News for Friday, March 16, 2007
• Japan's Ex-Livedoor Boss Sentenced to 2.5 Years A Japanese court has sentenced Takafumi Horie, the former chief executive of Japanese Internet firm Livedoor, to two-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a securities fraud scandal.
• China's Premier Stresses Need for Open and Fair Markets, Other Reforms Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says his country needs to build more open and fair markets. It was among a list of reforms that the leader laid out at the close of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's parliament. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Beijing.
• Israeli Army Investigating Human Shield Allegations The Israeli army says it is investigating allegations that soldiers used Palestinian civilians as human shields during recent operations in the West Bank town of Nablus.
• Protests Continue Over Removal of Pakistan's Chief Justice Tension is mounting throughout much of Pakistan as protests continue over the controversial suspension of the country's top judge. From Islamabad, VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports the chief justice vows to resist his dismissal, setting up a possible constitutional showdown with the military-backed government.
• US Military: Six US Soldiers Killed in Past Two Days in Iraq The U.S. military in Iraq says six American soldiers were killed in separate incidents over the past two days
• Red Cross Closes 2 Offices in Burma Because of Restrictions The International Committee of the Red Cross says its work in Burma is under threat because of the military government's restrictions on its operations. The ICRC has closed two offices and is calling for high-level talks with the military to prevent further closures and cuts in its humanitarian efforts. From Bangkok, Ron Corben files this report.
• Indonesian Man Dies of Bird Flu Indonesian health officials say a 32-year-old man has died of bird flu, raising the total number of deaths in the country to at least 65.
• Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Released from Hospital Zimbabwe's main opposition leader has been released from a hospital days after he was allegedly beaten while in police custody.
• Coalition Troops Mistakenly Kill 5 Afghan Police Senior Afghan officials say U.S.-led coalition soldiers accidentally killed five Afghan police officers in the troubled south.
• Bomb Blast Kills Seven In Latest Somalia Violence Police in Somalia say a powerful bomb blast has killed seven people in a residential area near Mogadishu.
• Pakistan's Suspended Top Justice Appears Before Judicial Panel as Protests Grow Pakistan's chief Supreme Court justice is appearing before a judicial panel Friday as supporters protesting his ouster and police clashed in the streets of the capital, Islamabad.
• Buddhist Leader, Back from Exile, Holds Requiem in Vietnam Thich Nhat Hanh, the Zen monk who built up a following in the West after being exiled from South Vietnam in 1966, is back in Vietnam. In Ho Chi Minh City Friday morning, he began the first of three mass rituals intended to heal the wounds of the Vietnam War. As Matt Steinglass reports from Ho Chi Minh City, the ritual drew an audience of thousands.
• Philippine Police Arrest Lawmaker Over 15 Killings Police in the Philippines have arrested a fugitive lawmaker wanted for alleged involvement in a 22-year-old murder case.
• Victim of CIA Leak Scandal Appears on Capitol Hill The woman at the center of the CIA leak scandal has told a congressional panel that White House officials carelessly and recklessly exposed her name and identity as a covert operative.
• Russian Court Orders Former PM to Return Luxury Home to State A Russian court has ordered opposition presidential hopeful and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov to return his country residence to the government.
• US Comedian Sinbad 'Alive And Well' Sinbad is alive and well. The 50-year-old actor-comedian says he "rose from the dead" last week, after Wikipedia mistakenly proclaimed his demise.
• Rock Musician Delp Described Self as 'Lonely Soul' in Suicide Note Brad Delp, who committed suicide March 9, left a note proclaiming himself "A lonely soul."
• Israeli Police Consider Pressing Charges Against Actor DiCaprio's Bodyguards Police in Israel say they are deciding whether to press charges against two of Leonardo DiCaprio's bodyguards.
• 'American Idol' Judge Cowell Claims He's Sony BMG's Top Earner There's a new Boss in town - and his name is Simon Cowell. The English music mogul claims he's worth five times more to his record company than famous rocker Bruce Springsteen.
• Vehicle Carrying UN Official Attacked in Gaza Strip Witnesses in the Gaza Strip say gunmen have fired on the vehicle carrying the director of the United Nations refugee mission in Gaza.
• Hungarian Police Detain 56 People in National Day Protests Hungarian police have detained 56 demonstrators following street violence on Hungary's National Day Thursday.
• Coroner Calls US Friendly Fire Death of British Soldier in Iraq 'Unlawful' A British coroner has determined that the death of a British soldier in 2003 by fire from a U.S. plane in Iraq was unlawful and criminal.
• UN, Human Rights Workers Condemn Murder Of Somali Activist The United Nations and human rights officials are among those condemning this week's murder of a Somali activist in the capital Mogadishu, saying that it is increasingly difficult for humanitarian work to continue in the volatile country. Cathy Majtenyi has details for VOA from Nairobi.
• Somalis Given Illegal IDs to Enter Kenya in Northeast The provincial commissioner of Kenya's Northeast Province, which borders Somalia, has confirmed reports that a criminal syndicate of Somalis and Kenyan sympathizers is issuing identification documents to hundreds of Somali immigrants seeking to enter Kenya. But he tells VOA that he does not know if Somali Islamist fighters are among those being smuggled into the country. VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu has details from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
• US Will Expedite Visa for Ahmadinejad UN Appearance The State Department said Friday it will give expedited treatment to a request by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to address a critical U.N. Security Council session on Iran's nuclear program. The council is poised to tighten sanctions on Tehran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.
• Pakistan Police Crack Down on Anti-Musharraf Protests Pakistani police used tear gas and mass arrests to help break up violent protests over the controversial suspension of the country's top judge. From Islamabad VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports the chief justice is vowing to resist his dismissal, setting up a possible constitutional showdown with the military-backed government.
• United Opposition Parties Vow to Fight Mugabe In Zimbabwe, all opposition groups have vowed to continue confronting the government until President Robert Mugabe leaves office and democratic elections are held. For VOA, Peta Thornycroft has more.
• Africa's Major Aluminum Producer Closes Amid Ghana Energy Crisis One of Africa's largest aluminum companies is due to shut down Friday in Ghana. The West African nation is facing a worsening energy crisis due to chronic power shortages caused by diminished rainfall. Reporter Efam Dovi has more from the Ghanaian capital, Accra. Executives at Ghana's Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) say they are not sure how long the luminum producer will remain closed. But the closure is expected to send a majority of the company's 700 employees home.
• Tennis: French Open Organizers to Award Equal Prize Money to Men, Women Organizers of this year's French Open tennis tournament have announced they will award equal prize money to all men and women, thus falling into line with the other three major tournaments.
• Pakistan's Military Ruler Apologizes for Police Crackdown on Media Pakistani riot police raided the offices of a private television station Friday, firing tear gas, breaking windows and scuffling with employees.
• US Congratulates Senegal President Wade on Reelection The United States has congratulated Senegal's President Abdoulaye Wade on his victory in last month's elections.
• Benin Police to Investigate Attack on President Benin's police have opened an investigation into what some government officials are calling a possible assassination attempt on President Thomas Boni Yayi. Mr. Yayi was unharmed in Thursday's attack, which officials say may have been a simple robbery attempt. As Kari Barber reports from our regional bureau in Dakar, officials hope the incident will not affect upcoming parliamentary elections.
• EU Enlargement Commissioner Presses for Reform in Bosnia The European Union Enlargement Commissioner has warned Bosnia to reform its police and fully cooperate with the international war crimes tribunal if it hopes to move toward EU candidacy.
• US Senate Calls for Further NATO Expansion The U.S. Senate has endorsed further NATO enlargement.
• Scientists Measure Depth of Ice Deposits at Mars' South Pole Scientists say they have made the most accurate measurements yet of the amount of ice lodged at the south pole of the planet Mars - and it is a huge amount.
• US Military: 5 US Troops Killed in Iraq Thursday The U.S. military says five American troops died in Iraq Thursday, including four killed in a roadside bombing.
• Irish Prime Minister Says He Hopes US Congress Will Pass Immigration Reform Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern says he hopes the U.S. Congress will approve President George Bush's proposals for immigration reform.
• World Bank, IMF Forgive Most of Sao Tome and Principe Debt The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have announced they will forgive more than 90 percent of Sao Tome and Principe's public debt. A small twin-island state with fewer than 200,000 inhabitants, aid-dependent Sao Tome and Principe has high hopes for offshore oil development. Naomi Schwarz has more on the story from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.
• Italy Steps Up Efforts to Secure Release of Journalist Abducted in Afghanistan The Italian government has stepped up efforts to obtain the release of a journalist from La Repubblica newspaper, who was kidnapped in Afghanistan 11 days ago. Media reports say the Taleban claim to have killed one of two Afghans abducted with the journalist. Sabina Castelfranco reports for VOA from Rome, the kidnappers have said they will grant authorities more time to comply with their conditions.
• White House Rejects Negotiations with New Palestinian Government U.S. President George Bush will not negotiate with the new Palestinian government, because it does not accept international conditions including recognition of Israel's right to exist. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.
• Study: Iraqi Reporters Particularly Vulnerable to Violence A report by the independent Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says the war in Iraq has been a deadly one for journalists, and in recent years local reporters are bearing the brunt of the violence. Correspondent Barbara Schoetzau filed this story from VOA's New York Bureau.
• UN Conference Studies Assistance in Rebuilding Iraq The United Nations is appealing to the international community to finance a five-year reconstruction plan for Iraq. VOA correspondent Peter Heinlein has details from U.N. headquarters in New York.
• US Episcopal Bishops Consider Africa Ultimatum Bishops from 111 Episcopal dioceses in the United States are meeting at retreat center near Houston to consider, among other things, how to respond to an ultimatum from African bishops to ban gay bishops and same-sex marriages. As VOA's Greg Flakus reports from Houston, the U.S. bishops are not expected to pronounce on this issue at this meeting, but time is running out.