05/01/2014 BBC Weekend News

protect the value of the state pension if re-elected. He says

maintaining annual increases will give pensioners dignity and

security. He doesn't rule out cuts to other benefits. People who have

worked hard, who have done the right thing and provided for their

families, they should know they are going to get a decent state pension

and they don't have to worry about it lagging behind prices. More wet

and windy weather into the UK from the Atlantic. Nearly 80 flood

warnings are in place. And a shattering end to the Ashes,

as Australia whitewash England, 5-0. Good evening. The Prime Minister has

promised to protect the value of state pensions if the Conservatives

win the next election. David Cameron says he is committed to the triple

lock, by which pensions rise in line with prices, wages or by 2.5%,

whichever is highest. He has insisted it is fair to prioritise

pensions even as benefits for younger people are slashed.

Will they be able to keep up if the economy starts to gather pace? David

Cameron's message is designed to reassure more than 11 million people

that their state pensions will be protected for another five years if

he wins the next election. He has promised to keep the so-called

triple lock, which guarantees the state pension will rise in line with

either wages, prices or by 2.5%, whichever is the highest.

I want people, when they reach retirement, to know they can have

dignity and security in their old age. People who have worked hard,

who have done the right thing, who have provided for their families.

They should know they will get a decent state pension and they don't

have to worry about it lagging behind prices or earnings. David

Cameron is the first party leader to promise to keep the policy until

2020. It puts pressure on Labour and the Liberal Democrats to say if they

will match his pledge. Both have stressed their support for the

triple lock. They have made no specific commitments about whether

they would keep it in place after the next election. We will set out

plans in the manifesto for all of our tax and spending proposals.

Nobody should be in any doubt about my commitment to the triple lock on

pensions. Increasing the state pension will

benefit all pensioner, including some who are enjoying comfortable

lifestyles. It will have to be paid for by those who are working. It

seems extremely unfair on younger people who face terrific high costs

and who would be paying for these higher pensions. It seems also

unaffordable. Those concerns are reflected in the continuing debate

about whether to keep other pensioner benefits, such as the

winter fuel allowance and free bus passes. Pensioners are the most

likely age group to vote. Perhaps it is not surprising that the first

plank of the Conservative election manifesto is crafted to appeal to

their interests. And we can join Carol now live at

Westminster. As you were saying there, it is a New Year and already

we are talking about the next election. That is right. All the

party leaders keen to set out their own distinctive messages to voters.

Interest that after all the talk of the threat to the Conservatives from

the UKIP, the need to strike a tough note on immigration and Europe and

so on, David Cameron has chosen his first initiative to be on a bread

and butter issue. One that affects a lot of people, more than 11 million

and gets right back on to the centre-ground of British politics,

likely to win broad support across his party and the public. The other

significance of this is it does allow David Cameron to set the

agenda on this, after weeks, months, when it was Ed Miliband who was seen

to be calling the shots with his talk of an energy price rise. So, I

think David Cameron will be seen to have got off the starting blocks

pretty sharply in this New Year. But, of course, there is a very long

and gruelling course ahead, and there is still 16 months to go

before that general election. Thank you. 80 flood warnings remain

in place across the UK. Many areas could remain at risk for several

days. More than 200 homes have been flooded, with the worst of the

weather passing over south-west England and Wales and on to the

north and east. In Oxford a man was killed when his mobility scooter

fell into the Thames. Rain on rain on rain. And this is

the result. In the market town of Bradford on

Avon, the water is rising. The river here should be several feet lower

than it is today. Those arches under the bridge should be entirely

visible. Mark's restaurant has already

flooded and it will not reopen for months.

Some staff have had to be laid off. He's worried the water could now

come in all over again. How vulnerable do you feel right now?

Very vulnerable. And there is nothing I can do. There is nothing

my wife and I can do. There is nothing anyone can do. We are at the

liberty to the water. In this town, and in riverside

communities all over the UK, they are preparing for another week of

disruption. This was Belfast this afternoon.

Another load of sandbags heading out.

Rising rivers mean increasing dangers. In Gloucestershire, fire

crews had to rescue two lorry drivers from their stranded truck.

And with more people returning to work and school tomorrow, after the

Christmas break, renewed warnings tonight about the risks of flooding.

Less than 30 cms of water, which is just one ruler, in this sort of

tidal flow will take people away. That is a hazard to everybody. It is

County Down which has had the worst of it today. With more high winds

and high tides forecast for tomorrow, there are dozens of flood

warnings around our coastline. At least this battered seafront enjoyed

some welcome sunshine this afternoon. But don't expect it to

last. And in the United States forecasters

are warning of potentially record low temperatures as Arctic weather

sweeps in from the north. 45 cms of snow have fallen in Boston. Half of

the United States will be affected during Monday and Tuesday w mass

travel disruption likely. An Iraqi Government operation

appears to be under way to retake areas seized in recent days by

militants linked to Al-Qaeda. Civilians are reported to have fled

Fallujah, West of the capital, amid air strikes and artillery

bombardment. Cordoned off streets in the Iraqi

capital. The aftermath of another bombing in the troubled new cycle of

ethnic tensions andvy leps here. Events further west in Iraq are

grabbing international attention. Here in Anbar province

Al-Qaeda-linked militants have taken control of all or parts of the

cities. The Shia dominated Government is

trying to retake with its rebel allies.

TRANSLATION: The co-ordination between the Army and tribesman is

progressing. The Army provides the tribes with weapons and everything

they need in this battle against the terrorists.

I think this issue will be resolved within a day or two days to expel

the armed groups. The American Secretary of State,

John Kerry, here in Jordan has said he's very concerned about the

reasuragains of militants and Washington will do all it can to

support the Iraqi Government. It was not contemplating boots on the

ground, adding, "This is their fight." During the US operation

Fallujah was one of the deadly strongholds of the insurgency. The

Iraqi defence ministry says this is footage of air strikes in Anbar

province and reports say residents are leaving Fallujah fearing a

Government air and artillery assault to regain control. This is a

high-stake stakes confrontation. Three people have been arrested

after an unknown substance was found at a house in Hull. Nearby

properties have been evacuated. Army explosive experts are at the scene.

Three people, including a 15 yorld boy, are being held in --

15-year-old boy, are being held in police custody.

Good evening. England's cricketers have been comprehensively beaten in

the Ashes in Australia. They suffered an embarrassing 5-0

whitewash. They lost within three days in one of their worst

performances of the tour. The whitewash was complete -

Australia had not just beaten England, they had annihilated them.

The tourists put out of their Ashes mystery. Rogers's century held ping

to set a target of 448. In the first innings, Alastair Cook had gone

second ball. Today he lasted until the second over. We knew what would

happen next. They may have been tempted to blame their tools, but

the senior batsmen know they have not been good enough here. England,

57-3. And then, fittingly, another collapse, as four wickets fell in 11

balls after tea. Like lambs to the slaughter, batsmen came and wept in

the blink of an eye. The end was nie. The only two Englishmen who

leave with reputations in tack, Stokes and Broad, did go down

swinging. After their defiance was snuffed out, it was complete -

England - the favourites before this series, losing by 281 runs. Losing

5-0 and losing perhaps like they have never lost before. We have

obviously let supporters down because we have not played very

well. At the end of the day, the results suggest that. Every person

will feel they have let themselves down. Only broad broad and Stokes

have de-- Broad and Stokes have delivered close to their potential.

This has been England's worst tour ever. The team and those in charge

of it will now come under severe scrutiny. The inquest into what went

so wrong out here will now begin. With another Ashes series as soon as

next year, answers are needed fast. The FA Cup third round continues

today. Manchester United are drawing 1-1 at home to Swansea, 13 minutes

into the second half. Chelsea beat Derby County, 2-0. West Ham are out,

losing 5-0 to the championships Nottingham Forest.

For relegation-threatened West Ham, the FA Cup might have provided some

much-needed relief. With only one win in eight, the pressure on Sam

Allardyce is evident. An inexperienced West Ham side were

up against it as soon as they conceded an early penalty.

Djamel Abdoun with the confidence of the team chasing promotion. The

Hammers got to half time without further damn. They began to crumble.

Jamie Paterson grabbed his first goal for Forest. Having waited six

months for his first, he only had six minutes to wait for his second.

It was becoming very painful viewing for some. For Paterson, it just got

better. He completed his hat trick in some style.

Reid capped off a sensational day for Forest. Allardyce's problems

deepen. Jose Mourinho is sitting much more

comfortably at Chelsea, after a successful festive period. They

found some strong resistance from Derby. It took a set-piece to break

them down and a rare goal from Mikel Obi. Oscar scored his eighth goal of

the season to send Chelsea into the fourth round.

In the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are 13 points clear at the top of

the table. 4-0 winners over St Mirren. All four goals came in the

second half, including two from Kris Commons. Elsewhere wins for Aberdeen

and Partick Thistle. One of the greatest footballers of all time,

Eusebio, has died, aged 71. He scored more than 700 goals and was

top scorer in the 1966 World Cup. Eusebio! Oh, my word!

Have you ever seen anything like that! The pictures might be dated,

the technique can still be marvelled at. 1966 might be remembered as the

year England won the World Cup. It was Eusebio who was the star of that

tournament. Born in Mozambique, under colonial rule, he had no

choice but to represent Portugal. Often appearing to win matches on

his own. In their quarter-final Portugal trialled North Korea 3-0.

Eusebio changed everything. Defeat turned to victory by one man.

THE COMMENTATOR: 4-3. All four to Eusebio. There was a goal to Eusebio

in the semi-final too. Portugal were beaten by England. In all, Eusebio

scored 41 goals in 64 games for Portugal. He came to prominence as a

20-year-old, scoring and playing twice for Benfica against Real

Madrid in 1962. He was to become a prolific goal scorer for the club.

Defenders knew they had to stop him... Somehow. Nobby Stiles here

with the robust attempt. That was in the 1968 cup final, which United

won, but only after a safe late on from from Eusebio. I can accept what

he did. Throughout his career, that was the way he always performed and

what he did. He gave so much respect to the game.

Like I said, it was a privilege to play against him. That was well

known and well used by Portugal. He worked as am ambassador for the nags

national. Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, one of

the greatest players not just of the 1960s, but of any era.

That is the sport. Back to you. There is more throughout the

evening. We are back with the late news at