16/08/2012 Newsnight

Sta Another asylum seeker the Government can't get rid of.

Julian Assange gets the official protection of Ecuador. To the

consternation of Swedish and Britain. We will not allow will

Assange safe passage out of the UK nor is there any legal basis for us

to do so. We'll debate what is likely to

happen to Julian Assange next. will definitely be appealing.

man has been told he can't be helped to die. In Newsnight we will

hear from his daughter, and from a patient who recovered from a

similar situation. How did a miner strike leave at

least seven people dead? And in Syria, Sue Lloyd Roberts

finds out what happened to the people who were first to protest,

Almost exactly two years ago today, Julian Assange had his heart set on

Sweden, Sweden was the country for him. Mr Assange applied for a

resident's permit to live and work there and hoped to create a base

for WikiLeaks, in Sweden, because of the country's laws protecting

whistle-blowers. Now he is settling on Ecuador. We witnessing the open

the international diplomatic incident that WikiLeaks used to

cause. Julian Assange once travelled the globe, championing

freedom of information and apparently rewriting the rules of

what could, and couldn't be kept secret.

But now, his world has shrunk to two rooms at the back of the

Ecuadorian embassy in London. But even this refuge may not be safe

for the British Government has made clear, diplomatic immunity might be

revokeed. The unprecedented letter from the UK authorities to the

Ecuadorians, about the possibility of them going into the embassy to

pick him up, that was the big surprise to me. And I'm still

shocked about it because the itch case of that is so massive.

If they wouldn't do it, that would actually, would jeopardise the

concept of diplomacy forever. this morning, with supporters

fearing police were about to storm the embarrassy, the counter culture

arrived in Knightsbridge, ready to oppose the police and support

Assange. The Ecuadorian Government meanwhile bridleed at the

suggestion that British law might be used to newlyfy their

sovereignty, and gave their guess to what he craved.

TRANSLATION: The Ecuadorian Government loyal to the tradition

to protect those who seek refuge with us, and in our diplomatic

mission have decided to grant diplomatic asylum to Mr Assange.

That news calmed the supporters outside, but of course annoyed the

Foreign Office. Stay clear please. Had the British

misplayed it. The Foreign Office played this exactly right. They've

been talking behind the scenes, quiet diplomacy for two months to

get the Ecuadorians to see sense on this. And there does come a moment

when you have to say, these are the options and by the way we do have

the act of Parliament, which gives us the right to raise diplomatic

immunity, lift diplomatic immunity when it is abused. You need to take

account of that oh Ecuadorian Government. To the protesters, this

is about WikiLeaks and American vengeance, but none of the charges

framed against him so far, relate to that. It is important to thunds

is not about Mr Assange's activities at WikiLeaks, or the

attitude of the United States, he is wanted in Sweden, to answer

allegations of serious sexual offences. Since he's skipped bail

in this country two months ago, Mr Assange would also face British

charges, if he left the embarrassy, while the United States has yet to

showity hand legally. With neither the UK or Ecuadorian governments

likely to back down, will seems to be every chance of a prolonged

standoff, from high-charging international lawyers might benefit.

Meanwhile, Julian Assange may not be in prison, but he is certainly

confined. So, Mr Assange will have plenty of time to gaze out at the

expensive cars dropping off customers at Harrods, while the

British Government bieds its time. Ecuadorian President has fallen

into a trap of his own making. They have there, in the embassy, the

sitting tenant from hell, who could be there, for another 25-30 years,

who knows. The motto for us now is "just play it cool, be calm, and go

back into behind the scenes talks with the Ecuadorians".

And what of the longer term? The Brad Brad Brad the US soldiers

accused of providing WikiLeaks with its information faces trial in

September. The American authorities, have yet to indict Julian Assange

on any charge. His argument he could face death in America, is a

flawed note. Sweden will not extradite anybody to the US if

there is a fear they will be subject to the death penalty so.

That is not something that is a real risk in his case T won't

happen. What is a greater risk is he will be subject today the same

treatment as Bradley Manning, who is the WikiLeaks defendant held in

unsavoury conditions ever since he was arrested. Ecuador has been

criticised today, by both British and Swedish governments for

obstructing the justice in two democracies. US pressure has yet to

begin in earnest, and Julian Assange's supporters, were hardly

opening the champagne tonight. Every person I met that knows how

the US function, say they might not be the quickest, but they don't

forget and don't forgive. The floor space of the embassy is a

equivalent to a ten nas court. It's a small world to be couped up

indefinitely. Supporters think he might escape, but where to? Exdor

remains defiant for now, but who will predict how they'll behave if

America turns up the heat. Vaughan Smith let Julian Assange stay in

his house for year, and Roger Noriega was administer of state,

and Johan Pehrson is Chief Whip to the Swedish Liberal Party, a member

of the Swedish Parliament justice committee. Vaughan Smith is it hard,

having this man as a friend? It is challenging. I end up, trying to

account for things on programmes like this, sometimes. He is very

good company. I had him stay for 13 months. My family from

recomfortable with that. He is engaging and as a journalist,

curious about things and well informed. He stayed with more than

a year, and put up �20,000 of his bail money and then he broke bail,

is he an honest person? He strikes me as honest, one has to see what

he's done is entering sideways to a legal process. To who extent he's

broken bailiff yet to proceed. should have stayed at an address

that he gave the police overnight, and he is not doing that any more?

They know where he is. And breaking bail would, traditionally leaving

the country or go into hiding. He's not done that. He has a right as

individual to seek political asylum, most people acknowledge we all have

a right to do that, if we're feeling persecuted and he does. The

Ecuadorians, are the only people who have considered this whether he

is actually somebody who is persecuted or not. They have

concluded that he has been. What is the most convincing argument for

him going to Sweden? I know Julian well enough to be convinced he

believes his life or his liberty is threatened by such a thing. It is

not for me to thing that is necessarily the case, I don't know.

But I do know he believes that. And, I think that what you've got to

look at, the Ecuadorians, have gone through processes to resolve this.

They've invited the Swedes to come and interview there, and press a

precedent for this. It reached the point in a Swedish legal thing that

they are required to interview him, and then choose whether to charge

him. But, they went to Serbia, to interview an alleged murderer, but

haven't done that here. All right, Johan Pehrson why not do that?

it is not for me to supervise the Swedish prosecutors, but I can say

that he meets severe crime, the simple point is it will be easy for

him to go to Sweden to meet our legal system and ask, to have, to

answer these questions from the prosecutors, and then he might be

released or prosecuted, and there could be a trial. But, he's

obstructing this, and in this situation, it is very important to

remember that there are might be witness of a crime here, to women.

This is a man who hasn't been charged with anything, he is

willing to be questioned if you go to him, you're saying that is

impossible? I can't supervise the prosecutors, but I can say, that

the things, how things have turned out now. I mean, of course, the

Swedish prosecutors, need to come up with new ideas how they might be

able to question him, because this could be a deadlock for a long time.

He can be siting in this embassy for I don't know how long. Roger

Noriega, do you share this view? Do you understand the view, that this

is a man who feels persecuted? sure I do. But let's see that he's

conspireed to make good his escape here. To, jump bail, in Britain,

and now he should be held accountable under British law and

Swedish law. He conspired with the President who he interviewed in May

of this year, on behalf of Russia Today and it was at that time

Rafael Correa crushed the media, systematically in his own country,

violated the independence of the courts, politiciseed the courts

that do his bidding, so this is a rather strange bed fellow for

Assange to be joining. It says a lot about him. And I hope that

Correa is held for some scrutiny, his premeditated role in this

process. You have a long list of complaints about Ecuador. If people

look how Bradley Manning is treated, can you blame Julian Assange

wanting to come to your country? Well, as far as I know, he doesn't

face chargesness the United States. So, frankly, I think he wants to

evade justice in Sweden, for the molestation and rape charges he has

been accused of this there. That's his primary motive in my view.

Johan Pehrson, the critical question about whether he might be

extradited to the United States, is Sweden in a position to say not?

have a law, the European Commission of human rights so we are

prohibited to extradite anyone to a country where he can meet a death

penalty so. I would say, it is a non-question. The important thing

is that Julian Assange should meet these charges, answer the questions,

and then it would not be any question in Sweden any more. It is

still porks mightn't it, there can be a guarantee he won't receive the

death penalty but still extradited to the US snust Sweden has a

independent system and we have a strong record on human rights. The

only thing we can say, independent courts, where he might be tried, if

he is prosecuted, we have not yet reached that level, but he has been

asked to come to us, we have a system and European system, and UK

legal system, and this man, turns now to exdor and I think they have

a - Ecuador and they have a worse record on human rights than other.

I am concerned about Ecuadors record on this, and I'm not here to

defend Ecuador's record on treatment on certain journalists.

As a friend you must be anxious as he chooses his friends? Let stand

back here, reporters without borders, every year does an index

on freedom of speech, in that, Britain came 28th. America is

falling and it is 48th. But Ecuador is 14 2nd. But we too, often

present ourselves as only good in the world and the truth isn't the

case. It is invasion for you, liberal democracy for you, torture

for you, and something else for someone else. We immediate to get

used to the idea that perhaps, we have dissidents within us, and

within London someone has been given political asylum. We

shouldn't be too sure. These are serious sexual charges he, sexual

questions he faces? That's unclear. Obviously the Swedish thing is

different. Swedish law on how they define rape is quite different. But,

I wouldn't like to see anybody escape justice. But I believe

Julian Assange is seeking justice, not running from it.

What do you think will happen next? Do you think he's going to have to

spend, time in the embarrassy? There could be a scenario he could

be there for a long time. Is he good at tunneling? I don't think he

can get out without the authorities agreeing to it. We can reflect on

this a little bit and I don't think we have to be so angry and bitter

about this. I think we have to look and see how this plays in a wider

part of the world. You have to remember, Julian Assange, is

popular in the rest of the world N Europe and the rest of the world,

less so, because they have a battering in the press. India,

there's 20 front pages on corruption, and I feel we need to

be conscious about the perception in the wider world. Thank you very

much. Tony Nicklinson, tells us his life is dull, miserable, demeaning,

undignified and intolerable. Thanks to a stroke, seven years ago,

he's able to communicate that misery, by blinking or by moving

his head in a limited way. So limited is his ability to move,

Tony Nicklinson would be physically unable to end his miserable life

himself. So, he asked the High Court in London to rule that a

doctor could help him die without the fear of prosecution for murder.

The court said it was moved, but only Parliament could make such a

major change in the law. Mr Nicklinson is still able to cry,

and he wept when he heard the judgment. Absolutely ivering has to

be done for me, feeding me, scratching an itch, cleaninging my

nose, moving me, cleaning my teeth, washing and everything I cannot do

it. His case, said the judge was deeply moving A legal and ethical

question at the most difficult kind. But today, Tony Nicklinson lost the

latest round in what is a long, legal battle. Disappointed. You can

see from Tony's reaction, he is heart broken. We always knew it was

a big ask, but, we've always hoped that, you know the judges would see

sense and quite plainly they haven't.

Mr Nicklinson, a 58-year-old father of two, was left almost completely

paralysed after a stroke on a business trip, seven years ago. He

now says the quality of his life is so poor, he wishes he'd never

called for an am brilliance that day. This afternoon, he was asking

the High Court to make a major change to the murder law in England

and Wales. Mr Nicklinson's legal team was trying to use article

eight of the European Convention on Human Rights to argue euthanasia

should be a legally protected right. They wanted a guarantee that a

doctor, here in this country, could end his life without the risk of

prosecution. But, the judge today rejected those arguments, and

dismissed the case of a second unnamed sufferer of locked in

syndrome. He said a decision to allow the claims would have far-

reaching consequences, it is not for the court to stkhrieed whether

the law should be changed and what safeguards should be in place.

Under our system of Government, these are matters for Parliament to

decide. That decision was welcomeed, not just by pro-life groups you but

disability charities and groups representing the medical profession.

The problem here and reason why there is so much controversy, is

balancing the tragic circumstances of people like Tony Nicklinson

against the vastly greater number of people with, in his case, severe

disability who find themselves, their lives valuable and yet

threatened in the ethos created by our laws. Helping someone to kill

themselves is legal, in a handful of countries. Most famously at the

dig it's a clinic in Zurich, but also, in three US states and three

EU countries, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In the UK,

assisted suicide, careies 16 year jail sentence. Whether that death

takes place here or abroad. But the law itself isn't standing still. A

number of legal challenges have forced the authorities to change

the way they deal with these cases. MS sufferer, Debbie Purdy went to

court in 2008. She won the case, forcing the direct lor of public

prosecution toss issue new guidance. If a family member or friends acts

with compassion to help someone die, then the case should now be dropped.

In the last few moments to two victims of locked in syndrome, have

lost their High Court battles, for the right to end their lives,

when... Three years after her day in court, Debbie Purdy is watching

today's verdict from her bedroom. Her MS has progressed unable to

make her stand, move or write. doesn't want to go to Switzerland,

and he doesn't have the drugs that will be fatal, or set things up to

be able to take them. He needs help and support by somebody who knows

what they're doing. She supports Tony Nicklinson's right to end his

own life on his own terms. And she wants MPs to step in, with a new

law to clarify the situation. What we need is a politicians to

say, not how do we tweak an existing law to be not too bad, but

rather, what do we need in the 21st century, to make sure that somebody

like Tony, doesn't have to suffer unnecessarily.

But, any new law on assisted suicide looks unlikely at the

moment, with all politicians opposed. Instead the Nicklinson

family say they'll take today's verdict to the Court of Appeal.

Lauren, Nicklinson, Tony is your dad, he seems upset, how is sne

He's devastated. Our legal team helped so far, but you can't help

to get your hopes up, and we're all disappointed. We know the judges

had a hard decision to make, but we're just sad they decide today go

against us. We'll appeal, this isn't the end, we believe in what

we're doing. Do you accept what the court was saying, had the court

gone your way, it would be a big change in the law, and that's not

the role of judges to do that, it must be Parliament? They say one

thing, we argue the other. Our legal team, argue the opposite and

we choose to follow them and believe what they say. We trust

what they're doing. But, we know it is a really difficult, we've a big

thing what we're doing, and asking a lot. But there has to be some way

to do it. There has to be, we refuse there isn't. What is it like

having Tony as a dad? That's a difficult question. The dad before

all of this, was amazing, and me and my sister talk about dad as two

different people. Whether it is right and wrong I don't know,

really loud and hands on, he was a fantastic dad. Now we haven't got a

relationship with him, because so much of what makes that father/

daughter lies, is physical dis, it is down to the individual

relationship. What me and dad would enjoy doing together we can't enjoy

any more, like rugby, I don't know what he sounds like, I haven't

heard his voice in seven years. What are his ofpgss, you will carry

on with the legal process, but maybe perhaps starving to death?

We're going to appeal and take this as far as we can. If we get to the

stage where we can't take it further, and told no, he is

considering starving himself. Because for him. Could you watch

that happen? It won't be my decision, if that's what he wants,

that's what we'll do t he would rather three months of the physical

anguish and mental anguish of starving hix, rather than living 30

years locked-in. What about you, your dad wants to die, if it was

down to you, would you rather him alive? I would rather him walking

and talking. Alive and dead? necessarily, no, because it is so

painful, to see someone you love hurt every day and unable to do

anything about it. When he dies, it will be more risk, but we will

grieve and be OK, I know we will be. But for dad to face 30 years like

this, that's sun enable. And I think in many ways, it will hurt

less when he dies, rather than see him suffer. Given your concern

about the suffering, have you and the family discussed about helping

him die? It is not an option. No way, dad will let mum risk going to

prison. At all, he would rather do 30 years, and know that his

suffering would end but mum could spend the rest of her life, in

prison,not an option for us. What about you? No. I'm not strong

enough to do that. No way would I let my sister do that. Maybe we're

selfish, I don't know but... Stay with us, thank you very much. Now,

you are in a position, rather than most people, to understand, from a

personal experience what he's going through. You had a stroke, and were

severely incapacitated tell me about that? His a brain stem stroke.

And I was unconscious for several days, and when I came out of it, I

had a problem and because of my background, and my nature, I

started a problem, set an objective, which at that time was to breathe,

and I proceeded to achieve it. Which was to concentrate on the die

fram. The problem was you couldn't move? You couldn't communicate in

any way? No. And even thinking at that time was exhausting. How long

did it take you to get from that state, to the state you're in now?

Well, I've been progressing for years, every little bit all the

time. And I was it hospital for six months and I could walk on sticks

just about, when I left. And I went into rehab unit, for another six

months. And I improved a little bit while I was there. When you see,

Tony Nicklinson and you hear his arguments and you've heard his

daughter speak about his situation, what do you think? I feel I can

understand his feeling about being totally paralysed for seven years,

I should imagine it is terrible. But, as I was saying to his

daughter earlier, I would like to try and help him develop a new

brain path in the same way I did. Because, there is capacity in the

brain, and even though he's had a situation for seven years, there is

still that capacity in the brain. Stay with us, please, I want to

turn to you, Dr Andrew Ferguson from Care Not Killing. How do you

view what's happened to Tony Nicklinson today? Well let me make

the point first, every clinical situation is different. I don't

think we can compare Graham with Tony, I don't think there will be

clinical improvement in Tony's case, I've seen reports and so on. I

don't think today's verdict was a surprise for either side. Tragic

though the situation is for Tony, we need to look at the big picture,

Care Not Killing exists partly to campaign against a change in the

law and encourage resources in careing, and encourage a change in

our attitudes to people with disabilities. All the major

disability rights groups are represented within us, disabled

people at large, see a change in the law as a very real threat.

it not possible, for our finest parliamentarians with the help of

the finest lawyers to draw up a bill that would make Tony

Nicklinson and the people in his situation happy, but also give the

protection you want to people who want to make sure they're not

bumped off against their will? fine parliamentarians in the

Scottish Parliament looked at this extensively in 2010, and in

November on that year, they voted by 85-16 against changing the law.

And that happens when law-makers and those with real responsibility

look at this issue in the round. It is reas well to talk about Holland

but most countries haven't legislated for that, half a dozen

countries have denied euthanasia legislation in the last couple of

years. Let's talk about Tony, are we saying, that he has to carry on

suffering in a way he doesn't want to, he wants to die, for if you

like the greater public good? That's one way of putting it. My

own hope is. You can put it a nicer way, but isn't that where we're at?

We are at that point because we can't just look at Tony alone or

his family, we have to look at other people with his condition.

There's a study from France, 65 patients with lock-ined syndrome,

British Medical Journal, 72% were happy with life and 7% of them

seriously thought about suicide. I'm not blaming Tony when I say

that, he is who he is, but most people come to terms with these

things. What do you say to those arguments? We say each to their own.

Research looks at samples, how long ago was it, were there religious

attitudes as part of that, because if there was, we're an atheist

family and we don't like any state or religious attitude put upon us,

research is research, you can poke holes in most research. Dad wants

to die, again, we are speaking on behalf of him, and not on the

behalf of the disabled community. There are others who want this as

well, we know that. I really struggle to believe there isn't, in

the country we are in, such an advanced country, there is not

something that can be done to make it possible for dad. I really

struggle. Thank you. Thank you all very much.

In South Africa, police have opened fire on workers who were on strike

from a platinum mine. Video footage from the incident has caused quite

The BBC's Milton Nkosi has been telling me what happened?

miners who belong to a newly formed militant union had been demanding a

pay hike from the mine amendment which is the plaitium mines. The

rival National Union of Mineworkers, which is a long-standing union of

miners here, were separate from them. They are not taking part in

this paid dispute. And these miners were acknowledge mow, were carrying

sticks and machetes and some firearms, and the police were

holding a line between miners and operation area of the mine, and

that's when the shooting began. But this actually began a week before.

Last week, there was violence, ten people were killed including two

policemen. Sthool so what's been reaction to this violence and these

death? The DS, Democratic Alliance, official opposition here have been

saying that this is now needs to be called the mine mine inquiry. And

the national police commissioner has driven through the area and

hopefully will get more details, and a proper investigation as to

what exactly led to this killing, this afternoon. Milton Nkosi thank

you. The narrative in Syria, these days is pretty familiar to us.

We've seen the violence, we heard the conflicting accounts of what's

is going on and watched people flee to safety across the border. What

must all this look like to the people, who 18 months ago were

first to call a demonstration on the streets of Damascus. Sue Lloyd

Roberts has been hearing about three of them. Damascus, January,

2011. A group of young Syrians, posed an invitation on Facebook, to

their friends to have a demonstration outside the Egyptian

embassy. Matar was one of them. Tunisians had been freed, Egyptians

were on their way, we thought it was our turn to be tree too.

Only Syrian-friendly Russian TV recorded the gathering. Which

included Muslims and Christians. They had aeed declared their

support for the demonstrators in Cairo, but then, they went too far.

We sat we chanted and lit candles, we sang the National Anthem and

other similar songs, and then, maybe less than an hour later, one

of them, more enthusiastic parts of the crowds started chanting the

wind of change has blown, and that is when the security approached us

and said you have to stop now and you have to leave.

Some were arrested, cameras seized and told criticism of the Syrian

Government would noten tolerated. It was a warning of what was to

come. I've spent the last few weeks tracking those who took part in the

demonstration, post are in Syria, in hiding, filming when they can,

and fighting. Some are dead and others have threed to watch the

drama taking place in their country, from abroad. I started my search in

Germany. Where a charity have given a mayor refuge after he fled from

He now lives in a village near cologne, he explained after the

first demonstration he attended many more, and the Military Police

came looking for him. He went into hiding, and they arrested his

father to get at him. Only when he left the country his father was

released. TRANSLATION: When I came to Europe,

I was amazed by the way people live here. I realised we are living in

hell in Syria. We dream of getting rid of this tyrant, President al-

Assad, most people have not had his father or brother arrested. He is

suffocating us. Exsield Syrians gather in for lorn

groups all over Europe. Here Amer Matar's friends includes Sunnis,

and Kurds. They speak of their ideaism when united they believe

they could use peaceful protest to bring about change. Amer Matar

blames the regime for militaryising their struggle. It was the Houla

massacre in May that convinced him a peaceful, political solution was

no longer possible. More than a hundred people were killed, mainly

women and children. The UN blamed the Syrian army, and the regime's

thugs, the notorious Shab iha. Who is responsible for the deaths

recorded. TRANSLATION: You don't need to look

at the pictures of the massacre at Houla, you just need to think of

the numbers of dead, just the numbers make us say, that enough is

enough. We have no option, the only way to get rid of these monsters is

I went to America, to a university in New York state to follow the

story of another of the group who organised that first demonstration.

At the end of last year, a Christian from Damascus, signed up

along with fellow students, Daniel, from New Mexico, LAna and Valerie

from Lebanon to hon his skills as a film maker. He had been making a

documentary back home on how conflict is affecting the children

of Homs. How orphans whose parents had been killed in the uprising

Because of his work, he was arrested several times and fled

abroad, where he was awarded a full bright skol harship in New York. So

Lana Hijazi was asked to study here ala celebrated university all

expenses paid and chance to escape his country, which was on the brink

of civil war. But, his friends explain, he couldn't stay.

Having witnessed what he has witnessed, I think it was just

unsettling to him that people can live life calmly and quiet. Do you

think he was right to go back sthifplt for him it was out of the

question to live his life normally, and wake up, have his coffee and go

to class, while other people are struggling and dying it. This is

how he saw it, it may be wrong or right. I don't think it is guilt

but love. I have the same situation in my country, in a different way.

We always say the world is watching what is happening and not doing

anything. So we didn't want to be part of the world, who is watching

and not doing anything. He went back to Homs to make

another film. Describing the reality of living in a city

bombarded by heavy weapons now for With snipers on the rooftops, he

shows how hard it is for people to get just from one side of a street

to the other. It is him, we can see him, and hear him breathing. I can

imagine the fear he was feeling. did make it to the other side. But

was later killed by a Siran Government army on the house he was

sheltering in. He was 28. - Syrian. Those of his friends still in the

country, came together outside his local church in Damascus to mourn

the death of a young film maker. ? The priest tried to hold a

service for him in the church, but the authorities refused.

In his funeral the ones who prayed from him are from different

religions, it doesn't matter if you pray in a mosque or church for him.

It was so touching to see Syria this way, because this is why

they're dying, a better life, not a country shredded into parts and

religions. But it was sad because he deserves more than this, in his

death and funeral and he couldn't The third of our pioneer

demonstrators still lives in Syria. Mia travelled from Damascus to

across the border this Lebanon. We met in a tourist site which is now

deserted, and we hoped without the Syrian spies who are found this

more crowded areas. Thinking back to that first demonstration, she

can't believe how quickly her country disintergrated? We were

hoping for something similar to the way the Egyptian his organised

their revolution. There would be a civil movement, similar to that

that took place in Egypt and we would be able to organise on the

long-run, something similar. But we were thinking in terms of few years,

the more optimistic people were thinking a few months, no-one

thought it was a few weeks time. We were overwhelmed wit violent

reaction of the regime. She doesn't show her face and uses a false name.

Because she too is a film maker, trying to document the human

tragedy. Where is your father, she asks this boy is this In prison,

why? I don't know, he says. Mia had been arrested like all those who

organised the first demonstration. I think almost all of us have been

arrested at some point and released. Including the other girls, if not

once, then several tiles. You never know when you need to flee. You're

always ready, your papers are ready, and you expect that one day or the

other the phone call will come or knock on the door will come and

you'll have to flee. Now she seeing the fighting at home, the Army are

attacking the suburbs of Damascus. Too many helicopters going around,

random shots, snipers over buildings, shooting everything that

moved. I zpt notice when the shot came in, because the window was

open, so there was no broken glass, and there was so much random

shooting and bombing, the sounds were insane, coy not tell that it

was in my bedroom. I woke up the next morning and realised there was

a hole in the wall above my bed. After our interview, Mia returned

to Damascus to work, but with the fear of arrest or being killed.

Before she left I asked her what she would wish for her country?

would like to wake up tomorrow and not find a sing of one of them.

That - single one of them, that would be perfect. Back at the

university, they're planning a memorial for next month. Meanwhile

they watch events in Syria, in despair. What is happening is

people crushed silently, without anybody being able to do anything

for them h And Amer? He says he's going back.

TRANSLATION: I am definitely ready to die and my friends and many of

the Syrian people are prepared to risk death just to see Saaad to go.

I am definitely ready to die for this. Bf we go the publishers of

The Dandy, confirmed today its days in print are numbered. It has an

on-line presence but the final edition will be in December. Let's

have a look at the final edition, and desperate Dan is on the front

page enjoying a holiday, though in the strip itself, his head is eaten

bay shark. On the front. A chance bay shark. On the front. A chance

to win a ride and bouncey castle.. Now to the newspapers. Guardian

goes with Julian Assange story, various people on the front

claiming to be Julian Assange. The Times, also has the Assange story

and those A-level results, Tom Daily doing well. In the Telegraph,

no picture of young women jumping up and down because of the A-level

results but Tom Daly. Gove overall advice from his independent experts

to force through the sale of the school playing fields. And the

Independent, well its front page is one of our stories tonight, the

headline "a fate worse than death" moment Tony Nicklinson heard that