BBC news 2010-11-18 加文本

BBC news 2010-11-18

BBC News with Zoe Diamond

Physicists have succeeded in capturing antimatter for the first time in a breakthrough which could lead to greater understanding of the origins of the Universe. The European nuclear research organisation Cern managed to trap 38 hydrogen antimatter atoms in a magnetic field for one sixth of a second. Professor Jeffrey Hangst, who led the research, explains what the scientists would do.

"The laws of physics say that antimatter and matter should behave in the same way. What we'd like to do is see if there's some difference that we don't understand yet between matter and antimatter. So we'd like to study the internal structure of antihydrogen, and that's the next step, and that's why holding onto them is so important - we need time to study them."

The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made a direct appeal to the Senate to vote on ratification of a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, saying the United States could not afford to postpone the issue. Mrs Clinton, who went to the Senate in person, said failure to ratify the Start II treaty this year would pose a threat to national security. Some Republican senators oppose the pact, saying that it would diminish the US nuclear deterrent. From Washington, here is Kim Ghattas.

The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a rare public appearance in the Senate to urge senators to ratify a treaty to reduce nuclear arsenals in Russia and the US. She spent 90 minutes talking to Republican and Democratic lawmakers. She said America's national security was at stake; the treaty was ready for a vote, and she insisted it should not be postponed. If the vote slips to next year, the new Congress would likely take up the issue from scratch.

A group of military officers in Madagascar say that they have taken control of the island, dissolving government institutions and forming a ruling committee. They called on the rest of the military to support them. But the Prime Minister Camille Vital suggested that the coup attempt had failed.

"They have tried to stage a coup d'etat like everyone who tries. So far everything is under control, and things are running normally. But one thing is certain - these are army officers, and I do not know what got into them. They have acted outside the discipline and regulations, and they have made, I would say, a mistake."

The United Nations has told the BBC that the violent demonstrations, which forced it to suspend its relief operations in northern Haiti, were politically motivated. A UN spokesman in Haiti, Vincenzo Pugliese, said that the people behind the demonstrations wanted to disrupt this month's presidential election. More than 1,000 people have died in the cholera outbreak, which some Haitians say was caused by Nepalese UN peacekeepers dumping toilet waste. Meanwhile, a woman in the American state of Florida who visited relatives in Haiti has been treated for cholera on her return. Health officials said the potential for the disease spreading was extremely low due to better systems of sanitation in the US.

World News from the BBC

Police in Brazil say that they've arrested 22 people as part of an 18-month effort to break an international drug syndicate. They are the latest arrests in Operation Desert, which targets a group smuggling Bolivian cocaine to Africa and also to Europe. During the operation, police seized a plane, weapons including anti-tank grenades and over two tonnes of cocaine. Those held include Colombians and Bolivians as well as Brazilians.

The suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has appeared in court in the United States for the first time and pleaded not guilty to terrorism and arms trafficking charges. He was ordered to be held in custody without bail. A New York attorney, Preet Bharara, explained the charges against Viktor Bout, which include trying to sell arms to a Colombian rebel group, the Farc.

"Viktor Bout now stands charged in this district, the Southern District of New York, with four charges: one, conspiring to kill United States nationals; two, conspiring to kill United States officers and employees; three, conspiring to use and acquire anti-aircraft missiles; and four, conspiring to provide material support to the Farc."

Viktor Bout's extradition to the United States from Thailand this week was described by Russia as a "blatant injustice".

Hundreds of extra police have been deployed at airports and railway stations in Germany after the government warned that a terrorist attack might be imminent. The German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said that there were clear indications that attacks were being planned. In October, Mr de Maiziere played down warnings from the United States about possible attacks in Europe.

Police in Italy have arrested one of the country's most wanted mafia bosses, Antonio Iovine, who went by the nickname "the baby" because of his youthful appearance. He was caught near Naples. He tried to escape by leaping from a balcony as police moved in. He'd been on the run for years and was convicted in his absence of murder and extortion.

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