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Transcript of BBC
News on Video (In the News of January 1, 2007)
>> This is bbc news from bbc world. These are the headlines:
Thailand's prime minister blames political rivals after bombs kill
three peoples. Somalia's prime minister calls for African union
peacekeepers as Islamic troops flee their last stronghold. Happy new
year for Romania and Bulgaria as they join the e.U. Club. Welcome.
The prime minister of Thailand has blamed ousted politicians for a
series of bomb blast Bangkok. Nine explosions killed three people
and injured 38 others on new year's eve. The prime minister, who was
appointed after a military coup in September, refused to say what
evidence the government had. Lawyers for the deposed prime minister,
tasking shinawatra, said he's the victim of a smear campaign. Our
correspondent, Jonathan head, gave us the latest from Bangkok.
>> The police claimed to have had some kind of warnings that
there would be some kind of moves by supporters of the former prime
minister before these bombings. The government isn't explaining why
it believes this is not the work of Islamic militants in the south.
It's worth remembering these kinds of small-scale scatter bombings
are almost an everyday occurrence down in the deep south of
thiecialtiond but they've never happened outside that region. It's a
long way from Bangkok. I think most people observing the way people
in the south operate, this doesn't look like the kind of attack they
would carry out if they'd move to Bangkok. So circumstantially, the
fingers are likely to point towards the former prime minister, but
at this stage there's no hard evidence.
>> How worried is the government on the impact this will have on
thiemd's reputation? This must be the height of the tourist season.
>> It is the height of the tourist season. Thankfully these bombs
don't seem to have specifically targeted foreigners or areas where
foreigners are otherwise the impact would have been far worse.
They're not saying it, but I imagine they are extremely worried.
This is a government that has an awful lot to movement it was
installed bay military coup. It still isn't fully recognized by
governments like the united states it's given itself a very short
deadline to restore democracy. One of the main claims they had for
mounting the coup is they said they would restore calm to Thailand.
If there are bombing going off and they can't maintain security, it
will damage their credibility. And there will be a real fear that
tourists may panic and start the heave. They are very much a
lifeline of this economy.
>> Small's prime minister ali mohamed ghedi has called for an
urgent deployment of African peacekeepers in his country. The
government has tiewferd pardon any islamist fighters who lay down
there arms. There have been reports in the southern port of Kismayo
that the Islamic militia have abandoned the city, their last major
stronghold. Thousands of civilians have fled the area I asked our
correspondent in Nairobi where the Islamic fighters were fleeing to.
>> Almost certainly they're fleeing towards the Kenyan border
further south. That border has been fortified. Some will try and get
over the border. Others may well simply disregard their uniforms and
emerge into obscurity. Certainly the reports we're getting from
Kismayo is they are no longer there, that it is forces that are
loyal to the transitional government that are now in control.
They're trying to calm the looting that is taking place in the
offices, the former offices of the islamists in the port town of
Kismayo. The reports are that there have been very, very few
casualties, and apart from the looting in that key area, it is
relatively calm.
>> Would it be unwise to say they have been defeated?
>> I think it's almost certain that is the case on the periphery
of the town we have huge numbers of Ethiopian troops, very heavily
fortified with planes and with tanks that are there working hand in
hand with Somali forces. I think it's almost certain that the
islamists have been defeated here, although commanders have said
this isn't the end of the insurgency. They claim with t withdrawal
from Kismayo was a tactical move to minute news the number of
civilian casualties. They've said that they will continue to fight
the war and that they see the presence of Ethiopian troops on Somali
soil still something that prevents them from having any means of
being able to negotiate with the smallly transitional government.
>> Huge celebrations have been held in Romania and Bulgaria to
mark their entry into the European union 17 years after the federal
of come anymore. Their accession brings the number of member states
in Europe to 27. Both countries, however, are being subjected to
unpress detd monitoring to ensure they meet targets in areas such as
judicial reform and eliminating corruption. In a moment tristana
moore reports from the Romanian capital buick rest, but first here
-- from the Romanian capital buick rest, but first in Sophia...
>> 17 years after the collapse of come anymore, the
crystalization of a dream. Equal partnership with the rest of
capitalist europe. There was unrestrained join as the moment of
accession passedment -- passed. Bulgaria delivered a show in
pyrotechnics. The foreman communist party corner was once dominated
by a red star. It look like an inferno dominated by so many
fireworks. Just before midnight there was a message broadcast saying
europe's culture and heritage would be richer as a result of
bulgaria's membership and its accession would make the european
union strongeR. Barroso's warm welcome was at odds with fears that a
flood of cheap bulgarian labor is about to swamp western yiewrngs
but bulgarians were not prepared to allow negative thoughts to
dampen their enthusiasM. Long after midnight passed, the fireworks
kept exploding. The hard work needed to achieve full european
compliance could wait until the morning after. Bbc news, Sophia.
>> Celebrations at university square in buick -- back to you ca
rest. It's an historic night as the former communist country is
finally joining the european union. For many here it's a complete
break with the past.
>> This is a moment of history for our country. We're out on the
streets. We're very happy and full of hope.
>> ( Translated ): We are glad because although romania has many
problems, I think we will not have trouble integrating with the E.U.
>> Well, this party is going to go on through the night. While
some romanians are nervous about the changes that e.U. Membership
will bring, the majority here are looking forward to the new year.
But romania is entering the e.U. Under strict conditions. Although
the country has been praised by brussels for making progress in
tackling corruption, bribery is still often routine. E.U. Officials
are worried that romania may go slow on reform commitments, and if
that happens, there will be strict penalties. So what can romania
offer the rest of the E.U.?
>> Economic power, excellent, well-trained and quite unexpensive
working force, excellent expertise on some foreign policy issues
which are important to europe when trying to play global, that is
the black sea environment, the black sea region and southeastern
europe, and besides a very, very european-minded country.
>> While the economy is now booming, there's still dire poverty,
especially in rural areas. Salaries are well below existing member
countries. This man is unemployeD. He told me he's hoping to go and
work in spain. "I have nothing here," he says, "no proper job and no
money." Most e.U. Countries have already imposed restrictions on
romanian workers amid concerns the young people will look for work
elsewhere. So while romanians may be celebrating E.U. Membership,
the challenge will be to confront the scepticism outside their
borders. Tristana moore, bbc news, bucharest.
>> And stay with uS. You're watching bbc world. And now in our
next story in this bulletin, we go to india where hundreds of people
have been protesting outside the home of a man accused of abusing
and killing hundreds of children. Police discovered human remains of
17 people, mostly children. Several senior police officers have been
suspended for "news edge"s in dealing with -- negligence in dealing
with complaints about the missing children.
>> Anger and demands for justice. Parents and relatives of
children who went missing gathered outside the house where the
remains were found. The discovery was made after local residents
complained of a smell in drains outside the house. After further
excavations of the drains and the back garden on saturday, police
found skulls, human remains and clothes. The homeowner and a servant
were subsequently charged with rape, kidnapping and murder.
>> We're investigating further about other bodies and other
missing children so that the case of the other missing children can
be solved.
>> But the arrests have led to violent protests that justice is
being done far too late. Relatives say 40 children have gone missing
over the last two years but complaints to police were largely
ignored. Now at least five senior officers have been suspended,
accused of ignoring the complaints and fears of local people.
Residents say they were ignored because they are poor. As hundreds
of people converged in anger, police were forced to put up a barrier
around the property. Protesters managed to break through and damage
parts of the billing. They're now demanding a government inquiry
into the police handling of the cases. Some of those reported
missing are thought to be as young as three, and some of the remains
are those of women. Police say investigations will continue to find
more remains in a spate of killings which has shocked the country.
>> You're watching bbc world. Our main headlines this hour:
Thailand's prime minister blames his political rivals after a bomb
blast kills three people. Somalia's prime minister calls for african
union peacekeepers to be deployed in the country as islamist troops
flee their last strongholds. Rescuers are struggling to save
survivors of the indonesian ferry which sank off the coast of java
with more than 600 people on board. Rescue ships have collected
scores of bodies and helicopters have been dropping food and water
to the survivors still stuck at sea.
>> Dozens of survivors in life rafts have been spotted adrift in
the java sea. Indonesian officials say food and water is being
dropped by air while the search for more survivors continues. So far
more than 150 people have been found alive, either clinging to life
rafts and debris or on beaches after swimming ashore. Many bodies
have also been seen floating in the water. About 400 people are
still missing and many relatives are camped out at ports and local
hospitals, desperate for news about their loved ones. The ferry sank
during a violent storm shortly before midnight on friday. Survivors
say it was pounded by waves for more than ten hours on a journey
from the indonesian section of borneo island to the country's main
island of java. The rescuers being hampered by poor communications
and the fact that ships are bringing sure striefers shore at several
ports. The ferry was built in japan in 1992, it had a capacity for
850 people, but the authorities claim it had just 638 people on
board. Ferry travel is very popular in indonesia, but there are many
accidents, especially in the rainy season when storms are common.
>> A new era begins today at the united nations as Ban ki-moon
takes over as secretary-general. Many are waiting to see what
changes the quietly spoken South Korean will make at the U.N.. Faces
a year full of challenges.
>> The general assembly rise to their feet, a tribute to kofi
annan after a decade of the U.N.'S charismatic secretary-general.
His successor, ban kI-moon of South Korea. (Ode to joy playing)
these are heart felt good-byes to a popular man, and for many it's
the end of an era and what could be a dramatic change in leadership
styles.
>> I'm making a list, checking it once, checking it twice...
>> Ban Ki-moon has been called more Secretary than General, a man
too quiet for some but he's been quick to silence his critics.
Ban Ki-moon is coming to town
>> Ki-moon is yet to give much away about his intentions, but he
has talked about restoring trust in the united nations and reforming
what is seen by many as an aging institution.
>> He will be very good, as you say, on the secretary part of it
in the administration. Where he will need help is dealing with the
capitals because with the capitals you're dealing with powerful
countries where you sometimes have to as secretary-general stand up
and speak the truth, and that comes with a price. I think if he
looks at the scars that Kopi Anon carries on his way out of this
organization, he will realize that there is a price to pay.
>> One of the first things Ban Ki-moon will do is assemble a new
team of senior officials. Many within the U.N. are hoping he'll be
looking beyond the major powers.
>> If he can indeed denationalize and get more people in senior
positions from the developing world, I think that would really help
him establish himself as a formidable secretary-general.
>> He may be a fresh face at the U.N., But he's no stranger to
its complexities. The 62-year-old is already exceeding quiet
confidence at the task ahead. So it's all change at the united
nations, but there's nothing new about the challenges the
organization will face in 2007. Iran, Iraq, Darfur and the middle
east are all immediate problems and perhaps more critical than ever.
As Ban Ki-moon takes up his new post, many want to see him tackle
those issues decisively and keep the united nations relevant. BBC
news, the united nations in New York.
>> Let's return to one of our top stories this houR. Somalia's
call for an urgent deployment of african union peacekeepers. The
prime minister's spokesman joins us now on the linE. Welcome to bbc
world. An urgent call for peacekeepers because how long will
ethiopian troops remain in your country?
>> Absolutely, as you are aware, if we will control the whole
country and then we will call african union peacekeepers to the
border of somalia as soon as possible.
>> So how long will the ethiopians who are seen by some somalians
as invaders remain in your country.
>> Absolutely. I think we are in the final stage of our mission,
and absolutely i'm sorry at the bbc you misstate the international
community because somali cooperation, all of them when they are
entering the city, our forces and ethiopian allies are welcoming and
cheering and absolutely they are happy. So ethiopia, they assist us
to solve somali problemS. And already we are in the final stage so
that they will withdraw when we finalize and clean our region.
>> And what will be the future then of the islamic courts
militia?
>> The remnants of the forces have taken two roads, so they are
dispersing into thin air, and absolutely most of them are near the
border of somalia and kenyA. On behalf of our government, we would
like to request the government of kenya to close their border in
order to deny those terrorists access to kenya.
>> Thank you for joining us. Still to come on the program, we'll
have all the sports news with sean fletcher, including what's
happening in cricket. In britain the legal age for buying tobacco
will rise from 16 to 18 this year under government plans to be
announced today. The change in the law is designed to reduce the
number of young people taking up smoking.
>> The legal age for buying tobacco has been 16 for almost a
century, but it's a law that can be hard to enforce. The government
says raising the age to 18 will make it easier for shopkeepers and
the move has been welcomed by health campaigners.
>> The government is absolutely right to put up the age at which
it will be legal to buy cigarettes, and we hope that shopkeepers and
also children will take note of this and realize that it's a good
thing and not something to try and get around.
>> The number of teenage smokers has fallen, but it's thought
that around 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds still smoke, most of them buy
cigarettes from smaller shops, and only 23% said they couldn't buy
tobacco when they wanted. Meanwhile, tough new ads aimed to persuade
all smokers to quit this year, it's all part of a big push to cut
the number of smoking-related deaths.
>> Meanwhile, a ban on smoking in public has begun in hong kong.
The ban covers many indoor spaces open to the public, such as
restaurants and workplaceS. It came into force as hong kong
celebrated the new yeaR. The ban also covers beach, swimming pools
and most areas of public parks. Anyone caught breaking the smoking
ban faces a maximum fine equivalent to more than $600. Americans
have been paying their last respects to the former president gerald
ford as his body lies in state at the capitol building in washington.
Ahead of his state funeral on tuesday. He died on tuesday, age 93.
Gerald ford became the 38th U.S. President in 1974 following richard
nixon's resignation over the watergate scandal. And here's sean
fletcher with all the international sport on day one of 2007.
>> Thanks very much indeed. 20 of ended as a rather dismal one
for england's cricketers, but they do have the opportunity to put
things right at the start of 2007. The fifth and final ashes teft
starts in sydney on tuesday. Andrew flynn of the has admitted to
underperforming in the series so far. He says his side have one last
chance to avoid going down in history for the wrong reason, a first
ashdz whitewash for an england team in 85 years. They pulled in
quite a crowd at the s.C.G. As they try to avoid the same old. It's
a final chance for the captain to make his mark on the series, and
he'll have to lead by example.
>> We've got one game left for myself, from my point of view,
I've not performed as well as I'd like to on this triP. I have one
last chance to do something, make sure we take some wickets as a
teaM. We have one more chance of beating australia. That's something
we have to go into not with trepidation or nerves. We have to go
there and show what we can do. We have to go out there and fight one
last time. So we're going to five days of cricket and we have to
finish five days of cricket and try to win every session when we're
out there.
>> After a or the chewious two months on the road, you'd have
thought exwould be battle hardened, but they've appeared
shell-shocked, almost as if there's no fight lefT. Australia are
marching towards the whitewash, and there has been another
retirement to, shane warne and mcgrawed a justin langer.
>> I got to brisbane, i was ready for it, and that's what
happened. In adelaide, how can it be better than adelaide, and then
perth, home groid, i've never seen blokes so emotional. We'd won the
ashes again. I just wonder how much bigger it can get than this
that's why i think the time is right now.
>> Of course, england could still spoil the party that's being
planned at the s.C.G. This helpeD. The fans waited hours to see
them, signing off from the series it's time they gave something
back. Ollie foster, bbc news, sydneY.
>> Meanwhile, in the english premiership, leaders manchester
united take on newcastle knowing they could go nine points clear of
the champions chelsea who play on tuesday. Fullham will be aiming
for maximum points against wattford after holding chelsea to a draW.
Liverpool can overtake bolton if they win at anfield. After a shock
victory over arsenal on saturday, sheffield united can put further
distance between themselves and the relegation zone if they can win
away at middlesborough. Now the new york jets have clinched a place
in the play-offs after beating the oakland raiders as they completed
a memorable end to 2006, having endured a miserable season in 2005,
the jets destroyed the oakland raiders 23-3 as they lost for the
eighth time on the road this season, a new low for them. The jets
were already 10-3 ahead when runningback leon washington took a pass
from chad pennington. His drive into the end zone put them in the
lead early in the fourth quarter. While the jets only grabbed
another three points thanks to a field goal from mike nigh gent,
they were rarely troubled by the raiders who will at least get first
pick in the n.F.L. Draft next april. New york on the other hand can
start preparing for the play-offs which get under way next weekend.
Meanwhile, fans of the green bay packers may have seen the last of
brett favre. He's thought to be on the brink of retirement after a
career in which he's won the m.V.P. Three times. If he does go, he
was at least victorious in his final game, 26-7 the score against
the chicago bears. That's all the sport for me.
>> At the vatican, the pope has called for peace in the middle
east, delivering his new year holy mass from sT. Peter's basilica.
Within the hour he will deliver a prayer. At a new year's eve
service, the pope prayed for peace and just disin the world in 2007.
More detail about all the news stories in the program on our web
site, bbcnews.Com. You'll find analysis and background on all the
main stories, including those huge celebrations through the night in
romania and bulgaria to mark their accession to the european union.
This taking place 17 years after the fall of communism. Thousands
attended concerts in the two capitals, bucharest and sophia. On the
web site you'll also find pictures and stories of new year's
celebrations from around the world. It's also a chance for you to
share your views on the issues of the day. Click on the "have your
say" link. All that and more on our web site, bbcnews.Com. <
* While this transcript
can be a help for listening and quotation, one may need to
be aware of that there appear minor spelling mistakes on this
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