Alcohol 'should have calorie labels'

31 October 2014 Last updated at 00:10 By James Gallagher Health editor, BBC News website

Alcohol should have a calorie content label in order to reduce obesity, according to public health doctors.

The doctors warn a large glass of wine can contain around 200 calories - the same as a doughnut.

Yet the Royal Society for Public Health says the vast majority of people are blissfully unaware.

Public Health Minister Jane Ellison said "great strides" had been made with labelling food, and that the government will look at the issue.

The drinks industry said it was open to the idea of calorie labels, but that labelling drinks with units of alcohol was more important.

The UK is one of the most obese nations in the world with about a quarter of adults classed as obese.

'Startling'

Food already comes with calorie information, but alcohol is exempt from EU food labelling laws.

And the European Commission is considering whether drinks should also carry such information.

Research by the Royal Society for Public Health suggested the measure would be popular with British drinkers.

The RSPH's chief executive, Shirley Cramer, told the BBC: "Quite startling really - 80% of adults have no idea what the calorie count is in anything they're drinking and if they do think they have an idea they totally underestimate it anyway.

"It could help the nation's waistlines as well as probably reduce alcohol consumption."

In a small pub experiment conducted by the society, people who were told the calories content of their drink consumed 400 fewer calories in a session.

How many calories

• A large 250ml glass of 8% wine is 170 calories
• The same amount of 14% wine is 230 calories
• A 275ml alcopop can be 170 calories
• A pint of 4% beer is more than 180 calories
• Four pints on a night out equates of two-and-a-half burgers or 73 minutes of running
• In comparison a sugary doughnut comes in around 200 calories

Source: Royal Society for Public Health, Drinkaware

Estimates suggest 10% of an adult's calorie intake comes from alcohol.

Gram for gram it is the second most calorie-dense source of energy, just behind fat.

'Open to discussion'

The Portman Group, which represents drinks manufacturers, said it took the health consequences of drinking "very seriously" and provided calorie information on the Drinkaware website.

In a statement it said: "Drinks producers can play a key role in informing and educating consumers and are open to further discussions about calorie information.

"However, it is essential that alcohol content, not calorie content, should primarily inform consumer decision-making."

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Brendan O'Donnell says cutting down on alcohol helped him lose more than 11 stone

Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said the government had been dragging its feet on the issue.

"A calorie-count on wine and beer bottles can't come soon enough.

"Just one premium lager contains by itself contains enough calories for a small meal and, added to the meal itself, eats up a chunk of anyone's maximum allowance."

Ms Ellison said: "It is very positive to see that people want more information to help them lead a healthier life.

"We have made great strides in food labelling and customers can see at a glance the calories they are consuming on many products.

"While it is already possible for alcohol producers and retailers to display calorie content on their labels, we will continue to look at what else can be done to help people make healthier lifestyle choices."

Jackie Ballard, the chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said: "Much more needs to be done to raise awareness of both the contents and the harms which can be caused by alcohol.

"You walk into any shop and the calorie, fat content, sugar and more are on the back of food packets and we don't see why alcohol should be any different."

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Terror sentences 'were justified'

31 October 2014 Last updated at 11:17

Three men who challenged their extended sentences for preparing terrorism offences have lost their appeals.

The trio, including Richard Dart, a convert to radical Islam who has featured in TV documentaries, were sentenced to additional monitoring in the community after their jail terms.

They had argued during their appeal that the punishment was unfair.

But the Court of Appeal has ruled the sentences were justified because of the dangers the men posed.

It means a string of sentencing hearings for Syria-related terrorism offences, which had been on hold pending the ruling, can now go ahead.

Wootton Bassett attack

The three men had all admitted preparing for acts of terrorism.

Each was given an extended sentence - meaning a jail term plus additional monitoring on licence in the community - last April.

Dart, from Weymouth, sought training in Pakistan and then discussed plans to attack Royal Wootton Bassett, the town that was the focal point for the repatriation of soldiers killed in Afghanistan, with others in the UK.

The other two men, Zahid Iqbal and Mohammed Sharfaraz Ahmed, from Luton, had prepared for a possible attack on Luton's Territorial Army base.

Dart received a six-year extended sentence, meaning he must serve at least two-thirds in jail before he can be considered for release on licence.

At the end of those six years, he will be subject to a further five years of monitoring under licence in the community.

He would face the risk of being sent back to jail if he committed another offence during that time.

Iqbal and Ahmed received extended sentences of just over 16 years - comprising an 11-year jail sentence plus an extra five on licence.

Rejecting their appeals at the Royal Courts of Justice, Lord Justice Pitchford said the judges who sentenced them had followed the appropriate procedures to assess each man as posing an ongoing danger to society.

Dart, who changed his name to Salahuddin al-Britani, became involved in extremism after moving from his home town in Dorset to east London.

His beliefs were brought into the spotlight in 2011 as part of a BBC television documentary My Brother The Islamist, by his stepbrother Robb Leech.

This was followed by a second documentary, My Brother the Terrorist, earlier this year.

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Two missing after fireworks blaze

31 October 2014 Last updated at 10:32

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Footage of the fireworks going off as the blaze took hold

Two people are missing after a large blaze at a fireworks warehouse that saw two people taken to hospital.

Dramatic bursts of fireworks and thick smoke could be seen as the fire burned in Stafford on Thursday night.

Although the blaze at the unit of SP Fireworks was brought under control, firefighters remained at the scene through the night.

A 53-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the blaze, Staffordshire Police said.

In total four people were hurt in the fire, which started at about 17:00 GMT and tore through the building on the Baswich Industrial Estate.

Two men remain in hospital, police said, with one described as being in a "poorly condition" and the other as stable.

'Man on fire'

At its peak, the blaze was being tackled by about 50 firefighters.

Staffordshire Police said the site would be searched once the fire was completely out, as the operation moved into an investigation into the cause of the fire.

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Tim Hyde from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue: ''It's too unsafe to enter the premises''

Supt Jane Hewett said: "On Friday we will continue to investigate this incident and work to ensure everyone is accounted for."

She said the force's focus remained on tracing those at the factory shortly before the explosion.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said four people were treated at the scene and two needed to be taken to hospital - a man in his 40s with serious burns and a man in his 60s who had inhaled smoke.

A number of roads in the area were closed and businesses and homes were evacuated.

Stephanie Horton works in a neighbouring business on the industrial estate and was treated for the effects of smoke inhalation at the scene.

She described hearing "three massive explosions" and seeing the owner of a neighbouring business thrown to the floor by the blast.

Ms Horton said she saw two vehicles parked outside SP Fireworks, and one man running out of the blazing building.

"It became evident after that there were potentially other missing people," she said.

According to its website, SP Fireworks is part of Stafford Plastics Group, which supplies roofing and other building materials.

'Mayhem'

Darren Humphreys works at an accident repair business opposite the premises, and said the area was quickly engulfed by smoke.

"There was a chap who got out who was on fire and a couple of our lads ran over to help him," he said.

Eyewitness Robert Hine said he first heard an "enormous bang" at about 17:20.

"It was like November the 5th 10 times," he said.

"There were fireworks going off in all directions, bangs, great plumes of black smoke.

"I assumed someone must have set fire to a great load of fireworks.

"It was mayhem."

Police said they planned to reduce the size of the cordon around the scene in the early hours so Baswich Lane could reopen to traffic.

Tilcon Ave will remain closed and cordoned off while the investigation continues, and all the businesses accessed via Tilcon Ave will remain closed and sealed off for the time being.

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Hungary scraps controversial web tax

31 October 2014 Last updated at 09:58

Hungary has decided to shelve a proposed tax on internet data traffic after mass protests against the plan.

"This tax in its current form cannot be introduced," Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday.

Large-scale protests began on Sunday, when demonstrators hurled old computer parts at the headquarters of Mr Orban's ruling Fidesz party.

The draft law - condemned by the EU - would levy a fee on each gigabyte of internet data transferred.

The protesters objected to the financial burden but also feared the move would restrict free expression and access to information.

The levy was set at 150 forints (£0.40; 0.50 euros; $0.60) per gigabyte of data traffic.

After thousands protested the government decided to cap the tax at 700 forints per month for individuals and 5,000 forints for companies. But that did not placate the crowds.

'It should not be done'

Fidesz had said the special tax was needed to balance Hungary's budget in 2015.

Speaking on Kossuth public radio, Mr Orban said that "if the people not only dislike something but also consider it unreasonable then it should not be done...

"The tax code should be modified. This must be withdrawn, and we do not have to deal with this now."

He said a measure seen by the government as a technical issue had become "a fear-inducing vision".

There will be a national consultation on it in January, he said.

A European Commission spokesman, Ryan Heath, said the tax was "bad in principle" because it was a unilateral measure applied to a global phenomenon.

He said it was "part of a pattern... of actions that have limited freedoms or sought to take rents without achieving wider economic or social interest" in Hungary.

The Commission has previously criticised Mr Orban's government for constitutional proposals seen to be cementing the Fidesz party's political dominance.

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Victims meeting abuse inquiry staff

31 October 2014 Last updated at 11:38

Victims' groups are meeting officials from a child sex abuse inquiry and are expected to reiterate calls for the inquiry's head to resign.

Some victims have already said Fiona Woolf should step down because of her social links to ex-Home Secretary Lord Brittan, whose handling of abuse claims in the 1980s has been questioned.

One victims' representative said he had "zero confidence" in the inquiry.

David Cameron's spokesman said he was "absolutely clear" she can do the job.

The inquiry will look at whether public bodies and other institutions did enough to protect children from sexual abuse, from 1970 to the present day.

The first person appointed to lead it - Baroness Butler-Sloss - stepped down in July after concerns were raised about her family links.

'Whitewash'

Mrs Woolf is not thought to be at the meeting with victims' representatives, including lawyer Alison Millar, who is to call for her to step down because "our clients just don't have faith in her".

The NSPCC is also at the meeting in London, which began at about 10:30 GMT.

The charity has declined to give explicit backing to Mrs Woolf, a corporate lawyer.

It said the government inquiry should be judged on its work rather than who leads it, but that it should get under way.

But Peter Saunders, of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said Mrs Woolf was an "entirely inappropriate" choice.

"What in God's name are they doing appointing a corporate lawyer who knows, and has already demonstrated she knows, nothing about this deeply entrenched social evil?" he said.

He called the inquiry a "whitewash", adding: "Survivors just want the truth. We have zero confidence that this will follow."

'Not close'

A victim of historical child sexual abuse has already launched a legal challenge to Mrs Woolf's appointment, claiming she is not impartial, has no relevant expertise and may not have time to discharge her duties.

Earlier this month Mrs Woolf, who is Lord Mayor of London, disclosed that she lived in the same street as Lord Brittan and had dinner with him five times between 2008 and 2012 - but said he was not a "close associate".

Lord Brittan may be called to give evidence to the inquiry. He denies any wrongdoing in the way the "dossier" on alleged high-profile paedophiles was handled in the 1980s.

Abuse inquiry: How we got here

1 July - MP Simon Danczuk calls on former Home Secretary Leon Brittan to say what he knew about paedophile allegations passed to him in the 1980s

7 July - Government announces independent inquiry into the way public bodies investigated and handled child sex abuse claims. Baroness Butler-Sloss chosen as head

9 July - Baroness Butler-Sloss (pictured) faces calls to quit because her late brother, Sir Michael Havers, was attorney general in the 1980s

14 July - She stands down, saying she is "not the right person" for the job

5 September - Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf named the new head of the inquiry

11 October - Mrs Woolf discloses she had five dinners with Lord Brittan from 2008-12

22 October - Abuse victim launches legal challenge against Mrs Woolf leading the inquiry, amid growing calls for her resignation

On Thursday, MP Keith Vaz said letters from Mrs Woolf showed her appointment was "chaotic". He said a letter from Mrs Woolf about her links with Lord Brittan was re-written seven times and the final version gave a "sense of greater detachment".

Mr Cameron's official spokesman said the prime minister's view that Mrs Woolf should lead the inquiry "has not changed".

"The prime minister is absolutely clear he thinks she can do this job with integrity and impartiality," he added.

Labour's shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said Home Secretary Theresa May had "totally failed" to get the inquiry going.

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Sickness benefit cuts 'considered'

30 October 2014 Last updated at 00:06 By Michael Buchanan Social Affairs Correspondent, BBC News

Ministers are considering drastically cutting the main Employment and Support Allowance sickness benefit, internal documents seen by the BBC suggest.

New claimants, judged to be capable of work with appropriate support, could be given just 50p more per week than people on job seekers allowance.

Current recipients get almost £30 per week more.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the ESA proposals were not government policy.

The papers reveal that the government has also been forced to hire extra staff to clear the backlog on the benefit.

Some 100 healthcare professionals are being hired to carry out fitness-for-work tests. The staff, who will be employed through the Pertemps agency, will help to reduce a backlog of more than 600,000 cases.

'Fiscal risks'

They will be in addition to any extra staff brought in when a new contractor is announced shortly to replace ATOS. The BBC understands that the American firm, Maximus, has been selected.

Leaked documents this summer showed that ministers considered ESA - formerly known as incapacity benefit - to be "one of the largest fiscal risks currently facing the government".

They also revealed concerns about claimants moving off jobseekers allowance onto ESA.

Giving consideration to cutting the differential paid to ESA recipients in the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) - individuals who have to prepare for employment - is a reflection of that concern.

They currently get £28.75 more per week but the documents show plans are being discussed to cut that to just 50p more than jobseekers allowance. People receiving JSA, who are aged 25 or over, currently get £72.40 per week.

Employment and Support Allowance is paid to approximately two million people. Claimants have to undergo a work capability assessment to determine whether they are eligible and at what level.

Labour MP Dame Anne Begg, who chairs the Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, said she would support overhauling the delivery of ESA but "did not envisage" any reduction in the value of the benefit.

"That's not reform, that is just saving money. I hope that is not something the government is going to come forward with."

'Best service'

Problems with the current provider, the French firm ATOS, which was appointed by the last Labour government, led to the firm reaching an agreement with the government earlier this year to leave its contract early.

Ministers raised concerns about the quality of assessments being carried out by ATOS which has led to a backlog of cases. The backlog is currently running at more than 600,000.

As ministers focus assessments on new claimants, recipients who should have been re-assessed under the terms of the benefit are not being seen, creating much of the backlog. Most of those receiving Incapacity Benefit, who should also have been assessed, are also not being tested.

The Office for Budget Responsibility said in a report earlier this month that "the backlog of applications encourages claimants previously not found eligible for ESA simply to reapply".

A spokesman for the DWP said "We are committed to supporting those people who are able to work to make the positive move into employment.

"The current work capability assessment contract was inherited from the previous government - and we have taken numerous steps to improve it. We will shortly announce a new provider. No one should doubt our commitment to ensuring that people who need an assessment get the best possible service and are seen in the quickest possible time."

Would you be affected by potential sickness benefit cuts? Send us your comments by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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Rendition case against UK to proceed

30 October 2014 Last updated at 11:45

A Libyan man can sue the UK government over claims he was illegally sent back to Libya and tortured, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Abdul-Hakim Belhaj alleges that former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and MI6 were complicit in arranging he and his wife's rendition from China in 2004.

The High Court had ruled the case could not be heard in the UK courts because it could damage foreign relationships.

But appeal judges said the claims were so "grave" a court should hear them.

Mr Belhaj, now a politician in Libya, said: "My wife and I are gratified by the judges' decision to give us our day in court," adding their alleged torture was "as fresh and as painful for us as if it happened yesterday".

His lawyer Sapna Malik said it was "very significant step forward" to the case being heard in England.

Mr Straw, who has previously denied being aware of the rendition, and the government have been given leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Foreign Office said it was considering whether to make an application. The case would not be heard until after any appeal.

'Public interest'

Mr Belhaj, former leader of an Islamist group which fought the regime of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, claims British intelligence provided information that facilitated his rendition, along with his pregnant wife Fatima Boudchar.

Last year, Mr Justice Simon ruled at the High Court that the case against Mr Straw and Sir Mark Allen, ex-head of counter-terrorism at MI6, should be thrown out.

The government had argued an English court could not adjudicate on claims of rendition and torture in Libya, even though UK officials allegedly knew about them.

The judge said that because most of the claims related to officials in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Libya they were "non-justiciable" in the UK.

But on Thursday, appeal court judges said the proceedings were not barred by state immunity.

"There is a compelling public interest in the investigation by the English courts of these very grave allegations," they ruled.

One of the judges, Lord Dyson, said: "The stark reality is that unless the English courts are able to exercise jurisdiction in this case, these very grave allegations against the executive will never be subjected to judicial investigation."

Mr Belhaj was jailed for six years after he returned to Libya. Mrs Boudchar was also imprisoned, but released shortly before giving birth.

The couple have refused so far refused to reach a settlement with the UK government, saying they want it to admit what they say happened.

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Prince Harry supports poppy appeal

30 October 2014 Last updated at 11:22

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Prince Harry meets Barbara Windsor in support of the London Poppy Day Appeal

Prince Harry has met poppy sellers and celebrities at Buckingham Palace on the first stop of their tour of London in a classic 1960s Routemaster bus.

Actress Barbara Windsor and singer Joss Stone are among those touring on the bus to support London Poppy Day.

Around 2,500 collectors are taking part in events before Remembrance Sunday.

Collectors have converged at more than 60 tube and train stations across London.

Entertaining commuters

For Prince Harry it was a chance to thank some of those hoping to raise £1 million in just 12 hours across the capital to support the Armed Forces community.

Volunteers are also collecting on the Thames Clippers and at other locations including more than 70 of London's major firms.

Covent Garden is hosting performances throughout the day from Britain's Got Talent stars Lucy Kay and Jonathan Antoine, the RAF Spitfires Choir and the Royal Army Physical Training Corps Edwardian Display Team.

Maurillia 'Simi' Simpson - who has been helped by the legion - is also a passenger on the bus.

She served three tours of Iraq with the Royal Logistics Corp before a motorist ran a red light, knocking her unconscious and leaving her in need of support for years to come.

She said: "It's very special to see everyone getting behind the Poppy Appeal and the work of The Royal British Legion.

"The Poppy is about remembrance but it also symbolises hope for the future of the living - for the Armed Forces community of all ages and their families."

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Penalties 'do not stop' drug use

30 October 2014 Last updated at 12:08

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Drug abuse should be treated as a health issue, says Norman Baker MP

There is "no obvious" link between tough laws and levels of illegal drug use, a government report has found.

Liberal Democrat Home Office minister Norman Baker said the report, comparing the UK with other countries, should end "mindless rhetoric" on drugs policy.

He accused the Conservatives of "suppressing" the findings for months.

Tory MP Michael Ellis said the Lib Dems had "hijacked" it for political gain. The government says it has "no intention" of decriminalising drugs.

"The prime minister thinks the current approach the government is taking is the right one and isn't going to change," said a Downing Street spokesman.

The row comes ahead of a debate on government policy on drugs in the House of Commons later.

The Home Office report compared the UK's approach to drug misuse with that of 13 other countries.

Continue reading the main story

• 9 have sanctioned "drug consumption rooms", including Canada, Denmark and Switzerland

• 8 are trialling the treatment of addicts with pure heroin rather than methadone, including Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK

• 4 have special "drug courts", where people pleading guilty to drug offences can opt for treatment rather than prison, including the US

• 1 has set up "dissuasion commissions" - Portugal

After examining a range of approaches, from zero-tolerance to decriminalisation, it concluded drug use was influenced by factors "more complex and nuanced than legislation and enforcement alone".

But it found there had been a "considerable" improvement in the health of drug users in Portugal since the country made drug possession a health issue rather than a criminal one in 2001.

The Home Office said these outcomes could not be attributed to decriminalisation alone.

But Mr Baker believes treating drug use as a health matter would be more effective, "rather than presuming locking people up is the answer".

Analysis Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent

The divisions within the coalition could not be more sharply exposed.

The official Home Office position is that its drug strategy is working.

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat minister with responsibility for drugs, says "radical" change is needed.

Mr Baker's claims have been fuelled by his department's own report, which finds no link between how tough a country is on drugs and how many people use them.

It's an important finding, but the study also makes clear that drug policy is highly complex - approaches which may work abroad can't necessarily be implanted into the UK.

The Home Office barely mentioned the report in its press release, focusing instead on plans to change the law on legal highs.

Mr Baker's intervention has ensured the report takes centre stage.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg accused the Conservatives of a "totally misplaced, outdated, backward-looking view".

He said the "war on drugs is not working" and evidence showed addicts must be dealt with as "people who need treatment so they don't remain hooked".

Mr Baker said: "We've had what I would call mindless rhetoric over the last 40 years which has tended to say there is only one solution and anyone who offers any alternative must by definition be 'soft on drugs'."

He said government health and education policies were succeeding, and any move to decriminalise drug possession must go along with a "tough regime" of health treatment, and police action against dealers.

He said the Conservatives had "suppressed" the report, preventing publication for "several months", because of the "inconvenient truths" it contained.

But Mr Ellis, a member of the Home Affairs Committee, called Mr Baker's comments "naked political posturing".

He said the Lib Dems had "hijacked" the report and were "spinning it" for political reasons.

"Their frankly pro-drugs policy is dangerous and irresponsible," he added.

Danny Kushlick, the founder of the group Transform, which has been campaigning for the legal regulation of drugs in the UK for almost 20 years, said the report was an important step.

"For the first time in over 40 years the Home Office has admitted that enforcing tough drug laws doesn't necessarily reduce levels of drug use," he said.

Analysis Matthew Price, Europe correspondent, BBC News

Back in the 1990s Portugal was struggling with a heroin epidemic of almost epic proportions. One person in every 100 was a heroin addict.

Not everyone agreed with the approach that was adopted to try and end the problem. In fact, many on the right wing of politics were appalled when prosecutions for people using drugs were ended.

They didn't like the idea that addiction would be treated as a health issue, rather than a criminal one, that addicts would be given treatment and healthcare to help them overcome their addiction. Those voices have been silenced now.

15 years later, and the number of people hooked on heroin has been halved, and there have been good results in terms of Aids infection, hepatitis infection and the like.

Back in the 1990s "we feared that Portugal could turn into a paradise for drug users", says Dr Jaoa Goulao, Portugal's national co-ordinator on drugs and drug addiction.

Thanks to the policy, that didn't happen, he says.

The report said it would be "inappropriate" to compare the success of drug policies in different countries because data collection and many other factors differ between each one.

But it said "some observations can be made" and it is "not clear" decriminalisation has an impact on levels of drug use.

"Looking across different countries, there is no apparent correlation between the 'toughness' of a country's approach and the prevalence of adult drug use," it stated.

Legal highs

A separate Home Office report has called for a blanket ban on all brain-altering drugs in a bid to tackle legal highs.

Currently, when a legal high is made illegal, manufacturers are avoiding the law by tweaking the chemical compound and creating a new substance.

The government will consider legislation introduced in Ireland four years ago that bans the sale of all "psychoactive" substances but exempts some, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Have you had a serious drug habit? How was your addiction treated? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

If you are willing to be contacted by BBC journalists please include a telephone number.

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Abbas warning over holy site closure

30 October 2014 Last updated at 11:46

A spokesman for Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has described the closure of a disputed Jerusalem holy site as a "declaration of war".

Nabil Abu Rudeina said the Palestinian Authority would take legal action over the move, which came amid tension after the shooting of a Jewish activist.

Yehuda Glick, a campaigner for greater Jewish prayer rights at the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif, was wounded.

Israeli police later killed a Palestinian suspected of shooting him.

The man, named as 32-year-old Moataz Hejazi, was shot after opening fire when police surrounded his home.

Rabbi Glick is a well-known US-born campaigner for the right of Jews to pray at the site, which they are currently prohibited from doing. The compound is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif.

It is the holiest site in Judaism, and also contains the al-Aqsa Mosque - the third holiest site in Islam.

In other developments

• Sweden became the first major Western European country to officially recognise Palestine as a state. Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said she hoped more countries would follow Sweden's lead - Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was quoted as saying it was a "deplorable" decision
• There was strong criticism of Israel at the UN Security Council over plans to build new homes for Jewish settlers in occupied East Jerusalem. The US said it was "deeply concerned" by the plans

'Dangerous escalation'

Palestinians hold the Israeli government responsible for a "dangerous act", Mr Abbas was quoted as saying by Mr Rudeina, in remarks carried by AFP news agency.

"This dangerous Israeli escalation is a declaration of war on the Palestinian people and its sacred places and on the Arab and Islamic nation," Mr Rudeina added.

"The state of Palestine will take all legal measures to hold Israel accountable and to stop these ongoing attacks."

The shooting of Mr Glick is the latest in a series of incidents which have led to an escalation of tensions in Jerusalem.

Some districts of East Jerusalem have seen nightly clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces since the conflict in Gaza.

Last week a Jewish baby and Ecuadorian woman were killed when a Palestinian attacker drove his car into a group of pedestrians at a tram stop in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Mr Abbas of providing encouragement for such attacks.

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Micky Rosenfeld, Israeli police spokesman: ''There was an attempted assassination on a known right-wing activist''

Police said Rabbi Glick's suspected attacker, Moataz Hejazi, had served time in jail in Israel and was released in 2012, adding that he belonged to the Islamic Jihad militant group.

The police anti-terrorist unit along with the Israeli internal security service Shin Bet had received information that Mr Glick's attacker was located in the Abu Tor neighbourhood, Israeli officials said.

Police say they were fired at after surrounding the house and shot back, hitting the suspect.

Rabbi Glick has had surgery for gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen.

He had just attended a conference where delegates discussed Jewish claims to the compound, one of the most contentious areas of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Israel argues that it protects freedom of worship at the site, but Palestinians claim it is unilaterally taking steps to allow larger numbers of Jewish visitors.

The site is administered by an Islamic body called the Waqf, while Israeli police are in charge of security.

Jews are allowed on to the compound but are forbidden from praying or performing religious rites there under Israeli law as a security measure.

East Jerusalem has experienced months of unrest since a Palestinian teenager was abducted and burned to death in early July.

That incident came two days after the discovery of the bodies of three Israeli teenagers who were abducted and killed in the occupied West Bank in mid-June.

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US rocket explodes during launch

29 October 2014 Last updated at 10:06

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The rocket explosion in Virginia was caught live on BBC World News

An unmanned supply rocket bound for the International Space Station has exploded shortly after its launch from the US state of Virginia.

Antares, built by Orbital Sciences Corp, combusted seconds after leaving the seaside launch pad at Wallops Flight Facility.

The cause of the cargo ship malfunction has yet to be determined.

The initial planned launch of the spacecraft on Monday was delayed due to a yacht in the surrounding danger zone.

The flight was expected to be the third contracted mission with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The rocket was due to carry nearly 5,000lb (2,200kgs) of supplies to six astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

It included experiment kits for the astronauts to conduct tests on blood flow to the human brain and the analysis of meteors.

Officials said there were also some pre-packaged meals and freeze-dried crab cakes on board.

"We will understand what happened, hopefully soon, and we'll get things back on track," said Frank Culbertson, executive vice-president of Orbital Sciences.

"We've all seen this happen in our business before, and we've all seen the teams recover from this, and we will do the same."

No-one was injured, said Mr Culbertson, and an investigation team was going through the data to try to establish the cause.

He added it was possible his company's staff had triggered the rocket's destruct mechanism after the launch went wrong, but that he was not certain.

On Wednesday morning, he said, the examination of debris around the site would begin.

Russia's space agency conducted its own launch to the ISS on Wednesday.

The operation, which by chance was on the same day as the Antares launch, was planned long before Wednesday's accident, officials said.

Investigators will not jump to conclusions but one line of inquiry will surely focus on the AJ-26 engines used to lift the rocket away from the pad, says BBC science correspondent Jonathan Amos.

"These are actually modified Russian-built power units that were originally developed for the ill-fated Soviet Moon rocket, the N-1.

"They have been refurbished to modern standards, but one blew up in ground testing earlier this year."

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Frank Culbertson, Orbital Sciences, warned against keeping wreckage 'souvenirs'

Analysis: Jonathan Amos, BBC science correspondent

This new rocket was part of Nasa's effort to contract out "routine" cargo resupply to the International Space Station. But if we needed reminding that nothing in space is routine then this explosion has brought that message home in spectacular fashion.

The US space agency "seeded" development of Antares - and the supply ship it launches, Cygnus - by giving incentive payments to manufacturer Orbital Sciences Corporation, to help them develop a low-cost, commercial follow-on to fill the cargo gap left by the retired space shuttles.

The blast is likely to have seriously damaged the launch pad and support infrastructure, meaning that even if the fault is quickly identified and corrected, restarting Antares flights again may take a long time.

However, there should be no immediate threat to supplies for astronauts on the space station. The Cygnus cargo ship that was on top of the Antares is one of a fleet of vehicles that are used in this role. These other robotic vessels, launched atop other rockets, will now have to pick up the slack.

There is no doubting the explosion is a major setback for Orbital Sciences Corporation, and its plans to market Antares as a multi-purpose, commercial launcher. Confidence always takes a hit in the wake of a failure. But Orbital has the expertise to come back - as it has done after previous launch failures.

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'Failure' in care of injured veterans

29 October 2014 Last updated at 10:43 By Sima Kotecha Today programme

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Simon Brown, former Army corporal: 'I have had to jump through hoops'

The government is failing to abide by its pledge to give injured British soldiers priority for medical treatment in the years after their service, medical experts have said.

Leading professors in psychology and orthopaedics say the healthcare system is not providing veterans with the service they have been promised.

The Armed Forces Covenant says veterans will be "sustained and rewarded".

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was "fully committed" to the covenant.

'Do better'

But Professor Neil Greenberg, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said he believed ministers were failing to honour the military covenant promise.

Continue reading the main story

My cheek bones were obliterated, my jaw was broken in four places, I'd lost my left eye totally and there was very little hope of any sight returning to my right eye"

End Quote Simon Brown Army veteran

"In my view the government needs to be a bit more honest about what it is delivering and just what it says it's delivering, because the two are definitely not the same," he said.

Freedom of information figures obtained by the military charity Help for Heroes show almost 13,000 service personnel have been medically discharged for musculoskeletal disorders since 2001 - those who have lost limbs or have problems with ligaments and joints - with many requiring constant care throughout their lives.

Prof Tim Briggs, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, recently wrote the Chavasse report which outlined the problems former personnel face on the NHS.

He said he was "moved" by the sacrifice made by veterans who attended his clinics, and he believed "we can do better and we should do better".

He said that "finding access to specialist care was sometimes proving difficult and as a result some veterans were falling through the net and we had to improve things".

Labour's shadow minister for veterans, Gemma Doyle, said the medical experts' comments were a "damning indictment", and proof the government had failed to meet its obligations.

Shot in the face

Simon Brown, a corporal in the Army for more than 10 years, was shot in the face by a sniper in 2006 and was medically discharged four years later.

"The bullet hit my left cheek between the eye and the nose and exited my right cheek between the nose and the ear," he said.

"My cheek bones were obliterated, my jaw was broken in four places, I'd lost my left eye totally and there was very little hope of any sight returning to my right eye."

Almost a decade on, he says he has still not had all the surgery and treatment he requires and insists it is not the fault of staff, rather the system is flawed.

'Good investment'

"It has been long processes - there's been a lot of jumping through hoops you know. I actually had to see a committee to see whether or not I was entitled to free plastic surgery," he said.

If veterans got the treatment they are entitled to they could remain "productive members of society", he said.

"I see it as it's actually a good investment to look after these people and give them the support and help they need."

More than 200,000 men and women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001.

The military covenant states that soldiers could be called upon to make the "ultimate sacrifice" but in return they and their families will be "sustained and rewarded by commensurate terms and conditions of service".

The moral obligation to treat veterans should not stop when service ends, the covenant states, saying veterans should receive priority healthcare from the NHS when they are being treated for a condition dating from their time in the armed forces.

Once a veteran leaves the forces, their healthcare is the responsibility of the NHS.

The main principles of the military covenant were enshrined in law in the Armed Forces Act 2011.

The government says the defence secretary must report annually on the progress made by ministers in honouring the covenant.

Help For Heroes has estimated that 75,000 service personnel could suffer mentally and physically as a result of operations in Afghanistan.

With some NHS staff unaware of the covenant - and veterans not always keen to tell their doctors about their past - the charity has said a government database would help to make sure they receive the care they are entitled to.

Earlier this year, the Conservative MP James Arbothnot told the Defence Select Committee he was disappointed the government kept detailed records of sheep and cows, but couldn't do the same for veterans.

Labour MP Madeleine Moon, who also sits on the committee, said that the government had promised things but not followed through.

She said a renewed focus needed to be on "the long term", and making sure that veterans did not get "lost in the system".

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Labour MP Madeleine Moon on the "military covenant"

But health minister Dan Poulter said the government had invested more than £22m in mental health and prosthetic services, "specifically for those most in need".

The investment included 10 regional veteran mental health teams and nine veteran-focused prosthetic centres providing support and care for ex-servicemen and women.

He told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that care for veterans had been vastly improved, and as a result "it had raised the game" in terms of dealing with complex cases for the wider population generally.

"Where there is an equal clinical need between two patients, under the covenant it is the veteran who will receive priority," he said.

An MoD spokesman said the government had "worked hard to ensure our serving personnel, veterans and families have the support they need and are treated with the dignity they deserve".

"That is why we enshrined the covenant in law in 2011. Since then all local councils have signed up to the Community Covenant, and more than 300 companies have signed up to the Corporate Covenant - including Tesco just this week.

"We are very proud and grateful of the commitment that all those that have signed the Covenants have made and it demonstrates the immense amount of respect and gratitude there is for our armed forces," the spokesman added.

Are you a military veteran? Are you affected by issues covered in this story? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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MPs demand action on asylum backlog

29 October 2014 Last updated at 10:44

The Home Office has "failed to deal" with the UK's backlog of asylum cases, with 29,000 applications dating back at least seven years still waiting to be resolved, MPs have warned.

The Public Accounts Committee said 11,000 of those applicants had not even received an initial decision on whether they could remain in the country.

Contact was lost with 50,000 people refused the right to stay, it added.

The government said it was "addressing the backlogs inherited" in 2010.

Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the immigration and asylum system had been "totally dysfunctional" prior to the coalition government taking office. He insisted progress was being made.

But Labour accused the coalition of "presiding over one failure after another in our immigration system".

Longstanding backlog

The government overhauled the UK's immigration and asylum operations in 2013 after a series of controversies, including a 2011 row over the relaxation of passport checks.

Home Secretary Theresa May scrapped the UK Border Agency and assumed direct executive responsibility for its Border Force enforcement arm.

She also took control of UK Visas and Immigration and Immigration Enforcement, new bodies created as part of the Whitehall restructuring.

In a report analysing the impact of the changes, the cross-party Public Accounts Committee said performance had "held steady" in most areas since the reorganisation but the Home Office had still "failed to deal" with the longstanding asylum backlog.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis by Vicki Young, BBC chief political correspondent

Home Office ministers wryly observe that many of the people they deal with are doing their best to avoid being tracked down, but yet again a picture is being painted of a system that's struggling to cope.

Similar problems dogged the last Labour government and led to the then Home Secretary John Reid describing the immigration and asylum system as unfit for purpose.

Eight years on MPs don't believe things are quite that bad, but many of the problems are depressingly familiar - administrative incompetence and a failure to harness technology to streamline services.

Dealing with a huge backlog was never going to be easy, but now that Theresa May has brought the UK Border Agency back into the Home Office fold it'll fall to her to try to convince the public that the government has control of our borders.

The committee also suggested the Home Office was failing to meet its own targets for processing newer claims, which totalled 16,273 in the first three months of 2014.

It partly attributed this to the UK Border Agency's "botched and ill-judged" decision to downgrade caseworkers working in the area.

Although the decision was subsequently reversed, the committee said it had led to 120 experienced staff leaving, and this - combined with major problems with IT systems - meant the department lacked the data to manage the backlogs and track people through the system.

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Margaret Hodge MP: "We need a system for checking people when they come in and... go out"

"It is deeply worrying that the Home Office is not tracking those people whose applications have been rejected to ensure they are removed from the UK," said Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP who chairs the committee.

"At the end of 2013-14, there were over 175,000 people whose application to stay in the UK had been rejected, and they are placed in a migration refusal pool to await removal.

"The number of such cases has not been reduced over time. Some may have left the UK voluntarily but without exit checks it is almost impossible to know."

'In limbo'

Mrs Hodge said the Home Office had asked external contractors to check more than 250,000 case records in 2012 and 2013 but they had been unable to contact more than 50,000 people listed, their whereabouts unknown.

She said this "particularly disturbing" matter must be dealt with urgently while the Home Office must ensure it had sufficient staff with the right skills to resolve outstanding claims and prevent backlogs growing.

The Refugee Council warned that people caught up in the asylum system were "living in limbo".

"Behind these statistics are individuals, many of whom will have suffered extreme trauma, forced to live day to day in uncertainty while they await the outcome of what could be a life or death decision," said its head of advocacy, Lisa Doyle.

"It is very important that the Home Office makes decisions in a timely manner, but it's even more important that it gets its decisions right first time."

'Mismanagement'

The Home Office, which published its latest figures on its handling of asylum applications in April, said the committee's figure of 11,000 asylum seekers awaiting an initial decision on whether they could stay in the UK was inaccurate.

Initial decisions had been made in many of the outstanding cases, it said, and officials were now considering further evidence provided by applicants with the aim of doing so by the end of the year.

Analysis by Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent

This report gets to the heart of the problem: parts of Britain's immigration system don't have enough of the right staff in the right places, the right IT systems and, most importantly of all, the right data and records to help them do their job.

These kinds of management problems directly lead to casework backlogs, missing foreign offenders and, ultimately, judges rolling their eyes in the face of poor decisions that have affected the lives of ordinary hardworking people.

These broad criticisms are not new. They have been repeatedly made for 15 years.

The coalition has brought the system under direct ministerial control - but improvements have come so slowly that a crack internal team tasked with giving ministers a "single version of the truth" doesn't always know what's going on.

Whoever is in power, it may take years to build a system that commands universal confidence, not least because nobody inside the system can yet be confident that it's working as it should.

The recent increase in asylum claims was due to instability in the Middle East and North Africa, it added, but also to past failings by the Border Agency which had been addressed.

Mr Brokenshire added: "UKBA was a failing organisation that could not deliver an efficient immigration system for Britain.

"This is why we split it up into three separate divisions to improve focus on their specific roles in delivering a controlled immigration system and bring them under the direct supervision of ministers.

"Turning around years of mismanagement has taken time, but it is now well under way. We have reformed visa routes to make them more resistant to fraud and cancelled failing contracts. And we are addressing the backlogs we inherited."

'Magnet'

But shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This report lays bare how David Cameron's government is presiding over one failure after another in our immigration system.

"Theresa May was very quick to blame the UKBA, but since she took direct control of the border force and immigration system, we have seen backlogs increase sharply and the admission that the Home Office have no idea how many of the 175,000 failed asylum seekers are still here or where 50,000 failed asylum seekers even are."

She added: "David Cameron and Theresa May have failed to deliver on her promise to introduce exit checks, to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands, has cost the taxpayer £1bn on failed IT projects and as the report says introduced no processes to rectify these and other failings."

On Tuesday, Natacha Bouchart, mayor of the northern French port Calais, argued the UK was seen as a "soft touch" by asylum seekers and that its benefits system acted as a "magnet".

Planning minister Nick Boles told Total Politics magazine that people in the UK had a "sense that we don't have that control (over immigration) - and, bluntly, they're right. It's true."

Are you affected by issues covered in this story? Do you work for a related charity or legal organisation? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Some 650 missing children 'at risk'

29 October 2014 Last updated at 11:30

Almost 650 children reported missing in Greater Manchester in 2014 were at risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE) or serious harm, a report has suggested.

The study said police received 9,789 reports concerning 3,242 missing under-18s between January and September.

It said some had been reported missing more than once and almost half of the reports were about children in care.

The report by Stockport MP Ann Coffey was commissioned in the wake of the Rochdale grooming case in 2012.

She said the children that had gone missing from care were "very vulnerable" and "at significant risk" of being sexually exploited by predators.

The report found that of the 3,242 individuals reported missing to Greater Manchester Police (GMP), 530 were in care.

'Absent' children

It stated that one in five of those reported missing were at risk of serious harm, including CSE.

In 2013, police forces introduced a new recording system, which separated reports of missing children into two categories - missing, which receives an immediate response, and absent, which does not.

The report found there were 4,923 additional episodes where a child was reported as absent.

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Ann Coffey MP: "This is very, very, very concerning"

In the report, Ms Coffey said: "There must be concern about the high number of looked after children who continue to generate multiple missing reports, as these children are particularly vulnerable to CSE."

She said she had "strong concerns" that some of the independent private children's homes in Greater Manchester were "flaunting government guidance, which says they have to notify the local authority when a child moves in from another area".

"We have, in the North West, about 25% of all private and independent children's homes in the country so authorities, often from many miles away, place children in the Greater Manchester area.

"These are very troubled children who have been moved to get them out of a situation where maybe they have been at risk.

"Those children don't necessarily want to be in Greater Manchester and one of the ways in which children demonstrate they don't want to be somewhere is that they run away.

"There is a significant risk of CSE of children who go missing from care, [as they] are very vulnerable children and are often preyed on by predators who understand this."

Recommendations

She said GMP had told her that seven children "assessed at high risk of CSE were recently placed into two private children's homes in one local authority area from a local authority in the Midlands".

"The local authority, GMP and CSE teams were not informed of their arrival.

"The children came to notice because they went missing shortly after they arrived."

The report recommends further research into the new police system, spot checks on children's homes and care provision for 16 and 17-year-olds to be registered and inspected by Ofsted, in the way under-16 care is.

The report was commissioned by Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd to assess the improvements in protecting youngsters after nine men were jailed in 2012 for running a child sexual exploitation ring in Heywood and Rochdale.

Ms Coffey will deliver the report's full findings on Thursday.

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Man guilty of puppy farm murders

29 October 2014 Last updated at 12:09

A pensioner has been found guilty of murdering his partner and her daughter after he shot them both dead at his puppy farm in Surrey.

John Lowe, 82, from Farnham, had denied two counts of murder and a firearms charge.

During the trial at Guildford Crown Court, Lowe claimed the deaths of Christine Lee, 66, and Lucy Lee, 40, were "a terrible accident".

But jurors also heard he told police he wanted both women "put down".

The court heard a frantic 999 call from Lucy Lee, who told the operator: "I don't know if I'm going to be alive if I go back in there. He shot my mum."

'Scene of carnage'

Mark Dennis QC, prosecuting, told the trial police officers were met with a "scene of carnage" when they arrived at the farm in February.

Continue reading the main story

It has been heart-breaking listening to his lies"

End Quote Julia James

Christine Lee's body was found inside the main building, while the body of Lucy Lee was discovered outside, near the animal pens.

Following the verdict, Christine Lee's sister, Julia James, said: "John Lowe will never pay for taking the innocent lives of my sister Christine and my niece Lucy Lee.

"Christine was mother, auntie and grandmother and was much loved.

"Christine and Lucy put the needs of others first, my sister had a heart of gold and was full of life. Lucy believed in protecting life and being kind to others."

She added: "I witnessed on numerous occasions how caring Christine and Lucy had been towards Lowe. It has been heart-breaking listening to his lies."

Lowe told the court he never intended to kill the women but his gun went off three times accidently.

Lowe will be sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on 31 October.

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National Grid in winter power warning

28 October 2014 Last updated at 11:42

National Grid has warned that its capacity to supply electricity this winter will be at a seven-year low due to generator closures and breakdowns.

Spare electricity capacity, which ran at about 5% over the winter months last year, would be nearer 4% this year, National Grid said.

Three years ago the margin was 17%.

But National Grid said it has contingency plans in place to manage supply, including paying big firms to switch off on cold winter evenings.

Dismissing fears of possible electricity blackouts, energy minister Matthew Hancock told the BBC: "We are absolutely clear we are taking the measures necessary in order to have secure energy supplies this winter."

Professor Jim Watson of the UK Energy Research Centre, said: "I think it's… very unlikely we will see blackouts in the UK, but what it does mean, this tight situation, is that lots and lots of extra measures are having to be layered on top of an already complicated policy framework."

'Manageable'

National Grid's assessment, made in its 2014/15 Winter Outlook report, is based on similar demand to last winter but a fall in supply, due to generators closing and breaking down, and new plants not coming online quickly enough to replace them.

The network operator said it is finalising contracts with three UK power stations to provide reserve power in case of higher-than-expected demand.

Additional reserve contracts with Littlebrook, Rye House and Peterhead power plants to provide 1.1GW of power could increase this margin to more than 6%, said the operator.

The three stations were chosen following a tender process in which eight power stations offered a total of 5.4GW of power.

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Some companies turn off power at peak times

"The electricity margin has decreased compared with recent years, but the outlook remains manageable and well within the reliability standard set by the government," said Cordi O'Hara, director of market operations at National Grid.

Caroline Flint MP, Labour's shadow energy and climate change secretary, said: "The security of our energy supply has not been helped by the fall in investment under this government. With a quarter of our power stations closing this decade it is vital that we bring forward investment in secure and clean energy for the future."

Gas supplies

In the event of disruption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, National Grid said more expensive gas could be imported.

This would only happen in the "most extreme scenario", it said.

"The current uncertainty surrounding Eastern European gas supply stability due to the enduring tensions between Russia and Ukraine, could lead to curtailment of gas supplies in to Europe," said the owner and operator of the UK's power network.

Although the UK does not receive any gas directly from Russia, gas flows to Europe could be affected, which would in turn affect supplies to the UK, it added.

If necessary, the UK could import more liquefied natural gas from elsewhere, but this would cost more and could have implications for household bills.

Overall, however, gas supplies, storage and network capacity were "well in excess of maximum expected demand", the operator said.

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UK Sport to consider funding policy

UK Sport could be ready to reconsider its 'no compromise' approach to funding elite sport.

The government agency is to launch a public consultation for the first time to decide its future strategy.

UK Sport invests £100m of National Lottery and government money into high-performance sport each year, and its medals-based policy has underpinned Britain's recent Olympic and Paralympic success.

But there has been criticism of this method, and the review will be welcomed by sports such as basketball that have suffered funding cuts.

Others, though, will argue that meddling with a model that has seen the revival of British sporting fortunes is risky.

"We really do want to listen," UK Sport chief executive Liz Nicholl told the BBC. "We are not arrogant enough to think that we know how to do everything best.

"The questions that we need to ask now, of the nation, of the government, of our partners, are: 'What is it that they want UK Sport to be focused on? What is it they want UK Sport to deliver?'

"We will review what we hear from the consultation, we will refine our thinking and agree a direction of travel in February."

Great Britain's improved medal haul since 1996
Olympic Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Atlanta 1996	1	8	6	15
Sydney 2000	11	10	7	28
Athens 2004	9	9	12	30
Beijing 2008	19	13	15	47
London 2012	29	17	19	65

UK Sport's funding criteria is currently based purely on performance and has resulted in Great Britain moving from 36th in the Olympic medal table at the 1996 Games in Atlanta to third at London 2012 with 65 medals.

Sports are judged on four and eight year periods or "pathways". Some emerging sports have asked for a longer 12-year period to give them more time to develop and improve, and this is now likely to be incorporated after the Rio Games in 2016.

However, there have been losers, too. In February, funding was controversially stopped for seven sports - including basketball, water polo and synchronised swimming - because they all stood little chance of winning medals at Rio or the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Handball and volleyball lost their funding in late 2012, leading to a complete closure of their programmes. The women's indoor volleyball team rose more than 60 places in the rankings and entered the world's top 20 during the four years leading into London, before winning a match at the Olympics.

Basketball is the second biggest team sport among 14-16 year olds in the UK, and is played by nearly 218,000 people each week, but between them, Britain's men's and women's teams managed only one win from 10 matches in London.

However, British Basketball accused UK Sport of discriminating against team and emerging sports and has urged a rethink of the strategy.

"We always listen to what sports are saying and give very careful consideration to whether that means we should be doing something differently," added Nicholl.

"We're hearing quite a few comments from team sports, particularly basketball, sports that are not funded by us in this cycle because they are more than eight years away from developing medal potential.

"And so, the questions we will be asking are: 'Should we dig deeper? Should we extend our remit? I think we are confident that we could do that this time round. We have the capacity to do it, the knowledge and the ability to be able to do that."

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GB basketball 'future in doubt'

In August, Britain's men failed to qualify for the 2015 EuroBasket Championships amid claims the funding cuts had hampered preparations.

GB player Kieron Achara said members of the squad were living off only £15 per day, had to sleep in beds too short for them and were forced to take early-morning flights on budget airlines the day after late-night matches in order to save money.

NBA star Luol Deng said the sport in Britain was very close to collapsing after its £7m funding was cut and there have been doubts that British Basketball will be able to afford to send a women's team to next year's European Championships.

UK Sport has been accused of failing to recognise basketball's popular appeal among young people, while rewarding a number of so-called 'elitist sports', whose participants are largely drawn from the private school system, or which have small bases of participatory support.

For instance, rowing, sailing, equestrianism and modern pentathlon all had funding increased for the 2013-2017 period.

In February, the House of Lords' Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Select Committee reported that "the 'no compromise' approach of UK Sport has delivered medals for Team GB and has clearly improved top end performance".

It added: "This approach, however, has an inherent bias against team sports, and fails to help emerging sports, some of which, such as handball and volleyball, generated real enthusiasm at London 2012."

Funding cuts for some Olympic sports since 2012
	2012	2016/2020	%
Basketball	£0 (increased to £7m on appeal in 2013)	£0	-100%
Synchronised swimming	£4.3m	£0	-100%
Water polo	£4.5m	£0	-100%
Badminton	£5.9m	£5.7m	-4%
Swimming	£21.4m	£20.8m	-3%

In March, an all-party group of MPs reported that UK Sport's approach "risks the inadvertent disenfranchising of a whole segment of UK society by failing to back an elite team that can serve as a role model".

Nicholl suggests there may now be a shift in emphasis, with participation rates possibly considered when it come to funding.

"One of the points raised by our board is a strong view that we should aim to drive more impact from what we do," she said. "And the impact isn't just in creating the medals and the medallists. It is also through inspiring the next generation to participate in sport and promoting equality and diversity.

"Is it still about medals and medallists? Is it still about Olympic and Paralympic sports? Is it about non-Olympic sports? Do we dig deeper into 12-year pathways or do we stick with eight-year? Is there anything about the funding model and how we calculate how much it costs that needs to change?"

"It is important to refine ways of working and we only really have the opportunity to do that and the beginning of the Olympic cycle.

"Now is a critical time and it will be another four years before we look at this again."

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Met Office supercomputer confirmed

28 October 2014 Last updated at 07:41 By Jonathan Webb Science reporter, BBC News

Funding has been confirmed for a £97m supercomputer to improve the Met Office's weather forecasting and climate modelling.

The facility will work 13 times faster than the current system, enabling detailed, UK-wide forecast models with a resolution of 1.5km to be run every single hour, rather than every three.

It will be built in Exeter during 2015 and become operational next September.

The Met Office said it would deliver a "step change" in forecast accuracy.

"It will allow us to add more precision, more detail, more accuracy to our forecasts on all time scales for tomorrow, for the next day, next week, next month and even the next century," said Met Office chief executive Rob Varley.

As well as running UK-wide and global forecasting models more frequently, the new technology will allow particularly important areas to receive much more detailed assessment.

For example, forecasts of wind speeds, fog and snow showers could be delivered for major airports, with a spatial resolution of 300m.

Continue reading the main story

It makes us world leaders not only in talking about the weather, but forecasting it too"

End Quote Greg Clark, MP Minister for Universities and Science

The extra capacity will also be useful for climate scientists, who need massive amounts of computing power to run detailed models over much longer time scales.

It will address one of the key challenges of climate projections - to "answer the real questions people need to know", said Mr Varley.

"We can tell you that the global average temperature is going to increase by 3C or 4C if we carry on as we are - but the critical question is what is that going to mean for London?

"What is it going to mean for Scotland? What is it going to mean for my back garden? At the moment the general looks that we can produce really don't answer those kinds of questions," he told BBC Radio 4's Today.

Analysis by David Shukman, BBC Science Editor

For an island nation that sits at a turbulent cross-roads between Atlantic moisture, Arctic cold and continental extremes, our weather is notoriously hard to forecast. Fickle winds, complicated topography and innumerable local influences add to the challenge.

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The BBC's David Shukman says it will be "one of the world's fastest computers"

But because the weather matters so much - to everything from whether to leave home with a brolly to preparing for closed runways at an airport - all eyes are on the Met Office, and the glances are often hostile.

The biggest failures have now entered the national vocabulary: Michael Fish's denial of an approaching hurricane in 1987 and the infamous suggestion of a "barbecue summer" in 2009 when the reality proved relentlessly soggy.

The Met Office asserts that people never notice everyday successes, a gradual increase in reliability that has seen each decade allow the forecasts to reach another day into the future.

The new supercomputer should accelerate that process, crunching bigger numbers at a finer scale and more frequently than ever before.

But it may also raise expectations about accuracy. And, in a country obsessed with the weather, that brings its own risks.

Mr Varley said he was "absolutely delighted" the government had confirmed its investment, which was first promised by the chancellor in the 2013 Autumn Statement.

The new system will be housed partly at the Met Office headquarters in Exeter and partly at a new facility in the Exeter Science Park, and will reach its full capacity in 2017.

At that point, its processing power will be 16 petaflops - meaning it can perform 16 quadrillion calculations every second.

The "Cray XC40" machine will have 480,000 central processing units or CPUs, which is 12 times as many as the current Met Office supercomputer, made by IBM. At 140 tonnes, it will also be three times heavier.

It marks the biggest contract the Cray supercomputing firm has secured outside the US.

"It will be one of the best high-performance computers in the world," Science Minister Greg Clark told journalists at the announcement, adding that it would "transform the analytical capacity of the Met Office".

Mr Clark said the supercomputer would put the UK, appropriately, at the forefront of weather and climate science. "It makes us world leaders not only in talking about the weather, but forecasting it too."

The improved forecasts, according to the Met Office, could deliver an estimated £2bn in socio-economic benefits, including more advance warning of floods, less air travel disruption, more secure decision-making for renewable energy investments, and efficient planning for the impacts of climate change.

Prof Tim Palmer, a climate physicist at the University of Oxford, also said the announcement was "very exciting news" and emphasised the necessity for more and more powerful computers.

"Unlike other areas of science, you can't really do lab experiments," he told the BBC. "We can only do two things: wait and see what happens, or try and simulate it inside a computer."

This means, Prof Palmer explained, "fantastically complex machines" like the XC40 - and whatever comes next.

"This is the start of an important investment, but it's by no means the endpoint."

The most detailed climate simulations currently being proposed, Prof Palmer said, will need exabytes of storage: another vast increase on the capacity of the Cray XC40, which will have storage capacity of 17 petabytes (a petabyte is one million gigabytes; an exabyte is 1,000 petabytes).

Piers Forster, a professor of climate change at the University of Leeds, said the increased power should "massively improve understanding of extreme weather and climate change", but added: "We also need to support brain power.

"When the Met Office opened some of its computers to work with UK university academics it benefited everyone.

"These problems are too big for one computer or organisation to solve, but as long as our fruitful collaborations continue, we can realise the promised benefits."

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