plague. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and also around the globe. should the syrian rebels be provided with arms from the west? that debate was center stage at a meeting of the european union government today. french and british efforts to lift an existing arms embargo ran into opposition, but after two years and tens of thousands of syrians killed, the issue is far from settled. >> two years on, and fighting is still raging in syria. at least 70,000 people have died. the government forces have far greater access than the opposition. huge imbalance. in europe, france and britain argue it is time to lift the

arms embargo and support rebel groups. >> of course people want a political solution. of course i want a political solution, but this is not an either/or situation. i think we are more likely to see political progress if people can see that the syrian opposition, which we have recognized, which we are working with -- it is a credible and strengthening, growing force. >> they call this the family photo, but there has been plenty of division on syria. a number of countries are reluctant to add any more weapons that could fuel the fire there. >> it is not very clear. it is a complicated issue. this kind of assessment -- we need this first before any changes will be done. >> and from angela merkel, more caution. >> just because two countries have changed their minds does not mean 25 others have to follow suit. >> david cameron said lifting the embargo would not

necessarily mean britain army rebel groups right now. the french have been a little more forceful, but the issue will now be passed to foreign ministers to decide. the current embargo expires at the end of may. if no compromise is found, britain and france could choose to let the embargo last and then go it alone. that would be controversial, but they have certainly use the second anniversary of the conflict to send a message -- "we are not doing enough." overr more on the debate whether to arm the rebels and what if anything the major powers can do to stop the with georgee spoke w. bush's national security adviser. a year ago, you argue that farming syria's rebels was desperately required. where do you stand now? series rebelsg

was desperately required. >> we are late. we should have done more before now. >> will britain and france get anywhere? >> i certainly hope so. that would have a good impact within the united states. we have a new secretary of state. i know he is assessing the situation. that could be an opportunity for a renewed dialogue within the administration about what we should be doing, but if britain and france were to take the lead and, particularly, if they could bring the eu as a whole are around to their point of view, that would be a huge breakthrough. arms ship from here? >> i would hope so. if we are not willing to do that, then i hope one of the things we would do is to coordinate the flow of arms that come from other countries. so as best we can -- and this is an imperfect science -- as best we can, those arms get into groups that support the syrian

national coalition, that support and inclusive cross- sectarian syria, that those opposition groups and fighters get weapons. rather than the current situation where most of the weapons are going to the more extremist elements and to the al qaeda-related organization in syria. >> that is a big concern, is it not? we saw that weapons from the libyan conflict ended up in mali. where, potentially, could arms and up if they were shipped to the rebels in syria? >> one of the issues was after gaddafi fell, we did not get on the ground in an active way to try to help the libyan authorities stabilize the situation, so, as a consequence, both weapons and fighters went from libya into syria and into mali, for example. there are arms going into syria

now, and the people who have those arms, which are increasingly extremist, are using those to knock over arsenals of the syrian army and seizing more arms in syria. my point is this -- there are arms going in now. they are going to the most extreme elements. that is not a good situation. let's level the playing field and get some arms into some groups that are more willing to have an inclusive and democratic solution. >> do you think that could potentially tip the balance against the president at this point? >> i think it is remarkable how well the under-armed opposition groups are doing. one of the things they keep complaining about is they cannot match the heavy weapons of syria, which is tanks and aircraft. if we would give them anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft weapons -- limited numbers -- i think they can create their own no-fly zones and their own no-

tank zone. we do not need to put boots on the ground. we do not, in my view, need air operations over syria. what we need to do is to enable these fighters, the ones that we hope would be the basis for a more moderate syrian regime, to give them the weapons so that they can equalize the situation on the ground and topple assad. >> thank you for joining us. >> nice to be here. >> an internal report by the british minister of defense says nato cannot with its campaign against the insurgents in afghanistan purely through military efforts. the report says there are extraordinary similarities between the nato operation and the failed soviet invasion of afghanistan. after weeks of political maneuvering, the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has reached a deal with the former coalition government. they could sign an agreement on friday.

for the first time in a decade, there will be no ultraorthodox parties included in the coalition government. the body of the late president of venezuela has arrived at the military museum where it will be laid to rest. tens of thousands of venezuelans have lined the streets of caracas to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying mr. chavez's body to its final resting place. venezuela will hold an election to choose a successor to hugo chavez on april 15. a bbc team deming the members of the movement for democratic change were caught up in the -- a bbc team filming the members of the movement. our correspondent reports. >> zimbabwe is supposed to be on

the mend. peaceful campaigning today for a new constitution supported by all major parties. elections were due to follow suit. but look how quickly the mood can change. "i will not allow you," she says. the attackers are supporters of president mugabe. the man they are beating now is planning to run for parliament .or the rival party this is how politics works on the ground here. 's supporters then turn on us. we are journalists!

well, that was not pleasant. the crowds turned on us. it is a pretty stark reminder of the violence that comes to the surface here. people in zimbabwe long for peace. they long for democracy. they long for free and fair elections. but they continue to abuse the justbwean, as you have witnessed. justesident mugabe has turned in. runpproved, he could zimbabwe four more years. >> organizations that work on the elections.

andhere is still optimism some real progress here. things are a worrying reminder of the nation's unresolved tension. >> in the u.s., the defense secretary announced today that the military is taking a number of steps to defend against an attack from north korea. the plan included adding 14 interceptors to a missile defense system in alaska. hagel said the move is designed to stay ahead of the threat from north korea. to discuss the move is the director of the center on international security. is this announcement aimed more at north korea or iran? >> i think it is definitely aimed more at north korea for a couple of reasons. one, the missile defense plan the administration announced was

very much focused on iran. aheadt of tries to stay of the iranian threat. i think this is more focused on north korea because we have seen developments recently over the last six months that are troubling in terms of their capability to have long-range missiles to hit the u.s. they launched a satellite into orbit. it did not stay in orbit very long, but it did demonstrate the technology needed for long-range missiles and the recent nuclear test as well, so this is staying ahead of the threat, i think. not beinterceptors will deployed until 2015. >> the prudent measure for the 2018 time frame when north korea might have that amount, we are talking about a couple of dozen intercontinental missiles around that time frame. it is a prudent measure for them. i expected a little more about

today. in other words, the deterrence today is very strong. there's 20,000 u.s. forces, very strong alliance, but i think that ally needs reassurance. i would have expected more enhancement to our posture in the region, moving ships that can launch missile defense interceptors, adding counter battery fire to deal with the north korean military threat, a little more insurance to our new ally, the new president in south korea. >> how much do we know about north korea's capability and how much it would take for nuclear missiles? >> it is clear they have tested one missile that could launch a satellite into space that tells us they could probably launch a missile that could range to another continent including the u.s. would it be accurate? nope. will it be any time soon? no, but in a few years -- i would say three, four, five likely -- there is the danger

that this country could do something like that. would they do something? are they that crazy? no, because of the deterrent, the military posture we have in place. this adds to it, and i agree with your suggestion. it does not add a lot, especially for today, but it does help a little bit. >> will south korea be reassured? >> the most important part of the package was the second step that was mentioned, and that is whichr radar in japan will help to defend japan as well as the u.s.. it will help to look into north korea and helped target them. that does a lot to reassure japan. what i would like to see is more cooperation between japan and south korea because they have faced this threat. the u.s. has been trying. i think we need to try a little bit harder. >> thanks for joining us. >> you are welcome. >> there's no place for

pessimism. while he has only been on the job for two days, the vatican has already been answering questions. it strongly rejects claims that pope francis stayed silent during systematic human rights abuses in argentina three decades ago. just a few days ago, some of these men dreamt of being elected pope, but for now was gone.their chants this man was chosen. the vatican is a bit like enable monarchy. medieval monarchs. >> let's never surrender to pessimism, he said, as he urged the cardinals to take the fate

to the four corners of the world. every thought he expresses, everything he does is being held up to the like. very down to earth. after cardinal was moved he was elected. >> his first gesture was to go halfway down the sistine chapel to greet the cardinals. it was a touching thing to do. the area has been elected, and his first -- here he is, being elected the head of the church, to his first gesture is reach out. >> journalists have been hearing dr. stories about this new pope's past -- darker stories.

>> there has never been an accusation concrete or credible in his regard. argentinian justice interrogated him several times -- one time, they interrogated him as a person who was informed of the facts, involve in the facts, but nothing was ever computed against him. >> pope francis has only been in charge of the vatican a few days, and already, he is having to deal with a serious controversy. >> you are watching "bbc world news america." still to come on tonight's program, getting ready for an adventure to enacted. these wounded combat veterans are off on a race that will put their endurance to the test. artistic director of russia's bolshoi ballet was nearly blinded in an attack in

january. he has been speaking at the clinic where he is being treated. >> he is being treated at the biggest hospital in germany. his public appearance today was dramatic and theatrical. a russian journalist gave him flowers. at one stage, he raised his hand in front of his face to show how doctors tested his sight by asking him how many fingers he could see. the attack that led to those injuries happen on january 17. a masked man confronted him and threw the acid in his face and then fled. the bolshoi is notorious for infighting, and a dancer there has been arrested on suspicion of organizing the attack. he told a court that he had known of it but had never expected the actual perpetrator to use acid and cause such injury.

so what is the prognosis? the doctor said facial scars will probably remain but that he might regain some usable site, at least in his better i. >> the cases are very complex, and they do not always unfold in a predictable way. all i can say is we feel there is a good hope that he will regain usable vision for returning to normal life. >> he is likely to remain in this hospital for some months. he said that when he recovered he would be ready to return to moscow and look whoever attacked him in the face. he would not comment on the investigation and the arrests. he said he is in daily contact with the bolshoi but his main task is to recover enough to return. >> first, it was richard iii,

and now another discovery has been unearthed in england. a high-tech project has come across a burial site believed to date back to the black death in the 14th century. 13 skeletons have been found so far, but archaeologists believe thousands more could be there. >> underneath this quiet space in central london lies a pit dug in a time when the area was described as no man's land outside the city walls. >> this is just part of the rich history of chophouse square. there just meters away from burial ground of many thousands of victims of the black death. been last, remains have unearthed of londoners who died here as bubonic plague swept through the capital.

it is not the first discovery, but it is the most important medieval find made by archaeologists working beside the team tunnelling their way through the city. they knew there was a mass grave somewhere here, close to st. paul cathedral. now they have actually hit the spot. two verye uncovered withully laid out rose carefully spaced barrels, not in coffins but in shrouds. days of theearly epidemic when numbers of deaths took time to build up. >> dna taken from the skeletons may help to track the development and spread of the bacterium that caused the black death. those living nearest the excavation are pleased that public concerns have already been laid to rest. >> it was raised in the house of

lords -- would tunneling under charterhouse square reignite the black death? the answer, thankfully, it is no, it will not. >> further forensic examination should tell us more about these 14th century londoners -- their fizzy, the general health, not just as victims of the plague, but as individuals, our ancestors. >> from that here discovery to a race like no other -- trekking across antarctic that is a challenge for anyone, but that is exactly the task which three teams of service members injured in combat are about to attend. our correspondent went to meet them, and they are getting a taste of the conditions to come. >> it feels like the end of the earth. a mountain blizzard in western iceland.

they are trained for one of the toughest challenges of their lives -- a race across antarctica. >> one minute, you think you are going good, and the next, a blast comes in and blows you over. it is intense. >> three teams of servicemen and women will be competing from the u.s. and the commonwealth. everyone here has suffered life- changing injuries in combat. they've been shot, blown up, burned, and traumatized. the charity behind this is walking with the wounded. unable to walk after my own gunshot injuries nine years ago, i went to see them training. >> [inaudible] >> many of the wounded are amputees. this u.s. soldier is totally blind. for him and many others, this is their first time ever on skis.

>> [inaudible] also people who have never skied before. [inaudible] >> in these conditions, it helps them to remember why they are doing this. >> [inaudible] >> iceland is a tough environment, but the an uptick will be tougher still. the finalists can expect conditions that make this feel like a walk in the park. determination in deed by those who have served. that brings today's broadcast to a close. you can continue watching for constant updates from around the

world on our 24-hour news network, so check your local listings for our channel number. calls to reach me and most of the bbc team, you can go to twitter. thanks for watching. have a great weekend. >> funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, union bank, and fidelity investments. >> your personal economy is made up of things that matter most, including your career. as those things change, fidelity can help you readjust your retirement plan, rethink how you are invested, and refocus as your career moves forward. wherever you are today, a fidelity ira has a wide range of investment choices that can fit your personal economy.

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macneil/lehrer productions >> woodruff: rebels in syria said today they would not stop fighting until president bashar al-assad is gone. good evening, i'm judy woodruff. >> brown: and i'm jeffrey brown. on the "newshour" tonight: two years into the syrian uprising, we look at the situation on the ground, and the diplomatic debate over aiding the rebels. >> woodruff: kwame holman reports from the annual gathering of american conservative activists, who are trying to chart their political future. >> with last november's defeat of mitt romney, this key bloc of conservative enthusiasts has set its sights on a new goal: reshaping and re-energizing the republican party. >> brown: mark shields and david brooks analyze the week's news. >> woodruff: miles o'brien continues his investigation into drinking water contaminated with chromium six and the regulators responsible for cleaning it up. >> yeah, it causes cancer. that's the biggest health concern.

>> we know that for sure. >> there's no doubt about it. it's considered a human carcinogen by all the major regulatory agencies in the world. >> brown: and we close with today's congressional testimony by the woman who headed j.p. morgan's risk unit about a billion dollar trading error. >> woodruff: that's all ahead on tonight's "newshour." >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> support also comes from carnegie corporation of new york, a foundation created to do what andrew carnegie called "real and permanent good." celebrating 100 years of philanthropy at carnegie.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and foundations. and... >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you.