>> "bbc world news" is presented by kcet, los angeles. >> funding for this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, union bank. ♪ >> union bank has put its financial strength to work if a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major

corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news." >> a diplomatic disaster. the millions of leaks that could threaten america's relationship with its alleys. talking to the taliban. how a talented trick sister made a mockery of western intelligence. brazilian security forces say they have trapped hundreds of drug traffickers in one of the country's shanty towns. welcome to bbc, broadcasting to our viewers on pbs and around the grorled. coming up. the british prime minister insists a probe into fifa won't damage the bid to host the 2018 world cup. and black friday's buying bing. millions hit main streets as consumer confidence returns to the u.s., but can it last?

>> the united states has begun a diplomatic initiative to warn gordon governments about another potentially embarrassing release of documents by the wikileaks website. it is going to release cables thought to contain sensitive information. we spoke to our correspondent in washington. he says the state department is worried about the contents of the documents. >> we learn now that hillary clinton, the secretary of state herself, has been involved in this frantic damage limitation exercise by calling the leaders of some of those countries concerned. in addition to her involvement, officials here in washington as well as u.s. representatives overseas have been in contact with their foreign counterparts

attempting to brief them to give them some warning or education of what the wikileaks documents might contain. the great worry for the united states is that there is something sensitive or embarrassing within these secret commune case that could damage relationship with foreign powers. >> is the u.s. trying in any way to stop wikileaks? >> it is very interesting to watch. in terms of their public pronouncements at least, the united states has been much quieter on this than it was when wikileaks released the afghanistan and iraq war documents. noise was made by the united states particularly around the release of the after galveston war documents. and then a month or so later, the secretary of defense had to come out and say that actually

the warnings that intelligence sources could be harmed or killed as a result of the leak was unfounded. >> do we know when the documents are going to be released by wikileaks? >> we don't know, but at some point over the weekend. likely sunday. the state department is gearing up for a week release. >> reporting there from washington. now the west's strategy of talking to the taliban in afghanistan has been dealt a severe blow after it emerged a senior militant involved in the negotiations was an imposter. he was paid thousands of dollars before disappearing. here is our security correspondent, grand gardener. >> at this nato air base, intelligence officers belief they have made a break through. they had on the base a man they thought was a senior taliban

official who said he was willing to negotiate. everyone believed his credentials were solid. >> certain in the process in bringing these key individuals forward like to believe they have the right man, a key man and have a lot in terms of careers invested in that process. it is easy to see how they can get ahead of themselves. >> the royal air force brought the man to kabul. he was given inducements amounting to around $50,000 of afghan government money. in the capital it was even presented to president karzai. but he was not who he seemed to be. he was an imposter, a talented trick sister. he has citizens pocketed the money and disappeared. so who is to blame for this intelligence fiasco.

afghanistan says it is britain's mi-6. but here they sigh he was offend by afghan's services, and they were only facilitating afghan-to-afghan talks with america kept in the loop. this will hardly improve the real peace talks succeeding with the real taliban. the real taliban is still insisting on all foreign troops leaving the country. this one setback does not spell the end of the reconciliation process. >> we have a museum dependency. we are going to have to work together, not only among the governments, but among the intelligence services, too. >> tonight it is britain's mi-6 that is under an uncomfortable spotlight. declining to defend itself in the public, they are being

portrayed as bungling and incompetent. >> brazilian troops have surrounded one of rio de janeiro's most notorious shanty towns. following six days of clashes which have left dozens of people dead. they suggest most civilians support it, but are worried that the violence could put off visitors for the world cup it is set to host. >> after days of fighting, an uneasy calm returned to rio on friday. the hilltop slums that had seen 0 much chaos still bore the scars of the conflict. and an area that has been lawless for so long, some commuters even returned to their old routines. just a day before, others had scrambled for cover as armed police had stormed the neighborhood. for years it has been used as a

base by drug gangs. but the overwhelming show of government force sent them fleeing. this footage of suspected gang members running in panic and confusion has cheered many brazilians. >> i hope all this has been done to benefit us. we wanted it to happen long ago. better late than never. >> i think the matters being taken by the police are important, necessary and vital for the state. it is a chance to change rio once and for all, for the olympics and for the worpe -- world cup. >> 800 army soldiers are reinforcing the police force. despite their swift victory, they still face patchy resistance. it didn't take long to find the source of the gang's power and wealth.

drugs, guns and wauds -- wads of cash. but brazil's leaders are derned to restore the rule of law to the shanty towns. the operation they are planning has only just begun. >> what is at stake here is public security. we are determined to give our people the peace and safety they have been waiting for. >> government forces have now surrounded another shanty town, where a tense waiting game has begun. there's no knowing how many armed men are waiting for them inside, or when or even if the authorities plan to attack. but they are likely to try to build on their early success with another offensive. the questions remain, though. how decisive will it be, and at what cost? "bbc news." >> haiti is set to hold presidential elections on

sunday despite being faced by a deadly cholera epidemic. the united nations warn of a 10-fold rise of the number of people infect unless donors send more money. what is the situation now? 1.3 million are still living in camps which sprung up after the earthquake. the squalid conditions aring the perfect breeding ground for coloradory. the epidemic has already killed 1,600 people and another 30,000 have been hospitalized with the disease. here is our correspondent, mark doyle. >> we came across this by chance. the epidemic is out of control. haiti has all the worst conditions that allows cholera to spread. very little clean running water, almost no sewage treatment plants and chronic poverty. 1.5 million people made homeless by the differentiating earthquake in january are still

living in flapsy shelters on waste ground. campaigning for the election is taking place against this grim backdrop. to some, election rallies are a welcome, largely good humored distraction. >> this is chaos here, but there is a very serious message to this campaign. the government says that the lessons from afghanistan and iraq make it clear that what is required that countries post disaster is a transparent elected government. >> but in the shadow of the broken presidential palace, questions have been asked about why one of the most popular political figures here, the left-leaning former president, has been barred from standing. the powers that be insist that his exclusion was for technical reasons. his party didn't fill out the

candidacy papers correctly. >> you have to follow the law. how can you -- even if it is the strongest party, if you make an exception for the biggest party, you have a problem. >> there are other popular candidates. there will be a contest. but this election in a time of cholera was always going to be far from perfect. >> that was mark doyle reporting. north korea has threatened that joint military exercise between south korea and the u.s. this weekend could push the region to the brink of conflict. artery fire has been heard in the north, but no shells have landed in the south. two funerals were held for two

soldiers killed friday. two civilians were killed. that led to the resignation of the defense minister. i spoke to someone from the department of international studies in seoul. he said the planned military operations could be pushing the country to the brink of war. >> i think it is as tense as it has ever been since the korean war ended. both nations are beating their chests louder and louder. the drums of war are not at the peak, but they are not far away. >> there are the military exercises taking place this weekend. some would say those exercises are taking place in the wrong place, and they are sending the wrong message to north korea. >> well, the challenge here is that both sides view each other's acts as provocative acts. it is a matter of

interpretation. but this misinterpretation can lead to conflict quickly, especially with so many vessels representing so many countries in a small tiny denies area that is actually disputed. >> has there been a shift in military policy in south korea? >> well, there has been a slight shift. the president has named a new minister of defense. it was already fairly hawkish. it is an emphatic end to the sunshine administration. after the 46 sailors were killed and the attack on the island, i think they are looking for a minister of defense who can act as a ministry of offense. >> had is "bbc news." still ahead, gateway to new york. how penn station aims to reclaim some of its imperial splendor. that story is ahead. >> snow and ice is spreading

across the u.k., making roads treacherous. the cold spell is due to last for the next 10 days, and there is more snow on the way. here is our report. >> tonight it was south wales' turn to bear the brunt of the snowfall. here, short journeys took hours instead of minutes. it was quicker to walk. >> you have to stack, and you have to have children in the car. it was distressing. >> it was a similar picture here today. this is the county's busiest road as a stand still. despite the best efforts of the snowplows, there are still loads of problems here. there is a laurie stuck on a hill there. we are all stuck, and the tail of traffic goes back for a mile

or so. there is no sign of anything starting to move. even gritters found themselves marooned, and some of the truck drivers were worried about getting moving again. >> it is quite bad. i am not getting any traction under the wheel. it is quite dangerous. i am going to turn back after my next drop. >> a holiday flight overshot the runway here. no one was hurt. the passengers were taken off where the plane stopped. parts of scotland has been gripped again by ice and snow. several inches fell in aberdeenscheyer last night. forecasters say large parts of the country are in for more heavy snowfall over the weekend and next weekend. fuse news.

>> this is "bbc news." a reminder of our headlines so far this hour. the u.s. has begun a damage limitation operation ahead of the planned release of millions of diplomatic files by the whistleblower website wikileaks. and brazilian security forces say they have trapped hundreds of drug traffickers in a shant any town in rio de janeiro. the british prime minister, david cameron, has expressed his frustration about a bbc investigation into fifa, which will be broadcast days before the governing body will decide whether england will host the 2018 world cup. >> he has already been doing his bit for england's bid, hosting some of the most powerful men in fifa. david cameron joins the final push for victory ahead of the vote in zurich. but today in an interview on

the bbc, the prime minister added his voice among bid leaders over and investigation in fifa. >> is it frustrating that panorama is doing this program? of course it is, but it is a free country, and you have to roll with that. >> the british media has already had a major impact on this contest. last week, fifa banneded two members over claims of corruption made by the sun times. it is upsetting some of the key voters, such as this man, fifa vice president, jack warner, who claimed this week the bbc had a death wish. >> there is no down the england 2018 are worried about fall out. last week, the chief executive described england as un

patriotic to broadcast the program a few days before the vote. they say the investigation of fifa would be in the public interest. >> we have fantastic stadiums, some of the best in the world. england wants fifa to focus on the quality of their stadiums and their promise to make more money than any previous world cup. david ram ron still believes it will be successful. >> the world watches english football. the world comes and plays its football in england. bringing the world cup to england, such a natural step. we have a fight on our hands in zurich, but i think we have a great case to make. >> english hope they can form a potent three-man attack at the fifa vote next week. but the backlash from fifa over the media could make it an

impossible job even for them. "bbc news." >> in the united states, it has been the day that retailers go to extraordinary lengths to part shoppers from their cash. 50% discounts, 24-hours openings and relentless advertising campaigns. it was known as black friday, the day that retailers finally see profit in the year and go back in the black. it is also a test of consumer confidence. here is our north american editor. >> this annual thanksgiving parade launches the american season of spending. this year retailers are wishing hard for a merry christmas. >> in recent years the bizarre exuberance of the parade hasn't been matched by extravagant spending. the recovery still very fragile. macy's in manhattan, which claims to be the biggest shop

in the world, opened its doors at 4:00 in the morning, and 7,000 shoppers flooded in. this year the tourists from europe and asia are back. it is not just women looking for bargains for the family. young men are spending, too. >> if people are shopping for themselves, there is much more a feeling of consumer confidence than there was a year ago. that is different than what happened last year. last year they got their gifts. they had a budget and they were out. this year they are spending more on themselves. >> there is no doubt the big apple is bustling today. the predictions are that nearly $450 billion more will be spent over last black friday. they say this will be driven by consumer confidence. but you don't have to go far to find a much gloomier picture. >> just five miles away in queens, all along the main shopping street there are signs

of a lingers recession. it is home to many who work in hand hat, but who can't afford to live in the center of new york. >> we don't have any extra money, no. there is no extra money. you just make the choice to either buy and sacrifice something else, and that is morals for your children because you want to keep a smile on their faces. >> do i have money to spend? yes. is it neglecting other responsibilities? absolutely. >> i just read the other day in the paper that people think this is goes to go a good holiday season and that people are going to be spending more again. that is not my experience with myself, my friends or the people i know. >> and shop owners preparing for the sale are scarcely anymore confident. >> if it goes like this, i don't think we can survive next year. >> to some, christmas wishes probably will come true. it is likely big shots and businesses will make more money this year, and the people are spending more. but no amount of seasonal good

cheer is about to alter stubbornly high unemployment and the unsecurity it brings. "bbc news," new york. >> now the much-maligned pennsylvania station in new york turns 100 this weekend. the cramped warren was once a neo classical cathedral. that was before its public spaces were demolished to make way for something more profittable. now there are plans to revive its past. ♪ >> one entered the city like a god. that was the verdict of an architectural historian on the glorious pennsylvania station. in 1910 the railway age was at its height. and this was the monument to the possibilities and pleasures

of train travel. >> it was an amazing moment for public architecture in new york. you have an imperial city, new york, modeling its train station on this great hall of leisure in another imperial city in an shept rome. >> one scuttles into the city now like a rat says that same historian who celebrated the old penn station. only a few details of the former splendor remain. upkeep of the station was expensive, and the car competed with train travel. in 1963, the city approved penn station demolition. the architect really un distinguished madison square garden was built on top. >> history says it was a mistake. looking around the station today, it is functional and useable, and amtrak's busiest

station in the country, but if we had to go back in time, it is something a lot of people would redo. >> on the manhattan side, it is majestic as ever. it survives even though it, too, was denied by developers looking for prime new york real estate. >> it was the destruction of penn station that would spawn the culture that would preserve so many of the other buildings. in a grand way, penn station is really the martyr to preservation. >> though the glory can never be restored, there is an attempt to use this building, the postseason, to try to recapture some of that neo classical grandeur of the old penn station. the idea is that the postseason building just across the road from penn station could be used as a ticket office, giving passengers a taste of the high

ceilings and spaciousness of yesteryear. >> we wouldn't be adding anymore traction. it would give more space and the feel of the other penn station. it would be more for the passenger experience. >> despite the nostalgia for the day when it was a cathedral, the present day labarynth has its defenders. it is in no way beautiful, but it is efficient. moving 500,000 people a day through the city that never sleeps. "bbc news," new york. >> now just before we go, a reminder of our main news headline this hour. washington has begun a diplomatic initiative to prepare foreign governments for the release of politically sensitive information by the whistle-blowing website, wikileaks. for more on that story and all the other stories we have covered this half hour on the website.

check it out. from all of us here, bye-bye. >> hello, and welcome. >> see the news unfold. get the top stories from around the globe, and click-to-play video reports. go to bbc.com/news to experience the in-depth expert reporting of "bbc world news" online. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, union bank. ♪

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