3 die when small plane crashes in La.

(CNN) — Aviation officials were trying to determine Saturday why a small plane crashed in dense woods in southeastern Louisiana, killing two adults and a teenager, a spokesman for the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
Chief Criminal Deputy Jason Ard said the trio, apparently parents and their son, had been identified, but the names weren’t being released because there were more relatives to notify. They were the only three people aboard.
The Cessna aircraft, which took off from Slidell, Louisiana, crashed just before midnight (1 a.m. ET Saturday) near Albany, less than 40 miles to the west. The plane was headed for Marksville, northwest of Baton Rouge.
A resident in the Albany area phoned the sheriff’s office shortly before midnight to report hearing a crash, and that was followed by other calls, Ard said.Controllers at Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport told deputies that they were communicating with the pilot before losing contact. It was difficult to reach the crash site because of the woods, Ard said.

Civilian killed, 10 wounded in Baghdad bombing

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — At least one civilian died and 10 others were wounded when a car bomb in a parked car detonated in western Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said.
The incident, which also damaged three cars, occurred in a commercial area of the Mansour district. One of the wounded was an off-duty police officer. It is not clear whether he was being targeted.
Officials said there also were two roadside bombings in Baghdad that left eight people wounded: six in the southeast neighborhood of Zaafaraniya and two in the southern Dora district.

Conjoined twins separated after long surgery

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) — A team of medical experts successfully separated Egyptian twin boys Hassan and Mahmoud on Saturday — the 21st procedure of this type to be performed in the kingdom, the nation’s leading surgeon said.
“The twins, almost an hour ago, have been separated for the first time in their lives,” said Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who also is the Saudi minister of health.
The boys are less than a year old and were brought to the kingdom on February 10.
While the 15-hour delicate surgery has been declared successful, surgeons at the King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh are still in the finishing stages of the procedure, an operation deemed successful, Dr. Al-Rabeeah told CNN.

Civilian killed, four hurt in Baghdad bombing

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — At least one civilian died and four others were wounded when a car bomb in a parked car detonated in western Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said.
The incident occurred in a commercial area of the Mansour district.
Officials said there also were two roadside bombings in Baghdad that left eight people wounded: six in the southeast neighborhood of Zaafaraniya and two in the southern Dora district.

Conjoined twins separated after long surgery

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) — A team of medical experts successfully separated Egyptian twin boys Hassan and Mahmoud on Saturday — the 21st procedure of this type to be performed in the kingdom, the head surgeon said.
“The twins, almost an hour ago, have been separated for the first time in their lives,” said Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who also is the Saudi minister of health.

In times of recession, libraries flourish

(CNN) — An unemployed woman sits at a computer in a public library in New York. She’s not an avid reader, but because it’s a way to research job openings and use the Internet for free, she goes to the library.
“It helps me research the different companies and how the different industries work and what’s all involved with different industries,” said Rebecca Hodges, who’s been unemployed for a year.
In times of recession, people take advantage of free services, and the library is among the most popular.
In the past year, libraries across the country have seen dramatic increases in the use of their services, which in addition to free Internet access can include programs such as resume workshops and foreclosure seminars.

India seeks ‘pause’ in Sri Lankan fighting to free civilians

NEW DELHI, India (CNN) — India has called for a “pause” in the fighting between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil rebels to allow the evacuation of thousands of civilians trapped in the nation’s northern war zone.
In a statement issued Saturday, India’s external affairs minister, Pranab Mukherjee, warned that the humanitarian crisis was “building up with every passing day” in Sri Lanka.
Mukherjee referred to the recent rebel offer of a cease-fire as an “opportunity” for the Sri Lankan government to stave off the crisis.

ETA not running in Basque region elections

MADRID, Spain (CNN) — The Basque separatist group ETA is not running in the Basque regional parliamentary elections Sunday, but the future of the troubled region in northern Spain and the weakened-yet-still-dangerous ETA are utmost on many voters’ minds.
Successive Basque votes over the years — to elect the powerful 75-seat regional parliament and the Basque president — are seen as a bellwether of the region’s sentiment on how to end decades of ETA violence blamed for more than 800 deaths.
Nearly 1.8 million Basques are eligible to vote. One major poll by the El Pais newspaper predicted a 60 percent turnout, down from the 68 percent in the regional elections four years ago. The polls open at 9 a.m. (3 a.m. ET) and close at 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET). Results are expected late Sunday

Blast kills coalition contractor in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) — A contractor working for coalition forces died Saturday in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan after an improvised explosive device exploded during a combat reconnaissance patrol, U.S. forces in Afghanistan said.

The person’s name and nationality were being withheld until family members could be notified.

Militants have attacked and kidnapped contractors in Afghanistan since the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda began in 2001.

Zimbabwe leader has lavish birthday party

CHINHOYI, Zimbabwe (CNN) — Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was celebrating his 85th birthday with a lavish all-day party Saturday despite the fact that the country is gripped with an economic and health crisis.
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party said it raised at least $250,000 to hold the party in Mugabe’s hometown of Chinhoyi, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) outside of the capital, Harare.
Critics of the president say the country is desperate for that amount of money to be spent instead on its citizens, who are suffering from a cholera outbreak, food shortages, and spiraling hyperinflation. On Friday, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai visited a hospital’s closed intensive care unit that he said needed $30,000 to resume operating.
Mugabe’s birthday falls on February 21 but his party loyalists postponed the celebrations as they were raising money for the event.
“I think it is going to be a great day for the legend and icon whose birthday we are celebrating today here,” said Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwawo, one of the fund-raisers for the birthday.
“The country might be having problems, but we need to have a day to honor the sacrifices the president has made for this country.”

Iraqi leaders applaud withdrawal plan

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Iraqi leaders are applauding President Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw most U.S. troops from the country by August 2010.
Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi’s office released a statement Saturday saying he received a call from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton informing him of Obama’s announcement of the withdrawal.
“Mr. al-Hashimi welcomed the American administration’s commitment to withdrawing its troops from Iraq according to the agreed-on schedule and stressed that every possible effort should be exerted to increase the readiness of Iraqi security forces and improve their performance,” the statement said.

Nepal beefs up security ahead of Tibet anniversary

KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) — Authorities said Saturday they have beefed up security near the Chinese Embassy to stop any possible anti-Chinese demonstrations in the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet.
“The area within 200 meters (218 yards) of the Chinese Embassy visa section has been declared a prohibited area from Friday,” Nabaraj Silwal, the chief of the Kathmandu city police, said Saturday. “Rallies, sit-ins and sloganeering will not be allowed within the prohibited area.”
The decision comes a day after visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue had an hour-long meeting with Nepalese security officials in Kathmandu to discuss prevention of anti-Chinese activities

Zimbabwe’s leader has lavish party despite crisis

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) — Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was celebrating his 85th birthday with a lavish all-day party Saturday despite the fact that the country is gripped with an economic and health crisis.
Mugabe invited Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his new partner in a power-sharing government, but a Tsvangirai spokesman said the opposition party leader turned it down. Tsvangirai said it is a political party function and as the prime minister, he is not obligated to attend, the spokesman said.
The spokesman would not acknowledge whether Tsvangirai had initially agreed to attend, but it was widely reported in Zimbabwean media that he had agreed to do so.
Friday, Tsvangirai visited Harare Hospital, one of the country’s biggest, and said its intensive care unit will need $30,000 in order to start operating again after a funding shortage.
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF raised $250,000 in order to hold the party.

Small plane crashes in Louisiana

CNN) — A small plane crashed in the woods of southeastern Louisiana early Saturday, local ambulance officials said.
The plane crashed in a wooded area near the city of Albany in Livingston Parish at about 12:05 a.m. CT (1:05 ET).
It was unclear how many people were on the plane and whether there were injuries or fatalities

India wants Gandhi’s glasses back

NEW DEHLI, India (CNN) — India is trying to reclaim the famous metal-rimmed glasses and some other artifacts from freedom leader Mahatma Gandhi that are up for auction next week in New York, a top official said Saturday.
“The government will be doing whatever is required to get them back,” India’s culture ministry secretary Jawhar Sircar told CNN.
He said there were “several options” in place for India.
When asked whether India planned any indirect participation in the bidding reportedly scheduled next week at the Antiquorum auction house on New York’s Madison Avenue, he said it is one of the “speculative” options.

Disabled BBC host gets complaints, praise

(CNN) — The BBC is receiving complaints about a disabled children’s show host who only has one hand, with some alarmed parents saying the host is scaring their children.
A BBC spokeswoman said the corporation has received at least 25 “official” complaints recently about Cerrie Burnell, new host of two shows on the BBC-run CBeebies television network, which is aimed at children younger than six.
The official complaints do not count the dozens of negative comments lodged in Internet chat rooms, the spokeswoman said.
But there have also been messages of support for Burnell.

2 killed, 9 wounded in Baghdad bombing

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — At least two people died and nine others were wounded when a car bomb in a parked car detonated in western Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official said.
The incident occurred in a commercial area of the Mansour district. One of those killed was a police officer in civilian clothing. It is not clear whether he was being targeted. The other slain person was a civilian.
Officials said there also were two roadside bombings in Baghdad that left eight people wounded: six in the southeast neighborhood of Zaafaraniya and two in the southern Dora district.

Chinese mothers lose children, livelihoods in fatal wreck

CNN) -- The three mothers hail from the same province in China, but they'd never met until a reckless driver in central Ohio killed their only children.

From left, Sun "Zoe" Yan, Bian "Jack" Jin and Xue "Jo" Bing were students at Urbana University in Ohio.

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Two years later, the women wade through a cultural morass, struggling with American laws and language as they work to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars they borrowed to educate, and bury, their children.
They've also lost their pride and possibly their future. In China, a family's future often rides on the education of its youngest member, and parents routinely mortgage the present for a brighter retirement.
The three mothers have no good news for friends and relatives who stop by their homes in northeast China, sometimes for hours, asking for their money. The mothers face the cultural shame of not being able to repay them, and many of their creditors don't believe them when they explain they've received little compensation for their losses.
"Even after I die, I could not close my eyes," Cai Tie Juan said, describing her stress and exhaustion through a translator.
On March 8, 2007, Cai's son, Bian Jin, 27, better known to his American counterparts as Jack, was returning from a spring break shopping trip with Sun Yan and Xue Bing, both 24.

Sources: Weapons, subsidies, loopholes among budget cuts

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After promising the American people his team has already found $2 trillion in budget savings by scouring the federal budget, President Obama is planning to lay out some of the potential spending cuts in great detail when he unveils his first blueprint on Thursday, according to senior administration officials familiar with the budget plans.


President Obama told Congress on Tuesday that his administration had found $2 trillion in cuts in the federal budget.

"My administration has also begun to go line by line through the federal budget in order to eliminate wasteful and ineffective programs," Obama said Tuesday in a speech to a joint session of Congress. "... We have already identified $2 trillion in savings over the next decade."

A list of some of the proposed spending cuts obtained by CNN shows that the programs on the chopping block range from outdated farm subsidy programs to pricey Pentagon weapons programs and the so-called "carried-interest" loophole on Wall Street.

Each program, however, has political patrons on Capitol Hill who will fight to save the budget items, setting the stage for major political battles as the details of the budget are debated by lawmakers in the months ahead.

One high-profile proposal involves closing the loophole that has allowed some Wall Street investment managers to pay lower tax rates than their low-paid assistants. Wall Street lobbyists have fought such changes in the past and won, but the current political environment is so sour on financial executives that the proposal could garner more support now. Watch Obama talk about ending "tax breaks for the rich" »

"Under current law, investment managers have been exploiting a loophole in our tax code to pay 15 percent on their earned income, the same rate that a middle-class family making $80,000 a year pays. The budget calls for closing the so-called 'carried-interest' loophole," says the administration's list, without being specific about how much revenue that will bring in to the federal government. Watch Obama lay out his budget plans in speech »

US training Pakistan's military: Pentagon

NEW YORK: The US Defense Department confirmed it has a team of military advisers training the Pakistani army in counter-insurgency operations but said the program has been openly discussed for months, rejecting a newspaper report suggesting it was a "secret" project."The training effort with the Pakistan Frontier Corps is not a secret," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman, referring to a New York Times report."We've talked about it on the record for several months," he told reporters.He said there were about 30 advisers involved in a "train the trainer" program with the Frontier Corps, in which Pakistani soldiers undergo instruction from US officers and then go on to train their own troops operating in the restive border area.The program was designed to "help the Frontiers Corps develop its own training program in counter-insurgency techniques."He would not confirm or deny that the advisers were mainly from US Army Special Forces, as reported by the newspaper."We've never really talked about the composition of the US military team," he said.He added the United States "shares information" with the Pakistani authorities on militants.

Taleban Swat truce 'indefinite'

Taleban insurgents in the troubled north-western Swat valley of Pakistan have announced an indefinite ceasefire.
The announcement follows a deal struck last week between a radical cleric and authorities that brings Sharia law in return for an end to the insurgency.
The Taleban have been assessing that deal and Tuesday's move followed a meeting under the group's leader in the region, Maulana Fazlullah.
The scenic valley of Swat has long been blighted by militant violence.
"Today the shura [consultative council] met under Maulana Fazlullah and decided to hold a ceasefire for an indefinite period," Taleban spokesman in the region Muslim Khan was quoted by the news agency AFP as saying.
"We are releasing all prisoners unconditionally. Today we released four paramilitary soldiers and we will release all security personnel in our custody as a goodwill gesture," he said.
The Taleban had been observing a temporary, 10-day ceasefire that was due to expire on Wednesday.

Uncertain future for fractious Koreas

As North Korea threatens to back out of all its agreements with the South, the BBC's Korea correspondent, John Sudworth, looks at the likely outcome for the divided peninsula.
Little more than a year ago an extraordinary journey was beamed live to television sets around the world.
The then South Korean president, Roh Moo-hyun, was in a car heading towards one of the most potent symbols of Cold War hostility, his country's land border with North Korea.
On reaching the Military Demarcation Line, Mr Roh stepped out of the motorcade and walked across, a gesture of reconciliation that once would have seemed impossible.
I'm certain that the South Korean government will not let the North Koreans cross the sea-border ever again
Yoon Doo-hoFather of dead South Korean soldier
Back in the car, a couple of hours later, his convoy was sweeping through the streets of the northern capital, Pyongyang, cheered on by thousands of pompom-waving citizens.
Up ahead the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was waiting to greet him.
That summit meeting, only the second time in history that the leaders of North and South have met, now seems a very long time ago.
North Korea's latest assessment of South Korea's current president and his political allies is far from friendly.
"The group of traitors has already reduced all the agreements reached between the North and the South in the past to dead documents," said a statement carried by the country's official news agency.
Relations have reached "the brink of war" it goes on to say, therefore the North no longer considers itself bound by such agreements.

North Korea fuels missile rumours

North Korea has asserted its right to "space development", amid speculation that it plans to launch a missile test.
In state media, it accused countries of trying to block its "peaceful research" and said: "One will come to know later what will be launched."
Experts say "space development" has been used before for a rocket launch.
North Korea denied it was seeking attention, as Hillary Clinton begins a visit to the region as US President Barack Obama's secretary of state.
Speculation that North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile has persisted for two weeks, following surveillance reports of long objects being moved towards the coast and of Chinese ships vacating the area.

North Korea 'plans rocket launch'

North Korea says it is planning to launch a rocket carrying a satellite, sparking speculation about a possible missile test.

N. Korea prepares satellite launch

North Korea announced Tuesday it was preparing to launch a "satellite" from its northeastern coast, denying recent intelligence suggesting it was ready to test a long-range missile. full story

Israel rivals agree to more talks

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Tzipi Livni, leader of rival party Kadima, to hold further talks on forming Israel's next government.
Mr Netanyahu met Ms Livni on Sunday in their first meeting since 10 February's inconclusive general election.
The Israeli foreign minister said she saw no reason not to meet again.
Kadima narrowly defeated Likud in the election, but Mr Netanyahu has the support of religious and right-wing parties in Israel's parliament.

Bombs kill Somalia peacekeepers

Somali Islamist insurgents have killed 11 African Union peacekeepers from Burundi in a deadly attack on an AU military base in Mogadishu.
The al-Shabab group said two of its members had carried out a suicide car bomb attack on the base.
The AU confirmed that 11 Burundian troops had died in the Somali capital and 15 others had been seriously hurt.
The AU's Burundian and Ugandan peacekeepers are now the only foreign troops in Mogadishu.
Last May, at least 13 people, mainly civilians, were killed in an attack claimed by al-Shabab militants on an AU base in Mogadishu.
The peacekeepers have been deployed in Somalia since 2007

Iraqi National Museum to reopen

Iraq's National Museum is re-opening, nearly six years after it was looted and vandalised in the immediate aftermath of the 2003 US-led invasion.
Many of its antiquities were stolen at that time, and only a small proportion have been retrieved.
Coalition forces had no orders to intervene, and stood by as Iraq's priceless heritage was pillaged.
Many of the nation's treasures were in the museum, whose looting was among the most scandalous episodes of the period.

Israel-Hamas arms embargo urged

Amnesty International has called for a freeze on arms sales to Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups following the recent Gaza conflict.
The human rights group said it had evidence both Israel and Hamas had used weapons sourced from overseas to carry out attacks on civilians.
It called for the UN Security Council to impose the embargo on all parties.
Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the conclusions of the report, in which Amnesty accuses each of war crimes.
In the report, Israel is accused of illegal use of white phosphorus and other armaments supplied by the US in Gaza, while Hamas is condemned for launching unguided rockets into Israel.
[Israeli] attacks resulted in the death of hundreds of children and other civilians and massive destruction of homes and infrastructure
Donatella RoveraAmnesty International
Israel defends use of phosphorus
Q&A: White phosphorus injuriesIsrael has denied the allegations.
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC: "The IDF, the Israeli Defence Forces, only use weapons that are in accordance with international law.
"We did not use any such munition as an anti-personnel weapon; we are investigating ourselves."
White phosphorus, which is used to lay smokescreens, is legal for use on open ground but its use in built-up areas where civilians are found is banned under international conventions.

Tourists hit by Cairo bomb blast

A bomb explosion in Cairo has killed a French tourist and injured more than 20 other people, mostly foreign tourists.
It happened at an open-air hotel cafe packed with tourists in the Khan al-Khalili area - a major attraction and home to a prominent mosque.
The device, most likely home-made, was thrown from a balcony, Egyptian police said. Conflicting reports say the bomb may have been left under a bench.
The tourist killed was identified as a 17-year-old girl by French authorities.
There has been no indication so far of who is behind the attack, and no arrests have yet been confirmed.

Iraq MP 'aided parliament bomber'

A Sunni lawmaker in Iraq could face arrest and charges over allegations he was involved in a 2007 bomb attack on the country's parliament.
Iraq's Shia-led government may now seek to have Mohammed al-Daini's immunity revoked after a warrant was issued.
Alleged confessions obtained from two bodyguards linked Mr al-Daini to the attack, in which seven people died in a parliamentary canteen.
He condemned the bodyguards' arrest and pledged to respond to the accusations.
The Associated Press news agency said Mr al-Daini described the allegations as "untrue and baseless".
"They have the right to say anything they like and I have the right to give my answer," he told Reuters.
The MP was reportedly put under effective house arrest at a hotel in Iraq's fortified Green Zone.
'Retribution'
Announcing the allegations at a news conference, a military spokesman played recordings said to be taped interviews with the two bodyguards - one of whom was Mr al-Daini's nephew.
One of the men in the video recording, named as Riad Ibrahim al-Daini and said to be the MP's nephew, gave details of how the lawmaker allegedly helped facilitate the attack on parliament.
The attack in April 2007 killed eight people, among them three MPs.
"The suicide bomber entered parliament with an authorisation paper from Mohammed al-Daini and blew himself up at the parliament," the video testimony said, according to the AFP news agency.
The nephew also accused Mr al-Daini of involvement in a string of attacks during a bitter period of sectarian violence in Iraq.
"When 11 of Daini's security guards were killed... he asked militant groups to abduct about 100 people - he wanted 10 people for each of his guards," Riad al-Daini said on video, Reuters said.
Mr al-Daini is a Sunni Muslim MP with Iraq's National Dialogue Front party. He was elected to parliament in 2005 to represent Diyala, a mixed Sunni-Shia area which has long been the scene of sectarian violence.
Iraq's government, headed by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, is led by a coalition of Shia Muslim parties.
Supporters of Mr al-Daini accused the ruling Shia majority of effectively persecuting their Sunni opponents, AP reported.

U.S. Navy ships move closer to Lebanon

WASHINGTON (CNN)
The U.S. Navy has moved the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole and other ships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Lebanon, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
The deployment comes amid a political standoff over Lebanon's presidency, but the Navy would not say whether the events are linked.
"It's a group of ships that will operate in the vicinity for a while and as the ships in our Navy do, the presence is important," Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday.
"It isn't meant to send any stronger signal than that," he said. "But it does signal that we're engaged and we are going to be in the vicinity, and that's a very important part of the world."
The destroyer and two support ships are close to Lebanon but out of visual range of the coast, Pentagon officials said. Another six vessels, led by the amphibious assault ship USS Nassau, are close to Italy and steaming toward the other three, the officials said.
Mullen would not say whether the deployment has anything to do with the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary vote on a new president, which was postponed for a 15th time earlier this week. But he said the vote was "important," and Washington was waiting for it to take place.
And a Bush administration official told CNN the decision to move ships to the region was a message to neighboringSyria that "the U.S. is concerned about the situation in Lebanon, and we want to see the situation resolved."
"We are sending a clear message for the need for stability," said the official, who was not authorized to speak for publication. The ships "should be there a while," the official added.

Israel and IDF Prepare For Gaza Incursion

Israel prepares international opinion for assault on Gaza
The Jerusalem Post
As Hamas drew Ashkelon into the circle of communities coming under heavy rocket attacks, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Foreign Ministry on Thursday began preparing both Israeli and world opinion for the possibility of a large-scale incursion into Gaza.
Barak, during a series of meetings at the Defense Ministry, said, "We should be prepared for an upswing in hostilities in Gaza. The big ground operation is a reality and it is tangible. We are not eager to embark upon such an operation, but we are not put off by it either."
According to defense sources, the goals of such an operation - reportedly in the planning stages for weeks if not months - would not "merely" be to reduce the threat of rocket fire and rocket manufacturing in the Gaza Strip, but would also likely entail paralyzing the Hamas government's ability to operate, and even include "regime change."
Barak spoke with Quartet envoy Tony Blair and Egyptian intelligence head Omar Suleiman and said Israel could not tolerate the current level of rocket fire in the South without offering a wider response.
And the Foreign Ministry, in talking points sent to its representatives abroad, instructed them to say that when Israel left the Gaza Strip in 2005 it did so without the intention of ever returning, but that the continuation of terrorist attacks was likely to place the country in a position where it may have no other choice.

Michelle Obama: Name Hussein Is 'the fear bomb'

Michelle Obama campaigning in Chillicothe, Ohio for her husband, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Thursday Feb. 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Chillicothe Gazette, Sarah Wright)
Chicago Tribune
Michelle Obama, who often has decried "the fear bomb'' that opponents have used against her husband for his middle name -- Barack Hussein Obama -- said in Canton, Ohio, today that it is happening again and shows why it's so important that he wins election as president.
"They threw in the obvious, ultimate fear bomb," Obama said today of her husband's 2004 Senate race. "We're even hearing [that] now. … 'When all else fails, be afraid of his name, and what that could stand for, because it's different.'"
The senator's wife said that rivals use innuendo to play on fears. "Just as they're saying it now," she said.
But, she told about 200 supporters this morning at a restored theater in Canton, Obama won despite that "climate of negativity and doubt" in 2004.
"We learned, number one, that when power is threatened by real change they will say anything to stop it," she said. "But we also learned that the American people can handle the truth."
What America needs, she added, is a "fundamentally different kind of leadership," one that challenges people to be different, and better to one another. And that, she said to critics who say it is not his time, cannot wait.
"Barack Obama will be the kind of leader we need right now, not in four years or eight years or 12 years," she said. "We can't wait to get this right. We need it to happen today."

U.S. Responds To China's Offensive Weapons Systems

The Pentagon is spending billions of dollars on new forms of space warfare to counter the growing risk of missile attack from rogue states and the "satellite killer" capabilities of China.
Congress has allocated funds to develop futuristic weapons and intelligence systems that operate beyond the Earth's atmosphere as America looks past Iraq and Afghanistan to the wars of the future.
The most ambitious project in a new $459 billion (£221.5 billion) defence spending Bill is theFalcon, a reusable "hypersonic vehicle" that could fly at six times the speed of sound and deliver 12,000lb of bombs anywhere in the world within minutes.
The bombs' destructive power would be multiplied by the Earth's gravitational pull as they travelled at up to 25 times the speed of sound towards their target.
The cost of the vehicle has not been revealed, but a spokesman for the Pentagon's Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) said a first test flight was scheduled for next year.
Loren Thompson, a leading defence analyst in Washington, said the focus of the project was attacking "time sensitive targets" in states such as North Korea and Iran, which have either developed nuclear weapons without international approval or are suspected of doing so.
"If we received intelligence that a strike was about to happen on South Korea, or on Israel, we would want to destroy that within minutes and not hours. But from most current US bases that is not feasible.
"With a hyper-sonic vehicle launching from the Middle East or Asia you could be over hostile territory within minutes," he said. "It's not just a question of can we destroy North Korean weapons, but can we get there quickly enough in the event of an imminent launch?"
Darpa is also developing a small unmanned launch vehicle that would provide "responsive and affordable" access to space, for less than $5 million per launch. The first test flight was made in March.
It would be capable of re-launching satellites that had been attacked, or acting as a fast-moving replacement for a damaged satellite with intelligence sensors of its own that could identify enemy installations.
In its 621-page report on the Defence Appropriations Bill, Congressmen from both Republican and Democratic parties said: "Enhancing these capabilities is crucial, particularly following the Chinese anti-satellite weapons demonstration last January."
In China's first successful test of an anti-satellite system, a ground-based missile fired into space shattered a weather satellite in low earth orbit. The Pentagon has also given warning that China is making greater efforts to hack into its defence computers.
Congress awarded $150 million for the Falcon project and its associated "prompt global strike" programme. A defence industry source said it was likely that hundreds of millions more were being spent on space warfare "away from the public view".
The "global strike" platform would give America the "forward presence" it requires around the world without the need for bases outside the US.
Attempts to base missile defence shields in Poland and Czechoslovakia have provoked a fierce row with Russia, while Uzbekistan, which neighbours Afghanistan, evicted the US from an air base two years ago.
FALCON HYPERSONIC CRUISE VEHICLE
Max speed: Mach 6 (4,614mph) Payload: 12,000lbs including cruise missles, 1,000lbs penetrator munitions and independent 'kill gliders' CRUISING ALTITUDES Satellites: 370 miles Space shuttle: 230 miles Falcon: 28 miles Concorde: 12 miles Airliners: 6 miles

Anti-nuke efforts face barrier

The deployment of a global missile defense system is a threat to nuclear disarmament, Chinese military officials and researchers have said, following the release of China's latest white paper on its defense policy.
The country has expressed great concern over the threat of such a missile defense system to international and regional security, according to the latest paper, which is considered to be the first time the Chinese government has responded to the United States-initiated missile system.
The white paper carried the comment in its section detailing China's strong stance on nuclear disarmament, analysts said.
The US deployment of the missile defense system offers no benefit to the global nuclear disarmament movement that the country has also promoted, said Teng Jianqun, deputy general-secretary of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association (CACDA).
"China opposes the global missile defense system, which is not good for regional stability," China's Defense Ministry spokesman Hu Changming told China Daily yesterday.
China started developing nuclear weapons in the 1960s to avoid possible nuclear attacks from other countries amid the Cold War, analysts said.
When China obtained its first nuclear weapon in 1964, the government announced the principle of "no first use of nuclear weapons" and a commitment to the thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. These policies continue, as the latest white paper on national defense showed.
"China holds that all nuclear-weapon states should make an unequivocal commitment to the thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, undertake to stop research into and development of new types of nuclear weapons, and reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national security policy," the paper said.
However, "the imbalance in world security will force some actors in the international community to seek nuclear weapons to protect themselves", Teng said.
In early 2007, four former senior US politicians, George Shultz, William Perry, Henry Kissinger and Sam Nunn, wrote the article Toward a Nuclear-Free World published by the Wall Street Journal, appealing to all countries to reduce the use of nuclear weapons and to stop the separation of nuclear weapons from terrorism.
"The turning point in US nuclear disarmament was caused by the change in the security environment," said Zhai Dequan, who is also deputy general-secretary of the CACDA.
There have been several waves of nuclear disarmament since the appearance of the nuclear weapon, Zhai said, but all these "waned" due to disagreement by the world's major military powers on the issue.
"As a strategic weapon, all political powers take nuclear armament as a guarantee of national security," Zhai said.
The US has expanded its national missile defense system, which focuses on the strategic abilities of other countries, even as it advocates nuclear disarmament.
The US launched its national missile defense (NMD) in the 1990s that was designed to shield the entire country against incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the early 21st century, the NMD program, which has developed into a system integrating other missile defense aspects such as space-based, sea-based, laser, or high-altitude intercept programs, has been modified to prevent the US from being subject to nuclear blackmail or nuclear terrorism by other entities, analysts said.
On Sept 5, 2000, former US president Bill Clinton backed the testing of the NMD system, saying that "such a system, if it worked properly, could give us an extra dimension of insurance".
China's latest white paper on defense said that the two countries currently possessing the largest nuclear arsenals bear "special and primary responsibility" for nuclear disarmament.
"If the international community is willing to disarm the nuclear weapon, China will absolutely support such a move," Zhai said.
Cui Xiaohuo contributed to the story

Single Broadsword Combat Steel

Traditional Chinese Broadsword. Traditionally hand crafted heavy metal sword. Made of forged steel- single edge non-bendable metal. Blade available in 30 in., 32 in. in length. Beautiful hand crafted scabbard included to protect the sword from scratches. From Lungchuan County in China. Comes with durable, custom-fitted, black nylon carrying case.Note:The carrying case is extra. It can not be returned or exchanged.

Gim Sword

There are two basic types of straight bladed swords used in China. One is fairly long and heavy known as the Wu Jian or "Martial Sword". The other is substantially lighter and called a Wen Jian or "Scholar's Sword" and was primarily carried for personal self defense.After studying books and video tapes on the history and use of both weapons, we have decided to make our own battle worthy Gim (Wu Jian) for serious collectors and practitioners of Chinese Martial Arts.The blade of our Wu Jian is made out of 1055 Carbon steel and measures 30 in. long by 1.5 in. wide. For cutting and slashing, both edges are quite sharp and they terminate in a strong, useful point for stabbing. The traditionally styled guard and pommel are cast out of thick sturdy brass and fit snugly on a stout Rosewood handle that is both highly decorative as well as functional.The Gim Sword comes with an excellent wood scabbard with brass throat, chape and sword rings and can be worn suspended from the belt or slung over the shoulder.Features a 30.00 in. 1055 carbon steel blade and a 7.25 in. cord wrapped handle. Comes complete with a hardwood scabbard with brass fittings.

Specifications:Weight: 36 oz.Overall Length: 37.25 in.Blade Length: 30 in.Blade Thickness: 1/4 in.Blade Material: 1055 CarbonHandle Material: 7 .25 in. long. RosewoodCarry System: Hardwood Scabbard with Brass Fittings

Chinese War Sword

Few swords are more intimidating or more effective than the two handed Chinese War Sword. Its huge, wide blade will shear through armor as if it were butter, not to mention mere flesh and bones. There is nothing clumsy or awkward about this sword. Its 14 in. cord wrapped grip, "S" shaped guard, and steel ring pommel all work in concert to make it a well balanced weapon that's unbelievably fast and agile.The War Sword comes with a leather sheath.Features a 23.25 in. 1050 high carbon steel blade and a 14.50 in. cord wrapped handle. Comes complete with a leather scabbard.Specifications:Weight: 57.7 oz.Overall Length: 37.75 in.Blade Length: 23.25 in.Blade Thickness: 7/32 in.Blade Material: 1050 High CarbonHandle Material: 14 .5 in. long. Cord WrappedCarry System: Leather Scabbard

Ring Broadsword

With an etched lion head and nine fastened rings, the blade of this sword is a sight to be recognized. This sword measures 33 in. overall and is made from die-cast aluminum. Red and green sashes attached to leather wrapped handle. Scabbard not included.

Double Broadsword

A beautiful set containing two 33 in. long unsharpened swords. Made of die-cast aluminum, each sword is etched with a blood groove. Green and red sashes attached to handle end provides flowing effect as swords cut through the air during kata or competition. Brown vinyl scabbard case with handle included.Note:Please allow 1 week extra for shipment. 1-2 weeks for delivery.