09/09/2016 BBC News at Six

Proposals to allow all schools in England to apply

The Prime Minister says along with new grammars, it'll boost

I want to see children from ordinary working class families given

the chancees their richer contemporaries take for granted.

That means we need more great schools.

But the plans will face stiff opposition, even from the head

The challenge in what she is proposing will be to make sure

that the children who are not selected for grammar schools

also get a really high quality school experience.

We'll be looking at how the plans might work,

and whether they're likely to win sufficient support.

I can see. It's 22 minutes past nine.

The ground breaking surgery restoring sight where it

North Korea's leader is called a "reckless maniac"

for carrying out another nuclear test.

More gold for Para GB, as records tumble in Rio.

And the real-life drama of the people trapped thousands

We'll look ahead to the Manchester derby, where old rivals,

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola, come face-to-face at Old Trafford.

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.

All schools in England could apply to select pupils by ability.

That's the proposal from Theresa May, part of her plans for a massive

shake-up in education, with a new generation of selective

She also said the new grammars would have to take children

But her proposal will face strong opposition from many in the teaching

All change in English schools. That's the plan. All schools free to

seek to become grammars. The biggest, most controversial shake-up

in decades. The grammar school educated Prime Minister is going

further than any leader before. Politicians, many of whom benefited

from the type of education they now seek to deny to others, have four

years put their own dogma and ideology before the interest and

concerns of ordinary people. We know grammar schools are popular with

parents. We know they are good for pupils that attend them. So we have

no one, not -- we help no one, not least those who can't afford a

private education, by saying to those who want a selective education

for their child that we will not let them have it. What about children

from poorer homes who don't often get into grammar schools, and what

about schools like this in a London comprehensive? She insisted no one

would be left behind. Britain had not just voted out of the EU. People

wanted a fairer deal. They want change and this government will

deliver it. Everything we do will be driven not by the interests of the

privileged few, not by those with the loudest voices, specialist

interests, greatest wealth or accessed influence. This

government's priorities are those of ordinary working-class people. She

said that new grammars would preserve places for disadvantaged

children, with new entrants at 14 and 16. She said independent schools

must offer more in return for tax breaks. They would have to sponsor

state schools, or provide help with teaching. Universities which want to

raise fees would have to set up new schools, or sponsor underperforming

ones. She also wants to relax prescriptions on -- restrictions on

oversubscribed faith schools, which would no longer have to offer half

the places to children from outside the faith. You say there should be

more academically elite state grammar schools, meaning more talent

drawn away from nonselective schools, and the losers, who do not

get into those schools, are dim eyed those opportunities, with the

greater sense of unfairness and injustice that causes. Fair points?

It is not fair today when some people are unable to get into a good

school because parents are unable to buy the house next to that school.

There are too many children in our society who are not getting access

to a good education. The plan went down badly at this comprehensive. We

are going to see genuine mixed schools like this sufferer. This

school does a great job by all children, most able, least able and

middle ability children. By taking one group out of schools like this,

schools like this will battle to survive. The head of the Prime

Minister's old school, no longer a grammar, agrees. I hope she can make

sure the diverse provision is also high-quality but selection is not

the best way forward. Theresa May does not see politics, or big

changes in policy as an ideological game with rival theories batted

backwards and forwards. She is interested in what works, and

creating a school system with more winners, without creating more

losers, fits her idea of a fairer Britain after Brexit. Her critics do

not believe it can be done. The competence of system is working. The

Academy movement, the free School movement, greater autonomy for

schools, better governance, is working and needs time to bed in. My

fear is that this will throw a spanner in the works and slow the

momentum down. The Prime Minister's old school has changed, a grammar no

longer. But it's most illustrious old pupil came away with a clear

conviction that what worked for her can work for anyone, and she is

sticking to it. The proposals announced

by Mrs May apply to England. In Northern Ireland,

nearly half of all pupils go to grammar schools, but there

are none in Scotland and Wales. Branwen Jeffreys reports now

from two very different parts of greater Manchester -

Tameside, which doesn't have grammar schools,

and Trafford which does. Educating the girls of all tinge for

100 years. One third of pupils in Trafford go to grammar schools now.

Somehow, in this leafy area, can they be open to all? With the right

circumstances all children can flourish. The head teacher tells me

they have started a quota system, setting aside some places for poorer

families. We cannot change where we are and would not want to. That does

not mean we cannot work with schools in other parts of Manchester to make

sure all of us provide the best possible education for our students.

The lessons learned here are being shared. This school is part of a

group which includes comprehensives. So grammar schools argue that they

are already changing, that they are no longer just about improving the

life chances of the privileged few. Schools like this are reaching out

to others in deprived areas and working with them to raise standards

across the education system. But look at grammar schools across

England, and just 3% of pupils are entitled to free school meals. In

nearby nonselective schools, it is 18%. And 13% of grammar school

pupils come from independent schools. Here, most pupils also need

to live nearby to get in. In streets of smart houses and clipped hedges.

No surprise that for social mode in to, Trafford is at the top end. Grow

up here and it is more likely you will go to university, get a

well-paid job. Travel to the other side of Manchester, and it is a

different story. Tameside is in the bottom 10% for social mode and it.

That is not just down to education but jobs and health, too. You can

eat any leftovers. Primary school is about letting your imagination fly.

This primary School is in an area not rich, not poor. Kids go on to

local high schools, one good, one struggling. Our motto was putting

children first regardless of ability. The head here is uneasy

about selection. We bring them in, nurture them, get to know the

parents in the school. To me, that is what education is about, getting

to know the family and treating the children as they are, regardless of

ability. This is the kind of area where most parents go out to work,

sometimes juggling two or three jobs to make ends meet. Just the kind of

families that Theresa May wants to reach. So I asked some parents hear

what they made off the suggestion of new grammar schools. If you are

asking if I think kids should be around other kids on the same level

as them, I think it's a benefit and will push them further forward. It

does not fill me with confidence. Children from all backgrounds should

be getting the same quality of education, regardless of ability.

Will this be a new generation growing up with this election? Not

everywhere, and not for everyone, and only if the government can push

through the legal changes needed. John Pienaar is at Westminster. This

is Theresa May's first big domestic policy announcement, proposing a

massive shake-up in education but she is likely to face opposition.

You can bet there is trouble ahead. Theresa May was welcomed by much of

the public as a reassuring presence in a time of political turbulence.

She owes much of her popularity to the perception of her as a force for

stability amidst the uncertainty in the aftermath of the EU referendum

campaign. She is a reformer, but she is no great ideologue. Today we see

that she is not one to back away from big changes, radical changes,

even if it means a fight, and these plans will mean a fight. The

government has a very small majority in the House of Commons. There will

be an argument among MPs, including on her own side. In the House of

Lords, we might see peers trying to fight the plan to a standstill. You

can bet Theresa May will be pressing on very hard. Standing here, there

is no knowing how this will shake out and there is no reason to doubt

that there is political trouble ahead.

Surgeons in Oxford have used a robot to operate inside the eye,

The milestone for robotic technology should mean that in future surgeons

will be able to do more complex procedures than are

Fergus Walsh has this exclusive report.

Deterioration of sight in my right eye is progressive. Bill Beaver is

going blind in one eye. If, for example, I take a book, and I cover

my left eye, which is still good, all I see is Marsh. His central

vision is completely gone. But that is about to change. At Oxford's John

Radcliffe Hospital. In theatre, the surgeon uses a joystick to move to

the robot arm, which has a thin needle attached. Robot assisted

surgery is now commonplace, especially in cancer operations. But

this will be a world first. Never before has a robot been used to

operate inside the eye. This is delicate surgery, involving tiny,

precise movements to remove a membrane which is causing sight

loss. Crucially, the robot can filter out the surgeon's hand

tremors. The robot has to pivot around a tiny hole in the wall of

the eye. Inside, it removes a membrane just 100th of a millimetre

thick, shown in blue, which is covering the retina. That allows the

hole in the retina to close. If you could hold the watch up. A few days

later, the results are clear. I can see. It is 22 minutes past nine.

Before long, his distance vision will return to normal. It is almost

the world of fairy tales but it is true. It is the difference between

being active and doing the things I need to do and enjoying art and

enjoying life. The surgeon says that the robot was more accurate than the

human hand. We are going into a new era of eye surgery where we will be

placing things at the back of the eye, under the retina, very much

more accurately and with greater precision than at the moment. We can

certainly improve on current operations but I hope we can do new

operations that currently we cannot do with a human hand, we can now do

with a robot. Retinal disease is the main cause of blindness in the

developing world. -- the developed world. Robots should allow many more

patients to have their site saved. Three former Tesco senior executives

have been charged with fraud It follows an investigation

by the Serious Fraud Office after a black hole of over

?300 million was found in the supermarket's

accounts two years ago. Emma Simpson joins us

from outside a Tesco store. This was hugely embarrassing

for Tesco at the time. That's right. It has been nearly two

years since Tesco was plunged into turmoil because an accounting

scandal stunned the city and sparked a host of investigations. It centred

on how it had incorrectly recorded income from suppliers which resulted

in its profits being inflated. Today, the SFO charged three men,

the former finance director for Tesco UK, Tesco's former UK

commercial director and the most senior man, Chris Bush, Tesco's

former UK boss. All are accused of fraud by abuse of position, and a

charge of false accounting. This afternoon, Chris Bush said through

his lawyer that he was not guilty and would be vigorously contesting

the allegations. As for Tesco, it said it would continue to cooperate

with the SFO, and it had made extensive changes over the last

two-year is. In other words, this business is a very different one

compared to its darkest days in 2014. But the SFO investigations are

ongoing and it is possible down the line that Tesco itself could be hit

with a multi-million pound fine. World leaders have reacted

with anger to North Korea's latest nuclear test,

believed to be it's South Korea has accused

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, Even China, long an ally

of the isolated communist nation, Stephen Evans reports from

the South Korean capital, Seoul. The North Korean newsreader says

the nuclear test will protect In South Korea, they

monitor the tremors. Each test has been bigger

than the one before. The device detonated this time

is just short of the power From Japan today, planes took off

to gather air samples to try to determine what kind

of device was exploded. We are very much concerned

and the resolutions of the Security Council must be

implemented and they will send this The underground blast happened

at this site in North Korea, only nine months after

the last nuclear test. Kim Jong Un is in a rush

to fulfil his nuclear ambition. Yesterday in Pyongyang,

the regime's leaders clapped in unison as the country

celebrated the anniversary For them, the bomb is

the icing on the cake. Here tonight in Seoul

in South Korea, life goes on. People assume Kim Jong Un's

bloodthirsty threats to turn the place into a heap

of ashes will not happen. Even though he's appeared alongside

what he claimed was a nuclear warhead small enough

to go on a rocket. North Korea is just 50 kilometres

from here, 30 miles, The regime there is celebrating

a great triumph tonight. But there is no sign of that regime

being close to collapse. North Korea does not have

nuclear-tipped missiles yet. But it's working steadily

towards getting them. Theresa May says she wants to see

more grammar schools in England and the chance for all schools

to select by ability. Are the side effects of statins

as bad as they're made out? Coming up in Sportsday

on BBC News: tributes are paid to Sylvia Gore,

the scorer of the first official goal for the England women's team,

who's died aged 71. Gore was a pioneer of

the women's game and had been It's been a victorious

Day Two for Britain's At the velodrome,

Para-cyclist Sophie Thornhill - and pilot Helen Scott -

won gold in their women's The team also won their first

athletics medals of the Games. Two riders, one common goal. At the

back of the tandem, Sophie Thornhill, who is visually impaired,

piloted by Helen Scott, together the perfect peddling partnership. That

made the them fastest so far in the time trial, but would anyone go

faster? Well, when their last rivals failed

to beat their time, they knew the gold was theirs. Through tears of

joy, another moment for the British team to savour. There was also

success in the athletics, long jumper Stef Reid matching the silver

medal she won in London four years ago. There was also controversy,

though, visually impairedp spribter, Libby Clegg, setting a new World

Record on her way to the final but she was later disqualified after it

was ruled her guide runner had pulled her along during the race a

decision which her team have appealed.

But no doubting Britain's star of the show so far.

The welcome committee out in force for Dame

Sarah Storey after she charged her way to a record 12 Paralympic title.

It was her first though watched by her daughter Louisa

and Storey told me that made it particularly special.

Having Louisa here is just the icing on the cake.

It doesn't get much better than having your kids to

watch you win and whether she remembers it or not, she is really

There was never a thought that we could at home

because she is included in everything we do.

It's just fantastic to have her here.

But for the hosts this is their hero.

Daniel Diaz, Brazil's most successful Paralympian and, and

roared on by his fans he proved precisely why.

The 1st of a possible 9 gold medals Diaz here.

A potentially extraordinary achievement from an extraordinary

Well, just to give you the latest on that controversy with Libby Clegg.

We have just learned her appeal has been successful. She's been

reinstated and she will compete in the final tonight.

Andy, thank you. A British-Iranian woman who has been

detained in Iran for more than 150 days has now been

jailed for five years, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been

accused of plotting to topple the Iranian regime during a visit

there in April to see her parents. Caroline Hawley is here with me,

you've talked to the husband, Richard Ratcliffe,

what more do you know? Well, he spoke to his wife on the

phone this morning. She was allowed a call. She apparently described her

time in jail as horrendous. She has been tried in a revolutionary court

on unspecified national security charges. She's essentially accused

of trying to engineer the soft overthrow fted Islamic republic. Now

of the Islamic republic. Her job in the UK is to train journalists. She

has done it in the Middle East but never Iran. She was actually, as you

said, in Tehran on holiday with her young daughter who turned two while

her mother was in captivity. Sentenced to five years and this all

happened, apparently, the day after Iran and the UK upgraded diplomatic

relations. I think the view of many Iranians is this is an atestimony by

hardliners within the regime to embarrass the moderate President. --

an attempt. Amnesty International has called the it travesty of

justice. Tonight the Foreign Office is saying it is deeply concerned at

the sentence. Thank you.

A review of statins - the drugs used by around ?6 million

people in the UK to reduce cholesterol levels - has found

they are much more beneficial and far less harmful

The report, in the Lancet medical journal,

says the drugs can cut the risk of strokes and heart

attacks in both high and low-risk patients.

Our Health Correspondent Sophie Hutchinson reports.

Statins, recommended as a major preventative medicine

against the UK's biggest killer, heart attacks and strokes.

There has been controversy about whether they are overused

but a new review says they are not used enough.

Gerald Bond's mother and grandmother both died in their 50s

Now, aged 41, he takes statins and believes

Before I took the statin I was at high risk.

They said to me - there is possibility of having

a heart attack within the next ten years.

I have reduced my cholesterol and now my risk is lower

than the general population and I've got a life expectancy

of the mid-80s, so it's added potentially 20 years it my life.

Researchers who carried out the review of statins examined

They've concluded that taking them over five years protected 10%

of people at high risk of heart attacks and strokes and 5% of people

at risk because of their age, blood pressure or diabetes

and they found side effects were low, with no more

than 1% of people suffering from muscle pain.

If you have a heart attack or stroke it can be fatal.

The damage can be irreversible, whereas the side effects, the muscle

problem that rarely occurs, if you stop the drug,

Statins are among the most commonly-prescribed drugs in the UK.

It's estimated that around 6 million people take them.

But the authors of today's report say an extra 2 million people should

And guidelines suggest it could be many millions more.

But there's concern from a minority group of critics that healthy people

are being encouraged to take pills unnecessarily.

My biggest concern as a doctor is I'm having to make

decisions for patients, based upon information that's

mainly industry-sponsored and clearly biassed.

What we need now is an independent review of all the data and access

to the raw data that is being held as commercially confidential

and this, in my view, is not acceptable, as a clinician,

trying to make decisions for my patients.

Many family doctors have struggled to convince patients

The Royal College of GPs is among a number of major organisations that

agree the drugs are the best way to protect patients.

Dangling thousands of feet up above the Alps in a broken cable

That's how dozens of tourists spent last night above Mont Blanc.

Suspended 12,000 feet above the highest mountain

in the Alps, over 100 tourists, including a ten-year-old child,

The cars had become stuck after their cables became tangled.

You can just see rescuers suspended from helicopters.

One of those involved said it was like "performing surgery

By night fall, 80 people had been rescued, some by helicopter,

others in cabins a little nearer the ground were

TRANSLATION: While the day was sunny and not foggy, they

They couldn't use helicopters any more.

And they lowered people on to the glacier on the places

When dark arrived, they decided to stop the rescue operation

But 33 people had to be left dangling overnight,

In the morning, the helicopters came back, but there was still no

clear idea about how to get the people down.

Their ordeal finally ended when engineers managed to free

the tangled cables and get the cars going again.

I can't imagine what that night must have been like.

Right, let's look at the weekend weather. Sarah Keith-Lucas is here.

How is it looking? Autumnal over the next 24 hours. Not

all doom and gloom. Some sunshine for most one day of the weekend but

also heavy rain. Here was Fife earlier on this afternoon. We had

cloud building and the rain sweeping in. We have had a lot of rain around

across much of Scotland, Northern Ireland and north-west England, too.

Here is the recent radar picture. A lot of lying surface water on the

roads, if you have got travel plans in the north-west this evening. The

winds a real feature, gusting 50 or 60 miles per hour over the next few

hours. Those strong winds ease as this weather front pushes further

southwards and eastwards overnight. Through the early hours of Saturday,

we will see rain across parts of central and southern England,

eastern Wales, up towards Lincolnshire, mild under the rain,

fresher but also drier towards the north-west. So, a mixed picture

through the day tomorrow. We'll keep this weather front moving gradually

further southwards and eastwards. Cloud across the south-east corner.

Outbreaks of rain on and off and fairly breezy. Away from

south-eastern and southern parts of England things looking drier and

brighter with sunshine, one or two showers in the north-west and

temperatures around 16-to-21. On Saturday evening, many of us, late

brightness and dry weather but we will hold on it the drizzly rain in

the far south-east. Heading into Sunday, low pressure

from the Atlantic but before it gets there, a ridge of high pressure it

start the day on Sunday. A fresh start with some mist and fog patches

around, too. They should clear away fairly quickly and in the a bad day

across much of the country. England and Wales and eastern Scotland keep

the sunshine but across western Scotland and Northern Ireland, too,

things will turn increasingly wet and windy once again later on, on

Sunday. A mixed picture but bear with the weather. Some sunshine on

at least one day. Thank you very much.

A reminder of the main story. Theresa May says all schools in

England should have the chance to select via ability and there should

be more grammar schools. That's all from the BBC News at Six

so it's goodbye from me