17/01/2014 BBC World News

Hello, this is BBC World News. The top stories.

Both sides in South Sudan accused of atrocities as the United Nations

says Bentiu has been abandoned. It is simply wiped out, it has not

only been looted, it has been burned.

The Syrian government asks Russia to organise a suspension of hostilities

in Aleppo and says it is ready for a cease-fire.

Barack Obama prepares to announce changes to intelligence gathering as

leaks say the National Security Agency collect 200 million text

messages every day. Also, the Sundance Film Festival

opens in Utah, over 100 independent films been shown over the next ten

days. Hello, the United Nations says it

has evidence that both sides in the conflict in the world's newest

state, South Sudan, are committing atrocities. Two of its biggest

cities are being described as ghost towns. Talks to bring an end to the

conflict have reached deadlock. Fighting broke out a month ago when

this man, Salva Kiir, accused his former deputy, Riek Machar, of

plotting a coup, charges he denies. The United Nations says at least

1000 people have been killed, other estimates put the figure much

higher. Tens of thousands at least have been displaced. The disputes

have seen killing is largely a long ethnic lines. Salva Kiir is a member

of the Tinker community, the largest grouping, Riek Machar is from the

Nuer ethnic group. The UN has been gathering evidence for a report, to

go to the Security Council. I was told what they had seen in some of

these towns of. It is appalling. Bor looks like a

ghost town. There is almost no activity, except for the military.

However, Bentiu is far worse. It is wiped out. It has not only been

looted, it has been burned. There are a couple of houses standing,

such as a hospital. When going through Bentiu, just following the

main road, we have identified between 15 and 20 decomposing

bodies. What sort of atrocities do you believe are being committed, and

by whom? NTU was a town when there was a change of control. It is

likely that both sides have been involved in at least some

atrocities. I have also had the opportunity to talk to displaced

people belonging to different ethnic communities. What is striking is

that their narratives are completely different. Each of them blaming the

other side to be involved in atrocities against civilians, which

makes it clear, without impartial and objective fact-finding, it is

impossible to reconcile the communities. I have also seen

reports that African mercenaries are involved, there are many different

potential groups of militias or fighting forces. What chance is

there of getting some sort of deal to bring this to a close? The

priority is to get a cease-fire, which will not be easy, because

there are myriad groups involved. For a cease-fire to evolve into

sustainable peace, more is needed. Just as it was the case in the

conflict in 1991, involving similar actors, it is essential to have the

elders and religious leaders involved in peacemaking. But who

needs to do what? Earlier, there was talk about possible release of a

certain number of hostages, that did not take place, who did you think

needs to take the lead? It is important that the two sides

continue their dialogue. But also, that international envoys, who are

there, and who I was able to meet, influence the two sides to achieve

some sort of basic agreement on cease-fire. The fewer conditions,

the better. Then, the dialogue should continue. The trouble is that

as this dialogue goes on, it has been running for weeks, you have

seen the effects, you have seen Ben and who. Today, I had the

opportunity to talk to the President's legal adviser, who is

influential, he said that although the government was quite firm that

there could not be the release of 11 people who were detained for alleged

crimes, the 11th VIPs, when the investigation is over, it is on the

president to decide whether they could be released or whether legal

proceedings will continue. I have the impression that the

investigation could be completed quite seem, within a week or two.

Reports coming from Lebanon say at least seven people have died and

another 15 have been wounded by rocket fire coming from Syria. The

Lebanese National News agency said one rocket hit the border town of

Aarsal, the local security sources say at least seven rockets in all

hit the area. After nearly three years of conflict

in the country, President Assad's government have said it is prepared

to agree a cease-fire with the Rebels. It is asking Russia to

organise a suspension of hostilities in the largest city, Aleppo. The

move comes after a meeting between the Foreign Minister, why lead,

well, and his Russian counterpart. Next week, a major news conference

on Syria is due to get under way. Can I ask you about these rocket

attacks and the extent of them? It is quite a big attack, there is no

doubt about that, but there is doubt about the source of the attack. Many

say it came from across the border, from Syrian territory. I spoke to

one Syrian refugee, and he said, yes, they came from Syrian

territory, but local officials in Aarsal said that the rocket came

from Lebanese areas, areas under the control of Hezbollah. So, there is

still a lot of ambiguity about exactly where the rocket came from.

As for the slightly bigger picture, this supposed offer coming from the

President Assad regime, seeking some sort of cease-fire or cessation of

hostilities, how is that going to be received by Rebels? The opposition,

both political and military, is in disarray at the moment. The

political opposition, based in Istanbul, is struggling to decide

whether to go to Geneva or not. The peace conference is scheduled for

the 22nd. They are under intense pressure from Western countries to

attend, and even more pressure from events on the ground not to attend.

On the other hand, the military opposition, the Rebels inside Syria,

many of them will not recognise the coalition, almost all of them are

dead set against any Geneva process that does not explicitly include

some kind of clear timetable for the removal of President Assad from

power, and they are fighting each other, they have been for quite a

while, clashes between the factions. All of this opposition disarray on

one hand, and the regime wants to capitalise on its military

advantages, and resent a united front and act as one unit. --

present a united front. What the Foreign Minister said will add to

the disarray of the opposition, without having much effect on the

ground. In the United States, up to 200

million texts are collected and stored every day by the National

Security Agency. This is the latest revelation coming from leaked

documents by the former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. It

emerges on the same day that Barack Obama is due to announce changes in

the way intelligence agencies will collect and store information. That

includes e-mails and phone calls around the world.

How much is the government watching? That is the question many

Americans have been asking since top-secret files were licked,

revealing the extent of surveillance by the NSA. The thorniest question

facing Barack Obama, with the intelligence services should still

have unhindered access to the phone records of millions of Americans.

When the government collect this information, there has never been a

time in history where it has not accused that collection and that

database for political purposes. Do we want to live in a surveillance

state? The president also have to placate foreign allies. Many were

less than impressed that leaders like Angela Merkel were being

booked. But some people are born in that now is not the time to cook

back on intelligence gathering. We are not passed the point where we

have to worry about the phenomenon that led to those attacks on 911. We

look now at the terrorist movement, it probably has a large area for

safe haven and operational planning and it has had in a decade. This is

the first time the American government has considered rolling

back surveillance since September the 11th, and Barack Obama has to

reassure the Americans that their privacy will not be invaded, but

also that security agencies have the powers they need to keep the country

safe. An explosion at a gathering of

anti-government protesters in Bangkok has injured at least 28

people. The man who has organised the demonstrations was there but is

not thought to have been heard. I was speaking to our correspondent a

short time ago, who gave me more detail on what had happened.

It was quite a bold attack, the protesters have been throughout this

week moving rallies around the central streets, quite close to

where I am, their leader, who is inspirational, has usually been at

the head of the rallies, this is the attempted shutdown of the city, he

was moving about a kilometre or so to the left of me when somebody

through what appears to be a grenade into the rally. It was a short

distance away from him. He was unhurt, a number of people were hit

by shrapnel. There was another confrontation just north of the

city, protesters had surrounded a government building. These are bold

attacks, suggesting a worrying trend. We have had night-time

shootings, and there has been violence on both sides. Earlier this

week, a group of undercover policemen were captured by the

guards and held for several hours and tortured -and badly beaten and

hospitalised. These levels of violence are growing because of the

impasse, the protesters still hold these streets, the government is

still pushing ahead with its plans for the election, it says it has no

other option, and the two sides are growing increasingly tense, there

are hardline groups on both sides who are willing to escalate it. This

appears to be attacked on the protest leader, although they missed

him this time. Stay with us, coming up in a moment,

the French president faces further questions about his private life

after more details of his alleged affair hit the newsstands.

And, more stream weather at the Australian open, but plenty of

tennis as well. We will have the winners and losers for you.

Home-grown vigilantes in Mexico are taking the law into their own hands

to wrest control of their local area from powerful drugs cartels. Armed

groups are taking control of large areas of the state of Mikko account.

Welcome. The entrance to the village still bears the scars of the

fighting between the vigilantes and the Knights Templar. The vigilantes

one. They wrestle back control of its streets and pastures from the

drug cartel and are now the new authorities in town. But their

leaders insist they have no intention of taking on the role of

the state on a permanent basis. TRANSLATION: When all of this is

over, we are going to return to our communities and our normal lives. It

so much uncertainty, the entire village has turned out to find out

what the change in power will mean for them. There is far from

universal support for the self defence forces. They are so tired of

its people paying for the extortion of drug cartels that they are

supporting the movement at this stage. Despite their popular

backing, most people in Michoacan agree that relying on armed militias

is no way to run a functioning state, but years of brutal rule by

drugs gangs has left many public institutions in tatters, corrupted

and compromised. Now the church is entering the fray. The church has

called Michoacan a failed state in the past and the bishop has

published an open letter. TRANSLATION: Often we cannot find

any guarantee among our local authorities because they are

compromised by the enemies of peace. The government resents the

implication that Michoacan has spiralled out of control.

TRANSLATION: The government is stable. I do not share this point of

view that the state has been lost. For most ordinary people, it is

academic whether Michoacan has become a failed state or not, as

normal life is suspended amid the chaos, they know if it is not won

yet, it is perilously close. You are watching BBC World News. The

latest headlines: The Army and rebels in South Sudan have both been

accused of a the Tees by the UN, with the urban centres of Bor and

Bentiu being described as ghost towns.

The Syrian government has asked Russia to organise a suspension of

hostilities in Aleppo, and has also said that it's ready for a

cease-fire with rebel fighters. If the French President Francois

Hollande had hoped the fuss about his private life might have died

down by now, he'll be disappointed this morning. The magazine which

broke the story of his alleged affair with an actress nearly 20

years his junior, has published more details. It claims his relationship

with the actress Julie Gayet may have been going on for up to two

years. So, what do French voters make of the scandal? Chris Morris

has been to the town of Tulle in Southern France, where Francois

Hollande's career began. The rhythm of life in Tulle has

barely been disturbed by Francois Hollande and's domestic dramas. In

the town where he forged his political career, this is the last

factory in France which makes handcrafted accordions. Attention to

detail is everything and that is what they want from the man at the

top, fix for an economy in trouble. TRANSLATION: France has got an

obvious problem, it is not competitive enough. I have no doubt

the president wants to improve the economic situation but this is a

complicated world and he cannot just do what he wants. At a restaurant in

the centre of town, a shrine of sorts, the table where Francois

Hollande sat down for a meal on the eve of his electro and -- election

victory two years ago. Now he has announced a plan of economic

reforms, cutting taxes on business and reducing the size of the state.

TRANSLATION: It is not the President's personal life that

matters, it is all about the economy. I like what he is

proposing, reducing the cost of Labour. I hope it happens soon. On

election night, they turned out in their thousands to greet him here,

to greet him when he won with Valerie Trierweiler by his side.

Things have changed but in Tulle they still believe. TRANSLATION:

There was massive euphoria that night because we have known the man

for years and he is still popular here, he has still got support. But

in the end it is about whether he can deliver for the good of the

country. The view from Tulle is broadly echoed right across France.

The economy is the issue on which Francois Hollande's presidency will

be judged. The challenge for the president is as we have seen

elsewhere in Europe, reform hurts. If France really wants to realign

its economy more closely with Germany, then living standards here

are probably going to have to fall. Even in a town where Francois

Hollande remains a famous son, that will not be popular.

Thousands of Ukrainians have gathered in central Kiev to protest

against new laws aimed at cracking down on anti-government

demonstrations. Ukraine's parliament has passed eleven new laws that, if

broken, come with heavy fines or prison time. The ban includes a

measure against setting up tents in public areas and blocking buildings.

It's been another day of extreme weather at the Australian Open

tennis in Melbourne, which has seen temperatures of 42 degrees Celsius,

but also play delayed by rain. Men's defending champion Novak Djokovic

began his match against Dennis Istomin a short time ago. While the

women's top seed Serena Williams has achieved another record in her

illustrious career, as Rob Heath reports.

As the heatwave continues in Melbourne, young fans are coming up

with more innovative ways to stay cool. Among the record temperatures

came a new record on court. Women's top seed Serena Williams winning her

61st match at the Australian open, beating Daniela Hantuchova in

straight sets. In sports I am old, but for whatever reason I feel I was

never able to reach my full potential and I feel like recently I

have been able to do a little better. I have to keep trying to

improve on everything. Last year's runner-up Li Na found things more

difficult. The fourth seed had to save match point in a gruelling

contest against Lucie Safarova before finally advancing over 2.5

hours. The heat proved too much for her Chinese compatriots who had her

blood pressure checked and suffering a dizzy spell. Ninth seed Angelique

Kerber reached the third round. In the men's draw, David Ferrer is yet

to drop a set. He beat Jeremy Chardy France. David Ferrer has reached the

final of the grand slam -- every grand slam.

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has given birth to a baby

girl at Gloucestershire Royal hospital. Her husband, the former

England rugby international Mike Tindall was present at the birth.

The child is the 16th in line to the British throne.

In Park City in Utah the Sundance Film Festival, the world famous

showcase for independent cinema, has just got underway. Over the next ten

days, some 120 independently produced features will be screened.

The festival, which is currently marking its 30th anniversary, is

seen as an antidote to commercial Hollywood cinema. Tom Brook reports.

The Sundance Film Festival is now officially underway. For its founder

Robert Redford, independents and Amar is just as important as ever.

-- independent cinema is just as important as ever. Our job and our

role is to create space for independent films. But they won got

off for a disappointing start. He had been expected to get an

Oscar-nominated for his widely praised performance for a man lost

at sea. Would it have been wonderful to have been nominated? Of course.

But I am not disturbed by it or upset by it. I am really happy about

it and I will stay happy about it. The Green Prince is one of the

opening day attractions. It tells the story of a Palestinian man who

became an Israeli spy. When I went to visit my mum, she said the

Israeli forces came to my house. What is compelling is it is a true

story and it is remarkable and he is willing to tell it. You hear about

these things going on but this is a person who is actually telling you

the story and he recreates its you go through it in a really dramatic

way. Also getting its share of opening

day in exposure was Lilting, a British made film, the story of a

Chinese woman mourning the loss of her gay son. He was my life. For the

director having his film show at Sundance was a big deal. You do not

dare to say it, it is phenomenal. I hope that maybe Lilting can have a

life. With the Cambodian director, Chinese leading lady and British

man, it is a good example of the Cross cultural film that Sundance

embraces. The Oscar-nominated may have eluded 77-year-old Robert

Redford but in the past he has implied that it is Sundance which

has been particularly important for his career because it serves as a

platform for cinema which raises a host of social issues which he

believes are important. I want to show you this picture

which takes you back to 1974. The Second World War had been over for

29 years but only now does a Japanese soldier finally surrender.

It has been announced today that Hiroo Onoda has died in Tokyo aged

91. He and a small group of troops were cut off on the Philippine

island of Lubang but he had his orders, do not surrender and do not

take your own life. For the best part of 30 years he stuck to that

until his former commanding officer was flown in to rescind his orders

in person in 1974. He was in a tattered army uniform by this time.

He saluted the Japanese flag, handed over his samurai sword and came back

to Japan where he was treated as a hero and a celebrity. At the age of

91 he has died. That is it for now on the BBC. Thank you for watching.