09/08/2013 World News Today

United States and Russia put on a brave face while the relationship

grows frosty. John Kerry sets down with his Russian counterpart and

says ties have been complicated. There is no secret we have

experienced challenging moments. Gunman opened fire on a mosque in

Pakistan and a credible threat shuts the US consulate in Lahore.

Oprah Winfrey says she was racially discriminated against while trying

to buy a handbag in Switzerland. Miss Iceland's crown is up for grabs

and thousands have applied, but many think there's an ugly sides to the

beauty pageant. Good evening. Russia and United

States are trying to the parent relationship that has become very

frosty. The US Secretary of State says the relations have been by what

he called challenging moments. John Kerry and his Russian counterpart

Sergey Lavrov have been meeting in Washington just days after President

Obama called off a meeting with the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

Central to the debate is Edward Snowden, given refuge by Russia but

the Americans want him back. The relationship was already on

Rockingham Road over Syria. -- rocky ground. We have had some challenging

moments and not just over the Edward Snowden case. We will discuss the

difference to do -- differences today, but this meeting goes above

and beyond the collisions and disagreements. We must prevent the

stabilisation of the global situation and the proliferation of

mass destruction. We must ensure a peaceful settlement of crises in the

global community and resist forceful solutions. We have seen examples in

the past that we have seen they are not working. Let's talk to our

correspondence lives now from Washington. These people -- these

two countries hardly agree on anything? The agony for example that

a political solution is needed in Syria, but they do not agree at all

on how to get there and what a political transition might look

like. On the issue of Edward Snowden in particular, there is a lot of

tension between the US and Russia, but it is important to point out

that this case was really the catalyst for the crisis between

Russia and the US, which led to the cancellation of the summit. The

countries have been far apart on many issues over the last two years

and Syria is one of those issues and Syria is one of those issues in

particular which has maybe divide grow day by day. They are very much

at odds and, in essence, fighting a proxy war in Syria with the US

supporting the levels and Russia behind the President Assad. It is a

throwback to the Cold War days. The US is engaged in this dynamic as

well as Russia. Have we any idea what President Obama is going to

say? President Obama is going to give a press conference in about an

hour and he will be asking for measures to add transparency to

America's surveillance programme. He may be asked about the cancellation

of his summit with President Putin and we will see what -- we will see

what he has to say about that. Thank you. Some off today's other

news. Turkey is advising its national is to leave Lebanon on

after two pilots were abducted in what appears to be a revenge

kidnapping. They were snatched from a shuttle bus near Beirut

International airport. This is the highway that connects

the airport to the capital city year. The pilots were on board a bus

belonging to a hotel here and they were only if you meters away from an

army checkpoint when they were attacked. A previously unknown group

has claimed responsibility and is demanding the release of nine

Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria last year by a group claiming to

belong to the Syrian opposition. This incident is an embarrassment

for 11 on because this highway is meant to be heavily guarded. Another

worrying indication that they are unable to control the ongoing

violence directly linked to the violence in Syria.

For the second time in two days, militants have targeted the

Pakistani city of Quetta. Gunman opened fire outside a mosque killing

20 people. -- there was also a credible threat to the US

consulate. All US personnel have been evacuated

from their embassy following a credible threat. With the diplomats

now out of the building, no date has been set for their retirement. US

officials declined to elaborate on the net but the country's

relationship with Pakistan is now very fraught. With US drone attacks

continuing to infuriate many Pakistanis, including government

politicians. Visiting last week, the US Secretary of State John Kerry

said the attacks would stop soon but State Department officials refused

to endorse that phrase. The US says several militant groups exist posing

a threat to the citizens. More often, Pakistanis are hit by

extremists and promises by the new Prime Minister to name their men

have so far come to nothing. In the western city of Quetta, four

unidentified men shot dead nine others. On Thursday, there people

were killed by a suicide bomber in the same city. With so many attacks

around the country, the capital remains in a state of high alert but

Britain is not advising its citizens to avoid Pakistan as America are.

They are merely warning people to avoid visiting certain places. A

fugitive mafia boss found hiding in a London suburb has been remanded in

custody. " and facing deportation, and then

casually dressed, he has escaped justice for a year of living quietly

in this house under the name of Mark Skinner. Neighbours say he was a

quiet man and security conscious. He always seemed quiet and friendly.

Thinking now, when he moved them, he built up the bushes at the front of

the garden. Domenico Rancadore, a former teacher, was reputedly known

as the Professor. He was cleared of mafia allegations at the end of a

three-year trial in 1993, after which he moved to the UK, but he was

convicted in his absence in a second trial. He was wanted by the Italian

authorities ever since. It was very hard for the Italian authorities to

seek extradition from England. Italian prosecutors say the Cosa

Nostra is one of the most powerful mafia organisations in Sicily. The

official RS warrant contains defects and is today another one was the

lovebirds. With his wife and daughter looking on anxiously,

Domenico Rancadore refused to give his asset to being extradited.

Despite being told that he had no travel documents and was prepared to

be put under a strict curfew, Beale was the night and he was remanded in

custody. -- bail was denied. The Italian authorities are now a

step closer to bringing one of the most wanted to justice. 218-year-old

British girls entered in an acid attack in Zanzibar have arrived

home. Katie Gee and Kirstie Trup were working as volunteer teachers.

Zanzibar police have offered a reward of $6,000 leading to

information -- for information leading to arrests.

A top economic official in China has been expelled from the Communist

Party for alleged corruption. Liu Tienan accepted huge bribes when he

was one of the country's top economic officials. The case is

being seen as a rare victory for public efforts to expose official

corruption. More than 1500 people have been

forced to flee their homes as wildfires continue to spread across

Southern California. They have spread over the desert range of

about 145 kilometres from Los Angeles. Six people have been

injured since the fire started on Wednesday.

In Egypt, pro-Mohamed Morsi demonstrators have again turned out

to demonstrate in the tens of thousands. The military have banned

such gatherings threatening to forcefully remove them. The head of

the Coptic Orthodox Church is so worried about attacks that he has

publicly suspended weekly meetings. There has been a heightening of

tension between groups since the president was ousted from power.

These attacks against the Christian population are not unprecedented but

there is concern the tensions and escalating? This has been escalating

over the course of the year with several attacks in April and it

again began to increase after July three when President Mohamed Morsi

was posted. There was some groups thinking that the Christians

colluded to have him taken out of power. It is. Several Coptic

Christians within Egypt have been killed since July and there are

things like graffiti on the walls and an atmosphere of fear for the

Coptic Christians, who are a minority here and around 10% of the

population. The Coptic Pope said he would no longer be giving his weekly

sermon here out of worries about wider safety for Christians in

Egypt. The pro Mohamed Morsi is demonstrators are out once again in

protest against his posting. ousting. They have been at the

camps, and the number one camp outside of Cairo was around 8000

people. It is not the scale of the demonstrations but what might happen

next. The government may engage its security forces at sometime after

Eid, and people here think it's good, bad -- think it could come

soon. If people are made to be scapegoats it will raise pensions

and the spectre of more sectarian violence here then Egypt.

Zimbabwe's opposition movement for Democratic change has launched a

legal challenge against last week's presidential election.

The election was won by Robert Mugabe by an overwhelming margin.

They say this legal challenge is on 15 grounds and they are alleging

massive fraud, intimidation and bravery, with many items from food

to Cech and were given to every village leader in order to persuade

people to vote. They say 1.2 million people were disenfranchised, 900,000

current away from polling stations and 300,000 call were asked into

being assessed and voters. They were helped into the voting booth and

influenced in their choice. The appeal has been lodged in the

international court, where there are nine judges, many of whom are

supporters of Robert Mugabe, so they have made this appeal public and

have bowed to produce some of the items they say were given as bribes.

-- vowed. Robert Mugabe and his party said it was a fair and square

refectory but the opposition have said they are determined to appeal.

Russia is being asked how it will implement a law banning homosexual

propaganda. An online petition is gaining ground in opposition to the

law. Thousands of people are calling for aid boycott of the Winter

Olympics in Sochi. We understand the law, we are

prepared to abide by the Olympic charter and it is very clear. Sport

is a human right and it should be available to all regardless of

race, sex and sexual orientation. To discuss this I am joined by gay

rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Jacques Rogge making a point that

they think this is about translation rather than being a fundamental

issue. The first thing to say is that I find Jacques Rogge's

statement hard to take seriously. Last summer the Russian government

announced it was banning the hosting of a gay pride march at the Sochi

Olympics. They said a gay pride house was banned. Jacques Rogge and

the Olympic Committee did and said nothing. So if they are now claiming

to be opposed to discrimination, why did they allow the Russians to ban

the pride house in the first place? There was a pride house in the

London Olympics for example? Yes, and in other previous games, so the

Russians are taking a hard line stand that they discriminate against

gay competitors and athletes. This gay pride house in Sochi was for

athletes and spectators and they have said it will not be happening.

What do you make of this petition to boycott the games? Do you think this

would benefit the games? In my heart I support a boycott. I think any

country that discriminate against anybody is not fit to host the

Olympics but I am mindful that Russian gay competitors say they

believe a ban could be counter-productive, that it would be

used against them, they would get all of the vilification and it could

intensify the homophobic persecution they are suffering. Whatever the

final decision, one thing that is important is that those who do go to

the games where rainbow T-shirts, hats, scarves on a wave rainbow

flags during the competition, and I know that already people are talking

about plans for massive gay rights protests in the city of Sochi during

the Winter Olympics. That will be a test of how sincere the Russians

are. I do not believe they are because I have experienced them

myself, I participated in a lawful gay rights protest in Moscow in 2007

and I was almost eaten unconscious why neo-Nazis in the full view of

the city police and the riot officers. They allowed me to be

beaten and when I was almost unconscious they dragged in and

arrested me and allowed my assailants to walk free. Russia is

not a safe place for gay people, it is not a country governed by the

rule of law. These attacks on gay rights are part of a broader attack

on the civil rights of all Russian people. The Russians say they will

respect the participants of the games. Are you not in the position

of now politicising what essentially should be something about sport?

have not done anything, it is the Russians, by their discrimination. I

don't believe for one minute there see rinses. A young gay man the

other day held up a sign saying, homosexual is normal. He has been

arrested under the anti-gay law and faces prosecution. Other people held

up signs saying, I support gay equality, and they get arrested. Any

attempt by any gay or straight person to say that they support gay

equality in a public place, they will get immediately arrested and

probably beaten up. That is the state of dire homophobic cross --

persecution in Russia. It is not just gay people, lawyers, fume and

right defenders, journalists are also being targeted. -- human rights

defenders. The Russian people need to stand together and say they

reject tyranny, that gay people and all Russians have the right to

freedom of expression guaranteed under the Russian constitution.

Peter, thank you so much for describing your experiences.

When one of the world's richest women goes shopping you would think

she would be able to fight -- to buy anything she wanted but when Oprah

Winfrey was in zero she expressed interest in the 35 that -- 30 $5,000

handbag only to be told by a shop assistant that it was too expensive

for her. -- 3500 a la handbag. -- $35,000 handbag.

Oprah Winfrey was in town for Tina Turner's wedding and she wanted to

buy a handbag to take to the big day.

She refused to get it and she started the show me these are the

little bags and I said, one more time, I tried to say, I really do

just want to see that one. She said, I don't want to hurt your feelings.

I said, thank you so much, you are probably right, I can't afford it.

Why would she do that? Today the shop owner told the BBC this was not

racism and she has a message for Oprah Winfrey. I would take you in

my arms and kiss you and apologise and tell you, really, it was a

misunderstanding and please forgive me and give Switzerland the chance.

Oprah Winfrey has a personal estimated wealth of $2.8 billion.

Her talk show ended in 2011 but her TV network and her $77 million last

year. She could have bought the entire shop, not just the bag she

had her eye on. But her story, already being dubbed handbag gate in

the Swiss media, comes at a bad time. Immigration is a hot potato,

new rules are being introduced for asylum seekers which human rights

activists say are close to apartheid. They are banned from

using public swimming pools in zero. Switzerland has a tradition of

welcoming immigrants but 25% of its 8 million people are now foreign and

discrimination is becoming a problem. The debate over immigration

and discrimination in Switzerland will continue. Meanwhile, one

embarrassed shop owner in is your it is hoping that Oprah Winfrey might

just pop by for a hug. When the new head of the Miss

Iceland beauty pageant attempted to deflect criticism by saying there is

no Miss Iceland stereotype, he could not have imagined the response. 1300

people including an 80-year-old pensioner, feminists and even some

men have entered the contest. The winner will compete in Miss world

next year. They say it is to prove a point, to make fun of the pageant

that is becoming increasingly unpopular in the Nordic country.

Joining us is a member of the Social Democratic Alliance who signed up to

compete. Why have you done that? started as a spontaneous personal

thing but I did not imagine the political impact. My political views

are shared by a lot of people, both men and women and all ages, and I am

sending the message to teenagers and young women that they should not

allow society to judge them by their looks but by their capabilities.

When we look at previous Miss worlds and Miss Icelands, how do you

think that would make them feel, when you give this impression that

you don't agree with what they have one? -- one. Won. These conditions

have become absurd and this is a mainstream opinion in Iceland and I

was glad to get support from one of the former competitors in Miss

Iceland, advising young women not to come -- to compete. Many of them

found it humiliating and many of them agree with all of these people

who are signing up to the protest. We should also remember that most

contests are being held because somebody is gaining by objectifying

women and thereby these humanising them. In many countries people do

not agree with that. -- dehumanising.

Thank you very much. From all of us a cool start to the weekend. Most

places will have a few showers and there will be a cool breeze by

Sunday. The isobars are fairly well spaced. This weather front brought

the rain last night. There are weather fronts waiting to bring some

showery rain later on in the weekend. The showers will scatter on

Saturday, a few more by the afternoon, particularly in Scotland

and across northern England. Some perhaps affecting the test match in

Chester-le-Street. In the southern half of the country showers will be

few and far between. Places generally cooler than on Friday but

temperatures getting into the low 20s. Clouding over a cross

south-west England and southern Wales. -- across. Some sunshine in

Northern Ireland between the showers and temperatures in the high teens.

A mixture of sunshine and showers across most of Scotland,