Peers 'offered to lobby for firm'
By Anonymous on Jun 02, 2013 02:43 am 2 June 2013 Last updated at 02:43 ET 
The Sunday Times secretly filmed Lord Cunningham and two other peers
Three peers have been dragged into the row over political lobbying after being accused of agreeing to carry out parliamentary work for payment.
Undercover Sunday Times reporters filmed the men who appear to offer to help a fake solar energy company.
Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird and Labour's Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate and Lord Cunningham deny wrongdoing.
The allegations come after MP Patrick Mercer resigned the Tory whip on Friday amid claims he broke lobbying rules.
The House of Lords code of conduct says peers cannot engage in "paid advocacy" - using their access to Parliament to make a profit.
The Sunday Times suggests the peers, who it filmed separately, may have broken those strict rules.
'Subject of a scam' The first, Lord Cunningham - a minister under Tony Blair - said he could arrange parties on the terrace of the House of Lords after being asked if this was possible.
Lord Laird said he had "not agreed to act as a paid advocate"
He also offered to ask parliamentary questions and was offered a monthly payment of £10,000 but said he could do a deal for £12,000 a month.
Lord (Brian) Mackenzie - a former chief superintendent for Durham police and President of the Police Superintendents Association - was asked whether he could get around Parliament's rules forbidding peers from booking dining facilities for events related to their financial interests.
"I'd just say to a colleague who has nothing to do with it 'would you host a function for me?'" he says.
And Lord Laird was asked if he could help with things such as amendments and debates.
"Oh yeah, yeah," he replies.
The Sunday Times said all three had told their undercover reporters at the time that they would declare any payment in the House of Lords register and if they were advocating solar energy either in the Lords or in writing to ministers.
In a statement to the BBC, Lord Laird said he had been "the subject of a scam" by journalists.
"This has led to allegations that I have broken the rules of the House of Lords," he said.
"I wish to make it clear that I did not agree to act as a paid advocate in any proceedings of the House nor did I accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services."
He said that, although he had not broken any rules, he had referred himself "to the appropriate authorities" and would be making "no further statement until I have received their ruling".
'Complex matters' The other peers have not responded to requests for a comment from the BBC.
But in a statement sent to the Sunday Times on Friday night, Lord Mackenzie said: "I totally refute that I have breached any of the parliamentary rules or lobbied on behalf of any commercial organisation in parliament or abused my position in any way."
He said he was "more than happy for these complex matters to be investigated by the House of Lords authorities and confident that I have not breached any part of the code of conduct".
Lord Cunningham, also in a statement sent to the Sunday Times, said: "I deny any agreement to operate in breach of the House of Lords code of conduct and, in fact, recall that I made it clear that I would only operate within the rules."
He said his reference to "a fanciful £12,000 a month payment" was made to test his suspicion that he had been talking to journalists.
Labour said in a statement it expected all peers to comply with the Lords code of conduct and that, where there was evidence of wrongdoing, the party would consider disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, in a separate investigation, Lord Laird was approached by a fake lobbying company - claiming to represent business interests in Fiji - set up by BBC Panorama in conjunction with the Daily Telegraph.
He was secretly filmed being asked if he would be interested in being paid to work for the company.
He said he would be interested in accepting a retainer of £2,000 a month and also discussed with undercover reporters how he would get other people to raise questions in the House of Lords.
On Saturday, the BBC's Panorama programme released footage - secretly filmed as part of the same investigation - of MP Patrick Mercer appearing to offer a Commons security pass to a fake Fijian firm that paid him £4,000 to ask parliamentary questions.
It was released a day after he resigned the Tory whip over the programme's allegations that he broke Commons lobbying rules.
Mr Mercer said he took the money for consultancy work outside Parliament, that he was taking legal advice and that he had referred himself to Parliament's standards commissioner.
On Thursday, Panorama will air allegations from its joint investigation with the Daily Telegraph.
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"I've called in my other pass," Patrick Mercer tells Panorama reporter
Panorama will be shown on BBC One at 21:00 BST on Thursday.
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Red Cross 'alarmed' over Syria town
By Anonymous on Jun 02, 2013 02:50 am 1 June 2013 Last updated at 20:49 ET 
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Syrian doctor describes the worsening humanitarian situation in Qusair
The Red Cross has expressed alarm over the situation in the besieged Syrian town of Qusair, and has appealed for immediate access to deliver aid.
Thousands of civilians are believed to be trapped in the town, which lies close to the border with Lebanon.
The battle for control between pro-government forces and rebel fighters has made medical supplies, food and water scarce, the Red Cross says.
The UN has also appealed to the warring parties to allow residents to flee.
One opposition activist told the BBC on Friday that around 30,000 civilians were still in the town. However, these figures cannot be independently verified.
Rebel-held parts of Qusair are effectively blockaded by government forces and Hezbollah fighters.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said in a statement it was "alarmed" by reports of civilians trapped in Qusair and was prepared to enter the town immediately to deliver aid.
"Civilians and the wounded are at risk of paying an even heavier price as the fighting continues," said the head of the ICRC's operations in the region, Robert Mardini.
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the fact that both the UN and ICRC have issued urgent statements at the same time is an indication of how desperate they believe the situation has become.
'Declaration of alarm' Meanwhile, Russia has blocked a draft UN Security Council "declaration of alarm" over Qusair that voices "grave concern" about the situation, Reuters news agency reports.
Council statements such as these must be agreed unanimously.
A Russian diplomat speaking on the condition of anonymity said it blocked the draft text because "it was not advisable to speak out as the UN Security Council didn't know when Qusair was taken by the opposition".
Fighting in Qusair intensified last month with militants from Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group, joining forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Reinforcements from the rebel Free Syrian Army are reported to have managed to break through from the north-east to support the embattled rebel fighters.
Some Lebanese Sunnis have also crossed into Syria to fight alongside the rebels, who are drawn largely from Syria's majority Sunni community.
Activists from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights say rebels are bracing themselves for a fresh assault.
Qusair, which lies 10 km south-west of the Lebanese border, is considered a key logistical hub and supply route for weapons smuggled into Syria.
The town is also located near the main road connecting the city of Homs to the Syrian capital Damascus.
Read in browser » Matt Smith to leave Doctor Who
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2013 05:22 pm 1 June 2013 Last updated at 17:22 ET By Tim Masters Entertainment correspondent, BBC News 
Smith first stepped into the Tardis as the 11th Doctor in 2010.
Doctor Who star Matt Smith is to leave his role as the Doctor at the end of this year, the BBC has announced.
After four years as the Time Lord on the BBC One show, viewers will see Smith's Doctor regenerate in the 2013 Christmas special.
The 30-year-old actor said working on the show had been "the most brilliant experience".
Doctor Who marks its 50th anniversary in November with a special episode, which Smith has already filmed.
The BBC said Smith's "spectacular exit" was yet to be revealed and would be "kept tightly under wraps".
Smith first stepped into the Tardis as the 11th Doctor in 2010. Taking over from David Tennant, he was the youngest actor to play the role.
Speaking after the announcement, he said he was "incredibly proud" of what the show had achieved over the last four years under Steven Moffat, the show's lead writer and executive producer.
Smith also thanked fans around the world for their "truly remarkable" dedication to the show.
'Extraordinary show' Continue reading the main story Matt Smith's statement in full
"Doctor Who has been the most brilliant experience for me as an actor and a bloke, and that largely is down to the cast, crew and fans of the show.
"I'm incredibly grateful to all the cast and crew who work tirelessly every day to realise all the elements of the show and deliver Doctor Who to the audience. Many of them have become good friends and I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the last four years.
"Having Steven Moffat as show runner write such varied, funny, mind bending and brilliant scripts has been one of the greatest and most rewarding challenges of my career. It's been a privilege and a treat to work with Steven - he's a good friend and will continue to shape a brilliant world for the Doctor.
The fans of Doctor Who around the world are unlike any other; they dress up, shout louder, know more about the history of the show (and speculate more about the future of the show) in a way that I've never seen before.
"Your dedication is truly remarkable. Thank you so very much for supporting my incarnation of the Time Lord, number 11, who I might add is not done yet - I'm back for the 50th anniversary and the Christmas special.
"It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the Tardis for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go and Trenzalore calls. Thank you guys. Matt."
During his tenure, Smith's floppy-haired, bow tie-wearing Time Lord has fought enemies such as Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels and the Silence.
His Doctor has shared his adventures with Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and most recently, Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman).
Referring to his time-travelling companions, Smith said: "It's been an honour to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the Tardis for a spell with 'the ginger, the nose and the impossible one'. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go..."
Show runner Steven Moffat said: "Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me. The way he'd turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry - I just never knew what was coming next.
"The Doctor can be clown and hero - often at the same time - and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently. And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him - sometimes literally - his behaviour was always worthy of the Doctor."
Moffat added: "Great actors always know when it's time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break as we say goodbye to number 11. Thank you Matt - bow ties were never cooler."
The announcement of Smith's exit is likely to spark months of fevered speculation about his replacement.
'Still so exciting' "Somewhere out there right now - all unknowing, just going about their business - is someone who's about to become the Doctor," Moffat hinted.
Continue reading the main story 
The 11 Doctors
1. William Hartnell (1963-1966)
2. Patrick Troughton (1966-1969)
3. Jon Pertwee (1970-1974)
4. Tom Baker (1974-1981)
5. Peter Davison - pictured (1982-1984)
6. Colin Baker (1984-1986)
7. Sylvester McCoy (1987-1996)
8. Paul McGann (1996)
9. Christopher Eccleston (2005)
10. David Tennant (2005-2010)
11. Matt Smith (2010 - 2013)
"A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again. After 50 years, that's still so exciting."
Smith's first adventure in April 2010, the Eleventh Hour, saw his newly-regenerated Doctor crash his Tardis into the garden of a young Scottish girl who was later to become his new companion - Amy Pond.
In his most recent adventure, the Name of the Doctor - which aired two weeks ago - Smith's Time Lord visited his own grave on the planet Trenzalore.
In 2011, Smith became the first actor to be nominated for a Bafta in the role.
And he won the most popular male drama performance award at the National Television Awards in 2012.
Born in Northampton in 1982, Smith studied drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia.
He made his TV debut in the 2006 adaptation of Philip Pullman's the Ruby in the Smoke, which starred former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper.
Smith's stage work has included stints with theatre companies such as the Royal Court and National Theatre. His West End debut was in Swimming With Sharks opposite Christian Slater.
During his time in Doctor Who, Smith also appeared in BBC TV films Christopher and His Kind, in which he played novelist Christopher Isherwood, and in Olympic rowing drama Bert and Dickie.
Read in browser » Turkey assesses protest damage
By Anonymous on Jun 02, 2013 02:55 am 2 June 2013 Last updated at 01:03 ET 
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Thousands of people have been protesting in Istanbul's Taksim Square
Turkish police have arrested more than 900 people during two days of protests, the most sustained anti-government outburst for years.
Interior Minister Muammer Guler said some of those arrested had since been released, others would be put on trial.
He said 26 police officers and 53 civilians had been hurt, one of them seriously.
Protests flared after police cracked down on a peaceful sit-in against a plan to redevelop a park in Istanbul.
The BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul says a lot of people are fed up with the government, which they believe wants to take away some of their personal freedoms.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to talk to the protesters, but our correspondent says there is no clear leader of the demonstrators.
Amnesty claims On Sunday morning, there were isolated clashes around the streets of Istanbul.
But witnesses said the atmosphere was calm and largely peaceful, with demonstrators milling about between burnt-out cars and gathering around fires.
Thousands of people had packed into Istanbul's Taksim Square on Saturday as the police pulled back.
The initial protest had been a local dispute over plans to build on Gezi Park, near Taksim Square.
But police attempted to move the demonstrators using tear gas, sparking an angry reaction that snowballed into nationwide protests.
Mr Guler said more than 90 demonstrations had taken place in 48 cities.
He said one of the injured civilians was being treated in an intensive care unit at an Istanbul hospital, but gave no details of how the injury was sustained.
Video footage from Ankara appeared to show one protester being run down by a police vehicle.
Amnesty International claimed two people had been killed and more than 1,000 injured, though there was no confirmation of those figures.
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Protests in Ankara continued into Saturday
Mr Erdogan has accused his opponents of using the anger over the Gezi Park issue to stoke up tensions.
The prime minister has been in power since 2002, and has indicated he will try to change the constitution to allow him to stand for another term.
Some in Turkey have complained that his government is becoming increasingly authoritarian.
His ruling AK Party has its roots in political Islam, but he says he is committed to Turkey's state secularism.
The US has expressed concern over Turkey's handling of the protests and Amnesty International condemned the police's tactics, saying: "The use of violence by police on this scale appears designed to deny the right to peaceful protest altogether and to discourage others from taking part."
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Read in browser » Man charged over Woolwich murder
By Anonymous on Jun 01, 2013 03:26 pm 1 June 2013 Last updated at 14:07 ET 
A second man has been charged with the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich on 22 May.
Michael Adebolajo, of Romford, Essex, has also been charged with the attempted murder of two police officers and possession of a firearm.
On Wednesday, a post-mortem examination found Drummer Rigby died of "multiple incised wounds" after the attack on a street in Woolwich, south-east London.
Adebolajo, 28, has been remanded in custody to appear in court on Monday.
Read in browser » US counts cost of deadly storms
By Anonymous on Jun 02, 2013 02:35 am 2 June 2013 Last updated at 02:35 ET 
Tornado damage is assessed in El Reno in Oklahoma
Thousands of homes remain without power in the US Midwest after a huge storm system swept through, killing at least 12 people.
Nine people died in Oklahoma City and its suburbs and three more in Missouri.
Hundreds of people were injured, many of them on roads as they tried to flee tornadoes. Heavy rain has also left many areas flooded.
Two weeks ago a massive tornado struck the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, killing 24 people.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Centre warned that the severe weather was moving east on Sunday, threatening an area from Virginia to Maine with damaging winds and heavy downpours.
'Lifted off the road' The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said more than 91,000 homes and businesses were still without power on Saturday. Workers are trying to clear downed lines.
Some 8in (20 cm) of rain fell on the Oklahoma City area, causing flash flooding.
A trailer park in Oklahoma City was among the areas evacuated.
Governor Mary Fallin insisted: "We're going to get through this."
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Journalist Brad Gibson: "Tornadoes are these beasts that come out of nowhere"
The storm struck in the rush hour on Friday night, with many people taking to the roads to try to get to safer areas.
Terri Black, a teacher's assistant in Moore, told Associated Press she had tried to outrun a predicted tornado: "It was chaos. People were going southbound in the northbound lanes. Everybody was running for their lives.
"My car was actually lifted off the road and then set back down."
Two of those who died, a mother and her baby, were sucked out of their car when the largest tornado of the storm struck near the Oklahoma town of El Reno.
Workers are trying to restore power to tens of thousands of homes
The tornado ripped down the highway, overturning cars and lorries.
Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, confirmed two children and seven adults had died in the state.
Scott Holste, a spokesman for Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, said three people had died in flooding in that state.
Violent winds overturned vehicles on Interstate 70 between St Louis and St Charles County.
Mr Nixon toured affected areas and urged residents to avoid flooded regions.
"Missouri has been hit by several rounds of severe storms in the past few weeks," he said.
"Because many streams and rivers are overflowing their banks, we will need to stay vigilant in both monitoring and responding to flooding across the state as well. This remains a dangerous situation."
In Iowa, Governor Terry Branstad issued a disaster proclamation for several flooded counties.
A school in Gillespie, Illinois, had its roof torn off by a tornado packing 115mph (185km/h) winds.
Meteorologists said the tornadoes were less severe than the one that struck Moore two weeks ago.
That tornado - ranked as an EF5, the most powerful - destroyed some 1,200 homes. About 33,000 people were affected and the damage has been estimated at $2bn (£1.32bn).
Oklahoma is in part of the US Midwest known as Tornado Alley. Some 1,200 tornadoes strike each year, though most are relatively small.
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