Crime 'training' videos posted …..

’Criminals are showing off their feats and even providing simple "how-to" videos to teach budding offenders the best way to commit crimes on YouTube.

After years of concern from authorities in the US, Australian criminals have started to educate the next generation about the best way to steal cars, create and use crude weapons and film high-speed car chases.

Rove to Quit White House, He Tells Wall Street Journal ….

Karl Rove, a political adviser to President George W. Bush and a lightning rod for anger among Democrats, will leave the White House at the end of this month, Rove told the Wall Street Journal.

"I just think it's time," Rove said in an interview with the newspaper published today.

A pope who refuses to compromise .....

The Church may change its mind about some things, but abortion is not one of them.

The latest development on the subject, under Pope Benedict XVI, is nothing to do with the basic policy but rather with its ramifications for politicians and organisations such as Amnesty International.

No need for emissions reduction: Liberal MP …..

A federal Liberal MP says he is not convinced there is a need for government schemes to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A report is due to be released this morning as part of a parliamentary inquiry into carbon capture and storage.

It is believed to contain dissenting views from Coalition MPs about global warming.

‘The British government was facing awkward questions last night over an arms deal involving a British company licensed by the Department of Trade and Industry to import weapons but which was also selling machine guns to an Iraqi official later implicated in an alleged $1.1bn (£545m) corruption scandal.

from the ABC …..

No plan to leave Iraq, PM says

Prime Minister John Howard says his decision to send a letter to his Iraqi counterpart in no way signals the Government's intention to withdraw Australian troops.

Mr Howard says he sent the letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki a week or so ago but has yet to receive a response.

This one's for the true believers ……

John Howard appeared to YouTube viewers at 5am yesterday, enticingly perched
on the cabinet table & inviting the youth of Australia to join the army.

By 7.30pm, he and the Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd, were beaming live to nearly 900 churches around the country. All without leaving the shadow of the Parliament House flag.

As the YouTube election gathers pace, it is quaint to think that reaching 100,000 Christians might once have taken a month of Sundays.

Sol's salary unreasonable: PM …..

Telstra boss Sol Trujillo's huge salary is unreasonable, Prime Minister John Howard says.

Mr Trujillo's total pay packet increased by $3 million last financial year to $11.78 million - 38 times the prime minister's salary.

"I'm not complaining about the salary I get," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

‘A dossier compiled by Liberal strategists Mark Textor and Lynton Crosby found voters had lost faith in Mr Howard, seeing him as dishonest while Mr Rudd was seen as genuine and accessible.’

Howard Has Given Up, Says Rudd

from the Sydney Morning Herald

Rates, states and red herrings .....

Australians are entitled to blame their state premiers for many things, but rising interest rates are not among them. The Liberal Party's internet advertising blaming state borrowings for a widely anticipated rise in mortgage interest rates is both irresponsible and wrong.

Rates, States & Red Herrings

from the ABC …..

Labor's getting cocky: PM

The Prime Minister has told his backbenchers that federal Labor has become cocky and has started eyeing off the trappings of government.

With today's Newspoll showing Labor soaring ahead by nine points on the primary vote, one Liberal MP described the mood in today's joint party room meeting as "realistic".

from our ABC …..

'Kevin 07' just a media tart: Govt

Federal Government MPs have launched a ferocious attack on Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd, as he launched his own 'Kevin 07' website.

A dozen Labor staff arrived at Parliament this morning wearing T-shirts with the slogan 'Kevin 07' to promote the new website.

And back in 2006...

Audit finds many missing U.S. weapons in Iraq

Government report: About 14,000 weapons - 1 in 25 - unaccounted for

WASHINGTON - Nearly one of every 25 weapons the U.S. military bought for Iraqi security forces is missing and many others cannot be repaired because parts or technical manuals are lacking, a government audit said Sunday.

That was yesterday.

Today, Putin seeks to regain the influence Russia lost in previous years. He is skilfully playing the anti-America card across Europe while putting pressure on the Baltic states, a clear warning not to extend Nato any further.

In Ukraine, political forces resisting closer strategic links to the west have gained ground. And the Kremlin is aggressively portraying the planned establishment of a modest US missile defence installation in Poland and the Czech Republic as a threat to Russia's vital security interests.