An explosion is seen after an Israeli strike in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, as seen from Gaza City, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009. Israeli warplanes, gunboats and artillery units blasted more than 40 Hamas targets Saturday, including weapons storage facilities, training centers and leaders’ homes as Israel’s offensive against Gaza’s Islamic militant rulers entered a second week. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
Russia to play war in Greece : Sci-Tech: News: News24.
Athens - A Russian aircraft carrier will conduct military exercises in Greek territory later in January, the first such war games to take place in the Nato member’s area, Greece’s Defence Ministry said on Friday.
The carrier Kuznetsov will operate southeast of the Greek island of Rhodes on Jan 3, 4, 8 and 10 and south of the island of Crete on Jan 11, it said.
“The Kuznetsov, which is sailing in the southeast Mediterranean, asked Greece’s civil aviation authority to operate within the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR),” the ministry said in a statement. “The request was granted.”
Greek defence officials said that Russian Sukhoi 25 and Sukhoi 33 fighter aircraft would take part in the operations, as well as Kamov helicopters.
It was the first time that such a request was made, officials said.
Thousands displaced by floods in Philippines: officials - Yahoo! Singapore News.
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines, Jan 3, 2009 (AFP) - About 5,000 families in the southern Philippines have been displaced by flash floods and large waves spawned by heavy rains, officials said Saturday.
BBC NEWS | Middle East | World protests at Gaza conflict.
Mass demonstrations are being held around the world in protest at Israel’s military offensive against Hamas, as the campaign enters its second week.
Rallies are being held in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Athens and several Asian cities, following similar events in parts of the Muslim world on Friday.
Earlier, tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs called for an end to the bombing campaign at a rally in northern Israel.
First-Ever Masonic Inaugural Ball to be Held.
January 2, 2009 — William R. Singleton Hope Lebanon Lodge #7 is hosting the first-ever Masonic Inaugural Ball in honor of President-elect, Barack Obama and Vice-President Elect Joseph Biden. Tickets are limited, so you are encouraged to purchase yours quickly.
North Country Gazette » Telemarketers Take 60% Of Charitable Monies Raised.
NEW YORK—For-profit “telemarketers” take huge percentages of contributions New Yorkers give to charities according to a report issued Tuesday by the state Attorney General’s office.
According to the report, on average, just 39 cents of every charitable dollar raised by these professional telemarketing companies actually goes to charity. The balance is used to pay fees and expenses associated with the fundraising. The report, issued by the Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, will help New Yorkers to make more informed decisions when giving to charities across the state.
According to the report, telemarketers raised a total of $178.7 million on behalf of 442 charities. In total, $108.2 million, or approximately 61 percent, was paid to the telemarketers as fees and other costs of the campaigns, leaving charities with less than 40 percent of the money actually raised for their causes
Boring starts on Shenzhen Underground, China - KHL Group.
Two of the three NFM tunnel boring machines (TBM) being used to construct Line 3 of the Shenzhen Underground, in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China have begun excavation work.
The first TBM, which started work on 14 November, will carry out the 2.54 km of twin-tube tunnel between Hong Ling and Lao Jie stations. The second machine began service on 19 November and will bore 2.4 km of tunnel between Cui Zhu and Tian Bei stations.
