BBC news 2010-10-05 加文本

BBC news 2010-10-05

BBC News with Kathy Clugston

More governments have issued travel alerts about possible new terror attacks in Europe. Both Japan and Sweden have issued statements warning their citizens travelling in Europe of a heightened risk of attacks by al-Qaeda or its affiliated groups, echoing alerts at the weekend by the US and Britain. Nick Childs reports.

There are clearly heightened intelligence concerns about possible threats in Europe and yet no clear-cut evidence, at least publicly acknowledged, of any very specific or imminent plot. None of the countries had appeared to be the main focus of interest. Britain, France and Germany have raised their own security alerts within their borders, but then they are quite elevated anyway. A number of different strands appear to have come together. There are reports of intelligence from a German national of Afghan origin held in Afghanistan, talking of a scheme for simultaneous attacks in Britain, France and Germany. There has also been reporting of possible intercepted communications from the Pakistan tribal areas, hinting of a similar plot.

A Vatican official has criticised the awarding of this year's Nobel prize for medicine to the British scientist Robert Edwards, whose work on treatment for human infertility led to the creation of test-tube babies. The head of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Ignacio Carrasco de Paula, said the decision was completely out of order and disregarded the destruction of human embryos involved in such procedures. David Willey reports.

Monsignor de Paula said he was offering a personal opinion, not an official Vatican statement. He pointed out that without Professor Edwards' discovery, there would not be freezers filled with embryos waiting to be transferred to a woman's uterus, or more likely to be used for research or to die. The Catholic Church teaches that human life begins at conception and therefore, must be respected from that moment onwards.

The authorities in Nigeria have arrested the director of the presidential campaign of the former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida. He is one of President Goodluck Jonathan's main political rivals. The campaign director Raymond Dokpesi was detained in connection with the bomb attacks on Friday that killed 12 people in the capital Abuja during independence celebrations.

Football's world governing body Fifa has suspended Nigeria from international competition because of government interference in the Nigerian Football Association. Mary Harper has more.

Nigerian football has been in turmoil since the World Cup when the national team, known as the Super Eagles, was eliminated after failing to win a single match. This was humiliating for Africa's most populous nation, and as a result, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan banned the Super Eagles from international football. This was quickly reversed after Fifa complained, but political interference continued. And Fifa says that until it stops, Nigeria will not be allowed to take part in any international games.

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The Greek government has promised to reduce its debt faster next year than demanded by international lenders. A draft budget presented to parliament envisages a deficit of 7%. The Prime Minister George Papandreou said the aim was to get out of the crisis as fast as possible. The current austerity programme is expected to continue.

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the credit card company, American Express, accusing it of anti-competitive behaviour. The case centres on rules stopping shops rewarding customers who use alternative cards that require smaller fees from traders. Two other leading credit card companies, Visa and MasterCard, have settled similar cases.

The Cuban government is reported to be considering another large-scale release of political prisoners, although there has been no official word from the Cuban government. President Castro agreed to release 52 prisoners in July after negotiations with the Catholic Church. From Havana, Michael Voss reports.

Human rights and dissident groups in Cuba have been asked by the Roman Catholic Church to help identify all remaining political prisoners on the island. This has raised speculation that President Raul Castro is considering freeing all the remaining prisoners once a consensus can be reached on who they are. Numbers vary from around 40 to 100 people. The process may already be underway. The head of the Cuban Human Rights Commission, Elizardo Sanchez, said that nine new inmates had been approached by security officials, asking if they'd be prepared to leave the country with their families.

Michael Voss reporting.

President Sebastian Pinera of Chile says he hopes the 33 miners who have been trapped underground for two months will be brought to the surface by the end of next week. Mr Pinera said rescuers were very close to getting the men out, and he hoped they'd be freed before his planned trip to Europe on 17 October.

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