Item 1. The official Iranian news agency says (1)________ people were killed in a series of earthquakes in (2)________ Iran. Almost (3)________ others were reported injured. The news agency said (4)________ towns and many villages suffered major (5)________. It also said (6)________ operations are continuing. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reportedly has directed the (7)________ Ministry to send all possible help to the area. American Secretary of (8)________ Condoleezza Rice said the United States is prepared to offer humanitarian (9)________ to the earthquake victims. She spoke during a (10)________ to Blackburn, England.
Item 2. The Iranian foreign minister says Iran will not use its (1)________ resources to influence the dispute with western countries about its (2)________ program. Manouchehr Mottaki told the United Nations (3)________ on Disarmament Thursday that the (4)________ does not tell other countries the truth about the nuclear program. Mr. Mottaki said the program is peaceful and that Iran has never taken part in (5)________ activities. He also (6)________ the west for asking the UN Security Council to consider possible (7)________ against Iran. On Wednesday, council members (8)________ a statement giving Iran 30 days to suspend its (9)________ of the element uranium. The five (10)________ council members and Germany have urged Iran to stop enriching uranium.
Item 3. Officials in Bahrain say at least (1)________ people drowned after a passenger ship turned over in the Persian Gulf. The officials said that (2)________ people have been rescued and (3)________ others are missing. The ship was carrying (4)________ people. It sank late (5)________ less than (6)________ kilometers from the coast of Bahrain. Television reports say the (7)________ of the ship believe it may have been (8)________. The Information Ministry says at least (9)________ Britains and (10)________ Indians were among the dead.
Item 4. The Japanese (1)________ has rescued all 14 members of a boat that (2)________ Wednesday near the far eastern coast of Russia. The boat that sank had been pulling a (3)________ boat from Japan to Russia. The crew members spent three days (4)________ aimlessly on the supply boat before the coastguard's rescue. A Russian official in Vladivostok reportedly said the 14 are in (5)________ condition.
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