15/12/2012 BBC Weekend News

The Connecticut killings, the police say they have good evidence

about what drove the gunman to murder. Adam Lanza killed his

mother before turning his guns on 20 children, their teachers and

himself. We are hoping it will paint a

picture as to why this unfortunate incident occurred.

As the police name the dead tonight, stories of courage emerge from the

teachers desperate to protect their pupils.

I said to them, I need you to know that I love you all very much.

And that it is going to be OK. I thought that was the last thing

they would hear. I thought we were oing going to die.

Also in the programme: Voting is extended into the night

as Egyptians go to the polls over a new constitution, that dividing the

country. The family of the nurse found

hanged after a prank call, say their lives have been left with an

unfillable void. COMMENTATOR: That will do nicely!

England's cricketers close in on the first Test serious against --

series against India for almost 30 Good evening.

Police say they have uncovered very good evidence that may explain why

a gunman shot dead 26 children and teaching staff at a school in the

United States. The killer, Adam Lanza, shot his mother before going

to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown in Connecticut. The police

tonight say that there he took the lives of 20 children, all aged six

or seven, as well as six women. Our reporter is in Newtown for us now.

A short time ago, the reporters were handed pieces of paper with 26

names on them. 12 girls, eight boys, six adult female members of staff

at the school. All shot multiple times, the victim of a ganman who

opened fire and later took his own life.

The caller is indicating that there is someone shooting in the building.

A police operator relaying the horror as armed SWAT teams enter

the school. There are bodies here... Witnesses

say that gunshots rang out over the school tannoy, prompting teachers

to lock classrooms and order terrified children to hide under

desks and in cup boards. We kept hearing gun noises and,

"Put your hands up." We kept hearing that.$$NEWLINE But while

appearing calm, the teachers were fearing the worst.

I am thinking I have to be their parent, almost. So I said to them,

I said, I need you to know that I love you all very much. That it is

going to be OK. I thought that was the last thing they would hear. I

thought we were all going to die. Dawn Hochsprung was the headteacher.

She was shot dead after going to investigate the noise to together

with Mary Sher lack, the school psychologist, also killed. 27-year-

old Victoria Soyto was reported to have died trying to shield the

children. There is a second crime scene, the taped off family home in

which the gunman killed his own mother. The police identified the

killer as 20-year-old Adam Lanza. Bright, but withdrawn and soberally

awkward, perhaps with a personality disorder. In the house, the police

say that they found evidence that gives sense of the gunman's motive.

We have investigators at the school and at the secondary crime scene

that we discussed where the female was located as deceased. We have

been given good evidence to hopefully paint a complete picture

into how and more importantly why this occurred.

It occurred in a picture-postcard New England town that until

yesterday pride itself o on being safe, even dull. The place where

everyone had a connection to the local school.

Kelly Sutherland had coached some of the children in athletics and

attended the same church as one of those feared lost.

At the church service, the priest referenced a little girl still

unaccounted for. Next week she is supposed to be playing the angel in

the Christmas nativity. That shook us all up, knowing she is not

accounted for now. Young lives taken in what should

have been the sanctuary of a school. A sickening loss and a test of

their faith. Well, the killing of schoolchildren

and their teachers is playing on the conscious of a nation, where,

remember, the right to bare arms is enshrineed in the constitution. Gun

control was barely touched on in the recent presidential election,

but in the last 24 hours, President Obama hinted at change. My

colleague in Washington, Paul Adams has been looking at whether this

shooting may now make a difference. Whether it is an elementary school

at Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon or a temple in Wisconsin, or

a movie theatre in Australia othera, or a street corner in Chicago,

which will have to come together to take action to prevent more

tragedies like, this regardless of the politics.

In the midst of grief, is this the moment to talk about change? Guns

are intended for one thing. We are not living in a war zone. We are

not living in a hunting range, but as human beings together with each

other. I hope that the town will wake up to anything that creates

violence or hurt to other people. Gun control advocates feel the

horror of Newtown cannot be ignored. Colin was shot four times at the

Virginia Tech massacre five years ago.

There is really something that must be done. We can't just keep having

this expression of sympathy and condolences and have the

conversation in that. Nothing has changed, but the shootings continue

to happen. Things must be different for the future.

Gun control advocates may see this as a moment for change, but it is

not clear what the President has in mind when he talks about meaningful

action. Here on Capitol Hill there is little appetite for new

legislation, across the country, popular support for stricter

controls has been on the wane for years. Business was brisk this

morning at the Blue Ridge Arsenal in northern Virginia. Two of the

handguns used in Newtown are popular items, but gun ownership

and gun crime are declining in America. Enthusiasts worry that

legislation may infringe what they see as their right to bare arms.

There is always concern, but let's look at the issues, gun control,

that is not the major issue. The major issue is mental health.

A vigil outside of the White House after the shooting on Friday. One

of many across the country. Mass shootings always trigger an

anguished debate, but it does not mean that new laws are around the

corner. If the President wants to turn grief into action, he will

have to fight for it. Well, Steve, back to you in Newtown.

Is there a sense there that this tragedy could be a watershed in the

gun control debate in America, or will it simply go down as another

horrible incident that does not change anything? Well, you listen

to Barack Obama, he sounds like he mean it is. The comments in the

White House yesterday, were some of the most gut-wrenchingly emotional

remarks of his presidency. The expectation is that he is to visit

and meet the relatives of the dead in the coming days, but the

sceptics will say, they have heard the rhetoric, but what will he do

about it? Will he use the platform of the State of the Union address

in the New Year to set out a legislative agenda for the

reinstatement of a ban on assault weapons that expired or lapsed back

in 2004? But he knows that the gun lobby is powerful. He will be

looking closely at the polls in the wake of this shooting.

Thank you very much. Now, voting on Egypt's new

constitution has been extended in Cairo and other large cities

because of the high turnout. Mohammed Morsi is backing the draft

document, which has divided the country and sparked violent

protests. A second round of voting takes place in a week's time

because of a lack of officials to oversee the nationwide ballots.

The moment of decision, a simple question, do you support the new

constitution for Egypt, or do you oppose it? Tick the brown sirbging

for -- brown circle for "no", the blue circle for "yes". The vote was

supervised by thousands of soldiers, reinforcing the police. For the

most part, order was maintained. The queues started early and

continued throughout the day. There is lots of enthusiasm, even after

weeks of protest, debate and argument over the new constitution.

Egyptians are waiting patiently to have their say on the future of

their country. One of the first to vote was

Mohammed Morsi. He supports the new constitution,

as do the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. This man, for

example, said he would vote as God wished.

By contrast, liberals and others who want a more secular future for

Egypt, lined up to vote "no". In this constitution, they are

taking us, by force, and with a very sneaky way, to a very fanatic

religious country, which will be much more fanatic and much more

dangerous than Iran. With long queues continuing into

the evening, the organisers extended the bols by several hours

to give everyone a chance to vote. It was another sign of the strength

of feeling on the issue. Something hardly likely to subside, even

after the last vote has finally been been cast and counted.

Nelson Mandela is said to be recovering in hospital after

undergoing surgery for gallstones. The South African government says

that the procedure was successful. The former President, 94 years of

age, was admitted over a week ago with a lung infection.

Several hospital wards across the country have been closed to the

public because the winter vomiting bug, Norovirus. Main stone hospital

in Kent and Wrexham and Myler hospital hospital are experiencing

an unusual outbreak this year. Meanwhile, passengers on the P&O

ferries, Oriana and Azzura have been infected by the bug.

The family of the nurse found dead in an apparent suicide after taking

a prank call about the Duchess of Cambridge, say her death left an

unfillable void in their lives. Jacintha Saldanha's husband and

children were speaking outside of Westminster Cathedral, where they

attended a special service in her memory.

For the past womb, Jacintha Saldanha's family have been trying

to cope with the reality of life without her.

They arrived at Westminster Cathedral this morning, to give

thanks for her life, but still with many questions about her death.

The 46-year-old nurse was found hanged in her lodgings, days after

she was tricked by a hoax phone call seeking details about the

Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition.

Today her husband described her as having been the light in his

darkness. The loss is a very painful one.

Nobody can take that place in my life ever again.

I love you... And miss you forever. Jacintha's children also paid

tribute to their mother. We are shattered and there is an

unfillable void in our lives. We love you, Mum. Sleep in peace

and please watch over us, until we meet again in heaven.

The King Edward VII Hospital released a statement, stressing

that Jacintha had not been disciplined over the hoax call,

because in their words, "She was the victim of a cruel trick."

Jacintha Saldanha's body is being flown back to India, the country

where she was born. Her family said that the funeral will be held on

Monday. Now for a roundup of the day's

sports news. Here is Katie Gornall. The

cricketers are on course for a first Test win in India since 1985,

enjoying a dramatic end to the day's play, taking four late

wickets to reduce the host for 297- 8. You can watch and hope and wave

the flag with all your might, but the most fearveent fans stand alone

unless the batsmen battle for India. Virat Kohli started to fulfil his

huge reputation. His first 50 of the series, reward for

concentration. Old fashioned values. Occupying the crease was one thing,

Mahendra Singh Dhoni began to expand it. The total headed past

200, without a wicket in sight. Into the final session of the day,

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kohli were bringing the match to India. Kohli

got their first with the release of a man who knew he was doing his bit.

It is not always easy being India's next big thing. Then Graeme Swann

struck. Rarely was an lbw decision received

with pore relief. Kohli was gone for 103. Then Vidaja

was out. So to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a captain criticised and analysed,

England's skipper with a perfect throw, repeated replays proved

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was out. When Graeme Swann went indcar were down.

Well, what an end to the day. With the series at stake and two days

left to play, both sides will feel that they can engineer a winning

position. It is a Test Match to truly reward the patient.

On to football and Match of the Day follows on BBC One. If you don't

want to know what happens, then you know what to do. QPR are off the

bottom of Premier League. Two goals from Adel Taarabt saw them beat

Fulham it-1. No change at the top with wins for the Manchester clubs

and Aston Villa putting an end to Liverpool's recent run, winning 3-

16789 Celtic moved four points clear at the top of the SPL after a

2-0 win against St Mirren, but the game of the day was at Tannadice

when Dundee United played a thriller with Inverness.