News for Thursday, January 25, 2007
• Rice: US to Pledge 770 Million Dollars in Aid to Lebanon U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the United States plans to pledge $770 million in new aid for Lebanon.
• Ecuador's Defense Minister Killed in Helicopter Crash Ecuador's new defense minister and her daughter have been killed in a helicopter crash.
• Motorcycle Bomb in Baghdad Kills 4 Iraqi security officials say an explosives-packed motorcycle blew up in Baghdad Thursday, killing at least four people and wounding nearly 20 others.
• Bangladesh's New Interim Government Promises Sweeping Reforms Bangladesh's new interim government has unveiled an ambitious agenda of reforms, and promised credible general elections as early as possible. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the new administration has wide popular support in a country where months of political turmoil led to the postponement of the elections.
• China's Economy Growing at Fastest Pace in 11 Years China says its economy grew by 2.7 percent in 2006, the fastest pace in 11 years. The record growth suggests Beijing's efforts to slow down the economy have not had much effect. Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.
• Roh Says No North-South Summit Without Nuclear Progress South Korea's president says it would be inappropriate to for him to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il before multinational talks make progress toward ending the North's nuclear weapons programs. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin has more from the president's annual New Year's news conference.
• ILO Says Unemployment, Slower Growth Undermine Southeast Asia's Economies The International Labor Organization (ILO) says high unemployment rates are continuing to affect Southeast Asian economies a decade after Asia's financial crisis. The ILO's annual report also says China and India are struggling to provide enough jobs for their growing young populations. Ron Corben reports from Bangkok.
• NBA: Suns Extend Winning Streak with Win Over Knicks The Phoenix Suns beat the New York Knicks 112-107 Wednesday in National Basketball Association action, extending their current winning streak to 15 games.
• Kyrgyzstan Parliament Blocks President's 2nd Attempt to Reinstate PM Kyrgyzstan's parliament has blocked President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's second attempt to reinstate the former prime minister.
• Russia to Build Four Nuclear Plants in India No summary available.
• Maliki: Security Plan Leaves Militants Nowhere to Hide Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says his plan for security in Baghdad will leave no place for militants to hide - not even mosques or schools.
• Black Box Frequency of Lost Indonesian Airliner Detected A United States Navy ship may have located the flight recorders of a Boeing 727 that disappeared on New Year's Day in Indonesia with 102 people on board. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins in Jakarta has more.
• Vietnam's Catholics Hail Prime Minister's Meeting With Pope Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam is scheduled to meet Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Thursday. The visit marks the first time a leader of the Communist nation has met the spiritual leader of the world's Catholics. It also marks a step forward in the Vietnamese government's complex relationship with its Catholic citizens. In Hanoi, Matt Steinglass has more.
• Israeli Foreign Minister, Palestinian President to Meet in Davos Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are to explore ways to resume peace negotiations on the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
• Asia Aviation Executives Upbeat About Outlook Because of High Demand, Lower Fuel Costs Senior aviation industry executives say airlines in the Asia Pacific region are headed to robust growth in 2007. Ron Corben recently interviewed airline executives and they say lower fuel prices and the growing China market are boons for the industry.
• DRC Opposition Leader Warns Kabila Against Corruption, Abuses Democratic Republic of Congo's defeated presidential candidate, former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, has warned newly sworn-in President Joseph Kabila that corruption and abuses could undermine democratic gains. In his most aggressive statement since losing the election, last year, Bemba threatened strikes and street protests. Joe Bavier has this report for VOA from Kinshasa.
• US Announces New Funding, Security Measures in Afghanistan U.S. officials have announced new military and economic initiatives for Afghanistan, ahead of a new Taleban offensive expected in the coming months.
• Justice Minister: Noriega to be Jailed Upon Return to Panama Panama's Justice Minister Olga Golcher says former dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega will be jailed if he tries to return home after he is released from a U.S. prison later this year.
• Mexican President Embarks on Six-Day European Trip Mexican President Felipe Calderon kicks off a six-day trip to Europe Thursday to help boost his country's economy.
• Venezuela, Cuba Sign New Economic Accords Venezuela and Cuba have signed 16 new cooperation agreements, including accords on telecommunications, tourism and the economy.
• Israeli Lawmakers Approve Leave of Absence for President Israeli lawmakers have approved a leave of absence for embattled President Moshe Katsav to fight accusations of rape and other sex crimes.
• Guinea's Union Leaders Assess New Offer Union leaders in Guinea are assessing President Lansana Conté's willingness to name a new consensus prime minister, but have vowed to pursue a nationwide strike, now in its third week, until they see concrete steps toward change. Naomi Schwarz reports from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.
• Pro, Anti-Government Groups Clash in Beirut, at Least 2 Dead Government and opposition supporters have clashed in Lebanon's capital, with at least two people killed and at least 20 others wounded.
• Cyclist Oscar Pereiro Cleared of Doping Charges Last year's Tour de France runner-up, Oscar Pereiro of Spain, has been cleared of doping charges after he provided sufficient medical clearance for use of banned substances.
• Indonesian Girl, 6, Dies of Bird Flu Indonesian health officials say a six-year-old girl has died from bird flu, raising the country's death toll from the disease to at least 63.
• FIFA's Blatter Endorses Platini's Candidacy for UEFA Presidency International Football Federation President Sepp Blatter has publicly endorsed Michel Platini's candidacy to head the European Football Union, one of the sport's most powerful governing bodies.
• US Senate Democrats Question Request for Additional Funds for Iraqi Recontruction Senate Democrats are questioning President Bush's plan to spend an additional one billion dollars on reconstruction efforts in Iraq.
• Ugandan Rebels 'Lose Faith' in Mediator of Peace Talks Ugandan rebels say they have lost faith in the mediator of the group's peace talks with the Ugandan government.
• Zimbabwe Court Nullifies Effort to Cancel Publisher's Citizenship Zimbabwe's High Court has nullified efforts by the government to cancel the citizenship of a publisher whose newspapers have been critical of President Robert Mugabe.
• Ethiopian Soldier Killed in Southern Somalia Gunmen have attacked Ethiopian soldiers in southern Somalia, killing one and wounding another.
• ElBaradei Says Attack on Iran Would be Catastrophic The head of the U.N. nuclear agency says an attack on Iran because of its nuclear program would be counterproductive and catastrophic.
• Suspected Somali Islamist Financier Pleads Guilty to Entering Kenya Illegally A Somali businessman suspected of financing the country's ousted Islamist movement has pleaded guilty to being in Kenya illegally.
• Georgia Confirms 2006 Arrest of Russian Uranium Smuggler Georgian officials have disclosed the arrest and imprisonment of a Russian man last February for attempting to sell nuclear weapons-grade uranium to an undercover Georgian agent.
• Researchers Study Link Between Stroke Brain Damage, Desire to Smoke Researchers have discovered that some stroke patients who suffered damage to a particular brain region were able to quit smoking instantly and not miss the habit. As VOA's Jessica Berman reports, the finding has implications for the treatment of smoking and other addictions.
• Court Sentences US Soldier to 18 Years in Prison for Iraq Killings A military court has sentenced a U.S. soldier to 18 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to a role in the killing of three Iraqi detainees during a raid north of Baghdad.
• Daimler Chrysler Board Chairman Sees Diesel Alternative The chairman of the Board of Management of the German automaker DaimlerChrysler, Dieter Zetsche delivered the keynote address at the opening of the Washington, D.C. Auto Show this week. While President Bush's State of the Union address called for a sharp increase in fuel economy, Zetsche was emphasizing a long-established alternative - diesel power. VOA's John Birchard reports.
• UN Agency Temporarily Freezes Funds for North Korea The main U.N. Development agency has halted all new projects for North Korea pending an audit to determine whether the agency illegally funneled millions of dollars to the Kim Jong Il government. VOA's Peter Heinlein reports from U.N. headquarters in New York.