News for Saturday, April 14, 2007
• More Than 170 Opposition Activists Detained at Banned Rally in Moscow Russian authorities have detained about 170 opposition activists as they tried to take part in a banned anti-government protest march in Moscow.
• Nigerians Vote for State Officials Ahead of Next Week's Presidential Election Nigerians are lining up at polling stations in the first of two nationwide elections that voters hope is the country's first peaceful civilian transfer of power.
• North Korea Misses Deadline to Shut Down Nuclear Reactor An April 14 deadline has passed and there are no signs that North Korea has begun to shut down its main nuclear reactor, as it agreed to do in February. VOA's Luis Ramirez reports from Beijing, where diplomats have gathered to see where the nuclear disarmament negotiations are going next.
• Two Suicide Bombers Kill Themselves in Casablanca Moroccan officials say two suicide bombers detonated their explosive belts in Casablanca Saturday, killing only themselves.
• UNHCR Begins Airlift of Sudanese Refugees Home From Ethiopia The U.N. refugee agency is beginning Saturday the first airlift to repatriate Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees says three flights are scheduled to take a total of 150 Sudanese refugees from Gambella airport in Ethiopia to Juba, South Sudan. Lisa Schlein reports from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva.
• Group of Seven Finance Officials Say Global Economy Resilient Top economic officials from the world's leading industrialized nations say they are confident the global economy will experience strong growth despite some risks.
• Congolese Opposition Party Stages Boycott of Parliament Members of the Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition party, led by former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, have suspended participation in parliament because of concerns about their safety.
• Turkish Bus Crash Kills 32, Mostly School Children Turkish authorities say 32 people, most of them children, were killed Saturday when a bus full of primary school students collided with a truck.
• Canadian TV Shows Video of French Hostages in Afghanistan The Canadian Broadcasting Company says it has obtained a video tape of two French aid workers kidnapped in southwestern Afghanistan by the Taleban.
• Bush Repeats Call for War Funding Bill Without Conditions President Bush has again called on congressional leaders to draft an emergency funding bill for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, without conditions such as timelines for withdrawal or domestic spending measures.
• President Bush, Pope to Meet in June The Vatican has announced that U.S. President George Bush will meet with Pope Benedict in June.
• Zimbabwe Police Allow Opposition Prayer Meeting In Zimbabwe, police have allowed an opposition prayer meeting to proceed in the second city of Bulawayo, but ordered organizers to withdraw scheduled speakers from the political opposition. VOA Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa bureau in Johannesburg.
• NASA Report: Human Error Doomed Mars Surveyor The U.S. space agency NASA says human error led to the loss of the Mars Global Surveyor orbiting probe last November.
• US Treasury Secretary Urges IMF Reform U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has urged the International Monetary Fund to re-invent itself by giving more of a voice to emerging-market countries.
• Chile Rejects Criticism of Senate by Venezuela's Chavez Chile's government has rejected criticism of its Senate by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
• Women's Basketball Team Accepts US Broadcaster's Apology Members of a U.S. women's college basketball team have accepted an apology from a radio host who was fired for insulting them with racial slurs.
• Chicago Chosen as US Candidate for 2016 Olympic Bid Chicago has been chosen as the U.S candidate city to bid for the right to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. As VOA's David Byrd reports, Chicago beat out two-time host Los Angeles to win the U.S. candidacy.
• World Finance Leaders Upbeat About Trade Talks, World Economy Leading finance ministers comprising the International Monetary Fund policy making committee Saturday stressed the importance avoiding trade protectionism. VOA's Barry Wood reports on the meeting in Washington of 24 economic decision makers from rich and poor countries.