BBC在线收听下载:乌克兰挟持国际观察员事件暂只一人获释

BBC news 2014-04-28

BBC News with Jerry Smit.

Pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sloviansk have released one of the eight members of an international observer mission, they've been holding since Friday. Five Ukrainian observers are also being held. Bethany Bell reports. “The Swedish military observer who's believed to be diabetic was seen driving away in an OSCE car, but the rest of the team remains in detention, intensive diplomacy continues to secure their release. Earlier the military monitors were shown to the media in Sloviansk. One of them, a German Colonel Axel Schneider, said his team was on a diplomatic mission and was unarmed. The OSCE has a large observe team in Ukraine, which was agreed to by Russia, but these monitors are not part of that, they are from individual OSCE countries invited to Ukraine by the government in Kiev.”

French and African peacekeepers have escorted a convoy of more than 1,200 Muslims out of the Central African Republic's capital Bangui. The group, some of the last remaining Muslims in the city, left with their belongings in 18 lorries. They've been trapped for months by Christian militias as communal violence raged. This Muslim man said they had no option but to leave. “With what the anti-Balaka are doing, they have killed a lot of Muslims. We can't stay in Central African Republic. We will leave to save ourselves, to save our skin, we'll go to Sido, Bongoro, Kabo.” As soon as they left, their neighborhood was ransacked.

The two remaining candidates in the presidential election in Afghanistan, both insist they would contest a second round. Preliminary results released on Saturday give the former Foreign Minister, Abdullah Abdullah the most votes, but not enough to win outright. From Kabul, David Loyn. “Both Abdullah Abdullah and his closest rival, the ex-World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani held the events that felt like campaign launches for the next round. Dr. Adbullah is well ahead, winning almost 45% of the vote cast. There’s been considerable speculation here that they will make a deal instead of fighting again. I put the question to Dr. Ghani: “Are there any circumstances that you would negotiate with Dr. Abdullah to avoid a second round?” “No, it is imperative that the next President of Afghanistan have a clear mandate.” Dr. Abdullah is less emphatic, he is watching and waiting to see how fraud complaints change the count and contemptuous of the clear stance taken by his opponent.”

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described the holocaust as the most heinous crime to have occurred against humanity in modern history. Mr. Abbas' rare acknowledgment of the killing of six million Jews during the World War II come shortly before Israel begins marking Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Palestinian president also reiterated that he was prepared to resume peace talks, which Israel suspended last week.

World News from the BBC

Serbia's parliament has approved a new center-right coalition government with Aleksandar Vucic as Prime Minister. On taking office he said his priorities would be to achieve Serbian membership of the European Union, to reform the economy and fight corruption. His reform plans involve cutting the size and cost of the public sector, privatizing state-run companies and controlling the budget deficit to secure international loans.

Police in South Africa have used water cannon and stun grenades to disperse rock-thrown protesters after an election rally in the shantytown near Johannesburg turned violent. The Sports Minister was whisked away under police protection. He and his supporters from the governing African National Congress have been campaigning for the May general election when they were confronted by the protesters. Local media said the minister had been targeted by striking platinum miners

The South Sudanese leader, released from jail earlier this week after charges of treason against him was dropped, has told the BBC he feels no bitterness about his months in captivity. Civil war broke out after Pagan Amum and other leaders were arrested over an alleged coup plot against President Salva Kiir. Pagan Amum expressed concern about the conflict. “I'm saddened by the senseless killings of our people in this senseless war that has no meaning. Issues of the governance cannot be settled through the battle of gun, but rather through building institutions and building a democratic, instead.”

In an uNPRecedented ceremony of the Vatican, Pope Francis has declared two former Popes, John XXIII and John Paul II as saints. His predecessor Benedict attended the canonization. Pope Francis described the two canonized Popes as men of courage, who lived through the tragic events of the 20st century. BBC News