News for Friday, February 23, 2007
• US Soldier Gets 100 Year Sentence in Iraqi Rape-Murder Case A U.S. Army soldier has been sentenced to 100 years in prison in connection with the brutal rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, and the killing of her family.
• US Senate Democrats Draft Plan to Revise Military's Iraq Mission Democratic Party leaders in the U.S. Senate are said to be working on legislation that would effectively revoke the 2002 resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.
• Iran Vows No Weakness over Nuclear Standoff Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has again vowed to pursue nuclear technology - a day after the U.N. nuclear agency reported that Iran has failed to stop enriching uranium as demanded by the Security Council.
• Rare Protest in Burma Brought to Quick End The day after the Burmese authorities allowed a rare public demonstration in Rangoon, official media have warned that the protest was illegal. At least one protester has already been arrested. Ron Corben reports from Bangkok.
• US Investigating Claims of Civilian Deaths in Ramadi The U.S. military in Iraq says it is investigating claims of civilian deaths during Thursday's fierce gunbattle between coalition forces and insurgents in the city of Ramadi - an insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad.
• S. Korean Negotiator Outlines Plans for Disabling Pyongyang's Nuclear Programs A senior South Korean official says that North Korea appears to at least have the beginnings of a uranium-based nuclear weapons program. Seoul's top negotiator in talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions also says he thinks the North is committed to dismantling its nuclear facilities. VOA Seoul Correspondent Kurt Achin has more.
• Chadian Prime Minister, 56, Dies in Paris Chadian Prime Minister Pascal Yoadimadji has died in Paris at the age of 56.
• Sri Lanka Rebels to Resume Struggle for Homeland In Sri Lanka, the rebel Tamil Tigers say they are resuming their struggle for an independent homeland. As Anjana Pasricha reports from VOA's bureau in New Delhi, the announcement comes 15 months after the rebels and the government virtually abandoned a ceasefire and began new fighting.
• Environmental Groups Attack Indonesian Government, World Bank Environmental groups have criticized the World Bank for a forest management plan in Indonesia that they say will destroy farming communities, threaten endangered forests, and fuel conflicts in rural areas. As Chad Bouchard reports from Jakarta, World Bank officials say the plan will lead to a sustainable logging industry.
• NY Times: US Staged Anti-Terror Campaign from Ethiopia The New York Times says the U.S. military has waged a campaign to capture or kill suspected terrorists in the Horn of Africa, using Ethiopia as a staging point.
• Israel Calls for Tougher Sanctions on Iran Israel is calling for a tough international response to a U.N. report Thursday that concluded Iran has not complied with demands to stop its uranium enrichment program. As Robert Berger reports from VOA's Jerusalem bureau, Israel believes time is running out to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
• Thousands March on Afghan Capital, Supporting Amnesty for War Criminals Thousands of former mujahedin rallied in central Kabul to support a controversial new amnesty law. The legislation would grant amnesty to Afghans suspected of committing war crimes over three decades of violent upheaval dating back to the Soviet invasion. Correspondent Benjamin Sand reports from VOA's bureau in Islamabad.
• Foreign Ministers of 7 Muslim States to Meet Sunday in Islamabad Pakistani officials say the foreign ministers of seven predominantly Muslim countries will meet in Islamabad Sunday to discuss a joint strategy for ending the turmoil in the Middle East.
• Australia Warns of Possible Bomb Attack in Bangkok The Australian Embassy in Thailand is warning its citizens to be on alert Friday for possible bomb attacks in crowded places in Bangkok.
• Gambia Expels UN Envoy Over Criticism of AIDS Treatment Gambia has ordered the expulsion of the country's top United Nations official after she criticized claims from President Yahya Jammeh that he can cure AIDS using natural herbs.
• 46 Nations Agree to Seek Cluster Bomb Ban by 2008 46 of 49 countries attending a conference in Norway on cluster bombs have agreed to seek a ban on the controversial munitions by 2008.
• Lebanese Oil Worker Killed in Nigeria; 2 Italians Kidnapped Police in Nigeria say unknown gunmen have shot and killed a Lebanese oil worker in the country's volatile Niger Delta region.
• Jury Begins Third Day of Deliberations in CIA Leak Trial A jury in Washington, D.C. has begun a third day Friday deciding the case of a former White House aide accused of lying about his role in the exposure of a CIA agent.
• Abbas in Europe to Discuss Mideast Peace Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has met with top German officials, in a diplomatic push to gain support for a Palestinian unity government and the resumption of Western aid.
• Cyclone Leaves At Least 3 Dead in Mozambique Officials in Mozambique say at least three people have been killed by the cyclone that struck the country on Thursday.
• Iranian President Vows to Push Ahead With Nuclear Program President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed that Iran will move ahead with its nuclear program. He was speaking a day after the U.N. nuclear agency reported that Iran has failed to stop enriching uranium as demanded by the Security Council. For VOA, Leslie Boctor reports from Cairo.
• Science And Busienss Leaders Sign Climate Change Plan In the absence of mandatory controls on the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, the corporate world has been slow to respond. Now, however, in the face of growing scientific evidence that climate change is underway, corporate attitudes appear to be changing.
• Britain Confirms Plans to Commit Additional Troops to Afghanistan Britain's defense secretary says the nation will send additional soldiers to Afghanistan, only days after British officials announced a partial withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
• White House Encouraged by North Korean Invitation to Nuclear Inspectors The White House says a North Korean invitation to the head of the U.N. nuclear agency is a positive sign that Pyongyang is moving forward on last week's deal to end its nuclear weapons program. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.
• Afghan Health Ministry Confirms Deadly Bird Flu Virus Afghanistan's Health Ministry has confirmed the presence of bird flu in eastern Nangarhar province.
• South Korea to Get Control of Its Forces in Wartime by 2012 The United States and South Korea have agreed to dissolve their joint command in Seoul by 2012, giving South Korea control of its own military forces in case of war. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon the agreement was announced after a meeting between Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his South Korean counterpart Kim Jang Soo.
• Experts Say Peace in Somalia Possible Now that the Islamic fundamentalist movement that controlled most of Somalia has been defeated, does this African nation have another chance to end nearly two decades of chaos and build a viable state? VOA's Margaret Besheer reports from Washington that some experts believe a brief window of opportunity is open now for success in Somalia.
• Britney Spears In and Out of Rehab; Springsteen Tribute Concert Set for April 5 She's in, she's out, in, out, and back in. During the past week, Britney Spears has entered drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers three times. First, she visited Eric Clapton's Crossroads Centre in Antigua for two hours. That was followed by some bizarre behavior that included shaving her head bald. Then, on February 20, Britney checked herself into the Promise Malibu rehabilitation center, but left less than 24 hours later. According to several online sources, her soon-to-be ex-husband, Kevin Federline, gave her an ultimatum - stay in rehab or lose custody of their two children. Britney's mom drove her back to Promises the night of February 21 and it's been reported that she'll stay for a 30-45 day live-in program. To be continued…
• Win Streak Ends for Tiger Woods World No. 1 men's golfer Tiger Woods lost to Nick O'Hern of Australia at the Accenture Match Play Championships, ending Woods' quest for an eighth straight PGA Tour title.
• Iran Denies Nuclear Ambitions As UN Security Council Mulls More Sanctions Iran has told the U.N. Security Council it has no intention of producing atomic weapons, and accused Western countries of distorting facts about Iranian nuclear intentions. VOA's Peter Heinlein at the U.N. report the Iranian denial came as western diplomats signaled their intent to push for further sanctions against Tehran.
• US: All Options Open to Prevent Iranian Nuclear Weapons U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said the United States is on a diplomatic path to resolve Iran's refusal to stop its nuclear enrichment program, while Vice President Dick Cheney said the U.S. has taken none of its options off the table.