JIM LEHRER: Iran opened a critical round of talks with the U.N. nuclear agency today. The talks in Tehran followed the U.S. move to impose new sanctions last week. They also came as the head of nuclear agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, addressed the U.N. General Assembly. He called again for Iran to show active cooperation.
MOHAMED ELBARADEI, Director General, IAEA: If the agency were able to provide credible assurance about the peaceful nature of Iran's past and current nuclear program, this would go a long way toward building confidence and could help create the conditions for a comprehensive and durable solution.
JIM LEHRER: On Sunday, ElBaradei said he had no evidence Iran is actively working on a bomb. But the French defense minister dismissed that claim today; he said France has information to the contrary. We'll have more on the tensions with Iran right after this news summary.
A suicide bomber killed at least 29 police recruits in Iraq today. He apparently got through heavy security in Baquba. In addition to the dead, 19 Iraqis were wounded. Just to the west, 20 decapitated bodies were found near a police station.
Also today, U.S. Army Brigadier General Jeffrey Dorko was wounded in a roadside bombing. He was the highest-ranking American hurt in Iraq since the war began.
There were more skirmishes along Turkey's border with Iraq today. Turkish media said soldiers had trapped about 100 Kurdish rebels in caves. The rebels denied that. Footage showed billowing smoke and attack helicopters over the mountains along the border, as battles continued.
Turkey has massed forces for a possible strike at rebel bases inside Iraq. But in Baghdad today, Iraq's deputy prime minister, Barham Salih, warned again it would be a mistake.
BARHAM SALIH, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister: We are seriously concerned about Turkish rhetoric and Turkish posturing on this matter. We are cautioning that any unilateral Turkish military action violating Iraqi sovereignty and violating Iraqi borders will cause untold damaged to our bilateral relationships, will be detrimental to the stability of Iraq, but will also be detrimental to Turkish stability and security interests.
JIM LEHRER: Turkey said last week Prime Minister Erdogan will hold off deciding on military action until he meets with President Bush in Washington next Monday.
The battle to put out wildfires across Southern California made more headway today with the help of damp weather. More than a dozen fires were fully contained; seven others were at least half contained. But officials warned the Santa Ana winds could return later this week. The fires destroyed nearly 2,800 buildings, including more than 2,000 homes.
Tropical Storm Noel soaked the Dominican Republic and Haiti today; 20 people were killed. The storm was expected to dump as much as 20 inches of rain on the two Caribbean nations, then head toward the Bahamas. Winds were only 45 miles an hour, but the rain flooded streets and triggered landscapes. The storm was not expected to threaten the U.S. coast.
In the U.S. presidential campaign, Democrats in Iowa have moved their caucus date forward to January 3rd. They made the decision on Sunday, joining Republicans on that date. As for New Hampshire, its primary, the first in the nation, is currently set for January 22nd. But the secretary of state has said it will be no later than January 8th.
The first lady of Argentina began the transition to president today. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner won election on Sunday. She's a lawyer and senator. Her husband, Nestor Kirchner, has been Argentina's president the last four years. Fernandez de Kirchner won 45 percent of the vote and claimed victory last night in Buenos Aires.
CRISTINA FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER, President-Elect, Argentina (through translator): I feel I have a double responsibility, not only as a member of a particular political tendency which conducts the destiny of the country, but also I know I have a tremendous responsibility for my gender.
JIM LEHRER: Fernandez de Kirchner will take office in December. We'll have more on this story later in the program tonight.
The nation's pediatricians called today for screening all toddlers for autism twice by the age of two. The recommendations came in two reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics. They said the warning signs include a lack of babbling by nine months of age and a failure to point to toys by the first birthday, among others. Autism affects one in 150 children in the United States. There is no cure.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed today to decide punitive damages from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. That spill dumped 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound. It polluted more than 1,200 miles of coastline. Exxon Mobil has appealed a punitive award of $2.5 billion.
The price of oil hit yet another record today. It finished well over $93 a barrel in New York trading, driven by the falling dollar and a cut in Mexico's output. On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than 63 points to close at 13,870. The Nasdaq rose 13 points to close at 2,817.
The Boston Red Sox celebrated today after winning their second World Series championship in four years. Last night, the Sox beat the Colorado Rockies 4-3 to complete a four-game sweep. That set off celebrations in Boston that lasted until early this morning.
Long-time country music star Porter Wagoner died Sunday of lung cancer. He gained fame in the 1960s with his rhinestone suits, pompadour, and hit songs including "Carroll County Accident." He introduced a young Dolly Parton on his television show, and they made another series of hits as a duet. Porter Wagoner was 80 years old. And we'll hear some of his music at the end of the program tonight.
