Stock markets in Europe and the United States have fallen sharply with concern that the eurozone debt crisis could spread to Italy and Spain. The falls came despite interventions by policymakers aimed at restoring calm. The markets in London, Paris and Frankfurt were all down by more than 3%. In the United States, the Dow has closed down 4%. Caroline Hepker reports from New York.

由于担忧欧元区债务危机可能蔓延到意大利和西班牙，欧洲和美国的股票市场大幅下挫。尽管政策决策者试图重建平稳秩序而采取了干预措施，但股市仍然下跌。伦敦，巴黎和法兰克福的股价均下跌了超过3%.在美国，道琼斯工业指数收盘时下跌4%。Caroline Hepker从纽约发回报道。

Disastrous was the way one trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange described the drop in US shares on Thursday. The reason for the stock market rout is a combination of fears over the sovereign debt crisis in Europe and growing concern about the US recovery. There has been a string of worrying economic data in America in recent days: economic growth slowed to a trickle this year; consumer spending fell in June, and both the manufacturing and the service sector are sluggish.

一名纽约证券交易所的交易者形容周四美股下跌是灾难性的。股市下跌的原因是对欧洲主权债务危机的担忧和对美国经济复苏的不断担忧的综合因素。美国近日出炉一系列令人担忧的经济数据：经济增长速度进一步放缓;六月份消费者支出下降;制造业和服务业增长乏力。

A court in France has approved an investigation into allegations that the new head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, abused her position when she was the French finance minister. The case centres on a $400m compensation payment to a businessman. From Paris, here's Christian Fraser.

法国一家法庭已经批准调查IMF新任总裁拉加德，有人指控其在担任法国财长期间滥用职权。该案件集中在对一名商人支付高达4亿美元的赔偿金方面。来自巴黎，Christian Fraser报道。

In 2008, just months into the job as the first female finance minister of France, Christine Lagarde used her powers to bring to an end a court battle that had run for years. Bernard Tapie, a wealthy businessman and controversial figure here in France, had accused the former state-owned bank Credit Lyonnais of mishandling the sale of his share in the sportswear manufacturer Adidas. Prosecutors allege she went beyond her powers, complicit, they said, in the embezzlement of public funds. Ms Lagarde has always denied any wrongdoing or any suggestion she profited personally.

在2008年，成为法国首任女财长仅仅几个月的时间，拉加德利用自己的权利结束了一宗持续了多年的法庭案件。一个富裕的商人，法国有争议的人物Bernard Tapie指控前国有银行里昂信贷错误地抛售了他持有的运动服饰制造商阿迪达斯的股票。检控官指控她越权同谋挪用公众资金。拉加德一直否认自己有不当行为，否认为自己谋利。

Syrian activists say the city of Hama is suffering severe food and medical shortages after five days of being besieged by government forces. The activists say 30 people were killed on Wednesday when troops backed by tanks retook control of the city centre. Jim Muir reports from neighbouring Lebanon.

叙利亚活动积极分子称，被政府军队包围五天之后，哈马市遭受着严重的食物和药品短缺。积极分子称，周三，政府军队在坦克的掩护下重新控制了市中心，30人被杀害。Jim Muir从邻国黎巴嫩发回报道。

Despite the army assault, Hama remains defiant with protests like this breaking out after nighttime prayers for the fasting month of Ramadan. In addition to water and electricity being cut off, the blackout on virtually all communication with Hama has meant that very little is known about the storming of the city by troops and tanks, and the number of casualties involved. In the meantime, residents speak of regime militia shooting at anything that moves in the streets, and they say they are having to bury their dead in gardens and public parks for fear of venturing to cemeteries.

尽管军队仍在攻击，哈马依旧在不断抵抗，例如在斋月节午夜祈祷后爆发的抗议活动。除了水电被切断以外，哈马市所有通讯设施的管制意味着完全不知道军队和坦克对该城市的袭击情况，以及造成的伤亡人数。与此同时，居民们称，政府的民兵向在街上移动的任何东西开枪。他们说，因为不敢冒险去墓地，所以他们不得不将遇难的亲人埋在花园或公园。

The government of Libya says it now fully controls the western frontline town of Zlitan. On Wednesday, government troops announced a major offensive against rebels in the town, but foreign journalists who've been driven there by officials say there's no sign of the insurgents.

利比亚政府称，他们现在已经完全控制了西部前线利坦。周三，政府军队宣布对该城镇的叛军发动重大进攻，但是已经被官员们运送到那里的外国记者报道称，他们没有看到反叛分子的踪迹。

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The Israeli government has given final approval for more than 900 new homes in occupied East Jerusalem. The move to build houses for Jewish families in the settlement of Har Homa has been criticised by peace groups as cynical. They say it'll cut off the Palestinian town of Bethlehem from Arab areas of East Jerusalem, but the government says it'll help address Israel's housing shortage.

以色列政府最终批准在被占领的东耶路撒冷建造900多座新房。在Har Homa为犹太人建造房屋的举动被和平组织批评为愤世嫉俗的。他们说，此举将切断巴勒斯坦城镇伯利恒和东耶路撒冷的阿拉伯区，但是政府称此举将帮助解决以色列的住房短缺问题。

The United Nations says it'll take at least 25 years to clear up pollution from oil operations in the Ogoniland region of Nigeria. A report by the UN Environment Programme said oil spills had contaminated land, sea and air to such an extent that it seriously threatened public health in some areas. A spokesman for the UNEP, Nick Nuttall, told the BBC about the scale of the problem.

联合国称，清理尼日利亚奥戈尼兰地区石油泄漏造成的污染至少需要25年的时间。一份联合国环境规划署的报告称，石油泄漏严重污染了土地，海洋和空气，在某些地区甚至威胁到公众健康。环境规划署发言人Nick Nuttall告诉BBC问题的严重性。

"The United Nations Environment Programme over 14 months has toured the length and breadth of Ogoniland to assess the oil pollution. It is serious. It has gone much further and much deeper into the land than previously had been supposed. It's going to take at least 25 years to restore the health of Ogoniland back to pre-oil days."

“联合国环境规划署在超过14个月的时间内走访了整个奥戈尼兰，评估石油污染的严重性。事态非常严重。石油渗入的范围比此前认为的更深，更远。至少需要25年的时间才可能使奥戈尼兰的环境恢复到石油污染以前的水平。”

Riot police in the Chilean capital Santiago have used tear gas and water cannon to break up protests by students. More than 100 people were detained as they tried to march to the city centre. Chile has endured weeks of protests by students and teachers demanding education reforms. They've called for fundamental reform and increased investment in the public education system. President Sebastian Pinera has offered extra funding.

在智利首都圣地亚哥的防暴警察使用催泪瓦斯和高压水枪驱散学生的抗议活动。100多名学生在试图游行到市中心时被拘留。几周以来，要求教育改革的智利学生和教师一直举行抗议活动。他们呼吁对公共教育体系进行根本性的变革和增加投资。皮涅拉总统已经承诺提供额外的教育基金。

Scientists have found what they believe may be the first evidence of flowing water on Mars. Nasa researchers say images taken by one of their spacecraft show clusters of dark lines on some slopes of the planet. These markings disappear in the winter. The scientists say their best explanation for this is the flow of salty water, possibly underground, although they say the findings don't provide direct evidence of water on Mars.

科学家们已经发现了火星上有流动水的第一份证据。美国航天局研究人员称，其中一艘航天探测器拍摄的图片显示火星的一些斜坡上聚集着很多黑色线条，而这些迹象在冬季就会消失。科学家们称，对此最好的解释就是这可能是地下的盐水的流动。然而他们称，该发现并不能提供火星上有水存在的直接证据。

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