25/07/2014 BBC News at Six

Back on track - the UK economy has now grown bigger than it was

before the financial crash. Manufacturing is recovering,

though it's the service sector that's driving the growth.

Thanks to the hard work of the British people we have reached a

major milestone, but I am the first to say the job is not done.

that's driving the growth. We'll be looking at

whether the new figures mean that as individuals we are each better off.

Also tonight. Plucked from the rubble -

the Gaza baby delivered from a mother killed in the fighting.

This is where the mother was living, she was trapped when the building

collapsed, she was unable to escape and eventually she died.

a mother killed in the fighting. Royal Bank of Scotland, which is

mostly owned by the taxpayer, doubles its pre-tax profits

for the first half of the year. How a new treatment for breast

cancer could help tens of thousands of women, and save the NHS money.

And Scottish gold in Velodrome at the Commonwealth Games.

Tonight on BBC London, a special on an issue affecting everyone -

the spiralling cost of housing. We ask why it's got so bad

and look for radical solutions to help ease the crisis.

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.

Britain's economy is now bigger than it was before the financial

crisis struck in 2008 according to figures published today.

The Chancellor says it's "thanks to the hard work of the

British people". But Labour says living standards

are still being squeezed. It follows

the steepest fall suffered by any major economy in the same period.

And it's taken more than 6 years for the economy to get back to where

it was. Today's figures show growth

of 0.8% in the three months from April but as our Economics

Editor Robert Peston reports, some difficult problems remain.

The machine is whizzing and Dan sing again, Britain's economy producing

as much as it did six and a quarter years ago -- dancing. Therefore the

great crash and the longest depression since records were kept.

A great industrial name, Boxall, in Luton is confident enough against

who invest in a new generation of white vans. If we go back to the

beginning of the depression we have been living through, how bout was it

in 2008-9. -- how bad was it. The market fell off a cliff, we had

350,000 vehicles a year, it went down to 180,000, the fact we went

from three ships, down to one, but now it is coming back. Manufacturing

is not producing quite so much as it did at the peak, the services are

leading the recovery, how does it feel on the shop floor? Are things

back to normal? Things are improving, we have a long way to go

but we're getting there. Living expenses are quite high, not just

us, we have taken some pay freezes. Minimal pay rises. Back to normal?

The Bills keep going up. Wages are not really increasing. It has been

pretty tough. But who to blame, for the fall in our standards of living,

in power during the terrible crash was Labour. People across the

country, people here and everywhere over Britain, things are hard and

living standards are falling, wages are not keeping pace with prices.

Cashing in, that is what the Tory Chancellor and his Lib Dem

colleagues hope to do, money for us and votes for them. I am the first

to say, today is not the day where we say job done, we resolved to do

more so that yes, people feel prosperity. People in all parts of

our country including in the North of England feel part of a growing

economy. So, when will we actually feel richer? I think earnings will

rise before the end of the year. The unemployment rate has been falling,

in some industries there are shortages of labour. Employers will

have to start to pay higher wages in order to attract employees. Britain

is back at work, in fact right now the economy is moving forward faster

than that of any of our big rich competitors. But we should not get

smoke. After the slump of six years ago America and Germany recovered,

the income they lost much earlier -- we should not get smoke about it.

Homeward bound after a proper shift, there are still risks to the

recovery, the huge debts we have 41 but at last you could say it is

rational to be a bit more cheerful about where we are headed. -- at

last we can be more rational about being more cheerful.

Our Political Correspondent Carole Walker is outside 11 Downing Street.

Ten months to go before the election,

this is a major boost for the government and the Conservatives are

determined to make the most of it. Interesting to hear the Chancellor

talking about a milestone and not a destination, being very careful not

to sound complacent, to stress there is a long way to go. Undoubtedly now

there is a real confidence that the recovery is in place, it is picking

up and can be sustained. The Lib Dems are very keen to claim some

credit saying it would not be happen if they had not made sure there was

a stable coalition government. And Labour, they are much tougher, the

situation for them, Ed Balls insisting today that the government

's policies were wrong in 2010, that they choked off the recovery and

that we are only gaining ground quickly now because we are coming

from such a low point. But when it comes to economic competence the

opinion polls consistently show that the voters tend to trust the

Chancellor George Osborne and David Cameron much more than they trust Ed

Balls and Ed Miliband. These figures will undoubtedly increase that and

help the government to extend their lead. That will be absolutely

crucial when it comes to the general election in ten months time.

The death toll in Gaza has risen above 800, as diplomats increase

the pressure to try to agree a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The United Nations said that 150,000 people in Gaza are now living in UN

schools, one of which was hit by a missile yesterday.

Israel has continued its air and ground missions to stop rockets

being launched from Gaza - while Hamas insists that

the blockade on the area is lifted as part of any ceasefire.

In a moment the view from Israel - but first our correspondent

Ian Pannell on the story of how one baby survived the fighting.

His report contains distressing images from the start.

She's the baby with no name. And no mother. The girl was delivered by

emergency Caesarean section from her dead mother 's body. She was killed

in an Israeli air strike this morning. Her baby was still two

weeks premature. Her oxygen supply was cut. Doctors say that the little

girl has a 50-50 chance of living. I am very angry and sad. I feel that

this baby is mine. The woman's uncle showed us what remains of their

home. And the place where his niece was buried alive. Israel insists it

tries to avoid civilian deaths, but this morning it was not a fighter

killed, just a mother who was heavily pregnant. This is the area

where the bomb landed, we think about two o'clock in the morning,

there has been some damage to a house over there. This part was a UN

facility, a sanitation compound. This was a small block of flats

housing a few families, this is where the mother was living, and she

was trapped as the whole building collapsed, she was underneath and

unable to escape and eventually she died. EXPLOSIONS

But the attacks go both ways. Two Hamas rockets, launched into Israel.

Homeless families living in the UN school clapping and cheering. But

there is nothing to celebrate in Gaza. This eight year and her

brother were injured when another UN school was hit yesterday. Her mother

talks at the moment that her husband died in her arms. Another family

crushed by grief, despite talk of a cease-fire, the suffering and the

pain go undiminished. Our correspondent Orla Guerin is

in Jerusalem for us, high level talks have been going on most

of the week, there's been criticism from the UN and last night violent

demonstrations in the West Bank, how much pressure is Israel under

to stop its offensive in Gaza? Well injury slim you do not get the

sense there is particularly strong pressure -- here in Guru saloon.

There is international condemnation, but Israel is used to fielding that,

when you speak to Israelis on the streets, there appears to be solid

support for the operation in Gaza. That said the international

diplomacy is continuing, in high gear. The US Secretary of State John

Kerry is in Cairo along with the United Nations Secretary-General

Ban-ki Moon. We expect them to have a news conference in under two hours

time with the Egyptian Foreign Minister. We do not know if they

will have a breakthrough to announce. We understand John Kerry

has been working on a 2-stage proposal. A temporary humanitarian

truce to come into place next week. During that pause, the idea would be

that substantial negotiations would be held. It is unclear if progress

has been made and we are dealing with an upsurge in violence and

unrest in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel could face more

unrest. to stop its offensive in Gaza?

The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular has pleaded guilty to killing

her son in Edinburgh in January. Rosdeep Adekoya admitted repeatedly

beating her son at the family's flat.

He died two days later from his injuries and his mother hid

his body in woodland. From the High Court in Edinburgh,

James Cook reports. Mikaeel Kular was described by those

who knew him as a happy and smiley boy. He was just three years old

when he was killed by his own mother. Today Rosdeep Adekoya was

brought to the High Court in Edinburgh to face up to her crimes.

In the dock she dabbed away tears, as the court heard how she lost her

temper when her son was sick after a big meal. We now know that Rosdeep

Adekoya beat her son here at the family home. Causing more than 40

injuries, and then instead of seeking help for him, she kept him

hidden until he died on his bedroom floor. And then the deceit, she

reported him missing. Hundreds came out to help a mother to search for

her little boy. But there was never any hope, she had already bundled

the body into a suitcase, driven out of the city and buried him in these

woods. For those that searched, today's hearing was hard to take.

The whole community came together. To be told he was not missing, he

was murdered and killed... The natural father said nothing as he

left court, having heard how his son died in severe pain, social services

and are reviewing the case. At the spot where the little boy was

dumped, this tribute remains. The sentencing must wait for background

reports as the court and the country tries to comprehend her crime.

A British man has been confirmed as among the victims of a plane

crash yesterday in North Africa. The wreckage of the Air Algerie

plane that disappeared en route from Burkina Faso to Algiers has

been found in Mali. One of

the black boxes has been retrieved. None of the 116 passengers survived.

Royal Bank of Scotland has doubled its pre tax profits

for the first half of this year. The ?2.65 billion profits are

significantly stronger than was expected

and are likely to fuel expectations of how soon the bank - which is 80%

owned by the tax payer - can be sold back to the private sector.

Our business editor Kamal Ahmed has more.

It is the struggling bank that has become a little more healthy. After

years of dire warnings and millions of pounds in fines, The Royal Bank

of Scotland today announced the profits that were up over 90% as the

stronger UK economy kicked in. Visiting a branch of Nat West, which

RBS owns, the Chief Executive said that the bank was turning the

corner. The businesses are performing and getting better as the

economy lifts. Our business is a reflection of that. The consumer

business, you saw that in the mortgage market, you are seeing it

coming through, the small business end of the market, 31% up on new

business going into the UK economy. He did caution problems remain.

mis-selling in the UK could harm the banks profits, he also would like to

go further on cutting costs. Nothing more closely represents the shock of

the crisis than the collapse of The Royal Bank of Scotland. It's better

results today once again raise the question, when will the public be

paid back the ?47 billion used to bail out the bank in 2008? At the

time, we felt that the rights issue had got the group back on track.

Fred Goodwin was the chief executive when RBS crashed and the government

was full to take over age -- a majority, accommodation may consider

selling part of the majority, accommodation may consider

selling part of state after today's results. This is the story of the

share price: that the government would need to

charge to break even on the bailout. Some believe that any possible sale

is many years away. I do not think we will get that money back before

2017, possibly even 2018. The bank has restructuring to do, has got to

rebuild capital, and rebuild confidence in the business.

Government businesses have told me that there is no plans to sell the

stake in RBS until after the general election. -- government sources. If

the sun continued to shine on RBS, pressure could grow for the

coalition to bring forward that date.

Top story: Britain's growing economy is now bigger than before the

financial crash, the government calls it a major milestone. Still to

come: Walking among giants, the amazing marionette show

commemorating World War I. Later, a special edition of London

news, focusing on the housing crisis, including viewers opinions

on how best to ease the shortage of homes. Welcome to another edition of

top of the Pops! Tony Blackburn, 50 years at the top of his trade.

A new breast cancer treatment which which replaces weeks

A new breast cancer treatment which which replaces weeks

of radiotherapy could be offered on the NHS in England.

It uses a single dose of targeted treatment once a tumour

has been removed in surgery. It could benefit up to 36,000

patients a year with early stage breast cancer

and should also save the NHS money. As Sophie Hutchinson reports,

for many patients it could replace up to 15 trips to the hospital

for a course of radiotherapy. 71 years old, a writer, Marcel Burn

Steyn says that she has never been busier. Almost exactly two years ago

she had surgery for breast cancer and at the same time was given a new

version of radiotherapy. She says it was brilliant because it was over so

quickly. I had no idea that it had been done, I felt a bit woozy, and

tied for a few weeks, absolute classic, but... I did not know it

had happened! If they had not told me, I would never have known. There

were no side effects, there was nothing to show. The treatment,

which has been pioneered in the UK, involves a one-off dose of

radiotherapy carried out during an operation in the minutes after any

tumours have been removed. It is administered using a mobile

radiotherapy machine, it lasts around 20 minutes. The benefit of

using the new device is that it directly targets an affected area

from within the breast. It is also extremely fast, saving patients time

and the NHS money. One estimate has put the savings for the NHS at ?15

million a year. The number of time that is spent here is a fraction of

the time that would otherwise have been used. It is not 15 to 20

minutes every day for two to six weeks, it is simply 20 minutes extra

in theatre. The new treatments has so far proven to be as effective as

conventional radiotherapy. It is hoped that if plans to offer it on

the NHS go ahead in the autumn, it will transform care for many breast

cancer patients. Dave Lee Travis is to face

a retrial for charges of sexual assault and indecent assault as well

as a new count of indecent assault on a on a woman aged over 16 alleged

to have taken place in 1995. The former Radio One DJ, who's 69,

was acquitted in February,

but jurors were unable to reach verdicts on two charges.

He has formally pleaded not guilty to all

-- The former Radio One DJ, who's 69, was acquitted

in February, but jurors were unable to reach

verdicts on two charges. He has

formally pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

The Labour leader listed his personal failings today as he

made a bid to persuade voters that his politics and principles are

more important than his appearance. Ed Miliband admitted he's not

from central casting and that he looks a bit like Wallace

out of Wallace and Gromit. But he insisted there's more to

politics than a photo-opportunity. Our political correspondent

Ian Watson reports on whether Mr Miliband's potentially risky

strategy will work. The Labour leader does not look or

act like a conventional politician, struggling with a snacked on the

campaign Trail commonly can be awkward alongside other prominent

politicians, and he even resembles an cartoon character. If you think

all of this sounds unfair, listen to what Ed Miliband says about

himself. You can find people who are more square-jawed, more chiselled...

Who looked less like Wallace and Gromit's Wallace! And I even believe

that you could probably find people who look better eating a bacon

sandwich. CHEERING It is a high-risk strategy, pointing

out his own flaws, trying to neutralise attacks from his

opponents. He also told the Labour audience that people disillusioned

with the audience would welcome his type of leadership, waste on empathy

and decency. My true test of leadership is not just whether you

look the part, it is whether you retain your soul. This new approach

did not stop him from attacking his main political opponent. You talk

about a new type of leadership and yet you attack David Cameron as a

callous conservative, isn't that business as usual? I judging by his

actions and not his photos. There is a narrow lead for Labour, but when

it comes to who would make the best Prime Minister, Ed Miliband is

lacking a long his ratings are similar to those of people like

William Hague, who never became Prime Minister when he was a

politician. Ronald Reagan said, if you are explaining, you are losing.

-- Ed Miliband is lagging a long way away. -- his ratings are similar to

those of people like William Hague. On a day when national output has

recovered to a place as it was before the great recession, brought

to us by Labour, that is an extraordinary thing to say. Ed

Miliband used to laugh off the attacks but now he's very animated

about saying how he's is a new type of leadership. Another busy day at

the Commonwealth Games, Scotland has won gold, and some of the biggest

names in sport have been in action. There was a blow 14 miles, one of

their top athletes, Rhys Williams, has failed a drugs test. Here's

having a really difficult season this season... He was one of

Wales's brightest medal hopes, tonight he is fighting to save his

reputation, kicked out of the Commonwealth Games for an alleged

doping offence. It was after this race, near in Glasgow, one fortnight

ago, European 400 meter hurdles champion and son of rugby legend JJ

Williams, failed a drugs test and today he was suspended. In a

statement he has said: Last week his team-mate, Gareth

Warburton, was also rolled out of Glasgow 2014, having fallen foul of

doping regulations, today's news has prompted an internal review by Welsh

athletics. It is a we need to do everything we can to understand why

that has happened. It is not great for athletics in Wales. Rhys

Williams will no longer be running in Hamden Park as planned on Sunday,

the first doping controversy since these games began, the last thing

Glasgow 2014 needed, when organisers want all of the focus to be on the

action. -- Hampden Park. Today was no

disappointment, a men's para- cycling 1000 metre tandem time

trial, this was Scotland's first gold in the velodrome.

Success for England as well, a domination of the women's final in

the 3000 metre individual pursuit, beating Australia. They have added

Commonwealth gold to the world crown she won earlier this year:

it is the event of a spotted for when I first started, it means a lot

to me. This, England's seventh gold of these games as the team remains

on top of the medal table. More than a million people are

expected to watch three giant marionette puppets take to the

streets of Liverpool this weekend as part of a spectacular show to mark

the centenary of World War One. The show has already been

entertaining the crowds today, among them is our correspondent

Judith Moritz. Once upon a time and magical girl

woke up... Not in a fairy tale, but in Liverpool, which today became the

land of the Giants. And she's not alone, her pet dog is here as well,

together they have dwarfed the crowds who have, to see them on

their journey through the city. I think it is amazing. I love the dog.

I thought it was boss and the kids loved it! The girl 's grandmother is

also in Liverpool, she weighs five tonnes and she is 25 feet tall, she

is no little old lady. It takes 26 people to operate her and she can

speak. She speaks about how the city 's men were called up to fight in

August, 1914. This piece of street theatre is Britain's largest scale

World War I commemoration. They have drawn the stories from the people of

Liverpool, and they will be amplifying them back to Liverpool,

but obviously right across the UK and robbery across the world as

well. It really is an amazing experience, Liverpool has been so

pleased to welcome the marionettes, they have done everything they can

to accommodate them. You can see that the grandmother needs a really

big height clearance to move along and so they have moved lamp post,

telephone wires and bus stops across the city, so that she can get

around. Moving at 1.5 mph, the marionettes are making stately

progress, covering more than 30 miles and they will be seen by more

than 1 million people this weekend as tales of a century ago are told

in a spectacular way. -- lamp posts.

They look amazing, we will have a look at the weather forecast.

Another hot day in Glasgow, things will not change just yet but there

will be a the temperature over the weekend, for all of us it will be

cooler and fresher, there will still be sunshine around but more showers.

Big storms today in the south-east of England, and shall reign has

brought travel disruption, you can see how the downpours have been

heading to the south coast, this next area of thundery rain clearing

away. Tending to trickle further west, almost anywhere across parts

of southern England, maybe the South could catch a storm and then it will

fade away. Bit more missed and low cloud coming into eastern areas,

warm and muggy night, low cloud and missed burning back to the coastal

areas, most of us will see the sunshine apart from maybe Northern

Ireland, where there is a showery band of rain. One or two showers,

some of these places will be dry. Dry in the south-west of England,

temperatures will be in the midst of my 20s across England and Wales, if

you thundery showers, possible thunderstorms to the east of London

this time in the afternoon, we could get a late shower over the high

ground, possibly into Wales. Wetter weather coming into Northern Ireland

and into western Scotland and dropping the temperatures, quite a

change in the weather for the games, we begin in the heat and the

sunshine for the triathlon. It is the Marathon on Sunday, better

weather for running, noticeably cooler but there could be rain

around as well. Showery rain coming self into Northern Ireland. Some

sunshine across England and Wales but we will see a scattering of

showers here, there is a north-westerly breeze, temperatures

will be noticeably lower, eating 20 degrees for England and Wales.

Temperatures in Scotland and Northern Ireland, 10 degrees lower

than we have had today. Big changes. Britain's growing economy is now

bigger than before the financial crash: The government called it a

major milestone. The somatic efforts intensify as the death toll in the

conflict in Gaza reaches 800.