BBC news 2009-04-11 加文本

BBC news with David Legg

French Special Forces have stormed the yacht that had been captured by pirates from Somalia. They freed four hostages, but a fifth person was killed during the rescue operation. France said the assault took place only after negotiations got nowhere. Meanwhile, more American warships are heading toward a lifeboat where an American merchant navy captain is being held hostage. Humphrey Hawksley reports.

The American guided missile frigate, the USS Bainbridge is already at the site about 300 miles off the Somali coast where Captain Richard Phillips is being held hostage on a drifting lifeboat. The pirates have warned that they will kill him if they come under attack. Captain Phillips has already tried to escape once by jumping into the sea but swam back its thwart after the pirates opened fire and went into the sea after him.

The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says that two-thirds of terrorist plots identified in Britain by the security forces have originated in Pakistan. He said it was clear that instructions were coming from militant leaders based there. In an interview for the Al Jazeera Satellite Television Channel, Mr. Brown said most of al-Qaeda’s base was in Pakistan and the Taliban in that country were involved in what was happening in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s got the problems of groups of terrorist in their country, operating from their country. And we need all the cooperation that we have with the Pakistani authorities to deal with these problems. And I think it’s got an effect on the streets of Britain because I think people do know that two thirds of terrorist plots that we have had to identify and deal with in Britain, either successful or unsuccessful plots have originated from Pakistan and clearly instructions have been made from leaders in Pakistan rather than in Britain.

President Barack Obama says the US economy is showing signs of progress after months of severe strain. Mr. Obama acknowledged that there was still a lot of work to be done but said the first glimpses of hope were already visible. He was speaking after meeting his financial team. Michele Ferllria reports from New York.

Small businesses are finding it easier to get loans and lower interest rates are encouraging more Americans to refinance their mortgages. These are some of the factors that prompted Mr. Obama’s comments that there are some glimpses of hope in the economy. Nonetheless increasing numbers of Americans still face real financial hardship since the recession began in December of 2007. The unemployment rate has risen to 8.5% and is set to rise further.

A tornado and wildfires fueled by strong winds have caused widespread destruction in the southern United States. Three people died in the state of Arkansas where the tornado hit the small town of Mena. In Texas at least three people were killed by wildfires. The Governor of Oklahoma has declared a state of emergency in more than 30 counties.

World News from the BBC

Five American soldiers have been killed in a suicide bomb attack in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. It was the largest number of American servicemen to die in a single incident in Iraq for several months. Two Iraqi policemen also died when a truck  exploded outside of a police headquarters. US military casualties have been declining sharply over the past year. Nine men died in the whole of March compared with an average of more than 100 per month two years ago.

The leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah Movement Hassan Nasrallah has confirmed that one of the group’s members is among 49 men detained recently in Egypt and accused of planning attacks. However he denied that Hezbollah had any such plans. He said its aim was to provide logistical help to what he called the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.

Thousands of mourners have taken part in an open-air funeral Mass in Italy for victims of Monday’s earthquake in the city of L’Aquila. Pope Benedict said in a message he shared the anguish of bereaved families. The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attended the ceremony and later promised the government would not abandon the victims of the earthquake. (www.hXen.com)

Everyone was asking one thing: do not abandon us. I promise before the caskets of these people’s loved ones, the government takes it upon itself to help those who have been hit by the earthquake. And I also promise that this government will be quicker than previous governments who face similar difficult situations.

A horse breeder in New York State has been charged with cruelty to animals. The thoroughbred breeder Ernie Paragallo faces 22 counts of torturing or injuring animals from failure to provide sustenance. Mr. Paragallo was questioned by state police after 177 starving horses were seized from his farms near Albany in upstate New York.

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