18/09/2016 BBC Weekend News

The New York authorities say the bomb that exploded in Manhattan

last night WAS an act of terrorism, but say there is no link

29 people were injured, all have now been released

from hospital but New Yorkers are asked to be vigilant.

Everybody get off the street, let's go get off the street.

There'll be a heightened police presence on the streets

but the motive for the attack is unknown.

This was a very serious incident, it's going to take a lot of careful

investigation to get to the facts, and get to the truth.

We'll have the latest live from New York City.

With the Labour leadership result less than a week away,

a stark warning from a former leader about the re-election

The conflict against IS in Syria - tensions rise between Russia

and the United States over the deaths of Syrian troops.

And a third gold for Bethany Firth on the final day

Officials in New York say last night's explosion in Manhattan -

which injured 29 people - WAS an act of terrorism.

But they've said no link with international groups such

as so-called Islamic State has ben found.

An extra one thousand police officers are being deployed at bus

terminals, airports and underground stations,

but there is no indication of the motive

behind the bombing, which took place in

Our New York correspondent Nick Bryant has this report.

Everybody, get off the street! Lescott! These are the sort of

scenes New Yorkers have dreaded for years. The fact and aftermath of an

explosion in the heart of Manhattan. This was the moment the bomb off. A

fireball that came with an incredibly loud bang. It had just

gone 8:30pm, the middle of a Saturday night. The aim clearly was

to maximise casualties. No wonder people sprinted in panic. The

explosion was so big, it was like close, and people were running for

their lives. Meijer I heard, boom, boom, two big noises. Turned around

and I saw smoke shooting up over the tops of the buildings and frankly we

began running. The route through Chelsea, fashionable neighbourhood

were bars and restaurants are always credit at the weekend. Now it was

strewn with wreckage. The police released a photo, angled container,

the possible source of the explosion. Into the New York mad the

emergency services to treat the. Dozens were injured although none

sustained life-threatening injuries. Come with me, I'm holding it. As

forensic teams combed the scene for clues reports came through that a

second device had been found just a few streets away. We're just a

bridge in 1am and police have just issued an emergency alert saying

there is a suspicious package a couple of streets away, and telling

people to stay away from their windows. This is what they'd found,

a pressure cooker with wires and a mobile phone attached. Similar to

the home made bombs left at the finish line of the Boston Marathon

three years ago. The device was taken away by the bomb unit in a

specially designed trailers so that robots could examine it. The New

York authorities are saying that at this stage there is no evidence of a

connection with international terrorism and the investigation is

still in an early phase. We know there was a bombing but we have a

lot more work to do to be able to say what kind of motivation was

behind this. Was it a political motivation, personal motivation?

What was it? We don't know yet. An extra 1000 officers are now

protecting the city, high visibility presence at tourist sites like times

Square. September is always a time of heightened security and concern.

Only last week New York remembered the most dramatic day in its

history, 9/11. This week world leaders gather here for the United

Nations General Assembly. Nick, this afternoon we heard from

the governor of New York as well as the mayor, how would you sum up the

tone and approached the authorities are taking to this? The governor of

New York has used stronger language than the mayor, Bill de Blasio. Each

described this as an act of terrorism. He has said that there is

no link with international terror groups, however. The New York City

police Department has said no one has claimed responsibility, no group

or individual and that may be significant, because last night in

Minnesota, in the American midwest and man went on a stabbing rampage

and stabbed eight people before being shot by police. And today the

group calling itself Islamic State has actually claimed responsibility

for that attack and said it was one of their supporters who carried it

out. No such claim in this New York attack. Police are stressing at the

moment that they should not be a rush to judgment. They are giving no

indication of what the motivation could be. Nick Bryant, in New York,

thank you. Here, with less than a week of

the Labour leadership contest to go, the former party leader Lord Kinnock

has given a stark warning about He told the BBC's Panorama programme

that if Mr Corbyn defeats his challenger Owen Smith,

he doesn't think he'll see another Our Deputy Political Editor

John Pienaar reports. Doesn't look too worried, Desi? Good

afternoon, nice to see you. Jeremy Corbyn Lenska sure that he has been

re-elected as Labour leader next weekend, the chances are he will

win, urged on by the devoted army of followers who have packed into

campaign rally after rally. United we are very strong, united as a

party we go forward to create that decent, better society. Thank you

very much. Mr Corbyn looks unstoppable but can Labour reunite

in the Civil War that has paralysed the party? Biggar hello, sorry to

bother you, Owen Smith from the Labour Party. Owen Smith launched

his leadership challenge claiming Jeremy was too divisive, left-wing

and incompetent to lead Labour, let alone win an election. Two former

leader it is worse than the 1980s when Neil Callan fought hard left

infiltrators and faction in fighting engulfed the party. By any

examination this is the biggest crisis that the Labour Party has

faced. You believe you may not see another Labour government in your

lifetime? I am 74 and unless things change radically and rapidly, it is

very doubtful. Doubtful that I will see another Labour government

elected. Here in Brighton at the local Labour MP, Peter Kyle, is a

critic of Mr Corbyn and local left-wing activists want him sacked

as a candidate. I think we are standing absolutely at the edge of a

cliff. It might well be that one or other faction or both end up going

over it. I really think it is not serious. Left-wingers in the town

are campaigning hard for Jeremy Corbyn at us in other parts

of the fears that some of infiltrators and the party to take

control and push it further to the left, so-called entries. The local

party chairman faces the threat of expulsion, he is under investigation

for links to a controversial far left group. Adamson myself as an

entry list, I think Labour is the place for my politics will be most

effective, they have a history, I don't think you should ban people

because you don't like their ideas. The leaders want loyalty from

members including past opponents if he succeeds and there is this

extraordinary promise that he will try to polish up his act. We all

have to raise our game, learned lessons, I will be extremely honest,

I've had enough of politicians who think they are God 's gift to

politics on earth. We have made mistakes like anyone. We are willing

to learn from our party particularly members who have been in this

position before us. Tutoring from old hands? Why not? There is no sign

of Labour can unite here, locally or nationally, and without reaching the

millions of voters the opinion polls say have turned away at the party is

facing a bleak future, broken as a force in British politics. John

Pienaar, BBC News. And you can see that

Panorama programme - At eight thirty tomorrow

night, here on BBC One. There are reports that the Syrian

city of Aleppo has been hit by air strikes for the first time

since a ceasefire came Tensions have increased

between the United States and Russia which brokered the deal,

particularly after US-backed coalition aircraft accidentally

struck Syrian government forces. Here's our Diplomatic Correspondent,

James Robbins. A fragile ceasefire now

looks all but smashed. Under its terms, Syrian government

forces are permitted to attack jihadists, including

so-called Islamic State. Precisely what they say

their pictures today show. The Syrians were not expecting

the US, also targeting IS,

to bomb their ground forces Russia says American warplanes

killed at least 60 Syrian soldiers Washington expressed

regret, calling it unintentional but the damage

is It is suspicious that the

United States chose to conduct this Why all of a sudden

United States chose to help the Syrian Armed Forces

defending Deir ez-Zor? Russia needs to stop

the cheap point scoring and the grandstanding and the stunts

and focus on what matters which is implementation of something

that we negotiated in The United States and Russia have

been trading insults at the UN for decades, but the timing of this

breakdown could hardly be worse. Just as President Obama and other

world leaders start to gather here for their annual

September global summit. Hopes for a tentative Syrian peace

deal were never high, they have been fading over the past few

days but now they look even more The current ceasefire deal

agreed by the US and It was meant to stop air strikes

by President Assad's Russian backed It should be leading to co-ordinated

air strikes by the US and Russia against UN-designated terrorists,

including IS, but the entire deal, including safe passage for aid

to besieged civilians is now at risk people of Aleppo who are

reported to be under Syrian air attack for

They were meant to be among the first

topped by the ceasefire, leading to possible long-term peace but all

that depended on growing trust particularly between the US and

Russia, on opposite sides in this war.

And there seems to be even less of that trust now.

James Robbins, BBC News, at the United Nations in

Football, and in this afternoon's Premier League action, Watford have

beaten Manchester United for the first time in 30 years.

This goal from substitute Juan Zuniga and an injury time

penalty from Troy Deeney gave Watford a 3-1 win at Vicarage Road

and consigned Jose Mourinho's side to their third defeat in a week.

In tennis, Andy Murray battled through injury to take

Great Britain's Davis Cup semi-final tie with Argentina

Murray beat Guido Pelle in straight sets.

That's Dan Evans has just lost the Deeside and 3-1 which means that

Argentina are through to the final. The Rio Paralympics are drawing

to a close, with the final It will be a Games to

remember for Paralympics GB who are in second place

on the medals table. 64 of their 147 medals are gold,

with another six added to the tally But as Andy Swiss reports from Rio,

this has also been a sombre day This report contains flash

photography. As fans arrive for the final day of competition the

Paralympic flag and the Iranian national flag were at half-mast in

tribute to the death of an athlete whose death has shocked the sporting

world. Bahman Golbarnezhad crashed on a downhill section of rest

today's road race and suffered a cardiac arrest. He was described as

a family man who leaves behind a wife and a son. Organisers described

the news as heartbreaking. And athlete losing his life competing,

doing what he loves, in a crash, but you know, in sport there are

dangers. We know that. And we will investigate what happened, at the

end of the day, it is just a tragedy. Yesterday's tragic news has

cast a shadow of the end of these games but over the last two weeks

these Paralympics have enjoyed enthusiastic crowds and a

celebratory spirit, not least for the British team. Last night there

was yet more success in the swimming pool, Bethany Firth becoming

Britain's most decorated athlete of the games with her third gold medal.

There was a silver for 13-year-old Abby Cana, youngest member of a

British team that has won some 147 medals. They will be led into the

closing ceremony tonight by Katrina Cox won titles in both cycling and

athletics, one of the outstanding stars of an outstanding team. I was

so overwhelmed, it's been such an amazing team with so many amazing

performances, to be selected to represent them, it's an honour I

can't even put into words how it made me feel. More disappointment

today for David Weir, in the black helmet at the back, he crashed out

of the wheelchair marathon and leaves Rio without one medal. But

such frustration has been rare that the British team, a chance for

signing and selfies, a picture perfect end to the golden games.

Andy Swiss, BBC News, Rio. Thank you, Rio!

There's more throughout the evening on the BBC News Channel,