Free Republic

If Israelis want to know just how much they can rely on the West’s continued support for their war against Hamas, they need look no further than the shameful betrayal that is taking place over Ukraine.At present, the only serious pressure being placed on Benjamin Netanyahu is the requirement for so-called humanitarian pauses to ease the flow of aid to Palestinian civilians caught up in the fighting. Demands for Israel to implement a ceasefire are, for the moment at least, being resisted by the American and British governments on the grounds that any cessation in hostilities would only benefit Hamas...

Piggy banks fly off shelves in freshly frugal U.S. By Alister Bull Wed Dec 31, 2:34 pm ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Recession-wary Americans embraced the virtues of thrift this Christmas, with stores reporting a clear rise in the popularity of piggy banks. "We have been selling coin banks really well," said Laura Kellner at Kikkerland Design Inc. in New York City, whose stylish chrome pig is priced at $31. U.S. savings levels have increased markedly in recent months as households adjust to a yearlong recession and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The downturn has shattered house prices...

AMSTERDAM, 21/02/08 - Fortis Bank will no longer give children a piggy-bank if they open an account. The company apparently is afraid of offending Muslims. Fortis clients that open a EuroKids account for their children are given a present of a piggy-bank called Knorbert. But the bank is stopping this because "Knorbert does not meet the requirements that the multicultural society imposes on us," yesterday's De Telegraaf quoted a spokesman as saying. Pigs are considered unclean animals by Jews and Muslims. An Internet campaign in which Knorbert played a leading role has also been halted by Fortis. According to a...

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Some children in Canada are so well-off and so keen on current affairs that they donate thousands of dollars to politicians -- at least, that's what one contender for the leadership of the opposition Liberal Party seems to believe. Former Immigration Minister Joe Volpe hit the spotlight this week after it emerged that a pair of 11-year-old twins and their 14-year-old brother had each donated C$5,400 ($4,900) to his leadership campaign. The parents of the children -- who also donated C$5,400 to Volpe's campaign -- are related to the chairman of generic drug maker Apotex Inc. In...