05/03/2012 BBC News at Ten

Tonight an ten: The mounting evidence of atrocities in the

Syrian city of Homs. Civilians flee under cover of darkness with

harrowing accounts of killings carried out by the regime's forces.

The Red Cross is still being denied full access. We have a special

report on those seeking shelter. These kids have got a night in a

house with no heat or electricity. More than that, they're wondering

what has happened to their father. We'll have the latest on the

diplomatic efforts to make a difference.

Also tonight, plans to rethink the child benefit changes for higher

rate taxpayers to iron out the problems.

You could have two families where both parents work and they're

earning about �40,000 a year, they'll still get this benefit. But

we won't get anything. Toasting is -- Vladimir Putin tells

Russians his victory is fair. Many protest in Moscow as

international monitors say the election was flawed.

For them, you're the Great Satan, we're the little satan. Us and them

Israel and America make common cause on the issue of Iran's

nuclear programme. And at 22 he's the world's number

one golfer. We report on the dazzling success of Rory McIlroy.

Coming up in Sportsday on the BBC News Channel: The latest on Chelsea

as a former manager criticised -- criticises the regime saying it's

Good evening. People who've escaped from the Syrian city of Homs have

told the BBC of atrocities being committed by the security forces,

including the slaughter of dozens of men and boys. The Red Cross is

still being refused access to all areas and key districts are now

said to be under control of the Syrian Army. Our correspondent Paul

Wood and cameraman Fred Scott have been speaking to survivors on the

On a road out of Homs, just part of the exodus from Baba Amr. They

endured weeks of bombardment, then fled panicked before troops arrived.

We're homeless, she shouts, why? Because we asked for freedom?

People are terrified of what government forces will do now. This

group walked for three days to avoid the soldiers. Here's why:

Whoever is taken at a checkpoint will be killed, he says. They took

our husbands, she cries. They took them at the checkpoint. Everyone

shares the same fear that their husbands are not coming back. For

now they're on their own with nothing. It's absolutely freezing

here and these kids have got a night in a house with no heat and

no electricity. More than that, they're wondering what on earth has

happened to their fatherment -- father. This family say they

witnessed a massacre. On Friday, troops took 36 men and boys from

one district, they say. They killed them all. She shows me how her

son's throat was cut. He was 12. The soldiers held people down with

their boots, says her husband. They killed them like this.

Their hands were tied, hiding 50 metres away, he could hear their

screams. I begged my father not to open the

door, she says. He said "Why, I haven't done anything." I saw them

pushing him to the ground and killing him.

Four men were taken from her house, she said. Can such horror stories

be true? These men defected from an elite army unit only last week.

They told me that civilians were targeted, prisoners killed. A

Lieutenant gave us the orders, he says, we were told in this

operation - shoot at anything that moves, civilian or military, you

shoot at it. This soldier saw an old man arrested. An officer put a

gun to his head, he says. The officer said "This is for freedom."

He shot him. He hadn't done anything.

The people of Baba Amr say they are victims of a crime. The outside

world will want proof. Briefly, they defied the regime. Now they

are scattered, their upridesing -- uprising crushed. There is

international outrage, but no agreement about how to bring this

to an end. Our diplomatic correspondent James

Robbins is with me. Now that we have this latest evidence, is there

any suggestion tonight that the diplomatic efforts are going to

change in a meaningful way? It's clear there is a new diplomatic

pressure under way this week. Look, President Assad says consistently

in answer to all these allegations that the violence, the violence in

Homs in particular, was caused entirely by what the regime calls

armed terrorists. Equally, most of the Arab world, the outside world,

rejects that characterisation. It's interesting that this evening, this

week, the United Kingdom, United States, France, as three key

members of the Security Council are going to make another effort to get

a resolution through the Security Council. They want a resolution

passed finally. This time they're focusing particularly on calling

for an end to violence, but crucially, calling for open access

for all humanitarian aid to all areas of Syria, that would include

Homs and particularly Baba Amr, where the Red Cross have been

denied full access. Why is this significant? I think particularly

it's significant because of the Russian elections which have just

passed. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has been talking to

Vladimir Putin this evening on the telephone. Noting that he is the

President Elect without congratulating him. They did,

according to Downing Street, actively discuss Syria and the need

for international action, as Downing Street put it. That's

clearly a dig at the Russians saying you've got to get on side.

There's hints from you that you are willing to abandon some support for

President Assad, now you're going to be under test. Kofi Annan will

be in Damascus at the end of the week to try and drive this forward.

I have to say, there's no evidence of President Assad and his regime

changing course. So far violence has served them really well, just

as it served the first President Assad well. He relied on

overwhelming violence to crush opposition. It looks like father

like son. Thank you very much. Ministers are looking at changing

plans for scrapping child benefit for thousands of higher rate

taxpayers. The current proposal would see families with one parent

earning around �43,000 a year losing the benefit. While a couple

earning �40,000 each would keep it. Nick Clegg said there were

'anomalies' which needed to be tackled, as our political editor

Nick Robinson reports. For years it's been a simple as A, B, C, you

can claim child benefit whatever you earn, whatever age your

children. But that is about to change. The Russell family have

been doing their home work. They're set to lose almost �2,500 a year,

if the Chancellor sticks to his plans to cut child benefit for the

better off. Andrew works in IT and is a higher rate taxpayer. Debbie

works hard, but she's not earning. It will affect myself and my family

significantly, because I'm a sole wage earner. I have three children.

My wife doesn't work. But I'm earning over the 40% threshold, but

I believe I'm going to be adversely cut from these changes that will go

through. The Government have argued that it's fair, that anyone paying

tax at 40%, that's earning over �42,475 a year, should lose their

child benefit. What's unfair, say some, is that a couple with two

parents working, earning say �40,000 each, would keep the

benefit, as both are basic rate taxpayers. The Prime Minister has

looked over what he calls the cliff edge, created by taking child

benefit away from better off taxpayers. He doesn't much like

what he's seen. Stay at home mothers, with people earning around

�43,000 complaining that a Conservative Government is taking

thousands of pounds away from them. That's why here at the Treasury,

they're desperately looking for a solution. There is an issue about

the cliff edge. You have one earning family who wouldn't get

child benefit under that senarkpwro, but another with two earners would.

George Osborne and the Prime Minister have said that's something

we will look at. Ministers aren't about to do a full U-turn, but they

could increase to say �50,000 the amount you can earn before you lose

child benefit or make a smaller cut for families with only one earner,

or keep it for all children, but only up to the age of five.

All, of course, costs money. It is a long time since the Chancellor

first announced a policy which is causing him a political headache

now. We've got to be tough but fair. That's why we will withdraw child

benefit from households with a higher rate taxpayer. You might not

expect Tories to applaud what amounts to a tax rise on the better

off. You might expect Labour to, not a bit of it. George Osborne got

this wrong from the beginning. He should change course now. He needs

to do so quickly. What he's proposed is really unfair. He's

going to try to find complicated ways to sort this out. This

unfairness has to be sorted. David Cameron has looked over what he

dubbed the child benefit cliff edge. He's trying now not to fall over it.

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Moscow tonight to

challenge the election of Vladimir Putin in Russia's presidential

content. Mr Putin won 63% in the official poll. But international

monitors say they've discovered irregularities. The Americans have

called on the Russian authorities to investigate all reports of

electoral violations, as our world affairs editor, John Simpson,

reports from Moscow. This report constains flash photography.

The Government promised there would be no crack down tonight. But when

some people in the crowd refused to leave Pushkin Square at the end of

the demonstration, the police moved in in force. In the scrum on the

right here is the emerging leader of the protest movement. He was

marched away by the police. Otherwise, the demonstration had

passed off entirely peacefully. Moscow was the only place in Russia

which didn't give Vladimir Putin 50% or more of the vote in this

election. These people, mostly, but not exclusively, middle class, are

starting to flex their political muscles. "This is just the

beginning, says the man in the familiar mask. This year is going

to be very hot. Before his arrest I asked the

leading figure in the protest if he was worried that people would get

tired of demonstrating. TRANSLATION: There is no question

of that. This isn't just a passion. People are fighting for their

rights. The choice of Pushkin Square for the demonstration was

deliberate. In the 1970s and 1980s, I used to come here to see very

small numbers of dissidents making their protests against the

Communist government. Now, there are tens of thousands of people

here in the square. And here's the kind of thing that's infuriated the

crowds. This man is being accused of organising buses yesterday to

ferry people from one polling station to another to vote again

and again. The man they presumably voted for was celebrating today

with various stars who'd backed his campaign. He's claimed several

times it was open and honest. But I put it to one of his strongest

allies that the result was phony. I mean it's clearly wrong. No, no.

One very simple thing, everybody, even demonstrators know that

Vladimir Putin really most popular figure. But not among tonight's

prisoners. 250 were arrested, though the leader has now been

released. But it's going to be a long, drawn-out battle here.

The Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has told President Obama

that Israel must always remain master of its fate. The two leaders,

whose relationship is often described by observers as cool,

were holding talks at the White House which included their shared

concerns about Iran's nuclear programme. Our North America editor,

Mark Mardell, has more details. The Israeli Prime Minister heading for

the White House, something he's headed -- some think he's headed

for war as well. The American President wants to stop him. They

both know the international atomic watchdog reported today serious

concerns about a military dimension to Iran's nuclear programme. The

two men put on a deliberate display of agreement, but their stress was

very different. President Obama said there was a window of

opportunity for negotiations with Iran. When I say all options are at

the table, I mean it. Having said that, I know that both the Prime

Minister and I prefer to resolve this diplomatically. We understand

the costs of any military action and I want to assure both the

American people and the Israeli people that we are in constant and

close consultation. Binyamin Netanyahu listened intently nodding

from time to time. His emphasis was on the President's acceptance that

Israel had the right to act. Israel must have the ability always to

defend itself by itself against any threat. And that when it comes to

Israel's security, Israel has the right, the sovereign right to make

its own decisions. The atmosphere at their last meeting was much

worse. Awkward, embarrassing, as Netanyahu lectured an uncomfortable

Obama on Israel's history. No-one wanted to repeat that. But there is

a real difference in their approach to Iran. The big divide is over

America and Israel's red lines, what they will not tolerate. Obama

has said Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon. That could be years

away. Israel is apparently worried once it has enough enriched uranium

the programme will be unstoppable. That could happen this year. It is

a huge difference. I think in that respect, Israel is somewhat

isolated in taking that position. Bizarrely, perhaps, I think the

last few weeks have been more about how does one restrain Israel than

American troops are practising for action in somewhere similar to the

straits of horm ooze, but the US military top brass is dead set

against a war in a volatile region. They don't want another Iraq nor

Afghanistan. President Obama is hoping that the

warnings of danger and bluster and the loose talk of war will have hit

home. The last thing he needs is a messy conflict in a difficult

region in election year. Coming up: A childhood dream realised as Rory

McIlroy becomes the world's number one golfer.

The former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, who resigned last

summer, over the phone hacking scandal has been giving evidence

into the Leveson inquiry into press standards. Sir Paul Stephenson

spoke of a deeply un helpful culture of leaks and gossips among

some members of the Met. He had hoped to bring stability to

a force that had been through a difficult period. Sir Paul

Stephenson, apinted the commission ner January, 2009. At that time, he

told the inquiry, that there were a small number of senior officers who

leaked stories to the press. It was galling, he said.

A small number, who on occasions gossiped or leaked, about stories

from within the Met, was unhelpful and added to a continuing dialogue

of disharmony. Sir Paul Stephenson was pressed on why the Met, under

his command, had been reluctant to reopen the inquiry into phone

hacking at News International. The reason he suggested was that the

Met had the wrong mindset at the time.

This very closed mindset, that was defence niv nature, meant we did

not adopt a challenging mindset, the best way to do an inquiry.

That prompted this from Lord Justice Leveson. The defensive

mindset, might be a very, very good example of the nature of the

relationship and the culture between the press and the police?

Do I believe that there was a deliberate attempt to back off

because it was News International? No, I do not, sir.

Sir Paul Stephenson said he never saw the July, 2009 story that

detailed the scale of News International's wrong-doing, but he

did order the Met to carry out a review.

A back of the envelope exercise, according to Lord Justice Leveson,

which decided in a day to do nothing. In July of last year, Sir

Paul Stephenson resigned. He had come under pressure over the hiring

by the Met of a former News of the World deputy, Neil wal ysis. He had

suffered a pro-longed illness, which sapped his health and put on

more pressure. I could not take through the Met

when the Met was going through such an important year with the Olympics.

I had to step down. In coming days four other Met

commissioners are to give their evidence.

Fap -- Christopher Tappin, the retired British businessman,

extradited to the United States on arms dealing charges has been

refused bail by a judge. The wife called the decision an outRaj.

Christopher Tappin denies charges of trying to sell batteries of

surface-to-air missiles to the Iranians. Lord Stevis, the

Conservative MP for Chelmsford for 23 years, he has died. He was a

critic of Margaret Thatcher's economic policies, giving her the

nickname Tina. He was sacked from the government back in 19816789

The pace of economic growth in China is likely to slow this year.

That could lead to popular discontent, according to the

Chinese premiere, Premier Wen Jianbao.

He was opening up the last session of congress under his leadership.

He was said to have talked about doing more to tackle corruption.

At the heart of China's communist state, pressures are mounting.

The party's ranks gathered in Beijing today, to be told that

economic growth is likely to slip, below 8%. It is a level not seen

since 1990. One at which China's leaders fear simmering popular

discontent may rise, so they are pledging efforts to tackle

inequality and corruption. TRANSLATION: We will tackle the

problem of criminals not being prosecuted and the police being

violent and corrupt. We will work harder for a clean government and

to fight corruption, to resolve issues that people are resentful

about. Tan Hong Guan is not just resentful,

he is innocenced. Local communist party bosses are trying to seize

his farmland. Late last year, this is what they did. He sent a -- they

sent a gang of men who assaulted his father and beat his brother too.

TRANSLATION: My father was inside the car. They smashed it, cut his

hands and broke his bones. My brother's spine was fractured.

Where Tan Hong Guan lives is a million people, expanding fast.

China is getting on for 100 cities, expanding at the same size. A brand

new government block is being built opposite Tan Hong Guan's land.

His fear is that the land is earmarked for a new business

district. He was angry, that he started to film the intimidation.

There are tens of thousands of these disputes in China every year,

but few are recorded. Tan Hong Guan went to ask the police why the men

who organised the attack are not facing serious charges, why his

village's Communist Party boss was detained, briefly, then released.

On camera, the policeman says that he knows the party boss paid a

local gangster �2,000 to assault the family, but the case is a minor

one. He said he would go to Beijing to find someone higher up as here

they refuse to solve their problems. Shortly after, Tan Hong Guan was

asked not to leave the town. So, Tan Hong Guan tan never knead here

to Beijing to present his case. China's leaders, says that

corruption threatens the hold on power. When there is so much money

to be made, can a one-party state really police itself? The actor

Philip Madoc has died at the age of 77. He enjoyed a long career on

stage and screen, including a memorable as a captured German in

an episode of Dad's Army. Your name will also gone on the

list. What is it? Don't tell him, Pike. Pike! He played the title

role in the BBC drama, The Life And Times of Lloyd George as well as

appearing in Doctor Who. At 22 years old, Rory McIlroy has become

the world's number one golfer. He is the second younger player in the

history of the game to achieve that position.

One small putt, one huge achievement for the young man from

Northern Ireland. COMMENTATOR: And Rory McIlroy has

finally realised his dream. He is at the top of the world.

Victory at this turnment in Florida put him to number one in the world

rankings. It meant a lot to go out there to

produce the golf that I needed to do to get the job done. It was a

dream of mine to become the world number one or the best player in

the world, whatever you call it. He is the youngest world number one

since Tiger Woods. Even he was shocked by the rise of Rory McIlroy.

I think that Rory McIlroy has had one finish in the last ten starts

or something like that, so that is pretty impressive playing.

At the age of two, he started swinging a club.

And it quickly became clear that he had a special sporting talent.

He played at his local club, Holywood Golf Club, ten minutes

from Belfast. He practised here, every day after school, sometimes

before school as well, but his former teachers say he was not just

good at sport. He was certainly academically able,

but his focus was very much on the golf.

He told his friends that golf was his aim to be the world number one,

now he is. Everybody here loves him, we are so