16/09/2013 BBC World News

Hello, this is BBC world News. Our top stories. France, Britain and the

US say they will press for a robust UN resolution on the removal of

Syria's chemical weapons, with serious consequences if Syria does

not comply. If Assad does not comply with the terms of this framework, we

are all agreed, including Russia. The unprecedented task of raising

the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship is under way of the

Italian coast. Australia's biggest enquiry into

child abuse holds its first public hearing.

The country is warned to prepare for disturbing details. And storms lash

the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Mexico, killing at least 19 people.

Hello and welcome. France, Britain and the US have said they will seek

a robust UN resolution on Syria's chemical weapons, with binding

deadlines for their removal. After a meeting of Foreign Minister is in

Paris they said they would also press for a new peace conference to

find a political solution to the wider conflict in Syria. I can speak

for all of us here, and I think for wider conflict in Syria. I can speak

all of our president and prime minister, we will not tolerate

avoidance or anything less than full minister, we will not tolerate

compliance by the Assad regime. If Assad fails to comply with the terms

of this framework, make no mistake, we are all agreed - including Russia

- that there will be consequences. The framework fully commits the

United States and Russia to impose measures under Chapter VII of the UN

Charter in the event of noncompliance. President Obama and I

have repeated this statement. He has warned that, should diplomacy fail,

the military option is still on the table. That was John Kerry. The

British Foreign Secretary William Hague went on to say that a

resolution must be made promptly. We now have to have a resolution which

crystallises a binding commitment, and which makes sure this is dealt

with creditably, reliably and promptly as well. It is a very

important aspect of what we are promptly as well. It is a very

talking about now, that there are specific time frames, and that there

will be a means of holding the Assad regime to account on this. I do not

agree that there is any incompatibility with this and all of

our other goals on Syria. It is very important to deal with the use of

chemical weapons, which we have seen on August 21, and in previous

instances, but dealing with that is not incompatible at all with also

pursuing our goal for a political solution to end the conflict, and

our other goal, which is to alleviate humanitarian suffering, on

which our countries are working so hard. Interesting that John Kerry

said now that their strategic goal was to lay out a structure for a new

Syria with a transitional government, so really committing to

a much broader political transition here. But initially, on the chemical

weapons, did we learn anything new in this conference? Hardly, because

they are talking about strong and robust language, and that is already

they are talking about strong and there in the framework agreed

between the United States and Russia in Geneva. John Kerry has been

making the point clearly and repeatedly that nothing said in that

press conference hasn't already been said in the framework that is

written. William Hague did say there would be specific time frames and

means to holding the Assad regime to account. The time frames are there

in the framework. The question about the means of holding President Assad

to account, that is the big question. That is where we will see

to account, that is the big all the manoeuvring from both sides

as the draft resolution is being worked on. Exactly what will emerge

from that, how it will be interpreted, who is going to decide

whether there has been noncompliance or not, all of these questions is

where the manoeuvring is going to be happening. But the time frames are

already there in the agreement. They are also talking about having a

second peace conference, and saying what they are doing is compatible

with the chemical weapons, because we have seen the complaints from the

opposition about just focusing on the chemical weapons, and what about

the rest of it. They were disappointed that the Americans

didn't take action. Is this more than words here? If it is, we

wouldn't know, because that is all we have seen. That is all the Syrian

opposition has been seeing, with certain exceptions. There has been

some support, but the support they have been promised and the risk

sport -- the support they have received, there is a huge gap

between it. From the use of the air force, to the use of ballistic

missiles, to other things which they know that the main balance of power

is not on their side, and the reason for that is not chemical weapons, it

is conventional weapons and the military superiority of the

government forces and their allies, compared to the rebel forces. They

know that. The press conference and speakers at the press conference

have been trying to create the impression that there is going to be

more towards resolving the bigger picture in Syria, but we haven't

really seen exactly what they are picture in Syria, but we haven't

talking about. The French Foreign Minister making the point that there

is not a choice between terrorists and the Assad regime. Much more to

come on this today. As the politicians thrash out a

message to Syria on chemical weapons, what is the reaction in

Syria itself? Our Middle East editor is in Damascus.

A lot has changed since the weapons inspectors were here three weeks

ago. Back then, their departure was thought by many to be the starting

point for an American missile attack. Of course, that didn't

happen. President Obama got involved in that political process in

Washington, and now there is the agreement brokered by Russia for the

Syrians to give up their chemical weapons. President Assad didn't even

accept that they had chemical weapons arsenal. -- arsenal. There

have been leaks saying that the inspectors might even point the

finger at the Assad regime as being responsible for the attack. I cannot

confirm that. If they did, it would be beyond their remit, but it would

inject a new element into this whole saga. What the chemical weapons

agreement has done is take away the immediate threat of an American

missile strikes, perhaps even the medium-term threat of that strike.

That is good news for President Assad and his Armed Forces, because

the Americans were talking about degrading them, a rather neutral

expression for what might have turned into a regime threatening

attack. That is bad news for the opposition, especially the armed

opposition that has been looking for the West -- looking to the West for

support. They were hoping that that strike would finally told the war in

my direction, but that is not going to happen. The conventional war

grinds on, and there are signs that President Assad's forces have been

on the offensive. Much more on the diplomatic front

concerning Syria throughout the day. The Costa Concordia cruise ship,

which ran aground on the Italian coast, has begun to shift towards an

upright position for the first time since January last year. In one of

the biggest salvage attempts ever made, crews are using gigantic

cranes and cables to try and roll the partially submerged vessel. But

the senior engineer has reported that the Costa Concordia still

hasn't broken free of the rock on which she is impaled. Once she has,

she will be towed away for scrap. 32 people were killed when the Costa

Concordia struck rocks of the island of Giglio. Our courses -- our

correspondent is there. This is the first hour of this very delicate

operation. Those boxes that you see, the containers on the

right-hand side, the largest of which is the height of an 11 story

building, those are going to be used to stabilise the ship once she is

upright. On the far right, those giant cables are being pulled by

lots of winches, to literally pull the ship back upright. It is going

to be under immense pressure and strain while that happens, so they

are taking it very slowly indeed. We are not actually seeing any movement

at the moment, but if we take a measurement from the centre of the

bridge, and count those windows down to sea level, I make that seven and

a half windows at moment. In an hour, we will see if that has

changed. A week of strike action has hour, we will see if that has

begun in Greece. Public school teachers have started a rolling

stoppage. In Turkey, anti-government

protesters have clashed with police in Istanbul early this morning. Tear

gas was fired at demonstrators who set alight barricades after a series

of peaceful concerts. There were disturbances at number of embassies

after a protester died last week. His family say he was hit by a gas

canister, but police have denied responsibility.

A bomb explosion in Baghdad district has killed several people and

wounded several others. On Sunday, car bombings killed at least 58

people. More than 4000 people have died in attacks since the start of

April. Government forces in the southern

Philippines have launched an attack on the web all in the southern city

of Zamboanga. Fighters from the Moro National liberation front have been

holding parts of the city for more than a week. More than 60 people

have been killed so far. Thousands of people in Zamboanga have fled the

fighting, and food is becoming scarce. The city's mayor said the

rebels will pay dearly for continuing to besiege the city.

Australians have been warned to prepare themselves for disturbing

revelations as the country's biggest enquiry into child abuse holds its

first public hearing. The Commission was set up to investigate

allegations of mistreatment in state run institutions, including schools

and Scout groups. Earlier I spoke to our correspondent in Sydney. I asked

him what we can expect to see from this enquiry. This is a massive

enquiry. It was launched in April, but these are the first public

hearings today. By the end of it, we are expecting for thousands of

witnesses to have come forward alleging abuse in all sorts of

different Australian institutions. The leader of this investigation

today said that some 400 people have already given private testimony to

today said that some 400 people have the enquiry. This started off as

they look into allegations of abuse within the Catholic Church, but it

has gone much wider than that. Looking at all sorts of institutions

across Australian society. Is this something that all the victims are

backing? Do they say that this is what is needed to try and change

things? Broadly, yes. You probably saw some pictures there of some of

the victims and their supporters outside the enquiry today. One of

the things they would say is they don't want this just to be a chance

for them to air their grievances and come forward with

for them to air their grievances and of abuse. I think they want

something to be done about it. This enquiry has said that it will not be

there to launch prosecutions. There will be no question of compensation

being handed out to any of the victims. It is simply a chance for

people to air them, and look at how some of the allegations have been

covered up, particularly in the Catholic Church. Some of the victims

would like to see something more done about it, though. Thank you.

would like to see something more Much more to come on the programme.

Just who was the uninvited guest who got in on the German Chancellor's

election campaign? And social media puts you in the

front seat at London Fashion Week. An artist has set himself the

daunting task of painting every person in his home city. Luckily for

Graham Hurd Wood, he lives in one of the smallest cities in Europe. Saint

Davids in West Wales is home to just 1800 people. He says he will

complete the task in ten years, if he paints one portrait every ten

days. Committed to campus. These are just

some of the people who make up the tiny cathedral city of Saint

Davids. The idea of painting all of his fellow residents individually

came to Graham Hurd would after a conversation in the local pub 14

years ago. Initial progress was slow, but recently, the project has

taken on a life of its own. I have got to 100. So I thought, I can get

to 1000. And if I can get to 1000, why not paint the whole city? People

to 1000. And if I can get to 1000, start to quiver after a while. I

to 1000. And if I can get to 1000, tell them to relax. Today's subject

is 113, and runs a local ice cream parlour. Did she find the

experienced nerve wracking? I wasn't nervous at all. I was a little bit

nervous about what Graham was painting, but I was pleased with it

afterwards. This quiet corner of West Wales has always been popular

with artists, most of them drawn by its Greenhills and rugged

coastline. This artist is trying to do something different, building a

landscape of Saint Davids formed by a sea of faces. So far, nobody has

turned down the opportunity to be painted. Subjects have included

everyone from a barrister to a rubbish tip worker, and in a city

dominated by the Church, quite a few clerics. It is very relaxing having

your portrait painted, but it is clerics. It is very relaxing having

also very humbling, that someone would want to put you on canvas.

Perhaps one day this might be an old master, who knows! Judging when the

collection is complete might be master, who knows! Judging when the

difficult, but Graham believes he could paint the citizens who

surround him in a decade, and capture life in this unique place.

This is BBC World News. The headlines: France, Britain and the

United States have said they will seek a robust UN resolution on

Syria's chemical weapons with binding deadlines for their

removal. And salvage crews in Italy are

tempting the unprecedented task of raising the cost of Congo dear

cruise ship more than 18 months after it capsized. -- the Costa

Concordia cruise ship. The most senior woman in -- the most

senior policewoman in Helmand province has died. Lieutenant Negar

was shot near the police headquarters in the provincial

capital, Lashkar Gah. This was a woman doing a dangerous

job in a very dangerous part of the country, the third woman police

officer to die in Helmand in recent months, and a heroin by any

account. She recently did an interview for the New York Times in

which she said she loved her job, and after the death of her two

female colleagues, she saw it as part of her job to give courage and

boost the morale of the other 30 or so women police officers in Helmand.

She revealed that in the past, she had on one occasion disarmed a

sniper. And when there was a suspect suicide bomber, she had thrown her

arms around him in a bear hug to stop him from better knighting his

suicide vest. So this was a woman who very much lead from the front

and enjoyed her job. In her home life, she also lived with her

paralysed brother, who had been a police officer. He had been shot and

injured, and she looked after his children. So it will be a blow to

that family, and once again a reminder of the security challenges

still facing both Afghanistan and Helmand. At least 19 people have

been killed in Mexico as two storms have lashed both the Atlantic and

Pacific coasts of the country. In the east, Hurricane Ingrid has

forced thousands to leave their homes, whilst in the West, Tropical

Storm Manuel has caused severe flash flooding and mudslides.

Tropical storm Immanuel made landfall in Mexico with deadly force

-- Tropical Storm Manuel. Torrential rain, flash flooding and landslides

have caused the deaths of at least 19 people across the country, most

of them in the Pacific state. Thousands of families have now been

evacuated from high risk areas and housed in temporary shelters. The

authorities remain on high alert as been that -- National meteorological

service warned of what it called a strong and prolonged rainy season in

the majority of the country. The holiday destination of Acapulco was

also badly affected, with the Marines being called out to help

evacuate elderly residents. A state of emergency has been called in the

state capital after a reservoir burst its banks. While the rest of

the country has borne the brunt of Tropical Storm Manuel, the East of

Mexico has fared little better, having been battered by winds of up

to 150 kilometres an hour from Hurricane Ingrid. The category one

storm continues near the coast and is due to make landfall in the

coming hours. It has already caused disruption to eastern and southern

states. With thousands made temporarily homeless by the

floodwaters, the civil emergency authorities across Mexico are

bracing themselves for several more days of severe weather.

In other news, in Japan, at least four people are reported to be

missing and 48 have been injured after a powerful storm hit the

country's Western and Central after a powerful storm hit the

regions. Typhoon Man-yi has brought torrential rains, damaging homes and

forcing thousands to evacuate. Fears of storms hitting the troubled

Fukushima plant have been allayed. The American state of Colorado is

continuing a large-scale rescue operation after severe flooding left

five dead and hundreds missing. Thousands have been forced to

evacuate from affected communities. The waters are now subsiding, but

more rain has been forecast and the authorities have warned that there

could be more flash flooding. Now, it is just a few days to go until

the German election. The weekend ballot in the southern state of

Bavaria showed strong support for Angela Merkel's conservative bloc.

That was expected, but the election campaign has not been without

surprises, and there was an unexpected interruption at a rally

yesterday. Another day, another rally. The

eastern city of Dresden this time. Angela Merkel has been on the

campaign trail for a month now. More of those posters, more of that jolly

music. And then the unexpected, a of those posters, more of that jolly

flying object steals the show. Had someone got carried away with a

political message about surveillance or military warfare, perhaps? Well,

the police say a 23-year-old man sent it up to take photos he hoped

to sell. They told him till a bit, which he

apparently did, but not very well. A crash landing close to the German

Chancellor and her defence Minister. A stern reaction from

some. The culprit was detained for a short time but thought to pose no

danger. Members of Merkel's Pritchard Democrats say he was from

the Pirate Party, which campaigns for political transparency and

internet freedom. Whoever he was, the Chancellor appeared amused. A

moment of likeness for a woman with a lot on her mind. Not least the

result of the ballot in Bavaria this weekend. Although her conservative

sister party triumphed, support for her coalition partner, the Free

Democrats, collapsed. If that pattern is repeated in Sunday's

general election, she could be forced to partner with the

opposition social Democrats. We are now going to take you back to

Italy. These are the live pictures coming in to us. Engineers say they

have now succeeded in freeing the cruise ship the Costa Concordia from

the rocks off that Tuscan coast where it ran aground in January last

year. It has been rotated off those rocks, apparently. It has lain there

for 20 months, and engineers say that all is going according to plan.

The ship was under 6000 tonnes of that all is going according to plan.

pressure. That was what was needed to get it pulled off the sea bed.

The pressure will now diminish, according to our correspondent at

the scene. The ship has now detached from the rocks, which of course took

some time. 32 people lost their lives and two body is asked to

missing. No sign of those bodies at yet -- as yet. Now something very

different, because designers have been showcasing next year's Spring

different, because designers have and summer collections at London

Fashion Week. It is an important event for the

industry. This year, more than ever, designers are trying to use social

industry. This year, more than ever, media to reach their customers.

Catwalks and cat fights over front Row 's eats.

-- front row seats. Twice a year, Londoners put on their best frocks

in the hope of being snapped by the press. Digital innovations are

in the hope of being snapped by the changing the world, and it was only

a matter of time before they changed the face of fashion. Live streaming

on the internet - designers now have the chance to broadcast their

shows, reaching a larger audience than ever before. My show will be

live streaming all over the world, so people can watch live. We will

also be tweeting and using Facebook. There will be digital

promotion. My team are still tweeting now. It is not just the

designers. The models are also using social media to give a glimpse of

what goes on behind the scenes. Any moment now, this room will be filled

with the most important people from the fashion world. That includes the

bloggers, who will bring their readers an account of the event via

social media. But fashionistas sitting at home can watch the show

at the same time as the people sitting on these exclusive front row

seats. Fashion has moved from being a close and released this industry

to something accessible to everyone. Online has essentially not only

created the democratisation of the editor, but the democratisation of

the consumer as well. If everything is out there, it is all news by the

time it hits stores. Live streaming gives the ordinary person an

time it hits stores. Live streaming opportunity to experience London

Fashion Week and allow people who are passionate about fashion to

watch the shows and designs they love online six months before it

gets to retail. With technology moving so fast and more people

buying online, the challenge for the luxury brands is how to stay

exclusive without being left behind. Our top story is of course Syria.

France, Britain and the United States say they will seek a robust

United Nations resolution. John Kerry has said they will not

tolerate anything less than full compliance from the Assad regime.

The strategic goal is to have a transitional government to lay