BBC news 2010-10-23 加文本

BBC news 2010-10-23

BBC News with Michael Powles

Cholera has been confirmed as the deadly disease spreading across central parts of Haiti. It's the first outbreak there for more than a century. One hundred and forty people have died so far. James Read reports.

President Rene Preval said tests had confirmed what everyone feared. The deadly illness spreading through central Haiti is cholera. The outbreak has been blamed on the Artibonite river, which is the main source of water for thousands of people. One aid worker described scenes of chaos in the town of Saint-Marc, with patients laid out in array in a hospital courtyard and people with buckets begging for clean water on the side of the road.

Health experts in the United States say the number of diabetes sufferers there could double in the next 40 years, rising from the present one in ten of the population to one in five or even higher. The majority of cases are what's known as type 2 diabetes generally links to age, poor diet and lack of exercise.

The French Senate has approved by a comfortable majority a hotly contested plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62. However, trade unions say they'll continue their opposition to what they regard as an unfair measure. From Paris, here is Christian Fraser.

The vote in the Senate was always a formality, so much so that a large number of the senators had already left for the half-term break and voted on this bill by proxy. But then well before the final vote, the most contentious parts of the bill had already been approved some weeks ago. From here the final draft text will move to committee stage for approval before being presented to both houses for a last and final vote. By the end of next week, Nicolas Sarkozy might well have the reform he so wanted, though it may take slightly longer to ascertain at what cost.

The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised plans by the Wikileaks website to release many sensitive military documents relating to the US-led occupation of Iraq. Speaking to reporters in Washington, she condemned the disclosure of any classified information that threatened national security.

"We should condemn in the most clear terms the disclosure of any classified information by individuals and organisations which puts the lives of United States and partner service members and civilians at risk."

Wikileaks infuriated the US authorities in July by publishing more than 70,000 secret papers about the war in Afghanistan.

Commercial space tourism has taken a step nearer reality with the inauguration of the world's first spaceport in the desert of New Mexico. The event was marked by the flypast of SpaceShipTwo, the craft that's designed to carry fare-paying passengers to the edge of space and back. More than 300 people have already signed up for the experience. Fares start at $200,000.

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A British nuclear-powered submarine that ran aground off the coast of Scotland has been towed free. A tug pulled HMS Astute off a sandbank and into deeper waters. Divers will inspect the submarine's hull for possible damage. The Ministry of Defence said the vessel was not carrying nuclear weapons, and there was no danger to the public.

The run-off in Guinea's presidential election which was due to be held on Sunday has been postponed. The head of the electoral commission, General Siaka Sangare, said it was clear to everyone that holding Sunday's poll wouldn't be feasible, and General Sangare said a new date would be announced later. The announcement came amid growing violence in Guinea.

The US is stepping up its military aid to Pakistan, with a $2 billion package over five years to help in the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the announcement after three days of high-level talks with Pakistani officials in Washington. Kim Ghattas reports.

Pakistan already gets over $1 billion every year from the US in military assistance, but this package of security assistance is specifically designed to help Islamabad step up its fight against militants from al-Qaeda and the Taliban. It will pay for equipment and training needed for counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

The Chinese government has unveiled an online mapping service to rival the one offered by the US company Google. The website Map World allows users to see two- and three-dimensional views from around the globe. State media said the service was still in the early stages.

A scribbled message that told the world that a group of miners trapped deep underground in Chile was still alive has been registered as copyright to the man who wrote it. The note by Jose Ojeda has said "We are okay in the refuge, the 33 of us." Rescuers found it attached to a probe 17 days after a rockfall at the mine. The message gave hope to the miners' families.

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