Electronics plant could stimulate NM growth
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - A Taiwanese electronics manufacturing plant just south of the Mexican border could be a major catalyst for economic growth in southern New Mexico, state officials say. Construction began this past week in San Jeronimo on the first phase of the sprawling complex, that, when completed in three to four years, will employ 20,000 people. Foxconn, the trade name for Taiwan-based Hon Hai Precision Industry, is an electronics manufacturing giant that makes products for Apple, Nokia, Dell and Sony, and it makes more cell phones than any other firm in the world. The project, on a 440-acre site abutting the New Mexico border southwest of the Santa Teresa port of entry, marks the first industrial development in the San Jeronimo area, much of which is owned by Mexican businessman Eloy Vallina.
Cristobal dumps rain on North Carolina coast
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Tropical Storm Cristobal dumped rain and brought rough seas to the North Carolina coast July 20, and forecasters predicted the weakening system was headed for the open Atlantic. Winds on the coastal side of the storm were about 25 mph and will have little impact on coastal cities unless the storm strengthens. Tropical storms have maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph. Some rain was falling over the smoldering wildfire that has burned 64 square miles in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge since it was started by lightning June 1. Rainfall was expected to be 1 to 2 inches with isolated amounts of 4 to 5 inches. The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
Blog shows pictures of tortured official
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - Photographs of the tortured body of opposition official Gift Mutsvungunu showing charred, lacerated limbs and blank eyes, frozen in a death grimace, have appeared on the blog "This is Zimbabwe." Zimbabweans are going online and using cell phone text messages to communicate news, as independent traditional media have been all but silenced. Zimbabwe's bloggers are mainly opposition activists whose themes range from HIV/AIDS to the country's economic meltdown to President Robert Mugabe's thuggery. In late June, the "This is Zimbabwe" blog started a letter-writing campaign against a German firm that was supplying paper for the sinking Zimbabwean dollar. Another typical posting simply lists names of victims of political violence, each accompanied by one sentence on how the person was beaten to death.
