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7 Iraqis Killed In Checkpoint Tragedy March 31, 2003 (CBS/AP) "It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen, and I hope I never see it again." Sgt. Mario Manzano (CBS) U.S. troops killed at least seven Iraqi women and children at a checkpoint Monday when the Iraqis' van would not stop as ordered, U.S. Central Command said. Two other civilians were wounded at a U.S. Army checkpoint on a highway near Najaf in southern Iraq, according to a Pentagon official and a Central Command statement. The military is investigating, the statement said. The soldiers involved were from the 3rd Infantry Division, the same unit that lost four soldiers at a checkpoint near Najaf Saturday when an Iraqi soldier dressed as a civilian detonated a car bomb. The seven dead and two wounded on Monday were among 13 women and children in a van that approached the checkpoint but did not stop, according to the Central Command statement. It said soldiers motioned for t...

The Indonesian War of Independence Sukarno was expecting the Japanese to grant Indonesian independence before World War II ended, so he was taken by surprise when Japan surrendered first. On August 17, 1945, he proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Indonesia, with himself as president and Muhammed Hatta as vice-president. The Dutch were willing to negotiate a new future for the Indies, but complete independence was more than they were willing to give. Sukarno and Hatta replied that they could not take back their independence declaration, and that the only thing worth talking about was the speedy liquidation or removal of everything the Dutch owned in the islands. This impasse made war inevitable. The first skirmishes were directed against the Japanese troops that occupied Java in August 1945. The surrender terms imposed on Japan required that her troops in occupied areas maintain order until the arrival of Allied units. In September British forces arrived to disarm and...

Seeing Double A few months ago, Austrian right-wing politician and political enfant terrible Jörg Haider caused quite an uproar when he travelled to Iraq on what he claimed was a "humanitarian mission", met and shook hands with Saddam Hussein and extended his greetings and "the best wishes of the Austrian people" to Saddam. Green party leader Alexander van der Bellen, usually a very stoic, thoughtful man, summarized pretty much what just about everybody in Austria thought when he said: "Haider has now gone completely gaga." Now it seems Haider didn't meet Saddam after all. According to the Austrian news magazine Format, German forensic law professor Dieter Buhmann claims that Haider merely met one of Saddam's doubles. Buhmann says that he has done extensive research on video footage of Saddam Hussein, and his results have shown that there are at least three doubles of Saddam, surgically altered to look like him. Haider was apparently not im...

This article is written in Bahasa Indonesia. The original essay in english language follows. Berjuang untuk Hidup Kalau dipikir-pikir, Mike Powell mestinya tidak selamat. Kecanduan, menjadi pengedar obat-obatan, penjara, atau kematian adalah nasib yang biasanya menimpa anak jalanan di "rimba" South-Central Los Angeles-arena kejam untuk perang obat, pembunuhan geng, pelacuran, dan kejahatan. Tapi, kehidupan Mike kecil memiliki tujuan istimewa. Selama delapan tahun ia tabah menghadapi teror dan kebrutalan untuk mempertahankan keluarganya yang beranak tujuh. Hebatnya, selama masa itu, tak ada orang yang tahu bahwa orangtua yang sesungguhnya dalam keluarga itu hanyalah seorang anak. Waktu Mike lahir, ayahnya, Fonso, dipenjarakan karena mengedarkan obat. Ibu Mike, Cheryl, yang berusia lima belas tahun, keluar dari sekolah untuk menafkahi bayinya. "Tanpa kau, kehidupanku tak akan begini," begitu katanya pada Mike berkali-kali. Perasaan bersalah inilah yang memb...

Wawancara Arswendo Atmowiloto: Gobloknya, Jaksa Terima Pakai Cek [18/02/03] Masih ingat kasus polling di tabloid Monitor yang mengakibatkan pemimpin redaksinya, Arswendo Atmowiloto, masuk bui? Pengalamannya melalui proses peradilan dan menjalani hukuman di penjara, membuat Wendo--begitu ia biasa dipanggil--mengetahui persis lika-liku proses peradilan maupun kehidupan di penjara. Termasuk, korupsi yang terjadi dalam setiap proses itu. Karena itu, ketika berbicara dalam peluncuran buku "Menyingkap Mafia Peradilan" yang digelar ICW baru-baru ini, Wendo dengan santai menyatakan bahwa cara paling mudah untuk mengetahui pola korupsi di peradilan adalah dengan menjadi 'pesakitan'. Meski telah keluar keluar dari penjara pada 1995 dan kembali menghasilkan berbagai karya, Wendo tentu belum lupa pengalamannya selama menjalani proses hukum itu. Sekarang, kegiatan Wendo segudang, mulai dari serial "Keluarga Cemara"--tontonan keluarga yang banya...

NASEHAT DIRI Suka duka perih sedih - jalani hina mulia senang susah - jalani jangan hitung buntung dan untung seperti dulu kerja di restoran menggunung tinggi cucian menumpuk kas-kas minuman soft-drink jangan takut - jalani dan lakukan jangan marah jangan berwajah segi delapan biar pelan tapi terus jalan diam-diam dia sudah rapi. Jadi orang jangan setengah-setengah jadi orang harus tuntas dan utuh dorong tarik gerobak tua mendaki dan menurun pastikan agar sampai ke tujuan,- Holland, 17 febr 03 Sobron Aidit

When life is empty With no tomorrow And loneliness starts to call Baby don't worry Forget your sorrow 'Cause love's gonna conquer it all All ! (celine dion)