World briefs 6/24/05

Ex-Klansman gets 60 years for 1964 slayings

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. -- Former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen, 80, was sentenced Thursday to 60 years in prison for the 1964 slayings of three civil rights workers. Killen was convicted of manslaughter Tuesday. The judge sentenced him to 20 years on each count and said the terms will run consecutively. Killen's attorney said he will argue on appeal that the jury should not have been allowed to consider manslaughter.

Hard-line win may change Iran's nuclear talks

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's stance in delicate nuclear talks with the West is shaping up as a key issue dividing the two candidates who face each other in today's presidential runoff. Ultraconservative candidate Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, 49, has indicated he will push for a tougher position at the talks if he becomes president. Key nuclear officials have said they'd like to see the job go to Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, 70, a former president with an experienced hand.

New York's post-Sept. 11 funds could be preserved

WASHINGTON -- New York may get to keep some or all of the $125 million in unspent Sept. 11 aid that the government is trying to take back. Rep. Vito Fossella, R-N.Y., said a deal on Thursday with House budget leaders kept alive the chances for eventually restoring the money to New York. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, President Bush pledged $20 billion in aid for New York. Of that, some $175 million was set aside for the costs of settling workers' compensation claims for those killed or injured at ground zero.

Car bombings surge in past two months

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Car bombers have struck Iraq 479 times in the past year, and a third of the attacks followed the naming of a new Iraqi government two months ago, according to an Associated Press count based on reports from police, military and hospital officials. From April 28 through June 23, there were at least 160 vehicle bombings that killed at least 580 people and wounded at least 1,734. There were 77 car bombs in May, killing 317 people and wounding 896.

Britain's Prince William graduates from university

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- Prince William, 23, graduated from St. Andrews University in Scotland Thursday. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles watched, along with the queen's husband, Prince Philip, and Charles' wife, Camilla. William earned a geography master's degree in four years of study. A Scottish master of the arts degree is the equivalent of an undergraduate English bachelor's degree.

Canada to announce Internet drug restrictions

TORONTO -- Canada will soon announce measures to restrict Internet pharmacies from selling prescription drugs to U.S. consumers. Such sales have become popular with Americans seeking cheaper medicine. Drugs sold via the Internet often go for much less than in the United States. The measures being considered include preventing Canadian doctors from co-signing prescriptions without examining patients. President Bush's administration opposes the prescription drug imports.

--From wire reports

Other measures might be prohibiting prescriptions for foreigners who are not in Canada, barring a price reduction if the drugs are exported and banning bulk exports, spokesman Ken Polk said.

Dosanjh has been studying options to restrict the practice for at least six months.

"I am concerned and we're acting on it. There will be news soon," Dosanjh said.

President Bush's administration opposes the prescription drug imports, and federal regulators warn they cannot guarantee the safety of drugs from outside U.S. borders.

But Canada has dismissed concerns about the safety of drugs sold in Canada, saying Canada's regulatory regime was tougher than the U.S. one.

Drugs sold via the Internet often go for much less than in the United States.

As part of its socialized medical system, the Canadian government sets drug prices that are lower than those charged in the United States.

A proposal to Prime Minister Paul Martin's cabinet will likely be made next week.

Last November, Bush discussed the issue of drug imports with Martin. But the White House has denied accusations that Bush pressured Martin to make it harder for Americans to buy drugs from Canada.

New legislation, but not changes to existing regulations, would require support from opposition parties as well as Martin's minority government to pass. It was not clear if a ban on co-signing prescriptions could be accomplished by just changing regulations.

Under current practice, a prescription from a U.S. doctor is faxed to a Canadian doctor, who reviews the document along with the patient's health history. The Canadian doctor signs and sends the prescription to a so-called Internet pharmacy, which ships the drug to the patient.

Canadian officials say such sales endanger the Canadian drug supply, though they admit no shortages currently exist. The government also maintains it is unethical for doctors to sign prescriptions without examining patients.

Importing drugs into the United States is technically illegal, but the U.S. government generally does not stop small amounts purchased for personal use.

Various bills have been introduced into Congress to permit the importation of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and elsewhere. Last month, House Democrats outlined a health care agenda that would permit such importations and would give Medicare authority to negotiate lower prices with drug manufacturers in this country.