BBC news 2011-03-03 加文本

BBC news 2011-03-03

BBC News with Marion Marshall

Forces opposed to the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi have scored an important victory over government troops by beating off an attack on the northeastern town of Brega, where there's a big oil installation. Brega is close to Ajdabiya, the largest town near the opposition stronghold of Benghazi. More details from John Simpson, who's been in Brega.

Most people in Ajdabiya probably assumed that Colonel Gaddafi's forces were on their way and that there was little between them and the rebel capital Benghazi, nearly 100 miles away. But that's not what happened. Volunteers came pouring in from Benghazi and Ajdabiya. A senior officer sent down from Benghazi suggested to me that in the fighting that followed, the Gaddafi army may have run out of ammunition. By late afternoon, the soldiers were chased out altogether and al-Brega was full of jubilant rebels firing their guns in the air. It's not a final defeat certainly, but it is an important reverse.

Britain and France are to send aircraft and ships to Tunisia to repatriate tens of thousands of Egyptians stranded there after fleeing from the violence in Libya. The refugees are currently living in dire conditions, with many more still waiting to cross over the border from Libya.

A senior United Nations official in Ivory Coast has confirmed that electricity and water supplies have been cut to the north of the country. The region is traditionally opposed to Laurent Gbagbo, the man who's refusing to leave office despite an international consensus that he lost last November's election. The UN official, Ndolamb Ngokwey, said the Ivorian electricity company had told him the cuts were political with no technical reason for them.

"The statement of the electrical company, this energy shortage is not due to technical issues. This is what they said. They clearly said that it has to do with the political situation, so it was cut for political reason."

The head of the United Nations peacekeeping forces, Alain Le Roy, has apologised to the government of Belarus for falsely accusing it of violating an arms embargo against Ivory Coast. Earlier this week, the UN said it believed Belarus was delivering three attack helicopters for the use of forces loyal to Laurent Gbagbo.

Two US servicemen have been shot dead on a bus at Frankfurt airport in Germany, and two others were wounded. German authorities say the gunman appeared to be a man from Kosovo. He's been arrested. They said it wasn't clear whether the man had a terrorist motive. President Obama condemned the attack.

"I want everybody to understand that we will spare no effort in learning how this outrageous act took place and in working with German authorities to ensure that all of the perpetrators are brought to justice. This is a stark reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices that our men and women in uniform are making all around the world to keep us safe."

President Obama

World News from the BBC

The Supreme Court in the United States has ruled in favour of a controversial church that holds anti-gay protests at the funerals of American soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The court said the constitution's protection of free speech took precedence over the right of military families to privacy. From Washington, Jonny Dymond reports.

The Westboro Baptist Church is one of the most controversial non-violent groups in the US. For years now, members have demonstrated at the funerals of those who have fallen in Iraq and Afghanistan, loudly proclaiming that the deaths are because the US tolerates homosexuality. The father of a marine who was killed in Iraq in 2006 sued the church, but the Supreme Court has ruled overwhelmingly that the activities of the church are protected by the constitution. The ruling will disappoint many Americans disgusted by the church's activities.

The commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, has issued a personal apology for the killing of nine young boys in Kunar province on Tuesday. Local Afghan officials say the boys, aged 12 or younger, had been gathering firewood when helicopter gunships attacked them with rockets. Nato says there was a mistake in relaying information about the position of presumed militants who were firing at a Nato base.

French prosecutors say the fashion designer sacked by Christian Dior, John Galliano, is to stand trial for allegedly using racial insults during a confrontation in a Paris bar. He's denied the accusations, saying he was attacked with a chair by someone who didn't like the way he looked. The designer has apologised for causing offence.

The Ireland team have registered one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Cricket World Cup, beating England by three wickets in Bangalore. They also staged the highest winning run-chase ever in the World Cup, and batsman Kevin O'Brien smashed the record for its fastest century off just 50 balls.

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