News 56

More than two dozenadditional inspectors join the UN team in Iraq on Sunday. Thosealreadythere visited a geologicalsurvey company in Baghdad and a pesticideplantoutside the capital.

(VOA December, 2002)

News 57

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Lee Armitage justarrivedin Tokyo on his first stop of afour–nationtour in order to gathersupportfor a possible US–led waron Iraq. Reports say Japan wants to do more than justprovidemonetarysupport but isboundby its constitution not to use military force. Last week Japan didsend a high–techwarship to the Indian Ocean to offerlogisticalsupport. Aftermeeting with Japanese officials, Mr. A. willheadto South Korea, China, and Australia.

(VOA December, 2002)

News 58

Forecastsfor rain are bringinghope to Australia’s New South Wales State, where firefightersarebattling more than 60 brush fires. Since the fires brokeout last Wednesday, they’vescorched 100 thousand hectares of land. From Sidney F.M. has more.

Authorities say after 5 days of emergencyconditions the outlook is beginning to improve. Cooler temperatures and moderate winds have given the firefighters an opportunity to gaintheupperhandover many of the fires. Furtherreliefisin sight, with rain forecast for Tuesday. Blazes still burnoutof control to the north of Sidney and in the Blue Mountains to the west. It’sthought many were started by arsonists or by careless smokers. No homes have been destroyedin the past 48 hours and many roads that havebeenclosed by the fires havereopened. One emergency worker said once the fire getsgoing, it sounds likeawildanimalcoming toward you. Australia’s environmental protection authority says airpollution from the bush fires is very high. Healthofficials have urged anyone with breathingdisorders to stayindoors. Two people havedied in the fires, which havedevastated thousands of hectares of land since beginning on Wednesday.

(VOA December, 2002)

News 59

European Union leaders meetingin Copenhagen have decided Turkey willhavetowait at least two more years before it’sinvitedtostartmembershiptalks. The Danish EU Presidency said the decision will be taken inlate 2004 astowhether Turkey hasmetthecriteriaforjoining the EU. The decision dashesTurkishhopesof earlier negotiations. From Copenhagen C.M. reports.

EU leaders meeting over have decided that theywillnotinvite Turkey tobegintalksonjoining the Union until December 2004 at the earliest. For theTurks that will be abigdisappointment. The government in Ankara havebeenpressingfor an earlier and more definite date. It means theTurkswillnotbeabletostart negotiations onmembershipuntilafter 10 other candidate countries havejoined the Union. That could make Turkey accessionprocess even more complicated. Noneofthiswillmakeitanyeasier to reach a separatedeal to reunify Cyprus, either. EU leaders havealsoagreedon a financial package they will offerto the 10 countries who areonthevergeofcompleting their negotiations. Some of the candidates ledbyPolandarestillholdingoutfor extra cash.

(BBC December, 2002)

News 60

North Korea hasaccused the US ofunpardonablepiracy after a North Korean ship carrying Scud missiles wasstopped and searched on its way to Yemen. A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said Washington hadwantonlyencroachedon North Korea’s sovereignty. The unflagged ship wasseized in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday by Spanish warshipactingon an American tip–off. From Seoul C.G. reports.

Remainingsilenton calls to rethink its threat to reactivate its frozen nuclear programme, North Korea hasgoneontheoffensive. It’saccused the United States ofunpardonablepiracy by seizing its vessel in the Arabian Sea this week. The ship wasintercepted by US and Spanish forces and foundtocontainhidden Scud missiles. It was laterreleased and allowedtosailonto its destination in Yemen. The North (Korea’s) belligerent statement came a day after it warned it would immediately reactivate its nuclear powerplant in Yongbyon in order to get desperately needed power. The regime said it had no choice as the US hadstoppedfuelshipments to the country.

(BBC December, 2002)

News 61

The American Secretary of State Colin Powell has announced an initiativetospreaddemocracy, education, and free market across the Middle East. Mr. Powell pledged 29 million dollars towards the projectsaying it was awayofbroadening Washington’s approach to the region. Painting a picture of economic stagnation and unresponsive political systems in the Middle East, Mr. Powell criticised the marginalization of women and thelackof educational opportunities for millions.

(BBC December, 2002)

News 62

Scientists in Germany have announced promisingresults from tests of a new treatmentforsufferersfrommalaria. Writing in the British medical journal “The Lancet”, the scientists say that when they administered a new antibiotic to malariapatients in the West African state of Gabon, the parasites were rapidly destroyed and fever was reduced.

(BBC December, 2002)

News 63

Next: an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

A general strike hasparalysed Venezuela’s oil industry, the world’sfifth largest, and ledtoviolence and shortagesof food, drinking water, and cash. The strike isbeingmarked by daily streetprotests for and against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The strikers areprotesting President Chavez’s policies, which, opponentscharge, have made millions of Venezuelans poor and driven the country towards communism. The opposition launchedthestrike to demand a non-bindingreferendumon President Chavez’s rule, but now wants general elections soon. President Chavez hasargued that Venezuelan Constitution prohibits earlier elections. A shooting at one opposition rallyleft 3 people dead and 28 wounded. In the words of R.N., US prominentrepresentative to the Organisation of American States, the violenceperpetratedbyarmedcivilians once again claimedthelives of peaceful demonstrators. The US calledupon Venezuelan police and judicialinstitutions to conduct an immediateandthoroughinvestigation and vigorosprosecution of allthoseresponsible. In Caracas S.G. the Secretary General of the OAS, ismediatingnegotiations between the government and the opposition. The talks areaimedatending the strike and allowing earlier elections. But Mr. G. has said that serious differences remain and more violence could erupt. The US callson all sidestorejectviolence and responsiblyrespect constitutional processes and worktoward a peaceful, democratic, and electorialsolutionto the crisis. In the words of President George W. Bush, it is very important for President Chavez to do whathesaid he was goingtodo: to address the reasons why there’s so much turmoil on the streets, and it is very important for him to embrace those institutions which are fundamentalto democracy including freedom of press and freedoms for the oppositiontospeakout. Now morethanever it is essential that the Venezuelan government provide the securitynecessary for the people of Venezuela to exercisepeacefully their fundamental freedoms.

That was an editorial reflecting the views of the United States government.

(VOA December, 2002)

News 64

Once again topping the news: the US and Japan are workingcloselytodiffuse that crisis with North Korea. All of thishastodowith the country’s nuclear weapons program. US SecretaryofState Colin Powell calls the situation difficult and dangerous but he says Washington willnotsign a non–aggression treatydemanded by North Korea and will not holdtalks until Pyongyang abandons its nuclear ambitions. Meantime the Secretary madehiscommentsamid some escalating North Korean regress against the US. An officialgovernment newspaper in North Korea says the peninsula is onthevergeofwar. But as S.C. reports from Seoul, the paperalsosaysconflict can be avoided.

(VOA December, 2002)

News 65

And now Iraq. The US Secretary of State says the Bush administration expects tohaveanassessment of Iraq’s WeaponsDeclarationlater this week and it issignalingstrongly that they find the documentabitlacking. VOA’s D.G. has more from the State Department.

The US isnotexpectedtorelease its own analysis of the massive Iraqi statementuntilafter Chief UN Weapons inspector Hans Blix reportsto the Security Council on Thursday. But at the newsconference with the Japanese Foreign and DefenseMinisters Mr. Powell indicatedstrongly that the emerging US assessments of the critical document is negative. Mr. Powell stressed the importance of UN inspectors’exercising their rightto interview Iraqi weapons scientists who would have first–handknowledgeofthedispositionofbanned weapons.

“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, 22^d 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)

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