08/07/2014 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me, Philippa Thomas.

Israel's Defence Minister says it's going to stop Hamas one way or

another - by air or by ground - as the government takes authority

The Israeli military says its air strikes are targeting what

it terms 150 terror sites in Gaza, and that it's shot down a rocket

Can Afghans bridge their political divide?

Abdullah Abdullah claims victory in last month's election,

despite the results giving the lead to his rival.

The Commonwealth Games puts Scottish fashion in the spotlight.

We'll look at the mixed reaction to parade uniforms unveiled

I will be reporting live from Rio where excitement is reaching fever

pitch with just two hours to go until the Brazil-Germany semifinal.

Israel says it is considering all options against militants

in the Gaza Strip, including a possible ground incursion.

Today it's launched air strikes on what it calls 150 terror sites

in Gaza, strikes in which Palestinian officials say at

This is the aftermath of one strike on Gaza city,

where at least six people were said to have been killed.

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded that Israel end

The BBC has reports from both sides of the conflict.

In a moment we'll have a report from James Reynolds in Sderot, but we

Footage filmed by the Israeli military as its strikes target Gaza,

This car was turned to wreckage as Israel hit three Palestinian

It says it wants to stop those behind rocket attacks.

Just a few hours ago, the three men, all Hamas militants, were driving

Now they have been carried into the graveyard.

They were killed in an Israeli air strike.

And just look at the crowds who have turned out to pay to their respects.

With several civilians killed here in southern Gaza,

including children, Hamas leaders swore they'd hit back.

We warned the occupiers against escalation and attacking homes,

At the hospital, ambulances ferry in wounded and doctors worry about how

Within one or two days or three days, I don't know,

But with dozens more rockets fired from Gaza into southern Israel

today, the cycle of violence continues.

Israel is massing its forces on the border with Gaza.

It's called up reserves, and it's determined to stop

I feel that I am not safe where I live, although I know I've got

shelters and all the army around me and everything.

But still, it's scary just to be around the noises

In towns and villages along the border,

Since midnight, more than 90 rockets have hit this country.

This is the headquarters of Israel's southern command.

And if Israel does order a ground offensive into Gaza, that operation

Are you about to order a ground offensive into Gaza?

By one way or another, we are going to stop Hamas.

Either by charging them a heavy price, or by launching any kind of

offensive measures by air, by ground or whatever, in order to stop them.

A ground offensive into Gaza would be its most serious move.

James Reynolds, BBC News, southern Israel.

The Afghan presidential contender Abdullah Abdullah has claimed

victory in the election despite results giving

Mr Abdullah says he received fewer votes than Ashraf Ghani,

Now the US has warned that any attempt to seize power is legally

could lead to Washington cutting off aid. President Obama spoke to

Abdullah Abdullah today and called for calm.

This may look like a victory rally, but no win has been declared yet.

What we have had so far is provisional results that put

Dr Ghani one million votes in the lead.

That has been totally rejected by people here and by Dr Abdullah

But he has resisted calls today to announce a parallel government,

which is what his supporters wanted to do.

He is asking for more time, knowing that by announcing some kind of

provocative act like that, it could throw the country into crisis.

We've already seen a portrait of President Hamid Karzai taken down

and replaced with one of Abdullah himself, and he knows that those

kind of acts here in Afghanistan could be deeply provocative.

Later this week, we are expecting the Secretary of State, John Kerry,

Dr Abdullah told his supporters that the Americans were not here

to take sides, but to try to unravel what he sees as a mess.

At least five people have been killed by an attack by Al-Shabab on

Somalia's presidential palace. Witnesses say they heard explosions

and heavy gunfire. Al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, but

is continuing a campaign of gorilla warfare.

British scientists claim to have made a major breakthrough in

developing a blood test to predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

They claim it has an accuracy of 87%, but other experts have

warned that the test isn't yet ready for doctors' surgeries.

Jill and Dominic have lived with Alzheimer's for more than a decade.

She has been caring for him ever since he was diagnosed. Today's

research breakthrough has come too late for them. They conceive that

some in the future may benefit from early diagnosis.

Some people can go for a test because they want to know what facts

are. But other people, who don't know what the facts are, and then

suddenly find what the facts are, can be very distressed by it.

In this London laboratory, they have devised a simple blood test based on

the presence of certain proteins. The aim is to predict which

patients displaying symptoms like memory loss will succumb to

Alzheimer's, said trials of possible treatments of drugs can be applied

to the right people. For research purposes it is very important,

because it will guide us on current developing drugs and different

pharmaceutical companies would be able to treat these people a lot

earlier, because we want to detect them a lot earlier before they

convert to Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's accounts for about two

thirds of the total number of dementia cases in the UK, 820,000.

The test was trialled on 1100 patients. It predicted with 87%

accuracy which would develop Alzheimer's. This is an important

milestone on the journey towards finding a new treatment which would

delay the onset of Alzheimer's, but while research continues, it may be

a few years yet before the test is widely available to patients

soap will people worried about their brain function be offered a test to

tell whether they could develop Alzheimer's? Because all tests have

what we call a false positive rate, which is where you say that someone

is going to get his condition or a disease and in fact they want, is

certainly wouldn't and shouldn't be available for general screening of

the public yet. More than 40 million people suffer

from dementia around the world. Alzheimer's research has moved

painfully slowly. Now British science has opened up new

possibilities. A bakery in Northern Ireland

which refused to make a cake with a slogan supporting gay marriage

could be taken to court This is

the controversial cake design. It features the Sesame Street

characters Bert and Ernie along with the logo of Belfast-based

campaign group, Queer Space. The bakers' owners, who are

Christian, decided to refuse the order and felt so strongly about it,

they posted this response online. The directors and myself considered

it and looked at it and felt that this was at odds with our beliefs,

and it is in contradiction with what the Bible teaches, and on the

following Monday, we rang up the customer to let them know that we

couldn't take his order. Marriage in Northern Ireland has not been

redefined. It is still defined as being a union between one man and

one woman. Gavin Boyd is a gay rights

campaigner with the Rainbow Project in Northern Ireland, and supported

the discrimination complaint. And Simon Calvert is a spokesman

for the Christian Institute, which has given advice on how to

deal with the case to the bakery. Welcome to you both. Simon, surely

this is a case of outright discrimination? No, because it is

nothing to do with turning away customers, nothing to do with the

sexual orientation of the people who asked for the cake to be produced

for them. It is all to do with the content of the message that these

Christian bakers were required to print. We can all think of

situations where we might be asked to do something which goes so

fundamentally against our core values that we just couldn't do it.

That point was reached for these bakers here, and now we have the

equality can try to force them to endorse same-sex marriage. I think

most people feel that that would be going too far. Davin, it is their

business. Why can we not turn customers away? We already have

clear discrimination laws, this falls under the realm of something

you can't do. You can't pick and choose your customers based on their

sexual orientation. Simon, isn't that the point? The Bible's

teachings can't transcend the law of the land? Gavin has just said that

they are picking and choosing customers based on their sexual

orientation, and as Stix blamed, that wasn't the issue. People come

in and out of the baking shop all day long whatever time of day, and

whatever their background, they get a good service. The issue here was

whether they should be compelled to promote a particular message, and

nobody should be obliged to promote a controversial political message

that they don't agree with. Gavin Boyd, in Northern Ireland, the

assembly has voted down the idea of sanctioning gay marriage several

times. There is a socially conservative weight of public

opinion there. He I wouldn't say that at all. A recent survey by the

belt fast -- Belfast Telegraph showed the majority in favour of gay

marriage. -- same-sex marriage. That is where the UK Government made a

massive mistake on this issue, they is where the UK Government made a

massive mistake on this thought they could deal with it through

devolution, and ultimately what that is created as a system by which

someone from Belfast, I can go and get married in England, and when I

come back home, I'm not married any more. I have moved from one place in

the UK to another, and my relationship has been reclassified

without my consent. That is a fundamental constitutional anomaly

that the UK Government created. How do you answer the charge that it is

fundamentally unfair? I am here to speak about Shows bacon company. --

baking company. They are being threatened for not printing the

message support gay marriage. That is the issue at stake here. I think

most people whether they agree with the Christian bakery company or not,

they will think, let them get on with it, don't force them to promote

a message they don't agree with. The customers in this case went to a

different bakery up the road, got their cake and suffered no loss. But

if the equality commission when their legal action, they will suffer

real loss, loss of conscience and potentially loss of business. There

is a lot at stake for anyone who cares about freedom of conscience.

Gavin Boyd? What happened in this case was that the Baker took money

for a cake, entered into a contract with people, and then the Board of

Directors decided the message was unconscionable, and they wanted to

avoid the contract. It is against the law, it doesn't matter what

their reasons are doing it was. If you enter into a contract to provide

service overcome -- public, you don't get to pick and choose your

customers. Thank you both very much. It is a match worthy of the World

Cup final itself. Tonight, host nations Brazil face Germany in the

first of the semifinals. With the tournament's powder boy Neymar out

for the rest of the tournament, can Brazil still pose enough of a threat

to those resilient Germans? My colleagues Ben Brown in Steve Evans

join me now from Rio de Janeiro and Berlin where they have in soaking up

the atmosphere. Steve, how was it feeling? It's very loud here in

Germany and Berlin. I am on the fan mile, it's going to be full of fans,

some of them already and it's a mile-long and screens all the way

right down. The big screen just up here and already they're shouting

and I am going hoarse. Which fan are you, who are you supporting?

Germany! Why? Because they're the best. Are you absolutely sure

they're going to win tonight? Of course. No doubt? No doubt. OK. Let

me ask you, why do you think they're going to win? I think we are going

to win because Germany have better players and Neymar is not in the

game. There is a big home advantage for Brazil. They're playing at home

and they never lose at home. They never lose at home. But today we

win. We will see. Thank you both very much. So, the atmosphere here

is clearly fabulous, people are gathering. They expect 20,000,

30,000 maybe more here. The rain is coming down, it's raining in the

air. But not in their hearts. Steve, I don't know how much of a voice you

are going to have in a few hours' time, but thank you very much. Ben,

in Rio, we heard Brazil never lose on their home turf but they're

worried, aren't they? They are worried. It's fair to say, by the

way it's been raining here, as well. Although it stopped a short time

ago, I am glad to say. They're worried because they're without

their star man, Neymar, their poster boy, the best player. He is injured

with and they're without De Silva, their captain who is suspended, but

these people on the beach, we can show them to you now, they're

preparing to watch on the big screen there, a little bit damp and chilly,

but they're packing in to that beach waiting to see the game. Maybe some

of them are nervous. In fact, what some have been saying, maybe it's a

reverse psychology, up until now all the pressure has been on Brazil,

they looked like a team with the weight of the nation on their

shoulders, 200 million people expecting them to win this World

Cup. But now, in a sense, there is less pressure on them because they

don't have Neymar and De Silva, in a sense maybe that will help them

because they've less psychologically pressure. People don't expect them

to do so well. People say yes, maybe Germany have the better players.

Maybe this isn't a great Brazil side, not as good as previous sides

down the decades but that pressure is off them. Perhaps they can do

better. That at least is the hope of the fans here. It's an amazing

atmosphere. It's ratcheting up, it's electric. Not long to the game, over

an hour and 40 minutes. Have you one of these, it's a Neymar mask and I

have been hearing thousands of fans are hoping to at least channel his

spirit, even if he is not on the pitch? Exactly. I don't have one

myself, maybe I should go and buy one. I have been down there a few

minutes ago and everyone's wearing the masks, they're also wearing

number ten, his number, all in honour of him. Unfortunately for

Brazil he is not on the pitch. He is one of the spectators today. Ben in

Rio, they'll be obviously hoping they can pull back against

expectations. I haves about been hearing they've a -- I have also

been hearing they've a seem psychologist, is that the norm? A

lot of teams do use them, I think because Brazil felt under so much

pressure and stress with this vast weight of expectation, national

expectation that because they're the home side they would get their 6th

World Cup. They did bring in the psychologist and they've been coming

in for a bit of stick for that, the manager has been coming in for a bit

of stick, but their view is anything that helps, anything that helps the

players, if it helps them win football matches it's a good thing.

Ben in Rio, thank you very much. It's going to be a very exciting

night. Don't forget you can keep across the

World Cup action on our website, including analysis on that critical

match and Brazil's chances without Neymar. You can also join the

conversation on Twitter. A new statue of Mahatma Gandhi is to

be erected outside the The announcement was made in Delhi

by UK Government ministers leading Kasia Madera went to

Parliament Square to see Overlooked by the British Houses of

Parliament, Parliament Square has been the scene of many protests and

demonstrations, so it seems fitting this will be a home it a new stat

true of Gandhi, the father of the world's largest democracy, India --

statue. He will be in some esteemed company, Nelson Mandela, Lincoln,

many British Prime Ministers, including sir Winston Churchill.

It's claimed that Sir Winston wasn't a big Gandhi fan. Gandhi, of course,

led India's non-violent campaign of resistance against British rule and

he was assassinated shortly after India and Pakistan won independence.

The announcement of the statue was made on the site of his

assassination in Delhi. Gandhi is an inspiration to everyone

in the world. I think this statue will also be a monument to the

friendship between Britain and India. The sculptor, Philip Jackson,

has been approached to take on the project. It's hoped that it will be

paid for by sponsors and by public donations and so far reaction from

the public has been pretty positive. I am an Indian, it's a proud moment

for me. He is a great figure and a good idol for a number of people to

follow his ideals. Yeah, particularly the one about

non-violence in today's day and age, that's something that everybody

should look up to. I think that's wonderful. Gandhi was an advocate of

non-violent resistance and an effort to achieve social justice for all.

The aim is to finish the statue by next year to mark the 100th

anniversary when Gandhi left South Africa to go to India and start off

that historic non-violent campaign for independence.

attention, the clothes people wear will always be in the spotlight.

spotlight. So some reaction was inevitable when Scotland, which will

hosting the Commonwealth Games, unveiled its parade uniforms but

that reaction varied from refreshing to, frankly, embarrassing.

embarrassing. However, these are not the first sporting outfits to come

will also be seen at the opening ceremony in Glasgow have been

at the opening ceremony in Glasgow have been criticised as looking

Sochi were designed by Ralph Lauren, but do they look a bit like

Christmas jumpers? So what do you do? Do you just keep

England's 2005 football squad, including Ashley Cole and Jermaine

Do you just keep it simple and black?

Here's Giorgio Armani's official team uniform for England's 2005

football squad, including Ashley Cole and Jermaine Defoe.

The Team Scotland uniforms for the Commonwealth Games were created by

international textile designer Jilli Blackwood, explaining here why she

This is the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. The Scottish

team will be coming out after 70 countries, is it, and they will be

larger than life, as well. Therefore, I just couldn't put the

Scottish team in something that's, you know, that just - that wouldn't

be bold enough. With me is Amber Graafland, fashion

director with the Daily Mirror newspaper. Your reaction to these

outfits? I said it in The Mirror today, I ever a little bit

embarrassed for them and I understand she was presented with a

brief and wanted to design outfits that were very bright and she wanted

them to be noticed, but I think they're going to be noticed for the

wrong reasons. People have already been laughing at them. What does it

say to you? I think it says 1970s, like a pattern you would pick up in

the back of a magazine and how you can make your own Scottish highland

fling outfit. It's not forward looking enough? Original? It looks

very dated, it's original but dated to me. I sometimes think if

something, if you have something like a tartan that's traditional and

that is beautiful, maybe sometimes you can play with it too much. I

don't think the colours work for me and they should have kept it

traditional. That's the difficulty, because the designer was given a

brief, tartan really had to come into it, the Commonwealth Games in

Glasgow. Absolutely but the colours don't work for me. It's the colours

against the material she's used for the spirit and the dress. It's just

not very contemporary. There's nothing fashion about it, nothing

sporty about it. It hasn't come together at all. Have you got any

examples where they have got it right? We showed a few examples, is

your taste more the all in black? We don't talk about successes, if you

like, it's human nature to remember the outfits that didn't work. You

pulled up some fantastic examples before. We do remember the bad ones

and maybe we don't necessarily remember the good ones. Keep it

simple. Especially now when sportswear is so fashionable and

it's all about sportswear, if you look at the high street, I would

have thought it would have been a challenge to get right. She might

have been dammed if she didn't and if she came up with something sober

the word boring would have popped up. No one is going to say that's

boring! It's colourful and dramatic. We know what you think about it, has

overall reaction been it tries too hard? It hasn't been positive

really. It's just too much going on there. Is it also something to do

with the fabric you are given to work with because these are athletes

striding out in the ceremonies? It would have been easy to do something

with a nod to sportswear that would have looked contemporary and good

and what's happened is trying to make something modern and colourful

and something to make a statement. She's made it look dated. Thank you

very much for coming in. We are going to show you pictures from

California that might rather give you the jitters. Spare a thought for

these thrill-seekers, they were stranded when the ride called The

Ninja struck a tree. One of the cars dislodged - this is making me feel

faint even reading it! They managed to free all passengers, four people

suffered minor injuries. Our main news: Israel's defence

Minister says it's going to stop Hamas one way or another by air or

by ground as the Government takes authority to call up 40,000 more

troops. The Israeli Ministry says it's shut down a rocket in the Tel

Aviv area and air raid sirens have been heard in the city. Israel has

launched air strikes on what it calls 150 terror sites in Gaza.

Once again, as was the case on Monday, Tuesday turned out to be a

wet day in some parts of the British Isle. The good news about Wednesday

is that there will be sunshine and