27/02/2012 World News Today

If this is BBC World News. Another day of fierce shelling in Syria.

With more shells battering the city of Homs, can today's sanctions

agreed on by the EU make any difference to the Syrian regime hot

or the people under fire. It did not help us, it did not give us

food or medical surprise. He did not prevent the regime from killing

us. It is not enough until now. Russian state television sets for

two men have been arrested on suspicion of plotting to kill

Vladimir Putin. The Spanish Supreme Court clears

the judge Baltasar Garzon of exceeding his powers. Hated and

loved, we examine this controversial figure.

Also coming up: The bruising nature of politics down under. Australia's

Prime Minister regains her political stride after defeating

her bitter rival in the leadership challenge. Can they now mend fences.

And the winner is... Well, mainly, The Artist. The silent film creates

a big noise at the Oscars are in Hollywood.

Good evening. After that "Friends of Syria" meeting on Friday, EU

ministers have agreed to impose tougher political sanctions on

Syria and its leaders. So far, international pressure has not

stopped President Assad's shelling of civilians so there is doubt this

latest round of sanctions will have much impact. Qatar has joined Saudi

Arabia in calling for opposition forces to be armed and today a

least 46 people were reportedly killed in violence across the

country. Night-time protests. Pictures

apparently taking yesterday evening, although that is impossible to

verify. The crowds denounce President Assad's regime. The

regime's response is predictable. A protester lies winded but still

moving as others call for help and chant, may God protect the Free

Syrian Army. The use any pictures appear to show shelling of the Baba

Amr district of Homs. It is not possible to verify or when they

were taking up but a correspondent in northern Syria is witnessing

renewed efforts by government forces are to seize back towns in

open revolt. We were woken up to the sound of bombing coming in. As

I am talking, there is gunfire in the distance. We believe they are

using anti-aircraft guns. They are also setting up mortar positions.

In response to all this, the European union is united in its

response, even if the international community as a whole is certainly

not. EU Foreign Minister have agreed to impose new sanctions on

Syria, adding to their existing bans. Assets abroad are being

frozen. The freeze will apply to assets in Europe of Syria's central

bank. There will be a new ban on cargo for loan to Syria. Europe

admits it sanctions are blunted by a lack of support from other key

powers. We have a difference of view with China and Russia. That

remains a major blockage in what the international community can do.

Look how Syrian state television is drawing strength from Russia's

position. Vladimir Putin insists nobody should be allowed to to

repeat the Libyan scenario in its area. Russia will welcome the

referendum. It is no surprise President Assad won the referendum

comfortably. The opposition boycotted the poll in many

governments called it a sham. So far, the regime has proved

impossible to dislodge. I am joined by Marwa Daoudy from

Oxford. She is currently at Princeton University. Cannot the

Syrian people derive any comfort whatsoever from a this round of

sanctions? -- can the Syrian people. The sanctions have been impacting

on the freedom and access to assets. It has impacted also on the daily

life of the Syrian people. They have been incurring additional

hardship in addition to the instability. Increasing the

sanctions would be an effective way to prevent the regime from having

alternatives and continuing violence if one wants to see the

political solution to the conned -- conflict. How long do you think the

Syrian government can continue in the face of these sanctions? Can

they just go on for a long time? Saddam is sane survive for many

years. -- Saddam Hussein. The situation has deteriorated

drastically in the last few months. We know a lot of the regime

officials cannot access their foreign assets. This would be an

effective solution, a way from other solutions such as the

military in for repair -- intervention, as this would bring

conflict in Syria and the launch of a civil war. The diplomatic

solution, the increase of sanctions, and diplomatic pressure to isolate

the regime, would be ineffective -- would be an effective way forward.

The solution would prolong the survival of the regime in Syria. It

would serve its interests in pretending to fight external forces.

In so far as what is going on in the international arena, is now a

battle between if the "Friends of Syria" and friends of the regime?

Well, unfortunately the revolution in Syria has been hijacked by a the

regional context, the geopolitical factor is the stock that has

exacerbated the conflict. Now it is not about a revolution, Syria is a

call attar of Middle East politics. -- corner axes. It is being

confronted by a broader coalition. It is unfortunate all of this is

being played on Syrian ground, taking over the revolution with

calls for armed groups in Syria. That would bring in cash or weapons

into the country. -- Qatar weapons. It would be a catastrophic

situation. It would take the revolution away from its peaceful

and powerful goal which is to double that President Assad regime

and bring possibly a peaceful transition. Thank you.

In Afghanistan, a suicide car bomb has killed at least nine people at

a military airport in Jalalabad. That means 30 people have now died

in six days of violent anti-US demonstrations following the

burning of Korans during rubbish disposal at a US military airbase

in Afghanistan. The German parliament has approved

the terms of a second bail-out for Greece. Angela Merkel said the

package carries opportunities that outweigh the risks of Greek

financial collapse. It's a cruise ship with 1,000

people on board is drifting without power in the Indian Ocean and the

seashells. The Allegre, operated by the same company which owns the

Costa Concordia, suffered engine failure after a fire.

In Russia, the state owned for TV station Channel One broke the story

earlier today of an alleged assassination plot against Vladimir

Putin. Is it two men had confessed to being part of a plot to kill the

Prime Minister after the presidential election next Sunday

which was -- which Vladimir Putin is expected to win. This was the

aftermath of the apartment explosion which started this

investigation. It took place in a Ukraine and in

the rubble, the Security Service found evidence of home-made

explosives. One man died and another was detained. That led to

the dramatic arrest in early February of this man, who today

appeared on one of Russia's state owned channel, apparently

confessing he was involved in a plot to kill Russia's most powerful

politician. We asked to go to Moscow to carry out an attack on

Vladimir Putin. -- we were asked. The plan was to be executed after

the presidential election. timing of the Russian TV report was

attacked by opposition leaders who said Vladimir Putin was trying to

gain at cynical advantage of just six days before the polls. By

Vladimir Putin's secretary told me this was absolutely a plot to kill

his boss. In a series of phone calls, the spokeswoman for this is

-- for the security services did not want to confirm that on the

record. This is an organisation that is supposed to be holding the

main suspect in a plot to kill a world leader. The report even

contain footage does appear to show the interrogation of another

suspect. He said they were learning to use explosives before going to

Moscow to carry out a series of attacks. Rush and television said

the men had been ordered to carry out the attack by this man. He is a

Chechen warlord. Last year, he claimed his group carried out an

attack in Moscow which killed 37 people full stop a he is either a

crusading superstar of the legal system or a judge overstepping his

jurisdiction. Baltasar Garzon divides opinion in

Spain. To an international audience, he is best for imprisoning a

dictator. He began investigating the killings of the Franco era. The

ruling is bittersweet consolation for Baltasar Garzon.

This woman's parents went missing when she was five. They were both

teachers and Republicans. She said they were killed by fascists at the

end of Spain's civil war. They had neither a trial or a legal verdict.

It is a shame I am still crying after so many years. I cannot make

a better. She says this man was her last hope for justice. When

Baltasar Garzon tried to investigate the disappearance of

people, he was accused of misusing his powers as a judge and was taken

to court in a civil case. Today's decision by the Supreme Court will

be a hollow victory over -- victory for Baltasar Garzon because just

over a week ago he was bound to have denied two business men the

right to a fair trial who he was investigating in a separate case.

As a result, he was banned from being a judge for 11 years. Today,

he has been cleared in a more controversial case which has clear

implications for Spain and its devisers past. In the 1930s, Spain

experienced three years of war. The dictator Franco ruled until his

death in 1975. Two years later, there was an amnesty and a law

banning any investigations into deaths during the past. It was that

all that Baltasar Garzon was accused of breaking. -- that law.

We are talking of things that took place more than 70 years ago. The

majority of people from that era are no longer here. You have to

remember only one person from the political class during the civil

war is still alive. We are talking about historical facts. If we have

to carry out legal investigations, where is the limit? Franca is still

buried at this valley. It is a symbol of fascist Russia --

repression or is it a memorial? In some respects, Spain has not moved

on. She still wears a photograph of her parents when she goes to

protests to support Baltasar Garzon. For her, the search for justice

will go on. The controversy over Libyan man convicted of the

Lockerbie bomb went, Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi, he has been

given -- has been given fresh impetus. A new book claims he is

innocent of the bombing. Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi was released

on compassionate grounds are in 2009 because of the advance state

of his cancer. I have been talking to John Aston, the author of the

book. I asked him what evidence claimed -- proved the innocence.

is forensic evidence that relates to the golden thread their

connected Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al- Megrahi to the bombing. It was a

circuit board from the bomb's timing mechanism. He was determined

this was part of a timer that was given exclusively to Libby up by a

Swiss company. We have determined the balls used in that, the circuit

boards, were very different from the circuit boards in which the

fragments originated. -- the boards. It was coated with pure tin. The

ones from Libya were coated with an ally of tin leg. Significant in the

way that had it been available, he would not have been convicted of

the Lockerbie bombings? I believe that is the case. Had the evidence

that came into opposition one month before he went home, a couple of

documents from the main forensic experts who did the work, which

demonstrated he did not have this circuit board, had that been in

their position, the defence would have had a greater defence. The

evidence would have been knocked out. You are suggesting there was

some understanding or conversation between the Scottish Justice

Secretary and Abdelbaset Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi prior to his release in

2009? The Scottish government has always denied this. The book states

subsequent to a visit by a delegation of Libyan officials to

the Scottish justice minister, one of those officials told Abdelbaset

Mohmed Ali al-Megrahi the Scottish justice minister had indicated to

him it would be easier to grant compassionate release if he dropped

his appeal. That was not a demand. It was very clear he was not making

a demand. He had no direct contact The Scottish government has told us

it does not doubt the safety of the conviction and it maintains that he

was released simply on compassionate grounds alone. It

also says categorically that the Scottish government had no

involvement or interest of any kind in Mr al-Megrahi dropping his

appeal. Now, it has been a bruising few

days in Australian politics. Julia Gillard remains Prime Minister

after she defeated the man she ousted from the post, Kevin Rudd,

in 2010. She won a leadership vote in her ruling Labor party on Sunday.

She had caught the ballot to assert her authority after Kevin Rudd

resigned unexpectedly as foreign minister last week and made a bid

of the party leadership. Julia Gillard says she wants to draw a

line under what she called an ugly battle. At times, it has been ugly,

I understand that. I also understand that as a result,

Australians have had a gut full of seeing us focus of ourselves. I

understand the frustration of Australian has been seeing us do

that. So today I want to say to Australians won and all, this issue,

the leadership question is now determined. Kevin Rudd put the

recent bitterness, he said, behind him in a speech conceding defeat

after the vote. I congratulate Julia on her strong win today. The

caucus has spoken. I accept the verdict without qualification and

without rancour. TUI Jan every one of my supporters, who together to

nearly one third of the caucus, I thank them. -- two each and every

one. We are joined by Philip Williams, Europe correspondent for

Australia's ABC, and in his studio is Keir Reeves from Monash

University, Australia. Kevin Rudd, bloodied, but not out? He says he

is out, that is the end of it, the caucus has made its decision. Do

believe in? He is a very ambitious man who feels aggrieved about the

way he was ousted. It would seem unlikely that he would have packed

away all of his ambitions. I would predict that some time in the

future, perhaps at the polls continue to go down, he may put his

hand up and say, look, I am the man to win the election, I can call us

back from the brink. He says he will not do it, but he would not be

the first politician to change his mind. Keir Reeves, Julia Gillard is

pretty much on probation. She has got to get her approval ratings up

before the election next year. think the margin of the victory she

had in the party room but was quite comprehensive, but her elect our

ranking is still pretty low. As you said, she is on probation. Why do

the Australian public not like her? She is popular within the party.

think the question that needs to be answered is what was the rationale

for dumping Kevin Rudd in the first place? That narrative was never

really explained to the Australian public. Australian politics at the

top seems to be a fairly bruising affair, bitter rivalry between

Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, is that typical of the Labor party in

Australia? We are no strangers to this sort of competition. You only

have to look at Paul Keating before him. He was always challenging the

Prime Minister and eventually got the leadership. You know very well

in Britain how this works in the Labour Party, the Brown-Blair

competition. It is a very common narrative. What is a little less

common is the way he has bounced back and had another go tanned been

quite determined, having said that he was a happy little venture might

be in foreign minister. Now he is going to the back benches, it means

he has no ministerial responsibility, and he is a man who

likes to be in control. It seems unlikely that he will suit there

comfortably until the next election. It sounds very intriguing. Is that

it? Australian politics, this is not unusual? You are a fairly

straightforward, direct talking people. Sure, I think the Federal

parliamentary Labor party is a fairly brutal arena, politically. I

agree with Philip that if not soon, that some point there will be some

sort of challenge against Iraq if she cannot lift their ratings with

the public. -- against Gillard. What did the public make of this?

Do they enjoy it or just think, get over it? I think everybody is sick

and tired of it. They want to see effective management of the economy

and the Government moving on with the business of the day, rather

than this massive sideshow which has turned into the main event.

Philip, is it a gift for correspondence IQ covering this

kind of story, the personalities and intrigue? -- correspondents

like you. Journalists love this sort of story, but the people don't.

They really are annoyed with this. There are big questions not just

for Australians, the global economy, to be answered, and things to be

settled. They see this as an unnecessary distraction. It is a

gift for the opposition, there are way ahead in the polls anyway. Tony

Abbott, the leader of the opposition, cannot believe his luck.

All he has to do is stay silent and what then destroy each other. He

has to do very little between now and election to romp in, unless

something dramatic changes. Philip Williams, Keir Reeves, I think you

agree the opposition when it is the right when levels of There's only

one poll that counts. We will have Was Hollywood's big night out, the

Oscars, the usual red carpet, the glamorous designer dresses and it

was a big night for The Artist. It picked up five Academy Awards,

including best film and best actor for Jean Dujardin. He becomes the

first Frenchman ever to win that accolade. As expected, Meryl Streep

won the best actress award for the depiction of Margaret Thatcher in

the Iron Lady. Here is Alastair A red carpet crammed with Hollywood

royalty. Tinseltown at its most glamorous and glitzy. Sacha Baron

Cohen used the spotlight to plug his latest role as a dictator. The

academy warned him about publicity stunts and throwing pretend ashes

of Kim Jong Il over one of the biggest entertainment presenters

live on-air certainly broke protocol. And you know the show is

ready to start when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie hit the red carpet,

always the last to arrive with a It was the clear favourite from the

beginning, and The Artist did not disappoint, becoming only the

second silent movie ever to win Best Picture. And it took best

director, Best costume, best music and best actor. The Oscar goes to

If George Valentin could speak, he would say, Wow! Merci beaucoup! I

love you! The right honourable gentleman could bat attend more

closely to what I am saying. last time Meryl Streep won and

Oscar, Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister, but it was her portrayal

of the Iron Lady which won her the best actress prize. I look out here

and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends.

Thank you, all of you, departed and here. Thank you for this

inexplicably wonderful career, thank you so much, thank you.

were British hopes for poor best supporting roles, but Christopher

Plummer won his first gone aged 82, the oldest actor ever to win an

Oscar. You are only two years older than me, darling, where have you

been all my life?! The biggest British winner of the evening went

to the Shore, a gritty tale of life amid the troubles in Northern

Ireland which won best short film. It was an amazing night. We made

this short film a couple of years ago based on peace and

reconciliation, and little did we know that we would be here tonight.

With the awards are given out, the celebrations are well under way. It

has been a huge night for Hollywood outsiders, and although there was

no big British win, at least the Iron Lady won Meryl Streep the

Oscar she has waited 30 years for. Not often that Alastair Leithead

gets to wear a bow-tie! A reminder of our top story: The European

Union has agreed further sanctions against the Syrian government over

continuing violence against protesters. Bank assets have been

frozen and travel bans imposed on another seven of President Assad's

close associates. That is all from the programme, next it is the

weather. From me, Zeinab Badawi, Tonight it is going to be very mild,

cloudy and breezy with a bit of patchy rain in one or two places.

As we look to tomorrow's forecasts, we have a big area of high pressure

around us and southwesterly winds coming up across the country. Again,

temperatures well above average, maybe record breaking across

Scotland, staying quite overcast in the West, where we will have rather

misty, murky start to the day. Things fairly damp through parts of

western Scotland. By the afternoon, north-west England keeps the cloud,

rain through Cumbria, but east of the Pennines a bit of brightness

and temperatures at around 14-15 degrees. Some sunshine breaking

through across Cambridgeshire and East Anglia. Towards western areas,

a bit more cloud, temperatures here a few degrees down, 11 or 12.

Across Wales, cooler towards the coast, but move further inland

towards the Welsh border temperatures of 13 or 14. For

Northern Ireland, south-westerly breeze, cloudy skies in western

areas, but in Antrim and Down the best chance of seeing brightness.

Western Scotland stays rather damp, eastern Scotland could see