BBC news 2007-12-19 加文本

[日期：2008-01-01]

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BBC 2007-12-19

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BBC news, I'm Roy Lamar.

The Pentagon says Iran is continuing to send weapons and sophisticated technology to insurgents in Iraq. In its latest quarterly assessment to the US conGREss, the Defense Department also said that the US forces have made strong progress in the last three months. Rajesh Mirchandani reports from Washington.

"This latest report by the US Department of Defense seems to suggest Iraq is becoming safer, and its economy stronger. It says high-profile attacks are down fifty percent since March. Economic growth this year is more than six percent. It talks of a tribal awakening: local Sunni and Shiite leaders turning against al-Qaida in Iraq. But it also says the key to success would be the Iraqi government's ability to capitalize upon local gangs and promote national reconciliation. "

Turkish armed forces say they inflicted heavy losses on Turkish Kurd fighters during an incursion into northern Iraq. The Turkish military said three hundred troops had targeted at a group of PKK fighters preparing to infiltrate Turkey. It's thought to be the largest operation of its kind for some time. The Turkish President, Abdullah Gul insisted Iraq had nothing to fear from the incursion.

"Everybody should know that there is only one target for Turkey, which is terror. There're no other goals or targets. Iraq is a brother country, a friendly neighbor for Turkey. Iraq's stability is very important for us, too. "

The governing party in South Africa, the African National Congress, has chosen the former deputy president, Jacob Zuma, as its new leader. He won a decisive victory over President Thabo Mbeki after an acrimonious conference. Mr. Zuma is now in a strong position to become president in 2009. Although he could still face corruption charges, Will Ross was at the conference as the result came in.

"Jacob Zuma's supporters are singing songs of celebration and they're dancing. They've been pretty vocal throughout this ANC meeting, confident that their man would clinch the party leadership. Jacob Zuma received 2,329 votes, well ahead of his rival, the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, with 1,505 votes. When Mr. Zuma was called onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers. Once the celebrations die down, Mr. Zuma will have to start trying to heal the party after this bitter contest. "

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death penalty with a view to abolishing capital punishment altogether. China, Iran, and Pakistan, the countries that use the death penalty most rejected the resolution along with the United States. The measure was non-binding, but the BBC correspondent at UN headquarters says it reflects a change in world opinion.

This is world news from the BBC.

The United Nations is investigating allegations of corruption in contracts linked to its headquarters and some of its peacekeeping missions amounting to more than $610 million. The UN missions involved are in Haiti and five African countries.

Reports from southern Pakistan say a crowded passenger train has derailed on the main line from Karachi to Lahore. Twelve or more of its carriages are said to have left the rails. Pakistani Television says at least ten people were killed.

Voters are going to the polls in South Korea to choose a new president. Opinion surveys have given a strong lead to the candidate of the opposition, Grand National Party, Lee Myung Bak, a former construction industry executive, known as the bulldozer.

The Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, has welcomed the statement issued by FARC rebels in Colombia, who said that they were prepared to release several high-profile hostages into his hands. The hostages include Clara Rojas, who was campaigning with the presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, when they were kidnapped in 2002. Ms Betancourt's mother, Yolanda Pulecio, praised mediation efforts of President Chavez and a Colombian Senator.

"This is very striking news. It's very much in line with what we expected. This has to do with the mediation of President Hugo Chavez, and of Piedad Córdoba, and it's in line with what was already talked about, which was women and the sick first. I hope that this comes true. "

BBC World Service is celebrating its 75th anniversary birthday today Wednesday with a special schedule of programs. On this date in 1932, the empire service, as it was then known, made its first overseas broadcast from London to Australia and New Zealand. World Service now broadcasts in 33 languages and has a total audience of more than 160 million listeners every week.

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