But instead of collecting on it, we will abol an offshoot ofl street has launched a new limit to about the people, not the banks by buying up distressed debt from Financial Firms and canceling it so that borrowers do not have to repay. Then, tasing ice. 1984, the glacier was 11 miles away. Today, is back here. The glacier is retreating but it is also thinning at the same time. The new documentary looks at how photographer james balog captured Climate Change on film by placing two dozen time lapse cameras throughout the arctic and other areas to film melting glaciers. He will join us live. All of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Israel is threatening to launch a Ground Invasion of the gaza strip after breaking an informal ceasefire with a series of deadly attacks. On wednesday, an israeli airstrike assassinated the head of hamas military wing. The bombing continued, killing at least 13 solutions, including a baby and a mother pregnant with twins. More than one headed palestinians were wounded. At least three israelis were killed when palestinian rockets hit a residential building in the town of kiryat malahi, the first israeli fatality since the latest fighting began. Israel says it is try to prevent rocket fire, but the latest round began last week when israeli troops killed a young boy in gaza. The situation has escalated since saturday when Palestinian Militants fired at an Israeli Military vehicle near the israelgaza border. After palestinian militant groups agreed to an informal truce on monday, israel broke two days of quiet with wednesdays attack. At the united nations, the palestinian envoy condemn the Israeli Government. There is no justification whatsoever for assassinating any palestinians by the Israel Occupying power. They have assassinated a number of palestinians in the gaza strip. Our understanding the number of palestinians killed in gaza so far is nine, in the number is increasing. There is a large number of people injured. The assassination was later on accompanied by attacks from the sea in the gaza strip. There are mobilizing a large number of forces, ground forces, with the possibility of moving in the gaza strip. Israels attack on gaza strip marks its largest since the u. S. Backed operation has killed more than 1300 palestinians nearly four years ago. We will have more from gaza after the headlines. President obama appeared before reporters at the white house on wednesday for his first News Conference since winning his second term. He made some of his most extensive comments on Climate Change to date, acknowledging that his administration had fallen short in taking on Global Warming. We have not done as much as we need to. What i am going to be doing over the next several weeks it, next several months, is having a conversation with scientists, engineers, and elected officials to find out what more can we do to make shortterm progress in reducing carbons, and then working through an education process that i think it is necessary, a conversation across the country, about what realistically can do long term. Despite hard to take action on Climate Change, obama said he will not advance any environmental policy that override economic concerns. There is no doubt that for us to take on Climate Change and a serious way would involve making some tough political choices. Understandably, i think the American People right now have been so focused and will continue to focus on our economy and jobs and growth that if the message is somehow were going to ignore jobs and growth, simply to address Climate Change, i dont think anyone is going to go for that. I wont go for that. President obama will be in new york today to view the damage on Staten Island from Superstorm Sandy. Also during his News Conference yesterday, obama said he would refuse to accept any extension of the bush era tax cuts for the wealthiest americans and talks of averting the socalled cliff fiscal cliff. We cannot afford to extend the bush tax cuts for the wealthy. What we can do is make sure that middleclass taxes dont go up. We can eliminate loopholes, deductions that have a distorting affect on our economy. I believe we have to continue did take a serious look at how we reform our entitlements because healthcare costs continue to be the biggest driver of our deficits. So there is a package to be shaped, and im confident folks of good will in both parties can make that happen. The oil giant bp reportedly has agreed to pay record criminal fine for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil spill in the gulf coast. According to reuters, bp will plead guilty to criminal misconduct and him as a penalty that will surpass the 1. 3 billion record held by the drug giant pfizer. It reported settlement could be unveiled as early as today. The eurozone has officially fallen back into recession in the face of the ongoing sovereign debt crisis. New figures show economies collectively saw contraction of 0. 1 between july and of timber, the second consecutive period of decline. It comes one day after millions of workers across the eu took part in an strike against austerity measures such as tax hikes and spending cuts. Dubbed the day of action in solidarity, the first time unions engaged in coordinated strikes across the european continent. Two leading republican senators are bound to block any future promotion of u. N. Ambassador susan rice over her handling of the deadly september 11 attacks on u. S. Consulate in benghazi, libya. Rice has been mentioned as a potential successor to secretary of state hillary clinton. Flanked by fellow republican senator Lindsey Graham of south carolina, senator john mccain of arizona vowed to thwart any Senate Confirmation for rice. Lets see what happens here, but we will do whatever is necessary to block the nomination that is within our power as far susan rice is concerned. While we await the findings and recommendations of the internal review of the big as the attack by the administration, it is essential for congress to conduct its own independent assessment. There is no credibility amongst most of us concerning the administration and the numerous controversies and contradictions that have been involved in their handling of this issue. Responding at a News Conference in washington, president obama defended rice and issued a challenge to her detractors. Senator mccain and senator gramm and others want to go after someone, they should go after me. And im happy to have that discussion with them. But for them to go after the u. N. Ambassador who had nothing to do with benghazi . And was simply making a presentation based on intelligence she had received . To besmirch her reputation . That is outrageous. Democratic Congressmember Nancy Pelosi has announced plans to stay on as House Minority leader through the 2014 midterm elections. She disclosed the news as she stood with a group of incoming female members of congress. Look russert asked if it prohibited the Democratic Party from grooming a new generation of leaders. You say your decision to stay on prohibits the party from having a younger leadership and hurts the party in the long term what is your response . Discrimination. Next next wow. You have always asked that question, except to match mcconnell. The now former republican candidate mitt romney is under scrutiny for a leaked recording discussing president of them supporters. And a Conference Call with donors, romney blamed his loss on obamas socalled diaz to various groups including africanamericans and hispanics. The president s campaign focused on certain members of his base coalition, give them extraordinary financial gifts from the government, and then worked very aggressively to turn them out to vote. Romney went on to include young people and College Students in his list saying romneys comments come days after his running mate, wisconsin congressmember paul ryan, talked of obamas victory to the president s strength in urban areas. Some Top Republicans are already distancing themselves from romneys remarks. Speaking to reporters wednesday night, louisiana governor bobby jindal called romneys statements absolutely wrong, adding we have got to stop dividing american voters. Bobby jindal has just become the head of the republican governors association. Workers at a walmart supply warehouse in elwood, illinois have filed charges of unfair labor practices against the sites four operators. The the workers walked off the job for three weeks this fall amidst allegations of sexual harassment, dangerous working conditions, unpaid wages, and retaliation against organizers. The workers returned to work after winning pledges for an end workplace retaliation and full back pay. Workers in california are staging a one day strike over what they say are unsafe and unsanitary conditions. The actions in illinois and california mark the latest in a series of protests against Labor Conditions at walmart sites nationwide. A subsidiary of bank of new york mellon has agreed to pay a 210 million fine for concealing the fraud of disgraced financier bernie madoff. Prosecutors say mellons Ivy Asset Management unit uncovered major problems with madoffs business, but continued to profit from steering clients to his investments. In charlotte, north carolina, 9 environmental activists have been arrested after staging sit ins at bank of america branches to protest the companys financing of the coal industry. Protesters temporarily shut down four branches across charlotte all to the banking giants World Headquarters accusing bank of america of bankrolling Climate Change. The action was part of the Rainforest Action Network campaign to confront the bank for its leading role in funding the coal industry. A Saudi National in the United States on a student visa has been sentenced to life in prison for attempted bomb plot. Khalid alim aldawsari was convicted in june of purchasing chemicals and equipment with the intent to make a bomb. His alleged targets included former president george w. Bush and three former u. S. Military officials stationed at the abu ghraib prison in iraq where scores of iraqis were tortured. Those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Israel is threatening to launch a Ground Invasion of the gaza strip after breaking an informal ceasefire with a series of deadly attacks. In israeli airstrike assassinated the head of the hamas military wing on wednesday. The bombing continued throughout the day and night, killing at least 13 civilians, including a baby and a mother pregnant with twins. More than 100 palestinians were also wounded in the toll is expected to rise. At least three israelis were killed today when palestinian rockets hit a residential building and the town of kiryat malahi, the first israeli fatalities since the latest fighting began. Israel says it launched the strikes to prevent palestinian rocket fire, but the latest round of violence began last week when easterly trips to the young boy in gaza. The situation has escalated. After palestinian militant agree to an informal truce on monday, israel broke two days of quiet with wednesdays attack. Israels attack on gaza marks it largest since the wasbacked operation that killed more than 1300 palestinians nearly four years ago. It was just about this time, just after president obama was elected for the first time, that the attacks, operation pass lead, began. We go to gaza city where were joined by palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer. Can you describe what is happening now on the ground . The only thing you can hear is the bombing and f16s and missiles dropping across the gaza strip, everywhere in the gaza strip. We just heard a number of missiles fired and the drones. Drones. Indf16s and in the east part of the gaza strip, where talking about, in particular, or the bombing has taken place from the israeli warships. The situation is very critical at the moment. As im sitting right now with a number of people who are evaluating, a number of injured people are being evacuated. They cannot find where to go to evacuate the dead bodies. There are a lot of people injured. So far we have the number, according to a medical crew next to me, seeing People Killed in the last 24 hours we have 15 People Killed in the last 24 hours, with over 150 people injured. In the last few hours or in the last couple of hours, the Emergency Team here and ambulances announced they found the bodies of four people, including a child who lost her leg, a young man who was critically wounded between north and gaza city. As we speak at the moment, were told theyre firing missiles in the middle of the gaza strip. This is not the first time. Last night alone, eight air strikes were fired at a refugee camp in the southern part of the gaza strip. Mohammed omer, i want to ask about a new report. The israeli peace activist who helped mediate between israel and hamas in the deal to release gilad shalit, said the military commander was assassinated just hours after he received the draft of a permanent truce agreement with israel, which included mechanisms for maintaining the ceasefire. What do you know about this . This is inaccurate. This is what hamas officials are confirming. I should say there is outrage among palestinian political parties, particularly [indiscernible] and the more secular movements. They are angry because jabari was not as a negotiator, just remind our people, jabari was behind the release of the israeli shoulder gilad shalit. Jabari was the Contact Person during this critical time of the year when there was bombing and f16s firing. He was the person to talk of high on behalf of the palestinians. So far, the palestinians have not been in they have not been able to restore a real truce. Now we are losing jabari, who has a lot of influence in all the political factions, given the part he plays the most Important Role as a Palestinian Leader among the palestinian factions. Mohammed omer, how this latest violence is started . The Israeli Government says it is because of hamas rocket fire out of gaza. There was a truce, actually. There was a truce. The israelis it possible for the people to believe there was a truce. Otherwise, someone like jabari would not be moving in gaza city. That is out of the question. He was driving with his driver with his bodyguard in the streets of gaza city and i happened and happened to be next to this bomb. There was no need for worry for anyone in gaza. About two days ago when there were installing the truce, jabari was involved. It was a sudden attack by the israeli misfiles, in retaliation, which is coming from bothas were speaking righ, more breaking news from the medical team next to me that the israeli warships are firing missiles at the houses of the people. Yes, firing missiles at the homes and rafah. The ambulance crew do not know where to go in order to evacuate the bodies of the people. It is exactly like the situation yesterday. I can confirm most of the people injured and killed our civilians, people who are not taking part in any military confrontation. Israel is attacking people who are inside their homes. We have seen a lot of the families trying to flee the borderline area to go to the middle of the gaza strip, but in the middle of the gaza strip that are being bombed by f16s. Those who are fleeing because they for the warships are going to fire at them, theyre faced with f16s firing at them in the middle of the gaza strip. Same for those living on the east of gaza city who are facing constant gunfire from the border. Mohammed omer, you arerafah. You were there earlier today . I was in rafah and does the city today. I commute between them. Im still in gaza city. I wrote return to raha from gaza city and now back to rafah. I spoke just before dawn today with u. S. President obama and we spoke about the necessity of ending this aggression, and making sure it is not repeated. Peace and security in the region is the right of all without aggression and this type of blood shed. During our conversation, we examined the was in which we could calm the situation at and this aggression of bloodshed and how peace and security could be achieved and how the region to be stabilized without problems in the future. I explained to its stance that our eagerness to maintain good relations with the nine states in the world, but the same time, we completely rejected this aggression and refuse to accept these actions and bloodshed. And is egyptian president Mohamed Morsi spoke on egyptian television. Mohammed omer Mohamed Morsi apparently pulling out the egyptian ambassador to israel, Mohammed Omer, where do you see this going right now . And talk about four years ago. It was about, what, a month from now four years ago, right after president obama was elected for the first time before he was inaugurated that operation cast led happen that killed more than 1000 palestinians . What do you see happening now . Well, it brings back for many gazans the past led operation. Many think, this is cast led 2. You can see it in the streets free of you walking the streets, people are rushing into the shops buying food. The gas stations