VOA常速英语: Authorities in Iraq

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From the VOA News Center in Washington, I'm Bill Hazard, VOA News.

Authorities in Iraq say a bomb blast in Baghdad's mostly Shiite Sadr City district has killed at least 11 people and wounded about 20 others. Police said the blast occurred in a crowded square sal-Hamza early today as buses were gathering to pick up passengers heading for work. Sadr City is a stronghold of the Madhi Army militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. In another development, the US military says American troops have detained what the military calls a "highly sought individual" suspected of links to the al-Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp. It says the individual was captured during a predawn raid in the southern city of Karbala today.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister John Howard has assured President Bush that his country will not reduce its troops in Iraq. "It may over time be that their role will assume greater elements of training or greater elements of other aspects of what their capabilities include, but their commitment, their level and the basis on which they stay there in cooperation with other members of the coalition will not change." US President met Mr. Howard in Sydney today ahead of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit later this week. At a joint press conference, President Bush welcomed Australia's support for the US-led war in Iraq. He said there are signs of reconciliation in the country, but stressed that Iraq still requires intensive international efforts. "There's more work to be done. But reconciliation is taking place. And it's important, in my judgment, for the security of America, or for the security of Australia, that we hang in there with the Iraqis." Mr. Bush and Mr. Howard signed a new defense trade treaty designed to reduce barriers to the exchange of defense goods, services and information. On Thursday, President Bush is expected though to meet Australian opposition leader Kevin Rudd. "Mr. Bush and Mr. Howard have their views on Iraq. We have a different view on Iraq. Our policy is that we need a negotiated, phased withdrawal of Australian combat forces from Iraq and that is what we intend to proceed doing." Rudd has promised to withdraw Australia's 1,500 troops from Iraq if he becomes prime minister in parliamentary elections later this year.

President Bush is urging China to take an active role in efforts to fight global warming. Speaking to reporters in Sydney Australia today, Mr. Bush said climate change issues will not be solved unless China is involved in setting goals. Mr. Bush said he and Chinese President Hu Jintao planned to discuss global warming issues when they meet on Thursday. The leaders are all in Australia for this week's meeting of the 21-nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

President Bush in addition says he is eager to talk to China's president about trade and climate change. Those two have been the main issues of this year's APEC summit. VOA's Paula Wolfson is traveling with the president and files this report.

President Bush says he has a lot to discuss with President Hu and climate change tops the list. China was recently ranked as the world's second largest emitter of so-called green house gases which are thought to contribute to climate change. The United States is the largest. At a joint news conference Wednesday in Sydney with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Mr. Bush said the US relationship with China is complex. He talked about financial issues, and again spoke of the need to convince China to let its currency float on world markets. Mr. Bush said there are areas where the United States and China are working together to tackle world problems. He made specific mention of progress in efforts to deal with North Korea's nuclear ambitions. He says he would like to see that kind of cooperation in dealing with Iran as well as the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. Paula Wolfson, VOA News, with the president in Sydney Australia.

Also, President Bush is calling on Chinese consumers to spend more money especially on US products. Speaking in Sydney, Mr. Bush said he hopes China will develop a middle class that feels comfortable consuming in the global marketplace. He says China's middle class now saves its earnings because of a lack of social safety nets from the Chinese government.

From the VOA News Center in Washington, I'm Bill Hazard, VOA News. Get more news on the Internet at VOAnews.com.