"Am I therefore become your enemy,because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH...?"
(Galatians 4:16)

Resumed Gaza terror outcome of Israel’s passivity and over-reliance on Cairo

DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report that the foundering of the Gaza truce amid renewed Hamas missile attacks and terrorist plots are the direct outcome of the Israeli government’s passive military stance and over-reliance on Egypt to pull its Palestinian chestnuts out of the fire.That is the predominant view of senior Israeli military officials, including commanders of the Southern Command.Thursday night, Nov. 13, the Palestinians fired five missiles, including two Grads, against Ashkelon, Sderot, Netivot and Or Haner. Suspense is building up around the Gaza Strip amid fears of a major Palestinian attack on Israeli forces and civilian locations over the weekend.The last six months, Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, defense minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni counted on Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to heal the quarrel between the rival Palestinian Hamas and Fatah factions, pacify the Gaza Strip and extricate the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilead Shalit from Hamas captivity. Although Mubarak’s bid flopped and the Palestinians had been clearly preparing to revive their large-scale terror plots and missile blitz for some weeks, the government failed to revise its tactics, pre-empt the rising threat, or explain to the Israeli public what went wrong.It was not until Nov. 11, when intelligence was received of a secret tunnel designed to facilitate a large-scale Hamas kidnap operation that a decision was taken to blow up the tunnel. The soldiers were ordered not to touch the Hamas special force assigned with the abductions or their operational headquarters at el Bureij.Nonetheless, Hamas leaders decided to risk reviving their missile blitz and efforts to kidnap Israeli soldiers or civilians. Senior officers in the Southern Command believe that a serious Hamas cross-border terrorist attack is on the way. Since Cairo’s mediation failure, no one there, in Damascus or even Riyadh exercises any control over the Hamas leadership in Gaza. According to intelligence from Gaza, Hamas leaders have turned their backs on Egypt’s pacification efforts and moved on with their objective, which is to fight their Fatah rival, Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas to the finish, by dint of factional warfare and major clashes with Israel.Israel’s government heads persist in ignoring this information. Indeed Olmert and Barak are at loggerheads on how to handle the escalating Gaza peril. This was apparent during their joint visit to the IDF’s Gaza division headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 12. The prime minister said that a large-scale military confrontation with Hamas is waiting at the end of the road, whereas Barak said that while action must be taken against terror threats, it is important to preserve the truce.It was clear to the soldiers listening to them that the truce belonged to the past.Suspense ahead of Hamas aggression was so high Thursday, Nov. 13, that Israel revoked the permission given a few hours earlier for a 30-truck convoy to pass through into the Gaza Strip with food and goods for the population. And a handing-over ceremony for the Gaza Division commanders was called off.
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EU calls on Israel to reopen border crossings to Gaza

The European Union called on Israel Friday to reopen its border crossings with the Gaza Strip. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she was worried that "fuel and basic humanitarian assistance" is not reaching the Palestinians.Ferrero-Waldner said that the crossings should be re-opened so food, fuel and medicine can begin moving into Gaza once more.Israel has closed the crossings to Gaza for deliveries of fuel and other essentials but has allowed humanitarian cases through.In related news, Oxfam called on the state to end "the blockade" of the Strip. "World leaders must step up and exercise all their political might to break the blockade of Gaza," a statement released by the humanitarian organization said."As a matter of humanitarian imperative, Israeli leaders must resume supplies into Gaza without further delay. If Israelis and Palestinians alike don't exert every effort now to maintain the truce which has held since last June, the result could be catastrophic for civilians both in Gaza and in nearby Israeli towns," said Oxfam International Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs," he continued."For nearly a year and a half unimpeded access to fuel, food, medicines and essential goods has been routinely denied. Failure of the international community to act decisively will only exacerbate human suffering and could further endanger chances for peace."
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'Gov't will continue to pressure Hamas'

The government will continue to put pressure on Hamas until ongoing rocket barrages on southern Israel are halted, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Friday.Olmert called the attacks a "fundamental violation" of a five-month cease-fire with Hamas.He said Israel will continue to step up pressure on Hamas by keeping border crossings closed and through other unspecified means.Olmert held an emergency meeting with senior officials from the defense echelon including Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of General Staff Lt. -Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi in Tel Aviv.The emergency meeting came in response to a barrage of 16 rockets and a mortar shell that was fired by Palestinians on Friday alone. Five of the rockets used were Grad-type Katyushas.Barak, who had earlier visited Sderot, said that the defense establishment would continue to act and protect southerners and IDF troops.He went on to say, however, that "if the Gaza factions want to resume the truce, we will consider it in a positive light."Earlier Friday, senior Jerusalem officials said that if Hamas stops firing rockets now, the truce could be reestablished.However, they warned that if the attacks continue, Israel's response would be "harsh and painful."They also predicted that a major confrontation with Hamas was "just a matter of time," Army Radio reported.Meanwhile, Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Eli Yishai called for an urgent Security Cabinet meeting to discuss the resumption of rocket fire from Gaza."In practice, there is no truce, and we cannot tolerate a situation in which Sderot and Gaza belt residents are abandoned," Yishai told Army Radio on Friday morning. "There is a deterioration that must be dealt with."Likud MK Gilad Erdan called for a resumption of targeted assassinations against heads of terror organizations. Speaking to Army Radio, Erdan said that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Barak were "burying their heads in the sand" and said Likud was demanding that they "stop this weakness and hesitancy, announce the end of the truce and start targeting, personally and directly, the heads of terror groups, including Hamas."
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Hamas militants fire rockets into southern Israel

Israeli defence Minister Ehud Barak(third from left) looks at rocket damage in a residential street in Sderot.
Photograph: Edi Israel-Pool/Getty
Hamas militants in Gaza fired several rockets into southern Israel today, while Israel kept its crossings into the territory closed as a five-month ceasefire appeared to be collapsing fast.
Violence has returned to the Gaza Strip in the past 10 days. In two separate operations Israeli forces have killed a total of 10 Hamas gunmen. Hamas, and other militant groups, have responded with several days of rocket fire. Today rockets, including longer-range Grad missiles, hit the Israeli towns of Sderot and Ashkelon. The Israeli military fired at rocket launchers in Gaza and two Palestinian gunmen were reported injured.Israel kept its crossings into Gaza shut for the 10th straight day, meaning no food, humanitarian supplies or fuel were delivered. Gaza's sole power plant shut down on Thursday night bringing some blackouts in Gaza City, although electricity delivered over power lines from Israel and Egypt continues to arrive.The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which supports Palestinian refugees, halted its food distribution to 750,000 Gazans because its warehouses had run out of food. As many as 20,000 Palestinians were due to collect their regular food baskets tomorrow but will be turned away empty handed. "Until we are re-supplied, we won't have food," said John Ging, head of operations for UNRWA in Gaza. Israel has prevented journalists from entering Gaza for the past 10 days.It was still unclear whether the ceasefire might yet be salvaged. Ehud Barak, Israel's defence minister, said: "We will keep protecting our soldiers and people and keep acting against attempts to interrupt the ceasefire, but if the other side will want or wish to keep the ceasefire alive, we'll consider it seriously."The truce, which was agreed through Egyptian mediation, has lasted since mid-June and was intended to run for at least six months; while Palestinians hoped it might eventually extend to the occupied West Bank, this always seemed unlikely.In Gaza, Hamas took responsibility for firing the rockets. "The resistance ... is able to hit the Zionist depth," said Hamas lawmaker Mushir al-Masri. "Either there's full commitment to the truce and all its conditions, or the resistance will have a position on every Zionist crime." Mahmoud Zahar, the most senior Hamas leader in Gaza, said in a Friday sermon: "If you want to leave the truce, we are ready. And if you want to continue it, then abide by it."Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU commissioner for external relations, said she was "profoundly concerned" about the closure of the crossings and pressed for a halt to the violence. "I call on Israel to re-open the crossings for humanitarian and commercial flows, in particular food and medicines," she said in a statement.
By Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
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Will Obama Alter Bush Administration's Stance on Missile Defense?

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Preemptive Strike?:Will Missile Threat Provoke Israeli Attack...?

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CIA Chief: Bin Laden Isolated, Fighting to Survive

WASHINGTON-Usama bin Laden is isolated from the day-to-day operations of Al Qaeda, but the terrorist organization he built is spreading its influence in Africa and the Middle East, CIA Director Michael Hayden said Thursday.Al Qaeda remains the single greatest threat to the United States, Hayden said in a speech to the Atlantic Council. "If there is a major strike on this country, it will bear the fingerprints of Al Qaeda.""He is putting a lot of energy into his own survival-a lot of energy into his own security," Hayden said in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington."All the threats we have to the West have a thread that takes it back to the (Afghanistan/Pakistan) border," Hayden added.Hayden said there has been no spike in terrorist "chatter" to suggest an attack on the United States linked to the presidential transition."But we don't know what we don't know," he said.He said the intelligence agencies have received "very clear direction" to make this the smoothest transition in history "so there is no diminution in the ability of the republic to defend itself." It is the first wartime transfer of power in 40 years.Hayden said bin Laden, believed to be hiding in the lawless tribal border area of Pakistan, "appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he leads."The hunt for bin Laden remains at the top of the CIA's priority list."His death or capture clearly would have a significant impact on the confidence of his followers-both core Al Qaeda and unaffiliated extremists throughout the world," Hayden said.Al Qaeda-affiliated groups in the Philippines and Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Iraq have been degraded, but Al Qaeda cells are surfacing elsewhere, Hayden said."In East Africa, Al Qaeda is engaging Somali extremists to revitalize operations," the CIA director said."The recent bombings in Somalia may have been meant, at least in part, to strengthen bona fides with al-Qaida's senior leaders. A merger between al-Shabaab and Al Qaeda could give Somali extremists much-needed funding, while Al Qaeda could claim to be re-establishing its operations base in East Africa."Recent attacks by an Algerian-based, Al Qaeda-linked group known as Lands of the Islamic Maghreb are bigger and more deadly than at any time since the group merged with Al Qaeda two years ago, he said.Al Qaeda also is strengthening in Yemen with an "unprecedented number of attacks" in 2008 and is likely to be a launching pad for attacks against Saudi Arabia.Additionally, Al Qaeda's safe harbor in Pakistan has allowed it to train a "bench of skilled operatives" that can carry out attacks when other plans are disrupted, he said.Iraq also remains a terrorist staging ground. Al Qaeda fighters seasoned in the Iraq war but now leaving for other countries pose a continuing concern, Hayden warned.
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China's Hu to visit Washington, Cuba

BEIJING-Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the G-20 summit of government leaders in Washington later this month, to discuss tackling the world financial crisis, before heading south to visit U.S. ideological foe Cuba.The meeting may bring Hu's first chance to meet the new U.S. President-elect, but he will also face pressure for China to play a larger role in efforts to soften the impact of the worsening financial storm, particularly on the most vulnerable economies.British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and others have called for countries with "substantial reserves," such as China, to contribute more to the International Monetary Fund.Beijing has kept the door open to greater participation, with a vague yet positive offer last week to consider pitching in, but has not spelled out what it might expect in return.After the Washington Summit Hu will head south to Peru for the meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news conference Tuesday.He will also pay state visits to Greece, Costa Rica and Cuba, where he will meet fellow Communist leader Raul Castro.Castro may be hoping for Chinese help to weather the global financial crisis, which has come as a painful blow to the small island nation, already reeling from two powerful hurricanes and soaring import prices.
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Russian leader Medvedev heading to Cuba,Venezuela

MOSCOW-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev plans to travel this month to Cuba and Venezuela, which have increasing military and trade ties with Moscow.The U.S. has objected to Russia's greater links with the two countries that have antagonistic relations with Washington.Medvedev will visit Cuba on Nov. 27, the Kremlin press service said. He will also visit Brazil during the trip.The Soviet Union was a stalwart supporter of Cuban leader Fidel Castro during the Cold War. Under Hugo Chavez, Venezuela has moved to buy millions of dollars in Russian weaponry and invited Russian energy giants to drill in the country's oil fields.A Russian naval flotilla is on its way to the Caribbean to hold joint military exercises with Venezuelan forces.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081114/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_medvedev_cuba
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"Imperial Ambition":Peres Says Iran May Lose Nuke Funding

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Iran May Have to Abandon Nuclear Program, Israeli President Shimon Peres Says

NEW YORK-Tumbling oil prices will force a weakened Iran to consider abandoning its nuclear ambitions, Israeli President Shimon Peres said in an interview with FOX News senior correspondent Eric Shawn."The minute a barrel of oil goes down to its real cost, the Iranians will have to make a choice either to provide bread and butter for their children or to provide enriched uranium for the prestige of their leaders," Peres told FOX News in a wide-ranging interview Wednesday."Until now they had enough money to do the two things; no more."Oil prices have fallen 60 percent since reaching an all-time high of more than $145 a barrel in July, as the global financial crisis has weakened currencies and lowered energy consumption, causing energy prices to plummet in their wake.Iran now stands at a vital crossroads,Peres says, with a struggling economy based on exporting its massive reserves of crude oil and natural gas.The country faces a growing budget deficit and has an official inflation rate of 28 percent.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has pledged the destruction of Israel, and the U.S. and the United Nations have imposed stiff economic sanctions on Iran for supporting terrorism and pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Peres, considered the father of Israel's undeclared nuclear program, said the world would not be cowed by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons."Look, we want to remain alive. The world does not belong to you and we have enough strength to call you to order," he said of Iran, which he called the world's lead financer of terror."We have nothing against their people-it's a small group of fanatic, ambitious leaders that think they are the lord in heaven, they have to right to kill, the right to wipe out a nation," said Peres, who is in New York for a "Culture of Peace" interfaith dialogue at the U.N. arranged by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.Peres praised the interfaith initiative as "a major U-turn in Arab life" and suggested that Sunni Saudi Arabia may find common ground with Israel in the face of Shiite Iran, which he accused of harboring "imperial ambitions" in the Middle East."They want to govern the Middle East religiously and they will throw away all the existing systems and regimes," he said, arguing that a solid international front against Iran could force the county to change."The Iranians are taking advantage of the fact that the world is divided," Peres said."Once there is a unified policy vis a vis Iran, you will see Iran changing."
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Colorado City Considers Ban on Religious Symbols

GOLDEN, Colo.-The City of Golden is considering a ban on religious symbols on city property after a rabbi asked to put a menorah next to a tree strung with holiday lights.Golden City Council will vote Thursday night on a proposal that would enact a ban on all religious symbols on city property. Some say if they allow the 6-to-8 foot menorah to be placed here, there's no telling how many other groups will come forward demanding their own displays.Rabbi Levi Brackman wants the menorah placed alongside Golden's annual Christmas display near 10th and Washington. "Just like any other child who comes along and sees from their tradition, the lights on the tree," Brackman said. "When a Jewish kid comes along, why shouldn't they also be able to see a menorah?"The city says it's not the menorah, it's the precedent. "The goal here is to set guidelines. The city has had a history of having a display downtown that didn't include any kind of specific religious message or theme," said Jonathan Ashford, City of Golden Spokesperson. "We've tried to keep it neutral, very open, very inclusive." Brackman says if the city does ban all religious symbols, it's discrimination."I'm astonished," he said. "We went to Evergreen and we have one at the Lakehouse in Evergreen, and it was a no-brainer. We went in there, they said, 'Sure, absolutely, no problem.'" The city says all it wants is to have a non-religious holiday display for everyone, and that in the interest of inclusivity, they will now call Christmas trees "Holiday Trees" instead."Supreme Court ruled that an evergreen tree with lights is not a secular thing," Ashford said. "It's a holiday celebration. It's a decorated tree."The Supreme Court decision allows both a Christmas tree and menorah to be placed on city-owned property."I just say, 'What's wrong with having religious symbols?' The Supreme Court has already ruled on this, so the precedent is there. I don't see the issue," Brackman said. Whichever way council votes following their public hearing, it will not affect most of Golden's holiday decorations downtown. The Chamber of Commerce will still have all of their displays. This issue only affects city-owned property.There was a similar debate in Fort Collins last year. City leaders considered banning religious symbols, which brought dozens of angry phone calls and emails. Fort Collins ended up allowing religious decorations.The Golden City Council will take the issue Thursday at 7 p.m.

By Terry Jessup
To watch the video click on the URL below:
http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=220563
http://cbs4denver.com/local/holiday.decorations.golden.2.863045.html
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SHARIA'A LAW WATCH:Somali Islamists seize town,impose Islamic law

MOGADISHU, Somalia-Advancing ever closer to Somalia's beleaguered capital, heavily armed Islamic fighters declared Thursday they will use strict Muslim rules to bring their lawless Horn of Africa country back under control.The latest conquest by Islamic forces came late Wednesday in Elasha, 10 miles, (16 kilometers) from the capital of Mogadishu. Thousands of people who have fled a bloody, two-year insurgency are living there in flimsy huts made of sticks and plastic tarp.Islamic fighters now control most of southern and central Somalia, with the crucial exceptions of Mogadishu and Baidoa, where the parliament for Somalia's weak, U.N.-backed government sits."Our fighters have taken the control of the area to provide security for the displaced people" suffering under the constant fighting, said Abdirahin Isse Adow, a spokesman for the Islamist forces in Elasha.The insurgents, who are fighting to enforce Shariah law in Somalia, are not a homogenous group. Al-Shabab, which the U.S. considers a terror group because of its leaders' alleged links to al-Qaida, controls the most territory. Elasha, however, was taken over by relatively more moderate fighters.In recent weeks, al-Shabab has carried out a public execution by stoning—reportedly of a 13-year-old gang rape victim—and lashings of alleged thieves."We inform you that from today on, all areas under our control will be ruled by Islam," Shabab commander Sheik Abukar told residents of Merka on Thursday, one day after taking over the key port town without firing a shot. "We will change the behavior of the youth here."Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991, when warlords overthrew a socialist dictator and turned their clan-based militias on each other. The battles have devastated the impoverished nation—half the population is expected to be dependent on food aid by the end of the year."We have no means and power to deploy our army all over the country," Somalia's Chief of General Staff Gen. Said Dheere told The Associated Press. "We have, therefore, confined our army only to strategic stations in Mogadishu and Baidoa."The U.S. worries that Somalia could be a terrorist breeding ground, particularly since Osama bin Laden declared his support for the Islamists. It accuses al-Shabab of harboring the al-Qaida-linked terrorists who allegedly blew up the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, killing over 230 people.The U.S. sent a small number of special operations troops with the Ethiopian forces in 2006 and in 2007 conducted several airstrikes in an attempt to kill suspected al-Qaida members.The Islamists' recent conquests echo events in Somalia in 2006, when a group known as the Council of Islamic Courts took over much of the southern Somalia and the capital for six months before troops from Ethiopia—the region's military powerhouse—arrived to drive them out.The Islamists had brought southern Somalia a semblance of stability, but also frightened people into submission by carrying out public executions and floggings.This time, the Islamic groups are not united. More moderate Islamists have signed peace deals with the government, while hard-liners are refusing to negotiate until the mostly Christian Ethiopian troops leave.The Ethiopians, hemorrhaging money and troops, have already pulled back from some positions as part of the peace deal with the moderates. The Ethiopian regime says it wants to withdraw, but others believe it has calculated that an occupation of Somalia is better than having a radical Islamist regime next door.Many Somalis say they are willing to accept the Shariah restrictions if the Islamists can deliver the stability the government has failed to bring.Islamist fighters rode unchallenged into both Merka and Elasha after the pro-government militia deserted, waving and smiling at residents. They shouted "God is great!", rifles slung casually across their backs."The Islamist fighters do not loot our property and do not extort money," said Yusuf Keynan, whose shop in Merka lies a stone's throw from the azure Indian Ocean.But others fear the war is just the latest chapter in two decades of clan-based fighting."I am Muslim, my father and grandfather were Muslim too, so there is no question that I prefer Shariah law," Farhan Abdi Abdulle, a 19-year-old student, said in Mogadishu. "But I do not want Shariah law misinterpreted by particular group as a tool for taking power."
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94E59J80&show_article=1&catnum=0
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Moroccan Teen Convicted of Picking Soccer Over King

RABAT,Morocco-A Moroccan youth given a suspended prison sentence for scribbling that he preferred a soccer club to his king said Thursday he fears the ruling could jeopardize his professional future.An appeals court on Wednesday upheld Yassine Belassal's conviction and one-year suspended sentence for "disrespect to the kingdom's national motto," authorities said. The 18-year-old karate champion had written "God, Homeland and Barca" on a classroom chalkboard, referring to his favorite soccer club FC Barcelona in Spain. Morocco's motto is "God, Homeland and the King."Defaming King Mohammed VI(picture left) or the royal family is punishable by up to five years in prison in the North African nation.Police detained Belassal in October after a teacher reported finding him scrawling the phrase on a blackboard.Belassal had pleaded guilty to the charge, and said Thursday he was happy to have avoided jail time in the sentencing."But I'm worried for my professional future and for my sports career,"Belassal told The Associated Press."I fear that the national karate team won't want me now because of this judgment."His lawyer, Mustapha Errachidi, said the accusations against his client were murky and the judgment unfair.Morocco's Human Rights League also criticized the conviction. Its president, Abdelhamid Amine, said the organization believes "he never committed any crime."
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Two schoolgirls blinded in acid attack in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan-Two men on a motorcycle used water pistols to spray acid on girls walking to school Wednesday in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, blinding at least two of them, military spokesmen said. U.S. Col. Greg Julian said Afghanistan's National Military Command Center told him that four girls were hurt in the incident. Two were blinded and remain hospitalized, and two were treated and released, he said.The men escaped after the attack, and no one claimed responsibility for it, but Arab-language network Al-Jazeera said Taliban militants were suspected to be responsible.The incident occurred about 8 a.m. near Mirwais Nika Girls High School in the Meir Weis Mena district.Kandahar government spokesman Parwaz Ayoubi gave different figures on the number of girls injured, saying six were burned, one of them severely. He called the attackers "enemies of education."Girls were forbidden to attend school under the Taliban, which ruled the country from 1996 to 2001, when U.S.-led forces removed them from power.According to Al-Jazeera, the girls were attacked with battery acid.Two teenage sisters, one of whom suffered serious burns, were among the victims. "We were on the way to school when two men on motorbikes stopped next to us. One of them threw acid on my sister's face. I tried to help her, and then they threw acid on me, too," Latefa, 16, told the Qatar-based satellite network."We were shouting, and people came to see what was going on. Then the two men escaped," she said. Latefa told Al-Jazeera that she was hurt, and her 18-year-old sister was in serious condition with acid burns on her face.Al-Jazeera said schoolgirls in Kandahar can be recognized by their uniform of black pants, white shirt, black coat and head scarf.The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan condemned the incident, as well as a suicide bombing that occurred near a government building hours later that killed and wounded several civilians, including women and children."These cowardly acts reflect how dishonorable the insurgents truly are," Gen. David McKiernan said in a statement posted on the Web site of the International Security Assistance Force. "No one can honestly say they are fighting for the people, then purposefully attack innocent women and children," he said.


http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/12/afghanistan.acid.attack/index.html
PS:These taleban vermin do not fight for the people.They are just murderous,criminal thugs that are JUST bloodthristy,That is all.Ahhhh...and BTW they are ignorant too,and they dont want anybody to get any education.
To them women are less than mules....
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"I'VE GOT A CHANCE TO SEE GOD TODAY":Teen 'Reincarnation of Buddha' Draws Crowds

RATANPUR,Nepal-The teenage boy revered as a reincarnation of Buddha sat silently in the jungle as he blessed his devotees Wednesday with a light tap on the head, which they consider the touch of the divine.His face was still, his long hair spilled over his white robe, and he never said a word.The followers of Ram Bahadur Bamjan, 18, believe he has been meditating without food and water since he was first spotted in the jungles of southern Nepal in 2005, when believers say he spent months without moving, sitting with his eyes closed beneath a tree.Bamjan re-emerged this week to meet his followers, who have come by the thousands to see him in the jungles of Ratanpur, about 100 miles south of Katmandu."I got a chance to see God today," Bishnu Maya Khadka, a housewife, said after receiving Bamjan's blessing Wednesday. "They say he is Buddha, but for me he is just God." Bamjan was expected to address his followers on Nov. 18 and then retreat again into the jungle for meditation, said Kamal Tamang, a Buddhist priest.Bamjan received the pilgrims from atop a podium covered in yellow cloth and placed before a massive tree. He looked healthy and strong and showed no signs of starvation or dehydration.Buddhism, which has about 325 million followers, mostly in Asia, teaches that every soul is reincarnated after death in another bodily form.Some Buddhist priests have been reluctant to accept Bamjan as a true reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, who was born in southwestern Nepal roughly 2,500 years ago and became revered as the Buddha, or Enlightened One."Meditating without food does not prove that he is the reincarnation of Buddha,"said Min Bahadur Shakya of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods, a Buddhist research center in Katmandu."There is much study needed to be done." The devotees who have flocked to visit him have fewer doubts. Colorful prayer flags fluttered and incense filled the air Wednesday as the pilgrims silently approached Bamjan, who was surrounded by a line of Buddhist monks."I have no doubt in my mind he is a God," said Meg Bahadur Lama, a local farmer. "He has been meditating without food and water and no human can achieve such a feat. I used to hear about such miracles in the past but now I got to see one."


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450564,00.html

PS:How sad to see that all these people are so deceived as to think that this boy is "GOD"...!

As in the days of Noah...

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ENVIRO WATCH:Brown Cloud Of Soot Threatens Health In Asia

A U.N. report says a massive pollution cloud is causing climate chaos across Asia...
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SIGN of the TIMES:Paranoia on the rise, experts say

If you think they're out to get you, you're not alone.Paranoia, once assumed to afflict only schizophrenics, may be a lot more common than previously thought. According to British psychologist Daniel Freeman, nearly one in four Londoners regularly have paranoid thoughts. Freeman is a paranoia expert at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College and the author of a book on the subject.Experts say there is a wide spectrum of paranoia, from the dangerous delusions that drive schizophrenics to violence to the irrational fears many people have daily. "We are now starting to discover that madness is human and that we need to look at normal people to understand it," said Dr. Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Van Os was not connected to Freeman's studies.Paranoia is defined as the exaggerated or unfounded fear that others are trying to hurt you. That includes thoughts that other people are trying to upset or annoy you, for example, by staring, laughing, or making unfriendly gestures.Surveys of several thousands of people in Britain, the United States and elsewhere have found that rates of paranoia are slowly rising, although researchers' estimates of how many of us have paranoid thoughts varies widely, from 5 percent to 50 percent.A British survey of more than 8,500 adults found that 21 percent of people thought there had been times when others were acting against them. Another survey of about 1,0000 adults in New York found that nearly 11 percent thought other people were following or spying on them.Dennis Combs, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler, has been studying paranoia for about a decade. When he first started conducting paranoia studies, mostly in college students, he found that about 5 percent of them had paranoid thoughts. In recent years, that has tripled to about 15 percent, he said.In a small experiment in London, Freeman concluded that a quarter of people riding the subway in the capital probably have regular thoughts that qualify as paranoia. In the study, 200 randomly selected people (those with a history of mental problems were excluded) took a virtual reality train ride. They recorded their reactions to computerized passengers programmed to be neutral.More than 40 percent of study participants had at least some paranoid thoughts. Some felt intimidated by the computer passengers, claiming they were aggressive, had made obscene gestures, or tried to start a fight.
Freeman said that in big cities, many ambiguous events can lead to paranoid thoughts.
To read more go to:
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SIGN of the TIMES:"Pregnant Man Expecting Second Child"


The above picture shows Thomas Beatie as he was...a beautiful young woman.
He went from this to the picture below.....
Thomas Beatie, the transgender man who became famous as the "pregnant man," is seen here with his wife, Nancy Beatie, their daughter Susan Juliette Beatie, and ABC News' Barbara Walters.

Thomas Beatie, the controversial "pregnant man" who gave birth to a daughter earlier this year, reveals to Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview that he is pregnant again with his second child. Thomas Beatie, a transgender, welcomed a baby girl, Susan, June 29. Since sharing the story of Susan's birth with ABC News, he and his wife, Nancy Beatie, hadn't spoken to the media until they sat down last month with Walters.Thomas Beatie, who is in his first trimester, tells Walters he did not go back on the male hormone testosterone after Susan's birth so he could have another baby. "I feel good," he said. "I had my checkups with my hormone level, as far as the HCG. And everything is right on track."He says the baby is due June 12.Thomas Beatie also spoke to Walters about Susan's birth, which was not via Caesarean section. He was in labor for 40 hours; Nancy Beatie cut the umbilical cord.In the spring, Thomas Beatie wrote an article in the national gay magazine The Advocate, revealing that he was legally male and that he was pregnant. He released a photo showing his bearded face and pregnant belly. The news-and the controversial photo -ignited a media frenzy and provoked questions about traditional notions about sex and gender. "Hiding a pregnant man is like hiding an 800-pound gorilla," he said of his decision to go public. "Nancy and I wanted to tell our story from our own mouths before it got out."...When asked why he makes many people uneasy, Thomas Beatie said, "I think that people are not used to seeing the image of a pregnant man. And it's causing a lot of people to think. … I used my female reproductive organs to become a father."
By ALAN B. GOLDBERG and KATIE N. THOMSON


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PS:This story saddens me...Do you think God was wrong when He created Thomas as a beautiful woman....???
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After California Loss, Gays Get Right to Wed in Connecticut

NEW HAVEN, Conn.-Same-sex couples began marrying in Connecticut on Wednesday after a judge cleared the way, a partial rebound for gay-rights activists still enraged over the vote last week that cost them the right to wed in California.Protests spread across the country over the loss in California, but in New Haven, bubbles and white balloons bounced in the chilly autumn air as well-wishers cheered the marriage of Peg Oliveira and Jennifer Vickery. They wed outside City Hall,next to a statue commemorating the Amistad slave ship's struggle for freedom, less than two hours after a judge made gay marriage a reality in Connecticut.Despite the roaring traffic and clicking cameras, "It was surprisingly quiet," Oliveira said after the brief ceremony."Everything else dissolved, and it was just the two of us. It was so much more personal and powerful in us committing to one another, and so much less about the people around us."The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a 2005 civil union law designed to give them the same rights as married couples.A lower-court judge entered a final order permitting same-sex marriage Wednesday morning."Today, Connecticut sends a message of hope an inspiration to lesbian and gay people throughout this country who simply want to be treated as equal citizens by their government," said the plaintiff's attorney, Bennett Klein.There was no comparison between civil unions and marriage for Robin Levine-Ritterman and Barbara Levine-Ritterman, who obtained a civil union in 2005 and were among eight same-sex couples who sued for the right to marry."We didn't do it with pride or joy," Barbara Levine-Ritterman said of getting the civil-union license. "It felt gritty to be in a separate line."On Wednesday, however, she proudly held up the first same-sex marriage license issued in New Haven as about 100 people applauded outside City Hall. She and her betrothed, who held red roses, plan to marry in May."It's thrilling today," Barbara Levine-Ritterman said. "We are all in one line for one form. Love is love, and the state recognizes it."Massachusetts is the only other state that allows gay marriages.
To read more go to:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D94DJAH80&show_article=1
WARNING:GRAPHIC IMAGES....!!!!


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Why believe in God?

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'Why Believe in a God?' Ad Campaign Launches on D.C. Buses

WASHINGTON,D.C.-You better watch out.There is a new combatant in the Christmas wars.Ads proclaiming, "Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness' sake," will appear on Washington, D.C., buses starting next week and running through December.The American Humanist Association unveiled the provocative $40,000 holiday ad campaign Tuesday.In lifting lyrics from "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," the Washington-based group is wading into what has become a perennial debate over commercialism, religion in the public square and the meaning of Christmas."We are trying to reach our audience, and sometimes in order to reach an audience, everybody has to hear you," said Fred Edwords, spokesman for the humanist group. "Our reason for doing it during the holidays is there are an awful lot of agnostics, atheists and other types of non-theists who feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion."To that end, the ads and posters will include a link to a Web site that will seek to connect and organize like-minded thinkers in the D.C. area, Edwords said.Edwords said the purpose isn't to argue that God doesn't exist or change minds about a deity, although "we are trying to plant a seed of rational thought and critical thinking and questioning in people's minds."The group defines humanism as "a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity."Last month, the British Humanist Association caused a ruckus announcing a similar campaign on London buses with the message: "There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."In Washington, the humanists' campaign comes as conservative Christian groups gear up their efforts to keep Christ in Christmas. In the past five years, groups such as the American Family Association and the Catholic League have criticized or threatened boycotts of retailers who use generic "holiday" greetings.In mid-October, the American Family Association started selling buttons that say "It's OK to say Merry Christmas." The humanists' entry into the marketplace of ideas did not impress AFA president Tim Wildmon."It's a stupid ad," he said. "How do we define 'good' if we don't believe in God? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what's good and bad and right and wrong. If we are each ourselves defining what's good, it's going to be a crazy world."Also on Tuesday, the Orlando, Fla.-based Liberty Counsel, a conservative Christian legal group, launched its sixth annual "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign." Liberty Counsel has intervened in disputes over nativity scenes and government bans on Christmas decorations, among other things."It's the ultimate grinch to say there is no God at a time when millions of people around the world celebrate the birth of Christ," said Mathew Staver, the group's chairman and dean of the Liberty University School of Law. "Certainly, they have the right to believe what they want but this is insulting."Best-selling books by authors such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens have fueled interest in "the new atheism"-a more in-your-face argument against God's existence.Yet few Americans describe themselves as atheist or agnostic; a Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life poll from earlier this year found 92 percent of Americans believe in God.
There was no debate at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority over whether to take the ad. Spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said the agency accepts ads that aren't obscene or pornographic.
PS:"The fool has said in his heart:there is no God"(psalm 14:1)
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Book Of Mormon Set Ablaze On Church Doorstep May Be Latest in Prop 8 Backlash

LITTLETON, Colo.-A fire outside a Littleton church is being investigated as a bias-motivated arson that may have stemmed from the church's position on an anti-gay marriage amendment in California. Arapahoe County sheriff's deputies responded to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints about 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, about three hours after a church member found a burning copy of The Book of Mormon on the door step.One member of the church saw two white men in a newer model silver sedan, similar to a Honda Civic, in the parking lot at the time the book was found. The men were dressed in suits, but did not appear to be members of the church, the witness said. When the men realized they were seen, they drove out of the parking lot.No damage to the church was reported."I think it was more of a statement than an attempt to burn the building down but it is still classified as arson," said Capt. Mark Fisher, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department.By the time the burned book was handed over to investigators it had been handled by several other church members.The caller who reported the fire told authorities a regional facilities manager indicated similar incidents had occurred at other LDS churches, primarily in California, and may have been in retaliation for the LDS church's stance on Proposition 8.President Tom Priday spoke with 7News on the phone but said he had no comment.Marcia Koster, a member of the LDS church, called the incident "unfortunate."Prop 8 bans same-sex marriage in the California constitution and passed last week. Members of the Mormon church contributed millions of dollars in support of Prop 8. Since Election Day, gay rights supporters have targeted Mormon churches all across the country.The Mormon Church had released a statement saying, in part, "It is wrong to target the church and its sacred places of worship for being part of the Democratic process."The sheriff's department said the LDS church requested increased patrols as a result of the situation.Anyone with information on the Littleton Church book burning is asked to contact the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office at 303-795-4711.
To watch the video click on the URL below:
http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=219903
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17964575/detail.html
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'Pastor to presidents' Replaced by Gay Bishop

Episopal bishop Rev.Gene Robinson(R) with his partner Mark Andrew(L) getting "married"
A conservative Christian activist says it's a sad omen for the Obama administration and the United States that Barack Obama has been seeking guidance from the Episcopal Church's first openly homosexual bishop.The Times of London reports that the president-elect sought out New Hampshire homosexual bishop Vicki Gene Robinson for advice three times during his presidential campaign. Robinson, whose ordination in the Episcopal Church has caused a deep rift within the Anglican Communion, was reportedly sought out by Obama to discuss what it feels like to be "first." Robinson notes in their three private conversations, Obama voiced his support for "equal civil rights" for homosexuals and described the election as a "religious experience." Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, believes Obama's consultations with Robinson show the true tenor of his upcoming administration. "It looks like Billy Graham has been replaced by a gay bishop. We're moving to, perhaps, our first anti-Christian president; it's beyond post-Christian.Gene Robinson advocates homosexuality as part of the Christian experience," he explains. "Now Bible-believing Christians cannot accept that. Homosexual practice is sinful, as taught by the scriptures.This man [Obama] pretends to be faithful to Christianity, even as he works very hard to undermine it."LaBarbera suggests Robinson may possibly replace Jeremiah Wright as one of Obama's main spiritual advisers. Wright was Obama's Chicago pastor for 20 years before disassociating with the controversial preacher during the presidential campaign.
by Jim Brown
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Obama offers 'open door' to gender-confused

A conservative activist is expressing alarm over president-elect Barack Obama's plan to expand a Clinton-era executive order that provides special protections for federal employees based on their sexual behavior.The Obama-Biden transition team has included both "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" in its non-discrimination policy for applicants for employment in the incoming Obama administration. President Bush, much to the chagrin of many social conservatives, did not overturn Bill Clinton's executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. However, the Clinton order does not address so-called gender identity.Word of Obama's planned executive order has excited his allies on the left. Christopher Anders, senior legislative counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union, says "president-elect Obama and vice president-elect Biden, by explicitly rejecting the bigotry and intolerance of the past, are committing that gay, lesbian, and transgender professionals can serve in government without fear of discrimination."Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says Obama's new non-discrimination policy will be an "open door" for gender-confused and cross-dressing federal employees. "What's the Obama administration going to do to protect women in federal restrooms?" the activist asks. "Since men wearing dresses apparently are going to be protected under gender-identity provisions, what about the women in the restrooms in the White House and other federal buildings? What's going to be done to protect their rights?" LaBarbera even wonders if there is going to have to be a new federal outlay for the building of new "gender-free, transgender restrooms." The president-elect has been a supporter of a version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that offers special protections for transgender employees.
By Jim Brown
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Pastor Gives Sex Challenge to Church

The pastor of a Dallas-area church says he will challenge his married congregants during his sermon Sunday to have sex for seven straight days, and he plans to practice what he preaches. He says society promotes promiscuous sex...

PS:I dont personally know this pastor,but I wonder what about encouraging 7 days of fasting....?I hope "God" told him so...I sincerely hope so....It never ceases to amaze me what I hear from churches in the hour we are living in....
IF you that are reading attend this church would you please email me and tell me more about it?
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Cross-Bearing Elderly Woman Attacked by Gay Marriage Supporters, May Press Charges

An elderly woman bearing a cross who attended a gay marriage protest to voice her support of the California ban was attacked by demonstrators and may now press charges.Carrying a large, Styrofoam cross, 69-year-old Phyllis Burgess showed up at a rally last Friday against Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage that was passed on Election Day in California.She was there to show her belief in traditional marriage, she said.Within minutes, however, angry protesters swarmed around the Palm Springs resident, yanked the cross from her hands and trampled on it.The incident was videotaped and posted on YouTube.Now, Burgess says she might press assault charges, according to The Desert Sun.“I guess I didn’t see the gravity of the whole thing and how it was being portrayed to the public,” Burgess told the paper. “People are incensed. They seem to want some kind of justice.”Palm Springs police have made no arrests yet, but said they spent time Sunday trying to convince Burgess to file charges against some of the demonstrators.
Click here for more on this story from The Desert Sun.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450884,00.html
PS:This video was so difficult to watch....TO tell you trh truth Im out of words for this kind of people that CRY TOLERANCE when they almost beat this woman carrying a cross.
The people of California HAS SPOKEN--TWICE....They dont want to accept it...I guess it is too bad...The people of California considers marriage ONLY between a man and a woman...Why do they want to get married?They ALREADY are doing whatever they want with their lives,arent they...?
Do they want to impose this RAGE and HATRED agaisnt the rest of society...?
Their ultimate ANGER and RAGE is against GOD himself....
As the bible says....some have already condemned themselves by rejecting HIM...
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Conference Highlights Success of Therapy for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction

Therapists are confident they can continue to follow their conscience, despite resistance from some professional organizations. Read Focus on the Family's take on the issue.

http://www.citizenlink.org/videofeatures/A000008643.cfm
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Gay Activist Tim Gill and Friends Claim Victory in 106 Races

For years, homosexual multi-millionaire Tim Gill and his like-minded friends have shrewdly targeted key legislative races to defeat candidates who support traditional marriage and family values.In 2004, Gill and his friends poured millions into Gill's home state of Colorado and gave control of the Legislature to those favoring the homosexual agenda. In 2006, they expanded, targeting 70 key races in Colorado and other states and winning an astonishing 50.This year was no different.In addition to investing millions to-unsuccessfully-fight marriage amendments in Arizona, California and Florida, Gill and like-minded contributors supported candidates in at least 147 state races and won 106 of them.Focus on the Family Action worked to inform voters about Gill's agenda-as did the mainstream media.The Wall Street Journal,The New York Sun and Time magazine all published articles highlighting Gill's strategy.Having personally poured more than $150 million into homosexual advocacy, Gill has said his mission is to “punish the wicked”-those who stand in the way of his gay agenda.Focus on the Family Action is committed to standing in his way."We believe marriage is integral to the next generation of children and a thriving society," said Jenny Tyree, marriage analyst at Focus Action. "And we will continue to minister to families and defend marriage in public policy."
FOR MORE INFORMATION
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Lawsuits Seek to Silence Voters on Prop. 8

California has voted-twice-to define marriage as the union between one man and one woman. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed-twice-legislation that would have legalized same-sex "marriage."But three lawsuits sitting at the California Supreme Court argue none of that matters.After Proposition 8 won 52 percent of the vote last week, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights rushed their lawsuits to the state's highest court.Their contention: The marriage-protection amendment to the constitution is unconstitutional.Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the California Supreme Court rejected an identical claim in July. "Nothing new has been raised in these lawsuits that suggests a different outcome," he said. "Even the four activist justices on the court who trampled the will of the people in May will have to follow the law this time and dismiss this frivolous challenge."Hausknecht said Schwarzenegger also is off-base in opposing Prop. 8."The governor's preference for the opinion of four activist judges rather than the 5.8 million citizens who voted for Prop. 8 boggles the mind," he said. "His ignorance of the constitutional roles of the courts vs. the people is especially alarming coming from the chief executive of the nation's most populous state."
By Jennifer Mesko
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Iran diplomat kidnapped, insecurity mounts in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan-Gunmen abducted an Iranian diplomat in Peshawar on Thursday, a day after a U.S. aid worker was shot dead in the city on the front line of an Islamist insurgency sweeping northwest Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan. Suspicion for the kidnapping will inevitably fall on the Taliban and affiliated Sunni Muslim militant groups such as al Qaeda, who hate Shi'ite Muslims and predominantly Shi'ite Iran almost as much as they hate the West. Criminal gangs using religion as a cover are also active in the area.Spiraling violence has raised fears that nuclear-armed Pakistan could slide into chaos unless the 7-month-old civilian government, also faced with a potentially crippling economic crisis, and the army can throttle the militant threat.Pakistan's support is seen as vital to the West's efforts to defeat al Qaeda globally and the Taliban in Afghanistan.The Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that its Peshawar consulate's commercial attache Heshmatollah Attarzadeh Niyaki had been kidnapped. A policeman assigned to guard him was shot and killed trying to resist the assailants, police said. "On hearing gun shots, I rushed out of my home and saw the body of the guard lying there,"Abid Hussain, a neighbor of the diplomat, told Reuters."By that time Attarzadeh had been taken away."The Iranian diplomat was on his way to the consulate from his home when his car was ambushed in Hayatabad, a neighborhood bordering the Khyber tribal region.U.S. aid worker Steve Vance and his driver were killed outside the home where Vance lived with his wife and five children in Peshawar on Wednesday.In late August, three members of the U.S. consulate in Peshawar escaped unhurt after gunmen ambushed their vehicle.Peshawar is the last city on the road to the Khyber Pass, the main land route to Afghanistan. Militants seized 13 trucks laden with supplies for Western forces on the road on Monday.U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood said in Washington late on Wednesday that the consulate in Peshawar had put out a notification urging employees and other Americans in the area to stay at home or in their offices until further notice.Afghanistan's ambassador-designate was kidnapped in Hayatabad on September 22, and there has been a rash of other kidnappings in recent weeks, including a Polish engineer snatched in the nearby city of Attock last month.Iran's state radio quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi condemning the kidnapping as "a terrorist act," while Iran's Student News Agency (ISNA) reported the ministry had summoned Pakistan's envoy in Tehran to protest the inadequate protection provided for its diplomat.
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LEWDNESS WATCH:Resort plans nude "anything goes" party

CANBERRA-An Australian holiday resort will hold a month-long, nude "anything goes" party to combat an expected economic downturn, media reports said on Thursday."Tough economic times call for stiff measures," Tony Fox, the owner of the White Cockatoo resort in Mossman, in tropical Queensland state, told the Courier-Mail newspaper."It will be a hedonism resort, where anything goes for a month. It doesn't take rocket science to work out what it means," Fox said, naming March as the risque party month.The controversial "clothes optional" resort made headlines three years ago when police were called to end partner-swapping parties after a swathe of public complaints. "You've got to wonder what sort of people go and why. Where is the moral code of behavior and how do you stop jealousies and fights?" Cairns Catholic Bishop James Foley said after Fox's announcement.But local regional Mayor Val Schier said she was not opposed to the event as long as no laws were broken."People in tropical north Queensland are extraordinarily creative," Schier said. "It is tough economic times and as long as it is with consenting adults, then there is no problem."Australia's tourism in industry is being hit hard by global economic turmoil with official figures showing a 7.6 percent decline in overseas visitors in September.Industry leaders expect holiday bookings may drop by up to a third in early 2009 and are planning a new international advertising campaign to coincide with the movie "Australia" starring Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.Fox said his resort was almost fully booked for the month-long rainforest party.
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Australian web filter to block 10,000 internet sites

AUSTRALIA'S mandatory net filter is being primed to block 10,000 websites as part of a blacklist of unspecified "unwanted content".Some 1300 websites have already been identified by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. Communications Minister Senator Conroy revealed details of the Rudd Government's proposed web filter as he called for expressions of interest from internet service providers (ISPs) for a live trial of the technology, the Courier-Mail reports. ISPs will test ways to filter the web using volunteer subscribers. The trial will start before Christmas and is expected to last six weeks.What's the best way to control inappropriate web content? Comment below"The pilot will specifically test filtering against the ACMA blacklist of prohibited content, which is mostly child pornography, as well as filtering of other unwanted content," Senator Conroy told Parliament today. "While the ACMA blacklist is currently around 1300 URLs, the pilot will test against this list - as well as filtering for a range of URLs to around 10,000 - so that the impacts on network performance of a larger blacklist can be examined."A spokesman for Mr Conroy later said:''The pilot will provide an invaluable opportunity for ISPs to inform the Government’s approach.''The live pilot will provide valuable real-world evidence of the potential impact on internet speeds and costs to industry and will help ensure we implement a filtering solution that is efficient, effective and easy for Australian families to use.''An ACMA trial of web-filtering technology this year found it could slow internet access by as much as 87 per cent and by at least 2 per cent. Electronic Frontiers Australia board member Colin Jacobs said his civil liberties group was concerned at what would be deemed "unwanted content". "It is unclear how ACMA will scale up their blacklist to 10,000 websites and what will go on the list," he said. "Conroy said the list would contain illegal and unwanted content but we still have to see what would end up on that list. "Under the current mandate that includes adult material, which would mean most material that could be rated R and, in some circumstances, material rated MA15+."
By Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson
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LOVE WAXING COLD:Serbia: Mental Patients Snatched From Hospital Harvested for Organs

BELGRADE,Serbia-Mental patients who disappeared in the aftermath of the Kosovo conflict may have fallen victim to organ-traffickers in neighboring Albania, Serb prosecutors said Thursday.Serbia's war crimes prosecutor spokesman Bruno Vekaric told The Associated Press that authorities have evidence as part of an investigation into the fate of more than 300 Serbs allegedly abducted by ethnic Albanian rebels during and after the 1998-99 Kosovo war.Vekaric said the disappearance of 40 people in 2001 from a mental hospital in the Kosovo town of Stimlje may have been linked to the alleged ring. Vekaric alleged the patients were transported to Albania in vans and have not been seen since. "The reliable evidence fits the picture that something gruesome was going on in Albania," Vekaric said.However, the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal investigated in 2002 and 2003, and concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove the ring existed.Memli Krasniqi, a spokesman for the Kosovo government, said the claims were "mere speculation from Belgrade." A spokesman for the Kosovo police said that Serbian authorities should give any evidence they have to the international prosecutor.Vekaric's remarks seemed intended to pressure Albania to revive an investigation into the alleged ring.Albania's top prosecutor has refused to reopen the investigation.In "The Hunt: War Criminals and Me," published earlier this year, former chief U.N. war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte wrote that about 300 people were kidnapped and transported to Albania, where they disappeared. There were reports that some were victims of an organ harvesting operation, Del Ponte wrote. She did not identify the source of those reports. Thousands were killed as Serb security troops cracked down on Kosovo Albanian separatists. The conflict ended after NATO bombed Serbia in 1999.Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in February, a declaration Serbia does not accept.
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ENVIRO WATCH:Calif dirty air kills more than car crashes

FRESNO, Calif.-Lowering air pollution in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley would save more lives annually than ending all motor vehicle fatalities in the two regions, according to a new study.The study, which examined the costs of air pollution in two areas with the worst levels in the country, also said meeting federal ozone and fine particulate standards could save $28 billion annually in health care costs, school absences, missed work and lost income potential from premature deaths.
The price tag amounts to $1,600 annually per person in the San Joaquin Valley and $1,250 in the South Coast Air Basin.
Researchers at California State University-Fullerton sought to assess the potential economic benefits that could be achieved by reducing air pollution to levels within federal standards."For decades there has been a tug of war over what to do about air pollution," said Jane Hall, lead author of the study at Cal State Fullerton. "We are paying now for not having done enough."To illustrate its point, the study noted that the California Highway Patrol recorded 2,521 vehicular deaths in the San Joaquin Valley and South Coast Air Basin in 2006, compared to 3,812 deaths attributed to respiratory illness caused by particulate pollution.Studies have indicated a relationship between ozone and particulate pollution and asthma and other respiratory problems, including chronic bronchitis.They also have connected particulate pollution with an increase in cardiovascular problems.Hall and colleague Victor Brajer analyzed ozone and fine particulate concentrations across the two basins in 5-by-5 kilometer grids from 2005 through 2007. The researchers applied those numbers to the health affects they are known to cause, then assigned peer-reviewed economic values to each illness or death that could result."It may be tempting to think California can't afford to clean up, but in fact dirty air is like a $28 billion lead balloon on our economy," Hall said.The findings were released Wednesday as the California Air Resources Board considers controversial new regulations to reduce diesel truck emissions, a move that could cost 170,000 business owners $5.5 billion. According to a board staff report, the savings in health care costs would be $68 billion by 2020 if the regulations were adopted next month.
By TRACIE CONE
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