02/07/2017 BBC News at Ten

More signals that the 1% pay cap for public sector workers

With pressure on the Prime Minister, including from her own party,

a Cabinet colleague suggests recommendations from independent

I think that we should listen to the pay review bodies who govern

each individual area of public sector pay.

We'll be exploring how changes might be made,

Also tonight: Plans to restrict foreign fishing in British waters,

the UK says it's pulling out of an international agreement.

A new wave of arrivals from North Africa, Italy struggles

to cope with thousands of people heading to its shores.

Petra Kvitova's return to Wimbledon after an attack that made her fear

Of course, I had some bad dreams afterwards.

I was still a bit tired, with everything that

And the milestone Stephen Hawking thought he would never

There is growing pressure on the Prime Minister

and the Chancellor over public sector pay rises,

after another Cabinet Minister raised the prospect of the current

The Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, suggested

that the recommendations of public sector pay bodies -

which review increases - should be respected.

One of those bodies has warned that the cap is putting

Here's our political correspondent Iain Watson.

They save our lives, they keep us safe, they teach our children. And

when things do go wrong, that on the front line, dealing with the

aftermath. But politicians from all political parties are now asking if

enough is being done to repay the debt to public service workers. The

Health Secretary and Education Secretary want to see limits on

public sector salaries and relaxed. A former nurse, now Conservative MP

says pressures on public services will increase if the government

doesn't lift its pay cap. I know of colleagues who have left nursing. I

know people who are taking early retirement, for example, because

it's a tough job and long hours. And they can get other jobs with less

hours, less responsibility for similar pay. We've got to look at

the pay structure across the public service. Pay in the public sector

has been strictly limited for most of the decade. If that continues as

planned for two more years, the average pay of a public sector

worker will be back at 2005 levels in real terms, adjusting for

inflation. Eight independent public service pay bodies recommended level

of increases for a whole range of staff, nurses, doctors, prison

officers to judges. The government can either agree with them or

overrule them. This month, ministers will be given recommendations on pay

for teachers and police officers. The new Environment Secretary says

colleagues should accept them. I think we should listen to pay

review bodies who govern each individual area

of public sector pay. These pay review bodies have been

set up in order to ensure we can have authoritative advice

on what is required in order to ensure that the public services

on which we rely are effectively starved and the people within them

are effectively supported. Theresa May's cabinet is split over

the principle of whether to lift the public sector pay cap but it could

be dismantled bit by bit. It is widely expected that some pay bodies

will recommend increases above 1% and the government minister close to

the process has told Ms government is prepared to accept those

recommendations. But not everyone in government is convinced the pay cap

should be eroded. It's very important to keep

discipline. It's impossible to pay

for our public services But what we have done

on public sector pay, actually by having that cap

in place, we have saved around But Labour say they would simply

scrap the cap entirely. We're saying to the pay review

bodies, get rid of the 1% cap Well I think they should consider

giving people a pay rise Demonstrators were in Parliament

Square this weekend, calling for an end to austerity. They won't get

that, but they might get two cheers to any increase in public sector

pay. And Iain Watson is in

Downing Street now. One signal after another. If there

is a change, how would that be funded? Some estimates suggest that

lifting the public pay gap entirely could cost as much as ?6 billion,

six times more than that DUP deal. You could understand why the

Chancellor at number 11 Downing St could be weary. On hearing other

Cabinet heavyweight could weigh in on this, piling on the pressure in

the papers tomorrow. You might see a partial lifting of the pay cap on

these pay review bodies are structured in such a way that

ministers could decipher example to get nurses a pay increase but not

senior managers. Rank-and-file police officers but not Chief police

officers. Money needs to be found from somewhere. One former minister

interestingly said they ought to be what he called careful tax rises.

Dealing with the public sector pay cap isn't a cost free option but not

dealing with it, the government could pay a big political price.

Thank you. The government has announced it's

withdrawing from a 50-year-old convention that allows five other

countries to fish in waters close It's described the move as a first

step towards a new post Brexit fishing policy,

but one of the countries affected, Ireland, has called it

unwelcome and unhelpful. Our business correspondent

Joe Lynam reports. As formal Brexit talks set off,

Britain has said it would be taking back control over who fishes

in its waters. So, it's quitting a 53-year-old

convention which allowed countries like France and Belgium to fish

right up to the British coastline. We are giving notice

that we intend to quit that. It's a provision in the agreement

that enables us to do that This is important to give

us the legal clarity. We're absolutely clear that

when we leave the EU, we leave the Common Fisheries Policy,

and we will take control for managing fisheries

resources in our own waters. So, what is the London

Fisheries Convention? At the moment, trawlers from France,

Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Ireland can fish

to within six nautical miles Boats from these countries catch

10,000 tonnes of fish That's a fraction, just over 1%,

700,000 tonnes a year caught by British fishermen.

The real haggling between Brussels and London will be over this,

the much wider 200 nautical miles of water around the UK.

But the decision has angered the Irish Government,

which has the only land border with Britain.

Its Fisheries Minister described the move as

And scrapping the convention could also be meaningless.

Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, said in a tweet

that the London Convention had been superseded by EU rules covered

But fishermen welcomed the government's action.

What it does is make a strong commitment to taking

sovereignty over our waters, which international law states

This is just another statement of intent that that

So, while some have welcomed the Government's claim that it's

They may not get their ultimate wish.

Fisheries as a tiny part of Britain's economy to be used

as a bargaining chip in the frosty relations between Britain

A number of flights have been disrupted at Gatwick Airport this

evening because of a "drone in the vicinity".

Close to the runway. British Airways and easyJet were disrupted. Police

are investigating. The government has identified

a further 32 high rise buildings that have failed fire safety tests,

taking the total number to 181. Tests are continuing nationwide,

in an attempt to identify buildings encased in cladding similar to that

used on the Grenfell Tower. According to the figures,

Salford has the greatest number of high rises that

have failed tests. Iraqi special forces have

recaptured more territory in the Old City of Mosul,

in the final stages of the operation to drive out

so-called Islamic State. Troops and police are now

closing in from three sides on the militants,

who captured the city But Iraqi commanders say as many

as 50,000 civilians may be trapped behind IS lines,

as Orla Guerin reports From the dying days

of battle against IS. Traumatised civilians

fleeing with little more "Every day you ask me

how I am", she says. The civilians here have just managed

to escape the fighting. They're hungry and tired

and they looked scared. They've been caught

between the two sides, at risk both from Islamic State

and the operation against them. But the troops here are being

cautious, they want to make sure that no-one has emerged

who could be a risk. They are concerned that suicide

bombers could be trying to come out We're fine to carry the women

and the kids out, but if it's a medical emergency,

it's better if we have British volunteer Sally Becker

is here with a medical charity. A veteran of war, she says

nothing compares to Mosul. We've got the vehicle-borne

explosives. People.

Suicide bombers. Even a woman yesterday,

which makes it extremely Because most of who we carry

is women and children. And many come here to

a field hospital nearby. Doctors say they have been losing

children to mortars and shrapnel. But soon, hundreds

could die of hunger. They see dozens per day

who are severely malnourished. Much of the civilian suffering

here has gone unseen but three years of IS rule have deeply scarred

Mosul and its people. From this one street in

the Old City, IS executed four men. "Sometimes I worry

they will be back". "When I hear fighting at night,

I hope I can forget them". A military victory looks close

here but there are fears about IS sleeper cells

and about the future that may 20 people have been killed

in a suicide car bombing in the Syrian capital,

Damascus. The bomber was in one

of three cars that had been The other two car bombs

were intercepted and destroyed. The UN refugee agency is asking

European leaders to help Italy deal with the growing numbers of people

who have been arriving Last weekend alone, almost 13,000

migrants and refugees arrived. And it's estimated that so far this

year, more than 2000 people have died in perilous

Mediterranean crossings. Most of the migrants

are from North Africa, trying to reach Italy and then

travel on in Europe. Our correspondent Rami Ruhayem has

witnessed the relief effort Rescuing migrants in

the central Mediterranean. A delicate task, even

in fairly calm waters. As the rubber boat deflates, people

panic and the rescuers lose control. They come from across Africa

and Asia, many fleeing extreme The boats leave from Libya,

a country that has The fortunate ones can pay

for wooden boats, but they, too, are We're on a rescue ship

run by the charity So far, they've taken

more than 600 people on board, from three

different boats. There's another transfer that's

ongoing at the moment. Most are men, but

there are also women All have risked their lives to make

the dangerous crossing. He tells me he is fleeing war

for the second time. Others tell us they are simply

desperate for work. In Morocco it's zero.

Italia is good, Europa, too, is good.

Charities began operating in the Mediterranean after Italy

terminated its own search and rescue operation,

which was replaced by EU missions with a bigger focus on

Currently, MSF is trapped in a situation that is very difficult.

Because we know we cannot stop the rescues for the moment.

While we know it is not a sustainable solution either.

With Sicily in sight, a sense of relief on board.

But even as the UN sounds the alarm over the unfolding

crisis, the Italian Government is pressing the EU for help

and warning its ports may not remain open to the migrants.

President Trump has been accused of inciting violence

against journalists, after he tweeted a spoof video

showing him physically assaulting a man with a CNN logo super-imposed

He is shown slamming the CNN character to the ground

Mr Trump regularly accuses CNN and other critical media

outlets of broadcasting what he calls fake news.

Our correspondent Laura Bicker is in Washington now.

What's the reaction to this been like? CNN has taken the

unprecedented step of issuing a statement condemning the president

and saying that his tweet incites violence against reporters. They are

backed by a number of journalists groups, even some right-wing

commentators believe, on this occasion, Donald Trump has crossed a

line. But the White House said there's nothing to be alarmed about.

The homeland security adviser said this should not be perceived as a

threat. Consider this. On Friday, the White House press spokeswoman

rounded on the press, accused them of not covering policy. But if you

like Donald Trump's Twitter habit, the one thing he tweets about most

often is about the press. He describes his Twitter habit as not

being presidential, but being "Modern presidential". It may keep

his base happy, but while it continues, distracts from his

agenda, to make America a great again. Laura, thank you.

The two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has spoken of her fear

that she would never play tennis again after being attacked

Suffering serious injuries to her left hand, she faced a gruelling

fight to regain her fitness and will be competing at Wimbledon -

Our sports correspondent David Ornstein has been to meet her.

UMPIRE: Game, set and match, Miss Kvitova.

She's a two-time Wimbledon champion whose life was turned upside down.

Just days before Christmas, Petra Kvitova was attacked in her own home

I presume you're not drinking from it. Not yet. Waiting for a big

party. She told me career threatening injuries to her plane

had left physical and mental scars. All seven tendons on all five

fingers. I mean, of course, I had some

bad dreams afterwards. I was still a bit tired

from everything that Of course, I had bad thoughts that I

would never play tennis again. Kvitova underwent an emergency

operation lasting almost four hours but still faced an anxious

wait over the outcome. I was really worried, seeing my hand

after taking the band off, for the first time. It wasn't as bad as I

thought it would be. Is it right that you still can't fully close

your hand? That's right. Which can't be easy for a tennis player. On the

other hand, I'm lucky I'm playing tennis and not playing badminton,

whatever, where the grip is much smaller. It's describing my

situation. By March, she was able

to hold a racket again and two months later she even made

it to the French open. She prepared by

winning in Birmingham and now, incredibly,

she is being tipped I ready won the biggest

fight before. Stephen Hawking is 75 today -

a milestone he's said he never thought he would reach

after being diagnosed with motor Today, he was honoured by friends,

family and colleagues at Cambridge University,

and he's been talking to our science When I was diagnosed at 21,

I was told it would kill me Now, 54 years later,

albeit weaker and in a wheelchair, I'm still working and producing

scientific papers. Today, Stephen Hawking

celebrates his 75th birthday. But it's been a great struggle,

which I have got through only with a lot of help from my family,

colleagues, and friends. At an event at Cambridge University

to pay tribute to his life, he was applauded for his scientific

achievements. The legacy will be

the scientists that he inspired. And there will be thousands

of them, and they're So there will be ten-year-olds

today, or eight-year-olds, who are reading about Stephen,

reading about the work that he did, and may

go on to be the next In an exclusive interview with BBC

News, Professor Hawking told me that he was worried about the future

of our species. What are your views

on President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate

agreement, and what impact do you think that will have

on the future of the planet? We are close to the tipping point

where global warming Trump's action could push

the Earth over the bridge, to become like Venus,

with a temperature of 250 degrees His daughter Lucy says his

life is an inspiration, People who've lived in really

extreme circumstances seem to find something very,

very inspirational in his example of perseverance and persistence,

and his kind of ability to rise above his suffering, and still want

to communicate at a higher level. His ideas have transformed our

understanding of the cosmos. But what's also being celebrated

is his determination and humanity. That's all from me,

stay with us on BBC1,