To the Point

Will the US and UN Take Action on Sudan?

It took 20 years to end civil war between the north and the south in poverty-stricken Sudan, an African country the size of the United States east of the Mississippi. But in the western province of Darfur, Arab militias called Janjaweed--with the support of the government-- have made refugees of 1.1 million black Africans. In addition to murder, rape and displacement, they now face disease and hunger, as seasonal rains begin. The Bush administration says 320,000 refugees may die by the end of this year. The Congressional Black Caucus calls it -genocide.- Senator John McCain says it could be worse than Rwanda. Warren Olney hears from a UN official bound for Sudan with Secretary General Kofi Annan and demands for action from an American Congressman. Making News: Bombings in Five Iraqi Cities Four people were killed and several injured in bombings today in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey. President Bush is due there Monday along with 49 other national leaders. Meantime, in Iraq, just on week before the transfer of power, the death toll continues to rise with a string of attacks all over the country, mostly against police stations. Babak Deghanpisheh has an update from Baghdad, where he is reporting for Newsweek magazine. Reporter's Notebook: Cheney Energy Case Sent Back to Lower Court Odd bedfellows, the Sierra Club and Judicial Watch went to court to force Vice President Cheney to reveal just who took part in drawing up the Bush administration-s energy policy. A lower court said Cheney had to release task force records, but the Supreme Court today ruled that it-s not so sure. Warren Richey, legal writer for the Christian Science Monitor, says the records will remain secret, at least until after this year-s election.