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tv   BBC World News  PBS  February 11, 2012 12:30am-1:00am PST

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>> this is "bbc world news." funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for key, strategic decisions. we offer expertise and tailored solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you?
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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> dozens died as car bombs rocked syria's second city. the government blames terrorists. the opposition says that the government is to blame. the greek parliament has approved it -- the greek cabinet has approved the cuts. the u.n. secretary general tries to quell the situation as argentina and britain grant out their war of words. welcome to "bbc world news." a high court ruling takes prayers offered the local council agenda. kept private for 60 years, the royal photos released for the queen's diamond jubilee.
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the violence in syria has spread to the second city of aleppo. an area which had previously been largely untouched by the unrest. 28 people have been killed by bombs that exploded close to compounds. the government has blamed at the explosions on armed terrorists. opposition representatives say that it was the government. >> the bombs went off in aleppo. mangled wreckage and rubble suggests the extent of the blast. even armored cars were destroyed and a grim toll of dead and wounded. the bbc was with the journalist
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shown around here by government officials who cast the blame on what they called terrorist gangs. >> these criminal acts committed by these groups will not prevent us from continuing our efforts in order to crush terrorists in this city. >> no one has claimed responsibility and rebel activists claimed the government plot designed to discredit the opposition. >> any explosions reported by syrian tv, they can -- we can see that they are ready to film it immediately. we hold the responsibility entirely at the hands of the syrian regime. >> all morning, syrian state television reported from both bombsights, the other at a military intelligence complex. this reinforces president
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assad's claimed that he is fighting terrorists. those still loyal to him are scared of what could happen next. the turmoil has been absent from damascus and aleppo. state employees, businesses, and minorities are worried that without president assad, life could be worse. sunni arabs, the majority, have a lot to gain from change. the ruling elite are from the minority and they worry that without the assad regime in charge, they could lose out. there is also concerned about less religious tolerance in a new syria. meanwhile, more amateur video of continued shelling. tonight, these american satellite images allegedly of other military deployments.
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>> the prime minister of greece has said that his country must do whatever it takes to avoid bankruptcy and catastrophe. in athens, violent clashes broke out between police and demonstrators. >> how much more of this can restate? protesters and police clash in once again in athens. this is the start of a two-day general strike against government plans to make more cuts in return for a bailout that is supposed to save greece from financial ruin. >> i am worried will not be able to live off of the salaries mandated. a large amount of people will lose their jobs and a working wage is not enough to get by.
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>> government ministers came and went, debating the new measures, they were finally passed after these ministers and other members of the cabinet resigned in protest. the cuts have to be approved by the greek parliament this weekend. 3 +%+ >> this time, they need to do whatever is required. it is obvious that whoever disagrees will not remain in the government. >> greece has become a country of recession, unemployment, shrinking salaries, and now more cuts. many feel it is too high a price to pay for a bailout. >> a prominent burmese monk has been released after being detained on friday.
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he was one of the organizers of the 2007 uprising. this is a sensitive moment for of burma. let's go to our correspondent who was on the campaign trail with the opposition leader, aung san suu kyi, just outside of rangoon. reforming times and, but obviously not to reformist. >> the authorities have said that they did not arrest the month. apologies for the noise, there is a truck going past. they said they took away just a question him and now he is being released. going to collect this high- profile month in the middle of the night does send warning signals. a man who was such a high- profile figure.
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he is now out. the authorities are at pains to say that the reason that they picked him up and wanted to talk to him was twofold. he and some of his followers had been breaking into monasteries that were locked up because they felt they have not -- they should not have been locked up in the first place. the leadership government had asked him to come and talk to them about what he was doing. he failed to show up. that is why they wanted to bring him in. we have not heard from him. we don't know what his take is on all of this. certainly, the authorities would not want this kind of incident to overshadow what was supposed to be the bigger message which is that there are a elections campaigning and the way which the government had promised will be free and fair. >> let's talk about the
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campaigning, you are on the trail with aung san suu kyi. her reputation is enough to bring out the crowds but what are the actual details of her campaign? >> yesterday was the official start of campaigning although she has made a few forays across the country. today is the first time that she is appearing before the constituency. there have been people out to catch a glimpse of her. crowds lining up along the side of the road. i talked to people that had been looking to get a position on the road to caps a glimpse of her. she spent quite a lot of time sticking her head out of the sunroof there were chants all of
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the way along the line. -- she spent quite a lot of time sticking her head out of the sun roof. there were chants all the way along the line. the constituency will be with her. wherever she goes, it is a logistical nightmare for the people that were with her. >> the secretary general has called on britain and argentina to avoid any further escalation in tensions over the falkland islands. tensions have raised after britain sent a destroyer to the region. >> argentina since diplomats not soldiers to make the case. the country has in part on a major diplomatic exercise to restate its claim to the island. after listening to the foreign
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minister, the u.n. secretary general asked both sides to call the attention. for argentina, this meeting was a moment to denounce britain before the world. accusing the country of not only sending a destroyer but a nuclear submarine. >> the uk says they are not trying to militarize the south atlantic but this has increased fourfold its naval power. why do they need four times more power than what they have had until recently? >> the ministry of defense says the dispatch of the destroyer is retained. as is the recent deployment on search and rescue duty. tonight, the british ambassador to the u.n. refused to comment about the submarine but insisted that the u.k. was committed. >> is only because argentina
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illegally invaded the falkland islands in 1982 that since then, we have had to increase our defense posture. nothing has changed in that defense posture in recent months. >> this dispute has been heightened by the discovery of oil reserves in the falkland waters, an issue that has come up repeatedly in argentine statements and will only grow in importance. none of this means that the u.n. secretary general or the leaders of britain or argentina believes that they are close to a military clash over the islands. there have been resolutions on this and none has had any effect on the status quo. argentina has been steadily building. some have refused access to the ports. the strategic aim is to isolate britain in a region of growing
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economic importance. with the 30th anniversary of the war due in april, the campaign of diplomatic attrition looks set to become increasingly bitter. >> bitter cold temperatures and snow continues to affect most of europe and it is not over yet. the severe weather is forecast to continue for the next few days and temperatures are expected to plummet again. >> georgia, these icicles might look pretty but the heavy snow and biting cold has frozen vital water supplies, disrupted travel, and cause frustration across the country. it is better in romania. the severe weather has cut off hundreds of homes. in some places, people were left without electricity and temperatures as low as -20 degrees. in weather like this, the
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elderly are particularly vulnerable. the snow outside of this woman's house is already in deep and she is scared. if another snow storm comes, she says, we are going to die. the water wells are entirely covered and i cannot go and get firewood. >> of the plummeting temperatures have brought economic misery. part of the river danube has frozen over. the ships have stranded and there is no sign of ice melting anytime soon. and they have resorted to local measures. even a chain saw is pretty useless. there is a white out in turkey, to, and it conditions are extremely hazardous. the vehicles are all of the road. emergency services are on the move by any means possible.
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traffic has slowed to many groups in mount villages. many have been cut off. these villages are a major tourist trap in the summer. it could not be less inviting. the forecast say the big freeze in in europe is far from over. >> this is "bbc news," still to come -- nearly a year after the uprising in bahrain, opposition groups. when to make their voices heard. -- opposition groups are struggling to make their voices heard. the system for tabulating tax credits could lead to many low income families losing out every year. insists of the measures will help working families. >> labor might be trying to push
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the headlines but this is not new news and it ignores a range of other health that the government is giving to families. you look at the cost of living such as freezing cancel tax and taking millions of people out of tax to the rate of taxes and the households. >> -- ending a season that lasted 8 hours. the man was taken into custody after armed officers stormed the restaurant at about half past 11. these are the headlines. car bombs rocked syria's second city. the government blames terrorists, the opposition says the government was behind the attacks. anger over greaseballs austerity measures spills out onto the
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streets. the cabinet has approved the latest cuts. -- and her over greece's austerity measures spills out into the streets. prayer as part of the council agenda are on lawful according to a judge. the suit was brought by an atheist and a member of the secular society. this could have far-reaching implications. >> we hold before god and prayer, our sovereign lady, the queen. >> with the monarch who governs the state church, christianity has a privileged position in britain. >> if you could just a few moments in silent prayer. >> it has been practiced in schools and as mark ceremonies of national commemoration. for generation, a christian prayer has begun council
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meetings. an atheist challenged the practice in court and today he won. >> it sends the wrong sort of signals. this is skewed in the direction of elderly church doors. the councils are for everyone, not just a few people. -- this is skewed in the direction of elderly church goers. >> the high court said that although the counselors could hold prayers before meetings, they must be excluded from the formal agenda. the national secular society said that religion and government must be kept separate. religious leaders denounced the campaign. >> they want to take it inch by inch to remove any vestiges of religion and public life. >> repeatedly, senior judges have ruled against christians
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when they have been putting their beliefs against secular values. magistrates, marriage counselors, airline clears, have all failed to stop a tide steadily excluding christianity from public life. the case could have far reaching effect. more than half of the counts is began with meetings and prayers. some fear that religion's elsewhere could be under threat. the new laws should prevent that happening. >> i think there is an important part of public life. we have the established church, the church of england. i have the ability to do this in the house of commons. if i can do this, why should someone at the parish council have that right? >> some say they will continue to say prayers but for now at least, they will have to be off
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the official agenda. >> to bahrain where it has been more than a year since opposition groups occupied pearl square demanding change. the ruling monarchy remains in place. the protest movement might have been largely pus out of the capsule but it is still attracting support. >> it is nighttime and clouds are slowly moving along the streets. -- crowds are slowly moving along the streets. the people are heading to this anti-government demonstration. opposition rallies might be loud. they have an air of a rock concert about them. they are very serious. there are some heartfelt stories being told. ekcvtake this human rights acti,
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he has been to jail where he says he was beaten. a visit to his house shows windows that have been smashed by tax from security forces. >> there are people with no houses among the shi'a. there is a high rate of people with no nationality. you come to the shi'a areas and see how it is different. >> pro government sources say that this has not greatly affected the economy. some businesses have relocated nearby, others are filling the void. >> we were looking for a it robust regulatory framework which was offered by the central bank of bahrain. this has an excellent infrastructure and approximately to saudi is another reason -- and proximity to saudi is another reason. >> building projects look stalled.
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in the streets of the capital, tourists are markedly absent. those assisted with the opposition have lost their jobs. this woman was fired because of associations with the protest movement. >> my husband came here for lunch and he left and he was ambushed and he was in jail for 10 months. he was sentenced to three years in a military court. i had very little access to him. he still lives with his scars and wounds. >> with the anniversary coming on february 14th, it is possible that the tension will bubble to the surface. there is still a lot of unaddressed anchor in the poor districts. >> firefighters and police are
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maintaining a strike one week before the world's biggest carnival gets under way. >> firefighters are only responding to emergencies. the police have left many areas of this crime-ridden city unguarded. >> i witnessed the theft. i ran after them. they just look at my face. i tried to defend the girls, but only one guy helped me to run after them. i hit in a hole and i could not do anything. i did not know if they had a gun. >> the last event to prevent the strike with the offer of the 39% increase in work. for the officers, it was far from enough. >> i am not here to ask for the back salaries. i want the firefighters to live
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in a better way, not in shantytowns like they do now. >> to provide security for the big carnival next week, if the strike is not and. the federal government has offered the services of 14,000 soldiers stationed in rio. for the north, there are also concerns over the security for the city's carnival. the police here reached the 11th day of their strike which had seen them occupied the legislative assembly building and engage in angry standoffs with the military. they hope that there will be an agreement in time for carnival next week. with both the world cup and olympics on their way, there is concern that it might not be a permanent solution.
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>> as britain prepares to celebrate queen elizabeth's diamond jubilee, new photographs of the royal family have emerged taken more than 60 years ago. >> a first glimpse inside of a very private album. prince charles cuddling his sister and already revealing an interesting article trip and it seems it might have been a tiring put a sheet. -- prince charles cuddling his sister and already revealing an interest in horticulture. it seems it might have been a tiring shoot. the photographers snapped a 14 himself with all three of them in the mirror. >> he took one of himself. he took the chance withdrawals and -- with charles and anne.
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>> this is believed to be the first formal photograph of a list of it as clean. this was used for an official portrait. -- this is believed to be the first formal photograph of elizabeth as queen. as part of the jubilee celebrations, more and more material like this has been released giving a rare insight into her private life. one expert says the collection is unique. >> this is comparable to them. the early picture of the queen. she may look like a film star. i've never seen her look so relaxed. >> so secret are the photos that they have been hidden for six decades. now, they are a perfect souvenir for the diamond jubilee. >> you are watching "bbc news,"
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i will be back in a couple of minutes with the latest headlines. >> 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. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and provide capital for key strategic decisions. we offer expertise and tailored solutions in a wide range of
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industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles. 
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