NPR 2008-03-01

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Paul Brown.

 It appears the death sentence of the man known as Chemical Ali will be carried out after a lengthy 1 delay. Iraqi officials say the presidential council has approved the execution of Ali Hassan al-Majid. The cousin of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was convicted of ordering the slaughter 2 of large numbers of Iraqi Kurds in the 1980s. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Baghdad.

 Majid was convicted along with 2 other senior officials of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity in the infamous 3 Anfal campaign, murderous retribution that killed nearly 200,000 Kurds. Those convictions came last year, but legal dispute over the procedure for approving death sentences held up the decision until last week, officials say. No date for the execution was announced, although in general it should come within 30 days of the endorsement 5 by the presidency 6 council. The council is made up of President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Iraq's 2 vice 7 presidents, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, a Shiite, and Sunni Tariq al-Hashemi. No decision has been made on the remaining 2 defendants 8 from that case, former Defense 9 Minister Sultan Hashim, and former army commander Hussein Muhammad. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Baghdad.

 Britain's Ministry 10 of Defence says that it's pulling Prince Harry 11 out of Afghanistan, now that a news embargo 12 on his presence there as a combat soldier has been broken. The BBC's Peter Hunt reports.

 With his cover blown and the world aware of his presence in Afghanistan, it was inevitable 13 Prince Harry would have to leave. The risks of the Taliban increasing their attacks on the British because a royal was in their midst were too great. All along, senior officers have been considering the safety of the third in line to the throne and the security of those around the so-called bullet magnet. That's the BBC's Peter Hunt.

 British and selected international media had made a rare agreement not to report Harry's presence in Afghanistan in exchange for pictures, video and text later. But the story was posted yesterday on several internet sites.

 A new poll by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health finds that most Americans support key elements of health plans proposed by the 2 Democratic candidates for president. NPR's Richard Knox reports.

 Nine out of ten people say the problem of uninsured Americans is serious. 3 quarters say it's very serious. Robert Blendon of Harvard has been tracking this issue for many years. "That's a very high level of concern for any problem, to unlikely to have been much higher than any other time." Almost 60% of poll respondents favor a plan like Hillary Clinton's. That would require individuals to purchase health insurance, and mandate 14 employers to offer coverage 15 and government to subsidize low income families. Slightly more, 65% like a more limited proposal that would require parents to buy coverage for their children. Barack Obama includes that requirement as part of his proposal. Richard Knox, NPR News.

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 Kenyans are reflecting on the power-sharing deal between their feuding 16 political leaders which has offered some hope after a deadly crisis that cost more than a thousand lives. More than half a million people remain displaced in Kenya after December's disputed presidential vote. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

 Weeks of bloodshed in the frenzy 17 of political and ethnic 18 violence in Kenya left East Africa's regional giant reeling. President Mwai Kibaki pledged to heal the rifts 19. "It is important that in particular we deal with the problem of negative ethnicity, national cohesion 20 and unity 21." Opposition 22 leader Raila Odinga is likely to be named Kenya's new prime minister. "We will open a new chapter in our country's history, from the era of confrontation 23 to the beginning of cooperation. We, on our side, are completely committed to ensuring that this agreement will succeed." Weary Kenyans are urging the politicians to honor their word and work together for peace. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Johannesburg.

 Cuba has signed two international human rights treaties that the UN had and former leader Fidel Castro had refused to endorse 4 for 30 years. Castro stepped down to be replaced by his younger brother, Raul Castro, four days ago. Cuba has said a political rights pact 24 could be used against Cuba by forces Fidel Castro has called imperialist. And Fidel Castro has claimed the right of workers to independent trade unions are fit only for capitalist countries, while an education provision would open the door to privatization of schools which he opposes.

 Oil prices briefly 25 hit a new record of 103 dollars per barrel in Asian trading today.

I'm Paul Brown, NPR News, Washington.