mar. 30
It is twenty-three hours thirty Universal Time and here is the news in Special English. ▼ Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered security forces to find the people who planned two suicide bombings in Moscow on Monday. Thirty-nine people were killed in the attacks at two train stations. On state television, Mr. Putin called the capture of the attack planners "a matter of Russian national pride. " He told police agencies to bring them into daylight. Mr. Putin spoke as mourning Russians placed flowers and pictures of the dead at the two underground train stations where the attacks took place. Earlier Tuesday, President Dmitry Medvedev called for Russian courts and lawmakers to find new ways to make anti-terror laws stronger. Also in the capital, members of the Russian Orthodox Church gathered at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The American Secretary of State says she believes the United Nations Security Council will reach agreement on the best way to deal with Iran's nuclear program. Hillary Clinton made the comment after a two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the world's leading industrial nations and Russia. She said there is a growing understanding in many nations of the effect a nuclear-armed Iran could have on world security. She also said she expects intense negotiations in the Security Council about possible restrictions against Iran. The top diplomats from the Group of Eight nations met near Ottawa, Canada. Their final statement supported strong steps to show firmness on Iran while keeping open the possibility of talks with that country. President Obama says he expects new United Nations Security Council restrictions against Iran to be in place within weeks.
Mr. Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy spoke to reporters after the two leaders held talks at the White House. Mr. Sarkozy said Iran cannot continue what he called, "its mad race toward building a nuclear weapon. " He also said the Iranian people deserve better than the current leadership in Iran. Mr. Obama and Mr. Sarkozy also discussed climate change, Afghanistan and economic issues. The French leader expressed support for President Obama's plan of action for Afghanistan. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has accepted a request from Pakistan to postpone the release of an independent report until April fifteenth. The report is the result of an investigation of the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Mr. Ban's spokesman said the release of the report is being delayed because of an important request from Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. Mr. Zardari was married to Benazir Bhutto. Mr. Ban asked an independent committee to investigate her death last June at the request of the Pakistani government. Mr. Ban's spokesman says the report is complete but that neither Mr. Ban nor the government of Pakistan has read the report. [You are listening to the news in VOA Special English.]
Officials in the Central African Republic say a Ugandan rebel group has increased attacks in the C.A.R. The officials say the Lord's Resistance Army recently killed at least ten civilians and kidnapped many more in the eastern part of the country. Earlier this week, an international human rights group accused the rebels of a mass killing in the Democratic Republic of Congo in December. Human Rights Watch said L.R.A. fighters raided ten villages and killed more than three hundred civilians. The report said the rebels also kidnapped more than two hundred fifty other villagers including eighty children. A spokesman for the Lord's Resistance Army said on Monday that the report was false. Malaysia's prime minister has announced major plans for economic reform. Prime Minister Najib Razak says his new economic model is designed to increase growth, bring foreign investment and create a high quality workforce. He says government assistance will be based on economic need and not based on race. The current race-based policies were put into effect in the nineteen seventies by Mr. Najib's father. The program gave ethnic-majority Malays first choice in jobs and other benefits. The aim was to lessen the difference in wealth between Malays and minority ethnic Chinese.
A strong earthquake has shaken the Andaman Islands of India. Two people were injured when they jumped off a building during the earthquake. No other injuries or damage have been reported. The United States Geological Survey says the quake measured six point four. The islands lie in the Indian Ocean between India and Burma.
Chinese media say the bodies of twenty-one babies have been found near a river in eastern China. Xinhua news agency reports that eight of the twenty-one babies wore hospital identification markers on their feet. The markers were from the Jining medical college hospital in Shandong province. Officials say the hospital has dismissed two employees. They worked in the part of the hospital where the dead are placed. Officials say families of the babies who died paid the workers to deal with their remains. Police reportedly have detained the two dismissed hospital workers.
Jamaica has sent sixty-two Haitian immigrants back to their homeland about a week after they arrived on the island. Jamaican officials say the immigrants were placed on a boat belonging to the Jamaican defense force on Tuesday. Officials say the Haitians were sent home because it was too costly to permit them to stay in Jamaica. Jamaican media reports say it costs nine million dollars to care for the Haitians. ▲ And now briefly, here again is the major news of the hour in Special English.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered security forces to find the people who planned two suicide bombings in Moscow. President Obama says he expects new United Nations Security Council restrictions against Iran to be in place within weeks.
And, officials in the Central African Republic say a Ugandan rebel group has increased attacks in the C.A.R.
That's the news in VOA Special English coming your way from Washington. Source: VOA Special English March 30, 2010 2330UTC
