GERALD RIGHT AGAIN AS PREDICTED

Livni, Netanyahu said weighing alliance talks By AMY TEIBEL, Associated Press Writer –Fri Mar 13, 6:22 pm ET

JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni are taking another look at teaming up in a governing coalition, according to media reports Friday.The alliance would give the incoming government stronger international support because of Livni's commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state.The reports emerged as Netanyahu appeared on the verge of forming a narrow government with ultranationalist and religious parties that would take a harder line on concessions to the Palestinians than Livni's Kadima Party.Livni said after her last round of coalition talks with Netanyahu two weeks ago that Kadima would not sit in a coalition that was not committed to negotiations on Palestinian statehood. She also has said she would only join Netanyahu's government if he let her serve as prime minister for half of the government's four-year term. Netanyahu rejected the proposal.Netanyahu spokeswoman Dina Libster said Friday that the two camps exchanged messages through intermediaries. She wouldn't discuss the content of those messages, disclose whether the two leaders spoke directly or whether they had plans to meet.Livni adviser Gil Messing said envoys from Netanyahu's Likud party have been trying since the Feb. 10 elections to persuade Kadima to join the government.

We have our stands and our principles on the diplomatic front and others and we won't budge, Messing said.He said there were no plans for the two leaders to meet, and that there would be no sitdown unless Netanyahu agreed to accept Kadima's positions.

Bringing Livni into the coalition would blunt the hawkish edge that a narrow coalition would have and give the incoming government a stable parliamentary majority.

Without Kadima, Netanyahu appears able to muster the parliamentary backing of no more than 65 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament. That means virtually any of his partners would be able to bring down his government in a dispute — as happened during his first term as prime minister in the 1990s.A centrist government with Livni also would help Netanyahu avoid a clash with President Barack Obama, who has promised to become aggressively involved in pursuing Mideast peace.Netanyahu has until April 3 to piece together his government. Ehud Olmert, Israel's outgoing prime minister, continues in a caretaker role until Netanyahu can form a new ruling coalition.

SINS OF PEOPLE

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

DECIEVERS WAXING WORSE AND WORSE.

2 TIMOTHY 3:13
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

WELL GERALDS RIGHT AGAIN THE PEOPLE ARE BEING DECIEVED BY JOHN STEWART AND CRAMER WHILE THE REST OF THE MEDIA PICK UP ON IT AND DECIEVE EVEN MORE PEOPLE.

GERALD CELENTE - TREND RESEARCH
http://www.trendsresearch.com/gerald.html

TOP TRENDS OF 2009
http://www.trendsresearch.com/journal.html

That's Entertainment 2009 forecast
During the grim times of the Great Depression, arts and entertainment flourished, and with the repeal of Prohibition the good times rolled … and they’ll roll again. Lifting spirits, and drinking them, will be big businesses and major pastimes for both down-and-outs and the Uptown crowd during the Greatest Depression.

STEWART CRAMER - VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9by4zHpF_M
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Television/story?id=7075368&page=1

Stewart, Cramer square off over market meltdown
Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:28am EDT

LOS ANGELES, March 12 (Reuters) - Comedian Jon Stewart and financial commentator Jim Cramer squared off on Thursday night over the CNBC TV network's reporting of Wall Street ahead of the market meltdown, and Cramer conceded he -- and others -- gave some bad advice.In recent days on his mock news program The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, the funnyman has taken Cramer, host of CNBC's Mad Money, to task by saying he and CNBC reporters befriended Wall Street executives and former government officials instead of questioning them as journalists should.Cramer, who offers advice and stock market tips on his CNBC show, has fought back, saying Stewart chose only examples of bad advice Cramer had given.I think everyone could come in under criticism. We all should have seen it before,Cramer said.Everybody got it wrong. I got a lot of things wrong.Average people trusted financial advisors who told them to pour money into market-oriented accounts for the long term, Stewart said, and those people lost their money when Wall Street used those savings to generate short-term profits.Stewart said financial reporters like Cramer and others on CNBC should have taken the time to uncover financial shenanigans and not have been so quick to trust business executives and government officials.The financial news industry is not just guilty of a sin of omission but a sin of commission,Stewart said.With financial markets headed upward almost daily in recent years, Cramer said it was hard to believe the march skyward would not continue. The market was going up for a long time and our real sin, I think, was to think it could continue to go up a lot, Cramer said.

In the end, the two agreed the financial press corps should refocus on asking hard questions of top executives.Maybe we can ... start getting back to fundamentals on the reporting, and I can go back to making (GAS) noises and funny faces, Stewart said.
I think we can make a deal right here,Cramer said, and the two shook hands.(Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte, editing by Vicki Allen)

Obama’s Gun Ban List Is Out Alan Korwin Infowars March 13, 2009

Here it is, folks, and it is bad news. The framework for legislation is always laid, and the Democrats have the votes to pass anything they want to impose upon us. They really do not believe you need anything more than a brick to defend your home and family. Look at the list and see how many you own. Remember, it is registration, then confiscation. It has happened in the UK, in Australia, in Europe, in China, and what they have found is that for some reason the criminals do not turn in their weapons, but will know that you did.Remember, the first step in establishing a dictatorship is to disarm the citizens.Gun-ban list proposed. Slipping below the radar (or under the short-term memory cap), the Democrats have already leaked a gun-ban list, even under the Bush administration when they knew full well it had no chance of passage (HR 1022, 110th Congress). It serves as a framework for the new list the Brady’s plan to introduce shortly. I have an outline of the Brady’s current plans and targets of opportunity. It’s horrific. They’re going after the courts, regulatory agencies, firearms dealers and statutes in an all out effort to restrict we the people. They’ve made little mention of criminals. Now more than ever, attention to the entire Bill of Rights is critical. Gun bans will impact our freedoms under search and seizure, due process, confiscated property, states’ rights, free speech, right to assemble and more, in addition to the Second Amendment. The Democrats current gun-ban-list proposal (final list will be worse):

Rifles (or copies or duplicates):M1 Carbine,Sturm Ruger Mini-14,AR-15,Bushmaster XM15,
Armalite M15,AR-10,Thompson 1927,Thompson M1;AK,AKM,AKS,AK-47,AK-74,ARM,MAK90,NHM 90,
NHM 91,SA 85,SA 93,VEPR;Olympic Arms PCR;AR70,Calico Liberty ,Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle or Dragunov SVU,Fabrique National FN/FAL,FN/LAR, or FNC,Hi-Point20Carbine,
HK-91,HK-93,HK-94,HK-PSG-1,Thompson 1927 Commando,Kel-Tec Sub Rifle;Saiga,SAR-8,
SAR-4800,SKS with detachable magazine,SLG 95,SLR 95 or 96,Steyr AU,Tavor,Uzi,
Galil and Uzi Sporter,Galil Sporter, or Galil Sniper Rifle ( Galatz ).Pistols (or copies or duplicates):Calico M-110,MAC-10,MAC-11, or MPA3,Olympic Arms OA,TEC-9,
TEC-DC9,TEC-22 Scorpion, or AB-10,Uzi.Shotguns (or copies or duplicates):Armscor 30 BG,SPAS 12 or LAW 12,Striker 12,Streetsweeper. Catch-all category (for anything missed or new designs):A semiautomatic rifle that accepts a detachable magazine and has:(i) a folding or telescoping stock,(ii) a threaded barrel,(iii) a pistol grip (which includes ANYTHING that can serve as a grip, see below),(iv) a forward grip; or a barrel shroud.Any semiautomatic rifle with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds (except tubular magazine .22 rim fire rifles).A semiautomatic pistol that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and has:(i) a second pistol grip,(ii) a threaded barrel,(iii) a barrel shroud or(iv) can accept a detachable magazine outside of the pistol grip, and(v) a semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds.A semiautomatic shotgun with:(i) a folding or telescoping stock,(ii) a pistol grip (see definition below),(iii) the ability to accept a detachable magazine or a fixed magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds, and(iv) a shotgun with a revolving cylinder.

Frames or receivers for the above are included, along with conversion kits.
Attorney General gets carte blanche to ban guns at will: Under the proposal, the U.S. Attorney General can add any semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General.Note that Obama’s pick for this office, Eric Holder, wrote a brief in the Heller case supporting the position that you have no right to have a working firearm in your own home. In making this determination, the bill says, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.In plain English this means that ANY firearm ever obtained by federal officers or the military is not suitable for the public.The last part is particularly clever, stating that a firearm doesn’t have a sporting purpose just because it can be used for sporting purpose — is that devious or what? And of course, sporting purpose is a rights infringement with no constitutional or historical support whatsoever, invented by domestic enemies of the right to keep and bear arms to further their cause of disarming the innocent.

Respectfully submitted, Alan Korwin, Author Gun Laws of America http://www.gunlaws.com/gloa.htm

Forward or send to every gun owner you know…
Watch This, If You Want More Proof:
YouTube - CNN- Obama To BAN Guns SPREAD THIS FOLKS, PLZ!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv3p2lLmjGk

A partial list of gun rights groups:

Gun Owners of America
http://gunowners.org/

Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
http://www.jpfo.org/

FREEDOM=GUNS
http://www.tcsn.net/doncicci/freedom.htm

National Rifle Association
http://www.nra.org/

Second Amendment Committee
http://www.libertygunrights.com/

Second Amendment Foundation
http://www.saf.org/

Second Amendment Sisters
http://www.2asisters.org/

Women Against Gun Control
http://www.wagc.com/

Have we elected a king? Hal Lindsey Posted: March 13, 2009 1:00 am Eastern
2009 WND

The Democrat reaction to talk-show host Rush Limbaugh's comment that he hopes President Obama fails reminds me of the classic line from the movie Casablanca.As Inspector Renault pockets his winnings from the gambling tables, he orders Rick's Place closed. When Humphrey Bogart's character, Rick, protests, Renault (Claude Raines) exclaims loudly, I'm shocked, shocked, to find that gambling is going on in here.The Democrats are shocked, shocked to find that Rush Limbaugh doesn't want the socialist agenda of the most liberal president in American history to succeed. Shocked, I say! It isn't that Rush Limbaugh's comments need defending – they don't. America is not a monarchy or a dictatorship. We still have freedom of speech – at least, for the time being. What American president in our history has been above criticism? America is a constitutional republic, not a socialist democracy. Obama has made no secret of his desire to advance socialist democratic principles. So he and his cohorts should expect vigorous objections from those who know and believe in the U.S. Constitution. I don't want to see Obama succeed in turning America into a socialist worker's paradise, either. Socialism has been proven wrong in every place it has been tried.

The president is not the State. Wanting Obama to fail is not the same as wanting America to fail. Indeed, from Rush Limbaugh's perspective, it is the equivalent of wanting America to succeed. The outrage being ginned up by the Democrats is therefore phony on its face. It would be ridiculous to the point of humorous if it weren't so revealing. First off, it reveals the degree to which many Americans still regard President Obama as The One. They are evidently incapable of separating what is good for Barack Obama from what is good for America. It is this group that scares me the most. Barack Obama is not America. He is America's current and temporary leader. The next president could reverse any or all of Obama's policies as quickly as Obama reversed those of President Bush, which brings us to the second point about this phony outrage. Entire factions of the Democrat Party not only announced their desire to see President Bush fail, but proclaimed their intention to actively work toward the failure of the Bush presidency. There was no Bush policy too important to the country to be permitted to succeed, and no price too high to pay if it ensured his failure. Even though young Americans were spilling their blood on foreign soil to win in Iraq, the phonies at home were arguing for their failure, so long as it meant President Bush's failure.The Democrats were so effective in convincing the public that it was possible to support the troops while hoping that they lose that they made losing the war part of their campaign strategy. As late as last year, Democrat James Clyburn admitted his fear that a favorable report from Gen. Petraeus about the Iraq war could be a real problem for Democrats.

In August 2006, just before the mid-term elections that crowned Nancy Pelosi America's first queen, a Fox News Opinion Dynamics Poll asked the question: Would you say you want President Bush to succeed or not? Ninety percent of Republicans wanted him to succeed. Sixty-three percent of Independents wanted him to succeed. Fifty-one percent of Democrats said they did not. That's a majority. A slim one, but a majority is a majority.If wanting a presidential agenda to fail because you disagree with it is somehow un-American or disloyal, doesn't that make the 51 percent of Democrats in this poll guilty also? The most frightening thing about this whole Limbaugh smear campaign is how seriously many Americans are taking it. It shows that they must think Barack Obama is America. Sieg Heil!

LINKS TO ELIGIBILITY STORY
http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91649

BORN IN THE USA? Eligibility bill hits Congress,Representative files law requiring candidates show birth certificate March 13, 2009 3:09 pm Eastern By Drew Zahn 2009 WorldNetDaily

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla.

A freshman representative has introduced a bill to the U.S. Congress that would require presidential candidates to provide a birth certificate and other documents to prove their eligibility to occupy the Oval Office. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., filed H.R. 1503, an amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, which increased required campaign fund disclosure and was later amended to establish the Federal Elections Commission. According to the Library of Congress' bill-tracking website, H.R. 1503 would require the principal campaign committee of a candidate for election to the office of president to include with the committee's statement of organization a copy of the candidate's birth certificate, together with such other documentation as may be necessary to establish that the candidate meets the qualifications for eligibility to the Office of President under the Constitution.George Cecala, a spokesperson for Rep. Posey's office, told WND that constituents had been calling, questioning whether Barack Obama – who has publicized a Certificate of Live Birth, but not his official birth certificate – has demonstrated that he meets the Constitution's requirement to be a natural-born citizen. Those are legitimate constitutional concerns,Cecala said.Folks have brought the issue up, and the court really hasn't clarified. And I think American citizens have a right to have answers from their government.Where's the proof Barack Obama was born in the U.S. or that he fulfills the natural-born American clause in the Constitution? If you still want to see it, join more than 325,000 others and sign up now! When seven-year-olds play soccer in Brevard County, to be in Little League they have to prove their residency, Cecala said. To be president there are three requirements: one is citizenship, two is the age of 35, and three, you have to have been a resident for 14 years. We're simply saying when you file your statement of candidacy with the FEC, you should also file documentation that you fulfill the three requirements to be president. There's two standards here,Cecala told WND,one for Little League and one for president.

Opponents of President Bush used the 2000 election results and the court decisions to question the legitimacy of President Bush to serve as president, explained Rep. Posey in an official statement.Opponents of President Obama are raising the birth certificate issue as a means of questioning his eligibility to serve as president. Neither of these situations is healthy for our republic. This bill, by simply requiring such documentation for future candidates for president will remove this issue as a reason for questioning the legitimacy of a candidate elected as president.
Cecala further told WND that there's no political motivation in proposing the bill, and the Congressman hopes passing the bill will help clear the air for the president, enabling the government to get beyond the election controversy to dealing with the nation's other important issues. Once we pass this bill, we can be assured that future elections won't have this problem, Cecala said. It's not an attack on President Obama; it's just clarifying for future elections.Cecala also explained that if passed, the amendment to election law would require Obama, just like any other candidate, to provide a birth certificate in any future presidential elections.

H.R. 1503 has been referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

WND has reported on dozens of legal challenges to Obama's status as a natural born citizen.The Constitution, Article 2, Section 1, states, No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.Some of the lawsuits question whether he was actually born in Hawaii, as he insists. If he was born out of the country, Obama's American mother, the suits contend, was too young at the time of his birth to confer American citizenship to her son under the law at the time. Other challenges have focused on Obama's citizenship through his father, a Kenyan subject to the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom at the time of his birth, thus making him a dual citizen. The cases contend the framers of the Constitution excluded dual citizens from qualifying as natural born. Although Obama officials have told WND all such allegations are garbage, here is a partial listing and status update for some of the cases over Obama's eligibility:New Jersey attorney Mario Apuzzo has filed a case on behalf of Charles Kerchner and others alleging Congress didn't properly ascertain that Obama is qualified to hold the office of president.Pennsylvania Democrat Philip Berg has three cases pending, including Berg vs. Obama in the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a separate Berg vs. Obama which is under seal at the U.S. District Court level and Hollister vs. Soetoro a/k/a Obama, (now dismissed) brought on behalf of a retired military member who could be facing recall to active duty by Obama.Leo Donofrio of New Jersey filed a lawsuit claiming Obama's dual citizenship disqualified him from serving as president. His case was considered in conference by the U.S. Supreme Court but denied a full hearing.Cort Wrotnowski filed suit against Connecticut's secretary of state, making a similar argument to Donofrio. His case was considered in conference by the U.S. Supreme Court, but was denied a full hearing.

Former presidential candidate Alan Keyes headlines a list of people filing a suit in California, in a case handled by the United States Justice Foundation, that asks the secretary of state to refuse to allow the state's 55 Electoral College votes to be cast in the 2008 presidential election until Obama verifies his eligibility to hold the office. The case is pending, and lawyers are seeking the public's support.Chicago attorney Andy Martin sought legal action requiring Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle to release Obama's vital statistics record. The case was dismissed by Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Bert Ayabe.Lt. Col. Donald Sullivan sought a temporary restraining order to stop the Electoral College vote in North Carolina until Barack Obama's eligibility could be confirmed, alleging doubt about Obama's citizenship. His case was denied.In Ohio, David M. Neal sued to force the secretary of state to request documents from the Federal Elections Commission, the Democratic National Committee, the Ohio Democratic Party and Obama to show the presidential candidate was born in Hawaii. The case was denied.Also in Ohio, there was the Greenberg v. Brunner case which ended when the judge threatened to assess all case costs against the plaintiff.In Washington state, Steven Marquis sued the secretary of state seeking a determination on Obama's citizenship. The case was denied.In Georgia, Rev. Tom Terry asked the state Supreme Court to authenticate Obama's birth certificate. His request for an injunction against Georgia's secretary of state was denied by Georgia Superior Court Judge Jerry W. Baxter.California attorney Orly Taitz has brought a case, Lightfoot vs. Bowen, on behalf of Gail Lightfoot, the vice presidential candidate on the ballot with Ron Paul, four electors and two registered voters.In addition, other cases cited on the RightSideofLife blog as raising questions about Obama's eligibility include:
In Texas, Darrel Hunter vs. Obama later was dismissed.In Ohio, Gordon Stamper vs. U.S. later was dismissed.In Texas, Brockhausen vs. Andrade.In Washington, L. Charles Cohen vs. Obama.In Hawaii, Keyes vs. Lingle, dismissed.

HOARDING OF GOLD AND SILVER

DOCTOR DOCTORIAN FROM ANGEL OF GOD
then the angel said, Financial crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world.

JAMES 5:1-3
1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.

REVELATION 18:10,17,19
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

EZEKIEL 7:19
19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.

REVELATION 13:16-18
16 And he(FALSE POPE) causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:(CHIP IMPLANT)
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.(6-6-6) A NUMBER SYSTEM

G20 discuss credit crunch fight, deny split by Katherine Haddon MAR 13,09

HORSHAM, England (AFP) – Finance ministers from the world's biggest economies hold talks Saturday trying to find common ground ahead of a vital G20 summit on April 2 -- but already the talk is of splits, not harmony.The world's richest countries -- the United States, Japan and China -- plus wealthy European nations and emerging powers like South Korea will bid to lay the foundations for a plan to pull the global economy out of its tailspin.But the build-up to the meeting at a luxury hotel near Horsham, south of London, has been marred by clashes between the United States and Europe on whether this is best done through new stimulus measures or tougher regulation.Failure to come up with a clear commitment to action will dampen hopes that the much-heralded G20 summit, to be hosted by current G20 president Britain in London, can fulfil its promise and further hit already volatile stock markets.On the eve of the finance ministers' meeting, Britain's finance minister Alistair Darling tried to play down talk of splits between the US -- whose positive view of stimulus is shared by Japan and China -- and Europe.

I don't actually think that the divisions between the European countries and the US are anything like what has been described over the last few days, Darling, the event's host, told BBC radio.I think on both sides of the Atlantic -- and also, for that matter, in other parts of the world -- there is a commitment to ensure that we support people, support businesses and our economies.But recent exchanges suggest there are real differences.In recent days, senior US officials including Obama's top economic adviser Larry Summers have said leading nations must try to jumpstart a global recovery by pumping more money into their economies.That has not been welcomed in Europe, where many leaders do not want more spending because of already big budget deficits.French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed Thursday to join forces at the summit to urge tighter regulation to avert future crises instead of more spending, in a rare show of unity.And the chairman of eurozone finance ministers Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg added this week that US calls for more cash to be injected into the world economy do not suit us.Obama said this week he was optimistic about the prospects for agreement, adding: Everybody understands that we're in this together.Whether or not they reach agreement, finance ministers at the meeting will find it hard to forget that many of their countries are facing their worst recessions for decades amid shrinking consumer demand.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick, who has provided some of the most sobering analyses of the current situation, arrived Friday after warning that 2009 was turning into a very dangerous year for the economy.Earlier this week, Zoellick said the current crisis was the worst since the 1930s. He added that any new stimulus plans would be like a sugar high unless you fix the banking system.Those in favour of tighter regulation received a boost Friday when Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria said they would relax their sensitive bank secrecy laws amid growing international pressure to stamp out tax havens.Their announcements followed similar moves Thursday by Belgium, Liechtenstein and Andorra. France and Germany have been leading the charge to clamp down on tax havens amid claims a lack of transparency helped fuel the crisis and the issue is likely to remain on the agenda at Saturday's meeting. The meeting is also likely to touch on trade protectionism and increasing funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bail out struggling countries.

Swiss in currency sell-off to fight deflation
ANDREW WILLIS Today MAR 13,09 @ 09:26 CET

Switzerland became the latest country to adopt irregular deflation fighting measures on Thursday (12 March) after the Swiss National Bank (SNB) started selling the Swiss franc on international currency markets in a bid to drive down its value. The results were immediate with the franc dropping dramatically against foreign currencies, reaching 1.54 francs to the euro on Thursday afternoon, its lowest level this year.
The Swiss franc plunged against the euro on Thursday as the Swiss National Bank sold large quantities of the currency on the market. (Photo: Goldline international)

On the same day, the SNB also cut interest rates from 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent saying the economy faced its biggest crisis since 1975 and predicting consumer prices would stagnate over the next three years. The bank justified it dramatic intervention on the currency markets by pointing to the franc's steady appreciation against other currencies in recent months. We decided to block a further appreciation of the Swiss franc vis-a-vis the euro. These measures are necessary for our rate cuts to have effect,SNB President Jean-Pierre Roth said in an interview with SF Swiss television.

As interest rates around the world approach zero, central banks have turned to other policy tools at their disposal in a bid to avoid a deflationary spiral, a damaging situation for the economy under which consumers postpone purchases due to anticipated lower prices in the future. Last Thursday the Bank of England started a process known as quantitative easing, electronically creating more money and embarking on a buying spree of government and corporate debt. It intends to spend £75 billion (€80bn) in this way over the next three months with the possibility to rise to £150 (€160bn) billion after that. This latest Swiss move is significant however as it opens up the prospect of other countries engaging in similar currency selling operations in a bid to drive down their currencies, with the knock-on effect of increasing export price competitiveness.It is also the first time a large central bank as actively operated on the currency markets since Japan sought to weaken the yen in 2004.Let the currency wars begin,said Chris Turner at ING Financial Markets according to reports in the Financial Times.However, other analysts poured cold water on the prospects of a currency devaluation battle, despite the fact that Japanese officials have long complained of an overvalued yen.

Competitive currency devaluation is not likely in Japan now because the risks of sparking trade friction are too great,Masahiro Sato, joint general manager of the treasury division at Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., told Reuters. The Swiss can get away with this because of the relatively small size of their economy and the limited role they play in the global economy,he added.Japan is the world's second largest exporter after Germany. The strength of national currencies is a highly sensitive subject for governments around the world who object strongly to third parties meddling in the area.Recent comments by US treasury secretary, Tim Geithner, saying that he considered China to be a currency manipulator where therefore seen as highly inflammatory.Large economies usually avoid currency disputes by agreeing rates in the G7 forum of industrialized countries.

China worried about US Treasury holdings By JOE McDONALD, AP Business Writer MAR 13,09

BEIJING – China's premier didn't say it in so many words, but the implied warning to Washington was blunt: Don't devalue the dollar through reckless spending.Premier Wen Jiabao's message is unlikely to be misunderstood at the White House. It is counting on Beijing to help pay for its stimulus package by buying U.S. bonds. China already is Washington's biggest foreign creditor, with an estimated $1 trillion in U.S. government debt. A weaker dollar would erode the value of those assets.Of course we are concerned about the safety of our assets. To be honest, I'm a little bit worried, Wen said at a news conference Friday after the closing of China's annual legislative session. I would like to call on the United States to honor its words, stay a credible nation and ensure the safety of Chinese assets.The appeal suggested the outlines of Chinese President Hu Jintao's stance when he meets with President Barack Obama at an April 2 summit in London of the Group of 20 major economies on possible remedies for the global crisis.Wen gave no indication whether Beijing wants changes in U.S. policy. But economists said his comments reflect fears that higher U.S. budget deficits from Washington's $787 billion stimulus package could drive down the dollar and the value of China's Treasury notes.

China is telling the U.S. to be careful, not to overspend and keep an eye on the dollar, said Kelvin Lau, regional economist at Standard Chartered in Hong Kong. There are risks that China cannot control, so they're depending on the U.S. to maintain fiscal prudence and keep the dollar reasonably stable.Analysts estimate China keeps nearly half of its $2 trillion in foreign currency reserves in U.S. Treasuries and notes issued by other government-affiliated agencies.Inside China there has been a lot of debate about whether they should continue to buy Treasuries,said Frank Gong, chief China economist for JP Morgan.Beijing is trying to increase its leverage at the London G-20 meeting by reminding its partners of its role in financing U.S. spending, Gong said.Without China's buying (Treasuries) and continuing to fund U.S. deficit spending, interest rates could have been much higher. That could be very destabilizing in this very recessionary environment, he said.By attracting a lot of attention to this issue, China is already increasing its influence ahead of the G-20 meeting.Finance officials from the G-20 meet this weekend. U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is pressing for a new coordinated global stimulus. Japan is supportive but European governments are reluctant to make expensive commitments before they see how current plans are working.Wen also offered an unqualified defense Friday of his government's policies in Tibet, ignoring questions about a massive security buildup in the Himalayan region.Tensions have spiked ahead of two key anniversaries this week — the 50th anniversary of a failed Tibetan uprising that sent the Dalai Lama into exile and Saturday's one-year anniversary of violent anti-Chinese riots in Lhasa that sparked the largest protests in decades.Asked whether the massive security presence pointed to failings in Beijing's policies, Wen said: The situation in Tibet is on the whole peaceful and stable. The Tibetan people hope to work in peace and stability.

Tibet's continuous progress (has) proven the policies we have adopted are right, he said.Wen expressed confidence the world's third-largest economy can meet its official growth target of 8 percent this year and emerge from the crisis at an early date. But he said Beijing is ready to expand its 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus if needed.We already have our plans ready to tackle even more difficult times, and to do that we have reserved adequate ammunition,he said.That means that at any time we can introduce new stimulus policies.Communist leaders worry about rising job losses and possible unrest amid a trade slump that saw Chinese exports fall 25.7 percent in February from a year earlier. They have promised to spend heavily to create jobs and boost exports.Chinese bank lending and power demand have risen, suggesting the stimulus is taking effect. But growth in retail sales is weakening, indicating it has yet to spur private sector spending and investment, which analysts say will be key to its success. Private sector economists expect growth as low as 5 percent this year. That would be the strongest of any major country but could lead to more waves of job cuts.I really believe we will be able to walk out of the shadow of the financial crisis at an early date, Wen said. After this trial, I believe the Chinese economy will show greater vitality.Wen also said Beijing wants the G-20 summit in April focus on helping the poorest countries. The premier said Beijing has met its own commitments to help developing countries by erasing a total of $40 billion in debt owed by 46 countries and giving out 200 billion yuan ($29 billion) of aid to developing countries.We must see to it that we show concern for developing countries, he said.AP Business Writer Jeremiah Marquez in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

45 percent of world's wealth destroyed: Blackstone CEO Tue Mar 10, 2009 3:42pm EDT By Megan Davies and Walden Siew

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Private equity company Blackstone Group LP (BX.N) CEO Stephen Schwarzman said on Tuesday that up to 45 percent of the world's wealth has been destroyed by the global credit crisis.Between 40 and 45 percent of the world's wealth has been destroyed in little less than a year and a half, Schwarzman told an audience at the Japan Society.This is absolutely unprecedented in our lifetime.But the U.S. government is committed to the preservation of financial institutions, he said, and will do whatever it takes to restart the economy.U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner plans to unfreeze credit markets through a new program that will combine public and private capital in a fund that would buy bank toxic assets of up to $1 trillion.In all likelihood, that will have the private sector buy troubled assets to clean the banks out in terms of providing leverage ... so that we can get more money back into the banking system,Schwarzman said.He expects the private sector to end up making some good money doing that, but added there were complex issues on how to price toxic assets.He put part of the blame for the financial crisis to credit rating agencies.What's pretty clear is that, if you were looking for one culprit out of the many, many, many culprits, you have to point your finger at the rating agencies,he said.

Rating companies have been the focus of intense criticism for their role in granting top AAA ratings for complex bonds that later plummeted in value, resulting in subsequent rating cuts, in many cases to junk status.Once you bought into ... the Triple A paper and it turned out to be paper that was in many situations going to end up defaulting, then you really had the makings of a global problem,he said.Schwarzman said problems were then exacerbated by mark-to- market accounting rules. Those rules ask banks and other financial institutions to price assets at a value related to how they would be sold in the open market.Blackstone reported a quarterly loss in February after writing down the value of its portfolio and eliminated its fourth-quarter dividend.Asked where was a good place to invest, Schwarzman said it made sense to buy cyclical names, which are less exposed to the economic cycles.He said investors also may find value in debt products, including senior layers of certain securitizations,where investors can see 15 percent to 20 percent returns, he said.

Geographically, he said there were pockets of strength in China, which is committed to getting to an 8 percent growth level, and in India, where the economy is slowing but banks are in good shape.(Editing by Andre Grenon)

Financials lead stocks to best week since November By SARA LEPRO and TIM PARADIS, AP Business Writers – Fri Mar 13, 6:42 pm ET

NEW YORK – A sharp rebound in bank shares and easing worries about the economy pushed stocks to their best week since late November.The market shot up in one week as it might in some years, with major indicators chalking up gains of around 10 percent.

Friday's gains were modest compared with the rallies on Tuesday and Thursday, but investors welcomed the market's ability to hold its ground. Several recent rallies have ended with disappointing selloffs.Fears eased during the week that the nation's major financial institutions would collapse or at least require additional government lifelines to stay alive. Market veterans were quick to rein in hopes that stocks would chart an easy recovery but many still saw the four straight days of gains a good sign.The overriding question people have is Is this rally it? said Quincy Krosby, chief investment strategist at The Hartford. For that to happen I think we need to see more evidence of a turnaround. We still have significant problems in terms of unemployment. The problems with the banks are still there.On Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 53.92, or 0.8 percent, to 7,223.98. The Dow hasn't put up four straight gains since late November.The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 5.81, or 0.8 percent, to 756.55. The Nasdaq composite index rose 5.40, or 0.4 percent, to 1,431.50.For the week, the Dow jumped 9 percent, the S&P 500 index added 10.7 percent and the Nasdaq rose 10.6 percent. It was the best week for the major indexes since the week ended Nov. 28.Still, the Dow and the S&P 500 index remain down by about half from their peak in October 2007.The Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 index, which reflects nearly all stocks traded in America, jumped 10.7 percent for the week. That's a paper gain of about $900 billion.

The turnaround began Tuesday as the head of Citigroup Inc. said the bank had managed to turn a profit in the first two months of the year. That helped ease worries about bad debt that have cloaked financial stocks since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September.Traders who last week pounded Citi shares to be low $1 began buying the stock again. The gains in the beaten-down industry were enormous: Citi surged 73 percent for the week, Bank of America Corp. jumped 83 percent and Wells Fargo & Co. rose 62 percent.Traders are often reluctant to hold on to large positions ahead of the weekend out of fears that bad news could be on the way. Many on Wall Street looked to a weekend packed with events that could have a great affect on trading next week.Finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 countries were meeting Friday and Saturday outside London, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was set to discuss the financial crisis in a rare interview to be broadcast on CBS'60 Minutes Sunday.Energy stocks dragged on the market Friday ahead of a weekend OPEC meeting on whether the cartel should adjust oil production. Health stocks rose after Schering-Plough Corp. reported positive trial results for an anti-clotting drug. Merck, which said at the start of the week it planned to acquire Schering-Plough, jumped $3.04, or 12.7 percent, to $27.07.

Financial stocks mostly rose Friday following reports that Citigroup Inc. Chairman Richard Parsons said the bank doesn't need additional government support. Citigroup has received three rounds of emergency funding.Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. also said this week that they have been profitable so far this year. The market has been quick to embrace the encouraging signs about the financial system after weeks of unrelenting selling spurred on by concerns that the government's efforts to break a freeze in lending weren't working.Investors also grew more confident about the prospects for the economy during the week. A government report on retail sales for February wasn't as bad as many analysts had feared. Word also arrived that an accounting board may recommend an easing of financial reporting rules of tough-to-sell assets. Banks say a change in so-called mark-to-market accounting rules would help their bottom lines. Officials in Washington also said they would consider reinstating a rule that makes it harder to place bets a stock will fall. Some analysts blame so-called short selling with fanning the volatility in the market, particularly the financial stocks. Analysts said technical factors that helped drive the market for the week continued Friday, including short-covering, when traders buy stock to cover their short-sale trades. Despite the glimmers of hope, analysts are still a long way away from declaring that the worst is over. We are going to remain cautious because the slightest bit of bad news could turn this thing around,said Joe Arnold, investment adviser at Dawson Wealth Management.

But some unease can be good for the market, Krosby said.

She noted that doubt about the rally and the more incremental gains Wednesday and Friday actually increase the chances it could hold some of its advance. Oddly enough, the more skepticism about the duration of the rally the better it is because it's telling you there are still buyers on the side.Upbeat reports from companies in a range of industries lifted the market after stocks finished at their lowest levels in more than a decade on Monday. General Motors Corp. said Thursday it wouldn't need the latest installment of government bailout money, and a cut in General Electric Co.'s credit rating on the same day wasn't as bad as some had feared. On Friday, Citigroup rose 11 cents, or 6.6 percent, to $1.78, while Bank of America fell 9 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $5.76. Wells Fargo slipped 1 cent to $13.94. General Motors extended its gains on Friday, jumping 54 cents, or 24.8 percent, to $22.72. For the week, GM rose 88 percent.More than 2 stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 6.65 billion shares compared with 7.2 billion shares traded Thursday.Bonds were mixed. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note, which moves opposite its price, rose to 2.90 percent from 2.86 percent late Thursday. The yield on the three-month T-bill fell to 0.20 percent from 0.22 percent Thursday.The dollar fell against other most other major currencies, while gold prices rose.Light, sweet crude for April delivery fell 78 cents to settle at $46.25 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.Overseas, Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.1 percent, Germany's DAX index slipped 0.7 percent, and France's CAC-40 rose 0.4 percent. Japan's Nikkei stock average jumped 5.2 percent.The Dow Jones industrial average closed the week up 597.04, or 9 percent, at 7,223.98. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 73.17, or 10.7 percent, to 756.55. The Nasdaq composite index rose 5.40, or 0.4 percent, closing at 1,431.50.The Russell 2000 index, which tracks the performance of small company stocks, rose 42.04, or 12 percent, to 393.09.The Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Composite Index — a free-float weighted index that measures 5,000 U.S. based companies — ended at 7,675.94, up 740.56, or 10.7 percent, for the week. A year ago, the index was at 13,266.85. On the Net: New York Stock Exchange: http://www.nyse.com
Nasdaq Stock Market: http://www.nasdaq.com

France and Germany unite positions ahead of summit
ELITSA VUCHEVA Today MAR 13,09 @ 09:24 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – France and Germany on Thursday (12 March) agreed that the emphasis at the upcoming G20 meeting in London should be on greater financial regulation and rejected calls coming from the US to increase spending as a way to deal with the crisis.During a meeting of their cabinets in Berlin, the two countries underlined their determination to pursue and strengthen the co-ordination of their economic policy in the face of the financial and economic crisis and to work together so that such a crisis does not reproduce itself,reads a joint declaration of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.They said they would stand united in calls for more financial regulation and for the April G20 summit in London to achieve substantial and concrete results on that point.We defend a totally identical position, Ms Merkel was quoted as saying by Reuters.Mr Sarkozy also underlined that at the G20, France and Germany would make the same proposals, defend the same convictions and have the same demands for results.The French president also indicated that he and Ms Merkel could take a common initiative before the G20 that we will communicate in due time.

EU – US split

The two countries' display of unity comes after recent calls from Washington that governments around the world should focus more on additional fiscal measures than on regulation as a reaction to the global turbulence.It also underlines a growing split between the EU and the US.Fiscal stimuli are important – and Europe has made its contribution in this regard – but they cannot replace the necessary regulation, Ms Merkel said.In Europe, we have invested a lot into growth. The priority now is not to spend more but to put in place a system of regulation that will stop such a catastrophe from happening again,Mr Sarkozy underlined.We do not want to spend more money,he was quoted as saying by the International Herald Tribune.On Thursday, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also defended the European position as opposed to the American one and stressed that more regulation was what the G20 would need to focus on.When we talk about fiscal stimulus, it's not the same thing in the US and in Europe because the Americans usually think about discretionary additional fiscal stimulus,Mr Barroso said at a press conference in Brussels.I would like to see the European ambition matched by others, regarding new rules of supervision and regulation of the financial sector,he added.

EU leaders to reiterate regulation calls

The statements come as the EU's 27 member states will be meeting in Brussels next week in order to discuss the financial crisis and the best ways to tackle it.The bloc's leaders will put a specific emphasis on preparing for the G20 summit and are expected to re-iterate the calls for more financial regulation.In a four-page annex to the conclusions they are to adopt after their meeting – a draft of which has been seen by EUobserver, EU heads of state and government are to present an agreed language with a view of the G20 summit in London.Among other things, they will call to strengthen transparency and accountability to avoid pitfalls of the past, in particular by making macro-prudential supervision standard part of the financial sector oversight.Appropriate regulation or oversight of all financial markets, products and participants that may present a systemic risk, without exception and regardless of their country of domicile should also be ensured, reads the draft.The EU leaders will also insist on the need to reform the governance of international financial institutions,in particular the International Monetary Fund, whose resources they would like to see doubled so that the fund can help its members swiftly and flexibly if they experience balance of payments difficulties.

Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg relax banking secrecy
ANDREW WILLIS Today MAR 13,09 @ 18:30 CET

Switzerland, Austria and Luxembourg announced a relaxation of their banking secrecy laws on Friday (13 March) following mounting pressures on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down non-cooperating tax zones. The news comes only one day after Liechtenstein and Andorra made similar declarations, as a number of financial centres around the world attempt to pre-empt any decision coming out of the G20 leaders summit on 2 April.As western governments feel the pinch due to expensive stimulus spending projects coupled with reduced tax receipts, the spotlight has been turned on a handful of geographic locations that profit by harbouring capital owned by companies and wealthy individuals from abroad.The Swiss government said on Friday that it intends to adopt OECD standards on the sharing of banking information between different countries, citing its desire to avoid being placed on the organization's black list of tax havens. If Switzerland were to wind up on a black list it wouldn't only hurt the banking sector,Finance Minister, Hans-Rudolf Merz, said at a press conference in Bern implying that the economy as a whole would suffer. In the past, Switzerland has said that signing up to OECD standards would compromise the banking secrecy of its clients.Switzerland's largest bank, UBS, last month handed over the names of 300 customers to the US government after it produced strong evidence they were avoiding paying tax.

It is estimated that Switzerland holds around $2 trillion worth of capital from abroad reports the BBC.In a separate announcement on Friday, Luxembourg also said it would cooperate with tax authorities from other countries but will only provide client details once concrete proof of tax evasion is provided. For its part, Austria said will renegotiate current agreements on banking secrecy in the fight against tax fraud and evasion its finance minister, Josef Proell, said on Friday. It too has only agreed to hand over information once supplied with evidence of tax evasion by individuals with accounts in the country.There won't be an automatic exchange of information, but we will renegotiate a number of the 80 tax agreements that we have with other countries, Mr Proell said in Vienna. We have been fighting tax evasion and fraud in the past, and we will continue to do so,he added. France, which has lead calls in recent weeks for a comprehensive review of the uncooperative jurisdictions', was initially guarded in its response to the news. The devil is in the details, said French Finance Minister, Christine Lagarde, in Paris. We must go all the way and see if banking secrecy is sufficiently lifted.UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the changes were the beginning of the end of tax havens.Tax evasion, which costs the global economy billions of pounds each year, will become more difficult in future.

Liechtenstein, Andorra move on bank secrecy
LEIGH PHILLIPS Today MAR 13,09 @ 09:47 CET

As pressure mounts on tax havens from global leaders ahead of the April meeting of the G20 to restructure the international financial architecture, Liechtenstein and Andorra have announced that they are to relax aspects of their banking secrecy rules.

Listed on the OECD's roll of uncooperative tax havens, the countries will not end secrecy entirely, but hope to reach bilateral agreements with other countries covering tax evasion.Liechtenstein on Thursday (12 March) said it is to launch talks on the matter with Germany on Friday and the UK next month. Andorra, for its part, announced that it aims to pass legislation easing bank secrecy by November.The Liechtenstein government accepts the OECD standards on transparency and information exchange in tax matters and supports the international measures against non-compliance with tax laws,the principality said in a statement.The two tiny states, neither of which are in the European Union, are the latest in a list of offshore centres that have come under pressure in the wake of the global financial crisis to ease banking secrecy laws.This week, the British Channel Island of Jersey reached an agreement with London over the exchange of tax data. Elsewhere, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Isle of Man, and the Cayman Islands have made similar announcements in recent weeks. Singapore said it would adopt OECD rules earlier this month, while in February, Hong Kong declared it would be exchanging tax information with foreign authorities.Belgium has also said it is to lift its own banking secrecy rules and share information on account holders with other EU member states. Austria and Luxembourg, the two other member states with banking secrecy laws, are resisting the move. The three countries are not on the OECD list of uncooperative tax havens, however.

The moves come as such fiscal paradises are increasingly targeted by those who would rebuild the global economy.In Horsham, Sussex, the UK is host to a pre-G20 meeting of finance ministers on Friday and Saturday that will discuss what to do about tax havens, as well as wider questions of re-regulating the financial sector. Meanwhile on Thursday, coming out of a Franco-German Council of Ministers meeting in Berlin, France and Germany issued a statement calling for an international sanctions mechanism to crack down on such fiscal black holes.German Chancellor Angela Merkel said:Every product, every actor and every place in the world must be transparent.We must act with all determination, she continued [against these] uncooperative countries.

Race to get end-of-term legislation through EU parliament,Strasbourg hemicycle: The last plenary meeting of the current parliament will take place at the beginning of May (Photo: European Parliament)HONOR MAHONY 12.03.2009 @ 17:43 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - With just three plenary meetings left before the European Parliament finishes its current term, MEPs still have some major legislation to clear before they hit the campaign trail ahead of the June elections.Among the most important are the energy and telecoms bills - flagship liberalisation projects of the current commission. Both are only inching their way through the legislative pipelines.

The telecoms package, which aims to create an EU-level supervisor for telecoms regulators and overhauls the rules for management of radio spectrum, is stalling on the issue of how much power should be given to the European Commission.Three-way talks - between MEPs, member states and the commission - are aiming to finalise a compromise so that the vote can be taken before May, the last session of the current European Parliament.Meanwhile, the energy package, aimed at deregulating the gas and electricity sectors, is in difficulty over the scope of unbundling - the separation of electricity generation from its transmission, breaking the control of large national providers' over both production and supply.Other big chunks of legislation include the working time directive, a controversial law restricting the working week to 48 hours. Late last year, MEPs upset the apple cart by rejecting a recommendation from the member states and voting to end opt-outs from the 48-hour-week within three years. If a joint text can be agreed with member states, the final vote could be held in May.MEPs are also due for first-round votes on an EU bill to make it easier for patients to receive paid medical treatment in other member states (with a first vote in April), one on extending the protection of authors' copyright by 20 years up to 95 years (March), and another law on making buildings more energy efficient.

Meanwhile, a bill on the nutritional labelling of food may be postponed until the next legislature because of the sheer number of amendments it has received.Draft EU laws that have already begun the legislative process in the European Parliament, meaning that they have been voted on in committee, are automatically carried over to the next term.After the final May plenary session, parliament will reconvene in July for its constitutive session following the June elections. Its first legislative meeting will be in September.Meanwhile, the new parliament (2009-2014) will see a major increase in its powers if the Lisbon Treaty is passed in Ireland, which is to hold a second referendum on the pact later this year.

The Lisbon question

The new EU rulebook would give MEPs co-legislative rights in a series of new areas, including agricultural and fisheries policies, judicial co-operation in criminal matters, police co-operation, services of general economic interest, space policy and tourism.Mindful of the upgrade in their powers, the euro-deputies in the constitutional affairs committee earlier this week asked the European Commission to tell them of pending proposals that will be affected by moving from one treaty to another.It also left open the option of changing its opinion on a piece of legislation if it moves from a consultative basis to full co-legislation.Parliament will decide which position it takes regarding opinions that have already been adopted in consultation procedures on matters which have been changed to the ordinary legislative procedure,said a report by German Socialist MEP Jo Leinen.

WW3 THE 3 WAVES THAT MARCH TO ISRAEL

DANIEL 11:40-45
40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south( EGYPT) push at him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) and the king of the north (RUSSIA AND MUSLIM HORDES OF EZEK 38+39) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.(JORDAN)
42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
44 But tidings out of the east(CHINA 2ND WAVE OF WW3) and out of the north(RUSSIA, MUSLIMS WHATS LEFT FROM WAVE 1) shall trouble him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.( 1/3RD OF EARTHS POPULATION)
45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

REVELATION 14:18-20
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city,(JERUSALEM) and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.(200 MILES) (THE SIZE OF ISRAEL)

The Third and Final Wave of WW3 is when all Nations march to Jerusalem, but JESUS bodily returns to earth and destroys them,sets up his KINGDOM OF RULE FOR 1000 YEARS THEN FOREVER.

2ND WAVE CHINA AND KINGS OF THE EAST MARCH TO ISRAEL

REVELATION 16:12
12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.(THIS IS THE ATATURK DAM IN TURKEY,THEY CROSS OVER).

DANIEL 11:44 (2ND WAVE OF WW3)
44 But tidings out of the east(CHINA) and out of the north(RUSSIA, MUSLIMS WHATS LEFT FROM WAVE 1) shall trouble him:(EU DICTATOR IN ISRAEL) therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.( 1/3RD OF EARTHS POPULATION)

REVELATION 9:12-18
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.(IRAQ-SYRIA)
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.(1/3 Earths Population die in WW 3 2ND WAVE)
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand:(200 MILLION MAN ARMY FROM CHINA AND THE KINGS OF THE EAST) and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.(NUCLEAR BOMBS)

Japan protests NKorea's rocket launch plan By HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press Writer MAR 13,09

SEOUL, South Korea – Japan hinted it could down an incoming North Korean rocket, but analysts said the communist country will go ahead with a planned April launch with little fear of the consequences.The North announced this week it will send a satellite into orbit between April 4-8, saying it would fly over Japan and designating a danger zone off the neighboring country in order to warn international shipping and aviation to avoid the area.The rocket's first stage is expected to fall in waters less than 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Japan's northwestern shore, according to coordinates Pyongyang provided to U.N. agencies. The other zone where the second stage should fall lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean between Japan and Hawaii.The U.S. and other governments have warned that any rocket launch — whether missile test or satellite — would violate a 2006 U.N. Security Council resolution banning North Korea from ballistic missile activity.We protest a launch, and strongly demand it be canceled,Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said Friday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said the country reserves the right to take out the rocket if it looks like it could hit.Legally speaking, if this object falls toward Japan, we can shoot it down for safety reasons, he said.Japan, which was shaken in 1998 when a North Korean missile flew over its territory and landed in the Pacific, has since moved to develop missile defense capabilities with some success. It downed a ballistic missile from a ship at sea in a 2007 test.Lance Gatling, an independent defense analyst, said the country is capable of intercepting a medium-range missile. North Korea, though, is expected to fire a long-range rocket next month.He said the most efficient way to launch a satellite into orbit is to send it eastward toward Japan because of the Earth's motion.Masao Okonogi, an international relations professor at Tokyo's Keio University, said Japanese officials feel they have little choice but to engage in strong rhetoric.Government officials are talking tough because they don't want to be seen as passive in the face of a North Korean launch,he said.Other analysts say North Korea is likely to stick with its plan despite intense international criticism as it has little to fear and much to gain by following through with what is seen as an attempt to bolster its standing in nuclear negotiations with the United States.After the launch, there will be a little bit of noise but that will pass and things will move on to the next stage, said Kim Tae-woo, of the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul.I believe the U.S. will offer dialogue.Ultimately, a successful satellite launch would provide North Korea with the upper hand in its future negotiations with the U.S. as it would mean the country could show it has a delivery vehicle for its nuclear weapons, according to Paik Hak-soon, a North Korea expert at the private think tank Sejong Institute near Seoul.Then, the North will have not only a nuclear card but a missile card,he said.Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi and Shino Yuasa in Tokyo contributed to this report.