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>> and now "bbc world news." >> hello and welcome. >> rick santorum clears the way for mitt romney to take on barack obama for the presidency. >> we made this decision at her kitchen table against all the odds. we made a decision over the weekend that while this presidential race is over -- >> fresh fighting in syria despite u.n. peace plan. " one of china's top politicians wife is questioned over the murder of a british businessman.

it is 11:00 in the morning in singapore. >> it is 4:00 in the morning in london. broadcasting to viewers on pbs in america and around the world. america's republicans have been locked for months in a bruising fight to choose their party's candidate. that field trank dramatically with the sudden exodus of one of their main candidates. mitt romney it looks all but certain to be the republican nominee. >> it has been a long, arduous road, but we can now say that this 65-year-old businessman will be the republican challenger to barack obama. this was the moment today when

the race all but ended, at a second place rick santorum suspended his spending easter at a hospital with his sick daughter. >> we made a decision over the weekend we will suspend our campaign. we are not done fighting. >> what do we know of the man who would be president? mitt romney was born in 1947, studying business at harvard. he amassed a personal fortune estimated at up to a quarter of a billion dollars. 10 years ago, he entered politics, becoming governor of massachusetts. he is a man of faith, a follower of the mormon religion. >> we fired him as senator, why promote him as president? >> in a negative campaign, organization and hard cash, attack ads pulverized his opponents.

the candidate marketed himself as an economic troubleshooter. >> the president has pledged to transform america. he spent the last four years laying the foundation for a new government centered society. i will spend the next four years rebuilding the foundation of an opportunity society led by a free people and free enterprise. >> the internal fight has left mitt romney bloodied. time and again, the multimillionaire give the impression of living in a different universe from ordinary americans. >> i like being able to fire people. ann drives a couple of cadillacs. >> he has had this difficulty connecting to the average person. he is one of the wealthiest men in the country. for the average person, it is

hard to connect. >> the president concluded that mitt romney would be the nominee some time ago. the obama campaign has depicted him as out of touch. what they also note is this, mitt romney is best placed to take on barack obama on the economy, an issue that will decide the election. >> the guns were supposed to be quiet in syria today, yet more than 50 people have been killed. the deadline for u.n. brokered ceasefire has been flaunted as government forces continued to show opposition activist. the violence has increased and the last several days. our special correspondent is in one of the refugee camps. he filed this report. >> if peace is about to dawn, there is no sign of it can homs. -- it in homs. this is the voice of a cameraman

filming the violence. this is homs, he says. it is being destroyed by random shelling, today, the 10th of april. the destruction seems to be escalating. with time running out on his peace mission, kofi annan came to visit the refugees of syria's violence. most of these people have fled from the north of the country with stories of killing and torture. all day, the cavalcade of those from camp to camp. some of the refugees we met : to the hope that its mission might still work. maybe something will happen in syria, this woman told us, and we can go back to our families. kofi annan is being passed for solutions that he cannot deliver. it is a question of achieving a cease-fire and being able to go

along. a growing number of voices are demanding that the opposition be armed and achieve a military victory. the mood of militancy is growing. these men told us they were from the free of syrian army and have little faith in kofi annan's mission. " we want nato to come to syria and give weapons to the army. we want to liberated -- we want a liberated zone. >> the clock ticks on the u.n.'s deadline. mission looks increasingly forlorn. >> let me appeal to the syrian parties to cease the violence in accordance with the plan. i believe there should be no preconditions for stopping violence. >> in moscow, where he met his russian counterpart, the foreign minister claimed his side was abiding by the agreement.

>> we have withdrawn some military units from some provinces. we have allowed more media channels to enter syria. we have reached agreements to allow humanitarian aid. >> nobody in the camps believe support of that. there were visitors with a very different message. >> this is a war. diplomacy has failed and will continue to fail so long as assa thinks he can defeat the opposition in syria. >> the rhetoric will not bring military intervention closer. it echoes the mood here that rejects any compromise with the regime. >> dramatic fall from grace for

one of china's top political men. >> that is right. bo xilai had been one of china's highest flying political stars. now he has been sacked from all this political positions. his wife is a suspect in the murder of a british businessman. >> chongqing is a city of intrigue. neil heywood died in a hotel room here last year. the businessman was a close family friend of one of china's top politicians. now, in an extraordinary twist, the chinese authorities suspect his wife, gu kailai, was involved in the murder. the british government pushed the authorities to reopen the case. chinese officials initially sacked the business -- said the business and death was accidental after excessive drinking. >> it is a death that needs to

be investigated. on its own merits without political considerations. i hope it will go about it in that way. >> this investigation goes to the very heart of china. neil heywood was priced for his contacts with bo xilai. he is also under investigation after it a police chief tried to defect to the americans earlier this year. all this makes for china's biggest political scandal in 20 years. it comes as the country prepares for a once in a decade leadership change. >> this is a political decision by central leadership to hang him out to dry. with this family.

>> the chinese authorities have set up a team to investigate neil heywood's death. what happens in the city continues to make waves across the country. >> to tell us more about what is going on, i am joined the faculty director of the university of chicago's center in beijing. thank you for joining us. has this latest development involving bo xilai and is wife and did his political career? -- ended his political career? >> i think so. in the last 30 years or so, anyone who has been -- has not been able to come back. that is no longer the case. >> he will not be able to make a comeback, what kind of the

implications does this scandal have on the communist party and the leadership change, which will be taking place before the end of the year? >> the first thing is interesting -- is the way that bo xilai and his friends [inaudible] the so-called criminal elements. because he was to be in charge of law and justice at the very central -- at the very top of the leadership, the fact that he is out of -- a return to some better effort to promote the roulade down the world -- down the road. -- rule of law down the road. he was one of the leading contenders in the top nine positions. his potential competitors may be

rejoicing over his misfortune. >> professor, faculty director at the university of chicago's center in beijing. thank you for your insight. a military standoff is currently taking place in the south china seas between the philippine navy and a number of chinese vessels. eight chinese fishing boats accompanied by two protection vessels. it is a ring of rock and coral. taino -- china also claimed the territory. we have the latest on this naval standoff. >> it is the philippines' largest naval ship. they got the last year from the americans. it is engaged in a standoff with a chinese chef. they were trying to arrest some chinese fishermen in the area.

the surveillance ship got and the way and said they could not do that. the standoff has been going on since last night. the philippine government has called in the chinese ambassador for the philippines to talk -- to sort this out. >> the philippine government wants to resolve this ongoing dispute diplomatically. how could this impact philippine-china relations? >> it comes in a difficult time because of the philippines are due to have its annual games with a united states. something that the chinese -- every year, they are not happy about this. things have gone a little bit better between the philippines and china. certainly over these clashes in the south china sea. last year, there were quite a few of these clashes. chinese ships -- warning

shots fired between the two sides. >> you are watching newsday. seeking to boost trade between britain and asia. atlet's take a quick look what is making front-page news. the deepening scandal around bo xilai leads "the financial times." his wife was detained over the suspected murder of british businessmen neil heywood. markets are punishing the country despite the government's latest efforts to convince investors that it can make -- meet its targets.

france takes a look at the european financial slump, highlighting -- markets are worried about europe and the lack of global growth. rick santorum's decision to end his campaign for the republican nomination means the real battle for the u.s. presidency can now began. >> republican party candidate rick santorum has suspended his campaign for the white house, making mitt romney the likely opponent for president obama. >> bo xilai has been sacked from all of this positions and his wife is a suspect in the murder of a british businessman.

south koreans have been voting in the parliamentary elections. the ruling party is expected to struggle to beat the majority. they are being seen as a key test of public opinion. the u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton has warned north korea to think twice about a long-range rocket launch. she said it would be a direct threat to regional security. >> of this launch will give credence to the view that north korea's -- north korean leaders see improved relations with the outside world as a threat to the existence of their system. recent history strongly suggest that additional provocations' may follow. we are working around the clock with south korea and japan to strengthen our alliances and

sharpened our deterrence. >> the launch could happen as soon as thursday and the regime has dismissed concerns that it is a cover for developing technology. our correspondent has had a rare access to north korea. he sent this report. >> vast, and the streets. not a shop front anywhere. welcome to the world last stalinist state preparing a party for its dead, but eternal, leader. even the walls are being washed. it is like traveling back in time. today, we were whisked past grim looking villages. a fruit farm, all perfect rows. it is the way north korea wants to be seen.

a modern socialist miracle. she says she is very happy working here. thanks to the leaders who have ruled north korea since it was founded. everyone here keeps telling us how wise and benevolent the ruling party is. the inspiration for this came from the leader, kim jong il. there is always the impression that nothing is quite as it seems. the workers did not look like they were doing much. right in the middle, she is putting the box back on the line. going roundjuice and round. doubts linger over the centerpiece of the celebration.

the north korea says it is misunderstood, that is why it showed us and other brand new farm, the breeding turtles, an expensive delicacy. it cost millions. i asked when it will make a profit. it is hard to explain to you capitalist, the manager said. to us, a profit does not matter. not far away, more bare fields. a theme park under construction. and mind of shabby huts. a country that struggles to feed its people, yet leaders' agreement -- during grandiose dreams. -- a dream year grandiose dreams. >> reports say there have been a bomb threats. the flight was traveling from vancouver international airport.

" britain's prime minister has been visiting japan at the start of a tour of asia. the trip is intended to encourage greater british trade in the region. britain and japan said it will delay develop and build equipment. it would spend $200 million developing a new model at its british plant. the next stop on his door is indonesia. -- tour is indonesia. it is one of the world's fastest-growing economies. it struggles to shake off an image of an unsafe place to do business. it's saturday night. our is -- indonesian's football not. it is a popular way for british businessmen to break the ice. he has been doing business here for 18 years.

>> 245 million people, they find domestic driven gdp growth, a 65% from the domestic market. three or 4 million people over the next 10 or 15 years. >> the uk is using a football to reach out to young indonesian's. funding projects that teach tolerance of the sport. this is a fun way to put all that theory into practice. students at this muslim boarding school getting a chance to learn about teamwork and tolerance after football. this is one of the british government's initiatives in indonesia to reach out to young muslims. this is a recent raid, were the elite anti-terrorist aboard killed five people they said

were planning to carry out terror attacks on the island. human rights groups have criticized the units shoot-to- kill record. >> they have a lack of accountability, and a lack of professionalism. the human rights violations. if this keeps going, i am afraid they will become one entity. >> indonesian police denied those allegations. the u.k. has defended its decision to train the controversial units. >> turning the police to gather evidence. -- training the police to gather evidence so that cases can be brought before the courts. human rights are very important to us. if there were abuses, we would

look into them. >> they share stories about doing business in indonesia. they are here because of the vast potential offered. indonesia is held up as an example of a modern democracy by the west. it could lose its place in the spotlight if it fails to continue with the successes of its past. >> rescues -- rescuers in peru are safe -- are saying they are close to reaching nine-that are trapped underground. -- nine-that are trapped underground. the president has arrived at the site. it has prompted calls for closer regulation of the country's large informal mining sector. the arab spring brought revolutionary change to the streets of cairo, but some and egypt are hoping for a revolution of the culinary kind.

the country's food has often been overlooked. >> if you want good food in cairo, you go to a restaurant downtown, one of the most popular places in the city. an egyptian equivalent to mac and fries. another restaurant is trying to spread the word about this traditional cuisine. the cairo kitchen provided in a very different setting. inspired by western fusion restaurants -- >> people used to ask me, what does egyptian food mean? what kind of food you eat in egypt? egyptian food is very much underrated and under offered. >> the cairo kitchen has proven to be very popular with the

locals and the not so locals. >> what i ate today was excellent. often, i am afraid it is to fatty. the food is so light. it is traditional food. you have a big choice. made in different ways we have to take care of our health these days. >> the owners say they want to open restaurants in london and new york, adding to bring this egyptian fast-food to a whole new audience. >> making me hungry. you have been watching newsday. >> you are always hungry. one of the republican party candidates for the u.s. presidential nomination, rick santorum, has dropped out of the race. 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, union bank, and shell. >> this is kim, about to feel one of his favorite sensations. at shell, we're developing more efficient fuels in countries like malaysia that can help us get the most from our energy resources. more use energy

efficiently. let's go. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles.