01/08/2011 BBC News at Six

Breaking the debt deadlock, America's politicians prepare to

vote on a deal. After weeks of wrangling, the president announces

a last minute plan to support the world's biggest economy. It will

allow us to avoid default, and end the crisis that Washington imposed

on the rest of America. Facing up to an impoverished old

age, a warning that private pensions need an urgent overhaul.

It is a wake-up call for the industry, saying you have to devise

a trust where the system, which shares the risk, which is

transparent, and low-cost -- a trustworthy system.

After its deadliest day, more violence in Syria, as international

condemnation grows. From good health to a hospital bed.

The shocking impact of alcohol on young people. We have a special

report. Bowled him, that is it. And India crushed, India are

unstoppable as -- England are unstoppable as they win the second

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six. After weeks of

wrangling, arguments and uncertainty, America's politicians

are poised to night to vote on a deal to stop the country

potentially defaulting on its debts. The last minute plan, thrashed out

between President Obama and party leaders, would raise the country's

debt ceiling by 2.4 trillion dollars. It also includes the same

amount in spending cuts. The President described the last few

weeks as messy, but urged everyone to back the deal. There are

objections on both sides, with the plan still needing approval in the

US Congress. Paul Adams has the latest and his piece contains flash

photography. Another day of frenetic activity on

Capitol Hill. Lawmakers, gathering to hear exactly what their leaders

have agreed to, and give their verdict. Last night, after weeks of

uncertainty and rancour, the President said the talking was over.

I want to announce that the leaders of both parties, in both chambers,

have reached an agreement that will reduce the deficit and avoid

default. A default that would have had a devastating effect on our

economy. What do we know about the deal on the table? It sets a new

debt ceiling of 16.7 trillion dollars. It says future government

sending should be cut by around one trillion dollars. And it

establishes a congressional committee to come up with even

deeper cuts in the future. The vice-president, Joe Biden, was in

Congress to help seal the deal. Unwilling to sound too confident.

don't want to be rude... There is plenty for everyone to dislike

about the plan. The top Democrat in the Senate is holding his nose.

one got what they wanted, everyone had to give something up. People on

the right are upset, people on the left are upset, people in the

middle are upset, it was a compromise. On Wall Street, which

never really doubted that a deal will be done, markets rose this

morning. The latest dismal US manufacturing used then sent them

down again. This has been a bruising, ugly fight --

manufacturing use. It has eroded public faith in Congress. The deal,

if it passes, helps to stop the rot but underlying it debates about the

strength of government rage on. There is a deal, but plenty of hard

talking ahead to. That's right. The big guns are on Capitol Hill,

trying to make sure this deal is finally sealed. There is plenty in

it for people to get their teeth into. We are likely to hear some

heated rhetoric, even as the votes get under way. We think the House

of Representatives will go first. The bottom line is, it is not until

you see those votes actually cast and the bill go to the President's

desk for signing, that you will know this is over. That is just

getting through this temporary crisis. The underlying debates go

on. This may have looked foolish and petty at times, but there is

some really fundamental political and philosophical difference is at

stake. To what extent should government involve itself in trying

to lift the country out of recession? How much should

taxpayers be expected to help? Frankly, what should be the proper

size and function of government? I think those debates will rage on.

What has happened is the Republicans, and specifically the

Conservative Tea Party wing of the Republican Party, have used this

debt ceiling a fair to try to reshape the nature of the political

debate here in Washington. And to a larger degree, I think they have

succeeded. The question is, in doing so, have they made this city

even less popular than it already was?

OK, thank you. Millions of people face a bleak old

age, because their pensions have been nowhere near enough for them

to live on when they stop working. A review of private sector pensions

commissioned by part of the industry itself says workers must

get a better deal from pension funds if they are to save enough

for their retirement. The chair of the commission, Lord McFall, said

schemes were too complex, costly and inefficient.

14 million people who work in the private sector are not saving for

their old age, because they find the pensions system too difficult

understand, and they don't believe they will benefit from the scheme

when they retire. This report warns of a bleak dawn in the years ahead,

with a generation of retirees who will be unable to adequately exist

when they stop working. It is a wake-up call for consumers, as

saying to them, if you don't save, you are going to face that

impoverished retirement. It is a wake-up call to the industry,

saying you have to desires -- devise a trustworthy system which

shares the rescanned is low cost. John Tate his retirement plans very

seriously -- John takes his retirement plans very seriously. He

has do manage his pension on a regular basis. It is not

straightforward. You have to work out what you need and what you

don't. I have spent quite a lot of time looking into it and trying to

work it out for myself, but I think most people just leave it for

another year. The pensions commission has called for a less

complex system. Lower charges, and a government cap on costs as part

of wide ranging proposals. The report says people need to feel

they get value for money when investing in a pension scheme, or

they won't bother saving for their retirement. Instead that they will

spend today, ignore tomorrow and end up scraping by in old age.

Major changes aimed at forcing people to save come in next year.

Compulsory enrolment will mean millions of workers will

automatically have a pension. People in their 30s and 40s, it

will be decades before they retire. We need to get people saving much

younger than in the past. Even a small amount of saving early in

life builds up to a decent pension later in life. The report

reinforces much of what we already know. People must save more for

their retirement. The strongest criticism is aimed at the pensions

industry, claiming charges are too high, and most tellingly, it says,

trust in the pensions industry is low.

Britain's largest bank, HSBC, has warned it will be shedding another

25,000 jobs worldwide, as it pulls out of countries where it is

struggling to compete. For now, the bank is not planning any more UK

job cuts be on those it has already announced. Today, HSBC announced a

surprise rise in its profits for the first half of the year. It is

the first of a string of well-known high-street banks to announce their

earnings. HSBC may be coping with the crisis

better than some rivals, but it is still unpicking its old way of

working, moving out of 20 countries to save billions and boost earnings.

HSBC made �7 billion in the last six months, they figure which

surprised the City and pushed up the bank's shares. Banking in

Britain by made an �843 million contribution, with earnings up

almost a third from new business, mortgage lending and continuing

cost-cutting. HSBC wants to be more effective and more efficient. That

is where they are going to wards. Do more with less. Less people,

making sure there are less interactions. They need to make

every transaction mean more than it did before. Jobs continue to go,

even though the bank is back in the black. The next round of

redundancies will see 25,000 forced to leave over three years, one in

10 of the existing global workforce. Staff in the UK will be relieved

that for now, there are no new job losses alongside 700 already

announced. The bank is building its business in Asia and Latin America.

That strategy is already producing higher profits, of the kind

Barclays, Lloyds and the Royal Bank of Scotland may not all match, when

they announce earnings in the next few days. With banks still blamed

by many for the risky lending that brought financial chaos, are

banking job losses that bad for the economy? Traditionally, banks

cutting jobs is a sign that business generally is at the top of

what we call the business cycle, that is the what economists used

for the cycle over which companies hire and fire people. It is a bad

sign we are getting to the top of that, because it suggests company

profits may be close to peaking. We have been counting on improving

corporate profits to keep the economy motoring, at a time when

public spending is being reduced. HSBC adds that it is on track to

meet its promises to the government, which include extending lending to

It is a sign that it may take years for confidence and the bank's

earnings to fully recover. Nurse, Rebecca Leighton, has

appeared in court in relation to the deaths of a number of patients

at Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport. She appeared by video

link at Manchester Crown Court, and spoke only to confirm her name.

Rebecca Leighton is charged with three counts of criminal damage

with intent to endanger life, and faces three other charges,

including theft. The former Labour MP, Jim Devine,

seen here on the right, has been released from prison after serving

a quarter of his 16 months sentence for expenses fraud. He was jailed

after submitting false invoices for more than �8,000.

An 18-year-old man from the Shetland Islands has appeared in

court, facing a string of computer hacking charges. Jake Davis was

arrested by the Met's e-crime unit as part of an investigation into

hacking groups Annonymous, and LulzSec. He was released on bail.

The European Union has announced further sanctions against Syria,

freezing assets and imposing travel bans on people it blames for the

bloody crackdown on dissent. Russia has added its voice to the

international condemnation, saying the use of force against residents

must be stopped. Violence was reported in several cities in Syria,

with human rights activists claiming dozens were killed in the

opposition controlled Hama. Journalists are restricted from

operating freely inside Syria, so Jim Muir sent this report from

Beirut. It was Army Day in Syria, a chance

for President Bashar al-Assad to thank his country -- his army. And

Almost every day, there are military funerals. Today, at least

half-a-dozen, killed in yesterday's clashes. Up in Hama, the army's

role is not seen as so heroic. These are some of the tanks the

government says never went into the city. Tank shells, machine guns and

sniping claimed scores of civilian lives, according to activists. It

was one of the bloodiest days since the uprising began more than four

months ago. It stirred widespread international condemnation. We were

extremely shocked and appalled by what happened in Hama yesterday.

There has never been any justification for what has been

going on, you cannot justify attacking civilians who are

exercising their right to democratic process. We have

condemned it in the strongest possible terms. Most of Hama seems

to be against the regime. It has had the biggest protest rallies

anywhere. For the past month, the city has been virtually taken over

by its own people. That is why the regime felt it had to try to take

it back. And will surely try again. Civilians are in danger, but they

say they don't want outside intervention. No, not at all. We

refuse all military interference. We need political support for our

opinions. We will continue our peaceful uprising. Even if they

shoot us and kill us, we will not use weapons. It is in the

international arena that part of the battle is now being waged.

Syrian nationals living abroad have been staging rallies for and

against the government. The European Union is preparing to

announce more punitive economic sanctions, and there is growing

pressure for a UN Security Council meeting to condemn the Syrian

regime. China, Russia and others are against, although Moscow has

said the violence against civilians must stop. They were put off by the

messy NATO operation in Libya. Syrian people are paying the price

for what is perceived as an end less intervention in Libya. And so,

China and Russia, and these countries say, we are not signing

up again. But the problem is, by refusing to act, they are allowing

the massacres to continue, so the Syrian people are paying for the

mistakes being made in Libya. upshot is that President Bashar al-

Assad does not have to worry about international intervention. The

diplomatic and economic pressures might have a cumulative effect, but

that is in the long run. Four-and- a-half months on, the uprising

shows no signs of petering out. The demise of this entrenched and

ruthless regime is far from sure, In Egypt, troops have clashed with

protesters in Tahrir Square. Troops dismantled the demonstrators tents.

The demonstrators have been pressing for faster change in Egypt.

It is 16 minutes past 6. Our top story: America's politicians are

preparing to vote on a last minute deal to stop the country defaulting

on its debts. And coming up: Even Sachin Tendulkar can't stop England,

as they sweep India aside at Trent Bridge. Alcoholic liver disease in

the under 30s has risen by half in the last ten years according to

official figures. Doctors are warning of the growing impact of

alcohol on young people's health after the findings suggest a

quarter of the population drinks too much. Richard Bilton has been

given rare access to the patients and staff at one hospital. This is

Vicker to ya, she is only 35 and she is yellow because her liver is

failling. -- failing. You're just selfish through drink, as long as

you're all right, you just don't care. It's just ruined by this

substance that I pour into me body. She is in Liverpool's Royal

Hospital and Paul Richardson is her doctor. He is worried about her

condition. She is still tearful? takes Victoria's mum for chat. Off

cam ra, she is told her daughter is getting worse. She might not make

it. She is a lot worse. Some of the treatment might see some

improvement in the kidneys, but I'm very concerned about her this time.

There have been better days, Victoria has two children and her

own home. But her mum says drink has thaefr never been -- has never

been far away. When she was 16, she started lying, saying she hadn't 45

a drink, but you could tell. doctor says they see more and more

young people with alcohol-related disease and they are concerned.

We're seeing people as young as in their 20s dying of alcoholic liver

disease. That was just not seen 30 years ago. Alcohol consumption is

falling, but in hospitals, alcohol- related admissions continue to soar.

Last year for the first time there were more Nan a million. Alcohol

admissions have double 234 a decade. Here they say it is no longer just

accident and emergency, alcohol is an issue in every ward. Nationally,

campaigners want controls on pricing and the availability of

alcohol. They say the drinks industry has too much influence.

The Government's alcohol strategy is expected later this year.

costing the NHS about �2.8 billion a year and about nine million

people are affected by the harms that alcohol causes. So it is a big

problem. Back in the Liverpool and Victoria's made a recovery and she

is out of danger. But liver disease is now country's fifth biggest

killer whra. Use 20 kill -- what used to kill the old, now threatens

the young. You can see Panorama tonight on BBC1 at 8.30. Britain's

leading business group has cut its forecast for UK growth this year

due to weak business investment and the squeeze on household income.

The CBI estimates the UK economy will grow by just 1.3% over the

whole of 2011. It said that despite firms having plenty of cash, they

are reluctant to spend due to concerns over eurozone and US debt.

A memorial has taken place in the Norwegian Parliament to commemorate

those who died in the bombings and shootings ten days ago. The Prime

Minister warned against a witch- hunt, saying all of us have

something to learn. A shrine to the fallen. So many flowers and candles

now surround the cathedral that other memorials have sprung up

around Norway's capital. Today at the Parliament, the king and crown

prince led a memorial for each of Anders Behring Breivik's 77 victims.

As relatives of those kwho died watched, the Prime Minister said

all of Norway has he sons -- has lessons to learn. TRANSLATION: I

ask that we do not start a witch- hunt. The unity we have shown

during these unreal days calls for continued generosity. We all have

something to learn from the tragedy. It was perhaps the most unusual

meeting in the Parliament's 197- year history. The music replacing

political argument. Outside, the flag flies at half-mast, some of

Anders Behring Breivik's victims still lie in hospital. At the scene

of the bomb attack, 9,000 workers unable to return to their office

and have been told to extend their summer holidays until the clear up

is complete. The father of singer Amy Winehouse has meat a Home

Office minister to discuss plans to set up a drug rehabilitation centre

in his daughter's name. Mitch said he wanted to help addict s who

couldn't afford private treatment. They're not just sitting on the way

things were, things will change and we will have more meetings with the

department and we're going to get it through to as many people as we

can. Some BBC journalists are take part in a second 24 hour strike.

Members of national union of journalists walked out in a dispute

over compulsory redundancies. At the heart of the strike, job losses

at the BBC. Out of 400 post closures, 100 people are being made

forcibly redundant. 43 of them left the BBC today. Journalists at BBC

centres walked out at midnight. The union says the BBC's big enough to

find other jobs. The BBC's being particularly intransigent and

treating individual members of staff here unfairly, forcing them

out, sacrificing their livelihoods when there are plenty of jobs

within the BBC. It is Monday 1 ust August. -- 1st August. As managers

put out a reduced news service, the BBC said its position won't change.

The reality is like many other organisations facing these cuts, it

is not possible to absorb all the people into the organisation.

journalists around the country have worries beyond the world service.

The licence fee has been frozen and the BBC is looking for deep cuts to

keep itself afloat. And that means hundreds more jobs will go. Cricket

and England have won the second Test against India. In front of a

packed house, England reached 54 4- 4 out before skitling India ought

for 158. They now have a 2-0 lead in the series. It is the match that

just keeps giving. Fans knew they weren't disappointed. With Bresnan

hitting boundaries England never lost moment tum. Bresnan and Broad

piled on the runs and set a target of 478. Then they terrorised them

with the ball. Broad got the early kibgt of Dravid. -- wicked of

Dravid. India were running out of ideas. Bats were being used in self

defence and that didn't work. Bresnan enjoying his work. Then the

best, from Bresnan, two wickets in two balls. First Singh. Then they

waved the whiegt flag. Only Sachin Tendulkar showed any staying power

at 50. But Anderson 1207 him. Then a moment a 21-year-old will never

forget. Bresnan bouncing and the 12 man catching - just. Smiles of

relief allowing a Yorkshireman to bask in the moment. The world's No

1 side a shadow of their former selfs. Anderson and Broad finishing

the victory. The weather has been a the victory. The weather has been a

winner too. More now with Darren. It has been a scorcher for some of

us. 28 degrees in London today. Temperature will climb to around 30

on Wednesday and then the roller coasts goes down and temperatures

plummet. 28 in London, because of the sunshine and this continental

feed. Different air in Glasgow and even some rain. 17 here. In between

the cloud is the main focus of the rain. It will remain warm and lieu

mid. Sunshine in the east. But in the west rain developing, turning

heavy in Scotland. Rain in Wales and the South West and edging into

the Midlands. A lot of cloud around tonight. Temperatures like last

night, 16 or 17 degrees. Quite uncomfortable. Tomorrow we start

with rain in the east of Scotland. This could be heavy and thundery.

The west should be crier -- drier. The rain spreads to the west of

England. Sunshine in the south-east. But a few showers, very hit and

miss, through the Midlands. For the South West, the rain should have

gone, but it is still cloudy in the morning. Misty and some hills and

coasts. A similar story in Wales. Across Northern Ireland, missing

most of the rain and it should be dry first thing. Again cloudy skies

and misty. But what we will find is this rain band in the north edges

to the coast and out into the north Sea and then sunshine comes through

and that triggers the odd shower. But very hit and miss. Some places

will be dry. It should be warmer in the west. The real heat is across

the south-east, East Anglia and the Midlands. 29 degrees in London. But

warmer in Glasgow by four degrees. As we led into Wednesday, we start

dry, but then as the heat builds, showers develop. Then rain edges

into Northern Ireland and the south-west. But Wednesday will be

the hottest day of the week. It will be warmer for all of us,

temperatures hitting 30 degrees in the south-east. Thipbt changes.

Thursday we see rain that will push away that heat. And then it will