is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its global financial strength to work for a wide range of companies. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." >> make the worst offenders pay, europe's new plan to tackle the euro's own debt crisis. talking tough in asia, the u.s. warning north korea the torpedo

attack that sunk a south korean ship will not go unanswered. the thai prime minister insists his country is calm but admits it faces huge challenges. welcome to bbc news broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america. also around the globe, coming up later for you, a former rebel leader is sworn in as president of southern sudan. is innocence the next step? and the family feud that ended in tragedy, a british couple and their daughter are shot dead in pakistan. hello, another turbulent week in europe ends, the financial markets and single currency have been on a roller coaster ride driven down by fears of a

repeat of the greek debt crisis and held up by good news. despite the bailout fund, nearly $1 trillion of it, the markets have been unconvinced. so ministers have tried to address that by accepting the need for sanctions against countries that run up too much debt. this is what germany wanted and parliament in berlin has approved the german contribution to the rescue package. ben shore reports. >> the shock waves from athens are being felt in berlin and also in the capital of the european union, brussels. the vote today by german politicians authorizes $185 billion worth of loan guarantees to any euro zone member which is struggling to raise money on the international markets. it forms part of a bigger $550 billion facility designed to support the ailing currency bloc. >> it is a very important day for the german parliament today

as well, and i'm happy that we managed to get a package for stabilizing the euro. it was approved. it is very important that the factions of the government show a very clear sign what to do with regard to stabilization. >> the votes in berlin is a positive signal that germany is committed to helping europe get out of this debt crisis. here in brussels, finance ministers are trying to work out how to make sure it never gets to that stage again. the idea was to have a brainstorming session on how the they can punish those that rack up too much debt. >> in the past corrective measures were taken too late.

the available legal instruments were not used sufficiently. that's why we need to act in a number of ways. prevention and correction in the field of the budget and in competitiveness, in the euro zone and the european union as a whole. all member states and all e.u. institutions need to work together on this. >> the europeans maybe able to find a better way to manage the regional economy, but the real challenge is to ensure individual e.u. economies are capable of growing their way out of their current difficulties. how that will happen is a question that is still to be answered. ben shore, bbc news, brussels. >> the car bomber in northern iraq has killed at least 23 people and injured more than 50. it went off in front a coffee

shop in khalis in diyala province. >> up around 7:30 in the evening local time when the sun would have gone down and people would be relaxing, doing a bit of shopping in the cool of the evening. in the town of khalis which is about 80 kilometers northeast of baghdad, it went off outside or just beside, it's a car of course, parked outside a busy cafe right in the heart of a market. so obviously aimed at killing as many people as possible in what is a mainly shiite area. that has been the pattern of a lot of the recent violence including two bombs in khalis itself a couple of months ago in which more than 50 people were killed. the campaign by the unsergeants seems to be directed again, as it was three or four years ago, at trying to provoke a sunni reaction because it's basically sunni militants who are blamed for these attacks aimed at nearly shiite areas so far, they have failed to spark the

kind of reaction that we got four years ago when you saw that horrendous cycle of sectarian violence that really took the country to the brink of civil war in the space of about two years. >> jim muir for us. nato has announced a major shake-up of its command structure in southern afghanistan. the headquarters will be split into two to reflect the increase of forces and scale of operations in the past year. those changes sensitive in britain because the buck of british troops will now come under american command, until at least there is a rotation. the israeli military says it's killed two palestinian gunmen from the gaza strip. soldiers apparently opened fire after spotting the two men close to the border. hamas confirms two militants were sent to attack israel and did clash with soldiers near the israel/garcia border. the u.n. secretary-general hopes iran's deal to send

enriched uranium abroad may open the door to a negotiated settlement. he said the agreement iran reached on monday with turkey and brazil was an important initiative in resolving international tensions by peaceful means. north korea must stop its provocative behavior, the words of the u.s. secretary of state, hillary clinton in response to the international inquiry which has blamed pyongyang for sink age south korean warship and killing 46 sailors. mrs. clinton says the north must face international consequences. she is now in china starting a week's tour of the region. she gave that warning earlier in japan. from coco, roland burke. >> this was a start to try to find unity on how to respond to north korea. the u.s. secretary of state, hillary clinton, was all smiles in tokyo. japan had already made clear it was ready to stand at america's

side. the prime minister has described the sinking of the south korean warship as unforgivable. >> we agree that north korea must stop its provocative behavior, halt its policy of threats and belligerence toward its neighbors, and take irreversible steps to fulfill it's denuclearization commitments and comply with international law. let me be clear. this will not be and cannot be business as usual. there must be an international, not just a regional, but an international response. >> 46 south korean sailors were killed when the warship went down in march. it was patrolling the area disputed maritime border in the yellow sea. parts of a torpedo found on the sea bottom matched those used by north korea according to international investigators. pyongyang said the evidence is fake and any attempt to punish it would result in all-out war.

japan's foreign minister said the crisis proved the worth of the relationship with the united states. >> the sinking of the south korean ship increases the tensions in northeast asia and reinforces the need for the japan -- u.s. alliance. >> stressing the value of the american force in japan could make it easier to resolve the other issue the two sides discussed. the u.s. marines tend a base here. to months japan's government has been trying to move it from the southern japanese island. people complain about noise and the fear of accidents. with the united states citing operational concerns, it's become clear japan will have to back down, despite local opposition. here in tokyo, mrs. clinton found ready support from japan's government, but her next destination china could prove to be more of a challenge

and chinese agreement is critical if an international response to the sinking of the south korean warship is to succeed. roland burke, bbc news, tokyo. >> just want to let you know our state department correspondent is traveling with hillary clinton and you can follow her twitter feed to keep up to date. the prime minister of thailand says order has been restored to the capital bangkok and to the rest of the country. he made his announcement after weeks of anti-government protests which have left more than 50 people dead in a tv address, he said he would continue to try for reconciliation, but made no mention of elections, the protests' main demand. >> we have restored order in the capital of bangkok and the provinces of thigh land. we have been able to do this with the cooperation of government officials, volunteers, and, of course, the

people of thailand. we will continue to move swiftly to restore normal si and we recognize that has we move ahead, there are huge challenges ahead of us, particularly the challenge of overcoming the divisions that have occurred in this country. >> the former leader of the southern rebels in sudan has been sworn in as the first elected president of southern sudan. he won a landslide victory in elections last month. he will now lead the southern part of the country to a referendum on independence next january. we are in the southern city. >> a moment many southern sudanese never thought would happen, the first elected president taking office. his transition from leader to elected official is complete. the head of the former southern rebel it's uses his speech to criticize his old enemies of

the north. in january, the southerners will vote on a referendum of possible independence. he believes khartoum has done nothing to make unity attractive. >> time has gone out and a sense of panic has set in as people have realized that their battle for unity is about to be lost. >> the former kenyan head of state were among the personalities who gave weight to the ceremony. less than a year they could be here to welcome back a new country. most southerners will vote for independence. >> he takes it serious the referendum. freedom and process sparet. >> the -- prosperity. >> the civil war that came to an end in 2005 was one of the

most destructive in african history. an estimated 2 million people died and many more were displaced. southerners have felt marginalized since colonial times. there are several outstanding issues to be resolved before the referendum can take place including the demarcation of the north-south borders. they believe the south which is rich in oil go despite his promises. the inauguration is undoubtedly a historic moment for southern sudan. now the focus turns to referendum. it seems clear if southerners get a free vote, a new nation will be born next january. >> still to come for you on bbc news, a lifeline for the farmers or the road to ruin, the controversy of jetically modified crops in -- genetly modified crops in india. >> people are killed and

thousands evacuated in poland in the worst flooding in more than a century. since last weekend rains have swollen the rivers and left much of the south of the country under water. the high water is making its way north. authorities in warsaw, the city of 2 million people have urged people in riverside districts to stay alert. this is from warsaw. >> more than two months' worth of rain fell in just one day last weekend causing rivers to overflow. in many parts of southern poland, communities have been turned into lakes. normal means of transportation no longer suffice. residents have sought higher ground to escape the deluge. poland's prime minister has called the flooding along the country's main river the worst in history. the scale of the disaster is such that poland has sent out an urgent request to

neighboring countries for water pumps and other help. the government estimates the damage so far at more than $3 billion. he has been touring effective areas urging people to evacuate their homes. some have nowhere to go and are reluctant to leave fearing their houses could become the target of burglars. the government has called in the army to help rescue stranded people. the floodwaters are now heading north and have reached the capital warsaw. city authorities have urged residents not to go near the river where water levels are centimeters short of breaching the dukes. even if the flood areas are not breach it's, if flood levels remain high for several days, they will soak up water as a sponge and collapse.

>> the latest headlines for you on bbc news. european union finance ministers have supported a german call for tougher sanctions against countries that don't stick to the e.u.'s budget rules. the american secretary of state hillary clinton has told north korea it must stop its provocative behavior. the attack on the south korea warship will not go unanswered. a british couple and their daughter have been shot dead in pakistan in a dispute over the breakdown of a marriage. they were in the northeast of the country for their son's wedding. it's thought they were murdered by close relatives angered by a family's divorce. one man has been arrested. >> uncontrolable grief after an unbearable loss. a husband, wife, and daughter allegedly gunned down in a family feud.

one of the family's sons married his first cousin which is common here. police say her three brothers are the killers enraged by the marriage break-up. and here are the victims in. the daughter leaves behind two young children. police found them near the graves of their relatives. they had come to pray for the dead. their cousin survived the attack and told me what he saw. >> they started shooting. >> shooting at anyone? >> all people that were there, they were shooting everyone and they shoot everyone. relatives say they were warned to stay away from the village and the cemetery because of the

ill-will in the family, but they say there were no death threats and they never imagined that a "raw" over a divorce -- rau over a divorce led to the bloodbath here. today they were brought to their own graves to be buried side by side. police say they and their daughter were killed because of wounded family pride, a common cause of death here. >> they took my mom, my sister, my dad. no one did anything about it. i want justice for this. >> as well as the anguish here, there was fear the families say they have been threatened. >> if we go to the burial, we're going to get you. it's not over. >> as the victims were laid to rest, two of the alleged killers were still at large. the family is hoping and praying that the bloodshed

stops here. >> prosecutors in france are called for a suspended jail sentence for the former lead engineer on the concorde program. the 80-year-old is one of five individuals facing charges of manslaughter at the trial in paris. 113 people died when the supersonic jet crashed shortly after takeoff from the french capital 10 years ago. british airways has reported record losses. the airline lost $766 million, the worst result since privatization. passengers numbers fell. the slump in the travel industry has been compounded by b.a. by industrial action. thousands of people have protested against a film at the cannes film festival. the protesters including members of the right wing national front say the movie "outside the law" distorts algeria's independence from france.

with a billion mouths to feed, india is considering introducing genetly modified crops. farmers and others are divided. doubts are raised by the experience about growing g.m. cotton in india. they link to the suicide of thousands of farmers in the poorest parts of the country. we report from the central state. >> in the village here in the heart of india, they mourn the death of yet another farmer. he hung himself from the roof beam of this house after his debts spiraled out of control. his young family will now have to fend for themselves. he borrowed money to buy g.m. cotton feed. there was no rain and his crop failed so he killed himself.

in the dry fields around the village, life without irrigation is a struggle. critics say g.m. cotton needs more water to succeed, claims the seed produces dispute. but the depressing cycle of failing crops and mounting debts is a lethal one, too much for this man. and tragically, his death is not an isolated case. tens of thousands of indian farmers have taken their own lives in the last few years deep in debt and here in india's cotton-growing regions, they have suffered worst of all. and so a hotly disputed debate. has the introduction and monopoly of g.m. cotton seeds contributed to this tragedy? however, it depends on who you ask. there is little middle ground.

some farmers emphasize that the price of seeds has risen dramatically, which leads many of them no room for maneuver when times are bad. >> when we use the old seed, our production levels were a bit lower, but it cost us an awful lot less. we used less pesticide and less fertilizer as well. now with the g.m. crop, the costs keep on mounting. >> go to the local cotton market and other farmers love the g.m. seed. profits and yields are up. this is where they come to auction their crop. countrywide, india has doubled cotton production since the introduction of g.m. to become the second largest producer in the world. g.m. cotton is good.

i like it. our yield used to be much lower with the old seeds. now it's 2 1/2 times higher. >> and if g.m. cotton divides opinion, what about a g.m. version of a food crop, here. the indian government is considering allowing commercial cultivation of one. approval may well come later this year. at this lab, we're working on various g.m. crop tests. this is an experiment on rice. the british government chief scientist has argued that g.m. crops will have a vital role to play in feeding billions around the world and scientists here agree. >> absolutely. it will help the human being and the technology does have benefits for the farmers and it

will ensure food for the country. >> the campaign against it has been organized and passionate. here protesters disrupted a meeting addressed by india's environment minister, the man who will decide on the future of g.m. crops in this country. the intensity of the opposition gave him pause for thought, a decision delayed, but big business is confident that in the end, he will rule in their favor. >> he has clearly said he is supporting the science. he has acknowledged that the science technology will play an important role in the productivity of agriculture. it's a question of time. farmers cannot be deprived of technology. our land is limited. we have no water which is very limited. we have to produce more for every crop. these technologieses are in many crops. this is one of the early ones. >> back in the cotton region,

there is still people who will fight against g.m. technology in all its forms. their experience with cotton, they say, must not be repeated elsewhere. >> people are crying. people are dying. we have been demanding that it should be banned in this area. >> in india as in britain, this polarized debate will rage on, but it's too late for farmers like this man. his body now lies buried in his field which failed to give him the means to live. chris morris, bbc news. >> just briefly before we leave you, a seven kilometer bridge has been closed in russia because it's been wobbling. it's thought one of the vertical supports on the bridge has been loosened by floodwaters affecting the whole

balance of the bridge. emergency services are on standby in case it traits further. it is the longest in europe and completed last year at a cost of $80 million. the main story in a move they hope will assure roller coaster financial markets, european ministers have accepted the need for sanctions against the e.u. countries that run up too much debt. they were meeting in brussels to decide how to tackle the creation in the euro zone. the germans call for the budget deficits to be under control. you'll find that and much more of international news online. you can get in touch with me and most of the team on twitter. you can see what we're working on, too, on our facebook page. >> hello and welcome. >> see the news unfold. get the top stories from around the globe and click to play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth, expert reporting of "bbc world news" online.

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