VOA News: Asia: Obama Visits US Troops at DMZ

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Obama Visits US Troops at DMZ Mar 25th 2012, 03:42 U.S. President Barack Obama visited American troops guarding the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas Sunday and told them they are a long line of soldiers who have enabled South Korea to prosper. Mr. Obama told about 50 American soldiers that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had once confided that he was able to rise from poverty as a child, to a successful career thanks in large part to America's military aid and support. The U.S. commander-in-chief said he could not be prouder of what the soldiers do. Mr. Obama landed at a U.S. air base south of Seoul early Sunday. He plans to meet with President Lee later in the day. North to Launch Rocket North Korea's announced plan to launch what it calls an observation satellite on a long-range rocket next month is expected to dominate the nuclear security summit of more than 50 nations this week. The U.N., U.S., European Union, Russia and Japan have warned North Korea that the plan is in violation with U.N. resolutions, and urged Pyongyang to abandon the plan.  Even North Korea's ally China has expressed concern that such a rocket launch would undermine stability in the region. The United States has said the launch would cancel an agreement with North Korea to send it a large shipment of U.S. food aid in exchange for halting its nuclear and long-range missile programs. North Korea announced Saturday it would hold an annual parliamentary session April 13 amid preparations for the rocket launch. Obama Visit to DMZ to Support Troops Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said last week that the main points of the DMZ visit are to show support for the more than 28,000 U.S. troops serving in Korea and to stress the U.S. security alliance with South Korea. Rhodes said the president's message to North Korea is the same as it has been throughout his administration, that by meeting its obligations and denuclearizing, Pyongyang can follow a clear path to better relations with the international community. The DMZ is considered one of the most dangerous places on earth, with heavily-armed North and South Korean forces aligned against one another.  The two have remained in a formal state of war since an armistice ended combat in the Korean War in 1953. The White House says while in South Korea, Mr. Obama will hold various bilateral meetings, including talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao.  Mr. Obama also plans to meet with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea and Turkey on the sidelines of the summit.  He is also expected to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review efforts to support an Afghan-led reconciliation process with the Taliban. Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: ap_obama_korea_300_eng_24mar12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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VOA News: USA: Obama Visits US Troops at DMZ

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Obama Visits US Troops at DMZ Mar 25th 2012, 03:42 U.S. President Barack Obama visited American troops guarding the demilitarized zone dividing the two Koreas Sunday and told them they are a long line of soldiers who have enabled South Korea to prosper. Mr. Obama told about 50 American soldiers that South Korean President Lee Myung-bak had once confided that he was able to rise from poverty as a child, to a successful career thanks in large part to America's military aid and support. The U.S. commander-in-chief said he could not be prouder of what the soldiers do. Mr. Obama landed at a U.S. air base south of Seoul early Sunday. He plans to meet with President Lee later in the day. North to Launch Rocket North Korea's announced plan to launch what it calls an observation satellite on a long-range rocket next month is expected to dominate the nuclear security summit of more than 50 nations this week. The U.N., U.S., European Union, Russia and Japan have warned North Korea that the plan is in violation with U.N. resolutions, and urged Pyongyang to abandon the plan.  Even North Korea's ally China has expressed concern that such a rocket launch would undermine stability in the region. The United States has said the launch would cancel an agreement with North Korea to send it a large shipment of U.S. food aid in exchange for halting its nuclear and long-range missile programs. North Korea announced Saturday it would hold an annual parliamentary session April 13 amid preparations for the rocket launch. Obama Visit to DMZ to Support Troops Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said last week that the main points of the DMZ visit are to show support for the more than 28,000 U.S. troops serving in Korea and to stress the U.S. security alliance with South Korea. Rhodes said the president's message to North Korea is the same as it has been throughout his administration, that by meeting its obligations and denuclearizing, Pyongyang can follow a clear path to better relations with the international community. The DMZ is considered one of the most dangerous places on earth, with heavily-armed North and South Korean forces aligned against one another.  The two have remained in a formal state of war since an armistice ended combat in the Korean War in 1953. The White House says while in South Korea, Mr. Obama will hold various bilateral meetings, including talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao.  Mr. Obama also plans to meet with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea and Turkey on the sidelines of the summit.  He is also expected to meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review efforts to support an Afghan-led reconciliation process with the Taliban. Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: ap_obama_korea_300_eng_24mar12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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VOA News: USA: Former US Vice President Cheney Has Heart Transplant

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Former US Vice President Cheney Has Heart Transplant Mar 25th 2012, 00:13 Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is recovering after undergoing heart transplant surgery Saturday. Cheney's office said he is in the intensive-care unit at a Virginia hospital.  He had been on a waiting list to receive a heart for 20 months. His aide Kara Ahern said Cheney does not know the identity of the donor. The 71-year-old Republican leader, who served as vice president in the George W. Bush administration, has had a long history of heart trouble.     Cheney has suffered five heart attacks since age 37, the latest in 2010.  He had bypass surgery in 1988, as well as two subsequent angioplasties to clear narrowed coronary arteries.  In 2001, he had a special pacemaker implanted in his chest. Media files: APdick cheney.480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) APdick cheney.230.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Polls Set to Open in Senegal Presidential Run-off

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Polls Set to Open in Senegal Presidential Run-off Mar 24th 2012, 21:34 Senegal set to start voting Sunday in a tightly contested presidential run-off election.  President Abdoulaye Wade faces stiff competition from opposition leader, Macky Sall, as the incumbent tries to win a controversial third mandate. Senegalese are going to the polls for an election that analysts say could threaten the stability of one of Africa's most celebrated and peaceful democracies. A voter in Dakar says they want this election to be peaceful.  No matter who the people choose, she will support whoever wins.  She says they are hearing rumors that there could be trouble, and she is praying that all will go well. The days leading up to the vote were calm, however many worry that disputes over results could reignite street protests. The incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade, is seeking a third term, despite a constitutional two-term limit passed after he first took office in 2000.  The Constitutional Court ruled that he could run in late January, sparking riots that killed at least six people ahead of the first round poll on February 25. Mr. Wade led that round with 35 percent of votes, followed by Macky Sall who won just under 27 percent. Senegalese have become increasingly disenchanted with Mr. Wade since the former champion of the opposition came to power in 2000 and won re-election in the first round in 2007. The 85-year-old president, Africa's second oldest leader, says he needs more time in office to finish his projects, including a new airport outside Dakar. Addressing supporters, Mr. Wade says "help me help you!"  He says "you know very well that I am a man who takes on challenges."  He says "I will face every challenge with you." Mr. Wade's critics say he has focused too much on large infrastructure projects and not enough on the daily difficulties of the Senegalese. The president denies allegations that he is trying to secure power for his unpopular son and government minister, Karim. Macky Sall served in Mr. Wade's government as mining minister, prime minister and president of the National Assembly.  He ran Mr. Wade's campaign in 2007.  Mr. Sall only left the ruling party in late 2008. He has been quick to distance himself from his former mentor, promising to reform the government and reduce the cost of daily food necessities. At a campaign rally, Mr. Sall says he himself experienced the arrogance of the people in power and the president's dynastic conception of rule.  He says he thought it was that important to stand and fight back, depending only on the people of Senegal.  He says the people are sovereign, and he will serve them. Mr. Sall has the backing of the 12 other opposition candidates from the first round, as well as popular musicians like Youssou N'dour and the anti-government rap group, "Y'en a Marre," or "We've had enough." Cheikh Ka says he voted for another candidate before, but he says they are all now backing Macky Sall because they are tired.  He says the country has had enough of Mr. Wade. However, the two politicians' shared history is a stumbling block for some voters. Awa Laye Fall says she will vote for Macky Sall, not because he is better but because he is all they have.  She says they want Mr. Wade out, but she does not trust Mr. Sall.  She says she does not think he is that different. Mr. Sall has run an energetic, populist campaign. President Abdoulaye Wade has prioritized one-on-one visits in regional centers aimed at picking off opposition heavyweights at the local level.  He has also secured the backing of influential leaders in the country's Muslim Mouride brotherhood. Both candidates say they are confident of victory. The electoral commission has called on them to abstain from premature declarations of results in the interest of preserving calm. Media files: ap_senegal_sall_300_eng_24mar12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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VOA News: Middle East: Turkish Forces Kill 15 Women Kurd Rebels

VOA News: Middle East Middle East Voice of America

Turkish Forces Kill 15 Women Kurd Rebels Mar 24th 2012, 18:33 Turkish officials say security forces killed 15 rebel Kurds, all of them women, during clashes Saturday in the country's southeast. The Interior Ministry says the fighting between security forces and members of the Turkish rebel group the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, took place in a rural part of the mainly Kurdish province of Bitlis. The ministry says a local guard was also killed. The PKK, listed by Turkey and many other members of the international community as a terrorist group, took up arms against the government in 1984 in its fight for autonomy in the country's southeast. The 28-year conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives. Media files: Turkey Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: Asia: UN Chief Urges North Korea to Reconsider Rocket Launch Plan

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

UN Chief Urges North Korea to Reconsider Rocket Launch Plan Mar 24th 2012, 18:37 United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged North Korea to reconsider its announced plan to launch a so-called "application satellite" next month. Mr. Ban discussed the issue in a meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak Saturday.  He arrived in Seoul earlier in the day to attend the Nuclear Security Summit which begins Monday. The statement issued by his office says Mr. Ban urged Pyongyang to fully comply with the relevant resolutions of the U.N. Security Council, particularly the resolution which bans "any launch using ballistic missile technology."  He also urged North Korea to reconsider its decision in line with its recent agreement to refrain from long-range missile launches. North Korea agreed to halt all its nuclear programs and ballistic missile tests in exchange for a shipment of 240,000 metric tons of U.S. food assistance.  The communist country is perpetually on the edge of famine due to spates of drought and famine and poor economic management. But it later said it would launch an observation satellite on a long-range rocket next month.  The United States and South Korea believe Pyongyang plans to test long-range missiles that could eventually deliver nuclear warheads. Mr. Ban had warned earlier that the plan threatens regional peace. The statement also says Mr. Ban shared his concern with the South Korean government about dislocated people from North Korea.  Most North Korean defectors cross the border into China before finding their way to South Korea.  But China often captures and returns the refugees who then face severe punishment by North Korean authorities. The U.N. chief asked all concerned parties to find a mutually agreeable solution.  He also stressed the importance of respecting international humanitarian standards regarding dislocated people. Mr. Ban and Mr. Lee also discussed international efforts to end violence in Syria and South Sudan.  He expressed hope that progress will be achieved during the summit of world leaders in Seoul in the coming days. Media files: Ban Ki Moon_03_24_12_300x300.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Africa: Tuareg Rebels Threaten Unstable Mali

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Tuareg Rebels Threaten Unstable Mali Mar 24th 2012, 16:41 Tuareg rebels continue to push south in Mali, as mutinous soldiers struggle to maintain control of the capital two days after they seized power in a coup that has created more problems than it solved. Mali's future looks more uncertain than ever. President Amadou Toumane Toure has not been seen or heard from publicly since Thursday. Rumors are flying of a countercoup in the works. Northern strongholds are bracing for a fight as ethnic Tuareg separatists push South. Bamako residents say mutineering soldiers have looted the presidential palace, gas stations and shops. Coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, says he is calling for an end to vandalism and pillaging but denies that his forces are involved. He says people posing as army and police are trying to undermine support for the coup. He says the military is united behind the coup. He says their priority is to maintain Mali's territorial integrity. The coup was spearheaded by rank-and-file army soldiers and junior officers. Captain Sonogo addressed the nation flanked by members of several military units, though the coup does not appear to have garnered broad military support, particularly among high-ranking officers. President Toure, a former paratrooper and coup leader himself, is believed to be safe and protected by his loyalist soldiers at a paratrooper camp outside the capital. Soldiers took power Thursday after staging a mutiny against what coup leaders say was the government's mishandling of the two-month old Tuareg rebellion in the North. Outgunned and lacking basic supplies,  including food, the army has suffered crushing defeats and numerous casualties there as it faced Tuareg separatists, many of them former pro-Moammar Ghadafi fighters who returned to Mali heavily-armed from the conflict in Libya. The rebel Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or MNLA, says it has met little resistance as it closes on the regional capital of Kidal. President of the District Council of Kidal, Mahamadou Belco Maiga, says the city is surrounded but they will defend themselves with all their means. He is asking the state to give them weapons. The chaos of the past 48 hours has left holes in northern defenses. Director of the Michael S. Ansara Africa Center in Washington, J. Peter Pham, says in staging what appears to have been a hasty and unplanned coup, soldiers made their situation worse. "They certainly did the one thing that was sure to get them the reverse of what they wanted because now France, the U.S., the European Union have all cut them off from military assistance," he said. "Until such time as the coup is reversed which does not look likely or until they hold the elections as they promise, we are talking months if not a year before military assistance is resumed in which time the Tuaregs will dig in, in the areas that they control in the North." Tuareg rebellions have waxed and waned in Mali since independence in 1960. Rebels now say they want an independent homeland in the North, called Azawad. Hama Ag Mahmoud, of MNLA's political wing, says their demands are the same. He says they want the Azawad but will not advance further than that. He says they do not want problems with this new regime or the old one. He says they are willing to negotiate with an established president supported by Mali's political class and international power, like the European Union, the United States or France. A storm of international condemnation has rained down on the coup leaders. The African Union suspended Mali. The EU and World Bank both suspended development aid to the West African nation. The United States warned Friday it could suspend its non-humanitarian assistance to Mali if democracy is not restored. Mali was one of West Africa's few established democracies. It was set to hold a presidential election on April 29. President Toure was not seeking another term, having served his legal limit of two mandates. Presidential candidate, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, says constitutional order should be re-established immediately. He says the elections must take place on the original date. Coup leaders say Bamako will return to business as usual Tuesday. They say they are creating a government of national unity to organize elections. Media files: NorthAfrica-Tuareg-480-R1.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_mali_bamako_street_24mars2012_eng_230.jpg

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VOA News: USA: Tuareg Rebels Threaten Unstable Mali

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Tuareg Rebels Threaten Unstable Mali Mar 24th 2012, 16:41 Tuareg rebels continue to push south in Mali, as mutinous soldiers struggle to maintain control of the capital two days after they seized power in a coup that has created more problems than it solved. Mali's future looks more uncertain than ever. President Amadou Toumane Toure has not been seen or heard from publicly since Thursday. Rumors are flying of a countercoup in the works. Northern strongholds are bracing for a fight as ethnic Tuareg separatists push South. Bamako residents say mutineering soldiers have looted the presidential palace, gas stations and shops. Coup leader, Captain Amadou Sanogo, says he is calling for an end to vandalism and pillaging but denies that his forces are involved. He says people posing as army and police are trying to undermine support for the coup. He says the military is united behind the coup. He says their priority is to maintain Mali's territorial integrity. The coup was spearheaded by rank-and-file army soldiers and junior officers. Captain Sonogo addressed the nation flanked by members of several military units, though the coup does not appear to have garnered broad military support, particularly among high-ranking officers. President Toure, a former paratrooper and coup leader himself, is believed to be safe and protected by his loyalist soldiers at a paratrooper camp outside the capital. Soldiers took power Thursday after staging a mutiny against what coup leaders say was the government's mishandling of the two-month old Tuareg rebellion in the North. Outgunned and lacking basic supplies,  including food, the army has suffered crushing defeats and numerous casualties there as it faced Tuareg separatists, many of them former pro-Moammar Ghadafi fighters who returned to Mali heavily-armed from the conflict in Libya. The rebel Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or MNLA, says it has met little resistance as it closes on the regional capital of Kidal. President of the District Council of Kidal, Mahamadou Belco Maiga, says the city is surrounded but they will defend themselves with all their means. He is asking the state to give them weapons. The chaos of the past 48 hours has left holes in northern defenses. Director of the Michael S. Ansara Africa Center in Washington, J. Peter Pham, says in staging what appears to have been a hasty and unplanned coup, soldiers made their situation worse. "They certainly did the one thing that was sure to get them the reverse of what they wanted because now France, the U.S., the European Union have all cut them off from military assistance," he said. "Until such time as the coup is reversed which does not look likely or until they hold the elections as they promise, we are talking months if not a year before military assistance is resumed in which time the Tuaregs will dig in, in the areas that they control in the North." Tuareg rebellions have waxed and waned in Mali since independence in 1960. Rebels now say they want an independent homeland in the North, called Azawad. Hama Ag Mahmoud, of MNLA's political wing, says their demands are the same. He says they want the Azawad but will not advance further than that. He says they do not want problems with this new regime or the old one. He says they are willing to negotiate with an established president supported by Mali's political class and international power, like the European Union, the United States or France. A storm of international condemnation has rained down on the coup leaders. The African Union suspended Mali. The EU and World Bank both suspended development aid to the West African nation. The United States warned Friday it could suspend its non-humanitarian assistance to Mali if democracy is not restored. Mali was one of West Africa's few established democracies. It was set to hold a presidential election on April 29. President Toure was not seeking another term, having served his legal limit of two mandates. Presidential candidate, Ibrahim Boubakar Keita, says constitutional order should be re-established immediately. He says the elections must take place on the original date. Coup leaders say Bamako will return to business as usual Tuesday. They say they are creating a government of national unity to organize elections. Media files: NorthAfrica-Tuareg-480-R1.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_mali_bamako_street_24mars2012_eng_230.jpg

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VOA News: Americas: Pope to Meet Mexican President Saturday

VOA News: Americas Americas Voice of America

Pope to Meet Mexican President Saturday Mar 24th 2012, 15:19 Pope Benedict meets with Mexican President Felipe Calderon Saturday, as the Roman Catholic leader embarks on a five-day Latin America trip that will also take him to Cuba. The pontiff began his day with celebration of a private Mass at Miraflores College in the central Mexican city of Leon. He planned an early evening meeting with the Mexican leader at the state government house in Guanajuato, followed by a gathering with children on the city's Peace Square. On Sunday, the pope is presiding over a huge outdoor Mass in Leon.   Thousands of supporters turned out to welcome the pope when he arrived Friday at Guanajuato International Airport.  They spread out along the entire 32-kilometer route from the airport to Leon, cheering and chanting "brother, you are now Mexican." It was a warmer welcome than some had predicted for Benedict, who had not been expected to generate the excitement made by his predecessor. The late John Paul II was the first pope ever to visit Mexico and widely revered there. Drug violence The pontiff said he would pray for those imperiled by Mexico's drug violence. "I will pray especially for those in need, particularly those who suffer because of old and new rivalries, resentments, and all forms of violence," he said. President Calderon said his countrymen welcomed the papal visit. "There are many challenges that we have had to face in recent times. The pope is welcomed by a people that have suffered,'' he said. While on board his flight to Mexico, Pope Benedict told reporters that the Church must do all it can do to prevent young people in Mexico from joining drug cartels.  He said a lust for money was behind the country's drug violence. Mexico's bloody drug war has left about 50,000 people dead since President Calderon launched a crackdown on the drug cartels in 2006. Visit to Cuba This is Pope Benedict's first visit to both Mexico and Cuba. The Roman Catholic Church is under pressure in Mexico from the growing rise of Protestant churches, as well as a scandal involving a prominent priest, Marcial Maciel, who was facing allegations of drug addiction and molesting young boys when he died. During the flight, the pope said the Catholic Church is ready to help Cuba move away from communism, saying the Marxist ideology no longer corresponds to reality.  He said the Church is willing to help Cuba move ahead without "trauma."   In Cuba, the pontiff is expected to meet with President Raul Castro, and visit Santiago de Cuba and Havana, before leaving for the Vatican March 28. Media files: reuters_pope_mexico_24mar2012_eng_480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_pope_mexico_24mar2012_eng_230.jpg

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VOA News: Middle East: One Killed in Egypt Clashes Following Soccer Club Ban

VOA News: Middle East Middle East Voice of America

One Killed in Egypt Clashes Following Soccer Club Ban Mar 24th 2012, 13:17 One teenager was shot and killed and at least 18 others injured in the northern Egyptian city of Port Said in clashes that erupted between security forces and thousands of angry soccer fans. Large-scale protests began late Friday after the Egyptian Football Association said the Al-Masry soccer club would be banned for two seasons and Port Said Stadium closed for three years in response to a deadly soccer riot last month. Clashes continued into Saturday, with security officials firing shots into the air to disperse thousands of people blocking roads and protesting outside the Suez Canal Authority building. The teenager was reportedly shot in the back, though further details about the incident are not immediately available. Protesters are also denouncing what they say is a media smear campaign against their soccer club. Seventy-four people were killed in the February riot that started on the Al-Masry playing field moments after the final whistle in a league match between Cairo club Al-Ahly, the most popular in Egypt, and Al-Masry. Witnesses of the violence say security officials stood by as supporters of the winning home team, Al-Masry, attacked fans of the opposing team, stabbing them and throwing them off bleachers. Panicked fans rushed for the exits and some were crushed against locked gates. Seventy-five people, including nine senior police officers and three officials from the Al-Masry football club, are facing criminal trial for the violence. Media files: Egypt Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: USA: Santorum Favored in Louisiana Republican Presidential Primary

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Santorum Favored in Louisiana Republican Presidential Primary Mar 24th 2012, 13:29 Republicans in the southern U.S. state of Louisiana have started voting in Saturday's presidential primary election, with Rick Santorum the favorite, ahead of front-runner Mitt Romney. Romney, who once worked as a venture capitalist, won the Illinois primary Tuesday.  He now has more than 550 delegates. Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, holds about 250 of the 1,144 needed to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. A total of 46 delegates to the party's national convention this summer are eventually at stake in Louisiana, with 20 of them decided Saturday and the rest at a state convention in June. In recent days, Romney secured the support of more high-profile Republicans. Many of them want the primary race to end without more intra-party political attacks that may weaken Republican chances of defeating U.S. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in November.   Santorum's campaign has vowed to fight for more delegates up until the Republican party's convention in August if Romney is not able to win the necessary majority of delegates to clinch the nomination.  The party's nominee will be decided at the convention if no candidate gets enough delegates by then. The two other candidates in the Republican presidential race, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, have fewer delegates combined than Santorum's second place total. Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP. Media files: ap_us_Louisiana_santorum_23Mar12-resized.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) ap_us_Louisiana_santorum_230_23Mar12-resized.jpg

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VOA News: Asia: Maoists Kidnap Indian Lawmaker Amid Italian Hostage Talks

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

Maoists Kidnap Indian Lawmaker Amid Italian Hostage Talks Mar 24th 2012, 12:32 Indian officials say Maoists rebels have kidnapped a lawmaker in the eastern state of Orrisa, where two Italians were abducted by rebels last week. Authorities say a group of armed men snatched state legislature member Jhina Hikaka from his car early Saturday. Police say the men left leaflets in Hikaka's car, listing the same 13 demands set for the release of the Italians. It was not immediately clear if the politician was kidnapped by the same wing of the Maoists who abducted the Italians. Saturday's kidnapping took place in a different region of the state. Rebel negotiators have been talking with government officials about releasing the Italians. Maoist rebels, known as Naxalites or Naxals, have infiltrated more than 20 Indian states. Indian leaders have referred to Naxalism as the country's biggest internal security threat.  The groups include some of the country's most extreme poor, who say they are struggling against state-sanctioned acquisition of their land and natural resources. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: India Curious Map.jpg

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VOA News: Economy: Obama Urges House of Representatives to Pass Transportation Bill

VOA News: Economy Economy Voice of America

Obama Urges House of Representatives to Pass Transportation Bill Mar 24th 2012, 12:26 U.S. President Barack Obama is urging the House of Representatives to pass a transportation bill he says will put more Americans back to work and prevent a setback to the economic recovery. The Senate has already passed a bi-partisan version of the bill to repair roads, bridges and support construction jobs. During his weekly address Saturday, Obama also defended his energy policy, saying domestic oil production is at an 8-year high. Still, he is urging Congress to support the production of more clean energy industries, such as wind and solar power. In the Republican Party address, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky used the the second anniversary of Obama's health care reform legislation nest week to criticize the law. He says his party is more determined than ever to get what he called "Obamacare" repealed, claiming it is unconstitutional and too costly. Watch weekly Republican address: Media files: white_house_obama_weekly_address_230_23Mar12-resized.jpg

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VOA News: USA: Obama Urges House of Representatives to Pass Transportation Bill

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Obama Urges House of Representatives to Pass Transportation Bill Mar 24th 2012, 12:26 U.S. President Barack Obama is urging the House of Representatives to pass a transportation bill he says will put more Americans back to work and prevent a setback to the economic recovery. The Senate has already passed a bi-partisan version of the bill to repair roads, bridges and support construction jobs. During his weekly address Saturday, Obama also defended his energy policy, saying domestic oil production is at an 8-year high. Still, he is urging Congress to support the production of more clean energy industries, such as wind and solar power. In the Republican Party address, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky used the the second anniversary of Obama's health care reform legislation nest week to criticize the law. He says his party is more determined than ever to get what he called "Obamacare" repealed, claiming it is unconstitutional and too costly. Watch weekly Republican address: Media files: white_house_obama_weekly_address_230_23Mar12-resized.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Mali Coup Leader Denies Supporters Looting

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Mali Coup Leader Denies Supporters Looting Mar 24th 2012, 11:14 Malian coup leader Amadou Sanogo has denounced looting by soldiers and police officers but denies his men are responsible. Speaking on national television late Friday, Sanogo blamed "ill-intentioned" people trying to undermine support for the military takeover. "I deplore the acts of vandalism and pillaging which have occurred," he said. "Yesterday, I obtained concrete proof that ill-intentioned individuals were wearing uniforms of the police, the army, in order to break this coup, just to turn the population, to turn opinion against us. Once again, I ask that you excuse us for all the aggravation caused and, once appropriate, justice will be done, chances will be made. And here, once more, I urge all Malians, all Malians, at whatever level, to stop without delay these acts of vandalism and pillaging. Whether wearing a uniform or at whatever level, stop the vandalism and pillaging. These are neither our mission, nor our cause, nor our objective." Soldiers Wednesday took control of Mali's presidential palace, after expressing anger at President Amadou Toumani Toure's handling of an ethnic Tuareg rebellion in the north. The takeover came just five weeks before Mali was set to choose President Toure's successor in an election. After unrest Friday, the Tuareg rebels pressed with an offensive aimed at taking more government territory. A leader of the rebel MNLA told VOA's French to Africa Service the group wants to regain control of what it considers Tuareg land, regardless of who governs in Bamako. He says, in the view of the rebels, the problem is not with a specific government, but with what he calls the occupation of the country. The coup has been widely condemned from the international community as well as from some within Mali. A group of prominent politicians in Mali Friday issued a statement calling the take-over a "serious step backwards" for Mali and demanding an immediate return to the constitutional order. The AU suspended Mali's membership Friday, while United States and European Union also condemned the coup, and the EU and World Bank both suspended development aid to the West African nation. The United States warned Friday it could suspend its non-humanitarian assistance to Mali if democracy is not restored. The African Union has said President Toure is safe at an undisclosed location near the capita, Bamako, and is being protected by loyalists.   Coup leader Sanogo said Friday the military will step down once a new democratically elected president is in place, but he said it may take some time. He said President Toure would not be harmed, but declined to discuss the president's whereabouts. Well-armed Tuareg separatists started attacking army bases in Mali's desert in January after many Tuareg fighters returned from Libya. The U.N. refugee agency says the conflict has uprooted more than 190,000 people in and around Mali.  Many soldiers have died in the conflict. Tuareg nomads have launched periodic uprisings for greater autonomy in Mali and Niger. Media files: AP_Mali_Sanogo_230_23march12.JPG

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VOA News: USA: Obama Heading to South Korea for Nuclear Summit

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Obama Heading to South Korea for Nuclear Summit Mar 24th 2012, 08:24   U.S. President Barack Obama is on his say to South Korea Saturday for next week's Nuclear Security Summit.  He flew out on Air Force One in the early Saturday darkness Mr. Obama will join more than 50 world leaders for the high profile summit in Seoul, including Chinese President Hu Jintao. The White House says Mr. Obama will hold bilateral meetings with Mr. Hu and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea and Turkey on the sidelines of the summit. A White House statement Friday said President Obama will also meet with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to review efforts to support an Afghan-led reconciliation process with the Taliban. North Korea's controversial nuclear program is likely to be the main focus of the summit. Mr. Obama will make the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea one of his early visits after arriving early Sunday. In a conference call with reporters earlier this week, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the main points of the DMZ visit are to show support for the more than 28,000 U.S. troops serving in Korea and to stress the U.S. security alliance with South Korea. Rhodes said the president's message to North Korea is the same as it has been throughout his administration, that by meeting its obligations and denuclearizing Pyongyang can follow a clear path to better relations with the international community. The DMZ is considered one of the most dangerous places on Earth, with heavily-armed North and South Korean forces aligned against one another. The two have remained in a formal state of war since an armistice ended combat in the Korean War in 1953. Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Media files: ap_us_obama_23Mar12-resizedpx480q100shp81.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.2 MB) ap_us_obama_230_23Mar12-resizedpx480q100shp8.jpg

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