28/05/2016 BBC Weekend News

The World Health Organisation has rejected a call by health experts

for the Brazil Olympics to be postponed, in order to halt

150 specialists have written to the WHO, warning that the Games

may accelerate the transmission of Zika to tropical countries.

The virus is carried by mosquitoes and linked to severe birth defects.

Our correspondent Will Ross reports.

In less than ten weeks, the Olympic Games are due to be

There has already been political turmoil in the run-up

to the great sporting event, but now the Zika virus is centre stage.

The trigger to the latest controversy

was a letter from more than 150 scientists and experts calling for

They say the risk of infection from the Zika

virus is too high for the

Games to go ahead because half a million people are expected

Some of those people who come will pick up the virus and

they will go home to other countries where mosquitoes can pick

and transfer it to the next person, the next person and the next person.

Meaning the Olympics can make a global epidemic in many countries.

Most people who get Zika only have mild symptoms, but it can cause

babies to have abnormally small brains.

And, can lead to possible nervous system disorders.

In their letter, the scientists argue if the

Games are postponed it will give a chance for the Zika carrying

But the World Health Organisation says

moving the date or The Games would do little to stop the spread of

The disease is already spreading across the western

It will be in the Gulf Coast of the United States.

It has moved already into Africa and will

possibly move into southern Europe and it will go to Asia.

The Olympic torch is already on its journey

around Brazil and it seems unlikely the Games would be halted at this

The former Labour leader Ed Miliband has called on young people

to register to vote in next month's EU referendum.

He's warned that three-and-a-half million young voters are not

on the electoral roll, and their absence could lead

The Vote Leave campaign say Mr Miliband's comments are cynical

Our political correspondent Chris Mason has more.

Younger activists for Ukip meeting in London this morning. Three and a

half million people under 35 are not currently registered to vote. The

deadline to sign up to have a say in the referendum is a week on Tuesday.

We need events like this to get young people out to campaign for us

to leave the European Union and encourage people like myself to vote

Leave on June the 23rd. We are trying to convince them it is the

most important thing they can take part in because it determines the

future of the country. Remember him? Ed Miliband is back and his plea for

young people to vote is not merely public spirited. The polls suggest

and I am sceptical about polls, but there is a clear pattern that young

people by 3-1 are likely to vote Remain. I am saying today older

people should heed the wisdom of the young. This Leave campaign is

encouraging people to vote and said it makes sense to back Out.

Because... It will slow down the massive growth in house price

inflation. If I were young and looking to get a job and perhaps a

home, voting for Brexit would seem the obvious choice. As the campaign

rolls on, both sides know just how much is at stake and so every vote

counts. Tony Blair has criticised

the current Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, saying he doesn't

provide any serious answers The former Prime Minister dismissed

the idea that Mr Corbyn's election as party leader was a direct

reaction to him and his policies. More than a quarter of children

referred for mental health support in England last year were turned

away, including some who had attempted suicide,

according to a new report The review found huge variations

in care across the country, with some young people having

to wait months for an appointment. Our social affairs correspondent

Michael Buchanan reports. Whitney Clark knows

the frustrations of mental health The 17-year-old has ADHD but has

consistently struggled to It is slow, and you end up

seeing them when you So when I have been having problems

you can't get an appointment, or it has been slow,

or when I see them my problems have So the inconsistency in their

systems I think needs addressing. Today's report says too many

children are being let down. It found that 28% of young people

referred to mental health In one area, 75% of referrals

were not deemed to be And 13% with life-threatening

conditions, including It cannot be right that children in

different parts of the country are getting better support. Ministers

say they will improve services by increasing investment and

introducing waiting time standards for all children's mental health

conditions. Some of the first paying passengers

on the world's biggest cruise ship have described it as a construction

site and a serious risk Harmony of the Seas left

Southampton on Sunday. But a number of passengers have

complained that attractions are closed and work

on the vessel is still going on. Royal Caribbean Cruises

say final finishing touches are being made,

and described it as a You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. The weather is looking hit and miss

for most this bank holiday weekend. Plenty of