ENERGY BILL VOTE PASSES 219 TO 212

6:27 PM JUNE 26,09 IF THIS PASSES IT WILL BE THE WORLD CARBON TAX AS PREDICTED.THE U.N,WTO ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS TAX ENVIROMENTAL SCAM.

7:23PM JUNE 26,09 THE CLIMATE BILL PASSES THE HOUSE BY A VOTE OF 219 FOR 212 AGAINST.THE LEGISLATION NOW GOES TO THE SENATE FOR FINAL PASSAGE.U CAN BET WHEN IT PASSES THE SENATE IN THE FUTURE THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL THEN CONTROL THE ENVIROMENT AND THE ECONOMIES OF THE WHOLE WORLD LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS WILL HAPPEN SINCE THIS WAS A GLOBAL BILL.

C-SPAN LIVE TV
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx

House narrowly passes major energy-climate bill By H. JOSEF HEBERT and DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writers JUNE 26,09

WASHINGTON – In a triumph for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed sweeping legislation Friday that calls for the nation's first limits on pollution linked to global warming and aims to usher in a new era of cleaner, yet more costly energy.The vote was 219-212, capping months of negotiations and days of intense bargaining among Democrats. Republicans were overwhelmingly against the measure, arguing it would destroy jobs in the midst of a recession while burdening consumers with a new tax in the form of higher energy costs.The House's action fulfilled Speaker Nancy Pelosi's vow to clear major energy legislation before July 4, and sent the measure to a highly uncertain fate in the Senate.Obama lobbied recalcitrant Democrats by phone from the White House as the debate unfolded across several hours, and Al Gore posted a statement on his Web site saying the measure represents an essential first step towards solving the climate crisis.The former vice president won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work drawing attention to the destructive potential of global warming.On the House floor, Democrats hailed the legislation as historic, while Republicans said it would damage the economy without solving the nation's energy woes.It is the most important energy and environmental legislation in the history of our country,said Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts.It sets a new course for our country, one that steers us away from foreign oil and towards a path of clean American energy.But Rep. John Boehner, the House Republican leader, used an extraordinary one-hour speech shortly before the final vote to warn of unintended consequences in what he said was a defining bill.He called it a bureaucratic nightmare that would cost jobs, depress real estate prices and put the government into parts of the economy where it now has no role.

The legislation would require the U.S. to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and by about 80 percent by mid-century. That was slightly more aggressive than Obama originally wanted, 14 percent by 2020 and the same 80 percent by mid-century.U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are rising at about 1 percent a year and are predicted to continue increasing without mandatory limits.Under the bill, the government would limit heat-trapping pollution from factories, refineries and power plants and issue allowances for polluters. Most of the allowances would be given away, but about 15 percent would be auctioned by bid and the proceeds used to defray higher energy costs for lower-income individuals and families.Some would like to do more. Some would like to do less,House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said in advance of the final vote.But we have reached a compromise ... and it is a compromise that can pass this House, pass that Senate, be signed by the president and become law and make progress.

One of the biggest compromises involved the near total elimination of an administration plan to sell pollution permits and raise more than $600 billion over a decade — money to finance continuation of a middle class tax cut. About 85 percent of the permits are to be given away rather than sold in a ceoncession to energy companies and their allies in the House — and even that is uncertain to survive in the Senate.The final bill also contained concessions to satisfy farm-state lawmakers, ethanol producers, hydroelectric advocates, the nuclear industry and others, some of them so late that they were not made public until 3 a.m. on Friday.Supporters and opponents agreed the result would be higher energy costs but disagreed vigorously on the impact on consumers. Democrats pointed to two reports — one from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the other from the Environmental Protection Agency — that suggested average increases would be limited after tax credits and rebates were taken into account. The CBO estimated the bill would cost an average household $175 a year, the EPA $80 to $110 a year.Republicans questioned the validity of the CBO study and noted that even that analysis showed actual energy production costs increasing $770 per household. Industry groups have cited other studies showing much higher costs to the economy and to individuals.The White House and congressional Democrats argued the bill would create millions of green jobs as the nation shifts to greater reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and development of more fuel-efficient vehicles — and away from use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal.

It will make our nation the world leader on clean energy jobs and technology, declared Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who negotiated deals with dozens of lawmakers in recent weeks to broaden the bill's support.Pelosi, D-Calif., took an intense personal interest in the measure, sitting through hours of meetings with members of the rank and file and nurturing fragile compromises. At its heart, the bill was a trade-off, less than the White House initially sought though it was more than Republicans said was acceptable. Some of the dealmaking had a distinct political feel. Rep. Alan Grayson, a first-term Democrat, won a pledge of support that $50 million from the proceeds of pollution permit sales in the bill would go to a proposed new hurricane research facility in his district in Orlando, Fla.This is revolutionary. This is a moment in history,declared Markey, a co-sponsor of the bill.

Republicans saw it differently.

This amounts to the largest tax increase in American history under the guise of climate change,declared Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind. On the Net: American Clean Energy and Security Act: http://tinyurl.com/ph52vs

Major energy-climate bill chugs toward House vote By H. JOSEF HEBERT and DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writers JUNE 26,09

WASHINGTON – With President Barack Obama lobbying by phone, the Democratic-controlled House churned toward a showdown vote Friday night on historic legislation to reduce pollution linked to global warming and power the nation with cleaner but more expensive energy.Democrats struggled to solidify a fragile coalition needed for passage and appeared headed for success. We don't have the votes to stop this bill, conceded Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., as the roll call neared on a measure that Republicans said would kill jobs across the country while pushing consumer energy costs higher.Republicans sought to delay the inevitable. Moments before a final vote was scheduled, House Republican John Boehner of Ohio plunged into a lengthy speech, methodically raising questions about numerous changes that he said Democrats had made public after 3 a.m. Friday.He called the bill the most profound piece of legislation to come to this floor in 100 years,but one that would create a bureaucratic nightmare without solving the nation's energy problems.Supporters and opponents agreed the result would be higher energy costs but disagreed vigorously on the impact on consumers. Democrats pointed to two reports — one from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office and the other from the Environmental Protection Agency — that suggested average increases would be limited after tax credits and rebates were taken into account. The CBO estimated the bill would cost an average household $175 a year, the EPA $80 to $110 a year, but Republicans and industry groups said the real figure would much higher.The White House and congressional Democrats argued the bill would create millions of green jobs as the nation shifts to greater reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and development of more fuel efficient vehicles — and away from use of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal.It will make our nation the world leader on clean energy jobs and technology,declared Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., who negotiated deals with dozens of lawmakers in recent weeks to broaden the bill's support.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had pledged to get the legislation passed before lawmakers left on their July 4 vacation. She took an intense personal interest in the measure, sitting through hours of meetings with members of the rank and file and nurturing fragile compromises.At its heart, the bill was a trade-off, less than the White House initially sought though it was more than Republicans said was acceptable. Some of the dealmaking had a distinct political feel. Rep. Alan Grayson, a first-term Democrat, won a pledge of support that $50 million from the proceeds of pollution permit sales in the bill would go to a proposed new hurricane research facility in his district in Orlando., Fla.An administration plan to sell pollution permits and raise more than $600 billion over a decade — money to finance continuation of a middle class tax cut — was largely jettisoned due to opposition from energy companies and their allies in the House. The final bill also contained concessions to satisfy farm-state lawmakers, ethanol producers, hydroelectric advocates, the nuclear industry and others.The Senate has yet to act on the measure, and a major struggle is expected there. The bill's supporters would need 60 votes to overcome any Republican filibuster.In a long day of debate Friday, Democrats narrowly won a test vote, 217-205 that cleared the bill over its first hurdle. Thirty Democrats defected on that vote, reflecting the divisiveness of the issue.Even as the debate proceeded on the House floor, Obama made phone calls from the White House, seeking support from recalcitrant Democrats. Obama has made the measure a top priority of his first year, maintaining it will open the door to a clean energy economy,spur the growth of green jobs and make the United States a world leader on climate change.The legislation would impose first-ever limits on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas pollution from power plants, factories and refineries. It also would force a shift from coal and other fossil fuels to renewable and more efficient forms of energy.Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said the bill marked a fundamental change in U.S. climate and energy policy and characterized it as the most important environmental and energy legislation to ever have been considered by Congress.This is revolutionary. This is a moment in history,declared Markey, a co-sponsor of the bill.

Republicans saw it differently.

This amounts to the largest tax increase in American history under the guise of climate change,declared Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind. And Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said it promises to destroy our standard of living and quality of life with higher energy costs, higher food prices and lost jobs.He called it the single largest economic threat to our farmers and ranchers in decades.But Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said there was a moral imperative to be good stewards of the earth and move the United States to the forefront in addressing the climate problem. The legislation, totaling about 1,200 pages, would require the U.S. to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and by about 80 percent by the end of the century. That was slightly more aggressive than Obama originally wanted, 14 percent by 2020 and the same 80 percent by the dawn of the next century.U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are rising at about 1 percent a year and are predicted to continue increasing without mandatory limits.Under the bill, the government would limit heat-trapping pollution from factories, refineries and power plants and issue allowances for polluters. Most of the allowances would be given away, but about 15 percent cent would be auctioned by bid, and the proceeds used to defray higher energy costs for lower-income individuals and families.There was widespread agreement that under this cap-and-trade system, the cost of energy would almost certainly increase. But Democrats argued that much of the impact on taxpayers would be offset by the tax credits and rebates in the measure.

Republicans questioned the validity of the CBO study and noted that even that analysis showed actual energy production costs increasing $770 per household. Industry groups have cited other studies showing much higher costs to the economy and to individuals.On the Net:American Clean Energy and Security Act: http://tinyurl.com/ph52vs

IRAN TO DOMINATE G-8 MEETING IN ITALY

THE CARBON EMMISIONS BILL WILL BE VOTED ON BETWEEN 5 AND 6PM EASTERN TIME TODAY.THIS WILL TAX EVERYTHING FOR AMERICANS AND GIVE THE MONEY TO THE ROBBER BANKERS AND THE FED WHO HAVE ROBBED USE OFFICIALLY OF $14.8 TRILLION BUT ACTUALLY WILL BE CLOSER TO $20 TRILLION.PHONE YOUR CONGRESS AND HAVE THIS BILL STOPPED.AMERICA WILL BE LOSING JOBS BIGTME FROM THIS ENVIROMENTAL SCAM BILL AND TAX EVERYTHING UNDER THE GUISE OF CARBON GASSES.

CHECK FOR YOUR CONGRESS PERSON NUMBER HERE
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/campaigns/hr2454action.php

PHONE NUMBERS TO PHONE TO SAY NO TO CLIMATE BILL
800-833-6354
866-220-0044
877-851-6437
800-828-0498
877-210-5351
800-862-5530

Jackson and Fawcett Deaths Overshadow NWO Moves On Liberty
Kurt Nimmo Infowars June 25, 2009

It’s like manna from heaven for the corporate media. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, and Farrah Fawcett, the It Girl,have died on the same day. Details of these two tragic events will now dominate the media for more than a week and push vastly more important events into the shadows.The corporate media gathers in a feeding frenzy over the death of a mentally disturbed music icon.Obama and Congress plan to hand the entire U.S. economy over to an evil cartel of private banksters and inbred elitists, thus creating a dictatorship not answerable to the people. Meanwhile, the corporate media has gathered in a feeding frenzy over the death of a mentally disturbed music icon.It is no longer news that the Fed will soon have the power to seize any company, from the corner hot dog stand to once mighty automotive corporations. Farrah Fawcett’s death by cancer is more important than the fact the government will soon usher in a form of corporatism – what Mussolini called fascism – of a magnitude and sophistication never before witnessed.

Earlier in the week, Rep. Ron Paul warned that Obama and Congress are working together to produce a complete economic collapse, and yet this did not even make a ripple in the corporate media news cycle.Globalist Brent Scowcroft admits the CIA and the Pentagon are busy at work undermining the government of Iran and yet the media focuses on what appears to be the staged murder of a young woman in Tehran and does not bother to mention her death is obviously part of the overall diabolical scheme to meddle in Iran’s affairs and prepare for a shock and awe campaign to rival the one unleashed on Iraq with the horrific result of more than a million dead people.
Evidence abounds that the World Health Organization, the United Nations, big pharma and governments around the world at the behest of the international bankers are planning to unleash a bioweapon attack in the guise of a flu pandemic. Journalist Jane Burgermeister has presented compelling evidence of this plot (including the declaration of martial law and mandatory toxic vaccinations) and yet the corporate media is silent.The documented existence of FEMA detention and work camps and mass grave sites for this engineered pandemic are ignored by the corporate media with the exception of a lame hit piece conducted by government disinfo operative Glenn Beck and his sidekick from the paragon of yellow journalism, Hearst publishing.There are government encroachments aimed at liberty on all fronts — water rights, CPS snatching children across the country, numerous laws proposed to limit and diminish if not eliminate gun rights — and yet the corporate media focuses exclusively on the death of celebrities.In 200 BC the Roman poet Juvenal wrote about the lamentable fact the masses had given up their birthright of political involvement and abdicated their duties for only two things — bread and circuses.Our rulers have yet to hand out bread, but they have engineered alluring electronic circuses and grand distractions. In doing so they are leading the masses down the path to enslavement.

Canadian Socialism: What It Means for America
Eyad Jamaleddine Infowars June 26, 2009

Most of Quebec has become a total Police State very similar to China or Washington DC.George Washington once advocated that Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.It seems that my fellow men, up over here, in the great North, also known as Quebec Canada fail to see the paradox in the latter statement. As a servant of society, a Bioengineer, I often meet a variety of individuals. At the University, I’m always happy to welcome new coming students from south of our border but never fail to underestimate the American zeal that they bring with them. At times I wonder how such a great Nation as the United-States of America, the men and woman who extended the far reaches of humanity with the Apollo program, who mesmerized the world hundreds of years before and declared independence from a tyrannical Empire can wither out and die. It is not financial death that troubles me, when one looks at the situation at hand; it is easy to see through the veils of government owned media and propaganda that the deck of cards had been tampered with, so to speak. It isn’t even the failures of a non-ending war on terror, terror becoming a never seen, never known enemy that is continually changing to meet government interests. It is the death of freedom that makes me wonder. How did it happen that ideology in itself ceased to exist? You might wonder how can ideology die. Well when one cannot form his own ideas, when a well-oiled corporate media machine runs the show, ideas become property of the state and thus ideology; the quest of idealism in itself becomes dependent on a foreign agent’s beliefs and not one’s own.I felt compelled to write when a fellow student, a fervent Obama supporter noted how Quebec and the US would become much alike. The latter, in his opinion, becoming a Socialist country and the former already being a socialist Province. Point given, big government does have advantages, free health care, government run schools, enterprise, utility companies etc. But let’s look at Quebec for instance, the second most taxed place in the world, by first taking a look at our health care system.

If one were to have the unfortunate chance of breaking a bone or get any condition requiring immediate medical assistance than he or she would have to wait between 12 and 20 hours in an ER waiting room before being seen by a doctor. Oncology (cancer treatment) facilities are so backed up that many patients die on the waiting lists. I have witnessed with my own eyes a pregnant woman waiting 13 hours to see a doctor and fainting in the bathroom after loosing a substantial amount of blood and a 5-week-old fetus before being rushed into surgery. Just recently a man died in another waiting room after going to a local hospital because he felt chest pain and waited over 8 hours… Cause of death? A mild stroke.That said, let’s take a look at government run services, such as the ministry of transport. Well Quebec roads are an utter and complete disaster. Potholes cause countless deaths and injuries every year simply because road construction is done cheaply by government subcontractors, as taxpayer money is laundered for other causes. Some rebut that harsh weather is the cause, when Eastern Ontario roads and Vermont roads are exposed to the same weather yet do not display a tenth of wear that Quebec Roads do.The educational system on the other hand is probably one of the worst in Canada. Many middle class families are forced to send their children to private school hoping to free them from the burden of public institutions.Having given these few examples, please consider that Quebec holds around 8 million citizens. Things are pretty bad up here; I couldn’t imagine how horrid it could become with a population rated around 306 million. Corruption would become so flagrant that no form of taxation would be able to cover the gigantic debt of a broken socialist government. Now that’s just considering it in terms of economical hardship. Most of Quebec has become a total Police State very similar to China or Washington DC. From forced ticketing taxation, where motorists are forcibly charged and guilty until proven innocent, a system where driving has become and I quote our minister of transport: A Privilege not a Right! yet she indulges in driving over speed limits, getting caught by the cops, having it spill into the media and then declaring that she is, indeed, above the law. A Police State where crime rates slowly, yet steadily are increasing. A deteriorating cancer government that engulfs our way of life and takes away every privacy that one requires. A system where Insurance Companies, shark loaning cooperatives and greedy politicians have taken away our rights and replaced them with ever growing plights. This is Socialism, a dreaded nightmare where 45% taxation isn’t enough to pay for 6-7 million dollar parties and the rest of our money laundering politician’s hobbies. We are the best example for the American people; they must look at Quebec and ask why President Obama has double the size of government? Wasn’t Bush’s tripling enough? All in all my Southern friends Big Government equals big problems, Quebec is the example. If the US was to fall into the same paradox than newly graduated Quebec students would have to look somewhere else than South to set up a practice.

AUDIT FED WE WILL DESTROY DOLLAR BERNANKE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjULF_Xg6Ps&feature=player_embedded
BECK TALKS FED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqhvRLVx9xs&feature=player_embedded
RON PAUL AT CATO AUDIT FED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3PcUZfqBew&feature=player_embedded
BUFFETT US IN SHAMBLES
http://www.prisonplanet.com/warren-buffett-to-cnbc-us-economy-in-shambles-no-signs-of-recovery-yet.html

SENATORS OF CONGRESS
http://www.downsizedc.org/etp/campaigns/112
http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.opencongress.org/committee/show/146
RON PAUL ON AUDIT THE FED
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYiHE35kCQI&feature=player_embedded

AUDIT THE FED HAS 243 SIGNED UP AS OF THURSDAY.

Ron Paul’s Bill To Audit The Federal Reserve Now Has 243 Co-Sponsors
By tmartin • June 25, 2009

Ron Paul’s bill to audit the Federal Reserve (HR 1207) now has 243 co-sponsors, and the numbers keep growing! This is history in the making, and victory is within reach. Imagine what will happen if HR 1207, The Federal Reserve Transparency Act, comes up for vote in Congress! With more than 50% of the House of Representatives already co-sponsoring this bill, it has real potential to pass — BUT only if we educate and rally the people to support it and get our Congresspeople to put it to vote and pass it.

Step 1: Your Representative
If your representative is not on the following list of HR 1207 co-sponsors, call their offices, write to them, email them, etc. Let them know they need to support HR 1207. If you live in their district, let them know. Go to their office.

Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

Step 2: Financial Services Committee
HR 1207 is now in the House Committee on Financial Services. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP in this legislation! If it doesn’t get out of committee it will not come to a vote! There are 71 members on this committee and they are all listed below.

We need to let all members of the House Committee on Financial Services know that we want them to allow full House consideration of HR 1207 so it can move forward; we need them to support this. Now is the time.Call their offices, write to them, email them, etc. Let them know they need to support HR 1207. If you live in their district, let them know. Go to their office.

Help with this all important public outreach. NOW REALLY IS THE TIME!
Here’s a sample letter you can use:

Dear Representative,

Please co-sponsor and/or support H.R.1207, an effort to audit the Federal Reserve.

Recently, it has come to light that there is little to no accountability to the people on the part of the Federal Reserve. While the citizens of this country are required by law to give an accounting of every penny they come in contact with, the Federal Reserve has never been held to the same standard. During this time of extreme economic crisis, the people deserve an accounting of where our money is going.

Currently there are 243 co-sponsors for this legislation, and it is enjoying bi-partisan support. Your efforts in supporting this important legislation would go a long way in proving to your constituents that you not only hold the Federal Reserve to the same standard as you do your constituents, but it would also show that you believe in transparency. Anything less than support for this resolution suggests that you are in favor of secrecy and a lack of accountability to the people who pay the bills. We pay the tab; we have a right to know where our money is going.Unlike recent bills that you voted in favor of that had hundreds of pages and just a few hours to read, this bill can be read in under 5 minutes. I encourage you to take the time to read it, and then move to support it.Thank you in advance for your attention on this important legislation. I have every expectation that you will do right by your constituents and support this measure.

Sincerely,

Step 3: The People
Tell everyone you know about HR 1207 and ask them to support it and to contact their representative as well. Link to this page and to CampaignForLiberty.com.This initiative is crucial and we need to redouble our efforts to get HR 1207 passed.

Bernanke: Congress audit would be takeover; pressure on Fed monetary policy would trigger economic collapse ,Federal Reserve chair rebukes attempt by Ron Paul, Congress to hold independent organization accountable Aaron Dykes Infowars
June 25, 2009

Rep. Duncan questioned Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday about what his opinion of a majority in Congress who have co-sponsored Ron Paul’s bill to audit the Federal Reserve.Bernanke clearly regarded the bill’s intent as hostile to the institution he represents: My concern about the legislation is that if the GAO is auditing not only the operational aspects of the programs and the details of the programs but making judgments about our policy decisions would effectively be a takeover of policy by the Congress and a repudiation of the Federal Reserve would be highly destructive to the stability of the financial system, the Dollar and our national economic situation.The brunt of Bernanke’s statement is as crystal clear as a threat from a common street thug– back off from the Fed, or the economy gets it. The chairman clearly implies that any attempt to restore monetary powers constitutionally granted to the Congress would be seen as a takeover and that the defensive and repudiated Fed would respond destructively.Of course Congress’ constitutional power over money is enumerated in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution:The Congress shall have power… To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;Bernanke’s open use of financial terrorism in the face of Congress’ blatant Constitutional authority is absurd and dispicable.Greenspan, Bernanke and other Fed-related cronies have already bad-mouthed the Dollar and signaled it’s decline as the world’s currency. So what else is new?

WORLD GOVERNMENT

EPHESIANS 6:10-13
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,(DEMONIC ANGELS IN HIGH PLACES) against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.(SPIRTIUAL DEMONIC PERSONS)
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

LUKE 4:5-7(BECAUSE SATAN OFFERS WORLD POWER, WORLD ORDERERS HAVE ACCEPTED SATANS GIFT)
5 And the devil, taking him (JESUS) up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

DANIEL 12:4,1
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

REVELATION 13:1-3,7,8,12,16-18
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
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.

REVELATION 17:3,7,9-10,12,18
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent.James Paul Warburg appearing before the Senate on 7th February 1950

Like a famous WWII Belgian General,Paul Henry Spock said in 1957:We need no commission, we have already too many. What we need is a man who is great enough to be able to keep all the people in subjection to himself and to lift us out of the economic bog into which we threaten to sink. Send us such a man. Be he a god or a devil, we will accept him.And today, sadly, the world is indeed ready for such a man.

Bilderberg 2009 Intel Already Proving Accurate James Corbett
The Corbett Report Thursday, June 25, 2009
http://www.prisonplanet.com/bilderberg-2009-intel-already-proving-accurate.html

Observers of the annual elitist confab known as Bilderberg have long known that plans discussed at the conference quickly become reality. In 2002, Bilderberg researcher Jim Tucker correctly predicted that the Iraq war would start in March 2003 (not late 2002, as many were predicting at the time). In 2006, Daniel Estulin correctly forecast the popping of the housing bubble and subsequent economic crash, a possibility that most talking heads in the corporate media were laughing at at the time. In 2008, Tucker forecast a dramatic drop in oil prices while most analysts were fretting about the possibility of $200 a barrel oil. Tucker and Estulin have proven so stunningly accurate in their predictions not because they have a crystal ball, but because they have sources inside the Bilderberg Group and other organizations where financial oligarchs and their political puppets make decisions about our geopolitical future.2009 is not even half over, but it seems the forecasts made by both Estulin and Tucker based on their 2009 Bilderberg sources are already proving to be accurate. In a phone interview conducted as this year’s conference was getting underway in Greece, Daniel Estulin warned The Corbett Report that the powers that be were preparing to run up the stock market one final time in order to draw the masses back into investing before crashing the market. Now, a worrying new report suggests that this is precisely the case as corporate executives start ditching their stocks at a rate not seen in years. Watch an excerpt from the interview in the video player below:

Daniel Estulin on Bilderberg 2009

The Bloomberg report suggests that the market—currently enjoying one of the greatest rallies in decades as stocks continue to rise from last year’s post-crash nadir—is about to have the rug pulled out from under it, a fact that corporate executives in the know are taking to heart as they scramble to get rid of their worthless stocks before the general public realize what’s going on. Add to this the stunning news that U.S. Embassies around the globe have been instructed to prepare for a bank holiday in September and growing opposition to the Obama Administration’s stunning proposal to give the private Federal Reserve sweeping new dictatorial powers over the entire U.S. economy and there is little doubt that an economic collapse the likes of which Estulin discussed is becoming more likely by the day.Should an economic collapse occur as predicted, social and political changes of world historical importance will be the inevitable result. Jim Tucker, who also recently joined The Corbett Report for a telephone interview, has predicted that the ongoing world financial crisis will be manipulated by Bilderberg to further their long-held goal of crafting a North American Union along the lines of the European Union. Indeed, we have already seen call for the centralization of financial regulatory power from Bilderbergers like German chancellor Andrea Merkel, who argue that national sovereignty over financial regulation is what caused the crisis in the first place. More chillingly, Estulin believes the worldwide economic depression which we are currently entering could ultimately result in the deaths of over 4 billion people, or roughly 2/3 of the planet’s population. This is certainly one way to achieve elitist goals of vast population reduction, an item high on the agenda of another secretive meeting of billionaires (chaired by Bilderberger David Rockefeller) just weeks before this year’s Bilderberg conference.Jim Tucker also stressed that manipulation of the swine flu hysteria was high on this year’s agenda, and that this crisis too would be used to consolidate power in international bodies such as the WHO. Preparations for ceding more and more power to unaccountable international bureaucrats in the event of a flu pandemic have been carefully crafted for years, and now the butchering of national sovereignty is to begin in earnest. Watch a portion of the Jim Tucker interview in the player below:Jim Tucker on Bilderberg 2009

Again, recent events have made Tucker’s Bilderberg intelligence that much more credible. Since Bilderberg, the WHO has declared the first pandemic of the 21st century, opening the door to the very WHO power grab that Tucker warned about. The first real test of those powers may be as early as this fall, when a much-hyped seasonal resurgence of the surprisingly weak H1N1 flu may be used as an excuse to implement mass vaccinations. Preparations for just such a plan have been made in country after country including Canada, the U.S. and France.The prospect of the WHO using their own campaign of swine flu hysteria to justify mass vaccinations in countries around the globe is triply frightening. Firstly, the vaccinations could be made mandatory, thus breaking fundamental tenants of freedom from forced medication which is the very pillar of a free society. Secondly, the swine flu vaccine is being developed by the very company that earlier this year sent out doses of live bird flu to be mixed in with their flu vaccines, an accident so incredibly likely that doctors in the Czech Republic accused the company of actually attempting to provoke a pandemic. Thirdly, the idea of a mass vaccination campaign is worrying because, as one of the co-developers of Tamiflu recently surmised, the recent swine flu strain itself was likely created during the vaccine production process.For more information on the swine flu and the possible implementation of medical martial law, please watch the following video:

Medical Martial Law

Although the verification of this Bilderberg intelligence is of course quite worrying, the fact that Tucker and Estulin’s sources have proven accurate yet again provides some small solace. Firstly, it shows that the elitist plans can be exposed (and, if enough political will can be mustered, stopped) by legitimate researchers and alternative media. Secondly, it further discredits the corporate controlled media, which has only begun to shift from its previous canard that Bilderberg doesn’t exist to its latest canard that Bilderberg exists but is not important. The longer the corporate media continues to hold to this line in the face of blatantly obvious facts, the further discredited they will become and the faster the public will abandon the fast-disappearing media apparatus of the corporate propaganda machine. Meanwhile, the alternative media will continue to grow exponentially and awareness of Bilderberg amongst the general public will continue to rise.

Israeli Leader Avigdor Lieberman Criticizes U.S. on Iran By TIM MCGIRK AND ROMESH RATNESAR / JERUSALEM – Thu Jun 25, 3:20 pm ET

For a man who has a reputation for being blunt and confrontational, Avigdor Lieberman has kept uncharacteristically silent since taking over in March as Israel's Foreign Minister. His boss, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had reportedly asked him to muzzle his hawkish views for fear of riling the Obama Administration. But in his first major interview, which he gave to TIME, the burly Foreign Minister, who says he shrugs off political correctness, came out swinging. He lambasted the West for not giving more support to Iranian reformists.This really fanatic extremist regime is still in power, and the young people who are ready to fight and die for change are not getting any real support from the West,he said.The fact that this regime continues to be an acceptable partner for dialogue is really a bad message. It shows the bad guys are winners.Lieberman also criticized the Obama Administration for demanding that Israel halt construction in Jewish settlements inside the Palestinian territories, saying it is a mistake.He added,We are trying to formulate some understanding with the U.S. We don't speak [with the Americans] of building new settlements. We don't speak of expansion. We try to build only within existing construction lines.In quiet but forceful tones, Lieberman said,We cannot suffocate our own people. You know, babies are born. People get married. We cannot stop life. People want to build a synagogue or a kindergarten.Lieberman also claimed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was part of a broader clash of values between civilizations,and that it was not the key for bringing peace to the Middle East, as many believe. With 9/11 and terrorist acts in London, Madrid, Bali, in Russia, I can't see any linkage with the Israeli-Palestinian problem,the Moldava native told TIME, speaking in Russian-accented English.

He said that Israel is ready to start talks without preconditions with Arab leaders, despite an earlier remark he made before taking over as Foreign Minister that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak could go to hell.He told TIME,Even today, I'm ready to start talks with any country in our region. We agree with President Obama's approach to a regional settlement of historical disputes. I'm ready to take a jet to Damascus to meet President Bashir al-Assad.(Read "When Bibi Met Barack: Tough Talk on Middle East Peace.)Lieberman said he is also willing to talk openly with the Palestinians. So far, he said, the Palestinian leadership has failed to contact the Israelis after Netanyahu reversed his earlier opposition to a Palestinian state and said in a major foreign policy speech earlier this month that he now advocates a two-state solution. Lieberman said that previous peace efforts floundered because it's impossible to impose peace, only to create it.And for that, he said,We must start with practical issues, like getting rid of roadblocks and illegal outposts [inside the Palestinian territories]. You must understand that we used to have 41 roadblocks and now only have 16 roadblocks.But a U.N. agency disputes Lieberman's count, saying there are 69 roadblocks in the West Bank manned by Israeli security services and another 521 unmanned roadblocks restricting Palestinians' travel.Before taking over as Israel's foreign policy point person, Lieberman earned the epithet racist among Palestinians and liberal Israelis for advocating that the borderline of a future Palestinian state be redrawn so that large Arab communities inside Israel would lose their citizenship and be carved out. It's a notion that many Israeli-Arabs resist, and they proclaim sarcastically that it's better to remain second-class citizens inside Israel, with its better schools and clinics, than join a Palestinian state that, judging by the current mayhem inside the territory, would be riddled with corruption and appalling services.Better an Israeli hell than a Palestinian paradise, is one popular saying.But Lieberman seems to have tempered his views, saying that today the transfer of populations is neither acceptable nor possible.He said that even if a Palestinian state were created, Arabs would still be welcome inside Israel, where they currently account for 18% of the population.Maybe some Arabs would prefer to go to a Palestinian state, but if some want to be Israeli citizens, that's their right,he said.Lieberman sees himself as an outsider in Israeli politics. He still marvels at the fact that he came to Israel as a 20-year-old immigrant - his first job was hauling luggage at Ben Gurion Airport - and now he's the country's Foreign Minister.It's a great land of opportunity,he said, smiling. In his spare time, he writes film screenplays.It's a hobby,he said, refusing to reveal the plot to his current work.This is something for the next stage in my life.Hollywood will have to wait.

Hamas leader welcomes Obama's new Mideast approach By ALBERT AJI, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jun 25, 4:50 pm ET

DAMASCUS, Syria – The top Hamas leader on Thursday welcomed what he said is new language by President Barack Obama toward the Islamic militant group — part of Hamas' cautious outreach to Washington in recent weeks.In a televised speech, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal avoided any mention of the recent turmoil in Iran, even though the Islamic militant group is backed by the Tehran regime.Earlier Thursday, Iran's hardline president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused Obama of meddling because of growing U.S. criticism of Iran's clampdown on opposition protesters. Iran's other militant ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, has sided with Iran's ruling clerics.Hamas has been trying to reach out to the Obama administration in hopes of breaking out of its international isolation and prying open the borders of blockaded Hamas-ruled Gaza.The U.S. and Europe consider Hamas a terror group and have said they will only engage if Hamas recognizes Israel and renounces violence. Hamas has rejected those conditions, saying it cannot make such concessions up front.In a speech to the Muslim world earlier this month, Obama insisted that Hamas meet the conditions, but also suggested the group could play a political role in the future.Hamas does have support among some Palestinians, but they also have to recognize they have responsibilities, Obama said at the time. To play a role in fulfilling Palestinian aspirations, to unify the Palestinian people, Hamas must put an end to violence, recognize past agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist.Mashaal on Thursday praised what he described as Obama's new language towards Hamas.It is the first step in the right direction toward a dialogue without conditions, and we welcome this,he said.

However, he said the U.S. must respect the Palestinians' democratic choice; Hamas overwhelmingly won Palestinian parliament elections in 2006.The Hamas chief-in-exile also said Obama remains too sympathetic toward Israel, despite the president's pledge to work hard for the establishment of a Palestinian state.Obama spoke widely about the suffering of Jews and their Holocaust in Europe but ignored the talk about our suffering and Israel's Holocaust that has been going on for decades against our people,he said.Mashaal also railed against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said in a recent speech that Israel would retain sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, keep building in Jewish settlements and demand Palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.The enemy's leaders call for a so-called Jewish state is a racist demand that is no different from calls by Italian Fascists and Hitler's Nazism,Mashaal said.Mashaal said his group will keep working on a prisoner exchange with Israel to win the release of hundreds of Palestinians in return for Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, who was captured three years ago near Gaza.

So far, the Israeli intransigence has stopped all efforts but we are still ready to reach a prisoner exchange,Mashaal said. "Netanyahu's only choice to get back Schalit is a serious deal.Mashaal called on Obama to pull out Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, the U.S. security coordinator in the region, who is supervising the training of Palestinian forces in the West Bank.Hamas overran Gaza two years ago, leaving Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas only in control of the West Bank. Abbas has been clamping down on Hamas in the West Bank since the Gaza takeover, and some 2,100 U.S.-trained Palestinian forces play a key role in that effort. Mashaal said Dayton's force is the main obstacle to the success of Palestinian reconciliation talks that are being sponsored by Egypt. Mashaal said a Hamas delegation will be flying to Egypt to take part in Sunday's talks with representatives of Abbas' Fatah movement. Associated Press Writer Hadeel al-Shalchi contributed to this report from Cairo.

Israel reduces control of 4 West Bank towns By ARON HELLER, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jun 25, 2:11 pm ET

JERUSALEM – Bowing to pressure from Washington, Israel granted U.S.-trained Palestinian security forces greater autonomy in four main West Bank towns, Israeli and Palestinian defense officials said Thursday.The ability of Palestinian security forces to maintain law and order is key to Mideast peacemaking because Israel needs to be convinced that a future Palestinian state won't threaten its security.Israel already has turned over limited security control to Palestinians in three other West Bank towns, but the military said that forces in Qalqiliya, Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah would be the first to operate around the clock without Israeli clearance.In a statement, the Israeli military said Palestinian security forces will be able to extend their hours of operation in the towns but emphasized that Israeli forces would continue to operate in the West Bank in order to thwart terrorist operations.

The move stops short of a full withdrawal from these towns.

The Israeli military doesn't routinely patrol West Bank towns and cities, but frequently conducts nighttime and occasional daytime arrest raids.Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said the step does not go far enough. What is required a full cessation of military raids into Palestinian areas,he told reporters in Ramallah.

Israel pulled out of major West Bank population centers in the 1990s but re-entered them after the Palestinian uprising against Israel reignited in late 2000. Palestinians have long sought an Israeli pullback from those towns as a reassertion of sovereignty.The U.S. has been training thousands of forces in the West Bank in preparation for future Palestinian statehood. U.S. officials involved in the training have been pressing Israel to allow the Palestinian forces more freedom.The European Union has contributed about $55 million (40 million euros) for equipment and training, said Jose Vericat, an EU official.We are doing our job protecting our people and there is no need for Israeli forces to enter our territories under the pretext of security needs,said Adnan Dmeiri, a spokesman for the Palestinian security forces.Another apparent result of U.S. pressure has been the recent removal of some of the hundreds of Israeli roadblocks, including major obstacles near the city of Nablus and town of Jericho. Israel insists it needs the checkpoints to stop attackers but has also said it is committed to making life easier for Palestinians.

Israel, however, has been wary of a complete handover to Palestinian security.

During the Palestinian uprising, some Palestinian forces turned their guns against Israeli targets. And police loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, were unable to hold back the onslaught of Islamic Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip in 2007. Abbas now only controls the West Bank, while Gaza remains under Hamas control.Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal called on President Barack Obama to withdraw his advisers from the West Bank. Speaking in Damascus, Syria, Mashaal said, Building an oppressive authority over the heads of our people strongly contradicts with the principle of democracy you are calling for,an apparent reference to the Fatah-led security forces.

Also Thursday, an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants marked his third anniversary in captivity in Gaza, with no news on his plight.Sgt. Gilad Schalit, 22, was captured on June 25, 2006, by Hamas-affiliated militants who tunneled under the Gaza-Israel border and attacked a military post. Two other soldiers were killed.
Schalit has not been seen since and the Red Cross has not been allowed to visit him, though Hamas has released two recorded statements from him and exchanged letters between him and his family. Hamas has demanded the release of hundreds of prisoners, including people convicted in deadly attacks on Israelis, in exchange for the soldier. Israeli media reported again Thursday that the soldier would be transferred to Egypt soon as part of an exchange. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor noted there have been several rumors in recent days. We will only know when he is released. Until then I can't comment,he said. Egyptian-mediated attempts to arrange a prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas have been unsuccessful. A Hamas spokesman, Osama Almuzeini, said Thursday that there were no new developments in the negotiations.He refused to confirm whether the soldier was alive or dead, saying Hamas would not give any information for free.

FARRAH FAWCETT AND MICHEAL JACKSON DIES YESTERDAY.FARRAH OF CANCER,MICHAEL HEART ATTACK OR HEART FAILURE.

LINKS
http://www.infowars.com/journalist-files-charges-against-who-and-un-for-bioterrorism-and-intent-to-commit-mass-murder/
DAVID SUZUKI HUMANS ARE MAGGOTS LIVING IN DUNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsLOcZQheoE&feature=player_embedded
H1N1 LAB MADE TO RESIST VACCINES BY USA,CANADA FOR PHARMACY BIG MONEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNS0Q-uxycA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnSX_jS0STA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LcKoiTEJKc

Medical Director: Swine Flu Was Cultured In A Laboratory Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars April 25, 2009

Editor’s note: On Friday, NPR reported that the deadly swine flu combines genetic material from pigs, birds and humans in a way researchers have not seen before, thus leading us to suspect it was cooked up in a lab.Swine flu panic is spreading in Mexico and soldiers are patrolling the streets after it was confirmed that human to human transmission is occurring and that the virus is a brand new strain which is seemingly affecting young, healthy people the worst. Questions about the source of the outbreak are also being asked after a public health official said that the virus was cultured in a laboratory.This strain of swine influenza that’s been cultured in a laboratoryis something that’s not been seen anywhere actually in the United States and the world, so this is actually a new strain of influenza that’s been identified, said Dr. John Carlo, Dallas Co. Medical Director (video clip here).Was this a slip-up or an admission that this new super-strain of swine influenza was deliberately cultured in a laboratory and released?Alarming reports are now filtering in about people catching the illness who have had no contact with pigs whatsoever. These include a man and his daughter in San Diego County, a 41-year-old woman in Imperial County and two teenagers in San Antonio, Texas. In fact, in all U.S. cases, the victims had no contact with any pigs.Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County’s public health officer, told KPBS We have had person-to-person spread with the father and the daughter, says Wooten,And also with the two teenagers in Texas, they were in the same school. So that also indicates person-to-person transfer.Dr. Wooten says it’s unclear how people were exposed to swine flu. She says none of the patients have had any contact with pigs,according to the report.

Although the situation in the U.S. looks under control, panic is spreading in Mexico, where 800 cases of pneumonia in the capital alone are suspected to be related to the swine flu and the virus has hit young and healthy people, which is very rare with an flu outbreak. Despite the danger of a pandemic, the U.S. border with Mexico remains open.Mexico has shut schools and museums and canceled hundreds of public events in its sprawling, overcrowded capital of 20 million people to try to prevent further infections,reports Reuters.My level of concern is significant, said Dr. Martin Fenstersheib, the health officer for Santa Clara County.We have a novel virus, a brand-new strain that’s spreading human to human, and we are also seeing a virulent strain in Mexico that seems to be related. We certainly have concerns for this escalating.The WHO insists that the outbreak has pandemic potential and has been stockpiling supplies of Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir, a pill that can both treat flu and prevent infection, according to officials.As we previously highlighted, those that have a stake in the Tamiflu vaccine include top globalists and BIlderberg members like George Shultz, Lodewijk J.R. de Vink and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.Indeed, Rumsfeld himself played a key role in hyping an outbreak of swine flu back in the 1976 when he urged the entire country to get vaccinated. Many batches of the vaccine were contaminated, resulting in hundreds of sick people and 52 fatalities.The fact that the properties of the strain are completely new, that the virus is spreading from people to people, and that the young and healthy are being hit worst, has disturbing parallels to the deadly 1918 pandemic that killed millions.It is unclear as to why, if the virus is a brand new strain, that public health officials are so confident programs of mass vaccination, which are already being prepared, would necessarily be effective.It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that deadly flu viruses have been concocted in labs and then dispatched with the intention of creating a pandemic.

When the story first broke last month, Czech newspapers questioned if the shocking discovery of vaccines contaminated with the deadly avian flu virus which were distributed to 18 countries by the American company Baxter were part of a conspiracy to provoke a pandemic.Since the probability of mixing a live virus biological weapon with vaccine material by accident is virtually impossible, this leaves no other explanation than that the contamination was a deliberate attempt to weaponize the H5N1virus to its most potent extreme and distribute it via conventional flu vaccines to the population who would then infect others to a devastating degree as the disease went airborne.However, this is not the first time that vaccine companies have been caught distributing vaccines contaminated with deadly viruses.In 2006 it was revealed that Bayer Corporation had discovered that their injection drug, which was used by hemophiliacs, was contaminated with the HIV virus. Internal documents prove that after they positively knew that the drug was contaminated, they took it off the U.S. market only to dump it on the European, Asian and Latin American markets, knowingly exposing thousands, most of them children, to the live HIV virus. Government officials in France went to prison for allowing the drug to be distributed. The documents show that the FDA colluded with Bayer to cover-up the scandal and allowed the deadly drug to be distributed globally. No Bayer executives ever faced arrest or prosecution in the United States.In the UK, a 2007 outbreak of foot and mouth disease that put Britain on high alert has been originated from a government laboratory which is shared with an American pharmaceutical company, mirroring the deadly outbreak of 2001, which was also deliberately released.As we reported yesterday, last time there was a significant outbreak of a new form of swine flu in the U.S. it originated at the army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey.

GENETIC MODIFICATION Swine Flu Created in Lab as Bio-Weapon? According to a UN scientist, the swine flu virus, Ebola and HIV viruses were created artificially as military biological weapons. TEXT Published: April 27, 2009 22:31h

According to the belief of two renowned reporters who spoke with top officials at the UN and WHO, the epidemic of the new strand of swine flu virus in Mexico is the result of an artificially created pathogen, the Online Journal reported. Swine flu, Ebola and HIV were produced in laboratories.The reported from Mexico City claims that one of the leading UN scientists discovered certain joint transmission vectors, that is, the transmission of the swine flu virus is similar to the transmission of the Ebola virus and of the HIV/AIDS virus, which indicates that they were genetically modified with the aim of being military bio-weapons.The UN scientist is convinced that the swine flu virus, A-H1N1, and Ebola and HIV viruses were in fact manufactured biological weapons.As proof, they state that the usual process of transmission is that the virus is transmitted from a pig to a human, which is not the case in this outbreak because no case of a pig being infected with the A-H1N1 virus has been registered. Furthermore, the A-H1N1 virus partly contains American pig genes, partly human and bird flu strains and the virus of the Euro-Asian swine flu.

American military responsible

The other reporter, from Jakarta, claims that WHO leaders are worried that the current swine flu virus has been genetically modified to be transmitted from one species to another because of the fact that the A-H1N1 virus contains the genetic material of the H5N1 virus, that is, bird flu.Allegedly, American scientists exhumed the body of a woman who died of the Spanish flu in 1918 and used the genetic material of the flu virus as the basis for the creation of the H5N1 virus through genetic manipulation. All this happened in laboratories at the Fort Detrick military base from which the new strain of anthrax called ames originated.

Journalist Files Charges against WHO and UN for Bioterrorism and Intent to Commit Mass Murder Barbara Minton Natural News June 25, 2009

As the anticipated July release date for Baxter’s A/H1N1 flu pandemic vaccine approaches, an Austrian investigative journalist is warning the world that the greatest crime in the history of humanity is underway. Jane Burgermeister has recently filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials concerning bioterrorism and attempts to commit mass murder. She has also prepared an injunction against forced vaccination which is being filed in America. These actions follow her charges filed in April against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology of Austria for producing contaminated bird flu vaccine, alleging this was a deliberate act to cause and profit from a pandemic.Summary of claims and allegations filed with FBI in Austria on June 10, 2009.Worldwide, the number of deaths is small… we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe or fatal infections,said WHO’s Director-General, Harvard-trained Dr Margaret Chan.In her charges, Burgermeister presents evidence of acts of bioterrorism that is in violation of U.S. law by a group operating within the U.S. under the direction of international bankers who control the Federal Reserve, as well as WHO, UN and NATO. This bioterrorism is for the purpose of carrying out a mass genocide against the U.S. population by use of a genetically engineered flu pandemic virus with the intent of causing death. This group has annexed high government offices in the U.S.Specifically, evidence is presented that the defendants, Barack Obama, President of the U.S, David Nabarro, UN System Coordinator for Influenza, Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO, Kathleen Sibelius, Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services, Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, David de Rotschild, banker, David Rockefeller, banker, George Soros, banker, Werner Faymann, Chancellor of Austria, and Alois Stoger, Austrian Health Minister, among others, are part of this international corporate criminal syndicate which has developed, produced, stockpiled and employed biological weapons to eliminate the population of the U.S. and other countries for financial and political gain.The charges contend that these defendants conspired with each other and others to devise, fund and participate in the final phase of the implementation of a covert international bioweapons program involving the pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Novartis. They did this by bioengineering and then releasing lethal biological agents, specifically the bird flu virus and the swine flu virus in order to have a pretext to implement a forced mass vaccination program which would be the means of administering a toxic biological agent to cause death and injury to the people of the U.S. This action is in direct violation of the Biological Weapons Anti-terrorism Act.

Burgermeister’s charges include evidence that Baxter AG, Austrian subsidiary of Baxter International, deliberately sent out 72 kilos of live bird flu virus, supplied by the WHO in the winter of 2009 to 16 laboratories in four counties. She claims this evidence offers clear proof that the pharmaceutical companies and international government agencies themselves are actively engaged in producing, developing, manufacturing and distributing biological agents classified as the most deadly bioweapons on earth in order to trigger a pandemic and cause mass death.In her April charges, she noted that Baxter’s lab in Austria, one of the supposedly most secure biosecurity labs in the world, did not adhere to the most basic and essential steps to keep 72 kilos of a pathogen classified as a bioweapon secure and separate from all other substances under stringent biosecurity level regulations, but it allowed it to be mixed with the ordinary human flu virus and sent from its facilities in Orth in the Donau.In February, when a staff member at BioTest in the Czech Republic tested the material meant for candidate vaccines on ferrets, the ferrets died. This incident was not followed up by any investigation from the WHO, EU, or Austrian health authorities. There was no investigation of the content of the virus material, and there is no data on the genetic sequence of the virus released.In answer to parliamentary questions on May 20th, the Austrian Health Minister, Alois Stoger, revealed that the incident had been handled not as a biosecurity lapse, as it should have been, but as an offence against the veterinary code. A veterinary doctor was sent to the lab for a brief inspection.Burgermeister’s dossier reveals that the release of the virus was to be an essential step for triggering a pandemic that would allow the WHO to declare a Level 6 Pandemic. She lists the laws and decrees that would allow the UN and WHO to take over the United States in the event of pandemic. In addition, legislation requiring compliance with mandatory vaccinations would be put into force in the U.S. under conditions of pandemic declaration.She charges that the entire swine flu pandemic business is premised on a massive lie that there is no natural virus out there that poses a threat to the population. She presents evidence leading to the belief that the bird flu and swine flu viruses have, in fact, been bioengineered in laboratories using funding supplied by the WHO and other government agencies, among others. This swine flu is a hybrid of part swine flu, part human flu and part bird flu, something that can only come from laboratories according to many experts.WHO’s claim that this swine flu is spreading and a pandemic must be declared ignores the fundamental causes. The viruses that were released were created and released with the help of WHO, and WHO is overwhelmingly responsible for the pandemic in the first place. In addition, the symptoms of the supposed swine flu are indistinguishable from regular flu or from the common cold. The swine flu does not cause death anymore often than the regular flu causes death.

Burgermeister notes that the figures for deaths reported for the swine flu are inconsistent and there is no clarity as to how the number of deaths has been documented.There is no pandemic potential unless mass vaccinations are carried out to weaponize the flu under the guise of protecting the population. There are reasonable grounds for believing that the mandatory vaccines will be purposely contaminated with diseases that are specifically designed to cause death.Reference is made to a licensed Novartis bird flu vaccine that killed 21 homeless people in Poland in the summer of 2008 and had as its primary outcome measure an adverse events rate, thereby meeting the U.S. government’s own definition of a bioweapon (a biological agent designed to cause an adverse events rate, i.e death or injury) with a delivery system (injection).She alleges that the same complex of international pharmaceutical companies and international government agencies that have developed and released pandemic material have positioned themselves to profit from triggering the pandemic with contracts to supply vaccines. Media controlled by the group that is engineering the swine flu agenda is spreading misinformation to lull the people of the U.S. into taking the dangerous vaccine.The people of the U.S. will suffer substantial and irreparable harm and injury if they are forced to take this unproven vaccine without their consent in accordance with the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act, National Emergency Act, National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51, Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-20, and the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza.In the U.S. since 2008, Burgermeister charges that those named in her allegations have implemented new and/or accelerated the implementation of laws and regulations designed to strip the citizens of the U.S. of their lawful constitutional rights to refuse an injection. These people have created or allowed provisions to remain in place that make it a criminal act to refuse to take an injection against pandemic viruses. They have imposed other excessive and cruel penalties such as imprisonment and/or quarantine in FEMA camps while barring the citizens of the U.S. from claiming compensation from injury or death from the forced injections. This is in violation of the laws governing federal corruption and the abuse of office as well as of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Through these actions, the named defendants have laid the groundwork for mass genocide.Using the swine flu as a pretext, the defendants have preplanned the mass murder of the U.S. population by means of forced vaccination. They have installed an extensive network of FEMA concentration camps and identified mass grave sites, and they have been involved in devising and implementing a scheme to hand power over the U.S. to an international crime syndicate that uses the UN and WHO as a front for illegal racketeering influenced organized crime activities, in violation of the laws that govern treason.

She further charges that the complex of pharmaceutical companies consisting of Baxter, Novartis and Sanofi Aventis are part of a foreign-based dual purpose bioweapons program, financed by this international criminal syndicate and designed to implement mass murder to reduce the world’s population by more than 5 billion people in the next ten years. Their plan is to spread terror to justify forcing people to give up their rights, and to force mass quarantine in FEMA camps. The houses, companies and farms and lands of those who are killed will be up for grabs by this syndicate.By eliminating the population of North America, the international elite gain access to the region’s natural resources such as water and undeveloped oil lands. And by eliminating the U.S. and its democratic constitution by subsuming it under a North American Union, the international crime group will have total control over North America.

Highlights from the complete dossier

The complete dossier of the June 10th action is a 69 page document presenting evidence to substantiate all charges. This includes:Factual background that delineates time lines and facts that establish probable cause, UN and WHO definitions and roles, and history and incidents from the April, 2009 swine flu outbreak.Evidence the swine flu vaccines are defined as bioweapons as delineates in government agencies and regulations classifying and restricting vaccines, and the fear of foreign countries that swine flu vaccines will be used for biological warfare.Scientific evidence the swine flu virus is an artificial (genetic) virus.Scientific evidence the swine flu was bioengineered to resemble the Spanish flu virus of 1918 including quotes from Swine Flu 2009 is Weaponized 1918 Spanish Flu by A. True Ott, Ph.D., N.D., and a Science Magazine report from Dr. Jeffrey Taubenberger et.al.The genome sequence of the swine flu.Evidence of the deliberate release of the swine flu in Mexico.Evidence as to the involvement of President Obama that delineates his trip to Mexico which coincided with the recent swine flu outbreak and the death of several officials involved in his trip. Contention is made that the President was never tested for swine flu because he had been previously vaccinated.Evidence as to the role of Baxter and WHO in producing and releasing pandemic virus material in Austria includes a statement from a Baxter official stating the accidentally distributed H5N1 in the Czech Republic was received from a WHO reference center. This includes delineation of evidence and allegations from Burgermeister’s charges filed in April in Austria that are currently under investigation.Evidence Baxter is an element in a covert bioweapons network.Evidence Baxter has deliberately contaminated vaccine material.Evidence Novartis is using vaccines as bioweapons.Evidence as to WHO’s role in the bioweapons program.Evidence as to WHO’s manipulation of disease data in order to justify declaring a Pandemic Level 6 in order to seize control of the USA.Evidence as to the FDA’s role in covering up the bioweapons program.Evidence as to Canada’s National Microbiology Lab’s role in the bioweapons program.Evidence of the involvement of scientists working for the UK’s NIBSC, and the CDC in engineering the swine flu.Evidence vaccinations caused the Spanish killer flu of 1918 including belief of Dr. Jerry Tennant that the widespread use of aspirin during the winter that followed the end of World War I could have been a key factor contributing to the earlier pandemic by suppressing the immune system and lowering body temperatures, allowing the flu virus to multiply. Tamiflu and Relenza also lower body temperatures, and therefore can also be expected to contribute to the spread of a pandemic.Evidence as to manipulation of the legal framework to allow mass murder with impunity.

Constitutional issues: the legality vs. illegality of jeopardizing the life, health and public good by mass vaccinations.The issue of immunity and compensation as evidence of intent to commit a crime.Evidence as to the existence of an international corporate crime syndicate.Evidence of the existence of the Illuminati.Evidence as to the depopulation agenda of the Illuminati/Bilderbergs and their involvement in the engineering and release of the artificial swine flu virus.Evidence that weaponized flu was discussed at the annual Bilderberg meeting in Athens from May 14-17, 2009, as part of their agenda of genocide, including a list of attendees who, according to a statement once made by Pierre Trudeau, view themselves as genetically superior to the rest of humanity.Media is keeping Americans clueless about the threat they are under

Jane Burgermeister is a dual Irish/Austrian who has written for Nature, the British Medical Journal, and American Prospect. She is the European Correspondent of the Renewable Energy World website. She has written extensively about climate change, biotechnology, and the ecology.In addition to the charges currently under investigation that she filed against Baxter AG and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology in April, she has filed charges against WHO and Baxter among others concerning a case of exploding swine flu vials meant for a research lab on a busy IC train in Switzerland.

In her view, control of the media by the ruling elite has allowed the world crime syndicate to further its agenda unabated while the rest of the people remain in the dark about what is really going on. Her charges are an attempt to get around this media control and bring the truth to light.Her greatest concern is that in spite of the fact Baxter has been caught red handed nearly triggering pandemic, they are also moving ahead, together with allied pharma companies, with supplying the vaccine for pandemics.Baxter is hurrying to get this vaccine to market some time in July.For more information:http://www.naturalnews.com/025760.html http://birdflu666.wordpress.com/200…http://in.news.yahoo.com/137/200906…http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

MUSLIM NATIONS

EZEKIEL 38:1-12
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW)and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and Tubal:
4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6 Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY)of the north quarters, and all his bands:(SUDAN,AFRICA) and many people with thee.
7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

ISAIAH 17:1
1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

PSALMS 83:3-7
3 They (ARABS,MUSLIMS) have taken crafty counsel against thy people,(ISRAEL) and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they (MUSLIMS) have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:(TREATIES)
6 The tabernacles of Edom,and the Ishmaelites;(ARABS) of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon,(JORDAN) and Amalek;(SYRIA) the Philistines (PALESTINIANS) with the inhabitants of Tyre;(LEBANON)

DANIEL 11:40-43
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.

EZEKIEL 39:1-8
1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,( ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6 And I will send a fire on Magog,(NUCLEAR BOMB) and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is the day whereof I have spoken.

JOEL 2:3,20,30-31
3 A fire(NUCLEAR BOMB) devoureth before them;(RUSSIA-ARABS) and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army,(RUSSIA,MUSLIMS) and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.(SIBERIAN DESERT)
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.(NUCLEAR BOMB)
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.

Iran reform leader says he won't end his challenge By KARIN LAUB, Associated Press Writer JUNE 25,09

EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.Iranian authorities briefly arrested dozens of university professors who met with embattled opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, his Web site said Thursday, but he vowed to persevere with his election challenge despite the apparent attempt to isolate him from his supporters.The declared winner of the June 12 balloting, hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused President Barack Obama of meddling in Iran's affairs.Obama, along with other Western leaders, has ratcheted up his criticism of Iran's clampdown on postelection protesters in recent days, which Tehran has described as foreign interference.In the latest sign of government attempts to silence dissent, 70 professors were detained late Wednesday after meeting with Mousavi, who has alleged massive fraud in the balloting. They were among a group pushing for a more liberal form of government, and all but four were released, his Web site said later. No details were given about those still in custody.Since Saturday, demonstrators challenging the election results have found themselves increasingly struggling under a blanket crackdown by government authorities.State media reported Thursday that in addition to the 17 protesters killed in the recent unrest, eight members of the pro-government Basij militia were killed and dozens more wounded by weapons and knives. The reports could not be independently verified.A Thursday march by another opposition figure, reformist presidential candidate Mahdi Karroubi, was postponed for lack of a permit, a day after club-wielding security forces dispersed a small group of protesters outside Iran's parliament.Mousavi's Web site, Kalemeh, said he has applied for permission to hold a gathering to commemorate the martyrs of the postelection campaign. The statement did not elaborate or give a date.Mousavi, who last led a massive protest rally a week ago, described his growing difficulties for the first time in a statement on the site.He said authorities were increasingly isolating and vilifying him to try to get him to withdraw his election challenge, but Mousavi added he would not back down.

I am not ready to withdraw from demanding the rights of the Iranian people,he said, adding that he was determined to prove electoral fraud and that those behind it were the main factor for the recent violence and unrest and have spilled the blood of the people.He also was quoted by his Web site as saying that the Iranian people have the right to express their opposition to what happened in the election and after that.The final tally was 62.6 percent of the vote for Ahmadinejad and 33.75 percent for Mousavi, a lopsided victory in a race that was perceived to be much closer.Mousavi also defended himself and his movement, identified by the color green, against the barrage of claims on state media about foreign hands behind the unrest.The green movement is not dependent on foreigners,he said.Mousavi's comments came as Ahmadinejad reiterated complaints about foreign interference, singling out Obama and comparing him to former President George W. Bush, in a statement quoted by Iranian state television.We expect nothing from the British government and other Europeans governments, whose records and backgrounds are known to everybody and who have no dignity, but I wonder why Mr. Obama, who has come with the slogan of change, has fallen into this trap, the same route that Mr. Bush took and experienced its ending, Ahmadinejad said.Before the election, the Obama administration had indicated it was interested in reaching out to Iran after years of a diplomatic freeze following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran has given no clear signal it is interested in Obama's overture. In the wake of the vote, Obama has used increasingly harsh language to discuss Iran, saying he was appalled by the crackdown. Ahmadinejad, who is to be sworn in for a second four-year term by August, warned that there would be nothing left to talk about if Obama kept up such a tone. This will not have any result, except that the people will consider you similar to Bush,he said. The comments by both presidents could complicate any attempt at a dialogue, which Washington hopes will include talks on the scope of Iran's disputed nuclear program. Key Western powers urged Iran's leaders anew to ease up on the protesters and review the disputed election results. We stand beside you,German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in remarks directed to all in Iran who seek to demonstrate peacefully.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, whose government expelled two Iranian diplomats earlier this week after Iran did the same to two British envoys, told the British Broadcasting Corp. there is a crisis of credibility between the Iranian government and their own people.And Italy said it hoped Thursday's meeting of Group of Eight foreign ministers would send a tough message to the regime. Ahmadinejad's standing at home appears to have suffered since the election. Several Tehran newspapers reported that 185 out of 290 members of parliament, including Speaker Ali Larijani, stayed away from a victory celebration for Ahmadinejad on Tuesday.

Ahmadinejad's patron, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has said the election result would not be reversed.The fallout may leave Khamenei and the ruling theocracy battered by once-unthinkable defiance of their leadership. But they still control the Revolutionary Guard and its vast network of volunteer militias that watch every corner of Iran.The Guard — sworn to defend the Islamic system at all costs — has been steadily expanding its authority for years to include critical portfolios such as Iran's missile program, its oil pipelines and other energy infrastructure, and some oversight of the nuclear program.Iran's most senior dissident cleric, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, warned the authorities that trying to snuff out dissent would prove futile.If people are not allowed to voice their demands in peaceful gatherings, it could destroy the foundation of any government,regardless of its power, wrote Montazeri. He was the heir apparent to the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini until falling out of favor with the ruling clerics by questioning their almost limitless powers. Montazeri spent five years under house arrest in the city of Qom, a center of clerical power and Shiite Islamic learning.Laub reported from Cairo.

Russian president talks with Namibia on uranium by Anna Smolchenko – Thu Jun 25, 3:31 pm ET

WINDHOEK (AFP) – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday called for boosting trade with Namibia, at the start of the first visit by a Kremlin chief to the uranium-rich southern African nation.We should have started work with our African partners a long time ago, Medvedev told reporters after talks with his Namibian counterpart Hifikepunye Pohamba.The talks produced few major announcements, but Medvedev used the visit to highlight Russia's desire to reassert Moscow's influence on a continent where many countries were once under the Soviet sphere of influence.Africa is waiting for our support. The civilised part of mankind, as it is accustomed to be called, should pay its debts to Africa,he said.Our policies here will be very friendly and at the same time pragmatic. We also don't have that difficult dark colonial history which many other countries have in Africa, he said.Medvedev said he hoped Soviet ties to Namibia, including support for the country's ruling SWAPO party in its independence struggle, would pay back now.We of course without envy watch our partners come to Africa. But at the same time, we would like to promote our companies,he added.Pohamba acknowledged the Soviet assistance during the Cold War and said his nation was also keen to strengthen our cooperation and build a durable economic partnership.

We would like to secure access of our products to Russia,he added.Medvedev said he had discussed expanding cooperation in energy, including on Namibia's vast uranium deposits.Yury Trutnev, Russia's natural resources minister, said Moscow was interested in helping Namibia develop its nuclear industry.Namibia very much needs to develop its energy sphere,he said.Russia has started exploring for uranium in Namibia and hopes that one of the fields will yield between 20,000 and 30,000 tons of uranium, Sergei Kiriyenko, chief of state nuclear corporation Rosatom, said earlier this week.Namibia in 2007 awarded an exploration license to a joint venture led by Tekhsnabexport, a Russian state firm that sells uranium.Many officials acknowledge that Russian businesses have arrived in Namibia five to 10 years late.We are late indeed,said Alrosa diamond monopoly chief Sergei Vybornov.

In Africa, Russia faces competition from Chinese and Western companies.

The Russian leader is on a four-nation African tour that has energy at the centre of the agenda.His stop here placed the spotlight on uranium deposits in Namibia's deserts, and Russian demand could make the country the top producer of the nuclear fuel.Streets in the Namibian capital Windhoek were festooned with Russian flags and black and white portraits of Medvedev, who was welcomed by dancers, some in traditional costumes, beads and animal skins. A military band and honour guards in white and blue uniforms also greeted Medvedev as he arrived at the state residence for the talks with Pohamba. After the talks, Medvedev was set to visit Okapuka park --famed for its rhinos, giraffes and crocodiles -- and to meet Namibia's independence leader and former head of state Sam Nujoma.Medvedev has already visited Egypt and Nigeria, where on Wednesday he announced that Russia was ready to invest billions of dollars in Nigeria's energy sector.The two countries signed an agreement with Gazprom, unveiling plans to link vast reserves in Nigeria to Europe via a Trans-Saharan pipeline.On Friday he will make his final stop in Angola, where the government once relied heavily on Moscow for support in a civil war that became one of the world's bloodiest Cold War battlefields.Angola now rivals Nigeria as Africa's top oil producer, making its post-war economy one of the fastest growing in the world.

SAfrica's Mbeki says Arabs must have stake in Darfur peace Thu Jun 25, 3:37 pm ET

KHARTOUM (AFP) – Former South African president Thabo Mbeki said on Thursday that no lasting peace could be secured in Darfur without the involvement of the Arab tribes that have been the mainstay of the region's feared pro-Khartoum militias.The negotiations have got to involve everybody who is relevant to the creation of peace in Darfur,said Mbeki, who heads an African Union panel of former heads of state that is due to report back to the bloc's Peace and Security Council later this summer.

Certainly the Arab tribes are one of the constituencies that has to be involved, added Mbeki, who was widely criticised for his role in southern African efforts to reconcile the Zimbabwean government and opposition.An uprising by ethnic minority rebels in Darfur in February 2003 prompted the Arab-dominated regime in Khartoum to recruit militias among the region's Arab tribes to implement a scorched earth policy against ethnic groups suspected of supporting the rebels.Since abortive peace talks in 2006, the rebellion has fragmented with some minority leaders reconciling with the government and some Arab tribes siding with rebel factions.Mbeki said there had been no progress on scheduled peace talks between the Khartoum government and the most active Darfur rebel group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).There was a meeting that was planned yesterday (Wednesday) with the leadership of JEM but we got the information the day before yesterday that indeed fighting had broken out in the area where this meeting was supposed to have taken place,he said.Qatari-brokered talks between the Sudanese government and Darfur rebels have been postponed for two months, mainly because of disagreements over an exchange of prisoners, a senior rebel leader said last week.JEM signed a confidence-building deal with the government in February intended to pave the way for a conference engaging all rebel groups and pro-government militias in the search for peace after six years of war.But the talks broke down after an international warrant was issued in March for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir on war crimes charges.They resumed in May in the Qatari capital with British, Chinese, French, Russian and US envoys attending.The United Nations says up to 300,000 people have died in Darfur and 2.7 million fled their homes since the rebellion started. Sudan says 10,000 have been killed.

Morocco to bring Islamic imams up to date Thu Jun 25, 1:54 pm ET

RABAT (AFP) – Morocco's Islamic affairs ministry on Thursday launched a nationwide programme to train Muslim imams, or community leaders, as part of a reform campaign announced by King Mohammed VI in 2008.Imams are an essential part of the reform of the religious sphere, Minister of Islamic Affairs Ahmed Tawfiq told a news conference.They are responsible for taking care of believers and work in the towns and in the remote countryside.We have 45,000 imams and statistics from 2006 show that 82 percent of them have no basic training. They only know the Koran by heart.The minister said the educational operation would extend across the north African country at a cost of about 200 million dirhams (18 million euros or 25 million dollars) and with 1,432 training centres.It's a large-scale operation, unequalled in the world. The programme is aimed at giving Moroccan society a religious foundation in tune with the times and with attention to preserving our national identity,Tawfiq said.Since 2006, the religious authorities have been training 150 imams each year chosen among university graduates.Training includes spiritual education, with an understanding of the role of mosques as a place of worship and part of the social fabric, and teaching in the Maliki doctrine which is the official rite of Morocco's Sunni Muslim tradition.

Mohamed VI, the commander of the faithful, in September launched a reform programme that would extend to the high council of the ulema (Muslim scholars) and the imams, as well as the Moroccan community living abroad.

CHINA AND KINGS OF THE EAST MARCH TO ISRAEL 2ND WAVE OF WW3

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)

NKorea vows nuke attack if provoked by US By KWANG-TAE KIM, Associated Press Writer - Thu Jun 25, 6:30 pm ET

SEOUL, South Korea — Punching their fists into the air and shouting Let's crush them! some 100,000 North Koreans packed Pyongyang's main square Thursday for an anti-U.S. rally as the communist regime promised a fire shower of nuclear retaliation for any American-led attack.Several demonstrators held up a placard depicting a pair of hands smashing a missile with U.S.written on it, according to footage taken by APTN in Pyongyang on the anniversary of the day North Korean troops charged southward, sparking the three-year Korean War in 1950.North Korean troops will respond to any sanctions or U.S. provocations with an annihilating blow,one senior official vowed — a pointed threat as an American destroyer shadowed a North Korean freighter sailing off China's coast, possibly with banned goods on board.A new U.N. Security Council resolution passed recently to punish North Korea for conducting an underground nuclear test in May requires U.N. member states to request inspections of ships suspected of carrying arms or nuclear weapons-related material.In response to the sanctions, the North pulled out of nuclear talks and has ramped up already strident anti-American rhetoric. And the isolated regime may now be moving to openly flout the resolution by dispatching a ship suspected of carrying arms to Myanmar.While it was not clear what was on board the North Korean-flagged Kang Nam 1, officials have mentioned artillery and other conventional weaponry. One intelligence expert suspected missiles.The U.S. and its allies have made no decision on whether to request inspection of the ship, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Wednesday in Washington, but North Korea has said it would consider any interception an act of war.If permission for inspection is refused, the ship must dock at a port of its choosing so local authorities can check its cargo. Vessels suspected of carrying banned goods must not be offered bunkering services at port, such as fuel, the resolution says.

A senior U.S. defense official said the ship had cleared the Taiwan Strait. He said he didn't know whether or when the Kang Nam may need to stop in some port to refuel, but that the Kang Nam has in the past stopped in Hong Kong's port.Another U.S. defense official said he tended to doubt reports that the Kang Nam was carrying nuclear-related equipment, saying information seems to indicate the cargo is banned conventional munitions. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to talk about intelligence.North Korea is suspected to have transported banned goods to Myanmar before on the Kang Nam, said Bertil Lintner, a Bangkok-based North Korea expert who has written a book about leader Kim Jong Il.Pyongyang also has been helping the junta in Yangon build up its weapons arsenal, a South Korean intelligence expert said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.The two countries have not always been on good terms. Ties were severed in 1983 after a fatal bombing during the South Korean president's visit to Myanmar blamed on North Korean commandoes.They held secret talks in Bangkok in the 1990s to discuss the lone survivor among the three North Korean commandos involved in the bombing, and since have forged close relations.The two regimes, among Asia's most repressive, restored diplomatic ties in 2007. Not long after that, in April 2007, the Kang Nam docked at Thilawa port saying it needed shelter from bad weather.But one expert said reports show the weather was clear then, and two local journalists working for a foreign news agency who went to write about the unusual docking were arrested.The Kang Nam unloaded a lot of heavy equipment in 2007, Lintner said. Obviously, the ship was carrying something very sensitive at that time as well.North Korea has also helped Myanmar dig tunnels in recent years, said Lintner, adding that the cash-strapped North may have received rice, rubber and minerals in return for its military and other assistance. North Korea appears to have exported conventional weapons to Myanmar in exchange for food,another expert said. Pyongyang is believed to have transported digging equipment to Myanmar, which is seeking to make its new capital a fortress with vast underground facilities, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence. North Korea has been locked in a tense standoff with Washington and other regional powers over its nuclear program. In April, the regime launched a rocket widely seen as a cover for a test of long-range missile technology — a move that drew U.N. Security Council condemnation.The North responded by abandoning six-nation disarmament talks and threatening to carry out nuclear tests and fire intercontinental ballistic missiles. The North is believed to be developing a long-range missile designed to strike the U.S. but experts say it has not figured out how to mount a bomb onto the missile.On Thursday, Pyongyang vowed to enlarge its atomic arsenal and warned of a fire shower of nuclear retaliation if provoked by the U.S.

North Korea's armed forces will deal an annihilating blow that is unpredictable and unavoidable, to any sanctions or provocations by the US,Pak Pyong Jong, first vice chairman of the Pyongyang City People's Committee, told the crowd gathered for the Korean War anniversary rally. In Seoul, some 5,000 people — mostly American and South Korean veterans and war widows — also commemorated the anniversary at a ceremony.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said the nation is prepared to counter any type of threat or provocation.The South Korean government is firmly determined to defend the lives and wealth of its people and will do its utmost to find the remains of troops killed in the Korean War,he said at the ceremony.The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war because the conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim and Jae-soon Chang in Seoul, and Pauline Jelinek in Washington, contributed to this report.

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

WORLD MARKET RESULTS
http://money.cnn.com/data/world_markets/

HALF HOUR DOW RESULTS FRI JUNE 26,2009

09:30 AM -5.26
10:00 AM -41.49
10:30 AM -29.10
11:00 AM -53.89
11:30 AM -31.50
12:00 PM -52.45
12:30 PM -56.69
01:00 PM -40.06
01:30 PM -49.28
02:00 PM -58.29
02:30 PM -58.95
03:00 PM -33.56
03:30 PM -15.25
04:00 PM -34.01 8438.39

S&P 500 918.90 -1.36

NASDAQ 1838.22 +8.65

GOLD 940.80 +1.30

OIL 69.34 -0.89

TSE 300 10,389.76 +33.91

CDNX 1111.59 +8.54

S&P/TSX/60 630.30 +2.49

MORNING,NEWS,STATS

YEAR TO DATE PERFORMANCE
Dow -3.46%
S&P +1.88%
Nasdaq +16.01%
TSX Advances 997,declines 531,unchanged 248,Volume 2,275,878,947.
TSX Venture Exchange Advances 411,Declines 374,Unchanged 329,Volume 178,001,013.

Dow -37 points at 4 minutes of trading today.
Dow -67 points at low today.
Dow +0.33 points at high today so far.
GOLD opens at $945.30 .OIL opens at $69.80 today.

AFTERNOON,NEWS,STATS
Dow -67 points at low today so far.
Dow +0.33 points at high today so far.

DAY TODAY PERFORMANCE - 12:30PM STATS
NYSE Advances 1,759,declines 1,741,unchanged 99,New Highs 21,New Lows 34.
Volume 2,049,124,114.
NASDAQ Advances 1,291,declines 1,241,unchanged 121,New highs 51,New Lows 11.
Volume 923,616,574.
TSX Advances 635,declines 684,unchanged 265,Volume 919,044,150.
TSX Venture Exchange Advances 269,Declines 264,Unchanged 286,Volume 96,492,985.

WRAPUP,NEWS,STATS
Dow -67 points at low today.
Dow +0.33 points at high today.
Dow -0.40% today Volume 307,644,546.
Nasdaq +0.47% today Volume 4,089,914,518.
S&P 500 -0.15% today Volume N/A

RECORD LOWS DOW
-Sept 30,1996 5,882.17
-Oct 30,1996 5,993.23
-Nov 6,1996 6,177.71
-Dec 16,1996 6,268.35
-Apr 15,1997 6,587.16
-Apr 21,1997 6,660.21
-Apr 28,1997 6,783.02
-May 1,1997 6,976.48
-May 7,1997 7,085.65

RECORD LOWS S&P 500
-Sept 5,1996 649.44
-Sept 6,1996 655.68
-Sept 11,1996 667.28
-Sept 12,1996 671.13
-Oct 1,1996 689.08
-Oct 28,1996 697.26
-Nov 4,1996 706.73
-Nov 5,1996 714.14
-Dec 17,1996 726.04

YEAR TO DATE PERFORMANCE,WEEKENDER
Dow -3.85%
S&P +1.73%
Nasdaq +1.56%
CANADAS WEEK ENDING STATS
TSX Advances 813,Declines 711,Unchanged 264 Volume 1,752,514,997.
TSX Venture Advances 410,Declines 359,Unchanged 359 Volume 186,030,356.

Climate bill showdown: Obama, Dems pressing hard By H. JOSEF HEBERT and DINA CAPPIELLO, Associated Press Writers – Thu Jun 25, 6:45 pm ET

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama pushed urgently Thursday for passage of legislation to confront global warming, billing it as a job-creating machine rather than the costly job killer Republicans denounced. He telephoned wavering Democrats on the eve of what could be a historic House vote.Speaking in the Rose Garden at the White House, Obama said Washington must not miss the opportunity to work on cleaning the air, creating new green energy jobs and moving the nation away from its reliance on fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas.The White House appeared concerned that momentum for the bill was slipping, though White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that when it came time for a House showdown, I'd bet on the president.

Democratic leaders scurried to line up enough votes to get the bill passed. They enlisted former Vice President Al Gore, the country's most prominent voice on the urgency of addressing climate change, to make phone calls to wary lawmakers — including some who believe the House bill was too weak rather than too strong.House Republicans for weeks have maintained a drumbeat against the legislation, calling it a massive energy tax on every American and a job killer because it will force higher prices on electricity, gasoline and other energy sources as the economy shifts from cheaper fossil fuels, or as companies and utilities are forced to buy pollution allowances.Obama as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., sought to counter that argument.This is going to be a close vote because of misinformation out there that there's somehow a contradiction between clean energy and economic growth,said Obama. Rather than emphasizing any impact on pollution or global warming, he called the House legislation a jobs bill that will lead to the creation of new industries and finally make clean energy a profitable kind of energy.It will create millions of new jobs,echoed Pelosi at a Capitol Hill press conference.By late Thursday it was still unclear whether Pelosi, who has been courting moderate Republicans as well as fellow Democrats in the search for votes, has the 218 lawmakers she needs to get the bill passed. It was widely expected that if she was not certain of having a majority, she would not proceed with a vote Friday.Meanwhile, 241 proposed amendments — most by Republicans seeking to scuttle the bill — were submitted for consideration, although most likely will be rejected by the House Rules Committee working into the evening Thursday. Exchanges before the panel provided a hint of the tone of the upcoming floor debate.Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., one of the chief sponsors of the bill, told the committee the bill takes a balanced approach and is supported by many in industry as well as environmentalists.It would radically change America as we know it, countered Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas. It would mean the elimination of all fossil fuels used in America by the year 2050.The Senate, meanwhile, was waiting for the House to act. Approval of a climate bill in the Senate has been viewed as a long shot because it would require 60 votes to overcome a certain filibuster. And that has made a decision by some House Democrats to vote for the politically charged bill even harder since final passage is so much in doubt.

The legislation would require the country to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that can lead to climate change — by 17 percent by 2020 and about 80 percent by the next century. To do that, electricity producers and industrial plants would have to make a dramatic shift away from the use of fossil fuels through increased efficiency, move toward greater use of renewable energy or pay for ways to capture carbon emissions.Democrats have sought to limit the economic impact with provisions that would make available pollution allowances to utilities and energy-intensive industries, and protect low-income consumers from higher energy costs by providing them rebates and credits.But some Democratic lawmakers, from regions where utilities and factories rely heavily on coal, remain worried about higher energy prices and the impact that might have on voters.Still other Democrats complain the bill has been watered down too much with concessions to garner broader support. Gore was said to be making calls from his home in Tennessee to shore up support among those lawmakers as well as others still on the fence.Gibbs said Obama was calling lawmakers, too, although he declined to give any names. Carol Browner, the White House coordinator on energy and climate, also was on the phone to Capitol Hill as was chief of staff Rahm Emmanuel. Lobbying on both sides of the issue intensified this week as Pelosi said she wanted a bill finished before lawmakers left for the July 4 holiday recess. While most environmental groups as well as a number of business organizations and corporations have endorsed the bill, other industry groups, including the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have called for its defeat. Despite the concession to farmers, the American Farm Bureau Federation said Wednesday it remains opposed, calling the bill seriously flawed.What we see is a job killer. ... There's no question that cap and trade will cost millions of jobs,said House GOP Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia, seeking to rally opposition to the bill.There's no question the cap-and-trade will cost millions of jobs and higher energy prices.A new Washington Post-ABC News poll said three-quarters of Americans think the federal government should regulate the release of greenhouse gases, and 56 percent say they would approve such measures even if it increased their monthly electricity costs by $10.

Bernanke faces GOP-led heat on BofA-Merrill deal By JEANNINE AVERSA, AP Economics Writer – Thu Jun 25, 5:46 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Facing an unusual political trial, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke disputed accusations Thursday that he pressured Bank of America to acquire Merrill Lynch in a deal that cost taxpayers $20 billion.In a three-hour hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Bernanke denied threatening to oust Bank of America's CEO Kenneth Lewis or the bank's board members if they abandoned the takeover after discovering spiraling losses at Merrill.I never said that I would replace the board and management if Lewis decided to invoke a clause in the acquisition contract to try to stop the deal, Bernanke told the committee.It was Bernanke's first public response since the committee launched an investigation into whether he or other government officials bullied Bank of America to stick with its plan to combine the two financial powers.Throughout the day, Bernanke faced often hostile questioning — unusual for a Fed chairman, who typically commands deference in public settings.Of Bernanke's denial that he threatened Lewis' job, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, said:With all due respect, I'm just not buying that.Neither was Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., who huffed: This is not a socialist society.Adopting the role of outsider, Republicans in particular have turned aggressive toward Bernanke, trying to link him to the Obama administration as advocates of government meddling in private industry. Many Republicans are suspicious of the administration's plan to expand the Fed's regulatory powers.It's an odd shift, because Bernanke is a Republican appointee, and many of his key advocates are Democrats. And it comes at a pivotal time: Bernanke's term expires early next year, and President Barack Obama will have to decide whether to pick his own Fed chief or reappoint Bernanke.The Fed chief said it would have been a bad idea for Bank of America to invoke the deal's escape clause, because it would have led to extended and costly litigation with Merrill Lynch. That would have greatly reduced or destroyed the value of the investment bank, he said.I expressed those concerns, which is appropriate, but it was always (Lewis) decision whether or not to go ahead and take that decision,Bernanke said.

Earlier this month, Lewis testified that his job had been threatened after he expressed second thoughts about the deal. Lewis said the Treasury secretary at the time, Henry Paulson, and federal regulators made clear that if Charlotte-N.C.-based Bank of America Corp. reneged on its promise, he and the bank's board members would be fired.Bernanke also denied allegations that he or any other Fed official urged Bank of America to keep quiet about Merrill Lynch's financial problems. Failing to divulge what he knew about Merrill's troubles would violate Lewis' fiduciary duty to Bank of America's shareholders.Neither I nor any member of the Federal Reserve ever directed, instructed or advised Bank of America to withhold from public disclosure any information relating to Merrill Lynch, including its losses, compensation packages or bonuses or any other related matter,Bernanke said.But the committee's ranking member Darrell Issa, R-Calif., accused the Fed of having deliberately kept other regulators in the dark regarding the negotiations with Bank of America.The Federal Reserve's cover-up of important information and willingness to exclude key regulatory partners,such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency,raises troubling questions,Issa said.Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., spoke of a pattern of pressure from the government.But Democrats, including Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, said the investigation revealed that Fed officials thought Bank of America failed to properly review Merrill Lynch's finances. When asked about Bank of America's management, Bernanke said:I did have concerns, yes.

Bank of America ultimately received $45 billion from the government's financial bailout program, $20 billion of which was linked to its acquisition of New York-based Merrill Lynch. We don't have full sunshine yet,the committee chairman, Rep. Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., said at the end of the hearing.It is still unclear whether Bank of America was forced by the federal government to go through with the Merrill deal, or whether Ken Lewis pulled off what may have been the greatest financial shakedown of all time.As part of the panel's continuing investigation, Towns said Paulson has agreed to appear before the committee in July. Bernanke defended the deal and government bailout, saying the action was needed to avoid another blow to the financial system, which at the time was in distress. I think it was a very successful transaction,the Fed chairman said. It helped stabilize the financial markets. It put the two companies back on a healthy path. It's protected our economy. And it was a good deal for taxpayers. I think I have nothing to regret about the whole transaction.
The transaction was hammered out over the same September weekend in which another investment bank, Lehman Brothers, went under. That led to the biggest corporate bankruptcy in U.S. history and plunging financial markets worldwide into crisis. One day later, the government was forced to bail out teetering insurance giant American International Group Inc. The week before, the government had seized control of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.Bank of America completed its purchase of Merrill Lynch on Jan. 1.E-mails between Bernanke and other Fed board members, released by the committee, indicate that the Fed played hardball with Bank of America in the days leading up to the completed deal.Fed board member Kevin Warsh said in a Dec. 29 e-mail to Bernanke that Bank of America thinks they are entitled to some favorable terms in government support because they have agreed to go forward to closing.I reminded them that they are the ones who would look equally bad in the eyes of the market and regulators if they chose to terminate the transaction,Warsh wrote.

Just a few weeks after the completed transaction, Bank of America reported a $2.39 billion fourth-quarter loss, and Merrill Lynch disclosed a loss of more than $15 billion. Bernanke said it was up to Bank of America to make those disclosures. It wasn't the Fed's responsibility.AP Economics Writer Christopher S. Rugaber contributed to this report.

Nigerian rebels say major Shell pipeline blown up by Susan Njanji - Thu Jun 25, 10:28 am ET

LAGOS (AFP) – Nigerian rebels said on Thursday that they carried out a pre-dawn attack against Royal Dutch Shell facilities in a warning to Russia not to invest in the country's oil and gas industry.The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said the attack was to coincide with a visit to Nigeria by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during which major energy investment deals were struck.The attack on Bille-Krakrama pipeline, which feeds the key Bonny export terminal in southern Rivers State, was carried out shortly after midnight Thursday.This is the fate that awaits the gas pipelines you plan to invest in (in) Nigeria if justice is not factored in the whole process,MEND said in a message to Medvedev sent in statement to the media.Shell confirmed it had received reports of an attack on its pipeline at Krakrama.The facility has been shut down and an emergency team has been mobilised to limit the environmental impact,Shell spokeswoman Caroline Wittgen told AFP.MEND, the main militant group in the oil-rich southern Nigeria, stages regular attacks on oil installations as part of its campaign for a fairer share out of oil wealth for locals in the Delta region.Nigeria's oil production has been cut by a quarter over the past three years because of the attacks.President Umaru Yar'Adua on Wednesday expressed hope he could resolve the Niger Delta crisis this year.I am hopeful and confident that by the end of this year, we will have a secure and stable environment in the Niger Delta,he told a news conference with Medvedev.

Yar'Adua is Thursday expected to unveil details of an amnesty package for militants who cease hostilities as part of efforts to end the unrest and save the crucial oil and gas industry.In a first visit by a Kremlin leader to the west African energy powerhouse, the two countries signed a raft of agreements, with Russian gas giant Gazprom unveiling plans to link vast reserves in Nigeria to Europe via a Trans-Saharan pipeline.Russia's natural gas monopoly Gazprom International and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) established a 50-50 joint venture in oil, gas, gas processing and transportation, Gazprom chief Boris Ivanov said.The move is part of Gazprom's drive to reinforce its position as a cornerstone supplier for Europe and North America.Gazprom plans to start construction from next year on the first 360-kilometre (200-mile) stretch of the ambitious 4,128-kilometre Trans Saharan gas pipeline from Nigeria to Europe, via Niger and Algeria.At the end of his visit late Wednesday, Medvedev said Russia was ready to invest billions of dollars in Nigeria, as Moscow flagged up its bid to challenge Chinese and Western influence across Africa.

The prospects are very good,the Kremlin chief said. Russian potential investment in the Nigerian energy sector could be worth billions of dollars.But MEND warned the agreements that you have signed in Abuja are worthless. MEND will ensure to that.We would rather you sign agreement with every state under true federalism to develop the potentials that the nation has, from solid minerals to agriculture and not just a focus on oil and gas from a single region,said MEND.Nigeria's daily oil output currently stands at 1.8 million barrels, according to the June report of the International Energy Agency, considerably lower than the 2.6 million barrels a day produced in 2006.

Jobless claims rise; GDP dips at lower pace in 1Q By JEANNINE AVERSA and CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER, AP Economics Writers – Thu Jun 25, 2:30 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Despite persistent layoffs, the economy seems to be faring better than it was at the start of the year.The Labor Department said Thursday that new jobless claims jumped unexpectedly last week. And the number of people continuing to receive unemployment aid rose more than expected.The figures indicate that jobs remain scarce even as the economy shows some signs of recovering from the longest recession since World War II.A revised reading on gross domestic product — the broadest measure of the nation's output — said the economy posted a 5.5 percent annualized decline from January through March. That was slightly better than the 5.7 percent estimate made a month ago. Economists generally think the economy is shrinking at a slower pace — about 2 percent — in the current quarter.The main forces behind the small upgrade in the first quarter: Businesses didn't cut stockpiles of goods as much, and imports dropped more sharply than previously estimated.On Wall Street, investors shrugged off the unexpected rise in jobless claims and focused on positive earnings reports from homebuilder Lennar Corp. and home furnishings store Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. The Dow Jones industrial average added about 145 points in afternoon trading. Broader indices also rose more than 1 percent.Initial claims for jobless benefits rose last week by 15,000 to a seasonally adjusted 627,000. Economists had expected a drop to 600,000. Several states reported more claims than expected from teachers, cafeteria workers and other school employees, a Labor Department analyst said.The number of people who are continuing to receive unemployment insurance rose by 29,000 to 6.74 million, slightly above analysts' estimates of 6.7 million. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out fluctuations, was largely unchanged, at 616,750.

Most economists still expect the number of initial unemployment insurance claims, which reflects the level of layoffs, to decline slowly in coming months as the recession bottoms out.We still firmly believe that the underlying trends in claims is downwards, but it is slow and uneven,Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist for High Frequency Economics, wrote in a client note.The number of people continuing to receive unemployment aid remains below the peak of 6.8 million reached May 30. That means job losses are likely slowing, economists said.Meanwhile, the rebound in consumer spending in the first quarter was slightly less vigorous than previously reported. Consumers boosted their spending at a 1.4 percent rate, down from a 1.5 percent growth rate estimated last month.Still, that marked the strongest showing in nearly two years and a huge improvement from the fourth quarter, when skittish consumers slashed spending by the most in nearly three decades.The nation's unemployment rate hit a quarter-century peak of 9.4 percent last month when employers eliminated 345,000 jobs. Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, forecasts that employers will have cut a net total of 325,000 jobs this month and the unemployment rate will rise to 9.6 percent. The June employment report will be released July 2.

California set to issue IOUs as fiscal crisis weighs
Wed Jun 24, 2009 10:00pm EDT By Dan Whitcomb and Ciara Linnane

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - California's controller said on Wednesday that he would have to issue IOUs in a week if lawmakers can't quickly solve a $24 billion budget deficit, and the state's treasurer plans to tap a reserve fund to meet debt service costs.The measures came as a budget crisis deepened in the most populous U.S. state and the gridlocked legislature failed to pass a proposed $11 billion in cuts.

Next Wednesday we start a fiscal year with a massively unbalanced spending plan and a cash shortfall not seen since the Great Depression,Controller John Chiang said in a statement announcing that he would be forced to use IOUs to pay the state's bills beginning on July 2.The state's $2.8 billion cash shortage in July grows to $6.5 billion in September and after that we see a double digit freefall, Chiang said. Unfortunately, the state's inability to balance its checkbook will now mean short-changing taxpayers, local governments and small businesses.State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, meanwhile, is planning to draw on reserves for economic recovery sales tax bonds, according to a spokesman.Rating agency Standard & Poor's warned it may downgrade the bonds, given the problems California is likely to face in replenishing its emergency funds.The state is expecting to file a material event notice on Thursday to alert bondholders to the move that comes in response to plunging sales tax receipts, said spokesman Tom Dresslar.The senior coverage account will be drawn on and debt service on all economic recovery bonds will be paid in full on July 1, Dresslar said.California has been in crisis since the housing slump and credit crunch caused a severe decline in revenues. The state has seen its unemployment rate climb steadily to 11.5 percent in May from 6.8 percent a year earlier, according to labor department data.

LAWMAKERS REJECT CUTS

The government dipped into the same reserve fund in December to make a principal payment on economic recovery bonds, but was able to top the reserve back up within days.The California Legislature on Wednesday voted down $11 billion in proposed cuts to state services, sending members seeking a budget deal back to the drawing board.

The vote failed largely along party lines in both houses, with the Republicans saying it falls short of the savings needed and amounted to posturing by Democrats.Standard & Poor's said it will review its economic recovery bond, or ERB ratings after further evaluation of state projections as to the size and timing of potential draws on the ERBs' reserves.The bonds, which were approved by voters in 2004 to help the state through another fiscal crisis, are secured by a sales tax and a general obligation pledge of the state.California has about $8.6 billion of the bonds outstanding, although some have credit support and will not be affected by any rating change, S&P analyst David Hitchcock said.S&P rates the bonds at A-plus, or fifth-highest investment grade and six notches above speculative, or junk status.That's one notch above the A rating assigned to California's $57 billion of general obligation debt, the lowest rating of any U.S. state.

S&P has the GO debt on alert for a downgrade.

Moody's also has the state on review and has warned of a potential multi-notch downgrade.Draws on debt service reserve funds are rare and will likely make waves in the bond market, said Dick Larkin, director of credit analysis at the Iselin, New Jersey, office of broker Herbert J. Sims & Co.I am not aware of a situation where an issuer has drawn on a debt reserve for sales tax bonds,he said in emailed comments.I am also not aware of a situation where a unit needed to draw on a formal debt reserve fund to pay normal debt service on general obligation bonds,he said.Larkin said the latest developments reflect the strain on California's cash flow and may signal a situation that leads to a temporary disruption of normal debt service payments.In the end, though, I still believe that California debt holders would be paid in full, even if there is a temporary disruption because of this financial crisis,he said.(Editing by Carol Bishopric)

UBS to seek to raise capital by 2.5 billion euros Thu Jun 25, 7:43 pm ET

ZURICH (AFP) – Swiss bank UBS said Friday it would try to reinforce its capital base by 2.51 billion euros (3.51 billion dollars) by placing over 293 million shares.The shares will be placed with institutional investors at a price of 13 Swiss francs (8.59euros, 11.89 dollars), raising 3.8 billion Swiss francs if fully subscribed.The share issue will help reinforce confidence in UBS and the place of Swiss finance,the bank said in a statement.UBS said it was making the placement now in order to take advantage of market opportunities.The share placement should allow the bank to raise its ratio of tier 1 core capital to nearly 11.9 percent on a pro forma basis from 10.5percent as of March 31.The bank said tier 1 core capital should in any case rise above 11.9 percent due to efforts to reduce risk-weighted assets.The Swiss government welcomed the UBS share placement and pledged not to sell any shares it is entitled to obtain in UBS before August 4.Switzerland last year injected six billion francs, then equivalent to 3.9 billion euros or 5.2 billion dollars, in UBS as part of a massive state aid package to stabilise the bank.Since June 9, the Swiss government has been able to convert its mandatory convertible notes in UBS into shares.Despite the pledge not to sell any shares until August 4, the Swiss government said in a statement it could exercise its right to convert the notes into shares at any time and it would make a decision at the time it wants.

The bank said it expects to make a loss in the second quarter, the results of which are to be released on August 4, mostly due to loan writedowns and restructuring costs already announced.Operating results should improve from the first quarter, mostly due to improved market conditions for the investment bank and reduced losses and depreciation high risk positions taken previously.The leading Swiss bank said there continued to be a net outflow of funds from its wealth- and asset-management divisions.

AIG to repay $25 billion U.S. debt with unit stakes Thu Jun 25, 11:45 am ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – The federal government has agreed to accept $25 billion of preferred stock in two American International Group Inc (AIG.N) businesses as partial repayment of debt, the company said on Thursday.The agreement will reduce AIG's debt of about $40 billion under a Federal Reserve Bank of New York credit facility, but it will still be a while before taxpayers get any cash back for their bailout of the insurer.Since its near-collapse last September, U.S. taxpayers have committed up to about $180 billion to rescue AIG, including the loan under the credit facility and a $40 billion equity injection.AIG also said the agreement positions the two businesses, American International Assurance Co Ltd (AIA) and American Life Insurance Co (Alico), for initial public offerings, depending on market conditions.AIG has already begun the process for an IPO of AIA early next year, selecting Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Deutsche Bank AG (DBKGn.DE) as global coordinators for the offering.The pact on AIA and Alico follows an agreement AIG reached with the government in March. At that time, the company said the preferred stock in the two units would reduce its balance under the credit facility by up to $26 billion.The embattled insurer said on Thursday it will put the equity of the units into special purpose vehicles, and the New York Fed will receive preferred stakes of $16 billion in AIA and $9 billion in Alico.

Edward Liddy, AIG's chief executive, said the agreement represents a major step toward repaying taxpayers and preserving the value of AIA and Alico.The New York Fed, in a separate statement, said the agreement will help AIG repay taxpayers and restructure. The AIA and Alico transactions are expected to close in the second half of 2009, pending regulatory approvals.Alico operates in more than 50 countries but generates more than half its revenue in Japan.Once the world's largest insurer by market value, AIG nearly collapsed last year because of soaring losses from credit default swaps, as customers who bought debt protection from the company's financial products unit boosted their demands for collateral.AIG lost more than $99 billion in 2008 and has received a series of government bailouts.The company has found it more difficult to sell assets for good prices because prospective buyers know it needs to dismantle itself to help repay taxpayers.Last year AIG tried to sell AIA privately for as much to $20 billion but failed to find a buyer.Liddy, a former chief executive at Allstate Corp (ALL.N), last month announced plans to step down as AIG CEO, saying he had planned for his stay to be temporary. He said at the time it might take several years for AIG to repay taxpayers.AIG shares were unchanged at $1.42 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange.(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Paritosh Bansal in New York and Sweta Singh in Bangalore; Editing by Dinesh Nair and John Wallace)

PC makers race to comply with China's Web filter By JOE McDONALD, AP Business Writer – Thu Jun 25, 2:30 pm ET

BEIJING – Days before a deadline abruptly imposed by China, computer makers are scrambling to comply with an order to supply Web-filtering software with PCs amid concerns about what it might do to their reputations.Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Inc. and Taiwan's Acer Inc. — the top three global producers — are asking regulators for details of the order that takes effect July 1 to provide Green Dam Youth Escort software with every laptop and desktop PC sold in China.The conflict reflects the clash between the authoritarian government's efforts to control information and China's high-tech ambitions.China is important to PC suppliers both as a major manufacturing site and a fast-growing market. It accounts for up to 80 percent of world production and sales that state media say rose to 147 billion yuan ($21 billion), up 12.8 percent from 2007.The conflict comes as Beijing launched new criticisms this week against search giant Google Inc., which a foreign ministry spokesman accused Thursday of spreading pornography. Chinese users were unable to connect to Google's main site or its China-based service, google.cn, from late Wednesday into Thursday. But spokesman Qin Gang, speaking at a regular briefing, sidestepped questions about whether the government was blocking access.Washington has already called on Beijing to revoke the order to supply the software, calling it a serious barrier to trade and saying the software could pose a security risk.

Government regulators say Green Dam must be supplied with every computer to prevent children from surfing the Internet for pornography. But technical analyses of the software — developed by a previously unknown Chinese company — have shown embedded programs to filter out content the government deems politically objectionable.

Manufacturers could face the same criticism that U.S. Internet services did in 2006 after complaints they cooperated with Chinese censorship, said David Wolf, a technology consultant in Beijing. At that time, the U.S. Congress held hearings and some lawmakers accused the companies of aiding dictators.Yahoo had provided e-mail account information to the Chinese government that led to a jail sentence for a political activist and writer. Microsoft had disabled some blogging services critical of China, while Google had agreed to remove some political content from its Chinese service.The threat to the reputations of companies that comply with the new order is real, Wolf said.That's a concern that they have to have. The overall credibility of the brands will be at risk,said Wolf, president of Wolf Group Asia.The move has also touched off criticism among China's 298 million Internet users, raising the possibility that sales of brand name PCs domestically might suffer too. Chinese consumers who object to the filter may switch to buying generic components that come without software, said JP Morgan analyst Charles Guo.In its battle to control information, China has assembled the world's most extensive system of Internet monitoring and filtering. Despite those efforts, the Web in China is far more freewheeling than rigidly controlled state television and newspapers. Requiring Green Dam to be supplied and possibly installed with computers would take the controls to a new level, placing monitoring technology inside the individual's computer.Under the order, which was given to manufacturers in May and publicly released in early June, producers are required to pre-install Green Dam or supply it on disc with every PC sold in China from July 1.Last week, it appeared the government backed away from requiring compulsory installation by users, but manufacturers are still being required to provide the software.Taiwan's Acer Inc., the No. 3 PC maker, says all its computers sold worldwide are produced by contractors in China. No. 2 Dell exports from one Chinese factory to Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong and operates another for sales in China. HP, the world's biggest producer, and China's Lenovo Group did not respond to questions about how much of their China production is exported and to where.

We are reviewing the policy initiative and are working with government officials and others to understand its application,a Dell spokesman, Jess Blackburn, said in an e-mail.HP is trying to get more information about the order and clarify open questions, the company said in a statement. It declined further comment. Manufacturers' immediate problem is the cost of complying at a time when the global economic slump is slashing profits, said Duncan Clark, chairman of BDA China Ltd., a Beijing research firm. Given how razor-thin margins are, anything that adds costs, even if it's just dropping a CD into the box, is not welcome,Clark said. Wolf said costs could rise if regulators decide the software must be pre-installed on every PC. That would force makers that sell computers without software, such as in corporate bulk orders, to pay for operating systems to support the filter.It's another one of those great ideas that somebody had that nobody thought all the way through,Wolf said. The top U.S. trade officials said the lack of transparency and inadequate notice may violate World Trade Organization rules. In a letter to Chinese officials this week, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and Trade Representative Ron Kirk called on Beijing to revoke the order.On a technical level, researchers at the University of Michigan who studied Green Dam say they found serious security vulnerabilities due to programming errors that could allow any Web site a PC user visits to take control of the computer.A California company, Solid Oak Software of Santa Barbara, says parts of its own filtering software were used in Green Dam, raising questions about possible violations of intellectual property rights. The fracas adds to a series of disputes between the U.S. and China over trade and the use of regulation to protect Chinese companies. The United States and European Union filed complaints this week over China's curbs on exports of industrial raw materials, saying they unfairly favored its domestic industries.Last year, Beijing ordered foreign sellers of computer security technology to disclose how their products work. Following U.S. protests, the government agreed in April to postpone that for a year. The order still applies to products sold to Chinese government agencies. On the Net: Government's order to PC makers (in Chinese): http://www.miit.gov.cn Google Inc.: http://www.google.com Dell Inc.: http://www.dell.com Hewlett-Packard Inc.: http://www.hp.com Acer Inc.: http://www.acer-group.com Lenovo Group: http://www.lenovo.com

Iran expected to dominate G8 meeting in Italy By ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jun 25, 5:11 pm ET

TRIESTE, Italy – Foreign ministers of Group of Eight countries sought to find a common position on Iran's violent crackdown on protesters as they opened a meeting in this northeastern Italian city Thursday.Italy, the host of the meeting, said it wanted to send a tough message, but Italian officials in Trieste also stressed the need not to further isolate Iran. The EU commissioner for external relations condemned the use of excessive force, and called for dialogue among battling parties within Iran.Italy originally invited Iran to attend the three-day gathering as a special guest, arguing that it could play an important role in stabilizing Afghanistan — an important focus of the meeting. But Italy retracted the invitation after Iran failed to respond, and after days of violent clashes with demonstrators protesting Iran's disputed June 12 elections.I think it's a missed opportunity for the Iranian government,European Union External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said.Even in Iran's absence, the country remained at the center of discussions as the delegates converged on this port city.While several of the G-8's European members have expressed concern about the postelection violence and urged a recount, it was unclear how strong a condemnation would emerge from the meeting in Trieste.Clearly the main point is striking the right balance between the inevitable language of condemnation and worry over violence and, on the other hand, the need not to close the door on Iran and not to accentuate its isolation,said Maurizio Massari, the Italian Foreign Ministry spokesman. He said Italy did not want to get into the details of whether a re-count or re-election would be necessary.President Barack Obama condemned the violence against protesters Tuesday and lent his strongest support yet to their accusations the hardline victory was a fraud. But the United States does not want to become a scapegoat for Iran's cleric-led government.Russia has said it backs the results that returned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia, which hosted Ahmadinejad at a regional summit a few days after the election, so far had seen no legal violations in Iran's crackdown. He said no action should be taken that would put lives in danger.Lavrov said outside the Trieste meeting that nobody wants to condemn Tehran, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.Isolating Iran is the wrong approach,Lavrov was quoted as saying by ANSA.The key word is involvement.Lavrov held talks Thursday with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, who earlier Thursday had employed some of Italy's strongest language to date to call for a tough and clear position before the world on Iran. Frattini sought to smooth over any differences, saying after the talks that details on the statement on Iran were being worked out.

We'll have a good text,he said.

Frattini also had a meeting with Obama's U.S. Mideast envoy, former Sen. George Mitchell.As the delegates started arriving in Trieste amid tight security, dozens of Iranians and Italians gathered in the city in a show of solidarity with protesters in Iran. The demonstrators wore green arm bands and doctor's masks on their faces. Some carried signs calling Ahmadinejad a dictator and terrorist. One sign said NEDA-Stop the Killing,in reference to the apparent shooting death of Neda Agha Soltan, a 26-year-old woman who bled to death in a Tehran street and now is a symbol for the demonstrators.Mass arbitrary arrests have to stop and crackdown against Iranian and foreign journalists is also unacceptable,Ferrero-Waldner told reporters. The commissioner said that we are all deeply concerned about the situation in Iran,and she condemned the excessive use of force by the security forces against any peaceful demonstrators, which has already cost quite a number of lives.But she also said the crisis should be settled through dialogue between the different forces within Iran. We don't want to interfere in the internal affairs of Iran,she said,but I think we want to see them come to a dialogue and sort this very difficult situation out.The meeting, which opened with a working dinner, ends at midday Saturday. On the agenda is a series of global issues, from counterterrorism to organized crime and piracy.

The Afghan conflict will take central stage Friday and Saturday, with U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke and important regional players — including the foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Pakistan — joining in the discussions on five major points of discussion: border management, drug trafficking, economic development, refugees, and food security.In all, 44 delegations will participate in the meeting of the eight industrial powers, including representatives from the Islamic Development Bank, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Program. On the sidelines of the summit will be a meeting of the Mideast Quartet — the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations — to try to help move the Israeli-Palestinian peace process forward. Mitchell is to attend, as will a range of Arab League nations which will join in a follow-on session Friday afternoon. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is grounded in Washington with a broken elbow. Israel was not invited; the Foreign Ministry said that decision was taken by the Quartet, not Italy.Associated Press Writer Nicole Winfield contributed to this report from Rome.

Turkey seeks to revive EU bid
ELITSA VUCHEVA Today JUNE 26,09 @ 06:51 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – Turkey is hoping to next week open a new chapter of its accession talks with the EU, the country's European affairs minister said on Thursday (25 June), reiterating that Ankara is aiming for full membership of the bloc.The chapter on taxation will hopefully be opened on 30 June, the last day of the Czech EU presidency,during an EU-Turkey accession conference, Egemen Bagis said at an event organised by the Brussels-based European Policy Centre think-tank.Turkey was granted EU candidate status in 1999 and started accession negotiations with the bloc in October 2005. If opened, the taxation chapter will be the 11th of Turkey's 35-chapter accession package to be opened so far, with just one successfully closed.Mr Bagis stressed that Ankara had done a lot in the last six months to boost EU-related reform and announced that the Turkish parliament had just passed a law to strengthen the country's EU affairs secretariat.The law that governs the function of the EU secretariat in Turkey was amended last night because there was a need to empower the institution, to bring more flexibility, more budget and more personnel,Mr Bagis said, stressing that 235 of the 237 parliamentarians had voted in favour of the move.The new law triples the number of people who are working on the issue. Now our total capacity will exceed 300.It's going to affect the negotiations I think in a very positive manner,the minister stressed.Mr Bagis became Turkey's first EU affairs minister in January this year, just before Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Brussels in four years. Mr Erdogan went to Brussels on Thursday where met EU commission president Jose Manuel Barroso. Meanwhile Mr Bagis and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met EU enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn.

All or nothing

The visits came just weeks after the European elections of 4-7 June which saw conservative parties triumph at European level and in most individual member states. In several countries, opposition to Turkish EU membership was an important element of the electoral campaign.In the aftermath of the elections, Ankara had expressed concern and called on the EU to respect its commitments to Turkey.On Thursday, Mr Bagis again condemned the use of anti-Turkish membership rhetoric in the election campaign.People tend to forget that almost six million Turks already live and mostly vote in EU member countries… That's more than the total population of many EU member countries,he said.The minister also reaffirmed that Turkey's goal remained full membership of the EU and firmly rejected the option of privileged partnership mulled over by some member states, including France, Germany and Austria.We will either be a full [EU] member or not [at all],Mr Bagis said.The concept of privileged partnership has no legal foundation and is just a philosophical superficial idea… that some politicians are dancing around.

Nato woos Kazakhstan at security forum
VALENTINA POP Today JUNE 26,09 @ 09:19 CET

EUOBSERVER / ASTANA – The remote capital of post-Soviet petro-state Kazakhstan hosted this year's security forum of Nato's partner countries, the first time the event took place outside Europe in a bid to secure more support for the alliance's mission in neighbouring Afghanistan.Barely 12 years old and still largely a construction site, Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan, is a strange blend of Soviet-style apartment blocks, modern skyscrapers and artsy projects bearing the signature of famous architects such as Norman Foster.In his keynote address on Thursday (25 June) during Nato's security forum with its partner countries (EAPC), secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer praised the city as a haven for contemporary architecture in the vast steppes of Kazakhstan.The new capital, built from scratch in the middle of the deserted landscape of central Kazakhstan mirrors the ambitions of the country's perennial president, Nursultan Nazarbaev, who just celebrated 20 years of uninterrupted leadership. The only former Soviet leader and close ally of Mikhail Gorbachev to have stayed in power after the break-up of the USSR, Mr Nazarbaev is a careful navigator between Russian, Chinese, American and to lesser extent, EU interests in his oil-rich country.A Nato partner country with no ambitions of joining, Kazakhstan – a nation almost the size of the whole of western Europe and bordering Russia and China, is also part of all the economic and military alliances of its two powerful neighbours, including the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO).One of the achievements of the forum, according to Mr Scheffer, was the participation and interaction for the first time with the secretary general of the SCO, Bolat Nurgaliev, a native of the small town that was later to become Astana.

Admitting that the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation was an "intriguing subject for some in the West, Mr Nurgaliev, a Kazakh diplomat, explained that the organisation was mainly aimed at instilling people of the six nations a sense of shared political, economic and informational space.Apart from China, Russia and Kazakhstan, the members of SCO comprise three other stans – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.The Chinese-Russian set-up also includes a counter-terrorism office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with all six members bound to co-operate and share information in this field, Mr Nurgaliev said.Yet it is unclear how this co-operation is working in practice and if could ever help the Nato mission in Afghanistan, with all four 'stans' having large Muslim populatios that, although moderate, are unlikely to support a foreign war against the Taliban.Mr Nurgaliev underlined that terrorism has nothing to do with a particular religion [and] should not be transformed into Islamophobia.The SCO is committed to restore law and order all over Afghanistan,he said, but by respecting the state sovereignty and the right of Afghans to determine their own form of government.

Cold War spectre

With threats such as terrorism coming to the forefront of Nato's activities, it is time for the Cold War logic to be left behind and to step up co-operation with non-Nato members, Mr Scheffer said, hinting in particular at Afghanistan.He said during the meeting with Mr Nazarbaev good progress was achieved on a transit agreement for the transport of non-lethal items to Afghanistan – but no document has been signed yet.Mr Scheffer said the working culture of Nato and its partner countries – including Kazakhstan – had to change from caution and hesitation to tackling difficult issues.Sometimes we shy away from having a meaningful, substantial debate, simply to avoid controversy,Mr Scheffer said.We must realise that [Nato] partnership is no longer about eliminating residual mistrust left over from the Cold War. Today, partnership has turned into something quite different: it has become a unique instrument to tackle common challenges in an increasingly globalised world.Yet with Russia still perceiving Nato as a direct threat, Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, maintains a cautious line towards the alliance.Russia's envoy to Nato, Dmitri Rogozin, who was present at the event, suggested Kazakhstan was Russia's wife, while Nato was a lover competing for her favours.I disagree with my friend Rogozin, Mr Scheffer replied at the closing press conference. We are not in the business of being a lover of anyone, this is a political military alliance and Nato does not compete with anyone. Let the nations decide for themselves how and if they want to get involved,he stressed.

Europe useful for training and environment

The EU dimension was noted briefly in the remarks of Kazakh foreign minister Marat Tazhin, who said his country was interested in adopting the European model on issues such as civil society, energy, technology and environment policies.Due to its geographical location, central Asia serves as a kind of testing ground for trends coming from the West and the East,he said. Our task is not to mechanically apply experiences of other regions but rather to creatively reconsider alternative models and gradually develop our own unique regional architecture.Pierre Morel, the EU's special representative for central Asia, said the region was facing four major areas where the Union should intensify its assistance: counter-terrorism, border management, migration and environmental issues.

EU condemns Chinese roll-out of internet censorship software
ANDREW WILLIS Today JUNE 26,09 @ 09:29 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The European commission added its voice to growing condemnation of Chinese plans to enforce the use of its 'Green Dam' filtering software on Thursday (25 June) and urged the country's authorities to postpone the decision. Chinese officials say the mass installment of the internet filter is necessary to stop children gaining access to pornographic websites, while critics counter that it would enable the country's Communist Party to spy on internet users and block access to politically sensitive websites.The aim of this internet filter, contrary to what Chinese authorities contend, is clearly to censor the internet and limit freedom of expression, the commission's spokesman for information society and media, Martin Selmayr, told EUobserver. Last month, China's ministry of industry and information technology announced that all personal computers sold in China from 1 July onwards must be installed with the Green Dam internet-filtering software.China's insistence that the Green Dam filter be installed in new computers proves once again that censorship takes place in this country,said Mr Selmayr.China cannot compete with other powers of the world only at the economic level without paying attention to freedom of expression, he added.The announcement will add to pressure on the Chinese government to reverse its decision, with US trade representative Ron Kirk and commerce secretary Gary Locke lodging a formal complaint with their Chinese counterparts on Wednesday. Mr Kirk said US companies had been given very little time to comply with the request for all computers sold to China to be pre-installed with the Green Dam software and suggested the US might file a complaint with the World Trade Organisation.US companies have also expressed their unwillingness to be complicit in any form of political censorship.

Iranian tensions intensify debate

The issue of internet censorship has been propelled further into the foreground this week following the extensive use of the internet by Iranian citizens as a means to protest against last Sunday's presidential elections that many claim were fraudulent.
Opposition groups have used the micro-blogging site Twitter and social networking sites such as Facebook to organise protests and share information. Such homegrown protest would be more difficult to organise in countries such as China where the internet comes in for greater censorship. As Iranian authorities step up efforts to stifle use of certain websites however, the country's citizens are increasingly turning to counter-censorship software designed by Chinese computer engineers living in America to access the restricted sites. Access to the world's leading search engine, Google, was temporarily blocked in China on Wednesday evening, a further indication of the Chinese government's growing crackdown.The country's official news agency, Xinhua, published an article accusing Google of displaying links to pornographic websites among its search results.Speaking about the Green Dam software on Thursday, Mr Selmayr said: We urge China to postpone the implementation of this mandate and request that a meeting is organised at technical level to better understand what is at stake.

EU takes Luxembourg to court over tax haven concerns
ELITSA VUCHEVA Today JUNE 26,09 @ 09:25 CET

The European Commission said on Thursday (25 June) it was taking Luxembourg to court over concerns the Grand Duchy is breaching EU rules on savings revenues and using a so-called non-domiciled status for tax avoidance.The commission is accusing Luxembourg of using the status in order to get around the EU Savings Tax Directive on savings interest payments.Under the EU directive, member states must exchange information on non-resident savings revenues. Those countries who have not signed up to it – namely Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria – can tax the income at source.But the commission considers Luxembourg to be breaching that rule as well by not applying the directive to people who benefit from the non-domiciled resident status in their country of residence. Under Luxembourgish law, if investors are exempt from income tax in their state of residence for tax purposes or if the interest payments are not subject to tax in that particular state, they benefit from the non-domiciled resident status. That way, UK, Irish and Maltese fortunes are often escaping tax at source without their residence countries being informed. Luxembourg refuses to apply the directive to beneficial owners who benefit from the so-called non-domiciled resident status in their country of residence. Consequently, Luxembourg paying agents do not levy withholding tax on interest payments to such beneficial owners,Brussels explained.The commission had already asked the Grand Duchy last year to change its law in order to prevent other member states' nationals to escape paying tax on their capital investments in their countries. But Luxembourg failed to comply.Given that the above Luxembourg tax rules were not amended following the reasoned opinion sent by the commission in November 2008, the commission has decided to refer the case to the European Court of Justice,the commission said.

Luxembourg has previously been under fire for its banking secrecy practices and was in April placed on the OECD's tax havens grey list,together with Bermuda, Monaco and Singapore.Meanwhile, the UK and Belgium might also be referred to the EU court because of their failure to disclose financial information about large public organisations, notably in the manufacturing sector, the Financial Times reports.
Competition officials from the EU commission said on Thursday that these were the two only member states that had failed to comply with an EU directive from 2005 on financial transparency, according to the newspaper.

Heavy industry emissions targetted by EU
LEIGH PHILLIPS Today JUNE 26,09 @ 09:26 CET

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - European Union environment ministers have cobbled together an agreement on plans to reduce industrial pollution, combining together a patchwork of previous anti-emissions legislation in a new piece of legislation that is expected to prevent thousands of deaths in the bloc every year.Environmentalists however say they were disappointed that the final compromise amongst EU member states was considerably weaker than what had originally been proposed.Targeting heavy industry, oil refineries and power plants, the deal agreed by ministers from the different member states meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday (25 June) tightens sulphur and nitrogen emissions as well as the release of dust particles, asbestos and heavy metals into the environment.Installations must meet the fresh emissions standards set by the member states by 2016, although countries may choose to apply the restrictions as late as the end of 2020.

New plants must adhere to the rules by 2012, however.

On the one side, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands were opposed countries being able to delay implementation to the new rules, which consolidate and strengthen seven separate pieces of legislation, but a bloc combining Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania and the UK won the day.The pollution curbs are expected to prevent 13,000 premature deaths annually that are related to industrial emissions, saving healthcare systems an estimated €7-28 billion.It provides a high level of protection for the environment and builds on the integrated pollution control that the UK pioneered,UK environment minister Hilary Benn said.Ultimately it is for each operator to ensure that society and the environment benefit,he added.But the European Environment Bureau, a coalition of local environmental groups across Europe, said that the ministers had taken a middle ground compromise position from the Czech Republic, currently at the helm of the EU's six-month rotating presidency, which was weaker than the European Commission's original proposals, and weakened them still further.We are appalled by the minimalist approach taken by certain member states led by the UK and Poland,said Christian Schaible, of the group. Shouldn't environment ministers be more concerned about ensuring better health and environmental conditions for its citizens rather than securing additional profits for operators by prolonging the period during which underperforming plants can continue being heavy polluters? The industrial emissions directive must now be approved by the European Parliament, a process that will take many months.