BBC news 2007-09-12 加文本

BBC 2007-09-12


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BBC World News, I'm David Leg.

America's top military commander in Iraq David Petraeus has been facing a second day of tough questioning in Washington about his strategy. At a Senator hearing, one of the front runners for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination Barack Obama described the military campaign in Iraq as a disastrous foreign policy mistake. He said that it served to increase the recruitment of terrorists around the world. The senior Republican and presidential hopeful John McCain warned of the enormous human and strategic cost any defeat would imposed on Iraq, the region and America for years to come. General Petraeus said the increase in US troop levels have reduced violence. "The military objectives of the surge are in large measure being met. In recent months, in the face of tough enemies and the brutal summer heat of Iraq, coalition and Iraqi security forces have achieved progress in the security arena. "

Washington says President Bush intends to endorse a recommendation by General Petraeus about reducing the number of American troops in Iraq. The White House said Mr. Bush would announce a cut in the US military presence in a televised speech to the American people late on Thursday.

A prominent critic of the President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe has said he will continue to speak out against the government after resigning as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo. Bishop Pius Ncube resigned following allegations he had an affair with a married woman. He said he would carry on championing the poorest and neediest Zimbabweans. Robert Ndlovu, the archbishop of Harare gave this reaction to Ncube's resignation.

"It's quite sad, that such a man would leave office under this circumstances, which are not clear at the moment because we don't know exactly what is true and what is false, but that's his decision to leave office so I just could say I respect it."

Syria has formally complained to the United Nations about Israeli aircrafts flying over its territory. The Syrian Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said Israeli fighter planes had dropped munitions after crossing Syria's frontier last Thursday. Mr. Ja'afari described the incident as a flagrant violation of Syrian airspace. Israel has repeatedly refused to comment. But US officials said Israeli fighters had carried out an attack on an unspecified target.

The United Nations' Emergency Relief coordinator John Holmes has told the UN Security Council that civilians have born the brunt of recent fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Holmes said sexual violence against civilians there was arguablely the worst in the world.

Showers of colorful fireworks have lit up the night sky above the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, in celebration of a new Millennium, 7 years after the rest of the world marked the start of the 21st century. The city's streets were thronged with revelers for an open-air concert including traditional music and a performance by an American hip-hop group.

World news from the BBC.

A left-wing guerilla group in Mexico who has claimed responsibility for a series of gas and oil pipeline explosions on Monday, which targeted the network of the state energy company Pemex. The People's Revolutionary Army or EPR said it wanted the release of two of its members, who it thinks were captured by the Mexican security forces in May. Duncan Kennedy reports from Mexico City.

Explosions of six pipelines on Monday caused enormous damage and disruption but no injuries. More than 20,000 people had to go into shelters as oil and gas poured out of ruptured pipes. Now a group called the People's Revolutionary Army or EPR has claimed responsibility for the attacks. In a letter to a Mexican newspaper the group demanded the release of two of its members, claiming they were picked up in secret by Mexican security forces in May. It's the latest in a series of attacks by the EPR this year.

Police in Nigeria say eight prisoners have been shot dead and fourteen wounded during an attempted mass breakout from a jail in the southwest of the country. Police said they were called in by the authorities of the prison in Ibadan after hundreds of inmates overpowered their guards. Alex Last reports from Lagos.

Officials of the Agodi prison in southwestern Nigeria say the trouble began early on Tuesday morning. Inmates overpowered staff, in protest of the lack of medical facilities, as rioting spread, hundreds tried a mass breakout, trying to break through or climb over the prison walls. The police were called in, they opened fire. Eight inmates were shot dead. Many more were wounded. None of the prisoners, police say, managed to get free.

A judge in the United States has thrown out a rule brought in by New York City which meant that fast food restaurants had to put the calorie content of their meals on their menus. Restaurateurs challenged the measure saying it was unconstitutional. The judge ruled that it conflicted with federal law.

BBC World News.