Man dies on North Sea diving trip

30 August 2013 Last updated at 16:35 ET

A man has died and another was injured on a diving trip in the North Sea off the Norfolk coast.

Seven people were thought to be on the boat during a dive which police described as "recreational rather than industrial".

Police met the dive boat as it returned to Hamilton Dock in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

One of the divers was airlifted to the James Paget Hospital at Gorleston at 15:30 BST but he died. His death is being treated as "unexplained".

A lifeboat brought a second diver ashore at Gorleston and he was also taken to the hospital.

Police, working with the coastguard and the Health and Safety Executive, said an investigation is under way.

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Obama 'respects' PM's Syria approach

30 August 2013 Last updated at 18:23 ET

US President Barack Obama has said he fully respects David Cameron's approach after Parliament blocked UK involvement in possible military action in Syria.

The men spoke by phone for 15 minutes, and the tone of the conversation was said to be friendly.

The UK prime minister reiterated he still wanted a strong response to the suspected chemical weapons attack.

According to Downing Street, Mr Obama said he had not yet decided what action the US would take over Syria.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister made clear that he strongly believes in the need for a tough and robust response to the appalling war crime committed by the Assad regime in Ghouta.

"The PM explained that he wanted to build a consensual approach in Britain for our response and that the government had accepted the clear view of the House against British military action.

"President Obama said he fully respected the PM's approach and that he had not yet taken a decision on the US response."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said US Secretary of State John Kerry had thanked him for the UK's "steadfast friendship", and they were united on ending the Syria conflict and use of chemical weapons.

The White House believes President Bashar al-Assad's regime was responsible for the chemical attack on 21 August which it says killed 1,429 people in the Ghouta suburb of Damascus - a figure far higher than previously reported.

"We know rockets came only from regime-controlled areas and landed only in opposition-held areas," Mr Kerry said earlier.

"All of these things we know, the American intelligence community has high confidence."

Ministers ruled out British involvement in any military action on Thursday evening after MPs blocked a government motion which called for military action if it was backed up by evidence from the UN weapons inspectors.

Despite the result of the vote, the US said it would continue to seek a coalition for military intervention, while France said the vote did not change its resolve about the need to act.

The president and prime minister agreed the US and UK would work closely together on a wider response to the Syrian crisis and try to find a solution.

Russia - which has close ties with the the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - welcomed the UK's rejection of a military strike, while Germany has ruled out participation in any action.

'Whole region' threatened

Meanwhile, Number 10 said it was "not too worried" by the absence of the UK from a roll call of allies in Mr Kerry's speech earlier.

Mr Kerry made a point of describing France as America's "oldest ally" while not mentioning the UK.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The president stressed his appreciation of his strong friendship with the prime minister and of the strength, durability and depth of the special relationship between our two countries. They agreed that their co-operation on international issues would continue in the future."

Mr Cameron said in an interview on Friday it was a "regret" that he had been unable to build a consensus on the response to the suspected chemical weapons attack.

However, he insisted the UK remained "deeply engaged" on the world stage.

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Ian Pannell: The victims "arrived like the walking dead"

The inspectors have finished their investigation and are expected to deliver their preliminary findings to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon on Saturday.

Meanwhile in Syria, the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen said he had spoken to people inside President Assad's administration who were "cock-a-hoop" at the UK vote. "They believe it counts as a victory for them," he added.

"We will defend ourselves," Dr Bassam Abu Abdullah from the Syrian Information Ministry said, warning of danger "not only on the Syrian people but... the whole region" if the US decided to attack.

But Mr Cameron vowed to "continue to take a case to the United Nations", adding: "We will continue to work in all the organisations we are members of - whether the EU, or Nato, or the G8 or the G20 - to condemn what's happened in Syria.

"It's important we uphold the international taboo on the use of chemical weapons."

There had been suggestions from ministers, including Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond, that Britain's rejection of military action would harm its relationship with the US.

Mr Hammond warned against the vote allowing Britain to "turn into a country that prefers to turn its back".

"We must stay engaged with the world," he told the BBC.

In other developments:

• The BBC witnessed the aftermath of an incendiary bomb attack on a school playground in northern Syria which left scores of children with napalm-like burns
• The US said it would act in its "best interests" in dealing with the Syria crisis, following UK rejection of military intervention
• French President Francois Hollande said all options were being considered, and has not ruled out a strike within days
• UN weapons inspectors visited a hospital in a government-controlled area of Damascus
• The Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Lebanon because of a "heightened risk of anti-Western sentiment" linked to the possibility of military action in Syria. The BBC understands that the families of British diplomats are being evacuated
• Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans - architect of the so-called "responsibility to protect" doctrine - accused the UK of "making things up as it goes along". He blamed the government's "mishandling of the politics" for what he said was a "disappointing" vote against intervention
• The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said there was "no doubt" President Assad's forces carried out the chemical attack

Labour leader Ed Miliband told the BBC: "I think ill thought-through military action would have made life worse, not better, for the Syrian people."

He accused the government of not learning the lessons of Iraq, adding MPs had "sent a message" that British forces would not be deployed "without going through the United Nations and without ensuring we have regard to the consequences in the region".

Earlier he said Mr Cameron was guilty of "reckless and impulsive leadership".

And the prime minister faced criticism from his own side, with former shadow home secretary David Davis accusing him of making a "shaky argument" for intervention.

"There was feeling of rushing to action," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme. "It's more important to get this right than to do it on a 10-day timetable".

Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown has been critical of the decision to not take part in military action, saying the UK was "hugely diminished".

More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died since the conflict erupted in March 2011 and at least 1.7 million refugees displaced.

The violence began when anti-government protests during the Arab Spring uprisings were met with a brutal response by the Syrian security forces.

President Assad's regime has blamed foreign involvement and armed gangs for the conflict.

How could a potential strike be launched? Forces which could be used against Syria:

• Four US destroyers - USS Gravely, USS Ramage, USS Barry and USS Mahan - are in the eastern Mediterranean, equipped with cruise missiles. The missiles can also be fired from submarines, but the US Navy does not reveal their locations

• Airbases at Incirlik and Izmir in Turkey, and in Jordan, could be used to carry out strikes

• Two aircraft carriers - USS Nimitz and USS Harry S Truman are in the wider region

• French aircraft carrierCharles de Gaulle is currently in Toulon in the western Mediterranean

• French Raffale and Mirage aircraft can also operate from Al-Dhahra airbase in the UAE

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Doctor criticises Miliband on Syria

30 August 2013 Last updated at 23:47 ET

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Dr Rola from Hand In Hand For Syria: "I'd like to invite Ed Miliband and his family... to spend a day in one of the civilian areas under constant shelling"

A doctor has criticised Ed Miliband for his role in Parliament rejecting the principle of Britain taking part in a military strike against Syria.

The doctor, from the charity Hand in Hand for Syria, is known as Dr Rola.

She treated victims of a suspected napalm attack on a school in northern Syria earlier this week.

Dr Rola told the BBC's Newsnight she would invite Mr Miliband and his family to spend time in Syria to experience the horrors suffered by its people.

The UK opposition leader's office said it had not seen the Newsnight interview but said the Labour leader had made clear that finding a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis should be at the top of the agenda at next week's G20 summit.

'No medication'

Dr Rola said: "I'd like him to spend a day in one of the civilian areas under constant shelling, watching the warplanes above us throw all sorts of weapons on to civilians, and fear for the safety of his family.

"Spend just one day and one night in a tent in one of the camps where the homeless now live and drink sewage water, and try his luck with typhoid fever and no medication."

Labour shadow cabinet member Diane Abbott responded to Dr Rola on Newsnight.

She said: "To say that MPs refused to give Cameron a mandate for bombing this weekend means that we don't care, that we don't think the scenes are horrific, is to misunderstand.

"We debated this for eight long hours and there was a consensus, even among people who voted for Cameron, that bombing the Syrians this weekend would not help matters."

Senior politicians at Westminster have been trying to limit the diplomatic fallout from Parliament's decision not to sanction British involvement in any military intervention.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has spoken by telephone to US President Barack Obama to stress Britain's support for a "firm response" on Syria.

Mr Miliband has insisted that he remains committed to the "special relationship" between the UK and the US.

Mr Obama said he fully respected Mr Cameron's approach, when they spoke during a 15-minute phone call on Friday. The tone of the conversation was said to be friendly.

Motion blocked

The White House believes President Bashar al-Assad's regime was responsible for the chemical attack on 21 August which the US says killed 1,429 people in the Ghouta suburb of Damascus.

UK ministers ruled out British involvement in any military action after MPs blocked a government motion calling for military action if it was backed up by evidence from UN weapons inspectors.

The US said it would continue to seek a coalition for military intervention and France said its resolve about the need to act was not changed by the UK vote.

More than 100,000 people are estimated to have died and at least 1.7 million refugees displaced since the conflict in Syria erupted in March 2011.

The violence began when anti-government protests during the Arab Spring uprisings were met with a brutal response by the Syrian security forces.

President Assad's regime has blamed foreign involvement and armed gangs for the conflict.

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Woman in court over girl's murder

31 August 2013 Last updated at 00:55 ET

A 34-year-old woman is to appear in court charged with the murder of an eight-year-old girl who died at a block of flats in east London.

The woman, believed to be the child's mother, was arrested at a property in Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, at 11:38 BST on Thursday.

She will appear at Barking Magistrates' Court later, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Results of a post-mortem examination on the child are yet to be announced.

The woman was treated at Queen's Hospital in Romford for minor injuries after paramedics were called to the scene.

Ambulance crews were responding to a report of an injured child.

Scotland Yard said the death is being investigated by the Met's homicide and major crime command.

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'Sharp rise' in sexual abuse calls

31 August 2013 Last updated at 03:01 ET

A children's charity has said it has seen a sharp rise in the number of reported cases of sexual abuse.

The NSPCC said calls to its 24-hour advice line in June and July were nearly twice as high as in 2012.

The organisation put it down to a heightened state of awareness of the problem of child abuse following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

People now seemed to be better equipped and more confident in reporting their concerns, it added.

The NSPCC said more people were using its helpline, 11 months since the allegations against Savile first emerged.

During June and July there were 594 referrals to the NSPCC's call centre compared with 323 at the same time the previous year - an 84% increase.

All of these cases were passed on to police and social services.

The charity put the increase down to a heightened awareness of child sex offences and said the Savile scandal had changed the way the public reacted to abuse.

John Cameron, head of the helpline, said: "The number of calls we took this summer was significantly higher than last year.

"There appears to be a clear shift and the public now seem better equipped and more confident to report their concerns.

"It's very encouraging to see that adults, including those who don't have direct responsibility for children, take action if they think a child is at risk.

"The Savile scandal has shocked the nation but has also increased public awareness of how difficult it is for children to speak out and how crucial it is for adults to report any suspicions or concerns they have straight away."

Mr Cameron also told Radio 4's Today programme in addition to people taking more responsibility, they also had a greater degree of confidence in children's services and the police.

He said 99.9% of calls to the NSPCC were from people with "genuine concerns" and it was "very rare indeed" for people to misuse the service.

Revelations which surfaced late last year of alleged abuse by Savile over 50 years prompted hundreds of people to come forward who gave accounts of abuse by him and others.

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UK recovery 'gathering momentum'

29 August 2013 Last updated at 19:06 ET

The British Chambers of Commerce has sharply upped its 2013 growth forecast, saying the economy is gaining momentum.

The business lobby group now expects 1.3% growth this year, up from 0.9%. Its forecasts for the next two years were upped to 2.2% and 2.5%.

But the BCC also warned of overseas risks to the more positive outlook, notably those posed by the eurozone, the Middle East and China's slowdown.

"Unfortunately the recovery is not yet secure," said BCC head John Longworth.

"We have had false dawns in recent years and although this upturn appears to be on stronger ground, we must be aware that complacency could lead to setbacks," the organisation's director general said.

Continue reading the main story

The services-led upturn that has become increasingly evident in recent months comes after two and a half years in which the economy almost completely stagnated.

'Austerity until 2019'

The BCC said it expected the unemployment rate, currently 7.8%, to fall to 7.5% of the workforce by the autumn of next year and to reach 7% by the end of 2015.

The 7% figure is particularly important as the Bank of England has said it would not raise interest rates until unemployment falls below it - something that the BCC now expects to happen nine months earlier than the Bank's own Monetary Policy Committee does.

The MPC received praise for its recent adoption of "forward guidance" - providing explicit advance warning of when interest rates might rise - which the BCC said helped provide businesses with more confidence to plan and invest.

The lobby group said the government could do more to support the recovery by improving the access for fast-growth business to loans, providing financial support to the building of new infrastructure and by helping exporters gain access to foreign markets.

The BCC's chief economist David Kern said Britain's export sector was already doing better than many realised, with the long-term trade deficit having halved in the last three years, thanks in large part to the sale of services overseas.

"While we would like to see more growth coming from investment and net trade, we should not be too concerned that consumer spending is helping to drive the recovery. It is better to rely initially on the consumer than to have no growth at all."

However, he cautioned that the government's mastering of its finances continues to be a "long and painful process".

"Tax receipts are inadequate as a result of sharp falls in oil and gas reserves and cuts in current spending will be needed until 2019 at the earliest."

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Apprenticeship demand up by a third

30 August 2013 Last updated at 02:44 ET

Online applications for apprenticeships in the UK have risen almost a third, according to data released by the National Apprenticeship Service.

More than 1.4 million applications were made during the 12 months to the end of July, up 32% compared with last year.

Demand far outstripped supply, with an average of 11 applicants for each of the 129,000 vacancies posted online.

Live event promotion was the most popular job area, with 35 applicants per vacancy.

Vacancies in plumbing and heating were the next most popular, with 33 applicants for each apprenticeship.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: "We want to see it become the norm that young people either go to university or into an apprenticeship.

"To match the growing popularity of apprenticeships, I would urge more employers to consider how hiring an apprentice could benefit their business."

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Briton's death sentence appeal fails

30 August 2013 Last updated at 03:33 ET

A British woman sentenced to death for drug trafficking in the island of Bali has had her appeal rejected.

An Indonesian Supreme Court spokesman said it would not overturn the sentence handed down by two lower courts on 57-year-old Lindsay Sandiford, of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

Sandiford was sentenced to death by firing squad in January for smuggling 4.8kg (10.6lb) of cocaine.

The UK Foreign Office said it would continue to support her and her family.

'Right decision'

The BBC's Karishma Vaswani, in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, said three judges on the Supreme Court panel rejected the appeal because it judged the district court and the high court had made the "right decision".

The court spokesman said Sandiford's lawyer had yet to be informed of the decision.

Our correspondent added Sandiford still had the option to file a judicial review - but only if she could present new evidence or show the judges in her case were negligent.

Following the verdict the Foreign Office reiterated its "strong opposition" to the death penalty.

"We will consider how to support any application for judicial review or clemency that Lindsay Sandiford chooses to make," it said in a statement.

"We will continue to provide consular assistance to Lindsay Sandiford and her family at this difficult time."

The FCO added that it would continue to make representations to the Indonesian government about the case.

'Drug smuggling ring'

The Indonesian authorities said Sandiford was at the centre of a drug smuggling ring that brought cocaine into the island of Bali from the Thai capital Bangkok in May 2012.

Following her conviction, the prosecution recommended 15 years imprisonment but a panel of judges later sentenced Sandiford to death.

Continue reading the main story

• May 2012: Arrest in Bali
• December 2012: Convicted by district court
• January 2013: Sentenced to death
• April 2013: High Court rejects first appeal
• August 2013: Supreme Court rejects second appeal

Sandiford, originally from Redcar in Teesside, had claimed she was coerced into carrying £1.6m ($2.5m) of cocaine found in the lining of her suitcase during a routine customs check at Bali's airport.

She has since raised more than £10,000 in public donations to fund her court costs.

Sandiford's case had been taken up by the British human rights charity Reprieve, which said she was targeted by drug traffickers who "exploited her vulnerability and made threats against her children".

Three other Britons and an Indian national connected to the case were jailed for terms ranging from one to six years.

One of the defendants - 39-year-old Rachel Dougall from Brighton - was released in May after serving a year in an Indonesian jail.

Her partner, 43-year-old Julian Ponder, and another Briton, Paul Beales, were sentenced to six and four years respectively.

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MPs' vote halts UK action over Syria

30 August 2013 Last updated at 04:14 ET

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David Cameron: "It is clear to me that the British parliament... does not want to see British military action"

MPs have rejected possible UK military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to deter the use of chemical weapons.

David Cameron said he would respect the defeat of a government motion by 285-272, ruling out joining US-led strikes.

The US said it would "continue to consult" with the UK, "one of our closest allies and friends".

Labour's Ed Miliband said US-UK ties could not simply be about doing what the American president says he wants.

The prime minister's call for a military response in Syria followed a suspected chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of the capital Damascus on 21 August, in which hundreds of people are reported to have died.

The US and UK say the Assad government was behind the attack - a claim denied by Damascus, which blames the rebels.

Assad said Syria would defend itself against any aggression.

Continue reading the main story

Backbenchers, and the opposition - not the prime minister - set Britain's foreign policy tonight.

Put more kindly, Parliament expressed its will and the PM listened.

However you think it through, it will take some explaining, not least to the Americans.

People at home and abroad will ask: who is in charge?

Many at Westminster will, of course, be obsessed by what this means in a place where weakness is a sin.

Others will wonder about the consequences for the people of Syria and the Middle East.

And Britain - a country that has agonised about its role in the world since the Suez crisis - will ask whether it might no longer be a nation that intervenes.

'Harm relationship'

The UK government's motion was in support of military action in Syria if it was backed up by evidence from United Nations weapons inspectors, who are investigating the attack.

They are due to finish their work on Friday and give their preliminary findings to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the weekend.

After the vote Prime Minster David Cameron said it was clear Parliament did not want action and "the government will act accordingly".

Chancellor George Osborne told Radio 4's Today programme there would now be "national soul searching about our role in the world".

He added: "I hope this doesn't become a moment when we turn our back on all of the world's problems."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond had told BBC's Newsnight programme that he and the prime minister were "disappointed" with the result, saying it would harm Britain's "special relationship" with Washington.

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Ian Pannell: The victims "arrived like the walking dead"

But he said he did not expect Britain's decision to "stop any action" by other countries.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the result meant military action was "off the agenda", and added that MPs had reacted against the prime minister's "cavalier and reckless" leadership.

"I think today the House of Commons spoke for the British people who said they did not want a rush to war," he said.

Mr Miliband said Britain's relationship with the US "cannot simply be about doing what the American president says he wants you to do".

PM 'diminished'

Thirty Conservative and nine Liberal Democrat MPs voted against the government's motion.

The defeat comes as a potential blow to the authority of Mr Cameron, who had already watered down a government motion proposing military action, in response to Labour's demands for more evidence of President Assad's guilt.

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The moment when it was announced the government's motion had been defeated

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the prime minister had now lost control of his own foreign and defence policy, and as a result he will cut a diminished figure on the international stage.

He added that some strong advocates of the transatlantic relationship were worried that America may now question the value and reliability of Britain as an ally.

During the debate, Labour had seen its own amendment - calling for "compelling" evidence that the regime was responsible for chemical attacks - rejected by MPs by 114 votes.

But, unexpectedly, MPs also rejected the government's motion.

Labour's shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said the government defeat was down to the "fatally flawed" case put to MPs by Mr Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, claiming the pair's credibility was now diminished.

'The system works'

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said so many of Mr Cameron's own MPs had voted with Labour because they were now "unwilling to take him at his word".

Conservative rebel Douglas Carswell said: "There is not now going to be British military involvement in Syria, but that is a good thing; the system works."

The result of the vote was condemned, though, by former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown who tweeted that in "50 years trying to serve my country I have never felt so depressed [or] ashamed".

In other developments:

In a statement, the White House said President Obama believed "that there are core interests at stake for the United States and that countries who violate international norms regarding chemical weapons need to be held accountable".

Obama administration officials on Thursday told a group of US lawmakers in a conference call that it was "beyond a doubt that chemical weapons were used, and used intentionally by the Assad regime," said Eliot Engel, the senior Democratic member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel said: "The British have been very strong in condemning the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons and that vote in the parliament doesn't change that and that's a very significant position for any nation to take publicly.

"We'll continue to work with Britain and consult with Britain as we are with all our allies."

Earlier on Thursday, the five permanent UN Security Council members - the US, UK, France, Russia and China - held a short meeting, but diplomats said their views remained "far apart".

One diplomat told the BBC that there had been "no meeting of minds", with Russia and China on one side, and the US, UK and France on the other.

Meanwhile, Mr Assad told a group of Yemeni MPs on Thursday that Syria would defend itself against any aggression, according to Syria's Sana news agency.

"Syria, with its steadfast people and brave army, will continue eliminating terrorism, which is utilised by Israel and Western countries to serve their interests in fragmenting the region," he said.

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Soldier dies during moors training

30 August 2013 Last updated at 04:32 ET

A soldier has collapsed and died while on a training run on moorland in North Yorkshire.

The 26-year-old, who has not been named, was pronounced dead on Barden Moor, Leyburn, on Wednesday morning.

North Yorkshire Police said the soldier's family had been informed of his death.

A spokesman said: "Officers are working with the Army to establish the full circumstances surrounding the death, which is not suspicious."

The Army has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The soldier's collapse follows the deaths of three reservists in the Brecon Beacons in Wales.

The three men were on an SAS selection training course when temperatures reached 30C in July.

Conditions in North Yorkshire were much cooler on Wednesday, about 17C, with a slight breeze.

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Vodafone and O2 launch 4G networks

28 August 2013 Last updated at 19:07 ET By Joe Miller BBC News

Mobile networks Vodafone and O2 are rolling out their first 4G data services in three UK cities.

The networks will compete against EE, which has been the only company to offer "super-fast" mobile data in the UK since October 2012.

Vodafone's 4G will initially be limited to parts of London, while O2 will launch in London, Leeds and Bradford.

One analyst said this indicated the networks were "soft-pedalling" 4G and the UK could lag behind other nations.

Fourth-generation networks can provide data to smartphone users up to 10 times faster than standard 3G connections.

The US, Japan, Australia and South Korea have all widely adopted 4G, but mobile phone users in many parts of the UK may have to wait until the end of 2015 for comprehensive coverage.

Testing speeds

Continue reading the main story

Operators know they have to demonstrate what new 4G services mean immediately"

End Quote Stuart Orr Accenture

EE was the first UK network to offer a 4G service, and now covers 105 towns and cities.

The company's early 4G launch prompted protests by rival providers, which claimed it gave the firm an unfair advantage.

But Steven Hartley, principal analyst at telecoms consultancy Ovum, accused Vodafone and O2 of taking a "very conservative approach" to 4G, at the expense of consumers.

"The UK's mobile networks are hedging their bets with 4G," he told the BBC. "They are trying the same strategy they used when they rolled out 3G, which is to offer 4G as a premium service to consumers, in an effort to move them onto expensive phone tariffs."

Mr Hartley added that even EE "could have been more aggressive commercially" in their deployment of 4G.

A report earlier this month by industry regulator Ofcom found that UK consumers have a limited appetite for 4G, with almost a quarter of smartphone users saying they did not see the benefit of moving to the superfast network.

Ofcom sale

Three, the last major network to provide 4G, will launch its service in London, Birmingham and Manchester in December.

The company said it would offer 4G to its existing customers at no extra cost, and would offer unlimited data packages, although details of the tariffs are still unknown.

The race to provide 4G services has been ongoing since October 2012, when Ofcom, the industry regulator, allowed EE to re-license some of its existing bandwidth to provide 4G.

After an auction in February, Ofcom sold spectrum space to O2, Vodafone, Three and BT.

Spectrum gambles

The key difference between the 4G providers is the spectrum bands they bought for their services.

Bands on the lower end of the spectrum offer further-reaching signals, but can support fewer individual data users, whereas higher spectrum bands can deliver data to more people data but have a shorter reach.

There are three spectrum bandwidths available to networks looking to provide 4G services:

• The 800MHz band previously used for TV signals. This low frequency spectrum is best for providing long-distance 4G services, helping give access to the countryside, as well as offering superior indoor coverage.
• The 1.8GHz band, previously used for 2G and 3G networks, but can be reassigned for 4G.
• The 2.6GHz band, which had previously been used by operators of cord-free video cameras to send back footage of live events, including London's Olympic Games. The high frequency can deliver faster speeds across smaller distances, making it best suited for densely populated cities.

EE built its 4G network by re-appropriating some of the 1.8GHz spectrum bandwidth previously used for its 2G and 3G services. It has since bought space on both the 800Mhz and 2.6Ghz bands.

Vodafone paid the most for its spectrum bands, buying part of the 800Mhz and 2.6GHz bands for just over £790m.

O2 paid £550m for part of the 800MHz spectrum and Three paid £225m for other parts of the same band.

Limited appeal

Both Vodafone and O2 are offering added extras such as football highlights and streaming music to try and lure customers to their 4G contracts.

Stuart Orr, managing director of communications industry at Accenture, said these tactics showed 4G was not attractive enough as a standalone product.

"The move by Vodafone to package Sky Sports and Spotify in with its new 4G offering shows that operators know they have to demonstrate what new 4G services mean immediately for consumers and why they should pay more," he told the BBC.

All of the UK networks have pledged to widen their 4G offering within the next couple of years.

O2 said it would roll out 4G in a further 10 cities by the end of the year, while Vodafone plans to be in a further 12.

Three said its 4G would be available in 50 UK cities by the end of 2014.

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'Jury is out' on Paralympics legacy

28 August 2013 Last updated at 20:34 ET

One year on from the Paralympics, the event's legacy "hangs in the balance" as attitudes towards disabled people fail to improve, charities have warned.

Disability charity Scope called the Games' success a "breakthrough moment".

But 81% of disabled people questioned in a new poll say attitudes have not improved.

Scope also said disabled people were suffering due to cuts, but the government said it was improving benefits and increasing spending.

Scope's chairman Alice Maynard said the drive to change attitudes was at the heart of the Games' legacy.

At its closing ceremony in September 2012, International Paralympic Committee president Sir Philip Craven said: "These Games have changed us forever".

But Ms Maynard said "the jury is very much out" on whether disabled people's lives have improved since the Games.

As well as many disabled people feeling attitudes towards them had not improved, 22% of the 1,014 people surveyed by Opinium for Scope said they had actually got worse.

'Stripped away'

Ms Maynard said any progress was being undermined by a "crisis in living standards" among disabled people, and the "divisive myth that most people on benefits are skivers".

Continue reading the main story

We very consciously do not use the language of 'scroungers' and 'workshy'"

End Quote Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman

"If the government wants to make its legacy ambitions a reality - and make this country a better place for disabled people - it needs to tackle the crisis in social care, re-think its cuts to vital financial support and call a halt to benefits scrounger rhetoric," she said.

Scope said the government had "stripped away £28.3bn of financial support for disabled people" and said 600,000 were set to lose Disability Living Allowance and a further 100,000 were being "pushed out of the social are system", meaning they will no longer get day-to-day help.

The charity argues that current living standards, with many people turning to high-interest loans to pay for essentials, undermines involvement in sport and the community - a key part of the Games' planned legacy.

"If you don't have the support you need to get up, get washed and get out of the house; if you're struggling to pay the bills - it's a big ask to join a tennis club," Ms Maynard said.

Ian Macrae, editor of Disability Now, said the Paralympics had created a "bubble of hyper reality" for disabled people and real life "was never going to be like that again".

He added: "So now here we are with people under threat of losing their social housing homes, others left stranded on a work programme which doesn't work for them, people dreading the all-too-real eventuality of losing a disability benefit."

But gold medal winning Paralympian Richard Whitehead MBE said: "The 2012 Paralympics sent a powerful message that a disability shouldn't stop you from achieving your goals.

"We hopefully inspired disabled people. We hopefully made the public think differently about disability. For me it's not about looking back. We need to look forward."

Clare Pelham, chief executive of the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: "We need every day inclusion and good behaviour, not just Olympic and Paralympic inclusion."

A separate survey by the charity found that nearly a third of disabled people face intimidation or abuse due to their disability.

The survey of 1,014 disabled people also found that nearly 10% had been victims of crime in the last year.

Paralympic sprinter Ben Rushgrove, who won a bronze medal, said he felt attitudes to disabled people had improved since the Games, but he said it was "worrying" that disabled people continued to experience hostile behaviour.

'Outdated'

The Department for Work and Pensions said the UK was a "world leader" in supporting disabled people, spending £50bn a year on disabled people and their services.

A spokeswoman said the Paralympics had "undoubtedly helped shift attitudes", and the government was continuing work to improve the way disabled people are seen and treated.

On the benefit changes, she said the Personal Independence Payment, which is replacing the "outdated" Disability Living Allowance, would "better reflect today's understanding of disability".

The spokeswoman said overall spending in this area would increase from £12.5bn in 2009-10 to £13.8bn in 2015-16, and added that the number of people losing benefits would be 450,000 by 2018. The figure of 600,000 used by Scope included "notional losers who never get on the benefit in the first place", she added.

She went on: "We very consciously do not use the language of 'scroungers' and 'workshy' as it's clear that the system itself has trapped many people in a spiral of welfare dependency.

"That's why this government is making such a radical overhaul of the benefits system to ensure that everyone who needs help and support receives it."

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Murray through with late-night win

By Piers Newbery BBC Sport at Flushing Meadows

US OPEN

• Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York
• Date: 26 August - 9 September

Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, via the BBC iPlayer Radio app, BBC Sport website & BBC Sport app; updates on BBC Radio 5 live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website, app & mobile devices

Defending champion Andy Murray reached the second round of the US Open with less than an hour of the third day remaining as he beat France's Michael Llodra in Wednesday's night session.

The Briton, 26, completed a 6-2 6-4 6-3 victory at 11.33pm local time in New York (04:33 BST), and moves on to face Argentina's Leonardo Mayer on Friday.

Analysis

"Murray told us before the match that he 'wanted to play some good ball,' and he kept his word. Llodra was a very willing accomplice - his serve volley style and fabulous touch guarantee entertainment, and Murray knew he would provide a regular target to pick off at the net.

"The champion hit winners at will, offered up only five unforced errors, and the USTA got lucky with the evening weather. A 9.55pm start meant that one more cloudburst would have pushed Murray's match into day four; it was an unnecessary risk to take at a tournament not unaccustomed to weather problems in the second week."

The decision to schedule Murray among the late matches on day three had met with criticism, as it could leave him at a disadvantage compared to his leading rivals later in the tournament.

"It's nothing to do with me being defending champion, there were quite a few matches [still going on Wednesday evening]," Murray told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Anyone that knows sport knows that playing seven matches over 13 days is harder than playing seven matches over 15 days.

"You obviously get less time to recover and rest, but you deal with it, do all the recovery stuff and get as much sleep as possible. Now I'm in a routine of playing every other day, which you do at all the other Slams."

Unlike Wimbledon and the Australian Open, but in common with the French Open, the men's first-round matches are spread over three days rather than two at Flushing Meadows.

"The fact that they plan on playing the first round after three days is wrong," 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova told BBC Radio 5 live.

"We've had some women finish the first two rounds and Andy hasn't played his first-round match yet. That shouldn't happen."

Match stats

Murray		Llodra
Match time: 1 hr 38
3	Aces	2
0	Double faults	6
67%	1st serve %	63%
78%	1st serve win %	60%
65%	2nd serve win %	39%
34	Winners	24
5	Errors	29
6/8	Break points	1/2

Murray revealed afterwards that he had originally been asked whether he wanted to play on Tuesday or Wednesday, and chose Tuesday.

"Then we were put on Wednesday," he explained. "Again, that was fine, but it changed from Wednesday afternoon to Wednesday at night, and I don't know if that's ever happened here before, that a first-round match has been played at 10 o'clock on the third day. We were a bit surprised.

"I just wanted to get on and play the match. I've been here for 12 days practising and I just wanted to get on the court and play."

In the end, Murray just might be satisfied that he got the job done at all, as rain earlier in the day threatened to delay the first-round match until Thursday.

After doubling his Grand Slam tally at Wimbledon in July, the Scot's form had been below par in North America, and he arrived in New York nearly two weeks ago in preparation for his title defence.

It was not until 9.47pm that Murray stepped back onto the court where he won his first Grand Slam title last September, and he wasted little time once the action began.

The world number three was sharp from the outset against Llodra, producing a terrific backhand smash in a quick-fire rally at the net on his way to a 2-0 lead and breaking once again as he took the opening set in 26 minutes.

"TV scheduling plays a part but you should play the first round of the tournament and adapt it to TV. They do have that extra day on the tail end for the first time this year, but it's just not a good way to plan it - and then hope.

"It really throws off your rhythm. Some players play their first-round match on Monday and then don't play until Thursday. It's hard to get into a routine."

Llodra, a Grand Slam champion in doubles, was always likely to threaten at times on the fast surface, and the 33-year-old's serve-volley approach took him into a 3-0 lead in the second set.

Murray smiled to himself at the changeover, suggesting he was not overly worried, and he duly broke back with a cross-court forehand pass and again with a fizzing shot that dipped at Llodra's feet.

Five games in a row effectively sealed the set and such was his dominance that Murray went into the third having hit 19 winners and made only one unforced error.

A screamer of a backhand return flew past Llodra at the net to give Murray his fifth break of the night, and the helpless Frenchman even resorted, unsuccessfully, to serving underarm as he dropped serve one final time.

"It was a good start, I played well today," Murray added. "He's a very tricky opponent to play against, he's unpredictable.

"He's a fun guy to watch but he can be a bit of a nightmare to play against, so it's good that I got off to a good start, especially after waiting around all day."

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Co-op Group reports big banking loss

29 August 2013 Last updated at 04:30 ET

The Co-operative Group has reported heavy losses as a result of a huge write-down of assets at its troubled banking arm.

The group lost £559m in the first half of the year, having written off £496m of bad loans at Co-op Bank.

The bad loans relate mostly to Britannia Building Society, which merged with Co-op Bank in 2009.

The bank also faces a £1.5bn capital hole in its balance sheet, which regulators say it must fill.

Including the write-downs, Co-op Bank alone reported a total loss of £709m. The Co-op Group's food and other businesses reported profits.

The bad results were widely expected, but highlight the problems being faced by Co-op Group chief executive Euan Sutherland, who took over the role in May this year.

He said the results showed the "well-documented challenges" faced by the bank.

"My first few months in the role have been focused on putting in place the recovery plan for the bank," he said, but warned there were "no quick fixes".

Continue reading the main story

The scale of the loss incurred by Co-op Bank is reminiscent of the catastrophic problems suffered by its competitors in the bleak days of the 2008 banking crisis"

End Quote

Problems 'not new'

In June, the Co-op announced it had reached an agreement with the bank regulator, the Prudential Regulation Authority, to plug a £1.5bn capital hole in its balance sheet.

It includes a stock market listing, measures to raise money from bondholders and the sale of its insurance business, planned for 2014.

"The underlying issues in the results today are not new," said Co-op Bank's chief executive, Niall Booker.

"We are now clearly focused on improving the capital position of the Bank... [and] at the same time, we have continued to lend, maintaining our focus on supporting our loyal customers, both in retail and through our continued focus on lending to small and medium-sized businesses."

The capital shortfall came to light during Co-op Bank's attempts to buy more than 600 bank branches from the partially state-owned Lloyds Banking Group.

A deal was initially agreed in 2012, but fell through earlier this year. MPs are currently holding an inquiry into the circumstances of the collapsed deal.

Lloyds executives have already claimed they knew about the hole in Co-op's balance sheet months earlier.

Weeks later, rating agency Moody's downgraded Co-op's debt to junk status, citing concerns about its capital position.

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MPs debate Syria - but no action yet

29 August 2013 Last updated at 04:33 ET

MPs will debate military action in Syria in principle only, after the government dropped plans for an early vote on British intervention.

A Commons motion to be debated later states that a final vote on action should be held only after UN inspectors report on an alleged chemical attack.

The government will also publish legal advice on taking military action later.

Labour will push its amendment to a vote and has not yet decided whether to support the government motion.

The party has demanded "compelling evidence" that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime was responsible for last Wednesday's chemical attack near Damascus.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said he had not wanted a decision on military action to be made on an "artificial timetable" and it was important to "learn the lessons of Iraq", and give the UN inspectors time to present their evidence.

Continue reading the main story

The day after the government watered down plans for an early vote on military action in Syria, they still cannot be sure of Labour's support in tonight's Commons debate.

Labour is pushing ahead with its own amendment, which is slightly different to the government proposal - although the gap is significantly less than it appeared on Wednesday.

The biggest difference appears to be Labour's demand for "compelling evidence" that President Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack, before the UK gets involved in any military strike.

It means that Labour is not supporting the government at this stage because it wants MPs to back its proposal instead.

However we still don't know how the party will vote on the government's motion, which will be put to MPs after Labour's amendment.

Labour sources say it is "wait and see" on whether they will support the government if their amendment fails.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Miliband was able to claim a political victory and the government, even having backed down, could not be confident of getting sufficient MPs to vote for their motion.

Asked if ministers had backed down, Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was necessary to proceed "on a consensual basis" and said the prime minister recognised "the deep concerns in this country over what happened over Iraq".

On Wednesday, the UK presented the UN with a draft resolution authorising "necessary measures" to protect Syrian civilians.

The Syrian government has blamed opposition forces for the suspected chemical weapons attack in which hundreds of people are reported to have died.

US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday his country was certain the Assad regime was responsible - though he also said he had not made a decision on a military strike.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said the inspectors need four days to finish their investigation there.

This means a second parliamentary vote would probably not happen until at least early next week.

In other developments:

MPs will debate and vote on the government's motion, beginning on Thursday afternoon. The House of Lords will also debate the motion.

The government will publish legal advice from the attorney general and advice and findings from the joint intelligence committee later this morning.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the government was seeking "to make the case for a simple, limited response" to the use of chemical weapons, arguing it would be a "fateful decision" if the West did not act.

"It is much more likely that Assad will use chemical weapons more frequently, in a more widespread way if nothing happens," he said.

He denied the government was seeking a mandate for unlimited intervention in Syria's conflict.

The government motion states "this House deplores the use of chemical weapons" by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, and says a response "may, if necessary, require military action that is legal, proportionate and focused on saving lives by preventing and deterring further use of Syria's chemical weapons".

The motion also accuses the UN of a "failure" to deal with the Syrian crisis, but says the government believes "a United Nations process must be followed as far as possible to ensure the maximum legitimacy for any such action".

It says "the United Nations Security Council must have the opportunity immediately to consider" the inspectors' findings.

"Before any direct British involvement in such action a further vote of the House of Commons will take place," it adds.

'Government climb down'

Labour's amendment states it would "only support military action involving UK forces" if various conditions were met - including allowing weapons inspectors time to report to the UN Security Council.

When asked if the government had backed down in the face of Labour's opposition, Mr Hague said the motion "endorses the government's consistent approach" when it comes to taking action against the use of chemical weapons.

"But it also reflects the desire to proceed on a consensual basis, to ensure there is widespread support across the House of Commons and of course respect for the United Nations processes as well," he said.

The foreign secretary acknowledged that the US could go ahead with strikes against targets in Syria without the UK being involved.

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William Hague: ''It is important to proceed on a consensual basis''

Mr Cameron will open the Commons debate and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will close it.

A meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday discussed the UK's draft resolution and talks are expected to continue for several days.

The resolution condemns the use of chemical weapons and demands that the regime of President Assad cease to use such weapons.

The security council, which meets whenever peace is threatened, is made up of 15 members, including permanent members China, Russia, France, the US and the UK.

Previous efforts to secure action against President Assad have been vetoed by Russia and China.

Syria has accused the West of "inventing" excuses to launch a strike.

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Kidney checks 'would save lives'

27 August 2013 Last updated at 19:00 ET By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Hospital patients should have their kidneys checked to spot a potentially lethal condition affecting one in six of those admitted, say new guidelines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says the NHS in England could save at least 12,000 lives and millions of pounds a year if it follows its advice.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is almost entirely preventable but kills up to one in every four sufferers.

Good hydration is key, says NICE.

Basic checks

Healthcare professionals should be monitoring their patient's kidney function by checking they have enough to drink or have been given a fluid drip.

They should also keep close tabs on how much urine patients are passing and may want to order blood tests to help them spot early warning signs of dehydration.

And they should review the medication patients are on in case it is drying them out and making matters worse.

NICE is concerned that too often these simple checks do not happen.

A national inquiry back in 2009 found half of patients who died in hospitals in England and Wales from AKI had not received a good standard of care.

But NHS England says things have improved since then - there has been a big push to get best practice across the entire organisation.

Dr Mark Thomas, one of the experts who helped develop the guidelines, said: "Many hospitals and healthcare professionals have been doing an excellent job in watching out for acute kidney injury in their patients, but unfortunately this good practice is not seen everywhere.

"The NICE recommendations give the NHS clear advice to reduce the number of avoidable deaths through acute kidney injury."

Kidney function can deteriorate rapidly. Within a few hours the condition can become life-threatening.

Hospital patients can also make sure they are getting enough fluids and request a kidney check, says NICE.

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Boy, 12, dies in Cambridge river

28 August 2013 Last updated at 03:17 ET

A boy has died in a river in Cambridge.

The 12-year-old went into the River Cam at Lammas Land, near Fen Causeway, on Tuesday evening and emergency services were called when he failed to resurface.

The fire service and air ambulance were involved in the search, which lasted several hours before being scaled down at about 21:30 BST.

A police spokeswoman said the boy's body was found at about 03:00 BST.

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Two mortars found in Armagh alert

28 August 2013 Last updated at 03:44 ET By Gordon Adair BBC News NI

The BBC understands that two mortar-type devices have been found during a security alert in County Armagh.

The operation, involving the police and Army, started in Cullyhanna on Tuesday.

Police have not made any comment but the BBC understands that two mortar-type devices, pointed vertically, have been discovered in the area.

Houses on the Sheetrim Road have been evacuated. Searches are continuing as it is feared that a larger, main device may still be in the vicinity.

Army technical officers have been using sniffer dogs and metal detectors to search hedges and culverts.

A number of roads near the village have been closed for periods during the alert.

On Tuesday morning, the Bog Road and Lisleitrim Road were closed to traffic but both were reopened later in the day.

On Tuesday evening, the Sheetrim Road was closed at its junction with the Bog Road and Kiltybane Road.

Sinn Féin councillor Colman Burns said 11 families had to leave their homes on Sheetrim Road on Tuesday night and most had stayed with relatives in the area.

Mr Burns said local representatives were expecting an update on the operation from police at 09:00 GMT on Wednesday.

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England players issue Oval apology

The England team have apologised for their "inappropriate" behaviour in the aftermath of their Ashes triumph, after reports claimed some players urinated on the pitch at The Oval that evening.

The final Test finished as a draw as England wrapped up a 3-0 series win.

"We got carried away amongst the euphoria of winning such a prestigious series and accept some of our behaviour was inappropriate," a statement read.

Continue reading the main story

"The England cricket team would like to state that during our celebrations after winning the Ashes at no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC, the Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love"

England statement

"If that has caused any offence to anyone, we apologise."

England's Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad is set to face questions over the alleged unsavoury behaviour when he faces the media in Southampton on Wednesday, ahead of Thursday's first T20 international against Australia.

The statement continued: "The England cricket team would like to state that during our celebrations after winning the Ashes at no time was there any intention to disrespect Surrey CCC, the Oval or anyone else involved in the game we love.

"As a team we pride ourselves on respecting all things cricket including the opposition and the grounds we play at.

"We want to reassure people that it was a simple error of judgement more than anything else."

Writing in The Sun newspaper  on Tuesday, off-spinner Graeme Swann said of the incident: "We did go out to the middle of the pitch, all the lads, drinking beers, singing a few songs and enjoying each other's company.

"I think the call of nature might have come once or twice but it was nothing untoward.

"It was midnight, a private celebration in the middle of the pitch and the ground was dark."

Legendary former Australia spinner Shane Warne labelled the reported actions as "crass" and "arrogant", while, speaking in the Daily Telegraph,  UK Sports Minister Hugh Robertson added: "If it happened, it's not good behaviour."

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PM and Obama discuss Syria 'action'

28 August 2013 Last updated at 04:17 ET

David Cameron has discussed Syria with Barack Obama as Britain and the US consider intervention.

No 10 said the UK PM heard the "latest on US thinking" on the issue, ahead of a National Security Council meeting at midday and a Commons vote on Thursday.

Mr Cameron has yet to decide the nature of the UK's response, the No 10 spokesman said, but it would be "legal and specific" to the chemical attack.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned MPs not to rush any decision.

Justin Welby said the consequences of military action across the Muslim world were unpredictable with the potential impact on those not directly involved in fighting "beyond description and horrible".

The Syrian government has blamed opposition fighters for last Wednesday's alleged chemical attack near Damascus, which reportedly killed more than 300 people.

'Assad responsible'

The phone call between Mr Obama and Mr Cameron was the second since the alleged chemical attack.

Continue reading the main story

The aim is not regime change, according to Downing Street and the White House - but what they term "limited action" to show Syria and others that the use of chemical weapons will be punished.

With just under two million Syrian refugees already, one worry is that any military intervention could create even more. And targets will have to be chosen carefully ahead of any military action - which could, according to some sources, happen within days.

The West will have to be careful to avoid any civilian casualties.

And there is a real risk of retaliation - whether by the Syrian regime, or even one of its supporters. They include Russia and China - and Iran could also react. Retaliation could hit allies in the region or places such as Cyprus.

And another risk: that a military strike could help the opposition, who include elements linked to Al Qaeda - the very people the west doesn't want to have any access to chemical weapons.

A Downing Street spokesman said both leaders agreed they were "in no doubt that the Assad regime was responsible" for the chemical attack.

"Regime forces were carrying out a military operation to regain that area from the opposition at the time; and there is no evidence that the opposition has the capability to deliver such a chemical weapons attack," he said.

The NSC includes Defence Secretary Philip Hammond, Home Secretary Theresa May and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg among its members, and will also be attended by military and intelligence chiefs.

Meanwhile, the government is expected to publish the Commons motion for debate later, along with details on intelligence indicating the Assad regime was behind the attack.

The motion is expected to stress the need for "appropriate measures" to be taken in response to the use of chemical weapons by any country. Sources said it would not contain "a timetable for action" or specific military options.

It is understood Conservative MPs will be told to support the measures.

In other developments:

In analysis:

The US has said its forces are "ready to go" but former UK military chiefs warned a one-off missile strike could see the UK dragged into deeper action.

Admiral Lord West, a former first sea lord, said he was "extremely nervous" about any potential military intervention.

The Labour peer said the UK and US should show any evidence of a chemical attack to Russia and China, who have warned against intervention, to back up the case for action.

"Then we need to try and get a security council resolution. If the Russians and Chinese say 'Yes, it is clear it was done by them [the Syrian government]', then they would be in a very difficult position to vote against such a resolution. The most they could do is abstain," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

He said an attack would be "extremely dangerous" as it was hard to predict how the Assad regime might respond.

"You can do a surgical strike but you need to be clear what is your whole campaign plan, where do you go from there?" he said.

BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said any military strikes would probably focus on command centres believed to be involved in the use of chemical weapons.

She said cruise missiles could be launched from US ships in the Gulf or the Mediterranean, or Royal Navy vessels including submarine HMS Tireless.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said his party would "consider supporting international action", but only if it was legal and "specifically limited to deterring the future use of chemical weapons".

Opposition frontbencher Diane Abbott said she may resign as shadow health minister if Mr Miliband supported intervention.

"It's not clear that any such bombing would be legal. It's not at all clear that it would change Assad's evident determination to fight to the last Syrian. And the danger is that we get dragged into a civil war in the Middle East," she said.

The Stop the War Coalition called on the British public to oppose what it called "another disastrous military intervention". It is planning to hold a protest at Downing Street later.

Country	Forces available for Syria strike
US	Four destroyers - USS Gravely, USS Ramage, USS Barry and USS Mahan - are in the eastern Mediterranean, equipped with cruise missiles. Cruise missiles could also be launched from submarines. Airbases at Incirlik and Izmir in Turkey, and in Jordan, could be used to carry out strikes. Two aircraft carriers - USS Nimitz and USS Harry S Truman - are in the wider region.
UK	Cruise missiles could be launched from a British Trafalgar class submarine. HMS Tireless was reportedly sighted in Gibraltar at the weekend. The Royal Navy's response force task group - which includes helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious and frigates HMS Montrose and HMS Westminster - is in the region on a previously-scheduled deployment. RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus could also be used.
France	Aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is currently in Toulon in the western Mediterranean. Raffale and Mirage aircraft can also operate from Al-Dhahra airbase in the UAE.

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Businesses 'not convinced' by HS2

27 August 2013 Last updated at 03:00 ET

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The IoD's Director General describes HS2 as "one grand folly"

A leading business lobby group has called on the government to abandon its controversial high-speed rail project.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) said a survey of its members showed businesses were unconvinced by the economic case for HS2.

The IoD's director general, Simon Walker, described the project as "one grand folly".

In response the government said the HS2 project was forecast to generate billions in economic benefits.

HS2, which stands for High Speed Two, is intended to allow trains to run at 250mph (400km/h) from London to Birmingham from 2026, with branches to Manchester and Leeds via Sheffield planned by 2032.

The government says it expects the project to cost £42.6bn. But the Institute of Economic Affairs, a think tank, has suggested it could rise to more than £80bn.

The Department for Transport (DfT) also claims the project will generate £50bn in benefits to the UK economy, helping job creation and creating investment opportunities.

Continue reading the main story

It is time for the government to look at a thousand smaller projects instead of falling for one grand folly"

End Quote Simon Walker Director general, Institute of Directors

But the IoD said a survey of its members showed that just 27% felt the project represented good value for money.

Costs 'critical'

Some 70% said the scheme would have no impact on the productivity of their business.

Fewer than half (41%) rated HS2 as important to their business - that is down from 54% in a similar survey conducted in August 2011.

"Businesses up and down the country know value for money when they see it, and our research shows that they don't see it in the government's case for HS2," said Mr Walker.

"Overall there appears to be little enthusiasm amongst IoD members, not even in the regions where the benefits are supposed to be strongest.

"We agree with the need for key infrastructure spending, but the business case for HS2 simply is not there... it is time for the government to look at a thousand smaller projects instead of falling for one grand folly."

He added that the cost-benefit analysis was conducted before laptops and tablet computers became commonplace, and as a result suggested time spent on trains was wasted.

"The fact is more than half our members say they spend all of their time on trains working," Mr Walker told the BBC's Today programme. "For many of them it's as productive as the time they spend in the office."

HS2 has divided opinion, even among the business community. The British Chambers of Commerce, another business lobby group, said it remained supportive of the project, though a spokesperson told the BBC it was "critical" that costs were kept under control.

The CBI has also voiced lukewarm support. Director general John Cridland said it supported HS2 "in principle" but that "it must be demonstrably clear that the benefits outweigh the costs".

A DfT spokesman said the HS2 Growth Taskforce would "work with city and business leaders to ensure we are capitalising on every opportunity to help regeneration, job creation, investment opportunities and in building a skilled UK economy".

Without HS2, he said, "our existing rail network will be full by the mid-2020s at a cost to passengers and businesses up and down country".

'Building monuments'

The project has the backing of the major political parties, but is opposed by many backbench MPs.

Labour has placed a £50bn cap on the cost of the project.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said her party continued to support the project but its backing was conditional on costs being kept under control.

"I am not willing to see this project start draining money from other vital rail projects - it's got to be delivered within the current budget," she said.

"Nobody who is delivering it should be under any illusions that I will allow it to go up and up."

The IoD's survey included 1,323 members, surveyed online earlier this month.

Simon Walker said smaller infrastructure projects would do more to boost businesses and suggested HS2 was about political legacy as much as economic benefits.

"Politicians love building monuments to themselves," he told the BBC.

But Alison Munro, the chief executive of HS2 Ltd, the company charged with delivering the high-speed network, said HS2 was the only way to bring about a "transformational change".

"While smaller schemes may have higher benefit cost ratios, by their very nature they only make small improvements to capacity and often just move the bottleneck elsewhere on the network," she said.

"There is no other alternative that delivers the benefits of HS2."

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Search for black box in crash probe

27 August 2013 Last updated at 04:01 ET

Experts are using specialist sonar equipment to locate a key piece of evidence in the investigation into the Super Puma crash off Shetland.

Four people died when a helicopter carrying oil workers crash landed into the North Sea on Friday.

The fuselage was recovered on Sunday but the salvage team is still looking for the tail section, which contained the black box flight data recorder.

Industry representatives have agreed all Super Pumas should remain grounded.

Meanwhile, the fourth body has arrived in Aberdeen, after an overnight ferry sailing.

At a meeting of key offshore operators and contractors on Monday, contingency plans were discussed.

Helicopter operators are set to share aircraft and workers will also be transferred on and offshore by boat.

Oil giant Total has confirmed it has chartered four vessels to take workers to and from its platforms.

The crash on Friday killed three men and a woman.

They were Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland, Sarah Darnley, 45, from Elgin, Gary McCrossan, 59, from Inverness, and George Allison, 57, from Winchester.

They were among 18 people on board the Super Puma AS332 L2 as it flew from the Borgsten Dolphin rig to Sumburgh Airport in Shetland.

Two of the 14 people rescued remain in hospital.

It is hoped the information contained in the flight data recorder will help establish what caused the aircraft to suffer a catastrophic loss of power on approach to Sumburgh airport.

The salvage vessel Bibby Polaris remains at the crash site.

Speaking after the meeting in Aberdeen, Oil and Gas UK Chief Executive, Malcolm Webb, said a number of options were being considered to transport workers while the Super Pumas are out of service.

He added: "We will look at several things. We will look at sharing of aircraft, what can we do to make sure the capacity that is available to us is used as efficiently as we possibly can.

"We will look to see if there are any other aircraft around the world that could be brought in to the UK to assist and we will also look at marine transfers."

Duncan Trapp of CHC Helicopter, which operated the Super Puma, has promised the crash will be "painstakingly investigated".

He said: "We are fully supporting the early stages of the investigation into the incident and will continue to give our full co-operation to this process."

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Badger cull begins amid protests

27 August 2013 Last updated at 04:08 ET

A controversial badger cull in Somerset is under way despite protests, the National Farmers' Union has confirmed.

About 5,000 badgers are expected to be killed in controlled shootings over six weeks in Somerset and Gloucestershire, in an attempt to control TB in cattle.

Supporters say the cull is necessary to tackle bovine TB, which can be spread from infected badgers, but opponents say it is inhumane and ineffective.

Anti-cull campaigners staged a vigil overnight protesting against the cull.

It is understood the cull in Gloucestershire will start later this week.

In a letter to members, National Farmers' Union President Peter Kendall said: "I am writing to let you know that the first pilot badger control operations have begun.

"This is an important step not just for cattle farmers but for the whole farming industry.

"I know that many of you reading this will have suffered the misery of dealing with TB on farm - some of you for decades - and I hope now you will feel that something is finally being done to stem the cycle of infection between cattle and badgers.

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Jeremy Cooke reports on a night-time vigil amid the pilot cull

"I hope that when time shows that these culls have reduced TB in cattle - just as has happened in Ireland - that even more people will understand that while sad, these culls are absolutely necessary."

'Completely unscientific'

But an activist from Forthampton near Tewkesbury, who would only give her name as Lynne, said the cull was "utterly unacceptable" and described it as the "extermination of the badger on British soil".

Continue reading the main story

• Badgers are being shot by marksmen in the South West as part of measures to protect cattle from bovine tuberculosis (TB)
• Badgers are thought to pass on the disease to cattle through their urine, faeces or through droplet infection, in farmyards or in pastures
• However, the extent of their role in the spread of bovine TB is not clear since the cows can also pass on the disease
• Defra scientists estimate that culling badgers could reduce the number of new cases of TB in herds by 12% to 16% over nine years

"We're planning a call-out of the whole country and expect people from all walks of life to come down to do all that they can to save lives," she said.

"There will be a mix of both interfering with the cull and protest walks wearing fluorescent vests."

Lynne said she did not believe the cull represented the democratic point of view and that it was "completely unscientific".

"Whether domestic or wild, they have a right to live as much as we do," she said.

"When badgers flee the cull zone, infected badgers may go into free zones."

Following the NFU announcement, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "We know that despite the strict controls we already have in place, we won't get on top of this terrible disease until we start dealing with the infection in badgers as well as in cattle. That's the clear lesson from Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the USA.

"That is why these pilot culls are so important. We have to use every tool in the box because TB is so difficult to eradicate and it is spreading rapidly.

"If we had a workable vaccine we would use it.

"A vaccine is at least 10 years off."

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Owen Paterson MP: "It is pointless vaccinating existing diseased animals"

'Sensible policies'

Mr Paterson denied suggestions from anti-cull campaigners that the government was simply trying to appease the farming community.

"I've been looking at this since 2000 - and the bacterium spreads from animals to humans," he said.

"We're following successful and sensible policies in other countries.

"In the Republic of Ireland the disease was rocketing until they began to cull. Now there's a significant reduction in the disease.

"I want to end up with healthy cattle living alongside healthy wildlife."

Dominic Dyer, of Care for the Wild, which opposes the cull, said the badger population like any other would go through good and bad times.

"There's no scientific or economic justification for the cull and it may make the spread (of TB) worse not better.

"This is killing without protection - they're not even testing (the culled animals) for TB and they're only monitoring the cull of a small number.

"It's an absolute scandal."

Police officers were earlier sent to parts of Gloucestershire to "provide reassurance" after speculation the cull was imminent.

And Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan said his force had been preparing for the start of the cull for some time.

"There's been a good relationship between Avon and Somerset Constabulary and our neighbours Gloucestershire Police, as well as the Home Office and Defra," he said.

"It's their call not ours, but we understand we have a supporting role in ensuring that this democratically-elected government can push its programme forward... and similarly to ensure that people who want to protest within the law are able to do so."

The cull will involve the animals being shot in the open by marksmen using high-velocity rifles. The badgers will not be trapped in cages first.

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PM returns to deal with Syria crisis

27 August 2013 Last updated at 04:28 ET

David Cameron will consider a recall of Parliament when he returns to No 10 later to deal with the crisis in Syria.

He has cut short a holiday in Cornwall to co-ordinate a response to what the UK and US believe was a chemical weapons attack by the Syrian regime.

MPs from all parties have demanded they be consulted before any move to support military action is taken.

The suspected chemical attack took place on Wednesday near Damascus, and reportedly killed more than 300 people.

Syrian rebels say the regime carried out a chemical attack, but the government blames rebel forces - saying footage of the attack was "fabricated".

Mr Cameron is to chair a meeting of the National Security Council - attended by military and intelligence chiefs and senior ministers - on Wednesday to discuss potential responses.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, meanwhile, has cancelled a visit to Afghanistan.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Whitehall officials say no firm decision is likely to be taken on how Britain will respond to last week's alleged chemical attack in Syria until at least Wednesday.

That is when David Cameron will be chairing a session of the National Security Council, attended by military and intelligence chiefs and senior ministers. It follows intense consultations between London and Washington, with Downing Street keen to stress the two countries are acting in concert.

Any military response, if it's decided on, is most likely to be confined to a one-off or limited guided missile strikes on selected Syrian military targets using Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from US Navy warships stationed hundreds of miles away in the eastern Mediterranean.

US vessels there are reported to have about 400 such missiles onboard, while a Royal Navy submarine in the region can also carry cruise missiles.

But Russia, Syria and Iran have all issued strong warnings against any Western military action.

The Labour Party and several Conservative MPs have insisted the government must explain the objectives and legal basis for military action to Parliament before it happens.

Although the Commons voted on UK military intervention in Iraq in 2003 and Libya in 2011, there is no legal obligation for the government to get parliamentary approval before committing British forces.

The prime minister has the final say on deploying British troops in conflicts, using Royal Prerogative powers.

'Blank cheque'

Shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said it was right to consider all options but he was "not prepared to write the government a blank cheque" with regards to committing British forces.

He told BBC Breakfast the prime minister needed to bring Parliament back and set out his strategic objectives for any military action in Syria and MPs should be allowed to vote on this.

"Is it a broad objective of changing the civil war or trying to remove (President) Bashar al-Assad or is it a more limited objective of trying to degrade his capability to use these weapons with impunity?"

Downing Street said the government would decide "whether the timetable for our response means it will be necessary to recall MPs sooner than Monday", when they had been due to return to Westminster from their summer break.

More than 60 MPs have signed a parliamentary motion calling for the House of Commons to be recalled later this week.

Conservative MP Adam Holloway said Parliament must be consulted but he doubted whether MPs would sanction any military action, since intervention was not in the UK's national security interest and would be "pure foolishness".

"We must have a clear purpose to any military intervention," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. "It was ever thus."

The situation in Syria was not "clear cut", he added, and there were "appalling things going on on both sides."

'Firm response'

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

It could easily turn into a regional war with Lebanon, Israel and all the surrounding nations in this and then possibly a world war with China and Russia"

End Quote Paul Flynn Labour MP

It is understood the most likely military response to Wednesday's suspected chemical weapons attack would be a one-off or limited guided missile strikes on Syrian military targets fired from US Navy warships.

Mr Cameron has spoken to a number of foreign leaders over the bank holiday weekend, including US President Barack Obama and his French and German counterparts.

The prime minister and Mr Obama agreed the need for a "firm response" from the international community to the attack.

Downing Street said Mr Cameron had used a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to tell him there was "little doubt" a chemical weapons attack had been carried out by President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

But Mr Putin told him they had no evidence an attack had taken place or who was responsible, it said.

'Fabricated' footage

Russia, a key ally of Syria, has warned any intervention without a UN mandate would be "a grave violation of international law".

The UN Security Council is made up of 15 states, including five permanent members - China, Russia, France, the US and the UK - who have the power to veto any resolution.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has told the BBC it would be possible for the UK and its allies to respond without the UN's unanimous backing.

But Labour MP Paul Flynn warned that hasty action could see the conflict spread beyond Syria's borders.

"We have a very bitter, bloody civil war," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"It could easily turn into a regional war with Lebanon, Israel and all the surrounding nations in this and then possibly a world war with China and Russia."

UN chemical weapons inspectors visited five sites around Damascus on Monday.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Tony Blair has warned enduring controversy over the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 should not stop politicians from helping the Syrian people.

Avoiding military intervention could result in "a nightmare scenario" for the West in the Middle East, he wrote in the Times.

• 01:15: 21 August (10:15 GMT 20 Aug): Facebook pages of Syrian opposition report heavy fighting in rebel-held eastern districts of the Ghouta, the agricultural belt around Damascus
• 02:45: Opposition posts Facebook report of "chemical shelling" in Ein Tarma area of the Ghouta
• 02:47: Second opposition report says chemical weapons used in Zamalka area of the Ghouta
• Unverified video footage shows people being treated on pavements in the dark and in a makeshift hospital
• Reports say chemical weapons were used in Ghouta towns of Irbin, Jobar, Zamalka and Ein Tarma as well as in Muadhamiya to the west, but this is not confirmed
• Syrian government acknowledges military offensive in the Ghouta but denies chemical weapons use

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Former army colonel killed in Kenya

25 August 2013 Last updated at 17:59 ET

Police in Kenya are investigating the murder of a former British army colonel who was killed by an armed gang at his home near Nanyuki, Laikipia.

David Parkinson and his wife were attacked after the gang of suspected robbers, armed with machetes and a gun, smashed their way into the house in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

Mrs Parkinson escaped after hiding in a strong room.

Mr Parkinson, an ex-commander of a base in the area, managed a cattle ranch.

Senior investigating officer Marius Tum, of Laikipia East police, said about five gang members had gained entry to the house by smashing a glass door just before 01:00 local time on Sunday and found the couple sleeping.

During the ensuing confrontation, Mr Parkinson's hand was cut severely and he was fatally wounded, Mr Tum added.

He said the attackers had tied Mrs Parkinson up with rope.

"But she managed to hide in one of the strong rooms to which they could not gain access," Mr Tum said.

"David remained lying on the floor. When she was sure they had left, she came out of the strong room to discover that David had died."

Police said the gang had escaped with a small haul including Mrs Parkinson's telephone, a small amount of cash from her purse, a laptop computer and a silver statuette.

Detectives investigating the murder have arrested a suspect from a nearby village, according to Kenya's Daily Nation newspaper.

A former lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment, Mr Parkinson was awarded an OBE in 1998.

He left the British army a decade ago to focus on conservation and community work in Kenya.

He was previously deputy director of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which made headlines after Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton there in October 2010.

More recently, he managed the Lolldaiga Hills wildlife and livestock ranch which also hosts British troops on training exercises.

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Stop being anti-car, councils told

25 August 2013 Last updated at 19:52 ET

Councils in England should provide more parking spaces in town centres and cut down on speed humps, the secretary of state for communities has said.

New planning guidance will also say councils should ensure parking charges do not "undermine" local economies.

"Draconian" parking policies and "over-zealous traffic wardens" had driven motorists into internet retailers and out-of-town stores, Eric Pickles said.

Councils said such intervention made it harder for them to meet local needs.

The guidance, which is due to be published this week, says: "The quality of parking in town centres is important; it should be convenient, safe and secure.

"Parking charges should be appropriate and not undermine the vitality of town centres and local shops, and parking enforcement should be proportionate."

It urges councils to ensure that street furniture including lighting, railings, litter bins, paving and fountains are "well designed and sensitively placed".

"Unnecessary clutter and physical constraints such as parking bollards and road humps should be avoided," it adds.

'Economic damage'

"Draconian Town Hall parking policies and street clutter can make driving into town centres unnecessarily stressful and actually create more congestion because of lack of places to park," Mr Pickles said.

Continue reading the main story

Creating more spaces in town and city centres where there is no room for them is simply not the way to draw more shoppers"

End Quote Local Government Association

"Anti-car measures are driving motorists into the arms of internet retailers and out of town superstores, taking their custom with them.

"Over-zealous parking wardens have inflicting real damage on local economies and given many towns and councils a bad name.

"Town Halls need to ditch their anti-car dogma. Making it easier to park will help support local shops, local jobs and tourism."

But a spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, said: "Councils work hard to try and boost trade and keep High Streets vibrant through parking incentives such as free short-stay, cheaper evenings and free Sundays.

"Creating more spaces in town and city centres where there is no room for them is simply not the way to draw more shoppers to the High Street.

"Parking measures help avoid congestion in our high streets.

"In fact, the government's own figures show charges in England are falling in real terms while councils invest any revenue back into transport services like filling potholes and road improvement projects.

"The more government continues to intervene in this way, the less flexibility local authorities have to react to the individual needs of local shoppers, residents and traders and support local businesses and High Streets in their area."

The government says the new guidance is part of an online guide that replaces 7,000 pages of previous "planning practice guidance" documents, and also part of a wider initiative to support parking and local shoppers.

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