8月17日BBC聽力：國民幣對美元匯率持續三天貶值
Hello, I'm Natalia Roston with the BBC news.
Smoke is billowing from the site of huge explosionsin the Chinese port city of Tianjin, which killed atleast 17 people and injured hundreds more. Imageson social media show a scene of utter devastation.The authorities say the massive blasts were caused when a shipment of explosives beingstored in a container detonated. Our correspondent John Subworth is in Tianjin, and reportsfrom a destroyed dormitory building 100m from the site of the explosion.
"What I'm standing in is what was a dormitory for migrant workers. You can see roofingmaterials, these corrugated panels, lying everywhere. And some of the people here we'vespoken to say there were a number of very serious injuries, just as you'd expect. Others,though, have come away unscathed, and are picking through the rubble, trying to salvagewhat they can. Other people sitting around in total shock, really, almost impossible tocomprehend what has just happened to them. They have their lives completely turned upside-down."
China has allowed its currency to devalue for a third day running. The Central Bank set theguidance rate for the yuan 1% lower against the dollar. The fall in the currency has causeduncertainty on global financial markets. But the International Monetary Fund has welcomedthe moves towards allowing market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchangerate. This week's decline in the value of the Chinese currency is the biggest in two decades.Juliana Liu reports.
"The yuan trades in a managed float, that means every morning, officials set a reference rate,a mid-point around which the currency is allowed to trade. Three days ago, the mechanism forsetting that rate was effectively changed, allowing supply and demand more say in theexchange rate. The currency's subsequent weakness is a reflection of worries about thestate of the Chinese economy."
Security forces in Myanmar remain outside the headquarters of the military-backed ruling partyin the capital, after raiding the building on Wednesday night. No explanation has been given.But correspondents say that factions within the ruling party have been engaged in a powerstruggle in recent months. There've been disagreements between the country's president TheinSein and the party's chairman over who should serve the next presidential term. Elections areplanned for November.
South Korea has pardoned more than 6,500 prisoners, including the chairman of one of thecountry's biggest conglomerates, Chey Tae-won, chairman of the SK Group, has beenimprisoned for two years after being convicted of embezzling more than 40 million dollars.President Park Gyun-hye announced the pardons as South Korea marked the 70th anniversaryof the end of Japanese rule, following its defeat in the Second World War. She said she hopedthe releases would help to forge a national reconciliation and boost the economy.
BBC news.
The United States' most senior soldier has suggested that the country should considerdeploying troops with their Iraqi counterparts, if progress isn't made within made in the fightagainst Islamic State. The Army's Chief of Staff General Ray.Odierno said such forces wouldhave a support, rather than a combat, role. He was speaking at his last news conferencebefore retiring on Friday. The United States has more than 4,500 troops in Iraq, largely in anadvisory capacity.
Members of the International Olympic Committee have praised Rio de Janeiro's preparations fornext year's games, despite concerns about pollution in the bay where sailing and wind-surfingcompetitions will be held. IOC executives visiting the city said the level of pollution in thewaters of Guanabara Bay is within international standards. The Committee's Executive DirectorC D said conditions would improve before the games began in a year's term.
"Thanks to the games, first, the awareness regarding the bay has been raised to anunprecedented level, which, in itself, is a good thing. Then there are a number of actions thathave been undertaken. And from now on until the games, this would continue, equal barriers,equal goals, and different measures. So from now until the games, the quality of water willcontinue to be monitored and shall improve." More than 50% of sewage in Rio flows untreatedinto the bay.
The President of Guinea-Bissau, Bacai Sanhá, has dismissed the government, following a riftwith the prime minister, Domingos Pereira. The two men are said to disagreed on issuesincluding the use of aid money and the return to Guinea-Bissau of a former army chief.
Scientists say listening to music before, during and after an operation can help reduce anxietyfor the patients need for pain relief. A new study found that music had a positive effect, evenwhen the patient has been under general anesthetic.
BBC news.
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