17/09/2011 BBC Weekend News

An investigation into the worst mining accident in a generation is

under way in South Wales. Family and friends lay flowers to remember

the four men who died in the colliery. Safety experts say it's

still too soon to determine the cause of the tragedy. We are

punching above our weight. Nick Clegg opened his party's conference

by defending the Lib Dem's role in the coalition government. We are

not here to make things easier. We are here to put things right.

people are killed after a World War Two plane crashes at an airshow in

America. In sport, Ireland pull off an historic win over Australia at

Specialist mine inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive are

examining the colliery near Swansea where four miners died. The men

were trapped 300 ft underground on Thursday, when a mine shaft are

flooded. A minute's silence was held at Swansea's football match

this afternoon, and a fund set up to support the miners' families has

already raised �10,000. This report was sent from the colliery. Laying

flowers close to the place where they died. The tributes to husbands,

fathers, sons and brothers tell a heartbreaking story of grief and

loss. This tragedy has touched the entire community. Even those who

didn't know the miners. This is really quite heart-wrenching. We

just feel like we've lost friends. That's just basically the reason,

just as a mark of respect really. This afternoon fans at Swansea

City's match against West Bromwich Albion at the Liberty Stadium

observed a minute's silence. At first light South Wales Police and

a team from the Health and Safety Executive arrived at the Gleision

Mile -- mine to begin their investigation. Their task is to

find out how the men died. This is the first fatal accident involving

a Welsh mine in more than three decades. The mine's owner spent

much of the afternoon with investigators. The owners have told

the BBC their hearts go out to the families of the dead miners. The

pit had been inspected as recently as May last year. I spoke to a

miner who had escaped and to all of the families. None of them reported

any safety concerns. But the investigation, which has begun,

will establish what has happened. The community has come together to

raise money for the families. Events including this car-wash have

helped to raise more than �10,000 so far. Tomorrow will offer local

people a chance to reflect on the tragedy which has unfolded in their

midst. Chapels and churches will hold special services, with prayers

dedicated to the miners and their families. The Devitt Debrett's

Minister, Nick Clegg, has mounted a robust defence of the Liberal

Democrat's performance and the coalition government. In a speech

at the opening of the party's conference in Birmingham, Mr Clegg

said Liberal Democrat ministers are punching above their weight and

fighting tooth and nail for the The question on the mind of many

Lib Dems - what have we achieved and at what price? In May they

suffered their worst election result and 30 years. One of their

biggest dreams - to change the voting system - was rejected.

party leader, Nick Clegg. Tonight he said the party was a family and

predicted a few rows this week. But his focus was on the fights he has

had with the Tories. Sometimes we've got to be a bit awkward, as

our coalition partners are finding out on a daily basis. We are not

here to make things easy. We are here to put things right. His party

likes it when he's awkward with the Tories. Today he set out his

opposition to scrapping the 50 pence top rate of tax. But the

Liberal Democrats to accept it could happen if it's replaced by

other taxes for the rich. We've always made it clear that if there

were a good alternative, tax on very high-value property for

example, that is something that could be considered. But the

Treasury are having to have a look at what the 50 pence taxpayers and

decide what to do next. conference is taking place in an

area with the highest unemployment in the UK. Tonight, the delegates

showed they could be awkward. Because of the impact on disabled

people, they voted against part of the Government's plans to reform

the benefit system. Disagreement within the coalition are not always

so public, but Nick Clegg insists that in government he is delivering.

I won't tell you about every debate we have behind closed doors but

rest assured, we are fighting for liberal values every single day.

Nick Clegg's priority this week will be to persuade his party that

they are making a real difference in government. And they haven't

become the Tories' patsies. The message is while the last year may

have been painful, it has been Let's go live now to our political

correspondent, Norman Smith, who is in Birmingham. How much pressure is

Nick Clegg and a from the party activists? My sense is there this

evening Nick Clegg looked supremely relaxed, and he's clearly not a man

fighting for his political life or anything like that, he is

nevertheless under real pressure to reassure his party about being in

coalition with the Conservatives, which is why we heard him stressing

two key themes. Delivery and differentiation. Delivery, in terms

of key Lib Dem policies he says he's been able to deliver in

government, such as raising the tax threshold for lower income groups.

And differentiation, in areas like human rights and Europe, where he

says the party has been able to retain its distinctive identity

despite being in coalition. But an indication of the pressure he is

under could be gleaned from the fact that in two key coalition

policy areas - welfare reform and the NHS - a majority of delegates

voted for motions criticising and opposing coalition policy. European

finance ministers have ended a two- day meeting in Poland with many

issues affecting the eurozone crisis still unresolved. The

Chancellor, George Osborne, said the crisis was becoming a global

problem which required global solutions. The eurozone leaders

here know that time is running out, that they need to get a grip and

deliver a solution to the uncertainty of the markets. But

they make the point, and I think we all understand that, that it's not

just the eurozone. We've got to make sure that America gets on top

of its debts and that we sort out some of the global tensions over

this autumn that have remained after the crisis in 2008 and 2009,

and continue to cause us trouble today. Nine people are confirmed

dead and at least 50 injured after a vintage fighter plane crashed at

an airshow in America. The World War Two P-51 Mustang smashed into

the ground close to the display's This was the moment a tragedy

struck at a Nevada air display. DEC that? He crashed! -- did you

see that? Watched by thousands, the plane had been racing other World

War Two fighters when it spiralled OK, folks, please stay where you

are. It twisted and turned and it was all brown smoke and debris.

started coming down, it looked like he must have been pulling really

hard on the stick to try and get as far away from the stands as

possible. Seven people were killed instantly, another two died later

in hospital. Dozens more were injured. An investigation into the

crash has already begun. It's believed the tragedy may have been

caused by mechanical failure. appears to be some air flight

problem with the aircraft that caused it to go out of control. We

all know what the end result was. The pilot has been named as Jimmy

Leeward, a former Hollywood stuntman who was in his 70s. He's

the 5th pilot killed at the Reno Air race in the past four years.

But it's the deaths of those who have simply come to watch which

have made this year's event such a tragedy. Forces loyal to Colonel

Gaddafi of continuing to hold out in two of their strongholds. In

Bani Walid they fired rockets at anti- Gaddafi fighters, forcing a

retreat. They've also been fierce clashes around Gaddafi's home town

of Sirte. Our correspondent has been following the opposition

forces near there. The front lines in a desert war for Sirte are

shifting. The heavy guns are moving forward when they can. The National

Transitional Council troops advanced many miles in just today.

-- just a day. The fighting continues all around Colonel

Gaddafi's birthplace. This, the picture to the south. But Sirte is

well defended. Taking the city could be very costly for those

outside and inside the city walls. Yesterday they were spotting

targets for the guns and being tough -- and being fired upon

themselves. You can see the Gaddafi forces from here? No. They were in

clear view, he told me, but have now been pushed over the horizon.

This is what they were aiming at. Just a day ago, this was a pro-

Gaddafi position. But not only have they come through here, they are

also continuing 10 kilometres of the road on their push towards

Sirte. We pushed forward as far as we dare. They had just taken

another village and were surging house by house for snipers. It may

look chaotic but it's organised, steady progress on a long road to

Sirte. In Pakistan, more than 5 million people have been affected

by the recent floods in the country. There are growing concerns about

the spread of lutz related diseases. The country's Prime Minister

visited some flooded areas today, but in the worst-affected province,

Sindh province, many are complaining that they are getting

no help. Prisoners of the flood. Wading through stagnant water.

Homeless, hungry and now threatened by disease. A mother's nightmare.

Nearby, a father struggles to put a roof over his children's heads. In

this town today we found families who don't even have tents. Poor to

begin with, they are now destitute. They live in squalor in a makeshift

camp, wondering when it will come. The families here say they've been

left to fend for themselves. They say local officials got them out of

their village when the flood waters came, but since then there's been

little or no help. They've been living like this, exposed to the

elements, for the past week. And in the is and how the conditions the

children are already getting sick. They suffer needlessly with

treatable illnesses that are going untreated. Vomiting and diarrhoea

are robbing many of strength. This man and his wife are worried for

their only child, their daughter. Her name means saved by God. She

has diarrhoea, the woman says, and a temperature. Her ear is infected.

How can we afford the doctor? We took mother and child to a local

clinic. The woman is seven months pregnant and having stomach pain.

She's already lost three babies. Her diagnosis - anaemia. She got

medicine for her and her daughter but was sent back to the camp, back

to the hunger and hardship. And the The American ambassador to Pakistan

says there's evidence linking one of the main militant groups in

Afghanistan, the Haqqani network, to Pakistan's government. The group

is suspected of being behind the recent rocket attack on the

American embassy in Kabul. Last week, Washington said it would

target the group on Pakistani soil if the authorities there failed to

take action against them. Ireland have caused the day's big sporting

surprise and thrown the Rugby World Cup wide open - beating one of the

favourites to win the tournament. They played brilliantly to beat

Australia by 15-6. Both sides will still fancy their chances of making

the quarter finals, but Ireland might now have an easier path to

It was Auckland but it felt more like Dublin. Thousands of Irish

fans, this lobbyist of knives and a passion to warm the cockles.

Australia barely knew what had hit them, envelope by a sea of green

they were out muscled and ultimately outwitted. It was 6-6 at

the break, Jonny Sexton with Ireland's points. As Australia's

pack wilted, three penalties, including two from Ronan O'Gara,

took Ireland clear. Australia still have their chances, but time and

again they threw them away. As Ireland so nearly finished in style.

Only the length of the Pidgeley between Tommy Bowe and rugby

folklore. And for a few tantalising moments it seemed he might get

there. Fatigue eventually caught up with him, along with a few rather

angry Australians for whom it sympathy was in short supply.

number of Kiwis, amongst other nations, that would have been in

the crowd getting behind Ireland as well, it felt like a home game.

Hopefully we can continue with great Irish support and anyone else

that wants to jump on the bandwagon. With Ireland now likely to avoid

South Africa in the quarter-finals, Match of the Day follows this

programme. So if you don't want to know today's results, you know what

to do. Look away now and maybe turn the volume down on your TV. Arsenal

endured another unhappy awayday - this time as Blackburn came from

behind twice to beat the Gunners 4- behind twice to beat the Gunners 4-

3. That result eases the pressure on manager Steve Kean. Everton

on manager Steve Kean. Everton moved up to seventh in the Premier

League table after Apostolos Vellios and Royston Drenter scored

their first goals for the club in the 3-1 win over Wigan. Aston Villa

and Newcastle extended their unbeaten starts to five games after

a 1-1 draw. Norwich beat 10-man Bolton - their first league win of

the season. Swansea ended their goal drought with a 3-0 win over

West Brom. Wolves will be wishing that the power cut that hit

Wolverhampton earlier today had continued, after QPR went on to

beat them at Molineux. In Scotland, Motherwell missed the chance to

move level on points with the SPL leaders Rangers, who play Celtic

tomorrow. They lost 3-0 at home to St Johnstone. Aberdeen and

Kilmarnock shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie. Dundee

United were 3-1 winners over Inverness. Hibs let slip a 2-goal

lead to draw at Dunfermline. Hearts move up to fourth with a 2-0 win

And finally, Surrey have beaten Somerset by five wickets to secure

the Clydesdale Bank 40 trophy at That's all from us tonight. Just