Laptop learning in Italy

Pope in bible reading marathon

Pope Benedict read the opening words of the book of Genesis live from his apartments in the Vatican at the start of a week-long Bible reading marathon on Italian television. David Willey reports:

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The Pope began this seven day non-stop Bible marathon by reading the story of the creation.

He wants Catholics to return to reading the Bible and feels that the scriptures are being neglected in the modern world. A Russian Orthodox prelate took over the Bible reading from the Pope after a few minutes and then it was the turn of an Italian Protestant leader who read with great emphasis the story of Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden. One of Italy's most popular actors Roberto Benigni took over to read the story of Cain and Abel. The Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli sang Bach during the first interlude.

Rome's Chief Rabbi had originally been scheduled to read immediately after the Pope but he pulled out after complaining that the event had become, in his words, 'too Catholic'.

The television broadcast of the Bible will continue all week, day and night, on a satellite educational channel. Earlier in the day the Pope opened a synod of Catholic bishops from around the world who will be debating how to give a better knowledge of the Bible to Catholics. In his homily the Pope attacked the godless character of modern culture.

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seven day non-stop Bible marathon
durmadan bir hafta boyunca İncil'in okunması week-long, without stopping, reading of the Bible

the story of the creation
Dünya'nın nasıl yaratıldığının öyküsü

the scriptures are being neglected in the modern world
günümüzün insanlarının kutsal eserlere aldırmamaları

Russian Orthodox prelate
Rus Ortodoks Kilisesi'nin en üst düzeyde din adamı

with great emphasis
birşeyin çok önemli olduğunu veya birşeye önem verilmesi gerektiğini söylemek ya da göstermek

expelled
kovulmak, çıkarılmak, atılmak

Chief Rabbi
Hahambaşı

pulled out
bir aktiviteden (burada İncil okuma maratonu) çekilmek

homily
hitabe

godless character of modern culture
günümüz insanlarının artık herhangi bir dinin kurallarıyla ilgilenmemeleri, bu kurallara göre davranmamaları

US bank rescue plan

The US House of Representatives is considering a revised version of the financial rescue plan passed by the Senate. The Senate added tax breaks and other sweeteners to get the package through but the bill's passage through the House is still uncertain. Rachel Harvey reports:

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Passing this huge rescue package in the Senate was one thing. Getting it through the House of Representatives is quite another.

There is a lot of arm twisting going on behind the scenes. But despite the careful words of cautious optimism from some senior figures, it's not at all clear whether enough minds will be changed to make the difference. Steve LaTourette is one of a group of conservative Republicans, who still questions the central premise of the plan.

Steve LaTourette:
"The number 700 hundred billion dollars continues to be difficult for us. And it's difficult because nobody can seem to explain why the secretary needs 700 billion dollars."

Even those in favour of this bill describe it as an imperfect document. But time is of the essence. This is no longer just about bailing out banks. Ordinary Americans are hurting.

There is very real anger about what caused this economic crisis. But there is also a growing recognition that it could spread very quickly if nothing is done. That's why the Democratic speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is calling for an end to the wrangling.

Nancy Pelosi:
"I don't think that any changes here will do what we need to do, which is right now to send a message of confidence to the markets that Congress will act. This isn't our last act. We'll have plenty of time to do more. That's what I tell the Democrats. That's what I tell the Republicans."

So once again a call to those facing re-election to put partisan politics aside. Once again the fate of the financial rescue package lies with the House of Representatives. And once again, that fate is far from certain.

Rachel Harvey, BBC, USA

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arm twisting
kolunu bükme, burada: baskı

behind the scenes
kapalı kapılar ardında

cautious optimism
temkinli iyimserlik

the central premise
ana fikir, burada: bankalara 700 milyar dolar verme sözü

an imperfect document
mükemmel olmayan bir belge, sorunlu bir plan

time is of the essence
vakit nakittir, kaybedecek zamanı yok

bailing out
kurtarma

a growing recognition
(krizin yayılabileceği fikri) giderek daha fazla kabul görüyor

the wrangling
kavga, çekişme

to put partisan politics aside
memleketin iyiliği için partiler üstü anlayış benimsemek, yalnızca kendi partisi adına politika yapmayı bir kenara bırakmak

Bollywood on strike

All work in India's film and television industry hub of Bollywood has been stopped today as thousands of technicians and actors have gone on strike over pay and conditions. With more, here's our South Asia correspondent Damian Grammaticas:

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On the first day of this strike Bollywood has fallen silent. All productions in the world's busiest film hub have been halted. Everyone - from dancing girls to carpenters, lighting technicians to cameramen, soundmen to script writers - has downed tools.

Dinesh Chaturvedi, head of the Federation that represents 22 unions with over 147,000 members working in the film and television business said they'd decided to halt all co-operation with industry producers. He said union members, most of whom fill the lowest paid jobs, are protesting because of abysmal pay, long shifts that can often last for up to thirty six hours and unpaid wages that can be withheld for up to six months leaving workers on the verge of starvation.

It's television productions on tight schedules like reality shows that are being hit the hardest. But Sushma Shiromanee of the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association said employers were not panicking. They will meet to decide their response to the strike on Thursday, she said, but are prepared to hold out for months if necessary.

Damien Grammaticas, BBC News, Delhi

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fallen silent
sessizliğe bürünmek,

film hub
film üretim merkezi, farklı stüdyo şirketlerinin toplandığı yer

downed tools
iş bırakmak

abysmal pay
maaşların çok düşük olması

withheld
burada, maaşların ödenmesinin geciktirilmesi

on the verge of starvation
insanların karınlarını doyurmaya yetecek paraları olmadığı için açlık sınırında yaşamaları

on tight schedules
burada, çok kısa zamanda hazırlanması gereken programlar

reality shows
gerçek hayattan insanların katıldıkları radyo ve televizyon programları

hit the hardest
en fazla etkilenen

to hold out
grevi sürdürmek

Amazon deforestation

The Brazilian environment minister has promised to publish today the names of the 100 people responsible for the largest acts of illegal deforestation in the Amazon. He promises to step up action to prevent destruction of the world's largest tropical forest. Here's Tim Hirsch:

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It's more than eight months since the Brazilian government announced a package of measures to combat deforestation, after satellite observations showed the rate of destruction in the Amazon was picking up again. So far, there's been little evidence of a slowdown, despite a string of raids on illegal sawmills and moves to cut off credit to farmers operating outside the law.

The latest initiative concentrates on the impunity with which illegal deforestation is still carried out in Brazil, according to the government's own account. The environment minister Carlos Minc reckons that only one in ten offenders is prosecuted and fewer than one in 200 convicted in the courts.

As well as naming the top 100 deforesters, Mr Minc is planning to set up a task force with the prosecuting authorities and environmental enforcement agencies, to ensure that more are brought to justice. He's also promised to step up efforts to bring greater legality to farming and forestry activities in the regions of the Amazon where most deforestation has taken place.

Tim Hirsch, BBC News, Sao Paulo

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a package of measures to combat deforestation
ormanların yok olması ile mücadele etmek için hazırlanan önlemler paketi

picking up
yükseliyor, artıyor

a string
burada: bir dizi

sawmills
bıçkı fabrikaları

moves to cut off credit
krediyi kesme amacıyla atılan adımlar

outside the law
kanunsuz, yasalara aykırı olarak

impunity
dokunulmadan, cezasını çekmeden

to set up a task force
(burada: kanunsuz işler yapan çiftçileri cezalandırma amaçlı) bir eylem gücü oluşturmak

brought to justice
adaletin önüne çıkarmak, bulup cezalandırmak

to step up efforts
çabaları artırmak