BBC news 2011-06-05 加文本

BBC news 2011-06-05

BBC News with David Austin

Government officials in Yemen say President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains in hospital after being injured in the attack on his compound in the capital Sanaa on Friday. Five senior Yemeni officials injured along with him are now being treated in Saudi Arabia. At least seven people were killed in the attack. Lina Sinjab reports from Sanaa.

The president is in hospital with second-degree burns to his face and chest, and a shrapnel wound below his heart. It is understood he is to be operated on soon. Sources close to the president told the BBC it is fortunate he didn't die, otherwise there would have been a civil war. The attack took place while the president and his supporters were at Friday prayers at the mosque inside his compound. Many here see the attack not only a military violation but also an attack on Islam.

Syrian anti-government activists say the security forces have shot dead at least three people in the northern town of Jisr al-Shughour. The town has been a scene of protests since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March.

The British Foreign Secretary William Hague has visited the rebel-held Libyan city of Benghazi, the fourth such senior foreign mission there in a week. The visit was designed, he said, to show support for the Libyan people. The Libyan government denounced Mr Hague's visit as illegal and a flagrant violation of all international conventions.

A leading Islamic militant, Ilyas Kashmiri, has been killed in a US drone strike in northwest Pakistan. He was one of nine militants killed on Friday night in South Waziristan. From Islamabad, Orla Guerin.

A month after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, it appears that al-Qaeda has been deprived of another top leader Ilyas Kashmiri. The veteran militant was one of the organisation's most active commanders and was viewed as a possible replacement for Bin Laden. He was targeted with Pakistan's help, according to an intelligence official here. Kashmiri was blamed for a string of attacks in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

Pope Benedict has again given his strong backing to Croatia's efforts to join the European Union. Speaking in Zagreb, at the start of a two-day visit, he said most Croatians believed the country was at the centre of Europe and should join the EU. Here's our Balkans correspondent Mark Lowen.

A warm welcome for Pope Benedict as he arrived at Zagreb airport, the Vatican and Croatian anthems played as he began his first trip to this devoutly Catholic country. His visit comes at a defining moment for Croatia as it marks 20 years as an independent state. It stands on the brink of European Union membership, aiming to join in 2013. The Vatican is keen to see another staunchly Catholic nation join the bloc. Pope Benedict was clearly supportive in his opening address, calling Croatia's membership "logical, just and necessary", and urging Croats to retain their Catholic faith.

World News from the BBC

Egypt's public prosecutor says 48 people must face trial for their involvement in violent clashes between Muslims and Christians last month. The fighting in Cairo left 12 people dead and more than 50 injured. It started when rumours spread that Christians had abducted a woman who had converted to Islam.

The security chief in charge of protecting the top commander of Colombia's left-wing Farc guerrillas has been killed by government troops. Alirio Rojas Bocanegra was responsible for the personal safety of Alfonso Cano, the head of Farc. The government said it was closing in on Alfonso Cano.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in Hong Kong to mark the anniversary of the crushing of China's democracy movement in Tiananmen Square. China has responded angrily to a call from the United States to release dissidents and account for the killings 22 years ago. It said the US ignored facts and had rudely interfered in its judicial sovereignty.

The Chinese tennis player Li Na has won the women's final at the French Open, the first player from an Asian country to win a Grand Slam singles title. She beat the holder, the Italian player Francesca Schiavone by two sets to love. The win is expected to give a major boost to tennis in China, as Martin Patience reports.

Even before the French Open final, Li Na was being hailed by the state media as China's No. 1 Sister, but a win in Paris will make her a sporting icon here. But it's not just her skills in the court that explain her popularity. She's regarded by many Chinese as something of a maverick. She sports a tattoo and is known to shout at her husband in public. Li Na has been credited with popularising tennis in China. According to local media, there are now 13 million Chinese playing the game, compared to just two million six years ago.

Martin Patience reporting

And that's the BBC News.