Pakistan: Islamic Fundamentalists Burn Down Churches, Kill Christians

This is one reason why it is pointless for anyone (especially from the ‘West’) to burn a Qur’an.  As much as we may disagree with the contents of the book, destroying it will only serve to inflame the extremists who are looking for any excuse to bleed the blood of Christians.

By Jibran Khan – “Islamabad (AsiaNews) – Two believers killed, churches attacked, copies of the Bible burned: the Christian community in Pakistan is once again the victim of violence by Islamic fundamentalists, who have targeted places of worship in the country. The extremist violence was triggered by the insane act – repeatedly condemned by Christians in Pakistan and India – of the pastor Wayne Sapp, who last March 20, in Florida burned a Koran under the supervision of the evangelical preacher Terry Jones. The escalating violence has raised alarm over the fate of Asia Bibi, a symbol of the abuses committed in the name of the blasphemy law. The bishop of Islamabad / Rawalpindi defines the US pastor a ‘fanatic’ who encourages followers to a ‘violent ideology’, the consequences of which have an impact ‘on innocent Christians’ across the world.

On March 25, a mob of Islamic extremists attacked a Pentecostal church in Hyderabad, killing two Christians and burning some copies of the Bible. Eyewitnesses said that the fundamentalists stormed the place of worship looking to set it on fire, but a group of believers defended the church. Security forces have fled the scene, leaving those present at the mercy of the crowd. The attackers hurled anti-Christian slogans and a feeling of anger toward the religious minority has spread. in the city The pastor of the church reports that ‘despite the condemnation of the burning of the Koran’ the community ‘has come under attack because they think that we are linked to the Americans.’ He emphasizes that ‘we are Pakistanis, who were born in this land and we do not have any kind of relationship with the United States.’ ‘What fault did those two innocent people have – he ends – who were not Americans, but only Pakistani Christians?'” Read more.

Western Double Standards Over Libya Will Help Islamists

“By Ömer Taspinar, (CNN) — After the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979, the West nervously waited for similar uprisings in the ‘Arab Street.’ Practically nothing changed in the Arab world in the last 30 years. Yet, since the beginning of 2011, events in the Middle East have been unfolding at a dizzying pace.

We are only in March, and already regimes in Tunisia and Egypt have been overthrown by the peoples’ demonstrations; the uprising in Libya has forced the international community to take military action against Muammar Gadhafi; Yemen is witnessing bloody chaos; Syria is showing signs of serious unrest and Saudi Arabia intervened in Bahrain to crush the opposition.

Welcome to a rapidly changing new Middle East.

So far, none of the peoples’ movements have been directed against the West. It was not ‘Western imperialism’ but a combination of domestic political repression, youth unemployment, heightened expectations and socio-economic deprivation that mobilized Arab masses.

Unfortunately, this positive dynamic may soon come to an end.”  Read more.

Virginia Department of Health: Don’t Drink the Rainwater, Contains Radioactive Particles

“By TIM PERSINKO – The Virginia Department of Health has issued a warning to state residents: do not drink rainwater.

The warning comes after radioactive particles released in Japan have been documented around the United States and now in places on the East Coast.

Virginia officials say that trace amounts of radioactive material have been detected across the country. ‘As a result of the incident with the nuclear power plant in Japan, several EPA air monitors have detected very low levels of radioactive material in the U.S.,’ state health commissioner Karen Remley said. ‘To date, none of Virginia’s multiple monitoring systems has detected a level of radioactive material that would pose a public-health concern.’

Although radiation readings have yet to raise real alarm, Virginian health officials have stepped up testing as a precaution. Scheduled monitoring of air, drinking water, vegetation, and milk will be moved up by a week to begin this Monday. Officials are also coordinating with federal and state partners to keep tabs on the concern.”  Read more.

Virginia officials say that trace amounts of radioactive material have been detected across the country.  “As a result of the incident with the nuclear power plant in Japan, several EPA air monitors have detected very low levels of radioactive material in the U.S.,” state health commissioner Karen Remley said.  “To date, none of Virginia’s multiple monitoring systems has detected a level of radioactive material that would pose a public-health concern.”

Although radiation readings have yet to raise real alarm, Virginian health officials have stepped up testing as a precaution.  Scheduled monitoring of air, drinking water, vegetation, and milk will be moved up by a week to begin this Monday.  Officials are also coordinating with federal and state partners to keep tabs on the concern.

In Maryland, no rainwater warnings have been issued.

State health officials there say testing of rain water samples has not revealed any greater radiation readings.  Maryland officials are telling residents that there is no need right now for residents to take potassium iodide tablets, the drug that protects the thyroid gland from radiation exposure.

Concerns about radioactivity on the East Coast come after trace amounts of the radioactive isotope Iodine-131 were found in rainwater samples in Boston.  Public health officials there said the material matched particles released by the reactor in Sendai, Japan.  Subsequent tests of drinking water in Massachusetts did not find any radioactivity, because rain water falling into drinking water becomes so diluted.  The radioactivity in Iodine-131 decays very quickly – it has a half-life of 8 days.

Iranian Video: The Time of the Islamic Messiah is Near — Israel Shall Be Destroyed

“By Erick Stakelbeck, CBN News Terrorism Analyst – New evidence has emerged that the Iranian government sees the current unrest in the Middle East as a signal that the Mahdi–or Islamic messiah–is about to appear.

CBN News has obtained a never-before-seen video produced by the Iranian regime that says all the signs are moving into place — and that Iran will soon help usher in the end times.

While the revolutionary movements gripping the Middle East have created uncertainty throughout the region, the video shows that the Iranian regime believes the chaos is divine proof that their ultimate victory is at hand.

‘The Coming is Near’

The propaganda footage has reportedly been approved at the highest levels of the Iranian government.

It’s called The Coming is Near and it describes current events in the Middle East as a prelude to the arrival of the mythical tweflth Imam or Mahdi — the messiah figure who Islamic scriptures say will lead the armies of Islam to victory over all non-Muslims in the last days.”  Read more.

Update:  Original video removed by YouTube.  Replacement video substituted, but you can watch the video by clicking the link above.

Reactor No. 3 Core May Be Leaking at Damaged Fukushima Plant

“By Go Onomitsu and Takashi Hirokawa – (Bloomberg) – Japan’s nuclear regulator said a reactor core at the quake-damaged Fukushima power plant may be leaking after workers were injured by radioactive water.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said yesterday there may be some kind of leak from the reactor, causing high levels of radiation found in water in the basement of the reactor No. 3’s turbine building.

‘We’re trying to prevent a deterioration of the situation,” Prime Minister Naoto Kan said in a public address in Tokyo yesterday. ‘We must continue to work with a high sense of alertness.’

Repair work at the site of the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl has been plagued by explosions, fires and leaks of toxic material. The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., said pools of radioactive water had accumulated at other reactors, Kyodo News reported.”  Read more.

Nuclear Expert: ‘Fukushima Probably Exceeds Chernobyl and There is No End in Sight’

Japanese Nuclear Expert (via translator):  “This situation is very serious … This accident probably exceeds [the 3 Mile Island accident] or Chernobyl accidents and there is no end is sight yet … we have to immediately make accurate information disclosure and, based on the information disclosed, we have to analyze the health hazard and then we have to brief that to the residents …”

Deadly White-Nose Syndrome Threatens Bats in Ohio

“By Kristine Gill – Ohio bats are happily hibernating, but a fatal syndrome targeting the winged mammals could soon strike.

White-Nose Syndrome, which leaves a fungus on the nose and wings, has already killed more than 1 million bats in the northeastern United States including Pennsylvania and Indiana, as well as parts of Canada.

‘It’s knocking on Ohio’s door right now,’ said Greg Turner, an endangered-mammal specialist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Lawrence County has four confirmed sites just miles from the Ohio border.

Jennifer Norris, a research wildlife biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, is among researchers surveying caves and mines across Ohio as part of yearly tests to map the spread since the syndrome was first detected near Albany, N.Y., in 2006.”  Read more.

Radiation in Seawater, Soil May Be Spreading in Japan

“Associated Press – Workers at Japan’s damaged nuclear plant raced to pump out contaminated water suspected of sending radioactivity levels soaring as officials warned Monday that radiation seeping from the complex was spreading to seawater and soil.

The coastal power plant, located 140 miles northeast of Tokyo, has been leaking radiation since a magnitude-9.0 quake on March 11 triggered a tsunami that engulfed the complex. The wave knocked out power to the system that cools the dangerously hot nuclear fuel rods.

The frantic effort to get temperatures down and avert a widening disaster has been slowed and complicated by fires, explosions, leaks and dangerous spikes in radiation. Two workers were burned after wading into highly radioactive water, officials said.

On Monday, workers resumed the laborious yet urgent task of pumping out the hundreds of tons of radioactive water inside several buildings at the six-unit plant. The water must be removed and safely stored before work can continue to power up the plant’s regular cooling system, nuclear safety officials said.

Contaminated water inside Unit 2 has tested at radiation levels some 100,000 times normal amounts, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.”  Read more.

New England Aquarium Reports 6 Dead Dolphins Found in a Week

“Associated Press – BOSTON – The New England Aquarium says six dolphins have turned up dead on Massachusetts beaches.

The most recent was as 4-foot long, dark grey harbor porpoise that washed up with the overnight high tide on Revere Beach Saturday The aquarium says its rescue biologists handled seven harbor porpoises in a week on the Massachusetts coast.”  Read more.

Dead Turtles Wash Up On Brevard Shore, Florida

“BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The number of dead sea turtles found on Brevard County beaches has nearly tripled over last year.

Officials said last March only 14 washed up, but so far this month 45 have surfaced.

‘It’s sad. I’m an animal lover. Never seen a sea turtle like this outside of an aquarium,’ beach visitor Becky Zavisza said.”  Read more.

The Blind Ineptitude of Tom Ricks: “Islamic Extremists are Not Necessarily Our Enemy”

Tom Ricks is as sharp as a bowling ball.  Every once in awhile somebody says something that sounds dumber than a bag of hammers, and Tom Ricks states on Meet The Press on 3/27/2011 that ‘Islamic extremists are not necessarily our enemy.’  Oh really, Tom?  Are you talking about the ones who want to kill all Jews and anyone who speaks against Islam, or the ones who simply chant ‘Death to America’?

“By John Bernard, Prostration Vs. ‘Gunboat’ Diplomacy, Family Security Matters

… Al Qaida and other Islamic groups have been given safe harbor in Libya and are part of the ‘freedom-seeking’ rebel faction seeking to oust Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi. It now appears that intrinsic to the strategy is an ill-advised if not naïve attempt to offer an olive leaf to our age old enemy. After all, by throwing in with the rebel faction we have in fact allied ourselves with Al Qaida. Assuming the administration is not completely uneducated about the demographics in that country and given “Ms Clinton’s faux-pas during MTP, it is not a huge leap to make this conclusion.

Later in the show, during the round table discussion with this week’s guests, Savannah Guthrie, Ted Koppel, Bob Woodward and Tom Ricks, Ricks made an extraordinary claim that not all extremists (spelled Islamic Extremists) were necessarily hostile to the United States!

Really?

Ted Koppel actually stood out as the reasonable voice at the table questioning the wisdom of pitting ourselves between the two Islamic factions, ultimately putting ourselves in bed with a group that might eventually bite us in the backside. Koppel should have been able to muster this little piece of wisdom having covered similar events throughout his career where we have seen the fruit of these kinds of foolish couplings. Can you say T-A-L-I-B-A-N?

All of the guests agreed the military would baulk at yet one more ill-advised and undefined incursion into the devil’s lair and Ricks said his Blog is filled with commentary from military personnel denouncing this latest venture. Of course! They are the ones paying the price for this fantasy that we can sweep up all the ‘bad guys’ in the world and make all of the people – even Islamic peoples, friends.

No; what we will have is egg on the face of this administration and by proxy; us. It is naïve at best, criminal at worst to knowingly subjugate this nation to an ideology hostile to its existence. Reaching out to an incalcitrant, enemy ideology and its minions with chocolates rather than heavy guns is by definition an act of capitulation. There is little doubt left concerning the ineptitude of this Administration or Congress in general when discussing Islam, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, the Arabian Peninsula or North Africa.”  Read more.

Low Levels of Radioactive Particles Found in Massachusetts Rain Water

The levels are very low, but it does demonstrate how far radiation has spread since the start of the disaster.