News for Wednesday, February 14, 2007
• Tension High in Lebanon Ahead of Hariri Commemoration Rally Tension is high in Lebanon as government supporters plan a mass rally in Beirut Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
• Pace Stands by Cautious Remarks on Iran The top American military officer is standing by remarks he made Monday, first reported by VOA, that appear to contradict U.S. military officials Baghdad, who said Iran's government is providing powerful bombs to Iraqi insurgents. The general also says the United States has no intention of attacking Iran. VOA's Al Pessin is traveling with the general, en route home from Australia and Indonesia, and filed this report from the Pacific island, Guam.
• Beijing Condemns Taiwan's Removal of Word 'China' from Company Names China has denounced Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's decision to emphasize Taiwan's identity by removing the word "China" from official company names. As Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing, China claims the island as a province, and is sensitive to any hint of a move towards Taiwan independence.
• Iraq Refugees' Struggle in Syria No summary available.
• Berdymukhammedov Sworn in as Turkmenistan's President Turkmenistan's new president - Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov - has pledged to follow the path set by the late authoritarian leader, Saparmurat Niyazov, during his swearing in ceremony in the capital, Ashgabat, Wednesday. VOA's Lisa McAdams in Moscow has more on the inauguration.
• Experts: Challenges Lie Ahead for North Korea Nuclear Deal For the most part, international experts are praising the agreement reached in Beijing this week as a good first step toward ending North Korea's nuclear-weapons programs. It is the next, very daunting steps in the process that cause them concern. VOA's Kurt Achin in Beijing reports on the obstacles that lie ahead.
• Bus Bombed in Southeastern Iran, at Least 11 Killed Iranian authorities say a car bomb blast near a bus used by the Revolutionary Guard Corps in southeastern Iran has killed at least 11 people and wounded 31 others.
• Congressman Discusses Opposition to Sending More US Troops to Iraq Download an MP3 of this interview.
• Egypt Announces Diagnosis of New Bird Flu Case World Health Organization officials in Egypt have announced that a woman tested positive for the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu. That brings the total number of cases in Egypt to 21, with 12 deaths.
• Thousands in Beirut Mark Second Anniversary of Hariri Assassination Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Beirut's city center, amid strict security, to mark the second anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri. Edward Yeranian reports from Beirut.
• Bush: 'Confident' Iranian Force Supplying Weapons to Iraqi Insurgents The president says he is confident Iranians are providing weapons and explosive devices to insurgents in Iraq.
• European Parliament Says Some EU Countries Backed Secret CIA Flights The European Parliament has approved a report accusing some member countries of permitting and concealing CIA flights carrying terrorism suspects to secret prisons for interrogation.
• US Pressures Japan to Open Up Agriculture Market The United States is renewing pressure on Japan to reduce trade barriers on agricultural goods. As Yuriko Nagano reports from Tokyo, Ambassador Thomas Schieffer says bluntly that unless Japan opens its markets, the U.S. will take its business elsewhere.
• AIDS Disproportionately Affects Women in Sub-Saharan Africa Throughout sub-Saharan Africa, women are more likely to be infected with HIV than men. Phuong Tran reports from Dakar on why some women are more vulnerable to HIV infection.
• Press Rights Group Calls for Release of Uzbek Journalist The press freedom group Committee to Protect Journalists has called on Uzbekistan authorities to release an independent journalist detained last month.
• US to Admit 7,000 Iraqi Refugees The United States says it plans to admit about 7,000 Iraqi refugees during the next eight months.
• Serbia's Parliament Expected to Reject UN Plan for Kosovo Serbia's newly elected parliament is convening Wednesday for a vote expected to overwhelmingly reject a U.N. plan for the future of its breakaway province of Kosovo.
• Del Ponte: International Community Losing Interest in Hague Tribunal Efforts The chief prosecutor of the United Nations war crimes tribunal has criticized the international community for moving toward expanded ties with Serbia despite its failure to bring fugitive suspects to justice.
• UN Human Rights Team Will Complete Mission Outside of Sudan A United Nations human rights team says it will complete its Darfur mission outside of Sudan after being denied visas to enter the country.
• Leader of Samba Troupe Gunned Down in Brazil A leader of a top samba troupe has been gunned down in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, days before the start of Carnival celebrations.
• Bush Calls on Nations to Cancel Liberia's Debt President Bush has called on other nations to follow the lead of the United States and give Liberia debt relief.
• UNICEF: Rich Countries Can Improve Welfare of Children A new study by the U.N. Children's Fund that ranks the well being of children in 21 of the world's richest countries gives highest marks to the Netherlands, followed by Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The UNICEF study puts Britain and the United States last in the developed world. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA in Geneva that UNICEF calls this the first comprehensive study of childhood across the world's industrialized nations.
• Four People Killed Under Guinea's Martial Law Four people have died in Guinea, as the West African nation endures a second day of martial law imposed to break up anti-government protests.
• Archaeologists Find Prehistoric Stone Hammers Used by Chimps An international team of archaeologists has discovered stone tools used by chimpanzees thousands of years ago to help feed themselves. The same stone tools are used by chimps today, raising the possibility that humans and apes derived from a common ancestor. VOA's Jessica Berman reports.
• Blair, Karzai Press Pakistan on Cooperation on Taleban British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Afghan President Hamid Karzai are pressing Pakistan to cooperate in efforts against Taleban forces.
• US Lawmakers Seek to Crack Down on Foreign Sweatshops U.S. lawmakers are considering legislation that would bar U.S. companies from profiting from the use of foreign sweatshops and other unfair labor practices abroad. A Senate panel conducted a hearing on the issue Wednesday, as VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.
• Nuclear Issue Prompts Debate on US Iranian Policy In December, the U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to impose sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program, and gave that nation until next week to halt uranium enrichment or face the possibility of additional penalties. In the United States, there is a debate about how the Iranian nuclear issue should be handled and what should come next: talks, more sanctions or military action. From Washington, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.