BBC在线收听下载:美国俄亥俄州使用新药处决死刑犯惹争议

BBC news 2014-01-17

BBC news with Jerry Smit.

The Taliban in Afghanistan say they are confident they would soon take power in the country and would not moderate their rigid methods of government when they do so. A Taliban spokesman said that it was winning the war against the US led international force. He was talking to the BBC's John Simpson. “The Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahed claimed that the British and Americans would be forced out of Afghanistan because of the losses they have suffered and the opposition from public opinion at home. Many people here are afraid that when the western troops leave, civil war could break out again in earnest. The spokesman claimed that the Taliban now controlled large swaths of the country including most of Helmand province, and that the western troops could not move around freely away from their bases.”

A senior UN envoy, sent to the Central African Republic, has warned of the danger of genocide and call for a stronger international response to prevent further communal bloodshed. The UN humanitarian affairs coordinator John Ging said the conflict had all the elements seen in places like Rwanda and Bosnia. Thomas Fessy reports from the tense town of Bozoum. “Only the gun makes a difference in front of a youth mob, there are 11 African Union soldiers here, they have just prevented a man from being killed, but can they save the next one? More than 1,000 Muslims were evacuated this week, time seems up for some. But for the Christians displaced, this could mean a safe passage back to their neighborhoods. But with ever stronger international force around, who will avert the hatred that has emerged in the last months? Mass killings remain a major risk.”

The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has urged the Syrian opposition to join next week's peace talks in Switzerland. Mr Kerry stressed the aim of the talks was to start the process of setting up a transitional government to end the conflict in Syria. “For anyone seeking to rewrite this history, or to muddy the waters, let me state one more time what Geneva II is about, it is about establishing a process essential to the formation of a transition governing body established by mutual consent. It is the only way to bring about an end to the civil war that has triggered one of the planet's most severe humanitarian disasters, and which has created the seeding grounds for extremism.” John Kerry.

The Italian government has said the transfer of hundreds of tons of Syria's chemical weapons would take place in the southern port of Gioia Tauro, the chemicals would then be taken out to sea and destroyed. Italy offered the port as its contribution to the United Nations' supervised process of destroying Syria's chemical weapons.

World news from the BBC.

The public prosecutor in Egypt says that three journalists from al-Jazeera English now face charges of possessing broadcast equipment without a valid license with the aim of undermining national security. The prosecutor's statement says the new evidence shows they aimed to broadcast untrue information and fake images to damage Egypt reputation and financial standing.

In the United States, a death row inmate in Ohio has been executed using a controversial new combination of drugs. The untested method was used because the maker of previous drug refused to allow its use in capital punishment. Dennis McGuire, a convicted murderer took more than a quarter of an hour to die. Johnny Diamond reports. “I'm going to heaven, said Dennis McGuire before his execution, but he took 15 minutes to die, much longer than its usual, apparently gasping for breath as new drug's cocktail took effect. His lawyers had argued against the use of the drugs, saying that the possibility of such an extended process amounted to cruel and unusual punishment prohibited under the U.S. constitution. McGuire admitted to the rape and fatal stabbing of a young pregnant woman more than 20 years ago. The woman's relatives welcomed the execution.

Parliament in Ukraine has rushed through a law apparently designed to curb anti-government protests after months of demonstrations against President Viktor Yanukovych. The legislation bans the unauthorized installation of tents, stages or amplifiers, equipment used by the protesters campaigning for closer ties with the European Union rather than with Russia.

North Korea has made a surprised offer to stop hurling insult at South Korea to help ease military tensions. The North traditionally uses choice insults to bait South Korea, often calling its leaders puppets, hooligans and dogs. Last year, it urged its soldier to cut the windpipes of enemies in the south. Seoul has not yet responded to the offer.

BBC news.