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Bibi Prepares to Strike Iran?
Bringing the Israeli elections forward to September 4th of this year not only won't avert an Iran strike, but rather, in some ways may in fact advance the fight against Tehran's nuclear program. Those who think that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is heading to these elections due to weakness are wrong. The PM has a stable coalition, yet its makeup won't allow it to cope with the challenges it would have faced in the near future.
The PM is in fact going to the polls in order to reinforce his political survival at a time when he needs to make tough decisions in all areas. A skilled politician, Netanyahu identified the peaking support he enjoys at this time and is quick to ride this wave before losing momentum. At this time he enjoys a backwind not only within Israel's domestic theater – conditions in the regional and global arena are also convenient.
Early elections will assist the West in its diplomatic negotiations with Iran. Netanyahu does not hide his intention to strike Tehran's nuclear sites before they become immune to attack. Hence, his decision to call early elections when his position on this issue is so clear and consistent shows confidence that Israel's public is behind him, thereby granting more credibility to the Israeli threat. -Source
Space Weather Expert has Ominous Forecast
A stream of highly charged particles from the sun is headed straight toward Earth, threatening to plunge cities around the world into darkness and bring the global economy screeching to a halt.
This isn't the premise of the latest doomsday thriller. Massive solar storms have happened before — and another one is likely to occur soon, according to Mike Hapgood, a space weather scientist at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford, England.
Much of the planet's electronic equipment, as well as orbiting satellites, have been built to withstand these periodic geomagnetic storms. But the world is still not prepared for a truly damaging solar storm, Hapgood argues in a recent commentary published in the journal Nature. Hapgood talked with The Times about the potential effects of such a storm and how the world should prepare for it. -Source
Peru Probes Mystery Pelican Deaths
A team of ornithologists were investigating the mysterious death of nearly 600 sea birds found on the beaches of northern Peru, government officials said.
The investigation follows a probe into the deaths of more than 850 dolphins that have washed ashore since January along the same 170-kilometer (100-mile) stretch of coastline in the northern departments of Piura and Lambayeque.
Peru's Oceanic Institute (IMARPE) said that, as of Sunday, they had found 538 dead pelicans and 54 dead Peruvian Boobies. They also found the carcasses of five sea lions that washed ashore and the decomposed remains of a turtle.
The Ministry of Production, in charge of fisheries, said in a statement that early results suggest that the birds died on the beach, and did not wash ashore dead. -Source
Restraint is Coming to an End in Nigeria
Restraint could be nearing an end in Nigeria. The leadership council of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) issued a "final" warning to the government this week demanding a response to the militant Islamists' eradication campaign. Boko Haram has regularly widened its targets in its insurgency which has killed more than 1,000 people since mid-2009.
There's been a new surge of deadly violence over the last several days. Attacks have been increasing steadily since Christmas Day. Enough is enough. CAN released a statement saying that the Church leadership has been encouraging the faithful not to respond with violence, "but they can no longer guarantee such cooperation if this trend of terror is not halted immediately."
Islamist group Boko Haram has taken credit for many of the attacks on Christians in Nigeria, while scores of other attacks have not been claimed by the group but bear their hallmarks. -Source
