dec. 08

It is twenty-three hours thirty Universal Time, and here is the news in Special English. ▼ The top American commander in Afghanistan says President Obama's new plan for the country can succeed. General Stanley McChrystal said he should know within one year whether the increase in American troops in Afghanistan is weakening the Taliban. He spoke Tuesday to lawmakers in Washington. General McChrystal said the number of American troops in Afghanistan can be reduced beginning in mid-two thousand eleven. He also said he fully supports the President's decision to send thirty thousand more American troops to Afghanistan. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says bombings across Baghdad Tuesday were meant to create disorder as the country makes political progress. At least, one hundred twenty-seven people were killed and more than four hundred others wounded in the attacks. The first bombing was the work of a suicide attacker in a car. Later, three bombs exploded within a few minutes of each other near the Interior Ministry, a Finance Ministry office and a court building. No one has claimed responsibility for the violence. But, Iraqi security officials blamed terrorists linked to al-Qaeda. The officials also blamed people loyal to the now illegal party of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

General elections in Iraq have been postponed by one day to Sunday, March seventh. A top aide to Iraq's President told reporters about the change Tuesday. He spoke hours after Iraqi officials said the vote would be held on Saturday, March sixth. That is seven weeks after the date announced earlier. Officials have not explained the reason for the change. But, media reports say Kurds objected to the March sixth date because it marks the anniversary of a border treaty between Iraq and Iran. Kurds say [the] treaty reduced their influence. Iraqi officials had expressed support for holding the elections on February twenty-seventh, but some opposed the vote in late February because it falls too near a Shiite mourning ceremony.

Students in Iran have held a second day of anti-government protests in Tehran. Witnesses say reformist students gathered Tuesday at the engineering college of Tehran University. They say fighting began when pro-government militia fired tear gas on the protestors. Iran's top government lawyer warned that anyone who harms national security will be punished. Thousands of Iranian opposition activists took part in student-led protests on Monday in Tehran and other cities. Officials say over two hundred people were arrested.

European Union foreign ministers say they will support new measures against Iran if the country keeps refusing a United Nations nuclear fuel deal. The EU ministers said in a statement Tuesday that Iran's failure to meet international nuclear demands require [requires] a clear answer. The foreign ministers say they are still ready to resolve the nuclear dispute through negotiations. But, they say they will support new action by the U.N. Security Council if Iran fails to cooperate. The statement will be made final at an E.U. meeting later this week.

You are listening to the news in VOA Special English.

Climate experts say information for the first ten years of the twenty-first century will probably show it to be the warmest ten-year period ever measured. The World Meteorological Organization released the findings on the second day of a climate conference in Copenhagen. The head of the organization, Michel Jarraud, spoke to representatives of one hundred ninety-two nations. He said the final temperature records will be released early next year. He said this year will probably be the fifth warmest since scientists began keeping world climate records in eighteen fifty. Environmentalists and activists have criticized an early version of a climate change deal that conference officials are trying to create. They say the deal strongly favors rich countries over the concerns of developing nations.

The American special representative to North Korea is in Pyongyang for talks. Stephen Bosworth will take part in the highest-level talks between the United States and North Korea since President Obama took office. He is expected to meet with First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok-ju. It is not clear if he will meet with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-il. An unnamed official says Mr. Bosworth will not offer any new rewards for North Korea to renew six-nation talks on ending its nuclear programs. But, the official says North Korea may be ready to restart negotiations. Mr. Bosworth arrived in Pyongyang Tuesday after talks in South Korea.

State media in Burma say the military is taking part in training to prevent the use of children as soldiers. The New Light of Myanmar newspaper released the report Tuesday. It said that military officers are taking classes organized by the military government and the United Nations children's fund. An estimated seventy thousand children reportedly serve in the Burmese army and with rebel groups. Training child soldiers is illegal under Burmese law. Officials deny that the army permits the use of child soldiers.

In Honduras, officials say gunmen shot and killed the country's top drug enforcement official. Retired General Julian Aristides Gonzales was traveling in his car when men on a motorcycle opened fire. The incident took place in the Tegucigalpa area. A police official said Mr. Gonzales served five years fighting the illegal drug trade. He planned to retire in two months and move to Canada. Honduras is an important area in the illegal drug trade. ▲ And now briefly, here again is the major news of the hour.

The top American commander in Afghanistan says President Obama's new plan for the country can succeed. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says bombings across Baghdad Tuesday were meant to create disorder as the country makes political progress. And, students in Iran have held a second day of anti-government protests in Tehran.

And, that's the news in VOA Special English. Source: VOA Special English December 8, 2009 2330UTC