28/05/2016 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today, broadcasting in the UK

The first in Paris injured several children who were at

And in Germany 35 people are hospitalised as lightning

The World Health Organisation says the Rio Olympics should go ahead

as planned - despite some medical experts calling for the Games to be

delayed or moved because of the Zika Virus.

Who will be driving off with the Champions League title -

Real Madrid currently lead Athletico 1-0.

11 people, most of them children, have been struck by lightning

at a park in the French capital, Paris.

The children were celebrating a birthday party at Monceau Park

An off-duty fireman immediately began first aid, and officials said

the situation would have been much worse if he hadn't been there.

Here's the Paris fire service spokesman, Eric Moulin.

The BBC's Bethany Bell is in Paris with the details.

The Paris firefighter commander was off duty today in his civilian

clothes visiting a museum nearby and saw people running and came to see

what was going on and saw on the ground people including two adults

who were unconscious. He saw who was most serious and dead a quick triage

and first aid and alerted emergency services and guided them so he had a

most serious effect. The BBC's Bethany Bell

is in Paris with the details. We have just heard a statement from

the Interior Ministry in France saying these 11 people were struck

by lightning. It is Parc Monceau, in quite a wealthy area not far from

the Arc de riomphe. We understand these people had been having a

children's's birthday party when the storm hit and some reports suggest

they had been taking shelter under a tree. 11 people and your band

reports on French television have suggested an off duty firefighter

was wandering through the park and solve what had happened. He went ten

and gave them first aid and authority said if he had not done

that the situation would have been much worse. The injured have been

taken to hospital. And a second lightning strike has

struck on a soccer pitch in western Germany at the end of a match

between children leaving 35 wounded The incident occurred

at Hoppstadten, about 180 The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro

has echoed the view of the World Health Organisation

that the Olympic Games should go ahead in August,

despite calls for their postponement due to the Zika virus

threat in Brazil. The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro,

Eduardo Paes says thousands of health workers are monitoring

the situation and inspections are being stepped up,

with mosquito eradication teams Less than ten weeks ago until the

world's best athletes are here competing for medals. A huge amount

of work goes into hosting. The organisers scrambled to get

everything ready and are also fighting a major public health

emergency spread by mosquitoes. Tens of thousands of cases of the Zika

virus leading to severe birth defects. 150 scientists and experts

say it would be unethical for the games to go ahead. They say they're

Dizzee Rascal the Olympics accelerating the spread of the virus

and warn the Spain and Brazil has more serious medical consequences

than previously known. 500,000 visitors are expected. It is not

people coming from the UK but people coming from countries where malaria

is endemic and taking it back to places in Asia and Africa where

there already malaria and the chances of it becoming endemic is a

much more serious problem. There is no known vaccine or cure although

most people who get it have mild symptoms but it is suspected of

leading to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains. In

a letter the scientists say efforts to eradicate mosquitoes have failed.

Zika has reached more than 60 countries and the World Health

Organisation says it is bound to keep spreading but there is no need

to change the date or venue. Based on a careful risk assessment and all

the information gathered so far, these games should go ahead as

planned and we should continue to work to make sure they are as safe

as possible. The Olympic torch is already making its way and billions

have been spent on construction and commercial rights. After political

turmoil this is another blow for Brazil but it seems unlikely the

games will be halted. Soren Holm is joining

me from Manchester. He is a signatory of the open letter

to the World Health Organisation. What is your reaction to the

reaction? First of all I am surprised at how quickly they

thought they could react because it was less than 12 hours after our

letter was publicised that they actually felt they had secured

enough evidence to answer. They didn't just spend 12 hours looking

into it and presumably have been examining it since the outbreak

began, not just since they got your letter? Of course they have been

looking into Zika but our letter is about a specific issue which is the

risk that having the Olympics will read to Zika spreading rapidly

outside the Americas where it is currently contained. But why is your

research more definitive than the World Health Organisation's

research, and your opinion? What do you know that they don't? I think

the difference is, and this has been evident in some of the commentary,

that they are primarily looking at the number of people going and a bit

of Brazil, and as you rightly say that number is always high, but the

Olympics is a very specific global event which means that people from a

number of countries who don't normally go to Brazil as two arrests

will call, especially people from low income countries in the tropics,

where the particular family of mosquito is endemic across the

world. Why can we not just continue with the advice of if you are

pregnant, don't go? What are the dangerous to other people if they

are not pregnant or not trying to start a family? Why is it worrying

you so much? It just takes one person to be infected and go back to

an area where these mosquitoes are, and that that person is bitten by a

mosquito back home, he or she can start a chain where the virus

spreads in that country. Our worry is not primarily about the people

going to reveal, because it is an unpleasant disease, but if you're

not pregnant or planning on pregnancy, it is not that serious,

but the problem is that you carry it for probably up to a couple of

months after being infected, so going back to a place where there

are the right kind of mosquitoes is highly problematic. So you are

worried about the spread and we have to leave it there but thank you.

The Russian Olympic Committee says eight Russian athletes are among

those who've tested as positive for doping in re-tested samples

The names of the eight athletes haven't been revealed

but a statement said they came from three different

The statement comes a day after the International Olympic

Committee revealed that 23 athletes from the London Olympics

Vladimir Putin has been taking part in celebrations at one of the most

sacred sites Orthodox Christianity. The secluded monastery. One of the

holiest sites for Orthodox Christians. Vladimir Putin's visit

demonstrates further the deep ties between Greece and Russia, the two

countries celebrate the same fate. The few hours he has spent here will

resonate loudest in Russia. Russian monks have spent a life of players

and communal work here for 1000 years. This is the year of the

millennium celebrations of their presence on Mount Athos and a chance

for a Vladimir Putin tissue of some Russian pride. The Russian President

game to Greece with the intent of reinforcing the relationship was one

of those few allies in the EU. In Athens, he offered a package of

promises for investment. He was given words of support weeks before

the EU is likely to renew sanctions imposed against Russia in 2014 over

its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. The vicious circle of

militarisation and cold War rhetoric and sanctions is not productive. The

solution is dialogue. In front of discussions next month, Greece is

unlikely to break ranks with the rest of the EU. Asked about the

disputed region the Russian President stood firm. As for Crimea,

we believe the issue has been closed. This is a historic decision

of the people who live there and Russia will not get into any

discussions about it. And so this was his first visit to an EU country

this year. His next book remains unknown but it may be somewhere he

can hope to weaken the unanimity of the union further. We will go back

to our top story and those dreadful lightning strikes, one in Paris and

one in Germany. With me now is Sarah Keith-Lucas

from the BBC Weather centre. Is this just a freak coincidence

that Paris and West Germany both get struck? It is fairly unusual that we

have such widespread storms and it is not unusual this time of year, so

late spring and summer is the peak time but the extent today has been

phenomenal. Lightning detectors were recording up to 18,000 lightning

strikes every hour. Very very widespread and intense. A

slow-moving system that has been charming and developing throughout

the day. The chances increase of such a wide area. How does lightning

will work and just how much danger or Ian? What we need for these big

thunderstorms we are seeing is that he thinks, heat, humidity and

instability in the atmosphere. The has been coming up from North Africa

and the Mediterranean pushing across parts of Italy and Germany, so these

have been warming up and higher up in the atmosphere the pressure has

been falling so layer on top of the hot air has lead to instability, so

hot air rises and we have had these huge clouds developing. It is that

upward movement, soak updraughts and downdraughts creating the cloud,

becoming charged. That huge amount of electrical charge needs to

discharge and finds the shortest route to conduct the electricity.

And quickly, what would your advice be, to get indoors food is any

chance? Absolutely, indoors as quick as you can and if you are out and

but said beneath tall trees. If you are the trees look for the shortest

three, move away from whatever and metal and isolated Paul objects.

Don't go away, still to come. Remembering the Battle of Jutland,

100 years after thousands of British and German sailors died in the

largest naval battle of the First World War.

The first of what the makers hope will be thousands of queues started

forming at seven a.m.. Taunting letters scuffles and finally a

full-scale riot. The Belgian police lost control. The whole world will

mourn the tragic death today. He was the father of the Indian people. The

Oprah Winfrey show comes to an end after 25 years and more than 4500

episodes. It has made her one of the richest people on the planet. She

has announced she has left the Spice Girls. Quite?

Two lightning strikes in Europe have no more than 40 people, some

seriously. The World Health Organisation plays down concerns

over the spread of the Zika Pieris amid calls from some scientists for

the Olympics to be postponed. There have been reports of heavy

fighting in northern Syria as militants from the Islamic State

group launched an attack on a rebel-held town

near the Turkish border. Aid workers fear thousands

of civilians who are trapped in Marea, which is less than thirty

kilometres from Turkey. IS has been attacking rebel-held

towns in the area close to the city of Aleppo over the last few days -

around the same time that Kurdish led forces in northeastern city

began a new offensive close to their de facto

headquarters of Raqqa. With me now is Peter Neumann

from King's College London - What are Islamic state up to? Is

this an act of desperation or are they trying to reclaim areas they

have lost? An important thing to realise is that over the last 12

months Islamic state have been losing territory. 40% of the

territory they had held on 2014, 40% on the Syrian side. They are under a

lot of pressure and on the defensive and what they are regrouping to do

is to hold the two key cities. More so on the Iraqi side. I think the

international coalition is starting to want to retake, starting and

offensive. They are between two thorns because you have the western

government and the coalition who want us to know they are winning the

war against Islamic state and Islamic state are saying the same

thing. A social media and propaganda war. How do we know Islamic speaker

weaken -- Islamic state are weakening? The spokesman for Islamic

state for the first time admitted they were under pressure and had

lost leaders and territorial. Not doing deals with the Syrian

government. Not really. What is happening is that they feel a lot of

pressure and it is important to realise Isis is a transnational

ideology which has supporters everywhere in the world and as any a

lot of other places like Libya and Afghanistan and Nigeria and in those

places, in some of those, it is actually expanding whilst it is

under pressure. So where do you think Islamic state will be in a

year or two or three years? It will be difficult to maintain themselves

in Syria and Iraq even though there is a deep political alternative but

they will continue to shrink, and they might respond by trying to

respond by lashing out, possibly by carrying out terrorist attacks.

Becoming bored of a terrorist group and less of an army on the ground?

Going from being a state into an insurgent and a terrorist

organisation, because that is also what are expecting. Whenever the

terrorist attack happens they are hugely enthusiastic and

reinvigorated and start believing in the organisation. If you want to

save Isis is a brand that is what you have to do. Thank you. Let's

catch up with the sport now. We're heading towards the closing

stages of the Champions For the second time in 3 years

it's a Madrid derby, and it's currently Real Madrid

who have the advantage And just like the final

between these sides in 2014, Real defender Sergio Ramos has scored -

he got on the end of Wales' Gareth Bale's flick

on at the near post. were awarded a penalty,

but Antoine Griezmann hit it too So the score is still

1-0 to Real Madrid. Hull City are back in

the English Premier League. They beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 in

the championship play off final. It means they join Burnley

and Middlesbrough in promotion it was a touch of absolute class

that one this for Hull. The goal was scored by Mo Diame and it was that

touch of quality that distinguished the sides in this disappointing

performance as far as Sheffield Wednesday is concerned. Their

goalkeeper was brilliant with two great saves and the only real chance

when they offered was in the first-half. 70,000 people saw this

but it has to be said that Hull have won it on merit and were the better

side and even the Sheffield Wednesday fans leaving now seeing

exactly that. It is Hull City who will be playing in the Premier

League next season. And well done to them.

There was another twist in the Formula one season

as the Australian Daniel Riccardo secured his first ever pole position

On a circuit notoriously difficult for overtaking, he will start ahead

of Championship leader Nico Rosberg and the reigning champion

Lewis Hamilton, whose car stalled in the final part of qualifying.

England are closing in on victory in the second test

Difficult qualifying and I don't really know what to say but the good

thing is I got up to do a lap and it wasn't as bad as some of the races

have been in that respect. I am grateful to be up in third and

obviously pole position was there for the taking but I will do it I

can tomorrow to salvage what they can.

England are closing in on victory in the second test

After setting a huge total, declaring on 498 Sri Lanka have

crumbled in reply in their first innings.Moeen Ali did the damage

for England with the bat as he hit an unbeaten 155.

an almost certain follow-on after they slumped to 91

for eight at the close, still 407 behind England

Rain caused delays in Paris at the French Open -

there's been thunder, lightning and power-cuts

at Roland Garros, but it didn't stop world number one Novak Djokovic

from making easy work of British number two Alijaz Bedene.

He won in straight sets 6-2,

Djokovic now faces Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut

Saracens have become the first English rugby union side to complete

a domestic and European double since 2004.

They beat Exeter 28-20 in the Premiership final

At Murrayfield, Connacht clinched their first Pro12

title with a 20 points to 10 win over Leinster in an all-Irish final.

A hundred years ago more than eight thousand British and German sailors

died in the largest naval battle of the First World War,

It took place in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark

and today wreaths were laid at a service in Rosyth.

a 36-hour battle that left so many dead.

We come together today in remembrance and thanksgiving to

honour all naval personnel who served in the Battle of Jutland.

On 31st of May 1916, and June 1st,

14 British and 11 German ships were sunk

and more than 6,000 British servicemen were killed.

The Battle of Jutland pitted the two most powerful naval

forces of their time against each other.

Although indecisive, it significantly weakened the

German navy and changed the course of the war.

Relatives of those who fought and died came to

but her uncle, just 16, was killed.

because, always, the tradition of commemoration

and the rituals of commemoration are important,

A series of commemorations will culminate on Tuesday,

100 years to the day since the battle began.

Eleven people -- most of them children --

have been struck by lightning at a park in the French

Another lightning strike at a children's football match

in Hoppstadten in Germany is said to have injured 35

This comes as fierce thunderstorms strike many countries across Europe.

That is all from the programme and from me and the team, thanks for