12/01/2012 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Tim Willcox. The shame of the US

marines? Universal condemnation as a video apparently showing four of

them urinating on dead Taliban fighters is posted online. It is

absolutely inconsistent with American values, with the standards

of behaviour we expect from our military personnel.

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson is charged by a Turkish court after

secretly filming orphanages there. The cost of Mexico's drugs war as

the death toll approaches 50,000, five years after the crackdown.

And the unassuming young acoustic singer who's topped the nominations

at this year's Brit awards. Find Hello and welcome. The Pentagon

says it's "deeply troubled" by a video apparently showing four

American marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

NATO and the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, have also condemned

it, - President Karzai calling it inhuman. A spokesman for the

Taliban described the video as shameful, but said it would not

affect attempts to broker peace talks. Ian Pannell reports from

Washington. Cities too distasteful to show but

what appears to be happening in the video is a small group of US

Marines are urinating on the bodies of three dead Afghans. We do not

know whether the deal has come from or if it is authentic but the

indications are it is. The condemnation it has provoked has

been universal. It is absolutely inconsistent with American values,

the standards of behaviour that we expect from a military personnel

and the vast vast majority of our military personnel and Marines hold

themselves to. So this is not the first time US troops have been

accused of breaching the rules of war. A in the past its acted fast

to investigate and punish those responsible. Containing a damaged

its reputation is harder. This man said US troops have committed a

crime and should leave the country, the president demanded an

investigation. The biggest fear is this would damage the prospects of

peace talks with insurgents but the Taliban says the political process

is separate and still stands. It's more than 10 years since American

troops invaded, the mission has been longer and harder than many

expected. It is increasingly unpopular amongst Afghans who want

to know the latest allegations will be taken seriously. A US cruel

investigation has been launched into this disgraceful act. It will

be thorough and any individual whose involvement is confirmed will

be held fully accountable and punished accordingly. Whatever the

facts, it will harm America's reputation overseas but it's

unlikely to have an impact in the way past scandals have, US troops

have pulled out of Iraq, reduced numbers in Afghanistan and the

peace process with the Taliban is under way. Expect all sides to

limit the damage but don't expect any change in policy.

Ahmad Shuja is a director of the Foundation for Afghanistan, a

Washington and Kabul-based non- profit group dedicated to the

country's reconstruction. He also writes the Afghanistan Analysis

blog. It has not been confirmed, the

veracity of the video but if it is true what will the impact be?

think the impact of this on the talks with the Taliban and Afghan

government is not going to be extensive as the Taliban have

downplayed this. What it does is... It's the latest in a long string of

incidents involving US soldiers in Afghanistan so that is unfortunate

and will have PR damage consequences for the US involvement

in Afghanistan but it's important to understand that it will be taken

it more negatively in some parts of Afghanistan the others. Overall, it

is a huge PR disaster. We are looking at a backlash against

American troops perhaps on the ground rather than any lasting

impact or damage to the East peace talks which are about to start soon.

That's accurate to a degree but to expect because of these images

broadcast in the Afghan media as well to have large scale at

demonstrations by Afghans on the ground in Afghanistan and burning

American flags is too far-fetched. What it does is create more

negativity among the Afghans about the US presence on the ground.

President Obama's ambassador is due for talks with Hamid Karzai next

week, are looking at the best hope for peace now in Afghanistan after

10 years of war? I think now you have the strongest push from all

parties involved, especially the US and Taliban and Afghan government.

But the push is stronger than ever towards a negotiated settlement for

the peace in Afghanistan. One other points, the video about the

allegedly urination, there is a cognitive dissonance in Washington

about what the US wants its troops to do all things of its troops and

what these individuals have done. At many in the West are shocked but

what's important to understand is the shock in Afghanistan is not

about the actor but it involves an action urination and desecration of

corpses which are country more significant to Afghans than the act

itself. Thank you. A Turkish court has pressed charges against

Britain's Duchess of York for secretly filming orphanages in

Turkey. The court accused the former wife of Prince Andrew of

going "against the law in acquiring footage and violating privacy" of

five children. If convicted she faces a maximum term of 22 and a

half years in prison, Our Istanbul correspondent Jonathan Head joins

Just describe what this relates back to. Three years ago at the

Duchess of York one of the projects she took up was exposing conditions

children in some orphanages are kept in in Turkey and other

countries and she came with a TV crew and visited a number of

institutions were abandoned children and this institution she

went to with a TV crew and her daughter Eugenie is one where

abandoned children with severe mental disabilities are kept. She

posed as a donor and got in and secretly filmed the conditions that

children are captain. It is a cemetery, it was chaotic and some

children were tied down. It was very disturbing. When the programme

was broadcast the Turkish government has outraged lodging a

diplomatic protest and accusing her of smearing the country and try

deliberately to damage Turkey's prospects of joining the European

Union. Three years later, a prosecutor has torn up an

indictment against her and imposed these charges. It could result in a

heavy prison sentence and Turkey applies very tough sentences for

what are perceived to be minor issues in other countries. Is it

unusual for charges to be pressed so long after the event? No, it's

not. People have been jailed and is a big issue at the moment for many

years before they get to trial. The judicial system is very problematic.

I suspect the Duchess of York will fill grateful she is not in Turkey

and does not have to go through it. There is nothing exceptional about

that. There is an extradition at Deal between Turkey and Britain.

This would not be considered a crime so she will not be coming

back to face trial. Some other news: police in the UK are

investigating claims British intelligence was involved in the

cases of two men taken to Libya for interrogation. The Libyans are

threatening to sue the UK over their transfer to Libya and

subsequent torture. Charges have been ruled out in it to other cases

involving claims of British involvement in torture overseas.

Nigerian oil workers are threatening to shut down or

production. The union is demanding action. Israel's Supreme Court has

upheld a law banning Palestinians since marrying Israelis and getting

citizenship. The laws introduced nine years ago with lackeys citing

security concerns. A former county cricketer has become the first

English player to be convicted of spot fixing during a match in 2009.

Mervyn Westfield pleaded guilty to receiving a corrupt payment.

Mexican officials say nearly 13 thousand people were killed in

violence blamed on organised crime between January and September last

year. That takes the total number of drug related killings to more

than 47 thousand since President Felipe Calderon launched his

crackdown on drug traffickers in late 2006. With presidential

elections in July, violence is set to be a key issue for voters. Will

Grant reports from Mexico City. The statistics confirm what many

Mexicans suspect it for some time. For a 5th consecutive year, Mexico

has experienced a rise in drug- related murders. Almost 13,000

people killed in drug violence in the first nine months of last year.

But up 11.4% on the same period in 2010. Conflicts between the

country's powerful drug cartels battling for control of the

smuggling routes into the United States have seen many communities

caught up in the fighting and left thousands of Mexicans did. -- dead.

A small proportion of the murders are ever brought to trial and many

are not even investigated. While the numbers are large, the

government of the President has defended the military strategy. The

rise was the lowest since 2006, the government says and violence has

concentrated in eight states. Especially on the northern border.

Critics say it previously peaceful states and are being caught up in

the fighting searchers those in the east and west. There were some

individual improvements last year such as a job and violence in the

border city. However experts say it may be more to do with a single

cartel taking over control rather than any great success by the

military or police. Mexico's cartels are still extremely strong,

especially that one or by the world's most powerful drug baron.

His empire is weakened and he is fighting other drug gangs. For many

Mexicans, tired of the violence, this election year is a chance to

register their anger at the number of murders taking place every year.

The governing party is expected to lose the vote in July to the party

which run the country for more than 70 years. If that happens, these

numbers will have undoubtedly played a large part.

Let's speak to someone who has written extensively on the Mexican

drug war. An 11% rise, lower than it previously, not much to crow

about. It's nothing to be excited about all to brag about. One of the

things with the release of the numbers, there's been a lot of

scepticism over why the delay in releasing numbers. I believe from

my knowledge of Mexican officialdom that there wasn't really a sinister

reason for this but I think what they're trying to desperately do is

communicate what is happening, whether going up, down or what does

it mean, spinning it either way depend on how you interpret it. And

You spend some dangerous times they are researching the book. Tell us

more about his man. The USA he is the world's most powerful drug

trafficker. How smart is he? think the key is a calculating. In

my research, in the mountains, it is very hard to find him, but you

get a chance of the power that his name and the organisation wheels.

He has built up over the years by being a very calculating and

ruthless, when necessary, and of course this is the drug world and

you do not get ahead simply by caution and bribery. He has made

alliances with rival Corps tells, the right time, and has moved into

drug markets in the United States. -- cartels. He moved into Met

amphetamine long before his competitors. -- Met amphetamines.

So he is an innovator when it comes to drug trafficking? Is see seen as

a local folk hero? If so, what has he done for the community and why

is nobody turning men? In terms of the local folk, officials love to

say that when they are describing him. You could argue that about

drug traffickers, that is how they operate and that is how the Mafia

used to operate. You win the population over by constructing

schools and funding schools, giving to the church, the Catholic Church

is now coming out and admitting that in the past, money from

narcotics has come in. That is brave of them to do it. I respect

that. The money has come in where government money has not. Through

simple means, this drug dealer employs people where there is no

other employment. You win supporters that way. Thank you for

joining us, Malcolm Beith. Two years after the earthquake in

Haiti which killed 300,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless,

progress and rebuilding has been slow. 500,000 people are still

living in camps and there are very few signs of reconstruction. On

Wednesday, thousands took to the streets of Port-au-Prince to demand

new housing. Laura Trevelyan is there for us now.

Welcome to 80. -- Haiti. Coming up on the second anniversary of the

earthquake. Everything changed in just a few seconds. Ceremonies of

remembrance are being held throughout the country. In just 35

over bombing seconds, the earthquake destroyed lives, homes,

and the heart of Haiti's government. That night, Astral Jacques lost one

daughter and feared he would lose a second. The kid is dying in but she

is fighting. She is infected and there is no help. Her head was open.

Her body was crushed under the rubble. This is the spot where

Tully up almost died. Very little has changed. -- his daughter. She

has made a spectacular recovery. She has done well. Life is not as

great in Haiti, there are no jobs and I am frightened for them. But

she is fighting. Daily life is still a struggle. Half of the

rubble from the earthquake has been removed, but 500,000 people are

still living in tents. President Michel Martelly, the singer turned

leader, has promised change. were slow to move the people out of

the camps. Lately, we have been able to do it. That is a huge gap.

This park was a sea of tends immediately after the earthquake.

Now those families have moved out, and normal life is returning. For

Patients, it is a small sign of progress. -- the people of Haiti.

Jessica has been given a grant to move into this tiny apartment that

she shares with her five children. TRANSLATION: It is better than

living in a tent. But how will I pay the rent next year? As Haiti

prepares to mourn its stead, the ruins of the National Cathedral are

a place for reflection and remembrance. The monumental loss is

still so hard to bear. Yolette Etienne joins me now, their

director of the project for Oxfam. What was your experience of the

earthquake? Thank you for having made here today. Thank you for

coming. -- having me. I was at work at Oxfam. I was there with my staff,

and we had this painful experience. We lost many staff who had been

there for a long time. I live close to the office, and I helped

assessed after the death of one of my colleagues who had spent 15

years working with us. He was 40. And then I had to take care of my

staff, to see how they could get home. We already knew that we had

to be at the office tomorrow morning, because it was our mission.

As Oxfam, we are not only a humanitarian organisation, we are

also a redevelopment organisation, and we are supporting Haiti in

development. And as well as losing staff, what was the impact on your

family? Why I went home, my mother was in the garden. My house was

completely destroyed. But it was the same situation. I was part of a

collective drama. And you had this awful experience, you lost your

mother and colleagues, and you had to respond to this emergency. Two

years on, how much progress has been made in Haiti? Now, again, I

am mixing my personal motions and my responsibilities for the

organisation who should support the people of Haiti to overcome this

situation. If we look around us, we still see people intense, and

people struggling to overcome this situation. -- in tents. When you

say you need to move the on the poverty, do you mean creating jobs

so that Haiti can get lifted out of the situation? Exactly. That is

what people are asking for. It is also trying to support people to

live better. That should be the content. If we rebuild better, we

should take into account people living in the countryside,

supporting farmers and jobs and the young people, and women. Thank you

for joining us here. And for sharing your experience of the

earthquake. Thank you very much. The

nominations for the 2012 Brit Awards have just been revealed at a

special launch in London. The 20- year-old singer-songwriter Ed

Sheeran is leading the field, nominated in four categories. Let

us find out who else made the nominations with Gemma Cairney from

BBC Radio 1 extra. You have just hot-footed it back from the hotel!

I still have my a wristband. Sheeran is talking -- topping the

list. What is so special about him? I think it is quite extraordinary.

Nobody really knew who he was this time last year. He has stormed it,

he has worked as a toff, playing every festival and every tent. --

worked really hard. As his notoriety got bigger, he would be

booked in bigger tents, and I think he has really done well, he is

original and organic. And he is only 20. By no! He has had three

top fives already. It has happened out of nowhere. The album went

Brunner! He has got a really good mind and he collaborates with other

artists. He is great with a guitar, which is the most important thing.

Does he write his own material? He is the husband of the Brit

Awards. Best British male solo artist, best British breakthrough,

best British single and British album of the year. He is going to

win something. Jessie J. The wife of the Brit Awards for this year.

Again, she won the Critics' Choice last year. No one knew who she was.

There you are, talking to her. Amazing. She is looking absolutely

amazing tonight. She went on holiday with Ellie Goulding who won

the Critics' Choice the year before that. It is one big love-in over

there. She is up for three awards. British team a solo artist, British

breakthrough act, again, British single, Price Tag, which we all

remember, and those are the three. It doesn't quite spring to mind! At

Dell, I do know who she is. Jessie J is up ahead of her. Yes. She is

up for British single and album of the year for 21. But maybe Jessie J

is on the cusp of a breakthrough. It is all quite soulful, in terms

of the sound. Is that the trend this year. --? In the past, decades

ago, it was boy bands and it was quite manufactured. It was all

image and marketing. This seems much more serious than musical.

quite excited that everyone cares about real music again. Perhaps it

is less image based and more about the sound of someone's voice, going

back to the Critics' Choice thing, Ellie Goulding and Jessie J, this

year it was Emile Sande, and if you do not know her, you need to check

her out because she puts on a real performance. The whole room was

just still. She has sold. She has got the vibe. It really counts.

will see who is going to win next month. Gemma Cairney, thank you

very much. That is it. From all the very much. That is it. From all the

team here, go by. -- goodbye. For the moment, it is goodbye to spring

and hollow to winter. It will feel much more like January tomorrow

morning. Widespread frost starting the day. The reason for that, an

area of high pressure building across the UK, blocking mild

westerly winds. This is how we start the day. The blue it will

show where we have the frost. Pretty sharp across northern parts.

Cloudy skies across the north-west. Much of northern England across the

north-west, England and the south- east. Temperatures matching. Down

on recent days, but about right for this time of year. More cloud at

times across Cornwall and the north and east of Wales. The wind is

going to be very, very light tomorrow. That will help with the

field. Rather grey skies across Northern Ireland. It should be dry,