BBC news 2008-02-23 加文本

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BBC News with Nick Kelly.

The military authorities in Turkey say more than 20 Kurdish fighters and five of their own troops have been killed in the latest Turkish offensive into northern Iraq. The attack launched on Thursday is aimed at what the Turks say are the bases of Kurdish fighters, who have in the past, mounted attacks inside Turkey killing Turkish troops. The United States has urged Turkey to ensure the offense is limited. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, said although the US backs the incursion, Turkey must not destabilize Iraq.

We've continued to express our absolute solidarity with Turkey about the PKK. This is a common enemy of the United States and Turkey. We've also been very clear though the stability and progress for Iraq is in the interest of Turkey, and so everything should keep in mind that nothing should be done to destabilize what is a fragile but improving situation in Iraq.

The American Secretary of State has said Washington will push for further United Nations action against Iran over its nuclear program. James Coomarasamy reports from Washington.

According to Secretary Rice, the IAEA's report showed that Iran's efforts to halt its uranium enrichment program were inadequate and provided grounds for a third UN resolution that would tighten the existing sanctions against Iran. On Thursday, Great Britain and France tabled a draft resolution that would expand the number of Iranian companies targeted by the sanctions and would impose a travel ban on certain Iranian officials. It's due to be discussed in Washington next week by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Argentina and Brazil have agreed a plan to jointly build a nuclear reactor to pursue uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes. The agreement came after talks in Buenos Aires between the Argentine President Cristina Fernandez and her Brazilian counterpart, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. But they did not refer directly to a dispute over the supply of Bolivian gas which they hope to resolve on Saturday during a joint meeting with the Bolivian President Evo Morales. Daniel Schweimler reports from Buenos Aires.

Both Brazil and Argentina have expanding economies that are requiring increasing supplies of energy. Bolivia is a major suppllier to both countries, but the government there recently admitted it won't be able to meet the growing demand. The Bolivian President, Mr. Morales, has also promised the many poor in his own country that they will get a greater share of the wealth from their natural resources and he'll want to talk prices.

The United States has welcomed the renewal of a ceasefire which Iraq's powerful Shiite militia, the Mehdi Army, has been observing. Muqtada Saddr, the militia's radical cleric leader, ordered the renewal of the six-month ceasefire on Friday. It was due to expire on Saturday.

World News from the BBC.

Police in Guatemala say more than 30 police officers have been taken hostage by farmers demanding the release of one of their leaders. The officers were taken captive on Thursday in the town of Livingston on the Caribbean Coast. A spokesman for the Guatemalan police said the farmers had threatened to kill the officers unless their demands were met.

Fidel Castro has criticized the stance of the United States presidential candidates on Cuba in his first public comments since announcing that he was to leave office. Michael Voss reports from Havana.

Fidel Castro has hardly mellowed into retirement, the article lashing out at all the US presidential candidates. Fidel Castro wrote that he'd been watching on television, what he called, the embarrassing situation of all the US presidential hopefuls calling for change in Cuba so as not to lose a single voter. "I agreed there should be change," Fidel added, "but in the United States," reminding his readers of the decades-long US trade embargo.

A rebel faction in the Democratic Republic of Congo says it's suspending its participation in the commission set up to monitor a ceasefire in the east of the country. The rebel commander, General Laurent Nkunda, said he was withdrawing from the commission until an independent inquiry was launched into UN allegations that his supporters had massacred at least 30 civilians in January.

And the United States Justice Department says a member of John McCain's presidential election campaign team, Congressman Richard Renzi, has been indicted on corruption charges. The indictment relates to a land exchange deal in Arizona. It’s alleged that Mr. Renzi offered his support for necessary legislation in return for share of the profits from the deal. Mr. Renzi's office has no comment to make on the charges. Mr. Renzi is the co-chairman in Arizona State of John McCain's election campaign. Mr. McCain expressed his regret about the indictment.