0:00:21 > 0:00:22Good evening.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Police have identified more than 200 witnesses,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28and are examining around 240 pieces of evidence, in the investigation
0:00:28 > 0:00:31into the attempted murder, of a former Russian spy
0:00:31 > 0:00:34and his daughter.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36The Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, chaired a meeting of
0:00:36 > 0:00:39the Government's emergency committee Cobra today, and says
0:00:39 > 0:00:42investigators are being given all the resources they need.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia are still in a critical
0:00:45 > 0:00:48condition, and the officer who tried to help them after the nerve
0:00:48 > 0:00:50agent attack, Nick Bailey, remains in hospital.
0:00:50 > 0:00:57Dominic Casciani reports.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01A vehicle designed to save lives, now posing a grave risk to the
0:01:01 > 0:01:05public. This was the scene at Salisbury and blends station this
0:01:05 > 0:01:09evening as chemical warfare specialists began the latest phase
0:01:09 > 0:01:14of this investigation. More than 180 military personnel now helping at
0:01:14 > 0:01:17counter-terrorism investigation that already includes more than 250
0:01:17 > 0:01:21detectives. This is the second major military operation in Salisbury in
0:01:21 > 0:01:2524 hours. Last night we saw them take away a police car from the
0:01:25 > 0:01:30hospital. Today they have taken away ambulances which were potentially
0:01:30 > 0:01:33contaminated last Sunday. Everybody is watching and waiting to see when
0:01:33 > 0:01:37this emergency will end. The nation is watching and waiting to find out
0:01:37 > 0:01:42who is behind this crime. Today, the second meeting any week for the
0:01:42 > 0:01:48government's emergency committee, Cobra.This investigation is focused
0:01:48 > 0:01:52on making sure we keep people safe as a priority. That is what the
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Cobra meeting was about. And also making sure that we collect all the
0:01:56 > 0:02:00evidence, so when it comes to attribution we will be absolutely
0:02:00 > 0:02:12clear where it Lee.The pizzeria where Sergei and Yulia Skripal dined
0:02:12 > 0:02:16is now quarantined. Today, the city's main cemetery was also closed
0:02:16 > 0:02:20to the public as officers examined the graves of Mr Skripal's wife and
0:02:20 > 0:02:23son. Today there was no change in his condition or that of his
0:02:23 > 0:02:30daughter. Still critical, still in intensive care. Wiltshire police
0:02:30 > 0:02:33released a statement on behalf of the third victim of the nerve agent,
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey. He said he and his family are hugely
0:02:38 > 0:02:40grateful for all the messages of support from the public, and
0:02:40 > 0:02:45colleagues from the police family. He was part of a group of officers
0:02:45 > 0:02:47and other emergency service colleagues who dealt with the
0:02:47 > 0:02:50initial incident. He doesn't consider himself a hero, he was
0:02:50 > 0:02:55really doing his job, a job he loves and is immensely proud of. Salisbury
0:02:55 > 0:03:02is a proud city. And trying to get on with normal life. Shoppers in the
0:03:02 > 0:03:05market and officials drawing up plan to help businesses affected by the
0:03:05 > 0:03:08police operation. But with more barriers going up tonight at the
0:03:08 > 0:03:12park with the emergency began, it may be weeks yet before it is all
0:03:12 > 0:03:17over. Those barriers I talked about have
0:03:17 > 0:03:21gone away again. It looks like police found it a bit of a struggle
0:03:21 > 0:03:26to fit them tonight. Let's see what happens. That shows how intensive
0:03:26 > 0:03:30this operation is. An awful lot of activity, a lot of painstaking work.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34At some point this city will be free of this investigation. At that point
0:03:34 > 0:03:40it will go behind the scenes as counterterrorism specialists pick up
0:03:40 > 0:03:43this evidential thread. Ultimately they will have two provide some
0:03:43 > 0:03:47answers as to who was behind this crime.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48Dominic, thank you. Dominic Oceania.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51The Education Secretary says he wants to resolve a recruitment
0:03:51 > 0:03:53crisis in England's schools, by cutting the work
0:03:53 > 0:03:55load of teachers.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Damian Hinds told a conference of head teachers that the government
0:03:58 > 0:04:01would "strip away" pointless tasks, so their staff can "focus
0:04:01 > 0:04:02on what actually matters".
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Here's Elaine Dunkley.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10This is Passmores Academy in Essex.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Like so many schools, it's struggling to recruit teachers.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Classrooms around the country are now relying
0:04:16 > 0:04:20on agency supply teachers to cover permanent vacancies.
0:04:20 > 0:04:26The government keeps missing targets about recruitment into the
0:04:26 > 0:04:30possession -- profession. We have 4000 less teachers than we need,
0:04:30 > 0:04:35especially in the key subjects, English, maths, science.The issue
0:04:35 > 0:04:38is not just about recruiting new staff but stopping existing teachers
0:04:38 > 0:04:42from leaving the profession. In the next five years, pupil numbers are
0:04:42 > 0:04:44expected to increase in England, along with pressures and demands on
0:04:44 > 0:04:54teachers.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00Planning, marking, assessments. The actual teaching part of it took of
0:05:00 > 0:05:06the least time. That was one major factor. I got out of the education
0:05:06 > 0:05:08system thinking and feeling the whole thing needed to be turned on
0:05:08 > 0:05:11its head.Today at a conference for headteachers, the government
0:05:11 > 0:05:17promised to address these issues. For the rest of this parliament they
0:05:17 > 0:05:20will be no new additional statutory tests for assessment for primary
0:05:20 > 0:05:25schools, no further changes to the national curriculum. And no more
0:05:25 > 0:05:31reform of GCSEs and A-levels. Stability in schools was the
0:05:31 > 0:05:35message. The government accepting it needed to work harder to relieve
0:05:35 > 0:05:39pressures in the classroom. Elaine Dunkley, BBC News.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Monitoring groups in Syria say more than a thousand people have been
0:05:42 > 0:05:44killed since government forces stepped up their bombardment
0:05:44 > 0:05:45of Eastern Ghouta three weeks ago.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Soldiers loyal to President Assad are reported to have made
0:05:48 > 0:05:50significant advances, and are believed to have cut off
0:05:50 > 0:05:58the biggest town in the area, Douma, as well as isolating another.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Talks have been taking place in Brussels between European Union
0:06:01 > 0:06:02and US trade representatives, over President Trump's plans
0:06:02 > 0:06:05to impose higher tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07The EU described the discussions as "frank", but said it wasn't clear
0:06:07 > 0:06:10whether Europe would be exempt from the proposals.
0:06:10 > 0:06:18Further talks are planned next week.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21With news of Ireland being crowned Six Nations champions,
0:06:21 > 0:06:26and all the sport, here's Olly Foster at the BBC Sport Centre.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Many things, Clive.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Ireland have won the Six Nations Championship with a game to spare.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33That's after their bonus point win against Scotland that England failed
0:06:33 > 0:06:39to match, despite beating France in the last few minutes.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42They lost 22-16 to France.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45From Dublin, here's our sports correspondent, Joe Wilson.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48This afternoon we didn't know how it would stop, only where it would
0:06:48 > 0:06:56start. The Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Scotland waiting. This way.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01Scotland's style fast and loose. When it fails, it can and tries to
0:07:01 > 0:07:03the opposition. Jacob Stockdale for Ireland. They give to safely
0:07:03 > 0:07:12delivered. Then came his sixth of this Six Nations. Earlier in the
0:07:12 > 0:07:18second have a Scotland move finally worked, Blair Kinghorn scoring. But
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Sean Cronin's dive over the line for Ireland was more significant, their
0:07:22 > 0:07:28fourth try, which not only ensured victory, Ireland had a bonus point
0:07:28 > 0:07:33as well. 28, eight in Dublin. After Paris. Elliot Daly's monster penalty
0:07:33 > 0:07:36was impressive but England needed more. They needed to match Ireland's
0:07:36 > 0:07:41result. They needed for tries. England were defending desperately.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44A high tackle from Anthony Watson, sin bin for him, France awarded a
0:07:44 > 0:07:51penalty try. Things were not going to plan. Understatement. A try came.
0:07:51 > 0:08:01A good one. Not enough. France won, sordid Ireland.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06Just to confirm, England can't catcher Ireland. Nobody can catch
0:08:06 > 0:08:12Ireland. There is intense satisfaction in Dublin this evening.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16But also anticipation because next weekend they could win the grand
0:08:16 > 0:08:19slam by beating England at Twickenham. I think some hasty
0:08:19 > 0:08:22travel plans are being made all around me right now.
0:08:22 > 0:08:29I'd imagine there will be. Joe Wilson, many thanks. West Ham
0:08:29 > 0:08:31are investigating the pitch invasions and crowd disturbances
0:08:31 > 0:08:36that marred their defeat to Burnley. Elsewhere in the Premier League,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Marcus Rashford scored both Manchester United goals as they beat
0:08:40 > 0:08:44Liverpool at Old Trafford. They remain second, 13 points behind
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Manchester City, who don't play until Monday night.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Patrick Geary reports. From the age of industry to the age of the
0:08:50 > 0:08:54selfie, Manchester and Liverpool have quarrelled. The row started
0:08:54 > 0:08:59about trade. These days these teams rely on imports. Jose Mourinho opted
0:08:59 > 0:09:04for some local produce. Marcus Rashford of Wythenshawe. Look what
0:09:04 > 0:09:08it meant for him to score. Rashford is England's great hope but hadn't
0:09:08 > 0:09:12started a league game for his club this year. He can consider this a
0:09:12 > 0:09:16chance taken. After the break, Liverpool started to fight back and
0:09:16 > 0:09:20felt they should have been given a hand. No penalty though. They did
0:09:20 > 0:09:27get some luck. An own goal macro. A mix-up to set off a big finish. The
0:09:27 > 0:09:36pressure mounted. Liverpool corner. Mo Salah over the bar. United know
0:09:36 > 0:09:40the title is heading across town to Manchester City. This was a day for
0:09:40 > 0:09:43their bit of Manchester. Patrick Geary, BBC News.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Great Britain have their first medal at the Winter Paralympics in
0:09:46 > 0:09:47South Korea.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Teenager Millie Knight with her guide, Brett Wild, took
0:09:49 > 0:09:51silver on the opening day of competition in the visually
0:09:51 > 0:09:52impaired downhill skiing in Pyeongchang.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Slovakia won gold, but Knight described their second place
0:09:55 > 0:09:56as "the best feeling in the world".
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Lots more on the BBC sport website, including all the Winter Paralympic
0:10:00 > 0:10:02results, and also details of the one
0:10:02 > 0:10:07day series win for England's cricketers against New Zealand.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09That's all for now. Clive. Ollie Foster there.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10That's it.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13There's more throughout the evening on the BBC News Channel,
0:10:13 > 0:10:31and I'll be back with the late News at Ten.