BBC news 2007-05-30 加文本

BBC 2007-05-30


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BBC World News, I'm Leon Newence.

A senior United States official says President Bush has chosen Robert Zoellick, a former trade representative and deputy Secretary of State to head the World Bank. The official said Mr. Bush would announce his decision on Wednesday. Mr. Zoellick will succeed Paul Wolfowitz who agreed to step down next month after a special panel of the World Bank found that he had broken rules by arranging a big pay-rise and promotion for his girlfriend. Jonathan Bill has this report from Washington.

Robert Zoellick is no stranger to the Bush administration, until last year he served as Condoleezza Rice's deputy at the Department of State. He left the administration to take up a senior position in the investment bank Goldman Sachs. There were reports that he returned to the private sector because he was frustrated at playing second fiddle, though he has never confirmed that. No one is to surprise that President Bush has once again nominated an American to replace Paul Wolfowitz, the role of President to the World Bank has traditionally been an US appointment.

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said relations with Libya have been completely transformed. He was speaking at a news conference after the talks in Libya with Colonel Gaddafi, the prime minister's first stop on a final tour of Africa before leaving office next month. His visit coincides with an announcement that the British energy company BP is resuming operations in Libya in a 900-million-dollar gas exploration deal. Mr. Blair said this deal demonstrated strengthening business ties with Libya.
"I just like to say how positive and constructive of the meeting with leader Gaddafi is being. The relationship between Britain and Libya has been completely transformed in these last few years. We now have very strong cooperation on counter-terrorism, on defense, a commercial relationship that as you can see by this huge investment deal today, is one that's, that's simply going on now from strength to strength, and I think it's something of an indication of how relations between two countries can change."

The Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has denounced what he described as a new conspiracy by opponents of his government to destabilize the country, following the closure on Sunday of a pro-opposition television channel RCTV. Mr. Chavez says he is facing the biggest student demonstrations since he came to office nine years ago over his decision to deny the channel a new broadcasting license.

Russia says a new type of intercontinental ballistic missile that it has just tested could overcome any existing or future missile shield. Moscow says the missile known as RS-24 can be armed with up to ten warheads, and will strengthen its nuclear deterrence capability. Russia's announcement of the missile test comes against the background of its growing criticism over the American plans to base parts of an anti-missile system in central Europe. The United States maintains its system is not directed at the Russians.

World News from the BBC.

The embattled Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry has given his first account of being suspended nearly three months ago by President Pervez Musharraf. In a document submitted to the Supreme Court where he is fighting the suspension, Mr. Chaudhry said he had been pressured to resign by the general over alleged misconduct. Barbara Plett reports now from Islamabad.
In the document, the chief justice says the president told him he would be accommodated if he resigned, otherwise he would face the embarrassment of being brought before a judicial panel. The chief justice claims that general Musharraf angrily left the room when he declared his innocence and refused to quit. Mr. Chaudhry says he was detained at the president's office for more than five hours while an acting chief justice was sworn in. Similar details have been reported in the press, but this is the first time the judge has confirmed them.

American Disease Control officials have quarantined a man who may have exposed fellow air travelers and crew to a rare and dangerous form of tuberculosis. This is the first time in over 40 years that the US government has issued a quarantine order. Jane Bright reports from Washington.
The infected man's identity has not been revealed, but it's understood that he reported his condition to the authorities after learning that he had the rare form of tuberculosis. The strain is known as extensively drug-resistant TB, the rarest and most deadly form with only a 30 percent chance of survival. There are now concerns that the passengers and crew of two transatlantic flights may have been exposed before the man realized he was infected.

Two human rights groups in Britain say many of the country's jewelry stores have no effective policies to avoid the sale of diamonds originating from conflict zones in Africa. The two groups, Global Witness and Amnesty International, said more than three quarters of retailers they surveyed had no auditing procedures in place.

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play second fiddle:fill a secondary role, do a job of minor importance处于次要地位
Global Witness is an international NGO that highlights the links between natural resource exploitation, conflict, poverty, corruption, and human rights abuses worldwide.环球目击组织