>> this is "bbc world news america." i'm kathy k. in south sudan the youngest nation faces one of the oldest problems, fighting. and the prospect of civil war. a top aidetie fires after e-mail suggested she created traffic jams as political payback. can he weather the storm? >> i am embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on my team. >> and capturing some of the most amazing tribes before they disappear from the world. one photographer has focused on these extraordinary faces. welcome, to our viewers on public television in the world and around the globe. less than three years after america helped south sudan become the youngest nation, tonight there are warnings of civil war. government troops are closing in on a key rebel stronghold and thousands of civilians are filling in panic. the city has been held by rebels for the past two weeks and it has been a strategic hub for the country's oil-producing region. our correspondent sent us this report. knowople in south sudan when trouble is coming. they have been running from war for decades. this dusty town is

the globe. tonight the u.s. state department is evacuating for of its embassy staff from south sudan due to the deteriorating security situation there. it comes on the eve of direct talks getting under way in ethiopia aimed at ending weeks of violence. the fighting left hundreds of civilians dead and tens of thousands displaced. the bbc is is in south sudan and starts our coverage. >> those who ran from the violence now must wait for help. across the nile they fled the fighting, cramming into these narrow boats. they have no food, clean water or shelter, but at least now they're safe. they're almost all from the dinka tribe, fearing ethnic violence they suffered once before in boria, a town now controlled by rebel forces in their newer, tribal militia. human effect of the political crisis that sparked tribal violence. some aid has reached the camp. food and some oil from 30,000 from the red cross, a drop in the ocean but much, much more is on the way. >> give the people what they need because when they are displaced, for them some of them are displaced a lot of time and in the process th

leaders in south sudan agreed to a cease-fire deal after weeks of fighting. last month, the president faced a coup attempt on his former vice president. since then, both sides have been accused of atrocities in a conflict that has its post at the divisions and left thousands dead. -- has exposed ethnic divisions. are they ready to lay down their guns? >> the youth militia calls the shots here. the white army, originally cattle raiders. now some of those fighting government troops. we arrived in their stronghold as peace talks were underway with their leaders. tonight, a cease-fire was struck him a but we found a rebel movement still baying for blood. >> we got our guns from the soldiers whom we killed. weapons untilese we kill the president himself. war.has become an ethnic both sides allege murder, rape, and mutilation. forgiveness will take long, and a cease-fire might not halt the rebels ultimate goal. these men say that their aim is to go to the capital of south sudan and overthrow the president, who they accuse of mass atrocities. they say they will not stop until they get the ca

perilous journey 100 years ago and today. peace talks aimed at resolving tribal violence in south sudan are about to start in yukio peer. the violence that has left hundreds dead broke out last month after a power struggle between the president and his sacked deputy. so far thousands have been driven from their homes. 75,000 refugees are thought to be living at a camp on a riverbank having fled fighting in a nearby city. our correspondent reached the camp and send this report. >> progress has been slow in the world's youngest country. this is one of south sudan's major highways. a political crisis that sparked ethnic violence has left things precariously balanced. it could still go either way. there are two roads that run from the capital to the north. this is considered to be the safer of the two roads. cars coming down here are packed full of people getting out of dangerous areas. after a while, the landscape suddenly fills up with people. under every tree now lives a family. perhaps 75,000 people escaped fighting to get here, but they have nothing. no food, no clean water, no sanitation.

after a day of diplomatic drama our team witnesses scenes of devastation and south sudan, but even a hospital wasn't spared from this brutal assault. spacecraft is, a brought out of hibernation. now let the hunt begin. >> if all goes well, it will close in for the first ever attempt to touchdown on one of these bizarre objects. >> welcome to our viewers in public television in america and around the globe. tonight, the united nations has withdrawn an invitation to iran to attend the syria peace talks. it comes less than 24 hours after the offer was extended. it follows a statement by tehran that it was unwilling to accept a deal involving a political transition in syria. >> 100 thousand dead. half the population needing humanitarian aid. the regime and opposition accepted the un's plea for talks. then it all nearly unraveled. the u.n. invited iran, and the opposition threatened to boycott. showirst, iran needs to good faith. i believe in the political process. i believe in peace. >> the u.n. withdrew its invitation. ban ki-moon's spokesman accused the iranians of acting in bad faith.

these students in south sudan, taking exams has an extra challenge. they are trying to do it a miss violence that is tearing their young nation apart. >> the notorious doomsday cult responsible for a poison gas attack. he is charged with involvement in a wave of violence. >> canisters of deadly sarin gas , five different tokyo subway trains. it is the biggest terrorist attack in modern japanese history. thousands are taken ill. 13 people are dead. the attack has been carried out by fanatical followers of this man. cult anda religious claims he is the reincarnation of jesus christ. one of the very last fugitive measures was brought into court to face charges of abduction and murder. he was on the run for 17 years. two years ago, he walked into a police station and gave himself up. now with the opening of his trial, the last chapter has finally begun. it has been a very long wait. 12 of his top followers are currently on death row awaiting execution. several sentenced to death will appear as witnesses. for that reason, the executions have been put off to the last trial is finished. >>

be cold, cold, cold here tomorrow. the two sides in the south sudan conflict have been holding talks in the ethiopian capital, and the first direct talks, as fighting continues, with heavy clashes continuing elsewhere. meanwhile, the president has been holding talks with his south sudanese counterpart, which could lead to the deployment of a joint force to protect the vital oilfields. was involvedn who in a plot to kill a swedish artist has been sentenced to prison. she called herself jihad jane on line and agreed to kill the artist over his series of drawings that a grading the prophet mohammed. has partiallykel fractured her pelvis in a cross country's yang accident in switzerland before the new year. the injury was initially thought to be limited to bruising, but she has canceled a number of meetings and has been advised to lie down as much as possible for the next three weeks. at is not going to be easy for somebody who is as energetic as she is. now, for a second day in israel, thousands of african migrants took to the streets in protest against their treatment. they want the go

spokesman in south sudan says at least 200 people have been killed when a ferry capsized on the white nile river, overloaded with passengers fleeing violence near the town of malaka, which has changed hands several times in the past month. the jury and authorities say 30 people have been killed by a bomb explosion-- nigerian officials say 30 people have been killed in a bomb explosion in a packed marketplace. boko haram said it carried out the attacks. west african lions could face extinction, with fewer than 400 left in the region. the research was carried out in 17 countries, from senegal to nigeria. lines that remain, fewer than 250 are of reading age. it is not-- of breeding age. it is unusual for a french president to have to answer questions about an affair in public. that is what president francois hollande went through today in paris. he would not confirm the allegation that he had a relationship with a french banker, but said he was going through a difficult time in his private life. gavin hewitt reports. french president in crisis drew hundreds of journalists to the daily sa

south sudan because of ongoing violence. they said the staff was among thousands trying to escape fighting between government forces and rebels. that is despite a cease-fire signed last week. afghanistan, where campaigning to replace president karzai formally starts this weekend. the election is in april. if successful, it would be the first peaceful handover of power in afghanistan since 1901. but many of the candidates are tainted by their past. ago, at the height of the afghan civil war, before the taliban came to power, hundreds of people were massacred here. mohammed lost his father and brother-in-law and watched. knife carried by a woman -- stuck a knife and a koran carried by a woman. seven or eight men raped her. >> the man named was the nowander of the massacre, running for president. he denies killing anybody in the civil war. me, noeve me, believe human being was killed, not by my army, not by my hand. hou believe it or not, but alla knows this. >> no men under your command? >> i was the commander of my that thend i reported fighting was imposed on afghan people. he and