BBC news 2009-08-01 加文本

BBC 2009-08-01

 
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BBC News with Gaynold Howells.

The American President Barack Obama says the latest economic statistics are an important sign the United States is heading in the right direction. President Obama said the economy had done measurably better than expected, but with an unemployment report due next week, he acknowledged there wouldn't be a real recovery as long as job losses continued.

"As far as I‘m concerned, we won’t have a recovery as long as we keep losing jobs, and I will not rest until every American who wants a job can find one. But history does show that you need to have economic growth before you have job growth, and today’s GDP is an important sign that the economy is heading in the right direction and that business investment which had been plummeting in last several months is showing signs of stabilizing. This means that eventually, businesses will start growing and they’ll start hiring again."

The US House of Representatives has approved a law designed to keep a tighter rein on excessive pay and bonuses paid to bankers and other financial executives. It will allow government regulators to limit executive pay deals which, in their view, encourage inappropriate risk and give shareholders a bigger advisory role in pay packages. The bill now has to go to the Senate.

Asia’s first female President Corazon Aquino who led the Philippines for six years has died of cancer at the age of 76. She headed the People’s Power Revolt against the repressive 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Having been thrust into politics after her husband, a leading Marcos' opponent, was shot dead. Here she is rallying the crowds back then:

"I ask you to let your voices be heard. I ask you to let the people’s power be felt. I ask you to send this message in language unmistakable and clear. Let our people go. Let the Filipino people go. "

The European Union and International Lending institutions have reached an agreement with Ukraine on a deal aimed at ensuring Russian gas supplies to Europe. In January, many countries were left without gas because of a payment dispute between Moscow and Kiev. Sonita Narhr has more.

The European Commission said under the deal, international lenders say they are ready to give Ukraine some 1.7 billion dollars in loans to help it pay its massive gas bill to Russia. The head of the commission, Manuel Barroso, said it will pave the way for Ukraine to reform its gas sector. And this, he said, would provide the stability needed to significantly reduce the risk of another gas crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Russia provides about a quarter of the gas consumed in the EU. And 80% of that is piped through Ukraine.

World News from the BBC.

The United Nation’s Food Agencies says it’s facing critical funding shortages that have forced it to slash food deliveries to millions of people facing starvation. The World Food Program says it’s set to cancel deliveries to northern Uganda and it says if it doesn’t find extra funding in the next few weeks, it would also have to shut down parts of its airway which flies workers to some of the world's worst humanitarian trouble spots. The WFP has in the past issued similar warnings when faced with funding problems.

The Supreme Court in Pakistan has declared that emergency rule imposed in 2007 by the former President Parvez Musharraf was invalid and unconstitutional. The ruling opens the way for the removal of dozens of judges Mr. Musharraf appointed to replace those who opposed him. Mr. Musharraf resigned a year ago to avoid impeachment.

The Iraqi Interior Ministry says 30 people have been killed in a series of bomb attacks on Shiite mosques in Baghdad. The blasts at five separate mosques came within a short space of time as worshippers were leaving after Friday prayers. More than 130 people were injured. Interior Ministry sources say some of the causalities were caused by Iraqi police opening fire in the chaos.

A baby crocodile has caused panic on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Cairo by escaping from a passenger's hand luggage. Simon Ponserd has the details.

Terrified passengers screamed and cowered in their seats as they realized their plane was carrying an unexpected guest-a baby crocodile, 30 centimeters long. The reptile wriggled out of a bag and took a leisurely stroll down the aisles before eventually being cornered and captured by members of the crew. None of the passengers on the Egypt Air flight would admit to taking the crocodile onboard. It's also not clear why it wasn't detected in security checks. The baby crocodile will now be given a new home at Cairo zoo.

BBC News.