BBC news 2011-10-18 加文本

BBC news 2011-10-18

BBC News with Marion Marshall

Forces of Libya's interim authority, the NTC, say they've raised the country's new flag over Bani Walid after securing control over almost all of the town from Gaddafi loyalists. The NTC's military spokesman Ahmed Bani told reporters in Tripoli that 90% of Bani Walid had been liberated. NTC forces are struggling to overcome loyalists still holed up in Sirte. From Tripoli, Caroline Hawley reports.

It's taken several weeks, but fighters loyal to the new Libyan authorities have now pushed their way into the centre of Bani Walid, firing their guns in the air in celebration. It's not clear what's happened to the pro-Gaddafi forces, who'd resisted their advance for so long. Reports said they deserted their posts and abandoned their uniforms, but they could still pose a threat. Bani Walid has been one of the last strongholds of support for Muammar Gaddafi, but it's his hometown Sirte that is the real prize for the new authorities.

The Somali Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab has called on Kenya to withdraw its troops from Somalia immediately in order to avoid what it called bloody battles. Kenyan trucks, tanks and hundreds of troops are now reported to be about 80km inside Somalia after moving in at the weekend. Will Ross reports from Nairobi.

In a statement, al-Shabab warned Kenyans not to let what it called the flames of war spill over into their country. Al-Shabab called on the Kenyan public to urge their government to immediately withdraw troops from Somalia. The Islamist insurgent group denied that it was behind the recent spate of kidnappings in Kenya. It said the Kenyan government's allegation that al-Shabab posed a significant threat to the Kenyan population was simply a flimsy pretext for the military incursion into Somalia.

A senior official at the Egyptian justice ministry says the two sons of the former President Hosni Mubarak have an estimated $340m in frozen Swiss bank accounts. Assem al-Gohari said most of the money was held by the eldest son Alaa and the Swiss authorities were now investigating whether he was involved in money laundering.

Israel's Supreme Court has heard petitions against a deal with the militant group Hamas that would see more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners freed in exchange for the captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Judges are expected to rule today on a request to delay or block the prisoners' release. However, as Kevin Connolly reports from Gaza, Palestinians are already preparing for their release.

It is a little premature, and somewhere i's are still being dotted and t's crossed. But the sound of celebration already fills the air in Gaza City. This was a wedding party making its way towards the main square, where in less than 24 hours huge crowds are expected to gather to welcome home their returned prisoners. To the Israelis and to many in the wider world, they are men and women of violence, but Gaza is preparing to acclaim them as heroes.

BBC News

Germany is lowering expectations that a lasting solution for the eurozone debt crisis will be agreed at a European Union summit on Sunday. The German finance minister said it was wrong to expect a definitive solution from the summit. Here's our economics correspondent Andrew Walker.

Mr Schaeuble said European leaders will adopt a new plan, but he warned that it won't be a complete resolution of the crisis. Ahead of the summit in six days, European officials are working on a package which includes strengthening eurozone banks and further action on Greece. Financial markets have welcomed this as evidence that governments are preparing decisive action, but some observers think the optimism may be overdone. Mr Schaeuble seems to be encouraging more modest expectations.

Britain has set an Olympic record nine months before the games begin in London next July. For the first time ever, all 193 members of the United Nations have signed the traditional Olympic truce, a throwback to the ancient games. Iran and Syria were the last to sign. The chairman of the London Olympics, Sebastian Coe, said it showed the power sport has to inspire unity.

Football's world governing body Fifa is to offer players and officials rewards and amnesties to persuade them to expose match-fixing. Fifa's head of security Chris Eaton said the incentives to whistle-blowers would be introduced next year. Alex Capstick reports.

Chris Eaton has been working with Fifa for the past 12 months. He accused governing bodies in sport of having been naive in assessing the scale of match-fixing. He talked of teenagers at the start of their careers coming under the influence of criminal gangs. "They are then pressurised and intimidated into complying with their illegal demands," he described the problem, which has become more and more widespread. His solution is to offer incentives to whistle-blowers. For a one-month period, next January, Fifa will reward players, officials and administrators who come forward with useful information.

Alex Capstick

BBC News