It is twenty-three hours thirty Universal Time and here is the news in Special English. ▼ A major earthquake has hit Haiti. Scientists say the seven point zero strength earthquake hit Tuesday afternoon. The earthquake was followed by two smaller quakes. There are unconfirmed reports that a hospital has collapsed. A tsunami warning has been released for the Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Bahamas. The quake struck at a depth of ten kilometers and was centered about sixteen kilometers from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince. Haiti's ambassador to the United States has called the quake a major disaster. Raymond Joseph called on friends of Haiti to come to the country's aid. Iran is blaming the United States and Israel for the murder of an Iranian nuclear physics professor. State media say Massoud Ali Mohammidi was killed Tuesday when a bomb attached to his motorbike exploded near his home in Tehran. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said an early investigation showed that Israel, the United States and America their [America's] paid agents in Iran were responsible for the attack. In Washington, a State Department spokesman denounced the accusation. Mr. Mohammidi was a nuclear scientist and professor at Tehran University. He supported an opposition candidate in the presidential election last year.
The American Defense Department has ordered more than three thousand additional troops to Afghanistan. A Defense Department official said two thousand six hundred soldiers will travel to Afghanistan along with about five hundred support troops. The move is part of the troop increase approved by President Obama. In separate news, NATO officials say two airstrikes in southern Afghanistan have killed sixteen suspected militants. They said both airstrikes were carried out Monday in Helmand province. Officials said one missile hit a house where many militants were preparing ammunition. A second strike killed three armed fighters.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has met with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in Hawaii.
They discussed relations between the two countries and the future of the United States military base on the island of Okinawa. After the talks, Ms. Clinton told reporters that the relationship between America and Japan was at the center of American foreign policy in Asia. Mr. Okada discussed plans to move the Futenma Air Base on Okinawa. He said Japan understands the importance of the deal which was made in two thousand six. He said Japan's new government plans to make a decision about the agreement by May. And, you are listening to the news in VOA Special English.
Iraqi security forces say they have seized explosives and arrested twenty-five people who planned terrorist attacks in Baghdad. A military official said Iraqi forces seized four hundred kilograms of explosives and sixty explosive devices during operations throughout the capital. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the raids were carried out after officials received information about possible bombings in the city. Officials ordered increased security and restricted traffic causing traffic delays in and around Baghdad early Tuesday.
A top adviser to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the former leader was never in a hurry to go to war with Iraq. Alastair Campbell said Mr. Blair wanted to deal peacefully with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein until just before the American-led invasion in two thousand three. Mr. Campbell answered questions from five investigators at a public hearing in London. The investigation was called to examine the British government's process of deciding to take part in the war against Iraq. Mr. Campbell said Mr. Blair was satisfied with pre-war intelligence that reportedly showed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons were ever found.
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has made his first public comments since he entered a hospital in Saudi Arabia in November. President Yar'Adua says he is getting better and looks forward to returning to work. He also said that he hopes to make enough progress to return to Nigeria soon. The Nigerian leader spoke late Monday with the British Broadcasting Corporation. He gave no information about when he might return home. Nigerian officials say he was being treated for a heart condition. He is also known to suffer from a kidney problem. On Tuesday, Nigerian lawmakers voted to send a delegation to Saudi Arabia to visit the President and discuss important issues.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been nominated by his party to stand for re-election in April. Officials from his National Congress Party released his name to the voting commission on Tuesday. The vote will be the country's first multi-party elections in twenty-four years. It is a major requirement of a north-south peace deal signed in two thousand five that ended twenty-one years of civil war. Sudanese voters will choose a president, parliament and state governors. President Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes in Darfur.
A human rights group says the record of African nations on political and civil rights declined last year. The group, Freedom House, released a report Tuesday. It says rights decreased in sixteen African nations during two thousand nine. It also said that far fewer nations showed signs of improvement. Some of the countries rated lowest for civil rights and freedoms were Equatorial Guinea, Sudan and Somalia. Freedom House said it noted less freedom in some countries that were working on reforms. The group listed concerns including political power won through revolts and constitutional changes to extend presidential terms. ▲ And now briefly, here again is the major news of the hour.
A major earthquake has hit Haiti. Scientists say the seven point zero strength earthquake hit Tuesday afternoon. Iran is blaming the United States and Israel for the murder of an Iranian nuclear physics professor. And, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has met with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in Hawaii.
And, that's the news in VOA Special English coming your way from Washington. Source: VOA Special English January 12, 2010 2330UTC
