21/04/2012 BBC Weekend News

More violent clashes in Bahrain, on the eve of the Grand Prix, as one

protester is killed. Thousands of people take to the streets, as the

British government urges Bahrain's leaders to act with restraint.

Tributes are paid to the Labour peer, Jack Ashley, who's died aged

And in Pakistan, questions over an airline's safety record, after a

Good evening. There have been more violent

clashes between protesters and police in Bahrain, where the

Formula 1 Grand Prix is scheduled to go ahead tomorrow. A protester

has been found dead. Opposition parties say he was killed by riot

police. Tonight, the Foreign Secretary William Hague called on

Bahrain's government to exercise restraint. Our correspondent Dan

Roan is in Bahrain. You may find some of the pictures in his report

distressing. The aftermath of another death in

Bahrain, in this village where the body of a protester was found this

morning. He was 37, it was claimed he was killed by shotgun pellets

fired by right police. The investigation into his death is

under way. After a man was taken yesterday as he was protesting at

7pm, today the government founds -- claims it found his body. The

village is surrounded by armoured vehicles, more than 100 youths have

been arrested in three days because the government wanted to seem like

it is quick -- it is quiet during the Formula One. Tonight, more

unrest, as three days of protest to the continued. This is a fortress

in the desert in Bahrain. A heightened so Judy presence in the

roads surrounding the motor-racing circuit this morning. The drivers

are here simply to drive, their eyes firmly on tomorrow's race,

happy to leave those who run this most political of sport to defend

the wisdom of returning here. not sure that those protests would

have happened if the Grand Prix would not have happened. We know

those protests have increased because Formula One has come here,

that is a fact. We now know someone has died. It does the possibility

of people to have a voice. crown prince is part of the Sunni

royalty, struggling to contain the anger of the divided island's Shia

population. He has defied calls for the event to be cancelled, despite

the inability of the governing body to guarantee a trouble-free race.

feel very comfortable, having the race in Bahrain, after a great

Grand Prix in China last week, and before, going to Barcelona in three

weeks for the first grand prix in Europe.

Today's qualifying session took place against a backdrop of

virtually empty Grand stands. Sebastian Vettel back on pole

position. This is a race weekend like no other. Formula One is a

sport in which taking risks is expected. The decision to defy

critics and a drive through with his controversial race could be its

biggest gamble yet. Dan joins us now from the circuit outside of

Manama. Have these latest clashes and the death of a protester

changed things from the perspective of those there?

There is no doubt that the first death of this grand prix weekend

will only serve to heighten the fury, the tension and temperature

here in Bahrain. I was with Jean Todt, the FIA President, when he

was told the News of the death of that protester. He was visibly

shocked, the last thing he wanted to hear given the controversy

raging around the wisdom of bringing this event back to this

Arab kingdom. It still goes ahead, the race. The BBC has learned the

Foreign Secretary has run his counterpart in Bahrain to express

his concern at what he is seeing, the violence he has been seen on TV,

to urge restraint when it comes to dinner with the protest. And to ask

him with the urgency to bring in the reforms the Independent

Commission has recommended, including the release of political

prisoners. The opposition has called for the abandonment of this

race. This strengthening of tone and language can only be seen as

significant. The United Nations Security Council has voted to

increase, to 300, the number of observers in Syria monitoring the

ceasefire between government and rebel forces. The vote came as a

small group of UN monitors entered the embattled city of Homs for the

first time. Tributes have been paid to the

Labour peer Jack Ashley, who's died after a short illness. He was 89. A

life-long disability rights campaigner, Lord Ashley, who lost

his hearing in his forties, had a long and successful career at

Westminster. David Cameron said he'd made a major contribution to

public life. While Ed Miliband said he'd be remembered with "deep

affection". The Lord Ashley commanded huge

respect and affection across political lines, but he was not

afraid of confrontation as he fought for the rights of the

underprivileged and disabled. is happening today is disabled

people are expressing their great anger at the refusal of the

government to give them proper legislative rights. He worked for

the BBC in the 1960s. This is a documentary he made about life on

the dole. Many unemployed people have told me queueing for the doll

is humiliating. He is there any way you can... A year went on to

campaign for the disadvantaged in Parliament. Jack Ashley was MP for

Stoke the 26 years although he almost stood down when he lost his

hearing in a routine operation two years after winning his seat.

Normally, he used to sit in the front bench because if he asked a

question, the Prime Minister's answer would be tight about, and

would be on a little screen. Colleagues remember a determined

campaigner. He is whole life was devoted to dealing with the problem

that he faced, which was disability. He proved that if you really do

work at it and campaign, you can make progress. When Jack entered

Parliament, there was no provision for disabled people on access to

the built environment. There were no environment -- allowances. He

leaves a much better legacy than was left to him. Lord Ashley will

be remembered as the champion of the rights of disabled people, who

changed laws and public attitudes. Lord Ashley, who died today. The

authorities in Pakistan have launched a criminal investigation

into a plane crash near the capital Islamabad that killed all 127

people on board. The owner of the airline has been

barred from leaving the country, amid questions over flight safety

standards. But the airline says poor weather was to blame. From

Islamabad, Orla Guerin reports. Victims of the crash were taken on

their final journey today. There was coffin after coffin. Relatives

mourned of for lost loved ones. Among the dead, 11 children, and a

pair of newlyweds going on their honeymoon. Mohammed says he lost

four young nephews, his sister and brother in law. This was the second

major crash in Islamabad in under two years. Renewing concerns about

poor oversight, and corruption in aviation in Pakistan. At daybreak,

the wreckage of the Boeing 737 are still littered the fields outside

the capital. The aeroplane which came down in a storm, was about 30

years old. The airline, Bhoja Air, reopened only last month, after 10

years of financial problems. Tonight, people are still coming to

check the list of the dead. This has been a day of grieving, and

burying, and of many questions. People are demanding to know if the

airline should have been allowed to reopen, and if the aeroplane was

too old. The owner of the airline has been barred from leaving the

country. The government has promised a thorough investigation.

Gun salutes have taken place across the UK today, to celebrate the

Queen's 86th birthday. At Edinburgh Castle, large crowds turned out to

watch a 21-gun salute by 105 Regiment Royal Artillery.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen herself spent the day "privately".

In football, Arsenal and Chelsea played out a goalless draw, as the

fight for Champions League qualification intensified. Arsenal

came closest hitting the woodwork twice. First, through Robin Van

Persie who hit the base of the Chelsea post. And then again when

Lauren Koscielny saw his header come back off the bar. Arsenal stay

in third place. Tottenham Hotspur are currently in

action against relegation threatened Queen's Park Rangers.

Just into the second half. 1-0. A pin point free kick gave Rangers