Survivors mark Auschwitz anniversary

27 January 2015 Last updated at 12:20

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Former prisoners and museum staff laid wreaths and candles at the Death Wall

About 300 Auschwitz survivors have gathered at the site of the former Nazi death camp to mark the 70th anniversary of its liberation.

The commemoration will be held at the site in southern Poland where 1.1 million people, the vast majority Jews, were killed between 1940 and 1945.

It is expected to be the last major anniversary event that survivors are able to attend in considerable numbers.

Heads of state and representatives from wartime Allies will also be present.

Events include the laying of a wreath, a church service, and the lighting of candles at a memorial in the former death camp of Birkenau, which was part of the Auschwitz complex.

Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated by the Red Army of the Soviet Union on 27 January 1945. It opened as a museum in 1947.

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Aerial footage of Auschwitz-Birkenau today

Renee Salt, 85, from north London, is among the survivors travelling to Tuesday's commemoration.

She visited the camp for the first time 10 years ago and "buried the ghosts", she told the BBC, and has been going back ever since.

"I'll do it for as long as I can. Why? There are still a lot of Holocaust deniers, the world over, and if we don't speak out, the world won't know what happened."

At the scene: Kevin Connolly, BBC News

Those who survived Auschwitz lived through one of the 20th Century's worst acts of hatred and inhumanity. Many of those still alive today were children in 1945, but they are elderly now and this may be the last significant anniversary where so many will gather.

A huge, white temporary building has been erected over the brick railway buildings where many of the Jews of Europe were sorted into those who were fit enough for slave labour and those who would be taken straight to the gas chambers.

Candles have been lit at the Death Wall where prisoners were executed - small points of light in this wintry landscape of snow and ice, where Europe is remembering a time of darkness.

Bearing witness through drawing

Life in the city of Auschwitz

On Tuesday the Russian defence ministry published what it said were archive documents about the liberation of Auschwitz.

They include an account by Gen Kramnikov of the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front, whose soldiers opened the gates, about "endless crowds of people" leaving the death camp.

"They all look extremely exhausted, grey-haired old men, youths, women with young babies and teenagers, nearly all of them half-naked," the general wrote.

"The first indications are that in Auschwitz hundreds of thousands of prisoners have been worked to death, burned or shot dead."

Auschwitz

• Construction began in 1940 on site that grew to 40 sq km (15 sq miles)
• About one million Jews were killed at the camp
• Other victims included Roma (Gypsies), disabled people, homosexuals, dissidents, non-Jewish Poles and Soviet prisoners

German President Joachim Gauck and French President Francois Hollande are among the national leaders travelling to Poland for the anniversary.

But Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending, amid a row with Poland over the commemoration and linked to Russia's recent intervention in Ukraine.

Before leaving Paris, Mr Hollande condemned the "unbearable" problem of contemporary anti-Semitism, telling Jews at a Holocaust memorial: "France is your homeland."

He spoke after a Jewish group said the number of anti-Semitic acts recorded in France had doubled in 2014 to more than 850. Earlier this month, a Jewish supermarket was targeted during deadly attacks that shook the French capital.

On the eve of the Auschwitz anniversary, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was a "disgrace" that Jews faced insults, threats and violence.

"We've got to fight anti-Semitism and all racism from the outset," she said at a memorial event in Berlin. "We've got to constantly be on guard to protect our freedom, democracy and rule of law."

The museum has long struggled to find funding for its upkeep, though the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation recently said it had almost reached its goal of raising an endowment of more than $150m (£100m).

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The BBC's Fergal Keane: "The human imagination still struggles to comprehend what went on here"

Are you related to a survivor or a survivor attending the commemoration? If so, what are your memories? You can share your pictures by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number.

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UK economic growth hits 2.6% in 2014

27 January 2015 Last updated at 11:16

The UK's economy grew by 2.6% last year, the fastest pace since 2007 and up from 1.7% in 2013, official figures have shown.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the economy grew by 0.5% in the final three months of 2014.

That was a slowdown from 0.7% growth recorded in the previous three months.

Economists were mixed over whether the loss of momentum in the final quarter might be temporary or prolonged.

The ONS's chief economist, Joe Grice, said it was "too early to say" if this slowdown would persist.

"The dominant services sector remains buoyant while the contraction has taken place in industries like construction, mining and energy supply, which can be erratic," he said.

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Joe Grice from ONS: Growth figures "fairly respectable, fairly solid"

But Nancy Curtin, chief investment officer at Close Brothers Asset Management, said the fourth-quarter figure "hardly set the world alight... and it's clear that [the economy] is slowing".

She said: "There are clouds looming large on the horizon, and the general election is the biggest of these. Investors don't like uncertainty."

The services sector grew by 0.8% in the quarter, but construction contracted by 1.8%. Manufacturing grew by just 0.1%, its worst performance since the start of 2013.

"The main disappointment with growth in the fourth quarter was that it looks unbalanced on the output side of the economy at least," said Howard Archer, chief UK economist at IHS Global Insight.

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George Osborne: "These figures show that the recovery is on track"

But Chancellor George Osborne said the figures showed the economy was "on track". He warned that the international economic climate was "getting worse", and so the government must continue with its economic strategy.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said the slowdown in fourth-quarter growth was a concern, and that "Tory claims that the economy is fixed will ring hollow with working people" whose "wages are down by £1,600 a year since 2010".

'At odds'

The ONS figures are the first estimate of fourth-quarter growth and could be revised up or down as more economic data for the three months is gathered by the statistics office.

Economists at the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) said they "wouldn't be surprised if the ONS figures are revised up over time, painting a stronger picture for economic performance at the end of the year".

The construction data which dragged down the fourth-quarter figures were "surprising and at odds with other indicators and surveys" which presented a healthier picture, the CEBR said.

Tuesday figures mean the UK was among the best-performing of the all the major economies in 2014. US growth figures are due to be published on Friday, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating expansion of 2.4% for the year.

The IMF forecasts UK growth of 2.7% in 2015. However, Samuel Tombs, of consultancy Capital Economics, has predicted growth of 3%.

"With the recent halving of oil prices providing a timely boost to households' discretionary spending power, credit still becoming cheaper and pay growth on an improving trend... the best days of the UK's recovery may still lie ahead," he said.

Analysis: Robert Peston, BBC economics editor

How significant is the slowdown in the British economy, given that the dominant service sector is still booming, but construction is shrinking and manufacturing almost back to flatlining?

The deceleration is not surprising, in view of the flatlining of the UK's main trading partner, the eurozone.

And two of the negative influences, a fall in energy supply of 2.8% and in construction of 1.8%, are in industries that tend to be volatile.

That said, it does give pause for thought that growth is now apparently being driven to a large extent by retail and consumer spending.

We were supposed to be rebalancing, towards manufacturing and investment. And although there has been a bit of that over the past couple of years, it appears to be petering out.

Read Robert's blog in full

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Murray into Australian Open semis

By Piers Newbery BBC Sport at Melbourne Park

• Murray through to semi-finals in straight sets
• Briton faces seventh-seed Berdych on Thursday
• Live on BBC2, online and 5 live sports extra at 08:20 GMT

Britain's Andy Murray ended the run of home favourite Nick Kyrgios with a brilliant display to reach the Australian Open semi-finals.

Murray, 27, outsmarted the 19-year-old to win 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 and set up a clash with Tomas Berdych on Thursday.

Kyrgios threatened a comeback in the second set tie-break but two superb lobs helped the Scot to a crucial lead.

The sixth seed is through to his fifth Australian Open and 15th Grand Slam semi-final.

In the last four he will take on seventh seed Berdych, now working with Murray's former coach Dani Vallverdu who left the Briton's team in November.

BBC Sport tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
"Kyrgios won the first two points of the match on Murray's serve, but would have to wait an hour and 53 minutes to earn his first break point.
"Murray controlled the course of events with his serve, and proved once again that he is able to put pressure on even the biggest serves with his exceptional ability to return. There was plenty of variety and change of pace and the longer the rallies continued, the better Murray's chances became.
"Tomas Berdych is also playing exceptionally well, and will have Agent Vallverdu's help to devise a game plan which will cause Murray the most discomfort possible in the semi-final."

While Berdych enjoyed a landmark win over Rafael Nadal in his quarter-final, Murray overcame the great new hope of Australian tennis - and a packed and expectant crowd on Rod Laver Arena.

The dominant force from the outset, particularly on serve, Murray used a variety of spins and angles to keep Kyrgios off balance.

When Kyrgios did suggest a fightback, the Briton was able to find a big serve or a winner to halt the momentum.

Two terrific lunging returns set up a break point in game six and a sliced backhand drew the error when Kyrgios went for too much.

On a cold and breezy evening, the home crowd needed their man to bring a bit of heat to the contest and, after saving an early break point in the second, he worked his way into the match.

A tie-break was required and Kyrgios looked likely to take it when he turned around a 2-0 deficit to lead 4-3 with a break, but Murray played a magical forehand lob to wrestle back the initiative.

Match stats
Murray		Kyrgios
Match time: 2hr 5mins
13	Aces	9
1	Double faults	3
69	1st serve %	63
80	1st serve win %	65
67	2nd serve win %	51
48	Winners	36
28	Errors	38
3/9	Break points	1/2

The Australian had a half-chance facing a second serve at 5-5 but could not make the return, and Murray produced another winning lob off the backhand to clinch the set.

A furious Kyrgios risked a point penalty when he smashed his racquet, having earlier been warned for an audible obscenity, but at least escaped that punishment as he faced the prospect of recovering from two sets down for the second time in three days.

Murray further tightened his grip when he made it a hat-trick of unplayable lobs on the way to breaking for 4-2 in the third, only to slip up with the finish line in sight.

It took nearly two hours for Kyrgios to earn a break point but he converted his second when a distracted Murray netted a backhand, and the crowd came to life.

Murray needed to snuff out the danger quickly and he did just that, thanks in part to a poor line call at 30-0 down which he capitalised on with two thumping cross-court forehand winners.

It left the British number one serving for the match, and there were no alarms this time as he sealed it with a smooth forehand winner down the line.

Murray took his winning record against Australian players to 11-0 with victory over Kyrgios

Aged 19 years and 280 days, Kyrgios was bidding to become the second youngest man to reach the Australian Open semi-finals. Sweden's Mats Wilander was 19 years and 111 days in 1983

Murray's coach Amelie Mauresmo has watched her player drop just one set so far in the tournament

Pop star Niall Horan, of chart-topping boyband One Direction, was among the crowd at Rod Laver Arena

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New York shuts down for blizzard

27 January 2015 Last updated at 10:58

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Nick Bryant: "You are not allowed on the roads with a car, only the emergency service"

New York City, Boston and other areas in the north-eastern US have shut down, with forecasters warning residents to expect "crippling" amounts of snow.

Winter Storm Juno could dump up to 60cm (25in) of snow near New York City, and in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Driving bans for all but emergency vehicles are in place in New York and Boston, with subway systems suspended.

Some 60 million people may be affected by the shutdown.

An emergency has been declared in the states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Meteorologists have downgraded their predictions, having initially predicted up to 90cm (36in) of snow.

Parts of eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey have been spared extreme snow, and at least one winter storm warning in New Jersey has been cancelled.

However, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned that the storm could still bring "crippling snowfall amounts and life-threatening blizzard conditions to much of the north-east".

In other developments:

• 6,500 flights in and out of airports along the East Coast have been cancelled
• Businesses and schools closed early on Monday
• Schools are not expected to reopen before Wednesday at the earliest
• Boston is expected to bear the brunt of the storm

'Matter of life and death'

The NWS had previously warned that a "potentially historic blizzard" was approaching the north-east.

However, the blizzard appeared less severe than expected on Tuesday morning, with snowfall levels ranging from 2.5cm (1in) in Washington DC to 38cm (15in) at New York State's Islip airport at 03:00 local time (08:00 GMT).

Meteorologists expect the snow and strong winds to continue throughout Tuesday, before weakening overnight.

"In areas close to the immediate coastline... hurricane force wind gusts to near 120km/h (75mph) will be possible," the NWS said.

At the scene: Nick Bryant, BBC News, New York

As the weather deteriorated, workers in New York left early and headed for the safety of home, heeding warnings from officials. The subway system has been shut down, for the first time because of snow.

Broadway shows were dark, the neon-lit avenues deserted. It gave a ghostly feel to a city that famously never sleeps.

The storm's effects are being felt way beyond Manhattan, from New Jersey to Maine. Coastal areas such as Cape Cod and Long Island could face flooding and power blackouts. Boston is also in its path.

The Governor of Massachusetts called it "a top five historic storm."

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned residents against violating the driving ban in 13 southern counties of the state.

"If you are in your car and you are on any road, town, village, city, it doesn't matter, after 11 o'clock [23:00 local time; 04:00 GMT], you will technically be committing a crime.

"It could be a matter of life and death so caution is required," the governor said.

Echoing his words, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio urged residents to stay out of the way of the 2,300 snowploughs clearing city streets.

"You can't underestimate this storm. What you are going to see in a few hours in something that is going to hit very hard and very fast."

Similar bans for non-emergency vehicles were enacted in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Are you in the north-east USA? What preparations are you making for the blizzard? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number.

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Leaders in '100 days to go' battle

27 January 2015 Last updated at 10:59

Ed Miliband has set out Labour's "10-year plan" for the NHS including longer home visits by social care workers as the parties step up their campaigning 100 days before the general election.

The Labour leader has pledged new safety checks to identify people at risk of hospitalisation and to recruit 5,000 new home care workers.

Meanwhile David Cameron has been outlining plans to cut the benefits cap to pay for more apprenticeships.

The cap "encouraged work", he said.

In a BBC interview, Prime Minister David Cameron also hinted that pensioner benefits may continue to be protected from further welfare savings mooted for after the election.

All of the major parties have pledged what they say is enough money to maintain NHS services in the next Parliament after the general election.

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Ed Miliband said there were were "huge savings" to be made with Labour's plan

The Conservatives say they would ring-fence and "protect" the NHS budget while the Liberal Democrats have promised to meet "in full" the £8bn extra NHS managers say is needed by 2020 and UKIP has said it would commit an extra £3bn a year to the service.

'Perilous moment'

Labour has promised to keep the NHS ring-fence and spend an extra £2.5bn a year across the UK by the end of the next Parliament.

In a speech in Trafford, Greater Manchester on Tuesday, Mr Miliband said David Cameron had "totally betrayed" promises made on the NHS before the last election and "the country's most precious institution faced its most perilous moment in a generation".

"David Cameron says he cares about the NHS but that is not enough. What tuition fees is for Nick Clegg, the NHS has become for David Cameron.

"It has become a question of trust."

Under a Labour government, Mr Miliband said 5,000 extra home care workers would be recruited to treat terminally ill people in their own beds and spelt out financial incentives for social care workers to spend more than 15 minutes on home visits.

Limiting visits to 15 minutes was "a symbol of what has gone wrong in the NHS where failure and false economies threaten the financial future of the service", he said.

Promising to tackle what he said was an "iron curtain" between social care and the NHS, he said care workers often had to choose between preparing a meal for people they were visiting or taking them to the toilet because of time constraints.

"We have got to join up services at every stage for home to hospital so people can get the care they need when they need it," he said.

The party, which has already announced plans to recruit 20,000 more nurses and provide cancer tests and results within a week, is putting the NHS at the heart of its campaign.

In response, Mr Cameron attacked Labour's record of running the health service in Wales, saying waiting lists had gone up and problems at A&E had multiplied.

"I think we need to look at Labour's record rather than its rhetoric," he said.

"I'm satisfied that we are putting the money into the NHS. Yes, we need to do better on A&E, but let's not forget that.... we have almost abolished mixed-sex wards, hospital-acquired infections are down by more than half, we are treating something like six million more outpatients every year and we have a cancer drugs fund for the first time in our country that is getting those drugs to the people who need them."

Benefit plans

Mr Cameron is focusing on the economy on Tuesday, promising a law to reduce the annual household welfare cap to £23,000 from the current £26,000 in the first week of a Conservative government.

Mr Cameron told the BBC that reforming the welfare system was the "best way to tackle poverty and spread advantage".

He said: "The criticism of our benefit cap, which was set at £26,000, in many parts of the country was that it was too high.

"So we think that reducing it to £23,000 will help to get more families back into work and we'll use the savings from that money to make sure we train three million apprentices in the next Parliament."

The Lib Dems launched an online advertisement, based on a Conservative election poster, arguing they would cut less than the Tories and borrow less than Labour.

"Britain needs a liberal voice in government, keeping the country on track, and stopping Labour and the Conservatives from lurching to the extremes of left and right," the party's leader Nick Clegg said.

Do you, or a family member, rely on social care visits? What impact do you think longer social care visits will have? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number.

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Gross murder suspect 'faced charge'

27 January 2015 Last updated at 11:14

Charges would have been brought against Alice Gross murder suspect Arnis Zalkalns if he had lived, police say.

The body of Alice, 14, was found in the River Brent in west London on 30 September, after she went missing a month earlier.

The corpse of Latvian builder Zalkalns was found less than two miles away in Boston Manor Park, on 4 October.

The Met Police has told the Crown Prosecution Service saying Zalkalns was responsible for Alice's murder.

An inquest into Alice's death is due to resume on Thursday.

'Sexual motive'

In a statement, her family said: "Every day is full of reminders of her life and her loss, and it is hard to imagine a future in which we can find peace or healing."

Alice's disappearance sparked what the Met said was its largest inquiry since the 7/7 bombings in 2005.

Det Chief Insp Andy Chalmers said: "Boy, do I wish we'd found her earlier".

Zalkalns, who was working as a labourer on a building site in Isleworth, had been convicted of murdering his wife in Latvia, in 1998.

Police said they believe there was a "sexual motive" to Alice's murder although there is no evidence of that.

Tim Thompson, CPS prosecutor said: "Of all the people the various strands of evidence might have implicated they in fact point towards Arnis Zalkalns: a person who has previously killed, and concealed the body of, a young woman.

"It is not for the CPS to say whether or not Arnis Zalkalns killed Alice Gross - that would have been for a jury to decide."

Zalkalns found hanged

They added a single DNA sample from Alice's skin "strongly supports" a match to Zalkalns.

But, the CPS said its case would have been based on circumstantial evidence, not forensic or eyewitness evidence.

Officers have said no-one else was involved in Zalkalns' death. He was found hanged.

The cause of Alice's death was "compressive asphyxia", they added.

Other key points that have emerged from police at a press briefing:

• Even if they had known earlier about Zalkalns' murder conviction in Latvia it would not have saved Alice
• CCTV evidence suggests Zalkalns would have passed Alice on the Grand Union towpath at about 16:10 BST on 28 August, when he stopped for at least 80 minutes
• When he reappeared on camera, his appearance indicated he might have been in the water
• A cigarette butt with Zalkalns' DNA was found close to Alice's body
• An iPhone cover thought to belong to Alice was found hidden in Zalkalns' garden
• Zalkalns returned to the tow path near Alice's body three times
• Post-mortem tests suggest Alice died after being compressed by a heavier body
• Her body was weighed down with bricks, sections of tree trunks, covered with branches
• One of the bags used to conceal Alice's body matched a roll of bags found in Zalkalns' workplace.

Following the police briefing, Alice's family said: "Although we now have certain information about how Alice died, we are still left with some serious unanswered questions about what the authorities knew or should have known about the man who is believed to have killed our daughter when he came to the UK.

"Alice believed in the free movement of people and so do we. For her sake, we are determined to ask these questions responsibly and sensitively."

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Litvinenko murder 'of global concern'

27 January 2015 Last updated at 11:40

The poisoning of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko is a matter of "utmost gravity", the judge leading the inquiry into his death has said.

Sir Robert Owen said Mr Litvinenko's death from radiation poisoning in London in 2006 had attracted "worldwide interest and concern".

Two prior attempts had been made on Mr Litvinenko's life, the BBC has learned.

He had fled to the UK where he became a fierce critic of the Kremlin and worked for MI6.

Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina says he blamed the Kremlin as he lay dying in hospital, but Russia denies any involvement.

Her lawyer has described his murder as "an act of state-sponsored nuclear terrorism on the streets of London".

BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera earlier said investigators had followed a radioactive trail across London and it suggested Mr Litvinenko was poisoned not on the first attempt, but on the third.

Invitations

Mr Litvinenko died in hospital nearly three weeks after he drank tea laced with radioactive polonium-210, following a meeting with two former Russian agents at the Millennium Hotel in central London.

UK police identified two suspects in the case - Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitry Kovtun - but both deny any involvement and remain in Russia.

The judge-led inquiry was officially opened by Sir Robert Owen at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Sir Robert said both suspects had been invited to give evidence via videolink from Russia.

The senior judge said polonium could have been used to "kill large numbers of people or spread general panic and hysteria among the public".

"The issues to which his death gives rise are of the utmost gravity and have attracted worldwide interest and concern," he said.

Sir Robert said sensitive evidence had established there was a "prima facie case" as to the culpability of the Russian state in Mr Litvinenko's death.

The judge was originally appointed as the coroner at Mr Litvinenko's inquest but he called for a public inquiry because the inquest could not consider sensitive evidence due to national security fears.

The UK government resisted the move at first but later changed its stance last July, amid worsening relations with Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine.

The Litvinenko case

• 23 Nov 2006 - Litvinenko, 43, dies three weeks after having tea with former agents Andrei Lugovoi and Dmitri Kovtun in London
• 24 Nov 2006 - His death is attributed to polonium-210
• 22 May 2007 - Britain's director of public prosecutions decides Mr Lugovoi should be charged with the murder of Mr Litvinenko
• 31 May 2007 - Mr Lugovoi denies any involvement in his death but says Mr Litvinenko was a British spy
• 5 Jul 2007 - Russia officially refuses to extradite Mr Lugovoi, saying its constitution does not allow it
• May-June 2013 - Inquest into Mr Litvinenko's death delayed as coroner decides a public inquiry would be preferable, as it would be able to hear some evidence in secret
• July 2013 - Ministers rule out public inquiry
• Jan 2014 - Marina Litvinenko in High Court fight to force a public inquiry
• 11 Feb 2014 - High Court says the Home Office had been wrong to rule out an inquiry before the outcome of an inquest
• July 2014 - Public inquiry announced by Home Office
• January 2015 - Inquiry starts. Judge expects to conclude open hearings by early April and report before end of 2015

BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera: Will inquiry find answers?

Counsel to the inquiry Robin Tam QC said many theories had been put forward about what happened to Mr Litvinenko, including he had committed suicide and accidentally poisoned himself when handling the radioactive substance as part of a smuggling deal.

"As we shall hear over the coming weeks, for some of these theories, there is considerable supporting evidence, for others less, and for yet others none at all," he said.

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Cameron: Hoax call 'did no harm'

26 January 2015 Last updated at 11:17

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David Cameron: "I had Florence on my back... my Blackberry went in my pocket"

David Cameron has said a hoax call he received from someone claiming to be taking part in a high level conference call, did not "breach security".

The prime minister revealed he received the call on his Blackberry while out for a walk with his family.

Mr Cameron said he quickly hung up when he realised the caller was not genuine.

He told journalists "these things happened" and "no harm had been done" but that steps would be taken to "weed out" such calls in future.

Downing Street says it is to review security procedures after the hoax caller was put through to Mr Cameron.

Number 10 said the caller claimed to be Robert Hannigan, director of government monitoring agency GCHQ.

'Brief call'

Asked about the call at a campaign event in Hampshire, Mr Cameron said these things "do happen from time to time".

He revealed that he was out on a walk in his constituency, carrying his daughter Florence on his back, when he took what he told was a "conference call" involving Mr Hannigan.

He said he was quickly suspicious when the caller said he hoped he had not woken the prime minister up.

"I thought that was strange as it was eleven o'clock in the morning," Mr Cameron said and he then asked who the caller was as he did not recognise the voice.

The caller then said it was a hoax call and the conversation ended. Mr Cameron said there was "no harm done... no national security breached".

GCHQ is also conducting a review after Mr Hannigan's mobile phone number was disclosed during an earlier hoax call.

The contact number given out for the GCHQ head is thought to have been for an unclassified phone rather than one of the secure lines used for sensitive communications.

And although the call to Mr Cameron was made to an official mobile, the conversation was understood to have been "quite brief".

The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said the caller was put through to Mr Cameron by the Downing Street switchboard and the prime minister's phone number was not given out.

Analysis: BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith

Incredible as it may seem the prankster managed to obtain mobile numbers for both the head of the GCHQ surveillance centre and the prime minister by bluffing his way past both sets of switchboards.

Having been put through to the GCHQ boss Robert Hannigan, he then rang the Sun newspaper to boast of his exploits. According to The Sun he told them "he'd made monkeys" out of GCHQ despite being high on drink and drugs.

Not satisfied with all that, the hoaxer then succeeded in getting put through to the prime minister. No 10 say Mr Cameron realised "within a matter of seconds" it was a hoax call and put the phone down.

They also say no sensitive information was disclosed - and that they have no reason to believe the caller was anything other than a prankster. Nevertheless in an era of heightened terror alert and anxious political debate over increased surveillance - it would suggest simple human error can be a greater vulnerability.

A government spokeswoman said a notice has gone out to all departments to be on the alert for hoax calls following the incident.

She said: "The prime minister ended the call when it became clear it was a hoax. In neither instance was sensitive information disclosed.

"Both GCHQ and Number 10 take security seriously and both are currently reviewing procedures following these hoax calls to ensure that the government learns any lessons from this incident."

'Concerning'

Tony Porter, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner for England and Wales, told the BBC that hoax calls to GCHQ and Downing Street would cause "some embarrassment" and security procedures were likely to be reviewed.

"Anybody viewing that would have to say it is not only a concern but it must never happen again," he told 5 Live Breakfast.

"I would imagine there is an awful lot of work behind the scenes looking at where that gap was and I imagine there would be a lot of work to eradicate that error, that gap, to make sure it does not happen again."

It was not the first time Downing Street had fallen victim to hoax callers.

In 1998, radio DJ Steve Penk, pretending to be the then Conservative leader William Hague, managed to speak to Tony Blair.

Four years later, hoaxers overwhelmed the Downing Street switchboard by tricking thousands of people into calling Number 10 asking to speak to "Tony".

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First female bishop consecrated

26 January 2015 Last updated at 12:20

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LIVE: The Church of England's first female bishop is being ordained

The Church of England has consecrated its first female bishop during a ceremony at York Minster.

The Reverend Libby Lane, 48, has been ordained as the new Bishop of Stockport in front of more than 1,000 people.

The Church formally adopted legislation last November to allow women bishops, in a move which ended a centuries-old tradition of exclusively male bishops.

The move continues to divide some Anglicans. The service was briefly delayed by an opponent of the changes.

The opponent, a man, stepped forward shouting "not in the Bible" after the Archbishop of York asked the church if the Reverend Lane should be ordained as a bishop.

The second time Dr John Sentamu asked the congregation, there was no opposition and the consecration, or the process of being made holy, took place.

Mrs Lane has been vicar of St Peter's Hale and St Elizabeth's Ashley, in Greater Manchester, since April 2007.

The two-hour service was led by Dr Sentamu, during which he and other bishops laid their hands on Mrs Lane and prayed.

Analysis By John McManus, Social Affairs reporter, BBC News

Straddling metropolitan Manchester and leafy Cheshire, Stockport has often been in the shadow of its two neighbours, but now it has its own claim to fame with England's first female Bishop, perhaps the first of many.

Don't expect a sudden rush of new women bishops, though. The Church is a slow-moving edifice.

It took many years of argument to bring itself to this point, and many who opposed the move are bewildered and unhappy.

They will not be celebrating today so senior clergy who back women bishops are anxious not to rock the boat so much that it starts taking on water.

A small number of clergy and lay people already left to join the Catholic Church in 2011 over this issue.

More departures for Rome are unlikely, but the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are aware that while Anglicanism is a broad church, so to speak - they need to keep paddling hard to keep all its members on board.

'Very emotional'

Mrs Lane had said the consecration would be a very "emotional" moment.

She said: "It is a remarkable thing that this happens to me, and people have been very supportive of me personally, but actually this is about a moment in the Church's history."

It would be "a very profound, remarkable moment for me then and for my future ministry", she said.

Mrs Lane said more than 100 bishops were travelling to York for the service.

Who is Reverend Libby Lane?

• Vicar of St Peter's Hale and St Elizabeth's Ashley, in Greater Manchester, since April 2007
• Ordained as deacon in 1993 and as priest in 1994, serving her curacy at St James's Church, Blackburn
• Since January 2010, she has been Dean of Women in Ministry for the Diocese of Chester
• Her husband, George, is also a priest
• They were one of the first married couples in the Church of England to be ordained together
• She is a Manchester United supporter and is learning to play the saxophone, according to her church's website

Who is the Church of England's first female bishop?

Her consecration comes more than 20 years after women became priests in the Church of England.

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Reverend Georgina Watmore, friend: "The eyes of the world will be on her"

And it comes after the general synod gave the final seal of approval to the legislation on women bishops following its passage through Parliament last year.

After the change was approved, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said that the Church was entering a "completely new phase of our existence".

But divisions still remain between Anglicans who feel the change is consistent with their faith and traditionalists who disagree.

Opponents of women bishops include some Church of England evangelicals and Anglo-Catholics who believe scripture requires male headship in the Church.

Continue reading the main story

A vicar from Blackburn used her service on Sunday to protest at changes being made to the ordination of the Bishop of Burnley next month who will not have the "laying of hands" performed by Dr Sentamu because the Reverend Philip North opposes women bishops.

Dr Sentamu said the arrangements were made "for prayer, not politics".

Gloucester, Oxford and Newcastle are among the dioceses where new bishops will also soon be appointed, while interviews for the vacancy as bishop for the Southwell and Nottingham diocese took place at the start of December.

Churches in Scotland and Wales already allow women as bishops, but have not appointed one yet.

Outside the Church of England, there are over 20 women bishops in the wider Anglican church, including the Reverend Pat Storey, who was appointed Bishop of Meath and Kildare in the Church of Ireland in September 2013.

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MPs: Ban fracking on carbon grounds

26 January 2015 Last updated at 11:39 By Helen Briggs Environment correspondent, BBC News

An influential committee of MPs has called for a moratorium on fracking on the grounds that it could derail efforts to tackle climate change.

The government's drive for shale gas should be put on hold because it would lead to more reliance on fossil fuels, the Environmental Audit Committee said.

The cross-party committee also warned there were "huge uncertainties" about the environmental impact of fracking.

Ministers said shale gas development did not detract from cutting emissions.

In their report, the MPs said shale fracking was incompatible with UK carbon targets and could pose environmental and health risks.

"Ultimately fracking cannot be compatible with our long-term commitments to cut climate-changing emissions unless full-scale carbon capture and storage technology is rolled out rapidly, which currently looks unlikely," said committee chair Joan Walley MP.

"There are also huge uncertainties around the impact that fracking could have on water supplies, air quality and public health."

Analysis

David Shukman, Science Editor

This report opens up a new argument over shale gas in the UK. Until now the main focus of environmental concern has been on the risks of pollution. And any worries about noise or the potential for contaminated drinking water have essentially been local. But highlighting the climate angle gives the debate a national perspective.

The MPs highlight the apparent contradiction of the UK being committed to massive cuts in carbon emissions under the Climate Change Act while at the same time also encouraging the search for new sources of fossil fuel.

At the heart of this question is how gas itself is viewed. Since it is cleaner than coal, some say gas can act as a "bridge" to a low-carbon future, buying more time for renewable energy to become more efficient.

Others argue that developing any kind of fossil fuel locks us into a high-carbon future and undermines or at least delays a switch to greener forms of power. And this comes at sensitive time: the government is preparing to take a leading role in a summit on climate change in Paris at the end of the year.

The report warned that only a fraction of UK shale reserves could be safely burned if global warming was to be kept below two degrees - the target of international climate negotiations.

And by the time shale gas is likely to be commercially viable, carbon budgets are likely to have been tightened under the Climate Change Act, it said.

Regardless of any moratorium, there should be a ban on fracking in protected areas, the MPs added.

"We cannot allow Britain's national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty to be developed into oil and gas fields," said Ms Walley.

MPs on the committee will also attempt to amend a government bill on infrastructure on Monday to bar fracking of shale gas.

Responding to the report, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said it disagreed with the findings.

Continue reading the main story

Gas will be a significant part of the UK's energy mix for the foreseeable future and it is preferable that we are as self-sufficient as possible"

End Quote Prof Quentin Fisher University of Leeds

"UK shale development is compatible with our goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions and does not detract from our support for renewables, in fact it could support development of intermittent renewables. To meet our challenging climate targets we will need significant quantities of renewables, nuclear and gas in our energy mix."

And Tom Crotty, director of the Ineos group, which is investing in the UK shale gas industry, said gas would be needed for the next 20, 30 or more years in the UK, as a back-up to renewables.

He told the BBC: "The net result of a moratorium on fracking will be - we will import more and more gas - within 15 years we will import three quarters of our gas into this country."

Prof Martin Mayfield, of the University of Sheffield, said the big issue around fracking was whether the UK could afford to extract and burn more fossil fuel.

"In terms of the shale gas under our feet, all we should do is understand how much we have and then leave it in the ground until we have no option but to use it, or until carbon capture technology is viable at sufficient scale to deal with the emissions," he said.

However, Prof Quentin Fisher of the University of Leeds said the committee was putting the "ill-informed views of anti-fracking groups" ahead of evidence-based scientific studies.

"Gas will be a significant part of the UK's energy mix for the foreseeable future and it is preferable that we are as self-sufficient as possible," he said.

"Hopefully, MPs will reject the findings of this report and allow UK citizens to receive the economic and social benefits that shale gas extraction could bring."

Planning row

Last week, planning officers at Lancashire County Council said plans for fracking at two sites near Blackpool should be rejected owing to "unacceptable" increases in noise and heavy traffic.

Shale company Cuadrilla has asked the council to defer the final decision to allow new information on noise levels and traffic to be considered.

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the government is "going all out" for shale gas, claiming it could create jobs and reduce reliance on imported gas. Opponents have argued the high-pressure fracturing of rocks risks health and environmental impacts and drives climate change.

Follow Helen on Twitter.

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