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Voices - Bottomless basket : "The Judaisation of occupied Jerusalem continues apace while the hapless Palestinian president refuses to quit 'peace talks'. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is contemplating a large-scale invasion of the Gaza Strip which observers say is intended to deflect attention away from the corruption scandal in which he is increasingly mired. Speaking before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) convention in Washington on Tuesday night Olmert hinted at a wide-ranging 'military campaign' in Gaza. 'Israel will not be deterred from a large military operation in Gaza if and when we come to the conclusion that this is the best way to restore calm on our southern border,' Olmert told the powerful American-Jewish pressure group. Earlier, Olmert had told representatives of Israeli settlers from the southern region bordering Gaza that 'the moment of decision is imminent... the rockets will be stopped one way or another....

Bankruptcy toll increases -- chicagotribune.com : "More than 12,500 individuals and businesses filed for bankruptcy in Illinois in the first quarter of this year, a 27.2 percent jump over the year-earlier period that mirrors a national trend. Consumer filings in the state increased 27.5 percent, to 12,248, while business bankruptcies rose 14.5 percent, to 260. 'The increase in business bankruptcies over the past year reflects the turmoil persisting in the credit markets, which makes it far more difficult for businesses to manage through periods of slowed activity that threaten their liquidity,' said Stuart Rozen, partner in the restructuring, bankruptcy and insolvency practice for law firm Mayer Brown LLP in Chicago. Rapidly rising food and commodity prices have increased the cost of doing business for certain industries, particularly restaurant and food services, trucking, airlines and construction and housing related businesses, he said."

New agreement lets US strike any country from inside Iraq : Information Clearing House - ICH : "A proposed Iraqi-American security agreement will include permanent American bases in the country, and the right for the United States to strike, from within Iraqi territory, any country it considers a threat to its national security, Gulf News has learned. Senior Iraqi military sources have told Gulf News that the long-term controversial agreement is likely to include three major items. Under the agreement, Iraqi security institutions such as Defence, Interior and National Security ministries, as well as armament contracts, will be under American supervision for ten years. The agreement is also likely to give American forces permanent military bases in the country, as well as the right to move against any country considered to be a threat against world stability or acting against Iraqi or American interests. The military source added, 'According to this agreement, the American for...

EurasiaNet Business & Economics - East Asian States Strive to Raise Their Economic Profile in Central Asia : "A rivalry among East Asian states is intensifying over access to Central Asian energy. China to this point has been the clear leader among East Asian states in Central Asia. But Japan, South Korea and Malaysia are stepping up efforts to attract the attention of Central Asian energy suppliers. Tsutomu Saito, editor in chief of the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, recently told a Central Asian audience that those countries 'should stop cooperating with China within the [context of the] Shanghai Cooperation Organization' and embark upon a broader program of trade with Asian states including Japan. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Saito’s remarks underscored the fact that Japan is actively trying to raise its Central Asian profile. Tokyo’s efforts have already produced some results. In early May, for example, Japanese and Kazakhstani officials si...

Comcast Is Hiring an Internet Snoop for the Feds | Danger Room from Wired.com : "Wanna tap e-mail, voice and Web traffic for the government? Well, here's your chance. Comcast, the country's second-largest Internet provider, is looking for an engineer to handle 'reconnaissance' and 'analysis' of 'subscriber intelligence' for the company's 'National Security Operations.' Day-to-day tasks, the company says in an online job listing, will include 'deploy[ing], installing] and remov[ing] strategic and tactical data intercept equipment on a nationwide basis to meet Comcast and Government lawful intercept needs.' The person in this 'intercept engineering' position will help collect and process traffic on the company's 'CDV [Comcast Digital Voice], HSI [High Speed Internet] and Video' services."

Obama Capitulates- by Justin Raimondo : "Don't look to Barack Obama for deliverance from this looming conflict. In his speech to AIPAC, he clearly signed on to the Lobby's latest project, departing from his prepared text to declare: 'I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Everything in my power. Everything.' 'Everything' includes murdering tens of thousands of Iranians, mostly civilians – driving the price of oil up above $300 a barrel and destroying the US economy – and involving us in a war that will make the Iraq conflict look like a Sunday school picnic. And for what?"

Canadian held in Ethiopia could face death penalty : "A Canadian citizen who has been imprisoned in Ethiopia for more than a year has been charged with terrorism-related activities and could face the death penalty, CBC News has learned. The Ethiopian Embassy in Canada confirmed the charges against Bashir Ahmed Makhtal, a self-described used clothing dealer. It's the first time any Ethiopian officials have spoken about the case of the Toronto man, who was arrested in December 2006 at the Kenyan border after fleeing Somalia in the wake of that country's civil war. Speaking to CBC's The Current, an official at the Canadian Embassy in Addis Ababa said Makhtal had appeared in court twice so far this year in connection with his arrest. The official had no other details."

Mexico’s Ghost Towns -- In These Times : "Cerrito del Agua, population 3,000, has no paved roads — either leading to it or within it. No restaurants, no movie theaters, no shopping malls. In fact, the small town located in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas has no middle schools, high schools or colleges; no cell phone service, no hospital. Its surrounding fields are dry and untended. The streets are empty. The explosion of emigration to the United States over the past 15 years has emptied much of central Mexico, even reaching into southernmost states like Chiapas and Yucatan. But it has simply devastated Zacatecas, a dry, rolling agricultural region located about 400 miles northwest of Mexico City."

Some people seem to think torture and violations of the Geneva Conventions are a big deal. But not Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). Apparently, it's just the sort of stuff they did at frat parties back when he was in college. Putting panties on guys' heads seems to be a particular favorite with him. We take a look in today's episode of TPMtv ...