http://192.168.2.6/english/20061219VOA.mp3

[1] Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he will push ahead with plans to hold earlier elections and insist in that a threatened violence between rival factions will not / him. Mr. Abbas made his comment today at a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Ramallah. The Palestinian leader said nothing will stop him from holding an early parliamentary and presidential elections. He appealed to Mr. Blair to help end a western / of financial aid to the Palestinian government. Mr. Blair praised the Palestinian leader’s call for new elections and says he will do whatever he can to deliver support to the Palestinians. “It is important for us / the holy things national community, to work with people who wants a genuine to state solution.”
Again that is British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

[2] The Iraqi Red Crescent says it has halted operation in Baghdad because the mass kidnapping is the biggest office in the capital. The organization secretary general says the work of the office won’t continue until further notes. But the group’s offices in other Iraqi provinces are still functioning. Meanwhile, the US military announced it will triple the number of military trainers in / with Iraqi troops. VOA’s M reports from Baghdad.

Right now, there are about 5,000 US trainers in Iraq. The majority work in a field along side Iraqi forces, a dangerous mission given that Iraqi forces are often the target of terrorist attacks. Brigadier general D who commands about 3,000 of the field trainers says his force will be expanded nearly three-fourth by next summer.

“I do believe that 2007 will be the year of transition and a transition to / the world.” / attacks of reductions highlight the urgent need for stronger Iraqi security forces. And in the latest such violence, gunmen kidnapped about 25 men, police and visitors from the Iraqi Red Crescent offices in central Baghdad on Sunday. B S, VOA news Baghdad.

[3] / results from Iran's municipal election show opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have taken an early leading key crises. Partial results released today showed the seven moderate conservatives / /. Four reformers winning seats on Teheran's 15 seat municipal of council. One independent and three allies of the president are also leading.

[4] North Korea's nuclear envoy's demanded that his country be provided by the civilian nuclear reactor in the return for nuclear disarmament. K K G was speaking in Beijing at today's opening session of six-party talks in Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programe. K also demanded that all UN and US financial sanctions against North Korea be lifted before his country abandons nuclear weapons. If the demands are not met, K said Pyongyang would strengthen its nuclear /. Diplomats report that K also said North Korea does not care whether other countries recognize it as a nuclear power. US envoy Christopher Hill says the international community will not accept North Korea as a nuclear state.

“Frankly, I can't tell you, at this point, which road the DPRK is choosing. We can go either road. We would like / / via diplomatic negotiation, but if they don't want that, we are quite prepared to go the other road.”

The six parties involved in the talks include the United States, North Korea, China, South Korea, Japan and Russia.

[5] President Bush is said to sign a landmark nuclear cooperation deal with India to law. The president’s signature today is a major step forward changing US law to allow shipments of nuclear fuel and technology for civilian use in India for the first time in 30 years. For years, Washington baned such export as part of efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

[6] British police say they have detained a man on suspicion of killing five / in eastern England. Senior investigating officer S G / reporters on the arrest that took place near the town of /.

“The 37-year-old man was arrested at his home address in / near P at approximatly 7:20 AM this morning.”
The man who has not yet been identified will be questioned today.