Referee charged with hacking at FA

29 November 2013 Last updated at 04:28 ET

Three men including a referee have been charged over allegations of computer hacking at the Football Association.

Referee Dean Mohareb, 30, of Woodley, Stockport is charged with perverting the course of justice and unauthorised access to computer data.

Liam Cliff, 18, of Woodlands Road, Manchester, and Vincent Rossi, 46, of Wingfield Avenue, Wilmslow are charged with perverting the course of justice.

They are due before Stockport Magistrates' Court on 5 December.

Mohareb, a Football League referee, is a senior member of the FA Referees Department as national referee development manager.

He was arrested in October 2012 over allegations that he hacked into a colleague's email account.

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Hope still for 'dead' Comet Ison

29 November 2013 Last updated at 02:13 ET By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News

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Astrophysicist Karl Battams: "This comet has confused and amazed us right from the word go..."

Comet Ison, or some part of it, may have survived its encounter with the Sun, say scientists.

The giant ball of ice and dust was initially declared dead when it failed to re-emerge from behind the star with the expected brightness.

All that could be seen was a dull smudge in space telescope images - its nucleus and tail assumed destroyed.

But recent pictures have indicated a brightening of what may be a small fragment of the comet.

Astronomers admit to being surprised and delighted, but now caution that anything could happen in the coming hours and days.

This remnant of Ison could continue to brighten, or it could simply fizzle out altogether.

"We've been following this comet for a year now and all the way it has been surprising us and confusing us," said astrophysicist Karl Battams, who operates the US space agency-funded Sungrazing Comets Project.

"It's just typical that right at the end, when we said, 'yes, it has faded out, it's died, we've lost it in the Sun', that a couple of hours later it should pop right back up again," he told BBC News.

The European Space Agency (Esa), too, which had been among the first organisations to call the death of Ison, has had to re-assess the situation. A small part of the nucleus may be intact, its experts say.

How much of the once 2km-wide hunk of dirty ice could have survived is impossible to say.

Passing just 1.2 million km above the surface of the Sun would have severely disrupted Ison. Its ices would have vaporized rapidly in temperatures over 2,000C. And the immense gravity of the star would also have pulled and squeezed on the object as it tumbled end over end.

Karl Battams said: "We would like people to give us a couple of days, just to look at more images as they come from the spacecraft, and that will allow us to assess the brightness of the object that we're seeing now, and how that brightness changes.

"That will give us an idea of maybe what the object is composed of and what it might do in the coming days and weeks."

Whatever happens next, comets are going to be a big feature in the news over the next year.

In 11 months' time, Comet Siding Spring will breeze past Mars at a distance of little more than 100,000km. And then in November 2014, Esa's Rosetta mission will attempt to place a probe on the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

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Ministers 'not seeking price freeze'

29 November 2013 Last updated at 05:43 ET

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David Cameron: "We are dealing with real policies to make a real difference"

The government has denied reports it is seeking a commitment from energy firms to hold their prices down until 2015.

The companies told BBC News ministers were putting pressure on them to commit to a price freeze.

But Treasury sources say this is not part of their plan - and they were looking instead at cutting the industry's green commitments to help keep prices down.

Labour, who want a price freeze, said government policy was a "shambles".

Energy industry sources told the BBC on Thursday that the government wants to avoid another round of price rises that could be blamed on state-enforced green levies and the two sides had been holding talks about plans which could result in average bills falling by £50.

'Not pleading'

Government sources have confirmed that they have been engaged in what they describe as an "information gathering" exercise with the energy sector.

But they insisted they were not pleading with the "big six" energy firms to hold bills down in the run-up to the 2015 general election, saying this was "not part of the package" on the table.

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They pointed out that different companies have a different track record on delivering their obligations so an information gathering exercise was essential to framing future policy changes - which could be announced by Chancellor George Osborne in Thursday's Autumn Statement.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is at a summit in Lithuania, said the government was sticking to its original plan on energy prices.

"I want to help households and families by getting sustainably low prices and the only way you do that is to increase competition and roll back some of the levies on people's bills.

"I've said that's what we're going to do and that is what we're going to do."

Treasury sources told the BBC's Iain Watson one energy company might be interpreting the "information gathering" exercise as a request to hold down prices but this was not an accurate interpretation.

He said Treasury officials rejected any suggestion they were going "cap in hand" to the energy sector but acknowledged they were considering shifting the cost of some green levies from bills to general taxation and review other social obligations - two key demands of the industry.

"Our package is simply about rolling back levies and charges," a government source added.

"If that is enough to mean no rise next autumn, then that's an added bonus but there is no plea to the energy companies."

Labour, which has promised to freeze energy prices for 20 months if it is elected, said the government's policy was totally "confused".

Energy firms were "overcharging" firms, shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said, but were being "let off the hook" by the government.

"The truth is that only by legislating for a freeze can we guarantee that it will happen," she said. "David Cameron won't do that because he's not prepared to stand up to the big energy companies."

The opposition is publishing its own plans to make the market more competitive, by separating firms retail and generation operations and giving a new regulator much greater enforcement powers.

'Deferring costs'

A senior figure at one of the big six suppliers, who did not want to be named, told the BBC that he wanted to work with the government but they needed "predictability on costs".

He said the key was to change the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, which requires the firms to deliver energy efficiency measures to homes.

"If they can resolve the issues around ECO, that takes the gun away from our head," he added.

But another industry source cited several factors linked to government policy, including the Carbon Price Floor and the Renewables Obligation, which he said would drive costs higher in the years ahead.

The government is seeking to spread the cost of the ECO scheme from the current 27 months to four years.

The source said: "This is deferring costs, not getting rid of them. The bus has already left the station."

As well as green and social obligations, the government is also looking at the cost of transmitting energy to our homes. This makes up 23% of an annual dual fuel bill.

According to the industry regulator Ofgem, electricity distribution costs will add £15 to an average bill over the next year, but flatten out thereafter.

Industry sources say the government wants that cost spread over a longer period.

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More hospitals facing Savile checks

29 November 2013 Last updated at 06:46 ET

A further 19 hospitals are to be investigated over links to serial sex attacker Jimmy Savile, the government has confirmed.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he expected reports examining visits by the late DJ to those hospitals to be delivered by next June.

It brings the total number of hospitals under investigation to 32.

Savile is believed to have abused hundreds of victims.

The former BBC presenter of Top Of The Pops and Jim'll Fix It died aged 84 in October 2011 - a year before allegations that he had sexually abused children were broadcast in an ITV documentary.

The revelations prompted hundreds of victims to come forward, including those who said they were attacked at a number of institutions.

Inquiries into Savile's alleged abuse of patients at NHS hospitals had originally focused on Broadmoor and Stoke Mandeville and Leeds General Infirmary, with a further 10 trusts added in January.

'Further investigation'

The latest inquiries follow investigations by the Metropolitan Police after information emerged about potential victims at a further 19 hospitals.

In a written statement, Mr Hunt said that Kate Lampard - a former barrister asked to oversee the Department of Health's investigations into Savile - would ensure the inquiries were properly carried out.

"The information has been passed on to the relevant hospital trust for further investigation as appropriate," Mr Hunt said.

"Names of the hospitals are taken from the information received. These include hospitals that may have closed in which case the information has been passed on to the legacy organisation."

Mr Hunt said that he expected final reports by June next year, with publication "sooner if that is possible".

The hospitals to be investigated are Barnet General Hospital, Booth Hall Children's Hospital, De La Pole Hospital, Dryburn Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital, Leavesden Secure Mental Hospital, Marsden Hospital, Maudsley Hospital, North Manchester General Hospital, Odstock Hospital, Pinderfields Hospital, Prestwich Psychiatric Hospital, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, Royal Free Hospital, London, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, St Mary's Hospital, Carshalton, Whitby Memorial Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital.

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Rigby killing 'cowardly and callous'

29 November 2013 Last updated at 07:08 ET

The killing of soldier Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London, was a "cowardly and callous murder", the Old Bailey has heard.

It was told that Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove at Fusilier Rigby before attempting to decapitate him on the street close to his barracks on 22 May.

Both are also accused of attempting to murder a police officer and conspiracy to murder a police officer.

They both deny all charges.

The two defendants are in a glass-lined dock in the Old Bailey courtroom with paper on one side.

Members of Fusilier Rigby's family are in attendance.

Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told jurors that the two suspects drove a Vauxhall Tigra "straight at" Fusilier Rigby at around 30-40mph.

He said: "Both men then dragged his body into the middle of the road. They wanted members of the public to see the consequence of what can only be described as their barbarous acts.

"They had committed, you may think, a cowardly and callous murder by deliberately attacking an unarmed man in plain clothes from behind, using a vehicle as a weapon, and then they murdered him and mutilated his body with that meat cleaver and knives."

Mr Adebolajo tried to decapitate the soldier with a meat cleaver with "multiple blows to his neck", while Mr Adebowale stabbed and cut him, the jury heard.

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Tight security surrounded the defendants' arrival at the Old Bailey

Mr Whittam said it appeared that Mr Adebolajo "made a serious and almost successful attempt to decapitate" Fusilier Rigby.

At the same time, he said, Mr Adebowale "was using a knife to stab and cut at the soldier's body".

Mr Adebolajo, from Romford, east London, has asked to be known as Mujaahid Abu Hamza in court, and Mr Adebowale, from Greenwich, south-east London, wants to be known as Ismail Ibn Abdullah.

The court heard that the men were also armed with a gun, one use of which was to frighten off members of the public before the emergency services arrived.

As the police drove into Artillery Place, where the incident had taken place, Mr Adebolajo raised the meat cleaver above his head and moved towards the vehicle.

Mr Whittam said that meanwhile, Mr Adebowale ran along the side of a wall and aimed the gun at the officers.

Both men were then shot by the police and arrested, the jury heard.

The case continues.

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Net migration into UK 'increases'

28 November 2013 Last updated at 07:00 ET

Net migration into the UK has risen year on year for the first time in two years, official figures show.

Net migration - the difference between the number of people coming to live in the UK and those emigrating - rose to 182,000 in the year to June, up from 167,000 in the previous 12 months.

Prime Minister David Cameron wants to get this figure below 100,000 before the next election in 2015.

Immigration to the UK fell in the year to June 2013.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show some 503,000 people came to live in the UK in the year ending June, compared with 517,000 people the previous year.

Meanwhile 320,000 people left the UK - down from 349,000 the previous year.

Emigration is now at its lowest level since 2001.

The ONS said the number of people coming to the UK from the EU had gone up by 25,000, mainly for work reasons.

Immigration from outside the EU saw a "statistically significant" drop to 242,000 in the year to June, from 282,000 the previous year, it said.

'Best guess'

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

The timing was surely no coincidence. On Wednesday David Cameron announced measures to restrict the rights to benefits of EU migrants. Today the immigration figures show a rise in EU immigration.

While Britain's economy recovers so the country becomes an ever more attractive magnet for job seekers from struggling nations - especially Spain, Portugal and Greece.

EU migration, along with emigration from Britain, are the two areas the government has until now had little control over. That's why - despite signs ministers are getting to grips with immigration from outside Europe - the net migration target is slipping out of reach.

It does raise the question of how wise it was for the government to set a goal which depended on factors outside of its control.

China now tops the table for the number of new immigrants to the UK, followed by India, Poland, the US and Australia.

The figures come amid growing concern that Britain will face a new wave of eastern European immigration when access restrictions to the UK labour market for Romanians and Bulgarians are lifted on 1 January 2014.

On Wednesday, Mr Cameron unveiled plans to toughen welfare rules for EU migrants, including new migrants not getting out-of-work benefits for the first three months and payments being stopped after six months unless the claimant has a "genuine" chance of a job.

Earlier this year campaign group Migration Watch warned that officials could be underestimating net migration. The ONS accepted it undercounted the number of immigrants from countries which joined the EU after 2004.

In July, the Public Administration Committee also said the statistics were "little better than a best guess" and "not fit for purpose". At the time, immigration minister Mark Harper defended the statistics as "accurate" and "very robust".

'Hollow claims'

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

They promised 'no ifs, no buts' that they would meet their target of net migration in the tens of thousands by the election - instead net migration is going up"

End Quote David Hanson Shadow immigration minister

Reacting to the latest figures, Mr Harper said existing reforms were working.

"We have tightened immigration routes where abuse was rife, but are still encouraging the brightest and best to come here to study and work.

"Net migration has fallen by nearly a third since its peak in 2010 and across government we are working hard to bring it down further," he said.

The prime minister's official spokesman said significantly reducing net migration "absolutely remains" Mr Cameron's objective.

But shadow immigration minister David Hanson said Mr Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May were failing to meet their own target.

"They promised 'no ifs, no buts' that they would meet their target of net migration in the tens of thousands by the election. Instead net migration is going up and it is higher this year than 12 months ago.

"These figures expose the massive gap between the rhetoric and the reality of Tory immigration policy. Theresa May has boasted repeatedly that net migration was falling and her target would be met. Now those hollow claims have been completely exposed," he said.

UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage called the government's approach to bringing migration under control a "complete failure".

"The fact that we still have net migration going up, EU migration going up and immigration into the UK still running at over half a million people per year is a damning indictment of this government's failed approach to immigration," he said.

The Migration Observatory, at the University of Oxford, said the figures made it look "increasingly difficult" for the government to reduce net migration to the "tens of thousands" by the end of this parliament.

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Fresh look at plain cigarette packs

28 November 2013 Last updated at 06:48 ET

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Dr Peter Mackereth said brightly-coloured cigarette packaging was a form of ''silent advertising'' for smoking

The government has announced an independent review of cigarette packaging in England, amid calls for action to discourage young smokers.

David Cameron appeared to distance himself from uniform packaging in July, saying further evidence was needed to show whether it would be effective.

But Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said it was now time to "examine the emerging evidence" on a policy shift.

But Labour said immediate action was needed, "not another review".

In a Commons statement, Ms Ellison said standardised tobacco packaging would be brought in after the review if "we are satisfied that there are sufficient grounds to proceed, including public health benefit".

The review, led by paediatrician Sir Cyril Chantler, is set to focus on a pilot scheme in Australia, which became the first country to legislate for standardised packaging in 2011.

For Labour, shadow public health minister Luciana Berger demanded to know why the government was delaying the introduction of plain packaging "still further" having already held a consultation on the issue in 2012.

She said ministers were effectively performing a U-turn on July, which was itself, she said, a U-turn on bringing in new rules.

The government has never officially ruled out changes to cigarette packaging laws, but BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that private briefings from Downing Street had previously suggested the idea was "dead".

Continue reading the main story

It is not really surprising that the government appears to be looking again at the issue of plain packaging for cigarettes.

Out of the two high profile public health measures it championed after the election - minimum alcohol pricing was the other - plain packaging was always the more natural fit.

Over the years tougher and tougher measures have been introduced to discourage smoking from bans on smoking in public places to forcing shops to sell tobacco products under the counter.

So what has changed? Australia still remains the only country in the world to have introduced unbranded packaging.

But early evidence suggests it was effective.

A study in the state of Victoria found, not only did it make smokers more likely to think about quitting, it also worked subconsciously - smokers felt the cigarettes were of poorer quality.

He said the move to reopen the issue follows the tabling of amendments in the House of Lords which would have given ministers the power, but not the obligation, to impose regulations on plain packaging and enjoyed cross-party support.

The government was likely to be defeated if it opposed the changes to the Children and Families Bill, he added.

Ms Ellison confirmed that the government would table its own amendment to the legislation, giving ministers the power to introduce regulations when Sir Cyril's review is complete in March 2014 - if they decide to proceed with the policy.

The options which would then be considered include packs having a uniform colour (dark olive green has been suggested previously) or using graphic images of smoking-related diseases on all packs.

'Rise in counterfeiting'

Ms Ellison rejected Labour suggestions the rethink had been prompted by fears of defeat in the Lords, saying: "It's a year this weekend since the legislation was introduced in Australia. It's the right time to ask people to look at this.

"This is fundamentally about children's health. Two thirds of people start smoking when they're children and it's one of the most important public health issues we face in this country.

"Asking an independent body to take a look and survey the evidence for us is a sensible next step. We are going to take the opportunity to put regulations in place which will enable us to act quickly."

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Ministers had shelved plans for plain packets earlier in the year, as Iain Watson reports

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the government had an "open mind" on the review, but "personally" he hoped it would show that plain packaging was effective.

"If the review... suggests that the emerging evidence argues in favour of plain packaging, it's a measure which we would then proceed with," he said, on his weekly LBC radio programme.

But the government faced criticism from the UK Independence Party.

Prime Minister David Cameron was "scandalously auctioning off the freedom and liberty of the British people for his own political ends, cheered on by the Labour Party", the party's deputy leader Paul Nuttall said.

The Times newspaper says a study conducted in Australia found that smokers using standardised plain brown packets were 81% more likely to consider quitting.

Continue reading the main story

In a 2011 debate in the Australian parliament, Labor Party MP Mike Symon explained that the proposed plain-packaging legislation would "mandate that the brand name is in a standard colour, position, font size and style and that the packaging will be a standard drab dark brown or olive colour".

"Consumers tend to perceive white and lighter colours as being healthier," he continued.

"Research shows that adults and adolescents in scientifically controlled studies perceive cigarettes in plain packs to be less appealing, less palatable, less satisfying and of lower quality compared to cigarettes in current packaging."

Labour has sought to link Conservative election chief Lynton Crosby's work as a consultant for the tobacco industry to delays in the policy, a claim which was rejected by David Cameron at the time the issue was put on hold in July.

Health campaigners say packaging is a "key tool" for the industry to get new customers but manufacturers say uniform packets will increase counterfeiting and the focus must be on reducing under-age smoking.

The ban on images on packaging came into force in Australia on 1 January after a long-running legal battle between the former Labor government and the tobacco industry.

Manufacturers claimed the law was unconstitutional and infringed on their intellectual property rights by banning the use of brands and trademarks.

But they said they would comply after the legality of the measure was upheld by the country's highest court.

Cancer Research UK said the move would "save thousands of lives": "Stopping cigarettes being marketed to children as a glamorous and desirable accessory is one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation."

The Scottish government has said it is "still committed" to introducing standardised packaging, while New Zealand is also considering the move.

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BoE reduces mortgage support scheme

28 November 2013 Last updated at 06:34 ET

The Bank of England is to scale back a scheme to boost mortgage loans, focusing instead on business lending.

The Funding for Lending Scheme, launched last year, will no longer be aimed at householders, said the Bank's governor Mark Carney on Thursday.

An overheated housing market would be a risk to the economy, he said, presenting the Bank's Financial Stability Report.

Supporting mortgage lending was "no longer necessary".

However, speaking about another mortgage scheme, Help To Buy, Mr Carney added that it was "still early days".

Funding for Lending will be refocused on businesses from January 2014, the governor said.

Chancellor George Osborne said: "Small firms are the lifeblood of our economy. That's why we're reforming the banks, introducing the employment allowance and now focusing the Funding for Lending Scheme to support them."

Housing bubble?

Funding for Lending aimed to provide up to £60bn to banks and building societies so long as that money was lent to businesses and individuals.

Mr Carney said: "The changes announced today refocus the Funding for Lending scheme where it is most needed - to underpin the supply of credit to small businesses over the next year - without providing further broad support to household lending that is no longer needed."

Mr Carney added that he sees a higher risk to financial stability if there are further rapid rises in house prices, and there were signs of house price growth picking up beyond London.

Concerns over a potential property market bubble have been growing, and earlier this month a committee of MPs asked the Bank of England to clarify its role in policing the Help to Buy scheme.

The Treasury Committee said that the "scope and limits" of the Bank's role were not clear.

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Professionals star Lewis Collins dies

28 November 2013 Last updated at 06:45 ET

The Professionals star Lewis Collins has died aged 67, his agent has said.

The actor, who played Bodie in the cult 1970s TV series, alongside Martin Shaw, died in Los Angeles after a five-year struggle with cancer.

His agent said: "He died peacefully at his LA home surrounded by his family. Privacy is asked for at this very sad time."

The Professionals was based around the adventures of a fictional crime fighting unit called CI5.

The ITV show became huge hit in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Collins's other notable roles included SAS captain Peter Skellen in 1982's Who Dares Wins.

Shaw, currently appearing in a West End production of 12 Angry Men, said he was saddened by the news of his co-star's death.

"We spent a very tough four years together in making the Professionals, and shared in the production of what has become an icon of British television," he said.

"He will be remembered as part of the childhood of so many people, and mourned by his fans. I send my love and condolences to his family, and the great many who will miss him."

Bond audition

Collins was born in May 1946 in Cheshire, and worked as a drummer and a hairdresser before breaking into acting.

Early work included roles in popular TV series such as Z Cars and The New Avengers, as well as a recurring role in The Cuckoo Waltz.

However, he became a household name with the debut of The Professionals in 1977, which ran for six years and won him a global following as hard man William Bodie.

Towards the end of The Professionals, Collins played the lead in the British thriller Who Dares Wins, as an SAS soldier who infiltrates a terrorist group.

Around this time, he auditioned for the role of James Bond: "I was in Albert R Broccoli's office for five minutes, but it was really over for me in seconds," he is reported to have said.

"He's expecting another Connery to walk through the door and there are few of them around."

Unlike his co-star, Collins was never able to match his success in The Professionals.

He continued working across the '80s and '90s and was last seen on screen in 2002 in The Bill.

Collins leaves his wife, Michelle - whom he married in 1992 - and three sons.

The Professionals is currently being re-run on ITV4.

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Man jailed for vigilante murder

28 November 2013 Last updated at 07:04 ET

A man has been jailed for life after admitting he murdered his disabled neighbour who had been wrongly branded a paedophile.

Lee James, 24, killed Bijan Ebrahimi and set fire to his body in the Brislington area of Bristol in July.

Mr Justice Simon ordered that James must serve a minimum of 18 years in prison.

Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Ebrahimi, who was an Iranian national and in his 40s, died from head injuries.

Stephen Norley, 24, who had admitted assisting an offender, was given a four-year jail term.

Sentencing them, the judge described the murder as "deeply shocking".

He said it was "a vigilante crime" and "an act of murderous injustice", adding that claims that Mr Ebrahimi was a paedophile were "baseless".

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Trott leaves England's Ashes tour

England's Jonathan Trott has left the Ashes tour of Australia because of a long-standing stress-related condition.

Batsman Trott scored 19 runs in two innings during England's first Test defeat and struggled against the bowling of Mitchell Johnson.

Analysis

"I understand he is home already and this decision was taken 24 hours ago.

"Inevitably, people will point the finger at David Warner, but clearly Trott has been managing this for some time. That is very much the message from the England camp.

"You only have to look at the way Trott bats to see that he is an anxious individual. This process that he goes through before he starts every innings, he is clearly quite an uptight person.

"I don't think anyone on tour, other than his friends, players and support group within the England camp, had any idea this would happen."

"I don't think it is right that I'm playing knowing that I'm not 100%," said the 32-year-old.

England coach Andy Flower added: "He needs time away from this environment and time with his family."

Trott batted in all 10 innings when England retained the Ashes during the summer, averaging 29 runs, but he was dismissed for 10 and 9 during the first Test defeat at the Gabba.

"I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past," said Trott, whose club Warwickshire offered their full support.

"My priority now is to take a break from cricket so that I can focus on my recovery."

Trott's display in Brisbane was described as "poor and weak" by Australia's David Warner, who also claimed England's batsmen had "scared eyes."

England captain Alastair Cook said the comments were "disrespectful," a view shared by Flower, who said Warner's remarks had no impact on Trott's decision to leave.

"Jonathan has been struggling with this condition for quite a while," added Flower. "We have been on tour for about a month and he has had his ups and downs through that month and it is not directly related to that.

"I would also say players commenting to fellow professionals in the media is disrespectful and I think on this occasion he [Warner] has got that horribly wrong."

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Andy Flower explains Trott decision

England will stay in Australia until early February, with a two-day fixture against a Chairman's XI starting on Friday, before the second Test in Adelaide on 5 December.

Flower believes selecting Trott was the correct decision and is hopeful the 2011 ICC and ECB Cricketer of the Year will return to the international setup in the future.

England's performance squad, which provides back-up to the main party, is also in Australia, but no immediate replacement for Trott has been called into Cook's squad.

Ian Bell could move up the order to number three, while the spare middle-order spot will be filled by Jonny Bairstow, the uncapped Gary Ballance, or all-rounder Ben Stokes, who would offer an extra bowling option.

Angus Porter, head of the Professional Cricketers' Association, said Trott's decision to end his tour was a "brave" one and that his organisation was ready to offer any help to the Warwickshire man.

He added: "It would have been much easier in many ways to plough on, and not address the problem, and maybe that's what people would have done 10 or 20 years ago and we'd never have known why they performed badly.

Jonathan Trott factfile

• Age : 32
• Tests: 49
• Runs: 3763
• Average: 46.45
• Highest score: 226
• Born in Cape Town, South Africa, before qualifying to play for England in 2006
• Made his Warwickshire debut in 2003 and scored 134
• Made his England Test debut against Australia in August 2009 and his 119 in the second innings helped earn a win

"At least we've grown up to the point that people acknowledge it, just as you shouldn't play on with a knee injury you shouldn't play on with a brain injury - you should seek treatment and get yourself right for the future."

Trott made his England debut in the decisive fifth Test of the 2009 Ashes series and his century helped England secure a victory which regained them the urn.

Since then, he has been a permanent fixture in England's Test and one-day teams - scoring 3763 Test runs at an average of 46.45 and almost 3,000 one-day international runs at 51.25.

He is ranked number eight in the world rankings for ODI batsmen and is in the top 15 in the five-day format.

However, he becomes the third England cricketer to depart a tour with a stress-related illness in recent years.

Former opening batsman Marcus Trescothick left the 2005-06 tour of India and the 2006-07 Ashes tour of Australia, while left-arm spinner Michael Yardy flew home from the 2011 World Cup.

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New law to cap payday loan costs

25 November 2013 Last updated at 06:16 ET

The government is to introduce a new law to cap the cost of payday loans.

The level of the cap, which has not yet been announced, will be decided by the new industry regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The Treasury says there is "growing evidence" in support of the move, including the effects of a cap already in place in Australia.

But the industry said the move could restrict credit, and encourage more illegal lending.

The cap will be included in the Banking Reform Bill, which is already going through Parliament.

Speaking to the BBC, the Chancellor, George Osborne, said there would be controls on charges, including arrangement and penalty fees, as well as on interest rates.

"It will not just be an interest rate cap," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"You've got to cap the overall cost of credit."

'Duty on regulator'

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Previously the government had said such a cap was not needed.

But the chancellor denied the government had a made a U-turn on the issue, saying he was not pre-judging the outcome of a Competition Commission inquiry into payday lending.

"These things can go along in parallel," he said.

Some payday lenders have been criticised for charging more than 5,000% annual interest - though the lenders say these loans are meant to be short-term, so the annual rate can make charges appear worse than they are.

Continue reading the main story

• Advertised monthly costs may seem low, but annual rates are significant
• Loans are quick but customer service can be poor. The Financial Ombudsman receives more than 50 complaints about payday lenders every month
• Other lenders like banks or credit unions may offer a better deal. Here are 10 things to check before you take out a loan

Australia has an interest rate limit of 4% per month, after a maximum up-front fee of 20%.

However, even in Australia, borrowers can still face hefty charges.

Penalties for late payment are allowed to be as much as twice the loan amount.

In the UK, the FCA has already been given the power to cap the costs of payday loans.

But under the new law, the FCA will now have a duty to go ahead and introduce price controls.

"Now the regulator will go away and decide what is the best form of cap," said Mr Osborne.

The FCA takes over as the industry regulator in April 2014, so no changes are expected before 2015.

Reservations

The FCA has also proposed a series of measures to clamp down on the industry, including limiting loan roll-overs to just two, and restricting the use of continuous payment authorities (CPAs).

But the Consumer Finance Association (CFA), which represents some of the payday lending firms, was sceptical about whether price controls would work in consumers' interests.

It said the move could encourage more illegal lending.

"Research from other countries where a cap has been introduced, suggests price controls would lead to a reduction in access to credit, and open up a larger market for illegal lenders," a spokesman said.

The FCA itself has also expressed reservations about a cap on charges, fearing that some lenders might increase fees to the legal maximum.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has already said his party would cap the cost of payday loans.

Mr Miliband has also pledged to give councils new powers to limit the spread of payday lending shops in town centres.

The shadow minister for competition and consumer affairs, Stella Creasy, told the Today programme that "the devil really is in the detail".

"This industry's a bit like an inflated balloon and if you don't crack down on the whole cost of credit, then wherever they can recoup their costs by expanding the prices at other points, they will."

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Iran curbs 'may be eased next month'

25 November 2013 Last updated at 06:50 ET

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An adoring crowd gathers to meet the Iranian negotiators as Emily Thomas reports

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says some EU sanctions on Iran could be lifted as early as next month, as part of a nuclear deal with world powers.

He was speaking after crowds in Tehran cheered negotiators who had agreed to curb some of Iran's nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.

The six-month interim deal agreed in Geneva prompted a fall in oil prices on markets on Monday.

But Israel's prime minister has warned the agreement is a "historic mistake".

US President Barack Obama phoned Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the deal on Sunday. He told the Israeli leader he understood Israel "has good reason to be sceptical about Iran's intentions" and promised to consult its ally closely, the White House said.

Mr Fabius told French radio on Monday that "Iran is committed to giving up the prospect of nuclear weapons. It's perfectly clear".

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John Kerry on ABC's 'This Week': "Israel will be safer, the region will be safer"

However, he insisted that the temporary deal could be reversed if its terms were not adhered to, saying: "As long as some things remained to be settled, nothing is settled."

European Union foreign ministers would meet "in a few weeks" to put forward a proposal partially to lift some sanctions on Iran, which the 28-member bloc would then have to approve. The limited lifting of sanctions would take place "in December", he added.

France, the UK and Germany, the US, Russia and China took part in the talks with Iran, hosted by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Under the deal which will last six months, Iran would receive some $7bn (£4.3bn) in "limited, temporary, targeted, and reversible [sanctions] relief" while a permanent agreement is sought.

In return, Tehran has agreed to a series of measures surrounding its nuclear programme.

Key points of the deal include:

• Iran will stop enriching uranium beyond 5%, and "neutralise" its stockpile of uranium enriched beyond this point
• Iran will give greater access to inspectors including daily access at Natanz and Fordo- two of Iran's key nuclear sites
• There will be no further development of the Arak plant which it is believed could produce plutonium
• In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for six months if Iran sticks by the accord
• Iran will also receive sanctions relief worth about $7bn (£4.3bn) on sectors including precious metals

Arriving at Tehran's Mehrabad airport, Iran's negotiators were welcomed by hundreds of cheering supporters carrying flowers and flags.

The crowd hailed Iran's foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, as an "ambassador of peace" and chanted, "No to war, sanctions, surrender and insult".

Speaking to Iranian state television at the airport, Mr Zarif said Iran was prepared to take the necessary steps to keep the deal on track.

World powers suspect Iran's nuclear programme is secretly aiming at developing a nuclear bomb - a charge Iran has consistently denied.

A raft of sanctions has been imposed on Iran in recent years, by the UN, US and the European Union, in an attempt by the international community to press Tehran to stop enriching uranium.

Sceptical about Iran

President Obama welcomed the deal, saying it would "help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon".

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Benjamin Netanyahu: "It's a historic mistake"

But Mr Netanyahu said Israel would not be bound by the agreement, saying he had a "duty to speak out".

"We cannot and will not allow a regime that calls for the destruction of Israel to obtain the means to achieve this goal."

His comments came as it was revealed that the US and Iran had held a series of face-to-face talks in recent months that paved the way for the agreement but were kept secret even from their allies.

The interim agreement with Iran - the world's fourth-largest oil producer - prompted a fall in oil prices in early Asian trading on Monday, with Brent crude falling by more than 2%.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

Congress is very sceptical about the deal. Many are suggesting that they should push for fresh sanctions even though the White House has claimed this could shatter the agreement"

End Quote

Although Iran will not be allowed to increase its oil sales for six months, analysts say the deal is perceived by the markets as reducing risk in the Middle East.

Earlier, US Secretary of State John Kerry told ABC's This Week programme that the deal was a first step in making sure Iran could not have nuclear weapons.

"Israel will actually gain a larger breathing space in terms of the breakout capacity [to make a nuclear weapon] of Iran," he said.

He added that he hoped Congress would not pass new sanctions but Republican senators - as well as some from President Obama's Democratic party - have expressed concerns about the deal and say more sanctions are possible

In a nationwide broadcast on Sunday, President Rouhani repeated that his country would never seek a nuclear weapon.

"No matter what interpretations are given, Iran's right to enrichment has been recognised," he said.

Tehran insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations.

The deal comes just over three months since Mr Rouhani - regarded as a relative moderate - took office in August, replacing the hardline Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

It has also been backed by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in nuclear matters.

Key sanctions against Iran since 2006
Year	United Nations	USA	European Union
Source: UN, US Treasury, AFP, United States Institute of Peace
2006	Resolution 1737 bans supply, sale or transfer of materials that could be used for nuclear or ballistic weapons. Entities and individuals' assets frozen.	Trade between the two countries has been restricted since 1979.
2007	Resolution 1747 bans Iran's arms exports, freezes assets and restricts travel of more individuals engaged in nuclear activities.
2008	Resolution 1803 urges vigilance when dealing with Iranian banks. Introduces further asset freezes and travel bans.	US banks are further prevented from processing so-called "U-turn transfers" of money involving Iran.
2009	No additional resolutions
2010	Resolution 1929 imposes further restrictions on arms supply, including tanks and helicopters. More individuals and firms added to sanctions list.	Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment. Targets supply of fuel to Iran by non-US firms.	Bans technical assistance in oil sector. Restricts banks and adds names to UN travel ban list.
2011		US tightens restrictions against foreign firms and financial institutions trading in the fuel sector.	Assets of 243 Iranian entities and about 40 individuals are frozen. More visa bans imposed.
2012		Further sanctions against the oil sector and on banks accused of doing business with Tehran.	Bans Iran oil imports and freezes assets of the Iranian Central Bank. Further asset freezes and travel bans follow.
2013		New sanctions on Iran's Rial currency and the automotive sector.

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Call to abolish police commissioners

25 November 2013 Last updated at 07:10 ET

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Lord Stevens says in his report that officers should gain "chartered" status

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) should be abolished and replaced by a new system, a review of policing in England and Wales has said.

The review led by ex-Met Police Commissioner Lord Stevens said PCCs, introduced in 2012, should be scrapped in 2016 and more power given to local councillors and local authorities.

The review also recommends that some police forces are merged.

It says the current 43-force structure is "untenable".

The review suggests the Inspectorate of Constabulary and Independent Police Complaints Commission are replaced, and a focus on neighbourhood policing is also being urged.

The review was commissioned in 2011 by Labour. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour would implement the majority of the recommendations if they are elected.

The government has said it will look at the report, but it is not required to implement any of the recommendations.

'Effective policing'

The long-awaited review was billed as the most comprehensive analysis of policing for half a century.

The overall structure of the police service was last examined by a royal commission in 1962.

Lord Stevens said there were 37 "radical" recommendations, including a commitment to neighbourhood policing as the "building block of fair and effective policing".

He said: "Faced with budgetary constraints and the government's insistence that police are crime fighters, there is a danger of the police being forced to retreat to a discredited model of reactive policing."

The review said the PCC model had "fatal systematic flaws" and "should be discontinued in its present form at the end of the term of office of the 41 serving PCCs."

Lord Stevens said that some police forces should be merged, something Labour tried but failed to introduce seven years ago.

The review suggested three possible alternatives: locally negotiated mergers and collaboration agreements; 10 regional police forces; or a national service.

To raise standards of professionalism, the report recommends police officers be given a new chartered status and could face being struck off a professional register if they are found to have committed serious misconduct.

Lord Stevens said the commission "reject" the decision made in January to reduce the starting salary of police constables by £4,000 to £19,000.

He said a level of pay should be set "commensurate with the qualifications and experiences of new recruits".

The review's survey of officers had found that the government's "failure to engage the service in the programme of reform" had led to a "damaging stand-off" and "plummeting morale", Lord Stevens said.

The review says the Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Independent Police Complaints Commission should be replaced by a more powerful body that would ensure failings were addressed "without delay".

'Profound concern'

Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "This review is the first step in setting a new direction for policing in the 21st Century.

"Neighbourhood policing was pioneered by Labour. It wasn't just a slogan, it was a different philosophy of policing; policing rooted in local communities, doing more than reacting to crimes by also preventing them, and working in partnership with local authorities, schools and the NHS.

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Steve White, Police Federation: We "would urge caution" with regard to some recommendations

"So it is of profound concern to me that the independent commission concludes that neighbourhood policing is under threat. We don't want to see services retreating back to their silos, becoming more remote from communities."

Policing and criminal justice minister Damian Green said: "Recorded crime has fallen by more than 10% since the government came to power and we have put in place long-term reforms to help the police continue that downward trend.

"We have stripped away targets and red tape to free police from desk-bound jobs; we have installed the National Crime Agency to take on organised crime; we have installed a College of Policing to professionalise policing; we have modernised outmoded pay and conditions; and we have introduced a newly-reinforced ethical framework to ensure police conduct is on an equal footing to cutting crime."

Vice-chairman of the Police Federation, Steve White, which represents rank-and-file officers, said the organisation had concerns.

"We're a little bit concerned that if you go down a chartered status - and you're accountable to a body rather than the law - what's to stop police officers out there saying, actually I need to make this arrest because I need to prove to the chartered body that I'm doing my job properly."

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Busby Babe Foulkes dies, aged 81

25 November 2013 Last updated at 07:08 ET

Former Manchester United captain Bill Foulkes, who survived the 1958 Munich air crash, has died aged 81.

Only Sir Bobby Charlton, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have played more times than the Busby Babe, who made 688 appearances for United.

Club executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said "he will never be forgotten" adding, "he was a giant character" in the club's post-war era.

St Helens-born Foulkes played for United in their 1968 European Cup win.

Foulkes was a key member of Sir Matt Busby's team of talented young players, who were nicknamed the Busby Babes.

On 6 February 1958, the plane that was carrying the team back from Belgrade crashed in a blizzard after re-fuelling at Munich airport.

'Heroics'

Twenty-three people died - eight players, eight newspaper journalists and seven members of backroom staff.

After the Munich tragedy, Foulkes took over the captaincy and became a pillar of some of United's most successful teams.

Foulkes was a four-time league champion and a FA Cup winner.

He also won the European Cup at Wembley with United, when the team beat Portuguese side Benfica 4-1 in 1968.

Mr Woodward said: "He was a very gentle man, who I was privileged to meet on several occasions, including most memorably with his team-mates at the Champions League final in Moscow, 50 years after his heroics in the Munich air crash."

Foulkes made his United debut against Liverpool in December 1952 and went on to score nine goals in his career. He won his only England cap in 1954.

He joined the club as an amateur in March 1950 and began playing professionally in August 1951 after he left his mining job at Lea Green Colliery in St Helens.

Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand tweeted: "Sad to hear news of Bill Foulkes passing away. Great servant to the club. Thoughts are with his family."

Foulkes left United in June 1970 and went on to manage clubs in the US and Norway.

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Modern-day slavery 'all around us'

24 November 2013 Last updated at 04:36 ET

Slavery in the UK is widespread but new laws will help to eradicate it, the home secretary has said.

Following claims that three women were held for 30 years, Theresa May said figures show the numbers of victims in the UK was up by 25% in the past year.

She told the Sunday Telegraph she had made tackling "this abhorrent crime" a "personal priority".

She outlined plans to strengthen anti-slavery laws and appoint a commissioner to hold relevant agencies to account.

Her comments come after a couple, understood to be married and both aged 67, were arrested in south London last week on suspicion of being involved in forced labour and domestic servitude, as well as immigration offences.

'Not believed'

The case and the media attention around it had "raised awareness" of the issue, the home secretary said.

But she said modern slavery was "all around us, hidden in plain sight... supplying shops and supermarkets, working in fields, factories or nail bars, trapped in brothels or cowering behind curtains in an ordinary street".

Ms May said the government would:

• make trafficking a priority for the new National Crime Agency
• introduce a Modern Slavery Bill, increasing sentences for trafficking offences
• create an Anti Slavery Commissioner to work on behalf of victims

But she also called on businesses to avoid working with suppliers "involved in trafficking and exploitation".

And she said charities, police forces and other public sector bodies must "work together" to encourage victims to come forward.

Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the London Assembly told the BBC: "We've had too many cases where somebody's declared 'I've been trafficked' or 'I've been enslaved' and they haven't been believed by the authorities."

On Saturday veteran Labour MP Frank Field, who has been asked to chair a review of the evidence ahead of any new anti-slavery legislation said on Saturday recent cases could be the "tip of the iceberg".

Labour backed the government's plans when they were outlined by the home secretary in summer.

Ms May told the Telegraph: "I will be joining with voices from across the political spectrum, the public and private sector, law enforcement and charities, local and international organisations."

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Local policing 'must be saved'

24 November 2013 Last updated at 05:18 ET

Neighbourhood policing is under threat in England and Wales as police "retreat to a discredited reactive approach", a report is to say.

The Independent Police Commission will say that every neighbourhood should have a guaranteed level of policing.

The commission, which will publish its report on Monday, was set up by Labour in 2011 under former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens.

Labour said it would now consult on the report's recommendations.

The commission will say "bobbies on the beat are disappearing and neighbourhood policing must be saved".

It describes the neighbourhood model as the "building block of fair and effective policing".

It will also recommend:

• Electronic submission of case files to courts and prosecutors
• Mobile access to intelligence, including the Police National Computer
• Cybercrime experts to be recruited directly into police forces
• Restrictions on the use of private companies such as G4S and Serco for policing functions

According to the commission, figures from the House of Commons Library show there were 10,000 fewer frontline officers in England and Wales in 2013 than in 2010 - a drop of 8.3%.

'Beating a retreat'

Lord Stevens, the Met Commissioner who introduced neighbourhood policing into London, said every local area should be given a guaranteed level of neighbourhood policing.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Lord Stevens warned that officers were "beating a retreat from the beat".

"In the course of our two-year independent commission on the future of policing, we have seen that neighbourhood policing is under threat and the police are at risk of retreating into a discredited reactive model," he wrote.

"The commission is clear that neighbourhood policing is the bedrock on which the service must be built."

Lord Stevens also condemned the government's police reform programme as "confused", "fragmented" and "unfocused".

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour had asked Lord Stevens to examine what could be done "without additional resources".

"There is a retreat going on from neighbourhood policing, a retreat from the bobbies on the beat," she told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme.

She accused her Conservative counterpart Theresa May of seeing policing merely as "crime fighting".

"In fact policing is about prevention of crime, working with communities, respect for law and order and respect for public safety," she said.

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Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says modern policing is about community and prevention, not just fighting crime.

The report will call for "a set of national minimum standards of police service which everyone should be entitled to receive" and which police forces "must deliver".

"The neighbourhood remains the key building block of fair and effective policing and it is vital that visible, locally responsive policing is protected in times of fiscal constraint," it will say.

The report will recommend that the law should be changed "to make clear that the purpose of policing is to promote public safety and community wellbeing, thereby preventing crime as well as reacting to crime".

According to the commission, this was achieved in the legislation creating a single national police force for Scotland.

The report will call for stronger links between the police and other organisations, including giving neighbourhoods and councils more say over local police priorities.

'Non-political'

Labour announced the review at its 2011 party conference, saying it was time for a "serious vision".

Crossbench peer Lord Stevens stressed the commission, which included police figures, academics and judges, would be non-political.

Nick Herbert, then the policing minister, said Labour's decision to establish an inquiry was "an abdication of any kind of political leadership" and the government had a "coherent package of reforms".

The overall structure of the police service was last examined by a royal commission in 1962.

Lord Stevens was the head of the Metropolitan Police between 2000 and 2005.

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Afghans urge US pact deal this year

24 November 2013 Last updated at 05:34 ET

Afghan elders at a grand assembly in Kabul have called for a security deal with the US to be signed this year.

The pact allows thousands of US troops to remain in Afghanistan once combat operations end in 2014.

But President Hamid Karzai, who wants to delay the deal, told delegates he would only sign it once the US had brought peace to his country.

The US has said it is neither "practical nor possible" to delay the signing.

The Bilateral Security Agreement also has to be approved by the Afghan parliament.

The deal under discussion may see 15,000 foreign troops remain after 2014, although the US says it has not yet taken a decision on any presence.

The soldiers who stay beyond 2014, when most foreign combat forces leave, would primarily train and mentor Afghan forces. Some special forces would stay to conduct "counter-terror operations".

'Tense exchanges'

More than 2,000 elders have been taking part in the grand assembly of elders, or Loya Jirga, meeting behind closed doors in Kabul for the past four days.

"Given the current situation in, and Afghanistan's need... the contents of this agreement as a whole is endorsed by the members of this Loya Jirga," a declaration reached at the end of the meeting said, quoted by AFP news agency.

"The Loya Jirga requests the president to sign the agreement before the end of 2013."

Opening the meeting on Thursday, the Afghan president urged delegates to support the pact, but said he would not sign it until after the election scheduled for April 2014.

The BBC's Karen Allen, in Kabul, says the vast majority of elders wanted the deal signed within a month.

The assembly's chairman, Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, said he will resign his official posts and leave the country if the security deal is not signed by the end of the year.

The past few days have seen tense diplomatic telephone exchanges between US Secretary of State John Kerry and President Karzai, our correspondent says.

Continue reading the main story

• Jurisdiction: US forces remaining after 2014 reportedly to receive immunity from Afghan courts
• Sovereignty: In October 2013 President Karzai appeared to have secured US agreement not to carry out attacks on Afghan soil without first consulting the Afghan authorities
• Security: The US in October 2013 said that it would not protect Afghanistan from external attack because it could get mired in a war with Pakistan

Washington insists the deal - which has taken months to negotiate - must be signed before the end of this year in order to secure plans for how many troops will remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

State department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said: "We believe that signing sooner rather than later is essential to give Afghans certainty about their future before the upcoming elections, and enable the United States and other partners to plan for US presence after 2014.

"It is neither practical nor possible for us to further delay because of the uncertainty it would create."

Security has been tight for the meeting after a suicide bombing last weekend near the huge tent where it is being held.

The Taliban has branded the meeting a US-designed plot, and has vowed to pursue and punish its delegates as traitors if they approve the deal.

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Millions tune in for Doctor Who 50th

24 November 2013 Last updated at 05:54 ET

More than 10 million people tuned in to see the special 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who in the UK, according to overnight viewing figures.

At its peak, the show was watched by 10.61 million viewers, with an average of 10.2 million across the 75-minute running time.

It comfortably beat X Factor on ITV, which was seen by 7.7 million people.

But Strictly Come Dancing was Saturday night's most popular show, peaking at 11.7 million viewers (10.6m average).

'Beautiful reinvention'

The Day of the Doctor was broadcast in 94 countries at the same time as it aired on BBC One on Saturday night.

Featuring three Doctors - Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt - it delved deep into the character's psyche over 75 minutes.

Amid the special effects and multiple time zones, critics were particularly impressed with the interplay between the actors.

The Telegraph's Ben Lawrence wrote: "Tennant is edgy and mercurial, likely to turn on a pin. Smith is gentler, with a boyish eccentricity and other-worldly strangeness. They sparred terrifically with a fair amount of trademark humour.

"Smith's Doctor teased Tennant's about his 'sand shoes' and his weight. 'Ooh. That is proper skinny. Hello matchstick man!'

"And yet they were both skilled enough to convince the viewer that they were one and the same person, both sharing a compassion, an acute intelligence and a formidable nose for danger."

Continue reading the main story

In a five star review, the Mirror's Jon Cooper singled out writer Steven Moffat as the real star.

"He's put something together here that not only gives hardcore fans a beautiful reinvention of their favourite show but also gives casual viewers a stonking story and a reminder why we all love this show so much," he wrote.

"This had labour of love stamped throughout it," agreed Simon Brew on the Den Of Geek website.

"It felt like a real treat, a gift to Who fandom, but more importantly, a strong episode in its own right."

Opening with the show's original credit sequence from 1963, the special featured the Daleks and the return of rubber suited, shape-shifting aliens the Zygons, who first appeared in 1975.

But the principal villain was potentially the Doctor himself.

Continue reading the main story

The last few minutes affected me quite deeply"

End Quote Neil Perryman, Doctor Who fan

Moffat's story played with the idea, introduced when the science-fiction show re-launched in 2005, that the Doctor was the "last of the Time Lords".

It transpired that Hurt's version of the Doctor had taken the decision to commit mass genocide in order to halt a "Great Time War" - and the 75-minute episode saw him fighting to come to terms with that decision, aided by two future versions of himself.

There were also cameos from former star Tom Baker, and Peter Capaldi, who replaces Smith later this year.

"The last few minutes affected me quite deeply," wrote Neil Perryman, who recently completed his goal of watching all 697 episodes of Doctor Who on the Guardian's website.

He conceded that some of the details "didn't make a lot of sense on first viewing" but added: "I don't care - I'll be watching it again this evening".

Speaking immediately after the show ended, star Matt Smith said: "I think what's really clever about it is that what he [Moffat] has managed to do is change the mythology of the character - which, after 50 years, is an achievement."

Aside from the emotional drama, the episode was filled with comedic moments - including a proposal, a marriage and "a machine that goes ding".

"Is there a lot of this in the future?" John Hurt asked as David Tennant kissed Queen Elizabeth I.

"There is a bit, yes," deadpanned Matt Smith.

Screened in 3D in more than 1,500 cinemas in 94 countries - from Russia to Ethiopia - the anniversary special attracted hundreds of fans in fancy dress, including bow ties, fezzes and Dalek outfits.

A gala screening at the BFI in London was attended by Smith, Hurt, Moffat and their co-star Jenna Coleman.

A huge cheer echoed around the cinema as the end credits rolled, while Tom Baker's surprise cameo also received a large round of applause.

The viewing figures are the highest for the science fiction show since the 2010 Christmas Special.

They do not take into account people who taped the show, or watched it later on iPlayer - and are therefore likely to rise once consolidated figures become available.

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Iran agrees to curb nuclear activity

24 November 2013 Last updated at 06:52 ET

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Jeremy Bowen: This buys them six months to negotiate a permanent deal

Iran has agreed to curb some of its nuclear activities in return for about $7bn (£4.3bn) in sanctions relief, after days of intense talks in Geneva.

US President Barack Obama welcomed the deal, saying it included "substantial limitations which will help prevent Iran from building a nuclear weapon".

Iran agreed to give better access to inspectors and halt some of its work on uranium enrichment.

President Hassan Rouhani said the deal recognised Iran's nuclear "rights".

But he repeated, in a nationwide broadcast, that his country would never seek a nuclear weapon.

Tehran denies repeated claims by Western governments that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. It insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium to use in power stations.

Continue reading the main story

The first announcement of the most important agreement between Iran and the West in more than a decade was made on Twitter. Shortly before three in the morning in Geneva, the EU posted: "We have reached agreement between the E3+3 and Iran." Minutes later, Iran's chief negotiator, Mohammad Javad Zarif followed: "We have reached an agreement."

The immediate origins of this deal date to 14 June 2013, when Hassan Rouhani was elected president of Iran. Mr Rouhani promised to end his country's repeated confrontations with the outside world, beginning with the argument over its nuclear programme.

To bring about a deal, Mr Rouhani pursued two key policies. Firstly, he secured the public backing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for his diplomatic efforts. Secondly, the new president and his foreign minister broke precedent and pursued direct high-level contact with Iran's long time enemy, the US.

If there is to be a lasting nuclear agreement, it may spring from a reconciliation between these two countries.

The deal comes just months after Iran elected Mr Rouhani - regarded as a relative moderate - as its new president, in place of the hard-line Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

It has also been backed by Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

After four days of negotiations, representatives of the so-called P5+1 group of nations - the US, the UK, Russia, China, France and Germany - reached an agreement with Iran in the early hours of Sunday.

The specifics of the deal have yet to be released, but negotiators indicated the broad outlines:

• Iran will stop enriching uranium beyond 5%, the level at which it can be used for weapons research, and reduce its stockpile of uranium enriched beyond this point
• Iran will give greater access to inspectors including daily access at Natanz and Fordo nuclear sites
• In return, there will be no new nuclear-related sanctions for six months
• Iran will also receive sanctions relief worth about $7bn (£4.3bn) on sectors including precious metals

US Secretary of State John Kerry said the agreement would make the region safer for its allies, including Israel.

But the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his cabinet it was a "historic mistake" and that his country reserved the right to defend itself.

"Today the world became a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world made a significant step in obtaining the most dangerous weapons in the world," he said.

At a later news conference, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would not be bound by the agreement.

"We cannot and will not allow a regime that calls for the destruction of Israel to obtain the means to achieve this goal.

"Israel has many friends and allies, but when they're mistaken, its my duty to speak out."

The Israeli comments came as it was revealed that the US and Iran had held a series of face-to-face talks over the past year that were kept secret even from their allies.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was an opportunity for the "removal of any doubts about the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear programme".

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President Hassan Rouhani said the deal recognised Iran's nuclear "rights"

But he insisted that Iran had not given up its right to enrich uranium.

"We believe that the current agreement, the current plan of action as we call it, in two distinct places has a very clear reference to the fact that Iranian enrichment programme will continue and will be a part of any agreement, now and in the future," he said.

The US denied any such right had been conceded, while UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said the agreement was "good news for the whole world".

'Significant agreement'

The US state department gave more details of the deal, insisting that most sanctions would remain in place.

Restrictions on Iran's petrochemical exports and some other sectors would be suspended, bringing in $1.5bn in revenue.

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Obama: "Agreed to provide Iran with modest relief"

But Mr Obama warned that if Iran fail to keep its commitments, "we will turn off the relief and ratchet up the pressure".

This deal may be the most significant agreement between the world powers and Iran for a decade, says the BBC's James Reynolds in Geneva.

Negotiators had been working since Wednesday to reach an agreement that was acceptable to both sides.

As hopes of a deal grew stronger, foreign ministers of the P5+1 joined them in Geneva.

But it only became clear that a breakthrough had been made in Geneva shortly before 03:00 local time (02:00 GMT) on Sunday.

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