30/10/2012 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at Ten - President Obama declares a major disaster in the

wake of Hurricane Sandy. In New Jersey, the worst-affected state,

the long coastline was battered for several hours. The devastation is

unprecedented. Like nothing we have ever seen or reported before.

the state of New York the storm leaves a trail of destruction -

millions of homes are left without power. More than 30 people have

been killed, as the authorities warn of more chaos and ahead.

most important message is that America's with you. We are standing

behind you and we'll do everything we can to help you get back on your

feet. And the President will be on his way to New Jersey in a few

hours' time. We'll have the latest on the emergency operation. Also

tonight - in Afghanistan, two British soldiers have been shot

dead by a man wearing a police uniform. Making the right choice

after breat cancer screening - experts say women need better

information. And, a new future for some of Britain's nuclear power

stations thanks to a major deal Coming up in Sportsday, 4-0 down

after 37 minutes. Have Arsenal paid the price for making eleven changes

in their League Cup match with Good evening. At least 32 people

dead, millions without power and transport severely disrupted - the

trail of destruction left by storm Sandy across the north-east of the

USA. President Obama has declared emergencies in six states,

including New Jersey, where the coastline was battered for several

hours. But we start with the impact on New York City and for the latest

we can join our correspondent, Laura Trevelyan. The city is

starting to bustle tonight, after what was a Butely powerful storm.

Sandy claimed the lives of more than ten New Yorkers. Two million

people in this state woke up without electricity this morning.

It was an terrible night. The distructive power of the superstorm,

unleashed after dark, as Sandy made landfall. The glooding was instant,

the scale shocking -- glooding was instant, the scale shock --

flooding was instant, the scale shocking. The surge was 14 feet.

The water engulfed the construction site at Ground Zero. Lower

Manhattan was plunged into darkness. Electricity generators exploded in

spectacular fashion. What's going on? This huge blaze in Queens

started in the aftermath of the flood. More than 80 houses were

destroyed by the fire. There were tales of hope amid the chaos. Staff

evacuated 300 patients, including babies from this hospital, when the

generator failed, earning the President's praise. I think all of

us obviously were shocked by the force of Mother Nature, as we

watched it on television. At the same time we've also seen nurses

carrying fragile newborns to safety. We have seen incredibly brave

firefighters in Queens waist deep in water, battling the fires and

rescuing people in boats. York's transport system is

paralysed tonight. Wall Street's shut for the second day in a row.

Cars were damaged by falling trees. Oh, my God. It hit my car. Make no

mistake, this was a devastating storm. Maybe the worst we have ever

experienced. Our first responders have been doing an heroic job

protecting our city and saving lives and they're still fighting

fires and conducting life- saving missions. On mat hat an's lower

east side, cars were swept down the avenue by the force of the water

and debris everywhere. This woman can't believe what she saw. What

was it like last night? Which you describe what happened? It was hell.

A lot of water, cars floating, and the transmission blowing out.

Natalie and Eugene showed me their east village apartment which

they're leaving tonight. I would like to stay here, but apparently

the water it damages the whole building and everything. Probably

it takes months to dry, I think. A lot of mould and everything and it

will take a very long time to get it fixed. Man hatten is unnatural

quiet today. The waters are still high after the storm surge. A

Breezy Point in Queens, a smouldering homes, a shocking

reminder of the fire that raged overnight. This town has been

flooded, giving you some idea of the damage the superstorm did and

the massive disruption it's still causing. As the storm spins north,

Harrowed New Yorkers are waiting for the waters to recede. The city

which endured the 9/11 attacks must recover from the wrath of the

superstorm. On your last point, what is your sense tonight of how

long that recovery process could take? You can see that some life is

coming back to the city. The light are back on in some parts of

Manhattan. A few buses are running, but the subway is still shut. It

could be three to five days before it re-opens. School is out. There's

a wider question here tonight, about whether New York needs to

look at a proper system to defend the coastline. Some kind of barrier.

Think of what we have in London, because this storm has showed just

how vulnerable Manhattan is to flooding. Laura, thank you very

much. President Obama will be making his way to New Jersey in a

few hours' time to see the damage there and the rescue teams at work.

He's suspended his formal campaign with just a week to go to the

Presidential election, but his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, has

made an appearance in Ohio, where he restricted his comments to the

impact of the storm. Our North America Editor, Mark Mardell, was

following the day's events. No wonder it's been officially

declared a disaster area. The first morning after the hurricane strikes.

The superstorm swept over New Jersey leaving gaping holes.

Ripping up the boardwalks and smashing it like plywood.

devastated. I heard it collapsed. It was so crazy. A lot of people

were in the buildings and the light were out. They are still in the

dark now. All this just a week before an election that will decide

the President's future. Today, he sounded determined, commanding.

want you to cut through red tape and bureaucracy. There's no excuse

for inaction at this point. I want every agency to lean forward and to

make sure we are getting the resources where they need to be as

quickly as possible. Sandy cut into Connecticut as night fell. Water

poured on the flood defences. Thankfully there have been fewer

deaths, but plenty of destruction. In Virginia, firefighters persuaded

those at risk to leave thiver homes. Millions more are staying -- their

homes. Millions more are staying put. No work and school. Only the

food hardy are out and about. Winter has come early to West

Virginia. It's under a state of emergency and braced for two feet

of snow. But it's flooding that will cause the most damage. In

Maryland, parts of the seaside of Ocean City were under four feet of

water and it was perilous in the streets. 50 people had ignored

advice and they later decided they needed to be rescued. When you look

at something like this and I think of the human suffering that must be

behind it, you realise why the two candidate don't want to be out

trading political barbs. Both men have cancelled their appointments,

but it's very different for each. The President will stay off the

campaign trail. The best way toified for his job is to be seen

to be doing it and doing it well. He's earned praise from a

Republican, who is usually a stern critic. He called me to ask what

could be done. He was able to move forward very quickly with a major

disaster decoration and he worked on that last night with -- declar

ration and he worked on that last night with me. But Mitt Romney

risks being squeezed out. He converted a planned rally into a

storm support centre, but tomorrow he'll resume campaigning. Today,

not a word of politics. The damage could cost America up to $20

billion, but it has wrecked carefully planned campaigns and

could impact the outcome of the election a week today. Mark, just

to explore that a little more. To what extent do you think the

dynamics of the campaign has changed? They have. You can see

that from the fact that the two men are doing different things tomorrow.

I have no doubt that both men really do care about the people in

the path of that storm and that people are very cynical about

politicians, but one of the things they go into this business is

because they believe they can lead and make a difference and solve

problems. However, equally, with seven days to go before a critical

election, it would -- wouldn't be realistic about them making

calculations about who is looking up and down. President Obama shows

he can use power wisely and well. When you get a much-loved

Republican praising him, that is worth a thousand rallies. Mitt

Romney has to campaign. His only weapon is words, if you like. It's

not surprising he's doing that, but he has to be very careful about

tone and when President Obama egoes back back, he can't stay off it too

long, otherwise that looks like he's milking this. The game is

still playing out. Mark, thank you. The Ministry of Defence has

announced that two British soldiers have been killed in Helmand

Province by a man wearing an Afghan police uniform. The soldiers, from

the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, were shot dead at a

checkpoint in Nahr-e Saraj. Their families have been informed. Our

correspondent Quentin Sommerville. An Afghan in a police uniform today

shot and killed two Gurkhas. He was serving alongside them. Preventing

insider attacks is proving impossible. It's never 100%

guaranteed that you can stop them. All we can do is try our best to

mitigate. We understand the concerns and we'll have no effect

on the mission. The two dead men were from the Royal Gurkhas. The

Gurkhas have borne a heavy burden in Afghanistan. 15 have died here

since 2007. Today's attacker escaped and is now be sheltered by

the Taliban. The circumstances of today's attacks are becoming

horribly familiar to NATO commanders. They understand that

insider attacks are a grim fact of life in this war now. And, there's

an understanding that even if the killers aren't members of the

Taliban, their actions aid the insurgents' cause and undermine the

mission here. There's been a dramatic rise in the number of

green on blue killings and Afghans in uniform target NATO troops. In

2007 just two soldiers died as a result of these attacks. By 2011

that figures had jumped to 35. Already this year NATO has lost at

least 57 troops, eleven of them British. MPs today asked senior

military commanders what had caused the increase. The reasons for the

attacks are complex, but there is no question in my mind that this is

an insurgent tactic. We think deeply, I think deeply, about this

every day. Arriving back on British soil, the bodies of the two men.

They died a week ago in a confused gun battle. Perhaps at the hands of

an Afghan policeman. Their deaths a further reminder that the threat of

A 35-year-old woman from south London who killed her two children

has been detained in a psychiatric unit. A plea of manslaughter on the

grounds of diminished responsibility was accepted on

behalf of Felicia Boots. Women invited for breast cancer screening

are to be given more information about the risks. The review has

concluded that for every life saved, three women are treated for a

cancer which would not have been fatal. Our health correspondent,

Branwen Jeffreys, explains. Each year, breast cancer claims more

than 11,000 lives, so should every effort be made to detect these

lethal cells, or might that also mean treating some women who would

be better left alone? Every woman between 50 and 70 years old is

offered screening. Until now, there was little clear estimate of the

risks as well as the benefits. Miriam is among those who feel they

were not given the full picture. She believes screening lead to

treatment she did not need. Cancer treatment is not a walk in the park,

you do not want that. It is a tragedy when it is necessary, but

it is appalling to have it when you do not need it. Every year in the

UK, around 2 million women are screened. 1,300 deaths are

prevented each year by picking up cancers early. But as many as 4,000

women may be treated and necessarily for cancer that might

never have harmed them. It is this risk which has not been made clear

in the past. If you are called for breast cancer screening in the

future, you should be given more information. Balancing up the risks

of being given treatment you do not need with the chance of a cancer

are being picked up early enough to save your life, what happens next

may not always be a straightforward decision. However, women should be

better equipped to have those conversations with their doctors.

Research has helped transform breast cancer treatment, offering

most patients a reprieve. Experts involved in this review say the

figures are their best estimate, but they do not fundamentally

question the value of screening. would prefer to avoid a breast

cancer death. The fact that I might have a cancer over-diagnosed, and

therefore treated, would be something that I personally would

be prepared to put up with. Christine Davidson has no regrets

about going for breast cancer screening. If I had not had the

screening then, the cancer may have been further advanced when I went,

and they may not have been able to save my life. Most women take up

the offer of screening. If cancer is found, the next decisions are

about treatment. This information may help some women make up their

minds. Coming up tonight - we talk to some

of the New York families who have spent the night sheltering from

stall Sunday. -- from Storm Sandy. The Japanese industrial giant

Hitachi has signed a �700 million deal to build nuclear reactors in

Britain. The Prime Minister said it was a major step forward, and he's

had thousands of jobs would be created. Our industry correspondent,

John Moylan, has the details. How will we keep the lights on for

decades to come? The Government insists new nuclear power plants

are part of the answer, and now, there is a new player, Hitachi,

from Japan. This is Wylfa in North Wales. Hitachi says it plans to

build new reactors here and at another site in Gloucestershire, as

part of what it calls a 100-year commitment to the UK. It is

fantastic news that Hitachi have decided to invest in the UK nuclear

industry. It is a huge boost for the UK economy, and a vote of

confidence in the UK's energy policy. So, what will the villainy

deliver? Well, it could build up to six reactors, three at each site. -

- what will Hitachi deliver? It could create 12,000 jobs in the

construction phase alone. There would be a huge boost for suppliers,

including the likes of Rolls-Royce, which is involved in the project.

The really big news today was that it actually committed to have at

least 60% of the work in the UK for the first reactor. Beyond that,

they see the opportunity to grow that 60%. That means jobs for

Rolls-Royce suppliers, jobs across the sector. What is more, Hitachi

says it can deliver its projects on time and on budget. But it is

looking abroad, as Japan grows increasingly hostile to nuclear

power. Their domestic market has essentially crashed from a new-

build perspective. They will naturally be looking beyond their

borders, especially since the Fukushima nuclear accident, and

their revised energy policy, which suggests that nuclear energy will

be shut down in Japan over the next 20-30 years. But whether he techy

ultimately invests billions will depend on the price of electricity.

That strike price will involve a long negotiation with the

government. The UK government will decide the strike price, at a fair

level, because the UK recognises the importance of nuclear power

generation. But a high price will hit our bills, while a low one

could mean he techy's plans never get off the drawing board. --

Hitachi's plans. The Metropolitan Police are considering selling New

Scotland Yard. Under the plans, the force would relocate to smaller

premises. Dozens of front counter services will close. The proposals

include putting more offices on the streets. David Cameron is facing a

growing rebellion by colleagues who are unhappy about his stance on the

European Union budget. Around 40 Conservative MPs have signed an

amendment calling for the EU's long-term budget to be cut in real

terms. The Government is facing possible defeat in the Commons

tomorrow. We can speak to James Landale now - how big the problem

could this be for David Cameron? This is a problem about money, how

much taxpayers money we should give to the European Union to spend on

our behalf. At the moment, there is going to be a big summit next month

to decide just how much that long- term EU budget should be. Some

European countries are saying it should be a large increase, of up

to 5%, for the period up to 2020. David Cameron says it should go up

just in line with inflation, about 2%. He thinks that is realistic and

achievable. But for some Conservative MPs, that is still far

too much. Almost 40 have signed an amendment saying that the budget

should be cut in real terms. What's more, Labour has agreed with them,

and are threatening to join the Tories in the lobbies tomorrow

night. Some Tories are saying, Labour are being opportunistic. But

other Tories are saying, no, any revolt would strengthen David

Cameron's hand. It could go either way. The result is not binding, but

it could be important. If David Cameron loses, he will have been

outflanked by Labour on Europe, which would be extraordinary. Even

if he wins, he will be under even more pressure from his party to go

to Brussels next month and come back with either a very firm freeze

on the budget, or he will have to have used the veto. We will see

tomorrow. The American director George Lucas is selling his company

Lucasfilm to Disney for more than $4 billion. Lucas is behind the

hugely successful Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.

Let's have some more on our main story, the impact of Storm Sandy in

the United States. Some people have been able to return home to assess

the damage. Our correspondent Michelle Fleury has visited an

apartment block in New York to see how the families there were coping.

For some New Yorkers, the 76 shelters in this city offered more

protection than staying at home. In lower Manhattan, this school

gymnasium became a makeshift dormitory. Just as they were

leaving, we met Sandra, with her two daughters, along with the

family pet. Their apartment, though only a few blocks away, was in an

evacuation area. We have got to go up the stairs, guys, there is no

lights. Bikkum re-home, relief. But it was short-lived - the power is

out, there is no running water, and they do not know when life will

return to normal. For this mother of two, the hardest decision was

whether to stay or go. I just got very nervous when they were saying

that if we called 9/11, they may not be able to respond, and I just

panicked. I wanted to be somewhere where they could get us if they

needed to. I did not know what to expect. It is hard to believe, but

it is the middle of the afternoon. Without power, it is impossible to

see much in the stairwells of this building. The lifts are not working.

However, you can hear the sounds of neighbours going up and down the

stairs, checking on each other, trying to help each other, to see

how bad the damage has been. This neighbour started to give us a tour

when he was stopped by another resident. What is she worried