From Washington this is VOA news. In Syria the government denies its tanks and artilleries responsible for Friday’s deadly assault that killed more than 90. And in Afghanistan a family of eight killed in a NATO airstrike. I’m Martin Johnson reporting from Washington.
Syrian government has denied its troops (massacred) at least 92 people, about 1/3 of them children, Friday in the town of Houla. Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi called the accusation against the Syrian government a tsunami of lies. Instead he blamed heavily-armed terrorist who he claimed attacked soldiers. U.N. observers said artillery and tanks were used to pound Houla located northwest of the city of Homs. Makdissi said Syria soldiers retaliated to (defend) their positions but denied they used artillery and tanks. Houla massacre marks the single deadliest attacks in Syria since Syria’s anti-government uprising began 15 months ago. Edward Yeranian reports from Cairo.
Edward Yeranian: “A team of U.N. observers arrived in Houla Saturday to investigate the killings. The acting head of the opposition Syrian National Council urged the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency session to discuss the (brutality). Syrian government TV charged the terrorists were responsible for the massacre in Houla. The government often refers to rebel soldiers and other opponents as terrorists, claiming that they are part of an outside plot to destabilize the country. Edward Yeranian for VAO news, Cariro.”
The two top vote getters in Egypt’s first round of (presidential elections) reached out to their rivals Saturday and described their visions of building a new Egypt if elected in next month’s runoff. Former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq, a secularist, praised the glorious revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak and vowed there will be no recreation of the old regime. The front runner, Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi, dismissed Shafiq as a symbol of the old regime having been Mr. Mubarak’s final prime minister and refused any cooperation with it, saying it ruined the country. As for the preliminary elections, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter in Egypt to observe offered these comments.
Jimmy Carter: “Well there were many violations, em, and I think each (violation) is serious but I think collectively they did not affect the basic integrity of the election. And, em, I think that many of those probably will be corrected.”
Again the Muslim Brotherhood candidate Morsi appears to the front runner Shafiq coming in second and final result is expected on Tuesday.
Officials in eastern Afghanistan say a NATO airstrike has killed a family of eight. A government spokesman for Paktia province tells VOA that a coalition airstrike late Saturday killed a man, his wife and their six children in the Gerda Serai district. He said the according to his information, the man was not linked to any insurgent group or any anti-government activities. A coalition spokeswoman confirmed that NATO returned fire and requested air support during clashes with insurgents, but they are investigating whether civilians died in the fighting. Civilian casualties have been a major source of friction between President Hamid Karzai’s government and the international coalition in Afghanistan. A NATO airstrike in northern, northeastern Kapisa province earlier this year killed eight children. Separately, this weekend saw, eh, four coalition soldiers were killed in three roadside bombings in southern Afghanistan on Saturday night. NATO says the explosions were not part of (coordinated attack).
A (scandal) has erupted in a highly unlikely place. The Vatican in Rome confirmed Saturday that Pope Benedict’s butler has been arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential documents and letters from the from the pontiff’s private quarters. Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said 46-year-old Paolo Gabriele, the pope’s butler since 2006, was arrested after secret documents were found in his Vatican home. The scandal, which has been dubbed Vatileaks by the media, involves the leaking of a string of documents earlier this year to Italian media. The documents allege corruption in Vatican finances and have centered on the activities of Cardinal Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. The scandal grew and expanded several days ago with the publication of a book, which includes contents of confidential letters and documents reportedly smuggled out of the Vatican.
A Swedish singer Loreen has won the 2012 Eurovision song contest in Baku, Azerbaijan. The 28-year-old pop singer won the final round of the annual competition with her song Euphoria. Earlier, em, days earlier she angered local authorities by meeting with human rights activist critical of the country’s record. Loreen’s win was the fifth victory by Sweden in the contest, following in the footsteps of the group Abba who won in 1974 with Waterloo. Huge rotate.
I’m Martin Johnson, VOA news, Washington.