英国新闻听力 41（在线收听）

BBC News with Roy Lamar.

The Indian navy has apprehended two Pakistani merchant ships suspected of possible involvement in the devastating attacks on the city of Mumbai. They were stopped in waters just north of the city. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The Foreign Minister, Shad Mehmood Qureshi, said he was horrified by what had happened, and that it was wrong to jump to conclusions. The gunmen who attacked Mumbai, killing more than 120 people, are said to have reached it in speedboats after being dropped off by a larger ship. More details from Peter // of our new staff.

It’s been established that Mumbai attackers came ashore in a series of small boats. So it’s not surprising that all the merchant ships that passed through Mumbai in the past few days have come under particular scrutiny. According to Indian news agencies, intelligent sources pinpointed one particular cargo vessel that had stopped there briefly before leaving for Karachi in Pakistan. By luck, Indian navy and coastguard vessels were engaged in routine exercises off the coast of Gujarat, and were immediately dispatched to intercept the vessel. Both it and another Pakistani freighter have now been boarded by Indian forces. But it’s not yet clear if they found anything suspicious on board.

The Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh said the multiple attacks were carried out by a group based outside the country. Mr. Singh said India’s neighbors would be told in strong terms that the use of their territory for launching attacks would not be tolerated. Meanwhile Indian Commando Units have been searching through the rooms of the two luxury hotels in Mumbai at the center of the attacks. The police officer in charge of the operations said the search of the Taj Mahal hotel was almost over with just one wounded gunman believed to be still inside. He said that two gunmen remained at large of the Oberoi hotel, but they had been isolated and commandos were close in. // is outside the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

There are still hostages inside the Oberoi hotel in south Mumbai. Throughout the day, there have been sporadic explosions and gunfire. Here at the Taj Marhal Palace hotel, it appears that the authorities are close to bringing the situation under control. There are many questions remain unanswered. Who were these men who brought Indian’s commercial capital to a standstill? And for many families, the painful task of identifying the bodies of their loved ones continues.

The United Nations says there has been a sharp drop in poppy cultivation in Afghanistan. It’s estimated to be done by almost a fifth from last year. The UN also says the price of the opium has plummeted and that drugs are now less important to Afghanistan’s economy. But it addresses that Taliban and other insurgents are still making huge amounts of money from the drugs trade and to some extent, the problem has merely become concentrated in the south.

World news from the BBC in London.

Anti-government protestors in Thailand have taken control of the two main airports serving the capital Bangkok are bracing themselves for a possible intervention by police and military units to clear them out. The Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he had authorized the use of force to end the blockade. Because the disruption was damaging Thailand’s economy. Jonathan Head is at the main Bangkok international airport.

It was an anxious night for the protestors here at the huge international airport terminal, waiting for a police attack that by sunrise still have not started. Television pictures showed dozens of police trucks gathered at the cargo terminal, and more than 20 ambulances were lined up outside the airport hotel. There were no sort of // come across the // through the back of the terminal although they have approached the front, roamed access road. There is a tough-looking man in ballot clubs armed with // and possibly firearm on all of these approaches. They spend the night, peering out for any sign of an imminent attack.

The Iraqi parliament has approved the security pact with the United States under which all American troops are due to leave the country by the end of 2011. The agreement which follows a year of negotiations was backed by the governing coalition Shia and Kurdish blocks, as well reluctantly and eventually by Sunni politicians. President Bush has welcomed the vote, saying it firmed the growth of Iraq’s democracy.

The Human Rights Organization Amnesty International says the rape of young girls and teenagers in Haiti is widespread and the government is doing little to protect them. Amnesty said almost 350 rapes have been reported in 18 months, more than half of them involving girls under the age of 18. Amnesty says a lack of confidence in the Haitian justice system stops many victims from coming forward.

BBC News.