19/01/2013 BBC Weekend News

Good evening. The Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, has said the

Algerian hostage crisis has been brought to an end, after Algerian

special forces carried out a final assault at the remote gas plant in

the Sahara. Mr Hammond confirmed there had been further loss of life

and officials are trying to establish the fate of the remaining

British hostages. Our diplomatic correspondent, Bridget Kendall, has

In the bleak Sahara desert, the area around the gas plant remains

cordoned off, but it seems a final assault by Algerian Special Forces

has brought the stand-off to a dramatic end. In London, it was the

Defence Secretary who confirmed it. The hostage situation has been

brought to an end by a further assault by Algerian forces, which

has resulted in further loss of life, and we are pressing the

Algerians for details on the exact situation and the numbers that have

been killed, and, if any, the numbers were skewed. Details are

still murky and unconfirmed, but in at the sprawling complex, it seems

the remaining hostage takers and their captives were hiding in one

corner. Allegedly, the leader threatened to kill the hostages if

his demands were not met. At that, the Algerian troops moved in,

killing the militants, but the hostages, apparently, were already

dead. The task now, as the Foreign Secretary made clear earlier, is to

track down those still unaccounted for. As of now, there are fewer

than 10 British nationals at risk or unaccounted for. That means that

we must continue to prepare ourselves for bad news. At the site,

Algerian troops are scouring the complex for mines, as well as any

people still in hiding. For those already safe, the main emotion is

jubilation. The guys who pick us up, the rescue guys, will wonderful,

they would like long-lost friends. It will take longer for all of

those involved to come to terms with the darker sides of this four-

day hostage drama. Our political correspondent Ross Hawkins is

outside the Cabinet Office, where the Government's emergency

committee has been meeting. What is the latest? Within the last 20

minutes, David Cameron has come off the telephone following a

conversation with his opposite number in Algeria, having heard for

himself many of the details which we heard there. They had a

conversation yesterday in which the Algerian Prime Minister warned that

they were looking at all possible roots to resolve this crisis. It

looks very much as though the roots they chose were exclusively

military. The military action we now know is over, but the

diplomatic efforts are not. There are 100 or so people still working

at the Foreign Office this evening. There is a consulate being set up

on the ground nearby, the ambassador is there, as they try to

find out what has become of those Britons are unaccounted for. And as

you mentioned, Western is still meeting in the building behind me.

-- COBRA is still meeting. A major search operation is under

way after six climbers were caught in an avalanche near Glencoe in the

Scottish Highlands. It happened this afternoon in an area known as

Central Valley. Mountain rescue teams say there are fatalities, and

one person has been taken to Travellers are facing further

disruption because of the severe weather. More than 100 flights were

cancelled at Heathrow Airport today - and there's expected to be more

disruption tomorrow. The Met Office is warning of snow and ice for

large parts of the UK. Philippa Thomas is at Heathrow. Yes, we can

expect more delays tomorrow, after 115 cancellations today, and 400 on

Friday. It is relatively calm at Heathrow right now, but there have

been some very frustrated and weary passengers. Hundreds of people

spent the night at Heathrow Airport after snow grounded around a third

of yesterday's scheduled flights. British Airways apologised for the

destruction, as passengers tried to get some sleep. -- for the

disruption. The snow ploughs went to work early this morning to get

the runways reopened, but Heathrow has already announced that it will

be significantly reducing its flight scheduled tomorrow. It says

there is a high probability of there is a high probability of

around 2-6cm of snow, together with low visibility, and the number of

cancellations might be increased by cancellations might be increased by

weather conditions at other European airports. On many roads,

drivers have been reduced to a crawl. Soft, fluffy snow has become

frozen, turning to ice, with lots of sliding around on the side roads.

The main roads are fairly well gritted, but the side roads are

treacherous. The worst hit areas so far have been to the west. They

have been gritting in Cardiff. Some parts of Wales have had 25cm of

snow. And it is not over yet. More snow is expected to come up from

France tomorrow, while the bitter cold continues. It will be very

cold until the middle part of next week. Daytime temperatures just

getting above freezing in a couple of lucky spots. Fans at Notts

County came out in force this morning to help to clear the pitch,

but a number of big matches were postponed. However, for some, this

is the perfect Saturday, with shops and garden centres reporting a run

on sledges and winter goods. The advice for travellers is to double

check. Airlines should this evening be releasing information about

The disgraced former cycling champion Lance Armstrong says he

hopes he will one day be able to compete again, despite being given

a lifetime ban from sport for doping. In the second part of a

television interview with Oprah Winfrey, Armstrong said he didn't

deserve the punishment, which he described as a death sentence.

Here's our sports correspondent Andy Swiss. This report contains

flash photography. Lance Armstrong's downfall has brought

him shame, disgrace and a lifetime ban from all sport. But he says

that is too welcome. He believes sport should give him a second

chance. I deserved to be punished, I am not sure that I deserved the

death penalty. If you're asking me, do I want to compete again? The

answer is yes, I am a competitor. He has now told the word he cheated

- far tougher, he said was telling his own son. It was the moment his

composure finally cracked. I told him. I said... I said, do not

defend me any more. Time and again in his career, Armstrong said he

had never taken drugs, so how could he lied to so many people for so

many years? Kashi guy who felt invincible, was told he was

invincible, truly believed he was invincible. That's who that guy was.

That guy is still there. I am not going to live. But after so much

lying, many believe any return to sport would be unthinkable. He has

had his chance, he has bullied other people, he has perverted the

course of justice, suing people, he has done awful things, and I think

he really has gone beyond the right to take part in sport now.

Armstrong's interview leaves many questions unanswered, but what is

certain is that his reputation lies In tennis, there were mixed

fortunes for British players at the Australian Open. Laura Robson was

beaten in the third round, but Andy Murray powered through to the last

16 of the tournament, with a straight sets victory over

Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis. Tim Hague reports. These Grand Slams

can be thirsty work. Andy Murray can be thirsty work. Andy Murray

was making plenty of errors in the first set, but even below his best

he is better than most, and he won the opening set against Ricardas

Berankis. While the drinking continued, so did the errors, but

once again, Murray broke his opponent down to take the second

set. And it was soon three. It was not his easiest afternoon, but most

crucially, he is through. Could 18- year-old Laura Robson join him in

the next round? A shoulder injury made her task much harder. The

American one the first set, and made no mistake when given her