UPI NewsTrack TopNews

Clinton seeks support against Iran nukes

DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday turned her attention to a complicated deal to convince Iran to stop its nuclear enrichment program.

Clinton was to head for Saudi Arabia from Qatar to ask the Saudi King Abdullah to guarantee energy supplies to China in exchange for Chinese agreement not to block further sanctions against Iran in the U.N. Security Council where China holds veto power, The National reported.

Speaking in Doha Sunday night, Clinton urged greater pressure be applied to Iran following Thursday's announcement by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Iran had produced highly enriched uranium.

"With the help of God, the Iranian nation has become nuclear," Ahmadinejad said on the anniversary of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

"Iran leaves the international community little choice but to impose greater costs for its provocative steps," Clinton told reporters.

Clinton is leading a diplomatic convoy of high-ranking American military and diplomatic officials seeking to garner regional support and ratchet up pressure on Iran to cease production of weapons-grade uranium.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen stopped in Egypt and Israel Sunday. He continues on to Jordan Monday. Undersecretary of State William Burns was confer with diplomats in Lebanon and Syria. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, will also visit Qatar.

"We are now working actively with regional and international partners to prepare and implement new measures to convince Iran to change its course," Clinton said.

Trains crash near Brussels; 20 killed

BRUSSELS, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Two trains collided in snowy weather Monday, killing at least 20 people near Brussels, officials said.

Officials said a train from Leuven to Braine-le-Comte and one from Quievrain to Liege crashed head-on after at least one of them didn't brake, The Daily Telegraph reported.

The number of people injured was unknown.

The cause of the acccident was not immediately known, officials said. Reports that a third train was involved in the crash were unconfirmed, The New York Times reported.

The local mayor told Belgian state broadcasters "over 20 people have died and many are seriously injured."

"The collision was a brutal one, the train did not brake. Coaches have been overturned and many people have been hit. It is carnage," a passenger told a Belgian broadcaster.

High-speed train services, including runs between Brussels and Paris, were blocked by the crash, the Times said.

Eye of Cyclone Rene settles over Tonga

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The eye of a Cyclone Rene, described as one of Tonga's worst storms in decades, settled over its capital of Nuku'alofa Monday, officials said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Rene, having sustained winds of 97 mph with gusts as strong as 144 mph, coincided with a high tide and flooding in low-lying areas, officials said.

Male'u Takai, National Disaster Office deputy director, called the Class 3 cyclone possibly the worst storm in 50 years.

Authorities were assessing damage, Radio New Zealand International reported.

The storm's current track indicated it would begin affecting eastern and southern parts of Fiji by Tuesday, TVNZ reported.

People in and around Nuku'alofa were advised to seek higher ground.

Officials said soldiers may be brought in to enforce evacuations if flooding becomes severe, Radio New Zealand International said.

Police Commissioner Chris Kelley said he already has seen some damage around Nuku'alofa.

"I have seen trees down, coconut trees across power lines. I have seen trees across the road. I have seen sheets of metal flying," Kelley said. "I know that at the police headquarters we have certainly sustained some damage to our buildings."

Humanitarian aid agency Oxfam says emergency supplies and personnel are available, should they be needed.

Euro wobbles as finance ministers meet

BRUSSELS, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The euro dipped to a near nine-month low against the dollar Monday as European financial ministers met to discuss Greece's national debt.

European Union leaders had said the stronger economies of Europe would offer support for Greece, where government debt has helped undermine confidence in the international currency. But leaders left it up to finance ministers to work out the details, The Times of London Online reported.

The euro fell to $1.36 before regaining some strength to $13612.

Although Germany and France pledged to help, Greece is resisting pressure to further raise sales taxes and cut wages for government employees. The country is already implementing austerity measures with the aim of shrinking debt to 8.7 percent of the gross domestic product from the current 12.7 percent.

Prime Minister George Papandreou's announcement of a three-year pay freeze for government employees has already triggered union protests.

Papandreou said Greece had become "a guinea pig in a battle between Europe and the international markets."

Bride, 91, groom, 90, wed on Valentine's

BEAUFORT, S.C., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- A 91-year-old woman and a 90-year-old man who share a love of sailing tied the knot in a Valentine's Day ceremony at their favorite bar in Beaufort, S.C.

The staff at Hemmingway's Bistro introduced Helen Smith and Roger Briggs several months ago thinking they would be good companions, The Island Packet, Hilton Head, S.C., reported Monday.

Smith, whose is legally blind and a regular at the bar, needed someone to escort her from her houseboat at Beaufort Marina and Briggs was in mourning after losing his wife of 63 years about a year and a half ago.

Briggs, a retired salmon fisherman from Alaska, knows boats and will be able to help around Smith's docked houseboat, her son, Butch England, said.

While the couple has made no firm plans for the future, Briggs dreams of buying a schooner and sailing to Alaska with his new bride.

"He's got his heart set on getting another boat, but we'll see," Smith said. "I'm a very fortunate girl either way."