BBC news 2008-06-15 加文本

BBC News with Jonathan Weekley.

The constitution of Kosovo which declared independence from Serbia four months ago has come into force. The majority Ethnic Albanian authorities will run the disputed territory. Helen Fawkes reports from Pristina.

Kosovo is calm but tense as its new Constitution comes into force. There are concerns that this controversial step could lead to violence. British soldiers have been drafted in to help boost security. The constitution dramatically changes the way Kosovo is run. It’s been welcomed by the ethnic Albanians who make up the majority of the population. From toady, the government assumes many of the powers held by the United Nations, with the EU due to take on a supervisory role.  But the Serbs who live here are angered by the move. Serbia and Russia say that Kosovo is still Serbian territory and it should continue to be administered by the UN.

NATO has admitted that Taliban militants who launched a suicide attack on a prison in the city of Kandahar, allowing hundreds of inmates to escape have scored a tactical success. But General Carlos Branco, spokesman for NATO forces in Afghanistan, said it was an isolated incident and shouldn’t lead people to the conclusion that the Taliban were gaining strength.

This operation was a success for the Talibans. We must admit that. But we need to put it into context and understand exactly the consequences. This is not going to change Afghan and NATO troops’ military initiative.

NATO says more than 1,100 prisoners including nearly 400 Taliban fighters escaped when militants blew up a truck at the main gate of the jail.

The European Unions foreign policy chief Javier Solana has urged Iran to accept a new offer from six world powers aimed at ending its nuclear program. Speaking after meeting Iranian leaders in Tehran, Mr. Solana said he hoped Iran would reply soon to the package, which includes economic incentives and the promise of nuclear cooperation in return for guarantees that Iran doesn’t work on making nuclear bombs.

We are ready to fully recognize Iran’s rights to have nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. We are ready to cooperate with Iran in the development of a modern nuclear energy program based on the most modern generation of light water reactors.

The American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who is in Israel has called Jewish settlement building a problem. Dr. Rice described as unhelpful Israeli plans to build 1,300 new homes in Ramat Shlomo, an area of the West Bank that Israel considers part of Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders have called the proposals a systematic policy to destroy the peace process. Israel has described the new homes as the natural growth of existing communities.

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Thousands of people in the American state of Iowa have been driven from their homes by floods after severe storms caused the water levels of several rivers to rise up. The authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for hundreds of homes. Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and other cities in Iowa were partly submerged. The damage there is estimated to reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

Amnesty International has described the problems faced by Iraqi refugees as reaching shocking proportions. In a report based on research in Iraq and neighboring Syria and Jordan, the human rights group accused governments of doing little or nothing to help.

The 47-year-old woman was freed by police on Friday after an anonymous tip-off. The woman who is now receiving psychiatric treatment was allegedly locked up because she had a child out of wedlock.

The European Unions foreign policy chief Javier Solana has urged Iran to accept a new offer from six world powers, aimed at ending its nuclear program. The package provides incentives in return for guarantees that Iran won’t make nuclear bombs. Speaking after meeting Iranian leaders in Tehran, Mr. Solana said the proposals were aimed at creating a serious dialogue.

We are offering a proposal which we would like to be the starting point for a real negotiation. The proposal would allow Iran to develop a modern nuclear energy program. It is full of opportunities for Iran, profitably in the paper to modernize and both sides to restart their relations.(Www.hxen.net)

A company in the United States that sells a monkey doll modeled on the African-American presidential candidate Barack Obama says it isn’t racist. A husband and wife team who produced the sock monkey said it was a charming association between a candidate and a toy they had when they were little. The doll is being marketed online to Obama supporters with the words "fall in love with your chosen candidate all over again".