BBC在线收听下载:奥巴马将古巴从支恐名单中移出

BBC news 2015-04-15

BBC News with Sue Montegamary.

President Obama is to remove Cuba from a list of states sponsors of terrorism, a key step towards normalising relations between Washington and Havana. Last week, the Cuban President Raul Catro met Mr. Obama on the sidelines of the Summit of the Americas in Panama, and demanded to be removed from the list. Here's John Sudworth.“The removal from the states sponsors of terrorism list has long been demanded by the Cubans. And after a series of reports written by various interested U.S. government departments, the President has made his decision. It'll pave the way for the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in Havana and the Cuban Embassy in Washington. As such, this is a major step towards normalising relations between the 2 countries. In his letter to Congress, President Obama says the government Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the past 6 months. And the letter goes on, the government of Cuba has provided assurances that it will not supports active international terrorism in the future.”

Reports from Italy say 400 migrants died when the boat that was carrying them to Italy capsized a day after leaving Libya. Survivors said many of the victims were children. Meikerni Probery from the charity Save the Children in Italy says they're still trying to find out exactly how many children were involved.“We don't know exactly. We don't have the kind of clearance. According to the testimony, they said that there weren't really, in this case, young kids on the boat, but for sure, young people and possibly many minus like the few that survived and we met on the boat today.”Save the Children says some seven thousand migrants have made the crossing from Africa to Europe in recent days.

The U.N. Security Council has imposed an arms embargo on Houthis rebels in Yemen and their allies, forces loyal to the country's former President, Ali Abdullah Saleh. The resolution also calls on the rebels to withdraw from territory they've seized and introduces a travel ban and asset freeze on the Houthis leader and Mr. Saleh's son. The rebels have forced the government out of the capital, Sanaa, and are now fighting to broaden their control of the south of the country. The U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, welcomed the measure.“The imposition of a global asset freeze and travel ban on Ali Abdullah Saleh and Abdulmalik al-Houthi, as well as a targeted arms embargo, shows that this Council will take action against those who continue to undermine efforts toward reconciliation.”

Al-Qaeda in Yemen says its top cleric, Ibrahim al-Rubaish, has been killed in a drone strike. The United States had placed a five-million-dollar bounty on his head. It's not yet commented on the reports of the killing. Al-Rubaish should have been released from Guantanamo in 2006. Al-Qaeda has seized more territory in Yemen, and independent tribal groups have also taken advantage of the fighting to increase their autonomy. BBC News.

The Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, has met President Obama on his first official visit to Washington. Mr. al-Abadi was expected to request increased support in the fight against Islamic State militants, both through arms sales and more U.S.-led airstrikes. But the White House says he made no specific requests for military assistance. Mr. Obama has offered Iraq two hundred million dollars in humanitarian aid to help those displaced by IS militants.

Hillary Clinton has begun a deliberately low-key campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidency in the mid-west state of Iowa, starting in a small town college. 2 days after announcing her candidacy, she held a meeting with students and teaches in the town of Monticello. Gary O'Donoghue was there.“4 students and 2 teachers were on hand picked to meet Hillary Clinton for a roundtable discussion. The campaign chose this small town of four thousand people, because they determined to make the tour about everyday Americans. On Wednesday, she will continue this swing through hour by visiting small business people. Hillary Clinton got badly burnt in the Iowa caucuses when she last ran for president. Her aides are determined that doesn't happen again.”

The Turkish President has reacted furiously to Pope Francis's uses of the word of genocide to describe the manslaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915. Recep Tayyip Edogan condemned the Pontiff and warned not to repeat the mistake. Turkey has maintained that the Armenian death toll, estimated at one and a half million, has been exaggerated.

The American soul singer Percy Sledge, best known for the classic 1966 ballad, When a Man Loves a Woman, has died at the age of 73. Born in Alabama, he worked as a hospital ordely and sang with a local group at weekends. When a Man Loves a Woman was his first record under contract and was a hit around the world. BBC News.