NPR NEWS 2008-02-04

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman.

France has begun evacuating 1 foreigners from the Chadian capital N'Djamena after a rebel offensive on the city that began yesterday. Chad's president appears to have rejected an offer of safe passage out of the city. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports.

Chadian government troops are reported to have put up a resistance to a concerted attack by rebel forces who poured into N'Djamena aboard pickup 2 trucks. That's much the same way beleaguered 3 President Idriss Deby and his turbaned warrior 4 rebels swept into the capital 17 years ago seizing control. Just like the rebels this time round, Deby charged across the oil-producing desert nation from the east with the backing of neighboring Sudan. Now Deby accuses his erstwhile ally, Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir of financing the Chadian rebels to oust 5 him and prevent the arrival of European peacekeepers. The European force was poised 6 to deploy 7 at Chad and Central African Republics' border with volatile 8 Darfur in Sudan, a move Khartoum has opposed. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Nairobi.

The U.S. Geological Survey says an earthquake has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the news agency reports at least 21 people have been killed. A police chief there says rescue efforts are underway. The quake's tremor 9 has been initially 10 recorded with the magnitude of five.

Kenya's opposition 11 leader has called on the African Union to send peacekeepers to help stop violence in his country. Opposition leader Raila Odinga is from western Kenya where a lot of post-election violence has broken out. Odinga claims President Mwai Kibaki fraudulently won last December's presidential election. The violence is so severe. Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is in Kenya hoping to broker 12 a political accord and solve the deadlock 13.

Police near Chicago were still looking for a gunman who killed 5 people in a woman's clothing store yesterday. Chicago Public Radio's Robert Wildeboer reports.

Police think the gunman was trying to rob the Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park Illinois about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. The store is part of the busy shopping area and nearby stores were locked down while police searched for the shooter. They think he got away the store is right of a major interstate. But they have the description and the manhunt continues. Police say the victims were found at the back of the store. All five were female and none of them were children. For NPR News, I'm Robert Wildeboer in Chicago.

Serbian voters are at the polls of a run-off election today. They are choosing a new leader. Candidates include the hardliner Tomislav Nikolic who was ruled with late leader Slobodan Milosevic. Another candidate, western-leaning Boris Tadic. The voters consider too close to call. The result could also determine how Serbia could react to an explicit 14 expected declaration of independence by its Kosovo Province. Both candidates oppose this but Tadic has ruled out the use of military force in Kosovo.

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The presidential candidates are criss-crossing the country trying to mobilize voters as Super Tuesday approaches. From member station KUAZ in Tucson, Buzz Conover reports.

In the last weekend before Super Tuesday, Hillary Clinton used a campaign stop at the University of Arizona to appeal to the undecided voter. 'The question that undecided voters have to ask themselves is who is most likely to change our country.' To point out one difference between herself and Barack Obama, she pledged to open up the Congressional Health Care Plan to all Americans. 'Over 250 options that you will be able to choose from. And we're gonna tell the Health Insurance Industry they can continue to provide health insurance, but they have to insure everybody; they can not deny you because of a preexisting condition.' More than 3,000 people waited in line for up to 5 hours to hear Clinton speak. For NPR News, I'm Buzz Conover in Tucson Arizona.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt 15 Romney has won yesterday's GOP caucuses 16 in Maine. He led John McCain, Ron Paul, and Mike Huckabee in the results. Romney is now focusing on southern and western states ahead of Super Tuesday.

An explosion has struck the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo today. The blast occurred at the main railway station in the city. Initial reports say 6 people were killed and at least 90 have been taken to the hospital with injuries. At least 18 people died yesterday in a bomb attack on bus riders in Colombo. This weekend's violence comes ahead of tomorrow's celebrations marking 60 years of Sri Lankan independence from Britain.

I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.