She had been kept as a slave for many years in Niger

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Niger women wins slavery case

The government of Niger has been convicted of failing to protect a young woman from slavery -- in a ruling that's expected to have lasting consequences for the thousands of people still living in conditions of slavery across the region.

The verdict was handed down by the court of justice of the West African regional body, ECOWAS, following a hearing involving a twenty-four-year-old woman, Hadidjatou Mani.

She said she'd been sold to a man (for the equivalent of about five-hundred dollars) when she was twelve.

The woman was raped and forced to bear the man two children, and she also had to carry out domestic and farm work.

She now wants to be reunited with her children -- who are still the property of her slave master.

Iraq: Syria raid targeted insurgent area

	A woman injured in alleged US attack in Syria

The Iraqi government has said that a helicopter raid inside Syria on Sunday, which Syria has blamed on the Americans, was aimed at an area used by insurgents involved in cross-border attacks into Iraq.

Syria has strongly protested to the United States and Iraq over the attack in which eight people were killed, saying it was an unprovoked crime against civilians.

The United States military said it had no information on the incident, but an Iraqi government spokesman(, Ali al-Dabbagh,) said the area had been used by insurgents who killed thirteen Iraqi police recruits in a border village.

New Japanese action to ease crisis

	More money from the Japanese government to cure its financial turmoil

Japan is taking new measures to bolster its economy -- the second largest in the world -- against the global financial crisis.

After an emergency cabinet meeting, the prime minister, Taro Aso, said there would be more government money to help banks which hit difficulties, and tighter curbs on the practice of short-selling shares.

Mitsubishi financial group -- Japan's biggest bank -- later announced it was raising more than ten-billion dollars through new shares to boost its reserves.

Also in the News...

- Burmese Foreign Minister in North Korea.

- Women League of Burma launches its report - In the Shadow of the Junta - that reveals systemic gender discrimination in Burma.

- Sidagu Sayadawgyi has been honoured with Doctorate degree by Nalanda University of India.

Also in the programme...

Living Today, Stronger Tomorrow

Special lifeline programme by Kham and Ko Ko Aung

Sports Round Up by U Thuyein Kyaw Zaw