July 19, 2005 5:30 PM. TS Eugene in the Pacific and Hurricane Emily in the Gulf.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Mission Control, We Have Lift Off
Google Celebrates Apollo
Visit the moon. Literally. See what the rocks under the astronauts feet look like. Google out Googles everyone again !!
The Chronic Dilemma. Are naked bodies art? This is living performance in China. Caption: A total of 41 male and female students from the Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts arranged their naked bodies into a @ shape April 13, 2005. The moved asserted to be the art of behavior stirs hot debate among the public. [baidu]
Morning Papers - It's Origins
Rooster "Cock-A-Doodle-Due"
"Okeydoke"
The Boston Globe
Bush seems to shift on his grounds for dismissalCIA case 'crime' is now criterionBy Rick Klein and Susan Milligan, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
WASHINGTON -- President Bush vowed yesterday to fire anyone in his administration who is found to have ''committed a crime" involving the disclosure of a former covert CIA agent's name, seemingly redefining the grounds for dismissal the White House had pledged when the case erupted in 2003.
''If someone committed a crime, they will no longer be in my administration," Bush said, answering a question about whether his deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove, should be fired if he is found to have leaked the identity of a former CIA operative, Valerie Plame. The leaking of information about Plame, who is married to a White House critic and a former ambassador, Joseph C. Wilson IV, is being investigated by a federal grand jury.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/07/19/bush_seems_to_shift_on_his_grounds_for_dismissal/
Bay State recovery spurs bill for tax cutReduction hangs on local aid hikeBy Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
With state tax revenues soaring, lawmakers on Beacon Hill are advancing a proposal to lower the Massachusetts income tax rate, if state spending is restored to levels last seen before the fiscal crisis began three years ago.
The Senate unanimously approved a Republican measure Thursday that would trigger a series of income tax rate reductions to lower the rate to 5 percent from 5.3 percent, but only if state spending on education and municipal services reaches 2002 levels. The fiscal crisis prompted lawmakers to slash funding that year.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/07/19/bay_state_recovery_spurs_bill_for_tax_cut/
AG blocks petition to repeal stem-cell lawCites legislation's religious wordingBy Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly yesterday stopped a proposed initiative petition aimed at repealing the state's new embryonic stem-cell research law, citing a provision that allows medical workers to opt out of the research for religious reasons.
Reilly said that the state Constitution, as well as a series of high court rulings, stated that any law that relates distinctively to religion cannot go before the voters. The new law encourages embryonic stem-cell research in Massachusetts, but exempts medical staff with ''sincerely-held religious practices or beliefs" from the work.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/07/19/ag_blocks_petition_to_repeal_stem_cell_law/
The Arab News
Turki Calls for Even-Handed ME SolutionP.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — Saudi Arabia has called upon world community to find a just, lasting and comprehensive Middle East peace settlement based on the principles of international legitimacy and responsibility as well as justice and even-handedness.
Addressing a conference organized by the Next Century Foundation at the Houses of Parliament in London, Saudi Ambassador Prince Turki Al-Faisal also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s unwavering support for the Palestinians.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67220&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Greater Cooperation Needed to Fight Iraq Violence: NaifArab News
A man shot dead is seen in the front seat of a car as a policeman clears people away from the scene in Baghdad. (Reuters) ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD, 20 July 2005 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday sought greater cooperation and coordination among Iraq’s neighbors, saying not enough was being done to prevent growing violence and terrorist attacks in the war-torn country.
Addressing a meeting in Istanbul of interior ministers from countries neighboring Iraq, Prince Naif stressed the importance of exchanging information, monitoring borders and drying up financial sources of terrorists.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67215&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Tony Blair Hosts Summit of Muslims at Downing StreetMushtak Parker, Arab News LONDON, 20 July 2005 — As British Prime Minister Tony Blair, flanked by opposition leaders Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy, hosted a summit of British Muslim leaders at No. 10 Downing Street yesterday, the battle for the “hearts and minds” of young British Muslims continues in the aftermath of the London bombings, which have now claimed their 56th fatality.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67216&d=20&m=7&y=2005
‘People Must Take Action to Help Our Kids’Razan Baker, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — To embarrass or beat a child in public has become a frequent affair. Every society wishes for a mentally and physically healthy young population but not all work toward its achievement. Though these incidents can be very disturbing to witness, many choose to watch in silence.
“People must take action and advise each other in order to help our children. This is essential if we want our young to acquire self-esteem and confidence,” said Dr. Malak Saber, a specialist in education and head of the Arts & Humanities Department at the College of Education for Girls in Jeddah.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67221&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Is Health Insurance a Scam?
Razan Baker, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — The number of people who buy health insurance is growing. Whether private or public, there is a deep divide between those who are for it and those who claim it is no more than a scam.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67222&d=20&m=7&y=2005&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
Michael Moore Today
YEAH, ANOTHER WHITE GUY.
Bush Nominates Roberts for Supreme Court By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush named federal appeals judge John G. Roberts Jr. to fill the first Supreme Court vacancy in a decade on Tuesday, delighting Republicans and unsettling Democrats by picking a young jurist of impeccably conservative credentials. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, the 50-year-old Roberts would succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, long a swing vote on a court divided over abortion, affirmative action, states' rights and more.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/scotus_bush
John Roberts Nominated to: Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
Status of nomination: Confirmed 5/8/2003 May 8, 2003: The Committee voted out Roberts 16-3.
http://www.independentjudiciary.com/nominees/nominee.cfm?NomineeID=5
CIA Agents' Open Letter to U.S. Senate and House
CrooksAndLiars.com
18 July 2005
AN OPEN STATEMENT TO THE LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE.
The Honorable Dennis Hastert, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Dr. William Frist, Majority Leader of the Senate
The Honorable Harry Reid, Minority Leader of the Senate
We, the undersigned former U.S. intelligence officers are concerned with the tone and substance of the public debate over the ongoing Department of Justice investigation into who leaked the name of Valerie Plame, wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson IV, to syndicated columnist Robert Novak and other members of the media, which exposed her status as an undercover CIA officer. The disclosure of Ms. Plame’s name was a shameful event in American history and, in our professional judgment, may have damaged U.S. national security and poses a threat to the ability of U.S. intelligence gathering using human sources. Any breach of the code of confidentiality and cover weakens the overall fabric of intelligence, and, directly or indirectly, jeopardizes the work and safety of intelligence workers and their sources.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3391
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. This afternoon the President will welcome and congratulate the 2003 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils to the White House. Later this afternoon, the President looks forward to meeting with congregational rabbis. This is the Jewish high holy days, and it is a time for prayer and reflection in the Jewish community. Today's meeting is part of the President's ongoing commitment to reaching out to faith-based leaders who make our nation stronger. So the President looks forward to that meeting.
And then, following that meeting, the President looks forward to signing the Do Not Call legislation, which affirms the FTC's authority to maintain the Do Not Call Registry. This action, combined with the FCC's announcement earlier today that they will enforce the Do Not Call rules, is a victory for the millions of Americans who have registered some 50 million phone numbers on the registry. Americans have the right to reduce the number of unwanted solicitations they receive. The Do Not Call Registry is a valuable way for them to stop the nuisance of annoying calls.
And with that, I will be glad to jump right into questions.
Q Scott, has anyone -- has the President tried to find out who outed the CIA agent? And has he fired anyone in the White House yet?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, that's assuming a lot of things. First of all, that is not the way this White House operates. The President expects everyone in his administration to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. No one would be authorized to do such a thing. Secondly, there -- I've seen the anonymous media reports, and if I could find out who "anonymous" was, it would make my life a whole lot easier. But --
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030929-7.html
U.S. Criticized on Iraq Rebuilding
Iraqi and international officials contend that Washington's effort is not moving fast enough. More loans are pledged for reconstruction.
By T. Christian Miller / LA Times
AQABA, Jordan - In language both sharp and subtle, Iraqi and international officials on Monday criticized the U.S.-led rebuilding effort for moving too slowly to improve the lives of Iraqi citizens.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3388
A peaceful walk: Californian crosses country in trek to end Iraq war
Guymon Daily Herald
Peace activists all over the country have found creative ways of showing their distrust of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq. Mike Oren decided that he would show his protestation of Bush administration policies one step at a time.
Also known as the Peace Walker Oren, 51, had decided to walk across the country to protest all war but particularly the war in Iraq.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3390
The Moscow Times
Road Attack in Chechnya Kills 14
By Sergei Venyavsky The Associated Press
Itar-Tass
The twisted and charred metal remains of a vehicle after an attack on federal forces in northwest Chechnya on Tuesday. Two children were among the dead. ROSTOV-ON-DON -- Attackers opened fire Tuesday on a minibus carrying security forces in Chechnya, and then set off a bomb when a second vehicle came to help. Fourteen people were killed, including two children, regional officials said.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/001.html
IT Industry Alarmed Over Future Work Force
By Maria Levitov Staff Writer The IT industry is sending an urgent warning that plans to turn Russia into a high-tech powerhouse will fail unless government and business pay more attention to educating a new generation of specialists.
Ignoring the widening gap between the country's stagnating educational system and the runaway development of the world's information technology sector could threaten not only the country's global competitiveness but also its national security, industry players say.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/002.html
Swiss Court Keeps Adamov in Prison
By Lyuba Pronina Staff Writer
AP
Former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court has ruled that former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov must remain in jail pending extradition requests from the United States and Russia, the Swiss justice ministry said Tuesday.
The high court ruled in favor of the ministry, which had appealed a lower court's decision to set Adamov free.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/041.html
Key Nuclear Dispute Is Resolved
By Simon Saradzhyan Staff Writer Washington and Moscow have resolved a liability dispute that had blocked the implementation of a key U.S.-funded nuclear threat reduction program in Russia for more than two years, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters in Moscow that the agreement, which would cover U.S.-funded disposal of weapons-grade plutonium in Russia, would be based on the principle of reciprocity, but he did not elaborate.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/010.html
Call for a Freeze on U.S. Adoptions
The Associated Press A senior State Duma deputy urged authorities Tuesday to impose a moratorium on U.S. citizens adopting children from Russia, following a series of deaths of Russian children in the United States.
Yekaterina Lakhova, chairwoman of a parliamentary committee that oversees adoption legislation, urged restrictions on countries where adopted Russian children have been abused.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/011.html
Taking Aim at the New NATOBy Alexander Golts
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is a remarkably open and sincere person. It makes you wonder how he ever served as an intelligence agent. He was ordered to strengthen relations with NATO, and he has done all he could to accomplish this task. Once every six months, smiling till it hurts, he meets with NATO defense ministers, signs cooperation agreements and observes joint military exercises intended to develop operational interoperability between Russian and NATO troops.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/19/006.html
A summer tent circus features a vast array of animals, with peacocks, porcupines and even a trained yak performing tricks for the audience.
By Kim PalchikoffPublished: July 15, 2005
Sometime during the show, while trying to figure out what weird animal is going to appear next, you stop counting the critters running wild under Moscow's newest big top.
"Five Continents," one of the few local circus shows actually performed in a tent, is a two-hour-long cuddly, creepy and crawly extravaganza. Think of it as Dr. Dolittle meets Noah's Ark: The stars of the show are the nearly 130 animals from five continents that have stopped over in the Russian capital for the summer. And that's not including four oversized, slippery California sea lions who eat nearly 80 kilograms of fish per day.
http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/15/103.html
China Daily
Typhoon forces evacuation of over 1 millionBy Shao Xiaoyi in Hangzhou, and Hu Meidong, Li Dapeng in Fuzhou (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-20 06:02
More than 1 million people fled their homes along China's southeast coast as Typhoon Haitang slammed into the mainland yesterday after hammering Taiwan, killing four people.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461568.html
China's GDP grows 9.5% in the first half(Xinhua)Updated: 2005-07-20 13:12
China's gross domestic product (GDP) for the first half of this year reached 6,742.2 billion yuan (US$812.3 billion), a year-on-year increase of 9.5 percent.
"It was 0.2 percentage points lower than the growth rate for the same period of last year," said Zheng Jingping, spokesman of the National Bureau of Statistics, at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461804.htm
Pentagon: China's military strengthening(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 08:48
WASHINGTON - China is steadily strengthening and modernizing its military, with an aim to deterring Taiwan from declaring independence, the Pentagon said Tuesday in a new report on Chinese military power and strategy.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461715.htm
China to keep yuan basically stable this year(Xinhua)Updated: 2005-07-20 10:35
China's central bank said Tuesday it will continue to keep the exchange rate of Renminbi, China's currency, basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level in the second half of this year.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461784.htm
Haier, partners drop bid to buy Maytag(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 11:08
NEW YORK - Haier Group, China's largest appliance maker, and its two private equity partners have dropped out of the $1 billion-plus bidding race for Maytag Corp., Maytag said on Tuesday.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461790.htm
Should naked human body be used as an art symbol?
(Beijing Review)
Updated: 2005-07-20 11:26
At four o' clock on April 13, 41 male and female students from the Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts stripped naked and arranged their bodies into the @ shape.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461797.htm
Bush: China-US relationship 'very important, vibrant'(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 10:05
WASHINGTON - US President Bush on Tuesday described the U.S. relationship with China as vibrant but complex as he underscored concerns about its currency, which Washington wants revalued.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461769.htm
Concerns voiced over US-India nuclear agreement(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 09:40
US President Bush, aiming to boost India as a counterbalance against China's rise, has moved closer to accepting India as a nuclear weapons state and fueled fears he is weakening decades-old prohibitions against atomic arms.
Bush accelerated the U.S. embrace of India, after years of estrangement, during his first term. Monday's decision to permit expansive civilian nuclear cooperation is a further dramatic development.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461758.htm
Man recalls being first Disneyland visitor
Dave MacPherson is shown in Monticello, Utah, on July 12, 2005, in this photo provided by his wife, Wanda Mcpherson. (AP Photo/Wanda McPherson) Dave MacPherson may have been the first paying guest at Disneyland when the theme park opened its gates 50 years ago, but he didn't even have time for one ride. In a hurry to get back to campus for a college class, he instead visited a restroom after spending hours in line and left without as much as a souvenir.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461772.htm
Toronto Star
Troops begin leaving for Afghanistan
Force of 250 soldiers will be in place in Kandahar by next monthSouthern province was once Taliban strongholdCANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — With words of pride in his troops and thoughts of the risks they will encounter, Gen. Rick Hillier saw off the first team of troops heading off today for southern Afghanistan as part of a reconstruction mission.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121809814303&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes
Hopes for softwood compromise fadeU.S. tables tough new proposal in lumber talks with CanadaCANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Chances of a compromise resolution to the longstanding Canada-U.S. softwood lumber dispute appeared to dwindle today after the U.S. side tabled a tough new proposal at talks in Washington, D.C.
The package includes a lumber export tax to replace U.S. duties, which Canada has previously accepted in principle. But it's pegged far higher than Canadian lumber-producing would deem acceptable, a source told The Canadian Press.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121809814309&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Why is this summer so hot?
High-pressure air just won't budgeCity extends its extreme heat alertALEJANDRO BUSTOSSTAFF REPORTER
As the heat wave continues to fry Greater Toronto, residents are left with a burning question: Why has this summer been so hot and humid?
The answer is anything but simple.
"No one wants to answer that question because none of us really knows," said Ellen Wall, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Guelph.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411417&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Top vaccine scientists lose their funding
Scientific director may leave CanadaHampers research into major diseasesELAINE CAREYMEDICAL REPORTER
A national network of researchers working on groundbreaking clinical trials of vaccines for such diseases as AIDS and SARS has had its federal funding pulled.
The Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, a group in the federal government's prestigious Networks of Centres of Excellence, learned last week it won't get the $34 million it was requesting from Ottawa next March.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411649&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Couple endures 'Survivor' honeymoonCancun flight halted by damaged planeHurricane led to rough stay in YucatanLESLIE FERENCSTAFF REPORTER
It was like an episode of Survivor.
Stranded by a damaged airplane and faced with the threat of a hurricane, a Toronto couple had to scavenge for food and clean drinking water and sleep with the cockroaches in a smelly, run-down Mexican hotel to survive their ordeal.
It's not how Sharon Florian and Mike Marini planned to end their romantic honeymoon. But it was a grim reality for the newlyweds and 214 other Skyservice passengers grounded in Cancun Saturday after their chartered Boeing 757 was damaged by a cart on the tarmac that accidentally rammed into the plane's left wing.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411483&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Hurricane Emily hits Mexican coastSouth Texas also braces for storm's impact
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LA PESCA, Mexico — Hurricane Emily’s outer winds and rain began lashing the northeast Mexican coastline this afternoon, as thousands there and in southern Texas sought higher ground. The hurricane gathered strength as it swirled across the Gulf of Mexico, with the eye likely to come ashore early Wednesday near this small fishing village popular with Mexican and U.S. tourists.
The storm has already struck Mexico once, ripping roofs off resort hotels and stranding thousands of tourists along the Mayan Riviera, which includes the resort of Cancun.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121768057732&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037&t=TS_Home
continued ...
"Okeydoke"
The Boston Globe
Bush seems to shift on his grounds for dismissalCIA case 'crime' is now criterionBy Rick Klein and Susan Milligan, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
WASHINGTON -- President Bush vowed yesterday to fire anyone in his administration who is found to have ''committed a crime" involving the disclosure of a former covert CIA agent's name, seemingly redefining the grounds for dismissal the White House had pledged when the case erupted in 2003.
''If someone committed a crime, they will no longer be in my administration," Bush said, answering a question about whether his deputy chief of staff, Karl Rove, should be fired if he is found to have leaked the identity of a former CIA operative, Valerie Plame. The leaking of information about Plame, who is married to a White House critic and a former ambassador, Joseph C. Wilson IV, is being investigated by a federal grand jury.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/07/19/bush_seems_to_shift_on_his_grounds_for_dismissal/
Bay State recovery spurs bill for tax cutReduction hangs on local aid hikeBy Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
With state tax revenues soaring, lawmakers on Beacon Hill are advancing a proposal to lower the Massachusetts income tax rate, if state spending is restored to levels last seen before the fiscal crisis began three years ago.
The Senate unanimously approved a Republican measure Thursday that would trigger a series of income tax rate reductions to lower the rate to 5 percent from 5.3 percent, but only if state spending on education and municipal services reaches 2002 levels. The fiscal crisis prompted lawmakers to slash funding that year.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/07/19/bay_state_recovery_spurs_bill_for_tax_cut/
AG blocks petition to repeal stem-cell lawCites legislation's religious wordingBy Raphael Lewis, Globe Staff July 19, 2005
Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly yesterday stopped a proposed initiative petition aimed at repealing the state's new embryonic stem-cell research law, citing a provision that allows medical workers to opt out of the research for religious reasons.
Reilly said that the state Constitution, as well as a series of high court rulings, stated that any law that relates distinctively to religion cannot go before the voters. The new law encourages embryonic stem-cell research in Massachusetts, but exempts medical staff with ''sincerely-held religious practices or beliefs" from the work.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/07/19/ag_blocks_petition_to_repeal_stem_cell_law/
The Arab News
Turki Calls for Even-Handed ME SolutionP.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — Saudi Arabia has called upon world community to find a just, lasting and comprehensive Middle East peace settlement based on the principles of international legitimacy and responsibility as well as justice and even-handedness.
Addressing a conference organized by the Next Century Foundation at the Houses of Parliament in London, Saudi Ambassador Prince Turki Al-Faisal also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s unwavering support for the Palestinians.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67220&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Greater Cooperation Needed to Fight Iraq Violence: NaifArab News
A man shot dead is seen in the front seat of a car as a policeman clears people away from the scene in Baghdad. (Reuters) ISTANBUL/BAGHDAD, 20 July 2005 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday sought greater cooperation and coordination among Iraq’s neighbors, saying not enough was being done to prevent growing violence and terrorist attacks in the war-torn country.
Addressing a meeting in Istanbul of interior ministers from countries neighboring Iraq, Prince Naif stressed the importance of exchanging information, monitoring borders and drying up financial sources of terrorists.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67215&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Tony Blair Hosts Summit of Muslims at Downing StreetMushtak Parker, Arab News LONDON, 20 July 2005 — As British Prime Minister Tony Blair, flanked by opposition leaders Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy, hosted a summit of British Muslim leaders at No. 10 Downing Street yesterday, the battle for the “hearts and minds” of young British Muslims continues in the aftermath of the London bombings, which have now claimed their 56th fatality.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67216&d=20&m=7&y=2005
‘People Must Take Action to Help Our Kids’Razan Baker, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — To embarrass or beat a child in public has become a frequent affair. Every society wishes for a mentally and physically healthy young population but not all work toward its achievement. Though these incidents can be very disturbing to witness, many choose to watch in silence.
“People must take action and advise each other in order to help our children. This is essential if we want our young to acquire self-esteem and confidence,” said Dr. Malak Saber, a specialist in education and head of the Arts & Humanities Department at the College of Education for Girls in Jeddah.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67221&d=20&m=7&y=2005
Is Health Insurance a Scam?
Razan Baker, Arab News JEDDAH, 20 July 2005 — The number of people who buy health insurance is growing. Whether private or public, there is a deep divide between those who are for it and those who claim it is no more than a scam.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67222&d=20&m=7&y=2005&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
Michael Moore Today
YEAH, ANOTHER WHITE GUY.
Bush Nominates Roberts for Supreme Court By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - President Bush named federal appeals judge John G. Roberts Jr. to fill the first Supreme Court vacancy in a decade on Tuesday, delighting Republicans and unsettling Democrats by picking a young jurist of impeccably conservative credentials. If confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, the 50-year-old Roberts would succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, long a swing vote on a court divided over abortion, affirmative action, states' rights and more.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/scotus_bush
John Roberts Nominated to: Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit
Status of nomination: Confirmed 5/8/2003 May 8, 2003: The Committee voted out Roberts 16-3.
http://www.independentjudiciary.com/nominees/nominee.cfm?NomineeID=5
CIA Agents' Open Letter to U.S. Senate and House
CrooksAndLiars.com
18 July 2005
AN OPEN STATEMENT TO THE LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE.
The Honorable Dennis Hastert, Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Dr. William Frist, Majority Leader of the Senate
The Honorable Harry Reid, Minority Leader of the Senate
We, the undersigned former U.S. intelligence officers are concerned with the tone and substance of the public debate over the ongoing Department of Justice investigation into who leaked the name of Valerie Plame, wife of former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson IV, to syndicated columnist Robert Novak and other members of the media, which exposed her status as an undercover CIA officer. The disclosure of Ms. Plame’s name was a shameful event in American history and, in our professional judgment, may have damaged U.S. national security and poses a threat to the ability of U.S. intelligence gathering using human sources. Any breach of the code of confidentiality and cover weakens the overall fabric of intelligence, and, directly or indirectly, jeopardizes the work and safety of intelligence workers and their sources.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3391
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. This afternoon the President will welcome and congratulate the 2003 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils to the White House. Later this afternoon, the President looks forward to meeting with congregational rabbis. This is the Jewish high holy days, and it is a time for prayer and reflection in the Jewish community. Today's meeting is part of the President's ongoing commitment to reaching out to faith-based leaders who make our nation stronger. So the President looks forward to that meeting.
And then, following that meeting, the President looks forward to signing the Do Not Call legislation, which affirms the FTC's authority to maintain the Do Not Call Registry. This action, combined with the FCC's announcement earlier today that they will enforce the Do Not Call rules, is a victory for the millions of Americans who have registered some 50 million phone numbers on the registry. Americans have the right to reduce the number of unwanted solicitations they receive. The Do Not Call Registry is a valuable way for them to stop the nuisance of annoying calls.
And with that, I will be glad to jump right into questions.
Q Scott, has anyone -- has the President tried to find out who outed the CIA agent? And has he fired anyone in the White House yet?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Helen, that's assuming a lot of things. First of all, that is not the way this White House operates. The President expects everyone in his administration to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. No one would be authorized to do such a thing. Secondly, there -- I've seen the anonymous media reports, and if I could find out who "anonymous" was, it would make my life a whole lot easier. But --
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030929-7.html
U.S. Criticized on Iraq Rebuilding
Iraqi and international officials contend that Washington's effort is not moving fast enough. More loans are pledged for reconstruction.
By T. Christian Miller / LA Times
AQABA, Jordan - In language both sharp and subtle, Iraqi and international officials on Monday criticized the U.S.-led rebuilding effort for moving too slowly to improve the lives of Iraqi citizens.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3388
A peaceful walk: Californian crosses country in trek to end Iraq war
Guymon Daily Herald
Peace activists all over the country have found creative ways of showing their distrust of the Bush administration and the war in Iraq. Mike Oren decided that he would show his protestation of Bush administration policies one step at a time.
Also known as the Peace Walker Oren, 51, had decided to walk across the country to protest all war but particularly the war in Iraq.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3390
The Moscow Times
Road Attack in Chechnya Kills 14
By Sergei Venyavsky The Associated Press
Itar-Tass
The twisted and charred metal remains of a vehicle after an attack on federal forces in northwest Chechnya on Tuesday. Two children were among the dead. ROSTOV-ON-DON -- Attackers opened fire Tuesday on a minibus carrying security forces in Chechnya, and then set off a bomb when a second vehicle came to help. Fourteen people were killed, including two children, regional officials said.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/001.html
IT Industry Alarmed Over Future Work Force
By Maria Levitov Staff Writer The IT industry is sending an urgent warning that plans to turn Russia into a high-tech powerhouse will fail unless government and business pay more attention to educating a new generation of specialists.
Ignoring the widening gap between the country's stagnating educational system and the runaway development of the world's information technology sector could threaten not only the country's global competitiveness but also its national security, industry players say.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/002.html
Swiss Court Keeps Adamov in Prison
By Lyuba Pronina Staff Writer
AP
Former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov Switzerland's Federal Supreme Court has ruled that former Nuclear Power Minister Yevgeny Adamov must remain in jail pending extradition requests from the United States and Russia, the Swiss justice ministry said Tuesday.
The high court ruled in favor of the ministry, which had appealed a lower court's decision to set Adamov free.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/041.html
Key Nuclear Dispute Is Resolved
By Simon Saradzhyan Staff Writer Washington and Moscow have resolved a liability dispute that had blocked the implementation of a key U.S.-funded nuclear threat reduction program in Russia for more than two years, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters in Moscow that the agreement, which would cover U.S.-funded disposal of weapons-grade plutonium in Russia, would be based on the principle of reciprocity, but he did not elaborate.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/010.html
Call for a Freeze on U.S. Adoptions
The Associated Press A senior State Duma deputy urged authorities Tuesday to impose a moratorium on U.S. citizens adopting children from Russia, following a series of deaths of Russian children in the United States.
Yekaterina Lakhova, chairwoman of a parliamentary committee that oversees adoption legislation, urged restrictions on countries where adopted Russian children have been abused.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/20/011.html
Taking Aim at the New NATOBy Alexander Golts
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov is a remarkably open and sincere person. It makes you wonder how he ever served as an intelligence agent. He was ordered to strengthen relations with NATO, and he has done all he could to accomplish this task. Once every six months, smiling till it hurts, he meets with NATO defense ministers, signs cooperation agreements and observes joint military exercises intended to develop operational interoperability between Russian and NATO troops.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/19/006.html
A summer tent circus features a vast array of animals, with peacocks, porcupines and even a trained yak performing tricks for the audience.
By Kim PalchikoffPublished: July 15, 2005
Sometime during the show, while trying to figure out what weird animal is going to appear next, you stop counting the critters running wild under Moscow's newest big top.
"Five Continents," one of the few local circus shows actually performed in a tent, is a two-hour-long cuddly, creepy and crawly extravaganza. Think of it as Dr. Dolittle meets Noah's Ark: The stars of the show are the nearly 130 animals from five continents that have stopped over in the Russian capital for the summer. And that's not including four oversized, slippery California sea lions who eat nearly 80 kilograms of fish per day.
http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/07/15/103.html
China Daily
Typhoon forces evacuation of over 1 millionBy Shao Xiaoyi in Hangzhou, and Hu Meidong, Li Dapeng in Fuzhou (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-07-20 06:02
More than 1 million people fled their homes along China's southeast coast as Typhoon Haitang slammed into the mainland yesterday after hammering Taiwan, killing four people.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461568.html
China's GDP grows 9.5% in the first half(Xinhua)Updated: 2005-07-20 13:12
China's gross domestic product (GDP) for the first half of this year reached 6,742.2 billion yuan (US$812.3 billion), a year-on-year increase of 9.5 percent.
"It was 0.2 percentage points lower than the growth rate for the same period of last year," said Zheng Jingping, spokesman of the National Bureau of Statistics, at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461804.htm
Pentagon: China's military strengthening(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 08:48
WASHINGTON - China is steadily strengthening and modernizing its military, with an aim to deterring Taiwan from declaring independence, the Pentagon said Tuesday in a new report on Chinese military power and strategy.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461715.htm
China to keep yuan basically stable this year(Xinhua)Updated: 2005-07-20 10:35
China's central bank said Tuesday it will continue to keep the exchange rate of Renminbi, China's currency, basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level in the second half of this year.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461784.htm
Haier, partners drop bid to buy Maytag(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 11:08
NEW YORK - Haier Group, China's largest appliance maker, and its two private equity partners have dropped out of the $1 billion-plus bidding race for Maytag Corp., Maytag said on Tuesday.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461790.htm
Should naked human body be used as an art symbol?
(Beijing Review)
Updated: 2005-07-20 11:26
At four o' clock on April 13, 41 male and female students from the Chengdu Academy of Fine Arts stripped naked and arranged their bodies into the @ shape.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461797.htm
Bush: China-US relationship 'very important, vibrant'(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 10:05
WASHINGTON - US President Bush on Tuesday described the U.S. relationship with China as vibrant but complex as he underscored concerns about its currency, which Washington wants revalued.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461769.htm
Concerns voiced over US-India nuclear agreement(Agencies)Updated: 2005-07-20 09:40
US President Bush, aiming to boost India as a counterbalance against China's rise, has moved closer to accepting India as a nuclear weapons state and fueled fears he is weakening decades-old prohibitions against atomic arms.
Bush accelerated the U.S. embrace of India, after years of estrangement, during his first term. Monday's decision to permit expansive civilian nuclear cooperation is a further dramatic development.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461758.htm
Man recalls being first Disneyland visitor
Dave MacPherson is shown in Monticello, Utah, on July 12, 2005, in this photo provided by his wife, Wanda Mcpherson. (AP Photo/Wanda McPherson) Dave MacPherson may have been the first paying guest at Disneyland when the theme park opened its gates 50 years ago, but he didn't even have time for one ride. In a hurry to get back to campus for a college class, he instead visited a restroom after spending hours in line and left without as much as a souvenir.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-07/20/content_461772.htm
Toronto Star
Troops begin leaving for Afghanistan
Force of 250 soldiers will be in place in Kandahar by next monthSouthern province was once Taliban strongholdCANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — With words of pride in his troops and thoughts of the risks they will encounter, Gen. Rick Hillier saw off the first team of troops heading off today for southern Afghanistan as part of a reconstruction mission.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121809814303&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7ChAX&tacodalogin=yes
Hopes for softwood compromise fadeU.S. tables tough new proposal in lumber talks with CanadaCANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Chances of a compromise resolution to the longstanding Canada-U.S. softwood lumber dispute appeared to dwindle today after the U.S. side tabled a tough new proposal at talks in Washington, D.C.
The package includes a lumber export tax to replace U.S. duties, which Canada has previously accepted in principle. But it's pegged far higher than Canadian lumber-producing would deem acceptable, a source told The Canadian Press.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121809814309&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Why is this summer so hot?
High-pressure air just won't budgeCity extends its extreme heat alertALEJANDRO BUSTOSSTAFF REPORTER
As the heat wave continues to fry Greater Toronto, residents are left with a burning question: Why has this summer been so hot and humid?
The answer is anything but simple.
"No one wants to answer that question because none of us really knows," said Ellen Wall, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Guelph.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411417&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Top vaccine scientists lose their funding
Scientific director may leave CanadaHampers research into major diseasesELAINE CAREYMEDICAL REPORTER
A national network of researchers working on groundbreaking clinical trials of vaccines for such diseases as AIDS and SARS has had its federal funding pulled.
The Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics, a group in the federal government's prestigious Networks of Centres of Excellence, learned last week it won't get the $34 million it was requesting from Ottawa next March.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411649&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Couple endures 'Survivor' honeymoonCancun flight halted by damaged planeHurricane led to rough stay in YucatanLESLIE FERENCSTAFF REPORTER
It was like an episode of Survivor.
Stranded by a damaged airplane and faced with the threat of a hurricane, a Toronto couple had to scavenge for food and clean drinking water and sleep with the cockroaches in a smelly, run-down Mexican hotel to survive their ordeal.
It's not how Sharon Florian and Mike Marini planned to end their romantic honeymoon. But it was a grim reality for the newlyweds and 214 other Skyservice passengers grounded in Cancun Saturday after their chartered Boeing 757 was damaged by a cart on the tarmac that accidentally rammed into the plane's left wing.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121723411483&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home
Hurricane Emily hits Mexican coastSouth Texas also braces for storm's impact
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LA PESCA, Mexico — Hurricane Emily’s outer winds and rain began lashing the northeast Mexican coastline this afternoon, as thousands there and in southern Texas sought higher ground. The hurricane gathered strength as it swirled across the Gulf of Mexico, with the eye likely to come ashore early Wednesday near this small fishing village popular with Mexican and U.S. tourists.
The storm has already struck Mexico once, ripping roofs off resort hotels and stranding thousands of tourists along the Mayan Riviera, which includes the resort of Cancun.
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1121768057732&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968705899037&t=TS_Home
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