The cause? Monsanto’s cost-inflated and ineffective seeds have been driving farmers to suicide, and is considered to be one of the largest — if not the largest — cause of the quarter of a million farmer suicides over the past 16 years.

According to the most recent figures (provided by the New York University School of Law), 17,638 Indian farmers committed suicide in 2009 — about one death every 30 minutes. In 2008, the Daily Mail labeled the continual and disturbing suicide spree as ‘The GM (genetically modified) Genocide’. Due to failing harvests and inflated prices that bankrupt the poor farmers, struggling Indian farmers began to kill themselves. Oftentimes, they would commit the act by drinking the very same insecticide that Monsanto supplied them with — a gruesome testament to the extent in which Monsanto has wrecked the lives of independent and traditional farmers.

To further add backing to the tragedy, the rate of Indian farmer suicides massively increased since the introduction of Monsanto’s Bt cotton in 2002. It is no wonder that a large percentage of farmers who take their own lives are cotton farmers, the demographic that is thought to be among the most impacted. Dr Mercola, an osteopathic doctor that has been educating the world about natural health for many years, recently saw the destruction of traditional Indian farmers first hand. Dr Mercola found out about the notorious ‘suicide belt’ of India, where 4,238 farmer suicides took place in 2007 alone.

Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said, according to The World Tribune, that the Israeli leadership saw Washington as attributing the higher gas prices to “Israel’s posturing” on Iran. “They think the Iranians should be held responsible for the higher gasoline prices,” Satloff was quoted as having said. He added that the officials told him the Obama administration was staging a campaign to undermine Israel.

“I cannot underscore how deep and visceral the [Israeli] comments of the leaking that came out of Washington were,” Satloff said, noting Israel is alarmed by what officials determined were leaks by the administration of US President Barack Obama of purported Israeli preparations to attack Iran. The Israeli concerns come in the wake of a report in Foreign Policy magazine last week, according to which Israel has purchased an airfield in Azerbaijan on Iran's northern border, prompting the United States to watch very closely.

Journalist Mark Perry wrote that the Obama administration is monitoring Israel's relations with Azerbaijan, particularly its military ties. The Americans believe Israel may use the site as a springboard for an attack on Iran's nuclear plants, or as a landing and refueling spot following one. The site could also be used for aircraft needed for search, rescue and recovery in the wake of an attack. “We're watching what Israel is doing in Azerbaijan. And we're not happy about it,” an official told the Foreign Policy writer.

Senate Bill 1813 (Highway trust fund), which was passed by the Senate last week and is now pending in the House of Representatives contains a provision that would allow the IRS to order the State Department to refuse to grant, refuse to renew, revoke or restrict the passport of any US citizen which the IRS certifies owes the IRS $50,000 or more in unpaid taxes. There is no requirement that the tax payer be guilty of or even charged with tax evasion, fraud, or any criminal offense - only that the citizen is alleged to owe the IRS back taxes of $50,000 or more.

With Capital Control measures expected to be implemented in 2013, which would force Americans to keep their money from going offshore, the laws being legislated are now affecting the average citizen far more than any action against terrorists, or in support of the 'War on Terror'.

The swift departures led to comparisons with Britain’s embarrassingly flawed efforts to remove hate preacher Abu Qatada who is wanted in Jordan on terror charges. He is out on bail after the European Court of Human Rights blocked his deportation on the grounds that Qatada would not face a fair trial if returned.

Home Secretary Mrs May has insisted she wants to secure an agreement with Jordan which would satisfy the Strasbourg court and allow Qatada to be removed from Britain. Despite this however, officials insist any attempt to remove him in breach of the court’s ruling would be met with a court injunction by his lawyers. French law allows swift removal of foreigners, with around 20,000 non-EU nationals being expelled every year. Unlike in Britain, where cases can drag on for years, rights of appeal are strictly curtailed.

In this country, ministers wait until a subject’s legal options are exhausted before removing them from the country. This can include a lengthy appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. But in France, Italy and other European countries, terror suspects have been removed even if legal proceedings are still going on, or even in breach of a Strasbourg ruling.

The Russian Navy will be represented by the guided missile cruiser Varyag, and three large antisubmarine ships in an exercise that is to take place between April 22 and 29 in the Yellow Sea. In all, more than 20 Russian and Chinese warships and support vessels will participate. Since 2005, China and Russia have conducted several joint military exercises within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The group also includes the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and aims to promote regional cooperation and check US influence.

As many as 11,500 households have lost power because of the storm in Toyama and Ishikawa prefectures, Hokuriku Electric Power Co said in a statement. Many companies and stores closed early. Winds of up to 140 kilometers per hour were nearly typhoon strength, reports Bloomberg, but the storm was triggered by a low pressure system. "This is like the core of a typhoon, but it is staying for a long time. A typhoon usually moves rather quickly," a spokesman for the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.

The storm has already dumped up to 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) of rain an hour in central Japan as it crossed from the southwest and is heading for the capital city. This is the strongest storm to hit Tokyo since 1959. Japan's weather agency has issued a warning of possible tornadoes in the western half of the country and said heavy rain could also trigger landslides and flooding. The outlook for Wednesday shows strong winds are likely to move northwards, producing waves up to 10 metres high.

Jens Lütke opposes genetic engineering and the expansion of roads. He also protests against the construction of new power plants and volunteers once a year at an environmental action day. "I often get asked if I'm a member of the Green Party," he says. But Lütke doesn't support the environmentalist party - he backs the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD). He's the party's top candidate for state parliament in elections in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein to be held this May.

When Lütke collects trash as a volunteer on an environmental action day, it's hard to tell which party he belongs to. "We don't bring an NPD banner with us when we participate," he says. Still, he isn't alone within the party with his efforts on behalf of the environment. The party regularly coopts the issue of environmentalism in an insidious attempt to make the party more acceptable in German society. Often, it's difficult to recognize the right-wing extremist ideologies behind these efforts.

The tactic is visible in an environmental affairs magazine published by right-wing extremists entitled Umwelt & Aktiv, or "Environment & Active," which resembles a normal magazine focusing on the environment - at least at first glance. And although the publication's articles on biofuels, genetic engineering, gardening tips and children's songs may seem legitimate, further examination yields pages on Germanic myths and pagan rites. Under the heading "homeland security," readers of last year's March edition learn that the German people will perish both biologically and spiritually if they procreate with people of other ethnic origins.

The so-called environmental magazine also stirs up hatred about religion, claiming that the slaughter of animals without anesthesia is the barbaric custom of Jews and Muslims. "So that all migrants feel at home," the January 2007 issue reports, other "religion-based customs" such as genital mutilation, stoning and hand amputation from the "Orient" could also be imported into the country.

Ten to 12 tornadoes touched down during a massive storm that brought chaos from high winds, rain and hail to the nation's fourth most populous metropolitan area, said National Weather Service meteorologist Jesse Moore. Many of the 6.3 million area residents were forced to scramble for safety as the storm bore down during the early afternoon, when schools and workplaces were open.

Seven people were injured in the suburb of Arlington, police said. Most suffered only minor injuries but one person hit by a falling tree was in critical condition, said Arlington police spokeswoman Cheryl Carpenter. In one of the hardest hit areas south of Dallas, Lancaster, tornadoes damaged 300 structures. Of the 10 people injured in Lancaster, two of them were severely hurt, said Lancaster police spokesman Paul Beck. Authorities were amazed that no one was killed given the intensity of the storm, the number of tornadoes and the population density of the area.

Some 110 planes were damaged by hail and 400 flights canceled at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the eighth busiest in the world, stranding thousands of passengers. Another 40 incoming flights were diverted. During the height of the storm, witnesses at the airport said the sky turned dark and passengers were herded away from windows and into stairwells and restrooms.

The US tornado season has started early this year. Tornadoes have been blamed for 57 deaths so far in 2012 in the Midwest and South, raising concerns that this year would be a repeat of 2011, the deadliest year in nearly a century for the unpredictable storms.

Analysts estimate the weapon to be around 130 feet long and, equipped with a more powerful booster unit, capable of delivering a warhead more than 6,200 miles. Unveiling the missile will raise new fears in neighbouring countries, already alarmed by Pyongyang's insistence that it will go ahead with the launch in mid-April of a rocket to put a satellite into orbit. Washington, Seoul and Tokyo believe the launch is a covert test launch of a missile.

Analysis of the rocket, which is being prepared for launch at the new Tongchang-ri aerospace facility in the far north-west of the country, indicates that at 105 feet long it is identical in length to the Taepodong-2 missile that was fired in April 2009 and, with a range of 4,163 miles, is the most potent missile in the North Korean armoury at present.

South Korean and US officials said they believe Pyongyang wants to show the new missile off at the military parade scheduled for April 15 to mark the 100th anniversary of the birthday of the founder of the nation, Kim Il-sung, or on April 25th, which marks the founding of the North Korean army.

She said: "It is unjust that in the 21st century there are still colonial enclaves such as the one we have here. Sixteen colonial enclaves throughout the world - 10 of those belonging to the United Kingdom." Prime Minister David Cameron had again insisted at the weekend that the islanders must be allowed to choose their nationality.

However, his Argentinian counterpart was uncompromising "We also demand that they stop usurping our environment, our natural resources, our oil." Her rabble-rousing sparked riots in the capital, Buenos Aires, as protesters trying to storm the British Embassy clashed with police. Masked militants of hardline leftwing group Quebracho burned Union Jack flags and threw rocks and firebombs at armed officers protecting the building.

Pump prices have already risen as some garages cash in on the crisis, which began last week. Others are expected to follow. The average cost of petrol last night was a record high of 141.48p per litre (£6.37 a gallon) while diesel was 147.55p (£6.64 a gallon) – also a record. But many filling stations were already charging far more. A garage on the M11 was selling diesel at £1.78p a litre, while across the country prices were typically above £1.50 for petrol.

Brian Madderson, chairman of RMI Petrol, said they were likely to rise by another 10p a litre by the weekend as supplies ran low and demand rose ahead of the Easter break. Sales of fuel rocketed by 172 per cent last week as panic buying gripped the country following a strike threat by tanker drivers. Whole towns were left without petrol and diesel, despite no stoppage date being set.

Experts said the crisis was set to continue, with deliveries taking weeks to get back to normal. Many independent retailers, who only receive deliveries once a fortnight, could be out of stock for more than 14 days.

The week-long drill is simulating air-to-air combat and anti-submarine warfare and is taking place off the coast of Turkey, possibly signaling it not to interfere with Israeli energy operations in the Mediterranean Sea. The “enemy” forces will be similar to those of the Turkish air force, according to the Defencenet.gr website. Joint exercises also will take place off the coast of Cyprus and at the port in Haifa, with the participation of the famed US Sixth Fleet.

The United States and Israel also are preparing for a massive “Austere Challenge” exercise this summer involving thousands of soldiers from both countries. Last week, a one-day drill included Israeli soldiers operating the Arrow, the Patriot, Hawk, Stinger, and Iron Dome batteries defense systems, according to DefenseProfessionals.com. “The ability of the formation to bring together all the defense systems is amazing”, said US Army Colonel Stephen Richmond, head of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. “I'm very impressed with the capabilities presented here,” he was quoted as saying.

Russia is keeping a wary eye on the American-Israeli exercises and is staging its own war drill in a Syrian port, according to DEBKAfile. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned this week against a pre-emptive strike, which he said would violate international law.

Until the explanation was heard nationwide, adults and children panicked as sirens sounded for up to three minutes, far longer than the 20-second early warning siren for incoming rockets. In the north, there were fears that a Third Lebanon War was underway. In the south, where residents are used to Color Red warnings of incoming rockets, children began to scatter to shelters. Police were swamped with frantic calls. At least one man was seen loading up his car with army gear for an expected call-up.

The Air Force apparently responded immediately to the sirens, causing one woman to tell Arutz Sheva Radio’s Tamar Yonah, “We have the biggest display of IAF overhead I've ever heard. There is a rumbling to the south – can't remember hearing that before; maybe just planes flying in another direction. No explosions heard.”

The woman, named Laura, continued, “This may have gone on over us to Ashdod or heaven forbid, South Tel Aviv. The kids are out for Pesach vacation – poor little kids; none of us need this. But I'm sharing this now, to try to keep the scary feelings from backing up.... Please pray for us in Ashkelon...”

“There may be a call-up. The man across the street is loading his car with army gear and leaving.”

While Israel's High Court of Justice has affirmed the right of Jews to worship on the Mount, it has also granted the Israeli police discretion to permit or forbid various forms of religious expression based on the imperative to maintain public order. Jewish pilgrims to the Mount are always accompanied by guards employed by the Wakf, the Islamic endowment that controls the site's day-to-day administration, who ensure that Muslim sensibilities are not offended.

During a visit by this correspondent to the Temple Mount, police guards searched through pilgrims' wallets, confiscating any printed materials containing Judaic content. Sackett, longtime assistant to Moshe Feiglin, the leader of the Likud's ultra-nationalist Manhigut Yehudit faction, said that he and nine others have joined in purchasing a lamb for the sacrifice, which the Bible describes as a yearly obligation on the part of all Jews.

Citing the High Court's declarations regarding the legal right of Jews to worship on the Mount, Sackett stated that he did not intend to coordinate his visit with the police or any governing body. And he did not, he then stated, wish to turn his attempt at sacrifice into a publicity stunt.

Given the holy site's importance as a symbol in the Arab-Israeli conflict, it is unlikely that the police will allow Sackett entry to the site when he shows up holding a slaughtering knife and leading a sheep. The Palestinian Authority frequently incites rioting and violence by accusing Israeli authorities of planning to raze the mount's two mosques and rebuild the Temple in their place. While Israeli leaders frequently deny this, Sackett and his faction take issue with the official position of the Israeli government and have actively campaigned for the rebuilding of the Temple.

Featured interview with Moshe Feiglin, head of the Manhigut Yehudit faction of the Likud party, Rabbi Nachman Kahana of the Young Israel of the Old City of Jerusalem, Yisrael Medad, Director of Educational Programming and Information resources at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center, Yehudah Katz and his band, Hillel Richman and Frankie Snyder, senior staff members of the Temple Mount Sifting Project, Tziporra Piltz, guide and organizer of women's ascent to the Temple Mount, and Rabbi Mois Navon, from Ptil Tekhelet organization. It will be hosted by Rabbi Chaim Richman and Yitzchak Reuven of the Temple Institute.