12/03/2016 BBC Weekend News

The energy company EDF has said it cannot confirm

its commitment to build a new nuclear reactor in Somerset

unless the French government provides more money for the project.

The reactor at Hinckley Point is the first in a series of planned

new nuclear power stations intended to guarantee

Earlier this week, EDF's finance director resigned,

warning the contract would break the company.

Our business correspondent Joe Lynam reports.

Hinkley Point already generate nuclear power, but a massive

expansion could soon provide 7% of Britain's entire electricity supply.

Hinckley is a key part in the country's energy mix, designed to

keep the lights on. EDF is set to build Hinkley Point at a cost of ?18

billion, that is more than the entire market value of the company

and its trade unions, which are represented at board level, are

sceptical. As was its own finance director who resigned this week. Now

the EDF chairman has written to his staff to reassure them, but

the political will to build Hinckley is immense. David Cameron and

President Francois Hollande reaffirmed the commitment to the

deal a week ago, describing it as a pillar of their bilateral

relationship. Does that mean Britain can no longer walk away? If we go

along beyond the point EDF have made their financial investment decision,

we would have to compensate them for what they would have gained if the

contract had gone ahead and that would be expensive. A group of MPs

think the deal needs to be re-examined. We will have a look and

we will have a look at the evidence. As it looks at the moment the

evidence does not look great. Some people feel this Hinckley deal makes

no financial sense. Taxpayers will be paying ?92.50 for each megawatt

it produces, almost three times as much as the current wholesale price

of energy. But the government said it was committed to Hinkley Point

and it was the only proven low carbon technology that can provide

continuous power irrespective of whether the wind was blowing or the

sun was shining. Charities have strongly criticised

planned new cuts to welfare payments More than half a million people

are expected to lose their personal independence payments

under the changes. The Government says the reforms will

save more than a billion pounds. Our political correspondent

Ross Hawkins is here. What is the government doing? This

is a benefit to help disabled people, practical things to help

them get through daily life. The government wants it to serve the

purpose it was there for, but they are making a cut to half a million

people and this comes after votes in parliament that means a ?30 a week

up to another allowance that goes to people who are sick and disabled and

judged to be able to go back to work in the future. This will save money

ahead of the budget. That could be useful for the Chancellor, but his

opponents will charge him for trying to fund tax breaks for high earners

by cutting the money that goes to some of the sick, ill and disabled

The Home Office is planning to set up a new Forensic

and Biometrics Service four years after it made the controversial

The proposal is part of what ministers say

is a new "national approach" to forensic science

Donald Trump has been forced to cancel a rally in Chicago

The Republican presidential hopeful said

he was concerned someone would get hurt as hundreds of people gathered

Here's our North America Correspondent Laura Bicker.

This was supposed to be a political rally.

Instead many of the scenes resembled a bar room brawl.

There is anger here at a candidate many

Protesters at this university campus have spent

days planning disruption and they succeeded.

Mr Trump just arrived in Chicago and after meeting with law

enforcement has determined that for the safety of all the tens

of thousands of people that have gathered in and around the arena,

tonight's rally will be postponed until another day.

Thank you very much for your attendance and please

On the streets of Chicago thousands gathered.

Protests at Trump rallies are not new, but they are growing in scale.

At an event in North Carolina one of the

billionaire's supporters was seen punching a protester.

This level of protest at a campaign is unprecedented,

not seen in US politics since the 1960s,

but Donald Trump believes they are not angry with him.

There is so much anger in the country, it is just

anger in the country, and I do not think it is directed

at me or anything, it is directed at what has

This election campaign has been hard to

There is anger on all sides and the consequences of that

An artificial intelligence computer programme has taken a 3-0 lead

in a five-match series against one of the world's top players

The AlphaGo programme, designed by Google, beat

South Korean professional player Lee Sedol, who holds 18

You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.

Good afternoon. It was a quiet start to the day with mist and fog patches

in eastern England and cloudy skies by the West. This is a picture from

Somerset. These