12/09/2011 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today. An explosion rips through a Kenyan

slum in Nairobi. At least 120 people are killed after a leaking

fuel pipeline bursts into flames. The death toll is likely to rise.

The most radical reform of British banking in a generation. Will they

stave off another crisis and protect the taxpayer from footing

the bill? Meanwhile, shares in major French

banks plummet over concerns they are over-exposed to Greek debt.

Slavery in the UK. Police discover 24 people held in filthy and

cramped conditions, working many years for next to nothing. Next me

try this Again. SPEAKS RUSSIAN. As David Cameron tries to dazzle

his hosts in Moscow with a bit of Russian, how important are language

skills in modern diplomacy? Hello and welcome. Today life for

some of the poorest people in Nairobi became more wretched, after

a fuel pipeline exploded in a densely populated slum. Dozens are

being treated in hospital for severe burns. Around 120 were

killed, leaving many families bereaved. Witnesses said people had

been collecting fuel as it leaked from the pipeline into nearby open

sewers, before it exploded. Our world affairs correspondent reports

from Nairobi. After the explosion of fuel that leaked from the

pipeline, people in flames leaped into the river. The fires and

reached to the river itself. They had been built up to the pipeline,

the homes, and many were engulfed. All that was left was wreckage of

corrugated iron sheds and scattered possessions. It began when word got

around there was a leak, and people set out to scoop up what was

leaking. Many were taken to hospital. This person said she

heard a big blast and she saw people on fire. All around me were

people on fire. The Prime Minister visited. This is a terrible tragedy.

It is unimaginable that so many people can lose their lives. It is

terrible. Terrible. Terrible. the rescue work continued, there

were echoes of a similar tragedy two years ago when fire broke out

when they were scooping up fuel from an overturned tanker in

western Kenya. We can get the latest in Nairobi.

Can you give us an update? authorities confirmed at least 80

people were confirmed dead and they have been taken to the city

mortuary. They expect that number to rise. I was at the slum. I saw

officials assessing bodies that had been killed. Can you tell us more

about the slump? It is in the industrial district of Nairobi. It

is one acre in size. It is densely populated. Most of their housing is

made from corrugated iron. It is a low income area. It is not too far

from the oil refinery, which is where the spill had come from.

The most radical and comprehensive overhaul of the British Banking

system in decades is on the cards. High street banking will be

ringfenced from more risky investment operations. The

government hopes the proposals, which should come into effect over

the next eight years means tax payers are never again asked to

spend tens of billions to pay for bankers' mistakes. Our Business

Editor reports. The mighty banks, such as Royal

Bank of Scotland, perhaps facing their biggest shake-up because of

this economics professor. Sir John Vickers. Status quo is not an

option. Things have to change. what are the reforms? The most

important is the creation of a ring fence to protect parts of banks

that provide vital services to individuals and small businesses.

Retail banking would be protected if more speculative global

investment banking parts found themselves in bother. A former

Royal Bank of Scotland chairman said his old bank should not be

anxious. The separation of investment banking from what I call

commercial banking, that is more than retail, could be for the good

of the bank. Because of recurring financial crisis witnessed over

many centuries, the banks would have more rainy-day money and

borrow from those who could afford to lose in bad times to make

themselves more resilient. Around me is evidence of the boom in

banking and finance and that is over 20 years. Between the City and

Canary Wharf. The commission believes much of that boom was

poisonous. Camber poison be extracted without harming the

patient -- can it be extracted? The great banking crisis of 2007, saw

massive costs heaped on taxpayers and the worst recession for eight

years for which the UK and much of the West has not been recovered --

eight years. Billions has been spent and hundreds of jobs have

been lost. This asks the questions and provides the answers.

commission says the costs will be �1 billion per year for the British

economy and estimates the annual cost of banking crises of �40

billion per year. If the reforms work, they would represent value

for money. The chief executive of a bank said the reforms are a

disaster. What does a member of the commission think of that? It is

neither a disaster for any British bank, and it is not a disaster for

the British public. His is not just about making banks safer, it is

about promoting. Things like more competition on a high street.

Easier switching. This is what the government should introduce. A new

industry, not growing so much, perhaps, but possibly more stable

and less dangerous. Meanwhile, there've been sharp

falls across European stock markets as fears again gather strength

about the possibility of a default in Greece. French banks have been

hit particularly hard. There are concerns their credit rating might

be downgraded because of their exposure to Greek debt. Societe

Generale sought to calm fears by announcing plans to sell off assets

to raise capital. From Paris, Christian Fraser reports.

If Greece is the epicentre of the crisis, it sent shock waves to

every corner of Europe. It cannot be felt more acutely than in Paris.

Today, shares in French banks tumbled. Concerns grew about their

exposure to government debt in Greece, Spain and Italy and the

threat of a damn great in its Credit Agricole rating. --

downgrade. Markets are pricing in the need for government in --

intervention. Whether that is a capital injection, it is premature

speculation, said the finance minister.

TRANSLATION: There is no emergency for the banks. They have plenty of

means of response. They will provide liquidity. The European

Central Bank said there are 5 billion euros potentially available

for banks. The French banks hold billions of Euros of Greek bonds.

Investors fear those assets could be devalued. American banks have

begun to draw back on their loans. Societe Generale was forced to

respond. They announced cuts of 4 billion euros. Enough to cope with

reality if funding becomes more scarce. We have to recognise how

much money we have spent and how much more we we may still have to

put into the banking system. The question is how much this will cost

European banks. The head of the European Central Bank gave

assurances they could provide European banks with short-term

lending. If French banks are downgraded, it may underscored that

despite two bail-out packages, European governments are limited in

their ability to defend banking. We can talk more about this. We are

joined by a banking expert. If the French banks are in trouble, how

serious could the crisis be? anything dramatic happened, it

would not be a picnic. The question is anything dramatic will happen.

This is a rumour that they might have a downgraded Credit rating. In

France, there is suspicion day are over exposed to Greek debt. The

French government says everything is all right. They would, wouldn't

they? The French banks are over- exposed. To some degree. The

question is, what is the real chance of that blubbing up? If it

does, how badly? Can the French government do it -- blowing up. I

do not think it could happen. I suspect there are people in the

market who would quite like to see French bank shares go and there

were and would like to see that. There are speculators on the market.

Many people on the market get a profit if the share goes down as

well as up. They bet on shares going down. You think speculators

are driving the panic? Absolutely. There is evidence from a number of

places in certain situations since the financial crisis that

speculators have gone into the market and that that shares would

go down. If they do, they win the bet and make money. And the French

government calming the fears, will they succeed? Hopefully. One danger

we have with modern systems, is that contagion spreads like

wildfire. And about the British bank reforms? They are dramatic.

Are they going to work? In terms of the UK, they make the banks in the

UK for less likely for any contagion to spread. In terms of

making the global banking system safer, they do not add that much to

the bigger picture. That is what they should be doing with the G20

behind it. For the global meltdown, it is a global solution. If our

part of it is safe and the rest blows up, our part goes with it.

Banking is a global business and you need global solutions.

We can look at some of the other main developments. Staying with

France, the European Commission will help the French authorities

monitor the impact of a fatal explosion at a nuclear plant. One

person was killed and four injured when a first exploded at the site

near Nimes. The French authorities say there is no radioactive leak.

French police have interviewed the former IMF chief Dominic Strauss-

Kahn as part of an investigation into a complaint filed by a

journalist who alleges he tried to rape her. Tristane Banon says he

assaulted her in 2003. Last month, a US prosecutor dropped attempt --

attempted rape charges after saying the alleged victim was unreliable.

He denied charges in both cases. Musicians welcomed a decision by

the European Union to extend copyright for recorded music. The

decision follows a campaign by people such as Cliff Richard who

faced a loss of revenue in later In South Africa, a court has ruled

that a song calling for white farmers to be shocked at

constitutes hate speech. The song was performed by a Julius Malema, a

youth leader of the African National Congress. Defiant to the

end, this was Julius Malema, at the weekend, singing a sanitised

version of the controversial struggle song. But today in court

the maverick politician was nowhere to be seen, just a handful of

supporters amassed outside as the judge delivered the damning ruling.

The song amounted to hate speech and was banned out right.

This is not really a victory for those who oppose Julius Malema, it

is a victory for those in those communities. There ruling party may

have it on his shoes with Julius Malema, but on liberation songs it

has closed ranks. Senior figures within the party

testified that the refrain captured its country's history.

Our appeal will continue, we are journeying on, we will defend the

heritage of the African National Congress.

Not long ago, Julius Malema seemed invincible and now seems like a

broken man. Though his supporters outside court are trying to put a

brave face on -- put a brave face on things, the second hearing

tomorrow could mark the end of Julius Malema's political career.

Julius Malema's supporters clashed with police one month ago.

By if found guilty of bringing the party into disrepute, Julius Malema

could be expelled from the African It is six months since the massive

earthquake and tsunami that hit north-eastern Japan. Almost 16,000

people are known to have died, nearly 5,000 more still missing.

There are now fears the worst hit town may never recover. Our

correspondent, Damian Grammaticas, who reported from Japan in the

aftermath of the disaster, has been back to the visit one of the

affected areas. The water, you would think for a

tsunami survivor, would be terrifying.

Six months ago, Chihiro was swallowed by the waves. She saw

more than half of her swimming team swept away, but today she is back

in training and says it holds no fear.

By Japan's earthquake unleashed the tsunami, Chihiro's team were

swimming near the seashore. This is news footage of that day.

Underneath the water, their town of Rikuzentakata lies submerged. This

building is where they were trapped. The after the disaster, her teacher

showed us how it Chihiro survived. The mark on the wall shows the tiny

space where she found she could breathe.

Offered team-mates, seven died. Chihiro had been gripping one

friend's hand, trying to pull her to safety. The water tore them

apart. TRANSLATION: When I am alone, I

cannot help thinking about my friend who died. I really long to

see them again. Chihiro's town, so badly damaged,

is trying to move on, too. There is a massive effort to shift and sift

the wreckage. We now is that -- we now know 1,500 people died when

Rikuzentakata was washed away. 2,000 more have since packed their

bags and left, their homes and livelihoods gone. Getting on with

the job of rebuilding is the urgent priority for the survivors here in

Rikuzentakata. They have even started drawing up plans. They

feared nothing is done, people will leave this town and it will slowly

wither and die. The plan is to be built the town's sea walls, but

make them 15 metres high. Japan's Government promised a huge

emergency budget for reconstruction, but nothing has happened. Ranks of

prefabricated huts have been put up to house more than 2,000 families,

including cows's. Her father has lost his or oyster fishing business,

and her grandfather is one of 200 people from the Town presumed dead

but often no trace has been found. A TRANSLATION: At what do I think

about the Government? Not much. Our politicians have been fighting over

who should be Prime Minister. This is not the time for that. We have

come to expect nothing from them. Chihiro's school was destroyed, so

every morning she travels one hour of the coast to a temporary one. Or

she wants is a new school and a new home in Rikuzentakata. -- all she

wants. In the meantime, it is a swimming, she says, that teacher

from dwelling on the memories of the tsunami.

TRANSLATION: When I am swimming, I do not have to think about anything,

I just empty my mind. That is why I Damian Grammaticas with the

aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Four people in Britain have been charged with slavery offences

relating to four people found at a travellers' site. The men are all

from the same family of travellers and were charged with conspiracy to

holding a person in servitude and conspiring to hold them in forced

labour. David Cameron has been visiting

Russia today along with leading British business leaders. He said

he wanted to consolidate British political and commercial links with

Russia. When Mr Cameron tried to impress his hosts with a few words

in Russian, the Foreign Office announced today it is reinvesting

in building the language skills of British diplomats. Our

correspondent looks at language, politics and diplomacy in the

modern world. A lot has changed since David

Cameron first visited Russia 26 years ago. Then, he was on a gap

year between school and university. Now, as British Prime Minister, he

was just asking to practise Russian. Today I want to make their case

that... Are SPEAKS RUSSIAN... Together, we are stronger.

OK, it was not perfect, but just a little phrase, especially in a

language as difficult as Russian, can go a long way. After all, he

has to keep up with his polyglot deputy, who speaks five languages.

SPEAKS GERMAN. Do the famous German air is very

refreshing, says Nick Clegg. Also, Tony Blair had the French

language. SPEAKS FRENCH.

Or did he? One diplomat recalls cent meeting his one-time

counterpart whose policies he was said to envy. When he switched into

friends, Mr Blair was said to have translated his thoughts too

literally, sane, I lust after you in many different positions. --

seeing, I lost after you. The US politicians exercise their

skills with mixed degrees of success. Who in Ireland can forget

Barack Obama's visit in May when he showed off Gaelic? Hillary Clinton

delved into the Russian dictionary to try to rebuild relations with

Moscow. She arrived in Geneva clasping a symbolic but in with a

Russian word written on it. We worked hard to get the right

Russian word, did we get it? you got it wrong.

Unfortunately, there would have chosen meant, overcharged.

- Mike there were but they chose meant overcharged.

We are joined by Professor David Bellos from Princeton University

who has just written a book called Is That A Fish In Your Ear?. This

idea of reviving language skills for British diplomats, are they

needed? Everyone wants to speak English, do they really need it? It

be yes, because if they are the only people who only speak English,

they are going to be missing a great deal.

But they must rely on their translators before they can even

read the morning paper headlines, the at a disadvantage.

Do they not talk to other politicians who speak English?

Yes, of course English is a planetary language nowadays, it has

been in increasing quantities for several decades, but that does not

mean that non-native English speakers do not speak other

languages, often more than one. That does not mean that interesting

and important conversations do not go on in Chinese and in French,

German, Japanese and Arabic. Not to eat and be able to get on board at

a passive level in this sort of thing going on is not an advantage

for a diplomat or for anyone else who needs to have some

understanding of another culture. Does a little go a long way? We saw

a David Cameron trying to impress Russia with a few words? Good

people like it when the unit -- when you make an effort, or do you

have to become proficient to gain the benefits you are talking about?

That is variable according to who is doing it and what the other

society is like. I can only give a few anecdotes on this, but

certainly in Hungary so few foreigners speak Hungarian that

even trying a few words they are over the moon that you are trying.

In France, the French have a very much more self-confident view of

their language. Just the fireplace or? There are

those who say Nicolas Sarkozy would have a much greater global impact

if he communicated in English sometimes when talking about Libya.

The French, of course, speak a language which, for many centuries,

was the global language and the language of culture, and that they

wish to hang on to it, at least for themselves. We must not forget,

French is spoken not as a native nine with -- native language but as

a language of culture and communication in many parts of the

world, especially in the Middle East and Africa. It is part of the

global conversation. Thank you very much indeed for

talking to us. That is all for the programme, but Next is is the

weather. Formatted from me, Zeinab Badawi, goodbye. -- from me, Zeinab

The we have had a windy day and where every you have been, very

dusty conditions, particularly across the North and areas of the

UK. We still have an amber warning in force from the Met Office for

the strength of the winds. All centred around this an area of low

pressure across southern -- across Scotland. For Tuesday, another

windy day, perhaps not as windy as today. In the north, further heavy

rain, in Scotland further south it is showers. In Northern England to

the east, some strong gusts starting to develop. Through the

southernmost counties of England, it is hit-and-miss with the showers.

They will come through with some brisk westerly winds. Or the south-

west England and Wales Country gusty conditions where you are

exposed. There is a chance through the Irish Sea we could have more

destruction to the ferries. Across areas of Northern Ireland, Wendy