16/02/2015

0645

A new study of mental health service users suggests the risk of psychosis to people who smoke the potent cannabis strain skunk is three times higher than for non-users, and five times higher for people who smoke it daily. The research shows a higher association than previously thought between skunk and psychosis whilst hash, a milder form of the drug, is not thought to increase the risk. The study found that in the area of south London they examined, 24% of new cases of psychosis were related to the use of the potent cannabis. Dr Marta Di Forti is Academic Psychiatrist at King's College London and lead author of the study.

0650

Fighting is continuing near the eastern Ukrainian town of Debaltseve, despite the ceasefire that came into effect more than twelve hours ago. A reporter who's visited the front line says the Russian-backed rebels are still trying to take the strategic town, although the shelling and fighting are less intense than before the truce. Ian Pannell is our correspondent in Donetsk.

0710

Universal Credit begins its phased roll-out today, after much delay. The Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, told the BBC the new benefit was £600m under budget and had been implemented gradually. Labour has called it a "failing programme" that would take years to implement and the scheme has also been criticised by the National Audit Office as badly managed and failing to deliver on its targets. The aim is for the benefit to be offered in all job centres in England, Scotland and Wales by 2016. Our correspondent Zoe Conway went to one of the pilot areas in Rugby and Stuart Adam is senior research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

0715

The Italian Coast Guard says it has rescued more than two-thousand migrants from boats in the Mediterranean. The coast guard said that they were for the first time confronted by armed people traffickers, putting their personnel at direct risk. Most of the migrants, who had left Libya and were trying to reach the island of Lampedusa, were young men from African countries. Last week more than three hundred migrants are thought to have died at sea. Federico Soda is Director of the International Centre for Migration Coordination Office for the Mediterranean.

0720

The Civil Justice Council, the body responsible for overseeing and co-ordinating the modernisation of the civil justice system, has published a report calling for an 'Online Court' to be developed in England and Wales which would see judges deciding cases online, reduce cost and increase access to justice. The report draws on existing Online Dispute Resolution systems like that run by Ebay which resolves 60 million disputes among traders each year. The proposed scheme would include online tools to diagnose disputes and identify ways of resolving them, facilitators online to help parties reach agreement, and online judges whose rulings are binding and enforceable as court rulings. Professor Richard Susskind is the report's principal author and IT Adviser to Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.

0730

There are 850,000 people suffering from dementia in the UK today, a disease burden that already costs the economy some £23 billion a year and with no cure in sight, and an aging population. Alzheimer's Research UK is proposing launching a network of new research centres that will pull together and pool the combined expertise of scientists across the country. Our science editor Tom Feilden has been talking to some of the researchers involved, and some of the families struggling with what remains an incurable disease..

0740

The Iraqi prime minister, Haider Al Abadi, has said his country is preparing to launch a major operation against Islamic State. He has spoken to our World Affairs Editor John Simpson.

0750

Ed Miliband will set out his party's key plans for business ahead of the General Election and what he describes as a "more inclusive prosperity." The Labour leader is expected to say that tax breaks for small businesses paying the living wage and banning zero-hours contracts will raise productivity. Questions are still raised about Labour’s attack on tax avoidance, following reports about the status of a number of its own party donors. Chuka Ummuna is the Shadow Business Secretary.

0810

Police in Denmark have made a number of arrests following the shootings on Saturday and Sunday. They've also raided an internet café in Copenhagen near where the chief suspect was killed by officers. The gunman has been identified as a twenty-two year-old born in Denmark who had a history of gang-related violence. Lars Vilks is a Swedish artist and cartoonist who says he may have been the original target of the gunmen and Rabbi Menachem Margolin is General Director of the European Jewish Association.

0820

The V&A is displaying over 50 recently acquired photographs that explore the experiences of black people in Britain in the latter half of the 20th century, enhanced by excerpts from oral histories gathered by Black Cultural Archives. It features work from 17 photographers and different photographic styles. Norman 'Normski' Anderson is one of the photographers featured in the exhibition and Scarlett Crawford is a photographer whose work captures modern multicultural Britain.

0830

Islamic State has released a video showing them beheading 21 Coptic Christians in Libya.  In response, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El Sisi addressed his country and said Egypt reserves the right to retaliate at a time and place of its choosing. Bishop Angaelos is General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, and Mary Fitzgerald is journalist who often works in Libya and has contributed to a new book “The Libyan Revolution and its Aftermath”.

0840

Ed Miliband will set out his party's key plans for business ahead of the General Election and what he describes as a "more inclusive prosperity." Lord Levy was Tony Blair’s former chief fundraiser.

0850

Schools in Liberia are reopening today for the first time since the ebola crisis. In its public service announcement, the Ministry of Education noted that the decision was taken following appeals from school administrators, parents and other stakeholders. The ministry also called on school authorities to complete all outstanding orientation activities for teachers and students, including refresher and Ebola training workshops.

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Did the Archbishop of Canterbury apologise for the Allied bombing of Dresden? Some Conservative MPs have criticised him for coming close to one. Justin Welby was speaking at a ceremony in Dresden on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of the bombings, which killed an estimated 25,000 people. Welby said the bombing ‘diminished all our humanity’ and left him with a ‘profound feeling of regret and deep sorrow’. The Bishop of Leeds says that Welby’s comments have been misrepresented in the press, including the Daily Mail. Nick Baines is the Bishop of Leeds and Sir Gerald Howarth is a former Defence Minister and Conservative MP.

All subject to change.