18/06/2013 BBC News at One

of Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban were ousted in

2001. Since then, thousands of soldiers and civilians have died in

the conflict. Today, the Afghan president described the handover as

a historic moment. 4500 British soldiers are made

redundant in the latest and largest round of defence cuts.

We will have the latest from our defence correspondent. Also this

lunchtime, leaders of the G8 countries prepare to close their

summit in Northern Ireland with Syria and tax avoidance top of their

agenda. Charles Saatchi is cautioned for assault by police after being

photographed with his hand around his wife's throat.

Enough is enough. Internet bosses are told to do more

to stop the spread of child abuse images over the internet.

Just why has the weather been so awful? Leading meteorologists are

meeting today to find out why. Later, two women die in a house fire

overnight. We have the latest. And in the London scientists who have

developed a natural hormone for Good afternoon. It is 12 years since

America, the UK and allies intervened in the Afghan civil war.

Defeating the Taliban forces that then controlled the vast majority of

the country. Since then, thousands of troops, 444 of them British, as

well as civilians, have died in a conflict that has been one of the

most controversial in living memory. Today, Afghan forces have

formally taken over security for the whole country. The president

described the... The scale of the handover was undermined as three

were killed in a suicide bomb attack.

President Karzai described this as an historic moment for his country.

One of national pride as Afghan forces take charge of security for

the whole of the country. For NATO, it is another step towards the

exit. Soon, international troops will leave the Afghans to do their

own fighting. For the people of Afghanistan, this

is equally and perhaps more great day. For the Afghan people, they

will see their own children, their only young once -- their young ones

providing protection to their lives and country. We have seen them take

the lead at and I'm confident that they will be able to take full

responsibility by the end of 2014 as planned. The Afghan security forces

are already bearing the brunt of most of the fighting. The casualties

are now at a rate ten times higher than those of international forces.

They are also suffering from desertions. But there is still some

confidence about the future. TRANSLATION: We are ready to take

over security control from the foreigners and to serve our country.

We urge the government to equip us with heavy weapons in order to

ensure security all over Afghanistan. TRANSLATION: It is

great news that Afghan forces are taking the lead. They are the sons

of the soil and they will serve us better than foreigners. Those

foreigners are already breaking down bases. Within 18 months, all combat

troops will have left. But there are still regular reminders that the

violence is not over. This morning, another bomb in couple claimed the

lives of three Afghans. -- Kabul. President Karzai has expressed hope

that talks with the Taliban will soon start but peace seems like a

long way off. As that handover was underway, more

than 4000 British soldiers were being told they have lost their

jobs. The cuts are part of the Defence Review. The 20 ten reduction

of 8% in the MoD budget. -- 2010. Caroline Wyatt reports.

British soldiers serving in Helmand province will not be made redundant

in this round of cuts unless they have volunteered. Today, 4500 others

will find out that their service is no one required. The vast majority

are leaving for entirely but those being told to go will have one year

to prepare to return to civilian life. Chris Braithwaite was told he

was being made redundant one year ago. After 15 years of active

service, including Iraq and Afghanistan. He said the timing

meant that he missed out on much of his pension rights. We feel that we

have been let down and the trust placed in us in return to a long

period of service has not been repaid. Under the Army

restructuring, regular soldiers are being cut to 82,000. The number of

being cut to 82,000. The number of territorial Army reservists going up

to 30000 x 2018 and in this latest to 30000 x 2018 and in this latest

round of redundancies, 84% of them round of redundancies, 84% of

Inevitably, morale will be under strain. But by communicating what

we're doing and ensuring that our systems are as fair as possible, and

ensuring that the redundancy packages, friends of, think we have

done our best to sustain the confidence of our soldiers and their

families. Even as it cuts jobs, the Army

points out that it needs 10,000 young recruits this year and 6000

reservists. But the 700 soldiers facing forcible redundancy find this

are better day. It feels as though you are in a game show. You going to

get to the end of it? While today is about those people being made in

voluntarily redundant, it is also about those people left behind. The

redundancies, the time that -- at a time when the budget is still being

negotiated with the Treasury. Analysts point out that if the UK is

still keen, as it seems to be, to play a major role on the world

stage, it needs military muscle to back it up.

Leaders of the G8 countries are bringing their summit to a close in

Northern Ireland after two days of talks on a wide range of topics.

Jane Hill is in Lough Erne. On the day's agenda, the very issues

that David Cameron always wanted to be at the heart of this period down

G8 Summit. Tax avoidance, tax havens, transparency, all those

issues we have been talking so much about. But inevitably, as predicted,

Syria has dominated. When the family photo was taken behind me a couple

of hours ago, and off a lot of people remarked that the look on the

Vladimir Putin's face was rather tense. He did not look quite as

relaxed and smiling as all the other leaders. Number Ten stressing that

there will be some form of communique on Syria by the end of

the day but there are clearly still differences. Norman Smith reports.

Some are calling it the dress down summit. But more important than the

deal over dress code and the decision to go without ties is the

agreement of G8 leaders on reforming tax loopholes. Tightening up

international tax laws, that have enabled companies and wealthy

individuals to hide their profits from the taxman. The tax deal...

Rewriting the international tax rules, making it harder for firms to

bank profits in low tax countries. We can rewrite the international

rules that allowed companies to shift profits away from the UK or

other countries. These companies are using the existing tax laws. They

have to get international agreement and there is no better place to

start than when you have eight of the largest economies in the world

sitting around the table. It is not just those around the table who are

set to benefit, as they seek to claw back more tax from companies like

Google and Starbucks. Campaigners say any deal would be a huge boost

for developing countries. One year ago, G8 was not discussing tax.

is important for us is that it is not only tax that is discussed but

that the developing country angle comes across strongly. Developing

countries lose around $160 billion every year because of tax dodging.

What has made a deal on tax doable is that in and Europe of austerity,

all the G8 leaders share a common interest in not just maximising tax

revenue but in showing voters that is not that that it is not just

ordinary taxpayers having to bear the pain. But today's deal will only

mark the first tentative steps in reforming the tax system. Many

countries remain cautious and a final rewrite of tax rules could

still be a long way away. That is what has been discussed in

the run-up to the working lunch, but as we say, much to debate about

Syria as well. Our diplomatic correspondent is in Enniskillen.

What are you hearing about the prospect of any form of agreement on

Syria? From officials, we hear that it is

going to the wire. Whatever they are going to agree to say, much of it is

square brackets. They are discussing it now and they will have another

session after lunch. They are looking for common ground with the

Russians. Just a few minutes ago, is booked to the Russian Deputy Foreign

Minister, and he made it clear that the Russians want to sign the

communique. -- is booked to. They are looking for a new peace

conference, possibly before August. They are also looking for more aid

to those suffering in Syria. He made it clear that the Russians want

revisions so that the delegations can decide who represents them and

what is going to be discussed, which leaves it open for the Syrian

government is to have President Assad behind them, deciding on the

terms. That is a long way from the western government's position of

wanting to see President Assad go. This is going to go down to the

wire. That will be heated discussions up until the end. --

there will be heated discussions. That is some way from what many

people would have wanted. Questions about whether that will

make any practical difference. That is right.

The Foreign Minister said that Russia saw no reason not to continue

fulfilling contracts with Syria, supplying them with arms. He was

critical about any idea of Western governments moving to and the

rebels. But there may be other areas at the summit where they can bring

Russia on board. We are hearing that there is agreement on following the

lead of the British government in not paying ransom to terrorist

organisations by G8 governments. Of course, this leaves open the

possibility that if you have someone kidnapped and a ransom is asked for

that perhaps you could get an organisation or a business to pay on

your behalf if you are a country that has paid ransom is in the past,

as it is a first step to. -- but it is a first step. That could be an

important first move on this issue of how to suffocate the sources of

terrorist funding and how to make it less financially attractive for

people to take victims. Thank you for now. Of course, over

the course of the afternoon, we will start getting the final details of

those communiques, looking at the all-important language. Then we

would hear the news conference from the various countries. What's come

from Lough Erne and you can keep up-to-date with live coverage all

afternoon. Jane Hill, thank you. Some of the

biggest names in the internet have been told enough is enough and they

must do more to combat the online spread of images of child sexual

abuse. Countries like Google, Microsoft and Facebook have been

called to a meeting in Westminster and older, with specific plans to

block images of child abuse and make it more difficult for children to

view online pornography. Rory Kevan Jones reports.

Mark Bridger and Stuart Hazell, both child killer is found to have looked

at child abuse images and violent pornography online. This morning,

the government stop and internet firms from Google to BT to Facebook

to discuss what can be done to curb access to such materials. -- the

government summoned. The reason behind the summit is to change the

game of the way the internet is being run, to make sure that we have

mooring place to have -- more in place to have robust action taken

against illegal images. Much of that pressure comes from parents, worried

not just about child abuse images at other threats posed by the internet.

This pivotal campaign group thinks that more could be done. It would be

nice if things could be simpler and was more information. But I would

also like to see the government play their part. Do not think this is

just about internet service providers.

You can help stop this exportation. The internet watch foundation,

funded by industry, tracks down and blocks child abuse images but it

says that is just part of what needs to be done.

The more you can remove this material, the better. Equally, you

want a robust prosecution system that tackles the people making the

material and the people who are committing offences on the back of

The government says this meeting produced concrete results. More

funding and a more active role for the internet watch foundation. But

finding ways of controlling the dark side of the internet will remain a

expected rise in the cost of living. Inflation, measured by the Consumer

Prices Index, was 2.7% in May from 2.4% in April. Two of the biggest

factors in the rise are air fares and fuel costs. Our chief economics

correspondent, Hugh Pym, reports. Prices of goods and services have

picked up again. The annual rate of inflation has moved further above

the 2% target. That's still well ahead of average wage rises, so it

is bad news for consumers and experts say inflation may get worse

before it gets better. I think inflation has a bit further to rise.

So I think over the next month or two, it could get past 3%, but that

should be the peak and we should see inflation fall become steadily so by

the start of next year say inflation could be back to the 2% target.

There was a surge in air fares in May, up over 21% after a fall in

April. Food prices are rising up 4. 4.4% over the year to May and after

recent falls, clothing prices were 1% higher over 12 months. A fair

number of inflationary pressures come from outside the UK, for

example, oil and commodity prices, but some are home-grown, for

example, what is happening in apple orchards like this one.

Poor weather hit the apple crop over the last couple of years and that's

pushed up prices. Fruit prices are up nearly 11 percent over 12 months.

This grower in Kent told me that difficulties in the spring caused

problems and there could be an impact on prices when they are

picked at the end of the um certificate. This is Bramley -- at

the end of the summer. This is Bramley apple and because

the season will be later, we could have a shortfall and then we won't

have enough product to meet the demand we may have.

So prices will rise, I think. So the governor of the Bank of

England will bow out as inflation is increasing. At the end of this the

month, he will hand over to Mark Carney who will have to work out how

to get it on a down ward path. Our top story:

Afghan forces have formally taken over security for the whole of the

country. 12 years after NATO led troops first intervened.

And still to come: The British and Irish Lions go down

to their first defeat in Australia in their final match for the first

Later: Managing millions of road journeys a

day, a special insight into how Transport for London copes.

And we speak to Sir Paul Smith as the capital hosts London Fashion

You probably don't need reminding that the weather has been unusual

and unpredictable in recent recent years from the icy winter of 2010 to

this year's cold spring. The big freeze of December 2010 saw the

lowest temperatures in 100 years. Last summer was the second wettest

since records began. And this spring saw some of the lowest temperatures

in 50 years. So what's going on? Well, the Met Office gathered

together a group of experts to discuss what is always a hot topic

in this country! Well, Jon Kay is in Exeter where the meeting is taking a

place, Jon? Some breaking news this lunch time. In Exeter, right now, it

is nice! It is sunny. It is dry. It is what we used to call quite

summery. Now, the meeting is happening in Exeter because this is

where the Met Office is based, but this is a relevant location as well

because it had its fair share of freaky weather over the last few

months. In the awe. Tum, this quayside was -- autumn this qoe side

was flooded and Devon this had snow. Nothing says British Summer Time

like strawberries and nothing says 2013 more than this. The coldest

spring in 50 years, means they are late. Very late. The first week in

June is the beginning of the pick your own season and we keep saying

in a fortnight's time. In a fortnight's time. It is going to be

next week. We have had a run of weird weather.

In May, parts of the south-west and the Midlands saw snow. This time

last year, many of us had drought, only to be followed by the wettest

summer on record. So what's going on? Today, scientists are gathering

here to ask if it is just bad luck, part of nature's cycle, or if

man-made climate change is to blame? But they admit they don't really

know. One of the possible causes for some of the strange weather could be

the reduction in the sea ice in the Arctic there has been in he recent

years and that's important then the finger really is pointed at global

warming and challenge db and climate change.

As well as melting ice caps in the temperatures of the oceans,

scientists will look at data measuring activity on the sun and

the position of the jet stream. You don't need fancy computers to

analyse the weather, ice cream will do! Here, unused lolly sticks act as

thermometers. At this Bristol factory, the lolly making machine is

hardly being used yet again. On a normal summer you would expect to be

running five to six days a week, but the last couple of summers it has

only been running three days a week because of the lack of demand due to

the bad weather. So the lollies will have to wait on

ice, scientists hope today's meeting could lead to better forecasting.

Sadly, it won't lead to better Well, those climate experts are sin

cysting their meeting isn't some climate version of the G8 summit.

Don't expect any big announcements or set to change. What they are

saying is they are hoping to do more research, a road map if you like to

more research. This is part, sthe say, of an -- they say of an ongoing

crisis. Thanks, Jon.

cautioned after grabbing his wife, Nigella Lawson's throat.

Keith Doyle reports. The images are shocking. In them

Charles Saatchi is pictured with his hand at his wife's neck. In another,

his hands appear to be gripping her throat. Later pictures show her

upset. They were taken by a freelance photographer outside a

London restaurant last week and published in the Sunday People.

Charles Saatchi released a statement yesterday admitting that the

pictures looked horrific, but he said they gave a more drastic and

violent impression of what took place adding it was a playful tiff

between the couple. Since then, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that

officers from the Westminster Community Safety Unit had been made

aware of the pictures and that a 70-year-old man went to a police

station and accepted a police caution for assault. In a statement

to the London Evening Standard, Charles Saatchi said there was no

complaint mated made to the police, but he felt it was better to accept

a police caution rather than have this hanging over them for months.

This episode will cast a spotlight on a issue that is often shielded

behind closed doors. girl died in an apparent suicide

pact after jumping in front of a train at Borehamwood. They were both

students at Hertswood Academy. A message on the school's website said

students and staff had been informed disappeared with former maths

teacher, Jeremy Forrest, last September has been giving evidence

at his trial. He denies child abduction. Duncan Kennedy has been

in court in Lewes. Duncan, what did the mother have to say in court?

Well, she has been telling us Simon about the days and months leading up

to her daughter's disappearance with Jeremy Forrest in September of last

year. The mother received a phone call from Jeremy Forrest in the July

of last year, in which he was emotional. He called up the mother

to deny the rumours that he was having a relationship with her

daughter. The mother said that Jeremy Forrest was upset and said

his daughter was a pain and she was ruining his career and the mother

said she had to console Jeremy Forrest on the phone. She said these

ended up apologising to Jeremy Forrest for her daughter's

behaviour, but we know from the daughter he is evidence that by this

time she and for rest were having a full sexual relationship.

What did she then say to her daughter? Well, she confronted her

after having the phone conversation with Jeremy Forrest. She confronted

her daughter. The mother told the court, " I was mad. I was ashamed. I

was mortified. I am a professional person." She said her daughter wept

and the daughter kept denying there was a relationship saying, tth it is

not true. It is not truemed." The mother went on to tell the court

about the day her daughter did disappear with Jeremy Forrest. She

said she gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek. Her daughter said she was

going to stay with a friend. The mother told the court "I thought she

was dead." Jeremy Forrest denies the one charge of abduction and the

mother who can't be identified for legal reasons, will continue giving

her evidence this afternoon. Duncan, thank you very much.

The British and Irish Lions lost their final game ahead of their

first test against Australia on Saturday. In their first defeat of

their tour, they were outplayed by Australian club side, the Brumbies.

Not even Shane Williams to improve their chances. Dan Roan reports.

With the first test looming in to view, the Lions fans came to

Australia looking for a final vote of confidence. As the nation's

capital, Canberra has plenty for the visitor to enjoy, but the focus was

on rugby. The Lions are in their third week down under, but they are

about to face their greatest challenge to date. Against the team

known as the best club side in the whole of Australia. Is the Brumbies

wasted p little time in living up to their billing. They gave the hosts

the lead. Injuries meant the Lions started with six men not chosen in

the original squad and it showed. The tourist lacking cohesion and

fortunate to go in just five points down.

The make-shift Lions were reminded of their responsibilities at the

interval, but the dressing-down proved futile, punished by the boot

of Hogg. With Shane Williams doing little to

justify his call-up. The tourists improved, but the Brumbies were

simply hungrier, and held on for a famous win, the first side to beat

the Lions for 16 years. The tourists unbeaten reported record in

Australia -- record in Australia is over.

across Brazil. In the capital, Brasilia, protesters breached

security at the National Congress to get on to the roof of the building,

while in Sao Paulo, crowds brought the main avenues of Brazil's biggest

dozens of people in connection with anti-government demonstrations in

the country over the past three weeks. Many of them are being

accused of organising violent protests and calling on people to

attend illegal demonstrations. Yesterday two leading trade unions

held rallies and a one-day strike in further defiance of the Prime

Minister and his policies. Five people have died and thousands have

been injured since the protests began. Let's get the latest on the

began. Let's get the latest on the Hello. There is a lot of dry weather

out there. There will be sunshine and feeling warm. A little bit humid

to the south-east corner. Looking at the detail of the forecast, the

satellite picture is showing some cloud moving in from Northern

France. That's got a few showers a mixed in with that and more overcast

to the north-west of Scotland. That's a weak weather front bringing

with it patchy rain, but you don't have to travel too far south to pick

up some of the brighter skies and given the sunshine like yesterday,

we will see temperatures for south-west Scotland reaching 20

Celsius. It is a warmer day for Northern

Ireland compared to yesterday with more sunshine here and light winds.

We could see 20 Celsius for Belfast. 21 Celsius in Manchester with sunny

spells. Across parts of England and Wales, we can't rule out the chance

of a shower, but you would be unlucky if you catch one. There is a

risk of a few heavier downpours at times. There will be sunshine

around, although many places seeing temperatures in the 20s, we could

get higher than that. There are high pollen levels, but high pollen

levels for tomorrow. Now this evening, a lull, a fine evening 6789

still warm, but later on in the night, we are set to see thundery

downpours. The po tenning for localised -- potential for localised

downpours and flashes of lightening. But it is dry and a warm night.

Still feeling muggy for East Anglia and the South East. That humid feel

persists across England and Wales for tomorrow. At first, we have got

the showers to the South East, but they should clear away. A fine day

again, some sunny spells through the. Afternoon. Always a little bit

cloudier to the north-west corner of Scotland. We might get up to 28

Celsius tomorrow afternoon. And that's the case for Royal Ascot.

With cloud and the mid-250s. But if the cloud breaks and we get sunshine

on Wednesday, we could see a 27 or 28 Celsius. Make the most of it

because by Thursday, temperatures dropping away. We have got more

cloud. We have got widespread thundery showers sitting across the