22/08/2012 BBC World News

We need more time. The Greek Prime Minister asks for breathing space

to implement austerity cuts. Two South African farm workers are

sentenced over the murder of the white supremacist leader Eugene

Terreblanche. And Russia has joined the World

Trade Organisation, it is the 156th member to do so. Welcome to BBC

World News. Also to come: After nearly three decades of renovation,

Florence's gates of paradise are Hello, the head of the euro-zone's

finance minister's Group, Jean- Claude Juncker, will hold talks in

the next few hours over whether Greece should be given the next

stage of its bail-out. The Greek prime minister says his country

needs more time to bring in the Budget reforms. He has also said

that does not mean additional cash will be needed. The charm offensive

begins for an Thomas Samaras. He wants more time to pay back

Greece's debt and he will make his case to the man who heads up the

group of euro-zone finance ministers will stop in an interview

with a German newspaper said the Greek Prime Minister has outlined

what he plans to ask for. Let me be very explicit, he says, weak demand

no additional money, all we want is a bit of air to breathe to get the

economy running. More time does not mean more money. But Europe's

effective paymaster, Jean-Claude Juncker, is expected to tell

Antonis Samaras that Greece must stick to the timeline and continue

to make cuts if it wants its next bail-out instalment. Greece needs

31.5 billion euros within the next few weeks to avoid defaulting on

its debt. The price is that it has to make 11.5 billion euros worth of

spending cuts, they target that after he was elected Antonis

Samaras had been confident there could be good achieved. We will

implement what must be implemented, we would change what must be

changed in order to meet our targets. With him now asking for

more time there is growing doubts about whether Greece can meet

expectations. The Greek Prime Minister will head out on a tour of

Europe this week, hoping to win over the German Chancellor and the

French President. Developments in Greece are being

followed in Germany. Our correspondent in Berlin takes a

look at whether the German public is willing to support Greece as it

tries to sort out its financial problems. There is a lot of

understanding. Sometimes German public opinion is overstated as

being very anti-bail-out and getting harder. But if you ask them,

do you want to keep the euro and Greece in the euro? They are

sympathetic to that. If the Chancellor wants to help Greece in

a substantial way she will have to go to the Bundestag, elected by the

German people. They find the Greek Prime Minister making a direct

appeal to them. The headline read the drachma was a catastrophe for

us. But the bones of it is we do not want more money, but we need a

breathing space to get our economy going so tax revenues can rise. We

have a whole string of meetings today and the rest of the week

involving Berlin, Athens and Paris and basically the appeal will be

made by this guy it to the people with the money in the hope for

breathing space. Will he get it? If you listen to the rhetoric from

German politicians, he won not. But if you look at the fine print of

what the leaders are saying, there is some leeway to have delayed, but

no leeway for up a new batch of money. I know you look at the euro-

zone, but I want to talk about other things going on. Let's talk

about Russia. The 156th member of the World Trade Organisation, it

has taken 20 years. But it is official today, so at least we can

say that. The last major global economy to become a member. It has

been a long time coming. But there are all sorts of pros and cons. It

is a very different time for Russia joining compared to the likes of

China. When China joined in 2001, that period of time we were on the

cusp of the global, economic boom. It was all on debt as we know now,

but Tynan joined and its exports rose 20% every year and foreign

exporters poured money into China making it the second largest

economy where it sits today. It will not be the same story for

Russia because 2012 is a different picture. Let's hear some more

analysis from an expert in the field of all things Russian and

economics. Let's hear from our Moscow correspondent about the

significance of finally Russia joining the World Trade

Organisation. It is the largest economy currently outside and it

has the biggest population in Europe, 140 million people, it is a

significant economic player. Historically Russia has tended to

go its own way. They have had a very different economic Review of

the world. But ever since then Russians have felt they could use a

sharp elbows to get their way in negotiations in business. There is

still disagreement amongst the elite about this, that they need to

buy into this world trade system and go along with that, although

there is a lot to be done in terms of sorting out bureaucracy and

corruption and the role of law before international companies can

feel safe investing. We can speak to a Rushall -- Russian analyst and

I asked her about the potential benefits and the downsize for

Russia. It is a big game changed poor Russian consumers because this

would mean they will be the biggest winners. They will have cheaper

goods and more choice. It is good news for Russian exporters because

they will take advantage of the lower tariffs. This will also

create predictability, hopefully, in the long run in Russia's

business environment. There are at the pluses, so what are the

Commons? Of course there are. The WTO entry is a long-term issue. The

benefits will not happen overnight. At the beginning we will see the

disadvantages that the accession brings, especially for those

countries who are not competitive and who are in need of

modernisation. This openness to more trade and competition will put

pressure on these companies either to get out or to modernise. This

may bring unemployment in certain sectors, especially in cities that

have single industries. We are looking into the down sides as well.

One interesting aspect of all of this is the comparisons to China.

China joined the WTO in 2001 and many will say since then that is

when we saw this enormous bloom. Exports in China were up 20% every

year and foreign investors poured money into the country. They are

wondering if that will happen for Russia. But if we look at the

global, economic climate, it is very different. Yes, when it comes

to external factors, the investors across the world are a bit wary. In

some ways the Russians are unlucky because they are joining the WTO at

a time when there is not much foreign investment. But on the

other hand, the bottom line is that Russia and China are very different

economies. China has been incredibly large labour markets and

it was a great place to invest for producers. The Russian population

is not as big as China's and Russian economies are heavily

dependent on the oil and gas sector and it is not diversified. There

are fundamental differences when it comes to the two economies. The US

authorities are investigating the Royal Bank of Scotland for possible

breaches around sanctions. The Federal Reserve is looking into

deals done by the bank after receiving information from RBS 18

months ago. The Standard Chartered Bank agreed to pay around $75

million Cowes in fines. The banking experts have been telling us that

the RBS case has his differences. In fact, they are telling us it is

more serious. The fundamental problem is their problem of

perception. Most European banks assume somebody is innocent until

proven guilty. But America wants British banks and foreign banks to

assume they are guilty until proven innocent because of the sanctions

in place. That culture will difference is causing the problem.

That is it with the business. have got some breaking news. First,

the locked-in Syndrome sufferer Tony Nicklinson who lost his High

Court battle last week, where he wanted the legal right to end his

life when he chooses with a doctor's help, he has died today.

There has been a brief statement. His law firm says Tony Nicklinson

from Trowbridge died this morning at home. I quote, this is to notify

you of the sad that there of Tony Nicklinson at approximately 10:00am

this morning, this is UK time. It also asks for the family's privacy

to be respected. We have not had any more details issued about the

circumstances of his death. More breaking years, the former fugitive

tycoon Asil Nadir, has been found guilty of a further six charges of

theft at the Old Bailey. The former tycoon who was famed, being accused,

of stealing �1.3 million to secretly by Polly Peck shares to

bolster the Stock Exchange prize. He has been found guilty of these

extra charges. Other news and a South African court has sentenced

two farm workers over the murder of the way supreme is Eugene

Terreblanche. There was heavy security outside court in the

north-western town of Ventersdorp as Chris Mahlangu was sentenced to

life imprisonment. Patrick Ndlovu, who was acquitted of murder, has

been given a two-year suspended sentence for breaking and entering.

The murder of Eugene Terreblanche continues to overshadow events in

the town. Our correspondent reports now on a legacy of racial division.

Almost two decades since the dawn of democracy it appears nothing

much has changed in the rural town of Ventersdorp. With its Dutch

Reform churches, once temples of apartheid rule, this is the

birthplace and headquarters of former white supremacist leader

Eugene Terreblanche. His murder by a black farm worker two years ago

ignited fears of a political plot aimed at killing white farmers.

Chris Mahlangu, an illegal Zimbabwean in a grand, confessed to

the murder, saying he attacked his employer over a dispute over wages.

Local farmers are a flayed black people are targeting white farmers.

It looks like they are afraid of white farmers and they are after us.

However farmworkers say their working conditions are still

appalling. This lady was a farm labourer for 15 years and resigned

after an altercation with her boss. TRANSLATION: Might employ her beat

me up after I asked for a bigger salary and I hit back. Farm workers

are still suffering, nothing has changed. Both racial groups

continue to look over their shoulders in Ventersdorp as there

are constant fears of a race war. Not even Ventersdorp can escape the

inevitable as barriers between black and white collapse 18 years

after the end of apartheid. This family have beaten the odds. Their

mixed-race marriage is still considered a criminal offence by

white supremacists. This relationship has brought a lot of

change in Ventersdorp. It is dangerous for us, but I do not care,

we love each other. We will change this township. If change is to come

to this divided town, they are an example to those who wish to find

You're watching BBC World News. Still to come: the flame up on top

of the mountain. The Paralympic torch begins its journey across the

UK. Thousands of people have lined the streets of Addis Ababa there to

pay their respects to the Prime Minister. State media have reported

that the Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn would take

over until elections in 2015. The BBC's Noel Mwakugu is in Addis

Ababa. He says there have been emotional scenes in the capital

this morning. It was a very emotional moment. When the body

landed at the international airport, people were wailing. It was

emotional. Women where lying on the floor. This morning, they are still

trying to digest the news that the man they have known as their leader

for 20 years is no more. We need to think what happens over the next

few days with regards to his burial. The Government officials are

expected to make a formal announcement later today on what

plans have been put in place for the funeral. We hear from some

people it could be within the week. They have announced they will be a

week of national mourning. He passed away in Belgium. Let's talk

about the succession. The acting Prime Minister, does he consolidate

this role and continue? Will it be opened up? He has been on the foot

steps for some time. Many people consider him as a moderate. There

has been some underlying political tensions within the ruling

coalition. Some argue that since he is a moderate and he comes from

South Ethiopia, he might be able to control the underlying political

tensions and might stand up as a good leader. Some argue he may not

be firm enough to control the political situation there is in

Ethiopia. The coroner's office in Los Angeles says there appear to be

no signs that the film director, Tony Scott, was suffering from a

brain tumour. Tony, perhaps best known for the film Top Gun, fell to

his death from a bridge in the city on Sunday afternoon. Police are

treating it as suicide. His family have told investigators that he was

not suffering from any serious This is BBC World News. The

headlines: The Greek Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, has again called

for more time to carry out spending cuts and economic reforms. In an

interview with a German newspaper, Mr Samaras said Greece needed

breathing space to revive its economy. Two South African farm

workers are sentenced over the murder of white supremacist Eugene

Clashes between Sunni Muslims and Alawites in Lebanon's northern town

of Tripoli have continued for a second night. Seven people have

been killed so far and more than 70 people have been wounded. The

clashes are down to hostility between the two communities due to

tensions over the war in Syria. The BBC's Barbara Plett is in

neighbouring Beirut, from where she told that the tensions were local

to Tripoli, as well as related to the current tensions in Syria.

tensions between the two communities are permanent since a

couple of decades. They are related to internal dynamics. Since the

conflict in Syria started, they have escalated and broken out into

violence. It is because the sectarian lines in Tripoli are the

same as they are in Syria. You have a small Alawite community living in

Tripoli in this silly Muslim town. The Alawites support the regime in

Damascus. -- this Syrian town. That has caused eruptions into violence

several times and deadly clashes before - this time we are hearing

that seven people were killed. They have gone on for some time. Gunfire

was heard throughout the night. That has now pretty much died down.

It is not clear if that means this particular battle is over or if

both sides are taking a rest and it will resume later in the day.

wildfires have broken out in Spain. The fire in the FA has destroyed

large areas of agricultural land. There have also been wildfires on

the Canary Islands and on the southern Mediterranean coast in

Spain. They are known as the Gates of Paradise. A magnificent set of

doors in Florence, weighing nine tonnes, are one of the defining

works of the Italian Renaissance. But they have been out of the

public eye for nearly three decades while being renovated. Allan

Johnston has been given an exclusive look at the masterpiece.

There is a crowd like this here almost all the time. Every day

thousands pause to take in one of the sides of Florence. The great

Golden Gates in San Giovanni. They are just copies. These are the

original doors. They have been hidden from public view for decades,

undergoing restoration. We were given special access - a chance to

see the work being done on a masterpiece. It is more than 500

years old. It tells 10 Tales From the Old Testament. None other than

Michelangelo named the doors - so beautiful he said - they could be

the gates of paradise. The renovation programme is almost

complete. This has not only been a job for scalpels. New pioneering

laser techniques had to be developed. The project has taken 27

years. What a difference it has made it! Before, the panels were

covered in the crime of centuries. Now, back to their best. They have

allowed us to get right up close. Part of what is so impressive is

the detail and the drama there you can see in each scene. Take this

one. The boy warrior, David, cuts of the head of the giant, Goliath,

who he famously killed with his slingshot. The doors will not be

put back in their original setting out in the piazza. They are too

delicate for that now. There will be shown and special conditions in

a museum. There is no manual of the history of Western art. It does not

give the place of honour to the stores. To have been without them

for more than a quarter of a century, to have had to see them

only in books - in small reproductions - really has been a

kind of fast. The artist worked this lightness of himself into his

creation. -- like Nurse. If he is looking down on it now, he would

surely approve of what the restorers have done. The lighting

of the Paralympics flame has been taking part on the highest peaks in

each of the four nations which make up the United Kingdom. This was the

scene a short while ago on top of Mount Snowdon in Wales. Teams of

Boy Scouts have been taking part. Now the torches are lit, they will

begin their journey to the Olympic stadium in Stratford in East London.

The BBC's Hywel Griffith joined us from Snowdon in Wales where he

Despite the conditions, they managed it within a couple of

minutes. I suppose they use some boy scout ingenuity. A group of 16

walked from the bottom, joined by Lord Coe and one very important

person. You were chosen as the torch-bearer for this. You are part

of a group of people with different abilities. You have bipolar

disorder. How did it feel holding that flame high above the highest

point in Wales? It felt absolutely incredible. It was amazing to be

able to do that. What will people take from the Paralympic Games?

Will it help them understand different abilities? It will

underline the fact that everyone in society has something to offer,

despite some prejudices that might still be around. You walked all

away. Exercise is one way which helps people with different

conditions to manage it. That is true. How did you find the walk?

was quite tough going. It was good - very good. Especially good to

becoming as part of a group, a team. We all encouraged each other.

are planning to walk back down. What are you hoping to seat in the

Paralympics? I do not know. What impresses me is a wheelchair racing.

I'm not sure what it is called. Tanni Grey-Thompson is a Welsh

Paralympian. You hope that people will follow her example.

Congratulations on becoming the first torch-bearer in Wales. Three

other flames are being lit in England, Scotland and Northern

Ireland as well. They will be joined together before coming to

the Olympic Park in London. Now some news which has broken in the

last half an hour. Asil Nadir has been convicted of more Polly Peck

thefts. He was the head of the Polly Peck empire more than 20

years ago. He has been convicted of nine thefts totalling around �28.5

million. The jury is still continuing to deliberate on two

remaining counts. More news as that develops. We have also had another

piece of breaking news. Sad news that Tony Nicholson, the man who

has been fighting for the right to die, who lost his High Court case

on 16th August, he has passed away today. His family said he passed

away at 10am today in the UK. His son has messaged saying it is a