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BBC news 2008-09-19 加文本
2008-09-19来源:和谐英语
BBC 2008-09-19
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BBC News with Michael Poles.
After a week of turmoil on the world's financial markets, the New York Stock Exchange has staged one of its biggest rallies in years, ending the day up more than 400 points, 3.5% higher. The abrupt upturn followed unconfirmed reports of the US Treasury was considering setting up a fund to help financial institutions sell off the bad debt that's led to the current crisis. From New York, Matthew Price reports.
One criticism of the government's handling of this crisis so far has been what some see as a rather piecemeal approach to the problems of individual companies. Such an agency would appear to provide more of a structured approach to the issue. But there would be problems, most notably, how to value the complex financial instruments that make up the debt, and would anyone actually be prepared to buy them.
The gains in New York also followed news that the authorities there are to investigate whether some traders used illegal tactics to drive down the stock price of several Wall Street firms, including the now collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers. The New York Attorney-General Andrew Cuomo said he'd received complaints about short selling, a form of speculative trading that enables people to bet on share prices falling.
President Bush says he is concerned about the situation in the financial markets, and he's canceled a political fundraising trip so he can monitor events closely. Before meeting the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Mr. Bush said he and his advisors were working to promote stability in the markets.
"Our Financial markets continue to deal with serious challenges. As our recent actions demonstrate, my administration is focused on meeting these challenges. The American people can be sure we will continue to act to strengthen and stabilize our financial markets, and improve investor confidence."
A Russian submarine has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to breach anti-missile defenses. The Bulava missile can carry 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads. David Bamford reports.
Russian officials are quoted as confirming the launch from a submarine of a Bulava strategic multiple warhead missile. They said the test warheads hit their targets at a site near to Russia's Pacific Ocean coast. Bulava missiles have a range of 8,000 km. The Russian military say they're capable of breaching any anti-missile shield. The test comes at a time of Russian anger about American plans to install components of their proposed anti-missile shield close to Russia's border in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The troubled Italian national airline Alitalia is facing bankruptcy after investors withdrew an offer to buy it. Seventeen Italian companies who tried to save the company failed to reach an agreement with unions on the scale of job cuts. Alitalia has not made a profit for almost [a] decade, and has been hit hard by high fuel prices. The company has been an Italian National symbol for more than 60 years.
BBC News.
Pope Benedict has strongly defended one of his predecessors Pius XII against accusations that he didn't do enough to save Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War. Pope Benedict said Pius had spared no effort to intervene wherever possible, but, he said, he'd done so secretly and silently in order to help the greatest number of Jews. The Vatican has started the process of beatifying Pius despite protests by Jewish groups and some historians. Six million Jews were killed by the Nazis in the holocaust.
The most prominent militant group in Southern Nigeria, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says it has destroyed an oil pipeline belonging to Royal Dutch Shell. In a statement, MEND said it have used high explosives to destroy the pipeline in Rivers State. There has been no confirmation of the claim.(Www.hxen.net)
Scientists have found that plants under stress produce their own form of aspirin. The researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado suggest that monitoring this could give farmers early warning that one of their crops is about to fail. The aspirin-like chemicals are produced as a gas to help the plant boost its biochemical defenses and recover after being attacked.
A previously unknown sheet of music by the composer Mozart has been found at the town of Nantes in France. The handwritten notes contain a short melody that is thought to be part of a religious composition. Dr. Ulrich Leisinger of the Mozart Institute in Austria told the BBC where exactly the sheet was found.
It was discovered in the municipal library of Nantes in Brittany. It is part of a large collection of autographs, not only music, but also literary and political autographs which were collected by a painter who was native from Nantes in the 19th century.
The Mozart Foundation in Salzburg has authenticated the document and described it as extremely important. Musicologists hope to be able to elaborate on the work and perform it next year.
BBC News.
Download Audio
BBC News with Michael Poles.
After a week of turmoil on the world's financial markets, the New York Stock Exchange has staged one of its biggest rallies in years, ending the day up more than 400 points, 3.5% higher. The abrupt upturn followed unconfirmed reports of the US Treasury was considering setting up a fund to help financial institutions sell off the bad debt that's led to the current crisis. From New York, Matthew Price reports.
One criticism of the government's handling of this crisis so far has been what some see as a rather piecemeal approach to the problems of individual companies. Such an agency would appear to provide more of a structured approach to the issue. But there would be problems, most notably, how to value the complex financial instruments that make up the debt, and would anyone actually be prepared to buy them.
The gains in New York also followed news that the authorities there are to investigate whether some traders used illegal tactics to drive down the stock price of several Wall Street firms, including the now collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers. The New York Attorney-General Andrew Cuomo said he'd received complaints about short selling, a form of speculative trading that enables people to bet on share prices falling.
President Bush says he is concerned about the situation in the financial markets, and he's canceled a political fundraising trip so he can monitor events closely. Before meeting the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Mr. Bush said he and his advisors were working to promote stability in the markets.
"Our Financial markets continue to deal with serious challenges. As our recent actions demonstrate, my administration is focused on meeting these challenges. The American people can be sure we will continue to act to strengthen and stabilize our financial markets, and improve investor confidence."
A Russian submarine has test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to breach anti-missile defenses. The Bulava missile can carry 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads. David Bamford reports.
Russian officials are quoted as confirming the launch from a submarine of a Bulava strategic multiple warhead missile. They said the test warheads hit their targets at a site near to Russia's Pacific Ocean coast. Bulava missiles have a range of 8,000 km. The Russian military say they're capable of breaching any anti-missile shield. The test comes at a time of Russian anger about American plans to install components of their proposed anti-missile shield close to Russia's border in Poland and the Czech Republic.
The troubled Italian national airline Alitalia is facing bankruptcy after investors withdrew an offer to buy it. Seventeen Italian companies who tried to save the company failed to reach an agreement with unions on the scale of job cuts. Alitalia has not made a profit for almost [a] decade, and has been hit hard by high fuel prices. The company has been an Italian National symbol for more than 60 years.
BBC News.
Pope Benedict has strongly defended one of his predecessors Pius XII against accusations that he didn't do enough to save Jews from the Nazis during the Second World War. Pope Benedict said Pius had spared no effort to intervene wherever possible, but, he said, he'd done so secretly and silently in order to help the greatest number of Jews. The Vatican has started the process of beatifying Pius despite protests by Jewish groups and some historians. Six million Jews were killed by the Nazis in the holocaust.
The most prominent militant group in Southern Nigeria, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) says it has destroyed an oil pipeline belonging to Royal Dutch Shell. In a statement, MEND said it have used high explosives to destroy the pipeline in Rivers State. There has been no confirmation of the claim.(Www.hxen.net)
Scientists have found that plants under stress produce their own form of aspirin. The researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado suggest that monitoring this could give farmers early warning that one of their crops is about to fail. The aspirin-like chemicals are produced as a gas to help the plant boost its biochemical defenses and recover after being attacked.
A previously unknown sheet of music by the composer Mozart has been found at the town of Nantes in France. The handwritten notes contain a short melody that is thought to be part of a religious composition. Dr. Ulrich Leisinger of the Mozart Institute in Austria told the BBC where exactly the sheet was found.
It was discovered in the municipal library of Nantes in Brittany. It is part of a large collection of autographs, not only music, but also literary and political autographs which were collected by a painter who was native from Nantes in the 19th century.
The Mozart Foundation in Salzburg has authenticated the document and described it as extremely important. Musicologists hope to be able to elaborate on the work and perform it next year.
BBC News.
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