*Israel is preparing to invade Lebanon with massive ground troops.
*Israel will not spare any kind of weaponry, including phosphorous and cluster bombs.
*Israel is secretly evacuating its northern region residents.
*Israel intends to create a new security zone inside Lebanon, south of the Litani to enhance her long term occupation.

AWIP: Israel Will Go to War over Water

The speculative Battle of Marjah is set to begin, with NATO and Taliban forces squaring up for a clash unprecedented both in size and telegraphing since the 2001 invasion. For what is ultimately a battle over the tiny village of Marjah and the surrounding farmland, the impending invasion has been trumpeted by US spokesmen for a solid month, giving the media plenty of time to size up the competitors like a professional prizefight, but also giving the Taliban ample advance notice over the invasion. Daily Telegraph: 4,000 British troops set for biggest battle with Taliban. Global Research: US to Launch Fallujah-style Attack in Afghanistan.

American and British forces poised to assault the Taliban stronghold of Marjah, in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province, have begun targeting insurgent leaders for assassination, The Sunday Times reported. Special forces have been infiltrating the town on "kinetic" missions — jargon for armed attacks. "Special forces guys have been going in on assassination missions with the aim of decapitating the Taliban force," a military source told the Sunday Times.

Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Systematic Attacks against Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). ►A child was wounded in Beit Ummar village, north of Hebron. ►IOF fired bullets and projectiles from the ground, air and sea at civilians and civil targets in the Gaza Strip. ►IOF conducted 19 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. ►IOF arrested 20 Palestinian civilians and an American human rights defender in the West Bank. ►IOF stormed houses of a number of activists working against the construction of the Annexation Wall. ►IOF naval troops have continued to attack Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip. ►IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT and have isolated the Gaza Strip from the outside world. ►IOF troops positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank arrested one Palestinian civilian. ►Israel has continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property. ►IOF closed off 150 donums in Beit Ummar and prevented civilians from accessing them. ►The corner stone was laid for a new settlement compound in Hebron. ►A Palestinian civilian was forced to demolish a room of his house in the old city of Jerusalem. ►Israeli settlers seized one floor of a building belonging to a Palestinian family.

The US government has initiated a diplomatic offensive against threatened moves by MEPs to block a deal that gives American intelligence agencies direct access to European bank data. Less than a month after MEPs forced the withdrawal of Bulgaria’s first nominee to the incoming EU Commission, the US campaign underscores the increasing power of the European Parliament. Socialist, Green and Liberal opposition to the agreement means it is likely to be rejected when MEPs vote in Strasbourg next Thursday. You don't have to be a "socialist" to be against this this unwarranted, unprincipled and unlawful intrusion into people's lives.

The number of British people who are sceptical about climate change is rising, a poll for BBC News suggests. The Populus poll of 1,001 adults found 25% did not think global warming was happening, an increase of 10% since a similar poll was conducted in November. The percentage of respondents who said climate change was a reality had fallen from 83% in November to 75% this month.

Some of the continent's leaders used the US financial system to protect millions of dollars. Several African leaders, their relatives and associates used Western banks, including British ones, to move hundreds of millions of dollars out of their countries and into accounts and companies they controlled, according to a US Senate report released late last week.

How much is good press worth? To the Bush administration, about $1.6 billion. That's how much seven federal departments spent from 2003 through the second quarter of 2005 on 343 contracts with public relations firms, advertising agencies, media organizations and individuals, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.

Palin gave her $115,000.00 speech tonight to an audience of less than enthusiastic Tea Partiers. She appeared off of her game, delivering a rather flat speech, one that at least failed to inspire shouts of “kill him!” as her campaign rallies did. So there's that.

She managed to get part way through the speech before misspeaking and saying “Alaska” instead of “America”, but what do you expect from an AIP secessionist? What are you? Some kind of elitist? Surely Putin would know what she meant, were she in the office she was mantled for. ““Nations around the world “wonder if Alaska is still that beacon of hope.” Pauses, realizes she meant America, plunges on.” Roger Ebert live tweeting the speech. HuffPo: After criticizing Obama for using a teleprompter, it turns out Palin needed crib notes to remember the phrases: "energy," "budget," "tax," & "lift American spirits." Oliver Willis: Sarah Palin Caught Reading Answers Off Her Hand -Video. Daily Mail: 'America is ready for another revolution,' Sarah Palin tells Tea Party activists. Marco Villa: Palin to Run for President? PressTV: US conservative darling Sarah Palin says she thinks President Barack Obama should declare war on Iran.

Copies of the student newspaper at Bettendorf High School were confiscated last week by school administrators who believe an article violated student confidentiality, the school district superintendent said.

"I [ask] Dr Salehi to start work on the production of 20 per cent fuel using centrifuges," Ahmadinejad said. But he continued: "The doors for interaction are still open."

Police are planning to use an anti-terror law deemed unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights across the country during the London Olympics, The Times has learnt. Senior officers are considering using Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at every Underground and railway station nationwide. Privacy campaigners criticised the proposal yesterday. The powers would enable police to stop and search members of the public without any suspicion that they were involved in terrorism.

Iran has arrested seven people linked to a Farsi-language radio station funded in part by the United States, accusing them of fomenting unrest. The suspects were not identified and it is unclear exactly when they were arrested.