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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> hello, and welcome to newsday on the bbc. here are the headlines. setting to form a new government, they insist that monday's elections should go ahead. the arab league puts more pressure on syria and the violence against its own people. these arrests, the prime minister claims assassination plot is foiled. not everyone is happy. it is 10:00 in the morning here in singapore. >> it is 2:00 a.m. in london.

>> welcome once again. egypt is reporting that one of his former prime ministers has agreed to head a new government. it seems unlikely to and days of violence or placate the thousands of protesters have been demanding an immediate end to military rule. authorities insisted that elections will go ahead this week. >> it is a tense and wary druse, the security forces of strengthening the defenses around the interior minister. he wants to know who will pay for his newspaper kiosk, burned by rioters. they are thugs and anarchists. they don't want the country to settle down.

a passer-by interrupt to defend the demonstrators. she asks him, where is your dignity? you should fear god, he tells her. people in cairo are feeling the pressure of the crisis that doesn't have an easy solution. the violence stopped for today, at least. egypt goes along and explosive list of challenges hasn't gone away. long and explosive list of challenges hasn't gone away. and who is going the run this country? civilians run by the people or the armed forces that have been in charge since 1952. the security forces are

everywhere. they are seen by many local residents as allies. at the cafe, they said not everyone about a mile away was bad. he says, with the military and the police, they are protecting egypt. but near the cafe, behind the wire is the interior ministry, and victorious torture center under the old regime and unchanged. >> according to a journalist held there on wednesday night, she says that she was sexually assaulted and both her arms were broken. >> of this kind of brutality and this kind of terrorizing of civilians, it is why egypt began to rise up and why they will continue this revolution until the country is free of

dictatorship. >> there are still full of egyptians feel like her. not here is egypt's biggest political movement. it doesn't want to disrupt monday's alexian and is backing the new prime minister designate the poll was supposed to start a new era. that might make egypt's divisions more -- >> the arab league has given syria and to 1:00 p.m. on friday. is it doesn't agree, they will meet on saturday to discuss imposing sanctions. syria is suspended from the organization because of its violent crackdown on anti- government protesters. he said that the president's regime will fall soon. the world affairs editor was in the southeast of turkey.

>> of the border between turkey on this side and to syria, a closed country on the brink of civil war. it looks quiet enough, but refugees said across all the time, among them, soldiers and rebel against the syrian government. under turkish protection now, they are not necessarily safe. there are seven refugee camps in this area. many people have been here for several months. a senior syrian officer that affected lived here until late september. then he went out by bus to do some shopping in the nearby town. >> somewhere around here, the colonel disappeared. the assumption is that agents were waiting for him, grabbed him, and perhaps took him back

over the syrian border. most people think that he is being killed already. >> refugees still come here to shop, but they tend to be more wary now. some don't want to show their faces on camera. the turkish police keep an eye on us, but in the end, they'll let us go on. the turkish army makes it really hard to contact the leader of the syrian rubbles who have come across the border. while we were filming these pictures, the turkish army came in the rest of us, and a judge had to get us free. the only way that we could enter the the colonel was through the internet. it was done very much the last

minute and it was pretty bizarre. we set up in a nearby farm yard and the chief of the free syrian army julia appeared. >> we assure everyone that the president of syria is finished. they are determined to bring this dictator down. god willing, very soon. the system is rotten to the court. it might look strong on the outside, but it is weak. the free syrian army will be more and more important as the situation gets worse. it is not civil war there yet. but it does seem to be heading that way. >> of the authorities said they have uncovered a plot to assassinate the prime minister

and three members of her cabinet. according to police, there has been about a dozen of arrests. very much morew about what was plotting against the prime minister, there were numbers of security forces and their real concern for people. the end of august, things have eased off in many people oppose the minds because the curfew that had been in place, is finished a few weeks ago. that is probably going to end. many people are concerned that -- >> and davis to spain, you have more on the situation in egypt. >> she has traveled away from the capitol to see how the

protests are affecting the rest of the country. >> this is as different as it gets. serene, quiet, lush yields on the edge of the nile. we come here to this village to this breadmaking factory. it has been in the family for generations. i am speaking to its owner to find out whether the tunnel has reached here. >> it feels like we are actually in cairo. everybody out here is concerned. some people agree with what is happening, some don't. if you want to protest, fine, but why attack the ministry of the interior or the police.

i am very scared, i am afraid. >> what are you afraid of? >> there are so many things to be afraid of. i am afraid of tribalism, the islamists, the liberals, all of the conflict. the gunmen are being -- who have to protect ourselves. it is like the country is doused in petrol and we're waiting for this far that will set the whole place on fire. >> of the elections are going ahead. >> i hope the elections go ahead and i pray that the egyptian people are aware. and the problem is that the islamists are using their -- and

this election for their own good. if people just go and elect anyone, there will be corruption. people need to understand that they should vote for the most suitable person. >> wherever egyptians live, they know their country is in trouble. they are worried about violence and possible instability. they all want their country to move the foreword. it is difficult and dangerous. >> three bombs have exploded in the southern iraqi city killing 19 people and injuring at least 60. it drove through a busy market in that city center, many were policemen called on to the scene of the first blast.

23 bodies found bound and gagged in mexico. they were found in cars. it is the traditional drug trafficking base for the powerful cartel. the number of murders have been on the increase. a poll conducted says there is little public appetite for continuing with a nuclear power. the survey of more than 25,000 people indicates that more than 2/3 of respondents are opposed to the new nuclear reactors. live from support at a london, still to come, the slow recovery, we asked what lessons need to be learned. >> and why india's $450 billion supermarket sector is opening its doors to international competition. >> the leaders of france and germany are proposing changes to

treaties in order to tighten control. the german chancellor and the french president have expressed their support for italy's prime minister. he was part of a triumphant meeting in strasbourg. >> on the franco-german border in the city synonymous with the idea of european unity, italy pose a new prime minister joins the big two. they want to send a message to the market that italy is in safe hands and has the full support of its allies. but what is the new triumvirate going to do to prevent a crisis from spinning out of control? >> faced with the gravity of the situation, we have told him that france and germany over the next few days will propose some changes to the treaty to improve confidence.

>> the idea of treaty change won't be welcomed by everyone. many are focused on persuading germany to ease focused and using unlimited firepower to protect countries struggling to service their debt. he embarked on the enormous task of trying to turn the italian economy around. the country is too big to fail. but is too big to bail. >> we agree that the health of the year as done as a priority. it is fundamental that the euro stays. >> they will meet again in rome and there is another summit in a couple of weeks amid the feeling that time really is beginning to run out.

>> this is his day on the bbc. at >> these are the headlines. egypt's prime minister is looking at the new parliamentary government in assisting the elections go ahead as planned. the arab league says syria faces sanctions if it fails to admit server a mission and the end of the violence against protesters. morocco will vote for a new parliament later on friday. they are the first under a new constitution that gives greater powers to the prime minister and parliament. some say the changes don't go far enough. >> printing press is turning out leaflets and banners, ahead of what should be a historic election.

campaigning has been low key. more than 30 parties are taking part. this time, the authorities are telling the electorate that they are voting for parliament and the prime minister for real powers transferred from the king. according to those that drew up the new constitution, the king agrees with this shift toward a parliamentary democracy. >> the fact that traditional information is not enough. it needs to be strengthened. that is what we have been anticipating. >> these first stirrings of were troubled and prompted political reform. thousands poured onto the

streets demanding an equality, justice, and an end to the monopoly of power held by the ruling elite. a few weeks later, the king addressed the nation. promising comprehensive changes to the constitution. he has lost his power to appoint a prime minister and says the independence of the judiciary will be reinforced and there will be more rights for women. the king seems to have moved fast enough to prevent a major uprising. not everyone here is happy. some fear the changes are superficial and the monarchy will remain extremely powerful. >> back to asia, renewing tensions between north and south korea. >> is but a year since north korea launched an artillery attack on south korea.

it was the first in an area since the korean war ended in 1953. in the south korean capital, they held a rally in announcing north korean leader. they were met by a special u.n. envoy. joining us now for more as our correspondent who has been following those developments. thank you for joining us. what has he been able to find out about human rights issues in the north? >> there is one very crucial fact that he has not been able to get access into north korea. he hasn't gotten confirmed access into china. he is having to do almost all of his research from here in south korea. he is preparing for a new report on human rights in north korea. it is a quite difficult line.

she says that he was using this opportunity to call on south korea and the international community to provide a more humanitarian aid. despite worry concerns about the human rights situation inside the country. >> are there any plans for a un representative to go to the north? >> i think he would very much like to go to north korea. she made several requests to do so, so he is having to really do a lot of his research here. he has been meeting defectors and south korea, and he has spoken to some people about what they have seen a and experienced in the north. but he has been quite restricted in the access he has been given.

>> states relations, the north at the south. how can they stabilize? hadassah and the relations are quite complex. there has been some talk between the sides culturally and in terms of some kind of aid, there has been some movement. they also said today that the one bit of good news was that north korea had begun to show signs of cooperation from some agencies. the issue that they were calling, this is what they called the severe food shortages in north korea and is more problematic. they might find their way to the army. >> thank you for the update. the water has receded in several

areas. and how to work out how to stop this from happening again. let's not forget more than 600 people died in the flooding. a special representative of the secretary general. she joins me now from bangkok. what are you telling the government to prevent this devastation from happening again? >> i think it is already very evident to the government and the people that what has just happened here and has already happened in other countries in the world is a new normal, and all the efforts that have been put into building a safe and infrastructure, now and will have to be reviewed and to see how you deal with the potential for stimulus lobbying and even

worse in the next decade. it will take a lot of critical review of the infrastructure. the early warning system, there is a significant investment. they will really engage in very practical action in the very immediate action. >> indeed, major challenges ahead for the thai government. what is your sense, that you have to put to good will to move forward to make these investments in infrastructure for this disaster not to happen again? >> today, there is no doubt that it is there. with the huge economic impact, you looked in the industry, listen to some of the confidence that say they no longer want to

underwrite it. also countries that have been affected by very serious disasters. the future ability of the development of this country depends on a very critical engagement, the political will is there and there is a significant opportunity for a unified effort between all parts of society and in many other countries faced with similar challenges. they are broad challenges the involve many other sectors than the ones in the u.s. normally involved. >> the special representative of the secretary general for the disaster -- disaster risk reduction. retailers like wal-mart might be well known around the world, but they have never set up shop in

india. that is about to change. supermarket chains -- chains can open up their, $450 billion each year. >> shoppers might a be about to experience a retail revolution. this is where they buy most of the daily goods, and markets, local shops, or larger family unchains. all that can be about to change. for the first time, large foreign supermarkets are set to sweep into the country. big chains like wal-mart have been waiting for this moment for a long time. in the and shoppers are expected to spend about $450 billion every year. the retailers and consumers will benefit and the sector will get much-needed investment and

expertise. the move has millions of small traders worry. they fear the arrival of a foreign chains will put them out of business. but the government wants more foreign investment and is likely to press ahead with the reforms. >> a man in new delhi has slapped the agriculture minister in the face to draw attention to corruption. him there, but he does while shouting, you are all thieves. he was restrained and then he pulled out a small knife before being escorted by security. instances like this have been on the increase in india. some have had shoes thrown at them or offices ransacked by angry citizens. making a serious statement, you have been watching the news day. >> will be back in a few minutes

with the asian business report. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank.

>> union bank has put its global strength to work for a wide range of financial companies. what can we do for you? >> bbc world news was presented by kcet los angeles.