Headlines for a day

West-backed Libyan rebels face Qaddafi who is aided by China, East Europe

Both of Libya's fighting camps are taking delivery of a surging influx of weapons shipments and military personnel – each hoping to use the extra aid for breaking the military standoff in its own favor, DEBKAfile's military sources report. The British, French and Italian military officers bound for rebel headquarters in Benghazi are part of a package that includes arms and military equipment from the US, Britain, France, Italy and Qatar.
On the other side of the Libyan divide, China, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Serbia are keeping the pro-Qaddafi camp's arsenals stocked with new hardware along with combat personnel from Eastern Europe and the former Yugoslavia.

"Bloodbath" would follow overthrow of Assad in Syria

The overthrow of Syrian dictator Basher Assad is not yet imminent, but should it occur, a bloodbath between Syria’s various sects would likely follow, leading Israeli experts on Syria told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.
As in neighboring Iraq, Syria’s diverse population – made up of Sunni Muslims, Druse, Kurds and other groups, who are ruled by the minority Alawites – could, upon the collapse of the Assad regime, turn on each other in a bloody civil conflict.

Rebuilding Japan: Tokyo mulls what might befall it of capital were hit by catastrophe

Laid out like California, according to the locals, it has a wide palm-lined grid of streets and is home to wealthy software-engineers, doctors and lawyers, as well as to a huge number of people working down the road at the phenomenally-successful Tokyo Disneyland.
But on March 11, the residents of Shin-Urayasu found out that the ground beneath their feet, reclaimed from the waters of Tokyo bay some 40 years ago, was not as solid as they had thought.

The Tokyo-Yokohama megacity is the most vulnerable in the world, four times riskier than San Francisco and seven times riskier than Los Angeles, according to Munich Re.

It Never Ends - They Just Want To Kill Us

After listening to some news reports over the recent attack on a Yellow Israeli School bus, I found it no surprise to once again see how plainly and openly the anti-Israel bias is from the Liberal Left Media. Most even failed to report it fully, and others simply said a "bus" was hit by a Hamas anti-Tank missile - omitting the fact that it was a "school" bus. But thank God, for once again we witnessed a miracle. All but one of the children had just been let off the bus when this missile hit. It had been launched some 2.5 kilometers away from out of Gaza. There was one 16 year old still on the bus and he has been badly hurt and is being treated in hospital. Please pray for him and the driver who was also injured. Hamas continued the attack by firing 45 more missiles into Israeli towns with the intent to kill civilians. Of course, with no condemnation from the UN.

Red Cross says no humanitarian crisis in Gaza

The Red Cross in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday said that there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza despite problems such as daily rocket fire and the blockade in the region.
"There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza," said Mathilde Redmatn, deputy director of the Red Cross in Gaza. "If you go to the supermarket, there are products. There are restaurants and a nice beach. The problem is mainly in maintenance of infrastructure and in access to goods."

"Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip is against international law because it is directed at civilians," The Red Cross deputy director said. "We conduct dialogue with Hamas on the matter."

Clinton urges immediate dialogue on Middle East

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged Israel and the Palestinians to resume dialogue immediately even as unrest roils the region. The two parties "are trying to analyze what this means for their future position," Clinton told PBS television.

Iran, Nukes and China's Inroads to the Middle East

The Iranian leaders have detected total confusion, weakness, and incompetence from the White House and have picked up their activities. Iranian agents, who have long infiltrated the region, are helping to incite uprisings in Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, and other countries in the Middle East. As I revealed recently, there is a secret documentary, "The Coming is Upon Us," which will be distributed shortly in the Middle East among the Muslim population, that is calling for the unification of Arabs, the overthrow of U.S.-backed governments, and promising the destruction of Israel and the demise of the U.S.

China, also sensing the weakness of the Obama administration, is helping Iran with its nuclear program exactly as they did with Pakistan with their nuclear bomb. Pakistan recently announced that with the help of China, they were building more nuclear plants, making them the fourth largest nuclear state by the end of this decade.

Flight from U.S. dollar

The U.S. dollar careened lower on foreign exchange markets on Wednesday, catapulting the loonie above the US$1.05 for the first time since November 2007 as renewed confidence in the global recovery sent investors rushing into stocks, commodities and emerging markets.

Michigan: Police Search Cell Phones During Traffic Stops

The Michigan State Police have a high-tech mobile forensics device that can be used to extract information from cell phones belonging to motorists stopped for minor traffic violations. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan last Wednesday demanded that state officials stop stonewalling freedom of information requests for information on the program.

ACLU learned that the police had acquired the cell phone scanning devices and in August 2008 filed an official request for records on the program, including logs of how the devices were used. The state police responded by saying they would provide the information only in return for a payment of $544,680. The ACLU found the charge outrageous.

$6 Gas? Could Happen if Dollar Keeps Getting Weaker

A dollar plumbing three-year lows is hitting Americans squarely in the gas tank, and one economist thinks it could drive prices as high as $6 a gallon or more by summertime under the right conditions. With the greenback coming under increased pressure from Federal Reserve policies and investor appetite for more risk, there seems little direction but up for commodity prices, in particular energy and metals.

Putin's promises sound like a 2012 campaign spiel

In a four-hour nationally televised appearance, the prime minister said not a word Wednesday about his plans for next year's presidential election. The topic has been a subject of fervent debate in recent weeks as President Dmitry Medvedev has shown a desire to stay on for another term.
But by portraying himself as the defender of a strong Russia and making a string of campaign-like promises to improve the lives of ordinary people, Putin sent an unmistakable signal that he intends to reclaim the presidency.