Egypt closes parts of border with Gaza

Hello! I'm Kristin Volk with a UPI Headline Update on this Friday, the 25 day of January, 2008. E...  More »

Hello! I'm Kristin Volk with a UPI Headline Update on this Friday, the 25 day of January, 2008. Egypt is now sealing off parts of its border with Gaza. That's after tens of thousands of Palestinians have crossed back and forth with little interference for the past two days. Earlier this week, Palestinians breached a border crossing, allowing them to get supplies since Israel sealed its border with Gaza a week ago. Egyptian soldiers in riot gear formed a human chain today while other soldiers rolled out barbed wire. The U.S. and Israel have been pressuring the country to close open border areas because they're worried that terrorists with weapons could travel undetected from Egypt into the Palestinian territory. Washington leaders have agreed on a stimulus plan to give American taxpayers rebates of $600 or more, but people may not see that money for a while. Government officials say it could be May or June before Americans get any real cash. That's because the IRS has to cut the checks, and the agency is now in the middle of the '07 tax-filing season. However, nothing can get started until the bill is passed by the House and Senate. Congressional leaders say they hope to have legislation on the President's desk by the middle of next month. Democrat Dennis Kucinich is reportedly dropping out of the presidential race. The congressman from Cleveland told a newspaper yesterday that he would make his withdrawal announcement today. The 61 year old has been an outspoken Iraq war critic who's consistently voted against funding the war and led anti-war efforts in Congress. Kucinich has said he won't endorse another candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. An explosion in Beirut today has killed four people, including Lebanon's top anti-terror investigating officer. The attack, which wounded 38 others, happened in a Christian neighborhood northeast of the capital. Violence has escalated in Lebanon as pro and anti-Syrian lawmakers in parliament are locked in a battle to elect a president. The country has been without a leader since November when pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud (a-meel la-hood) stepped down at the end of his term.  « Less