Newly-released satellite images of the presumed site of an Israeli air raid on Syria last month suggest that a large building has been completely removed.

The industrial-style building may have been a nuclear reactor under construction, says the ISIS.

A BBC correspondent says the images are not conclusive. Nor is it certain that they show the site hit by Israeli jets.

The Israeli strike has been shrouded in mystery and speculation.

Originally Israel did not even admit that the 6 September raid had been carried out, and its military censor ordered a complete blackout on information.

But Syria said Israeli warplanes violated its airspace in what it called a "hostile act", and Israel eventually acknowledged the mission some four weeks later.

Intelligence sources hinted at a possible link with North Korea's nuclear programme.

'Resemblance'

On Wednesday the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), an independent organisation, released satellite images pre-dating the attack, of a facility in northern Syria that it believes was the target.

They showed both a large industrial building and a pumping station near the Euphrates river.

Labels: worlds-news

Iran has responded defiantly to new sanctions imposed by the US targeting Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and three state-owned banks.

The Iranian foreign ministry said the sanctions were doomed to failure.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the measures are to "confront the threatening behaviour of the Iranians".

But both China and Russia criticised the sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin likened the US move to "mad people wielding razor blades".

Earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State Nicholas Burns criticised Russia for selling weapons to Iran and China for investing in the country.

He told the BBC: "It's very difficult for countries to say we're striking out on our own when they've got their own policies on the military side, aiding and abetting the Iranian government in strengthening its own military."

Labels: worlds-news

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Asociated Press

Labels: worlds-news

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- A court commissioner ruled Wednesday that Britney Spears can have visits with her two sons but did not reverse an order giving temporary custody to Kevin Federline, the pop star's ex-husband, his attorney said.

Superior Court Commissioner Scott M. Gordon was expected to issue an order detailing the visitation rights, attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan said. The order was not released by the time court closed for the day.

Federline attended the hearing but Spears did not. Her attorney, Sorrell Trope, did not speak to reporters.

Court spokesman Allan Parachini indicated Spears would be allowed monitored visits every other day.

Federline, 29, and Spears, 25, were ordered back to court Oct. 26 for another hearing.

Flanked by bodyguards, Federline arrived in a blue suit and wearing a black patch over his right eye, covered by a pair of sunglasses. He had a sore eye and needed the patch to prevent glare, Kaplan said.

Via: Msn

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Labels: celebrity-gossip, music

Japan's largest cell phone carrier NTT DoCoMo unveiled this week a "Fitness Phone," designed to help the user stay healthy -- and avoid bad breath.

The handheld phone, equipped with various devices that can measure your pulse or the amount of steps you've taken in a day, dispenses heath advice after you've punched in statistics such as gender, age and weight.

And you can also exhale into the phone and it will tell you whether its time to reach for the breath mints.

"Our primary target groups would be fat-fighting middle-aged businessmen and young women on diets," said Kentaro Endo, a spokesman for NTT DoCoMo.

Labels: technology

Labels: weird