:00:13. > :00:16.This is BBC World News Today. The biggest walkout in Britain for
:00:16. > :00:21.years. Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers come out on
:00:21. > :00:24.strike in protest at changes to their pensions. A day after their
:00:24. > :00:34.general strike and latest riots, Greek MPs pass a second vote on the
:00:34. > :00:39.deeply unpopular austerity programme. Things will only get
:00:39. > :00:44.uglier and worse than they already are. There is no future. Speaking
:00:44. > :00:46.up and speaking out: France sees a huge increase in the number of
:00:46. > :00:48.women claiming sexual harassment following the arrest of Dominique
:00:48. > :00:51.Strauss-Kahn. Still not officially a nation, and
:00:51. > :01:01.still under attack, we hear from one of the Sudanese rebel groups
:01:01. > :01:03.
:01:03. > :01:06.posing a threat to the soon-to-be independent South Sudan.
:01:06. > :01:16.And how to behave in front of your prospective mother-in-law: what
:01:16. > :01:20.
:01:20. > :01:22.The largest strikes in Britain for many years are taking place as
:01:22. > :01:26.public sector workers stage industrial action against proposed
:01:26. > :01:32.cuts to their pensions. Unions say 750,000 civil servants, one fifth
:01:32. > :01:35.of all public sector employees, have stopped work. The government
:01:35. > :01:45.is disputing the scale of the walk- out, and called the strike by
:01:45. > :01:46.
:01:46. > :01:51.teachers totally unjustifiable. The BBC's political editor reports.
:01:51. > :01:56.Strike day. The one that saves their pensions, or the first in a
:01:56. > :02:01.bitter battle with the government. For some, this was a protest
:02:01. > :02:06.against the cuts. For most, it was about their retirement. They say
:02:06. > :02:13.they should not pay more to pay for bankers's mistakes. Ministers say
:02:13. > :02:18.their pensions are unaffordable. Here they come: Public sector Merck
:02:18. > :02:28.-- public sector workers on of the march.
:02:28. > :02:33.It was in schools where the main impact was felt. This, one of
:02:33. > :02:39.12,000 which closed in England and Wales. One parent debate teacher
:02:39. > :02:49.for the day, but he was the Education Secretary. -- play
:02:49. > :02:56.teacher. We are here because we are very
:02:56. > :03:00.angry, and because we see this as an assault on our pensions. Is I
:03:00. > :03:05.did you into any office or shop, they would think your pension is
:03:05. > :03:13.very good. They certainly would. You need to look after public
:03:13. > :03:17.sector workers because they are doing tough jobs. How do you
:03:17. > :03:21.explain to an office worker over there, or in a shop or restaurant,
:03:21. > :03:26.that they should pay more tax, so that you do not have to pay more
:03:26. > :03:36.for your pension? Pen shown are a right for people, and we should all
:03:36. > :03:53.
:03:53. > :03:59.We have to have reform to make sure pensions are fair, sustainable and
:03:59. > :04:04.affordable. They are now affordable. You need extra cash, and quickly,
:04:05. > :04:11.to pay off the deficit. The cost of pensions have risen dramatically.
:04:11. > :04:16.Over the last 10 years, the costs have increased over one-third.
:04:16. > :04:26.The public servants union said it was the biggest strike, but the
:04:26. > :04:28.
:04:28. > :04:32.ministers said many had ignored the picket lines. I understand the
:04:32. > :04:38.anger of workers who feel they have been singled out by a reckless and
:04:38. > :04:42.provocative government. I also believe this action is wrong.
:04:42. > :04:46.Negotiations are ongoing, so it is a mistake to go on strike because
:04:46. > :04:55.of the effect on the people who rely on those services.
:04:55. > :05:02.That condemnation infuriated one teaching union. The response of the
:05:02. > :05:05.Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has been a disgrace!
:05:05. > :05:13.The police were out in force, blocking protesters from going off
:05:13. > :05:18.the agreed you, and using stop and search powers. -- the agreed route.
:05:18. > :05:23.The political trouble may only just have begun. This is the physical
:05:23. > :05:27.side of the dispute. What really counts is what is happening away
:05:27. > :05:34.from the cameras, negotiations about what the unions will except
:05:34. > :05:37.doctor, and what ministers insist the country or a Ford. -- unions
:05:38. > :05:40.will accept. The Greek government has passed a second austerity bill
:05:41. > :05:42.in Parliament, a crucial step in getting the European Union and the
:05:43. > :05:46.International Monetary Fund to release funds the country
:05:46. > :05:48.desperately needs. The EU and the IMF will now approve a $17 billion
:05:48. > :05:51.tranche from a package of rescue loans, saving Greece from
:05:51. > :05:53.defaulting on its massive debt. Many Greeks are already angry at
:05:53. > :05:55.the government's current austerity measures. And as Malcolm reports
:05:56. > :05:59.from Athens, today's vote was met with little enthusiasm.
:06:00. > :06:09.The final vote that saved Greece from the fort was passed by a
:06:09. > :06:14.majority. -- the boat. The demonstration who caused mayhem on
:06:14. > :06:19.Wednesday knew this was little more than a rubber-stamping. This
:06:19. > :06:26.procedure will vote means Greece has done as it was told by the EU
:06:26. > :06:36.and IMF. In return, it will receive $17 billion, and will be able to
:06:36. > :06:56.
:06:56. > :07:02.pay its bills. The nude nor Before the vote, crews are worked
:07:02. > :07:08.to clear the damage caused by the anarchists. Stale tear-gas was
:07:08. > :07:18.stone the air. High-profile targets like bank, and the Post Office,
:07:18. > :07:19.
:07:19. > :07:23.needed most of the tension. Saving Greece from defaulting may have
:07:23. > :07:30.cured politicians in eurozone capitals, but it has depressed many
:07:30. > :07:37.Athenians. TRANSLATION: It will not bring any results. It will only
:07:37. > :07:42.make the situation worse. Things will only get uglier and
:07:42. > :07:50.worse than they already are. There is no future.
:07:50. > :07:55.An ironic poster near Parliament: With two yes votes in his pocket,
:07:55. > :08:02.the finance minister can look forward to meeting his partners
:08:02. > :08:07.this weekend to show what he called real proof of Greece's credibility.
:08:08. > :08:17.Let us look at the implications of this crisis for the rest of Europe.
:08:18. > :08:28.
:08:28. > :08:34.In terms of whether Greece defaults or not, what does this mean for the
:08:34. > :08:41.eurozone project as a whole? think Greece will default. They are
:08:41. > :08:51.just kicking the her and down the road. It is all ironic. -- the
:08:51. > :08:52.
:08:52. > :08:58.burner. What does it mean in terms of the country's that should not
:08:58. > :09:05.have gone in? Germany have done incredibly well out of the euro,
:09:05. > :09:13.but Euro-scepticism is growing. is. The creditors are not satisfied.
:09:13. > :09:21.The creditors do not think they will be repaid. Greece feel very
:09:21. > :09:27.resentful. Historically speaking, no country with this debt has ever
:09:27. > :09:37.got back from something like this. He need to cut the debt in half. A
:09:37. > :09:38.
:09:38. > :09:42.note monetary union has ever gone into a political union. He in terms
:09:42. > :09:50.of a political question, are we looking at some sort of the US
:09:50. > :09:54.Federal stop political unity with the euro 1/2 off into two parts?
:09:54. > :10:00.The countries that could have a political union with each other do
:10:00. > :10:07.not need it. For example, the Germans and Dutch. The ones that do
:10:07. > :10:10.need it, are poles apart. The Germans will not share their good
:10:10. > :10:15.monetary constitution with the Greeks, and the Greeks were not put
:10:15. > :10:23.up with all these conditions. relevant is the eurozone? How
:10:23. > :10:30.relevant is Europe Nawal? Unless something is finalised, could you
:10:30. > :10:36.be subsumed in the shadow of China? It will probably be anyway. Germany
:10:36. > :10:41.is trying to make good by itself. In 2013, China will become the
:10:41. > :10:46.biggest trade power of Germany and will eclipse France. The Germans
:10:46. > :10:51.are still keen on Europe, but less keen than they were 10 years ago,
:10:51. > :10:57.and less keen to pay for the faults of others. Countries which are
:10:57. > :11:00.becoming more insolvent and irrelevant to their trading future.
:11:00. > :11:07.Where do you see the euro in a few years' time? It will still be there,
:11:07. > :11:13.but it will be a small and less ambitious project.
:11:13. > :11:23.It is not just Greek debt to Europe is having problems with. The EU's
:11:23. > :11:45.
:11:45. > :11:51.budget is also dividing the euro The European Commission hopes to
:11:51. > :11:57.boost the budget. The plans also earmark more than $23 billion to
:11:57. > :12:07.promote democracy and growth in Nantes EU countries.
:12:07. > :12:11.Let us go to Brussels and speed took Patrizio Fiorilli. -- speak to.
:12:11. > :12:20.At a time when most European countries are embarking on
:12:20. > :12:25.austerity measures, why should the EU be immune? The 5% increase, I
:12:25. > :12:31.have heard it, but I am not sure it is the right calculation. It is
:12:31. > :12:37.often the case that people take figures the way they want. The way
:12:37. > :12:47.we have calculated it is that it is at virtually 0% increase over seven
:12:47. > :12:49.
:12:49. > :12:53.years. We have used the same method we have been using for 20 years.
:12:53. > :12:59.According to Alan a club calculations, it is at virtually 0%
:12:59. > :13:06.increase. The largest economies are convinced this is the not the right
:13:06. > :13:10.time. It would be difficult get this through, won't it? If you
:13:10. > :13:15.remember in December, there was a letter initiated by David Cameron
:13:15. > :13:21.on the future it EU budget, in which he has said that in the
:13:21. > :13:29.future, he would like the future budget to beat a restraint in
:13:29. > :13:34.growth, probably under inflation rate. Fork our calculations, that
:13:34. > :13:42.have been accepted by everybody, we are well below the inflation rate.
:13:42. > :13:47.It is at virtually 0% increase. Robin Hood tax as it is known as
:13:47. > :13:55.another proposal. That will be very difficult to in force, won't it?
:13:55. > :14:01.is a very difficult one. This is mainly due to the way the EU works.
:14:01. > :14:07.On this issue, you need unanimity between member states, but you also
:14:07. > :14:13.need each member state to ratify it nationally. That means that it is
:14:13. > :14:19.very difficult to find solutions that would please everybody. Our
:14:19. > :14:25.idea rests on a few principles. Firstly, there was a survey made
:14:25. > :14:32.across Europe that indicated that 66% of Europeans were in favour of
:14:32. > :14:37.a taxing the financial sector. We also see that tend member states in
:14:37. > :14:42.Europe have this sort of tax and do not suffer from it. The big
:14:42. > :14:47.advantage from and what point of view, is that it would go hand in
:14:47. > :14:52.hand with a reduction of member states's contributions. But it will
:14:52. > :15:01.be very difficult to find an agreement among everybody. Coming
:15:01. > :15:04.back to my first point, you have got 27 billion euros down for non
:15:04. > :15:14.EU countries. This is not the right time to be doing something like
:15:14. > :15:15.
:15:15. > :15:25.this, is it? That his debut. Our view is that in the light of recent
:15:25. > :15:31.events in North Africa, which could happen again, you find that
:15:31. > :15:36.probably, the best way is to invest it in those countries that are not
:15:36. > :15:41.want a common borders so that they have reached both A-level of
:15:41. > :15:46.democracy, but also economic and social stability. That would mean
:15:46. > :15:53.they would be less likely to go through a people and have
:15:53. > :16:03.immigration that is most of the time clandestine. Also sometimes in
:16:03. > :16:04.
:16:04. > :16:05.Europe. It could be a good Now a look at some of the day's
:16:05. > :16:07.other news. A United Nations tribunal
:16:07. > :16:10.investigating the murder of the former Lebanese prime minister
:16:10. > :16:15.Rafiq Hariri in 2005 has delivered a sealed indictment to Lebanon's
:16:15. > :16:25.prosecutor-general Saeed Mirza. Mr Mirza said he had also received
:16:25. > :16:27.
:16:27. > :16:30.four arrest warrants. The suspects have not been officially named.
:16:30. > :16:35.Two French journalists kidnapped by the Taliban 18 months ago have
:16:35. > :16:38.returned home. Stephane Taponier and Herve Ghesquiere have been
:16:38. > :16:44.returned to France amid jubilation. The pair and three Afghan
:16:44. > :16:47.associates were kidnapped in Kabul in 2009 while working for French TV.
:16:47. > :16:52.In the last three minutes, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have
:16:52. > :16:56.landed in Canada, their first overseas tour as a married couple.
:16:56. > :17:00.During their nine-day stay table lay a wreath at the National War
:17:00. > :17:09.Memorial, take part in a cookery class and a rodeo, then they will
:17:09. > :17:12.fly on to California for a three- day visit.
:17:12. > :17:15.Women's groups in France say they have seen a huge increase in the
:17:15. > :17:18.number of females coming forward to claim sexual harassment following
:17:18. > :17:21.the arrest of Dominique Strauss- Kahn. The French former head of the
:17:21. > :17:24.International Monetary Fund was arrested in New York and has been
:17:24. > :17:28.charged with trying to rape a hotel maid, a claim he has denied. The
:17:28. > :17:32.reporting of the trial has lifted the lid on a darker side to French
:17:32. > :17:37.society, as Christian Fraser reports from Paris.
:17:37. > :17:42.Dare and yellow is a chambermaid from Guinea, a former employee of
:17:42. > :17:47.the Park Hyatt Hotel in Paris. -- Dan Pallett. Last year, she claims
:17:47. > :17:53.to have been sexually assaulted in a hotel room by someone within the
:17:53. > :17:55.circle of the Qatari royal family. It has similarities to the alleged
:17:55. > :18:02.assault for which Dominique Strauss-Kahn was arrested last
:18:02. > :18:07.month. The difference is in the attitude of the French authorities.
:18:07. > :18:12.TRANSLATION: The French police did not want to do anything. They let
:18:12. > :18:19.me know quickly that they wanted me to drop it. In any case they said
:18:19. > :18:23.if I did not, they would. I was shocked, in tears. I told them it
:18:23. > :18:30.wasn't right, that because a person is rich and important he can treat
:18:30. > :18:35.people as he likes? But the group representing her says that suddenly
:18:35. > :18:39.the investigation has been reopened by the prosecutor's office,
:18:39. > :18:42.although the authorities have yet to inform Diane. Perhaps it is a
:18:42. > :18:49.result of the widespread indignation that has followed
:18:49. > :18:52.events in New York. TRANSLATION: there has been a real impact in the
:18:52. > :18:58.number of cases coming to us since the media coverage of the Strauss-
:18:58. > :19:01.Kahn affair and the issue of sexual violence at work. We have had
:19:01. > :19:09.double the number of complaints, and most of these women seem
:19:09. > :19:15.determined to go to court. Some of the fiercest criticism is targeted
:19:15. > :19:18.at the attitude and behaviour of the country's elite. Until now,
:19:18. > :19:22.there seemed to exist in this country a culture of impunity,
:19:22. > :19:26.where politicians were above scandal. Ministers rarely resign
:19:26. > :19:30.quickly and such was the deference shown by the French media, there
:19:31. > :19:39.was practically a conspiracy of silence protecting them. But
:19:39. > :19:42.perhaps things are starting to change. Georges Tron, President
:19:42. > :19:47.Sarkozy's junior civil service minister, resigned last month when
:19:47. > :19:53.two former employees from the town halls accused him of serious sexual
:19:53. > :19:58.assault. Last week, some four years after the first alleged incident
:19:58. > :20:03.took place, he was formally charged with rape. His spokesman said he
:20:03. > :20:06.denies the accusations, and he argued that France should not be
:20:06. > :20:16.importing America's puritanical attitudes to touching in the
:20:16. > :20:20.workplace. TRANSLATION: It is a shame that France's image has been
:20:20. > :20:24.tarnished in the eyes of countries like the United States. There are
:20:24. > :20:29.cultural differences about our behaviour with women, we may make
:20:29. > :20:33.jokes and touch people with no sexual meaning at all. But,
:20:33. > :20:37.whatever the quarter, rape should we dealt with by the law. But the
:20:37. > :20:41.editor of Elle magazine says these archaic notions of heavy-handed
:20:41. > :20:45.seduction are an excuse. So entrenched his sexual harassment in
:20:45. > :20:50.the workplace that most women, she said, believe they have no option
:20:50. > :20:54.but to go along with it. TRANSLATION: Women's mentality
:20:54. > :20:59.needs to change, too. We need to clarify the situation so you can
:20:59. > :21:03.still be seductive but also to say no when someone abuses their
:21:03. > :21:11.authority. French women do not want to be feminine or feminist, they
:21:11. > :21:14.want to be both. Dominique Strauss- Kahn, step of. Whether the
:21:14. > :21:18.accusations Mr Strauss-Kahn faces turn out to be true or not, the
:21:18. > :21:24.decision of several French women to go to the police after years of
:21:24. > :21:30.keeping quiet raises an intriguing question. Have the allegations from
:21:30. > :21:35.an African chambermaid in New York changed forever what French women
:21:35. > :21:41.are prepared to tolerate? South Sudan will become independent
:21:41. > :21:43.in nine days' time, following a two decade war with the North. But
:21:44. > :21:47.while the anticipation is almost at fever pitch, already several rebel
:21:47. > :21:50.groups are fighting the Southern government. The UN says 1400
:21:50. > :21:55.civilians have been killed by rebel or government troops, or in inter-
:21:55. > :21:57.ethnic fighting, in this year alone. Our correspondent in Khartoum,
:21:57. > :22:07.James Copnall, obtained footage of one of the major rebel movements,
:22:07. > :22:11.the South Sudan Liberation Army. Here's his report.
:22:11. > :22:19.The party started. But these men are not celebrating South Sudan's
:22:19. > :22:28.upcoming independence. Instead, they are in training to overthrow
:22:28. > :22:35.the fledgling sudden government. -- seven government. Most, but not all,
:22:35. > :22:39.come from the Nuer group, who had a troubled relationship with de Dinka.
:22:39. > :22:43.Ethnic rivalry is one reason for the rebellion. Others said they
:22:44. > :22:49.took up arms because they believed last year's elections were rigged.
:22:49. > :22:54.But the soldiers say they are fighting Dinka domination, and
:22:54. > :22:58.corruption. The group has been involved in several battles with
:22:58. > :23:05.the southern Armenia at lucrative oilfields. Both sides accuse the
:23:05. > :23:08.other of killing civilians -- with the southern army. The leader of
:23:08. > :23:16.this rebel movement, a dissident Southern General, motivates his new
:23:16. > :23:20.recruits. TRANSLATION: our problem will not go far. They go to crime
:23:20. > :23:24.than we start the fighting. They will say that they need peace, they
:23:24. > :23:33.told today did not want to, be rejected use. Did they know where
:23:33. > :23:37.they were telling you to go? -- very rejected you. Their uniforms
:23:38. > :23:41.look fresh out of the box and their weapons seemed brand new. The
:23:41. > :23:46.southern authorities say these and other rebels are being supplied by
:23:46. > :23:52.their old enemies in Khartoum. The North frequently armed rival groups
:23:52. > :23:55.in the last civil war to divide the south. Analysts believe the new
:23:55. > :24:00.country of South Sudan's ethnic and military divisions will be one of
:24:00. > :24:04.its greatest weaknesses. In the capital of the North, Khartoum, one
:24:04. > :24:11.of President Omar al-Bashir's officials dismisses the latest
:24:11. > :24:18.accusations, linking his party to the southern rebels. They were not
:24:18. > :24:23.part of the NCP, they were not part of the South Sudan Armed Forces.
:24:23. > :24:27.They were the South Sudan Liberation Army militia, who
:24:27. > :24:34.abandoned them following the rigging in the south. This is the
:24:34. > :24:37.South's business. Despite the denial, the allegations about
:24:37. > :24:41.Khartoum's involvement seems certain to continue. Whoever they
:24:42. > :24:45.are getting their weapons from, the rebels are making a huge impact on
:24:45. > :24:55.the south. In fact, some people feel they are the greatest threat
:24:55. > :24:57.
:24:57. > :25:01.to stability that -- as South Sudan moves rapidly towards independence.
:25:01. > :25:04.They can be tricky meetings, and for bride-to-be Heidi Withers, the
:25:04. > :25:09.meeting with her mates future mother-in-law was a disaster. She
:25:09. > :25:13.sent a scathing e-mail from her fiance's mother to friends, and it
:25:13. > :25:18.has gone for viral. I will give you easy tips on how to
:25:18. > :25:20.look after your pink. A bit of gardening advice from nursery and a
:25:21. > :25:26.Carolyn Bourne. But it is her lessons in etiquette that have made
:25:26. > :25:32.her name. -- nursery owner. A few weeks ago her stepson Freddie took
:25:32. > :25:36.his fiancee, Heidi Withers, back to the family home in Devon. But after
:25:36. > :25:40.which she received their e-mail from a prospective mother-in-law
:25:40. > :25:47.apparently criticising her table manners and attacking a brash
:25:47. > :25:50.celebrity behaviour. In the message, Mrs Bourne told Heidi Withers, or
:25:50. > :25:54.you do not lie in bed until late morning in households that rise
:25:54. > :25:57.early. You do not remark that you do not have enough food. And she
:25:57. > :26:02.went on to say, you have never written to thank me when you have
:26:02. > :26:05.stayed. It seems the e-mail Carolyn Bourne
:26:05. > :26:10.sent from here to her daughter-in- law to be was meant to be private,
:26:10. > :26:14.but somehow it was forwarded on to other people, who then sent it on
:26:14. > :26:18.to more people, and then it went viral and has now been seen by
:26:19. > :26:23.millions of people all over the world. The family were keeping a
:26:23. > :26:30.very polite silence today, but neighbours said lessons had been
:26:30. > :26:34.learned. To put it in a E-mail puts it in the public domain. It is not
:26:34. > :26:38.a clever thing to do. Today, internet users have described
:26:38. > :26:45.Carolyn Bourne as the mother-in-law from hell and defender of the
:26:45. > :26:49.nation's manners. The wedding takes place in the autumn.
:26:49. > :26:59.Or maybe not! That is all from the programme.
:26:59. > :27:01.
:27:01. > :27:05.Next, the weather, but from all of Hello, good evening. Heavy showers
:27:05. > :27:13.affecting eastern parts of the UK will die away overnight, then a
:27:13. > :27:17.Chile night. More of the UK will stay dry tomorrow -- a chilly night.
:27:17. > :27:21.High pressure builds over the UK, but north-western areas get more
:27:21. > :27:27.cloud and the odd spot of drizzly rain, so a rather dull start to the
:27:27. > :27:32.day. After early sunshine, cloud will increase, but very few showers.
:27:32. > :27:38.This is the picture at 4pm. Down the eastern side of England, the
:27:38. > :27:43.art, light shower might be about, but demand far between -- the odd
:27:43. > :27:47.light shower. Only a slim chance of catching a shower at Wimbledon. In
:27:47. > :27:51.south-west England there will be a lot of cloud in the sky, especially
:27:51. > :27:55.over the moors, possibly rain over the higher ground of Wales and
:27:55. > :27:59.north-west England. Count yourself lucky few seem much sunshine. For
:27:59. > :28:06.Northern Ireland, after a cloudy start a bit brighter in the
:28:06. > :28:10.afternoon and plenty of try weather in Scotland over the Western Isles,
:28:10. > :28:15.but you may still catch a road showered in eastern Scotland, but