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Internet News RecordLibertyNewsprint.com U.S. Edition05/08/09 - 06/08/09
North Korea requests Clinton. So off he goes.
By Deborah Charles (Front Row Washington)
Submitted at 8/5/2009 10:44:15 AM
It turns out that it wasNorth Koreawhich had suggested that formerPresident Bill Clinton would be thebest person to come and negotiate therelease of two journalists who hadbeen sentenced to 12 years of hardlabor in the Stalinist state.The U.S. government —particularly Secretary of State HillaryClinton — had been working formonths on trying to free the two journalists. The secretary of statereportedly proposed sending variouspeople to Pyongyang, includingClinton’s former vice president AlGore, to lobby for the women’srelease.But North Korea rejected Gore andother possible envoys like SenatorJohn Kerry, Governor BillRichardson and former ambassadorto South Korea Donald Gregg.Pyongyang wanted President Clintonand passed that word along throughthe two detained journalists, LauraLing and Euna Lee, who weremaking occasional phone callstotheir families.“In mid-July during one such phonecall,Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee sharedwhat the North Koreans had toldthem — that they would be willing togrant them amnesty and release thetwo Americans if an envoy in theperson of President Clinton wouldagree to come to Pyongyang and seek their release,” a senior administrationofficial said.The families passed the requestalong to Gore, who co-founded themedia group that employs thewomen. Gore then asked the Obamaadministration if the former presidentcould make the trip.Once the administration determinedthat North Korea would indeedrelease Ling and Lee if Clinton madethe trip, the former president agreedto travel to Pyongyang on a “private,humanitarian mission.”Before leaving for North Korea,Clinton was briefed by Obamanational security officials and he alsospoke with Gore and the families of the two women.Once in Pyongyang, where he wasgreeted with the fanfare of a statevisitas opposed to a privatehumanitarian trip, Clinton securedthe women’s release after about threehours and 15 minutes in meetingsand over dinner with President KimJong-il.The U.S. government says it didn’toffer any quid pro quo. But itremains to beseen what, if anything,Clinton proposed in exchange for thewomen’s release.The North Korean newsagencycalled the Clinton-Kim talks“exhaustive” but maybe they werealso exhausting? Especially if theNorth Korean supreme leader is assick as reported.And in the end, who has enjoyedmore coming in from the cold andbeing in the globalspotlight?KimJong-il or BillClinton?For more Reuters politicalnews,please click here.Photo credits:Reuters/KCNA(Clinton sits with Kim in Pyongyang); Reuters/Danny Moloshok (LauraLing (top) and Euna Lee disembark from plane in United States)
Ex-Edwards mistress atcourt amid campaignprobe (AP)
(Yahoo! News: U.S. News)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 6:56:05 AM
L.E. buzzed up: Russia's Obama:No, he can't, at least not now (AP)19 hours ago 2009-08-05T11:57:01-07:00
It’s AI Mario!
By John Biggs (CrunchGear)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 7:25:43 AM
Devin posted the first AI Mario runlast night and now there’s a longer -and better - one. This one evenincludes an exciting techno beat inthe background which meanssomeone out there dragged an MP3into Movie Maker.On the whole I love AI solutions.I’m not big on finishing games - Ihead to GameFAQs about half-wayin just because I’m tired of trying tofigure out where the Minotaur-cyborg hid the blue key or whatever.Apparently Nintendo actuallywants to implement this sort of thingin their games, sort of an AI assistthat will help the gaming morons likeme get through a tough spot. Here’shoping.
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(BloggingStocks)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 7:40:00 AM
Twitter Down, NoExplanation Yet
By Eliot Van Buskirk (Wired Top Stories)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 7:09:00 AM
The world came to a standstillFriday morning, when the Twittershort messaging service went offlinefor at least a half an hour. Not really— but Twitter is in fact offline thismorning, and we’re working onfiguring out why.
 
2Internet News Record
Uighurs held at Guantanamo plead toObama for release
By Jeremy Pelofsky (Front Row Washington)
Submitted at 8/5/2009 2:29:28 PM
A group of the 13 Chinese detaineesheld at the controversial U.S. prisonat Guantanamo Bay, Cuba appealeddirectly to President Barack Obamafor their immediate release, arguingthat they have been cleared by theUnited States of any wrongdoing andthey questioned why it was taking solong to go free.The members of the Uighur ethnicgroup originally sent the appeal toObama on March 8 but it was notcleared by the U.S. government forrelease until July 14, according totheir attorneys. Two of thesignatories have since been releasedto Bermuda, the lawyers said.“After 6 years of investigations, theUS military confirmed that we areinnocent,” the Uighurs said in theirletter. “We are innocent civilians,however, we are currently still beingheld in jail.”In June four Uighurs weretransferred from the Guantanamoprison to the Atlantic island of Bermuda. The entire group, whocome from China’s largely Muslimfar-west region of Xinjiang, werecaptured by the U.S. governmentduring fighting in Afghanistan afterthe Sept. 11, 2001, attacks inWashington and New York.There has been some talk that theremaining 13 Uighurs held atGuantanamo Bay could go to thetropical Pacific island of Palau,where the government has agreed totake them temporarily as ahumanitarian gesture. China hasdemanded that they all be returned toChinese soil but the United States hassaid it could not return them becausethey would face persecution.“The State Department, incoordination with the DefenseDepartment and other interestedagencies, is working to makeappropriate arrangements to carry outtransfers of these individuals in amanner consistent with nationalsecurity and foreign policy interestsof the United States, as well as U.S.policies concerning humanetreatment,” said Justice Departmentspokesman Dean Boyd.Obama has vowed tocloseGuantanamo prison by January2010 and his administration has beentrying to find places to send thosedetainees who have been cleared fortransfer. But they have run intotrouble finding countries willing totake former prisoners,particularly if the United States does not acceptsome of them as well.“We do not believe that there is nocountry out there that would give uspolitical asylum,” the letter said. “Wedo not believe that the U.S.government cannot find a solutionfor the Uighurissue here.”For more Reuters political news,click here.- Photo credit: Reuters/BrennanLinsley
McCain sees N.Korea asusing Clinton visit forpropaganda
By Steve Holland (Front Row Washington)
Submitted at 8/5/2009 1:39:33 PM
WASHINGTON - RepublicanSenator John McCain says NorthKorea was attempting to use formerPresident Bill Clinton’s visit forpropaganda purposes and enhancethe prestige of Pyongyang.In an interview with Reuters,McCain said the Obamaadministration should resist anytemptation to engage in direct talkswith the North Koreans but insteadshould push North Korea to rejoinstalled six-party negotiations over itsnuclear program.The six-party talks include theUnited States and North and SouthKorea, China, Russia and Japan.McCain, the Republican candidatein last year’s presidential electionwon by Barack Obama, said hebelieves all Americans appreciateClinton’s role in securing the releaseof two American journalists andsparing them from “the worst gulagin the world, with conditions thatwould make Stalin blush.”“The question is, will this signal achange in North Korean behavior?”McCain said, recalling that a visit byformer President Jimmy Carter toNorth Korean in 1994 led to hopesfor a change but did not producelasting progress.In announcing the release of thetwo women, the North Korean newsagency had said Clinton offered anapology for their behavior, a claimdenied by the Obama White House.“I think it’s very clear that the NorthKoreans, in their statement whenthey talked about ‘profoundapologies’ etcetera, tried to use thisto enhance their prestige and use itfor propaganda purposes, but thatshould surprise no one,” he said.North Korea’s insistence thatClinton and North Korean leaderKim Jong-il discussed pending U.S.-North Korean issues and reached aconsensus of views on seeking anegotiated settlement of them wasseen by some analysts as a signal thatNorth Korea was seeking direct talkswith the United States.Since taking office in January, theObama administration so far hasrepeated the same demands long heldby the United States, that NorthKorea needs to give up its nuclearweapons and stop provocativebehavior.McCain, long a vocal critic of North Korea, said direct talks shouldbe resisted. “Let’s not change ourpolicy of many administrations, of our goal of eliminating NorthKorea’s nuclear weapons, engage insix-party talks and continue ouradvocacy for human rights,” he said.Photo credits: Euna Lee reunitedwith family - REUTERS/MarioAnzuoniClinton speaks with film producerStephen Bing - REUTERS/DannyMoloshok 
'The Biggest Loser''s Bob Harper on Second Chances
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 2:31:00 AM
When "The Biggest Loser" returnsthis fall, the theme will be secondchances. ET talks to trainer BobHarper about the upcoming seasonand the new "The Biggest Loser"personalized health and fitnessprogram that is being released thisfall on Wii and DS/DSi.ET: What can you tell me about thenew season? Is there any drama?Bob Harper: It's "The BiggestLoser." Of course, there is drama.But the show this season is all aboutsecond chances. When you get to seeone of our contestants from lastseason get back on the show, get asecond chance at the show, it is sogreat.
Politics/ *
 
3Internet News Record
U.S. senator seeks details ofGeithner’s ‘colorful language,’ getsnowhere
By Kevin Drawbaugh (Front Row Washington)
Submitted at 8/5/2009 11:10:11 AM
U.S. Senator Jim Bunning asked aTreasury Department official thequestion other lawmakers hadavoided at a banking committeehearing on Wednesday — so, whatabout that profanity-laced tirade byTreasury Secretary TimothyGeithner?Assistant Treasury SecretaryMichael Barr, on hand to testifyabout credit rating agencies, playeddown the drama of Geithner’s widelyreported “conversation” on Fridaywith regulators who were refusing totoe the Obama administration’sfinancial reform line.Barr said he attended the meetingin question, where sources saidGeithner used expletives in urgingcooperation from Federal ReserveChairman Ben Bernanke and others.“The secretary made clear theregulators are free to defend theirown agency prerogatives. They’reindependent agencies … We had along discussion about macro-prudential versus micro-prudentialregulation, the kind of conversationthat we have had with them on manyoccasions,” Barr said.But Bunning, a KentuckyRepublican known for his bluntness,wasn’t buying this bland descriptionof a closed-door session that sourcesdescribed as tense anduncomfortable.Under pressure from Bunning, Barrreplied, “I won’t characterize theexact verbiage that was used …senator, you will not be surprised tolearn that in Treasury, asoccassionally up on the Hill, there’ssome colorful language.”Said Bunning, “I’ve been accusedof that. I understand.”
Structure of HIV genome 'decoded'
(BBC News | Americas | World Edition)
Submitted at 8/5/2009 5:23:05 PM
Scientists say they have decoded theentire genetic structure of HIV-1 -the main cause of Aids in humans.They hope this will pave the way toa greater understanding of how thevirus operates, and potentiallyaccelerate the development of drugtreatments.HIV carries its genetic informationin more complicated structures thansome other viruses.The US research, published inNature, may allow scientists thechance to look at the informationburied inside.HIV, like the viruses which causeinfluenza, hepatitis C and polio,carries its genetic information assingle-stranded RNA rather thandouble-stranded DNA.The information enclosed in DNAis encoded in a relatively simple way,but in RNA this is more complex.RNA is able to fold into intricatepatterns and structures. Thereforedecoding a full genome opens upgenetic information that was notpreviously accessible, and may holdanswers to why the virus acts as itdoes.The team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill saidthey planned to use the informationto see if they could make tinychanges to the virus."If it doesn't grow as well when youdisrupt the virus with mutations, thenyou know you've mutated or affectedsomething that was important to thevirus," says Ron Swanstrom,professor of microbiology andimmunology."We are also beginning tounderstand tricks the genome uses tohelp the virus escape detection by thehuman host."Deep insideDr David Robertson from theUniversity of Manchester welcomedthis "definitive analysis"."What this may reveal is some of the proteins operating at a levelbelow the structures, which may haveall sorts of functions within the virus."More generally, if we can unpick the structures then we can comparethe systems of different viruses andgain new understanding of how theywork."Keith Alcorn of the HIVinformation service NAM added:"Encouraging the virus to mutate isnot a new idea, but it is one of anumber of options on the table."How important this informationwill be for the development of newdrugs remains to be seen, but it is auseful addition to what we know."Print Sponsor
Brazil returns hazardousUK waste
(BBC News | Americas | World Edition)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 2:50:46 AM
Around 1,500 tons of hazardouswaste which arrived in Brazil fromthe UK labelled as recyclable plasticis on its way back, authorities havesaid.The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable NaturalResources said the cargo includedused syringes, condoms and dirtynappies.Three British men have beenarrested over alleged illegalshipments.Officers from the EnvironmentAgency and Wiltshire Police raidedthree properties in Swindon in July.Three men, aged 24, 28 and 49,were bailed until the end of October.Formally complainThe Institute said 81 containersarrived between February and May2009 at Brazilian ports.It added that they were labelledrecyclable plastic, but had beenpacked with domestic and hospitalwaste.They were sent back towards theUK from the port of Santos onWednesday.The Environment Agency said itwould investigate their contentsbefore disposing of them safely.Brazil's government said it wouldformally complain to the WorldTrade Organisation over thedeliveries.Under the Basel Convention,shipments of toxic waste fromindustrialised nations are banned,officials said.Waste can be exported forrecycling, but it is illegal to send itabroad for disposal.The maximum penalty for doing sois an unlimited fine or up to twoyears in jail.Print Sponsor
Video: Jay Leno RevealsHis Dream Guest forNew Prime Time Show
(ETonline - Breaking News)
Submitted at 8/6/2009 4:00:00 AM
Jay Leno's hour-long, prime timeshow premieres September 14 onNBC -- and the talk show hostreveals his dream guests for the newshow!"You shoot for Oprah and kind of work your way down," Jay tells ET."There's a lot of people I'd like tohave on. Jerry Seinfeld, there'snobody funnier than him. TomCruise of course, who you wouldthink would be the biggest stars."As Jay leaves late night behind hetells ET about which elements of hisshow he'll take with him to his newtime slot.
Politics/ Top News/ *
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adelalendt

Ik besliste uw guestbook te ondertekenen

reply11 / 01 / 2009
leannzorilla

Ik verontschuldig me voor het houden niet omhoog met uw guestbook.

reply10 / 19 / 2009
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