Monday, March 29, 2010

Last Generation: News 29 Mar 10

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29 Mar 10

Arab countries establish their own EU and are ready to integrate Turkey and Iran
The Arab states received the proposal made by Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh for creation of an “Arab union”, an analogue of the European Union (EU). The Statement of the XXII Summit of the League of Arab States says that the Arab leaders endorsed establishment of quadrilateral commission to draw up a document on improvement of joint activity. The commission includes heads of Lybia, Egypt, Qatar, Iraq and Yemen and LAS secretary general. The document to be prepared by the commission will be presented for consideration of Arab countries’ foreign ministers and already this September or October an extraordinary Arab summit will discuss the ready plan. Besides, the Arab leaders also decided to focus in details on the proposal of LAS secretary general Amra Mussa for creation of an organization to unite the Arab world with its neighbours — Iran and Turkey. The League unites 21 countries and the Palestine Liberation Organization.  

Narcissism Epidemic Spreads Among College Students
Narcissism has increased among Americans over the past 15 years, a joint study from San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of South Alabama has concluded. The results suggest that the United States is poised to experience social problems as younger narcissists age and move into positions of power.  

Assad condemns Moscow blasts: 'fight terror around the globe'
Syrian President Bashar Assad condemned the double suicide attack that took place in the Moscow subway on Monday. Assad urged the international community to "fight terror around the globe." At least 37 people were killed in the attack, which was carried out by two female suicide bombers believed to have been sent by a group from Russia's North Caucasus.  

Russia's Medvedev vows to root out 'terrorists'
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday ordered senior officials to fight terrorism "without hesitation, to the end," after female suicide bombers killed at least 37 people at two Moscow metro stations. Medvedev said Russia will act without compromise to root out terrorists and ordered security to be boosted across the country. He said human rights must be respected during police operations, a Kremlin spokesman said  

J’lem posters call for 3rd Temple
The posters, which contain the phrase, “May the Bais Hamikdosh be rebuilt speedily and within our days,” were sponsored by the Our Land of Israel group, which is led by Rabbi Shalom Dov Volpo and activist Baruch Marzel, leave out the site’s current structures – namely the the Aksa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. The campaign’s organizers chose to plaster the posters on buses whose routes take them through predominately Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem. With regards to the campaign, Volpo said Israel is waiting breathlessly for the coming of the messiah and the rebuilding of the temple.-“When we reach the end of the Pessah Seder tomorrow night, he continued, “we’ll say, ‘Next year in a rebuilt Jerusalem.’ What does ‘rebuilt’ mean? It means with the Third temple intact.”  

Is a serious Israel-EU crisis in the works?
Israeli government sources say it is likely that after the current diplomatic crisis and pressure by the United States regarding the Palestinian issue, Israel will soon face an even more serious row with the European Union. A government source in Jerusalem said this was the concern voiced during a conference call between Foreign Ministry Director-General Yossi Gal and seven of Israel's ambassadors in important world capitals.- envoys (all) said that if U.S. pressure continued, the European Union would go even further in condemning Israel and promoting diplomatic initiatives.  

Lawyer who found documents has long pursued church
He wants to bring his career-long legal crusade against misconduct in the Roman Catholic Church right to the top. He would love to question Pope Benedict XVI himself under oath.  

Stupak accuses pro-life groups of opportunism
In a fascinating op-ed in the Washington Post, Rep. Bart Stupak accuses pro-life organizations that supported him in his attempt to prevent federal funding of abortion in the health care reform bill of doing so only because they wanted to kill health care reform, not because they were genuinely focused on preventing abortions:  

End Nears For 'special Relationship' Of UK And US
The "special relationship" is not so special any more. That's the word from a committee of lawmakers in Britain who say the phrase coined by Winston Churchill to describe the country's close ties with the United States should no longer be used because it fails to reflect a true picture of relations between the two countries. Parliament's Foreign Affairs Select Committee said the government should be "less deferential" toward the Americans and take a more realistic view of the relationship. In a report published Sunday, the committee said that, while ties with America remain close, it is important to recognize that Britain is just one of many countries with important U.S. links.  

Russia drops two time zones to boost economy
Russia, the world's largest country, reduced the number of its time zones to nine from 11 on Sunday after President Dmitry Medvedev said this could make the giant nation more manageable to run and boost its economy. Medvedev said in a state of the nation address last November that the sprawling nation which lies in both Europe and Asia ought to reduce the number of its time zones and that China and the United States ran efficiently with much fewer time zones.  

Ministry says some members have quit praying for Obama
A national ministry that organizes prayer for the president says it's hearing from members who have quit praying for President Barack Obama.  

Dawn of the Anthropocene Epoch? Earth Has Entered New Age of Geological Time, Experts Say
Geologists from the University of Leicester are among four scientists- including a Nobel prize-winner -- who suggest that Earth has entered a new age of geological time.  

Beginning of the end of the greatest healthcare system ever
...as a result of the new legislation, more doctors will retire while less-qualified young people will go into medicine. He believes a critical doctor shortage will ultimately force nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, and others to become the primary caregivers for Americans.  

Israeli minister says U.S. boosts Arab hardliners
The Obama administration's pressure on Israel to curb settlement activity will bolster Palestinian hardliners and hinder peace efforts, a senior Israeli cabinet minister said on Monday.  

Europe must support defence for global role - NATO
The European Union must put more money and muscle into defence if it wants to become a global player, the head of the NATO alliance said  

Israel fears Obama heading for imposed Mideast settlement
U.S. President Barack Obama's demands during his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Tuesday point to an intention to impose a permanent settlement on Israel and the Palestinians in less than two years, political sources in Jerusalem say. Israeli officials view the demands that Obama made at the White House as the tip of the iceberg under which lies a dramatic change in U.S. policy toward Israel.  

President Obama plans strong hand with Congress
An emboldened President Barack Obama will take a stronger hand with Congress in coming weeks, planning to push lawmakers to pass new regulations for Wall Street by September, the second anniversary of the meltdown, aides tell POLITICO. The spring offensive, if successful, would allow Obama to claim concrete progress on all of his domestic priorities, despite a "lost year" between the passage of a stimulus package in February 2009 and the signing of health reform last week.  

Seven arrested in FBI raids linked to Christian militia group From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100328/METRO/3280313/Seven-arrested
At least seven people, including some from Michigan, have been arrested in raids by a FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana as part of an investigation into an Adrian-based Christian militia group, a person familiar with the matter said. Sources have said the FBI was in the second day of raids around the southeastern Michigan city of Adrian that are connected to a militia group, known as the Hutaree, an Adrian-based group whose members describe themselves as Christian soldiers preparing for the arrival and battle with the anti-Christ.  

Gulf Stream 'is not slowing down'
The Gulf Stream does not appear to be slowing down, say US scientists who have used satellites to monitor tell-tale changes in the height of the sea. Confirming work by other scientists using different methodologies, they found dramatic short-term variability but no longer-term trend. A slow-down - dramatised in the movie The Day After Tomorrow - is projected by some models of climate change.  

EU-US summits to take place 'only when necessary'
EU-US summits will no longer be organised automatically every year, but only when there are particular issues to be decided, foreign policy officials from Washington and Brussels said Friday (26 March). "The EU is our equal partner and we have an ongoing working relationship. I simply reject the idea that we need summits to get things done, as it may be the case with other countries," Anne-Marie Slaughter...  

Barak: Israel alone will decide issues of ‘nat'l importance'
With the Obama administration still waiting for an answer to its demands for a halt to east Jerusalem construction and an extension of the housing start freeze in the West Bank, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Sunday that while Israel must continue cultivating its strategic relationship with the US, Israel alone is responsible for itself, its safety and the future of the Jewish people. "We are the ones who have exclusive responsibility for Israel's fate and future and only we will decide on issues of national importance that affect Israelis and the Jewish people," Barak said in a clear message aimed at the White House.  

US may abstain on J'lem resolution
The US may abstain from voting on a possible UN Security Council concerning the topic of Jewish construction in east Jerusalem, the BBC reported Thursday, citing a US official. According to the report, the unnamed official spoke with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Al Thani last week during talks in Paris.  

J’lem posters call for 3rd Temple
While tensions continue to simmer around the Temple Mount after riots in and around the capital’s Old City earlier this month, a new campaign calling for the construction of the Third Temple atop the holy site has made its way to the sides of 200 Egged buses in the city, which now sport posters featuring a picture of a rebuilt temple on the Mount, and nothing else.  

Iran sanctions top concern at G-8 summit
Iran's nuclear program is of "critical concern" and will top the agenda when foreign ministers from the Group of Eight nations meet Monday to discuss global security, Canada's foreign minister said. Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said he'll press for stiffer sanctions against Iran when G-8 ministers assemble in Gatineau, Quebec for the meeting which begins Monday evening and continues through Tuesday.  

Two blasts in Moscow Metro, dozens killed
Two explosions have rocked the Moscow Metro this morning, claiming dozens of dead and injured. The first explosion happened in a carriage at the central Lubyanka underground station and has claimed the lives of 26 people, with more injured, informs RIA Novosti news agency. The second blast happened at the Park Kultury Metro station. 15 or more people are reported to be dead, the quantity of injured is unknown.  

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