That's the Way of the World
18 Nov Edition

What's happening outside the confined media borders of the U.S. today? Let's take a spin 'round the globe, starting with... where else? Iraq:

AFP - At least 75 killed in Iraq anti-Shiite attacks
At least 75 people were killed when suicide bombers blew themselves up in the midst of worshippers at two Shiite mosques, in one of the deadliest strikes on Iraq's majority religious group.

The attack in the Shiite Kurdish town of Khanaqin, which came just hours after suicide bombers killed six people outside a Baghdad hotel, destroyed the two mosques and left 90 people wounded.

The two suicide bombers, wearing explosives belts, blew themselves up during the main weekly Muslim prayers in the eastern town near the border with Iran, officials said.

The toll could climb further as more bodies were believed trapped under the rubble at one mosque where the roof collapsed, Diyala provincial council leader Ibrahim Hasan al-Bajalan told AFP.

Since we're in the neighborhood, there's this disturbing piece of news from Iran:

Guardian - Iranians admit receiving nuclear warhead blueprint
International suspicion of Iran's nuclear programme heightened yesterday when it was revealed that Tehran had obtained a blueprint showing how to build the core of a nuclear warhead.

Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told diplomats that his inspectors had recently obtained documents from Tehran showing that the Iranians had been given various instructions on processing uranium hexafluoride gas and casting and enriching uranium. These had been obtained via the black market in nuclear technology headed by the disgraced Pakistani scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan.

But we're not finished with the Axis of Evil. Here's the state of religious freedom in North Korea:

National Post - North Korea crushing churches
A U.S government report says North Korea is raising religious persecution to the same heights as ancient Rome.

While the Romans threw Christians to the lions for sport, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says North Korea's leaders settle for snap trials followed by firing squads or simply crushing the heads of underground church leaders under a steamroller.

[ed. note: I never knew we had such a commission]

In the same week U.S. President George W. Bush is touring Asia to call for increased political freedom, the independent U.S. government commission issued a report claiming North Korea is waging all-out war on religion and free thought.

The reports says there are only three formal churches in North Korea's capital, Pyongyang, but they are primarily for show and are visited only by foreigners and the elderly. Everywhere else, the North Korean government is engaged in the forceful suppression of religious and intellectual life.

While not part of the Axis, let's not forget Afghanistan (since, it seems, we keep forgetting about it); via the Mother Jones MoJo blog:

MoJo - Remember Afghanistan?
Via Patriot Daily, a report from USA Today reveals that U.S. Special Forces soldiers say that a more organized enemy than they faced last year. The report of the 1st Batallion, 3rd Special Forces Group, is that includes the fact that this year in Afghanistan has been the bloodiest since 2001. 87 troops have died, and the insurgency is not about to collapse, as predicted by Army Lt. Gen. David Barno.

This week alone, there were three suicide bombings in Kabul, in which ten people were killed, including one U.S. soldier. U.S. forces are supposed to be significantly reduced next year, when they will be replaced by NATO forces. According to Afghanistan's defense minister, al Qaida has smuggled cash, weapons, and explosives into the country in preparation of an insurgency against the government. He also said that the recent suicide bombings in Afghanistan were done by foreigners.

In South Korea, looks like President Bush did a heckuva job during his recent visit there:

BBC - S Korea to table Iraq troops cut
South Korea's government is to submit to parliament a proposal to withdraw a third of the country's troops in Iraq, according to media reports.

The proposal came to light a day after US President George W Bush praised South Korea for its Iraq contribution.

The White House, which seemed surprised by the proposal, insisted there had been no official confirmation.

But here's some happy news:

BBC - Keane in shock exit from Man Utd
Roy Keane has left Manchester United by mutual consent.

United confirmed on Friday that Keane, 34, had left with immediate effect, bringing to a sudden end his 12-and-a-half years at Old Trafford.

But he criticised the side last month in an interview to MUTV, which was never shown, and that appears to have brought forward his departure.

Keane's outburst on MUTV, which is the club's own television station, came after a 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough in which he did not feature because he broke his foot in a 0-0 draw against Liverpool on 18 September.

OK, maybe only for those of you who aren't Man U fans (or don't even know what I'm talking about). So here's some really and truly happy news from the international scene:

HappyNews.com - HEAD
Before World Toilet Day on Saturday, Singapore launches a new campaign aimed at changing public restroom usage and cutting down waiting lines for women.

After launching ''Happy Toilet'' rankings similar to hotel star ratings and directing tourists to the cleanest commodes in Singapore, the city-state is now aiming to flush away yet another problem when nature calls: queues at women's toilets.

''Today in modern Singapore we are privileged to have adequate public toilets to keep our privacy and dignity,'' the local branch of the World Toilet Organization said in a statement.

''Looking closer, women here still have to queue up to use the public toilets now. It's a common sight. And men do not,'' it said.

The city-state's National Environment Agency, in collaboration with the local branch of the World Toilet Organization, has its sights set on whittling down the waiting time for women in public restrooms.

To mark World Toilet Day on Saturday, which focuses on women's bathrooms this year, Singapore will announce ''new guidelines'' for public toilet usage. It did not elaborate.