Victoria Sinclair, Lily Kwan News off the Top - Wayback Wednesday, Israel Palestine talks, Iraq nuclear looting, South Korea narcotics bust, Aung San Suu Kyi detained, Vietnam Troung Van Cam guilty, Stri Lanka Tamil Tigers, India Pakistan Kashmir Wednesday May 7, 2025

US president Bush is in Jordan for a 3-way summit with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers. Ahead of the talks, he already met with several Arab leaders in Egypt, who endorsed the internationally drafted Mideast road map. Bush urged them to crack down on terrorism, and he said Israel had a responsibility to deal with its Jewish settlements on Palestinian lands. For years Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has supported the enclaves, but the world community considers them illegal. On the Palestinian side, Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has to convince militant groups to halt their attacks against Israel. A White House spokesman said president Bush believes Abbas is genuinely committed to peace, though he cautioned that progress in the Middle East can often be derailed.

A team of UN inspectors are heading to Iraq to investigate looting at the country's main nuclear facility. They will be counting containers of radioactive materials and repackaging whatever they find spilled. However the US administration in Iraq has limited their mission - the inspectors will not measure environmental contamination or look into radiation sickness among residents. Washington agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency back into Iraq after it warned of a potential emergency. According to reports, people in the area may have emptied containers of uranium so they could use the barrels at home.

South Korea is investigating whether narcotics seized from a Chinese ship came from North Korea. Authorities found over 170 pounds of methamphetamine on board the vessel, which may have previously stopped at a port city in the North. Just last month Australian police made a similar drug bust linked to North Korea and exiled officials told US legislators the regime has been producing opium for 15 years. Since the 1970's Pyeongyang has been accused of trafficking illegal narcotics to bolster its failing economy and the latest drug haul could further jeopardize South Korea's efforts to extend aid to its neighbor.

The UN is trying to gain access to Myanmar's detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The military regime launched a crackdown last week after Suu Kyi's supporters clashed with pro-government groups. Officials said she was taken into "protective custody" but denied she was hurt in the violence. However according to some reports she suffered minor injuries after a brick smashed through her car window. The government appears to be covering up the extent of the incident - it claims only four people died, but eyewitnesses say there were more than 60 deaths. The military says it's committed to Myanmar's transition to democracy, though rights activists believe authorities provoked the violence to justify a new crackdown.

Vietnam convicted a major crime boss in the country's biggest corruption trial. Troung Van Cam was found guilty of murder and bribing high-ranking officials. His empire included gambling dens, hotels and restaurants that were fronts for brothels. There are over 150 more defendants in the case, including senior members of the Communist Party and police officers. The judge said the criminal gang threatened Vietnam's social stability and the public's trust in government. The court has not passed any sentences yet, but Van Cam and several other defendants could face the death penalty.

Rebels in Sri Lanka dismissed the government's proposals to renew peace negotiations. The Prime Minister offered the Tamil Tigers more financial authority in the north east, but they're holding out for greater political power. The rebels abandoned the peace process in April, complaining that the government was moving too slowly to rebuild Tamil areas. They also pulled out of a donor conference that is being held in Tokyo. Sri Lankan officials still expect to secure about $3 billion in aid, even though delegates representing the rebels won't be attending. Tamil guerrillas have been fighting for an independent state since 1983, and about 65,000 people have died in the civil war.

Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee said talks over Kashmir have to include the region administered by Pakistan. India controls about half of the disputed region, while Pakistan occupies about a third of it, with the remainder held by China. Vajpayee also indicated peace talks couldn't begin until militant groups halt their cross border attacks from the Pakistani side. India and Pakistan have already fought two wars over the region, and last year's attack against Delhi's parliament nearly triggered another conflict. India blamed Pakistan for backing Kashmiri guerrillas, but Islamabad maintains it is only providing moral support to their struggle for independence.

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