BBC news 2008-04-16 加文本

BBC 2008-04-16

Download Audio

BBC News with David Legg.

In one of the worst days of violence in Iraq for weeks at least seventy people have been killed in a series of bomb attacks. The most deadly was in Baquba, north of Baghdad where a vehicle packed with explosives was detonated on a busy street. More than 50 people died, many of them women and children. Crispin Thorold reports.

The day started with an enormous blast in Baquda, just north of Baghdad. 700 kilograms of explosives were packed into a bus that was parked on a main street. The bomb at a busy time of the day in one of the city's most congested areas killed more than 50 people, many of them women and children. Soon afterwards a suicide bomber attacked a restaurant in Ramadi, where policemen had gathers. And then there was a car bomb in Baghdad and two in Mosul. The tactics were similar. But it is not clear whether these were coordinated attacks.

Hundreds of people have turned out to an airbase near Washington to welcome Pope Benedict on his first visit to the United States since he became head of the Roman Catholic Church three years ago. The Pope was greeted on the tarmac by President Bush. Richard Lester reports from Washington. (www.hXen.com)

The Pope emerged smiling from his aircraft to be greeted by President Bush, Roman Catholic dignitaries and cheers from a small crowd. It is the first time Mr. Bush has met a visiting head of state at the point of arrival and he's spoken of his deep respect for Pope Benedict. Many of his administration's policies have been in line with Roman Catholic doctrine. The two men talked briefly before leaving for Washington D. C. The Pope is expected to raise a number of issues on this visit. Speaking during the flight, he said he was deeply ashamed of the sexual abuse by some Roman Catholic priests revealed over recent years.

A plane with 85 people on board has crashed on the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was attempting to take off in heavy rain from the airport in the eastern regional capital Goma when it hit a market near the runway. Eyewitnesses saw a plume of black smoke and flames rising from the scene. The fate of the passengers and those on the ground is unclear. Residence in Goma said at least 20 people on the ground were killed. The aircraft was owned by a Congolese company Hewa Bora Airways and had been due to fly to Kisangani in the center of the country.

Scientists are warning that global sea levels are likely to rise much more quickly than have previously been believed because of melting glaciers and disappearing ice sheets. In a new study, researchers in Britain and Finland say sea levels could rise up to a meter and half by the end of the century and displace tens of millions of people. Richard Black reports.

Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast that sea levels will rise on average by 30 or 40 centimeters this century, but many climate scientists believe that's underestimated. They don't take into account the fact that ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are melting faster than predicted and that melting will have a huge impact.

World news from the BBC.

United Nations is calling for urgent changes in the way food is produced as steeply rising food prices threatened to push millions of people into poverty. A new report published by UNESCO recommends better safeguards to protect resources and more sustainable farming practices such as producing food locally. Haiti, Egypt, the Philippines and several countries in West Africa have seen riots in recent weeks over the high cost of basic foodstuffs, such as rice, wheat and soya. (Www.hxen.net)

The Zimbabwean opposition party, the MDC says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai will not contest a presidential run-off election unless a safe environment can be assured and international observers are allowed to monitor every stage of the poll. An MDC spokesman said current conditions in Zimbabwe did not allow for a free and fair vote and insisted Mr. Tsvangirai had won the first round outright. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on the authorities in Zimbabwe to make the election results public. "We need really to see, first of all, a very transparent and expeditious release of election result, so that Zimbabwean people will be able to enjoy democratic process. "

The former Maoist rebels in Nepal have extended their lead, following Thursday's elections. With nearly half of the results in, they've taken most of the seats and now have more than three times as many as the next biggest party. With Maoists' victory is beginning to look more likely, sectors expected to be wary of them have been sounding more conciliatory about the former rebels.

The winner of the Italian general elections Silvio Berlusconi says fighting illegal immigration and reviving the country's economy will be among the priorities of his third term in office. He also promised action to save the troubled national Carrier Alitalia and work to solve the rubbish crisis in Naples.

Vocabulary

1.detonate:cause to burst with a violent release of energ

2.dignitary:a person who holds a high rank or office, as in the government or church.

3.expeditous: characterized by speed and efficiency

4.conciliatory:making or willing to make concessions
5.run-off election:a final election to resolve an earlier election that did not produce a winner