>> "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, and the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, and union bank.

>> union bank has put its global expertise to work for a range of companies. what can we do for you? >> no bbc world news. >> major air travel disruption as a cloud of volcanic ash from iceland sweeps across northern europe. the travel plans of thousands were delayed as airports ground to a halt half of friday's slides -- flights may be canceled. >> it is hard to predict how long the destruction will last. >> pulled alive from the rubble, rescuers reach hundreds of survivors of china's earthquake,

but extreme cold and altitude is hampering their efforts. coming up, a new era in british politics. the man who wants to be prime minister takes part in the debate. celebrating one of fashion's icons more than 50 years after she stepped out in style. grace kelly is in the spotlight again. quite a moment. the skies across large parts of europe have been close to a commercial air travel because of an ash cloud from an erupting volcano in iceland. the danger is it could bring down aircraft, both -- so the u.k. has closed its airspace to

everything but emergency services. hundreds of thousands of passengers are stranded. the day the skies with quiet. >> the earth of fury unleashed. this volcano has turned the u.k. into un no-fly zone. even after 9-11, there was not this level of destruction. it means deserted aircraft and cancelled flights very get up to 600,000 people are affected. >> i have had lots of things going on at home, and getting off the motor wire was an ordeal itself, and the pressure going today is something. >> fights have been cancelled and airports shut in other countries, france, sweden, denmark, and holland are among those affected, and britain's cannot get home.

>> it should not go that far across scotland. the plane flies 1,000 feet above the clouds. you can fly below the cloud as well, so why is there a delay? >> we are told our flights are canceled in the u.k. and ireland, so there is very little information. if the organization in charge said it had no choice but to shut it down. >> it insures a safeco operation. >> strikes and an ira attack who have taken a serious toll in the past. this really is unprecedented. flying into a cloud of ashes potentially huge lead dangerous.

if a plane to fly through a crowd, the tiny pieces are sucked through the engines, which are then hot enough to melt the ash. an engine was all about 30 years ago. a british airline flight over indonesia's flew into a cloud of volcanic ash. one by one, the engines failed. eric was at the controls. >> it took all the paint off, and it stopped our engines. >> the crisis of the airport has meant a huge surge in demand for trains and ferries. those with further to travel can get a refund or a new flight. compensation is limited, and in my v several days before a new one is -- it may be several days before a new one is offered. >> the glacier beneath the

volcano is melding so rapidly the surrounding area will soon be flooded. the strength of the volcanic eruption has intensified david reports of the efforts to monitor the volcano and that cloud of ash. >> it is a forbidden landscape of ash and fire. this was an eruption in-joseph last month now close to the one today. it is not the first time this has affected the lives far beyond this volcano. cash disrupted the weather for months to enter years ago. -- ash disruptive the weather for months to a hundred years ago. this is a view through the clouds. molten rock surging out through glacier and then transformed into the billions of particles of glass. the worst thing for jet engines. >> extremes very rapidly to

create this glass, fragmenting into a fine grained sand or something like that reagan this flies up into the -- something like that. this flies into the atmosphere. >> it is rapidly flying over the atlantic, reaching britain, and now going into large portions of northern europe. it is explosive enough to reach 20,000 feet high, right in the path of where jets will fly, and the plumage of as a mix of rocks, sand, and glass, and it is not over. the latest report suggests the eruption is becoming more intense. scientists monitoring how the law there is the merging say the explosions show no sign -- monitoring how the lava is the

merging say the explosions though shote -- show no sign of stopping. there was a wind heading towards europe, and the ash will keep on the move. it is a question of watching and hoping conditions will change. >> the winds are still broadly in the direction of the u.k., and as it continues to erupt, there will be raised over the coming days and into the weekend. if it stops, the wind can blow the away quickly, and the risk reduces. >> in is land itself, the ashes darkening the sky. it is expected -- in iceland itself, the ashes darkening the sky. it is expected to hit britain denied. it created a spectacular sunsets in manchester, while experts say health risks are likely to be low. but let's roundup other main news for you. a u.n. commission is living in

that -- inadequate security ananda assassination -- on the assassination of benazir bhutto. it is believed her death could have been prevented if the government had taken adequate measures. the oppose thekyr -- opposed president of kyrgistan has flown to kazakhstan. he submitted his resignation before he left. in one of his most direct references to the widening scandal -- sexual abuse scandal, pope benedict said the christian need to do penance for since. the pope said the church had come under attack from the world and needed to recognize its mistakes.

a $30 million corruption scandal. rescue teams in northwest china are battling freezing temperatures and high altitude. state media says a 760 people are known to be dead, and 300 are still unaccounted for. troops have traveled hundreds of miles through sleet and cents terms to bring supplies. >> the full days since the earthquake hit, and professional rescue teams have made it. this fix of the sound of survivors. -- this picks up the sound of survivors. they have to work fast. first one is brought out and then more. four in total. the earthquake was so powerful

it almost wiped a town from the map. most of the buildings were destroyed or damaged, and this is one of the remotest corners of china. they are battling altitude sickness, but they are making progress. a child is pulled from the rubble. the school has mostly collapse. memories of the session on earthquake from 2008 when thousands of children were killed, but the children here appear to be luckier. >> the szechuan earthquake happen when most of the children were at school. in the case of the earthquake, it was at 10:00 until -- 10 minutes until 8:00, and school begins at 8:00. they would have been at home but not in school. >> hillside monasteries have also been damaged. from beijing, the vice prime

minister of five to coordinate the efforts. china's communist government said no one will be fair. the prime minister when jiabao was also on the scene. witnesses say the earthquakes to go way everything. ruth -- some relief has arrived. >> polls are closed in sudan's first multi-party election in almost a quarter of a century. the first five days of voting have been largely free of violence, but there are concerned about the fairness of the vote. we went to a polling station in the troubled western region of darfur. >> the e elections are finally over. the polling station has close after five days. these votes were meant to take just three. they are suspended because of severe problems all over the

country, some of and in a day late because they did not get the right material on time. -- some open a day late because they did not get the right material on time. both parties obviously denying accusations. now we wait for the vote counting. the results are not expected until tuesday, and the tension is going to go to the international community. >> stay with us if you can very good still to come, modernizing lindros somewhat -- medrassas. a report on how to change religion serious pakistan and -- to change religion. pakistan and afghanistan are learning a lesson. thousands of south africans

lined up to five world cup tickets. tickets could only be sold online northrop of ballot. fans angered by massive delays . spher>> they queued anbar procud throughout the night. -- and barbecued throughout the night. >> the world cup means the world to me. i love soccer. >> doors open, and rushed to the counter. cheap tickets finely on sale for cash, much to the delight of many poor fans who felt excluded by a complex online something -- systems, and a glitch. the system overloads and crashes. it takes an hour to process the first request varian -- the first request. no big deal. >> the experience is exactly the

experience and when i buy tickets or a ticket for any football match. >> finally, issues his ticket for the final. today it is clear local interest is soaring. >> i will get a ticket today, and if i do not get it, i will sleep year -- sleazier. >> it has been a chaotic -- i will sleep here. exit has been a chaotic day, but for many south africans this has been the moment when the world cup finely becomes something tangible curious if -- tangible. >> a vast amount of ash from a

volcanic eruption in iceland is paralyzing air transport across much of northern europe. planes are grounded, and intitled globally has been enormous. people -- the impact globally has been enormous. people are still being pulled out of the rubble after china's earthquake, but extreme cold is hampering the efforts. president obama says he expects the u.s. to send a man mission to mars and an asteroid by the mid '20s 30's. he has given in his new vision scene. the president tried to reassure workers funding was being increased by $6 billion to role of the changes. >> by doing that, we will ramp of robotic exploration of the solar system, including new scouting missions to mars and other destinations and an advance telescope allowing us to

peer deeper into the world than ever before. we will increase first phase understanding of our kindnesses -- climate and our world. scientists will other tangible benefits, helping the world for future generations, and we will expand the space station likely by more than five years, while actually using it for its intended purpose. >> just after the president made that statement, i spoke to someone at the kennedy space center. i asked for is how it affects workers. >> it is inevitable jobs will be lost. president obama announced the cancellation of the consolation program. but was designed to bring men back to the moon by 2020. he has effectively scrapped that, saying there are better ways for america to lead the way in space exploration, but the crowd is not particularly convincing.

neil armstrong wrote and over it -- an open letter saying the plans were devastating. >> in practice, what is it likely to mean? >> in practice, it means meeting halfway with building rockets at cape canaveral. the president wants to turn this into a space of -- a space of. he has extended it until 2020. this president is completely committed to america's leading the way. he has introduced no money. i think a lot of people are probably waiting to see what really happens. >> britain's three main party leaders are taking part in a live tv debate, the first of three on may 26.

the main parties expressed their agreement with the liberal democrats. they may hold the balance of power in a hung parliament. >> edge of the face of each man, the anxiety that comes with taking part in the first tv debate of its sort in british history. each leader giving a chance make a direct pitch to the british people. the theme tonight is domestic affairs. the first question on the subject rarely raised so far in this campaign -- immigration. >> we have benefited from immigration across decades. people have come here to make a contribution, to bring their special skills, and we have seen that in our skills -- our schools all the time, but i do think it got out of control. >> we have lost the picture, so we're going to try to get that report if we can. could afghanistan war pakistan

learn from turkey about modernizing their education -- afghanistan or pakistan learn from turkey of modernizing their education? in turkey the secular state controls all religious expression and curriculum in religious schools. we look at what the turkish system might offer. >> studying the karan turkish- style cover fox -- turkish- style, they use specially designed software to help students understand the subtle infections of classical arabic, and always looming over them, the gaze of the founding father reminding them not to let religious zeal go too far. it is centuries ahead of the religious education offered by many in pakistan and afghanistan, which the governments of both countries now want to modernize with

turkey's help. >> could this serve as a model for a country like afghanistan? there are some big differences. the economy here is 80 times bigger than afghanistan. turkey has a strong and secular state fed is always plenty regulated -- that has always regulated it. >> the content of sermons has to be approved level local authority. even the imams are civil servants. they are set up to educate religious officials, but the state decrees most of the curriculum is not religious, and the same goes for the ambitions of the students. >> i would like to be a doctor or engineer. doctor, maybe that is too ambitious, but as lisa computer engineer. why do so many -- but at least a computer engineer. why do so many people choose

these over regular schools? >> we want to raise people who are respectful to their families who are not in conflict with the values of society and whose main ambition is to serve the nation. >> he is a to graduate, and a devout muslim, but she argues that has not limited her freedom or aspirations. >> it offers a lot of freedom. our teachers had different opinions, and they allow us to explore our views. >> a model education -- not quite. the exact status is still hotly disputed in turkey, and the role of islam is so distinctive in may prove impossible to transpose its schools to other countries.

>> she was a hollywood star who became a princess. grace kelly is one of fashion cause lasting inspirations. her dresses and exuded 50's glamour puree and they are going on display at the victoria and albert museum. for some, she has never gone out of fashion. >> grace kelly became a princess. her style has become a byword for 1950's elegance. the ball down from "high society," the "rear window close " little black dress, the office she wore to meet jackie kennedy. -- the outfit she wore to meet jackie kennedy. >> it has a lot to do with the fact that she marries a real-

life prince, honoring her film roles in some instances, and affix her in the public imagination as a fairy tale princess -- that fixes her in the public imagination as a fairy tale princess and a dream come true. >> for net cash of bailey, these are more than just pretty rich cigna [pause] bailey, these are more than just pretty dresses. -- for natasha daily, these are more than just pretty dresses. >> i have learned about it for a little while, and i could not wait to see the dresses worn by grace kelly. i have been dying to find that address for over 20 years now. >> could you see yourself in something like that? >> that would be amazing to wear to an opera. >> it was more than just the

beauty of the clothes or the fantasy. it was also symbolic of a different way of life very good >> i love the shape, that era, the ladylike element. i like the excess arrays. i like issues, the stockings. -- the accessories. i like the issues, the stockings. i am celebrating my style, my shape. >> let's just take you back to the first in british political history, the first live tv debates between the leaders they talked mainly domestic issues. there were some fireworks over immigration reform. >> the approach we are putting forward would be a major innovation. they do it in canada and australia. i think it would restore public confidence in the immigration system where people feel it is complete chaos.

>> an arbitrary national have would not work, and conservatives are not even giving the number for that cap. take the controls we are putting in, and to the point system, richard more operation -- occupations where we can train people to have the skills. my idea is that we train more young people to get the skills for the future and we will need less people to meet those. >> it is true the opposite side of the coin is proper welfare reform. we have got too many people who could work who are offered work but who do not work, and that has drawn people into our country, so we do need to reform welfare, but 13 years have gone by when welfare has long been properly informed. can i ask one question about this regional approach? i do not ask how you -- understand how even ask people to come to one part of the country --

>> very easily. they do it in other countries. it basically means if you are an employer and you employed somebody who does get a work permit, you will need to make sure in that permits they are only able to work in the region where you are offering work, hryvna and if you do not offer them work, you are doing that illegally. the truth is our country have lots of different needs than different parts of the country. >> funding was made possible byron -- >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles. funding for this presentation was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, the newman's own foundation, and the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation, and union bank.

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