Israel offers Anglo doctors $60,000 in immigration incentive

"Jewish doctors from the U.K., U.S. and Canada who immigrate to Israel will receive an absorption package worth $60,000, the government and the Nefesh B'Nefesh immigration organization announced Monday."

Attack on US vehicle in Beirut kills 4

"An explosion targeted a U.S. Embassy vehicle Tuesday in northern Beirut, killing four Lebanese and injuring a local embassy employee, an American official said."

17 Palestinians killed in Gaza violence

"An Israeli soldier, left, at the Israel-Gaza border walks with two blindfolded arrested Palestinian men after an operation inside the Gaza Strip, Tuesday Jan. 15, 2008. Israeli tanks, bulldozers and helicopters raided the Gaza Strip Tuesday, killing the militant son of a hardline Hamas leader and 10 other Palestinians in one of the bloodiest days of fighting since Hamas took over the coastal territory in June. Palestinian sniper fire across the border killed a volunteer from Ecuador at an Israeli communal farm. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)"

Israeli tanks, bulldozers, and helicopter gunships ~ how can the world see this as anything but murder?

Dollar tumbles after retail sales drop

"The dollar dropped to its lowest level against the yen in more than two and a half years on Tuesday after weak US economic data opened the door for aggressive interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve."

Merrill Lynch gets fresh $6.6bn injection

"Merrill Lynch on Tuesday said it had raised $6.6bn by selling preferred shares to investors from the Middle East and Asia, as part of a second injection of funds to help shore up the US investment bank’s capital base."

Israel's "back of the bus" rule sparks religious row

Ultra-Orthodox Jews sit aboard a bus in Bnei Brak, near Tel Aviv, January 14, 2008. REUTERS/Gil Cohen Magen

"Every time Israeli student Iris Yoffe takes the bus to Jerusalem, she has to be ready for abuse from ultra-Orthodox Jews who say she should be kept off because she's wearing trousers."

And you thought it was only those "extremist" Muslims that treated women as second class citizens, didn't you?

Citigroup loses almost $10B, slashes dividend

"Citigroup Inc. lost almost $10 billion in last year's final three months, the largest quarterly deficit in the bank's 196-year history, and slashed its dividend as it recorded a mammoth write-down for bad bets on the mortgage industry."

Half of Gazans killed by IDF not involved in terror

"...an examination by Haaretz reveals that the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces was 816 during those two years, and that of them, 360 were civilians who were not affiliated with any armed organizations. Data from B'Tselem, the Israeli human rights organization, show that 152 of the casualties were under age 18, and 48 were under the age of 14."

The "Israeli Murder Force" is particularly effective when waging war against defenseless women and children.

Less Than Human

January 2002: Suspects are processed at Camp X-Ray, Guantanamo, using the Kubark sensory deprivation technique.

"Around the world, Guantánamo is viewed as a stain on the honor and reputation of the United States. It stands as visual evidence of a decision by the United States to repudiate its human rights commitments and the human rights standards that every modern American administration up to the arrival of George W. Bush had championed."

Gulf prankster possible message source

"A threatening radio message at the end of a video showing Iranian patrol boats swarming near U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf may have come from a prankster rather than from the Iranian vessels, the Navy Times newspaper has reported."

Some prank... ~ And, who, pray-tell could possibly be the prankster? Who, could possibly benefit from a war between the US and Iran?

Any country come to mind?

Britain, US in talks on international criminal database: police

"British security agencies have been in talks with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation over plans for a global database of major criminals and suspected terrorists, a police spokesman told AFP Tuesday."

Big Brother on a global scale.

Citigroup Could Write Down Up to $24 Billion

"Citigroup could write down as much as $24 billion due to subprime and credit-related losses, CNBC has learned. In addition, the company could lay off as many as 20,000 workers as part of a comprehensive plan to slash costs and raise capital."

GIRLS are starting to hit puberty at the age of THREE.

"Shocked doctors blame hormones in food and water for some British toddlers showing signs of breast growth. Other pre-school youngsters even experience periods that normally start in their teens – and have temper tantrums just like adolescents."

Captain Ahab and the Islamic whale

"This is a splendid example of what is fundamentally wrong with US foreign policy, like a giant whale self-stranding in a maze of contradictions yet breathing as if exuding fresh air. Washington's Captain Ahab, in the garb of President George W Bush, setting foot in the Middle East, holds the olive branch of Middle East peace in one hand and the Damocles sword of Iran-bashing in the other, a twin agenda in complete disharmony."

Israel to get "smarter" US-made bombs than Saudis

"The United States has agreed in principle to provide Israel with better "smart bombs" than those it plans to sell Saudi Arabia under a regional defence package, senior Israeli security sources said on Sunday."

Candidates’ Unconditional Support Isn’t Right for Jewish State

"Each of the main contenders emphatically favors giving Israel extraordinary material and diplomatic support — continuing the more than $3 billion in foreign aid each year to a country whose per capita income is now 29th in the world. They also believe that this aid should be given unconditionally. None of them criticizes Israel’s conduct, even when its actions threaten U.S. interests, are at odds with American values or even when they are harmful to Israel itself. In short, the candidates believe that the U.S. should support Israel no matter what it does."

Bush Mideast speech draws cool response

"You have all types of contradictions," Shorbagy said. "Talking about freedom when you're occupying two countries in the region: Afghanistan and Iraq. Talking about justice while you're against the (Palestinian) right of return. Talking about democracy while you're against elected groups you don't like...Was he listening to himself?"

Israel won't accept nuke weapons in Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert attends a meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, Jan. 14, 2008. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators took on the most contentious issues in their 100-year conflict Monday, under a U.S.-backed effort to hammer out a final peace deal by the end of the year. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

"Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told a powerful parliamentary panel on Monday that Israel rejects "no options" to block Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, a meeting participant said."

Hey Israel, I hear you talking the talk ~ now let's see you walk the walk. I think you'll find quick, fast, and in a big as* hurry that Iran is much different than the defenseless Palestinians that you murder on a daily basis.

Joint Chiefs chairman: Close Guantanamo

In this photo released by the Department of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen rides the ferry during a visit to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay,Cuba, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008. Mullen said Sunday he favors closing the prison as soon as possible because he believes negative publicity worldwide about treatment of terrorist suspects has been 'pretty damaging' to the image of the United States. (AP Photo/Department of Defense, Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Chad J. McNeeley)

"The chief of the U.S. military said he favors closing the prison here as soon as possible because he believes negative publicity worldwide about treatment of terrorist suspects has been "pretty damaging" to the image of the United States."

"Filipino Monkey" source of US radio threat?

"In recent years, American ships operating in the Middle East have had to contend with a mysterious but profane voice known by the ethnically insulting handle of “Filipino Monkey,” likely more than one person, who listens in on ship-to-ship radio traffic and then jumps on the net shouting insults and jabbering vile epithets."

Gaza parents not allowed to accompany ill children into Israel

Excellent piece from Haaretz.com TV

Gaza parents can't join their sick children in Israel

Palestinians sue for NIS 40 million for land taken by settlers

"Palestinian landowners on whose property the West Bank settlement of Homesh was constructed are demanding NIS 40 million in compensation and the right to access their land. The state is trying to reach an out-of-court compromise in order to avoid a precedent setting ruling."

Olmert: Presence of W. Bank outposts is a 'disgrace'

"Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, speaking before the government on Sunday, said it was a disgrace that Israel hasn't taken action on unauthorized West Bank outposts, according to a participant in the meeting."

US admits Mideast peace deal hangs on fate of Gaza

"A senior US official acknowledged on Saturday that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal would depend on the fate of Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist movement Hamas."

Report: 121 veterans linked to killings

"At least 121 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have committed a killing or been charged in one in the United States after returning from combat, The New York Times reported Sunday."

Bush: Iran threatens global security

"Bush said Iran funds terrorist extremists, undermines peace in Lebanon, sends arms to the Taliban, seeks to intimidate its neighbors with alarming rhetoric, defies the United Nations and destabilizes the entire region by refusing to be open about its nuclear program."

With the "possible" exception of funding the Taliban, Bush could very well have been talking about Israel ~ and, that's exactly what the Arabs were probably thinking.

West Bank's Jewish 'outposts' dig in

"They can drag us away a hundred times and we'll come back," said Landesberg, 18, who like many religious Jews wears a yarmulke and long, curled sideburns. "And if the army wants to stay and guard it, then we win, because if the Israeli army is here, the land is being occupied by Jews."

Tehran: U.S. trying to spread "Iran-phobia"

"Iran charged Sunday that the United States was trying to spread anti-Iranian sentiment in the Mideast by accusing Iranian boats of threatening U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf."