September 2007

World


North Korea Agrees to Disable Nuclear Fuel Plants (Sept. 2): After a two-day meeting between Christopher Hill, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and North Korean negotiators, North Korea says it will disable its nuclear fuel production facility and disclose to international monitors an accounting of all of its nuclear programs by the end of 2007.

Myanmar Completes Constitutional Convention (Sept. 3): Representatives to the convention, which has met on and off since 1993, release a draft constitution that ensures the military will continue to control the ministries and legislature and have the right to declare a state of emergency. The document also limits the rights of political parties.


Bush Makes Surprise Visit to Iraq (Sept. 3): President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates travel to Anbar Province, a Sunni stronghold, and meet with Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki and other leaders. Bush stresses that progress in security and reconciliation have been made in Anbar and hints that a troop withdrawal may start if such gains continue.


Report Says Iraq Lags in Meeting Benchmarks (Sept. 4): Government Accountability Office report finds that while violence in Iraq seems to be abating, the Iraqi government has failed to stem the sectarian violence and has three of the 18 benchmarks outlined by Congress in May.


German Officials Arrest Terror Suspects (Sept. 5): Three Islamic militants are arrested and authorities confiscate large amounts of explosive materials and detonators. Officials say the suspects were planning to attack the Ramstein Air Base and the Frankfurt International Airport.


Panel Says Iraq's Army and Police Ill Prepared to Take Control (Sept. 5): Independent commission, led by Gen. James Jones, a retired Marine, declares that while Iraq's armed forces are improving, it will be 12 to 18 months before the police and army can assume control over the country.
Bin Laden Releases a Video (Sept. 7): In his first video message in nearly three years, bin Laden says promises to "continue to escalate the killing in Iraq."


Former Pakistani Prime Minister Is Arrested (Sept. 10): Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted in a coup in 1999 by Pervez Musharraf, is arrested and deported after trying to re-enter Pakistan from exile in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan's Supreme Court recently ruled that Sharif could return to the country.


Japanese Prime Minister Quits (Sept. 12): Shinzo Abe abruptly announces his resignation. The move follows a string of scandals and July's stunning defeat in parliamentary elections, in which his Liberal Democratic Party lost control of the upper house to the opposition Democratic Party.


Russian President Nominates New Prime Minister (Sept. 12): Hours after the resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, Vladimir Putin names Viktor Zubkov, a cabinet official, as the next prime minister.


Sunni Sheik Allied with the U.S. Is Killed in Iraq (Sept. 13): Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi, a leader of Sunni tribes in Anbar Province that have joined forces with the U.S. to fight Sunni militants, such as al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, dies in a bombing. Such cooperation is credited with bringing relative peace and stability to Anbar Province.


Influential Cleric Says He Will Withdraw from Governing Coalition (Sept. 15): The political movement led by Moktada al-Sadr announces that it plans to withdraw from the United Iraqi Alliance, the largest bloc in Parliament. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki would lose his majority in Parliament if the Sadrists follow through.


Iraqi Civilians Are Killed by U.S. Security Company (Sept. 16): Seventeen Iraqi civilians, including a couple and their infant, are killed when employees of private security company Blackwater USA, which was escorting a diplomatic convoy, reportedly fire on a car that failed to stop at the request of a police officer. Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki threatens to evict Blackwater employees from Iraq.


Pakistani President Says He Will Resign as Military Leader if Reelected (Sept. 18): If elected to a second term as president, Pervez Musharraf announces he will step down from his post as army chief before taking the oath of office. Some opposition leaders, however, question whether he would follow through on his promise.


Lebanese Politician Is Killed in Attack (Sept. 19): A car bomb kills Parliament member Antoine Ghanem of the Christian Phalange Party, which is part of the governing coalition. He is the eighth anti-Syrian leader to be killed since the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri.


Khmer Rouge Leader Is Arrested (Sept. 19): Nuon Chea, who was second-in-command to Pol Pot during the four years of Khmer Rouge rule that led to the state-sponsored massacre of between 1 million and 2 million, is charged with war crimes.


Japanese Lawmakers Select New Prime Minister (Sept. 23): The governing Liberal Democratic Party elects Yasuo Fukuda as prime minister, replacing Shinzo Abe, who resigned after a disappointing year in office. Fukuda was elected to Parliament in 1990 and held the post as chief cabinet secretary under Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.


Iranian President Stirs Protets at Columbia Speech (Sept. 25): In his controversial speech, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad insists there are no homosexuals in Iran, says the U.S. supports terrorism, and calls U.S. and European efforts to halt Iran's nuclear weapons program hypocritical. Columbia's president, Lee C. Bollinger, preceded Ahmadinejad's speech with an attack of his own. "Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator,”he said. “You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated."


Government Cracks Down on Protesters in Myanmar (Sept 26): After a month of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations, which saw steady increases in participation and recently drew in hundreds of monks, protesting sharp prices in fuel, government forces shoot at crowds, raid pagodas, and arrest monks. Dozens of people are killed. The protests are the largest in the country in 20 years. The brutally of the attacks spark international outrage.


Court Rules in Favor of Musharraf's Election Bid (Sept. 28): Pakistan's Supreme Court rules that President Pervez Musharraf can run for re-election while maintaining his role as military chief.


Rebels in Darfur Kill Peacekeepers (Sept. 30): Hundreds of rebels attack an African Union base in Haskanita, a town in the Darfur region of Sudan, and kill at least 10 peacekeeping troops.






Nation


Pakistan President Musharraf Approved to Run For Re-Election, Police Clash With Protesters and Media VOA 29 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's election commission has approved President Pervez Musharraf's re-election bid a day after the Supreme Court dismissed challenges to his candidacy

Pakistan Court Dismisses Challenges to President Musharraf's Re-Election Bid VOA 28 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has dismissed a series of challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election bid, paving the way for Mr. Musharraf to run in the October presidential election while still holding his post as chief of the military


Pervez Musharraf to run for re-election in Pakistan 27 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf registered Thursday to run in presidential elections due on October 6, Pakistani media reported.


Pakistan Chief Justice Orders Release of Detained Opposition Supporters VOA 27 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's chief justice has ordered the government to release dozens of activists detained last week during a crackdown on protesters opposed to the re-election of President Pervez Musharraf.
Pakistan: How Are Domestic Crises Impacting War Against Terrorism? RFE/RL 26 Sep 2007 -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is facing crisis from within and without his country.


Bhutto Says Pakistan at a Crucial Point VOA 25 Sep 2007 -- Exiled former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says she plans to return home, even without reaching a political deal with the country's military ruler


Pakistan Supreme Court Dismisses Two Challenges to Musharraf VOA 24 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has dismissed two challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's bid for reelection, but the justices are still considering several others


Pakistan Police Arrest Opposition Party Leaders Ahead of Election VOA 23 Sep 2007 -- Police in Pakistan have arrested at least four leading figures in political parties opposed to the re-election of President Pervez Musharraf
Pakistan appoints new spy chief IRNA 21 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan on Friday appointed Major General Nadeem Taj as the new chief of the country's spy agency with several other top level promotions and appointments, the army said.


Calls For Jihad By Bin Laden Add To Musharraf's Woes RFE/RL 21 Sep 2007 -- Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has vowed to retaliate against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for the killing of a radical cleric during a raid on Islamabad's Red Mosque in July


Islamists Demonstrate Against Pakistan's President VOA 21 Sep 2007 -- Islamist political parties have added their voice to charges that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's bid for re-election is unconstitutional


Islamic Web Site Says Bin Laden to Declare War on Pakistani Leader in New Video VOA 20 Sep 2007 -- An Islamist web site says it will soon carry a new video from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden declaring war on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and the country's army.
PAKISTAN: Illegal arms threaten peace across troubled NWFP IRIN 20 Sep 2007


Pakistan's Presidential Election Scheduled Despite Court Challenges to Musharraf Candidacy VOA 20 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's Election Commission says the presidential election will take place on October 6, despite legal challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election bid


Pakistan president to quit military if re-elected - lawyer RIA Novosti 18 Sep 2007 -- Pervez Musharraf is poised to give up his post as army chief if re-elected as Pakistan's president, his chief lawyer said Tuesday.
Musharraf to Step Down as Military Leader After Election VOA 18 Sep 2007 -- A lawyer for Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has said Mr. Musharraf plans to give up his post as chief of the military if he wins forthcoming presidential elections


Pakistan Court Hears Challenge to Musharraf Re-Election Bid VOA 17 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan's Supreme Court has begun hearing challenges to President Pervez Musharraf bid for re-election


Former PM Announces Return to Pakistan But May Face Corruption Charges VOA 14 Sep 2007 -- The political party of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has announced she will return to the country in October to take part in elections


Ex-Premier Bhutto to return to Pakistan October 18 - Pakistan People's Party RIA Novosti 14 Sep 2007 -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is set to return home after eight years in self-imposed exile, a spokesman for her Pakistan People's Party (PPP) said Friday.



Analysis: U.S. Nervously Eyes Pakistani Impasse cfr.org 13 Sep 2007 -- Every day that passes without a settlement to Pakistan’s political crisis raises concerns about escalating violence and instability


Pakistani Military: Troops, Gunships Pound Militant Hideouts VOA 13 Sep 2007 -- A Pakistani military spokesman says troops backed by helicopter gunships have pounded militant hideouts in a tribal region of northwest Pakistan.


Pakistani ex-PM Sharif to challenge deportation in Supreme Court RIA Novosti 11 Sep 2007 -- Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif has filed a petition with the country's Supreme Court protesting his deportation, local media quoted Sharif's lawyers as saying.


Sharif Appeals Expulsion from Pakistan VOA 11 Sep 2007 -- A lawyer for Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has filed a legal challenge against the government for deporting him from Pakistan



Nawaz Sharif deported again IRNA 10 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who returned to the country on Monday morning after ending seven year of exile, was again deported after four-hour stay at the Islamabad International Airport, officials said.

Former Prime Minister Sharif Deported From Pakistan RFE/RL 10 Sep 2007 -- Pakistani officials say former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been sent back to Saudi Arabia, where he had been living in exile since 2000.

Ex-PM Sharif deported soon after return to Pakistan RIA Novosti 10 Sep 2007 -- Pakistani former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was arrested at Islamabad airport after returning from a long exile Monday, and deported to Saudi Arabia, Pakistani TV reported.

Former Pakistan PM Sharif Deported After Arrival in Pakistan VOA 10 Sep 2007 -- Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has been deported from Pakistan after attempting to enter the country


Pakistan Strengthens Security Ahead of Former Prime Minister's Return VOA 09 Sep 2007 -- Pakistan has tightened security at all major airports and banned rallies one day before the arrival of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the leader deposed by Pakistan President Musharraf. As of last reports, Mr. Sharif is about to arrive in Pakistan


Saudi Intelligence Chief urges Pakistani Sharif to honor exile deal IRNA 08 Sep 2007 -- Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Saturday urged former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif to honor his exile agreement brokered by the Saudi King in 2000.


Pakistan Reopens Corruption Charges Against Sharif VOA 07 Sep 2007 -- The Pakistani government has reopened a corruption case against former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and a court has ordered the arrest of Mr. Sharif's brother


Musharraf to remain President till November 15: Court told IRNA 06 Sep 2007 -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan was told on Thursday that General Pervez Musharraf's term as President will expire on November 15.
Old Rivals Poised to Re-enter Pakistan Political Stage VOA 05 Sep 2007 -- Two former prime ministers of Pakistan say they will return from their self-imposed exiles


Bombs Kill Dozens In Pakistan Army City RFE/RL 04 Sep 2007 -- Two bombs have exploded in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi amid morning rush-hour traffic, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 60.

Suicide Attacks Kill 25 Outside Pakistani Capital VOA 04 Sep 2007 -- Twin suicide bomb blasts have rocked the garrison town outside Pakistan's capital city


Former Pakistani Leader Bhutto Vows Return From Exile Soon VOA 01 Sep 2007 -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says that despite stalled power-sharing talks, she will be heading back to her country soon






Business/Science/Society


Job Losses Spark Worries about the Economy (Sept. 6): A Labor Department report that shows that 4,000 jobs were lost in August, the first such decline since 2003, leads some economists to say a recession may follow.


Federal Judge Endorses States' Rights to Cut Emission (Sept. 12): Vermont judge William Sessions III rules that standards set by the state to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases by cars and light trucks do not intrude upon federal law. The standards are based on those set by California in 2002.


Three Earthquakes Strike Indonesia (Sept. 12 and 13): More than a dozen people die on the island of Sumatra when three quakes, one with a magnitude of 8.4, hit.

Fed Cuts Interest Rate (Sept. 18): In an attempt to bring stability to the economy, which has been rocked by turbulence in the housing and financial markets, the Federal Reserve cuts benchmark interest rate to 4.75% from 5.25%.


United Auto Workers Strike Against General Motors (Sept. 24): Some 73,000 workers take to the picket lines when contract negotiations over wages and benefits reach a stalemate. (Sept. 26): The UAW and GM reach a deal that has the auto maker creating a $55 million trust, called a voluntary employee benefit association (VEBA), that will administer health benefits for retirees.