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BBC news 2008-10-16 加文本
2008-10-16来源:和谐英语
BBC 2008-10-16
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BBC News with Marian Marshall.
The G8 Group of the world's leading industrialized nations have agreed to hold a summit with other key countries in the near future to discuss restructuring the international financial system. The G8 leaders also said that they agreed to reopen the world trade negotiations that collapsed earlier this year. The move came as European Union leaders meeting in Brussels discussed the plan to bail out struggling banks. From there, Oana Lungescu reports.
The whole of Europe without exception has approved the financial rescue plan, announced French President Nicolas Sarkozy. There was also, he said, unanimous support for a world summit that would revamp capitalism and November would be a good time to hold it. The world's eight industrialized nations have already pledged to meet soon with other key nations to adopt the reforms needed to avoid another crisis. But with a recession looming, Italy and Poland are now threatening to block the EU's ambitious plan to fight climate change which, they say, is a burden for industry.
Share prices have dropped sharply on fears of a global recession. The Dow Jones Index in New York closed almost 8% down, there were also steep falls in Brazil, Argentina, London and other European markets. The recession fears also drag down oil prices. The Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, warned of economic hardship even if confidence returned to the financial markets. Michelle Fleury reports.
The latest report from the US Federal Reserve, the so-called "Beige Book", pointed to a broad slowdown in economic activity. This was on top of grim retail figures which show that Americans are spending less money. Two thirds of all economic activity in the US comes from consumer spending. So it was hardly surprising that even strong company results from US bank JP Morgan and drinks giant Coco Cola failed to lift the gloom.
The United States military in Iraq says it's killed al-Qaeda's second-in-command in the country. It's said the man known as Abu Qaswarah and thought to be of Moroccan origin died during a raid by American forces in the northern city of Mosul this month. An American spokesman, Rear Admiral Patrick Driscoll, said Abu Qaswarah was one of several al-Qaeda members killed in the operation.
"Significant intelligence collected in the hunt for Abu Qaswarah, led coalition forces to a building in Mosul, that served as a key command and control location for al-Qaeda in Iraq. Upon entering the building, forces were immediately fired upon, coalition forces returned fire in self-defense, leading to the death of five terrorists."
The American presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are preparing for the final televised debate of the election campaign, which is expected to be dominated by economic issues. The latest opinion poll shows Mr. Obama with a commanding 14-point lead over his Republican opponent. And correspondents say Mr. McCain badly needs a decisive win in the debate to be held in New York State.
BBC News.
A commission of inquiry into Kenya's post-election violence has recommended a special tribunal be set up to prosecute those responsible for the bloodshed. The head of the commission said he had drawn up a list of people who were allegedly behind the violence. If a tribunal wasn't created to try them, it’d hand the list to the International Criminal Court. The commission's report said much of the violence had been organized by politicians and businessmen.
A new report released to mark United Nations World Food Day says more than 900 million people in developing countries are facing starvation as food prices soar. The study by the charity Oxfam says spiraling inflation in the cost of basic foods have pushed an extra 119 million people into hunger this year. It added that the higher prices had resulted in a fourfold increase in the profits of some food companies.
The Lower House of Parliament in Italy has approved a controversial plan to create separate classes for immigrant children. Opposition leaders have denounced the proposal as xenophobic. The Senate still has to pass the plan. From Rome, Duncan Kennedy reports.(Www.hxen.net)
Under the plan, children of immigrants would all have to take a special citizenship test. Those that passed will be able to join regular classes, but those that failed will be placed in so-called "bridge classes", where they would follow Italian language, law and culture courses as well as the basic curriculum until they could pass the test. The measure was proposed by Italy's Northern League, which is part of the country's center-right governing coalition. But the motion was attacked by opposition politicians. One described it as an act of the worst xenophobia.
It's been confirmed that the American pop star Madonna and the British film director Guy Ritchie are getting divorced after eight years of marriage. Madonna's spokeswoman said that the couple hadn't yet reached a settlement and appealed for the media to respect their privacy.
BBC News.
Download Audio
BBC News with Marian Marshall.
The G8 Group of the world's leading industrialized nations have agreed to hold a summit with other key countries in the near future to discuss restructuring the international financial system. The G8 leaders also said that they agreed to reopen the world trade negotiations that collapsed earlier this year. The move came as European Union leaders meeting in Brussels discussed the plan to bail out struggling banks. From there, Oana Lungescu reports.
The whole of Europe without exception has approved the financial rescue plan, announced French President Nicolas Sarkozy. There was also, he said, unanimous support for a world summit that would revamp capitalism and November would be a good time to hold it. The world's eight industrialized nations have already pledged to meet soon with other key nations to adopt the reforms needed to avoid another crisis. But with a recession looming, Italy and Poland are now threatening to block the EU's ambitious plan to fight climate change which, they say, is a burden for industry.
Share prices have dropped sharply on fears of a global recession. The Dow Jones Index in New York closed almost 8% down, there were also steep falls in Brazil, Argentina, London and other European markets. The recession fears also drag down oil prices. The Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, warned of economic hardship even if confidence returned to the financial markets. Michelle Fleury reports.
The latest report from the US Federal Reserve, the so-called "Beige Book", pointed to a broad slowdown in economic activity. This was on top of grim retail figures which show that Americans are spending less money. Two thirds of all economic activity in the US comes from consumer spending. So it was hardly surprising that even strong company results from US bank JP Morgan and drinks giant Coco Cola failed to lift the gloom.
The United States military in Iraq says it's killed al-Qaeda's second-in-command in the country. It's said the man known as Abu Qaswarah and thought to be of Moroccan origin died during a raid by American forces in the northern city of Mosul this month. An American spokesman, Rear Admiral Patrick Driscoll, said Abu Qaswarah was one of several al-Qaeda members killed in the operation.
"Significant intelligence collected in the hunt for Abu Qaswarah, led coalition forces to a building in Mosul, that served as a key command and control location for al-Qaeda in Iraq. Upon entering the building, forces were immediately fired upon, coalition forces returned fire in self-defense, leading to the death of five terrorists."
The American presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are preparing for the final televised debate of the election campaign, which is expected to be dominated by economic issues. The latest opinion poll shows Mr. Obama with a commanding 14-point lead over his Republican opponent. And correspondents say Mr. McCain badly needs a decisive win in the debate to be held in New York State.
BBC News.
A commission of inquiry into Kenya's post-election violence has recommended a special tribunal be set up to prosecute those responsible for the bloodshed. The head of the commission said he had drawn up a list of people who were allegedly behind the violence. If a tribunal wasn't created to try them, it’d hand the list to the International Criminal Court. The commission's report said much of the violence had been organized by politicians and businessmen.
A new report released to mark United Nations World Food Day says more than 900 million people in developing countries are facing starvation as food prices soar. The study by the charity Oxfam says spiraling inflation in the cost of basic foods have pushed an extra 119 million people into hunger this year. It added that the higher prices had resulted in a fourfold increase in the profits of some food companies.
The Lower House of Parliament in Italy has approved a controversial plan to create separate classes for immigrant children. Opposition leaders have denounced the proposal as xenophobic. The Senate still has to pass the plan. From Rome, Duncan Kennedy reports.(Www.hxen.net)
Under the plan, children of immigrants would all have to take a special citizenship test. Those that passed will be able to join regular classes, but those that failed will be placed in so-called "bridge classes", where they would follow Italian language, law and culture courses as well as the basic curriculum until they could pass the test. The measure was proposed by Italy's Northern League, which is part of the country's center-right governing coalition. But the motion was attacked by opposition politicians. One described it as an act of the worst xenophobia.
It's been confirmed that the American pop star Madonna and the British film director Guy Ritchie are getting divorced after eight years of marriage. Madonna's spokeswoman said that the couple hadn't yet reached a settlement and appealed for the media to respect their privacy.
BBC News.
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