Monday, March 2, 2009

Donors pledge $4.48 billion to rebuild Gaza...

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (Reuters) – International donors pledged $4.481 billion on Monday to help the Palestinian economy and rebuild Gaza after Israel's three-week offensive, insisting their funds bypass the territory's Hamas rulers. Gulf Arab states, the United States and the European Commission made significant pledges. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told a news conference the pledges were new and would be paid over the next two years. The United Nations and aid agencies said rebuilding the coastal enclave was a daunting task so long as border crossings with battered Gaza remained closed. "The situation at the border crossings is intolerable. Aid workers do not have access. Essential commodities cannot get in," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told donors at a one-day conference on Gaza in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh....Link

'Pretty sad' that Limbaugh is GOP leader....

Demonstrating again his propensity to go out on a limb, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) had some choice words of criticism for Rush Limbaugh, the conservative media talk show host who was the star attraction at last weekend’s Conservative Political Action Conference. In a phone interview Monday morning with CNN’s John Roberts, Paul said of Limbaugh “He is a leader. He does say the right things now and I think a lot of people like to hear what he’s saying but I think it’s also a little bit polarizing and confrontational and I think that’s why the Democrats are bragging that Limbaugh now speaks for the Republicans so I guess the Democrats think its to their advantage if he’s leading the charge.”....Link

Jonah Lehrer: Inside My Mind...........




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