25/02/2012 BBC Weekend News

Good evening. Two senior American army officers have been shot dead

inside a high-security command centre in Afghanistan. The Taliban

said it carried out the attack at the Interior Ministry in Kabul in

retaliation for the burning of copies of the Koran by US soldiers

last week. Following today's shooting, NATO announced it was

withdrawing staff from Afghan government ministries in the

capital. Britain has pulled out civilian advisers. From Kabul, here

It is heavily guarded and heavily fortified, but a gunman managed to

strike inside Afghanistan's Interior Ministry, and it seems to

get away. The victims were American military advisers, probably killed

by one of their Afghan colleagues. NATO says it is too soon to say if

the killings are connected to the nationwide protests against the

burning of the Koran by US troops. We are not linking this incident

has yet. We have to look into the details of what is going to come

out over the coming hours. Of course, it is very regretful to see

the loss of life. The killer has not been identified, but a senior

Afghan source told us it may be an Afghan soldier or translator.

Investigators are still at work inside the Interior Ministry. The

fact that NATO troops could be targeted and killed here raises

serious security concerns. The interior ministry should be one of

the safest places in the country. Only those with top security

clearance can get through the door. NATO's top military commander,

General John Allen, has now recalled all NATO advisers working

in Kabul. British civilian advisers have also been pulled out. Across

Afghanistan, there is still rage against NATO. Protests have

continued for a fifth day, and local security forces are

struggling to control the crowds. NATO is now under attack on the

streets and in the heart of the More than 100,000 doctors and

medical students are to be balloted on industrial action in protest at

planned changes to their pensions. Their union, the BMA, has rolled

out the idea of a strike. The last time they union balloted its

members was in 1975. Ministers say the reforms are necessary to ensure

pensions are sustainable and affordable. Ross Hawkins reports.

Art doctors willing to bring industrial action to hospitals and

surgeries to protect their pensions? That is what they union

is asking them to decide. We very much hope that any industrial

action can be avoided and that the Government will come back to the

table, but it is really the government to have left us with no

choice by their refusal to enter into meaningful discussions.

BMA has rolled out strikes, but doctors could, for example, insist

on working to rule. -- ruled out. At issue is the pension scheme in

England and Wales, which is set to change. Under government plans,

doctors' pensions were no longer be based on their final salaries but

on how much they had earned on average. The normal pension age

would rise to 68. Contributions would go up to as much as 14.5% for

those earning over �110,000. Doctors have not taken industrial

action since 1975. Some of today's medics are, like their predecessors,

angry with the Government, but ministers say they have protected

low and middle learning public sector workers in their pension

changes and are not showing any signs of making concessions to

doctors, who can earn six-figure salaries. Nothing is gained by the

threat of industrial action. Nothing will be gained by this

ballot. We entered into negotiations in good faith and

arrived at what I believe is not only the best available but a high

quality scheme, a high quality pension scheme that values the

staff of the NHS. The British Medical Association has grown used

to finding itself at odds with the Government. It also opposes plans

to change the NHS in England. When health groups were invited to

Downing Street at the start of the week to discuss those with the

Prime Minister, the BMA was not on the guest-list. Other workers have

already gone on strike over pensions, but ministers want to

start making changes this year. Doctors have to decide whether they

can or should try to stand in the Nelson Mandela is said to be in a

stable condition in hospital in South Africa after an operation for

a stomach complaint. The authorities will not say where he

is or what procedure he has undergone. The spokesman said the

government was keen to protect his family from the media. Africa

correspondent Andrew Harding is in Johannesburg. Andrew.

Yes, the news was an expected and did trigger some alarm here. After

all, Nelson Mandela is frail, increasingly frail, and 93 years

old. But within a matter of hours, it was confirmed that the former

President is not only conscious but comfortable and even talking.

This is almost certainly where Nelson Mandela was brought

overnight, a military hospital in the city of Pretoria. South African

officials were quick to tell world not to panic. He is fine. He just

had abdominal pains for some time now, and the doctors decided that

that they should admit him with a view to check those abdominal pains.

So it was not an emergency admission. The former freedom

fighter remains an iconic figure. But his health has been failing. He

is now 93. It is one years since he was last in hospital with a chest

infection, and now it is his stomach. The details of the surgery

have not been made public. Outside his old home in Soweto this

afternoon, messages of support. are sending him positive vibrations,

because he is irrepressible. You know, what he has done, the peace

in the community, the world peace he has brought. He has pushed

through so many years, but I am heartbroken, he is in my prayers.

The 2010 World Cup was Mr Mandela's last, brief public appearance. He

delighted a global audience that has not forgotten his defining role

in bringing democracy and reconciliation to is that Africa.

Tonight, confirmation from Bresnan Jacob Zuma that Nelson Mandela

underwent a diagnostic procedure. - - President. He is now expected to

leave hospital and head home, probably within the next few days,

most likely on Monday. Andrew, thank you. Andrew Harding

in Johannesburg. The government has denied a claim

from the head of Britain's biggest drugs company that new cancer

treatments are being delayed to save money. Sir Andrew Witty from

GlaxoSmithKline said governments across Europe were holding up

approval for new medicines as a way of controlling costs. The

Department for Health says patients have benefited from a �650 million

Cancer Drugs Fund and says companies should look at how much

they are charging. To sport, and in their crunch Six

Nations match Wales have beaten England 19-12 at Twickenham to win

the Triple Crown. Earlier, Ireland beat Italy convincingly in Dublin.

With all the action, here is Joe Wilson.

England gathered themselves like heroes. To many eyes, they looked

like zeros, no chance was the general protection, even at

Twickenham. Owen Farrell led the young hopefuls against Wells's

experience and sheer force. It was a shuddering stalemate. Both

kickers kept their composure. Leigh Halfpenny with the accuracy for

Wales, and Owen Farrell cleared his head to edge England into the lead,

9-6 at half-time, 12-9 with 15 minutes left when he was forced off.

The agony of leaving hurt more than anything. Five minutes left, the

scores were level, and brilliant sleight of hand, Scott Williams

stole the ball and a march. A kick into space and a sprint that only

he would win. For the first time in the match, Wales lead. Timing is

everything. Still dying seconds for England to throw the ball. England

was just short. Held up by the Welsh will to win. Oh, unbelievable.

We did not play well at all today, I didn't think, we knew it would be

the toughest games so far, and we ignore everything in the media. We

know England are a quality and fit, and it was one hell of a Test match.

In Dublin, Italy had their moments but they were all in the first half.

The captain went over, 10-10 briefly. It was only Ireland's

second game of the Six Nations after being frozen out in Paris,