North Korea’s Missile Test A ‘Complete Failure’

The Japanese government has assessed that North Korea’s test firing of a long-range missile on July 5 was a “complete failure”. The Taepodong-2 missile, one of seven missiles fired by North Korea into the Sea of Japan (East Sea), fell in waters off the North Korean coast, the Mainichi Shimbun said. Japan had originally estimated that the missile flew about 640 kilometers (398 miles) towards Japan, Yomiuri Shimbun said. The United States has told Japan that its satellite information indicated the Taepodong-2 exploded in mid-air within 1.5 kilometers of the launching pad, Kyodo News said, citing Japanese government sources. The Japan Defence Agency would file an analysis report as early as this week to say “the launch was a complete failure,” the Mainichi said.Washington and Tokyo have assessed that the first phase of the missile did not separate properly and debris was seen falling around the Musudanri missile base in northeastern North Korea, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) said. Of the remaining six missiles, four were are believed to have been short-range Scud ballistic missiles, with two mid-range Rodong ballistic missiles, Kyodo and Mainichi said. Since the latest North Korean missile tests, Japan has banned a major North Korean ferry link, visits by diplomats and charter flights. Japan’s reaction has been strongly criticised by South Korea, which is atempting to reconcile with its communist neighbor and remains bitter over Japan’s bloody colonial rule. North Korea tested a Taepodong-1 in 1998 that flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean, stirring widespread jitters here. North Korea is widely reviled in Japan for kidnappings Japanese civilians during the 1970s to 1980s.

Civilians Blown Up By Hizbullah

Senior IDF officers told reporters a short time ago that there is a contradiction in the timing of the bombing of the village of Kana and reports of the explosion that killed more than 50 civilians and set off world-wide condemnation of Israel. Brigadier General Ido Nehushtan left open the possibility that Hizbullah terrorists blew up the building with civilians inside in order to blame Israel.He explained that recorded information shows that Israeli Air Force planes bombed targets between midnight and 1 a.m. and again at 7:30 a.m. but that the targets which killed civilians were up to 500 yards away during the second attack, when the building was demolished. "It is not clear what happened," he said. The IDF pointed out that more than Hizbullah terrorists have fired more than 150 rockets from the village of Kana since the beginning of the war.

Illegal Ice Cream Trucks Infest Minneapolis

The hot weather could be putting local children at risk from a source most people wouldn’t think of – the ice cream truck. Inspectors in Minneapolis say there has been a rapid increase in the number of illegal and non-licensed ice cream trucks driving the streets. Rachid Khallaf, an ice cream truck driver with Big Bell, says some other drivers try to sell in Minneapolis with St. Paul licenses. "I know some people who work here – have a license in St. Paul and work in Minneapolis,” he says, “It's not good."Minneapolis mobile license inspector Rich Tuffs is asking police and parents to look for any trucks without the green sticker that allows them to sell in the city. ”There are major safety issues for the community, health issues,” Tuffs says. On Thursday, Minneapolis police stopped an ice cream truck driver with a revoked driver’s license. Additionally, the truck did not have a health or vehicle inspection, no green sticker and a cooler in violation of health codes. "I did tell him that the vehicle is off the street until the inspection's done,” Tuffs says. “If I find it again, I'll impound it."

South Korea Launches Satellite That Can Spy On North

South Korea sent a satellite into space primarily for geographical surveys but also for possibly spying on North Korea, which raised regional security concerns by launching missiles earlier this month. The 900-kg (2000 lb) Arirang-2 satellite, launched in Russia, can take high-resolution pictures of the earth's surface, a government agency said. Experts said it would be the country's most advanced surveillance satellite. "The high-definition MSC (multi-spectral camera) will be able to give real-time visual data on North Korea's missile launch preparations or military activities, which would be otherwise unavailable," South Korea's Overseas Information Service said.At present, South Korea mostly relies on U.S. spy satellites and planes for aerial reconnaissance of North Korea. North Korea defied international warnings by firing off seven missiles in July, including its long-range Taepodong-2, which destructed after about 40 seconds in the air. The Arirang-2 satellite gives South Korea the ability to identify objects on the ground one meter in diameter, the information service said. The satellite will mostly work on mapping and help search for natural resources. The launch had been planned for several months. The Russian rocket with the satellite blasted off from a launch pad in the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, approximately 800 km (500 miles) northeast of Moscow, the information service said.

Russia To Sell Arms To Venezuela

Hugo Chavez has sealed a massive arms deal to buy Russian fighter jets, officials said on Thursday as the Venezuelan leader met President Vladimir Putin on a tour that is being seen as a snub to the United States. The two leaders focussed on Russian energy investment in Venezuela and Venezuelan arms purchases from Russia at their Kremlin meeting. “There has been extraordinary progress in our military technology cooperation. I want to thank President Putin for his strong support,” Chavez said after the meeting. The head of Russia’s arms export agency, Sergei Chemezov, told reporters after the meeting: “Some contracts for three billion dollars have been signed over the last year and a half” including “for 24 Sukhois and 53 helicopters.” Chavez said Russian weapons were badly needed by his country following a US government ban on sales by US manufacturers of defence products to Venezuela.Hugo Chavez and Vladimir Putin“We would like to thank you for freeing us from a blockade,” Chavez told Putin. “We were practically disarmed,” Chavez said, referring to Venezuela’s problems getting spare parts for its existing fleet of US-built F-16 fighter jets. The United States had called on Russia earlier this week to reconsider the sale of the Su-30 fighter jets, which earlier reports said would amount to 30 such jets. At Thursday’s meeting Putin also welcomed plans for Russian energy firms to develop energy deposits in Venezuela. “Venezuela for us is a natural partner,” Putin said. “These (reserves) represent colossal potential, and I’m very happy that our companies are working to find joint solutions in the energy sector.” Chavez said the Russian firms Lukoil and Gazprom were both considered important partners. Putin also gave his backing to Venezuela’s bid to join the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member, something which Chavez is hoping to win support for on his world tour. “We will support Venezuela’s candidature to become a non-permanent member of the Security Council ... We are for a multipolar world,” Putin said. The Russian business daily Vedomosti said on Thursday that Chavez was also planning to buy Russian Tor-M1 short-range surface-to-air missile systems designed to shoot down planes, helicopters and cruise missiles.

8 Countries To Hold Talks Without North Korea

The U.S. and other regional powers will meet Friday to discuss Asian security concerns after North Korea refused to talk with negotiating partners on its nuclear and missile programs, officials said. The decision by the United States and seven other nations including North Korean allies China and Russia signals the communist regime's deepening isolation less than a month after the U.N. Security Council condemned its missile tests. The U.S. and other nations have been trying to convince a defiant North Korea to end its nuclear arms program. The North deepened the standoff when it recently tested a long-range missile believed capable of reaching the U.S., along with six other short- and medium-range missiles.Besides U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, participants at Friday's meeting will also include South Korea and Japan, as well as Australia, Malaysia and Canada, whose foreign ministers are all attending a regional meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. "The eight countries will exchange views on regional issues that they are concerned about," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu, adding that they will be represented by the foreign ministers including Rice. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill also separately confirmed the eight-party talks, adding that the U.S. side had "zero plans to meet with the North Koreans." "We do not have any intention of engaging them bilaterally, until they are back in the diplomatic game," he told reporters. By not accepting the six-party talks, Hill said North Korea "had made a decision that they want to be isolated. I think it's fair to say that they should be careful what they wish for." Many had hoped the six-party talks would be revived on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Jiang refused to go into details of what would be discussed in Friday's expanded discussions, saying that as the host nation, Malaysia would set the agenda.North Korea has refused to negotiate since November to protest a U.S. crackdown on its alleged financial wrongdoing and indicated Thursday it had no intention of dropping its demand for Washington to end the sanctions. "Six-party talks can happen only after the United States lifts sanctions against us," said North Korea's spokesman, Chong Song Il, after a late-evening dinner Thursday of the foreign ministers. "I don't know anything about nine-party talks or eight-party talks. I haven't heard about that," he said. Asked whether North Korea would be willing to meet one-on-one with U.S. officials, Chong said. "if America wants bilateral talks, we are willing to accept that." The remarks were made hours after North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun arrived in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN conference, attended by 25 countries and the European Union.

Senator Norm Coleman's Father Cited For Lewd And Disorderly Conduct

Norm Coleman Sr., the father of Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman, was cited for lewd and disorderly conduct after police officers reported finding him engaged in a sex act in a car near a pizzeria on E. 7th St. in St. Paul. A police report said officers were called to Savoy Inn at 7:40 p.m. to investigate a report that two people were having sex in a car. The police report stated a woman, Patrizia Marie Schrag, 38, also was cited for lewd and disorderly conduct. The elder Coleman, 81, raised his son in New York City. He has since moved to Minnesota, and public records indicate he lives in St. Paul. Norm Coleman with his father, Norman Coleman Sr.Sen. Coleman issued a statement after learning of the citation against his father. "I love my father dearly," the senator said. "I do not condone his actions or behavior, and I am deeply disturbed by what I have learned. He clearly has some issues that need to be dealt with, and I will encourage him to seek the necessary help."

'Zombies' Terrorize Downtown Minneapolis

Six friends spruced up in fake blood and tattered clothing were arrested in downtown Minneapolis on suspicion of toting "simulated weapons of mass destruction."Jamie Lee JonesPolice said the group were allegedly carrying bags with wires sticking out, making it look like a bomb, while meandering and dancing to music as part of a "zombie dance party" Saturday night. "They were arrested for behavior that was suspicious and disturbing," said Lt. Gregory Reinhardt, a police spokesman. Police also said the group was uncooperative and intimidated people with their "ghoulish" makeup.Jessica Rae BaribeauOne group member said the "weapons" were actually backpacks modified to carry a homemade stereos and were jailed without reason. None of the six adults and one juvenile arrested have been charged.Jake Benjamin Sternberg"Given the circumstance of them being uncooperative ... why would you have those (bags) if not to intimidate people?" said Inspector Janee Harteau. "It's not a case of (police) overreacting."Christian Alexander UtneHarteau also said police were on high alert because they'd gotten a bulletin about men who wear clown makeup while attacking and robbing people in other states. Kate Kibby, one of those arrested, said previous zombie dance parties at the Mall of America and on light-rail trains have occurred without incident.Marie Katyanne KibbeLast fall, nearly 200 people took part in a "zombie pub crawl" in northeast Minneapolis. Kibby said they were cooperative and followed the two officers to the station where they were questioned and eventually loaded into a van and booked into jail.Raphi Rechitsky"It was clear to us that they were trying to get a rise out of us," KIbby said. Members of the group could face lesser charges like disorderly conduct, police said.

Ahmadinejad Stirs the Pot

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned that the conflict between Lebanon and Israel could trigger "a hurricane" of broader fighting in the Middle East. Ahmadinejad's nation is a major backer of the Hezbollah militant group and a sworn enemy of Israel. In his comments, he referred to a proverb that says: "He who raises the wind will get a hurricane." "That proverb fully relates to the Middle East, which is a very volatile region," he said. "And it will be a strong hurricane which will strike really hard." Ahmadinejad made his comments after meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov. The two leaders signed a joint statement declaring "that the use of force against Palestine and Lebanon is unacceptable." "All issues of international security must be resolved through dialogue, because force does not bring a solution," the Iranian leader said. "The use of force will only exacerbate the situation."Ahmadinejad and Rakhmonov called for a cease-fire and urged international organizations to seek the swiftest possible settlement of the conflict. Tajikistan is an impoverished but strategically important former Soviet republic because of its border with Afghanistan. Tajik and Iranian officials signed agreements Tuesday meant to boost trade and cooperation on cultural issues, labor, justice, and tourism. The Tajik language is similar to Farsi, Iran's main language.

Congressman Steve King Proposes 100 Percent Solution For Mexican Border

Rep. Steve King believes he has an answer to the United States' southern border security problems. During a hearing before two subcommittees of the Homeland Security and Government Reform Committee, King, R-Iowa, presented a model he created for a barrier that would follow the U.S.-Mexico border. While King said his proposal wouldn't be suitable for all terrain, sealing the border is the key to stopping the flow of undocumented workers and illegal drugs across the border. "I'm for expanding the border patrol and giving them all the technology that they need, but I'm for a 100 percent solution, one we can make a business case for," he said. The barrier would be constructed of 10-foot wide concrete panels placed in concrete foundations sunk 5 feet in the ground. The wall would stand 12 feet tall, with wire strung along the top that could be electrified.King, who owns a construction company, said the foundation and panels for the wall could easily be installed by workers at a pace of up to a mile per day, costing about $1.3 million per mile. The U.S.-Mexico border is more than 1,900 miles long. "You pick them up with a crane, lift them up and just drop them in," King said, demonstrating with a desktop model made of wood and cardboard. "In fairly short order, you'll end up with a wall that would be quite effective and relatively economical." After making four visits to the border this year, King said a wall would keep out illegal immigrants and drug traffickers. "I have been known to sit down there sometimes at 2:30 in the morning, listening to border patrol agents who will talk to me only in obscure places where their identity can be kept confidential," he said. "You will not stop this human traffic unless you put a physical presence and a wall there."

Terrorists Running Out Of Rockets

IDF Military Intelligence (MI) believes the army has 10 days left before diplomatic pressure puts an end to operation Change of Direction against Hizbullah, The Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday. In addition, MI - reflecting its latest strategic assessment - believes that the Islamist group has already been dealt a severe blow by the IDF operation launched 12 days ago, and that within a month it will run out of Katyusha rockets to fire at Israel. Hizbullah is organized along military lines, with regional commands in southern, northern and central Lebanon. The unit in the south, called the "Katyusha Unit" by the IDF, consists of some 1,000 fighters who have been responsible for most of the rocket attacks on communities north of Acre and Amiad. The unit has been able to recruit reserves, but MI has noticed that it has run into difficulty convincing members of the terror group who reside in northern Lebanon to travel south to participate in the fighting.Police officers stand next to a rocket removed from the site of an attack by Hizbullah guerrillas at the train station in HaifaOnce the unit exhausts the missiles currently in its possession, it will, MI believes, have difficulty acquiring more, since most of the roads and supply routes have been destroyed by the IDF. Several Syrian and Iranian attempts to send supplies to Hizbullah have been thwarted by the IDF. North of the Litani River, Hizbullah operates a unit called the "medium-range rocket unit" believed to be responsible for firing Katyushas at Haifa and Israel's northern coast. Most of that unit's missiles were supplied by Syria prior to the current conflict. This unit is also believed to have an arsenal of long-range rockets - Iranian-made Fajr 5 and Zelzal missiles capable of reaching targets 200 km. away. Hizbullah still has several functioning military command centers in different regions in Lebanon, according to MI assessments. Officials in these centers are still able to command Hizbullah's men in the field. Military Intelligence has set up a team to oversee targeted killings of Hizbullah officials, but the unit has had limited success. MI does not believe that killing Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah would necessarily end the conflict.MI believes that Hizbullah has been dealt a "critical blow" to its image in Lebanon and throughout the Arab world. Lebanese leaders blame Nasrallah for provoking Israel and "bringing a disaster upon their country," MI believes. Hizbullah also reportedly has three units charged with intelligence operations. One unit is in charge of espionage against Israel, including the recruitment of agents who gather intelligence on IDF bases and other strategic installations. A unit called "1800" is reportedly responsible for the recruitment of Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. There is also reportedly a third unit, in charge of counter-intelligence operations.

Non Negotiable

4 Killed In Attack In The Philippines

Rebels attacked a police station in a port town southeast of Manila before dawn Saturday, and at least three guerrillas and a coastguard officer were killed and seven others were wounded, officials said. About 80 new people's army guerrillas, arriving in land vehicles and motorboats, fired on officers at the police station and nearby coast guard office in the town of Matnog, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Manila, national police chief Oscar Calderon said.Government volunteer troops and a group of soldiers waiting for a ferry ride backed police in repulsing the assault, forcing the guerrillas to withdraw after a two-hour gunbattle, local army commander Brig. Gen. Arsenio Arugay said. At least three rebels and a coast guard officer were killed, he said. Calderon said a coast guard officer, five policemen and a civilian were wounded.

Jewish Men & Women lLeave Homelands To Join Israeli Military

On Friday, he sold his silver Pontiac. On Saturday, he left his Boca Raton apartment. Today, he expects to be in Israel, ready to take arms as a soldier. "I'm needed by my country," said Jonathan "Yoni" Charust, 22, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Israel. Israel has been engaged in a battle with Hamas and Hezbollah for more than a week. Israel has pounded Hezbollah targets in Lebanon while Hezbollah has lobbed rockets into northern Israeli cities. The numbers of foreign recruits may not be many, a few hundred in an Israeli Army that is estimated by the U.S. Department of Defense in published reports to have about 625,000 troops. Nevertheless, Jews from abroad leave their homes in the United States, Canada, England, South Africa and the Ukraine, among others, to come to Israel and serve. "They bring their hearts and minds, and we are proud and happy that they come to be part of our country," said Aaron Sagui, consul for political affairs at the Israeli consulate general's office in Miami.A New Jersey native, Charust's family moved to a suburb of Haifa when he was 8. Last year, he decided to take advantage of his dual citizenship and came back to the United States to work. He lived with an uncle in Tamarac for a few months and then rented a Boca Raton apartment. A computer technician, he returned to America to find prosperity and take a break from the daily tensions of living in the Middle East. The kidnapping of 19-year-old Israel soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas changed his plans. With one tour of duty in the Israeli military in his past, Charust said the kidnapping convinced him to serve again. He booked his flight about the same time he received a draft notice from the Israeli military. To serve in the Israeli military, the main requirement is to be a citizen -- all Jews are eligible for citizenship under the government's 1950 "Law of Return." Those who come from distant lands earn the same token pay as other soldiers -- just a few hundred dollars a month -- and eat the same hard bread, eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast in the mess hall. They all go through the same basic training. "They didn't come to save us," Sagui observed. "They are young guys who come to strengthen us."Assaf Regev lives on a kibbutz about a half hour from Haifa along with 20 other soldiers from abroad, including those from New York, South Africa and Europe. He left his home last year in unincorporated Miami-Dade County near Aventura to serve in an Israeli combat unit. Regev's grandmother survived Auschwitz. It helped shape his feelings of Israel's need for survival as a safety net for Jews. He said he grew up in a house that preached that the country was his Jewish homeland. "I love America and I will be going back, but this is a place I can always feel at home," he said, when reached by telephone in Israel. Last year, he graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in sports management. His plans to attend law school are now on hold. He said he has the respect of the Israelis in his unit, although he gets teased. "They say `what are you doing here? You're from Miami.' …This is the place that has saved the Jewish people. This is something that if I could do it, I should do it."Service in the Israel Defense Forces is mandatory for Israelis, the only exceptions made to those not physically or mentally well, or the ultra-orthodox if they prove that they are in school. Women serve two years; men serve three. Then, men are called about three weeks a year for exercise and training until age 40. And until age 40, they are in the reserves and can be called back for active duty any time during war. Because soldiers from abroad often immigrate at a later age, they often don't serve the full three years, Sagui said. Serving in the Israeli military does not mean Americans have to give up their citizenship. Two years ago, David Blum left his house in North Miami Beach to go on a 10-day tour to Israel. He found a new home instead. "I'm Jewish and if it wasn't for Israel there wouldn't be any Jews," he said from Israel. His military service, training recruits and engineering in combat situations, will be over in three months and at age 22 he plans to return and work in his father's lighting business in Hallandale Beach. When he joined the Israeli military, Blum said he didn't speak much Hebrew. Now he is fluent in the language, a requirement in the Army because it's the only language in which commands are given. Blum said he is proud of his decision. "I don't consider myself Israeli, I am Jewish, this is a Jewish country, this is my home, I'm going to protect my home."

Dutch Army Kills 18 Rebels In Afghanistan

At least 18 enemy combatants have been killed during a special operation by Dutch special forces in the Afghan province of Uruzgan, the commander of the Dutch armed forces general Dick Berlijn told reporters. In the last ten days the Dutch commandos, working with US troops, carried out an offensive operation after a “clear threat” against the Dutch army bases near Tarin Kowt and Deh Rawod in Uruzgan, Berlijn said.There were no Dutch casualties. The Dutch troops have been involved in several clashes in recent months while serving in the south-eastern province of Uruzgan, where a 400 to 500 strong Dutch contingent is deployed. In all there are around 1,000 Dutch soldiers in Afghanistan. The planned arrival of new troops that would bring the total to 1,400 in August as part of the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan.

Minnesota Governor Calls For Two-Year Ban On Drug Ads

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty went after what he called "silly" prescription drug ads, calling for a two-year moratorium while federal regulators toughen their oversight. "These advertisements in many instances are really ridiculous - in my opinion, silly," Pawlenty said at a Capitol news conference, poking fun at commercials for an impotence drug that shows a middle-aged man throwing a football through a tire swing.Minnesota Governor Tim PawlentyThe Republican Governor said the ads contain little useful information but lead consumers to misguided self-diagnosis. He blamed the ads for rising prescription drug costs. Pawlenty said he would support an outright ban if it would hold up in court. At the state level, he also proposed legislation allowing state employees to police drug advertising and requiring drug makers to report how much they spend on advertising in the state. Attorney General Mike Hatch - a Democrat who hopes to unseat Pawlenty this fall - said the proposal wouldn't do enough to cut drug costs. Regulating prices and expanding purchasing pools would lower costs more effectively than banning ads, Hatch said. He said Pawlenty didn't support a drug marketing disclosure bill that failed in the 2004 Legislature.Opposition also came from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which issued a statement saying a ban would make it harder for patients to learn about new drugs. The ads lead patients to ask doctors for sleep aids, constipation remedies and other drugs when measures such as regular bedtimes or more fiber, water and exercise might suffice, said Dr. David Luehr, president of the Minnesota Medical Association. "When patients see an ad that is more a brand than a cure, it gets in the way," he said.

Longer Fence on Mexican Border Debated

Lawmakers grappled with whether to build a fence along hundreds of miles on the nation's southern border, weighing combating illegal immigration against a costly barrier that alone might not stop migrants. Layered fencing stands on about 75 miles of the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, mostly in cities like San Diego, El Paso, Texas, and Nogales, Ariz. In an election year fixated on illegal immigration and border security, Congress is considering proposals to put fencing on up to 850 miles on the border, costing billions of dollars. "San Diego was a no-man's land when we built that fence,'' Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., told a House panel examining border barriers as a way to stem illegal immigration. He said immigrant gang-related murders, drug traffic and human smuggling have dropped dramatically since a fence just south of the city was built in 1996. "The fence did work,'' Hunter said. But Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, a former top U.S. Border Patrol official, said fencing could cost as much as $2.2 billion and might not be effective in all areas."There are, in my opinion, no one-size-fits-all solutions for border security,'' Reyes said. "I think it wastes money. I think it's not a good investment of taxpayer dollars.'' The Border Patrol last year arrested 1.2 million illegal immigrants who crossed into the United States at the Mexican border. But agents estimate that two or three migrants go undeterred for every one who is stopped. Border Patrol senior associate chief Kevin Stevens said fences have stopped, or at least slowed, illegal migrants. But he questioned whether fencing would be effective where there are natural barriers, like mountains or deserts. He wouldn't talk about specific plans to extend the fence to any length. "Can you look the American people in the eye and say this is needed? And that it's the most practical use of taxpayer dollars?'' asked Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md. "We need an appropriate mix,'' Stevens answered. "It's not about fencing. It's not about Border Patrol agents. It's not about technology. It's about all of those things.'' Critics said little will stop illegal immigration while jobs are so readily available for migrants. The Homeland Security Department recently began cracking down on employers who hire immigrants - many of whom work for cheaper wages and with fewer benefits. But the Bush administration is pushing Congress to approve a temporary worker program that would let illegal immigrants have some legal status.Conservative Republicans, particularly in the House, largely oppose such a program, which they view as giving amnesty to criminals. An estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already live in the United States. "As long as illegal immigrants can readily obtain employment in the United States, neither barriers nor increased staffing will discourage millions of impoverished people from crossing our borders annually,'' said T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council, a labor union that represents about 10,500 U.S. Border Patrol agents.

US Plans Missile Interceptors At Japan Base

Japan says the United States will start deploying missile interceptors at a key air force base in Japan. Japanese Foreign Ministry officials say its part of efforts to deal with the threat of North Korea's missile arsenal. The ministry says the US military will install surface-to-air interceptors at its Kadena Air Base on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa from September. It plans to make them partly operational by the end of the year. The deployment at Kadena, the largest US air base in the Asia-Pacific region, will be the first at a US facility in Japan.Japan says the timing of the deployment, soon after Pyongyang's test-firing of seven missiles on July 5, is a coincidence. The interceptors are designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles at their terminal phase, shortly before they reach their targets, by firing interceptor missiles at them. Japan plans to launch a satellite in September that will spy on neighbouring North Korea. It is believed the information-gathering satellite will be able to differentiate objects a metre or more in diameter. An official at Japan's Cabinet Satellite Intelligence Centre says it will be launched from southern Japan on September 10. Japan planned its spy satellite program following North Korea's 1998 launch of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

Turkey Providing Humanitarian Aid To Palestinians

Turkey sent 35 trucks carrying 630 tons of flour to the Palestinians on Tuesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. It was the first batch of humanitarian aid provided by the Turkish Red Crescent in Ankara, said the ministry in a statement, adding that the organization would provide a total of 10,000 tons of flour to the Palestinians. Turkey was working on sending urgent food aid worth 1 million U. S. dollars to the Palestinians through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the statement added. In addition, the Turkish non-governmental organizations were also exerting efforts to meet humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people, it said.Turkey would also donate 1 million dollars to the Palestinian people by the end of 2006 for the development of small and medium scale industries in the Palestinian territories, according to the statement. Humanitarian agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories as the Israeli army continued a three- week-old massive air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip to free an Israeli soldier kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen. Daily necessities and fuel were running out in the Gaza Strip as Israel shut down all Gaza border terminals after the 19-year- old tank gunner Gilad Shalit was captured on June 25.

Navy Exchanges Offer Fuel Alternatives

The Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM) has opened two new biodiesel fuel pumps at NEX gas stations at Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.The two Biodiesel 20 (B20) pumps are open seven days a week, offering the fuel for sale to the fleet and the general public. This B20 fuel is soy-based and made from a mixture of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent regular petroleum-based diesel.The Navy Exchange also operates alternative fuels at NEX Quarters K near the Pentagon, NEX Jacksonville, Fla., and NEX Mayport, Fla. These facilities offer alternative fuels to anyone who can enter the base.

Hezbollah Terrorist Sleeper Cell Suspected In U.S.

While many U.S. government officials are deeply concerned over Iran’s nuclear program, according to recent reports, investigations by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department revealed last May that the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah may be plotting attacks. These attacks may be launched by their sleeper cells in New York and several other US cities. According to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the Jewish organization B'nai B'rith, Hezbollah's largest headquarters outside of the Middle East is located in Toronto. In a national news story law-enforcement and intelligence officials were quoted as saying that though there is no imminent threat of any attacks, security has been stepped up after the reports of a meeting between Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and leaders of Hezbollah and other terror groups during his recent visit to Syria.The Iranian Mission to the United Nations in New York City is being kept under surveillance by federal and local intelligence officers, according to reporters. The New York City Police Department possesses one of the largest intelligence divisions in the world. Hezbollah, or God's Party, grew out of the Lebanese civil war in the early 1980s and quickly became the region's leading radical Islamic movement. Their primary goal was to drive Israeli and American troops out of Lebanon. For many years, Hezbollah was synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings. In 1983, militants who went on to join Hezbollah's ranks carried out a suicide bombing attack that killed 241 US marines in Beirut, which lead to President Ronald Reagan's withdrawal order for all US military peacekeepers. In May 2000 -- due to the success of the party's military arm -- one of its main aims was achieved. Israel's military was forced to end almost 20 years of occupation in southern Labanon. Hezbollah now serves as an inspiration to Palestinian factions fighting to liberate more territory. The party has embraced the Palestinian cause and has said publicly that it is ready to open a second front against Israel in support of the intifada.Hezbollah's political rhetoric's central theme is the total annihilation of the state of Israel. Its definition of Israeli occupation has also encompassed the idea that the whole of Palestine is occupied Muslim land and it has argued that Israel has no right to exist. Hezbollah's spiritual head Sheikh Fadlallah is close to Iranian government and is believed responsible for the vitriolic speeches of the Iranian president. Hezbollah is funded, armed and trained by the Iranians and given free reign by Syria's ruling Ba'athist Party. Its international network, according to terrorism analysts, is believed to include at least 15,000 operatives in cells in the US, Canada, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, most of Western Europe, Indonesia, Malaysia, and throughout Africa. Western intelligence sources estimate Hezbollah's annual budget to be approximately $400 million, including almost $100 million annually from Iran. Other sources of funding include Syria, charitable organizations, individual donations, legitimate business, and illegitimate businesses such as illegal arms trading, cigarette smuggling, currency counterfeiting, credit card fraud, theft, operating illegal telephone exchanges, and drug trafficking. Recently two men were convicted of running a criminal operation that helped to fund Hezbollah.Hezbollah's growing international terrorist activity has raised concerns that the terrorist group may be emerging as a more serious threat than previously considered. Its global terrorist reach has serious policy implications for Democratic countries. However, there are international organizations that continue to insist that Hezbollah is a legitimate political party in Lebanon and that it does not warrant the designation of "terrorist group."

The Useless United Nations Okays Sanctions On North Korea

North Korea said that it “totally rejects” a U.N. resolution imposing sanctions for its recent missile tests, and vowed to continue the launches to bolster its self-defense. North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Pak Gil Yon accused the U.N. Security Council of trying to isolate his country, known officially as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, or DPRK.“The delegation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea resolutely condemns the attempt of some countries to misuse the Security Council for the despicable political aim to isolate and put pressure on the DPRK and totally rejects the resolution which was adopted at the current meeting of the Security Council,” he said. The Korean People's Army “will go on with missile launch exercises as part of its efforts to bolster deterrent for self-defense in the future, too,” he said.

Israel Gives Syria Ultimatum

The London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Hayat reported that “Washington has information according to which Israel gave Damascus 72 hours to stop Hizbullah’s activity along the Lebanon-Israel border and bring about the release the two kidnapped IDF soldiers or it would launch an offensive with disastrous consequences.” The report said “a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation Israel may attack targets in the country.” Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that “the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria,” this despite the fact that the Bush administration has asked Israel to “refrain from any military activity that may result in civilian casualties.”The report also mentioned that President George W. Bush has repeatedly put much of the blame for the recent escalation on Syria. “It is no coincidence that the Hizbullah operation comes at a time when the international community is working to impose sanctions on Iran due to its nuclear program and settle the score with Syria by establishing an international court to try those behind the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri,” the Pentagon source said. According to the source, Hizbullah made the same mistake as Hamas when it did not predict the ramifications of its actions and ignored the regional and international changes since the fall of Saddam Hussein. The source said that Israel has indicated that it “will not end its military activity until a new situation is created that will prevent Syria and Iran from using terror organizations, such as Hamas and Hizbullah, to threaten its security.”

Venezuelan Governmant Halts Citgo Gas Shipments

Citgo Petroleum announced today it will stop distributing gasoline to nearly 1,800 independently owned stations in the US. The company, which is owned by the Venezuelan government, will stop selling gasoline in ten states by the end of March 2007. Currently, Citgo has to purchase 130,000 barrels of oil per day from outside sources to meet its service contracts. The company will now only sell to retailers the 750,000 barrels of oil it produces at its three US refineries.Hugo Chavez

Well, Do Tell...

Well do tell its hot over here on po me, the Sun God is angry.Now, about politics and the Middle East crisis. All Christians and those who profess to be a Christian should be watching what is going on in the Middle East conflict. The end of times, the end of days is at hand, see the book of Revelations and recall the War Of Armageddon (Har-Magedon) Rev:16:14-16, there is talk about the Bear, the Eagle,The Lion,The Dragon,and the Scarlet Whore,and those who take side with Israel will be destroyed at that great battle. Now, The Lion is England, The Bear is Russia,The Dragon is China,The Eagle is America, the scarlet whore is Rome and the catholic church, did I upset you,sorry 'bout that. I beg you to look at the symbolics names of those countries or their emblems or symbols. Look at where the war is being played out today, and just about thirty miles from the ancient city or plains of Megiddo in Israel where Egypt was defeated in Biblical times by the army of Israel. Now, don't think that I am right, I will not say that I am right, but I am trying to get you to think critically and to form your own ideas and opinions about these current events. I am saying to you do not let the world media make you think that those who are hell bent on destroying the world for some sick belief are right and just. If you look at the media spin with a blind eye and a closed mind you will come to believe that Israel is the bastard, they are occupies of Arab lands, well when I checked the Bible Israel have just as much right to the land as the Arabs,start with Genesis and come on down to the New Testament and Jesus, now you see that Israel is not a new kid on the block. The U.N said Israel's attacks against transportation infrastructure violate international law and is totally disproportionate, so did France,China and a few others. Now the March 11 2004 train bombing in Madrid,Spain by Muslim radicals killed over 200 people. The London train Bombing on July 12,2005 by Muslim radicals killed more than 100. The October 12,2002 bombing in Bali by Muslim radicals killed over 200, the Mumbai, India train bombing on July 11,2006, by Muslim radicals killed over 200. The theater shooting of over 100 innocent people watching a movie on March 11,2004 in Chechnya,Russia by Muslim radicals, the November 4,2005 riots, killing,looting, and burning of Paris,France by Muslim radicals,on August 7, 1998, the United States embassies in the East African capital cities of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya, were severely damaged in nearly simultaneous truck bomb attacks, by Muslim radicals, over 250 innocent people killed, the World Trade Center bombing on September 11, 2001 by Muslim radicals killed over 3000 innocent people, now tell me is Israel attack against Muslim radicals totally disproportionate. The Muslim radical came across the Gaza border,and the Lebanon border and killed several soldiers of Israel,and kidnapped three soldiers, and Israel did not say lets talk and negotiate and reach a compromise ,rather Israel attacked,and said there is no talking,,just whupping. More importantly, there are several attacks on the 11th of the month that should be taken into consideration, the World Trade Center, the Madrid train bombing, the bombing in India,the Chechnya shooting. There are dots to connect that show that they are all connected and it does not matter if Osama Bin Laden group or Hezbollah, or Hamas did it or not, they are all Muslims and share the same belief, if you are not a Muslim, you die, if you do not live in a cave or mud hut you die, if you do not bath and wash your clothes in a stream you die, if you do not use olive oil lamps to light your homes you die, if you do not use camel dung to heat your homes you die, if you do not ride a camel you die, if you do not cook your meals on a camp fire you die, if you watch MTV you die, if you watch ESPN you die, if you do not use a flush toilet and crap in a hole in the ground behind a bush and wipe with grass you die. Now, for Israel to step up and say enough is enough and lets roll with it,and start to waxing the boards of the terrorists,and taking it home to them, Israel is the devil incarnate, the bastard child and need to be spanked by the United Nation, I think not. I think every one should come on board and support Israel and give the people of Israel a hand for having heart, a hand for doing what the world should have done a long time ago, spank that butt and take it home to them, the terrotists .Now Israel is a coward, but who is hiding behind masks, staging weapons in school yards, hospitals, apartment buildings,caves, holes in the ground, and people places of business, and most of all in someone else country. Israel is right down front and in the open and is unmasked. Now last thing to show you how sick, depraved, and inter connected the Muslims are, check this out, one man in Lebanon, Fadi Haidar, 36, cleaning away broken glass at his appliance shop, which had an estimated $15,000 in damage from an Israeli bombing, said," Israel is our enemy and every Muslim must make a sacrifice. As time goes by, they will all realize that Sayyed Nasrallah, the leader and spokesman for Hezbollah is right and is working in the interest of Muslims all over the world". Is is in the interest of Muslims to kill innocent people all over the world?

Canada Backs Israeli Reprisals

Canada's conservative prime minister has backed Israeli reprisals in Lebanon against the Hizbullah terrorist structure. "I think Israel's response under the circumstances has been measured," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told reporters on his plane on the way to a summit meeting in Russia of the world's top industrialized nations.Canada and the United States are the only major countries who have openly supported Israel's actions in the Gaza area and in Lebanon. Britain abstained on a Security Council resolution condemning Israel for its incursion in Gaza. The United States vetoed the motion.

New Egyptian Press Law Restricts Free Speech

The Egyptian government should take a close look at its new law imposing curbs on what journalists can write about in that country, said State Department spokesman Sean McCormack at a briefing July 11. “It is essential to have a free press as part of the political dialogue within a country that is wrestling with issues of political as well as economic reform,” McCormack said. The law, which the Egyptian parliament passed July 10, imposes fines on members of the press who criticize the government.A last-minute intervention by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak removed a provision on prison terms for criticizing the financial integrity of public figures, but journalists still can be jailed for stories defaming Egyptian officials and foreign heads of state.“We are strong supporters of freedom of the press, in Egypt as well as elsewhere,” McCormack said.State Department spokesman Sean McCormackIn published reports, Joe Stork of Human Rights Watch, a nongovernmental organization, said, “Criticizing public officials should not be a criminal offense at all, much less one punishable by prison terms.” Twenty-five independent newspapers in Egypt went on strike July 9 to protest the proposed legislation. Several independent newspapers welcomed Mubarak’s intervention to change the legislation but vowed to continue fighting for additional changes that would eliminate the threat of prison sentences for journalists.

United States Plan For Cuba Upon Fidel Castro's Death

President Bush is ready to flood Cuba with U.S. cash, food and medicine within days of Fidel Castro's death, hoping to end Communist rule on the island, a government report by the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba. President Bush pledged $80 million to anti-Castro groups over the next two years, followed by millions more in cash and aid once the Cuban leader is dead or incapacitated, the report said. It comes on top of $9 million the government spent on Cuba in 2005."We are offering support for the efforts of Cubans to prepare for the day when they will recover their sovereignty and can select a government of their choosing through free and fair multiparty elections," said Secretary of State Rice. The report outlines a media strategy and assistance program aimed at thwarting a Communist successor or followers of influential leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez from continuing the legacy of Castro, who turns 80 next month. "This critical 180-day period [after Castro's control ends] could mean the difference between a successful transition and the stumbles and missteps that slowed other states as they moved toward democracy," the report says.

Al Qaeda Behind India Rail Bombings?

The expert orchestration of terrorist strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai local trains on July 11 carry the signature of Al Qaeda, which has been carrying on an anti-India campaign since US President George W Bush's visit to India in March this year. Since that time, Al Qaeda has been talking of a Crusader-Jewish-Hindu conspiracy against Islam. Osama bin Laden highlighted this in his April 23 message. While there is no reason to believe that the terrorist strikes of July 11 might have been carried out by the Arab members of Al Qaeda, the inspiration and planning are likely to have come from the group. The execution could have been through Al Qaeda's surrogates -- Lashkar-e-Tayiba, other Pakistani members of the Al Qaeda-led International Islamic Front, members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India or the followers of Dawood Ibrahim.Pakistani media had reported last month that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence had re-located Dawood in the tribal areas near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Bin Laden and his second in line of command Ayman al-Zawahiri operate from the same area. Since 9/11, Al Qaeda has been targeting tourist spots (Bali, Mombasa, Casablanca and Istanbul) as well as means of transport (Madrid and London). Therefore, Al Qaeda's inspiration behind terrorist strikes on July 11 is a strong possibility.

Japan Considers Attacking North Korea Missiles

Japan wants the power to launch a pre-emptive strike against weapons bases in North Korea, political leaders in Tokyo said yesterday, even as the United States argued that diplomacy could defuse the threat from Pyongyang. Among those pushing to "deepen the discussion" on pre-emptive strikes was the man most likely to become prime minister in September, Shinzo Abe, one of Japan's most popular politicians. "There is the view that attacking the launch base of the guided missiles is within the constitutional right of self-defence. We need to deepen the discussion," said Mr Abe, who, as the Chief Cabinet Secretary, is the main Government spokesman. Also making the case for pre-emptive strikes was the Director-General of Defence, Fukushiro Nukaga, who said that Japan should be able to launch an attack if an enemy "puts a finger on the trigger of a gun". Foreign Minister Taro Aso said that if missiles targeted Japan, "we do not have an option of doing nothing until we suffer damage".Meanwhile, China sent a delegation to Pyongyang that was led by Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu and included Beijing's top nuclear negotiator. South Korea, which says it now wants to add defensive long-range cruise missiles to its arsenal, was hopeful that three days of scheduled talks on economic co-operation with the North, due to start today, would go ahead. In telephone talks yesterday between Mr Aso and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the pair said there needed to be a "resolute message on North Korea's missile launches", according to officials. The chief US nuclear negotiator, Christopher Hill, in Tokyo after making urgent visits to Beijing and Seoul, argued for a unified diplomatic effort. "We want to make it very clear that we are all … speaking with one voice on this provocative action by the North Koreans to launch missiles of all shapes and sizes," Mr Hill said. Yesterday Japan backed off its plan to push for a vote on sanctions at the United Nations. The resolution is opposed by China and Russia, which both have veto power. "The Vice-Minister of China is going to North Korea to persuade them. Under such circumstances, there is no need to insist on a vote," Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.The resolution, drafted by Japan, calls on Pyongyang to "cease the development, testing, deployment and proliferation of ballistic missiles" and to recommit to a moratorium on launches. It also calls on Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks without conditions and cease all "nuclear-related activities". The talks, hosted by China, involve the US, Russia, Japan and South and North Korea, but they have been stalled for eight months. Japan also stepped up its lobbying of Russia over the contents of a statement from the G8 ahead of a meeting on July 15 in St Petersburg, said Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka. Washington's Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Nicholas Burns, said it would take time for the diplomatic coalition created to deal with North Korea to be effective. "Diplomacy can't be measured in a snapshot," Mr Burns said. "We have not given up on this quest to end these negotiations with North Korea back into a place where they can no longer be a threat to their neighbours or to the United States."

North Korea Ready For 'All-Out War'

Kim Jong-il, silent and hidden since North Korea's multiple missile tests on Wednesday, has apparently broken cover to threaten the US with "retaliation for retaliation, all-out war with all-out war". The reclusive dictator's fighting words against the "US imperialistic aggressors" were quoted in a radio editorial broadcast yesterday by the Korean Central Broadcasting Agency. "Kim announced a heroic DPRK position, in which it promised to answer to an enemy's retaliation with retaliation and to an all-out war with an all-out war," the broadcast said, referringto the nation's official title, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "That is not empty words." Without saying where or when he spoke, KCBA quoted Mr Kim boasting he had "handed out a massive blow to (the Americans) with a declaration that theyshould not hope for any change from me".The Kim statement came as Japan pressed for an early UN Security Council vote on sanctioning North Korea today, hoping to isolate China and, though it seemed unlikely to succeed, to embarrass Beijing into withholding its veto. "To compromise because of one country which has veto power, even though most other countries support us, sends the wrong message," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro said on national television yesterday. "We can't alter our stance." Mr Aso said Japan, a non-permanent Security Council member that formulated the anti-North Korean resolution backed by the US, wanted a vote as quickly as possible and hoped to get one today, New York time. Mr Aso spoke to his counterparts in Beijing and Moscow, which Japanese officials said gave them hope Russia would abstain. The Chinese gave no indication of changing their view that further isolating Pyongyang would be counterproductive, even dangerous.The Security Council has 15 members but a 13-1 vote in favour of Japan's resolution would be lost because China holds one of five permanent-member vetos. But Mr Aso claimed in another interview yesterday that Beijing would not want the embarrassment of being the lone council member opposed to disciplining Pyongyang. "China will be backed into a corner, it's only common sense not to do that." Japan's Chapter 7 resolution is concentrated on sanctioning international assistance to North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programs and WMD exports to other regimes. Japan has imposed trade and travel restrictions, the US is pressuring third nations to clamp down on Pyongyang's foreign banking access and South Korea claims it will suspend aid shipments while the crisis continued. However, senior Chinese officials told visiting Japanese politicians at the weekend they were focusing direct diplomatic pressure on the North. State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan told the MPs that China's "grave view" would be conveyed to Pyongyang during a visit by Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, starting today.It was not known whether China had imposed temporary restrictions on North Korean trade, as it did after the regime's previous long-range missile test, in August 1998. A report from a northern Chinese frontier town of a sharp slowing of trucking across the border is generally thought to be inconclusive. However, China and the US and Japan are not completely at odds over dealing with the North. Assistant Secretary of State and US special envoy on North Korea Christopher Hill has endorsed a Chinese proposal that if the North Koreans returned to six-party talks they have boycotted since November the US would agree to a face-to-face meeting on missiles on the sidelines. Washington has rejected Pyongyang's demands for bilateral negotiations over missiles, or anything else, and yesterday Mr Hill again refused the regime's demand that the US withdraw foreign banking sanctions before it came back to the six-party negotiations.

Ahmadinejad Makes Threats Of Muslim Revenge

Iran’s hard-line president warned yesterday that continued Israeli strikes against Palestinians could lead to an Islamic "explosion" targeting Israel and its Western supporters. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital, Tehran, to condemn the strikes in the Gaza Strip that Israel’s supporters could be the target of revenge by Muslims."They should not let things reach a point where an explosion occurs in the Islamic world," he said. "If an explosion occurs, then it won’t be limited to geographical boundaries. It will also burn all those who created" Israel "over the past 60 years," he said. Ahmadinejad once again questioned Israel’s right to exist. "This is a fake regime. ... It won’t be able to survive. I think the only way" forward "is that those who created it" the West "take it away themselves," he said.

North Korea Announces New Development

North Korea announced a scientific breakthrough, and it had nothing to do with the missile tests that startled the world this week. Researchers developed a new cosmetic agent to make skin supple, state-run media boasted. ``They analyzed in a scientific way why the hand skin of those who are making bean paste is smooth and fair,'' state news agency KCNA reported. Armed with the data, scientists made an agent that helps fight wrinkles and lightens moles and freckles, it said.Bean paste is a staple of Korean cooking, and the North Korean scientists who designed the cosmetic agent might be onto something because beans are used in some skin care products around the world. However, few North Koreans other than the elite get enough to eat let alone have the income to splurge on beauty products.

Attack On Pearl Harbor, The Next Generation (Almost)

A North Korean missile launched on Wednesday was aimed at an area of the ocean close to Hawaii, a Japanese newspaper reported. Experts estimated the Taepodong-2 ballistic missile to have a range of up to 6,000 km, putting Alaska within its reach. Wednesday's launch apparently failed shortly after take-off and the missile landed in the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan, a few hundred kilometres from the launch pad.But data from U.S. and Japanese Aegis radar-equipped destroyers and surveillance aircraft on the missile's angle of take-off and altitude indicated that it was heading for waters near Hawaii, the Sankei Shimbun reported, citing multiple sources in the United States and Japan. North Korea may have targeted Hawaii to show the United States that it was capable of landing a missile there, or because it is home to the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific fleet, the paper said. An alternative explanation might be that a missile could accidentally hit land if fired towards Alaska, the report said. A separate report in the Mainichi Shimbun daily cited U.S. and Japanese government officials as saying a piece of the Taepodong-2 missile fell off immediately after take-off, strengthening the view that the launch was a failure.

Sony Casues White Riot

Sony have responded to the ill-advised PSP adverts (detailed here) currently shown on billboards in the Netherlands. The billboard posters are advertising the white PSP and show a white lady aggressively dominating a black lady. Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony have been quick to deny the racist claims that are currently circulating around the net.A variety of different treatments have been created as a campaign to either highlight the whiteness of the new model or contrast the black and the white models. Central to this campaign has been the creation of some stunningly photographed imagery, that has been used on large billboards throughout Holland." Apparently, the adverts have not appeared in the U.S and will not be making their way to British shores.

Explosion In China Kills At Least 30 People

An explosion killed at least 30 people in a northern Chinese province, a government news agency reported early Friday. The explosion in Shanxi province also injured six people, the Xinhua News Agency said. It didn't give any other details. But Shanxi is a major coal-producing area, and frequently suffers fatal accidents blamed on improperly stored explosives for mining.

More North Korea Rockets Ready

North Korea has three or four more missiles on launch pads, South Korean media reported Thursday, while Japan said there was no sign the communist state was planning another immediate launch of a long-range rocket. Chosun Ilbo, one of South Korea's largest newspapers, said the missiles the North were preparing were either short- or medium-range. The paper cited an unidentified senior South Korean official. Another major newspaper, JoongAng Ilbo, carried a similar report. "There is a possibility that North Korea will fire additional missiles," Yonhap news agency quoted South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung as telling lawmakers. North Korea test-fired seven missiles on Wednesday, triggering international condemnation. The missiles apparently fell into the sea without causing damage or injuries.Shinzo Abe, the chief Cabinet secretary, told reporters in Tokyo that North Korea does not appear to have any of the long-range ballistic missiles ready for imminent launch, but said he could not rule out the possibility that one could be test-fired at a later point. The North's Taepodong-2 missile is believed capable or reaching the United States with a light payload. A test of the missile Wednesday failed seconds after launch. "We will keep watching the situation very closely," he said. "They are not prepared to launch another one right now."In this satellite photograph taken at night above the Korean peninsula, you can make out several white splotches. Those are cities... as in streetlights... as in electricity. All of them are below the border in South Korea. And what about that dark area above the dividing line? Let's just say that North Koreans save a load of money on their utility bills.

Anger As North Korea Launches Missile

North Korea has test-fired at least six missiles into the Sea of Japan, prompting strong protests from several countries. One of the missiles was the long-range Taepodong 2 capable of hitting US soil, But that one failed shortly after take-off. The US says it is urgently consulting the UN Security Council.The White House said the country had further isolated itself from the international community with the tests. The launch was described as a "provocative act", by the US ambassador to Japan. South Korea has called an emergency cabinet meeting, and Japan says the launch of the missiles is a grave move for peace. Japan has said it will consider economic sanctions against North Korea and wants to take the country to the UN Security Council.

US Shrugs Off North Korea's Nuclear Strike Threat

The White House has dismissed North Korea's threat of a nuclear strike in the event of a US attack as "deeply hypothetical" and urged Pyongyang to rejoin nuclear negotiations. North Korea vowed yesterday to counter any strike by the United States with its "mighty nuclear deterrent", accusing Washington of raising tension on the Korean peninsula. "It is a statement about what may happen if something that hasn't happened, happened, if you follow my drift. It is still deeply hypothetical," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. North Korea has since November boycotted six-nation talks on ending its atomic drive, saying it will only come back to the table after the US lifts financial sanctions. "The strong preference of the United States and the other parties to the six-party talks, other than North Korea, is for North Korea to rejoin the talks, to sit down at the table," said Mr Snow. The negotiations involve the two Koreas, Japan, Russia, the United States and China.WINK WINKEchoing the White House's stance, the State Department said the United States had no plans to launch an attack on North Korea. "As the President and the Secretary (of State) have made clear, the United States has no intention of invading or attacking North Korea," said Julie Reside, a State Department spokeswoman. In a joint declaration brokered in September 2005, North Korea agreed in principle to end its atomic weapons program in return for security and diplomatic guarantees and critical energy aid. The six-party talks were suspended last November when Washington rejected Pyongyang's demand for the removal of US sanctions imposed on a Macao-based bank for allegedly distributing counterfeit US dollars and laundering money for the Stalinist state.

Illegal Status Hinders Mexican Voting Bloc

A potentially powerful expatriate voting bloc likely will have little effect on Mexico's presidential race because of the illegal status of many who live in the United States. Thousands of Mexican expatriates streamed into border towns Sunday to vote in their homeland's elections and others were allowed to cast absentee ballots for the first time. Still, many more were disenfranchised by their fear of crossing the border as undocumented residents. "I really wanted to vote, but I don't have papers so I couldn't go to Mexico" to get a voter card, said Adriana Lopez, 27, a housewife and illegal immigrant in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. Still, others expressed hope that more would participate next time. "The main thing is, the door has been opened" for expatriates to vote, Jesus Hernandez, 47, one of only 13,500 Mexicans in California who sent in ballots. "Later, we can reconstruct the procedures to make it easier in the future."Mexico's presidential candidates: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Felipe Calderon and Roberto MadrazoWhen Mexico's congress passed a law last year extending suffrage to expatriates, Mexicans in the U.S. hailed it as overdue recognition of the billions of dollars they send home every year. Their elation faded, however, when they learned that voters would need a current electoral card, and that the application deadline was nearly six months before the election. Furthermore, anyone needing a new card had to apply in Mexico - a risky chore for an illegal immigrant. "They couldn't go to Tijuana to get their voting card ... so now they can't vote here or there," said Eduardo Ruiz, president of the Los Angeles-based Federacion de Aguas Calientes, which organized weekly trips to Tijuana last year to help people apply. Of the estimated 4.2 million eligible Mexican voters living abroad, only about 41,000, or 1 percent, requested absentee ballots. Mexicans said the new president could play a vital role in helping millions of undocumented workers obtain legal residency. Outgoing President Vicente Fox traveled to the United States in recent months to encourage Congress to reform immigration policy. "It's important for the new president to fight for rights for Mexicans in this country," said Araceli Rodriguez, of Florida City, Fla., who voted with an absentee ballot. "We're always fighting hard to make it, but we've been living under more pressure, more strain." Some expatriates argue that more could be done to help them vote."If they really wanted us to vote, they would let us do it at a consulate," said Gustino Fermin, 47, who said he didn't have time to return to Mexico for a voting card. Patricio Ballados, expatriate vote coordinator for Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute, said the agency would consider recommending to Congress that Mexican nationals be allowed to renew their voting cards at consulates. Apathy also is an issue. Some said that they came to the United States because Mexican governments has failed to create economic opportunities at home, and that they didn't see that changing anytime soon. "No matter who they elect, the corruption will continue," said Amelia Juantes, 23, who didn't even attempt to get an absentee ballot.

Hamas Targets Schools

Hamas's armed wing threatened to attack Israeli schools, institutions and power plants if Israel, pursuing a military campaign to free a soldier, continued its air strikes against infrastructure in Gaza. "If they continue with these attacks we will strike similar targets in the Zionist Occupation which we have not targeted until now," said Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the armed wing of the Palestinian militant movement. Israel has launched air strikes against Gaza's main power plant and road bridges as part of an offensive launched last week to free Corporal Gilad Shalit, who was snatched by gunmen including members of Hamas, in a cross-border raid.Israeli air strikes on Sunday wrecked the office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader, and also hit a Hamas school. The army said it had not targeted the school and had meant to hit a nearby building used by Hamas. There have been few casualties. "If the Occupation continues aggression and terrorism against our people ... It will drag the region into a sea of blood and the consequences will be terrible. We still have many options," said Abu Ubaida. Hamas was behind a bombing at Israel's Hebrew University in Jerusalem in July 2002 that killed nine people, including Israelis and foreigners. President Mahmoud Abbas said while assessing the damage at Haniyeh’s wrecked office, "the world must understand that this is a dirty, criminal act," Abbas said. Haniyeh, for his part, told Reuters on an inspection tour of his office "This is the policy of the jungle and arrogance. Nothing will affect our spirit and nothing will affect our steadfastness."

Support For The Pendleton Eight

Below is a blog regarding the fundrasing efforts on behalf of Lance Cpl Jerry Shumate currently being held, with six other Marines and 1 Navy Medic, at Camp Pendleton in connection with the Al-Hamdania incident. Whether, you support the war or not, surely you believe an accused should have the access to the best defense possible. The families caught up in this situation aren't prominent. They aren't rich. They are just average folks caught up in a complex situation where often only the sophisticated, the well connected, the rich can be assured a fair shake.

Israeli Warplanes Hit Palestinian Prime Minister's Office

An Israeli helicopter gunship fired a missile at the Gaza City office of Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh early on Sunday, setting it alight, witnesses said. They said Haniyeh, a top official of the ruling Islamist militant party Hamas, was not believed to be in the office at the time. An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed the air force targeted Haniyeh's office.Ismail Haniyeh Minutes later, another Israeli missile hit a Al-Arqam School in Gaza, which was founded by the late Hamas founder, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, witnesses said. There were no reports of casualties in either air strikes.Israel sent troops and tanks into the Gaza Strip after Palestinian gunmen snatched one of its soldiers in a cross-border raid last Sunday. Civilian infrastructure and facilities used by the Palestinian government have also be targeted in air strikes.

2 Years For Blasphemy

The Central Jakarta Court sentenced Lia Aminuddin, or Lia Eden, the leader of the religious sect God's Kingdom of Eden, to two years in prison for blasphemy. Prosecutors had been seeking a five-year sentence. The panel of judges hearing the case said Lia was guilty of blasphemy for introducing her own version of religious teachings to her followers, The Jakarta Post online news reported. Judge Lief Sufijullah, however, said Lia was not guilty of the other charges brought against her, including spreading hatred and disseminating "illegal" beliefs to others."Anyone can practice his/her own religion, but they cannot blaspheme other religions," Ridwan Mansyur, another judge on the panel, was quoted as saying after the court hearing. Lia, who was born in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Aug. 21, 1947, has proclaimed herself the angel Gabriel. In 1998, she proclaimed herself Imam Mahdi -- a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad who, according to prophecy, will come to Earth during its last days to bring peace and justice to the world. In 2000, God's Kingdom of Eden proclaimed Salamullah as a new religion. Salamullah teaches that Muhammad was the last prophet but also teaches that other holy figures, such as Buddha, Jesus Christ and Kwan Im, the Chinese goddess of mercy, will be reincarnated. Since 2003 the group has taken to perennial philosophy -- the belief that a universal set of truths common to all people and cultures exits. The group now goes by the name of Kaum Eden (The Edenists).

Alice Cooper Tastes The Twin Cities

Taste of Minnesota, the festival that rebukes hip-hop acts for not being family-friendly, kicked off Friday night in St. Paul with a gory, gimmicky set by heavy metal's original shocker, Alice Cooper.So much for the Tastefulness. Among the cutout-bin lineup of classic-rockers that take over Harriet Island every year, though, Cooper, 58, actually offered decent marquee value. It had been several years since he performed in the Twin Cities. And though he has been turned down by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the showman's influence is still being felt today in made-up metal acts such as Marilyn Manson, Slipknot and Rob Zombie.
Of course, Cooper's Vincent Price-worthy stage show -- with the guillotine, giant snake, fake blood, etc. -- is pretty tame by today's standards. Corny might be a better word. But that didn't stop the crowd from eating up the routine, which started with "Welcome to My Nightmare" and ended with a Paris Hilton spoof featuring Alice's daughter.Cooper wound up tossing the faux Ms. Hilton's pet Chihuahua through the air with a hard thud. At least he didn't bite its head off. Musically, though, Cooper's hits stood up very well. With a young, capable band that edged on thrash-metal at times, his 90-minute show was laced with '70s radio staples that sounded less dated than a lot of the '80s tunes played on classic rock radio: "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Billion Dollar Babies" at the start, "School's Out" and "Only Women Bleed" toward the end and -- best of all -- "Under My Wheels" as the finale.The crowd of 10,000 or so clearly was an Alice audience. That was obvious when fans with smeared black mascara started camping out near the stage hours before his 7 p.m. start time.Thanks to a booking that seemed as nonsensical as the math for getting a beer (eight tickets for $5, seven tickets per beer ... !!), these fans had to sit through the 5 p.m. set by Gary Wright of "Dream Weaver" fame.You know, the hippie-dippy song mocked in "Wayne's World" that still gives synthesizers a bad name. He played it and others like it. Suffice to say, you haven't really experienced Taste until you've seen a bunch of peeved Alice Cooper fans sitting through "Dream Weaver."