US Treasury Secretary to Stump for Bush Bailout Plan
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President Bush says government intervention is essential to control the impact of the financial crisis that is affecting ordinary Americans
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is appearing on U.S. television Sunday to promote President Bush's plan to have the government buy up to $700 billion in bad debt.The president said Saturday that government intervention is essential to control the impact of the financial crisis that is affecting ordinary Americans. Democratic and Republican lawmakers have agreed to the broad outline of the program and are working on its details.White House officials and congressional leaders have said they hope the legislation can be passed as early as next week.But some Democrats have complained that the outline is crafted to stabilize financial institutions without offering any visible protection for taxpayers or homeowners.Republicans have cautioned against exploiting the financial crisis for political advantage. Financial markets around the world plunged Monday when Lehman Brothers, a major investment bank, was allowed to collapse. Later in the week, the U.S. Federal Reserve gave an $85 billion loan to bail out American International Group, AIG, the world's largest insurance company. AIG nearly collapsed after major losses in the housing crisis.U.S. officials say millions of U.S. mortgage loans are in default or foreclosure. When homeowners cannot repay their loans, it damages mortgage-based lenders and investments.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
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Pakistan Security Officials Describe Hotel Attack
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The top official in the interior ministry tells reporters the attackers had built sophisticated bomb that is the largest on record in Pakistan
Pakistani security officials have disclosed new details about Saturday's hotel bombing and released a video showing the attack. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad, where the interior ministry said the death toll has reached 53 people, including four foreigners. View of destruction caused by bomb explosion at hotel in Islamabad, 20 Sep 2008 The top official in the interior ministry told reporters that the attackers had built a sophisticated bomb that is the largest on record in Pakistan. Rehman Malik said an estimated 600 kilograms of military grade explosives were mixed with aluminum powder - a highly flammable material. The bomb was packed inside a large dump truck that was also carrying construction materials - apparently to take advantage of city rules that allow large construction vehicles into the city after sunset.Security camera footage released by officials showed a large truck attempting to ram the hotel gate. When the truck failed to breach the barrier, the driver appeared to detonate a small explosion inside the cab, catching the vehicle on fire and sending hotel guards fleeing. The vehicle then burned for several minutes, before the flames grew and eventually detonated the truck's massive payload. Rehman Malik said officials have made no arrests, but suspect the perpetrators are linked to previous attacks. "Unless I investigate, Im not at liberty to tell you who has done it. But previous investigations, all the roads have gone to South Waziristan," Malik said. The tribal agency on the Afghan border is considered a stronghold of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, who was also blamed in the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Pakistani police officers carry an injured person after a bomb explosion at a hotel in Islamabad, 20 Sep 2008Officials said the four foreigners killed in the blast included two Americans, a Vietnamese citizen and the Czech ambassador to Pakistan. No militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, but in the past spokesmen for the groups frequently call television and radio stations to take credit and criticize the government. Rehman Malik urged the media not to give the militants a propaganda victory. "I am requesting and appealing to the media to stop the glorification of those - those militants who are killing your brothers, your sisters," Malik said. The top official in the interior ministry said the government plans to continue its plan for combating militancy in the tribal regions by distributing development aid, negotiating peace deals with willing partners, and using military strikes when necessary.
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43 Dead in Chinese Nightclub Fire
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Blaze triggered by fireworks set off during a performance in a club in the southern city of Shenzhen
Chinese authorities say a fire at a nightclub in southern China has killed 43 people and injured at least 88 others.The official Xinhua news agency says the blaze erupted in a club in the southern city of Shenzhen in Chinaprovince late Saturday.Xinhua said the fire was triggered by fireworks ignited during a performance.The report said that as of Sunday morning, 59 of the injured had been hospitalized and six others were under medial observation.The agency said police had detained 12 people in connection with the blaze.Xinhua said an investigation team of officials from the country's work safety watchdog, the Ministry of public Security, and the provincial and local governments, has been set up.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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WHO Working With China as Milk Scandal Spreads
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WHO's Western Pacific director Shigeru Omi tells reporters in Manila Sunday that China moving in the 'right direction' by recalling products and stepping up food safety inspections
The World Health Organization says it is working closely with Chinese authorities to contain the threat of tainted milk, which some fear may spread beyond China's borders.Chinese shopper looks at a notice posted on Mengniu milk products at a Wal-Mart store in Beijing, 21 Sep 2008The WHO's Western Pacific director Shigeru Omi told reporters in Manila Sunday that China is moving in the "right direction" by recalling products and stepping up food safety inspections. But he said the Chinese government needs to improve both its laboratory testing facilities and its reporting systems, noting that government agencies failed to communicate with each other at the start of the scandal.Milk contaminated with the chemical melamine has been blamed for killing four infants and sickening more than 62-hundred children in China.Malaysia and Singapore have banned milk from China. Burmese authorities are promising to seize and destroy Chinese milk products. In Hong Kong, health officials confirmed Saturday that a three-year-old girl has developed a kidney stone after drinking a contaminated milk beverage from China's Yili dairy for the last 15 months.The Assciated Press is reporting that Hong Kong health officials have found a small amount of melamine in Chinese-made Nestle brand milk.The current scandal was originally limited to infant formula. But now 22 dairies have been found selling products tainted with the chemical that can cause foods to appear to be higher in protein. A melamine-laced ingredient was also found in pet and animal feeds that sickened thousands of animals in the United States last year.Eighteen people have been arrested in connection with the milk scandal. Six of those allegedly sold the chemical, while the other 12 were suppliers accused of contaminating the milk.
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South African President to Address Nation After Agreeing to Resign
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Thabo Mbeki, who is accused of pushing corruption charges against his political rival Jacob Zuma, is expected to convene an emergency meeting of his Cabinet Sunday evening
South African President Thabo Mbeki (file photo)South African President Thabo Mbeki is to address the nation Sunday after agreeing to resign from office under pressure from his party.Officials say Mr. Mbeki also is expected to convene an emergency meeting of his Cabinet Sunday evening.The ruling African National Congress party recalled the president on Saturday for his alleged interference in the corruption trial of party leader Jacob Zuma. Party leaders accuse Mr. Mbeki of pushing the corruption charges against his political rival. Last week, a judge dismissed the charges against Zuma and suggested the case was politically motivated. Mr. Mbeki's office has denied the president's involvement in the case. Parliament must now pick an interim president ahead of April's elections. Officials say President Mbeki has decided not to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. Mr. Mbeki and Zuma have been bitter rivals since the president fired Zuma as his deputy president in a corruption scandal in 2005. Zuma toppled Mr. Mbeki from the ruling party's leadership last year and is widely expected to win presidential elections in April. The head of South Africa's opposition party, Helen Zille of the Democratic Alliance, says the decision to recall Mr. Mbeki was motivated by revenge to settle political scores. Mr. Mbeki became president in 1999, taking over from Nelson Mandela.Some information for this report was provided by AP.
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Olmert Announces Resignation as Israel's Prime Minister
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Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is stepping down as he faces allegations of corruption
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has told his cabinet he is stepping down, fulfilling a promise he made last July. Olmert faces corruption allegations and will be replaced by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who was elected the ruling party's new leader last Wednesday. VOA Jerusalem Correspondent Luis Ramirez reports.Israeli FM Tzipi Livni, left, looks at Israeli PM Ehud Olmert during a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem, 21 Sep 2008Ehud Olmert has been mired in a corruption scandal that brought him to promise last July that he would step down as soon as his party picked a new leader.That happened last Wednesday, when moderate Tzipi Livni won a narrow victory in the Kadima party primaries. Olmert said he was informing his cabinet about his decision to step down from his post as Prime Minister of Israel. The outgoing Israeli leader said resigning was not an easy decision, but said it is the worthy, diplomatic, and responsible thing to do.Aides said his resignation would become formal late Sunday. Olmert said he would stand by Livni. She has just a few weeks to form a coalition government or Israel will be forced to hold early general elections - a year and a half ahead of schedule. Olmert's departure is seen by many here as an opportunity to move ahead with U.S.-mediated negotiations with the Palestinians, which have been stalled over longstanding issues. The corruption scandal was viewed by party members as a distraction that took attention away from the peace process, and other pressing issues. Olmert plans to stay on as caretaker of the negotiations while Livni works to set up a governing coalition.
Kadima is anxious to avoid early elections, which could see it lose to right-wing parties supported by those in Israel who believe the centrists are giving too many concessions to the Palestinians. Right-wing sentiments have been fueled in recent months by security concerns including Iran's nuclear ambitions and the Islamist group Hamas' continued control of the Gaza strip.
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Obama Reaches Out to Women Voters
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Democratic presidential nominee reiterates his support for abortion rights and equal pay for women
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama speaks in Florida, 20 Sept.Presidential candidate Barack Obama has addressed issues important to women, as he tries to appeal to a critical voting bloc.The Democratic senator told a crowd in Florida on Saturday that it is an outrage that women still make 77 cents for every dollar that men make in the United States. He said his Republican opponent, John McCain, has opposed legislation to help women get equal pay.He also outlined his support for abortion rights, and promised a plan to provide health insurance for all Americans.
Both Obama and McCain are trying to appeal to women voters, particularly those who supported Senator Hillary Clinton during her run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination.
Some information for this report was provided by AfP and Reuters.
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Nigerian Rebels Declare Ceasefire in Delta
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Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta warns that it would end ceasefire if military attacks its positions again
Nigeria's leading militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has declared a unilateral ceasefire in the oil-rich region. Gilbert da Costa in Abuja reports for VOA.MEND warned in its statement that it would end the ceasefire if the military attacks its positions again. It also warned that other groups outside its direct command may not respect the ceasefire.The group declared war on the oil industry a week ago in what it said was a response to ground and air strikes by the Nigerian military against one of its bases in Rivers state, one of three states that form the core Delta.MEND said its decision to halt attacks was taken after a plea by community leaders. One of the region's most influential leaders with strong ties to the rebels, Edwin Clark, has held talks with government officials to resolve the crisis. Clark told VOA that militancy in the oil-rich region is a legitimate cause of action."I call them [militants] freedom fighters because they are fighting for their own survival, for their existence in a country which we call Nigeria," said Clark.Royal Dutch Shell, whose facilities suffered the most during the siege, declared on Saturday that it would not be able to meet its contractual obligations on oil deliveries due to militant attacks.Oil and gas accounts for 90 percent of foreign exchange earnings in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation with 140 million people.Rebels claim the oil wealth of Nigeria does not sufficiently benefit the local population.
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Afghan Warring Factions to Stop Fighting to Allow Start of Polio Vaccination Campaign
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Afghan warring factions to stop fighting to allow start of polio vaccination campaign
The warring factions in Afghanistan say they will heed a call by the United Nations to stop fighting so aid workers can begin a three-day polio vaccination campaign. The Taliban, the Afghan army and international military forces say they will halt their offensives Sunday, to coincide with International Peace Day. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva. An Afghan vaccinator, right, administers a polio vaccination during a house to house polio immunization campaign in Kabul, Afghanistan, 15 Apr 2008Over the next three days, thousands of health workers will fan out across six volatile provinces in southern Afghanistan. Their aim is to vaccinate 1.8 million newborns and children under five against polio.The UN-led polio immunization campaign was briefly suspended last week following the deaths of two Afghan doctors working for the World Health Organization.A spokeswoman for W.H.O.'s Global Polio Eradication Initiative, Sona Bari, tells VOA U.N. aid agencies and local communities decided it was important to go ahead with the campaign for the sake of the children.She says she hopes and believes the warring factions will abide by the U.N.'s call for a so-called "Days of Tranquility" and allow the vaccinators to do their job in safety."The 21st of September is an important day because it is International Peace Day and we have traditionally used this opportunity to say let us have everyone pause and help us access the children," said Bari. "After that said, I understand from our team leader there that we do expect probably slightly lower coverage in some of those areas just so that we can respect the measures we need to take to protect our people." Afghanistan is one of four countries with endemic polio. The others are India, Pakistan and Nigeria. The World Health Organization has confirmed 18 cases of polio in Afghanistan this year. Most occurred in Southern and Eastern regions where insurgent violence is the strongest and health workers are most at risk.Bari says Afghanistan is the closest of the four endemic countries in stopping the spread of the crippling polio virus. But she acknowledges vaccinators, so far, have been unable to reach about 100,000 children in the south because of the insecurity."So it is not a huge number. This is a nation with seven million children under the age of five. So that is not a significant obstacle," she added. "Afghanistan can be addressed. They are very close and with the kind of determination that we have seen this week, this is an area where they are very optimistic in terms of stopping polio transmission." About 350,000 children a year have become paralyzed from polio since 1988, when the World Health Organization began its Global Eradication Campaign. Most of the world is now polio free. This year, the W.H.O. reports more than 1,200 cases of polio globally, more than half of these are in Nigeria. The World Health Organization says Nigeria is the major stumbling block in efforts to wipe this crippling disease off the face of the earth. W.H.O. spokeswoman Bari says the last two polio immunization rounds in these Nigerian States failed to reach all the children targeted because the operations were not well planned. She says vaccinators lack proper training. She notes some parents, who are reluctant to immunize their children fearing the vaccine could cause sickness or sterility, hide their children during these campaigns.
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New York's Yankee Stadium Closes Forever
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Final game signals end of an era for the 'House that Ruth Built'
One of the most storied buildings in Major League Baseball - Yankee Stadium - is set to host its final baseball game Sunday night. As VOA's David Byrd reports, the "House that Ruth Built" will be torn down and replaced with a new state-of-the-art facility.Workers dismantle the Yankee Stadium signSunday evening, an era ends. Yankee Stadium's public address system will blare out Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" for the last time. The balls will be put away, the bronze images of New York Yankee heroes like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris will be packed with an almost religious reverence to be moved to their new home.And Yankee Stadium will be no more.
The House that Ruth BuiltBuilt in the early 1920s, Yankee Stadium was America's first three-deck sports facility. The land in New York's South Bronx was purchased from William Waldorf Astor for $675,000. The stadium cost $2.5 million to build. The Yankees originally played at New York's Polo Grounds, which the American League club rented from their National League rivals the New York Giants. But the Yankees started drawing bigger crowds and they wanted their own facility. Babe Ruth hit the first home run in the new park in New York's 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on April 18, 1923. A New York reporter then dubbed the stadium "the House that Ruth Built" and the name stuck.Babe Ruth near the end of his career with the YankeesDuring its lifetime, Yankee Stadium has witnessed some of the most storied moments in baseball, including 26 World Series titles won by the so-called "Bronx Bombers." One of those moments was a perfect game pitched by Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series. Larsen says he did not know he achieved perfection until the final frame of the contest."I didn't know it was a perfect game until someone told me in the clubhouse after. I knew I had the no hitter going," he said. "You expect the guys to get a base hit, that doesn't bother you. You don't go out and try to do stuff like that. You just try to go out and do a decent job and hope you come in on the winning end."Other pitchers to throw a perfect game at Yankee Stadium included David Wells in 1998 and David Cone a year later. Roger Maris hit his record-setting 61st home run there in 1961. Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game Six to help the Yankees win the 1977 World Series.
The stadium was also where former first baseman Lou Gehrig gave his speech in which he called himself the "luckiest man on the face of the earth." The man know as "The Iron Horse" lay in state at the stadium when he died from the disease that now bears his name. The list of Hall of Famers to play for the Yankees reads like a who's who of baseball, including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Joe DiMaggio, Gehrig and Reggie Jackson. Current Yankees' manager Joe Girardi says no other venue can compare with Yankee Stadium.Girardi said that "This place has been the house of numerous, numerous championships. This place has meant a lot to the history of baseball, the history of this country because of all the things that have happened here. And I think everyone appreciates it and everyone wants a piece of it."Longtime Yankee Stadium announcer Bob Sheppard says that Yankee Stadium has always felt like something sacred, something that represented all of America. Shepard went on to say "I think of it as a kind of baseball cathedral. Almost like St. Patrick's Cathedral except devoted not to the Lord, but to baseball."
Historic EventsBaseball is not the only event the stadium has hosted. In 1928, legendary Notre Dame college football coach Knute Rockne urged his team to beat Army for ailing teammate George Gipp - forever known as "win one for the Gipper." In 1938, as Adolf Hitler drove the world to the brink of war, American Joe Louis defeated German Max Schmelling at Yankee Stadium to win the world heavyweight boxing title. The New York football Giants played there and lost the 1958 NFL Championship to the Baltimore Colts in overtime. The stadium has also hosted three Popes - Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI - all said mass there. Former South African president Nelson Mandela led a rally there, and there have been numerous music concerts there including by U2, Billy Joel and Pink Floyd.
The New BallparkOld Yankee Stadium and New Yankee Stadium in New York City, the old stadium will be torn downThe stadium was renovated in the 1970s, but now a new ballpark is being built across 161st Street. The new $1.3 billion New Yankee Stadium is 63 percent larger than the old venue. It features a martini bar, steak house, art gallery and luxury boxes for high-paying customers. More comfortable seating has been installed with the best seats going for $2,500 a game.Some of the old landmarks will remain - fans will still have to take the Four Line subway to reach the field. The original limestone exterior will be replicated, as will the eagle medallions outside the stadium entrance. The cathedral windows and the frieze in the outfield will make the trip. And the memories - and ghosts - of Yankee Stadium will also make the trip when the Yankees play their first game at New Yankee Stadium next April.
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