News for Tuesday, May 9, 2006
• Rice Discusses Iran With Big-Power Counterparts Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed strategy on the Iranian nuclear issue, late Monday, in New York with colleagues from the other permanent United Nations Security Council member countries and Germany. Earlier, she said a letter to President Bush from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was not a diplomatic breakthrough.
• Iraq PM Sees 'Unity Government' This Week Iraq's Prime Minister-designate Nouri al-Maliki says he hopes to complete formation of a national unity government very soon.
• World Powers Fail to Agree on Iran Strategy World powers trying to resolve the nuclear dispute with Iran have failed to agree on a unified strategy for the United Nations Security Council.
• Suspects in Bali Bombing Tried in Indonesian Court Four Islamist militants accused of participating in last year's deadly bombings on the Indonesian resort island of Bali have appeared in court to face terrorism charges.
• Taiwan's Chen Meets with Laura Bush in Costa Rica Taiwan officials say President Chen Shui-bian will not make a transit stop in the United States as he returns home from a tour of Latin America.
• Colombia Investigates Ex-Secret Police Chief Over Election Fraud Colombian prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations of election fraud involving the former chief of the secret police.
• Hamas, Fatah Clash Again in Gaza At least nine Palestinians have been wounded in a second day of clashes in the Gaza Strip between gunmen of the rival Hamas and Fatah groups.
• China Requests Extradition of Uighur Muslims in Albania The Chinese government wants Albania to return five Chinese Muslims, saying they are terrorists, not political refugees. The United States recently released the five men from its prison at Guantanamo Bay, in Cuba. They arrived in Albania last week seeking asylum. There are fears the men, who are from the Uighur ethnic minority group, could face torture and execution if returned to China.
• Bolivia's Morales Meets with Peruvian Candidate Humala Bolivia's President Evo Morales has met with Peruvian presidential candidate Ollanta Humala ahead of Peru's upcoming presidential runoff election.
• US Support of Factions Fuels Resentment in Somalia In recent months, Mogadishu, Somalia has become a deadly battleground between militias loyal to Islamic courts and a newly formed anti-terror coalition that is believed to have the support of the United States. The violence is renewing anti-American sentiment in the Somali capital.
• Gunman Kills Officer Outside Police Station in Suburban Washington A lone gunman has killed a police officer and wounded two others in an attack at a police station in the southeastern U.S. state of Virginia, outside suburban Washington, D.C.
• ASEAN Defense Ministers Gather for First Time Defense ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are meeting together for the first time in the organization's 39-year history.
• Uganda Moves More And More Toward Outsourcing Uganda is becoming more involved in the industry known as outsourcing, where a company hires another company, often overseas, to produce goods and services at a lower cost than if the original company does it themselves.
• Egyptian Police Kill Militant Leader in Sinai Egyptian police have killed a man they say was the leader of an Islamist militant group blamed for several attacks on tourist towns last month.
• NHL: Sabres Edge Senators in Semifinal Series In the National Hockey League playoffs, J.P. Dumont and Jochen Hecht scored second period goals just two minutes and 27 seconds apart and goaltender Ryan Miller made 43 saves to lead the Buffalo Sabres to a 2-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. It was the second straight win on Ottawa ice for Buffalo, which has a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series. Chris Phillips scored the only goal for the top-seeded Senators.
• US Judge Denies Moussaoui Request For New Trial A U.S. judge has denied Zacarias Moussaoui's request that he be allowed to change his plea of "guilty" in involvement in the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks to "not guilty".
• South African Politician Zuma: 'I Am Back' In the wake of his acquittal on charges of rape, former South African deputy president, Jacob Zuma, has gone on the offensive in an all-out political comeback initiative.
• Annan Condemns Darfur Attacks on Humanitarian Staff United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has strongly condemned the killing of an African Union interpreter in the Kalma refugee camp in Sudan's Darfur region.
• MLB: Blue Jays Trounce Angels Roy Halladay has pitched a four-hitter and Bengie Molina and Alex Rios homered at home to lead Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-1 win over the struggling Los Angeles Angels.
• Florida Governor Bush Declares State of Emergency to Battle Fires Governor Jeb Bush of Florida has declared a state of emergency to combat wildfires in the state.
• Egyptian Police Kill Militant Blamed for Bombings Egyptian police on Tuesday said they killed the suspected leader of the militant group blamed for last month's deadly bombings in the Red Sea resort of Dahab. Police say they arrested another man after a long gunbattle in North Sinai.
• US Continues to Seek Diplomatic Solution to Iran Nuclear Issue The United States says it seeks a diplomatic solution to the nuclear standoff with Iran, but a U.S. official in Geneva has again dismissed the contents of a letter sent to the United States by Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
• EU May Delay Decision on Bulgaria, Romania Membership European Union officials say they may delay their decision on whether to allow Bulgaria and Romania to join the bloc next year.
• Indian Unmanned Moon Mission to Carry NASA Instruments An Indian unmanned mission to the moon will carry two scientific instruments designed by the U.S. space agency, NASA, to find minerals and ice on the lunar surface.
• Authorities Bust Cocaine Syndicate in China Chinese authorities say they have busted a Colombia-based drug smuggling ring that operated in China.
• US Encouraged to Seek Chinese Support for Good Governance in Africa
• AU Military Chief Wants More Troops in Darfur The African Union troops in Darfur are to play a very important role in enforcing security in the aftermath of the Abuja accord. Gilbert da Costa reports from Abuja that the troops commander is seeking urgent reinforcement to increase the effectiveness of his men.
• Reaction To The "Not Guilty" Verdict In The Rape Trial Of South Africa's Former Deputy President Jacob Zuma No summary available.
• Jacob Zuma Is Acquitted Of Rape Charges In South Africa South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, has asked Jacob Zuma to talk about resuming his party duties after his acquittal on a rape charge. Soon after yesterday’s acquittal, Mr. Zuma said he intends to resume his duties as deputy president of the ANC; he was suspended from the post last year. The former deputy president faces a separate trial on charges of corruption and fraud in July.
• Iran's Leader Blasts US, Calls Democracy a Failure Iran's president has declared in a letter to President Bush that democracy has failed worldwide, and accused the United States of spreading hatred. U.S. officials have dismissed the letter as unhelpful in addressing the standoff over Iran's nuclear program.
• Republicans Concerned About Bush's Low Approval Ratings Two recent public opinion polls show President Bush's approval ratings in the low to mid-30s, and those low numbers are a major concern for Republicans hoping to hold onto control of Congress in midterm elections in November.
• Suicide Car Bomb Kills 17 in Iraq A suicide car bomb has killed 17 people and wounded 35 others in a market in the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar.
• Putin Denounces Racism at Victory Day Parade President Vladimir Putin used the occasion of Russia's World War II Victory Day holiday to warn extremists that ethnic hatred will not be tolerated in Russia.
• Ghana Forces Investigating Allegation of Sexual Abuse in Liberia Ghana's army says it is ordering an investigation into allegations that its soldiers serving with the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Liberia are involved in a sex-for-aid scandal.
• Top UN Envoy Paints Grim Picture After Darfur Visit A top United Nations envoy has painted a grim picture of the humanitarian situation in Darfur. One day after a visit to the troubled region, U.N. Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Jan Egeland, says the brunt of violence in Darfur has been aimed at women and children.
• New Study Says Two Related Viruses May be Treated With the Same Vaccine The Marburg and Ebola viruses have caused fatal outbreaks in Africa for the past four years. A recent study shows a vaccine from a harmless virus called Vesicular Stomatitis Virus, or VSV, which has been effective against Marburg in animal testing, may be used to treat Ebola. VOA's Melinda Smith narrates.
• Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Foresees No Change in All-Male Membership Policy The incoming chairman at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia has announced his intention to preserve the club's traditions, and says he foresees no change in its all-male membership policy.
• Saudi Oil Minister: Oil Prices Will Stay Firm Saudi Arabia's oil minister predicts oil prices will stay firm for the next four years because of rising demand and limited oil refining capacity.
• World Court to Decide on Bosnia Genocide Case The United Nations' highest court has begun deliberations in Bosnia's case against Serbia and Montenegro because of the Balkan conflict in the 1990s.
• Nepal's New Cabinet Scraps More Royal Decrees The Cabinet of Nepal's interim Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has cancelled several controversial ordinances imposed by King Gyanendra after he took absolute power in February 2005.
• Legal Judgment Issued in Apple v Apple Case A judge in London has ruled that U.S.-based Apple Computer was within its rights to use its familiar apple logo on its iTunes on-line Music Store. As VOA's Mil Arcega reports, the ruling goes against Apple Corps Limited, the legendary record company started by one of the world's most famous musical groups.
• Non-Profit WTC Memorial Fundraising Group Suspends Efforts The non-profit organization raising funds for the planned World Trade Center memorial has suspended its efforts, citing the costs and flaws in the design of the memorial.
• Bush Says Diplomacy Best Option for Dealing With Iran President Bush says he thinks diplomacy is the first and most important option in dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions. Mr. Bush was asked about the dispute during a trip to the state of Florida.
• US to Provide Medical Aid to Palestinians U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States will provide $10 million in medicines and supplies to the Palestinian people.
• Iraqi PM Optimistic About Prospects for New Government Iraq's Prime Minister-designate, Nouri al-Maliki, says he expects to present a new government to parliament in the coming days. The latest political negotiations come against a backdrop of new violence, with at least 17 people killed Tuesday in a car bomb explosion in the northwestern city of Tal Afar.
• At Least 39 East Africans Drown in Gulf of Aden U.N. officials says at least 39 Ethiopians and Somalis drowned in the Gulf of Aden when they were forced off their boat at gunpoint by smugglers hired to sneak them into Yemen.
• UN General Assembly Elects New Human Rights Council In a surprisingly quick vote, the U.N. General Assembly has chosen 44 of the 47 members of the new Human Rights Counsel, including Cuba, China, Saudi Arabia and other nations with controversial human rights records. Only the Eastern Europeans were unable to agree on their representatives during the first round of balloting.
• Rumsfeld Welcomes Iraq Progress, Supports CIA Nominee U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has welcomed indications by Iraq's new leader that he is close to forming a national unity government, but said he is still not ready to recommend any reduction in U.S. forces in the country. At a news conference, the secretary also expressed support for the president's nomination of an air force general as the next head of the Central Intelligence Agency, but denied reports that he is trying to assert control over all U.S. intelligence operations.
• DC United Veteran Olsen Aiming for Success at First World Cup The U.S. men's soccer team is making final preparations for its opening World Cup match June 12 against the Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. One player looking to make a contribution this year is Ben Olsen of U.S. Major League Soccer's DC United. Olsen is excited to make his first appearance in the World Cup.
• US Sending Emergency Medical Aid to Palestinians Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States is sending $10 million in emergency medical aid to the Palestinians, but is maintaining its hard line against direct aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. Rice held talks at the United Nations in New York Tuesday with other members of the international Middle East Quartet and Arab foreign ministers.
• Los Angeles Reflects on Race Relations Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the United States, where groups that are minorities in other parts of the country form the majority. Recent instances of racial tension have forced residents to confront questions of race and ethnicity.
• Diplomats: Iran to be Offered Incentives for Giving Up Nukes Diplomats at the United Nations say Britain, France, and Germany will offer Iran incentives along with possible sanctions for giving up its nuclear program.
• US Calls for Urgent UN Security Council Action on Darfur Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged the U.N. Security Council to act quickly to stop the genocide and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. Rice described conditions in Darfur as a "long nightmare."
• Critics Challenge US Plan to Boost Foreign Investor Say In US Airlines The U.S. Congress is considering a proposal by the Bush administration to give foreign investors in U.S. airlines more say in how those businesses are run. But some lawmakers, and airline companies, oppose the plan, which is a key step toward concluding an open skies agreement between the United States and the European Union.
• Digital Music Sales Continue to Rise Technological innovations over the past half century have dramatically changed the way people listen to music. Portable cassette players first allowed people to listen to music, while they were on the move. Portable CD players followed. But new, more sophisticated technology has made these appliances seem bulky compared to the slim, palm-sized MP3 players that have taken much of the world by storm. These can hold thousands of songs, and allow the listener to customize play lists and select songs at will. That has changed how consumers buy music.
• Europeans Preparing 'Carrot And Stick' Approach to Iran European powers France, Germany and Britain are planning to offer Iran a fresh package of incentives for curbing its nuclear program. But, the European strategy would threaten sanctions should Iran refuse.