News – Insert Title Here (1/2)

Due to immediate work, I haven’t the focus to come up with a proper title. Bah.

Iraq

A second Al Arabiya journalist dies of wounds after US forces shot up their car at a checkpoint that day. The Guardian article enters an interesting tidbit. Ahmed Abdul Amiya, driver of the Al-Arabiya car said “I stopped in front of the checkpoint and then I saw another car coming fast towards it and I thought it was going to explode. I tried to race away … and then the Americans started firing at random. They hit the first car and then they started shooting at our car.” There has been no statement from the US military or CPA.

In a surprise visit to Baghdad, Colin Powell hails the Iraq war. says something about not fearing his chemical arsenal, wherever that is. I’m sure the soldiers there are worried about anything but Saddam’s chemical arsenal.

More stories from Iraq, one year later. Interviews with those who were involved in the toppling of the statue in Firdous Square.

Voices on Iraq also come sin strong with a bevy of new interviews. Focusing on those they interviewed in the run up to the war in 2003. Yasser Alaskary of the Iraqi Prospect Organisation, Nuri Jacob, a former Iraqi Civil Servant who emigrated from Iraq to the UK in 1979, Ken Nichols O’Keefe, a Gulf War vet and anti-war protestor who organized the Human Shield action in Iraq before the war and so on.

Israel/Palestine

Sources say that Jordan’s King Abdullah flew in secret to meet with Sharon on concerns over the wall and the plan to withdraw from Gaza.

Seems organizations are working to buy up properties owned by Palestinians in east Jerusalem and move them out to move Jews in. The sale highlighted in this article is quite shady, as is the means by which they moved out the Palestinian residents. Coming in the night, drilling through locks and ushering them out while armed. There are allegations that the government is a part to it and the courts generally rule for Jews over Palestinians over properly claims. It’s just another mess in this sticky situation.

Pakistan

Pakistani forces near the Afghanistan border have hemmed in and are besieging a group of militants. There is talk that Osama’s #2 man is with them. I’ve also heard talk that captured militants have confirmed this and that he’s wounded. Due to the level of resistance, they think they have something big. I suppose we’ll see eventually, once the artillery is silent.

In the UK, exhibitionism is called dogging. And it’s becoming quite the recent fad, assisted by technology. Obviously this sort of anonymous sex can be quite dangerous when one considers the STD angle.

Taiwan

President Chen Shui-bian survived an assassination attempt, taking a bullet wound to the stomach. Vice President Annette Lu was also struck with a leg wound. Both are recovering and there is no plan to postpone the Saturday election.

Spain

Lets take a closer look at Zapatero’s ultimatum on the troops. It isn’t so bad as everyone makes it out to be, really.

The state of Socialism in Spain and Europe. Would this be hybrid socialism now?

A big, complex muse about the Spain bombings that dips back into history. Was the bombing all about Iraq? Who can say?

Bush keeps calling for unity in the war on Terrorism. Rather than going to the new Spanish government for an open and honest meeting on their concerns as a good leader would, he makes a big statement likening anything but his path to appeasement of the terrorists.

Continuing the look at the Perverted Justice site and their activities, we have an article with one man who has had a run in with them. This is very interesting.. obviously there is little sympathy one can have for a true pedophile, but what if a man thinks he’s role-playing with another adult? This group’s aggressive tactics and quick action could go wrong and have very serious repercussions in the lives of others.

If you’re against Bush, you’re against America. That’s Cheney’s message and the message of the administration, constantly slid into speeches through talented wordplay.

Bush attacks Kerry.

Dallas police put down an escaped gorilla that injured three people at the Dallas Zoo.

The FCC is starting to crack down directly on media profanity.

Liquid Cocaine was found in a can of orange juice. About $40,000 street value in a can of “Grace Fruit Drink”. If it smells funny, beware.

Scuttlebutt about Cheney’s Vietnam deferments. Draw your own conclusions. Personally, I find it interesting but not worth much of my time.