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Afghan casualties draw U.S. focus
A report concludes that at least 2 airstrikes against buildings May 4 should not have been ordered
A newly released investigation says the U.S. military in Afghanistan must give higher priority to avoiding civilian casualties when calling for airstrikes, but that using bombers and fighter planes to support units engaged in firefights should continue.
The investigation ordered by U.S. Central Command examined a controversial firefight that occurred May 4 in Afghanistan’s Farah province resulting in the deaths of civilians, prompting outrage among Afghans and a renewed vow by top military commanders to do better.
“Civilian casualties can — and must — be reduced further,” said Gen. David Petraeus, the CENTCOM commander.
The report concludes that at least two airstrikes against buildings should not have been ordered.
Afghan authorities said the attack killed more than 100 civilians. The U.S. investigation estimates about 26 civilians died but plays down that conclusion, apparently in an attempt to minimize friction with the Afghan government.
The report recommends that the military command refine the rules for using airstrikes where civilians could be hurt, and then retrain troops.
— Julian E. Barnes, Washington Bureau
MARYLAND
Holocaust museum guard remembered for his kindness
FT. WASHINGTON — Jacqueline Carter, the mother of U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum security guard Stephen Johns, 39, holds an American flag at her son’s funeral Friday, where Johns was remembered as a “gentle giant.” The Rev. John McCoy said Johns’ kindness was evident in his final act. Authorities say Johns opened the museum door last Wednesday for 88-year-old James von Brunn, a white supremacist and Holocaust denier, who then pointed his gun at Johns’ heart and shot him.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Major health plan unveiled
WASHINGTON — Senior House Democrats on Friday presented a sweeping plan to reshape the nation’s health-care system that represented the fullest presentation yet of congressional liberals’ vision for improving medical care — including coverage for nearly 50 million uninsured Americans without adding to the nation’s debt.
The 852-page “discussion draft” calls for a new government insurance option program, a new mandate on employers to provide coverage and a new guarantee of subsidized health care for the poor.
The draft offered few indications of how such government support would be paid for. The bill’s authors said they would detail their plan in coming weeks.
FRANCE
Jet crash compensation
PARIS — Air France focused on aiding families of victims from the crash of Flight 447, offering a first advance on compensation Friday while investigators worked quietly to solve the mystery of what brought the jet down.
Meanwhile, the top European air safety agency said there was not yet enough evidence to issue a mandatory recall of an air speed monitor suspected of contributing to the disaster.
Air France chief executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon told RTL radio that the airline plans to make an advance of about $24,400 for each of the 228 victims, with no strings attached.
He said it may also hold a memorial for all the victims of the May 31 crash.
Some relatives of French victims have accused Air France of a lack of sympathy and of failing to keep them informed about the crash investigation.
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TEXAS
Federal judge impeached
The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday impeached a federal judge imprisoned for lying about sexual assaults of two women in the first such vote since President Bill Clinton’s impeachment a decade ago.
The impeachment of U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of Texas sets up a trial in the Senate. Kent is the first federal judge impeached in 20 years.
The House unanimously approved four articles of impeachment against Kent accusing him of sexually assaulting two female employees and lying to judicial investigators and Justice Department officials.
Kent, 59, entered a federal prison in Massachusetts on Monday to serve a 33-month sentence. He pleaded guilty last month to lying to judicial investigators about the sexual assaults.
CHINA
Google to filter more porn
BEIJING — Google Inc. said Friday that it would step up efforts to stop pornography from reaching users in China after a watchdog found the search engine turned up a large number of links to obscene and vulgar sites.
“We have been continually working to deal with pornographic content, and material that is harmful to children, on the Web in China,” a statement from the company said.
It added that it had renewed efforts to keep the Internet in China clean after noticing criticism posted Thursday to the Web site of the watchdog, the China Internet Illegal Information Reporting Center.
The watchdog said that despite official warnings, Google was still failing to “filter pornographic contents from its search engine results according to China’s relevant laws.”