NPR 2008-08-03

Iran failed to meet a deadline today to announce whether it's ready to suspend uranium production, and begin international talks on ending its nuclear program. Teri Schultz has more from Brussels.

A European Union diplomat 1 says Brussels wasn't really expecting the Iranians to get in touch by now. There've been no signs Teheran even acknowledges the deadline pressed primarily by the United States. After meeting his Iranian counterpart in Geneva July 19th, the top negotiator with Iran, EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana, said he'd like the Iranians to tell him within about two weeks, whether they're prepared to enter negotiations 2. The US pinned that down more specifically to August 2nd. The EU diplomat who wished to remain anonymous 3 because of the sensitivity of the situation, says a deadline is less important to Solana than getting a clear answer from Teheran. Nonetheless, this official says, Solana wants to receive that answer very soon. For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz in Brussels.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did post a statement on his website today that every country including Iran has the right to engage in uranium enrichment. He said Iran will not back down one iota 4 from pursuing its nuclear activities.

US military officials in Baghdad announce today they're charging two American soldiers with murder, after the death of an Iraqi detainee. Staff Sergeant 5 Hal Warner and First Lieutenant 6 Michael Behenna, are also being charged with assault, making a false statement, and obstruction 7 of justice. Officials do not provide details on how the detainee died.

The Coast Guard release preliminary results today from an investigation 8 into last month's collision between a ship and an oil barge 9 on the Mississippi River. It caused a huge oil spill that shut down the river traffic for several days. NPR's Andrea Hsu has more from New Orleans.

The initial findings reveal that the tugboat pulling the oil barge was being operated by a steersman apprentice 10, who was not licensed 11 to pilot the boat. Moreover, the captain of the tugboat was not aboard at the time of collision. The Coast Guard has also made public radio transmissions during the collision. On the recording 12, a pilot aboard the ship is heard calling out to the tugboat multiple times, each time with increasing urgency, but the tugboat does not respond. Finally, you hear this from the ship. "????（希望大哥大姐小弟小妹们帮个忙） we just took his tow. I suppose, that the barge is right in front of us and we're running it over. " Thousands of gallons of fuel oil spilled from the barge when it broke in half. Crews are working to salvage 13 the barge, first pumping out what oil remains 14 in its tanks. A formal hearing on the collision is scheduled for later this month. Andrea Hsu, NPR News, New Orleans.

The Justice Department is expected to decide within days its next step in the anthrax case. The chief suspect apparently 15 committed suicide this week. Letters laced with anthrax were sent to Congressional offices and newsrooms soon after the September 11th attacks. Five people were killed, several others were sickened.

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US health officials reported today, the number of Americans infected by the AIDS virus is much higher than previously 16 thought. They say there were roughly 56, 300 new HIV infections in 2006, up from the 40, 000 annual estimate used for the last dozen years. It can take ten years or more for the infection to cause symptoms and illness. According to current estimates, more than a million Americans are living with the AIDS virus.

The President of the International Olympic Committee, says he has no regrets about the decision to place the Olympics in China. Jacques Rogge spoke 17 a week before the Beijing Games. NPR's Howard Berkes reports from Beijing.

The International Olympic Committee has been peppered with questions about pollution affecting athletes, and Chinese government-restrictions on foreign reporters covering the Olympics. Both issues make critics wonder whether the IOC bet wrong, when it named Beijing Olympic host, and said the Games would change China in positive ways. But IOC President Jacques Rogge is bullish on the Beijing Games. "I'm sure, that come the 9th of August, the day after the opening ceremony, the magic of the games and the flawless organization will take over. " Rogge said athletes' National Olympic Committees and the governing bodies of Olympic sports are praising Beijing preparations and venues 18. He called the athletes village here the best he's ever seen. Howard Berkes, NPR News, Beijing.

An induction 19 ceremony is being held at this hour in Canton, Ohio for the newest members of the Football Hall of Fame. They include Washington Redskins' Darrell Green and Art Monk 20, who won two Super Bowls together.