13/04/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me, Zeinab Badawi.

An expensive and short-lived birthday present for North Korea's

founding leader - this $850 million long-range rocket fails to reach

orbit, breaking up and crashing into the Yellow Sea.

North Korea's leadership placed huge importance on the satellite

launch. Its failure is embarrassing. The question is, what sort of

effect will it have on the regime and the young Kim Jong Un?

The first British prime minister ever to visit Burma - David Cameron

praises recent reforms, but warns against complacency. We must

respond with caution, with care. We must always be sceptical and

questioning, because we want to know those changes are irreversible.

Activists in Syria say that several people have been shot dead during

demonstrations after Friday prayers. Also coming up in the programme:

Campaigning in the French presidential elections hots up. As

the candidates prepare to make their final pitches to voters, we

ask what separates the four front And fusing art and entertainment -

the grand masters of electronic music hold a retrospective in New

Hello and welcome. The long and tense build-up to the launch of

North Korea's satellite rocket ended in a spectacular failure,

with a huge splash in the sea. The international community believe

that North Korea had been trying to test a long-range missile, and the

UN today condemned their action, saying it was a violation of UN

resolutions. The rocket launch was part of public celebrations marking

the Kim dynasty that founded North Korea.

The his swagger is that of a naan bread for power up. King Gollum is

29 years old. Today anointed -- Kim Jong Un was today and nodded

Supreme Leader. The third generation of the Kim dynasty. His

father and grandfather ruled before him. North Koreans are taught to

revere them like gods. But the young king's elevation was meant to

be accompanied by news that North Korea had successfully put a

satellite into space, an achievement by such a young man

would reinforce his right to the mantle of power. But there was no

mention here of the rocket blowing up a minute into flight, just a

brief statement earlier in the day that things had not gone to plan.

North Korea's leadership placed huge importance on the satellite

launch. Its failure is embarrassing. The question is, what effect will

it have on the regime and the young Kim Jong Un? Toiling by hand, gangs

of workers line the ball of bards at Pyongyang. The rocket was meant

to be a way of showing North Korean that the socialist state the Kims

have created is technologically advanced. Their neighbour said it

was a disguised to test an intercontinental missile. The young

Kim's father also tested nuclear bombs. This was the last place Kim

Jong Il visited before dying. The tears are genuine. She believes he

is immortal. We visited before the rocket exploded. She told us, we

are grateful to Kim Jong Il for making our nation a powerful and

strong country. Strength and self- reliance. There are virtues that

are taught to all North Koreans. But now this country's neighbours

fear that its young leader, who has suffered a blow to his prestige,

may be tempted to respond with a new show of power. Perhaps by

testing a nuclear bomb. This is already a deeply isolated place,

under sanctions. The developing both missile technology and

nuclear-weapons. But today there was only reference for the Kim

dynasty. It was good? North Koreans are oblivious or

unconcerned at that Kim Jong Un's rocket was a failure and that

America, Britain and the others may now seek to isolate this country

even further at the UN. One man who understands North Korea

better than most is Christopher Hill. Until 2009, he led the US

delegation to the six party talks aimed at resolving concerns over

North Korea's nuclear programme. He joins me now live from Denver. What

impact do you think the failure of this rocket launch will have? Will

it make criticism of North Korea worse, or not have much impact?

Firstly, it is always a good day when one of their tests fails. But

that is not the end of it. The North Koreans intend to improve

their missile technology so that they can get a delivery system for

their nuclear weapon. So we still have an enormous problem. The good

news was the fact that we held together closely with the South

Koreans and the Japanese. There was no sign of arguing about how to

manage this. The diplomatic focus shifted back to the Chinese. They

brokered this recent deal, where the US implicitly agreed to food

aid in return for a freeze on getting the inspectors back into

the country. We will have to see how the Chinese regard this. They

cannot be happy with their neighbours. Looking at what is

going on inside North Korea, this is a fairly unpredictable time. It

is an embarrassing failure for the leadership. Is it going to embolden

them to make more progress with their nuclear plans and to try to

cover up the embarrassment? Could it lead up -- could it lead to a

shake-up of the ruling elite, or might they direct their anger

externally? The first concern many people have is the idea that they

will follow this up by some technological success, which could

be a nuclear test. That could be next. South Koreans believe that is

what is coming. But the North Koreans certainly need to show that

they are in charge of things. Right now, this was a test of Kim Jong

Un's leadership. I would not want to be a North Korean missile

engineer today. I can imagine that there will be a lot of changes to

their missile programme. It is not the first time they have had a

failure with liquid fuel rockets. More broadly, the Kim Jong Un

regime has a lot to do in terms of getting itself established. They

reached an agreement with the Americans and then reneged on it,

suggesting that they did not have their act together in the first

place. So we need to fasten our seatbelts for the next few weeks.

And the United Nations has condemned the rocket launch, saying

it is deplorable. Will they go further? Will this triggering a

round of sanctions or greater action at the Security Council?

Well, North Korea is the most sanctioned country in the world. So

the issue is probably not just getting new sanctions on North

Korea, but to implement the ones we have in a better way. That is where

it will be focused on China. The Chinese are very much preoccupied

with their internal issues right now. They have the succession,

albeit not an election, coming up this year. They have turmoil inside

their own Communist Party. Nonetheless, the Chinese will have

to look at the situation in North Korea and step it up a little. They

have not been able to deliver the North Koreans very much lately.

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, says he supports a

suspension of sanctions against Burma, except for the ban on the

sale of arms. Mr Cameron, the first Western leader to visit Burma since

a civilian government came to power a year ago and the first serving

British prime minister ever to visit Burma, was speaking after

talks with the democracy leader, Aung San Ms Suu Kyi. Ms Suu Kyi

herself said suspending sanctions would strengthen the position of

the reform movement. This was the moment a British prime

minister oasts set foot in Burma for the first time in more than 60

years, the moment he met the woman whose confinement in this house for

14 years captured the world's attention. But today, she was free

to receive her guest. No longer a political prisoner and instead,

after historic elections, a new member of parliament. Their aim was

to persuade Mr Cameron that her country's removed -- moved to

reform is genuine. His aim was to lend Britain's support for that

change. As a result, he said he sanctions against Burma should not

be lifted, but suspended. Of course we must respond with caution, with

care. We must always be sceptical and questioning, because we want to

know that those changes are irreversible. But as we have

discussed, it is right to suspend the sanctions that there are

against Burma, not to lift them and not to include the arms embargo.

This suspension would have taken place because of the steps taken by

the president and other reformers. It would also make it clear to

those against reform that should they try to obstruct the way of the

reformers, sanctions could come back. David Cameron has never met

Aung San Suu Kyi before, but the smiles and body language show that

he was inspired by what she said. You are sitting in a garden where

you were barely allowed to walk or to stand. Which used to be a jungle

anyway. And only three years ago, you were threatened with prison.

This visit is another example of David Cameron's willingness to play

a bold stroke on the international stage. But for all the symbolic

significance of his meeting today with Aung San Suu Kyi, the real

impact will only be known if reform continues and sanctions are lifted.

And all that depends on how the military-backed government response.

So the Prime Minister travelled along the often empty 20 lane roads

that lead to the imposing palace of Burma's President Thein Sein. He

went to meet a man once at the art of the dictatorship, and now, he

hopes, part of the country's moved to democracy. Along the way, he was

greeted by the traditional water festivities that they believe wash

away people's sins. The smiles were gone, the meeting more formal. But

the Prime Minister welcomed Thein Sein's decision to allow new

elections and urged him to go further in releasing political

prisoners. He left the meeting convinced that the former general

was at least sincere. This is a country where a third of citizens

live in poverty and have waited so many decades to change. Leaving

Burma today, David Cameron believes that change is so deep-seated that

he is inviting Aung San Suu Kyi to London this summer. She has never

felt confident enough to the Tate - - take the risk of leaving the

country before. Today she said she just might.

Now a look at some of the day's other news.

Reports are coming in that the Sudanese army is advancing towards

the town of Heglig, near the border with South Sudan. The south

Sudanese army occupied the town earlier this week after violent

clashes. Earlier, South Sudan called the UN troops to be deployed

in the area until a political solution can be found.

In Guinea Bissau, the President and Prime Minister have reportedly been

arrested following a military coup on Thursday night. The Prime

Minister, Carlos Gomes Junior, is the front-runner in the

presidential election run-off due to take place at the end of this

month. He was unpopular with the military over plans to scale it

down. The organisers of Formula One say

that the Grand Prix will go ahead in Bahrain as planned next week.

There are concerns about Bahrain hosting the race whilst there is

continuing political unrest in the Gulf state. Pro-democracy groups in

Bahrain have called for the race to be cancelled, but Bernie Ecclestone,

who runs Formula One, says the race is "200%" going to take place there.

Anti-government activists in Syria say that several people have been

shot dead during demonstrations held after Friday prayers. The

violence is a test of the ceasefire brokered by the international envoy

Kofi Annan, which came into force yesterday.

After Friday prayers, demonstrators tried to defy a security cordon and

break through to the main square in the centre of this city. Troops

opened fire, causing pandemonium. Activists said at least one

protester was killed by gunfire and more than 20 others wounded.

Security forces intervened to break up demonstrations in many places

like this, just south of Damascus, where tear-gas was used. But

despite the risks, thousands turned out in many parts of the country to

voice their opposition to the regime. In some places, security

forces apparently did not move in. The overall casualty figures were

much lower than many feared. But away from the demonstrations, the

military are still around with tanks and heavy weapons in many

troubled spots like the third biggest city, Homs. Activists there

said there has been a resumption of bombardment, although not on the

scale that was killing dozens of people a day before the ceasefire.

They also say there has been a wave of arrests. This footage shows

troops apparently randomly detaining a suspect, beating and

kicking him before taking him away. The Government says people are only

arrested with legal warrants. The soldiers also seem to be shooting

at random. Getting them back to barracks with their tanks and heavy

highest priorities in trying to stabilise the shaky truce. So is

getting international observers into the country, while the UN

Security Council ponders a resolution to cover to deportment,

the first group is waiting for a signal to move. At the moment, we

have an advance team standing by to board planes and get themselves on

the ground as soon as possible. Kofi Annan still has a lot to do

before it is trade -- stable. Only then can he get on with the equally

daunting task of trying to foster a political agreement on the

country's future. Members of the United Nations

Security Council say they are finalising a draft resolution

authorising a team of observers to travel to Syria. Our correspondent

joins us from the UN headquarters. Are we expecting that resolution to

be agreed by the end of Friday? had expected it, but it looks as

though there is an unexpected delay. The Russians have raised objections

about the text. There ambassador told us his idea had been for his

simple and brief resolution which would be to get an advanced team on

the ground and then a more detailed resolution in terms of the fuller

mission would be negotiated over the next few days. But he says the

draft he received was too long and complicated, and needed more

negotiation. The main point of contention seems to be detailing

the main conditions the Government would have to meet, including

freedom of movement, freedom of communication and so on. They say

you have to put these things in because these are international

standards for an independent nation. The Russians have now tabled their

own resolution, a shorter one. It is not clear what the next step

will be. The council members will continue to discuss this issue.

Whether they will be able to get over the difference by the end of

the day is not clear. But they are all agreed on the two phases to

this mission, that you have an advance team that goes out, much

smaller, and then something like a up to 300 monitors to observe the

ceasefire? Yes, they agreed on that plan. But the Russians objected to

it all being covered in this draft resolution, or so they say. Their

position is that the advanced team should get on the ground

immediately. But the ambassador said to us today that he wanted

just a short resolution saying that, whereas Western diplomats are

saying you need more detail in terms of the conditions under which

they will work. Staying with Egypt, Egypt's first

post-revolutionary presidential election may be six weeks away, but

political tensions are already rising. The decision of Hosni

Mubarak's former intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to run for the top

job has angered many opponents of the current military government. In

Khyra's iconic Tahrir Square today, thousands of demonstrators gathered

in a mass protest targeting presidential hopefuls lead to the

former regime of Hosni Mubarak. Our correspondent joins us from

Cairo. So these presidential elections were supposed to mark the

start of a new future for Egypt, and yet we are seeing these

demonstrations in Tahrir Square as though nothing has changed?

could say that, but we are now seeing the tension steadily

ratcheting up as we run into the elections. There are arguments over

who is eligible to stand for President. The Muslim Brotherhood

strongly object to the candidacy of Omar Suleiman, the vice-president

of Hosni Mubarak. They see it as a plot to bring back the old system.

We are seeing a wider breakdown of trust between the Muslim

Brotherhood and the ruling military council, a lack of faith between

them. There are reports of a possible exchange between the

Muslim Brotherhood and Field Marshal Tantawi, the head of the

Military Council, about a naughty brother would want to bring in

which would ban Omar Suleiman and other former regime figures from

standing, but the military will not accept that. That is not confirmed

yeah, but we expect that the military are determined to allow

Omar Suleiman to stand. So these demonstrators we are seeing, are

they are essentially Muslim Brotherhood supporters opposed to

Omar Suleiman? Absolutely. We are seeing a lot of division, because

this is almost entirely a demonstration by the Muslim

Brotherhood and other Islamists such as the more hardline sophists.

Next week, there will be a separate demonstration along the same theme

from the more liberal secular opposition. Even the Islamists are

divided among themselves about several different candidates, all

of whom have a chance of becoming President. Even former regime

figures, there are at least three of those in the race, all of whom

have an outside chance of becoming President. And there are also

people opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood candidate running

because although he stepped down as deputy leader, he is essentially

their candidate and they said they would not field a candidate? He is

very much their candidate. And there are legal challenges both to

his candidacy and to the candidacy of the main hardline Islamist who

is standing. So it is really influx at the moment as to who will even

be on the candidate list, let alone It is one of the unwritten rules of

politics that veneer of the vote gets, the more frantic the campaign

becomes. -- the closer the they get for the vote. In France, the

candidates have also trying to make their mark on television. We go

first round of voting ten days away, time is running out for Nicolas

Sarkozy. The President trails in the crucial

second round of polls behind the Socialist front-runner. He has been

closing the gap. TRANSLATION: Nobody cares about the

polls. We will have the results of the first round and in three weeks

the results of the second round. There will be big surprises like

always. It is the battle that we fight, the dynamic we create.

week, the theme was security, and this week the spectre of the

Socialist presidency, which he believes will spook the nervous

financial markets. The problem is that his own voters question what

he has achieved in five years. Riding the wave of that antipathy

is Jean-Luc Melenchon, the champion of the far left. In recent weeks

and in the Place de la Bastille, he has called for a modern revolution

led by the disaffected working- class. He wants a rise in salaries,

retirement at 60. His poll figures are at 15%.

TRANSLATION: Hypothetically, at this time, we need to put our feet

back on the ground. We are here, blah, blah, listen to me. This

campaign is unbelievable. We have never been able to focus because

Nicolas Sarkozy has debated on the side issues. We could not talk

about his record or speak about the future. The poll suggests there is

not much prospect of Jean-Luc Melenchon reaching the second round,

but he could be influential. appeals to an electoral block on

the left. And, if as expected, this newly energised Mode switches to

Zizi and a second round, that could be the tipping point. -- Francois

Hollande. But what will Francois Hollande o them in return? Will he

have to be more to the left than he might have wished? Some of the

noise in the election has come from the far left and far right party of

Marine Le Pen. The parties are promising to raise taxes, seemingly

in denial. But if the crucial second round race is between the

President and Zizi, the focus will probably return to the centre. --

Francoise Holland. One of the most eagerly awaited

media events of the year is currently playing out at the an

MoMA in New York. The reclusive electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk

have started a residency, playing a different album on each night of

the run. The ease of a hardest shows of the week because it is

rare that people get to see a group that is as mysterious -- these are.

Kraftwerk retrospective has been in the making for five years. You need

a certain level of what you can offer and challenged them,

artistically, I think the exhibition is the right thing to do.

It is a total work of art. It is a retrospective, we will play all the

repertoire, chronologically, from the last 40 years. You will always

see them, experience them in one space, like his studio visit. It is

art in the making. They are in the videos themselves. It has a lot to

do with factories, with machines, the perceptions that people have.

Even German music in the late Sixties and Seventies. It was also

a great joke. They proved they were more than machines and what they

did have more to do with life. -- had more. I was born in the late

Sixties in Germany, 20 miles away, and I grow up with them as a source

of contemporary culture. The exhibition is introducing this more

to the American scene. So much of what their art is represented by

records, by recordings, by a certain distance, they are like the

Beach Boys with machines. They are popular. Electronic music pioneers

Kraftwerk in New York. The main news. Tens of thousands of North

Koreans attended a rally marking the 100 anniversary of the founding

father of North Korea. A rocket launch failed when it splashed into

launch failed when it splashed into the sea. That is all from me.

the sea. That is all from me. the sea. That is all from me.

Goodbye. There is nothing warm up on the way

for the weekend and if anything it will feel colder because there is a

stronger breeze and there will be showers around, especially on

Saturday. This is the picture going into the weekend. The weather

France will be the focus for showers. Slowly moving away --

weather fronts. For some of us it will start to brighten up as the

showers moved into the Midlands. For south-east England, mainly dry

and bright. There will be a stronger and chilly breeze. The

showers lasting into the afternoon in the far south-west. Cloud, maybe

sleet. In South Wales, drier and brighter in the afternoon. Maybe a

shower at Aintree for the Grand National. Dry and bright in

Northern Ireland and a chilly breeze in Scotland. A wintry