09/01/2013 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at ten, America voices concern about Britain weakening its

relationship with the European Union. The warning comes as David

Cameron prepares to deliver a major speech on Europe, and hints today

at a new settlement. But cost of the changes taking place in the

Eurozone, which is driving change in the European Union, there is

every opportunity to achieve that settlement and seek consent for it.

But the Americans warn that referendums have often turned

countries inwards. All Sir tonight, measuring the

coalition's performance so far - a new document that shows targets met

and targets missed. The camera chain Jessops goes into

administration, with 2000 jobs at risk.

They are still fighting the wildfires in parts of Australia as

one family describe their remarkable escape.

I am the president of the United States, clothed immense power!

leading the way in the BAFTAs, Spielberg's Lincoln, the epic with

10 nominations. Coming up in Sportsday, we will

have all the action from the League Cup as Swansea target an upset

against European champions Chelsea in the first leg of their semi-

Good evening. The Obama administration has expressed

concern about Britain weakening its relationship with the European

Union. David Cameron is due to deliver a major speech on Europe

later this month, and he has already suggested that a referendum

might be needed if radical changes proposed. But the Americans warn

that referendums have often turned countries inwards. This report

contains flash photography. He when Britain's leading ally

warns about the consequences of a speech the Prime Minister has yet

to deliver on the vexed subject of Europe, it pays to listen. Philip

Gordon may not be a household name in Washington DC, let alone here,

but he is the top American official dealing with Europe as deputy

secretary for European affairs are in the US State Department. Today

Those words come less than two weeks before the prime minister has

uttered a word of his speech on Europe, a speech in which he is

expected to call for a renegotiation of the UK's

relationship with the EU, followed by a referendum, something he

hinted at in Prime Minister's Questions today. There are changes

we would like in our relationship that would be good for Britain and

good for Europe. Because of the changes taking place in the

Eurozone which are driving change in the European Union, there is

every opportunity to achieve that. Those urging him on say that

finally settling our relationship with Europe is not just in

Britain's interest, it is in America's, too. This is about

rhetoric. It is about a serious attempt to reconcile the differing

interests of the European Union in a way that helps the part of the

world we happen to be geographically and culturally part

of. The American diplomats have been responding to a warning by

British business leaders in the Financial Times. Sir Richard

Branson and the president of the employers' organisation the CBI

warned that uncertainty would be caused by attempting a wholesale

renegotiation of our EU membership, which they said would be rejected.

David Cameron is allowing the country to sleepwalk towards the

exit of the European Union, because he seems more focused on party

unity than the national interest. Herman van Rompuy, the president of

the European Council, has warned that Britain cannot cherry-pick

which powers it gets back from Brussels. Today he met the man who

will help run Europe for the next six months, Ireland's Taoiseach,

who is a change was not on the agenda now, but added: a win would

see it as being disastrous, were a country like Britain to leave the

union. Is it any wonder that the prime minister has agonised for so

long about whether to make a speech and what to say in it on a subject

senior Conservatives call a timebomb ticking under his party?

Nick Robinson, you could call it advice or a warning, but how likely

is it too upset David Cameron? Are I don't know that it will upset him.

There is no surprise here that the American administration don't want

a strong Europe, they want a strong British voice in Europe, and they

want that for selfish American reasons. They believe in free trade

and a strong defence and they believe Britain's role is to argue

that case on behalf of Britain and on behalf of America as well. But

it will surprise Downing Street that this individual from the Obama

administration wanted it so publicly to say that a referendum

had dangers. He was responding to a question about the warning from

those business leaders in the Financial Times today that a

referendum, particularly one promised for some years ahead,

because the Prime Minister will be talking about a referendum in the

next Parliament if he is elected prime minister again, that that

could freeze business investment, the business leaders said. Today

the Obama administration said it might also force Britain and Europe

to look inwardly. On the other hand, it will help him to counteract the

Euro-sceptics, who say there is no risk of leaving Europe at all. But

they worry that David Cameron listens too much to the Americans

or business leaders or other pro- European voices, he might lose his

leverage. They think he can only win what is right for Britain by

threatening to leave Europe. Downing Street has published a

progress report on the coalition's successes and failures since coming

to power in 2010. More than 70 pledges have not been met,

including some on pensions, road- building and criminal justice, but

David Cameron said the majority of pledges have been honoured. Downing

Street denies that it held back the publication to avoid damaging media

coverage. Downing Street on Monday, and all

smiles at the launch of a mid-term review of the coalition's

achievements. But what was missing was a detailed assessment of

promises kept and broken, an assessment that had been expected,

but it is now clear that Downing Street considered not publishing it.

One of David Cameron's senior advisers was photographed yesterday

with vague document oche of problematic areas in the review

that could produce and helpful stories about broken pledges. The

Prime Minister's official said they had always intended to publish an

were checking facts. In the Commons, it was too good for Labour to

ignore. Can the Prime Minister tell us why on Monday, when he published

his mid-term review, he failed to publish his audit of coalition

broken promises? We will be publishing every audit of what

every promise, all 399 pledges set out in the mid-term review. Unlike

the party opposite, this will be full, frank and unpunished.

after all that, the coalition's report was finally published. More

than 100 pages of achievements such as helping children through the

pupil premium, keeping pensioner benefits and establishing fixed-

term five-year Parliament. But there were also promises that had

not been achieved, like reforms to the House of Commons that were

blocked, air passenger taxes that were left unchanged and a

commitment to avoid big NHS reforms was ignored. Downing Street says

this document shows that they are making progress on the majority of

their commitments, but there are gaps. For example, it says nothing

about the government's big economic Dec -- target of cutting debt

before the next election. That is a target they are on course to miss.

David Cameron and Nick Clegg may publish as many documents about

their achievements as they want, but the smiles will only return for

good when they fix the economy. And that really is a work in progress.

The high street camera retailer Jessops has become the latest chain

to be put into administration. It employs 2000 members of staff in

nearly 200 shops. The company said its future was still to be decided,

but that some store closures were inevitable. It is just the latest

high street name to face difficulties.

It is the first retail casualty of 2013. For a household name with 192

stores across the UK. But today, this decades-old chain collapsed

and the administrators were called in. In this increasingly cut-throat

business, Jessops struggled to compete in the new digital age.

market collapsed because people who once bought cameras found that they

had these on their smartphones and use those instead. And the

professionals found they could use online specialists that were

cheaper and had more extensive ranges. In other words, our habits

are changing. I don't shop there. I don't buy their stuff. That is why

it is going under. I use my iPhone. I don't need to go into a camera

shop. It is a shame so many stores are closing. Last month, Comet, now

Jessops. This is the only large specialist camera chain left on the

high street, but it has been struggling for some time, a

retailer that simply was not making enough money to service its debts.

It has been a troubling year for the high street. More than 50

retailers went under in 2012, like Clinton Cards, although it have re-

emerged with new owners and fewer stores. Others, like JJB Sports,

were bought by rivals. And then commit, one of the biggest

casualties of them all. This latest one will not be the last. Christmas

is over. Lower sales to come. Stakeholders will be deciding who

to support and will be pulling the plug on the most weak retailers in

the run-up to the next quarter day at the end of March. For Jessops,

store closures are inevitable. That process could begin as early as

tomorrow, unless administrators win some breathing space to find a

potential buyer. A British soldier who was shot dead

in an attack in southern Afghanistan on Monday has been in

tonight by the Ministry of Defence as Sapper Richard Walker from 28

Engineer Regiment. He was 23. In a tribute to him, sapper Walker's

family said he helped two things close to his heart, his daughter

and his colleagues. He was the first British serviceman to die in

Helmand this year. Record temperatures in parts of

Australia have now cooled, reducing the threat from wildfires which

have caused extensive damage in some regions. But forecasters are

warning that more hot weather is on the weight and the emergency

services in some areas are still Forest land burning out of control

after a fire front scorched its way through. These were the overnight

conditions outside the small New South Wales Hamlet of Yass. There

used to be thick bring bush here. But within minutes, it was

transformed into a blackened wasteland, an eerie, end-of-world

feel. These images were taken by an astroNational Audit Office on board

the International Space Station. -- an astronaut. Even miles above

earth, the smoke plumes can be easily seen.

130 bushfires are raging stl across New South Wales. Given the ferocity

of the fires, it's amazing that as yet no-one has lost their life. The

stories keep on emerging, though of extraordinary escapes. Especially

in Tasmania, the fist state to be hit. Tim Holmes was baby sitting

his daughter's young children when they were caught up in the

firestorm. The children and their grandparents were forced to seek

shelter in the sea, as flames engulfed the shoreline. It came

from both directions. It came at us and then from the side. We saw

tornadoes of fire just coming across towards us. And the next

thing we knew everything was on fire, everywhere, all around us.

For three horrifying hours they hid under the jetty, neck-deep in water.

All were eventually rescued. ! Thank God you are all safe and

well. At least a cool change in the

weather has brought some relief to the fire crews. Here they were

containing a blaze, literally fighting fire with fire. This gives

you an indication of how conditions have changed in the past 24 hours.

Yesterday the flames were in the tree tops, fanned by the ferocious

winds. Today, this fire front is very small and it's moving very

slowly. If only the other fires were so

easy to put out. Coming up on tonight's programme:

The latest on the search for the wartime Spitfires thought to be

buried in Burma. Private companies and charities

could be allowed to supervise low- risk offenders on proBiggs in

England and Wales, under plans announced by the Government. --

probation. They would be paid by results. There would be no change

in the way high-risk offend remembers monitored. Critics say

the fans could compromise public protection.

More than half of all prisoners released from jail end up back in

the Criminal Justice System. That's simple fact which has convinced the

Government to strip the state-run Probation Service of most of its

responsibilities and hand over services to private and voluntary

sector contractors on a payment-by- results basis. I think it's calmed

down. You do seem calm. Peterborough Prison is pioneering

the approach. While inside a repeat offender like Matt works with a

probation mentor, when he gets released his worker will be at the

prison gate to meet him. Now out and trying to stay on the straight

and narrow, Matt says the supervision and support are key it

keeping him out of prison. Before, I would normally just go straight

back to alcohol and drugs and violence, my old life, really. This

time I've got things to look up to, like I have a lot of support from

the service. I'm going to be on a course. The Government says the

changes will transform the Probation Service. Around 200,000

low and medium risk offenders will be supervised by private companies

like G4S and Serco, with not-for- profit groups providing some

interventions. Thael also managed 46,000 short-term prisoners who

currently get little or no support when they leave jail. The 50,000

most dangerous offenders in the community will remain within the

state-run service. The Justice Secretary, Chris

Grayling, today met former prisoners, who now volunteer to

help other offenders stay out of trouble. But he's convinced the

private sector is the way ahead for probation, despite contractors like

G4S running into trouble at the Olympics. The Justice Secretary

wants to reduce reoffending and save money at the same time. His

solution is effectively to privatise most probation operations

in England and Wales. The hope is that the profit motive will produce

a cheaper, and more effective service.

No more money, greater be responsibility and businessmen

looking to make a profit out of it all. Is this really the right way

to run probation? I want to capture the best of the private, public

andville trisector. Each bring strengths to this. -- voluntary.

Critics say splitting the service will create a fragmented service

which won't be able to cope if a low-risk owe fern suddenly becomes

more of a danger to the public. that changes, it means change of

provider. Information will get lost and it is unclear accountability of

who is responsible and that's when things can go wrong. The Government

says such problems can be resolved by the way the contract is drafted.

It's hoped the system will help those like Matt live a productive

life. Marks & Spencer has reported a drop in sales after releasing its

statements 12 hours early following a media leak. The sales fell 1.8%

compared to the previous year, on stores open more than a year.

A Syrian refugee, who says he is the only man to survive from a

group who faced a firing squad neither city of Aleppo has been

talking about what happened. Mom Ali says he has -- Muhhammad Ali

says he was abducted for no reason and held without food and water.

Mohammed alwill he works at a petrol station in southern Turkey.

-- Muhhammad Ali. Customers barely notice him. But the man selling

crisps, has one of the most astonishing stories of the Syrian

conflict. He tells me that he was stopped at a pro-government

checkpoint in the Syrian city of Aleppo in August. The militiamen

mistrusted his village, they took him away. Transtran After three

days with no -- TRANSLATION: After three days with no food and water

they told me and the other prisoners that they were taking us

to another station. They put us in a car and then stopped at a

deserted area. This was Aleppo at the time. Rebels,

filmed here by the BBC, go after suspected pro-government militiamen

known as Shabihas. They are accused of carrying out mass killings. A

single refugee has little way of proving his account. Words and

scars have to do. TRANSLATION: put us all on our knees, all 21 of

us. They began firing. I fainted when they shot at us. I woke up

after 15-20 minutes and saw the gunman's car leaving and I saw that

everybody around me was dead. I was hit by five bullets. One in my

shoulder, one of them is in my ear. Two in my leg and one in my hip.

Government and rebel forces still fight for control of Syria's

biggest city. Aleppo produces no winners.

Only refugees. Some people might say that it was a

miracle that you were the only survivor. TRANSLATION: I don't know.

I don't know. Perhaps it's because I was able to withstand the gunfire.

In Islam we believe that no-one dies before their time. Perhaps

this wasn't my time to die. From his small bedroom at the

petrol station, Mohammed reflects on what to do with his second life.

He trained as a tailor and may go back into the business, but not

back home. A British team searching for a

collection of Spitfire planes believed to have been buried in

Burma at the end of the Second World War say they may have found

what they are looking for. Robert Hall explains.

Amid the excited chatter of a press conference, these indistinct images,

blurred by muddy water, were the focus of attention and speculation.

Could they be the confirmation that a 17-year quest was nearing its

goal? The aviation enthusiast, who is

leading that search, felt it was a hopeful sign. Images I have seen on

camera are not conclusive at all. But it's very encouraging that

we've found a wooden crate in the same area where the Americans

buried the Spitfires. Mr Cundel says he has eye-witness evidence

that the planes were buried in the months after the Second World War,

disposed of, rather than shipped home.

Out of 20,000 Spitfires built, less than 40 are still flying. Each one

worth more than �1 million. David Cundel's dream is to see at least

more than 100 back in the air. He says he has identified three

possible burial sites across Burma. Today's images are from an area in

the north where 18 are thought to have survived. A much smaller site

in central Burma Maicon tain six aircraft but the biggest -- may

contain six. But the biggest price could be in another area where it

is thought 36 lie close to roon goon airport. But these are sites

largely forgotten and overgrown and at risk of monsoon flooding. Some

experts think the recovery would be a miracle. The notion that these

aeroplanes in their boxes, that they were buried in pristine

condition, I don't know, I would love to is he it happen, it has

never been seen before and nothing like it has been found before.

David Cundel's conviction has never waivered. Tomorrow he'll watch a

dig which will be watched by Rangoon's air travellers. One way

or another, the mystery of Burma's disappearing Spitfires could soon

be involved. The BBC presenter Andrew Marr is

recovering in hospital after suffering a stroke. The 53-year-old,

who presents the Andrew Marr Show and Start the Week was taken ill

yesterday. Doctors say he is responding to treatment.

The former BBC Director-General, Alasdair Milne has died at the age

of 82. Mr Milne was in charge of the corporation during a turbulent

period during the 1980s. He resigned in January 1987.

The most successful movie in British cinema history has not been

nominated as Best Film in this year's bf at that awards, but the

Bond film gets eight nominations. - - -- BAFTA awards.

Until we cure ourselves of slavery, this amendment is that sure. Daniel

Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, the American President that campaigned

against slavery, in a performance that has earned him a place on the

leading actor shortlist. It is a self-evident truth that things

which are equal it the same thing are equal to each other.

One of ten BAFTA nomination force Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

Although Spielberg himself is a surprise omission from the Best

Director category. Two other movies shortlisted for

Best Film are based on true stories about American covert operations in

the Middle East. Argo and Katherine Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty.

I want you to know you are wrong. This is it. Hollywood loves history