21/10/2012 BBC Weekend News

Lebanon's Government in crisis, as security forces clash with

protestors in Beirut. Demonstrators take to the streets after the

funeral of the assassinated security chief, demanding the

Government resign. The BBC's Panorama programme says

it has fresh evidence about the corporation's handling of the Jimmy

Savile child abuse allegations. A special church service for

victims of the Cardiff hit-and-run attack. Tonight, a man is charged

with murder. And another medal for the Brownlee brothers, as Jonny

takes over from Alistair as the Good evening. Lebanon's political

crisis has deepened, as security forces clashed with protestors who

tried to storm Government buildings. Those attending the funeral of the

security chief took to the streets demanding the resignation of the

Government. Oppositions have blamed Syria for the attacks, which

followed months of rising tensions in the country. Our correspondent

has just sent this report. The Lebanese know too much about

public funerals and violent death. Their shared memory of civil war

has helped keep this fragmented, weak country together, but the

assassination of General Wissam al- Hassan, given full military honours

next totd the driver who died with him, is more than a personal

tragedy for his family. They saw him last in Paris, where he had

settled them for their own safety. Hours later, after he returned to

Beirut, he was killed. His assassination is the most serious

sign yet that Syria's civil war posed not just to Lebanon but to

all its neighbours. Lebanon's President said there should be no

cover-up. That comment matters, because Lebanon's Government has a

majority to supports the Syrian regime.

The funeral became a rally for the side of Lebanon that opposes it.

They believe General al-Hassan was killed because he was investigated

plots to destabilise Lebanon. They linked his death to other

assassinations of prominent Lebanese opponents of the al-

Assad's. We demonstrate here against the terror which is going

on against the Lebanese people for the past seven years from the

Syrian regime. You hold Syria response for the death of General

al-Hassan? We are here to show solidarity and protest. Our leaders

are being killed, one after the other. We want the Government to

step back. Lebanon has too many religious and political links with

Syria to isolate itself from what is happening over the border.

Lebanon's Prime Minister has been saying for months that this country

should stay immune from the war in Syria. It was more than an

aspiration than a strategy. Steadily Lebanon is being pulled in.

After the funeral, demonstrators marched on the Prime Minister's

office to try and force the resignation of the Government with

its pro-Syrian majority. This was the local MP, from a prominent

Christian family. REPORTER: How does Lebanon avoid getting pulled

into the Syrian war? Around half a mile away, soldiers were fired into

the air and using tear gas to stop the demonstrators. Like the MP,

many blame not just Syria for the assassination, but also its

Lebanese allies for planting the bomb.

The MP's bodyguards took him to an alleyway. My brother was

assassinated, my sister, my cousin. Of course, we're all in the list of

what can be thes a sas nation of Hezbollah here.

The tragedy for the Lebanese is once again their fate depends as

much on others as it does on themselves.

Jeremy joins us now from Beirut. Jeremy, just how fragile is the

situation in Lebanon? It's more fragile than for some time, that is

because of the civil war in Syria next door. I am outside the Prime

Minister's office. There is a lot of barbed wire around here and

troops in case the demonstrators try and get in again. Lebanon is

fragile because of a 15-year civil war and because of the way power is

split in this country, which is between the different religious

groups. At the moment, Lebanon's problem is it is at the mercy of

events, at the mercy of things it cannot control, not by any means

for the first time in its history. That makes the Lebanese people

nervous. They know that with the crisis of the size of one in Syria

going on, across the border, they are very vulnerable and they feel

it tonight. Thank you. The BBC's Panorama programme says

it has fresh evidence of what the corporation knew about the decades

of child abuse carried out by Jimmy Savile N a special programme, to be

broadcast on BBC One tomorrow night, it reveals details of e-mail

exchanges within the Newsnight programme team, as to why their

investigation was dropped. Panorama, a BBC programme now

investigating another BBC programme. How are you, ladies? The central

question is why did Newsnight, last year, stop its investigation into

Jimmy Savile? Panorama has been finding out the Inside Story. And

it reveals especially the degree of anger within Newsnight, both about

the decision to drop the report and also the words used by the BBC to

justify that decision. E-mails from the Newsnight reporter say she felt

a duty to the women who had come forward, saying:

"I was very unhappy the story Welcome. Another decision of Top of

the Pops. The decision to halt the investigation was editorial. Claims

the women had been let down by the Crown Prosecution Service did not

stand up. The reporting team said stand up. The reporting team said

this was not the focus at the Panorama says there is no evidence

that the change in tone was down to a worry about the tribute programme,

a claim that a former head of the BBC feels is unlikely. I would be

very surprised if it was anyone other than the editor of Newsnight.

The conspiracy therp ri is someone at the top said, -- theory is that

someone at the top said, "Don't do it." The BBC says an independent

inquiry is under way and it will not comment further. There's not

yet been a response from the individuals who took the decision.

With the Director-General due to meet MPs this week, there is some

fuel for some challenging questions. And you can see the Panorama

investigation on BBC One tomorrow evening, starting at 10.35pm. In

the last few minutes, the police have said a man has been charged

with the murder of Karina Menzies, who died in Cardiff on Friday. The

32-year-old was killed and 13 others were injured after being hit

by a van. Earlier, a special church service had been held in support of

the victims. This report from our Wales correspondent.

A moment to pause and remember. Family, friends, neighbours fell

silent to honour all 14 people struck down in Friday's attacks.

They include 32-year-old Karina Menzies, a mother, killed as she

walked with her children. In the midst of its grief, her family

wanted to pay tribbuert to her family. I spoke to -- Tribute to

her family. I spoke to my niece. She threw them out of the way. She

threw her kids to each side of her. These CCTV images show the white

van on its chaotic journey around Cardiff. More than 70 officers are

working on the investigation. This evening, hundreds have gathered

here at aure nch the heart of the Ely community -- at a church at the

heart of the Ely community, only five metres away from where a hit-

and-run took place. The vicar called on people to show

love at a time when they feel anger and grief.

This grief has broken the heart of our community. And the healing work

that is now to be done will take a very, very long time.

In the most difficult circumstances, people came to show support for one

and other. It's one of the most deprived areas

of Cardiff. Yet it is one of the richest communities in terms of

solidarity and care for one and other. This is a community which

feels wounded, but one which is determined to stand together.

A 15-month-old boy has become the fourth victim of a house fire in

Prestatyn in North Wales. Charlie Timbrell died this afternoon in

hospital. His mother, Lee-Anna Shiers, and his cousins Bailey and

Skye were killed in the blaze which broke out on Friday. Two of their

neighbours are being questioned on suspicion of murder. The Prime

Minister will say in a speech tomorrow that Britain needs a tough,

but intelligent approach to tackling crime. David Cameron will

try and put law and order policy in the public spotlight, arguing that

tougher sentencing can be combined with a compassionate approach to

stopping re-offending. Crime is falling across Britain,

but it is rising up the political agenda. In a speech tomorrow, David

Cameron is expected to say tougher sentences need to be matched with

better rehabilitation of offenders. He will hope that can come from

extending the use of payment by results from private companies

working in prisons. He is expected to say community sentences should

be tougher and today the Home Secretary said people who illegally

keep guns intending to supply others would get a life sentence.

There is not at the moment an offence for somebody to possess a

firearm with the intent to supply to it somebody else. It is right we

introduce that offence. Those supplying the firearms are as

guilty as those using them. years ago David Cameron's so-called

"hug a hood" speech, aimed to show his would be a compassionate party.

When you see a child walking down a street, hoodie up, head down, moody,

swaggering, dominating the pavement, think what has brought that child

to that moment. Critics called it "soft." The man who wrote that

speech said the Prime Minister should resist calls to be too tough

on crime. I understand that he has to speak

to a public who are concerned about crime levels and deeply frustrated

at antisocial behaviour and high crime. However, it would be

disappointing if he abandoned the much more intelligent and

sophisticated rhetoric about the causes of crime. Labour criticised

the Government's approach. What is clear is David Cameron is doing

what Tory leaders do when the going gets tough, they lurch to the right.

He has to explain why he has been reducing police officers over the

past 29 months, taking away powers from the judges and high he's been

letting victims down. After losing Andrew Mitchell last week, the man

charged with keeping order among Tory MPs, David Cameron will hope

his speech on law and order will move politics on to policies that

will calm his party and prove popular to the voters the Tories

are trying to win over. The former Met Police chief Lord

Blair has advised people not to vote in next months elections for

law and crime commissioners. He described it as a disaster that

would politicise the force. The holly shrine in Loudres is

under water after the worst flooding for 25 years. Heavy rains

led to the local river to close its banks. Six million visitors a year

are attracted to the area. Now time Good evening. There were two rather

eventful matches in the Premier League today. Match of the Day 2

and Sport Scene follow this programme. Please pop out of the

room for a moment if you don't want to know any results. Anton

Ferdinand has become the latest player to publicly boycott the

anti-racism campaign Kick It Out by not wearing the campaign's T-shirt.

He was one of a number of QPR and Everton players who opted not to

take part in the initiative. The match itself finished 1-1 at Loftus

Road, leaving QPR bottom of the Premier League. Sunderland had to

settle for a point, despite playing a Newcastle side down to ten men

for most of the Tyne Wear Derby. A header was diverted in by Demba Ba,

cancelling out Johan Cabaye's early strike for Newcastle. The police

have confirmed they are investigating a report of racist

abuse from a supporter during the 1-1 draw. Hearts are up to eighth

place in the Scottish Premier League after a 1-0 win over

Motherwell. Danny Grainger scored the only goal of the game to give

Hearts their first home win since the opening day of the season. A

21-year-old man from Cheltenham has been arrested after Chris Kirkland

was knocked to the ground by a spectator during a game on Friday

night. Kirkland required treatment after the incident, which took

place during his side's championship match against Leeds

United. Olympic Bronze Medalist Jonny

Brownlee has followed in the footsteps of his brother, Alistair,

by winning the World Triathlon title. Brownlee won three of the

seven events leading up to the Grand Final, so needed a podium

finish in Auckland to take the World Championship crown.

As if the prospect of a two-and-a- half hour triathlon is not

frightening enough! A top-three finish is what Jonny Brownlee

needed to secure the title. Brownlee remained hot on his

opponents a heal. In the saddle Brownlee was never far behind the

leader. The main danger appeared to come from the elements. Australia's

Sexton found out. Brownlee's performance stayed as strong as the

travelling support. Javier Gomez, as expected moved to the front.

Brownlee crucially stayed in touch. Gomez duly finished first. The

Yorkshireman was just behind and that was enough for the title.

It was hard. It is a tough race out there. It's been a great season. If

someone told me at the start of the year I would get an Olympic Bronze

Medal and be the world champion. Dare I mention another contender

for sport's personality of the year. In rugby union's cup, Leicester

Tigers stayed in contention in the competition by beating Ospreys.