BBC news 2008-03-06 加文本

BBC News with John Jason

A report by some of Britain's leading aid agencies says living conditions in the Gaza Strip are worse than at anytime since the Israeli occupation began more than 40 years ago. Ali Makbul reports.

The charities including Oxfam, Amnesty International and Save the Children said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is a result of, what they called collective punishment by Israel. They say sanctions imposed on Gaza in response to its takeover by Hamas last summer have led to the devastation of the economy there. 80% of Gazans are now dependent on UN food aid. Basic health and education provision has been in steep decline. The report acknowledges Israel's need for security, but / says its current policies are only fueling extremism.

The Israeli Minister for Social Affairs Isaac Herzog said Israel was determined to do whatever was necessary to prevent humanitarian problems in Gaza, those been faulted by, what he called, terrorist activities.

The Organization of American States, the OAS, has unanimously approved a resolution, criticizing Colombia for violating Ecuador’s sovereignty last week during a military attack against the FARC guerrilla group. Correspondents say the resolution could help ease relations between them after Ecuador and Venezuela both sent troops to their borders with Colombia.(www.hxen.Com)

A Nigerian court has granted the former governor of Nigeria's richest state Peter Odilia a perpetual injunction against arrest by the anti-corruption agency. Nigerian governors have protection from prosecution while in office. Lawyers for the anti-corruption agency said the ruling was unacceptable and they would appeal. From Lagos, Alex Last reports.

Peter Odili, a man of considerable wealth and status is unusually the most prominent man investigated by Nigeria's anti-corruption agency. He was governor of Rivers State in the Niger Delta for eight years. Its annual budget of 1.3 billion dollars made it on paper the richest region in the country. Mr. Odili who denies any charge of corruption lost immunity from prosecution when he stepped down as governor last year. Now a judge of the Federal High Court in the state has granted him a perpetual injunction, which says that the anti-corruption agency cannot arrest, detain or arraign him. The anti-corruption agency says the ruling was unacceptable and it will appeal. Civil society campaigners say the ruling has no basis in law.

The Kenyan government has denied allegations reported by the BBC that it was involved in state- sanctioned violence, calling the claims baseless and defamatory. Violence after the disputed elections in December left about 1,500 people dead. Reports had alleged that the meetings were held at the president's official residence between senior Kenyan government figures and the Mungiki, a banned Kikuyu militia with the aim of protecting Kikuyu business interests. (www.hXen.com)

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President Bush has endorsed the Republican Senator John McCain as his preferred successor. At a White House news conference, Mr. Bush praised Senator McCain's courage and strength of character. Qualities which he said were needed in the president. Mr. McCain said he was grateful for Mr. Bush's support.

"Well, I'm very honored and humbled to have the opportunity to receive the endorsement of the president of the United States, a man who I have great admiration, respect and affection."

The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations nuclear agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has stressed that Tehran is making real progress in its dispute with the agency over its future nuclear program. In an interview with the BBC Arabic Television, he said that Iran was cooperating fully with the agency and had in his view answered all its questions. (www.hXen.com)

The Pope and Muslim leaders have agreed to establish regular dialogue to improve relations between the two religions. A statement said the first meeting would take place in Rome this November. Roger Harry reports.

It's only a year and a half since Pope Benedict delivered a speech in his native Germany which he appealed to imply there was a violent streak in Islam. Although the Pope later expressed regret for any offensive he'd caused, many Muslims saw this as rather less than an apology. But since then, Pope Benedict had sought to build bridges. First by visiting Turkey where he paraded in the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, and then by responding positively when a group of Muslim scholars wrote to him, saying dialogue between their two faiths was imperative.

The President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has announced incentives to award women who give birth to eight or more children. According to Turkmen state media, those who qualify will receive a one-off payment of 250 dollars and get lifetime benefits, such as free dental care and public transport. There was a large increase in child mortality in the central Asian republic under the former president.

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