11/01/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today, with Tim Willcox.

Another nuclear scientist killed in broad daylight on the streets of

Teheran. He ran blames Israel and the United States. Is this part of

a covert war aimed at thwarting the country's nuclear ambitions.

An escalation in violence in Syria, as the first foreign journalists to

skilled in it grenade attack in Homs.

Nigeria's or oil workers are threatening to shut the sector down

as protests over the scrapping of a fuel subsidy Tanter wider anger

against the Government. This Government has no moral rights.

Also coming up, can anyone stop him? Mitt Romney sweeps to victory

in the New Hampshire Republican primary.

And tomorrow's must-haves today. If we take a look at the latest

gadgets are shaking up the world of technology today.

Hello, and welcome. The attack was audacious and deadly. Just moments

after a mystery motorbike had pulled up alongside Mostafa Ahmadi

Roshan's, and attached a bomb to it, the 32-year-old chemist and

scientist was dead. Today's attack on the streets of the Iranian

capital is just the latest in a series of killings of scientists,

which demand accuses the United States of authorising.

This his how the careers of each been run's nuclear scientists

sometimes end. This morning, Professor Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan did

not even make it out of his car. TRANSLATION: It was about 7:00am. I

was taking a taxi to walk when I heard a huge blast. I told the

taxied to speed up. Later somebody told me that a person had attached

a bomb to a car which had caused an explosion.

Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan was a supervisor at an Iranian enrichment

facility -- aluminium enrichment facility. In a covert campaign, no

one admits doing the killing. Israel's military chief suggested

yesterday that Iran could expect unnatural events in 2012. This may

be the first. This man in's attack is the latest

in a series of unclaimed bombings and attacks in his van. Two years

ago, a physics professor was killed as he left for work. In 20th

November ten, motorcyclists bombed two prominent nuclear scientists in

the capital. And two months ago a large explosion killed 17 soldiers

at a missile base outside Tehran. But it ran says it will not be put

off. The. It made during missile tests earlier this month. It it has

more reason, it hides them behind displays of power. The BBC is one

of the few Western broadcasters to have been reporter inside the

country. He says that the people on the street have more to worry about,

ban the killing of nuclear scientists. People in Tehran are in

fear of the news, but much more concerned about their economic

problems. And that maybe the point. Iman's

Government can survive attacks on its nuclear scientists. But a

struggling economy is not keeps the country's leaders a week at night.

Trita Parsi is president of the National Iranian American Council,

author of A Single Roll of the Dice: Obama's Diplomacy with Iran.

The Germans us from Washington. The latest in a co-ordinated, a

sophisticated assassination. Who do you think is behind this? I do not

think we have seen any evidence that will point to a specific

direction. So we have to be careful because all of this is speculation.

But most speculation points towards his will, that is the country which

has the means and the motive to do it, and does not have the same

kinds of constraints as the United States when it comes to engaging in

such activities in Iran. Hillary Clinton has just categorically

denied any American in 4th month. In terms of the ramifications in

the context of sanctions against the country, what is the potential

for retaliation? Part of the purpose of this may be, if it is

coming from the Israelis, to get in radians to retaliate -- retaliate.

If they engage in another act of violence, that may provide a

pretext for another military confrontation. We know that there

has been a desire for both this from the... But if it remains

retaliate, and you get the war, but maybe what the great -- Israelis

are intending four. This man was linked with the... In

terms of the fear factor this was spread around scientists work a

week working on the nuclear programme, if what impact will it

have? It will have a chilling effect, but I do not think these

types of activities are going to be particularly successful in

reversing the Iranian nuclear programme. To the extent we have

these assassinations, sanctions, and the threat of war, you may end

up with a situation where the Iranian desire for a nuclear

deterrent may increase. Are there any other groups which may be

acting to -- trying to destabilise any future positive development?

You certainly have the elements of the Iranian mujahedin. They have a

very long history of conducting of sabotage and assassinations in Iran.

However I would suspect that if the mujahedin have the capabilities to

do this right now, they would target higher political profiles

rather than nuclear scientists. Nuclear scientists are a greater

target for those who are very concerned about programme Imran is

blistering. In terms of the protection of the scientists, what

are the authorities doing? This is the 4th attempt in two years.

the 4th fatality, and there have been other strange accidents that

have not been reported in the West. Whatever the Iranians are doing,

they are not doing enough. French television correspondent has

become the first Western journalist to be killed in Syria since the

uprising against President Assad. Witnesses told the BBC that Gilles

Jacquier was on a Government escorted trip to the city of Homs

when his group came under attack from grenades. Earlier, the Syrian

President made a surprise appearance at an open-air rally.

The Syrian authorities have restricted access to foreign

journalists, so Jonathan Head sent this report from Istanbul.

impressive crowd had gathered in the square in Damascus to shout

their support for the President. The rally seemed well planned. And

President Assad used it to press home the same message at he had

presented in his speech to the country. He is not ready to make

any concessions to the opposition. TRANSLATION: The important thing is

to have faith in the future. I will have faith in the future and in you.

We will win without a doubt. We will make this phase the end for

them and their players. So, is this confidence, delusion,

or desperation? It is impossible from this

choreographed appearance to guess the Syrian leader's state of mind

or how strong his grip still is on the country. But his statement

suggests there will be no been negotiated end to this crisis.

Which raises deeper questions over the small Arab League Observer

message. It is that was to be monitoring the Government's

promised to stop shooting protesters. But at least one of its

members has given up, describing the mission as a farce.

TRANSLATION: I stepped down because I felt I was serving his the Reham

regime. I do not feel I belonged to an independent body monitoring the

situation. I was giving the regime a greater chance to continue his

killing, and I could not prevent that.

Non core human rights groups say that hundreds of civilians have

been killed since the monitors arrived last month. For from

curbing the violence, their presence appears to have aggravated

it. The French journalist was one of several people killed in the

city of Homs during a pro- government rally, underlining the

volatility of the situation in Syria. The Government, rather than

using the opportunity of its commitment to the Arab League, to

end the violence and fulfil all of its commitments under the protocol,

is instead stepping up the violence. Despite the presence of monitors,

and carrying out further acts of brutality against its population,

even offered in the presence of those monitors. But if the Arab

League's mission is declared a failure, what then? Without any

prospect of international intervention or negotiation, Syria

seems condemned to sink into a prolonged and increasingly bloody

conflict. Pakistan's Prime Minister has

sacked a retired army general at the Ministry of Defence, Naeem

Khalid Lodhi, in a growing row between the Government and army.

The reason given for the must -- dismissal when Christmas comes but.

Economic growth is slowing in the powerhouse of Europe. Germany's

economy shrank in the last quarter of 2011, indicating the downturn in

Europe is affecting its strongest economy.

Under mid has warned it needs to take action over its budget deficit

or risk losing a European Union development funds. A top official

says Hungary has taken no off action to limit its deficits. The

country is due to start talks later with the IMF for an aid package.

Nigeria's main oil workers' union says it is putting platforms on red

alert for possible shutdown of the Cup country's output. The

Government is also coming under pressure from another deepening

crisis in the country, but of sectarian violence. The Islamist

sect in Nigeria, Boko Haram, has posted a video on like attempting

to justify recent attacks on Christians.

Day three of the strike that has brought most businesses in the

country to a standstill. The stakes have been raised on both sides,

with this national fuel subsidy dispute. Today there were talks of

a gradual process that could lead to the slowing of oil production in

the country. Unionised or oil workers say they are content --

considering shutting down the country's although I'd put. If the

strikers are successful in hindering exports, not only will it

bring the country's economy to its knees, he will have any affect

global oil prices. Politicians have ratcheted up the pressure on

protesters. They have threatened and the work, no pay policy for

public sector workers. My opinion is that that directive is illegal,

because there is no trade dispute. Nigerians are reacting to the harsh

economic policies, and they are saying, for many years we -- we are

saying enough is enough. message is that the fuel subsidy

must be reinstated, but they have also become a platform to vent fury

on other issues, West for spending, resources in the hands of too few,

and far more basic infrastructure. The reason, they say, is corruption.

This Government has no right to ask Nigerians to his discipline

themselves. This strike is beyond... This is the leader of the radical

Islamist group, Boko Haram, and is the first video released since the

bombing of churches in December which killed at least 25 people. He

rejects President's Goodluck Jonathan's remarks that Boko Haram

has become a cancer to Nigeria. He says his forces are much more

powerful than the state's. He says that recent killings of Christians

were revenge for fatal attacks on Muslims in the country. In the past

two weeks at least 15 people have been killed in the north and south

of the country. President good luck Jonathan faces battles on two

fronts. Trying to confront sectarian strife that is spreading

around the country, and costing lives.

Let us talk to Yinka Ogunmakin, with the Save Nigeria Group. He

joins me on the line from Lagos. A much further are you going to go.

The Government shows no sign of backing down. Some of those... What

you have done is to wipe out... This is not just about... Nigerians

are saying it is about a corrupt Government. In the last 15 years,

Nigeria... And that is why they are fighting, and that they are guiding

thousands across Nigeria. They are This money, $6 billion annually, is

basically going to a cartel of fuel We have no business importing that

into the country. OK. Thank you fought speaking to us.

Twitter has become the latest social networking site to fall

victim to paedophiles. An investigation by the BBC found it

being used to discuss abuse and link each other to images of child

pornography. CEOP, the organisation set up here in Britain to tackle

the sexual exploitation of children, says Twitter is lagging behind

other social-networking websites in tackling the problem. Here's the

BBC's Chris Buckler. Twitter has become an internet

phenomenon. Tens of millions of people use the site had to keep in

touch. While the vast majority are simply sharing it stories, news and

gossip there are concerns about how groups of paedophiles are using

their accounts. The BBC has seen evidence of users publishing images

of children. There are also online conversations in which they openly

discuss abuse. He is saying that he would like to have sex with this

girl. Mark Williams Thomas is a former detective who lectures in

paedophilia. He says the company is acting to solely in taking down

accounts. I understand they cannot stop everyone from going on it, but

when they are made aware of a profile which is clearly abuse

material, they must take it down. That profile should be down within

48 hours at the very latest. Twitter is just the latest social

networking side to encounter problems. Paedophiles are using the

internet to get in touch with children. I sent revealing pictures

in very compromising positions. Jake was persuaded by paedophiles

to send making it photos of themselves at the age of 13. There

was a plan for me to meet one of these people and then go back to

Birmingham for shopping and then go back to his hotel room. I was three

days away from meeting that person when my mother called me. What age

were you? I was 14. What about him? He said he was 29, but the police

Tommy was at least 10 or 15 years older. Facebook has added buttons

so that they can spend -- can be reported that one click. They are a

bit behind some others who have been around longer. These people

with a healthy interest in child abuse images occupy a lot of

difference based on the internet without interruption, without being

stopped. That is wrong. Twitter it relies on the users reporting

problems, and there are concerns about how accounts are monitored

because only their followers are able to see what those users of

sharing and following. Mitt Romney is a step closer to

becoming the Republican candidate for the White House. That follows a

second successive victory in the New Hampshire primary. A week ago

he won the Iowa caucuses by just eight votes. As Jonny Dymond

reports, Mr Romney is increasingly confident he will win his party's

nomination. Republicans of preparing for crucial primaries in

Florida later this month. Let's go to Washington and speak to

Jon McHenry, the vice president of Republican strategists Ayres,

McHenry and Associates. Looking at Jon Huntsman, he did not

bother to compete in I were and he came third in New Hampshire. Does

that illustrate how difficult it is being a moderate in this race?

does. It shows his decision not to compete and it was driven by the

perception that he would be seen as to moderate for that state. In New

Hampshire, he gave it a good run, rising from 9% a week and a half

ago up to 17 %. He did not quite catch up to Dr -- the doctor. Had

he carried on, huntsmen would have been the alternative. As it turned

out, he got enough of the vote to continue on to South Carolina but

not become the big media story. is now trailing. A comedian in

South Carolina is doing well. In terms of him being a Mormon, is

that another issue which is not playing particularly well with a

broader Republican base? I think that was a serious issue for Romney

when he ran a four years ago. South Carolina prides itself on picking

the bottom up one of the nominating process, but there is always some

knife fighting going on between operatives on the ground. That

torpedoed Romney to some extent in South Carolina last time, but at

this point everyone is so concerned with the economy, the state of the

country and where it is going, the social issues, whether you are a

Mormon or a Baptist falls a bit off in South Carolina compared to what

it was four years ago. It helps govern a huntsman that the army is

also in the race. This election is different because of the emergence

of Super packs. He got involved with one for Jon Huntsman. Explain

how that works, because it gets around the $5,000 cap on political

donations, but in theory you're not allowed to have any direct contact

with the candidate. Does that work in practice? In our Super pack, it

has... A you would say that! Yes. What we have seen in our Super pact

is that if John Hunt's then gives a press conference and talks about

appealing to independence and moderate, we think he should be

talking as a more conservative we cannot do anything about it. One of

the interesting things in debates over the weekend work rummy and

another man talking about how they had no engagement in the adverts.

There was a 27 minute advert that his pack was putting out. He seems

to have had some information about what was going to be in there for

sure. Thank you. We must leave it there.

One of the most common causes of laptop computers and tablets

breaking is apparently someone spilling a drink on them. Never

slow to spot an opportunity, some manufacturers are now designing

machines which they claim can survive being dunked in crumbs and

coffee. They're among the new products on display at the Consumer

Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Show us at their worst please.

I will have a try. Tens of thousands of new products launched

at this show each year, most of them will not be big hits. Tablets

are a big theme as all manufacturers tried to complete --

can be with the iPad. They have not been that successful so far but

here is one with a big difference. It falls away, goes into your

pocket, you have two it screens and different things happening on each

screen. That is one of the tablets on show here. Plenty more. Than

Cooper, is anybody really producing anything that will challenge Apple?

In terms of the 10 inch square, it is for down between Apple and

Samsung. The interesting thing is is that Sony have the fording a

design which they think is something different. Samsung have

come out with the galaxy which is halfway between the two. It is a

fully functioning mobile-phone as A super gadget fair, but

unfortunately the technology has led us down a little bit. We will

see if we can resume that link later. I don't think that we can,

I'm afraid. We will try and do this Hillary Clinton said that the Arab

League mission it should not continue indefinitely and that

Syrians deserve political transition. It comes after the

killing of the first Western journalist in that 10 month

conflict. I think that it is clear to both

the Prime Minister and myself that the Monetary mission should not

continue indefinitely. We cannot permit President Asad and his witty

-- a regime to have impunity. Syrians deserve a peaceful

transition. We are looking to work with the Arab League when the

current monitoring mission expires on genuine 19th. We look again to

the Prime Minister for his leadership.

Hillary Clinton there in the last few minutes.

A reminder of our main news: Iranian officials claim US and

Israeli intelligence agents are responsible for the killing of a

Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran. Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, who worked

at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, was killed when two

motorcyclists placed a magnetic bomb on his car.

That is all. Next, the weather. We have got rather cloudy, wet and

windy weather pushing south across the UK tonight. There are two

Thursday, things look set to change. A lot more sunshine, particularly

in the north, but it will turn colder as well. It is courtesy of

this weather front sinking south, allowing cold air to filter behind.

But notice the squeeze in the isobars first thing on Thursday. It

will be a win the start. Through the morning, the weather front

sinks south and it marks a real dividing line across the country.

For the North, a beautiful sunny afternoon, temperatures dropping as

the winds mac return north-westerly. In the south, a cloudy afternoon.

Westerly winds keep it relatively mild. The weather front will delay

its activity. Rain will be patchy. The clouds will break up across

Wales, revealing sunshine. Winds turned north-westerly across

Northern Ireland. Clad in the morning, but drier and brighter in

the afternoon. Temperatures for northern England and Scotland

suppressed on previous days, six or seven degrees at best. The wind