29/01/2013 BBC News at Ten

More British troops to be sent to West Africa, bringing the total to

350. UK forces are already supporting the French intervention

against militants in Mali. Now hundreds more will be on their way.

As French-led troops are cheered as they take back Timbuktu, the

Government denies Britain will get sucked into the conflict. It's now

our intention to deploy combat troops. We are very clear about the

risks. There will be worries about mission creep and the safety of UK

trainers and it's essential that the Secretary of State allays those

fears today. David Cameron will look at the Government's increasing

focus on the terrorist threat in parts of Africa. Also, plans to cut

childcare costs in England and increase how many children can be

looked after by a single adult. think that nursery costs are high.

Basically you can't afford to have two parents going to work. The more

people able to look after, the less attention you can give to the kids.

The landmark verdict that could change the rules on criminal checks,

so minor offences may not have to be disclosed.

After the Manchester City bust-up, Balotelli looks set to pack his

bags and head for IC Milan. In sport later, anti-doping

authorities say cycling's governing body is ignoring responsibilities

after cancelling an investigation Good evening. The number of British

troops deployed in West Africa, to help the French operation against

Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists in Mali is to rise to 350. Most will train

in neighbouring countries, but 40 will be in Mali as military

advisers. The Defence Secretary says British forces will not serve

in a combat role, but Labour has warned they could get drawn into a

wider and protracted conflict. Rejoicing on the streets of

Timbuktu. Relief clear as French and local troops took back the

desert town unopposed. Already there has been looting and

retribution, as angry crowds gathered to threaten those, they

said, who had supported the Islamist militants and this is only

the beginning. Fighters could well regroup and try to wage a deadly

insurgency. Preventing that will be up to African troops and Mali and

neighbourhoods. Other nations met to raise money for the African-led

mission which will include British military trainers. In the House of

Commons today questions were already being asked about mission

creep, even as the Defence Secretary spelled out the British

deployment and he came under fire from his own side. What exactly is

the exit strategy? It is very easy to get drawn into these things, but

not always clear what the end game and what the exit strategy is and

indeed what does the end game look like? France has made it clear that

it sees a short intervention to stabilise the situation on the

ground. While the African forces from neighbouring countries and the

Mally army deploy to sustain -- Maly army deploy to sustain.

public are wary. There will be worries about mission creep and the

safety of UK trainers and it is essential that the Secretary of

State allays those fears today. Government has made clear that no

British combat troops will be sent to Mali, but they are keen to help

nations succeed in their Michael Jackson there, so the MoD has been

drawing up plans to sent British trainers to both to help with the

EU-led mission and the African-led mission. The forces will include

200 personnel to help train troops in West Africa. Around to the EU-

training mission in Mali and 0 support personnel with the spy

plane in Senegal. 20 with the UK C17 aircraft. As well as 20 already

deployed in Bamako, liasing with French forces. That makes a total

of 350 military personnel. Senior military figures here say the UK's

support for French troops in Mali is in the national interest. Failed

straights bring with them instability and I think the --

states bring with them instability and I think the Prime Minister may

have touched on this, that Mali sounds like it's in the middle of

nowhere, as Timbuktu used to be known, but what happens in the

global world is that the jihadists will take over the country as a

whole and it would not end there. In Timbuktu, evidence emerged of

attempts to destroy priceless 13th senary Arabic manuscripts and there

were stories of beatings, fear and oppression. For now, many are are -

- there are grateful for the troops. Still the wider battle is not yet

won. Tomorrow, David Cameron is heading

to the region. He's going to Algeria. Also, struggling with

Islamists. Nick Robinson is in Downing Street for us. As the Prime

Minister prepares to head off, how worried will he be about the talks

and concerns about the mission creep? The ministers are worried

enough that today in the House of Commons the Defence Secretary went

out of his way to say, in terms, he recognised the risks of mission

creep. He and his advisers are stressing behind the scenes, that

the hundreds of troops are not going in a combat role. They are

going to train Mali troops and provide logistical support to the

French and functions for maning a spy plane. Yet, the rhetoric of the

Prime Minister from the -- talking about a generational challenge and

talk about dealing with the ungoverned large areas of North

Africa, it does raise concerns among many. Fact that we are now

talking not about tens of troops as the Prime Minister first said, but

about hundreds. It makes others worry too and therefore, there will

be concerns even as the Prime Minister tries to stress, as he

will, that this is certainly not another Afghanistan and it is not

intended to be another Libya either. It is intended to be something

rather different. Something that depends on intelligence and aid and

training and support and the involvement of other African

nations, us in support of those African nations. I think the

difficulty, the tightrope, if you like, that the Prime Minister is

walking on is it - it's very clear what it isn't. He's not clear what

quite it is. Thank you. The Government is proposing a

shake-up of nursery provision in England to increase the numbers of

babies and children that can be looked after by a single adult.

It's promising better qualified staff and lower costs as a result.

There are concerns that the quality of care will suffer and that any

savings may not be passed on to parent.

Building a better childcare system for parents is anything but child's

play. Costs in the UK are among the highest anywhere. Today, the

Government presented plans it says will help hard-pressed families.

From September, nurseries in England will have the option of

looking after more children than now. But only if the workforce is

more highly qualified. Salaries will go up, but fewer staff could

mean a saving for families. It will make it high-quality, more

available and more affordable. This will take time. It will take time

to recruit new people and to expand nurseries. So what do parents at

this south London nursery make of relaxing the ratios? I think they

will be welcome. Nursery courses -- costs are untenably high. You can't

afford to have two parents working. The costs are too high. I'm not in

favour of it particularly. Even if they are more qualified on paper, I

just think the more people able to look after, the less attention you

give. In England, the present ratio in nurseries for one-year-olds and

under is one adult to three children. What is proposed is one

adult to four children. Two-year- olds at present have one adult to

four children and the proposed change is one to six. Last year, 25

hours of childcare a week for two- year-olds costs an average of more

than �5,000. Kids Unlimited is one of the largest nursery chains. Will

loosening the ratios mean savings for parents? Not necessarily. We'll

look at all of the issues and I can't speak for other providers,

but certainly at Kids Unlimited we have no plans in the short term at

least to reduce them. Finding good- quality childcare is important, but

expensive and many are put off going back to work because of the

costs, but some fear that the Government proposals for fewer

staff could mean lower standards. We would worry that if you had

something like six two-year-olds for each worker rather than four at

the moment, it becomes practical of how many children anybody can look

after and care for and help to develop at any one time. David

Cameron and Nick Clegg earlier this month pledged to make childcare a

key issue. But there are no details today of suggestions that working

parents could get a tax break of several thousand pounds to help

with costs. Watching closely are mothers like Emma Trappett, who

can't afford childcare for her twins. I would love to go back it

work, but whilst it is so expensive and sort of uncertain to have

childcare, then it's just something that we can't entertain. Better

childcare, but at reduced costs to parents - that's the circle that

ministers today are trying to square.

Hundreds of civilians, including women, children and the elderly,

were victims of systemic abuse while being detained by British

forces in Iraq. That's according to claims presented at the High Court

today. Lawyers representing for than 190 Iraqis are demanding an

independent public inquiry. This report contains graphic details of

the allegations. Under interrogation, one of the Iraqis

being represented in court today. He's been subjected to what is

called harshing, and he's heard to say he hasn't been given food or

water for two days. Others say they were beaten, hooded and sexually

muem millated, with allegations -- humiliated, with allegations of

detainees being masturbated on. One said his nose was broken and he was

mocked after being forced to strip naked. Via Skype, Ali Zaki Mousa

told us what happened. TRANSLATION: They took me at 3am to the airport

where they beat me up. I want justice for all Iraqis who have

been mistreated. This hearing relates to abuse alleged to have

been suffered by 1992 Iraqis between 2003 and 2008. An inquiry's

already been held into the battering to death of Mir Hossein

Mousavi in British custody. But lawyers for the Iraqis say there

There is no doubt and now that a significant number of abuses did

occur. What the court must decide is how they should best be

investigated so that Britain complies with its international

human rights obligations. The Ministry of Defence says a wide-

ranging public inquiry to consider alleged systemic issues would be

Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Mercer was the army's chief legal officer

in 2003. He warned the MoD about illegal techniques including

hooding and stress positions. He says a public inquiry is needed.

The allegations are extremely serious, that the British state was

complicit in the torture and inhuman and degrading treatment of

prisoners. This is a matter of great public interest as to how we

conduct ourselves as a nation and how the British Army conducts

itself. Almost a decade since British troops have fought their

way into Iraq, the military is now having to confront a dark side to

its legacy. Opposition activists in Syria say

more than 50 bodies had been found in a river in the northern city of

Aleppo. A video posted on the internet, which cannot be

independently verified, suggests that most of the dead were men.

They were shot in the head and some appear to have had their hands

bound. The Court of Appeal has ruled today

that the law requiring people to disclose all previous convictions

when applying for certain jobs is a breach of their human rights. The

case centred on a man who was warned about stealing bikes when he

was 11 years old. As an adult, he has had to reveal the cautions to

his employers. The Government says it is disappointed and it is hoping

to appeal against the judgment. Millions of criminal record checks

are carried out each year to protect children and vulnerable

groups. But should a petty crime committed in your youth remain on

your record forever? Music teacher Dan Greenwood was cautioned for

stealing a record from Woolworths when he was 15. Every time the CRB

comes through, I have got to go and see the head teacher, I've got to

account for this kind of... Defence, which, as far as I am concerned, is

ancient history, buried in a time when I was an unruly teenager.

the Court of Appeal today, judges ruled in the case of a man given

two cautions for stealing two bicycles when he was 11. Years

later, his record was still causing him problems when applying for work.

His lawyer thinks today marks a welcome change. What they found is

that the current provisions do breach the right to privacy and

family life. It is a wholehearted approach that everything has to be

disclosed. What they have said is that there needs to be some

proportionality involved and some consideration of what is relevant

and what is not. As a result of today's judgment, nothing will

change immediately. The Government has 28 days to seek permission to

appeal to the Supreme Court. But if it fails in that, the judges here

have made it absolutely clear that the Government must legislate to

change the current system of blanket disclosure. But some are

cautious about a change which might mean minor crimes are not disclosed.

Children have rights as well, and so employers, when making a

decision about who they should employ him to a job that gives

access to children, they should have access to all of the relevant

information so they can make the right decisions about who to employ.

This is a delicate balance between civil liberties and protecting the

vulnerable. If the Government loses its appeal, a system will have to

be found which filters out minor law-breaking from criminal records

for people like Dan Greenwood, whilst ensuring the safety of those

Coming up on tonight's programme: Bad boy Balotelli is set to leave

behind Manchester City and that car to head for AC Milan. But how much

will he be missed? The game needs characters, really. You don't get

much more of a character than Mario. President Obama has tonight called

for commonsense changes to America's immigration laws, which

he said were out of date and badly broken. There are an estimated 11

million illegal immigrants in the States. Obama said he wants reform

to help them get on the right side of the law. As Alan North America

Editor Mark Mardell reports, the issue remains controversial.

He is here in part due to support from the Tino voters. This is

payback time, a promise to help the illegal immigrants become Americans.

I'm here today because the time has come for commonsense, comprehensive

immigration reform. The time is now. Now is the time. That may be music

to the ears of those in the streets here. Through this Texas town runs

part of the USA's nearly 2000 mile long border with Mexico. Over the

years, huge numbers have dodged queues and controls, broken the law

to cross to the much richer country. There is an estimated 11 million

illegal immigrants in the United States. The vast majority are from

Mexico. For years, it has been an intractable problem. But some

things are changing, meaning that immigration reform may have a

better chance of success. They simply aren't as many people coming

across the border illegally, because the jobs are not on the

other side. Also, Republicans are having a serious war rethink,

wondering if their attitude to immigration cost them vital the

Tino votes in the election. team knows saw Republicans as rich,

and low, isolated, etc. Lionel Sosa is a veteran of many campaigns, but

Mitt Romney didn't bother to call. He is making a TV and took convince

Conservatives to back changes, including allowing illegal

immigrants to become citizens after they pay fines and taxes. We have

to become more welcoming and we have to be the party that says, yes,

we are what America was founded on, their deals and the values that

America was founded on. And that we welcome everybody. At the oldest

country music venue in taxes, -- Texas, it's clear that republicans

may have to convince voters. If you are seeking a to sneak into the

country, it's illegal, and I don't like it. Amnesty? No, no. Before

you come over the border, you should be already cleared to come

over the border, correct? For me to come over to Britain, how would you

like that, to take over one of your jobs if I am not cleared?

Latinos are one of the fastest- growing ethnic groups. Pleasing

them may force the politicians to form an agreement.

The Conservatives have been defeated at Westminster over

proposals to redraw constituency boundaries before 2015. The

coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, voted against the plans,

the first time the party as a whole has done so in the Commons. James

Lonsdale is at Westminster. How significant is this? At one level

it is an arcane issue about procedure. The Government wanted

the next election to be fought on up-to-date boundaries, so

constituencies are roughly the same size, with votes having roughly the

same weight. But last year, the Tories gave up on House of Lords

reform. The Lib Dems said, look, these constitutional changes, it is

all-or-nothing. They would now vote against boundary changes. So far,

so complicated. It's not really about procedure, it's about power.

Experts say that with these changes the Tories would pick up an extra

20 seats or so, which could make the difference between victory or

defeat. Not surprisingly, they are pretty unhappy. Equally, Lib Dem

MPs, they will continue to benefit from incumbent popularity within

existing constituencies. In the short term, I think there will be

deeper collision tensions over this. It's the first time that the

parties have voted against each other like this in the House of

Commons. Long-term, it is an obscure vote on a damp Tuesday in

January that could help determine the kind of election that you and I

get in two and-a-half years time. With just two days left to the end

of the transfer window, controversial striker Mario

Balotelli looks set to be on his way out of Manchester City. A

senior official at AC Milan said they had reached an agreement with

City and Balotelli is due to arrive But out Mario Balotelli, the City

squad arriving at QPR, their striker on the verge of swapping

Manchester for Milan. The man who brought him to English football,

left to reflect on one of the more turbulent careers in English

history. I think this is a good chance for Mario to come back in

Italy. We are very sorry, because we love him, as a guy, as a player.

We did too much for Manchester City. At his best, brilliant. Balotelli

helped City claim an historic Premier League title last season.

But as this infamous goal celebration suggested, there was

baggage as well. A woeful disciplinary record on the field

and a series of controversies off it. Earlier this month, he was

photographed grappling with his manager during training. His

departure seemed inevitable, and so it has proved. He remained a cult

hero among many fans, but at Loftus Road his departure provoked a miss

best response. It makes me sad, actually. -- mixed response.

game needs characters and you don't get much more of a character.

has no respect. He was paid a king's ransom. For being a clown.

Personally, I think it is best for both parties. A couple of weeks ago

they were saying he was going, then he was staying, now he's going.

Despite wagers thought to be around �180,000 per week, he has scored

just three times this season. City's hierarchy may have decided

that the trouble have weighed the talent. The striker will be

remembered in Manchester, but not Now, he was widely regarded as one

of the most influential British playwrights of his generation.

Following his death, Sir Harold Pinter had a theatre in London

named after him. For the first time, it will stage one of his plays.

Will Gompertz looks at the lasting legacy of the Nobel prize-winning

playwright. London's Theatreland is booming.

Audiences are up, the cash tills are ringing and confidence is high.

But while there is a constant stream of new shows, the theatres

tend to remain the same. Most of the Tyne. This West End Playhouse

opened for business in 1881. It was called the Comedy Theatre, a name

it retained for the next 130 years, until 13 months ago when it was

renamed after actor, director and playwright Harold Pinter. Now, for

the first time, the Pinter Theatre is presenting a Harold Pinter play.

Old Times, starring Rufus Sewell and Kristin Scott-Thomas. You talk

of me as if I was dead. You were not dead, you were so lively, so

animated. In the play, Kate, Deeley and Anna reminisce about old times,

with conflicting memories and underlying tensions. People think

about tension, being words, pauses, words. But it is so much about in

the body and in the heart, so much about feeling. That is why it

appeals to me, I think. His widow said living with him was rewarding

because he behaved exactly like artists behave in books, but seldom

in real life. An idea, she said, would suddenly come to him. As it

did with Old Times. He said it began with the jealousy of a man

for a woman's past. Just a little, because she is talking to a

girlfriend. Just a little image, long, long ago. Then it would go

anyway, it would not stay like that. It would go with his wonderful

imagination. You were not dead, ever, in any way. This production

is just one of many new high profile West End shows opening in

2013. The combined effect of which, for the capital's theatre industry,

has been record-breaking advance ticket sales. A case, perhaps, of