BBC news 2009-06-27 加文本

BBC 2009-06-27


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BBC news with John Jason.

President Obama has joined those around the world to pay tribute to the singer Michael Jackson, who died on Thursday, aged 50. A White House spokesman said Mr. Obama considered Jackson as a spectacular performer, although he said aspects of the star’s life were tragic. David Willis reports from Los Angeles.

Madonna and Sir Paul McCartney have already paid their tributes along with a slew of other top celebrities. Now President Obama has added his voice to the chorus of appreciation of Michael Jackson’s musical talents. The president described Jackson as a musical icon and offered his condolences to the singer’s family. An autopsy is under way into the cause of Michael Jackson’s death. A statement from the coroner’s offices is expected shortly, but it could be several weeks and possibly as long as a couple of months before the precise cause of Michael Jackson’s death is known.

A recording of the telephone call made to emergency services from the singer’s home has been released. In it the caller is heard to say Jackson had collapsed and stopped breathing, and was being attended to by his personal doctor.

The president of Niger Mamadou Tandja says he is assuming emergency powers and will rule by decree. The announcement comes after he failed in his attempt to change the constitution to allow him to stand for another term in office. Steve Jackson reports.

Mamadou Tandja’s second term as President of Niger is due to end later this year. He wanted to hold a referendum to allow him to extend his rule for a further three years, but the plan prompted street protests and strikes and has been blocked by the constitutional court. Mr. Tandja has responded by assuming sweeping emergency powers. In a national address, he said he had taken the decision because the country’s independence was under threat. Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries, but has big reserves of uranium which it hopes to exploit more in future.

Mexican officials say that 12 people have been killed in a gun battle between drug traffickers and the security forces in the normally quiet central state of Guanajuato. Local media said the gunmen opened fire and threw grenades as police moved in to raid their house. Most of the casualties were reported to be gang members.

The Obama administration has appointed a new envoy to try to improve relations between the United States and Muslims around the world. She is Farah Pundith, who was born in Indian administered Kashmir and emigrated to the US as a child. Her appointment follows President Obama’s recent call for a new beginning in relations between the US and Muslims. Christopher Fernando repots.

Farah Pundith models a progressive American-Islam. She doesn’t wear any head covering. During the last presidency, she broke the relationships between the US and European Muslims, traveling widely to advise European governments on American experiences with Muslim migrants. In her new role with a global focus, she’ll work to the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

This is the BBC.

President Obama has won a narrow early victory in the House of Representatives debate on legislation to cut the United States’ carbon emissions and fight global warming. The bill passed an initial procedural test by just 12 votes, allowing it to proceed to a final vote in the House due shortly, but it’s still a long way to go before it becomes law. It would impose limits on emissions and force a shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources.

The court at Middle East peace negotiators has called on Israel to stop all settlement activity. The UN Secretary General Ban-Ki-Moon made the announcement in Italy at a meeting of the quartet, which consists of the United Nations, the US, the European Union and Russia.

We are urging Israeli authorities to stop settlements, including the natural growth and remove all these blocks and open crossings. This will be the first beginning of…to make all our projects and proposals to be implemented.

At the same time, Mr. Ban pressed the Palestinians to fight violent extremism and prevent arms from reaching Gaza.

The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his country will never give up its desire to join the European Union and he rejected proposals for a special partnership short of full membership. On a visit to Brussels, Mr. Erdogan urged Germany and France to back Turkey. A BBC correspondent in Brussels says the membership talks with Ankara are moving at a glacial pace with little public enthusiasm in the EU for the accession of a large, poor and mainly Muslim country.

The Spanish football club, Real Madrid says it‘s finalized the transfer of the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United of England. When the deal was first announced earlier this month, the price was reported to be a world record of 130 million dollars. BBC News.

Vocabularies

a slew of   许多,大量的

autopsy  n.验尸，解剖

coroner  n.验尸官

referendum  n.公民投票、复决权

grenade  n. 手榴弹

emigrate  vi.移居国外(或外地)