AP Network News. I’m Tim Maguire.
Osama bin Laden’s top lieutenant has shown up today on videotape. On the tape aired by Al Jazeera, Ayman al-Zawahiri vows to continue (fighting in the US) fighting the US until Washington changes its policies. Al-Zawahiri mentions the US elections on that video.
They’ve given up the search for now for the 14-year-old son of NBC’s sports president Dick Ebersol. Teddy Ebersol has been missing since a plane crash in Colorado that killed two of the three crewmembers and put his father and older brother in the hospital. Scotty Brownley is the manager of Montrose Regional Airport near Telluride, Colorado.
--- A pretty extensive search continued all yesterday and into the evening hours last night. And so once NTSB gets onboard, gets onsite with their investigation, the search will continue.
The supreme court seems to be reluctant to back medical marijuana laws. The high court hearing from a California woman who’s been using pot to offset the symptoms of a brain tumor. Her husband says the case isn’t about illegal drug use, it’s about patient care.
--- This case is about granting sick and dying patients the right to a medicine that has proven medical benefits for them. That is the underlying issue we are fighting for here.
That argument is being called a smokescreen by Indiana congressman Mark Souder.
--- What they really are trying to do is first decriminalize and then legalize marijuana. That’s what the debate’s about, and it’s really discouraging when people in government try to make that argument, in effect protecting drug dealers.
The high court has rejected, without comment, a challenge to the legalized gay marriages in Massachusetts. Gary Buseck, the legal director for Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, says today’s ruling keeps the conversation going.
--- Maybe it’s good that what happens here brings attention to the fact that we, we’re having this kind of national conversation about marriage and about recognition of same-sex couples, and …
The Ukraine’s (going) outgoing president says the nation could hold a new election.
This is AP Network News.
The UN nuclear watchdog agency has agreed on ways to police Iran’s suspension of some nuclear programs. A resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency is to the liking of Iran’s chief negotiator.
--- We are emphasizing that suspension should be voluntary suspension, just for confidence building, and not as legal obligation for Iran. Fortunately, this is very clear in this resolution.
The United States says the IAEA has left open a number of questions about Iran’s nuclear program. The top US negotiator says Washington may take the case to the Security Council.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is on a collision course (to) with one of his most loyal coalition partners over the 2005 Israeli budget. Sharon lost the backing of the opposition Labor Party because of the cuts he wants in social spending. The Coalition Party is balking at payouts. The Israeli prime minister has promised the two religious parties to keep them in his coalition government.