Transcripts For BBCNEWS Breakfast 20180106

Temperatures in parts of the us are predicted to fall to minus 29, as a record breaking freeze follows heavy snow caused by the so called bomb cyclone. Not quite so cold here. Stav has the details. Thank you, good morning to you. Well, it is turning much colder for all of us this weekend. But on the plus side we should see some sunshine, particularly tomorrow, but a return to overnight frost, as well. I will have all the details for you very shortly. Look forward to it. First, our main story a lawyer who represented victims of the serial sex offender john worboys says some of her clients whose cases werent taken to trial want to give evidence. The former black cab driver is being freed from jail after ten yea rs. He was convicted of 19 offences, although Police Believe he carried out more than 100 attacks. Lawyers say that a number of women were told that their testimony wasnt required to put worboys behind bars for a longer period of time. Tom burridge reports. The decision to release rapist john worboys has raised profound questions about the way sexual crimes against women are investigated, and whether the procedures for releasing criminals need changing. Worboys picked up young women in his black cab, duped and drugged them, and then carried out his attacks. He was convicted of 19 offences in 2009, and given an indefinite sentence. But, in total, more than 100 women said worboys tried to drug and assault them. Some allegations were investigated, but no further action was taken, on the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service. What we cant know is why the parole board has decided he now no longer poses a risk to the public. I am not allowed by law to explain the reasons for our decision. And ive said before, i would like to get that changed. And so this pushes the idea that the parole board processes need to be much more open and transparent. And, if we get support for that, then i think some good will have come out of all of this. We need to understand whether he has admitted guilt in relation to the offences that he was convicted for, and the police need to look again at the possibility of prosecuting him for those many further offences for which he was also suspected. Worboyss victims are said to be horrified at the prospect of his release, and lawyers representing his other alleged victims say their evidence should now be considered. And we will speak to lawyer kim harrison, who represented 11 of worboyss victims, in a few minutes. Five Online Gambling companies could have their licenses revoked over concern they are not doing enough to help problem gamblers or prevent money launderers from using their sites. The Gambling Commission has written to all 195 Online Casino operators, to tell them about the safeguards they should all have in place. Our Business Correspondent jonty bloom reports. One third of all gambling in the uk is now online, and it is worth billions of pounds. The Gambling Commission has been reviewing the safeguards that all companies should have in place. They are designed to prevent problem gambling getting out of control, and to prevent money being laundered by criminals or terrorists. Sarah harrison, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said. But the Commission Found many signs that customers gambling was becoming compulsive were not being followed up, and some staff had little idea of how to stop Money Laundering, or, in some cases, even what it was. As a result, the Gambling Commission is warning all Online Casino operators to review their procedures, and has begun an investigation into 17 Online Companies. Its considering whether it should review the licences of five of them. Losing its licence would mean a company would be unable to continue to operate in the uk. President trump has taken to twitter overnight to show his continued frustration over the release of a Controversial Book documenting his first year in the white house. Calling the author of the book Michael Wolff a total loser, the president accuses him of making up stories. Mr trump also calls his former chief strategist steve bannon sloppy steve, claiming he cried when he was fired. The book, called fire and fury, has now gone on sale early, despite attempts by the white house to block its publication. The United States has been criticised by other members of the United Nations Security Council for calling an emergency meeting to discuss Anti Government protests in iran. China and france said the unrest did not threaten international security. The Iranian Ambassador called the meeting a farce and repeated claims that the protests were directed from abroad. Easyjet, ladbrokes and virgin money are among the major employers who have been revealed to pay women, on average, at least 15 less than men. 0rganisations with more than 250 workers must publish their figures by april. More than 500 have done so. Another 8,000 must do by april, or risk being fined, under a new law intended to tackle workplace discrimination. Weather forecasters in the United States have warned that the weekend could bring record breaking low temperatures in some parts of the north east. The National Weather service predicts wind chills as low as minus a0 degrees celsius. Russell trott has the latest. The public coming to the aid of public transport on the streets of eastern boston, as snow and ice left many stranded. Elsewhere in the city the Emergency Services are working flat out and in deep water, as high tides flooded roads close to the harbour. Plummeting temperatures meant much of massachusetts was under huge quantities of snow. And after a three foot storm surge brought this inland, the flood water froze, trapping cars in ice. For the homeless of chicago, life on the street is now all about survival. Those who do find shelter are happy to be anywhere but outside. We see an average of seven to 800 people every single day. Sometimes there are people who come in when its extremely cold who wont come in when its not so cold. A sudden drop in temperatures can hit hard anywhere. In florida, where in some parts of snow fell for the first time in 30 years, cold seas saw hundreds of total is rescued after their muscles started seizing up. As thousands of snowploughs are deployed throughout the eastern seaboard, forecasters warned that the weekend could bring record breaking low temperatures. Plans to improve reading standards amongst children from disadvantaged backgrounds have been announced by the department of education. There will be a network of 35 literacy teaching centres across england, to work with primary schools that are in challenging areas. Labour says the funding will do nothing to change government cuts to school budgets. There will also be schemes to improve the vocabulary of Pre School Children in the north of england. This is about investing around the country, bringing together teachers and literacy specialists so that we can make sure that we do even better on reading and writing standards, but also that we dont see any children falling behind. A bar owner has been left shaken but not stirred after being reunited with what is thought to be the most expensive vodka bottle in the world. Forget the drink, its about the bottle. Made of gold and silver, with a diamond encrusted replica of the russian imperial eagle on its cap. Its extravagant and expensive and was on loan to a bar in copenhagen. It was stolen last week. The bottle, which is worth nearly £1 million, was found empty on a construction site nearby, but it was empty. I would have thought that would devalue it, but its the bottle. They are just devalue it, but its the bottle. They arejust going devalue it, but its the bottle. They are just going to fill it up again. Does it taste any different . Who knows . We will have the latest weather in about five or six minutes and of course mike will have the sport at half past. Going back to our main story. Victims of the serial sex offenderjohn worboys, whose cases werent taken to trial, say they want their day in court. The former black cab driver was convicted of 19 offences, although Police Believe he carried out more than 100 attacks. Hes due to be released later this month after serving ten years injail. Lawyer kim harrison represented 11 women and joins us now. Good morning. Can wejust good morning. Can we just start with the apology. The head of the parole board has said he is sorry that some of the women heard this news on the television or radio rather than receiving any letters of notification. Does that go far enough . At the moment all of the clients ive managed to speak to yesterday are just feeling so shocked and upset. I dont think they have even mentally protest everything thats happened. They found out through friends text on them, through looking at news websites, through the news. They are all absolutely devastated. How many clients are you representing . We represented 11 clients in successful civil cases againstjohn worboys. Those civil claims concluded in 2013 and one of the major reasons that weve got is as late as 2013 within the context of those civil proceedingsjohn the context of those civil proceedings john worboys the context of those civil proceedingsjohn worboys was still maintaining his innocence, even in respect of clients for which there had been a criminal conviction. So of the 11, three of those worboys was criminally convicted of drugging and sexually assaulting. And he was still saying he was innocent, even for those crimes of which he was convicted. So whats changed . Just to be clear, he was convicted of one break, is that correct . Yes. How many sexual assaults . One break and in relation to our clients there we re in relation to our clients there were two sexual assaults. Thats of the convictions. 0ne were two sexual assaults. Thats of the convictions. One was drugging. 0ther the convictions. One was drugging. Other people you have spoken to, who have made accusations againstjohn worboys, and the police have said he could have committed more than 100 assaults, their evidence wasnt used in court. Why would that be . Thats correct. 0f in court. Why would that be . Thats correct. Of the eight of the clients that we represented in the civil claims, they were told by the police and the cps and they came to them and the cps and they came to them and gave full statements and evidence were told, thank you very much, youve been very brave, thank you for coming forward. We dont need your evidence, weve got enough and this man will have an indeterminate sentence and will be locked up for a very long period of time, therefore you dont need to worry. It would be in the Public Interest to take your case forward. So these women were then left with the clear impression that he was going to be in prison for a very long time and they left feeling betrayed and devastated and want a nswe is betrayed and devastated and want answers as to why he could be released the wyrley why event their cases were taken forward at the time. Released so overly and why their cases. Maybe then he wouldnt be released now. What do they want from here . For themselves . As a matter of urgency they want some sort of communication and reassurance from the parole board and the people you made this decision that they will be safe. A lot of them are quite scared and are feeling really worried. There want to understand what measures will be in place to protect them. They are feeling absolutely terrified. The pa role feeling absolutely terrified. The parole board has made clear that he will be monitored and he will have to be. Call in and account for his whereabouts, understandably. No one is saying thats enough for the victims who victims. 0nce is saying thats enough for the victims who victims. Once they are givena victims who victims. Once they are given a guarantee of their safety, what does giving evidence 110w safety, what does giving evidence now do . What a number of the women wa nt now do . What a number of the women want is for the Crown Prosecution Service to reopen these files. All the evidence is there, they gave it at the time, there are a number of files. They need to get them out and look again at the statements and the evidence given. They then need to look again at any subsequent evidence thats given. We arent able to know the decision that the pa role able to know the decision that the parole board able to know the decision that the pa role boa rd creatures able to know the decision that the parole board creatures and the reasons behind that decision the art allowed to know by law. Reached. But something must have changed since 2013 when he said he was evidence and hadnt innocent and havent committed any crimes do now. If he hasnt admitted his guilt than he is clearly still a danger to women. If he has admitted the guilt than he has a modus operandi, which means luring women to his cab, drugging and sexually assaulting them or raping them and that needs to be investigated. What would be the conclusion now of women read meeting evidence now or having this evidence heard . Meeting evidence now or having this evidence heard . What meeting evidence now or having this evidence heard . What would that happen next . Whats the intention now . To put him back in prison . |j think now . To put him back in prison . think womenjust now . To put him back in prison . think women just want justice now . To put him back in prison . think women just wantjustice and they want their voices to be heard. They came forward and gave their state m e nts they came forward and gave their statements to the police. The cps said not to worry, we wont prosecute in relation to your case because he will be in prison for a long time and will be on an indeterminate sentence, this man will be locked away. They now want their case to be given a proper scrutiny that it deserves and for there to be a decision to be made as to whether or not a persecution will be brought in on their cases. So another prosecution . The Crown Prosecution Service i think have to get the files out and look again at the evidence. How likely do you think it would be that this will happen . I hope they will take alleged victims voices seriously in cases such as this. This is a very unusual case. This is a very, very surprising decision from the parole board. 58 mps i think have already written, asking as to why this has happened and what the reasons are. This is a case that has incredible Public Interest. Public who this is a case that has incredible public who could pose a serious risk to women and members Public Interest. This is a man who could pose a serious risk to women and members and needs to be incarcerated. He was imprisoned for ten years. What period would have satisfied your clients . A period where he is no longer a threat to women. What has changed since 2013 . He kept saying he was innocent. If he has admitted his guilt, we need to know that. If he hasnt admitted his guilt, how can he pose a risk to women . He has potentially admitted to a modus operandi where he has attacked a large number of women. This is something that needs to be properly investigated. Vast majority of members of the public are looking this case fresh in the light of the last 48 hours. Thank you to talking to us this morning. We dont really know what the reason for the parole boards decision is. We will speak to someone who was on the parole board. And the arguments being put forward , board. And the arguments being put forward, whether you should get a clearer idea. Whether people are released or indeed not released. Time to found out what is happening in the weather with stav. Find out. In the states, very torrid. These are the temperatures expected across the north east United States and south east canada. 11 into a 11 and south east canada. 11 into a 11 in new york and adroit. These are daytime values. At night, 25 in some of these south east canadian cities. After that storm has moved through, the wind is easing. Its going to feel burdened chillingly cold. A lot of ice around as well. Those temperatures slowly rising. Meanwhile, for us this weekend, things are set to turn much colder. Weve got our own arctic air. Thanks to an area of High Pressure. It is already arrived across parts of scotland. A lot of cloud around to start this morning. Some frost and ice to watch out for. A band of rain across Northern Ireland towards central Northern England with some snow on the hill. For north east scotla nd snow on the hill. For north east scotland and Eastern England and eastern scotland. Northern ireland in scotland, a dry start. Some north east winds. Eventually, the midlands, the cloud hanging on to the far south. But a bright sunny cold one this evening and overnight, we eventually lose the cloud. It might hang on a little bit. These are the town and city values. 0ut might hang on a little bit. These are the town and city values. Out in the countryside, a hard frost, may be down to 5, with Northern England, minus ten. It means the sunday, very cold, frosty start, a winter sunshine. The wind will be much lighter in central and northern areas. It is quite raw here, five or six degrees. This area of High Pressure ebbs away. For monday, a bright, cold start but increasing cloud. Thank you very much, stav. We will speak to you later. Those temperatures that stav was showing us. We will take those yellow numbers, not the blue ones. Lets get more on the extremely cold weather in the us. 0vernight, temperatures dropped as low as 29 degrees celsius, in some parts of the east coast. The severe cold, dubbed a bomb cyclone, has already claimed up to 19 lives. Lets speak tojosiah hakan. He works with a Relief Agency in new york. I know you are very busy and probably very cold. What sort of challenges is this weather presenting . The challenges are pretty crazy. We have lots of people out there in the we re have lots of people out there in the were struggling. Last year, there was a point in time counted the number of individuals on the sidewalks the subways and the number was 3900 plus. You can imagine if somebody doesnt have a place to stay, this bomb cyclone is extra detrimental. We are trying to get people connected. That must be a challenge. Getting around new york city with all this snow and ice. It must be tough. Let alone tough the people who are living on the streets. That is an understatement. The storm hit really hard. 0ur entire team was driving into manhattan to go into a private shelter to serve the guests. The drive in was quite perilous. We made it and we were able to serve tough individuals and connect them to Long Term Services as well and just a free lunch so they can have something warm to eat in the middle of it all. Which is fantastic and well done. We are looking at pictures of some of the people who are out on the streets living through this and having to deal with it. A bowl of soup is fantastic but it. A bowl of soup is fantastic but it is keeping that, sustaining that help in the face of adverse weather conditions. When you think about homelessness, you are talking about an incredibly complex issue. The cost of living in new york city is outrageous and you are talking about Mental Health struggles, drug and alcohol edition addiction, trauma. Every person is unique and circumstances on the long term. Its a monstrosity of a challenge, especially in this weather. We wish you we wish you well. Well done to how you have done so far. Imagine standing outside in that cold. He might have said no. Until now, Cancer Patients have had to go abroad to receive Proton Therapy but the first nhs run proton beam centre will be up and running at the christie hospital in manchester. Dominic hughes has been to see it. You missed a whole, mum. Six years ago, lucas was fighting for is light. Diagnosed with cancer, he was sent to the United States to receive a potentially life saving treatment called Proton Beam Therapy. Not being at home, being around strangers, it was awful. Mum jodie says travelling all the way to the United States was a challenge for the family and with an immune system damaged by chemotherapy, lucas fell seriously ill and almost died. Just being there on your own, its a lot to be going through, just dealing with the cancer. You need your family and your friends around you, you need people to talk to. Throughout that time, the support network of friends and family. Its a long period of time. The treatment alone is six weeks. We found it really, really difficult. Up till now, the nhs is sent patients who need Proton Beam Therapy abroad and after yea rs of need Proton Beam Therapy abroad and after years of campaigning and fundraising, it will soon be available in the uk. Its inside a specially built centre at christie hospital in manchester that medicine and physics meat, offering a new way to treat life threatening cancers. Young patients will benefits because their tissues are growing and very sensitive. But they are also tumours which are next to quite critical structures in the body is the base of the skull or around the spine and this Technology Enables us to give a treatment dose to those patients while avoiding those critical structures. With standard radiotherapy, beam travels through the tumour that can damage sensitive tissues in front, behind and around it. But proton beam is much smaller and stops at the tumour, causing less damage to otherwise of the tissue. We are now below what they call the treatment gantry where patients will be seen and this really is the guts of this huge 200 ton machine and it is one of three that are being built here in manchester. But down here, you really get a sense of the scale of this project. The protons, which come from the heart of an atom, are generated in a particle accelerator known as a cyclotron which is carefully lowered into place last summer then travelling at a speed of 100,000 miles per second, they are directed with pinpoint accuracy at the tumour. Put it on. Six years on and lucas is cancerfree the tumour. Put it on. Six years on and lucas is cancer free and full of beans. Where are you putting it . With the Manchester Centre coming on strea m with the Manchester Centre coming on stream later this year and a second one in london to follow, the hope is those needing the life saving treatment Proton Therapy will soon be able to access it closer to home. Dominic hughes, bbc news, manchester. Doctor David Jenkinson is from the brain tumour charity. Remarkable what is going on in terms of technology. Who will benefit from this therapy straightaway . technology. Who will benefit from this therapy straightaway . A lot of it will be children. They are still growing and still developing. They will also be applicable for Proton Beam Therapy. We have been seeing how it works there. What will a cancer patient benefit from in terms of traditional treatments now . So in comparison to the sorts of treatments you currently get, this will actually just probably be treatments you currently get, this will actuallyjust probably be as effective but will have fewer side effects more around the quality of life than the length of life you can get through the treatment. Of life than the length of life you can get through the treatmentm terms of organs as to which might be more beneficial to have rotund beam therapy, which areas of the baht therapy, which areas of the baht the body would be better to target . 0bviously the body would be better to target . Obviously in the brain. Critical organ. Try to bear the brain in the eyes and other organs like that. Around the heart and the body in the pelvis, bladders like places like that. I understand from my notes its been less successful with lung cancer and prostate cancer. Why would that be. Because you are able to precise precisely targeted through breeding. Its more difficult to target the tumour as well as you might be too. The benefits of proton beams become a negative. With prostate, similar sort of effects and movements. Its not necessarily required. It is difficult because i am thinking of the case of asher king whose parents took him out of hospital to have this Proton Therapy abroad and they we re this Proton Therapy abroad and they were absolutely convinced that this would help. But there is the danger when there is new technology, when people think it is a queue were all. And proton beams are only applicable for tumours that have a very well defined margin. If the tumour has spread at all, using the precise targeting can be a negative so you would be better with a conventional therapy. Before and after the tumour which will help mop up some of those cancer cells. Thank you very much yourtime, cancer cells. Thank you very much your time, doctor David Jenkinson. Nearly 730 a. M. Headlines coming right up. Hello. This is breakfast, withjon kay and Naga Munchetty. Good morning. Here is a summary of todays main stories from bbc news a lawyer who represented victims of the serial sex offender john worboys says some of her clients whose cases werent taken to trial want to give evidence. The former black cab driver is being freed from jail, ten years after being convicted of 19 offences, although Police Believe he attacked many more. A solicitor said many women said their testimony wasnt required as john worboys would grow behind bars for a long time. Women wantjustice and they want their voices to be heard. They came forward and gave their statements to the police and their statements to the police and the cps said, dont worry, we wont prosecute in relation to your case because he will be in prison for a long time, there will be an indeterminate sentence. This man is going to be locked away. They now wa nt going to be locked away. They now want their case to be given that proper scrutiny that it deserves and for there to be a decision to be made as to whether or not a prosecution will be brought in in their cases. Five Online Companies could lose their licences over concerns about their licences over concerns about their approach to problem gamblers and Money Laundering. The Gambling Commission has written to all 195 Online Casino operators, warning them to review their procedures. It comes after the Commission Found some companies did not follow up with gamblers who were becoming addicted, and failed to prevent money being laundered by criminals or terrorists. President trump has taken to twitter overnight to show his continued frustration over the release of a Controversial Book documenting his first year in the white house. Calling the author of the book, Michael Wolff, a total loser, and then accused him of making up stories. Mr trump also calls his former chief strategist steve bannon sloppy steve, claiming he cried when he was fired. The book, called fire and fury, has now gone on sale early, despite attempts by the white house to block its publication. Easyjet, ladbrokes and virgin money are among the major employers who have been revealed to pay women, on average, at least 15 less than men. 0rganisations with more than 250 workers must publish their figures by april. More than 500 have done so. Another 8,000 must do by april, or risk being fined, under a new law intended to tackle workplace discrimination. The search for the missing mh370 Malaysian Airlines plane that disappeared almost four years ago is to be resumed. The jet was carrying more than 200 passengers when it vanished in 2014. Now, a private us Exploration Company called 0cean infinity has been given permission to continue the search, which ended last year. The United States has been criticised by other members of the United Nations Security Council for calling an emergency meeting to discuss Anti Government protests in iran. China and france said the unrest did not threaten international security. The Iranian Ambassador called the meeting a farce, and repeated claims that the protests were directed from abroad. Plans to improve reading standards amongst children from disadvantaged backgrounds have been announced by the department for education. There will be a network of 35 literacy teaching centres across england, to work with primary schools that are in challenging areas. Labour says the funding will do nothing to change government cuts to school budgets. There will also be schemes to improve the vocabulary of Pre School Children in the north of england. Weather forecasters in the United States have warned that the weekend could bring record breaking low temperatures in some parts of the north east. The National Weather service predicts wind chills as low as minus 40 celsius in some places. Thousands of flights have been cancelled and up to 19 people have lost their lives. Mike is here with the sport. We were talking about that really cold weather. Glorious sunshine down under, as you would imagine, but not glorious for the english team. In terms of the fifth and final ashes test, do you want the good or bad news . Bad. I will give you good first. England finally found a way. They found a way to get the captain steve smith out, but the bad news is the marsh brothers. When one scores a century, the next one does. The third day is now finished and the australians are on top. When is the match going to be over . In two days, depending on what happens. It has been another morale sapping day for englands bowlers in the sydney sunshine. Australia finishing the third day with a lead of 133 runs with two days to go. England took two wickets. Steve smith out atjust shy of another century. The wing ali without one. Usman khawaja made 171. Mason crane got his first test wicket. From then on australia flourished. The marsh brothers, mitchell and shaun, are the ones punishing englands bowlers now. Australia now have a lead of 133. Australia now have a lead of 133m was a pretty tough day. Look, we are 150 overs into the innings. There will be a futile bodies out there. Thats part and parcel of test cricket. Its not the first time they will feel 150 overs and not the last. The way the guys the world out there and worked hard was really impressive and thats really good for us to see as side going forward. 0nto the fa cup third round, one of the highlights of any sporting year, because all the top teams enter the competition. And, in the merseyside derby, the worlds most expensive defender scored the winner for liverpool, while Manchester United left it late to beat derby county at old trafford. Drew savage rounds up both matches. The pressure lifted off the shoulders of the man with a £75 million pricetag on his back. A debut to rememberfor virgil van dijk, on a night that provided plenty of talking points. For example, was this a penalty . The liverpool boss, jurgen klopp, didnt think so, but bobby madleys was the opinion that counted. James milner the calmest man at anfield. Mason holgate was not. There was bound to be a reaction from firmino. The referee, madley, decided to step in. Liverpool had had most of the play, but everton countered with some quality, Gylfi Sigurdsson with a worthy second half equaliser. Until the big moment arrived for a certain dutch defender. A decent looking corner kick, but didnt get it. Van dijk did. The man brought to strengthen their defence delighted fans and manager alike with a winning goal. Yes, in front of the goal, makes it even better. Really good. It was a merseyside derby, so that extra push for both teams, and you saw that tonight. It was a proper, proper cup fight, and i like that. Championship side derby had put on a proper fight away to Manchester United, who were six minutes away from a replay when this happened. Lingard, good hands. Hes done it again lingard, magnificent strike. Derby will be free to concentrate on their push to join Manchester United in the premier league. Romelu lu ka ku wrapped things up at the end, the side pleased to avoid another defeat. In the liverpool game there was the incident in the first half involving roberto firmino. He is pushed into the crowd. Afterwards it appears he says something as the players come together. Neither was booked at the time but the referee has included it in his report. Im sure we will hear more about this in the hours and days to come. As for the rest of the tyres, we were looking forward to seeing the return of jamie vardy. But he is injured and so it seems unlikely that he will be risked by leicester in the first cup tie of the day. Elsewhere, there are Nine Premier League teams hoping to avoid an upset against lower league teams, while there is an intriguing contest at the etihad. The Runaway Premier League leaders, manchester city, take on burnley, this seasons surprise package, who are seventh in the table. Of course we are going to rotate in some players. But the focus is going to burnley, and what theyve done so far is difficult. They do not concede goals. They have received one goal, the other games all 1 0, 1 0. And they show a strong physicality. The feud between Manchester United Managerjose Mourinho and Chelseas Antonio Conte appears to be escalating. In mourinhos latestjibe, he said he would never be suspended for match fixing. Conte was given a four match ban a few years ago for failing to report match fixing at his previous club, siena, although he was later cleared of any wrongdoing. Mourinho was responding after conte said he was getting old and losing his memory when it came to his own touch line antics. Bath ended their three match losing run in rugby unions premiership last night with a comfortable 46 25 victory at struggling worcester. They pulled away after the break with a flurry of tries, lockjames phillips going over for only the second time in his 63 league games to secure the bonus point for bath. In the pro14, scarlets have opened up a seven point lead at the top of conference b with a dominant, 47 13 bonus point win over dragons. The victory means scarlets are unbeaten in five welsh derbies this season. Elsewhere, edinburgh beat southern kings. England may be losing in the cricket, but one british flying high down under after beating the aussies in their own backyard, or rather in the skies above. Look at this above the skies above. Look at this above the australian desert. The new world record has been set for distance travelled by a hand glider, going over 300 kilometres. Thats 241 miles, so like going from london to middlesbrough in one flight. It took 0lly 5. 5 hours, going at an average speed of 55 mph. He has become a world record holder. Thats quite fast you have to wiggle in and out of thermals. Quite incredible. Have you done it . I have had a go at hand gliding over garbage. Incredible to see over derbyshire. Incredible. So lets move on from the ashes and do the hand gliding. Maybe we can do well in this sport, which fuses gymnastics and free running. Now you can go on and become a professional ninja. Ten years after it started as a tv contest injapan, athletes in the uk are getting ready for the fifth championship here. So i went along to one of the dozens of places where you can start on a ninja course, europes largest one, in manchester. Running up the wall, hanging upside down the increasingly common ninja. It is one of the new sporting crazes to be hitting the uk, and it started injapan. Straight away, you can see how challenging a ninja course is, with just the simple curtain swings, if you like, testing even the best of them. A ninja is officially defined as a person skilled in the japanese art of ninjitsu, the combination of free running, obstacle racing, and gymnastics. Youre using your body like as a monkey. You are climbing, youre twisting your body, from the core areas. I think, if you go to a normal gym, you are not getting anywhere near to ninja warrior. This does bring out the inner sloth in you. Whilejohnny trains on the professional course in manchester, there are beginner slopes to get you started, as you race your mates for fun, building up to the intermediate and advanced courses, where the falls get bigger. A lot of these obstacles, its about the technique and the preparation. I know its a race, but its in the planning, as well. Look at that for a roll, though, eh . This is the best place, in the end, isnt it . Its completely different to your normal gym. So you have all the ninja obstacles, its challenging, its fun. And i think the gym can be a little bit boring, so this keeps you motivated, and having fun. Its mentally and physically challenging. So it doesnt matter how fit you are, you need to have a certain technique to get accustomed to the apparatus. Ninja courses around the world have become famous for their various challenges, like the spider wall. The trouble is, the longer you stay on this, the more sweaty you get. I think im ready tojump. Just the fact that you think you cant do it, and you just do it. And you have your friends like her, who are motivated. And, once you do it, even better. And the infamous climb at the end, when you eventually get there. Thats it. Ninja warrior. A bit of cheating, maybe, but you do feel like youre one of them. The uk champion there. So are you now a fully qualified ninja . Im on the nursery slopes. Were still scared. Because of my ninja skills . Thanks very much. Lets have a look at the weather forecast. This weekend. It turns colder as the weekend goes on. Thanks to an area of High Pressure which is already arrived across the northern half of the uk. Some wintry showers. Across the uk. Some wintry showers. Across the south, some clears quails dashed clear spells overnight. The limit of sunshine here. But north, a band of cloud and some patchy rain. Further north, some wintry showers. The odd one across the of scotland. Most of Northern Ireland, starting off dry. That northerly winds will continue to push the cloud southwards and the come to and become confined to southern counties. Further north, the skies brightened up. The much of wales, bright and sunny but much colder across the south. It looks like the rain and the cloud will clear away the most southern areas. Under clear skies, light winds, arctic air, very cold. Widespread frost. 10 degrees, very cold. A frosty start to sunday morning. Dry and bright throughout the day with loads of crisp winter sunshine. The breeze is still quite a feature. Feeling raw here. The wind lighter. As you can see, this area of High Pressure m oves as you can see, this area of High Pressure moves away eastwood s what its going to do is allow winds to come in from the east and that will bring a bit more cloud around. We start off cold and frosty with some sunshine. The best of it, northern and western areas. Again, another cold one install. This weather front. To push on tuesday. By wednesday, it will move through. Back to you too. Now its time for newswatch with samira ahmed. This week Martin Bashir discusses coverage of religion on bbc news. A happy new year, and welcome to the first newswatch of 2018 with me, samira ahmed. This week, after the bbc announces its increasing its religious affairs coverage, well be asking why, and what the impact will be. The bbcs religion editor Martin Bashir tells us how hell be tackling the competing demands of religious groups and the non believing majority. First, the new year brought with it some distressing news, including the deaths of six people, including british businessman richard cousins, in a seaplane accident in australia. The crash was reported extensively on bbc news too much so for several viewers, including alan winn. He wrote to us on tuesday. Youve been sending us your comments on bbc news output over the christmas and new year period and one concern thats been voiced was the contrast some perceived in the coverage of two fires that youve been sending us your comments on bbc news output over the christmas and new year period and one concern thats been voiced was the contrast some perceived in the coverage of two fires that took place on december 29th one in an Apartment Building in the bronx, new york, which killed 12 people, and one in a restaurant in mumbai, in india, where at least 15 people died. Imtiyaz ansari rang that day identifying a discrepancy in the news reporting of the two incidents. It obviously showed a great deal of the fire that took place in the bronx where 12 people had died. But the same incidence of fire has taken place in mumbai where 15 people have died. Not a single mention of this incident. And even your website, this incident is hidden well inside the asia region while the new york fire is right on the front page. Why so biased . Just before christmas, the bbc published its plans to increase the ambition of its coverage of religion and ethics. The review covered all areas of programming, from songs of praise to thought for the day, but in news, it proposed increasing investment and output, and a new post of religion editor. The scope and nature of reporting on religion is a subject thats bound to divide audiences, with some feeling its given insufficient attention. For instance, david parry wrote to us recently to ask about the bbc news website. And when Sarah Mullally was appointed the first female bishop of london last month, the news was mentioned only briefly on that nights evening bulletins, to the disgruntlement of gareth jones, as he explains here. This was an important story for the established church and for womens equality. Even if you had run this story earlier, surely it warranted a regular slot throughout the day, particularly at a time when the role of women in society is at the forefront of our thinking. 0thers, though, regret the proposal for more religious coverage with some suspicious that the bbc is proselytising. Sue nelson tweeted this week a tough task, then, to satisfy conflicting demands, and the main person responsible is Martin Bashir, whos just become the bbcs first religion editor. He became a household name when his interview with diana, princess of wales, for panorama back in 1995 made international headlines. After other high profile programmes on the likes of Louise Woodward and on michaeljackson for itv, he went to work in the United States, but returned a year or so ago to the bbc, where hed worked at the start of his career. In december, he followed pope francis on his tour of asia, and reported on the archbishop of canterburys Christmas Day message, and from bethlehem on the preparations for christmas there. It is in this place, where borders and walls fortify a sense of identity and religious separation, that the Christian Church is seeking to spread its message of peace and goodwill at christmas. Happy christmas at canterbury cathedral, archbishop justin welby said that although christ was born without any political leverage, he provides more freedom to individuals than the worlds most powerful leaders. Pope francis praised the United Nations, but he did not refer to the uns accusation that myanmar had been involved in ethnic cleansing. And while he said the future of this nation must include all races and religions, he did not use the word rohingya. Well, Martin Bashir is with me now. Welcome to newswatch. The status of religion in News Coverage has clearly gone up, as you are now an editor and not just a correspondent an admission, perhaps, that the bbc hasnt been doing enough on religion . We have seen a decline in religious affiliation, a decline in attendance at church and places of worship, so i think that the bbc is responding in part in the way that religious groups have responded they are demanding more coverage, and the bbc is responding to that. But i dont think it is a bbc singularfailing. I think you have seen a cultural change. Some listeners and viewers might be really worried about the fact that religious groups are demanding more coverage and the bbc is giving it. I think what you have to keep in mind is that we are a diverse country with different religious commitments and all of those people pay the licence fee. They all expect to have some kind of return. Some of them will say they have a desire for worship programmes, documentaries, observational programmes like muslims like us, so i think that the bbcs output is responding to that. Now, of course, there are plenty of other people who have no religious interest whatsoever, but i think it would be wrong to say that we shouldnt provide material that, for many people, is very important and very central in their lives. To emphasise, the majority dont believe in god, and humanists, like sue in the comments, are worried that the bbc is being seen to bow to pressure from organised religious groups at a time when a great number of people say they dont believe in god. If you are saying that the only thing we are doing in our religious coverage relates to christianity or islam or sikhism, then i would say yes, that would be wrong and unfair, but that isnt what we are doing. What we are doing is reflecting the broad expression of interest among the british population. People do have a desire to express themselves beyond the purely physical and material world. Spiritually in the broadest sense . 0k, will we hear more from religious leaders expressing what they believe . Even though this stuff is usually contested . I dont think we are allowing people to simply proselytise. Are we going to have people on effectively like american tv evangelists, preventing their view and trying to persuade viewers . No, that isnt what the bbc does. Britain is nominally a Christian Country we have an established religion in the church of england. Should that dominate religious coverage . Some would think so. Christianity has the largest stakeholding in britain and globally, and we have an established church, bishops in the house of lords, the monarch is the supreme governor of the church of england, but remember, we are trying to reflect the whole gamut of britains religious and faith expressions. And so, in the last year, ive done stories on anti semitism and the rise of it, ive covered the issue of Sharia Councils and how they impact on muslim marriages. Ive tried to step beyond simply issues within the life of the church of england but, having said that, i am very aware that there are many christian people who have been critical of the bbc and have said in the past that the bbc hasnt fairly or reasonably covered the church, and i am seeking to address that criticism as much as i can also. Does being a christian yourself mean that some people might say you cant report fairly on religion and be impartial, because you believe everyone else is wrong . What would you say if someone said samira, you cant cover a Racial Discrimination story because of your own ethnicity . What would you say . You give me your answer. My answer would be the same as yours, and that is that we have professional training and we have professional standards and i would expect to be held to those standards as much as anybody. Our professional training means that we cover the stories as fairly and as impartially as we possibly can. You are famous partly because, for a time, you made very controversial programmes, such as the interview with diana, princess of wales, about the state of her marriage. Some viewers might be surprised you are the religion editor. Yeah, they probably will be i did a first degree in English Literature and history, and then went to Kings College in london and studied theology and history. I am actually doing some Academic Work at the moment in the whole area of religion. So its something thats been with me life long. I havent expressed it through my professional life previously, but its very much a part of who i am. I dont think that this portfolio is restrictive. In fact, i think its an opportunity to explore all kinds of issues affecting humans expression, ethics, decisions, everything from how you parent your children to how you die, and i dont think theres another portfolio that i would be more interested in than this one. Martin bashir, thank you for coming in to newswatch. Thank you finally, we have seen reports about weather conditions across the uk. On wednesday, chris page rounded up some of the effects of storm eleanor around the country. In clevedon and somerset, the promenade was out of bounds and Emergency Services were on stand by as the winds whipped up waves. And wales also suffered. Anglesey was pounded by fierce gusts and ferocious tides. Several eagle eyed viewers spotted a spelling mistake there, and they were not impressed. Sue barnard e mailed thank you for all your comments this week. If you want to share your opinions on bbc news or Current Affairs or even appear on the programme, you can call us on this number. You can find us on twitter and do have a look at our website. Thank you for all your comments this week. If you want to share your opinions on bbc news or Current Affairs or even appear on the programme, you can call us on this number. You can find us on twitter and do have a look at our website. Thats all from us. Well be back to hear your thoughts about bbc News Coverage again next week. Goodbye. Hello this is breakfast, withjon kay and Naga Munchetty a call for the victims of serial sex attackerjohn worboys to have the chance to give evidence against him following the announcement hes to be released from jail. This programmes been told some of the women whose stories werent heard in court now want their cases to be reviewed by the police. Then now want their case to be given the proper scrutiny that it deserves and fora the proper scrutiny that it deserves and for a decision to be made as to whether or not a prosecution will be brought in there cases. Good morning its saturday 6th january. Also this morning. Online casino operators are accused by the industrys watchdog of failing to prevent Money Laundering and protect problem gamblers