BBC News with Julie Candler
Dilma Rousseff has been sworn in as the new president of Brazil, the first woman to lead Latin America's biggest nation. In her inaugural speech, she promised toconsolidatethe work of herpredecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, saying he'd transformed the way Brazil was governed and lifted millions out of misery. Ms Rousseff said her top priorities were toeradicateextreme poverty, and improve education and health.
"I cannot rest when there are people who don't have food on the table, when families are sleeping rough on the streets and when there are poor children who've been abandoned."
Ms Rousseff said Brazil had been living through one of the greatest moments in its history.
There's been widespread condemnation of a bomb attack on a Christian church in Egypt which killed 21 people and injured many more. President Mubarak said it was the work of wicked terrorists who wanted todestabilisethe country. Mohammed al-Tahtawi, a spokesman for the al-Azhar mosque, the highest religious authority in Egypt, said that Islam outlawed any attacks on places of worship.
"I would like to emphasise that this act is a sin according to Sharia law because Islam makes itobligatoryto protect churches as well as mosques, and whoever carried out this attack has absolutely nothing to do with Islam.On the contrary, an act like this damages the reputation of Islam."
The explosion happened during a New Year's Eve Mass at a Coptic church in the port city of Alexandria. Anadjacentmosque was also badly damaged.
Pope Benedict is to organise a summit of world religious leaders to discuss how they can promote world peace. The meeting is to take place in Assisi, the birthplace of Saint Francis, in October. It'll be on the 25th anniversary of a similar event organised by Pope John Paul which was also attended by leading Jews and Muslims.
Pakistani officials say at least 14 suspected militants have been killed in the northwest of the country by missiles fired from US pilotless aircraft. They say the attacks took place in North Waziristan near the Afghan border. It's the latest evidence of an increase in American drone attacks in recent months, a trend which isadding tothe current tension in Pakistan, as Jill McGivering reports.
There aren't official figures for the number of US drone attacks in Pakistan.The issue is so sensitive that both countries are cautious about addressing it in public, but it is clear that they've risen dramatically.Last year, there were more than 100 strikes, more than doubled the previous year, and more than 600 people were killed. Most of the missiles targeted compounds and vehicles in North Waziristan, a remote region on the Afghan border which is seen as a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. The fact that's inaccessible makes it hard toverifyexactly what's happening.
World News from the BBC
The first oil pipeline between the world's biggest oil producer Russia and the world's biggest energy consumer China has begun operation. The pipeline links oil refineries in Siberia with the northeastern Chinese city of Daqing. It's expected to transport 110 million barrels of crude a year for the next 20 years. Previously all Russian oil shipments were delivered to China by rail.
The Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has promised decisions early next week about what the West African regional body Ecowas will do next totacklethe continuing political crisis in Ivory Coast. The incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo is refusing to cede power to his political rival Alassane Ouattara, who is widely seen to have won the presidential run-off in November.
Police in South Africa say 10 people have been killed in a stampede during New Year celebrations in the northwest of the country. The victims were crushed during adisturbancein a bar in the early hours of the morning in a black township on the outskirts of Schweizer-Reneke. Tom Poole reports.
The stampede is thought to have happened after a fightbroke outin the busy bar, and panicked patrons rushed towards the only door. People had gathered to see in the New Year at the bar in the Ipelegeng township, about 200km west of Johannesburg. A police spokeswoman confirmed that 10 people had been found dead at the scene although gave few details about the victims. However, most are believed to be young, aged between 18 and 25. A local official said the community wasdistraughtand saddened by the deaths.
Japan's population fell by a record figure last year. While the birth rate remained flat, the country recorded its highest number of deaths since the Second World War. Government estimates suggest that overall the total number of Japanese people fell by 123,000. That's over 50,000 more than last year, itself a record. It's a rapidly growing number of pensioners in Japan,putting pressure onthe welfare system.
BBC News
1.consolidate vt.vi.(使)巩固; (使)加强
例句:We've made a good start, now it's time to consolidate.
我们有了一个良好的开端, 现在应该加以巩固。
2.predecessor n.前任, 前辈
例句:As a scholar he is not in the same street with his predecessors.
作为学者, 他远不如其前辈。
3.eradicate vt.摧毁,完全根除,消灭,杜绝
例句:a crusading zeal to eradicate drug abuse
彻底打击滥用药物的激情
4.destabilise vt.破坏政府的稳定
5.obligatory adj.必须的, 必要的;要求的, 应尽的
例句:It is obligatory on every citizen to safeguard our great motherland.
保卫我们伟大的祖国是每一个公民应尽的义务。
6.adjacent adj.(地区、建筑、房间等 ) 与…毗连的;邻近的
例句:These young students live in adjacent rooms.
这些年轻的学生住在毗连的房间里。
7.verify vt.证实, 核实
例句:All those facts verified his innocence.
这一切事实都证明他是无辜的。
8.tackle vt.解决; 应付
例句:I don't know how to tackle this problem.
我不知道该如何处理这个问题。
9.disturbance n.打扰, 扰乱
例句:You can work in here without any disturbance.
在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。
10.distraught adj.忧心如焚的;心神错乱的;几乎发狂的
例句:Her distraught mother had spent all night waiting by the phone.
她母亲忧心如焚,在电话旁守了一个晚上。
1.On the contrary, an act like this damages the reputation of Islam.
on the contrary(与此)相反, 正相反, 恰恰相反
例句:You think you are clever; on the contrary, I assure that you are very foolish.
你自以为很聪明, 相反地, 我确信你很傻。
2.It's the latest evidence of an increase in American drone attacks in recent months, a trend which is adding to the current tension in Pakistan, as Jill McGivering reports.
add to增加, 加强
例句:This lesson adds to the value of the book.
这一课增加了这本书的价值。
Since then, the palace has often been added to, rebuilt and repaired.
从那以后, 那座宫殿不断得到扩建和修缮。
3.The stampede is thought to have happened after a fight broke out in the busy bar, and panicked patrons rushed towards the only door.
break out(战争、打斗等不愉快事件)突然发生, 爆发
例句:Something unexpected always breaks out in this area.
在这一地区总有意想不到的事情发生。
The Second World War broke out in September 1939.
第二次世界大战爆发于1939年9月。
4.It's a rapidly growing number of pensioners in Japan, putting pressure on the welfare system.
put pressure on强迫,促使
例句:We put pressure on the government to change this law.
我们给政府施加压力,要求修改这项法律。
1.The issue is so sensitive that both countries are cautious about addressing it in public, but it is clear that they've risen dramatically.
so……that引导结果状语从句
So… that…的意思是“如此地…以致于…”,它引导结果状语从句。在口语中,so…that…的that常被省去。例:
She felt so sad that tears came to her eyes.
她非常悲伤,泪水盈眶。
John was so drunk(that)he could not stand still.
约翰醉得站也站不住了。
He spoke so rapidly(that)we could hardly follow him.
他说得很快,我们很难听清楚他在说什么。