BBC news 2010-11-13 加文本

BBC news 2010-11-13

BBC News with Marion Marshall

The United Nations has issued an urgent appeal for more funds to tackle the spread of cholera in Haiti. UN aid agencies say the mortality rate is higher than normal for cholera, and infections are rising fast. They say the epidemic in Haiti could run out of control. Francois Gyrone from the medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says hospitals are already overflowing with patients.

"We have seen an increasing, a significant increased number of patients here. It's almost double every day. So in this hospital, because of the space constraints, we have to make sure that people can be sent to another place where we can provide better care very fast so that we can still receive patients."

The Haitian government says the disease has so far killed about 800 people, and thousands more cases have been reported.

A United Nations panel of experts has delivered its latest six-monthly report on North Korean sanctions to the Security Council. The contents haven't yet been released, but the previous report, just made public, suggested North Korea may have supplied nuclear technology to other countries. From New York, here is Barbara Plett.

The panel of experts said evidence suggested that Pyongyang had transferred ballistic missile and nuclear technology to certain countries including Syria, Iran and Burma. Its findings were based on assessments made by several governments, UN nuclear inspectors and media accounts. The information was submitted to the Security Council six months ago but only made public this week because North Korea's ally on the council China blocked its publication. The panel also said it was investigating suspicious activity by a sanctioned North Korean firm in Burma and the arrest of three individuals in Japan. They were allegedly trying to export technology that could be used to make a component of a nuclear centrifuge.

Rwanda is planning to circumcise two million men over the next two years in a major initiative to tackle Aids. Rwanda has a 3% HIV infection rate. David Bamford reports.

Work on the project began in 2008 after studies indicated that circumcised males are 60% more likely to be protected against HIV during sexual intercourse. Before now, male circumcision has not been a common tradition in Rwanda, so persuading men to volunteer involves setting an extensive information campaign. Health workers have been trained for the procedure. The programme is first targeting in particular soldiers and police, for whom circumcision is likely to be obligatory rather than a request, as well as university students. The health authorities are also campaigning for all male infants to be circumcised.

The European Union says it's agreed to hold talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear programme on 5 December. The EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the discussions are likely to be held in Vienna or Switzerland. Iran says it won't negotiate over its right to nuclear technology.

World News from the BBC

Spain has demanded a prompt explanation from Morocco after 12 people including a Spanish citizen were killed when Moroccan security forces raided a protest camp in Western Sahara. The Spanish foreign minister said Spain had deep concerns about the incident. Relatives of the dead Spaniard say Moroccan security forces hit and ran him over while forcibly clearing the camp near the city of Laayoune.

The centre-left opposition in Italy has tabled a no-confidence motion against the government of Silvio Berlusconi. The Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani, who orchestrated the move, appealed to Mr Berlusconi's former ally Gianfranco Fini to support the motion. No date has been set for the vote. Last weekend, Mr Fini urged Mr Berlusconi to resign.

Trading on European financial markets has been nervous amid continuing worries about government debt problems in Ireland and Portugal, two of the weakest economies using the euro currency. Share prices fell in early trading but later recovered ground after an intervention by the five biggest economic powers in the European Union. Jonty Bloom reports.

The bond markets, which forced the rest of the eurozone to bail out Greece earlier this year, are now forcing up the cost of borrowing for the Dublin government. They hit record highs yesterday and only fell back today after the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain issued a declaration at the G20 in Seoul, aimed at reassuring investors. But today's intervention has not altered the basic economic fact that Ireland is struggling while figures show the core of Europe is still growing well, with Germany's economy expanding at 0.7%, still the powerhouse of Europe.

The Asian Games have begun in China's third largest city Guangzhou in the south of the country. Six thousand performers took part in an unusual inauguration ceremony along the Pearl River, arriving in 45 boats, the number of countries taking part in the competitions. The Asian Games are the second largest sporting event in the world after the Summer Olympics.

BBC News