Archive - Feb 2007

Headlines
PRODI FACES CONFIDENCE VOTE
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi will face a parliamentary
confidence vote tonight. Prodi resigned a week ago after failing to
secure Senate approval for key foreign policy issues. If Prodi loses
the confidence vote, he will have to dissolve his government and either
form a new coalition or have the president call for early elections.

TERROR REPORT
Worldwide statistics from a new study released today shows there's been
a dramatic rise in terrorist attacks worldwide since the invasion and
occupation of Iraq – the so-called 'Iraq effect.' From London, Naomi
Fowler reports.

RE-THINKING DON'T ASK DON'T TELL

Headlines (5:00)
SUICIDE BOMBING AS CHENEY VISITS AFGHANISTAN
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at the
main entrance to the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The attack came
as Vice President Dick Cheney was visiting the premises. The blast
reportedly killed 23 people, but left the vice president unharmed.

SRI LANKA

Headlines (5:12)
GUINEA'S NATIONAL STRIKE ENDS TOMORROW
Trade unions in the West African nation of Guinea have agreed to call
off a general strike in response to the country's president agreeing to
replace the prime minister. The nationwide general strike, which began
in January, turned into a political movement to demand the resignation
of the country's longtime president. Today, Guineans commemorated the
more than 110 people who recently died in the violent crackdowns
against critics of the president.

LIBBY JUROR DISMISSED

Headlines (5:24)
CHENEY VISITS AUSTRALIA

Headlines (5:00)
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT STILL IN CRISIS
The political future of Italy is still up in the air a day after the
resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Prodi stepped down
yesterday after failing to secure the Italian Senate's approval for
key foreign policy issues like support for the war in Afghanistan and
the expansion of a US military base in the northern city of Vicenza.
Italian president Giorgio Napolitano spent a large part of today in
emergency meetings with the country's political leaders. The Italian
president is reportedly weighing the options of the formation of a new
government, the constitution of a new ruling coalition, or calling for
early elections.

Headlines (5:15)
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER RESIGNS
Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned today shortly after some
of his government's key foreign policy measures failed to secure the
approval of the Italian Senate. Among the measures that failed to
pass - funding for the Italian operation in Afghanistan. In addition
to Rome's participation in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan,
many Italians have been galvanized against militarization domestically
by unpopular plans to expand a US base in the northern Italian city of
Vicenza. The Italian president is now responsible for deciding how to
replace the prime minister.

DENMARK TO WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ

Headlines (6:20)
MILITARY COMMISSIONS RULING
A federal appeals court panel has ruled 2 to 1 against dozens of
detainees at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp who are attempting to gain
access to US civilian courts. Lawyers for the detainees argued that
the Military Commissions Act of 2006 fundamentally violates the
constitution and illegally suspends the 800 year old legal precedent
of habeas corpus. Under the system of trial by military commission,
the accuser acts as the interrogator, prosecutor, judge, jury and
jailer. Many legal experts watching this case see today's ruling as
another step in the journey towards the Supreme Court.

MORTAR FIRE IN MOGADISHU