More on Nuclear North Korea and the assassination of Anna Politkovskaya

Nuclear North Korea:

Here's the latest roundup of info pertaining to the explosion up north of the border, as gathered by The Marmot. The first paragraph is definitely the most interesting:

The U.S. is floating around the Security Council a draft resolution that would place an embargo on anything North Korea could use for its nuclear and missile programs under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. It would also call for inspecting cargo going in and out of North Korea—something the North Koreans are unlikely to willingly accept without at least a couple of shots fired.

Hmmm. And, then (of course) there are the skeptics. You know, the people who are debating whether or not KJI simply had a large stockpile of TNT ignited, and is now pulling the world's collective leg.

Assassination of Anna Politkovskaya:

Vilhelm Konnander had a good point:

The fact remains: When Russia's "first journalist" is silenced, Russia's "first person" stays silent. No word from Putin, no word from the Kremlin when the freedom of the press is trampled on by brutal suppression. The tacit message thus sent, resounds with piercing echo: Freedom of speech has no place in Putin's Russia. "Qui tacet, consentit" - silence implies consent - is regrettably the conclusion drawn from Kremlin reticence, thereby making power implicitly complicit to a crime against the inalienable rights of the Russian people. [read his entire post]

My friend Brooke S has written an incredibly touching post dedicated to Politkovskaya, Global Voices has a lengthy piece, and The Guardian is praising her as well.

Sadly, there are those out there maligning her as well, as Neeka's Backlog has reported.