31/07/2011 BBC Weekend News

More than 100 people are reported to have been killed across Syria in

a crackdown on anti-government protesters. The violence makes it

one of the deadliest days since the uprising began. Britain calls it an

assault on the Syrian people. Edging towards a deal on America's

debt crisis, politicians in Washington say an agreement is now

very close. Here, a political row on health

spending, the government denies Labour claims that reforms will

mean poorer areas lose out. Andy Ian Bell scores 159 for

England after a controversial reprieve in the second Test against

Good evening. More than 100 people are reported to have been killed

across Syria in one of the bloodiest days since the anti-

government uprising began in March. In one city, hospitals are said to

have been flooded with casualties as tanks opened fire on protesters.

But Britain and United States have condemned the violence. President

Obama says he is appalled at the brutality of the Syrian government

against its own people in Hama. World affairs correspondent

The assault began at dawn, filmed by protesters who want the world to

see what the regime is doing. They say that this morning parts of Hama

were like a war-zone. Witnesses describe tanks smashing through

makeshift roadblocks put up to stop their fans, firing indiscriminately.

-- advance. Hama has seen some of Syria's biggest demonstrations, and

it had been ringed by the military for weeks before, on the eve of

Ramadan, the troops moved in. started hearing artillery shooting

from all directions, artillery and bombing, tank bombing, and

sometimes we here like anti- Here, under fire, an attempt to

Hospitals were swamped, doctors appealed for blood. All this in a

city still scarred by memories of a massacre in 1982 in which tens of

thousands of people were killed when an uprising by Islamist was

surprised. President Obama and William Hague both said they were

appalled by the storming of Hama. The US has about two further

isolate the Syrian regime. The uprising in Syria began a 4 1/2

months ago. Even before today, well over 1,500 civilians had been

killed, as well as hundreds of security forces. More than 12,000

people have been arrested. For all the force the regime has used, it

has been unable to crush the protest movement. There's really no

prospect of outright victory for either side in any of this. Ramadan

has opportunities for the protesters to gather against the

government, but the government has a ruthless willingness to use force

inside the cities. I think the most likely outcome is the protesters

will eventually arm themselves, just like they did in Libya. Bashar

al-Assad, who took over from his father 11 years ago, has made

promises of reforms, but they have rung hollow, drowned out by the

sound of his regime's guns. This has been one of the bloodiest days

since the uprising began, the violence not confined to Hama. The

authorities and protesters are in a deadly test of wills for the future

of Syria. In the United States, politicians

appear to be close to a deal to resolve the deadlock over raising

the Government's borrowing limit. Democrats and Republicans have

until Tuesday to reach an agreement or risk America not being able to

pay its bills. North America editor Mark Mardell is in Washington

tonight. We have just heard from the

Democratic leader in the Senate that he hopes that a first vote on

the new package can come tonight. They are that close to an agreement.

But just because the top political leaders of both parties can reach

an agreement does not mean they can sell it to their members in the

Senate and House of Representatives. This Sunday, the final showdown

over the debt ceiling. There may be a deal. Time is running out to

forge a deal. Perhaps cause for optimism. Reality TV in the raw, a

last-minute deal might prevent a Washington drama turning into a

world crisis. The President, his party leaders and top Republicans

are close to an agreement that is the talk of all the Sunday shows.

In April the President was asking us to raise the debt ceiling with

no spending reductions at all. Now the potential agreement that you

just outlined is within our reach. We will avoid default. The deal

would raise the debt ceiling, allowing America to borrow 2.4

trillion dollars more than it can at the moment. That would be

balanced by three trillion dollars worth of cuts, somehow, some

decided in November by a special committee. If they could not agree,

there would be automatic cuts to the defence budget and medical care

for the elderly. Senior politicians have been on Capitol Hill working

through the weekend as Washington is gripped by a suffocating heat

wave, an agreement tantalisingly close. There are lots of details

that have not been worked out. There has been no sign of by the

leaders of the House or Senate. So we just have to keep working. But I

do feel better today about the ability to avoid default than I

The tempo is finally picking up, but for weeks politicians have

moved away rather leisurely read them. Americans are trying to keep

cool down by the Washington Waterfront would like their

representatives to sweat a little more. It has gone on for wait too

long, and there has been no reason to push it into the future. Let's

get it done. We are taking us with old time. It is not very impressive.

It is kind of embarrassing, actually. But do not expect a

speedy race to the finish, even if the top politicians agree a deal,

it still has to be sold to the troops. And that is going to be

difficult, because many Democrats will think these cuts are 2D and

hurt programmes they think are necessary. More importantly,

Republicans backed by the Tea Party movement do not think the cuts of

the piano. They distrust the whole mechanism, and some say that when

the problem is that you are deep in debt, you do not borrow more money.

They do not think the debt ceiling should be raised at all, so it is

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury has dismissed calls to scrap the

50% tax rate for top earners. But the mayor of London and the former

Chancellor Lord Lamont had said the rate should be cut to make the UK

more competitive. Danny Alexander today court that a cloud-cuckoo-

land idea. We set out in the coalition agreement, and it is

something that we pushed hard for as Liberal Democrats, that the

first priority in tax would be tax cuts for people on low and middle

incomes, people who are working hard to make ends meet. Anyone who

thinks we will shift our priority to reduce the tax burden for the

wealthiest has another thing coming. That is not the right priority for

the country at this time. And a political row has broken out over

health funding with Labour claiming that poorer areas will lose out to

more affluent ones as a result of spending reforms. The Health

Secretary has rejected the claims and says the NHS budget is

increasing in every primary care trust in England. Political

correspondent Iain Watson explains. The Health Secretary must be

getting a bit sick of all the criticism. Doctors, nurses and even

some government ministers pushed for a rethink on his reforms. Now

Labour are claiming that a change in the way the NHS is funded in

England will harm the poor and help the rich. Using figures calculated

by public health bodies in Manchester, Labour has a less well-

off parts of England, not just Manchester, like Liverpool at Tower

Hamlets in east London, will lose out when funds are allocated, while

rich areas such as Surrey and Berkshire will benefit.

government is not taking into account health inequalities, as it

used to, in allocating money. Inevitably, if you do not take

health inequalities into account sufficiently, poorer areas lose

money. Labour believes the government are vulnerable on the

NHS. The Health Secretary has had to delay or change some of the big

reforms it plans to the service in England. Andrew Lansley knows that

if he wants to stage a political recovery, he cannot take the latest

criticisms lying down. We are increasing the budget in England.

Everywhere in England is seeing a budget increase of at least 2.5%,

most 3% plus, and we are making sure that we build from a position

of better performance. Although the way money is being handed out in

the NHS is changing, and the overall amount in every part of

England is going up. The NHS primary care trust in less well-off

Tower Hamlets will see an increase in its funding which is very

similar to the rise in better of Surrey this year. And in future,

the government say local authorities will get more money to

help improve the health of people living in deprived areas. The

Health Secretary will try to push through much bigger changes to the

NHS in the autumn. These will be examined closely by the opposition

and by professional bodies who still worry that the Government's

reforms that make the health service worse, not better.

The 59-year-old man died after his plane crashed in Salford on Friday

has been named as Ian Daglish. Another man remains in a critical

condition in hospital following the crash. Both men were injured when

their light aircraft crashed on to homes in the Peel Green area.

Some universities in England could find themselves under pressure to

offer lower fees for bright as students from next year, according

to a leading vice-chancellors. The outgoing president of Universities

UK said that some institutions would risk losing funding if they

did not compete harder for the best performers.

Car agencies say the famine crisis in Somalia is becoming increasingly

desperate with a dramatic rise in people suffering from malnutrition.

-- aid agencies. 10,000 are estimated to have died, and

Islamist militants have hampered efforts to get aid to the worst

affected areas. Andrew Harding sent this report from Mogadishu.

Guns and anger in Mogadishu today. Surrounded by armed guards, we have

come to the front lines in Somalia to see the impact of the famine.

First, some good news. Food aid is trickling in here now. These United

Nations applies this to be done by local organisations which know

their way around the war-zone. But aid is still not getting to where

it is needed most. This three-year- old is in a critical condition. His

family has just escaped from territory controlled by Al-Shabab,

the militant Islamist from which will not accept a UN food in bulk.

Most here have similar stories. Maybe 50% of the children here, or

more than that, they have severe malnutrition. And just a few city

blocks away, Mogadishu's long war grinds on. These African Union

peacekeepers are trying to push Al- Shabab out of the capital. It is a

tough environment in which to try to end a famine. Tight security

around the camp here, and really very difficult conditions for the

family's here. He can see the tents they have put up, makeshift tents.

There are about 30,000 people here now, and we understand 200 more are

arriving every day from the centre of Somalia, looking for food and

But this ruined city is not much of a haven, and Somalia's emergency

has yet to reach its peak. And now, with the spot, here is

Olly Foster. Thank you very much indeed, Mishal.

With two days left in the second Test, England's lead India by 374

runs, 159 from Ian Bell in the second innings, but he was involved

in a very controversial incident at Trent Bridge. He was given out but

then reinstated after tea. With the match now charging towards

a climax, England's batsmen needed to set the pace. Andrew Strauss was

perhaps too eager, chasing one from Sreesanth with his team still in

arrears. Ian Bell was flying along, though, bright and breezy from the

off, seemingly free from pressure. He rapidly moved his side into the

lead and himself to a crafted 50. After the interval, Kevin Pietersen

picked up the baton and battered the Indian attack. As he crashed on

to 50, Bell caressed his way to a fine century. It was among the best

he has got at Test level. Pietersen went, but England survived further

loss up until today, until a bizarre and unsavoury incident.

Eoin Morgan assumed he had four runs, but actually the ball was not

dead. India removed the bails with Ian Bell departing 40. In fact, he

was departing run-out, to his, his team's and the home crowd's

consternation. But peace broke out over the crumpets, as Bell re-

emerged, the Indian appeal withdrawn. And so they carried on.

Morgan returned to form with 50, Bell one-to- 150 before finally

being given permanently out. Morgan and Jonathan Trott followed him,

but as so often, Matt Prior restored momentum. England are now

Jenson Button was given a cake head of his 200th Grand Prix and a big

bottle of champagne en Hungary today after winning. His team-mate

Lewis Hamilton was heading for victory but he was penalised by the

stewards for dangerous driving and could only finish 4th.

But Mr inside that helmet that comes from 11 years in Formula 1

serve Jenson Button are very well today. From the very start, he was

all over his team-mate Lewis Hamilton. Both drivers were

capturing Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton passed first. Button got

his strategy spot on. With fresher tyres, his team-mate watched him

slip through. But anything can happen, as Nick Heidfeld found out.

He then lost control and almost caused an accident. The stewards'

you of that would cost him the race. But he did not find out for a few

laps. Enough time to go wheel to weir. No team orders. Just great

racing. Brother Nick watched Hamilton take the race threw in

penalty. This may be an important race. Perfect going into the break!

Button's win put him -- but imperfectly indeed chasing pack.

Great Britain's swimmers have finished in Shanghai with another

gold medal. Liam Tancock took his backstroke medal, giving it a three

in the championships. Hannah Miley also won in the 400 metres medley.