:00:05. > :00:14.This is BBC World News Today with And exclusive interview with one of
:00:14. > :00:19.the world's most wanted man dashed the leader of the Pakistan Taliban.
:00:19. > :00:24.Hakimullah Mehsud is accused of attacks on thousands of people.
:00:24. > :00:24.Hakimullah Mehsud is accused of tells the BBC has campaign against
:00:24. > :00:29.American targets won't stop but tells the BBC has campaign against
:00:29. > :00:33.militants are ready for talks with the Pakistan government. We believe
:00:33. > :00:38.in serious talks but the government has taken no start -- steps to
:00:38. > :00:44.approach us. The government needs to sit with us and then we will present
:00:44. > :00:48.Should the United Nations be immune from prosecution? Haiti victims
:00:48. > :00:52.Should the United Nations be immune the UN to court for the cholera
:00:52. > :00:55.epidemic that killed 8000 people. Also coming up dashed the passenger
:00:55. > :00:59.who is excessively brought down Also coming up dashed the passenger
:00:59. > :01:04.aeroplane after the pilot fell ill and collapsed at the controls.
:01:04. > :01:07.And a recipe for disaster - why choosing of Russia diplomatically
:01:07. > :01:27.can lead to lucrative trade deals The FBI described him as one of
:01:27. > :01:32.their most wanted terrorists dashed the US has a $5 million bounty on
:01:32. > :01:39.his head. Hakimullah Mehsud is head accused of being behind dozens of
:01:39. > :01:44.deadly attacks, including one in Afghanistan in 2009 which killed
:01:44. > :01:48.seven CIA operatives. And although he says he doesn't target Muslims
:01:48. > :02:01.opposed to any government in power. there have been many Pakistani
:02:01. > :02:01.opposed to any government in power. It is said to have carried out the
:02:01. > :02:11.teenager who was shot for supporting It is said to have carried out the
:02:11. > :02:13.teenager who was shot for supporting And the group, which has close ties
:02:13. > :02:17.teenager who was shot for supporting to Al-Qaeda, is linked to attacks
:02:17. > :02:37.bomb New York's Times Square in which he says he is ready for talk
:02:37. > :02:39.talk, it has to come to him. We believe in toxic and the government
:02:39. > :02:48.approach us. -- in discussions. believe in toxic and the government
:02:48. > :02:53.government needs to set with us believe in toxic and the government
:02:53. > :02:54.discussions. This is how we are believe in toxic and the government
:02:55. > :03:00.to seeing Hakimullah Mehsud and propaganda videos. Here on the left
:03:00. > :03:12.next to the man who blew himself up Afghanistan. It is why there is
:03:12. > :03:15.next to the man who blew himself up million bounty on his head. Praise
:03:15. > :03:17.be to God, we have targeted those who are at the infidels, America. We
:03:17. > :03:23.will continue to do that. As to who are at the infidels, America. We
:03:24. > :03:33.attacks against Muslims, we deny would believe him? In most recent in
:03:33. > :03:36.a series of horrific attacks, a would believe him? In most recent in
:03:36. > :03:41.packed with explosives went off would believe him? In most recent in
:03:41. > :03:49.storytellers market. The results were devastating. Especially for
:03:49. > :03:54.this man. 20 members of his family were in a minibus passing by the
:03:54. > :04:02.bomb. 15 died, including his wife, three daughters, his son and his
:04:02. > :04:09.grandchildren. What should I say about the people who did this? It
:04:09. > :04:15.makes no difference now. My home was like a garden of roses. Now it is
:04:15. > :04:22.all gone. Well either the Taliban did carry out those attacks that
:04:22. > :04:26.brought such misery here, also he claims he did not have control over
:04:26. > :04:41.the militants that did this. In either case, the crucial question is
:04:41. > :04:46.including Hakimullah Mehsud at play. The men responsible for killing
:04:46. > :04:51.thousands. Whether it is coalition troops leading Afghanistan or the
:04:51. > :04:53.dialogue, it is becoming clearer it Pakistani government agreeing to
:04:53. > :04:56.dialogue, it is becoming clearer it is the militants in this reason
:04:56. > :05:05.dialogue, it is becoming clearer it feel more and more that they are
:05:05. > :05:14.I have been joined in the studio by Simpson. I know you know this neck
:05:14. > :05:16.I have been joined in the studio by have met members of the Pakistani
:05:16. > :05:38.to work out. This kind of thing Taliban. Why do you assume Mehsud
:05:38. > :05:40.to work out. This kind of thing who did the interview said that
:05:40. > :05:54.to work out. This kind of thing the time there were drones buzzing
:05:54. > :06:01.man who is cleared of drones, he has been involved in many attacks. The
:06:01. > :06:06.possibility is he can see some real advantage in starting to talk, are
:06:06. > :06:11.starting to look as though it is worth talking. That is the one thing
:06:11. > :06:15.that I think is a possibility. Is he and control of all the Pakistan
:06:15. > :06:20.Taliban or are there some elements that do not answer to him? He is a
:06:20. > :06:25.tough character, widely agreed. that do not answer to him? He is a
:06:25. > :06:31.lot of people would do what he said. But he maintains, for instance,
:06:31. > :06:32.lot of people would do what he said. the attack on Malala Yousafzai,
:06:32. > :06:36.lot of people would do what he said. young schoolgirl who spoke out so
:06:36. > :06:42.bravely against attacks on her school, that that was done, he did
:06:42. > :06:50.not deny was done by people from his crew, but he has then saying it
:06:50. > :06:52.not deny was done by people from his not on his orders. His spokesman has
:06:52. > :07:03.said that if they got another of virginity to kill her, they would.
:07:03. > :07:06.another chance to kill her. We are not talking about an army here,
:07:06. > :07:11.another chance to kill her. We are are talking about a very traditional
:07:11. > :07:13.group with one powerful, strong figure at its centre. Suppose the
:07:13. > :07:16.Pakistani government were to accept this offer of talks. Where would
:07:16. > :07:21.this leave the United States to this offer of talks. Where would
:07:21. > :07:27.this $5 million bounty on his head? That would be some steps down the
:07:27. > :07:38.road. The first thing is can be Hakimullah Mehsud is demanding the
:07:38. > :07:42.introduced across Pakistan. I cannot believe that anything remotely like
:07:42. > :07:46.that would happen. But it can be the start of a process when people start
:07:46. > :07:51.to talk to each other. I think the Americans would be rather pleased to
:07:51. > :07:57.be involved in something like that. Whether they would feel able to
:07:57. > :07:58.be involved in something like that. the drone attacks, after all, that
:07:58. > :08:01.has been so much a part of what the drone attacks, after all, that
:08:01. > :08:05.perceive to be their success in the drone attacks, after all, that
:08:05. > :08:11.whole region. Nevertheless, it is a step-by-step business. I just think
:08:11. > :08:21.the one thing that has to be cleared why precisely Hakimullah Mehsud
:08:21. > :08:36.wants to do this. Thank you very promoting the advancement of safety
:08:36. > :08:40.of humanity, well now it finds itself in the top in a landmark
:08:40. > :08:42.court case against it. Victims of a cholera outbreak in Haiti, in the
:08:42. > :08:52.wake of the Earth cake in 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti, in the
:08:52. > :08:56.earthquake in 2010, to develop a claim in New York. They blamed UN
:08:56. > :09:27.three years on from the earthquake. claim in New York. They blamed UN
:09:27. > :09:31.people still drink from it -- unsafe water. Cholera kills quickly unless
:09:31. > :09:38.the race to restore lost body fluids is one. This is the UN camp which
:09:38. > :09:50.several scientific studies say is disease got into the river. A year
:09:50. > :09:54.ago I spoke to a scientist in the United States who had earlier been
:09:54. > :10:02.employed by the United Nations as a top expert on cholera. The most
:10:02. > :10:08.likely source of the introduction of cholera was someone who was infected
:10:08. > :10:10.with the Nepal strain of cholera and who was associated with the UN
:10:10. > :10:15.facility. The UN has refused to who was associated with the UN
:10:15. > :10:19.serve on the case against that. who was associated with the UN
:10:19. > :10:25.says it has immunity and therefore the compensation claim in legal
:10:25. > :10:30.terms is not receivable. The lawyers for these cholera patients say they
:10:30. > :10:37.have strong arguments to counteract -- counter the UN argument. The
:10:37. > :10:38.have strong arguments to counteract has this time made a terrible,
:10:38. > :10:54.deadly mistake and it should now am joined by Geoffrey Robertson
:10:54. > :10:57.deadly mistake and it should now He is our human rights lawyer and
:10:57. > :11:06.former UN judge. Can the United prosecution? It can and does. This
:11:06. > :11:12.case will go nowhere. The UN has absolute immunity given to it by
:11:12. > :11:17.convention to which all countries are signed up. Which exclude any
:11:17. > :11:22.action of this kind. This is mere flag-waving. And of course the
:11:22. > :11:44.Convention protects the UN against are absolutely right to say that
:11:44. > :11:48.Convention protects the UN against allegations are made that thousands
:11:48. > :12:02.just system in order to hear the negligence, then it is about time
:12:02. > :12:10.there is evidence that emerges in will ask you that in a moment. If
:12:10. > :12:12.there is evidence that emerges in sanitation risk to people in Haiti,
:12:12. > :12:22.would that not make the peacekeeping peacekeeping unit knew about this,
:12:23. > :12:33.would that not make the peacekeeping evidence will emerge. The case will
:12:33. > :12:37.first said there is no liability with the UN. Then they did after
:12:37. > :12:43.the prospect, and I think it is with the UN. Then they did after
:12:43. > :12:48.lightly, that it was in fact the Nepalese troops who came in and
:12:48. > :12:53.lightly, that it was in fact the infected many of the populace. At
:12:53. > :13:01.one level, obviously, where there is so much cholera in Nepal, the UN
:13:01. > :13:06.should have tested these men. Did it test them effectively? That is a
:13:06. > :13:29.very serious question. On the other hand, there were such chaos and
:13:29. > :14:50.Italy has said it will be holding the Lampedusa boat tragedy in which
:14:50. > :14:54.nearly 300 died. The Italian prime- Commission President Jose Manuel
:14:54. > :14:57.Barosso who said that Italy would receive an extra 40 million dollars
:14:57. > :15:03.in funds to help with migrants coming to its shores from Africa
:15:03. > :15:15.and the Middle East. Alan Johnston Italy.Met with contempt and anger.
:15:15. > :15:21.The EU Commission President cheered Italy.Met with contempt and anger.
:15:21. > :15:25.The EU Commission President cheered by locals. They say not enough
:15:25. > :15:25.The EU Commission President cheered being done to prevent the deaths at
:15:25. > :15:45.the flow of migrants. Migrants being done to prevent the deaths at
:15:45. > :15:56.been turned into a huge more tree. presence of the many dead. The
:15:56. > :16:04.smaller coffins of four children. The image of hundreds of coffins
:16:04. > :16:12.will never get out of my mind. It is something I think one cannot
:16:12. > :16:22.forget. The coffins of babies, coffins with a mother and a child
:16:22. > :16:28.born just at that moment. It is something that profoundly shocked
:16:28. > :16:35.me. Mr Barroso said the EU now had to respond. The European Union
:16:35. > :16:40.cannot accept that thousands of people die at its borders. The
:16:40. > :16:49.challenges that Azra and Italy face Commission President talked of
:16:49. > :16:52.plans for more patrols to intercept migrant boat that might get in
:16:52. > :16:58.trouble and more money to tackle the wider issues. Italy would get
:16:58. > :17:01.another $40 million to help that handled the stream of refugees.
:17:01. > :17:05.Wilde Mr Barroso talked, out at handled the stream of refugees.
:17:05. > :17:09.on the sunken wreck of the boat that brought the migrants, more
:17:09. > :17:16.bodies were being found. It has been announced that all but dead
:17:16. > :17:26.will be on edge from the disaster with a state funeral. -- will be
:17:26. > :17:31.honoured. Now to a mid-air drama in the skies over Britain. A passenger
:17:31. > :17:35.experience landed a small aircraft after the pilot collapsed. The
:17:35. > :17:36.passenger was talked through the procedures to land by two local
:17:36. > :17:48.police said the pilot had died. procedures to land by two local
:17:48. > :17:54.Thomas reports. On the tarmac, a services after it had just been
:17:54. > :18:01.landed by a man who had never had a flying lesson in his life. 77 year-
:18:01. > :18:06.old John White was at the control. His friend the pilot had collapsed
:18:06. > :18:14.old John White was at the control. thousands of feet in the air. At
:18:14. > :18:15.mouth was so dry I would have given a million pounds for a drink of
:18:15. > :18:27.was asked to bring the aircraft a million pounds for a drink of
:18:27. > :18:48.Humberside airport. I just did not was the uncertainty of it all. And
:18:48. > :19:04.Humberside airport. I just did not flight instructor has brought in
:19:04. > :19:10.Humberside airport. I just did not was going off. I cannot describe it.
:19:11. > :19:19.me. Not only was this the first plane, it was also in complete
:19:19. > :19:24.this which was to light up the instruments in the cockpit. After
:19:24. > :19:29.three failed attempts, next came the landing. We touched and it was
:19:29. > :19:36.a right few bumps. I suppose it the landing. We touched and it was
:19:36. > :19:54.a controlled crash, really. What And amazingly John has said that he
:19:54. > :19:59.will fly again. Our top story, the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan
:19:59. > :20:06.has said he is prepared to hold talks with the Pakistani government.
:20:06. > :20:11.With me is the chair of the Islamic Studies at the American University
:20:11. > :20:16.in Washington. His new book takes a look at the issue of the Taliban.
:20:16. > :20:23.His Hakimullah Mehsud opening peace talks from a position of strength
:20:23. > :20:34.or weakness? I feel he is a shrewd toughest tried in the entire region.
:20:34. > :20:38.inaccessible part of these tribal areas. He has seen the mood changed
:20:38. > :20:43.in Pakistan. People really want areas. He has seen the mood changed
:20:43. > :20:48.get at the Taliban. The red lines have been crossed. The attack on
:20:48. > :20:53.the Church, the attack on Malala Yousafzai. That is forcing him to
:20:53. > :20:59.search for alternative ways of settling these issues. So he is
:20:59. > :21:04.reaching out. And considering the suffering of that region, any hope
:21:04. > :21:14.or any initiative towards dialogue must be explored. It seems you're
:21:14. > :21:24.Pakistan? It is a controversial entirely happy, they have lost
:21:24. > :21:29.time this issue has to be resolved, there is no other way. The army
:21:29. > :21:35.time this issue has to be resolved, tried force and it has failed.
:21:35. > :21:50.Perhaps this may work. The Pakistan tried force and it has failed.
:21:50. > :21:57.Perhaps this may work. The Pakistan imposition of Sharia law. There
:21:57. > :22:00.Perhaps this may work. The Pakistan opening gambit from Hakimullah
:22:00. > :22:16.government start negotiating with him? I think they will because both
:22:16. > :22:23.government start negotiating with committed to dialogue with the
:22:23. > :22:27.Pakistan. I think that Taliban are realising that unless they climb on
:22:27. > :22:34.to this peace train, they will miss it. What do you think will happen
:22:34. > :22:38.now? The government Priscilla bleed know where he is and can start
:22:38. > :22:44.talks. What will happen now? I think that will already have begun.
:22:44. > :22:50.The Prime Minister was in New York recently when there was the attack
:22:50. > :22:53.on the church. That was one of the worst attacks on the Christian
:22:53. > :22:58.community in Pakistan. That would all have had their impact on the
:22:58. > :23:02.Prime Minister and he is committed Taliban and the borders. Here is
:23:02. > :23:15.the agency would have dawned on Taliban and the borders. Here is
:23:15. > :23:23.So I think negotiations through alternative channels would already
:23:23. > :23:27.have begun. So can he deliver the Pakistani Taliban? If he cannot
:23:27. > :23:33.have begun. So can he deliver the are in trouble because he has that
:23:33. > :23:51.popular support. Sorry, I'm meant lassoed. He can but remember the
:23:51. > :23:53.Taliban is fragmented. At the same time Hakimullah Mehsud it is a
:23:53. > :23:58.charismatic figure. He is based time Hakimullah Mehsud it is a
:23:58. > :24:11.the heart of the tribal areas. He has a lot of backing. That gives
:24:11. > :24:27.Pakistan and he has that kind of credibility. Now, what do American
:24:27. > :24:30.Well, they're all food products which at one time or other have
:24:30. > :24:32.been banned by Russia, raising suspicions that Moscow has been
:24:32. > :24:34.using food imports to play politics. This week Moscow suspended imports
:24:34. > :24:36.of dairy products from Lithuania, which sparked an angry response
:24:36. > :24:38.from the European Union. Our Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg has
:24:38. > :24:48.spent his lunchtime exploring the the kitchen. If you like cooking
:24:48. > :24:52.and Europe in Russia let me give you some advice. Make sure you swot
:24:52. > :25:00.choosing your recipe because that you some advice. Make sure you swot
:25:00. > :25:00.choosing your recipe because that available to you. Whenever Russia
:25:00. > :25:04.has a political row with another available to you. Whenever Russia
:25:04. > :25:06.has a political row with another country it often ends with Moscow
:25:06. > :25:08.has a political row with another slapping a ban on food imports
:25:08. > :25:14.has a political row with another the country she has fallen out
:25:14. > :25:14.has a political row with another government a few years ago, Russia
:25:14. > :25:21.declared that Georgian wine and government a few years ago, Russia
:25:21. > :25:29.and refused to import any more. That resulted in big losses to the
:25:29. > :25:45.got cheesed off with Ukraine. There banned. And the latest food feud is
:25:45. > :25:50.over dairy products from Live the mania. This week Moscow suspended
:25:50. > :26:00.imports, again citing concerns over quality. But the Lithuanians smelt
:26:00. > :26:04.politics. Next month they host the European Union summit aimed at
:26:04. > :26:10.forging closer ties with countries traditionally in Russia's sphere of
:26:10. > :26:16.influence. That is a recipe to make Moscow angry. This is the man with
:26:16. > :26:20.the bans. Russia's chief sanitary inspector. The official will always
:26:20. > :26:25.seems to announce the suspensions. He claims they have nothing at all
:26:25. > :26:30.to do with politics. It is simply about protecting the health of
:26:30. > :26:36.Russian citizens. I should say these suspensions are normally
:26:36. > :26:42.Ukrainian cheese are now back on the shelves. Personally I hope
:26:42. > :26:50.everybody because if that happens, dinner could be a bit of a problem.
:26:50. > :27:08.That's all from the programme. Next the weather. Today we have some
:27:08. > :27:13.changes in the weather and tomorrow is going to be a really chilly day.
:27:14. > :27:19.There is a strong northerly wind. We have high pressure to the west
:27:19. > :27:35.and low pressure to the east. Those tightly squeezed isobars indicating
:27:35. > :27:39.a strong northerly wind. The wind is lighter further west throat
:27:39. > :27:47.tomorrow afternoon. Temperatures just around 11 or 12 degrees. There
:27:47. > :27:50.is a rash of heavy showers across the east coast of England. And
:27:50. > :27:59.That could cause some disruption the east coast of England. And
:27:59. > :28:05.and localised flooding. In Scotland and Northern Ireland the wind is
:28:05. > :28:13.struggling even to get into double figures. This area of low pressure