Must see video of the day: Dutch movie threatening new riots in Muslim world 

Headlines 

Politics

• Joint Appearances Fuel Speculation Of Romney, Bloomberg As Possible VP Picks
• Poll: Obama Nationally Leads Clinton By 10 Points Among Democrats
• Dodd: End The Democrat Nominee Race Now
• Dowd: Clinton’s Strategy To “Tonya Harding” Obama So She Can Run Again In 2012 

US

• WTC Developer Sues Airlines, Boeing For $12.3 Billion In 9/11 Damages
• Gates Orders A Full Nuclear Weapon Inventory After Taiwan Mishap
• Gore: Warming Deniers Still Believe Moon Landing Was Staged And World Is Flat (Video)
• LA Times Apologizes For Fabricated Tupac Story
• Mom Charged With Shooting Children 

International

• Iraqi-Iraqi Fighting Spreads To Baghdad, Kills Two US Embassy Workers
• Pakistan’s Frustrations Unleashed On A Top US Diplomat
• Hezbollah Has New Iranian Rockets Capable Of Hitting All Of Israel
• Europe & IOC Seek Guarantees China Won’t Censor Olympics
• French Audio Recordings Predate Edison’s By 17 Years
• Asian Rice Crisis Threatens Millions

Business & Economics

• Final 2007 Economic Numbers Confirm Economic Trouble, But Some Bright Spots

Video of the Day (Warning! Graphic Terror Scenes)

After the Dutch government tried prohibiting it’s release, Fitna, the much-anticipated anti-Islam film that attacks the religion and Quran as proprietors of terror, made it’s way on to the Internet, causing Dutch authorities to seal off the Dutch Parliament in fear of rioting and attacks. The government is worried the 15 minute film, produced by a right-wing Dutch politician, will cause the same sort of widespread violence that ensued in 2006 after Dutch newspapers printed political cartoons attacking Islam and Muhammad. The video is a montage of verses from the Quran and imagery of terrorist attacks from around the world, including 9/11. Within two hours of the video posting, over 2 million people had already watched it. Warning, the video contains very graphic scenes.  

 

Politics 

Joint Appearances Fuel Speculation Of Romney, Bloomberg As Possible VP Picks

The joint appearance of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg introducing Obama before an economic speech he gave yesterday has sparked a buzz that Bloomberg might be picked as Obama’s VP candidate. After flirting with the idea, Bloomberg announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t run for President, but many doubt Bloomberg would settle for being #2 on somebody’s ticket. Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Mitt Romney spent the day campaigning and fundraising with John McCain in Utah - where Romney received 95% of the vote in the state’s primary - causing speculation that McCain may be considering him as a VP pick. The collaboration is significant since prior to Romney dropping out of the race, the relationship between the two on the campaign trail quickly turned nasty and threatened to divide the party.

Poll: Obama Nationally Leads Clinton By 10 Points Among Democrats

A Pew poll conducted last week shows Obama nationally ahead of Clinton among Democrats by 10 points - 49 to 39 - indicating he may have weathered the worst of the fallout from the controversy over his racist, anti-American pastor. The poll shows Obama still faces familiarity issues, even among Democrats - it found that one in four Democrats who view him unfavorably think he is a Muslim, when he is not.

Dodd: End The Democrat Nominee Race Now

In an interview with Time magazine, former Presidential candidate and current Senator Chris Dodd called on Democrat party “elders” to come together and put an end to the nomination battle being waged between Clinton and Obama. Dodd is worried that the protracted fight that threatens to continue until the Democrat convention in August is causing irreparable damage to whomever becomes the nominee - both among Democrat and Republican voters in November. A recent poll found about a quarter of each Democrat candidate’s supporters more willing to vote for McCain in the general election than the Democrat nominee if it’s not their candidate.

Dowd: Clinton’s Strategy To “Tonya Harding” Obama So She Can Run Again In 2012

Maureen Dowd speculates that Clinton’s latest moves to viciously cut down Obama - saying McCain would be a better Commander in Chief, Bill calling him unpatriotic, dragging his pastor-controversy back into the news, accusing him of disenfranchising Florida voters - are part of a strategy to ensure that if Obama wins the nomination, he won’t win the election, making it possible for Hillary to run again in 2012.

US 

WTC Developer Sues Airlines, Boeing For $12.3 Billion In 9/11 Damages

The developer of the World Trade Center in New York is suing the airlines and other companies involved in the 9/11attacks for $12.3 billion in damages stemming from the destruction of property, lost income, and expenses incurred because of the attacks. Some of the named defendants are a bit peculiar - Boeing, Continental Airlines (who wasn’t involved), and MassPort, the owner and operator of Boston’s Logan Airport, where two of the flights originated. 

Gates Orders A Full Nuclear Weapon Inventory After Taiwan Mishap

After it emerged last week that the Air Force had accidentally shipped in 2006 nuclear missile detonators to Taiwan instead of the helicopter batteries that were supposed to be shipped, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the Air Force and Navy to conduct a full inventory of all US nuclear weapons and weapons-related materials and report to him within 60 days.

Gore: Warming Deniers Still Believe Moon Landing Was Staged And World Is Flat (Video)

In an interview with 60 Minutes, former Vice President Al Gore talks about the $300 million anti-global warming ad campaign set to launch next week and compares global warming skeptic - including Vice President Dick Cheney - to the people who still think “the moon landing was staged in a movie lot in Arizona and those who believe the world is flat.” Video:  

LA Times Apologizes For Fabricated Tupac Story

The LA Times apologized yesterday for running a March 17 article that implicated Sean “P Diddy” Combs in a brutal beating and shooting that targeted the late rapper Tupac Shakur that was based on documents the Times now admits are forgeries. The documents appear to have been created by one of the men they claimed behind the attack - a man who is currently in prison on federal fraud charges and who is known for promoting fantastical stories that make him a central player in the establishment of rap music.

Mom Charged With Shooting Children

After a 37 year-old student showed up at a University of Louisville health counselor’s office with a handgun and turned it over, university officials sent police to the woman’s house to check on her children, a 14 year-old boy and a 10 year-old girl, who were found dead from gunshot wounds. The woman was charged with murder and terroristic threatening with a gun, which she allegedly pointed at a police officer.

International 

Middle East 

Iraqi-Iraqi Fighting Spreads To Baghdad, Kills Two US Embassy Workers

Intense fighting between Iraqi forces and Shia militias loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has spread from Basra - the southern oil capital of Iraq - to Baghdad, with insurgents launching a surprisingly effective mortar and rocket attack on the Green Zone - the heavily-fortified home of the Iraqi government and US embassy - that has killed two US embassy workers. In response, the government imposed a three-day curfew on the capital city. The Baghdad attacks were believed to be retribution for the government’s crackdown in Basra. Al-Sadr released a statement calling for an end to the fighting and encouraging peaceful protesting instead, but there has been speculation that Sadr has lost control of the more extreme elements of his Mahdi Army. The fighting is the first time the Shia-controlled Iraqi government has fully taken-on the Shia militias that remain influential.

Pakistan’s Frustrations Unleashed On A Top US Diplomat

In a sign of the pent-up frustration and anger in Pakistan over the US’s unwavering support for President Musharraf, despite his extreme unpopularity and a series of dubious moves that threatened the country’s democratic institutions (such as sacking the supreme court and replacing the judges with sycophants), John Negroponte, America’s chief diplomat to the country, was greeted by the newly elected order with a series of cold receptions, public dressing downs, and private ventings. 

Hezbollah Has New Iranian Rockets Capable Of Hitting All Of Israel

“With Iranian backing, Hezbollah guerrillas have dramatically increased their rocket range and can now threaten most of Israel.” The Iranian rockets have a range of 185 miles, making most of Israel in range, including the southern city in which Israel’s nuclear reactor is located.

Europe 

Europe & IOC Seek Guarantees China Won’t Censor Olympics

After France raised concerns over Chinese censorship following Beijing’s blocking of pro-Tibet protests that disrupted the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony, the International Olympic Committee and European Broadcasting Union are seeking guarantees from the Chinese government that Olympics television coverage will air live and uncensored, even if protests do occur, as China committed to doing over two years ago and confirmed in January. France’s President Sarkozy said he will be consulting with other European leaders over whether they will boycott attending the Olympics. 

French Audio Recordings Predate Edison’s By 17 Years 

A Berkeley researcher discovered primitive sound recordings in France’s patent office that predate Thomas Edison’s first audio recordings by 17 years. The recordings were made by a needle etching a pattern in soot-coated paper. After scanning the images and returning to the US, a team was able to create a “virtual” phonautogram which was able to electronically play the sounds represented by the images. 

Asia 

Asian Rice Crisis Threatens Millions

The Asian rice crisis is becoming more acute - soaring global rice prices, driven by surging demand in Africa and the Middle East, are threatening the well being of hundreds of millions of Asians who depend on the crop as a primary food. Price increases of only a few cents can mean starvation for millions, and the price has doubled over the past five years, leading countries to impose export bans and ration in the face of desperate and sometimes riotous populations. 

Business & Economics 

Final 2007 Economic Numbers Confirm Economic Trouble, But Some Bright Spots

The Commerce Department released final economic numbers for 2007 yesterday - a rundown confirms the economy is suffering. In the fourth quarter GDP grew at a 0.6% annual rate, down from what was nearly a 5% pace last year. Unemployment claims fell, which surprised economists who see unemployment rising this year. Consumer spending dropped to 2.3% from 2.9% the quarter before, but still beat estimates of 1.9%. Inventories fell by 1.8%, but US exports surged at a 6.5% pace, primarily thanks to the far-falling Dollar, which makes US products cheaper abroad. Inflation jumped to 3.9% from 1.8% in the third quarter, driven by low interest rates and soaring commodity prices, particularly oil, the high price of which is starting to be felt throughout the economy.