It is twenty-two hours thirty Universal Time and here is the news in Special English. ▼ An international conference is supporting a plan for Afghan forces to take control of their country's security by two thousand fourteen. Afghan President Hamid Karzai proposed the plan, which also calls for greater control over development aid. The conference in Kabul also supported President Karzai's call for other countries to spend at least fifty percent of aid through the Afghan government. More than forty billion dollars have been spent on Afghanistan since two thousand one. American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told delegates the United States is pleased by Afghan government improvements in governing and security. The final conference declaration also approved an Afghan plan about Taliban fighters. The plan calls for Taliban members to rejoin Afghan society if they surrender their weapons. They also would be required to denounce al-Qaida and accept the nation's constitution. President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have condemned Scotland's release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi. Scottish officials released the Libyan, who was found guilty of the nineteen eighty-eight airplane bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. However, Mr. Cameron rejected calls for an investigation into whether British oil company BP influenced the Libyan's release. He said Scotland made the decision. Some American lawmakers have accused BP of seeking the release of al-Megrahi to gain a business deal. Al-Megrahi was released because doctors said he had a short time to live. But, he is alive and free today in Libya.
European Union foreign ministers are set to accept more restrictions against Iran. The new plan would include measures to ban investment in oil and gas industry. The foreign ministers will meet next Monday in Brussels. Parts of the temporary resolution were made public Tuesday. They show that E.U. foreign ministers are expected to approve the decision for further restrictions related to Iran's nuclear program. Parts of the present document call on Iran to return to talks. The new E.U. steps are also expected to include trade, banking and transportation, including shipping and air supplies.
The top United Nations human rights official is accusing security forces in Kyrgyzstan of detaining hundreds of ethnic Uzbeks after clashes in June. Navi Pillay said she has information suggesting local officials are ignoring abuses that often led to forced confessions. The reports say some detainees were tortured. At least, one detainee reportedly died because of abuse. Ms. Pillay says such actions violate local and international laws and threaten the weak peace in Kyrgyzstan's south. Tensions are still high in that area one month after an estimated two thousand people were killed in clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.
A United States official has asked oil company BP to extend testing of a containment device on a broken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico for another twenty-four hours. The head of the American government's response team, Thad Allen, said officials are pleased with the progress in observing the well's safety. He said small leaks of oil and methane gas have been found around the well, but there is no sign the well is in danger.
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Delegates to a meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations in Vietnam have urged Burma to hold free and fair elections this year. The Secretary General of ASEAN, Surin Pitsuwan, said Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win heard members' deep concerns at a dinner in Hanoi late Monday. Mr. Surin said it is important for both Burma and ASEAN that the elections be seen as fair. Burma has not set a date for elections.
Israel has lifted a travel warning for Turkey that was put in place after a deadly Israeli raid on aid ships traveling to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government said Tuesday that the travel warning for its citizens was canceled. Israel's anti-terrorism agency said calm had returned to Turkey and large demonstrations against Israel had stopped. Taiwan will establish a new anti-corruption agency. President Ma Ying-jeou said the agency will use similar agencies in Hong Kong and Singapore as models. He said the agency will operate under the justice ministry. The announcement comes after a series of corruption cases, including the arrests of three top judges and a lawyer. They are suspected of accepting illegal payments.
The World Health Organization and the United Nations AIDS agency are praising reports of a major success in fighting the spread of AIDS. U.N. AIDS director Michel Sidibe says results from tests of a new vaginal gel are giving hope to women. He says the gel will help women control the risk of infection. He spoke at the international AIDS conference in Vienna, Austria. WHO Director Margaret Chan says her group will work to make the gel available as soon as tests show it is safe and effective. But, experts warn that more research is needed before the gel can be released to the public. The gel contains the drug Tenofovir.
A strong earthquake has struck the coast of Papua-New Guinea. There is not information about a possible ocean wave, or tsunami, nor about damage to the area. The earthquake took place early Wednesday. It was centered one hundred thirty kilometers east of Kandrian on the island of New Britain. The United States Geological Survey measured the quake's magnitude as at least six point three. ▲ Briefly, here again is the major news of the hour.
An international conference is supporting a plan for Afghan forces to take control of their country's security by two thousand fourteen. President Obama and British Prime Minister Cameron have condemned Scotland's release of a Libyan man found guilty of bombing a passenger plane. And, European Union foreign ministers are ready to accept more restrictions against Iran.
That's the news in VOA Special English coming to you from Washington. Source: VOA Special English July 20, 2010 22 30 UTC
