From the World-Wide Resourses of the Western Australia Reserch Senter(*) OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS #14 =============================== In the Run-Up to World War III, Reliably Reporting the News Relevant to Extreme Right-Wing Democratic Socialists Everywhere (validated for RiteThink(tm) by the Office of Our Man in Can-berra). Visit Our Home Page At: http://www.chickenhead.com/loserscopes/0103.asp See the Undeniable Evidence At: http://www.evil-doers.org/evidence Kindly Archived At: http://www.kymhorsell.com/BOZO/archives/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Selecting latest news stories and other data for you... ------------------------------------------------------------ This is the time to disarm Iraq, one way... or ... [Damn! I didn't mean to offer an alternative!] the other... -- Colin Powell, lobbying China to vote "yes" to a 2nd Resolution authorising force against Iraq, 27 Feb 2003. ---------------------------------------- US BACK TO YELLOW ALERT! Public Announcement. The Dept of Homeland Security has reduced the threat level from Orange to Yellow. Instead of sealing your home with duct tape, it is now only necessary to place post-it notes over all your windows. 3M -- Protecting America since 1903. -- Letterman show, 22 Feb 2003 ---------------------------------------- Wed, 26 Feb 2003. Washington. $US20 MN FOR GOVT GAS MASKS! Concerned about terrorist attacks, a risk possibly compounded by an up-coming strike on Iraq, the Pentagon and other govt organisations inside the Beltway have ordered up 80,000 gas masks. Officials say they want to cover all relevant staff, plus visitors to some locations, like the Pentagon. Each gas mask costs $US250. Seoul (SBS). PYONGYANG STRIKES AGAIN! 1 day after upstaging the swearing-in of the new S Korean Pres by launching a missile test, Pyongyang has accused Washington of preparing a preemptive strike against it. Apparently in reference to up-coming joint exercises between the US and S Korea, NK radio ordered its citizens to "prepare for war". In what observers described as "a bristling statement" NK urged its people and army to be "ready at any time". It also warned the world that its military would soon be "fully-mobilised". The US accused NK of "diplomatic extortion". Commentators point to America's willingness to turn the other cheek to NK's military threat just underlines "special criteria" with respect to Iraq. Elsewhere, def officials in Seoul say the North may have longer range missiles under development. This was also the thinking in AUS, where the govt revealed a long-awaited defence review. Def Min Hill says he didn't think NK had tested anything that could hit AUS now, but conceded such weapons could be under devel. Chaos unfolds as earthquake death toll rises to 257 NW China. The death toll from an earthquake in NW China is rapidly mounting with 257 people now confirmed dead and 1000s more injured. The earthquake struck the remote Xinjiang province neighbouring Tajikistan and Kirgizstan about 10.30am local time, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale. The area is sparsely populated but 1000s of homes and buildings have been destroyed. Just hours after the earthquake hit, relatives scurried to bury loved ones, following the religious custom of the Muslim Uighur area. Harried officials struggled to cope with the chaos unfolding in Bachu county and other communities in the region. "If you ask me how many people have been injured, I can only use the word 'countless' at the moment," Chinese official Han Chubai said from the country's remote W. Around him, sirens wailed as ambulances rushed victims to hospitals. Qiongkuer Qiake was among the most devastated villages in the county of 370,000, Mr Han said. The area is familiar turf for more adventurous tourists who have made the rough desert trek from Xinjiang's capital Urumqi to Kashgar, more than 3,000 kilometres W of Beijing. Beijing (9 pm). AFTERSHOCKS! Another mag 5 quake and 500 other aftershocks have increased the toll in NW China. Officials said at least 266 are now confirmed dead in the disaster, with at least 4,000 injured. Jakarta. 28 DIE IN SINKING! Indonesian authorities say 28 people are confirmed dead after an overcrowded ferry caught fire and sank off N Sumatra. They say a search of the area is continuing for 42 people still missing, while only 1 survivor was found yesterday, bringing that total to 63. The Mutiara Indah ferry sank after catching fire early on Mon. There has been confusion over the number of people who were on board at the time, resulting in differing estimates of the number still missing. Washington. FOOD RUNNING OUT! The UN Food Program says the battle against world hunger is losing ground. Program head James Morris says despite the efforts of govt agencies and 100s of non-govt organisations, more than 800 mn people are still chronically hungry. He says 24,000 still die around the world from hunger and malnutrition each day. Morris told a panel of US Senators the world is losing the battle against hunger in emergencies like those in Afghanistan, N Korea, and Africa. Huntsville. SUSPECT IN FATAL SHOOTING SURRENDERS! A man looking for work opened fire at a temp employment agency during an argument over a CD player, killing 4 fellow job-seekers and wounding a fifth, police said. Emanuel Burl Patterson later surrendered after a standoff at his appt, where police tracked him down using the address he put on his job applications. Authorities turned off the building's electricity while the temps was nr freezing. Police said the man shot at officers early in the standoff. The shooting with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun started about 6.30 am in the lobby of Labor Ready Inc, where as many as 15 people were waiting for work. Witnesses said they scrambled for cover. The gunman drove off after the shooting. No charges were filed immediately against Patterson, but Madison County DA Tim Morgan said capital murder charges were likely. The DA said Patterson had only minor run-ins with the law previously. Other details about his background were not immediately known. Toronto. CANADA AGAINST WAR! Them damned Kanuks! Canada is refusing to support the US without a UN mandate. Toronto may be 1 hr from Washington, but its view on military conflict is closer to France or Germany. Some Canadian pollies see the UN being "strong-armed" by the US. Some claim to have seen similar behaviour before from the "people next door". But I don't know what they're talking about! Views on US Pres Bush run close to abusive, and certainly would spark meddling from the US Ambassador to AUS if expressed here. "[He's] worse than Hitler", one woman-in-the-street told the cameras. We have your name and address madam! Like AUS, Canada has seen massive anti-war rallies. And opinion polls show only 1/3 Canadians would back US military action without an OK from the UN. Popular opinion is shared by the govt. "Canada will only support war with UN backing", PM Cretien keeps telling Parliament. AUS and Canada are very similar, but the 2 have taken opposite official views on war with Iraq. Some Canadian officials think its because AUS sees itself as more vulnerable to terrorism in general. Because it can't be fear of Iraq, can it? Canada is closer... KL. ISLAMIC COUNTRIES AGAINST WAR! Leaders of Islamic countries have met to discuss how to avoid a war in Iraq in a race against UN approval for an attack. The leaders are in Malaysia after a 2-day summit of the NAM that ended yesterday. It's unclear whether the Islamic states can stray far from a resolution adopted by the 116-member group in which they urged Washington to give peace a chance. The resolution also pledged support for the UN process on disarming Iraq. Iraq is a member of the NAM. Iraqi officials at the summit berated Arab neighbours for allowing US forces to use their territory for bases. KL. ARAB LEAGUE TO MEET! Iraq has called for an Arab summit in Egypt after it received assurances allies of Washington wouldn't hijack the meeting. Iraq has previously chided Qatar and Saudi for their support of the US war. It's unclear what the meeting will achieve. Iraq's Arab League ambassador says war in the Middle East will "open the doors of Hell". KL. NO, NOT THE OIL! Malaysian Pres Mahathir has mooted a plan to use oil to prevent war in Iraq. Dr Mahathir said the NAM or Arab League could use their control over global markets to stop an invasion of Iraq by "other countries". The PM tempered his remarks today, and went on to urge Iraq to comply with UN inspectors. Canberra. WAR CRIMINALS! Experts in int'l law maintain AUS troops and leaders that ordered them to invade Iraq could be tried for war crimes. They say Aussie troops now deployed in the Gulf could eventually be seen as criminals under int'l law if they were part of a US invasion without explicit UN permission. Iraq itself was censured under Article 24 for invading Kuwait. But the Fed Govt maintains such opinion is irrelevant. When AUS signed up to the ICC it was with the provision that the Fed A-G must agree to hand over anyone accused of criminal acts, said a govt rep. They implied that any Aussie accused of war crimes under Article 24 or similar would not be handed over. The findings of the Court are not binding, in any case. But legal experts say Mr Howard and Mr Milosevic are potentially in the same boat. If either orders the illegal use of force there are "consequences", they say. "Consequences" are something Mr Howard has acknowledged he is well aware of, at least in the abstract. Gen Wiranto indicted by UN for E Timor Jakarta. UN prosecutors in E Timor have issued an indictment against former Indonesian armed forces commander Gen Wiranto for crimes against humanity as hopes fade that Jakarta's courts can provide justice over the campaign of terror waged by Indonesian security forces and militiamen in 1999. The indictment also names other snr generals, incl former military intel chief Maj-Gen Zacky Anwar Makarin, who have escaped prosecution in Indonesia. A human rights court in Jakarta is due to wind up a series of E Timor prosecutions, with verdicts due by the middle of Mar in cases against 3 generals -- former provincial commanders, brigadiers Tono Suratman and Mohammad Noer Muis, and the reg'l commander at the time Maj-Gen Adam Damiri. These 3 also are named in the UN indictment, along with a commander sent to restore security after violence erupted in 1999, then Maj-Gen Kiki Syahnakri. They have been charged with failing to exercise command responsibility while their subordinates perpetrated human rights abuses. It is widely believed armed force headquarters planned and implemented a covert operation to stop E Timor voting for independence in the 1999 UN-supervised referendum. UN prosecutors plan to issue alerts through Interpol for the arrest of the generals named in the indictment in the hope that the restriction on their freedom to travel might act as a form of penalty. The indictments themselves are also a potential embarrassment to the generals and the justice system that has failed to launch prosecutions. They could however exacerbate diplomatic tensions with Jakarta at a time when there has been a resurgence of militia incursion across the border into E Timor. Kuwait City. LIBERATION DAY! As big sandstorms swept over US positions along the N border with Iraq, Kuwait was celebration liberation day. Meanwhile, Iraqi Dep PM Aziz was telling his boys victory was possible. "We must resist", he told the troops. Washington (SMH). US PLANS FOR 2 MN IRAQI REFUGEES! The Bush Admin has sent "massive" supplies of humanitarian aid to the Gulf region to cope with up to 2 mn refugees and displaced people as part of its planning for a war with Iraq, US officials said at a briefing yesterday. Relief supplies incl blankets, water containers, shelters and essential medicines for up to a mn people are already on their way to warehouses in countries bordering Iraq. 46 shipping containers carrying the supplies are en route. Nearly 3 mn "humanitarian daily rations" are being stockpiled in the region to meet emergency food needs. About 60% of Iraqis depend on a govt ration program for their food, but this is expected to be disrupted when the conflict begins. Mr Abrams and officials from the Pentagon and US AID stressed that their planning was for "worst case scenarios" but it was impossible to put firm figures on refugee movements or casualties. The US has asked other countries to contribute to the emergency aid funds but so far only limited donations have been forthcoming. Oh c'mon, you pikers! Help subsidise the US military! The officials stressed that the US would be working with the UN and non-govt aid agencies during the war and its aftermath. Washington (AP), 19 Feb 2003. CITES OF THE FUTURE HAVE TERRORISM IN MIND! Candeo Glacia is powered by hydrogen. Its residents submit to regular iris scans for security purposes. And the leaves on its bioengineered trees turn purple at any sign of radiation. That's the way budding engineer Megan Horton, 14, sees the future: not dependent on oil, tightly secured and quick to detect terrorist threats not imagined by urban planners of the past. The ability to respond to an attack, she and 2 classmates believe, should be part of any cityscape. "It's real to us, just part of life," said Megan. She and twins Mitchell and Casey Laski, from Mission Middle School in Bellevue, Neb, won 1st place Wed in the 11th annual Future City Competition, part of National Engineers Week. Their model of Candeo Glacia -- "glowing ice" -- is a neatly laid-out grid of buildings and waterfalls sitting above an underground methane hydrate-mining system that turns the gas to hydrogen. The threat of terrorism lies beneath their work, too, because it became part of their lives on Sep 11, 2001. After terrorists flew airplanes into buildings 1/2 a continent away, nearby Offutt Air Force Base became part of the drama. Pres Bush was flown there as part of a spontaneous hopscotch across the country to give his advisers time to assess the threat against him -- and to confuse any terrorists who might have been interested in his whereabouts. With names like Aquaterria (St Valentine School of Redford, Mich), Astrodel (St Theresa School of Phoenix) and Ciudad del Suelo (Nativity of Our Lord School, Orchard Park, NY), the teams proposed utopian civilisations far in the future, on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, on an asteroid and underground in N Dakota. The team from St Mary Parish School of Hales Corners, Wis, envisioned their city, Luminescence, to be business-friendly, feature forests and offer a petroleum-free transportation system called Skyway. The team won 5th place. Team leader Jeannette Van Hecke said participants spoke about incorporating terrorism prevention into their design. "But then we decided not to, because we wanted to focus on the positive," she said. Iraq cooperation a 'positive sign': UN NY (AFP). Cooperation between Iraq and UN experts to verify that Baghdad has destroyed its bio weapons stocks is a positive sign, UN rep Hiro Ueki said today. "It is a positive sign, it is a positive move, but signs of cooperation have to be judged in totality," he told a press conference in Baghdad. Ueki said that on Feb 19 Iraq had started excavations at Al-Aziziya, 100km SW of Baghdad, where it says it destroyed bio warheads and agents in 1991. UN inspectors visited the site yesterday and today, and experts are due in Baghdad on Mar 2 to help the Iraqis quantify the toxic material destroyed at the site. It is the 1st instance of such cooperation since UN inspectors resumed the hunt for Iraq's alleged WMD late last Nov after a 4-y break. In his daily statement, Ueki said UNMOVIC had received several letters from the Iraqi govt over the past few days relating to "the unilateral destruction of empty warheads, excavations of a dump site for the destroyed aerial bombs filled with bio agents, and an additional explanation on a biological agent". The UN has for y been trying to certify the destruction by Iraq of 1000s of tonnes of chem and bio weapons and agents, such as anthrax and VX, an issue crucial to the US which accuses Baghdad of concealing deadly agents that could be passed on to terrorist groups. Saddam has failed final test, says US NY. Saddam Hussein has "failed to take the final opportunity" to give up his WMD, according to a draft UN res that could provide a trigger for war on Iraq within 2 wk. But the res, tabled yesterday at the UN Sec Council by Brit and backed by the US and Spain, was countered by a memorandum from France that seeks to give Iraq at least 4 m breathing space. Despite conceding that inspections cannot continue indefinitely, the French plan calls for chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix to set disarmament tasks for Iraq this wk and to file regular progress reports over 120 days. But US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said the French plan was illogical and a "strong" admission that Iraq was not disarming. Dr Rice said the Sec Council, which unanimously adopted Resolution 1441, had to decide whether it would enforce its own res. But with 11 of the 15 members backing further inspections, Washington and London face a difficult task in raising the 9 votes -- with no vetoes -- needed for the res to pass. The Bush Admin has launched an all-out effort to convince the undecided non-permanent Sec Council members -- Mexico, Chile, Guinea, Pakistan, Angola and Cameroon -- to back the res. Brit's draft res draws on previous res and says "Iraq has failed to take the final opportunity afforded it by Resolution 1441", which was adopted in Nov. Brit's UN ambassador, Jeremy Greenstock, said the "bottom line is that after 12 y of defiance, deceit and prevarication, there still isn't the wholehearted change in Iraq's attitude that we have been looking for in 1441. Saddam is determined to hang on to his weapons of mass destruction programs, and that will not be allowed to stand," he said. But France, Russia and Germany argue that the time to make that stand has not come. "The aim (of the French proposal) is to establish a timetable for Iraq's disarmament, program by program," French Pres Jacques Chirac said. The French proposal NY. This is the French memorandum backed Germany and Russia and submitted to the UN Sec Council. 1. Full and effective disarmament in accordance with the relevant UN Sec Council res remains the imperative objective of the int'l community. Our priority should be to achieve this peacefully through the inspection regime. The military option should only be a last resort. So far, the conditions for using force against Iraq are not fulfilled: -While suspicions remain, no evidence has been given that Iraq still possesses WMD or capabilities in this field; -Inspections have just reached their full pace; they are functioning without hindrance; they have already produced results; -While not yet fully satisfactory, Iraqi cooperation is improving, as mentioned by the chief inspectors in their last report. 2. The Sec Council must step up its efforts to give a real chance to the peaceful settlement of the crisis. In this context, the following conditions are of paramount importance: - the unity of the Sec Council must be preserved; - the pressure that is put on Iraq must be increased. 3. These conditions can be met, and our common objective -- the verifiable disarmament of Iraq -- can be reached through the implementation of the following proposals: A) Clear program of action for the inspections: According to res 1284, UNMOVIC (UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission) and IAEA (Int'l Atomic Energy Agency) have to submit their program of work for approval of the Council. The presentation of this program of work should be speeded up, in particular the key remaining disarmament tasks to be completed by Iraq pursuant to its obligations to comply with the disarmament requirements of res 687 (1991) and other related res. The key remaining tasks shall be defined according to their degree of priority. What is required of Iraq for implementation of each task shall be clearly defined and precise. Such a clear identification of tasks to be completed will oblige Iraq to cooperate more actively. It will also provide a clear means for the Council to assess the co-operation of Iraq. B) Reinforced inspections: Resolution 1441 established an intrusive and reinforced system of inspections. In this regard, all possibilities have not yet been explored. Further measures to strengthen inspections could incl, as exemplified in the French non- paper previously communicated to the chief inspectors, the following: increase and diversification of staff an expertise; establishment of mobile units designed in particular to check on trucks; completion of the new system of aerial surveillance; systematic processing of data provided by the newly established system of aerial surveillance. C) Timelines for inspections and assessment: Within the framework of res 1284 and 1441, the implementation of the program of work shall be sequenced according to a realistic and rigorous timeline: - the inspectors should be asked to submit the program of work outlining the key substantive tasks for Iraq to accomplish, incl missiles / delivery systems, chem weapons / precursors, bio weapons / material and nuclear weapons in the context of the report due Mar 1; - the chief inspectors shall report to the Council on implementation of the program of work on a regular basis (every 3 wk); - a report of UNMOVIC and IAEA assessing the progress made in completing the tasks shall be submitted by the inspectors 120 days after the adoption of the program of work according to res 1284; - at any time, according to paragraph 11 of res 1441, the executive chairman of UNMOVIC and the director general of the IAEA shall report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspections activities as well as failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations; - at any time, additional meetings of the Sec Council could be decided, incl at high level. To render possible a peaceful solution inspections should be given the necessary time and resources. However, they can not continue indefinitely. Iraq must disarm. Its full and active cooperation is necessary. This must incl the provision of all the additional and specific info on issues raised by the inspectors as well as compliance with their requests, as expressed in particular in Mr. Blix' letter of Feb 21st 2003. The combination of a clear program of action, reinforced inspections, a clear timeline and the military build-up provide a realistic means to reunite the Sec Council and to exert maximum pressure on Iraq. This is it: last US push for UN backing NY/Canberra. The US has launched its final campaign to get the UN Sec Council to back a war against Iraq, by offering a 2nd res that says Iraq has "failed to take the final opportunity" it was given to peacefully disarm. But France, Russia and Germany immediately and comprehensively rejected the terms of the 2nd res, saying there was no evidence that Iraq had WMD, and that the "conditions for using force against Iraq are not fulfilled". Aussie PM, John Howard, put his strong support behind the draft res and said AUS would lobby other countries to vote for it in the Sec Council. He said it would be illogical for those countries who backed the "last chance" res on Iraq 15 wk ago not to give equal support to the 2nd res. The stage is now set for a furious 2-wk debate, during which time the US will try to get at least 9 of the 15 members of the Sec Council to back the 2nd res, and at the same time reject an alternative, informal plan, lodged by France, Russia and Germany, to avoid war by sending more weapons inspectors to Iraq. The draft of the 2nd res was offered to the Sec Council by Brit's ambassador to the UN, Sir Jeremy Greenstock, in part because Brit needs the res more than the US does. Many Britons are vehemently opposed to war but the PM, Tony Blair, believes the public will come around if the strike is sanctioned by the UN. Also, the US does not want a strike on Iraq to be seen as US imperialism, and having Brit offer the res dilutes that impression. The statement offered by France, Russia and Germany, which is not in the form of a draft res but simply a "memorandum" to the Security Council, offers an entirely different strategy for tackling the problem of Iraq's continuing non-compliance. It says the council's priority should be the disarmament of Iraq, through peaceful means. Washington. ABSTENTIONS COULD TARNISH UN! The 2nd UN res on Iraq is only one page long, and it asks the 15 members of the Sec Council to answer just one question: has Iraq failed to "take the final opportunity" it was offered, to co-operate with weapons inspectors? If 9 of the 15 members of the Council agree that Iraq has failed, the 2nd res will pass, and the UN will have sanctioned a military strike on Iraq. The critical question is: what kind of sanction will it be if key nations like Russia, France and China don't vote for it, but choose to abstain rather than kill the res with their powers of veto? Opponents of the US-British res were quick to criticise the text of the 2nd res because it does not say, in clear, unequivocal language, that a military strike is looming. There should be no doubt, however, that all members of the Security Council know that a vote for the res is a vote for war. This is true, even though the 2nd res does not mention the words "military action" or even "use of force". Iraq has already been warned, in res 1441, that the consequences of its failure to co-operate would be serious. Besides that, the res has been offered under Chapter VII of the UN charter, which lists military action as one of the tools that the Sec Council can use to safeguard peace and int'l security. With the context and intent of the res made clear, the next question is: will the Council support the 2nd res? US officials have said in recent wk that, despite widespread opp'n to war, they will get 13 of the 15 members of the Council to vote for it. They count out the votes of Germany and Syria. The US believes France and Russia, which yesterday put forward an alternative to war, will be persuaded to back the res through diplomacy and by the next report of the UN's chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix. US officials note with interest that neither France, nor Russia or China, said without reservation they would use their veto. That does not mean they will vote for the res, but they might abstain. If that happened, the Sec Council would pass the res, and the UN would have sanctioned a strike on Baghdad -- but only after key nations representing vast numbers of people abstained from the vote. In that case, it is worth asking: what would the sanction be worth? Baghdad (Ch 9). WHAT MISSILES! Saddam gave the scoop to CBS's Dan Rather. Pres Saddam said he would not destroy missiles because he had none that were outside UN spec. He went on to challenge US Pres Bush to a live debate. It would be a "chance to convince the whole world of the need for war", said Saddam. The Iraqi Pres said he would "rather die" than go into exile. After the interview aired on US TV, Pres Bush said there would be no debate, Saddam must disarm. Today, Iraq uncovered a new missile that contained "a liquid", thought to be biological. It's being examined by the UN. Elsewhere, a Senator has revealed that Pres Bush had considered having Saddam assassinated, "if we can find him". Sen Fitzgerald said he'd talked to Mr Bush about the idea. But the Pres says he doesn't remember the conversation. Observers say Dan Rather's talk was an embarrassment for some because CBS didn't seem to have any trouble finding Saddam, whom the US Admin has often portrayed as living a shadowy existence, slipping from palace-to-palace surrounded by a group of 9 look-alikes and numerous personal guards to avoid assassination by inlaws or generals. London. PM WANTS PARL SUPPORT! PM Tony Blair is looking for support. With plunging support in the opinion polls, he's set to put support for his stance on Iraq to a parliamentary vote. It will be taken later tonight. But observers say Labour backbenchers are likely to put up a fight. Earlier today the PM was holding talks with Germany's For Min Fischer. Although Mr Blair was still trying to push the idea of supporting military action, Herr Fischer was holding firm to the peacenik line. Elsewhere, Brit seems to thinks war is now inevitable, despite noises otherwise in the UN. Geoff Hoon was talking to Brit troops in Bahrain. He told them he would soon be asking them to do difficult things. Meanwhile, US plans are still being frustrated in Turkey with a vote of Parl put off yet again until later in the wk. I can just imagine the choice language from the troops stranded on ships off the coast. At least one US ship is docked but can't unload war material until the agreement goes through. Baghdad. FEAR IS NOT AN OPTION! Despite 12 y of economic sanctions, the movement of buyers and hawkers through Baghdad's largest market -- the Al Shourja -- continues in much the same way as it has for the past century. The fresh food and consumer goods, the pyramids of spices, the antiques and tourist kitsch are all on display in the kilometres of covered markets in central Baghdad. But much of what is on offer would be beyond the reach of the average Iraqi worker who, according to govt sources, earns as little as $US60 per m. Unemployment also is rife and, as Iraq slides closer to war, the talk in the souks and the coffee shops around town is of George W Bush. Among people in downtown Baghdad, John Howard rates a mention, but most venom is reserved for Mr Bush. "George Bush is a criminal of war," says tomato paste seller Yasim, through an interpreter. "I'm not concerned about the threat of war . . . people here cannot remember a time when we were not living with the threat of war. I will be at my stall like I always am. People will still be able to get food here and life will go on." Clothing seller Arkan agrees, saying "George Bush is a joke". "How can the world take him seriously when he wants to wage war on Iraq?" In trad'l coffee shops around Baghdad, old men play tawli -- a game that looks like backgammon -- as they have always done, while smoking water pipes and drinking strong coffee. But modern cafes host chic young wealthy students, incl women, dressed in W-style clothing around uni campuses. The Govt provides every household with a m food ration free of charge. This incl 2.5 kg of rice, 2.5 kg of sugar, 5 kg of flour and several L of cooking oil. Despite outward signs of normality, people are taking precautions. Water and canned goods sales have tripled in recent wk at the Everyday Supermarket, says owner Nebil Jassim. US builds war coal'n with favours -- and money Washington (USA Today). Pres Bush keeps warning that if the UN Sec Council will not back a war in Iraq, he will assemble a "coal'n of the willing" to depose Saddam Hussein. But the more than 2 dozen countries that have offered some measure of backing to the US have complex motives that in many cases have more to do with placating the world's only superpower -- or trading their support for huge sums in US aid -- than with a desire to rid the world of Saddam and his WMD. It's largely a coal'n of the "unwilling," says Anthony Cordesman, a Middle E expert at the Centre for Strategic and Int'l Studies in Washington. British PM Tony Blair, Cordesman says, is among the few members acting out of conviction, not just "a desire to preserve a special relationship with the US." Key coal'n members, such as Turkey, are demanding $30 bn or more in US aid as the price for supporting the US. Others in E and Central Europe are grateful to the US for helping to liberate them from communism and want to ensure membership in NATO. Small Persian Gulf states joined the coal'n to protect US security guarantees. And some Middle E countries, such as Jordan, are in need of US aid, trade and protection. "It's a coal'n of the convinced, the concerned and the co-opted," says Robert Hunter, a former US ambassador to NATO. Bush Admin officials bristle at such talk. "It's unfair to say that there was anything like bribery involved," a snr State Dept official says. "Most countries have come forward and done the right thing without any hint of economic compensation." Even so, analysts wonder about the value of a coal'n if key members appear to be bought. Will members stick together if the war is longer and messier than the short campaign most expect? And what about the aftermath, when the US could be on the hook for bns in costs for the reconstruction of Iraq? Most troubling to some critics is that the Bush Admin has failed to assemble the broad coal'n of trad'l allies that came together to back the 1990-91 campaign against Iraq. Turkey, for example, is likely to receive at least $15 bn in grants and loan guarantees in exchange for allowing US troops to attack from its soil. Israel is seeking $12 bn on top of the $3 bn it receives annually. Egypt and Jordan are also hoping for major additions to already substantial US aid. In many cases, countries are seeking US aid to offset fallout from a war that will disrupt the trade and tourism crucial to the region's economies. Economic worries, public opinion, misgivings about the idea of a preventive war and resentment of the US have all combined to make it hard to pull allies into line. The war is so controversial that it took NATO 11 days of acrimonious debate to approve defensive aid to Turkey, a NATO member. Approval came only after Lord George Robertson, NATO's Sec-Gen, executed a manoeuvre that left France out of the final vote. What is the Bush Admin getting for the trouble it has taken to pull together a coal'n? Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Feb 11 that 26 countries had agreed to provide the US with some sort of support, and 19 were "involved now in direct military planning for military assets. So if this has to be done, I think it's important for you and for people to recognise there will be people with us." The State Dept declined to list supporters or specify the nature of their contributions. The most eager supporters incl the Kuwaiti govt, which has not forgotten how Iraq ravaged its country in 1990-91; Israel, which sees Iraq as a strategic threat; and Brit's Blair. Blair, who has committed 1/4 of his country's army to a possible war, has seen his approval ratings plummet. British opponents derisively call him Bush's "poodle," and 1 mn Britons protested the war earlier this m in the largest such demo the country has seen. Washington (The Telegraph). US STARTS PSY-WAR! Before the 1st bombs fall on Baghdad or US marines storm across the Iraqi frontier, technology will have penetrated, perhaps even destroyed, Saddam Hussein's defences. If, or when, this war starts, it will look more like a scene from Star Wars than a replay of Operation Desert Storm. Every electronic asset in the massive US high-tech arsenal will be used. Military planners intend to mount "invisible" attacks designed to cripple computer networks, power grids and telephone exchanges. Their electronic armoury incl powerful airborne "ray guns", highly accurate guided missiles, sophisticated electronic surveillance systems and psychological weapons aimed at undermining support for Pres Saddam at the heart of his regime, say American officials. The campaign incl emails to Baath Party leaders and a wave of calls to the mobile phones of snr officials close to the Iraqi leader and, in a throwback to World War II, floods of leaflets are to be dropped on towns and military camps. Pentagon strategists believe that "psyops" could hold the key to resolving one of the most difficult problems of planning the war with Iraq -- how to prevent Mr Saddam from using WMD or a Goetterdaemmerung scenario in which he causes environmental destruction. An outbreak of war will bring the deployment of super-secret weapons such as an airborne "lightning bolt" generator developed for the US Air Force. It is capable of focusing mns of watts of microwave energy in a tightly controlled beam that would fry the computers that Iraq needs to control its army and launch its missiles. With that and similar advanced electronic weapons mounted on fleets of C-130 and C-135 aircraft, the US could turn off the lights in Baghdad without firing a shot. The US Air Force's official website notes: "The low-collateral-damage aspect of the technology makes high-power microwave weapons useful in a wide variety of missions where avoiding civilian casualties is a major concern." Less futuristic, but perhaps more promising, the psychological attack on Iraq is already under way. Barrages of email hit the computers of Baath Party leaders and torrents of calls are made daily to the mobile phones of selected Iraqi officials. The message is simple: "Desert Saddam Hussein. Do not let him tarnish the reputation of Iraqi soldiers by using them to persecute your people." In short, mount a coup and avoid a damaging war. Similar messages are being broadcast to towns and villages beyond Baghdad. Airborne radio stations carried by big, slow C-130 freighters broadcast in Arabic programs that mimic the style of Iraqi stations such as The Voice of Youth, run by Mr Saddam's son, Uday. The programs incl Euro-pop and 1980s American rock music intended to appeal to young Iraqi troops, whom intel specialists believe are more likely to lay down their arms before an allied assault. But, so that other listeners will not be alienated, the stations also broadcast trad'l Iraqi folk music, along with news broadcasts prepared by US Army psych warfare experts at Fort Bragg in N Carolina. Leaflets dropped on Iraqi anti-aircraft emplacements and military camps are blunter in their message, warning gunners that guided missiles will wipe them out if they fire on allied aircraft. But the same official conceded that allied pilots ordered into enemy airspace would rather see the guns hit by rockets than by leaflets. Bomb damage can be assessed by satellite and unmanned aircraft cameras. Psychological success is harder to photograph. Washington (AP). "HUGE FORCE" TO OCCUPY POST-WAR IRAQ! The Army's top general says a military occupying force for a postwar Iraq could total several 100,000 soldiers. Iraq is "a piece of geography that's fairly significant," Gen Eric K Shinseki said at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee. And he said any postwar occupying force would have to be big enough to maintain safety in a country with "ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems." In response to questioning by Sen Carl Levin of Michigan, the snr Democrat on the committee, Shinseki said he couldn't give specific numbers of the size of an occupation force but would rely on the recommendations of commanders in the region. "How about a range?" said Levin. "I would say that what's been mobilised to this point, something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers," the general said. Reached after the Senate hearing, Levin said Shinseki's estimate of an occupation force was "very sobering and I would hope the American public would have the opportunity to read that testimony." Army rep Col Joseph Curtin said later that Shinseki was only giving a rough estimate. Pentagon officials have said that US forces massed in the region number about 200,000, about 1/2 of them Army. Meanwhile, a White House envoy entered N Iraq on Tue to attend a conference of opp'n leaders as Kurdish lawmakers warned of violence if Turkey invades Iraq in the event of a US-led war. Khalilzad's visit comes amid increased reg'l tensions as war looms and Turkey's parl considers a bill that would authorise sending its troops into N Iraq in the event of war. NY. COMPUTER VIRUS ON THE MOVE! Computer security experts are warning of a revamped computer worm spreading around the Internet. The Luvgate worm is new version of an older damaging bug. The mass mailing and network worm is spreading rapidly in Europe, Asia and AUS. Luvgate also has a backdoor component, which steals passwords and allows unauthorised access to infected computers. Top chef in apparent suicide after rating lowered Paris (Reuters). The pronouncements of France's mighty food guides have always been able to make or break a restaurant in this food-obsessed country. But the critics themselves faced criticism after top chef Bernard Loiseau was found shot dead in an apparent suicide following the decision by the renowned GaultMillau guide to cut its rating for his flagship restaurant in Burgundy. A self-styled perfectionist who once said he wanted to be to food what Brazilian star Pele was to soccer, 52-yo Loiseau was found dead at his home in the Burgundy town of Saulieu Mon afternoon, his own hunting rifle at his side. He did not leave a suicide note. Police sources said an autopsy later would establish the circumstances of his death. While few doubted any other conclusion than suicide, GaultMillau vigorously defended itself against the accusations flung its way, saying Loiseau had other problems. Police provided no immediate details. Famed restaurateur Paul Bocuse said his friend was devastated with the 17 out of 20 awarded to his Cote d'Or establishment in the 2003 guide, down from the 19 out of 20 score of last y. But GaultMillau director Patrick Mayenobe said: "As early as 2000, he told us that if he went from a score of 19 to 17, he would relish the challenge involved in returning to the peak." "The critics play with us," Michelin-starred restaurateur Jacques Lameloise told Le Parisien newspaper. "They mark us up, they mark us down. I think that's what made him crack." Loiseau was among a handful of established stars who saw their scores docked by GaultMillau in its 2003 edition published this m. One critic welcomed the downgrades as an injection of reality in a "world brimming with overblown egos." Bangkok. DRUG CRACKDOWN KILLS 993! Thailand's interior min'y says almost 1,000 people were killed in the first 24 days of the country's merciless crackdown on drugs, that started Feb 1. 16 of the dead were killed by police in self-defence, with the rest allegedly shot by drug gang members. The ministry's Nat'l Anti-Drug Directing Centre says police have separately admitted to 22 of the killings. The Centre says 8,745 alleged drug traffickers and producers have been arrested in the operation. Canberra. DRUGS KILL 7 MN A YEAR! Tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs prematurely kill about 7 mn people worldwide each y and the number is rising, according to a study released in AUS on Tue. Prof Juergen Rehm, director of Switzerland's Addiction Research Institute, said the global burden of disease resulting from smoking, drinking and taking drugs was huge. "One reason for this is increased worldwide exposure to these substances, especially in the highly populated emerging economies of SE Asia and China," Mr Rehm said, before presenting his study to an int'l drug-research symposium in Perth. Mr Rehm said tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs were responsible for about 8.9% of the total global burden of disease in the y 2000, with his study building on some research he conducted for the World Health Organisation last y. He said tobacco was the number one killer addiction in 2000, responsible for 4.9 mn deaths, or 71% of the total drug-related deaths, a jump of more than one mn since 1990. The rise was most marked in developing nations although most smoking-related diseases were found in industrialised countries. About 1.8 mn deaths were attributable to the use of alcohol, about 26% of all drug-related deaths, with the proportion greatest in the Americas and Europe. Russia's alcohol problem was particularly pronounced. Illicit drugs caused about 223,000 deaths, or 3% of all drug-related deaths. Mr Rehm said although the outlook seemed bleak, he hoped his research could be used by govts to formulate policies to combat the preventable deaths and disease. He said increasing taxes on alcohol and tobacco had proved to be a more effective way to reduce drinking and smoking, and resulting disease, than treatment or health care intervention. Teens, heavy drinkers drink 1/2 US alcohol Chicago (Reuters). The alcoholic beverage ind'y relies on underage drinkers and adults who drink too much for about 1/2 its sales in the US, according to a study released on Tue that the liquor ind'y blasted as sloppy and manipulative. "Alcohol is a premier drug of abuse in America, and sales to children, underage drinkers, and alcohol abusers are a critical component of the alcohol ind'y's profits," said Joseph Califano, pres of Columbia Uni's National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse, which produced the report. The study found underage drinkers and alcohol abusers spent about $57 bn in 1999 on beer, wine and liquor -- nearly 1/2 of the ind'y's $116.2 bn in sales that y. Califano said the centre took pains with its analysis after a mistake in a similar study a y ago forced the authors to withdraw their claim that teen-agers accounted for 25% of the US alcohol market. The error prompted several media to issue corrections and triggered a storm of criticism from the liquor ind'y. The report said alcohol is often a contributing factor in the leading causes of teen-age deaths -- accidents, murders and suicides -- and it is blamed for adult illnesses ranging from liver disease to stroke. Califano called on the ind'y to fund an indep foundation that would coordinate research and a public info campaign to combat alcohol abuse. Vienna. HEROIN DEATHS IN DECLINE! The UN's drug control body has released its annual report, finding that the number of heroin-related deaths in AUS is on the decline, and the drug is not as readily available. The Report stands in stark contrast to AUS-based studies that link the recent doubling in heroin OD deaths in SYD and MEL with a 21-fold increase in opium prod'n in post-Taliban Afghanistan. The Int'l Narcotics Control Board has also used the report to restate its opp'n to the injecting room trial in SYD's Kings Cross. The INCB, which is based in Vienna, says it remains opposed to the trial, and even goes so far as to say it regrets that the trial has been extended. It credits the reduced availability of heroin in AUS to successful law enforcement operations, which it says have broken up int'l trafficking rings transporting heroin from SE Asia. The INCB also warns that synthetic drugs like ecstasy could become the main illicit drugs of the future. It warns that the supply of legally-available "precursor" chem -- used to make ecstasy and other amphetamines -- has to be stopped before they reach illicit drug labs. The report also points out that sustainable and peaceful development cannot happen in Afghanistan without a comprehensive national drug strategy. It has launched a major initiative, Project Prism, which aims to cut off the supply of base chem used in the prod'n of amphetamines. Canberra. AUS DEFENCE REVEIW! Def Min Robert Hill revealed the long-awaited defence review today. Observers say the 26-page, twice-reviewed document was long on ideas, but very short on specifics. In intro Sen Hill said the US wants AUS involved in its starwars defence program, indicating AUS govt concern that NK missiles could reach eventually threaten AUS. Sen Hill says the plan calls for a "re-balancing" of the armed forces. The document outlines a shift from defending the country to fighting terrorism and WMD in co-operation with other countries. While protecting AUS was still to be a "priority", the sight of AUS forces supporting the US in Afghanistan and the Middle East are likely to become the rule and not just exceptions. But there is no more money for the defence forces, just a larger cut for the Army. Sen Hill says in the short time between the prev defence white paper and now, things have changed. He predicted the US's war on terror would last another 4 y. Defending the AUS mainland has been the pillar of AUS def strategy. But now we operated in an "environment of increased strategic uncertainty", Sen Hill said. He called for "some re-balancing" of expenditure, and a "more flexible and mobile force" to help disarm rogue nations of their WMD. In the past, jet fighters have been bought at the expense of the Army. There is now recognition that has to change, say observers. Sen Hill also indicated AUS would join the US in developing a missile defence umbrella, the so-called "son of Star Wars" project. It wasn't clear whether AUS would develop an independent system, or simply support the defence of the US in a "trickle down" mode. Sen Hill said such a system was "a necessary form of security for others than the US". The US has been looking for global partners to help defray costs, and widen the system's footprint. Critics call the proposed US system "pie in the sky", citing the many test failures seen so far. Others say AUS risks undermining its relationships with China and sparking a new arms race in the region. Opp'n Def rep Chris Evans said AUS was being weakened at the request of the US. Elsewhere, the Review has sparked a call for AUS to buy Patriot missilies. Some experts say the latest versions of the system can shoot down incomimg missiles. But they would cost a fortune. And critics see such a system being paid for in money cut from education and health programs. The Opp'n has vowed to stop any such moves in the Senate. Some analysts say a defence "train smash" is coming unless some defence capabilities are cut and/or the defence budget is increased. They predict cutbacks are likely to be announced as soon as May budget. Cape Canaveral. STILL LOOKING FOR SHUTTLE PROBLEM! An indep board investigating the disintegration of the Columbia in keenly interested in an object seen on radar tracking nr the shuttle during its 2nd day of orbit. AF Brig Gen Duane Deal [do they make these names up on a prod'n line, or what?], a member of the Columbia Investigation Board, says the object is suspected to have come from the shuttle itself. He described it as roughly "one foot square" and says it was noticed after investigators began reviewing radar data of the shuttle's 16-day mission. In other reports, the crazy-sounding "blown tyre theory" has again resurfaced. According to some NASA folks, tyres on the left wheel might have blown, opening up the wheel bay to 1000-deg re-entry heat and subsequent run-away heating. Apparently this possibility was mentioned in NASA internal e-mail just days before Columbia took off. Explorers' logs offer new insight into climate for modern scientists Oslo, 23 Feb 2003 (AP). Using 500 yo logbooks and sea charts, scientists are examining the effects of global climate change in the Arctic. The Norwegian Polar Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature compiled the Arctic Climate System Study Historical Ice Chart Archive to gauge global warming on the ice around the Arctic Sea. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute also took part. The archive contains details of climate change in and around the Arctic from 1553 to 2002. Terje Loyning, an oceanographer with the project, said there is evidence of less ice. "Yes, we have seen climate change, but we don't know how much has been created by humans," he said Fri. Loyning has been collecting sea charts covering an area from Greenland, E to Novaya Zemlya, Russia, to compare the amount of ice explorers encountered 100s of y ago. "Much has been made in recent y of the connection between global warming and sea ice extent," said Lynn Rosentrater, a scientist with the Int'l Arctic Program. "But prior to the development of satellites few direct observations of sea ice were made in any systematic manner." Rosentrater said that "We believe, along with 2/3 of scientists, that the climate change in the Arctic is caused by the burning of fossil fuel," she told AP. "It is very clear that there are natural cycles, but there is a clear human footprint." Other methods of tracking the effect of climate change in the Arctic have used drilling deep within the ice. Ice cores contain detailed, natural records of climate change. Using the charts of seagoing explorers, both groups said they created a massive database that extends 500 y back. The oldest records are from 1553 when English explorer Hugh Willoughby sought to find a NE route to China. Willoughby and his crew perished when their ship got stuck in ice, but the voyage eventually resulted in trade between Brit and Russia. The ship's log and other docs were recovered by later explorers. Possible cancer causer appears prevalent Beltsville, MD (AP). A possibly cancer-causing substance appears not only in popular fast foods, but in everyday, nutritious staples, too, govt scientists say. Acrylamide, a substance that at very high doses causes cancer in animals, made headlines last spring when Swedish scientists discovered it lurking in popular foods like french fries and chips. High-carbohydrate foods cooked at very high temps seem to contain far more acrylamide than other foods. But products with lower levels that are eaten more frequently than junk-food snacks -- from vitamin-packed breakfast cereal to toast and coffee -- increase the US population's overall exposure, the Food and Drug Admin said Mon. That means someone who dislikes fries but guzzles coffee or eats cereal every morning might eventually absorb as much as a fry-lover, suggests the FDA's new computer model. The FDA and safety regulators worldwide are studying how acrylamide gets into food and if enough is there to pose any risk to people. Potatoes are especially rich in both asparagine and glucose, leading to the high acrylamide levels in chips and fries. Cooking increases the level in some other foods. Soft bread, for instance, contains very little acrylamide, but toasting more than quadruples the level. Other foods, such as milk, frozen vegetables and meat, contain little or no acrylamide. The FDA, extrapolating from national diet studies, estimates that 7 food types probably account for most exposure. Fries and chips had the highest levels, from 16 to 48 micrograms per serving. Other foods made the list with far lower levels because so many people eat so much of them: - Toast, at 9.8 micrograms per serving, and soft bread, at 2.2. - Breakfast cereal, 7.3 micrograms. - Cookies, 6.6 micrograms. - Coffee, 2 micrograms. Other popular foods, incl pizza, have yet to be measured for acrylamide. Melbourne. NEW TERRORISM LAWS! The Vic govt has unveiled a raft of new laws to counter the threat of global terrorism. Showing off a new $8.5 mn sub'n training village for special ops police today, Prem Bracks announced a raft of new laws he says will complement new Federal leg'n. They will also beef up police powers. Police will be allowed to conduct secret searches of homes and business. Providers of utilities like gas and electricity must produce terrorism risk management plans. New laws will permit the quarantining of victims of chem or rad attacks. It will also become compulsory to report the theft of chemicals. People convicted of new terrorism offences will face life sentence in jail. There will also be 25 y jail terms for those receiving terrorist training. Canberra. FREE TRADE COMES AT A PRICE! One of the Fed Govt's main policy objectives, a free trade agreement with the US, could damage the interests of farmers and hurt AUS's broader economic interests, says an indep report. The study says a free trade deal would cost the economy more than it delivered -- in contrast to the $4 bn in gains claimed by the Govt. "Whether anything can be gained from a bilateral deal with the US is questionable," the ACIL Consulting report says. "The US would have most of the bargaining power, as it needs the [agreement] less than AUS ... Worse still, the strains and disappointments of a negotiation with the US, in which it gradually became clear that much agriculture would be excluded, could harm overall AUS-US relations rather than improve them." In 3 wk 60 US officials will arrive in CBR to begin negotiations. The Trade Min, Mark Vaile, has said "everything is on the negotiating table", incl foreign ownership of Telstra and Qantas, reducing AUS quarantine restrictions and softening labelling requirements for genetically modified food. But Mr Vaile has refused to reveal AUS's requests of the US, or the latter's objectives as listed recently in a letter from the US Trade Rep, Bob Zoellick. The report's conclusions are far less favourable than previous DFAT modelling partly because it does not assume total trade liberalisation is achievable. It has also rejected an assumption that services sector productivity would improve by 0.3% due to the elimination of foreign ownership restrictions in telecommunications, banking and other areas. This assumption had accounted for the largest component of the dept's claimed $4 bn in gains. The report also says a US trade deal would invite Chinese and Japanese retaliation against AUS beef and wool exports as those countries could be "greatly irritated" by AUS giving preferential treatment to US clothing and car manufacturers. It warns that a free trade agreement with the US may encourage the development of an Asian free trade pact that excludes AUS, noting 10% of AUS exports are directed to the US compared with 55% to E Asian markets. ACIL and the National Farmers Federation declined to comment. Young. REFUGEES SAVE TAXPAYERS $1.5 MN! A group of Afghan refugees working in the W NSW town of Young (birthplace of the "White Australia Policy") had saved the Fed Govt $1.5 mn, a report has found. The report also found the refugees, who are working in a local abattoir, had injected at least $2.5 mn into the town's economy. SYD Uni economics lecturer Frank Stilwell, the report's author, said it was clear the refugees had made a huge contribution to Young at both an economic and social level. About 90 refugees, all of whom were on 3-y temp protection visas, took up work with Burrangong Meat Processors more than 16 m ago. There are now fewer than 40 left in the town. With visas now expiring, members of the community are trying to convince Immigration Min Philip Ruddock to extend the stay of the refugees. Prof Stilwell said his report, which will go to the Young Shire Council next wk and ultimately to Mr Ruddock, was an attempt to quantify the benefits the refugees had brought to the community. Last y anti-refugee leaflets, which claimed shootings, murders, gang rapes and unemployment were all in store for Young because of the Afghans, were circulated around the town. Prof Stilwell said apart from the leaflets, it appeared the Afghans had been welcomed into the community. "People have really tried to make them welcome, and apart from the leaflets, it looks like the town wants them," he said. Brisbane. QLD DEFICIT! Qld's Treas Terry MacKenroth says the state is on track to bring in a record operating deficit of $741 mn for 2002/3. The figure represents a blow-out of more than $3/4 mn of a predicted surplus of $23 mn at the state Budget last y. Mr MacKenroth delivered the govt's mid-y budget review to state parl today. He says the Treasury's now assuming a 0% return from investments, rather than a forecast 7.6%, due to "difficult external circumstances" in 2002/3. Perth. KIM B PREDICTS VICTORY! OK. We'll check this one next y. Former ALP leader Kim Beazley predicts Simmo Crean will lead Federal Labor to victory in the next election. Mr Beazley told ABC radio he's an optimist in regard to the next election. His comments come just days after he announced he would stay in the Fed Parl for another term, but they he doesn't want a frontbench position in case he embarrasses Mr Crean over policy differences. Canberra. GAMBLERS! Following publication of research showing Aussies are the most prolific gamblers in the world, the fed govt has released a background paper as part of its review of the fed ban on on-line gambling. Up for review are exemptions from the ban, which cover most types of wagering and lotteries, as well as gaming services provided in a public place. The review of the Interactive Gambling Act will also examine the growth of on-line gambling services, and the legislation's effectiveness in dealing with the social and economic impacts of this type of gambling. Consumer Confidence Nears 10-Year Low NY (AP). Consumer conf plunged in Feb to its lowest level in nearly 10 y, dragged down by the prospect of war with Iraq. The Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 15 points to 64.0 -- its lowest reading since Oct 1993 -- from 78.8 in Jan, the Conference Board reported Tue. Analysts were predicting a reading of 77.0. "On all fronts, it's jitters about the upcoming war with Iraq," said Josh Feinman, chief economist for Deutsche Asset Management in NY. The Dow Jones industrials fell as much as 138 points to a fresh 4-y low before staging a late-day rally on bargain hunting. The Dow rose 51.26 points to close at 7,909, while the Nasdaq composite index gained 6.6 points at 1,328. Economists closely track consumer conf because consumer spending accounts for 2/3 of US economic activity. With the US moving closer to war, the Consumer Confidence Index was down for the 3rd straight m in Feb, as those surveyed expressed more worries about the job outlook and their incomes. The Present Situation Index, which gauges consumers' sentiment about current business conditions, dropped to 61.6 in Feb from 75.3 in Jan. The latest time the index fell to such lows was in Nov 1993, when it slumped to 59.2. The Expectations Index, intended to measure feelings about the next 6 m, fell more than 15.5 points to 65.6, hitting an 11-y low. It stood at 81.1 only a m ago. Sydney. MARKETS! There were a few good buys today, but the All Ords rose 1% following a rebound on Wall St o'night. The Dow closed up 1/2%. Telstra shares were snapped up. The NAB and Qantas were also well-supported. Experts say the local buying was partly inspired by confidence on Wall St which say an increase despite a slump in conf not seen since the failure to free the Iran hostages. The AMP and Southcorp were still miserable. AMP's performance slid to a 154-y low. Shares were $A22 2 ya, but today were less than $A8. Observers re-dubbed it "A Miserable Performer". At its AGM today, remaining officers admit the company has let down both investors and policy holders. Chairman Wallis took early retirement yesterday, along with a $1.5 mn handshake. But it was revealed today the chief of AMP's failed Brit arm took a $6 mn going-away present. Of course that pales in comparison with the $18 mn CEO Paul Batchelor indicates he's still owed by the company for his fine work. But the exact number is still being trashed out. A little birdy says Batchy was offered $6 mn, but he knocked it back and called his lawyers. It all goes to show, no-one remunerates failure like the AMP. AMP is refusing to forecast earnings or share prices for this y. Shareholders and policyholders have been seen buying loads of kindling in preparation for a BBQ. The AUD was trading about even, at 60.50 US c. ---------------------------------------- Thu, 27 Feb 2003. Seoul. NK STARTS REACTOR, SEES SPY PLANE! North Korea has accused the US of sending a spy plane into its territory and warns it will take stern self-defence measures. The allegation came just hrs after Pyongyang urged its armed forces to prepare for war. NK's official Korean Central News Agency says the RC-135 strategic reconnaissance plane was sent into its territory today. The US military has said it does not respond to such reports from NK. In other, more worrying, reports, the North has re-started a nuclear reactor associated with its weapons program within the past 24 hrs. The 5 MW reactor had been inactive for 9 y under a deal between NK and the US. Experts say the N Koreans are now 1 step away from making more nuclear weapons. Colin Powell, returning to Washington, reacted negatively to the news. Experts say there is now an increasing prospect of the US launching a strike against the nuclear facility. Washington keeps 37,000 American troops in SK. NY. QWEST EXECS CHARGED! The US Justice Dept has filed criminal fraud charges against 4 former mid-level execs at Qwest Communications International, alleging they inflated revenue numbers from a project to hook up Arizona schools to the Internet. At the same time the SEC filed civil securities fraud charges against the same suspects as well as 4 others, 1 of whom still works at the company. The SEC complaint says Qwest inflated revenue reporting in 2000/1 by $US33 mn. But the company has since voluntarily ID-ed more than $US1 bn in revenue that was improperly accounted for between 2000 and 2002. It warned that more restatement might still be forthcoming. The indictments don't name any snr execs. The defendants face $US1/2 mn fines and/or 10 y jail terms, if convicted. Investors appeared to pay little attention to the legal actions. Jakarta. WIRANTO DENIES WAR CRIMES! Indonesia's former Def Min and military chief Gen Wiranto yesterday strongly denied allegations of crimes against humanity lodged in an indictment by UN prosecutors in Dili this wk. The retired general said he had not planned any killing, torture, or kidnapping that took place in E Timor in 1999. Instead, he says, the Indon military had sought to maintain law and order and create a secure atm for the Aug referendum. Prosecutors in the Dili District Court issued indictments against Gen Wiranto and 6 other generals in response to a campaign of violence by militia gangs over 3 ya. They allege the officers and the then-governor of Dili had committed murder, deportation and persecution of independence supporters at the time of the vote. NY (NBC). US COLD MOVES S AND KILLS 12! American reporters are mystified by the co-incidence between unseasonally-severe snowfalls in Washington and Jerusalem. The storm continues from Oklahoma to the NE. It's even a 2nd straight day for the Middle E. In Cal they're having floods. 1000s of school kids all over are have another day off. Roads are covered with ice and fall into 2 look-alike categories. (a) parking lots. (b) war zones. Al mumbled something about 1 m of snow in NYC so far this Winter. "One for the record books", he said. 12 deaths are now slated against the weather. After Iraq and France, you're next! Caracas. EMBASSY THREAT! The US embassy in Caracas will temp close after receiving a threat. The move comes as 5,000 Venezuelans marched to protest the jailing of a business leader who led a 63-day anti-govt strike. The US embassy says it received a "credible threat" to its security and will be closed for 1 day. The closure and march follow 2 bomb explosions yesterday nr the Spanish and Colombian embassies. Wellington. EMBASSY THREAT! Police say a group calling itself September 11 has sent terrorist threats to the US, AUS and Brit embassies in NZ. The group has warned it has 25 kg of cyanide to use against American interests if Iraq is attacked. A squad of anti-terrorist police is working to find the author of the notes contained in 4 letters that mention a threat to the America's Cup race in Auckland. Counter-terrorism police chief Asst Comm Jon White says 1 of the letters contained cyanide crystals. Phnom Penh. GRENADE! Officials say a hand grenade carried by a guest at a Cambodian wedding party fell off his belt as he was dancing and exploded, killing 4 people and injuring 41. Chhoung Sivuth, the governor of Prey Veng prov in E Cambodia, says the teenager appeared to be showing off to his girlfriend when the grenade exploded around midnight, Tue. Sivuth says the bride and groom are very lucky because they were tired and went to their bedroom before the blast. 7 of those injured are in a serious condition. Hartford. ARSONIST! Police have arrested a man in connection with a fire at a Connecticut nursing home that's killed at least 10 people. At least 23 were injured. The fire broke out in a wing of the Greenwood Health Centre and forced the evac of about 100 residents in bitterly cold conditions. Police say they've arrested a man in connection with the fire, which Mayor Eddie Perez had described as "suspicious". Jerusalem. ANOTHER SNUB FOR BB! Israel's outgoing For Min BB Netanyahu and Fin Min Sylvan Shalom are to switch jobs in the country's new coal'n govt. Netanyahu, who had earlier turned down the finance portfolio, says he'll now accept the job on condition he's also given acting PM when Sharon is away. Former PM BB is said to be "fuming" over the move. Public TV says Sharon was "saddened" to hear his long-time rival's initial rejection of the offer he said was a "crucial role in the current circumstances". London. WHITE MOUSE IN HOSP! Nancy Wake is reportedly in hosp after a heart attack. NY. IRAQ IS BAD! How to scare the markets. Chief UN weapons insp Dr Hans Blix says Iraq still hasn't made the fundamental decision to disarm, despite recent handovers of doscuments that UN experts have welcomed. Dr Blix, who's preparing for another report to the UN Sec Council this wk, says he thinks Iraq has stepped up its efforts to release documents and other data as required by the UN inspectors. But he says there hasn't been full co-operation or a breakthrough. NY (7 am). MARKETS! The Dow was down about 95 to 7,814 on news from Hans Blix that Iraq has not made the decision to disarm. HP also disappointed with a weak revenue report and predictions this Q would be flat. The USD fell against most currencies. NY. UN CLOSED SESSION! The deeply-divided UN Sec Council will hold a closed session on the Iraq issue later today, amid intense lobbying by Brit and the US. The Washington Post says American officials are telling Sec Council members that war is now "inevitable". But chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix says his team needs several more m to work in Iraq. The US and Brit now have a force of more than 200,000 troops in the Gulf, but the draft resolution submitted by Spain, Brit and America this wk can count on only 4 certain votes in the Council. There are 5 nations definitely against, 3 of them with veto power. Of the prev uncommitted countries, the Mexican Pres has indicated in a speech he is leaning toward supporting the US. Observers have also complained Hans Blix is sending mixed messages. While he said yesterday there are no signs Iraq's co-operating with inspectors, in a German newspaper he says he wants several more m's to continue inspections, but knows he won't get it. Cotabato. REBEL ATTACK! Following the deployment of US special forces to combat Muslim rebels in the S Philippines, an alleged attack by the separatists has cut off electricity to about 18 mn people. Authorities say the o'night sabotage blacked out the S 1/3 of the country. They say Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas fired mortars at transmission towers on Mindanao Is. However the officials say emergency generating stns have restore power to most of the population today. No casualties were reported in the attacks. LA. POLICE TELL TV TO STOP! LA officials have called on TV stns to curb their daily coverage of high-speed police chases, events that have become a major source of entertainment in the freeway-bound city. They've warned the growing popularity of high-speed pursuit in the country's 2nd-largest city is endangering lives. Mayor Jim Hahn and LAPD Chief Wm Bratton sent a letter to the directors of local news stns asking them to reduce their live coverage of what's become daily fare in the city. LA. VIRTUAL PROTEST! A battalion of Hollychook stars has led an electronic assault on the Whitehouise and Congress in a bid to thrart The Leader's plan for a war on Iraq. The luminaries, including Marty Sheen, who likes to play liberal Presidents on the TV, and Anjelica Houston, have worked their phones, faxes and emails in a bid to flood the leadership with anti-war messages. Organisers say the "virtual march on Washington" has seen 100s of 1000s of people call the Whitehouse and Congress. London. RICIN! 3 men have been charged with a ricin poison plot. NY. WORLD POP DECLINES! The UN has revised down its population estimate for 2050 by 400 mn to 8.9 bn because of HIV/AIDS and declining fertility rates. For the first time, the UN Population Project projects the future fertility levels in most developing countries will likely fall below 2.1 children per woman at some time this C. That's the rate needed to ensure long-term replacement of the population. London. LABOUR REVOLT! It was expected. But for the first time PM Tony Blair has faced an embarrassing public revolt from his own party over his stance on Iraq. It was the worst backlash against a sitting Brit govt in more than 100 y. In a bid to boost flagging public approval by seeking support from his own MP's, Mr Blair put his strong stance to a Parliamentary vote. In a days-long acrimonious exchange Labour back-benchers berated the US Admin and Mr Blair's support for military action in Iraq. The PM was at pains to say the vote was for peace and not a vote for war in Iraq. It was a vote for him, said Mr Blair. Taking a page from AUS PM Howard's book, Mr Blair said no final decision had yet been made by Brit to go to war. [Also like AUS, that may have been contradicted by Geoff Hoon's comments in Kuwait]. The rebels were not moved by the pleading of the PM or For Sec Jack Straw. Rebel George Galloway said even though the PM told Parliament he was making a last push for peace, it sounded like war to him. There were also non-complimentary comments about born-again right-wing fundamentalist bible-bashing Republican Whitehouses that wanted war. Your US ambassador will be contacting you and your media, later! Mr Blair's vote eventually passed 393/199, but the damage was done. [The wording of the motion had been changed during the proceedings to "the case for war has not been made". Blair and allies were voting "no"]. The govt had its rebels, but their number has tripled in the past 2 wks. About 120 of 412 Labour MP's backed criticism of their leader. Plus 75 others. Lib Democrats and 13 Tories. Most of the Tory Opp'n voted in favour of the PM. Jack Straw had called it "crunch time" for Saddam, but Tony Blair may have been the one crunched. Meanwhile, in Paris the debate was unanimous with Parliament there voting for a non-military solution of the Iraq crisis. Later Pres Chirac hosted Spain's pro-US Pres Aznar. In a following pres conf both men played up their common points -- they want to disarm Iraq -- but soft-peddled their diffs. London. BLAIR CALLS FOR PRISONER RELEASES! Following plans announced by the US to move Taliban prisoners to medium-security detention and then to repatriate them, Brit PM Tony Blair says inmates at Guantanamo Bay can't be held in limbo indefinitely. The US is holding more than 600 prisoners from 40 countries, captured during the Afghan war, at its Navy base in Cuba. They haven't been declared POW's or charged with any crime. Mr Blair has been pressed in parliament by Labour lawmaker Geraint Davies about the case of Feros Abassi, a Brit national still held by the US at Camp X-Ray. Canberra. GOOD MISSILES! AUS is considering signing up to America's controversial Star Wars missile defence system to protect itself from terrorism and rogue states like North Korea. Def Min Robert Hill says AUS supports the missile defence shield and may need it to protect itself. Sen Hill says if diplomatic efforts fail to resolve the standoff over NK's nuclear capabilities, AUS has to adequately prepare itself. In later reports, PM John Howard confirmed AUS could investigate becoming part of the Star Wars program. Elsewhere, def commentators have been incredulous at the govt plan, saying there are plenty of realistic threats that can also be more easily and cheaply defended against. Others suggest the announcement is part of "softening up" propaganda to AUS for involvement in disarming North Korea, following the expected success in Iraq. Ankara. GOOD MISSILES! Patriot missiles have arrived in Turkey from the Netherlands. Beijing. MISSILE SHIELD POLICY! China has warned AUS it threatens to spark an arms race with the announcement of its interest in the US Star Wars missile defence shield. Yesterday both the PM and Def Min indicated AUS would look into using or becoming part of the US program. "It might work", said the PM, indicating the whole idea was still in the experimental stage. Today PM Howard defended the idea, saying AUS had the right to look into the program. A missile shield was a purely defensive weapon, he said. But defence planners know full-well that a missile shield could permit a country to launch a first strike without fear of nuclear retaliation. It therefore has a de-stabilising effect, strategically. Elsewhere, Opp'n leader Simon Crean re-iterated his objections to what he called "expensive science fiction". Experts are divided. Some say the system is a decade away; others say it's impossible. It was a "stupid direction to be heading", said Mr Crean. Some observers say the US plan might call for US nuke missiles to be based on AUS soil. Others have down-played that angle. Melbourne. FRASER BACKS PEACE! Peacenik and former Lib PM, Mal Fraser, has popped his head up again to criticise the Federal Govt. Mr Fraser said John Howard's plan to act as regional deputy sherif to the US "carries enormous risks". Mr Fraser said the Fed Govt was in some respects "more bellicose than the US itself". He said the latest defence policy announcement, already criticised by China as "destabilising", limits the opportunities for AUS to play a significant role in this part of the world. Elsewhere, former ALP leader Kim Beazley agreed PM Howard's plan to encourage Star Wars would only act in the short- and medium-term to make China ramp up its own weapons development. Washington. GOOD BOMBS! Enough to start the mouth of any red-blooded hawk watering, the USAF is developing a new 9.5 t bomb that's even more devastating that the largest bomb currently in the US inventory -- the 6.8 t "daisy cutter". AF chief Gen John Jumpers [those names!] says the purpose of the new bomb will be the same as the daisy cutter -- to create a bloody big bang. ABC News, which disclosed the work on the new weapon, says it will pack the wallop of a small nuclear device. Like the daisy cutter, it's delivered from the back of a C-130 transport, but will be guided to the target by satellite. Brisbane. BAD BOMBS! US Pres George W Bush Jr has been asked to grant compensation for 1 of AUS's worst civilian tragedies of WWII. A group of children were injured 60 yo when a bomb from a nearby US base exploded in an Ipswich schoolyard, W of Bris. The mortar hit St Patrick's Convent on Feb 23, 1943, killing 1 child and injuring 7 others. Ipswich City Cr Paul Tully has said those affected have never been given an apology or offered compensation. Seoul. WAITING FOR COLLAPSE! After inspecting the Korean DMZ, AUS For Min Alexander Downer has called for multilateral talks on North Korea's weapons capability. On AUS morning TV Mr Downer said NK could kill mns of people in a big city like Seoul, and fears that AUS is within range of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons. The For Min indicated the Korean crisis has sparked interest in developing a missile defence system for AUS. Mr Downer said the 2 km-wide zone was an strange and sad place to visit. Nearby, 1000s of SK and US troops were undergoing chem attack training today. The For Min said the US was avoiding bilateral talks with N Korea because it would be a reward for NK's sabre-rattling. Other observers say it would also give the NK regime a boost on the international stage, and the US wants Pyongyang to remain isolated in the hopes the regime will fall. Another AUS defence expert said the West is just waiting for NK to "collapse under its own contradictions" and, in the meantime, try to avoid getting caught up in any trouble. Seoul. NO US PLAN TO RESHAPE THE WORLD! In Korea for the inauguration of SK Pres Roh Moo-hyun, and to talk with Colin Powell, AUS For Min Alex Downer warned if Saddam doesn't start to destroy missiles by 1 Mar then even France will give up its plan for peaceful disarmament. It was a matter of "knowing his form", said Mr Downer. The For Min was asked about a speech by US Pres Bush Jr to a RW think tank in which he talked about a "battle to reshape the region", that will "reshape the Muslim world", and "last longer than Afghanistan". Observers in AUS are getting very wary of being involved in a radical agenda pushed by the US Admin. But Mr Downer played down the implication Iraq is part of a broader US campaign, saying the real issue with the US was the Israel/Palestine relationship, and not Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states. He said the US was "looking at" Iran but was not planning on restructuring Iran. Mr Downer said there was no major plan of re-drawing the Middle East. Washington. AFGHAN PRES SAYS REMEMBER ME! The govt of Afghanistan has called on the US not to take its eye off the ball in their region, saying terrorist groups could become re-established. Afghan Pres Karzai took his case to the UN Senate today. He said a lapse in US attn because of the war in Iraq could cause problems with rebels to re-emerge. He said the US could be about to repeat the mistakes it made after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. Although the US funded independence groups then, it soon withdrew support, creating a breeding ground for groups like the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Karzai also warned Pakistan to help control cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has so far handed over 400 terrorism suspects to the US. Canberra. PLEASE TALK WITH NK! For Af Alex Downer says intyernational talks aimed at easing tensions on the Korean peninsula should begin ASAP. Mr Downer has just returned from SK. He urged to US to hold direct talks with Pyongyang to end the standoff over the North's nucler ambitions. Cape Town. FBI HOLDS WRONG MAN FOR 3 WKS! A 72 yo pensioner is ropable after being mistakenly locked up in a S Af jail for 20 days. Mr Derrick Bond, a Brit tourist, was arrested on an FBI want in connection with a $multi-mn fraud in the US. While the other Mr Bond was on the FBI's most wanted list, he doesn't look anything like the 72 yo Brit. Mr Bond said he was in jail for 10 days before a statement was even taken. Despite protesting his innocence he was not released. Apparently the problem was down to a tardy response from the FBI. It was only the arrest of the real suspect in Las Vegas that cleared the way for Mr Bond's release. Mr Bond said he would consider taking action against the FBI when he gets back to Brit. Cape Town (ABC). IDENTITY THEFT! It's been revealed Derrick Bond was the victim of identity theft. An American criminal, wanted in connection with a massive fraud, had used the Brit pensioner's passport to forge his ID. John Lew from the US Attorney's office said the criminal had been using Bond's ID as far back as the early 1990s. At a press conf, a visibly-upset Mr Bond complained of sleeping on a mat on the cell floor, and of intermittent running water for his 3 wk incarceration. He said he was thankful for the flush loo. There had been "very little action from the FBI", Mr Bond said. Critics say the FBI should have at least taken his fingerprints after he was jailed. Cape Canaveral. NASA FINDS A TILE! Columbia's fate may have been sealed within 82 secs of takeoff. Engineers at NASA have found a tile among the debris from the shuttle's left wing. It's deeply scored and reporters point out it has "orange flecks similar to the foam insulation" from the shuttle's main fuel tank. Observes say NASA has found evidence of a hole in the top of the left wing that may have developed shortly after take-off. Sydney (7 am). MARKETS! It's expected to be a horror day today, with markets down sharply 1% in the US. Oil is selling at $US37.24/bbl, its highest level since Gulf War I, on fears major oil producers may cut production to prevent an invasion of Iraq. The AUD is down slightly to 60.72 US cents. Canberra. GIVE THE MONEY BACK! Labor has called on AMP execs to hand back the $mns they've taken in payouts following the record $896 mn loss the company suffered in 2002. The loss -- the 8th largest in AUS corporate history -- was announced yesterday. The group made a $690 mn profit in FY 2001. Not only did Chair Stan Wallis take $1.5 mn in a golden handshake, but 4 other dirs that fell on their swords will take away about $16 mn between them. About 1 mn Aussie shareholders have seen their shares dive from $22 to less than $8 over the past 2 y. Policyholders have also seen their super effectively stand still for the past 10 y due to losses in the past 2 y. Melbourne. WAGE CASE! The Fed Govt says it will back a $12/wk pay rise of AUS lowest-paid workers -- about 1/2 the increase sought by trade union organisations. In its submission to the 2003 minimum wage case, the govt argues AUS's economy can't afford any more than the $12 rise. The case was lodged in the AIRC yesterday. The ACTU is seeking a $24/wk rise to lift the federal minimum to $12/hr from $11.35/hr. It's reported average exec salaries increased by 35% over the last 12 m. Sydney. NO, NOT MEDICARE! Labor is promising to breathe life back into Medicare, restore bulk billing and boost doctor numbers. Fed Opp'n Health rep Stephen Smith has outlined a range of measures at the 5th Annual Health Congress. He says Labor will restore plummeting bulk billing rates through a combination of incentive payments and other measures. And this could incl increasing rebates for bulk billing in selected outer metro areas from 85% to 100% of the Medicare Schedule Fee. Canberra. VETS COMPENSATION! PM John Howard is vowing to provide proper compensation for soldiers involved in any conflict with Iraq who are killed or permanently injured. Mr Howard says there'll always be a debate about what the right level of compensation or support should be. He told Bris radio 4BC that veterans would be taken care of. The PM's comments follow a recent controversy about compensation paid to a window of a SAS soldier killed in Afghanistan. The woman had complained it was taking too long to establish her claim. The govt tried to argue she was being a greedy bitch and that compensation payments were already too generous. Canberra. NO PRIVATISATION! Opp'n leader Simon Crean says Telstra's increased dividend is good news for shareholders, and shows the telco should not be fully privatised. Mr Crean cited the dividend represented $1 bn of revenue for govt coffers. Telstra, which is still 50.1% public-owned, today reported a large cut in first half FY profits and projected a flat 2nd 1/2. But it also announced an interim dividend of 12 c per share, up 1 c, rewarding shareholders with a special div of 3 c. Sydney (night). MARKETS! The All Ords closed down 30 pts to 2774, a 3.5 y low. Investors were concerned about the war and eroding value of int'l markets. Telstra announced its profit for 2002H2 was down 44% on the prev y. But it still managed to rake in around $1.2 bn. But it was still the telco's lowest level in its history. The company did announce an increased dividend. Commentators say the bush can also forget improvements to services, with capital spending down 8%. There's now a prospect of 2,000 job cuts by the end of the y. CEO Ziggy Switkowski's tenure is also under threat. It was his idea to invest $3 bn in Asia, assets that are now valued at only $1 bn. Telstra's share price slid 2% to a 5-y low at $4.08. The AUD was over 61 US cents at one point, but ended the day (7 pm) at 60.65 US cents. Gold was $US354.80/oz. ---------------------------------------- Fri, 28 Feb 2003. NY. MARKETS! The Dow was up 25 pts on reduced fears of terrorist attacks. America dropped back to code yellow during the day, after 2 wks on "heightened" alert and several warnings of imminent attack on American citizens O/S or appt buildings in major US cities. The Nasdaq closed up 10 pts. Oil reached $US40/bll during the day, levels not seen since 1991. It's presently trading at $US37.67/bbl. NY. 2ND RES DEBATE! The UN Sec Council has begun debating a resolution that could trigger war on Iraq, as Baghdad prepares its response to an order to destroy banned missiles. The 15 Council members have begun closed-door consultations on the US-Brit-Spanish draft resolution as well as a counter-proposal by France, Germany and Russia calling for more time for inspections. Only 4 members have expressed outright support for the US draft res, but others went into the meeting saying they might be swayed by an imminent report by weapons chief Hans Blix. Elsewhere, Pres Bush was meeting with Russian Pres Putin today. Mr Putin said Russia was "prepared to work with" the US, which some observers interpret to mean Russia might abstain from a vote on the 2nd force-authorising Res. The Mexican Pres earlier indicated possible support for the US in the Sec Council, and yesterday Pakistan also indicated it might be moving toward voting for military action in Iraq. NY. CLOSED SESSION ENDS! A closed Sec Council session on Iraq has ended. It was called to debate the US+UK draft resolution to authorise force. But it also looked at a French proposal to extend inspections until Jul 1. An interim report from weapons inspectors was also considered, in which Hans Blix asked for more time to find or verify the destruction of Iraq's banned weapons. Dr Blix will appear before the Sec Council next wk to give his full and perhaps final report on Iraq. The vote on the 2nd res will happen in 2 wks, and many are wondering if France will hold its nerve and use its threatened veto. Elsewhere, Pres Bush Jr was defending his father's decision not to march into Iraq in 1991. He said taking Saddam out was not the "clear mission" in Gulf War I. But it was clear now. Earlier in the day Mr Bush was courting Russian Pres Putin. Observers say there are signs he may be able to bring Russia on side, to at least abstain from the vote on a resolution authorising US military force. Baghdad. MIXED MESSAGES FROM IRAQ! Baghdad is sending mixed message over its banned missiles. Saddam has been saying for several days the Al-Samoud 2 missiles were needed for self-def and did not exceed UN specifications. But reports today from Baghdad cite an unnamed official saying Iraq was "considering" the UN order to destroy the missiles and associated parts and fuel, and would reply formally to the Blix letter before Sat. Meanwhile, the BBC has obtained a draft copy of next wk's report from Hans Blix. It says the text incl the words "Iraq has not done enough to disarm". This may be enough to spark a US-led war on Saddam. In NY, the UN is considering an 2nd res to clear the way for armed force. But it's believed Pres Bush still doesn't have the numbers to get it passed. In Baghdad most people say they are "nervous". Iraqis are now regularly seen going into gun shops. What may come, may come quickly. Turkey and Russia are the latest countries to close embassies in the Iraqi capital. Saddam has again ordered citizens to dig trenches in their gardens and prepare for US attacks. Spy satellites have spotted units of the elite Republican Guard moving toward the capital, preparing for its defence. Trenches have also been dug around Baghdad. It's believed they will be filled with oil and set alight during US air-raids, in an attempt to throw off bombers. It's not likely to work. Reporters also say they've seen many wedding processions in the past couple of days. Old hands cite that as a sign the people believe war is imminent. Elsewhere, Israel was conducting Patriot missile drills nr Tel Aviv. NY. IRAQ BACKS DOWN! Iraq has announced it will start to destroy its banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles. After saying for days it would ignore a directive from UN weapons inspectors to destroy the missiles and other parts, Iraq is now calling for "technical assistance" in complying with the order. But the US says nothing has changed. Don Rumsfeld said Iraq was just continuing with its tactic of "cheat and retreat". The Hague. WAR CRIMINAL! The UN court in The Hague has sentenced former Bosnia Serb Pres Biljana Plavsic to 11 y in prison for crimes against humanity. The offences were committed during the bloody 1992-5 war in Bosnia. Plavsic remained impassive as presiding judge Richard May read out the sentence. Plavsic, also known as the Iron Lady, pleaded guilty to playing a leading role in the campaign of persecuting Croats and Muslims in Serbia. She has also given evidence implicating other war criminals. 1000s were killed and 10s of 1000s left homeless in Bosnia because of the Serb govt's program of "ethnic cleansing". Italy. WAR TRAINS! Peaceniks have blocked trains carrying US military equipment. Others carrying banners invaded a US base. Trains carrying material for the war on Iraq have been crossing the country for at least 1 wk now. London. BRIT GOVT ADMITS MISTAKE! The Brits are getting desperate in raising troops for the up-coming Iraqi war. There's news today of an 80 yo who received a letter to report for duty, to be shipped out to the Gulf. He last saw service in El Alamein, during WWII. The Brit govt says it made a mistake. NY. CONCORDE LOSES TAIL! A Concord flying between Paris and NY has landed safely after losing part of its tail en route. The French have launched an investigation. It's just the latest nail in the coffin of the once-prestigious supersonic passenger jet. Earlier this wk BA announced it would close down its own service due to flagging demand and increasing costs. Although the Concord takes 1/2 the time between Europe and America, it only carries as many passengers as a 707, and there is no economy class. Washington. PROPAGANDA WAR! Washington & the North continue to trade propaganda blows. Although NK has re-activated its small Yongbyon nuclear reactor, US officials say there are no signs as yet it's started up a fuel reprocessing plant. US forces in the region are on a heightened state of alert, and war games involving 30,000 US and S Korean troops are proceeding. Whitehouse mouth Ari Fleischer says the North is being "provocative", and is "setting itself back from other nations in the region and the world". Apparently reading from a prepared script, For Min Alex Downer in AUS said NK was "step by step ramping up [it's] maverick behaviour". Ankara. TURKS DRAGGING FEET! The Turkish Parl has postponed a vote on allowing US troops to use Turkey as a springboard for a possible attack on Iraq. While some US troops are already working to upgrade bases in Turkey, the main force of 62,000 Marines are still waiting offshore for the OK. A ruling party official says the issue could now be decided on Sat. The governing Justice & Development Party put off the vote as it's still negotiating with the opp'n and the parliamentary speaker on the issue. Parl'y sources speculate it reflects division within the govt on whether approving the deployment of US soldiers will meet a condition of international legitimacy, as required under the Turkish Constitution. Canberra. US WEAPONS ON AUS SOIL! PM John Howard says American missiles and laser weapons could be placed on AUS soil if the govt ever joins a national missile defence system. Mr Howard yesterday defended his govt's decision to investigate the missile shield under development by the US. He says the AUS people would want the govt to look into anything which could defend the country from attack by missiles fired by rouge states or terrorists. Meanwhile, def experts have come out of the woodwork, saying the chance of NK missiles reaching AUS within the next few years are "remote" and the threat does not justify an estimated $80 bn bill. Others argue the PM is admitting the US war against terrorism, that some American experts say will last 4 y, will not reduce terrorism or eliminate "rogue" nations. Canberra (Ch 7). BUSH DEMOCRACY PLAN! AUS Middle East experts have called Pres Bush Jr's plans for post-war democracy in the region "pie in the sky". Speaking to a conservative think tank yesterday Mr Bush outlined his vision for freedom and democracy following the fall of Saddam. But experts say democracy in most of the Middle East is something that hasn't been tried for 50 y. And they say Pres Bush now pushing the idea is ironic, considering the US has for decades promoted close tries with repressive regimes throughout the region to further its own economic and diplomatic ends. The history of successful democratic change around the world has been from the bottom-up, not imposed from outside. The push for democracy came from a developing middle class. "When the body is fed, the brain starts to work", said one observer. Ironically, the action of US-promoted economic sanctions generally acted contrary to such forces. Experts say Mr Bush Jr's aim of "triggering democratic change across the region" by regime-changing Iraq will also have erstwhile US allies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwaiti nervous. In other reports, CNN has labelled the latest extension of the Bush Doctrine a "faith-based foreign policy". International experts said the Bush idea was a "mirage" and that democracy would not automatically follow elsewhere in the region just because Saddam is gone. Democracy in just Iraq was problematic. Some observers said there wasn't anybody in the country that could even spell "democracy", and predicted Iraq would go back to civil war following the fall of Baghdad. The country has always been in a state of turmoil, with Suni, Shiite and Kurdish groups battling for control. Saddam belongs to the minority Suni. With the protection of a US "no fly" zone in the N of Iraq, Kurds have seen a decade of indep from the C govt, and they've made it clear they don't want to be governed by Baghdad again. As an added complication, a recently-touted US plan to back Kurdish opp'n groups has upset both Iraqi Muslim factions, and also the Turkish govt that has been battling a Kurdish indep movement in S Turkey for y. The recent history of Iraq has been anything but democratic. Saddam overthrew the military govt in 1963, executing many of its leaders. Among them was the Gen that had overthrown the previous Iraqi royalty, executing the king. Saddam moved on to head an assassination team that led him to power. Some experts say Bush Jr's plan to re-make the Arab world is unrealistic. Arab govts had a history of withstanding revolutions in the region without moving to democracy. They say at a minimum the US will need to stay in the region to ensure peace. Only in the long run might it be possible to see democracy take hold in most countries. It's out of the question in the short term. Sydney. VULTURE ALERT! With AMP shares slowly sinking in the west following huge losses and mass-resignations of execs, vultures have started targeting the company's 2 mn mum & dad investors through the mail. Reports warn the sharks are offering $5 for AMP shares. The market value is presently around $7, an instant profit of $2 to the sharks. Sydney. AIRPORT TERROR CHARGE! Airlines are fighting SYS Airport's attempt to pass on the cost of the war and terrorism insurance as a $2 mn increase to service charges. This would be recouped as a $2.11 extra charge for passengers. Airline umbrella group the Board of Airline Representatives of AUS has told The Australian newspaper the airport wants to add the charge from Apr 1 to Jun 30. BARA exec dir Warren Bennett says the assoc'n is arguing that war and terrorism insurance is just another operating cost and that the airport corp bears the risk of that. Canberra. ALP MAY UP MEDICARE LEVY! The fed opp'n says it won't rule out raising the Medicare levy to revive bulk billing rates. Labor's health rep Stephen Smith says the opposition's Medicare plan is based on a combination of incentive payments and other measures. He says these include increasing rebates for bulk billing in selected outer metro areas from 85% to 100% of the Medicare Schedule Fee. He says Labor will also consider providing rural and regional doctors with nurse practitioners to help. ======================================== (*) Who is responcible for W.A.R.S? A small group of dedicated sandgrubbers, bannana-lickers and 5th columnists on the run from support payments and sundry legalese in their home countries. Mention us at any Uncle Harry's Suburban Bunker and get a 10% discount on cop-killers! All speling macroizated for correctitood by Mcrosotf Speelchek. *** BULK ORDERS OF POST-IT NOTES CAN BE MADE IN THE LOBBY! ***