The BBC has learnt that the British government is in talks to sell a majority state-owned bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland, to Abu Dhabi. It could sell up to a third of its 80%
stake
in RBS. A BBC correspondent says if the sale
goes ahead
, it's likely to
make a loss
. The government invested more than $72bn of taxpayers' money four years ago to stop it collapsing.
BBC News
第二页:中英双语听力稿
Pope Benedict has arrived in Cuba at the start of a three-day visit. He was welcomed at the airport by President Raul Castro as well as military bands and an artillery salute. Pope Benedict said he had come to Cuba as a "pilgrim of charity" and would pray for peace, liberty and reconciliation. Sarah Rainsford gives us a sense of the expectations for the visit.
教皇班尼迪克抵达古巴,开始进行为期三天的访问。总统卡斯特罗在机场热烈欢迎教皇的到来,陪同接待的还有军乐队和致敬的炮兵。班尼迪克教皇说,他此行是为“慈善朝圣”而来,将为和平、自由和和解而祈祷。据Sarah Rainsford报道说,这次访问很值得期待。
We have a huge amount of expectations surrounding the visit. Part of it simply because Cuba is right now at the centre of world attention and for a politically isolated island like this one, that's something pretty unusual. I spoke to a lot of people who aren't Catholic who say that they'll attend the Masses both in Santiago and in Havana just because they want to be there because it's such a major event for this island. The Catholic Church hopes that this can revitalise the faith on the island of Cuba, which is atheist for 40 years.