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>> and now, "bbc world news america." >> this is "bbc world news america." targeted in tehran, a nuclear scientist in iran is killed by a bomb attack that is blamed on israel and the united states. and it explosion goes off in the city of palms. welcome to our viewers on pbs in america and around the globe.

an assassination more fitting of the movie. on a busy street, it draws alongside his car, attacked as a magnetic bomb, and kills the iranian nuclear scientists. the latest in a series of attempts a scientist involved in iran's nuclear program. the claim is denied by the white house. >> it was about 7:00 in the morning, i told the driver to speed up.

>> he was an adviser at an iranian richmond facility. israel's military chief did suggest that iran could expect a natural events in 2012. this might be the first. one of the main suspects says it has nothing to do with the attack. gosh categorically denying any united states involvement in any kind of act of violence inside iran. >> it is the latest in a series of bombings and explosions. a physics professor was killed as he left for work. in 2010, motorcyclists bombed prominent nuclear scientists. and a large explosion killed 17 soldiers at a missile base.

putran says it won't be off, a point it made during missile tests earlier this year. if it has worries, it hides them behind displays of power. >> the more they move in the direction of being able to develop weapons, the closer we get to more coercive actions. the nuclear activities are also provoking sanctions against the country's valuable oil exports. for iran leaders, that is a much more serious threats. >> and joining me now with more on the deteriorating relations, a former adviser in the u.s. state department, thank you for coming. the u.s. has denied claims that it was involved in these attacks.

the other country iran says is responsible is israel. >> israel has not denied it. it is actually good to carry out these activities because they don't need to go to war with iran if they can set the program back by sabotaging nuclear facilities. >> and just last week, you wrote that if there are new mysterious attacks, the climate for conflict will be hotter. you couldn't have been more right in terms of the attacks. >> since the attacks are public, international media is covering it and it is embarrassing to the iranian government. that the foreign government can operate in its territory at

will. the pressure builds on security forces to do something about it. they can claim that they have never did in the bud. pretty soon, they begin to retaliate. in a much more open way that they have done in previous acts of assassinations is probably a signal that they are likely going to begin retaliating for these attacks. >> what can the united states do to try to bring the attention down? that tactic was changed from the white house's stand point. he seems to have lost the political space for policies of negotiation. what should the white house feeling? gosh, they are going to be difficult and time consuming, it will not fit the election timeline.

the sanctions look like the best thing the administration can do to keep the pressure on iran and hockey the republicans that, and who are critical of the administration. it is now threatening to cut off the flow of oil and bring some economic change to the west. we are in a very bad cycle of gradual escalation and i don't see any easy way out. if both sides can agree to meet to start negotiations, it may give political room at home to make some compromises produce the attention. >> republicans criticizing the white house as well. >> nine people including a french journalist has been killed when rockets are fired. the correspondent is the first

foreign journalist to be killed in syria on a government sponsored trip at the time. circumstances are still not clear. >> an impressive crowd has gathered in damascus, shouting support for the president. the rally seemed well-planned. he has the same message that he delivered, he will not step down. nor is he ready to make any concessions to the opposition. dodge the important thing is to have faith in the future. i will have faith in the future. they have reached the end of their conspiracy and this will be the end for them and their plans. >> is this confidence, the illusion, or desperation?

it is impossible for this appearance to see house on his grip is on the country. his statement suggested that there will be no negotiated and to this crisis. which raises deeper questions over the small observer mission. it is supposed to be monitoring the process. one of the members have given up describing the mission as a farce. >> i spent down because i felt i served in the regime. i did not belong in an independent body, that is why i stepped down. i was giving them a greater chance to continue its killing and i could not prevent that. gosh hundreds of civilians have been killed since last month.

the presence appears to have aggravated the violence. the french journalist was one of several people killed in the contested city during a government rally. >> the monitoring mission should not continue indefinitely. we cannot permit the president and his regime to have immunity. they deserve a peaceful transition, and we are looking to work with the arab league when the current monitoring mission expires on january 19. >> if the mission is declared a failure, what then? without the international intervention, it seems condemned to sink into a prolonged an increasingly bloody conflict. >> an increasingly intractable

position there. the prime minister of pakistan has sacked a retired army general at the ministry of defence. he is accused of gross misconduct. it came hours after the armed forces alleged that the head of intelligence acted unconstitutionally. in nigeria, for people are shot at where just yesterday, prospective members of the islamist militant group shot dead eight people at a bar. it posted a video on line claiming that its forces are stronger than the army. the president is under pressure to deal with protests. our correspondent reports. >> the strike that has brought most businesses to a standstill. the stakes have been raised on both sides, there were talks of

a gradual process that would lead to the slowing of oil production in the country. oil workers are considering shutting down the country's oil output. if a strike which is successful, not only will it bring the economy to its knees, it will heavily affect global oil prices. there is no work no pay policy for public servants. >> is no issue here. the harsh economic policies of his own, for many years, [unintelligible] >> the fuel subsidy must be

reinstated, but it has become a platform for wasteful spending. and far too basic infrastructure. the reason, they say, is corruption. >> this is beyond puzzling. >> this is the leader of the radical islamist group. it is the first video released after the bombing of churches that killed at least 25 people. in it, he rejects remarks that it has become a cancer to nigeria. there is revenge for similar

fatal attacks on muslims in the country. at least 15 people have been killed in the north and south in the country. there is a sectarian strife that is costing lives. matters of the heart will soon be taking a heavy toll. south korean analysts have warned about military adventurism by north korea in the wake of the southern leadership change. >> special forces are training

as they do every year to infiltrate the communist labor. these troops could also be dropped behind enemy lines. there are regular military clashes along the demarcation line. with sudden changes in north korea last month, this place has been placed on high alert. >> the military situation has become very uncertain. no one can anticipate what is going to happen, but as soldiers, we need to be prepared for the worst. the best we can do is to be ready. >> north korea has operated the million man army in public squares.

south korea is offering a different image, it wants to be slim and strong. it is rare to be allowed to be this close to special forces. these are unusual times. it means huge pressure on units like this one has to prove they are fully prepared. >> as south korea ha watches and signs of military change, there is a new attention here this winter. >> from a eight-vote winner in iowa to commanding victory in new hampshire, last night, mitt romney took a step closer to winning the republican nomination by clinching the primary.

he won by 16 percentage points over ron paul, but the campaign has moved into south carolina where residents will vote next weekend and will steel themselves for an ugly week. the political attacks are getting nasty. we are joined now, can we say that he is the nominee? >> is looking more likely, but south carolina will be the situation that he wants. he has this jumble field, no single candidate that makes it more difficult for him to win south carolina. he is very likely to be the nominee, but having said that, you will never know. >> he has not managed to excite the base of his party. they're worried that he is not a

real conservative. when you look at the exit polls, one of the things that struck me is that actually, he won and that state, the vote of people calling themselves very conservative. >> he won across all income groups, most ideological groups. ron paul won the unjust voters and independence. he did when the small percentage of folks that are evangelical. the republican electorate is one of the liberal elector its -- electorates. there is a religious base of opposition there. >> are you surprised at how little that has been talked about? >> we talked about it a lot the

last cycle. we're going into the southern baptist state where mormonism is not a popular thing. don't be surprised if there are some ugly attacks. >> when you look at the campaign so far, has it made the republican party's chances of winning the white house higher or less high? >> i think that considering the field that he has run against, it is a lot of fairly radical republicans. this is not be a-team of the party. the a-team candidates decided not to run. i think you have to say that he

is the strongest candidate to go against president obama. the price he has had to play -- pay, he has had to move to the right on issues like immigration. you have to go way to the right on that issue and it will be something that he will start to talk about a little differently. >> he may have cemented his position as the favorite to win the republican nomination, but the issue we are going to hear much more about is the economy. the signs of recovery are fragile. millions of americans are out of work. >> the rebirth of the american auto industry, on its knees with incalculable cost to the

economy and the american psyche. they were among the rest. saved by the $60 billion in taxpayer bailout. >> a new lease on life, we have to do whatever it takes to keep this plant open. >> it went away for a while. >> you're getting less in real terms? >> because of the economy, people are willing to do more work for less money. >> we are very grateful to have a job here. >> the old division of america as a haven of social ability will have not been shaken. the americans have been hurting. and the question is when and if that pain is going to stop.

in ohio, times have rarely been tougher. four years ago, the local economy fell off a cliff. an extra 25,000 families have been blighted by unemployment. >> you have a 2 point lead. >> the davis family watched the and just shoot hoops. they have had their troubles. they all worked in the motor industry ha, a plan that wasn't saved by the bailout. >> there is a big disparity between what i believe is the rich and the poor in this country. the manufacturing jobs are not there anymore.

my kids are never going to see that in this country. >> that davis is built their dream home. last week, they bought the lot with 16 acres on the market. >> in has been a lot of prayer. >> of the one thing we did not want to have to sacrifice. i feel much of it won't be coming back. >> the seismic shift in the american economy. japan also has its own economic worries.

japan's population is in decline and it is forecast to fall dramatically. the attempts to boost the birthrate has largely failed. >> the center of tokyo on a bustling afternoon, there seems to be no shortage of people. japan's population is shrinking. the birthrate is among the lowest in the world. >> the pressure of work, all kinds of things are being blamed. a recent government survey has found that there might be a more fundamental reason. more japanese are turning their backs on relationships. the anime film is all about romance. he admits there is little of that in his life.

more than 1/3 of japanese men say havthey have no interest in sex. it has doubled the past few yeras. -- years. >> a relationship is too much effort. i would have to give up everything i do on the weekend for her. i don't want to d that. -- do that. >> without relationships, her government handouts to encourage people to have more children are bound to fail. >> we offer free medical care and the cost of delivering babies is free. they are still reluctant to have children. >> many in japan feel young women are getting stronger, and even as men become more passive. this group meets every weekend to do last at the imperial

palace. finding and that can keep up with them as tough. >> people tell me i t amoo bubbly. -- i am too bubbly. but i amm too strong, living my life the way i like. >> women are more positive and looking to the future. when i talked to men, they seem very negative. ♪ >> falling in love with each other seems increasingly difficult for japan's aeon. a country is already on the brink of a demographic crisis. bbc news, tokyo. >> who would have thought? that brings today's show to a close. from all of us here, thank you for watching. we will see you here tomorrow.

>> make sense of international news. bbc.com/news. >> funding for this presentation is made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu newman's own foundation and union bank. >> you are no longer in the service. only an outsider can find the double agent. >> i'll do my utmost. >> from the bestseller by john le carre -- >> all i want from you is one code name. >> it will take a master spy -- >> you are alone. >> you can't mention me. >> to catch a spy. >> you have to assume they're watching you. >> what the hell are you doing up here? >> things aren't always what they seem. >> "tinker tailor soldier spy."

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