26/10/2011 World News Today

Good evening and welcome to World News Today. More union -- European

this union. They are at another crunch summit but yet again the

prospects on a rumoured official rescue plan looks slim.

She once afforded a from our own Government, Angela Merkel says that

of the euro fails, Europe fails. still have a lot of problems to

solve. The work is not yet done but I believe that told her here today

to get further run. Questions are raised of the

benefits of breast cancer screening. Some experts argue they can do more

harm than good. Also coming up: The terror of

Somali pirates as one couple reaches a year held hostage, we

talk to the South African negotiating to secure their release.

And the last of America's Cold War bombs comes to an end.

Hello and welcome. Another crunch summit and another opportunity that

may well be missed. European leaders are meeting right now and

Brussels tried to come up of a way out our share of the UK's own debt

crisis. The proposals being discussed include a bigger write-

off of Greek debt, further guarantees. Jon Sopel joins us from

Brussels. Part one is over. The meeting

involving all 27 members at the European Union broke up a few

minutes ago. The Polish presidency briefing on that. The really

critical one is the one that is about to get underway. That

involves the 17 members of the eurozone, trying to work a ways of

dealing with the Greek Government debt and how much of a write-off

they should be for private investors. Also, how to reinforce

and strengthened the bail-out fund and also what to do about the

Italian debt. Those are the key issues that are going to occupy the

17 leaders this evening. Angela Merkel, the key power-broker in all

this, said that we are aiming to get a bit further on. A bit further

on. She had been talking about a comprehensive settlement. That

seems to be a bit of away off. 14 times in the past 18 months,

Europe's leaders have driven this week, pledging to fix the eurozone

crisis. But never has the pressure been bigger than today. It is in

British interests that we solve this crisis. Some of the issues

discussed this afternoon are directly relevant to Britain in

terms of strengthening banks across Europe. In any event, we need a

have the greatest support for the comprehensive solution possible.

The mood on arrival was that many problems remain to be resolved and

tense negotiations lie ahead. are all going to have to work hard

but there is also a lot of good will. Some have called this the

summit of the last chance. Can Europe's leaders finally adopt a

plan that does with the markets that they have taken control of the

debt crisis that began in Greece? The main players in all of this,

Germany. Before today's summit, the German Parliament met. Angela

Merkel told MPs that Europe was watching them. They are watching

whether we are willing and able to deal with this. Our economic and

monetary union must pass the severe test and emerge stronger in the

long-term. We all know that this is the greatest test that we have

faced. The Parliament voted to boost the eurozone's bail-out fund,

a key factor in the talks in Brussels. And here is the challenge.

To/Greek debt by encouraging banks to take a glosses by around 50%. To

strengthen Europe's banks, perhaps Spike 100 billion euros and to

increase the firepower of the EU's main be a light hand by over one

trillion Euros. Also the centre of attention, the Italian Prime

Minister Silvio Berlusconi. France and Germany had insisted he bring

with him a letter setting out the economic reforms he would make.

Back in Rome, there was a scuffle in the Parliament over plans to

raise the retirement age. The eurozone crisis is exacerbating

Italy's political crisis. Europe's leaders will meet well into the

evening. What the markets will be watching for is not just political

stay was a detail, hard numbers indicate that this time a deal is

more than sticking plaster. Let's speak with our correspondent

Richard who is in Rome. We understand that Silvio Berlusconi

came with a letter of intent. Do we know any detail about it? I have

been speaking to a member of his Parliament -- his party here. He is

not certain what is in the letter but he spelt out what he thought

was in it. One is that key issue of increasing the pension age. He says

there has been a compromise reached with one of the keep coalition

partners which was crucial. So he is saying that is in the letter.

And there are other plans, cutting bureaucracy. And also according to

the senator, selling off some of the vast amounts of realistic that

the Government bonds. It amounts to hundreds of billions of Euros. The

other thing he was saying was that they were considering selling off

Government sticks and national companies, which she says are quite

significant. So he was putting a positive spin on it. There are ways

Italy can decrease its debt. The question is whether these are in

the lighter and also the timetable. Will this be implemented

effectively and quickly. Also, the other part is the instability it

brings. Silvio Berlusconi and his Northern League partners. That is

absolutely crucial. That is the party that they have been

negotiating over the pension age. There was a stumbling block over

that. The Northern League is vital for the Government. It could not

survive in power without the support of the Northern League.

They have to keep them on board which is why there has been

something of a problem with increasing the pension age. What

the senator is saying is that it will not affect everybody. People

coming close to retirement now, it will not affect them now. According

to some media reports, it could be implemented in 15 years. For the

rest of the European Union, that would be far too late. Thank you

very much for that. Wheat always get an idea of what

might be going on. What is your sense of it? We are going to get in

an agreement in principle tonight. It would be a disaster if we did

not. Presumably it has to have figures attached to it, otherwise

it is just good intention. You are going to get agreement on various

structures that will be created, leverage mechanisms. They may not

have figures because one of them are so was to be pots of money. We

do not know how much or how little people are going to put into these

things. The haircut. The famous Greek hair cut. Do you think we

will get a figure on by how much they Greeks, private investors, are

going to have a take a loss on Greig debt? It depends on what

happens on the negotiations. The idea is to do a volunteer early,

that is the banks, without too much trouble saying they would give up

so much. Creases in such a big hole, it may need a her park that is so

large that it may not be presented as voluntary. -- it may need an

hair cut. Nobody is sure how much. It may have serious knock-on

effects. There are insurance policies. You do not know who is

liable to pick up the debt, that is what creates uncertainty. We do not

know who the contracts are going to. Certain institutions have a lot of

these contracts and then are expected to pay out on. That

weakens their position. You could get the domino effect of that.

Let's take a look at the other news as rescue workers continued to

search for survivors from the Turkish earthquake, the Government

is saying it will accept offers of foreign aid. It said it would call

upon its own with the impact of the disaster which is claiming some 460

lives. The Government has accepted help for Reconstruction for those

who have been left homeless. The authorities in just a say nine

people have died and seven more are missing after torrential rain

caused flash flooding. Most of the victims are from towns and villages

from the north. Rescuers are working with dogs to try and find

missing people. Boeing's latest aircraft, 7-8-7

Dreamliner has made its first commercial flight. The flight from

Tokyo to Hong Kong took place three years later than planned due to

production delays. Development costs billions of dollars over

budget. Boeing says the plan is the most fuel-efficient of its kind

because it is built with light composite materials rather than

metals. Does screening for breast cancer

actually do more good than harm? The evidence has been viewed in the

UK after doubts were raised after - - of his effectiveness. 60,000

women -- our survey of 60,000 women showed some women suffer from

psychological - a psychological problems.

Thousands of women can say the UK breast cancer screening programme

has saved their lives. This woman is one of them. If I had not gone

for that screening, I would not have had it picked up. I would not

be walking around nine. Around 2.7 million women across the UK, aged

between 50 and 70, are offered screening each year. Nearly 17,000

cases of breast cancer are detected as a result. But the NHS estimates

approximately five to 10% of cases are over diagnosed. That means

women are told they have a long but it is not clear if it is requiring

treatment. The gamut of Health says that his face is unchanged. -- the

Department of Health. There are some women who needed an operation

that was on required. This woman says her life was turned upside-

down by unnecessary treatment following a scan. I would not have

got into that situation if I had been warned about it. I would have

avoided as that -- avoided it. independent review of press

screening will cover the whole of the UK and doctors recognise that

as our understanding of the disease has improved, it will re-evaluate

the evidence behind the programme. We are taking a large research

study at the moment to see if we can develop more targeted screening.

So ladies who are at higher risk of developing breast cancer have more

frequent screening. Critics of press screening say it is no longer

clear if benefits away at the possible risks. -- out way.

One year ago today, Bruno Pelizzari and Debbie Calitz were working as

they can sailing a what towards the was a Mike Channel when it was

boarded by 12 Somali pirates. -- Mozambique channel. They are being

held ransom by pirates. Bruno Pelizzari's sister has held talks

and recorded one conversation when she was talking with Debbie Calitz.

Are you OK? Yes, so far. I must tell you she does not stop thinking

of you. You will be home soon. is Bruno Pelizzari's sister there.

How did this conversation come about? She is the sister of one of

the hostages than -- hostages. For months she has been speaking to the

Paris Ritz negotiator or. He is somewhere in Somalia. Last week he

gave her permission to speak to both Bruno Pelizzari and every over

the phone and to record the conversation and give it to the

media. She has given it to me and the BBC. That was the exchange

there. Debbie did raise some concerns about the type of food

they are receiving. She said they are deficient in vitamins and

minerals and that Bruno Pelizzari's hair is falling out. After all this

time, more than one year, it was fantastic to hear the voices. But

it was as distressing Kohl. She did speak to her brother as well.

her brother and one of the hostages. She was more restricted in what she

could ask him and what he could say to her. He managed to tell her the

type of food to they are getting. They have so open the morning and

rice and spaghetti in the evening and he made his appeal for their

release. We are trying everything we can. I do not know what else to

An emotional conversations. What does the South African government

say? That demand was straight to decide African government. I spoke

to someone there, I was told that the pirates employ every tactic

they think will assist them to achieve their goal. They said the

government does not entertain demands for ransom, but he says

that the government would not intervene in the family's

initiative to attempt to raise the money. The amount that the pirates

what has gone up and down. It stands at $4 million at the moment,

a huge amount of money. The family says it is working class, not

wealthy, and is struggling to raise that money. It is doing its best to

get the money together and do everything it can to attempt to

bring Bruno and steady home safely. Thank you. So we can now go to the

brother of Debbie Calitz. He joins us from Johannesburg. What do you

make of these conversations taking place? Do they give you heart? Or

do you feel they are counter- productive? There is a mixed view

their. We have given the government one year to try and do what they

can, and they have tried. But we have realised with past cases that

if the money is not paid, they will not release them. They may hold

them for many years. You must be concerned about what is being said

concerning nutrition? Definitely, because apart from malnutrition, my

sister suffers from asthma, and so we are not sure if they have access

to asthma pumps and medication and so on. For what other information

did you get from these conversations that were being had?

Her could you repeat the question? For what other in formation did you

get from the conversations that took place? Conversations with the

pirates? The conversations between, that we have just heard, that took

place between the Rat and Bruno, and the Rat and Debbie. There is a

bittersweet feeling. Because it is reassuring to hear their voices, to

know that they are definitely alive. But at the same time, getting them

out of there is becoming a daunting task. You know, to raise the money.

You realise that paying the pirates may feel the situation, but from

the family's perspective, we have no other means at the moment to get

them out of their. Thank you very much.

South as the United States prepared to withdraw its troops from

Afghanistan, there are tensions with Pakistan about its

relationship with insurgents. Last week, Pakistan said it could do

more to prevent militant groups from operating within its borders.

But a BBC investigation has heard allegations that Pakistan has been

actively is -- supporting the insurgents, while acting as

Washington's ally in public. The long war in Afghanistan was

intensifying in 2006, causing casualties among Afghans and treats

mainly from the US and UK. Now, there is new evidence of Pakistan's

support for the Taliban fighting that ward. One insurgents says he

was trained by Pakistani intelligence. TRANSLATION: The

military would arriving cars at 8:00am, and leave at 4pm. They were

wearing military uniforms. The uniforms of the Palace of --...

They gave us a specialised weapons training. The US was set and by

2008 that Pakistan controlled the gunmen who went on the rampaging

Mumbai. As evidence piled up of a secret double game in Afghanistan

as well. Our own intelligence was unequivocal. In Afghanistan. We saw

an insurgency that was not only getting passive support from the

Pakistani army, and the Pakistani intelligence service, but getting

active support. And it was only when the US stopped giving Pakistan

tick box of impending drone attacks that the attacks became successful.

At the beginning of the drone operations, we gave Pakistan

advance warnings of where we were going. And every single time, the

target was not there anymore. You did not have to be Sherlock Holmes

to put the dogs together. Pakistan had denied the charges.

They are fighting a new campaign against insurgents in the Frontier

regions, and deny they backed the Taliban. They all speak contrary to

this perception that the state is in support of these groups. That we

are providing sanctuary, providing material support. The recent

assault on the US embassy in Kabul was quickly blamed on Pakistan, as

the US is taking a harder line. The new revelations raise further and

Constable questions from the US and UK governments, could both have

large aid budgets in Pakistan and counted as an ally -- uncomfortable

questions. One of the largest and most

powerful bombs ever built has been dismantled and removed from the US

military arsenal. At B 53 was built in the 1960s and desire to maximise

damage. Defence strategy has changed, and over the past 14 years

the US has taken steps to eliminate massive nuclear weapons. In a

moment we will see if this makes the world a safer place. Now, I

look back at the B 53 bomb. Tommy knows that the bond can explode any

time of the Year, day or night. a height of the cold war, Americans

were told to be prepared - they were under threat of an atomic

attack on US soil. The United States had strike power of its own,

though. The nuclear bomb so began so powerful it was said to be 600

times more destructive than the one which levelled Hiroshima in 1945.

The B 53, the so-called bunker buster, was the size of a small car.

It was first added to America's Arsenal in 1962, G target Soviet

underground shelters. The ball was flown by the B 52 bomber for nearly

40 years, before being retired from service in 1997 -- the bomb. Now,

the explosives had been removed. Part of President Obama's new

security agenda and goal to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Another

of the big bombs is now gone, another chapter in the cold war

closed. Neil Miller is second in command of

the US National Nuclear Security Administration, responsible for

maintaining a stockpile of nuclear weapons. Was this largely a

symbolic moment? It was more than symbolic. The actual removal of the

very last piece one could call symbolic, but this has been an

active dismantlement programme going on for some time. In removing

this weapon from the stockpile, you can say for sure this is a clear

indication we are in a safer time. You were there at the dismantling.

Was it an impressive moment? I was, and it was. And I think that in

addition to just the sense of history we had, watching the

dedication of the team of people that have worked for quite some

time dismantling it, the precision and dedication with which they

worked and which they showed to the overall job, but also getting it

right every would you describe this as the end of an Era? In particular

terms -- political terms it is very symbolic, but these are not the

type of weapons used in that type of warfare now being conducted.

That's right. This was a significant moment, as many people

have said - the end of an Era. It marked the end of a dangerous time.

The Cold War has been over for quite some time, this but then

remained in the stockpile and it was a weapon for another time. I

said something to one of my colleagues last night he is in

charge of our weapons programme, that it looked like something out

will and early 1960s science- fiction movie. He said to some

extent it was. So this was a big moment for us. The concern about

nuclear weapons has not gone away, has it? No, not at all. And when we

talk about a concern about then, we remain concerned that no one should

have possession of nuclear weapon was special nuclear materials that

could cause harm. And certainly, none of us want to imagine a world

where nuclear weapons continue to be part of active foreign policy.

Why has it taken so long to dismantle this particular weapon?

This has been going on for quite some time, the dismantlement of the

weapons. At the facility where this took place in Amarillo does a lot

of things, including the dismantling of the B 53. There is

surveillance over active pieces in the stockpile, to make think --

sure everything is functioning, and there are types of dismantlement of

other weapons going on. These things are done in a sequence and

at the capacity they can run. thank-you very much.

A reminder of banning story. European leaders are gathering in

Brussels for a summit aimed at fixing and speed Eurozone debt

crisis. The proposals being discussed include a bigger write

off all week debt, provisional further guarantees that Italy and

Spain may borrow more, and a plan to strengthen the big European

banks, against a possible Greek default. We will keep you up-to-

date with any developments from the date with any developments from the

Hello, the weather is on the changed again. After a reasonable

day, there will be some rain around for a good few tomorrow -

particularly across England and Wales. Scotland and Northern

Ireland will see some reasonable sunshine. Low pressure is coming up,

and it is this which will bring the rain during the course of the night.

I first thing in the morning, many parts of England and Wales will be

cloudy and damp. Their heaviest rain in the South West of England

and South Wales. The rain will have extended into the North East of

England by 3pm, always in bits-and- pieces in East Anglia and the East.

Quite cool under the rain clouds, 11-12 degrees Celsius. Eventually,

the rain will start to ease from parts of the South West, but not

much prospect of sunshine. For Wales, also at that prospect. The

western areas might brighten up before the sun goes down. Across

the Irish Sea, it should be a reasonable day. Just a few showers

around. Some heavy showers across the Western Isles at times, but

most of Scotland having a reasonable day. The rain will ease