The 1st scenes from inside the BBC in Glasgow have surfaced on YouTube.

Sky News reports 100 protesters have occupied the Glasgow Headquarters of the BBC over the refusal to air an emergency aid appeal for Gaza. The report continues: “The BBC is still standing firm on its decision not to show the advert for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). The corporation has said it has received “approximately” 1,000 telephone complaints and a further 10,000 by email. Rival broadcasters ITV, Channel 4 and Five have now agreed to air the appeal. Sky is still considering its position”.

Saturday's march to End the Blockade on Gaza

The Telegraph, which has been banned along with other foreign media from entering Gaza, has reported the “2nd stage” of Israel’s operation has begun under cover of darkness.

Telegraph EPA photo from Gaza's norethern border

“It also came in defiance of calls from European leaders – including Gordon Brown – for Israel to scale back its violent attack on Gaza.”

Telegraph

Tens of thousands of reservists are being called up by Israel

Israeli media is announcing that the government has okayed the call-up of tens of thousands of reservists. Does this suggest that Israel is engaging in an Iraq style invasion of Gaza or is the call-up simply precautionary?

Haaretz

At 10 am cypriot time, a ship flying the flag of Gibraltar was rammed by surrounding Israeli gunboats. The Dignity is carrying 3 tons of aid and passengers from around the world. Journalists (including CNN’s Karl Penhaul), human rights activists, doctors and US representative Cynthia McKinney. Shots were fired into the water by the Israeli Navy.

SS Dignity rammed.

The ship was rammed in international waters, 90 miles off the Gaza coast, and is said to be taking on water. There are no reported injuries to the passengers on board. Lebanon has granted a permission to dock and will lend assistance. (Free Gaza website)

UPDATE:

SS Dignity has docked in Lebanon as jubilant crowds welcome the vessel. Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor has suggested the incident occurred when SS Liberty tried to outmaneuver the Israeli gunboats, crashing into one of them (yalibnan). This statement is in direct conflict Free Gaza’s version of events. Cyprus (who previously had port authorities search the boat for dangerous cargo) and Lebanon’s governments intend to protest Israel.

UPDATE:

CNN’s reporter on board the ship claims the SS Dignity was rammed without warning and later was accused by the Israelis of being involved in terrorist activities. Images from CNN show damage to the boat. Cynthia McKinney  claims yacht was rammed 3 times and calls for Obama to make a statement on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The CNN report also highlights claims the SS Dignity attempted to run the blcokade. Cynthia McKinney dismissed the claims as misinformation. CNN

The Rubin Ponzi Scheme.

Madoff makes headlines as former Treasury Secretary, Robert Rubin, slips under the media’s radar.

On 4 december 2008, the New York Post announced a federal lawsuit had been filed against Citigroup’s Robert Rubin, and former citi CEO, Prince.

The 2 are alleged to have played a role in a Ponzi scheme which has wiped out trillions of dollars worldwide.

The lawsuit says Citigroup’s shareholder value lost over 122 billion dollars. This would suggest that Rubin is accused of involvement in a scheme that would dwarf that of Madoff.

When the news broke of Madeoff’s scheme, the media jumped to cover the story. Time magazine even suggested the story as a contender in the top 10 scandals of 2008.

Why was the New York Post the only mainstream media source to have covered Robert Rubin’s story?

The independent media and the blogosphere picked up on it though. LiveLeak and other sites on the internet noted conspiracy researcher Henry Makow highlighting Rubin’s high profile links to the president elect Barack Hussein Obamah, as a possible reason for the silence. Rubin’s son Jamie was the main fund raiser on Wall Street for Obama.

Infact, the Wall Street Journal pointed out that Obama’s aides have Rubin down as a contender for treasury secretary. Both the New York Times and the Times of London refer to Rubin’s influence in Obama’s selection of his economic team, dubbed, the Robert Rubin Memorial All Stars.

While a wide spectrum of the media brought the sensationalism of madeoff’s scheme to the public. Rubin’s potentially more destructive scheme, has received virtually no coverage at all.

It’s been a long time coming, but our new site is nearing completion. We will be picking up on the news that really counts in early 2009.