16/02/2014 BBC Weekend News

flooding despite a break in the weather. The sheer volume of rain in

recent weeks means water levels are still rising. The Government's been

defending its response. We are dealing with an extraordinary set of

weather events and it is taking time to mobilise the re-sources.

The head of the European Commission says it may be impossible for an

independent Scotland to join the EU. And hopes are high for British

talent to triumph at tonight's BAFTA awards.

Good evening. The Defence Secretary says the Army

will carry out urgent checks on all flood defences to assess the damage

caused by the recent heavy rains. Phillip Hammond also defended the

government's handling of the crisis, as parts of England and Wales remain

at risk. Water levels on the River Thames are expected to rise in the

coming days. Jeremy Cooke is in Wraysbury in Surrey for us tonight.

As you can see, plenty of water still here. The good news is the

levels are beginning to drop. But this place, like so many others are

still under severe flood warnings. In Wraysbury, the sunshine has come

out. Of course, the water is still here but for now at least it is

slowly, slowly in retreat. In this road, they could do nothing to stop

the water rising through the ground. But things are drier today and there

is relief in the air. It is much lower than it has been. There is

still a lot of water. Basically I have been sleeping in the armchair

in my lounge with my Wellington boots on. Many layers of clothes

because my heating went. It was a bit chilly. Make no mistake, the

crisis is still with us, in Chertsey they are still pumping out the

houses. And in the Somerset Levels, it is getting worse before it gets

better. Water levels here on the rise again. So the extreme weather

means a widespread inconvenience for many, and for a few, tragedy.

85-year-old James was killed when a freak wave hit a cruise liner in the

English Channel. He was close to the window. Then he fell sideways. He

did not move. The crisis has tested Britain's flood defences to the

limit. Temporary emergency barriers and the permanent staff but costs

millions. The government knows it has all taken a battering. We have

agreed with the Environment Agency we will use Royal Engineers to do a

rapid inspection of all flood defences. We will try to do in five

weeks what would normally be a two-year inspection to assess the

level of damage. News welcomed by the Environment Agency which is also

using caution, more rain is expected. But for now, in Wraysbury

the chickens can finally come home to roost, after a week away from

their flooded home. A small indication that things are

improving. Everyone has been brilliant and everyone has looked

after everyone else. Looking out for people, the Army have been here

doing a fantastic job, the fire brigade and the police. People have

come from so many different areas. For some, the direction of travel is

good, but all eyes here and in so many across the country, are on the

water level and the weather forecast.

Tonight, the government has responded to suggestions it could

have act did earlier to get the Army involved in the flood relief effort

and ministers are saying that in future they will act faster to get

the military involved. The Labour leader Ed Miliband has

warned that climate change is now a matter of national security, and the

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond says it's "clearly a factor" in the

recent storms. New research suggests the main weather system which

affects the UK known as the jet stream, is being altered by recent

warming of the Arctic. Here's our science correspondent, Pallab Ghosh.

The storms in Britain never seem to end, while America has experienced

bitterly cold conditions. Chicago is used to freezing winters, but data

taken from this weather station shows it has been one of the coldest

on record. The same is true across many other parts of the US. The big

question is whether this can be explained by natural variability or

whether something has gone wrong with our weather. Some scientists

are worried the recent warming in the Arctic has shifted the main

system that drives weather patterns in northern Europe and North

America. Occurrence of fast flowing air in red and green called the

Jetstream. This year, it has dipped lower than usual, which has meant

weather has stayed the same for weeks on end, keeping the cold

weather in North America and the storms over Britain. At a science

meeting in Chicago, Jennifer Francis has presented new evidence that in

recent years, these tips have been deeper and they have been happening

more often. I think we can expect more of the same and I think we

should expect it to occur more frequently. It being these patterns

in the Jetstream that tend to result in weather conditions being very

persistent in one place, so it seems like your weather is kind of stuck

for a long time. I do think that will happen more often in the

future. It is too soon to tell whether the shift in the Jetstream

is permanent, or if it is a direct result of man-made climate change.

But new research suggests we may need to get used to winters were

spells of whether go on for weeks or even months.

The President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, has

said it would be "extremely difficult, if not impossible" for an

independent Scotland to join the European Union. His remarks have

been dismissed by the SNP as "preposterous". Our Scotland

correspondent, Laura Bicker reports. The question seems simple. Would an

independent Scotland be a member of the European Union? But it has never

been clear, and today came a warning. It is a new country, so I

believe it is going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible for a

new member state coming out of one of our countries, getting the

agreement of the others. Having said that, it is now for the British

people and the Scottish people in the referendum. If Scotland has to

apply to join it would need the approval of all its members. And

convincing Spain might be tricky. Catalan separatists are fighting for

independence and Spain would be weary of setting a precedent which

may make it easier for Catalonia to break away from Madrid. Opponents of

Scottish independence say that is one reason why negotiations would

not be easy. Even when the European Union has been united in admitting

new members, it takes a long time to agree everything. Here, you would

not have that, it would be the first time a country would be breaking

away from existing member state and then applying to get back in again.

But the SNP said independent Scotland would not be a new state

and despite what Josey Manuel Russo says there would not be a need to

reapply to the EU. I don't think his remarks represent reality, given not

a single state of the EU would veto Scotland's membership. There is no

precedent to this process, no country has ever had to apply for

membership of the EU after having already been part of the club. If

there is a yes vote, it will be followed by months of negotiations.

The yes campaign who say they feel bullied by Westminster say that

Scots don't like being told what they can and cannot do. The better

together campaign has shown the last week that Alex Salmond is a man

without a plan. It feels this referendum debate has stepped up a

gear as both sides campaigned for every vote.

With all the sport, here's Lizzie Greenwood Hughes at the BBC Sport

Centre. Thanks very much. Good evening.

It's been another busy day of FA Cup fifth round action with a place in

the quarterfinals at stake. Everton are through after beating Swansea

City 3-1, Nottingham Forest also lost 3-1 to Sheffield United. Tim

Hague reports. Arsenal needed to put down a marker

after this fixture eight days ago. 5-1 they were humiliated at

Liverpool, but it began casually in this one as well. Daniel Sturridge

should have scored. He couldn't, but Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could.

Arsenal did not settle for just one, Oxlade-Chamberlain turning provider

for Lukas Podolski. After conceding a penalty, which Steven Gerrard

scored, they looked nervous. Even more so when Daniel Agger headed

wide of an open goal. But Arsenal hung on. All Everton and wait in the

quarterfinals, and their manager already a cup winner with Wigan last

season, got the perfect start against Swansea. While Swansea

equalised, Everton regained control scoring two second-half goals

including this one from Steven Naismith to move just one match away

from Wembley. Arsenal will play Everton at home in

the next round. Celtic's lead at the top of the

Scottish Premiership is back to 21 points. A hat-trick from Antony

Stokes gave them a 3-0 victory over St Johnstone and a record-equalling

12th clean sheet in the league for keeper Fraser Forster.

It's been a difficult day for Great Britain at the Winter Olympics. The

18-year-old half-pipe skier, Rowan Cheshire, was seriously injured in

training. And earlier Zoe Gillings narrowly missed out on the final of

the snowboard cross. Our Correspondent Andy Swiss reports

from Sochi. It is perhaps bought's greatest

roller-coaster ride. The snowboard cross, drama guaranteed. The first

three qualified for the women's final and Zoe Gillings thought she

had scraped through by a snowflake. But a photo finish showed she just

missed out. The final one by the athlete from the Czech Republic. The

two-man bobsleigh heat meant a much anticipated return from the Jamaican

team. Winston Watson and Marvin Dixon had to raise their own funds.

They got down safely but are in last place. Britain 21st. There has also

been bad news for the British team. Reports that Rowan Cheshire was

knocked unconscious during a training accident this evening and

had to be stretchered off. Rowan Cheshire is due to compete on

Thursday. Tonight, Team GB said she had been taken to a medical centre

and was being assessed. That is all the sports are now.

There are high hopes for British film talent at the BAFTA Awards

ceremony in London tonight. 12 Years a Slave directed by Steve McQueen,

is favourite to win Best Film. Dame Helen Mirren will also be honoured

with the Fellowship Award. Our Arts Editor Will Gompertz is there.

There is much excitement and screaming here as people walk up the

red carpet. Leo DiCaprio almost had a deafening scream. I think tonight

is going to be about the British film industry.

Gravity, the film set in space but made in England leads the way at the

BAFTAs with a lemon nominations. Including one for its director and

for its actress, Sandra Bullock. -- 11 nominations. The film tipped to

sweep the board is 12 Years A Slave, a 19th century story about

enslavement in the American South. Steve McQueen, the director is among

the nominees, as are the film's stars.

The 1970s crime caper, American Hustle has nominations in all four

acting categories with Christian bale providing some British

interest. What if he is a drug addicts? Steve Coogan earns an

adapted screenplay nomination for Philomena with Dame Judi Dench's

performance in the title role gets her the nod against Emma Thompson in

the best actress category. She plays the author of Mary Poppins in Saving

Mr Banks. We already know one winner, Dame Helen Mirren will be

awarded Fellowship of the British Academy by its president, Prince

William. We will find out who the winners are

in a couple of hours, after which they will be getting on aeroplanes

across the Atlantic for the final ceremony in this season, the Oscars

in two