kofi annan has been appointed as a special envoy to syria. he will represent the un and the arab league. an organization says his mission comes at a critical time for the people of syria and bringing an end to all violence. there were many more deaths as the syrian army continued its onslaught against the opposition strongholds. there will be a meeting in tunisia. they will call for an immediate cease-fire. thank you for watching. >> make sense of international news. bbc.com/news. >> funding was 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 understand the industry you operate in, working to nurture new ventures and help provide capital for key, strategic decisions. we offer expertise and tailored solutions in a wide range of industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc world news" was presented by kcet los angeles. >> agatha christie is the world's most successful crime writer.

the europeans are hoping that't kofi annan will help. the best the you can do is to put up sanctions against assad. italy's foreign minister was here in brussels. >> ok, thank you so much. >> serbia is one step closer to becoming a member of the european union. the french foreign minister said the decision would be announced on tuesday. he said that france is no longer objecting to serbia's e you bid and the country had met all conditions -- serbia's eu bid and the country had met all conditions for membership. >> of russia and ukraine security services say they have foiled a plot to assassinate russian prime minister vladimir putin. they link the attempt to islamic militants. >> the latest polls show putin winning with more than 60% of the votes. >> russian state tv report that police arrested a gang in a dasa in early february. they believe the men were planning to assassinate prime minister vladimir putin. the present this confession as evidence. they say this man was an islamic militant. >> we were ordered to travel to moscow and tak

as i told, i mean, we have to see what are the needs and i see the main needs and i think kofi annan sees the main needs in a technical cooperation, in the field of public health, police forces and good governments. that is the priority. to think that just having a better economic development to avoid the people to entering the drug deal is in a certain sense an illusion. >> i'm sorry, let me just try once more. you've referred again to government and you've referred to policy. >> yeah. >> but you in the report make a specific suggestion that international aid can effectively stifle the emergence of the new market and provide incentives for reducing drug supply. >> can i -- >> how does that work? >> we'll send you a note on that. >> that would be -- >> thank you. >> in the 1990s the drug policy in switzerland was very different from neighboring countries. what impact did that have on your relations with your neighbors and how did the swiss government deal with that? >> the only problem we had to face is really that in a certain time, but is no longer the case, switzerland produced --

in two thousand and one through a high level panel report that was subsequently commissioned by kofi annan for kofi annan to report to the world summit in two thousand and five nothing in there recommended anything other than the decision to intervene in these circumstances militarily should rest with the security council within the united nations and so in some senses i would argue that our two pig he has in some ways strengthened the role of the security council and made it less likely although new maybe or maybe it's very it's created a lot more paralysis even if i can go to you because russia and china is going to get been given a lot of criticism in the world for its vetoing of any more intervention into syria and the russians and the chinese will go back and say look what you did in libya you abused that mandate because of this new doctrine and then the russians and the chinese are going to not budge on this one or if there is it'll be much more nuance now what i'm getting at is it art this doctrine is finding itself dead in the water because it was abused in libya. i don't think so

secretary-general kofi annan has been appointed as the u.n. and arab envoy to deal with the crisis. >>> maryland is set to become the eighth state to legal iize marriage who plans to sign it into law this week. >>> in virginia, a bill requiring ultrasounds for women seeking abortions has been pulled from consideration for the year. the move comes a day after governor bob mcdonald dropped support for a key provision requiring invasive ultrasounds. >>> emotional reaction in court from an alabama man acquitted after being charged with the murder in the drowning death of his newlywed on their honemoon. gabe watson was accused of killing his fiancee tina. the judge said the evidence was sorely lacking. >>> a rescue helicopter began to shake violently and then fall apart upon landing. four people aboard managed to escape without serious injuries. >>> now here is an "early" look at one of your top health headlines on msnbc.com. a new study says bird flu may be more common than previously thought, but not as deadly. the world health organization says

a year ago she accepted the opportunity of a life-time when the kofi-annan-foundation offered her a chance to study business administration here in berlin. not an easy choice to make for the mother-of three. when she returns home she hopes her new skills will allow her to make a real difference in the family business. we followed berlinda throughout her studies and hear about the risks and opportunities as she sees them. >> it may be graduation, but there's one more thing to learn: the final photo shoot. berlinda is skeptical at first, but in the end she's satisfied with her result. the working mother arrived in berlin a year ago. berlinda was still brand new in the city when she attended a soccer match at the university in the spring. she was one of 38 international students in a one year masters program. her goal was an international economics degree for business leaders. it's berlinda's 35th birthday. her three children in zimbabwe congratulate her over the phone. >> no, it's been a good day! >> it hasn't been an easy time without her family. on the one hand it's really cool, because i'

kofi annan's presence would say the world has not forgotten.hey will be coming, and there will be change, not perhaps tomorrow but the next day. >> thank you for your time. in london, david cameron has hailed an international conference of somalia as a turning point to its prosperity. >> people are getting killed. praxair recruitment video posted on the internet by al-shabaab new -- >> to recruit and video posted on the internet by al- shabaab. a compelling reason for britain to sort out its issues now. david cameron called this conference, and it has been well attended. his message? somalia is becoming a global problem. its people deserve proper governance. >> in a country where there is so little hope, chaos and violence and terrorism, terrorists are disrupting vital trade routes and kidnapping tourists. young minds are being who kidnapped by return to radicalism. >> al-shabaab makes no secret about what it would like to do with the western-backed government in mogadishu. it has been joined by 204 insiders, and britain makes up the largest co

secretary general kofi annan as their special envoy. annan headed the u.n. for ten years until 2006. he won the nobel peace prize during his tenure. the former u.n. chief has experience in conflict resolution. after leading the world body he helped negotiate an end to ethnic conflict in kenya. through the appointment of annan, the u.n. and arab league said they aim to underscore their commitment to stopping the violence in syria. the japanese government will extend $3 million in emergency aid to the recent victims of violence in syria. the program will distribute food and medicine to people forced to flee their homes. the aid will be distributed in cooperation with the international committee of the red cross and other organizations. >> translator: japan needs to assist syrian civilians for humanitarian reasons. we will continue our calls for the syrian government to halt the violence against its people. >> the u.n. says 100,000 to 200,000 people have been displaced within syria. and another 20,000 have fled to neighboring countries. next we continue our ser

secretary general kofi annan as their special envoy. annan headed the u.n. for ten years until 2006. he won the nobel peace prize during his tenure. the former u.n. chief has experience in conflict resolution. after leading the world body he helped negotiate an end to ethnic conflict in kenya. through the appointment of annan, the u.n. and arab league said they aim to underscore their commitment to stopping the violence in syria. the japanese government will extend $3 million in emergency aid to the recent victims of violence in syria. the program will distribute food and medicine to people forced to flee their homes. the aid will be distributed in cooperation with the international committee of the red cross and other organizations. >> translator: japan needs to assist syrian civilians for humanitarian reasons. we will continue our calls for the syrian government to halt the violence against its people. >> the u.n. says 100,000 to 200,000 people have been displaced within syria. and another 20,000 have fled to neighboring countries. next we continue our ser

secretary general kofi annan has been appointed as an envoy on the crisis. >>> oil prices up prices atthe pump continuing to climb. another six cents a gallon since yesterday. current average price in california is $4.20. it was $3.96 a week ago. nationwide prices are highest ever for this time of year the white house is paying very close attention in the election year. tahman bradley has more. >> reporter: american's pain at the pump could have big political ramifications gas prices have gone up 28 days in a row making many americans angry. with experts predicting prices to pass $5 by memorial day president obama organizes it is not his fault. >> the president: we've got to have a sustained all of the above strategy that develops every available source of american energy. yes, oil and gas, also wind and solar and nuclear and biofuels and more! >> reporter: the white house worries the high cost of fuel could undermine the economic recovery and undercut the president's chances at reelection. republicans say the president's energy policies have driven up the cost of fuel here they argue

secretary-general kofi annan has been appointed as the u.n.nd arab envoy to deal with the crisis. >>> maryland is set to become the eighth state to legalize same-sex marriage after the state senate approved a bill thursday sponsored by governor o'malley who plans to sign it into law this week. >>> in virginia, a bill requiring ultrasounds for women seeking abortions has been pulled from consideration for the year. the move comes a day after governor bob mcdonald dropped support for a key provision requiring invasive ultrasounds. >>> emotional reaction in court from an alabama man acquitted after being charged with the murder in the drowning death of his newlywed on their honeymoon. gabe watson was accused of killing his bride during a diving trip in the great barrier reef of australia. the judge said the evidence was, quote, sorely lacking. >>> just amazing video out of brazil where a rescue helicopter began to shake violently and then just fall apart during landing. four people aboard managed to escape without serious injuries. >>> now here i

secretary general kofi annan has been appointed as the envoy on the crisis by the u.n. and the arab league. >>> michael jackson's former personal physician who was sentenced to four years in prison for causing the pop singer's death in 2009 will be in court today. dr. conrad murray will ask a judge to let him out of jail while he works on his appeal. murray was convicted in november of involuntary manslaughter. murray's lawyer says his client also needs to find a job to help support his seven children. >>> the 9-year-old accused of accidently shooting a classmate in washington state might face criminal charges. the boy appeared in juvenile court yesterday, and a judge set his bail at $50,000. police say he brought a gun to school earlier this week, and it fired while inside his backpack, critically injuring a girl in his class. washington state law says children can face criminal charges if they have the capacity to understand what they did was wrong. a capacity hearing will be held in two weeks. >>> the man accused of killing his wife while on their honeymoon in austra

secretary general, kofi annan, has been appointed special envoy to syria. the latest reports from homs say continued shelling has today killed another five people. >> mounting dismay at the plight of civilians caught in syria's spiraling violence, now in tunisia the outside world will be searching for a way too help them. >> we hope to see new pledges of emergency assistance for syrians caught in assad's stranglehold and international coordination and diplomatic pressure on damascus to convince it to allow humanitarian aid to those who need it most. >> already syria's main opposition group has called for three safe passages, one to bring in aid from jordan, one from lebanon into homs, and the third from turkey. over 70 countries will be represented here in tunis. opposition leaders are hoping the sheer size of the conference will pile on the pressure. >> ideally i'd like to see this conference declaring syria as a country in humanitarian crisis. this would force international powers to act and act immediately and forcefully in order to stop the atrocities c

ok so we want to give your three things on a few things before we go let's bring dimitri kofi annan donahoe in the control room because i know we've been talking about the greek debt crisis a lot but it's important because it has really broad ramifications let's first hear what it sounds like from washington. d.c. is the moment to concede. if there is a minimum of compliance with the requirements. this is a moment to turn the page and to. extinguish disease. could. explode sounds really pressing as he was talking about that at the peterson institute yesterday this is what it looks and sounds like of course from grease though so if we could show some of that but i think we have it of protests and that sort of thing so we don't ever want to fall into that washington trap and we luckily do have a unique situation where our producer dimitri is greek he covered the protests in athens last june there he's been following the greek press and talking to his friends family in context dare to get a more accurate perspective so we want to talk a little bit about that dmitri because i know you've been s

. >> former united nations secretary-general kofi annan will serve as a special envoy during their effortsthe violence there. >>> 7 states have joined a lawsuit filed against the federal government's contraceptive mandate. the rule would require religious organizations to offer health insurance coverage that includes birth control and other contraceptives to their employees. the backlash from religious groups, including the archdiocese of baltimore, the president has changed the proposal so insurance companies would cover the cost but the lawsuit claims any such mandate is a violation of the first amendment. >>> a washington state girl is facing more surgery after she was accidentally shot inside her school. eight-year-old amena coarsa bowman was hit when a gun wept off inside another student's back pack the bullet went through her arm and into her abdomen. doctors say she has significant organ damage and will require several more surgeries. >> you tell anybody -- anybody who has kids you know, knows that -- i mean you -- you would do anything to take away the pain that she is feeling righ

secretary-general kofi annan.'ll be able to assist with these journalists getting the help they need? >> well, of course he's very seasoned diplomat, former u.n. secretary-general. he's somebody who does carry some weight in the middle east as well. the regime has shown it doesn't listen to any of the pressure being put on them so far, be it from the u.n. or the friends of syria, which are meeting in tunisia today. they are trying to put more economic and diplomatic pressure on the syrian regime. they have not listened to anything so far. as we say, the shelling continues in homs today. so, whether he's going to be able to have any success, we don't know. the icrc, international committee for the red cross, also have been trying to negotiate some humanitarian aid, particul particularly in the neighbor of homs. it's very much a wait and see. lives are on the line. >> michael holmes live in beirut, thank you for that update. >>> here in the u.s. f you're planning travel, check your flights because there is some awfu

secretary general kofi annan said he will serve as joint u.n. arab league envoy to syria.ning to syrian president bashar al-assad to agree to an immediate cease fire so that food and medical supplies can get in and the wounded and dead can come out. >>> federal authorities may be launching their own investigation into jerry san dus kick. penn state authorities said u.s. authorities subpoenaed the school. a source says authorities may be investigating accusations that sandusky took one of his alleged victims across state lines. >>> 35,000 jobs on the chopping block at the u.s. postal service. the postal service announcing it will either consolidate or close down more than 200 of its mail processing plants. the agency says the move will save $2.1 billion and affected employees will begin to be notified this week. job cuts and transfers all starting this summer. >>> author j.k. rowling of harry potter fame is writing a book for adults. details about the new book expected later this year. a fellow british author who happens to be rowling's neighbor tweeted his suspicion. he wr

united nations announcing late this evening that they have now appointed former secretary general kofi annana special envoy to syria in hopes he might be able to make a difference. >> we are awaiting information on the death of the journalists. >> a legendary reporter from the london sunday times and a young french photographer were killed two-days ago when they were shelled by syrian tanks. some of the other journalists who were with them at the time were wounded in that attack. some of those were speaking out today in a video apparently made and released by opposition activists. >> i have got a broken leg at the level of the femur on the vertical all of the way down and horizontal side. i need to be operated on as soon as possible. >> any assistance we can give by government agencies would be welcome and we will work on the same premise under ground. family friends in england want to assure them i am absolutely okay. >> karzai among those suggesting those journalists were deliberately targeted. there are further suggestions tonight the syrian authorities are refusing to allow the bodies of

chief kofi annan has been appointed as special envoy.is set to issue a confidential report today on iran's nuclear program just two days after the team returned from failed talks in tehran to continue and open up inspections there. >>> during an interview today on cnbc treasury secretary timothy geithner acknowledged the threat iran poses to rising gas prices here at home. >> when oil prices are getting stronger partly because of stronger growth, more reflection of growth, but obviously iran can do a lot of damage to the global economy. and we're working very carefully to try to minimize that risk. >> well, the opening bell just rang on wall street. time for the market rundown. okay. becky quick is here. what you got? freaky friday? witching friday? >> i know -- no a normal friday but we've been talking about this all week long, this 13,000 mark. it's a key psychological mark. again, i'll say the same thing i've been saying all week. today could be the day we actually close above 13,000 for the first time in about four years. now, we are

secretary general kofi annan has been appointed as an envoy on the crisis. >>> al qaeda is claiming responsibility the coordinated attacks that killed dozens of people in iraq. yesterday, multiple attacks occurred in 12 cities, most targeting police officers. al qaeda officials say the bombings and shootings were in response to what they felt was unfair treatment of sunni men and women. iraqi lawmakers say the attacks were aimed to cause sectarian violence and to prevent an upcoming arab league meeting from taking place. >>> the john edwards sex tape may never go public after a settlement between his former mistress and representative andrew young. hunter lived with young and his wife while pregnant with edward's baby. she sued the youngs over the tape and the items the youngs claimed she abandoned in a box of trash. >>> penn state has received a federal subpoena related to former assistant football coach jerry sandusky. the school says federal prosecutors are looking for information about sandusky about a charity for children that he founded, about the university, and three administrators. penn s

general kofi annan has been appointed as an envoy on the crisis. >>> oil price are up.another six cents a :since yesterday average -- a gallon since yesterday. prices nationwide are the highest ever for time of year. tahman bradley has more. >> reporter: americans pain at the pump could have big political ramifications prices gone up 28 days in a row making many americans angry. with experts predicting prices to pass $5 by memorial day president obama argues it is not his fault. >> the president: we've got to have a sustained all of the above strategy that develops every source of american energy yes oil gas but also wind solar and nuclear and biofuels and more shraeufrpl >> reporter: the white house worries the high cost of fuel could undermine the chick recovery and undercut the president's chances at reelection. republicans say the president's energy policies have difficult event up the cost in the u.s.. they say rejection of the keystone pipeline have driven supply down 7 in 10 americans in a new poll say the cost of gas is a deeply important issue. 58% disapprove o

kofi annan, former secretary-general of the u.n., has been apointed as a special envoy to the syrian crisis. but it's unclear how much authority he really has. and on the ground in syria, the situation is not changing. the government is continuing its offensive. at least five people have already been killed today. but in homs, the protesters came out onto the streets and held a defiant march. natalie? >> richard engel with the latest on the turkish-syrian border there. thank you. >>> gop presidential hopefuls mitt romney and rick santorum are facing off ahead of decisive primaries in michigan and arizona next week. romney's in detroit today selling his economic plan and santorum drummed up support and funds in texas and arizona on thursday. >>> and for more on the race for the white house, be sure -- republican presidential candidate rick santorum will be stopping by "meet the press" this sunday. be sure to check it out. >>> now to wall street, mandy drury is at the new york stock exchange for us. good morning. how's the week expected to close out? >> you know, the market has been ap