Headlines For 6-23-08

Zimbabwe opposition party leader pulled out of runoff election Sunday. Morgan Tsvangirai said, "We will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process." That means Robert Mugabe’s violence and intimidation have won again and he is still in power. Mail & Guardian The U.S. says it will bring up the issue at the U.N. Security Council this week. AFP/The Australian Here are the allegations of intimidation and violence. BBC

The Saudi King confirmed his country would increase oil output. His announcement comes as the price of gas in the U.S. reaches almost $4.10 per gallon. CNN

Iraq will turn into another Vietnam. It’s a “false comfort of appeasement” if we negotiate with Iran. Neither statement accurately reflects what happened with Germany or Vietnam. Newsweek

Comedian George Carlin dies at 71. Reuters

What’s your life worth? One guy in Australia put his up for auction. Guardian

Headlines

UN nuclear agency chief says Iran should open itself up to inspectors, and criticized the aggressive rhetoric coming from the U.S. MSNBC (video) Iran is adapting to economic sanctions by taking business elsewhere in the world. Washington Post

Crude oil tops $90 a barrel.. up 16% in a month. Here are some reasons why: CBS (video)

Indian children, as young as 10, found to be making clothes for The Gap. Guardian

The Red Sox sweep the World Series. AP/Sports Illustrated

Left The Party

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is no longer a Republican. New York Times The election is 17 months(!) away and he’s not even running yet, but everyone is asking if Bloomberg could win the White House. Time

Now that Hamas and everyone else living in Gaza is isolated, what is life like for Palestinians there? MSNBC (video)

“Toys made in China make up 70 to 80 percent of the toys sold,” in the United States. This is troubling since Chinese products are “responsible for about 60 percent of all product recalls” in the U.S. New York Times China has become the world’s #1 CO2 emitter. Guardian

Looking for terrorists and protecting oil interests in Africa. Economist

Iwo Jima has a new name -The name it was called before World War II. Guardian

Smoking bans in bars are definitely a good thing, but it caused a problem in Finland. (Melbourne) Age

Alvin and the Chipmunks were never this dramatic.