BBC news 2007-05-18 加文本

BBC 2007-05-18


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BBC world news with John Jason.

The head of the World Bank Paul Wolfowitz is to resign at the end of June. The decision follows weeks of pressure over allegations that he broke bank rules to arrange a promotion for his girlfriend. Mr. Wolfowitz said he was leaving in the best interests of the organization. From Washington Janet Brown reports.

Mr. Wolfowitz's resignation comes after weeks of scandal and a bruising battle with the World Bank board that left both battered and beleaguered. Mr. Wolfowitz was charged by World Bank Committee of engineering a hefty pay rise and promotion for his companion Shaha Riza, Officials said it compromised his integrity and undermined the bank. But Mr. Wolfowitz refused to go, buoyed in part by the White House which became his sole supporter and tried to find a compromise to save face all around. Announcing his resignation at the end of June, the bank said it accepted his assurance that he acted ethically and in good faith and a number of people had erred.

Agreement has been reached in the United States’ senate that could pave the way for permanent citizenship for an estimated 12,000,000 illegal immigrants. The draft bill agreed by democrats and republicans is still being finalized. It would allow millions of undocumented workers, mostly from Mexico and other parts of Latin America to apply for legal status immediately. James Comarasamy reports from Washington.

The agreement comes after weeks of tense backroom negotiations. One of the senators involved in the deal , republican Linzy Grame described it as the last best chance to pass immigration reform on America’s terms. Although the final details are still being worked out, the bill would allow the estimated 12,000,000 illegal immigrants currently in the country a chance to obtain legal status, provided they paid fines and applied for a temporary residency permit.

Isreal has sent a limited number of soldiers in armed vehicles just over the border into the northern Gaza Strip after launching air strikes on Hamas targets killing at least four people. More than forty others were injured. The Israeli government described the measure as a deterrent, but the BBC Jerusalem correspondent says there is a widespread speculation about a possible ground offensive. A spokesman for Hamas Imand Tahah[QUOTE] said the group would respond to the attacks.

We will not be quiet for long with these continued crimes and we will not stand with our hands tied. The battle is now open, by all means, using all the equipment that’s necessary and in all the cities. We will choose the right time and place.
The United Nations’ General Assembly has rejected a bid by Belarus to join the UN Human Rights Council opting instead for Bosnia and Slovenia to fill the two vacant seats reserved for Eastern European Nations. Western countries persuaded Bosnia to stand at the last minute and then threw their weight behind its candidacy.

World news from the BBC.

The South African president Thabo Mbeki said that the influx of illegal immigrants form neighboring Zimbabwe, something which his country will, as he put it, have to live with. It is estimated that between two and three millions Zimbabweans have fled to South Africa to escape the worsening economic and political crises there. Peter Boals reports from Johannesburg.

Every day more Zimbabweans cross the border illegally in hope of finding refuge and employment in South Africa. President Thabo Mbeki has now admitted this is something South Africa has to live with. He said you couldn’t put a Great Wall of China between South Africa and Zimbabwe to stop people walking across. The South African authorities regularly deport Zimbabweans who have arrived here illegally, but many of the migrants make repeated attempts to enter South Africa.

The results of the parliamentary elections in Algeria are expected later today. Voting on Thursday closed without a single report of violence in the country where recent bombings have raised fears that radical Islamists might try to disrupt the poll. The turnout was low.

It’s been confirmed in Britain that the Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown will take over as Prime Minister next month when Tony Blair steps down. The governing Labor Party said he won so many nominations for party leader from Labour Members of Parliament that there was not enough left for another candidate to challenge him. In his acceptance speech Mr. Brown said how his priorities as education and health services, affordable housing and greater trust in politics. Mr. Brown said he wanted to promote more open form of politics and would submit proposals for constitutional reform later this year.

Scientists say they have more evidence about the effects of climate change, having discovered that the southern ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide is under threat. Writing in the journal SCIENCE they say the ocean which surrounds Antarctica is so full of carbon dioxide that is being released back into the atmosphere. It’s feared that that could lead to temperatures increasing more quickly than had been predicted.

BBC World news.