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It is 23:30 universal time and here is the news in Special English on the Voice of America. I'm Jim Tedder in Washington.

1.President Bush is cancelling taxes on steel imported into the United States. A Bush Administration official and trade representative Robert Zoellick announced the cancellation. The taxes were ordered in March of last year. They were to be effective for three years. The World Trade Organization ruled recently that the import taxes were illegal. In another development, the European Union said it will suspend plans for new taxes on American goods. European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy told reporters in Belgium that EU members would end their owned measures to block steel imports.

2.American Secretary of State Colin Powell says NATO members are discussing a possible greater involvement for the alliance in Iraq. Secretary Powell told reporters in Brussels that no NATO member spoke against the possibility. Members France and Germany have opposed the American-led invasion of Iraq. Mr. Powell urged the 19 NATO ministers to examine what the alliance can do to support peace and security in Iraq. But he also said NATO should place immediate importance on Afghanistan. The NATO meeting is expected to last two days. The ministers also are discussing European Union proposals for a separate EU defense structure.

3.Pakistan has welcomed an official confirmation by India's Prime Minister that he will visit Islamabad next month. Atal Behari Vajpayee is expected there for a meeting of South Asian leaders. A Pakistani official says Mr.Vajpayee sent a letter saying he would attend. The letter reportedly would send to Pakistan's Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamal. Leaders of the seven nations South Asian Association for regional cooperation will meet in Islamabad in early January.

4.American Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says he believes that Taliban forces will not return to power in Afghanistan. Mr.Rumsfeld met in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. Mr.Karzai said Afghanistan is moving toward democracy and Taliban cannot stop the process. Mr.Karzai thanked the United States for its agreement to provide two thousand million more dollars in aid. Earlier Mr.Rumsfeld visited the Afghan city, Mazar-e-Sharif. He met with the new governor, a police chief and two local leaders. Also, Afghan officials say suspected Taliban fighters attacked a group of vehicles in Fara province. One person was killed and several others injured.

5.In Poland, a helicopter carrying Prime Minister Leszek Miller has crashed near Warsaw. Doctors say Mr.Miller has damaged two bones in his back. They say he is in good condition but will stay in the hospital. Seven other people on the helicopter were injured. The Polish Prime Minister was returning from a visit to southwestern Poland. Officials say the engine on the helicopter may have failed.

You are listening to the news in VOA Special English.

6.Several Palestinian groups are meeting in Egypt. They are discussing a possible ceasefire with Israel as a first step toward restarting peace talks. Officials say Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia plans to join the talks Friday. Hamas and other groups say Israel must end operations against militants before a ceasefire can be considered. Egypt's Intelligence Chief has urged the Palestinians to agree to a total ceasefire on the condition that Israel does the same.

7.In Washington President Bush met Thursday with King Abdullah of Jordan. The Jordanian leader said he expects to see small steps toward progress in the peace process. Also American Secretary of State Colin Powell plans to meet Friday with the people who wrote a peace plan known as the Geneva Accord. Israeli officials have criticized the planned meeting.

8.Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov says both Russia and the United States want to assist Georgia. The Russian official also said events in Georgia would not affect his country’s relations with the United States. He said Russia and America have any interest in preventing unrest in the Caucasus area. Mr.Igor Ivanov spoke after meeting with the American Secretary of State Colin Powell in Belgium. Earlier in Georgia, an American official announced five million dollars in emergency aid for the former Soviet Republic. The United States provides about one hundred ten million dollars in aid to Georgia each year.

9.In Ivory Coast, President Laurent Gbagbo says rebels have agreed to start disarming on December fifteenth. Mr.Gbagbo announced the agreement after meeting with the army officials and rebel delegates in the capital Yamoussoukro. A rebel delegate says the agreement calls for both rebel forces and Ivory Coast's army to give up their weapons. More talks are planned for December 10th in Bouake, a city held by rebel forces.

10.The International Police Agency Interpol has called for the arrest of former Liberian President Charles Taylor. Interpol warned that Mr.Taylor may be dangerous. A United Nationals supported court is seeking to try Mr.Taylor for war crimes carried out during a civil war in Sierra Leone . Mr.Taylor currently has an asylum in Nigeria. A spokeswoman for Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo says he will not release Mr.Taylor to the court. The United States welcomed Interpol's call for the arrest of Mr.Taylor. But an American official said the Bush Administration would not pressure the government of Nigeria.

And now briefly, here again is the major news of the hour.

President Bush is cancelling taxes on steel imported into the United States. American Secretary of State Colin Powell says NATO members are discussing calls to increase the alliance's involvement in Iraq. And a helicopter carrying Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller has crashed near Warsaw. Doctors say he is in good condition.