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Peering into a giant molecular cloud in the Milky Way galaxy - known as W49 - astronomers from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) have discovered a whole new population of very massive newborn stars. This research was presented at the International Astronomical Union's 25th General Assembly held in Sydney, Australia, by ESO-scientist Joao Alves. With the help of infrared images obtained during a period of excellent observing conditions with the ESO 3.5-m New Technology Telescope (NTT) at the La Silla Observatory (Chile), the astronomers looked deep into this molecular cloud and discovered four massive stellar clusters, with hot and energetic...

American special forces are already paving the way for mass invasion By Patrick Cockburn in Dohuk, northern Iraq 07 March 2003 In the mountain city of Dohuk, some 40 highly trained US special forces are secretly preparing the way for the American armies expected to invade Iraq in the next few weeks. "We will help any kind of force which comes to destroy the Iraqi regime," said Faisal Amin Rostinki, a veteran Kurdish soldier who is head of security for the 23,000-strong Kurdish force that has its headquarters in Dohuk. While confirming the presence of US soldiers he refused to...

Saddam may be on his way to an African exile January 17 2003 at 05:32AM Dubai - Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has agreed to leave Iraq and go into exile in an African country if certain conditions are met, three diplomats in the United Arab Emirates were quoted as saying on Thursday. The diplomats in Dubai - one Western and two Arab - who did not want to be named or reveal their sources, said the Iraqi leader was prepared to accept a deal under which he would leave the country if it was guaranteed that he would not to...

It's green, prickly and sour, but this plant could cure obesity and save an ancient way of life Bushmen of the Kalahari stand to benefit from development of hoodia, which curbs appetite Rory Carroll in Johannesburg Saturday January 4, 2003 The Guardian Hunting with bows and poisoned arrows over the bleached sands of the Kalahari, it was sometimes days before the San bushmen had food or water. So precarious was survival that some believed their god was a "trickster" who played jokes with the land and their fate. The San learned that in this arid wilderness of southern Africa they...

Background: This information is provided as a service toward understanding and information. Americans generally (those of derived Christian background) are used to the rules of action and behavoir set down in the Old Testiment. This group of rules is commonly referred to as the "Ten Commandments". Compared to the Religion of Islam, Christians "have it easy" with only ten clear and simple rules to follow. This is not so in Islam where their list of "Commandments" reads like it was written by an aggressive Divorce Attorney. It is, in my humble attempt at understanding, quite severe and hard on...