Transcripts For BBCNEWS Newsday 20170412

Singapore, this is bbc world news. Its newsday. Welcome. It is midnight in london, 7am in singapore, and 2am in moscow, where the us Secretary Of State has been trying to improve faltering relations between two of the worlds biggest powers, but in the end, there was no hiding the differences. After nearly two hours of talks with his russian counterpart and even Vladimir Putin himself, sakho tim Rex Tillerson said there was a disparity between the two countries. We will get the view from Washington A Little later on newsday, but first of all, from a place in moscow, here is our reporter. The last time he was in russia, Rex Tillerson was an oil man, doing multi Million Dollar deals with the kremlin, Drinking Champagne with Vladimir Putin. He even got an award from him. But in moscow, today, it was a political deal Secretary Of State tillerson was seeking over syria, not easy with Us Russian Relations at their worst since the end of the cold war. He met his russian counterpart, sergei lavrov. Then Behind Closed Doors in the kremlin, president putin. There was a lot to talk about, including this. Last week, america launched cruise missiles, targeting a Syrian Air Base. An act of aggression, said russia, against moscows ally. Washington claimed it was an appropriate response to the recent chemical weapons attack in the syrian town of khan sheikhoun. Today, america and russia publicly disagreed about who was behind it. The facts that we have are conclusive, that the recent chemical weapons attack carried out in syria was planned and it was directed and executed by Syrian Regime forces. Translation we saw no evidence of this, and from tv pictures and eyewitnesses who were at the base when the planes took off, its clear there were no signs of any Chemical Substances present there. There was disagreement too over President Assad. Moscow appears unwilling to do what america would like it to, stop supporting him. Today, donald trump called President Assad truly evil and criticised russia for backing him. Clearly, our view is that the reign of the assad family is coming to an end and they have again brought this on themselves with their conduct of the war these past few years. Translation weve been through this before, this obsession with ousting dictators, and we know only too well how it all ends. Rex tillerson may, in the past, have drunk champagne with Vladimir Putin, he may even have got a medal from him, but that was business, this is geeo politics. The reality is that russia believes it has nothing to gain and a lot to lose from abandoning President Assad, and until that changes, its not going to do it. Later, at the un security council, russia vetoed a Draft Resolution on the chemical attack, one that would have required the Syrian Government to co operate with an investigation. Tonight, moscow and washington acknowledged that relations must improve. But so deep are the divisions over syria, and other issues too, its hard to see how that improvement is going to happen. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. And staying with us diplomacy, donald trump has been speaking about his countrys other superpower rival, china. You were that a Press Conference with the head of nato, and said he had good talks with president xijinping. And he wanted to talk about north korea. President xijinping wants to talk about north korea. President xi jinping wants to to talk about north korea. President xijinping wants to do to talk about north korea. President xi jinping wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding, i think we had a very Good Chemistry together. I think he wants to help us together. I think he wants to help us with north korea. We talk trade, we talked a lot of things to be and isaid we talked a lot of things to be and i said the way you will get a good trade deal is to help us with north korea. Things. 0therwise Trade Deal is to help us with north korea. Things. Otherwise we will go it alone, and that will be good to. Is pressure over china working . Well, they have urged pyongyang to halt what it called nuclear activities. John sudworth is in the capital and sent his report. Behind me you canjust make out in the gloom the skyline of an eerie and quiet pyongyang, a city that finds itself at the centre of an increasingly tense international crisis, with a Us Aircraft Carrier Strike Group on its way to these waters, and north korean media warning that if such provocations continue, there could be devastating consequences. The chinese and us president s have spoken by telephone, with xijinping calling president s have spoken by telephone, with xi jinping calling for calm, and telling President Trump that he will work for the removal of Nuclear Weapons from the korean peninsula. It is worth pointing out that crisis and brinksmanship has been part of the korean issue for a decade or more. Experts say the government uses more. Experts say the government uses such things for its own strategic advantage. But, that said, the country is preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of its founding president , kim il sung, on saturday, and there is speculation they could be further missile tests, or even a nuclear test, to come. John sudworth, bbc news, pyongyang. Two women charged with the murder of the half brother of the Korean Leader are expected in court shortly. They are accused of smearing deadly Vx Nerve Agent on his face in an airport in malaysia. They could face the Death Penalty is committed. The passenger thrown off the United Airlines flight filed a request for them to preserve evidence. The video has been watched hundreds of millions of times around the world. Bungler dash has executed a top Islamist Militant Leader and two of his associates. Last month, the Supreme Court upheld Death Sentences handed to him. And a suspected islamist is being questioned by German Police investigating an attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus on wednesday. 0ne Borussia Dortmund team bus on wednesday. One of the players was injured. The match with moscow was played without incident. Marvel has sacked one of their artists for putting in islamist messages. His work will continue to be on the shelves. The day to day ja ka rta be on the shelves. The day to day jakarta protest and a passage from the koran were in the first issue of the koran were in the first issue of the comic. Lets return to the top story. Earlier we heard about President Trumps falling out with russia. But in a busy few hours, he has been shifting position on nato as well, and speaking out on syria. Covering all of this is laura bicker. You have been speaking to Jens Stoltenberg. The nato Secretary General, given that throughout President Trumps Campaign Period he was questioning the significance, important, even purpose of nato, Jens Stoltenberg must be pretty relieved to hear now donald trump saying that nato is no longer obsolete. That is right. During my interview i pressed him twice on whether or not he felt he could rely on President Trump, who once called nato obsolete. And he said during his talks over the last two days he has had with President Trump, he feels reassured that donald trump is fully committed to nato, and he said that he would try to urge nato members to contribute more money, which is one thing that President Trump has been calling for. He wants countries to spend 2 of their gdp on defence, which is something america already does. He feels that not enough is being spent by nato allies. And he believes that nato, and he thought that, nato should do more to fight terrorism, and it seems the nato Secretary General has reassured donald trump on that front, and donald trump on that front, and donald trump on that front, and donald trump said today that he felt that nato was doing more to fight terrorism, and that is something the allies could do together. But during that Press Conference, there were also some extraordinary words to do with syria and russia. When it came to Bashar Al Assad, when asked about whether or not President Trump was correct to send those 59 Tomahawk Missiles to hit that Syrian Air Base last week, donald trump said he made the right decision, and described Bashar Al Assad as a butcher. And then he went on to describe relationships with russia, which he said at the moment are at an all time low. Said at the moment are at an alltime low. Absolutely. And this kind of twisting and changing, these u turns, the American Press are calling this geopolitical whiplash. Where do we go from here . When it comes to a relationship with nato, it seemsjens comes to a relationship with nato, it seems Jens Stoltenberg is reassured, it seems they will Work Together. Perhaps even, i asked them about cyber warfare, whether they would worked together on that, it seems they have a number of projects they can Work Together on. When it comes to russia, donald trump said they would Work Together to try to improve that stance, and they do not wa nt improve that stance, and they do not want another cold war. But it is difficult to see how. Because syria is certainly a dividing point, and it would be interesting to see how far both sides push on that one. Thank you laura bicker. By by the fact of his age alone, mr lee has seen incredible changes. Born 100 years ago during the fall of the chinese empire, he joined 100 years ago during the fall of the chinese empire, hejoined the chinese empire, hejoined the Chinese Communist party and became a secretary to chairman mao. But he then became a dissident and spoke out in favour of democratic reform. Carrie gracie found out that he remains an independent voice to this day. Translation 0h translation oh no, i am in trouble. A Failing Cameraman as well. Born in 1917 and growing up mid civil war and born in 1917 and growing up mid civilwarand famine, he born in 1917 and growing up mid civil war and famine, he dreams of becoming a communist. Dreamed. The 18 year old did not listen, but did not get killed either. Soon, the communists were ruling china, and he was secretary to chairman mao, who he later described as terrifying and inhumane. But it is dangerous to talk like that now. I think ithinki i think i do understand. When he spoke out about the mistakes of chairman mao, he was expelled from the party and spent eight years in solitary confinement. After chairman maos death, the party let him back in. But then came the tournament square democracy protests. Tiananmen square. He spoke out again. After the massacre, the party saw enemies everywhere. He was not trusted. In his 80s and 90s, he and the party finally learned to tolerate each other, and he concentrated on writing. But censorship is tightening up again, and his books, not welcome to party leaders. Theses newsday, on the bbc. Still to come, another bout of bad weather. After the devastation caused by Cyclone Debbie, we will find out what new zealand can expect from the next tropical storm. Pol pot, one of the centurys greatest mass murderers is reported to have died of natural causes. He and the Khmer Rouge Movement he led were responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1. 7 million cambodians. There have been violent protests in indonesia where playboy has gone on sale for the first time. Traditionalist Muslim Leaders have expressed disgust. The magazines offices have been attacked and its Editorial Staff have gone into hiding. It was clear that paulas only contest was with the clock and as for a sporting legacy, Paula Radcliffes competitors will be chasing her new world best time for years to come. Quite quietly but quicker and quicker, she seemed just to slide away under the surface and disappear. Welcome back. Youre watching newsday on the bbc. Im sharanjit leyl, in singapore. And im kasia madera, in london. The top stories russia and the us failed to resolve their differences over syria, despite hours of talks in moscow. President trump has hinted at Trade Progress with china, if beijing helps tackle north korea. This is the story popular on bbc. Com. Chinese custom officers have seized more than a time of mammoth tusks. State media report that the massive haul came from russia. Lets have a look at the papers. Starting with the japan times. It states that according to its sources believe this month, even before President Trump held that summit with chinas president , xijinping, the us told japan that it could go ahead with Military Action. It could resort to Military Action against north korea. The Sydney Morning Herald says an official investigation has been launched after an emergency on a qantas flight after an emergency on a qantas flight that flew from melbourne last week. 15 people are believed to have been injured when the aircraft near the hong kong. Pilots reported feeling air plane buffeting, a Potential Warning that the plane is about to stall. It was in a holding pattern, 22,000 feet in the air. The gulf news says the United Arab Emirates wants to be the first country in the region to reach miles. Rule of the buyer was amongst officials at the launch of the very ambitious space programme. The focus will initially be to send the first emirate astronaut to space. A smart gadget with not a very smart future has got people talking online . Thats right. It is a gadget that many of us probably on. Remember when experts were predicting that 2017 would be the year when Wearable Technology really ta kes year when Wearable Technology really takes off. According to the head of Chinese Tech Firm huawei it doesnt have much of a future. He says he doesnt see the point in smartwatches. At the company is playing it safe, having Just Launched a device during the recent mobile congress in barcelona. In new zealand, people are bracing themselves for another bout of bad weather just after cyclone themselves for another bout of Bad Weatherjust after Cyclone Debbie caused so much devastation. This time it is what is left of cyclone cook, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but still packing enough power to cause concern. The local State Of Emergency has been declared for the day of plenty on the north island. The Satellite Sequins goes back a few days to when cyclone cook was moving through vanuatu and new caledonia. It is now moving south over cold waters, losing the cyclone status, it also getting swamped by the low pressure coming out of the tasman sea. Still containing tropical moisture and that itjetted into this low enhances the rainfall. Injected into. 0ne into this low enhances the rainfall. Injected into. One week ago we saw x Tropical Cyclone debbie bring rain to the south. Heavy rain in wellington and christchurch. All of that eventually moves to this the south. There are strong winds associated with this. Severe gales initially but those will be easing down. The rain will be causing trouble. Up to 100 millimetres quite widely. Some places could see more than that. Up to 300 millimetres in places, there will be some fairly major impacts from this. Tv new zealands reporter told me about the preparations. It is relatively calm, although weve been here about half an hour and the wind is steadily picking up. It is coming from the north, where the cyclonic system is coming from. We think if you bus coming through, light rain. A few heavy showers. But we are expecting the heaviest whether to set in in about another 56 whether to set in in about another 5 6 hours or so, at about 3pm local time. We are expecting the rain to start coming down and thats when these waterlogged soils across the north island, including here, thats when they will be put to the test. As you said, before, there have been two really significant Storm Systems which have come through in the past couple of months. Auckland had its wettest march on record. Its already had a couple of weeks worth of rain injust the already had a couple of weeks worth of rain in just the first week of april. Much the same story across the eastern bay of plenty, across the eastern bay of plenty, across the north island. So as i say these soils will really get a testing in the next 6 8 hours or so. It is an article that they must wish they had never published. Americas First Lady Melania Trump has accepted damages and an apology from the publishers in the daily mail after it published printed allegations about her past career. The paper suggested that work undertaken by Melania Trump in the 1990s went beyond simply modelling. The paper has paid substantial damages too, as our media editor reports. The daily mail is arguably britains most powerful newspaper and its website, which often includes headlines too salacious even for the paper, is the most widely read english language newspaper website in the world. But the mails owner, associated, may have met its match in the form of us first lady, Melania Trump. The former slovenian beauty queen sued the mail titles for libel in september. The cause of her ire allegations printed in both the paper and online that she worked notjust as model prior to meeting donald trump, but as an escort. Here at the royal courts ofjustice, a statement was read out this morning which said that the claims about mrs trumps professional work were both false and defamatory. As a result, both the mail and the mail 0nline have agreed to publish both a retraction and an apology. They accepted an article which questioned the nature of her work as a professional model had no evidence to support its allegations. The mail group will now pay damages and costs close to 3 million. But, of course, we have to remember she was claiming about, well, something close to 300 million. So a settlement of around 1 of that, at 3 million, including costs and damages, is not an enormous victory, but it still has a Chilling Effect on free speech. Newspapers make expensive errors all the time, but rarely do they lead to such high profile settlements. Today will Go Down In Fleet Street history as the day the mighty mail was trumped. Youve been watching newsday. Coming up, we will have a look at meals on wheels, robot style, on the streets of san francisco. Before we go, a couple of words to share with you about our very special delivery at The Netherlands main airport. Inside this plane, inside a couple of crates, ira two giant pandas. They arrived after a Mammoth 8000 Kilometre Journey from china. The two bears will now spend the next 15 years at a zoo in the east of the country, where a special facility has been built for them. It is Fairto Facility has been built for them. It is fair to say the entire country is in the grip of panda mania, but the public will have to wait to catch a glimpse of the animals. There will 110w glimpse of the animals. There will now be kept in quarantine for up to the next six weeks. The moment we get the first images we will bring them to you. And for watching. Thanks for watching. Good morning. It looks like it will be on the cool side for the easter weekend. More on that in a moment. Cooler air at the moment behind this very Wea K Cooler Air at the moment behind this very weak Weather Front that moved down across the country. This north westerly airflow. Chilly first thing in Eastern Scotland and eastern england, but with the cloud more broken temperatures in the countryside briefly not far from freezing. At least we have early sunshine through lincolnshire, east anglia and the south east. The tendency through the day is to increase the cloud from the west. Thats already happening in South West England, across wales and in the North West Cloud is thick enough for some light rain or drizzle, mainly over the hills. Find the beast of the pennines. As it will be in Eastern Scotland, with sunshine. Western scotland is dull and damp. Sunshine for Northern Ireland as well. Through the day it clouds over a across the eastern side of england and scotland. At the same time in the afternoon we open up same time in the afternoon we open upa gap same time in the afternoon we open up a gap in the cloud across south wales, South West England and that should push into the south east. Here we have most of the sunshine in the afternoon and the highest temperatures still only 13 1a. Furthermore the lot of places dry. Around the Western Hills primarily we get the damp weather. 0ver around the Western Hills primarily we get the damp weather. Over the Easter Weekend Temperatures disappointing for the time of year. Warm when the sun is out on the whole they will be a lot of cloud. Probably not much rain around. Just a bita probably not much rain around. Just a bit a nuisance. These Weather Systems coming into the uk for good friday are going to be very much on the weak side. But across england and wales we will have a lot of cloud. There will be some pockets of light rain or drizzle here and there. No great amounts. A damp picture was south wales and South West England. To the north of northern england, scotland and Northern Ireland, something brighter, but also showers. A strong wind will make it feel chilly in scotland. 60 minutes south east if we are very lucky. Those Weather Systems pull away and we are back into the cooler north westerly airflow. We fluctuate from one day to the next over the easter weekend. 0n to the next over the easter weekend. On saturday, easter saturday, much drier and brighter. Most places have a fine day. A little sunshine at times, not doing an awful lot for temperatures. There could be showers in the north of scotland. Then we are back into the fluctuation for easter day. More Weather Fronts arriving across the uk. High pressure in the south. Those Weather Fronts again are fairly weak. Most of the rain over the hills, across scotland, Northern Ireland and northern england. To the south, it should be dry and bright. 15 perhaps in london, nine in glasgow. Hello. This is bbc world news. The top stories up to russia and the us have failed to resolve their differences over the future of syria despite hours of talks in moscow. Us Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson spent nearly two hours of talks Behind Closed Doors with president putin. Afterwards, he said the level of distrust between the two superpowers could not continue. Donald trump has entered a process to talk about north korea with china. He said he forged a Good Chemistry with xi jinping at their recent meeting in florida. And this story is proving popular on bbc. Com. Because inside these rather non descript crates is a consignment of pandas destined for a new home, The Netherlands, after a mass on a Dozen Kilometre Journey from china. Massive 15,000 kilometre. They will spend the next five years in their new home