28/02/2012 BBC World News

A British journalist has been smuggled to safety after being

injured in an attack in the Syrian city of Homs.

Gunmen ambush a bus in northern Pakistan - 18 people have been

killed. An Italian cruise ship and its

passengers are taught to safety after drifting without power in the

Indian Ocean. Welcome to BBC World News. Also

when this programme: We are inside the defunct figure she may nuclear

plant for the first time since Japan's earthquake and tsunami.

And using punk to take on Vladimir Putin - but feminists sending an

anti- Vladimir Putin message ahead One of the journalists injured in

Syrian government shelling has been smuggled out of the besieged city

of Homs. The British photographer Paul Conroy is said to have arrived

safe and sound in Lebanon after he was brought out of the Labour help

-- the rebel-held neighbourhood of Baba Amr yesterday. He is

understood to have been wrecked debt -- rescued with the assistance

of the Syrian opposition. He was injured in the bombardment that

killed Sunday Times journalist Marie Colvin and French

photojournalist Remi Ochlik. His wife Kate said that he had rejected

an opportunity to leave Homs with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent for

fear that it could not be trusted. The United Nations Security Council

is debating developments. Jim Muir is following developments from

Lebanon. The Syrian regime will not put its

hand up and say, it is a fair cop because of what is being said in

Geneva. It adds incrementally to the moral pressures. The crucial

thing at this stage is possibly not pressure on the Syrian regime,

which is fighting for survival, but one Russia, China and others who

have been supporting it in the UN. If it adds to that it may have some

incremental effect. But the condemnation in itself, even

threats of possible referral to the international criminal court for

crimes against humanity, those are things that are not going to have

an immediate impact on Damascus but which could have this incremental

effect of making people more embarrassed about supporting the

Syrians as they have been doing. The numbers of civilians killed his

reaching such huge numbers, but also the numbers of journalists

wounded and killed. Paul Conroy we have had news of today. Can you

bring us up to date? We can happily confirm from our

diplomatic and opposition sources that he has been smuggled out of

Baba Amr, the besieged district of Homs where he and others were

wounded last Wednesday. He apparently left on Monday during

the day, was smuggled out during the night across the border into

Lebanon, where he is now safe and well, according to diplomats who

have been working on his case. We will have to wait and see. It has

all been kept very discreet and secretive because of the risk to

those who are still there. They run confirmed reports that the French

corresponded to was injured last Wednesday has also crossed to

Lebanon but we cannot substantiate those reports. At the moment we are

inclined to believe that she is still in Baba Amr. The nature of

her injuries makes it very difficult to transport her.

18 people have been killed in an attack on a bus in Pakistan. Gunmen

opened fire on a vehicle in the northern district of tier. The bus

was carrying passengers from Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani

army is headquartered, to the northern city of Gilgit. Police

said the motive was not clear. Aleem Maqbool is in Islamabad for

us and said this is the latest in a series of attacks against the

minority Shi'ite communities. Or what apparently happened,

according to police, is that this bus was stopped by men in military

fatigues, all of the passengers were taken off. Police say that

their identity cards were checked and then the militants got an idea

from the names which were Shi'ite Muslims and which were Sunni

Muslims. All of the Shi'ite passengers, around 16 to 18, were

shot dead. Is it clear which group is behind

this? Not as yet. Police are investigating and they are still at

the scene. This comes just ten days or so after the last huge attack

against a Shi'ite community. There was a suicide bombing outside a

Shi'ite mosque and around 30 people were killed there. The Shi'ite

community in Pakistan has often accused the state of not doing

enough to protect them from such sectarian attacks and even of

releasing militants who are suspected of carrying out such

attacks. Is there a reason, politically, why

we are seeing such a tax now? has happened for years,

unfortunately, in Pakistan. There were bigger tax as far back as the

80s. There have been several, as I say, in recent months. But even

last year, at the beginning of last year, we saw an attack on a Shi'ite

religious procession. There is a growing strength among the

religious parties here. Will we have seen a lot of those parties

forming a united group. Those are coming out openly. A lot of these

groups believe that it is OK to attack minorities in Pakistan, not

just Shi'ite mood lower -- Shi'ite Muslims but other groups as well.

We are seeing that campaign gathering momentum. As I say, these

kinds of attacks have gone on for a long time.

Now the business. Portugal's finance minister has

announced this morning that the country has passed the latest test

imposed on it by debt inspectors. It was given a financial bail-out

less than a year ago and has made the spending cuts and has

introduced tough economic reforms. The troika are now expected to

approve the next slice a bail-out funds. That is about 14 billion

euros. Portuguese bonds have failed to benefit from the rally. That

shows that concerns surrounding the country still remain high. Joining

us from Portugal is a professor of economics from Madeira University.

Professor, what Portugal has to do is to rebuild its finances so that

in perhaps 18 months, when the bail-out money runs out, it can

stand on its own two feet. Do you think it will be able to do that?

Good morning. I think it is going to be possible. If we think about

the economy, we have to rebuild it. What concerns me is that we are

going through a programme of cuts. The flexibility in the labour

market is not yet in place. I do not think it is easy to implement

some of the measures that were agreed. If you cannot rebuild the

economy, in order to be able to grow, you end up in the same

position as Greece and you have to have an effective default on your

debt. Do you think that will happen? No, I do not think that

will happen. I think he Greece is a case by its self. It was out of

control when the intervention appeared. In Portugal I do not

think we were like that. -- I think Greece is a case by itself.

Pensions have to rebuilt but we have to have a plan for the long

run for Portugal to recover. 18 months is pretty much the

deadline, by which time the bail- out money will run out. You say

that the economy will not grow by then, so what will happen? I think

we can explain that we are going in the right direction and it is a

question of more time, and I think we will get it.

Compared with Greece, where you have seen huge political resistance

on the streets, are you getting that kind of resistance in

Portugal? What are the conditions like for people and how they react

in? At this point, people are going on. They are saying things. They

will support more for two or three years, that is possible. The people

a row at -- are agreeing that we have to pay our debts. It is part

of our way of thinking. We are clear on the way to negotiate, and

the population that is suffering a lot, some people are getting in

tonight year's a reduction in wages of 40%, so that is a lot for people

do. Somehow there is lots of solid ballot a rate -- solidarity in the

country and people are going to get help through private organisations

that provide food when they needed. There is a large proportion of

people in Portugal who are not poor but they do not have money to pay

for their own food. I think the Solidarity is working pretty well.

Thank you very much indeed for joining us.

The European Central Bank has suspended the use of Greek

government bonds by banks as collateral to get loans from the

central bank. The temporary step comes as ratings firm Standard and

Poor's has cut the rating of Greece to select a default.

Aer Lingus has seen its annual profits more than double as it

continues to benefit from extensive cost-cutting. The carrier made a

pre-tax profit of over $100 million in 2011. His average income

increased by more than 5% a stop the markets are looking positive.

Mining stocks are doing reasonably well. -- its average income.

Dozens of police and bailiffs have moved in to set up a camp set up

four months ago at St Paul's Cathedral in London. The Occupy

movement is opposed to what it sees as corporate greed. Some of the

demonstrators put up barricades to try to delay the operation.

Midnight at St Paul's - the occupy camp on full alert. -- the Occupy

camp. The police, when they arrived, were in overwhelming numbers, here

to clear a camp that has so sharply divided opinion. Scuffles, yes, but

little violence. Resistance, but no hope of stopping the clearance

sanctioned by the courts. The message went out for all supporters

to come and join the cause. Police cordons made sure that did not

happen. After so many months, such a long legal fight, this was a

defining moment. I think this leads an opportunity for us to move

sideways and be creative and innovative. This is very much not

the beginning of the end, it is the end of the beginning. The court

order was to remove tents and other structures. As that happened, a few

of the most committed man the last barricade. Ultimately, the result

was never in doubt. The camp here had been a central and potent

symbol of their cause. You're watching BBC World News.

Still to come: The latest on the cruise liner being rescued from

drifting in the Indian Ocean. It may not seem obvious at first,

but London's skyscraper known as the gherkin and the iPad have

something in common - they are examples of British engineering and

design. There is concern that Britain could lose its place at the

cutting edge of innovation so the Queen Elizabeth Price has been

launched. The winner will be someone who makes significant

advances in engineering. One of the judges is Professor Brian Cox.

is a genuine worldwide price for excellence in engineering. I

suppose the closest you could compare it to would be the Nobel

Prize. There is not a Nobel Prize for engineering but the intention

is to have that level of prestige and prize-money. He is a �1 million

prize. It is huge. What do you have to do to be nominated and to win?

You have to be absolutely excellent. This is supposed to be the gold

standard. I was thinking who would have won it in the past. The Wright

brothers would have won it and the inventor of the transistor. It is a

worldwide contribution to engineering. One of the reasons for

the prizes to show that engineering is not just an Nis -- is not just a

marginal thing, it is very much Anyone with children knows they

start of being fascinated with science and design but they lose it

when they get older. Is that true not only in Britain but around the

world? It seems to be. The figures for Britain, when asked, only 14 %

of boys and 9% of girls know what an engineer is. In Britain,

something like 20 % of our economy is based on engineering. In China

it is around a half. Globally, developing economies, major

contributions in engineering. 25,000 engineering graduates a year

in the UK, 500,000 Binya in India and China. His engineering still as

popular in those countries? It's more popular. The rapidly growing

sectors of the economy in China, India, Brazil, those countries. In

Britain it has declined slightly as a percentage of our economy. It is

The headlines. The British photographer Paul Conroy has been

smuggled to safety, after being wounded in an attack in the Syrian

city of Homs. And gunmen in northern Pakistan, 18 people have

been killed. German politicians may have proved a bail-out for the

Greek economy yesterday, but that's not pleased many Germans. An opera

has opened in Berlin using the tensions between Germans and Greeks

The euro as you've never seen it. In this new production, the euro

has become a goddess to be worshipped, complete with halo. It

is a reworking of an opera, but it is set in the European Central Bank.

The heroine is a Greek who works as an intern there. This version is

about what some Germans say about Greeks. It is typical for you as a

Greek to take what is not yours. That is a phrase that makes the

entire audience gasp. Many of the cast of Greek. The opera depicts

attitudes and frictions. It is an opera about the very real drama,

the eurozone, with all the operatic pain and demotion. But I have to

tell you, there's no obvious, clear, happy ending. At this Greek taverna

in Berlin, they don't expect happy ending in the real world either.

Christos has a Greek father and German mother. He notices a rising

tension between the two groups. does break my heart because I see

the misunderstandings, but distrust and that beneath the friendly

relationships there are all the stereotypes and cliches there.

this meeting of Greeks in Berlin, some say they are patronised by

Germans. Asked if they can pay their bills at the supermarket, for

example. Some plan to go home. am aware that the situation in

Greece this tragic, it's a disgrace for Una -- for a European country

to be enforced to apply such austerity measures. But I believe

that we all have to contribute so that Greece gets over this crisis.

I am planning to go back. The euro was meant to bring countries closer

together as economies merged. The drama which is the euro crisis is

An Italian cruise ship which was adrift for more than 12 hours in

the Indian Ocean with more than 1000 people on board is now being

told to the Seychelles by a French trawler. The Costa Allegra was left

without power when -- was left without prior went -- was left

without power when a fire knocked out its generator. The ship was

sailing from Madagascar. The fire in the ship's generator room

coasted to lose all power. The fire was extinguished but the vessel now

has no air conditioning or cooking facilities. And today, the 636

passengers were served a cold breakfast. Apparently all the

passengers and crew are safe. They all spent the night on the outside

decks because the heat in the ship was too great and there was no

lighting, so it was dangerous to be in the corridors. I believe they

spend the night under the stars. The Costa Allegra is now heading

for the Seychelles island of Des Roach. An industrial fishing vessel

reached the Costa Allegra and they are to win the ship to the island.

When they get there we are making arrangements for the evacuation of

all the passengers and crew. From there, they will have some food,

relax and speak to their families. Then we will organise for their

transfer back to our international airport. It's been a bad year for

the company. The ill-fated Costa Concordia ran aground and capsized

off the coast of Italy in January. The Costa Allegra is from the same

plate. What is crucial about this is it follows in the wake of the

Costa Concordia, which I think is going to define this company for as

long as it continues, which may not be that long. Somali pirates

operate are round wide in the Indian Ocean, but they never cease

to cruise ship before and members of the Italian navy's anti-piracy

unit are on board the Costa Allegra as a precaution. The ship doesn't

appear to be in any danger and the weather is good. But the priority

is to get the passengers ashore. The company has given a statement

saying the ship is not going to be taken to the island because of

security conditions for mooring the ship. The logistics on that island

are not enough. They will be told instead to the main island of the

Seychelles with the help of two tugboats approaching the ship,

which will allow it to increase its speed. It's due to arrive there on

Thursday. A new report into the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan

last year suggest the government did considered evacuating Tokyo.

For the first time since last year's tsunami, international

journalists are being allowed inside the Fukushima Daiichi

reactor. Every day, around 3000 people are working inside the

Fukushima plant. Before they go in they have to come here. This is the

sitting upper room. What you have to wear to face the radiation...

There is a plastic boiler suit, I've got double layer of plastic

boots on as well. There are clubs, a surgical mask. And a full-face

mask. It is to protect us from anything that is in the air. This

is the main control centre. There are perhaps 100 or more men here,

they are all men, sitting at laptops, monitoring what is going

on in the reactors. The reactors themselves are next door. Because

the air is filled it in here, they don't have to wear protective

clothing. You can see on that wall, there are messages, good luck

messages, including that Japanese flag. The Japanese character in the

middle of that flat, that's a symbol for hope. It's only when you

come here that you can appreciate the strength of the explosions that

tour those reactor buildings apart. You can see a few men up their

working in the skeleton of the buildings. It remains highly

radioactive here and the challenge of decontaminating this area,

dismantling this power station, it could take up to 40 years. It is

almost a week until Russia's presidential election. The Prime

Minister, Vladimir Putin, is expected to win, but his critics

have been finding some unusual ways to express their descent. They've

asked us not to reveal where they are. Or who they are. It is all

very hush hush. But not for long. Feminist punk band are rehearsing

their latest song about Vladimir Putin. And you don't need to

understand Russian to realise they don't like him very much. Here,

they pray Mr Putin will soon be traced from power. But why?

TRANSLATION: She believes Mr Putin cheated in last year's

parliamentary election. That's why she wants him out. When the band

performing public that they select high-profile venues. Like this roof

opposite a jail, where anti- government protesters had been

locked up. Earlier this month they conquered Red Square and sang,

Putin has wet himself. The concert only lasted a couple of minutes

before the police turned up. Punk protest songs right on the

Kremlin's doorstep. It shows just how much the political scene and

the music scene have changed in Russia. After all, it wasn't so

long ago that Vladimir Putin was Top Of the Pops. There was a time

when girl bands sang his praises. We want a strong man like Vladimir

Putin, they once crooned. And these artists sang, my love is called

Vladimir Putin. Music critics welcome the change of tone.

more people criticise the PoW were, but better it is for the society in

general. That makes power realise they are vulnerable and they have

to be vulnerable. They are not invincible. There is still one girl

band which is packing -- which is backing Vladimir Putin for

President. He's rapping Russian pensioners have become famous with

a song about how clever and athletic Vladimir Putin is. They