20/09/2013 BBC World News

Hello, this is BBC World News, the top stories:

At least 30 people are killed in southern Yemen after simultaneous

attacks on military targets. Greenpeace urges Russia to release

its protest ship after it was stormed by armed men in the Arctic

Ocean. Syria's Deputy Prime Minister says

neither side can win the country's Civil War.

neither side can win the country's And why Singapore has been rapidly

to become a playground for the super-rich.

Hello and welcome. We start in Yemen, where a series of attacks on

military bases have left at least 40 people dead. Ten soldiers were

killed when gunmen attacked the military headquarters in the town of

Maisa, apparently without any warning -- in the town of Maifaa.

There were also attacks in the Shabwa province, killing 30 people.

These are the latest pictures of the aftermath of the attack in Shabwa.

It is thought that Islamic militants with links to Al-Qaeda were

responsible, although no group has yet issued a reform will claim full

responsibility. BBC Arabic have been following the story and Toby White

Al-Qaeda militants would be blamed for the attacks.

-- told me why. The attacks are the hallmarks of

Al-Qaeda. Most of the attacks claimed by Al-Qaeda in the past, a

car bomb has been used, and that is typical of Al-Qaeda in Yemen as

well. The attacks, the number of casualties, also bear the hallmarks

of similar attacks from Al-Qaeda in the past. That is what the Yemeni

officials are saying. Why have we seen this sudden attack,

with quite a large potential loss of life here? Why are we seeing this

now? Obviously, according to a senior

Yemeni police officer, who spoke to several news agencies, the attack

was some sort of a surprise for the soldiers. The reports we are getting

is that the attacks happened at the very early hours of the morning and

the soldiers were not even up from their beds. Due to the nature of

that province in Yemen, we only got to hear about this at a very late

time. However, it also seems that the attack was well-prepared, and

well-planned. In one attack, for example, at least 20 soldiers were

killed, we are hearing there has been a brief exchange of fire and

the guards at the gates were overpowered easily. And then there

has been a car bomb and the gate was just ripped apart and on they went,

inside the camp itself. Where are we with the balance

between the US assault, effectively, on Al-Qaeda, and the

resistance? Well, so far, the US has managed,

along with the cooperation of Yemeni authorities, it seems, has managed

to kill a number of senior Al-Qaeda leaders in Yemen, including the most

wanted man for a long time in Yemen. So far, the fight goes on,

because Al-Qaeda is not giving up, and this seems to be the nature of

the group. There has been an attack on three

buses carrying soldiers in Sinai. Witnesses say there was a huge

explosion as the soldiers were being transferred in northern Sinai, but

security officials say no one was injured as the explosions happened

after the buses had gone by. The environmental group Greenpeace

says 30 of its activists are being held at gunpoint after Russian

security officers stormed a ship in the Arctic. They say their members

were taking part in a protest against oil drilling by the Russian

company three. Ben Stewart, head of media at Greenpeace, spoke to me and

gave me as -- and update -- by the Russian Barclays three. They are

still on the Arctic Sunrise, which is still in the same place as it was

when it was stormed by the Russian agent, but we are reading the same

reports as you are, which is that the ship is going to be taken into

Murmansk, which will take two or three days. I got a call from a

friend of mine which was from the three days. I got a call from a

mess of the Arctic Sunrise and he said he was under armed guard. He

gave me an account and it seemed that 15 armed agents of the FSP, the

new name for the KGB, came down and abseiled onto the helicopter deck of

new name for the KGB, came down and the Arctic Sunrise. They were armed

with handguns, rifles and knives, and they began rounding up my

colleagues, all of whom are peaceful people committed to a cleaner and

more peaceful world. They were taken people committed to a cleaner and

into the mess and held under on guard. The Greenpeace guys were in

the communications room, which was secure with a locked door, but the

agents managed to break it down. It took 35 minutes and they were taken

into the mess. They are under armed guard, that was the situation

overnight. We haven't had communication for several hours and

are very worried. And just reading something from a Russian security

official, who has said that the Greenpeace activists have been

detained because they carried out a criminal act and attempted to

infiltrate the oil rig, violating a 500 metre restricted access zone and

were tugging a large object which resembled either an unidentified

explosive device or research equipment, which is a violation of

federal law, and it is also punishable by Russian criminal law.

Surely these direct action tactics are juvenile and disruptive? Is

claimed that it is an unexploded device, I know exactly what that

thing was and it is incredibly disingenuous of the Russian

authorities to say anything else, they know what it was. It was a pod,

it is made of foam, about the size of a car, it weighs about town and

it is bright yellow. It is a survival pod, it keeps people want

and you hang it at the bottom of the oil rig so protesters could do what

they wanted to do safely and responsibly, which is what we were

trying to do. We are launching a protest against Arctic oil drilling,

which we regard as incredibly irresponsible.

At the two and a half years of increasingly brutal conflict in

Syria, the country's Deputy Prime Minister says the civil War has

reached stalemate. In an interview with the newspaper the Guardian,

Qadri Jamil says neither side can defeat the other and if a proposed

peace conference ever gets underway in Geneva, he will call for a

cease-fire. So how significant is this statement? Jim Muir is in

Beirut. I think that basically, it shows

that the Russians are getting serious about preparations for

so-called " Geneva two" . This settlement process, the talks, have

stalled, the once they were hoping to get going on a parallel track to

the chemical weapons agreement. Qadri Jamil is regarded, rightly or

wrongly, as one of Russia's men in Damascus. He was educated in Russia,

he was a member of the Communist Party in Syria until it was squeezed

in a roundabout 2,000, and he a recent addition the Government,

although he has the post of Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs.

He says he is speaking with the authority of the Government, but it

seems to be very much part of a Russian push. The deputy Russian

Foreign Minister is in Damascus, meeting not just with top regime

officials but members of what you would call the soft opposition, who

the Russians would like to have a alongside the more or less XL Syrian

National Council edition as partners in that discussion in Geneva --

excite old Syrian national coalition.

News of the cease-fire this morning in Syria as well, but not involving

government troops. Instead, this is rival rebel groups, who have agreed

to cease hostilities and exchange prisoners in the northern town of as

az. A group of leading doctors from

around the world say there have been deliberate and systematic attacks on

hospitals in Syria. In a letter published today in the medical

journal the Lancet, they say horrific injuries are going

untreated and life-saving operations are being performed without any

anaesthetic. They warn that the conditions are ripe for an epidemic

which could sweep beyond Syria's borders.

Syria's ever worsening Civil War has laid waste to towns and cities

across the country. So much so that thousands of casualties from the

fighting are now being treated in makeshift clinics like this. Many

others received no treatment at all. According to the letter published in

the Lancet today. It also says Syria's doctors and nurses are being

deliberately and systematically targeted, as are the hospitals.

Fear of being attacked from the air is particularly acute. No surprise,

then, that thousands of medical staff have joined the exodus from

Syria. They are seeking shelter in neighbouring countries. But by

becoming refugees, they have compounded the problems for those

still in Syria, trying to keep some kind of medical service going for

those in need. In response to the letter in the Lancet, the Prime

Minister David Cameron says Britain will call for full, unfettered

humanitarian access in Syria at next week's meeting of the UN General

Assembly. But the lives of an increasing number of Syrian people

depend on the country's medical services and supplies being restored

as quickly as possible. Public anger is growing in Pakistan

over a number of attacks on young girls. Among the cases which have

made headlines recently the gang rape of a five-year-old, twins

abandoned on a railway line and a baby girl thrown into a river by her

own father. Now Imams in mosques across Pakistan are being asked to

read sermons on a special day in Islamabad.

The imam in this mosque in central Islamabad is giving his weekly

Friday service, but this week it is a special message. People are

Friday service, but this week it is praying here that daughters are a

blessing and not a curse, saying that the country needs to do that

and the Council of Imams and priests feel they need to tell people that

because it follows a serious case against children. A girl of five was

gang raped but the case which marked this was a father in Lahore throwing

his one and a heart -year-old daughter into a river because he

wanted a son. -- one and a half. There is a lot that needs to change

in terms of culture and it is a culture really across South Asia

which regards sons as being better than daughters and there are big

which regards sons as being better problems in terms of the legal

system as well, in terms of prosecuting those who perpetrate

crimes against young girls, but this is at least a start here at Friday

prayers, which are just about to get underway, and for that, as I say,

the Government and the Imam Council has to be given some credit.

Stay with us on BBC World News, still to come:

The homeless man whose honesty has earned him 1,000 -- $100,000.

Weather warnings have been issued in Hong Kong and southern China ahead

of the arrival of a typhoon. It is forecast to be one of the strongest

storms of the year and is expected to pass between Taiwan and the

Philippines before hitting the Chinese coast later this weekend.

Heavy rain is expected and meteorologists say there could be as

much as 20 millimetres per hour at the heart Gazprom height of the

storm and winds could be in excess of 85 kilometres per hour. -- at the

heart of the storm. Protesters have been stopped as they

marched towards the Kings Palace in Protesters have been stopped as they

camp oh dear. The election was -- Cambodia. The opposition party are

disputing an election result. The monks came to the royal palace

with a clear message for the Cambodian king. They want the king

to delay the opening of Parliament until differences over the contested

election can be resolved. TRANSLATION: We are united and we

are praying for peace and we to say to the king not to show buyers to

are praying for peace and we to say one party. The appeal of the monks

is against the King's intervention this week in which he urged

politicians to take their seat in parliament. Cambodian opposition

parties have threatened to boycott the National Assembly meeting until

there is an independent investigation into claims of

electoral fraud. Cambodia remains in political deadlock, in spite of

three days of talks between the Prime Minister's party and the

opposition. The two parties have agreed to some political reforms,

but the ruling party insist there will be no investigation, unless

there is a resolution soon, it is clear the protests are set to keep

growing. If you are hoping that someday,

someone will find a trace of live on Mars, that might have taken a bit of

a knock, because NASA's Curiosity Rover has found only tiny amounts of

methane on the planet, which is common on earth and a key indicator

of whether there are living organisms. They have only found

levels of 1.3 ppb, at least six times lower than previously

thought. The rover has been exploring Mars since landing last

August, but they will not give up hope. If you want to catch up, go to

the website. And this is BBC World News. The

headlines: At least 30 people are killed in southern Yemen after

simultaneous attacks on military targets. And Greenpeace says about

30 of its activists have been held overnight after armed men stormed

their ship in the Arctic Ocean. Saturday sees a major milestone for

Sri Lanka and its attempt to recover from a three decade long conflict in

which its estimated 100,000 people were killed. For the first time,

people in the Tamil majority north will get the chance to elect their

own semi-autonomous provincial council.

This is where they will be counting the votes to determine which 38

people sit on the northern provincial council. For the first

time, a single elected body for the Tamils of the north. This election

goes to the heart of the Sri Lanka question. How should this country

accommodate its ethnic minority, who complain of being second-class

citizens with no say in their own affairs? The question that led to

the vicious 30-year war, pitting the affairs? The question that led to

Tamil Tigers against the men nearly Sinhalese army and leaving well over

100,000 people dead, maimed, traumatised or disappeared. A win is

widely predicted for the Tamil National Alliance, a group once seen

as very close to the Tigers. The government accuses them of being

separatists, and some hard-line Sinhalese are trying to prevent

these elections from happening at all. If the TNA wins, will the

central government allow them to govern without restrictions? These

elections are happening under the shadow of certain things. Hundreds

of still unsolved disappearances, and many people who until recently

were displaced and still have no proper rubes over their heads. But

we understand that turnout is likely to be high, because the voters here

are enthusiastic about having this new council in northern Sri Lanka.

Now, twin tropical storms have battered Mexico this week, causing

widespread flooding and landslides, destroying roads and bridges and

leaving communities cut off. Tropical Storm Manuel, which on

Thursday briefly became a hurricane, has now moved north,

forcing hundreds from their homes. The storms caused widespread

destruction, with up to 100,000 people affected. More than 10,000

tourists have been airlifted out of the resort town of Acapulco, and so

far, 97 people are known to have died, with dozens still missing. As

the massive clean-up operation gets underway, the Mexican president has

announced that he is cancelling a planned trip to the United Nations

in New York next week to focus on the relief efforts.

This village has almost been wiped off the map by Tropical Storm

Manuel. 68 people are missing and feared dead after a mudslide tore

through their homes. It happened on Mexican Independence Day early this

week, but so cut off was the community by the floodwaters that it

took two days before survivors could alert the authorities. 15 bodies

have already been pulled from the alert the authorities. 15 bodies

mud. Many more are still believed to be buried. TRANSLATION: I heard a

loud noise, and I just stood there. be buried. TRANSLATION: I heard a

I saw how the dirt and dust again to billow up. It was like black smoke,

and it turned like a windmill. Meanwhile, the storm is continuing

on its district of path north. -- destructive path. Having seen the

devastation Manuel wrote further south, the authorities in other

states are preparing for the worst. TRANSLATION: We are prepared. There

are already temporary refuges set up in the capital, the South and the

north. Here in the capital, we have 18 refuge centres, and we are

preparing six more. There are others elsewhere. The majority of the

deaths from Tropical Storm Manuel took place in Garrido, now a scene

of utter devastation. The floodwaters destroyed bridges and

left many residents stranded. This is the first time there has been

such a combination of two par. This, is the first time there has been

Manuel to the West and heroic and Ingrid to the east, since the 1950s.

The government has made almost $15 million of aid available for the

affected regions, and the military and the Mexican Red Cross are trying

to coordinate relief efforts on both fronts. But their work has been

complicated by the continuing severe weather. Many Mexicans are trying to

fend for themselves as best they can under the circumstances. The coming

weeks look bleak for many parts of the country.

It is of course a glittering family. The Kennedys, much lauded in

the United States, and the latest family to try to make a career in

old tips, has been taking to the stage in Washington. Caroline

Kennedy was confirmed as the new US ambassador in Japan.

This wasn't your average Capitol Hill hearing to confirm an American

diplomat. Look at all those cameras. But then Caroline Kennedy is no

ordinary nominee. This member of the nation's most famous political

family was in front of the Senate to become US ambassador to one of

America's closest allies. It is an become US ambassador to one of

honour to appear before you this become US ambassador to one of

morning to serve as the United States ambassador to to Japan. That

Kennedy name came up often, both from the Senators questioning her.

Your mother and father, your aunts and uncles, all of your family,

inspired generations. And from the nominee herself. This appointment

has a special significance. As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of

my father's presidency. Caroline was only three years old when her

father, John F. Kennedy, was elected president. His popularity and the

country's fascination with the first family meant they were always in the

spotlight. She and her brother John Junior grew up in front of the

camera's lens, whether it was the White House photographers or the

home movies her parents were fond of making. Half a century later, she

stressed her father's strong connection to Japan during his time

in the Oval Office. As a World War II veteran, he served in the Pacific

and hoped to be the first sitting president to make a state visit to

Japan. From the beginning of his administration, President Kennedy

invited Japanese leaders to the White House in an attempt to smooth

over concerns about keeping an American military base in a now. --

akin hour. In 96 to two, he sent his brother Robert to Japan to lay the

groundwork for a state visit. In the summer of 1963, President Kennedy

had a successful trip to Ireland. He planned to do something similar in

had a successful trip to Ireland. He Japan the following year, plans that

were shattered when America's young president was assassinated in

November. Now the daughter can complete her father's work. If

confirmed as ambassador, I will be humbled to carry forward his legacy

in a small way and represent the powerful bonds that unite our two

democratic societies. As someone who endorsed ah early in his run at the

White House, Caroline turned in the Will be sure to have the

president's here. -- year. From one old member of an elite to somewhere

new money is coming in. Singapore is becoming increasingly

attractive to the world's megarich, and hosts of businesses have sprung

up to meet their needs. It is past midnight in Singapore's

up to meet their needs. nightlife district. Many of the

city's ultrarich have come out to party at a new premium lounge will

stop its owners have set up several nightclubs, catering for the rising

ranks of Asia's young which will stop understanding their tastes has

been critical to their success. There wasn't anywhere for these

people to go. Once we started, things kicked into play. The casinos

people to go. Once we started, came out as well. Things were more

abundant and visible, so people felt happy to spend their hard earned

money. A lot of our crowd is a local crowd, too. With the emergence of

the F1 in Singapore, people have pride in the fact that Singapore has

become a destination in the region for entertainment. On the other end

of Singapore, another event is drawing an older, but no less

wealthy crowd. They are shopping for new toys, namely multi-million

dollar supercars made new toys, namely multi-million

auto-maker McLaren. These cars don't come cheap, but as Western economies

struggle, the firm is betting big on Asian markets. Singapore is one of

the centres in Asia where you can find the highest concentration of

wealth. It is not just for Singapore itself. Singapore is a centre that

is looked at by all the people on the continent. Sooner or later, all

the people from Asia come to Singapore. There is a reason why the

super-rich are moving their wealth into Singapore. It is seen as ace

label country where -- with a business friendly and low tax

environment. Behind me is the business friendly and low tax

financial centre were multiple firms can manage their wealth, while on my

right, you have a casino with restaurants, shops and theatres

where they can spend their money. All this wealth has helped rebrand

Singapore's image from a stodgy, slightly boring place to a new

playground for the rich. But amid the rising wealth comes rising

inequality, and one of the issues the government faces is how to

address a widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Speaking of the poor, homeless man Glen Jones handed in a bag

containing thousands of dollars in Boston, and his honesty was

rewarded. Homeless, but honest. This man found a backpack with cash

and travellers cheques worth $42,000, and chose to hand it into

the police. His moved others to set up a donation fund for him,

including these two children. I heard this story, and I wanted to

give him some money. With him being in that situation, it shows that

give him some money. With him being there is humanity in the world. Glen

James, who has been homeless since 2005, said he would not have kept

the money even if he was a sprint. More than $110,000 has been donated

so far.