12/01/2013 BBC Weekend News

Sectarian violence flares up again on the streets of Belfast. 29 more

police officers have been injured, as they try to keep nationalists

and loyalists apart. Lord Heseltine says a referendum on

Europe will be an unnecessary gamble for David Cameron.

A French hostage is feared to have died in Somalia, in a failed rescue

operation. After the Olympics, new figures

suggest no boost in the number of Good evening. 29 police officers

have been hurt today in continuing violence in east Belfast. Trouble

flared again after a city centre demonstration against the council's

decision to limit the number of days the Union Flag is flown from

City Hall. From Belfast, Chris Buckler reports.

The principles of protest were once again lost to violence today. The

streets of east Belfast were turned into a battleground, which saw both

flames and fights. To some of these protesters, the

Union Flag wasn't just a symbol, it was a weapon.

Loyalists clashed with nationalists, as they returned from the city

centre, where they'd been demonstrating against a decision to

restrict the flying of the flag at Belfast City Hall. The dispute is

now well over a month old and old sectarian tensions have risen again.

What I saw was republicans arming themselves with stones and firing

on women and kids. These people are absolutely horrified. They were in

distress, coming back from a peaceful protest.

Again, there was water cannon and huge numbers of police officers on

the streets of east Belfast this. Road separates a nationalist area

from a loyalist area. And once more, police are stuck in the middle.

Hundreds of police jeeps sitting there doing nothing to stop these

people coming in to destroy our houses. I'm a taxpayer. I own my

own house. This is a disgrace. It is wrong. But it's the police who

have found themselves the targets. And often the victims of much of

this trouble. Plastic bullets have been fired and water cannon used,

to try to force the crowds back. More than a dozen officers were

injured today and scores have been hurt in the disorder over the last

40 days. Many of the protests have been peaceful, like this one at

Belfast City Hall. However, there are plenty of people in Northern

Ireland frustrated by the weeks of roads being blocked, and angry at

the days of trouble. It's time people just woke up and got on with

life. There is a recession, and everything else. Look at the

business today suffering. It is just not right. People don't

deserve this. And after another evening of

trouble, the concern for the police, the politicians and the public is

that the heat remains in this dispute over flags. Chris Buckler

reporting there. Chris joins us live from Belfast. We have been

hearing in the last few moments, literally, 29 officers injured.

This has been a bad day. Yes, one of the worst days of the flag's

dispute so far. 29 officers injured in the latest figures released by

the Police Service of Northern Ireland within the last few minutes.

That brings it to almost 100 that have been hurt during the last six

weeks of this flag dispute. I can also tell you trouble has continued

into east Belfast into the evening. Within the last half hour the

police have had to use water cannon to push back the protesters. We

have had a statement from the Chief Constable of the PSNI. He said it

was a difficult operation today dealing with a large number of

people, determined to cause disorder and violence. But he says,

"The police are determined to engage with all those committed to

finding a solution to these issues." The problem is that

finding the solution is incredibly difficult. The council decision to

stop flying the flag every day on Belfast City Hall was a democratic

one. The council's make-up hasn't changed, so that decision is not

going to be reversed. So the politicians, the police, and

everybody else maybe trying to find a solution but one, frankly, isn't

obvious. Thank you.

Lord Heseltine, the Government's advisor on economic growth, has

warned David Cameron that holding a referendum on Britain's

relationship with the European Union would be - an unnecessary

gamble. He said it could create a cloud of uncertainty and drive away

investment. Labour and some senior Liberal Democrats have also

expressed concerns. The Prime Minister is expected to set out his

proposals later this month. Our Political Correspondent, Vicki

Young reports. David Cameron wants it change

Britain's relationship with the EU, watering down the influence of

Brussels and he wants voterings to have their say in a referendum. But

Liberal Democrat ministers say the idea is deeply unhelpful. Some

business lead remembers warning of damaging uncertainty and a leading

German politician says Britain is trying to blackmail its European

partners. Lord Heseltine is well- known for pro-European views. Now

he is a Government advisor on economic growth and he is openly

criticising Mr Cameron's approach. The Prime Minister wants Britain to

stay in the EU, but hopes to win back significant powers for

Westminster. Labour say he is more concerned about the threat from

UKIP than the national interest. What we need to be focusing on now,

is how we can get jobs and growth in this country. Not heading for

the departure lounge from Europe. The problem with that approach, is

that if you are an investor thinking about putting your money

into Britain, you are not going to be doing that, if you think Britain

is about to leave the European Union. I think Lord Heseltine's

warning should be taken seriously. David Cameron is under growing

pressure from some in his party to move towards a looser relationship

with the EU. But there are question marks over how realistic a full-

scale renegotiation really is, given that some senior figures in

Brussels are already warning that the UKcan't just cherry-pick the

bits of the EU it fancies being part of. Of course, there is a

group of Tory MPs who won't be satisfied until the UK leaves

altogether. Eurozone countries are moving towards closer integration

and many Conservatives see that as a chance to redefine Britain's

place in Europe. We are not going to be part of the euro. We are

rightly decided to stay out of it. We need less government from Europe.

They need more. This is the time for us to get a new deal. We want

it trade and co-operate with them but we don't need all the rules,

taxes and interferences. The first public vote on Europe since the

1970 could still be a long way off. Mr Cameron has some tricky

negotiations ahead of him. More details have emerged of the

Government's plans for a flat-rate pension for people retiring after

2017. It's expected to be �144 a week, expressed in today's money.

Many people are expected to benefit, including women who take career

breaks to bring up children. But millions in final salary pension

schemes may have to pay significantly more national

insurance. The police in Birmingham say two

men who were stabbed to death in the city centre last night were

homeless sellers of the Big Issue mag zeeb. Their identities have not

been officially released. -- magazine. A 23-year-old man was

arrested following the killings around 6.00pm last night. France

has stepped up security tonight in public buildings and transport,

fearing retaliation from Islamist groups following military

operations in Somalia and malia. A French hostage is believed to

have been killed in Somalia, during a failed raid to free him by French

special sources. Two soldiers also died.

Denis Allex had been a hostage in Somalia for three-and-a-half years.

You can see the toll it took on him. The French intelligence officer was

being held by these men, Al-Shabab, an Islamist militant group that has

been fighting for control of Somalia for years, and has links

with Al-Qaeda today France announced its special forces had

launched a daring night-time rescue mission, killing 17 militants but

failing to bring Denis Allex home. TRANSLATION: Very violent fighting

took place. Very violent. During which - and I speak with great

caution because everything leads to this conclusion - that sadly, Denis

Allex was killed by his captors. But inside war-ravaged somealia,

Al-Shabab now insist their hostage survived and claim another French

soldier was taken prisoner. The mission clearly failed. But was

its timing linked to events on the other side of Africa? French troops

have just launched an offensive against Islamists in Mali. Paris

may have been concerned that its hostage in Somalia could have been

killed as a form of retaliation. The French deployment in Mali has

been fast, aggressive and so far successful.

Air strikes yesterday and today have stopped a rebel advance.

Perhaps saving the whole country, a former French colony, from an

Islamist takeover. TRANSLATION: I reiterate that

France, in this operation, does not pursue any particular interest,

other than the safegrd of a country which is a friend to us --

safeguard. And has no other goal than the fight against terrorism.

But there is a long way to go for the French and for African

governments, fighting against Islamist insurgencies that are

destabilising significant chunks of the continent, and which could

threaten Europe, too. Tonight Downing Street said the

Prime Minister has spoken to the French President and Mr Cameron has

agreed that Britain will provide military transport planes to help

with the French operation in Mali. Now, with the day's sports news,

here is Carthy. Thank you very much.

There were some rather interesting results in the Premier League today,

but Match of the Day follow on BBC One. So please pop out of the room

for a moment if you don't want to know them. Reading pulled off an

astonishing comeback from 2-0 down to beat West Brom 3-2. Reading

remain in 19th. Chels move up to third after a 4-0

win over stoke. -- Chelsea. Stoke's John Walters scored two own goals

John Walters scored two own goals and missed a penalty.

1234 QPR held Tottenham to auto goalless draw.

Harlequins today made sure of qualification to the quarter-finals

of the Heineken Cup with a victory over Connaught. Wins for defending

champions Leinster and Saracens mean they could both reach the last

mean they could both reach the last eight next weekendment

At this stage of the Heineken Cup, you've got to want it.

Racing Metro seemed determined. Luc Ducalcon overwhelmed Saracens.

With an imoff scored twice in five minutes.

Owen Farrell kicked the English side back into it. They were

somehow just seven behind at the break and wen Chris wiels scored

they weren't behind. -- which is Wyles. Back over to

Farrell. As reliable a goal keeper as you will find. Ten out of ten.

Harlequins are already in the finals. The victory they needed

came easily against Connaught. They added to their half-time lead by

two tries from Tom Williams. The English champions are fancied by

some to be champions of Europe. Ugo Monye's try epitomised the

equipment at the club. Leinster had a job to reach the knock-outs.

First they had to have a victory over Scarlets. Three first-half

tries set them up. And Rob Kareny got the fourth. Leinster's choice

next weekend is likely to be stark. A big win over Exeter, or otherwise

the exit. The London Paralympics may have

been described as the greatest ever, but new figures suggest that since

the Games finished nearly 90% of sports clubs have not seen any

increase in disability sport participation.

It was a Paralympics like no other. The second half of London 2012 was

arguably more inspirational than the first. But here at the grass

roots, are more disabled people actually playing sport? Not at this

wheelchair basketball club, where, amid financial pressures, they have

seen no surge in membership, despite the power of the

Paralympics. It's all very well saying - yes, we want everyone to

do disability sports, but whether you do it, who is going to pay for

it, how are you going to get here? Have you noticed an upsurge in

numbers since the Paralympics? This is not uncommon. A survey of

hundreds of clubs up and down the country found 89% reported no

change of people in disabilities joining. No new disabled volunteers

said 96%. How much of a wake-up call to the

Government should the figures be, do you think? Absolutely a massive

wake-up call, but not just to the Government for all of us in the

sector. We all have to take some responsibility for not being as

ready as we probably thought we should be. It's estimated as many

as 10 million people in this country describe themselves as

"disabled." The amount of grass roots' funding available for clubs

like this is on the increase, but it still represents a fraction to

the amount given to their able- bodied equiff lepbtsz. Born with

cerebral palsy, Sophie Christen is enwon three golds in London. People

like her are benefiting from record levels of investment but she

believes that when it comes to communication, the message is as

important as the money. If they get to being close to being fit and

healthy, it'll help their lives in general. I think that's probably

the key. For a true sporting Paralympic legacy, inspiration must

become participation. The chance is too good to miss. That's all from

the BBC Sports Centre for now. Thank you very much. The main news