I'm now duplicating this at Moorg's boards:

http://www.xsorbit1.com/users/moorg/index.cgi?board=smartie&action=display&num=1027662431&start=0

Today, markets recovered (except for Germany) across the globe, while the US markets contiue to fall, spurred by allegations of fraud against AOL Time Warner and their book-keeping. Watching CNN last night was hilarious, because AOLTW is their parent, and they were carefult o keep the word "fraud" out of their reports (BBC World tossed the word about freely). Bank of China listed on the Hang Seng, and was tossed about by speculators. Welcome to the free market, fellas.

At the Hague, Milosovic, deposed strongman of Yugoslavia, is on trial for genocide but it has been revealed that he has a heart condition. Milosevic refuses to accept legal counsel on the baiss that the court has no jurisdiction over him, and the judges are concerned that the strain of work in defending himself will affect his health. The prosecution are pointing to Rwandan war crimes trials where defence counsel were imposed upon accused, as a precedent that Milo should have the same done to him.

The British Commonwealth Games started in Manchester last night. Go Aussies. The city has built new stadiums and a velodrome for the event, some consolation for being looked over for the Olympics two times in a row.

In the UN, Israel faced heavy criticism over the accidental killing of 14 civilians including 7 kids. The US said it would veto a formal censure by the Security Council. The US itself in the meantime is copping flak for trying to bump a treaty on torture back to the negotiation stage, because of fears this would allow international observers into Guatemalo Bay to check out the Al Qaeda prisoners. The US claims the treaty is incompatible with the US constitution, and privately say it infringes upon states' rights.

Finally, India has sworn in its third Muslim president. Sectarian violence between Hindus and Muslims is one of the causes of tension between predominantly Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. Don't get your hopes up that a Muslim Indian president will help things - the guy is known as "Mr Missile" because he is the father of India's missile program.