BBC 2007-05-12 加文本

BBC 2007-05-12


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The United Nations body is due to decide later on Friday whether Zimbabwe should take over its chairmanship despite objections from western countries. It's Africa' s turn to chair the body, the Commission on Sustainable Development, the CSD, and African nations have nominated Zimbabwe. However, several European countries argued that, with its human rights record and its own poor handling of sustainable development issues, Zimbabwe is not a suitable candidate. The country's ambassador to the UN, Boniface Chidyausicu, explained why his government should chair the group:
"It s our right. We're members of the United Nations, and we're members of CSD. And the Africa group did make a decision and endorsed Zimbabwe. "
The BBC UN correspondent says it looks those Zimbabwe nomination will be pushed to a vote instead of the usual procedure of everyone agreeing.

The main pro-democratic parties in Serbia have agreed to form a new coalition government. The deal, which ends months of haggling, sees the leaders of two main parties, President Boris Tatic and Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica, remain in their posts. Under the deal President Boris Tatic will lead the hunt for the Bosnian Serb wartime leaders Ratko Mladic and Radovan Caradzic. Nick Hawton reports from Belgrade:
"A statement from the Serbian presidency confirmed that a deal had been reached to form a new government. The president Boris Tatic, the leader of the Democratic Party, will nominate the caretaker Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica from the Democratic Party of Serbia to continue in his role for another term. It has been reported that the ministries of defense and interior would be divided between these two parties. A parliamentary session will be held on Sunday to approve the new government. "

The governor of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan says that local people have killed a Taliban commander in a village near Sangin after Taliban insurgents provoked a battle with American-led coalition forces. From Cabul, Aleston Leeth has the reports:
"The fighting has been continuing north of Sangin with fresh claims that ten Taliban have been killed along with a number of policemen after another battle. On Tuesday night, American special forces patrolling alongside Afghan national army soldiers in the same area were attacked by a large group of Taliban and called in air strikes. The Helmand governor said 21 civilians died in the attack and others were injured, something the US-led coalition initially denied, but then admitted without specifying numbers. It provoked an angry response from government officials that's just the latest in a series of incidents where US troops have killed civilians. "

The British Finance Minister Gordon Brown has launched his campaign to be the next leader of the Labor Party and Britain's Prime Minister, a day after Tony Blair said he would step down. Mr. Brown said mistakes had been made in Iraq in the past, but he would place greater emphasis on economic development and reconciliation there.

World News from the BBC.

A female politician in India, who was born at the bottom of the Hindu caste hierarchy, has led her party to power in the country's most populous state. The party led by Ms Wayawati, who was born into a leather worker's family considered by caste Hindus to be untouchable, has won an outright majority in assembly elections in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Ms Mayatati's party champions the cause of the lower caste, who are known as Dalits or oppressed people.

The outgoing Nigerian government is carrying out an auction of 45 oil exploration licenses despite widespread criticism of the timing and transparency of the process. The government, which leaves office in 18 days, is hoping to complete the auction and sign off contracts, despite the fact that previous bidding rounds have taken up to 9 months. Alex Last reports from Lagos:
"The sell off's concern is the right to explore oil blocks; these are geographical divisions of Nigeria s land or sea where oil is thought to be located. Forty five, a huge number, are up for sale. And the government hopes to raise some $500 million in down payments by investors. But given that in the past oil deals have been mild in allegations of corruption and backhanders, there are concerns over the timing of the sale and its transparency. "

An armed man has entered the Russian embassy in the Costa Rican capital San Jose and is believed to be holding a number of hostages. The number of hostages is at present unknown and it's not clear if any Russian diplomats are among them.

A British man, who tried to sell his kidney on the internet to pay off a gambling debt, has been given a twelve-month suspended prison sentence. The 26-year old salesman advertised his kidney for nearly $50, 000 on a website used by people suffering from kidney disease. He is the first person in Britain to be prosecuted under the Human Tissue Act which makes it a criminal offence to sell human organs.

BBC world news.