>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. [ funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, the newman's own foundation, and the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation.] ñi >> this is world news today. i'm jonathan charles. the pressure on g8 leaders at the summit and their african counterparts. and pres. obama of rives for his first official visit today to the continent. >> it does just proven that black people can do exactly what white people can. >> and a crackdown in the

chinese city of glembocki -- a of a urumqi. and it two more soldiers are killed in afghanistan. and big ben is celebrating. it is 7:00 a.m. in washington, midday in london and 1:00 p.m. in the italian town of the aquila -- l'a krisha. the g-8 has announced a new $15 billion of agriculture program. president obama is having to offer care for his first

official trip later today. -- is heading to africa for his first official trip later today. >> the g-eight would not be complete without a celebrity or two. and sure enough, george clooney along with the american comedy actor, bill murray, put in an appearance, much to the delight of the locals. >> [unintelligible] >> agencies are warning that more people len ever are going hungry -- more people than ever are going hungry. agencies' budgets have to window. gratz we are very underfunded at this point. -- >> we are very underfunded at this point. it means that we are cutting russians in half. kids are getting half a cup of food -- we are cutting rations in half.

kids are getting half of a food rather than a full cup. >> the shift is on to his dovish a multibillion-dollar fund to help poor countries grow their own food. >> it is time for us to switch because food security is not just food aid. it is the ability of people to produce food locally and for them to have access to local markets. >> finding food aid seems to be a constant refrain at the g-87. -- at the g-8 summit. >> our correspondent chris mason joins us live life from l'aquila.

it does not necessarily include a lot of new money. >> quite, exactly. already, the charity to agencies are saying, let's look at the small print at to find out to the extent to which this is new money. there is a real attempt to shift the emphasis from direct food aid to more sustainability and local agriculture to help countries produce their own food. sometimes it is mismanaged and the food is dumped into local markets do think the africans will be convinced by all of this -- into the local markets. >> do you think the africans will be convinced by all of this?

>> there is quite some çfrustration. the lines that were generated -- the headlines that were generated in skoglund talked about the marshall plan. a lot of the money that was announced in the headline figures was tied up and never actually made it to the people that really needed it. they will scrutinize the details to find out if this actually turns into real detail and value for them. >> we will be hearing more about the need to help africa. barack obama will be on his way to the continent. let's take a look at the rest of this hour's news.

the chinese town of urumqi has been hit by trouble purita thats left 156 people dead and many others injured. our correspondent is in urumqi for this exclusive report. >> a small group of weaker -- uigher muslims and demand justice. >> for the past half an hour there have been a group of men and women protesting, raising their voices in angerer. so far, the authorities have done nothing to try to control

this georgian. -- this situation. >> they could face around the group. -- quickly surrounded the group. look closely at the protester in the white t-shirt. the police and kicks him hard. then on the left, an officer runs in and it smashes his head with full force. next, his hands are held. he is defenseless. another officer punches is him repeatedly. at this point, we had to stop filming. earlier, the group said they feared for their safety. there is no word from the

authorities as to where they are now. >> also this hour, more than 400,000 people need to be relocated after earthquakes struck southwestern parts of china. at least one person was killed and three others injured. this area was devastated in last year's sichuan earthquake. right police to guard of the forces gathered outside of where this trial was being held. there is an american and british offensive underway in afghanistan's helmand province. two more british soldiers have been killed in separate

incidents, born in the total to nine in just nine days. -- bringing the total to nine in just nine days. karen, what happened in these latest two incidents this? >> in one case, a soldier was killed in an explosion while on foot patrol. those bombs are coming increasing numbers of casualties there. the other was a something that involved a fire fight. a soldier died of gunshot wounds, taking part in the operation panthers claw. >> it is a really big operation. but we have been following it this week on the bbc. oneç thing that has been raging all week yet again is about

whether they are well enough equipped and whether there are enough british troops there at all for this offensive. >> that is right, that is an important question. how many troops do you need to secure the objective? what exactly are the objectives? that is what the secretary was speaking about earlier this week. he said, political reconciliation is very important. then of course, there is what is done on the battlefield. and he said it is very important of afghan troops hold the territory, that they do not just go in there and then move on. the people there need to not be afraid that the taliban is going to come back. we do not know how many taliban

or afghan civilians have been killed. but there is mounting concern in afghanistan over civilian deaths. >> we will have sports and about 25 minutes. but first, a bankruptcy protection. >> it can take months, sometimes years for companies to emerge from bankruptcy. gm is rising rather phoenix- like. the white house is really pushing this through to get this all sorted. the new gm, a smaller network, less debt. cadillac will not be around anymore curato.

we're talking about $60 billion, which is an extraordinary amount of money. 60% owned by the u.s. government. they will have a new logo, may be a green background. it could be the face of a safer and cleaner car company. >> can obama deliver on his grand foreign policy vision? and happy birthday, big ben. the london landmarks rings up 150 years. unesco claims that american troops in iraq caused considerable damage to the

civilian arm by using it as a military base. >> a helicopter landing pad for u.s. troops in iraq, build on one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. american forces did significant damage to babylon says reports from unesco. there is an american base here for your out after the april invasion in 2003. this was the location of the famous hanging gardens, the city where one of the first legal codes in the world was compiled. but the euan stresses, the damage did not begin when the americans arrived, nor did it end when they left. unesco's us and looting in trading on the black market have

continued. but the americans to save would have been worse if they had not been there at all. unesco is looking to buy babylon to the list of world heritage sites. -- 25 babylon to the list of world heritage sites -- unesco is looking to havadd babylon toe world heritage sites. >> there is a picture of five iranian officials being freed by the authorities in iraq. there were held by u.s. forces in the country for two years. there were accused ofç action against the country in that the war. -- in the war.

world leaders are looking for ways to boost food supplies on the final day of the g-eight summits. -- g-8 summit. it is an important visit for both barack obama and the continent, which is often -- which often thinks it is neglected by the west. president obama will go to the capital of ghana. it is his first official visit to the continent. there is a huge interest and enthusiasm for the visit, which has sparked a great pride against -- amongst ghanians. >> a lot of excitement,

enthusiasm in the capital of ghana, especially among young people. i am just about to walk into the classroom were some young kids are excited about the visit of this man. let's see but they are to say. hello, children. how are you? i cannot hear you. how are you? [unintelligible] ] >> excellent. you know who this man is? >> yes. >> what is his name? >> barack obama. >> who? >> barack obama! >> that is more like it. are you very excited about president obama's visit? >> yes. >> why are you excited? >> this is an historic event. he is the first african- american president of the united states and i feel privileged that he is visiting my homeland.

>> ward you like barack obama? >> the what -- why do you like barack obama? >> the way he does things, he does what he wants to do. >> why are you excited about his visit? >> because he is the first african-american president. >> that is right. >> and he is coming to ghana. and who comes to visit donna? >> -- and who comes to visit, donnghana? >> what would you say to president obama if you met him down the road by in some rice? >> [laughter] i would say that he is my role model because he is very courageous. he can do things without being scared, even though the consequences might be bad.

>> obama is the biggest president in the world. he can -- he has proven the black people can do exactly what white people can. >> that is what the kids are feeling right now. obviously, it is a lot more than that. but just having barack obama here is get enough. -- gift beenenough. >> there is enthusiasm amongst young people, and most people at the arrival of barack obama. is that the case among politicians, do you think? >> of the politicians, the ordinary people, and, ghana, of course, is the main visit, but across the continent.

>> is there something different in africa about the way they feel about this is it? what's yes, there is something emotional -- >> yes, there's something emotional about the fact that the leader of the world's most powerful nation that does come from africa. there is an emotional component straightaway that i think he will be able to build upon. >> there was no surprise that it was going to be, and not kenya, where his father was from. -- said it was going to be gonnghanaç and not kenya, whers father was from. >> there is a long history of relations. a very strong bond. jimmy carter was there and clinton as well. there is also a portion that has

emerged between the u.s. and donnghana. he wants to recognize democracy and could government, which ghan a has achieved. >> a 27 year-old man has been gored to death in spain. it is the first death from the running of the bulls their in 14 years. the group of polls is let loose every morning to charge through the streets. it is as famous as an image of britain, the eiffel tower. -- is as famous as an image of britain as the eiffel tower, big ben is 150 years old today.

[bells clanging] >> of their burdens spells for 100 -- they are britain's bells for 150 years. a new day, under your -- a new year. the westminster clock tower has come to symbolize london and britain are around the world. but the bells have had a checkered history. for one thing, big ben itself cracked soon after its installation. >> they did not know what to do with it. eventually said it had become an embarrassment. so they turned the bell about 90 degrees to get it away from where the hammer was hitting. they drove a crack from top to bottom to keep it from a

cracking any more and it has been ringing ever since. >> the first big ben was set up a new palace yard, but shattered. the metal had been melted down and recast, the bell wayne 13.5 tons -- the bell weighing at 13.5 tons and was hauled up the side of the tower. >> [unintelligible] event in big bend history came in 1976. the 1.5 ton weight that drives

the chimes' fell down the tower, shattering the machinery above. generally, it takes reliably and relentlessly on. -- it takes reliably and relentlessly on. -- it ticks reliably and relentlessly on. >> another record, the 24-year- old has won 14 olympic gold medals. he shifted nearly a second off of his previous record. [unintelligible] it was a contrast in mourning for the rebel team. -- red bull team.

the championship leader joseph button [unintelligible] the quarter finals of the davis cup start on friday. israel willç take on russia. germany travels to take spain. and argentina will meet with the czech republic. in the reddick who lost to roger federer on sunday has a hip injury. lake knows full well the task he is up against.

>> we of the to related advantage of your chances. -- you have just got to really take advantage of your chances. take your chances when you get them and then really take care of yourself. >> they say when you face iian t is like serving out of a tree he is so tall. >> the g-8 summit is taking place in italy. hopefully, we will be renewed a news conference very soon. the g-eight leaders have announced a new $15 billion a culture program for africa. the leaders also have said it is

to help improve holdings by small farmers to increase their crop yields. they're under great pressure to show that they will stick to their aid commitment despite the recession they are suffering in many countries. president obama is on his way to debora and will be talking about -- to africa and will be talking about the needs of the continent. >> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. [ funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, the newman's own foundation, and the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation.]