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Midwest slammed by severe storms

Chicago as viewed from an aircraftChicago residents have been told to brace for the most powerful storm to hit Illinois in over 70 years

Forecasters have told residents of the US state of Illinois to brace for the most powerful storm to hit the region in over 70 years, as heavy rain and strong winds begin to slam the area.

Tornado warnings were issued across areas from the state of Arkansas to Illinois’s metropolitan hub of Chicago.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were also announced across the Midwestern US.

Authorities temporarily stopped flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago on Tuesday due to high winds.

Morning commuters in the city faced blustery rain that flipped umbrellas inside out and snapped some of them in half.

“It’s not too crazy yet, but you can feel that the wind is coming,” Chicago resident Alexis Robertson told the BBC.

The National Weather Service said winds in the city’s suburb of Lombard were reaching more than 50mph (80km/h).

The energy company ComEd was already trying to restore power to roughly 5,600 customers in Illinois on Tuesday, said spokesman Bennie Currie.

The large storm continues to plow across the US, moving from North and South Dakota to the eastern Great Lakes, on the border with Canada.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

PM condemns Bonfire Night strike

Firefighters protested through the streets of London in SeptemberLondon firefighters marched in protest over new contracts in September

Prime Minister David Cameron has described as “irresponsible” a firefighters’ strike in London on Bonfire Night in a row over contracts.

Labour leader Ed Miliband’s spokeswoman also said it would be “dangerous” for the Fire Brigades Union to walk out for 47 hours starting on 5 November.

London fire authority chairman has asked the FBU to “call the strike off” on the “busiest time” for the brigade.

The Hindu festival of lights, diwali, also occurs on Bonfire Night this year.

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Earlier Fire Minister Bob Neill warned that the union had “shot themselves in the foot” with their choice of strike date but an London FBU official said it was more of a “symbolic night”.

More than 5,500 firefighters went on an eight-hour strike on Saturday over LFB’s plans to scrap current rotas.

The union plans to walk out for another eight hours on 1 November and for 47 hours on 5 November.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the public would not think it was responsible to choose Bonfire Night for a strike.

He said: “We will do everything we can to reduce the effect of the strike. We don’t think it’s responsible.”

Mr Miliband’s spokeswoman said: “It would be a dangerous situation.

“Hopefully it will be resolved by then. We would dearly like to see it resolved by then.”

Matt Wrack from the Fire Brigades' Union

Matt Wrack from the Fire Brigades’ Union: ”If the sackings are lifted, there won’t be any strike”

On an average Bonfire Night, LFB said, the number of secondary fires or smaller fires are “five times higher than normal” while crews “attend twice as many primary (more serious) fires”.

Over the first 10 days of November 2009, LFB were called to a total of 860 fires, with the highest number of incidents, 224, taking place on Bonfire Night.

London fire authority chairman Brian Coleman said: “The FBU have placed firefighters in a terrible position.

“We had asked for a meeting with national negotiators on the 5 November, and the union have responded with a strike. The message to the FBU is short and simple. Call the strike off and talk.”

Fire Minister Mr Neill said: “The choosing of 5 November, Guy Fawke’s Day, for a strike is I think completely inappropriate, highly irresponsible and very provocative.

“I believe they have shot themselves in the foot.

“The very fact that there’s that degree of uncertainty, whilst I’m sure it’s deliberate on the part of those who chose this date, doesn’t do anything I think to get them public sympathy.”

But Ben Sprung, the London regional organiser for the FBU, told the BBC: “It’s more of a symbolic night in my eyes. I can’t remember a time when there was a mass display and people died there.

“Maybe 20 years ago Bonfire Night was a big, really busy night but today I think it’s a symbolic night more than a night where people’s lives are in danger.”

Earlier FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said they “had two weeks to settle this dispute before that strike”.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Clegg fury over ‘cleansing’ claim

Simon HughesSimon Hughes has branded planned housing benefit cuts ‘draconian’

Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes is confident of gaining concessions on benefit cuts after holding talks with Nick Clegg, the BBC understands.

It follows threats of a backbench Lib Dem rebellion over the plans.

Mr Clegg, the deputy prime minister, has argued the cuts are needed to save cash but are “fair”.

But Mr Hughes and other Lib Dem MPs have branded them “draconian” and said they will hit poor families in London and other inner cities.

Some families could see their rents more than treble under the housing benefit proposals, leading critics to predict an exodus of poor families to the suburbs.

Mr Hughes is believed to be concerned about three aspects of the proposals in particular – a cut of 10% in housing benefit after one year for those on Jobseeker’s Allowance, a £400 a week cap on housing benefit for private rented homes and allowing housing associations to charge close to the full market rent.

Torbay MP Adrian Sanders and Carshalton and Wallington MP Tom Brake have also spoken out against the plans.

Mr Brake told BBC News on Monday: “My concern is that the changes on housing benefit, particularly in London, are going to have a really hard-hitting impact on a number of families.”

In an attempt to head off a full-scale rebellion, Lib Dem housing minister Andrew Stunnell has insisted the changes will create more social housing than was ever achieved by the previous Labour government.

He said most of what had been written about the government’s plans was “inaccurate”.

He said the government would be building “more affordable housing units this year than in any year under Labour and in the plans announced in the spending review we will be adding more each year than they did altogether”.

The coalition has argued that the new higher rental income from social housing – 80% of the market rate – will encourage the private sector to invest.

Mr Clegg has argued that the housing benefit changes, which would also see single people under 35 forced to share accommodation, are fair on low paid people who go out to work but not receive help with their housing costs.

COALITION HOUSING PLANSA commitment to build an extra 150,000 social homes in this parliamentEnding the right to a council house for life with new shorter tenancies for families on waiting listsHigher social rents which could be 80% of the market rentA cap on housing benefit of around £400 a week for a house rented in the private sectorA 10% cut in housing benefit for anyone on jobseeker’s allowance for more than a yearFrom April 2012 the age threshold for the shared room rate will rise from 25 to 35

Planned increases in university tuition fees have also provoked “lively” discussions between Lib Dem backbenchers and ministers, the BBC understands, with the government expected to announce its response to Lord Browne’s report on higher education funding as early as next week.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has indicated that universities will not be allowed to charge unlimited fees, as some of them have been demanding, and that student contributions could be capped at about £7,000.

But he is believed to be coming under pressure from Lib Dem backbenchers for an even lower cap, and to increase the point at which repayments start from the £23,000 a year salary suggested by Lord Browne to £26,000.

Lib Dem sources told the BBC: “The lower the cap and the harder the cap the better.”

There are also rumblings of discontent about funding for disadvantaged school children in England, following news that the “pupil premium” would be part-funded from the education budget.

MPs are due to debate the Spending Review in the Commons on Wednesday.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Indonesia tsunami deaths increase

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Reports from Indonesia say two people have been killed and 160 people are missing after a localised tsunami triggered by Monday’s powerful earthquake off the coast of Sumatra.

Dozens of houses were destroyed by waves after the 7.5 magnitude quake, which struck near the Mentawai islands.

Australian officials say they are trying to contact a group of 10 surfers sailing in the area at the time.

Another group of Australians said their boat was destroyed by a wall of water.

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Captain Rick Hallet told Australian media that his boat was anchored off Pagai Island in the Menatawis when the waves came.

“We felt a bit of a shake underneath the boat… then within several minutes we heard an almighty roar,” he said.

“I immediately thought of a tsunami and looked out to sea and that’s when we saw the wall of white water coming at us,” he said.

The wave brought another boat crashing into them and sparked a fire, forcing them to jump into the sea.

Some of those on board were swept up to 200m inland by the wave, he said.

The head of Indonesia’s Health Ministry crisis centre, Mudjiharto, said at least two people had been killed.

“Two dead bodies have been found in Sipora island. Several people are still missing in Bosua village and we are searching for them,” the official – who goes by one name – said.

He said 80% of the buildings in one village had been destroyed.

At least 160 people, mostly women and children, are missing in the coastal village of Betu Monga, officials said.

The group of missing Australians were on a surfing charter boat in the area affected by the earthquake.

Poor telephone coverage of the area was hampering efforts to contact them, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs said.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Take That and Robbie confirm tour

Take That and Robbie WilliamsThe five group members picked up a prize at the Q Awards in London on Monday

Robbie Williams is to tour with Take That for the first time in 16 years when the reformed group go on a stadium tour next summer.

They have announced an initial string of dates in Sunderland, Manchester, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Birmingham and London in May, June and July.

Tickets go on sale on Friday. They will also take the show across Europe.

The band’s last UK tour – without Williams – was seen by a record-breaking one million people in 2009.

Williams rejoined the group this summer and their new album, Progress, will be released next month.

The singer said the gigs would include a mixture of his solo material and the band’s hits.

“I’m going to be doing a bit, the lads are going to be doing a bit then we’re all going to be doing a bit,” he told a press conference in London.

Last summer Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Howard Donald performed 20 stadium concerts – beating U2 and Michael Jackson to the title of the UK and Ireland’s biggest ever tour.

Williams has also been one of the country’s most popular live acts since leaving the group in 1995.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Scots police ‘lose questioning powers’

Outside view of the supreme courtThe UK Supreme Court is due to rule on the case

A case which could fundamentally alter the way Scots police question suspects is to conclude at the UK Supreme Court.

It will rule on the case of Peter Cadder, a teenager charged with assault and breach of the peace, who was convicted on the basis of evidence gained before he spoke to his lawyer.

Currently, police can question suspects for six hours without a lawyer present, then they must be freed or charged.

But a European court has ruled access to a lawyer is part of a fair trial.

This ruling was made by the European Court of Human Rights in 2008.

If the Crown Office loses the Peter Cadder case, other similar convictions may be reviewed or appealed.

Among them could be Luke Mitchell, who was just 14 when he was questioned without a lawyer by police investigating the murder of his girlfriend, Jodi Jones.

That aspect of his case is already being investigated by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

The Crown Office recently ordered lawyers to be allowed immediate access to arrested clients.

David McLetchie, of the Scottish Conservatives, said: “This issue is now coming to a head.

“If the Supreme Court decides in favour of Cadder and the decision is retrospective, then the Scottish Conservatives stand ready to work with the rest of parliament to limit the damage.

“As we saw with the slopping-out fiasco, ECHR can often serve the interests of the criminal, rather than the law-abiding majority.

“Its incorporation into the Scotland Act in 1998 was an error of judgment which, 12 years on, needs to be reviewed.”

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Baby Peter ‘failed by all staff’

Baby Peter ConnellyPeter Connelly died with more than 50 injuries

Two independent reports into the death of the north London baby, Peter Connelly, are being published in full later on Tuesday.

Known as serious case reviews, the reports may provide more detail about the failure of Haringey Social Services to protect the toddler.

Baby Peter died after months of abuse in August 2007.

His mother, her boyfriend and a lodger at the family home are serving prison terms for failing to protect the boy.

The 17-month-old boy had suffered more than 50 injuries, and had been visited 60 times by the authorities over the previous eight months.

Serious case reviews are carried out when a child dies of suspected abuse and are supposed to reveal what went wrong.

Their publication “in full” follows on from a Conservative Party pledge to do so. The aim is to make officials involved in child protection more accountable to the public.

The first review was an internal investigation completed by Haringey Social Services. Snippets of this report have been released, but it was later found to be “inadequate” by government inspectors – so a second one was undertaken.

Parts of that report, the executive summary and conclusion, has been published and it revealed there were six opportunities to save the toddler’s life.

It is thought the full disclosure of both reviews will provide more detail about the failure of social workers to protect him.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.