North Korea notoriously test-fired at least seven missiles July 4—although the intercontinental Taepodong-2, which we were told could reach parts of the Western US, failed less than a minute after launch, falling into the Sea of Japan, along with the other, medium-range missiles. The timing of the spectacle was not lost on observers. "It's very in-your-face to do it on the Fourth of July," said Ashton B. Carter, a Harvard professor who, with former defense secretary William Perry, had urged the Bush administration to destroy the Taepodong missile on the launch pad. (WP, July 5)

Both left-populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and right-technocratic Felipe Calderon of the ruling National Action Party (PAN) continue to claim the victory in Mexico, while the Federal Electoral Institute conitinues to tally the vote three days after the July 2 presidential elections. Reuters, July 5:

Lopez Obrador, who has a long history of launching street protests, called on electoral authorities to be thorough in the recount.

"The stability of the country is at stake," he told a news conference. He said there had been "manipulation" of the preliminary results. "We can prove that, we have all the elements," he said.

From the Iraq Freedom Congress:

To all libertarian forces in the world
To organizations and parties that support the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC)
To people around the world who hope for an independent and prosperous Iraq

Despite the dangers, the IFC is determined to salvage Iraqi society from the violence of the occupation and sectarian gangs.

From Israel's largest daily, Yediot Aharanot, July 5:

Look who's been kidnapped!
Hundreds of Palestinian 'suspects' have been kidnapped from their homes and will never stand trial
by Arik Diamant

From the New York Times, July 4:

WASHINGTON, July 3 — The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday.

From ShortNews, July 4:

Iraq's Justice Minister wants the UN to ensure the US troops who allegedly committed 4 counts of murder and 1 of rape to be punished for their "monstrous and inhuman" attack.

From the Iraq Freedom Congress, July 1:

An Appeal to Libertarian Forces in the World
Support the Oil Workers Strike for a Secure, Prosperous and Free Iraq

The IFC Executive Bureau decided in an emergency session following the July 1, 2006, meeting of IFC and southern oil workers’ trade union leaders (who hold positions on the IFC Central Council) to provide full support to the oil workers’ strike. The oil workers will strike for the following demands:

On June 20 legislative deputies of El Salvador's leftist Farabundo Marti Front for National Liberation (FMLN) called on the Legislative Assembly to repeal the decree that authorizes sending troops to support the US occupation of Iraq. El Salvador has deployed 380-member contingents to Iraq for six months at a time since March 2003; it is the only Central American country that continues to maintain troops in Iraq. FMLN deputy Carlos Castaneda said the petition for the repeal was submitted after it became known that a new contingent of Salvadoran soldiers could be sent to Iraq. (La Prensa Grafica, San Salvador, June 21; AFP, June 21)