News for Monday, January 15, 2007

• NFL: Bears, Patriots Advance in Playoffs Only four teams remain in the National Football League playoffs after the New England Patriots stunned the host San Diego Chargers, 24-21.
• Iraqi Authorities Execute Saddam's Half-Brother, Former Chief Judge Reports from Baghdad say Iraqi authorities have executed two close aides of former president Saddam Hussein for their roles in the killing of Iraqi Shi'ites in the village of Dujail in 1982.
• Condoleezza Rice Meets Israel's Olmert on Reviving Talks With Palestinians U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem, a day after promising greater American efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• African Leaders Call for Partnership With West Leaders from Africa and Germany meeting in Ghana concluded the challenges facing Africa can be successfully addressed only through a relationship of equal partnership.  Efam Dovi reports for VOA from the Ghanaian capital, Accra the meeting was an initiative of the German president. The meeting brought together 50 young people from Germany and several African countries and selected African heads of state to discuss a variety of issues, including armed conflicts, the environment and political participation.    After two days of debates, the young participants came up with a declaration calling for the involvement of the youth in all programs and decisions on the African continent.  They also called on the leaders to fight corruption and mismanagement in Africa, which they said hinder effective political participation.  The declaration urged the leaders to sign and implement treaties for the protection of the youth, as well as stop the recruitment of child soldiers and arms proliferation.   Presidents John Kufuor of Ghana and Horst Kohler of Germany, who co-hosted the conference, promised to sign and send copies of the declaration to all African presidents, European leaders, as well as the G-8 group.    President Kufuor said Africa wants a new partnership with the developed word.
• US Negotiator 'Optimistic' About Free Trade Deal With South Korea A top U.S. negotiator is still optimistic Washington and South Korea can work out a trade liberalization deal in the coming weeks, despite a series of daunting negotiating challenges.  But as a politically crucial U.S. deadline approaches, Wendy Cutler warns there are still sticking points, ranging from U.S. automobiles to beef.  VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.
• Australia-China Free Trade Still a Goal, but Little Progress Reported at Summit Meeting Free trade is one of the major issues being discussed at Monday's East Asia summit in the Philippines. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney that progress on a free trade agreement between Australia and China is still slow going.
• Somali Government Orders Shutdown of Four Major Media Outlets Somalia's transitional government has ordered the closure of four major news outlets in the capital, Mogadishu.
• Leader's Death Highlights Senegal Rebels' Divisions Sunday's death of the symbolic chief of the rebellion in Senegal's southern Casamance region is highlighting deep divisions among the remaining leaders of the largely low-level rebel movement. Jordan Davis reports from Dakar.
• Outgoing US Commander Says No Guarantee of Success in Iraq The outgoing commander of U.S. forces in Iraq says it will probably take months to see results from a new security plan for Iraq. And, as VOA's Jim Randle reports from Baghdad, the general says there are no guarantees that it will work.
• Maoist Rebels in Nepal Join Political Mainstream Two months after signing a historic peace deal with the government, Maoist rebels in Nepal have joined a new, interim parliament.  Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the landmark development ends a decade-long insurgency that killed more than 13,000 people and holds out the hope of ending a long period of political turbulence in the tiny, Himalayan nation.      
• US Major League Soccer Commissioner Denies Beckham Early Release Rumors Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber has denied reports that the league is trying to get star English midfielder David Beckham an early release from his contract with Spanish club Real Madrid.
• Rice Presses Moderate Arab States to Support Iraq Government Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in Riyadh late Monday as she continued Middle East talks aimed at solidifying Arab support behind Iraq's struggling government. Rice says the United States and its traditional Arab allies share the risk and responsibility if President Bush's new strategy for Iraq fails. VOA's David Gollust reports from Riyadh.
• Venezuela to End Negotiations With Foreign Oil Companies Venezuela's oil minister says his country will end talks with foreign oil companies concerning the country's takeover of oil projects financed by the private companies.
• Leftist Correa Sworn In as Ecuador's New President Leftist Rafael Correa has been sworn in as Ecuador's new president.
• Meryl Streep Wins Best Actress Golden Globe Award Actress Meryl Streep won the award for best actress in a movie musical or comedy at the Golden Globe Awards on Monday for her role as a wicked fashion editor in The Devil Wears Prada.