Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20180218

From the school where a former student, nikolas cruz, killed 17 people. Laura westbrook reports. No more outside fort lauderdale, this was the message to lawmakers. Among the protesters was emma in silos, who took cover as a gunman started shooting gonzales. She had this to say to donald trump. Started shooting gonzales. She had this to say to Donald Trumpm the president wants to come up to me and tell me to my face that it was a terrible tragedy and how it should never have happened and maintain telling us how nothing will be done about it, i will happily ask him how much money he received from the National Rifle association. What she is referring to is the millions of dollars the nra has given to the trump campaign. On a visit to the hospital where the victims are being treated, the president once again made no mention of guns or gun control. Instead, he says the problem is mental illness. Just a few kilometres south of where the protest is being held, a gun show is taking place. In the us, there are as many guns as people. The nra is the most powerful gun lobby organisation in the us and have successfully resisted every move to tighten gun controls. For supporters, it is a fundamental freedom. If someone infringes a right for a person to keep and bear arms, it infringes on rights and civil liberties. That is a big problem. We will spend our time is at funerals. After yet another school shooting, anger among the younger generations is rising. Stu d e nts younger generations is rising. Students across the country are planning a mass walkout of schools in april on the anniversary of the Columbine School massacre. They want people to listen to them and tighten gun control. Laura westbrook, bbc news. President Trumps National security adviser has called on World Leaders to hold the Syrian Government to account for its continued use of chemical weapons. Speaking at the munich security conference, hr mcmaster says it is clear that such weapons are still being deployed. Tensions between moscow and washington have also been evident at the conference. Our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet, is in munich. It is not the first time that senior us officials have accused president assads government and its main ally, russia, are being behind the use of chemical weapons in this area. We have recently a warning from the french president , emmanuel macron, saying there was evidence that they would strike in retaliation to the use of chemical weapons. It is not the first time. Emmanuel macron, in his case, he said there was no proof what we have heard from hr mcmaster, he said thatjudging by Public Records and by photographs, the evidence is clear. He did not make clear which Public Record or photographs he was referring to. We do know that time and again, every time this accusation is made, the Syrian Government denies it and they have responded when there was the warning from emmanuel macron, faisal mekdad, the Deputy Foreign minister, said that the Syrian Government did not possess chemical weapons and he described them as immoral. A court in pakistan has handed down four death sentences to a man who raped and murdered a six year old girl, zainab ansari, last month. The trial of imran ali inside a prison in lahore lasted just a few days. The girls family has called for her killer to be publicly hanged. Hes also been linked to the assault, or murder, of a number of other young girls. Our correspondent, secunder kermani, has been following the case from islamabad. These are the last images of six year old zainab alive, being led away by the man who would rape and kill her. Her body was found on a rubbish dump five days later. Zainabs attacker was 24 year old imran ali, an acquaintance of herfamily. He was identified on the basis of dna evidence. After a trial lasting just four days, today he was sentenced to death. Today the court has announced the judgement. He has been convicted on four different counts and has been sentenced to death. The discovery of zainabs body led to angry protests in her hometown kasoor. At the trial, her killer admitted to having assaulted or murdered eight other young girls here over the past two years. Many believe he could have been stopped sooner. Zainabs family, though, welcomed todays verdict. Translation we are satisfied with this verdict of the death sentence, but we also want for him to be punished publicly. The murder of zainab has sparked unprecedented discussion of child abuse, normally a taboo topic in pakistan. But campaigners believe more needs to be done to educate both children and parents about the dangers, and to ensure the authorities properly investigate cases. The families of these victims now have some semblance ofjustice. But, for many, it may feel too little too late. Secunder kermani, bbc news, islamabad. Lets ta ke lets take a look at some of the other stories making the news. 14 people are now known to have died when a helicopter carrying mexican politicians travelling to inspect damage from an earthquake crashed onto a group of survivors. The military helicopter came down at night time in oaxaca state, hours after the region was hit by the quake on friday. It hit two minibuses packed with villagers who had been camping out because of damage to their homes. Brendan cox, the widower of the murdered labour mp, jo cox, has resigned from two charities set up in her memory after Sexual Assault allegations were made against him. The mail on sunday has published claims made by a former colleague when they worked at the charity, save the children. Mr cox said the allegations against him had been exaggerated, but he admitted he had behaved in a way that caused some women hurt and offence. Our political correspondent, susana mendonca, has the latest details of the allegations. We understand a former colleague who worked with him while he worked at save the children, back in 2015, claims that he had drunkenly harassed a female employee. There is an allegation in the mail on sunday about Holding Someone by the throat and making a llera comment. As well is that, there are accusations that he forced himself on to a woman during a trip to Harvard University in the us. We have had a response from brendan cox. He said that in terms of the allegations in the united states, he does not accept that those allegations are true. And in terms of his time at save the children, he says he made mistakes and that he perhaps behaved in a way that caused some hurt and offence to women. I have been speaking to somebody close to brendan cox in the last few minutes who has said that he certainly doesnt accept these allegations that he sexually assaulted anybody, but the way he behaved may have offended some women, and so on that basis he is very apologetic for that and has made his Public Statement apologising. Ukip has voted to remove its leader, henry bolton, following controversy over racist messages sent by his former partner about prince harrys fiancee, meghan markle. Mr bolton had refused to stand down, but today, over 60 of members backed a motion of no confidence in him. The party is now looking for its fifth leader in 18 months, as our political correspondent, alex forsyth, reports. Therefore henry bolton has been removed by the democratic decision of the membership. And with that, ukip bid farewell to another short lived leader. Henry bolton had put his fate in the hands of the Party Members and five months after they elected him they voted him out. You dont embark on Something Like this, obviously, hoping to win through. And then find that you dont win through, without feeling, you know, some disappointment, of course. But hey, you know, take it on the chin and move on. It was his relationship withjo marney that led to questions over his future. She sent a series of offensive messages leading ukips ruling body to demand he quit. Today, Party Members voted and they endorsed that decision. So the mep, gerard batten, has ta ken over temporarily. Before the fourth leadership contest in 18 months. Costly for a cash strapped party. Ukip has to continue because we are the only opposition. This party was riding high after the brexit referendum, but since then its been in turmoil, struggling for direction and leadership. And there is a risk todays result could only deepen divisions. I think its a big mistake and i think there are very few people within the party who potentially could be leader. Can ukip survive another leadership contest now . Of course it can, of course it can. Were like, were like vampires, you stake us, we come back to life, you cant get rid of us, im sorry. Plenty here believe in ukips future, its role in the brexit debate. But many fear the turmoil at the top means it will never again be the influential force it once was. Alex forsyth, bbc news, birmingham. The Prime Minister has called for a new security treaty with the European Union after brexit, warning that lives could be at risk without full co operation. In a speech in germany, theresa may said new arrangements over working together should be effective by next year. The president of the european commission, jean claude juncker, agreed that a post brexit Security Alliance was necessary, but said it should be negotiated separately from other issues, such as trade. Our political correspondent, vicki young, reports from munich. In defence and security of the uk is a significant player. The Prime Minister hopes that will get her a special deal. She arrived in munich keen to lay out britains contribution. Generous spending on defence and expertise it wants to share even after brexit. Theresa may urged the eu to take a practical approach. This cannot be a time when any of us allow competition between partners, rigid institutional restrictions or deep seated ideology to inhibit our cooperation and jeopardise the security of our citizens. Shes calling for a new security treaty so that the Close Partnership can continue. Failure to agree one would have damaging consequences, she said. We must do whatever is most practical and pragmatic in ensuring our collective security. Those who threaten our security would like nothing more than to see us fractured. Some listening to this were left bewildered. The brexit decision from the point of view of us inside the eu is extremely regrettable. Things would be so much easier if you stayed. So here comes the question. Applause. Mrs may pointed out that brexit was a democratic decision politicians should respect. One senior brussels figure seemed to agree. The Commission President Jean Claude Junker said the eu wasnt at war with the uk and didnt want to take revenge on the british people. He said the security bridge would be maintained, but you couldnt mix it up with other issues. Conservative mps attending the conference here believe the speech is a good starting point for talks. Weve got to start getting into the detail of this. One thing we can do is improve our offer around defence and security, and i do think we need to have another look in the uk as to how we prioritise security. So its a pretty familiar message from theresa may. The uk is leaving the European Union but that doesnt mean close cooperation needs to end. And its a blunt message, too, saying to eu leaders, dont let your ideology get in the wake of the safety of our citizens. The government hopes todays speech will show its acting responsibly, not wanting to drag the important issue of security into fraught brexit negotiations. Vicki young, bbc news, munich. Team gb is celebrating its most successful day in winter olympic history. Lizzy yarnold won gold in the womens skeleton becoming the first briton ever to retain a winter olympic title. There was a bronze too in the event for her team mate, laura deas, and a bronze in the ski slopestyle for izzy atkin. David ornstein reports from pyeongchang. Guiding Great Britain to unprecedented glory, Lizzy Yarnold and laura deas turning dreams into reality, rewriting the record books. Commentator Lizzy Yarnold next, the olympic champion, can she make history and win it again . Yarnold went into her final slide in second place, but conjured an imperious display, and the fastest time any woman has produced on this track, to enter sporting folklore. Commentator that is a gold medal winning run, im sure of it. So its gold for Lizzy Yarnold. Shes defended her title and become the most decorated british winter olympian in history. She was joined on the podium by team mate laura deas. The pair rounding off the most successful day their nation has ever seen at a winter games. As yarnold jumped into the crowd to join the celebrations, how did she feel . I feel exhausted now a back to back champion, the 29 year old couldnt hide her delight. Im just so relieved that ive done the race, been consistent, and laura and i are on the podium together. For her parents, judith and clive, another moment to savour. From the mixed season that shes had, to come and win the gold medal here today and we have a bronze medal as well through laura is absolutely mind boggling. The Success Story was started by the youngest member of team gb, 19 year old izzy atkin saving her best until last to take bronze in the slopestyle and become britains First Official olympic skiing medallist. Commentator Great Britains izzy atkin takes a bronze mum and dad, winnie and mike, overcome with joy. Im still kind of speechless. I cant. Im really excited, really happy. Im stoked with how i skied and also stoked to win the bronze. The day was however tinged with disappointment as Elise Christie crashed out of the 1500 metres short track speed skating and was later disqualified. Commentator christie has crashed again now in the semifinal she went to hospital as a precaution but was given the all clear and may yet race in the 1000 metres as she bids to avoid a repeat of her nightmare in sochi four years ago. Announcer bronze medallist for Great Britain but that will do little to dampen the british euphoria as they delivered on snow and ice a Super Saturday to live long in the memory. David 0rnstein, bbc news, in pyeongchang. It is typical that they brit will do well in a sport that involves dietrich s. Youre watching bbc news. The latest headlines students from the Florida School where 17 people were killed in a mass shooting this week have taken part in a rally demanding tighter gun controls. President Trumps National security adviser has said its time the world held syria to account for using chemical weapons. Do you wear deodorant or perfume . Do you use shampoo to wash your hair . Well, you might be surprised to know these products can cause significant environmental damage. A us study has found scented Household Items cause as much air pollution as cars. Researchers focused on los angeles, but say the results could be applied to all major cities. To tell us more is one of the authors of the study, dr brian mcdonald, whojoins me live from austin. Dr mcdonald, how exactly do these substances cause air pollution . Sure. First of all, thank you for having me here. Volatile organic compounds or vocs contribute to a variety of air quality challengers, so one variety of air quality challengers, so one is formation, ozone, the formation of fine particles, as well is indoor exposure to chemicals that are related to the emissions of vocs. Basically we knew sprayed deodorant for an example or Household Cleaning Products, just the fact that the substances evaporate into the air causes pollution . Yes. Well, this is what astonished me from the study, you quys astonished me from the study, you guys say more than cars . So, in los angeles, we looked at a quality measurements that were made as part ofa measurements that were made as part of a large Field Campaign that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the us had conduct did. We saw in those measurements but it is about half and half between cars and the emissions from Consumer Products, as well as industrial uses of chemical products. And then we looked at indoorair products. And then we looked at Indoor Air Quality measurements from buildings, notjust in the us but in cities around the world, and we also found these emissions in buildings as well. This is astonishing because lets say for example this is my basic mathematics, if you take a household of four people and they go from their cars and buses for example during the day and you can va ry example during the day and you can vary the health at half cleaning products and deodorant they use, surely the cars would have more pollution in the Household Cleaning Products . There are a couple of reasons as to why this could be the case. One is it history will in the us that the average consumer uses about 15 times more gasoline or diesel fuel than they use chemical products. However, the use of fuel is intended for Energy Related purposes. Most of the hydrocarbons are contained in fuel be converted to carbon dioxide. As well as a big fat is overtime, cars have gotten a lot clea ner fat is overtime, cars have gotten a lot cleaner so cattle it converters on cars which also reduces vocs. In contrast, vocs are contained in these everyday consumer uses, they are intended to get into the atmosphere that is why there is this outsized influence of vocs emissions from Consumer Products relative to the use of transportation. 0k, thank you very much, doctor mcdonald. The question that a lot of you will be asking is what are they going to do now for deodorant . Thank you very much. New scanning technology has revealed a painting underneath the famous picasso work a crouching woman. The picture underneath is of the catalan landscape and is thought to have been painted by a student. 0ur science correspondent pallab ghosh reports. Picassos crouching woman worth millions. A painting from his blue period. But theres more to it than meets the eye. The conservators at the gallery analysed it with a new type of scanner, and this is what they discovered underneath it is a painting of the barcelona landscape by a fellow artist. But turn it 90 degrees and bring back the crouching woman and you can see that picasso has used the landscape as the basis of his painting. It helps date the painting. It helps determine where the painting was made. But it also gives us a sense of the artist with whom a particular painter was engaging. And i think these insights do help ask us new and more interesting and more scientifically accurate questions. The contour of the hills in the background becomes the crouching womans back, and she takes on the shape and form of the catalan countryside. Until now, only the wealthiest galleries could afford to scan, and even then, it was only for great works of art. But the new system is cheaper and portable, and so can be used by anyone to find the secrets behind any painting they want. Here at the harry ransom center, the curator has questions about this portrait of the american composer George Gershwin in particular, whether a friend in the front row was painted out and seated further back because he fell out of favour. So, this figure here is 0scar levant, who was a friend of George Gershwin, but also a rival. And so, stories have circulated for years that perhaps he, as the only recognisable figure in the second row, was perhaps moved demoted, as it were from appearing in the first row. So that is one of the questions we can potentially find out with this technology. Can i take a look . Tracy has asked the team that developed the scanning system to help her answer that question. They scan each stroke of the brush, millimetre by millimetre. Its a collaboration that the team wants to extend to more galleries. Many of these paintings are waiting to tell their secrets so, with the x ray fluorescent spectrometer, we can help them talk to us more. The team hopes the widespread use of their scanners will increase our understanding of artists, their thought processes, and the way they worked. While many eyes are focused on this years Winter Olympics, one of the most hotly tipped films for sunday nights British Academy of film and Television Awards is i, tonya, based on events linked to the Winter Olympics of 1994. Its a biopic about the american figure skater Tonya Harding, who became notorious for her link to an attack on a fellow skater. Margot robbie plays the disgraced tonya, and allisonjanney her mother, and both have received bafta nominations. 0ur arts editor Will Gompertz has been to meet them. I was the best figure skater in the world at one point in time. 4. 8. How do i get a fair shot here . It wasnt about telling the Tonya Harding story. The haters always say, tonya, tell the truth. Everyone has their own truth. We have all these unreliable narrators telling completely contradictory versions of the exact same event. I mean, come on, what kind of friggin person bashes in their friends knee . Who would do that . The juxtaposition of everyones different point of view and story is where the dark comedy comes in. Where you see my character throw a knife at tonya. And then you cut to me saying, you know, what family doesnt have their ups and downs . Didnt stay home making apple brown bettys. No. I made you a champion knowing youd hate me for it. Thats the sacrifice a mother makes. I wish i had a mother like me instead of nice. You cursed me. In the movie, you assault your daughter on more than one occasion and yet, her mother in real life denies it happening. I told her side of the story very well. Ithink i i understood i had to make her a three dimensional character. She wasnt just a monster. How old are you, honey . Shes a soft four. Having been a figure skater myself, i know how expensive it is to have custom skates and have the skating costumes. I know what it took for my parents to get up at 5 00 in the morning. And to take me to the brink before school in the morning and after school. I felt like i could tell her side of the story. What can you tell us about Tonya Harding . I dont know about Tonya Harding. Arent you her bodyguard . As a young producer and actor in the business, do you think the game is still rigged against women . Theres far more female driven content, female led films now than even when i started, and i havent even been doing it this long. I think the next step is having female storytellers tell those stories about is the change that i can see happening right now. Everyone is making a conscious effort and i think that we will see, you know, the result of that over the next couple of years. But still, is it enough . No. We still have the statistics are so imbalanced. I think its going to take a while. But yeah. Dont forget, you can get in touch with me and some of the team on twitter. Im nkemifejika. The weather now with darren bett. Hello there, good morning. Its going to be a bit chilly out there first thing this morning. Clearer skies in many areas to follow the sunshine that we had yesterday. But there wont be as much sunshine today because all this cloud that has been filling in the atlantic is going to be slowly heading our way. And weve already seen some of that cloud arriving across wales and the south west, so not as cold here. Less reliable cloud elsewhere means a touch of frost especially for scotland and down the eastern side of england, and maybe some patches of fog, too. Now, we are going to get some milder air eventually today if not today, then tomorrow. This envelope of milder air coming in between these two weather fronts here and it is this first one that we need to look at for today because it will eventually bring more rain and drizzle into western areas. Most places, though, will start the day dry. There may be some early sunshine across some eastern parts of england. The best of the sunshine probably for north east scotland. Should be a lovely day here. A lot more cloud spilling our way, though, through the day and especially in the afternoon, the cloud thickening up to give some more rain and drizzle, particularly across Northern Ireland. But temperatures probably around ten or 11 degrees. Ironically, where its going to be brighter, its going to be cooler towards the north east of the uk. Now into the evening and overnight, well, we find this rain and drizzle continuing to push its way eastwards pretty much across the country. Not much rain, though. There may well be some misty, murky weather over the hills and a lot of cloud overnight. So as a result, it is going to be a much milder night, and temperatures typically five or six degrees, so no frost early on monday morning this time. Instead, a different look to the weather for eastern scotland and down the eastern side of england, where we are going to have some misty, murky conditions and some rain and drizzle. If there is any sunshine, maybe some of these western coasts, perhaps antrim and down, ahead of some more rain coming into Northern Ireland later. But a mild day temperatures about ten, maybe as high as 12 degrees or so. But that mild air getting squeezed away. Colder air is going to be spilling our way over the coming few days whether it comes in from the east or from the west. And we start tuesday with some thicker cloud, some outbreaks of rain down the eastern side of england, for a time in eastern scotland. That rain tends to peter out, mind you. More sunshine for Northern Ireland and for scotland, perhaps some other western coasts of england and wales but already turning cooler out towards the east underneath all that cloud. And that is the way temperatures are going to be going. It is going to be turning cooler. High pressure, though, building in over the uk whether it is this one from the atlantic or this one from scandinavia, not a great deal of breeze out there and where you have some breaks in the cloud, there may well be some frost in the outlook. After a mild start to the week, though, it will gradually turn a bit colder. The chance of some of easterly winds, but it should be turning this is bbc news. The headlines thousands of people in florida have taken part in a rally to demand tighter us gun controls. The event took place a short distance from the school in fort lauderdale, where a former student, nikolas cruz, killed 17 people. There was strong criticism of president trump, for his refusal to consider new firearms restrictions. The us National Security adviser says its time the world held the Syrian Government accountable for its use of chemical weapons. Hr mcmaster says reports and photos clearly show such weapons are being deployed. The Syrian Government has always denied using chemical weapons. The mexican defence secretary, salvador cienfuegos,