>> and now "bbc world news." the doghouse at least 170 dead in the past week as the post- election standoff is increasingly bloody. hand attacks in rome, car bombs exploded at the swiss and chilean diplomatic missions. the north threatens a secret war against the south. welcome to bbc world news. getting back on their feet, her japanese robots are helping bring injured patients walk. -- brain-injured patients walk. british scientists revealed the secret.

hello to a least 170 -- the special on voice stopped at gunpoint as they tried to investigate. the situation at the ivory coast leads to the fears of many observers. the un german assembly has recognized his rival as the winner. the diplomatic correspondent has this report. >> hot united nations is warning of civil war. the emmy forces but the man who has refused to step down. most of the world is convinced

he lost. seen here on the left being sworn in by loyal supporters. on the right, widely regarded as the true victor, and of being protected by the un. in opposition areas, who they are accused of widespread atrocities. they fear far more. >> it has been impossible to investigate all of the allegations of serious human rights violations including the mass graves due to restrictions by u.s. personnel. >> it is becoming an increasingly dangerous place. several countries including britain and france have been told police. the ivory coast has endured a civil war before.

this was meant to be the crowning achievement of the peace deal to unify the country again. what is happening on the ground where areas of opposition have strong support her? >> people are scared between security forces and they say that sometimes, they have used live rounds. they have issued a barricade to protect themselves and rahway into their houses whenever security forces come in. >> they do little more than protect the hotel where the president has made his headquarters. inside, the alternative government hopes to one day being able to control the country. there is a far bigger and increasingly valid context.

>> we will keep you posted on what happens, of course. in response to the swiss that chilean embassies, two people were injured. this from our correspondent. >> outside the swiss embassy, it was a deceptively quiet. a 53-year-old man had opened the parcel. the remains using both of his hands. no one else was injured. then came the second attack. someone working in the room was injured as another parcel exploded. some suspect that it was linked

to recent bomb scares. >> i believe these attacks are not related. the investigators are following some international league's -- leads. >> it could be linked to anarchists. [unintelligible] then, more than one dozen bombs were linked to foreign embassies and to some european leaders. >> a contentious reforms to university education have been improved. the plan triggered a nationwide demonstration on wednesday. the government has a large majority. it can now be signed in the law. australian police say something

has been dismantled with 400 arrests. they allegedly controlled the heroin market in vienna. in a russian court, six men accused of hijacking a cargo shed have pleaded guilty to piracy. they vanish for more than two weeks last year ha. exactly what happened is still the subject of much speculation. noises are to a laudable again. north and south each threatening the other with immediate retaliation. with the recent live fire artillery exercises, they wanted to lodge -- lodge a sacred

nuclear war. >> south korea still reeling from last month's shelling attack is sending the northern enemy rather blunt message. this is one of the largest military exercises held on seven southern soil. the issued a warning. they could begin a sacred war at any moment necessary, he says. it left the government with a difficult choice.

and do nothing, and it will be criticized for appeasing a dangerous foe. and others will accuse it of provoking the north even further. >> there is a high possibility that the south korean exercise will prompt north korea to react, he says. but so far, despite the threats, south korea oppose the large-scale show of strength, for now, hall has called north korea's bluff. >> at a time when media freedom seems to be opening up for newspapers, they have been granted licenses. they quoted home cable and implementing her.

they just returned from zimbabwe. >> a new independent daily roles of the presses. with six months, the reporters are being threatened with jail. despite political pledges, the editors here know they could be cut down at any time. >> it seemed like restrictions would be relaxed. more journalists have been arrested. >> there is a problem of general harassment.

that is a big problem. >> that have been reported worldwide, there have been demands for multi-million dollar lawsuits. they now have a bit more choice in terms of what they read. but simply the government of the newspaper. >> [unintelligible] >> what they listen to is still dominated by the state. they have no plan to license private forecasters. >> the political heartland. it is broadcast on radio. and the newspapers ha ha make an appearance.

radio and television are dominated by one-sided political propaganda. the government had declines to discuss its. >> these are cheap satellite dishes. with the push for elections next year, the political mood is changing and demands that media freedom is a basic human right. >> stay with us if you can on bbc world news. still to come, uncovering the truth about a giant fossil that was of the english coast.

going where many might prefer not to, the lowest debt levels, it will be the seventeenth member. >> the weather might be frosty at the christmas market, but the outlook for the economy is sunny. businesses say they should pull in foreign investment. most welcome it. currency has a deep significance. they symbolize the country's independence, but they have finally been accepted. >> families have been hit hard by budget cuts. this unemployed couple has come to a charity, without which it

would be unable to feed their four children properly. it will make food even more affordable. >> the cost-of-living -- when we have the same currency, prices will rise. >> one of the poorest states have a of the bailout richard. >> we are in the same boat as greek people. we have to pay the bills of bankers. >> it is a proud sign that it not only are arrived in the west, but boasting the lowest

government-backed and outperformed its. >> the latest headlines of bbc world news. the winner of the ivory coast presidential election. the embassy in rome is running urgent security checks. there have been more alleged terrorist plots in the last 12 months than at any time since 2001. undercover fbi informants -- many of the cases involved stings when undercover agents posed as terrorists. the communities are starting to wonder if the fbi is getting

overzealous. >> as they turn on the christmas lights in portland, ore., a young man was parking a car bomb when he tried to detonate the bomb, and nothing happened because it was a fake supplied by the fbi. this terrorist plot was a stain -- sting. he was a 19-year-old american of somali dissent. under cover of the -- fbi agents supplied the fake bomb. but they also show him giving a choice. he could walk away. he opted to stay, they alleged. he pleaded not guilty and his lawyer says he never would have applauded it if the fbi hadn't encouraged him. >> one of the issues will be looking into is the question of

entrapment. >> since 2001, and 97 prominent prosecutions, they used informants. a third of dependence argue that they were entrapped by the fbi. but not a single case has been dismissed because of entrapment. >> the individual did not just talk the talk. consistently, the entrapment argument comes the hollanders deny it. >> the attorney general has been meeting with groups across the country to reassure them, they're starting to worry about informants in a sting operations against the young people. we heard from american muslims that cooperate with law enforcement.

under current of concern about where fbi tactics. >> the partnership to protect our country also infringes on the civil rights of muslims. we would like our young people to not feel isolated or targeted. >> the man was arrested for allegedly trying to blow up washington's mass transit system. he was talking to fbi informants. the fbi says the operations are crucial. >> in court and austria has found three men guilty of an army base.

the a trillion citizens were upset about the involvement in the wars of iraq and afghanistan. >> their between 26 and 34, guilty of conspiring to carry out terrorist acts. the basis of the prosecution case. they did secretly record these telephone conversations in the six months leading up to august of last year right across the victoria. the court has looked for approval to carry out these attacks. what was overwhelmingly apparent was the opposition to the involvement. the men in the conversations have talked about killing as many soldiers as possible at the

army base and said they would fire their guns until they were killed themselves. they were sentenced early next year while the other men have been acquitted had released -- released from prison. >> the brain injury can leave many people are able to walk. a pair of robotic trousers help the patient who stand up and take steps. there already used in hospitals in japan. nothing stops them from smiling -- stops her from smiling, and ever since her stroke, she has been in a wheelchair. besides of robotics offers hope that she will be able to walk again. the moment she has been waiting for.

even hall takes steps for the first time. >> i can walk without difficulty. >> it is very difficult to get on my feet. i can actually root -- move again. >> she tries the stairs. sensors are picking up electrical and pulses, controlling robotic lives. >> japan leads the way because it has the greatest need. a quarter of the population is over the age of 65. it will help people live happier

old age. >> the prototype robot guide has already been made by one company. let's take a walk together. >> division of the future where robots don't just tell people what, but our companions in life. >> scientists are trying to crack the secrets of a giant fossil. the country's most powerful scanners. >> this is the most fearsome beast ever to swim the ocean.

150 million years ago, it was a colossal machine. this is what is left. this was one of the largest ever found. scientists want to find out more. this is one of the largest scanners in the u.k. have the most powerful of its kind. the machine works like a hospital scanner the with much higher resolution. >> what we're doing will reveal the internal structure without damaging it whatsoever. >> he could lead to a breakthrough.

>> i am really hopeful that it ends up being a really interesting specimen. >> it goes on display next summer. >> you still have some shopping to do. you can go to another country to buy presents. it has provided them with a bit of festive cheer. it is the time of gifts in northern europe. extending to the neighboring people. they go against the swiss franc and is drawing bargain hunters.

they like the fact that they can reclaim the tax on german purchases. and as shopowners says on the swiss people come because of the low euro. they have tickets which they can reclaim a sales tax. they drive across the border and return with their cars full of goodies. she doesn't save money overall. it is congruous on the other side of the border. here in the town, the franc doesn't seem to go as far as it does on the german side. this shopowners says it is a painful experience. swiss customers ago the germany, but we also feel the effects of the missing german

customers because of the high swiss franc. >> germany has a strong balance at the moment. >> that is one of the effects of the euro crisis. >> the top story for you again, that les recording -- national pressure has been mounting. the general assembly has just recognized his rival as the winner of last month's collection. it is an attempt to standoff. mercenaries are supporting and backing him. you have much more on bbc.com.

thank you for watching. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold, get the top stories from around the globe and click to play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was 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? >> there is one stage that is the met and carnegie hall. >> o, that this too, too solid flesh -- >> it is the kennedy center. >> check, one, two. >> and a club in austin. >> it is closer than any seat in the house, no matter where you call home. >> the top of the world, and i'm there, i'm home. >> pbs -- the great american stage that fits in every living room. your support of pbs brings the arts home. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles. presented by kcet, los angeles.