17/08/2011 World News Today

This is World News Today. Pressure on the Indian government

as the wave of public anger over the arrest of anti-corruption

campaigner Anna Hazare intense surprise. The Prime Minister

accuses them of trying to sidestep democracy. It is totally

misconceived. It is fraught with grave consequences for our country.

Libya's rebels fight to cut supply lines to Tripoli. Is the six-month

war there finally nearing the end game?

United nation withdraws all non- essential staff from Syria.

Going underground in Paris. Walking Will come. The challenge to the

Indian government intensified today as thousands of supporters of Anna

Hazare gathered across the country to protest at his arrest. The 74-

year-old spell -- spent the night inside Tihar jail. He has refused

to leave until he is allowed to hold a public hunger strike.

Protesters shouted slogans and waved flags as they marched. Inside,

the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the hunger strike was totally

misconceived. All day long the crowds have been

building up at Tihar jail. Inside it is at Anna Hazare. The 74-year-

old anti-corruption campaigner says he is leading India's second

independence struggle. He is a free man, but he has refused to leave

until the Government agrees to allow him to go ahead with a public

hunger strike to force it to adopt a new anti-corruption that lot.

Negotiations have been taking place, but in Parliament the Prime

Minister has attacked the veteran campaigner. The pass that he has

chosen, is totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for

our parliamentary democracy. Our Government does not see any -- seek

any confrontation with any section of society. But when some sections

of society deliberately challenged authority of the government and

parliament, it is the duty of the Government to maintain peace and

tranquillity. Meanwhile a crowd of thousands has been building up at

India Gate in the city centre. If the idea of arresting Anna Hazare

was to stop any demonstrations from going ahead, well, the Government

has clearly failed. Over the last 24 hours we have seen protests

across India, and here in Delhi they are getting bigger and bigger.

The Government is losing the voters and respect.

How does an emerging economy like India deal with corruption? Cannot

learn lessons from other countries in similar situations? Let's speak

to Dr Ruth Kattumuri and also in the studio a representative of 48

Group Club. Led's start with how endemic corruption and bribery is

in India. You have lived in Britain for a long time, but explain your

experiences in India. The problem of corruption in India is like

cancer. It is so endemic that it exists in the all levels. How did

it affect you growing up? I was interested in joining medical

school, I had the marks and I did my part. But I could not get into

medical school because all the way performed and got everything that

was required, and had to pay bribes to get at Bisham to medical school.

I chose not to do that -- I had to pay bribes to get to medical school.

Stephen, looking at what is happening in India and Africa, how

does an emerging economy like India resolve this issue? I do not think

there is a resolution. As economies develop, the industrial revolution

in Britain, Hong Kong in the late that 1960s, these are developing

economies were there is a lot of money around. People see corrupt

ways of trying to make that money and then the Government has to

react to that and bring in mechanisms to do with that

corruptions. That is a process which takes time. It takes

determination to deal with it and the implementation takes time for.

What part does big business play? In terms of multinationals. For his

new legislation coming through now us. Any business that engages in

corrupt practices in the emerging economies is asking for trouble. It

is not a route to successful, sustainable business. In some

countries you either purchase appeared for you are excluded. In

countries like India, China, Brazil, you can make a choice. Most

businesses would make a choice not to involve themselves in corruption.

20 years ago it would not have been so sure, but with Acts passed in

America and Europe it is easier for business to make a decision.

there an element of truth and what the chief economic adviser in India

said, why don't we just legalise this? It would shame, especially

the political class for them a lot of anger is reserved to wards.

is true, because people who give it bribes are as guilty as people who

take bribes. It is important for the international business

community to point it out and make a bigger seen of it about them fact

it is happening. That would reduce some of the endemic problem and

help to reform the system. It is important that the international

community, particularly the business community stands up.

it comes to your business experience, it must be very

difficult for a businessman trying to open up some market there,

seeing other companies pay and get through it and you do not. Have you

ever had to pay a bribe? I have not, and I would not. What is it bad? If

you take someone out to dinner, that is all right. We all know the

big stuff that has happened in the Middle East. What business is faced

with, people come to them and say the way you'll get this business is

by paying of certain people. I had a situation a few years ago were a

pharmaceutical company was told they had to pay bribes to doctors

in Chinese hospitals for a drug to be prescribed. They did not believe

it was true. I thought the middle people were taking the money. Not

withstanding that, there is real corruption and businessmen have to

be strong. You're not dealing with just a simple decision about

sustainability. Listen to with the's story, it is almost

heartbreaking to hear what you had to go through to get to medical

school. For you it has ended well, you were a professor and a teacher.

Things have worked out well for you, but does this affect the whole of

Indian society? Does it go right down to village level? It extends

to all sections, all classes of society. They person in a village

would have to pay bribes to the village head, perhaps. They might

have to pay to get employment, even to get food, on a food programme.

It is also ridden with corruption with officials. It exists across

all levels. Do you have any grounds for optimism? Looking at the

younger generation in India, it is there a sense that with fewer

people leaving India to work and study abroad that people will try

to sort out society there and change things from within? I think

that is what you were seeing now. You cannot go forward without

pulling the forces of the young people who want things to be on a

level playing field. I am delighted that Dr Ruth Kattumuri is there and

that her country is beginning to deal with these issues. Do you have

grounds for optimism? And what to think of how the Government is

handling this? Because it is such a difficult thing to handle, and

because it is so endemic, it is difficult. I think it is important,

one of the positive things India has is its democracy. The process

should follow democratic rules. It is great that young people are

becoming aware and actively speaking out against corruption.

Those are all very important and this has happened because of

awareness, partly because of global connection and partly because the

younger generation has not caught up with the older systems.

Everybody should work together, the Government, the judiciary,

different political parties, they should work together. It will be a

very long process, but it has to be done in a democratic way. Let's

have a look at other news. Nine people have been killed by

roadside bombs in Turkey. Authorities believe the Kurdish

guerrilla group PKK was behind the attacks.

Muslim countries have a Emergency summer and pledged $350 million for

aid to Somalia. More than 12 million people are in need of aid

because of drought. War crimes prosecutors say they

want a two separate trials against Ratko Mladic. Prosecutors in The

Hague say he should be tried for the killing of thousands of Muslims

in Srebrenica at and then for other war crimes in the 1990s.

The UN-backed tribunal has indicted four suspects in connection with

the assassination of Rafiq Hariri in 2005. Four men are members of

Hezbollah who deny involvement. The British Prime Minister has

praised the courts for handing out tough sentences to some of those

involved in last week's writes. On Tuesday, two men were jailed for

four years for using Facebook to try to incite violence. Another was

given 18 months in prison for having a stolen television in his

car. Concerns have been raised about the severity of some of these

sentences. This teenager tried to start a riot

but he walked free from court having been given a night-time

curfew. However yesterday these two men

were jailed for four years for the same crime, using a Facebook

website to incite violence. One was a youth court and there were

different circumstances, but the longer jail terms have proved

controversial. Online, Jordan threatened to smash down this town.

But friends said the trouble did not happen. He was having a laugh

on Facebook. It was only a little grip on Facebook. People who have

done that the riots have not had that kind of sentence. According to

sentencing guideline inciting violent disorder carries a maximum

sentence of five years. If a guideline prevents the correct

sentence from being given in an exceptional case, the judge can

sentence outside of that guidelines. Some solicitors claimed that the

usual rate is not -- way it is not being given to mitigating factors.

Judges here have made clear that there will be longer sentences

because of the aggravating factor that the offences were committed

during widespread disturbances. What happened on our streets was

appalling behaviour and we are sending a clear message it will not

be tolerated. But those who have already been sentenced could return

to court. Some are planning to appeal that jail terms they have

been given. I would expect the Court of Appeal to be asked very

soon to provide a guideline case are cases so that judges can

provide consistent, if severe sentences. Perry went to prison

after calling on line for a riot. It did cause some of the town shops

to close early. You have to send out a message. You cannot go around

starting rumours affecting people's lives and businesses. With many

still to be sentenced, there are families worried including this

mother whose 14-year-old boy has been remanded in custody. Those

people, people have instigated the whole thing, people like that, yes

treated more harsh. But not people you got caught up in it at all. It

was a moment of madness. In the city's damaged by riots, there are

many families shopped at the swift, harsh justice that the Government

promised. They have questioned whether there should be any

pressure from the politicians. Six months on from the first

protests against Colonel Gadaffi, rebels and government troops remain

locked in conflict. Forces loyal are battling for a control of

Zawiya. Gunfire has been reported. Zawiya is strategically important

to Colonel Gadaffi because it sits on a major highway which has a

Each night in Tripoli's main square, royalists gather. The rebels have

advanced to within 30 miles of here, but there is no sign of support.

Are you worried about these reports that the rebel fighters are closing

in on Tripoli? TRANSLATION: We are not worried. We know what is going

on. We talk to our brothers on the front line. If the battle Consett,

we will fight. That is exactly what state television has been calling

for. It wants Gaddafi's supporters to take up weapons and defend the

city. So, in this cafe, an espresso and a shrug. TRANSLATION: I am not

concerned. It is all fine and morale is high.

He it is now six months since the first protest against Colonel

Gaddafi and he is looking more vulnerable than ever. The rebels

insist they can win the war by the end of August and the it here, the

government remains spread fast and says dribbly will not fall. It

could be weeks, even months, of stalemate ahead.

The key battle is for Zawiyah or, at street by street. Capture the

town and the rebels will cut off Tripoli. Gaddafi forces are hitting

back hard. To the east as well, the rebels are taking casualties as

they fight for oil. The towns suffered weeks of fighting back and

forth. Britain and the rest of NATO is hoping Gaddafi will fork soon,

but already some here are warning of the dangerous power vacuum if

that does happen. The United Nations has withdrawn

all non-essential staff from Syria as President Bashar al-Assad pushes

on with repression for protests. Government forces have carried out

operations in a port city for a 5th day. Residents say it security

forces are on that have killed at least 34 people and detained dozens

more since the crackdowns started. Human rights groups claim almost

2000 civilians have been killed in serious since mid-March it.

Let's go to our London studio and speak to Dr Haitham Al-Maleh, head

of the Syrian National Salvation Congress. He was released from the

Syrian jail earlier this year. If I can start with the repression that

is being reported today, 34 people killed in recent hours, do you get

any sense that President Bashar al- Assad is losing his grip at all in

your country? He lost, he is not losing, because he lost everything

not from now, from the time when he started to attack his people, make

war against society, people are against the civilian people. People

on the street have no weapons or guns. They were moving on the

street a piece belly and a very kindly. -- piece belly. President

Bashar al-Assad and his group started killing the people,

arresting people, so this is the situation. We have lost 3,000

people here, not 2000, and 3,000 have disappeared. 25,000 arrested.

They put them in at schools because there is no at schools now, they

are closed. You have been imprisoned by the regime, explain

what conditions are like in that Syrian jails, what were your

conditions like when you were held? The conditions it net cereal bar

two pines: At the normal jails where I was in aggro and the other

jails. Each branch has its own control. No one can go through

these jails and make any research. The daughter is continued from

morning until night. -- beat torture. The jail where I was is a

normal jail and it contains only be criminals. There were only 30

people in there, political prisoners, but each one was in a

room containing normal prisoners. was sleeping on the ground.

three months, I had a bed. haven't got a lot of time, but in

terms of work President Bashar al- Assad to leave, what are your fears

about the future of Syria? When his father came to power, it was to

deal with the religious sectarian and tribal problems that Syria had

at the time. What would you predict for Syria have come before, where

the regime to for? In my opinion, Serie up will be better without the

President's family, not just him. All of them at must go out. His

background is the same background as his father. His father killed

more than 60,000 people in that serial through massacres. In jail,

they killed 15,000 prisoners. Another man killed 900 prisoners

across Europe by shooting. But how chaotic with the transition to any

democratic process be in Syria given its history and all the

problems that Syria has had? opposition collect so themselves

and we will be one side for the future. We have our paper. It is

nearly ready. For the future of Syria, the democracy regime, voting

through boxes and to protect the people from all sides, protect

human rights, this is what we need for the future. It will not happen

until President -- President Bashar al-Assad leaves Syria. Thank you

for speaking to us. Underneath streets of most cities

is a complicated web of tunnels, cables and pipes carrying

everything from water to trains. Under the feet the people in Paris,

exists one of the most complicated system of tunnels. They are still

being checked to make sure that they do not collapse. Our Paris

Correspondent has been investigating.

From an underground car-park down steep hidden steps, we are

descending into the bowels of Paris. This is one of the densest

underground networks in the world, with 180 miles of intricate tunnels.

We are exploring a city beneath a city. You can see some light coming

from here. The tunnels were mined for the limestone from which Paris

is built. But imagine the horrendous

conditions in which those who dark this labyrinth of corridors must

have worked. Operating down here from morning until night in the

thick dust and high humidity. In those days, they could not afford

to retire. They came down here at a young age and they worked until

they dropped. Very often, they worked in the dark.

No one realised how poor the foundations had become. Not until

1774 when suddenly one of these chambers collapsed, swallowing and

entail a neighbour heard above it. In response, King Louie the 16th

commissioned an architect to reinforce the tunnels. Every

chamber was mapped and a name given to the Correspondent st above it.

Down here, you have a mayor energy of a renaissance Paris. -- a mirror

image. This street is a bollard. -- Bull of art. You can see there is a

crack here. Each part is checked. If they saw a beginning of a

falling roof, they do something. Since 1955, the quarries have been

closed to the public, but there is one section that remains open: The

Catacombs. At the time the architect was strengthening the

tunnels, Lily was closing the overcrowded cemeteries. All of the

bodies were reinterred in the empire of the dead. It is a very

different end of term excursion. What do you think of this? It is

scary. Victor Hugo once described the tunnels as the city's luxury

and magnificence. The imminence -- the millions who visit the city

every year beg to differ, but they know little of her dark,

subterranean secrets. Reminder of the main news:

Thousands of people have rallied across India in support of the

anti-corruption campaign at Anna Hazare. In Delhi, protesters

marched on parliament, others maintained a vigil outside the

prison where he was taken on Tuesday. He will not agree to

conditions set for his release until he is allowed to strike.

A senior barrister has joined expressions of surprise in Britain

and the length of jail sentences and it is some people involved in

last week's writing. Lord Carlile said there was an issue of

proportionality. Campaigners say many people have been jailed for

offences which normally they would only be cautioned for.

That is all from us for now. The weather is coming up now. From us

Most areas ending the day on a final note, but tomorrow, there is

a spell of heavier rain to come, particularly across parts of

central and southern England. It is courtesy of a weather front that

has been there today in the south. This front is with us tomorrow, but

around it there will be heavier rain, particularly affecting parts

of south-west England, into the Midlands and across do easting

layer. -- East Anglia. The darker blues indicate the intensity of the

rainfall, difficult for drivers in standing water. But the FA

southeast should be warm. The south-west, a bit of rain in places

to begin, improving in the afternoon. For Cornwall and Devon,

which saw rain today, it will be brightening up throughout the

afternoon. In Wales, we will avoid the most of this. For Northern

Ireland, a scattering of showers, some on the heavy side, light winds

and 17 degrees. More showers in Scotland compared with today's

heavier ones. Into the evening, some of them will be heavier. The