>> "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. millions have fled the bloody campaign to eliminate the taliban in pakistan. some are now heading home. what will they find? >> supporters of the president of zimbabwe have met a violent end. >> according to unconfirmed reports, the leader of north korea has pancreatic cancer.

welcome to "bbc world news." >> coming up later, living leiter and spending less. americans are taking community living mainstream. the power is in the petals. there is a new bicycle revolution from berlin. ♪ in theory, it is what the fighting is all about. this is the acid test on a massive scale. around 2 million people fled their homes in the swat valley of pakistan as the military cleared it out to make a place for the local people could live in peace. the army has now declared most of the area safe. they are urging millions to go home. many are refusing. they do not believe the taliban

are really gone. we have this report from islamabad on the difficult decision for those that call this what valley home. >> waking up for the last time in the camp. people are flooding down from the hills and fighting. the tide goes in reverse as the government says it is time to go home. they're packing up the tents and cooking equipment. they do not know what to expect when they return. the armed forces of pakistan used considerable firepower to force out the taliban. many homes were destroyed. u.n. agencies have secured an agreement from the government that the return should be voluntary. in some camps, people are staying put while they argue for better compensation. there are other concerns as well. >> this man says he wants to take his family back.

but he is frightened of the government forces and the taliban. he says he will only go home if it is safe. the problem is that no one can guarantee safety. the military has secured the roads with a heavy armed presence on the ground. helicopters are roaming the skies. the taliban militants have melted away for now. but they could restart their offensive anytime. >> he says they do not want rigid do not know what to expect when they go home. they do not know what the conditions will be or if they will have food. the government of pakistan says it will be different this time in the north west frontier. they will provide security and bring utility services and better schools. the return of these displaced people is a big test of the political resolve to bring government where there was none before. at least nine people have been killed in the punjab province. 1 and 50 were injured.

the explosion destroyed the home of a religious leader. at least seven children are among the dead. it has been nearly eight years since international troops were deployed in afghanistan. since that time, at least 1200 soldiers of all nationalities have lost their lives. this is brought into sharp focus today with the memorial service for the eight british soldiers killed in 24 hours. >> prime minister gordon brown visited the troops in april. he is now coming under sustained political at tack about the afghanistan campaign. he is accused of under equiping the troops. >> people say that our urgent priority is to get the right equipment to the forces on the front line. they are right. we must do that. it is a scandal that they still

lacked enough helicopters to move around in southern afghanistan. the government must deal with that issue as a matter of extreme emergency. >> the british forces are still fighting and pushing ahead into key areas before the afghan elections in august. many say it is clear that despite the american surge, britain must also send more troops. >> we will need more troops now to recover the tactical and strategical opportunities we lost from the lack of troops early on. in terms of equipment, the men coming back do not complain about equipment. they say they have everything they need. the only exception to that is helicopters. >> the flags flew at half mast for the british dead. the government defended the mission. >> we do not want to be in afghanistan for ever. the strategy is designed to enhance the capacity of the

afghan national army, police, and government so that they consider the situation for themselves and ensure that afghanistan does not go back to being a breeding ground for terrorism, as it was in 2001. >> the pressure on the government is mounting. the defense secretary is likely to face fierce questioning over whether the british forces really do have what they need. a video of the british soldier screaming abuse at a distressed iraqi prisoner has been shown to a public inquiry. this is the first day of hearings investigating the death of the hotel receptionist. he was detained in 2003. he will also spotlight the conditioning techniques used on other detainees. -- the inquiry will also spotlight the conditioning techniques used on other detainees. >> this is incriminating

evidence don't buy one of the soldiers. he shouts and swears that the detainees. they are forced to maintain painful positions. one said that he was urinated on and scalded with water from a radiator. the inquiry will also hear that one man conducted a choir of the screams and moans of his victims. this man was 26 years old, a father of two children, a hotel receptionist. he was an innocent man left with 93 separate injuries. >> we need to find out who was responsible into an command knew what was going on here. there was sleep deprivation and all the things that seemed to be standard operating procedure. >> there are five conditioning techniques used to soften up the detainee for interrogation. they are banned by the geneva convention. they include putting -- hooding,

a subject in a loud noise, and deprivation of water and food. the inquiry wants to know who condoned the use in southern iraq. the council for the inquiry said that they propose to follow the chain of command from the soldier on the ground as far as it leaves us. the rockies said the mistreatment began from the moment that they were detained as suspected insurgents. this is a reconstruction. some say that toilets were flushed over their heads. the court-martial found only court propane corpl. payne guilty of crimes that he confessed to. no one has ever been confessed -- convicted for the death of the innocent man. the ministry says it has done a

lot to improve training and procedures since the man died. they say they are coordinating with the inquiry. they admit there are more lessons to learn. his father fought a long legal battle for the investigation. he and others have received together almost 3 million pounds in compensation. they want something else, justice. supporters of the president of zimbabwe have broken up a meeting aimed at drafting a new constitution. moments after the convention started, activists of drowned out the speaker. we have this report from africa. >> for the few who believe the agreement actually works, the events of the day are hard to explain. this meeting of civil society leaders and politicians was aimed at starting public consultation over a new constitution.

they're fearful of a process they cannot control. the supporters launched a well- coordinated plan to correct it. just minutes into the meeting, the speaker was being drowned out. shouts for the guerrilla war filled the hall. arguments broke out between the delegates. riot police came in to clear things out. for one person, it was just another example of the lack of commitment. >> i do not want this. people will say the constitution is an enemy to zimbabwe. we will not be intimidated. >> it has been 10 long months since the signing of the power- sharing deal in zimbabwe. the economy has stabilized. the former opposition has little

to show politically for their patients. the light at the end of the tunnel for them is the prospect of elections next year. for that to happen, a new constitution has to be in place. that is something which mugabe and his supporters are all too aware of. bbc in south africa. attorneys for taylor have begun presenting his defense in the hague. he is accused of leading a campaign of torture and murder during the campaign in sierra leone. his attorney says he tried to broker peace in the neighboring countries. a former suspected not s -- as a guard has been charged. he is now 89 years old. he is accused of helping to heard thousands of jews into the gas chambers in poland.

there was a crushing electoral defeat in the capital of tokyo. it is the sixth municipal vote his party has lost in recent weeks. the other party has ruled japan for more than half a century. there has been more violence in the western province of china. police in the capital shot two people dead on monday. it is not clear exactly what happened. we understand it happened in the ethnic district of the city. they said that further unrest will be dealt with firmly. >> we will firmly protect the dignity of the area. we will make every effort to track down the criminals that took part in the actions. we will put them on trial and punished them. it is good to have you with us on "bbc world news." >> new research suggests a strong link between an

overweight parents and children. the british teenager has died at a water park in thailand. he was pulled into the pumping system of the swimming pool. it is thought that he lifted up and under water grill as he was looking for his swimming goggles. we have this report from bangkok. >> it was late afternoon at the beach resort when the awful accident happened. naething clark was 14 years old. he was on a family holiday. he was in water just 1 meter deep when he lifted up this underwater groill. that was the last his brother saw of him. his stepmother was distraught. she and his father had tried to raise the alarm. the life guard did not believe he could have entered the grill.

>> i was told the child had been sucked under. i thought it was impossible because it was closed. i reported it to the offices in charge of the water system and the park authorities. but by the time it was lifted and the system was checked, it was too late. his body was discovered in the engine room half an hour later. he had been trapped under water and drowned. the next day, the police carried out an reconstruction of what might gone wrong. investigation has been looking at whether the park could have done more to prevent this. compensation has been offered. it is understood the family has accepted that this was just a terrible accident. his body will be flown home in the coming days. three miners have been found alive even though they were trapped for 25 days in a flooded mine in china.

their condition is reported as stable. it is thought that they stayed alive by drinking water that was seeping from the earth. >> we have one main headline this hour. the military and pakistan is reopening roads into the swat rally to encourage the 2 million people who fled to return home. the south korean television channel is reporting that the north korean leader has pancreatic cancer. the report is quoting unidentified intelligence officials. it says that his condition is life-threatening. we have this report from seoul, south korea. >> this is kim jong il in better times. north korean television still broadcasts these videos showing him as an animated visionary, learning his craft at the site of his family -- father.

after more than two decades, his public appearances are rare events. this was the 67-year-old last week. the pictures raised another round of speculation about his ailing health and the extent of his recovery from a stroke he was reported to a suffered last august. these are the headlines in the evening papers here in seoul, south korea. they say that he has pancreatic cancer. the story first surfaced on the 24-hour news channel quoting unidentified intelligence sources. if it is true, the reports suggest the north korean leader has a life expectancy of less than five years. but it is almost impossible to verify. north korea denies that he is ill. they called such reports lies. the story has helped to fuel the

decline of the main stock index in north korea, even though government officials said that they are not aware of the cancer diagnosis. rumors like bees give markets the jitters. most observers agreed that he is still in control and fit enough to rule. numerous photographs have been published in recent months showing him out visiting various industrial sites around the country. it is clear that his best days are behind him. he is a man who has godlike status in the country that he rules. he is proving to be as mortal as the rest of us. the u.s. senate has begun a hearing on whether to confirm president thomas choice for supreme court justice. if she is confirmed, she will be the first hispanic american on the top american court. she addressed the hearing earlier. >> the progression of my life

has been uniquely american. my parents left pr during world war ii. i grew up in modest circumstances in a housing project. my father was a factory worker with a third grade education. he passed away when i was 9 years old. on her own, my mother raised my brother and me. she taught us that the key to success in america is a good education. she set the example. she studied alongside us at the kitchen table so that she could become a registered nurse. >> that was sonia sotomayor. how do you build a good life? from the ground up? during tough times, more people are looking at, and a living. our correspondent has been checking out different examples. she started in the u.s. state of maine. >> they know how to farm, cook, teach, and nurse. they know how to run a business,

how to build a home. these families now want to build a model will-generational world community on these 30 acres in the state of maine. together, they will raise children and chickens. they will share meals together. >> in the beginning, people thought this was just a dream. last fall, prices increased four food and utilities. suddenly, this became not such a dumb idea. >> in a few years, this will be farmland and an orchard. there will be private homes using solar energy. the shared housing means sharing their lives, but not their income. in belfast, they are taking community living mainstream. humait is far from this kind ofn all life that we found thriving in virginia.

the sister communities share nearly 60 years of experience and more than 100 members. they have different answers to the big issues like privacy. >> we have about 2000 communities in the united states. we are at the far end of the spectrum. if it is possible to share, we share it. buildings, bicycles, bank accounts. >> this is our tomato patch. >> the smaller community sells organic produce and seeds on line. they make a handsome profit. they have a different approach. there's more talk of anarchism and alternative living and less about property values. in any cooperative, some things stay the same. >> it is easy to focus on the buildings and the land and the fun projects. it is easy to lose sight of the fact you will have to live with

people. sometimes it is a joy, and sometimes it is a real challenge. >> in belfast, they are just starting out. they're still debating what they should be named. they are not alone in trying to live a greener, simpler life. bbc news in the state of maine. new british research into obesity suggests a strong link between overweight mothers and daughters and fathers and sons. the study in the obesity journal says it is that behavior of the parents rather than genetics that may be making some children overweight. >> it is a problem putting health ever increasing risk. by 2050, over half of the u.k. population could be obese. the causes are complex and varied. studies are adding as significant piece to the jigsaw of understanding.

this woman and her daughter both struggle with their weight. they are working hard to do better now. each one thinks the mother had a big influence on their old habits. >> i always wanted to do what my mother did and eat what she ate. >> hamburgers, chicken nuggets, a lot of bad things. >> they were helped by a charity that works with parents and children to develop better habits. the experts already knew that obesity ran in families. for the first time, this research shows a clear gender link. they found that obese mothers were 10 times more likely than normal weight mothers to have daughters that are seriously overweight. obie's fathers were six times as likely to have sons with weight problems. there was no such influence between the sexes. it is well known that obesity is

a health time bomb. a lot of government efforts have gone into helping children develop healthier habits. there's nothing wrong with what they're doing here. this study suggest that the emphasis needs to shift toward changing the habits of the parents. >> we should get together with our kids and eat better. >> the latest government promotion is targeting children and parents. experts say it is aimed at the wrong age. >> the government should turn to looking at pregnancy, pre- conception, breast feeding, early nutrition in a much more concentrated fashion. >> obesity has many causes. they know that their life styles are the key to change. the research to date may be one explanation for how they got there in the first place. and inventor in berlin has come up with a way to reduce traffic conditions and increased

personal fitness. it is an electric bicycle to power by peddling. it has zero emissions. it can go up to 80 kilometers an hour. the bbc went to see it. >> here is something you do not see very often. a sports car is overtaken by a bicycle. this is not an ordinary bike. it is the rocket from the berlin inventor. it goes up to 80 kilometers an hour. it makes most of these cars seem slow. it is half a bicycle and half a motorbike. it has an electric motor. there are no carbon emissions. to make it live, you have to peddle it. that means it keeps you fit as well. >> you control the speed of the motor through the paddling. if you do not peddle, it does not move.

if you are too lazy, you can just stay. >> it is certainly the top of the traffic. drivers in berlin have not seen anything like it before. >> here is the big test. they are on the starting line at a red light. berlin. we have motorbikes, cars, and the rocket. [engine noises] there you have it. pedal power is leading the way. >> he has been developing his dream bicycle in his garage. he is looking to the future. he is convinced that this and moved to other forms of transportation like speedboats and lorries. >> i think many of the drivers would appreciate it. they could actually exercise instead of just driving for 12 hours.

it would make them much more healthier and happier. >> as for the rocket, it may be speedy, but it is not cheap. this will set you back $40,000. at least to keep the environment clean, it keeps you healthy, and keeps you in the fast lane. you are watching "bbc news." you can get more news on line at any time on bbc.com thank you for being with us. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles. >> funding for this presentation was 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. macarthur foundation.