BBC news 2011-02-13 加文本

BBC news 2011-02-13

BBC News with Victoria Meakin.

The day after the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in a popular uprising, Egypt has taken the first tentative steps towards normality. The military council that’s taken over power from Mr Mubarak has pledged to oversee a transition to civilian rule, and it's promised that Egypt will respect its international agreements, a move welcomed by Israel with which the country has a peace treaty, as Jon Donnison reports from Jerusalem.

A just three lines’, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statement was brief. He welcomed the announcement made by the Egyptian military that Egypt will continue to honour the peace treaty with Israel. Mr Netanyahu added that the deal signed in 1979 was the cornerstone for peace and stability in the entire Middle East. Israel is concerned about events in Egypt. It has been talking up the threat posed by the Egyptian Islamist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood.

Meanwhile the authorities have also imposed travel bans on the former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and two of his colleagues.

Tens of thousands of riot police have disrupted a rally in the Algerian capital Algiers, which was calling for better living conditions and greater political freedom. Several hundred people have gathered in the city centre for the protest and some scuffles broke out, but the heavy police presence meant the demonstration dispersed within hours.

The Italian government has declared a humanitarian emergency as hundreds of migrants from Tunisia continue to arrive in the south of the country, following the fall of the Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali last month. There are reports that at least one boat has sunk in the crossing. Duncan Kennedy reports from Rome.

More than 2,000 migrants have arrived off the Italian island of Lampedusa in the past few days. Nearly 400 have crossed in the last 24 hours. The Italian coast guards say they come from Tunisia. Officials say one migrant died and another is missing after their vessel sunk in Tunisian waters. The Italian government has declared a special state of emergency to cope with the humanitarian needs of the migrants. The move authorises funds and personnel to deal with the influx.

The chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, has handed in his resignation to the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Erekat said Mr Abbas had yet to accept it. Mr Erekat had previously said he’d resign if it emerged that leaked documents that shed light on Israeli-Palestinian talks had come from his office.

Iraqi officials say a mass grave containing more than 150 bodies has been uncovered to the northeast of Baghdad. The grave, just south of Baquba in Diyala province, is believed to be 3 to 4 years old, but it’s unclear who’s responsible for the deaths. According to a military official, the bodies are those of al-Qaeda insurgents who’d been killed in clashes with Iraqi and American forces, but a police official says they are the victims of insurgent groups.

World News from the BBC.

Racing at Newbury in England has been abandoned after two horses died in mysterious circumstances just as they were about to take part. The horses collapsed in the parade ring before the first race. It’s thought an electric charge may have come from underneath the paddock. One trainer, Nicky Henderson, withdrew his horse, Kid Cassidy, before the race and saw the incident.

“It was horrific. It was something out of a…it was nearly a Dick Francis's novel, to be honest, you've never seen, I've never (seen). If one horse sadly dies of a heart attack in the Pre-parade ring, you think, you know, it’s a dreadful thing to happen. When two just go down in identical circumstances like that, you know, I might have to consider ourselves very lucky that Kid Cassidy didn't suffer the same fate.”

Cuba’s communist government says it’s liberalising the sale of sugar after decades of subsidising its price. State media said the measure was aimed at supporting small businesses such as restaurants. James Reed reports.

Cuba is a major sugar producer, and for decades Cubans have been able to indulge their taste for the sweet stuff at a low price guaranteed by the state. Not for much longer. Sugar is to be gradually freed from state control and sold in shops and supermarkets where prices will be much higher. The move follows President Raul Castro’s decision last year to open the economy up to private enterprise and promote small businesses. Cubans will still be able to buy a limited amount at a subsidised rate with their ration books, but these too are to be gradually phased out.

An attack on a crowded nightclub in the Mexican city of Guadalajara has left 6 people dead and more than 20 wounded. Unidentified gunmen sprayed the city centre bar with bullets and threw a hand grenade before escaping in three vehicles. Police said the attackers were customers who returned to extract revenge after a late-night dispute with other drinkers.

BBC News.