15/12/2015 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at Ten - the astronaut Tim Peake is the first Briton

to join the International Space Station.

This was the moment, the culmination of six years

of training, when he joined American and Russian colleagues in space.

It was a beautiful launch. That first sunrise was absolutely

spectacular. He had taken off this morning

from Kazakhstan at the start The former Army pilot will be

carrying out a series of scientific experiments for the

European Space Agency. His family, watching

from the launch centre, Just magical. I am very, very proud

and humbled that our sun is up there representing Great Britain. It is

wonderful. We will have the latest

on the mission from the control A security threat shuts down

all public schools in Los Angeles, but some experts say

it was just a hoax. A special report from

the South China Sea, where poachers are destroying

the reefs with the apparent blessing The scene underneath there is

unbelievable. They are literally destroying the reef wholesale with

these boats. And it is the latest addition

in the Star Wars franchise, but was it really

worth $4 billion? Later on BBC London -

killed in a playground accident. We reveal fresh concerns over

the park's safety record. And radical plans for London's

healthcare, which could see patients having more say over

their treatment. The British astronaut

Tim Peake has reached the International Space Station,

accompanied by Russian He took off from Kazakstan this

morning at the start Mr Peake, a former Army pilot,

will be carrying out a series of scientific experiments

for the European Space Agency. He is not the first ever

British astronaut - But he is the first

to officially represent the UK on the International Space Station,

as our science correspondent Tim and his fellow crew mates

are at the cosmodrome in Baikonur, On the other side of

the glass, his family. This will be the last

time they will see him, He is waving and smiling

and giving the thumbs-up. Next stage - to go on the the bus

to go to launch pad. With him, on his left,

is his commander, Cosmonaut So how does Rebecca feel a few

hours before the launch? I am really happy, you know,

it has been a long journey to get We are really excited to get

to this stage in the game. I know he is and he looks so ready

for it, so it is great. A final wave goodbye,

before Tim and the rest of the crew It stands on the same launch pad

from which Yuri Gagarin set off to become the first man in space,

more than 50 years ago. Lift-off of Tim Kopra,

Yuri Malenchenko and Timothy Peake on their way to the

International Space Station. So far, getting good first-stage

performance, the Soyuz delivering 930,000lb of thrust from its four

boosters and single-core engine. First stage of the Soyuz

is 68ft in length, 24ft It will be burning liquid

fuel for the first two minutes and six

seconds of the flight. On the ground, jubilation

from his friends and family. It has been such a long time,

and he has wanted it for such a long In the capsule, Tim tells

us he is feeling fine. The danger from the

launch is now over. As the Soyuz capsule

approaches the space station, Back on Earth, the moment

that Tim's family has been waiting for -

a chance to speak to him. It was fantastic to watch

that launch today. And there was quite a few parties

down on the ground today. I am so glad

you guys had a good time. I think you would call today

a spectacular day in the office. I think we had a great time

in the office, that's for sure. Everybody sends their love

and I hope you have After a night's sleep,

Tim starts work doing scientific experiments

as he begins his six-month So, Tim Peake has started his

six-month stay on the International Space Station, and much of that time

will be taken up with conducting a wide range of scientific

experiments for the Our science editor David Shukman

explains the nature of the work, Wild excitement at the Science

Museum in London during the launch. 3,000 children caught up in exactly

the kind of enthusiasm that Watching very closely,

the first Briton to go into space, Tim is going through pretty much

what I went through, I did it 24 years ago, and Tim

is really going through that now. It brings back all

the memories, actually. For the next six months,

this will be Tim Peake's home - in orbit, where everything feels

weightless, which makes So, you can't wash your

hair in the normal way. There are no bedrooms -

you zip yourself into a pod. That is good form -

our strength and conditioning coach You have to exercise for two

hours a day to avoid your So it will be a strange existence

on the space station, It is the largest structure

ever assembled in space. It is about the size

of a football pitch. That might not sound much,

but it is beyond the atmosphere and definitely in the hostile

environment of space. This outpost of humanity

is travelling round earth at 17,500 miles an hour,

an extraordinary speed. And then because each circuit

round the earth takes 90 minutes, the crew can see at least 15 sun

rises and sunsets every single day. Now the space station was built

section by section over the last 15 It is a laboratory where Tim Peake

will spend much of his time. So let us imagine that we could

be right inside it. Filled with experiments that make

use of those weightless One project looks at metal alloys,

to help work out how they can be improved for the electronic

devices that we use. Another is testing if bacteria

can survive in space, to see if they could

be living on Mars. And there is a study into how fluids

behave inside the brain. That could help with faster

diagnosis of medical problems. This tip is going

to go in your ear... Here in Southampton,

they are testing a new system inside the brain, and

they are looking forward For decades, the Government

never wanted to pay Now, Tim Peake is the first

to have official backing, Other astronauts say it will enthuse

younger generations. The beautiful part is,

they can walk out at dawn and dusk and actually

see him go over. A direct personal connection

with opportunity which exists We have to invest not just in health

and welfare but also in research and development and exploration

and opportunities for And the space station to me

is the most stunningly successful And here are some of the next

generation, at Tim Peake's I can't believe someone

from Westbourne primary school is actually going up

in space to the national space Are you proud of him?

Yes. Really cool that somebody that used

to come to our school is actually Until next June, Tim

Peake will be in orbit, doing research to help future

explorers and at the same time inspiring new scientists, engineers

and maybe astronauts as well. Our science correspondent

Pallab Ghosh is at the Pallab - could this be

the beginning of a bigger role Well, it has obviously been a

wonderful day for Tim Peake but it does mark a shift in return you's

involvement in space. For decades the UK has opted out of Europe's

astronaut programme. But now it is fully engaged in efforts to live and

work in space. Critics might argue, is it worth sending people into

space? But supporters say that as well as its inspirational value,

there are many commercial and technological benefits. The UK space

agency hopes that Tim Peake will not be the only astronaut but there will

be many more who come after him. Nearly 700,000 pupils at schools

in Los Angeles have been told to stay at home for the day

because of a security threat. Search teams are being sent

in to all schools in the district after the authorities received

a threat by email. Officials in New York said they had

received the same threat Our correspondent David Willis has

the latest from Los Angeles. The buses that take children to

school in America's second-largest city were idle today, and the

classrooms were empty. We need the co-operation of the whole of Los

Angeles today. We need families and neighbours to work together with our

schools and our employees to make sure our kids are safe. An e-mail

sent to officials warning of attacks on several buildings involving as

close its and assault rifles -- involving explosives and assault

rifles led to the cancellation of classes for about 1 million

students. They have not got in touch with me at all. I am very concerned

about his whereabouts. It is the first time that I have ever had to

go home because of a school shutting down. Are you nervous? Not really.

Less than a fortnight after a husband-and-wife terrorist team

killed 14 people in nearby San Bernardino, officials said that

attack and the specific nature of the new threat contributed to their

decision. The circumstances in the neighbouring San Bernardino, I think

what has happened in the nation, I think what happened internationally,

I as superintendent am not going to take the chance with the life of a

student. It has since emerged that officials in New York received a

similar threat but swiftly dismissed it as a hoax. Asked if Los Angeles

had overreacted, the Police Commissioner in New York have this

to say. Based on the information I am working with, if it is the same

information they had, I think yes,. It is what they want, whether it is

a prank stuff or a terrorist. They want to instil fear, they want to

disrupt the normal routine. Officials here branded the criticism

irresponsible. A massive operation to search a 700 square miles radius

is under way. But officials are yet to come across anything suspicious.

Contrast and reactions from two different coastlines there,

highlighting not only the actions here after the San Bernardino

shootings, but also the conflicts which can arise after potential

intelligence sharing. Normally, the schools behind me would be bustling

with activity at this time of the day. It is now in elite white.

Officials have said no one will be returning to city schools in Los

Angeles until they have been searched and declared safe.

Thank you. China's programme of expansion

in the South China Sea could produce an arms race involving several

nations in the region, according to the commander

of the United States Pacific Fleet. As we reported last night,

Beijing has built at least seven artificial islands in

the South China Sea in the past year, as well as three runways,

on a range of reefs The Americans - and others -

insist the Chinese are breaking international law by

expanding in this way. And the Philippines are accusing

China of allowing poachers to plunder the reefs

without hindrance. From the Philippine island

of Thitu, our correspondent Rupert Wingfield-Hayes has sent

this exclusive report. Far out in the middle

of the South China Sea, this tiny speck of land

we are about to land on But the Philippine

military's power barely Less than a mile away,

anchored on another reef, these boats we can see

here are Chinese poachers. We have come here to

investigate reports that under the protection

of the Chinese navy, poachers are plundering

the reefs out here. So along with China's

takeover of the South China Sea has come

what the local Filipino fishermen People like these behind me

here who have moved in and are stripping

the reef of its coral The poachers anchor their boats

to the reef and then I asked this man

what they are doing. We are looking for

sea clams, he says. From up here, it is unclear exactly

what they are doing. As soon as we do, the extent

of the devastation is revealed. Just a couple of years ago,

before the poachers moved in, Now it is being torn to shreds by

the poachers. Well, the scene underneath there

is just unbelievable. They are literally

destroying the reef It has been turned to

a desert underneath here. Now the poachers are in the water

too, retrieving their prize. A huge giant clam,

perhaps 100 years old. They gathered them in a pile

on the sea floor ready to be hoisted On the international market,

shells like these can sell The Chinese characters

on the stern of their motherships show

they come from Tanmen, The crew shows no

fear of us filming. They know no one is

going to stop them. As we leave, we get a glimpse

of the reef from above. The long yellow plumes

show fresh destruction, and beyond them, what should

be an aquamarine reef What is your reading of the

conflicting claims now of China's actions in this region? Well, I

think for anybody who is watching the rise of China, there is one big

important question that they want answered, and that is what sort of

great power is China going to be? The Communist Party leadership in

Beijing has said it will be a peaceful power, that its neighbours

have nothing to worry about, that it will resolve disputes through

peaceful negotiation. But what we have started see in the last year

and a half in the South China Sea is potentially a different face of

China, a country which is prepared to unilaterally and aggressively

expand its territory, ignore international law and Billy its

smaller neighbours. When it comes to -- when it comes to its neighbours,

it will have issues with its neighbours. Thank you.

Inflation crept into positive figures last month, with the annual

rate, measured by the Consumer Prices Index, rising to 0.1%.

The rate has been at or around zero for most of this year,

making it the least inflationary year in half a century.

It means the Bank of England is now likely to delay a rise

Our economics correspondent Andy Verity has more details.

It is not just fuel which is getting cheaper before Christmas,

Second-hand car prices are 4.6% lower

To these buyers they are definitely getting a bargain.

They are definitely a lot cheaper, you get a better quality.

It is brilliant, you get massive savings.

It is definitely a lot better value now.

The recent car prices are coming down is the same reason

that the price of most goods has been coming down

Plentiful supply of the products on offer and less demand,

in other words, fewer buyers buying the products,

which mean the buyers have the upper hand and they can

While second-hand car and fuel prices fell,

it was by less than the previous month.

One reason why the cost of living overall ticked up by 0.1%.

Break that down and goods prices fell by an average of 1.9%,

while the price of services rose by 2.4%.

Earlier this year, the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney

was confident prices would be rising much faster by now.

The decision on when to raise interest rates,

he said repeatedly, will be thrown into relief

We expect inflation to be very low for the next several months.

But over the course of the year as we get towards the end,

inflation should start to pick up towards our 2% target.

That was before the slowdown in economies

like Brazil and China which meant less demand worldwide for goods

from copper to steal, and therefore lower prices.

It also triggered an unexpected second fall in oil prices.

Now the betting is the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee

I don't think the MPC will be in any hurry to follow the US to raise

We think they will probably wait until the New Year.

And even then, interest rates will probably

That puts us on a different economic path

to the United States, where today showed the latest data

Tomorrow, the US central bank is widely expected to announce

a rise in interest rates, the first in nine years.

Tomorrow, Pakistan will remember the victims of one the worst

More than 150 people were killed, 132 of them children when Taliban

gunmen stormed a military school in Peshawar last December.

There are claims from some survivors, that they haven't been

given enough support over the past year - as our correspondent

This is the massacre that shocked Pakistan,

and prompted the army to intensify its war on terror.

For this boy, it was the day he lost his mother.

She was a teacher at the Army public school.

Bakr was wounded in the attack and says the memories

When I saw the face of the terrorist, I was too scared.

He was having a long beard and he had a black rag on his head

He had all the bullets around his neck.

I don't like to go to school now after this attack.

We have been given access to come back to the school.

A year ago, students run through this corridor

This is what used to be the school auditorium where Taliban gunmen

came in and started shooting pupils at close range.

It was when a normal school day turned into a massacre.

A year on, it has been completely refurbished.

Half of it is the library and the other half

The building itself may have changed but the memories of that day

are still very vivid for students and teachers here.

The authorities say that survivors and

grieving families have received financial support,

This woman is a teacher at the school.

She says despite government claims, many children and families have been

We're not in need of financial support.

The only kind of support that we are in need of

She has been back for the last year, but says the school feels

Not only at home, but in front of me in the classes.

My best friends are not there with me.

Despite the show of normality here a year on, for many,

the battle with the trauma of that day continues.

Following a Freedom of Information Request,

it's been disclosed that the Prince of Wales has been receiving copies

of confidential Cabinet papers in an arrangement dating back

The documents of Cabinet and ministerial committees have

always been shared with the Queen, but the Cabinet Office said

it was important that the heir to the throne

The campaigning group Republic, which secured the information,

said it was unacceptable as it gave Charles "considerable advantage"

More than 100 personal items that used to belong to Lady Thatcher

were sold at auction in London today.

One buyer paid more than ?200,000 for the

former prime minister's red box - while her wedding dress

It's one of the most anticipated films of the year.

The latest addition to the Star Wars franchise -

The Force Awakens - has had its world premiere

Disney paid more than $4 billion for the rights -

prompting some experts to claim they'd wildly overpaid -

but as our entertainment Lizo Mzimba reports,

with record advance ticket sales, Disney might yet make

John Boyega, one of the film's young British leads,

reunited with Mark Hamill, who reprises his role

The re-creation or simply the return of much loved figures,

the key selling point for the for the movie.

The first in more than 30 years to feature the main actors

How do you feel about the fact that now so many fans

are going to get to see how your character, how the saga

continues, something they have cared about

That is the idea, to continue to build on the stories

Is this the day you have been waiting for when

it finally goes out, and people can see what you can do?

No, because otherwise I think I would have

It is very exciting for it to be here now.

It felt like the old movies, a lot of surprises,

Disney paid George Lucas more than $4 billion

for the rights to the series and other Lucasfilm properties.

A sound investment, or a risky strategy?

If JJ Abrams is able to recapture the excitement and sense

of adventure and fun that George Lucas did in 1977,

with the original Star Wars, there is no telling how much

Even if box office takings and merchandise sales don't

reach hoped-for levels, it is all still good news

The current plan is to make all the films at Pinewood

in Buckinghamshire, a commitment worth

The whole picture may not be clear for

another few years, because Disney needs not just this one,

but each of the new forthcoming movies to keep

In those films, the characters face monumental

struggles and battles, with their multi-billion dollar investment.

In financial terms, for Disney, the stakes are almost as high.

In a moment here on BBC One it will be time for the news

where you are - but I'll leave you with some of the day's enduring

images, as the British astronaut Tim Peake -

after six years of training - made his way

Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!

Liftoff for Tim Kopra, Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Peake on their

way to the International Space Station.

CHEERING It makes me think I want to go to

space when I grow up. I am very, very proud and humbled

that our sun is