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world
Insurgents fail to derail Iraqi election
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraq’s first democratic elections in 50 years were marred by 10 suicide bombers, 44 people reported killed, and untold numbers of mortar shells that rained down on polling sites and the nation’s government center.
With that said, the elections are being hailed as a great success.
Because the death toll fell far short of what many had feared, the voting was a clear political victory for U.S. and Iraqi security forces. It was unclear, however, whether the insurgents were foiled by Iraqi security forces and by the 150,000 U.S. troops conducting aggressive operations or whether most of them took the day off to wait for better times, places and targets.
Thaer al Naqib, a spokesman for interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, was less reserved.
“Today the terrorists lost the war,” he said. “It is a historic victory for Iraqis.”
While the insurgents failed to derail the elections, they succeeded in dictating how the voting was conducted. No civilian cars were allowed on the streets because of the hundreds, if not thousands, of Iraqis killed by car bombers in the past year. Top Iraqi officials, guarded by phalanxes of Western security contractors, cast their votes in a compound guarded by tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and American soldiers.
national
U.S. soldiers opposed to Iraq war seek refuge in Canada
TORONTO – Jeremy Hinzman, paratrooper-turned-Iraq war deserter, has a lot in common with the thousands of Vietnam War-era draft dodgers who poured into Canada decades ago. Like them, he sought asylum in a country that did not support a U.S. – led conflict to avoid fighting what he deemed an illegal war.
Hinzman faces certain punishment if returned to the United States: The FBI has a federal warrant out for his arrest. And in Fort Bragg, an Army spokeswoman denounced Hinzman’s desertion as a “very self-centered act” that put other soldiers at risk.
“It goes against our values and it degrades our unit’s readiness,” Maj. Amy Hannah said.
There are four known American military deserters who fled to Canada:
-Jeremy Hinzman, 26, of South Dakota. Applied for refugee status and a hearing was held in December. Awaits ruling from Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board.
-Pvt. Brandon Hughey, 19, a Texan. Applied for refugee status and is awaiting a hearing.
-David Sanders, 20, a Navy cryptologist who was stationed in Pensacola. Applied for refugee status and is awaiting a hearing.
-Daniel Felushko, 24, a Marine who deserted in California. He has dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship and does not need to file a claim.
local / bsu
Boise State recognizes top music students
Boise State’s top music students will perform a free concert at the annual Chair’s Honor Recital Friday, Feb. 4 in the Morrison Center Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Students were chosen based on final exams, musicianship, level of performance and skill.
This year’s performers are:
Matthew Swenson, tenor
Melody Garrett, flute
Rodney Zyroeveste, alto saxophone
Jenete Miller, mezzo-soprano
Jacob Ineck, guitar
Brian Addison, trombone
Rachel Foss, trumpet
Ricky Martinez, xylophone
Aaron King, cello
Ali Swisher, violin
Jaime Nielsen, keyboard
Andrea Richards, keyboard
Progressive advocacy training offered at Boise State
The fifth annual Progressive Advocacy Training presented by the Idaho Progressive Student Alliance will take place Feb. 18-21 in the SUB. The free program includes several educational workshops and skill training.
The training will end Monday, Feb. 21 with a march to the Capitol at 11 a.m. in protest of renaming the Pavilion to Taco Bell Arena.
Registration forms are available by e-mailing idahoprogressives@mail.com. Housing and transportation is available for out-of-towners. R.S.V.P. by Feb. 7.
Progressive Advocacy Training was put together to introduce progressive ideas to Boise State’s student leaders, this year the focus has been extended to student leaders across Idaho, according to the university press release.
what the ?
What are you lookin’ at!?
Moose have been attacking outdoor laundry racks in Gjovic, Norway.
Some feel the reason is that the animals have been getting intoxicated from eating fermented fruit that had fallen on the ground. Then, the befuddled beasts may think the racks, with their laundry flapping in the wind, are other moose threatening them.
I hope he’s ok, no really, I do
A Kentucky man says he lost control of his sports utility vehicle on ice and hit a guy. It was his girlfriend’s ex-husband. A coincidence, the man claims, even though his vehicle had jumped a curb and had gone though a yard before hitting the guy. Police involvement resulted.
Hey old-timer, time to cover up!
Officials in swelteringly hot Villahermosa, Mexico, have barred citizens from being naked … in their own homes.
It seems that the locals enjoy walking around the house in the nude –even past the windows – and tourists strolling through the city have caught glimpses of them as they pass by. They apparently don’t like it.
Here, gizmo! Where are you, boy?
There is a hawk patrolling the Brookline suburb of Pittsburgh, Pa. A woman found this out when she left her little Yorkshire terrier, Gizmo, outside to play in the snow. When she came out later, the dog was gone. And there were no footprints. Then she looked up and saw the bird.
She found Gizmo some distance away, deceased.
Stick ‘em up … No, your hands
Six men robbed a drug store in Rio de Janeiro and made off, not only with money, but with enough erectile dysfunction medicine to last each of them two months.
World/National/What the? stories courtesy of KRT Campus Wire Services unless otherwise credited. Local/BSU stories are courtesy of the Boise State Web site at www.boisestate.edu. All stories are compiled by News Writers.