Israeli forces battle gunmen in refugee camp on Gaza-Egypt border

In the West Bank, the survival of Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia's proposed Cabinet was in question after the legislature put off a vote of approval amid intense political wrangling Thursday. An exasperated Qureia told Yasser Arafat he no longer wants the job, but stopped short of formally resigning.
Also Thursday, a Palestinian suicide bomber struck an Israeli liaison office, wounding two soldiers and a Palestinian. The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, an armed group linked to Arafat's Fatah movement, claimed responsibility for the attack.

posted by Frodgie at 6:38 AM

 

Study: Drug cuts risk of breast cancer return

TORONTO, Canada (AP) -- Breast cancer patients who follow up tamoxifen treatment with letrozole, an estrogen suppressor, cut risk of recurrence by nearly half, according to a study published online Thursday by the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study involving more than 5,000 women with the most common form of breast cancer was suspended halfway through its planned five-year timespan because of the surprisingly strong results. The journal also moved up publication of the study, which will appear in the November 6 issue, because of the importance of the findings.


posted by Frodgie at 6:36 AM

 

U.S. satellites watching Syria, Israel

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After Israel bombed the Ein Saheb camp in Syria on Sunday, U.S. military satellites and other reconnaissance assets are taking a "broader look" at the two nations, an intelligence community official said Thursday.

The purpose of the increased attention is to get an early warning of any future potentially destabilizing military moves by either side, the source said.

More intelligence analysts with specific expertise about Israel military capabilities and operations will look at the data collected, the official said.

Israel launched an airstrike Sunday against a target it called a terrorist training camp inside Syrian territory.


posted by Frodgie at 6:34 AM

 

Pope mooted for Nobel Peace Prize

Speculation is growing in Italy that this year's Nobel Peace Prize will go to Pope John Paul II in recognition of his steadfast opposition to the US-led war on Iraq.

The committee has rarely awarded the prize to a religious figure although Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1979, Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 1984 and the 1989 winner, the Dalai Lama, are notable exceptions in the 102-year history of the award.

Italy's premier daily Corriere della Sera devoted half a page to an article outlining several reasons why the ailing 83-year-old pope should get the prize.

The paper quoted noted Nobel-watcher Stein Tonnesson as saying: "2003 was the year of the war in Iraq. The biggest world personality who immediately came out against the war without doubt was the pontiff. His opposition prevented the war being transformed into a new Christian Crusade against Islam."


posted by Frodgie at 6:33 AM

 

Bush Seeking Advice on How to Bring About Democratic Change in Cuba

Bush will unveil the plan at a White House ceremony Friday. "The president will talk about ways in which we can keep up the pressure on the Castro regime," one official said.

Supporters of the president's Cuba policy from the Congress and elsewhere will be briefed beforehand.

Secretary of State Colin Powell (search) was expected to be part of the team. The officials, asking not to be identified, declined further comment on the advisory group except to say that it will be small.

The administration has been signaling for weeks that new steps concerning Cuba were being planned.

Some of Castro's most ardent critics on Capitol Hill and elsewhere have criticized the administration for not doing more to bring about democratic change in Cuba.


posted by Frodgie at 6:32 AM

 

Media Scrutiny of Schwarzenegger Short on Proof

But, supporters of Schwarzenegger, the man who is now governor-elect, say an examination of several stories that appeared in the Los Angeles Times (search) reveals that the paper's claims were not based on verifiable facts.

"In the final week, the Los Angeles Times showed poor judgment in publishing allegations against Arnold that could not be substantiated," said Karen Hanretty, a Schwarzenegger spokeswoman.

The Los Angeles Times said it "corroborated" its stories that Schwarzenegger groped or humiliated more than a dozen women over a nearly 30-year period. But in no case did an eyewitness substantiate for the Times any of the tales despite the fact that the alleged incidents took place while hundreds of crew members on movie sets were present.


posted by Frodgie at 6:30 AM

 

Democrats slam Clark during Arizona debate

Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards and former Vermont governor Howard Dean pummeled Clark for being critical of the war now after earlier backing the administration's approach.

Clark denied ever supporting war without United Nations approval. "I would have voted for a resolution that took the problem to the U.N., but not that took us to war. It's that simple," he said.

Dean said Clark had recommended a vote in favor of the war last year to a New Hampshire congressional candidate. And Lieberman said he has been "very disappointed since Wes Clark came into this race about the various positions he has taken" on Iraq.


posted by Frodgie at 6:29 AM

 

Two U.S. soldiers killed in Baghdad ambush

BAGHDAD (AP) — Two U.S. soldiers were killed and four were wounded in an ambush in the Baghdad district of Sadr City, scene of a fatal car-bombing at an Iraqi police station, the U.S. military said Friday.
The troops from the 1st Armored Division were on a routine patrol when the ambush occurred about 8 p.m. Thursday, the military said.


posted by Frodgie at 6:28 AM

 

Hip Hip Hooray? Yes

Yasser Arafat's gaunt, fragile appearance during last weekend's inauguration of an emergency cabinet for the Palestinian Authority has raised a flurry of speculation over the state of the 74-year-old leader's health. Palestinian officials on Wednesday denied rumors that Arafat had last week suffered a mild heart attack and explained that Arafat has been suffering from a bad case of the flu or an intestinal infection. But according to a source inside the compound, the recent working diagnosis is that Arafat is suffering from stomach cancer. Al-Jazeera TV reported Wednesday that two teams of doctors, one from Jordan and the other from Egypt, arrived in Ramallah Wednesday to treat Arafat. Abu Dhabi TV reported on Thursday that following their examination of the Palestinian leader, the Egyptian doctors "expressed concern" about the state of his health. Neither report specified his condition.

posted by Frodgie at 2:45 PM

 

Israel: Syrian Base Empty When Airstrike Took Place

Meanwhile, a top Shiite cleric in Lebanon accused the United States of conspiring with Israel to strike Syria and urged Arabs to revive an economic boycott of the Jewish state.

In the pre-dawn raid Sunday, Israeli warplanes bombed the Ein Saheb (search) camp about 15 miles northwest of the Syrian capital of Damascus, the first Israeli attack deep inside Syria since the 1973 Mideast war.

One person was wounded in the raid, Syrian officials said. Officials and residents who live near the base said it had been abandoned for years.

The airstrike came in retaliation for a Palestinian homicide bombing attack on a restaurant in the northern Israeli city of Haifa on Saturday that killed 19 Israelis and was claimed by the Islamic Jihad.


posted by Frodgie at 6:34 AM

 

Fierce Fighting Between Rival Militias in Afghanistan

The fighting came as a deal was signed in the capital of Kabul between the Afghan government and the United Nations that paves the way for teams of U.N. and Afghan personnel to deploy to cities across Afghanistan to start a much-delayed program to disarm militiamen loyal to warlords.

Gen. Abdul Sabur, a spokesman for warlord Atta Mohammed's Jamiat-e-Islami faction, told The Associated Press by phone that hundreds of rival soldiers were massing around Mazar-e-Sharif.

He said fighters loyal to northern Uzbek (search) commander Abdul Rashid Dostum began battling Atta's supporters about midday, and the battle continued late into the night.

Sabur said 60 people were killed in that fighting, which involved tanks, heavy artillery and other weapons.

"The fighting is very intense," Sabur said. "People are very scared. Shops and markets have all closed."


posted by Frodgie at 6:33 AM

 

Stocks Slip, Earnings in Spotlight

The Dow Jones industrial average (search) dropped 23.71 points, or 0.25 percent, to 9,630.90, and the broader Standard & Poor's 500 Index (search) slipped 5.47 points, or 0.53 percent, to 1,033.78. The technology-laced Nasdaq Composite Index (search) fell 14.07 points, or 0.74 percent, to 1,893.78.

With two-thirds of the S&P 500 companies set to report results in the next two weeks, analysts said investors were likely to stick with a cautious approach. Many investors are still holding on to a great deal of cash, but Wall Street observers remained optimistic.

"People are still waiting for data points with corporate earnings around the corner," said David Memmott, head of listed block trading at Morgan Stanley. "It may come down to the kind of guidance that corporations give for their corporate outlook going forward. Their earnings might be good, but if they don't know if they can sustain these levels, then the market will probably roll over."


posted by Frodgie at 6:27 AM

 

Suicide bomber kills 10 at Baghdad police station

Capt. Sean Kirley, of the 2nd Armored Cavalry, said three policemen and five civilians were killed. Iraqi police Capt. Bassem Sami said there were two people in the car that exploded. He said 28 people were wounded.

Police Maj. Majid Abdel-Hameed said the car was a white Oldsmobile. The driver drove through the police compound gate, was fired at by officers and then detonated the bomb.

A dozen of ambulances raced toward the facility in the Shiite Muslim slum known as Sadr City. The attack happened just as policemen were lining up in the courtyard of the facility for the morning role call.

There were many mangled police cars at the bomb site and much debris in the big courtyard in front of the one-story building.


posted by Frodgie at 6:24 AM

 

'Ghettopoly' game causes outrage

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Cheap Trick Avenue instead of Boardwalk? Hernando's Chop Shop instead of Reading Railroad?

Black leaders are outraged over a new board game called "Ghettopoly" that has "playas" acting like pimps and game cards reading, "You got yo whole neighborhood addicted to crack. Collect $50."

Black clergymen say the game, the brainchild of a Pennsylvania man, should be banned, and have called for a boycott of Urban Outfitters unless the company stops selling Ghettopoly in its chain of clothing stores.

Urban Outfitters has not publicly commented on the issue, and did not return a call seeking comment on Wednesday.


posted by Frodgie at 6:23 AM

 

Schwarzenegger says he'll repeal car tax

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger says his first action upon taking office will be repealing the car tax, one of the factors in Gray Davis' demise as California's leader.

Schwarzenegger, speaking Wednesday at his first news conference since sweeping to victory in Tuesday's recall election, also promised not to hike taxes. "I campaigned that I will not raise taxes and I say this again: I will not raise taxes," Schwarzenegger said.

The actor-turned-politician also said his movie career will be on hold while he serves as California governor.

"The people of California want me to be the governor, and I will do that and nothing else," Schwarzenegger said. "I will work as much as I can, even if it is around the clock."

posted by Frodgie at 6:20 AM

 

Arafat has suffered heart attack, admits aide

Yasser Arafat has suffered a mild heart attack but the Palestinian leadership has sought to keep his health problems secret for fear it will "create panic".
The 74-year-old Palestinian president, who is suffering from Parkinson's disease, disappeared from public view last week and re-emerged at the weekend looking extremely ill. His face was pale and pinched, he had lost weight and he was almost inaudible. He had trouble standing for more than a few minutes at a time.

The Palestinian press said he was suffering from flu. But Palestinian officials told the Guardian that Mr Arafat had suffered a heart attack last week. "Although he has had a slight heart attack, the doctors say he will make a full recovery. He is in full control. There is nothing to worry about," said a close aide to Mr Arafat, who did not wish to be named.

Asked why it had not been made public at the time, the official said that it would "have created panic at a critical time when the Israelis are threatening Arafat's life".

At the beginning of last week, the Palestinian president was visited by his personal physician from Jordan, Dr Ashraf al-Kurdi, and a heart specialist, Yousuf al-Qusous, after he abruptly cancelled all appointments and disappeared from view. The doctors said the Palestinian president had been hit by flu but was recovered. "The illness is over, thank God," Dr Kurdi said at the time.

But a few days later, Mr Arafat was again isolated from all but a few close aides. Again, the official explanation was flu. Sources inside the Palestinian leader's compound in Ramallah say he was too weak to eat for several days. When he reappeared at the weekend, regular visitors to Mr Arafat's compound commented on how ill he looked.


posted by Frodgie at 10:56 AM

 

"There Will Be A Total Recall!!"

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who pulled off a Hollywood ending to his campaign for governor, now has the task ahead of him of fixing the crises that put Gov. Gray Davis out of a job. And while he won't have Hollywood's special effects, he will have some Reagan Republicans backing him.

"[Schwarzenegger] at his core is a fiscal conservative. He is a Republican in the best sense of the word," said Rep. David Dreier, a Schwarzenegger adviser.

"Tomorrow, the hard work begins," Schwarzenegger said Tuesday night, reveling in his overwhelming victory.


posted by Frodgie at 6:15 AM

 

Three U.S. soldiers killed in central Iraq

Large sections of Baghdad were in turmoil. There was an explosion inside the Foreign Ministry compound about a half mile from the confrontation outside the U.S.-led occupation headquarters.

Across the city, U.S. solders were met with a demonstration by Shiite Muslims after closing a mosque and allegedly arresting the imam. Late in the afternoon, U.S. troops fired percussion grenades and shots in the air to disperse the crowd, which grew by the hour.

posted by Frodgie at 6:13 AM

 

Arafat Advisers Deny Heart Attack Reports

In brief appearances this week, Arafat looked drawn and pale and his lower lip trembled considerably. He spoke with great effort and with prompting from his chief adviser, Nabil Abu Rdeneh (search). At times, he appeared in a daze, staring straight ahead.

The British newspaper The Guardian on Wednesday quoted Arafat aides as saying he had a "slight heart attack" last week, but that the incident was kept secret for fear of creating panic.

Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat (search) denied Wednesday that Arafat suffered a heart attack, saying the Palestinian leader is battling a stomach virus.

On Sept. 29, Arafat's personal physician, Dr. Ashraf al-Kurdi rushed from Jordan to Arafat's compound in the West Bank town of Ramallah to examine the Palestinian leader. At the time, Arafat had been unable to keep down his food for three days, and Palestinian sources said he feared at the time that he had been poisoned.

Al-Kurdi, accompanied by a neurologist, an internist and a heart specialist, said after the check-up that Arafat was in relatively good health.



posted by Frodgie at 6:11 AM

 

Japan, U.S. reject NK talks stance

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japan and the United States have been quick to reject North Korean demands that Japan take no part in further talks to resolve the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

A statement from the North Korean Foreign Ministry, carried on the official KCNA news agency Tuesday, said Japan had been dumped from future negotiations because it persisted in linking other issues with the nuclear talks.

"Japan is nothing but an obstacle to the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue between the DPRK (North Korea) and the U.S.," the statement said.


posted by Frodgie at 6:10 AM

 

Alleged sniper may not testify against fellow suspect

MANASSAS, Virginia (AP) -- Prosecutors at least temporarily withdrew their motion Tuesday to summon sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo to testify in the case against fellow suspect John Allen Muhammad.

At a hearing in Prince William County Circuit Court, Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert said it's still possible that they will change their minds and call Malvo to testify. Muhammad goes on trial next week.

Malvo last week invoked his Fifth Amendment rights and refused to answer questions about his relationship with Muhammad. Malvo's appearance at the pretrial hearing brought the two suspects into the same room for the first time since their arrests one year ago.


posted by Frodgie at 6:08 AM

 

Frail Pope Defies Skeptics With Visit

Defying skeptics who thought the ailing pontiff's travel days were finished, Pope John Paul II flew to a shrine Tuesday near the ruins of ancient Pompeii and prayed for world peace.

Only last month, the 83-year-old pontiff, stooped and slowed by Parkinson's disease and other health problems, struggled through a four-day pilgrimage to Slovakia, and a cardinal last week said John Paul was approaching his dying days.

John Paul's voice was often halting, and he slurred his words as he read opening prayers for peace. He skipped portions of his speech, but he looked alert and happy to be back in Pompeii after 24 years.

Before heading back to the Vatican by helicopter after the three-hour visit, he even seemed buoyed. He sounded stronger as he asked the faithful in improvised remarks to "pray for me in this sanctuary, today and always."

Some 30,000 pilgrims, many standing under palm trees in a packed square in front of the shrine here dedicated to the rosary, applauded in encouragement, especially when he paused in his speech. Shouts of "Long live the pope!" resounded from the crowd.

"I wanted this pilgrimage of mine to carry the sense of an appeal for peace," John Paul told the faithful after praying the rosary with them.


posted by Frodgie at 11:50 AM

 

Interesting Bill Clinton Quotes!

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998.

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, an d consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998.

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998.

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destrution and palaces for his cronies."
Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999.

"There is no doubt that . Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies."
Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others, Dec, 5, 2001.

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them."
Sen. Carl Levin (d, MI), Sept. 19, 2002.

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seing and developing weapons of mass destruction."
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002.

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002.

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years . We also should remember we have alway s underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002,

"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do."
Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002.

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction. "[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he has continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real ...
Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.

NOW THE DEMOCRATS SAY PRESIDENT BUSH LIED, TH AT THERE NEVER WERE ANY WMD'S AND HE TOOK US TO WAR FOR HIS OIL BUDDIES??? Right!!!



posted by Frodgie at 9:54 AM

 

Civil marriage on rise across USA

Fewer American couples who marry today see the need for religion's approval. The rate of civil marriage is on the rise coast to coast, a USA TODAY analysis of marriage license statistics suggests.
Experts say the trend could influence a larger debate: As fewer Americans see a need for religious blessings on a marriage, they may be more supportive of same-sex unions.

There's no national data on how many U.S. marriages are performed by clergy vs. a civil authority such as a notary, judge or justice of the peace.

posted by Frodgie at 6:54 AM

 

California Chooses: Arnold or Mr. Technocrat

Polls open at 7 a.m. PDT as Californians decide whether to oust Davis, famous for his lack of charisma and dedication to fund-raising, then pick from an assortment of 135 replacement candidates, including the actor.


What began as a Republican-led protest vote over Davis' handling of the state's economy and recent energy crisis has become a referendum on Schwarzenegger, especially his alleged groping and sexual harassment of women.


Davis' campaign said its new tracking survey of 1,200 likely voters found a 50 percent to 48 percent split between those favoring a "yes" vote on the recall and those planning to vote "no."


That survey was at odds with the latest independent statewide poll, issued on Sunday by Knight Ridder newspapers and an NBC affiliate, which found a 54 to 41 percent spread between recall supporters and opponents -- 54 percent to 41 percent.


posted by Frodgie at 6:52 AM

 

Senator Takes on Spam

To fight the digital junk mail deluge, Massachusetts state Sen. Jarrett Barrios (search) has sponsored a bill that requires businesses to identify all e-mail advertisements with the letters ADV in the subject line so recipients can filter out ads before ever reading them.

Critic Scott Richter, who runs a marketing company that sends out more than 15 million e-mail ads a day, says the bill is unconstitutional. He says all the state laws lead to loopholes.

"There's somebody who always has better technology than you who can figure something out to beat the system,” he said.


posted by Frodgie at 6:49 AM

 

Israel Warns Lebanon, Syria on Militants

The killing of the soldier prompted Israeli officials to warn Lebanon (search) and Syria to rein in anti-Israeli militants or face an escalation in the area.

The violence signified heightened tensions between Israel and Syria (search), Lebanon's close ally, following Israel's air raid Sunday on what the Jewish state said was a Palestinian militant base deep inside Syria.

In Tuesday's violence, Lebanese security officials and residents of the southern Lebanese border village of Houla said Ali Yassin, 4, was killed and his twin brother wounded in the explosion.

It was not known whether the explosion was a falling antiaircraft shell fired from Lebanon or a projectile aimed at Israel that fell short, the Lebanese officials said.


posted by Frodgie at 6:45 AM

 

Projectile Fired at Iraqi Foreign Ministry

Five U.S. Army Humvees and two armored personnel carriers sped to the scene in western Baghdad, and several streets in the area were sealed off. The U.S. military press office said it was aware of "a situation" at the Foreign Ministry but had no details

Witness Hussein Amin said the projectile -- either a rocket-propelled grenade or a mortar -- apparently exploded in the ministry compound, causing minimal damage but sending employees streaming out of the offices, located about a half mile from the palace headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition.

The ministry is also about a half mile from the Al-Rasheed Hotel (search), where many U.S. officials live. The hotel was attacked by small rockets or rocket-propelled grenades on Sept. 27, causing no casualties and minimal damage.


posted by Frodgie at 6:44 AM

 

N. Korea: Japan out of nuke talks

TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- North Korea says Japan will take no part in further talks to resolve the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

A statement from the North Korean Foreign Ministry, carried on the official KCNA news agency Tuesday, said Japan had been dumped from future negotiations because it persisted in linking other issues with the nuclear talks.

"Japan is nothing but an obstacle to the peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue between the DPRK (North Korea) and the U.S.," the statement said.


posted by Frodgie at 6:42 AM

 

Bush Veto Could Come Soon

But despite a number of threats, President Bush's record on vetoes so far -- none, zip, nada.

That restraint has some analysts wondering whether the president will employ his veto power to demonstrate his strength before the next presidential election. Others say the fact that he has not vetoed any bills shows his power and deftness in working with a Republican-dominated Congress.

"The greatest power of the veto is not in its use but in its threat. [Bush] has threatened it many times, and it has modified the legislation," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics (search).

Michael Genovese, professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, said Bush has managed to avoid using the veto because "of his ability to largely dominate the congressional agenda."

The veto is "an instrument best left unused. You use it when you have not succeeded. Some people see [using] it as a sign of strength, but in strategic political terms, it's a sign of weakness when you have to use it a lot," Genovese said.

Experts suggest that Republicans Reagan and the first President Bush used the veto with occasional frequency because they were squaring off against an opposition Congress.


posted by Frodgie at 6:50 AM

 

Putin Says U.S. Faces Big Risks in Effort in Iraq

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia says the United States now faces in Iraq the possibility of a prolonged, violent and ultimately futile war like the one that mired the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

In an expansive interview on Saturday evening, Mr. Putin warned that Iraq could "become a new center, a new magnet for all destructive elements." He added, without naming them, that "a great number of members of different terrorist organizations" have been drawn into the country since the fall of Saddam Hussein.


posted by Frodgie at 6:46 AM

 

Arafat installs emergency cabinet

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is facing new Israeli threats to expel him following a suicide bombing, has appointed an emergency cabinet.
He has also declared a state of emergency in Palestinian areas.

The eight-member cabinet is headed by the Prime Minister-designate, Ahmed Qurei, who said the decisions were necessary for the Palestinian Authority to assert its control over a deteriorating security situation.

The BBC's Barbara Plett in Ramallah says Mr Arafat's decision, which ends lengthy consultations about the cabinet's composition, is a desperate measure to project leadership where there has been none.


posted by Frodgie at 6:45 AM

 

Fool Me Twice

On the face of it, Friday morning's crop of headlines looks pretty good for Saddam Hussein. If he could read them from his current residence, likely to be a sewer in Tikrit, he might think that he has again conned much of the American media with the same ease that he mislead Hans Blix. He would be thrilled to read that many have decided that the U.S. arms investigator, David Kay, who heads up the Iraq Survey Group, has drawn a blank in his search for Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD):

New York Times: "No Illicit Arms Found in Iraq, U.S. Inspector Tells Congress"

Washington Post: "Search in Iraq Finds No Banned Weapons"

Los Angeles Times: "Inspectors Find Aims, Not Arms"

Boston Globe: "US report finds no illicit arms"

BBC: "US team finds no Iraq WMD"


posted by Frodgie at 6:43 AM

 

Kay: Clues Exist on Anthrax, Missiles Still in Iraq

David Kay (search) told Congress last week that his survey team had not found nuclear, biological or chemical weapons so far. But he argued against drawing conclusions, saying he expects to provide a full picture on Iraq's weapons programs in six months to nine months.

While lacking physical evidence for the presence anthrax or Scuds, Kay said tips from Iraqis are motivating the search for them.

Critics, including many in Congress, say Kay's findings do not support most of the Bush administration's prewar assertions that the United States faced an imminent, serious threat from Iraq's Saddam Hussein because of widespread and advanced Iraqi weapons programs.


posted by Frodgie at 6:40 AM

 

Syria Calls on U.N. to Condemn Israeli Airstrike

"The United States believes that Syria is on the wrong of the side of the war on terrorism," U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said. "We believe it is in Syria's interest, and in the broader interest of Middle East peace, for Syria to stop harboring and supporting the groups that perpetrate acts such as the one that occurred yesterday."

At an emergency meeting called at Syria's request Sunday, most council diplomats spoke out against both the airstrike on an alleged terrorist training camp near Damascus and the homicide bombing in the Israeli port city of Haifa (search) that killed 19 people and prompted Israel's retaliation. The United States said it would not support a resolution condemning the Israeli airstrike that did not also condemn the Haifa attack.


posted by Frodgie at 6:39 AM

 

Diabetes, obesity on rise in U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Diabetes rates are shooting up in the United States, with a 27 percent increase between 1997 and 2002, according to official government statistics.

The annual snapshot of the nation's health, put together by the National Center for Health Statistics, also shows that nearly a third of Americans are obese and two-thirds overweight.

But life expectancy at birth continues to rise, reaching a new record high of 77.2 years in 2001, up nearly 2 years since 1990. Girls born in the United States in 2001 can expect to live 79.8 years, an increase of one year from 1990. The life expectancy for boys born in 2001 was 74.4 years, up two years since 1990.


posted by Frodgie at 6:38 AM

 

Elena Slough, recognized as oldest American at age 114, dies

TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- Elena Slough, documented as the nation's oldest person, died Sunday at the nursing home where her daughter died three days before. She was 114 or 115, according to different sources.

Slough died in her sleep at the Victoria Manor Nursing Home, where she and her 90-year-old daughter, Wanda Allen, lived, according to Judy Moudy, a supervisor at the Lower Township facility.

The Gerontology Research Group said Slough was born on July 8, 1889, making her 114 years old at the time of her death. But Krista Rickards, director of marketing at Victoria Manor, said Slough's son had a 1930 document that listed his mother as being born in 1888, which would have made her 115.


posted by Frodgie at 6:35 AM