23/01/2014 BBC World News


23/01/2014

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Hello. This is BBC World News. Our top stories: An opposition leader in

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Ukraine has called for a truce in the confrontation between protesters

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and police while talks take place. Tens of thousands of platinum miners

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in South Africa go on strike in their biggest action since 34

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workers were shot dead by police in 2012.

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13 men in India are arrested after a young woman was gang-raped

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apparently as a punishment for being in a relationship with a man from a

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different community. And President Rouhani tries to bring

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Iran in from the cold as he woos foreign investors at the World

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Economic Forum. A warm welcome to you. Police and

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protesters in the Ukranian capital Kiev are still in a tense standoff.

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This is the scene there live in temperatures of ten degrees below

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zero. A barricade of burning tyres marks the frontline between riot

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police and demonstrators. And within just the last few minutes we have

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heard that the opposition leader has called for a truce to allow talks to

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go ahead this afternoon with the Government. These are live pictures

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that we are looking at right now of the streets of key Eve in Ukraine.

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Earl -- Kiev. Earlier I spoke to our correspondent there for us. It's

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interesting, because yesterday evening Vitaly Klitschko says the

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Government needs to make concessions otherwise people would go on attack.

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Today he has been about ten minutes' walk from here on the road up to

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parliament which has been the heart of the violent clashes we have seen

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between riot police and protesters and he addressed the people there

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calling for calm, saying that they should not use violence, at least

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for the moment because more talks are set to take place between

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opposition leaders and the Government. He also called for riot

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police to have restraint and not engage in violence, as well. Those

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talks are set to take place this afternoon with Government officials.

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What comes out of them, we will have to wait and see. No one wanting to

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see a repeat of the violence that we saw on the streets of Kiev

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yesterday. You talked about talks lined up for the day with the

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Government. What have we heard so far from the administration on this?

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The Prime Minister spoke earlier where he said that the Government

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would be willing to make concessions but that opposition leaders

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shouldn't make ultimatums. The Prime Minister has described the

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demonstrators who have been violent as radicals, as extremists. They pin

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much of the blame on far-right group, one nationalist group

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fighting against the Government, certainly some protesters have

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blamed them for the violence, as well. It looks like the Government

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are keen to hold talks to try and find some sort of negotiated

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settlement. What solution that might be which satisfies all the sides

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involved is difficult to say? We have been speaking to Ukraine's

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Prime Minister. He asked whether talks will end the violence?

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I guess that this meeting was quite fruitful and useful and as far as I

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know some agreements can be made after this meeting with the

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President. I would like leaders of the opposition not to use language

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of ultimatums because we know very well there is also the sociology and

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we know to what extent opposition leaders supported by society of

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Ukraine. We have a President who was democratically elected at elections

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and who is supported by a great amount of the Ukranian populations.

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I would like to say that we are ready for the compromise. We are

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ready for dialogue but the opposition should understand that

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they also bear responsibility for those events which are happening in

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Kiev so that the Government, but it is absolutely wrong to put all the

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responsibility on the Government because together now we have to find

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a road to peace in Kiev. That was Ukraine's Prime Minister there.

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Tens of thousands of plat mum miners have gone on strike -- platinum

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miners have gone on strike in South Africa.

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The AMCU trade union says 70,000 of its members at the three top

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platinum producers are walking out indefinitely in the row over pay.

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Many more may refuse to cross picket lines. South Africa has up to 80% of

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the world's platinum reserves and the dispute is expected to cripple

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the global industry - cutting production by half. Our South Africa

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correspondent is at the site of the mine.

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We are in the north-west of South Africa, deep in the platinum belt.

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These workers, hundreds of them, who are surrounding us here are here on

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an indefinite strike. They are demanding what they call is a living

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wage. They want to be paid an amount of 12,500 rands a month, just over

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$1,000 per month. This means it will be double their current salaries.

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They say that the CEOs of the biggest platinum companies, earn

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millions, so they say they can afford to pay them. The mining

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houses saying they cannot afford to pay salary increases because of the

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global slump in the economy which has dropped the demand but also the

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rising costs of production. President Zuma is facing a crucial

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election this year and this sort of labour dispute trend which has been

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going on for months, remember in 2012 here there was a massacre of 34

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miners who were still demanding the amount they're demanding here today.

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This won't do him any good when he is trying to get a second term in to

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office. The Finance Minister is in Davos trying to trump up South

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Africa's economy, but with all of these disputes going on, not just in

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the platinum sector, but also in the gold sector, the gold sector is not

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on strike but they are hoping to go on strike as soon as a court case

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has been resolved. These strikes are not doing the South African economy

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growth prospects any good. A woman has been gang-raped by 12 men,

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apparently on the order of local village elders in the Indian state

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of West Bengal. It happened on Monday through to Tuesday morning

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but apparently it was only yesterday that the woman and her family

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summoned up the courage to go to the police to report what they say

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happened. It's really starting to go out across the Indian media today.

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As you say, I think it is particularly shock shocking. There

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are, though, many cases, particularly in village areas where

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couples who are seen to transgress certain codes are punished. It's

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very common for these so-called honour killings to happen. But we

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haven't heard in recent memory of a situation where two lovers are

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punished in this way. What happened, we understand, is that this man came

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proposing marriage. The village head man was informed. He didn't like it.

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The man was not from this tribe. They were then detained. They were

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ordered to pay a fine. The man could pay the fine. The woman and her

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family couldn't. As punishment, she was then gang-raped by other members

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of this village. Of course many of them people she knew, we understand.

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And now this shocking news is getting out. Of course yet again it

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highlights the issue of rape, how women are treated and how the

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country responds to that. Of course ever since that gang-rape of a Delhi

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teenager in 2012 made international headlines we have seen this real

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growth in public anger about violence against women across India.

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How staunchly would you say that this discrimination against women in

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India's rural parts of the country, how deeply is that still entrenched?

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I think it's still very deeply entrenched. We can see that in the

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way that politicians and many figures across the country in some

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of these village councils, as well, one that was involved in this case,

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where they have pushed back against pressure for greater rights for

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women. So in the cities you see the protests and so on, of course Delhi

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after the gang-rape, young people joining that particularly. Some

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politicians supporting them. But still a lot of resistance. A lot of

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sense, you hear a lot of men complaining their rights are being

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infringed by this movement and so I think there's - it's going to take a

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long time before things change for women. Stay with us here on BBC

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World News. Diplomats in Geneva are trying to persuade the warring

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parties in Syria to meet face-to-face after an acrimonious

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first day at the peace conference. Standing on the shoulders of Christ

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The Redeemer, workers repair the famous statue after it's damaged by

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several lightning strikes. Text has executed a Mexican man, in

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spite of objections from the US and Mexican governments -- Texas. A

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Mexican living illegally in Texas was convicted of murdering a

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policeman. His lawyers say he wasn't told he could get legal help from

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the consulate. The diplomatic tussle could, John Kerry warns, affect the

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way US citizens are treated overseas. He took the unusual step

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of intervening and asking Texas to review this case after the Mexican

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Government said that failing to do so would be a clear violation of

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international law. What the Mexican Government argue is when Tamayo was

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arrested for killing a police officer he wasn't informed of his

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right under international law to seek consular assistance. So they

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argue if he had that legal assistance he perhaps would have

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been able to uncover evidence that would have kept him off death row in

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the first place. Texan officials refused to reveal the case. They

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said if you commit a crime in Texas you are subject to states laws and

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have gone ahead with the execution. The state department warns that

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failing to comply with international laws could make it more difficult if

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American citizens get into legal trouble in the future when they're

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abroad. The mayor of Toronto is back in trouble again. A few months ago a

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video emerged of Rob Ford apparently smoking crack crow cane -- cocaine.

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Now he has admitted to drinking after being caught on camera

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swearing and slurring his words. In a press conference he called the

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events of a Monday night a minor setback but suffer r offered no

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apology. Monday was unfortunate. I had a minor setback. We all

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experience these difficult bumps in life. I am telling residents that I

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am still working hard every day to improve my health and my well-being.

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But again this is completely a private matter. There are some who

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claim that my personal life is somehow impacting their work. Folks,

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that is absolute nonsense. This is BBC World News. The latest

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headlines: One of the u vain opposition leaders -- Ukraine

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opposition leaders has called for a halt to protests while negotiations

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continue with the Government. Tens of thousands of platinum miners

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in South Africa go on strike in their biggest action since 34

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workers were shot dead by police in 2012.

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On the second day of the Syrian peace talks diplomats are now in

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Geneva for a series of intensive behind the scenes negotiations. It's

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still not clear whether the Syrian Government and opposition leaders

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will get as far as face-to-face talks. And the first day was sound

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and furious. Syria's government and the opposition in the same room, but

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these were angry speeches and not negotiations. In between, the

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world's most senior diplomats tried to remind them that the point of

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these talks is to try to end the war and not trade accusations about who

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started it. The time has come to negotiate. Syrians must come

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together to save their country, protect their children and find a

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peaceful path to a better future. Today, the talks transferred to the

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United Nations in Geneva, where each side will have separate, private

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talks with UN officials. On the agenda, not an immediate peace deal,

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not a transitional government, not the removal of President Assad, but

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instead, better access for aid agencies. Perhaps some local

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cease-fires. Anything to bring some small relief to the millions of

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Syrians who have suffered so much. If any of that is agreed, it will be

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a positive beginning. But it is still not clear whether the two

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sides will negotiate face-to-face as planned on Friday. These talks were

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never going to be quick or easy. This week is just the start of a

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very long process. Could this be the moment when Iran

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finally comes in from the cold? Iran's newly elected president

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Hassan Rouhani has been addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos.

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It's a first for an Iranian president and it marks a milestone

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along the road to Iran's rehabilitation with the West. Let's

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get all the latest from my colleague, Nik Gowing who's live for

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us in Davos. Welcome to Davos. Hassan Rouhani

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made a big impact, very low-key but it is what he said and how he said

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it which was important. He emphasised constructive engagement.

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Not just with the West, but the whole world. He said, I announced

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that one of my priorities of the government is that constructive

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engagement. That includes with the United States. He laid out the

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possibility of a significant change because of what has happened in the

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last few weeks, and the negotiations with Iran's nuclear capability with

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the reduction of 5% enrichment. This is how he put the prospects with the

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United States. TRANSLATION: the engagement between

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Iran and the United States also entered a new phase during the past

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month. For the first time politicians from both countries have

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negotiated, exchanged views, made decisions to resolve differences in

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relation to the nuclear issue. This is a major development since the

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Iran Islamic revolution. But the Islamic revolution and the

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foundation of the Islamic Republic will result in more than a century

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of freedom seeking from the Iranians nation. It is necessary that the

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ruling bodies in the United states accept Iran's historical realities,

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not only in words but in action as well. What we got was no

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understanding of any impression of any conservative pressure on him. He

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made it clear that what he was trying to do as president, was set a

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very clear ground work for strategic change in Iran's relationship with

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the world. Seeing Iran as maybe the 10th biggest economy in the world

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and maybe in a decade if sanctions are lifted things could move in a

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different direction, depending on what happens with nuclear

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enrichment. But what about internally? His winning of the

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election last year was extraordinary. After a lot of

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manoeuvring by the Guardian Council trying to make sure more

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conservative councillors went forward and somebody like Hassan

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Rouhani did not get elected. But he has laid out a new relationship

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between the traditional powers of the Islamic and Muslim state of

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Iran, and also the people and how they would now inject a form of

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democracy. TRANSLATION: we have to pave the way

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for the opposition to sit around a table with the government. The best

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solution is to organise a free and fair election inside Syria. No

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outside party or power can decide for the Syrian people and Syria as a

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country. So the Islamic Republic of Iran making it clear it is moving in

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a different direction. He is also here to speak to those in the oil

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industry. They could start building relations with the economy in Iran

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once actions are lifted. He did speak to three of the big oil

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corporations today. Iran is a big oil producer. And the three leaders

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of those big oil corporations said, it had been an impressive

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presentation given by both the president and the oil minister. We

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have Hassan Rouhani speaking here and shortly we will be speaking from

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the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. You never know who you

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will bump into, it seems extraordinary they are in the same

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place at the same time. But sitting at Zurich airport is an Iranian

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plane, and an Israeli plane sitting alongside each other. Some things

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extraordinary things do happen. But the message from Iran is

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constructive engagement with the rest of the world. Thank you very

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much. In South Sudan, government troops say they have captured all

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the major towns from rebel control. The president accused his former

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deputy of trying to stage a coup. Our correspondent Mark Lowen managed

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to travel to the small settlement and rebel stronghold of Lankien, in

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the north-east of the country. The rebels are determined to regroup and

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fight back. Although the government says it has the major towns in this

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country, there are pockets of control like this one here in

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Lankien. It is under the control of a rebel movement that is made up

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from defectors from the National Army but also a local youth militia

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called the White Army. It was formed to stave off cattle raids, but now

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it has loftier ambitions. I was out with them yesterday as they came

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into town. Young and draped in ammunition belts around their necks.

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They have the spoils of War, one said he had his AK-47, bullets and

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pick-up trucks from Army soldiers they had killed on the way. They

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want to overthrow the president. But the likelihood of that happening is

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slim. They don't have the conventional firepower of the

:22:49.:22:51.

government army and for five weeks they have been on the back foot.

:22:52.:22:55.

Now, they have lost the control of all the major cities in this

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country. But no sign of wanting to back down from those rebels you have

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been talking to their in Lankien. Have you spoken to any of them about

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these accusations from the president to the UN peacekeeping missions in

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South Sudan, of hiding rebels and guns in some UN camps? Have any of

:23:15.:23:21.

the rebels you have been speaking to mentioned that to you? They deny

:23:22.:23:28.

that entirely. They believe this is a propaganda stunt on behalf of the

:23:29.:23:31.

government. They believe it is a conflict on which there has been

:23:32.:23:38.

wild claims on both sides. It is hard to verify this information on

:23:39.:23:40.

the ground because areas like this have been too dangerous to travel

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to. We are the first road cast team allowed into rebel territory and we

:23:49.:23:52.

have had rare access to see what life is like here. Also, Medecins

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Sans Frontieres has set up an emergency clinic. It is the lifeline

:23:59.:24:02.

in this area. It is receiving wounded from all over the country,

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mainly people with gunshot wounds. Many of the patients have had to

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walk two or three days to come here. I have been speaking to soldiers who

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have been injured. One man took six bullets in his leg, one severed his

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leg off. Also civilians are caught up in this fighting and that is the

:24:24.:24:26.

real tragedy. Up to 10,000 people have been killed in this war and

:24:27.:24:34.

half a million displaced. The humanitarian display shin is

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catastrophic and there is no sign yet of any peace settlement to come.

:24:39.:24:46.

Some other news now. The Moroccan parliament has voted unanimously to

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amend part of the penal code which allowed men who rape underage girls

:24:51.:24:53.

to avoid prosecution by marrying their victims. The vote comes nearly

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two years after a 16-year-old, Amina al-Filali, killed herself after

:24:58.:24:59.

being forced to marry her rapist. Her parents and a judge had

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permitted the marriage to protect the family honour.

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The Argentine president has made her first public speech in six weeks,

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ending a long silence that led to questions about her health following

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brain surgery. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was welcomed by hundreds of

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supporters outside the presidential palace in Buenos Aires. She

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dismissed speculation about her health and criticised the country's

:25:19.:25:26.

media. Work has begun to repair the famous

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statue of Christ the Redeemer which stands above the city of Rio de

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Janeiro. It's been damaged by several recent lightning strikes,

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two on the right hand and one on the back of the head. Bruno Garcez has

:25:38.:25:45.

more. Standing on the shoulders of giants.

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This view may be breathtaking but these repairmen have a job to do.

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They are here to fix the damage caused to the right thumb when it

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was struck while lightning last week. It's right middle finger and

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part of its head when it last month. It is thought it is struck by

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lightning on average between three and five times a year. So workers

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who had to climb inside the 39 metre statue will place more lightening

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rod is on the structure to prevent further damage.

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TRANSLATION: we are going to augment the lightening rods. The crown of

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the head is a lightning rod that is not reaching all the way to the

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middle finger where the clouds generally reach when they come from

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the East and the sea. We will extend the lightening rods into the middle

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finger. The work has been approved and the structure is very sturdy.

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Officials said it would take about four months to repair, but the

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statue will remain open throughout the work.

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You are watching BBC World News. Good to have you with us.

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