20/05/2013 Daily Politics

Plans to legalise gay marriage returns to the Commons with Tory MPs

and activists split. A second body is found in the rubble

of a house in Newark of a suspected gas explosion.

A British man living in France is expected to be formally charged with

killing his two children. Also ahead: Britain's five-month

space mission. Major Tim Peake is thrilled to be Britain's first

official astronaut when he goes to the International Space Station.

A blooming special birthday. The Chelsea Flower Show celebrates 100

years of floral spectaculars. This is one of the show gardens,

partly designed by Prince Harry. He will be showing it to the Queen

Tensions within the Conservative Party will be reignited today when

the Bill to allow same-sex marriages in England and Wales is debated by

MPs today. Some Tory activists have urged the Prime Minister to drop the

policy, saying it is costing votes. One former Conservative Minister

will try to push through an amendment to the Bill to give

everyone a right to a civil partnership.

David Cameron says he wants marriage to be available to everyone,

straight or gay. But his support for same-sex marriage has alienated some

Conservative members who say the move is costing the party votes.

This small group of Tory activists delivered a highly-critical letter

through the Prime Minister's door yesterday. There is no mandate for

it. It wasn't in any manifesto of any party. The opinion within the

Conservative Party, and within the country, is against. Same-sex

marriage has the support of many Tory MPs and activists. More than

100 have signed an open letter to Mr Cameron saying it is an important

issue for younger voters and MPs risk appearing out of touch if they

pander to a vocal minority. world has moved on. The country has

moved on. Attitudes are changing. Here is a Bill which does allow gay

people to marry, but it doesn't make it compulsory and it protects the

churches. The Church of England is exempted. Today, Conservative MPs

opposed to the Bill will try to pass an amendment extending civil

partnerships to heterosexual couples. Government sources say that

would delay the Bill by years and would be expensive for the taxpayer.

Several amendments have been tabled. That one proposing to extend civil

partnerships to heterosexual couples is the one the Government is most

worried about. Let's have a look at the numbers involved. In February,

the Marriage Bill was approved by a 225 vote majority. 136 Conservatives

voted against it. 127 Tories voted in favour of the Bill. This time,

Labour could be set to join the dissenters. Let's talk to Louise

Stewart, who is in Westminster. How do you see today panning out? How do

you see the numbers stacking up? Well, we don't know on the numbers

yet. When this Bill comes before the Commons this afternoon, it is going

to be very contRo -- controversial. David Cameron is championing it. He

believes extending rights to same-sex couples will strengthen the

institution of marriage. As you pointed out, this amendment from the

former Children's Minister is the big worry for them. If they extended

the rights to heterosexual couples, too, many see it as a wrecking

tactic to try and get this Bill thrown out kicked into the long

grass. A few minutes ago, I was told that the Government will proceed

with this Bill. Whether his amendment gets support or not. They

hope to be able to push it through. So the vote is not until 10.00pm

tonight. They are determined to try and get this Bill on the statute

books. Coming alongside the whole issue of Europe, this is another

headache for David Cameron, in terms of the perception that is he or is

he not in control of his own party? Absolutely. It is a very divisive

issue. Last week, the aRg mentes were over Europe, whether there

should be an in-out referendum -- the arguments were over Europe,

whether there should be an in-out referendum. It will be another

bloody nose for the Prime Minister if many of them choose not to back

him. Thank you. The Church of Scotland could end

centuries of traditional teaching about sexuality today and accept

actively gay people as ministers. The Church's General Assembly is

debating a plan to allow people in civil partnerships to be ordained as

ministers. Until now, the Church has insisted that sexual relationships

should only take place between men and women who are married.

A woman and a man are known to have died in an explosion in a terraced

house in Nottinghamshire yesterday. Four others were takeen to hospital

following the suspected gas explosion at the property in Newark.

-- takeen -- taken. What are you hearing about the possible cause,

Jo? Well, the police won't go into the possible cause at the moment.

They say it is still being investigated. Yesterday, yes, it was

being reported that it was a gas explosion. This is where we are

allowed to stand. This is the police cordon here. I can't show you the

property because we have been told to stay right away from the property

because it is so structurally unsound. If I get the camera to

point down there, you can see a fire engine and a police van. It is to

the left of those that is the property we are focussing on. I

can't show you because the property no longer exists. It's been reduced

to rubble. The fire officers who have spoken to us today said that

when they got here, they were met with a dynamic and very dangerous

situation. They have paid tribute to the local people who live here who

went quickly to the rescue of the people involved in this tragedy.

They say their help was really good. They are absolutely delighted with

how they helped out. Sadly, despite the efforts of the local people who

live here, two people have lost their lives, a man's body was

discovered in the early hours and this morning came the sad news that

a woman's body had been discovered. The explosion left a hole in a row

of terraced houses where a home once stood. Neighbours said it sounded

like a bomb had gone off. After the explosion yesterday, the emergency

services found a man's body overnight. This morning, police said

ongoing searches had located the body of a woman in the rubble. He is

due to be recovered later today by a specialist search and rescue team.

The situation on arrival, the emergency services were met with a

very dynamic situation. Not only did we have the obvious signs of an

explosion on the street, there was a serious developed fire on our

arrival. The crews were met with numerous casualties and there were

two casualties trapped inside the building. In the immediate

aftermath, neighbours helped rescue some of the injured. A man with

serious injuries remains in hospital, a woman and two children

were released after treatment. and this other bloke ran over,

smashed the window open with a couple of bricks. Then I'm being

handed this baby and then a five-year-old boy and then the

mother came out. Never seen flames like it. And also, the house rafters

was about eight foot when they should have been 40 foot. It had all

come down. Overnight, 100 people living nearby were asked to leave

their homes as a precaution. A police spokesman said a controlled

demolition would have to be carried out at the site later to make the

area safe. As you heard, local people talking

about what they saw last night, lots of people in their houses heard a

massive bang, came out and found that a house had been reduced to

rubble. Lots of them have been displaced. The people who went to

help with the rescue have been displaced. Some went to a leisure

centre. People have been turning up today trying to get back into their

houses. We are not sure how long the road will be closed and the

investigation now goes on. Thank you.

A British man who is reported to have confessed to killing his two

young children is expected to appear before a French Presidentor to be

formally charged today. The bodies of a ten-year-old boy and a

five-year-old girl were found on the balcony in Lyon on Saturday --

prosecutor. Christian Fraser, an horrific case? Yes, truly horrific.

The man has been named by the British Embassy as Julian Stevenson.

He is a British man who has lived in France for a number of years. He is

married to a French woman. They had a bitter divorce in 2010. Since

then, he had limited access to the two children, Matthew, 10, and

Carla, 5. We understand that on Saturday she had gone to collect the

two children from the apartment block where they owned an apartment.

She found him in the stairwell of the block looking shakeen. He was

covered in blood. He fled the scene on roller skates -- shaken. When

they burst into the apartment block, they found them dead on the balcony,

their throats had been cut. We understand from the prosecutor, that

there will be a special hearing this afternoon and we understand that

he's been charged with second-degree murder. What will be the process

after that? Presumably this is a case that could take quite a while

in the courts? Yes, you would imagine so. Obviously, there will be

psychiatric reports. They will continue their interviews. The

prosecutor has said today that that charge may change. It may be

premeditated murder once they understand the background to the

murders. The question is why were the children on their own with a

father who had shown himself to be violent in the past? According to

neighbours, he was a drunker. Was it that the mother had agreed for him

to have this unfettered access? Or did the French authorities clear the

way? Thank you very much. Let's take a look at some of the

other stories now. Police in Tunisia have used tear gas to disperse

stone-throwing demonstrators. They came from a hardline Islamist

movement in Tunis. One protester died. Supporters were prevented from

holding their annual conference. In the United States, one person has

died and several others have been injured by a tornado in Oklahoma. A

mobile Home Park was destroyed. Tornadoes have been reported in

Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and Texas. A fierce battle is continuing over a

rebel stronghold in Syria with reports that militants from Lebanon

are involved. Syrian government forces backed by Hezbollah militants

have launched a big offensive against rebel forces in Qusair.

An air strike on a rebel stronghold. This footage released on social

media appears to show Syrian government forces fighting to take

back control of the town of Qusair. On the ground, Hezbollah militants

from Lebanon are said to be helping President Assad, a sign that this

conflict may now be spilling over the border. Now, the aid agency

Oxfam has warned the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who

have poured into this camp are facing an urgent health risk as

temperatures rise in the region. The refugees keep coming. The United

Nations says the number could reach three million by the end of the

year. So far, there's been over 1.5 million Syrians who have now

contacted UNHCR for support and protection in the countries

surrounding Syria. We are seeing that number increase by 10,000 plus

per day. We see no let-up in sight. President Assad has made clear there

will be no let-up in his hold on power. In an interview he said he

has no intention of stepping down. TRANSLATION: The country is

suffering from a crisis right now. The captain doesn't flee his ship

during a storm. With more information due to emerge this week

about peace talks planned by the United States and Russia next month,

world powers hope to put a stop to the storm that is raging here.

President Assad has poured scorn on negotiations making the prospect of

a peace deal a remote one. The headlines: Some backbench

Conservative MPs will push for changes to the Government's

legislation on same-sex marriage during a commons debate later.

A man and a woman are now known to have died in an explosion at a house

in Nottinghamshire. Investigations are under way into the suspected gas

blast in Newark yesterday. A British man living in France is

expected to be charged with killing his two children. In a moment, HMS

Ark Royal heads for a scrapyard in Turkey.

Now a full sports roundup at the BBC sports centre.

Will Perry is there. They are celebrating in north London? Yes,

some part. Arsene Wenger says that finishing in the fourth Champions

League spot in the Premier League is vital for his club's ability to

attract top players next season. Their win at Newcastle meant that

they edged out Tottenham, they will There is unity in the club.

That makes football less difficult, but it demands a great commitment

from everyone. That is why I would like to thank my staff. They have

worked very hard. Tottenham is a wonderful club. They

will continue to attract big players like we did this summer. We will

continue to push on. We have been, we have had a good season. We pushed

two clubs that are used to titles to the fourth and first spot all of the

way. I think that we can make it better next season.

Or Hearts could be relegate from the Scottish Premier League, despite

finishing 14 points at bottom of the table with Dundee. The club is to be

discussed over the financial sanctions with the parent company.

Hearts drew with Aberdeen. They could lose a third of points,

finishing bottom and starting next year in the First Division. Messoni

is preparing a second offer for the club. It was previously rejected in

November. Stuart Broad took seven wickets as Englanders cricketers

took the first Test of the season. The tourists bowled out in 68

seconds. Stuart Broad and James Anderson

ripped through the visitors' batting order. Stuart Broad's best hall in

Test cricket. The second Test starts on Friday.

That is all of the sport for now. A full update on the BBC News Channel

at 11. Am. At least 26 people have been killed

and more than 100 injured in a series of car attack attacks in

central and southern Iraq. Two car bombs exploded and several bombs

went off in marketplaces in mainly sheath areas in Baghdad. I am joined

live there now with our reporter. There were reports of nine car bombs

going off in Baghdad. Lots of explosions and a high number of

casualties. Bring us up-to-date with the latest? An horrific morning here

in Baghdad. We heard the first explosion at # 9.00am, they kept on

coming in different areas of the city. All but one explosion was a

car bomb. The other was a planted device. Four of them had been

targeting marketplaces. Most of the dead are thought to be civilians and

most of them Shia civilians at that. As you say, there were also two

bombs in Basra, one targeting a restaurant, the other targeting a

bus station. The bad news did not stop there. Then we heard that ten

people that were kidnapped a couple of days ago, their bodies have been

recovered and an attack in the north where several policemen were shot

dead at a checkpoint. So a hor tick day. Indeed a bad couple of months.

April was the worst month in terms of violence in Iraq for nearly five

years. As you say, these were mainly Shia

targets but Sunni targets have been hit in the recent violence that you

describe. What is behind this recent spike in the violence? Well, a

couple of things going on, Joanna. In the regional terms there is this

rift between the Shia and the Sunni, the faultline that we see in Syria.

That is having an impact in the countries around Syria, including

here, where we believe, we know that fighters are going to support both

sides, the Shia and Sunni, they are seeing it as something of a holy

war, but there are problems in Iraq. Shia and Sunni politicians are not

working well together. We saw the Foreign Minister, he said that he

blamed the outside world, saying that they forgot about Iraq too

quickly that it is the outside world needed to meet Yate between the two,

but when we have spoken to both sides all of this week, they have

seen all of the violence, the violence is continuing and saying

where is the urgency from their own politicians to come up with a new

plan and from the outside world to intervene here? Right now things are

starting to look critical in Iraq. Today the Ark Royal begins her final

voyage. The former Royal Navy flagship is to leave her Homebase of

Portsmouth to head to a scrapyard in Turkey. She saw active service in

the Balkans conflict and was involved in the invasion of Iraq.

The decision to scrap her was three years ago. Let's go to Caroline in

Portsmouth. Caroline a very sad day, really, for a really wonderful ship?

That is right. There will be a lot of emotion has she sails out of

Portsmouth harbour for the very last time. She was commissioned and came

into service in 1985 at the time, the most expensive warship built, at

a cost of �220 million. With 990 crew that served on her, a lot of

people to serve on her in the 25-plus years she has been in

service. Some of them will be here in Portsmouth to bid her a fine

farewell. The Royal Navy's former flagship was

launched on the River Tyne by the late chp Queen Moth ner 19816789

May God protect her and all who sail in her.

From 1985, when HMS Ark Royal entered the service, she played a

key role in the ball cans: conflict along with harrier jets.

She also served during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, before being

decommissioned early in 2011. When you see an old ship of yours

being towed account to go to the scrapyard, naturally you feel rather

sad about that but actually, the reflections will be on all of the

people that served with you. In my case, the people that served under

me. Tremendous people. They are the ones that leave me with a

heart-warming feeling. After a final voyage, that saw the

last harrier fly from the ship, HMS Ark Royal was the highest

professional casualty of the Government's defence review of 2010.

Taking her out of service and selling Britain's Harriers was a

move criticised at the time it leaves the UK unable to launch

aircraft from the seas, until the new carriers and Joint Strike

Fighter come into service in under a decade.

Well, I am joined here in Portsmouth by someone who did serve on HMS Ark

Royal, leading photographer, Richard Thompson.

You served on her, so what are your memories, why are you here today?

am here as she was such a great ship. There will be many here that

loved her, but on the whole I have lots of happy memories. To me, I met

my second wife on there. I have two lovely children. So she is a big

part of my life. A key point. My two children were Kristened on there.

She was one of the better ship I had. It will be sad to see her go,

sad to see her towed off. So you will be watching here as she goes on

her final voyage? Yes, I will. I know many others who are coming down

for the occasion. It is five days too early as on

Saturday there is a reunion of the HMS Ark Royal's ship company, so it

would have been great if she could have gone on Friday, for us, but for

us, she is held in such great affection by a lot of the crew.

Generally a happy ship it is strange that some ships carried that Mantell

all the way through. I know that the prooefrs Ark Royal before was a

happy ship that carried on to Ark Royal 5, for probably all of her 25

years. Richard, thank you very much for joining us. We will be with you

as she goes past. Back to you in the studio.

Thank you very much. The Duke of Cambridge and Prince

Prince Harry are visiting Wiltshire to open a recoverister for British

troops it is one of four units run by Help for Heroes. It will offer

res pilot care and rehabilitation for former soldiers and and their

families. We can see there is Prince William

and Prince Harry. Daniella, tell us what they are up to there today?

is an unusual Royal partnership to see the two brothers together. We

don't often see them just the two of them. Generally, there is the

Duchess of Cambridge with them, but today, clearly with the birth of her

first baby pending in July, the brothers have come to support the

charity close to their hearts. They are here to open Tedworth House. It

is set up by the Help for Heroes charity. One of four around the

country. The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are meeting local

dignitaries and members of the military. There has been much

support here for the military families, for those injured and the

families when they return it is something that is very well

supported by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Here they will go

inside, they will meet some wounded personnel and families. They will

see some of the facilities here, including the Feenic Centre. It is

an incredible advanced sporting facility. It has a area to help

build the core strength for the severely injured. There will be a

barbecue for all of those here today. A chance for them to meet

those affected in Afghanistan. There is a programme that has been

introduced today, where the foreword has been written by the prince of

Cambridge and Prince Harry. They talk about how the injured are

valued. That is why they want to support this charity. They talk

personally about how they have bust lost friends themselves, visited

many others in hospital and heard the sad stories of families that

have been affected by their lost ones and those suffering.

It is also about supporting the wider families, the wider careers

that will help them get through what is clearly a difficult time. The

Princes are going into the centre now. They will hear some of the

stories and meet some of the families that are using them, and

getting so much help from the facilities provided here.

Thank you very much, Daniella. We will have more from Tedworth

House a little later on here on BBC News. The headlines are coming up

for you on the BBC News Channel. In a moment we are saying goodbye to

the viewers on BBC Two. First, let's take a look at the weather. We can

cross the newsroom. There is Nick Miller waiting for us. Nick, any

Miller waiting for us. Nick, any taking a time for the sunshine to

come through. Where it does, the temperatures could head to the low

20s, but the Met Office has an amber warning in force. So be prepared for

disruption, where we don't only just have sunshine but then building

cloud and thunder storms that is across eastern and south-eastern

parts of Scotland, Dundee, Edinburgh, into the borders,

slow-moving storms, and lol flooding that is possible. Large hail. Also

storms building in parts of northern England, the Pennines and showery

bursts of rain running across south-east England in the course of

the evening, but I want to emphasise the intense storms affected --

afeting Scotland. Then fading away. We are left with cloud and drizzle.

It will not abcold night. Tomorrow a similar day.

Brightening up then a few showers breaking out. The main story through

the week, the temperatures coming down and a strengthening northerly

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 59 seconds

World News, our top stories: Bomb attacks in two of Iraq's biggest

cities, around 30 people died, many more have been injured. Fierce

fighting engulfs the Syrian town of Qusair, with claims that Hezbollah

militants are fighting now on the Government side.

Rwanda's president reveals to the BBC that he believes UN peacekeepers

make the situation worse in neighbouring Democratic Republic of

Congo. And sailing towards the shipyard,

the scrapyard, the former flagship of the British Navy leaving the port

26 people have been killed and many more injured in a series of car

bombings in two major cities. In the port of Basra in the south, there

were two explosions at a restaurant and a bus station, both in Shia

Muslim areas of the city. In the capital, Baghdad, police a eight

bombs went off, again in mainly Shia areas. The attacks are the latest in

a surge of violence linked to sectarian tension between Shia and

Sunni Muslims. On Friday, at least 60 people died in three bombings in

Sunni areas in and around Baghdad. Those bombings, in turn, followed

deadly attacks on Shia targets across the country. I was joined

from the BBC Arabic service, and I asked whether the bombs in Shi'ite

areas of Basra are a new departure. Well, yes, the southern city of

Basra was relatively calm for the past couple of months, unlike many

other Shia, mainly Shia plants in Iraq. As you said, this is a

departure, and a worrying sign indeed, because they are now

targeting restaurants. Today they targeted a restaurant in Basra,

killing and injuring many people. So the kind of targets is really

worrying, which are restaurants, civilian populated areas, and also

places of worship, like mosques. have seen, and these are pictures

from Basra, but in Baghdad there are similar dreadful scenes in several

areas of the city, Shi'ite areas. Well, there have been many more such

attacks over the past months in the capital, Baghdad, so this is nothing

new. I mean, Iraqis have been living near daily violence, not just over

the past couple of months but since 2003, the US led invasion of Iraq,

but the worrying sign, again, Nick, I mean such attacks have turned into

taking the shape of tit for tat, especially over the last two months.

In the past couple of months, since the start of 2013, militants were to

blame for targeting Shia areas, but now they are targeting Sunni areas

and mosques, life on Friday, a Shia... Two devices exploded outside

a Shi'ite mosque, a Sunni mosque in the capital, Baghdad, killing many

Sunnis. There is, therefore, a dreadful suggestion that this is

going to be returned to the spiral of violence we have seen so often in

the past. What is the political analysis of why this is happening,

and whether it is making any difference to what is essentially a

very difficult problem of politics in Iraq at the moment? Well, the

political analysis, I mean, over the past five months, a Sunni minority

have been protesting in sunny areas against the Shia-led government of

Nouri, the. -- Nouri Al-Maliki. The political crisis has reached a

stand-off, despite the fact that the government has provided or has made

some concessions, like freeing prisoners, increasing salaries, but

the underlying issues of bitterness and discrimination which the Sunnis

are complaining seems not to been addressed yet, and another fact, I

mean it is a regional fact, to be honest, is the Syrian uprising, or

the Syrian conflict. I mean, the Sunni minority seem to be emboldened

by the uprising in Syria next door, and they are building up their

protests day in and day out against the Shia government.

Afghanistan, the Taliban are claiming responsibility for suicide

attacks in northern Afghanistan. A prominent local politician is among

the dead, and police said a man wearing a military uniform detonated

a bomb vest as he entered the municipal council headquarters. At

least ten people died, one was the head of the provincial council known

to take a tough stance against the Taliban.

Dozens of fighters are reported to have been killed in a fierce battle

over a rebel stronghold in Syria. State media says government forces

have recaptured most of Qusair, which is close to the Lebanon

border. The rebels deny that, saying they destroyed four Syrian army

tanks. There are reports Hezbollah militants from Lebanon are now

involved, with Hezbollah supporting government troops, and some are said

to have been killed. Here is Richard Forrest.

An airstrike on a rebel stronghold. This footage released on social

media appears to show Syrian government forces fighting to take

back control of the town of Qusair. On the ground, Hezbollah militants

from Lebanon are said to be helping President Assad, a sign that the

conflict may be spilling over the border. Now the aid agency Oxfam has

warned that the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who

poured into camps like this one in Jordan are facing an urgent health

risk as temperatures rise in the region. The refugees keep coming.

The United Nations says the number could reach 3 million by the end of

the year. So far, there has been over 1.5 million Syrians who have

now contacted UNHCR for support protection in the countries

surrounding Syria. We are seeing that number increased by 10,000 plus

per day, and we see no let up inside. President Assad has made

clear there will be no letup in his hold on power. In an interview with

an Argentine newspaper, he said he has no intention of stepping down.

The country is suffering from a crisis right now, he says, and the

captain does not flee his ship during a storm. With more

information due to emerge this week about peace talks planned by the

United States and Russia next month, world powers had hoped to put a stop

to the storm that is raging here. President Assad has poured scorn on

negotiations, making the prospect of a peace deal a remote one.

Well, I asked Jim Muir in Beirut about the significance of Hezbollah

forces from Lebanon now apparently supporting Syrian government troops

inside Syria. Well, certainly we know that Hezbollah fighters have

been active in the Qusair area. There are a number of Shi'ite

villages which are originally populated by letter nice -- Lebanese

Shi'ites. Whether they are actually involved alongside Syrian army

forces, breaking into Qusair, we cannot document, but it would not be

surprising because they are increasingly involved and committed

on the side of the government. Converse league, there are, in fact,

hundreds of sunny Lebanese fighters, militants from Tripoli who are

believed to be fighting alongside the rebels in Qusair. So you could

say that the Lebanese divisions have been transplanted onto Syrian soil,

but there is a sort of basic understanding among the Lebanese

that they will not carry that my back into Lebanon, although it has

spilled over import in areas -- over in border areas and Tripoli itself,

but it has not had a major effect in terms of provoking large-scale

violence in Lebanon. But what about the fact that it appears that Syrian

troops need Lebanese Hezbollah to support them and give them extra

firepower. I do not think it is a question of firepower, the army has

got massive firepower at its disposal. It is more about skill in

Street fire -- streetfighting, which Hezbollah has got a lot of, the kind

of skills they need to winkle out a determined opposition. I do not

suppose that Hezbollah is absolutely instrumental. Obviously, the

opposition are playing up that line, but the extent to which they are

taking part we simply do not know, but they are involved in that area.

Exactly how much they are taking part in this current battle on the

ground into is itself, we cannot really document. But, Jim, when you

look at this happening at the moment, how can we project is

forward, given that the Syrian troops and the Syrian government may

want to seize back other areas which are currently more under Syrian

rebel control? Well, this is certainly just part of the broader

picture, which is that the government is already hitting back

very strongly in many areas. At the moment, the overall impression is

that things have tilted the government's way. That may be

temporary, because the rebels are complaining that Qatar have cut off

arms supplies that were coming through Jordan, possibly Turkey as

well, and Saudis and others likewise may be cutting back, and the

impression is that the Americans are turning off the arms tap, possibly

in advance of this big conference that is supposed to be happening,

probably early in June. But, of course, therefore, if that

conference fails and the Americans decide this is the moment to open

the floodgates, that picture could change, but at the moment the

government has been pushing back the rebels around Damascus itself, where

the situation is eased quite a lot. In Homs, they have been making

progress. In Aleppo, there is very much disputed territory of there,

but there are various areas in the south where the government has been

much more assertive and has been making gains against the rebels.

Muir in Beirut. Rwanda's president, Paul Kagame, has

given a scathing assessment of the UN peacekeeping force in the

Democratic Republic of Congo. It has made the situation even worse, that

is what he told the BBC. The Rwandan government has itself been accused

by the UN of supporting rebels in Congo. Mr Kagame told the BBC that

the peacekeepers had done nothing to address the root of the problems.

Well, in some cases, it has become worse, because if you see what we

had last year, a resurgence of the fighting and tales and displacement

of people and so on and so forth. -- fighting and chaos. This came in the

forces had been there for nearly a decade, up to a decade. So it is not

just making it worse, not making it better, but this time, with what we

witnessed last year, the situation is worse. Scathing remarks, but with

the African Union showing support for intervention in Congo, does he

think they can do better? I think they are trying to say, well, let's

structure this differently, maybe we can get different results, but still

there are things that do not really add up. If you look at the problems

relating to the Congo, they are mainly political. They are not

military, or we will not find a solution that is military. We need

to back other efforts. But those other efforts seem to be even more

important, so the intervention, so to speak, they have encouraged it to

happen and supported, and it needs to be co-ordinated properly with

political efforts and political solutions, so that this is backing

the political solution, rather than just being a solution instead.

Paul Pagani of Rwanda speaking with extremist group Boko Haram had been

killed and many others were fleeing for the Borders. There has been no

independent confirmation of the military account. The BBC's Will

Ross is in Abuja. This whole military operation is really taking

place in two different environments. On the one hand, there is the remote

rural areas of north-east Nigeria, and then the towns which are known

to have a significant presence of Boko Haram supporters. Now, the

military is telling us that the camps in the rural areas have been

hit and the militants have been sent into disarray. We cannot verify any

of that information because there has been no evidence to back up what

the military is saying so far. The army is telling us that many of the

militants are fleeing towards the country's borders. Those borders

with Cameroon, Chad Anthony Gerrard notoriously porous, so it is quite

easy for them to flee and get away. -- Chad and Niger. We are also told

that the Islamist militants have scores of vehicles that they are

trying to move, some of them with heavenly weaponry mounted on the

backs of them. So that is a sign that the Boko Haram fighters are

better resourced than many people had thought. Now, in the urban

areas, it is very difficult to get any information, because the turkey

was in place, 24 hours in some places, also all mobile phone

communication has been cut off, so no information is coming up that

way, but there are concerns that the civilians who will be Ben Reade

vulnerable to abuse us by the army as the soldiers tried to root out

Boko Haram fighters were living amongst the civilian population.

Stay with us on BBC World News, still to come: America's Powerball

lottery sets a new record win, $590 million, but the country's newest

multimillionaire is yet to claim his The Chelsea Flower Show has been

described as the most prestigious event of its kind in the world. The

show in Central London is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

It has involved Prince Harry. Jenny Hill has been looking at some of the

spectacular displays, past and present.

Once again the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea are transformed

into a dream garden... 100 years on it is still looking pretty good.

This is the Australian garden, one of the largest gardens in the show's

history it has been a history. From the 1913, the number of exhibitors

have increased. The show is attracting 150,000 visitors from all

over the world. It is no longer the largest flower

show in the UK, let alone the world but it is still the most

but it is still the most prestigious.

Under the canvass are blooms such as... Chelsea' central marquee was

one the largest in the world. Faces, and not to mention facial hair have

all changed. So has this growing business.

The garden has changed a lot in the last few years. It is now the hobby

of the common man, really, rather than just something that the gentry

could play about with in their big country houses.

But in a quiet corner of this cent evenary-inspired garden, it is as if

time simply stopped. There is a lot to say in terms of

roses. They were very popular in the early part of the last century, they

are still now. We have lovely blooms here. We have to put them under

heat... Jack is 19, the youngest designer here. As the climate has

changed, he told us, so will Chelsea. # It will provide a

challenge for the gardens. Drought is another thing to look at and

water-logging. It is more extreme. It is a far cry from the Gent illity

of the early days but this great British institution, remains not

You are with BBC World News with me, Nick Gowing. The latest: Multiple

car bombs in Iraq kill 30 people in two main cities. Scores have been

wounded. Syria sayses that government forces have recap fewered

-- recaptured most of the area of Qusair. There is support from

Lebanese Hezbollah militants. China and India have agreed on a

roadmap to reach a new dynamic balance on trade. The Chinese

premiere met the Indian prime, Manmohan Singh, on his first visit

since taking office in March. The visit comes after a flare-up of a

long-running border dispute between the countries.

Andrew North in Delhi said that the prime said that they do not deny

problems between the two sides, especially over the border issues.

Let's remember, the tensions between the two Asian giants, the world's

most two populous nations go back to 1962, when China launched a

devastating surprise attack across the Himalayan frontier, taking large

chunks of territory. Ever since they have been been unable to agree the

border line between them, despite many rounds of talks. In the current

context, although the trade has increased between the two in the

recent years, it has helped to bring them closer, right now with the

economic downturn in both countries, that is making it harder for any

kind of compromise that would be needed to solve the border problems.

Andrew, when the Chinese premiere says that they have to improve

border-related mechanisms when you have peoples on their territories,

these are not just passing issues? Not at all. That is right.

Of course, China claims a larger slice of Indian slice of Indian

territory in the north-east, while India wants China to return a six of

Ladak in the north-west. In the recent years there has been

something of an arms race between them. One theory that is doing the

rounds here, to explain the recent incursion is that China felt it had

to respond to a recent Indian military build-up along the border

areas especially near Ladak. So this is something that is going on all

the time. Often it does not get much attention it is difficult for anyone

to get up there but for all of these reasons, despite the talks of the

leaders in Delhi, I suspect that many think there could be more

tension, not less. Now, can you imagine who what it would be like to

win $490 million on the lottery? A handy addition to the cash in your

pocket or bank account, but it happened for one ticket holder in

Florida. It's a record-breaking jackpot

night. Millions of tickets sold across the country. Get ready...

with almost $600 million up for grabs, the demand ick ticks was --

tickets was having everyone thinking that they were in with a chance.

These are the winning tickets. have the winning number here, so the

rest of these people should go home! The lucky ticket was picked up in

Florida, but the question is -- everyone is asking is who is the

mystery winner? They are anonymous to the lot which. Ry. We have no

idea if it is one person or a group of people. But what to do with all

of that cash? Powerball Lottery, let's do it! The hopefuls piling

into this shop, which bagged is own million-Dollar winner had its own

ideas. Ewould take care of my kids, and my

church. Noble but how about designer shoes

or a mansion or a holiday, perhaps? Then the luxury yacht I always

wanted and the private yet. An investigation by the BBC's

Panorama programme into the cover-up after the Hillsborough football

stadium disaster, that revealed the evidence that was originally

disregarded was in fact true. Viewers may find some of the images

in this report, distressing. I think that there maybe a flow in

the crowd at the Liverpool, lepings lane end of the crowd.

The footage showed how the police mismanaged the crowd from the start

at Hillsborough and how the rescue failed more comprehensively than has

been admitted. Individuals who spoke out were disbelieved or discredited.

People like Derek Bruder, an off duty police PC. Seen here giving the

kiss of life to kef kef, the 15-year-old son of Anne Williams,

the campaigner who died last month. He told me what he did for my son,

Kevin. If you are finding a pulse with the first two fingers. He

lifted his hand up with his right hand... If that means he was alive,

then he was alive. The photograph was not timed but

Kevin Williams was moved to this part of the pitch well after 3.

15pm. That is the cut-off point that the coroner decided that the dying

could not be saved, but fans believe Kevin lived longer than that.

You are looking at people, thinking, obviously my instinct was that this

lad needs help. Derek Bruder has always said as he

treated Kevin, he saw an ambulance arriving and driving by but the

inquest only heard of two ambulance going by on the pitch. Earlier that

than Derek Bruder' account. As a sult, his evidence was considered

unreliable, but there was a third ambulance that arrived. The

ambulance men on board said that the police knew this before Derek

Bruder's evidence. They had laid out photographs, they

had video evidence. It was them who said to me, I want to show a vehicle

coming on the pitch at 3.3 #578. They showed you that? They told you?

Absolutely. They had all of the information.

Panorama's analysis of the footage reveals this, the exact moment that

Derek Bruder goes to help Kevin it is after 3. 30pm, proving he has

been right all along. Derek Bruder told the programme he has complained

to the Independent Police Complaints Commission about how his evidence

was handled. The police say that they will co-operate but cannot

comment while the inquiries continue. The Yorkshire Ambulance

NHS Trust say it is will co-operate with any new legal inquiries.

Now the final trip of a proud flagship, it will end in a scrapyard

in Turkey. The British Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Ark Royal is

leaving her home port for the last time. Here is our Defence

Correspondent, Caroline Wyatt. The Royal Navy's flagship was

launched on the River Tyne by the late Queen Mother in 1981.

May God protect her and all who sail in her.

From 1985 when HMS Ark Royal tennered service, she played a key

role in the Balkans conflict along with the herrer jets. Together, a

potent project ex-of military might. She served during the invasion in

Iraq in 2003, before being decommissioned early in 2011.

When you see an old ship of yours being towed out to go to the

scrapyard, naturally you feel rather sad about that but you, your

reflections are on all of the people that served with you. In my case,

the people that served under me. Tremendous people. They are the ones

that leave me with a heart-warming feeling.

After a final voyage that saw the last harrier fly from the ship, HMS

Ark Royal was the highest professional casualty of the

Government's defence review of 2010. Taking her out of service and

selling Britain's harriers was a move criticised at the time. It

leaves the UK unable to launch aircraft from the seas, until the

new carriers and the Joint Strike Fighter come into service in under a