News for Saturday, March 24, 2007
• US Treasury Official Dispatched to China Over North Korean Funds The United States says it is sending a top Treasury Department official to China to help resolve a banking dispute that had stalled nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea.
• Iraqi Police Say 8 Killed in Attacks in Baghdad Iraqi authorities say at least eight people have been killed in separate attacks in a restive neighborhood in southern Baghdad.
• Iraqi VP Says 'Quick' US Pullout Could Lead to Chaos Iraq's vice president says a "quick" withdrawal of U.S. forces from his country would lead to chaos, and is not in the best interests of the Iraqis, the United States or other Western nations.
• Reports: 15 British Naval Detainees Transferred to Tehran for Questioning Iranian media reports say 15 British sailors and marines seized by Iran in a disputed waterway have been transported to Tehran for questioning.
• Rice Tries Again to Re-Start Mideast Peace Process U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza is on her way to the Middle East, hoping to put new life into the Israel-Palestinian peace process.
• Benin Elections Delayed for One Week Benin's government says it will postpone legislative elections scheduled for Sunday for one week.
• Crew Killed in Missile Attack on Cargo Plane in Somalia Officials in Somalia have confirmed that a cargo plane carrying 11 people aiding the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia was shot down by a missile Friday, killing everyone aboard.
• Gunmen Kill 2 Buddhist Policemen in Southern Thailand Thai officials say insurgents have shot dead two Buddhist policemen guarding a market in southern Thailand.
• Hindu Judge Becomes Pakistan's Acting Chief Justice Muslim majority Pakistan has sworn in a senior Hindu judge as acting chief justice amid a judicial crisis that has jolted the country's president, Pervez Musharraf.
• Human Traffickers Luring Workers to Iraq The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says it is extremely worried about new patterns of labor exploitation and human trafficking emerging in Iraq. It says some of the workers are taken against their knowledge to Iraq and others are falsely lured there by promises of good-paying jobs. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from IOM headquarters in Geneva.
• Documents Show Attorney General Gonzales Discussed Prosecutor Firings New documents released by the U.S Justice Department say Attorney General Alberto Gonzales attended a meeting last November that discussed the eventual firings of eight U.S. attorneys.
• German Chancellor Calls For European Unity as EU Celebrates Its 50th Birthday German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged European Union leaders to back reforms aimed at rejuvenating the 50-year-old bloc.
• UN Chief Considers Increased Presence in Iraq United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says the international organization is considering increasing its presence in Iraq.
• President Bush Expresses Support for Attorney General Amid Calls for His Resignation President Bush has again expressed support for U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, after some lawmakers called for his resignation over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year.
• Mauritania Set for Historic 2nd Round Presidential Vote Campaigning has wrapped up for the presidential race in Mauritania, and on Sunday Mauritanians will cast their ballot in the first presidential runoff in the nation's history. Many say the first round of balloting, which was widely viewed as free and fair, has given them confidence that Sunday's vote could be a major step forward for a nation whose political history has been riddled with coups and instability. Kari Barber reports from VOA's regional bureau in Dakar.
• European Writers, Scholars Urge EU Action on Darfur A group of 10 European authors, playwrights and scholars has written an open letter to European Union leaders calling for action to end the violence in Sudan's war-torn Darfur region.
• Legislative Election Delayed in Benin Electoral problems in Benin have pushed back the legislative election. Originally set for this Sunday, the constitutional court has agreed to the national electoral commission's request to delay voting until next Saturday, because of problems gathering voters' names and printing ballots. But opposition candidates are worried the extra time still does not guarantee a fair election. Phuong Tran has more from VOA's West Africa Bureau in Dakar.