2018年BEC商务英语高级听力备考：美国失业率下降

　　A police convoy has left a British prison for a military airfield to hand over the radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza and four other suspects for extradition to the United States to face terrorism charges. Earlier on Friday, after years of legal wrangling, judges at the High Court in London said the five men could be deported to America immediately. It follows a failed appeal to halt the extradition on health grounds. Donny Sandwich reports.

　　Outside the Royal Court of Justice, about a hundred campaigners gathered for the final chapter in its long-running legal saga. They held banners reading ‘freedom democracy hypocrisy’ and ‘Islam will prevail ’. But inside the court, the judges clinically took apart the argument that Abu Hamza should be allowed to stay in Britain. Lord Justice Thomas said he and Mr. Justice Owsley were wholly unpersuaded that the cleric was unfit to plead his trial. He said Abu Hamza could be treated in the United States for his mental health problems which was said to include depression and memory loss.

　　The World's largest platinum producer Anglo American Platinum has sacked 12,000 South African workers who have been on an unofficial strike. Martin Plot reports.

　　For the past three weeks only 20% of Anglo Platinum miners have turned [up for] work. The company says four of its mines are at a standstill. This comes as another Anglo American company, this time Mining Ano closed its plant. Four gold mining companies are also at a halt . This wave of industrial unrest, much of it not sanctioned by the recognized unions, comes as the South Africa's finance minister has cut forecast for growth. Investors are increasingly skeptical about the country's future, a major headache for President Jacob Zuma.

　　The US unemployment rate has fallen below 8%, its lowest level in almost 4 years. Speaking at the rally a few hours after the figures were released, President Obama said America was on the route to recovery.

　　Our businesses have now added 5.2 million new jobs over the past two and a half year. This morning we found out that the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since I took office.

　　The director general of the BBC says the allegations of its former star presenter, Jimmy Savile, sexually abused young teenagers in the 60s and 70s have left him appalled . George Enthrew who recently took up the post o f the director general said the BBC’s thoughts and sympathies were with the women affected and he urged staff, past and present, with any information to come forward. Sir Jimmy Savile died last year.

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　　Turkish military units have opened fire on Syrian military positions after a mortar shell landed on the countryside in southern Turkey. The Syrian shell landed near a town of InHatay province. There were no reports of casualties. On Wednesday and Thursday Syrian military targets were hit by a Turkish artillery after a Syrian mortar shell killed five people in the Turkish town of Akcakale.

　　Syrian activists say the city of Homs has been subjected to its most severe bombardment in five months. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said aircraft and artillery targeted the neighborhood of Khaldiya, but said that there was no confirmation on the number of casualties.

　　In the biggest demonstrations in Jordan for years, thousands of people have marched through the capital Amman demanding political reform. Our correspondent Wyre Davies was there.

　　As many as ten thousand people took to the streets of Amman today, mainly supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic Action Front, but also other leftist and opposition groups. Security outside the al-Husseini mosque in [Amonzo] city was extremely tight. But everything passed off remarkably,peacefully. There is simply no appetite here for the violence and turmoil that has engulfed the region over the last two years. Nonetheless, the large noisy crowds was openly critical of the king's promised political reforms and demanded fundamental changes to a system they say is corrupt and loaded in favor of the country's ruling elite .

　　The United Nations says the situation in western Burma remains tense following violence in June between Buddhists and the country's Muslim Rohingya minority. A spokesman for the UN Refugee Agency, Adrian Edwards, said the number of people displaced by the clashes in Rakhine state was continuing to rise as more villagers left their homes in search of food, healthcare and other assistance.