Iran’s Supreme Leader Urges Protests to Stop, Supports Ahmadinejad

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed the nation today, calling for protesters to accept the results of last week’s election. He declared the election fair and accused foreign governments of interfering by supporting the protesters, BBC News.

The US has increased its defense capabilities in Hawaii after receiving word that North Korea could attempt to launch a missile at the Pacific island, AFP.

Supporters around the world are marking the birthday of Aung San Suu Kyi, a pro-democracy activist in Burma who turns 64 today. Suu Kyi is currently on trial and is expected to be kept out of the public eye until after the upcoming elections in Burma. A website,  64forsuu.org, has been set up for well wishes from supporters, Voice of America.

A Texas billionaire accused of fraud has surrendered to the FBI and will appear in court today. Allen Stanford urged his client to invest $8 billion in bogus high-yield certificates of deposit at his Caribbean-based Stanford Investment Bank, Reuters.

A Minnesota woman was found guilty of illegally downloading 24 songs and was ordered to pay $1.9 million, or $80,000 per song, to the Recording Industry of America who brought the suit, CNN.

Google released its Farsi translation service ahead of schedule in response to the worldwide interest in events currently happening in Iran, Times Online. Try the service at translate.google.com.

Continuing Situation in Iran: Mousavi Officially Disputes Election

Security forces have surrounded areas of Tehran and leaders of opposition and reform movements are under house arrest. Cell phone service has been restored in Tehran, but text messaging is still unavailable. The Iranian government has told some journalists to leave and has blocked publishing of reformist newspapers in Iran. Mohammad Ali Abtahi told media that more than 100 reformists were arrested last night, Guardian. Government officials have shut down the Tehran bureau of Al-Arabiya for at least a week, Al Bawaba.

Mousavi, the leading reformist candidate, issued a formal appeal to the Guardian Council according to his website, Al Jazeera. Mousavi’s letter to the people urges peaceful dissent. Al Jeezera also has a helpful outline of the political system in Iran, which is headed by a supreme leader who is the political and spiritual leader of Iran. The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has held this position since 1989.

Allegations of fraud are widespread. The New York Times reports that “One employee of the Interior Ministry, which carried out the vote count, said the government had been preparing its fraud for weeks, purging anyone of doubtful loyalty and importing pliable staff members from around the country.”

President Ahmadinejad held a rally in Tehran today to celebrate his election victory. BBC News has thee video.

In other news, Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netayahu will give a speech today in response to President Obama’s recent speech in Cairo on Mid-East relations. Netanyahu is expected to address two concerns: creation of a Palestinian state and the settlement of Israelis in disputed lands, Voice of America.

The leader of an anti-illegal immigrant “minuteman” splinter groups has been charged in a double homicide in Arizona. Shawna Forde, leader of Minuteman American Defense, and Jason Eugene Bush, operations director of the group, planned, along with another man, to rob the home of a suspected drug dealer in order to fund the organization. The group killed a man and his daughter and wounded his wife as she returned gunfire on the attackers. All three are in police custody and have each been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Associated Press.

President Obama declared today, Flag Day, the start of National Flag week and urged all Americans to fly the flag, Fox News. Today also marks the birthday of our editor, Katy. Happy Birthday Katy!

Update: What’s Happening in Iran

It’s past midnight in the States, but Iran is just waking up, and waking up to continuing protests. Since our live coverage ended, all power went down in Tehran. The only info coming from the area was via satellite. Now it seems that only a few people can connect through Twitter, and among them is Farhad who is providing amazing coverage. Farhad was watching the scene as police tried to enter a university in Tehran to arrest protesters. Tear gas was fired.

Mousavi’s Twitter was updated during the night to say that he was under house arrest. There have since been reports that 10 of his campaign supporters, leaders in the reform party, have been arrested.

While we’re down, we urge you to follow the protests on Twitter or through BBC’s coverage, really the only major organization giving any info at all. Check the Morning Edition for more info around 9-10am.

Three Reported Dead in Tehran Clashes

If you haven’t, check out our earlier live blog of today’s protests in Tehran after Ahmadinejad was declared the winner of the presidential election. Some unverified reports say 50-100 people died in clashes, but BNO can only confirm three deaths so far, BNO.

President Obama met with Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai today and pledged to give $73m in aid to the struggling country. Tsvangirai shares power with President Robert Mugabe, who is widely criticized by international powers, BBC News.

The launch of the space shuttle Endeavour has been delayed because of a hydrogen gas leak. A second launch attempt will take at least four days, SPACE.

Hot Topic: NPR takes a look at military families who will have to have to celebrate Father’s Day without their dads. Read it here.

Ahmadinejad and Mousavi Both Declare Victory in Iranian Election

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi have both declared victory after Friday’s presidential elections, but election officials say Ahmadinejad is currently leading with almost 70% of the vote. Mousavi, who is popular in the cities and with students, says there are irregularities in the results, AP.

Two climbers have fallen to their deaths on Alaska’s Mt. McKinley. John Mislow, 39, of Newton, Mass., and Andrew Swanson, 36, of Minneapolis were roped together and officials say there are still not sure what events caused the fall, but they did fall at least 2,000 feet. Rangers noted that the two were experienced climbers, AP.

Amanda Knox, the American woman accused of killing her British roommate in Italy in 2007, took the stand today to prove her innocence. Knox says she was beaten by Italian police and that they tried to force her into a confession. Meredith Kercher, who was studying abroad in Italy, was found dead with her throat slashed in their shared apartment, BBC News.

Hot Topic: CNN has an interesting article with seven stories of the Civil War that few Americans are taught in school. Read the article here.

WHO Declares Swine Flu Pandemic

The World Health Organization has declared a global flu pandemic based on the growing spread of the swine flu, or H1N1, in many regions of the world and now 74 countries. Health experts had developed the pandemic protocols based on much deadlier flu scenarios such as the bird flu, or H5N1. The swine flu is not nearly as deadly but officials are fearful that the virus could mutate, BBC News. Three more people have died from H1N1 in New York City, bringing the total to 15 there, Fox44 News. Hong Kong has ordered all its daycares and primary schools shut in an effort to keep the virus from spreading, Voice of America.

Five American contractors being held in the death of James Kitterman, owner of a Houston, Texas based contracting company, were ordered released by an Iraqi judge due to insufficient evidence. Two will remain in custody in Iraq on drug charges, Associated Press.

Palau and Bermuda will take some of the 17 Chinese nationals who are still being held at the US prison in Guantanamo Bay despite court orders from as far back as 2003 clearing the individuals to be released, AFP. The Uighurs are an ethnic group of mostly Turkish descendants in central Asia. Many live in China and international reports indicate that China discriminates against the group.  22 Uighurs were held at Guantanamo Bay. The men were picked up at a camp in Afghanistan but have never been linked to terrorism or  expressed hatred against the United States. Some of the Uighurs have been released to Albania though China has requested they be sent home to face charges there. Experts suspect that they will be executed if returned to China.

Demonstrators march in support of Iran’s presidential candidates. Women account for about 65% of the voting population in Iran and 70% of the population is less than 30 years old.  President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s main opponents are Mirhossein Mousavi, a reform candidate and Mehdi Karoubi who is the major liberal candidate. Mousavi’s support has been rising in recent days with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets to show their support. However, Karoubi could spilt the liberal-reform vote. Some analysts predict the election will be forced into a run-off between President Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, Reuters.

Iranian Presidential Debate Turns Heated on Live TV

President Ahmadinejad of Iran and his rival in the upcoming elections, Former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, took part in a heated debate on live TV today. The President accused Mousavi of lying and criticized his wife for campaigning for Mousavi, among other insults. Mousavi fired back at the President, claiming his government is repressing student protests and mocking the President for his presence on the international stage, where he is seen unfavorably. Elections take place in 10 days, BBC News.

The Organization of American States has readmitted Cuba into the organization for the first time in 47 years. Cuba, however, maintains they don’t have interest in taking part in the OAS. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was a strong proponent for readmitting Cuba, and the decision was reached unanimously, but the U.S. made it clear that Cuba needed to work on their human rights policies and democratic reforms, NPR.

New reports say Air France Flight 447 likely broke apart in the air during a violent storm. New debris was found today, but the chance of finding survivors is extremely unlikely. Officials are worried the black box from the flight will not be recovered due to the rough conditions of the water in the area, AP.

CNN has a report on two Americans who were on board, a couple that were set to announcement their engagement. You can find it here.