VOA NEWS

May 2, 2015

From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David Byrd reporting. Formal charges have been brought against six police officers in the death of a black man in Baltimore, Maryland.



The charges include second-degree murder against one of the officers as well as involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.

Maryland State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Friday that Freddie Gray, the victim, suffered a severe and critical neck injury while being transported in a police van April 12.

"Following transport from Baker Street, Mr. Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside of the BPD wagon."

At the White House, President Barack Obama said he will do everything possible to see that justice is done in this case.

"What I think people of Baltimore want more than anything else is the truth."

The union representing the six officers charged says the politics has led to a rush to judgment in the case and that none of the officers is responsible for Freddie Gray's death.

In a Friday press conference, the attorney for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3, Michael Davey, said the indictments against the officers amounted what he called "an egregious rush to judgment."

"These officers did nothing wrong. As all of the facts surrounding this case come out in the appropriate form, the officers' lack of wrongdoing will be made abundantly clear."

Friday's announcement of charges comes amid a widespread outcry over Grey's death, the latest incident of alleged police violence against black males that has sparked protesters and calls for justice across the country.



This is VOA news.



Rescue workers continue to come through the devastation caused by the earthquake in Nepal, where the death toll climbed past 6,200 on Friday. That number is expected to increase as rescue teams from around the world uncover bodies in rubble from the April 25 disaster.

U.N. humanitarian affairs chief Valerie Amos visited devastated areas in Nepal Friday as part of a three-day visit to assess relief operations.

The humanitarian operations are stepping up, with the Red Cross and the World Food Program increasing assistance to survivors throughout the country.

Red Cross disasters and crisis specialist Christine South said Friday that volunteers are providing first aid and distributing much-needed help to survivors who need it.

"Ninety percent of the houses destroyed. People living in wet conditions with the rains having started, with very few covers, tarpaulins. So, that is very much our priority is to get more assistance into those areas."

The U.N. Children's Fund reports that one of its cargo planes carrying 30 tons of relief supplies arrived in Kathmandu Friday morning.

The World Food Program flew in 50 metric tons of high energy biscuits on Thursday.

The U.N. has launched an interagency appeal for $415 million to provide lifesaving assistance for survivors over the next three months.



An emergency U.N. Security Council meeting ended Friday, with the 15 members not able to agree on an immediate statement about the Yemen crisis.

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, had called for the closed-door meeting and proposed a statement calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting. But Churkin said that the other members of the Council did not back his proposal.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Thursday that "humanitarian operations would end within days unless fuel supplies are restored."

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said Friday that it had killed "dozens" of Yemeni Shiite rebels who were carrying out a large-scale cross-border attack on the kingdom.

The fighting among various Yemeni groups, as well as airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition, have helped create a humanitarian crisis in what was already the Arab world's poorest country.



Thousands of people paid $10 dollars each to watch the weigh-in for Saturday night's welterweight title bout between American Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines.

Pacquiao tipped the scales at 65 kilos, the undefeated Mayweather weighed in at 66.

Saturday's fight is expected to be the richest price fight in history.



I'm David Byrd in Washington.

That's the latest world news from VOA.