President Nixon fought to stay in office

England have

Richard Nixon has announced he is stepping down as president of the United States - the first man ever to do so.

He has announced his departure in the face of animminentimpeachment trial - and possible removal from office - over the Watergate affair.

The president broke the news of his resignation in a television broadcast from the White House on Thursday at 2100 local time. It will take effect from noon tomorrow.

Mr Nixon, 61, said initially he had believed it was his duty to complete his term of office despite the Watergate charges.

"In the past days, however, it has become evident that I no longer have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify continuing that effort," he said.

"As president I must put the interests of America first."

Mr Nixon has been charged by the House Judiciary Committee with "high crimes andmisdemeanours".

The charges stem from a 1972 break-in at the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate complex.

The break-in, during that year's election campaign, was traced to members of a Nixon-support group, the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP).

Tape recordings have shown the president subsequently tried to influence the police investigation into the crime.

Mr Nixon is leaving office with more than two years of his second term left to run.

In his address Mr Nixon said he would be succeeded by US vice-president Gerald Ford.

Mr Ford will be sworn in as the 38th president of the United States tomorrow.

Cruise and Kidman must now agree financial terms

Hollywood superstars Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise have divorced.

The final decree came just hours after Ms Kidman and Mr Cruise separately attended thepremiereof their new film, The Others.

Both were reluctant to comment on theirimpendingdivorce at the event in Los Angeles.

But Mr Cruise told reporters: "It's over, we're moving forward with our lives and I think it's important for people to mind their own business."

Mr Cruise and Ms Kidman, who have two adopted children, Isabella, 8, and Conor, 6, separated in February.

Mr Cruise filed for divorce claiming "irreconcilabledifferences".

Now the divorce is final, attention will focus on the value of the divorce settlement which may be the largest that Hollywood has yet seen.

Tom Cruise's fortune is reported to be in the region of $250m - it includes five houses, two aeroplanes and around $1m worth of jewellery.

The couple must reach a private settlement before October to avoid a court battle.

The result could be expensive for Mr Cruise.

California law states the assets of the marriage must be divided equally if a couple have been together for 10 years of more - Ms Kidman and Mr Cruise married in 1990.

Tom Cruise's lawyer Dennis Wasser told the BBC: "He will provide what is required by law and as I have said many times this means Miss Kidman will leave the marriage with tens of millions of dollars."

imminent: close in time; about to occur（即將來臨的）

misdemeanour: a crime less serious than a felony（行為不端）

premiere: the first public performance of a play or movie（初次公演）

impending: close in time; about to occur（迫近的）

irreconcilable: impossible to reconcile（不可協調的）