media watch
UPDATE: France WILL use their veto power on the Security Council, joining Russia.

France talks with governments in Africa to drum up support for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Iraq. France wants to gain enough support to block the US/UK resolution without having to use their veto. Meanwhile, Russia harbors no reservations about using their veto power, and Pakistan will abstain from the comng Security Council vote.

As war with Iraq seems more likely as every minute passes, stock markets around the world slip, oil is at its' highest price since March, 1999; and the dollar has dropped off, too.

Washington refuses to talk with North Korea. North Korea test fires another missile into the Sea of Japan.