英国新闻听力 福特取消在墨西哥建设16亿美元工厂计划（在线收听）

Republicans in the US congress have withdrawn a controversial initiative to strip an independent congressional ethics watchdog of its powers. The plan,which outraged Democrats, also drew criticism from the president-elect Donald Trump who said it was not a priority. He suggested the tax reform and healthcare were more pressing concerns.

The car giant Ford has announced it will cancel building a $1.6 billion plant in Mexico in favor of further investment in the United States. Ford's chief executive Mark Fields said the decision was a vote of confidence in the pro-business environment Donald Trump was creating.

The White House says it's likely more inmates will be released from the Guantanamo bay detention center before president Obama steps down on Jan. 20.Closing the camp was a priority when Mr. Obama took office eight years ago, but his plans have been thwarted by congress. Mr. Trump has stated his opposition to the release of any further inmates.

Syrian activists say airstrikes have hit a building used by a jihadist rebel group in the northern province of Idlib, killing at least 25 people. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the identity of the aircraft was not clear. The strikes targeted Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as the Nusra Front and linked to al-Qaeda.

The UN says it will take appropriate action against two of its observers who were filmed dancing with members of the Colombian rebel group the Farc at a New Year's Eve party. The men, wearing blue UN vests, were shown dancing hip to hip with female fighters. They were deployed to oversee the disarmament of guerrillas as part of a peace deal.

And one of the last remaining members of the American religious society, known as the Shakers, has died at the community's Sabbathday Lake estate in Maine.The death of Sister Frances Carr at the age of 89 leaves just two members of the faith. The Shakers settled there in 1783 after fleeing persecution in England. They practice equality of the sexes, pacifism, communal ownership of property and celibacy.

美国国会共和党人撤回了一项有争议的倡议，要求剥夺国会独立的道德监察机构的权利。该计划激怒了民主党人，还引起候任总统唐纳德·特朗普的批评，他说，这并非第一要务。他认为，税收改革和医改是最迫切的问题。

汽车巨头福特宣布取消在墨西哥建造耗资16亿美元工厂的计划，支持进一步在美国投资。福特首席执行官马克·菲尔兹(Mark Fields)表示，该计划对唐纳德·特朗普创造的支持企业的环境投了信任票。

白宫表示，1月20日奥巴马总统离任之前，关塔纳摩湾拘留中心可能会释放更多囚犯。关闭该监狱是奥巴马总统八年前上台时的首要任务，但是他的计划受到国会阻挠。特朗普反对继续释放任何囚犯。

叙利亚积极分子表示，空袭击中了北部伊德利卜省圣战分子反叛组织使用的一栋建筑，造成至少25人死亡。叙利亚人权观察机构表示，飞机的身份尚未确定。袭击针对的是与基地组织有关的叙利亚努斯拉阵线。

联合国表示将采取恰当措施处理两名观察员，他们被拍摄到在新年前夕的晚会上与叛军组织哥伦比亚革命武装力量成员一起跳舞。这两名身穿联合国防护衣的男子与Farc女战士大跳贴臀舞。他们原本是被派遣前往该组织监督游击队解除武装的情况，作为和平协议的一部分。

美国宗教团体震教派最后的成员之一在缅因州萨巴斯代湖一个农庄去世，享年89岁。Frances Carr的去世导致该教派仅剩两名会员。1783年，震教派为了逃避英格兰的迫害来到这里定居。他们追求性别平等，反战主义，财产共享和独身主义。