International Community Pledges Support for Chile Following Quake

The international community is offering support to Chile in the wake of Saturday's devastating earthquake.

The European Union pledged $4 million in immediate aid to the South American nation. EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso described the money as a "first step" to "relieve suffering and to meet the immediate needs."

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon expressed his condolences for the loss of life in the earthquake. He said he is seeking an assessment on the situation from the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean which is based in Chile's capital, Santiago.

In the U.S., White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the Obama administration also stands ready to help. He said officials are closely monitoring the situation, including the potential for a tsunami.

The British Red Cross released more than $75,000 from its disaster fund to support relief efforts in Chile. Aid groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, are also organizing emergency teams and appealing for donations.

The U.S. State Department has provided a phone number for Americans seeking information about family and loved ones in Chile. That number is 1-888-404-4747.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had been scheduled to travel to Chile as part of a South American visit next week. A department spokeswoman, Megan Mattson, said Saturday that no decision on changing the secretary's trip has been made.
VOA News

Israeli Troops Clash With Palestinians in Biblical Hebron

Israeli troops have clashed with Palestinians in the West Bank for the fifth straight day. Religious tensions are running high.

Palestinian youths threw stones at Israeli soldiers in the biblical West Bank town of Hebron; troops responded with tear gas and stun grenades. It was the fifth day of clashes in Hebron, which is home to the Tomb of the Patriarchs. Abraham, the common forefather of both Jews and Arabs, is buried there and the site is a flashpoint of Jewish-Muslim tensions.

Palestinians declared Friday, the Muslim Sabbath, a day of protest in response to Israel's declaration of the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem as "National Heritage Sites." Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad prayed at the Tomb of the Patriarchs on Friday and charged Israel with annexing the site. He vowed that the site would one day be controlled by a Palestinian state.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to ignite a "religious war," and protesters took to the streets of Hebron.

One stone thrower told Israeli TV that Israel must give up control of the Tomb of the Patriarchs. He said it is a Muslim holy place which must be returned to the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to ease tensions. Mr. Netanyahu said nothing has changed at the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Israel would continue to guarantee freedom of worship for Jews and Muslims alike.

But in a strong rebuke from the United States, the State Department said Israel's decision on the holy places is "provocative" and harms efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
VOA News

Civilians die in Afghan offensive

Nato has confirmed that two rockets fired at militants during its offensive in Helmand, south Afghanistan, missed their target and killed 12 civilians.

The rockets struck a house in Marjah as thousands of Nato troops continued their operations to oust the Taliban.

Nato's commander Gen Stanley McChrystal said that "we deeply regret this tragic loss of life".

Coalition forces are aiming to build on gains in Operation Moshtarak, tackling snipers and booby-traps on day two.

A third Nato death related to the operation has also been confirmed.

Operation Moshtarak, meaning "together" in the Dari language, is the biggest coalition attack since the Taliban fell in 2001.

The operation is also the first big test of US President Barack Obama's new "surge" strategy for Afghanistan.

Rocket system suspended

Civilian casualties have been a key concern for the Nato-led offensive.
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ABC's Miguel Marquez embedded with US Marines as they journey into Marjah

The regions targeted were leafleted well in advance to try to minimise casualties.

President Hamid Karzai has called for an investigation into the civilian deaths, his office said.

ANALYSIS
Frank Gardner
Frank Gardner,
BBC News, Kandahar

Building by building, compound by compound, US Marines and British troops are trying to clear Marjah and Nad Ali district of hundreds, possibly thousands, of booby traps planted by insurgents. The US military told me they had started receiving tip-offs from local residents about where the bombs were hidden.

Many of those residents are believed to be cautious about welcoming government forces for fear they will soon depart again. Tribal councils are being held in both districts with the aim of persuading the population to back their government and not the Taliban.

According to a senior Nato officer joint Afghan-Nato patrol bases will soon be set up in the area, and 900 newly trained Afghan police are poised to come into re-establish government control.

The office said in a statement that it believed at least 10 of those killed were from the same family.

Nato said in a statement: "Two rockets from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launched at insurgents firing upon Afghan and [Nato] forces impacted approximately 300 metres (980ft) off their intended target, killing 12 civilians."

Gen McChrystal said: "The current operation in Central Helmand is aimed at restoring security and stability to this vital area of Afghanistan.

"It's regrettable that in the course of our joint efforts, innocent lives were lost.

"We extend our heartfelt sympathies and will ensure we do all we can to avoid future incidents."

The use of the the rocket system involved has been suspended pending a review.

The BBC's Frank Gardner in Kandahar says the deaths are very damaging for a campaign aimed at protecting the local population and driving a wedge between them and the insurgents.

MARJAH: 'TALIBAN STRONGHOLD'
Town and district about 40km (25 miles) south-west of Lashkar Gah
Population of town estimated at 80,000; Marjah district: 125,000
An area of lush vegetation and farmland
Last remaining major Taliban stronghold in southern Helmand
Considered a centre for assembling roadside bombs
Lucrative supply centre for opium poppies, a Taliban revenue source
Estimates of Taliban numbers ranged from 400 to 1,000

A question of trust
In pictures: Moshtarak
Details of the operation
Operation Moshtarak: Diary

He says it is exactly the kind of incident that Afghanistan leaders had said must be avoided and which they know can play straight into the Taliban's hands.

The Ministry of Defence has said that British troops were not involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, US, UK and Afghan forces have faced gun battles and numerous booby-traps on day two of the offensive in Marjah and Nad Ali in Helmand province.

In Marjah, US Marine commander Brig Gen Larry Nicholson told Agence France-Presse his forces had "blown up a lot of IEDs" and come up against "a lot of sniper fire".

He said it could take up to 30 days to make the area safe.

Marines were fired upon during a ceremony to raise the Afghan flag in Marjah.

Another Marines spokesman, Lt Josh Diddams, told Associated Press US forces were in the "majority of the city".

"We're starting to come across areas where the insurgents have actually taken up defensive positions. Initially it was more hit and run."

Nato officers and Afghan troops are holding shuras (meetings) with tribal leaders, and plan to bring in hundreds of Afghan police in the coming days to help secure the captured areas.

Casualties

Operation Moshtarak began before dawn on Saturday when more than 15,000 troops flew into central Helmand.
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The "surge" approach drove most of the insurgents out of Iraq and there is no reason why it shouldn't work in Afghanistan

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American forces, led by 4,000 Marines, are focusing on Marjah, while 4,000 British troops are in Nad Ali.

A large Afghan force, as well as Canadians, Danes and Estonians, is also involved.

Three Isaf deaths related to Operation Moshtarak have been confirmed.

On Saturday, a British soldier, Lance Sergeant David Greenhalgh of 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack, while a US soldier was killed by gunfire in Marjah.

On Sunday, another service member was killed in an IED attack.

At least 20 Taliban fighters were killed and another 11 detained on Saturday, an Afghan commander said.

'Going well'

At a Ministry of Defence briefing in London on Sunday, Maj Gen Gordon Messenger said the operation overall had so far "gone to plan".

"Nothing has stopped the mission from progressing," he said, although UK troops had taken small-arms fire.

AFP quoted President Obama's top security adviser, Gen James Jones, as also saying the offensive was "going well".

President Obama will be briefed on Sunday by the US commander in Afghanistan, Gen Stanley McChrystal.

OPERATION MOSHTARAK: DAY TWO - 14 FEBRUARY 2010
Map of operations (Source: MoD)
1: British forces find cache of IEDs, along with tunnels and ammunition dumps in this area
2: UK/Danish troops continue to disrupt Taliban movements; small arms contacts reported
3: US and UK forces operating either side of Canal 56 crossings consolidate their hold on the area
4: Bulk of British operations going on in this area; clearing and holding village-by-village
5: US forces continue air and ground assaults; On the outskirts of Marjah two rockets miss their targets, striking a house and killing 12 civilians
Source: UK Ministry of Defence
BBC News

Haiti marks one month on from the earthquake

Haiti has held ceremonies for the victims of the devastating earthquake which hit the country a month ago, killing at least 217,000 people.

Thousands prayed at the exact time the quake struck, on 12 January.

Earlier, Catholic and Voodoo leaders joined other religious figures for a service near the ruined National Palace in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

More than a million Haitians remain homeless, just as the rainy season is due to begin.


HAITI QUAKE
Magnitude seven quake strikes south-west of Port-au-Prince at 1653 local time (2153 GMT), 12 January
Government now reports between 217,000 and 230,000 dead, 300,000 injured
About three million affected, one million homeless, 250,000 homes destroyed
Quake sparks massive international aid effort - more than $500m (£320m) donated from US
UN says 53 million tonnes of rubble must be removed
US has assigned 13,000 military personnel

In pictures: Haiti mourns
Aid effort one month on
Audio slideshow: Haiti's camps
'Neglected' quake-hit town

Haiti's President Rene Preval has vowed that his country will live on.

"Haiti will not die, Haiti must not die," he told mourners at the main service in Port-au-Prince. "Wipe away your tears to rebuild Haiti.

"Today, allow me as citizen Rene Preval, the man, the father of a family, to address you to say that I cannot find the words to speak of this immense pain.

"It is in your courage that we will find the strength to go on."

Other prayer services were held across the country, including one at the site of a mass grave north of the capital which is believed to hold tens of thousands of victims.

To the north of the capital, in Titanyen, mourners prayed on top of a mass grave where tens of thousands of people were hastily buried after the earthquake.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge says the act of national reflection comes as one of the largest humanitarian operations ever mounted grapples with challenges on many fronts.

He says a heavy downpour on the eve of the anniversary provided a foretaste of the misery that lies ahead for the many people who still have only the flimsiest shelter in impromptu camps, if the pace of getting out more tents and stronger shelter materials is not stepped up before the start of the rainy season.


AT THE SCENE
Mike Wooldridge
By Mike Wooldridge, BBC News, Titanyen

Amid scrub-covered hills to the north of Port-au-Prince, some 50 worshippers led by a Haitian bishop celebrated mass on the graves where tens of thousands of the earthquake victims lie buried.

A small wooden table atop one of the mass graves in the scrub-covered low hills served as the altar.

Swinging incense above the graves and sprinkling water on them, the bishop said he aimed to give dignity to their hasty burial.

"Tend to your brothers and sisters, calling out from under the ground," he said.

In the biggest of the camps that sprang up in the capital after the earthquake, people are still living under sheeting strung across wooden poles.

The government says the seasonal rains could be the biggest threat now to the nation's attempts at recovery.

The European Union has proposed a military mission to step up the provision of shelter before the rains worsen.

The UN aid co-ordinator for Haiti, former-US President Bill Clinton, said Haiti could get through the crisis with the help of international donors.

"Though conditions are improving each day, countless people remain in urgent need of shelter and building materials, water and sanitation, food and clothing, and essential medical supplies," he said in a statement.

The White House warned that the situation in Haiti "remains dire", but added that the US "continues to stand with our Haitian friends as they recover".

This week's Haitian government figures suggesting up to 230,000 dead means the quake toll is approaching that of the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed 250,000 people.

BBC News

Volkswagen recalls 200,000 cars in Brazil

Volkswagen (VW) is recalling nearly 200,000 cars in Brazil because of a rear wheel problem.

The company wants to determine whether rear wheel bearings are sufficiently greased on the Novo Gol and Novo Voyage models made before July 2009.

VW says there is a possibility that a lack of lubrication could cause wheels to lock. In extreme cases they could loosen and even fall off.

The vehicles were made in Brazil for the local market, VW's third-largest.

This latest recall comes a day after car maker Honda added another 437,700 cars, mainly in North America, to its existing global safety recall over airbag inflation problems.

On Tuesday, Toyota announced the recall of about 436,000 hybrid vehicles worldwide, including its latest Prius model, to fix brake problems.
BBC News

Ill Nigeria President Yar'Adua must quit - media chiefs

Nigeria's ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua must hand over power to his deputy within seven days or resign, a group of media chiefs has warned.

Owners of 17 newspapers and media organisations said in a joint statement that Mr Yar'Adua should be impeached if he fails to comply with the deadline.

The embattled president has been in a Saudi Arabia hospital since November.

There have been various legal cases challenging the president's ability to rule from his sick bed.

In the latest ruling, the high court said there was no constitutional requirement for an interim leader to be appointed.

Last week, the cabinet issued a statement that President Yar'Adua was "not incapable" of running the country, following a previous court ruling giving ministers two weeks to make such a declaration.


YAR'ADUA ILLNESS TIMELINE
23 November 2009 Goes to hospital in Saudi Arabia
26 November Presidential doctors say he has pericarditis - inflammation of the heart lining
23 December First court case filed urging him to step down
5 January 2010 Two more court cases filed, rights group wants president declared "missing"
12 January President gives first interview from Saudi Arabia
27 January Cabinet declares president fit
29 January Court says no need for formal transfer of power

Yar'Adua absence still rankles
Profile: President Umaru Yar'Adua

The media owners said they were calling for the president to formally transfer power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan because he had been away for more than 70 days.

"The stakeholders hereby demand that the president cede power to his deputy or resign within seven days," their statement said.

"If he fails to take these obvious constitutional steps... the National Assembly should commence impeachment proceedings against the president for endangering the country."

Owners of several of the country's best-selling newspapers - including the Punch and the Vanguard - put their names to the communique.

Since Mr Yar'Adua left the country, fears of a power vacuum have surrounded the government.

The legal wrangling has focused on the country's constitution - which some people believe is ambiguous in its provisions for a prolonged absence by the president.

Mr Yar'Adua flew to Saudi Arabia in late November for medical treatment and has not been seen in public since.

In his only broadcast interview since he left Nigeria, he told the BBC's Hausa Service on 12 January that he would return to resume his duties as soon as his doctors would allow.

The president is suffering from an inflammation of the lining around the heart and has long suffered from kidney problems.

BBC News