>> funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newman's own foundation, giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good for over 30 years, and union bank. >> and now, "bbc world news america." >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to know your business, offering specialized solutions and capital to help you meet your growth objectives. we offer expertise and tailored solutions for small businesses

and major corporations. what can we do for you? >> and now, "bbc world news america." >> this is bbc world news america. i'mrting from washington, katty kay. the taliban and tells the bbc they are ready to take over afghanistan. and return it to the old days. a contentious meeting with the catholic church as the vatican is publicly questioned about the child sex abuse scandal for the first time. and whohas made a list has not. we look at this years oscar nominees and some surprising absences.

welcome to our viewers on public television in america and also around the globe. the taliban and claimed they are winning the war in afghanistan and will seize power again when international forces leave at the end of this year according to comments made by a taliban spokesman that has talked exclusively to the bbc ahead of important elections in the country and as u.s. combat troops prepare to withdraw. our editor has this report. >> this is the year that will decide afghanistan's future. most people remember when the taliban had it from 1996 to 2001. the economy collapsed and ferocious punishments were inflicted daily.

we wanted to question them and it is difficult to get their spokesman in person. that he agreed to speak to us by phone. the first question is about afghanistan's security. american forces on the ground have kept them pinned down. they are getting bolder and their spokesman wants to give the impression that the foreign troops are being driven out with their tails between their legs. they are moving around and have control over the villages. they have their own administrative systems there. limited parts are under foreign control but they cannot flee to get out of them. he foreign forces are so scared, they are confined to their bases.

>> and according to you, the same is true in another province. >> broad swaths are under our control. >> in april, people will vote for a successor to president karzai that took over in 2001 when the taliban government collapsed. some want to link up with presidential candidates. the taliban leadership is dead set against that. >> whichever the foreigners want, it will happen. not legitimate and the candidates are not legitimate. people don't think it will lie with the taliban and. they have created the most extreme religious government on earth. they were hanged from the lamppost as a warning.

what the taliban and bring back those same kind of extreme punishments that were obvious in afghanistan from 1996? >> it can't be changed because islamic law is constant. of course there will be changes in behavior. we assure you that society is living for this. >> it clearly isn't. most people we speak to are still haunted by the past, fearful that the taliban could come back. >> what did they do here? beating them with cables, in the name of muslims, killing hundreds of people every day. >> everyone is concerned, young and old. >> they are worried about the

taliban and coming back. >> the taliban and say they are confident of victory. this country is far more stable nowadays, but is still deeply worried about any return to the past. >> it would be a return to a past that would be particularly alarming for the women of afghanistan. the mission in afghanistan was one of the key topics addressed by robert gates in his new book, duty. he sat down with the bbc for the ."ogram "hard talks p qu is in negotiations with the karzai government trying to dissuade them to allow 8000 u.s. troops to remain behind. that agreement has not been done.

how important do you believe it to be for the united states to have a significant military presence in afghanistan the on 2014? -- beyond 2014? is critical. i commend the administration. they have negotiated this agreement. the question is getting the afghans to sign the agreement. >> the most senior official to say this, obama can't stand karzai? >> no news to anybody. reported.n amply this is not exactly breaking new ground. complicated and frustrating to deal with for two american presidents and countless leaders.

repeatt we cannot do is after the soviets left afghanistan. chiefsrman of the joint have said that he is worried that if there is no deal, by 2017, any game made -- any game made will fade. they will purchase significant parts of the country. massiveis true, the agreement, what has it achieved? >> the chances of keeping the have beend at bay dramatically improved by the actions we have taken both in our own efforts to diminish andr military capability

also in the efforts to train an afghan army. i think our enduring presence in afghanistan, that message of support is important to long- term success. lead toits absence will everything going back the way it was, people can't know. the afghan people now have a stake in a non-taliban government that they did not have before. kids, including girls, are going to school now. women are treated a different way. i'm not sure they want to go back to the way it was when the taliban were in charge. i am not prepared to say that in the absence of a continuing

presence, this is going to fall apart. i think it will certainly give success a better chance. bbc.eaking to the britain's guardian newspaper is reporting that the national security agency has collected almost 200 million text messages a day from across the globe. and a major speech by president obama in which he expected to roll out changes. they have spoken to many of the people involved in a comprehensive view of those programs. what have they been collecting?

been doing the same thing with the text messages. data is where you were and who you contact. it really does reinforce the impression that this is, someone say, out of control. indiscriminate operation. a little nudge from russia, this is the sort of thing that you are dealing with that you've got to get under control. and today's revelations, do they increase pressure on the white house from allies i? the argumentsange but those saying that you've got to do something can cite this in addition. obama is thisr

huge pressure on both sides, clearly the american public where the right are just as concerned about this as the traditional civil liberties groups on the left. pressure to bring back trust and transparency is intense. on the other side, i don't know if it is all 17 of the intelligence agencies but they say don't do it too much or anything that will put america at risk. was studyingobama it over the holidays. >> they sound like fairly minor measures. the judges have already questioned this. ,here will be other measures the most important question of where this data is stored.

does it stay with the nsa? or are they told that you have to keep it. likely they will allow congress to have a say on that. it is a bit like saying it is in the next office. people will still be unhappy. >> changes but not a radical overhaul. a quick look at other news from around the world. johnsecretary of state kerry has urged members of the syrian opposition to decide in favor of attending peace talks in with -- switzerland. expected to vote on friday whether to send representatives to the peace conference or not. the opposition and the government disagree over president assad's role in the leadership.

four men accused of assassinating a lebanese prime minister back in 2005 have finally begun at a special tribunal in the hague. they are being tried in their absence. the attacks nine years ago that killed 22 people sharpened sectarian tension in lebanon. it was time for justice. going on trial over charges of bribery. it relates to a statement of $44 million. announced he is stepping down from the formula one board of directors. today, the vatican it knowledge there can be no excuse for child sex abuse.

today's acknowledgments came as vatican officials are being questioned by a u.n. panel. the first time the catholic church has been interrogated on the abuse. >> victims of clerical sexual abuse struggle to be heard. campaigners are pleased that at last the vatican is being investigated by a u.n. committee. the vatican's are presented seemed contrite. is no excuse for any form of violence or exploitation of children. such crimes can never be justified. whether committed in the home, at school, and community, at sports programs or religious organizations. >> they added that the holy see was only legally responsible for abuse in five vatican cities.

a provision long criticized by campaigners. >> if only they had jurisdiction over 30 children. hasously, the church followers and has influenced a lot more children's lives than the 30 they mentioned. fight hardhas had to for justice, claimed to have been abused by a teenager by an italian priest. the think it is time for church to stop this secrecy. putsieve the church themselves before the victims and the pain and abuse that we carry. >> there have been mounting evidence of abuse. sexual and psychological abuse was found to be endemic in irish catholic run schools and orphanages. a bishop resigned after

admitting he had sexually abused a boy for years. admitted toriest 280 counts of sexual abuse involving three boys. strengthenedhas laws and promised help for victims. >> a scandal with many victims around the world. for these students in south sudan, taking exams has an extra challenge. they are trying to do it a miss violence that is tearing their young nation apart. >> the notorious doomsday cult responsible for a poison gas attack. he is charged with involvement

in a wave of violence. >> canisters of deadly sarin gas , five different tokyo subway trains. it is the biggest terrorist attack in modern japanese history. thousands are taken ill. 13 people are dead. the attack has been carried out by fanatical followers of this man. cult anda religious claims he is the reincarnation of jesus christ. one of the very last fugitive measures was brought into court to face charges of abduction and murder. he was on the run for 17 years.

two years ago, he walked into a police station and gave himself up. now with the opening of his trial, the last chapter has finally begun. it has been a very long wait. 12 of his top followers are currently on death row awaiting execution. several sentenced to death will appear as witnesses. for that reason, the executions have been put off to the last trial is finished. >> i have brought news of renewed warfare in sudan, the world youngest country.

this week, primary school students finally got a chance to take them. andrew harding has the story. >> they have been trapped here for a month. civilians packed inside a united nations compound, the conflict taking on a bitterly ethnic dime engine. >> a younger generation is trying to cling on to something. , they are aol exams little old.

that is because they have been disrupted by past conflicts. >> [indiscernible] i don't know how to feel about it. >> does it make it difficult to concentrate? >> very difficult. some brought their books but it is not enough for us. >> do you think the war will end soon? >> i don't think it will last long. that optimism does not extend to other parts of south sudan. school exams are hardly a priority. >> without access to food, shelter, or sanitation. is our plea.

[indiscernible] >> across this country is not so encouraging. they are missing out on an education. >> a heat wave is continuing in the southern states of australia. the extreme weather conditions have sparked wildfires were temperatures reached 44 degrees celsius. open hashe australian

been put on hold. weeding the list were gravity and american hustle. were surprises in the best acting category. neither tom hanks nor robert redford made the list. >> it brings a flurry of excitement and anticipation. >> jennifer lawrence -- >> christian bale. >> the only film to pick up nominations in all four acting categories, american hustle tied with gravity for most nods.

the space nailbiter was nominated in the technical category as well as for best film and director. 12 years a slave for oscar glory. the actor was nominated and the british director. it was a huge amount of buzz at the golden globes. >> it is interesting when you get someone who can relate to a culture but is not entirely inside a culture. >> so deep into the slave experience. >> it is always part of the conversation.

>> i feel very lucky. is theifer lawrence youngest ever three-time nominee. >> no love for saving mr. banks. controversyalways about who is in and who is out. errol street van julia roberts or in, but tom hanks and robert redford missed out. such was the quality of the field. we are heading deep into hollywood awards season. with no favorites for best picture, we can expect a weekly at and flow and which ones have fallen from favor. six weeks until academy awards ceremony. >> everybody loves oscar night.

that brings the broadcast to a close. for all of us, thank you very much for watching. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newman's own foundation, giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good for over 30 years, and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard

to understand the history you operate in. to nurture new ventures and offer expertise and tailored solutions for a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet, los angeles.

captioning sponsored by macneil/lehrer productions >> ifill: iran's president pushed back against hardline critics of the interim nuclear deal with the west. our own william brangham is in tehran surveying reaction to the negotiations for a long-term accord. good evening, i'm gwen ifill. judy woodruff is away. also ahead, goodwill is well known for selling second hand goods, but in indianapolis the charity is offering high school dropouts a different kind of second chance at life. >> i didn't have to go through high school from the beginning to end it's just from exactly from when i walked out the door as to where i walked back in and they test you, they figure out where you are at and tell you