Iran’s highest leader has demanded that international economic sanctions against his country end as soon as a final agreement is reached on Iran's nuclear development program.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke on Iranian television Thursday. He said that aframework agreement with the West does not guarantee a completed dealwill be reached. Mr. Khamenei also said he is “neither for nor against” theagreement reached last week by Iran and six world powers. He said that dealis non-binding.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made similar comments earlier in the day. The president said Iran would not accept any final deal unless all internationalsanctions were cancelled.
Witness in South Carolina shooting identified
The witness who recorded a deadly police shooting in the U.S. state of SouthCarolina last week has been identified.
Feidin Santana took the wireless telephone video of a white police officershooting an unarmed black man. Mr. Santana said he had at first consideredremoving the video from his phone. He told NBC News that the police officer, in his words, “had control of the situation.” He also said the officer used anelectronic stun gun on the man, Walter Scott.
The police officer, Michael Slager, first said that Mr. Scott took the electronicstun gun during a fight. However, the video shows a different version ofevents. Mr. Slager had pulled Mr. Scott over for a minor traffic violation.
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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, March 13, 2015 |
Mr. Santana began recording the incident when the 50-year-old Walter Scottbegan running away from the police officer. The officer aimed his gun and firedeight shots at Mr. Scott. He fell about 9 meters away from the officer. Mr.Santana said he gave the video over to Scott's family after reading thepolice's version of the events in the news.
On Tuesday, officials charged Michael Slager with murder.
Greece repays $495 million to International Monetary Fund
Greece has made a debt repayment of $495 million to the InternationalMonetary Fund. The payment will help Greece move closer to a finalinternational assistance deal. It will also help Greece stay in the Eurozonecurrency group.
Finance ministers of eurozone countries agreed earlier this year to extend aloan program to Greece. But they required that Greece present an effectiveplan for economic reforms.
Since 2010, the European Union and the IMF have provided Greece withmore than 270 billion dollars in loans. In exchange, the country had toestablished austerity measures and major economic reforms.
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Words in This Story
framework – n. the basic structure of something
sanctions – n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force acountry to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with thatcountry, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.
non-binding – adj. not officially requiring that you do something: not able to be enforced by law
austerity – n. a situation in which there is not much money and it is spent onlyon things that are necessary
