24/01/2016 BBC News at Ten

The government says it's considering calls to take

in unaccompanied children who've arrived in Europe as refugees.

Charities say Britain should take 3,000 of those who've made it out

of war-torn countries like Syria and are at grave risk.

Our teams across Europe who are welcoming refugees have been

seeing tens of thousands of children coming through who have already

suffered extremely harrowing experiences in the region or country

they are coming from and are now all alone in Europe.

The US east coast starts to recover from the weekend's snowstorms.

More than 20 people were killed and millions affected.

We've been stuck in the truck for 13 and a half hours.

We haven't had any food since yesterday.

After the doping scandal, a blow for world athletics as Adidas

is set to end its sponsorship deal early.

And the ground-breaking Antarctic study revealing how penguins

The government says its considering calls from charities to respond

to the numbers of unaccompanied child refugees in Europe and allow

An estimated 26,000 children from Syria alone are thought to have

fled conflict and managed to reach Europe but,

without their families, are vulnerable and at risk.

Today the International Development Secretary,

Justine Greening, said a call for Britain to take in 3,000

Our Political Correspondent, Iain Watson, reports.

Are these the forgotten victims of Syria's civil War? Some children

fleeing the conflict risk the hazardous trip to Europe, thousands

of them arriving, some as recently as this week, with their papers but

without their parents. Earlier this month a cross-party group of MPs

urged the Prime Minister to go further in helping them by

resettling 3000 refugee children in Britain. The government has been

signalling that this is under serious consideration. We've been

right at the forefront of helping children who have been affected by

this crisis and we'll continue to look at how we can do that over the

coming days and weeks. So how big is the scale of this crisis? Last year

it was estimated at around 26,000 children arrived in Europe without

their families, escaping from Syria, Afghanistan and some African

countries. It's believed many disappear after they arrived. The

call for the UK Government had taken 3000 unaccompanied children would be

in addition to the 20,000 refugees the UK has already pledged to take

direct from refugee camps. Children who have already suffered extremely

harrowing experiences in the region of the country they have come from

and are now all alone in Europe and these children are at risk of

falling prey to people traffickers, prostitution. The Prime Minister

visiting refugee camps in Lebanon last year. So far he has preferred

to resettle honourable refugees from the region rather than from Europe

to discourage others from making a perilous journey to the EU. I am

told the Prime Minister hasn't yet made up his mind on whether to take

more refugees. He knows he could be on the right of our referendum

campaign were immigration is a major issue but the Labour leadership

urged him to do more. They say if he helps his European partners tackle

this crisis they could then give him a better deal to take to the British

people. But he is under competing political pressure. Ukip say they

want to help the most honourable but risks in taking children from Europe

rather than refugee camps. Evidence is coming from Germany and other

European countries that suggest that unfortunately children are being

used as a Trojan horse the fourth family members to come at a later

stage. That is why it is the show these children are assessed from the

camps and it is an undertaking that we know they are genuinely children

who have lost their parents or families. Whilst many are moved by

the plight of refugees some politicians say the Prime Minister

must also listen to wider concerns about immigration.

A tricky one from a Prime Minister, how do you think you will resolve

this? I am told not to expect any eminent announcements but it is

tricky, he is under increasing political pressure not just from the

charities but opposition politicians. The Lib Dem leader Tim

Farron has said for some time he thinks Britain should do more to

take in what he calls are fair share of child migrants from elsewhere in

Europe. Jeremy Corbyn was visiting camps in Calais over the weekend and

says anyone there with the British connection should have applications

considered. That could be several thousand people. But the prime Mr is

listening to other advice not least from local authorities who say they

would struggle to find enough foster parents for child refugees. Above

all else he is genuinely worried I am told about this idea of taking

people from Europe rather than directly from camps and this could

provide a further magnet for migration which could then form an

unwelcome backdrop to an EU referendum campaign which could be

just weeks away. But he is likely to offer more help refugees at a

special conference on Syria taking place here in the UK in the next few

weeks. Eastern parts of the United States

may face days of disruption as they try to recover

from the weekend's snowstorms, More than 20 people were killed,

roads and rail lines blocked, and thousands of flights cancelled

as airports were closed. 11 states were badly

affected including New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey,

as was the nations's capital, Our North America Editor Jon Sopel

joins us from there now. They are calling it dig out DCD here

in Washington, an army of officials and volunteers trying to get the

streets ready so the capital can reopen for business. But after this

historic storm where more than two feet of snow fell, that is unlikely

to happen. This is how speeded up the face of a city and the region

were changed in 24 hours as record-breaking levels of snow fell

across the eastern seaboard affecting millions of people. As a

state of emergency was declared the advice was to stay inside but some

find themselves caught like the owners of these trucks and cars who

spent the weekend stuck on a Pennsylvania motorway. We've got no

food. We've got water. We haven't had any food since yesterday. In New

York were yesterday of private vehicles were banned there has been

some easing of the restrictions but not without being accompanied by a

serious health warning. If you don't need to be on the roads you

shouldn't be on the road because there are still dangerous spots,

still spots with black ice and this is still about getting the emergency

crew idea. More than 20 deaths have been associated with the storm, some

from car crashes, others from heart attacks caused by shovelling snow. A

mother and baby died of carbon monoxide poisoning after the exhaust

block of the car they were sitting and became blocked with snow and

ice. Today the big clean-up has started, at the White House and

across Washington snowblowers and people with shovels are trying to

clear streets and pavements. The transport network is paralysed. This

is the International Airport at Washington, no planes yet coming in,

only a few going out. At the city 's emergency centre they are warning

that subzero temperatures tonight will bring fresh problems. Real hard

icepack tomorrow which hinders what we are doing. That makes it harder

for crews to get around and snowploughs to do what they have to

do. It's a caution because of that, we will still be digging out from

two feet of snow so we have made the decision to close schools tomorrow.

Forget the official ban on sporting contests, unofficial ones were in

full swing like this snowball fight. The city 's capital was the venue

for mass sledging. Some held their own freestyle swimming gal is,

rather then! And in Times Square it was the skiing and snowboarding

contest which used everyone. Well, almost. The schools are going to

remain shut tomorrow, also on Capitol Hill there will be no votes

at all because of the difficulty of congressmen and women to get back to

take part. We are also waiting to hear if the federal government will

open at all tomorrow, so the storm may have passed, but the after

effects not so much. The BBC has learned that Adidas

is to terminate its sponsorship deal with athletics' world

governing body, the IAAF, in the wake of the doping scandal

engulfing the sport. Adidas has been the IAAF's biggest

sponsor and is understood to have made its decision as a direct

result of the scandal. Our Sports Editor Dan Roan

is in the BBC Sports Centre How much of a blow is this? It's the

last thing I think athletics governing body needed with its sport

already in the grip of an unprecedented crisis. Last year the

World Anti-Doping Agency found evidence of systemic state-sponsored

cheating in Russia and earlier this month in a second damning report it

said there had been a culture of corruption at the governing body the

IAAF itself and this seems to have proven too much for the sponsors,

and the disc. The BBC has learned that that they wrote to the IAAF

earlier this week informing of their intention to terminate its

sponsorship agreement. Adidas have an 11 year agreement, the biggest

the IAAF had ever signed in 2008 and we believe anything it four years

early could cost athletics tens of millions of pounds. It is understood

Adidas believes the doping revelations could constitute a

breach of contract. Another major blow for the IAAF and its British

president Lord Coe as they desperately seek to recover after a

desperate few months in this, an Olympic year. And Adidas remain the

oldest sponsor of the fire but when it comes to athletic scandal it

seems to have proven too much -- Goldust sponsor of Fifa.

Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said it

would be "a mistake" for David Cameron to hold

a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU as early

There's been speculation a vote could take place then

if the Prime Minister manages to agree a deal on EU reforms

But Ms Sturgeon told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC One that

that would confuse voters because of elections due to be held

You might interpret it as being a bit selfish.

The Welsh, Northern Irish and London elections are in May.

I think to have a referendum campaign starting

in parallel would be disrespectful to those important elections.

The latest attacks in Iraq by the Sunni militants

of the so-called Islamic State has set off a spiral

Since the US-led invasion in 2003, Iraq's Shia Muslim majority have

largely held the power, sidelining many Sunnis,

This month an attack on a cafe in the town of Muqdadiyah killed

nearly 30 people, many of them Shia, and was followed by deadly revenge

Our correspondent Jim Muir reports from there.

We travelled into Muqdadiyah with the main Shia armed faction

This is the cafe wrecked by a double suicide bombing

So-called Islamic State said it did it.

Clearly the aim was to provoke trouble between Sunnis and Shia

They come from rival branches of Islam whose differences

are currently sharply dividing the whole region.

It is in mixed areas like this that the future of Iraq

If coexistence between Sunnis and Shia doesn't work here,

the chances of it working elsewhere in Iraq don't look good.

Just across the road, the results of an outburst

A Sunni mosque partly reduced to rubble.

At least four others were also attacked.

Two journalists from a local TV station who tried to film

Less than an hour's drive away, Sunni families were on the move

but they are not fleeing, they are coming back.

These people ran away to years ago when the militants took over.

Now they feel safe enough to come back, encouraged by the government

and the Shia factions which drove IS out.

This woman says she and her family are glad to be back.

TRANSLATION: I've got three kids, the two older ones remember our

house here and are excited to be coming back to it.

There was a big reception to welcome hundreds of Sunni families home.

The head of the biggest Shia armed faction told them

TRANSLATION: Victory has no meaning if the displaced don't come back.

These people are Sunnis and they fled from IS which proves

The extremist conspiracy to stir up sectarian trouble has failed.

Fine words, but in Iraq it is actions that count.

Iraq's future will only be assured when all those who were uprooted

are back in their homes and there are more

Investigations into nearly 60 allegations of unlawful killing made

against British soldiers who served in Iraq have been dropped.

The Ministry of Defence said the body set up to review

accusations of abuse of Iraqi civilians had decided not to proceed

Hundreds of others are still being investigated.

Last week the Prime Minister ordered a clamp down on lawyers pursuing

what he called "spurious" claims against veterans.

Three dead whales have been washed up on a beach in Lincolnshire.

The sperm whales were found near Skegness and are believed to be

from the same pod as another whale which died a day earlier in Norfolk.

Scientists have taken samples to try and establish what happened

With all the sport, here's Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes at the BBC

There are highlights of the day's football on Match of the Day 2

after the news, or after Sportscene in Scotland.

So if you don't want to know the scores,

Arsenal missed out on going back to the top of the table,

beaten 1-0 at home by Chelsea after playing most of the game

Diego Costa, once again a thorn in Arsenal's side,

prompting a sending-off and scoring the goal.

Earlier, Swansea's new manager, Francesco Guidolin, got off

to a winning start, beating Everton 2-1.

And there were two red cards but no goals as Hamilton drew with Hearts

Now, as England's cricketers fought to stay in contention in the fourth

Test in South Africa, one of their former players

was excelling in the Big Bash in Australia.

It highlights the sport's contrasting formats,

competing for attention, as our correspondent

In this century and English tradition, third day of the test,

technique, supple day, another Joe Root 50. In Australia the Big Bash,

New Year cricket, Milburn stars lost the final of us truly is 2020

competition but Kevin Pietersen walloped 74. The T20 World Cup is in

March, Kevin Pietersen remains former England batsmen. He could be

the X factor, the difference between England competing and potentially

winning. I don't think it'll happen but I would pick him. Test matches

offer different words for young fast bowler. Rabada took seven wickets as

England were all out for 342, 133 runs behind. South Africa have

already lost the series but Rabada is the future. So which England

batsman did he must enjoy dismissing? Ben Stokes and Joe Root.

Because they are England's players? Yeah, because of that and other

reasons. Can you live eight? I don't like seeing them at the crease

scoring runs, that is as much as I will say. South Africa will resume

42-1 in the second innings, Test matches last longer than the Big

Bash but are no less intense. Exeter and Northampton have

completed the quarter-final line-up for rugby union's European Champions

Cup after a day for the calculators. James Short scored a brace of tries

in Exeter's 33-17 win While Ulster were the other

team to miss out. It's the first time Exeter have

reached the knock-out stages. And their reward is

an away tie with Wasps. So, in the last eight line-up

there are five English and three French teams but none

from Scotland, Wales or Ireland. And England's netball team have

lost their tri-series British scientists working

on a ground-breaking project to monitor penguin life

in the Antarctic have found evidence of how they are adapting

in the face of climate change. Footage gathered using remote

cameras shows penguin colonies being established in new areas,

while other research suggests threats to some penguins' food

sources and declining numbers. Our Science Correspondent,

Victoria Gill, has had exclusive access to research sites

on the Antarctic peninsula The only continent on earth with no

native human population. This is our planet's

great wilderness. These are gentoo penguins

and this is a new colony. The birds started nesting

here at Moot Point on the Antarctic peninsular just ten years ago

and there are now 500 of them. That movement in their breeding

sites is one of the signs of penguins adjusting to a changing

climate and that is why these scientists want to make

here their field station. They are installing a network

of cameras to keep watch We can look at how many chicks

survive or if they die off suddenly we can look at what happened

just before that. Whereas if we turn up at the end

of the season or next year, and we see colony failure,

there is no way to pin down what the threat was,

what the cause of that was. It's like CCTV, rewind it and see

what happened immediately What those cameras reveal is a rare

glimpse of Antarctic life. This footage is composed of a photo

taken every hour over an entire year and for the scientists

that is building up The team now has 40 cameras just

like this one in penguin colonies throughout the Antarctic peninsular

and it's only by having this constant monitoring presence

generating all of that data that they can work out how threats

like human activity and climate change are effecting this

continent's unique wildlife. While the cameras show this

environment in flux, the team is also working

with scientists from the US This means a headcount

in every colony they study, It is revealing some

worrying trends. We are here at a colony of chinstrap

penguins and this particular region, this particular species is seeing

a decline over the last few decades. Those declines are likely associated

with climate change and there may also be a link with competition

from fisheries, as in humans obtaining the same food -

krill - as these penguins The Antarctic peninsular is one

of the fastest warming places on the planet and this project aims

to reveal just how that change is impacting the wildlife that

survives and thrives Victoria Gill, BBC News,

Antarctica. You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. Stay with us on BBC One,

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