>> a n.p.r. war over the potential military strike in syria. the obama administration making a push for support. the syrian president goes on u.s. tv tune tonight any responsibility for a chemical attack. russian opposition leader alexei navalny loses the mayoral race in moscow. his strong showing could give a boost to the protest movement in russia. france's back-to-school is marked with a new secularism charterer. some of the millions of muslims

feel is targeting them. you are watching "france 24." secretary of state john kerry met with his british counterpart in london today. syria was at the top of the agenda. the u.s. secretary of state laid out his evidence of use of chemical weapons by the assad regime and reiterated this strike would be a limited targeted short term action against chemical weapons in syria. >> the united states of america, president obama myself, and others are in full agreement that the end to the conflict in syria and requires a political solution. there is no military solution. we have no illusions about them. -- we have no illusions about that. but a resolution to this house to come about because the parties are prepared to negotiate that political solution. if one party believes he can rub out countless numbers of his own

citizens with impunity, he will never come to the negotiating table. >> our correspondent joins us from london. you were there today. the u.k. and u.s. have long had a special relationship as they call it. last week, the british parliament voted against military intervention. what else was revoked at the conference today? >> that was one of the key messages from the u.s. secretary of state. john kerry was very clear and so was his british counterpart. the u.s. and u.k. are closely aligned on syria. amongst the key messages that were not just for the british public before the world and very much for america as john kerry prepares to fly back to washington to make the case for what he said was not work. he said we are not going to war.

who do not want to hurt any civilians. one of the key messages was that there was strong evidence against the assad regime where the rockets were want, where they landed. the fact the assad regime had tried to cover up the evidence. john kerry saying this was a humanitarian catastrophe of global proportions. that in action was riskier than action. this was echoed by the british foreign secretary. they are very close. as john kerry pointed out, the special relationship is not want to be harmed by one vote. he is referring to the shock and surprise defeat of mr. cameron 's government about any intervention. the british prime minister has made it clear and his ministers have said there will be no british military intervention. william hague also pressed home

was the fact. was very involved on the humanitarian and diplomatic level. both men want to see a political solution, not a military one. they know they've got to make the case. john kerry acknowledged he is very aware of the problems of the deficit of the iraqi proof which was not good. he knows he has got to make the case to the world and to congress. he will be flying back to washington. one felt london and washington were supporting each other. that is the key message both governments want to give. >> thank you for reporting not from london. the syrian president is fighting his own p.r. war in the united states. he has given a rare television interview to american channel cbs.

in the interview he again claims he had nothing to do with the chemical weapons attack in damascus last month. that interview will be aired later today. it is seen as an attempt by many to woo americans to his cause. >> it has not even been broadcast yet. the content it already -- is already causing a buzz stateside. assad told charlie rose he was not responsible for last month's attack. >> he said i cannot confirm or deny we have chemical weapons. he did say if they do have them they are in centralized control so no one else has access to them. the most important thing is he basically says there has been no evidence are used chemical weapons -- are used chemical weapons. >> ahead of the important vote

in congress, assad is clearly keen to convince the u.s. public of his good guy provincials -- credentials. they're clearly trying to paint a rosy picture ahead of forces. >> discontinued operations against terrorist groups killing and wounding many terrorists. >> the door to syria has been opened to western journalists to operate even filming with assad 's forces over the weekend. they have relied on. the images from rebels. now the syrian president is keen to broadcast his own version of events as he seeks to convince audiences intervention is not the best tactic.

>> assad faint -- thanked putin for his support. earlier, they said the syrian regime is ready for peace talks and any military intervention could backfire. >> more and more, state figures share our evaluation that the military scenario would cause an outburst of terrorism in syria and neighboring states and caused a sharp upswing in the flow of refugees which has already happened following the united states declaration that it intends to strike the syrian arab a public. -- republic. >> in moscow, the mayor has been reelected. the closeness of the race could be the sign the opposition is growing. he had just enough of the vote to avoid a runoff against opposition leader and fierce government critic alexei

navalny. his camp says the election was rigged. >> supporters of sergei sobyanin celebrate into the night. the results of the vote handed him a victory. despite a stronger than expected challenge from opposition leader alexei navalny who threatened to force a runoff. sergei sobyanin won the election with just over 51% of the vote. alexei navalny got 27%. sergei sobyanin needed to take at least 50% of the vote to avoid another round of voting. the opposition activists challenged the results as the first numbers triple then. -- trickled in. >> the 51% was one of only by the fraud committed outside the polling stations. >> refused to recognize voting

outside a polling stations. a second round must be held. >> the electric commission said there had been no serious violations and another vote would not take place. if allegations of vote rigging were approved, another election could take place. >> let's take a look at other stores recovering. 100 armed muslim rebels have staged a major attack that virtually shut down a bustling city in the southern philippines. the rebels clashed with government troops earlier today taking at least 20 hostages and leaving at least eight dead. muslim rebels have been fighting for independence in the region for decades. this attack is a bid to derail the peace talks. the current standoff is still underway. mexican soft drinks are getting hit with a new tax as part of sweeping new social programs proposed by the mexican president. those include mexico's first

nationwide pensions and unemployment insurance. the president says the tax on soft drinks is necessary to fight a high rate of obesity in mexico. thousands of romanians to the streets sunday for and against a planned canadian gold mine that would use cyanide in the extraction process. it would create the biggest gold mine in europe. it would also raise -- raze four mountains to do so. starting today public schools will display a new charter. this document is to be displayed prominently throughout every school. it serves to remind teachers and pupils of the secular republican principles that france holds dear. but religion in schools is a thorny issue. there is tension with muslims

and others who feel pushed out by the secular push. >> back-to-school and back to the debate about religion in the classroom. from today, the state schools must display the secular and charter, a government initiative that has support among teachers. >> we think it is essential to remember the neutral secular character of schools in the french republic. >> secularism is fiercely defended in france. the principals in the charter are nothing new. religious symbols have been banned in state schools since 2004. " there are lots of people who want to wear the crosses or the veils saying it is their religion and identity. at school, everyone should be equal. >> the place of religion in education is a thorny issue. the french courts overturned the backing of a nursery worker who refused to remove her veil. politicians denounced the verdict as an attack on

secularism and are considering stricter legislation that would encompass private companies prepare -- cos. they say a tax on a veiled women increase every time the subject is raised. a pregnant woman was attacked. in riots broke out in a suburb of paris after a police identity check on a veiled woman. they're quick to point of the new measures should not turn into an obsession with is form. >> some want to interpret this as a divisive measure. they are wrong. >> secularism is one of the key issues that unites all political parties in france. the challenge for the government is to make sure the driver is not divided communities further. " i am joined by an author and university professor in southern france. religious symbols have been banned in france since 2004.

why the need for this secular charter now? what does it bring to the table? >> in the last 10 years, we're in a strange situation in france. french secularism how has two aspect. the first is the separation of state and church. the second is what is called neutrality. neutrality is supposed to be the neutrality of the public aged, not the neutrality of the public itself. it is supposed to be people, children who are young and weak. we are applying this neutrality to the public themselves. fine, let's do that. but it is very new. it was a big change already in 2004 but changed the entire tradition.

now when we say there is a secularism charterer in school i could agree with that as long as the structure is here to remind everybody that we have to respect the law. agreed there could be some risk. the possible risks people do not talk about. on the other side, there could be a professor that over- expresses the law. for instance, you will have girls last year in the year before the war almost kicked out of cost because because they were wearing a dart gun that was supposed to be muslim. they have the right to be muslim. what does not say you cannot wear a dark black gown.

there were kicked out because it was over interpreted. we have to understand it is not to forbid it to allow people the way they want to behave without forcing their belief to other people it is in the mind and spirit this charter is published in of french schools. that is fine for me. i a little bit about it. >> think you for taking the time to speak to us. please stay with us. >> ♪ ♪ >> french rugby with over 50,000 fans of the new stadium. 11-6 was the score on the air war.

-- on the hour. eight minutes later, the score was 16-11. they are now just a point behind after three games. serena williams has won the u.s. open for the fifth time defeating victoria azarenka. in a rematch of last year's final, the defending champion took the opening set. victoria azarenka forced a decider. williams won for her 17th grand slam. in the america's cup final, the new zealand team won the third race of the 17-race final on san francisco bay on the second day of competition. the american stock the early lead. -- the americans took the early lead. they kept their cool before

racing to victory. new zealand won by 28 seconds. the america's cup is an international sport. in race four usa head start news zealand -- edged out new zealand. the american team took an early lead. this time, they were able to hold it to win a point making the overall score 5-1. defending champions won by just eight seconds. he has beaten his rival to win the italian grand prix. it is his sixth win this season. an opponent who forced him to

make an extra stock. he claimed his first victory resisting pressure from montero. he converted his first ever poll position to his maiden victory. he could not prevent montero from taking the outside. he is on the verge of his fourth title. he had a similar solo drive. the 51-year-old italian and overtook the race. the honda driver rouwon showing why he is a championship winner as he finished fourth. he took precious points in

california to be the manufacturer's champion. he attacked from the lead group of 28 with 20 kilometers to go. he got his win three minutes ahead of the next competitor. yes trillion has won the inaugural tour of alberta. -- the australian house won the inaugural tour of allbritton. they both have the 10 second lead with 5 kilometers to go. he fell by himself. they moved in with three, the

tears to go. the sprint was on. -- they moved in with 3 kilometers to go. the sprint was on. he has won the european masters in switzerland in a playoff. he finished 20 under. the overnight leader shot 67. he fired 61 on saturday and drove into the bunker on the first extra hole. he claimed his 14th title his first in two years. >> ♪ ♪ >> today anchor in india over

rising prices. the "fifty shades of grey" casting met with fierce backlash from fans. figger portraits of famous people. one retail site in india has been selling onions at an astonishing rate. they were selling 3000 per day at five times lower than the market price. so popular was demand on thursday that the website crushed. onions are essential ingredient in indian dishes. prices have soared. social networks have been commentating on the situation with more than a hint of irony. some have described it as a luxury product that has become too expensive for the lower causes. the price hike has fueled

protests as the country deals with rapidly inflating food prices. in an attempt to deal with the onion crisis, the government has announced plans to start importing onions from pakistan to satisfy demand. this is not enough, say the opposition parties. the bjp recently organized a/price sale to highlight the issue. the subject could become a major electoral issue ahead of next year's general election. two relative unknowns have been chosen to play the central couple in the upcoming movie adaptation of "fifty shades of grey." the author of the erotic novel and worldwide bestseller made the announcement on twitter on monday. the casting has been confirmed by universal studios. it has not gone down well with

fans of the famous trilogy. many are disappointed with the choice of doctors been totally different from how they were described in the book. unhappy fans have other ideas as to who should take on the rolls. the petition has been started urging the producers to change their mind and higher others for the adaptation. the petition has drawn 72,000 signatures so far. as a been designing promotional posters featuring the proposed testing changes. the director stands firm and has taken to twitter to defend the choice of actors. it is the second time in recent looks of movie studios have created an outcry over casting. batman fans urged producers to have a change of heart as it was announced ben affleck would take over the role of the caped crusader in the upcoming film.

this artist takes pictures of his index finger and uses computer software to manipulate them into famous faces and historical figures. the works are available on his blog and involved a great deal of time and effort to produce these impressive portraits. >> ♪ ♪ >> for the 2013 sydney international food festival, an australian advertising agency has recruited some of the world's national flags with the food for which the country is synonymous. the italian flag is made of basil and tomatoes. greece has feta and olives.

>> ♪ ♪ >> to celebrate the coming digital release of "iron man 3" one u.k. video on demand service asked him to recreate it with orleans. as you can see in this time lapse video found online, the american successfully completed the challenge. his blue costume is very similar to the original and took three and 64 balloons and 10 hours to complete. -- 364 balloons and 10 h

>> beginning in the 1980's the near globalization with built-in self