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america." >> the u.n. delivers its most serious effect. the violence still goes on, and it spreads. an exclusive report on the scale of the crackdown. >> they are using snipers and have brought the tanks of the up in to the facility. we're having to keep low. >> welcome. also coming up of a program, a dreadful toll in iraq has more than 50 people are killed and coordinated bomb attacks. is this a time to turn somalia and around? an international conference in london gets under way.

it is midday here in london. 2:00 in the afternoon in damascus. as a u.n. panel is compiling a list of top syrian officials who could face investigations over crimes against humanity. the panel concludes can atrocities are being committed at the highest level as civilians live life in a perilous state. today we of a special report from inside syria. our panelists that time in the northern part of the country -- spent time in the northern parts of the country. ♪ >> huddled in a safe house in northern syria like the armed rebel fighters. they are led by a military defectors. many of the men who come to pay their respects are ordinary citizen soldiers.

laborers, farmers, even a graduate in english literature. hot sweet tea. >> i will carry a gun to protect my people, my children. to make the life better for our children and family. what i want? i want freedom. social freedom. freedom in all of its concepts. all freedom. >> for the last few days, we have went from town to village. and the area is highly dangerous. government soldiers and spies are never far away. the grips of the opposition free syrian army feels wheat. -- feels weak. >> 24 hours a day you feel danger from the regime. it is deadly.

it kills people. the president is supposed to protect us, but he just protect himself. >> we race to another town and an opposition rally. ♪ their rebellion is almost one year old and gathering pace. and not everyone is against the president. some are afraid of what these people want. what you are watching is the start of an islamic takeover. it does not feel that way, but ethnic and religious differences could become divisions and still be on syria's borders -- spill beyond assyria's borders. there are many front lines in the bottle, and we were taken to one of them. thousands have died here as the

president enforces his will through the barrel of the gun and the people take to arms. like other places, a government troops have moved into this area where homes have been shelled and civilians killed. we've just been brought into this building by members of the free syrian army, which hold the government position just a few hundred meters out in that direction. we're told they are using snipers and have brought tanks they have been operating in this vicinity. we're having to keep low and the careful. in the distance you can make out a tank, a reminder of the force of the government's disposal. this is what the locals have to defend against it. our role block and a few old rifles -- a road block and a few old rifles. at sundown we moved again to one town also in the throes of its

particular revolution. battling to emerge from what they see as the darkness of decades of repression. it may seem a world away from home, but we are just beyond the fringes of europe where a conflict looks increasingly like civil war is raging come in so far the world has been powerless to help. >> well, as the bloodshed in syria continues, more than 70 countries are set to discuss ways to discuss the opponents of the president of friends of syria meeting on friday. the united nations resolution calling on the president to stand down, and being vetoed by russia and china. now the british foreign secretary explains foreign governments must consider other responses. >> we are not able to pass, so far, a resolution at the united

nations security council. that does not mean we cannot do anything. about 60 countries will come together tomorrow. i will go there in the morning and discussed syria with hillary clinton and many of the arab leaders during our somalia conference that day, because i want to tighten an economic and diplomatic struggle hold on the regime. i want the countries at the meeting to agree together for what we are going to do to increase the pressure on the regime to stop the killings. to go there have been a series of bomb attacks in iraq. -- >> there have been a series of bomb attacks in iraq. nick chiles has the story. >> once again come of all of smoke hangs over baghdad. in a familiar tactic, the morning rush hour was wracked with bombs.

the emergency services rushed to deal with the carnage of the chaos. it look like security forces were the main targets of the attacks. as ever, others were caught up in the blast. >> a car bomb went off here targeting an official, or i do not know who. also, other people were hurt. it is destruction. >> an explosion took place 30 minutes ago, followed by another blast. the shattered glass of a window followeinjured me. >> far to the north of baghdad, the rank of wreckage of a car that carried a bomb was aimed at police control. most of the destruction was in the capital. not on the scale reached of the height of the insurgency, but that may be little consolation

against the height of the backdrop of the violence. these attacks look like another attempt to solve political and ethnic tensions since u.s. forces pulled out late last year. >> going to take a look now as some of the other top stories making headlines around the world today. somalia has an opportunity for peace and stability we cannot afford to miss those as the u.n. secretary general. he was speaking at a major conference on the future of the war-torn country that is taking place here in london. the meeting includes more than 40 countries attacking the problems that include widespread famine, piracy, that it that regime. david cameron is hosting the conference. >> for two decades of somalia has been torn apart for bloodshed and some of the worst

poverty on our planet. as many as 1 million people have died. the terrible scenes we all salt with the famine last year were truly heartbreaking. with death and suffering on a scale that no country and no people should ever have to suffer in our modern world. going to work colleague andrew. are there any signs for a cause of confidence there could be a turning point? >> mogadishu is part of somalia. certainly things in the capital things have changed dramatically in the past few months since the militants were pulled out by somalia forces. the security situation on the street is very different. people can now set up businesses. a lot of people are returning to the city to live. it does feel much more relaxed,

even though that there -- even though there have been car bombs. elsewhere in the country, a very mixed picture. kenyans pushing up from the southeast. ethiopians from the west. the big question here in somalia is what fillsthere are areas inh that are not very confident in the new government. the government itself here is supposed to change. it is supposed to end of the transitional phase in the next few months, so there is an awful lot of risk and awful lot that could lure wrong, but people are talking sincerely about a window of opportunity. >> i know you have talked about the transitional government as a frankenstein monster of an administration. is there much reason to believe that those in the position of power would suppoith support woe ones to build up a state again effectively?

>> perhaps. we have been here so many times that no one would bet that this is the one time it will work, but it is more interested. the transitional government widely accused of corruption, miss-management, will have a lot more scrutiny on its and pressure in the coming months from the outside world. perhaps that will make a difference. perhaps trust can come up from the ground. people could see the city is becoming more cleaned, more transparent. government that has basic services provided. perhaps they will believe the government when they say we are serious about democracy and turning somalia back into something that resembles a functioning state. >> we hear now they have been pushed out, but can there be a

real deal with all their involvement? >> alishibab is not one group. it is a mixture of radicals. particularly to hottjihadists lo al qaeda. first sit is possible it could e peeled away from the rest of the organization and not cut a ded a deal at a later stage. it would not be something outside world can sort out. >> andrew harding in mogadishu. thank you. at least 12 people have been killed in northwestern pakistan. we're told the blast wounded another 30 people. it targeted a bus stop where people were waiting to begin journeys to other parts of the country. there have not been claims for the responsibility of the attack.

the european court of human rights has condemned easily -- italy for the treatment of african migrants three years ago. negotiators from the u.s. and north korea have begun talks in beijing about the north's nuclear program. it is the first talks since the new leader came to power in december. the americans say they want to find out if kim jong-il is willing to discuss giving up north korea's nuclear weapons. still to come, parade as russians prime minister addresses more than hundreds of thousands of supporters. >> let's have a look now at some of the other stories you are looking at on line. have you been sleeping the wrong way?

our most popular online storybooks to why some scientists say we would be better off with two short sleeping sessions rather than eight hours in a row. many of you have examined a new study that suggests men may not become extinct after all. previous research has suggested the why sex chromosome is dictating genetically so fast that it will be distinct and 5 million years time. finally, the race is on to reach the deepest place in the ocean. it goes down to 11 kilometers. it will be an epic journey that will push submersible technology to its limits. it will put the lives of those in the vessel at grave risk. this is gmt.

the headlines, the u.n. accused the syrian forces of gross and systematic human rights abuses under orders from the highest levels. at least 50 people are killed in iraq and coordinated bomb attacks during the morning rush hour. time now for the business news. that means julia, and focus back on the losing money. >> the four year net losses have doubled what they were in the previous year. remember, this is a bank that is going through a massive and painful restructuring, but you have the pressure from the greek debt and payment protection insurance. they were the only bank to get some of that. it is the fourth year of losses since the bank was bailed out in 2008 by the government. we now own 82% of it as

taxpayers. this is part of the problem. because of the politics come in means issues of bonuses will be in the spotlight. at the same time, there are those that say tech's season does not give it a chance. that was reiterated by william wright, a banking columnist. he says the chief executive has to stand up to the pressure if he was a passing chance of bringing this thing back to profit. >> the economic crisis in the second half of the luster slowdown in the world economy inevitably is pushed out by one, two, three years the turnaround plan at are bs. the question is whether he and other senior executives are going to be able to withstand the political pressure over the next few years in order to push through that and hopefully turn the bank around back into a profitable bank so taxpayers can access the profit. >> you need an economy is

growing. >> the european commission had issued a report. they said the eurozone, 17 countries that use the currency, will have a mild recession. but they recommend 2012 we will see the economy contracting by about 0.3%. the dry coming through not just from greece and portugal -- the drag coming not just from greece and portugal, but from the netherlands. he is the eu commissioner for economic affairs. he says although the figures are not great, there is some cause for optimism. >> compared to our november forecast, prospects have worsened and risks to the growth outlook to remain.

but there are signs of stabilization at the same time, especially in the more recent time. >> timing is everything on this. you have this report, and a very influential survey that shows business sentiment is on the rise for february. >> thank you. two members of international force in afghanistan have been shot dead by a man and afghan army uniform. it happened shortly after the taliban called on all afghans to kill westerners in retaliation weree copies of the cross koran burned. crowds took to the streets in seven provinces in the northeast of the country. in some places it ended with violence. to g>> we can go to kabul for te

latest. our colleague is there. >> as the violence spread across the country, president karzai has been holding crisis talks with afghan politicians here to try to find a way of calming things down. with everyone looking to friday prayers tomorrow. one of those in the meeting with president karzai is with me now. can you tell us what happened at that meeting? >> actually in the meeting today the atmosphere was more positive. there was not intention to humiliate. people are getting more calm. the president said there were constant apologies from the u.s. government. and there is a group investigation that will bring the report to the president.

even though the situation is very complicated right now, there is more improvement. in one sense, in the general public the emotions are increasing that today we also have this demonstration. but on the other hand, politicians are getting more understandable towards the demonstrations. to go at least seven afghans have been killed yesterday. -- >> kelly 7 afghans have been killed yesterday. two american soldiers as well. -- at least 7 afghans have been killed yesterday. >> they get emotional and go on the streets. unfortunately it can cause a loss of life as well. i believe it can be really organized. tomorrow, which is a very

sensitive day because it is friday, i think it can be controlled. unfortunately, if there will be lack of management, it can provoke people even further. >> this is in some ways a gift to the taliban who want . >> yes, and this is not fortunate for afghans as well. we do have a plan for partnership between afghanistan and america. all afghans condemned the action. it is such a holy book for everyone. since it was not the intention and happened by mistake, humans always make mistakes come in for that reason i think we should not get emotional. leaders have responsibilities to find solutions for the problem. not to make the situation even more complicated.

so for that reason, it is very important for afghans come as well as for americans to control the situation. >> thank you very much for talking to us. as you can hear their common efforts to restore calm through afghanistan, but everyone looking ahead to friday prayers tomorrow. >> to russia now. but a mere pruden vladimir putin told tens of thousands in a crowd that no one will be allowed to interfere in the elections. he is here this -- still the clear favorite. >> a lot of people are on board when he asked the question if he would win? the answer was yes, he will win. there were many that we're definitely going to vote for him but regard him as being the

best leader of the country. he said they have come along because there were asked by their bosses to do so. some of them were not going to vote for him, but the most of them were. there is no doubt in the country he does command support of half the country, however unfair if the election is, he will command the greatest vote in the election, and will win the election one way or another, no doubt about that. >> we will find out exactly by how much. let's go back to one of the top stories, discussions of the future of somalia getting under way here in london. one of the key issues to be tackled is piracy. the presence of armed cards on commercial vessels will reduce the number of hijackings. pyrotechnics -- have responded by expanding operations. they also become more violent.

we look back at the hijacking of a kenyan vessel after it was released after a terrifying ordeal for the crew. >> the fishermen behind an extraordinary story. he remembers the moment the somali pirates struck the golden wave. to go what happened to this window? >> when they came, they started fighting on the ship. the bullet hit here. the pirates boarded and get the captain of three choices. >> the best option was that he paid the $6 million. >> 6 million u.s. dollars? >> ps. >>yes. >> the third option was they cut off his head. >> unable to pay the ransom, they were forced to halt the pirate jump ship. >> so you went on to the boat

first? >> that was my job. it must have been dangerous because you were the first on board. >> yes. [inaudible] the other pirates come after this all the confrontation, they killed eight crews. to go over the next four months they witnessed other executions on deck. hijackedt until the i checkey p vessels t until the fishermen were released. >> just one of the issues to be tackled in london today. in that is all for is here. a

with>> make sense of international news. bbc.com/news. >> funding for this presentation is made possible by -- the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu newman's own foundation and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers work hard to know your business, offering specialized solutions in capital to help you meet your growth objectives. helping to provide capital for key strategic decisions. we offer expertise in tailored solutions and a wide range of industries. what can we do for you?

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