http://192.168.2.6/english/1117/20061115VOA.mp3

It's 15 hours Universal Time, and here is the news from the Voice of America.

From the VOA news center in Washington, I'm Frances Alonzo.

Scores of gunmen dressed as Iraqi police commandoes have kidnapped at least 100 people from a government building in Baghdad. Police said the gunmen forced people at a research institute of the Higher Education Ministry into about 20 vehicles and drove off today. A short time later, Iraq's Higher Education Minister suspended all classes in Baghdad's universities and complained that his request for improved security had been ignored.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he hopes his country will soon be able to celebrate the completion of its nuclear fuel program. Mr. Ahmadinejad told reporters in Tehran today that many countries have agreed to live with an Iran that persists a nuclear fuel cycle, however, he did not elaborate. The United Nations Security Council is considering a draft resolution for sanctions against Iran for refusing to abide by August 31 deadline to suspend its sensitive nuclear activities.

The ruling Palestinian militant group Hamas says a new unity government will not recognize Israel or accept a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. A Hamas spokesman says the group will not recognize Israel as long as Israeli troops continue what he calls the occupation of Palestinian lands. His comments come as negotiators for the rival Fatah and Hamas factions continue talks in Gaza today aimed at creating a Palestinian unity government.

President Bush is to leave Washington late today on a week-long tour of southeast Asia that includes stops in Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. On his way to Asia, Mr. Bush is to make a brief visit to Moscow Wednesday for an informal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Bush travels to Singapore on Thursday to give the keynote address of the Asia trip. President Bush is to arrive in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on Friday, ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. Meanwhile Vietnam has expressed disappointment at the US House of Representatives' failure on Monday to approve permanent normalized trade status for Vietnam. Hanoi was hoping the Congress will pass a needed law to highlight Vietnam's position as a rising trade power; especially it prepares to hold the summit with President Bush and another Asia Pacific leaders this week. VOA's Louis Meris reports from Hanoi.

News of the measure's defeat in the Lower Chamber of the US Congress was a setback for Vietnamese officials who were proudly showcasing the openness of the a booming economy ahead of Saturday and Sunday summit of the Asia Pacific leaders. Vietnam remains hopeful that the lawmakers and President Bush's Republican Party will succeed in a new attempt to pass the law before Mr. Bush's arrival on Hanoi for the APEC's summit of 21 Asia Pacific leaders later this week. Currently, Congress has to vote each year on whether to confirm normal trading status on Vietnam. Making that status permanent would ,among other things ,remove quotas that limited the amount of textiles that Vietnam can export to the US. Lawmakers that voted down the matter cited concerns that a flood of cheap Vietnamese textile imports could cost their * business and jobs. Louis Meris VOA news, Hanoi.

Thailand's military appointed government says there are no plans for the time being to lift martial law the government hinted last week that they might do some so ahead of this week's Asia Pacific Summit in Vietnam. Roger Walkson reports from Bangkok.

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Hanoi will be attended by President Bush and leaders of other countries that have denounced Thailand's Sep. 19 military coup. The same governments have urged the ruling generals in Thailand to lift martial law quickly. Prime Minister Surayud Julanont will attend the summit and could be enforced among some uncomfortable questioning from other government leaders. On Thursday however Mr. Surayud emerged from a cabinet meeting to tell reporters that his government has no immediate plan to lift martial law because in his words "it is not an urgent matter." He says he was informed that the issue will not be a subject of discussion at the APEC meeting. Later, Mr. Surayud said it was US ambassador R Voice who told a martial law will not come up at this summit. But he said Voice also told him that the military seizure of power two months ago was incompatible with democracy. Roger Walkson for VOA news, Bangkok.

The United Nations Refugee Agency is calling for international actions to stop the recent wave of violence in southeastern Chad. The agency spokesman says more attacks on villagers in the region are being...