23/09/2013 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Philippa Thomas. Kenyan forces storm

a shopping mall in Nairobi where militants have been holding dozens

of shoppers hostage since Saturday. punctuated this third day of crisis

- ten to 15 gunmen are thought to people are known to have been killed

when gunmen stormed the mall on They threw a grenade and it entered

my hand and leg. The horse trading begins in Germany, who will join the

Hello and welcome. Heavy gunfire is still being heard in the Kenyan

capital tonight as a huge cloud still being heard in the Kenyan

smoke billows from the shopping centre where Islamist militants

smoke billows from the shopping Saturday. The security forces have

been trying to clear the gunmen Saturday. The security forces have

the Westgate mall in Nairobi. These are the live pictures coming into us

from the scene. The authorities are the live pictures coming into us

62 people have been killed. In a moment we'll report on those who

lost their lives and we'll assess the motive of the militant Somali

group, al-Shabab who've claimed Day three, the siege is starting to

feel like a waiting game, soldiers and police passing the time of day.

Suddenly, just afternoon a shot rings out. A series of explosions

coming from inside the complex. There is a series of shots ring

coming from inside the complex. now, just outside a shopping centre.

Lacks smoke we can see coming from the top of the building. -- black

Lacks smoke we can see coming from happening inside at this is the

Lacks smoke we can see coming from action we have heard in a number of

hours. The building where the gunmen including army personnel carriers.

hours. The building where the gunmen Government forces are in gauge in a

The attackers are not giving up Government forces are in gauge in a

The attackers are not giving up al-Shabab which carried out the

a children's cookery competition when the gunmen struck. Her own

daughter and son aged 12 and eight were injured. I had 33 kids with

me, the shooting was going on so we were in the corner and as I told

everyone to bend down, because the adults were worse than animals,

climbing on top of the kids to get over the walls and I was trying

climbing on top of the kids to get stepping on the children. Someone

carried my daughter out. She could not walk. I said a prayer to look

after her. . . And then they pushed the kids away, we ran towards each

other, we heard more firing and the kids away, we ran towards each

thought they were firing at us but it was the guys who came in and

thought they were firing at us but were protecting us. Government

forces say they killed two militants in the assault but the crisis is not

over. The terrorists will be running and hiding but all floors are under

our control. I also confirm we have fully controlled the building so

there is no room for anyone to escape. The army says its concern is

to get the remaining hostages out alive. People who are now preparing

to spend a third terrifying night inside. There were thousands of

shoppers in the Westgate shopping centre when the gunmen struck.

People of many nationalities were killed and injured. Our reporter was

one of the first to arrive at the A terrifying experience for those

who escapes and those still trapped. Over the weekend, as the death toll

rose, it became clear the victims were from all corners of the globe.

This is a place where foreigners The thick insulated roof protects

Among those confirmed dead was a prize-winning academic who joined --

with British Australian nationality. His company described him as...

literary royalty in his home nation. His fiancee, pregnant with their

literary royalty in his home nation. also among the dead. Her husband was

literary royalty in his home nation. casualties expected to rise, Kenya

are donating blood. This incident has pulled Kenyans together. We

are donating blood. This incident The president announced at the

weekend that his nephew was among the dead. He perished with his

fiancee. This is an atrocity that has united in grief the whole of

families who have been affected around the world. The al-Shabab

group says it carried out the attack because of the presence in Somalia

of Kenyan troops. They are there as part of African Union forces to

of Kenyan troops. They are there as fighting between warring factions.

They were also responsible for driving al-Shabab out from another

Armed men have always ruled Somalia. These African Union troops are the

latest. But they have a mandate These African Union troops are the

the United Nations to be here. Their possible and encourage a Somali

government to emerge. The terrible Somalis show how difficult these

ambitions are. This farmer whose identity we have disguised says

ambitions are. This farmer whose fled to the land after al-Shabab

took control. If you have a farm they would take half, if you do

took control. If you have a farm pay half they will arrest you or

African Union troops do what they can to control the situation but

they are battling against a long history of unrest. Somalis come

they are battling against a long this state of affairs because the

clamp have been fighting each other to years, the is the mists saw the

confusion and moved into exploit it. -- is the mists. The local Somali

government forces are disorganised. Most people think the African Union

situation would get worse. How long British, we are fighting with the

Somalia and is. The international community is trying to bring a new

Hammond he says he believes six siege and we are hearing from Philip

piecing together the information. among those who have died. We are

piecing together the information. We are pretty clear the claim of

responsibility rings true, it's al-Shabab. Had you read the motives?

Twofold, their main mission and al-Shabab. Had you read the motives?

is to regain control of the sections of Somalia they have lost to Kenya

military got involved in 2011 and it is not the first such attack. Others

have taken place but not with this impact or death count. But there's

also the global element, elements in al-Shabab which have global Jihad

Western targets outside of Kenya, outside Somalia. And put off these

countries from further involvement and they believe to prevent the

American attempt at subjugating publicity, it is easy for me to

American attempt at subjugating Yes, it was. It hit Kenya and Kenyan

society and the government and Western involvement and interests.

It was the perfect target. Even Western involvement and interests.

we say it is obvious, it is not something that's to stop. These

we say it is obvious, it is not were trained and know what they

we say it is obvious, it is not doing and are willing to die. But

the threat to security wasn't a doing and are willing to die. But

of the election campaign, it wasn't on the radar. Kenya has lots of

problems and different social is choose. Terrorism was not top of the

list, they do have a low scale terror threat that considering there

was huge ethnic into ethnic staff and wasn't to do with it. There

was huge ethnic into ethnic staff a concern if there would be a rerun

different threat and an enormous incident and given what's happening,

what can Kenya do, can call on more aid from the US and outside or does

that risk inflaming the situation? The African Union involvement in

Somalia is getting assisted by the United States but that is the model

they want to stick with. They want involvement or avert involvement,

the AAU model does that, assisted by involvement or avert involvement,

America. What I would say in Kenya is they will continue to be resolute

have to ask why they are there and forces are so involved. Yes, but you

have to ask why they are there and for a long time. It was something

external trainers from the US and for a long time. It was something

external trainers from the US and about Somalis in Kenya or Muslims.

emphasising them standing together about Somalis in Kenya or Muslims.

but it is causing tension. I hope that the president will speak and

there was an attack last bit at low-level, aged hardest attack in

Nairobi and there were reprisals anti-Muslim riots. I hope that

doesn't happen this time. It is likely something will happen but we

can only hope it is contained. Finally, what is driving al-Shabab,

how much steer are they getting Finally, what is driving al-Shabab,

outside and how much Al-Qaeda help are they getting? Is this part of a

They are self-sufficient, fairly independent. There are elements

They are self-sufficient, fairly are allied with Al-Qaeda, they have

Al-Qaeda, they consider themselves Al-Qaeda in East Africa. Whether or

not they are getting any direction, Al-Qaeda Central is not the case, it

evidence of any direct operational control from external Al-Qaeda.

Now to Germany and now we get back to work, said Angela Merkel after

her resounding victory in the German elections. It is not that simple.

Parliamentary system means the Conservatives will need to form

Parliamentary system means the coalition with partners who may

In the shadow of the new Bundestag offices and election poster flaps in

the wind. A new day of work after the excitement of the night before.

With a hint of a jig, she rejoiced with party workers. She starts her

third term as leader of Germany Tonight we celebrate, tomorrow we

get back to work. This is a big victory, no doubt about that, a

campaign was so closely focused victory, no doubt about that, a

negotiations start with her party, Social Democrats. The SPD will talk

to Angela Merkel's CDU to see if they can work together but her party

centre-left SPD came second with just 4.8%, leaving them with no

centre-left SPD came second with seats in the new parliament. So

centre-left SPD came second with She got 42%, critics have no say any

longer. She can say in Europe to David Cameron and other heads of

longer. She can say in Europe to It is all about who wins this Place,

the Bundestag to find a coalition that can be sustained but throughout

That wheeling and dealing can take it did for the current coalition

government. It could be a very different story in Berlin, we could

be talking about quite a lot of Absolutely. Do Brace yourself. The

first big headline in Germany is that this is being billed as a

victory for mummy, as she is known by so many Germans, she scored the

best result for her party since by so many Germans, she scored the

reunification of Germany, and it is absolutely a personal triumph. The

CDU's election campaign was centred around her and not really around the

issues and across-the-board use around her and not really around the

voters flocking to her side looking for stability in unstable economic

times will stop the young, old, for stability in unstable economic

and women. She hasn't been able for stability in unstable economic

put up her feet and enjoy this, for stability in unstable economic

relish this victory for a minute. She didn't get an absolute majority

as is very typical German politics, coalition partner to form the much

desired stable government. If you asked Germans they would want the

ground coalition, between her and Democrats. They are hoping that

might inject a bit more social introduction of a national minimum

wage. The international market also favours a grand coalition, the

Social Democrats might be more left-leaning, but it is thought

Social Democrats might be more pairing between the CDU and the

Social Democrats might be more open-minded approach to the eurozone

periphery and ease the eventual What is decided, matters not just to

German voters, but potentially to the citizens of Greece, Spain and

the rest of the European Union? mutterings in the corridors of

Brussels in the lead up to Germany's election. It is the biggest economy

in Europe, countries, politicians, the people of the eurozone looked to

Germany to lead in solving the European crisis and everything was

put on hold in the lead up to the election, ranking union, more money

for Greece, or Ireland. If you look at the muted reaction of the markets

this morning you can see there is phase in the eurozone crisis, there

had been a hope Germany would emerge re-NNI -- reenergised, no more

slowly, slowly approach, but let's go and at once and for role, but

instead days and weeks of political go and at once and for role, but

instead days and weeks of political negotiations between fellow leaders,

David Cameron might feel that she would be sympathetic to not as much

power in Brussels but more to the He shouldn't underestimate her,

nobody should. Even though she is her mental she has had to coalition

known as mummy she is also known as her mental she has had to coalition

and look what has happened to the liberal FTP, they didn't even make

it into Parliament. David Cameron should not underestimate her. If you

remember when she was talking about an agreement between governments on

fiscal union David Cameron said an agreement between governments on

shrugged her shoulders and turned her back. They are open to more

shrugged her shoulders and turned more integrated and federal Europe

but if you look at her attitude towards bank in Europe she is in

We will now get back to our top story in Nairobi, and get the very

We have heard the government saying we are in control, we have got it

sorted, and yet there has been the smoke still coming out and you have

been reporting on quite a lot of lot of comings and goings. This

gives no impression of having been resolved. Having control of the

building does not mean that the situation is over. We can only wait

for an official announcement. Then we will know it is done. As is so

often in these situations there we will know it is done. As is so

scarcity of information. What we have been told is that three of

scarcity of information. What we militants have been killed, what we

have seen is there has been a fire inside the building, we know there

have been some arrests at Nairobi airport, that are linked to the

Saturday. But in terms of what is going on now, what is the fate of

the hostages, the hostage-takers, the Al-Shabab Islamist, we simply

activity, the ambulances, fire trucks, huge numbers of troops

situation is still far from done and The sound is going in and out and

out little bit, but to get a little bit more from you, you have scares,

people think there is gunfire, a lot It is hard to overstate the fear of

local people and the look of shock on their face every time there is

For the most part, I think people would say actually the fire...

Rather than fire coming out. Of people 's faces, and not surprising

Rather than fire coming out. Of Kenyans and other nationalities

Rather than fire coming out. Of through on Saturday, there is a

profound and deep unease around through on Saturday, there is a

rest of the day, suddenly there through on Saturday, there is a

is a wider crackdown by the military The former captain of the Costa

Concordia cruise liner has appeared in court in Italy. He is facing

manslaughter causing shipwreck and abandoning ship. 32 people died

manslaughter causing shipwreck and the liner hit rocks last year and

defence lawyers have asked for permission to search the wreck for

evidence after savage cruise raised Protesters are street in cities

across Pakistan demanding that Christian minority after a double

suicide at the church in bourgeois on Sunday the 81 people died in

suicide at the church in bourgeois leaving at the end of the mass.

gunfire and explosions have been heard and smoke billowing from the

Islamist gunmen still hold over heard and smoke billowing from the

hostages stop some have been rescued and a number of militants killed.

movement has said it carried out the operation in Somalia though it is

not known how many militants are still in the Centre for stop that is