04/12/2013 BBC News at One

These celebrity chef Nigella Lawson says her ex-husband, Charles

Saatchi, tried to destroy her name by spreading false allegations of

drug use. She tells the fraud trial of two personal assistants that her

ex-husband is using the case to destroy her after a long summer of

bullying and abuse. The latest from our correspondent in court. RBS is

one of eight banks find almost ?1.5 billion by the European Commission

for rigging interest rates. A man is arrested after a policewoman was

shot in the early hours of the morning in Leeds. The police officer

at the centre of the so-called plebgate row says he is suing the

former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell for libel. Almost ?400

billion over 20 years, the Government outlines plans for public

and private investment in energy, transport and other building

projects. And all eyes on Adelaide as England try to get the Ashes back

contract in the second test. Good afternoon and welcome to the

BBC News At One. Nigella Lawson has told a court that her ex-husband,

Charles Saatchi, is using the fraud trial of two former assistants to

destroy her name by spreading allegations of drug use. She is

giving evidence at the trial of her two former PAs accused of spending

more than ?685,000 of the couple's money on themselves. The sisters

both deny the charges. Sangita Myska is outside Isleworth Crown Court for

us now. Well, this trial has generated huge

press interest in the personal lives of Nigella Lawson and her

ex-husband, Charles Saatchi. Today Nigella Lawson told the course that

she felt she was facing trial by the media but that was her duty to turn

up today to give evidence. Met by a frantic media scrum,

Nigella Lawson today arrived at court knowing she would face tough

questions about her alleged drug use and her former marriage to Charles

Saatchi. In court, Ms Lawson was asked why she had previously not

wish to give evidence. She claimed it was because of a breakdown in her

relationship with Mr Saatchi. She alleged that he threatened her. If

you don't come back to me and clear my name, I will destroy you. She

went on that she had feared her ex-husband would use the case to

savage her reputation by spreading false allegations of drug use.

Although it is incredibly simple... Nigella Lawson once appeared to lead

a charmed life, a celebrated television chef, and her then

husband, Charles Saatchi, a multimillionaire art collector. Then

these paparazzi photos appeared, showing Mr Saatchi holding Ms

Lawson's neck and pinching her nose. The couple divorced acrimoniously

shortly afterwards. Ms Lawson told the jury it was after a long summer

of bullying and abuse that she had initially decided not to appear in

court. She said she had now changed her mind about giving evidence

against her former PAs, Elizabeth and Francesca Grillo, who are on

trial for allegedly defrauding her by ?500,000. It is their defence

that they were allowed to spend on the company credit card because they

had a tacit understanding that they would not reveal Ms Lawson's alleged

use of drugs. She was later asked to describe her ex-husband, Charles

Saatchi, who she said had a temper and did not like to take part in

family life. The Grillos deny the charges, the case continues.

The cross-examination of Nigella Lawson by the defence counsel has

already begun, and we are expecting that to continue well into the

afternoon. RBS is one of eight big banks that

have been fined a total of ?1.4 billion by the European Commission

for forming illegal cartels to rig interest rates. Business

correspondent Ben Thompson is here now.

Another embarrassing day for RBS, when it is trying to draw a line

under the worst of the banking scandals. Once again, the rate

rigging scandal is rearing its ugly head, but this time these fines

imposed by the European Commission. This is a record fine with eight

global banking giants facing penalties of 1.7 billion euros, that

is ?1.4 billion. The previous record was just 1.2 billion. These fines

from the EU, and top of previous penalties. RBS has already paid ?390

million to readily did in the UK and the US over the same allegations. --

to regulators. This is the result of a separate investigation by the EU.

Barclays also paid ?290 million to regulators, but it will not be fined

today by the EU, and that is because it blew the whistle on the whole

affair. The banks named today did comply with the investigation. They

had their fines reduced by 10%. Two banks are contesting the fines and

have refused to settle. They will face sanctions next year. But all of

this is deeply damaging for the banks and their reputations. They

are keen to put these scandals behind them, but before they can do

that, there is another investigation under way, this time into currency

market manipulation. That could also result in massive fines.

Ben, thank you very much. A man has been arrested in connection with the

shooting of a female police officer in Leeds. The officer and a male

colleague were attending a routine callouts to a disturbance at an

address in the Headingley area in the early hours of the morning. A

37-year-old man was arrested a few hours later after a police manhunt.

Judith Moritz is in Headingley now. Yes, soapy, and when the police were

called out overnight, it was to a low level disturbance. They classed

it as routine, and so the two officers who were sent were unarmed.

They had not expected the gunfire which met them.

It was the early hours of this morning when the police were called

to this house in the Headingley area of Leeds. Two officers were sent to

respond to a reporter disturbance. When they arrived, they were

confronted by a man who opened fire. Neighbours were awoken by the noise.

About half three I heard a couple of shots or something, like fireworks,

and I thought, it can't be anything, it is just going to be fireworks.

Then the police came and told us what had happened, we put two and

two together and worked out it is obviously a guy who shot a police

officer. A female police officer was seriously hurt and taken to

hospital. Her male colleague was not injured. West Yorkshire Police

launched a hunt for 37-year-old James Leslie, who was last seen

cycling away from the scene. The public were warned not to approach.

Just after ten o'clock, James was arrested half a mile away. The

police confirmed they had recovered a firearm and the public were no

longer at risk. The female officer has sustained serious injuries to

her face, her neck and her right hand. Her condition is described as

poorly but stable and not life-threatening. The female officer

pressed her panic button when she was shot, which some and other

officers to the scene. A male colleague was able to give a good

description of what happened to detectives. -- which summoned.

James Leslie is in custody and will be questioned by detectives today.

Although West Yorkshire Police say they are not looking for anyone else

in connection with this shooting, they also say that they are still

appealing for witnesses, anybody who saw anything, to come forward and

help them. The police officer at the centre of

the so-called plebgate row is to sue the former Cabinet minister Andrew

Mitchell for libel. Easy to be Rowland was involved in a heated

confrontation with Mr Mitchell at the gates of Downing Street last

year. -- PC to be Roland. Last week Mr Mitchell accused the police

officer of lying about what happened. What more do you know

about this? Just to take people back to the beginning of this

long-running saga, Toby Rowland said that there was an altercation in

which he said, you do not run this expletive government, you are

expletive pleb is. Mr Mitchell denies using the word pleb. The

Crown Prosecution Service recently said that there was no evidence that

the officer had lied, no evidence to justify a criminal prosecution, and

last week Mr Mitchell said at a press conference that he had told

the truth about the incident and that it was the police who were

lying. Today the next development is that Toby Rowland has issued what

are called letters before action, effectively writing to Mr

Mitchell's lawyers saying, he has libelled me and I will take action

against him. That is policed by the Police Federation, that legal

advice, but the Police Federation says it itself is not suing Mr

Mitchell. Mr Mitchell says he would like the officer to say what he said

on oath, just to test out whether he is indeed lying. There may be an

opportunity for that, because Andrew Mitchell is suing the Sun in a

separate application, and so this might all come to court. The fact

that there has been some criminal allegations made but no charges, it

has moved into the civil courts, I think.

A serving British soldier has been arrested under the terrorism act

after a suspicious device was found at a house in Salford. The device,

understood to be a nail bomb, was discovered last week. The

19-year-old soldier was arrested on Monday by military police in Germany

and brought back to Britain to be questioned. The BBC understands he

has been questioned about suspected links to right wing extremism.

Roads and railways, power stations, flood defences, communications, all

part of a government plan to boost infrastructure spending over the

next two decades. Projects totalling ?375 billion have been detailed in a

National Infrastructure Plan which includes selling of the government

stake in Eurostar and other assets. Chief economic correspondent Hugh

Pym reports. The Government hopes projects like

this will help generate long-term economic growth. The Treasury Chief

Secretary, Danny Alexander, visited a National Grid tunnelling scheme

designed to boost London's electricity transmission network. He

wanted to highlight plans of the next two decades aimed at upgrading

UK infrastructure. Some will be privately funded, some public. It is

a plan that will lead to sustainable, long-term growth and

help us build a stronger economy in a fairer society where everyone can

get on. There is no new government money pledged today, but a ?25

billion commitment by insurance companies to invest in

infrastructure has been unveiled. Plans for a new nuclear power

station for Anglesey have been confirmed, and rail investment will

include the development of the station at Gatwick. Sales of

government assets, including a stake in Eurostar, the Channel Tunnel rail

operator, also formed part of the announcement today. The government

idea is to sell off investments which are considered surplus to

requirements and reallocate the cash to infrastructure investment. Labour

argues the Government's track record on major investment has not been

good so far and action is needed, rather than words. Ultimately, if

you think just issuing press releases and making announcements

brings forward is that delivery and make sure we get shovels in the

ground, they are living on a different planet. Business

organisations gave only a cautious welcome to today's statement. For

them, the detail, rather than broad ambition, is what will count. We are

getting more detail about what projects will be built, more detail

about how it will be paid for, but it still feels a little bit too much

like long and quite hopeful Christmas lists, rather than a

really clear set of priorities. Business leaders will be watching

George Osborne's Autumn Statement tomorrow, hoping for measures which

support the recovery. The BBC understands that moves to support

struggling high street will be unveiled. Many retailers believe the

business rate system is a burden. Rate increases will be capped with

an extension of relief for small firms.

Meanwhile, the BBC has learned that ministers are changing the way they

subsidise renewable energy. The Government is cutting support for

onshore wind and solar projects but increasing the amount it will pay

energy companies for offshore wind power. Political correspondent Vicki

Young reports. For some, these wind farms mean

cleaner, cheaper energy, but opponents call them and expensive

eyesore. Every year, around 2% of our energy bills is used to

subsidise renewable energy, something many MPs oppose. The

Liberal Democrats want to encourage green projects. Now they say the

cost of onshore turbines has fallen, so the focus can shift to offshore

wind farms instead. It will mean we will have to 1000 jobs across the

country, so this is great news for jobs, and it is good news for

consumers. We want to make sure we get good value for money for

consumers, and the fact that. Onshore wind is going down and solar

going down, that means we can reduce the subsidies. -- the fact that the

costs of onshore wind. Some say that Britain risks failing to create

thousands of jobs in the sector. If we see constant sniping, it makes

investors nervous. The investors are then going to leave the market, or

it is going to cost us more to borrow the money, and that only help

the consumer in the long run. -- hurts. The issue of subsidies for

renewable energy has divided the coalition. This announcement brings

a kind of truce with Conservatives and Liberal Democrats saying it

makes sense to switch more money to offshore wind farms, and politically

it pleases Tories who feel they have been under pressure from the UK

Independence Party. UKIP has described today's cuts to onshore

subsidies as a political stunt to buy off voters opposed to turbines

in the countryside. They are a disaster, the Government says there

is nothing it can do about energy prices apart from fiddling at the

margin. It should not be involved with intermittent renewables like

solar or wind. It should be focusing on grown-up technologies like coal,

gas and nuclear. The industry predicts that plans for some onshore

wind farms will be shelved because of today's announcement. What it

will not do is reduce our gas and electricity bills this winter.

Tomorrow, the Chancellor gives his Autumn Statement, detailing the

Government's financial plans for the next few years.

David Cameron, on a visit to China, has given the BBC a flavour of what

we can expect. We have been working to a long-term plan and what you are

going to see in this Autumn Statement the next steps in that

long-term plan, a plan to turn the country around, to get us out of our

difficulties with debt and deficit and to secure jobs and recovery for

all of our people, recovery for all. That is what we want to see. David

Cameron speaking in China. Let's turn now to Norman Smith. Tell us

more about what we are expecting. Welcome what we have learned is that

the Government want the Autumn Statement to be all about growth and

how they are retooling the British economy with this ambitious project

of infrastructure spending. A word of warning, though. If you think you

have heard this before, you probably have, because this is the fourth

national infrastructure plan and they are a bit like the proverbial

dad DIY to do list. They look very impressive on paper and contain a

very important list of things you ought to do, but it doesn't

necessarily mean they are all going to happen and that has been the

Government's difficulty, turning the to-do part into the delivery part.

One peculiarity, cutting subsidies for onshore wind farms does not mean

there will be fewer onshore wind farms, it could mean the opposite.

Why? Because the Energy Secretary says the cut is not because wind

farms have proved unpopular and a Tory MPs are unhappy about them, but

because they are proving efficient and cost-effective and therefore,

despite the cut in subsidies, there are actually going to be more

onshore wind forms. -- wind farms. The time is coming up

to 1:20pm. The top story this lunchtime:

Nigella Lawson tells a court her ex-husband Charles Saatchi is trying

to destroy her name by spreading false allegations of drug use.

And still to come: THEY SING "JERUSALEM".

THEY SING "JERUSALEM". THEY SING "JERUSALEM".

Hoping to sing England to success. The Barmy Army are in full voice

ahead of tonight's second Test in Adlelaide.

Later on BBC London: Doctors at the Royal Free Hospital say a new device

could help liver disease patients avoid needing a transplant.

And the Stratford sixth-formers making music with east London rapper

Tinchy Stryder. The rise of social media has meant

that conversations about criminal cases, once just had with friends,

are now instantly published online and can be shared with millions of

people. And it's got some people into trouble. Tweets from the

comedian Alan Davies, the speaker's wife Sally Bercow, and Peaches

Geldof have all landed them in legal difficulties after they took to

Twitter to express their views. Now the Attorney General, Dominic

Grieve, is publishing legal advice to help social media users avoid

getting into trouble by commenting on court cases. Clive Coleman

reports. Peaches Geldof, the latest person to

get into potential trouble with a tweet, when she published to her

168,000 followers the identities of two mothers who allowed their

children to be targeted by sex offender Ian Watkins, singer with

the rock band Lostprophets. She tweeted after the names had

accidentally been posted briefly on a court website. But it is a crime

to publish any material which could identify the victim of a sexual

offence. So how much does social media -- to social media users know

about how the law applies Chris Rock people sometimes don't understand

the consequences of their actions. -- how the law applies to them?

Sometimes you don't know what you are and are not allowed to tweet.

The rising social media means that conversations once had down the pub

or even out shopping are not allowed to tweet. The rising social media

means that conversations once had down the pub or even a shopping now

published online and who comments about a criminal case or a defendant

in a way that could prejudice a trial could be prosecuted for

contempt and could go to prison. That is why the Attorney General is

going to start publishing advice to the public via his website and

Twitter feed. This is not to interfere with freedom of

expression, it is to ensure that their trials can take place and it

is one of my responsibilities to make sure that happens. Nobody wants

a situation where a trial collapses because it has been made impossible

by virtue of what has been said on a Twitter feed or a Facebook entry.

But some experts believe that internet users need additional help.

We are learning the difference between the digital world and the

real world and where they cross over. We need help. We need help

from the authorities and we also need help from the education system.

As the law stands, we tweet, blog or post on Facebook at our peril. Now

we will be able to get some advice on how even 140 characters could

land us in court for contempt. The Royal Mail says the threat of a

postal strike over the Christmas period seems to have been averted.

They say an agreement has been reached in principle with the

Communication Workers Union over changes to pay and pensions for

staff, though it still needs to be ratified.

The jury in the trial of two men accused of murdering a British

soldier has heard that one of the alleged killers showed "no regret or

remorse". A police interview with Michael Adebolajo has been played to

the court during which he criticised British politicians and said he was

upset about the deaths of people in Muslim lands. June Kelly is outside

the Old Bailey. It was a long interview, as well, wasn't it?

That is right, and throughout, Michael Adebolajo had a blue blanket

over his head. So for much of it, you couldn't see his face at all. He

tells the police he wants to be known by his muslin name of Mujahid

Abu Hamza and said he does not know any one of the name Michael

Adebowale, saying he is Ishmael. He says it brings him little joy to

approach anybody and slay them. He is not a person who enjoys watching

horror movies. He says the only reason he has decided to conduct the

interview is to prevent such incidents occurring on the streets

of Britain again. He says there is a war going on between Britain and

Muslims and he rails against politicians. He says he is disgusted

by the likes of David Cameron, the Miliband Brothers and Nick Clegg,

and when it comes to Tony Blair, he says the wickedness and corruption

of this man. In a later interview, he is asked about what happened to

Lee Rigby and he says he was struck in the neck with a sharp implement,

and it was soared until his head became almost detached. And then he

said, "May Allah forgive me if I have acted in a way that is

displeasing to him". The trial continues.

Young people in care in England will now be able to stay with foster

families until the age of 21 instead of 18. Ministers say they will

increase funding to councils, and make it a legal duty for authorities

to provide financial support for foster children after their 18th

birthday. Mike Sergeant reports. David has fostered a number of

children in the past five years. Rhiannon came to live with the

family when she was 16 and is now studying for A-levels, but as her

18th birthday approached, she was not sure how much longer she would

be able to stay, a situation that has thankfully been resolved. The

run-up to my 18th birthday was not very nice, not knowing what was

happening. It was very stressful and I was crying quite a lot to David

and Lisa in the evenings about what was going to happen. But now I know

that they are here for me and I have got the support, it is brilliant.

After much discussion with the local authority, Rhiannon will now be able

to stay here until she is through university. David welcomes the news

that councils and England will be required to support all children in

foster care until they are 21. I think it is fantastic. A child is

not ready at 18 to be independent. There are some that go into the army

and other jobs, but the majority stay at home until 22, 23 and even

up to 26, so for the Government to allow a child to stay at home until

22, 23 and even up to 26, so for the Government to allow a child is taken

care up to 21 shortage of suitable carers. If more and more people stay

until they are 21, that will create strain on families. Council say the

money must not come out of their hard pressed budgets, something the

ministers say will be addressed. We have worked hard with other people

to find out what the cost will be to do this for other councils and we

have come up with a generous figure which will mean that 400,000

children who leave foster care every year will now have the opportunity

to stay on. Fostering charities are thrilled that thousands of young

children in England like Rhiannon will now have more certainty about

the future, but say the issue has still not been resolved in Wales and

England. The second Ashes Test gets underway

tonight in Adelaide. England will be looking to get back on level terms

after the beating they took in the first match. As ever, the Barmy

Army, their loyal band of travelling supporters, will be there to give

them a lift. As Joe Wilson reports, it was almost 20 years ago in

Adelaide that the fans first got together to voice their support for

England. Fresh footage has emerged of an

unlikely Hollywood star - THEY SING "JERUSALEM".

From Abu Dhabi to Adelaide, you will hear them. Wherever England play,

the Barmy Army follows. In Adelaide in 1994, this Test match seemed like

the perfect reason for an anniversary. Back then, singing even

when England were losing, they were first dubbed barmy by the media. Now

England lose. We want more people to come along and enjoy the sport and

is all done with humour and wit and banter and is a fantastic addition

to what is a great day. The Barmy Army are boost to the local economy,

they enjoy a friendly drink. Australia is hoping that the England

fans will spend over ?150 million all in all over the ashes. The

problem is, Australia is expensive. ?8 per point is possible. Fewer

people can afford to come. No disrespect to the people who have

come before, but the number is quality. The people who are here to

have a track here to have a great time and will squeeze the value out

of everything they do. The real theory of the Barmy Army is that

their presence in the seat he inspires the England players out

there. So does it work? Some of the people spend thousands and thousands

of pounds to come to Australia and watch every Test match, it is

phenomenal. And we love to have them around. The Barmy Army has evolved

into a tour company. The style may never be to everybody's case, but if

they come, they sing and they spend.

Australia will not be complaining. Fresh footage has emerged of an

unlikely Hollywood star, a mountain lion living in a Los Angeles city

Park. The big cat was first spotted last year. It's thought it must have

had to cross two busy freeways to get into Griffith Park, which is

also home to the famous Hollywood sign. Scientists have now fitted him

with a tracking collar. Time for a look at the weather.

Here's Tomasz Schafernaker. And the storm is on the way. It is,

it will come roaring in and the Met Office have issued an amber warning.

The main issue with the storm will be the strength of the wind, nothing

absolutely extraordinary but still severe enough. If you live in this

amber warning area, you may be impacted in a number of different

ways, either directly from the damaging winds, disruption to

transport potentially coastal flooding along the North Sea coast

particularly the storm this --. The storm at the moment is still a long

way away but will impact Scotland early tomorrow morning. Before that

happens, we have a decent day, for at least most of us. Sunshine is

around, it is pretty chilly and the south of the country has had some

cloud but the most of us, it is a fairly pleasant afternoon. Showers

are already starting to get into Scotland, it is fairly chilly, the

temperatures are dropping and there is some snow across the hills and

mountains but we really are talking about just the hills and mountains.

Let's take a little zoom into Scotland and see what we can

expect. The wind is increasing, some showers, and this is just the very,

very beginning of what is coming our way. Through tonight, the wind

strengthens to Gayle and severe galeforce conditions. Mountain and

hill snow, occasional blizzards to the south of the and at the same

time, relatively clear in the London area, and then the winds get going

tomorrow morning. These are the kinds of gusts we are going to get.

Very strong through the low lands, Northern Ireland getting gales as

well. These sorts of winds could cause problems on the roads because

of the debris and trees that have been blown down, bridges could be

closed, and some of those strong winds will transfer southwards to

the east of the Pennines. Lincolnshire is an area that could

be impacted, they could be interruptions to power, and on top

of that, there will be a storm surge which, combined with the waves, may

overtop the sea defences for, example -- for example across the

Lincolnshire coast. Very blustery across the South but nowhere near as

bad. Then it suddenly quiet and stand by the time we get to Friday,

the wind is really easing down. Stay tuned to the focus, because the

weather looks pretty serious. Now a reminder of our top story this

lunchtime: Nigella Lawson tells a court her

ex-husband Charles Saatchi is trying to destroy her name by spreading

false allegations of drug use. That's all from us. Now on