“The Resolution 1441 providesfor those who needtobeinterviewedtobemadeavailable, and if Iraq doesnotcomplywith that requirement of the Resolution, I’m sure the internationalcommunity will takenote and decide whataction is appropriate. And I wouldnotlike to characterize what mighthappen in the future atthispoint. ”
(VOA December, 2002)
News 66
Meantime Moscow isurging Iraq to reconsider its cancellation of a multimillion–dollar, actually a multibillion–dollar contract with Russia’s largestoilcompany Lukoil. Russia’s Foreign Ministry says it sent a toughly–wordedmessage to the Iraqi leadership on Monday callingforurgent negotiations on the issue. Contractdispute has opened a rift between Iraq and Russia, which is traditionally one of Baghdad’s firmestallies.
(VOA December, 2002)
News 67
Work will begin latertoday to shutdown part of Soviet–era nuclear power station in Bulgaria. Two reactors at the K.D. plant on theriverDanube will be takenoutofservice by the end of the month. Two more reactors willbeclosed by 2006. The EU made their closureacondition of Bulgaria’s entry to the organisation due in 2007. L.S. reports.
The first Soviet–designed reactors at K.D. on the river Danube 200 kilometres north of Sofia cameonline in the late1970’s. A seriesofaccidentsledtowidespread international concerns over their safety. Those concerns focussed, in particular, on the growing brittleness of the reactor vessels and thelackof the containment building tocopewith the major accident, should one occur. But Bulgarian nuclear engineers argue that repairscarriedout with international help and supervision have resolved all safety issues. They alsosay that Bulgaria needs two reactors both for domesticenergysupplies and for export.
(BBC December, 2002)
News 68
The US hasvetoed the UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel for the recentWestBankkillings of three UN reliefworkers. Twelve other Security Council members including Britain votedinfavorof the resolution late Friday and two other membercountriesabstained. The US veto killed the measure. The Syrian–backed resolution voiced great concernover the November, 22d killings by the Israeli troops during a shoot–out with Palestinian gunmen in Jenin.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 69
US ismovingto deploy defensive missiles that could intercept and destroy ballistic missiles launched against the US and its friends and allies. As the terrorist attacks of September, 11 2001 madeclear, the US and its alliesfaceunprecedentedthreats in a world that’schanged greatly since the cold war. The US hasdeveloped new strategies for making its homelandmoresecure and for combatting weapons of mass destruction. And, as Mr. Bush stressed, the US willtakeeverymeasuretoprotect its citizens against, what is perhaps, the greatest danger of all – the catastrophicharm that may resultfromhostile states or terrorist groups armedwith weapons of mass destruction, and the meanstodeliver them. Aspartof its new strategy, the US haswithdrawn from the 1972 Anti–BallisticMissileTreaty and movedbeyond the doctrine of Cold War Deterrence. The US has recognized the importance of missile defenses in deterringthosewho may contemplate ballistic missile attacks. At the same time, said President Bush, the US hasestablished a positiverelationship with Russia – that includespartnership in counter-terrorism and in other key areas of mutualconcern. The US plans to begin operating its initial missile defenses in 2004 and 2005. The system will include interceptor missile based on the ground and at sea, and missiles–sensorsbased on land, at sea, and in space. The US will develop and deploy missile defenses capable of protecting not only the US and its forces butalso its friends and allies.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 70
The US as announced that it’stohost a high–level meeting in Washington next week to discuss the crisisover North Korea’s nuclear programme. North Korea has caused international alarm by preparingtorestart its Yongbyon’s nuclear complex, which can produce weapons–gradeplutonium. J.L. reports from Washington.
The US government isembarkingon an intense new roundofdiplomacy to try to resolve this crisis. It’sdesigned to put new pressureon North Korea to giveup its nuclear programmes and to reassure America’s allies in East Asia. A senior State Department official J.K will meet his counterparts from Japan and South Korea in Washington before travellingout to the region himself. The United States wants its partnersthere to joininisolating North Korea. But the new South Korean government, inparticular, is worried that Washington is beingtooheavy–handed. Speaking at his ranch in Texas, President Bush denied therewas a splitovertheissue. Mr. Bush suggested America’s allies in East Asia mightbesecretlyputtingpressure on the North Koreans.
Meanwhile South Korea has announced that President–elect Roh Moo-hyun is preparing his own plan to resolvethedispute, which will callforboth Pyongyang and Washington to makeconcessions.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 71
France issending its Foreign Minister to Ivory Coast latertoday to trytoend the factional fighting that hassplit the country apart since September. In an unexpected visit Dominique de Villepin islikelytopress the rebelfactions and the government to come to Paris for new peacetalks. Mr. de Villepin said France wanted the internationalcommunity to help to stop a dangerousspiral of conflict.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 72
Israeli guards have clashed with Palestinian prisoners during a protest at an Israeli–rundetention camp near Ramallah in the WestBank. About 700 Palestinians aredetained at the camp, mostofthem in connectionwith violence in the uprising against Israeli occupation. A Palestinian humanrights group said the prisoners hadearlierdeclared a hunger strike in protest of allegedbeatings by the guards.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 73
A report in a British medical journal has accused drugcompaniesofdeveloping the idea ‘the new medical condition’ inordertoselldrugs to treat it. The article says the pharmaceutical industry hasledeffortstopromote the syndromeoffemalesexual disfunction whose nearestmaleequivalent can be treated by the drug Viagra. Here is M.K., our sciencestaff.
The article in a British medicaljournal by a journalist R.M. says many of the researchers who havepublishedpapersonfemalesexualdisfunction have financiallinks with the pharmaceutical industry. He adds that if sexual difficulties arecharacterised as a disfunction, doctors willbeencouraged to prescribe drugs, when, infact, they should be lookingat other aspects of the woman’s life, such as stress, tiredness or threateningbehaviour from their partners. The article concludesbyurginganinvestigationinto the way drug companies define and promote new diseases and disorders.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 74
On his first day in office the new Brazilian FinanceMinister Antonio Palocci hasreassured the financial markets that he will not introduceradicalchanges to the country’s economic policies. Speaking a day after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wasswornin as Brazil’s first left–wing president for 40 years, Mr. Palocci said his government wouldpursue a policy of activeworld–freedistribution but not attheexpense of economic stability. He promised to increase the pace of economic reform focussing on pensions, the biggest single drainon the budget.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 75
British police arequestioning 6 Middle Eastern men afterdiscovering ricin, an extremely lethal toxinwithnoantidote, in a north London apartment. Authorities said Tuesday allthemen of North African origin werearrestedduringraids on Sunday carriedoutwith provisions and under the country’sTerrorismAct. British officials say doctors and hospitals acrossthecountryhavebeenalertedto the symptoms of ricin poisoning. Ricin as a terrorweaponhasbeenlinkedto Al–Qaueda and Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 76
Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo says he’llgrantamnestyto rebels but will not agreeto their demand for earlier elections. Mr. Gbagbo made his commentson French radio aheadof French- brokered peace talks Wednesday. Delegates from all of Ivory Coast war - in - factionsareexpectedtoconvergeon a sports center in the town of M. outsideParisforthese 9 days of talks. The Ivory Coast governmentsignedatrucewith western-based rebels Monday in Togo tohaltfighting during the talks.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 77
A British- sponsored conference onfindingways to uphold the Palestinian authority isduetobegin today in London despite Israel’s refusal to allow Palestinian delegates to attend. Palestinian officials say they plan to takepart in the conference via telephone and videohook - up from the West Bank town of Ramallah. Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon barred the Palestinian delegation fromattending the conference after two suicidebombings in Tel-Aviv January, 5, which killed 22 people.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 78
IsraeliPrimeMinister Ariel Sharon says he agreeswith President Bush’s proposalforpeace with the Palestinians. But Mr. Sharon criticized the threeother members of theso - called Middle East quartet: Russia, the UnitedNations and the EuropeanUnion for tryingtokeep Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat involvedinto the peace process. Mr. Sharon spokeafter the US newsmagazine “Newsweek” published an interview in which he dismissed the quartet’s peace plan bycalling it “nothing.” The plan callsforcreation of a Palestinian State by 2005.
(VOA January, 2003)
News 79
It may be natural but that doesn’tmean it’s pleasant. The majority of women goingthrumenopause report symptoms like hotflashes, interrupted sleep, depression, lackofenergy. For the past few decades a lot of doctors have prescribedhormonereplacementtherapy to treat the symptoms. But a breakthrough studied recentlysuggested the risks of so - calledHRT are greater than previouslythought. So now millions of women aroundtheworld are looking for analternative. Doctor Machelle Seibel, a reproductiveendocrinologist, says he has one. And he describesit in his new book “The SoySolution for Menopause. ”
(VOA January, 2003)
News 80
The former Serbian President M.M. isexpectedtoleavefor the Hagueshortly to surrender to the International War CrimesTribunal. The Tribunalhascharged Mr. M. with war crimes committed in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo inthelate1990’s. The prosecutionalleges that in 1999 Mr. M. helpedtoorchestrate the campaign of terror forcing 800,000 of Kosovo’s ethnic Albanians toflee.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 81
Police in London usinghelicopters, ladders and batteringrams, have raided a mosque and arrested seven people under the Terrorism Act. They said the operation was linkedto an investigationinto the discovery of traces of the deadlypoisonricin in a flat in another part of London earlierthismonth. The mosquehasbeen the centre of controversy in Britain becauseof the activities of a radicalMuslimcleric who preaches there. B.T. reports from the scene.
Upto a hundred police officers, some of them armed, took part in a raid. It was a dramaticscene as a police helicopterhoveredoverhead, its searchlightilluminating the mosque, as the officers entered the building. Seven people havebeenarrested and takenawayforquestioning. But it’snotknown if the cleric A. H. was one of them.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 82
Russia and China, two permanentmembers of the United Nations Security Council withapowerofveto, have bothvoiced their oppositionto war against Iraq. Russia said itcouldseenothing at the moment tojustify any military action. And China in a rareinterventionon an internationalissue has expressed uneaseabout the large - scalebuild - up of troops and equipment in the Gulf. P.B. reports.
The diplomatic rift over Iraq iswidening. With America increasinglybellicose, the meeting of minds between France and Germany yesterday wasonething. Now Russia and China havealsomade their positions clear. In Moscow President Putin telephoned George Bush totellhim the UN weaponsinspectors’report next week shouldbe the keytodeciding future action. Russia doesn’tthink there are anygroundsatpresentforusingforce against Iraq. China too isworried about the troopbuild - up in the Gulf and wants the UN inspectors tobegiven more time.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 83
The United States and Britain havewarned that the credibility of the United Nations willbeatstake if the Security Council doesn’tactover Iraq. American Secretary of State Colin Powell said allowing the processbeingcarriedout by the UN inspectors todragonindefinitelywouldbe a defeat for the world body. Mr. Powell wasaddressing a news conference in Washington following talks with the British Foreign Minister Jack Straw. He acknowledgedsharp differences with other alliesonhowtodealwith Iraq but said this couldberesolved.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 84
Britain hassaid it’ll seektoextend the European Union travelbanon the Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his government’sofficials when it expires next week. Mr. Mugabe hasbeeninvited by the French authorities to attend the Summit of African Leaders in Paris thedayafter the travelbanends. Leader of HouseofCommons in Britain Robin Cook said it was important for the EU touphold the banimposedinprotestagainst the attackonoppositionsupporters and the seizure of white - ownedfarms in Zimbabwe.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 85
The Spanishairline Iberia isoffering people living in Spain freeflights to Galicia to helpcleanup the oilslickcaused by the sinking of the tanker “The Prestige” last November. The airlinetogetherwith the Spanish government will provide flights forupto 10,000 volunteersaweek. The BBC Madrid correspondent says the Spanish government isbeingcriticised for notdoingenough to help cleanup the spill, which hasaffected hundreds of kilometres of coastline and hasdevastated the localfishing industry.
(BBC January, 2003)
News 86
A daybefore the United Nation’s weapons inspectors produce their interimreport on Iraq the American Secretary of State Colin Powell isexpectedtodeliver a toughdenunciation of what the Bush administration describes as Saddam Hussein’s strategyofdeception. Mr. Powell willbespeaking at the World Economic Forum in theSwisstownof Davos, where he islikelytofacetoughquestions from business leaders worriedabout the economic impact that the war will have on Iraq.
P.P. reports from Davos.
Mr. Powell islikelytofaceprobingquestions about America’s willingness to act without United Nations’ backing. His responses will be keenlymonitored for any sign of how imminent the American - ledstrike may be. Mr. Powell indicated on Saturday that the US wasprepared to give the weapons inspectors more time to complete their work. Timing was clearly an issue in talks Mr. Powell heldhere with the Turkish Prime Minister A.G. Turkey hasyettodecidewhether US forces willbeabletouse its militarybases to launch an attackon Iraq.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 87
Tensofthousands of farmers haverallied in Mexico City toprotest to the threatto their livelihoodposed by the regional free tradepact NAFTA, which groups Mexico, United States, and Canada. They say they’regoingbankrupt because they can’tcompetewith cheap US food.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 88
Figuresreleased by the government of Argentina show there’sbeen a steeprisein levels of povertyreflecting the social cause of the economic crisis. The officedealingwith economic statistics says nearly 60% of Argentines now liveon or belowthepovertyline. Our correspondent in Buenos-Aires P.G. has more details.
There’sone good thing about beingpoor in Argentina, as R.E. told me, you are not alone. Almost 6outof10meet the government definitionofliving in poverty, thatis they earnlessthan 625 pesos amonth – a bitunder 200 dollars – the amount an average family must findtomeet their basicneeds. And this is in a country that usedtoboast one of the world’shigheststandardsofliving.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 89
Police in Moscow havearrested a man who created an investmentscheme which defrauded millions of Russians intheearly1990’s. The man Sergey Mavrodi, who launched the MMM Investment Fund, hasbeenontherun since 1998. He used television advertisingtopersuade millions of Russians to putwhateversumstheycould in his MMM scheme, which collapsed in 1994. Analysts said it was a classicpyramidscheme in which no moneywasactuallyinvested and old customers were paidoffwith new buyers’ money.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 90
Three separateinquiresareopening in the United States intothelossofthespaceshuttle Columbia which disintegrated on Saturday killing its crewofseven. The US government isforming an independent commission. The American SpaceAgency NASA and the US Congress willalsoconductinquires. Police and NASA staff are searching for debris across three American States including Texas above which Columbia fellapart. From there D.W. reports.
Local officials received more than a thousand calls withinafewhours. Hundredsofpiecesofdebris have beenrecovered including three large panelsonethesizeofacardoor. It'sreported that officials havealsorecovered an astronaut’shelmet and several bodyparts. The debris is beinglogged and marked with satellitecheckingdevices. Flowershavebeinglaidalongside some of the wreckageturning the area intoamakeshiftmemorial.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 91
NASA said the first indicationoftrouble was in the shuttle’sleftwing, which hadbeenhitbydebris on lift - off. NASA said it wassuspendingshuttlemissions until itunderstood the rudecause of the disaster. The Russian spaceauthoritieshaveoffered help into the investigation of the Columbia disaster. They also said that the launch of a Russian cargorocket to the international space station would goahead today asplanned.
With America inmourning, countries around the world havebeensending their condolences. Our Washington correspondent J.W. has more details.
The President hastakentelephonecalls from awiderange of world leaders including the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and the French President Jacques Chirac, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. The initialsense of shock in America hasbeenfollowed by intensespeculations about what wentwrong. Speculationscentre at the moment on a piece of an isolatingfoam that wasseentohit Columbia’s left wing shortlyafter the launch in January. The foamhadcomeawayfrom the orbited externalfueltank. Some reports suggest that sensors on the left wing were thefirsttoregister a problem during there - entry.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 92
Iraq says it willgiveadetailedresponse later today to the challengemadeat the United Nations by the American Secretary of State Colin Powell. Mr. Powell said Iraq wasstilldefyingdemandstodisarm and produced a dossier of intelligenceinformation to back his case including satellitephotographs and phoneintercepts. The initial Iraqi reaction was dismissive. In Baghdad a spokesmanfor President Saddam Hussein general A.H. said the speechshouldbemainly for theuninformed in order to justifycommitting an aggression on Iraq. Iraqi UN ambassador M Al D. said the American goalwastosell the idea of war withoutanymoral or legaljustification. Elsewhere there’sbeen a mixed reaction to the American stand. Britain gave strong backing but other members of the Security Council said the inspectors shouldbegiven more time. Syria questionedwhyIraqwasbeingthreatened when itnolongeroccupiedanyoneelse’s territory.
(BBC February, 2003)
News 93
Some European alliesincluding Germany and France haveexpressedconcernabout the prospects of a new war. Meanwhile US militaryofficialshaveannounced yet another leafletdropover southern Iraq. They say closetohalfamillionleafletsweredropped this time including somecallingon Iraqi civilians toavoid areas wheretroopscongregate. The leaflets also stresscoalitionforces have nodesires to harm the Iraqi people or todestroy their landmarks.
(VOA February, 2003)
News 94
TheWhiteHouse says it ispreparedfor any contingency in the stand - off with North Korea over the country’s nuclear weapons program. S.S. reports that the statementfollows North Korea’saccusation that theBush administration ispreparing a surpriseattack.
Mr. Fleischer says Washington and those alliesview North Korea’s actions asasetbackto peaceful dialog.
North Korean officials say they’llretaliateagainst any attacks on its nuclearfacilities. The warning comes adayaftertheNorth announced it hasrestarted the nuclear power plant that the Bush administration believescouldbeused to help build nuclear weapons. Mr. Fleischer says North Korea’s actions furtherisolate its people fromthemodernworld and leadto a situationwhere people arestarved and deniedbasichumanrights.
North Korea haswarned that itisentitledtolaunch a pre - emptivestrikeagainst the United States if US forces in thePacificarestrengthened. The Bush administration says it’scontinuingtopursuediplomacy in the matter.
(VOA February, 2003)
News 95
In Africa 30 million people areatriskofstarvation or arefacingsevere food shortages. The crisis in Zimbabwe isofparticular concern. 7.2 million Zimbabweans, overhalfthe population, face serious food shortages and therisk of starvation. Althoughworsened by poor rainfall, Zimbabwe’s crisis arises from the policies and actions of the government of Zimbabwe. Political oppression and economic mismanagement have decimated agricultural production and ruined Zimbabwe’s economy. Inthefaceof great human suffering, Zimbabwean officials often manipulateavailability of scarce government foodstock for political gains and personal ends. Other African nations facing serious food shortages include Malawi, Zambia, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Swaziland. Ethiopiahasover 14 million people atrisk. A long - time hunger filledbywar continues in Angola and Sudan.
The United States is the world’s largest donor of foodrelief, making over 60% of the contributions to the United Nations World Food Programs’ emergencyoperations. The US madeover 40% of the contributions to the programs Emergency Appeal for Africa intheyear2002. President George W. Bush hasproposedspending more that one billion dollars inthenext year to meet emergency food needsworldwide. Mr. Bush hasalsoproposed a 200 - milliondollarfaminefund to bring immediate assistance to regions facing starvation.
Money from the fund wouldbeavailable to purchase food supplies or to supportfoodproduction. Inthewordsof President Bush, we will encourage friends around the world to setupsimilar funds and leverage our combined resources to provide the most help to faminestrickenlands. Thanksto the United States and other nations, a severe hunger crisis in Africa wasrecentlyaverted. But Africa’surgentneedfor food assistance will continue. As President Bush said, “ Toallourefforts to fight diseases and hunger wecanspare people in many nations fromuntoldsuffering. Millions are facing rare infliction. But withourhelp they will not faceitalone. ”
(VOA February, 2003)
News 96
United Nations SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan iswarning the United States againstmakingwar against Baghdad onitsownarguingcollective action under UN umbrella would have greaterlegitimacy and betteroddsofsuccess.
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