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>> the lasting american troops in afghanistan leave. allegations of abuse and a reminder of past violations. the u.s. military investigates a video of the u.s. marines apparently urinating on the bodies of dead militants in afghanistan. hello and welcome to gmt. i am george alagiah, with a world of news and opinion. also in the program, two years since the haiti earthquake, all those donations, all those promises, and still, hundreds of thousands of people are homeless. why are so many tunisian is still setting themselves on fire? it is midday in london, 7:00 a.m. in washington, and 4:30 in

the afternoon in kabul, where u.s. military commanders have expressed shock of a video footage apparently showing u.s. marines urinating on the bodies of dead afghan fighters been a fair fight, another reminder of the abuse that took place in iraq -- fighters. collaboration with foreign forces is a good thing. president karzai has called the incident deeply disturbing. let's go to our correspondent, quentin. >> the feeling, regardless of whatever afghans think of the taliban, they will be appalled by this footage. what appears to be four u.s. marines stand over the body of insurgents -- they urinate on

the corpses of the dead fighters. the marine corps says it is investigating if the video is authentic. if it turns out to be real, such actions would be a violation of the rules of war. in a statement, the pentagon said that regardless of the circumstances, this is an egregious, disturbing behavior, unacceptable for anyone in uniform. president hamid karzai joined in the condemnation, saying the soldiers had desecrated the bodies of the fighters. he called on the u.s. government to severely punish the offenders. regardless of their feelings for the taliban, most afghans will be appalled by the tape. foreign troops are already held in for regard by many people here. >> [speaking foreign language] >> this man said all muslims condemn them. it is against islam and the international community's mission.

>> [speaking foreign language] >> another said that it will harm the peace talks. this action will increase misery in the country. similar incidents in the past has caused widespread violence across the country and attacks on foreigners. it could also harm american efforts to start peace talks with the taliban. is not yet known who posted the video. the nato led mission said the troops are likely no longer serving here. if it turns out to be authentic, the 40 seconds of tape has done great harm. another setback for relations. bbc news, kabul. >> george, the one silver lining is even though this video has had play around the world, it has not really been picked up by the afghan media. >> you interview the person who

said this will affect peace talks. how awkward do you think it will be for president karzai? >> it is pretty awkward for the president. of course, foreign troops are supposed to be here protecting afghans. this really cuts deeply to the afghan psyche, seen as a very humiliating. in terms of peace talks, the taliban has said this will not affect peace talks but we haven't even gotten into peace talks get. it's difficult to talk about what this will do for peace talks, which have not really gotten under way yet. >> thank you. now to some of the other stories making headlines around the world. two years after the earthquake in haiti which killed 300,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless, progress towards rebuilding has been slow to say the least. the country's president has told the bbc hazy has a huge loan --

bbc haiti has a huge wound. >> in just 35 overwhelming seconds, the earthquake destroyed lives, homes, and the government.ti's >> that night, he lost one daughter and feared he would lose a second. >> she's fighting. there's no help. the head was open. her body was crushed under the rubble. >> this is the spot where she almost died. she has made a spectacular recovery. >> two years after, she is doing well. life is not as great in haiti.

there are no jobs, you know. i'm fighting just so they can go on. i put her through school, but she is fighting. >> daily life is still a struggle for millions. half of the rubble from the earthquake has been removed, but 500,000 people are still living in tents. in the president, the singer turned leader, has promised -- >> we were slow to move the people out of the camp. it is a huge step. after thef tents earthquake. now those families have moved out and normal life is returning. a small sign of progress. jessica has been given a grant

to move out of the camp into this tiny apartment that she shares with her five children. >> it is better than living in a tent, she says, but how will i pay the rent next year? >> the ruins of the national cathedral are in place were for reflection and remembrance. it is still so hard to bear. >> the japanese government says it will reduce oil imports from iran. the american treasury secretary timothy geithner is in japan seeking support for new sanctions that target iran's oil industry. the announcement was made by japan's finance minister, jun azumi, at a joint news conference. japan is the second biggest importer of iran oil. the burma government has signed a ceasefire agreement with ethnic karen rebels.

a preliminary ceasefire that will allow a liaison office and free travel in the country. official figures show nearly 13,000 people were killed in gang violence in mexico in the first nine months of 2011. that is 11% more than the year before, but it is the smallest year-on-year rise since president calderon declared war on the drug cartel's five years ago. to the show will remain in history as a country that kicked off the phenomenon -- tunisia will remain in history as the country that kicked off the phenomenon that we call the arab spring. the death triggered nationwide demonstrations, which essentially forced the president out. the bbc has uncovered alarming statistics that show that hundreds of people continue to set their cells on fire in tunisia -- set themself on fire

in tunisia. >> in the last 12 months, at least 130 people have set themselves on fire in tunisia. last january, he poured petrol over himself and with a match. he survived and is being treated here at the burn unit in the capital. he told me he deliberately copied the actions of mohamed bouzazizi. unlike him, he has not become a full hero and he regrets what he has done. >> [speaking foreign language] >> i was jobless and desperate. the whole country seemed to be on fire, so i set myself alight,

too. i destroyed myself psychologically and physically. i also destroyed my family. >> in the last week alone, at least three tunisians have set fire to themselves. a crowd desperately tries to extinguish flames that engulfed a jobless father of three. he died from his injuries two days ago. they are mostly young men from poor, rural areas with basic education. most importantly, they are desperate come out of work, and have little prospects of employment. another young man fights for his life in the burn unit. the bbc has shown previously unpublished figures that show that in the year since last january's revolution, there has been a staggering fivefold increase in the number of self immolations. >> in a number of people think

that they may solve problems doing the same things that bou azizi, but it is not true at all. there are dramatic consequences of this act. please stop doing this. >> they may be afforded the honor of being buried in a martyrs grave, but their families are no better off. bbc news, tunisia. >> still to come on gmt -- following the money, we find out what happens to all those ransoms paid to somali pirates. iran's president ahmadinejad has arrived in cuba for talks with raul castro. iran is blaming america and

israel for the killing of a nuclear scientist on wednesday. >> it whistle stop tour by iran's president. he has now touched down. despite the mounting pressure over iran's nuclear program, mr. ahmadinejad stepped out apparently totally relaxed. he was given the warmest of cuban welcomes. at the university, another show a friendship. he was awarded an honorary doctorate too polite applause. there was no mention of the big issue of the day. europe is threatening more sanctions as it refuses to stop. >> he is clearly trying to send a message to the world that despite the increasing pressure from america and the european union, iran still has friends and one of them is cuba.

>> these nations are united, r hostile, fo relations with america. he chose to rail at capitalism. on the streets outside, some cubans have no idea this visit was under way. >> [speaking foreign language] >> he told me it was very positive. all countries have the right to develop the technology they need, he said. any problems should be solved through dialogue. so far, there has been no sign toiran's plans to return the negotiating table. >> this is gmt from "bbc world news." i am george alagiah. the headlines -- the u.s.

military is investigating a video that appears to show american marines urinating on the dead bodies of taliban fighters in afghanistan. haiti is marking two years since the earthquake that killed 300,000 people, but half of 1 million people are still living in tents. time now for the business news. we have aaron. quite a lot happening in europe. italy and spain had a bond auction. the ecb. >> let's start with the bond auction. it was a real big test of the troubled economies of italy and spain. they returned to the international money market for the first time in 2012 to sell debt and raise much-needed funds. so far, so good. italy raised $11 million. the good thing, the yield. the interest rate investors demand these governments pay them to take on their debt dropped significantly.

here is the thing. both countries are only selling short-term debt. it's a lot easier to get higher investor confidence on the short-term debt. the european central bank made available half of one trillion euros. these banks have money to buy bonds. experts say, credit where credit is due. investors are starting to believe spain is on track. listen to this. >> in contrast to other countries in the euro area, spain has made enormous strides. they introduced this that break into the constitution. it is a very rare occasion. of course, the austerity package is that you just mentioned. i would say that the market is taking -- >> in terms of the european

central bank, the rate decision date -- nobody is expecting any change. as i mentioned, all the money they have pumped out. let's see where we go from here. >> some airlines. air asia pulling out of europe. >> the low-cost, long-haul. it is cutting its european routes. that means a six weekly flights to london and four weekly flights to paris. the ceo has also said that the new our mission tax imposed by the eu has compromised their ability to offer low fares. the whole business model -- many have tried to make it work. many have tried and many have failed. i did ask our correspondent, given the attacks, could bear asia be the first casualty over this whole -- could air asia be

the first casualty? >> in terms of rising fuel costs and weaker demand coming from europe, on top of that now, they have the mission taxes. air asia says it cannot sustain its. it has been a surprise to analysts they thought -- to analysts. >> george, i should also add -- all of these cuts they hope are just temporary. they want to see where they go from there. >> thank you very much. thank you. nike has agreed compensation in a dispute with workers and indonesia over unpaid overtime. the indonesian subsidiary will

pay more than $1 million in total. the settlement comes after one year of negotiations with trade unions. it reflects almost 600,000 hours of unpaid overtime and will compensate for a 500 workers -- compensate 4,500 workers. >> is arguable how much of the impact of this settlement will have on the indonesian business landscape. it was made out of court. there's no judicial precedent. interesting to note will be what kind of signal this settlement will send to other international companies in the footwear and apparel business in indonesia and what they do in terms of elevating the standards of business in their local factories. it's very easy for these international firms to say that they do not know what's going on on the ground this

settlement, a significant one -- will certainly raise that issue. we're already hearing from trade issues that they're looking to take this sort of case. >> for more on nike agreeing to a compensation package, go to our web site and you will find further analysis. she says compensation is a significant victory for the affected workers. just go to bbc.com/news. it is reported that somali pirates have captured a vessel. they are currently holding several merchant vessels. what happens to the money paid

as a ransom. this afternoon, aims to shed some light on this. it is compiled -- he joins me from our london studio. give us your topline fighting. the benefits of piracy are widely spread in the economy. poor people are benefiting from the piracy. i've been looking at nighttime light emissions. the coastal villages -- they buck the trend and continue to

grow. two cities that are very often mentioned in the context of piracy. finally, i've looked at high- resolution satellite rates. i have looked at the coastal villages. again, i find confirmation of those things. most of the money seems to be ending up in the area. also, the conspicuous consumption is not a police wrong in somalia. people seem to be sharing -- consumption is not particularly strong in somalia. people seem to be sharing. >> thank you. have you any idea how that will go down with a lot of ship managers and so one who see this

as a surge of the seas? >> i completely agree. my paper is about finding a land-based solution, finding out irate interesto-privat groups are. if you want to think about it in terms of development, it's a very inefficient way of providing funds for somali development. >> as you say, the international community, rather than the emphasis on military strategy -- the british government, for example, allowing armed men on the boats. all the focus has to be on the land. how can you get money and pay on the land? >> and there are potentials for grass-roots counter-piracy on land.

there are some people, especially on the coastal villages, which have not benefited from piracy in the way they might have hoped. for that reason, they might want to engage with the >> coastal communities to try to find a negotiated solution -- might want to engage with the coastal communities. >> thank you very much for your time. south korean analysts have warned of what they call military adventurism in north korea. kim jong un's succession to power has forced the officials to focus on military readiness. lucy williamson has been out with south korean special forces and send this report. >> on south korea's snowy peaks, officials are training to infiltrate their communist neighbor. israel is simulating a rescue mission. -- this drill is simulating a

rescue mission. the two koreas have never signed a peace deal and there are regular military clashes along the demarcation line. the sudden change of power in north korea last month -- forces here have been placed on high alert. >> [speaking foreign language] >> in the wake of kim jong il's death, the military situation has become very uncertain. no one can anticipate what will happen. as soldiers, we need to be prepared for the worst. the north korean threat has not changed. the best we can do is to be ready. >> north korea has paraded its 1 million man army in public squares. south korea, with fewer soldiers, is offering a different image. a military it wants to be slim and strong, relying more on skills than simple numbers. it's rare to be allowed to get this close to south korea and special forces. these are unusual times.

the sudden change of leadership in north korea has meant increased pressure on units like this one to prove they are fully prepared. even elite soldiers have to begin with the basic spirit in this class, military skiing for beginners. every male citizen is meant to serve for two years. it also means many of them have low experience. the camaraderie here on the mountain has a new attention here this winter. lucy williamson, bbc news, south korea. >> the afghan president karzai has condemned a video apparently showing four u.s. marines urinating on what appears to be dead insurgents in afghanistan. that's all for the moment. stay with us here on "bbc world

news." come. is plenty more to bumpe >> make sense of international news. bbc.com/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. >> you are no longer in the service. only an outsider can find the double agent. >> i'll do my utmost. >> from the bestseller by john>> all i want from you is one code name. >> it will take a master spy -- >> you are alone. >> you can't mention me. >> to catch a spy. >> you have to assume they're watching you. >> what the hell are you doing up here? >> things aren't always what they seem. >> "tinker tailor soldier spy."

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