22/02/2013 BBC World News

Hello. I am Tim Wilcox with BBC World News. Our top stories:

In an hour, the magistrate will decide whether Oscar Pistorius gets

bail. Tension in the West Bank as

protesters gather to call for the release of four prisoners who are

on hunger strike. Almost 8,000 people died in Haiti's

cholera outbreak. Now the UN refuses to compensate victims

despite evidence it began at a peacekeeping base.

And Australia's men's relay squad admits using a sedative banned by

their national Olympic committee before the London Games. I have a

lot of regrets, but I don't feel it affected my performance, and my

preparations continued on as per Hello.

A decision on whether to free the Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius

on bail is expected an hour from now. The prosecution and defence

teams have wrapped up their final arguments at a court in Pretoria.

It's now up to a magistrate to decide whether there's any risk in

letting the athlete free before his trial begins. Pistorius is accused

of premeditated murder over the death of his girlfriend Reeva

Steenkamp. He denies the charge and says he mistook her for an intruder.

We should warn you that Richard Galpin's report contains flash

photography. Oscar Pistorius being brought once

again to the court from the police station in Pretoria, where he's

been held now for more than a week. This time, though, a decision is

expected on whether he'll be allowed out on bail or kept in

custody for months before the full trial starts. The court heard more

arguments from prosecutors that Pistorius should be kept in custody

because of the degree of violence in this case and because, they say,

Pistorius might try to flee. The shooting took place in his home in

the early hours of Valentine's Day. Prosecutors allege Pistorius got

out of his bed and shot through the door of the toilet, knowing his

girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, was in there. But his defence lawyers say

he thought a burglar had broken into the house and was inside.

Throughout this week, members of Pistorius' family have come to

court to support him. Today, his coach was also here, hoping

Pistorius will be granted bail. he gets bail, I believe he must get

- or will get - is that - give him space with the family, close family,

and that's it. I know the people, they mean good, but you must give

him space. Oscar Pistorius should find out if he'll get bail or not

in the next couple of hours. For the very latest on the case,

our correspondent Andrew Harding is in court C at that magistrate's

court in Pretoria. You can follow him on Twitter. That's @BBCAndrewH.

Much more on the website, of course. That is bbc.co.uk/news. Stay with

us. You're watching BBC World News for that decision which we expect

in just under an hour's time. A crowd of Palestinian protestors

is gathering for a second day outside a prison in Ramallah, where

four inmates are staging a hunger strike. Tension is already high

following clashes yesterday with the Israeli security service in

which more than 60 people were injured. These are the pictures

live from the West Bank now. Friday prayers has taken place. Hundreds

of Palestinians gathering outside the prison where these four inmates

are serving their term despite being charged with any particular

crime. One of the men has been on hunger strike off and on for more

than 200 days. And the BBC's Jon Donnison joins us

now from outside Ofer Prison on the West Bank. He says the violence

seems to be escalating. Well, we've got several hundred, I would say,

Palestinian protesters gathering. The clashes have started within the

last hour. Let's just have a look at the scene behind me. You can see

the rows of Israeli military vehicles. We have had large volleys

of tear gas being fired. It looks like the Palestinians have set

something on fire behind that building there, and we have heard

just in the last few minutes the sound of gunshots. It sounds like

possibly rubber bullets. We did get reports yesterday of live fire. As

you say, this is the second day of protests. We can have a look at

some of the images from yesterday, a pretty violent scene. We had

Palestinians throwing stones and Molotov cocktails that sort of

thing, and the Israelis responding with, in some cases, live fire.

Palestinian doctors say one person was injured from live fire, over 20

injured by rubber bullets. Some of these prisoners I think have been

on hunger strike for 200 days or more. What sort of condition are

they in? Well, they have been on what people are calling

intermittent hunger strike - one of them for more than 200 days, the

other three for several months. I don't think they're in a great

condition, as you might expect. Doctors who visited them say one of

the prisoners, who has been on this intermittent hunger strike for 200

days, weighs perhaps as little as 45 kilos. Throughout his hunger

strike he has been having water and glucose and vitamins, but

nevertheless still in a pretty bad way. What those protesters have

been protesting against is Israel's use of administrative detention, in

other words, Israel's legal system where they can detain Palestinians

without trial or charges even if they think those prisoners are a

security threat. So far, the protests we have seen regarding

this hunger strike have been relatively small. I think most

Palestinians are very sympathetic to the polite -- plight of these

prisoners. I think a lot of Palestinians have other things to

worry about at the moment, notably, economic conditions and struggling

to get by, so the scale of the demonstrations hasn't been

extensive so far, but it could escalate. You can hear in the

background what sounds like gunshots.

Just hours after two bombs in the Indian city of Hydrabad killed at

least 15 people, the Indian Government said it had had warnings

of a general, not specific, attack over the past three days. More than

a hundred people were injured as two separate bombs were detonated

almost simultaneously in the city's market area. Our correspondent says

India has been on high alert since it hacked the Kashmiri separatist

Ashmal Guru earlier this month. days ago the Indian Home Ministry

saying they received this information, suggesting there could

be attacks in several Indian cities, including Hyderabad, to that's

getting a lot of concern here, a lot of questions in the Indian

media over whether this attack could have been prevented. Now,

what we understand was that it appears to have all the hallmarks

of a coordinated attack - two bombs set off in close succession,

clearly designed to cause maximum casualties. Now, at the moment,

officials have not suggested who they believe could be responsible,

but there's speculation that it may be linked to the hanging two weeks

ago of Afsal Guru, who was convicted for involvement in the

2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. The country has been on

alert since then, but at the moment, no claim of responsibility, and

officials not wanting to point the finger. Andrew North from Delhi.

The United Nations has formally rejected claims for compensation

from victims of a cholera outbreak in Haiti. Scientists have traced it

back to a peacekeeping base on the island.

Haiti had been cholera free for a century. That was until three years

ago. The disease has infected more than 600,000 people and left almost

8,000 dead. Cholera is a bacterial infection caused by contaminated

drinking water. It causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting. There is

mounting evidence it was introduced through leaking sewage pipes at a

UN camp housing infected Nepalese peacekeepers. A group called the

Institute for Justice and Democracy had been lobbying the UN to pay

substantial compensation claims, but the UN does not accept

responsibility and now have formally rejected the claim.

United Nations advised the claimants' representatives that the

claims are not receivable pursuant to Section 29 of the Convention on

the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. The Secretary-

General telephoned the Haitian president to inform him of the

decision and to reiterate the commitment of the United Nations to

the elimination of cholera in Haiti. Not good enough, say the lawyers

representing the victims. Clearly, what happens now is we begin to

decide where we're going to sue the UN, and we believe that the

Secretary-General has to be held accountable. It's quite immoral to

put it bluntly for the Secretary- General to deny all responsibility

here, to not even admit after 15 months that they were the cause of

the worst cholera epidemic in the world today. And it is that fact

that has brought further desperation to a nation already

crippled by the devastating earthquake three years ago. With

just two days to go until Italy holds a general election, one in

three voters say they haven't made up their minds. After years of

recession, the economy is the top priority for most voters, and

nowhere more so than in the economic heart of Italy, Milan. The

capital of the Lombardy region is the latest stop on Katya Adler's

election journey. Glamorous Milan is known as the

business capital of Italy, providing a large chunk of the

country's economic wealth. It's long provided a stark contrast to

the stagnant south of the country, but now Italy is in a Deep Purple

recession, and the crisis -- deep, deep recession, and the crisis is

felt here in the north too. We have come to there cafe favoured by

millnese businessmen and women to ask what changes they'll be voting

for in the upcoming election. main problem is to access credit.

Banks are nowadays getting more and more closed because there is a huge

distance between young entrepreneurs and the world of

business and the world of finance. We are in Milan, which is the

capital of finance, and still there is some big issues regarding the

opportunity to borrow some money to start something.

TRANSLATION: Our economy isn't just linked to domestic politics. It's

also linked to Europe and countries outside. Jobs that used to be in

Italy are now going to emerging countries. We're left paying huge

taxes, but have fewer and fewer In order to give a good feeling to

the international investment and so on, we should have a strong

government, and I don't think we're having the right politician now to

have a strong government. We need reforms. We need something that's

changed, and without a strong government, this cannot happen.

Italy's economic problems go back further than the current crisis.

Even before 2008, its growth and GDP terms ranked between Liberia -

the concern is whatever government is formed after these elections it

won't be strong enough to pass the deep structural changes the country

so needs. Stay with us on BBC World News.

Still to come: Give us back our Banksy - the

London residents race to stop the sale of a mural by the celebrated

artist. The United States has accused

Russia of exploiting a human tragedy after the death of a three-

year-old Russian boy who had been adopt by an American family. The

authorities are still investigating how Max Shatto died. The case has

been used to justify a complete ban on US adoption in Russia. The case

The two children were adopted into an American family in Texas. In

January Max was found dead - he was actually found dying, then taken to

hospital and found dead. The circumstances around that death are

unclear. Texas police are investigating, but as you say, no

most post or autopsy has produced conclusive results yet. On Monday,

Russian officials started describing this as a murder, saying

the boy had been killed by his adoptive murder. The back ground to

that is all adoptions by Americans from Russia were ended at the

beginning of the year. We have seep an extraordinary spectacle this

week of official after official, Parliamentarian after

Parliamentarian going on about this death, and the natural mother of

the boy appearing on TV saying her son wants his brother back. Now

he's lost a son and wants her son back. Late last night the UN

It seems he is trying to persuade Russian officials this should no

longer be exploited for official and political ends. What sort of

figures have been going to the States in recent years? It is

thousands and thousands. In those thousands, 20 children have died

and that has been appointed in Russia, over 17 years, 20 children

who were adopted to America have died. It has become a huge source

of controversy here. This is BBC World News. The latest

headlines: Not long now until the family of Oscar Pistorius find out

if he will get bail while he awaits trial on charges of murdering his

girlfriend. We expect that decision in about 45 minutes.

Palestinian protestors are gathering for a second day outside

a prison in Ramallah, where four inmates are staging a hunger strike.

Before last year's Olympics, the media christened them, "The Weapons

of Mass Destruction". But despite the hype, Australia's men's

freestyle swimming relay team failed to win a medal at the London

Games. Now, it turns out that they may have been dabbling with a

recreational drug, Stilnox. Officially taken as a sleeping pill,

it's legal to buy over the counter but banned by the Australian

Olympic Committee. As a senior member of the team I

should have stood up and shown more leadership at the time for that I

am truly sorry. I have put my body on the line and Mike physical state

over the years to be a proud member of this team. I am deeply sorry my

actions in not taking more leadership on the might have

brought us to this point. A lot of soul-searching. One of the

producers on this programme, was formerly a sports reporter in

Australia, and has raised the team has come under fire in the

Australian media. Australians winning has hit an all-time low.

After that performance at London Olympics, their worst performance

in 20 years. And now this revelation of a recreational drug.

The way it came about is when the actual team boss of the swimmers

was asking some of the more senior swimmers like James Magnusson, and

Aaron some of an. It came about the use the drug. It came about they

mixed it with a lethal cocktail of energy drinks. And that basically

led to what was a pretty romper as senior members of the relay team

started disturbing other guests at a Manchester hotel. By cricket or

footballing standards, this is nothing, is it? That is what they

tell you. There has been an interview with Emily Seebohm, the

female member of the swimming team. She said she received two phone

calls from the men's team, after 11:30pm, and some of them were

pretty crude. I don't think it was as E -- early as they made out.

In Mali, 15 Islamist fighters had been killed with French and Molly

in troops yesterday. According to the French defence minister. The

fighting erupted after Islamists were reported to have infiltrated

the town in northern Mali. Let's be to a spokesman from BBC Africa. It

shows how volatile the situation is? The situation is still volatile

because the fighting is on and off. We thought the Islamists had pulled

out of the city, but this is not the case. They keep coming back and

try to put up fierce resistance. Where have these people been

hiding? There was a time French forces swept the town to clear it

of any Islamists, thinking they had gone into the desert. Are they be

protected by the local population? It is hard to say, up to now people

have been reporting. They keep telling the French people were they

thought those Islamists were hiding. But the group who came back

yesterday, came from somewhere else. It is not clear from were exactly,

but they came from somewhere else. Then they came back. They thought

they would seize the mayor's office, which they did not succeed in doing.

What does this mean for the longevity of the French presence?

The French troops were so Pope -- supposing to stop to pull out in

early March. It is clear they won't do that. Because if they withdraw

in early March, it means they will have to leave behind them, chaos.

The Oscars awards ceremony takes place this weekend. Aside from the

glamour of competing Hollywood blockbusters, two Israeli produced

films are going head-to-head for the title of best documentary. The

Gatekeepers and 5 Broken Cameras both deal critically with the

Israeli Palestinian conflict. But they examine it from very different

viewpoints. Kevin Connolly reports from the West Bank village of

Bal'in where there are weekly protests against Israel's actions

They may not look like the stuff of an Academy Award, but one day these

may be the most famous pieces of smashed equipment in cinema history.

His camera saved my life. Five Broken cameras, tells the story of

life under Israeli occupation in the West Bank. This man started

recording the story of weekly protests against the building of an

Israeli security wall. He says Israeli soldiers broke the camel's

one after the other. The Israeli director helped to make the simple

story into a powerful documentary. He says the film and the publicity

surrounding the Oscars means the Palestinian cause will now be

centre-stage around the world. think people will be shocked by the

film and be shocked by the story. For them, it is a new thing to note.

It is more about the daily life of the Palestinians under Israeli

control. One rival for the documentary Oscar, the gatekeepers.

A remarkable historical documents of a film built around interviews

of every living former director of the Israeli security agency. It is

an inside track on the history of modern Israel, in which the spy

masters are weary pragmatists, often frustrated with politicians.

I asked the director if we should be surprised to see his role and

the Palestinians at the Oscars, having seen them at the knitters

sitting table we used? It shows the world of the international

community, are much more interested in this Palestinian and Israeli

conflict. I think it is sad, it should change. Every film that

makes it to Oscar might travels a long road. Few, surely so long as

these two contenders from the Middle East. It is a long way from

the West Bank to Hollywood two films are about to do what the

politicians of the Middle East have failed to do, and that is put the

peace process back on the world's agenda.

A celebrated piece of work by the British street artist, Banksy, has

found itself on the other side of the world in a Miami auction house.

last week. It's now up for sale with a price tag of $500,000. Local

residents say they'd like their artwork back, but that's looking

increasingly unlikely. Lucas de Jong reports.

It is the wall that was Banksy, and now blank. Slave-labour appeared

overnight during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in May, and as

mysteriously as it appeared, it was gone again, disappearing last week

and rumoured to be removed by the owner of the building. Now it has

turned up in an upmarket Miami auction house, that plans to sell

it this weekend. For locals who thought the art work was a piece of

their community, it is a case of midnight robbery. I am gobsmacked,

gobsmacked, gobsmacked. I think it should be brought back. He should

be kept here for the community and representing the struggle of the

community. The auction house behind the sale disagrees. They say it was

acquired legally and will be sold legally. Some people in England are

complaining the work had been stolen. It is incorrect. The work

was painted on a private war, and the owner can do whatever he wants

with his own wall. Banksy captured the world's attention in the early

2000, when his social and political satire graffiti started appearing

on walls of the world's most famous cities. Now the world is worried,

if the sale goes ahead, others could soon be stripped for cash.

real worry when Banksy starts to be removed and sold for high prices,

they might start to disappear across the world and find

themselves, not in your neighbourhood, but in an auction

house. The painting will be auctioned on Saturday where it is

expected to earn more than half a million dollars. One owner truly

tried to take Banksy straight to the bank.

He's the character that the Republican's presidential candidate,

Mitt Romney, wanted to ban. But Sesame Street's Big Bird is back as

a player in American politics. is important to get your body

moving every day, to help keep you healthy. Look, I'm getting moving

right now, by jogging. The friendly yellow bird has been given an

reprieve following the republicans' defeat. He's endorsing First Lady,