The Colombian military killed a FARC secretariat member for the first time in over 40 years.

The Air Force awarded a $35B contract to build tankers to the European company EADS, Inc. over Boeing.

There's a story floating around that the current Conservative government that holds federal power here in Canada compensated an independent member of parliament who was dying with a large life insurance policy in order to get a vote they needed to topple the previous government.

link here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080229.wcadman01/BNStory/National/home

-- San Diego --
-- The Red Cross says it will ask for refunds from local Hotel Operators, and openly account for money paid for rooms that it did not use during the San Diego Wildfires last year.

-- San Ysidro border crossing is being expanded to accomadate the high levels of traffic through the Border Entry. SD Mayor Jerry Sanders has lobbied for the expansion since taking office, he says for economic reasons. He does not however support Border security. The former SDPD Chief allows "sanctuary city" type restrictions upon the dept.

-- Virtual Border Fence gets approval, but fails tests. It does not meet the objectives originally set. Project is scaled back.

-- Sempra wants to build a cross boder Electric Generation facility. Seems it's easier to build in Mexico than California. This would put Energy security even more at risk.

-- Las Vegas --
-- Ricin was found in a Las Vegas (an extended stay) Motel Room along with firearms and an "anarchist type textbook". The man who occupied the room was in the hospital for the last two weeks. The Hotel started eviction procedings after he did not pay rent. A family member came to clean out the room at the request of the Motel. They found the Ricin, and animals that had not had food for water for at least a week.

The FBI says this is not a terrorist incident.

~ Mark
http://markljackson.net

Malaysian parliament and state candidates are now busying visiting their constituencies hoping to get people supports to vote them to hold a seat in parliament and state offices.
The Bn (Barisan Nasiona) coalition party that rule Malaysia over 50 yrs is now asking people to give it full support to form the government again this time.
The opposite political parties; Dap, Keadilan,Pas and others are fighting to get elected in order to reduce the Bn's holding of seats in parliament. That is the only way to make Bn changed and reform itself. The present government is accused by many of its people using high handed governing tactics handling over officiate matters in political, financial and religious aspects.
To mention these political parties, the Keadilan party is leading by ex-deputy prime minister Dato Anwar Ibrahim. Who was jailed six years ago for involving in abuse of power and sodomy case by his once closed ally ex-prime minister Dato Dr Mahadthir. He was recently released from prison.
Another opposite political party Dap is trying hard to aim for taking over control of the state government in Pinang Island from the hand of Bn.
The voting day is falling at 8th March 2008. The present government is planning to gain over 2/3 of seats to make governing easier.

kastalino pelangi

New York State is just beginning to respond to the scourge of human trafficking.

My corner of the world happens to be Israel, and I happen to be a soldier. All the news here is about how there is an entire brigade in Gaza right now with more on the ready. Also on how Kassams are falling on Ashkelon a major city (think an Israeli Austin, Texas in relation to relative importance, which happens to be 12 km from where I live.) I myself am in commanders school right now so the prospects of me myself entering gaza are small but I don't know any combat soldier that doesn't want to enter. No, that is not because we are bloodthirsty or hate arabs, in fact there are several beduin arab and Druze soldiers with me in the course that are just as eager to enter. No, we want to go in to protect our loved ones and our nation. Believe me, we know the costs more than anyone, a friend is on the way to the memorial service of one of the two soldiers killed saturday as I wright, but we also know that we can't let our country be held hostage by a group of thugs.

World events do not follow a nice Monday-Friday, Washington clock...

Weekend editions of FP Passport would be nice.

And for those of us whose day job is not FP, the weekend is prime time for discussion as well as events. :)

Surprise! Medvedev gets 70.1% of the vote in the Russian election, followed by Zyuganov at 16%, in an exit poll.

Three in the past three days. It appears as though hardline militants, who either did not participate or were shut-out of the recent elections in favour of more moderate Pashtun parties, are acting on their frustration at a lack of popular support both within wider Pakistan and the tribal areas themselves. The dynamic between the new coalition government / ISI / military / militant organizations is going to be something of interest, but it also looks as though a greater focus on internecine struggles within the tribal areas themselves will be necessary. I'm curious to see how the moderate tribal leaders and political parties within those areas respond to pro-Taliban groups, who now seem more intent on pressing a violent confrontation than ever.

It was almost three weeks is passed about the leakage of female celebrities scandal naughty pictures taken shooting by Mr. Edison who is an actor developing his acting career in Hong Kong entertainment industry.
And obviously he is doing well.
People of Hong Kong and its medias still hook on it and won't let it goes. No doubt Mr. Edison should be condemned by his inconsideration's activity that brings hurt to those naive young ladies involved. But he did make certain important revelations that really make people of Hong Kong to be more happier at last.
In this incident it should make an end to add on more harms to them some more. After all it was all free of charges to enjoyably viewing those naked pictures photographed by Mr.Edison. Does any one thank him?
If those naughty pictures were not taken and disclosed by Mr.Kira, nobody would know and understand more about these celebrities.
It is time to put it stop. Why bother who is the culprit?
The police will do its job. If Mr. Edison is found guilty, he will be put into prison.
If he should make compensation to those involved, he would be forced to do it.

Hong Kong

A Chinese married woman from Mainland China asking her Malaysian husband for a divorce was badly beaten in front of her parents and being confined illegally. Luckily police came to her rescued after she successfully telephoned police to report about the ugly incident took place.
According to the police revelation in this case, the twenty years old Chinese female victim was married to a Malaysian Chinese business man who is also at the age of twenty.
Last Saturday evening night, her husband came back from work, not knowing what was actually the cause, a quarrel suddenly exploded between them. Then the husband left the house angrily.
When the angry husband returned home after soothing a bit and calmed he saw his wife's parents were there in the house. Surprisingly, he was confronted by his wife who on the spot asked for a divorce and demanded for these properties and cash saving to be split them into two parts after their marriage ended up for divorce.
The furor husband picked up a rattan and as well as using his hands hit on his wife heavily and kicked her around in the present of his parents in law.
At that time the wife's parents tried to stop the angry husband to further his physical sparring with his wife. The trying of ending the fight eventually turned into serious combat fighting to each other.
It was ruled out that the woman at that critical moment, tried to get assistant from her male friend, her husband came to be known about it and got into damaged then locked her inside the house.
Straight away until 3am morning, the seriously hurt and wounded woman found a precious chance to phone police for help. Finally the police appeared in time and rescued her out from the house. The police will take criminal act, code 323 to investigate this fighting case.

kastalino pelangi Malaysia