European financial markets have had a turbulent day driven by continuing concerns about Spain's national debt. The German, French and Italian stock markets dropped sharply by 3%. Observers say the Spanish debt situation is appearing increasingly
precarious
, and further financial assistance may be needed from the eurozone.
BBC News
第二页:中英双语听力稿
US President Barack Obama has warned that the Syrian President Bashar Assad will be making a tragic mistake if he would use the stockpile of chemical weapons as Syria has now admitted possessing. Mr Obama added that the Syrian leader will be held accountable if chemical weapons were used. The president's comment followed a similar warning from the State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.
美国总统巴拉克·奥巴马警告说,如果叙利亚总统巴沙尔·阿萨德使用叙利亚现已承认拥有的囤积化学武器,那他犯下了滔天错误。奥巴马说,一旦使用了化学武器,叙利亚的领导人必须负起责任。就在此前,国务院女发言人维多利亚纽兰德也做了类似的警告。
"Any talk about any use of any kind of a weapon like that in this situation is horrific and chilling. The Syrian regime has a responsibility to the world, has a responsibility, first and foremost, to its own citizens to protect and safeguard those weapons. And that kind of loose talk just speaks to the kind of regime that we're talking about.