Of all women in europe have been physically or sexually abused. The most e tensive survey of its kind also reveals one in 20 women say theyve been raped. The smog thats choking china, the countrys Prime Minister blames it on inefficient and blind development. Also in the program, aaron is here looking at more of those challenges facing beijing. Its all about steering the worlds second largest economy in the right direction. Leaders are talking a leaner, cleaner growth tackling everything from smoke to corruption. Beijing is also throwing more money at its military making the Chinese Defense budget now the second biggest in the world. Good to have you with us here on gmt. Midday in london, 7 00 a. M. In london, 1 00 p. M. In paris where a facetoface meeting between russias foreign minister and the american secretary of state is due to begin shortly. It should be a critically important rendezvous in the effort to bring some calm to the situation in ukraine. Already the paris gathering looks fragile to say the least as initial hopes of a russia and ukrainian meeting has been dashed. The u. S. Accused russia of an act of aggression. Mr. Lavrov said moscow wasnt in direct control of those forces. Tim willcox is in the capital kiev. Lets go over to tim. Reporter thanks very much indeed. Youve joined me live on independence square. The demonstrators, the protest is have gone. Still people coming to lay flowers there at the shrines to those People Killed just under a fortnight ago. This particular student died, he was from kiev. What is striking, david, is all around this square there are shrines to people all over ukraine, not just kiev or the west of this country but also from the east and from crimea itself. This was a revolution the people say from the whole of ukraine wanting a better, cleaner future. The diplomatic activity is the main focus today in paris as you say, u. S. Secretary of state john kerry meeting russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov. Lets catch up on all the developments and just before we do that, mention that financially this country is in huge difficulties. We heard about the americans, washington offering 1 billion in loan guarantees. We also heard the European Commission saying they will be offering 11 billion euros over the next two years. The financial side being addressed by the International Community as well as the military standoff in crimea. This report by nick chiles. Reporter the diplomatic big guns have been gathering in paris for the biggest diplomatic push yet to try to defuse the ukraine crisis and the deep freeze in eastwest relations. For the west, the key question, will moscow accept a direct dialogue with the knew ukrainian authorities. The Prime Minister and president obama have both made clear that there must be significant costs to russia of violating its International Obligations in this way. Now, of course, we would much prefer to make diplomatic progress, but in the absence of that progress, there will be costs to russia. Reporter but in spain on his way to paris, the Russian Foreign minister underlined again the perceptions over the crisis rejecting the direct criticism of moscow, but also possibly offering a glimmer of hope. Translator as our president said we will do everything not to let any bloodshed, not to any attempt at life and security of those who live in the ukraine including, of course, the citizens of the russian federation. Reporter if there is no meeting of diplomatic minds on the ukraine crisis t wests options for leaning further on moscow look limited. They could include travel bans on russian officials, a squeeze on economic links and moves to isolate moscow diplomatically like turning the g8 group back into the g7 excluding russia. There are differences across the atlantic and in europe on what to do. The americans have talked toughest on targeted sanctions. France has important military contracts with russia. Germany is nervous about russian gas imports. Britain and others are worried about the economic clout of russian investments. In crimea itself, the signs are of russian and pro Russian Forces consolidating their grip. Even if a diplomatic dialogue takes hold, will it simply be to prevent a further escalation of events or see these Russian Forces withdraw. Nick chiles, bbc news. Reporter the National Anthem being sung again here on independence square. Lets turn our attention now to what is happening in crimea. Sergei lavrov was saying the russian protesters there were not Russian Military but were selfdefense militia, not answerable to moscow itself. Ben brown has been having a look around crimea to see exactly who these forces are. Reporter weve come to the Ukrainian Naval headquarters here where there are volunteers from the self start Russian Defense force effectively besieging this base, along with unidentified russian soldiers as well. They wont even let us go from here the few yards to those gates to try to talk to or to interview the Ukrainian Naval staff who are inside there. [ speaking Foreign Language ] reporter at first they didnt want us to film. A Russian Cossack pushed his whip into our camera. Then he did agree to give us his point of view. The commanders came and told us theyre loyal to the people seized power in kiev. Here in crimea, we think Viktor Yanukovych is the legitimate president. Behind the gates, the naval personnel here are refusing to switch allegiances, however much pressure they come under. Their wives arrive to bring them food and fresh clothes, but the russians laying siege to this base refused to let them deliver their supplies. A retired naval commander who is pro ukrainian told me it is tense but peaceful. Only one way, this is the peaceful coexistence could be, peaceful coexistence. Thats it because its like a barrel with powder. But right now everyone can understand this war is not the case, the war is not the choice of people. Reporter no one doubts the very real dangers of this standoff, but its beginning to look like a stalemate that could last for quite some time. Here in the bay in sevastopol, reporter thats the situation in crimea the last few hours, focusing on paris. Just one line coming through as well. The osce, organization for security and cooperation in europe has announced its sending 35 monitors to ukraine. Lets go to paris and get more on these talks between Sergei Lavrov and u. S. Secretary of state john kerry. Hugh scoffield joins us. It had been hospital that the Ukraine Foreign minister would be involved as well. But thats not going to happen. Reporter we dont know. William hague, the British Foreign secretary was speaking about a half hour ago. He said one of the tests of the day would be to see if ukrainians and russians could start some dialogue. Obviously from William Hagues perspective, that would be a good thing. The implication that there is a chance of a hope that mr. Lavrov and the new Ukrainian Foreign minister might be brought together at least in the same room to start a dialogue. We have no knowledge if thats going to happen. It will be a pointer were it to happen that something positive, some kind of deescalation might be in train. One has to say as a big caveat that up to now, the russians, mr. Lavrov, have refused to recognize the government in kiev. It may well be that he simply says i dont recognize this person as a legitimate foreign minister so im not going to talk to him. Obviously, if that is the case, then the signs, the omens will not be good at all from paris. Hugh with the latest in paris, thank you very much indeed. But what is russias game plan here . It says its come to protect russian nationals from forces of the revolutionary government here who have over thrown the legitimately elected president. Lets go to moscow, we can spee to samuel char rob. What do you think is russias motivation here by sending forces into crimea . I think the jury is still out. You could explain whats happened using one of two frames, and i think either are equally valid at this point. One would be that russia is reacting to events and perceived events on the ground and that fundamentally its not driven by a strategic desire to carve up ukraine. Another would be to see the events as, in fact, just that, an implementation of a long planned either land grab or occupation or something in between. I think we just at this point, its too early to say. But events are consistent with either explanation. Reporter but is this following usual Russian Foreign policy in terms of territorial influence, bearing in mind that crimea is a semi autonomous region anyway . If you want to look to precedence, perhaps the war between russia and georgia in 2008 is a good one. Thats what makes these events particularly disturbing. In that case regardless of the proportionality of the russian response, there were russian citizens and soldiers killed. In this case you have nothing of the sort, and what even a plausible pretext for the invasion that weve seen doesnt exist. That is a very worrying sign. How fazed is president putin by the threat of sanctions and travel bans for key figures . I think what he said yesterday is that these sanctions are go both ways because there will be a response, and it will be unpleasant for those countries sanctioning russia, and i think he does believe that. The u. S. , which seems to be the most forward leaning on sanctions right now, i do think some pressure needs to be applied on russia to reverse what it has done thats my view. But i dont know that the sanctions that are on the table, particularly if theyre just unilateral coming from the u. S. Will have the desired effect. At the end of the day the u. S. Russia relationship especially in terms of trade and economics is just not as important to russia and whats happening in ukraine. Now, if the europeans were to join the u. S. In that effort it would be story altogether. Half of russias Foreign Trade is with europe. It depends on energy sales to europe for a large percentage of its state budget. It really depends on the the eu and u. S. Are acting together here or if the u. S. Is acting alone. Thank you very much indeed, reporting also that as far as europe is concerned, russia supplies a quarter of all its energy needs, the oil and gas supplies, a lot of it through ukrainian pipelines as well. We will be covering all the developments here of course in this huge country of ukraine, all around ukraine. Also those meetings in paris and those nato meetings with russian members as well in brussels a little later on today as well. All those developments, you can follow them on the bbc website, bbc. Com news, also twitter bbctimwillcoxs. Pope francis has strongly defended the record of the Catholic Church. In a rare interview with an italian newspaper, the pope said no one had done more to root out pedophil pedophilia. Last month it was claimed that they allowed systematic coverups. The bbcs Alan Johnston is in rome and joins us now. Particularly given the u. N. s recent remarks, this is pretty bold stuff, isnt it . Reporter it was a rebust defense of the catholics position. The remarks of the sex abuse scandal whats capturing attention here and around the world. The pope beginning by saying making very clear that the abuse cases were, as we hut it, horrible, that they left very profound scars. But he also said his predecessor, Pope Benedict, had been courageous in managing to change attitudes towards this issue within the church. He said Pope Benedict set apart to help lead the church out of it and the church had done a great deal, maybe even more than anyone, pope francis says. The Catholic Church is maybe the only Public Institution that moved with transparency and responsibility. No one else did more, francis says. Even sew the church is the only one that is attacked in stark contrast, as you said, to really strong criticism just last month from the u. N. Committee which said the vatican failed in many ways to address this major scandal in anything like a proper manner. Alan, thanks very much. Alan johnston in rome. Stay with us on bbc world news. Still to come in gmt, well get the latest on day three in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial. Told ya you could do it. dad vo i want her to be safe. So, i taught her what i could and got her a subaru. girl piece of cake. announcer love. Its what makes a subaru, a subaru. [ male announcer ] the rhythm of life. [ whistle blowing ] where do you hear that beat . Campbells healthy request soup lets you hear it in your heart. [ basketball bouncing ] heart healthy. [ mm. ] great taste. [ tapping ] sounds good. Campbells healthy request. Mm mm good. ® the third day of the murder trial of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has resumed in pretoria. Earlier the witness charl Peter Johnson was questioned by the defense lawyer mr. Roux. He suggested those two witnesses discussed their testimonies between themselves before giving evidence in court. My colleague karen giannone is live in pretoria. I noticed that First Episode was feisty. Its moved on to Oscar Pistoriuss history with guns really. Reporter it did. A fourth witness was called, david. A friend of Oscar Pistorius, kevin lerena, a boxer who had a meal with pistorius and friends in january 13. Thats when a gun was passed under the table, a loaded gun which accidentally went off. That is the other charge that we heard today, the witness was to do with that charge specifically. Obviously the prosecutions tactics here trying to show Oscar Pistorius as somebody with a history of irresponsibility, recklessness, gungho with guns, and that adding to the burden of evidence that they want to prove the case. Going back to how the day started, witness number three, you mentioned him charl Peter Johnson, the husband of the first witness who was undergoing such a grilling on days one and two, michelle berger. This is a little bit of what happened to him in court under cross examination by barry roux. You saw the gun being passed under the table. Well, the movements, the actions. I didnt see the gun. You heard what he said. One up, one up. What do you understand by one up . That theres one loaded into the chamber. People that carry guns i suppose carry one up. And what happened next . A shot went off. A shot went off in the restaurant and then there was complete silence. Once the shot went off, i looked down, i was in shock, and i looked down on the floor and exactly where my foot was stationary, there was like a hole in the floor. Reporter okay. Youll have realized listening to that that was kevin lerena, witness four relating to the firearms charge. Oscar pistorius is accused of discharge of a firearm in a public place, in a restaurant. Obviously the court was hearing from the first witness we mentioned, charl johnson, the neighbor of Oscar Pistorius. Now were waiting for witness five to take the stand. Theres just a witness over whether he can be identified or not. Well keep you up to date. The latest there from pretoria. Nothing new about smog hanging over the big cities of china, but maybe there is a new drive by the government to do something about it. The Prime Minister told delegates in the great hall of the people that the smog hanging over many cities was natures warning against inefficient and blind development. He was speaking at the start of the chinese parliaments annual congress in beijing. John sudworth is there. Reporter beijings annual gathering is about pomp, political theater and, to some extent at least, real policy. The session began with a silent tribute to the 29 People Killed in last weekends attack on the city of kuhn ming. China says separatist terrorists were to blame. The chinese premier set out his vision for the year ahead, one he said would be fraught with difficulty. Translator we must be keenly aware of the many difficulties and problems of our world ahead, the foundation for maintaining steady grow is not yet firm and the impetus for driving growth needs to be increased. Reporter to meet that challenge, he says china must continue on the path of economic reform. This year he said they would tackle government debt, further liberalize banking and Interest Rates and give urban residency rights to more migrant workers. And he promised action on a growing area of public concern, air pollution. China, he said, would reduce vehicle emissions and clean up its factories. Translator we would declare war against pollution and fight it with the same determination we fight poverty. We would change the way energy is produced and consumed. Reporter he also announced the proposed growth rate, 7. 5 , the same as last year. That will troublesome observers suggesting this economy is not yet ready to wean itself off big Infrastructure Spending and borrowed money. But no one in this Rubber Stamp Parliament is likely to criticize. The Peoples Congress has never voted against any proposal put forward by the government. In difficult economic times, the communist party needs to prove itself more adept than ever. Further reform is coming, but some wil