Big Blast, Mushroom Cloud Reported in N.Korea Sun Sep 12,12:54 AM ET SEOUL (Reuters) - A huge explosion rocked North Korea (news - web sites) near the border with China three days ago, producing a mushroom cloud that sparked speculation Pyongyang might have tested an atomic weapon, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday. The South Korean agency said the blast on Thursday in Kimhyungjik county in Ryanggang province appeared much bigger than a train explosion that killed at least 170 people in April. South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young sought to play down an atomic link, telling South Korean reporters after a National Security Council meeting that Seoul's assessment so far was the explosion was unlikely to have been part of the communist North's nuclear arms ambitions. "There are some foreign media reporting such possibilities, but we are judging at the moment the explosion is unrelated to such reports," Yonhap quoted him as saying. Chung chairs the National Security Council, which advises President Roh Moo-hyun. There was no immediate reaction from neighboring China. In Washington, a U.S. official said it was unclear what had happened and there were various possible explanations. Tokyo took a similar line. "We've heard the report, and we are checking the details, including what's in the report itself," said Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Akira Chiba. Thursday was the 56th anniversary of North Korea's founding. The reclusive communist state often stages extravaganzas and big events to mark important anniversaries. South Korean intelligence officials said they were monitoring the news, but declined detailed comment on the reports, which were based on "informed sources" in Beijing and in Seoul. Yonhap did not give a description of the blast site. ACCIDENT OR TEST? The reports surfaced as South Korea (news - web sites), Japan, China, Russia and the United States were seeking to persuade North Korea to return to the negotiating table to discuss its nuclear weapons ambitions. The North, which threatened at earlier talks to test an atomic bomb, has said it doubts more negotiations will help. "There were rumors that the explosion was much bigger than the one at Ryongchon train station and the United States is showing a big interest as the blast was seen from satellites," Yonhap quoted an unnamed source in Beijing as saying. The cause had yet to be determined but the source said Washington was not ruling out the possibility that the blast may be linked to a nuclear test. China was the last country to set off an above-ground nuclear test, in 1980. It carried out its last nuclear test in 1996 and has since observed a self-imposed moratorium on testing. ---------- |
you hear that spunk? that's your president speaking. a forest fire with a mushroom cloud and a crater. |
Right next to one of their military bases, but that's just coincidence. |
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And then later when the dog falls into the lava, Leela is still wearing the outfit and says "I'll get him!" and rips her top off. Still, he doesn't notice. That and anything Mom says. |
What about the mother's day episode, when Fry walks into the bed room where the Professor and Mom have just made love, and he says "There's nothing in here but a couple of elephant skin rugs"? I love that. Plus anything Zoidberg says is classic. |
On of my favorites: ( From The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings ) Leela: It's so beautiful! Fry: So's a peacock, but you don't eat it until it's cooked. |
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What is wrong with the world? And god I love that show. |
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If true, this person is my short duration personal saviour for the next ten minutes. |