BBC news 2009-06-04 加文本

BBC 2009-06-04


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The Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been accused of undermining the international standing of his country in a live televised debate with his main rival in this month's presidential elections, the former Iranian Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi. John Leyne reports now from Teheran.

This was a remarkable, uNPRecedented no-holds-barred fight between these two political rivals. Mr. Ahmadinejad started by accusing his opponents of spreading lies about his government. Mr. Mousivi responded by mocking Mr. Ahmadinejad's foreign policy, which he said, had undermined the dignity of Iran. And Mr. Mousavi went on to attack the government for repressing student protests. Mr. Ahmadinejad countered again, criticizing Mr. Mousavi's wife for campaigning on his behalf and accusing her of not having the right qualifications for her post as university professor.

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is fighting for his political survival after the 4th ministerial resignation in 2 days. The Communities Secretary Hazel Blears chose the day before Britain goes to the polls for European and local elections to announce that she was leaving the government. She is understood to have been angry with Mr. Brown for singling her out for condemnation in the row over how MPs have been using their expenses. The BBC has received a letter written by a Labor MP calling for Mr. Brown to step down. The opposition Conservative leader David Cameron challenged the Prime Minister and Parliament to call a general election.

"He told us he had the right team to take the country forward. That team is now deserting him. The government is collapsing before our eyes. Why doesn't he take the one act of authority left to him: get down to the Palace, ask for a dissolution, call an election."

President Obama has begun the visit to the Middle East, hoping to build the dialogue between the United States and Muslims around the world. As he arrived in Saudi Arabia, an Arabic television station broadcasted a new message from the leader of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, denouncing the United States' president for sowing seeds of hate.

World News from the BBC in London.

Russia has said it doesn't want an economic embargo to be imposed on North Korea as negotiations continue at the United Nations on how to respond to Pyongyang's nuclear tests last month. It's been more than a week since North Korea carried out a second nuclear test and discussions on how the UN should respond are intensifying. Our UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan has been looking at some of the suggestions on the table.

What's under discussion is tightening the existing sanctions imposed in the wake of North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006 and not always enforced. So there is a suggestion that the arms embargo against North Korea should be tightened. More companies involved in North Korea's nuclear program could have their foreign bank accounts frozen. North Korea's financial dealings with the outside world could be restricted. One idea to enforce the inspection of cargo in North Korean boats and planes to make sure weapons aren't being carried appears to have been dropped."

The Organization of American States, the OAS, has voted to revoke the 1962 expulsion of Cuba from the group. The OAS General Assembly in Honduras hailed the decision as the historic end to a Cold War anachronism. The United States had argued that Cuba should first make concessions on human rights. The agreement calls on Cuba to commit to democratic reforms.

The first Brazilian navy vessel has arrived in the remote area of the Atlantic where debris has been found from a French airliner that went missing on Monday. The Brazilian defense minister said a large oil slick at the scene suggested it was unlikely there had been a fire or explosion on board.

The American writer Marilynne Robinson has won this year's prestigious prize for a work of fiction in English by a female writer, the Orange Prize. Her renowned novel Home was described by the judges as "a profound work of art".

And that's the latest BBC News.

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