the appointment of a special counsel to oversee the inquiry into russian influence on the election "hurts our country terribly" and he called the decision "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in american history." but he says he wants to get back to running the country, and at a news conference in washington, said he would respect the appointment. he again denied any collusion with russia. aleem maqbool reports. the president's just not happy with the scrutiny he continues to come under over his links with russia. the entire thing has been a witch hunt. and there is no collusion between certainly myself and my campaign, but i can only speak for myself and the russians, zero. i think it divides the country. i think we have a very divided country because of that and many other things. did you at any time urge former fbi directorjames comey to close or back down the investigation into michael flynn? no. . . no. next question. the major development of the last 2a hours is the appointment of robert mueller to oversee the russian investigation. he's a man renowned for his independence, having been appointed fbi director by george w bush, and being asked to serve on longer than his term by barack obama. and his appointment has received support from many on both sides of the aisle. probably the best thing that has happened is that the deputy attorney general did appoint bob mueller, a man of impeccable integrity, to act as special counsel in this issue. and that, i think, is of some comfort to all of us in this country. i believe that the professionals in the justice department need to do theirjobs independently, objectively and thoroughly, and i believe the special counsel, which is robert mueller, helps them do that. some of the president's critics, while happy with the appointment, complain robert mueller has not been given enough power. but what exactly is he investigating? it breaks down into three main areas. russian influence on the election, looking at possible hacking and lea ks. russian collusion with the trump campaign, so meeting and financial ties between the two. and obstruction of the russia inquiry, looking at whether donald trump tried to get the former fbi director to drop key parts of the investigation. well, after the president fired the last man leading the inquiry, it does now feel with this appointment that the russia investigation can now get back on track. bt there are many who feel that donald trump, for whatever reason, is not behaving like a man who wants that. aleem maqbool, bbc news, washington. on friday, president trump embarks on an ambitious foreign trip — four countries in eight days. first stop, saudi arabia, and the bbc‘s chief international correspondent lyse doucet is already in riyadh. this is feeling very pleased that president trump has chosen this city to be the first stop on his very first foreign visit. when we met the saudi foreign minister today he used words like milestone and landmark. he even told me it was a diplomatic coup that the president would be stopping here first. and notjust stopping here first. and notjust stopping to meet the leaders of the saudi kingdom. this will be the mother of all welcome is because president trump will also meet all of the leaders of the gulf arab states and the saudis have invited all the members of an arab islamic summit. so they are proudly saying that 37 kings, presidents and prime ministers will all be here in saudi arabia, emphasising the importance of the saudi arabia is playing. and right from the very start when president trump came to power in the white house they were among his biggest supporters. making light of the controversy over the travel ban, the controversy over the travel ban, the muslim ban, saying very much that they believe that president donald trump they is a leader they can do business with. the fight against terrorism, the fight against what they see as the destabilising behaviour of iran. they see this as a partnership. they are worried that the controversy back home over the mishandling, the alleged mishandling of intelligence will overshadow this visit that they see this as a very good start and, as importantly, the end of what had been a strained relationship under president obama. our chief international correspondent lyse doucet there in saudi arabia. and during president trump's trip lyse and our north america editor jon sopel will be providing coverage at every stop so make sure to join us next week for that. let's take a look at some of the other stories making the news. american planes operating over syria have attacked a convoy carrying pro—government militia. a statement from the coalition says the militia were moving towards a—tanf airbase, near the border with iraq — where western special forces train rebel groups fighting the extremist group, the so—called islamic state. voting opens injust a voting opens in just a few hours now in the iran presidential election with the current leader seeking a second term. he negotiate a landmark nuclear deal with western world leaders in 2015. if no—one wins more than 50% of votes cast there will be a run—off next week. the japanese cabinet is expected to approve the bill on friday which will allow emperor akihito to abdicate. it will be the first time abdicate. it will be the first time a japanese monarch abdicate. it will be the first time ajapanese monarch has abdicate. it will be the first time a japanese monarch has stepped down in two sentries. in a rare public message last august the emperor said he feared his age would prevent him from carrying out his duties. the brazilian president, michel temer, has angrily rejected calls for him to resign over allegations that he approved the payment of bribes as part of a huge corruption scandal. in a brief television address, mr temer said he had nothing to fear from an investigation which has been authorised by the supreme court. julia carneiro reports from brasilia. president michel temer was emphatic in the presidential palace are saying that he would not quit. this is following building pressure for him to resign after a scandal broke here in the capital. investigators have allegedly obtained audio of a conversation where he is heard encouraging bribes to be paid to a key witness to keep him silent on corruption. this is obstruction of justice so it is a serious allegation and, already, there have been several impeachment requests filed in congress against him. two ministers have said they will resign and a supreme courtjustice has authorised an investigation to be opened against him. so president michel temer said he has nothing to fear and investigations will bring out the truth. but there are several protests planned over the coming daysin protests planned over the coming days in brazil and his political future seems quite unstable for now. a driver ploughed into pedestrians in times square today killing one woman and injuring nearly two dozen others. the driver has been arrested but authorities say there is no sign of terrorism — instead he is being tested for drugs and alcohol. the bbc‘s nada tawfik was on the scene and has this report. it isa it is a scene that immediately makes new yorkers fear the worst. a car ploughing into pedestrians in crowded times square. eyewitnesses described how the out—of—control car sped the wrong way along seventh ave, travelling three blocks and hitting 23 people before crashing and bursting into flames. 0ne young woman did not survive. reports say a bouncer from a nearby restaurant and a ticket agent were among those who helped police subdue the driver as helped police subdue the driver as he tried to flee the scene. authorities believe the incident is not terror related. they have identified the driver as a 26—year—old us citizen from the bronx and a former member of the navy with two prior arrests for drunk driving. new york police do believe this is an isolated incident but they are reinforcing key sites around the city out of an abundance of caution is nurse —— caution and to reassure new yorkers. of caution is nurse —— caution and to reassure new yorkerslj of caution is nurse —— caution and to reassure new yorkers. i had them scream, oh, my god, people were running. this will always be a city slightly on edge. but tonight, released this was not what new yorkers feared. hundreds of thousands of sufi followers have flocked to a shrine in southern pakistan, in defiance of threats of terrorism. a suicide bomber attacked the shrine in february, killing more than seventy people. bbc urdu's umer draz has been to meet the devotees whose faith is stronger than any fear. they have travelled 1,000 miles for theirfaith, coping with boiling hot weather and difficult terrain. their destination is lal shahbaz qalandar, one of the most revered 13th century sufi saints on the indian subcontinent. it is the anniversary of the saint‘s death and its followers hope it will bless them. translation: initially i did not have the urge to ask for anything. now i want a child. i have been married for five years but i have no children. i have come here to pray for a child. it is in the hand of god, of course, but the saint can intercede. thousands visit this festival every year from all over the country. some seek help, others seek to give thanks, and all are united in this trance—inducing dance which is performed just after sunset. the believers performed this dance at the shrine in february this year, after a suicide bombing during a similar festival, that killed more than 70 people. for them, it is defiance in the face of terrorism. sufism in pakistan enjoys a huge following. devotees are considered non—violent and come from both sects sunni and shia islam. terror attacks against sufi shines were once rare in this country. not any longer. sufis and these saints, they preached universal brotherhood and they preach the respect for human beings and respectful living. this is what extremists hate. it contradicts their school of thought. they just want to promote violence. this is a place of love. so this is a soft target for them. sufi followers refused to let go of their ancient tradition, despite the many threats from hardline islamists who say what they do is idol worship. they want to fight the hate with love and believe in a better tomorrow. stay with us on bbc news. still to come — they're considered to be one of the most harmful exotic species on earth. so how's peru coping with an infestation of giant african snails? this morning, an indian air force plane carrying mr gandhi's body landed in delhi. the president of india walked to the plane to solemnly witness mr gandhi's final return from the political battlefield. the polling stations are all prepared for what will be the first truly free elections in romania's history. it was a remarkable climax to what was surely the most extraordinary funeral ever given to a pop singer. it's been a peacefulfuneral demonstration so far, but suddenly these police are teargassing the crowd, we don't yet know why. the pre—launch ritual is well established here, helen was said to be in good spirits butjust a little apprehensive. in the last hour, east timor has become the world's newest nation. it was a bloody birth for a poor country, and the challenges ahead are daunting. but for now, at least, it is time to celebrate. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: president trump has said the decision to appoint a special counsel to investigate russian influence is a witch—hunt. brazil's president michel temer has angrily rejected calls for him to resign over allegations that he approved the payment of bribes as part of a huge corruption scandal. after years of economic difficulty, greece's parliament has approved a new package of austerity measures that include tax rises and further cuts to pensions. the government hopes the savings will appease international lenders as the country looks for another instalment of its multi—billion—dollar bailout. thousands of protestors clashed with police as the plans were approved as greg dawson reports. is greece's politicians needed a reminder of the anger, they need to look out of the window. police face down petrol—bombs and other missiles. another show of defiance as another package of austerity measures was approved. the prime minister said this meant further painfora minister said this meant further pain for a country worn down by cuts. translation: nobody is denying, nobody doubts, but this agreement has difficulties. however, it isa agreement has difficulties. however, it is a decisive milestone. we do not have another bailout we need to complete. we finally have something to look forward to. we enter a phase of recovery the greek economy has not seen in years. the vote means more tax rises and further cuts to pensions over the next three years to be5 pensions over the next three years to be 5 billion euros saved to appease foreign creditors of greece. for the last seven years, the country has been trying to dig its way out of economic crisis. progress has been made, but is not enough to escape its reliance on outside help. greece faces its next big debt demand in july, and greece faces its next big debt demand injuly, and on monday, eurozone finance ministers will decide if the country has done enough to receive a 7.5 billion euros bailout fund to keep the economy afloat. earlier in the week, hundreds of thousands of greeks joined a 24—hour general strike. flights were grounded and ships stayed docked. alexis tsipras believes these measures are vital for the economic survival of the country, but he and his party were elected on a promise to resist austerity. a promise not forgotten by those demanding his resignation. greg dawson, bbc news. north korea has largely cut itself off from the outside world. and international sanctions imposed over its missile tests have isolated the country further. but not entirely. the first—ever passenger ferry between north korea and russia has docked in the russian port of vladivostok. pascale davies reports. this russian port of vladivostok is home to one of the largest north korean communities outside of north korea in the world. and theirjourneyjust got a little easier. for the first time ever, the ferry will run between here and north korea. it boasts a restaurant, bars, and a karaoke room. the ferry will be used by north koreans that work in russia, but also by chinese tourists. translation: we'll set up a tent on the deck in summer in order to put chinese, russian, and north korean souvenirs on display. it will have another purpose — the vessel is set to carry essential goods and other cargo. north korea has long been isolated because of strict economic sanctions imposed by the un. the ferry owners say it will improve relations between the two nations. translation: we don't violate any un sanctions. we transport people. we create better communication between people, between china, north korea, and russia. i think it's good. let politicians decide how it will develop further. i think everything will be fine. it's not the first time the ship has set sail. it was running between north korea and japan until 11 years ago, but japan suspended the service after a north korean missile test. the service is expected to carry up to 200 passengers and 1000 tons of cargo six times a month. early booking is advised. 60 tourists from china have already bought their tickets for the next boat. pascale davies, bbc news. when you think of the world's most dangerous creatures, snails don't usually come to mind. but, in fact, the giant african snail is considered to be one of the most harmful exotic species on earth. and now, in peru, there has been an infestation. hundreds of them have been found in the northern region of ancash. the bbc‘s tim allman has more. cordoned off, at first sight, this appears to be a crime scene. but things are not what they seem. these are believed to be giant african snails, hundreds of them. brought here by heavy rains and flooding, the creatures can be deadly. hamas by themselves, they are potentially carriers of disease and infection. —— harmless. one group has them named in the top 100 dangerous species. authorities are removing them as quickly as possible. translation: by habit, they like to be in the dirt. that is where they become contaminated. from that, they go on to transmit parasites and bacteria. so serious is the problem, officials have launched an information campaign to warn the public what to do if confronted by a giant african snail. translation: the number of poisonous snails is rising and i am scared. they are climbing the wall. i am trying to kill them with salt. one region already placed on awareness levels for a dendy outbreak. —— dengue. now they have another thing to worry about. tim allman, bbc news. we're going to take you to a very different world now, one which is deep under the oceans, inhabited by some of the strangest—looking creatures on earth. these are just some of the fish that have been captured on film, some four kilometres below the surface of the tasman sea, to the east of australia. for the next month, a team of scientists is searching the depths for more of what they call ‘miniature monsters'. melanie mackenzie joined us from the tasman sea, and explained why they are searching for these animals. these waters have never been explored before this deep. this is the first time we have had a dedicated trip along the coast from tasmania all the way up to the coral sea. we're responsible for the marine waters, so we have to know what's there. we need to protect it. we are going to have a look. we are going four kilometres... apologies for interrupting you. the line is a little bit difficult because you are out at sea. viewers understand that. in terms of reaching these creatures, these are four kilometres underneath the sea. how do you get to them? well, i promise you that i do not dive down there. we stay on the deck. we deploy technology and send it down. it can take almost seven hours for a four kilometre trawl to go down and come up again. the animals get trapped in the nets and we bring it up from the depths. the scientists go crazy. we are excited to see what is down there. we are exploring immediately. we put the animals on ice because they're coming through freezing waters up to the warm waters. we need to keep tissues viable for dna research as well. it's pretty cool. they are all different sizes. we have had some strange ones. some crustaceans, we're talking about pinhead size for some of these amazing creatures. some of the scientists are spending quite rocky—rolly days looking at these through microscopes and trying to identify them. it is fun to see. at a large scale, they look like complete aliens. amazing. it's crazy, isn't it? i guess we've been looking up for a long time and never thought to look down. in general, it's because it's really hard to get down there. people who scu ba—dive, you are talking about a deep dive. we are going 10—20 metres further down than that. so you've got to worry about how to get down there. we really have just never been able to look before. now we have got this fantastic research vessel and people really keen to get down there and see what's there. speaking to us from the tasman sea. it has long been calling itself the greatest show on earth, but the ringing brothers circus is shutting down after legal battles with animal rights groups and other troubles. music plays. ringing brothers circus is older than coca—cola, older than baseball. we are coming to a close. it is really sad. riding a cannon out onto arena floor, you know, it is powerful. smiling right before i get into the canon. as soon as i slide down and focus 100%, i think the word i think of the most is "attack." go! in between cities, we travel and live on a train. we are a sort of like professional gypsies. you know? it is such a unique lifestyle. i think that is one of the most nostalgic elements of this show coming to a close, is that this lifestyle is coming to an end as well. there is a culture that we are losing. that is 136 years deep. we arejust losing. that is 136 years deep. we are just devastated. the losing. that is 136 years deep. we arejust devastated. the performers, they are pretty much all out of work. and hopefully, something else will happen, something else will come up. something similar. you know? but if not, you always have these amazing memories. and i am just glad i could be a part of it. i think we are feeling very bittersweet, bitter because we don't wa nt bittersweet, bitter because we don't want the show to end, we want to do this forever, and sweet because we got to do it at all. ringling brothers circus, the circus to be no more. and have a look at this. the wuxi bridge in chongqing, south—west china, was demolished on wednesday. it is just an extraordinary sight. it was built in 1973 but was judged to be no longer safe. a new bridge spanning 135 metres will be built to replace it by february next year. it will re—connect a provincial road stretching over the wuxi river. we are shelling it over and over again, but it isjust we are shelling it over and over again, but it is just worth we are shelling it over and over again, but it isjust worth it, isn't it? —— showing. more on that and other news on the bbc website. as always, thank you for watching. hello there. well, the rain arrived earlier than forecast across the south—east of england during thursday afternoon and its continued to move slowly northwards. but brought a very wet night for the south—east of england, east anglia, the east midlands, and getting in towards the north—east of england by the time we reach friday morning. further west, though, it's clearer skies. any showers died away. and a touch of frost in one or two places. but less cold in the south—east because of cloud cover. so, first thing friday, then, it's a lovely bright start in many northern and western areas. showers never too far away, though, for the north and west and outer hebrides, but an area of low pressure. but the bulk of scotland and northern ireland will be bright. a chilly start, but bright. lots of sunshine. same too as well for the far north—west of england and wales and the far south—west of england. maybe just one or two showers pushing in towards cornwall and the west of devon. but further east, midlands eastwards, a cloudy start. damp, outbreaks of rain, especially for east anglia and lincolnshire up in the north—east. and notice this area of low pressure slowly sliding north along the coast. you can see the isobars are tighter packed here. quite a breeze in norfolk and lincolnshire. that area of low pressure comtinues to move northwards. elsewhere, a day of sunshine and showers and gradually drying up across the south—east towards the end of the day. top temperatures, around the mid—teens. so nothing too special. quite cool in the north—east with low cloud, mist and harr. into saturday, it looks like conditions will improve. elsewhere, a bit of sunshine and showers. some of the showers could be heavy and maybe thundery in places. in the sunshine, pleasantly warm. cooler when showers arrive. temperatures in the mid—to—upper teens celsius. and the reason for the conditions are settling down and improving even further into sunday, this area of high pressure exerts its force across the country. importing wind from the south. always a warmer direction, particularly for this time of year. going north as it does around this time of the year. it will allow temperatures to rise. in the sunshine it will feel warm. especially in the south. a bit of cloud, breeze, rain, getting into northern ireland because of this area of low pressure edging in. but it will affect north—western parts of the uk as head on in towards monday. so, here, breezy, outbreaks of rain towards western scotland in particular. but the bulk of england and wales closer to the area of high pressure, a warm day, with temperatures potentially the low—to—mid 20s celsius. into tuesday, winds swinging from the west, feeding in plenty of showers on the wind from the west. a cool day. pleasant in the south—east with some sunshine. is this is bbc news. the headlines: president trump says he wants to get back to running the country following the controversy surrounding allegations of russian interference in last year's us presidential election. a he told a news conference in washington that he respected the brazilian president, michel temer has said he won't resign over allegations that he was involved in bribing a possible witness to a huge corruption scandal. mr temer said he would prove his innocence and warned that his efforts to pull the economy out of recession were at risk. a driver has ploughed into pedestrians in times square killing one woman and injuring nearly two dozen others. the driver has been arrested but authorities say there is no sign of terrorism — instead he is being tested for drugs and alcohol. a former television producer has been convicted of trying to hire three men to kill his partner. the old bailey heard that david harris, who's 68