Other Stories you missed while watching the hurricane coverage

1. In Kosovo, the desecration and destruction of Christian churches: Video here.
Related article: Persecution of Kosovo Christians Reveals Larger Threat

2. FBI Arrests Russian U.N. Official,

Vadim Kouznetsov, who heads the General Assembly panel that oversees the U.N. budget, was the second Russian U.N. official to be arrested by the FBI for alleged money laundering in recent weeks.
. . .
On Aug. 8, Alexander Yakovlev, a Russian who worked in the U.N. procurement office, was arrested for allegedly soliciting a bribe from a company seeking an oil-for-food contract. He also was charged with wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly accepting nearly $1 million in bribes from U.N. contractors in work outside the oil-for- food program.

Yakovlev pleaded guilty to money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in part for soliciting bribes from U.N. contractors.
. . .
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan had waived Yakovlev's immunity at the request of the U.S. Attorney. It wasn't immediately known if he waived immunity for Kouznetsov as well.

3. Beslan remembers siege dead.

4. No Bad Hair Blog post could be complete without a Venezuela update. Now Chávez thinks the USA's going to invade:

He said the Venezuelan intelligence services have learned of a US plan to invade his country and capture the oil fields.

Under the US plan, code-named Balboa, a number of ships, men and bombs will be used for invasion of the major cities of Caracas, Maracay and Valencia, according to the president.

Hugo, you must stop inhaling the gas fumes.

5. It looks like Chirac might have had a minor stroke: see extended post at the Bad Hair Blog. In other French news, French Police Evict 140 Africans Squatting in Unsafe Buildings. French PM announces reforms to boost growth, cut unemployment.

6. Argentinian groups linked to Al-Qaeda Hallan grupos argentinos ligados con Al Qaida

Cinco grupos integrados por 26 personas del movimiento islámico Jamaat al Tabligh, sospechoso de mantener vínculos con la organización Al-Qaida, ingresaron a Argentina en los últimos meses, pero están bajo vigilancia, según fuentes del gobierno
(my translation)
Five groups with 26 members of the Jamaat al Tabligh Isamic movement, suspected of being linked to Al-Qaeda, have entered Argentina in the past few months, but are being observed, according to government sources.