TOPIC for 2013_02_19

[bob(밥)]

North Korea conducts 3rd nuclear test

Lee, Park condemn test, Obama calls it ‘highly provocative’

North Korea on Tuesday conducted a third nuclear test, more powerful than the previous, in its northeast village of Punggye-ri, triggering international condemnation and warnings of tougher sanctions.

The Seoul government said the explosive power of the test was around 6-7 kilotons -- stronger than its two previous tests but far weaker than the “Little Boy” atomic bomb the U.S. dropped in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945.

The North’s nuclear explosions in 2006 and in 2009 were 1 kiloton and around 2-6 kilotons, respectively, while the Hiroshima bombing was recorded at around 16 kilotons. A kiloton is equivalent to 1,000 tons of TNT.

Seoul officials said whether Pyongyang used highly enriched uranium or plutonium for the test was not immediately known, and the communist state had notified the U.S., China and Russia of its test plan on Monday.

An artificial earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 was detected at around 11:57:50 a.m. in Gilju Country, North Hamgyeong Province, the Korea Meteorological Administration said. The epicenter is where the North carried out the previous atomic tests.

Less than three hours after the earthquake, the North’s official Korean Central TV announced the country had carried out a “high-level, safe, perfect nuclear test with no negative environmental impact.” It stressed a “miniaturized, lightened” atomic bomb was used.

“The nuclear test was carried out to safeguard our nation’s security and sovereignty, as part of our real response to the U.S.’ flagrant, hostile action that encroached upon our right to make a legitimate, peaceful satellite launch,” said the North’s state broadcaster.

“The test results matched our design numbers and estimates, which physically exemplifies the excellent capability of our nuclear deterrence capabilities.”

The test came after the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 2087 condemning its launch of the rocket in December, which experts believe had a potential range of 10,000 km.

Seoul’s National Intelligence Service raised the possibility of Pyongyang carrying out additional nuclear tests.

This satellite image shows traffic flow at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility in North Korea. (AP-Yonhap News)

Both current and incoming Seoul governments strongly condemned the nuclear test, underscoring that it poses a grave threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency session of the National Security Council at an underground security control center at Cheong Wa Dae. Stressing the North’s nuclear test contravened a series of U.N. resolutions, his government pledged to take strong diplomatic measures and step up deterrence against the North.

“Its nuclear test is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2087. It is an unacceptable threat to peace and stability on the peninsula and Northeast Asia, and a direct challenge to the entire international community,” Lee’s top security secretary Chun Young-woo said during a press conference.

“The North will face grave responsibilities for all results caused by such a provocative action. We will seek necessary measures including U.N. measures in close cooperation with the international community.”

Chun added South Korea will speed up its efforts to bolster its military capabilities including the early deployment of long-range ballistic missiles under development that would put all North Korean military sites within striking range.

President-elect Park Geun-hye renewed her warning that the North will only face deeper international isolation, as she met with President Lee later in the day to discuss responses to the North’s provocation.

“I think the reason why North Korea launched the provocation at the time of government change in South Korea is to cause confusion in our government and anxiety among our people,” she said during her meeting with Lee.

“At this juncture, we should put up a united front and take a cross-partisan approach, and should not allow for any small loophole in our security.”

U.S President Barack Obama pledged to take “all necessary actions” to his country and its allies, calling the atomic test a “highly provocative act.”

“The United States remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and steadfast in our defense commitments to allies in the region,” Obama said in a statement released some four hours following the first report of the nuclear test.

“The danger posed by North Korea‘s threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community.”

China’s Foreign Ministry said that it was “firmly opposed” to the test, stressing the North conducted the test “in disregard of the common opposition of the international community.”

“Bringing about denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, preventing nuclear proliferation, and safeguarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia is the firm stance of the Chinese side. We strongly urge the DPRK to honor its commitment to denuclearization and refrain from any move that may further worsen the situation,” it said in a statement on its website.

<<Questions>>

1. North Korea restarted nuclear bomb tests in spite of international condemnation.  

Why did they do the test?  What hidden intention do you think North Korea has??

2. What sanctions would be imposed on North Korea for enforced nuclear bomb test??

and What would be effective for it's nuclear renunciation??

3. US has taken a stricter stance against the countries in the Middle East.

-  It waged the gulf war with Iraq in the past

-  It has been dispatching military troops to Afghanistan.

- Many Iranian professors and researchers working on nuclear development programs were assassinated. They were allegedly killed by US special agents.

Unlike those nations why has US shown passive attitude towards North Korea??

4. Do you think that North Korea will bring about war??

Nuclear bomb and intercontinental ballistic missile are needed to attack South Korea??

5. How does China want to use North Korea??

- Does China really want permanent peace on korean peninsula??

or keep an uncertain, instable situation as long as possible??

- Why do you think so?

6. What does North Korea really want ??

7. Share your idea. 

French Assembly passes gay marriage, adoption bill

Published : 2013-02-13 09:18

France's lower house of parliament approved a sweeping bill on Tuesday to legalize gay marriage and allow same-sex couples to adopt children, handing a major legislative victory to President Francois Hollande's Socialists on a divisive social issue.

The measure, approved in the National Assembly in a 329-to-229 vote, puts France on track to join about a dozen mostly European nations that allow gay marriage and comes despite a string of recent demonstrations by opponents of the so-called “marriage for all” bill.

Polls indicate a narrow majority of French support legalizing gay marriage, though that support falls when questions about the adoption and conception of children come into play.

The Assembly has been debating the bill, and voting on its individual articles in recent weeks. The overall legislation now goes in the coming weeks to the Senate, which also is controlled by the governing Socialists and their allies.

With Tuesday's vote, France joins Britain in taking a major legislative step in recent weeks toward allowing gay marriage and adoption _ making them the largest European countries to do so. The Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Spain, as well as Argentina, Canada and South Africa have authorized gay marriage, along with nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

The issue has exposed fault lines between a progressive-minded leftist legislative majority in officially secular France, and the country's conservative religious roots. Critics _ including many Roman Catholics _ have railed that the bill would erode the traditional family. Socialists, however, sought to depict the issue as one of equal rights, and they played off France's famed Revolution-era motto of “Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.”

“This law is going to extend to all families the protections guaranteed by the institution of marriage,” Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said before Tuesday's vote. “Contrary to what those who vociferate against it say _ fortunately they're in the minority _ this law is going to strengthen the institution of marriage.”

As with many major and controversial reforms in France, the issue drew its share of political grandstanding over weeks of debate. Conservative opponents forced a discussion of nearly 5,000 amendments, a move derided by Socialists as inconsequential stalling tactics. But by the final vote, the government rank-and-file rolled out grand, solemn statements of victory.

“This law is a first necessary step, a social evolution that benefits society overall,” said Socialist representative Corinne Narassiguin, announcing her party's support for the measure. “Opening up marriage and adoption to homosexual couples is a very beautiful advance. ... It is an emblematic vote, a vote that will mark history.”

However, the political right hasn't given up just yet, saying the Constitutional Court _ whose 12 members include three former French presidents and several other prominent conservatives _ will determine whether the law, if finally passed, meshes with the law of the land.

“So it's not the end of the story yet,” said Herve Mariton, a member of the main opposition UMP party. “We still have arguments to make and we want to convince people that it is not a good project.”

The government didn't get all it wanted. The Socialists last month backed off plans to link the gay marriage measure to relaxed restrictions on fertility treatments, after catching political heat for its stance on assisted reproduction. The issue is expected to come up in a separate bill later this year.

Hollande made legalizing gay marriage one of the planks in his 60-point program on the way to winning the presidency in May over conservative incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy. But Hollande's popularity has fallen along with France's lackluster economic performance, and his foes on the right appear to sense he might be vulnerable on a high-profile social issue.

The latest polls suggest a narrow majority of French support gay marriage, but that has declined from about two-thirds support in August. In mid-January, at least 340,000 people swarmed on the Eiffel Tower to protest the plan to legalize gay marriage, according to police estimates. Two weeks later, about 125,000 proponents of the bill marched in the capital.

French civil unions, allowed since 1999, are at least as popular among heterosexuals as among gay and lesbian couples. But that law has no provisions for adoption or assisted reproduction. (AP)

<<Questions>>

1. What do you think of the gay marrige and adoption?

2. Do you know any gay couple among your friends, relatives ? 

If you do, don't you have preconceived ideas about them?

3. Are they a threat for the society? 

Are they a threat for social morality?

Tell your opinion about it.

4.  Everyone has his or her own right to reach after happiness.

Do you think the gay couple also has the right? 

Should they put up with discomfort for normal people society??

5. What would you think of the child who is adopted by the gay couple??

Is he going to be affected by his gay parents?

or Is he just going to have a chance to understand gender diversity?

6. People say that the gay and the lesbian are comparatively good citizens obeying the law.

But, normal persons dislike them.

- Do they break a social norm??

- A psycho is regarded as a disabled person, and receives various benefit from the society.

Is he better for the society than a gay?  

- What's the normal??

7. The roles of men and women required in the society are obviously different.

But, today we often find the reversal case of roles.

women became masculine and men became feminized. an effeminate man is regarded as an attractive character. And the gender identity has been blurred somehow.

- Do you think we should keep the traditional gender roles and images?

- Do you believe you have very clear gender identity??

- Haven't you ever thought you behave like a female or a male?

[하루살이]

빠른주제 감사드립니다! 담주는 중급으로 고고씽!

[JUNI]

와웅. 땡쓰. 밥스~^^

[니콜라스]

수고 했습니다. 주제가 열띤 토론이 되겠네요!!

[블루홀]

주제 잼나네요 감사합니다.. 화욜날 뵙겠습니다..

[좐]

오~ 역시 밥님입니다.