06/08/2011 BBC Weekend News

. 30 American soldiers are killed in a helicopter crash in

Afghanistan. It's the biggest single loss of life of US personnel

there since the war began. Many were Special Forces.

President Obama said their deaths "were a reminder of the

extraordinary sacrifices made by the military".

China, America's biggest creditor, strongly criticises the country

after the US loses its triple A status for the first time.

Tributes are paid to the schoolboy killed by a polar bear in Norway.

His family say he was "strong, fearless and kind".

And England do just enough to beat Wales in a World Cup warm-up at

Good evening. 30 American soldiers, seven Afghan

troops and a civilian interpreter have been killed in a helicopter

crash in Afghanistan. Many of them were US Navy SEALS from the Special

Forces Unit which killed Osama Bin Laden in May. It's America's

biggest single loss of life since the war began nearly a decade ago.

President Obama paid tribute to the victims and said their deaths "were

a reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the military".

From Washington, Andrew North sent First light after America's worst

day in Afghanistan. A twin-rotared Chinook over the crash site in the

mountains near Kabul. The American special forces and Afghan commandos

who died were in the same kind of helicopter, flying low, they were

hit by Taliban rocket fire. An eyewitness saw what happened.

TRANSLATION: We were outside our rooms and saw this this helicopter

flying very low. It was hit by a rocket and it was on fire. It

started coming down and crashed just yards away from our house,

close to the river. Most of those on board were from

the Elite US Navy SEALs. The BBC has been told, seen here in

training, not the same troops, but the same unit that killed Osama Bin

Laden three months ago. This was how President Obama first

got the news in a photo released by the White House. The moment every

President dreads. In a statement, he said their deaths are a reminder

of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the US military in

Afghanistan. He paid tribute to the seven Afghan troops who were killed

in the same crash. It couldn't come at a worse time as

US troops begin to come home with many predicting this could allow

the Taliban to regroup. What makes this such a hard blow for the

United States is most of those who were killed are from the elite Navy

SEALs who were seen as heroes here for killing Osama Bin Laden. It

could put President Obama even more on the defensive over his

Afghanistan policy with some saying he is pulling the troops out too

quickly, but others are saying it is time to get out altogether.

The Taliban are already preparing for the Americans to leave. These

pictures show their fighters taking over a former US base. And in

bringing down this American helicopter, they have scored one of

their biggest propaganda victories Andrew is in Washington for us now.

What's the likely impact of this going to be, Andrew? This this

couldn't come at a worst time for President Obama, with the debt ci

circumstances but now it looks likely this business of the

shooting down of the helicopter could overshadow all of this. Now,

I know from my time in Iraq and Afghanistan, travelling in Chinooks

many times, often coming under fire, I know how vulnerable these

helicopters are to ground fire. The big question though, the big

unanswered question, is what were the troops doing there? 22 US Navy

SEALs on board. There are reports they were hunting a senior Taliban

commander, but there are some saying they were rescuing other

units on the ground. We are waiting to hear more details, but that

possible report that they were rescuing others on the ground, that

starts to bring back memory of Black Hawk Down in Somalia, you

could see President Obama under pressure over his Afghanistan

mission. The Ministry of Defence has named

the Royal Marine killed in Afghanistan yesterday. He was James

Wright from Weymouth in Dorset. The 22-year-old was wounded when a

grenade was thrown into his patrol's checkpoint in Helmand

province. His parents said he touched the lives of everyone who

knew him. China has given a blunt warning to

the US that the "good old days" of borrowing are over. The country,

America's biggest creditor, was responding to the news that the US

for the first time ever has had its credit rating downgraded by the

agency Standard and Poor's. Here's our Business Correspondent, Joe

America has only ever been triple A, not anymore. Downgrade for the

first time in history. America's credit rating has been knocked down

a peg. The world's wealthiest nation is no

longer the safest place to invest money. Standard and Poor's is one

of the three main crediting rate companies who provide their opinion

on credit worthiness. S and P blamed the squabbling in Washington

for its long threatened decision to downgrade.

The fact that you had a downgrade ceiling that resulted in the

Government not reaching agreement until ten hours before they had a

cash management programme. This is not how most highly rated

governments run themselves. China is livid saying it had the the

right to demand the United States address its debt problems and

called for a new stable reserve currency to avert a catastrophe

caused by any country. The Government said that the UK's

current austerity pack age ensured it retained the highest credit

ratings. Britain is seen as a a safe haven

because of the competence which we've addressed the issue of the

public finances in Britain, the fact that you've got two parties

working together in a coalition, working in the national interest, I

think that inspires confidence. Government maybe playing down the

significance to the UK of today's S and P announcement, but officials

at the Treasury will be aware if the once impregnable US rating can

be downgraded then so too can all others. Countries like Britain with

its own debt mountain to deal with, need to be careful not to assume

that their rating will always be Our business editor Robert Peston

joins us now. How is this going to hit news the UK? The big financial

problems in the world aren't for once British problems. We have got

the US downgrade and perhaps more importantly in terms what is

worrying investors and creditors is the growing growing difficulty that

Italy is having in bor in borrowing and the rising cost for the Italian

Government of borrowing. Now, you know, this could cause further

turmoil in markets and if that were to happen, yes there could be a

negative impact on the UK, the value of our pensions would fall

and if there were difficulties for big international banks in

borrowing, probably our banks would not be immune, they would have

difficulty lending and that would be damaging for the UK economy. It

is a nerve-wracking time for the British Government because the

British Government can't do do very much to fix these problems, we are

on the outside, but they might end up hurting us.

And what's it looking like for Monday when the markets open?

going to be a very nerve-wracking weekend. For investors and

creditors as I've said the the biggest worry is the Italian

problem won't be be fixed. It will become more expensive for the

Italians to borrow. All eyes are on the European Central Bank. What

bankers and investors want to see is a decision by the European

Central Bank to start lending effectively, effectively lending to

Italy by buying Italian bonds in the market. It is not clear that

the European sen European Central Bank will do that. If it doesn't

decide to do that and we should know that by tomorrow evening, well

then I think it could be very, very difficult hairy again on Monday in

markets. Robert, thank you.

There are reports tonight of violence on the streets of

Tottenham in North London. These pictures have appeared on the

internet in the past half hour. A man was shot dead in Tottenham on

Thursday. Earlier today about 120 people marched from the Broadwater

Farm area to the police station, after a man was shot dead by police

The family of a 17-year-old schoolboy killed by a polar bear in

northern Norway yesterday have paid tribute to him saying he was

"strong, fearless and kind". Ben Ando reports.

Horatio Chapple was on the adventure trip of a lifetime

exploring a glacier 700 miles inside the Artic Circle. The group

were asleep when a polar bear attacked their camp. Horatio

Chapple was killed and two other boys were hurt. Also injured team

leaders Andrew Ruck and Michael Reid. This evening, he tweeted from

hospital, "I shot the very aggressive polar bear after it

attacked. I now have serious head injuries and the hospital is trying

to make me better." I would rather not use the word

"hero "he was fighting for his life, I guess. The other members of the

group do say that they thought he was very brave.

It is understood the four survivors will be flown back to the UK in an

air ambulance tomorrow or Monday. In a statement Horatio Chapple

family's family said said strong and fearless and had a kind and

amazing sense of humour. Those on the glacier had been sent to take

measurements for an ongoing study into climate change. Organisers say

the expedition will be cut short. Police, local authorities, group

leaders, and BSES feel it would be wrong to continue their expedition

in the light of the tragic incidents yesterday morning.

Weighing an average of 60 stone, polar bears are the dominant

predator in one of the world's last great great wilderness and contact

with man is rare, it is seldom Transport officials hope to fully

reopen the M25 tonight after parts of it in Surrey were shut for more

than 24 hours because of a crash. Today the closure caused lengthy

tailbacks. Three people were badly hurt in the crash when a lorry's

tyre burst causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

Now the sport with Olly Foster. There were two different matches

today as the home nations start a month of friendlies in in

preparation for the Rugby Union World Cup. Scotland left it late at

Murrayfield as they edged Ireland in a low scoring encounter. England

England resplendent in their new strip. The real All Blacks, hosts,

New Zealand are favourites for the World Cup, but England believe they

can win the trophy. This was a a friendly, but England against Wales

means so much. Wales took an early lead, but England edged ahead

thanks to a try from James Haskell and the hosts led 13-7 at the break.

Wales' fortunes dipped further when Manu Tuilagi quickly proved his

worth. Then full Back Morgan Stoddart sustained an ankle injury.

Wales hit back, a Shane Williams try followed by a conversion

narrowed England's lead to eight eight points. Wales were kept at

arm's length by Jonny Wilkinson. He hasn't lost his touch. His two drop

goals would prove crucial. A second try from George North set up an

exciting finish, but England held on for a 23-19 win. It wasn't as

exciting a at Murrayfield where Scotland edged to a victory over

Ireland. The Irish led 6-3 with three minutes remaining, but

Scotland clinched victory thanks to a try from Joe Ansborough.

. Brighton returned to the championship. A new ground, the

Amex Stadium and a win win against Doncaster Rovers.

There were two matches in the Scottish Premier League today.

Dundee United are top of the table, level on points with St Mirren

after they shared the points at at Tannadice.

Wigan Warriors reached their first Challenge Cup final at the expense

Thris Horo came fourth today and there is question whether she will

travel for the Whips. Sanya Richards-Ross won the race

over Ohorouogu. I warmed up. I had a cold last week,

but that's gone now. I'm shocked. That was really

appalling. Helen Jenkins passed today's 2012

Olympic Test Event with flying colours. The London leg of the

triathlon World Series has been staged over the Hyde Park course

that will be used at next year's Games.

Jenkins came out on top winning in over two hours, a result that

should see her make the team for the Olympics.