BBC News with Marion Marshall
The second in line to the British throne Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton have spoken openly of their plans to marry hours after their engagement was announced. Miss Middleton said she'd been surprised when Prince William proposed during their recent holiday in Kenya, eight years after they met. Prince William said he had delayed proposing because he wanted to give Miss Middleton time to reflect on the idea of living in the public eye.
"You know, her and her family, I really want to make sure they have the best sort of guidance and chance to see what life has been like or what life is like in the family. That's kind of almost why I have been waiting this long, as I wanted to give her a chance to see in and to back out if she needed to before it all got too much because, you know, I'm trying to learn from lessons done in the past and I just wanted to give her the best chance to settle in and to see what, you know, what happens on the other side."
"I'm also glad that I've had the time to sort of to grow and understand myself more as well, so hopefully, hopefully do good job, yes."
The health ministry in Haiti says more than 1,000 people have now died in the cholera epidemic that's sweeping the country. More than 16,000 people have been treated in hospital, and the disease has reached almost every province of the country.
Britain has announced a financial settlement with former terrorism detainees in an apparent effort to avoid a court case, which could have put sensitive intelligence information into the public domain. All of those involved are British citizens or residents. Rob Watson reports.
The 16 former terrorism suspects had all accused the British authorities of colluding in their detention and in some cases their alleged torture. Announcing the payments, the Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke told parliament the settlement didn't amount to an admission of culpability by the government, nor did it mean the former detainees had withdrawn their allegations. But Mr Clarke said the government had wanted to avoid a lengthy court battle, which could have involved releasing highly sensitive documents and risking Britain's national security.
Saudi officials have promised that justice will be done in the case of an Indonesian maid who was allegedly abused and beaten by her employers. The woman was said to have been admitted to hospital in Medina, unconscious with severe wounds. A member of the Saudi Sutra Council, Saddaqa Yehyia Fadel, said he wanted to reassure Indonesia that action would be taken.
"The Saudi authorities will investigate the matter and will give all parties their due. Indonesians should rest assured that they will get justice. Allow me to clarify: relationships between Saudi citizens and foreign domestic workers are generally normal, good relationships. I'm not defending or favouring the Saudi household here, nor do I want to attack domestic workers, whose efforts play a role in the comprehensive development of Saudi Arabia."
World News from the BBC
European finance ministers and officials are holding emergency talks in Brussels over the debt crisis facing Ireland and other vulnerable members of the eurozone. The European Commission is consulting global financial institutions hours after a leading EU figure, Herman Van Rompuy, warned that the European Union's future was at stake. Ireland and Portugal are widely seen as potential candidates for a bailout.
Police in Thailand have found the remains of more than 300 human foetuses hidden in a Buddhist temple in the capital Bangkok. The police say they suspect the foetuses came from illegal abortion clinics. Local news reports say a member of the temple staff confessed to being hired by several clinics to dispose of the remains.
Police in Egypt are reported to have sealed off an entire village following arson attacks on Christian homes by angry Muslims. Up to 10 homes were said to have been torched by a Muslim crowd in a small village in the south of the country. Jon Leyne reports.
There's been considerable tension in Egypt in recent months between the majority Muslim community and the roughly 10% of the population who are Christians. The latest flare-up happened in a remote village in the south of the country. The cause is believed to have been rumours of a relationship of some kind between a Coptic Christian man and a Muslim woman. A quarrel broke out between Christian and Muslim families. Up to 10 houses are reported to have been burnt down, but there were no casualties.
France has complained to Iran about what it says were "unacceptable acts of violence" outside the French ambassador's residence in Tehran on Sunday. French officials said at least one diplomat was struck when plainclothes Iranian security agents stopped guests entering the residence for a concert of Persian music. Several guests were arrested.
A rare pink diamond has sold for almost $46m at a jewellery sale in the Swiss city of Geneva. It's the highest price ever paid for a stone at auction. The diamond weighs more than 24 carats.
BBC News
英国王位第二顺位继承人威廉王子与女友凯特·米德尔顿宣布订婚几个小时之后公开讨论他们的结婚计划。米德尔顿说,在他们认识八年之后,最近他们在肯尼亚度假时威廉王子突然求婚,她感到非常惊讶。威廉王子表示,由于他希望给米德尔顿时间来考虑生活在公众的视线中,所以推迟了求婚时间。
“你知道,我希望她和她的家庭有最好的指引和机会来了解在我们这样的家庭生活是什么样的。这就是我等了这么长时间的原因,我希望她有机会在一切无法挽回之前考虑清楚。你知道,我一直从过去吸取教训,我想要给她最好的机会来适应,来了解未来将要发生的事情。”
“我非常高兴我能够有时间来成长,来更好地了解我自己。所以,希望我自己能够做好。”
海地卫生部长表示,已有1,000多人在席卷全国的霍乱爆发中丧命。已有超过16,000人在医院接受治疗,这种疾病几乎已经蔓延到海地的每一个省份。
英国宣布与前恐怖主义囚犯达成经济和解,明显是为了避免走上法庭而将敏感的情报信息泄漏。涉案的所有囚犯都是英国公民和居民。Rob Watson报道。
这16名前恐怖主义嫌疑犯一致指控英国当局在他们的拘留和一些虐待案件中是共谋。司法大臣肯尼斯·克拉克(Kenneth Clark)宣布了赔偿方案之后告诉议会,这次和解并不意味着政府承认有过错,也不意味着这些以前的被拘留者撤出自己的指控。但是克拉克表示,政府希望避免漫长的法庭争斗,这可能会泄漏高度敏感的文件,使英国的国家安全处于危险中。
沙特官员承诺一定会公正处理印尼佣人被雇主侮辱和殴打的案件。据称这名女子已经住进麦地那的一家医院,由于重伤而不省人事。沙特印度箴言委员会一名成员Saddaqa Yehyia Fadel表示,他希望向印尼人保证,相关部门一定会采取措施。
“沙特当局将会调查此事,各方都会承担相应的责任。印尼人应该确信,沙特一定会为你们伸张正义。让我来澄清一下:沙特公民和外国家庭佣人之间的关系一向是正常的,融洽的。我并不是为沙特家庭辩护,也不想攻击家庭佣人,他们为沙特阿拉伯的发展起着重要的作用。”
BBC世界新闻。
欧洲财长和官员在布鲁塞尔召开紧急会议,讨论爱尔兰和欧元区其他脆弱的国家面临的债务危机的问题。欧盟主席范龙佩(Herman Van Rompuy)警告称欧盟的未来处于危险中几个小时之后,欧洲委员会向全球金融机构咨询。爱尔兰和葡萄牙被广泛地认为是救助的对象。
泰国警方发现了隐藏在首都曼谷一个佛教寺庙中的300多个人类胎儿的遗体。警方表示,他们怀疑这些胎儿来自非法堕胎诊所。当地新闻报道称,该寺庙一名职员承认被几家诊所雇佣来销毁这些遗体。
据报道,愤怒的穆斯林袭击了基督徒的家之后,埃及警方封闭了整个村庄。据称,埃及南部这个小村庄共有10户人家被穆斯林纵火。Jon Leyne报道。
最近几个月,埃及大多数穆斯林社区和仅占人口10%的基督徒之间的关系高度紧张。最新的一次冲突发生在南部一个偏远的村庄。据信冲突的起因是一名天主教基督徒男子和一名穆斯林女子之间有暧昧关系的谣言。基督徒和穆斯林家庭之间发生了争吵。据报道,共有10座房屋被焚毁,但是没有人员伤亡。
法国向伊朗投诉称,周日,驻德黑兰大使住宅外发生了“不能接受的暴力行为”。法国官员表示,身穿便衣的伊朗安保人员阻止客人进入官邸参加波斯音乐会时造成至少1名外交官被打。
在瑞士城市日内瓦,一枚罕见的粉红色钻石售出了接近4600万美元的价格。这是钻石在拍卖会上拍出的最高价格。这枚钻石重达超过24克拉。
1.propose v.(常指男子)求婚
例句:He proposed marriage to a girl.
他向一位姑娘求婚。
2.hopefully adv.怀有希望地;如果顺利的话,可望
例句:The campaign will hopefully ensure the survival of the tiger.
这场运动有望确保老虎的生存。
3.settlement n.解决, 和解, 协议
例句:The terms of settlement seem just.
和解的条件似乎是公道的。
4.domain n.(知识、活动的)领域,范围,范畴
例句:This question comes into the domain of philosophy.
这一问题属于哲学范畴。
5.collude vi.密谋,共谋
例句:She was charged on the supposition that she had colluded with her husband in the murders.
她被指控涉嫌与丈夫合谋杀人。
6.culpability n.可责,有罪性,有过失
7.unconscious adj.失去知觉的; 无知觉的; 昏迷的; 不省人事的
例句:He knelt down beside the unconsicious girl.
他跪在那个失去知觉的女孩身边。
8.dispose vt.vi.去掉,舍弃,处理; 处置
例句:He disposed his books on the shelves.
把书籍排列在书架上。
He was forced to dispose of his art treasures.
他被迫处理(舍弃)掉自己的艺术珍藏。
9.considerable adj.相当大(或多)的
例句:It is a considerable sum of money.
那是一笔数量可观的钱。
They have given the plan considerable attention.
他们已经给予这个计划以相当多的注意。
1.The second in line to the British throne Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton have spoken openly of their plans to marry hours after their engagement was announced.
in line一致,协调,有秩序
例句:Are you in line?
你在排队吗?
They stand in line.
他们站成一排。
2.That's kind of almost why I have been waiting this long, as I wanted to give her a chance to see in and to back out if she needed to before it all got too much because.
back out退出(协议、计划等);取消
例句:He backed out of the deal when he saw the risks.
当他看到有风险的时候立即退出交易
He has decided to back out of the scheme.
他决定退出这项计划。
3.Announcing the payments, the Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke told parliament the settlement didn't amount to an admission of culpability by the government, nor did it mean the former detainees had withdrawn their allegations.
amount to意味着
例句:His words amounted to a threat.
他的话实际上是威胁。
4.The European Commission is consulting global financial institutions hours after a leading EU figure, Herman Van Rompuy, warned that the European Union's future was at stake.
at stake濒于险境,处于成败关头
例句:Your health is at stake.
你的健康状况濒临危险。
5.Police in Egypt are reported to have sealed off an entire village following arson attacks on Christian homes by angry Muslims.
seal off把...封锁起来
例句:An unused wing of the hospital was sealed off.
一个未启用的医院侧厅被封锁了。