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From Washington, this is VOA news. An imprisoned American soldier released by the Taliban. Police crack down on protesters marking the anniversary of anti-government demonstrations in Turkey. I'm Vincent Bruce reporting from Washington.
"This morning, I called Bob and Jani Bergdahl and told them that after nearly five years in captivity, their son, Bowe, is coming home." President Barack Obama spoke to reporters at the White House Saturday afternoon following the announcement by U.S. officials the Taliban had freed the only U.S. soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan after he spent nearly five years in captivity. The officials say the Taliban agreed to turn over Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl to the U.S. in exchange for the release of five detainees from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The exchange follows U.S.-Taliban negotiations mediated by the [governor] government of Qatar. "I'm also grateful for the tireless work of our diplomats, and for the cooperation of the government of Qatar in helping to secure Bowe's release. We've worked for several years to achieve this goal, and earlier this week I was able to personally thank the emir of Qatar for his leadership in helping us get it done." Officials say the 28-year-old Bergdahl is in good condition and is currently under the care of the U.S. military. Bowe Bergdahl's family is from the U.S. state of Ohio. His parents appeared with the president Saturday. His mother, Jani, was emotional when thanking those who made her son's release possible. "I just wanna say thank you to everyone who has supported Bowe. He's had a wonderful team everywhere. We will continue to stay strong for Bowe while he recovers." Bowe Bergdahl had been held by the Taliban since June 30th, 2009. Saturday in Turkey, police crackdown on protesters marking the first anniversary of nationwide ant-government demonstrations. The center of the unrest, Turkey's largest city Istanbul. But the trouble has spread to other cities. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. In the face of thousands of police backed by armored cars, hundreds of demonstrators peacefully protested, singing songs and chanting anti-government slogans on Istanbul's main shopping street close to Gezi Park. The park was the epicenter of nationwide protests last year against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mr. Erdogan has warned he will not tolerate a repeat of the disturbances. In the early evening Saturday, police opened fire with tear gas and rubber bullets. On the surrounding streets, people banged pots in support of the demonstrators. Unrest has spread to other parts of Istanbul and several cities across Turkey, including the capital. Dorian Jones, for VOA, Istanbul, Turkey. More details on these stories at voanews.com. Pakistani military sources say its forces repulsed a major militant attack Saturday morning in Pakistan's northwest Bajur tribal district. Sixteen terrorists were killed in the fighting. At least one soldier also died and two others were injured. Marking World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization is calling on governments to raise taxes on tobacco. The WHO says this is the most effective way to reduce smoking and its effects. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from WHO headquarters in Geneva. Tobacco use is the world's leading preventable cause of death. The World Health Organization reports tobacco kills nearly eight million people a year. This includes more than 600,000 non-smokers who are dying from breathing in other peoples' smoke. WHO warns tobacco will cause the deaths of about one billion people by the end of this century, if no action is taken. It says 80 percent of these deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries. The U.N. health agency says most of these premature deaths can be prevented through measures that discourage people from taking up smoking and encourage them to stop. Lisa Schlein, for VOA news, Geneva. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel Saturday accused China of "destabilizing actions" in the South China Sea. In a speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hagel told defense officials that Washington would not "look the other way" if international order is threatened. Saturday, Syrian activists reported rebels blew up a tunnel they filled with explosives in the northern city of Aleppo. British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 20 pro-government fighters were killed in the blast near the Zahrawi market in Old Aleppo. Seventy-four-year-old Peter Mutharika has been sworn in as the new president of Malawi. All the latest at voanews.com. I'm Vincent Bruce in Washington. That's the latest world news from VOA. |