>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news."

>> iran begins feeling that their first billion dollar nuclear power plant. -- fueling up their first billion dollar nuclear power plant. hundreds of people are missing and many dead in the wake of an indonesian tsunami. welcome to bbc world news. will a new vaccine help eradicate polio? been the italians at their own game, meet the chinese fashion designers moving in on a in the lucrative market. iran has reached a milestone in

its nuclear program despite the many sanctions against them. engineers have started to load nuclear fuel into the core of their reactor there for the first time. this means that electricity could be generated out there next year. america at and europe are working to prevent iran from having nuclear weapons. >> the nuclear reactor, technological triumph or great white elephant? after 35 years under construction, many were beginning to have their doubts. today, the clearest sign yet that it is finally approaching completion. these rods contain a fuel that were power of the reactor. the long process of inserting them into the corps has begun to the delight of the iranian authorities.

>> after nearly 160 rods have been placed, hopefully we will ready to become operation which will be the energy production stage. >> the iranian officials were on hand to witness the latest development. for iran, this has always been a lot more than just about generating electricity. >> political sanctions will not impede our progress and one not stop us from using peaceful nuclear technology. >> it is russian engineers to our building and operating the plant. russia is supplying the fuel and taking away the nuclear waste making it difficult for the plant to be used as a nuclear bomb. that has reassured the west who has lifted their objections. >> iran declares the activities and materials under the

comprehensive safeguard agreement and declared that the materials are for peaceful activities. >> other concerns about the program continue. while the ron prepares to declare triads, the heart of the confrontation remains unresolved. >> you can find out more about the nuclear program on the bbc news website. there are satellite images which show how the reactor has been filled. indonesia is facing a possible double disaster. the earthquake looks to have killed at least 100 people. hundreds more are missing. now a volcano seems close to full-scale eruption. it is throwing hot ash into the air. local people have been evacuated. the earthquake triggered a

tsunami. >> search and rescue officials will be on their way to the island off the coast of sumatra to find any more survivors from the powerful tsunami that was created as a result of the earthquake late monday. the indonesian vice president and the house minister have toward the area. it has been difficult for any search and rescue teams to get to this a very remote part of indonesia. bad weather has hampered any of the rescue efforts. officials have said that at the moment they can confirm that at least 10 villages have been washed away by the highway -- high wage at that was generated. the irruption has prompted thousands of villages to flee

from their homes. the evacuation procedure is quite challenging for officials, they had issued a red alert on monday signalling an imminent eruption but many villagers refused to heed the warning. they were reluctant to leave their homes and farms. now, more than 13,000 people need to be evacuated from the slopes of the mountain and to be taken to the safety of refugee camps nearby. >> the presidential runoff election in guinea could be held this weekend. the head of the electoral commission has said it will be held on sunday. the voting has been delayed by a lack of preparation and street fighting. the u.n. secretary general is urging the leaders of burma to

release political prisoners ahead of the elections. he says that the leaders still have time to improve the credibility. a huge storm has hit the northwest of the u.s. tearing roofs from houses, tearing down power cables, and delaying flights. the weather system stretching from the dakotas to the great lakes is one of the worst in decades and similar in strength into a category 3 hurricane. officials in china are claiming a record for the fastest train. it is 420 kilometer meters an hour. passengers will not go that speed every day. a new vaccine against the polio virus has helped reduce cases by more than 90%. research published on line

suggests a new vaccine is significantly better at protecting children than the current popular vaccines. this as are to be used in afghanistan, nigeria, and india. some believe it will finally help to eradicate the disease. >> the polio eradication campaign began in 1998. since then, mass vaccination campaigns have led to a number of countries falling from 125 to just four. this has been due to the effect of vaccines that are readily available. these are easy to administer. this should protect against the disease. this targets and the virus that is still circulating. in a study carried out in more than 800 babies in india, the vaccine is about 30% more

effective in protecting against polio than the most popular vaccine. >> we have started to use this in december in afghanistan and then very rapidly in very large scale campaigns in india, particularly in northern india, and nigeria. basically, if you look at india, but you have more than 90% reduction year to date from last year to this year. >> mass campaigns are under way in africa in an effort to vaccinate more than 72 million children against the disease. >> we have been waiting for a product that works very well in the worst areas. it seems like finally we have a product best serves its purpose.

we still have to wait longer to find this. >> the vaccine could be key for finally achieving the global elimination of polio. 700 million u.s. dollars is needed to fund the current eradication program. >> at the former deputy prime minister and foreign minister of iraq tariq aziz has been sentenced to death. he is the only christian in the inner circle and the pope has asked for clemency. >> the moment happened. the sentence, death by hanging for mass murder. he said recently thought he would die in jail. that is now in question.

tariq aziz was associated with the basque party and saddam hussein from the very early days. he was a member of the top leadership including the revolutionary command council. as foreign minister and later the deputy prime minister, he is the face of iraq to the outside world. after saddam hussein himself, he was surely the most recognized iraqi figure to the outside world. it was his voice that tried to stop the invasion in 2003. his face was one of the famous that the cards this doubt by the americans. he was only reached the she was only number 43.

the -- his face was one of this famous ones on the cards given out by the americans. his image for many people seems to be not unlike the face he presented to the outside world, a sophisticated political man rather than a brutal killer. >> everyone knew he was a politician and had nothing to do with security, he said. whether he should have been condemned, that is a legal issue. >> he was an important figure. he contributed to the policies that led to the death of so many people. >> people are divided about his degree of culpability. he did not expect the kind of hatred that saddam hussein and

his inner circle did. not many people will be celebrating in the streets. >> stay with us if you can't on bbc world news. there is mounting pressure for the u.s. to lift their traded embargo against cuba. the united nations is one in a cholera epidemic could fester for years despite the signs that a number of cases is stabilizing. this has killed 259 people and infected many more. >> police trying to restrain the crowd at a warehouse where -- are being distributed to help stop the spread of cholera. the epidemic has taken its toll. they have made those who live here fearful.

water purification equipment is being installed to make sure that the disease is not spread by contaminated water. international aid agencies are awaiting more funding. >> will look outside for all of the programs. >> officials say that this might be stabilizing but the u.n. is still preparing for the possibility of a nationwide outbreak. the fear is that cholera could spread quickly through the town of port-au-prince. precautionary steps are being taken in the capital. >> around the camps and the capital, we should make sure that all garbage is collected

and her to stop the spread of cholera. we would like to have more drinkable water. we would like to control the spread of the disease. >> this is the first outbreak in haiti in more than 100 years. the country has seen political instability and natural disasters and now this. >> the latest headlines for you this hour on bbc world news. iran has begun to put a fuel in their nuclear power plant. will the west the convinced that their intentions are peaceful? many are dead and others are missing in the earthquake and tsunami that hit indonesia. the senate in france has approved the pension reform bill that has triggered nationwide strikes and protests. that brings the legislation one step closer to law. the demonstrations could be

losing momentum. >> another day, another protest. students and workers demonstrate outside of the senate in paris. the numbers are down, only a few hundred turned up. other student protests were even more sparsely attended. the government is increasingly confident that it has weathered the worst of the opposition over its pension reform. within one in five filling stations is short of or out of supplies but with five out of 12 refineries functioning and all fueled up those cleared, the situation is improving. -- all fuel depots are cleared, the situation is improving. the strikers are not going back to work. the pension bill received its final vote in the senate on

tuesday and on wednesday it will be in the national assembly. on this day, there is another big day of demonstrations just like the previous ones plant from france. this may well draw out large numbers again. organizers know the battle to stop the pensions law is now all but lost and this has been bold but ineffective. >> 60 people have been detained in egypt for putting up election posters for the banned muslim brotherhood. the arrests are for the use of religious slogans and breach of electoral law. a spokesperson says nearby posters for the governing party -- to the group trying to win the football world cup to england have made a complaint to fifa up

out comments made by the head of the russian organization. they said that london had high crime rates and high use of alcohol. there are several crucial matches and the world cup. today, the sad news that paul the octopus has died. after the world cup, he went on to appear in a video supporting england's bid to host the cup and down -- host the cup. for one italian city and its foreign manufacturers, the chinese challenge is a lot closer to home. a fashion disaster -- designer from china is beating the italians at their own game. >> the color, the cut, the cost, it all says italian.

here in the heart of tuscany, buyers of the top fashion shops are trying out the outfits. nothing strange about that, you might think, until you see this. this is the chinese owner of the company. the italians are buying their clothes from him. >> this is a free world and the market is opening up. there are less italians working and some are angry about that but this should not be a problem. for the next 50 years, china will be an important country. the chinese have defended -- descended on this town, home to the italian clothing industry. there could be as many as 5000 chinese factories here, many matching italian quality and all leading italian prices. this is one of the remaining

italian-owned factories. machines appeared dizzy but the shops are increasing their stock of chinese goods. this man started here 50 years ago. now he thinks that the industry's frame at the edges. >> international laws are changing too fast. chinese importers cost a dollar a meter whereas ours cost $10. this is turn everything upside down. >> in the past 15 years, his work force has been cut by half. in some cases, this has nothing to do with textiles or clothing, this has to do with the rise of china and their influence around the world. they are creating challenges as

people seek new opportunities. there is another challenge, chinese-run criminal operations. officers think there could be up to 20,000 illegal workers working in a clandestine world of low pay and crime. there are many risks of the chinese mafia infiltrating the business. the businessmen say that they just want to compete. the message could apply anywhere. this century is truly being fashioned by china. >> more pressure on the u.s. and the u.n. general assembly to lift their trade in our go against cuba. this report from our correspondent in havana on more on what affect the lifting of

the embargo might or might not have. >> cuban rum is one of the best known exports along with the cigars. cuba manages to sell three and a half million cases a year despite the trade embargo. they to be doing almost half as much again. >> we have the possibility to save in the u.s. and we are losing 2 million cases. >> rum is an important hard- currency. they have gone into partnership. q. but rose this sugar from molasses and have been rum makers and if there expertise.

-- this sugar is from molasses and the rum makers are offering their expertise. this would not make any difference. they are marketing their own brand in the united states. the brand wars extend it to cigars. this is one of the premium brands. there is another sale in the u.s. made in the dominican republic. cuban-american relations have improved a little under president barack obama and it appears that the hopes of lifting the trade embargo have gone up in smoke. >> the giants that thought to be the largest animal and britain has been killed. -- the giant stag thought to be

the largest animal in britain has been killed. it is thought that it was shot for its antlers. >> it is the emperor by name. today, his empire. this is the giant stag before he was killed. more than 8 feet tall and weighing hundreds of pounds. the footage was found by a wildlife cameraman who says that this is a tragedy. >> he was a beautiful stag. he was tall. he was 8 foot tall. >> it was just off of this main road that the emperor was killed. local people reported hearing shots being fired. this data was loaded into a vehicle and taken away.

these are thought to be the last pictures of the emperor. it is not clear if he was shot by a trophy hunter or as part of a calling program. it seems that the emperor was killed perfectly legally by someone who paid to the landowner for the hunting rights. hunting groups have defended the killing. they say that the red deer need to be controlled. at 12 years old, the animal's health was beginning to deteriorate. shooting him was in maine. >> they can die from starvation. this is a very clean way to kill them. >> this shows the animal fighting another stag for females. conservation specialists say that is saddened that he was shot right in the middle of the rutting season.

they hope that his genes have been passed on to the next generation. >> many of you have been in mailing about this. should there be more restrictions on deer hunting? iran has begun loading fuel into the core of their first power plant. this marks a key stage in the firing out of the nuclear plant. russia will operate the facility in southern iran. the uranium enrichment program has alarmed western nations. they distrust the claims that this is just for peaceful part -- purposes. you can find much more on that and all of the international news anytime you want it on bbc.com.

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