BBC在线收听下载:意大利警方发现5000多件被盗文物

BBC news 2015-01-22

BBC news with Sue Montgomery.

A founding member of the German anti-Islam protest movement Pegida has resigned as the group's leader. Lutz Bachmann has apologized for facebook posts in which he refered to asylum seekers as animals and scum bags. Mr. Bazhmann did not mention an online photo showing him with hair and moustache in the style of Adolf Hitler. Another Pegida cofounder described it a satire and said the movement would continue. Dina Numen reports.

“The image and the comments provoked widespread anger after they appeared in the German press. Another Pegida cofounder Kathrin Oertel described the photo as satire and said the movement will go on. Pegida has always denied any Nazi-sympathies. The group has attracted thousands of people to its weekly marches in Dresden.” In the evening, a march by allied group drew a crowd of about 10,000 in Leipzig. A large counter-protest was also held.

There are growing calls in Russia to withdraw its troops from eastern Ukarine. President Petro Poroshenko said Russia had now sent more than 9,000 troops backed by heavy weapons into the east of his country. While the head of the US military in Europe said Russia had doubled its supplies of military equipment to separatists over the past 4 months. The US secretary of state John Kerry said the Moscow-backed separatists were attempting to enlarge the territory under their control.

“It is also obviously because there's been about 500 square mile extension of the so-called line of control in effort to try to broaden the amount of territory they've been held from the time that they signed an agreement and agreed to keep the line of control. So this is a very blatant land grab.”

On the third day of violent unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the head of the Roman Catholic Church there Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo has told the authorities to stop killing their own people. Congolese human rights group say more than 40 people have been killed in protest against the plan to change the electoral law. James Read reports.

“Cardinal Monsengwo played a prominent role in the congress transition to Democracy. So this intervention will carry some weight. He said he was strongly opposed any attempt to delay elections due next year when President Joeseph Kabila is meant to stand down. The Cardinal also blamed the authorities for much of the violence urging them, in his words, to stop killing their own people.”

US officials have described the first day of talks with the Cuban government in decades as productive. A US deputy assistant secretary of state Alex Lee said the discussions which focused on migration had shown both sides were able to talk respectfully about shared interests despite some clear differences. A Cuban official said the meeting had been constructive.

World news from the BBC.

In a statement, the presidency of Yemen says an agreement has been reached to end fighting in the capital Sana. It offers major concessions to the Houthi rebels who've taken over the presidential palace and surrounded his home. It expanded their representation in all state institutions and raised the possibility of amendments to a new constitution they had opposed. In return, the Houthi is said to be ready to release President Abd Rubbuh Mansur Hadi's chief of staff.

A German teacher freed after 6 months as a hostage of the Nigerian military group Boko Haram has been describing his ordeal. Robert Eberhard was freed after an operation in neighboring Cameroon. Damien Mcguinness reports from Berlin.

“Looking tired and emaciated, Mr. Eberhard told reporters after his release that during the ordeal, he wasn't sure he would survive. He was held by Boko Haram for more than 6 months on his own in a dark and dirty room. While he was in captivity, a video was released in which Boko Haram's leader threatened to kill him. Cameroon's authorities have not revealed how they managed to free Mr. Eberhard, but German officials have said they are grateful to Cameroon for securing his release.”

The speaker of the United States’ House of Representatives John Boehner has invited Israel's President Benjamin Netanyahu to address both houses of congress next month. It was not clear if Mr. Netanyahu would meet President Obama.

Italian police say they've uncovered a treasure trove of more than 5,000 stolen antiquities in the biggest operation of its kind. The objects includes splendidly decorated vases, delicate frescos and fine Bronze breastplates and said they worth more than 50 million dollars. They were stolen in Italy and ended up in Switzerland. The authorities became aware of the smuggling ring when a famous vase was recovered after been sold to the United States.

BBC news.