英国新闻听力 美联储提高主要利率（在线收听）

In a decision keenly anticipated in America and around the world, the US Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time since the global financial crisis. The US central bank lifted its key short-term rate by a moderate 0.25%. From Washington, here is Michelle Fleury.

“For the past seven years, US borrowing costs have been held low to revive a sick US economy brought to its knees by a banking crisis. Now the patient is returning to health. The Fed chairwoman Janet Yellen said the decision to raise rates reflected America's renewed vigor. The increase was well telegraphed, but as always with financial markets, attention immediately turns to what the world's important central bank will do next.”

The United States and Cuba have reached an understanding to allow regular commercial flights between them. Negotiators said an official announcement on the issue was imminent. Scheduled flights will ease journeys for US citizens wanting to visit Cuba. Until now they've had to make complicated arrangements or travelled via third countries. From Havana, here is Will Grant.

“The move to restore commercial flights between the US and Cuba coincides with the first anniversary of the announcement of an end to hostilities between the old enemies. In some regards, it is one of the most significant steps of the past 12 months and it will further facilitate the arrival of American visitors to Cuba. With tourism increasingly becoming the main economic motive for the communist run island, it comes as a little surprise that the Cuban government was as keen on these particular measures as their counterparts in Washington.”

Argentina is ending the foreign exchange restrictions that have propped up the value of peso for the last four years. The finance minister Alfonso Prat-Gay said the old system had restricted economic growth. And he would now allow business to buy many dollars as they needed. But ordinary Argentines will still face some restrictions. The peso is now expected to fall in value. The current black market rate is much lower. And the central bank has been given the powerto intervene if it depreciates too quickly.

The United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon has said Burundi is on the brink of civil war. In a news conference in New York, Mr. Ban described the political violence in Burundi in recent days as chilling. “I am alarmed by the escalating violence in Burundi. What we have seen over the past few days ischilling. The country is on the brink of civil war. That risks engulfing the entire region. I have asked Mr. Jamal Benomar, my special adviser, to go to the region before the end of this week to speak to the African Union, the countries in the region, and of course the government of Burundi.”

World news from the BBC.

The United Nation's Children's Agency UNICEF says 16 million babies were born in war zones this year. That's 1/8 of all births. The agency warns that there was an increased likelihood that these children will die before they turn five and those that did survive might suffer what's been termed toxic stress,longterm damage to their emotional development.

The trial of a US police officer charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died in police custody in Baltimore has been abandoned after the jury were unable to reach a verdict. The judge ruled a mistrial after two and half days of deliberation. A hearing was scheduled for Thursday to discuss a possible retrial. Mr. Gray died in April after suffering a broken neck while in a police van. Baltimore's mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake urges protesters gathering in the city to remain peaceful. “All of us, if we believe in justice, must have respect for the outcome of the judicial process. Twelve Baltimore city residents answered the solemn call to serve. They listened to the evidence presented and they rendered a decision. If some choose to protest,then peacefully demonstrate. That is their right.”

Hundreds of demonstrators in the Dutch town of Geldermalsen have disrupted a meeting at the local council which are convened to decide whether to build a new center for asylum seekers. The protesters tore down fences and threw fireworks on the police. Thousands of refugees and migrants have entered the Netherlands this year.

Kuwait Airways is no longer selling tickets for flights between New York and London after the US Department of Transport threatened legal action against theair line's policy of not allowing Israelis to board its planes. Kuwait law prohibits its citizens entering into an agreement with the Israelis.

在美国和全世界热切期盼的决定中，美联储自全球金融危机以来首次提高利率。美国中央银行将其关键的短期利率适度提高了0.25%。华盛顿，Michelle Fleury报道。

过去七年，美国的借贷成本一直很低，其目的是复苏遭遇银行业危机严重打击的美国经济。现在，病人已恢复健康。美联储女主席珍妮特·耶伦表示，提高利率的决定表明美国经济恢复了强健。利率增加的命令已经下达，但是就像金融市场一贯的作风，人们的注意力立即转移到全世界重要的中央银行接下来的举措。

美国和古巴之间达成理解，允许两国之间常规商务航班来往。谈判人员表示即将就该事宜发表官方声明。定期航班将使想要前往古巴的美国公民的旅程更加轻松。目前为止，他们不得不做出复杂的安排或者通过第三国周转。哈瓦那，Will Grant报道。

美国和古巴之间恢复商务航班的举动与宣布两个宿敌之间敌对关系一周年相呼应。从某些方面讲，这是过去12个月最重要的举措之一，将会进一步促进美国游客前往古巴。随着旅游业成为这个共产主义岛国主要的经济推动力，不出所料，古巴政府在这些措施方面像华盛顿政府一样迫切。

阿根廷终止了过去四年导致比索升值的外汇限制。财政部长普拉特-盖伊(Alfonso Prat-Gay)表示，旧的体系限制了经济增长。现在他允许企业购买所需数量的美元。但是普通阿根廷人仍然面临一些限制。预期比索将贬值。现在黑市汇率已经降低了很多。中央银行被授权，如果比索贬值过快，可以采取措施干预。

联合国秘书长潘基文表示，布隆迪正处于内战爆发的边缘。在纽约召开的新闻发布会上，潘基文称近日布隆迪发生的政治暴力令人心寒。“我为布隆迪不断升级的暴力感到惶恐。过去几天我们所看到的一切非常令人恐惧。这个国家正处于内战爆发的边缘。整个地区都被这种风险包围。我要求我的特别顾问比诺马尔在本周结束之前前往该地区，跟非洲联盟，跟该地区的国家，跟布隆迪政府谈话。”

BBC世界新闻。

联合国儿童基金会表示，今年战争地区共有1600万婴儿出生，占所有出生婴儿的1/8。UNICEF警告称，这些婴儿在五岁之前死亡的可能性增加，而侥幸存活下来的儿童可能也会遭遇有害压力，情绪发展也会遭遇长期损害。

由于陪审团难以得出结论，被控与Freddie Gray的死亡有关的美国警官的审判被放弃。Freddie Gray是一名黑人男子，在巴尔的摩关押期间死亡。法官经过两天半的深思熟虑后判决审判无效。周四将举行听证会，讨论是否进行重审。四月份，Gray在警车内颈部断裂死亡。巴尔的摩市长斯蒂芬妮·罗林斯·布莱克(Stephanie Rawlings-Blake)敦促聚集在该市的抗议者保持和平。“我们所有人，如果我们相信正义的话，必须遵守司法程序的审判结果。12名巴尔的摩市居民响应了义务服务的呼吁。他们听取了证据，并递交了结论。如果有人选择抗议，可以和平地示威。这是他们的权利。”

荷兰小镇海尔德马尔森数百名示威者扰乱了地方议会一次会议。这次会议是为了决定是否建造新的收容中心。抗议者们拆下了栅栏，并向警方扔烟花。今年共有数千名难民和移民进入荷兰。

科威特航空公司出台政策不允许以色列人登上其航班，美国交通部威胁对其采取司法行动，科威特航空不再出售纽约和伦敦之间的机票。科威特法律禁止其公民与以色列人达成任何协议。