>> 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. the newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank.

>> union bank has put its in a range of industries. what can we do for you? >> crying foul over fraud and security. the afghan president accuses foreign observers of rigging last year's disputed vote. the man singled out by hammond karzai says the claims are absurd. >> had i first heard it this morning, i -- when i first heard it this morning, i thought this must be an april fool's joke and realized i don't have the kind of relationship with president

karzai where he would want to pull that kind of stunt. >> slowly count to 1.2 billion. india begins the mind boggling process of gauging just how big its population is. very warm welcome to bbc world news. broadcast to our viewers on pbs in america and also around the globe. coming up later, for you, a stain on daimler's star. the car maker pleads guilty to bribery charges and agrees to pay a $180 million fine in the u.s. and imported labor, why israel relies on workers from the far east to tend its crops. >> hello, sudan's historic elections, the first multiparty poll in africa's largest country in a quarter of a century. all that is now in jeopardy. sudan's main opposition parties

are withdrawing from the whole electoral process. presidential, parliamentary, and state elections. washington special envoy spent the day in talks in khartoum trying to save them but the opposition says because of frauds and threats there's no chance they could be free or fair. the bbc is in khartoum. >> this is the man who triggered the present insurgency. described by many as the main opposition candidate for the presidency, it was the shock announcement around 24 hours ago that he was withdrawing from sudan's landmark elections. within hours of the announcement, president obama's special envoy to sudan, was holding extensive talks at his offices in khartoum. but he wasn't giving much away. >> we're in the process of learning and trying to determine a lot of factors. so i'm listening right now. and i really don't have a judgment. >> you're smiling. so you aren't worried?

>> i'm an optimist. i'm always an optimist. >> arman is a paradox, a northern arabic speaking sudanese from the same tribe as al-bashir. he was with the southern sudan movement and was believed to have had some appeal in both the north and the south. while i've been talking to yasir arman and i asked him to explain the reasons why he and other opposition parties were withdrawing from the presidential elections. >> security and the army and the working places, and violations -- there are many other evidence. and we -- national election commission and the national congress. >> but we are hearing rumors, here in khartoum, that perhaps you cut a deal with president

basher to leave the -- bashir to leave the field open for him. >> we don't do that. we are a natural movement for democracy. and news from other political forces, all the political forces, the way that the election has been controlled. >> reporting for the bbc from khartoum. the opposition's withdrawal is not the only challenge sudan is facing. malnutrition, serious malnutrition, is a growing problem in large part to the country. more on that for you in just a few mibs. -- minutes. he has face add huge amount of international flack but ham i had karzai has -- hamid karzai has turned the tables. he has accused masterminding widespread fraud during last year's disputed election. and he's singled out one man a. former deputy head of the u.n. mission in afghanistan, peter

galbraith, as the focal point of the fraud. >> president karzai has always maintained he was unfairly targeted by the international community during last year's disputed elections. a million ballots, most for president karzai, were disqualified. today, president karzai acknowledged the scale of the problem. >> there was fraud in the presidential and provincial election. no doubt there was massive fraud. this wasn't fraud by afghans. but the fraud of foreigners. >> so why has this election crisis flared up again? the president's outburst also reflects his frustration with the afghan parliament. its lower house has just reject add recent presidential decree giving him the power to appoint all five commissioners on a key election watchdog.

in the last election, three members were u.n. appointees. the president insists that afghans are better placed to do the job. and he's publicly blamed his own nemesis, peter pal grating, the outspoken -- peter galarraga brathe, for being -- peter galbraith, for being the focal point. and complained the u.n. wasn't doing enough to attack the irregularities. >> he was head of the deputy afghan commission until he was fired support speak being out against widespread fraud in the afghan election. so how does he react to mr. karzai's allegations against the u.n. and against him? personally. >> well, when i first heard that this morning i thought this must be an april fool's joke. and nen i realized i don't have the kind of relationship with president karzai where he would want to pull in a kind of stunt. -- pull that kind of stunt. but it is an extraordinary allegation given that i was actually fired as you know, hit

for wanting to prevent the fraud and to take tougher action. and anyhow, it's obviously absurd that a handful of u.n. staffers could organize a fraud in afghanistan at all. much less one that involved a million, maybe a million and a half phony ballots. but he also made a really striking admission here. he admitted that there was widespread fraud. and in effect he admitted that he hadn't won the election. that it was only the fraud committed by foreigners according to him that got him the necessary million and a half votes that he needed to win. i think there's a larger issue in this outburst which is so bizarre. it really has to raise questions about mr. karzai's connection to reality. he seems to be in a corner. he's lashing out. and it's obvious that he's not the kind of credible partner that the united states and its allies need to have success in afghanistan. that really is what this incident similar bombizes.

>> peter galbraith talking to us earlier. >> the russian president dmitry medvedev has called for tougher action against terrorism in the north caucasus. he made an unannounced visit to the region a day after suicide bombings killed 12 people in dagestan. funerals have been held in moscow and elsewhere in russia for victims of monday's metro bombings. 39 people died when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in the morning rush hour. a chechen rebel leader said he ordered that attack. britain has announced it's creating the world's largest marine reserve around the chegos islands in the indian ocean. but the island's original inhabitants forcibly removed 40 years ago to make room for a military base at diego garcia have reacted angrily and say they will be -- be unable to make a living through fishing if they're allowed to return. tourists have returned to much of piccau, the first time in two months. navy rains and landslides destroyed railway access to the

archeological treasure. it was suggested the country was losing $1 million in tourist revenues each day it was closed. the 15th century inca ruin is the most visited site in latin america. it may well be the biggest process of its kind in human history. it is certainly another significant step to india becoming a global economic force. a new census for fingerprint and photograph everyone aged over 15. this is to create a national data base. it's india's 15th census but it is the first to contain a biometric element. soon it will be clear exactly how the world's biggest democracy is evolving. from deli, -- from dehli. >> the indian president, prahibha patil, the first of 1.2 billion indians to be recorded in the latest census. it's an exercise that is breathtaking in its scale. and simply has no parallel. >> for the first time in human

history that we are able to identify, count, enumerate, record and eventually be issued an identity card to people. >> in an apartment block, the processes are under way. residents are asked to provide detail on an elaborate form. among the questions, do they use the internet? or own a mobile phone? later, they will be photographed and have their fingerprint taken. data fob eventually used to generate -- data to be eventually used to generate an identity card for everyone. >> the census, we're collecting primary data, we're collecting complete data to make sure that our planning and development processes go in the right parts. that's the census. >> he belongs to one of dehli's

oldest families. they've been living in this grand mansion since 1848 and have taken part in every single census. ints a process that he's familiar -- it's a process that he's familiar with and it grows more complex each time. >> they are trying to give a unique identification number. and they're getting a little more information this time. and information like on motor vehicles, property you own. >> over the next year officials will travel to more than 7,000 towns and half a million villages across india. as part of their quest. a census officials go about gathering the information, they're looking to find out how many indians use the internet. or own a mobile phone. or have a bank account. and more importantly, how many of them have accessed such basic facilities, for this clean drinking water. or a toilet. india's census data is used by the government to determine its policies. to find out whether their programs are reaching the right people. and increasingly, one of the

world's fastest growing economies is used by private companies to identify markets for their product. >> daimler, the german car company, probably best known for the mercedes-benz, has pleaded guilty to u.s. charges of bribery. it's agreed to pay a $185 million fine to settle the case. the manufacturer, which owned the car maker chrysler for a time, is accused of paying big kickbacks to secure sales of parts and vehicles. this from the bbc's caroline hepka. >> laughish trips to the u.s. and armored plated mercedes, and bribes daimler is accused of paying government officials in countries like china, india and iraq. but now the german car company wants to settle the allegations with u.s. authorities. a tiny -- says the 185 million

fine daimler has agreed to pay u.s. authorities is sizable. >> i wouldn't call it onerous but i would say it's picking up. it's actually quite large when you consider in 2008, i think the largest fine to date was about $44 million. so it's also twice the amount of the alleged profits that were made from the illegal bribes. so it's significant. >> diamler-benz was called out by u.s. anti-corruption laws after it merged with detroit manufacturer chrysler in 1998. it was a chrysler auditor who first blew the whistle on the alleged bribery practices. daimler's own so-called integrity code seems to have failed to prevent a culture of bribery and so did germany's anti-corruption laws. germany itself is among the world's top 20 toughest countries on corruption. according to transparency international. but some defend dime already's practices in -- daimler's practices in corrupt countries where business is impossible

without bribes. daimler's actions may now be scrutinized by german authorities. caroline hepka, bbc news in new york. >> let's bring you this news coming in from the middle east. reuters news agency is reporting that israeli plans have -- planes have carried out five missile attacks on the gaza strip. four reported near the central town of hanunis, scene of a crash last week between israelis and palestinians. the fifth hit gaza city. from reuters no immediate reports of casualties. i should tell you the bbc office has confirmed there were 12 air strikes over all. four in gaza itself, three in -- one in the north of the gaza strip, one we understand in rafa on the egyptian border. and flee in the middle of gaza. we'll bring you more on that as soon as we can confirm more. but those 12 air strikes confirmed by bbc sources there. you're watching bbc world news. very good to have you with us. still to come, a country desperate for a fix, how so much of russia became addicted

to heroin. first, though, as if catholics didn't have much to argue about at the moment, now the head of the church of england and wales has hinted it may modify its line on condoms. the archbishop said he can see why arguments for using contraception to fight poverty in developing nations are attractive. >> the solemn celebration of mass, at st. peter's in rome. holy week for pope benedict, a time of humility and pen tans, acknowledging that the clergy sex scandal is a test both for the pope personally and for the catholic church. it is also largely overshadowed other continuing issues for the church. one of them, the debate over whether traditional catholic teaching opposing the use of artificial contraception makes it harder for women in the developing world to escape

poverty. and there's an obstacle in fighting the spread of aids. the archbishop of westminster new intervention in this debate uses language that might surprise many. >> i think when it comes to third world poverty and the great pressure under which many women are put by men, i can see the arguments why in the short term means that give women protection are attractive. >> the pope visiting africa last year stirred the controversy over artificial contraception afresh. when he said -- and condoms could make the problem worse by encouraging riskier behavior. the archbishop's remarks might be different but he also made it clear he wasn't suggesting that the church change its own policy on condoms and believed the emphasis should be on strategies for tackling poverty. and vulnerability. the views of church leaders in

this debate affecting the lives of millions. mike wool dridge, bbc news. >> the latest headlines for you on bbc world news. sudan's multiparty elections, the first in africa's biggest country in more than a quarter of a century, are in jeopardy. all the main opposition parties have told the bbc they are boycotting the polls. president karzai has blamed foreign observers for fraud in afghanistan's election. the former u.n. envoy named by the president has told us the claims are absurd. now, it is not a distinction you would wish on any part of the planet but a cobo in southern sudan is now the hungriest place on earth according to aid officials. nearly 50% of all children under 5 are malnourished, 15% severely so. the bbc's andrew harding. >> the scorched earth of south sudan, firgs the gunmen came

here, then the drought. now the almost inevitable result. 1-year-old ret struggles for his life in a bleak hospital in a town called ocobo. skin stretched over bare bones. his system struggling to take in food. malnutrition rates in this region have shot up dramatically in the last few months. nearly half of all children under 5 are seriously affected, making this officials say the hungriest place on earth. aid agencies are in position and people are not starving to death in significant numbers. but the united nations is warning that could quickly change. >> if you're looking at malnutrition rates of 46% now, that's a terrible situation. we're very careful about describing the kind of context that we're in. but if we don't get some help

soon we could be in a mess. >> on the edge of town, a makeshift camp for an anxious family. they fled their village after it was attacked by a rival tribe. now the drought has destroyed their crops. do you have enough to eat for your family? this is all you have? just soaring scompum -- just sorghum and meat, no vegetables? tens of thousands of families like this one are too afraid to go back home, a wave of violence and hunger is sweeping through this region. these are testing times for south sudan. trying to stop the violence, local soldiers have confiscated hundreds of weapons. but officials still fear that hunger will provoke more attacks. >> somebody will look for a gun

again and get a cow. >> this 3-year-old has just been brought in, faint with hunger. an extreme case perhaps, but a troubling one. in such a vulnerable region. andrew harding, bbc news, at cobo, south sudan. >> a tsunami of heroin is washing over russia. that is the warning from the country's narcotics control administration. russia blames afghanistan, the world's main producer of opium, and the united states, because it no longer favors eradicating poppy crops. >> in the siberian city, they're bringing out the dead. this young man was killed by a heroin overdose. one more number to add to the 30,000 addicts who will die in russia this year.

the young man was found in one of these buildings. slumped in a stairwell and a needle stuck in his arm. >> this is one of the poorest, most derelict and most drug-riddled neighborhoods of novakonirz. this building ahead of me here has one of the most notorious drug bins on the third floor. from the window, the dealers' lookout keeps watch. down below, it doesn't take long to spot the first junkie. 10 years ago there was no heroin in this city. now there are thousands of addicts. the man in red used to be a drug dealer. from this squalid apartment, sergei had a front row seat as he watched heroin take over this city. >> first, opium, but in 2002, 2003, heroin came in and washed

over this whole region. and also people began to use it. even though who's who had never injected before. >> russia's heroin problem has mirrored the massive growth in production from afghanistan. today, russia is the biggest heroin market in the world. >> heroin falls down on us like rain. we can put up our umbrella but you can't stop it from raining. you need to stop the cloud from forming. clouds in the shape of afghan poppy fields. >> it's 3:00 a.m. in a north moscow suburb. for the first time ever, a foreign tv crew is being allowed to join russia's drug police on a raid. under a bed, the agents, the bottles are full of pure, uncut heroin, at least a million u.s. dollars worth. it's a big bust. but still a tiny fraction of the huge quantities pouring in from afghanistan.

>> last month, a farm worker in southern israel was the first person in more than a year killed by a rocket fired by palestinian militants in gaza. the dead man wasn't israeli. he was thai. there are thousands of thais working in israel doing jobs that used to be done by palestinians. the bbc's john donvan reports. >> the vast greenhouses of southern israel, here, they're growing coriander. thms the middle east but it could be -- this is the middle east but it could be the far east. there are over 28,000 legal thai workers across israel. almost all of them working on farms. this one is run by ronny kadar. ronny says that virtually all her staff are doing jobs that israelis simply don't want to do. >> we have tried to get israelis doing this. it's hard work.

it's difficult in the greenhouse. >> two -- thais do it for them. kai has been working here for the last 4 1/2 years. he tells me in israel, he earns double what he could get in thailand. but he's in the firing line. last month, a thai worker here was killed by a rocket fired by militants in gaza. a threat that is all too close. so in the greenhouses of southern israel, there are thousands of thai workers who have traveled halfway around the world to get here when just a few kilomoters away, the barrier into gaza, in the distance, gaza city behind me. and a vast unmany employed palestinian work force -- unemployed palestinian work force many of whom used to work in israel. and across the wall in gaza, i meet khalil zanya up until the

second uprising in 2000 when israel tightened the border, he was one of thousands of gazans who would travel every day to work on israeli farms. now like over 40% of people in gaza, he's unemployed. >> i feel very bad. and sad. with israel taking people from other countries to work for them i think it's not worth it because palestinian workers were very, very good. >> khalil said he occasionally still talks on the phone to the friends he met in israel. and back there, ronny kadar also has fond memories. >> normal people are getting on well together. >> but the fact is for now, the thais can travel here and the gazans can't. on the israel-gaza border. >> breaking news from the

middle east. israeli planes have carried out 12 missile attacks on the gaza strip. four. air strikes hit gaza city. three the central town of hanunis, the site of a fatal clash last week between israeli troops and palestinians. there's also a missile attack on the north of the territory, one on rafa. in the egyptian border and three on the refugee camps in the middle of the strip. we have no immediate reports of casualties. more on that and all the international news any time you want it on bbc.com. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. the newman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank.

>> union bank offers unique insight and expertise in a range of industries. what can we do for you? >> i'm julia stiles. >> i'm kevin bacon. >> i'm kim cattrall. >> hi, i'm ken burns. >> i'm lili taylor. >> i'm henry louis gates jr., and public broadcasting is my source for news about the world. >> for intelligent conversation. >> for election coverage you can count on. >> for conversations beyond the sound bites. >> a commitment to journalism. >> for deciding who to vote for. >> i'm kerri washington, and public broadcasting is my source for intelligent connections to my community. >> bbc world news was presented by kcet, los angeles. >> bbc world news was presented