The growing scandal surrounding Harvey Weinstein is now being investigated by police in london and new york. The hollywood producer is facing multiple allegations of rape, Sexual Assault and harassment some of which he denies. In his first Public Comments, hes said everyone makes mistakes, and he asked for a second chance. Stars including Emma Thompson and jane fonda have spoken to the bbc about the allegations, and the film industrys reluctance to speak out. Sarah corker reports. Harvey weinstein is admitting he needs help. In his first Public Comments on the widening sexual abuse scandal, he said he made m ista kes abuse scandal, he said he made mistakes but hopes the second chance. More than 20 women, among them Angelina Jolie and gwenyth paltrow, have now spoken out. The latest is written jack paltrow, have now spoken out. The latest is writtenjack crisp kate beckinsale, just 17 when she claims weinstein first harassed her. British actress kate beckinsale. Who are the women that he preyed on, and praise on young women . Meanwhile, hollywood legend jane fonda has spoken of her knowledge of his activities on the bbcs card talk programme. Most of these women we re talk programme. Most of these women were in their 20s when it happened, vulnerable, afraid that if they said oi vulnerable, afraid that if they said ordid vulnerable, afraid that if they said or did anything, that it would ruin their careers. Ifound or did anything, that it would ruin their careers. I found out or did anything, that it would ruin their careers. Ifound out about him about a year ago, and i wish that i had spoken out. Why didnt you . It didnt happen to me. Had spoken out. Why didnt you . It didnt happen to melj had spoken out. Why didnt you . It didnt happen to me. I understand that, but nevertheless. didnt happen to me. I understand that, but nevertheless. I didnt wa nt to that, but nevertheless. I didnt want to expose him, i admit i should have been braver. Male stars are also registering their revulsion at the allegations. It is terrific. Anybody that i have spoken to shares the level of being appalled that i felt when reading of what went down. I wish that everyone who was a victim of it a speedy recovery and a peaceful part of it all and hopefully it makes would have a need to be made so it doesnt happen again, because it shouldnt. Harvey weinstein has denied three allegations of rape and any suggestion of nonconsensual sexual relations. Yet it has now emerged that police on both sides of the atla ntic that police on both sides of the atlantic are investigating separate allegations of Sexual Assault. Prosecutors in new york have been criticised for not pursuing a case against weinstein two years ago after mounting an elaborate sting operation against him. If we had a case that we felt we could prosecute against Harvey Weinstein, we would have. When you say we, do you mean you made the decision . We made the decision as an office. Some believe the problem of Sexual Harassment in hollywood goes way beyond Harvey Weinstein. I didnt know about these things, but they dont surprise me at all and they are endemic to the syste m at all and they are endemic to the system anyway. What i find sort of extraordinary is that, you know, this man is at the top of a very particular iceberg, you know. I dont think you can describe him as a sex dont think you can describe him as a sex addict. He is a predator. Harvey weinstein is now reported to have admitted himself into a rehab centre in arizona. Meanwhile, police in new york are urging any other women with allegations against him to come forward. And you can find more about the allegations against Harvey Weinstein on our website. Just go to bbc. Com news or download the bbc news app. Youll also find analysis of how the case may effect the hollywood film industry. Lets take a look at some of the other stories making the news. President trump has signed an executive order circumventing 0bamacare. The order makes it easier to purchase basic Health Insurance that omits the minimum benefits required under the Affordable Care act. That could make some health plans much more expensive, but mr trump claimed his reforms would cost the Us Government almost nothing, and bring great healthcare to millions. The United States is pulling out of the uns cultural organisation, unesco. According to the state department, its a reflection of concern about the need for fundamental reform and what it called anti israeli bias. Washington had already cut off funds when unesco granted membership to the palestinians. Results still coming in from tuesdays president ial election in liberia, but george weah former International Football star and fifa world player of the year has opened up a clear lead. If no candidate wins 50 of votes the top two go forward to a second round next month. Ajudge in south africa has ruled that a prominent anti apartheid activist was murdered, pushed to his death from the tenth floor of a police building. This overturns a 1972 ruling that ahmed timol committed suicide, days after he was detained. Its the First Time Since the end of apartheid that an inquest into an activists death has been re opened. Its being reported that a british woman, a prominent recruiter for the Extremist Group the so called islamic state, has been killed in a drone strike. Sally annejones travelled to syria in 2013 and took part in propaganda activities, targeting western women and girls. 0ur security correspondent Frank Gardner has the story. Iconic, threatening and british. The jihadist recruiter and muslim convert Sally Anne Jones from kent. She fled to syria in 2013 with her young son and joined so called islamic state. From there, she broadcast a stream of hate filled anti western propaganda online, as well as the addresses of over 1000 us service personnel. She was married to this man, junaid hussain, a computer hacker. Together, they plotted attacks on the west and gave instructions on bomb making. Hussain was killed in a strike two years ago. Now, jones appears to have met the same fate. 0perating from this us airbase in the nevada desert, pilots are said to have remotely targeted her using an unmanned drone similar to this one. Killing her with a missile injune, close to syrias border with iraq. Today, the government gave this stark warning to anyone joining is, also known as daesh. I can confirm that if you are a British National in iraq or syria and if you have chosen to fight for daesh, an illegal organisation, that is preparing and inspiring terror attacks on our streets, then youve made yourself a legitimate target, and you run the risk every hour of every day of being on the wrong end of an raf or a United States missile. This boy was identified by his grandparents in an earlier is propaganda video as sally annejones son, jojo. His fate is unclear. Interpol had his mother on its wanted list, which gave her adopted pseudonyms and alleged crimes. She was certainly useful to is for publicity purposes, but an expert on jihadist movements gave this damning verdict. I remember speaking to syrian women who had joined isis themselves, and they would ask me about women like her, and they would say, what does she have to do with us . This is our civil war. I think her legacy is one of the bewildering clash of lost souls in europe attaching themselves to a civil war and a Distant Movement that has nothing to do with them. Sally annejones, the former punk rock singerfrom chatham in kent, is now likely to be one more of the hundreds of western recruits to is to perish in the collapse of its caliphate. Frank gardner, bbc news. A young couple kidnapped by the taliban in afghanistan five years ago have been released. Canadian joshua boyle and his american wife Caitlan Coleman were freed by Pakistani Security forces, along with their three children who were all born in captivity. 0ur north america correspondent Aleem Maqbool reports. Over five long years, the families ofjoshua boyle and Caitlin Coleman had only seen them in a series of videos released by their taliban captors. They really will not settle this until they get what they are demanding. The couple disappeared in afghanistan. Bay, and then our three children, with reid after being ta ken into pakistan. Joshua was finally able to call its mother. It is the first time in five years we got to hear his voice. It was amazing and he told us how much he looked forward, his children were looking forward to meeting their grandparents and that he would see me in a couple of days. We are waiting for that. It is believed their hostage takers had been demanding the release of taliban prisoners, a demand never met before Pakistani Security forces freed the family. I would like to thank the pakistani government. I want to thank pakistan. They worked hard on this and i believe they are starting to respect the United States again. That is very important. I think a lot of countries right now are starting to respect the United States of america once again. The Pakistani Army praise the way american agencies worked with them. The success underscores the importance of timely intelligence sharing, said a statement. And pakistans continued commitment towards fighting this menace. While both sides are unusually congratulating themselves on their cooperation, there will now be a lot of questions asked of the couple that has been freed about their time in captivity and about what they were doing in afghanistan in the first place. The death toll from wildfires continuing to ravage parts of Northern California has risen to at least 29. Fire Officials Say hundreds of people are missing in what is now the worst fire in the states history. Winds which were hampering firefighters efforts to tackle the blazes have died down, but there are worries they may pick up at the weekend. Lets get the latest from our correspondent, dave lee in santa rosa. This change in the casualties figures, i know the number of dead has moved. There are still hopes that a large number of missing people, some of them mayjust be uncounted in evacuation centres . Yes, thats right. There are more than 20 centres around the area, and the hope is, as you say, that there are people there is it we havent been properly recorded, havent been able to use their phones to get in touch with loved ones. While the number of people missing was as high as 1000 at one point, more than 600 of those people have now been accounted for. There are still 400 missing, but as you say, the hope is they will be found quickly and well. Dave, there are a considerable number of separate fires, which all seem to have started at roughly the same time. 0fficials must be looking pretty ha rd same time. 0fficials must be looking pretty hard because of our. Yes, we know be investigation into that has started. We were in santa rosa today, which was particularly devastated by this fire, a huge part of that city has now been destroyed. While we were there we saw people gathering pictures, evidence to track the path of this fire and track the path of this fire and track it back to where it began. The strongest theory we have heard so far, and the one that we heard from calfire, is that a weak powerline may have been the cult that, one which may have fallen down, caused a spark which began the initial fire, and from there it was the high winds which carried the flames from one spot to another. Been the culprit. Embers were crossing streams and even lakes and starting new fires. But it is thought that perhaps the initial spark came from a powerline. They have not confirmed that yet, but are not ruling it out. Just briefly, how was the weather playing into all of this, and the Weather Forecast . Well, they have been at the mercy of the wind over the last few days. The wind strength was extremely high, but then it died down over monday and tuesday. There we re down over monday and tuesday. There were fears that the winds would pick up were fears that the winds would pick up again on wednesday into thursday, and that didnt happen. While there isa and that didnt happen. While there is a prediction that there could be strong winds into the weekend, as you said, they hope they may be spared again and they really need it. The firefighters here are working incredibly long shifts, as you can imagine. They have not really been able to effectively contain the fire for that reason. So there is a hot that the weather will be on their side this time and they can finally start to get this enormous fire, which is now more than 200,000 acres in size in total, they hope to be able to contain this enormous fire soon. Dave, thank you. And thank you to you for being with us. Stay with us if you can. Something coming up, horrible, but horribly fascinating. Hold your nose for the fatberg clogging the sewers of london, and the workers fighting to re m ove of london, and the workers fighting to remove it one shovel struck at a time. Stroke. Parts of San Francisco least affected by the earthquake are returning to life. But in the marina area, where most of the damage was done, theyre more conscious than ever of how much has been destroyed. In the 19 years since he was last here, hes gone from being a little known revolutionary to an experienced and successful diplomatic operator. It was a 20 pound bomb which exploded on the fifth floor of the grand hotel, ripping a hole in the front of the building. This government will not weaken. Democracy will prevail. It fills me with humility and gratitude to know that i have been chosen as the recipient of this foremost of earthly honours. This catholic nation held its breath for the men they call the 33. And then. Bells toll bells tolled nationwide to announce the first rescue and chile let out an almighty roar. This is bbc news. The latest headlines as Harvey Weinstein says he hopes for a second chance, police in the us and the uk investigate Sexual Assault claims against him. Israel has criticised the reconciliation agreementjust signed by the two palestinian factions, fatah and hamas. The accord could end a rift thats lasted a decade. It focuses on who controls the contested gaza strip and its hoped might ease the desperate humanitarian situation there. Our middle east correspondent tom bateman reports from jerusalem. A warm embrace after years of bitter rivalry. The deal was signed between hamas and fatah in cairo after egypt brokered talks between the two palestinian factions. They spoke of reconciliation and a unity government for gaza. Translation we are serious and ready and you will see that we will work with all of our capacity for the success of the reconciliation and for this to be the basis and initiation to face the zionist scheme, which wants to take our peoples right. Violence erupted a decade ago in gaza. Conditions for the 2 million residents in gaza is dire. Electricity is only available a few hours a day. While unemployment has become chronic. Israel and egypt tightened a blockade a few years ago. Recently, the Palestinian Authority imposed sanctions on hamas. Adding to the pressure on it. So far, a sense of reconciliation had failed. But last week, a symbolic breakthrough. The palestinian Prime Minister came to gaza for the first time in two years after egypt mediated a push for progress. Hamas said it would dissolve its shadow government. Todays agreement was welcomed by many in gaza. The deal says the Palestinian Authority will assume full control by december. Crucially, it could see restrictions eased at the border crossings, particularly that with egypt. But key issues, including control over the armed wing of hamas have yet to be decided with more talks promised. Israel, which regards the group as a terrorist organisation, said any deal gives access to weapons. The deal today amounts to significant progress in these two sides coming together, particularly with hopes that it may ease the dire conditions for the residents of gaza. But beyond the warm embraces and the rhetoric of unity, this is a partial deal and full reconciliation between palestinian factions still faces significant obstacles. With the most difficult talks still to come, the real test of this deal will be whether life can improve for gazas residents. With tension growing in the north of iraq despite successes against the Extremist Group islamic state, the Prime Minister of iraq has denied that his forces are now about to attack iraqs kurds. The kurds, concentrated in the oil rich northern provinces, make up about 20 of iraqs population, and last month voted for independence in a referendum the government in baghdad says was unlawful. Our correspondent orla guerin, whos south west of kirkuk, has seen a big build up of iraqi forces. She sent this report. On the move once again. We came across convoys of iraqi troops. Something the authorities did not want us to film. They were on the road towards kirkuk. Held by the kurds, claimed by baghdad. Kurdish commanders say they are coming for the oilfields. Senior iraqi officials deny they are closing in on the city. The troops told us otherwise. God willing, we are going to kirkuk, says husein. And we will crush them. The city belongs to iraq. Well, this area has only just been cleared of the so called islamic state. Already, we are seeing a large amount of military movement, convoys on the road. Iraqi troops, federal police and shia militia units. This time, the enemy is different. Its the kurds. Nearby, we found troops showcasing their latest victory