Kids bonus bill cruises through parliament

The federal government has succeeded in fast-tracking legislation that will see more than one million families with schoolchildren receive a cash bonus next month.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan spent most of Wednesday and Thursday talking up the SchoolKids Bonus, which was one of the centrepieces of the 2012/13 budget.

The bill cruised through the Senate on Thursday, passing by 37 votes to 32 with the support of the Greens after crashing through the lower house on Wednesday, despite the opposition of the coalition parties.

Once ratified, the laws will deliver 1.3 million families cash payments of $410 a year for primary school children and $820 a year for secondary students as part of an overall package worth $2.1 billion to help parents pay for school needs like books and shoes.

The first payments – which replace an education tax refund and will be funded by mining tax proceeds – are due to go out before June 30 and will be paid every January and July thereafter.

But Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said the bonus amounts to a “bribe” and there is no guarantee that families will spend the cash handouts on education expenses.

Ms Gillard said Mr Abbott “could not explain” why he supported the Howard government's baby bonus but has rejected Labor's school kids bonus.

Critics at the time dubbed the Howard government's $5294 baby bonus the “plasma bonus”.

“I believe Mr Abbott is out of touch with working families because only someone out of touch could vote against giving people a helping hand Server 2008 Key,” Ms Gillard told ABC Radio on Thursday.

Families Minister Jenny Macklin said the measures meant parents would no longer need to keep piles of receipts to receive government support.

“The Gillard government understands that low and middle-income families are feeling the pinch Windows 7 serial key,” Ms Macklin said in a statement on Thursday.

“That's why we are delivering this extra support for families – support that Tony Abbott and the Liberals don't think families deserve.”

Liberal senator Michaelia Cash said the bonus was an electoral bribe that might not be spent on education.

“(This) is another cheap political trick by the Labor Party Windows 7 64 bit key,” Senator Cash told parliament.

Nationals Senate Leader Barnaby Joyce labelled the Schoolkids Bonus “the country on the skids bonus”.


The Sarah Palin Defense Strategy

George Zimmerman’s defense attorney replica watches, Mark O’Mara

Photograph by Red Huber/The Orlando Sentinel-Pool/Getty Images.

George Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder for the killing of Trayvon Martin, is shutting down his old social media accounts. (Not helpful: The 2005 MySpace page where he wrote “I dont miss driving around scared to hit mexicans walkin on the side of the street, soft ass wanna be thugs messin with peoples cars.”) Zimmerman isn’t going dark online, however. Instead, his defense lawyer replica watches, Mark O’Mara, started up a new Web page for his client this week, with Facebook and Twitter accounts to go with it.

O’Mara noticed that Zimmerman had raised $204,000 from a website he started in April, and the new page will raise money, too. More interestingly, O’Mara said that social media will be his tool for responding quickly and efficiently to “misinformation” about his client and the case. If his strategy works, O’Mara will be the Sarah Palin of defense lawyers: The guy who changed the legal publicity game via the Twitter and Facebook blast.

What differentiates O’Mara from the politicians, though, is that lawyers have an uneasy relationship with publicity in general and pretrial publicity in particular. High-profile attorneys, of course, use the press. But the rules for the bar prevent them from making public statements that are likely to prejudice a legal proceeding. What does that mean? The pat answer is that lawyers aren’t supposed to taint the jury pool by trying a case in public before they do it in the courtroom.

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In cases like Zimmerman’s, though, the media will serve up endless coverage whether O’Mara stays silent or goes on TV every day. (The prosecutor in the case announced the charges against Zimmerman in a nationally televised press conference while the screen behind her flashed adorable pictures from Trayvon Martin’s childhood.) The defense is responding to the coverage, not driving it. O’Mara gets this. He used the new website to put out a statement about the 2005 MySpace page when that story broke, instead of calling a press conference or talking to a reporter. This is the part that’s Palin-esque. As ethics guru and New York University law professor Stephen Gillers puts it, “Before the Web, defense lawyers played whack a mole trying to counter not only the adverse publicity leaked by law enforcement (not necessarily the prosecutor), but the stories reporters find on their own.” O’Mara even uses social media to beat back the criticism of his use of social media. When @roblesherald tweeted this week, “O’Mara hints that if Crump criticizes #Zimmerman’s Myspace, Trayvon’s tweets will be fair game,” referring to Martin’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump, O’Mara tweeted back “ONLY in court. Not publicly.”

I asked Gillers to take a look at the Zimmerman website and social media presence, and he emailed back, “There’s no problem with the vehicle. It depends on what’s said, and the site appears to recognize the limits imposed by rules forbidding certain public comments by lawyers associated with a case. I did not see anything untoward on it. O’Mara has to monitor the contents. He can’t delegate that duty. But it seems he knows the boundaries.”

Scrolling through the comments, it’s clear that O’Mara or someone in his office is doing a lot of moderating. In the first hours after the site launched, a few commenters with fake names (it’s always the anonymous trolls) wrote disparagingly about Martin’s family, according to the Miami Herald. It’s smart for O’Mara to delete anything that makes his client look bad. It’s also an extra precaution, since the rules for the Florida bar instruct lawyers not to “assist” other people making a prejudicial statement.

The larger question O’Mara’s strategy raises is about what kind of statements really could prejudice the proceedings in a case like this. There has been so much publicity—an endless stream feeding a bottomless appetite. What could O’Mara, or the prosecutor replica watches, or anyone say at this point that would taint the jury pool any more than it has been tainted? And when we use that word, what do we really have in mind—a jury that knows nothing about the facts of the case before trial? That has always seemed wrong to me. Just as judicial impartiality doesn’t depend on judges being blank slates, I’d argue that jurors can have some background about a case and still decide it fairly.

In the major Supreme Court decision about pretrial publicity, Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada, decided in 1991, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, “Empirical research suggests that in the few instances when jurors have been exposed to extensive and prejudicial publicity, they are able to disregard it and base their verdict upon the evidence presented in court.” Gillers reminded me of the notorious 1991 trial of William Kennedy Smith, charged with raping a woman he met at a bar in Florida. Before trial, the state’s open records law made widely public unproven allegations, by three other women, that Smith had raped them, or tried to, in the 1980s. The women hadn’t reported these accusations to the police at the time. The judge ruled their testimony inadmissible at trial—and Smith was acquitted. Maybe we should give juries more credit for separating pretrial bedlam from evidenced presented in court. Then we could worry less about the bedlam, on and off the Web.


American Idol What They Wore, 4 18 12 (Top 7 Redu

It was pretty crazy this week with the two looks for a “Now and Then” theme, but we pulled it off Cheap Tattoo Kits! As you may know, I listen to the songs the #Idols will perform beforehand. Though the “Then” songs this week were by Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, etc., I wanted to keep the singers’ looks fresh and modern. Loved the fashion? You’re in the right place!

PLUS, have any questions or just want to say hi? Hit me up on Twitter: @SoysFashion!

Hollie Cavanagh

First up is Miss Hollie. We didn’t have much time for shopping this week, so I brought her these two options. I love modifying looks by accessorizing correctly, and for Hollie I took and made a classic silhouette edgy for “Rolling in the Deep” by giving a twist with the sheerness of the pant fabric, the amount of skin exposed on the top, necklace, and shoes. Because Hollie is petite, I modified her high collar neckline on her pink dress for her “Then” performance so she could look taller. And I have to say how much I #LOVE her pink Barbie shoes!

(Left, Now) To sing Adele’s “Rolling In The Deep,” I styled Hollie in a blue glittery LeiLuna Collection top that began as a dress, an ANGL bandeau, and Alice + Olivia pants. Jewelry included earrings by Prb Studios, Private Collection, necklace by Nineteen Twenty Nine, rings from Supreme Jewelry, and bracelets by Tiffany Chou.
(Right, Then) For her performance of “Son of a Preacher Man,” Hollie donned a pink ensemble including a Shakuhachi dress (with a few adjustments), Aldo shoes, and Prb Studios, Private Collection necklace.

Colton Dixon

I will miss dressing Colton this week. He wanted to go all out this past week with his performance of “Bad Romance.” I wanted to make sure we didn’t go too crazy with the styling and keep his streamline, tailored style with all of our decisions. I made his red pants darker with some black shoe polish. We found his Jaded by Knight boots at an awesome bargain from Wasteland. For “September” I wanted to make sure we reeled back to the Colton that all his fans really know and love. He wanted to take a risk this week, have fun, and rock ‘n’ roll!

(Left, Now) To rock out to “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga, Colton wore an Rochambeau top, Greg Lauren jacket (again this week!), and Robin’s Jean pants with Kizmit customizations. His shoes were by Jaded by Knight, and the look was topped off with Luv Aj rings.
(Right, Then) To sing “September” by Earth Wind & Fire, I styled Colton in a Hotel top, Unconditional vest, Kill City pants, and Hudson shoes.

Skylar Laine

We all forget little tricks we do on a regular basis. When I was dressing Skylar for the results night last week a light switched on for her upcoming week’s performance: belting a shawl or vest. For her “Born This Way” outfit, I pulled that trick out of my hat to accentuate the smallest part of Skylar, her waist, and have the draped looked without any worries. I really #LOVE Skylar in dresses and the one she wore this week for her “Then” performance was #HOT! I threw black accents onto her nude cowgirl boots to tie in the colors of the dress by tearing off some left-off fabric to give it a rock ‘n’ roll fringy look, and added a Neon Dirt bracelet to give it some sparkle! 

(Left, Now) To sing Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” I styled Skylar in an H&M top, an Unconditional vest, and Robin’s Jean pants. Accessories were an ANGL belt, Nine West shoes, and rings by Junk Gypsy Co. and London Manori.
(Right, Then) To sing Marvin Gaye’s “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” this girl with major #spunk wore an Ani Lee dress and Corral Boots boots with major personality! Jewelry included Neon Dirt earrings and a London Manori bracelet.
Side note: Loved when Steven Tyler said to Skylar “You’re like a wild horse that refuses to be tamed.”

Joshua Ledet

I think all of you readers are beginning to catch on that I #LOVE to customize; it’s the only way to get exactly what I want as well as give each #IDOL their signature look. I took an H&M jacket and added all the black to Joshua’s jacket. It toned down the orange that gave it a deeper, richer red tone. Little touches of bling go a long way for every man, and I placed a stud on Joshua’s pocket square pocket for a little pick-me-up. I wanted to switch up Joshua’s look for his “Then” song to show that he can do more than just a blazer look. With a beautiful fit, he looked fabulous in his leather vest and black jeans. 

(Left, Now) To sing Fantasia’s “I Believe,” I styled Joshua (“Sweet cutie,” as @JLo called him) in Paul Smith socks and shirt topped with an H&M jacket with Kizmit customizations. He also wore Zara pants, Aldo shoes, a watch by Christian Tse, and his own rings.
(Right, Then) To sing Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Joshua wore a Zara top and pants. We shed a jacket for this performance and went with a Noah Kingery vest! He also wore Aldo shoes, socks by Paul Smith, and a London Manori bracelet.

Phillip Phillips

Less is more, I always say… and with Phillip, that is the golden ticket to his style. Every week Phillip is trying out new styles and brands. Now that he’s gotten comfortable with the blazer look, this week I will be experimenting on fit. He #LOVES Frye boots, and wore a nice black pair this week. Look out next week for a more fitted look on Phillip Phillips!

(Left, Now) To put his own spin on Usher’s ballad “U Got It Bad,” I dressed Phillip down in a James Perse top and Lucky Brand pants. He wore shoes by The Frye Company and a bracelet by M. Cohen Designs.
(Right, Then) For “In The Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett, Phil wore a Gap top, John Varvatos blazer Tattoos Kits, Lucky Brand pants, and The Frye Company shoes.

Jessica Sanchez

I wanted Jessica to be on trend and trend-setting with her white jumpsuit and Navajo/tribal jewelry pieces for her “Now” performance. White is such a great canvas to play on with bright colors. Jessica has such a funky cool vibe to her, and styling her every week is a ton of #FUN. That said, for “Try A Little Tenderness” I didn’t want her anything BUT modern in paying tribute to a great classic. I gave her modern with an extreme shoulder leather crop jacket and accessories and classic with the playful fringe and pants. The colors and the cut of each piece of the look made it youthful and fun!

(Left, Now) To sing Alicia Keys’ “Fallin’,” Jessica wore a statement-making, and much-talked about, jumpsuit by Alice + Olivia, a pink American Apparel unitard underneath, and bold teal Bebe shoes and earrings. Other jewelry included a Deepa Gurnani necklace, Charriol bracelet, and Erica Courtney rings.
(Right, Then) To sing “Otis Redding’s soulful “Try A Little Tenderness,” I styled Jessica in a Zara tank top, Skingraft jacket, and Alice + Olivia pants. Accessories included Rachel Roy shoes, an Express belt, and rings by Tiffany Chou and Supreme Jewelry.

Elise Testone

Speaking of less is more, this is the case with Elise. I didn’t layer as many accessories on her because we went with the statement piece jewelry concept. With the wind machine and the extra chiffon for “No One,” she didn’t need a lot to make her look fabulous! For “Let’s Get it On” I had Elise try on a dress, but I couldn’t imagine her in a fitted dress for this song. So I cut the bottom part of the dress and kept the top because I loved all the construction lines on it. I took a top with the bell sleeves and flipped it back to turn it into a shrug. Elise was really feeling the dark blue so I added the bell to her pants with that color and trim on her hips to slim down her curves just a little, because I love her curves!

(Left, Now) To sing Alicia Keys’ “No One,” I styled Elise in an orange Leon Max dress and Pelle Moda shoes. The jewelry was piled on Tattoo Kits Supplies! Erica Courtney earrings, necklace, and rings, and bracelets by Prb Studios, Private Collection and de Leon.
(Right, Then) To sing Marvin Gaye’s sexy “Let’s Get It On,” this rocker with soul wore a Bebe top with sweetheart neckline and Kizmit customizations, Zara pants with Kizmit customizations, and her own Bakers shoes. Jewelry included Erica Courtney necklace and rings and Christian Tse earrings.


Farmers to be allowed to kill flying foxes

Queensland farmers could soon be able to kill flying foxes but only as a last resort.

Environment minister Andrew Powell says he’s planning to overhaul the damage mitigation permit (DMP) system relating to how flying fox colonies are moved.

It will make approvals faster and permits will be able to be held longer Body Piercing Kits, so councils can act quickly should large colonies seek to return.

Mr Powell confirmed farmers would also be able to kill flying foxes under the changes.

“Lethal DMPs will only be issued to farmers as an absolute last resort Tattoo Stencil Machine,” Mr Powell said in a statement.

Flying foxes are known to spread the deadly hendra virus.

Massive colonies are a major concern around Charters Towers, Barcaldine, Gayndah and Bargara.

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman says the overhaul won’t lead to a bat-shooting “free-for-all”.

He says lethal DMPs would only be given as a last resort if action to move the flying foxes failed.

Any killing would be supervised by the environment department Rotary Tattoo Machines, he added.

“Any action against flying foxes will be done in a carefully considered, sensible way,” Mr Newman told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.

“There will be no free-for-all, and our precious fauna will be protected.”

He says the previous state government put communities such as Gayndah and Charters Towers at risk by failing to take a tough stance on flying foxes.

Mr Newman would not rule out issuing lethal DMPs in suburban areas, saying they would be issued on a case-by-case basis.

“If the bats are impinging on the health and safety and wellbeing of Queenslanders, then we will allow local communities through their council to take measures to move the bats away,” he said.


AI Pilots’ Stir enters 8th Day, More Flights cance

News Desk: The Air India pilots’ strike continued for the eighth consecutive day with the cancellation of 10 international flights on Tuesday. The government warned that strong action will be taken against the pilots who have falsely reported sick. Discount BCBG Dresses

Aviation Minister Ajit Singh talked tough on the pilots’ strike. He said that the pilots were making false claims of being sick and not joining their duty.

His statement comes after several pilots submitted medical certificates to the Air India management on Tuesday. He said that the pilots’ claim was bogus to continue the strike.

He warned that if the sick pilots will be found fit and they will not be available at their houses, the DGCA will take necessary action against them.

Meanwhile Buy Emilio Pucci Dresses, the opposition raised the issue in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday attacking Ajit Singh. The leader of opposition Sushma Swaraj demanded the minister’s presence to answer the questions on the crisis.

The BJP sought the answers from Ajit Singh what the government is doing to end the crisis as the pilots’ strike is causing massive inconvenience to the passengers.

Even the BJP also threatened to move a privilege motion against Singh for making statements outside Parliament that the national carrier would be privatised.


Tokyo 2007 PreviewSuzuki X-HEAD

Click image to enlarge

When was the last time you used “Suzuki” and “awesome” in a sentence and weren’t talking about a motorcycle? Well, get ready to do it now. Behold the Suzuki X-HEAD Tattoo Supplies, one of several new concept vehicles the automaker will be showing off at next month’s Tokyo Motor Show. Looking like it’s ready to punch a HUMMER in the mouth and audition for a part in Transformers 2, the mega-trick-looking X-HEAD (dig the “X” tread pattern on the rubber) is all about flexibility (we think). If we’re reading the Google-translated press release correctly Tattoo Supplies, the “X” in its name signifies the unknown — as in unknown or unlimited number of uses. Figure it could be everything from a camper, to a pickup, to a rescue vehicle and beyond. This, from a company whose bread-and-butter is kei cars? A round of applause is in order for this Eastern take on our childhood Tonka fantasies. We’ll be sure to bring you more on this one from the show floor next month.
UPDATE: English-language press release added

[Source: Suzuki]


LA 20102012 Infiniti M Hybrid brings electric powe

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
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Making its public debut here at the LA Auto Show is the first production hybrid sedan from Infiniti, the M35h. Set to hit dealerships in the spring of 2011 Cheap White Herve leger, the M Hybrid uses a parallel hybrid system combined with a seven-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive.

When paired with a 50-kilowatt electric motor, the M35h’s 3.5-liter V6 is estimated to produce a stout 360 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. What’s more, the electric motor produces an additional 199 lb-ft of twist off the line for acceleration, and we’re told that the sedan can travel up to 62 miles per hour on electric power alone.

Official fuel economy figures are not available as of this writing, but Infiniti expects the M Hybrid to achieve 25 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway (27 combined). Sure, that might sound impressive, but for the sake of comparison Discount DKNY Dresses, we’d like to direct your attention to the new 5.0-liter direct-injected V8 from Hyundai, which is estimated to net 26 mpg highway with a whopping 429 hp on tap. Just sayin’.

The M Hybrid does come standard with a laundry list of technological features Replica Bandage dresses, such as Active Noise Control and an audible pedestrian warning system for times when the car is silently cruising in electric mode. On top of that, the usual host of functions like navigation, Bluetooth and satellite radio are all on hand – this is a top-tier Infiniti Buy Christian Audigier Clothing, after all.

Follow the jump for the full details in the automaker’s press release Herve Leger sale, and click through our galleries of live and stock shots to see the new M Hybrid from all angles.

Related GalleryLA 2010: Infiniti M Hybrid
Related Gallery2012 Infiniti M Hybrid
Live photos copyright ©2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Infiniti]


Chevy offers free driving school to all Corvette b

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

We operate under the impression that on the whole we live in the best period of automotive innovation and power that the world has ever seen. Manufacturers are turning out four-cylinder engines with more horsepower and torque than the mighty V8 lumps of just two decades ago and eight pots that boast fuel economy numbers as impressive as their dyno charts. These days, mega power is mega cheap and more accessible than ever. But Replica BCBG Dresses, as Uncle Ben reminds us Cheap Christian Audigier Clothes, great power comes with great responsibility Christian Audigier Clothing sale, and to that end General Motors is offering all Corvette buyers a chance to learn how to get the most out of their machines.

For a limited time, GM is giving away vouchers to both of the company’s Corvette Driving Schools to anyone who buys any model of a new Corvette. Typically, the driving schools are free only to those who lay down the coin for a mighty ZR1 Discount Herve Leger gown, but for a limited time Cheap Christian Audigier Clothes, The General is splurging for Coupe Buy Karen Millen Dresses, Convertible, Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 buyers to go on the company’s dime. The schools are at the Bob Bondurant school in Phoenix, Arizona and Ron Fellows school in Las Vegas, Arizona.

Related GalleryReview: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

Photos copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / AOL

[Source: GM]


2013 Audi RS4 Avant headed to Geneva

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Downsizing? What downsizing? While rivals may be replacing cylinders with turbochargers – heck, even Audi itself has done that with the twin-turbo V8 succeeding the V10 in the S8 and such – the new RS4 is reportedly on its way in full-fat 4.2-liter V8 FSI trim.

The report comes courtesy of AMAG Cheap Christian Audigier Clothes, the importer for Audi in Switzerland Cheap DKNY Dresses, which has confirmed that the RS4 Avant (oft spied in prototype guise) is scheduled to debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show this coming March. Along with it, we’re told to expect a series of new TSFI engines and an upgraded TT-RS with 360 horses.

As for the RS4 Avant Discount Missoni Dresses, we’re looking at 450 horsepower with all-wheel drive and enough cargo capacity to make any luxury crossover buyer reconsider (much like the S4 Avant pictured above Marc Jacobs Dresses sale, only more so). That is, buyers in Europe Buy DKNY Dresses, anyway, as we’re not expecting the RS4 to make the trek across the Atlantic.


Main Man

The New York Timesleads with word that senior military officers have warned any new strategy for Iraq runs a high risk of failure if there isn’t more involvement from civilian agencies. These military officers Wholesale Replica Ferrari Watches, including members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, contend that no amount of military intervention will help Iraq if it doesn’t include a concerted effort to speed up the country’s reconstruction and political development. The Washington Postleads with a look at how Gen. David H. Petraeus has become the public face of the administration’s effort to convince lawmakers and the public to give “surge” a chance. The Wall Street Journal tops its world-wide newsbox with Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives announcing they will hold a vote  next week  on a resolution opposing the administration’s new plans for Iraq. Meanwhile How to buy Replica Breguet Watches, House members began “what promises to be a long, embarrassing inquest” into mismanagement of rebuilding funds in Iraq.

The Los Angeles Timesleads with a look at the “unusually open campaign” being waged by Israel to get the international community to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons. USA Todayleads with at least six states (Texas Fake Graham London Watches, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, and Utah) that are considering expanding the use of the death penalty. Some, for example, want child molesters to be eligible for the death penalty, while others want to lower the bar of when certain offences become eligible for the death penalty.

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There have been long-running tensions between the State Department and the Pentagon, and these have only increased with a feeling that the military will bear most of the blame if Bush’s new plan for Iraq fails. Gates told senators yesterday he agreed with the concerns expressed by the officers and emphasized that Bush told his Cabinet on Monday that civilian agencies must “step up to the task.” Part of the problem is that although the State Department has been ordered to speed up reconstruction efforts Replica Bvlgari Watches, it can’t exactly force diplomats to accept taking a job in Iraq. At the end of the article Fake Titoni Watches, the Times mentions a recent classified study that found violence in Baghdad falls when quality of life improves.

Before leaving for Baghdad, Petraeus parked himself in Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office and pitched the administration’s plans to any lawmakers who would listen. “The Petraeus card is about the only one left to play for a White House confronting low poll numbers, an unpopular war and an opposition Congress,” says the Post. Although the White House insists it did not plan the post-confirmation visits to Capitol Hill, Bush has tried to persuade lawmakers it doesn’t make sense to speak up against his new plan for Iraq and confirm Petraeus.

Israeli politicians and military leaders have said there could be a “second Holocaust” if the world does nothing to prevent a country that has declared war against the Jews from developing nuclear weapons. Some leaders, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, have also hinted publicly that Israel would be willing to use force if the international community is unwilling (or unable) to prevent a nuclear Iran.

But there appear to be some hints the current sanctions might be working to weaken Iran, at least economically. USAT says inside that figures have begun to show the “deepening economic isolation” of Iran as it faces increased inflation and unemployment. 

All the papers mention Iran accusing U.S. forces of being behind the abduction of an Iranian diplomat in Baghdad. Iranian officials said gunmen wearing Iraqi military uniforms kidnapped their embassy’s second secretary on Sunday (the NYT had the story of the abduction yesterday). U.S. officials deny they were involved.

In other Iraq news, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said delays in implementing the new security plan  are hurting his credibility with the Iraqi people. “This delay is giving a negative impression and has led some people to say that we have already failed,” Maliki said.

The LAT fronts a different angle from the Gates Senate hearing, where the defense secretary said the Pentagon is working on an alternative plan if the troop increase fails to provide adequate results. Gates did not go into detail, but he emphasized that Bush’s plan “is not the last chance” to save Iraq. 

Everybody goes inside with a cockpit video leaked to a British newspaper that shows two American pilots in Iraq reacting to the news they had just shot at British troops and killed one of them. Moments after they fired, the pilots got the news and immediately started cursing and weeping. “I’m going to be sick,” said one of the pilots. “We’re in jail, dude.” The Pentagon Fake Porsche Design Watches, reversing a previous decision, announced it would allow the video to be shown in a British court.

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