22/07/2017 BBC Weekend News

Great Ormond Street hospital says its staff are receiving death

threats and outrageous abuse over the Charlie Gard case.

It says doctors and nurses have faced a shocking

and disgraceful tide of hostility, with thousands of abusive messages

online and families of patients harassed in the street.

It comes as the High Court considers whether critically ill Charlie

would benefit from the experimental medical treatment demanded by his

As the US Congress prepares to question Donald Trump's family

over alleged collusion with Russia, the president insists he has

the authority to issue pardons for wrongdoing.

Boots says sorry, after initially rejecting calls to cut the price

And another milestone for British cycling, as Chris Froome

all but seals his fourth Tour de France title.

The hospital which is seeking to remove life support

from the seriously ill baby, Charlie Gard, has contacted

the police after staff received death threats.

Great Ormond Street Hospital said doctors and nurses had

faced a tide of abuse in the street and online.

It comes as the High Court is considering whether Charlie's

parents should be allowed to take him to the United States

That's opposed by the hospital, which argues that it's not

Our correspondent Laura Trant reports.

It's a case that's touched people around the world. Attracting a

growing number of campaigners who disagree with medical experts over

the treatment of a critically ill baby boy.

11-month-old Charlie Gard has a form of mitochondrial disease,

a condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and

His parents, Connie Yates and Chris Gard, want to take him

to the US for pioneering treatment, but Great Ormond Street Hospital

says it in Charlie's best interests to turn off his life-support

Tonight, the hospital said in a statement,

that their doctors and nurses have been subjected to a shocking

Staff have received abuse both in the street and online.

Thousands of abusive messages, they said, have been sent

to doctors and nurses, whose life's work is to

Many of these messages are menacing, including death threats.

The hospital has reported the abuse to the police.

It comes as the High Court decides on Charlie's future and a day

after the judge urged any campaigners outside the hospital

to respect the needs and wishes of sick children being treated

Put this into greater context for us, because you have been in court

following these proceedings. Yes, I was there yesterday when the judge

said protesters is not to harass anybody going into and out of the

hospital. And to bear in mind they could have a very sick child being

treated there. In recent days the judge has addressed the issue of

abuse against doctors and nurses. He said he's been told staff at Great

Ormond Street Hospital have been subjected to vile abuse and threats.

He warned perpetrators would be punished, if their identities became

known. He said he wanted that message to be heard loud and clear.

Tonight, Charlie's parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates have said: We

don't condone abusive or threatening behaviour to staff or anybody in

connection with our son. We too get abuse and have to endure nasty and

hurtful comments on a daily basis. People have different opinions and

we accept that. But there is a line this should not be crossed. It makes

a stressful situation worse and is upsetting for all involved.

Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, has commented this evening. He said

it's a sad and a complex case, but it's totally unacceptable for

dedicated doctors and nurses at one of our great NHS institutions that

they're suffering this level of abuse. On Monday, the High Court

will resume the hearing into Charlie Gard's future. And the judge has

said he hopes a decision will be reached by Tuesday. Laura, thank

you. Donald Trump has insisted

that he has complete authority It comes as investigators consider

whether he or his aides colluded with Russia,

during last year's The president's son, Donald Junior,

and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are due to be questioned

in Congress next week. Our Washington correspondent,

Laura Bicker, reports. Donald Trump hoped this week

would be a celebration of all that is made in America,

including this new state-of-the-art Instead he finds himself gearing up

for what could be one He's clearing the decks and finding

new staff to fight off claims the Kremlin helped him win the White

House. His core message has become engulfed

by the many investigations. Instead, this is the kind of sales

pitch he'd prefer Americans to hear. American steel and American hands

have constructed a 100,000-ton Donald Trump is upgrading his team

just as the investigation into whether or not Russia meddled

in the US presidential election has widened its scope,

to reportedly include The president is

thought to be furious. This inquiry is no longer outside

the White House gates. It's within his inner circle,

including his own family, who are due to give evidence

later this week. Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner

is one of his closest advisors, seen so often at his side,

but rarely heard. He has done some talking though,

to Russians, during the campaign. He'll be asked about that

in Congress on Monday. Donald Trump Junior is also

in discussions about testifying after it was revealed he met

with a Russian lawyer who'd offered incriminating information

about Hillary Clinton White House spokesman Sean Spicer

often struggled to convey the President's message amidst

the barrage of questions If the president puts

Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight,

somehow that's a I think it was in the best interests

of our communications department, of our press organisation,

to not have too many Because he reportedly didn't

want to work for this man. The slick, outspoken Wall Street

financier Anthony Scaramucci will now be in charge

of rebranding team Trump. He's described the enquiries

into his campaign's links He's getting combat ready,

just in case investigators Boots - the pharmacy chain -

has apologised for dismissing calls to cut the cost

of its contraceptive It had initially refused to drop

the price of the medicines because it claimed that doing

so would incentivise The British Pregnancy Advisory

Service launched its campaign with a video mocking the high prices

charged in the UK for They said it would be cheaper

to fly to France and buy Tesco and Superdrug

reduced their prices, but Boots refused to back down,

saying: There was a vigorous We would not want to be accused of

incentivising inappropriate use and provoking complaints by

significantly reducing the price of this product.

There was a vigorous campaign on social media calling for a boycott.

30 Labour women MPs sent a letter to the company yesterday saying

Boots was taking a moral position on what should be a personal

Then came a late-night change of heart.

In its statement, Boots said it was truly sorry

It said it was committed to finding cheaper forms of the drug.

It also said that emergency contraception services were freely

available on the NHS in many of its stores.

Campaigners said Boots had spectacularly

Our only disappointment is it's taken this long,

and the threat of a boycott by its customers for Boots

This was a position reached by Superdrug, Tesco far earlier.

But not everyone agrees with the decision by Boots.

Their original position was absolutely fine.

They were saying they did not want to encourage

And you have to remember, the morning after pill is a large

It's not something that needs to be taken like sweeties

One of the MPs that signed the letter yesterday said

on social media overnight, "Welcome news, but shame Boots

So far this year, more than 80,000 migrants

have arrived in Italy from across the Mediterranean -

The government in Rome is planning to house the new arrivals in towns

But the growing number of migrants is causing rising anger

And, as our correspondent James Reynolds reports from Sicily,

the towns themselves are resisting the plans.

This year, more than 90,000 migrants have landed in Italy.

Many, including these young men from west Africa,

are sent to stay in the country's smallest towns and villages.

The town of Torrenova, here at an emergency meeting,

has been told to take in around 20 migrants.

"I want guarantees," says retired teacher, Enzo Salvia.

"They want medical and criminal checks."

"They were already checked when they landed," argues this man.

"I don't think they will damage our country."

The Italian government is struggling find a solution that works.

It wants to scatter migrants as soon as they land here in big ports.

But that just shuffles the problem from built-up areas

It's not good because these here haven't been checked by a doctor.

The mayor of Castell'Umberto insists his small town can't cope

So the government has agreed to take these men back

TRANSLATION: I certainly don't want to become their hero.

They need someone else to defend them.

At night, amid cheers from volunteers, migrants

They barely know where they're going.

Italy's relocation plan, improvised and haphazard,

Now with news of all but certain victory for Chris Froome

in the Tour de France - and the rest of the day's sport -

here's Olly Foster at the BBC Sport Centre.

Barring something extraordinary, Chris Froome will win his fourth

The British rider extended his overall lead on the penultimate

stage and as is traditional, the yellow jersey holder won't be

challenged when the race finishes in Paris tomorrow.

Here's our sports news correspondent, Richard Conway.

It is known as the race of truth, for Chris Froome this is a race of

destiny. The start line is not a place to reflect on three gruelling

weeks of racing. He set off knowing his main rivals were within 30

seconds of his overall time. But his pace was significantly faster than

those trying to stop him, Rigoberto Uran of Colombia pushed himself to

the limit as he tried and failed to claw Froome back. For crowd

favourite Romain Bardet it was one stage too far. He crossed the line

with Froome chasing him home, a potent demonstration of the Briton's

dominance. He goes into the ceremonial final stage with a lead

of 54 seconds, knowing he will be crowned for the fourth time as

winner of cycling's most famous race. There have been ups and downs

over the last three weeks. I think it has been very much a grand tour

in the sense that it has been really about the three weeks and doing

those three weeks in the most conservative but efficient manner.

Chris Froome will tomorrow sip champagne as he and his fellow Team

Sky riders make their way into the French capital. It will be a fitting

finale for a man who has delivered yet another vintage year.

It was an emphatic time trialling performance by Chris Froome.

Nevertheless, this has been a close Tour De France. He's been pushed all

the way by his main rivals. Behind me Paris is getting ready to welcome

the peloton tomorrow. The grand stands are being built. The Champs

Elysees will soon be closed because tomorrow the Tour De France arrives

here and Chris Froome will be crowned champion once more.

After eight years, Tom Daley has won his second individual

He was 15 when he won his first and today was back to his best

in Budapest at the World Aquatics Championships.

Again, It came in the 10-metre platform, and he beat the Olympic

Daley also won silver today with Grace Reid in the three-metre

The American Jordan Spieth will take a three-shot lead

In favourable conditions, there was also a record below-par

score for a single round at a major championship but hopes

Our sports correspondent, Andy Swiss, is at Royal Birkdale.

The calm after the storm, Friday's deluge replaced by placid

perfection with for one early starter historic results.

No man had ever shot 62 at a major, until Branden Grace.

That suggested anything was possible, and overnight leader

Jordan Spieth promptly picked up where he'd left off.

Behind him, Rory McIlroy began in equally inspired style,

An erratic finish leaving him nine off the pace.

There was also disappointment for Ian Poulter - hopes of a home

Canada's Austin Connelly with surely the shot of the day.

But at the final hole, Spieth struck what could be a telling blow.

With a three shot lead over compatriot Matt Kuchar,

A day of astonishing scoring for some then,

But it ends as it began, with Jordan Spieth

Andy Swiss, BBC News, Royal Birkdale.

Finally, Great Britain's Sophie Hahn broke her own world record

to retain her 100-metre title at the World Para

Details of all tonight's winners in London are on the BBC Sport website.

An amateur poker player, who normally enjoys a ?10 game

at his local casino in Hull, is celebrating a win worth

?2 million at the world's most prestigious tournament in Las Vegas.

John Hesp, a 64-year-old caravan salesman, finished fourth

He's played poker for 20 years, but always as an amateur.

Despite his success in Sin City, he said he had no grand plans

My wife isn't that bothered about going away on holiday,

but we're quite happy to go away to our humble static caravan

in the Yorkshire Dales at Pateley Bridge, so that's

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

Hello. With few exceptions today turned into the day of the downpour,

with weather watcher pictures like