Bush to Announce New Sanctions Against Sudan

US-SUDAN-DARFUR: U.S. officials say President Bush will announce new economic sanctions against Sudan today (Tuesday) to pressure Khartoum to stop the violence in its western Darfur region. The officials say Mr. Bush will ban another 31 Sudanese companies from doing business in the U.S. or having access to the U.S. financial system. The officials released a draft of Mr. Bush's speech to the media late Monday. The draft shows Mr. Bush also will call for a new U.N. Security Council resolution that would expand an arms embargo to all of Sudan, not just Darfur.

NIGERIA-POL: Umaru Yar'Adua has been sworn in as Nigerian president following his landslide victory in a vote that international observers criticized as not credible. Mr. Yar'Adua took the oath of office today (Tuesday) at a military parade in the capital, Abuja. The 56-year old former governor of Nigeria's Katsina state succeeds Olesgun Obasanjo, who stepped down as president after eight years in office. The ceremony marks the first peaceful transition of power from one civilian leader to another in Nigeria since it became independent in 1960.

INDIA-VIOLENCE: Indian officials say fighting between protesters and police in the western state of Rajasthan has killed at least 10 people. The violence began after more than 20-thousand ethnic Gujjars blocked a highway (near the city of Dausa) to demand that authorities grant them special status as an impoverished tribe. Under Indian law, members of such a group (called a "scheduled caste") are entitled to government jobs and educational opportunities. Officials say police opened fire after the protesters resisted efforts to clear the highway. At least one policeman was among the dead.

SOKOR-SAMSUNG: A South Korean appeals court has upheld the conviction of two Samsung executives for helping the company's chairman sell shares to his son at lower-than-market prices. The Seoul High Court today (Tuesday) supported the guilty verdicts against the former and current president (Huh Tae-hak and Park Ro-bin) of Samsung Everland, the company's ultimate holding company and an amusement park operator.

THAILAND-POLITICS: Thailand's military-run government is deploying about 13-thousand troops to secure Bangkok on the eve of a court ruling that could dissolve the two main political parties for alleged fraud. The government is concerned supporters of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party and its rival, the Democrat Party, could hold violent protests Wednesday if their parties are dissolved. Army Chief Sondhi Boonyaratglin said today (Tuesday) troops will set up checkpoints to search for firearms and mass movements from the provinces.

Listen to our World news for details.