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what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news." >> hello and welcome. >> i am in london. the headlines. a major rating agency warns viewers countries could be downgraded. they are confident proposed reforms will center the eurozone. >> russia's parliamentary election favored vladimir putin 's party. all eyes on china. we get reaction from greenpeace china. it is 12 noon here in singapore. >> it is 4:00 a.m. in london. broadcasting to viewers on pbs in america and around the world. welcome to "newsday."

we do not have time, the warning from the french president what he meant germany's chancellor. the latest attempt to hammer out the plans to see the eurozone. president sarkozy's sense of urgency was underlined when standard and poor's base -- placed the -- almost the entire eurozone on credit watch. >> european leaders have procrastinated for months and credit rating agency has put almost the entire eurozone on credit watch. within 90 days, s&p has reviewed the finances of those countries. there is a 5050 chance that come can see there credit rating downgraded. a credit downgrade would be a

severe blow to countries like italy and spain which have already seen the cost of borrowing rice severely. for germany which has been the economic powerhouse it could also set them back severely. they have enjoyed a truly great reading. and they have also been finding a solution for your's sovereign debt crisis. this morning by standard and poor's have put paid to the release -- relief rally we saw on global stock markets and put european leaders under severe pressure to come up with a solution when they meet later this week. it is not that problems have not been unforeseen or unexpected. this is a warning that europe needs to solve its problems quickly. >> president sarkozy and chancellor angela merkel have taken note of the warning that underline their views for

tougher budgetary controls would boost stability and growth. they set out the reforms which will be put to the european union summit later this week. our europe editor reports. this was the start of a crucial week for the eurozone wi. a meeting between the leaders of france and germany. the two most powerful countries in the eurozone. they embraced and called for a new treaty that would insure that overspending never happen again. with automatic sanctions for those countries who broke the rules. the leaders want to stress their determination to do what was needed to fix the crisis. >> our will is to go on a forced march to reestablish our confidence in the euro and eurozone. we have not got time. where are aware of the seriousness of the situation and responsibility that lies on our

shoulders. >> the german chancellor said she would prefer all 27 members of the european union agreed to a treaty change. but what except it if it was lifted to the countries in the eurozone. >> we are open to changes to the treaties for the 27 but also the 17 years and members of necessary. we are determined to keep the euro in stable currency. >> the two leaders hope that by signing up to a tough deal on spending limits it will make it easier for the european central bank to help countries struggling to finance their debts. so, what has been agreed? the leaders will push for an urgent treaty change. many details remain not clear. there will be strict budget limits, deficits will not be allowed to exceed 3% of gdp and there will be automatic sanctions agreed by the other member states for those who break the rules. in a country protective of its

national pride, there is acute concern that these changes are eroding sovereignty. the opposition fears that oversight of budget by a european corps would weaken the role of parliament in france. >> being in the euro, respecting does not mean we this control on our own economic policy. we need to keep that. >> of the treaty and involves all 27 members, it will need british support. if the changes are significant, they could trigger a referendum elsewhere. even though it is not likely the new measures will apply to britain, the prime minister was asked about holding a referendum in the u.k. >> we have legislated now so it is impossible for a british government to pass power from britain to brussels without asking the british people in a referendum first period as prime minister i am not intending to pass any power from britain to brussels and i do not think the

issue will rise. >> european countries including britain will be asked at a summit whether in principle they back a treaty change. the big question of course, how long this process will take? what today's plans did not address was the fundamental issue of the debt and low growth. >> carl weinberger explains their significance of s&p's warning. >> you can -- they can put substantial pressure. if the germans were to lose their credit rating it would be a blow to their prestige. it would raise their borrowing costs and already putting a cloud over the credit rating gives investors a reason to doubt that germany is the safe haven they have up to now believed it is. in the midst of this crisis. at the end of the day, resulting europe's banking problems will

fall into the lap of the european financial stability fund. they have to borrow money from the market. if credit ratings are downgraded in europe it will cause efsf to raise more money and will have difficulty doing it. this credit rating downgrade can be expensive for europe. in terms of prestige and in terms of borrowing costs. >> markets are trading lower. what is the latest now? >> the losses continue to pile up. investors are very jittery. oil prices are continuing to fall this tuesday after s&p warned it may downgrade the civil -- sovereign rating of several eurozone nations. you have the reserve bank of australia cutting the cost of borrowing by 0.25 a one point. it is the second reduction in as

many months. that is the latest in the asian markets. moving now to developments in russia where thousands took to the streets on monday demanding an end to prime minister vladimir putin's roll. the public display comes after mr. president's party was dealt a major blow at the polls. united gresham maintained a narrow majority but saw its numbers dwindle. adding to it struggles, official observers from the you say the poll was conducted unfairly. our correspondent reports. >> less than a mile from the kremlin on an up market boulevard, where police struggling to clear the biggest demonstration the city has seen since the 1990's. it was an almost spontaneous reaction to what the crowd believed was a fixed election. russia without proven, they shouted. their anger focused on the

country's prime minister, vladimir putin who has been in power for almost 12 years but who is blamed for presiding over a bureaucracy tainted by rampant corruption. >> now we look back and realize that we have got nothing. the reform of the police, the army, no battle against corruption. it is obvious that people two years ago were supporters, now they just say, we heard do about you do not do anything, that is what we did not support you. >> what made this demonstration remarkable was not just the size. also the protesters themselves. there were moscow pose a young middle class who feel they have no future. it cannot see how to change it when they feel the elections are so unfair. this has been a bad month for vladimir putin. first he was booed in public and lost one-third of -- one-third his seat. and then the target of this

demonstration. the opposition are not well organized and is not clear they can sustain this level of protest. >> a series of bomb attacks in iraq have killed more than 25 people. at least seven were killed and 13 wounded by a roadside bomb pilgrims. she goshia is tightan's security ahead of the day of a sherra -- ashura. pro-taliban sunni militants are carrying out the attack to curb what they called a growing regional influence of neighboring iran. our correspondent reports from the provincial capital. >> nothing has been done, she says as her children hug her,

tears flowing for her husband. a former champion boxer, he was revered as one of pakistan's most celebrated sportsmen. an olympian and an asian games gold medalist. he was targeted for being a minority. his murder could have been stopped. >> there has to be will. they do not have the will. this is a small city. we have decent security forces but whether networking? >> security officials call this group responsible. it is pakistan's most powerful extremist organization. soldiers of the companions of the profit. the groups had spoke to the bbc in islamabad. >> it is not just here. our agenda for the entire

country is that murders and massacres. we do not want them nor do we like them. but if iran tries to bring a shia revolution, we will beat a great ball in their path. >> they say they do have strong religious ties to iran but firmly remain pakistani citizens. they have done well here, prosperity evident in these neighborhoods with bustling businesses and children hurrying to school. this has gained resentment and hatred. it is here that one of the more recent attacks took place. a suicide car bombing. it happened on the day of the eid festival. they walked into the bombing. the destruction is still evident here. local people told me later that despite appeals to the

government, nothing was done to prevent this incident. such killings continue. most here belong to the group. mourners throng inside. they said they are bring for the souls of the departing and their own deliverance. >> you're watching "newsday". tenet could be about to make some commitment on climate change. we will get reaction from greenpeace. >> the hunt for a salary -- serial killer continues in the state of new york. former ivory coast president laurent gbagbo has made his first appearance tracheas accused of crimes against

humanity. he is the first former head of state to be brought before the tribunal since its inception in 2002. >> the international criminal court is now in session. >> it was a landmark occasion for the international criminal court. the first time a former head of state has faced icc judges. laurent gbagbo stands accused of murder, rape, and persecution. he addressed the court in french and said he was aware of the charges against him. he did not need them right out. but he raised questions about the circumstances of his arrest in april. 50 french tanks surrounded my residence, he said while helicopters were attacking from

the air. he also expressed concern about his sudden transfer to the hague last week. i said, where am i going in this plane and my guard did not have the courage to tell me. you are going to the hague. he said you are going to abi zjon. i laughed because i understood. some argue that his transport amounts to a political kidnapping. he is the first person from ivory coast to come before the international criminal court. the prosecution say the investigations continue and further cases will be brought rebbe's of political affiliation. >> this is "newsday". the headlines for you this hour.

france and germany rollout plans to tackle the eurozone debt crisis. a major ratings agency warns there may be downgrades to come. to then't have taken streets of moscow after an election favored vladimir putin's party. clement talks taking place in south africa. it is widely believed an effective international plan can only be reached of china agrees to carbon cuts. economic development remains the country's top priority. >> it is all part of the daily routine. has becomedle-class used to the appliances of modern

life. is he comforts are always at hand. as the ranks of chinese middle- class as well, greenhouse gas emissions rise with them. she said she cannot blame people for wanting their lives. >> the west is not offering solutions. it is complaining about other countries. what can people here have the same kind of life that already is enjoyed by many in the west? >> china is the world's largest polluter relying on coal to fuel its economic boom. although its carbon emissions are half that of the u.s., the demand for energy is rising fast. emissions are not due to peak year for another 20 years. critics say by then it will be too late to tackle climate

change. as china develops it will not agree to any task but it wants to use energy more efficiently. >> where you have now is time to making its first commitment on carbon. that is significant. it will start to drive energy- efficient say but also by increasing the share of low carbon generation. grenoble's like wind and solar and nuclear capacity in the energy mix. >> china is pouring money into the development of clean technology. driving down costs around the world. the critics say the pace of change is not happening quickly enough to make a significant difference. in the future grenoble's and clean technology may go along way to meeting china's energy needs, but for now, it will be cold that continues to fuel the country's breakneck development.

growing prosperity year will lift millions out of poverty but it is coming at the cost to the environment. >> negotiations at the climate conference recalled around china's intentions. one development is china says it may accept a binding cut of its carbon emissions after 20/20. i'm joined now by web ccam. how cigna begin is this plan of china and is it having an impact on negotiations in durban? >> this is the first time i have heard the clarity that china put on the table its mission. they want to take a major step forward in biting its emissions.

to subscribe, its domestic action into the framework. this is significant in terms of tonnage being such a economy and the biggest emitter. also sending a signal of flexibility which is the signal to durban. we're here [unintelligible] if countries are saying we do not move into some condition are mad. i see it is bringing impact to the negotiation already. a time that europe and other major players, they should respond to china's offer of their official statement. and this week, the ministers have arrived here to strike a

deal. i think it is left to see whether china's statement can turn into real flexibility. and we will -- and real constructive effort in trying to find this middle ground. if the eu can accept this and other countries like the u.s. can join the consensus. i think the action needs to be delivered. that we will see in the next couple days. >> with this plan by china for binding emissions after 20/20, do you think there is a chance of a brick through -- break theithrough? >> this is a multilateral negotiation.

i think now that china does put its proposal or its road map clearly on the table, they say china is considering a legally binding -- emission limits after 20/20 and it is open. it does have some conditions. right now, what is needed is the key players, the major countries in this negotiation. that it joins forces and needs to find a middle ground which would reconcile -- >> i apologize, we have to cut you there. we have run out of time. thank you for joining us. she joins us from south africa. you have details of a manhunt not far from new york? >> police in new york first

discovered a body hidden in the scrub land of long island. 10 sets of human remains have been found. police are hunting for a serial killer. the police renewed their search of the dense undergrowth in new york. >> on the trail of a serial killer. the police searched the undergrowth of an isolated barrier island 50 miles from new york city. this quiet, lonely highway has been used as a dumping ground for murder victims. jenin gilbert, an escort in the sex trade, banister 19 months ago from here. during the search for a long this stretch, the police have discovered the remains of 10 other bodies. >> this picture was taken christmas 2009. >> sherri gilbert is hoping her

sister is still alive. >> it has been hard because you keep getting the phone call. a could be your sister. and never is. there is always that sinking feeling no matter what. just that fear it could be here. >> the remains of five women who worked as escorts have been found scattered across eastern long island over the past year. this bramble was hiding other bodies, a clear -- including a man who worked in the sex trade and a toddler, believed to be one of the dead woman's daughters. >> items to get were found today. >> 100 miles away, as christmas approaches, there is still no relief for shannon's family. the search became more pressing. >> i do not feel like they took

it seriously before that because she was an escort. i do not think they thought she had loved ones who are looking for and care enough about her. >> the police originally believed multiple killers were hiding bodies here. now they say the 10 murders are probably the work of one serial killer. >> if anyone who has been wishing to get away from it all into another planet, we might have the ticket for you. this concerns a new planet. a region where water could exist on the planet's surface. it would take awhile to get there. it is 600 light-years away. >> the new discovery. you have been watching " newsday". >> thanks for watching.

we will see you again very soon. >> 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 financial strength to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news america" was presented by kcet los angeles.