And now, for some good news

With all the bad news floating around out there lately, I figured it would be a good time to link to some news stories that aren't so negative.

First of all, another al Qaeda scumbag has been nailed, this time by the Brits.

British forces said they killed a top terrorist leader Monday, identified by Iraqi officials as an Al Qaeda leader who had escaped from a U.S. prison in Afghanistan and returned to Iraq.

Omar al-Farouq was killed in a pre-dawn raid by 250 British troops from the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment on his home in Basra, 340 miles southeast of Baghdad, British forces spokesman Maj. Charlie Burbridge said.

Al-Farouq was killed after he opened fire on British soldiers entering his home, Burbridge said.

Good on the Brits, who could show the rest of Europe what having an actual army is supposed to be like.

In other political news, Japan has elected a new Prime Minister who looks to continue the reforms set in motion by his predecessor.

Nationalist Shinzo Abe, a proponent of a robust alliance with the United States and a more assertive military, easily won election in parliament as Japan's youngest postwar prime minister Tuesday.

(.....)

Abe, at 52 Japan's first prime minister born after World War II, has championed the security pact with top ally the United States, revision of the pacifist constitution, a more outspoken foreign policy, and more patriotic education.

I think that a strong Japan can only help us in the Orient with China and North Korea playing their games. Hopefully Mr. Abe can continue raising Japan up in prominence.

So, that's some good news to start out the day.