BBC news 2011-07-02 加文本

BBC news 2011-07-02

BBC News with Fiona MacDonald

The former head of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has been released from house arrest in New York, where he's been facing allegations of attempting to rape a hotel maid. The judge said the case against him was not closed, but he released him without bail. Mr Strauss-Kahn's release follows reports that the prosecution had new doubts about the maid's credibility as a witness. But the alleged victim's lawyer Kenneth Thompson said his client stood by her account.

"We believe that the district attorney is laying a foundation to dismiss this case. Anyone can see that. They agreed to let Dominique Strauss-Kahn freely roam the streets of New York City or any other city in the United States, knowing full well that the victim to this very day maintains that he sexually assaulted her in that room, knowing very well to this very day that the forensic evidence shows that."

Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Syria in some of the biggest demonstrations yet against President Bashar al-Assad. Activists say at least 10 people were shot dead by the security forces across the country. Owen Bennett-Jones reports from neighbouring Lebanon.

The stalemate in Syria continues. Reports from the country say there were large protests after Friday prayers with a particularly big gathering in the city of Hama, where the authorities were reported to have reduced their security presence in recent days. But in some other places, the Syrian state is still using force to impose its writ. Opposition activists say that in just two days, at least 14 people have been killed in the northwest of the country.

Russia says it's planning to create two specialist army brigades to be stationed in the Arctic, where large oil and gas reserves are thought to be lying under the ocean. The defence ministry announcement came a day after the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia would strongly defend its interests in the region.

"I would like to emphasise that Russia certainly intends to expand its presence in the Arctic. We're open for dialogue with our foreign partners, with all our neighbours in the Arctic region. But of course we shall protect our own geopolitical interests firmly and consistently."

The authorities in Cuba have released more details of their plans to allow people to buy and sell their cars and homes for the first time in 50 years. The new laws will open up a private property market and enable Cubans to buy any car they can afford. Private property has been severely restricted since the communist revolution in 1959.

Officials in Colombia say one of the main witnesses in a court case investigating politicians' links to right-wing paramilitaries has been killed. Luis Eduardo Gomez, a journalist, was shot dead by gunmen in his home in Arboletes, in the northwest. He's the second witness in the case to be killed this week.

World News from the BBC

The new American Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says he'll make sure the United States military remains the "strongest" in the world, despite pressure on its budget. He made the comment shortly after being sworn in. From Washington, Paul Adams.

This week has seen a changing of the guard across Washington's security establishment and a rare example of bipartisan agreement. With barely a murmur of dissent, Leon Panetta has taken over at the Pentagon, and General David Petraeus has stepped into his shoes at the CIA. The outgoing Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who's served President Obama and his predecessor George Bush, leaves office amid near universal praise.

At least two people have been killed after clashes broke out at a huge camp for Somali refugees in northeastern Kenya. The UN refugee agency says dozens more were injured after police used tear gas and live ammunition to clear some illegal structures at the camp at Dadaab on Thursday.

An Italian engineering firm has sacked half of its workforce, but all the 13 people made redundant were women. The decision has been criticised, as Duncan Kennedy reports from Rome.

Ma-Vib, which is based near Milan, is a family-owned business making electric fans and heating equipment. The company reportedly justified its decision by saying it was making only women redundant so they can stay at home and look after children and because what they bring in is a second income. One of Italy's biggest unions condemned the move, saying it represented what it called the same old thinking about women's role in society. In a statement, the company told the BBC it didn't discriminate against women, but that the firm was going through a bad time, and that the area worst affected was where women worked.

The defending champion Rafael Nadal will play the Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic in the men's final at Wimbledon. Nadal beat Britain's Andy Murray in four sets in his semi-final.

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