BBC news 2012-01-03 加文本 讲解翻译

BBC news 2012-01-03

BBC News with Iain Purdon

Iran has said it will not disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, moderating a threat it made last week to the busy sea route. The announcement was made on the final day of naval exercises in the area, as James Reynolds reports.

Ten days of naval exercises in the Gulf needed a fitting climax, so Iran tested a new surface-to-sea missile. The military calls it a long-range weapon, but it's only able to hit targets within the Gulf. Iran has been keen to demonstrate its strength within the region. Last week, the country felt bold enough to suggest that it might even close the Strait of Hormuz if the West imposed sanctions on Iran's oil industry, but Iran's navy has now tempered that threat.

Tens of thousands of South Sudanese are fleeing from their homes after inter-ethnic clashes around the town of Pibor. The United Nations is warning villagers to run for their lives ahead of advancing fighters from a rival tribe. Will Ross reports from Nairobi.

Groups of armed Lou Nuer men are continuing to attack villages in South Sudan's Jonglei state, burning homes. Tens of thousands of people from the rival Murle tribe have been displaced in recent days. It's difficult for the army or the United Nations to intervene as they'd be seen as partisan in a tribal conflict that's gone on for years. On Saturday, parts of Pibor town were attacked. The army and UN troops protected the administrative centre of the town, but were powerless to prevent the destruction of homes and the only hospital there.

Police in the Nigerian capital Abuja have used tear gas to disperse demonstrators protesting against the removal of government subsidies on fuel. Fuel prices have doubled since the removal of the subsidies on Sunday. Here's Tomi Oladipo.

Nigerians have reacted angrily to the increase of the price of petrol following the removal of the fuel subsidy. Police fired tear gas to disperse a group of about 200 protesters in the capital Abuja. Trade unions say they will carry out mass demonstrations in the coming days. The removal of the fuel subsidy has led to a sharp increase in transport costs, and analysts fear that this will make life more expensive and tougher for the average Nigerian. Despite being an oil-producing nation, Nigeria does not have functioning refineries. The country exports crude oil and imports refined petroleum products.

The head of the Arab League says the Syrian army has pulled out of residential areas, but has warned that snipers remain a threat a week after Arab League monitors began their peace mission. Nabil al-Arabi said gunfire continued in some parts of the country and appealed for all shooting to stop. Mr al-Arabi's remarks follow a call by an Arab League advisory body for the monitors to be withdrawn from Syria.

World News from the BBC

In the United States, contenders for the Republican nomination to run against President Barack Obama in November are making their last appeals to voters in Iowa. In what's the first major test of the 2012 presidential election campaign, Iowans will cast their ballots on Tuesday. The former governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney has a narrow lead in the polls over Ron Paul, his nearest rival. The former senator and social conservative Rick Santorum surged into third place.

Police in the United States are questioning a man over some 55 arson attacks in Los Angeles since Thursday, in which cars have been set alight apparently at random, mostly in the middle of the night. From Los Angeles, Peter Bowes.

The series of arson attacks has left a trail of damaging garages and carports. Most of the fires were set in parked vehicles. In several cases, the flames jumped to nearby buildings, including apartment units in Hollywood, but no one has been hurt. The arson attacks are believed to be the worst outbreak of deliberately set fires since the Los Angeles riots in 1992. Dozens of detectives have been assigned to the case, and a reward of $35,000 has been offered for information leading to a conviction.

The French-made breast implants at the centre of a health scare included fuel additives untested for clinical use, according to a list of materials obtained by the French radio station RTL. A German manufacturer has confirmed it's supplied industrial-grade silicone to the now-defunct French firm PIP.

One of Greece's top tax officials is to be prosecuted for failing to pursue tax dodgers at a time when Greece desperately needs to raise revenue. The official, Yiannis Kapeleris, was the head of Greece's anti-corruption squad, but allegedly blocked the collection of fines from companies for smuggling fuel. Mr Kapeleris has resigned but denies any wrongdoing.

BBC News