U.N. grappling with Lebanon crisis
NEW YORK, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A flurry of negotiations was under way at the United Nations in New York Tuesday amid preparations for a Security Council vote on the Israel-Lebanon crisis.
The 3 p.m. meeting was requested by Qatar, one of the non-permanent members on the council, in hopes of settling an impasse on terms of a cease-fire.
Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa flew to New York from an emergency league meeting in Beirut meeting with foreign ministers and Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora Monday, Ha'aretz reported.
Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants have been at war for 28 days, and a joint French-U.S. resolution to cease hostilities has hit a snag over terms of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
There is reportedly widespread agreement over "full cessation of hostilities" on both sides and a buffer zone in southern Lebanon patrolled by Lebanese forces and U.N. peacekeeping troops, but the resolution does not specifically call for an Israeli withdrawal.
The fresh debate means a vote could be delayed for days, the newspaper said.
Israel pays residents to flee war zone
JERUSALEM, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The Israeli government was organizing paid "refreshment" leaves Tuesday for 17,000 citizens living in the war-torn northern part of the country.
Cabinet Secretary Yisrael Maimon avoided using the term "evacuation" in the Jerusalem announcement, but rather said the people had been under rocket siege by Hezbollah militants for 28 days and would be offered paid recuperation elsewhere.
It was not specified where the people would go, the Ha'aretz newspaper reported.
The evacuees are expected to leave Wednesday, Israel Radio reported.
In Kiryat Shmona, city officials began compiling a list of those eligible for the leave, focusing on senior citizens, the handicapped and women who have not left their bomb shelters since fighting broke out, the Jerusalem Post reported.
U.S. to trim troop numbers in S. Korea
SEOUL, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The United States will reduce the number of troops it maintains in South Korea later this year, a senior Defense Department official said in Seoul Tuesday.
The current U.S. plan is to reduce the number of troops to 25,000 from 30,000 by 2008, but the defense official who asked not to be identified told the Yonhap news agency a further reduction would be made when South Korea assumes wartime control from the United States.
"As the adjustments take place, there will be a reduction in the number of U.S. forces located in the Republic of Korea beyond the level of 25,000 that we currently agreed to," the official said.
South Korea gave operational control of its military to the U.S.-led U.N. Command shortly after the Korean War broke out in 1950. It regained peacetime control of its forces in 1994, but wartime operational control remains in the hands of the U.S. military, which is set to change no later than 2009.
Both countries are negotiating a date before October when defense chiefs from both countries hold their annual Security Consultative Meeting in Washington, the report said.
'Serial Shooter' suspect denies any role
PHOENIX, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- One of the two Phoenix men jailed on charges in a year-long serial killing spree says he was arrested only for association with his accused roommate.
Dale Hausner, 33, has been jailed since last week on two counts of first-degree murder and 14 counts of aggravated assault in 37 shootings that killed seven people and injured 17 others. His roommate, Samuel Dieteman, 30, faces the same charges.
In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Hausner said he didn't do anything wrong.
"Apparently at night Sam had been taking my car out, using various weapons I have at my house to commit crimes," Hausner said. "And apparently they tracked it to my car and, when they came and busted in the house, I was there, and I guess I'm just guilty by association, even though I did not shoot anybody or kill anybody."
Robert Keppel, a detective with years of experience investigating serial cases, said Hausner's remarks were typical.
"He is being dominant," Keppel said. "He is power-hungry and he wants nothing but to make everyone else look like they are wrong. There are many like him in prison."
SUV crash kills 9 illegal immigrants
YUMA, Ariz., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- An SUV rolled over outside of Yuma, Ariz., killing nine illegal immigrants attempting to avoid a spike strip set by the Border Patrol, authorities said.
Five other people, including the driver, were seriously injured Monday when the Chevrolet Suburban, which was carrying 22 people, went out of control on Martinez Lake Road north of Yuma, The Arizona Republic reported Tuesday.
The Border Patrol said five people were pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were later declared dead at Yuma Regional Medical Center. Six of the people killed were women. The five seriously injured victims were flown to Phoenix for treatment, a patrol spokesman said.
The Mexican government was working Tuesday to identify and repatriate the dead and asked for an investigation into the causes of the crash, said Miguel Escobar Valdez, the Mexican consul in Yuma.
"We're asking for clarification on the circumstances that led to this happening," Escobar said.
The Border Patrol said it has recorded 26 deaths -- not counting the nine from Monday's crash -- in illegal immigration-related crashes since the fiscal year began Oct. 1.
