News You Might Have Missed

Hi everyone. Welcome back to my weekly attempt to bring you the news that you might have missed. I realize 360 covered a couple of these items in the headlines, but I'm still including them for those of you that might have, you know, sneezed and missed them. I'm not saying 30 seconds isn't enough time for a torture bombshell . . . no wait, that's exactly what I'm saying. Also, to be fair, a couple of these stories broke this weekend and couldn't have been covered by the show.

• They probably can't take much more "support." The Pentagon is labeling war-related mental health problems "pre-existing," so they don't have to take care of our troops.

• Again, with the non support. The government is denying National Guard troops GI Bill benefits.
  

• And we didn't even have to invade them. North Korea promises to shut down their nuclear weapons program by the end of the year.
  

• Don't mind that pesky genocide; tell me about Britney. Darfur rebels launch the deadliest attack against African Union peacekeepers since 2004 and days later the town where the troops were killed is burned down.

• It's easy to see why some might be skeptical. Africom becomes operational, marking an increased US military presence in Africa.

• When will the press call them blatant liars? The Bush Administration continues to torture people, all the while saying they're not.
  

• That's not disturbing at all. Iraq buys $112 million in weapons from China.
  

• Because the oppressors don't want you to know. This isn't news you might have missed, but it is a must read: 'They Come at Night and Murder the Monks'. They can't even name their correspondents.

• But NAFTA worked out great for the Mexicans. Over 100,000 Costa Ricans (Costa Rica is a country of only 4 million) took to the streets to protest a free trade pact with the US.

• Now, even more endangered. Congo rebels have taken over the endangered mountain gorillas' habitat. This comes after a massacre of gorillas in late July.
  

• What is wrong with this guy? Not satisfied with just bridges to nowhere, Senator Ted Stevens is championing a ferry that is estimated to cost $84 million and be used by about 40 people.
  

• Can you hear the war drums beating? Sy Hersh is writing about Iran again, and scaring us all in the process.
  

• They're not cowboys at all. An investigation has found that Blackwater fired first in the majority of incidents.
  

• Oh yeah, that other war. Afghanistan is experiencing its most violent year since 2001.
  

• A true hero. Student walks 820 miles to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief.