The South Koreans were holding military exercises along  a disputed Korean island on the west coast of South Korea, along the border of North Korea. The North warned the South to halt the exercises but the South refused and the North fired multiple artillery salvos on the island killing two South Korean marines and wounding many more.The South Koreans responded by returning artillery fire and putting its jet fighters on high alert. Read more here…

A picture taken on November 23 by a South Korean tourist shows plumes of smoke rising from Yeonpyeong island in the disputed waters of the Yellow Sea. North Korea has fired dozens of artillery shells onto a South Korean island, killing two people, setting homes ablaze and triggering an exchange of fire as the South’s military went on top alert.(AFP/Str)

Amateur video of the bombardment…

THE STREAM…

North Korean officials took a US nuclear scientist, Siegfried Hecker of Stanford University, to a plant at its Yongbyon nuclear complex where he saw hundreds of centrifuges.The Nuclear uranium enrichment plant has raised questions of North Korea’s nuclear capability and its motive. Read more http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/world/asia/23korea.html

In this photo released by ABC on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2010, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, is interviewed by ABC This Weekhost Christiane Amanpour in Washington. Mullen said Sunday that a report that North Korea is stepping up its nuclear program is more evidence of the country’s belligerent behavior. ‘From my perspective, it’s North Korea continuing on a path which is destabilizing for the region. It confirms or validates the concern we’ve had for years about their enriching uranium, which they’ve denied routinely,’ he said. ‘They are a country that routinely we are unable to believe that they would do what they say.(AP Photo/ABC This Week, Fred Watkins)

U.S. special envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth (C) is surrounded by reporters upon his arrival at the Haneda airport in Tokyo November 22, 2010. The United States accused North Korea of being a danger to the region after it showed off its latest advances in uranium enrichment but Bosworth said on Monday Washington was open to talks with the isolated state.REUTERS/Toru Hanai (JAPAN – Tags: POLITICS)

Conservative Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin, pictured in October 2010, said Wednesday she could beat President Barack Obama in a race for the White House amid growing speculation she will run for the presidency in 2012.« (AFP/Getty Images/File/Randy Snyder)

Ex- half term quitter the governor of Alaska pulled out all the stops to help her tea party candidate George Miller win the Alaskan U.S. Senate seat but failed when write in candidate republican Lisa Murkowski won the seat outright. Question is  if Mrs. Palin can’t win in her backyard she may not be as formable candidate in the presidential general election as some political pundits have suggested in 2012.

The stunning victory of a write in candidate that stopped the tea party express.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Chip Somodevilla)

Veterans Day 2010 Arlington National Cemetary

The morning sun breaks through trees at the Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, N.H., on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2010 on Veterans Day.(AP Photo/Jim Cole)

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at a Veteran’s Day event at the U.S. Army Garrison at Yongsan military base in Seoul, November 11, 2010. Obama onThursday urged North Korea to engage with the international community over its nuclear programme or risk making the lives of its people even harsher.REUTERS/Jason Reed

U.S. President Barack Obama waves during Veteran’s Day event at the U.S. Army Garrison at Yongsan military base in Seoul, November 11, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed 

U.S. President Barack Obama waves at South Korean war veterans at a Veteran’s Day event at the U.S. Army Garrison at Yongsan military base in Seoul,November 11, 2010REUTERS/Jason Reed

U.S. President Barack Obama is driven away in his motorcade after arriving at the Seoul Airport November 10, 2010, prior to the G20 Summit. World leaders will gather in Seoul on November 11-12 for a Group of 20 summit aimed at safeguarding the global economic recovery and defusing trade and currency tensions. REUTERS/Yonhap

US President Barack Obama (R) shakes hands with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak during a meeting in June 2010. Obama told South Korea he wants to finalize a free trade agreement in the next week after addressing US workers’ concerns, the White House said Tuesday.(AFP/File/Saul Loeb

At the entrance of the summit venue, a child watches President Barack Obama during a slide show featuring the visiting leaders to the upcoming G-20 Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, in Seoul, South Korea. Twenty world leaders will come together in Seoul from Nov. 11-12 to discuss the state of the global economy as it emerges from the financial crisis.(AP Photo/Wally Santana)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

U.S. President Barack Obama (L) waves to reporters as he walks with his Indonesian counterpart Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and U.S. first lady Michelle Obama,at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta November 9, 2010.REUTERS/Dita Alangkara/Pool

 President Obama met today with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta. The visit will include a state dinner given by the Indonesian president as well as discussions and meetings between the two leaders. Wednesday President Obama will speak at the University of Indonesia and speak to a majority of Muslims students. Read more about the presidents visit to Jakarta Here…

 U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and first lady Michelle Obama participate listen to their national anthem during a state dinner hosted by Indonesia’sPresident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the State Palace-Istana Merdeka in Jakarta November 9, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed

 US First Lady Michelle Obama(L) tours the “Living Traditions Exhibition at Wisma Negara” with her host, Indonesian First Lady Ani Yudhoyono inJakarta, Indonesia. President Obama made a much-delayed return to his boyhood home of Indonesia Tuesday, seeking to engage Muslims and cement strategic relations on the second leg of his Asia tour.(AFP/POOL/Tim Sloan

 U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and first lady Michelle Obama drink a toast with Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during a state dinnerat the State Palace-Istana Merdeka in Jakarta, November 9, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed

US President Barack Obama inspects a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential palace in New Dehli. Obama has hailed deeper and closer ties with his host India, which he said had established itself as a world power and a natural US ally on the global stage.(AFP/Pedro Ugarte)

President Obama spoke today at India’s Parliament and forged stronger diplomatic ties between the two nations.The President emphasized the emergence of India unto the world stage and promotes its seat on the U.N Security Council. The President also spoke about security issues, trade, and sharing technology. President Obama and the first lady Michelle Obama will be heading next to Indonesia on the next stop of their 10 day Asian tour. Read more here…

U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with India’s President Pratibha Patil (2nd L) as Patil’s husband Devisingh Shekhawat (L) and U.S. firstlady Michelle Obama watch during a state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi November 8, 2010.REUTERS/B Mathur

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks with India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their state dinner at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi November8, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed

The President Now flies to Jakarta, Indonesia on  the next leg of his ten day Asian tour…

 

 U.S. President Barack Obama (L) waves beside Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2nd L), first lady Michelle Obama (2nd R) and Singh’s wife GursharanKaur (R) at New Delhi’s airport November 7, 2010. U.S. President Barack Obama called on India on Sunday to bolster peace efforts with Pakistan that have floundered since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, relations seen as crucial to his troubled efforts to win the war in Afghanistan.«REUTERS/B Mathur

The President traveled to the Indian capital New Delhi today  to meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who met President Obama  on the airport tarmac as he landed . The president will continue to talk business and trade as well as peaceful relations between India and Pakistan, yet balance the terrorism threat that India shares with the United States from Islamic terrorists.  Prime Minister hosts dinner for Obamas, Read More Here…

U.S. President Barack Obama greets the children of workers who restore New Delhi’s historical buildings as they tour Humayun’s tomb in New DelhiNovember 7, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed

 US President Barack Obama (2R) and First Lady Michelle Obama (R) tour through Humayun’s Tomb in New Dehli on November 7, 2010. US President Barack Obama urged India and Pakistan to talk to resolve their differences as he stressed the need for peace between the neighbours, who are vital for his plans in Afghanistan. – AFP Photo

U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he walks with first lady Michelle Obama after they arrived in Mumbai, India, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010. Obama arrivedin India on Saturday, beginning a 10-day, four-country tour of Asia that will take him through some of the region’s most vibrant democracies in search of U.S. economic and security benefits.(AP Photo)

The President touched down in Mumbai, India today in the first of many stops during a 10 day Asian tour. The President was warmly welcomed at Mumbai International Airport and was surrounded by Indians who wanted to get a glimpse of the popular U.S. President. Read more about the President’s trip here…

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the U.S.-India Business and Entrepreneurship Summit in Mumbai November 6, 2010. Obama was set to announce$10 billion in business deals on Saturday as he arrived in India to boost U.S. exports and jobs.REUTERS/Jason Reed

U.S. President Barack Obama greets members of the audience after delivering remarks at the U.S.-India Business and Entrepreneurship Summit in Mumbai, India,November 6, 2010.REUTERS/Jim Young

U.S. President Barack Obama greets members of the audience after delivering remarks at the U.S.-India business council and entrepreneurship summit in Mumbai,India, November 6, 2010.REUTERS/Jason Reed