LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“People’s reaction
has been ...‘Do not
send the accused
to trial. Hand them
over to us; we will deal with them. Hang them.’ But let us not
get carried away.” Indian Chief Justice Altamas Kabir, as police filed formal charges of rape and murder against five men accused of assaulting a 23-yearold woman aboard a moving bus Article, 1AIn Iraq, car bomb hits Shiites; 20 die
BAGHDAD - A car bomb explosion tore through a crowd of Shiite pilgrims returning home Thursday from a religious commemoration, killing at least 20 and reinforcing fears of renewed sectarian violence, according to Iraqi officials.
The blast occurred late Thursday afternoon in the town of Musayyib, about 40 miles south of the Iraqi capital. It targeted worshippers returning from the Shiite holy city of Karbala after the climax of the religious commemoration known as Arbaeen.
Children were among the 20 people confirmed killed, according to a police official. He said at least 50 people were wounded.
A hospital official confirmed the casualty toll.
Argentina to U.K.:
Cede Falklands
LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron rebuffed a call Thursday by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to hand over the Falkland Islands, 31 years after the two countries went to war over the South Atlantic archipelago.
“The future of the Falkland Islands should be determined by the Falkland Islanders themselves, the people who live there,” Cameron told reporters in Preston, northwest England.
“They’re holding a referendum this year and I hope the president of Argentina will listen to that referendum and recognize it is for the Falkland Islanders to choose their future, and as long as they choose to stay with the United Kingdom they have my 100 percent backing.”
In an open letter to Cameron published Thursday in British and U.S. newspapers, Fernandez said Cameron should abide by a 1960 United Nations resolution urging member states to “end colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.” Britain should begin negotiations over the sovereignty of the islands, which were “forcibly stripped” from Argentina exactly 180 years ago, on Jan. 3, 1833, she told the prime minister.
Macedonia cuts 43 lawmakers’ pay
SKOPJE, Macedonia - Macedonia is cutting the salaries of opposition lawmakers who have boycotted parliamentary sessions for a week after a stormy state budget debate.
Parliament said Thursday that the 43 left-wing lawmakers will get a third of their normal January salary for as long as they abstain.
Macedonia’s 123 deputies make an average of $1,300 a month.
The Social Democrat-led opposition is angry because their lawmakers - together with journalists - were expelled from the Christmas Eve debate as rival lawmakers and supporters clashed inside and outside Parliament. Three lawmakers and 11 policemen were injured.
The budget was approved, but opposition parties say the conservative government is wasting money on grandiose monuments, expensive cars and furniture.
Front Section, Pages 7 on 01/04/2013