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>> a voice of moderation silenced. what a pakistani's best known politicians shot dead by his own body guard. flood waters in queensland are expected to peak, leaving large areas completely cut off. caught on camera. new footage emerges of the convoy carrying prince ge charles and the duchess of cornwell. coming up for you, michael jackson's doctor in court in los angeles to determine whether he will stand trial for manslaughter. ♪ and the british singer- songwriter gerry rafferty renowned for his song "baker

street" has died. it is an assassination that has shaken the already -- pakistan politics. as he got out of his car in islamabad, salman taseer was shot dead by a member of his own security detail. he recently made a stand against the countries law. >> this is the popular shopping district for the governor who was shot dead in broad daylight. the enemy was within. police say the killer was one of those supposed to protect him, an elite commando from his security team. the police are gathering evidence at the scene and the

heart of the capital. it is a short time since the attack took place. way backade his towards his car, he came under fire. he was shot at close range repeatedly. this allegedly is the killer shortly afterwards. he has been named as. he bragged to police about killing a blasphemer. salman taseer was in the fire alliance is calling for the release of a christian woman sentenced to death for insulting the prophet mohammed. he condemned his countries controversial blasphemy laws. pakistan's powerful islamist took to the streets. the governor was threatened, but vowed to fight on even if he was the last man standing. when he spoke to the bbc in november, he told us why.

>> a lot of people said to me that you are making a mistake, do not do it. and i said it no. if i do not stand up, then other people who think like me will not be able to stand up. >> it is the most high-profile assassination here since the killing of the former prime minister benazir bhutto in 2007. now, once again, there is chaos and lost. and all this at a time of political crisis. the government is hanging by a thread. pakistan's ruling party has been robbed of a stalwart, and the country has been robbed of an outspoken liberal. human rights workers say it a rare voice of courage is gone. >> the rising waters it seemed to be reaching their peak in australia. in queensland, a week's worth of

rain is making its way towards the ocean, but the town of rockhampton lies in the air. they have cut the town's air and transport links. from there, we report. >> this is a day that salman taseerockhampton has braced itself for, with flood waters except to peek over the next few hours. more than 500 people have fled or been wrested from their homes. a coastal city at the mass of this river, this should be the last stop before the flood waters reached the ocean. but it is thought rockhampton could be under water for the next 10 days. when last hit by flooding in 1991, it became an island city for a fortnight. you'd be forgiven for thinking this was a major river running

through rockhampton, when it's the major highway, the main link between this regional center and brisbane, the state capital, much further to the south. in front of australia's most important arterial routes. it is called national road number one. it is inundated with water. the fear is it could be shut for more than a week. the only way is by sea from the south. now a murky brown. these are rockhampton akaka resident returning from the christmas -- rockhampton residents returning from the christmas day. there is a threat from crocodiles and a snake. it is a very australian flood occurred >> what can you do? it's not like you can put your hand up and stop it. it will come. floods come, they go.

it is just the way this year is working up. we just seem to become an island. the waters around us completely. maybe one day we would see that fixed, but at the present time, residents prepare for it. that is life here in rockhampton. >> never before in queensland's history have all four of their major river systems flooded at the same time. even after the water ski, the state will be affected for months -- even after the waters peak. >> we have a businessman based in rockhampton. jhe joins us now. give us an update on the expected peak we are expected to see, by the fitzroy river. >> in the last 36 hours, the

river has not done much. it is sitting around a 9.2, even though the tide has come in and out. i am not sure what we will see by 5:00 p.m., whether there will be appealed. there is a lot of water coming down. there are lots of low lying areas that are inundated. , on the north of rockhampton, you have a lot of properties. there is a lot of water there. those properties have been isolated for quite some tough. if you go to the west, there have people that have been isolated for four, five, six weeks. if you look behind me, you will see one of the bridges. the water is two meters behind at bridge. cadet is the connection between rockhampton and national hollow. that is expected to be disconnected for quite some

time. authorities are well prepared, because we can see the water coming downstream, from different river systems. we are lucky compared to other areas. there are a lot of farmers and crops and agriculture that has been damaged by the floods. it will take the many years to overcome that appeared >> if you can just step back slightly. behind you, within the last hour, we got a clear view of the river there. you mentioned that lots of people have been walking about, in fact, taking pictures of the scenes unfold in their. are they not worried about the reports we're hearing of crocodiles and snakes in the area? >> crocs and the snakes -- their territory is the river system. they have always been there. the river's edge is closer than normal. you can see there there are a lot of people taking photographs. i think people are aware that the animals and wildlife are

around, and they are taking a lot of caution and just about an hour ago, you'd see the top of the shed there. i saw a substantial size? make floating around there. -- i saw a substantial size snaked floating around there. there is a lot of wild life around people's stairs. that is a concern, who but most of the houses that had that much water, there are not occupants anymore. >> people are now doing more than they have been over the last couple days, given that they are expecting the peak of the waters to take place within the next couple of hours. >> i think the authorities have certainly been very active over the last 48 hours. i do not think there is any shortage of fuel or food in rockhampton. in the unlikely event, the river

would rise to 9.4 or higher, we are well prepared. it is unfortunate that some of the of the areas out west, within several hours the houses were inundated with water. we are lucky that the river system is to the north and west of us, and comedown fitzroy. they have set of sophisticated technology with the river gauges so they can monitor the different heights of water. we are in a better position than most people. >> i am sure we will be speaking to you very soon. thank you so much for your time. he is a businessman based in rockhampton. police have released sec tv footage of the motor car carrying the prince of wales and the duchess of cornwall that came under attack. it showed people throwing rubbish bins at the convoy as it

moved along regent street. >> it was a serious breach of royal security. these new cctv pictures show how protesters surrounded the convoy and hurl the bins at the cars. police are trying to track down those involved, this woman in particular. here she is again running behind the royal rolls-royce and hitting it. scotland yard hopes the still pictures it release of the woman will lead to someone revealing her identity, or that her companion will come forward as a witness. police also want to trace this man, philip running alongside the royal car and heading it. -- philip running alongside the royal court. -- filmed running along side. charles and camilla were not injured, despite the debt is being poked with a stick through an open window.

the images show officers stayed in their cars, relying on the convoy pushing through rather than getting out to deal with protesters. the metropolitan police commissioner said the officers or seconds from drawing a weapons and it showed admirable restraint. in internal investigation into what happened here today has not been published, but it is reported to say that the convoy took this route despite being warned that there were bands of protesters. so far19 198 people have been arrested. hours of video footage is being trawl through to identify those involved. scotland yard says it respects the right to protest but will do all it can to ensure offenders face consequences. >> as its chief executive of northern ireland water will step down shortly.

his decision follows widespread criticism that the government handling of the recent water crisis. details of the resignation are expected to be made public in the next couple of days. you are watching "bbc news". still to come -- the word is out. the film that is tipped to be a right roll success at the oscars -- a right royal success at the oscars. anger in italy against the decision of a brazilian government not to hand over a wanted fugitive has spilled out into the streets. italy had hoped to extradite

bats isti. >> protests at been held in cities across canada late to denounce the decision of brazil 's former president -- across italy to denounce the decision of brazil's former president. he is wanted in italy for four murders committed in the 1970's, a violent period known as the years of lead, when he belonged to an armed, far left group. a son of one of the victims and who himself was disabled in one of the shootings said that he would like to bring a few to do back to an italian prison. >> we are trying to achieve justice. we want batisti, a real criminal, to come back to italy and serve the punishment. >> batisti denies the crimes and

says he is being politically persecuted in italy. he became a fugitive after escaping from prison in 1981. he lived in france for 26 years and was only arrested in brazil in 2007 after fleeing italian attempts to apprehend him. italy still wants his extradition, but his lawyers say they expected to be freed as soon as possible carried whether he has allowed the freedom to enjoy the political asylum granted by the brazilian government is now a judgment for the country's supreme court. >> you are watching "bbc news". let's bring you up-to-date on the headlines. one of pakistan's best known liberal politicians has been shot dead by one of his own bodyguards. flood waters in the australian

state of queensland are expected to peak soon, leaving large areas completely cut off. the kenyan prime minister has said that he believes that the ivory coast leader, gbagbo, and knows he has no choice but to relinquish the presidency after november's disputed election. he said mr. gbagbo is ready to negotiate a peaceful end to the crisis, but tensions remain high in the commercial capital. >> they used to call this the paris of africa. not anymore. weeks of post-election violence here. and we fought more trouble and fear on the streets today. just one civilian killed right here and police stormed this opposition party building, too dangerous for us to film.

the situation is very unpredictable. we have to be discreet about how we film, because there is a feeling that seems to it -- it could explode at any moment. >> it's worse and worse. we do not know what could happen tomorrow. that is why we are afraid. >> all of this because two men claim the presidency. gbagbo lost november's election, but he refuses to give up power. instead, he laid siege to his rifle, ouattara, now trapped inside this hotel. foreign mediuma to say that peace is possible, but they say the loser must quit. while the outside world may be demanding that gbagbo step down,

the man himself still has plenty of supporters occurred he will not give up without a fight. we came to one of their stronghold in the city center. >> gbagbo! gbagbo! >> behind the defiance lie bitter ethnic rivalries. >> more thfrom the hotel. [unintelligible] >> such threats stoke the fears of many. we found this group of immigrants from liberia seeking protection from the united nations. >> we are afraid of being massacred here, because of the threat we continue to receive at the hands of those who pass by. >> her husband is

missing. it is hard to see a quick or painless way out of any of this. bbc news, ivory coast. >> a hearing has opened in los angeles to determine whether the doctor retreated michael jackson in his final days should stand trial for manslaughter. lawyers murray's say that he did not give a pop singer anything that might have killed him. the prosecution has already begun to present their case. >> the prosecution basically has been coming out with details about what happened in the final moments when it became clear that michael jackson was unconscious at his mansion in beverly hills 200in 2009. dr. murray and waited as much as 20 minutes before calling for help. and that time, he is trying to revive the star on the bed,

while tehe star's children watched. they allege that he was negligent because he was treating jackson's insomniac using a powerful anesthetic called propofel. they say he gave it to accent the drug six nights a week until the day he die d. prosecutors say that the doctor was recklessly negligent and should stand trial for manslaughter. >> one of america's most senior navy officer is being relieved of his command after a series of lewd videos shown to his crew. the videos feature captain owen honors, and were reportedly made

in 2006-2007. the featured suggested that shower scene could he became captain of the "uss enterprise". the british singer and songwriter gerry rafferty has died at the age of ni1963. he became an international star with songs such as "baker street" and "stuck in the middle with you." >> a worldwide hit. its distinctive saxophone solo made gerry rafferty one of the most distinctive stars. by the 1970's, he joined a group, releasing another worldwide hit which sold more than 1 million copies.

by 1978, he had gone so low and his music was beginning to reflect a disenchantment with elements of the industry, reflected in the lyrics of "baker street." >> it was about how uncomfortable he felt in the star system. what you know? it was a giant world hit. the album went to number one in america, and suddenly he found that as a result of his protest, he is a bigger star than ever. and he now had more of what he did not like. and, although he had a few more hits singles in the united states, by 1980, it was basically all over. when i say "it," i mean his career, because he was not comfortable with this. it showed his reluctance to perform live. >> he recorded several more elms in the 1980's and 1990's but never scale the heights of his previous success. more recently, a public battle

with a alcoholism had taken its toll on its health. but for millions of people, it is this image of gerry rafferty that will linger inth the memory. ♪ >> films of the starring role for the british royal family seem to have a track record in hollywood. there are high hopes for "the king's speech." s public speaking. and then there is very public speaking. if you have a speech impediment, it can see more -- pronounced. >> [unintelligible] the king >> "the king's speech" is about george vi's stammer and his

relationship with his australian speech therapist. dear little was known about their private sessions until nine weeks before the film was due to go into production. which is when they discovered this -- lionel loeb's archives. for the director and the actors, it was a revelation. it goes into enormous details. there are hundreds of letters between the men. here, his medical card on the king. "quite normal, well-built with good shoulders. the waste line, very flabby." colin firth is in no doubt of the archive's importance. >> it is like finding the rosetta stone. we have a royal biographies.

i'd never read one in my life until i took this role on, so i really had to start from scratch in terms of any information i had third crack these fresh insights helped firth develop a powerful onscreen chemistry with jeffr geoffrey rush. there is oscar talk around your performance. how does that feel? >> i do not think anything prepares you for it, because it cannot but make you feel giddy. he certainly has the support of his queen. >> yeah, i hoope hpe he does. you have absolute belief in the person opposite. to act with him is like a dream. >> we will have to wait and see about the oscars, but there is one thing for certain -- "the king's speech" has got people

talking. >> you are watching "bbc news". i am a beat up. abita sharma. >> 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, from small businesses to major

corporations. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was brought to you by kcet los angeles.