BBC news 2007-06-21 加文本

BBC 2007-06-21


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BBC World News, I'm Michael Polls.

The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has said his emergency government would not engage in dialogue with Hamas, the Islamic militant group which seized control of Gaza Strip last week after violent clashes with its main rival Fatah. The President who leads Fatah accused Hamas of trying to set up its own state in Gaza which he described as an empire of darkness. From Ramalla, Aliv Mikpul reports.

Since Hamas forcibly took control of the Gaza Strip, its leaders have been calling for discussions with President Abbas. In his toughest speech since the violence, the President left no room for misunderstanding his position on the group. Mentioning Hamas members by name, he said there would be no dialogue with murderous coup leaders and traitors, saying he'd done so much to involve the movement in the democratic process, only to see them overrun his home and trample on his portrait.

The Palestinian president has said the inacceptive development Israeli and new Palestinian government have opened formal contact through the telephone conversation between the Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Ms. Livni told Mr. Fayyad that the establishment of a new government without Hamas would allow the political process to advance.

There's increasing speculation in Washington that the British Prime Minister Tony Blair who stands down next week after ten years in office may be asked to become an envoy to the Middle East. White House officials told the BBC that President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have both talked to Mr. Blair about the potential new job.

President Bush has vetoed legislation that would have eased restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. The White House spokesman said the President believed it was not appropriate to put an end to human life for research purposes. Instead, Mr. Bush said the House of Representatives should follow the lead of the Senate and pass legislation encouraging research into stem cells that do not come from human embryos.

"The House leaders need to pass similar legislation that would authorize additional fund for ethical stem cell research. There would be an important investment, and be an important statement. Because we can't lose our opportunities to conduct research we get hope to those suffering from terrible diseases. And help this country move beyond the controversies over embryo destruction."

United Nations backed War Crimes Tribunal in Sierra Leone has convicted three former military leaders of crimes against humanity including using children as soldiers during the country's decade of civil war. It's the first time the international court has ruled on child conscription. The decision was described as a ground breaking step by the human rights organization, Human Rights Watch. The three men Alex Tamba Brima, Brima Kamara and Santigie Borbor Kanu were also convicted of terrorism, rape and murder. They will be sentenced next month. Convictions were the first judgment delivered by the tribunal in Free Town.

World news from the BBC.

Three Canadian soldiers serving with the NATO led force in Afghanistan have been killed by a road side bomb. The Taliban said it carried out the attack, the latest in a wave of violence. Charles Haviland reports from Kabul.

Canada's forces are posted to one of Afghanistan's most dangerous provinces, Kandahar, and these deaths raised to sixty the number of Canadian troops killed in action in the country since the Taliban were driven from power in 2001. In all, over 600 foreign troops have died. The Head of Canadian forces here, Brigadier General Team Ground said the three Canadians were on a re-supply mission between two check points using a small or terrain vehicle when they were blown up by a roadside bomb.

The mayor of Los Angles has appointed an Evangelical Minister to lead a multi-million dollar initiative to tackle the city's violent gangs. Revend Jeff Carr becomes director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development. He told the BBC a comprehensive approach for the problems was needed because gangs were currently seen as an attempting way out of poverty.
"You are young person, and you have the opportunity to make $300 a day selling drugs even though it's a very risky business. Or you can work a minimum wage job making six bucks an hour. For some kids, that's a difficult choice."

A group of American scientists say they have developed a way of turning a simple type of sugar into a new low carbon fuel for cars. They said the fructose, a sugar found in apples or oranges can be converted into a fuel called DMT which can store 40% more energy than ethanol, the only bio-fuel currently produced on a large scale.

Police in the American city of Austin in Texas are investigating the death of a man they believed was lynched by a mob after the car he was traveling in hit and injured a girl. The authorities say a crowd attacked the car's driver when he stopped to check on the girl's condition before turning on the passenger who investigators say was killed by up to twenty men.

BBC World News.