NPR 2009-04-12

The US cargo 1 ship that was attacked by Somali pirates is back in port in Kenya and 19 crew members have been debriefed 2 by FBI agents. But the ship's captain is still being held hostage by four heavily armed pirates in a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean. Negotiations 3 aimed at securing the release of the captain have reportedly broken down over the issue of whether the pirates should face arrest. John Reinhart, chief executive of the company that owns the cargo ship, told reporters in Virginia that the vessel 4 is now under the control of the FBI.

“The FBI has informed us that this ship is a crime scene, therefore the crew members will have to stay on board the vessel. We will make sure they are safe. We know what food they want. We’ll get the food to them. But you will not be able to have access to the crew during investigation 5.”

Reinhart says authorities are building a case against the Somali pirates. US navy ships have turned away several vessels 6 hijacked 7 by pirates who were trying to reach the area to help the four who are holding the American captain.

A suicide bomber 8 in Iraq detonated a belt packed with the explosives today at an Iraqi army outpost southeast of Baghdad. Nine Sunni militiamen were killed and thirty-one others were wounded. NPR's Quil Lawrence reports from Baghdad.

A bomber wearing a suicide vest infiltrated 9 an army base and blew himself up next to a line of Sunni paramilitaries who were waiting to collect their monthly salaries. The attack happened in the town of Iskandariyah, part of the mixed Shiite-Sunni territory, once called the Triangle of Death. The area has been quiet in recent months, thanks in part to the Sunni militiamen who helped US troops fight insurgence 10. Recent troubles between the Sunnis and the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad have raised fears of return to sectarian strife 11. The past week has been Iraq's bloodiest 12 in many months, including a massive truck bomb that killed five US soldiers in the northern city of Mosul, the heaviest US death toll 13 in a year. American commanders have suggested they may not withdraw from Mosul this summer as a US-Iraqi agreement stipulates 14. Quil Lawrence NPR News, Baghdad.

Oklahoma's governor Brad Henri has declared a state of emergency in 30 counties where wildfires destroyed more than 200 homes and injured at least 62 people this week. For member station KOSU, Michael Cross reports.

Residents in the Oklahoma City, suburbs of Choctaw, a Midwest City, are trying to recover after more than 100 homes burned to the ground. William Walken says he didn't have time to think about his home or possessions as the smoke gathered in his neighborhood. "It was choking types, big smoke. So get out and worry about other things at a later day. Your life can not be replaced." Officials are investigating the fire in Oklahoma County, saying it might have been intentionally 15 set. The national weather service said high fire danger continues until Easter Sunday when much needed rain is expect to arrive. Michael Cross reporting.

This is NPR News.

The sound of violent demonstrators in Thailand storming the site of today's scheduled summit meeting of Asian leaders. That session was cancelled and the leaders had to be airlifted to safety. The red shirt protesters were calling for the resignation of Thailand's prime minister. He has refused to step down and went on national television and declared a state of emergency. But he revoked 16 that declaration about six hours later.

Pope Benedict opened the Easter Vigil service at St. Peter's Basilica by carrying a lighted candle into the darken church, a candle from which thousands of people gathered there lit smaller tapers 17. The BBC's David Willey sent this report.

There is a packed Basilica, some many thousands of people, and 30 cardinals 18 concelebrating the Easter Ritual Mass with the Pope. And the ceremony began, the service began with the, um, all the lights turned off. And after the Pope lit the flame, everybody was carrying candles and they transmitted the flame from one candle to another. And now, the flood lights have been switched on and the vast Basilica 400 years, built 400 years ago is bathed in light. So this is a highly symbolic 19 occasion, the beginning of the Easter celebrations of the Roman Catholic Church. The BBC's David Willey reporting from the Vatican.

In L'Aquila, Italy, the community hardest hit by this week's powerful earthquake, Catholics lined up at makeshift confessional tents to prepare for Easter mass. About 40,000 people lost their homes in the disaster and are living in tent camps.