19/02/2018 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at ten:

A sweeping review

of university funding in England

amid concerns about the level

of tuition fees.

The system in England has become one

of the most expensive

in the world,

raising major concerns

about affordability.

The Prime Minister -

who says tuition fees

will not be scrapped -

says there needs to be a new look

at the funding system.

Our goal is a funding system

which provides value for money

for graduates and taxpayers,

so the principle that students

as well as taxpayers should

contribute to the cost

of their studies

is an important one.

We'll be asking what the review

might produce and we'll be looking

at systems in other countries.

Also tonight:

A university lecturer

from Birmingham is jailed for

32 years and described as one

of the worst paedophiles

ever found on the web.

Every year, millions of newborn

babies around the world fail to live

for more than a month,

but most of those

deaths are preventable.

The world number one for Canada, can

he do it? It is a dead heat!

And at the Winter Olympics,

for the first time in 20 years,

the gold medal has to be shared

in the two-man bobsleigh.

Crisis at KFC - the fried chicken

chain that's run out of chicken.

And coming up on Sportsday on BBC

News, has Will Grigg fired Wigan

to another upset over

Manchester City and a place

in the FA Cup quarterfinals?

Good evening.

There's to be a sweeping review

of university funding in England

in the light of growing concern

about the affordability

of tuition fees.

The Prime Minister,

who launched the review today,

said she was not in favour

of scrapping tuition fees,

which is the policy supported

by Labour, but she acknowledged

the "serious concerns"

of students and their families,

faced with what she admitted

was "one of the most expensive

systems of university

tuition in the world."

The review will take a year

to complete, as our political editor

Laura Kuenssberg reports from Derby.

It's not me learning,

it's just me coping.

I do believe education

should be free.

It's too much, basically.

It's too much.

Big dreams but big debts.

These Derby first-years aren't

paying fees upfront but expecting

to owe nearly £40,000

when they're done.

We are the next generation.

If you want us to have a high-paying

job, we need some way

of reaching that goal.

And university does

make a difference.

From primary to secondary, then

to college, it's absolutely free.

Why should we have to pay for uni?

Fees tripled when Theresa May

was already in the Cabinet.

But more and more students

like these sixth formers go

to university, however tricky

the subject they choose.

OK.

I did physics A-level,

but that's where my physics ended.

But after the election

and Labour's popular promise

to scrap fees altogether,

the Prime Minister has concluded

things have to change.

All but a handful of universities

charge the maximum possible fees

for undergraduate courses.

And the level of fees charged

do not relate to the cost

or quality of the course.

So we now have one of the most

expensive systems of university

tuition in the world.

What she really wants

is a change in attitude.

There remains a perception that

going to university is really

the only desirable route,

while going into training

is something for other

people's children.

If we're going to succeed

in building a fair society

and a stronger economy,

we need to throw away this

outdated attitude for good.

Are you willing to say that,

potentially, taxpayers

should contribute more

towards students' education?

Because, if not, won't this review

dispute looking at moving money

Because, if not, won't this review

just be looking at moving money

around in a system that you yourself

admitted today has become

just too expensive?

It's not just about

the issues of finance.

It's also about making sure

that the system we have for post-18

education provides for every aspect

of that education and provides young

people with the route

that is right for them.

Do you really think that Theresa May

would have made a speech today

if you hadn't had a message

in the election that

younger generations

and their parents thought

the Tories weren't listening?

Well, I think the truth

is of course we've got to listen

to what the electorate are saying.

And if they are saying they think

we've got this wrong,

that's something we've got

to look at.

There could be cuts to some fees.

But no big new spending.

Labour says it falls way short.

Well, unfortunately,

this is the third time in the last

12 months that Theresa May has

announced a review of education.

And she's letting students down.

Don't expect bold changes fast.

This review will take a year

and few expect it to tear

up the whole system.

This is also about the lesson voters

taught Tories at the last election,

unconvinced Conservatives had

answers to the tensions

between generations.

And turning that round is

a much bigger job indeed.

They promised too much.

They say they're going to do this

but it never happens.

And I'm still waiting

for the things they say to happen.

I voted so that I didn't

have to pay uni fees.

If the uni was free,

I would vote for them, basically.

You'd vote for any party that said

university should be free?

Every uni student will!

Voters young and old aware

that what's easy to say

is not always easy to do.

Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News, Derby.

As we heard, the Prime Minister

described the university system

in England as one of the most

expensive in the world,

prompting a question

about the funding systems used

by other countries and the high

levels of debt amassed by some

of the most disadvantaged students.

Our education editor

Branwen Jeffreys is here.

Our universities have

a global reputation.

But the cost of teaching in England

is among the highest in the world.

In England, tuition

fees are £9,250 a year.

In the US, publicly funded

universities charge £7,650,

although fees at elite institutions

like Harvard or Yale

are much higher.

France charges students up to £540

and Germany has abolished

tuition fees completely.

In England, the system is designed

for the taxpayer to pick

up some of the bill.

Loans are written

off after 30 years.

By 2021-22, there will be £160

billion of outstanding student debt.

Some now think there needs to be

more honesty about how

the burden is shared.

We know this money is being paid

out, we know that we're not

going to get it all paid back

and yet actually, it's not appearing

on the overall Government accounts

at the moment and that's

a deliberate policy design decision

had been taken but actually

what the committee is saying

is let's be open and

honest about that.

So are there cheaper ways to study?

Already, you can get

a degree at more than 200

further education colleges.

130 further education colleges

charge around £6,000 or less.

A degree apprenticeship

will pay as you study.

The Prime Minister wants

high-level technical education

to have more status,

but, compared to universities,

it's been poorly funded.

Further education, on the other

hand, has had no increases

in the funding per student even

in the last 30 years and big

cuts in the last seven

or eight years relative

to universities and schools.

We are in a world where governments

of both flavours have cut the amount

that they spend on technical

and further education relative

to higher education and schools.

Scotland has no tuition

fees for home students.

Northern Ireland, just over £4,000.

In Wales, fees will be 9,000

from this autumn but with very

generous grants for living costs

for the poorest students.

Students in England are still

likely to borrow most

at the end of this review.

The National Union of Students said

it feared it would only

lead to small changes.

Many thanks again.

A university lecturer,

described by US officials

as "the worst child exploitation

offender" they'd ever

found on the internet,

has been jailed for 32 years.

Matthew Falder from Birmingham had

admitted 137 offences,

including sharing extreme child

pornography and encouraging

the rape of a child.

Sima Kotecha reports.

So, what, what -

what was it I've done?

What is it I'm supposed to have...?

Dr Matthew Falder being arrested

at his workplace last year.

The 29-year-old spent years posing

as a female artist online,

to trick his victims

into sending him naked pictures

of themselves.

It sounds like the rap

sheet from hell.

Distributing indecent

images of children.

He then researched their profiles

on social media and used that

information to blackmail them

into sending him

more obscene images.

He even installed secret

cameras in people's homes,

to film them in the shower

and using the toilet.

Falder contacted more

than 300 people worldwide.

One of his victims told us she can

no longer trust anyone.

I was ashamed of what I've done.

All relationships broke down.

You can't be friends

with someone that doesn't trust

you and I didn't trust them.

Even though they did nothing wrong,

and I did nothing wrong,

there was no trust any more.

Last year, he pleaded

guilty to 137 charges -

including encouraging the rape

of a child

and possessing

a paedophile manual.

Today, he was sentenced

to more than 30 years.

The feeling of helplessness

that he embodied in the victims

and then took them to a place

where they never wanted to go,

is truly horrific.

And, I mean, you know,

those videos will be with me

and the team probably

for the rest of our lives.

Falder was under surveillance

for several months during

a four-year investigation.

The Cambridge graduate

was identified by the

National Crime Agency.

It worked with partner agencies

across the world, including

the Australian Federal Police

and Homeland Security in America,

to find the man

who was behind the messages.

Falder was one of the most prolific

child exploitation offenders

and blackmailers we'd ever seen

in the UK, or even in the US.

So it just became...

The volume of victims

and the techniques that

were employed and the discipline

that was employed by Falder

on the internet, to not be

identified and not be caught

was something we had

never seen before.

Falder lived in this block of flats.

He worked at Birmingham University.

Now, officers say his motivation

was power and control.

He wanted his victims to feel

embarrassed and humiliated,

and he was confident

he could outwit the authorities.

He contacted vulnerable people

seeking work on websites.

He then used names such

as "666devil" and "evilmind"

on the dark net to communicate

with other paedophiles.

Have you sent pictures of your

blackmail victims to the parents?

No comment.

Of the victim to the grandparents?

No comment.

When questioned, Falder

didn't cooperate.

Today, the judge called him

an "internet highway man"

who robbed his victims

of their security and dignity.

The paedophile showed

no remorse or emotion

throughout the proceedings.

Sima Kotecha, BBC News, Birmingham.

Our correspondent Angus

Crawford is here with me.

What is it about this case and the

outcome that represents such a

breakthrough for all of the officers

involved?

Indeed, the National Crime

Agency says it is a watershed

moment, showing that multiple

agencies across multiple countries

could work together to bring Falder

to justice. The dark net poses

unique problems the law enforcement,

the sites are hidden by encryption,

users are always anonymous and to

actually access the inner workings

of the sites, you have to post

illegal imagery and law enforcement

can't do that. Abusers tend to

barter images

barter images they can't sell, so

there is no money Trail for law

enforcement to follow. Abusers make

mistakes and Falder's mistakes were

spotted by the FBI unspotted by the

new joint unit between GCHQ and the

National crime unit, so it is a big

success for them but, and a very big

but, the scale of the problem is

still huge. One dark at child-abuse

site closed down last year had tens

of thousands of members.

Angus

Crawford, thank you.

Drivers working for Oxfam

in the months after the earthquake

in Haiti in 2010 were forced

to bring prostitutes

to the charity's premises

or risk losing their jobs,

according to one source

who's spoken to the BBC.

Oxfam has today published

an investigation which found that

three of its employees physically

threatened a witness

during an investigation

into sexual misconduct,

as our diplomatic correspondent

James Landale reports.

NEWSREEL:

..and its operations have

become an industry that's

spread into 80 countries.

For more than half a century,

Oxfam's been helping those in need,

such as these victims of conflict

in Nigeria in the late 1960s.

But that hard-earned reputation's

been put at risk by the behaviour

of some of the charity's staff

in Haiti in 2011.

The internal report says that one

was dismissed and three resigned

for what it describes

as "using prostitutes

on Oxfam premises".

Two more were dismissed

for bullying and intimidation,

one of whom, the report says,

also downloaded pornography,

and another man was sacked

for failing to protect staff.

A source who was aware

of the investigation,

and in Haiti at the time,

told the BBC that drivers

were forced to deliver

prostitutes to Oxfam villas.

We have protected his identity.

They were having parties over

there that were described as orgies,

with a smorgasbord of women,

girls, wearing Oxfam T-shirts,

and it would go on all night.

We were told they were underage.

The security guards,

the drivers, were talking

about it, but not directly.

Indirectly, because if they talked

to anyone about it,

they would lose their jobs.

Today, the BBC caught up with one

of those dismissed from Oxfam

for gross misconduct in Haiti.

We can name him as Raphael Mutiku,

a Kenyan aid worker who is based

outside the capital,

Nairobi.

Were you with Mr Roland

Van Hauwermeiren?

No.

Why were you let go by Oxfam?

Oxfam's report says

Roland Van Hauwermeiren,

its country director in Haiti,

admitted using prostitutes.

He's spoken of "lies

and exaggeration".

But it also says he was allowed

to resign with dignity and a month's

pay, because dismissing him

would have damaged

the investigation.

The BBC source

challenges that account.

They didn't need him to stay

and help with the investigation.

As far as I'm concerned,

Roland was not part

of the investigation team.

Roland, from all accounts,

owned up to his own behaviour,

which alone is enough.

The BBC has been told Oxfam refused

to tell another aid agency why

Mr Van Hauwermeiren had resigned,

when they were thinking

of hiring him.

Oxfam said it was legally

constrained but would have liked

to have said more and will be giving

no references until a register

of aid workers is set up.

Today, a senior Oxfam official

travelled to Haiti to apologise

and expressed the charity's shame

directly to ministers and share more

information about what went on.

The Haitian Government has

launched its own investigation.

Tomorrow, senior executives

from the charity will

face MPs in Parliament.

The questions for

Oxfam keep on coming.

James Landale, BBC News.

The former football coach

Barry Bennell has been described

as "the Devil incarnate" by a judge

at Liverpool Crown Court

who jailed him for 30 years

for abusing young footballers

between 1979 and 1991.

The former Crewe Alexandra coach

and Manchester City scout

was convicted of 50 child sexual

offences, but an additional

They came seeking closure -

the victims of Barry Bennell,

accompanied by their families,

arriving at court for the sentencing

of British sport's most

notorious paedophile.

Their abuser, meanwhile,

arriving by different entrance

after being found guilty of 50

counts of child sex crimes.

Having appeared throughout his trial

via videolink due to ill health,

today Bennell was here in person

as he was handed a 31-year

prison sentence.

The 64-year-old, impassive as he sat

staring at the floor in the dock

as his punishment was read out.

Inside court, the cries of "yes"

from the public gallery were hushed.

Outside, the emotion able to flow.

Today we looked evil

in the face and we smiled.

Because, Barry Bennell, we have won.

Today, we hand our shame,

and our guilt, and our

sadness back to you.

It should never have been ours

to carry in the first place.

Sentencing Bennell,

Judge Clement Goldston told him,

"To these boys you appeared

as a god.

In reality you were

the devil incarnate.

You stole their childhoods

and their innocence

to satisfy your perversion."

His abuse, the judge

said, was sheer evil.

Several of the former football

coach's numerous victims read out

impact statements in court.

Among them Gary Cliffe,

abused by Bennell when he played

for a Manchester City junior team.

In a bid to force Bennell

to make eye contact,

Cliffe approached the dock

after his statement,

asking, "Why, Barry, why?",

before being led away

by an official.

What was that experience

like for you?

I was churned up inside, Dan,

but I was determined

that this was my moment,

I didn't want to

regret not doing it.

So I stood up there,

you were in court and saw it, I said

my words directed towards him.

Another 86 people have made

complaints against the former

Manchester City and Crewe Alexandra

youth team coach.

And amid hundreds of allegations

against other suspects,

both are among the clubs braced

for civil lawsuits.

The ramifications of

British football's gravest

crisis are far from over.

Dan Roan, BBC News, Liverpool.

Every year, at least

2.5 million newborn babies

around the world fail to live

for more than a month.

Many of those deaths

are preventable,

according to a report published

tonight by Unicef.

It says better access to midwives

and basics such as clean water

and decent nutrition could radically

alter the lives

of hundreds of thousands

of newborn babies.

Rates of mortality vary

dramatically according to location.

In a moment, we'll have a report

from Rajini Vaidyanathan in India,

and one from our correspondent

in Malawi, Lebo Diseko -

but, first, Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

on the situation in Japan.

This is a beautiful

four-day-old baby girl.

In the lottery of birth she has

just hit the jackpot.

In Japan, the chance

of a baby dying in its

first month of life

is the lowest in the world.

Hello.

Please come in.

It helps that her mum

lives in a rich country

with excellent health care.

But there are two things

that set Japan apart.

The first is this little book.

Every baby in Japan gets one.

It will trace her development

from the womb until she

is six years old.

Second, there are lots

of monthly checks.

The first stage, until six

months of pregnancy,

I go once every four weeks.

After that I go twice in a month.

And now I am the last month

of pregnancy and I go once a week.

This is a truly remarkable success

story for Japan because just 70

years ago, in 1950, Japan's infant

mortality rate was 50 deaths per

thousand live births.

Today, for the first time,

with these new figures

being published, Japan is the first

country ever recorded to go below

one death per thousand live births.

In India where a fifth

of all the world's babies are born

the chances of survival are much

lower than in Japan.

On average 68 newborns die

in this country every hour.

This woman gave birth to a baby

girl three weeks ago.

She has been in the specialist unit

in Bhopal ever since.

Many babies end up here

because their mothers are

malnourished and don't get proper

medical care during pregnancy.

The situation is worse

in remote areas.

Six hours north I meet this

mother with her young son.

Last month she gave

birth to his sister.

TRANSLATION:

When she was born

she would vomit every time

I tried to breast-feed.

One hospital turned us away.

Another asked for more money.

But the time we went back to get

the payment she died.

It was the second baby she had lost.

Access to quality health care

is a key factor when it

comes to newborn

deaths here in India.

For many people it is still

simply out of reach.

You only have to come

to rural areas to see the

impact that is having.

Doctors say the specialist units

are improving survival rates

but in a country where so many

babies are born too

many are still dying.

This is Agnes.

Being born in Malawi means she has

a much better chance of survival.

Newborn deaths have nearly

halved in 16 years.

Simple changes have helped,

like discouraging woman

from giving birth at home.

TRANSLATION:

The difference is huge.

Here you are supported.

Because at home you could

be losing blood but

here if you are losing blood they

give you an injection and if there

are any other problems

the doctor can help.

Premature babies are

especially at risk.

Here, doctors are teaching

mothers the kangaroo method

which helps keep these underweight

babies warm using body heat.

Child marriage and the resulting

pregnancies are a particular problem

and can lead to early birth.

80% of Malawians live

in rural areas, which means

if you are going to have your baby

in a clinic you have got to walk.

But the bigger picture

is things have got better.

Unicef says it's because

Malawi has been open

to new ideas.

And other developing countries

may want to follow that

path to give newborns

a better chance in life.

Lebo Diseko in Malawi,

ending that series of reports

on infant mortality.

The leaders of nine British

cities among them Glasgow,

Cardiff and Bristol have held talks

in Brussels today with

the EU's chief Brexit

negotiator Michel Barnier.

The city mayors insist they're not

interfering with the UK Government's

negotiations but want to make

the case for more European money

and power to be devolved to the UK's

regions after Brexit.

Our home editor Mark Easton

reports.

They've not been able to get

a meeting about Brexit

with the UK Government,

but today the leaders of British

cities, both those that

voted Leave and Remain,

travelled to Brussels to talk

to the man on the other side

of the negotiating table,

the European Union's chief

negotiator, Michel Barnier.

Really important to emphasise that

we're not here to undermine

the Government's negotiations.

Brexit is happening next year.

The cities have got a really clear

agenda in terms of how we can move

things forward on behalf

of our citizens.

And we're here to start

the ball rolling today.

And what do you think of the ship?

Marvin Rees is Mayor of Bristol,

where almost two thirds

of voters were for Remain.

He believes local people

want to be reassured that,

in its talks with the EU,

central government will reflect

the concerns of this

proud trading city.

The voices of cities,

the voices of particular sectors,

even, are not being heard,

not being sought, and

are not being reflected.

Our job, as city leaders,

is to make sure that those voices

are heard and that it's not just

a Westminster Brexit.

We manufacture safety

valves, we manufacture

liquid level gauges...

The boss of this precision

engineering company says EU

membership has protected quality

and reduced red tape.

The kind of Brexit Britain

negotiates is vital,

he says, for his business.

Central government is very

removed from our concerns.

They don't have time

to understand the detailed,

very detailed issues that affect us.

We are looking for a mechanism

to get our voice heard.

The argument of leaders in cities

like Bristol is that Brexit

is an opportunity to devolve power

away from the centre.

For local people to take back

control from Westminster,

as well as Brussels.

For more than an hour,

Michel Barnier listened

to the concerns and the hopes

of city leaders representing

a quarter of the UK economy.

But, for them, the Brexit negotiator

they really want to talk

to now is in London.

From this, we will go back

to Government and say, look,

we have an enormous amount

to contribute to the discussions,

to the negotiations.

Let's get around the table and talk

urgently, because the clock

is ticking.

Britain's Department for Exiting

the EU says it does meet

with stakeholders from local

and regional government.

But these city leaders say

they want to make sure that power

and influence over Brexit is not

only in the hands of

a Westminster elite.

Mark Easton, BBC News, Brussels.

The fast food chain KFC has

temporarily closed around

600 restaurants across the UK

and Ireland

after delivery problems

meant a shortage of chicken.

KFC said it had been let down

by a logistics company

that took over its supply chain

last week,

as our correspondent

Jon Kay reports.

NOOOOO!

When you've been promised KFC

as a half term treat

but there is no chicken.

Nine-year-old Maxine is not happy.

Angry.

Sad.

And disappointed.

And hungry?

Very hungry!

Are you more hungry or angry?

Hungry!

It's not just Maxine's local outlet.

Hundreds across the UK are shut

because KF has no C.

They've run out of chicken.

Pretty shocking, really, to be fair.

Pretty shocking.

Especially when you're hungry, like,

you know what I mean?

KFC have blamed teething problems

with the new delivery contract.

They switched to DHL last week,

who say operational issues have

disrupted the supply.

It's a chicken place,

so they should have enough chicken.

They should be able to store it.

It's a big chain, so it does seem

unbelievable, really.

All the chicken...

There's farmers, surely

there should be enough chickens.

We tried several outlets

across Bristol today but found no

fingers being licked.

Almost every store closed.

It's lunchtime.

You'd expect these hatches to be

really busy at this point

but the kitchen is empty,

the fryers switched off.

Chicken with fries, please.

Chicken with fries.

It's a far cry from this.

Tonight, the company is encouraging

staff to take holidays until it can

meet the demand again.

KFC says its own employees will be

paid, but the large majority

of restaurants are franchises.

It just seems amazing.

I thought everything was pretty

much automated these

days and as they use

chicken, more's ordered.

Something has gone seriously wrong.

The company says it's working flat

out to rectify the problem.

But, for some, that is

little consolation.

Jon Kay, BBC News.

Football - and there has been a big

upset tonight in the fifth

round of the FA Cup.

Wigan Athletic from League One have

beaten the Premier League leaders,

Manchester City, by one goal to nil.

The only goal was

scored by Will Grigg.

Manchester City had been reduced

to ten men after Fabian Delph

was given a straight red card

for a tackle in the first half.

On Day 10 of the Winter Olympics

in South Korea, an anti-doping case

has been opened

against a Russian competitior.

Alexander Krushelnitsky,

who won Bronze in the curling,

was one of 168 Russian athletes

judged to be "clean".

He's suspected of using

a banned substance.

Meanwhile, Team GB's women's curling

team have been making progress

towards the medal rounds,

as Andy Swiss reports

from Pyeongchang.

The first ever bronze medal

in mixed doubles curling...

From delight to

a doping controversy.

Barely a week after celebrating

a bronze medal alongside his wife,

Anastasia, Alexander Krushelnitskiy

could now be stripped of it.

But his is a case with far

broader implications.

Bronze medallist Olympic

athletes from Russia...

Krushelnitskiy is Russian.

His country is banned

from these games because of...

Guess what?

A huge doping scandal.

Olympic organisers allowed him

and 160 other Russians

to compete as neutrals.

Now, though, it is an all

too familiar story.

There was very good pregames

testing, where, for example,

the Russian athletes were tested

to a significant level

more than others.

But when an athlete...

In the broadest sense,

when an athlete is caught

for doping, if caught,

it is extremely disappointing,

but it does show

that the system works.

Well, the decision to allow Russian

athletes to compete here,

albeit as neutrals, attracted

criticism before the Games,

so this positive test raises

some uncomfortable questions

for the Olympic authorities.

It's very frustrating that

halfway through the Games

those stories come back.

You don't want any positive

tests in any Olympics,

but for it to be an athlete

from a country that you were told

all the athletes would be clean,

it's hard news to take.

Away from the controversy

in the curling, there

was encouraging news

for Britain's teams.

Victories for both the men and women

boosting their hopes

of the semifinals.

On the snow, though,

Aimee Fuller's hopes here

came to a painful end.

The event is called big air,

but in this case, not quite enough.

She later posted this photo,

bruised, but thankfully no worse.

But the day's biggest drama

was in the two-man bobsleigh.

Oh, it's a dead heat!

It is a dead heat!

Canada and Germany sharing the gold.

On a difficult day for the games,

a welcome show of Olympic spirit.

It is now Tuesday morning in

Pyeongchang. The biggest drama today

could be in the speed skating. Will

Elise Christie be fit to race in the

1000 metres? She has crashed in both

of her events so far. The British

team will be hoping it just might be

third time lucky.

That's it.

Now on BBC one it's time

for the news where you are.