BBC news 2008-07-03 加文本

BBC News with Nick Kelly.

The Colombian army has rescued the country's highest-profile hostage Ingrid Betancourt, who had been held in captivity for six years by the left wing rebel group, the Farc. From Colombia, here's Jeremy McDermott.

The rescue appears with due more to deception than firepower. The Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said that an infiltrator managed to convince the guerrilla commander holding the hostages to put them on a helicopter, as they were to be taken to the Farc supreme leader, Alfonso Cano. Among those rescued was the best-known hostage in guerrilla hands, Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian citizen who was snatched in April, 2002, as she campaigned for the presidency. There were also three US subcontractors freed who were kidnapped in 2003 after their spy plane crash-landed in rebel territory. The remaining hostages brought to safety when members of the security forces captured in various rebel attacks.

Some news just in. Ingrid Betancourt has made her first public comments since her rescue. She said the military operation took her completely by surprise and was impeccable. She said the rescue was a sign for future peace in Colombia.

President Bush has congratulated the Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe for securing the hostages' release. The French President Nicolas Sarkozy also thanked Mr Uribe. As our Paris correspondent Hugh Schofield reports, the issue had become one of Mr Sarkozy's top priorities.

The plight of Ingrid Betancourt has excited huge public sympathy in France. Her picture’s been hung on public buildings and a campaign to have her released has received constant coverage in the media. She has French citizenship by a marriage, now dissolved, which produced two children, who've been active in keeping her captivity in the spotlight. She's also well connected in France having studied with the former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin. He was responsible for an abortive mission to get her released five years ago. But it's President Nicolas Sarkozy who’s done most to make her fate a public issue in France.

The Lebanese Hezbollah Movement says it has agreed to a prisoner exchange deal with Israel. The Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, described the deal as a victory for all Arabs and Muslims.

Let everyone consider this his victory, and let no one think it is against him or a defeat for him. I hope the Lebanese appreciate the importance of this accomplishment, because if it happens, God willing, Lebanon would be the first Arab country in the Arab-Israeli conflict to conclude…

The prospect of him being released is controversial in Israel because of his role in the deaths of three members of one family, including two young girls, in a 1979 guerrilla raid. Sheikh Nasrallah also said that Israel had agreed to return the bodies of dozens of Palestinian and Arab fighters. He said the deal will happen soon, perhaps in less than two weeks.

This is the latest World News from the BBC. (Www.hxen.net)

Diplomats at the United Nations are discussing a draft Security Council resolution, criticizing the conduct of last week's election in Zimbabwe, in which President Robert Mugabe was returned to power unopposed. The draft resolution has been drawn up by the United States. It calls for sanctions, including a travel ban and asset freeze on President Mugabe and eleven senior Zimbabwean officials. Correspondents say winning backing for the resolution will be difficult.

Chad says its security forces have killed more than 70 followers of a Muslim spiritual leader who threatened to launch a holy war. The security minister said police sent to arrest the spiritual leader came under attack. Our correspondent in the region Will Ross reports.

Chad Security Minister, Ahmat Mahamat Bachir, said on Sunday night security forces surrounded the base of a spiritual leader, Ahmat Israel Bichara, because he had threatened to launch a holy war against Christians and atheists in Africa and Europe. The security minister described Bichara's followers as intoxicated extremists who had taken on the government forces armed with swords, spears and bows, apparently believing they were immune to bullets.

Senior commander in the American military says that opening up a third front after Iraq and Afghanistan would be extremely stressful for the United States. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm Mike Mullen, was responding to questions about the likelihood of an attack on Iran. He said such action would have uNPRedictable consequences. Earlier, Iran warned that it would respond fiercely to any assault.

Tennis in the defending Wimbledon men's champion, the No. 1 seed, Roger Federer, is through to the semi-finals after a straight-set victory of Mario Ancic of Croatia. Federer will now face the Russian Marat Safin in the semi-finals. The Spaniard, Rafael Nadal, is also through to the Wimbledon semi-finals. He beat Andy Murray of Scotland.