30/12/2012 BBC Weekend News

David Cameron says Britain is on the right track in his New Year

message. The Prime Minister admits 2012 has been tough, but insists

people can look ahead with optimism. There are no quick-fixes. I

wouldn't claim otherwise. We can be optimistic, too. We are making

tangible progress. The family of a church organist

attacked on his way to midnight mass speak about their grief.

Last-minute negotiations in Congress to try to avoid America's

fiscal cliff of deep spending cuts and tax rises.

And Frank Lampard scores twice as Chelsea beat Everton to go third in

Good evening. The Prime Minister says that Britain is heading in the

right direction. In his New Year message, David Cameron says the

country is making tangible progress, and that people can look forward to

next year with optimism. Labour has responded that Mr Cameron is out of

touch, and that Britain's economy is failing under his policies.

2012 was a tough year, says David Cameron, with in many families

finding it hard. He insists things are on the right track for the

future and the Government is heading in the right direction.

can look to the future with realism and optimism. Realism because you

can't cure problems that were decades in the making overnight.

There are no quick-fixes. I wouldn't claim otherwise. But we

can be optimistic, too. We are making tangible progress. The Prime

Minister points to what he sees as the Government's key achievements -

the deficit, down by a quarter, more than 1,000 new independent

academies and an increase in the state pension. But Labour's leader,

in his New Year message on Friday, has dismissed what he says is an

old-fashioned idea that wealth will triple down from the top. This

Government is a Government of broken promises and broken dreams.

They want you to believe that we have a good Government being let

down by bad people. We don't. We have a bad Government that is

letting down the good people of this country. David Cameron's New

Year message doesn't mention that budget that unravelled with U-turns

on everything from pasties to caravans. There is no mention of

those three extra years of austerity that the Chancellor says

we are going to have to endure. As well as the obvious problem of

growth, Mr Cameron also faces big tests on Britain's role in Europe

and keeping a lid on those ever- present coalition tensions that can

threaten the existence of his Government. The running shoes were

back on over Christmas, in spite of a knee injury. He says there is no

time to spare. Britain is in a global race to succeed today. It's

a race with countries like China, India and Indonesia. A race for the

jobs and opportunities of the future. When people say we can slow

down on cutting our debts, we are saying no, we can't win in this

world with a great millstone of debt around our necks. No big

change in direction in the coming year and a hope that the country

will stick with his argument, even though it is hurting.

The widow of a church organist who died after being attacked on his

way to midnight mass in Sheffield on Christmas Eve has been speaking

about her grief. At a service at the church where Alan Greaves was

also a lay preacher, Maureen Greaves thanked the congregation

for their support. Two men are being questioned on suspicion of

murder. And they have been released on bail.

Maureen Greaves went to church for a service at which her husband had

been due to play the organ. Instead, this congregation gathered to

remember hill. Alan Greaves was attacked on Christmas Eve as he

walked to St Saviour's Church. Inside the church, his widow told

of how her family were grieving. have never stopped crying for Alan.

I know you have never stopped crying with me. I have grieved over

the evil that's been done. I know that you too have grieved over the

evil. Just a street away from the church, people have been leaving

flowers at the spot where Mr Greaves was attacked. He suffered

serious head injuries and died a few days after he was found here

just before midnight on Christmas Eve. There has been some fear and

anxiety. Alan was well-known in this community as well. This

community and this city have lost someone who is a shining light,

really. He won't be easy to replace, certainly can't be replaced in his

family's affections. Inside church, tributes were paid to the medics

who tried to save the pensioner's life as well as the police. Mr

Greaves' family have said they want justice, not vengeance.

Army bomb disposal experts in Northern Ireland have been called

to deal with a suspected bomb left under the car of a policeman. The

device was found in an eastern district of Belfast. A number of

homes in the area have been evacuated.

A senior Labour MP has warned that recent controversies have damaged

the public's trust in the police. Keith Vaz, who chairs the Home

Affairs Select Committee, says the Hillsborough Inquiry, and the so-

called "plebgate" row with Andrew Mitchell in Downing Street, have

contributed to what he described as a "dangerous cocktail".

The US Congress will convene later this evening in a last-minute

attempt to avoid a combination of deep spending cuts, and tax rises,

coming into effect. The measures, which have been dubbed the fiscal

cliff, will be triggered automatically unless a new budget

deal can be agreed by tomorrow. If agreement isn't reached, it's

feared the changes could greatly damage the US and the global

economy. One nation with a very divided

government. President Obama and Congress are grappling for a deal

with just 36 hours before time runs out. This morning, President Obama

gave a final push for an agreement on his terms. If there is no deal,

big tax rises and heavy spending cuts will kick in automatically.

should keep taxes where they are for 98% of Americans, 97% of small

businesses, but if we are serious about deficit reduction, we should

make sure that the wealthier are paying a bit more and combine that

with spending cuts to reduce our deficit and put our economy on a

long-term trajectory of growth. Republicans in Congress do not

agree. They have said they won't vote for any tax rises, even for

the richest Americans. Raising taxes is not going to provide the

growth that we need in the country to lift the people in the middle-

income and lower income brackets higher and to provide the capital

that is necessary to invest in the markets to hire more people.

there is no deal, the price of failure could be high. The average

American family will see their taxes rise by more than $2,000 a

year. As money is sucked out of the economy, a second American

recession is thought likely to begin. And confidence in the

American government around the world would fall. Financial markets

would probably take fright. The President and Congress have had

months to do a deal and have spent months not getting one. Now, as

most people prepare for New Year, negotiators are in Congress seeing

if there is agreement to be found. The talk is of cautious optimism.

But the deadline is now very close. The latest word from the Senate is

that a deal is near. A basic tax package that would see off the

threat of the fiscal cliff. But there are splits amongst the

Republicans. Time is running out. And Jonny is in Washington now.

What are the chances of avoiding that fiscal cliff? All eyes now are

on President Obama's political rivals, the Republicans. It does

start to seem as if they may be about to yield. The mood music

coming out of Congress, in particular out of the Upper House,

out of the Senate, suggests it might be able to do a deal. The

House of Representatives, which is the Lower House, is a more

difficult House. It's got more radical members who are less

willing to compromise on the Republican side. Even there, there

seems to be talk of inching towards some kind of agreement. It seems to

be the political analytics being made by the Republicans and they

think they are going to be blamed if there isn't a deal. They are

saying, "We won't vote for tax rises for the rich." If they don't

do a deal, tax rises kick in for everybody. The Republicans are

looking at their position. There is a logic behind them doing a deal.

The problem is - it is a big problem - is the Republicans in the

House of Representatives are split. There is a hard-core of Republicans

who will not under any circumstances vote for any tax rise.

So the question is will the Republican leadership push a deal

through and split their own party in the House? To that, we simply

don't know the answer. Thank you for now. We will find out soon

enough. The funeral has taken place of a

young woman who was raped and beaten by a gang of men on bus in

Delhi. The 23-year-old medical student died in hospital in

Singapore where she was being treated for severe injuries. The

attack sparked two weeks of protests across the country about

attitudes towards women in India. There is a quiet focused anger in

the air as protests continue over the savage rape of the Indian woman

they are called Braveheart. An effigy has become the centrepiece

after her funeral today. The 23- year-old was due to marry the man

she was with when she was attacked and he was badly injured. Her body

was flown back in darkness to a country still struggling with what

this murder has revealed about itself. India's Prime Minister was

there to receive the flight. Her cremation was held in secret under

heavy police guard. The authorities anxious about the public mood.

There were brief scuffles during the day in Delhi. It's the

government that is under pressure, accused of being deaf to women's

rights. They are talking about increased policing, they are

talking about judiciary, they are talking about convictions. The key

point that remains - are we ready to change our mindsets? Not just

women, and young and old have been joining the protests. This crime is

the dark side of a changing India. The young student is an example of

the modern face, the country prefers the world to see. That

India is in conflict with another, where women are still treated as

second-class citizens, where many men still regard rape as something

women have to put up. That India is not going to fade away quickly.

During the day, another girl was assaulted on a Delhi bus.

Most of us spent less on Christmas shopping this year than last,

according to research by the consumer group Which?. The study

also found that nearly half of shoppers used credit cards,

overdrafts, or other forms of borrowing to help fund their

purchases. In the week before Christmas, the

crowds were out in force and the tills were ringing. According to

Which?, many consumers struggled to pay for their seasonal shopping

spree. The organisation interviewed 2,100 adults in the run-up to the

festive break. Nine out of ten of those questioned said they felt

under pressure to spend too much. Just under half said they had used

some form of debt to help them meet their bills with many claiming that

was the only way they could afford Christmas at all. Credit cards were

the most popular form of borrowing, although some relied on storecards

and overdrafts. This reliance on credit may be storing up trouble

for the future. The picture is one of declining financial resilience

and people are telling us they are feeling very squeezed. Borrowing on

credit is bad for the economy. course, not all consumers are in

the same boat. And not all are worried about it. Some of these

shoppers felt the financial strain more than others. I'm always in

debt! Trying to scrimp and save for the next pay cheque. It is hard.

are retired and we live within our means. Living within your means

means that you don't overspend. have slight overspent. This isn't

just a problem for consumers. The retail industry says Christmas

sales were acceptable. If spending dries up over the next few months,

life on the High Street could become very tough indeed. What this

survey suggests is that while Christmas may have provided some

short-term relief from the general financial gloom, for many the

seasonal celebrations are likely to be followed by a painful New Year

hangover of debt. That may weigh on the economy for months to come.

Sport now and for a full round-up of all the day's action, here's

Olly Foster at the BBC Sport Centre. Chelsea will finish the year third

in the Premier League table after their 2-1 win at Everton. Elsewhere,

QPR end 2012 stuck to the bottom. They were at home to Liverpool and

lost 3-0. Tim Hague watched both matches starting with Chelsea's win

at Goodison Park. The Christmas period - blue for

some, but not for these two. Everton and Chelsea both won their

last two matches. 63 seconds gone, the ball was in Chelsea's net.

Pienaar got that one. At Liverpool, Rafael Benitez described Everton as

a "small club". The now comel see manager has great experience and --

Chelsea manager has great experience and quality at his

disposal and Frank Lampard equalised. Everton then struck the

woodwork again. Less than three minutes later, they appeared to

have their answer - Frank Lampard snatching the three points for

Chelsea. No new contract offer for him as yet. This performance may

well change that. In London, Liverpool had no manager.

Brendan Rodgers was ill so the assistant took charge. Suarez

Walting his way through the QPR defence for number one. Number two

was equally easy. A desperate season thus far for QPR got worse -

a third Liverpool goal inside half an hour left Harry Redknapp and his

captain furious. 3-0 it ended and you suspect Colin Pascoe could get

used to this management business. Having Suarez in your side always

helps! There was just the one match in the

Scottish Premier League today and St Mirren have won only their

second away match of the season. It was at Tannadice where they beat

ten-man Dundee United 4-3. The referee's governing body is

investigating the circumstances behind a player getting booked

twice yesterday but not getting sent off. Mick Russell was in

charge of the Huddersfield v Sheffield Wednesday match, and

booked Jeremy Elan first for diving, then he called up the Wednesday

player for a foul in the first-half and booked him again, but no red

followed. The referee, who could face sanctions, admitted to his

error as Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson described the incident as

"staggering". Saracens are one point behind the

leaders Harlequins in Rugby Union's Aviva Premiership after beating

Northampton but only just. Sarries won 17-16 in Milton Keynes. They

came so close to losing. Saints' Stephen Myler had a penalty to win

it with the last kick of the match, but it hit the crossbar and