0:00:04 > 0:00:09Russia expels 23 British diplomats, in the stand off with the UK over
0:00:09 > 0:00:14the poisoning of a former Russian spy.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17After Britain's ambassador in Moscow is told the news,
0:00:17 > 0:00:19he defends No 10's decision to earlier expel Russian
0:00:19 > 0:00:24diplomats from London.
0:00:24 > 0:00:30We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves, our allies and
0:00:30 > 0:00:35our values against an attack of this sort.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Police have issued this picture of Sergei Skripal's car,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and renewed an appeal for witnesses who may have seen it,
0:00:40 > 0:00:41on the day he was attacked.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Following today's Russian expulsions, Theresa May says Britain
0:00:44 > 0:00:46will announce its next move, after consulting with allies.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Also on the programme.
0:00:50 > 0:00:58US officials investigate claims that a political consultancy mishandled
0:00:59 > 0:01:02the data of millions of Facebook users, to support President Trump's
0:01:02 > 0:01:032016 election campaign.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05And it's a perfect St Patrick's Day for Ireland -
0:01:05 > 0:01:08as they beat England in the Six Nations to
0:01:08 > 0:01:16as they beat England in the Six Nations to win the Grand Slam.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31Good evening.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Russia says it will expel 23 British diplomats,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36in response to Britain's decision to throw out the same number
0:01:36 > 0:01:38of Russian officials, following the nerve agent
0:01:38 > 0:01:39attack in Salisbury.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Theresa May says the government had anticipated the Kremlin's move,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44and is considering its next steps.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Our correspondent Steve Rosenberg reports from Moscow.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52He'd been expecting the telephone call, and today it came.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56Britain's ambassador was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59And in the skyscraper that Josef Stalin built
0:01:59 > 0:02:02as a symbol of a superpower, the ambassador was told how Moscow
0:02:02 > 0:02:06would retaliate for UK sanctions.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09A note of defiance when he left.
0:02:09 > 0:02:15We will always do what is necessary to defend ourselves,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18our allies and our values against an attack of this sort.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Which is an attack not only on the United Kingdom
0:02:20 > 0:02:22but upon the international rules-based system
0:02:22 > 0:02:24on which all countries, all countries, including Russia,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26depend, for their safety and security.
0:02:26 > 0:02:27Thank you.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32The ambassador headed into work, to tell embassy staff
0:02:32 > 0:02:35about the Russian sanctions.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Moscow says they are a response to British provocation.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44Russia has expelled 23 British diplomats.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The UK had expelled 23 Russians over the nerve agent attack in Salisbury.
0:02:48 > 0:02:55The authorities here are shutting down the British Consulate in St
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Consulate in St Petersburg, and the British Council,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59which promotes UK culture abroad,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01will now be forced to end all activity in Russia.
0:03:01 > 0:03:07Moscow says the language coming out of London was a factor in deciding
0:03:07 > 0:03:09what sanctions to announce.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11TRANSLATION:The British Prime Minister insults
0:03:11 > 0:03:13us and threatens us.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Her foreign and defence secretaries insult us.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20They talk to Russia as if they are drunk in a pub.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24So what the UK got from us today is the result of this loutishness
0:03:24 > 0:03:25and their groundless accusations.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Not so, said Theresa May.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Russia's response doesn't change the facts of the matter.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35The attempted assassination of two people on British soil,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38for which there was no alternative conclusion other
0:03:38 > 0:03:41than that the Russian state was culpable.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Relations between Moscow and London have not been this
0:03:45 > 0:03:50fractured since the Cold War.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53The expulsion of 23 British diplomats, that was expected.
0:03:53 > 0:04:01That is traditional tit-for-tat.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06But the shutting down of the consulate and the activities
0:04:06 > 0:04:08of the British Council, that feels like a challenge
0:04:08 > 0:04:09to the British Government.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11And the Russians have said that if Britain responds with more
0:04:11 > 0:04:14measures against Moscow, then Russia will respond with more
0:04:14 > 0:04:15sanctions against the UK.
0:04:15 > 0:04:16The danger now is a spiral of confrontation.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Steve Rosenberg, BBC News, Moscow.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Our diplomatic correspondent James Robbins is at the Foreign
0:04:21 > 0:04:26Office for us tonight.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31James, what do you believe Britain's options are, in response to the
0:04:31 > 0:04:36expulsions announced today by the Kremlin?While it is clear that
0:04:36 > 0:04:41Theresa May and her ministers face a dilemma. She has made clear they
0:04:41 > 0:04:46will consider the issue of possible further sanctions. Probably next
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Tuesday when the National Security Council has its regular weekly
0:04:49 > 0:04:54meeting. The dilemma is, do they interpret the expulsion of 23
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Britons from Russia as a simple tit-for-tat parody or do they think
0:04:58 > 0:05:11the Russians have gone too far by adding the closure
0:05:14 > 0:05:16of the consulate of Saint Petersburg and perhaps more significantly the
0:05:16 > 0:05:18complete closure of British Council operations in Russia. That is
0:05:18 > 0:05:20significant because it is the way Britain exports its rallies as well
0:05:20 > 0:05:23as the English language into Russia. It has a huge reach, lot of young
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Russian teenagers and young adults. It is seen ever way of appealing to
0:05:26 > 0:05:28the post-beating generation, -- seen as a way of appealing to them,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32trying to export values they may miss it on. So losing the Council is
0:05:32 > 0:05:37a major blow, how will Britain respond?Indeed. Thank you James at
0:05:37 > 0:05:39the Foreign Office.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41And police in Salisbury have renewed their appeal for witnesses,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43following the poisoning of Sergei Skripal
0:05:43 > 0:05:44and his daughter Yulia.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Around 400 people have been interviewed so far,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48and investigators are trawling through 4000 hours of CCTV footage.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52Health officials say Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54who was exposed to the nerve agent, is making progress in
0:05:54 > 0:05:55hospital.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00Duncan Kennedy has the latest from Salisbury.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02The tempo and scope of the police operation across Salisbury remains
0:06:02 > 0:06:05intense and widespread.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Today police issued their first official photo of Sergei Skripal's
0:06:07 > 0:06:13BMW, whose movements they want to trace.
0:06:13 > 0:06:20In their most comprehensive timeline to date, the police now say the car
0:06:20 > 0:06:23was first seen at 9:15am on Sunday, March 4th, in the London
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Road area of the city.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28At 1:30pm it is spotted on Devizes Road.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Ten minutes later the car arrives at Sainsbury's and Sergei
0:06:32 > 0:06:36and Yulia go to the Mill pub.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41At 2:20pm they visited the Zizzi restaurant.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43And then nearly two hours later they're found violently
0:06:43 > 0:06:45ill on a nearby bench.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49It's nearly two weeks since the Skripals left their home
0:06:49 > 0:06:51here, and today the police revealed the full extent of
0:06:51 > 0:06:53their investigation.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55They've interviewed around 400 witnesses, gathered nearly
0:06:55 > 0:06:57800 pieces of evidence, and are trawling through 4000
0:06:57 > 0:07:04hours of CCTV footage.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Today the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was in Newcastle
0:07:07 > 0:07:13and repeated his call for more information on the nerve agent.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17The origins of the nerve gas appear to be Russian, yes.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20That is why I have said the issue should be referred
0:07:20 > 0:07:22to the Chemical Weapons Convention and we should challenge
0:07:22 > 0:07:26the Russian government on it.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28The nerve agent was identified at Porton Down near Salisbury.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32The Russians have denied involvement.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35But Downing Street has now invited chemical weapons experts to carry
0:07:35 > 0:07:37out independent tests.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40It is likely that a team will come over to Porton Down.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Theoretically they could do the analysis at the Porton laboratories.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47I suspect what is more likely is they will take
0:07:47 > 0:07:49samples away back to The Hague.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Health officials said today they welcome the progress
0:07:52 > 0:07:55being made by Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was affected by the nerve agent.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Sergei and Yulia Skripal remain in a critical but stable condition.
0:07:57 > 0:08:05Duncan Kennedy, BBC News, in Salisbury.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11The Attorney General in the US state of Massachusetts
0:08:11 > 0:08:13is to begin an investigation into claims that information
0:08:13 > 0:08:16from millions of Facebook users may have been used by a data
0:08:16 > 0:08:18company during the 2016 US presidential election.
0:08:18 > 0:08:19A former employee of Cambridge Analytica
0:08:19 > 0:08:21claims that 50 million profiles were accessed.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22The two companies deny any wrongdoing.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28With me is our Business Correspondent, Joe Lynam.
0:08:28 > 0:08:34Joe what is the background to this? This is fiendishly complicated, bear
0:08:34 > 0:08:39with me. It started with the creation of an app by the University
0:08:39 > 0:08:43of Cambridge which harvested Facebook profiles and friends of
0:08:43 > 0:08:47people. Potentially millions of people's data was passed to this
0:08:47 > 0:08:50company called Cambridge Analytica. Facebook ordered Cambridge Analytica
0:08:50 > 0:08:54to delete all this personal information but in the last 24 hours
0:08:54 > 0:08:59they have said that not all that information was deleted. This is why
0:08:59 > 0:09:04they have suspended this company. A whistle-blower has alleged that 50
0:09:04 > 0:09:08million Facebook profiles were harvested from this specific app,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12used to target very specific messages during the 2016
0:09:12 > 0:09:17presidential election in a river of Trump and against Hillary Clinton.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21-- in favour of Trump. So the Attorney General for Massachusetts
0:09:21 > 0:09:25is investigating. She says the residents of the state deserve and
0:09:25 > 0:09:28is immediately. On this side of the Atlantic the information
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Commissioner's office has said it is also investigating the circumstances
0:09:32 > 0:09:37in which the Facebook data may have been illegally acquired and used for
0:09:37 > 0:09:41political purposes. Facebook has flatly denied that there has been a
0:09:41 > 0:09:48data breach. It says its new users have knowingly provided all the
0:09:48 > 0:09:52information, its systems had not been traded. And Cambridge Analytica
0:09:52 > 0:09:57says any information acquired by the app is not used in the 2016 election
0:09:57 > 0:10:03and that it only receives and uses data obtained legally and fairly.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Thank you Joe.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Forecasters say snow could cause further problems, across large parts
0:10:07 > 0:10:10of the UK this weekend.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Amber weather warnings have been issued in England and Wales,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15and more than one hundred flights have been cancelled
0:10:15 > 0:10:16today at Heathrow.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18The so called "mini beast from the east,"
0:10:18 > 0:10:21swept in overnight.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24This is the scene in Dartford this evening where snow and ice alerts
0:10:24 > 0:10:30are still in place.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32The Met Office says snow showers
0:10:32 > 0:10:34will become more frequent later, and weather warnings will remain
0:10:34 > 0:10:35in place until tomorrow afternoon.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38The former FBI deputy director, Andrew McCabe, has accused the Trump
0:10:38 > 0:10:39administration of acting with political malice
0:10:39 > 0:10:43after he was fired just days before he was due to retire.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47An internal review said that Mr McCabe leaked information
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and misled investigators, claims he has denied.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55President Trump called his sacking a great day for democracy.
0:10:55 > 0:11:01Let's go live now to our Washington correspondent, Chris Buckler.
0:11:01 > 0:11:07Chris, clearly Mr McCabe has decided he will not go quietly?Yes, Andrew
0:11:07 > 0:11:12McCabe was fired by the Attorney General, not President Trump
0:11:12 > 0:11:16directly. But he says it was a direct result of presidential
0:11:16 > 0:11:22pressure and intended not just to take him but to discredit the FBI
0:11:22 > 0:11:26law enforcement agencies and the investigation of the special console
0:11:26 > 0:11:30into allegations of Russian interference in the presidential
0:11:30 > 0:11:35election M26 Dean. Certainly President Trump has been celebrating
0:11:35 > 0:11:40his dismissal on Twitter. -- 2016. His personal attorney has given a
0:11:40 > 0:11:45statement saying that he feels, after this firing that the special
0:11:45 > 0:11:55counsel investigation should be
0:11:58 > 0:12:01brought to an end. Although he did make it clear that that was his view
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and not part of his client. Nevertheless the inquiry will
0:12:03 > 0:12:06continue and we understand it now has memos capped by Andrew McCabe of
0:12:06 > 0:12:07conversations he had with President Trump and indeed about events
0:12:07 > 0:12:10surrounding the firing of his boss, FBI director James Comey. This has
0:12:10 > 0:12:13the potential to get nasty, with that in mind I'll give you a quote
0:12:13 > 0:12:18from the former director Joe Brennan. He says, you may scapegoat
0:12:18 > 0:12:22Andy McCabe but you will take your place as a disgraced demagogue in
0:12:22 > 0:12:27the dustbin of history. Fighting words.Thank you, Chris.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30With all the sport, here's Karthi at the BBC Sport Centre.
0:12:30 > 0:12:31Good evening, Clive.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Ireland's head coach, Joe Schmidt, praised his side for their class
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and courage after beating England in rugby union's Six Nations to win
0:12:36 > 0:12:39the Grand Slam for only the third time in their history.
0:12:39 > 0:12:44Already Six Nations champions, a clinical performance saw Ireland
0:12:44 > 0:12:51win by 24 points to 15 at Twickenham as Joe Wilson reports.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53If you missed Ireland's progress, here is a recap.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56First there was France and a last-minute drop goal.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57Then we thrashed Italy.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58Come on, the boys!
0:12:58 > 0:12:59And then Ireland beat Wales in Dublin.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Yay!
0:13:01 > 0:13:03We scored four tries to beat Scotland.
0:13:03 > 0:13:09Four tries!
0:13:09 > 0:13:10And I've just left Twickenham.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12And here we were aiming for the grand slam,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Ireland hoofed the ball towards the London snowflakes.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18England's Anthony Watson was under it, or was he?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Whose hands put pressure on the ball to the turf?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Ringrose's for Ireland.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Try for Ireland and another followed.
0:13:23 > 0:13:2514-0 down, England had to respond.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28And here it came.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29Farrell's kick, Daley's finish.
0:13:29 > 0:13:30The home side had something.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34Something.
0:13:34 > 0:13:35But watch Jacob Stockdale.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Ireland's super kid.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Kick and dash.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41He had to reach the ball before the blue line, coloured in
0:13:41 > 0:13:42case of snow.
0:13:42 > 0:13:48England had extended the pitch, perfect for this.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Stockdale's seventh try of this Six Nations,
0:13:50 > 0:13:55and that is a record.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Eddie Jones could see his first Twickenham defeat
0:13:57 > 0:13:58with England coming.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01England added tries in the second half but never got close to winning.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Ireland's Grand Slam, a perfect Six Nations
0:14:03 > 0:14:04completed here, never better.
0:14:04 > 0:14:10It is a special day for everyone involved with Irish rugby
0:14:10 > 0:14:13and to be here and celebrate it and to top it off with winning
0:14:13 > 0:14:15somewhere like this.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18This is a fortress, a really tough place to go and it is a
0:14:18 > 0:14:24sign of a champion team to come here and do that.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Right now Irish Rugby Union is the envy of Europe and not
0:14:27 > 0:14:29just because of these scenes of celebration at Twickenham.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31The challenge for these players is to be
0:14:31 > 0:14:32world champions next autumn.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Standing here right now, that seems very possible.
0:14:34 > 0:14:40Joe Wilson, BBC News, at Twickenham.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Wales finish the Six Nations in second place behind champions
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Ireland, after just beating France by one point.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Liam Williams scored the only Wales try of the game
0:14:50 > 0:14:55but their third home win earned Wales a hard fought 14-13 victory.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00Scotland won their final game of this campaign but it took a 79th
0:15:00 > 0:15:03minute Greg Laidlaw penalty to give them a 29-27 victory over Italy.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07It was Scotland's first away win in the championship for two years.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11This is the final Six Nations table with Ireland as
0:15:11 > 0:15:13champions at the top.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Wales and Scotland in second and third place.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Eddie Jones' England in fifth place, their lowest finish since
0:15:17 > 0:15:21the Six Nations began.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Now, Match of the Day and FA Cup highlights follow soon on BBC One
0:15:24 > 0:15:28so it is time to pop out of the room if you don't want to
0:15:28 > 0:15:29know today's results.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Mohamed Salah scored four goals this evening
0:15:32 > 0:15:34as Liverpool beat Watford 5-0.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Salah is the Premier League's top scorer with 28 goals so far.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Jurgen Klopp's side is now in third place in the table.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44At the other end of the table, West Brom are edging closer
0:15:44 > 0:15:47to relegation after a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49Stoke City are just above West Brom in 19th
0:15:49 > 0:15:52place but they also lost today, beaten 2-1 by Everton.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54While Crystal Palace moved out
0:15:54 > 0:15:58of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win over Huddersfield.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Tottenham have booked their place in the semi finals of the FA Cup
0:16:01 > 0:16:06after a 3-0 win over Swansea City.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07Mauricio Pochettino's side are targeting a first
0:16:07 > 0:16:11trophy in ten years.
0:16:11 > 0:16:16Kristin Eriksson scored twice and Manchester United are also through
0:16:16 > 0:16:19after a 2-0 win over Brighton.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21In the Scottish Premiership, second placed Rangers were beaten
0:16:21 > 0:16:221-0 by Kilmarnock.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Graeme Murty's side are nine points behind leaders, Celtic.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Hearts were 3-0 winners over struggling Partick Thistle.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29All three of the Hearts goals were scored in
0:16:29 > 0:16:30the first half of the game.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Elsewhere Aberdeen beat Dundee, while Ross County
0:16:32 > 0:16:34and Hamilton drew 2-2.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37The rest of the day's sports news is on the BBC website
0:16:37 > 0:16:41including the latest from the Winter Paralympics,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44with the British team one short of their medal target and just one
0:16:44 > 0:16:48day of the Games left.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Karthi thank you.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.
0:16:54 > 0:16:55That's all from me.
0:16:55 > 0:17:03Goodnight.