0:00:03 > 0:00:05The Home Secretary says the attempted murder of a former
0:00:05 > 0:00:12Russian spy using nerve gas is an outrageous crime.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Amber Rudd told Parliament Sergei and Yulia Skripal remain
0:00:14 > 0:00:17in a critical condition in hospital, and the police officer
0:00:17 > 0:00:23who went to their aid is in a serious condition.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26The use of a nerve agent on UK soil is a brazen and reckless act.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28This was attempted murder in the most
0:00:28 > 0:00:34cruel and public way.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36We'll have the latest on the counter-terrorism
0:00:36 > 0:00:38investigation into where the nerve agent came from.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Also this lunchtime...
0:00:40 > 0:00:43A passenger tells a court how her hair caught fire when a bomb
0:00:43 > 0:00:48went off on a London underground train last September.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Domestic abusers could be electronically tagged or banned
0:00:52 > 0:00:54from drinking alcohol, in a new crackdown proposed
0:00:54 > 0:00:57by the Government.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Longer waits in A&E and fewer non-urgent operations -
0:00:59 > 0:01:06new figures make grim reading for the NHS.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09And, going for gold - Britain is hoping for a record medal
0:01:09 > 0:01:14haul at the Winter Paralympics.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16And coming up in the sport on BBC News...
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Eddie Jones makes three changes for England's Six Nations clash
0:01:18 > 0:01:20with France this weekend.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26Captain Dylan Hartley misses out through injury.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49The Home Secretary has described the attempted murder of a former
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Russian spy and his daughter as an outrageous crime.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Speaking in the House of Commons, Amber Rudd said the use of a nerve
0:01:57 > 0:02:01agent on UK soil was a brazen and wreckless act.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04She also said it was highly likely that the police officer
0:02:04 > 0:02:06taken ill at the scene in Salisbury was exposed
0:02:06 > 0:02:12to the same nerve agent as Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13Counter terrorism officers are trying to identify
0:02:13 > 0:02:14the source of the toxin.
0:02:14 > 0:02:21Richard Galpin reports.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Much of the investigation now is focusing on who carried out the
0:02:27 > 0:02:31attempted murder here in Salisbury last Sunday. In which the Russian
0:02:31 > 0:02:39double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia ingested deadly nerve
0:02:39 > 0:02:45agent. But at the local hospital, it is now clear the policeman who was
0:02:45 > 0:02:49also contaminated after rushing to help them when they collapsed is
0:02:49 > 0:02:53recovering.The police are working closely...In Parliament this
0:02:53 > 0:02:57morning the Government promised a robust response once it is clear who
0:02:57 > 0:03:03was behind the attack.The use of a nerve agent on UK soil is a brazen
0:03:03 > 0:03:10and reckless act. This was attempted murder in the most cruel and public
0:03:10 > 0:03:14way. People are right to want to know who to hold to account. But if
0:03:14 > 0:03:18we are to be rigorous in this investigation, we must avoid
0:03:18 > 0:03:24speculation and allow the police to carry on their investigation.The
0:03:24 > 0:03:28horrifying effects of a nerve agents have been seen in several parts of
0:03:28 > 0:03:33the world in recent years, even though their use is banned. Hundreds
0:03:33 > 0:03:37suffocated to death in this sarin gas attack in the rebel held areas
0:03:37 > 0:03:48of Syria in 2013. Last year another nerve agent, VX, was used by the
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Korean regime. Generally it is only governments which develop and store
0:03:52 > 0:03:59nerve agents.Making nerve agents is not the sort of stuff you can knock
0:03:59 > 0:04:05up in your back shed, it needs a sophisticated laboratory, highly
0:04:05 > 0:04:09trained and experienced scientists that only we really find in
0:04:09 > 0:04:13state-run institutions.So for those investigating the attack in
0:04:13 > 0:04:17Salisbury, the range of likely culprits has narrowed significantly,
0:04:17 > 0:04:22with Russia probably now the prime suspect.The British authorities
0:04:22 > 0:04:25will be looking for substantive proof of a link between the use of
0:04:25 > 0:04:29this agent and the Russians in particular. It's not only
0:04:29 > 0:04:39governments who use this sort of thing, sarin was
0:04:39 > 0:04:42thing, sarin was used in the Tokyo Metro a few years ago, nevertheless
0:04:42 > 0:04:44the high probability is it is the Russians.There is much still to be
0:04:44 > 0:04:53uncovered in the investigation, but for the family... Sergei Skripal's
0:04:53 > 0:04:58brother died in Russia and the family believe the deaths are
0:04:58 > 0:04:59suspicious.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Our Home Affairs Correspondent Leila Nathoo is outside Sergei Skripal's
0:05:01 > 0:05:09house in Salisbury.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I am at Sergei Skripal's house and there has been a flurry of activity
0:05:17 > 0:05:22in the last hour or so, the most activity we have seen to days. We
0:05:22 > 0:05:26had a number of ambulances turning up here, and an incident response
0:05:26 > 0:05:32team. Police have set up a large tent here, there are also tends in
0:05:32 > 0:05:36the driveway and back garden too so it looks like there will be a
0:05:36 > 0:05:46lengthy operation here. As far as Salisbury city centre goes, there
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Salisbury city centre goes, there is a police tent near the bench where
0:05:49 > 0:05:51Sergei Skripal and his daughter was found, Zizzi restaurant is cordoned
0:05:51 > 0:05:54off, so a number of sites of interest here. Wiltshire Police is
0:05:54 > 0:05:56saying the officer who was hospitalised after being one of the
0:05:56 > 0:06:00first on the scene to response to the call-out, he is now described as
0:06:00 > 0:06:06being in a serious but stable condition. He is conscious, talking
0:06:06 > 0:06:14and engaging. Sergei Skripal and Yulia are said to be critical but
0:06:14 > 0:06:19stable. The police are putting a timeline together of their
0:06:19 > 0:06:23movements, having lunch at Zizzi restaurant at 1:30pm, then going
0:06:23 > 0:06:27into the pub, later found slumped and collapsed on the bench. When did
0:06:27 > 0:06:33they get exposed to this nerve agent? How was it ingested, was it
0:06:33 > 0:06:39airborne? Who was administered by? And how did it get into Salisbury
0:06:39 > 0:06:40city centre the country?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Our Science Editor David Shukman is here.
0:06:43 > 0:06:49In terms of the substance, what are investigators looking for, David?
0:06:49 > 0:06:55There is a huge amount we don't know but the phrase nerve agent covers a
0:06:55 > 0:07:00lot of possibilities. It points to the fact this was manufactured
0:07:00 > 0:07:03probably in some state institution. These are not something you can cook
0:07:03 > 0:07:08up in the kitchen. In Japan some people succeeded but it took a long
0:07:08 > 0:07:12time and it is hazardous. We also know nerve agents attacks the
0:07:12 > 0:07:17nervous system by definition, that is what they do, and the symptoms
0:07:17 > 0:07:22eyewitnesses describe match that, namely convulsions, difficulty
0:07:22 > 0:07:26breathing, frothing at the mouth, all pointing to the use of these
0:07:26 > 0:07:32nerve agents. I think beyond that, we are into a phase where there is
0:07:32 > 0:07:36detective work into trying to find out where the substance came from.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40There is a rather weird branch of science that does this, looking for
0:07:40 > 0:07:47what they called markers in the chemical, little clues that might
0:07:48 > 0:07:52indicate where the substance was made. There are clues that can be
0:07:52 > 0:07:55found that point to a particular government or a particular source.
0:07:55 > 0:08:03Whether they can do that this time, I don't know.OK, for now thank you.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Our Chief Political Correspondent Vicki Young is in Westminster.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10We heard strong words from the Home Secretary, will we have more than
0:08:10 > 0:08:15words at any point?That was certainly what MPs were calling for.
0:08:15 > 0:08:20It was striking the difference in tone from Amber Rudd today to that
0:08:20 > 0:08:24of Boris Johnson a few days ago when he spoke directly about Russia
0:08:24 > 0:08:28saying they were a malign and disruptive force. Amber Rudd being
0:08:28 > 0:08:33more careful with her language, she was keen to say that if there was
0:08:33 > 0:08:38evidence and proof Russia was behind this, then the UK would be ready to
0:08:38 > 0:08:43act. When pushed on this, she said in other cases the UK has been
0:08:43 > 0:08:48outspoken in its criticism of Russia and will go further if we need to do
0:08:48 > 0:08:54so, which begs the question what exactly might she be thinking about?
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Where were outspoken words from a Conservative MP who said what was
0:08:57 > 0:09:03going on here was a brazen act of war by Russia, he said it was
0:09:03 > 0:09:06humiliating our country. There are many people who agree with that but
0:09:06 > 0:09:10it is much more likely we will see an extension of sanctions, of
0:09:10 > 0:09:14stopping visas for some people come into this country, freezing of
0:09:14 > 0:09:20assets. The likelihood of cutting off diplomatic ties though, I don't
0:09:20 > 0:09:26think that will happen.Thank you. The rest of the day's news now.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29A commuter has been describing to a court how her hair caught fire
0:09:29 > 0:09:32when a bomb went off on a London underground train last September.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Ahmed Hassan, who's 18, denies attempted murder and causing
0:09:34 > 0:09:36an explosion likely to endanger life, at Parsons Green station.
0:09:36 > 0:09:44June Kelly is at the Old Bailey.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Some very dramatic and distressing evidence here at the Old Bailey this
0:09:49 > 0:09:52morning as passengers who were on that train last September describe
0:09:52 > 0:09:58what happened. The first witness we heard from gave her evidence from
0:09:58 > 0:10:02behind a screen and she is remaining anonymous. She was badly burned, she
0:10:02 > 0:10:07suffered burns to her face, hands and legs, and she said that during
0:10:07 > 0:10:12her evidence that her coat was burning and her tights actually
0:10:12 > 0:10:16melted. She broke down in tears during her evidence and had to pause
0:10:16 > 0:10:21at one point. She said she had seen the defendants a short time before
0:10:21 > 0:10:27on the train and seen this bag he had with him which she thought
0:10:27 > 0:10:33looked odd. The prosecution say that in that bag was born with a bucket.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Another witness called Amy Colville described how her hair caught fire.
0:10:37 > 0:10:43She said, there was a loud, cracking bang, then a wall of glass came past
0:10:43 > 0:10:50me, and flames were passing over her. Another witness was very upset,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54she sobbed throughout her evidence. She said her hair was coming out in
0:10:54 > 0:10:59chunks and her face was burning. Another witness said his face was
0:10:59 > 0:11:04burned and he lost his eyebrows and eyelashes. Throughout all of this
0:11:04 > 0:11:08evidence the defendant sat in the dock with his eyes closed and his
0:11:08 > 0:11:11head down.Thank you.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Two 17-year-old boys have died and seven people have been injured
0:11:14 > 0:11:17in an accident involving three cars near Thirsk in North Yorkshire.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Police say the vehicles collided on the A61 shortly
0:11:19 > 0:11:23before 9.30pm last night.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Five adults and two children were taken to hospital.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Police have appealed for anyone who saw what happened to contact them.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Two 18-year-old men have been arrested, after a student
0:11:30 > 0:11:33at Nottingham Trent University said she was subjected to racist abuse
0:11:33 > 0:11:36through the door of her room.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Rufaro Chisango said people chanted "we hate the blacks"
0:11:38 > 0:11:45and she posted a video of what happened on social media.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Suspected domestic abusers could be electronically tagged or banned
0:11:48 > 0:11:49from drinking alcohol, under new Government proposals
0:11:49 > 0:11:52for England and Wales.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Draft legislation has been put out for public consultation,
0:11:55 > 0:12:03as Lucinda Adam reports.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Euleen Hope suffered a decade of abuse at the hands of her
0:12:09 > 0:12:13ex-partner, emotional but also physical. She ended up in hospital
0:12:13 > 0:12:19more than a dozen times. She says she used to grow her fringe long to
0:12:19 > 0:12:24cover her black eyes.Some people say to me, why didn't you get out
0:12:24 > 0:12:28sooner? If you leave a relationship, do you want to be looking over your
0:12:28 > 0:12:32shoulder? That person could be still after you because he already told
0:12:32 > 0:12:44me, he will say when it is over. Then he
0:12:46 > 0:12:49threatened me and told me he would organise for someone to throw acid
0:12:49 > 0:12:51in my face.In 2015 the man was eventually jailed for grievous
0:12:51 > 0:12:54bodily harm and assault after her sister called the police. Today the
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Prime Minister and Home Secretary met just a few of the 2 million
0:12:56 > 0:12:59people, mostly women, who suffer domestic abuse each year.What we
0:12:59 > 0:13:05are proposing today is a really ambitious sea change in people's
0:13:05 > 0:13:09approach to domestic abuse, really bringing it out from where it has
0:13:09 > 0:13:12been hidden. This is not just about the really nasty attacks that take
0:13:12 > 0:13:17place but it's about building on the work we have already done on
0:13:17 > 0:13:21coercive control and introducing new forms of abuse to be considered by
0:13:21 > 0:13:24the judges.Among the proposals, broadening the legal definition of
0:13:24 > 0:13:30domestic abuse to include physical, psychological, sexual and emotional
0:13:30 > 0:13:36but also economic abuse. Tougher sentences the cases involving
0:13:36 > 0:13:39children, and protection orders that could see abuses electronically
0:13:39 > 0:13:44tagged or banned from drinking alcohol.We are pleased to see the
0:13:44 > 0:13:47spotlight on financial and economic abuse, this can be anything from
0:13:47 > 0:13:51having your wages taken away from you by your partner to committing
0:13:51 > 0:13:57benefit fraud in your name.The consultation period for the proposed
0:13:57 > 0:14:02new laws will last 12 weeks.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05More people in England had non-urgent operations postponed
0:14:05 > 0:14:07by the NHS in January compared to the same period last year.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Waiting time performance in A&E departments has also hit its lowest
0:14:10 > 0:14:11level since targets were introduced.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Our health correspondent Adina Campbell is with me.
0:14:13 > 0:14:20Talk us through the figures.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24We all know that the winter period puts more pressure on the NHS but it
0:14:24 > 0:14:29is now clear just how much of an impact it has had on routine
0:14:29 > 0:14:32operations so if we take a look at the number of routine operations
0:14:32 > 0:14:37which had to be postponed in January this year, that was down by 23,000
0:14:37 > 0:14:43compared to the same period last year. Why is this happening? There
0:14:43 > 0:14:47are number of reasons, we've got to take into account the cold weather
0:14:47 > 0:14:52but also things like flu and norovirus as as the ongoing
0:14:52 > 0:14:56pressures such as social care with some older patients stock in beds in
0:14:56 > 0:15:00hospital rather than getting the right kind of care at home. We've
0:15:00 > 0:15:04also had figures through for A&E performance in England as well and
0:15:04 > 0:15:10that is at its lowest level for 14 years. The target is 95% of patients
0:15:10 > 0:15:15being seen in A&E within four hours but in February this year that was
0:15:15 > 0:15:21down by 85%, the lowest on record. We have seen the pictures of
0:15:21 > 0:15:25patients being left in corridors waiting to be seen and the pressures
0:15:25 > 0:15:29on Ambulance Services as well so this combined with an ageing
0:15:29 > 0:15:32population, staff shortages, as well as our own lifestyle choices with
0:15:32 > 0:15:37things like our diet and smoking, all of this puts the NHS under
0:15:37 > 0:15:41incredible pressure.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Our top story this lunchtime:
0:15:43 > 0:15:46The Home Secretary says the attempted murder of a former
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Russian spy and his daughter using a nerve agent
0:15:48 > 0:15:52is an outrageous crime.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54And still to come:
0:15:54 > 0:15:57Why the recent freezing weather means drivers will have to contend
0:15:57 > 0:16:00with even more potholes.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04Coming up in sport:
0:16:04 > 0:16:06"I thought I was in trouble."
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Snowboarder Owen Pick says "it's amazing" after being named
0:16:08 > 0:16:10as Paralympics GB flagbearer for the opening ceremony
0:16:10 > 0:16:17in South Korea on Friday.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Brexit is distracting the Government from making changes needed
0:16:22 > 0:16:25to help boost the economy - that's a warning from business
0:16:25 > 0:16:27leaders, as they gather at the annual British Chambers
0:16:27 > 0:16:31of Commerce conference.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33The group's Chairman says the government can do more
0:16:33 > 0:16:35than one thing at once, and has called for
0:16:35 > 0:16:38stronger leadership.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Nina Warhurst has been visiting companies in Staffordshire,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44where voters overwhelmingly backed Brexit.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Staffordshire is home to a million people,
0:16:47 > 0:16:48for the manufacturers, the service industries
0:16:48 > 0:16:54and the trades men and women, the Brexit count down is on.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56A drop in the pound has brought a big boost
0:16:56 > 0:16:59for export sales in Hixon.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Two thirds of electrics they build and the metal they shape go abroad.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04But that could change.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07This piece of machinery puts all the safety edges
0:17:07 > 0:17:10on and the folds very consistently very quickly.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11Do they stay mainly in the UK?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Yes, absolutely.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Talk of tariffs means they're building their British client-base
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and mass production for the eurozone will be made in Romania.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24Fewer borders means more predictable profits.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Those changes, are they as a result
0:17:26 > 0:17:29of Brexit directly?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31No, I wouldn't say directly.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33We have been sort of doing this anyway.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36What this has allowed us to do with the uncertainty of Brexit
0:17:36 > 0:17:38is focus our mind a bit more in transferring goods.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41So Brexit has made you think in a different way would you say?
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Absolutely.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47Staffordshire is a county with a rich industrial heritage
0:17:47 > 0:17:50and you look to the future and the Chamber of Commerce says
0:17:50 > 0:17:52they can grow the local economy here by 50% over
0:17:52 > 0:17:56the next three years.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59But some businesses say it is impossible to make any
0:17:59 > 0:18:03predictions until they know the exact terms of the Brexit deals.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05We head south to Weeping Cross, a community which relies
0:18:05 > 0:18:10heavily on this business.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Here they say a fluctuating pound and not knowing the final deal makes
0:18:13 > 0:18:17importing uncertain.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It can mean that patients go without medication.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22You would say that has happened, because of Brexit someone has gone
0:18:22 > 0:18:23without their medication?
0:18:23 > 0:18:27I can't necessarily link it to Brexit, but it does have a link
0:18:27 > 0:18:28to currency fluctuations.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30And do you worry that because of that ambiguity,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33we will see a time where you can't be certain with patients
0:18:33 > 0:18:34about the supply of medication?
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Very much so.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39One county, 33,000 businesses - Staffordshire is edging closer
0:18:39 > 0:18:43to seeing how their past decision will impact their financial future.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Nina Warhurst, BBC News.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50John Lewis staff will see their bonus cut for the fifth
0:18:50 > 0:18:54consecutive year, after the retail chain revealed a fall in profits.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56The John Lewis Partnership - which is owned by John Lewis
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and Waitrose employees - announced that this year's bonus
0:18:59 > 0:19:02will be 5% of annual salary, down from 6% last year,
0:19:02 > 0:19:10with 85,000 staff sharing a pot worth £74 million.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18The public spending watchdog has warned that many councils in England
0:19:18 > 0:19:19face becoming financially unsustainable because of the
0:19:19 > 0:19:21increasing demands of social care.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The National Audit Office calculates that the money local authorities
0:19:23 > 0:19:26receive from central government has been cut by nearly 50% since 2010.
0:19:26 > 0:19:33Alison Holt reports.
0:19:33 > 0:19:41It is lunch time at think day centre in Surrey. Here, people with brain
0:19:41 > 0:19:44injuries and other conditions can socialise and take part in
0:19:44 > 0:19:49activities. Many have their care paid for by the county down till. --
0:19:49 > 0:19:54council.We like its legs. The legs are brilliant.The report says local
0:19:54 > 0:19:58authorities now spend more than half of their budgets on providing social
0:19:58 > 0:20:02care. Sue, who has multiple sclerosis, describes the centre as a
0:20:02 > 0:20:09lifeline.I come here only twice a week. I would come more if there was
0:20:09 > 0:20:20the funding for it. But apart from that, it is amazing.Councils like
0:20:20 > 0:20:25Surrey have duty to support people who are older and disabled as well
0:20:25 > 0:20:29as providing children's services. Across the board, demand is
0:20:29 > 0:20:36increasing. But the National Audit Office report says 2010 the money
0:20:36 > 0:20:41English councils have got from central Government has been cut by
0:20:41 > 0:20:44nearly 50%. Services like bin collections and roads and libraries
0:20:44 > 0:20:48have had funding reduced by nearly a third over the same time. And with
0:20:48 > 0:20:54councils using their savings to balance the books, one in ten will
0:20:54 > 0:20:59have exhausted their reserves within three years.We are calling for a
0:20:59 > 0:21:03plan for the long-term financial sustainability of sector. What we
0:21:03 > 0:21:06want local Government to do and fund them for that or make funding
0:21:06 > 0:21:10available. Alongside that social care needs a funding solution as
0:21:10 > 0:21:18well.In Surrey, one of wealthiest parts of country, as well as raising
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Council Tax and making more cuts to services like bins and roads, the
0:21:22 > 0:21:26local authority is dipping into its reserves again.You see what the
0:21:26 > 0:21:32snow has done. The council leaderer knows they have to change. It has
0:21:32 > 0:21:39been difficult to make sure we could come in this year with a budget with
0:21:39 > 0:21:45the minimum tax level increases that we had to do. We had have to use 24
0:21:45 > 0:21:49million of our reserves and 15 million of our capital receipts to
0:21:49 > 0:21:56help. The Government said a new council funding settlement has been
0:21:56 > 0:22:00approved to help keep services running and that will mean a real
0:22:00 > 0:22:03terms increase in the money they get.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06The recent cold weather will lead to an increase in potholes,
0:22:06 > 0:22:07according to motoring experts.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09The RAC say pressures on council spending means roads
0:22:09 > 0:22:11across the country were already plagued by potholes
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and that freezing water in road cracks has accentuated the problem.
0:22:14 > 0:22:21Charlotte Gallagher reports.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29The severe weather over the past week has been causing misery for
0:22:29 > 0:22:34drivers. And the bad news is the elements are now causing even more
0:22:34 > 0:22:42problems. The RAC is warning the freezing weather is leading to more
0:22:42 > 0:22:46potholes on your roads. Some campaigners have had enough and are
0:22:46 > 0:22:53taking matters into their own hands. In Oxfordshire some residents are
0:22:53 > 0:22:57planting flowers in potholes to raise awareness.We have had a lot
0:22:57 > 0:23:00of people doing it. Loads of comments on Facebook. And there has
0:23:00 > 0:23:05been a couple that have been filled in. Badly but they have been filled
0:23:05 > 0:23:11in.The cold weather makes potholes even worse. Because water gets into
0:23:11 > 0:23:16the cracks on the road, freezes and then expands, further weakening the
0:23:16 > 0:23:22road surface. The Department for Transport says knows people are
0:23:22 > 0:23:27concerned about it giving councils just under £300 million to fix
0:23:27 > 0:23:35potholes. And the rise in potholes is bad for drivers' wallets too with
0:23:35 > 0:23:44bills runs to hundreds of pounds. Tyres, broken wheels, in some cases
0:23:44 > 0:23:47broken wish bones, parts on cars that have been forced back because
0:23:47 > 0:23:54of the impact and in some cases it is written cars off.The RAC warns
0:23:54 > 0:24:00the problem isn't going away.A bad impact, but we feel it will get
0:24:00 > 0:24:09worse and we may see more potholes in spring than daffodils.The local
0:24:09 > 0:24:14Government said councils are fixing a pothole every 19 seconds. The cold
0:24:14 > 0:24:21snap will make that job even harder.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24After Team GB's most successful Winter Olympics ever,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26attention now turns to Paralympians as the games get
0:24:26 > 0:24:27underway in Pyeongchang.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31The British team will be led at tomorrow's opening ceremony
0:24:31 > 0:24:33by their flagbearer, the Snowboarder Owen Pick -
0:24:33 > 0:24:35who lost his leg while serving with the army in Afghanistan.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39Kate Grey has been speaking to him.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Soldier turned snowboarder, Owen Pick is familiar
0:24:41 > 0:24:47with the prestige of carrying his country's flag.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50After losing his leg in Afghanistan, he has been on quite
0:24:50 > 0:24:52a journey to now lead his country at a Paralympic Games.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56I didn't expect it, it was very much a surprise to me.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And, yeah, it does mean a lot, obviously the flag and victory's
0:24:58 > 0:25:00super-important us to.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02So it is nice to be given the opportunity to carry
0:25:02 > 0:25:05it out here.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Owen is one of three snowboarders who will be
0:25:07 > 0:25:08representing Britain at the Paralympics for
0:25:08 > 0:25:10the first time ever.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13And for the IPC President, Andrew Parsons, it will be his
0:25:13 > 0:25:15first games in charge.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17One of his biggest challenges has been dealing with the
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Russian doping scandal.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22So the situation has changed, has progressed,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24we are now in the situation where we can say with a
0:25:24 > 0:25:26degree of confidence that those who are competing
0:25:26 > 0:25:29here are as clean as any athlete.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32So it is difficult, but you know taking it seriously in a very
0:25:32 > 0:25:38consistent way, open with dialogue, it makes a little less difficult.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42And the weather is another thing to overcome.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45During the Olympics, it was high speed winds and freezing
0:25:45 > 0:25:46temperatures.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Now it's the unusually snowy conditions which could
0:25:48 > 0:25:51prove disruptive.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52We are not worried.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Of course we have Plans B and C, so we
0:25:54 > 0:25:57have different scenarios.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00We have a lot of snow today and probably this
0:26:00 > 0:26:03evening, so we had to see how this affects the opening ceremony for
0:26:03 > 0:26:06example, which is in an outdoor stadium.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08In the last few days some training has been cancelled as a
0:26:08 > 0:26:16result of snow.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18Regardless of the conditions, the British team believe
0:26:18 > 0:26:20they're the prepared ever been ahead of a Winter Paralympics,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22with 17 athletes set to compete across five sports.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25All hoping to turn the years of planning and preparation into
0:26:25 > 0:26:31Paralympic glory.
0:26:31 > 0:26:36It is just after 10am and the snow has eased off. In the last hour we
0:26:36 > 0:26:39have received news from the international Paralympic committee
0:26:39 > 0:26:44that after long negotiations, the decision has been made that North
0:26:44 > 0:26:54Korea and South Korea will march separately at the opening ceremony.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59The IPC suggested was because it was North Korea's first Paralympics. The
0:26:59 > 0:27:06IPC respect the decision made by the North and South Korean delegations.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Thank you very much. Enjoy the competition.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13One of Paralympics GB's big hopes for the games
0:27:13 > 0:27:14is the wheelchair curling team.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Nikki Fox went to the national curling centre
0:27:16 > 0:27:24in Stirling to meet them.
0:27:25 > 0:27:30Final day of training before heading to South Korea.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32It's not the team's first Winter Paralympics - four of the
0:27:32 > 0:27:35five members won bronze in Sochi four years ago.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37But it's all new for Hugh, or Shugg as his team-mates
0:27:37 > 0:27:38like to call him.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40He is making his Paralympic debut.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44He was 24 when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48When I got diagnosed with MS and you start losing your
0:27:48 > 0:27:51functions and your abilities, your confidence goes and I became
0:27:51 > 0:27:53more or less house-bound.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Getting into curling, confidence just grew and
0:27:55 > 0:27:59putting everything into it and just going for it.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01It's taken some adjustment for Hugh to get this far.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04His first sport was rugby.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05I'd stepped back before my diagnosis, I
0:28:05 > 0:28:09wasn't playing as much, but I always had it in my mind that I could
0:28:09 > 0:28:10go back.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13In my mind, I was like, I could be the greatest!
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Mentally it is very much more demanding, you're
0:28:16 > 0:28:17constantly thinking and looking for different shots,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19different angles the whole time.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Can I have a go?
0:28:21 > 0:28:22How do you actually direct it?
0:28:22 > 0:28:27How do you get it in the right position?
0:28:27 > 0:28:30So ideally you're pointing your cue, the delivery stick, but also the
0:28:30 > 0:28:36head that's on this cue helps with rotation.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40We don't have the use of sweepers, once we let the stone go,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42there is nothing we can do to influence it.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43It's going off to the right.
0:28:43 > 0:28:44This is very difficult.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47This is so difficult.
0:28:47 > 0:28:48Fire away.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Ooh!
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Although it is not an easy sport, it is one
0:28:52 > 0:28:55of people of any age and any
0:28:55 > 0:28:57disability to get into.
0:28:57 > 0:28:58The team hopes that its performance in
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Pyeongchang will inspire others to take it up.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02Sign me up now!
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Curling is more about inclusion than exclusion.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08All disabilities are able to play the sport.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12Do you feel like ambassadors for the sport?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Definitely feel proud to be part of the British squad.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16For me, it's excitement and looking forward to
0:29:16 > 0:29:17getting out there.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20We have been watching the member and the women
0:29:20 > 0:29:23and that inspires us and we are just keen to get out there on the
0:29:23 > 0:29:25ice ourself.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28The team is aiming to win every game, but the initial focus is
0:29:28 > 0:29:30the round robin stage, with the first match
0:29:30 > 0:29:31against Norway on Saturday.
0:29:31 > 0:29:37Nicky Fox, BBC News, Stirling.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been visiting Birmingham,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42to launch a project to mark International Women's Day,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44aimed at inspiring female students to take up careers in science,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48technology and engineering industries.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50The royal couple spoke to crowds outside the event -
0:29:50 > 0:29:54some of whom had waited for several hours to see them on the latest leg
0:29:54 > 0:30:02of their tour of the country, in advance of their wedding in May.
0:30:04 > 0:30:11Now the weather forecast again. Snow again for some people?
0:30:11 > 0:30:13Now the weather forecast again. Snow again for some people? No it won't
0:30:13 > 0:30:20leave us. This is a weather watcher scene in Yorkshire, which was badly
0:30:20 > 0:30:25hit with several centimetres of snow causing disruption. Other areas
0:30:25 > 0:30:30started the day milder with sunshine and a few rain showers. For the rest
0:30:30 > 0:30:34of today, it is an improving picture, certainly in the north-east
0:30:34 > 0:30:38of the country. The snow and the rain clearing off into the North Sea
0:30:38 > 0:30:42A lot of sunshine for many places this afternoon. Lighter winds in the
0:30:42 > 0:30:48south. But still gusty in East Anglia for a while. Temperatures up
0:30:48 > 0:30:52to 10 degrees. And there will be further showers in Scotland, these
0:30:52 > 0:30:56falling as snow over the hills. Further showers in western areas
0:30:56 > 0:31:01tonight and the odd heavy one. But most places will be dry with clear
0:31:01 > 0:31:05skies and it will be another cold one with some frost and ice where we
0:31:05 > 0:31:09have had showers and some freezing fog patches. The far south-west of
0:31:09 > 0:31:15England, thicker cloud and temperatures falling no lower than
0:31:15 > 0:31:21four or five. We have low pressure coming from the south-west bringing
0:31:21 > 0:31:26milder air and strengthening winds. We start off with a chilly note.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30Some sunshine around. Northern Ireland and central and southern
0:31:30 > 0:31:34Scotland and northern and central England. Some showers in northern
0:31:34 > 0:31:39Scotland. Further south it will be turning wet we are the rain pushing
0:31:39 > 0:31:43through the south and into parts of Wales as well. But the temperatures
0:31:43 > 0:31:50will be coming up as the rain moves north. It bill a wet weekend at
0:31:50 > 0:31:55times and there is likely to be some snow on the leading edge of the
0:31:55 > 0:32:00front during Friday night and Saturday across Scotland. Elsewhere
0:32:00 > 0:32:04it will be wet, but given some sunshine following behind in the
0:32:04 > 0:32:10south, we could see temperatures up to 14 or 15 Celsius. That is much
0:32:10 > 0:32:16milder than what we have been used to. That weather front continues to
0:32:16 > 0:32:19move north on Sunday. You can see this feature on the east coast, it
0:32:19 > 0:32:28may bring some rain. But we have another area of low pressure moving
0:32:28 > 0:32:31into the south. Elsewhere apart from some cloud we should see some
0:32:31 > 0:32:36sunshine and it should be dry. Milder further north into Scotland,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38ten degrees there through the central belt. But given sunshine in
0:32:38 > 0:32:46the south we could see 14 degrees again. Good news for those fed up
0:32:46 > 0:32:47with the cold. Thank you.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50again. Good news for those fed up with the cold. Thank you. Raise
0:32:50 > 0:32:52A reminder of our main story this lunchtime.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54The Home Secretary says the attempted murder of a former
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Russian spy and his daughter using a nerve agent
0:32:56 > 0:33:01is an outrageous crime.
0:33:01 > 0:33:07The use of a nerve agent is a brazen and reckless act. This was a
0:33:07 > 0:33:12attempted murder in the most cruel and public way.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15That's all from the BBC News at One so it's goodbye from me -