06/02/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Zeinab Badawi. Syrian forces

launch their heaviest attack yet in Homs. We have a rare report from

our correspondent who's entered the city and witnessed the shelling

that's killing innocent civilians. We are hearing an impact every few

seconds, and in reply, you can also hear some Kalashnikov fire. It is a

pretty futile gesture. SCREENING. The pleas for outside help suffer a

setback after Russia and China block a UN resolution. Britain's

foreign secretary condemns their vetoes. These are the tears Arab

betrayal of the Syrian people and they have let down the Arab League

and have let down the people. Palestinian rivals Hamas and Fatah

agree to set up a joint interim government. Can it end the deadlock

between the two sides and what does it mean for the peace process?

Also coming up in the programme: An anniversary celebration fit for a

queen. 60 years to the day since she took the throne, Elizabeth II

renews her vow to serve her people. One of the world's most popular

writers - we ask why Charles Dickens remains such a superstar of

Welcome. The Syrian city of Homs has been at the epicentre of

opposition to President Bashar Al- Assad, so it is little surprise it

is under heavy attack from government forces. Hundreds of

shells and mortars have been fired into populated areas. Paul Wood has

managed to enter Homs and people they have told him it is the worst

bombardment they have experienced in the 11 month conflict. This

report contains very distressing images.

Daybreak in Homs. The artillery fire was just beginning. Dazed, he

steered gently to safety. In this part of the city, it is the worst

they have endured. God is great, he shouts, in defiance. The shelling

is constant and we can hear impact every few seconds. In reply, you

can hear a bit of Kalashnikov fire. It is a futile gesture. GUNFIRE.

Eyewitnesses say at clinic was hit and they filmed the injured been

moved. Over several days of this, most of the casualties have been

civilians. The houses do not have basements, so there is no where to

hide. Where is the Arab League, she shouts. This woman's son is badly

wounded. Give us guns, she screams! We cannot defend ourselves. In the

midst of all of this, most hide their faces, saying there is no

telling what the regime will do. They had their hopes in the UN, we

want is the Arab League to devour a situation to the UN so they could

help us, now they have abandoned us. He will help us now? This man died

attacking a government sniper position yesterday. The regime says

that the violence is caused by the fighters of the free Syrian army.

No, says the rebel commander here, everything that they do is to

defend people. The regime cannot get to us, so it retaliate against

civilians instead. There certainly paying the price. The shroud is for

a seven-year-old girl. They carefully write her name. Like all

of the dead here, she must be buried in darkness. It is too

dangerous in the daytime. There is no family, no prayers, little

dignity. They have to hurry, even now, they are attacked. There will

be many more such desperate and lonely burials.

United States has announced it has closed its embassy in Damascus and

in Britain, the foreign secretary said he would intensify efforts to

build an international coalition to ensure a peaceful solution to the

crisis. He strongly criticise Russia and China for their decision

to veto a UN Security Council decision on Syria. We regard this

as a grave error of judgment by China and Russia. There is no need

to mince words about this, Russia and China have twice vetoed

reasonable and necessary UN action by the Security Council. These are

betrayal of the Syrian people and and applying them they have let

down the Arab League and increase the likelihood of what they wish to

avoid in Syria, civil war. They are on the wrong side of Arab and

international opinion. The foreign secretary, William Hague, and we

hope to get reaction to the news from Syria and little later in the

programme, but first, some of the other news in brief and in the last

hour, it was announced that Romania's President has asked the

head of foreign intelligence to form a new government. This follows

the decision of the Emil Boc to resign as Prime Minister to date.

He said he wanted to defuse political and social tension after

weeks a protest against his centre- right government on his drastic

austerity measures. Much of Europe is still suffering

under freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall. The number of

people at dying has run into hundreds. In the Ukraine, the

thermometer has hit minus 33 degrees Celsius. More than 130

people have died in the Ukraine. The former First Minister of

Northern Ireland Reverend Ian Paisley has been admitted to

hospital. The 85-year-old was taken ill yesterday but his condition is

not yet known. He was the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party are

almost 40 years. A local military official in the

Philippines has more than 40 people were killed by an earthquake. The

6.7 magnitude quake shook a central province on Monday morning.

We can return to our main story, the events in Syria, we showed you

that report by Paul Wood from the opposition stronghold of Homs Verde

there is very heavy shelling. The residents have told us it is the

heaviest shelling they have experienced in 11 months of

conflict. We are joined by a Ausama Monajed, an adviser to be chairman

of the opposition National Council and he is joining us now, so the

fact that China and Russia have vetoed this resolution on Syria,

what is the impact of this going to be on the ground? People suggested

would be the fighting on both sides getting worse. It is indeed, it is

a very, sad day when Russia and China have decided to take sides

with a killing regime. They are committing atrocities against the

people. This is just leaving the population, the revolutionaries and

the opposition, it leads them to believe there is no hope in the

international community and the only way is to bring down this

regime by arming the opposition and fighting the regime's forces. We

have confirmed information and intelligence that the regime is

preparing for recorder needed a military attack on the city of Homs.

The reason why, it has become a symbol of the military uprising in

Syria and snout if they managed to crack it, it is going to have a

dramatic effect on the people. Those armed opposition groups, Euro

information is that they are going to step up their fight against the

police? Yes, the weaponry, the support and the logistical support

is now pouring into the country. Different groups are mushrooming

and also, all around the country. Unfortunately Russia and China,

their veto on the UN Security Council resolution put an end to

any diplomatic or political solution for the conflict in Syria,

and that is why everyone is getting ready for the big fight.

British foreign secretary and the Americans are trying to find a

coalition of the willing to still get a peaceful resolution, the

Russian foreign minister visits Damascus on Tuesday, is there a

possibility, yet, that a rabbit could be pulled out of the hat by

either party to find a negotiation between the two sides? The Russians

are not in favour of asking Bashar Al-Assad to step down or finding

any solution or reaching any solution read this regime is no

longer in power. This regime is securing lots of arms deals with

Russia and Russia, have they lost this current regime in this area,

there will be a dramatic impact on the influence in the Arab world and

in the region and they realise this. Unfortunately, they are taking the

wrong decision, the wrong historic decision by a signing with the

people. -- by not siding with the people. The attitude to what they

have done, it is not only disappointment but also anger. That

has made our work in the Syrian National Council very difficult in

finding any negotiations in the regime, and the only way forward

from that is the armed resistance. One file point, very quickly, the

longer this conflict goes on, the longer they do not find a solution

for this, the more dramatic and more problematic for every one it

would be to deal with the aftermath when Bashar Al-Assad collapses.

Thank you. Four months, but two main

Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have tried to forge a united

party. They now agree that the Fatah leader, President Abbas will

organise elections in the West Bank and Gaza. Fatah has control the

West Bank whereas Hamas was controlled Gaza since they fell out

in 2007. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu has said that President

Abbas would abandon the way of peace if he abandons the deal.

Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah leader, the Palestinian President and now,

the Prime Minister also. After talks with Hamas chief hosted by a

Qatar, Mr Abbas decided to lead dementia and unity government for

the West Bank and Gaza. TRANSLATION: We did not sign this

agreement for the sake of signing. We want to implement what is

related to the elections, the Government, the internal

circulation and any aspect. And this with all the hurdles we have

been surrounded by. We are serious about mending the old wounds and

closing the chapters of division in order to achieve reconciliation on

the ground. Palestinians have been crying out for political

reconciliation four years. But the division between Fatah and Hamas

has been bitter and sometimes violent. One year after a mosque

macro won the elections in 2006, fierce fighting erupted. -- after

Hamas won the elections. Mr Abbas says he wants this to change, with

long overdue elections being held later this year. He is really have

fall-back choice as Prime Minister. The two sides failed to agree on

any alternative names. There remains the major differences in

policy between Fatah and her mosque macro, not least, had to deal with

Israel of which rejected the deal. -- and Hamas. Hamas strives to

destroy the state of Israel and is supported by Iran. I have said many

times in the past that the Palestinian Authority must decide

between a packed with Hamas and peace in Israel. Hamas and peace to

not go together. After decades of failed talks with Israel, President

Abbas is increasingly frustrated with US efforts to mediate and

Middle-East peace deal. For now, peace between Palestinians seems to

be his priority. We can get a response from Israel

on this, Danny Rubenstein is a political analyst and joins us from

to ruler than -- from Jerusalem. Why should Israel opposed this

unity government? From the Israeli point of view, Hamas is a terrorist

organisation as they had been from the outset. The problem is, how

mosque macro belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood, and this is a sort of

triumph from Morocco in the West. - - Hamas belongs. I do not think

that Israel have any choice. We do not deal with Hamas because it is a

terrorist organisation and we deal with Mahmoud Abbas, he is not only

the Prime Minister, he is the head of the PLO and from a formal point

of view, are negotiations is not with the Palestinian government, it

is with the PLO. We have to have an option to continue in negotiations

or what is left from the negotiations with the PLO and not

the Palestinian government. said Hamas is a terrorist

organisation and it is recognised by Israel and the European Union,

but the Muslim brother read in Egypt is not, even though they have

an alliance, I want to clarify that. How will Israel respond? In the

past it has without taxes from the Palestinian Authority if they do

not abandon this deal which it Israel will back off. They will

make a concession here. Israel will say, we continue with Mahmoud Abbas

because we know quite well that this reconciliation, up till now,

is more symbolic. It doesn't have any practical steps. They're still

in trouble and they're still, they cannot agree about the same

political issues. They cannot agree even about distribution the

newspaper from Gaza in the West Bank and from the West Bank in Gaza.

They didn't release prisoners. They didn't issue passports in Ramallah

for people in Gaza. From practical point of view, the unification or

the reconciliation doesn't work up till now. So, it can be... Does

that suit your purpose? No, I think that Israel will continue, there's

no negotiation any way. We can try to think about this and about that

and about this option or that option from practical point of view,

we don't have negotiation today with the not with Hamas, we don't

have negotiation with PLO. So it's not a practical question for us. We

can continue, Israel can continue and the government can continue

with its rejection of the Palestinian demand to freeze the

settlement activity and so on. Thanks very much indeed for joining

us live from Jerusalem. Now it's 60 years ago that Princess

Elizabeth became Queen of the United Kingdom and head of the

Commonwealth. She was visiting Kenya on February 6, 1952 when she

was told the news that her father George VI had died. To mark her

Diamond Jubilee events will be held. Today it was a quiet advise toit

Norfolk in the east of England. She has recommitted herself to

serve, renewing the pledges she made at the time of her accession.

In a Diamond Jubilee message the Queen says she's deeply moved by

the messages of support she received as she marks her 60th

anniversary of coming to the throne. At King's Lynn Town Hall, where

photographs of previous visits are on display, the mayor delivered a

loyal address and spoke for many. The 60 years Your Majesty has given

exemplary service to the people of this country and the Commonwealth.

60 years ago this morning, the nation had been stunned when the

BBC interrupted its programmes to announce the death of the Queen's

father King George VI. This is London. It was announced from

Sandringham at 10.45 today, February 6, 1952, that the king,

who retired to rest last night in his usual health, passed peacefully

away in his sleep earlier this morning. It's hard now fully to

appreciate the impact the death of Britain's wartime king had on the

country. Alisdair Donald Campbell was ten. He was at school. A

Frenchman, veteran of Word War I was taking a French class. Halfway

through that class, one of the other staff came in and whispered

something into the teacher's ear. Suddenly, we were conscious that

this grown man sitting in front of us was crying. For a child of our

generation and in the 1950s, you didn't often see grown men

especially in public expressing emotion of that kind. He recovered

himself. He slowly walked to the chalk board and wrote the words

"(in French) that's how I learned of his death. The new Queen

Elizabeth was in Kenya at the time of her father's death and just 25

years old. She returned to London to be greeted by Prime Minister

Winston Churchill and his Cabinet. At her accession Council she

pledged to continue the work of her beloved father and to serve Britain

and the other countries of which she is monarch. This morning on her

last few days in Norfolk, before returning to back ham Palace, she

was receiving the first of the thousands of greetings which will

convey the country's thanks for 60 years of service. Kate Williams is

a royal historian and she joins me now. Even those people who don't

count themselves as ardent royalists would have to accept the

Queen has done a good job. Yes, I think even those people who aren't

ar dents royalists, even republicans have o to say she was

thrust into the limelight at 25 and she has done an incredible job. 85

and still going strong. Britain collapsed yesterday, no flights,

the roads were barely running, the Queen was still on her walk about.

She's keeping going. Do you think she adapted to the -- with the

times. There were criticisms during the times of the death of Princess

Diana who epitomised a more modern touch of the Royal Family, more in

keeping with the times. You're absolutely right. Things have had

to change very much. So the Queen's always felt if you just carry on

with your routine, that's the way you'll get over the problems in

life. That wasn't what the nation or the world wanted when Diana died.

The coolness, the stiff upper lip was a disaster. The Queen had to

rethink a lot of her relationships with the public and the Palace PR

machine had to change. We wanted to see a different type of monarchy,

more in touch with us and much less flamboyant in spending. Her father

was very enthusiastic about the Commonwealth. He was regarded as

one of those people who was instrumental in expanding it to the

current 54 members today. Rumblings of republicanism in some countries,

how has she done there? The Queen has seen her self-as the Queen of

the Commonwealth. She's our greatest toured monarch. She has

toured all over the Commonwealth. It's very close to her heart. In

the Queen's speech at Christmas there's a lot about the

Commonwealth. Things are changing. We have seen big changes in Jamaica,

rumbles in Australia and I think we'll see big changes in Charles's

reign. At the moment it's co-heerd under the Queen. She creates such

affection in the people of the world.

Thank you. Now, the British author Charles

Dickens is one of the most popular writers in the history of

literature, a man described as the first great media celebrity. On

Tuesday ceremonies will be held to recognise his achievements. Robert

Hall has been finding out what it is about Charles Dickens' work that

keeps him alive in our imaginations for so long.

A Christmas Carol. A ghost story of Christmas. On a rainy night in the

Manchester suburbs, a familiar story is unfolding. Like so many

before them, The Chorlton Players are telling a seasonal tale from

another century. He's a natural story teller. He saw things that

other people hadn't seen yet. I suppose he was ahead of his time,

the poverty and the conditions and just told the story really well.

What I like is about the bankers being very rich, the poor being

very poor and I like that sort of parallel with today's society as

well. Charles Dickens book were drama tiesed almost as soon as he

finished them. Today's biographers agree that the journey from page to

stage made Dickens a Victorian superstar. What was that clanking

noise? One biographer has played his own part in bringing Dickens to

a wider audience. Whfrpblgts he was writing his books, he used to leap

up and look in the mirror and check the expression on his face and

report it and write it down. Because it was a performance for

him. He was being those characters in exactly the same as an actor

does. Charles Dickens didn't live to see his characters make it into

the movies. A season of screenings by the British Film Institute

includes the earliest version of A Christmas Carol made in 1901 and

Great Expectations completed eight years later. Charles Dickens' fame

was still spreading. He was a rock star. He was a rock star. He was

the most famous man in the world. He travelled the world. Crowds

flooded to him. He made millions of pounds in modern day money. He was

the first great media celebrity. The more you look at him, the more

you realise why he's still exciting and why people are still interested

in him. Interested and inspired. These are the children of

Manchester's All Saints Primary, tapping into Dickens for a sense of

history and a spur to their own imagination. When you read his

books you're like, say you stop at a certain part, you want to read

more and you don't want to stop. They're more dramatic and they have

twists in them. They're good, yeah really good. Another vote of

approval for a journalist, author aspiring actor and campaigner for

the disadvantaged. The road of discovery that Charles Dickens led

us down remains well travelled. Charles Dickens there still

enthralling people young and old. Now we have been getting reports

coming in while we've been on air of a series of blasts in northern

Nigeria. Witnesses say they took place at a marketplace in the city,

the base of the militant group there. There are reports gunmen

have attacked a police station also in the north. There at least 185

people were killed last month in that series of bomb attacks carried

out by the same group. Let's remind you of the top story: There has

been a another massive onslaught by the Syrian Army on Homs with shells

and mortars fired into populated areas through the day. They have

told our correspondent that it is the worst bombardment since the

uprising began almost a year ago. That is all from World News Today.

Hello there. More cold weather to come this week, as we look to

tomorrow's forecast. A chilly start, widespread frost and that brings

with it the risk of ice across many parts of the country. We're still

holding onto this area of high pressure. It's moving in once again

from northern Europe. Weather fronts are being kept out at the

west. That's giving a contrast in our weather, because certainly

through Monday it's not as cold in the west. We've had cloud. And

through Tuesday we keep cloudier skies. A bit of sunshine elsewhere,

after a rather slow start to the day in the east. We'll see brighter

weather for the afternoon, but temperatures still struggling, just

above freezing across East Anglia and the south-east corner. We'll

continue with our slow thaw of the lying snow. Out towards the west,

we see broken cloud aacross -- across Devon and Cornwall. We'll

see more sunshine too. West Wales with brighter skies. Through the

West Midlands we may see a bit of thicker cloud. Don't be surprised

if there's the odd spot of snow, just coming out of that thicker

cloud. For Northern Ireland it's cloudy for the afternoon,

temperatures at seven degrees. A foggy start to the day, but much of

that through the central low lands should clear. Yet again Scotland