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U.S., Russia to tackle non-proliferation

MOSCOW, July 6 (UPI) -- The United States and Russia Monday confirmed their commitment to preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and stop acts of nuclear terrorism.

"While we reconfirm that security at nuclear facilities in the United States and Russia meets current requirements, we stress that nuclear security requirements need continuous upgrading," U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a joint statement. "We will continue cooperating on effective export controls that make it possible to prevent nuclear materials, equipment and technologies from falling into the hands of actors unauthorized by the state as well as prevent their use in any manner contrary to obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."

The two leaders said they intend to broaden long-term cooperation to increase the level of off security at nuclear facilities globally.

"We also reaffirm our commitment to dispose of existing stockpiles of weapon-grade materials that are surplus to defense needs consistent with our obligations," under the non-proliferation agreement, the joint statement said.

The statement also recognized "the important role of safeguards in promoting confidence in the peaceful use of nuclear energy."

"We share a common vision of the growth of clean, safe, secure and affordable nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," Obama and Medvedev said in the statement.

Iranian leader warns against interference

TEHRAN, July 6 (UPI) -- The supreme leader of Iran said Monday his country would "react" to internal interference from Western nations.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a televised address at a ceremony for his birthday that interference in Iran's internal matters by Western nations will strain future relations, KUNA, the Kuwait News Agency, reported Monday.

"We strongly warn leaders of some Western countries not to interfere in Iran's internal matters, the Iranian nation will react," Khamenei said.

"Some leaders of Western countries at the level of president, prime minister and foreign minister openly intervened in Iran's internal affairs that had nothing to do with them, and then they said they don't intervene in Iran's internal affairs," the leader said.

Iran's state-supported PRESSTV said Khamenei was referring to countries blamed by officials for inciting unrest after the contested June 12 presidential election, including Britain.

Khamenei said that despite internal disagreements between Iranian leaders, they would be united against interference from other countries.

"In the event of enemy intervention, the Iranian nation, despite differences of opinion, will unite and become an iron fist against them," he said.

Police: S.C. serial killer is dead

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 6 (UPI) -- Police in North Carolina Monday shot to death the man who had killed five people in South Carolina, officials said.

Three Gaston County, N.C., police officers shot the man after he allegedly shot and wounded an officer, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported. The shooting occurred about 40 miles northeast of Gaffney, S.C., where the five apparently related killings are being investigated.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed late Monday ballistics tests showed the man's gun matched the weapon used to kill five people in Cherokee County, S.C., last week, the newspaper said.

"We saw evidence (at the scene) they (South Carolina police) needed to know about," Gaston police Capt. Joe Ramey told CNN.

Police said the man killed by police in Gaston County was in a Ford Explorer. CNN reported the vehicle was similar to the older-model Explorer suspected of being used by the Gaffney shooter.

Police did not release the identity of the man killed by police, the Observer said.

North Carolina police said officers went to a vacant home shortly before 3 a.m. Monday in response to a tip from a neighbor. When officers tried to take a man -- one of three people in the vehicle -- into custody because he was wanted by Lincoln County, N.C., authorities the man fired on the officers, wounding Officer J.K. Shaw in the leg. He was killed by return fire, police said.

Shaw was reported in good condition after treatment at a hospital.

AG to ask for murder case dismissals

CHICAGO, July 6 (UPI) -- The Illinois attorney general's office will join attorneys asking for the dismissal of cases against two men convicted of five murders, a legal clinic says.

The convictions came 19 years ago, said a release from the Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern University School of Law, which joined with the attorney general's office and the law firms of Mayer Brown LLP and Baker & McKenzie. The public and private attorneys are set to make the formal request in court Tuesday.

One case was based on a confession obtained by a detective working under former Chicago Police Cmdr. Jon Burge, the release said.

Both cases reflected alleged prosecutor failure to provide defense attorneys with exculpatory evidence -- evidence that tended to show innocence -- said Rob Warden, executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions.

The release said one of the men, Ronald Kitchen, was sentenced to death and the other, Marvin Reeves, to five life terms without parole. The sentences were for the allegedly drug-related murders of two women and three children whose bodies were found in their burning home in July 1988.

Both men have strong claims of actual innocence, the release said. Kitchen has consistently maintained his confession was beaten out of him by Detective Michael Kill, who worked for Burge.

Kitchen is represented by Thomas F. Geraghty, director of the Bluhm Legal Clinic, and Carolyn E. Frazier, also of the clinic, as well as Mark Oates of Baker & McKenzie. Reeves is represented by Michael J. Gill and David D. Pope of Mayer Brown, the release said.