Jesus is a Buddhist!

According to the New Testament (The Gospel of Matthew), Jesus spent his early childhood in Egypt which was at the end of the Silk Road. As a result, Egypt was prosperous and enriched with religious diversity. There was even a large Buddhist community known as the Therapeutae (Sons of the Elders) that existed in Alexandria. Today, some scholars believe that Jesus may have been inspired by the Buddhist religion and that the Gospel of Thomas and many Nag Hammadi texts reflect this possible influence.

Jesus' Israel was partof the great Roman Empire. The Empire maintained trading and cultural relations with the East and in particular India. India had been the goal of Alexander the Great's last aborted campaign. Cleopatra may have considered fleeing to India after Actiun. In short, India was far from an unknown place in Jesus' world. Some two and a half centuries before Jesus, a remarkable Emperor reigned in India. His name was Ashoka and he converted to Buddhism. Ashoka sent out missionaries to carry the Buddha's message far and wide. We know some of those missionaries made it as far west as Syria.

Jesus life-history between the ages of 13-30 is missing. It is explained that Jesus was attending to his father’s livelihood during that period which seemed to be unlikely. Jesus was a wise and an active child and was given a high place in a temple before that missing-period. Why did he have to be in a low profile at the most active period of one’s lifetime ? There is also a tradition that holds that Jesus traveled to the East in these years. There are local traditions of Jesus' presence in Afghanistan, Iran, and even Pakistan and India. However there is no way to know when these traditions arose. Some stories go so far as to claim that Jesus survived crucifixion and returned to the East, dying in Kashmir many years later.

This is not to say that Jesus was a Buddhist. He may or may not be Buddhist but it is possible that he had been influenced by the Buddhist teachings.

The Gospel of Thomas includes teachings older than Gospels of the New Testament, such as Mark, Matthew, Luke or John, and also closer to the actual life of the historical Jesus. Gospel of Thomas was written around 62 C.E. because it commends James, the brother of Jesus, to be the legitimate heir to the early Christian movement and in addition makes no reference to the Roman sack of Jerusalem in 72 C.E. Moreover, of all of the Nag Hammadi texts, it is Thomas that has the most similarities with Pure Land Buddhism within it.

Exploring the Gospel of Thomas, we discover that Jesus believed the self and the divine to be identical and one. Furthermore, the Kingdom of Heaven is not in the future but is “right here.” and one only needs to be awakened to this perfection. Jesus, in this gospel, speaks of enlightenment, the same type that is taught by Buddha. Here, Jesus is never presented as
Lord or Savior, but rather as a spiritual guide who is equal to his students. In addition, the Gospel of Thomas does not contain a supernatural virgin birth or the doctrine of the Virgin Mary. It does not teach of original sin. It does not mention Jesus’ crucifixion or resurrection. It does not teach Jesus’ death as a payment of debt to “atone” for humanity's sins. It does not include any supernatural healings or miracles. It does not mention the so-called end-times or the wrath of God. It does not mention salvation through faith in Christ. It does not exclude women.

Teachings from the Gospel of Thomas and other Nag Hammadi texts were seen as a danger to the developing ecclesiastical and political structure because they rejected the authority of the bishops, priests and deacons. It is quite easy to see why the Church did not choose the Gospel of Thomas and other similar texts for their Bible. As a result, for political reasons these texts were banned and later destroyed for the good of Roman Empire and Church.


Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_...u/kor/7_01.htm (Jesus lives in India)
http://jimvb.home.mindspring.com/ser1998Oct11.htm ( Was Jesus Buddhist?)
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/buddhism/jesus.htm ( Is Jesus a Buddhist>)

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Malaysia's Mahathir suffers mild heart attack

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's former premier Mahathir Mohamad has suffered a mild heart attack but is in stable condition in a Kuala Lumpur hospital, his son said Thursday.

"He had chest pains late last night and early this morning, so we called his doctors and they suspected it was a minor heart attack," his son Mokhzani told foreign news agency.

"So we took him to the National Heart Institute and the tests confirmed that's exactly what he had."

Mokhzani said the 82-year-old Mahathir -- who ruled Malaysia for 22 years until handing power to current Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in October 2003 -- was conscious and in stable condition.

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THAILAND: Surayud to Singapore amid Shin saga

Prime minister to visit Singapore during rising tensions over Temasek-Shin deal

Bangkok Post
Thursday, November 9, 2006

Thailand's military-appointed prime minister departed Thursday for a one-day visit to Brunei and Singapore, with the latter expected to be the tenser of the two whistle-stops.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont was scheduled to meet Thursday morning with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah before flying on to Singapore where he will meet with President SR Nathan, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

While the stopovers are in keeping with regional diplomatic etiquette -- newly appointed leaders of member countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) try to prioritise state visits to the grouping -- Surayud's Singapore swing promises to be more than just a pleasantry.

It comes at a time of rising Thai-Singapore tensions over the January 23, 2006, purchase of Shin Corp -- the business conglomerate of the family of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra -- by Temasek Holdings of Singapore.

The $1.9 billion sale raised serious questions about Thaksin's legitimacy as a national leader and accusations of "policy corruption," if not outright cheating on taxes.

Not only did Thaksin push through legislation three days before the sale that hiked the foreign ownership ceiling in Thai telecommunication companies from 20 to 49 per cent, his family also finessed the deal through the stock market in order to benefit from a waiver on capital gains tax, making the billion dollar sale a tax-free one for his already wealthy clan.

The sale also sparked claims that the prime minister had sold off sensitive national assets. The Shin Corp conglomerate included several government concessions including the country's largest mobile phone service, the national satellite network, a popular television station and shares in a no-frills airline.

It led to a rapid decline in Thaksin's popularity among Thailand's middle class and political elite that culminated in his overthrow by a military coup on September 19.

In the aftermath of Thaksin's fall, the Temasek-Shin Corp deal has remained a hot potato and the subject of numerous ongoing investigations in his family's dubious business dealings.

On Tuesday, the revenue department announced that Thaksin's son and daughter, Panthongtae and Pinthongsa, would be liable to pay taxes of an estimated 11 billion baht each on their purchase of Shin Corp shares from the offshore company Ample Rich days before reselling them to Temasek.

Another investigation is examining the legality of Temasek's appointment of two nominee companies to purchase an additional 47 per cent in Shin Corp after the initial 49 per cent purchase.

There are suspicions that the nominees, although Thai entities, are mere shell companies for Temasek Holdings.

If found guilty of abusing Thailand's nominee requirements, Temasek might be forced to sell 47 per cent of Shin Corp fast, and at a considerable loss, although Thai ministers have indicated that some leniency is in the cards.

Thailand is in the process of amending its legislation on nominee holdings.

"If they (Temasek) are found to be a bit incorrect they will have more time to correct it," Thai Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula told a recent gathering of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT).

As for Thursday's Thai-Singaporoe meeting, Pridiyathorn added, "I don't think we will be embarrassed to talk to them (about Temasek), but they will be embarrassed to talk to us."

All Shin Corp share transfers 'will be traced'

By Surasak Glahan

The assets scrutiny committee will trace Shin Corp share transfers over the past 10 years to look for all possible cases of tax evasion, a source said yesterday.

The committee's move follows the Revenue Department's decision to collect income tax from the huge profits which the Shinawatra siblings earned from the sale of shares in Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings of Singapore via Ample Rich.

The source said the fresh probe is urgent because the statute of limitations on tax liabilities is waived after 10 years.

But tracking down all Shin Corp share transactions during the period was not easy for the panel because the way the company did business was complicated and tricky, the source admitted.

"We will investigate every share transfer to find out if they were made at reasonable prices. We will look into all cases, not just the one involving the alleged tax evasion by Panthongtae and Pinthongta," said the source.

A tax official said the panel could exercise the department's authority involving investigations of tax payment records dating back 10 years to launch the inquiry into the share transfers.

The department is authorised to make taxpayers who fail to fully declare taxable income to pay back-taxes for the last five years, the official said.

Panthongtae and Pinthongta Shinawatra, the children of ousted prime minister Thaksin, were notified by the department on Monday that they were liable to pay tax on the difference between buying 329.2 million shares from Ample Rich at one baht per share and selling them to Temasek at 49.25 baht per share.

Both could be forced to pay tax plus interest of more than 11 billion baht.

Viroj Laohaphan, chief of a sub-committee on tax, said the assets scrutiny panel will meet officials from the tax agency tomorrow. They could look at the department's U-turn from its previous decision not to collect tax from the transaction.

Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, an adviser to the attorney-general, questioned the department's decision to tax the siblings, saying the department might be trying to save its own skin.

He said the department cannot cite the half-year tax period ending Sept 30 to tax the pair because their earnings did not fall into categories required by law to file a tax payment for the period.

In actual fact, the siblings, considered to be directors of Ample Rich, are liable to pay tax on the difference between the market price and the price they paid for the shares, he said.

Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula said he would launch a probe against a finance official who reportedly assured the Shinawatra siblings that they were not liable to income tax if they were to buy Shin Corp shares from Ample Rich through the stock exchange.

Date Posted: 11/9/2006

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Stalls in Bangkok's famous weekend market demolished, incurring clash

Hundreds of stalls in Bangkok's famous Chatuchak weekend market, a popular tourist destination, were demolished on Thursday morning by a bulldozer and over 100 intruders, who were engaged in confrontation with angry vendors, Thai media reported.

According to reports on Bangkok Post and The Nation's news websites, the Chatuchak market, which houses about 500 vendor stalls in northern Bangkok, was intruded by over 100 men armed with batons and knives early Thursday morning, who demolished nearly all of the stalls.

The men then briefly clashed with vendors of the stalls who rushed into the sites after hearing of the demolition. Police later intervened to stop the clash, and invited representatives from both sides to settle the dispute at the Bang Sue police station. It is not clear how many people had been injured during the clash.

The plot of land where the market is located originally belongs to the State Railway Authority (SRA). Reports quoted police as saying that the clash resulted from an conflict of interest on the plot of land between the vendors who rented the place and a developer who claimed the ownership of the land and asked to remove the vendors, who refused the demand.

The market, covering about 14 hectare, opens only for Saturdays and Sundays in daytime. It has been an attraction to both local residents and tourists, with its nearly 500 stalls selling cheap household goods, traditional instruments, ornaments and clothes.

Source: Xinhua

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Bangkok beckons tourists from India

kT.S. Shankar

CHENNAI: A holiday to Southeast Asia is always high on the priority list of Chennai's youngsters, especially those in the IT and ITES sector seeking to relieve themselves of stress.

Now Thailand, especially Bangkok, beckons revellers. A mere three-and-a-half-hour flight from Chennai, Bangkok promises value for money.

Besides its famous nightlife, Bangkok has newer attractions, including an animal safari and the Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden and Resort at Pattaya.

Tourists who land at the newly commissioned Suvarnabhumi Airport at Bangkok, located 25 km east of Bangkok and built at a cost of 155 million baht (local currency), get their visas on arrival.

Four flights are operated everyday by Indian (formerly Indian Airlines) from Chennai, be<109,97>sides Thai Airways, under a code-share arrangement with Air India.

For Indian tourists of all ages, the 600-acre Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden provides an interesting experience as visitors can pose for pictures with live cheetahs, tigers and birds. "It is an ecstatic feeling to hug a tiger or a cheetah, as these endangered animals are tranquilised and freely mingle with the visitors at the Garden," says T.C. Gopalan, a Chennai-based financial consultant and frequent visitor to Bangkok. Apart from the coral island on the Pattaya beach, the two-hour Tiffany Show is a must-see for tourists.

Other attractions include an elephant show, and a children's zoo keeps tourists spellbound in the backdrop of a visual treat of orchids, landscaped flower garden and a cultural show.

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Japan, U.S. seek 5-party talks on N.Korea in Hanoi

From:ReutersMonday, 06 November, 2006

By Linda Sieg

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the United States want their foreign ministers to meet counterparts from China, South Korea and Russia next week to discuss North Korea's nuclear programmes, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso said on Monday.

The proposed meeting would take place on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting in Hanoi, Aso told reporters after talks with U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control Security Robert Joseph.

North Korea, which conducted a nuclear test on October 9, agreed last week to rejoin six-party talks on its nuclear programmes after staying away for a year in protest at a U.S. crackdown on its international finances. Those talks bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

"What is most important is that the five parties maintain close solidarity," Aso said.

Pyongyang's nuclear test drew worldwide condemnation and U.N. sanctions. China, North Korea's biggest backer, has supported the U.N. sanctions, which target trade in large conventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction and luxury goods.

Aso said the United States and Japan had agreed that North Korea should not be recognised as a nuclear power and the resumption of six-party talks should not spell an end to sanctions imposed following the October 9 nuclear test.

"Reopening the six-way talks is not the objective. The six-party talks are a means and the objective is for them to give up nuclear weapons," Aso said.

Burns, speaking separately, said Japan and the United States saw "eye to eye on the question of North Korea" and rejected a call by Pyongyang for Tokyo to stay away from the nuclear talks.

"These are six-party talks. The United States believes that one of our most important partners in this configuration is Japan," Burns told reporters. "Obviously, we all stick together and we are all partners in these negotiations."

North Korea said on Saturday that Japan should not bother to attend the six-party talks because Tokyo was refusing to recognise Pyongyang as a nuclear weapons state and because Japan was no more than a "state" of the United States.

Joseph said Tokyo and Washington had agreed that a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for sanctions on North Korea should continue to be implemented fully until Pyongyang met all of the resolution's demands, including the irreversible, verifiable and complete elimination of its nuclear programme.

"We are of one mind that this resolution provides the way ahead," he said.

The U.S. officials are expected to head for Seoul later on Monday, and from there to travel to Beijing and Moscow.

Reference : http://home.eircom.net

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Ousted Thai PM 'ready to stand trial on criminal charges'

BANGKOK AFP 06/11/2006 12:12

Deposed Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is ready to stand trial and defend himself against any criminal charges, his lawyer in Thailand said.

Coup leaders who ousted Thaksin on September 19 have justified the bloodless putsch by saying widespread corruption during Thaksin's five years in office had undermined democracy.

Noppadol said that Thaksin, who left his self-imposed exile in London and flew to China last week, might consider returning to Thailand once martial law is lifted.

"Thaksin has the right to defend himself in the court. He has prepared and is ready for that, even though no direct accusation has yet to be made against him. The matters are just allegations," Noppadol Pattama told АFР.

The billionaire businessman's trip to Beijing last week came amid swirling rumors that negotiations were underway to secure permission for his return to Thailand.

Local media reported Monday that security had been stepped up along the Thailand-Laos border amid further rumours that Thaksin may try and slip back into Thailand via the Golden Triangle.

However Noppadol dismissed such reports and said that Thaksin had no plans to return to the kingdom in the near future.

"He has no immediate plan or has even approached anyone here to come back to Thailand. He will consider returning when the situation has returned to normality," Noppadol said.

"Once the martial law is lifted, it is one indication that the situation here is back to normal. Then, the former premier is much more likely to return."

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who was installed following the putsch, has said that martial law will be lifted as soon as security commanders are confident that no political movement against the new government remains.

But Thailand's junta said over the weekend that they had detected "secret cells" aiming to destabilize the post-coup political situation in the north, where Thaksin enjoys wide support, and was closely monitoring their political activities.

Thaksin was in New York at the time of the coup, and had since been living in self-imposed exile in London where he has a home.

Reference : http://www.bakutoday.net

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All eyes and ears on the Dr Mahathir issue

Cooler days have returned with the rain, and it has also brought the political temperature down somewhat.

The Prime Minister left for official business in China shortly after hosting a big Hari Raya gathering in his home base of Kepala Batas where he made his “doses of venom” comment.

It was Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's strongest reaction yet to the criticism by former Premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and it made people sit up and take note.

A few days after returning from China, he left again, this time for Pakistan to attend the World Islamic Economic Forum.

When he returns, he will have his hands full with preparations for the Umno general assembly.

Dr Mahathir has also been rather restrained even though the media are still hot on his heels.

Pressmen have turned up at all his public functions, be it his open house in the Mines Resort City or even when he made his periodic visits to Kedah.

In Langkawi on Wednesday, he arrived at a Thai restaurant for lunch with Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) officials to find the media waiting and several TV microphones already positioned on the table.

It has never been his style to turn reporters away but he has been markedly reticent in his responses to their queries of late.

Datuk Mukhriz said his father had spent the Raya holiday relaxing with family and old friends.

Last Sunday, Dr Mahathir went shopping and even took a ride on the LRT, causing quite a stir among the other commuters who rushed to greet him and shake his hand.

Even though the two key figures are showing restraint, others have continued their volleys.

“It's like a contest for who can be the loudest,” said a senior supreme council member, fed-up with the small fire.

The fallout from the couple of interviews that Dr Mahathir gave after meeting Abdullah caused some sort of tipping point and Dr Mahathir, seasoned politician that he is, probably knows it.

Loyalists around Abdullah took offence and have tried to push the issue to another level.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid told the senior man to give up his advisory posts in various government-linked bodies if he wished to continue attacking Abdullah's administration.

The party's Youth wing in Kedah went further and asked the party to suspend the former Premier's membership from the party.

More pointedly, these strident calls were coming from his home state of Kedah.

But Dr Mahathir is in no immediate danger of being forced to resign his advisory posts in Petronas, Proton or Lada, much less get booted from the party.

“It's not going to be like that. Umno has its own way of handling issues. There is no question of sacking or punishing; Tun Mahathir has a ‘special status’ in the party,” said Umno information chief Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib.

Said Johor Umno Youth chief Razali Ibrahim: “Mahathir has done a lot for Malays and the country. We shouldn’t worsen the situation by saying things like that.”

The more experienced segment in Umno know that punishing Dr Mahathir would only make him a martyr.

Any drastic action against an iconic figure like him has to be carefully thought over.

At the same time, Negri Sembilan Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamad Hasan frowns on what he calls “tit-for-tat” behaviour.

“Personally, I don’t agree with all this pressure to force him to quit. I’m not for this tat-for-tat sort of things. It’s not productive. In fact, it can be counter-productive and there will be no end to it.

“You have to remember he is one of the few Malays whom, anywhere you go in the world, they know who he is,” he said.

And even as many think he has gone way overboard in his manner of attack, they do not entirely disagree with some of the issues he has raised.

As such, it was of little surprise when the Umno supreme council on Thursday night decided that no action would be taken against him –for now at least.

Moreover, the Umno general assembly opens next Wednesday, and although Dr Mahathir has sidestepped questions about his attendance, his son Mukhriz said his father as well as Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali will be at the opening ceremony.

The former Premier will be among the centre-front row of VIPs listening to the presidential address by Abdullah and there is no doubt that all eyes will be on them.

The question being asked is whether the “Tun issue,” as they call it, will be the hot debate issue.

“We should address the issues rather than sweep things under the carpet. The process will make us wiser and more able to weather other storms,” said Razali who is also Muar MP.

Most think there is no avoiding discussion on Dr Mahathir’s actions in the last months but that speakers will likely voice full support for Abdullah’s leadership while expressing respect for the former premier.

Unbridled censure of Dr Mahathir is unlikely but there are bound to be speakers who, in their endeavour to impress the leadership, may attempt to take a direct jab at their former president.

According to think tank head Razak Baginda, the general assembly is not only for delegates to air their views but to get answers and direction from the leaders.

“What has happened is not an ordinary crisis, it’s not a power struggle. If I were a delegate, I would expect the leadership to provide some sort of road map out of this crisis,” said Razak.

But, said Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad, delegates should be aware of the way the leadership has handled Dr Mahathir.

“The leadership has been very benign and more open than Tun would have been if he were the one up there, being criticised. You have to give the leadership credit for that. There has been discipline and balance in their handling of him, they have not gone overboard, given him a fair hearing and answered where necessary.

“If the issue still requires answers, then the leadership should answer in the general assembly. But if people are expecting answers in the form of whacking Tun Mahathir, they are going to be disappointed. That is not the president’s style. I think the president will respond to issues brought up by delegates as well as by Tun,” said Shahrir.

As volatile as the Tun issue may be, Umno politics is also about economic opportunity. Hence, speakers will dwell on the 9th Malaysia Plan, projects and contracts, and about things not moving fast enough.

But, said an Umno insider, the Malay agenda will dominate at this year’s gathering of the most powerful political party in the country.

The rank and file in Umno are uncomfortable with what they perceive as challenges, even threats, against their ideas of Islam, race relations and Malay rights and equity.

Their fears, misgivings and hopes over these issues will manifest in the debates.

“The central role of Umno and the Malays will not be compromised. That Malay core will be on display,” said the Umno insider.

Party members may have their own views about what has happened since Dr Mahathir began speaking out. But the party has remained intact, and that will come out in clear expressions of support for the leadership.

Reference : http://www.asianewsnet.net

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Militants strike in Muslim Thai south

BANGKOK (Reuters) -- Militants shot a teacher couple and their daughter and set four schools on fire in Thailand's rebellious south on Saturday despite the post-coup government beginning a concerted effort for peace.

The attacks, which left the teachers and their daughter in critical condition and undergoing emergency surgery, followed an apology for past hardline government policies from Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, who went to the region to deliver it.

They also came a day after prosecutors dropped charges against 92 Muslims involved in a 2004 protest in the region which led to 78 Muslims dying in army custody and fanned the flames of antagonism when the government refused to apologize.

All Saturday's attacks were in the same district of Yala, one of three provinces near the Malaysian border where more than 1,700 people have been killed since a renewed insurgency erupted in January 2004.

Schools and teachers have been a frequent target as symbols of the government of the overwhelmingly Buddhist country in far away Bangkok and many teachers have been issued guns.

Police said the four schools in four villages were set ablaze during the night. At least one was destroyed completely.

Hours later, the teacher couple and their daughter were heading for the town of Bannang Sata on a motorcycle when they were attacked in the Malay-speaking region which was an Islamic sultanate until annexed by Thailand a century ago.

"Four militants riding on two motorcycles shot the couple and their daughter while they were on their way to take their daughter for special tutoring in town," a police officer said.

"The father shot back and wounded one of them, but they all fled the scene," he said.

Influential Muslims in the region say the apology for the hardline policies of Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted as prime minister in a bloodless coup on Sept. 19, was most welcome but unlikely to lead to a swift peace.

There has been no response from militant groups, who have never claimed responsibility for any of the violence or set out their aims.

Reference : http://www.tehrantimes.com

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South Korean, US officials to visit Japan for talks on North Korea ( 11:44 a.m.)

2006/11/5
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and two senior U.S. officials were set to arrive Sunday in Tokyo for strategic talks with Japanese leaders ahead of resumed six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program.

Ban, who is also the incoming U.N. secretary-general, was scheduled to meet his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso on Sunday evening, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

He was expected to meet Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday.

Meanwhile, Robert Joseph, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and R. Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of state for political affairs, were also due to arrive in Tokyo on Sunday, Japan's Foreign Ministry said.

Officials from the three allied nations were expected to talk about coordinating U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed on North Korea after its Oct. 9 nuclear test, and to discuss a strategy for handling the volatile communist state at renewed disarmament talks expected later this year.

North Korea agreed last week to return to the six-country disarmament negotiations _ which also include China, Russia, the U.S. and South Korea _ in the first easing of tension since the North's underground nuclear test last month.

Pyongyang said it would return to the talks to seek an end to a U.S.-led campaign blocking its access to international banks due to alleged illegal activity, such as counterfeiting and money laundering.

Washington had said it will discuss the financial restrictions only in the context of the six-nation talks.

But even as it agreed to return to talks, North Korea kept up its usual harsh rhetoric Saturday, denouncing U.S. leaders as "warmongers" and calling Japanese officials "political imbeciles" for saying they won't accept Pyongyang as a nuclear power.

The North also repeated its demand that Japan stay away from the six-party talks "because it is no more than a state of the U.S."

In a statement carried by the official Korea Central News Agency, or KCNA, North Korea's Foreign Ministry said most of the international community had welcomed Pyongyang's return to the talks.

"Only Japan ... expressed its wicked intention," said the statement, referring to Tokyo's stance that it will not accept a nuclear North Korea. "The Japanese authorities have thus clearly proved ... that they are political imbeciles."

Pyongyang also verbally attacked Washington in an editorial by the typically bellicose Rodong Sinmun newspaper, condemning the Americans as "fanatic warmongers who destroy peace and security on the Korean peninsula."

"The U.S. has become more fanatic in pushing for its war scheme to attack the North, taking issue with our war-deterrent measure we were compelled to strengthen to protect our sovereignty and right to survive from their serious threat," the editorial said.

The North often refers to its nuclear program as a self-defensive measure against the threat of a U.S. attack. Washington has repeatedly insisted it has no intention to attack.

North Korea's latest remarks came after the nation's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong Nam, said any progress at the revived talks on the communist nation's nuclear program will depend on the United States' "attitude," an indication a breakthrough could be difficult.

Reference : http://www.chinapost.com.tw

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Japanese Researchers Find Dolphin With 'Remains of Legs'

TOKYO — Japanese researchers said Sunday that a bottlenose dolphin captured last month has an extra set of fins that could be the remains of back legs, a discovery that may provide further evidence that ocean-dwelling mammals once lived on land.

Fishermen captured the four-finned dolphin off the coast of Wakayama prefecture (state) in western Japan on Oct. 28, and alerted the nearby Taiji Whaling Museum, according to museum director Katsuki Hayashi.

Fossil remains show dolphins and whales were four-footed land animals about 50 million years ago and share the same common ancestor as hippos and deer. Scientists believe they later transitioned to an aquatic lifestyle and their hind limbs disappeared.

Though odd-shaped protrusions have been found near the tails of dolphins and whales captured in the past, researchers say this was the first time one had been found with well-developed, symmetrical fins, Hayashi said.

"I believe the fins may be remains from the time when dolphins' ancient ancestors lived on land ... this is an unprecedented discovery," Seiji Osumi, an adviser at Tokyo's Institute of Cetacean Research, said at a news conference televised Sunday.

The second set of fins -- much smaller than the dolphin's front fins -- are about the size of human hands and protrude from near the tail on the dolphin's underside. The dolphin measures 8.92 feet and is about five years old, according to the museum.

A freak mutation may have caused the ancient trait to reassert itself, Osumi said. The dolphin will be kept at the Taiji museum to undergo X-ray and DNA tests, according to Hayashi.
Reference : http://www.foxnews.com

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Karaoke bar bombs wound five in Thai Muslim south

Sat 4 Nov 2006 11:15 PM ET
BANGKOK, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Militants detonated three small bombs at karaoke bars and at a roadside in Thailand's rebellious Muslim south, wounding five people including two policemen, police said on Sunday.

The latest attack in a nearly three-year-old separatist insurgency occured late on Saturday in the Tak Bai district in the province of Narathiwat, one of three provinces near the Malaysian border where more than 1,700 people have been killed.

The 5 kg (11 lb) bombs were detonated simultaneously at two karaoke bars and at a roadside in the area.

"A bomb in one karaoke bar exploded just after the two policemen walked into the bar," one police official who declined to be identified told Reuters.

Three civilians were also wounded in the two bar bombings.


"Witnesses saw a teenage boy walk into one bar and placed a paper bag, presumably with a bomb inside, under a couch," the police official said.

The blast followed arson and shooting attacks in the neighbouring province of Yala, where militants shot a teacher couple and their daughter earlier on Saturday. Four schools were also set on fire in the attacks which came despite the post-coup government beginning a concerted effort for peace.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont travelled to the region to deliver an apology on Thursday for past hardline government policies.

Prosecutors also dropped charges against 92 Muslims involved in a 2004 protest in Tak Bai which led to 78 Muslims dying in army custody and fanned the flames of antagonism when the government refused to apologise.

Influential Muslims in the region say the apology for the hardline policies of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a bloodless coup on Sept. 19, was most welcome but unlikely to lead to a swift peace.

There has been no response from militant groups, who have never claimed responsibility for any of the violence or set out their aims.

Reference : http://today.reuters.com

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Burma's Royal Wedding

This video clip was originally obtained from a private web log in Rangoon and had
been circulating within the former capital for more than a month. It depicts sections of the wedding of Snr-Gen Than Shwe's daughter, Thandar Shwe, and Maj Zaw Phyo, on July 02, 2006 and their wedding reception in Naypyidaw on July 03, 2006.

The people from Burma who struggle for their existence were interested how to celebrate the Royal wedding, how bride wore, how the people who came to wedding wore. So, there had happend a big selling of Royal Wedding's VCD secrectly in Myanmar.




People who want to bribe were also busy for their royal wedding because of thinking how to give a present or how to make the perfect wedding. Some of them were trying to buy an excellent present like diamond, cruise, house for them. So price of diamond, jewelleries were increasing too. There had also happend hunge changes of dimanond price in international diamond market because of their wedding party. Gen Than Shwe's wife, Daw kyaing kyaing wanted her daughter's wedding to be an excellent wedding in Myanmar History.

They invited just a few people to their wedding . They just invited about 500 people. They were afraid of that someone would gossip or disturb. The presents of the wedding will be equivalent of U.S $ 50 million.



Reference : YouTube, NDD

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