Video- UN Ambassador Rice says John Bolton's criticisms are "ridiculous."

N. Korea Convicts 2 U.S. Journalists

I don't see how this ends well, since we should be cracking down on North Korea and I'm sure they will demand things we don't want to give in on for the women. Oh, and this shit doesn't help.

North Korea's top court convicted two American journalists and sentenced them to 12 years in a prison Monday, intensifying the reclusive nation's confrontation with the United States.

The sentencing came amid soaring tensions fueled by the North's latest nuclear and missile tests. Many believe Pyongyang is using the journalists as bargaining chips as the U.N. debates a new resolution to punish the unpredictable country for its latest military threats.

In a cryptic two-sentence report, the North's state news agency said Laura Ling, 32, and Euna Lee, 36 were sentenced after the five-day trial ended Monday. They were guilty of a "grave crime" against the nation and of illegally crossing into North Korea, the Korean Central News Agency said.

The court "sentenced each of them to 12 years of reform through labor," said the report, without giving other details. The phrase refers to a prison term, according to Choi Eun-suk, a North Korean law expert at Seoul's University of North Korean Studies.

Doubts about "daring" hostage rescue

By GottaLaff

Report:

But while [Ingrid Betancourt] was still in the air, the Swiss radio station RSR broadcast a report questioning the official version of the operation to free Ms Betancourt and 14 other hostages – saying that money, not cunning, had clinched their freedom.

According to Bogota, the hostages were freed in an elaborate ruse by Colombian intelligence agents who had infiltrated the Marxist Farc rebels holding them.

But RSR said that the 15 hostages “were in reality ransomed for a high price, and the whole operation afterwards was a set-up". Citing a source "close to the events, reliable and tested many times in recent years", it said that the United States – which had three citizens among those freed – was behind the deal and put the price at $20 million.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry furiously denied the allegations, with a spokesman calling them "completely false." He added: "They are lies". [...]

Before the allegations of a payments arose, Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, said the rescue “was conceived by the Colombians and executed by the Colombians with our full support,” while implying that Washington had provided intelligence and even operational help. The US has not responded to them.

The argument is, only a measly $20 million? Why would they bother? Besides, it's not nice to rain on their parade like the Swiss did, right? But the article caught my eye, so now you get to read about it too.