MFS - The Other News

                      Morning Posting.

• Syria Live Blog - May 08. Here .(Al-Jazeera).

• Updated !Earthquakes in the last 24 hours in the world seismic activity in Japan  today  4.8! More info here.

• Japan - Latest official Situation Update No. 103.
  Source : Here .

• Japan  : For the most accurate info on the nuclear disaster go to : Paul Langley's Nuclear History Blog

• Live Blog on Qsama Bin Laden  Here (Al -Jazeera).

• 22.867 !A total of 22.867 IDF soldiers have fallen in battle or died during their service in Israel's history.HT:AmnonandJonathan.Read the full story here.

• Delta flight to San Diego diverted 'after flight attendant found bomb note in the lavatory'.(Dailymail).A Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit to San Diego was diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico, after a flight attendant found a note in the lavatory with the word 'bomb' on it.FBI agents rushed to the scene at Albuquerque International Sunport airport at about 10am local time before ushering the 137 passengers and six cabin crew members away and to safety.The Boeing 737 aeroplane was taken to a secure area of the airport while police searched the aisles and quizzed the passengers.The pilot had decided to divert the Delta 1706 flight just before 10am after an attendant found a suspicious note on the plane.Passenger Tim Cole, 55, of a Hazleton, Pennsylvania, said the pilot told passengers a note with the word 'bomb' on it was found in one of the bathrooms.'The captain came on and said "You notice we’re declining. We’re getting ready to divert. It’s probably a hoax, but we’ve got to take this very seriously",' Cole said from Albuquerque airport.The passengers were then held at a warehouse at the airport while FBI agents and dogs searched everyone’s carry-on luggage, he said.'I know some people were afraid but everybody has been pretty good,' he added. 'I travel all the time, so you know, I’m just one of those people who says "What happens, happens." I’m really glad they take it so seriously.' Other passengers said they had not been reassured as to whether the person who wrote the note had been found by authorities.James King wrote on Twitter: 'Most people in good spirits. We have no clue if they figured who among the passengers wrote the [note]'Airport bosses would not confirm the nature of the threat and FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said only that agents were investigating.Delta Air Lines said in a statement that the diversion occurred 'out of an abundance of caution due to a security concern' and added later that the plane had been cleared to take off again after no suspicious devices were found by authorities.TSA officials said in a statement: 'Law enforcement and TSA met the plane, and all passengers have safely deplaned. All passengers and carry-ons were searched by canines, and the plane was swept with negative findings.'Airport officials in Albuquerque said the diversion has not affected incoming or outgoing flights.Read the full story here.

• "The War On Christianity".Egypt 10 Killed 186 wounded,More than 190 people detained in Egypt after sectarian clashes.(Al-Jazeera).Egypt's military rulers have detained 190 people in connection with the clashes between Muslims and Christians in Cairo in which at least 10 people were killed and 186 others wounded.The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces ordered "the transfer of all those arrested in connection with (Saturday's) events, and they number 190, to the Supreme Military Court, as a deterrent to all those who think of toying with the potential of this nation."The council, which has ruled Egypt since a popular uprising toppled president Hosni Mubarak, also said it would "set up a committee to assess the damage from the clashes" and restore property.In a statement on Sunday, it also called on "all communities in Egypt, the youth of the revolution, the national forces and Islamic and Christian scholars to stand like a wall against any attempt by the forces of evil and darkness to tear the national fabric."Egypt's prime minister called an emergency cabinet meeting on Sunday to discuss the violence, a day after witnesses said a mob marched on a Coptic church in the northwestern neighbourhood of Imbaba.The march began over an apparent relationship between a Coptic Christian woman and a Muslim man, amid reports that the woman was being held inside against her will and prevented from converting to Islam.The verbal clash on Saturday soon developed into a full-fledged confrontation where the two sides exchanged gunfire, firebombs and stones, and another church nearby was set on fire.Hmmmm.....Don't even expect the 'selfconfessed Christian President Obama to speak out on this Muslim extremisme.Read the full story here,more here.

• Report: Hamas agrees to Egyptian draft on Shalit deal.(Ynet).Al Jazeera claims Cairo's intelligence services have been able to formulate exchange deal acceptable to Hamas. Deal to be presented to Israel within days.Egyptian intelligence services have prepared a draft for a deal meant to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, which Hamas finds acceptable, the Al Jazeera news network reported Sunday.The deal will be presented to Israel through a mediator set to arrive in Cairo in the next few days.According to the network's Palestinian sources, Egypt has received assurances from Hamas that they are interested in completing the deal and so has launched a series of talks with elements within various European countries in order to proceed with the deal.The sources added that the deal was also discussed in the days leading up to the Palestinian factions' reconciliation, and that Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal was updated on them during his visit to Cairo.Hmmmmm....Somehow i don't believe a word of it.Read the full story here.

• Syrian city of Homs under siege.(Ynet).Violence continues: At least a dozen killed in Syria's third largest city is surrounded by Assad's forces, electricity and cellular networks cut off.At least 12 people were killed in the Syrian city of Homs as Syrian forces and tanks entered the city, Al-Jazeera reported. Eye witnesses reported that an intensive firefight erupted overnight in Syria's third largest city.According to the reports, the Syrian army has deployed around the city and some neighborhoods have been disconnected from the electricity and cellular networks.The reports of gunfire follow reports from earlier in the weekend that at least three Syrian women were shot dead near a seaside city where soldiers and tanks had deployed to try to quell anti-government protests over the weekend. Ammar Qurabi of the National Organization for Human Rights says the women were protesting the siege and the cutting of electricity and phone lines when they were shot by plainclothes security forces or pro-government thugs. Saturday's shooting occurred in the al-Qoz neighborhood, about a southeast of Banias. Qurabi says gunfire is continuing and several other people have been wounded.Syrian tanks rolled into Banias Saturday in an escalating crackdown by President Bashar Assad against anti-regime protesters.Hmmmm......Obama regime :Assad is a 'reformer' ..well he's doing a lot of 'reforming' lately.Read the full story here.

• The Obama regime is calling on it's 'troops' election war has started.(BigGovernment).From WTMJ, Wisconsin:

The AFL-CIO is cutting ties to people who do business with Governor Scott Walker. On Thursday, the union withdrew more than $100,000 from M&I Bank. Union leaders are upset bank executives contributed to Governor Walker’s election campaign.Hmmmm.....You're eighter with me or against me?"Get in their faces and wallets"?Read and see the full story here.

• The First-Person Presidency.President Obama takes credit for operations that would have been impossible had Senator Obama’s views prevailed. (NationalReview).Here are a few excerpts from President Obama’s speech on Sunday night about the killing of Osama bin Laden.“Tonight, I can report . . . And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta . . . I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden . . . I met repeatedly with my national security team . . . I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action. . . . Today, at my direction . . . I’ve made clear . . . Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear . . . Tonight, I called President Zardari . . . and my team has also spoken. . .These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief . . . Finally, let me say to the families . . . I know that it has, at times, frayed. . . .”Most of these first-person pronouns could have been replaced by either the first-person plural (our, we) or proper nouns (the United States, America). But they reflect a now well-known Obama trait of personalizing the presidency.The problem of first-personalizing national security is twofold. One, it is not consistent. Good news is reported by Obama in terms of “I”; bad news is delivered as “reset,” “the previous administration,” “in the past”: All good things abroad are due to Obama himself; all bad things are still the blowback from George W. Bush.Two, there is the small matter of hypocrisy. The protocols for taking out Osama bin Laden were all established by President Bush and all opposed by Senator and then candidate Obama. Yet President Obama never seeks to explain that disconnect; indeed, he emphasizes it by the overuse of the first person. When the president reminds us this week of what “over the years I’ve repeatedly made clear,” does he include his opposition to what he now has institutionalized?Okay, the public perhaps understands all that hypocrisy as the stuff of presidential politics. But I think it will not quite accept the next step of taking full credit in hyperbolic first-person fashion for operations that would have been impossible had his own views prevailed.Hmmmmm........"Hypocrisy exposed"?Read the full story here.

• Former Obama Adviser Robert Malley Still Making ‘Uncle Yassir’ Arafat Proud.(BigPeace).Perhaps the most damaging blow to Middle East peace in recent history is the Hamas/Fatah “unity deal” announced by both terrorist parties. Fatah, run by PA President Mahmoud Abbas tries to project a respectable image to the non-Muslim world this leads them to tone down the terrorist activity a bit and even try to negotiate with Israel every once in a while. Peace has never been an objective of Fatah–just the appearance of wanting peace so the terrorist group can remain the favorite-child of liberal governments, including ours.Here in the United States, some of the Palestinians’ most useful propaganda tools are already taking advantage of the progressive media already heralding the agreement as the best thing for peace. Take, for example, Robert Malley. For those who are unfamiliar with Mr. Malley, he is a former adviser to Barack Obama, and a second-generation Israel hater. I do not believe the sins of the father is visited on the son, but this son has chosen to follow in his dad’s footsteps.Malley grew up in France, where his Egyptian-born father, Simon Malley, and New York raised mother, Barbara (Silverstein) Malley, were radical publishers of a controversial magazine about Africa and the so-called Third World. Malley’s parents were rabidly anti-Israel and counted Yasir Arafat as a personal friend. Indeed, Arafat was among those “leaders” (for want of a better word) who had intervened with the French government to readmit the Malley family to France after they had been expelled for their radical activities.Malley’s personal pedigree not only includes a host of anti-Israel articles, but the former aide to Bill Clinton is the only American privy to the Clinton peace efforts to blame Israel for their lack of success. Everyone else, including the former President, said that Yassir Arafat walked away from a “sweetheart” deal. He was also believed to be the chief source for an article by Deborah Sontag that whitewashed Arafat’s role in the collapse of the peace process, an article that has been widely criticized as riddled with errors and bias.OK let me understand this for a second. The Muslim Brotherhood considers Iran its role model. Hamas and Iran have been allies for a very long time. If Hamas drifts away from Tehran toward Cairo, isn’t it drifting back toward Tehran? I know, Malley is just trying to confuse me–either that or trying to mislead the reader.Then again, that is Malley’s modus operandi–confuse, distort and lie, I guess that’s what makes him the prefect Middle East guru for an organization “owned” by George Soros. Sadly, when a progressive newspaper such as the Washington Post publishes an op-ed from people like Mr. Malley, whose anti-Israel opinion matches their editorial philosophy, they feel no need to explain his background.Hmmmm....Anyone surprised that Obama  has 'adivisors' like this?Read the full story here.

• Pakistan paints dismal image of bin Laden's end.(TodaysZaman).Pakistan's military paints a different picture than the United States of Osama bin Laden's final days: far from the terror mastermind still trying to strike America, he's seen as an aging terrorist hiding in barren rooms, short of money and struggling to maintain his grip on al-Qaeda. But the CIA is saying he was in touch with key members of al-Qaeda, playing a strong role in planning and directing attacks by al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Yemen and Somalia, senior US officials said Friday, citing documents found during the Monday morning raid in which bin Laden was killed.Three of bin Laden's wives were living with him in the compound and are being interrogated by Pakistani authorities, who took them into custody after Monday's raid, along with 13 children, eight of them bin Laden's.Their accounts could help shed light on the US military operation that killed the al-Qaeda leader and reveal how he was able to avoid capture for nearly 10 years.One of the wives, identified as Yemeni-born Amal Ahmed Abdullfattah, told interrogators she had been staying in bin Laden's hideout since 2006 and never left the upper floors of the large but sparsely furnished building, said a Pakistani intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with the agency's policy.The official did not indicate whether bin Laden was with her the whole time, a period in which the Pakistani military says the al-Qaeda chief's influence and financial status eroded.Disputes over money between bin Laden and his No. 2, Ayman al-Zawahri, led the group to split into two factions five or six years ago, with the larger faction controlled by al-Zawahri, according to two senior Pakistani military officials. Bin Laden was "cash strapped" in his final days, they said.Bin Laden's first priority, an official said, was his own security. But the data shows that he was far more active in providing guidance and telling affiliated groups in Yemen and Somalia what they should or should not be doing.The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive material.The confiscated materials revealed al-Qaeda plans for derailing an American train on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, US counterterrorism officials say.They believe the plot, which seemed to be formulated in February 2010, was only in the initial planning stages, and there was no recent intelligence about any active plan for such an attack. The FBI and Homeland Security issued an intelligence bulletin with details of the plan to law enforcement around the country. The bulletin, marked "for official use only," was obtained by the AP.Hundreds of members of radical Islamic parties protested in several Pakistani cities Friday against the US raid that killed bin Laden."America is celebrating Osama bin Laden's killing, but it will be a temporary celebration," said Abdullah Sittar Chishti, a member of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party who attended a rally in Khuchlak, a town in southwestern Baluchistan province."After the martyrdom of Osama, billions, trillions of Osamas will be born," Chishti said.Some of the protesters expressed doubt that bin Laden was actually killed since the US has refused to release pictures of his body.Al-Qaeda confirmed bin Laden's death in an Internet statement Friday and warned that it would seek revenge by attacking the United States. And the Afghan Taliban issued a statement saying the al-Qaeda leader's death would boost morale among insurgents battling the US and NATO in Afghanistan.Bin Laden and his associates did not offer significant resistance when the American commandos entered the compound, in part because "stun bombs" thrown by the US forces had disoriented them, two Pakistani officials said late Thursday, citing accounts by bin Laden's wives and children.Pakistani authorities found an AK-47 and a pistol in the house, with evidence that one bullet had been fired from the rifle, said one of the officials."That was the level of resistance" they put up, he said.His account is roughly consistent with the most recent one given by US officials, who now say only one of the five people killed in the raid was armed and fired any shots, a striking departure from the intense and prolonged firefight described earlier by the White House and others in the administration.US officials say three men and a woman were killed alongside bin Laden, including one of his sons.Bin Laden's wife, Abdullfattah, was shot in the leg and did not witness her husband being killed, a Pakistani military official said. One of the al-Qaeda leader's daughters did see the Americans kill her father, he said.CIA officers have not been given access to the women or children in custody, the official said.Read the full story here.

• Pakistan ISI Chief Lt.-Gen. Pasha Heads For U.S. To Discuss Bin Laden Issue, Is Sought By New York Court.(Memri).Lt.-Gen. Shuja Pasha, the chief of Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) who is sought by a New York court for his agency’s role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks case, has left for Washington to discuss Pakistan’s position over Osama bin Laden’s killing, according to a Pakistani daily.According to a report on the website of The Express Tribune daily, Lt.-Gen. Pasha left Friday for U.S. to discuss Pakistan’s position on the U.S. Navy SEALs unilateral assault to kill Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad last Sunday.It should be noted that a court in New York recently summoned the ISI chief and a number of Pakistani military officials and militant commanders to appear in a case brought by relatives of American citizens killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Pakistani military, however, has neither confirmed nor denied reports of Lt.-Gen. Pasha’s visit to Washington, according to the report. The ISI chief is expected to meet CIA chief Leon Panetta during his visit with whom he will discuss intelligence sharing between the two countries."Pakistan has been facing the far right’s wrath at home and criticism abroad over the circumstances that had led to the killing of bin Laden. The killing of bin Laden has put a strain on Pak-U.S. relations," the report said.In the New York court case, summonses were issued to Lt.-Gen. Pasha, other Pakistani army officials, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (chief of Pakistani jihadist organization Lashkar-e-Taib) and Saeed’s accomplice Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi (who is in Pakistani custody over the Mumbai terror attacks.) It’s not clear whether the U.S. court has yet issued arrest warrants against them.Read the full story here.

• If It Is Time To Sell Gold Then Why Are Central Banks Hoarding Gold Like Crazy?(TheAmericanDream).Has the time to sell gold now arrived? Before you start dumping all of your gold, you might want to check out what central banks all over the globe have been doing. There is some serious hoarding of gold that is going on. For most of the past two decades, central banks have been net sellers of gold, but now many of them are gobbling up gold as fast as they can. So why would they be doing this if gold was not a good investment? Yes, we did see gold, silver and oil all take a very serious tumble today. That is what happens sometimes - global financial markets are so unstable at this point that even a piece of relatively minor news can set off a bit of a panic in one direction or another. But the long-term trend for gold has been up, up, up and it look like the central banks around the world continue to expect the price of gold to soar over the long-term.

The central bank of Mexico gobbled up almost 100 tons of gold during February and March alone.

So how much is 100 tons of gold?

The following is how The Economic Policy Journal is describing the significance of this purchase....The purchase is one of the largest by a central bank in recent history. The gold is worth $4.6 billion at current prices and is equivalent to about 3.5 per cent of annual mined outputBut it isn't just Mexico that is buying up gold. As an article on Bloomberg recently noted, countries such as Russia and Thailand have also been very busy hoarding gold this year....Russia increased its reserves by 18.8 tons to 811.1 tons in March and Thailand expanded assets by 9.3 tons to 108.9 tons in the same month. As faith in the U.S. dollar and other major global currencies falters, the big central banks around the globe are making sure that they have plenty of precious metals on hand.Just like with anything else in today's financial world, the price of gold is likely to continue to experience wild swings in price from one day to another.But the long-term trend is clearly up.In the end, the U.S. dollar and all other major global currencies are going to fail.When that day arrives, you will be much better off holding gold than holding a whole lot of worthless paper.Hmmmm.......How long before the feds will come after your gold?Read the full story here.

• Saterday President Obama played his usual course at Andrews Air Force Base with two of his usual foursome – White House aide Marvin Nicholson and Energy Department official David Katz – as well as guest golfer Ray LaHood, the secretary of transportation.

Hmmmmmm.............Transportation....taxing Americans as the drive?Read the full story here.

• Pakistan again discloses local CIA boss.(IndiaTimes).WASHINGTON: Amid bitter, recriminatory exchanges between the United States and Pakistan over the Osama bin Laden extermination, planned bilateral visits of President Asif Ali Zardari to Washington DC and a return trip of President Barack Obama to Islamabad are both in jeopardy. Ties between the two sides are expected to slide further following Pakistan's "outing" of the CIA station chief in Islamabad on Saturday. In a sign of how bad ties are between the two countries, Pakistani media on Saturday once again publicly named the CIA station chief in Islamabad, a breach of both protocol and trust, that is bound to enrage Washington. A Pakistani TV channel and a newspaper considered mouthpieces of the country's military said the ISI chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha had met CIA station chief Mark Carlton to protest US incursion into Abbottabad to kill al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. CIA station chiefs remain anonymous and unnamed in public although the host government is told. Earlier, the Obama administration had asked Pakistan to disclose names of its top intelligence operatives to determine whether they had contact with Osama or his agents. The latest breach indicates that a section of the Pakistani military-intelligence establishment is determined to run the CIA out of the country fearing that the ISI's links with terror groups and its sheltering of terrorist leaders will be exposed. Zardari has been waiting to come to US practically every week for several months now, with Hussain Haqqani, his ambassador in Washington, doing the spadework for the visit. The visit was first slated for March and then pushed to May as ties headed south after the Raymond Davis episode. The disclosure that the CIA established a safehouse in Abbottabad within sighting distance of the Osama's compound under the ISI's nose had also rattled the military brass. And in a further embarrassment for the ISI, it now transpires that Osama lived in village just off the town of Haripur on the Abbottabad Highway for 2-1/2 years before he moved into the new compound. That would make it at least 7-1/2 years that he lived close to urban settlements.Read the full story here.

• Salafis Call for Islamic State, Prosecution of Coptic Pope.(Aina).Thousands of Salafis staged three protests in Cairo after Friday prayers to highlight the ten demands they announced during protests in Alexandria Sunday.They staged the first protest in front of Fateh mosque in Ramses Square, the second in front of Noor mosque in Abbasseya, and the third on Ramses street.Their demands include the prosecution of the Coptic Pope and the release of two priests' wives believed to have converted to Islam and rumored to be detained by the church and the inspection of churches and monasteries. They also want a dispute between Sheikh Hafez Salama and the Ministry of Religious Endowments resolved.Hundreds of Salafis protested in front of Noor mosque supporting Salama amid a noticeable police and military presence.Thousands of Salafis who said they are members of the "Coalition Supporting New Muslims" protested in front of Fateh mosque, calling for the prosecution of the Coptic Pope over the alleged detention of the priests' wives, Camelia Shehata and Wafa Constantine.Protesters called for an Islamic state and stressed that they would not leave the area around Noor mosque until their demands are met.Read the full story here.

• "The War on christianity".Nigeria - Muslim attackers reportedly killed 17 Christians, including the wife and three children of a pastor.ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)-- Christians in northern Nigeria were mourning Saturday, May 7, after Muslim attackers reportedly killed 17 Christians, including the wife and three children of a pastor. Several Christian homes were also burned in the village of Kurum in Nigeria's tense Bauchi State, said advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC).ICC told BosNewsLife that it learned about the massacre Friday, May 6. “It is not right for anyone to kill another person, life is precious and a gift from God," explained ICC's Regional Manager for Africa, Jonathan Racho. No more details were immediately available, but the attack was the latest in a series of recent incidents in which hundreds of people died.The latest round of violence followed April elections in which President Goodluck Jonathan, a southern Christian, was declared the winner.Muslim supporters of his rival Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, protested the outcome and attacked churches, witnesses said.Racho said ICC has urged Nigeria's government to "prevent the bloodshed of innocent Christians in northern Nigeria. Nigeria must end impunity for the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.”Jonathan warned last week he was considering imposing a state of emergency in two northern states.Read the full story here.

• 'Airport fuel crisis far from over'.Are Israel's strategic reserves compromised?(Ynet).Days after fuel contamination effectively suspends Israel's air traffic mysterious substance has yet to be identified. Ben Gurion International Airport still suffers massive delays; fuel shortage cripples national airfield.Three days have passed since a mysterious jet fuel contamination brought air traffic at Ben Gurion International Airport to a halt, and authorities still do not know what caused the problem.Paz Aviation Assets, one of the airport's two major jet fuel providers, said Sunday that the German laboratory which received the contaminated fuel samples has yet to begin testing them.The Israel Institute of Energy and Environment, which originally tested the oily substance found in the airport's fueling terminal's filters, was unable to recognize its molecular structure; prompting authorities to rush samples to a German laboratory used by the US military. They, however, are said to have refused to conduct the test. The reason for the refusal was not disclosed. The changing reports as to new possible contaminations have sent Israel's smaller airfield into chose: Sunday morning saw all flights at Sde Dov Airport temporarily suspended after concerns were raised that planes have refueled using a possibly contaminated reserve. The Tel Aviv airfield also encountered difficulties using the clean fuel delivered to it from the Emergency Fuel Depository in Eilat. The Airport Authority later cleared the airfield's fuel depository for use, restoring it to normal activity, but officials say those few hours have caused gridlock at the airfield, prompting its captains to divert all flights to the Ben Gurion International Airport. Deputy Director of Israeli airline Arkia Nir Dagan said Sunday that he "never encountered this kind of a crisis and the situation is only getting worse. Sde Dov Airport activities have been paralyzed with delays expected at Ben Gurion airport as well. And it is just getting worse."There is a severe fuel shortage at Ben Gurion Airport. Paz and Aviation Assets must provide answers because it is impossible to operate Israel's civil aviation in this manner."Eilat airfield did not fare better: the fuel shortage and contamination concerns cause severe flight delays and hundreds of passengers are still stranded. Eilat's lack of alternative airfield means that the situation there is worse than in other Israeli airfields. Paz said that "the fuel supplied to Sde Dov is from Israel's strategic reserves and was approved by the Fuel and Gas Administration. Ynet discovered that so far, 300,000 liters of jet fuel were pumped out of Ben Gurion Airport's fuel reservoir so that they could be cleansed. The reservoir itself holds three million liters, suggesting it would take three weeks to empty out and replace the fuel. Earlier, a Paz statement said that it has asked the National Infrastructure Ministry to weigh in on its dealing with the laboratory,adding that its fuel reserves have been tested again and found up to code. The company added that it was exploring two alternative ways to carry out the fueling process, saying: "We have consulted a panel of senior chemists and Air Force and refinery specialists and all tests indicate that the jet fuel is clean."Saturday saw the Aviation Authority subject fuel used for El-Al planes to rigorous testing, performed by Air Force experts. The findings have yet to be released.Hmmmm......Just like with Rommel ,the fuel is Israel's weak point it seems,who's driving the tankers?Read the full story here.

• Turkish Journalists "Why are we here in prison"?(HurriyetDaily).After a pat-down, we handed over everything except the clothes on our backs and were subjected to a metal-detector test, an ID check and a retina scan before we were let inside. It was my first visit to a prison.The artwork by inmates that hung on the cold walls was not enough to disperse the gloomy, unsettling environment inside Silivri prison.I had come to the Istanbul facility with a group of journalists, all members of the Freedom for Journalists Platform, the day after the world celebrated World Press Freedom Day on May 3. We were there to see just how grim the picture was for some of the 67 jailed journalists in Turkey.We were taken to the visitors’ room, where we waited for the first jailed journalist to be brought in for our meeting. I looked out of the narrow window while we waited; it was nearly impossible to see the sky through the bars.Kanaltürk founder Tuncay Özkan was brought in next. Though he had clearly been paying attention to his appearance and had an athletic look about him, the worry lines were obvious on his face. Özkan also complained about the physical limitations of his single-person cell. With much of his cell monitored by security cameras, Özkan said he had difficulty showering comfortably. Dampness is also an issue. “I witnessed here that moss blooms and flowers,” he said.

“If only I knew what my crime was, I would serve my time for as long as they want,” Özkan said. “But this case is political; it is illegal.” The handcuffs around his wrists made him resent going to court. It was obvious the 32 months he has spent behind bars had left deep scars.Investigative reporter Nedim Şener, a columnist for Posta, shares a cell with fellow reporter Ahmet Şık. They both say they too have no idea what their crimes are. “They tell us to prove our innocence, but they can’t prove we are guilty,” Şık said with a burst of energy. He said he is bothered by the hum echoing through the empty halls and usually tries to sleep during the day. Indeed, the background noise was so headache-inducing and loud that conversation was difficult.OdaTV owner Soner Yalçın was brought into the meeting next. “I spent my career trying to uncover structures such as Ergenekon,” Yalçın said. “I told the prosecutor that we could work together to bring this to light. But now I see that through their mentality, they will not be able to sentence anyone.”OdaTV writer Müyesser Yıldız was also excited to meet her colleagues. She eagerly told us that she wrote for the online news portal only three times, and did not know Yalçın. “I don’t even know what my crime is,” she said, adding that from now on she would use a typewriter instead of a computer to avoid false accusations. Yıldız shares a cell with three other women, in a prison meant for men. She also told us how much she misses her son.Mehmet Haberal, the founder of Başkent Hospital in Ankara and owner of Kanal B, echoed the same sentiments as the others, questioning why he was behind bars. “I was put on trial for signing a petition after the Sept. 12 [1980] coup. How can I be pro-coup when I was asked to run for president in 2000 by Bülent Ecevit?” he asked. (Former President Ecevit, of course, had been ousted by the military coup.)Professor Yalçın Küçük seemed cheery and dynamic as he entered the meeting room. His voice had a lighthearted tone as he told us he was an experienced inmate. “Don’t ask me about prison conditions. I have been under arrested the longest in the country after [Workers’ Party leader] Doğu Perçinek,” the writer said.In total, we met with 15 journalists behind bars. All are from different political backgrounds, but all ask the same question: “What is our crime? Why are we here?”Hmmmmm......Erdogan.....Obama's ally and friend according to Obama the'example of Islam in a democracy'.Pretty scary when you stop to think about it.Read the full story here.

• US consulate in Jerusalem spying on Samaria residents?(IsraelMatzav).Is the US consulate in Jerusalem trying to spy on Jewish residents of Samaria? That's certainly what it sounds like from this story. The story began about a month ago, when Jonathan Cullen, Political Officer at American Consulate in Jerusalem, phoned a resident of the town of Yitzhar and asked to visit the community.“He said he wanted to meet with me,” said Avraham Binyamin, “as well as with the rabbis of the Od Yosef Chai (Joseph Still Lives) yeshiva, and to hear about the book Torat HaMelekh.” Binyamin told INN that he feared that the request had an ulterior motive, as the book in question has aroused much controversy and opposition; it deals with “Jewish warfare in Jewish Law,” including discussions of if and when Jewish Law permits killing enemy civilians.Upon further investigation, Binyamin found that his instincts were correct: Cullen had been “caught red-handed” several months earlier touring the Shomron and taking photos of Jewish towns together with the head of Peace Now’s Settlement Tracking Committee, Hagit Ofran .David HaIvri of the Shomron Regional Council's Liaison Office, who was personally acquainted with Cullen, asked the consular officer at the time, “Are you a spy?”Binyamin informed Cullen, just a few days ago, that he did not want to meet with him, and that if wished to pursue the matter, he should do so via conventional channels.Hmmmm.....Obama regime spying for their Palestinian buddies?Read the full story here.