30/07/2016 BBC Weekend News

The Government's delay over the Hinkley Point nuclear deal.

A former minister claims Theresa May was concerned about

With China set to provide a third of the investment,

Mrs May was said to be unhappy with a "gung-ho" attitude within

16 people are dead after a balloon catches fire

Pregnant women are being advised to postpone non-essential trips to

And the dramatic fall in the use of plastic bags in England

The former Business Secretary Sir Vince Cable has said

the Prime Minister Theresa May raised objections to

the Hinkley Point nuclear power station during the

Sir Vince said Mrs May was unhappy with what he called the "gung-ho"

approach to China's involvement adopted by the then

The government unexpectedly delayed signing a contract for the project,

saying it will now make a decision in the autumn.

Our political correspondent Iain Watson reports.

Is the future of the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point up in

the air? One former Business Secretary who sat around the Cabinet

table with Theresa May takes the view that she's reacting against

high levels of Chinese involvement. Yes, certainly when we were in

government Theresa May was quite clear that she was unhappy about the

gung ho approach to Chinese investment that we had and that

George Osborne in particular was promoting. And as I recall, raised

objections to Hinkley at that time. I think we've got a different Prime

Minister a different set of priorities. And projects of this

kind will be looked at through the different filter. There could be

other reasons for the delay in getting the Hinkley plant off the

drawing board, the price tag and the cost we would pay for electricity,

cup and league tries the going rate. The Prime Minister and her paws are

opening every aspect of this up to political scrutiny. The price of

electricity that will be generated, the risk to the taxpayer of the

whole thing and the fact that we are handing over large areas of our

energy generation to the French and the Chinese to control, I think we

need some serious discussions and we will have them. Some business voices

are now calling for a quick clarification that other

infrastructure projects like HS2 won't be sidetracked and that Edward

expansion is clearly on the radar of No 10. Ministers say they want to

give it to opponents and many in government to not believe that Mrs

May will move heaven and earth to make Hinkley happen. Let's go to

Iain Watson in Downing Street. This prime ministerial paws, is it to

allow for greater scrutiny or is there something more to it?

Certainly officials in Downing Street making it clear that the

Prime Minister needs time to get her head around the detail of what is a

project. Baxter Mike there are concerns by some who supported the

project but perhaps their hair out as well as ahead is not in it. One

said to me, don't underestimate the antipathy she has towards former

Chancellor George Osborne who was gung ho for Hinkley They said that

if the Prime Minister tries to unravel significant Chinese

involvement in the project it could raise questions about the project

itself, certainly on its current timescale and scale. And then there

is the other worry that simply by having this paws all the old

arguments about whether we need nuclear capacity are reopened,

thereby Jeremy Corbyn. I know for a fact that senior ministers he

believed this was a done deal just days ago and now they believe that

there's a risk that the deal is being and done right here in Downing

Street. Iain Watson, thank you. It has been confirmed that 16 people

have died in a hot air balloon crash in Texas. The balloon caught fire

and came down in a field near Lockhart this afternoon. Robert Hall

has the latest. From clear skies above the Texas

plains the horror had unfolded in seconds. Such was the intensity of

the explosion and fire which engulfed the balloon basket that

there was little left at the crash scene. Two of the balloon's gas

cylinders were still visible on the blackened pasture. Emergency

services had been called by a witness who heard the initial

explosion. I stepped out on the porch, I heard one pop before I

stepped out the door, then I heard another pop and I'm looking to see

who's shooting because it sounded like a gun going off. Then I looked

up over there and the next thing I knew you saw a big fireball go up.

Just praying that whoever was there got away from the thing in time. The

balloon is thought to have been owned by the Heart of Texas balloon

company. Last week chief pilot Skip Nicholls posted this video of one of

the flights which operates seven days a week. Best panoramic shot

ever. The 16 who died are believed to have been on another organised

tour. Although it came down beneath power lines it is not clear whether

the balloon had struck the lines or whether it had developed a problem

at higher altitude. Just one of the questions to be answered by air

accident investigators. It's like a crime scene, you only get one chance

at its we want to do everything correctly and thanks to the

Corporation of these agencies standing around me and next to me

we've been able to start on the right foot. Police are still trying

to establish the identities of those who died. This is the worst

ballooning tragedy yet recorded and it will lead to calls for tighter

regulations covering over 100 US operators. Robert Hall, BBC News.

The Bank of England has insisted that major banks in the UK

are resilient enough to withstand an economic downturn.

It comes after the Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays performed

poorly in tests to find out how the biggest European banks would

The so-called "stress-tests" were run by the European

Our Business correspondent Joe Lynam has more.

RBS was the bank that almost destroyed the UK banking system. We

had to bail it out and even now it alongside Barclays would be left

with some of the lowest levels of financial reserves if there was

another major downturn. 51 of the biggest lenders in Europe to see if

they would survive a major economic shock. In the case of RBS exclusion

capital fell by 7.5 percentage points, the third biggest full of

all banks. Yet RBS will not need to raise additional money after the

tests, nor will any British bank. Having shown resilience in the face

of a massive potential economic shock officials at the Bank of

England will doubtless be relieved that no British banks will need any

more capital. The same, though, can't be said for other countries.

The stress tests only cover the largest banks. They excluded the

small banks. And that is where a lot of the problems are. In Italy,

possibly in Germany, and certainly in Greece and Portugal. In Greece

and Portugal, they were entirely excluded from these stress tests so

that's one problem. The second is that this is a big problem in Italy.

We know that the oldest bank in the world, and of these stress tests,

its capital would disappear entirely, would become negative. And

that bank would have simply run out of money in the event of an economic

shock. It had to agree to last-minute refinancing late last

night in order to reassure investors and governments. Italy, it seems, is

now in the same position that the UK banks were in 2008. Their debts were

simply too big and they need a bailout or bail in to make sure that

Europe avoids another financial crisis. Britain would not be immune

from that. Joe Lynam, BBC News. Pregnant women are being advised

to consider postponing non-essential travel to Florida,

because of concerns about the Zika Public Health England issued

the warning after four people caught the virus

from mosquitoes in the Miami area. They're the first reported

cases on the US mainland where sufferers have been infected

by insects locally. Not for nothing is it known

as the Sunshine State, Miami's beaches are a magnet

for British tourists more But now pregnant

women are being urged All because of mosquitoes carrying

the Zika virus, which has been linked to severe brain

defects in newborns. Florida has become

first state in the US to confirm cases of Zika transmitted by local

Previous cases here have largely been confined to people who

Now Florida has become the first state to have

a local transmission, likely through mosquitoes,

we will continue through every source available available to

to fighting the spread of Zika in our state.

Experts described the

risk to British holiday-makers as moderate but urged women about to

They haven't advised not to go because this is a very limited

outbreak and we are talking about Florida,

not for the rest of the

So they're going to have to speak to their travel health

adviser, their GP, or the travel clinic they go to.

The World Health Organisation has described the Zika

virus is a global public health emergency.

And whilst officials here are not expecting a widespread

outbreak of the disease, they are gearing up to combat

The Zika virus has particularly affected Brazil, where

the Olympics get under way in just six days' time.

Top stars including golf's Rory McIlroy are staying

Florida has been admitted to hospital,

treatment and still so much that the experts don't know,

the emphasis at this stage is on caution.

David Willis, BBC News, Washington.

Tributes have been paid to a former Royal Marine killed in a climbing

accident in the French Alps. Duncan Paz from Devon died while climbing

in the Mont blanc range near Chamonix on Wednesday. The

22-year-old who got engaged only last month was with a friend when a

large rock came away and fell on him.

There's been a dramatic reduction in the use of plastic bags

in England since people have been made to pay for them.

Figures from retailers show that just over half a billion bags

were bought in the first six months after a 5 pence

charge was introduced - that's a drop of over 90%.

Scenes like this may be becoming a thing of the past.

Today, shoppers are more likely to bring a bag from home

Since the 5p charge was introduced in England last October,

the latest data from the Government shows that plastic bag

Having to pay for these bags has made a big early impact.

In 2014, more than 7.5 billion bags were used in England.

In the six months since the charge was brought in, just over half

a billion bags have been taken home by shoppers.

5p is so little it doesn't make any difference at all.

The 5p, you've paid your money for nothing.

I still forget that we have to pay 5p for them, so,

you know, when I say, "Oh, yeah, can I have a bag,

I never tended to waste the bags, but I think for people who do waste

There's less of them flying about in the street at the moment.

England follows the trend seen around the rest of the UK.

Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all introduced the 5p levy earlier,

and saw reductions of up to 80% in single use

Campaigners say this could have a big impact

on the environment, especially the ocean.

It is estimated that about 8 million tonnes of plastic

We're hoping, obviously, that we'll see less and less plastic

Every year we survey our beaches and last year we found over 5,000

Now we're hoping that with the charge in place now

in all the countries in the UK, we will see a decrease in the number

When people do buy plastic bags, some money goes to charity,

and it's estimated that ?30 million has been raised so far.

The Government will now continue to track this to see if plastic bag

Now with all the sport, here's Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes

Catriona Matthew, the last British woman to win a major golf title,

is in contention at the Women's Open at Woburn.

She'll tee-off tomorrow's final round in fourth place,

6 shots behind the leader, Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn.

And the tee, from Scotland, Catriona Matthew. Catriona Matthew has a busy

week ahead, moving house and then off to the Rio Olympics. But before

that, there is business to attend to. Visit's fine form continued as

any thirst tee nerves were clubbed away. Birdie on the first was

followed by another on the second by the woman recently handed Scottish

golf 's lifetime achievement award. But while at the biddies who

replaced by a couple of bogeys later she finished the day ten under

par, six and still in contention for the final round tomorrow. Got off to

a great start, birdieing the first four, getting close, holding the

putts, I played OK for the next seven holes but could not get the

putts in. The form and the form of those around her did little to panic

a rear Jutanugarn from Thailand. It spurred her on. This sublime effort

helping the 20-year-old to open up a lead at the top. She will tee off

tomorrow 16 under par. Charley Hull of England has practised on this

course since she was nine. Double bogeys are not expected. The

20-year-old, also representing Team GB in Rio finished the day 14 shots

of the lead set of the British open trophy is to stay in Britain it is

likely to be an Catriona Matthew's new mantelpiece. Ben Mundy, BBC

News. The men's final major of the year -

the USPGA has been delayed The 2008 when a Padraig Harrington

is in the clubhouse on four under after an early round at Baltusrol.

The Irishman is five shots off leaders Jimmy Walker and Robert

Streb from America, who are among several players still waiting to

begin their rounds. Britain's Lewis Hamilton just

missed-out on pole for tomorrow's Beaten to first place

on the grid by his great Hamilton leads Rosberg by 6

points in the driver's championship and is determined

to deny his Mercedes team-mate Warrington are through to rugby

league's Challenge Cup final after a one-sided

win over Wakefield. There were nine different Warrington

try-scorers in their 56 They'll now face Super League

leaders Hull FC in the final And Australia's cricket team

have broken a record Whilst trying to play-out a draw

in their opening test against Sri Lanka in Pallekele,

tail enders Steve O'Keefe and Peter Nevill faced 154

deliveries without scoring a single Sri Lanka went on to win,

only their second ever Test You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. Hello, and this might last year

temperatures were set to fall too low single figures, as far south as

southern England. It is