>> jared loughner appears in court. >> as the president of united states and also as a father, obviously, i am spending a lot of time just thinking of the families and reaching out. >> a separatist group declares a final cease-fire -- again. do they need at this time? protests in an uneasy about rising unemployment, and now, all schools and universities are closed until further notice -- protests in tunisia. i am mike embley. coming up, political concessions from the party the recognizes the winners and ivory coast elections, and caught red handed. why the crime rate is rising in

japan among one surprising age group. hello to you. the 22-year-old accused of shooting congresswoman gabrielle giffords appeared in court. president obama led the nation in silence in honor of the dead and wounded. they are saying there are more optimistic about her condition. we have this report. >> he was to lead a factory. she was to meet business leaders. -- he was due at a factory.

instead, they lead the country in a moment of prayer. the nation has pause for a moment. silence at a hospital where gabby giffords is being treated, to the new york stock exchange, and even in space. the congresswoman's brother-in- law is an astronaut at the international space station. >> the unspeakable acts of violence and damage that we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions but also with our irresponsible words. we are better than this. >> on capitol hill, a sudden stop to the waging situations that have become so typical. -- the raging situations. there will be no votes this week. president obama kept for the

moment somewhat aloof in what has become the national debate. >> in the coming days, we will have a lot of time to reflect. right now, the main thing you're doing is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who have been impacted, making sure that we are pulling together as a country. >> in abu dhabi, the stars and stripes flew at half mast. >> the extremists and their voices, the crazy voices that sometimes get on the tv, that is not who we are. that is not who they are, and we have to make it clear that this does not represent either american or arab ideas. >> here in washington, there is only one debate. most politicians are still very weary. the focus is on the crime and the tragedy felt. the man accused of the shooting

has appeared in court in phoenix, arizona. it seems he had a grievance against the congresswoman about answering a strong question about grammar in government. he killed a 9-year-old girl, a federal judge, and one of the congresswoman's aides. >> people like loughner who are mentally problematic are subject to a lot of the vitriol in our society today. >> not just sarah palin's website, where she targeted candidates, like gabby giffords, but supporters say liberals are being unfair. >> there are some people who will take any circumstance as an

opportunity to condemn political opposition. people have used this as an opportunity to bash those on the political right, as if they are somehow responsible for this horrible event. >> the president began to talk again, as he did during his campaign, of bringing people together. bbc news, washington. >> just a little later in the program, we will have reactions congressional's district. there may be an internationally verifiable cease-fire. from madrid, we have this report. >> there was an announcement

saying that the long campaign of violence is over. militants declared a cease-fire, when they say should be verified by international observers. it should be the end of the fight that has killed more than 800 people in four decades of violence, now, the militants say they are committed. >> but eta has also declared cease-fires before, each of them said to be permanent. a bomb at the madrid airport and the most recent cease-fire in 2006. the government broke off peace talks then and has taken a tough line ever since.

>> in the illegal party has only two options if it wants to come back to political life. either in leaves behind violence irreversibly and definitively, and clearly that is not the case today, where it renounces its relationship with it -- or it renounces its relationship with eta, and it has not done that either. >> they still have considerable support, but the government believes it has the upper hand now, and the only statement it will accept from eta is in dissolving for good. bbc news, madrid. >> the government in tunisia has ordered the closing of all schools and universities until further notice. 14 people died over the weekend. it is the worst violence the

country has seen in decades. from algiers, here is our bbc correspondent, chloe. >> the government is launching an investigation into who is responsible for more than three weeks of unrest. protesters, most of them young people, have staged rallies across the country about the lack of employment opportunities and greater freedom. >> at the start, people were protesting for jobs and against corruption, but now, there are calls in the street, and one hears in the slogan, people are calling for political change, and they're calling for it now. >> a university graduate set himself alight after police confiscated fruit and vegetables he had been selling without a license. the leader has kept a tight rein

for 23 years, zine el abidine ben ali. >> this is the work of a mass gain. -- gang. this is a terrorist attack that cannot be ignored. >> in the capital, which has remained relatively peaceful, there was a march to condemn the brutality. chloe, bbc news, lg years. >> airport on the disputed presidential election in haiti is said to recommend -- a report on the disputed presidential election in haiti. supporters of the opposition candidate have demonstrations, insisting there candidates got

more votes. the former republican majority leader in the u.s. house of representatives, tom delay, has been jailed for three years for money laundering and conspiracy. he was convicted last november for illegally channeling contributions to candidates in texas. people in southern sudan have been waiting to cast their votes in the second day of the independence referendum. it is widely expected to produce the world's newest state. turnout was not as heavy as the first day, and there is tension in the disputed border region. at least 30 people have died in clashes there over the past three days. a reporter is in the sudanese capital of khartoum. >> they fought for two decades. now, they are voting for independence. >> the north should stay out. i am from the south, and that is final. >> but in the last few days,

there have been clashes between seveners and northerners in a key border region. the military for both sides may have been involved. at least 30 people have been killed. those tensions along the border are not the only problems the north and south were going to face. after the referendum, there will be some tough negotiations on legal matters and oil. said in sudan is one of the least developed places on earth, but its natural resources, and in particular its oil, have fueled rapid development, at least in the capital khartoum. they now think it will be the new southern nation's greatest strength. >> a very defendable -- dependable supply of funding from oil revenue. >> almost three-quarters of the oil revenue of sudan is in the south, but the pipeline,

infrastructures, refineries, and poured are all in the north korean it is hoped that it will stop the two sides from going back to war. >> all the indications show that cooperation will continue. the north will have its share in the south ossetia revenues of oil. -- in the south's revenues of oil. the divisions between the north and south are still huge, particularly in abyei. bbc news, khartoum. >> the bbc was told that the man recognized as the winner of the presidential election is ready to consider a power-sharing government. he was on the program "hard copy " this is it the president gives

up. -- if the president gives up, laurent gbagbo. >> he is not alone. he has followers. there are people in his party. those people, we are prepared to work with them in the framework of a cabinet. >> the ambassador at the u.n. our correspondent told us what he made of the latest attempts to resolve the standoff. >> this is similar to what has been said. what they're getting a sweden of deal for laurent gbagbo for him to step aside -- whether they're

getting a sweet enough deal. they are trying to provide the right deal for him. there is no sign whatsoever from him or his supporters that they are willing to accept that they lost the elections in november, so i think we will see how this deal could be accepted, but possibly further down the lines. >> john james for us in ivory coast. stay with us if you can on "bbc world news." a deadly surge of flooding in the australian state of queensland. we give you the latest. first though, he seemed to be a committed a green activist, but an undercover police officer. now, a trial involving the activists he infiltrated has changed because he had second

half, offering evidence on their behalf, leaving questions about the role of the police. >> from a police officer to a tattooed and ponytailed eco- warrior. he infiltrated the protest movement. but his loyalties changed. today, there was a collapse of a trial of six people accused of trying to shut down the nottingham power station after the officer who infiltrated the group offered to give evidence in their defense. it is previously unavailable information that significantly undermines the case of the government. the six activists acquitted today were among 100 arrested in nottingham last easter koran that was for a planned attempt to shut down the power station. . last easter. that was for a planned attempt. one big question is whether he

crossed the line from passive mole to agent provocateur. market kennedy was yards away, having chained himself to the gate, and using a pseudonym, he drove protesters. he allegedly helped plan and find some of the protests. he also offered expert advice in how to break in and klein. scotland yard -- how to break in and climate -- climb. there are undercover officers working right now. marked easton, bbc news. >> let's just update you on the latest headlines on "bbc world news." the man who allegedly shot dead six people and seriously injured a congresswoman in arizona made his first court appearance.

at least eight people dead, 72 reported missing in australia in the state of queensland, where torrential rains caused more flash floods. more on that in just a moment, but back to our top story. congresswoman giffords is still in critical condition, but doctors are saying that the fact that her condition is stabilizing is progress in itself. our bbc reporter has been talking to some of the residents who are in shock. >> there is something of a shrine. messages of support. an outpouring from the city she represents after the attack that targeted her. congresswoman giffords was shot in the head while at a public event. he wounded more than one dozen before he was wrestled to the ground. >> someone grabbed the magazine. he got it out of his pocket, but

it ended up on the sidewalk. >> she raised the question many are now asking. >> how can somebody hates that much? >> it is a question directed at jared lee loughner, a man from this community with a troubled past. kind words for ms. giffords, and we noticed a few handmade signs. do you believe that politics said something to do with the shooting? >> i do not believe so. i think sarah palin was putting the cross hairs on our district, that did not help matters. no, this man was disturbed. unfortunately, he acted out in this way. >> you think he was encouraged by the debate? >> oh, yes, of course. >> i cannot believe i in this

emotional calm -- this emotional. .is just fuels' -- is just fuels the wis just ackos. >> people are divided? >> this was a bitter campaign. >> this is not uncommon in america, but they think this was extraordinary, and attempted assassination of a political figure. long after these tributes up and cleared away, people will wonder to what extent was politics itself to blame. bbc news in tucson, arizona. >> let's to keep up to the stories since we have been on air. people are dead and others missing after flash floods in

the australian state of queensland. the latest swept through one city. the water is no threat in the state capital of brisbane. our bbc correspondent is there. nick, this latest surge seems to come without much warning. >> it really did take people by surprise. yesterday, they thought they were getting control of the flooding and recovery efforts in connection with it, but then came these floods in the southeast of the state, just west of brisbane, the state capital, about 1.5 hours of a drive in normal conditions. i do not know what the conditions are right now. this has been described as an immune tsunami. that is what people are talking about. -- as an inland tsunami.

obviously, the police and state authorities up and talking about the death toll, and it is now 8, and it is believed that at least 70 people are now missing. this water has swept through other areas, as well, and they're trying to find out what the situation is there. over 40 people were taken overnight, and the australian defence force is moving in heavy gear to try to help in the rescue operation. >> we heard about a threat to the state capital. how serious is that, do you know? >> i think the threat in brisbane right now is rising floodwaters and in the low were lying suburbs. we're not talking about the whole of brisbane being inundated. britain was hit in the early 1970's. they put in a new reservoir in the meantime -- brisbane was hit in the early 1970's. this has made it much safer from

this kind of disaster that from 1971, i think it was. 14 people were killed in brisbane in heavy flooding, but as i said, since then, precautions have been taken with this reservoir in particular to prevent that from happening again. what we are looking at is not kind of flash flooding. it is more a case of slowly rising waner -- rain waters. the problem is these flash flooding is, the floods come out of nowhere, and that is what happened. >> thank you very much. is germany considered a safe country with a very large crime rate? arise in one particular age group in japan, the elderly -- a rise in one particular age group. it has increased tenfold. >> a supermarket in tokyo, but

the man in the black hoodie is not a shopper. he is a store detective, looking for people stealing. these days in japan, the usual suspects are not the young but the old. suddenly, they see something suspicious. and chase a customer who seems to have walked out without paying. it is a man in his late fifties, and hidden in his bag is a packet of fried chicken. in the back office of the shop, the suspect produces more goods and admits he stole them from a different supermarket on his way here. "i do not have enough money to live," he says. "i am struggling to get by. please let me go." but the store believes they have caught him before, and the police are notified. the manager tells me five or six shoplifters are being caught

every day. his company does not want him to show his face. >> over the last four or five years, the number has risen, and the number of older people doing it has gone up especially. many are over the age of 65. but >> economic stagnation is being blamed and the breakdown of the japanese extended family. once, the old were revered and lived with their children and grandchildren. now, many are alone. people come to the temple to pray for good health and a happy old age, but however fervent their prayers, life does not work out like that for everybody. some find the end of their lives marked by poverty and isolation. >> it is almost like our society

is coming to an end. we no longer care for others. people tend to put themselves first. it is very sad. i believe every japanese needs to think more about the people around them. the japanese need to change. >> but for now, the store detectives must remain on their guards against an unlikely criminal fraternity. the growing number of japanese turning to feeding in their old age. returning to -- turning to thieving in their old age. >> jared loughner, allegedly who shot congresswoman giffords in arizona over the weekend, made his first appearance in court. you can find more on twitter and

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