:00:22. > :00:28.A senior military commander warned the Defence Secretary in April that
:00:29. > :00:30.cuts had left Britain's armed forces ill-prepared for any
:00:31. > :00:35.The comments were made by General Sir Richard Barrons
:00:36. > :00:37.in a memo he wrote to the Defence Secretary Michael
:00:38. > :00:42.This afternoon Sir Richard told the BBC that Britain needed to close
:00:43. > :00:54.Here's our Defence Correspondent Jonathan Beale.
:00:55. > :01:01.For over a decade, Britain's Armed Forces have been fighting
:01:02. > :01:06.counterinsurgency wars in Afghanistan and Iraq but according
:01:07. > :01:09.to a senior former general, they are ill-equipped and ill-prepared to
:01:10. > :01:13.defend their homeland or to fight a war against the significant military
:01:14. > :01:16.power like Russia. General Sir Richard Barrons gave this stark
:01:17. > :01:22.assessment to the Defence Secretary, just before he left the army a few
:01:23. > :01:26.months ago and he's now gone public. Although NATO is a considerably more
:01:27. > :01:31.powerful organisation, in absolute terms than Russia, because what
:01:32. > :01:34.Russia has, it is holding at high readiness, we have created this gap
:01:35. > :01:40.for opportunism or miscalculation. I argue we should close that gap.
:01:41. > :01:44.British forces have recently been training with NATO Allies to meet
:01:45. > :01:49.the potential threat from a more aggressive Russia. But in his
:01:50. > :01:52.ten-page memo to the Defence Secretary, Sir Richard highlights
:01:53. > :02:02.serious gaps in the nation's defences. He states:
:02:03. > :02:14.And goes on: And he warns of extremely fragile equipment or
:02:15. > :02:18.platforms that we cannot afford to use fully, damage or lose.
:02:19. > :02:21.That appears to be a reference to the two new expensive aircraft
:02:22. > :02:31.carriers now being built for the Royal Navy. As for the new jets that
:02:32. > :02:35.will fly off them, DFs 35, Sir Richard said an enemy would in the
:02:36. > :02:40.need to shoot them down, they would only need to target the 40 people
:02:41. > :02:43.who need to fly them Sir Richard is undoubtedly right. There are many
:02:44. > :02:48.people inside the military of defence at senior level and outside
:02:49. > :02:58.of it, who would agree. It is only a shame he didn't raise the issues for
:02:59. > :03:04.forcibly when he was there. But the ministry of defence is keen it point
:03:05. > :03:07.out that spending is rising. Some in the MoD have questioned his motives.
:03:08. > :03:11.He was recently passed over for promotion. But Sir Richard said it
:03:12. > :03:17.is not sour grapes, he is speaking out as a matter of conscience.
:03:18. > :03:20.Motorists caught using hand-held mobiles while driving are to face
:03:21. > :03:22.much tougher penalties from next year.
:03:23. > :03:24.The Government says they'll include six points on a driving licence
:03:25. > :03:26.and fines of ?200 - double the current punishments.
:03:27. > :03:34.It's been banned for 13 years but seeing drivers with a phone
:03:35. > :03:38.pressed to their ears or tapping away at the lights is common.
:03:39. > :03:41.Even hard-hitting TV campaigns have failed to prevent motorists
:03:42. > :03:45.from constantly checking their phones.
:03:46. > :03:48.Daryl Martin's brother Lee was killed by a driver who had been
:03:49. > :03:51.caught eight times previously for texting at the wheel.
:03:52. > :03:54.I don't want someone to be in the same position
:03:55. > :03:58.And I don't really want someone to be in the position
:03:59. > :04:05.You have to live with that, all over a text message.
:04:06. > :04:08.The bloke who killed my brother was writing a text message about how
:04:09. > :04:14.he was going to meet his mates and take his dog for a walk.
:04:15. > :04:17.So now the Government is beefing up the punishment.
:04:18. > :04:19.From early next year, the number of points you'll get,
:04:20. > :04:22.if caught, will rise from three to six and the fine will rise
:04:23. > :04:24.from a minimum of ?100, to at least ?200.
:04:25. > :04:26.That means you'll lose your licence if caught twice in
:04:27. > :04:31.Younger drivers who have just passed their test will lose
:04:32. > :04:33.their licence immediately and have to resit the exam.
:04:34. > :04:36.Alongside doubling the points you will get on your licence now,
:04:37. > :04:39.the Government also wants to change the cultural attitude to texting
:04:40. > :04:41.and tweeting at the wheel, to make it as socially unacceptable
:04:42. > :04:47.Of course the real issue is enforcement.
:04:48. > :04:55.Drug driving, speeding, using your mobile phone,
:04:56. > :05:05.If you are sitting next to someone that's using their phone,
:05:06. > :05:09.You don't want to be the person in the car that's injured
:05:10. > :05:14.Technology may also have a role to play.
:05:15. > :05:16.Mobiles already have a flight safe mode.
:05:17. > :05:19.Safety groups say that a car safe mode is also required.
:05:20. > :05:28.The father and former husband of a woman from Bradford have again
:05:29. > :05:30.appeared in court in Pakistan accused of murdering her.
:05:31. > :05:32.Both deny involvement in the death of Samia Shahid,
:05:33. > :05:40.who police say was strangled in July.
:05:41. > :05:43.The BBC's seen an email which suggests she may not have
:05:44. > :05:45.legally divorced her first husband before remarrying.
:05:46. > :05:47.Police in Germany have tightened security for the world's
:05:48. > :05:50.biggest beer festival, Oktoberfest, which gets
:05:51. > :05:55.The authorities fear that the event could be a target for
:05:56. > :05:57.terrorists, following deadly attacks in the summer.
:05:58. > :06:03.Balancing old traditions with a new way of life.
:06:04. > :06:06.6 million drinkers celebrate Oktoberfest.
:06:07. > :06:10.This year they are searched on the way in, rucksacks are banned
:06:11. > :06:17.Last year you are coming up to Oktoberfest, you are going there,
:06:18. > :06:20.everybody is happy and this year you are coming there,
:06:21. > :06:23.there is a fence, everybody is telling you where to go and so,
:06:24. > :06:34.But it is not too bad, I say.
:06:35. > :06:37.People can enjoy themselves and the people that are here, I say
:06:38. > :06:43.Munich, Germany is taking no chances.
:06:44. > :06:45.The Government acknowledges that IS is using the refugee crisis
:06:46. > :06:55.It's been a year since ten of thousands of refugees arrived
:06:56. > :06:58.at this station and were greeted by crowds of cheering Germans.
:06:59. > :07:05.Angela Merkel is struggling to reassure the German public,
:07:06. > :07:07.many of whom fear that when she opened this country's
:07:08. > :07:13.Mrs Merkel doesn't impress the Bavarian Government, either.
:07:14. > :07:17.The refugees are one challenge for Europe
:07:18. > :07:26.So, we have to have more controlling on the borders, the outset borders
:07:27. > :07:29.of the European Union but in Germany, too.
:07:30. > :07:31.For the first time, Oktoberfest is completely fenced in.
:07:32. > :07:34.A country that prided itself on open borders is now putting up
:07:35. > :07:47.It's the last full day of competition at the Paralympics
:07:48. > :07:50.in Rio and there have been more golds for Great Britain,
:07:51. > :07:52.with Dame Sarah Storey winning in the road race.
:07:53. > :07:54.Paralympics GB has already passed the haul for London 2012
:07:55. > :08:06.The report does contain some flash photography.
:08:07. > :08:13.The start of yet another golden journey. On the roads of Rio, Dame
:08:14. > :08:19.Sarah Storey in search of a 14th Paralympic title and she proved you,
:08:20. > :08:23.once again, why she's Britain's most successful female Paralympian.
:08:24. > :08:27.Another gold to add to her team's extraordinary selection. Last night
:08:28. > :08:34.they hurtled past the 120 medals they won in London, thanks to
:08:35. > :08:39.another title for Hannah Cockroft in the 800 m and another bronze for
:08:40. > :08:44.Carrie. That wasn't the only willing target they hit. John Walker only
:08:45. > :08:48.took up archery three years ago as a hobby. Now he is a Paralympian
:08:49. > :08:51.champion. There was also success in the pool as Stephanie Millward
:08:52. > :08:56.guided the women's relay team to gold and a new World Record and in
:08:57. > :09:00.the tennis, the team-mates turned rivals. Gordon Reid winning the
:09:01. > :09:04.all-British final against his doubles partner, Alfie Hewitt. After
:09:05. > :09:08.reaching two finals here, both now ready for some rest. It's been a
:09:09. > :09:13.long slog out here. Three weeks we have been out here now. And I'm
:09:14. > :09:17.definitely ready for home but to be able to go home with four medals is
:09:18. > :09:20.going to make that journey back easier. And there's been more
:09:21. > :09:24.success for Britain this afternoon in the athletics. 16-year-old Maria
:09:25. > :09:32.Lyle, winning another bronze in her 200 m.
:09:33. > :09:40.Yes, and I can tell you there has been another gold in the Archie for
:09:41. > :09:45.Jess Stretton. That means Britain has won 60 golds at these games.
:09:46. > :09:47.When you bear nibbed they won 34 at the whole of London 2012, that's
:09:48. > :09:51.some achievement, Kate. Thank you. We're back with the late
:09:52. > :09:52.news at 10.10pm.