20/12/2012 BBC World News

Mass protests continue across India as doctors talk of the worst

injuries they have ever seen on a victim of gang rape. It is

BlackBerry take 10, could this new- generation of handsets make-or-

break an ailing business? The head of NATO defence the deployment of

Patriot missiles to Turkey. Welcome to BBC World News. Also in the

programme, deadlock. Talks to solve the American budget crisis are in

stalling position as the end-of- year deadline approaches. Could

these posters, looted during the Nazi era, considered the finest of

The case of a woman who was raped in Delhi has caused outrage across

India. The victim was returning from the cinema on Sunday night

when she was gang raped and beaten by six attackers. There have been

angry protests across the country, and the case has led to increasing

pressure on the government to do more to protect women. The BBC's

Rajini Vaidyanathan has been getting reaction on the streets of

And the horrific gang-rape of a student in Delhi has not only

shocked the nation, but also reopened the debate about how safe

it is to be a woman in today's India. That debate and discussion

as happen not just in Delhi, but across India, including here in

Mumbai. There are two students hear from the city. Firstly, how

surprised were you that something like this could happen in the

nation's capital? Not surprised at all. It indicates the prevalent

attitude in India that women should not be accessing public space, and

if they do, they are punished. It is a very patriarchal context and

this is the way women are -- men who deal with women who don't

accept the terms of the contract. What was your reaction to this

horrific crime? The extent of the brutality, the fact it did not

happen in a rural part, within the city limits, that was a shocker. A

horrific gang-rape in Delhi, that doesn't have any surprise any more,

sadly. We are in Mumbai, which is seen as a safer city than Delhi but

there are still massive problems when it comes to sexual harassment.

What is your take on how safe it is to be a woman in today's India?

don't think any woman in India would be safe in any city or

village. If you look at the blame game, everybody blames the woman.

She was wearing a short dress, out at night, out with a boy. Women in

India, we are taught to live in paranoia. We are always paranoid.

Is that how you feel? I completely agree. The thing about blaming the

victim is an important issue. This means the men and boys in our

country are being raised with values the let them get away with

impunity when a harassed women. They are enabling it male

aggression and violence towards women. In this kind of scenario, a

gang rape as brutal as this, is to be expected, not a surprise.

course, the discussion in Parliament is about what needs to

be done to stop these kind of things happening and to punish the

people responsible. It is a discussion happening on the streets

of India as well. That is the view from Mumbai. The BBC's Sanjoy

Majumder is in Delhi with more details on the victim's condition.

She was a medical intern, out on Sunday evening, after being at the

cinema with a male friend. She was attacked on board a bus. Not just

gang-raped, but so badly beaten that she is on life support.

Doctors have released a medical but an -- bulletin, and doctors say

they are still -- she is still critical and the showing tremendous

fight. She is showing an intense spirit to live. That is what they

are hanging onto, hoping that she will come through this, but they

are not understating the extent of the injuries, and as you describe,

these are doctors who are very experienced and have been in the

profession for three decades and say they have never seen anything

like it. It has triggered a wave of demonstration. Is that still

growing? We are expecting more protests today. We had intense

protests, not just in Delhi but across the country. In Delhi there

were protests which took place at a number of different places. Outside

the main police station, their headquarters of the police, also

outside the main government buildings and Parliament and that

India Gate, a major city landmark. All kinds of people are coming out

across the cities, young women, old women, a lot of men, urban and

rural people, women and men. All of them basically saying that they

want something done not just to make sure that those who carried

out this latest attack are brought to justice, but to reform the whole

process of the justice system so that crimes like these do not take

place so easily. Enough is enough, that is the call coming from India.

President Hamid Karzai has welcomed the withdrawal of forces from

Afghanistan. David Cameron announced on Wednesday that almost

4,000 British troops would leave Afghanistan next year in advance of

the end of all NATO combat operations which is due by the

close of 2014. 438 British troops have been killed in Afghanistan

since the operation to topple the Taliban began way back in October

2001. Speaking from the Brussels headquarters, the NATO Secretary

General, told us he was not troubled by the British withdrawal

announcement and expressed confidence in the ability of the

Afghan national forces. In the area where they have taken lead

responsibility for security we have seen a steady decline in the number

of enemy attacks, so I'm quite optimistic that they can take full

responsibility. But come what may it seems pretty clear, at the end

of 2014, what is left behind is an unfinished conflict. We have talks

taking place in Paris between leaders of the Taliban and the

Northern Alliance, for example. The Taliban have played a very long

game and have played it well enough for many people to think that if it

is not theirs for the taking, they are going to be an important part

of what follows when you pull out, which is not, really, what the

Western alliance in their wanted to see. The Taliban cannot just wait a

sound. When our combat mission ends we will leave behind a very capable

and strong Afghan security force, police, and soldiers, and I feel

confident based on what I have seen with light own eyes -- my own eyes

when I have observed a special operation forces in action. I feel

confident they can take full responsibility. I know one thing

for sure. If we are to facilitate a political solution, and that would

be good to ensure long-term peace and stability, then we have to keep

up a stronger military pressure on the Taliban so they realise that

they have no chance whatsoever to prevail in the battlefield. I want

to get in a question about Syria. We have the Patriot missiles going

to the Turkish border. What is the true value of those? Were there to

be a shift, and perhaps a no-fly zone over parts of Syria, they

would be ideal for you, wouldn't they? Barbara liked to stress that

the deployment of the Patriot missile -- I would like to stress

that the deployment of the Patriot missiles is a defensive action. We

have no desire or intention to create a no-fly zone or any

offensive operations. We have no intention whatsoever to intervene

militarily in Syria. The true strength of this deployment is

deterrence. We do believe that the fact we have destroyed -- deployed

these Patriot missiles will deter any potential aggressor from

thinking about attacking Turkey. Isn't it a pretty heavy handed

deterrent in the likelihood of what will come from Syria? It has also

struck a certain degree of fear into the heart of Iran. Yes, but we

have seen the regime in Damascus Launce -- launch missiles and their

own territory, so there's potentially a missile threat. -- in

their own territory. We have deployed these Patriot missiles to

insure a defence of the Turkish population and Turkish territory.

Aaron is here. We are talking about the fiscal Clifton the US budget,

the deadlock between the Republicans and the Democrats. The

Republicans do not want to see tax increases, the Democrats won the

tax increases on the wealthy but here is the problem. But if they

don't come to an agreement on January 1st, automatically the

system kicks in and we seek a huge tax increase and big spending cuts

across the board from the Pentagon, defence all sorts of spending cuts.

Excuse my sneezing. Tax increases and big spending. We thought

earlier this week we were making progress but there seems to be a

deadlock. The Republicans will vote on the second plan, which is about

opposing any tax increases. I spoke to an expert earlier and we were

talking about agreements and what will happen, and he painted a

rather dire picture. I think we are looking at a fairly substantial

recession, and contraction of GDP in the first and second quarters.

This will be a very large fiscal dip, unprecedented for the US

economy. So, earlier this week, we were talking and were relieved

because we had both sides sitting down and numbers were being talked

about and then Mark -- markets were relieved, but it seems to be back

to be deadlocked situation. Are we any closer? It doesn't seem to be

the case. Congress is in the dark about what deal will emerge.

Financial markets appear quite complacent about the fact the deal

is likely to be reached before the deadline. Troubles in Japan as well.

The Bank of Japan is again spending big. As it tries to boost the

flagging economy. For the third time in four months the bank is

expanding a programme aimed at keeping interest rates low. This

latest measure will cost the bank almost $120 billion. The BOJ is

under pressure to boost the flagging economy, not least from

the new government, led by Shinzo Abe. He wants to see the Bank raise

its inflation target. Martin Shaw sees a senior economist, and he

explains why the new Prime Minister is so focused on the economy.

learnt a strong lesson the last time by ignoring the economy. He is

showing that he has learned the lesson and is focusing on the

economy and what he can do in the short term is on the monetary and

fiscal side. Reform has to follow later and that takes time, so he is

now pushing for that, but no one in Japan really expects the Japan bank

to allow monetary and fiscal policy to get out of control. This is the

country with the highest financial assets on the household side. They

will not allow that to be devalued by a significant number. Hong Kong-

based airline Cathay Pacific has settled a dispute with its cabin

crew over pay and working conditions. Staff last week voted

in favour of industrial action, which threatened to disrupt

services over the upcoming holiday period. But the union representing

flight attendants said it was "very happy" with an improved offer from

A Russian court cut the sentence of a former oil tycoon by two years to

11 years. He was convicted for theft and money laundering but

supporters say he was punished for having political ambitions. Reports

say the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange is in talks to

merge with Intercontinental Exchange known as ICE. Formed 12

years ago in Atlanta, ICE is a leading market for trading energy

and commodity financial products. Last year it made a failed attempt

to buy the New York Stock Exchange in partnership with the NASDAQ

market. Will new phones rescue research in

motion? That is the question that will be answered by BlackBerry when

it launches the latest generation of phones. The company has seen its

market share in the US dwindled to just 4% this year, he slump that

will be reflected in further losses when the company reports quarterly

For BlackBerry and its parent company, Research In Motion, the

next few months could be make-or- break. Investors are focused on

what happens next. Early next year, Research In Motion will be

unveiling its long awaited BlackBerry 10, with new software

and a new operating system. It could be the firm's last chance to

win back a market it once dominated. The BlackBerry was once the handset

of choice for businesses and consumers around the world. But as

the pace of innovation picked up, BlackBerry was left behind. In this

increasingly competitive market, it is struggling to stand out, and so

know it has to come up with something rather special if it is

to reclaim a slice of this fast- moving market. This is different to

anything they have done in the past, because it is a brand new operating

system, we built from the ground up. There is no other trick they can

pull, nothing else they can do, to enable a turn around, so this has

to work. What they are trying to do is to say to the market, we're

going to show you how to do it better, faster, easier, etc.

while the new product might attract new customers, Research In Motion

also has to concentrate on its existing ones. The customer base is

still growing, especially in emerging markets, but the amount it

makes from each is falling. Alongside cheaper handsets, that is

cutting into profits. So, can Research In Motion win back those

more lucrative customers? That is what the new device is intended to

do. January's launch could determine not only Research In

Motion's short-term success but also its long-term survival. That

is a flashy cover, isn't it? All eyes and ears on these numbers.

Thank you very much. Still to come - President Putin uses his annual

address to journalists to condemn America's stance on human rights in

Now, it is one thing to quit, quite another to receive a pay-off of

�450,000. That is the criticism being levelled at the former

Director-General of the BBC, George Entwistle, by MPs. He left after

just eight weeks in the job after his handling of the Jimmy Savile

scandal. Nick Higham has this report. George Entwistle left the

BBC after just 54 days as Director- General, with one year's pay, twice

what his contract entitled him to, as well as other payments on top.

This was unacceptable for a public servant, according to MPs. They

were critical of similar payments to other top executives. In the

past two years, the BBC has paid out �4 million to a departing

senior managers. We were astounded by what appears to be a cavalier

attitude on behalf of the BBC, in rewarding failure, in the package

they gave to George Entwistle. He walked away after 54 days in the

job with �450,000 in his pocket, and a package of benefits which

included private health care for a year. It just seems wrong. There

was more criticism for the BBC's response to yesterday's report on

the Jimmy Savile affair and its fall-out. Several executives have

been moved to new jobs, but only one has resigned. Have they done

enough to convince the public that they have taken serious steps, and

that things will be better in the future, or does it look more like

them shifting people around, protecting people's jobs? But on

Newsnight, the Acting Director- General said the priority now was

to change the culture of the BBC and restore the trust of the public.

Success for me is not necessarily how many people I dismiss, it is

about making a fair and proper judgment on the facts in front of

me, and making sure that the BBC is in a position to rebuild trust.

focus now turns to Jimmy Savile's victims, with another inquiry under

way, conducted by a retired judge, into the culture and practices of

the BBC in the years in which he worked for the organisation. That

is expected to report next year. Time magazine has named Barack

Obama as its person of the year. The award goes to a figure seem to

have the greatest influence in the This is BBC World News. Our main

headlines... Mass protests Dave dam across India, as doctors talk about

the worst injuries they have ever seen on a victim of gang rape.

telecoms company BlackBerry is expected to announce further losses

when it reports its quarterly results later in the day. The

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has said he recognises the need for

change in Syria. He was speaking at his final news conference of the

year. He denied propping up the regime of the Syrian President, and

he said Moscow was only seeking to avert a perpetual civil war. He

called for talks between President Assad's government and the Syrian

opposition. He has also been backing legislation that would make

it illegal for Americans to adopt Russian children. That is seen as a

reaction against a new US human rights law which blacklists

Russians who are deemed to be abusing human rights. Our

correspondent has been following Mr Putin's remarks. He says it is

almost certain that the new registration on adoption will be

passed. He did leave himself a little bit of room for manoeuvre,

saying he had not seen the exact text of the proposed legislation,

but he says he thinks it is the right way to go. He says it is not

the issue of Russian orphans being denied a good future. This needs to

be done by the Russian state, he says. It is not a question of

ordinary Americans, either, he says, it is the issue of United States

legislation preventing Russian officials going to check on the

state of Russian kids who have moved to the States. You cannot do

this, he said. He seemed to be quite angry at this point. Of

course, it is a sign of how much controversy this amendment has

caused in Russia for the past couple of days. It is a sensitive

issue, nonetheless, because it is a humanitarian gesture, which works

well for both countries... Indeed. Most of the commentators for the

past 48 hours have said, what to the Russian orphans have to do with

this, why do they have to be involved in this dispute about

Russian officials being prevented going to the United States? This

has still not been explained in detail by those who have proposed

this amendment. Another person injured in this week's attacks on

polio vaccination workers in Pakistan has died. The man was shot

in the head while he was distributing polio drops to

children in Peshawar were on Wednesday. He is the 9th health

worker to die this week. The UN has suspended its polio vaccination

programme in Pakistan because of the killings. The Taliban has been

blamed. EU fisheries ministers have reached agreement on most catch

quotas for next year, after three days of bruising talks in Brussels.

The cuts will not be as deep as the European Commission had been

looking for. The deal is being held up as good for the fishing and and

for the health of the Seas, according to the British Government.

The Iraqi President has gone to Germany for further medical

treatment, after suffering a stroke. A statement issued by his office

says his condition has improved sufficiently to allow him to be

transferred from Baghdad. Mr Talabani is 79. Prosecutors on the

Indonesian island of Bali have asked for a 15 year sentence to be

handed down to a British woman in her 50s, accused of drug smuggling.

Lindsay Sandiford is one of four Britons on trial for selling or

facilitating the sale of cocaine. So far, two of the four have been

jailed. Our correspondent sent us this report from Bali, which

contains flash photography. Covering her head from the glow of

the cameras, as she entered the courtroom. 56-year-old Lindsay

Sandiford listened intently to her translator, as an Indonesian

prosecutor read out his demands. Lawyers could have asked for the

death sentence, but instead, they demanded 15 years, saying she has

co-operated with the police. Still, Lindsay Sandiford was visibly

agitated after the court proceedings. She has repeatedly

said that she was coerced into bringing the cocoa and -- bringing

the cocaine to the island. This is Rachel Dougall, from Brighton.

Initially, Bali police thought she was a major player, but today they

sentenced her to one year in prison for the charge of failing to report

a crime, saying her involvement was minor. I am just happy to be

reunited with my baby. Lindsay Sandiford was paraded in front of

the world's media, with the drugs Bali police say they found on her

when she was arrested. She will now face another court hearing early

next year before the verdict is finally delivered. Lindsay

Sandiford's trial, and that of the three other British nationals

involved in this case, has put the international spotlight on

Indonesia's strict drug laws. The maximum penalty for drug

trafficking here is death by firing squad. This peaceful holiday spot

draws millions of tourists to its shores every year. Authorities want

to make sure that nothing ruins that image, and they will not

hesitate to enforce the law. A remarkable collection of posters

looted during the Nazi era is about to go under the hammer. I have got

some of them for you here. They were hand-crafted more than a

century ago by some world-famous artists, including Gustav Klimt.

They are in extraordinarily good condition. They used to belong to a

Jewish dentist living in Germany. He fled to the United States, and

the Nazis seized all the posters in 1938. His son thought they had been

destroyed, but they were found in a Berlin museum. They could go for $6

million. Some more amazing pictures now, of a volcano which has erupted

in Russia. Spectacular shots. The volcano is in the Far eastern can

check peninsula. It has been dormant since the 1970s. But it has

burst into life. Experts say it was caused when a five kilometre-long