News for Wednesday, January 24, 2007

• Democratic Response to the State of the Union Address Good evening.
• US Military: Coalition Forces Battle Insurgents in Baghdad The U.S. military says American and Iraqi troops clashed with gunmen Wednesday in Baghdad's Haifa Street, a known stronghold of Sunni Arab insurgents.
• S. Korea Says North Shows Flexibility on Nuclear Weapons Issue South Korea's foreign minister says North Korea is showing flexibility on proposals for getting rid of its nuclear weapons. Though no date has been set for the next session of multinational nuclear talks with the North, the discussions are expected to resume within weeks. VOA's Kurt Achin has more from Seoul.
• New Australian Courses to Teach Moderate Islam Young Muslims are to be taught Australian-friendly Islam under a government plan to stop them being influenced by extremists. An approved curriculum will be introduced at universities in an attempt to counter the teachings of controversial Muslim clerics. Phil Mercer in Sydney reports.
• Sudanese Passenger Plane Hijacked to Chad A hijacker seized a Sudanese passenger plane Wednesday and forced the pilot to fly to the Chadian capital, N'Djamena, before surrendering to authorities there. No one was injured.
• Palestinian Militants Fight Gunbattle in Gaza, 3 Wounded Palestinian witnesses say Fatah and Hamas gunmen have fought a fierce battle in the Gaza Strip, wounding at least three people.
• UN Urges Nepali Government and Maoists to Punish Rights Abusers The United Nations is urging Nepal's government and the Maoist rebel movement to punish those guilty of violating human rights during the country's decade-long civil war.
• Japanese Defense Minister Criticizes US Decision to Invade Iraq Japan's Defense Minister  Fumio Kyuma has criticized U.S. President George Bush's decision to invade Iraq, and warned that Tokyo may not extend its air support mission to the country.
• Israeli President Faces Pressure to Resign Israel's President Moshe Katsav is facing growing pressure to resign after the country's attorney general said he plans to indict him for alleged sex crimes.
• Muted Reaction to Bush Address Amid Criticism of US Iraq Policy There has been muted reaction around the world to President Bush's State of the Union speech Tuesday, amid some support and continued widespread criticism of the U.S. policy in Iraq.  VOA's Sonja Pace sums up reaction from London.
• Israeli President, Under Pressure to Resign, Takes Leave of Absence Israel's president, facing likely charges of rape and other sex crimes, has told the country's parliament that he is taking a temporary leave of absence.
• Siniora Arrives in Paris for Lebanon Aid Conference No summary available.
• Ex-Panama Leader Noriega to Be Released From Miami Jail The attorney for Manuel Antonio Noriega says the former Panamanian dictator hopes to board a plane for Panama when he is released from a Miami prison in September.
• South Africa to Request Hold on Listing Two Citizens as Terror Suspects A South African official says the government will ask the United Nations to hold off on listing two of its citizens as terror suspects as requested by the United States.
• Defense Lawyer: Libby Used as White House Scapegoat The lawyer for Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff says his client is being used as a scapegoat in the investigation of who leaked the identity of a CIA operative.
• British PM Skips Parliament Iraq Debate British Prime Minister Tony Blair has skipped the first government-led debate since 2004 on Britain's role in Iraq.  However, ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary session, he called an opposition push to remove British troops from Iraq by October "deeply irresponsible."
• Mortar Attack at Somalia Airport Kills at Least One Reports from Somalia say at least one person was killed and three others wounded in a mortar attack on the main airport in the capital, Mogadishu.
• Guinea Authorities, Unions Resume Talks Union leaders in Guinea have resumed negotiations with authorities Wednesday after days of violent anti-government protests.
• Bush Wants to Cut US Petroleum Demand U.S. President George Bush wants Americans to cut their use of gasoline by 20 percent over the next 10 years. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns reports, it is the cornerstone of a new energy policy launched in Tuesday's State of the Union address.
• Russian Defense Chief: Iranian, N. Korean Missiles No Threat to Europe Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has criticized U.S. plans to deploy a missile defense system in central Europe, saying Iran and North Korea do not and will not have missiles capable of striking European targets.
• Deadly Strain of Bird Flu Confirmed in Hungary European Union officials have confirmed the first outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in an EU country this year.
• Turkish Court Formally Charges Suspect in Murder of Armenian Journalist A court in Istanbul has formally charged a 17-year-old Turkish man with the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink and ordered the suspect held in prison.
• Thai Prime Minister Reassures Foreign Investors Thailand's military-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has assured foreign investors that the country still wants their business, despite recent moves to tighten investment regulations.
• Scientists Report Experimental Therapy Eliminates Cancer Cell Growth Scientists report they have manipulated a gene implicated in the development of cancer so it stops the growth of cancer cells in mice.  VOA's Jessica Berman reports the researchers say the so-called jump-starting of the gene may lead to a cure for cancer in humans.
• John Kerry Says He Will Not Run for US President in 2008 No summary available.
• Musharraf Rejects Accusations of Pakistan-Taleban Cooperation Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is rejecting accusations that Pakistani forces are helping Taleban rebels cross into Afghanistan and that Taleban leader Mullah Omar is living in the western city of Quetta.
• ILO: Global Unemployment at Historic High The International Labor Organization reports the number of people unemployed worldwide remained at an historical high in 2006 despite strong global economic growth. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA on the launch of the ILO's "Global Employment Trends 2007" report from Geneva.
• Chile's Gonzalez Ousts Nadal to Reach Australian Open Semifinals Tenth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile has ousted No. 2 Rafael Nadal of Spain to advance to a semifinal matchup against Germany's Tommy Haas at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.