21/06/2016 World News Today

Hello, this is BBC World News today, with me Karin Giannone.

On the programme today - the husband of the British MP Jo Cox

speaks about her killing for the first time:

It is seen as a symbol for something much bigger. A sense of creating

more compassion and more love in the world. The thing I do not want to

lose if she was also their mum. Brendan Cox pays his

tribute to his wife - and talks about the grief

which her death has caused Just 36 hours to go before

the UK's EU Referendum - we'll look at how the rival camps

are trying to win over voters - and reveal what Britain's EU

neighbours think of the debate. The International Olympic Committee

confirms that Russian track and field athletes WILL be banned

from the Rio Games - after allegations of

state-sponsored doping. We'll reveal just what it takes

to persuade the Pope to open The husband of the British Labour MP

Jo Cox, who died last week after being shot and stabbed

in her constituency, has spoken publicly for the first

time about her terrible loss. He told the BBC he believes

she died because of her He talks movingly to the BBC's

Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg about his wife, the grief

of their children and the outpouring of love from the public

at her sudden death. The public reaction has been off

the scale and the two things I have been very focused on is how do

we support and protect the children and how do we make sure something

good comes out of this? And, what the public

support and outpouring of love around this does,

it is it also helps the children see that what they are feeling,

other people are feeling. The grief they feel isn't abnormal,

that they feel it more acutely, more painfully and more personally,

but actually, their mother was someone who was loved

by lots of people and therefore it's OK to be upset and it's OK for them

to cry and be sad about it. And the reason I wanted to speak

today was just to thank the public, who have been incredible

in response to this. What will you sell your children

about her as they grow up? One of the things from the public reaction

is she is being seen as a symbol for something bigger, a sense of

creating more compassion and smart blob in the world. The thing I do

not want to lose if she was also their mum. -- more love in the

world. As well as the political memory and the symbolism I do not

want them to forget that. Was she worried about the current political

culture? Definitely, and from left and right. She was worried that the

language was becoming more course and people were being driven to take

more extreme positions. I think she worried we were entering an age that

we have not seen maybe since the 1930s of people feeling insecure for

lots of reasons, economic or security, and then populist

politicians, whether Donald Trump in the USA or whoever else, exploiting

bat and diving communities to hate each other. This has happened is

when Britain is engaged in a big conversation about our place in the

world and Europe. We know she was clearly bursting in the EU but what

did she make of how the conversation was being conducted. -- she was

clearly for staying in. She was a passionate pro-European and worried

about the tone of the debate is, not that it is not a legitimate debate

and there is legitimate views on both sides but more about the tone

of whipping up fears and is whipping up hatreds. Do you want it now about

people using her in political debates? Boost -- do you worry now.

She was a politician with strong political views and I believe she

was killed because of those views. She died because of them and she

would want to stand up for those, in death as much as she did in life.

And what will you remember? I will remember with someone --

someone was incredible energy, joy, about living life and no regrets

about how she lived her life. She met the world would love -- with

love. Both for her children and family but also people she did know.

She was not perfect but she just wanted to make the world a better

place and contributes and we love her very much.

It's been one of the most divisive and hard-fought campaigns

Britain has ever seen - but it's almost time

There are just 36 hours to go before the UK votes on its referendum

to decide if it will stay in, or leave, the European Union.

In just under an hour's time one of the biggest debates

of the campaign takes place at London's Wembley Arena.

Leading figures from the Remain and Leave campaigns are among

John Pienaar reports on the day's developements.

Where this thing comes out you know it's serious. The campaign has been

called the bad that seek leave and heads for remain. David Cameron

today played on both, saying don't risk the economy.

It will just be you in the polling booths. Taking a decision that will

affect your future, your children's future, your grandchildren's future.

It is stronger if we stay, if we believe we put it at the risk and

that is no going back. Remain campaigners say Black Friday

could see the pound and shares tumble if we vote out. Its format

camera adviser says he is struggling and was one years ago -- the warned

years ago immigration would never be under control.

It is amazing to see Cameron wheeled out by panicky spin doctors which is

ever imagine they have lost economic and immigration arguments. As we

were warned in Government many years ago it was impossible to meet

targets on immigration as long as we were in the EU.

Leaders believe they are the ones who draw the crowds. Attacks from

Nigel Farage on migration strictly sour note with opponents, but he

does not care. This is what people will vote on in

the referendum. Getting back control of our borders and using pressure on

public services. Frankly, I do not care where the doctor loss has came

from. I value the skills, dedication and professionalism. Our NHS is an

example of what people working together can achieve.

Tonight the drivers have arrived at Wembley covering up for the last big

debate of the campaign. Boris Johnson, and Sadiq Khan. We have

heard the arguments, free of the economy and worry about mass

migration. It is not about who can reach the most hearts and minds.

Tonight and ended the final hours of campaigning. -- in the final hours.

Well my colleague Ros Atkins is at Wembley arena and has been

speaking to one of the UK's leading experts on polling.

This is looking as though it will be extremely tight, which could go to

the wire. If the polls are right at all, it looks as though it will be

something very close to 50-50. The most recent poll with the remain,

50, leave freshly. We had a couple of other polls slightly different

but the corrective message is it is a very tight race. -- most of the

polls say it is a very tight race. The secret of the exit poll is by

going to the same polling stations as we went to five years previously.

That enables us to compare results polling station by polling station

between elections and enables us to overcome a difficulty which is we

don't count, vote at individual polling stations, we bring them to a

single place. It is difficult to know that each polling station is

representative. By doing it this way we get around that problem but you

cannot do it for the referendum because there is no previous boat.

I feel what the media there is the risk of an echo chamber with poles.

The narrative last week was it was good for leave and this week it is

things are getting better for remain, we saw the pound surging. If

some of the narrative be media is telling accurate?

The first thing to say is the remarkable stability of opinion

polls. For most of the referendum the Poles have literally and

consistently said 54 remain, 54 leave. Polls over the telephone

slightly different but pimping inconsistent picture. That has been

less stable over the past few weeks -- painting and -- painting a

picture. That doesn't seem to have reversed a bit but we're certainly

not in a position where the beam inside look as strong as they did

two weeks ago. The poll that just came out, by telephone, until very

recently every telephone pole with remain ahead and now even the

telephone polls are saying it was very close, albeit with remain may

be slightly ahead. Internet polls saying believe may be slightly

ahead. It this tighter and it was an appropriate remain has made since

bad polls last week is not quite of the character for us to be sure they

will one. -- will win. So - the UK gets to vote,

but the whole of the European Union will have to deal with

the consequences, The campaign here has been fought

on two main issues, Here's the view from our

correspondents in three of the most Germany does not want Britain to

leave the EU. There is genuine alarm among politicians and Berlin that

the Brexit is a possibility. Do not expect to get much from them because

there is also a concern that recent German interventions have been

interpreted by British voters as interference. The majority of

Germans are frustrated and perplexed by the referendum debate. A recent

poll found around 80% of Germans think regs it is a bad idea. There

are obvious reasons. -- think Brexit is bad. Germany considers Britain to

a be ported political and economic ally. There are strong ties between

the two countries, such as a car industry. If Britain leaves that is

a concern other member states may seek concessions or even head for

the door. People in Poland are watching the

referendum closely. It affects so many Polish families. They are about

850,000 polls in the UK, making them the largest non-British nationality.

The worst thing for them is the uncertainty. Especially those who

have not lived in Britain long enough to claim permanent residency.

The fact is no one knows what working conditions would be like for

polls after a Brexit vote. It Poles desire to lead Britain may reduce

the amount of cash they send to families. That is the $1 billion a

year. -- desire to leave Britain. If they come home that could be good

news for Pollard as pollen has a rapidly ageing society and a

shortage of skilled workers. -- good news for Portland. Here in Athens,

where less than a year ago they were in a similar position with the EU.

Most people here will tell you that if they have the chance they would

vote for a Brexit. Given the state of the economy and markets there is

a real fear here that if Britain then leave the EU it could have a

massive financial impact on ordinary people. There is also a fear that if

one country is seen to leave it could have a domino effect on

countries like Greece and the entire European project could tear apart

and back, they tell me, is the problem. Even the most Eurosceptic

people and police feel they have sacrificed so much already to stay

in Europe they do not want to find themselves accidentally falling out.

-- people here at field. -- people here feel.

This is the scene live at Wembley now, where the BBC's Great Debate

High profile politicians, business leaders and cultural

experts will be speaking in front of a live audience of thousands -

and it will all be broadcast live on BBC News, both here in the UK

and around the world, starting from 1900 GMT.

The International Olympic Committee, has confirmed that Russian track

and field athletes will be banned from this year's Rio Games.

Last week, the governing body of world athletics, the IAAF,

decided not to lift a suspension imposed on Russia,

following allegations of state-sponsored doping -

The president of the Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach,

said serious doubts have been raised on the presumption of innocence

for athletes from Russia - and

Each athlete coming from these two countries will have to declare the

Mac declared ineligible, following an individual procedure and

individual evaluation of the situation.

Russia was of course quick to respond.

Here's the general secretary of the Russian Athletics

Please, find a compromise for clean athletics. We can organise anything

against doping in athletics, for any criteria to organise such a

procedure. In any case we should be sure that clean athletes can compete

at the Olympics and other official competitions as well.

Live now to Lausanne in Switzerland and our sport

Is this the end of the presumption of innocence? Has everything been

turned on its head? What we heard from Thomas Bach was it gets off

message. The Olympic Games are only a few weeks away and his message

was, as far as Russia and Kenny are concerned, they could be taking no

chances. -- Russia and Kenya. The weird individuals wanting to go to

Russia and Kenya in any sport must be evaluated by the International

Federation before they are given permission. -- any individuals

wanting to go. What we will have in the next few weeks are a battle

between Russia, who are still very much hoping their track and field

stars will be able to go to Rio, and the IAAF and it will be played out

that the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the highest legal body for

sporting disputes. We heard from the Russians and they will lodge appeals

from the Olympic Committee and individuals. But the IAAF are

seemingly in line saying, as it stands, you cannot go and compete

and only a small number of Russians, outside the Russian testing regime,

then go and must compete under a Russian flag. The Russians will not

take this lying down and they still see each and indicating that in the

courts. Russian state TB was sounding very

upbeat and reporting outcome. Potentially it could have been

worse. -- Russian state TV. That plays into the Russian narrative,

this argument of collective responsibility. They feel they are

being collectively punished against individual justice. Is it the right

clean athletes, people not tested positive, are denied an opportunity

to go to the Olympic Games because of the actions of others? That is

the argument Russia is putting forward. Today, what they got was

effectively the hope, a slim hope they can pursue this through the

courts. Thomas Bach saying he is waiting for these appeals to go

through and it will be in their hands and the International

federations to decide on that basis. But we understand IAAF are sticking

to their guns and Russia have not fill the criteria requested of them

to come back into international competition and it will be the Court

of arbitration in sport that will have a big final say in this.

The International Criminal Court has sentenced the former Congolese

vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba to eighteen years in

prison for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The atrocities were carried out in the neighbouring Central African

republic by his private army nearly fifteen years ago.

Jean-Pierre Bemba, now the RC vice president now an international court

convict. He was sent into 18 years in prison for failing to stop put

under his command killing, routing and reaping in the Central African

Republic in 2002 and 2003. The chamber convicted under article 28

AA as a person effectively acting as a military commander who knew that

forces under his effective authority and control were commenting about to

commit the crimes against humanity of murder and rape and the war

crimes of murder, rape and pillaging. Before pronouncing the

sentence the judge detailed a lasting trauma inflicted on rape

victims, many of which were young girls. This trial mark the first

time the court focuses on rape as a weapon of war and the first time a

defendant is held directly responsible for war crimes committed

by his subordinates. Jean-Pierre Bemba, who created his

rebel group, the movement for the liberation of Congo, with the

support of Uganda in 1998, sent 1000 offers trips to the central African

Republic between October 2002 and March 2003 to support the country's

reader. -- said over 1000 troops. During this time his forces are

accused of leading a widespread attack against civilians. Some of

his supporters argue he was not in the Central African Republic when

the crimes were committed and the troops were answering to the orders

of the flight-mac authorities. His lawyers will appeal the court 's

decision, he said. -- answering to the orders of the flight-mac

authorities. They were hoping he would be freed in time for the

presidential election schedule in November. It is now clear that will

not happen. On top of the sentence today, Thomas -- Jean-Pierre Bemba

will have to answer further charges. Breaking news, reports from Libya

saying 20 people have been killed in an explosion at and -- ammunitions

install. The explosion happened with local people entered the abandoned

base. It is not clear what triggered the blast. French police have

arrested several Polish football fans after trouble in Marseille

after the Euro 2016 football match. Using tear gas and batons they broke

up fight in the port area. On the pitch, Poland won their game against

Ukraine one - nil. Germany topped the group with the one - zero win

over Northern Ireland, who finished third.

Today, June the 21st is the longest day of the year

The date has long been part of celebrations, with Stonehenge,

which has stood in the West of England for thousands of years,

the traditional gathering place here in the UK.

Many of the people who went took part in Druid ceremonies,

harking back to the days before the Romans invaded Britain.

The UK is not of course the only place where the longest -

or if you're in the Southern Hemisphere, shortest -

day was marked - we particularly liked this image from Macedonia,

at the Kokino Megalithic Observatory.

However, while June the 21st is best known as the Solstice,

it's also been given a more modern event to mark.

It's National Selfie Day, in America, at least.

Taking a photo of yourself at roughly arm's length is now

so popular, the selfie-sharing site Instagram has just celebrated having

So just why are we so keen to keep taking and uploading

Our North America Technology Correspondent Dave Lee has been

asking Instagram's co-founder and chief executive,

People like to thank self is are new but if you look at history of Art,

what is one of the largest formats? The portrait. -- like to think. Just

now everyone can be an artist and capture lives. Do you think

Instagram has taken the mantle of being the celebrity social network

of choice? I would say it was Twitter previously but now

celebrities seem to congregate on Instagram.

Sure, there are a lot of celebrities on Instagram because celebrities

know they can, to Instagram and have an audience. I mean, the Pope

recently joined Instagram. We flew over to Vatican and sat with him.

You pitched the Pope? You have too. I pitched that Instagram is the new

way of communicating. If you want to get in touch I am on

Twitter and we are also on Facebook. Stay with us for the great debate

taking place in just over half an hour. Thanks for watching.

Thunderstorms are going to develop across northern France through the

latter part of Wednesday. Same for Thursday and Friday. With the winds

backing this will drag