BBC News Report Jun 2015 with transcript video

A smoking ban has come into force at all indoor public places in the Chinese capital, Beijing.

It will be supervised by thousands of inspectors and fines will be imposed in venues that don’t comply.

Previous bans in the capital have not been successful.

come into force
become effective in law

supervised
managed

imposed
officially forced to do or accept

comply
act according to a rule

A new study of China’s greenhouse gas emissions suggest they could start to decline within the next 10 years.

The research by the London School of Economics indicates that the fall could happen five years earlier than forecast.

Despite being the World’s leading carbon polluter, China is also the biggest investor in solar, wind and nuclear power.

emissions
substances, usually gas, that go into the air

indicates
shows

forecast
predicted or expected

leading carbon polluter
country most responsible for creating harmful carbon gas in the air

Here in Britain, events are getting underway to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta – the document that introduced some of the key rights enjoyed in modern democracies.

The Queen and senior members of the royal family will be attending a ceremony in the meadows at Runnymede, where the scroll was sealed by King John in 1215.

getting underway
starting to happen

Magna Carta
a historical document from the year 1215 which shows what people in England were legally allowed to do

key rights
most important things you are legally allowed to do

scroll
roll of paper or similar material with writing on it

sealed
given official approval

The technology giant Apple has agreed to pay musicians for songs played on its new music streaming service after singer Taylor Swift threatened to boycott it over the issue.

She condemned Apple’s decision not to pay artists during a three-month free trial period it’s offering its customers.

streaming
listening or watching music or video directly from the internet without downloading

boycott
refuse to buy something from an organisation because you disagree with it

condemned
strongly criticised (something)

artists
(here) musicians and singers

trial period
amount of time when something is tested

The team behind a solar-powered plane, which is aiming to fly around the world, say it’s past the point of no return on the longest leg of its journey.

The Solar Impulse is crossing the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Hawaii – a journey that will take five days. It’s risky because there’s nowhere to land in an emergency.

solar-powered
driven by electricity that is made from the power of the sun

past the point of no return
a situation that you cannot turn back from

leg
stage or part (of a journey)

risky
dangerous