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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> stock markets rise as greece takes step to tackle the debt crisis in the euro zone. the death toll from the crackdown on protesters escalates. standoffs in turkey suspected kurdish militants hijack a ferry with 24 people on board. welcome to bbc news, broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america and also around the globe. coming up a little later in this program, mexico's interior minister has been killed in a helicopter crash three years after his predecessor died in similar circumstances. and remembering the war dead, armistice day is marked by silence in ceremonies around the world.

>> hello, and welcome once again. stom reacted positively after italy moved to tackle its debt crisis. with the italian senate approving a long delayed economic reform package, shares in most european markets rose between 2% and 3%. interest rate paid on italy's ten-year bonds dropped. meanwhile lucas pop demmeous has been sworn in as the head of an interim coalition government t will fight to push through the bailout package agreed with the e.u. last month. here's our european correspondent matt price. >> from rome today, a glimmer of hope. italy's senate passed a series of emergency economic measures. when the lower house does the same, prime minister silvio berlusconi said he will resign, making way, it's assumed for this man -- the former european commissioner who will head a technocrat government. mario will be tasked with

balancing italy's budget by 2014 to help contain euro's debt crisis. italian v.a.t. will go up to 21%. public sector salaries will be frozen for three years. there will be a crackdown on tax evasion. europe's leaders today welcomed the news. >> i'm very hopeful italy will sort out this situation quite soon. there recent news we have been receiving from italy go in that direction but i cannot respond for italy. >> in europe's other problem capital athens, there were more anti-austerity protests on the streets today. "i'm expecting further barbaric measures against the people" this woman said. here too a new government is being imposed on the country. another technocrat, lucas papademos, was sworn in today. his job, to force through more painful austerity measures

demanded by brussels. here at the european commission there's a real sense greece and italy are doing part of what is needed to contain the debt crisis. one problematic prime minister has gone, another is on the way out. but is it democratic? brussels gets what it wants. do the voters? for now though it's money to bail out europe that matters most. many say the european central bank should do more to support countries under threat. in berlin, they don't agree. germany's worried about the consequences of the e.c.b. printing more money. today its economics minister said a bailout would remove the pressure on debt-ridden countries to reform. he also had some advice for britain. translator: i find it a bit odd the british don't have the euro and yet they constantly don't know what we should do and don't want to help in any way.

>> a sign of tension, perhaps, george osborne, who is today concentrating on what all of this means back home. >> it's a very, very difficult and dangerous situation in the euro zone. britain is impacted by what's happening. no doubt growth in britain, jobs in britain have been hit by what's going on in the euro zone. >> back in italy, silvio berlusconi this evening headed off for what might be his last official engagement as prime minister. the market stabilized when he announced his -- he would resign. today's news also calmed him. but they know the euro is still in a critical condition. matthew price, bbc news, brussels. >> reports in syria say 26 people were killed friday, adding to an escalating death toll from eight months of anti-government protests. november is likely to be the bloodiest month since the uprising against president assad began in march. arab league meeting saturday is going to discuss the lack of progress on any dialogue. the organization is under intense pressure from human

rights campaigners to suspend syria's membership. this report from the bbc's king has some pictures you may find disturbing. >> promises, promises. a week after pledging it would respect human rights, these were the forces of the syrian state in action. here a man who appeared mortally wounded is dragged away by soldiers. across syria, the bloody cost of protests escalates. here a wounded man clutches the foot of his comrades. off camera a voice says contemptuously, these are your reforms, bash ard -- ba shard. the u.n. says 3.5 thousand people have died already, yesterday the demonstrators act as if they marched beyond the

point of fear. the state is strengthening its defenses. here troops mind the northern border with lebanon. all of this, say human rights groups, say arab states now must isolate the regime. >> we are looking at masses of civilians who are being either killed, detained, tortured and disappeared and we would like to see it stop as soon as possible and we think the only possible way to do that is to put real concerted pressure on the part of the international community with the assistance of regional organizations, such as arab league. >> the arab league used to be seen as a talking shop for middle eastern regimes. it bristled with the rhetoric of arab but achieved little. events of the arab spring changed that, a new dynamic as emerged, driven by the demands of the street. the league led the way in isolating libya. it was instrumental in bringing about the no-fly zone there. and it's pressed regime to stop

bloodshed, without it, any sign of success. a regime in damascus fighting for its life knows concessions will be seen as fatal weaknesses, the beginning of the end of its power. syria lies at the heart of the world's most volatile region. the regime knows this makes military intervention hugely risky and, therefore, highly unlikely. but this doesn't address the heart of president assad's crisis, the determination of many of his people to be rid of them. and from within his own security forces, defections like these have emboldened the opposition. whatever the world decides, it's the powerful forces within syria itself that will define the end game. >> there's been an upserge of violence in yemen with reports suggesting 11 people killed and dozens wounded and fighting between government forces and

militias. it comes as a united nations envoy returns to the country with the aim of getting months of conflict between the president and opposition groups. the head of the u.n. peacekeeping operations, i should say, explained the sudanese military for an air raid on a refugee camp across the border in south sudan. they rejected the claim saying char tune does not bomb refugee camps. but they called for an independent inquiry. 38 have been injured in peru after police clashed with anti-mining protesters. in the country's northwest, protesters used tree trunks to block a stretch of the busy per-american highway to draw attention to those caused by mining. quee elizabeth's grandson will begin a six-week tour next year

shortly before the 30th anniversary of britain's defeat of argentina in the falklands war. britain said the appointment -- deployment to the arch pell ago is routine. turkish vessels are shadowing a passenger ferry hijacked off the northwestern port of is mitt. the captain was allowed to give a brief interview to turkish television in which he said there were four hijackers. officials say there were 25 passenger and crew on board. this is the latest from will grant. for hours the passenger ferry cart tepi has been in the hijacker's hands. as police reinforcements arrived on the key side of the town, the ferry was being tracked by coast guard vessels in the sea of marna. it embarked from the northwestern port of ismut and there are believed to be as many as 25 on board. the captain gave a brief

interview to turkish television saying the vessel was taken over by four hijackers thought to belong to the banned p.k.j. tushish movement. one of the hijackers is reportedly carrying a bomb and expected to reach an island where the p.p.k. leader has been jailed since 1999. but for now the authorities say they've not received any specific political demands. translator: we are running out of fuel and they need food. >> the standoff has left friends and families on board very worried. this man's neighbor is on the ferry. when they didn't return home, he said, i came down to the port. but for the time being, there's been very little information available.

they requested fresh supplies. the families are in for an anxious night. will grant, bbc news. >> mexico's interior minister has been killed in a helicopter crash. 45-year-old francisco blake mota is one of eight people who died in what's thought to be an accident outside mexico city. he played a leading role in the fight against drug gangs. peter bose reports. >> the minister's helicopter came down in the hills to the south of mexico city. he was traveling to a meeting with a number of officials from the mexican government. the cause of the crash isn't known. a spokesman for president felipe calderon said authorities launched a full investigation. translator: at this moment we're

investigating all possible causes of this very unfortunate incident. with respect to relatives and public opinion, there will be a fall investigation by authorities to clarify the circumstances of this unfortunate incident. >> as tirneyor minister responsible for national security, francisco blake traveled widely often to violent areas in cities ravaged by the city's drug wars. he had a leading role in the ongoing battle with the drug cartels. he was known as a hard liner, determined to end the trafficking and drugs which has claimed 45,000 lives over the past five years. mr. blake morrow is the second mexican interior minister in president calderon's government to be killed in an aviation accident. a predecessor died when his small plane crashed in mexico city three years ago. peter bose, bbc news, los angeles.

>> you're watching bbc news. still to come, here's hoping for a presidential comeback. the strong man following vladimir putin is exactly russia wants? >> he was once the richest man in ireland but sean quinn has been depee claired bankrupt. the businessman once said to be worth nearly 5 billion euros got into trouble when he invested heavily in the anglo irish bank. it later collapsed and his shares became worthless. from belfast, kevin mcgee reports. >> 63-year-old sean quinn is one of ireland's best known self-made millionaires whose fortunes have marred irish economy going from boom to bust. his problems can be placed back to the crash of the dublin-based anglo bank whose headquarters lie unfinished, he bet on the bank's share price and lost hundreds of millions of euro as a result. this led to the demise of the quinn empire. he lost control of quinn insurance and various manufacturing companies in april. today at the high court in

belfast, he voluntarily applied for and was near bankrupt over an alleged debt of 2.8 billion euro at the anglo irish. while he denies know owing the full amount, he does accept he owns the bank for property loans. >> there are debts he's unable to repay which are due to the anglo irish bank in the summit of about $200 million and he has no ability to repay those debts. >> after the brief hearing, he released a statement saying, have i been portrayed as a reckless gambler who bet on a bank. the irish government are intending making scapegoats on my family and i. he defended the decision to apply for bankruptcy here saying, i was born, reared and worked all of my life here. the company who now controls anglo questioned if he even qualifies for bankruptcy in northern ireland. it's said the bank is examining the validity of this application for bankruptcy in light of mr. quinn's residency and extensive interest and liabilities within

the republic of ireland. by declaring himself bankrupt in northern ireland, sean quinn only has to wait a year before going back into business. if he had done the same in the republic, it would take 12 years. >> this is bbc news. these are the headlines. stock markets rally as the italian senate adopts a key package of cuts designed to aavoid a bailout of the euro's third largest economy. the death toll from syria's crackdown on protesters continues to escalate with the arab league under pressure to freeze syria's membership. president obama is to host the annual apec leader's summit beginning in hawaii. with most european economies stagnating, mr. obama is expected to use the occasion to hitch the u.s. economy to opportune in the asia pacific region and that's turning into a debate over a new trade agreement, transpacific

partnership. >> hawaii is where barack obama was born, indonesia where he grew up. on the face of it, he's a pacific president. but until recently, pressures at home and crises abroad have kept him focused on 2k34ess demestish issues and america's traditional ties to europe and middle east. now with the start of the nine-day trip taking in two summits and handshakes with at least 20 regional leaders, he's the center ps spees of a new american engagement with asia. >> we obviously believe that the world's strategic and economic center of gravity will be the asia pacific for the 21st century and it will be up to american state craft over the next decade to lock in a substantially increased investment, diplomatic, economic, strategic and otherwise. >> but at the apec summit near the beaches of honolulu, asian countries are looking for evidence that the u.s. is

serious. in particular, whether they will be progress on the transpacific partnership, now in discussion with nine other countries. one of them is singapore, looking to make the most of the shift in financial power from indebted europe to surging asia. >> we have a long-term change in asia is the emergence of the new economies china, india, southeast asian countries. and the shift in the balance and center of gravity from the west to the east. and how we're going to manage that change in a peaceful, constructive, mutually beneficial way. >> but there could be storms ahead. china is pushing its own version of a free trade deal worth 12 asian countries. while they're happy to trade with china, they're also worried about becoming too dependent and want the u.s. to give them an alternative. the summit will be part a beauty contest and partly test of strength, as china and the u.s.

try to win friends for the pacific century ahead. >> in britain the daily newspaper said it's obtained a confidential army document that suggests twice as many soldier as previously thought could be facing redundancy over the next few years. the daily telegraph suggests 15 .5 thousand posts will close and that will be a dramatic cut to britain's armed forces. those wounded in iraq and afghanistan will not be exempt from any future redundancies. britain's future of defense said it had absolutely no plan to change the way it treated wounded, injured and said no decisions have been taken on the scale of the next trench of redundancies. vladimir putin defended his decision to stand in next year's presidential elections in russia. he says he's campaigning to keep the country strong and not for personal gain. mr. putin is the overwhelming favorite to return to a position he first held 12 years ago and

some see his political indemrunes as increasingly destructive force. our diplomatic correspondent brinlt kendall has been to meet mr. putin in moscow. >> vladimir putin, for 12 years the face of russia. now he's made it clear he wants to come back as president next year and could be around until 2024. if he can stay in power for so long unchallenged, what has happened to russian democracy. tonight there was a chance to quiz him face to face, meeting with foreign analysts of russia over dinner, he denied he was driven by personal ambition or desire to stop russia changing. it doesn't mean that the political system should stagnate, he told us. but, of course, we're thinking of ways for the foam have more influence on those in power. vladimir putin may not have it all his own way.

yes, here in russia he's still the most popular politician. but this place has changed a lot since he came to power. people live better thought butt they're also more dissatisfied and some of those who once praised him for restoring order now say he could be leading the country in a dangerous direction. for all of the appearance of growing rich and poor. stability has become stagnation and could lead to social explosion. even putin's form prime minister says it could be on the cards. you really think it could be the equivalent of the arab spring here in russia? >> absolutely, absolutely. and everything putin is doing that encouraged this mood. it would not -- it would not mature soon, but indefinitely. >> the question is what would it take to get russians traditionally apathetic out onto the streets outside moscow peace headquarters, we found this small picket, hardly the stirrings of revolution but

russia's top political blogger said the internet has given the opposition a powerful new tool. >> i think all of the talks about social customer maization and he pathies is true -- empathy is true but everything can change in a very short time. >> some fear more dissent won't be tolerated. owe lag carbon was savagely beaten by thugs a year ago, apparently for critical articles he wrote. translator: it will get more dangerous. many were afraid after what happened to me but can you not stay afraid. something has to change. >> vladimir putin's return to the presidency isn't in doubt. what's much more uncertain is whether his strong man's style is still what most russians want. bridget kendall, bbc news, moscow. >> millions of people across the globe stopped what they were doing on friday as a mark of

respect on armistice day. a two-minute slines was observed at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month commemorating the very moment the first world war came to an end 93 years ago. robert hall has this report. >> the sound of a bugle echoing across pat raid ground of camp bastion in afghanistan. the defense secretary paying his tribute to the campaign, a reminder today's act of remembrance spans conflicts stretching back over nine decades. painstakingly restored by the imperial war museum for this anniversary, the stark images from the first world war battles on the son which claimed more than 57,000 lives on the first day alone. a four-year conflict which ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

the hour went on a cloudy morning in 2011, a silence spread outwards in the busy heart of london. the record number of copies sold this year, around 46 million, suggested growing level of public engagement with this act of remembrance. two short minutes in cities, towns and villages where many had time to consider their linked with the past.

>> two minutes when families and friends could reflect on their own, more recent losses. >> the worse bit for me was stood in front of so many closets with photographs of people and lives have been killed and i know their families very well. so they weren't just photograph s. they were loved ones of the families i have come to know and love myself. as traffic flowed again in whitehall, police announced support by those who gathered near the senator. there were more than 170 arrests. above all this was a day when communities stepped away from the concerns of the hectic modern life to stand in silence, to lay their poppies and crosses at a time when passed and present are intertwined.

robert hall, bbc news. >> you're watching bbc news, just before we take our leave, reminder of the main headline and stock markets in europe as well as united states have risen after italy and greece took steps to solve their huge debt problems. they, of course, threatened the future of the entire euro zone. the upper house, the senate, approved long delayed economic reform package and lower house is expected to endorse that over the weekend. once that happens, silvio berlusconi is expected to step down as prime minister whofment will his successor be? the man you saw with the gray hair shaking hands was the former e.c. european commissioner mario become the new prime minister in italy. this is bbc news. thanks very much indeed. don't forget our website and there's plenty more there on all of the stories we featured, including detailed look at the crisis in the euro zone, italy and greece particularly in the

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