Restrictions on release of balloons

(Australia)

146E Restrictions on release of balloons

(1) Offence of releasing balloons A person who releases 20 or more balloons at or about the same time is guilty of an offence if the balloons are inflated with a gas that causes them to rise in the air.

Report: Clinton will be first foreign official to visit new Egyptian president

(h/t Many Faces)(Hill)Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be the first foreign official to meet with newly elected Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's Al-Ahram news website is reporting.
The site is quoting officials at Cairo's airport for the report. A State Department spokeswoman said the department had nothing to announce at the moment but that Clinton "does look forward to a chance to go and consult with the new government at an appropriate moment."

Saleha Abedin – the mother of Hillary Clinton’s closest aide (Huma Abedin) – is a close colleague of Egypt’s new first lady. We are sending our highest feminist and the sister of the Muslim Brotherhood (no... this is not conspiracy theory) to Egypt to work this out. Maybe we can talk Hill into bringing all of Code Pink with her.

Israeli ambassador to Cyprus expelled from energy forum by local organizers

(Carl) Israeli ambassador to Cyprus Michael Harari (right, with Cypriot Defense Minister Demetris Eliades) was expelled from an energy forum in Cyprus after the Lebanese Energy Minister refused to speak with an Israeli present (Hat Tip: Sunlight).

Israeli Ambassador Michael Harari, attend the Energy forum by special invitation, he came to the place - the University of Cyprus - around 10 am.
At 11.15, on schedule, President Christofias arrived with Gebran Bassil, Lebanese Minister of Energy and Water Resources.
According to the agenda - which had been established in advance - Christofias was to give a keynote speech, followed immediately by Bassil, whose address about the future of Lebanon as an energy producer.
Just before the President took a step inside the room, attendees - delegates from the industry and the media - had been asked to stand. It proved a false alarm, because people were asked to retake their seats and wait for the next cue up - which happened a couple of minutes later.
Meanwhile, it seems, Harari was approached by the organizers and asked to leave. He said the Lebanese minister informed them that he would not speak unless and until Harari left.
Once the ambassador of Israel left the room, Christofias and Bassil walked in.
Harari confirmed that he was asked to leave the local field at the insistence of the Lebanese Minister of Energy.
"It's a pity that it happened," he later told the news media.
"I decided to leave in order not to embarrass the president," he said, adding: ". The organizers should have handled it differently."
Ironically, one of the themes of the forum was the need for energy cooperation among the nations of the region.

As you might recall, there is a dispute between Israel and Lebanon over their maritime boundaries. Cyprus, however, is supposed to be on our side. Their kowtowing to Lebanon is inexplicable and ought to be met with a formal diplomatic protest.

hey... if you don't want the business... the Jews really don't need to come