13/03/2018 BBC World News America

This is BBC World News America.

Reporting from Washington,

I'm Laura Trevelyan.

He's fired.

Rex Tillerson is out

as Secretary of State,

the latest departure

from the turbulent

Trump administration.

My commission as Secretary of State

will terminate at midnight, March

the

will terminate at midnight, March

the 31st.

As Britain demands answers

from Russia over the poisoning

of a former spy and his daughter,

President Trump declares the US

is with Britain all the way.

He lost his mother to cancer and now

seven-year-old Noah is using his

personal journal to help others.

Welcome to our viewers on public

television here in America,

and also around the world.

There was yet another

high profile exit from

the Trump White House today,

as the Secretary of State Rex

Tillerson was fired by tweet.

Donald Trump used his favourite

platform to announce that

Mr Tillerson would be replaced

by the CIA Director Mike Pompeo.

Mr Tillerson famously refused

to deny that he had once

called his boss a moron.

He spoke today of maintaining

continuity at the State Department.

What is most important is to ensure

an orderly and smooth transition at

a time the country continues to face

significant policy and national

security challenges.

Rex Tillerson speaking earlier.

Now, the build up to his departure

as secretary of state

had been a long one.

Our North America Editor

Jon Sopel explains.

Rex Tillerson was flying back

overnight to Washington

from a long trip

to Africa when the normally

buttoned-up Secretary of State cut

loose with journalists,

but unbeknown to him,

the President had signed his death

warrant and it would be

death by tweet.

"Mike Pompeo, director

of the CIA, will become

our new Secretary of State.

He will do a fantastic job.

Thank you to Rex Tillerson

for his service."

But Tillerson is not on Twitter

so excuciatingly it fell

to his chief of staff

to ring him and inform them

of his demise, only this after this

from the President.

I wish Rex a lot of good things,

I think he will be very happy,

much happier now, but I really

appreciate his service.

Tillerson's fate was probably

sealed a long time ago

when he apparently called

the President a moron,

a claim the Secretary of State

did not exactly deny.

I'm not going to deal

with petty stuff like that.

I mean, this is what I don't

understand about Washington.

I'm not from this place,

but the places I come

from we don't deal with that kind

of petty nonsense.

Then there was the public

undermining of the Secretary

of State by the President,

sending family members to do some

of the work that would normally be

done by America's top diplomat,

and public shaming

on Twitter like this.

"I told Rex Tillerson,

our wonderful Secretary of State,

that he's wasting his time trying

to negotiate

with little rocket man".

The new man will be Mike Pompeo,

currently head of the CIA.

He recently spoke to the BBC.

On most things, he's firmly

aligned with the President,

but on Russia he acknowledges

the threat they continue

to pose to US elections.

I have every expectation

that they will continue to try to do

that, but I'm confident America

will have a free and fair election,

and will push back in a way

that is sufficiently robust

that the impact they have

on our election won't be great.

Tillerson and Trump never gelled,

the former CEO of Exxon

was a corporate titan but he's

now political roadkill.

Surely the place with the lowest

life expectancy anywhere

in the world, being a member

of the Trump Administration.

Jon Sopel, BBC News, Washington.

For more on Rex Tillerson's firing,

I'm joined now by the BBC's

State Department Correspondent

Barbara Plett-Usher.

Rex Tillerson was sacked in the most

undiplomatic way possible. But what

did you think what the nature of his

response when giving that statement

to reporters?

He was quite measured

and and and Mr Trump and from the

moment he came into the State

Department he has talked about what

he calls his values honesty and

honesty and integrity and respect.

He mentioned those again today in a

statement and urged State Department

officials to abide by those things

into in the word kindness, which I

think was quite a contrast because

he didn't get any of that from his

boss.

Rex Tillerson also saddened

that the parking statement that if

Russia continues on his current

path, it will become increasingly

isolated. The topic where he clashed

with the president. What that meant

to be a shot across the bow?

Possibly. He had already spoken

critically on Russia on his way back

from Africa. He also said I've been

trying to work with the Russians on

issues of mutual concern for the

past year and have not got very far.

They have taken a pivot towards in

aggressive stance and his statement

today about the troubling behaviour

from Russia and that it was going to

isolate itself and continue in this

way in Washington needed to respond,

he seemed to be sending a real

message that his boss does not

stand.

People that he would be soft

on Russia because of his length with

Russia because it came from an oil

company. On North Korea, Richarlison

was mocked by the President for

pursuing a diplomatic pot but now

Donald Trump may have a sit down

with Kim Jong-Un. Did he lay the

groundwork?

I think you could say he

did. He would then started the

policy to isolate North Korea

diplomatically and economically,

which seem to have borne some fruit

and help to set the stage for Kim

Jong-Un's diplomatic overtures and

he moved Mr Trump towards the policy

but he himself said negotiations are

whole other ball game and said

coming back from Africa come he is

the best delete them because I have

experience creating conditions for

bringing to the parties together

with success. That may have been a

last-minute pitch for his job now

that we looked at a hindsight but we

know that he will be leading them.

Thank you for joining us. -- he will

not be leading them.

For more on how this Cabinet

shake-up could affect the workings

of the US government,

my colleague Katty Kay and spoke

earlier with William Cohen,

former US Secretary of defence.

That was for our programme

Beyond 100 Days.

Give us some sense, Secretary Cohen,

the importance of the role of the

Secretary of State. How much did

they change like this reflect a

change in American policy?

It really

depends on the President of the

United States. What delegation of

authority the president gives to a

Secretary of State. It is clear from

this relationship in the beginning

that President Trump did not give

full authority to Rex Tillerson. And

that was indicative from the very

beginning, they had disagreements on

a variety of other issues and their

styles are very different. Rex

Tillerson come from a corporate

world where if there is a process.

President Trump comes from his own

world where there is no process. The

more of a chaotic environment in

which decisions are made on impulse.

Without great consequence given to

what we saw.

How much does a matter,

the relationship between the

Secretary of State and the secretary

of defence? We understand

Richarlison had a good relationship

with General Mattis. You were

secretary of defence, Albright was

splendid's secretary, how much did

that matter?

It was very important.

State and defence sometimes disagree

on major issues. It is important

that the secretary of defence and

state work together. We did, it was

a wonderful relationship. In this

case, I expect that Mr Pompeo will

work very well with Secretary

Mattis. Both our military men, Mike

Pompeo, first in the class at West

Point, having served in the

military. I don't think there'll be

any big of opinion. Maybe difference

of style in terms of how they go

about resolving any differences.

That was William Cohen speaking

with my colleague Katty Kay earlier.

President Trump says the US

is with Britain all the way

following the poisoning of a former

russian spy in the UK,

so Downing St said today

after a phone call between Mr Trump

and Theresa May.

And the President agrees

with the Prime Minister that Moscow

must provide 'unambigious answers',

on why a Soviet made nerve agent

was used in the poisoning.

Russia has denied any involvement,

but the incident has

created a global backlash,

as our Diplomatic Correspondent

James Landale reports.

It began as a brutal attack

on the streets of Salisbury,

the poisoning of a former Russian

intelligence officer

and his daughter, that

the UK blames on Russia.

But it's become a global diplomatic

row, with Britain looking for allies

in its confrontation with Moscow.

British ministers meeting again

to discuss the case have given

the Kremlin until midnight

to explain how a nerve

agent developed in Russia

ended up in Britain.

If the response is incredible,

they are promising extensive

measures against Russia.

This is a brazen attempt to murder

innocent people on UK soil.

Policemen still in hospital,

overwhelmingly likely or highly

likely the Russian state

was involved, and the use of this

nerve agent would represent

the first use of nerve agents

on the continent of Europe

since the Second World War.

As part of a huge diplomatic

effort across Europe,

British officials told the chemical

weapons watchdog in the Netherlands

that Russia was implicated

in the use of chemical weapons.

Germany, France and other

allies offered support

without attributing blame,

but Donald Trump at least appeared

to accept Russia might be involved.

As soon as we get the facts

straight, if we agree with them,

we will condemn Russia or whoever

it may be.

Russia is already subject

to sanctions because of its

interventions in Ukraine and Crimea.

Ministers insist these damage

Russia's economy but their impact

on Moscow's behaviour is doubtful.

Crucially, these are largely EU

sanctions, the UK can't

impose them on its own.

So, what unilateral options

is the Government considering?

Some of Russia's 58 diplomats

in London could be expelled but that

might promote a tit for tat

expulsion of British diplomats.

Wealthy Russians in London

with links to the Kremlin could face

financial sanctions and travel bans,

but who and how?

There could be tougher laws to crack

down on Russian officials guilty

of human rights abuses,

and Russian TV stations

like RT could be targeted.

The regulator has already warned it

could lose its licence.

Here at the Foreign Office,

they are also investing a lot

of effort and diplomacy in trying

to bring international

pressure to bear on Russia,

but the bar is high.

Russia has a veto at the UN and some

EU countries are reluctant

to contemplate yet more sanctions.

To date, the Russian Embassy said

accusations of involvement

in the Salisbury attack

were groundless as diplomats

promised retaliation

against any new sanctions.

Russia is not a country to be spoken

to in the language of ultimatums.

I think it is high time

the UK learned that.

But unless Moscow gives Britain

a satisfactory answer by midnight,

some Russian diplomats here might be

clearing their desks very soon.

James Landale, BBC News.

For more on this unfolding drama,

I spoke earlier with John Sipher,

a former member of the CIA's

Senior Intelligence Service,

who served in Russia.

You know the Russians well, when

they denied all involvement and say

this is groundless, what does that

really mean?

It means nothing. Putin

is a checkers, which means his KGB

past, original Russian KGB. They are

taught to deny and lie in these

things. We have seen in a consistent

pattern of this when the shut down

the Malaysian aeroplane for example

decent little green men into

Ukrainian to cover Crimea. They also

lie and say they didn't do it. We

are seeing a similar pattern here.

What do you make a President Trump,

who was rather silent yesterday, but

today he is saying that Russia

should have unambiguous answers

provided to all these questions? Is

that tough enough?

It is not tough

enough by itself. It is good that he

said that because he has been quite

before these things. But we have

seen in the past how we reacted to

the Crimea Take-over and how we

reacted to the push of chemical

weapons in in Syria and the murder

in London. In the attack against our

system in the United States, there

hasn't been a serious response and

therefore, Putin being a bully,

pushes and places until he is pushed

back.

As an expert in Russia, you

were serving with the CIA, what do

you think an effective response

would be to this poisoning by

Britain and the US and Nato?

First,

I think the Western allies have to

be together on this. I want to be

careful because as an officer we are

not policy makers. It is not up to

us to say what should be done but

clearly some sort of joint activity.

The things important to Mr Putin are

staying in power and his money.

Something that affects of those

things will matter whether it's

abuses for the children, Russian

sports teams coming around, boycott

of the World Cup, something that

matters to Putin. -- when the

British are setting this deadline,

does that mean anything in Moscow? I

don't think so. They will not admit

this. It's pretty clear. They will

try to find other ways to move out

of it and if the allies allow them

to, they will get away it.

With the

CIA hat on what message do you think

the Russians are trying to send out

or what message does that send out,

the poisoning of a former spy there

in Britain?

Adjusting to me that the

poisoning of this person in

particular, I would have played him

hi on the hierarchy of his enemies,

Putin. He has medically he considers

the factors traders and they don't

go after them. However, Mr Sergei

was exchanged in a negotiation at

the ten citizens in the United

States were arrested red-handed. I

am surprised that he was hit, there

could be a reason for that, trying

to send a specific signal or his GR

you pass and military pressure but

there is some piece missing here.

The fact they went after him so

brazenly in London suggests to me

there is more to the story.

Thank

you for joining us.

In other news...

British police are investigating the

death of an exile from the country.

Nikolai Glushkov, who's been found

dead at his home in London.

A former director at the airline

Aeroflot, Glushkov left Russia

after being convicted of fraud.

Officials say there's no

evidence linking the death

to poisoned Russian spy,

Sergei Skripal.

You're watching BBC

World News America.

Still to come on tonight's

programme: Donald Trump has been

California dreamin',

about border walls, as he views

prototypes on his first visit

to the state as president.

Investigators in Nepal

are still trying to work out

what caused a plane crash

in which at least 49 people died.

A Bangladeshi plane crashed

on landing at Nepal's

airport in Kathmandu.

The airline has blamed

air traffic control,

Rajini Vaidyanathan has more.

A day on from a plane crash

which claimed so many lives

and survivors are starting

to recount the final moments before

the aircraft came down.

Sanam Shakya remembers it making

an emergency landing.

TRANSLATION: After the forced

landing it eventually stopped.

For a while we were not

sure what happened.

When I looked around I heard people

panicking and screaming.

For the families of those on board

there is still a desperate wait.

Many are in hospital

seriously injured.

TRANSLATION: On Sunday I had

a conversation with my son.

He said he was coming

in on the night flight and asked me

and my wife to come to the airport.

So on Monday we arrived

at the airport at 5am

and stayed until 8pm.

Two planes came, but my

son's did not arrive.

This devastating air crash has left

two countries in mourning.

TRANSLATION: The whole

of Nepal has come to a halt.

This has been a big,

tragic incident.

We are very saddened by it.

TRANSLATION: I have told

the Prime Minister of Nepal that any

sort of assistance they need,

Bangladesh is always

ready to provide.

We will assist.

Most of the passengers

were from our country so I am

expressing my condolences to those

who died and their families.

The cause of the crash

is still unknown.

The airline and airport

authorities have pointed

the finger at each other.

But the airline's chief

executive said that whatever

the cause was, he was sorry.

Once again lives have been lost

in a plane crash in this

mountainous terrain,

Nepal's worst since 1992.

Just after news broke that he had

fired his Secretary of State,

President Trump headed

West for his first trip

to California since taking office.

Politicians there have been

critical of his policies,

from climate change to immigration.

Last week, the administration filed

a lawsuit saying California's

protections for illegal

immigrants are unconstitutional.

Earlier, my colleague Katty Kay

spoke with Xavier Becerra,

California's Attorney General,

for her programme Beyond 100 Days.

Attorney General, your state has the

biggest economy in the United

States. Is it odd that it has taken

the president this long to visit

California?

If you go by past

experience, definitely is because

most presidents from Roosevelt

forward have always made effort to

visit California, not just early but

often. I'm not sure why Donald Trump

has waited so long since they can

learn so much about what makes a

nation successful. We are at the

economic engine the country, but

were also the six largest economy in

the world come close to passing

Great Britain as the fifth economic

power in the world.

Maybe I can give

you a suggestion about why. You are

very Democratic state and see my

President Trump's supporters as the

hotbed of the political resistance.

He doesn't like the politics of

California, simple as that, isn't

it?

Maybe it is a he talked, we act,

maybe it's that he talks success, we

show success. All I know is that

California creates more jobs than

any other state. We are number one

in manufacturing, agriculture,

technology, hospitality,

entertainment, we graduate more

people from colleges than any other

state in the nation. That is a

pretty good record of success that I

would hope that not just a nation,

but every state will want to

emulate.

Are concerned that the

president has the capacity to head

back against economic success,

whether it's by building a wall with

Mexico, he is looking at prototypes

today, or whether it's by taking

action against California cities, so

cost insurers it is, that protect

undocumented people living in the

country?

Best sanctuary city. I

believe the lie lie will be on our

side, not just history. I, the law.

The institutions that we have in

this country are strong, I believe

they can withstand the winds from

Washington, DC and Donald Trump can

say what he likes, it is whether the

federal government has the right to

do these things under the law. So we

will see Donald Trump in court

whether it's on the border wall, or

his attempt to cars states like

California to do his bidding on

immigration enforcement enforcing

our public safety officers to do

immigration. We're not in the

business of deportation, we are in

the business of Public safety. We

are prepared to abide by the loss

and let the institution of our

governments how and when Donald

Trump can act.

What is that actually

mean? You say that you are prepared

to fight back against some of the

things the president has proposing,

clamping down on people who are in

the country illegally and clamping

down on building a wall but he is

the president. What can you do about

that? You cannot stop them from

building a wall with Mexico.

We can

stop them from doing those things

that fall within the federal

government's province, the

responsibility of the federal

government. We recognise that.

Immigration enforcement is a federal

responsibility. But even with

immigration enforcement you must do

it according to the Constitution.

When Donald Trump tries to violate

people's constitutional rights, we

can step in and we have. So far we

have proven that onto many

occasions, Donald Trump has violated

the very last he supposed to

enforce. That is why today the

dreamers, the individuals in young

people in America horse waiting for

status code Donald Trump decided to

deport by cancelling the programme,

are still here and the fact that the

programme remains in effect because

of a core challenge that we

instituted and we had a nationwide

injunction stopping Donald Trump

from terminating the DACA programme.

We are so dim on the border wall and

we will see with echoes and will try

to do what we can to defend the

rights and the people in California

and see whether the girls. -- and

see where that goes.

Now many of us have journals

where we write down our feelings,

but for seven-year-old Noah Orion,

the pages became a place to express

himself when his mother

was sick with cancer.

When she died last fall,

his drawings became a way

to illustrate his grief.

Now his journal is being made

into a book - with the proceeds

Recently we spoke to

Noah about the project.

It is a book where you express your

feelings about each date you have.

I was like how can I make a book

where I can just Dunn like one of

those journals.

Noah created this

journal, or to delete idea he came

up with on his own. A good day

version and a bad day version.

A bad

day would be like when something

goes wrong. A good date would

basically be holidays, winning video

games. But if you cannot find a good

day or a bad day in that day, you

don't have to write about that.

About five years ago, said he was

diagnosed with breast cancer. She

was diagnosed at stage four. --

Sandy was diagnosed.

Who is said

the?

My mum. She was a real trooper

when we found out. She went camping

with us one time.

We've always had a

conversation in a family about how

to support your feelings or write

them down. When Sandy started to get

sick it was something we talked

about a lot.

Dad saw me with these

and said that is awesome.

I wanted

to show him that his bright idea

that help people.

He said something to me today that I

was really great. He I want people

to know that they can make a

difference and they can help even if

they are only seven years old. I

thought that was really a sweet

thing.

I feel awesome that I can

contribute. And help them to not

have the same thing we want to.

I

know his mum would be so proud of

what he has accomplished. I know she

would be really proud of what he is

doing.

No is an inspiration to us all.

Thank you for watching BBC.

I'm Laura Trevelyan.