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British Prime Minister Meets with Iraqi Leadership in Baghdad

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789649:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Tony Blair met with
Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani in fortified
Green Zone

Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair listens to a question at a press
conference with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki, right, and Iraqi
President Jalal Talabani, centre, in Baghdad, 19 May 2007

Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair has met with his Iraqi
counterpart Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad's
fortified Green Zone.

Mr. Blair told a news conference afterwards that they discussed how to
bring about political reconciliation. He said he has no regrets about
Britain's role in the U.S.-led invasion that removed Saddam Hussein
from power.

Three mortar rounds hit the Green Zone today. A U.S. Embassy spokesman
said one person was injured.

In other news, troops of the U.S.-led Multi-National Force in Iraq
have widened the search for three missing American soldiers.

Earlier, the military said coalition forces in a raid today near
Amiriyah detained nine people suspected of involvement in the May 12
kidnappings.

The military said coalition forces on Friday detained two people in
Baquba allegedly associated with the command network of al-Qaeda in
Iraq.

The U.S. military Saturday announced the deaths of five American
troops from attacks in Baghdad, al-Anbar province, and south of the
the Iraqi capital.

Also, officials in Diyala province said Sunni militants killed 15
villagers near the border with Iran. The head of the Iraqi border
forces in Diyala blamed the attack on an al-Qaida-led group, the
Islamic State of Iraq.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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Compromise on US Bill Funding Iraq War Remains Elusive

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789641:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 US Democrats offer
concession to president, giving him authority to waive timeline for
withdrawal of troops Closed door negotiations between the White House
and congressional leaders on a bill to continue funding the wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan ended Friday without agreement. Both sides still
hope to reach a deal by the end of the month, as VOA's Deborah Tate
reports from Capitol Hill.

U.S. Capitol, Washington DCLawmakers and administration officials
failed to break a deadlock on President Bush's request for more than
$90 billion that he says is needed to fund military operations in Iraq
and Afghanistan.

President Bush earlier this month vetoed a war funding bill because it
also included a timeline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

In talks on Friday, Democrats offered a concession to the president,
giving him the authority to waive the timeline. That was rejected by
White House chief of staff Josh Bolten.

"The Democratic leaders did talk about having timelines for withdrawal
that might be waivable," said Bolten. "We consider that to be not a
significant distinction. Whether waivable or not, timelines send
exactly the wrong signal to our adversaries, to our allies, and most
importantly to the troops in the field."

John Boehner ( file photo)House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio
offered similar comments.

"Our colleagues across the aisle continue to insist on having
'surrender dates' in the supplemental spending bill," he said.

Democrats said the administration and Republicans did not appear
willing to compromise. Democratic Senator Harry Reid of Nevada is
Senate majority leader.

"To say I was disappointed in the meeting is an understatement," he
said.

Reid noted that public opinion polls show a majority of Americans
favor a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

The House last week passed legislation that would fund the wars in two
month installments, prompting another veto threat from the president.

Democratic lawmakers plan to draft another proposal to present to the
White House early next week. They hope the White House will not find
it objectionable so that Congress can pass the measure and send it to
Mr. Bush for his signature by the end of the month.

On a related matter, White House chief of staff Bolten expressed
support for a proposal by the top Republican on the Senate Armed
Services Committee, Senator John Warner of Virginia, that calls for
cutting U.S. aid to the Iraqi government if President Bush certifies
it has not met certain political and security benchmarks.

The president has signaled he is prepared to consider such benchmarks
to gauge progress by the Iraqi government, but he has rejected the
idea of linking benchmarks to U.S. troop withdrawals.

 

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German Soldiers Among 8 Killed in Afghan Suicide Bombing

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789648:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Taleban claimed
responsibility for bombing in crowded market in northern city of
Kunduz

Afghanistan Afghan officials say a suicide bomber has killed at least
eight people, including three German soldiers, in a crowded market in
the northern city of Kunduz.

Authorities say two other German soldiers are among 14 people wounded
early Saturday when the bomber blew himself up in the city center's
tea market, Chai Firoshi Bazaar. Kunduz officials say the Germans, who
had been on patrol, were shopping when the attack occurred.

The Taleban has claimed responsibility for the bombing.

About 3,000 German troops are part of the NATO international security
force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, U.S. and Afghan officials said Saturday about 100 militants
were killed late Friday in two separate battles with coalition and
Afghan troops in the eastern part of the country.

A U.S. coalition spokesman say scores of militants were believed
killed when they tried to ambush allied and Afghan forces in the
al-Asay valley of Kapisa province, which borders Kabul province. He
says coalition airstrikes were called in against the insurgents.

Meanwhile, Afghan authorities in Paktia province say U.S.-led
coalition and Afghan troops battled Taleban militants overnight in a
fight lasting several hours near the Pakistan border.

Afghan security officials say nearly 70 insurgents were killed in the
joint air and ground operation. They say Chechens, Arabs and Pakistani
fighters are believed to be among the dead.

In another attack Saturday, authorities in eastern Nangarhar province
say a district police chief and one of his bodyguards were killed by a
remote-controlled bomb.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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Islamic Hard-liners Kidnap Four Policemen in Pakistani Capital

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789643:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Incident is latest
challenge to government from radical 'Red Mosque'

Pakistani security forces are on high alert in the capital, where
Islamic students kidnapped four policemen. VOA correspondent Benjamin
Sand reports from Islamabad that the incident is the latest challenge
to the government from the radical "Red Mosque."

A Pakistani policeman stands inside the Jamia Hifza seminary during
negotiations between police and the Red Mosque administration in
Islamabad, 19 May 2007A spokesman for Pakistan's Interior Ministry,
Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema says the four officers were taken Friday
from the main road outside the Lal Masjid mosque in central Islamabad.

He says 15 to 20 students from the nearby seminary kidnapped the
unarmed policemen as they drove past the mosque.

The mosque's pro-Taleban clerics say the officers were conducting
undercover surveillance of the area, despite a prior agreement that
police would avoid the neighborhood.

The mosque's religious leaders and thousands of their supporters have
repeatedly challenged government authority in recent months.

Its top clerics have vowed to impose Taleban-style Sharia law in the
capital and have threatened massive suicide bomb attacks if the
government tries to interfere.

Students from the mosque's religious seminaries swept through one of
Islamabad's main market areas last month, warning shop owners against
selling music or movies.

Hundreds of students have also been occupying a nearby children's
library since January to protest government efforts to demolish
several mosques illegally built on government property.

The government had been trying to avoid direct confrontation with the
mosque.

But government critics say the authorities are appeasing pro-Taleban
militants and allowing religious extremists to gain a foothold inside
the Pakistani capital.

The government is also under pressure in northwestern Pakistan, where
at least eight government officials, including five women, were
kidnapped Friday.

Authorities in North Waziristan say more than a hundred tribal gunmen
abducted the government development workers near the Afghan border.
The government officials were preparing plans for local aid projects.

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Israeli Air Strike in Gaza Kills 1 Palestinian, Wounds 5

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789647:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Attacks in response
to rockets fired into southern Israel Saturday from Palestinian
territory, says Israeli army The Israeli military carried out more
attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip Saturday, killing at least
one person and wounding five.

The Israeli army says the attacks were in response to rockets fired
into southern Israel today from the Palestinian territory. The rockets
did some damage but caused no casualties.

On Friday, Israeli strikes killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza,
as militants continued firing rockets into Israel, causing some
injuries but no deaths.

Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah also battled for a sixth
day in the Gaza Strip Friday. At least three people were killed.
Clashes also erupted near the pro-Hamas Islamic University in Gaza
City.

More than 45 people have been killed since the latest round of
factional clashes broke out Sunday.

The fighting is threatening to bring down the fragile unity government
of Hamas and Fatah.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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WFP Warns of Pirates Off Coast of Somalia

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789646:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 World Food Program
says new spate of piracy threatens to disrupt aid The World Food
Program says it is taking advantage of the current lull in fighting in
Somalia to step up its food assistance to thousands of displaced
people. It has begun a second round of food distributions to 122,500
people.

Most of the beneficiaries fled the capital, Mogadishu, to escape heavy
fighting between Ethiopian troops supporting the transitional
government and Islamic rebels. But thousands of people who remained in
the capital, or who have since trickled back, are also in line to
receive food aid.

WFP spokeswoman Christiane Berthiaume says the agency is very worried
about the increasing acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia, which
could have a detrimental effect on WFP's humanitarian operation.

"There is a lot of food that you can put on a boat and even much more
than on trucks," she said. "And, the roads in Somalia are not the
safest roads in the world. And, on top of that, the rainy season has
started. The roads in the south and the center are becoming
impracticable. And, you know, most of WFP beneficiaries are in the
south and the center of Somalia."

The World Food Program feeds one million people in Somalia, of whom
800,000 are in the south and central parts of the country.

Somalia's coastal waters are considered among the most dangerous sea
routes in the world. Pirates have hijacked at least five ships off
Somalia this year, including two in the past week alone. In 2005,
pirates seized two WFP-chartered vessels, forcing the agency to
suspend all deliveries of food aid by sea to Somalia for weeks.

Christiane Berthiaume says WFP does not want a repeat of that now.

"We are launching an appeal to the authorities to do all that they can
to stop those pirates to kidnap boats," she said. "For some money,
they are threatening not only the lives of the crew, but also the
lives of poor people who depend on food aid to survive."

The United Nations estimates between 300,000 and 400,000 people have
fled Mogadishu since February first. An estimated 150,000 newly
displaced people in the south and central regions are among the one
million the World Food Program plans to feed this year. The agency
says this effort is expected to cost an additional $10 million.

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Displaced Chadians Wait For Return to Burnt Village

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789640:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Many still
afraid to return Over the past year in eastern Chad, dozens of
communities have fled fighting between rebel groups and Janjaweed
militias based in Sudan. The scorched landscape along the remote far
east, along the border with Sudan, is now mostly empty after thousands
of Chadians fled the constant border attacks and pillaging. Voice of
America reporter Phuong Tran talked to villagers from Bandala who
escaped their burning homes six months ago and are now waiting to
return safely. At a temporary camp in Habile, 85 kilometers from
Chad's border with Sudan, sisters Adama and Fatouma talk about
returning home. But they say they are afraid they may not be able to
recognize it when they get there. Adama, the younger sister, says she
remembers the mango, guava and tamarind trees around their house, but
knows they are no longer there. Her older sister Fatouma, a mother of
seven, says when suspected Janjaweed militia attacked and burned their
village of about 700 people, the fighters took even the fruits from
the earth. The sisters say they lost their mother in the attacks, and
that they will not go back, for now, because of the Janjaweed. In
Darfur, western Sudan, the conflict between rebels and the Janjaweed
has killed some 200-thousand people and displaced about two point five
million others since 2003, with many from Darfur seeking refuge in
Chad. Janjaweed militia, said to be supported by Sudan's government,
have fought against rebels on both sides of the Chad- Sudan border,
and are blamed for most attacks on civilians and torched villages.
Chad and Sudan have repeatedly accused each other of supporting the
other country's rebel movements and there have been many cross border
raids.Djima Barka Kamis has been the village chief of Bandala since
1963. The 60-year-old chief describes what he remembers from six
months ago.  Through a translator, he says, "The Janjaweed attacked
from east to west with their weapons. How could we have protected our
village with only our bare hands?  And we are still not safe here.
They came after us here four months ago."

At the end of last year, fighting among different armed groups
partially burned down Habile, where the camp is located. Chief Kamis
says,  "Even here, we are still not safe. Women are not able to leave
this area because they can be raped."Humanitarian agencies have asked
the international community to help improve border security,
especially after Chad's army cut back its forces along the border
early last year. The army was fighting a Chad rebel movement elsewhere
in the east that's seeking to overthrow the current government. The
reduction in troops has left huge patches of the one thousand
kilometer-long border between Chad and Sudan unprotected.The United
Nations is negotiating with the Sudanese and Chadian governments to
post international peacekeepers along the border.The camp in Habile,
where the sisters have sought safety, is just kilometers from Bandala,
their home village. Bandala is mostly silent now, except for the
desert wind. The fruit trees are gone. Only piles of burnt branches,
burnt and broken clay pots, and empty wrappers remain.

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Burma's Ailing PM Apparently Replaced

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789644:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Regional analysts
say move not likely to have significant impact on military
government's policies Burma's ruling military appears to have
appointed another top-ranking general to take over the duties of the
country's ailing prime minister. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok,
regional analysts say the move is not likely to have a significant
impact on the military government's policies.

Prime Minister Soe Win of BurmaBurma's secretive military government
did not make an official announcement that it was replacing General
Soe Win as prime minister, after months of speculation about his
health.

Instead, a brief report in the official New Light of Myanmar newspaper
referred to another senior officer, Lieutenant General Thein Sein, as
acting prime minister and said he had invited Cambodian leader Hun Sen
for an official visit.

Soe Win, who was appointed in late 2004, is reported to be seriously
ill and receiving medical treatment in Singapore. He succeeded former
Prime Minister Khin Nyunt, who was purged from the leadership and
lives under house arrest.

The acting prime minister is a former regional commander in northern
Burma, and also oversees the constitution drafting convention that is
part of the military's so-called "road map" to democracy.

Carl Thayer, a defense analyst at the University of New South Wales in
Canberra, says he sees little chance of a significant shift in
policies with Thien Sein as acting prime minister.

Thayer says the last crucial change came with the ousting of Khin
Nyunt and his supporters, who had backed steps to respond to
international criticism of Burma's human rights policies and the
detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The cleaning out of the stables over a year ago got rid of those
people who were in favor of opening up or playing games, trying to
integrate Burma with the region - on occasion make concessions to Aung
San Suu Kyi - they've gone," he said.  "The remaining are pretty hard
core committed to what they're doing and I personally don't see any
change."

Aung San Suu Kyi (1989 photo)Human rights activists have accused Soe
Win of involvement in the attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi in northern
Burma in late May 2003. The 1991 Nobel laureate has been under house
arrest since the attack. The order governing her detention is due to
expire later this month.

The European Union and the United States, which this week renewed
sanctions on Burma, have called on the military government to
immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi. The U.S. sanctions date back to
May 1997 and were strengthened in July 2003.

Burma's military government is headed by Senior General Than Shwe,
whose own health was in question earlier this year until he appeared
at national day celebrations. The current group of generals has been
in power since 1988.

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Philippine Election Sees Reversal of Fortune for Some Celebrity
Candidates

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789642:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 International
boxing champion Manny Pacquiao appears headed for loss International
boxing champion Manny Pacquiao can deliver a knockout in the ring, but
in the Philippine political arena the super featherweight appears
headed for a loss.  Preliminary returns from national elections show
that being a celebrity, once a sure vote getter in the Philippines, is
no longer enough to win over the public. Douglas Bakshian reports from
Manila.

Manny Pacquiao in this April 14, 2007 file photoUnofficial returns
show Manny Pacquiao losing by almost a two-to-one margin in South
Cotabato province to incumbent representative Darlene Custodio, who is
from an established political family.

Pacquiao, popularly known as "Pacman," is a folk hero in the
Philippines and his candidacy for a congressional seat in Monday's
election was seen as a good test of popularity versus
substance. Several other celebrity candidates also appear to be
losing.  Exit polls show actors Cesar Montano and Richard Gomez will
not likely be among the 12 winning senators. In the race for mayor of
Makati, the capital's financial district, incumbent Jejomar Binay has
defeated Senator Lito Lapid, a former movie star. Ramon Casiple of the
Institute for Political and Electoral Reforms says the message for
candidates is clear.

"Pure or simple popularity will not any more be a big factor," he
said.  "It will still be an important factor in the sense that it will
help your candidacy, but you cannot run any more on just popularity."

The role of actors in Philippine politics got a big boost in 1998,
when former action star Joseph Estrada was elected president with the
largest margin in the country's history. His victory was seen as a
revolt by common citizens against the political and economic elite who
run the country.

But President Estrada was forced out of office by a popular rebellion,
and he is now awaiting a court verdict on corruption charges. Casiple
says this experience took away much of the glitter of stars in office.

"The change started during President Estrada's time when his
government was basically seen by the people as one of the worst in
terms of governance," he said.  "And in fact it precipitated what we
call now, the EDSA people power two."

The original people power movement threw out dictator Ferdinand Marcos
in 1986.

Analysts say the spirit of people power is still alive but voters have
become cynical, because the recent leaders they put in power failed to
carry out promised economic and social reforms.

Casiple says there is growing maturity among Filipinos in assessing
candidates.

"If you are talking platform and program, it is not on that level. But
if you are talking distinguishing between sheer popularity and the
voters' perception of their capability for office, then I think the
voters are mature enough now," he added.

There is one prominent actor-turned-politician who appears to be doing
well in the recent vote, but she has accomplishments in office as well
as on the screen. Vilma Santos completed three terms as a town mayor
and was known for making improvements in public health, education,
infrastructure and the economy. She now appears headed for a win as
the governor of Batangas province.

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2008 US Presidential Campaign in Full Swing

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1789645:0CD412E1D281094A290875D95615FA529574F7DCC14957C0 Contenders from
both major political parties already campaigning hard for White House
The 2008 U.S. presidential campaign is off to an early and intense
start. VOA National correspondent Jim Malone has been watching the
candidates and has a report from Washington.

Barack Obama, left, talks with Hillary Rodham Clinton prior to the
start of the Democratic presidential primary debate of the 2008
electionThe next presidential election is still more than a year and
half away, but contenders from both major political parties are
already campaigning hard for the White House.

This comes as no surprise to Craig Crawford, a political analyst for
Congressional Quarterly magazine.

"It is a power vacuum and power abhors a vacuum, so there is such a
rush to fill it because of that, I believe, and also the media has
been, surprising to me, most eager to cover the campaign this early. I
think that also fueled it," he said.

Democrats believe 2008 will be the year they reclaim the White House
after eight years of President Bush.

New York Senator Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner for the Democratic
Party's presidential nomination and Clinton has made ending the war in
Iraq her top priority.

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (File) "If
he (President Bush) does not extricate us from Iraq before he leaves
office, when I am president I will, beginning on the day when I am
inaugurated," she said.

The eight declared Democratic candidates oppose the war but differ on
how quickly U.S. troops should leave Iraq.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is currently running second in public
opinion polls behind Senator Clinton.

Barack Obama (File)"Unless we bring our troops home and get them out
of Iraq, we are not going to be able to perform the kinds of changes
here in America that are required," he said.

Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards is running third, along
with former Vice President Al Gore.

Gore has repeatedly said he will not run for president.

Analyst Craig Crawford says that leaves Hillary Clinton in a strong
position at the moment.

"I think the default position in this campaign says that Hillary
Clinton is the next president," he said. "I am not saying that would
not change, but sitting here today I would say the default position is
that she has got everything in place, not only to win her nomination,
but win the presidency. And so I think now the campaign is going to be
about testing that hypothesis."

On the Republican side, ten contenders are vying for their party's
nomination. Nine of them support the president's Iraq policy.

Republican presidential hopeful, former New York City Mayor Rudy
Giuliani listens to a question during a town hall meeting in Henniker
(File)Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani continues to lead in
the polls, largely because many Republicans see him as a strong leader
on national security given his performance in the wake of the 2001
terrorist attacks.

"If we are going to wave the white flag, and if we are going to give
them a schedule of our retreat and force the United States into that
position, well, then it seems to me you are going on defense," he
said.

But Giuliani has come under fire from his Republican rivals who
question his conservative credentials, especially on social issues
like abortion, gun control and gay rights.

Larry Sabato directs the Center for Politics at the University of
Virginia.

"Giuliani will get nominated if the Republican electorate decides that
the election has to be about terrorism and national security," said
Sabato. "If the Republican electorate starts focusing on social issues
like abortion, Giuliani is cooked and done."

Republican presidential hopefuls John McCain, left, and Rudy Giuliani
greet each other after the first Republican presidential primary
debate of the 2008 election, 3 May 2007Arizona Senator John McCain
trails Giuliani for the nomination. McCain has emerged as the most
vocal supporter of President Bush's new security strategy in Iraq,
even though polls show most Americans oppose the war.

McCain made his case during the recent Republican debate in South
Carolina broadcast by the Fox News Channel.

"I believe the Maliki government has got to improve," he said. "It has
got to pass certain laws that we all know about. But we must succeed
and we cannot fail. And I will be the last man standing if necessary."

Two other notable Republicans, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson
and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, are considering
joining the Republican field.

Analyst Craig Crawford says there may be room for a candidate that can
appeal to social conservatives, a key constituency group within the
Republican Party.

"I think there will be a market come late summer or early fall for
some new faces, particularly on the Republican side, it seems," he
said. "Republican voters are still searching."

Thompson could join the race within a matter of weeks while Gingrich
says he will decide in September.

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