01/05/2016 BBC Weekend News

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hits back at his critics.

He dismisses claims of anti-Semitism within Labour's ranks.

We stand absolutely against anti-Semitism in any form.

We stand absolutely against racism in any form.

We'll be asking where this week of controversy

Also on the programme, should the Government

Ministers dismiss newspaper reports as not strictly accurate.

We take a rare look inside North Korea as it prepares

to celebrate its leader - in the first Party Congress

And Leicester City are held to a draw by Manchester United

and will have to wait a little longer to be crowned

At a May Day rally in London, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has

insisted his party is "united" in opposing anti-Semitism

following the suspension of his close ally Ken Livingstone

and the MP Naz Shah earlier in the week.

Supporters have rallied to Mr Corbyn's defence

over his handling of the row, with union leader Len McCluskey

saying it had been whipped up by the right of the Labour Party

Here's our Political Correspondent Carole Walker.

A barrage of further questions for Jeremy Corbyn.

Criticism of his handling of this row shows no sign of relenting,

despite his pledge to tackle the problem with an inquiry

We stand absolutely against anti-Semitism in any form.

We stand absolutely against racism in any form.

We stand united as a labour movement.

At today's rally, he was surrounded by friends and supporters.

People are choosing to be offended in order to dislodge Jeremy Corbyn.

It seems to me that the right of the Labour Party

I don't think it should affect Jeremy Corbyn.

I don't think it will affect Jeremy Corbyn, and I would be

delighted to say I will be supporting Jeremy Corbyn.

Jeremy Corbyn has insisted he has always opposed racism in all forms

but this row has now led to new questions about his

leadership, just days from elections, which will be seen

which will be seen as a critical test.

Labour's candidate for London mayor, Sadiq Khan, told a Sunday newspaper

And a former Labour minister said the whole crisis

If action had been taken earlier, we could have nipped

this problem in the bud, but it hasn't been gripped.

I hope it is now finally been gripped after the Livingstone fiasco

this week, but it will be judged on what we do.

But the Unite union leader Len McCluskey accused some Labour

MPs of aiding and abetting the Tories and right-wing press

This is nothing more than a cynical attempt to manipulate

anti-Semitism for political aims, because this is all about

constantly challenging Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

You don't need any more pictures of me.

Ken Livingstone has refused to back down from his claim

that Hitler supported Zionism before the Holocaust,

despite being suspended from his party.

Israel's new ambassador said some within the Labour Party

it's about demonising the Jewish state.

The comments we've heard over the last two or three weeks

that were made public, it's got nothing to do

with criticising this or that particular Israeli policy.

The pressure on Jeremy Corbyn is far from over, with Labour braced

for significant losses at this week's elections.

Are you going to go to Israel, Mr Corbyn?

How much substance is there in the idea that this row has been

Undoubtably, there are some Labour MPs who were never happy about

Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the party, and there are some who

believe he was reluctant to tackle this issue because of his

long-standing support for the Palestinian cause. But this now goes

much wider than that. You heard the Israeli ambassador that. This is a

serious issue for the Labour Party, and if the leadership do try to

sweep it aside and blame it on some right-wing faction in the party,

that will just make matters worse for Jeremy

Corbyn. The trouble for the leadership now is that this row is

drowning out any other messages they would like to be focusing on ahead

of those important elections in Scotland, Wales, London and local

councils across the country. Many Labour MPs are deeply pessimistic

about their prospects. If their worst fears are realised, if Labour

does suffer significant losses, it will be very difficult for the

leadership to continue to argue that it is simply a bunch of disgruntled

Blairites who are the cause of all Jeremy Corbyn's problems. Carole,

thank you. Ministers have dismissed newspaper

reports that the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale wants to stop

the BBC scheduling its top-rated programmes,

including Strictly Come Dancing, at the same time as popular

shows on rival networks. Our Media Correspondent David

Sillito has more. It is TV's big night, Saturday

evening, the traditional prime-time entertainment battle ground.

Exterminate! Doctor Who, Strictly Come Dancing, X Factor. But why does

the end of Strictly often overlap with the beginning of X Factor? Why

couldn't the big shows be separated? Also, why are the BBC's big dramas

often scheduled directly against ITV's. It appears the Government has

had enough of this. The headlines today proclaim that the BBC was

about to be told this has to stop. So what can anyone do about these

clashes? Well, the Government has been concerned about the BBC's

impact on its commercial rivals for some time now, and it's understood

that they are looking at the possibility that whoever ends up

regulating the BBC will have some power to either adjudicates or

intervene on the topic. The BBC says it is deeply concerned. Labour said

it was meddling. But in a statement, the department of culture says the

Government is not going to be interfering in the schedules. But

this doesn't mean it's not concerned about the corporation's impact on

its competitors. In terms of scheduling and Saturday nights,

there will be nothing about that. There will probably be something

about the BBC minding its Ps and Qs, being a bit more careful than it

sometimes has been about its impact on commercial competitors. Questions

have also been raised about both ITV and the BBC broadcasting their main

evening bulletins at the same time at ten o'clock. But do clashes over

the news or Strictly matter as much as they once did? Do you care when

they overlap? I do, actually. It is frustrating. Obviously, prime-time

viewing is competitive for everybody. If they clash in the

schedules, does that bother you? Know, because I can do it on catch

up. And there is also the government's own recent report on

the topic, which said the impact on ITV from clashes in entertainment

and drummer was at most 1% of its audience. David Sillito, BBC News.

A man's been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body

of a teenage girl was pulled from the sea at Broadstairs in Kent.

Officers were first called to the port in Ramsgate due

to concerns for a person in the water.

Our correspondent Simon Jones joins us from there.

The police were first alerted at around five o'clock this morning.

They told the coastguard, who launched a huge search. That

involved a coastguard helicopter, two lifeboats and teams going along

the shore. At around 7:45am along the coast in Broadstairs, the

lifeboat fished out of the water the body of this teenage girl. They

haven't revealed how old she was exactly and she hasn't been named

this evening, but we don't know that there has been an arrest and police

have launched a murder investigation. Officers say the key

thing now is to establish the circumstances behind this event. In

21-year-old man from Ramsgate has been arrested on suspicion of

murder, and he remains in police custody this evening. People on the

pier today were trying to enjoy the bank holiday and have been speaking

of their shock and upset at what happened. Simon, thank you.

A look at some of the day's other stories now, and two people have

died in a house fire in Spalding in Lincolnshire.

It started in the early hours of this morning.

The cause of the blaze and the identities of

The Scottish victim of the fatal helicopter crash in Norway has been

named as Iain Stuart, from Laurencekirk in Aberdeenshire.

The 41-year-old oil worker was one of 13 passengers and crew on board

the Super Puma when it crashed on Friday.

His family say they are heartbroken by his death.

There's been an explosion outside a police station

in south-eastern Turkey, close to the Syrian border.

At least two policemen have been killed, and more

There have been several attacks in Turkey in the last year, linked

to both Kurdish militants and so-called Islamic State.

The US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to arrive in Geneva to revive

The United States has said the top priority is to stop the bloodshed

in Syria's largest city Aleppo, where hundreds of people have

The White House Correspondents' dinner is an annual star-studded

his last before vacating the Oval Office -

his Republican opponents and his critics.

He even cracked a joke about Prince George.

Our Washington Correspondent Laura Bicker's report

This is when Hollywood and political players get to rub shoulders.

The entertainer-in-chief, Barack Obama,

But this is the last of his presidency, and he couldn't help

hinting that it might be Hillary Clinton.

Next year, this time, someone else will be standing

here in this very spot, and it's anyone's guess

As for the Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump wasn't there,

They say Donald lacks the foreign policy experience to be president.

But in fairness, he has spent years meeting with leaders

But his material wasn't all focused on others.

He noted that the presidency has taken its toll.

The only way you can date her in photos is by looking at me.

His recent trip to the UK also got a mention.

Last week, Prince George showed up to our meeting in his bathrobe.

That was a slap in the face.

As his time in office wanes, Mr Obama told the audience he dreams

Whatever he does after leaving the White House, the President's

comedy will be missed by many in the White House press corps.

And with that, I just have two more words to say.

Laura Bicker, BBC News, Washington.

Later this week, the ruling party in North Korea will hold its first

It will be the moment Kim Jong-Un will be officially proclaimed

as the country's Supreme Leader, replacing his father,

North Korea is a secretive state which journalists are

rarely given access to, but our correspondent

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes travelled there as part

of a humanitarian trip, and he sent this report

May Day fun in the workers' paradise.

These are not the scenes I expected to find

There was nothing like this last time I came here.

A lot of these kids can speak English.

I have taken this several times, but it is time.

I am studying at Kim Il-sung University.

Pampered and privileged, but even they live an incredibly

Do you meet foreigners much, do you get any

It's your first chance to meet a foreigner?

While the elite plays, the masses are preparing

for the biggest political show here in decades.

From atop a high monument, we glimpse thousands of

dancers rehearsing for the opening of the Workers' Party Congress.

Its job - to glorify the rule of Kim Jong-un.

There is no escaping the Kim dynasty, even

with tales of how Marshal Kim personally

But the children we are shown look remarkably well

and there is not a real doctor in sight.

Even our VIP, Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein,

So this is the challenge of trying to understand anything at

We are brought to a place like this,

it looks very modern, it is clean,

there is modern equipment, but we are

not allowed to talk to ordinary people.

If I turn to try to ask these people, they run away.

Everything we see looks like a set up.

It is easier to understand the national sport, tae kwon do.

This is how North Korea sees itself - tough,

But how does it feel about its enemy?

How do you feel about us, the outside world,

Who can blame her for losing her tongue,

For all its tough behaviour, this is a country

Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, BBC News, in Pyongyang.

Now, with all the sport, here's Olly Foster at

Leicester City had their first chance to win the Premier League

today, but a 1-1 draw at Manchester United still leaves

them needing two points from their last two matches.

The title could be theirs tomorrow if nearest rivals Tottenham

Our Sports Correspondent Andy Swiss was at Old Trafford.

It would have once sounded utterly unthinkable, but Leicester fans

flocked to Old Trafford knowing that the impossible dream lay in

tantalising reach. There are no words to describe it, it's just

amazing. I have not slept all night and I just can't cope any longer. It

has got to be done. What better way for the movie to end, winning this

Premier League at the theatre of dreams? But could the players now

make them reality? There would have to beat a Manchester United team

battling for Champions League qualification, and Anthony Martial

swept the hosts ahead. Now for a test of Leicester's character. At

first, they seemed swamped. Only Kasper Schmeichel denied United a

second. But suddenly, the jitters turned to joy. Leicester captain Wes

Morgan with a priceless equaliser, and the fans inside Old Trafford

were not the only ones delighted. Hundreds celebrated at the club's

stadium back in Leicester, as did plenty more in Bangkok, home of the

team's Thai owners. This is very much a global ferry tale. After the

break, Leicester new one more go would complete it, but for once, it

didn't go according to the script. Annie Drinkwater was sent off and

they had to settle for a point. No title yet, then, but they are edging

ever closer. I am always satisfied when I see my players play as well

as today. The result is a consequence. They show their

character, their heart, that's all, and after you can accept the result.

Almost, then, but not quite. Leicester will win the title if

Tottenham face to -- if Tottenham fail to beat Chelsea tomorrow, but

for one day at least, the celebrations are on hold.

There were two other matches in the Premier League today,

Manchester City could have returned to third in the table but slipped up

Sadio Mane scoring a hat-trick for Saints.

City are four points clear of Manchester United in fifth.

Andre Ayew scored twice, but Jack Cork scored the best

of Swansea's goals as they beat Liverpool 3-1

The win means that they can't be relegated.

Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton climbed

at the Russian Grand Prix before more engine trouble with his

Mercedes scuppered his chances of a first win this season.

His teammate Nico Rosberg took the chequered flag again and he now

leads the drivers' championship by 43 points.

Bad luck this season has left Lewis Hamilton saying he feels helpless.

Engine problems in qualifying for the second race weekend in a row

left him languishing tent on the grid. He made a good start in Sochi

and avoid the chaos that unfolded on the first lap. Ferrari's Sebastian

Vettel wasn't so fortunate. I am out, crash! Somebody hit me in the

BLEEP. That turned out to be Hamilton's lucky break. With the

rival out of the way of the safety car bunching up the field when

racing resumed, he charged up the order. He was up to second before

the halfway mark, and went on a mission to catch his Mercedes

team-mate in leader Nico Rosberg. But then his luck ran out once

again. Looks like we have a pressure issue. That meant he couldn't catch

Rosberg, who claimed the chequered flag by 25 seconds. His fourth win

of the season leaves him head and shoulders above the rest in the

title race. Nick Parrott, BBC News. In rugby union, Saracens

have finished top of the Premiership to

ensure an easier path The reigning champions saw off

struggling Newcastle 23-14. England forward Maro Itoje scored

one of their three tries. In other matches, Exeter moved up to

second in the table and London Irish And finally, the World Championship

Snooker final is under way in Sheffield and world

No 1 Mark Selby leads There's more throughout the evening

on the BBC News Channel. We're back with the late

news at ten o'clock -