17/03/2018 BBC Weekend News

Good afternoon.

Russia says it will expel

23 British diplomats.

The move is one of the measures

in response to Britain's decision

to throw out the same number

of Russian officials

following the nerve agent

attack in Salisbury.

In the last hour, Theresa May says

Russia's response doesn't change

the facts of what happened.

Our correspondent, Sarah Rainsford,

is live in Moscow now.

That's right, we have heard more

strong language from Theresa May

today describing the poisoning in

Salisbury is an act of Russian

aggression. That is not how it looks

to officials here in Moscow, who

have been accusing the UK of Risse

phobia, and also saying that Russia

is innocent, insisting on Russia's

innocence and saying the UK is

guilty itself of an act of

provocation. -- guilty of

Russophobia.

Moscow took its time to respond.

Three days after the expulsion of

Russian diplomats, the British

ambassador here was summoned to the

Foreign Ministry. The meeting lasted

just minutes as officials handed

over a list of names and informed

Britain of the additional measures

Russia was taking. The ambassador

emerged to underline why relations

with Russia have plummeted to this

new low.

We will always do what is

necessary to defend ourselves, our

allies, and our values against an

attack of this sort, which is an

attack not only on the United

Kingdom, but upon the international

rules-based system upon which all

countries, including Russia, depend

for their safety and security.

The Russian sanctions

were then made public.

The decision to expel 23 British

diplomats was expected,

after Britain expelled 23 Russians

from the embassy in London.

Shutting down the British Consulate

in Russia's second city

of St Petersburg, though,

is an extra step.

And the British Council,

which fosters cultural

and educational ties

with the Russian people, will now be

forced to end all activity here.

Targeting the British Council will

affect Russian citizens, though, not

their government. It helps stage

British cultural events here, and

promotes language learning. Its work

was restricted, though, a decade ago

after the last crisis over the

poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.

Now Sergei Skripal, another former

Russian spy, has been poisoned, this

time by a nerve agent. Theresa May

has blamed Russia directly.

The

attempted assassination of two

people on British soil, for which

there is no alternative conclusion

other than that the Russian state

was culpable. It is Russia that is

in flagrant breach of international

law and the chemical weapons

Convention.

The response by the Foreign Ministry

here in Moscow is robust,

and it does go beyond the measures

announced in the UK.

But given the mood and the language

here in recent days,

Moscow might have gone even further.

Officials here called the poisoning

in Salisbury a provocation.

And they say comments linking

Vladimir Putin directly to attempted

murder are unforgivable.

But this row could yet escalate.

Moscow will continue to deny

everything, and officials here

warned they are ready to impose

further sanctions and match any

moves made by the UK. Sarah

Raynsford, BBC News, Moscow.

STUDIO:

Well, our Diplomatic Correspondent,

James Robbins, is with me now.

James, what's likely to happen next?

Theresa May has made clear that

Britain's response to this Russian

action, any action that Britain

might take in retaliation, will only

be decided after a meeting of the

National Security Council next week.

The council normally meets on

Tuesday. It could be changed, but

that's normal. We will wait to see

what they decide. On one level, this

is a tit-for-tat expulsion of 23,

the same number as was expelled from

London. On the other hand, it has

gone further with the consulate

closure in Saint Petersburg. Perhaps

most important of all in some

respects, the closure of British

Council operations in Russia. That

is the scientific, cultural and

educational soft power department,

if you like, agency. It teaches

thousands upon thousands of Russians

English through its classes. It has

a lot of outreach and is seen as a

real way of spreading Britain's idea

of democratic values across Russia.

That's quite a serious blow. I think

because of those extra moves, we

will have to wait and see whether

Britain things it has to go a little

bit further in its action.

James

Robbins, thank you very much indeed.

Police have launched a murder

investigation after two women

were shot and killed at a house

in East Sussex.

Officers responded to reports

of a shooting at an address

in St Leonards-on-Sea last night.

Two other women - including

one who is pregnant -

were taken to hospital

suffering from shock.

A 35-year-old man has been arrested

on suspicion of murder.

Forecasters say snow

could cause further

problems across swathes

of the UK this weekend.

Amber weather warnings have

been issued in parts

of England and Wales.

More than 70 flights have been

cancelled at Heathrow.

Live now to our correspondent

Sarah Walton, who's at Ainley Top

in West Yorkshire.

Battling the wind there, Sarah!

Yes,

that's right. The snow has been

falling in flurries throughout the

morning. Another little one is

starting now. It's lying on high

ground in places like here in West

Yorkshire. We are being warned this

is just the beginning and conditions

will get worse through the

afternoon, tonight and into tomorrow

morning. Those Amber weather

warnings mean that many places will

get about three centimetres of snow,

but there could be 10-15 centimetres

over the hills, and that will come

with strong winds. We are feeling

that a bit right now, but gusts of

70 mph predicted later and that

could cause problems. Blizzard

conditions and even some drifting

snow. Highways England warning

drivers to take extra care and leave

yourself extra time if you are

heading out on a journey. West

Yorkshire Police here asking drivers

to avoid roads over the Pennines and

high ground, we have already seen

closures and gritters out across the

county. We told the cold snap will

not last as long as three weeks ago.

It should be back to normal

temperature is for this time of year

by Tuesday. But before it gets

better, with those weather it will

get worse.

You have been warned.

The former FBI deputy

director, Andrew McCabe,

has accused the Trump administration

of acting with political malice

after he was fired just days before

he was due to retire.

An internal review said that

Mr McCabe leaked information

and misled investigators -

claims that he has denied.

President Trump called his sacking

a great day for democracy.

Our Washington correspondent,

Chris Buckler, reports.

As deputy director, Andrew McCabe

was heavily involved in some

of the FBI's most controversial

and politically contentious

investigations.

And it's one of those enquiries

that's led to his dismissal.

In 2016, as Hillary Clinton

was running for president,

she was being investigated

because of questions about e-mails

she received on a private server

while she was US Secretary of State.

Mr McCabe authorised information

to be given to the media.

Something the Department of Justice

said he was not entitled to do.

And an internal FBI investigation

found he had not been completely

honest when asked about it.

Firing him, the US Attorney General

Jeff Sessions said: "The FBI expects

every employee to adhere

to the highest standards of honesty,

integrity and accountability."

But Andrew McCabe says he's been

sacked for political reasons,

and he claims that President Trump

brought much of that pressure.

In a lengthy statement,

he accused the White House

of declaring war on both the FBI

and the special counsel's

investigation into allegations

of Russian interference

in the election two years ago.

It's less than a year

since his boss - the former FBI

director James Comey -

was fired by President Trump.

And Mr McCabe claims

what he witnessed then was another

reason for his dismissal.

Andrew McCabe had served more

than 20 years in the FBI.

But just over 24 hours

before his retirement

and his 50th birthday,

he's been sacked in the full

glare of publicity.

Chris Buckler, BBC News, Washington.

With all the sport,

here's John Acres at

the BBC Sport Centre.

Starting with rugby...

We've reached the climax of this

year's Six Nations Championship.

Three matches today,

including a huge game at Twickenham.

Ireland are looking to complete

the Grand Slam, but England

have a record to defend.

Our sports correspondent

Joe Wilson is there.

And Joe, this is a hard

one to call, isn't it?

A huge game for both teams for

different reasons.

Absolutely. I

think so, John. The first thing I

saw when I came in to Twickenham

this morning was an advert for cold

beer. I think it's very much a hot

chocolate kind of day. You might be

able to see the pitch markings

behind me, the lines painted blue,

very unusual to see that, but it's

in anticipation of more snowfall

here today. Ireland come here

knowing that whatever happens in

this game they are the Six Nations

champions and will be paraded around

Twickenham with the trophy. But what

lies ahead possibly for them is a

rarity, a precious Grand Slam,

perfect Six Nations. They have only

done that twice ever. They come into

the game on a record of consecutive

wins, with continuity and

confidence. In contrast, England

have back-to-back defeats. They have

picked a team by their own

admission, just to try to win this

game, recalling players just try to

beat Ireland in the match. Remember,

just a few weeks ago England were

talking about Eddie Jones being gone

a long-term contract and building to

the World Cup, continuity, but the

future for them is just trying to

get through this game. England

suddenly need the oxygen of victory.

And let's say, before the game

starts, from both sides.

Everyone is

aware of the significance it has for

Irish rugby and this group of

players. But, yes, there's nervous

energy, but it's very exciting. You

want to pick yourself against the

best teams.

No team is perfect in

the world. Rugby is an imperfect

game. Every team has a certain area

of weaknesses, and we have to be

good enough to exploit those areas

of weakness.

The first game of the

day is already under way. How

Scotland getting along against

Italy?

Knowing the way Scotland have

played through this Six Nations,

which is fast and loose, perhaps we

shouldn't be surprised that have

been tries galore already in Rome.

Two of them for Italy before

Scotland could respond. Its seven --

it's 17-12 a few minutes ago as they

approach half-time. Scotland playing

a brave and risky type of rugby, but

if they can come away with a win

from Italy, and a bonus point

victory, they will look back on this

Six Nations with some satisfaction.

Wales are in pole position to finish

second going into their five BM

kick-off against France. And the

French have some confidence of their

own after beating the English last

weekend.

ParalympicsGB are still one short

of their medal target,

after the penultimate day

of the Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

Scott Meenagh finished 14th

in the cross country event and

James Whitley was

10th in the slalom.

Britain have won five medals so far,

all in the visually impaired skiing,

and the three British pairs

will race again tomorrow.

Tottenham are leading Swansea 2-0

at half-time in the first

of the day's FA Cup quarterfinals.

Christian Eriksen put them ahead

after just 11 minutes.

Erik Lamela doubled their lead

just before half time.

The odds are definitely stacked

in Tottenham's favour.

They're unbeaten in their last 15

games against Swansea -

that's a run going back to 1991.

That's all the sport for now.

Back to you.

The next news on BBC One

is at the later than usual time

of 7:00pm this evening.

Goodbye.