06/08/2011 BBC Weekend News

31 American soldiers die in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

It's the biggest single loss of life for US forces since operations

there began. President Obama said it was a reminder of the

extraordinary sacrifices made by the military.

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

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

The family of the teenager killed by a polar bear in Norway pay

tribute to him as strong, fearless and kind.

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

Hello, good evening. 31 Americans and seven Afghan soldiers have been

killed in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan. 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.

The helicopter was operating in Wardak province. The Taliban claim

they attacked the aircraft. Our correspondent, Quentin Sommerville,

is in Kabul now. This was a Special Forces operation.

We believe the US navy seals were involved. Those Special Forces

operations are not uncommon, but they are never routine. The Special

Forces operation took place in Wardak province, just about an hour

from here in Kabul. In Wardak province, close to the

crash site, American forces fought to secure the surrounding valley.

The Chinook, similar to this one, was returning from a battle with

insurgents, when it appears to have been hit by a Taliban rocket. The

twin rotor helicopter was targeting insurgents, almost fully loaded, on

board were 31 American Special Forces and seven Afghan special

commandos. All were killed. An eyewitness described the scene.

TRANSLATION: We were outside our rooms on a veranda and saw a

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

started coming down and crashed yards from our house, close to the

river. Despite its proximity to the capital, parts of Wardak have been

overrun by insurgents. In this mobile phone footage the Taliban

can be seen at an abandoned American base. American troops had

handed the compound to Afghan Security Forces, but they've been

unable to hold it. From Camp David, President Obama gave his reaction

President Obama gave his reaction In nearly ten years of fighting in

Afghan America hasn't had a day as bad as this one. Operationally

commanders say it won't affect their fight against the Taliban.

Back home in America, a country already weary of this war, these

deaths are another blow to morale. It hasn't been confirmed that the

Taliban did carry out that attack. NATO has an investigation team at

the site. They say they're waiting for that investigation to conclude

before they'll issue any further statement.

Quentin Sommerville, thank you. 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 & Poor's. Joe Lynam reports.

America has only ever been triple-A. Not any more.

Downgrade, for the first time in history, America's credit rating

has been knocked down... world's wealthiest nation is no

longer the safeest place to invest money. Standard & Poor's provide

their opinion on the credit worthiness on countries and

companies. It's just an opinion, but one that matters to governments

and markets. Everything else about this deal stinks. S&P blamed the

squabbling in Washington for its threatened decision to downgrade it.

Now America will have to pay higher borrowing costs, which could

trickle down to consumers and small firms. Some think the damage is

mostly to America's reputation. It's a blow to America's res teeth.

It's a problem and an embarrassment for President Obama, but it's not

really going to effect the way the world economy works. But China is

livid, saying it had the right to demand the United States address

its structural debt problems and it called for a new stable global

reserve currency to avert a catastrophe caused by any single

country. Here, the Government said that the UK's current austerity

package had ensured it retained the highest credit rating. Britain is

now seen as a safe haven, as an oasis of calm in a turbulent road,

because of the competence with which we've addressed the public

finances in Britain. You have two parties working together in a

coalition, working in the national interest. That inspires confidence.

The Government may be playing down the significance to the UK of

today's announcement, but privately, officials at the Treasury will be

acutely aware that if the once impregnable US rating can be

downgraded, then so too can all others. That means countries like

Britain, with its own debt mountain to deal with, need to be careful

not to seem that their rating will always be triple-A.

So how has America reacted to this news? We're joined by our

Washington correspondent, Andrew North.

Well, interestingly, so far there's been no immediate reaction to this

very harsh criticism from China. In a way America is still digesting

this news that its credit rating has been downgraded for the first

time ever. In many ways, we're in uncharted territory here. The only

thing the White House has said so far is to release a Fairley anodine

statement that doesn't mention the downgrade and simply saying that

President Obama did try to reach a deal that would have avoided this

downgrade, but I think everyone now is waiting to see what's going to

happen with the opening of the Asian markets tomorrow. That will

be the real test of how serious this really is for the United

States. Thank you. Andrew North. 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. Horatio

Chapple died when the bear attacked a group on an expedition. Four

others were injured and have undergone surgery.

Horatio Chapple, the teenager on the trip of a lifetime, but killed

by a polar bear on a remote glacier 700 miles inside the Arctic Circle.

The group were sleeping when the bear attacked. Horatio was killed

and two other boys were hurt. Also injured team leaders Andrew Ruck

and Michael Reid, who shot the bear, but was seriously hurt himself.

think he's lost a lot of teeth and I think there are neck and facial

cuts as well. But I think the inner trauma will be worse. In a

statement, Horatio's family said he was strong, fearless and kind with

an amazing sense of humour and an ability to laugh at himself.". The

trim was organised bit British School Exploring Society. The group

on the glacier had been sent there to take measurements as part of an

ongoing scientific study into suspected climate change. In all,

around 90 were taking part in the expedition in different groups, but

all are coming home. Police, local authorities, group leaders and BSES

feel it would be wrong to continue their expedition in the light of

the tragic incidents in Norway yesterday morning.

Weighing an average of 60 stone polar bears are the dominant

predator in one of the world's last great wildernesss. Though contact

with man is rare, it is seldom without risk.

Part of the M25 in Surrey, which was closed for 24 hours after a

lorry crashed yesterday has re- opened. Let's go to our reporter at

Reigate, Jonathan? 24 hours on, drivers are still

facing disruption, after that closure of the M25 late yesterday

afternoon. As you can probably see, traffic on the clock-wise part of

the carriageway is now flowing two. Lanes were re-opened early this

afternoon. Anti-clock-wise it's a different story. These pictures are

from the Highways Agency webcam raz, monitoring the section of the

motorway between Reigate and ledger head. That shows the run up to the

junction where it's closed. Some motorists there for several hours.

Some very stprus straiting time for them. The work to repair the

carriageway, the central reservation and gantry has largely

been completed now and final checks are going on. Anti-clock-wise lanes

are expected to re-open this evening. Thank you.

The Rugby Union World Cup begins next month in New Zealand. This

afternoon the home nations were preparing with a few warm-up games.

Scotland left it late to secure victory against Ireland at

Murrayfield. England beat Wales 23 to 19 at Twickenham.

England resplendent in their new strip, the real All Blacks, hosts

New Zealand are favourites for the World Cup. England really believe

they can win that trophy. This was a friendly, but England against

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

edge add head thanks to a try from James Haskell. The hosts led 13-7

at the break. Wales' fortunes dipped after halftime when first,

the debutante Manu Tuilagi proved his worth.

Undeterred Wales hit back. A Shane Williams' try narrowed the lead to

eight points. Wales were kept at arm's length. Jonny Wilkinson

hasn't lost his touch though. His two drop goals would prove crucial

in the end, a second try from Wales' George North set up an

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

exciting at Murrayfield, where Scotland edged to a 10-6 victory