Revolution fever gripping the world: Zimbabwe's Million Citizen March

At the time of writing it appears as though calls to join a Million Citizen March in Harare on Tuesday have gone unheeded - for now.

People I’ve spoken to in the Zimbabwean capital describe calm and relative normality. Relative, because they also describe a heavy security build-up since Saturday, including armoured troop carriers on the streets, water cannon, riot police patrols, roadblocks, and an informal curfew on Monday night in which people were allegedly told by police to go home early.

It was described to me as a show of force by the regime aimed at instilling fear in anyone considering coming out to protest. By all accounts it worked. Zimbabweans are indeed very afraid. (read more)

Mysterious spiral over Severodvinsk, Russia

Buried Mystery: The Pacific Northwest severed human foot discoveries

Since August 2007, ten detached human feet have been discovered on the coasts of the Salish Sea in British Columbia (Canada) and Washington (United States). The feet belong to five men, one woman, and one other person, the two left feet having been matched with two of the right feet. As of August 2008, only one foot has been identified; it is not known to whom the rest of the feet belong. In addition, a hoax "foot" was planted on Vancouver Island.

The first foot was discovered on August 20, 2007, on Jedediah Island, by a girl visiting from Washington.^[2] The girl found the foot when she picked up a shoe and opened the sock.^[3] The foot was that of a man, and was found wearing a size 12 Adidas shoe and a sock. It is thought to have become disarticulated due to submerged decay.^[2] This kind of shoe was produced in 2003 and distributed mainly in India.^[4] (read more)

Shrinking Lake Chad turning farmland into desert

Lake Chad is shrinking rapidly, threatening the millions of people who depend on it for their survival. But some locals are fighting back in a bid to preserve their way of life.

From droughts causing bad harvests, to floods destroying farms and homes, life in Africa's Sahel belt can be a constant struggle.

The arid belt of land stretches from Senegal in the west, all the way across the continent to Ethiopia in the east. With the Sahara to the north, and the savannah to the south, it's a region that experiences extreme dry and wet seasons.

In the middle of it all is Lake Chad, the most reliable resource in this region of shifting extremes. More than 20 million people depend on the freshwater lake for their survival.

But it's been shrinking over the past 50 years and satellite images show it is now just a twentieth of its former size.

Huge expanses of water are now nothing more than a series of ponds and islands, and the once-fertile land that surrounds the lake is now dusty and barren. (read more)

Rare Fire tornado caught on camera in Hungary - 2nd Mar 2011

A rare phenomenon known as a "fire tornado", has been caught on camera towering into the night sky above Budapest.

These striking photos were captured during a huge fire at a plastic processing plant in Kistarcsa, a suburb of the Hungarian capital Budapest.

Around 70 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, which engulfed an entire industrial unit and sent a terrifying tower of flames swirling into the sky.

A witness at the scene said that 15 foot high flames also ravaged the building, and several explosions were heard.

So far, no casualties have been reported in the inferno, which broke out at 8pm local time on Tuesday night. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Fire tornadoes, also known as “fire whirls”, only occur under certain conditions and form a vertical column of flames and hot air that behaves much like a normal tornado. Source

Aliens spoke to us in a 'cat-like language' claim Russian flight controllers - 2nd Mar 2011

Air traffic controllers in Siberia claim they were buzzed by a high-speed UFO with a female sounding alien who spoke in an unintelligible cat-like language.

The mystery object suddenly burst onto flight monitors over the remote Russian diamond capital of Yakutsk.

It was shown flying at a speed of slightly over 6000 mph, and rapidly changing direction in the early morning sky, it is claimed. Read More

New country, new problems: Dozens dead in Renewed South Sudan fighting

Fresh fighting in a tense area of Southern Sudan has killed dozens of people, officials say.

George Athor, a rebel leader, said his forces fought with the southern military in the Jonglei state. Philip Aguer, a spokesman for the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army, confirmed that the fighting took place.

The death tolls provided by the two men on Wednesday varied widely. Athor said 110 people died in the fighting, mostly southern soldiers.

Aguer said around 40 were killed. He didn't specify if they were soldiers or civilians, but he called Athor's toll an exaggeration.

"I don't know why he should be proud of killing. The (southern army) is trying to protect against what General Athor did on the 9th and 10th of February in Fangak," Aguer said, referring to the fighting in the same region three weeks ago that killed at least 240 people.

Athor said his men fought southern army troops in three locations in Fangak County on Sunday. He said his forces captured 90 weapons. The fighting has stopped, he said. (read more)

Welcome to La-La Land: Bernanke says costly oil no threat to economy

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Tuesday the surge in oil prices is unlikely to hurt the U.S. economy unless it is sustained, even as investors sold off equities on fears of a slowdown.

Bernanke, making his first comments since the turmoil in Libya drove U.S. crude oil above $100 a barrel, said he would expect higher prices to lead to only a modest, temporary increase in U.S. inflation “at most.”

The Fed chief told the U.S. Senate Banking Committee he saw increasing evidence that the economic recovery has enough momentum to become self-supporting. But job growth remains far too anemic, he said, indicating the Fed was unlikely to cut short its $600 billion bond-buying stimulus. (read more)

Oil spill link suspected as dead dolphins wash ashore

The discovery of more than 80 dead dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico is raising fresh concerns about the effect on sea life from last year's massive BP oil spill.

The dead dolphins began appearing in mid-January along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in the United States. Although none of the carcasses appeared to show outward signs of oil contamination, all were being examined as possible casualties of the petrochemicals that fouled the sea water and sea bed after BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform exploded last April, killing 11 men and rupturing a wellhead on the sea floor. The resulting "gusher" produced the largest marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry, releasing nearly five billion barrels of crude oil before it was capped in July.

The remains of 77 animals – nearly all bottlenose dolphins – have been discovered on islands, in marshes and on beaches along 200 miles of coastline. This figure is more than 10 times the number normally found washed up around this time of year, which is calving season for some 2,000 to 5,000 dolphins in the region. Another seven dead animals were reported yesterday, although the finds have not yet been confirmed by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). (read more)

Rebels and Gaddafi forces battle over Libyan oil port

Regime opponents battled forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi who tried to retake a key oil installation in the first significant regime counteroffensive Wednesday against the rebel-held eastern half of the country.

In a topsy-turvy fight, shells splashed into the Mediterranean and a warplane bombed a beach where anti-Gadhafi fighters charged over the dunes to besiege a nearby university campus where the regime forces were holed up after fleeing the oil facilities. At least five people were killed in the fighting.

The assault on the Brega oil port marked the first major attempt by Gadhafi's regime to push back against the large swath of territory where the population, backed by mutinous army units, rose up and drove out his rule — almost the entire eastern half of the country. For the past week, pro-Gadhafi forces have been focusing on the west, securing his stronghold in the capital Tripoli and trying to take back nearby rebel-held cities with only mixed success. (read more)

Pentagon Orders Two Warships (containing 1200 US Marines) to Mediterranean as Libya Showdown Intensifies

A ragtag army of opponents to Col. Moammar Gadhafi began moving west toward Tripoli from the east and the U.S. ordered two warships to the Mediterranean Sea, as the prospect of an extended war loomed over Libya.

A convoy of armed youth, including what appeared to be rebel military forces, was seen heading Tuesday night toward the pro-Gadhafi stronghold city of Sirte, witnesses said. The forces were viewed passing westward through Ajdabiya, a city about 75 miles from the opposition stronghold of Benghazi, said four residents, including a volunteer rebel soldier and an official on the city's local leadership council. It was unclear how many rebels were on the move.

Also Tuesday, the U.S. ordered two warships and 1200 Marines to the waters off of Libya, but a top Obama administration official stopped short of saying the forces would intervene in the clashes that have consumed the country following anti-Gadhafi protests here in recent weeks. (read more)

Is FEMA preparing for UFO invasion?

UK: Defaults on credit cards hit more than £1 billion

Banks wrote off £1.18 billion worth of credit card debt during the last three months of 2010, up from £740 million the previous quarter, according to the Bank of England.

The figures also revealed a 22 per cent increase in cancelled mortgage debts, with £163 million written off during the three months.

Overall, banks wrote off a total of £9.71 billion of secured and unsecured debt during the whole of last year.

Charities warned that the combination of salary freezes and the rising cost of living is putting households under increasing pressure. (read more)

Federal Reserve Causes Middle East Unrest - the shameful truth

Exodus and American Collapse: First Detroit, now St. Louis?

St. Louis is losing residents, according to U.S. Census figures released Thursday, and the population decline goes deeper than being another blow to the proud city’s image.

The drop will mean a financial loss that could cost the already cash-strapped Gateway City millions of dollars.

Figures from the 2010 census were a bitter disappointment, as the city’s population dipped to 319,294.

That’s down more than 29,000 – a staggering 8 percent – from 2000.

For St. Louis leaders, the news was doubly disappointing because they were expecting to see an increase.

“It is absolutely bad news,” Mayor Francis Slay said. “We thought after more than 50 years of population decline that the city had finally changed direction. Obviously, that’s not the case.” (read more)

Agent Orange used on Ontario, Canada highways?

A provincial New Democrat says former officials with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation have told him that Agent Orange was sprayed near highways across the province until the 1980s.

Gilles Bisson, the member for Timmins-James Bay, said during question period at Queen's Park in Toronto that an email sent to him by the officials indicates the substance was sprayed along the side of the highways to curb the growth of grass and shrubs.

"It would appear that there was a good chance that if you were an employee, you were exposed," said Bisson. "And if you were the travelling public walking along the roads — blueberry picking, doing whatever — you might have been exposed to these chemicals." (read more)

Fact or Fiction: Has the US given China "Eminent Domain" rights due to massive debt?

THIS PERTINENT SECTION BELOW OF THE INTERNATIONAL FORECASTER DATED WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2011, CONFIRMS A USA TENDER TO CHINA-A WRITTEN AGREEMENT GRANTING AN OPTION TO EXERCISE EMINENT DOMAIN WITHIN THE USA, AS COLLATERAL FOR CHINA'S CONTINUED PURCHASE OF US TREASURY NOTES AND EXISTING US CURRENCY RESERVES.

Put simply, the feds have now actually mortgaged the physical land and property of all citizens and businesses in the United States. They have given to a foreign power, their Constitutional power to "take" all of our property, as actual collateral for continued Chinese funding of US deficit spending and the continued carrying of US national debt.

This is an unimaginable betrayal of every man, woman and child in the USA. An outrage worthy of violent overthrow. (read more)

Dollar dumped: Bank of India becomes first to offer trade settlement in yuan

Bank of India has become the first Indian bank to offer trade settlement facility between the rupee and the Chinese RMB from Hong Kong. This follows intense persuasion by the China Banking Regulatory Commission, which is trying to gain acceptance of the RMB as an international currency.

"We are the first Indian bank to offer real-time settlement facility in RMB to Indian exporters and importers. It will be save a lot of time because settlement in US dollars usually takes three working days," Arun Kumar Arora, BoI's chief executive in Hong Kong, said during a recent visit to meeting regulators in Beijing.

Indian buyers are at present making payments in US dollars, and they often have to convert rupee into the US currency for the purpose. The US dollars will no more be the intermediary currency as the BOI is offering direct settlement between the rupee and the Chinese money. (read more)

Photos point to second Syrian nuclear site

Satellite photos published by a Washington think tank on Wednesday appear to show Syrian efforts to conceal a second suspected nuclear site allegedly linked to a reactor bombed by Israel in 2007.

The photos acquired by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) indicate Syria tried to cover up its nuclear activities after the air raid, and could lead the UN nuclear watchdog to step up demands for inspections.

The photos show heightened activity and the pouring of a concrete foundation around the site near Marj as Sultan, outside Damascus, shortly after a May 2008 request for inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (read more)

Fingerprint riddle leads to new call for Dr David Kelly inquest - 2nd Mar 2011

Fresh information casting doubt on how weapons inspector Dr David Kelly died has been sent to the Government by campaigners trying to secure an inquest into his death.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve was presented with legal papers on Monday arguing that because there were no fingerprints on five items found with Dr Kelly’s body – including the knife he supposedly used to kill himself – a coroner’s inquest must be held to determine how he died.

The information, covering dozens of legal and scientific points, was submitted by a group of doctors who believe Dr Kelly’s death has never been investigated properly.

Mr Grieve will now consider if there is sufficient fresh evidence for a full examination of what remains one of the most notorious episodes of Tony Blair’s premiership. His decision is expected shortly.

Dr Kelly, a world-renowned weapons inspector, is said to have killed himself after being named as the prime source of a BBC report accusing Blair’s government of lying to take Britain into the Iraq war.

His body was found in woods close to his home in Oxfordshire on July 18, 2003. Uniquely, for an unexpected death such as his, no coroner’s inquest has ever been held. Read More

'Lack of oxygen' killing fish - 2nd Mar 2011

CONCERNED locals in Point Vernon have been forced to watch as scores of dead fish turn up on a lake's banks without explanation.

In the past week, at least 20 dead mullet have turned up on Vera Cunningham's property, which backs on to the lake in Wodalla Mews.

Ms Cunningham said the lake had changed during the past week of bad weather and the reeds had not started a new growth cycle the way they should.

“There is definitely something in the environment that is killing them all off,” she said.

Ms Cunningham said she had been living at Wodalla Mews for eight years and had never seen anything like this in the lake.

Her neighbours were just as concerned and said they had noticed the numbers of dead fish increase over the past day.

The neighbourhood has no idea why the lake is suddenly toxic to fish that have thrived there for so many years. Read More

State probes St. Clair fish kills - 2nd Mar 2011

Investigators don't know what caused massive shad die-offs.

Harrison Township— Residents along the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair could be in for a nasty — and funky — shock when the canals and beaches fully thaw, unleashing thousands and thousands of dead shad fish that have been clogging the waterways for months.

The cause of the massive fish die-offs, which began in mid-December, remains a mystery to state investigators. But it's clear that once the ice and snow are gone, many homeowners along the waters will likely face mounds of rotting shad carcasses

The Venetian Drive neighborhood in Harrison Township could wind up with those problems. After seeing clouds of dead 5- to 6-inch silver shad piling up in the canal behind his home, Garrett Baitinger called longtime friend Lloyd Kimmen to take a look. Read More

CRAZED SNIPER KILLS 29 SWANS - 2nd Mar 2011

A HEARTLESS swan killer is being hunted after 29 birds were found shot dead with a high- powered air rifle.

Ten of the dead swans were discovered yesterday. The other 19 have been killed in three separate incidents over the past month.

All were shot through the head in sniper attacks and left to rot.

Pauline Kidner, founder of the Secret World wildlife centre in Highbridge, Somerset, said last night: “I’m numb – this is truly shocking.

“I’ve never known anything like this. Swans are such beautiful, graceful birds – you don’t expect this.” It is believed many of the birds had only recently been released back into the wild by Secret World rescuers, who found them starving and distressed when trapped in winter ice.

Mrs Kidner said: “Before this I had only ever seen one dead swan before – killed by a fox.

“What makes matters worse is that some of the swans may well have been ones that we worked so hard to save from the ice over the Christmas period.

“Also, the shot birds were mainly mating pairs which would have gone on to produce cygnets, had they been allowed to.”

Sickened animal lovers have put up a £10,500 reward to track down the bird killer, amid fears of more slaughter.

The carnage began with eight killings in Blackford, Somerset, before spreading to nearby beauty spots in Wedmore and Godney.

Police have stepped up patrols in the areas. Post-mortem examinations are being carried out on the swans.

Mrs Kidner added: “We are appealing to the public for any information.” Secret World can be contacted on: 01278 783250. Source