CNN news 2007-12-10 加文本

cnn 2007-12-10


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I am Asieh Namdar at the cnn.com newsroom in Atlanta. Here is a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf is promising to lift the country's state of emergency December 15th. That's one day earlier than planned. He also tells cnn's Wolf Blitzer parliamentary elections scheduled for January 8th will be (quote) "free and fair". Today former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's opposition party announced he will contest the elections. Sharif had threatened into boycott the ballot which is supposed to bring democracy back to Pakistan after eight years of military rule.

The first summit of African and European nations in the years has ended with an agreement and principle, but question is about how to put it into action. Delegates spent their two-day meeting discussing trade, immigration, human rights and the environment. They signed a pact promoting business ties and democracy, but trade proved to be difficult. The World Trade Organization has asked a number of previous trade agreements between the two sides be renegotiated.

Back here in the US, Republicans are preparing for a debate tonight in Miami. It will be broadcast on Univision Network. The candidates' answers will be immediately translated into Spanish. They are hoping to woo Hispanic voters, many of whom have recently shifted their allegiance to Democrats.

NASA has scrubbed the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. It was supposed to lift off about two hours from now. But it will remain grounded until January 2nd at the earliest. Technicians called off the launch due to a faulty sensor on the main fuel tank. The shuttle needs to deliver a long-awaited module to the International Space Station.

And that's the news this hour. For more on what's happening around the world, tune into cnn television or log on to cnn.com. And don't forget you can get updates through your wireless phone as well anytime day or night. I am Asieh Namdar. Thanks for watching.