ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast

Soldiers gun down women protesting against president

Soldiers backing Ivory Coast’s defiant leader mowed down women protesting his refusal to leave power in a hail of gunfire Thursday, killing at least six and shocking a nation where women’s marches have historically been used as a last resort against an unrestrained army.

Because the president’s security force has shown almost no hesitancy to open fire on unarmed civilians, the women decided this week to organize the march in the nation’s commercial capital, assuming soldiers would be too ashamed to open fire.

But at least six of the thousands of women protesting Thursday were killed on the spot, said Mohamed Dosso, an assistant to the mayor of Abobo who said he saw the bodies.

The three-month old conflict in Ivory Coast has reached a new level of intensity. With each passing day, the regime of Laurent Gbagbo shows it is willing to go to any lengths to stay in office after an election that international observers say he lost.

NORFOLK, Va.

Letters of censure urged for four officers in Navy scandal

A Navy admiral on Thursday recommended letters of censure for four high-ranking officers, including the captain who helped broadcast raunchy videos to thousands of sailors aboard the USS Enterprise.

Capt. Owen P. Honors Jr. was the aircraft carrier’s No. 2 officer when he helped produce and appeared in the series of videos that aired from 2005 to 2007 on the ship’s closed-circuit TV station during weekly movie nights. He was relieved of command this January after Navy leaders learned about the videos from media reports.

The head of U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Adm. John Harvey Jr., also recommended that Honors undergo a hearing to show cause for why he should remain in the Navy.

The three other officers recommended for censure were Rear Adms. Ron Horton and Larry Rice, both former commanders of the Enterprise, and Honors’ successor on the Enterprise, Capt. John Dixon.

A letter of censure does not end a military officer’s career, but makes it unlikely the officer will be promoted.

MANTECA, Calif.

Man tells judge he did drive 100 mph with wife on hood

A man accused of driving more than 40 miles at speeds of up to 100 mph with his wife clinging to the hood of their minivan told a San Joaquin County Superior Court judge Thursday that he is guilty as charged.

“I did that to my wife,” said Christopher Michael Carroll. “I did all of that to my wife. I’m guilty.”

Carroll, 36, is facing charges of attempted murder, corporal injury to a spouse and assault with a deadly weapon in the bizarre case that has captured worldwide attention.

Judge Ronald Northup did not accept Carroll’s guilty plea, however. The case was transferred to another court, and Carroll will appear there Tuesday for further arraignment.

According to police, Carroll and his wife argued at their home in Manteca late Friday night. When he tried to leave, his wife tried to stop him by getting in front of the vehicle.

Carroll did not stop, police said, and the wife ended up on the hood of the minivan. Two independent witnesses, who followed the van, told investigators they saw the woman clinging to a side mirror and a windshield wiper as the minivan raced at speeds of up to 100 mph over the Altamont Pass.

When he reached Pleasanton, police say Carroll slowed down and his wife rolled off the hood. A good Samaritan took her to the hospital to be treated for hypothermia.

CAIRO

Military ousts prime minister appointed by fallen president

Egypt’s military rulers appointed the first post-Hosni Mubarak prime minister Thursday, replacing an air force pilot in a bid to appease thousands of protesters who had threatened to renew the occupation of a central Cairo square.

The opposition hailed the decision as another victory for “people power,” but many warned that pressure must be maintained on the military to implement other democratic reforms, including an accountable police agency and a new constitution.

Leaders of the 18-day uprising that forced Mubarak to resign had been pressing the military to fire Ahmed Shafiq, arguing that a prime minister sworn in by the ousted leader should not stay in office. They also were angry that his Cabinet was filled with figures from the old regime.

 

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