BBC news 2009-01-17 加文本

BBC News with Julie Candler.

As diplomatic efforts to find a ceasefire in Gaza continue, the United States and Israel have signed an agreement, aimed at preventing Hamas from smuggling weapons into the territory, a key Israeli demand. The deal was announced in Washington during a visit by the Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, hours before the American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leaves office. Ms. Livni said there was an emphasis on regional and international cooperation.

I’ve said from the outset that an end to the fighting will come, will not come through a simple call for a ceasefire, but through a determined, united and effective effort by the international community against terror groups such as Hamas, and this is what we are doing today. 

Condoleezza Rice said she hoped the agreement would make any truce that is achieved a durable and sustainable one. The accord is separate from any ceasefire that’s reached between Hamas and Israel in talks mediated by the Egyptians in Cairo. As Kim Ghattas reports from Washington.

The exact details have yet to be released but it’s expected that Washington will provide Israel with logistical and intelligence assistance and resources to prevent arms smuggling by Hamas into Gaza. It also emphasizes a regional and international cooperation, especially on maritime interdiction to make sure weapons don’t reach Gaza by sea. It is a separate agreement from the ceasefire talks taking place in Cairo, but it will supplement any truce by addressing the issue of Hamas’s arms, a key concern for Israel. 

Reports from Israel say the security cabinet will meet on Saturday to decide whether to declare a unilateral ceasefire.

The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, has paid tribute to the pilot of a plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River for the way he brought the aircraft down and ensured that all 155 people got out safely. Mr. Bloomberg said if anyone met Ernest Hemingway's definition of heroism as "grace under pressure", it was Chesley Sullenberger. The mayor has given Mr. Sullenberger and his crew the keys to New York City.

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2009-1-19 21:23

The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said an agreement could soon be reached on resuming gas supplies to Europe that have been disrupted by Moscow’s dispute with Ukraine. He was speaking after talks in Berlin, from where Steve Rosenberg has sent this report.

This gas crisis isn’t over yet, but Vladimir Putin hinted a solution could soon be found. Europe’s largest energy companies, he said, were close to reaching agreements on forming a consortium, that would purchase the so-called technical gas needed to get Ukraine’s pipeline network running again and get the Russian gas flowing to Europe. The Russian prime minister criticized the European Union for attributing equal blame to Ukraine and Russia for the dispute that he said was in effect offering support to Kiev.

World News from the BBC. 

The European Commission has begun legal action against the US software giant Microsoft, accusing it of breaking EU competition rules by linking its Internet Explorer browser to its Windows operating system. The commission says Microsoft is harming competition between web browsers.

A Tutsi rebel faction in the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a ceasefire with the government. Leaders of a breakaway faction of the CNDP said that their militia would be placed at the disposal of the Congolese army. The announcement is likely to put new pressure on the main rebel leader General Laurent Nkunda to sign up to a full ceasefire.   

The electoral authorities in Venezuela say a referendum will be held next month to decide whether to remove limits on the re-election of President Hugo Chavez and other officials. The head of the electoral council said the vote to be held on February the 15th would be clean and transparent. President Chavez has said he needs another ten years in office to consolidate what he calls his socialist revolution. Will Grant reports from Venezuela.

This is an issue which has sharply divided Venezuelans as Mr. Chavez lost a vote on the same question in December 2007. The opposition argue that the entire process is unconstitutional and amounts to a power grab by President Chavez. The president's supporters deny that, and say that the future of the country’s socialist revolution is at stake. Neither side wants a repeat of the violence which marred the last referendum campaign in which a number of protesters were killed.(www.hXen.com)

A city in Mexico is threatening to jail couples found kissing in public as part of a campaign to improve morals. The city government in the central city of Guanajuato is also banning swearing, begging and street vendors in an effort to encourage better public behavior. The city’s conservative mayor said prolonged kissing in the streets embarrassed school children and could result in a fine of up to three days in prison.