10/01/2012 BBC World News

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria gives a defiant speech in which he

says the Arab League mission has failed. We were surprised why the

Arabs did not stand with Syria against -- instead of standing

against Syria. At least 25 people are killed and

dozens more wounded in an explosion in Pakistan's Khyber region.

We'll report on a student stampede for last-minute places at South

Africa's University of Johannesburg. Welcome to BBC World News. Also in

this programme: Republicans in the US state of New

Hampshire choose who they want to challenge Barack Obama for the

Presidency. And we'll take you to an Australian

gallery that takes a rather different approach to art. Just

watch my eyes. It is all achieved Just a short time ago, Syria's

President Assad has used a rare televised speech to condemn the

violent protests against his regime as being part of an "external

conspiracy". In an address carried live on Syrian TV, he criticised

the Arab League - whose monitors are currently working inside Syria

- and said he was surprised other Arab countries were not supporting

his government. The BBC's Jonathan Head has been

monitoring developments in Syria from neighbouring Turkey. He joins

me now from Istanbul. A very defiant tone, Jonathan.

Sticking very much to the things we have heard in his previous speeches,

although there hasn't been one to the people of Syria for six months

now, so it was important to see how President Assad appeared. He was

certainly relaxed and confident, joking now and again with his

inevitably supportive audience, but very critical of the international

community. The crisis in Syria, he said, was a External conspiracy, a

plot to cause chaos in his country. He had harsh words for the Arab

League, which has been trying to negotiate with him and which has

actually got a monitoring mission inside the country at the moment.

Despite that, the Arab League has been quite moderate and encouraging

in its language recently, saying it has seen some progress. Something

the opposition would disagree with. President Assad accused the Arab

League of backing superpowers and betraying the Arab cause. He said

Syria was the beating heart of the Arab cause and had always been in

the leading role and many of the Arab League members were letting

Syria down at the moment. TRANSLATION: We should not be

surprised about the role of the Arab League. The Arab League is

just a reflection of the Arab situation. If the Arab League had

failed for six decades towards an Arab interest, we should not be

surprised that it has failed today. Apart is the same, it is going from

bad to worse. What is being done in secrecy is now being done publicly

against the nation. Is the Arab League independent? Has it

implemented its resolutions one day? And has it been able to

achieve at least the minimum of people's ambitions? Has the Arab

League contributed in sowing division and chaos and sedition?

Is it possible to tell whether this takes us any further forward with

the ongoing crisis in Syria and what sort of reaction there might

It tells us there isn't going to be any fast progress, at least from

the Syrian government's point of view. President Assad didn't give

an inch to those who have been protesting against him for 10

months, dismissing them as terrorists who want to sow chaos

and the country. Here Cissy is in charge of the agenda and reform

couldn't happen until he re- established order -- he insisted.

Although he did insist there would be elections for a new constitution

within the next six months. An extraordinary timetable but that is

what he said they intended. From my reading of this, although he looked

pretty confident, he is really playing supporters. Playing the

nationalist card, which has been part of the official Syrian

rhetoric for decades, the legitimacy of the Government, but

nothing new. It suggests he is tried to shore up his own base,

sound defiant but whether he is as confident as he sounded, I can't

say, but he didn't give any suggestions of concessions for

those demanding faster change in Syria.

Jonathan, many thanks. At least 25 people have been killed

in north-western Pakistan, after a bomb exploded near a fuel station

in the Jamrud area of the Khyber tribal region. At least 50 people

are reported to have been injured in the blast. Local officials say

most of the dead were passengers on a bus. A motive for the attack is

not yet known. Our correspondent Aleem Maqbool is following

developments. We are being told by local

officials in north-west Pakistan but this was a car bomb close to a

bus stand at this all happened in the town of Jamrud, which is close

to the border with Afghanistan in the Khyber district and that this

happened very close to a busy market area, in mid-morning when

there are lots of people around. At least 23 people have been killed so

far, that number is rising, and over 50 people have been injured.

Of course, Pakistan is over the last few years have become used to

atrocities like this. Over 600 people were killed last year in

suicide bombings, but that does represent a figure that was about

50% less than the year before, so at there had been a downward trend

-- trend. Pakistan has were very much hoping that would continue,

but clearly the militants are still intent on carrying out bombings

like this. Aaron Heslehurst is here with all

of the business. And extraordinary situation with the President of the

company being sued by the company. The ongoing saga of Olympus. They

confirmed to the BBC today that it is suing 19 former and current

executives. Their 1.7 billion dollar accounting fraud that has

been going on for decades. Little comes from an independent report.

The focus of the sleeve of investigation -- of the legal

investigation will be looking at the former president, vice-

president and the Auditor. It puts a Olympus in an extraordinary

situation. It is being run by the President who is being sued by the

very same company he is running. Reports suggest that he will be

sitting -- standing down in March or April, so it has been an amazing

story. Let's just remind everybody how this hold scandal unfolded.

The scandal came to light back in October, when the British-born

chief executive of Olympus, Michael Woodford, was abruptly sacked,

barely six months into the job. He then went public with what he had

been questioning internally, some large and unusual takeovers that

had been made by Olympus. The camera maker at first denied

wrongdoing but then admitted it had been hiding investment losses

dating back decades. Japanese police, prosecutors and regulators

are investigating and so are the authorities in Britain and the

United States. Let's just move on and touch on

some other business stories. China's trade surplus shrank to

$155 billion last year - down 15% from 2010. Exports continued to

grow in December but at a slightly slower rate. Imports rose at a

slower rate than forecast in December - up less than 12%. Much

lower than the 22% growth we had in November. The latest figures could

Phil Burrows that the world's second largest economy is losing

steam. -- fuel worries. So the measures taken last year to call

the Chinese economy seemed to be working. Does this mean Beijing

will now do a U-turn and make things like lending easier for

struggling exporters? The Chinese government is in a very difficult

position. The Chinese economy is in a very complex situation where

there is also a property bubble that needs to be managed. What the

Chinese government really wants to do about all of it is to maintain

stability and eliminate surprises. So they can't really just to relax

and tried to encourage more exports, even though if they can do that

without stimulating the economy to overheating in other areas, they

may well do so. We all they have been a global world today and with

China being one of the biggest exporters, it is seeing a slowdown,

I would imagine that is very unwelcome news for Asian components

suppliers as well as commodity producers, like Australia and

Brazil? There would be an element at that but the slowdown of Chinese

export really has much more to do with the state of the economy in

Europe and North America and in Japan. In those cases, all of the

other countries in south-east Asia, in Australia, Brazil, would already

know that the Chinese export machine cannot simply keep powering

on. After all, it has been growing at an exceptionally fast rate for

20 years. Let's move on.

What a difference a couple of years can make. In 2009, Chrysler's chief

went cap in hand to politicians in Washington to plead for taxpayers'

money to keep it in business. In 2012, Chrysler is under the

ownership of Italy's Fiat. And the smallest of America's big three

carmakers has seen the sector's strongest resurgence. Our great

turnaround in the US auto market, but on this side of the Atlantic,

in the European market, car bosses aren't expecting a lot. This is

what the boss of Fiat had to say about the eurozone crisis. This

level of division is something that is unhelpful that is of running a

business. It would be much for her -- much more helpful if we had a

very clear direction out of the unified Europe that perk you up on

board. A couple of other stories, Angela Merkel will make the

President of the IMF Christine Lagarde later. The German

Chancellor is holding a Chris Czekaj -- a load of meetings to

help solve that eurozone crisis. It is thought that the IMF could

increase their contribution and be part of any future bail out.

Apple's Ian Cook was thought to be the highest-paid company boss in

the world last year. He received a one-off share bonus worth nearly,

hold your hands, $400 million, when he took over from Steve Jobs as

head of the electronics giant. On top of this, he was paid an annual

salary of $900,000. Steve Jobs drew a salary of just $1 a year.

Oh, how I took the wrong sector. Let's take a quick look at the

Let's take a quick look at the Let's take a quick look at the

markets in Asia. They are today off the back of continued robust news

out of the US and more continuing signs that the US is on track at

least to recovery path. Those jobs numbers on Friday certainly

indicating that. Asia up and the European markets following suit.

But as I say every day, these markets are still watching what is

going on in the eurozone very closely.

closely. You'll have to go and make your

millions... $400 million! Back to events in South Africa

where at least one person has been trampled to death and two other

seriously injured in a stampede at the University of Johannesburg.

Police were called to the scene when a parent was crushed as

thousands of people surged forward when the university opened its

gates. Students have been queuing since yesterday hoping to submit a

last-minute applications. Andrew Harding joins me from Johannesburg.

How did this happen? As you say, a crash at the gates of

the University early this morning. Basically, several thousand

students and their parents had been queuing but yesterday, other night

and today hoping to submit applications for several hundred

last-minute university places they had had just come free. Most

universities around the country are already full, they have filled

their courses for this year, but the University of Johannesburg said

because some people had not met the required grades, they had some

places. Mostly poor black students queued up at the last minute, they

had not been able to apply online, not having access to computers,

hoping to submit their applications. At the front, as often happens when

queues are not managed, there was a crash and the mother of one

prospective student was crushed to death. Two others seriously injured

and one other taken to hospital with mild injuries.

Any reaction from the university itself, or the public in general?

We are waiting to hear from the Ministry of higher education. The

university itself, very upset about what happened, insisting it had

taken precautions to try and prevent this. Its new there would

be a lot of people queuing up, killing for up to one: utter -- it

new. Obviously, there was a failure somewhere along the line to allow

this to happen but the bigger picture is you have something like

50% and imply that amongst the youth, and you have a university

system that every year turns away many more students than it can

accept. There simply aren't enough places and there is particular

frustration about poor black South Africans, who feel they are being

marginalised. Andrew Harding, thank you very much.

You are watching BBC World News. Still to come, we take you to New

Hampshire where Republicans are about to vote for the challenger to

Rhinos are one of the heaviest land animals but one thing has always

puzzled scientists: How do they carry this weight on their small,

stumpy feet? The animals frequently suffer foot problems in captivity

but little is known about the mechanics of their feet. Now a team

of vets has been trying to understand the physics, and even to

see if there are lessons to be learnt from nature about carrying

heavy loads. Our science reporter Been put through its paces. The

rhino weighs two tons, all supported on stumpy feet, like a

tank on high heels. But this experiment should show how it does

it. With the help of these pressure pans which contain thousands of

sensors, the scientists have transformed the enclosure into a

high-tech trap. The next big challenge is getting the rhinos to

walk across, which is easier said than done. The animals have been

specially trained by their keepers. As their feet hit the ground, their

pants record the pressure and the force. You can see here how it is

concentrated at the centre of the Ford. You can see in red, that is

the area with the highest concentration. Here comes Cynthia!

The scientists say the experiments could help with the care of the

endangered animals in captivity. They suffer with a lot of problems

with their feet, but the results could also one day help us. From

understanding the feet of rhinos, as understanding a big land mammal,

we could therefore build devices that can carry heavy loads and

carry them while moving. The will take months to analyse the data,

but the scientists hope to finally shed light on the anatomical

secrets of these heavyweights of This is BBC World News. The

headlines: President Assad of Syria has given a defiant speech in which

she says he will not stand down and that there was a in international

conspiracy against his country. A least 25 people have been killed

and many more injured in a bomb attack in Pakistan close to the

The Republicans hoping to challenge Barack Obama for the White House

are facing another test of their chances today in the New Hampshire

primary. These are the live pictures coming in and voting is

just about to start in most areas. Opinion polls suggest Mitt Romney

will build on his narrow victory in last week's caucus in Iowa. But as

Paul Adams found out, the people of New Hampshire have a record of

Looking and sounding confident, Mitt Romney is well ahead in the

polls, and having fun with his agonisingly close win from last

week. Fresh from the landslide in I were, may become we double the

number? He is the man to beat, a moderate Republican surrounded by

more conservative opponents. Like Ron Paul, a feisty Texan maverick

with a relentless message of small government and fiscal

fundamentalism. If we are serious we have to get the federal

government out of our wallets and lives. Rix and touring is a strong,

social conservative almost beat mitt Romney in I were but his views

on gay rights and abortion are less well received. A I believe marriage

is a privilege, not a right. Not anyone or anything can get married.

So what do people make of this blizzard of media attention? New

Hampshire is very proud of holding the early contest and the motto of

the state, leave Free or Die, points to a strong, independent

streak. -- leave free. The candidates have swarmed all over

the state in diners, but what do people's peer think? I don't think

people will change anything here. It is pretty much up in the air. It

is kinder frustrating. Winter is yet to come hard in New England.

But the ice fishermen are out looking great catch, hoping to land

more than just tiddlers. Jason Russell has not decided who to vote

for yet. He thinks Mitt Romney will win. I think he will do very well

that being independent, I think they are a lot of people looking

for that underdog vote. I am the underdog candidate. The former

governor of Utah, Jon Huntsman is showing a late surge, he won't win,

but the bomber jacket and baby suggest he hasn't given up. Still

early days, but Mitt Romney now must believe he can wrap up the

Over the last week or so we have been reporting on the changes

taking place in Burma. The new government has eased media

restrictions and opened up some dialogue with Aung San Suji. We

have been given official permission to report from inside the country

and they took a stroll around downtown Rangoon, the sight of

political protest in 1998 and 2007. In 19 -- in 1998 this would be

swarm with protesters, holding up barrows -- banners, shouting the

hopes that they had. Of course, hopes that word - in the end, and

again a kind of repeat of that in 2007 when the monks came out on the

street, and also in this area. What is about the area that became a

focal point for protest. This is the centre of Rangoon and this is

where you can see the traffic is going past heavily. People from the

suburbs, from the centre, they would come to this place and then

were drawn here. It is the natural gathering point. This pagoda we are

looking at now, that is where the monks would get together and crate

and this is a significant thing in Burmese history. -- and pray. They

would worship for success and the things that they do. Given that the

changes are taking place here now, are we likely to see those kind of

street protests again, what all those -- or are those days are

over? Or will we just see no more street protests because of the

reforms? It is difficult to say. People still don't believe there

will be reforms, beak, substantial ones. Another thing that we should

think about, will the people feel better when they go to democracy.

They will have more right to come out and express their wishes. Even

if they are dissatisfied with something, they should be ever to

come out and protest. It is all these kind of tentative baby steps

towards democracy. As you rightly say, the key test is how the

government and the military react to those kind of attempts of people

to assert themselves and their rights. You are exactly right.

There are people in the military and security establishment who have

the old mindset. Any hint or any dissent would not be tolerated. At

the same time, they are concerned that it when she let the genie out

of the bottle, you cannot control it. You can really go out and do

the Damant and demonstrations -- the damage and the demonstrations,

and it might encourage others. at the moment it is busy, bustling,

but a peaceful downtown Rangoon, but as we've seen from history the

picture can change very quickly.Exactly right, Rachel.

"Don't touch!" is the message we're used to seeing in galleries and

exhibitions. But a new art show in Sydney actively requires audience

participation for it to work. The exhibition, called Recorders, is

the work of the Mexican-Canadian The lenders some artists will go to.

-- blends. This mesmerising exhibit is called tape-recorders as take

measures go up and down as you move past. -- tape measures. It is the

work of one artist, and this is the pulse room, harks -- the lights

flash at your heart rate. Museums have a paternalistic, condescending

attitude to the public. They care about who comes in two goes through

the gift shop, but if you give the public a chance to represent

themselves and expressed, you'll be surprised. So prized at an

interactive art gallery? -- surprised? This one is called the

midnight of the years. Just watch my eye. It is all achieved with

something called face tracking. Smoking! Or there are microphones,

17 of them. You speak and it sends back somebody else's recording, of

the classic Art Gallery mantra, don't touch. To be honest, it is a

nightmare. So many works of art should not be touched because they

are delicate or the surface is fragile so we are giving mixed

messages out, but there is no doubt about it, the audience does want to

interact and we have been able to devote an entire floor to this

whole variety of different ways of interaction, and as you can see,

the audience is loving it. With size no Scopes, you clap here, and

it draws here. Another work of high magnitude, well, they call this a

crowd sauced show, art which does not exist unless the audience

exists. Just watching other people as they interact and see how they

come about it differently his creative in itself. I like the

multi-dimensional as it brings out. Is it art? Yes, I think it would be.

Yes, indeed. It is stretching for me and everyone else. The the

exhibition is the last one at the museum before it reopens in March

after a year-long renovation. It is hoping to keep its finger on the