Wikinews:Briefs/January 5, 2007

The time is 10:00 (UTC) on Friday January 5, 2007, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.

United States Navy ordered to Somalian coast
United States

The United States Navy has been ordered to the Somalian coastline in an attempt to stop Islamic Militants who are part of the Union of Islamic Courts, from escaping the country. "We...are going to be working closely with states in the region to ensure that these individuals aren't able to transit those borders and exit Somalia," said a spokesman for the U.S. State Department.

Pelosi named new Speaker of the House
United States

Californian Democrat Nancy Pelosi has been named the 60th United States Speaker of the House at the age of 66. She is the first female House speaker in United States history. The opening of the Congress in 2007 marks the first time in a dozen years that the Democrats have control of the entire Congress.

Report: 50,000 American casualties in Iraq
United States

As the U.S. military hit a grim milestone this week of 3,000 deaths in Iraq, the online magazine AlterNet reported on Thursday that another marker had been reached there sometime in December: 50,000 U.S. casualties, including deaths, wounds and injuries. The figure comes from more than 22,000 wounded in combat and more than 24,000 either injured in accidents or who became too ill to fight.

Canadian PM cabinet shuffle results
Canada

Canadian PM Stephen Harper has shuffled his cabinet yesterday. The major change with this shuffle is Rona Ambrose, Minister of Environment, being replaced by Treasury Board President John Baird. Ambrose is the new intergovernmental affairs minister.

FBI details chief justice's prescription drug trouble
United States

The FBI has released files according to which former U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist suffered paranoid delusions in 1981 during withdrawal from a dependence on prescription painkillers.

Record low amount of organs donated in New Zealand
New Zealand

Figures released today show that the amount of organs donated by New Zealanders in 2006 have decreased by four to the new record low amount of 25.

Closing statements
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