05/04/2012 BBC News at Ten

Water companies impose a hosepipe ban on 20 million customers after

two of the driest winters on record. A large fine if you are caught

doing this in parts of eastern and southern England as gardeners are

told to use water sparingly. It will take a lot more time to

keep the garden going. As an Ave ied car cleaner, it is a

disaster to me! With groundwater levels at the lowest for decades

and rivers running dry. The ban is likely to last the summer.

Just use less water and we we will be doing well. People are the key

to the problem. We're asking if the water companies

should be doing more to stop the leaks. Also a British terrorism

suspect held without a trial for more than seven years demands to be

prosecuted here rather than in America. Claiming that the case was

mishandled. I would ask to please put me on

trial in this country, to find out what has gone wrong in my case.

A total of 20 officers from the Metropolitan Police now suspended

over allegations of racism. Sky News admits that its reporters

hack e-mail accounts while investigating two separate stories,

but insist it was in the public interest.

And Nicolas Sarkozy's warning to France: Vote for me in the

presidential election or end up pliek Spain.

Coming up in Sportsday: The Masters gets under way in Augusta a solid

Good evening. A Jose Carreras has been introduced over parts of

southern and eastern England after two of the driest winters on record.

20 million households and businesses have been told from

today they cannot use hosepipes to water the garden, wash the car or

clean outside spaces. The ban imposed by seven different water

companies is expected to last the summer. Anyone caught flouting it

has been warned they could face a fine of up to �1,000.

Across the drought zone, it is the end of the line for the hosepipe.

Watering cans pressed into service, as the water companies impose

restrictions on 20 million of their own customers.

And it is pretty unpopular. If you're a gardener... If they

mended a quarter of the leaks they would be saving more.

A car owner... As an avid car cleaner it is a disaster.

Or if your kid cannot wait for a bit of water-based fun... It means

I cannot fill up the paddling pool. Look the at the reservoirs and the

problem is clear. Two dry winters have left the landscape parched,

and so the hosepipe ban. Obviously you cannot use a hosepipe in the

garden, but you can use a watering can. You can fill a water feature,

but cleaning a patio is OK. Hosepipes on golf courses are out,

but the limb pick venues have been made the exception.

-- Olympic. So, the water companies have laid

out the rules, crucial now is how the customers respond.

It is very important. It is the key to the whole management of the

situation. If we can get the people to just use slightly less water, we

can manage the situation well, but the people are the key to the

problem. For most amateur gardens, the

hosepipe ban is a inconvenience, for others, for the professionals

it is more serious it is likely to have an immediate impact on the

work that they do and the incomes. Benn Lannoy is having problems. He

cannot turf the client's lawn as he cannot water it.

The small businesses will suffer. Not just the small businesses, the

environmental impact, the economical impact. It is everything.

It has a knock-on effect to the supplies. The plant supplies, it

will affect a lot of other people. As well as the Jose Carreras we are

urged to save water in other ways, but where does it go? Well,

flushing the lieu takes seven to nine litres. A standard cycle on

the washing machine uses 60 litres and if Iing the bath takes on

average 80 litres of water. No-one is saying that things are as bad as

in the famous drought of 1976, that led to a high summer water crisis,.

Now, as then, the hosepipes are stored away, and it will take many

weeks of heavy rain before the ban is lifted.

So, why has the ban been introduced so early in the year and how much

do we need to change the way we use water? A drizzley island, Britain,

as it is often thought of. This was the seaside last summer. So how

come much of the country is experiencing a drought? The obvious

reason a low rainfall. You can see the effects deep under

the ground. This borehole is in Kent. Usualally winter rain

replenishes this natural store of water. Now the level is a record

low. According to Met Office figures, the average winter

rainfall for the UK is 332 millimetres. Over a foot. By

contrast, the central and south- east England is 220 millimetres,

but in the winter before last it got just 200 millimetres and this

winter 162 millimetres. Unusual, but not evidence of a long-term

change. In this part of the world we eget

changes in the weather from day-to- day and year-to-year. It is that we

are seeing that is bringing the drought.

Another reason is leaks. In Lincolnshire today, an engineer

chaeks the -- checks the pipelines. A way to spot leaks is to listen

for them. Ofwat says that 3 billion litres are lost a day. The water

companies are under massive pressure.

We have reduced the leakage by a third in six years. We have hit

targets for the last six years running, but yes a lot to do. We

are out there every day finding and fixing the leaks.

So, two dry winters in a row is one problem, leaks are a another, but

there is a third key factor, the growth in population, especially in

the south-east of England. On top of that, we are using more water.

So should we think differently about it? Where it comes from? How

we get it? How much of it we use? So do attitudes need to change?

Images like this make it hard to imagine that water could anybody a

short supply, but we use more per person than many neighbouring

countries. It is making the connection between

the fact that the water they use in the homes comes from the natural

environment. This drought is helping people to make that

connection between the two. In a nation of garden-lovers, bans

on hosepipes are never popular. This is not yet a crisis, but we

will have to use less water to avoid one.

A British terrorism suspect who has been held without a trial for more

that then seven years says he wants to be tried in the UK rather than

in the United States. Babar Ahmad, accused of running a website that

promoted terrorism, claims that the police and the prosecutors have

mishandled his case. Next week, the European Court of Human Rights is

to rule on his extradition. We have this exclusive report.

He is the longest-serving prisoner in a British jail, never convicted

of a crime. The US authorities are fighting to

extradite him. Claiming that he ran extremist websites to support

terrorists. In days he will find out his fate.

In an exclusive BBC interview from prison, Babar Ahmad claims he's

been denied justice by the British authorities.

I would ask the Director of Public Prosecutions to put me on trial in

this country to find out what has gone wrong in this case. There has

been a serious and unprecedented abuse of the process.

The High Court judges have backed the BBC in this situation. He's

been held since 2004 in maximum security, awaiting extradition to

the United States. He's accused of running a website

called Azz.com. That the Americans say ran funds to provide support

for terrorism. First in Chechnya, then in

Afghanistan. They say that the material was used to recruit people

to provide for the jihad. That is why they want to put you on trial?

If there is anything that broke a law of the United Kingdom or

anything in there that was wrong, I don't understand why the police and

the crime prosecution service has been.

Did you run the Azzam.com website? The right place for me to respond

is is in a council, that I why I call upon the Crown Prosecution

Service to put the situation at rest. Put me on trial in this

country. Ev East Anglian Coleman is an

extreme expert, likely to testify against ban Babic in America.

There is never a site like this with a direct line in, not just to

radicals, extremists, but people who were movers and shakers in the

world of jihad and the Mujahideen. If Babar Ahmad is put on trial, the

question is where? The alleged crimes were committed on computers

while he lived and worked in London, but it is here in America he is

wanted. This is where the alleged website service was based. This is

where the US prosecutors say he should face justice, but Babar

Ahmad says that the Metropolitan Police sent evidence to America

when he could have been prosecuted at home. The police deny wrongdoing.

The case has taken years because of the troubling legal questions that

it raises. Next week, the European Court of Human Rights decides

whether Babar Ahmad can be extradited.

You can see the full Babar Ahmad interview on Newsnight. That is BBC

Two at 10.30pm. Scotland Yard is facing allegations of racism after

it emerged that eight officers and another member of staff have been

suspended. In total 20 officers are being investigated by the police

watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission in relation

to ten claims. Let's get more from our Home

Affairs correspondent, Matt projecter. What more can you tell

us? This started out as a trickle of referrals to the Independent

Police Complaints Commission. It has turned out to be a de luge. It

began with three police officers, one of which had been filmed on

mobile phone, allegedly abusing a black man. Aanother allegedly

assaulting a black youth. Another three announced they were under

investigation. As of tonight there are 20 police officers under

investigation, ten cases ranging from allegations of bullying, of

fellow Community Support Officers in Wandsworth and allegations

involving five officers from a support group and the list goes on.

This is what Craig Macie, the deputy commissioner of the

Metropolitan Police had to say about it this evening.

Whilst use of racist language is abhorrent, what is reassuring for

me is in these ten cases that have been referred to the Independent

Police Complaints Commission, six involve other officers who have

stood up and raised concerns. So, a whole range of alleged

conduct across London. The allegations are sensitive to the

Metropolitan Police, especially in light of the fact that they were

branded institutionally racist after the failed investigation of

the murder of Stephen Lawrence. So very bad news for the

Metropolitan Police. A man has been arrested on

suspicion of murder after a 17- year-old boy was stabbed to death

in East Sussex. The attack happened in Hastings. The teenager suffered

two wounds to the chest. The police say that the stabbing did not

appear to be a random attack. Nicolas Sarkozy has given the

French people a warning, urging them to re-elect them or face the

debt crisis that has hit Greece and is buffeting Spain. With less than

three weeks to go until the first round of the French election,

Nicolas Sarkozy has outlined his President Sarkozy is fighting for

his political life. There are less than three weeks to go to the first

round of the presidential election. He has edged up in the polls but

currently he is not the favourite to win.

Today, the French President used his manifesto launch to issue a

stark warning - re-elect him or face the kind of debt crisis that

has hit Greece and is now buffeting Spain.

TRANSLATION: If we row back even the slightest from our commitment,

it will lead to a crisis of trust or and we'll face the same

situation as Spain and there'll be a dramatic rise in interest rates.

P President said his imperative was to balance the budget by 2016.

President Sarkozy sells himself as the strong leader, depicting his

main opponent as being ill-prepared for office while stressing he is

the only leader who can be trusted with a major crisis.

His focus in the past few weeks has been on security since the

shootings in Toulouse, like yesterday there have been high

profile raids against suspected Islamic militants.

Come to a factory like this one making parts for the car industry,

French car sales fell by over 20% in the first three months this year

and the concerns here are all about the economy and cuts to the welfare

state. TRANSLATION: Unemployment.

TRANSLATION: Salaries. TRANSLATION: Work and health care. President

Sarkozy's main rival is the socialist Francois Alland who

believes the fragile economy can help him win the election. He's

promised to reduce the speed of spending cuts and to squeeze the

rich. On the one side you could say that he highlights growth and

spending and Sarkozy will highlight austerity. The differences are not

huge between the two In a tight race, the president is raising a

fear, changing leader with the eurozone crisis flaring up again.

Coming up on the programme: Jimi Hendrix was a huge fan. And it was

the sound that shaped rock music. Jim Marshall, the man who created

the Marshall Amp dies aged 88. The Government has defended tax and

benefit changes that come into force tomorrow, among them changes

to the system of Tax Credits. Labour says that up to a million

householders could lose Tax Credits and that families with children may

lose on average �50 0 a year. Here is our Chief Economics

Correspondent, Hugh Pym. At Westminster, the Government has

set out its deficit reduction plans, some have already had an impact on

households. Now, more measures previously announced by the

Chancellor, will start affecting families from tomorrow 6th April,

the start of the new tax year. Kerry Davenport could lose

thousands of pounds of Working Tax Credits. She does 20 hours a week

in a supermarket, her husband's unemployed. Under the new rules,

she'll have to work for hours more to keep the credits but can't get

the extra hours. It's going to be really, really difficult for us.

It's going to change huge amounts of things in our life. We might

have to move because we might not be able to afford the rent any more.

There is a whole range of tax and benefit amendments which take

effect tomorrow. But attention has been focusing on three areas where

there are changes resulting from specific Government policy choices

and, as so often, there are winners and losers. The Working Tax Credit

changes will affect 212,000 families who could lose as much as

�2,870 a year, changes to child Tax Credit will hit 850,000 families,

losing �5 45. The increase in the income tax allowance will help more

than 25 million taxpayers. They'll each gain �42 a year after taking

account of inflation. The biggest beneficiarys from the

increase in the tax allowance are those in the middle and upper

middle nick of the specific reduction. Labour's Ed Balls

visiting a children's centre in Leeds said those who could least

afford it were being penalised. Many will say this isn't fair at a

time when the Government's cutting taxes for the very highest earners,

why should families with children be paying for the Government's

failure on the economy. The Prime Minister at a small

business in South Wales defended the changes. All these decisions

are difficult. We have had to take a series of difficult decisions,

but the richest 10% in the untriare paying ten times as much towards

the removal of the Budget deficit as the poorest 10%, that's

absolutely right, we need to make sure this is fair and seen to be

fair. Kerry thinks it may not be worth working, she may move on to

unemployment benefit. That's not what the Chancellor had in mind

when planning the changes for 6th April.

The daughter of a millionaire has been found guilty of one charge of

burglary and one count of handling stolen goods during the London

riots last summer. Laura Johnson, who is 20, and from Orpington,

drove looters and the Khan tall. She'll be sentenced next month --

capital. A man who called for calm after his son died during the riots

in Birmingham has been found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Tariq Jahan was given a suspended sentence for breaking a man's jaw

when punching him for staring at his wife. The attack happened

before the riots. Sky News has admitted to hacking

into the e-mail accounts of individuals suspected of criminal

activity while investigating two separate stories. The broadcaster

says it passed its evidence on to police and insists it was acting in

the public interest. Police say an inquiry is ongoing into how the e-

mails were obtained. Phillipa Young's report contains flash

photography. Until now, the closest that Sky

News got to the hacking scandal was reporting it from its newsroom.

Today, it was the news, with the revolution that it authorised a

journalist to brake the law and hack into e-mails in pursuit of a

story -- break the law. It was the tale of the canoeist from

Hartlepool who faked his own death ten years ago so his wife could

claim the insurance. John Darwin later sent e-mails to his wife Anne

which confirmed she was part of the conspiracy. A sky Sky reporter

hacked the e-mails, published this story and passed the information b

information to Cleveland Police to help secure her conviction. Today,

There isn't a specific defence that journalists can take advantage of

to say they are acting in the public interest. But of course,

it's down to the discretion of the police and then to the CPS if they

receive a file whether or not they take this guard to court and then

of course once it goes to court, it's in the hands of a judge and

maybe a jury. There are a number of things to

discuss... Many are waiting for the Leveson Inquiry into press

standards and the Crown Prosecution Service to provide guidance on such

matters. I think this story underlines the

importance of his recommendations not just being about phone hacking

which is a method of obtaining information illegally. There are

other meth ods and e-mail hacking is one of them and it may be that

that's been widespread too. For rue mert Murdoch it's another

disruption. BSkyB is already under investigation by the regulator

Ofcom -- Rupert Murdoch. Sky News said it remained committed to the

highest editorial standards. Cleveland Police said inquiries

were ongoing into how the e-mails were obtained.

In cricket, a century from Kevin Pietersen's helped England take

control of the second test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. His score of

151 pushed England to a first innings total of 460. Sri Lanka

were four without loss at the close of play, giving England a lead of

181 runs. Great Britain has triumphed again

at the track cycling World Championships in Melbourne after

yesterday's world record by the men. It was the turn of the women's team

pursuit today and they beat Australia in a dramatic finish to

win gold in record-breaking time. They've got to beat us now. We

haven't lost a competition since Manchester World Cup last year, so

I think it's going to be our track. So I think yes, definitely puts a

strong message out there. Now, he was known as the Father of

Loud. Jim Marshall, the man who helped shape the sound of rock has

died at the age of 88. He pioneered the guitar amplifiers that were

introduced in the 609z and used by some of the greatest names in Rock,

as Nick Higham reports -- '60s. Jimi Hendrix, just one of the

legendary rock guitarists who swore by the Marshall Amp. So did Eric

Clapton, Van Halen and so too did Nigel Tuffnell of Spinal Tap,

though his were better than anybody else's. The numbers all go to 11

right across-the-board. 11, 11... Amps go up to 10. Does that mean

it's louder? It's one louder. As for Pete Townsend of The Who, he

used to destroy his on stage. Or so it seemed. He was very clever

actually. As far as smashing up the Cabinets were concerned, it was

only the cloth on the front of the speakers. So he never damaged the

speaker, just tore it. We used to have them back regularly to just

put new speaker covers on. Marshall was the man who put the

raw power into the world's noisiest art form. His first amp was

designed in 19 62 to produce what he called a dirtier sound than

others on the market. At his Milton Keynes factory, he produced

thousands of amps a week, the secret was old-fashioned valves

made in Russia. You'll find Marshall Amps wherever

rock music's played. To those who said they were too loud, he said

he'd never met a deaf guitarist and they are still popular with the

latest generation of musicians. Everybody who's picked up an

electric guitar has at least at one point in time plugged into a

Marshall Amp and it's been synonymous with rock'n'roll. They

can get blewsy as well. I've used them for years. He helped shape

rock music, ran a successful business and gave millions to

charity. Tonight, Jim Marshall's colleagues said he'd gone to a new

place -- a better place which had got a lot louder. A hosepipe ban