Men held over policeman car bomb

31 December 2012 Last updated at 18:18 ET

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The BBC's Julian O'Neill said the officer found the bomb as he was about to take his wife and children out for lunch

Two men have been arrested by police investigating the attempted murder of a police officer after a bomb was placed under his car in Belfast.

The men, aged 25 and 34, were held in Belfast on Monday.

The unexploded device was discovered on the Upper Newtownards Road at about 14:00 GMT on Sunday.

Army bomb disposal officers carried out a controlled explosion. A group calling itself the "new IRA" has claimed responsibility of the attack.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the bomb was "clearly intended to kill the police officer".

Threat level

In a statement, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "It is very fortunate that this device was detected before it exploded and that no-one was killed or seriously injured."

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A few seconds on his knees to look under his car saved a police officer and his family from carnage on their way to have Sunday lunch.

As his wife and two young children watched, he carried out his routine search of his vehicle and spotted a device intended to kill him.

"We are very grateful that this officer acted in the way he did and checked his car, otherwise the consequences would have been absolutely devastating for him and his family," says Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton.

Hours after it was discovered, the bomb was defused in a controlled explosion by the army.

However the device was recovered partially intact and police hope forensic tests could identify those who made and planted it.

ACC Hamilton added that the officer's family and neighbours "were also put at risk of serious harm".

He said there was a severe threat level across Northern Ireland and appealed to officers to be vigilant and check under their cars.

He hoped the device would be useful as evidence because it was discovered and did not engage.

"This murderous type of attack is not the way forward for our society," he added.

"No-one is entitled to take the life of another human being in circumstances such as this. Our appeal is for the vast majority of people to stand up against this rump of anti-peace dissident republicanism."

A number of houses in the area had to be evacuated while Army bomb officers made the device safe.

Booby-trap

The chairman of Northern Ireland's Police Federation, Terry Spence, said he would be seeking a meeting with Chief Constable Matt Baggott to discuss officers' personal security.

In recent years, dissident republican paramilitary groups have carried out a number of attacks on PSNI officers.

In April 2011, Constable Ronan Kerr was killed when a booby-trap car bomb exploded under his car in Omagh, County Tyrone.

The previous year, Constable Peadar Heffron lost a leg in a similar attack as he drove to work in Randalstown, County Antrim.

In November, prison officer David Black, 52, was shot dead in a motorway ambush in County Armagh as he drove to work.

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Archbishop hails UK's volunteers

31 December 2012 Last updated at 20:10 ET

The Archbishop of Canterbury has paid tribute to unsung volunteers in his final new year message.

The Most Reverend Rowan Williams said the success of the Olympics volunteers should serve as a reminder of those who "often invisibly" make things happen.

He said there was a "steady current of generosity that underlies so much of our life together", in his BBC message.

People should ask "what can I do to join this silent conspiracy of generous dedication?" the archbishop said.

The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Justin Welby, is to take over the Church of England's top role in March.

'Olympic vision'

In his recorded message, the 11th since he took office in 2002, Dr Williams said: "The extraordinary events of the Olympics and Paralympics last summer provided an unforgettable spectacle.

"But everyone who visited the Olympic site or watched the broadcasts will have been made aware of the army of volunteers who cheerfully gave up their free time and worked away, without complaint, all hours of the day and night to make these great events happen.

"They were the key people who translated the Olympic vision into reality for the rest of us.

"It ought to make us think a bit harder about all the other folk who quietly, often invisibly, turn vision into reality and just make things happen - especially volunteers."

Dr Williams referred to the "Robes" project, where more than 20 local churches combined to offer food and shelter to homeless people in London.

"Religion here isn't a social problem or an old-fashioned embarrassment, it's a wellspring of energy and a source of life-giving vision for how people should be regarded and treated," he said.

"So let's recognise this steady current of generosity that underlies so much of our life together in this country and indeed worldwide.

"It's all based on one vision - to make our society, our whole world, work for everyone, not just the comfortable and well off.

"And it's a vision that sometimes seems to need Olympic levels of patient hard work and dedication."

'Silent groundswell'

He said volunteers from churches and other faith groups made up a huge percentage of the "army of cheerful people making the wheels go round".

"How very good that people like that are there for us, we can say - but as soon as we've said that, we should be prompted to ask the tougher question: what can I do to join this silent conspiracy of generous dedication?" he added.

"There'll be those who have time and skill and strength to offer; there'll be those who have less of these, but can support in prayer and goodwill."

He said that thinking about this "silent groundswell" should open up minds to the "deepest secret of all - the trust that the entire universe is held together by the quiet, unfailing generosity of God".

Dr Williams is to take up a new post as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and will also serve as chairman of the board of trustees at Christian Aid, the international development agency.

In his Christmas message, Dr Williams, 62, acknowledged that a recent vote not to allow women bishops in the Church had damaged its credibility.

However, he said that according to recent census results, 59% of people still identified themselves as Christian, and believers should not lose heart.

The archbishop's message will be broadcast at 12:15 GMT on BBC One and at 17:25 on BBC Two.

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NHS approach to obesity 'patchy'

31 December 2012 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Obesity services across the UK are "extremely patchy" and valuable opportunities to help obese patients are often lost, doctors say.

The Royal College of Physicians said hospitals in particular had "poorly developed" systems in place.

Its report said the problems meant services were often just dealing with the symptoms, such as heart disease or diabetes, rather than the cause.

There needed to be a rethink over how to approach the problem, it added.

The UK is now among the most obese nations in the world.

One in four adults are obese - a figure which is predicted to more than double by 2050.

Wide variations

The report recognised that attempts were being made to stem the tide of obesity through health promotion campaigns.

But it said that should not detract from the fact the NHS had to do more to deal with those patients who were already obese.

Continue reading the main story

The only way we will ever tackle the problems caused by obesity is by everyone working together"

End Quote Professor Lindsey Davies Faculty of Public Health

The report pointed out there were wide variations in the way obesity was treated across the UK - particularly in the frequency with which obesity surgery is performed.

It said there needed to be a much more "joined up" approach between hospitals and community services.

To help hospitals should also appoint a doctor to lead on obesity, it added.

Prof John Wass, from the RCP, said: "'Britain is getting bigger and whilst we try to prevent the increase in obesity, we must also prepare the NHS for the influx of patients presenting with severe complex obesity.

"A patient may arrive at my hospital with coronary heart disease, but if the root cause of their condition is obesity, we must be equipped to deal with that root cause."

Working together

Prof Lindsey Davies, president of the Faculty of Public Health, welcomed the recommendations and said she agreed greater coordination was needed.

"The only way we will ever tackle the problems caused by obesity is by everyone working together," she added.

But she also urged the government to be more proactive by addressing some of the wider determinants of obesity.

"Obesity is not only caused by how much we each eat or drink: if tackling it were as simple as telling people to eat less and move more, we would have solved it by now.

"Our chances of being obese are also affected by factors like whether we have easy access to affordable fruit, veg and other healthy foods, and if it safe to let our kids play outside."

A Department of Health spokesman acknowledged the medical profession had a "key role to play".

He added: "We are committed to tackling obesity and are taking action to help people keep a healthy weight and prevent them needing hospital care for obesity related conditions."

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Prostate cancer research 'lagging'

31 December 2012 Last updated at 21:23 ET

Prostate cancer is the poor cousin when it comes to funding for research to find a cure, says a charity.

Despite being the most common male cancer, prostate cancer is 20th in the league table of cancer research funding.

And it is predicted to become the most common cancer of all in the UK by 2030, says Prostate Cancer UK.

The charity is launching a new campaign, fronted by comedian Bill Bailey, to highlight the issue.

Owen Sharp, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Prostate cancer is simply not on the radar in the UK - even though it kills one man every hour, that's 10,000 men each year - most men and women don't know enough about it.

Continue reading the main story

We fund the best science we can to make the greatest impact - we don't have quotas for specific types of cancer"

End Quote Dr Julie Sharp Cancer Research UK

"We need to follow the lead of the successful female movement against breast cancer and create a real change for men."

According to the charity, breast cancer - the most common female cancer which has a similar death rate as prostate cancer - received more than double the annual research spend - £853 per case diagnosed compared to £417, respectively.

Leukaemia got the most research funding - £3,903 per case diagnosed - from charitable and government funds data for 2009 and 2011 show.

Every year in the UK over 40,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although it is one of the more treatable types of cancer, particularly if diagnosed early, one man dies every hour from prostate cancer, says Prostate Cancer UK.

Dr Julie Sharp of Cancer Research UK said: "We fund the best science we can to make the greatest impact - we don't have quotas for specific types of cancer.

"Last year, Cancer Research UK spent £332m on research into cancers that affect both men and women, including basic research that can help improve our understanding of all cancers, and we spent nearly £20m of this specifically on prostate cancer research.

"We want to bring closer the day when all cancers are cured and it's research that will help us to do this."

Prostate cancer rates have been rising, partly because men are living longer (cancer risk increases with age) and also because more cancers are being detected through widespread use of PSA testing.

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Celebrating crowds see in 2013

1 January 2013 Last updated at 03:19 ET

Crowds across the UK have risked the damp weather to see in 2013 at New Year's Eve events.

About 250,000 people were in London to watch a spectacular fireworks display from the banks of the River Thames.

In Edinburgh, about 80,000 revellers saw in the new year with a fireworks display as part of the city's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations.

And a fireworks display in Northern Ireland marked the start of the Derry-Londonderry 2013 City of Culture year.

Earlier downpours dried up over much of the country in time for the celebrations - although rain continued in Scotland, Northern Ireland and eastern England.

Overnight, much of central London was closed to traffic, but the Tube ran all night and most public transport was free until 04:30 GMT.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said the 11-minute fireworks display - which featured 12,500 fireworks and clips from the Olympic Games - rounded off a year that "glimmered with excitement and enthusiasm".

In Edinburgh, Scottish rock band Simple Minds headlined the Concert in the Gardens, where they were joined by The View and Bwani Junction against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

In other developments:

• Police in London said 96 people had been arrested as of as of 3:45 GMT, but said there were "no major issues"
• The emergency services reported a rise in calls, with paramedics in Kent, Sussex and Surrey, taking 1,544 calls between 22:00 GMT and 04:00 - a rise of more than 20% on the same period last year
• The Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to unsung volunteers in his final new year message
• Mobile networks said they expected New Year's Eve to be the "busiest ever" night of texts and calls
• Cheltenham Racecourse cancelled its New Year's Day meeting because heavy rain left the track waterlogged
• Flood defences remain in place along the River Severn at Ironbridge in Shropshire, where water levels are expected to rise later
• On Exmoor, in Somerset, one of the region's oldest bridges, Exmoor's Tarr Steps, was swept away by the swollen River Barle
• Flooding is disrupting some routes in south-west England, National Rail said

After days of flooding that brought parts of the UK to a standstill, river and groundwater levels are still high in many areas and there is a continued risk of localised flooding.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency (EA) said: "Large rivers that respond slowly to rainfall, including the Thames, Trent and Severn, will continue rising through the next couple of days and high groundwater levels in southern England will continue to pose a risk to communities, particularly in Dorset."

Continue reading the main story

Travel and weather information

From the BBC:

Elsewhere:

There are nearly 100 flood warnings - indicating that flooding is expected - in force in England and Wales. There are nearly double that number of flood alerts, which warn that flooding is possible.

In Scotland, there are nine flood warnings and seven alerts in place.

Forecasters said showers would die out on Tuesday evening, leaving the night dry across the UK, but more rain is expected in the early hours.

About 540 properties have flooded since 19 December, while flood defences have protected more than 21,600 properties, the EA said.

It said it had more than 800 staff working during the festive period shoring up flood defences, clearing blockages from watercourses, monitoring river levels closely and installing temporary flood defences.

Met Office figures show that 2012 will go down as one of the wettest years in the UK since records began in 1910, and it could yet be the wettest.

On Friday, the Met Office said 46mm (2in) of rain was needed to fall before 31 December to break the record for the UK, with 1,291.2mm (50in) having been recorded between 1 January and 26 December. Confirmation is expected later this week.

A new record has already been set for England, with 1,095.8mm falling in 2012 up to Boxing Day.

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US Senate approves key tax deal

1 January 2013 Last updated at 03:58 ET

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President Obama said a larger deal could be accomplished "in several steps"

The US Senate has approved a deal to avert general tax hikes and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff".

The bill, which raises taxes for the wealthy, came after lengthy talks between Vice-President Joe Biden and Senate Republicans.

The House is due to consider it later. Spending cuts have been delayed for two months to allow a wider agreement.

Congress missed the deadline to pass a bill, but few effects will be felt as Tuesday is a US public holiday.

Tax cuts approved during the presidency of George W Bush formally expired at midnight (05:00 GMT).

Without approval in the House, huge tax rises for virtually all working Americans will kick in automatically.

Analysts warned that if the full effects of the fiscal cliff were allowed to take hold, the resulting reduction in consumer spending could spark a new recession.

The compromise deal reached on Monday seeks to avoid this by extending the tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 (£246,000) - up from the $250,000 level Democrats had originally sought.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

American politicians certainly know how to take it to the wire - and just a little bit beyond"

End Quote

A huge spending cut that would see $1.2tn cut from the federal budget over 10 years has been deferred for two months, allowing Congress and the White House to reopen negotiations.

The Senate approved the compromise bill by 89-8.

In addition to the income tax rates and spending cuts, the package includes:

• Rises in inheritance taxes from 35% to 40% after the first $5m for an individual and $10m for a couple

• Rises in capital taxes - affecting some investment income - of up to 20%, but less than the 39.6% that would prevail without a deal

• One-year extension for unemployment benefits, affecting two million people

• Five-year extension for tax credits that help poorer and middle-class families

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What is the fiscal cliff?

• On 1 January 2013, tax increases and huge spending cuts are due to come into force - the so-called fiscal cliff
• Deadline was put in place in 2011 to force president and Congress to agree ways to save money over the next 10 years
• Date coincides with expiry of Bush-era tax cuts, which would affect all income groups and many businesses
• Fear is that raising taxes while massively cutting spending will have a huge impact on households and businesses
• Experts believe it could push the US into recession, and have a global impact on growth

Imperfect solution

President Barack Obama welcomed the Senate vote.

"Leaders from both parties in the Senate came together to reach an agreement that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support today that protects 98% of Americans and 97% of small business owners from a middle class tax hike," he said in a statement.

"While neither Democrats nor Republicans got everything they wanted, this agreement is the right thing to do for our country and the House should pass it without delay."

The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says many House Republicans - who dominate the lower chamber - dislike the deal and may stand on their principle.

Speaker John Boehner said the House would consider the deal but left open the possibility of amending the Senate bill - which would spark another round of legislation.

"Decisions about whether the House will seek to accept or promptly amend the measure will not be made until House members... have been able to review the legislation," Mr Boehner and other House Republican leaders said in a statement.

The current House can legislate until Wednesday, when it is replaced by a new chamber chosen during last November's election.

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Search for man swept into the sea

1 January 2013 Last updated at 04:42 ET

Emergency services have resumed their search for a man who was swept into the sea in Blackpool.

The 41-year-old was reported to have been walking his dog along the South Pier with another man when they ended up in the water shortly after midnight.

The second man was able to get to safety and raise the alarm.

An overnight search involving lifeboat crews, coastguard, the police helicopter and the RAF resumed just after first light.

Stuart Atkinson, watch manager at Crosby Coastguard station, said: "We received a call at 12:13 GMT from Lancashire Police reporting that a male was in the water near the South Pier at Blackpool.

Life ring thrown

"The area was searched and unfortunately we didn't find the 41-year-old male at that time, but we are carrying out a second search at the present time.

"We do believe a life ring was thrown to him and a football. We have located the football but not the life ring."

Mr Atkinson said the search operation was hampered last night due to very strong, westerly gale-force winds.

"As you can imagine, westerly winds are aimed straight at the sea shore at Blackpool and it made it quite difficult for the lifeboat crews to search," he said.

The current search was focusing on an area of the Irish Sea around the South Pier and the Blackpool sea wall.

The search was carried out by coastguard rescue units, the local RNLI lifeboats from Blackpool and Lytham St Annes and the police helicopter.

The air sea rescue helicopter from RAF Valley was also involved.

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Former MP Sir Irvine Patnick dies

30 December 2012 Last updated at 18:55 ET

Former Conservative MP Sir Irvine Patnick has died at the age of 83.

He was MP for Sheffield Hallam for 10 years, from 1987 to 1997, in Margaret Thatcher and John Major's governments.

Sir Irvine recently apologised for repeating "inaccurate" information about the Hillsborough tragedy which he said he was given by police officers.

A statement issued by his family said Sir Irvine "died peacefully", and had been a "much loved" husband and father who would be "sadly missed".

Sir Irvine was criticised in the Hillsborough Independent Panel's report on the Hillsborough disaster.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died after a crush at Sheffield Wednesday's stadium during the FA Cup semi-final with Nottingham Forest in 1989.

Continue reading the main story

He was a much loved husband of Lynda and father of Suzanne and Matthew"

End Quote Patnick family statement

September's report confirmed him as one of the sources for a notorious Sun newspaper story that smeared Liverpool fans after the disaster.

It found that the story, under the headline "The Truth", had come from a news agency based on conversations with South Yorkshire Police and Sir Irvine.

Sir Irvine subsequently apologised, saying that he had passed on information from police that was "inaccurate, misleading and plain wrong", for which he was "deeply and sincerely sorry".

In October, Labour MP Steve Rotherham called for Sir Irvine to be stripped of his knighthood.

The Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson echoed the call, arguing that Sir Irvine had "brought the Honours system into disrepute" and helped to bring "overwhelming misery" to the people of Liverpool.

Synagogue vice-president

In a statement issued following his death, his family said: "Sir Irvine Patnick OBE, died peacefully on 30 December 2012, aged 83, in Sheffield.

"He was a much loved husband of Lynda and father of Suzanne and Matthew.

"He'll be sadly missed by his brothers and by all all his family and friends."

Sir Irvine was born in Sheffield, educated at its Central Technical School and later went to Sheffield Polytechnic.

He entered Parliament in 1987, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in Hillsborough in 1970 and 1979.

As the only Conservative MP in the county, he was credited with coining the phrase, "the Socialist Republic of South Yorkshire", which he intended as criticism but was adopted with pride by many in the area.

He was made a Conservative government whip in 1989, but admitted that he missed the broadcasting appearances no longer open to someone in that role.

"It's like seeing a very juicy meal that you want to get to and finding there is an invisible barrier stopping you getting towards it," he said.

Sir Irvine was vice-president of Sheffield's Kingfield Synagogue, life president of Sheffield Jewish Representative Council, and a former national vice-chairman of the Maccabi sports and youth organisation.

His former constituency of Sheffield Hallam is now held by the Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.

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Duncan Smith condemns tax credits

30 December 2012 Last updated at 20:37 ET

The work and pensions secretary has attacked the tax credit system put in place by Labour, saying it had resulted in "a sorry story of dependency, wasted taxpayers' money and fraud".

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Iain Duncan Smith said the credits - to top up the incomes of the lower-paid - were "haemorrhaging money".

He said fraud and error in the system under Labour had cost £10bn.

Even for true claimants, "tax credits were not fit for purpose", he said.

Tax credits are paid based on estimates given by claimants for their income for the year ahead, with HM Revenue & Customs responsible for reclaiming any overpayments at the end of the year.

"In the years between 2003 and 2010, Labour spent a staggering £171bn on tax credits, contributing to a 60% rise in the welfare bill," Mr Duncan Smith said.

The system, he said, "was wide open to abuse".

The so-called "income disregard" - the amount a person's income can rise before their claim must be reassessed - was raised from £2,500 to £25,000 in 2008.

"It will come as no surprise therefore that fraudsters from around the world targeted this benefit for personal gain," Mr Duncan Smith said.

The government is planning to slash the disregard to £5,000.

Mr Duncan Smith also said that officials carried out far fewer checks on tax credit claims than benefit claims, despite estimates that one in 12 tax credit claims were incorrect or fraudulent, compared with fewer than one in 25 benefit claims.

The government believes there is more than £300m to be saved over the next three years by reducing fraud and error, and also wants to reclaim £400m in unpaid debts.

"Even for those in genuine need of support, tax credits were not fit for purpose," Mr Duncan Smith said.

"They were haemorrhaging money while at the same time trapping people in a system where those trying hard to increase the amount of hours they worked weren't necessarily better off."

Mr Duncan Smith is leading an overhaul of the welfare system that will see a number of benefits replaced by a new universal credit that is designed, he says, "to make work pay at each and every hour".

He also accused previous Labour governments of boosting tax credit payments ahead of the last two general elections in "an attempt to gain short-term popularity".

"It knew what it was doing - this was a calculated attempt to win votes," he said.

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Hillary Clinton has blood clot

30 December 2012 Last updated at 23:57 ET

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital in New York with a blood clot, officials say.

Mrs Clinton suffered a concussion earlier this month after fainting and falling down.

At the time, she was reported to have had a stomach virus and to have passed out after becoming dehydrated.

Mrs Clinton, 65, is due to stand down as secretary of state before US President Barack Obama officially begins his second term in January.

Doctors discovered the clot during a follow-up examination on Sunday, her spokesman Philippe Reines said.

"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours," he said.

"They will determine if any further action is required."

No information was given about where the blood clot had formed.

Mrs Clinton is due to give evidence before a Congressional committee in January in connection with the attack in September on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

The US ambassador to Libya and three American officials were killed in the incident.

Mrs Clinton was appointed secretary of state at the start of Mr Obama's first term, in January 2009.

Her most recent foreign trip was to Dublin earlier this month.

Mrs Clinton, 65, is known for her gruelling travel schedule.

She is the most travelled secretary of state in history, having visited 112 countries while in the job, the Associated Press says.

Earlier this month, President Obama nominated Senator John Kerry - the Massachusetts Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - to replace Mrs Clinton as secretary of state.

She has repeatedly said that she only intended to serve one term in the post.

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