North Korea preparing to restart nuclear facility...

North Korea said Friday it was undertaking "thorough preparations" to restart its nuclear reactor, accusing the United States of failing to fulfill its obligations under an international disarment-for-aid pact. It was the first time the North has confirmed it has begun reversing what it has done so far to roll back its nuclear program, though it has warned it would do so in anger over Washington's failure to remove it from the U.S. terrorism blacklist.

"We are making through preparation for restoration works" at the Yongbyon nuclear complex, Pyongyang diplomat Hyun Hak Bong told reporters. He did not say when Yongbyon would be operating again.

Hyun spoke to reporters in the border village of Panmunjom inside the Demilitarized Zone before sitting down for one-day talks Friday with South Korean officials on sending energy aid to the North as part of the six-party disarmament deal. The landmark 2007 pact — made with the United States, China, South Korea, Russia and Japan — called on Pyongyang to disable its nuclear program in a step toward its dismantlement in exchange for the equivalent of 1 million tons of energy aid. North Korea began disabling the complex last year, and the process was 90 percent complete, with eight of 11 key measures carried out "perfectly and flawlessly," Hyun said. The accord ran aground in mid-August when Washington failed to take North Korea off its list of states that sponsor terrorism. The U.S. has refused to change that status until North Korea agrees to an international plan to verify a declaration of its nuclear programs submitted in June. North Korea responded by halting the disabling process and is now "proceeding with works to restore (Yongbyon) to its original status," Hyun told reporters.

South Korean and U.S. officials say it would take at least a year for the North to restart a completely disabled reactor. The latest impasse followed major progress made in late June when the North submitted its long-delayed account of its nuclear activities and destroyed its nuclear cooling tower in a show of its commitment to denuclearization. Hyun warned Washington not to press the verification issue, saying verification was never part of the deal. He said forcing the North to comply with such an inspection would exacerbate tensions. "The issue of verification won't be resolved if (the U.S.) applies a robber-like inspection method in the name of an international standard," he said. The White House had no immediate reaction early Friday. The six-party talks last convened in July, and a new round has not been scheduled amid the standoff between the U.S. and North Korea. Seoul's delegate to Friday's talks reassured Pyongyang that the rest of the energy aid promised to North Korea would be sent to the North.

The tensions come amid reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has suffered a stroke. Kim, 66, has not been seen in public for more than a month, and missed two big public events: a military parade marking North Korea's 60th birthday and Thanksgiving. [End of report]

The fact that North Korea is preparing to restart nuclear facility is very worrying. There were some reports earlier that North Korea has begun to reassemble its main nuclear facility, but it didnt came from any of its officials, but now that it has been confirmed by one of their diplomat, I guess we can say that the reports were indeed true. It is worrying to hear the news because it could jeopardise the six-party deal that was made last year, which as you can read from the report, called on Pyongyang to disable its nuclear program in a step toward its dismantlement in exchange for the equivalent of 1 million tons of energy aid. It wasnt an easy task to achieve that deal and if North Korea somehow manage to restart the Yongbyon reactor, then I think all the hard work that has been done by all the parties involved would be wasted. In short, North Korea wants the U.S. to remove it from the list of terror sponsors but the U.S. instead wants to see North Korea agreeing to a plan to verify an accounting of nuclear programs it submitted in June if it wants to be taken off the list. The North Koreans are saying that verification was never part of the deal. I dont know if this is true though.

I dont particularly trust the North Koreans but I think what they are saying is true. If it is, then I think it was a mistake on the part of the U.S. and the other 4 parties involved in the deal to not include the verification issue. This has definitely put North Korea in a better position to be negotiating because they hold all the playing cards right now. As much as the country needs the aids that it is currently receiving, I think it could still do without it but as far as the other parties is concerned, they would want to see the Koreans honouring the deal which they have all work very hard for to achieve. I dont think having a nuclear North Korea would be a good idea, that is why it is important to ensure that they do not restart the Yongbyon reactor. There have been evidence that shows the North Koreans are trying to assemble the parts of the reactor, and to restart it would be a long process. South Korean and U.S. officials has said it would take at least a year for the North to restart a completely disabled reactor, but still, that is a risk that is not worth taking in my opinion. They have come this far, so why wait another year when things will only get more complicated. But then again, Pyongyang might just be putting up an act to put more pressure on the U.S. to listen to its demands. They might be trying to assemble the reactor, but maybe they dont have any plans to actually start it all over again.

I really hope both the U.S. and North Korea can find a peaceful solution to all the problem. I think it would be a big disappointment if they fail to find any kind of agreement and to see the North Koreans restarting the nuclear reactor. There have been a lot of progress made so far on the issue and for it to end like this would not just be a shame, but it will also mean the world need to worry about the possibility of a nuclear North Korea again. I dont think this will do any good for everyone.

*The report was taken from Associated Press.

Israel poised for first female leader in 34 years....

Israel's foreign minister declared victory Thursday in a tight race to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as the head of the governing party, getting a chance to be the country's first female leader in 34 years. Tzipi Livni, 50, said she would immediately turn to the task of trying to cobble together a new government. Official results showed Livni winning by a 1.1 percentage point margin in the Kadima Party primary elections — a far narrower victory than the double-digit romp polls had predicted.

Livni, a political moderate, barely edged out hawkish rival Shaul Mofaz, a former defense minister, in a contest that could have far-reaching implications for peacemaking with the Palestinians and Syria. Livni said she would launch coalition talks on Friday, even though President Shimon Peres cannot officially ask her to try to put together a government until Olmert resigns the premiership. After she is assigned the task, she will have 42 days to form a new ruling coalition. If she succeeds, she will become Israel's first female prime minister since Golda Meir stepped down in 1974. If she fails, the country will hold elections in early 2009, a year and a half ahead of schedule. Olmert, who is stepping down to battle multiple corruption allegations, will remain as a caretaker leader until parliament approves a new Cabinet. Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said the prime minister called Livni to congratulate her on her victory and would notify the Cabinet on Sunday that he would resign. "After that, he will resign," Regev said, without specifying when.

Israeli media reported Thursday that Mofaz called Livni to congratulate her, rejecting a legal adviser's proposal to challenge the results. Three TV exit polls released just before the voting ended Wednesday night had showed a clear victory for Livni over Mofaz, about 47 percent to 37 percent, leading to premature celebrations. But official results saw that margin shrink dramatically, to 43.1 percent for Livni and 42 percent for Mofaz — a 431-vote edge. This was not the first time exit polls have badly missed their mark here. Livni needed 40 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff next week. Two other candidates lagged far behind in the tally. A fast-rising star in Israel's political firmament, Livni is Israel's lead negotiator in peace talks with the Palestinians and a rare female power figure in a nation dominated by macho military men and a religious establishment with strict views on the role of women. A lawyer and former agent in the Mossad spy agency, she is eager to continue the low-decibel diplomatic efforts. She says she hopes diplomatic efforts to halt Iran's nuclear program will prevail, though she says all options are on the table.

With opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline Likud Party polling well, neither Kadima nor its coalition partners appear eager for a new election. But the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, which could be key to building a new coalition, has already served notice that it would not join a government that is willing to negotiate the fate of disputed Jerusalem with the Palestinians. As lead peace negotiator, Livni is committed to discussing all the outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians, and the future of Jerusalem is at the heart of the conflict. Shas' position will require some deft political maneuvering on Livni's part if she is to sidestep elections. [End of report]

Im very pleased with the result. If given a choice between Livni and Mofaz, I would definitely choose Livni because I like her level-headedness and tenacity approach as compared to Mofaz, who is a much more aggressive type of person. Being the foreign minister herself, she would have a lot of experience when it comes to dealing issues involving countries such as Palestine or Syria. She herself has been in talks with the Palestinians for almost a year regarding the peace deal. The job doesnt end there for her though. Winning the contest to replace Olmert as the leader of the Kadima Party is only the first step. The next step for her of course is to try and form a new coalition and that is not going to be an easy task. As you can read from the report, she has only 42 days to form a coalition that is acceptable to parliament. She will need to try everything to avoid a general election but convincing some of the parties to join her coalition would, like I have said earlier, not be an easy task. The party that could be a stumbling block for her would be the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party.

Now they have made their feelings known that they would not join a government that is willing to negotiate the fate of disputed Jerusalem with the Palestinians. Therefore, she will have to do everything in her power to convince them that she has a good plan. Another reason why it wouldnt be good if a general election were to take place is that the peace talk between Palestine, would be put in jeopardy. I dont know how the other parties would react if they were in charge. There have been some achievements that has taken place in the peace talk, and in order to sustain it, it would be much better if the Kadima Party remains in power. The Palestinian Information Minister Riad Malki has came out today and said that he was hopeful that peace talks could succeed under Israel's new leadership. I certainly share the same hope as well. The peace deal was actually started by the U.S. if you can remember and as much as they wanted it to be done with by the end of this year, I doubt it will happen. Should there be a general election, the Likud Party is expected to win, so that is not a good sign for her and her party. I believe she can do a good job as a Prime Minister. After the failure of Olmert, I think she is a fresh change to the politics in Israel.

With both the U.S. and Israel leadership set to change by the year end, it is very difficult to say where the peace deal with Palestine will be heading to. I just hope that whoever the leaders will be, it will not have a huge effect on the deal and that all parties could continue to do what their predecessors did. Of course there are other issues to be dealt with as well such as the Iran nuclear ambitions along with Syria. I dont know how much will the leadership differ when it comes to dealing with those issues, but I just got a huge feeling that Livni will do a better job than Olmert. I guess we will have to wait and see for now.

*The report was taken from Associated Press.

Fed in AIG rescue - $85B loan....

U.S. authorities engineered an $85 billion rescue of insurance giant American International Group Inc (AIG.N), staving off bankruptcy and bringing a measure of calm to shell-shocked global markets. The bailout, made amid a cataclysmic week for the financial sector, marks a reversal of Washington's vow not to step in and calls for the U.S. Federal Reserve to lend up to $85 billion to AIG for two years in exchange for a 79.9 percent equity stake. It came just two days after U.S. authorities refused to rescue investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (LEH.N) (LEH.P), forcing it into bankruptcy court despite pleas from Wall Street's chiefs.

AIG's lifeline bought time for investors to digest an unprecedented run of events that has altered the shape of Wall Street, but did little ease a funding squeeze caused by the turmoil. Asian stocks were mostly higher after Tuesday's dramatic selldown, with Tokyo's Nikkei index (.N225) up 1.2 percent and the MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan stocks index up 0.9 percent. Oil rose more than $3 a barrel, and major European markets were expected to open as much as 2.1 percent higher. The Fed stepped in amid worries that a collapse of AIG could cause far-reaching damage to the global financial system, although some market players argued that the government's move brings just a short-term respite and could do long-term harm. Around the time the AIG deal was announced, British bank Barclays Plc (BARC.L) gave Wall Street another boost: It agreed to buy several parts of Lehman, the Wall Street investment bank that went bankrupt on Monday, for $1.75 billion. U.S. stocks earlier had clawed back from their largest one-day drop in seven years on speculation about the AIG and Lehman deals. The two largest U.S. investment banks, Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N), also reported better-than-expected earnings.

The AIG deal overshadowed a Fed decision earlier on Tuesday to hold its benchmark interest rates steady despite market's counting on an economy-boosting cut in borrowing costs. Central banks in Japan, Australia and India pumped $33 billion into global money markets as the AIG bailout did little to ease the funding squeeze triggered by Wall Street's crisis. The rescue keeps AIG from surpassing Lehman as the largest U.S. corporate failure ever. It comes on the heels of a government bailout just over a week ago of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae (FNM.N) and Freddie Mac (FRE.N), and six months after the Fed helped to finance the fire sale of failed investment bank Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N). The move comes at a sensitive time given job losses and tax rates are key issues in the battle for the White House between U.S. Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. Both candidates struck populist tones in speeches on Tuesday, with Democratic candidate Obama accusing Republican rival McCain of being an opponent of regulation who turned a blind eye to market recklessness. McCain said Obama had taken big donations from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

AIG will pay interest at a steep 8.5 percentage points above the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate, equal to about 11.4 percent. That gives AIG a big incentive to embark on a massive asset sale program to pay back the loan quickly. AIG's bailout brings to about $900 billion the total of U.S. rescue efforts to stabilize the financial system and housing market. Authorities may get much of that sum back provided asset prices don't continue to slide. Senior Fed staff told Reuters that AIG's broader business ties and its retail products meant a rescue was necessary, unlike in Lehman's case. Critics said that the Fed may have wiped out what credibility it won resisting Lehman's rescue pleas and may have opened the door to countless other companies to come calling for help. [End of report]

I think everyone would agree with me that it has been a crazy week in the global financial market over the past few days or so. I mean, you got the Lehman Brothers filing for bankruptcy and AIG on the verge of demise as well, only to be rescued by the Feds. When I first heard the news about the Lehman Brothers, I was shocked, along with everyone else I believe but at the same time, the news shouldn't have come as much of a surprise because the signs were there and I guess it was only a matter of time before it went bankrupt. Some of you might be wondering why didn't the U.S. government went to the aid of the Lehman Brothers when they had asked for it, and instead went to rescue AIG instead. Well that is because, unlike Lehman Brothers, AIG is a much more bigger player in the market and the U.S. government just couldn't allow it to follow in the same direction as their Lehman Brothers counterpart, not especially in the current situation. You can just look at the impact that the news of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy is having, I cant imagine what would happen if AIG went bankrupt as well. AIG, with 103,000 employees and more than $1.0 trillion of assets, is more than an insurance company, if it was unable to honor its obligations it could have set off a cascade of problems around the world.

AIG previously found a protector in the State of New York, which agreed to bend rules and allow AIG to borrow $20.0 billion from its operating subsidiaries. That could enable it to obtain some sort of credit facility or additional capital. It will be used to help maintain the company's credit rating. It may also be used as collateral. New York's governor gave AIG until Wednesday to secure an injection of capital or a credit facility. If it fails to do that, the agreement to let it borrow from its operating subsidiaries is off the table. The New York Fed had even asked Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase & Co. to try to arrange a $70 billion private loan for AIG, but that didn't go anywhere. That is why the Fed had decided to come in and bail it out. This is not the first time that they had done such a thing this year. If you remember earlier this month, the Treasury had bailed out the former government agencies of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and back in March, they had participated in the March rescue of Bear Stearns. It was all a very important decisions to make but I think the AIG one is the most important yet. The U.S. government will of course get something from the deal as well, as the loan is expected to be repaid from the proceeds of the sale of the firm’s assets.

The Fed's move to bail out AIG will come as a relief to many Im sure but I dont think we have heard the end of the story yet. I think it will definitely help to stabilise the global financial market in the short term, but in the longer term, nobody can predict what will happen. The U.S. mortgage crisis has shown little sign that it would be over soon, and the longer it continue, I believe we will see more big names succumbing to the pressure. Many critics are saying that the move to rescue AIG may have opened the door to countless other companies to come calling for the government to help, but I really doubt that will happen. The U.S. government cant rescue every companies that are in trouble because I dont think they have enough resources to do that. The problem might have ease a little for now, but it will not end soon. Alan Greenspan has recently said that this is a once-in-a-lifetime, or once-in-a-century event and I have to agree with him. The worst part of the problem might not be over just yet.

*The report was taken from Reuters.

Zimbabwe political rivals sign historic power-sharing deal...

President Robert Mugabe ceded some power in Zimbabwe for the first time in 28 years, signing a power-sharing deal Monday with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai amid questions on how the fierce enemies will work together to fix the collapsing economy. Thousands of supporters of the rival parties threw stones at each other as the ceremony got under way and several hundred broke through the gates of the convention center where it took place. Police fired warning shots and set dogs on the crowd, which calmed and cheered as their leaders left after the signing.

Mugabe, Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, leader of a faction that broke away from Tsvangirai's party, all pledged to make the deal work. But long-simmering and bitter differences as well as the nation's economic collapse — inflation is officially running at 11 million percent — have put the deal under intense pressure. It has already been criticized privately by some opposition leaders, who are unhappy that it leaves Mugabe as president and head of the government. They fear Mugabe will exploit that, especially by playing on tensions between the two opposition groups. Nine African leaders including mediator President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa witnessed the signing in a show of commitment to the deal, which the African Union is underwriting. Aid agencies welcomed the deal as a hopeful sign they will be able to step up food deliveries to millions of people facing hunger. Mugabe's government restricted the work of aid agencies in June, accusing them of siding with the opposition before a presidential runoff. The ban was lifted last month, but aid agencies say it takes time to gear up.

Mugabe, 84, has been in power since independence in 1980 and went from being praised as a liberator who freed the former British colony from minority white rule to being vilified as an autocrat. He and Tsvangirai, 56, have been enemies for a decade, and Tsvangirai has been jailed, beaten, tortured and tried for treason — charges that were dismissed in court. Under a complicated arrangement, Tsvangirai is the prime minister with executive powers to chair a new council of ministers responsible for forming government policies. He is deputy chairman of a Cabinet of ministers that Mugabe will head. The agreement provides for 31 ministers — down from 50 — 15 nominated by Mugabe's party, 13 by Tsvangirai and three by Mutambara. The parties began negotiating Monday which ministries they would hold and an announcement was expected later this week. Opposition leaders want the Home Affairs Ministry that would give them charge of the police who have terrorized them and their supporters this year, and Mugabe would retain the Defense Ministry. Tsvangirai saluted members of parliament for their willingness to work across party lines.

Tsvangirai said his first priority would be getting food to hungry Zimbabweans. Mugabe, in a speech that was often combative, again accused Britain and the United States of wanting regime change in Zimbabwe and sneered at the democratic process. Western countries say they will withhold the aid vital to help the country rebuild until it is clear Mugabe is committed. European Union foreign ministers meanwhile welcomed the deal but said Mugabe must prove he is willing to restore democratic rule before EU sanctions can be lifted. [End of report]

Well, it has been a long time coming but who would expect both Mugabe and Tsvangirai, a long time rival, sharing the same stage and looking as if there had been no problem between them in the past. However, behind all the smiles and the handshakes, I think there is still some elements of mistrust and hatred between the both of them. If given a choice, Im sure Mugabe will want to control everything for himself while Tsvangirai would want to see Mugabe disposed as the president of the country. The one thing that they would agree on is that they want to make the country better and they want to do it as soon as possible. I mean Zimbabwe has not had the best of time over the past few years or so, majority of its people are living in poverty, not having enough food to eat, and their economy is at all time low. So its easy to see where the anger towards Mugabe are coming from, which explains why the opposition party of Tsvangirai did fairly well in the recent elections. Considering everything that has happened in the country, I think Mugabe will feel much more happier about the deal. Although some of his power has been restricted, he is still the president of the country and he is still able to make some of the major calls in the government.

The deal hasn't been easy to come by though. Neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai made any secret of their difficulties in accepting the accord. Tsvangirai has said that he signed the deal because he thinks that it was the only way to move the country forward but Mugabe was much more reluctant to sign it as demonstrated by the speech he gave after the conclusion of the deal. His speech managed to draw jeers from the crowd as he took swipes at Tsvangirai and lashed out at the United States and Britain, which Mugabe has blamed for undermining his regime and sowing the seeds of the country's crisis. It is not that difficult to see why he was reluctant to share some of his power, I mean he has been the president for almost 28 years. I think the reason why he finally decided to go through with the deal was because he knew he couldnt do it all alone if he wish to see the country getting better. It needs help from the U.S. and other western countries too to get Zimbabwe back on track and the only way it can happen would be if Tsvangirai is allowed to run the country in some way or another. The question now is, whether the deal will actually work. Many analysts have note that the deal is fragile, and fraught with uncertainty over the practicalities of sharing power between such bitter enemies and I have to agree with them.

You just have a feeling that with Mugabe still in power, anything can still happen. Many expect that Mugabe will continue to do his utmost to undermine the deal and sideline his opponents, while the military, which supports Mugabe, strongly opposes MDC rule. I just find it really difficult that Mugabe, who has been in power for such a long time, would suddenly have a change of mind but then again I might be wrong. At least now, there is some kind of official agreement between the both sides, something that can be use as a starting point to get the country back on track. It is just the beginning though, there are a lot of challenges that they will have to overcome in the future Im sure, one which would test how strong the deal actually is and how committed the two sides are in working together.

*The report was taken from Associated Press.

Thai ruling party leaders back Somchai for PM...

Leaders of Thailand's ruling party agreed Monday to nominate acting prime minister Somchai Wongsawat to take on the job permanently as they try to douse weeks of anti-government protests. Parliamentarians from the People Power Party (PPP) will be asked to endorse Somchai at a meeting today. However selecting Somchai, who is married to the sister of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, will likely inflame anti-government protesters, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, who seized the prime minister's offices last month.

The PPP was forced to search for a successor to Samak Sundaravej after his bid to return to power last week, three days after being stripped of office, was torpedoed by a party revolt. Two other candidates had been considered -- co-deputy PPP leader Sompong Amornviwat, and party secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee. The party's eventual choice will be presented to its five coalition partners before going to parliament for a vote set for Wednesday.

"Somchai is going to be a sitting duck if he takes over the premiership as expected Wednesday, because the PAD will attack his fatal weakness as being Thaksin's brother-in-law," said political analyst Thitinan Pongsudhirak.

But any of the candidates would struggle to end Thailand's political chaos, as the thousands of protesters besieging the grounds of Government House since last month have declared they will stay as long as the PPP is in charge. The demonstrators stormed Government House nearly three weeks ago to try to force the resignation of Samak and his cabinet. Last week the Constitutional Court stripped him of office, ruling that he had illegally accepted payments for hosting television cooking shows. Samak then Friday ended his bid to return to power after being deserted by his allies, scuppering a re-election vote in parliament. The demonstrators, who represent Thailand's traditional elite, claim Samak and the three candidates to replace him are proxies for Thaksin. The PAD also spearheaded protests against Thaksin in 2006, leading to the military coup that toppled him. They are also pushing a broader agenda to scale back democracy by reducing the influence of poor, rural voters, who gave Thaksin their steadfast support for providing universal health care and low-interest loans.

Thaksin now lives in exile in Britain to evade corruption charges, which he says are politically motivated. Despite that he casts a long shadow over Thai politics. His supporters won last December's election and he was consulted about Samak's renomination last week. Meanwhile the Supreme Court is set to rule Wednesday in a corruption case against Thaksin and his wife. That verdict is expected shortly after the vote in parliament for the new prime minister. [End of report]

If you remember in my previous post regarding the current situation in Thailand, I said that I thought Samak would be nominated as the Prime Minister again but of course that wasn't the case. You would think that the ruling party, PPP would choose someone else that at least doesnt have any link to Thaksin for obvious reasons, but they have decided to choose Somchai out of of the members in the party. As you can read from the report, Somchai will definitely not be a popular choice among the Thai people because of his relation with Thaksin. I dont know which is a worst choice for the Thai people, Samak or Somchai. I would like to think its the latter. He is afterall the brother-in-law of Thaksin, therefore there will even be more speculation that he will just be another proxy for Thaksin. I dont know how the Thai people will react if he becomes the next PM. Let's just put his relationship with Thaksin aside for a while and judge him on whether he has what it takes to be the next PM. One of his strong points I guess is that he has a lot of bureaucratic experience. He has been a judge for over 20 years so Im sure he wont have any problems in making tough decisions. Other than that, he doesnt have any other qualities to support his bid to become the PM. He is particularly a low profile and uncontroversial figure who was a deputy prime minister and education minister in Samak's Cabinet.

Then there are also the two other potential contenders that had been considered, co-deputy PPP leader Sompong Amornviwat, and party secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee. The Thai people though has said that they wont accept a PM who has any links with Thaksin or from the PPP party. As a Thaksin supporter, I find the accusations that Somchai are trying to run the government as a proxy for Thaksin baseless. I dont think it is right to say that you are running the government for Thaksin just because you have any links with him. I mean Thaksin is not interested in running the country anymore even if he is given the opportunity to do so, he is busy with his job in England, as the owner of the Manchester City Football Club. I think the Thai people are taking their frustrations towards Thaksin a bit too far which is bad for the country. They should judge Somchai or any other new Prime Minister by the job that they are doing and not because of their relationship with Thaksin. I dont know much about Somchai but since the PPP has chosen him to be the PM then I think the whole country should unite and get behind him and the new government. If they choose to continue their anti-government protests, then I doubt there will be any chance of success for both parties. Its time that they stop protesting and start supporting the government. Firstly they wanted Thaksin out, and they got it, and then they wanted Samak out and they got it too, so what's next?

Im sure Somchai will do a good job as the PM if he doesnt allow the Thai people to get in his way. He should do what he think is best for the country and not listen to the demand of the people, if stepping down is what they are asking. They have done a lot of damage to the country over the last few weeks or so and I hope that they wont repeat their actions all over again if they know what is best for the country.

*The report was taken from AFP.

One of the worst animal abuse I have ever seen...

Australian animal welfare authorities launched a nationwide hunt on Thursday for a man filmed punching and kicking a kangaroo unconscious. The video, which shows the man using kickboxing-style attacks on the kangaroo as his friend laughs while filming, was sent to the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) in Western Australia state.

In one scene the man pulls the kangaroo towards him and uses his knee to hit the animal's chest and the man punches the kangaroo's face as the animal struggles to remain standing. A final punch knocks the kangaroo to the ground where it appears to lay unconscious. It is unclear whether the attack resulted in the death of the animal, which authorities believe was injured, possibly in a car accident. The RSPCA said it had launched a nationwide appeal to catch the men responsible for the attack and video.

"We are appealing to every media outlet in Australia to help us track down the cowards behind the vicious attack on this kangaroo," RSPCA spokesman Richard Barry told reporters.

"Only a coward would attack an injured and obviously terrified young animal much smaller than himself. We want these cowards to be caught, charged and prosecuted," he said. [End of report]

I think if you had seen the news a couple of days ago, you would have the seen the footage. When I saw it, I thought it was really disgusting to watch. Im a huge animal lover, so I dont like to hear or see any form of animal cruelty, but I think even if you dont really like animal, you would find the act really despicable. I dont really know why the guy started to attack the kangeroo. I would like to think that it was an unprovoked act and the guy wanted to show the world that what he did was funny. I say this because the attack was being recorded and then it was posted on the Internet. I think it was obvious that he knew he would be caught by the authorities if he post the video on the net but I dont think that he care. All he wanted was to show the video to as many people as he could. The good news is that everyone could recognise him now and Im sure he would be caught soon. The video though has been removed from the website where it was first seen.

He should count himself lucky that Im not living in Sydney because if I did, I dont think I could control myself if I saw him on the streets. My heart was filled with a lot of anger and hatred when I saw the video and I don't think I can forget it. I feel really really sorry for the kangeroo. I dont know what the condition of the kangeroo is, whether it died as a result of the vicious attack or whether it is recovering. I really hope its the latter. As you can see from the report, authorities believe that the kangeroo was already injured before it was attacked which makes me even more angry. Its probably defenseless in the time of the attack so I dont see any point why the guy would want to attack it. It was just a cowardly act, I dont think there is any adjectives that could be use to describe the action to be honest. I dont know what he was hoping to prove by his action, other than being a total fool and an idiot. I hope he will get caught as soon as possible because he might repeat what he did to another kangeroo or worst, other animals that are smaller in size. I would love to see him travelling in the jungle at night and get eaten by an animal such as the lion or the tiger.

I dont know what the punishments are for animal cruelty in Australia, but I hope it will be a harsh one for the guy. I hope he will get a life imprisonment and is ask to do some community service in the zoo. He should be taught a lesson on how to respect the animal. If you remember earlier, I said the video has been removed from the website where it was first seen. I tried to find it on Youtube over the past few days or so, but to no avail. Fortunately though, someone was kind enough to post it on Youtube recently and you can watch the video here to see for yourselve how cruel the guy is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqQbx_Rv-ug

*The report was taken from Reuters.

US stops being polite as spat with Venezuela grows...

The United States stopped trying to be polite Friday in an escalating diplomatic shoving match with the populist leaders of Venezuela and Bolivia. Washington slapped new sanctions on three aides close to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and called him weak and desperate. The Venezuelan ambassador got the boot for good measure, a move that was purely for show. Chavez had already brought his man home.
"Those who shout the loudest are not making the real news in the Americas," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said after Chavez used bathroom profanity to accuse the Americans of meddling in Latin America.

The rupture began Wednesday when Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador there, accusing him of inciting violent protests. Chavez followed suit Thursday, accusing the "U.S. empire" of helping plot a coup against him. He later gave the American ambassador 72 hours to quit the country. McCormack adopted a grave tone to read a long defense to reporters Friday. Separately, the United States accused three members of Chavez's inner circle of aiding Colombian rebels known as the FARC by supplying arms and helping drug traffickers. Violent clashes over Bolivia's future have claimed eight lives. U.S. diplomats say Chavez and Morales are punching the United States to distract attention from mismanagement and unpopularity at home. Meanwhile, Honduras has announced that it will hold off on the accreditation of a new U.S. ambassador in solidarity with Venezuela and Bolivia. Honduran President Manuel Zelaya said the Central American nation is not breaking relations with the United States. Zelaya said small nations need to stick together. Zelaya previously planned to receive credentials Friday from U.S. diplomat Hugo Llorens.

Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega, a close ally of Morales, has not announced yet whether he will take any action against the U.S. ambassador in Nicaragua. By the end of the week, it was clear that the Bush administration's second-term strategy to get along with many left-leaning governments in Latin America while saying as little as possible about Chavez had fizzled. Chavez and Morales suggested they had no interest in improving ties with Washington until a new administration takes over in January. Chavez has made a specialty of anti-American broadsides, including an infamous 2006 reference to President Bush as the devil. Morales, on the other hand, was seen by Washington as a potential partner. The former coca growing union boss campaigned with a mild anti-American edge, but shook hands warmly with Rice at a much-watched get-acquainted session in 2006. He gave her a present she couldn't keep: A traditional Bolivian string instrument plastered with coca leaves. A two-week protest against Morales' plans to redo the constitution and redirect gas revenues turned violent this week as demonstrators in the country's energy-rich eastern provinces stormed public offices, blocked roads and seized gas fields.

His surprise move Wednesday to kick out the U.S. ambassador drew a mild response from Washington at first. The State Department said the diplomat had done nothing wrong, and then stalled for time to see if Morales was serious. All hesitation was gone Friday with the U.S. saying that all the accusations are 'false'. The new sanctions target Hugo Carvajal Barrios and Henry Rangel Silva, both chiefs of Venezuelan intelligence agencies. A former government minister, Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, was also named. The officials have served as Chavez's most trusted security chiefs. U.S. officials said the sanctions had been in the works for some time and are unrelated to the diplomatic dispute. [End of report]

When I first heard that Bolivia had expelled its own U.S. ambassador, I was quite surprise because I didnt saw it coming. Yes, relations between the U.S. and Bolivia or any other Latin America countries for that matter hasn't been the best over the last few years or so but unlike with Venezuela, I thought the relations between Bolivia and the U.S. was starting to improve. I also thought that their accusations regarding their U.S. ambassador to the country was more politically motivated rather than about the facts. The Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the U.S. ambassador there, because he accused him of inciting violent protests and was trying to overthrow the government but he has failed to provide the evidence to support his accusation. Then you have Venezuela. I think everyone knows that their President Hugo Chavez hasnt been a huge fan of President Bush and he would cash in any opportunity to anger the U.S. further. Chavez said he was taking the action in solidarity with Bolivia's President Evo Morales, but he also accused the U.S. of being part of a plot to assassinate him, a scheme allegedly involving retired Venezuelan generals and opposition politicians. I dont know if he is just creating some stories or whether it is true, though I strongly believe it is the former.

The relationship between Venezuela and the U.S. have not been the best. There is a lot of mistrust and anger between the two sides. Just recently, Chavez had welcomed two long-range Russian bombers to Venezuela for training exercises, which will be followed in November by joint naval maneuvers with Russian warships in Venezuelan waters. This move will undoubtedly not go well with the U.S. especially under the current circumstances. The U.S. has not only Venezuela to worry about but the Russians as well now. The more urgent question now I guess is whether U.S.-Venezuelan relations are at a breaking point. It does seem that way though but then again, it might not continue for too long as Chavez has talk about a renew relationship with the new U.S. administration. Some people think that Chavez actions is due to the fact that he is trying to deflect attention away from allegedly incriminating evidence against him and his government emerging in an international corruption trial that began this month or simply because he may be trying to win the support of his base in advance of local and state elections in November. He and his party desperately need a strong showing in order to reverse the unusual downward political slide he's experienced since losing a national referendum last year.

I dont know what is it about Chavez, whether it is his charismatic attitude or what, but he is the kind of guy that you either love to hate or hate to love. I dont know when was the last time I heard a world leader calling the U.S. by the term 'Yankees'. There is no doubt I love the U.S. but I cant help but find that amusing. Nevertheless, whatever his problem is with the U.S. or the Bush administration, it is probably the problems in his own country that he should think first. His loud confrontations with Washington haven't been playing so well at home this year. There is no question that Venezuela remains as an important ally for the U.S. I mean it is the U.S.'s fourth largest foreign supplier of oil but at the same time, Venezuela needs the U.S. as much as the U.S. needed them. I dont know what will happen next between the two countries, my only hope is that the relationship between the two sides will improve soon or there will be bound to be more trouble.



*The report was taken from Associated Press.