BBC 2007-04-07 加文本

BBC 2007-04-07



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BBC world news, I'm Michael Poles.

A day after their release, members of the British naval team seized by the Iranians in the Gulf have held a news conference, saying they were subjected to repeated interrogation and psychological pressure during their thirteen-day detention. One officer said they'd been kept blindfolded and isolated from each other. The Iranian Foreign Ministry dismissed the news conference a staged propaganda. Fontice Harrison reports from Tehran.

“A statement from Iranian Foreign Ministry said the news conference by the sailors in which they described their mistreatment in detention was pre-planned and stage-managed. It said the servicemen and one woman had been quickly transferred on arrival in Britain to a military base, where they had their instructions dictated to them. But the Foreign Ministry said this couldn't cover up for the mistake of these British sailors in illegally entering Iranian waters and repeated intrusions before, nor would it undermine the evidence and documents Iran had to prove its case.”

The Iraqi government has demanded an apology from coalition forces for a raid on a police intelligence headquarters, which it says violated the country's sovereignty. An official report into the raid said the southern city of Basra just over a month ago says British soldiers overstepped their authority and were negligent in allowing prisoners to escape.

The United States says it has found a way to resolve the financial dispute that's held up negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear program. The funds amounting to $25 million have been frozen in a Bank in Macao since 2005, when the US accused North Korea of money laundering. Adam Brokes reports from Washington.

“$25 million is not a large sum of money in the great scheme of things. But it was enough to threaten the implementation of a key agreement signed in February under which North Korea would start shutting down its nuclear weapons program in return for aid and international recognition. And it looked for a moment as if this financial hitch might derail the whole process. But that fear now seems to be receding, though it's not entirely clear if North Korea has yet agreed to the American proposal.

The United States government has launched an immediate appeal against a ruling by a Federal Court judge in Texas, ordering the release from custody of a prominent anticommunist Cuban exile Luis Posada Carriles. Mr. Posada is a former CIA agent, who is wanted in Cuba and Venezuela over an airliner bombing in 1976, which killed more than 70 people. Washington has been seeking third countries to take Mr. Posada as his defence team argue that he would be tortured if extradited to either Venezuela or Cuba. Mr. Posada denies direct responsibility for the attack.

Pope Benedict has led thousands of pilgrims in a traditional Good Friday ceremony in Rome to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Pope dressed in a white robe, carried a wooden cross at the beginning and end of the ceremony at the Colosseum.

World News from the BBC.

China has issued detailed regulations to enforce its ban on any form of commercial trade in human organs. The number of hospitals allowed to carry out transplant operations would be restricted, and any doctor or clinic discovered to be buying or selling organs will face heavy fines and suspension. Nicky Jacks has the details.

“The new regulations, the first of their kind in China, set up rules to standardize procedures to prevent potential human rights abuses, and make it a crime to harvest organs without the owners' permission or against their will. And every transplant will also have to be approved by an Ethics Committee. China has come under widespread criticism for using organs from executed prisoners for transplants. It's not clear if the new regulations would change this as the Chinese authorities insist all such donations are made voluntarily.

Palestinian journalists and civil society groups are continuing their campaign for the release of the BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who was kidnapped in the Gaza Strip almost a month ago. The Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has said he will hold a special meeting of his Cabinet on Saturday to discuss a new security plan for Gaza. From Jerusalem, here is Mike Sergeant.

“It's been more than three and a half weeks since Alan Johnston was last seen by his colleagues. There's been mounting frustration and anger in Gaza and the West Bank. Many Palestinians feel the
abduction of this respected correspondent has made their story much harder to tell. The pressure on Palestinian leaders to do more to secure Alan's release has been increasing in recent days. Palestinian journalists say they will continue to protest every day until he's freed.

Israeli helicopters are reported to have fired several missiles into the northern Gaza Strip. Local residents say at least two rockets were aimed at militants near a refugee camp, and describe the incident as the most intense confrontation since the two sides agreed to a ceasefire in November.

That's the latest BBC World News.