BBC news 2010-08-12 加文本

BBC news 2010-08-12

(The United) Nations has launched an appeal for more than $450 million to help those affected by the floods in Pakistan. The money is for immediate relief in the next three months. The UN relief coordinator John Holmes said the disaster was one of the most challenging that any country has faced in recent years. He said that unless the provision of aid such as food and clean water to millions of displaced people was rapidly increased, many more lives would be at risk.

"It is an unfolding disaster. It is not over by any stretch of the imagination. So I would encourage you to be as generous as you possibly can in response to what is a major catastrophe."

The United Nations says 14 million people have been affected by the floods; at least 1,200 people have died. From Pakistan, here is Aleem Maqbool.

It's taken days even for Pakistanis to comprehend the scale of this disaster. What's started in the north as the heaviest rains ever recorded here led to vast areas being totally submerged. But then that huge body of water created surged south in a powerful torrent that is still going. Every province of Pakistan has now been affected. Large districts have been rendered inaccessible by the waters. And as so many wait for food, clean water or shelter to come their way, frustrations of the impotence of the Pakistani government grow.

The United States has announced it plans to sell the latest version of the Patriot interceptor missile to Kuwait. The Pentagon said Kuwait was seeking more than 200 of the missiles in a deal valued at about $900 million. It said Kuwait needed the missiles to counter threats of enemy air-to-ground weapons.

Zimbabwe has begun its first authorized sale of diamonds since the lifting of a suspension imposed last November by the Kimberley Process which seeks to prevent trade in diamonds fuelling conflict. International buyers joined members of the government at Harare airport to mark the lifting of the suspension. But a local human rights lawyer, Irene Petras, questioned the decision. She said not enough had been done to address allegations of abuses by the military at the Marange diamond fields. The Zimbabwean Vice President John Nkomo said it was an important day for Zimbabwe.

"We have cause to celebrate this remarkable achievement that has seen our diamonds from Marange being certified by the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme."

John Nkomo.

The Russian air force says it's deployed surface-to-air missiles in the breakaway region of Abkhazia in Georgia. The air force commander General Alexander Zelin said the purpose was to defend the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, another breakaway region of Georgia. Russia, which already has military bases in both regions, is one of the few countries to recognize the two territories as independent.

World News from the BBC.

Pope Benedict has refused to accept the resignations of two Irish bishops implicated in the cover-up of child abuse. The Vatican gave no reason for the Pope's refusal and said the bishops would be given different duties. The two auxiliary bishops, Eamonn Walsh and Ray Field, were among clerics in Dublin accused in an official inquiry of failing to tell the police about cases of alleged abuse by priests. Both insist they did nothing wrong.

The manager of the England football team Fabio Capello says the football legend David Beckham is probably too old to play for England again. Mr Capello said Beckham, who's 35, would not feature in the qualifying matches for the next European championship in 2012. David Beckham missed playing in this year's World Cup through injury but was part of the England squad in South Africa. Our sports reporter Olly Foster says the announcement doesn't come as a complete surprise.

It is no surprise 115 caps, second only to Peter Shilton as I think of something like that. He's done his turn, hasn't he, David Beckham? We all thought it was all over after 2006. Steve McClaren coaxed him out of international retirement, couldn't get him to the European championships. Fabio Capello gave him a chance after obviously David Beckham helped him win a title with Real Madrid. Ever that looks to be all over, but we are awaiting clarification from Beckham's people to see whether Capello actually has spoken to him.

Olly Foster reporting.

Three American amputee war veterans have climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The men, two of whom have lost both legs, took six days to ascend the mountain, Africa's highest peak. The climb was not without its perils. Scree on the upper levels of the mountain caused one, Neil Duncan, to lose his footing and tumble down the mountain. Another, Dan Nevins, developed a sore on his leg's stump and had to be evacuated. But all three veterans said they hoped to send a message that disability shouldn't mean inactivity.

That's the latest BBC News.