27/01/2012 World News Today

This is World News Today with me, Zeinab Badawi. The UN Security

Council is about to discuss a draft resolution urging the Syria's

President Assad to step down. But in Syria itself, the authorities

launched a massive attack on opposition strongholds in what one

activist calls a terrifying massacre.

Keeping watch on Iran - the head of the UN's atomic agency tells us he

does not believe Teheran has revealed everything about its

nuclear programme. The problem is that we are not sure whether Iran

has declared everything, and therefore we cannot give assurance

that everything is for a peaceful purpose.

An escalating dispute over oil wealth. The leaders of Sudan and

South Sudan that failed to resolve their differences at mediation

talks in Ethiopia. Also coming up: At the highest unemployment rate in

the developed world - we report from Spain, where the new

government is grappling with the new jobless rate, which is twice

And a musical meditation on that September macro as the world

renowned grimness Quartet comes to Hello and welcome. Activist in

Syria say government forces have launched renewed assaults on

several cities. Witnesses say beef feared 4th division is leading the

attack in the City of Hama. These pictures, which we are unable to

verify, seem to show people demonstrating after Friday prayers

in the cities of Homs and another city. Activists say that shortly

after these pictures were taken, security forces opened fire. More

than 130 people are believed to have been killed across Syria in

the last 48 hours. The head of the Arab League observer mission says

violence and Syria has risen sharply since Tuesday. But what of

the opposition fighters who have taken up arms or defected from the

Syrian army? Our Middle East Editor reports now from the Damascus

suburb of where the Assad Government's grip appears to be

weakening. To find out the strength of the

opposition, drive into the suburbs of Damascus. We had no idea what we

would discover. We found the Free Syria Army, deserters from the

President's forces and local men, securing a poor district on the

edge of the city. They said they were protecting the people who were

about to hold a funeral. They looked well established here, with

sandbag firing positions. Everyone was on edge. For 10 months, the

regime's forces have been cracking down hard on Friday protests. This

commander said he had been a general in the Syrian government

forces. A man interrupted to praise the Free Syria Army. Then,

something nobody wanted to hear. Security are coming? Don't be

afraid, said the general, our resistance is strong. Some of them

got ready to fight. Stay with me, said the general, don't be afraid.

Sentries were sending in information by phone. They all

seemed to know what was happening. They went into their positions and

others moved to deeper into the suburb, where the funeral had

It had felt as if every man in the suburb was there.

A big send-off for a man who was killed by the security forces.

Across Syria, funerals are focus for opposition. They chanted, "oh,

God, you're all we have. We are your men". This is another section

of the suburbs of Damascus which has slipped out of the control of

President Assad. The only way he can enforce his authority is by

sending in his men and by using their guns and bullets. And for a

moment, that is what we thought was about to happen. It shows the

tension, even with the Free Syria Army close by. It was time for us

to go. He warned about snipers. Getting out was not easy. The Free

Syria Army controller a surprisingly big area, but it was

surrounded. All this does not mean that the president is about to fall.

He has his own strong support and lethal weapons, but the regime's

forces cannot be everywhere at once and the power of the opposition is

growing. Those dramatic scenes were from

Damascus. The head of the un's atomic agency

is urging Iran to engage constructively with a team of

inspectors heading to Tehran this weekend. A report by the

International Atomic Energy Agency in November has reinforced

suspicions that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, despite its

repeated denials. The IAEA chief, Yukiya Amano, said efforts to

verify whether Iran's nuclear activities Arfon on a military

purposes had been hampered by a lack of co-operation. Talks on

around's nuclear ambitions broke Darin Turkey one year ago. The

Iranian President, Mahmood Ahmadinejad, insists Tehran is not

budget negotiations and is ready for talks with world powers. But

several other countries are still waiting for Tehran took reply to a

letter sent by the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine

Ashton, in October, calling for any discussions. The EU imposed its

harsher sanctions yet on Iran this week, including an oil embargo and

freezing of its central bank assets. Britain, France and the US also

recently sailed warships through the Strait of Hall news, a key

supply route which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close. And

today, the Israeli Defence Minister called for even tougher sanctions

to stop the run from reaching the point where a military strike could

not prevent it from having nuclear weapons.

I have been talking to the head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, at the

World Economic Forum en Davos. Does he believe the later sanctions by

the EU will have the desired effect of making Iran return to the

negotiating table? -- latest sanctions. In my view, engaging

with the IAEA will clarify the outstanding issue and it should be

in the interests of Iran itself. And do you believe that Iran has

declared everything in respect of its nuclear programme? You had

these inspectors going to Tehran to start their work. -- you have.

is a problem. Iran has declared a good number of facilities and they

are under the IAEA Safe Guard, and we can verify that they stay in

peaceful purposes. The problem is that we are not sure whether Iran

has declared everything and therefore we cannot give assurances

that everything is for a peaceful purpose. Do you personally believe,

Yukiya Amano, that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb? We have

chosen our words very carefully. We do not say that Iran has nuclear

weapons. We do not say that Iran has made a decision to develop

nuclear weapons. What we said to is that we have the information that

indicates that Iran engaged in activities relevant to the

development of nuclear explosive devices, and the information is

credible. Therefore, we would like to clarify these issues. The EU has

imposed its toughest sanctions yet. Do you believe that the United

Nations is going to also route follows suit and ask for a total

oil embargoes and a frieze of all central bank assets? Do you think

Japan will follow suit? Is that what you are pushing for? As we are

not working in the sanction of fields, we are working in the area

of a verification. It is difficult. In my view, the IAEA has a role to

play and countries have a role to play, the UN has a role to play and

everyone needs to work in it their own fields and with a combination

of efforts, we hope that we can make progress. Israel is one

country that is very worried about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The

Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, has said he is content to see the world

in the driving seat in terms of getting a diplomatic resolution but

he said he would never turn down the option of using force against

Iran unilaterally. A my response to that is that we have to solve this

issue through dialogue. By dialogue, I mean that Iran has to tell us

everything. I have identified the areas where Iran needs to engage

with us. Iran has a case to answer. What do you say to the Israelis?

You have met Ehud Barak in Davos, who says that balls is not going to

be taken off the table. Barack Obama also said similar things.

What do you say? I am doing everything possible in my power to

solve this issue of in a peaceful manner. I believe that Israel

appreciates that the IAEA is to starting its responsibility. By the

way, I believe that all the countries support activities to

verify the nuclear activities of Iran. The head of the UN's atomic

agency, the IAEA, talking to me from Davos.

Coil is a commodity that is often seen as a curse and a blessing. It

is hard to know which way it will go at the moment for South Sudan.

When the country became independent six months ago, and neighbouring

Sudan lost most of its oil wealth because the most of the fields were

in the South. The dispute is escalating over the revenues are

linked to the oil pipelines that run through Sudan. The presidents

of the two countries failed to reach agreement during mediation

talks in Addis Ababa today. This stand-off is already being

called the oil war. Last week, South Sudan announced it was

stopping its oil production after accusing Sudan of stealing its oil.

Saddam had started confiscating South Sudan's most precious

resource when both sides were unable to agree how much the new

country should pay in transit fees. -- Sudan or had it started. Issues

like the borders, citizenship and others were unresolved. About

three-quarters of the oil fields in South Sudan are under dispute. But

as a landlocked country, South Sudan relies on Saddam for the

pipelines. The dispute about the transit fees continued attention

group. Hearing Khartoum, they know that Sudan's economy needs that

money. -- here in at Khartoum. Euphoria of Independence Day

celebrations didn't last long. South Saddam's decision to shut all

production down as Gail -- gained support throughout the country but

there are tough economic times ahead. During the long years of war,

south Sudanese people managed without oil revenues and they could

tear it again. That is the gist of President Salva Kiir's message.

Others fear that if there is no agreement over or oil, Sudan and

South Sudan could drift into another conflict.

Let's take a look at some of the other news. The President of France,

Nicolas Sarkozy, has announced French combat troops will leave

Afghanistan at the end of 2013. He also said French soldiers in

Afghanistan will resume their training mission from Saturday.

Last week, four French troops in Officials in Iraq say at least 32

people have died after a blast near Bureau procession in a mainly Shia

area of Baghdad. They say be blast was caused by a suicide bomber

driving a car laden with explosives. -- near a funeral procession.

The Olympic Village in London has been handed over by the organisers

of the 2012 games exactly six months before the opening ceremony.

The apartments will cater for 16,000 athletes and officials from

200 countries. Spain now has the highest

unemployment rate in the developed world. The latest figures show that

5.3 million people are without a job, nearly 23% of the workforce.

That is more than twice the average unemployment rate in the eurozone.

They wait for work in a suburb in southern Madrid. These men moved to

Spain and used to work here in the construction industry. Now, only

the odd day's work is available. Many others are waiting outside

Jobcentres. Two weeks ago we saw these people queuing outside

because all the seats inside were taken. This man is a photographer,

who lost his job just a few days previously. He told us things were

getting worse, and he does not know when Spain will start creating more

jobs. Nearly one in four of those looking for work in Spain do not

have a job. For young people, that figure is nearly one in two. It is

a massive problem for the relatively new government. Since

then leader took power at the end of last year he has announced a

significant public spending cuts to rein in the country's debt. He will

soon announce Labour reforms, to make it easier to hire and fire.

For the government here, unemployment is a double-edged

sword. It gets less money through income tax and pays out more in

benefits. It also means that people here in Spain have less money to

spend, so growth is drying up, and Spain is all but technically in a

recession. At the World economic Forum in Davos, awards are made in

recognition of achievements from all walks of life, and the Crystal

Award is given to artists who have used their art to improve the state

of the world, as the prize says. One winner this year is the South

Africans singer Yvonna Chaka Chaka, known by some as the Princess of

Africa. She's the first African woman to get this prize. In her

speech, she said that growing up in South Africa under apartheid had

told her that giving people the dignity was vital to building

fairer society is, which are critical to building a safe and

secure world. She treated her audience to a song.

# This is the power of Africa. # Let all the people unite.

# From north to self, just feel the power of Africa. Let's speak to

Yvonna Chaka Chaka now. Rain, congratulations. It must have been

difficult to perform in those circumstances. Yes. You said in

your speech that a fairer society is what you're after, when you look

at South Africa, it is really not doing very well on that score, is

it, with the allegations of corruption and everything? Well,

thank you very much for having me. I want to say, I'm lucky to be a

South African, particularly a woman. I think we have got a great

Minister of Health, a doctor by profession, who understands all the

problems that people are having, and I think we need to give him the

thumbs-up. Just looking at what's going on in the rest of the

continent, you hear about young people saying, we want jobs, we

want to have a share of the wealth, you see that in Nigeria, surely

that is something you must be pushing for? You know, for me,

being an ambassador, I have seen so many faces and places, it is 10

years and we have seen change in that time. When I started as a

goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, a child was dying from malaria every

30 seconds. Now, we can proudly say it is every 45 seconds. But I want

to see the time when we say every sat back, or maybe just one each

day. It is important that people are given medication. Malaria is

treatable and curable, and I still do not understand why people should

be dying from it. Especially women and children, they're the most

vulnerable. But I would like to think all those people, the British

Government, the malaria Project, everybody supporting us, we need to

be supported, we need funding, so that those people should not die.

Now is not the time to put the brakes on. You're concerned about

young people, as you say, do you feel the continent is failing its

young people? For me, young people are our future, we need to engage

them now, we need to give them skills and jobs, so they can be

better citizens. If that is not done right now, we will be judged

by the very same people. I want to say to present governments in

Africa, we need you to invest in your people, above all, you need to

educate them and give them the skills to become better citizens.

It may be possible to detect autism at a much earlier age than had been

thought, according to an international team of researchers.

They identified differences in the brain waves of infants from as

early as six months. Autism charities said identifying the

disorder at an earlier stage could help. This is how you test the

brain patterns of babies. This youngster is eight Mum sold and

developing normally. These electrodes will painlessly pick up

his responses. There was a big difference in his brain activity

between the periods when the faces on the screen were looking straight

towards him, compared to when they looked away. This suggests normal

social interaction. 100 would -- 100 babies were tested in total,

and with some of those who later developed autism, there was little

difference in brain patterns. showing us something we did not

know before, about these differences being identified at six

months. Nobody wants to read too much into this small study. The

test predicted autism correctly some of the time, but it also got

it wrong several times as well. The prospect of diagnosing autism in

its infancy is hugely attractive, because the earlier it is spotted

and support begins, the better the outcome for children. But this

research is really in the very early stages, and the test will

need to be a lot more accurate before it can be used routinely.

This nine-year-old seem to develop normally until about 18 months, but

then his speech stopped. His mother says, as with any health condition,

early diagnosis is vital. He went from a child who was very sociable,

interactive, responding to his name, talking a few words, to none of the

above. Perhaps if we had known at six months, which is what this

study might suggest, we could have done something even earlier. A lot

more babies are going to be studied in a wider trial at Birkbeck

College in London, a move which has been welcomed by autism charities.

Now, the Kronos Quartet is one of the most renowned exponents of

contemporary music in the world. They're beginning their residency

in London. They will be performing a musical meditation on 9/11. They

will also be performing a world premiere by the Ukrainian composer

of Valentin silvestrov. We got exclusive access to the first

rehearsal. It is the first time the musicians have seen the music.

Valentin Silvestrov And the Kronos Quartet are rehearsing a world

premiere. The composer was surprisingly slow to accept the

offer. TRANSLATION: I never usually right

when I am offered a commission. A long time ago, in the Soviet days,

I was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to write a piece

glorifying a party congress. I told them I would love to, but I was

busy composing a nocturne. This put me off writing commissions for ever.

But the long wait turned out to be worth the while, for Valentin

Silvestrov. It is an astonishing experience to work with him. We do

not have a common verbal language, so we have a translator, and we are

asking questions and getting answers in various language, it is

an incredible experience. The range of Kronos's repertoire is extremely

wide, here playing with the singer Alim Qasimov. From jazz and rock to

the huge variety of ethnic music. For the quartet's leader, however,

these contrasting elements are all parts of one single musical

universe. I cannot wait to wake up every morning and explore. So, for

me, being a musician allows me to explore the world. I think all of

us in the Kronos Quartet feel that. A traditional Iranian lullaby, as

well as music from Iraq, Uzbekistan and other countries, blend together

in to A wakening, a meditation on the anniversary of 9/11, which

culminates with a piece by the American composer Michael Gore.

Given everything that's going on right now in the world, I think

music can actually point directions for the way things might be able to

Before we go, a reminder of the main news. Activists in Syria say

government forces have launched renewed assaults on several cities.

More than 130 people are believed to have been killed in the last 48

hours. The head of the Arab League observer mission says violence has

risen sharply since Tuesday, when the mission's mandate was renewed

for another month. That is all from Tonight, icy roads and widespread

frost, with temperatures down to minus 7 in Scotland. Tomorrow, it

should be a cracking start to the weekend, if you like it bright.

This high pressure will be coming in for the start of the weekend. It

will be cold and frosty. Still some cloud in the south-east of England,

with the odd chance of a shower. A aide change across northern England,

compared to those wintry showers that we have had today. But there

is still the chance of the odd shower across East Anglia and the

south-east. Over the past few days we have had some gusty winds, but

they will be much lighter at the start of the weekend. In Northern

Ireland and the far north-west of Scotland, you will get cloud

increasing the further Lothians you are. Another cold one on Saturday