BBC在线收听下载:美国国会大部分成员为百万富翁

BBC news 2014-01-11

BBC News with Marion Marshall.

There have been scenes of jubilation in Christian parts of the Central African Republic at the resignation of the interim president Michel Djotodia. Mr. Djotodia, a Muslim, had been criticized at home and abroad for his failure to stop the sectarian violence in his country. Our Africa editor, Mary Harper, looks at the implications of the resignation.

Michel Djotodia had come under intense local, regional and international pressure to go. He'd long been hungry for power, and last year, he took it with the help of mainly Muslim rebels. Violence became sectarian with the Christian majority forming militias to fight Muslim armed groups. Mr. Djotodia failed to stop it. Local support drained away, and African leaders in the region saw him as a liability. But it's unlikely Mr. Djotodia's departure will make any difference, at least in the short term.

Officials from the European Union and the US State Department say they have made very good progress during talks with Iran on its nuclear program designed to tackle all outstanding issues from the interim deal reached last year. Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.

Iran's negotiator in Geneva said all the differences had now been resolved. But European Union and United States' diplomats were not so definite, saying only that good progress had been made and that any agreement would have to be approved by governments. Some issues may still be outstanding. It's likely that Iran's suggestion in December that it intends to build a new generation of centrifuges-technology required for the enrichment of uranium for either nuclear power or nuclear weapons has caused concern. That it's clear the momentum towards an agreement is there.

The French magazine "Closer" says it will remove from its website a story alleging that the country's President Francois Hollande is having an affair with an actress. The magazine's director said it followed an approach from a lawyer representing the actress, Julie Gayet. Closer said no such demand was made about its printed edition which contains photos it claims prove rumors that Mr. Hollande regularly spends the night with Ms. Gayet. Earlier, the president said he was considering legal action. These Parisians echoed the prevailing view of the French political class that the pictures were intrusive.

"Closer magazine, I think it's a disgusting publication, I think it's not interesting at all."

"I find it low. Frankly, it's not interesting."

"I think he is a person like any other, and he has a right to a private life. Anyway, no one knows if it's a rumor or not. I think it's not interesting at all."

In the United States, the unemployment rate has fallen to a 5-year low. But the number of jobs added in December was lower than expected. Employers hired 74,000 extra workers, less than half of what was expected.

World News from the BBC.

In Egypt, at least three people have been killed in fighting between supporters and opponents of the deposed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. A street vendor was shot dead during clashes in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Two people died in Suez, during fighting between supporters of Mr. Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood and residents oppose to the Islamists.

Police in Brazil say two gunmen have shot dead an evangelical priest at his church in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte. Reports say the gunmen entered the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in the middle-class neighborhood of the city and shot the priest in the head.

The United States has agreed to an Indian request that it'll recall one of its diplomats from Delhi, the latest twist in a diplomatic spat. The US government spokeswoman said Washington deeply regretted India's insistence on the recall, saying she hoped the row would now end. The Indian diplomat at the heart of the affair has arrived back in Delhi. Andrew North reports.

The row began last month when the Indian diplomat was arrested in New York for a range of charges relating to her treatment of her maid, including allegedly lying about how much she paid her and withholding her passport. Devyani Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched, standard procedures, said the US authorities, expressing surprise, that India only seemed to care for the rights of its diplomat, not the servant. An outrage, said the Indian government, dismissing the charges, and claiming she had full diplomatic immunity.

Figures showed, that for the first time, most members of the United States Congress are millionaires. According to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, the wealthiest congressman is Darrell Issa, a Republican from California. He's worth approximately 464 million dollars. The poorest is David Valadao, also a Californian Republican who's reported to be 12 million dollars in the red.

BBC News.