Lewinsky: exact nature of affair with Clinton is unclear

England have  

Bill Clinton'stestimonyabout his relationship with a young female assistant has been released to the United States public.

The video of the American president's 17 August interview in front of the Grand Jury was taken to a television station at 0910 local time (1410 BST) and broadcast immediately by many US networks.

During the examination President Clinton was questioned by prosecutors about the exact nature of his affair with Monica Lewinsky - and whether he had previously lied under oath.

The president's defence against the accusations relied on elaborate definitions of certain words.

The interview was originally taped on the insistence of the investigating team for the benefit of a jury member who could not attend the hearing.

But members of the House of Representatives justified the release of the tape by saying the public had the right to see all the evidence of the Starr Report.

"It's not a pretty sight... But the key thing we've all got to focus on is what is the truth", said Charles Canady - a republican on the House Judicial Committee.

A visibly uncomfortable President Clinton was forced to defend previous statements about his affair with Miss Lewinsky byquibblingover the precise definition of his words.

In particular he said "sexual relations" did not to him mean "sexual intercourse" - which he denied having with the former White House intern.

Challenged later in the hearing, he argued the meaning of the smallest of words contained in one of his lawyers' statements.

"It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If 'is' means 'is and never has been' that's one thing - if it means 'there is none', that was a completely true statement," he said.

The house at 144 Piccadilly has been occupied by squatters for the last six days

It took just three minutes for the police to storm the 100-room building. The firstcordonof about 50 police officers had to cross a makeshift drawbridge through a ground-floor window to get in.

As they ran forward, they were bombarded by water-filled plastic balls, roof slates, stones, pieces of wood and iron bars thrown from the roof.

A second wave of police followed on, while others climbed over the surrounding fences and walls using ladders.

The operation involved over 200 policemen - more than one for each of the squatters left in the building.

There was little resistance once the police were inside, and within a matter of minutes an officer signalled from the roof that all was under control.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said several weapons were found in the building, including lead piping and a petrol bomb. He added that there were no serious casualties.

The first civilian into the building was Graham Harris, the under-sheriff of London.

"The place was in a mess," he said. "There was rubbish everywhere. People had written on the walls and things like that."

The building at 144 Piccadilly, at Hyde Park Corner on the junction with Park Lane, was taken over six days ago by the so-called London Street Commune, who broke in in the middle of the night.

It is thought that up to 500 homeless people came to live inside the house during the week, although most had gone before today's raid.

A spokesman for the Commune, calling himself "Dr John", said the squatters were attempting to establish a home for many of London's homeless families.

Negotiations have been going on all week to allow the Commune to use part of the building to carry out their plans to help the homeless, in return for their peaceful departure.

But after the squatters ignored a High Court order issued four days ago ordering them to get out, the police were brought in to evict them by force.

testimony: a solemn statement made under oath（證詞）

quibble: to argue over petty things（詭辯）

evict: to force to move out by a legal process（驅逐）

cordon: a line or series of sentinels, or of military posts, inclosing or guarding any place or thing（警戒線）