.


You can read the rest of the report at this link: Afghanistan

Right-wing blogs discover massive conspiracy to hide WMDs in Iraq

If you talk to some people about the war in Iraq, there are a number of them who will claim that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Here is a link to an article that looks at this phenomenon.

WMDs in Iraq

Here are more reports about the subject of WMDs in Iraq:

Final report: Iraq had no WMDs

Iraq and weapons of mass destruction

Great controversy emerged when no stockpiles of WMDs were found, leading to accusations that the United States, its President George W. Bush in particular, had deliberately inflated intelligence or lied about Iraq's weapons in order to justify an invasion of the country. The Center for Public Integrity asserted President Bush's administration made a total of 935 false statements between 2001 and 2003 about Iraq's alleged threat to the United States.[3]While various inert, leftover WMDs and weapons components from the 1980s and 1990s have been found, most weapons inspectors now believe that Iraq's chemical weapons program ceased production after 1991.

You can read the rest of the report at this link: WMDs

Here is a link to more reports:

CIA’s final report: No WMD found in Iraq


Bush's Iraq WMDs joke backfires

US gives up search for Iraq WMD

As war winds down, will Iraq's progress hold steady?

Last year saw vast improvements in Iraq. Violence dropped dramatically and Iraqis took greater political and military control. But war is still being fought, suicide bombings remain a near daily menace, and the gains are fragile. The year ahead will test the staying power of progress as US military forces begin to withdraw, Iraqi politicians jostle for power in Baghdad and beyond, and a new administration in Washington assumes responsibility for the war as it enters its seventh year.

How safe is Iraq?

The mix of the US and Iraqi military troop surge, many Sunnis turning against Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) to work with American forces, and a cease-fire among the Shiite militia known as the Mahdi Army ended much of the sectarian fighting that racked the country in 2007.

The increase in security has been striking in Baghdad, where shops are reopening and concrete barriers are being removed. But the surge did push insurgents north to cities like Mosul and Baquba, where attacks are still common but increasingly focused on Iraqi security forces rather than civilians. To be sure, insurgents are still able to carry out high-profile suicide bombings.

According to estimates from independent organizations, between 6,700 and 8,000 Iraqis were killed in attacks in 2008, more than a 50 percent drop compared with 2007. According to the Associated Press, 314 US troops are believed to have died in Iraq in 2008 compared with 904 servicemen and women killed in 2007.

Will President-elect Barack Obama accelerate the US withdrawal?

Under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Iraq and the US, some American troops have already started pulling back to major bases that will become regional military hubs. US forces are set to leave most cities by July and are scheduled to be completely out of Iraq by the end of 2011.

Even though Mr. Obama said during his campaign that he would withdraw forces within 16 months of taking office, military commanders, senior Iraqi officials, and Middle East experts have stressed that a rush to leave could be disastrous.


The rest of the report can be read at this link: Iraq

Iran's Larijani meets Hamas in Damascus

A senior Iranian politician met Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in Damascus on Wednesday as the Palestinian Islamist group considered an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Ali Larijani, speaker of parliament and one of the major figures in the Islamic Republic, met Meshaal and several high level officials from Hamas at the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital, witnesses said.

The meeting stretched into the early hours of Thursday, with no details emerging from the deliberations. Larijani earlier met leaders of Islamic Jihad, a smaller Palestinian group with close links to Iran.

Iran and Syria are the major backers of Hamas, and Syria hosts members of Hamas's exiled leadership, including Meshaal.


You can read the rest of the report at this link: Iran

Israeli troops launch ground attack in Gaza

I have been posting information about the situation in Israel for the last week. I have also been posting information that I believed showed Israel was going to launch a ground attack. It is not official, Israeli troops launch ground attack in Gaza.

LONDON (Reuters) - Israel launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after a week-long air campaign against Hamas over the firing of rockets into the Jewish state.

The Palestinian death toll, before tanks moved in, reached nearly 450. Gaza rocket attacks have killed four Israelis.

Following are comments from politicians and commentators:

MAJOR AVITAL LEIBOVITCH, ISRAELI MILITARY SPOKESWOMAN:

"The objective is to destroy the Hamas terror infrastructure in the area of operations."

HAMAS OFFICIAL ISMAIL RADWAN:

"We have prepared the statement of victory for you (Palestinians) ... and you will see it soon."

Addressing Israeli soldiers, he said: "Gaza will not be a picnic. Gaza will be a graveyard for you."


Here are links to the latest information:


Israeli army takes war against Hamas into Gaza

Israeli tanks roll into Gaza to crush Hamas

Israeli Ground Forces Push Into Gaza

Israeli ground assault in Gaza to exact heavy toll: experts

more to come..

The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009

In 2008 hollywood gave us the Dark Night and we responded by making it one of the biggest movies of all time. What will be the big movies of 2009? Here are a few movies that some people are saying will be big:


Friday the 13th (February)

Back to Camp Crystal Lake again. The twelfth (couldn’t they have made it 13?) Friday the 13th movie is apparently a remake of the first film in the venerable teen slasher series, so long-time fans will have a fair idea what to expect. Probably not the ideal date movie for February 14.




Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian (May)

A repeat of 2006’s ‘museum comes to life’ cameo jamboree with more or less everyone except Robin Williams back at the end of May to ham it up for the entertainment of young and undemanding cinemagoers. The film will need something very special in terms of advance reviews to give it any commercial visibility in what promises to be a very busy month at the movies. Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Owen Wilson and Ricky Gervais are already crossing their fingers.




Fast & Furious (June)

Fourth in the franchise but (and pay attention, there will be a test) occupying the number three slot in the series narrative, the movie will take the story back to its very beginnings. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reunite in the franchise that inspired a million minor motoring offences.



Knowing (March)

A teacher (Nicolas Cage) opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some of events that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are due to unfold.




Hannah Montana (May)

Dolly Parton, Tyra Banks, Heather Locklear and of course Billy Ray Cyrus help Destiny 'Miley' Cyrus bring the massively popular tween pop character comes to the big screen. In the wake of the vast box office for High School Musical 3, Hannah Montana looks like a safe bet for the big cinema smash of the Easter school break.



Bride Wars (January)

Bride Wars is evidence that blockbuster movies aren’t always for the boys. With a near-unbeatable chick flick cast (Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Candice Bergen), it’s an implausible tale of best friends clashing over a wedding day scheduling conflict. With the release date close enough to Valentine’s Day to warrant inclusion on the schedule of a fair percentage of early February dinner dates, it stands a reasonable chance of a strong mid-table performance on the box-office charts for the year.

Here is the link to the trailer: War

2012 (July)

Master of disaster Roland Emmerich (The Day after Tomorrow, Godzilla, Independence Day) assembles an impressive cast including John Cusack, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson and Danny Glover for an apocalyptic epic based on a 7th Century Mayan prophecy. Never one to do things by halves, Emmerich will apparently open the film with the end of the world as we know it and let things escalate from there.





You can see the entire list at this link: 2009

Day of Wrath

Israel is on heightened security alert today after Hamas declared a "day of wrath" after the killing of a senior Hamas leader in Gaza.

Thousands of security personnel were on alert after the Islamists called for "massive marches" after the main weekly Muslim prayers, starting off from the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem and from all other mosques in the West Bank.

Witnesses said that violent scenes had been reported in east Jerusalem, with protesters throwing rocks at soldiers. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that thousands of extra officers had been deployed to deal with the ongoing clashes.

The Israeli Army also locked down the West Bank for 48 hours, with movement in and out of the territory prohibited except for emergencies and special cases.

You can read the rest of the report at this link: Wrath

15 Seconds

Israel May Invade Gaza

BLOGGING ABOUT ISRAEL

I have been working hard to find the best information about the situation in Israel. Today I came across a blog that I think everyone should take a few moments and visit. The name of the blog is, Jewish Issues Watchdog





When you visit let them know that you heard about them from the Worldview blog.


Here is the link: Blog

Gaza ground invasion looks likely as weather clears

An Israeli ground assault on Gaza is looking increasingly likely after the Jewish state rejected international diplomatic efforts calling for a ceasefire.

After two days of rain and cloud cover which made the use of tanks and armoured infantry difficult, the skies over the Gaza Strip cleared today.

Israel's security cabinet of Ehud Olmert, prime minister, Ehud Barak, defence minister, and Tzipi Livni, Foreign Minister, were due to meet to decide on the next stage of Operation Cast Lead.

Since the attacks began last Saturday, a total of 450 targets have been struck by guided bombs and missiles. But with the number of potential targets now declining the cabinet will need to decide whether to keep up pressure on Hamas by sending in Israeli ground forces.

An Israeli security source said: "There is a strong sense that for the first time Hamas is on the back foot and the decision must be taken on how to push through our advantage."

Any ground operation is expected to lead to a surge in the number of civilian Palestinian casualties.

Israel's three major ground offensives into Gaza since 2005 – operations Summer Rains, Autumn Clouds, Hot Winter and Cast Lead – have all been targeted against militants but nevertheless caused hundreds of civilian deaths.

Israel has massed several brigades of infantry and Merkava main battle tanks on the perimeter fence around Gaza and has called up thousands of reservists to swell the number of combat soldiers available.

After five days of air attacks Israeli air force commanders have been running out of targets to hit from the air although it moves swiftly to bomb any groups inside Gaza assessed to be militants preparing to fire rockets. Overnight there was a relatively low level of activity.


You can read the rest of the report at this link: Weather

Russia stops gas supplies to Ukraine completely

Here are two links to stories that give more information about this situation:


US urges normal Russia-Ukraine gas deliveries
Reuters - 50 minutes ago
By Tabassum Zakaria WACO, Texas, Jan 1 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday urged the restoration of normal gas deliveries after Russia cut off ...

EU urges Russia, Ukraine to end gas row through talksXinhua, China - 46 minutes ago
BRUSSELS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday urged Russia and Ukraine to continue talks over their gas delivery dispute which could ...

Hamas insider killed in Israeli strike on Gaza

The Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip today claimed a significant blow against the top ranks of Hamas when an air strike killed Nizar Rayyan, one of the movement’s inner circle.

Mr Rayyan, one of Hamas’s most hardline political figures who had advocated renewing suicide bombings inside Israel, died in a targeted strike on his home. He is the most senior Hamas leader to have been killed since 2004, and only yesterday vowed that rocket attacks from Gaza would hit Israel “even deeper” than they have so far.

Medical officials said that another nine people, including two of Rayan’s four wives and four of his 12 children, were killed in the bombing on an eight storey apartment building in Jabalya refugee camp. The airstrike blew a huge hole in the side of the building and sent a thick plume of smoke into the air.

Mr Rayyan, a 52-year-old lecturer at Gaza’s Islamist University who was rated by some amongst Hamas's top decision makers, had mentored suicide bombers and would sometimes go on patrol with Hamas fighters.


You can read the rest of the report and watch a video report at this link: Hamas

Gaza tunnel trader vows to carry on

Hamas Employs an Upgraded Rocket Arsenal

By firing rockets deep into Israeli territory, the militant Palestinian group Hamas has in recent days displayed an arsenal that has been upgraded with weapons parts smuggled into Gaza since it seized control of the territory 18 months ago, according to American and Israeli officials.

For Hamas, a group largely confined to a sliver of land along the Mediterranean Sea, attacking Israeli cities with a rocket barrage has proved an effective strategy to reduce the advantage of Israel’s expensive arsenal of fighter jets and warships.

That strategy was used successfully by Hezbollah militants against Israel in Lebanon in 2006, although Hezbollah had access to missiles and rockets far more sophisticated than those being used by Hamas. Israeli officials said that Hamas was still relying on unguided rockets, rather than guided weapons like the Iranian-made C-802 cruise missile that Hezbollah used against an Israeli ship during the summer of 2006.

Still, the rockets fired by Hamas in the current fighting have flown farther and been more accurate than weapons used by the group in the past, the officials said. Some have flown nearly two dozen miles, destroying buildings in the southern Israeli cities of Ashdod and Beersheba.

Hamas and other militant groups have lobbed thousands of rockets into Israel since 2001. The difference now, officials said, is that Hamas is using more of the imported Katyusha rockets, which have a longer range than the crude, homemade Qassam rockets it relied on in the past. Officials say the group has been emboldened to improve its arsenal since it routed its rival, Fatah, in 2007 and assumed control of Gaza.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss intelligence matters, said that Hamas appeared to have relied on a combination of black-market entrepreneurs and help from its longtime patrons Iran and Syria to procure rocket parts.

A senior Israeli military official said Israeli intelligence also believed that Hamas took advantage of a six-month truce with Israel to bolster its stockpiles.

You can read the rest of the article at this link: Rockets