NPR NEWS 2008-02-06

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder.

Today is the busiest primary election day in U.S. history. A huge number of delegates are at stake for the presidential candidates on both sides of the aisle 1. Voters on the Super Tuesday will go to the polls to cast ballots 2 in more than 20-state primaries and caucuses 3. One question is how well voting equipment will perform. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

Some states such as California will be using new equipment this year and election officials are nervous. They say there could be long delays in getting final results because they will be counting paper ballots using optical scan machines. This will take longer than counting results from touch screen voting machines which California Secretary Of State says it can no longer be used. Some activists 4 are more concerned about states such as New Jersey 5 and Georgia that are still using touch screen voting equipment. They say there could be problems of a contest disclose and there are no paper ballots to use in a recount. Voting rights advocates will also be watching Georgia closely to see how voters feel with a new voter ID requirement. Pam Fessler, NPR News, Washington.

Rebels fighting government troops in Chad are accusing France of intervening militarily. A rebel chief contends French aircraft have been firing on rebels in the capital of N'Djamena. Chad is a former colony and a French military spokesman denies the charge. France's Foreign and Defense 6 Ministry 7 is facing a deepening dilemma 8 now that the U.N. Security Council has given them a green line to take action. Frank Browning reports from Paris.

As latest Sunday, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner declared France's neutrality over the Chad rebellion signaling the country's departure from a long history of deepened involvement and regular intervention 9 in its client states' affairs. But the Security Council's decision yesterday to approve intervention by French army and air force troops already stationed in Chad leaves France in a touchy 10 situation. The U.N.'s action was linked to a sharp denunciation of the rebels' border crossing from Darfur of Sudan. The rebels have cited of French support for the government as one of their grievances 11. Should the rebels win, the French nominated forces sent to aid Darfur refugees would be in a precarious 12 position. Meanwhile thousands of civilians 13 fled N'Djamena yesterday as the rebels withdrew temporarily from the capital. For NPR News, I'm Frank Browning in Paris.

There has reportedly only been sporadic 14 gunfire around N'Djamena today. A French military spokesman tells the Associated Press that the rebels appeared to be holding back around the edge of the city. Meanwhile African Union mediators are expected to arrive today.

The death toll 16 stemming from post-election violence in Kenya has climbed. The local Red Cross in Nairobi now says one thousand people have died and more than three hundred thousand have been displaced. Meanwhile former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says his efforts to broker 17 talks have hit a snag. Annan says the president's camp has rejected his choice of a mediator 15. The crisis was sparked by the disputed reelection of President Mwai Kibaki.

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BP has formally pleaded guilty to criminal conduct in the explosion that hit the company's Texas City refinery 18 in 2005. Fifteen workers were killed and 170 injured in the blast. Huston Public Radio's Ed Mayberry reports.

A federal judge heard victim impact statements from survivors 19 and relatives of those killed in the accident almost three years ago. BP has a plea agreement with the Justice Department to pay a 50-million-dollar fine. Eva Rowe's parents were killed in the blast and she says the fine is not adequate. 'I think this plea agreement stinks 20. If the purpose of punishment is to give incentive 21 to the wrongdoer to change their ways and do the right thing, this agreement utterly 22 fails. 50 million is less than one month worth of profit for this one BP plant.' Current Texas City plant manager Keith Casey ended the guilty plea on behalf of BP. Relatives of workers killed and injured are asking for a larger fine and possible jail time for executives who ignored problems at the plant. For NPR News, I'm Ed Mayberry in Huston.

Legendary 23 Major League Baseball pitcher 24 Roger Clemens is scheduled to speak under oath to Congressional lawyers today about allegations that he used steroids and human-growth hormone 25. Clemens has to talk to the lawyers behind closed doors a day after former teammate Andy Pettitte did the same. The interviews are in preparation for a public hearing next week.

A federal judge in California says the Navy must follow environmental laws placing strict limits on sonar training that opponents argue harms whales and other marine 26 mammals. The court has ruled President Bush does not have the authority to exempt 27 the Navy from compliance 28. He signed a waiver earlier this month and the Navy says it's studying its options.

I'm Giles Snyder, NPR News from Washington.