13/02/2013 BBC News at One

Crisis talks - the Environment Secretary flies to Europe to try to

find a solution to the horsemeat scandal. Here, the Food standards

agency says there'll be a relentless search for the truth but

are criticised by the owner of a meat plant they're investigating.

If I protest, I protest too much but I can't do no more than show

you and tell you what the processes are.

A quarter of home care services in England aren't up to standard, with

rushed appointments and inaccurate assessments.

Anger at the Palace as an Italian magazine publishes pictures of a

pregnant Duchess of Cambridge. A rapturous welcome for Pope

Benedict in his first public appearance since he announced his

resignation. And, Strictly MBE - the silver

medal winning gymnast Louis Smith picks up his latest honour. Later

on BBC London: Cutting pollution in the capital. Plans to allow only

low emission vehicles into the centre.

And it's illegal in Singapore and China, now spitting is outlawed in

Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One. The Environment

Secretary, Owen Paterson, will meet his European counterparts in

Brussels later today to consider whether tighter regulation is

needed in the wake of the scandal over horsemeat being passed off as

beef. The Food Standards Agency has suspended operations at an abattoir

in West Yorkshire and a processing plant in west Wales. The Prime

Minister has promised that anyone found to be passing off horsemeat

as beef would face the full intervention of the law. Sian Lloyd

reports. This is the meat plant near

Aberystwyth raided yesterday by officers from the Food Standards

Agency and Dyfed Powys Police. Its owner denies wrongdoing. You kindly

invited us on to the premises. What are we seeing in here today now?

There's operations going on through the glass here. What can we see?

Obviously, it's in the distance but there's meat in there, what is it?

I have contracted to bone horsemeat for an Irish producer. The

horsemeat is delivered. It's cut up and it's taken from here to Belgium.

I get paid for doing the cutting up. There's no further processing. I

don't do kebabs, I don't do mince meat, don't do beef burgers. This

is not a processing plant. This is purely production. Meat cutting.

Officials from the Food Standards Agency said they removed paperwork

and suspended operations yesterday. They were back on site again this

morning. Are you able to tell us what the FSA are doing here today?

Sorry, I am not in a position at the moment to give you any

additional information, it's to discuss with the operator our next

stage, after which we will be in contact to see if we can update you

further. It's not illegal to sell horsemeat in Britain, if properly

labelled, but there's no market for it. There are five abattoirs in the

UK which are licensed to slaughter horses. Last year, 8,500 horse

carcasses were exported, mainly to Italy, France and Belgium.

The Government says there are no health implications, rather this is

a case of food fraud. Horsemeat is about five times cheaper than beef,

so there's a potential for significant profits from

mislabelling. In a separate raid at Todmorden in West Yorkshire, the

Food Standards Agency has suspended operations at a slaughterhouse, it

says it's investigating an alleged connection to the plant in

Aberystwyth. But the owner of Farmbox Meat limited denies has

received meat from that abattoir. Our Europe correspondent, Christian

Fraser, is in Brussels. We heard in that report the FSA are

going to be relent NHS rless in search of the truth and he is

robust in his criticism. Can you put this into perspective? It's

important to note there are two different investigations. There is

one Europe-wide investigation of horsemeat alleged to come from

Romania going to frozen meat and sold throughout Europe. Then there

is an investigation here in the UK, the allegation that this processing

plant was putting horsemeat into beef and kebabs, strenuously denied

but the allegation is there. The FSA says it's unlikely those

products went to supermarkets, it's more likely they went to a local

burger, or kebab van, only an allegation there. Owen Paterson is

going to Brussels this afternoon to talk to his counterparts, including

Romania. The common thread in these separate investigations is we can't

be sure what's in our food any more. That is the problem. Can you be

sure of what your meat is labelled as? All right, thank you very much.

Let's turn to that issue of that European meeting with our European

correspondent, what can the Ministers there hope to achieve

today? Well, the environment Minister Owen Paterson is here

meeting colleagues from those countries that are directly

involved, so the likes of Ireland, France, Luxembourg, Sweden, Poland

and Romania. They're taking stock of where the investigation has got

to and we are still waiting for a preliminary report from the French.

They'll also talk about what measures might be needed to stop a

repeat. In that direction there are two things that will be on the

table. First of all, of course, the testing regime. Is it rigorous and

frequent enough? There was comment this week from the French where I

am normally based, who said from the Union of Veterinary Inspectors

who said they lost one in ten of their members and didn't have

resources to keep checking abattoirs. Then, there is the issue

of food labelling. We have not had made in country labelling in the

European Union since 1981 but there is pressure building. The European

Commissioner is in favour, we think of new rules. He's talked about the

traceability. But, the consumers and the producers are opposed.

Thank you. A quarter of homecare services

provided to the elderly in England are failing to meet quality and

safety standards, that's according to the industry regulator. More

than 700,000 people over the age of 65 rely on home help for washing,

dressing and eating. But in a review, the Care Quality Commission

found failings in some of their treatment. Our local government

correspondent Mike Sergeant reports. Most of those receiving care in

their own home are being treated with compassion and dignity. But

some are not. David, in his late 70s, and has a severe neurological

condition, has experienced both sides of the system in England. He

says some carers have been exceptional, but others are poorly

trained and in too much of a hurry. They don't understand my medical

condition. Because they want to get the job done fast, and because of

their time that they're given, this is where the system falls apart.

The care regulator has been checking whether agencies are

respecting those being cared for and promoting their welfare. 26%

failed to meet all the standards required.

But 97% showed proper respect for people getting home help, and 96%

had adequate safeguards to prevent abuse. People were rushed. Hello,

who is it? Sydney has known Joanna for almost 12 years and is

satisfied with the quality of care. She regularly helps with things

like ironing and preparing meals. Good care, you need to have lots of

patience and understanding people. And respecting them, of course,.

And And -- training is paramount. Hundreds of thousands rely on

regular visitors by carers. If the quality of the service is good, it

helps them stay in their own property, rather than move to a

care home which is usually more expensive.

But most local authorities are spending less on home care overall,

at a time when demapped for services is -- demand for services

is increasing. Counsels say without extra -- councils say without extra

funding things could get worse. Six former News of the World

journalists have been arrested under a new police investigation

into phone hacking. Scotland Yard said detectives are looking into a

suspected conspiracy between 2005 and 2006. Two of those arrested

currently work for The Sun newspaper. Our home affairs

correspondent Matt Prodger is in our central London newsroom.

What can you tell us? Well, what's particularly significant about

these arrests is that they are not connected with previous arrests

that have been made as part of Operation Weeting. Now, you will be

aware that eight people have already been charged in connection

with that, not least Rebekah Brooks, the former editor of News of the

World, and Andy Coulson, who went on to become Downing Street's

director of communications before resigning in the wake of the phone

hacking scandal. The six journalists arrested this morning

have not previously been arrested in connection with phone hacking.

Like the previous arrests, they worked at the News of the World.

They worked there between 2005 and 2006. Now News International has

confirmed this morning that two of those arrested currently work for

The Sun and also the BBC understands that a further two now

work in PR. Significantly, also the police say that the potential

victims of this alleged conspiracy have not yet been informed of the

allegations. So what we could be looking at here, further down the

line, is a whole new raft of potential claims for compensation.

Thank you. A legal attempt to overturn disputed GCSE grades has

failed. A group of pupils, teachers, schools and local councils had gone

to the High Court to get the grade boundaries for English exams

changed. If they had succeeded, thousands of pupils who failed to

get a C could have been awarded a higher grade.

The BBC and Jimmy Savile's estate are being sued by 31 alleged

victims of sex abuse. Their lawyers say they want to protect their

clients' position, but are not giving any further details of the

nature of the cases, nor the allegations that have been made.

An Italian magazine has published pictures of the Duchess of

Cambridge on holiday, walking along a beach in a bikini. Let's cross to

Rome and our Royal correspondent Luisa Baldini. A move that will

surely greatly disappoint the Duke and Duchess? Yes, the magazine is

one of the magazines which ran a 26 perfect page spread of the Duchess

of Cambridge last year when she was photographed topless in France, so

that gives you some indication as to the type of tabloid gossip

magazine that it is. This time, under the headline, that means the

tummy's growing, the Duchess is photographed on the front cover in

a blue bikini whilst on holiday on the island of Mustique, a slight

baby bump is visible and there are further photos inside. Now St James

Palace have said that there is disappointment and that the photos

are clear breach of the couple's privacy, but that hasn't stopped an

Australian magazine from publishing pictures. The editor has defended

the move by saying that the Duchess was on a public beach and the

photographs were taken by a holiday-maker, not a member of the

paparazzi, although that hasn't been verified.

One of the biggest manhunts in Californian history has ended after

a fierce gun battle at a remote mountain cabin. Christopher Dorner

- a former policeman who was wanted for murder - is thought to have

died after fire broke out in the property. He is believed to have

killed four people in a vendetta against officers.

The last furious stand of a fugitive gunman, the authorities

were taking no chances. They brought up reinforcements.

They knew the man they were hunting was heavily armed and a military

reservist. And amid an intense shoot-out, the

sheriff's deputy was shot dead and another wounded.

Then, apparently an uneasy lull before reportedly a single shot was

heard from inside the cabin where the gunman was. A fire engulfed the

cabin, no one emerged from the ruins. Later, a charred body was

found inside. As darkness fell, police were

piecing together the events seemingly an attempted escape in a

stolen vehicle before the standoff in the cabin. We believe that

someone was inside and that was the person that stole the vehicle and

fled, then abandoned the vehicle, ran into the forest and inside this

cabin where he barricaded himself and was engaged in gunfire with our

deputy sheriffs, shot two of our deputy sheriffs and one of those

died. Police had spent days scouring the snow-covered hills for

Christopher Dorner, a former policeman bitter after being sacked

and bent on revenge. He was fired by the police in 2008 and a posting

made clear he bore a grudge. It's thought it was he who killed a

former colleague's daughter and her fiance and a policeman while on the

run before the shoot-out. Police had offered a $1 million reward for

information when the trail ran cold. While investigations continued at

the scene of the shoot-out, amid the wreckage of the cabin, local

police seemed confident one of the biggest manhunts in years is over

and the man they were pursuing is The Environment Secretary, Owen

Paterson, is heading to Brussels to discuss whether tighter regulation

is needed in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.

A tomb fit for a king. The design for the final resting place of

Making hospitals a better experience for children. The

artwork that is creating magical places for young patients.

And have you got yours yet for a loved one? Why hand-made valentines

President Barack Obama has used his annual State of the Union speech to

announce plans to halve the number of American troops deployed in

Afghanistan. The President also promised smarter rather than bigger

government for the many, and not just the few. He called for greater

gun control and efforts to reduce gun violence. Steve Kingstone

reports from Washington. President of the United States.

There was perhaps a new presidential swagger. For this is a

man emboldened by victory, liberated from having to run for

office again. Barack Obama announced this second-term with the

issue that defined the first. Together, we have cleared a way the

rubble of crisis. And we can say with renewed confidence that the

State of our Union is stronger. A growing economy that creates good,

middle-class jobs. That must be the north star.

To cut the deficit, he invited Republicans to work with him. But

on other issues, this speech was unappoll jetically left of centre.

For the sake of our future, we must do more to combat combat climate

change. On foreign policy, there was a rue

rue bubg to -- rebuke to north Korea and the most detail yet on

how America's longest war will end. Tonight, I can announce that over

the next year, another 34,000 American troops will come home from

Afghanistan. This draw down will continue and by the end of next

year, our war in Afghanistan will be over.

Many of those listening were supporting green ribbons to honour

the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting and it was on the issue of

of gun control that the president, emobging the memory -- evoking the

memory of Hadiya Pendleton. Just three weeks ago, she was in

Washington with her classmates, performing for her country. Her

parents are in the chamber tonight along with more than two dozen

Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. They

deserve a vote. APPLAUSE

A vote to tighten ground checks and ban assault weapons, measures he

calls common sense, but they face opposition in Congress. The

challenge now for Barack Obama is to convert the energy of State of

the Union night into real political momentum and with Congress divided

that won't be easy, but what is clear in the after glow of victory,

this is a president who is more Well, in that same speech,

President Obama said talks would start on a new trade agreement

between the US and the EU. According to the President of the

European Commission, it would be a game changer which would create

economic growth and jobs. Let's speak to our business correspondent,

Adam Parsons. How much of a game changer then? A big one. You are

talk being the two igest economies in the world. You take the Union

and put it together, he has an economy that's bigger than the

United States. Both of them about $16 trillion. So we are going to

get talks. They will start before June, according to the European

Commission President. By 2027, so you know, a few years off, both of

the economies will be growing by between 0.4% and 0.5%. So not a

huge growth in terms of percentages, but when you are starting with very,

very big numbers, even a small percentage adds to it, the euro

should go by -- grow by by 86 billion euros and this is making

trade easier between the two sides. Why is the US doing this? Well,

Obama knows that he needs friends now at the moment and particularly

in things like Syria and the Middle East and it is the Europeans who

have been America's staunchest allies.

Adam, thank you very much. Some positive news. Recovery

insight -- is in sight, the governor of the Bank of England

expects the inflation rate to rise by 3% and remain above the bank's

target for the next two years. Stephanie flanners is in the --

Flanders is in the city now. The inflation rate is proving difficult

to crack? Yes, I mean, a couple of messages

from the Bank of England today and neither of them particularly new.

One that inflation is going to be higher for longer again than the

Bank of England was hoping when it last gave this report in November.

Inflation, yes, possibly going up to over 3% in the summer because of

some of the price rises in the pipeline and staying well above

target through to the end of 2014 on the forecasts. That was one

message. The other message is that recovery

is coming, but it will continue to be difficult and torturous compared

to the recoveries that we have in the past. The Bank of England is

not planning to do much about either of those things. So it said,

in effect, that it wasn't expect to go raise interest rates from their

record low sooner as a result of this higher than expected inflation

and some savers will be disappointed. The governor was once

again pay -- at pains to say "look, there are limits as to what the

Central Bank can do." He did did suggest the Chancellor could do

more on the supply side of the economy to promote growth if not

today, at least in the future. The Chancellor might be interested to

hear that given that he is doing a lot on that front. But at least a

suggestion that the new governor of the Bank of England might not be

able to do anything as dramatic as some were expecting.

The Vatican announced that the conclave to choose a new Pope will

begin around 18th March. Pope Benedict made his first public

appearance since announcing his resignation. Matthew Price is at

The Vatican. A very warm reception he had? He really did. And that

date that you have mentioned is really one of the first bits of

concrete information we have got about what happens next. It has

been clear in the last few days here at The Vatican that this

decision to step down really caught everybody by surprise. The

cardinals were not consulted on it. It emerged they weren't consulted

on the decision to allow the the Pope once he does step down to

continue living at The Vatican. The rumours are some of them are not

pleased about that. That is the private side of things, behind the

scenes. In front of the cameras today, at that audience with the

Pope, we saw the public face of the Catholic Church, a serene pontiff

and an adoring congregation. Elderly, frail and slighty unsteady,

Pope Benedict glided into The Vatican's audience hall. The

faithful met him. Many in the church have questioned

his leadership, his uncharismatic, style. Here today, they did not. He

asked them to pray for him and his successor. And then, addressed the

question of his stepping down. TRANSLATION: I'm well aware of the

gravity of such an act, but at the same time I am aware of not being

able to carry out my papal ministry with the physical and spiritual

strength that it requires. The extent of his health problems

seems to become clearer by the day. This afternoon, on Ash Wednesday,

the Pope will lead his last Mass. Its low low kag -- location has

been switched, partly to accommodate the crowds and to save

him the effort of taking part in a lengthy procession.

Among those in the congregation, we found this school group from

Wiltshire. It is an honour especially as it is

one of his last gatherings. It is special to be here.

Special and historic, but while the Pope's audience was taking place,

the man ufrg behind -- man man man manoeuvring behind the scenes

started. The discussions about who might be the next Pope has already

started? I don't know, probably. It is possible because this is so

natural that having also the knowledge of so many colleagues, of

so many possible candidates in the world.

Was that a suggestion from one of the church's oldest cardinals that

the field for the next Pope might be wide open?

The answer will be delivered from inside these walls within the six

In a few hours time, we will get another chance to see the Pope when

he delivers that Ash Wednesday Mass here at The Vatican.

Thank you. Stars of the Olympics and

Paralympics received honours at Buckingham Palace. The gymnast,

Louis Smith who won silver and bronze, described being awarded the

MBE the proudest moment of his life. This is just the latest award Louis

Smith received in a year to remember. After winning Olympic

titles and a glitter ball, the gymnast has awarded another medal,

an MBE by Her Majesty, so which means the most? To be in this

position now, an MBE, and going on things like Strictly and having

three Olympic medals, it has been a dream.

The last year has been a dream for Smith. Britain's first team medal

in the sport for a century and then claiming a silver in the pommel

horse. But Smith proved himself a success on the the dance floor.

Claiming last year's Strictly Come Dancing title and winning a whole

new group of admirers. She said what have I been up to? I

have been on the tour and she said what am I going to be doing now? I

told her about going into schools and talking to kids and going on

tour and talking to kids at schools. She said it is good.

There was an Olympic theme to today's changing of the guard as

the first sporting recipients picked up their gongs, Natasha

Baker and Sophie Hoesking here too. It was the 23-year-old gymnast that

Now, how do you design a modern day tomb fit for a 15th century king?

The remains of King Richard III were found beneath a car park in

Leicester. The Richard III Society Unveiled their design for a

monument they hope will be chosen to house the remains.

Louise hubble has more. For over 500 years, Richard III's

body lay in a a cramped grave. His hands may have may have been bound.

Now the Richard III Society unveiled their vision for his tomb.

It will be crafted from light, honey coloured stone. The design is

in keeping with the medieval era, adorned with the white rose of York

and his personal emblem. The tomb is trying to bring Richard III's

life to bear. Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth Field in

August 1485. He was killed by a series of blows to the head.

Some hoped Richard would be returned to York, but his discovery

under a council car park in Leicester last year means he will

be reburied in the cathedral. Despite the detailed designs from

the Richard III Society, Leicester Cathedral say the tomb must also

appropriate for today's place of worship.

We have seen those plans, but the decision about this rests with the

cathedral chapter. When people look back on this memorial in 500 years,

it needs to resonate with the story of King Richard, but resonate with

the story of 2013 and 2014 and the discovery of his bones in the car

park. Over the coming months, all

involved will be ensuring this Time to take you to the weather

Time to take you to the weather with Chris. How is it looking? The

transition to milder weather is around the corner, but not before

we have had further falls of snow. Today's snow will affect Scotland,

but there will be snow around wz' we had -- as we head through the

afternoon. The snowy weather system is working its way in. This system

is working its way into Scotland now. How much snow could we get?

Well, as we go on through today, we could see snow piling up across the

Highlands of snow. Some six inches of snow around here. Around the

Central Lowlands, something like 2 to centimetres here. And across

Pennine routes get similar amounts of snow. Across the Midlands and

Wales, we could see a temporary covering of snow. Travel disruption,

you bet. We have got some of the A- roads out across parts of Scotland

and the cross Pennine routes, we have a jackknifed lorry and an

accident involving a couple of vehicles on the A57, that's two of

the major routes out of action. As we go on, the winds will continue

to strengthen. 60mph gusts for the Western Isles and stronger than

that for the Northern Isles and it will turn really icy. So there is a

lot of weather going on today. Needless to say, for most of us, it

will be cold, but we will see the snow turning back to rain across

western areas as the milder air works in. Wednesday night, the snow

turning back to rain as the weather system continues to push eastwards,

there will be a lot of low cloud and murky conditions over hills.

And again, a risk of some icy roads across northern air northern areas

and rural parts. Thursday getting off to a wet start. The rain is

still around across Eastern England, but it should move out of the way

quickly. Following that we will have winds pushing in. There will

be a few showers across the north and the west. Most of us having the

sunniest weather we have seen this week. That's some of the mildest

weather we have seen in February. It has been cold, hasn't it, for

the last couple of weeks? We end the week with high pressure in

charge. There will be an early morning frost across England and

Wales. It will tend to turn cloudier across the north and the

west of Scotland. The cloud cloud thickening up with rain arriving.