10/05/2014 BBC Weekend News

Good evening. The First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama has

said she and the president are "outraged and heartbroken" over the

kidnapping of more than 200 girls from their school in Nigeria. Mrs

Obama took the rare step of delivering her husband's weekly

radio address to condemn the abduction - calling it an

"unconscionable act". In Nigeria, local hunters are expected to join

the search. From Abuja, Mark Doyle reports.

It is several weeks since more than 200 schoolgirls were taken by the

militant Islamist group called Boko Haram. It is the latest incident in

a bitter war with the Nigerian authorities. For the families of the

teenage girls, the agony continues. Michelle Obama, who today presented

her husband's weekly address to the nation, used the occasion to

highlight the girls' plight. My husband and I are outraged and

heartbroken over the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from

their school dormitory in the middle of the night. What happened in

Nigeria was not an isolated incident. It is a story we see

everyday as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their

ambitions. It is a good thing they are worried about it and have showed

concern, and they are sending people to help us out. We are happy about

it because all we want is it resolved. The Mac it is the

beginning of the end of Boko Haram. This has brought the whole world to

Nigeria. Offers of help to find the girls have come from several

countries. The United States has a team on the ground, and a small

group of British experts have also flown to Nigeria to give assistance

in the hunt. It was a combination of the outrage of ordinary Nigerians

and pressure from the international community that perhaps goaded them

to save more about what they are doing to rescue the girls. Many

Nigerians are deeply set goal -- sceptical about the military effort

to do that, and still less, to end the vicious insurgency ripping

through the north-east of this country. Demonstrations calling for

the release of the girls have spread across the world. Protests like this

will not bother at the battle hardened Islamist of Boko Haram.

They would be worried if the international community began giving

effective military support to the Nigerian army. Gary Barlow and two

other members of the band Take That face having to repay a reported

twenty million pounds in tax. A court judgement ruled that a scheme

set up to invest in the music industry was, in fact,

"predominantly" designed to avoid tax. Andrew Verity reports.

After years of musical success and organising the Queen's Diamond

Jubilee concert, Gary Barlow has been awarded an OBE had promoted as

a national treasure. In 2010, he became the latest among hundreds of

wealthy individuals to invest a scheme which purportedly supported

up-and-coming musicians. -- invest in a scheme. Gary Barlow and two

fellow band members became directors of Larkdale, a partnership arranged

with a company called Icebreaker, which had done more than 50 schemes

for other wealthy individuals. In the same year, they recorded losses

of ?25 million, which could be offset against other income to slash

tax billss. Over the course of year they recorded losses of ?300

million, which makes them look like a terrible investment, but HMRC

argued that the losses were not real but artificial, designed to save

their investors on tax. Now the courts have agreed. What we need to

see is a radical supplication of the tax system, we need to see those

loopholes in radically to so that people can feel entry one --

everyone is paying their fair share. When The Times exposed

everyone is paying their fair Carter's tax avoidance, David

Cameron condemned it as morally unacceptable. So far, no such strong

words for Gary Barlow. The boss of the American drug giant Pfizer has

said the firm's proposed takeover of British-based AstraZeneca is a

"win-win for society". Pfizer Chairman Ian Read said the sixty

billion takeover would take out overlapping functions to increase

productivity and lower costs. I believe that by combining these

companies, we strengthen those possibilities, the ability to bring

products to patients, the financial aspects of the company, we can

invest in science, I see this as a victory for society, shareholders,

and stakeholders. Our political correspondent joins us. They make

think that but they have a lot of persuading to do. They have not

persuaded the politicians yet. I think for Pfizer, the timing is

unfortunate. They have to decide whether to launch a hostile bid by

May the 26th, that is a few days after important local and European

elections. It has become highly political, and the Chancellor told

the BBC today that he is prepared to get into the room with Pfizer and

have what he called hard-nosed negotiations. In practice, he wants

guarantees that go beyond the existing offer. Labour is even more

sceptical. The shadow business secretary said he believes these

existing guarantees are not worth the paper they are printed on and,

in the next few days, the chief executive will be questioned by two

committees of MPs. Expect some hard questions and lots of political

grandstanding. South Yorkshire police have appealed for a

hit-and-run driver to come forward after a teenage girl was killed and

another seriously injured. Jasmyn Chan was killed in Sheffield on

Friday evening, another girl aged 12 was seriously injured.

It's one of the most talked about and successful TV shows in the

world. But the fantasy drama series Game of Thrones is also providing an

unexpected boost closer to home. Filmed at studios in Belfast, and on

locations across Northern Ireland, the show is part of a big growth in

the arts and entertainment industry there. From Belfast, our Chief

Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym reports. Welcome to Hollywood, near

Belfast. On the face of it there is not much in common with the capital

of the American film industry, until you walk through a door on this

quiet and unassuming suburban street. Much of the editing for Game

of Thrones happens right here at a local production company. Thanks to

that and other TV dramas, trainees like this person have got their

break in the industry. When I had graduated, I apply for positions all

over the world in Canada, England, everywhere, and it is kind of

surreal but I ended up getting in a job 15 minutes from where I corrupt.

With many of the locations in Northern Ireland, a wide range of

jobs and opportunities have been created for local industry, one that

is growing in stature and confidence. The effect Game of

Thrones and all the other drama series have had has been huge. We

now have a really talented creative workforce in Northern Ireland. In

that building, some of Game of Thrones was filmed. Here in the

former yard where Titanic was built, it is a magnet for creative

industries and tourism, and that has created jobs. The number of jobs in

arts, entertainment and recreation in Northern Ireland was up 12.4%

over the six years to 2013. That is faster than the UK total. Experts

say these industries have had a wider impact on Northern Ireland's

economy. By portraying Northern Ireland in a positive light, that

creates to risk benefits. That in turn has created jobs and

hospitality. By creative -- creating a positive image, everybody

benefits. In the same way that creating a negative image does bad

damage. Tours like this for fans wanting to see the scenic backdrops

demonstrate the ripple effect from the film industry's growth. The

employment rate is below the rest of the UK. There is some catching up to

do. Thanks to the show business effect, it is moving in the right