28/05/2016 BBC Weekend News

An appeal for the Rio Olympics to be postponed due to the Zika Virus

is dismissed by the World Health Organisation.

Medical experts have warned thousands of visitors could help

But health officials insist precautions are in place.

These Games should go ahead as planned and we should continue to

work to make sure they're as safe as possible.

Boris Johnson and Michael Gove tell the Prime Minister he can't

keep his promise to limit immigration, while

Dozens of children are injured - some critically - after lightning

strikes a birthday picnic in Paris and a football match in Germany.

And Hull City return to the Premier League,

after winning the most lucrative match in world football.

A warning, from more than 100 medical experts,

that the Rio Olympics should be postponed, or moved from Brazil,

has been rejected by the World Heath Organisation.

The scientists say the mosquito-borne Zika virus,

which is linked to severe birth defects, is out of

They've warned that the half million visitors due in Rio in ten weeks'

time could help spread the virus around the world.

But World Health officials insist the necessary

Our correspondent Will Ross reports.

Less than ten weeks to go, till the world's best

athletes are here in Rio, competing for medals.

A huge amount of work goes into hosting the Olympic Games.

As the organisers scramble to get everything ready, they're

also fighting a major public health emergency,

Tens of thousands of cases of the Zika virus, linked

And now 150 scientists and experts say it would be unethical

They say there's a risk of the Olympics accelerating

the spread of the virus, especially in malarial areas

where there are high numbers of mosquitoes.

They warn that the strain in Brazil has more serious

medical consequences than was previously known.

Half a million visitors are expected in August.

It's not people coming from the UK or from the Netherlands.

It's people coming from low income countries where malaria is endemic,

taking it back to places in India, south Asia, Africa,

where there is already malaria and a chance of it becoming endemic

There's no known vaccine or cure for Zika.

Though most people who get it only have mild symptoms, it's suspected

of leading to thousands of babies being born

In a letter, the group of scientists say efforts to eradicate

the mosquitoes that carry the virus have failed.

Zika has now reached almost 60 countries.

The World Health Organisation says it's bound to keep spreading,

but there's no need to change the date or the venue

Based on a very careful risk assessment and all the information

we've gathered so far about this disease, these Games should go ahead

as planned and we should continue to work to make sure they're

The British Olympic hopefuls won't be slowing down their preparations.

Some have already been to Rio for a training camp.

They're taking the health care seriously and avoiding

We've just got to make sure we're on top of things and make sure

they're doing what they want us to do as far as following the

Make sure we're protecting ourselves, protecting each other.

The Olympic torch is already making its way to Rio and billions

have already been spent on construction and

After political turmoil, this is another blow for Brazil.

But it seems unlikely that the Games will be halted at this late stage.

How confident are officials there that they have the Zika

Well, authorities here are giving reassurances that things are under

control and the Games will go ahead as planned. They're highlighting for

instance that the Games will happen in August, it's wintertime here in

Brazil. That's when the, it's low season for the mosquito that spreads

the virus. That would mean there's the least risk for the disease to be

transmitted. Also that there will be a lot more inspections held in all

the areas surrounding the venues, where the Games will be held, to

protect all these areas. But people here highlight the fact that the

World Health Organisation gives advice aiming specifically at

pregnant women. Pregnant women should refrain from travelling to

places with the Zika virus, places like Brazil and their partners

should take extra precautions as well. It's not an advice for other

visitors to change their plans to travel and authorities here are

reliant on that to say that it's still OK to come to Rio. You know

Rio has invested around $10 billion to organise for the Games. Everyone

that I've been speaking to here say that it's just unthinkable to

imagine the Games being taken away from Rio at this stage.

Thank you. Russia has said that

eight of its athletes, who competed at the London Olympics,

are among those who have tested Yesterday the International Olympic

Committee revealed that 23 competitors from six countries had

failed new tests, after samples they gave at the time of

the London Games were re-assessed. Boris Johnson and Michael Gove have

written an open letter to the Prime Minister telling him

that his promise to limit immigration can never be kept,

while Britain remains The letter, which is published

in tomorrow's Sunday Times, warns David Cameron that the failure

to honour the pledge is corroding Our political correspondent

Eleanor Garnier has spent the day with members of the Leave campaign

in Kent. Hello. Nice to see you. The big

names campaigning for vote Leave in Maidstone today. Illegal

immigrants... Immigration once again at the heart of the campaign. This

family telling the Employment Minister they're unhappy with

illegal immigrants. I guess in Kent you see more of it as well. It's

such a big issue here. Yeah, of course. To Dover and the tunnel and

things of that nature. Tonight the stakes in the immigration debate

were raised with the Tories, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, as well as

a Labour MP directly challenging David Cameron in an open letter. In

it they said, voters were promised repeatedly at elections that net

migration could be cut to the tens of thousands. This promise, they

add, is plainly not achievable as long as the UK is a member of the EU

and the failure to keep it is corrosive of public trust in

politics. This minister agrees, telling me the

Prime Minister's pledge is unachievable. Our hands are tied.

Because our membership of the European Union. Europe is

effectively dictating this Government's immigration policy. We

need to take back control of our borders and our policy. The only way

to do that is by leaving the European Union. With senior Tories

on different sides of the debate, this direct challenge to David

Cameron exposes the deepening and damaging divisions in the party,

just as the pace of the campaign picks up.

Earlier today, calling for Britain to stay in the EU, Labour's Shadow

Chancellor dismissed concerns over immigration. The issue around

migration has been used on the doorstep to frighten people. We

benefit from the free movement of people right the way across Europe,

workers abroad and people living abroad as well. We've got to

recognise our future is in Europe. A Number Ten source called the vote

Leave letter a transparent attempt to distract What Do You Mean they

said was the overwhoming majority of eeconomists and businesses who argue

leaving the EU would be disastrous for jobs and opportunities. It's

immigration and the economy that will likely dominate the last few

weeks of the campaign. 100 years ago, more than 8,000

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 century on, a ceremony

to remember a 36-hour battle We come together today,

in remembrance and Thanksgiving, to honour all naval personnel

who served in the battle of Jutland. On the 31 May, 1916, and June 1,

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 Though it was indecisive,

it significantly weakened the German navy and changed the course

of the war. Relatives of those who

fought and died came Among them was Elizabeth Dixon,

her father, on the left here, But her uncle Archie,

just 16 at the time, was killed. I think it's very important

to commemorate, because always the tradition of commemoration

and the rituals of commemoration are important,

because they're healing. A series of commemorations

will culminate on Tuesday, 100 years to the day

since the battle began. 11 people - most of them children -

were struck by lightning while at a birthday picnic in a park

in Paris today. Six are in a critical

condition tonight. Police say they were hit

after seeking shelter under a tree And in Germany 35 people

were reported injured, three seriously, when lightning

struck a football pitch. The game's referee is among those

who were badly hurt. Lightning strikes in France and

Germany have caused serious injuries. Here in Paris, this little

boy was taken to hospital, along with several other children, after

being caught in a violent thunder storm. They were hit by lightning in

a park. Emergency workers treated the injured at the scene. The group

were celebrating, when the lightning hit. It's thought they took shelter

from the rain under a tree. The lightning struck here inside the

park in Paris. It's a popular place for families to spend time at the

weekend. Now it's been temporarily closed off to the public. An

off-duty fireman, who was walking in the park at the time, rushed to the

scene. He alerted the authorities and administered first aid before

the emergency services arrived. TRANSLATION: I discovered a group of

ten people, who were lying on the ground under a tree. I immediately

saw that one of the children was suffering cardiac arrest. The

casualties were taken to hospitals nearby. Back at the park, locals are

trying to take in what happened. With all the sport,

here's Katherine Downes Good evening. Hull City will play in

the Premier League again next season. They won the championship

play-off final against Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley, which comes

with a reward of at least ?170 million.

Two teams, one match, the greatest financial prize in football. Hull

City against Sheffield Wednesday for a play in next season's Premier

League and the unprecedented rich that's come with it. Hull were

relegated from the top flight just 12 months ago and dominated

opponents who've not been there in 16 years. Wednesday were saved by

their goalkeeper, some poor finishing and the wood work. If the

distance between these Yorkshire clubs is fairly small, the gap

between them on the pitch was beginning to grow. Wednesday's only

comforta the scoreline, Hull failing time and again to hit the target.

But they kept pushing for a winner their dominance deserved. A strike

was produced befitting the stain. A goal worthy of befitting glory.

Steve Bruce becomes the first manager to win four promotions to

the Premier League. But this one is perhaps the most valuable.

Real Madrid have won the Champions League for the 11th time. They beat

their rivals Atletico Madrid in the final. 1-11 after extra time. It

went to penalties. The winner was scored by Ronaldo.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill has named his 23 man squad

for the European Championships. Wigan striker Will Grigg is one of

those who made the squad. He was among the scorers as Northern

Ireland extended their unbeaten run to 11 games last night.

England and Wales both named their final squads on Tuesday.

Saracens have beaten Exeter in Rugby Union's Premiership final at

Twickenham to seal a European and domestic double. Exeter had fought

back, but a late Saracens try put the game out of their reach.

The biggest game in English rugby, Saracens wanting to add the

Premiership trophy to their cabinet alongside the European Cup. New

territory for the Exeter Chiefs. They've played at Twickenham before,

but never in a match this big. Saracens are more used to performing

on the grand stage and that showed. Two tries in two minutes from Duncan

Taylor and Chris Wyles gave them control of the first half. Exeter

regrouped and grappled their way back into contention. Somewhere in

there a try that gave them hope. The Chiefs have only been in the

Premiership for six years, but in the second half, they showed they're

here to stay at this level. The gap down to three points with seven

minutes to go. Saracens could have tried to run down the clock. Instead

they proved that they are the irresistible force in Northern

Hemisphere rugby. Alex Good clinching the first

Premiership and European double for 12 years.

England's cricketers are in complete control of the second Test against

Sri Lanka after first dominating with the bat and then taking eight

Sri Lankan wickets. Ali was to thank for the first innings total of 498.

He hit an unbeaten 155 and then watched as James Anderson, Stuart

Broad and Chris woks took wickets as Sri Lanka collapsed to just 91-8 by

the close of play. British number two Bedene is out of

the French Open tennis. He was beaten by world number one, Novak

Djokovic, hoping for a first title at Roland Garros to complete his

career Grand Slam. Great Britain have taken the Silver

Medal in the team event at the European gymnastics championships.

They were beat ton gold narrowly by Russia. They finished well clear of

the hosts in third. And Red Bull's Daniel Riccardo will

start the Monaco Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes team-mates. Hamilton once

again struggled with technical difficulties and managed just one

quick qualifying lap. The winner of the last race, 18-year-old Max

Verstappen crashed. That's all the sport. Back to you.

You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.

Good evening. Many of us have had a largely