The UN's oil-for-food programme was designed to ease some of the humanitarian side effects of the international sanctions that were then in force against Iraq. Under Saddam Hussein's leadership, the country was allowed to sell limited quantities of oil in order to buy in some food and medicines. But it's known that the system was mired in corruption. Iraqi officials selected preferred foreign partners, who then used a variety of dodges to channel money either to their own accounts or back to Iraq. It was claimed that the oil group Total was involved in the scam as well as the 86-year-old former Interior Minister Charles Pasqua. But in its judgement, the court ruled that the evidence was unconvincing.
联合国对伊拉克进行了国际制裁,为了缓解制裁引起的人道主义危机,联合国出台了“石油换食品计划”。在萨达姆·侯赛因当政期间,允许伊拉克出售有限数量的石油以换取食品和药品。但众所周知该计划陷入了腐败的泥沼之中。伊拉克官员优先选择其亲睐的外国合作伙伴,然后通过各种暗箱操作将回扣转汇入个人的腰包或伊拉克政府。据称,道达尔石油以及86岁的法国前内政部长查尔斯·帕卡被牵涉其中。但在其判决中,法院表示该案的证据无法令人信服。
Fertility doctors in Belgium say they've devised a simplified form of IVF that could make the treatment affordable for childless couples around the world. Researchers in the city of Genk say 12 children have already been born using the technique costing less than $300. James Gallagher reports.