BBC news 2009-05-28 加文本

BBC 2009-05-28


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BBC news with Fiona McDonald

The government in Pakistan has accused Taliban militants of being behind a huge explosion outside the police building in the city of Lahore. At least 24 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Officials say gunmen opened fire and threw grenades at the gate of Pakistan's main intelligence agency near the police building before blowing up a car bomb. The police say two suspects have been arrested. Barbara Plett reports.

Pakistan's government has suggested the Lahore bomb is a response to its military action in the northwest Swat Valley. The army has been pounding Taliban positions there since a peace deal broke down. But it also angered militants by strikes in the neighboring tribal areas. They’ve threatened to take revenge in Pakistani cities. It is believed that battle-hardened jihadist groups based near Lahore have links with the Taliban. That's an alarming scenario for a government trying to stop the spread of Islamist militancy.

Creditors of the American carmaker General Motors have refused a deal offered by the company, leaving it little choice but to file for bankruptcy protection. The board of GM is to meet to review its options. Here's our business correspondent Alex Ritson.

The showdown has been forced in part by the failure of GM management to broker a deal with creditors. General Motors is also keen to try and loose its loss-making European arm Opel. German government has delayed announcement on which one of four potential investors is prepared to back with around 8 billion dollars. It’s hoping the loan guarantees will keep GM factories in Germany open, but that's likely to mean other factories elsewhere in Europe will be forced to close, prompting howls of protest from other European governments.

A funding member of what was once America's largest Muslim charity has been sentenced to 65 years in prison for sending money to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. A Texas jury found Shukri Abu Baker and four other leaders of the Holy Land Foundation guilty late last year of supporting Hamas. Richard Lister reports.

The five men were convicted in November on charges ranging from money laundering to supporting terrorism. Hamas was designated a terrorist organization by the US government 14 years ago, making it illegal to give the group money or other support. The charity was found guilty of sending more than 12 million dollars to fund schools and social welfare programs which are controlled by Hamas. But the defendants said they were only interested in helping the needy. Their supporters said no money had been used to fund violence and the prosecution was a byproduct of the anti-Islamic sentiment following the September 11th attacks.

As the UN Security Council continues its discussions on how to respond to North Korea's nuclear test, the Russian Foreign Minister has warned that though world powers should be firmed, they should avoid inflaming tension in the region. He said that it did need to avoid punishment for punishment’s sake. The US Secretary of State said Korea would face consequences because of its provocative and belligerent actions.

World news from the BBC

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