15/09/2013 BBC Weekend News

Military action is still an option if Syria doesn't comply with the

deal to surrender its chemical weapons stockpile. But as the

Americans reiterate the warnings, Syrian Government forces step up an

offensive against rebels in Damascus. Nick Clegg says there

should be no return to the bad old days of single-party Government

after the next election. Final preparations are being made in Italy

to raise the Costa Concordia cruise liner.

Oh, my word - it is Gomez's victory... . It is a bad day for the

Brownlee brothers,. A very good evening to you. Syria

has said it has begun compiling a list of its chemical weapons to

submit to the UN, as part of a deal agreed by the US and Russia. Today,

America and France reiterated military action might still be used

against country if the country reneges on its commitment to destroy

its chemical weapons arsenal. The intense diplomacy has not affected

the fighting on the ground. In the capital, Damascus, the Government

has stepped up its campaign against the rebels.

All day, all night, war ruins lives and ends them in Syria.

From here in the centre of Damascus, the regime's stronghold, we can see

its guns hitting the rebel-held suburbs. On almost every day, accept

21st August, when hundreds died in the chemical attack, the war is

fought with conventional weapons. Ending all the daily tragedies

caused by bullets and explosive is the challenge for international

diplomacy, bigger than dealing with chemical weapons. This was the day

of the cross - an important Christian festival in the Greek

Catholic Cathedral in Damascus. Almost all the worshippers fled here

from the fighting in Malula. The Christian town, about 40 miles away.

This woman was wounded in the rebel attack on Malula. Her family and

neighbours were mourning her brother, cousin and her nephew, who

were shot, she says, by rebels when they tried to surrender.

Pictures from the first attack show her being carried to safety. She

says the men who killed her relations had local accents. She

says they used to live happily with their Muslim neighbours.

??FORCEWHITE REPORTER: Do you think you could

trust them again after this? No way, she said, never - it is impossible.

This didn't start ass a sectarian war -- as a sectarian war, but it is

becoming one. Jesus help us, she says.

So, all this is another sign that what one observer here called the

Syrian mosaic of different sects is breaking up. These people don't

trust a lot of their old neighbours any more and they have no idea when

they'll get home. The school term has started for

everyone who had a school to go to. UNICEF says two million Syrian

children are not getting educated. Even at this school n a well-off

part of Damascus, one-third to a half of the girls have lost their

homes because of the war. A social worker said half the displaced girls

had suffered trauma. TRANSLATION: At first, it was bad. I

left my home. I was anxious, crying, having nightmares. Even screaming. I

wasn't very good, but later I thought I wasn't the first or the

last girl to feel like this. So, I carried on.

Until last year, she lived in a suburb held by rebels. And pounded

by the regime. She still has friends left behind

and wonders what these attacks are doing to them. The pain and loss

suffered by civilian civilians across the line of a war that

Syrians and foreigners can fuel but not stop.

Jeremy joins us live from Damascus now. How mindful is the Assad regime

of the continuing threat of US and French military action? Well, I

think it has to be mindful of that - definitely. They are also mindful of

the fact that the Russians brookerred this deal. The Assad

regime is absolutely dependant in so many ways on Moscow for help with

weapons and especially with diplomatic protection at the UN and

around the world. So, I think, as a result of that, this whole process

may go rather more smoothly than some people are expecting. I think

the Russians will be putting a lot of pressure on them to do as they

are told for the time being. That, plus that threat of military action,

will concentrate their minds. Now, the UN weapons inspectors, their

report comes out tomorrow. Three weeks ago, when I arrived, they were

still here. And so much has changed since then, hasn't it? Because their

departure was supposed to be the cue since then, hasn't it? Because their

for a possible American attack. That didn't happen. Now, the Syrians say

they'll give up their weapons. There are some suggestions that that

report might even point the finger of blame at the Syrian regime. That

is not at all clear. It would be beyond their remit I would be

significant if they did and we'll know probably by this time tomorrow.

Many thanks. Now, Nick Clegg says his party will

go into the next general election campaigning for another coalition

Government with either the Conservatives or Labour. Speaking at

the annual Liberal Democrats conference in Glasgow, he said that

a majority win by either of the main parties would harm the economy and

the sacrifices made by the millions of people since the last election

would be squandered. Grim opinion polls, spats over

policy and rain on their parade. The Lib Demes may be facing head winds

here in glass go, but the mood -- Glasgow, but the mood is not as damp

as the weather is dreary. That is because the Lib Demes know this man

could hold the balance of power. Today Nick Clegg said the coalition

had done good things. He urged voters to elect another and let him

finish the good. If we go -- the job. If we go back to the old days

of the left or the right, dominating Government, on their own, you will

get a recovery which is neither fair or sustainable. I think Labour would

wreck the recovery and under the Conservative, who don't have the

same commitment to fairness as we do, you would get the wrong kind of

recovery. He would not say which party he would prefer in coalition.

He would talk to the one with most votes and seats. Nor would he spell

out die in the trench policies. The priorities would include a mansion

tax and... We are committed as a party and I am committed to this to

raising the allowance further, such that you pay no income tax

equivalent to the minimum wage. Everybody on the minimum wage pays

no income tax. The Lib Demes embedded as the third party of

Government. The risk is that the party looks politically promiscuous.

Can I see all those who are in... Today, the party did compromise, as

members backed away from defeating Nick Clegg, voting to keep twegs and

support nuclear power. Tomorrow they will debate the economy n what some

say could be a showdown over how best to secure the recovery. Nick

Clegg says he's not talking to a party about another coalition, but

it is the talk of this conference. While surveys today suggest most Lib

Demes would prefer coalition with Labour, for now, at least, their

leader is playing for the blue team. Well, our political editor is in

Glasgow for us now. So, the message from the leadership is, all is well

- coalition policies are working. But, is that the feeling of the rank

and file in the party - particularly on the economy?

Well, we will discover that tomorrow because there will be a debate. Yes,

Well, we will discover that tomorrow this party conference does actually

have debates on the economy tomorrow. And in it, Nick Clegg will

take the unusual step of a leader of speaking in the debate. He will say

to his party, don't do it. What does he mean? Don't throw away our

economic credibility is what I am told he'll say. Do not, in other

words, vote for a motion tomorrow which will call for a rebalancing of

economic policy in order to promote growth and create more jobs. The

script of this whole debate is that the leader is tough with his party

and ends up victorious. One problem - the man you all associate with

economic policy and the Liberal Democrats, Vince Cable, is not

willing to be part of that plot. He'll take no part in the debate. He

will not speak in it. He may not even vote in the debate. Although we

are told he really supports the motion. It shows there is tension,

not just over the subject of the policy but how the Lib Demes present

themselves between now and the election.

Many thanks. Salvage experts in Italy are making

final preparations to raise the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise

ship. The vessel has been lying on its side since hitting rocks off the

island of Giglio in January last year, killing 32 people. Our Rome

correspondent has more. Everything here is at last ready.

After more than a year of preparations, one of the largest

salvage operations ever attempted is about to start.

This huge ship - bigger than the Titanic, should soon rise up out of

the sea. On the night of the disaster, the

Costa Concordia rolled over on her side. Those tiny figures are

passengers struggling to reach lifeboats. More than 30 people

drowned during the chaotic, terrifying e evacuation. The captain

is on trial for multiple manslaughter, but the task now is to

salvage his ship. Dozens of pulleys will slowly rotate the Costa

Concordia into another upright position at a rate of about three

Concordia into another upright metres per hour. There'll be

attached to chained that have been looped around the ship's hull. Metal

tanks, filled with water, on the exposed side of the vessel, will

also help pull it upright. The man master minding all this was asked

what the most worrying phase will be. We are not sure about the actual

weights and how much the rocks are going to hold on to her. So, that is

the critical point. When we start up we will watch all the equipment and

want to increase the tension very slowly until she comes off the

rocks. The salvage men say they are ready, that they are completely

confident, that they can raise the Costa Concordia. All the same, you

sense that they will be mightily relieved if their extraordinary

complex operation really does go exactly to plan. Once the ship is

brought upright, it will be thoroughly searched and it is hoped

that the bodies of two people, missing since the night of the

disaster, might at last be found. Magistrates have granted detectives

extra time to question a man arrested after a fatal stabbing in

Leicester on Thursday. Police are trying to discover if there is a

link between the killing and a fire nearby hours later, in which four

members of the same family died. Shehnila Taufiq, her two sons Jamal

and Bilal and their sister, Zainab, who was 19, all died in the blaze at

their home in the Spinney Hill area of the city. Five people are being

questioned in connection with p the fire. One of two women arrested on

suspicion of trying to smuggle cocaine worth £1.5 million out of

Peru is reportingly prepared to plead guilty in exchange for a

shorter sentence. Melissa Reid says in the Mail on Sunday that she was

threatened by an armed gang to traffic the drugs. The newspaper

says a deal could cut her sentence from up to 25 years in prison to

just under seven. Now, the BBC has obtained new text

messages suggesting there were difficulties in the relationship

between Anni Dewani, who was shot dead on her honeymoon in South

Africa and her husband, Shrien, who is accused of ordering her murder.

An investigation by Panorama has found police files containing

evidence for the inquiry. Was this the look of love between

newlyweds? No sign on their wedding day that the marriage of Shrien and

Anni Dewani would end in murder. With him accused of hiring the

gunman during their honeymoon in cape town. CCTV from their hotel

shows an apparently happy couple. But the BBC has now obtained the

prosecution file, containing previously unpublished text

messages, sent by Anni before she died. She messaged her cousin in

mid-September: The prosecutors may use the texts to

show their marriage was not all that it seemed. While in South Africa,

Anni texted, "he's a nice guy in all ways, but I don't feel happy at

all." A day later "it is going better than before. Hard to explain.

I will call you as soon as I return. Hate the word divorce."

The murder victim was found in a car... She never did return. Three

days later, Anni was found shot dead in the back of an abandoned taxi in

cape town. We know the names of the men who took her lives. They have

been through the courts already. The question is whether Shrien paid

them. As ever, with this case, the evidence points in different

directions. The BBC has obtained medical records which suggest the

directions. The BBC has obtained couple were keen to have a baby.

Shrien, meanwhile, denies any role in his wife's murder, appears to

have had a mental breakdown and is fighting all attempts to get him

back to South Africa for a trial. fighting all attempts to get him

You can see that edition of Panorama this Thursday on BBC One at 9pm.

Now, with all the sport here's Ollie Foster at the BBC Sport Centre.

There was heartbreak today for the Brownlee brothers. Olympic champion

Alister and bronze medallist Jonny were going for the World Triathlon

title. Both missed out. Hyde Park was where the Brownlee

brothers lit up the London Games last year. Neither would be taking

the title of world champion back to Yorkshire. The weather in London was

almost as wet as the 1500 metre swim in the Serpentine. Alister was

perfectly placed for the 40km on the bike, dictating the pace and the at

the ticks. He led rivals going into the 10km run. Dismount from his

bike, it was clear an ankle injury was worse than feared. His challenge

over, it was now for his younger brother to deliver. Javier Gomez -

the Spaniard who split the Brownlees on the Olympic podium went stride by

stride. It was a matter of who had enough left in the tank.

Of, my word it is Gomez's victory. I am absolutely gutted, to be honest.

I wanted to win. I wanted to be world champion. To be beaten by just

a few metres oh sore, it is hard to -- metres or so, it is hard to take.

Gomez retains the world title. There was space on the podium for

only one Brownlee brother this time. The double Olympic and world

champion Mo Farah came out second best in the Great North Run.

Priscah Jeptoo won the women's race. David Weir and Shelly Woods the

wheelchair races. The Davis Cup team are back in the elite world group.

They won both of today's singles in Croatia.

Andy Murray's straight sets win against Ivan Dodig gave them a lead

to secure promotion. The Tour of Britain started in

to secure promotion. Scotland today, with Sir Bradley

Wiggins and Mark Cavendish among the British riders. The tour ends next

weekend in London. Both avoided a chaotic crash in the sprint finish

at Drumlanrig Castle. Italy's Ella Viviani won the first stage T tour

moves on to the Lake District tomorrow.

David Florence has made history by becoming the first person to win

gold in the one man and two-man canoe. He took the individual title,

the C1 yesterday in Prague. He was back with Hounslow and won the C2

event by a mere 400ths of a second. That is all your sport.

Many thanks. That's it from me and the team. Do stay with us here on

BBC