>> "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 wman's own foundation. the john d. and catherine t. macarthur foundation. and union bank. >> union bank has put its financial strength to work for a wide range of companies, from small businesses to major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now "bbc world news." >> the bbc has learned that washington will soon announce a substantial increase in u.s. military forces in afghanistan. this as a briton puts more boots on the ground, but insists its allies must pull their weight. >> this is part of an agreed approach across the international coalition. we will all bear our fair share. >> hillary clinton tells us exactly where she makes of russia's commitment over iran. very warm welcome to "bbc world news," broadcast for our viewers on pbs here in america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. coming up later for you -- disability has not stemmed 1 tanzanian students on board to learn what he and other blind students have had to do to get an education. and the discovery of i new fossil. it shows scientists how pterodacty evolved. hello to you. it seems there may be, far earlier than expected, a movement on the international issue of whether more american troops will be going to afghanistan. sources within the british government told the bbc they have been informed by the white house it will soon announce a substantial increase in u.s. forces in afghanistan. this is it thought to be behind the announcement from britain's prime minister that 500 more british troops are going. officials at the white house and state department are denying a decision has been made. our correspondent has this. >> the waiting is over. or almost. the obama administration has told the british government that it will soon announce a substantial boost to its military forces in afghanistan. britain today said it would send 500 more soldiers. but that is contingent on a number of things happening, including the u.s. reinforcements. >> i have been told america's troop increase could exceed 40,000. it may be announced next week in time for a nato defense ministry meeting. for weeks now, the white house has wrestled with the general's report. he offered several options ranging from no reinforcements to increases of 60,000. the white house would be giving an emphatic endorsement to the generals counter insurgency strategy. today, this outcome was handed to -- was hinted. >> naturally, what we do relies on the commitment of the united states to the mission. we need to await the outcome of that. i do not want the words into the mouths of the americans, but i am confident in the way it will come out. >> with such large reinforcements, the scale of conflicts will in all probability increase in the coming months. in spite of fighting in homeland, involving heavier fighting it in -- and last year's campaign has already shown as. >> this is a sober moment for our country. >> today the prime minister remembered soldiers who had fallen when parliament went into recess. 500 additional troops will be sent under these conditions. >> the first is the new afghan government demonstrates its commitment to bring forward afghan troops to be trained and fight alongside our forces. i have told president karzai and dr abdullah, and i have received asrances that is heat their determination. second, as before, every soldier in unit deployed to afghanistan, must be fully equipped for the operations they are asked to undertake. secondly, this is part of an agreed upon strategy with all members of the international coalition. >> this shows that the key nato partners are ready to back their military commanders, even though public support for the afghan campaign is falling. >> in afghanistan itself, supporters of president karzai incest the afghan people are -- insist the afghan people are ready to accept more responsibility. there a still booming doubts about the viability of the military campaign. there is some flash photography in our next report. >> how can the war in afghanistan be one docks with the conflict extending for another year and few signs the fighting is easing, many think the answer lies in sending more troops. it is welcome news in kabul where the administration worries about falling support for the war in the west. >> you have all invested so much blood and treasure. so we have to ensure that all that blood and treasure will not be wasted. >> the test for extras troops would be to -- the test for extra troops would be for increased security in the south. there's a growing sense of a political bolick the -- vacuum in kabul. there is still no results from the election, and there is a suggestion may have to go to a second round runoff because the level of fraud was so significant. these are the men looked to be leaving afghanistan. gordon brown spoke to president karzai and his rival dr. abdullah. they spoke to a promise to deal with corruption. there were questions about whether there is called for increased foreign forces here. >> we may not be sending our young men and women to fight for the afghan governoment. a strong government makes our job easier. >> there are fears a second round runoff could add to instability. the bbc has learned that a arch is on for other options. >> there is always the issue of some sort of political deal and national agreements as to what to do. >> this election was a chance to show progress and clean up corruption. but the threat of fraud threatens the next government and threatens to make the job of the soldiers even harder. >> the u.s. tests secretary of state says she is a shortage that russia will take measures against iran. she brushed off suggestions that they brushed off the question of sanctions on tuesday. she insisted that they are thinking on same lines. >> adding there has been a tremendous move on the part of the russians to recognize at threat. that is where it starts. in my conversations, i know they have done an assessment. they have looked at the same evidence we have seen. they are looking for the same outcome. they just might to make sure that what we are doing will be -- they just want to make sure what we are doing will be appropriate. >> iran will make its intentions known very soon, over the next few weeks. have you been able to get an intention? >> yes. if the iranians do not carry through on their principles, the russians made it very clear that as a call for action. ideology get ahead of myself and answer a hypothetical -- i do not want to get ahead of myself and answer hypothetical. it is very important that we stay together and live together. we will come to the same goal -- prevent iran from becoming a nuclear weapon power. >> do think the iranians but themselves time in geneva when they agreed to principals -- p rinciples, letting inspectors into the sites? >> i think they did, but they also made commitments. any wavering from the commitments would be another reason for the international community to speed up its timetable. the iranians make commitments, and they will be expected by the russians and chinese to fulfil those. >> hillary clinton speaking there. more than 1 billion people are going hungry according to a united nations report. this revealed alarming levels of malnutrition in 29 countries, mainly in southeast asia and africa. world humber will not be assuaged without far greater international effort. are rare walkout from parliament in russia and mid allegations of recent elections were rigged. -- and that allegations about the recent elections were rigged. the armenian president attending a football match with the turkish president. two historic foes try to amend relations. turkey won. the countries signed deals intended to establish formal ties. that grim word tsunami has been back in the news lately, but nothing has rivaled the waves that struck southeast asia in 2004. the killed nearly a quarter of a million people. -- they killed nearly a quarter of a million people. now groups have joined forces to test the tsunami early warning system. our correspondent watched from indonesia. >> as the sirens went off in the early hours of the morning, villagers moved out of the destructive tsunami's path. but this was not the real thing. it was a simulated exercises to help people learn what you do it another way it crashes down on the shores. some say they found the drill useful. >> we did not know what to do if there was a tsunami coming, but we have learned that we have to run it into this building or higher ground. >> this is the center, in charge of alerting people in the area when a tsunami is headed their way. underwater equipment that can detect the slightest change in seismic activity is triggered when there's an earthquake. that sends a signal back to the center, with information about a possible tsunami. once that happens, and alert is sent out across indonesia's coast and to other countries that might be affected. but communication is often difficult. >> the international community -- it must be timely. basically after five minutes. then it all depends how quickly the information is disseminated to local government, to the authorities, and finally to those people who were living in the area under threat said they can take measures. >> the tsunami drill has taken place in 18 countries on the indian ocean, from pakistan to japan and from australia to india. but it was indonesia that suffered the greatest loss of life in the tsunami. 175,000 people died, at least. this village was struck in 2004. nothing was left behind. the powerful wave behind nothing. -- left behind nothing. this is the only structure left standing after the deadly tsunami struck the coast line, destroying everything in its wake. people here are still traumatized by the events of the boxing day in 2004. the tsunami grill today was an attempt to try and protect -- drill today was an attempt to try to protect villagers here. there are still worries that the early warning system is not effective enough. bbc news coming indonesia. >> the u.s. state department has said be of government in guinea should step aside and allow for what it calls legitimate elections. and one has called for the leader of guinea to be tried for war crimes. reports from honduras would have it that a political solution is emerging. the latest round of talks -- the chief negotiator says an outline of the deal has been reached with supporters of the interim leader, roberto micheletti. the albanian government has asked for the return of mother teresa's remains. she was buried in india d had become an indian citizen. welcome to "bbc world news." still to come for you -- australia taking a hard line on migration. turns back a boatload of refugees. but first, the french government is doing -- investigating its electric company for allegations they are sending nuclear material to russia. the company says it is not nuclear waste. >> the documentary claims that france u.s. electricity supplier, edf, is being less than honest about what is dealing with spent fuel from nuclear power plants. it's as large quantities of radioactive material are being sent to russia for recycling. they have fod that much of the material is being stored in the open air. edf runs 58 nuclear reactors in france and does not deny they are sending nuclear material to russia, but it is all for the enrichment and reuse in power production. >> this is the idea of -- these are valuable materials. we do not send waste to russia. >> but that does not convince the makers of the documentary. for them, much of the material is indeed waste, which france wants to get rid of because it cannot treat it itself. >> legally, edf says they are not sending waste, that radioactive material. they are completely right. it is radioactive material. but i have been an appeals that could be used as compost. it is still -- but i have banana peels that could be used as compost. in is still waste. >> the argument depends on definition of nuclear wastes. tons of material is lying in the open air, and some say it this waste is indeed what it amounts to. bbc news, paris. >> latest headlines for you on "bbc world news." the bbc has learned that the obama administration will announce a substantial increase in its military forces in afghanistan. the white house and state department denied any decision has been taken. miller clinton has told us she is confident russia will take action against iran if they fail to cooperate regarding their nuclear program. australian's prime minister is vigorously defending what he calls hard-line measures against illegal immigration. he has requested indonesia to stop a boatload of sri lankan refugees. it is believed that there are 250 people on board, including women and children. >> this book is carrying 250 asylum seekers that was trying to reach australian shores. it was intercepted by the indonesian navy over the weekend following do personal request of the history and prime minister. -- following the personal request of the australian prime minister. one man threatened to throw blow up the boat if it was forced on shore. but now they have stopped threatening suicide. this is fast becoming a major political problem in australia. the number of people reaching australian waters has increased tenfold this year. the israeli prime minister has been forced to defend his -- the australian prime minister has been forced to defend his stance. >> i have no problem with hard- line measures dealing with illegal immigration. no apologies whatsoever in dealing with also beat vernon who are people smugglers. we will take the harshest and hardest measures possible in dealing with that. >> since august, over 170,000 asylum seekers have been intercepted in austrian waters. the detention center in the indian ocean is close to capacity. bbc news, sydney. >> the american woman jaycee dugard who was held captive for 18 years has spoken publicly for the first time. the image of her as she is now has been published in "people" magazine . >> for 18 years, she was kept hidden away. she was 11 years old when she was snatched from a street in northern california. now her smiling face adorns the cover of one of america's most popular celebrity magazines. she closely resbles the childhood pictures seen around the world. her blond locks are replaced with wavy brown hair. she tells the magazine she is so happy to be back with her family. >> do you know what it must have been like? thanking everyone for their support, and letting them know that she is a cat. >> this is where she spent her childhood -- a squalid compound of tents and shad's which became the focus of a major police -- tents and sheds which became the focus of a major police investigation. her children were fathered by her alleged a doctor, phillip garrido. he and his wife have pled not guilty. what's all this week in our series on her to learn -- all this week in our series hundred to learn, we are looking at children and the obstacles to their education. we have the story of a boy who not only has to deal with blindness, but also a lot -- a lack of teachers. >> is the world tanzania. -- this is tanzania. he lost his eyesight and was plunged into a new world. at 16, he remembers how scared he was. >> walking was a problem. i had to get around by feeling the walls. i could not get dressed easily, and i was worried because i thought i would lose the opportunity to learn. i did not think blind students could go to school. >> where do people wear a lot of clothes? >> in a society where any disabilit can lead to a person being shunned or hidden away, he has broken the mold. he is among a group of sponsors students here at the secondary school in the tanzanian capital. this presents plenty of challenges. but unable to copy down notes, he will have to do catching up later in the day. many parents feel a little point in educating their visually- impaired children, believing they cannot contribute to society. there are few schools equipped to happen. -- to help them. this is one of the few primary schools that caters to visually- impaired students. >> raise up your hands. >> this is a school that threw him a lifeline almost 10 years ago. >> if a girl or boy does not give this opportunity in school, and education -- an education. >> it is a fine line between getting this kind of attention and being totally sidelines in society with little chance of ever getting a job. -- being totally sidelined in society with little chance of ever getting a job. families to have to pay some hidden costs. this is very under resource, and there are no facilities for the visually impaired year. they spend their time with 103 students. as for his dreams of becoming a lawyer coming he is blazing a trail and joined others in the disability and need not be a barrier to education. >> scientists have identified the fossil of a flying reptile that is -- that existed 160 million years ago. it has been named after charles darwin. some say this shows the first evidence of a so-called rapid- type evolution. we have this report. >> imagine some of the stranger sides of the prehistoric world -- flying reptiles dominating the jurassic sky. what exactly did they -- how exactly did they evolve? and china, the layers of volcanic ash have yielded an important clue. these fossilized bones are evidence of a previously unknown type of pterosaur with a wingspan of on meter in an appetite for anything smaller. >> there were really very sophisticated. they could move quickly. they could move. if you were a little flying dinosaur happily gliding from treeo tree and you get caught up by a darwinopterus, it is lunchti, basically. >> this is the scientist and made the discovery. he named new creature after charles darwin to studied fossils to establish his theory of evolution. scientists now wonder if this provides a link prehistory. the new fossil from 160 million years ago shows a far larger had been previous fossils', and the most recent version from 65 million years ago at the same far larger head and a shorter tail. an example of dramatic evolution. what are scientists making of this? there is a real surprise at the speed of change. >> begins as a new insight into how pterosaurs evolved. it was not a gradual process. >> so we have in new creature that fills in our gap of understanding about ancient times. bbc news. >> just briefly -- our top story -- sources in the british government have told the bbc they were informed by the white house th will soon announce a substantial increase in u.s. forces in afghanistan. the white house and state department are denying a decision has been made. thank you for being with us. >> 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 has put its wide range of companies from small businesses to major corporations. 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 out 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 kerry washington, and public broadcasting is my source for intelligent connections to my community. >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles.