>> "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 financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you?

>> and now "bbc world news." >> wikileaks founder julian assange is freed from a british prison on bail with a message for his critics. >> i hope to continue my work and continue to protest my innocence in this matter. >> at least 20 people are killed in clashes in ivory coast as the crisis over the disputed presidential elections deepen. creating a safety net. the leaders agreed to a permanent crisis fund to help eurozone countries in financial trouble. welcome to "bbc world news." president obama says american troops are making gains in afghanistan, but they are fragile. the man who take on mexico's

drug cartels. the death toll from the violence passes 30,000. the founder of wikileaks, julian assange, has been freed from prison in london hours after prosecutors lost a second attempt to keep him in custody. he still faces a legal process which could last months. sweden wants to make sure he answers to allegations of sexual assault. his lawyers heard reports that the u.s. government is seeking to indict him as a co- conspirator in the disclosure of classified information. i should warn you there is flash photography in the report from the very beginning. >> he has won this battle, but not yet the war. sweden still wants an expedited. it remains likely that the swedes will in the and get their way. even so, julian assange allowed

himself a moment of celebration. >> it is great to smell the fresh air of london again. first, some think use. -- thank yous to all the people around the world to have had faith in me, who have supported me while i have been away. to my lawyers, who have put up a brave and ultimately successful fight. >> nine days in wandsworth prison have only enhanced his standing among those who see him as a human rights champion persecuted for his political activities. from his prison van, there was a gesture of defiance. many, especially in america, want him jailed for treason. but here he has won a long and growing list of celebrity supporters who raised 200,000 pounds to stand trail. a campaigning journalist came to

show his solidarity. "the support all over the world. >> -- >> if he has support over the world. he is accused of sexually assaulting two women in sweden earlier this year. he was granted bail two days ago but held in custody as the prosecution service appealed. asking for their swedish counterparts, british prosecutors told the judge there was a risk mr. assange would abscond if he was granted bail. he had access to money and the largest network of contacts around -- he had access to money and a large network of contracts around the world. he said there was no substantial risk of jumping bail. he only wanted to clear his name. the judge said that when mr. assange was in sweden, he cooperated with the swedish authorities and answer their questions. he stayed in sweden for more than a month. he had asked for permission to leave sweden and been granted it. in london, he appeared promptly

with the metropolitan police. this is not the behavior of a fugitive or someone seeking to evade justice. this case is separate from the accusations he faces as head of wikileaks. in the united states, he is under attack for leaking 250,000 confidential diplomatic documents. many their believe he has launched an attack on the u.s., threatened at international security, and endangers american lives. federal prosecutors are building a case against him. he could face a very lengthy prison sentence if convicted. after his release, he told the bbc that was the greater threat. >> i do not have many fears about being expedited to sweden. i have much bigger concerns about being expedited to the united states. we have a rumor from my lawyers and the united states. we have not confirmed yet that there has been an indictment made against me in the united states. >> is bill conditions require

him to live at this house in east anglia, the home of his friend and supporter, a journalist. he will be under curfew, be electronically tagged, and will have to report daily to local police station. his fight against extradition goes on. his renown is already global. the case will only strengthen his reputation as an anti- establishment icon. >> julian assange also spoke on the "newsnight" program. he said he is the victim of a smear campaign. >> let us be clear what the allegations were and are. there are allegations of rape. they were an allegation of a double rate. my name, it to search on the internet, there are 5 million web pages at least mentioning my name. about 4 million of those also mention the word rape. there are 33 million web pages

altogether that mention the word rape in any context. so i am mentioned in over one- tenth of all the context of all the rapes that have ever happened that have been documented on the internet. so this has been a very successful spare campaign and a very wrong one. >> can i put it to you if is a wrong one, and you deny any allegations, which did not be better for you to return to sweden to clear -- would it not be better for you to return to sweden to clear your name? >> i stayed in sweden for some five weeks after these allegations were initially made. let us not forget that within 24 hours of these allegations being made about rape the most senior prosecutor in stockholm reviewed them and said there was not even a suspicion that was true.

not that she does believe the statements, but none of the statements amounted to an allegation of rape. then a senior politician from the biggest political party in sweden took up the matter with another prosecutor and try to reactivate the investigation. -- try to reactivate the investigation. i still have not been charged with any event. this is an extradition warrant to have the question. >> at least 20 people are reported to have been killed in ivory coast as those rival to -- as those loyal to the two rival presidents erupted into violence. the country may be sliding back into civil war after disputed elections. one man was declared winter by the electoral commission. another has refused to give up

the presidency. >> the aim was to take the television station. the elected president pick supporters accuse the reigning president of staging a constitutional coup. the african union and the european union called on him to accept defeat. instead, he has been sworn in for another five years. as protesters gathered in various districts, they were met by members of the security forces, who used tear gas and fired live rounds to dissuade them from marching on the television station. when forces loyal to the elected president prepared to leave a hotel to march, they were immediately fired upon by soldiers and militia loyal to the reigning president. the government is currently under heavy protection at the hotel until they gain control of the institutions of the state. both sides have taken oaths of office on the same day.

the have separate prime ministers and cabinets. in response to mr. bagbo's refusal to except defeat, the un is imposing sanctions until they allow democratic transition of power. rebel soldiers moved south to attack mr. bagbo's army, leading to worries of a resumption of conflict after six years of peace. bbc, ivory coast. >> a former adviser on african affairs to president clinton and obama was speaking earlier about how the international community is trying to ease the likelihood of this war in ivory coast. >> the good news is that they have come together and are speaking with one voice. the european union and united states or in the process of rolling out financial and travel sanctions against bagbo. the african union has suspended him.

the u.n. security council has made its position clear. there is a unanimous resolution that it is for matar as the next president of the ivory coast. >> what in effect can be done to move forward? >> some measures can be taken. mwatar is moving to gain control of government institutions such as the reserve bank, which would cut off gbagbo's access to capital and paying his staff. it will be a difficult question for the international community if the violence escalates. central to that will be what happens to the 9000 un peacekeeping troops who are currently in ivory coast. >> you have met gbagbo. do these actions surprise you well? >> it is quite unfortunate.

these elections have often played again and again over 10 years. he is proving himself to be an enemy of democracy. there is no question about it. i am hopeful that he will yield to the urgings of his fellow leaders in africa and around the world and stepped down and let mwatara take his place as the next president of the ivory coast. >> eu leaders have agreed to make changes to the lisbon treaty to create permanent rescue mechanism for eurozone countries in financial difficulties. they make loans to the greek and irish economies earlier this year. there are worries that countries like portugal and spain could still be in trouble. >> the eurozone continues to cause control, with national debts and deficits soaring

above you targets. financial problems in greece and ireland have led to emergency bailout totaling tens of billions of duress. eu leaders meeting in brussels have agreed to set up a permanent scheme to help any eurozone countries with dangerous debts. >> to make sure we are fully prepared to defend the european union pay future -- the european union's future, we have agreed on a treaty change. the main features of the permanent mechanism to be in place from 2013. >> the permanent safety net will place a temporary 750 billion euro bailout fund. loans given to countries in distress are part of the new scheme. there will come with strict terms attached. >> we spoke this evening about how we would transform the temporary mechanism into a permanent mechanism.

we have also said that we will stand together to support the euro. many countries are undertaking a very strong efforts. for example, portugal, spain, greece, and all the countries have said they agree. >> finance ministers will begin working out the final details of the new rescue fund, including how much eurozone nations are willing to put in. bbc news. >> you are watching bbc news. still to come, the man who brought the pink panther to our screens, hollywood director blake edwards has died at the age of 88. a failed asylum seeker who ran over and killed a young girl is to be allowed to live permanently in britain. mohammad ibrahim fled the scene of the accident, leaving in the houston trapped under his car. he said his human rights could be harmed if he was sent back to

iraq. >> he was a hit and run driver who left a 12-year-old girl to die in the road. today, in an appeal to the court, it was rejected. for amg -- for amy houston's father, it was a bitter blow. years on from her death, her final hours are still painful. >> she was on life-support, tubes and things. you know? i never got a chance to say goodbye. >> amy had been walking along this road. she had been heading to the shops to buy a cd by a boy band. as she crossed to get to a bus stop, she was hit by a car and then trapped underneath. the driver of that car fled the

scene. ibrahim has a string of convictions, including driving while to disqualified and without insurance. he was already banned from driving when amy died. other offenses include possession of drugs, burglary, theft, and harassment. last year, he won leave to remain in the u.k. he argued that because he had children since being freed from prison, he had a right to family life. but a father who claims his right to a family life has been taken from him now has a very little aside from focus to remember his daughter. >> you are watching bbc news. the wikileaks founder, julian assange, has been freed on bail by the high courts in london. he bowed to protest his innocence and continue his work. at least 20 people are reported to have been killed in ivory

coast as soldiers loyal to rival presidents fall to gun battles. president obama says american troops are making progress in afghanistan, but gains are fragile and could easily be undone. mr. obama was speaking at a news conference to mark the publication of the review of strategy in the country. he says he will remind americans that they were in afghanistan to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat of qaeda. in america, we have more. >> marines at camp lejeune in north carolina are trading before they head off to afghanistan in the spring. there will be shooting for real in the helmont progress -- helmand province. the taliban has been stopped, but the gains are reversing. the strategy is on target. the policy of sending more troops is working. that decision by the president

went hand-in-hand with a controversial promise. troops would start coming home next summer. he has said it helped, not hindered. >> much of this was a result of setting a clear signal that we will begin a transition of responsibility to afghans to start reducing american forces next july. this sense of urgency also helps galvanize the coalition around the goals that we agreed to at the nato summit in lisbon. >> the report contained success in killing al qaeda leaders using drones like this. huge problems remain. this is the pakistan army attacking rebel strongholds in their own country. the report said not enough had been done to end the terrorist safe havens. another report on intelligence agencies is much gloomier. that failure undermines any successes. >> and will do what has to be done.

we will continue to insist on finding -- on telling leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders must be dealt with. >> the marines and north carolina learn how to cope if their vehicle is blown over by a roadside bomb. many problems listed in the report are less tangible and unlikely to disappear. the difficulty of finding a political situation, the weakness of the afghan government, corruption. >> corruption is always going to be an issue. we have rules and oversight to try to mitigate that. but it is always going to be an issue we have to deal with. >> the instinct of troops and commanders is to stick with the job until it is done. politicians on both sides of the atlantic have decided this long war cannot get much longer. the problems are a puzzle that must be solved before america can withdraw. you do not get that sense from the president. when he talked about strategy being on track, it is a path that leads to the end of the

war. bbc news, washington. >> police in japan say demand has been arrested after wounding 13 people in a knife attack outside a rally station. it happened about 30 kilometers northeast of tokyo. the man boarded a bus and began stabbing the passengers. the condition of the victims is not known. the mexican government said the number of people killed in drug- related violence has now passed 30,000 in the four years since president calderon began deploying troops to fight the cartels. over 4000 have been killed this year. the mexican army is now under scrutiny and is paying a high price for its involvement. >> getting ready to fight the enemy within. this mexican army of recruits are starting their corporation to wage a war with the drug cartels that have such a strong presence in some parts of the

country, a bloody war that has killed nearly 30,000 people since late 2006 when president calderon decided to deploy the military as a domestic police force. at least 200 soldiers have been killed in that battle. for these young men who have just joined the army, there is no room for fear. >> i am not afraid. i am proud to defend my country from people who want to hurt it. >> for many poor mexicans, joining the army remains a solid career opportunity, providing housing, education, health benefits, and a salary. for some of them, joining the army was a statement against the cartels that would be fighting. >> drug trafficking as a lot of damage to young people. i am here and i think a lot of many young men could straighten their lives by joining the army. >> in just a few weeks, the new

soldiers will go back to their headquarters around the country, continue their career, and could one day be fighting on the front line of mexico's drug war. the decision to deploy them in the streets was highly controversial and has taken a strong toll on the reputation of the institution. according to public opinion surveys, the impression of the army has dropped 20% in the last four years, due to news that soldiers have been involved in shootouts in which innocent civilians have been killed, and accusations of human rights abuses. there were 4000 complaints in late 2006. valentin that is a farmer in western states. she was raped by soldiers near her town eight years ago, before the army's deployment. as the military presence has increased domestically, so has the level of abuse. >> when the military comes to

the mountains, they rape women. there are many women who have been raped by soldiers. the government does not acknowledge that. they say that we grow drugs. that is not true. >> the government is investigating those claims and has improved training for soldiers in terms of human rights. meanwhile, they are charged with eradicating marijuana plantations like this one in sinaloa but also chasing drug runners and protecting the population. many believe mexico is being stretched to the limit. has the military effort and worth it? >> the results are mixed. on the one hand, there is the high-profile capture of drug lords and high-profile confiscations of cocaine and marijuana. on the other hand, the high level of police is hard for society to tolerate. >> the government has insisted

that to withdraw troops from this conflict is not an issue. the mexican soldiers are headed for war at home. the fight to keep the institution strong and the public proud of their service will be another difficult battle ahead. bbc news, mexico city. >> the veteran american film director blake edwards has died in california. he was 88 and had been suffering from pneumonia. the director and writer made more than 30 films including the pink panther series, "breakfast at tiffany's," and "10." >> in "the pink panther," blake edwards turned an accident prone french detective into a hugely successful movie franchise. >> we must find that woman.

>> and truman capote's tale of a teenage call girl became one of hollywood's most stylish family friendly romantic comedies. >> i never could do that. >> it is easy. >> he knew from the outset "breakfast at tiffany's" was a chance to make his name. >> i would have done it if i had to crawl the -- had to crawl all the way up the walk of shame. that was a big opportunity for me. >> however, it was 40 years before he and his wife, julie andrews, could celebrate him finally winning an honorary oscar. early films such as "days of wine and roses" showed he could do serious. his box office successes were usually more about wit and lightness of touch. and blake edwards learned all of

this from a lifetime in the movies. both his father and grandfather had been in the business. the skills are perhaps best demonstrated in his films with peter sellers as inspector crusoe, in which he combines both hollywood sophistication with what was some of cinema's best slapstick. >> there. that felt good. >> a reminder of our main news. wikileaks founder julian assange has been freed on bail by the high court in london. at least 20 people are reported to have been killed in the ivory coast as a battle between the rival presidents turn to gun battles on the streets of upper john. -- abijan.

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