Summary
25 June 2010
Two major summits are taking place in Canada over the next few days.
First the G8 in rural Ontario and then the G20 major economies in the country's largest city, Toronto.
Reporter:
Andrew Walker
British prime minister David Cameron arriving in Canada
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The G20 is now the main forum for global economic issues. But some of the G8 countries, who meet first, on Friday and Saturday, are the ones with the big economic problems. They have rising government debts, but President Obama especially is concerned that premature austerity measures might set back the economic recovery that is under way.
Development issues are high on the G8 agenda and they'll discuss maternal and child health in low income nations. Campaigners say the G8 have failed to deliver aid promised at previous summits.
This summit will also discuss a range of diplomatic issues including North Korea, Iran's nuclear programme and the Middle East.
Security around the summit venues is tight, and there have been some arrests in Toronto. Police say that a man was found near the G20 site with a crossbow, a chainsaw and fuel containers in his car, though they could not confirm that he had any intentions in relation to the summit.
Earlier in the week two other people were arrested on firearms and explosives charges. Organised protests about the summit however have been peaceful so far.
Andrew Walker, 大象传媒 Economics Correspondent, Toronto
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Vocabulary
- main forum for
most important meeting for discussions about
- premature
too early
- austerity measures
economic policies which are designed to help countries that owe a lot of money by making heavy cuts to government spending
- set back
stop or reverse
- under way
happening
- maternal
here, relating to the health and welfare of mothers
- a range of diplomatic issues
a variety of political topics connected to the relations between different countries
- a crossbow
a weapon which fires arrows, known as bolts, which is used by hunters
- a chainsaw
a power tool used for cutting down trees and cutting wood
