News of the Day (January 11)

Communist China to U.S. on Iran ties - buzz off: The Communist regime "demanded that the US stop interfering in its trade affairs with Iran" (BBC), a reference to what could be a huge natural gas deal that raised concerns in Congress and sanctions against Communist-run firms who made "missile and weapons of mass destruction sales to Iran and Syria" (Bill Gertz, Washington Times) . The cadres apparently believe it should suffer no consequences of its longstanding ties to the mullahcracy.

Communist give Olmert the boilerplate language on Tehran's nuclear ambitions: Sadly, the Israeli Prime Minister seemed to fall for Zhongnanhai's empty promise "to play a constructive role in promoting the settlement of the [Iran] issue" (BBC).

More on Middle Eastern Proxy Number One (Iran): American forces seize and Iranian consul in Irbil, Iraq (BBC and National Review Online: The Corner), lending immediate weight to President Bush's tough words on the mullahs' aid to Iraqi terrorists (see also NRO, NRO: David Frum, NRO: The Corner, New York Sun, Newsmax, Strategic Intel, and United Press Int'l via Washington Times). Meanwhile, S. Enders Wimbush details the dangers of a nuclear mullahcracy (Daily Standard); Strategic Intel comments on Mad Mouthpiece Mahmoud's blog; and NRO: The Corner has the rest of the news from Iran.

Communist Chinese pressure against NTDTV in South Korea works, but is ripped in SK media: The Communist effort to push South Korea's dovish government to shut down New Tang Dynasty Television's annual New Year's event in Seoul succeeded. Chosun Ilbo (cited by the Epoch Times) was not happy with the news: "Any act of Chinese meddling in Korean internal affairs, such as telling us who can perform here or not, would not be possible if our government stood firmly by the principles of fair bilateral relations . . . why an independent government would volunteer to perform each and every one of China's biddings is unfathomable."

South Korean consulate in Communist china under probe for refugee reaction: South Korea's Shenyang consulate treated one of its own citizens - on the run from the Stalinists - like dirt (Daily NK); not even South Korea's dovish government could spin that one, and thus it's launching an investigation.

Which brings us to Communist China's Korean colony: The Stalinist regime is suing in British courts to get its reinsurance scam money (Fox News). Japan continues to push the international community "to cooperate more in order to block North Korea’s nuclear weapons" (Daily NK); the Stalinist continue to make clear they won't stop building nuclear weapons (Daily NK).

On Communist China and Canada: The issue of the Communist-owned television channels airing in Canada cropped up once more (Between Heaven and Earth and Macleans).

Henan ex-cadres sue Li Changchun for role in AIDS epidemic: Four former officials in Henan's Discipline Inspection Commission "accused Li Changchun, a member of the Central Political Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), of dereliction of duty" (Epoch Times). Said "dereliction of duty" is a reference to Li's record as head of the provincial party during the early 1990s, during which AIDS reached hundreds of thousands of people (the current disease toll in the province is estimated at one million - see sixth, fourth, and sixth items). Even worse, Li sent "false reports to the State Council claiming AIDS patients had been provided with appropriate medical treatment and that the epidemic had been contained, in 1995 and 1998." However, since Li is a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the Beijing cadres are burying all of this.

Standard and Poors warns investors in Communist Chinese stocks: Mark Arbeter gave this ominous advice to those looking to get in the Communist financial "market" - "Don't be the last one out the door" (Business Week). That is a minority view in Wall Street, leading Arbeter to note, "The view of some speculators appears to be 'just keep throwing money at the Chinese momentum, and you're on our way to quick riches.' It kind of reminds you of the dot.com days."