• published: 02 Apr 2015
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VOA news for Thursday, April 2nd, 2015 From Washington This is VOA news. I'm Victor Beattie reporting. Iran nuclear talks extended for a second day. Negotiators for Iran and the 6-World-Powers continue meeting in Switzerland Thursday on Tehran's nuclear program working past a midnight Tuesday deadline for a framework agreement. White House spokesman Josh Earnest Wednesday expressed hope a breakthrough in reining in Tehran's nuclear ambitions is possible. "The talks continue to be productive and that progress is being made. I've observed several times in the last few weeks that we've been at this for more than a year now and the time has come for the Iranian negotiators to begin to make the kinds of serious commitment that the international community including United States, will insist upon." Iran reportedly insists on having an outline in place for lifting all international sanctions before a deal is reached. Other sticking points include details over Iran's future research and nuclear development. Nigeria's President-elect Muhammadu Buhari says his government will spare no effort to defeat Boko Haram. He spoke in Abuja Wednesday after Nigeria's Electoral Commission officially named him winner of Saturday's presidential election. "There is no doubt that in tackling the insurgency, we have a tough and urgent job to do. But I assure you that Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will and the commitment to rid this nation of terror and bring back peace and normalcy to all the affected areas. We shall spare no effort and until we defeat terrorism." Mr. Buhari promised his government would serve all Nigerians not rule over them. He promised to tackle corruption, he says poses a threat to the country's economic development and democratic survival. President Obama congratulated him on his victory and praised both him and incumbent Goodluck Jonathan for their role in a peaceful transfer of power. This is VOA news. The UN Human Rights Council Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the international community to step-up support to African countries fighting Boko Haram. UN Human Rights Chief, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, said in Geneva Wednesday, the group uses children as human shields, and abuses women and girls. "Credible reports indicate that Boko Haram frequently uses children as its first line of attack, as expendable cannon fodder. Bodies of children around 12 years old have been found strewn across such battlefields. The group has also repeatedly used young children as human bombs, including a case of a 14-year-old girl carrying a baby on her back who detonated a bomb in a marketplace. And these reports, if confirmed by a court of law, they would certainly constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity." Zeid say the group is blamed for at least 15,000 deaths over the past six years. Niger's President Mahamadou Issoufou says "the end of Boko Haram is near." Speaking to VOA in Washington, he said Boko Haram "is not eradicated but was greatly weakened" by an offensive launched by a multinational force. Mr. Issoufou said Boko Haram "has no future," predicting that "in a few weeks or months, we will see the end of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region." On the ground, regional forces retook the town of Malam Fatori near Niger's border with Nigeria with Chad's army claiming killing hundreds of Boko Haram fighters. A Russian trawler with an international crew of more than a hundred thirty sank Thursday morning, in the icy waters of the Sea of Okhotsk, off the Kamchatka peninsula, with an initial death toll of at least fifty four, sixty three crew members have been rescued, fifteen are missing. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Alabbadi said the, Abadi rather, said his government is "determined to liberate every inch of Iraqi land," after declaring victory over the Islamic State in the strategic city of Tekrit. Iraq's Defense Minister, Khaled Obeidi, vowed to maintain the momentum saying the victory puts them on the door step toward Anbar and Nineveh. US defence officials say Iraqi forces are still meeting pockets of resistance from hundreds of militants in Tikrit, adding the Iraqis control the city center and the main government headquarters. President Obama announced new economic sanctions Wednesday aimed at penalizing cyber-attackers that have targeted key U.S. businesses and consumers, especially those targeting the so-called critical systems of banks, major businesses and electrical power utilities. They also are said to apply to countries, firms or individuals who steal trade secrets and sensitive business and consumer information. I'm Victor Beattie, VOA news. That's the latest world news from VOA.