News of the Day (April 10)

Communists float another accusation against East Turkestanis, just after the last one cratered: The cadres are now insisting they had "cracked a terror plot to kidnap athletes, journalists and tourists at August's Beijing Olympics" (BBC). The "terror plot" was supposedly centered in occupied East Turkestan (called "Xinjiang" by the Communists). The Communist regime even tried to link this new "plot" to the phantom January "raid" in Urumqi, which was exposed as a fake just two days ago (also reporting: Guardian, UK, via Uyghur American Association and the Washington Post - neither of which included the fact that the January "raid" was a fake).

Other East Turkestan News: Alimujiang was a Uyghur who had made peace with the Communist occupation of his country. However, he was also a devout Christian who "simply wants the freedom to quietly express his faith" (China Aid Association via UAA). Thus he is in a prison cell, and possibly facing the gallows.

"In the end, San Francisco punted": That was how Karl Vick began his Washington Post piece on how the city made a last-minute re-route of the Olympic relay to avoid anti-Communist protesters (also reporting: ABC via UAA, BBC, Epoch Times, Market Watch, Washington Times). It was just the latest embarrassment to befall the relay, which "saddened" Int'l Olympic Committee Chief Jacques Rogge (BBC and CNN) and led Mario Vazquez Rana, president of the Association of National Olympic Committees to rip the protests (Washington Post) - and Rana wasn't alone (New York Sun). Meanwhile, the traveling Communist "security" squad gets more less-than-rave reviews (Times of London), but the regime will be looking to them and every other good cadre to ensure none of the previous protests happen anywhere in Communist China (News 24, South Africa).

Ignorant Comment of the Day: L. Ling-chi Wang (CNN) takes the dubious prize for appalling moral relativism.

Enlightened Comment of the Day: There was more competition on this end, but Barry Farber (Newsmax) wins with his call for a Boycott of the entire Olympic fiasco.

Olympic views: Jill Savitt, executive director of Dream for Darfur, responds to the ICOD at CNN. Among those who come to her side are Joseph Farah (World Net Daily), John Derbyshire (National Review Online - The Corner), Kathryn Jean-Lopez (NRO - The Corner).

Tibet news: Tsering Woeser gives the latest report from Tibet on her blog (via Epoch Times). The United States would like to put a consulate in Tibet (Washington Times). On the analysis side, Gordon Chang talks about why the cadres had to crackdown on Tibet so violently (Weekly Standard), while John Derbyshire (The Corner) rips apart the Communists' historical justification on Tibet.

Communists take TV program criticizing the regime off the air: On Half An Hour For the Economy, a scholar offered "criticism of Chinese authorities' failure to save the stock market" (Epoch Times); hesto presto - the show is off the air, and two producers "are reportedly under investigation." Meanwhile, the cadres readjusted their already questionable economic growth numbers for 2007 - upward (BBC).

Ontario (Canada) trade mission to Communist China criticized: Ontario Economic Development Minister Sandra Pupatello waited until Monday to announce she was headed for Shanghai this weekend (Epoch Times); opposition MP Randy Hillier expressed his disappointment (You Tube).

Did Stalinist North Korea help the Communist-allied mullahcracy become a nuclear power? That's what Ha'aretz is reporting (via One Free Korea). Meanwhile, the SNK regime - also known as "another Chinese province" - wins more concessions from the U.S. to fulfill nuclear disclosure promises it first made years ago (BBC).

South Korean anti-Communist win far greater than initial appearance: While the anti-Stalinist Grand National Party did indeed win a majority in the legislature as noted yesterday, one thing yours truly missed was the performance of two other South Korean hawkish parties, which between them won just under 40 seats (Washington Times). This gives the anti-Communist right in South Korea a near two-thirds majority in the National Assembly (for particular details and bitingly funny commentary, see One Free Korea).