>> "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. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." "bbc world news -- >> this is

"bbc world news." a second go at a new coalition, angela merkel in the german election. the chancellor is about to address her supporters. we will bring you that live. payoffs in the philippines. roman polanski, battling to avoid extradition to the united states. the ukrainian standout that is a web sensation. what is it all about? it is 7:00 a.m. in washington, midday in london. iran is upping the ante ahead of key nuclear talks in geneva on thursday. the country has successfully

test fired long-range missiles capable of reaching other countries in the gulf. it is not the first time they have test fired missiles, but the timing is highly significant, following the revelation that a second uranium enrichment plant is being built. in less than conciliatory approach is coming from russia and china -- a less than conciliatory approach is coming from russia and china. let's take you to germany now, live, where angela merkel is addressing her supporters. [applause] >> thank you very much, indeed, for the applause coming from all around. thank you. i will open up the press conference with the chairwoman of the cdu, with mr.

[unintelligible] and the chairwoman of the city. ladies and gentlemen, we have had a meeting with the executive committee of the party. the mood is very good. there is a high degree of contempt with the results of the general lections. the fact that we have achieved governmental change, this is a tremendous challenge for us, leading to a new direction fo. we have a high degree of consent and agreement that with this

result week, of course -- with this result we get a tremendous vote of trust coming from the voters. a smaller coalition party, with at that we have a chance, an opportunity, one that we want to use in this economic time to create new employment, state guard employment, push forward growth. -- safecard employment, push forward growth. -- safecaeguard employment, push forward growth. we know that the coalition it is a major challenge for the parties involved. we know that we have lost 1.4%.

the former grand coalition partner had a loss of 11%, which rose frightening. i think of this result goes to the foundation stone for strengthening our future. we are going to involve in a major analysis of the election results as to what it means for germany. we are a people's party of the center. we need to learn lessons as regarded in coming from the younger part of the population. consider what kind of impact of the internet has. we are also going to make sure that the balance between the social market economy on the one hand, ie a great respect to those that create employment in

germany, but on the other hand we need to fight the balance between employers and employees. we need to find a balance in a reasonable manner. it is important that we conclude the coalition, i am convinced that we did a good job with a grand coalition. the results are still be seen. as regards the opportunity for growth and prospects for employment, both of very good. -- both are very good. with yesterday's results and the results from the recent elections in brandenburg, we have a majority in the upper house as well. it also shows how many federal

states are already governed, showing with at their track record that we have a better opportunity end result of our part. ladies and gentlemen, i will be getting in touch very quickly with the chairman of the fdp and csu as to how the coalition negotiations will go ahead. we will try to make this speech. i believe that germany -- we will try to make this speech tspeedy. i believe that germany is governable quickly. you can see me in a very content to be area that is because of my contentment from last night.

i do not think that everyone was able to see this. we have a lot of momentum now. bell, overview mr. premiere -- now, over to you, mr. premiere. >> to everyone in the whole of germany, to everyone in the country and the federal state, we have achieved our objective. we were able to have sustainable majorities. this is something that angela merkel has obtained at the top of the campaign. of course, we know what wind means in maritime terms. we know what this tailwind that she gave to was meant. -- that she gave to us men tmen.

we will organize and we will prepare carefully. cain the new federal-state government we have a majority that is solid. i am looking forward to cooperating with the fdp. i would prefer a government with a small majority rather than a rather shaky majority. we are faced with a huge responsibility. of course, i would have preferred a few votes more for the cdu and we will analyze

those results carefully. the people expect that we are to bring the federal state forward, increasing growth opportunities and educational opportunities, as well as the infrastructure. these are the criteria we will be measured by. >> we are now leaving the victorious party headquarters of the democrats in berlin. we heard angela merkel talk about her high degree of contentment in last month's results. she has worked to make the country governable quickly, saying that there is momentum for that to happen now. she really said it there. a high degree of contentment. she could not keep the smile off of her face.

but can she deliver on her promises? >> you said it. she is absolutely delighted that she won this second term as chancellor. it was such a close race. in the end she pulled it off. she got the government she wanted. a center-right government with pro-business liberal free democrats. those negotiations are going to be starting with the liberal free democrats over the next few weeks, trying to agree on a call-in reform agenda. -- on a common reform agenda. with me now to discuss the election, a social democrat. for you and for your party, this was a disastrous night. >> it was, but it was not

completely unexpected. polls over the last few weeks showed us to be very far behind. two points, ok, we will have to do better next time. >> what went wrong? >> i do none know. the main effort of the social democrats is that we have too many social democratic parties and only one liberal -- and only one conservative party. there are the christian democrats, the social democrats, the green democrats, the leftist party. >> you lost your traditional supporters to the ex-communist left party. >> that is right. >> what about ruling out the coalition? >> not a mistake, it was a necessity. for a foreign policy person like

myself it is unthinkable to go along with the leftist party. they are against europe. they want troops out of afghanistan. they want to dissolve nato. no chance. >> what about this new government? they claim that they have this stable majority, but they are going to face a lot of opposition and challenges. >> the biggest problem comes from the economy. we have a huge debt. but at the same time liberals had promised tax cuts. >> a fenty for joining us. a lot of challenges that the new government will be facing. chancellor is confident that she will push through these reforms.

>> think you. across europe people were asking for re-election would mean business as usual for germany's relationship with european allies. what is the view from the european union on this? >> a spokesman there, said -- observing on the diplomatic niceties, as they will not comment on specific results, but i know for a fact that within the office of the president of the commission they are pleased with this result. partly because angela merkel has been one of the biggest supporters amongst believe it -- leaders of europe. also because the path of reform that she wants to follow jives very much with the agenda that

the commission is pushing here as well. they are pleased to see that she has a stable coalition of her own choosing. in brussels they knew that she was not able to free rein. >> there is talk of turkey joining the coalition eventually? >> the coalition here knows that the turkish question is a long game. this is something that will be played out over 20 years. chancellors will come and go. the president of france is very much opposed, he will, and go as well. in the short term it has been difficult, but in the long term if is a much broader game they are playing.

-- in the long term it is a much broader game they are playing. a canadian soccer owner is expected to become the next space tourist. >> a few days to go before the latest so use rocket will blast off to the international space station. -- soyuz rocket will blast off to the international space station. members of the crew are undergoing final training. this man is the founder of a circus troupe, set to become the first clown in space. canada's first space traveler has spent millions of dollars, month in training, sometimes having fun. -- months in training, sometimes

having fun. >> this has been a blast. it is so generous of man's knowledge. >> tree planting is a classic ceremony that all after not undertake before launching into space. they were in a joking mood that day. [laughter] apart from bringing more fun to the orbiter station, the canadian billionaire will host the first multimedia event to raise awareness of drinking water problems around the world. nasa's space shuttle program is expected to end in 2010.

there will be no room for guests until the americans want their necks space program. -- there will be new -- there will be no room for guests until the americans launched their next space program. >> these are your main headlines. iran has tested long-range missiles capable of hitting israel. angela merkel is beginning talks with the democrats on forming a center-right coalition. more on iran, a test firing long-range missiles comes ahead of geneva talks on thursday. >> the test may have been long planned but the message is unmistakable. iran is not about to cave to

international pressure. this missile puts israel easily within range. iran also said that they tested their other long-range missile for the first time. all quite routine according to the iranian government. their foreign ministry spokesman said that the test was purely defensive. he insisted that there was no connection whatsoever with the nuclear program. the nightmare scenario for their opponents is a nuclear bomb on top of a long-range missile. the latest missile 10th of already provoked expressions of concern from the policy chief. above all, this is an exercise in deterrence in case the current crisis spirals into a real attack on the islamic republic. >> what do these tests mean for

those talks in geneva? >> clearly they want to see these tested before they go into the talks. pressure is building up. the american press are now printing a lot of detail about the sanctions they would like to have on the table. so, for its side, iran is showing tough, but now comes the crunch. >> do they come to these talks a lot? >> and not if you listen to what these spokespeople say. they say they are tragic humiliation for the west. i do not see how that works out. the real problem of the revelation is that this could peel off any remaining support from russia and china, who had

been prepared to say from them that they had to hear more. it really damages the case of iran. >> where is russia at on that? >> dimitri medvedev seems to have indicated that russia wants to veto new sanctions on iran, but that is very far from fact. as for china, they are not sure. on its own i do not think that they would veto any sanctions. >> is this border issue simply expected? >> difficult to say, this has been a red line in iran that you do not cross. not even privately. there is not much of a debate about it. one senses and unease about where this is going, -- one senses unease about where this is going.

>> we will have more in the next 20 minutes. we will speak to the commentator of iranian affairs, back on the line. stay with us for that. rescue workers in the philippines are overwhelmed by the scale of the flooding. we are now hearing at least 140 people have died, 400,000 displaced. much of manila has been under water. some of the worst flooding there in 30 years. much of manila remains coated in a thick layer of mud. >> the mud is certainly the thing that is the most obvious in the areas close to the river. near the city in the center, those are the areas where shops and homes were affected very

badly. we went down streets where we saw cars that had been picked up, dumped on their roofs, left on top of other cars. there was debris in the power cables. 3 meters or more in height. even people on the second floors of buildings were struggling with a height of the storm. flood waters have receded. there was a shock earlier on, another system came through. there was the requirement of emergency services to engage in search and rescue. food and water, clothing as well, a lot of people had to leave their homes and get to the high ground when the flooding came in. >> the interim government of

honduras has declared a state of emergency and banned public gatherings. new measures will restrict mobility and guarantees for the honduran constitution. temperatures could rise by a catastrophic four degrees according to a british research body. low-lying land could flood in less than 50 years, threatening the global water supply. the french foreign minister said that he and his polish counterpart have written to the u.s. authorities about the rest of roman polanski. he holds dual french/polish citizenship, he was detained on saturday after a request came through from the legal authorities of los angeles.

he had been wanted since 19774 conviction of having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old. >> they have no choice but to arrest him. his lawyers say that they will challenge the detention and any attempt to extradite. the director behind classic films like "chinatown" and "as the pianist" was meant to be honored at the zurich film festival. this news was greeted with dismay. >> i do not understand how they can bother this gentleman after 30 years. >> he was getting his lifetime achievement award. >> it was in 1977 that roman polanski lets left america. he had admitted to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl and fled before he could be

incarcerated. he has not been back in three decades. the girl pronouncer anonymity and said that the charges should be dropped. -- the girl renounced her anonymity in said that the charges should be dropped. now the maker of the art films has discovered the center of his own, inside of a swiss jail. duncan kennedy, "bbc world news ." >> let's briefly take you back to berlin where angela merkel is addressing her supporters at the cdu headquarters. she said that talks are beginning. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. the newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t.

macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its financial strength to work for a wide range of companies from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> i'm julia stiles. >> i'm kevin bacon. >> i'm kim cattrall. >> hi, i'm ken burns. >> i'm lili taylor. >> i'm henry louis gates, jr., and public broadcasting is my source for news about the world. >> for intelligent conversation. >> for election coverage you can count on. >> for conversations beyond the sound bites. >> a commitment to journalism. >> for deciding who to vote for. >> i'm kerry washington, and public broadcasting is my source for intelligent connections to my community.

>> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles.