26/08/2014 BBC News at One

Presidents Poroshenko and Putin attend a summit in Belarus.

As Ukraine puts captured Russian paratroopers in front of TV cameras.

We'll be reporting from eastern Ukraine.

In the morning we have been hearing intermittent artillery fire

We have been told this is as far as we can go safely

because apparently there is fighting going on about 10-15

We'll be assessing the importance of today's meeting with

Heated debate between the Yes and No campaigns in the last TV debate

The World Health Organisation warns that the Ebola outbreak has left

an unprecedented number of medical staff infected or dead.

Calls for a ban on using electronic cigarettes

Wanted, a new home for the world's rarest bird.

Police search for the driver of a car following a fatal hit

As major work starts at London Bridge station,

Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One.

The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is meeting his Ukrainian

counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, this lunchtime, but as they prepare

to talk the fighting in Ukraine has intensified, with Ukrainian

television showing pictures of soldiers it claims are Russian

paratroopers captured in Ukrainian territory.

Kiev is also claiming a Russian helicopter has attacked

We'll be reporting from eastern Ukraine in a moment,

but first more on this morning's events from our world affairs

A raging fire across a suburb in the Ukraine's troubled east. The result

of shelling as Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists

continue their deadly struggle. These allegedly some of the ten

Russian paratroopers Kear says its forces have just captured in the

east of the country. The latest word from Moscow, the troops crossed the

border by mistake. Kiev has rejected Moscow's explanation so far.

TRANSLATION: We think it was not a mistake. It was a special mission

they were carrying out. That is why the Russian military leadership must

think about what they are doing. At the weekend the separatists had

paraded captured Ukrainian government troops to the streets --

through the streets. The Ukrainian president arrives in the Belarus

capital in the latest effort to defuse the crisis to meet up with

Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian players -- president had announced

the termination of the parliament. TRANSLATION: The elections for the

new parliament will take place on the 26th of October. This was

according to chapter 90 of the Ukrainian constitution. The

President's rationale to read the parliament of its pro-Russian

predecessor's influence. Ukrainian government forces have been pushing

the separatists back, adding to the pressure on them and the Kremlin and

perhaps entrenching diplomatic positions that still seem far apart.

Many living in eastern Ukraine are hoping today's meeting may lead to

some easing of tensions as the humanitarian crisis gets worse.

Our correspondent Steve Rosenberg is in Luhansk, where there is little

Well, throughout the morning, we've been hearing intermittent

We've been told that this is as far as we can go safely,

because apparently there's fighting going on about 10 or 15 kilometres

We've been talking to some of the Ukrainian soldiers here on

the ground, and from what they've been telling us, you get the

impression that they have little optimism about the negotiations

That was certainly the view of the local commander here, Igor Lapin.

We need Russia to stop sponsoring the bandits.

As soon as they see that they've lost

their supporter, and that no-one is supplying them with weapons,

and they've run out of ammunition, there'll be peace immediately.

Well, this is one of the towns that Ukrainian forces have retaken

And you can tell that because they've painted the

Ukrainian flag on all the lamp posts, all the way down the road.

Since we've been in this town, we've seen quite a lot

of displaced people, and they have very dramatic stories to tell.

For example, Yana Litvishenko, from Luhansk.

A few days ago, her husband was killed when an artillery shell

landed in their backyard, just as he was feeding their dog.

We didn't hear the shell being fired.

Only when it crashed through our house.

I don't know which side I should be on.

What strikes me most about little towns like this one,

close to the fighting, is that life seems to go on as normal.

There are people out on streets, going to work, doing their shopping.

But when you speak to people, they are deeply pessimistic about the

chances for peace, and they fear that the conflict will continue.

Our Diplomatic Correspondent Bridget Kendall is here.

Looking at what is happening in Belarus, the two Presidents are they

are, not for peace talks, but it is hoped some sort of peace may come?

It is hard to be optimistic at the moment given what is going on on the

ground. It is not even clear these two Presidents are going to meet

one-on-one and if it they do it will be anything more than mutual

accusations. They got together with senior officials to talk about trade

issues, energy issues, things that have been affected by the conflict,

and sanctions. That may be one reason why the Ukrainian president

is particularly keen to turn up because there is a gas conflict

going on with Russia which once Ukraine to pay higher prices and the

Ukrainian president would like to sort that before the winter. He is

pushing for military victory so it is hard to see any concessions

coming. Money may talk. I do not know. I suppose the key thing is,

what does President Putin want? It depends if you take Russia's

position at face value. Maybe he wants a peace deal. Maybe he has

decided it has gone far enough and Russia does not want an all-out war,

to invade, because that could be bloody and unpopular in Russia and

he is worried about Western sanctions. The opposite is also

possible, that he has come as a show, to show himself as a

peacemaker, to win favour in Russia and the rest of the world, but at

the same time fuelling the conflict in the Ukraine because he wants to

keep that I'm stable, he wants to keep his bargaining chip especially

with the elections in the autumn -- unstable.

The World Health Organisation says an unprecedented number of medical

To date, more than 240 health care workers have developed

the disease in West Africa, and more than 120 have died.

It comes as a British nurse, who contracted Ebola in

Sierra Leone, is continuing to receive round-the clock care

The moment Ebola arrived in Britain, William Pooley being transferred to

a hospital after taking ill in C or a -- see a rally on. A few days ago

he had spoken of his joy to see people recover. It is great to see

people walk away after some had been in a terrible state. He is now a

patient himself. Receiving emergency treatment at the Royal free

Hospital. A sealed tenders being used to protect the doctors and

nurses looking after him -- tent is being used. He and fellow health

workers had been working long hours in poor condition so it is not

surprising they are at risk, but the number of falling prey to the

disease is causing alarm. 240 care workers have contracted Ebola in

West Africa and more than half of them have died. Shortages of staff

and adequate protective equipment are partly to blame. Organisations

who are sending these doctors and nurses must make sure they are well

trained and well aware of the risks and how it is transmitted so they

can minimise the risks. A day has taken the decision to take its staff

out of Sierra Leone altogether. It was more effective to redeploy them

elsewhere where we can guarantee their safety. William Pooley is back

and receiving the best possible care, but it could be weeks if it is

known whether his treatment is to prove successful.

We are joined by our global health correspondent. You have been out

there. Everybody knows what the precautions should be, but perhaps

the message is not spreading properly. There are a number of

reasons. Not enough protective equipment, medics treating Ebola

patients not wearing the proper gear or not having been trained properly.

Not enough doctors and nurses are the ones that are turning up are

working very long hours in very difficult conditions. They are more

prone to making mistakes because they are very tired, so they might

take a glove off early and that could prove fatal. These are very

poor countries so we have a lovely isolation high-tech chamber where

William Pooley is being treated by five medics at a time. In West

Africa we are seeing a silly set-up treatment centres -- hastily set up.

We have all seen the suits that these people have on, these people

spending hours at a time. We are hearing that because there was this

year from health workers many international medics are saying they

do not want to come out -- fear. The first votes in the Scottish

independence referendum are closer to being cast,

with local councils beginning to Voters in the country are still

weighing up the arguments made during last night's last televised

debate between the First Minister Alex Salmond and

the leader of the Better Together Our Scotland Correspondent Lorna

Gordon has more. Three weeks to go and Scotland walk

up to a new phase in the campaign. This last head-to-head debate has

generated headlines, with Alex Salmond the vector according to the

Scottish papers. -- winner. Both sides were back on the campaign

trail this morning. Alistair Darling facing questions about how well he

presented his case for the union. The headlines have gone in favour of

Alex Salmond. What do you think of your performance? I think the

questions we are asking about currency, about who will pay for

public services like pensions and the health service, are cutting

through and a lot of people are going with the majority and saying

no thanks to these risks. The debate was fiery and revisited familiar

themes. What is plan B? Are you going to tell us? They are just like

buses. You expect one and three turn up in a row. Alex Salmond accused

Alistair Campbell of being a front man for a Conservative campaign. I

am a Labour politician. Tory party. The debate was often ill tempered.

At times it descended into shouting. I have looked at your figures. A

buoyant Alex Salmond reflected that those campaigning for independence

will seek to capitalise on a reinvigorated campaign. They get

campaign -- the Yes campaign will have an extra spring in its step.

Morale is with the Yes campaign. Will the debate have an impact on

the voters? I do not think there was a lot of information. I think people

have to know what will happen with education and welfare if we do get

independence, which I hope we do. Alistair Darling was wet. Alex

Salmond seemed to be stronger. There is not much time for voters to

decide. Postal votes are coming through doors.

Our Scotland Political Editor Brian Taylor is in Glasgow.

It was a very shouting affair, any more unanswered? -- any more and

answered questions? For the postal voters won six of the population of

Scotland will be voting in the next few days. In terms of the currency

which has been the big one knocked about between the two sides Alex

Salmond retaliated first on that question and then managed rather

successfully to pursue Mr Darling over what precisely would be

devolved and what powers would come to Scotland and what powers they

would do precisely in terms of the economy. Mr Darling said Mr

Salmond's bluff had been called on the economy. The people of Scotland

will take a view on this debate and a wider view of the discussions

happening in family living rooms, in the pubs and on the streets and in

the town and village halls. They will pull it all together and

pronounce their verdict on September 18. Thank you very much, Brian

Taylor. And you can keep up to date with

the latest news and analysis ahead of Scotland's vote on independence

on the BBC News Channel. Referendum Today,

live every evening at 7:30pm. It is just after 1:15pm. Our top

story this lunch time: Our top story this lunchtime:

Presidents Poroshenko and Putin attend a summit in Belarus - as

Ukraine puts captured Russian Coming up live here at Old Trafford,

Manchester United are poised to break the British transfer fee

record by spending ?60 million on one player. Later on BBC London: one

person is taken to hospital after 13 suspected illegal immigrant 's are

found in the back of a lorry at the Dartford Crossing. And after the

bank holiday wash-out, we will have the weather forecast for the rest of

the week. Since their introduction

in the 80s - the use of stop and search powers

have often provoked controversy. Earlier this year,

the Home Secretary Theresa May said the technique was being misused

so frequently that it was damaging relations between the public

and police. But - used properly - officers

say they're an essential tool. Now all 43 police forces in England

and Wales have signed up to Here's our home affairs

correspondent Naomi Grimley. Stop the two seconds, stand there.

Ministers and police chiefs are agreed, stop and search has a

troubled history and is viewed by some communities as being so

discriminatory it has become counter-productive. So, from today

there will be another code of conduct for forces in England and

Wales. Police will start recording the number of searches they make and

what the outcome is, like whether or not it results in an arrest. For the

toughest stop and search powers they will also need to have a higher

level of authorisation from a senior officer. Some people in some

communities find stop and search is something that puts a barrier

between them and the police. We need to prove over the next months and

years that we are using stop and search in a different way. So what

are the statistics on stop and search? In 2012-2013 there were just

over 1 million stop and searches in England and Wales. 70% of all stops

were white, 12 were black British, and nine were Asian. Last year and

equality and human rights commission report said black people were six

times as likely to be stopped overall. That's why campaigners

against the police tactic argued the new reforms will not change that

imbalance. We need something that we can all buy into. I don't believe

this goes far enough. I believe it's a step in the right direction but I

still believe it still requires more radical thinking to bring about real

solutions. Even if it means more police paperwork ministers hope that

better data on stop and search will help restore the public's faith in

what they say is a vital tool of policing. But for some it will store

be seen as a form of racial profiling, which arouses distrust

and suspicion. They're less harmful than cigarettes

- but there's a call for electronic - or e-cigarettes - to be banned

from all public indoor spaces. The World Health Organisation says

the devices are a risk to those standing near users, despite

releasing vapour instead of smoke - and it says there's only limited

evidence about their effectiveness Let's get more from our health

correspondent Jane Dreaper. What exactly are the WHO calling

for? This has been a long-awaited report, mainly because there has

been a huge battle ground over how closely e-cigarettes should be

regulated. In this report they highlighted how it has become a

booming global market with more than 400 brands. But the report expresses

concern that the tobacco industry has some involvement in that market

and it says e-cigarettes produce more than just a water vapour, and

they do increase the exposure to nicotine and other harmful

substances to people who are nearby, people using them. So, what

they say is they should be a ban on e-cigarettes in public spaces in

doors. They should not be sold to underage people. And also that there

should be a ban on flavus which are like fruit or candy for fears they

could tempt people into smoking who otherwise might not. Those are the

recommendations, what is the reaction from the Department of

Health? They are looking at this closely and it will be influential.

The Department of Health already says it is working to ban

e-cigarettes being on sale to under 18-year-olds. Scotland agrees that

makes sense. Wales in the meantime says it already wants to ban or

restrict their use in public spaces. Elsewhere, that is being kept under

review. Thank you for joining us. Commuters on the busy London to

Scotland East Coast line have endured a difficult return to

work after the bank holiday. Passengers suffered rush-hour delays

and cancellations following overhead power problems last night

between Peterborough and London. We are on the East Coast Main line.

It is one of the UK's key routes. I know it looks quite calm now but

there are a few residual delays. This problem was reported last night

at 6pm. So, last night in the dark and the wet thousands of rail

passengers found themselves stranded. It was a miserable end to

the bank holiday. The culprit, damaged overhead power cables. It

meant disruption and chaos for those travelling on the East Coast

mainline. A train arrived heading for Kings close, a diesel electric

train, and people were not able to get on Ulster police arrived and

started pulling people off the train -- King's Cross. We were left to

wait for coaches that did not turn up. We managed to find a cab to make

our way to a family member's house that was reasonably close by. It

will be a 24-hour journey from end to end. For the great Northern Hotel

the upheaval meant extra business. Within hours they had run out of

rooms. We are opposite the train station so things do happen on the

line and if there is a tragedy or anything like that it affects us

business-wise. Just kind of all hands on deck really and things

happen and everybody gets involved and it was fine last night. We put

people up which is what we are here for. Further east there was more

painful real communities. Overrunning engineering works on the

Norwich -London line meant many had to catch a replacement bus to work

this morning. I come the East Coast network rail and the train operators

have apologised for the inconvenience. But this may be

little comfort for commuters facing further ticket hikes in the New

Year. There are still some delays and some operators are suggesting

passengers deferred their journeys until tomorrow. If you had a ticket

valid yesterday or today it can be used on tomorrow's services. Some

passengers have some good news, some of them may be valid for

compensation. It is worth going online to check with your train

operator to see if you can get some money back.

Thank you for joining us. Manchester United is poised once

again to break the record books - Winger Angel di Maria has undergone

a medical at Old Trafford this morning -

ahead of his move from Real Madrid. It's 35 years since Trevor Francis

became the first English million-pound footballer with his

move from Birmingham City to The Premiership record

of ?50 million was - until today - set in 2011 for Fernando Torres -

paid to Liverpool by Chelsea. But the world record is at ?85

million - for Gareth Bale's transfer Now it's sold Angel di Maria to

Manchester United for a British Our chief sports correspondent Dan

Roan is at Old Trafford. Probably a bit old-fashioned but

this sounds like an awful lot of money.

It really is. A huge amount of money to spend on one player. As you say

it smashes the British football transfer fee record previously set

by Fernando Torres when he moved from Liverpool to Chelsea in 2011.

Many will say it is obscene for one player but such is the commercial

might of the Premier League, driven of course by ever more lucrative TV

rights deals, don't be surprised if it does not last that long, this

record, for di Maria. We expect confirmation he is a Manchester

United player later today following his medical earlier this morning. Is

he worth it? It remains to be seen. United fans will hope so. This club

is desperate to return to the former glory of the Sir Alex Ferguson era,

David Moyes failed last season when United had a dismal year failing to

qualify for European football, finishing seventh in the Premier

League. Now they are under Louis van Gaal, a Dutchman, and he has found

the start of this season equally hard, just one point from two

matches. That is why United are on this unprecedented transfer spend.

Not just di Maria, but along with others, ?132 million spent already

this summer. It remains to be seen whether it proves worthwhile. Thank

you for joining us. British conservationists say

the world's rarest bird - the Madagascar pochard - needs

a new home if it is to survive. The destruction of its habitat means

that just 25 of the birds exist in the wild - all of them

at one remote lake in north-east A new study has revealed that the

lake doesn't have enough food for the young ducklings - as our science

reporter Victoria Gill reports. This little brown duck is hanging

on at the very brink of extinction. In the 1990s, the species was

thought to have died out, but in 2006 scientists found a tiny

population at this remote lake. But monitoring the wild birds has

revealed that most of the new ducklings simply starved and

died before they reached adulthood. The lake, it seems,

is not as perfect as it looks. Analysis of mud from the lakebed

has shown that there's not enough And as Doctor Andrew Bamford who led

the study explained the water is already too deep for the ducklings

to reach the bottom and feed. As you can see the King through the mud we

are not finding much in it, so you can imagine how hard it is for the

Madagascar pochard is that just had to dive through two metres of water

to reach this. It is what researchers call a conservation

conundrum. They to thrive at wetlands across this diverse country

but so many were destroyed by human activity that the ducks were driven

to one promote site that simply does not provide the habitat they need.

But there's still hope for this troubled duck.

Two years ago, the first Madagascar pochards hatched in captivity.

The challenge now, the conservationists say, is to find and

restore a more duck friendly site for the birds in this captive

breeding programme. Any species on the brink of extension is worth

saving but the project is now more than about saving one bird. Four of

those wetlands to be restored to benefit both people and wildlife,

all of the special wildlife in Madagascar, and for the people there

to be responsible to care for that wildlife we want them to manage

their wetlands sustainably so the Madagascar pochard is a flagship for

web and conservation in Madagascar and the long-term. The team has into

fights and possible locations for the duck's new home so the plan is

to bring the ducks back to the wild. It is time for a look at the weather

with Nina Ridge. We still have some torrential rain but there is also

some sunshine. This picture was taken on Sunday on the Yorkshire

coast line. We have some sunshine as well at the moment across northern

parts and there are some brighter skies around. To the south we have

seen torrential rain slowly starting to clear away. But we could still

see some further downpours throughout the rest of the

afternoon. But away from that many places are dry and fine. We have

some sunshine through Cumbria, Northern Ireland and in the

north-west Scotland, where temperatures are climbing nicely.

They could reach 20 degrees. It is a touch, along the east coast with

cloud being dragged in from the North Sea. Again, for parts of

north-west England brighter skies and looking at the high teens. Much

warmer day for Northern Ireland can yesterday. With some brighter skies

in south-west England it will feel warm but we could still one or two

isolated downpours in the afternoon and some showers across the south

coast and there could be some torrential ones in places. The

general trend is for them to clear into the channel. Through this

evening and overnight most places will be dry. Little bit of patchy

cloud but with some clear spells again through parts of Scotland and

a risk of a touch of frost. Most of the major towns and cities will

start Wednesday morning with temperatures around 10-12 degrees.

As far as Wednesday's forecast is concerned much of the country should

be fine and dry. In the south-west there may be one or two showers

lingering. A little bit of cloud around but some bright spells as

well. Overall, tomorrow's forecast does not look too bad. You can see

showers across south-west England for a time and as we go through the

day they will creep further inland through the Bristol Channel and

possibly one or two for South Wales in the afternoon. The best of the

sunshine will hold on to the north and the East. A much warmer day for

parts of the Midlands and South East England where we are looking at

temperatures in the low 20s tomorrow but for many against some brighter

skies reaching the high teens. Though showers become more extensive

as we go through Wednesday night and into Thursday, as the weather fronts

start to push northwards. They are tied in with this area of low

pressure sitting in the Atlantic. Some strong winds on Thursday at

times across parts of Scotland, south-west England as well. The main

rain band sits to the north and behind that we will see a mixture of

bright spells and scattered showers. The temperatures are not

too far away from average for the time of year. Thank you very much.

Now a reminder of our top story this lunchtime:

Presidents Poroshenko and Putin meet Belarus - as Ukraine puts captured