world

China, Nigeria sign big deals as Beijing pledges higher profile in Africa

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 27,2006 11:59 p.m.

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said Thursday his government will seek closer ties with Africa -- a resource-rich frontier for the world's fastest growing economy -- after signing a series of major business deals with oil-rich Nigeria.

Rice says U.N. credibility at stake over Iran nuclear program

By Alyson Brodsy and Paul Ames · Thursday, April 27,2006 11:58 p.m.

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Ricem said Thursday the credibility of the U.N. Security Council was as stake as it decides how to deal with Iran's likely rejection of a deadline to bring its nuclear program in line with international demands. "In order to be credible, the Security Council, of course, has to act," Rice told reporters at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting.

More female migrants give birth, face rape and robbery, on illegal journey to U.S.

By Alyson Brodsy and Julie Watson · Thursday, April 27,2006 11:56 p.m.

NOGALES, Mexico -- Swaddled in dirt in the inky night, the newborn trembled as a stranger struggled to snip her umbilical cord with nail clippers. A smuggler and other migrants had bolted when the baby's 18-year-old mother screamed with labor pains.

Senate diverts $1.9 billion in Iraq war budget bill

By Alyson Brodsy and Andrew Taylor · Wednesday, April 26,2006 11:31 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted Wednesday to divert some of the money President George W. Bush requested for the war in Iraq to instead increase patrols against illegal immigrants on the nation's borders and provide the Coast Guard with new boats and helicopters. An amendment was adopted, 59-39, to cut Bush's Iraq request by $1.9 billion to pay for new aircraft, patrol boats and other vehicles, as well as border checkpoints and a fence along the Mexico border crossing near San Diego. Later, the Senate voted by a veto-proof 72-26 margin to kill an attempt by conservatives to cut the overall bill back to Bush's request -- just a day after the White House issued a toughly worded promise to veto the $106.5 billion bill unless it is cut back to below $95 billion.

Rice, Rumsfeld visit Baghdad

By Alyson Brodsy and Anne Gearan · Wednesday, April 26,2006 11:30 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Success in forming a new Iraqi government may let some U.S. troops leave the war zone within months, the top American military commander in Iraq said Wednesday. Paying a surprise visit, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld embraced the country's fledgling leaders as independent and focused on the future. "I came away most encouraged," Rumsfeld said after he and Rice spent a day meeting with Iraqi politicians and U.S. military and diplomatic advisers in the capital city.

In Ramadi, gunbattles can be predictable

By Alyson Brodsy and Todd Pitman · Tuesday, April 25,2006 11:50 p.m.

RAMADI, Iraq -- As U.S. and Iraqi troops marched through alleyways and families retreated indoors, Army Capt. Joe Claburn glanced at his watch and predicted exactly how long it would take for insurgents to attack.

Former Enron executive Lay blames media for company's fall

By Alyson Brodsy and Kristen Hays · Tuesday, April 25,2006 11:48 p.m.

HOUSTON -- Enron Corp. founder Kenneth Lay blamed the media Tuesday for undercutting his company's strengths in the weeks before it crashed by highlighting problems at Enron that he said were already cleaned up. Yet he said more problems, including restatement of previously announced earnings that wiped out nearly $600 million in profit for the previous four years, further pushed Enron toward bankruptcy protection as investor confidence eroded in October and November of 2001.

Vatican studying condom use in AIDS prevention, though debate continues

By Alyson Brodsy and Nicole Winfield · Tuesday, April 25,2006 11:48 p.m.

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican is studying whether condoms can be condoned to help stem the tide of AIDS, but it has given no indication that a pronouncement is expected, officials said Tuesday. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, who heads the Vatican office for health care, was quoted over the weekend in La Repubblica daily as saying his office was preparing a document on the question of condoms and AIDS, and that it would be released soon.

Bush halts deposits into federal oil reserves until fall

By Alyson Brodsy and Nedra Pickler · Tuesday, April 25,2006 11:47 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush ordered a temporary suspension of environmental rules for gasoline Tuesday, making it easier for refiners to meet demand and possibly curb prices at the pump. He also halted for the summer the purchase of crude oil for the government's emergency reserve. The moves came as political pressure intensified on Bush to do something about gasoline prices that are expected to stay high throughout the summer. Bush said the nation's strategic petroleum reserve had enough fuel to guard against any major supply disruption over the next few months.

At least 18 dead, hundreds injured in triple bombing in Egypt

By Alyson Brodsy and Steven R. Hurst · Monday, April 24,2006 11:42 p.m.

CAIRO, Egypt -- Three explosions rocked the Egyptian resort city of Dahab at the height of the tourist season Monday, killing at least 18 people and wounding more than 150 at just one hotel, according to the doctor in charge of the Sinai peninsula rescue squad. Police said the explosions hit the central part of the city where there are many shops, restaurants, bars and guesthouses. The blasts ripped through the town shortly after nightfall when the streets would have been jammed with tourists, mainly with Europeans, Israelis and expatriates living in Egypt.

Jury opens deliberation to rule on Moussaoui's fate

By Alyson Brodsy and Matthew Barakat · Monday, April 24,2006 11:41 p.m.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Monday afternoon Zacarias Moussaoui's fate was placed in the hands of a jury that will decide whether he is executed for his part in the deaths of Sept. 11, 2001. Jurors opened deliberations at 2:26 p.m. EDT, after final pleadings from the prosecution to "put an end to his hatred and venom" by opting for execution, and from the defense to spare him the martyr's death he seeks and send him to prison for life instead. The jury decided in 15 hours of deliberations during four days earlier this month that Moussaoui, 37, the only man charged in this country in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was responsible for deaths that day even though he was in jail at the time. That qualified him for the death penalty. The question now before jurors is whether he deserves it.

New threats issued in purported bin Laden tape

By Alyson Brodsy and Steven R. Hurst · Monday, April 24,2006 12:27 a.m.

CAIRO, Egypt -- Osama bin Laden issued ominous new threats in an audiotape broadcast Sunday, purportedly saying the West was at war with Islam and calling on his followers to go to Sudan to fight a proposed U.N. force.

New Orleans mayoral election heads to run-off vote

By Alyson Brodsy and Michelle Roberts · Monday, April 24,2006 12:25 a.m.

NEW ORLEANS -- The race to guide the city of New Orleans through one of the biggest urban reconstruction projects in U.S. history -- rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina -- was whittled to two familiar candidates: Mayor Ray Nagin and Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu.

Moussaoui's lawyers rest their defense as no evidence to 'shoe bomber' found

By Alyson Brodsy and Matthew Barakat · Friday, April 21,2006 12:02 a.m.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Defense lawyers closed their case for sparing Zacarias Moussaoui's life Thursday after the government admitted it had no evidence that he and would-be shoe bomber Richard Reid were to have joined in a hijacking as part of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, as Moussaoui claims. Prosecutors then opened their rebuttal case with testimony from psychiatrist Raymond Patterson, who has examined Moussaoui and disputes claims of doctors summoned by the defense that the terrorist conspirator is schizophrenic.

White House hosts Chinese president's 1st visit

By Alyson Brodsy and Martin Crutsinger · Friday, April 21,2006 12:01 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to cooperate more closely on trade and nuclear tensions over Iran and North Korea but failed to break new ground Thursday toward resolving a host of differences. Their meeting was marred by a protest. No breakthroughs had been expected during Hu's first visit to the White House as the president of China. Both he and Bush acknowledged at a picture-taking session that much work remained to be done and that the two sides would strive for progress in these areas.

Nepal security forces kill 4 protesters at rally

By Alyson Brodsy and Matthew Rosenberg · Thursday, April 20,2006 12:08 a.m.

KATMANDU, Nepal -- Security forces fired on thousands of pro-democracy protesters in southeastern Nepal Wednesday, killing at least four, and the government reimposed a curfew in the capital to prevent a massive rally urging the king to loosen his grip on power.

White House staff shake-ups continue

By Alyson Brodsy and Nedra Pickler · Thursday, April 20,2006 12:07 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove gave up some of his responsibilities, and White House press secretary Scott McClellan announced his resignation Wednesday, continuing a shake-up in President Bush's administration that has already yielded a new chief of staff. Rove is giving up oversight of policy development to focus more on politics with the approach of the fall midterm elections.

Israel blames Palestinian Authority for bombing

By Alyson Brodsy and Karin Laub · Wednesday, April 19,2006 12:01 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Israel's leaders held the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority responsible for the deadliest suicide bombing in 20 months but stopped short Tuesday of branding it an "enemy entity" or ordering a large-scale military operation.

U.S. launches large-scale Afghan military operation an

By Alyson Brodsy and Amir Shah · Tuesday, April 18,2006 11:47 p.m.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- U.S. and Afghan soldiers killed five militants during a large-scale operation targeting Taliban and al-Qaida fighters in a volatile eastern region near Pakistan, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Bush says more staff changes to come

By Alyson Brodsy and Terence Hunt · Tuesday, April 18,2006 11:46 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Tuesday nominated Trade Representative Rob Portman as the White House budget director, turning to a Washington insider and longtime friend as part of an effort to re-energize the administration and boost the president's record-low approval ratings. Bush also selected Susan Schwab, the deputy trade representative, to move up to the top trade job, replacing Portman. Bush said more changes are in the works under his new chief of staff, Joshua Bolten.