BBC在线收听下载:意大利前总理或努力重掌大权

BBC news 2012-12-07

BBC News with Marion Marshall.

The Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has appeared on national television to justify his recent decision to use force against anti-government demonstrators. Mr Morsi heavily criticised for his recent expansion of powers to rule by a decree, said a dialogue was needed to solve the crisis and he invited all major political factions to a meeting on Saturday. Mr Morsi said he hadn't intended to stop judiciary from doing its work.

My role is to protect the country and to see that its stability and security is guaranteed. And the security and stabilities of all the citizens that was pushed me to issue that decree. My responsibility as a defend is to look after sovereign matters that protect this state institution. So that it won't be harmed or devoid of its meanings.

The party of Italy's Former Minister Silvio Berlusconi says he's given a stronger indication yet that he will attempt to return to power. The People of Freedom party which was founded by Mr Berlusconi said it had called off a planned primary to choose a candidate for next year's presidential election. Alan Johnston reports from Rome.

For months, Mr Berlusconi has kept Italy's guessing. At times he seems to be on the verge of announcing a return to frontline politics but then backed off. Now though the most senior figure in the party he founded - the People of Freedom party - has said the former prime minister will indeed be returning to take direct control of it, that he will lead it into the elections. Mr Berlusconi, however still hasn't made any formal announcement himself confirming this.

The American Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says his administration has intelligence which raises serious concerns that the Syrian government is considering the use of the chemical weapons. Mr.Panetta is the latest US officer to express such affairs although he didn't give details on the nature of the intelligence.

The head of Afghanistan intelligence services Asadullah Khalid has been injured in a suicide bombing in the capital Kabul. The Taliban say they targeted Mr Khalid, a close ally of President Karzai. Orla Guerin reports from Kabul.

The bomber struck as Afghanistan's intelligence chief, Asadullah Khalid was meeting officials in a Kabul guesthouse. It's unclear how the Taliban manage to get so close to one of the biggest targets in the country, and one of their biggest enemies. Mr Khalid took over the intelligence agency just a few months ago. Sources say he has been changing location regularly to reduce the risk of attack. The controversial spy chief has survived several assassination attempts in recent years.

World News from the BBC

Sri Lanka's chief justice, Shirani Bandaranayake has walked out of an impeachment hearing, saying it wasn't being conducted fairly. Her lawyer said they weren't given reasonable time to assess the prosecution's charges, nor given a list of witnesses. Doctor Bandaranayake who's been in dispute with Sri Lankan president, is accused of financial and official misconduct. She denies this and her supporters say the impeachment charges are politically motivated.

Russia says it will be forced to retaliate against a new American law imposing sanctions on Russian officials accused of human rights violations. A foreign ministry statement in Moscow described the move as a theatre of the absurd. Earlier the US Congress gave its final approval to the measure,as part of wider legislation, lifting Cold War era restrictions on American trade with Russia.

European football's governing body, UEFA has decided to spread the marches for its championship finals in 2020 throughout the continent rather than holding them in just one or two countries. Alex Capsticks reports.

The idea of spreading Euro 2020 to various cities around continents was first mooted by UEFA's Preisent, Michel Platini. It was partly to avoid the financial burden on signal or joint hosts in a time of economic difficulty. The only objections came from Turkey which was one of the bidding candidates. It's unclear how many cities will be chosen, but Michel Platini has privately spoken of around a dozen with semi-finals and final possibly held in the same country.

A bus driver in Vienna has been praised for his honesty after he found and handed in a bag with more than $500,000 in it, which has been left on his bus by an old lady. He gave the bag to the police, who were able to identify the pensioner using a bank deposit slip found with the money. The lady had reportedly withdrawn her entire life savings from the bank. It's not known what she intended to do with the cash