26/03/2012 BBC World News

A gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform has killed two NATO troops.

A warning of an impending catastrophe in Niger - we'll have

the latest from a leading aid agency working there.

President Obama calls for Chinese support in the fight against

nuclear weapons. Welcome to BBC World News. Also in

this programme: Titanic director, James Cameron,

resurfaces from the deep after diving to the bottom of the ocean.

In Afghanistan, a gunman wearing an Afghan army uniform has killed two

NATO troops in the south of the country. The attack appears to be

the latest in a string of shootings in which Afghan security forces

have turned on their international colleagues. The attacker died when

coalition forces returned fire. Afghan security forces say the

shooting happened inside the main NATO base in Lashkar Gah. The BBC's,

Bilal Sarwary, is in Kabul and gave us the latest on the shooting.

We understand that an individual wearing an army uniform, an Afghan

army uniform opened fire at two NATO service members. Reports say

the gunman was killed as well by coalition forces. But it has

confirmed to the BBC the soldier was a member of the Afghan National

Army and killed two NATO service members and was shot dead. It has

been a difficult time in Afghanistan in recent weeks, is

this connected to recent tensions or is it a one off? One thing the

Afghan national security forces have been having a huge problem

with, is the issue of rogue soldiers and Taliban ill filtration.

We have seen similar instances for the last 18 months were members of

the police and army have turned their guns on their coalition

partners. The Afghan Government has failed to come up with a strategy

to prevent that. Afghan officials at this stage are saying they are

investigating the matter. We do not know if it has been connected to

the events of the last few weeks. The spectre of famine is once again

casting its shadow over swathes of West Africa with the UN and

international aid agencies warning of a looming food crisis in the

Sahel region after successive poor harvests. Niger is particularly at

risk. Our correspondent, Andrew Harding, reports from the village

of Kassi-Tondi, about three hours drive north east of the capital

Niamey. This is one way to try to fight

malnutrition and push back the sounds of the Sahara. We are on an

arid plain in the centre of Niger. There are hundreds of women piling

stones and rocks onto these banks. These are ditches they have dug to

catch the rainwater which falls very rarely hear. The idea being

once the rain has been trapped they can bring the fields back to life

and plan their crops. That is in the longer term, but in the shorter

term they have been paid $2 a day by the World Food Programme or the

equivalent in food, for their time in labour. It allows them and their

families to have enough to eat the the coming months. Last year's

harvest was very poor, there is it insecurity and highly her food

prices. The extra cash is badly- needed and it is this kind of work

that will hopefully prevent a famine breaking out in Niger.

President Obama has been meeting Chinese leader on the sidelines of

a major Nuclear Security Summit in South Korea. The US President has

said that two countries have a joint interest in non-nuclear

proliferation. President, Father, Commander In

Chief and now an honorary graduate. At the University of foreign

studies to date, President Obama came in all of his roles with one

message. He said America had more nuclear weapons than it needed and

was committed to leading by example. I say this as President of the only

nation ever to use its nuclear weapons. I say this as a commander

in chief who know that a nuclear codes are never far from my side.

Most of all I say it as a father, once my young daughters to grow up

in a world where ever think they know and love can be instantly

wiped out. Speaking directly to North Korea's leaders, he said

nuclear weapons had not delivered security, dignity or respect North

Korea had sought, but had undermined it. Looking across the

demilitarised zone on Sunday, his first glimpse inside the closed,

Communists state, he said he was struck between the two differences

between the two sides. North Korea is not coming to the summit, and is

not on the agenda. This is about preventing nuclear material falling

into the hands of nuclear terrorist groups, not about disarmament. But

North Korea is just an hour's drive away, and President Obama's speech

and schedule showed just how much part of the discussion it is. I

asked Lucy Williams and for more on what President Obama and the

Chinese leader are expected to have talked about question mark

President Obama was due to discuss a number things with President Lee

Myung-Bak. We got a bit of a Haynes what

President Obama might be saying to his Chinese counterpart from his

press conference on Sunday, were the American President said China's

approached to North Korea so far was not working and urge them to

get much tougher. There has been much discussion and also the

question of Iran in recent months. Is that likely to be part of the

discussions? That is something else are we are told will be part of the

discussions between the two President's. China is part of the

Security Council and has influenced on what kind of sanctions may be

applied to Iran if it continues. But also, China is a major energy

importer, and in previous situations has sometimes decided

its energy needs are a part of that decision in needs to make. I think

it will be something else they need to talk about. They have a lot of

differences on having perceived Iran's nuclear programme. Whether

they perceive it to be a threat, or how much of a threat. They are

pretty far our part on that issue. But on the issue of North Korea,

Iran is intimating it is wanting to get tougher with Pyongyang and has

limited influence over North Korea, but is trying to do more to

persuade North Korea to fall in line.

The German Chancellor has told the BBC it would be a political mistake

if Greece was to lead the eurozone. In an exclusive interview for

Newsnight, Angela Merkel, said Germany would do everything it can

to hold the economy together. TRANSLATION: Agrees has explained

it wants to remain in the Euros. It is trying to overcome its major

weaknesses. Be they in the administration or the

competitiveness of the business community, it is going to be a long

and arduous road. We had taken the decision to be in a currency union.

This is not only a monetary decision, it is a political one. It

would be catastrophic if we were to say to one of those who have

decided to be with us, we no longer want to you. Incidentally, the

treaties don't allow for that anyway. People all over the world

will ask, who will be next? The Euro area would be incredibly

weekend. The export nation Germany, in particular benefits from the

Euros. It would be a huge political mistake to allow Greece to leave.

That is why we will be clear with Greece. We will say, if you want to

be part of a common currency, you have to do your homework. But at

the same time we will always support to use.

The Angela Merkel. Aaron, Germany have got some more numbers out

today? This is a closely watched business

confidence survey. Again, I have to say, a small spark of good news, it

has risen for March, up for the 5th month in a row. The survey talks to

around 7,000 corporate leaders from all sorts of funds and gauges

optimism and pessimism. It has risen but only by a short amount.

But going forward, there are lot of worries the German economy is

losing momentum, even the President of the institute said the German

economy is losing momentum. Germany is always an interesting story,

because it always appears to be this island of happiness. But can

it remain an economic island? The answer appears to be, no. Let's

listen to Stephen Evans, and he explained to me what the picture is.

There is a slight rise in confidence. 7,000 enterprises have

been contacted and it gauges how optimistic and pessimistic they are.

This slight rise in optimism, but not a very much. You have to assume

it is basically flat. There is a signs of a slowdown, maybe a

slowdown in China having an impact. So much of German manufacturing

heads out to the east, either in the form of machine tools for

German factories all in the form of flash cars for the new rich in

China. So the assumption is, a slowdown in China will eventually,

perhaps quite soon, impact on Germany. But the confidence does

remain there, and certainly a lot more confidence than in other

countries. A lot of worries surrounding the whole eurozone

crisis. What I have been reading, Germany may bow to international

pressure and increased the eurozone's firewall, basically? Can

you explain that in more detail? Angela Merkel has been resisted to

increasing the firepower of the central bail-out funds in Brussels.

She has indicated very, very strongly, when one fund it reaches

the end of its life, it should die. The views from others like from

Brussels and the IMF, is somehow the fund has to be bolstered. There

are indications she is realising the pressure is pretty relentless

on Germany to increase the size of the fund. Finance ministers meet

towards the end of the week, and the expectation is that pressure

will be pretty, pretty fierce on her. The signs seem to be that

pressure may be bearing fruit and there may be some relaxation.

talk about China, the number of Chinese firms and households unable

to pay their loans has risen. China Construction Bank said the bad

loans rose by 10% in the last three months. We are talking about the

second biggest lender in the world, who said most of the default was in

the property sector. The rising number of bad loans at

China Construction Bank is another piece of news underlining the

difficulties facing this country's economy. Following the financial

crisis, China kept itself afloat with government's stimulus and easy

money, fuelling a massive splurge of property building and

investments elsewhere. It could not last for ever, not least because of

the risk of stoking inflation and the question is, not whether but by

how much the economy is likely to slow. Increasing numbers of bad

loans are a good indicator of the slowdown in manufacturing, property

and in the retail sectors. There is a knock on effect, because the more

banks have to set aside to cover such loans, the less they have for

lending. Let's touch on some of the other

business stories around the world. We have been talking about high oil

prices and they have not helped China. The oil giant in China

reported a modest profit and could not pass on the high cost to

consumers and that eats into its profits.

Fiat is to close two of its plans this week during a month of strikes

by its drivers. It will lay off workers temporarily near Naples and

close another facility in southern Italy later in the week. And there

are protests against Government measures which have certainly

raised fuel prices. Cannot escape them at the moment.

Investors are concerned in the Asian market about this cooling

effect we are seeing coming out of the Chinese economy. It is a bit of

a mixed bag as you can see. China and the eurozone continue to rate

and the eurozone continue to rate on investor's minds.

This is BBC World news: Franz's newest theme park are plans and

He was speaking soon after his arrival and the current President

admitted defeat. Tom Esslemont reports.

After a chaotic and at times violent campaign, jubilation. These

are the supporters of the man who will now lead Senegal, Macky Sall.

TRANSLATION: I am very happy, he is young, very polite, courteous, and

really he deserves this. Everybody was hoping he would win. This is

the man he beat, his former political mentor, Abdoulaye Wade,

who changed the constitution to try to secure a third day in -- third

term in office. His attempt to cling to power sparked scenes like

this, upsetting the tranquillity in West Africa's most stable democracy.

It was at times a bit campaign. This man, a musician, wanted to run

but was disqualified by five constitutional judges. So who is

Macky Sall? He was born for a modest family in the western city.

His father, a civil servant, his mother a not sell up. He was partly

educated in France and held a number of ministerial posts and his

predecessor, including that of Prime Minister. Now he has many

tasks on his hands, among them the food crisis gripping the Sahel

region. But in the capital, where once there was violence, people are

now seeing a new era. Surely a sense of optimism that Senegal's

new leader will want to preserve. Japan's shut down they know their

nuclear power station, bringing it one step closer to suspending its

atomic energy programme. -- cat down another nuclear power station.

There is much more on our website. I should just tell you about David

Cameron, the British Prime Minister, who was of course and a fire for

the political lobbying system. He is due to make a speech in the next

few minutes on Alzheimer's and tackling that, but he is expected

to make some remarks at the top of that on the current political

scandal here in London. More on This is BBC World News, and Geeta

Guru-Murthy. A rogue Afghan army soldier has killed two NATO troops

at their base in the south of the country. Aid agencies are warning

of a looming food crisis in the chair, saying it could turn into a

catastrophe unless millions of dollars of extra funding is secured.

-- Niger. The Pope is moving on to visit Cuba

after ending his stay in Mexico by giving an outdoor Mass for an

estimated 300,000 people. His trip to commis Cuba is being seen as a

chance for the Church to revive the flagging faith of the people and

perhaps increase its influence. -- Communist Cuba.

This is Santiago, the cradle of the Cuban revolution, the first stop on

this communist island for Pope Benedict. That is because it is

also home to the most important Catholic shrine. Cubans flopped our

Lady of Charity for help with everything from freeing political

prisoners to success in sport. That is despite four decades of state

atheism. The basilica has been spruced up for the Pope with money

from the Church abroad. We have been working 24 hours a day

for five weeks, this man says, but it is an honour to be involved.

Pope Benedict is coming here as a pilfering, visiting the shrine in

the anniversary year of the patron saint of Cuba. -- as a pilgrim. But

the people have great expectations for his visit. The Church hopes the

visit can help boost its appeal and influence. Only a fraction of

Cubans regularly go to Mass, although it is now possible to be

Catholic and communist here. TRANSLATION: The Pope will

reinforce the Chechen strengthen our pastoral walk far this year,

and I think he will bring a message of hope. -- he will reinforce the

church and strengthen our pastoral work for this year. The people

think the Pope can help with everything. Let's see if he brings

us prosperity, this teacher tells me, that is what we hope for, and

friendship not just with America but with the world.

Workers have been here preparing Revolution Square for the Pope for

weeks. He has already courted controversy by saying communism has

failed, but here he will be saying Mass watched over by an image of

the dark Castro. -- Fidel Castro. Hollywood director James Cameron

has become the first person in more than half a century to reach the

deepest place and out. The director of the film Titanic made the dive

11 kilometres down in a specially designed submarine. He tweeted,

hitting bottom never felt so good. He spent three hours filming and

exploring the doubts of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. It was the

first solo dive to reach the bottom of the trench. The only previous

man's descent was in 1960. Rebecca Morelle joined us from the nearest

landmass to the Mariana Trench and gave us the latest on the dive.

At the moment, about 300 kilometres out to sea, the director is

celebrating, having made the deepest dive to the deepest blaze

on the planet. He has been waiting for days to go at there, the

weather has been atrocious, but they had a clear spell, and he went

for it. It took him two and a half hours to descend to the bottom.

This submarine sliced through the water like a vertical torpedo. He

had a few hours to roam around and see what was down there, then

straight back up to the surface where he is now celebrating. I know

when you're telling about this a few days ago, it looked and sounded

quite extraordinary and terrifying, but he has come back safely. Was he

surprised by what he saw? Well, we have not been able to speak to him

just yet, but some of the creatures he might have seen Dan there, these

weird shrimp tied creatures which can grow up to 1 ft long. -- down

there. Jellyfish, frustrations. -- crustaceans. He said he was really

interested in filming the life that exists down there, and the deep

ocean is so little explored, chances are he has probably seen

seven new species. And it is of course pitch-black and freezing

cold, and their work rate risks with this. Yes, that is right. It

is not a very comfortable dive. He spent hours curled up and a timely

metal sphere unable to stretch his arms or his legs. -- curled up in a

tiny metal sphere. If the submarine had been compromised, it would have

imploded in milliseconds. Even more frighteningly, if communications

had failed. But that did not happen, he has come back safely, and he

wants to go back down again. If you are looking for something

different from a theme park, France might have the answer. They are

planning one based on Napoleon Bonaparte. Hugh Schofield reports.

Perfecting the technique, in a field in north-east France,

Napoleon enthusiasts are in training for a re-enactment of one

of his battles. The guns, the clothes, the drill, all straight

out of the history books. The attention to detail is a telling

tribute to the man they have chosen as their hero. The fascination with

Napoleon has proved highly enduring, which explains why there is such

enthusiasm now for this latest idea, which is a Napoleon theme park. For

now, it is only a plan, but it is perfectly serious. They want to

build the park here in this town, scene of one of his last victories

in 1814. The mayor once the first stone laid in 2014, the 200th

anniversary. It will be done properly, he insists, not just a

new Disneyland, education as well as fun.

And, usefully, the park has the backing of this man, Charl Napoleon,

current head of the Bonaparte family. -- Charles. People come to

be interested to new technologies, history, through entertainment. We

pass along time of our life in entertainment, you know, doing

something different than working, so, well, they will know a bit more

about Napoleon during this time. I think it is good. One of the

highlights of the spring tourist season in Paris is this, the coach

that Napoleon rode in at the Battle of Waterloo. That and the hat and

coat that he was wearing. The lure lives on, two centuries after his

final defeat, the emperor strikes back.

Now, South Africa, where four Nobel Peace Prize winners, Albert Luthuli,

Desmond Tutu, and former President F W de Klerk and Nelson Mandela are

being honoured through music. Our correspondent Milton Nkosi has more.

The quartet of peace rehearsal is in full swing. The hand-crafted

instruments were made by a master Craftsman in Cape Town. Each

instrument is the specially designed to be compatible so they

are all in perfect harmony. The violins are Albert Luthuli, Desmond

Tutu, FW de Klerk and the first black President of South Africa,

Nelson Mandela, the cello. So what does it mean to play this song on a

violin named after are that it really? I did not know him, of

course, because he died before I was born. He was a teacher, and I

teach the violin, so he was trying to lift up society. The time for

practice is over, and it is show This concert is held at the cradle

of humankind, a World Heritage Site. The purpose of these instruments is

to promote peace, reconciliation and hope for a country emerging

from apartheid. Well, there is much more on all of

our new stories at the website. David Cameron, as I said, doing his

speech in the next few minutes on the British political scandal here,

when the Conservative Party have been filmed, one of their financial

fundraisers has been filmed secretly by a newspaper, and that

has caused a huge political set of ructions. David Cameron is due to