>> prayers and tears as people remember the victim those of the indian ocean tsunami. nearly a quarter of a million people died 10 years ago today. the ivory coast former first lady heads to coach on trial for her role in the country's deadly postelection violence in 2010. pro-russian rebels prepared to exchange prisoners as the latest round of cease-fire talks gets pushed back. those are the top stories this hour. thanks for joining us. 10 years ago today, a 9.3 earthquake struck off of indonesia's western tip.

it created a massive wall of water that pummeled 14 countries. over 220,000 people died. commemorations are being held in many areas. indonesia is one of them, the country first and hardest hit. >> a wall of water on the distant horizon. for these tourists, it was a spectacle to be captured on camera. they had no idea of the danger headed their way. the first waves arrived and rise unrelentingly engulfing everything in its path. on december 26, 2000 four, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 on the richter scale shook the ocean floor. the epicenter was several kilometers from the island of sumatra. indonesia was hit with the full brunt of its force. this footage shows citizens

fleeing after the first tremors when suddenly water and debris swamped the district. the wave is over 15 meters high. more than 160,000 people in this one indonesian province are killed. an hour and a half later, the tsunami hits thailand. tourists caught outside hold on for their lives. the tsunami spread to india, sri lanka, the maldives, and even the african coast. the chain in sumatra was left devastated. over 230,000 people were killed, carried away by the deadliest tsunami in recorded history. >> for more on how people are remembering that fateful day, i am joined on the line by claire in jakarta.

what kinds of celebrations are we seeing today? >> thousands of people went to the capital of the province to attend commemorations for this anniversary. the celebrations will continue over the weekend. this morning, a long ceremony took place with at least 35 officials from several countries along with 34 international in geos -- ngo's. the vice president is also they are to pay tribute to the victims. yesterday, they said the tsunami taught a valuable lesson to the province would have been a scene of an armed conflict for nearly 30 years. this weekend arts and cultural evenings will take place showcasing the provinces' finest traditional dances as a mark of appreciation to the international community and nations that have helped following the disaster. another purpose of holding the event is to remind the next generation about the heartbreaking incident. the organizers say they need to

understand and make efforts to minimize the impacts of disasters. they hope the event will help joint national and international visitors and promote tourism. >> the tsunami left $10 billion worth of destruction in indonesia. where do things currently stand with reconstruction effort? >> to be honest, it is hard to imagine how much of it was destroyed because everything has been built back. the houses, roads, and shops. people have resumed their lives quite remarkably. the international response was massive at the time. it received over 6 billion euros. the money was used to build better, a theme of these celebrations. the people have learned from the past and now they have escaped rinse marked -- ruins marked with signs. the city center serves as an escape will bring in case disaster were to strike again.

>> thank you for that update. at 10:00 local time, the tsunami struck southern thailand. half of the country's 5300 dead were foreign tourists. today tight officials took part in a religious ceremony to mark the opening of the tsunami park. it features a portrait of the sun of the princess who was among those who died. people in malaysia are remembering the fateful day as well. five of the northern states have been hit by the worst monsoon floods in decades. more than 100,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. the monsoons are an annual occurrence in the region, but this year's rains have been particularly bad. torrential downpour separate have a on local transport systems and communication lines making it tougher for rescue workers to carry out their jobs.

the wife of the former ivory coast president is in court this friday. she is on trial for her role in the deadly postelection violence in 2010 and 2011. over 3000 people died in clashes following her husband's refusal to accept electoral defeat. >> she is known as the iron lady a woman with a checkered political past who was arrested on april 11, 2011, along with her husband, the former ivory coast president. this photo bearing evidence of that day. this friday, 65-year-old goes on trial and she is charged with harming state security during postelection violence in 2010. an election in which he refused to concede power after his defeat by the country's current leader. she is being tried for her link to those who led a brutal campaign of violence against his

supporters in the five-month crisis which left over 3000 people dead. in the post-electoral speech she accused him of leading a team of bandits. >> we must begin to live again because life goes on. the time for debate on the election has passed. >> the former first lady will face court this friday alongside 82 former members of the regime. despite numerous requests, he has refused to hand her over to the international criminal court. he says the local trials will guarantee a fair trial. the first session is expected only to select jurors. it will be heard in court in early january. he is set to face trial in the hague next year. >> the father of the jordanian pilot captured by the islamic state group in syria has pleaded for his son's release. so far there has been no word

on the fate of the pilot last shown being dragged from the wreckage of his downed plane in the video put out by the group. the 26-year-old was carrying out airstrikes against the militants when his plane crashed near the islamic state group's de facto capital. >> i send a message to our generous brothers of the islamic state in syria. to host my son with generous hospitality. to be generous and not ungenerous toward my son. i asked god to fill their hearts with love and return him to his family, wife, and mother, to return safely. i asked god to gather our muslim community around these words. there is no god but god. we are all muslims.

>> to turkey where the teen accused of insulting the president has been freed from custody. the 16-year-old was jailed for making a speech about government corruption scandal that involved theerdowan. though he has been released, he still faces up to four years in prison if charged and convicted. it is a no go for the latest round of peace talks over the separatist insurgency. ukrainian and pro-russian rebels will not be meeting in the belarusian capital today. besides reported a tense day of initial talks on wednesday with little progress made toward a final peace accord. here is julia with more from moscow. >> the second round of the talks have been called off. they were originally planned to take place today on friday. but according to the spokesman of the belarusian ministry, these negotiations will not be held today. it is not clear if they were

postponed until a later date or if they were called off altogether. according to some information this was after the vote of december. there has not been official confirmation. the talks between kiev and eastern ukraine and russia are very important. it is important negotiations continue. >> on wednesday, we sought talks get nowhere, if you will. there was some agreement as both sides said ok to a prisoner swap. what more do we know about this? >> that is right. this round of talks was held behind closed doors. little information has been released. what we do know is they seem to have agreed on a prisoner exchange. we don't know details of exactly where or when this will happen. but it looks like it might happen either friday or saturday, so quite soon. according to some information

150 ukrainian soldiers will be swapped for 225 separatists. that seems to be the only issue the group has managed to agree on during five hours of talks on wednesday. other issues they were meeting to discuss was the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the frontline, delivery of humanitarian aid, and also en ding the blockade of the eastern region, and trying to establish [indiscernible] there's plenty to negotiate still. it looks like the talks have already proven difficult. >> staying in russia, rising inflation has prompted vladimir putin to order a price freeze on vodka. the economy is facing its most serious crisis since 1998. it has been battered by low oil prices and western sanctions. >> the vodka named after the man

who has ordered a price freeze on this and every other bottle of vodka on sale in russia. vladimir putin has told the government to cap the cost of the country's most consumed drink as inflation since the price of goods soaring, the move hopes to ensure russians will still be able to default to their beverage of choice. in the past year, the price of vodka has gone up 30%, three times the average rate of inflation in 2014. for the kremlin, in vodka prices is about as much public health policy as economics. the soaring price has seen an explosion in the production and consumption of bootleg alcohol more dangerous than legally distilled batches. according to the w.h.o., russia is the fourth-largest consumer of alcohol after belarus moldova, and lithuania. it is not the first time the kremlin has tackled vodka prices.

in 2010, they imposed a minimum price. the reason for the timing is simple. russians like many, drink more between christmas and new year. >> new images have been released of the planet from above, or rather from outer space. they were taken by german astronaut who spent six months at the international space station. take a look. >> and otherworldly journey around our very own planet. this is the aurora borealis. it is visible only at the polar regions. >> ♪ >> just as mesmerizing, the man-made urban completions of european cities by night. the beautiful and often surreal images were shot by the german

astronaut and geophysicist returned last month after spending half a year at the international space station. his official mentioned -- mission entailed 47 scientific experiments, tests on every thing from human physiology to solar energy. but during down time, he turned to his camera with the world as his subject. using a technique known as stop motion, he transformed 12,500 still images taken at regular in the -- intervals into a series of short films that reveal the many faces of the earth's surface. like these violent storms over europe. the astronaut even managed to capture the vast atmospheric band that separates us from the rest of the universe. also caught on film, thousands of free forming cloud clusters and this breathtaking sunrise.

traveling at 20,000 kilometers per hour an astronaut can circle the globe in 90 minutes. now the rest of us can marvel at our planet from above. >> welcome to the program where we look at the latest trends in the global economy. south korea has done it, so has peru and indonesia. these countries have engaged in something known as gastric pharmacy -- diplomacy. it is aimed at selling a nation by titillating tastebuds. countries are increasingly thinking the best way to boost exports, foreign investment, and tourism is through the stomach. france has a stellar reputation as a culinary superpower. its cuisine is known across the world. french officials have voiced concerns is image is going sour. could it be french food is losing its flair and is the french economy becoming less savory as a result? >> the world's best restaurant 2014 is once again noma.

>> it is the oscars of the food industry are the only difference, the winner is not the best director but the most accomplished chef. the ceremony is organized annually by the british magazine. for the second consecutive year, the chef from copenhagen takes the number one slot. the french came home with 11, a blow to a country that prides itself on the art of gastronomy. it has set off alarm bells throughout the country. the foreign ministry is concerned about the impact on tourism. >> you ask, what does this have to do with diplomacy? i think we can concoct the notion of castro-diplomacy, a new specialty which can only be positive for france. >> in the great game of

diplomacy can take many forms. a more appetizing weapon can be found in the face of economic struggles. it is called pastrami -- gastronomy. >> france's heritage lies in cuisine. it has been declared a world heritage by unesco. this is not the heritage we must just admire, glorify, and enjoy. we must ensure it is showcased grows, and develops. >> it is also aimed at saving jobs. from 600,000 employees alone working catering in france, jobs that cannot be allocated elsewhere. a concept understood by poland. leading the polish culinary offensive in the capital, this chef. >> i was born under communism. the globalized world that pushes for regularity does not suit me.

>> a dash of culinary talent, politics, and a smidgen of communications is a successful recipe according to this chef. >> i try to improve communication to encourage people to come to the country and discover it. >> he is a gastronomic consultant. it is in his restaurant where the polish chefs have to work hooking up a lesson of diplomacy -- cooking up a lesson of diplomacy. >> we have recently been witnessing is the emergence and evolution of nordic was in -- cuisine. by topping the best restaurants list, he showed us how we can go from baking a gastronomic desert in the nordic kitchen to creating something influential. >> denmark has taken a leaf out

of the early books -- the book from early 2000's using it as a weight to bridge cultural understanding. >> this is not just any potato or carrot. this is the first kitchen that ensures local products are featured in dishes and provide a forum for creativity. it is up to the expertise of the ship to tell the story of the country. >> castro-diplomacy is a relatively new field, it is nothing new to him. the african chef decided to go back to his roots after learning a different school and working in england. though not a politician, he found a way of dabbling in diplomacy. >> i discovered african cuisine in london. i realized as an african despite the culture of eating good food at home, i had never

seen it in the restaurant, set up by white people no less. it was like a slap in the face to see what people draw attention to african cuisine in london. i said to myself, it is not normal. >> since then, he has made it his mission to showcase his african cuisine and make people appreciate his cooking he started out with a dish known to all. >> subconsciously from the moment you know it is fish and chips, you are left wary. that is part of the education creating a recipe that enables people to taste something they are not familiar with, like discovering yam. >> all the ingredients are african. yam and bread made of cassava flour. >> the work we do is to make the food sexy and turn around a larger number of dishes.

so that in 20 years, african food is in the same category as its italian and asian counterparts. >> what about french cuisine? it is multifaceted. perhaps even too much according to this restaurant owner. >> today, french gastronomy is not feeling well. it is no longer selling well because of emerging cuisines from west -- less known countries that have stolen the limelight. perhaps it is because france is too rich in talent that it is becoming less talked about in the global landscape of gastronomy. if you want to be heard today it is essential to restrict those who are the ambassadors of france -- french gastronomy a broad. >> here they are, the ambassadors of french gastronomy

meeting with the foreign minister in the suburbs of paris. from this photograph, one thing is certain. young chefs are few and far between. just the familiar faces. it is becoming more of a challenge to make their outdated voices heard. for a fresh take on french cuisine, we turn to a young man who takes us to his stepfather. >> he is a butcher. in fact, the whole family is a part of this business because his nephews are farmers. >> [speaking french] >> let's look at what we have got. i like to work with lampb fi lets. i love lamb.

you can cook it three different ways. >> it is this well known meat that has become the basis of his cuisine, reflective of trench cooking matched nowhere else in the world. >> there are plenty of restaurants around the world like in spain or the nordic countries where the culinary culture is rather poor, yet they seek inspiration from their local food culture. we seek local, regional products. something that was not done by more traditional restaurants in these countries. but something that has been done in france for a long time. >> there is very little reason to fear for the future of french cuisine. although he does not embody all the latest trends, according to him, it will always remain on top. >> it is hard to break the barriers because we need time. our foundation for any dish is the sauce gravy, and time.

we are leaving it for seven hours to cook while we work on the broth. >> spain, denmark, and poland are not the only nations to acknowledge the importance of culinary diplomacy. in peru, the festival was launched to put the country's national cuisine on the map. the man behind the event. trained in france 22 years ago he's now the spokesman for peruvian cooking. on november 20, he was invited to the plaza where the chef took the opportunity to set up. >> the spirit of peru is generous. it is no coincidence. there are many northern countries that don't have that generous nature. >> we want to share.

we want the world -- we want people to like our cuisine. beyond that, we want to promote tourism in peru. we promote our products in smaller markets worldwide. we want to find opportunities are smaller producers, too. -- for smaller producers too. >> according to the peruvian diplomat, the trade is dependent on gastronomy. >> it is very important for peruvians to have the support of the government, to be able to evolve their cuisine and popularize it. i believe peruvian cuisine is amongst the most important in the world. >> gastro diplomacy has rarely helped to overcome diplomatic incidents. the concept is embraced by

france to promote its brand abroad and remains a leading tourist destination. >> from the kitchen back to the studio, you have bee

is best known for her book, "the color purple." her gifts as an author and poet halves brought her fame around the world. it is here that opinions begin to divert. i am ken spencer, one of the founders of link tv. you are about to see alice walker's presentation at an event called earth at risk, a conference that focuses on justice and sustainability. there are few speakers more eloquent on the rights of women, people of color, and the poor.