Today's Top Stories (May 6, 2009)

Syrian president defends Irans nuclear program Syrias President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday defended Irans nuclear program, during a one-day visit by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Damascus. The Syrian leader criticized Western allegations that Iran was seeking a nuclear bomb, calling such claims purely political. He said: Those who suspect the presence of an Iranian military nuclear program should also show that they are concerned about the Israeli military nuclear program. Israel has not confirmed or denied suspicions that it has what arms control experts assume a sizeable nuclear arsenal. Eight drug traffickers hanged in Iran Iran hanged eight convicted drug traffickers and another man found guilty of murder, press reports said on Wednesday. The drug traffickers, who were not identified, were hanged on Saturday in a prison in the northeastern town of Taybad, near the Afghan border. Another man, identified as Abdolbaret Noorzehi, was executed in a prison in Khash, a town i n the eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan. Meanwhile, the lawyer of two juvenile offenders said today that Iran has ordered a stay of execution for the two. Amir Khaleqi, 20, and Safar Angooti, 19, were due to be hanged this morning in Tehrans Evin Prison. The two were convicted of committing murder at the ages of 16 and 17. The move came days after Iran sparked international outrage by executing another juvenile offender, Delara Darabi, who was convicted of committing murder when she was 17.

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