BBC news 2008-09-16 加文本

BBC News with Marian Marshall

The American Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has said that the current turmoil in the world's financial markets will ultimately make things better. He was speaking in a rare briefing to reporters at the White House at the end of one of the most turbulent days in recent financial history when share prices across the world tumbled in the wake of the collapse of one of the America's most prestigious investment banks Lehman Brothers. Matthew Price reports from New York.

As around the world, so too, in the heart of the global financial system, US stock markets had a terrible day, the Dow Jones fell an estimated 500 points, the worst drop in one day since the Sep.11th attacks in 2001, and no wonder the collapse of Lehman Brothers showed that no company, whatever its history or reputation, is guaranteed to be safe. The troubles that brought about the collapse of Lehman, bad investments in US housing markets, are still concerning other big financial institutions here. And it‘s now clear that the US Treasury will not necessarily step in to save a firm in difficulty.

The European Union says there will be no immediate end to its sanctions against Zimbabwe despite the historic power-sharing deal signed in Harare on Monday. In a statement, EU foreign ministers said the measures would continue until the new Zimbabwean government took steps to restore democracy and the rule of law. There was a similar response from the American Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, Jendayi Frazer. She told the BBC that Washington wanted to work with Zimbabwe provided that a number of conditions were met.

America’s help is depended on the demonstration of true commitment by the leadership of Zimbabwe, we will have to give it a chance to operate, to see whether, for instance, Morgan Tsvangirai’s passport is returned, to see whether the Prime Minister actually has some control over the formulation of policies that would lead to the restoration of the economy and of democracy. But surely we would want to immediately move to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe.(Www.hXen.com)

It has been a third day of clashes in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region between the army and militants fighting for a greater share of the region's oil wealth. Militants on speedboats attacked facility operated by the Shell Oil Company with explosives, leaving it in flames. The Nigerian military said it repulsed the attack. Shell has evacuated about 100 staff from the vicinity in the Eastern Delta.

The International Monetary Fund has approved a loan for Georgia amounting to three quarters of a billion dollars. It’s aimed at rebuilding Georgia's currency reserves and bolstering international confidence in its economy following the conflict with Russia. Correspondents say the money could offset any difficulty Georgia might have in selling products abroad or in attracting foreign investment.

This is the latest World News from the BBC.

A female suicide bomber in Iraq has killed more than 20 people and wounded about 30 at a gathering of police officers in the northern province of Diyala. The attack happened in the town of Bala Druz in the evening as diners were breaking their Ramadan fast. Mike Sargen reports from Baghdad(also Bagdad).

Local sources say a police officer was holding a party to celebrate his release from US detention. All his colleagues were invited to the dinner at his house just behind the police station. A female suicide bomber walked into the party and blew herself up. Suicide bombers have frequently targeted the Iraqi police. Overall there were fewer attacks across the country now but in Diyala province, where this incident took place, the level of violence is still relatively high.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says it has been unable to clear up questions about the possible military dimension to Iran's nuclear program. The agency also said Iran was continuing to enrich uranium in defiance of the UN Security Council. Bethany Bell reports from Vienna.

A senior United Nations official said the agency had arrived at a gridlock and could not proceed without Iran's cooperation. Iran has said the allegations are based on forged documents and fabricated data. The agency has asked Iran to provide more detailed clarifications and to provide access to documents, individuals and sites. It says it is essential for Iran to show transparency.

The authorities in Uzbekistan, one of the world's biggest exporters of cotton, say they banned the use of child  labor in harvesting the crop. The Uzbek government said measures were being introduced to ensure that the ban on child labor, which also applies to other sectors was enforced. Earlier this year Britain's biggest supermarket chain Tesco said it wouldn't use Uzbek cotton in its clothing business because of the use of child labor in its production. The Central Asian country had continued the Soviet-era practice of using school children to help during the cotton harvest.

BBC News.