0:00:07 > 0:00:09This is BBC World News America.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Reporting from Washington, I'm Jane O'Brien.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12President Trump joins the international chorus in blaming
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Moscow for the poisoning of a Russian spy.
0:00:16 > 0:00:23He also has new problems from the Mueller probe.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25A bridge collapses in Miami killing several people
0:00:25 > 0:00:26at a local university.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30We'll have the latest from the scene.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31And, it's all smiles in Finland.
0:00:31 > 0:00:40Why the Nordic nation is ranked the happiest country on earth.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Welcome to our viewers on public television here in America,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51and also around the globe.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53The US has joined France, Germany and the UK in a joint
0:00:53 > 0:00:56statement demanding that Russia explain the use of a military grade
0:00:56 > 0:01:01nerve agent in an attack on a former Russian spy in England.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03The US Treasury Department also ordered further sanctions
0:01:03 > 0:01:06against a number of Russians for meddling in the US
0:01:06 > 0:01:07presidential elections.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Moscow denies any involvement.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Today the British Prime Minister visited the scene of the attack
0:01:12 > 0:01:15in Salisbury as the BBC's James Landale reports.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21This was Theresa May's first visit to Salisbury
0:01:21 > 0:01:23since the nerve agent attack.
0:01:23 > 0:01:30A chance to be briefed by the police and public health experts,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33but also a chance to meet and reassure members of the public,
0:01:33 > 0:01:35whose lives have been so disrupted.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37The spirit of those that live here has been fantastic.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40She visited the scene of the attack on the former Russian intelligence
0:01:40 > 0:01:43officer and his daughter 11 days ago.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The restaurant where they ate and a park bench, under a tent,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49where they were found.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53The Prime Minister thanked some of the police officers who first
0:01:53 > 0:01:56responded to the call.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Thank you, what you did is what the police do
0:01:58 > 0:02:00day in and day out.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04You go to a routine call, you don't know what you find.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Then at the local hospital she met and thanked
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who is still recovering
0:02:09 > 0:02:11from exposure to the nerve agent.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Russia, she said, was guilty of a brazen and despicable attack.
0:02:17 > 0:02:25She expelled 23 of its diplomats, but is ready to do more.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31There are other things we're looking at.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33If we face further provocation, there are other measures we can
0:02:33 > 0:02:35deploy.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37What is important in the international arena and we have
0:02:37 > 0:02:40taken this into Nato, the United Nations and we will be
0:02:40 > 0:02:43taking it into the European Union, allies are standing alongside us.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46That came in a joint statement from the leaders of Britain,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48France, Germany and the US, blaming Russia for what they called
0:02:48 > 0:02:51an assault on UK sovereignty.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10I spoke with the Prime Minister and we are in deep discussions,
0:03:10 > 0:03:15very sad situation and it looks like the Russians are behind it.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Something that should never, ever happen and we are taking it
0:03:17 > 0:03:21very seriously, as I think are many others.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24The joint statement is significant because it shows the Foreign Office
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and Downing Street are convincing Britain's allies that the Salisbury
0:03:27 > 0:03:28attack is different, it represents an escalation
0:03:28 > 0:03:33of Russia's hostile behaviour.
0:03:33 > 0:03:42And as such, those allies are ready to crank up the pressure on Moscow.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45That diplomacy continued today in Brussels, where British security
0:03:45 > 0:03:46officials briefed Nato allies.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48The head of the alliance said Russia had clearly breached
0:03:48 > 0:03:53international agreements.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55It is important to express strong, political support
0:03:55 > 0:03:57to the United Kingdom, sending a clear message that
0:03:57 > 0:03:58the United Kingdom is not alone.
0:03:58 > 0:04:04We stand together with them.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06In Moscow, President Putin discussed the Salisbury
0:04:06 > 0:04:08case with his ministers, who denied Russia and the Soviet
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Union had ever run a Novichok nerve agent programme and promised
0:04:11 > 0:04:19to respond soon to the expulsion of its diplomats.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20The Porton Down military research laboratory,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23which identified the nerve agent, is to get an extra £48
0:04:23 > 0:04:24million in funding.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Ministers confirmed it would provide a sample to the chemical watchdog.
0:04:26 > 0:04:34Ministers, whose diplomacy is not extending to Russia.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37If you are a nation and another nation has launched a nerve agent
0:04:37 > 0:04:40attack on your people, you have every right to tell Russia
0:04:40 > 0:04:45to shut up and go away.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Meanwhile, this afternoon near Salisbury, the investigation
0:04:47 > 0:04:50continued with the Army recovering a car from the village near the home
0:04:50 > 0:04:54of Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07President Trump has often appeared reluctant to publicly confront or
0:05:07 > 0:05:09criticise Russia, and the latest round of sanctions are the toughest
0:05:09 > 0:05:16yet. Anthony Zurcher joined me a short time ago. Has the Trump
0:05:16 > 0:05:19administration actually changed its stance on Russia? The sanctions seem
0:05:19 > 0:05:25to be pretty tough?They are, they are the toughest so far. They will
0:05:25 > 0:05:27also effectively mandated by a law that Congress passed last year that
0:05:27 > 0:05:32said the administration should punish Russia for meddling in the
0:05:32 > 0:05:36election. There is a deadline to impose sanctions that was passed 45
0:05:36 > 0:05:40days ago. So there was increasing pressure on the Trump administration
0:05:40 > 0:05:42to do something about this. You could say they drew from some of
0:05:42 > 0:05:47Robert Mueller's investigation, a number of the people identified were
0:05:47 > 0:05:51indicted in the investigation, and then also naming the hacking into
0:05:51 > 0:05:56power plants and things. I think we are going to see more calls now to
0:05:56 > 0:06:00do something directly related to the chemical attack in the UK.Talking
0:06:00 > 0:06:05about the Mueller investigation, the New York Times is reporting that he
0:06:05 > 0:06:10has subpoenaed the Trump Organisation for documents relating
0:06:10 > 0:06:13to the investigation. How significant is that?The first thing
0:06:13 > 0:06:18that is significant is that it is not a request, it is a subpoenaed,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22it means you have to turn over any documents connected to dealings with
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Russia. The Trump organisation say they are being cooperative, but they
0:06:25 > 0:06:29don't have business dealings in Russia. But it represents an
0:06:29 > 0:06:32expansion, as far as we know, of the cent Robert Mueller probe, into some
0:06:32 > 0:06:36of the Donald Trump's business dealings and shows that the probe is
0:06:36 > 0:06:41not going to be winding up any time soon.How relevant is it to the core
0:06:41 > 0:06:44of the investigation, which is to look into allegations of collusion
0:06:44 > 0:06:48with Russia during the presidential election?That was the question. But
0:06:48 > 0:06:51the mandate for the Department of Justice said if you find any crimes,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55look into it. Donald Trump, in an interview with the New York Times,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59asked if he would be OK with the investigation looking into his
0:06:59 > 0:07:02business dealings unrelated to the Russian investigation, he said he
0:07:02 > 0:07:06didn't think that was going to happen, but if it did, it would be a
0:07:06 > 0:07:14bad thing. Interview said, it was a red line? Would you fire him? He
0:07:14 > 0:07:19said, he wasn't going to answer that question, he BC doesn't want this
0:07:19 > 0:07:22investigation going to his personal things. We saw Paul Manafort going
0:07:22 > 0:07:25into indictment for business dealings of his own well before the
0:07:25 > 0:07:29election. It is possible it could be an expansion of the probe.He seems
0:07:29 > 0:07:33to be in firing mood, with the departure of Secretary of State Rex
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Tillerson. How safe could Robert Mueller or Jeff Sessions be?I think
0:07:38 > 0:07:49Jeff Sessions is the person to
0:07:50 > 0:07:52watch first and he has recused himself from the investigation, his
0:07:52 > 0:07:54replacement would have the authority to rain in or terminate Robert
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Mueller's investigation. You can go down the chain and say Rod
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Rosenstein has also been the subject of criticism. There has been told
0:08:00 > 0:08:02that this is just the first of many staff turnovers after Tillerson.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Donald Trump tweeted that changes come and go, but there is no chaos.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09I guess we will find out in the coming weeks.Thank you very much
0:08:09 > 0:08:12indeed.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14A brand new pedestrian bridge in Miami has collapsed,
0:08:14 > 0:08:15killing several people.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18At least three vehicles were crushed and a number of victims are reported
0:08:18 > 0:08:20to be trapped in the rubble.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22The bridge, which opened on Saturday, connected
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Florida International University to a student housing area.
0:08:24 > 0:08:25Gary O'Donahue reports
0:08:25 > 0:08:30Scrambling to rescue the trapped and injured after 950 tonnes
0:08:30 > 0:08:31of a newly installed pedestrian bridge crashed down
0:08:32 > 0:08:36onto the road below.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38A number of vehicles were crushed as the bridge came down,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40shortly before 2pm.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41The emergency services, dashing to help those
0:08:41 > 0:08:44pinned under the concrete.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46The footbridge had only just been completed,
0:08:46 > 0:08:51designed to take students from the Florida International
0:08:51 > 0:09:00University safely across a six-lane highway to their accommodation.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03What was soon to become an iconic, staple part of the connectivity
0:09:03 > 0:09:05between the city and the University has actually turned out
0:09:05 > 0:09:06to be a national tragedy.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Our hearts are extended out to those, the victims that
0:09:09 > 0:09:12were actually able to be transported away, as well as those that may not
0:09:12 > 0:09:16be walking away from the scene.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19The collapsed section of the bridge was only put in place last Saturday,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21using a method known as advanced bridge construction,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23designed to be fast and cause the least disruption
0:09:23 > 0:09:25as possible to traffic.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Three, two, one...
0:09:28 > 0:09:33CHEERING.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37The National Transportation Safety Board says it is sending
0:09:37 > 0:09:39investigators to the scene, and the building company employed
0:09:39 > 0:09:48to put up the bridge, MCM, says it will co-operate fully.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Earlier I spoke to BBC Mundo's Patricia Solburon,
0:09:50 > 0:09:53who is at the scene.
0:09:53 > 0:10:00What is the latest you have?The latest information, Jane, is that so
0:10:00 > 0:10:05far there aren't any official numbers of deaths or casualties
0:10:05 > 0:10:09here, after the collapse of this bridge. However, we can't see rescue
0:10:09 > 0:10:17teams trying to rescue people from under the debris. We are seeing four
0:10:17 > 0:10:21cranes working, trying to collect all of the concrete. Let's remember,
0:10:21 > 0:10:28this bridge is 950 tonnes, and the officers I spoke to told us that at
0:10:28 > 0:10:32least eight cars are trapped underneath the debris.What about
0:10:32 > 0:10:36the bridge itself? How on earth did a brand-new bridge come to collapse
0:10:36 > 0:10:42like this?Well, this bridge was actually built and a record time, it
0:10:42 > 0:10:48was built in about a week. It was supposedly done on Saturday. It was
0:10:48 > 0:10:54not opened to the public yet. It was $40 million. We don't really know
0:10:54 > 0:10:57the cause of the collapse of this bridge yet, but we do know that it
0:10:57 > 0:11:03was built in order to give safety to the students, because we have the
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Florida International University across the place where I am talking
0:11:06 > 0:11:11to you now, and we have a residential area. The bridge was
0:11:11 > 0:11:16meant to transport these students in a more Safeway, since below the
0:11:16 > 0:11:23bridge there is a very hectic traffic area.The rescue operation
0:11:23 > 0:11:28is still going on, the situation must be very confused. What are
0:11:28 > 0:11:33people being told at the moment? Well, the reports are being really
0:11:33 > 0:11:37cautious right now. The police have said that they are going to
0:11:37 > 0:11:42personally addressed the families of the injured people. So far, eight
0:11:42 > 0:11:45people have been transported to hospital. I have spoken to some of
0:11:45 > 0:11:49the witnesses, some of them said that they first thought that it was
0:11:49 > 0:11:55like a bomb exploding, because it sounded so, so hard.Thank you very
0:11:55 > 0:12:00much for the latest.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Slovakia's prime minister, Robert Fico, has resigned
0:12:02 > 0:12:04following protests sparked by the murder of a journalist
0:12:04 > 0:12:05investigating government corruption.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08In his final article, the murdered reporter Jan Kuciak
0:12:08 > 0:12:10claimed that government circles had been infiltrated by the Italian
0:12:10 > 0:12:16mafia and spent years embezzling EU funds.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21Toys R Us is closing all its shops in America,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23putting about 33,000 jobs at risk.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27The struggling business has failed to find a buyer for about 900 stores
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and hasn't struck a deal with creditors to rescue it
0:12:30 > 0:12:34from bankruptcy after racking up $5 billion of debts.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36A 20-year-old woman has been jailed for six months in Minnesota
0:12:36 > 0:12:39for fatally shooting her boyfriend in a botched You Tube video
0:12:39 > 0:12:44they hoped would go viral.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Pedro Ruiz convinced Monalisa Perez to shoot him at close range
0:12:46 > 0:12:49with a powerful pistol, believing that a thick
0:12:49 > 0:12:51book he held in front of his chest would shield him.
0:12:51 > 0:12:59He died at the scene.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03A French baker has been fined the equivalent of $3700 for opening his
0:13:03 > 0:13:06business seven days a week. The Baker runs the only shop on his town
0:13:06 > 0:13:11in north-east France, and stayed open last summer to serve tourists.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Local employment law requires bakers to have one day of rest a week. He
0:13:15 > 0:13:18is reportedly refusing to pay the fine.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Thousands of people have been fleeing Syria's rebel-held
0:13:20 > 0:13:22area of Eastern Ghouta, as government forces
0:13:22 > 0:13:25step up their offensive.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27The month long assault has already killed hundreds of people
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and doctors say they are overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32This report by our Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen contains
0:13:32 > 0:13:41some distressing scenes.
0:13:41 > 0:13:48Thousands of people are fleeing parts of Eastern Ghouta,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50trudging into an uncertain future that looks better now than
0:13:50 > 0:13:51the deadly present.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53These are the people who have spent weeks hiding
0:13:53 > 0:13:54in basements from the shelling.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Eastern Ghouta is a big area and this isn't happening everywhere.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Many tens of thousands are still besieged.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14This was filmed by Omar, a cameraman who gives his material to the BBC.
0:14:14 > 0:14:21The attack happened outside his building.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23A small boy, Omran, was caught up in it.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27He is deaf, so he hadn't heard warnings to take cover.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Omar, the cameraman, worried the boy would bleed to death
0:14:30 > 0:14:34and told us the eight minutes it took for the ambulance to arrive
0:14:34 > 0:14:40were the worst he had endured since the battle
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Omar carried him to the ambulance where he was squeezed in next
0:14:43 > 0:14:45to the bodies of the dead.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Omar has seen a lot of death.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52He said Omran was a soul he wanted to save.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55We have been following Dr Amani, a paediatrician in an underground
0:14:55 > 0:15:01hospital, who spends every day with the wounded and the dying.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04In that place, they are all fighting fear, where regime soldiers
0:15:04 > 0:15:08are advancing into Eastern Ghouta.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Dr Amani sent a message.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17TRANSLATION:It is the worst it has been for many days,
0:15:17 > 0:15:18the shelling is brutal, bombs, rockets,
0:15:18 > 0:15:19all kinds of weapons.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23This may be my last message.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24The injured are everywhere, the operating theatres
0:15:24 > 0:15:26are full of wounded people.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28We don't have enough doctors to help them
0:15:28 > 0:15:33and our own homes are being shelled.
0:15:33 > 0:15:39A small amount of aid is being brought into Eastern Ghouta.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44All the talk of a humanitarian ceasefire is being ignored.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45This war started seven years ago.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Its horror goes on.
0:15:46 > 0:15:56Jeremy Bowen, BBC News.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58You're watching BBC World News America.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Still to come on tonight's programme:
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Taking a closer look at micro-plastics.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Why the World Health Organization is concerned about what's in our water.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18In a remote part of Kenya, there's a series of
0:16:18 > 0:16:20islands where health care facilities are rare.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23But help is at hand from a group called the Safari Doctors who travel
0:16:23 > 0:16:26long distances by boat, by road and by air, to
0:16:26 > 0:16:27bring free medical aid to the islands'
0:16:27 > 0:16:28increasingly isolated people.
0:16:28 > 0:16:36David Wafula went to see them in action.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38This is an isolated village on a remote island
0:16:38 > 0:16:44on Kenya's coast.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46The people here are isolated from basic amenities
0:16:46 > 0:16:48including healthcare.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Help is available but it is an overnight sail away.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54As day gives way to night, the volunteers known
0:16:54 > 0:16:58here as Safari Doctors make their way here to the village.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05The last box with medicine has been put on the dhow and it is leaving.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07How long is it going to take?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09About eight hours, almost overnight.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16As the dawn breaks, the tide invites the dhow
0:17:16 > 0:17:24on the shores of the island.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26It is cost effective because it has enough room for volunteers and
0:17:26 > 0:17:31supplies.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33We trek to the village, where a temporary medical centre
0:17:34 > 0:17:35is set up in a school building.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Two women are already waiting, they come with
0:17:37 > 0:17:39a wide range of needs.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42We are doing immunisation, we are doing also mother care, natal care.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44And then we are treating the islanders.
0:17:44 > 0:17:51We are also doing screening of HIV, we are also screening for malaria.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54In any case we get any of them would put them on treatment
0:17:54 > 0:17:56and do the follow-up next.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58With one island already done, the dhow will be leaving
0:17:58 > 0:18:01for five more islands, a journey taking three days
0:18:01 > 0:18:03to deliver much-needed medical services to hundreds of villagers
0:18:03 > 0:18:07who have been desperately waiting for weeks.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25The World Health Organization is set to launch a review
0:18:25 > 0:18:28into the potential risks of plastic in drinking water.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31In particular, it will focus on so-called microplastics -
0:18:31 > 0:18:36particles that are small enough to be ingested.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Our science editor David Shukman reports.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41In the latest research into plastic, more than 200
0:18:41 > 0:18:44bottles of water were put through a screening process.
0:18:44 > 0:18:49Most turned out to have particles of plastic floating around inside.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52There is no evidence this is harmful but we asked people around the world
0:18:52 > 0:18:54what they think of this discovery.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58This phenomenon is really a cause for concern.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02And with the usage going up, I think it's going to hit a large
0:19:02 > 0:19:04segment of the population.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07They tell you to not eat this or drink this, that or the other.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11I prefer bottled water than tap water so I just have to carry on.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14I'd rather just boil my own water.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16That is more important, than actually buying water
0:19:16 > 0:19:20at an expensive price which is actually a health risk.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23It's kind of like damned if you do, damned if you don't.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27If you drink the bottled water, if you drink the water it's scary.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Tests on this scale have never been tried before.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37A special dye which sticks to particles of plastic was added
0:19:37 > 0:19:39to more than 200 bottles.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42In the right lighting conditions, it makes the plastic glow.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44And when the dyed water was poured through a filter,
0:19:44 > 0:19:45each particle was cracked so it could then be counted and analysed.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51each particle was tracked so it could then be counted and analysed.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54So what are the results from this laboratory testing showing us?
0:19:54 > 0:19:57On average, each litre contains ten larger pieces of plastic.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01That's bigger than the width of a human hair.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04And with smaller particles, which were probably plastic, you get
0:20:04 > 0:20:05an average of 314 per litre.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08So, does this matter?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10There's no evidence that ingesting plastic causes any harm
0:20:10 > 0:20:15but scientists say they can't rule it out.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Plastic could release chemicals inside the body.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Tiny particles could cross from the gut into the bloodstream
0:20:20 > 0:20:27and potentially they might accumulate in organs like the liver.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29The risks may turn out to be minor but the World Health
0:20:29 > 0:20:30Organisation wants to be sure.
0:20:31 > 0:20:37We need to understand what's in the plastic,
0:20:37 > 0:20:42what the plastic might actually carry on it - whether that's
0:20:42 > 0:20:44microbes or chemicals - and when it happens in the body.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47So all those things need to be explored with research.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49There's a lot that scientists don't know but they say it's plausible
0:20:49 > 0:20:54that microplastics could have an effect.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57These are non-degradable persistent particles that can enter the body
0:20:57 > 0:20:59and cause an inflammatory response, and there's potential for more
0:20:59 > 0:21:01complex situations to arise because of the plastic
0:21:01 > 0:21:04itself and its chemicals.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07The companies involved told us they stand by
0:21:07 > 0:21:09the safety of their products.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11They've questioned how the study was conducted, and they point out
0:21:11 > 0:21:14there are no regulations on microplastics or any agreed way
0:21:14 > 0:21:17of testing for them.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21This is a totally new area of science.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The research is in its earliest days but there a growing
0:21:24 > 0:21:30demand for answers.
0:21:30 > 0:21:31David Shukman, BBC News.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35If you're feeling a little blue today and think a change of scenery
0:21:35 > 0:21:37would lift your spirits - try Finland.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40The country has overtaken Norway as the happiest nation on earth
0:21:40 > 0:21:42according to the UN's latest World Happiness report.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland are also in the top five.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48The annual ranking asks residents in 156 countries
0:21:48 > 0:21:51to rate their lives.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54It also looks at factors like economic strength, life expectancy,
0:21:54 > 0:22:00and perceived corruption.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02For more on what makes a happy nation I spoke
0:22:02 > 0:22:04earlier to Arnu Partenan, author of The Nordic
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Theory of Everything.
0:22:06 > 0:22:12Thank you for joining me. Why do you think Finland is now the happiest
0:22:12 > 0:22:16country in the world?That is the question, isn't it? If you ask them,
0:22:16 > 0:22:22they will tell you that Finland is not that happy, they complain a lot.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27But I think it is because Nordic countries do well because they have
0:22:27 > 0:22:30systems that help people better to combine work and family, feel like
0:22:30 > 0:22:34they are in control of their lives. Feel like they have freedom of
0:22:34 > 0:22:37choice is. I think that is what we often don't think, that Nordic
0:22:37 > 0:22:42people, all people, people tend to think that America is where you have
0:22:42 > 0:22:49all of the choices and most freedom. But much of the social security
0:22:49 > 0:22:51systems that are put in place in Nordic countries give people a sense
0:22:51 > 0:22:57they are in control of their lives. You live in America, having been
0:22:57 > 0:23:02born and bred in Finland. What can America do to catch up?Nordic
0:23:02 > 0:23:05people, these are simple things, paid parental leave, affordable
0:23:05 > 0:23:11daycare, paid vacation time, universal health care. These are
0:23:11 > 0:23:15things that love of European countries have come at the Nordic
0:23:15 > 0:23:18countries have, that the United States don't have. It goes a long
0:23:18 > 0:23:22way in helping people feel they can manage their lives better.It all
0:23:22 > 0:23:28seems very serious for being happy. Do the Finns also have a very good
0:23:28 > 0:23:31sense of humour? You seem happy! That is a good question. I think
0:23:31 > 0:23:37they can seem very dour, very deadpan, often, they don't smile and
0:23:37 > 0:23:42laugh a lot. I think I learned a lot of that in the United States. But I
0:23:42 > 0:23:49do think that they have a good sense of black humour, an understanding of
0:23:49 > 0:23:54life. Also, being tough, but appreciating good moments as well.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59What is your personal secret to being happy? As a person from
0:23:59 > 0:24:08Finland?I think it is just appreciating... The cliche, but it
0:24:08 > 0:24:12is your family, health, nature, all Nordic people love walking in the
0:24:12 > 0:24:19forests, enjoying nature in a relaxed way. Living in the United
0:24:19 > 0:24:23States, one great asset that the United States has is that Americans
0:24:23 > 0:24:28are very keen to achieve things, to pack their days with all kinds of
0:24:28 > 0:24:31activities, work hard, and it is a wonderful quality, but it can also
0:24:31 > 0:24:37become too much and create anxiety, make life tough for you. I think the
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Nordic people and I certainly value a lot of downtime as well, just
0:24:40 > 0:24:43appeared to be with your loved ones and friends.Thank you very much
0:24:43 > 0:24:45indeed for joining me.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54In case you're wondering, the US dropped four points to 18, and the
0:24:54 > 0:24:59UK is still behind the US on 19. But I am a happy Jane O'Brien! Thanks
0:24:59 > 0:25:02for watching Bbc World News America.