http://192.168.2.6/english/1117/1115.mp3

BBC World News I'm Marie Small

South Africa has become the first country on the African continent to legalize same sex marriage. The measure was passed in parliament by a large majority after the governing African National Congress back to the legislation .Peter B/ reports from Johannesburge

There was a lively debate in parliament but the civil union bill to legalized same sex marriages was passed by 230 votes to 41 .The African National Congress which has a 70% majority in parliament had instructed all its MPs to support the proposed legislation. Some of the most vocal parliamentary opposition came from one of the smallest parties-- the African Christian Democratic Party. Its leader the Reverend K told / MPs that those who voted for the same sex marriages would face divine rough .Although homosexuality is taboo in many African countries notably in Zimbabwe South Africa has a progressive constitution that protects the rights of gays and lesbians .

The United Nations Refugee Agency has warned that the escalating violence in southeastern Chad is spiraling out of control .The agency said that at least 20 villagers had been attacked by men who appeared to be ethnically Arab in incidents that mirrored what have been occurring just across the border in the Darfur region of Sudan. The Chadian government has declared a state of emergency in the area with 70,000 villagers now having fled to their homes .A spokesman for the Refugee Agency R says it bears resemblance to what's going on across the border in Darfur.

The villagers we have managed to speak to say simply that the gunmen come into the village/. In some cases they tell the villagers that they want them off the land , they don't want them living there basically. So .That's the same sort of things you see across the border in Darfur. It resembles very very closely.

Iraqi officials say security forces in Baghdad have managed to rescue all the hostages seized earlier in the day by gunmen. They were freed in separate and intensive operations across the city by Iraqi police. It is thought around 40 people were being held. The armed gang responsible dressed in interior ministry uniforms raided / the higher education ministry building in Baghdad .They locked the women in a room and drove off with the men in a fleet of vehicles. David reports from Baghdad.

The president security advisor W.A has told the BBC that all of the men kidnapped are now free .They were released in a series of separate raids across Baghdad during the evening .The first hostages released early in the evening said they've not been taken far certainly not outside Baghdad and an intensive security operation succeeded in releasing all of the men later. Several senior police officers are now under investigation following the incident.

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that peace efforts to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be stepped up to help end the violence in Iraq. Mr. Blair was giving evidence by video linked to a special panel set/up by President Bush to look into a possible new strategy in Iraq. Officials in London said the Prime Minister suggested that progress between Israel and the Palestinians was the biggest single factor in getting moderate Muslim countries to support what he called the new Iraq.

You are listening into the World News from the BBC.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has criticized Iran for continuing to enrich Uranium despite the risk of international sanctions. The agency also said the Iranian government was failing to cooperate with the UN on resolving important questions about its nuclear program.

The Vatican has joined in a debate on the integration of Muslim in European societies by expressing concern over the wearing of the veil by some Muslim women. A Vatican official called for immigrants to obey local laws even when they restricted traditional dress .David W report from Rome.

Cardinal R who heads the Vatican department dealing with immigration issues was speaking at a news conference launching a paper statement calling for laws which encourage the better integrate of migrants. In answer to the question he said the immigrants must respect the traditions, the symbols, the culture and the religion of the country they go to. And he added, they ought to respect local laws banning the wearing of certain types of Muslim veils. The Italian government is trying to draw up what he calls a charter of common values to get local Muslim leaders to help integrate Italy's fast growing Muslim population.

A DNA test on the remains of the formal president of Argentina Juan Domingo Paron has shown he is not the father of a woman who claims to be his daughter. Martyr O had led a 15 years campaign to be recognized as the descendant of the former Argentine leader.

BBC World News