News – Fatahland and Hamastan

Middle East

Here are some reasons why the Fatahland / Hamastan ploy will likely fail. What am I talking about? The article explains it perfectly, so check the start of it. It sounds logical, but only to those that don’t understand a thing about the region’s Muslims. Which would be the decision makers in the bush administration and Israel.

Israel does a good thing(though it took them a few days to get around to it, by the sound), allowing some fleeing Palestinian refugees from Gaza to enter Israel to get urgent medical treatment.

Salam Fayyadm, declared the new Palestinian PM by Abbas, says his government faces credibility issues. That’s putting it lightly. Not just because Hamas has started to run roughshod, but because of the long string of general failures that Fatah has found in the last year or two alone. Of course, they share(in my opinion) a lack of credibility with the rest of the region as well as the US when it comes to the whole situation. I live in waiting for someone with the balls and the brains to get the region under control.

The US surge is on. But will this spate of full on attack be any different than previous full on attacks? Time shall tell.

The situation for refugees in the Middle East becomes harder as terrorism fears make it difficult to seek asylum in another country.

Looks like Hamas is trying to get some brownie points by securing the release of BBC reporter Alan Johnston.

Israel starts to attack within Gaza. Personally, I hope they don’t try and wipe out Hamas like they tried with Hez. The last thing we need is another civilian bloodbath that ends up as pointlessly inconclusive as the last time.

Africa

The strike in Nigeria lingers. Last minute concessions from the government are rejected as too little too late.

Suspected militants raid two police stations in Somalia. There’s also note of Nigerian soldiers firing on civilians after their convoy struck a landmine.

Asia/Pacific

Commodore Frank Bainimarama, current military ruler of Fiji, says he might hold elections earlier than noted before. I’m inclined to think this might be a move to garner better relations from abroad.

Europe

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso tells EU members to refrain from blocking progress on the new EU treaty. Good luck with that, Manuel.

The French government has told its officials to refrain from using Blackberry’s, for fear of espionage.

Americas

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg leaves the republican party. Some think this might be a precursor to a presidential run.

The first in a series of articles looking into the Health Care plans of the presidential candidates. First on the block, Obamacare.

Examining Bush’s signing statements.

News Corporation is considering selling MySpace to Yahoo. This sale appearing to be part of some larger exchange that might be coming along.

A fire in a South Carolina furniture store turns too tragic when the roof collapses, killing nine firefighters.

General

YouTube launches several international versions of its site. They’ll each be translated into native languages and have country local ratings for videos.

Hackers are targeting legit sites, infecting them with keyloggers. Watch yourselves out there.

The Blogs look at Salman Rushdie’s knighthood, more deleted RNC e-mails and Yahoo!’s new chief exec.

Today’s Papers has the U.S. military has agreed to declassify 22 poems written by 17 Guantanamo prisoners, how some states that have passed constitutional amendments banning marriage for gay men and lesbians are now beginning to take away benefits that had been awarded to the domestic partners of public employees(with some consequences for unmarried heterosexuals as well), that 10 Iraqi tribes in Baghdad have reached agreements to oppose al-Qaida forces and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Dumbass draws a second winner in a Porsche raffle after someone in the crowd shouts for a “do over”. Hilarity ensues

It took the head of London International Airport four months of paperwork to get off the U.S. no-fly list

Mugging attempt results in would-be mugger having his wallet stolen. Irony tag has morning coffee, is ready for work

“A man was robbed of his wallet and beer Monday night after being struck on the head with a prosthetic leg”

It isn’t every afternoon that you can go outside and witness an honest to goodness life-or-death mop fight

What not say when on trial for assaulting a juror: “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I’ll kill all of you if you find me guilty of any one charge, and that goes for your family, too.”

Not News: Guy arrested for DWI. News: Guy slams into a restaurant. Fark News: Guy is a priest just out of rehab

Today’s “Carjackers can’t drive a stick shift” story brought to us by Georgia

Man’s salad stolen. He panics and calls police

“A flushed bra and a pair of knickers have been blamed for a flood and road collapse in County Durham”

Chronic fapper caught fapping, gets stabbed, continues fapping</A>

Homeowner finds half-naked man in his garage, gets wood

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this green-eyed beauty

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this face in the wall

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Theme: Magazines of the animal kingdom.