27/08/2014 BBC World News

children to watch executions, amongst the latest atrocities

outlined to the UN human rights report. That Putin says it is up to

Ukraine to settle its differences with pro-Russian separatists. And if

Manchester United thought it could not get any worse, they thrashed in

the League Cup by 18 two divisions below. -- a team.

Thank you forward to. Afghanistan's disputed presidential elections on a

knife edge today. One of the candidates withdrew to double check

all the votes. Abdu Lavandula's senior campaign officials called the

process a joke. The audit is part of a UN brokered deal to find a winner

and bring some stability to the country. Earlier I spoke to our

correspondent who told me that the recount appears to have been

abandoned and is currently at a standstill.

The UN said they would continue and put in more servers to ensure

fairness. Abdullah Abdullah's campaign workers did not show up.

Tables were not manned. There is now complete paralysis, no account going

on. This is just at the final stage, Wendy in validation process,

deciding which votes were clean and dirty, is supposed to have been

going on. It is that which has got his campaign complaining. This feels

like a very dangerous campaign for Afghanistan.

The process has been going on Afghanistan.

time, and there is no stability in the country.

time, and there is no stability in pronouncements but thousands say

they pronouncements but thousands say

possibly occupied government pronouncements but thousands say

buildings. Those are specific threats of some of his senior

supporters if they vote turns out to be fraudulent. Now that some are

saying that it has turned out to be fraudulent, we may potentially see

the movement to street protests. This is terrible news for a country

where the economy is in freefall, the Taliban have an threatening

major assaults in recent weeks and months, and although the president

says he is pulling out extra week and will stand down whatever, it is

hard to see how they can, from this process, move reasonably towards a

hard to see how they can, from this A short while ago I spoke to the

candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, who told me he did not think the recount

had been fair. The

had been fair. type of role that has taken place,

the whole invalidation criteria anticipated, it is not sufficient to

deal with the fraudulent votes which were casted, fraudulent ballot

papers. The announcement of the result came in a way that was quite

contrary to the procedure promised. It was to be done

contrary to the procedure promised. agents and the media. In only a

matter of ten minutes they announced the results of 3000 ballot boxers,

that is not acceptable. Throughout the process, there were differences

in the types of fraud which happened. In an ingenious way. The

invalidation criteria was not sufficient to deal with that. Lots

of invalid papers were validated. This process was overseen by the

United Nations, surely that should give you trust. Yet you still say

there is no validity. On the one side there is the United

Nations, the other side, the commission, and still part of the

job needs to be done through the commission.

To many it will just look as if you have pulled out because the audit

was not going in your favour. We did not ask for the audit to get

a guaranteed be in our favour. Just a guarantee that no invalid paper

would go three, now invalid ballot box would go through. That is what

we have said in our campaigns. We have negotiated with the United

Nations on some of those concerns. They were not difficult, two come up

with convincing answers. Four hours and hours we came up discussions for

them. That was Abdullah Abdullah. In the

Ukraine and the president says a road map will be drawn up for

agreeing a cease-fire after he had talks with his Russian counterpart.

The private meeting with Vladimir Putin was in Minsk in Tuesday. There

appears to be no end to the fighting after ten Russian soldiers were

captured on Monday. The involvement of the Kremlin is being questioned

but that you Putin says they must have accidentally crossed into

Ukrainian territory during a mortar patrol. -- border.

As you point out, the fighting goes on. There is another front in the

eastern region of Donetsk and the humanitarian crisis is rising. The

sides are far apart and one of the problems of the Ukrainians identify

is that the Russians are saying they are an uninvolved party. For the

Ukrainians, given the evidence of Russian fighters, if not soldiers,

regularly crossing the border, weapons, armoured vehicles, this

makes it very ethical to negotiate. -- typical. It -- difficult. We will

see what the road map actually proposes and how the Russian

reaction is. United Nations human rights

investigators have blushed graphic details of what they describe as

atrocities being carried out in Syria. The report includes details

of violence by Islamic state including executions which the

public are forced to watch. The United Nations say that they

continue to torture and kill citizens. This report reveals a

country in which war crimes and crimes against humanity are routine.

Normal life has been utterly destroyed. In northern Syria, where

Islamic state control large areas, public executions are common. The

population are forced to watch. Dead bodies are displayed, of the

non-crucifixes, for days afterwards. Women are lashed for failing to

cover their faces, minor crimes punished with amputation.

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces continue to inflict violence. Bombs

and gas dropped from helicopters, hospitals shelled, civilians

arrested, tortured, killed. UN investigators say that no side

appears capable of the tree and there is no military solution to the

suffering of the Syrian people. Yet neither side is ready to stop

fighting. Instead, the United Nations fear that the conflict is

about to spread across the region with devastating conduct.

Earlier I spoke to our world affairs correspondent, Richard Galpin. He

said the report was critical of all sides involved.

Government forces, original rebel groups, the free Syrian army, and

the new actors on the battlefield, including Islamic state. It accuses

all war crimes and crimes against humanity. This commission is

appointed by the UN human rights Council. They have been bringing out

reports for three years since the conflict began. This is the elitist

so far. -- bleakest.

Where does it leave the deliberations for Western

governments about what to do? It is very strong on the

international community, castigating it, saying it has failed in what it

calls an elemental duty to protect civilians and stop atrocities. They

also say, which they have said for, that there should be an arms embargo

at the very least. That is part of the problem, different groups in

different countries fuelling the conflict by sending in significant

arms and supplies for the fighting groups. It is very critical of the

international community as well. Other stories making headlines: The

first of the Brazilian televised presidential debates has taken place

just a fortnight after the death of Eduardo can -- Campos. An American

journalist who was freed on Sunday after being held captive in a Syrian

militants for nearly two years has arrived back in the USA. Peter

Curtis said he was moved by arrived back in the USA. Peter

those who welcomed him home. He had been held by a group fighting the

Syrian government, and a rival of Islamic state. The Nigerian

government say they have so far contained the Ebola outbreak which

spread to the country last month. One person has been treated, two

have been released from hospital, five people have died, far fewer

than other West African countries. Another dismal performance by

English old giants, Manchester United. They were knocked out of the

League Cup at the hands of a club two divisions below them. Louis Van

Gaal has yet to win this season having played three games. Where has

it all gone wrong? Let's speak to our sports correspondent. A terrible

start for him, isn't it? Absolutely. Still looking for that

first victory and now an unbelievable defeat which knocks

them out of the League Cup. Not far short of a disaster for Manchester

United. The manager has healed for calm. Made the point that they have

made lots of changes. -- appealed for calm.

made lots of changes. -- appealed new team in a month.

made lots of changes. -- appealed him a bit of time, they're spending

has been him a bit of time, they're spending

this season, but people want results from that. Yes, you will have a bit

of time, because players need to gel together, results must come soon.

At the same time they have just woken the British transfer record to

sign the player Di Maria. -- broken.

She brings creativity. Somebody who is a provider. They have got Wayne

Rooney up front. They have got a lot of class in their strikers, but they

need somebody to come in and add creativity and flair. But it is a

huge price tag and brings huge pressure. They need the team, they

Stay with us on BBC World Thank you very much.

Controversy in Colombia as the former hit man for

Pablo Escobar's drug cartel is released from jail.

In less than a month the people of Scotland will vote on

Yes Scotland want a vote for independence,

and Better Together want Scotland to remain in the union.

But there's a grass roots movement taking to social media to get

Not exactly Scotland's answer to Lady Gaga, but this woman has become

an Internet hit with this boost -- spoof about voters. I want a country

run by Tory MPs, I'm voting no. I wanted to get involved with the

campaign and I thought a fun way to do it would be to do a cover version

of a song. A lot of people say the Scottish relationship with the union

is like a bad Romance. She is recording another video here. I can

hear the music so I will find out what is going on inside. These guys

are in a pro-independence choir and they are singing on the next track.

The lyrics to the song by the Rolling Stones has been tweaked. It

is a Scottish take on the song. Ironic that she chose this song

because Mick Jagger was a celebrity that signed an open letter asking

people to lead Scotland in the UK. Within minutes of it being online

each one of those celebrities twitter accounts got massive abuse.

The official Yes Scotland campaign has strict guidelines about online

behaviour. We need to persuade people to vote to us but you do not

do that by being an abusive idiot. This is BBC World News. The latest

headlines: The double checking of votes in

Afghanistan's disputed presidential election has stopped after one of

the sides withdrew from the process. Atrocities committed

by the extremist Islamic State group, including forcing children to

watch executions, are highlighted in the latest UN

human rights report on Syria. One of Colombia's most notorious

killers has been released He's called John Jairo Velasquez,

also known as Popeye. He's said to have killed hundreds

of people himself He was a top hit man for Colombian

drug lord Pablo Escobar He was convicted for his part

in the murder of a former presidential candidate,

Luis Carlos Galan in 1989. But he turned state's witness

against former Justice Minister Alberto Santofimio,

who ordered Mr Galan's killing. With me is William Marquez from

BBC Mundo, who has lived through some of the

worst of the violence in Colombia. I am very glad you are here in one

piece to talk to us. Why has he been released early? In Colombia there

are no life sentences, even for such high profile murderers. At the time

he handed himself in there was a deal that if you did so you would

get a reduced sentence so his sentence was 35 years and he paid 22

so legally he was able to walk free. Just some brief details of what he

is supposed to have done but there is a long list of camp --

accusations. A bombing campaign against the government and he

co-ordinated the blowing up of the intelligence service building. He

blew up or co-ordinated the blowing up of an aeroplane where some people

I knew were in it. Also tortures and murders that he has confessed to.

There is a story about his ex-girlfriend and the governor Pablo

Escobar? Yes, he was the lover of the former girlfriend of Pablo

Escobar. His boss is a crime lord but he was going out with his

girlfriend? Yes, with his girlfriend and his girlfriend was also an

informant for the authorities. And Popeye was ordered to kill her. What

is the reaction to his release? Some people are appalled. They say he has

to pay a longer sentence, even life in prison but, as I told him,

Ashbrook as I told you there is no life in prison in Colombia. Others

say that he has paid the time that he was due and one has to remember

that he is about the only one, the only surviving member of the cartel

ever to have been convicted and had a sentence in jail for such a long

time in Colombia. Strangely despite the huge catalogue of crimes some

people have a warmth of feeling towards the cartels? Yes, there were

some good things done for some people. Stadiums were built and

homes were given to poor people. If there is any relief to the victims

it is what is Popeye going to do now that he is free? He is certainly

going to have to look over his shoulder everywhere he goes because

there is probably a price on his head. Thank you. Very interesting.

A nine-year-old girl in the US has accidentally killed her shooting

instructor while being shown how to use a high-powered automatic weapon.

Charles Vacca was giving the girl a lesson at the Last Stop firing

range in Arizona when she pulled the trigger on an Uzi submachine gun

The accident happened after the gun was switched

Footage has been released by the Mojave County Sheriff's

Department that shows the instructor teaching the nine-year-old shortly

Otherwise the gun will not fire, OK? Right there. OK, turn this

forward. Just like that. All right. Go ahead and give me one shot. All

right! We have frozen the video there. You

can imagine how gruesome it is after it carries on. The instructor died

after being airlifted to hospital. Questions have been asked

about why a nine-year-old was allowed to fire a machine gun,

but in the state of Arizona children are legally allowed to shoot

firearms from the age of eight. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake

hit Iceland's Bardarbunga It's the biggest

since tremors began 10 days ago. Intense seismic activity

at Iceland's largest volcano has raised worries that an eruption

could cause another ash cloud like the one that shut down much

of Europe's airspace back in 2010. But so far there's no evidence

of an eruption and the Icelandic met office has said the aviation

code remains at orange. May of this year marked the end

of the line of one of India's most Production of the car that was once

omnipresent on Indian streets has The move has led to an outpouring

of nostalgia among lovers The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder reports

on the passing of one of India's For more than 50 years she was the

pride of India. The ultimate style and status symbol, and even as India

changed the Ambassador survived. Everyone who could own a

Ambassador. It was a car you simply fell in love with. Growing up in

India the Ambassador was the only car I ever knew. It was a prized

possession and my family, it took people to work, took us to school,

took us a long family holidays and I learned how to drive on one. If you

look inside it it is not exactly state of the art. A very basic

dashboard, no air conditioning, no stereo system. The clutch pedal, the

gear levers, are all a bit clunky. It takes a real effort to use one.

But, as they say, if you can drive an ambassador, you can drive

anything. -- if you can drive a Ambassador. On the streets the

Ambassador spells power and privilege. White once ferried

cabinet privilege. White once ferried

reserved for army generals. This man has been driving one since 1969.

Like so many taxi drivers in Delhi he loves the Ambassador. Many

cabbies have switched to newer cars but he is hanging onto his.

It is a very good car. It is so spacious that you

It is a very good car. It is so people inside. It does break down at

times but you can easily fix it. This car has given me so much, my

livelihood, I have even managed to send two of my children abroad.

Foreign visitors also fell under its spell. This man is the German

ambassador to India and he can barely contain his enthusiasm as he

shows off his favourite wheels. We have BMWs and they are very good

cars but they are not unique cars. This is a car that is unique. It

expresses also our affection for India and the uniqueness of India

because that is India. But India has changed. The Ambassador is out of

sync with its dynamic and fast paced outlook and it is now merely a

fading memory. I remember travelling in a Ambassador when I was a child

and they had a particular smell to the man's a particular field to them

and they are wonderful cars, what a shame they are going to be off the

roads. Don't forget you can get

in touch with me and some Plenty more coming up on BBC News,

thank you for watching. MUSIC: "It Don't Mean A Thing"

by Duke Ellington celebrating the music of Count Basie

and Duke Ellington.