11/01/2016 BBC News at Six

David Bowie - rock star, cultural icon and actor -

From his breakthrough album in the 1970s -

Decade after decade he re-shaped his music and re-invented himself.

I got besotted with the idea of creating character after character.

I just had to accept I was a person with a very short attention span.

From the famous to the fans, they all celebrate a rare talent -

Ground control to Major Tom. Great British icon and a gentleman and a

legend. I never thought this day was going to come.

David Bowie released his last album just days ago with the lyrics

Aid begins to arrive in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya

while parts of northern England were under water.

On Reporting Scotland, and Argyle man is jailed for five years in

India on weapons charges. His family said it is a miscarriage of justice.

And a suspected case of bird flu is found in Fife but experts say the

risk to the public is minimal. Good evening and welcome

to the BBC News at Six. Tributes have been pouring in all

day following the announcement that David Bowie has died in New York

after being ill with cancer. In a career spanning six decades

Bowie transcended music, becoming a cultural icon whose

influence was felt in the worlds of fashion, art and even

Cold War politics. While other singers had

their trademark sound, Our Arts Editor Will Gompertz looks

back at the man and his music. Here is a special man, with screwed

up our eyes and screwed down hairdo. It's David Bowie, it's 1972 and this

is his game changing altar ego. I'm only using rock and roll as a

medium. I don't think it had been voiced before then. I wanted to be

the instigator of new ideas, I wanted to turn things on to new

ideas and perspectives, wanted to be Born David Jones and brought up in

suburban south London, he restyled himself as David Bowie and in

1969, presented his strange world of alienation and ambiguity, misfits.

The older generation were bemused, the

rockers dismissive. But teenagers in

bedrooms from Devon to Dundee were transfixed, last here was somebody

who understood them. He would try

things. People laughed about his crossdressing, but he did it

because he wanted to know was like. I have so much admiration

for him. He had that clever thing of creating the persona on stage which

was fantastic. When he had enough of that person, he could bring

another one on board. He made plain his artistic

modus operandi with Just going to have

to be a different man. It is looking at an actor's films

and taking clippings and saying That is different

to most rock stars. I am not a rock star,

I am not in rock and roll. The singer-songwriter

and performance artist became transfixed by the idea

of creating character after character in an act

of pop post-modernism. Ziggy Stardust became

the Thin White Duke. transatlantic success for this

bizarre British export. I get the weirdest reactions

from people who know you are going to be on,

some of them would be scared to talk to you, some people

would say that you would Nothing that you have seen or heard

from David Bowie will prepare you for the dramatic

performance in The David Bowie was an actor,

he started out as a mime artist followed by his various

stage personas and in 1976 he took a starring role in

this arthouse film. His next stop was Germany,

he moved to Berlin where he made a trip to you critically

acclaimed albums with # We could be heroes

just for one day... His

observation of this shifting social behaviours meant was often

at the forefront of change from raising gender

issues to embracing - Let's Dance was a massive

international and commercial success Artistically and aesthetically

it was probably my Over the past decade he retreated

from public life but continued to make records and pursued

creative collaborations. He released his final

album, Black Star True to form, it was

innovative and in anticipating his own

death, visionary. David Bowie was born in Brixton,

south London and today fans have been leaving flowers and lighting

candles next to a mural Whether it's New York,

where Bowie lived or Berlin, where he wrote some of his most

famous tracks, people have been talking about how he

influenced their lives. Our Arts Correspondent David Sillito

has been listening to reaction that. He was a real person. A

creator. Brixton, his birthplace, Berlin, his creative escape. And

this, the place made famous by the legendary album cover. This is the

spot. You can still see the gaslamp. For most of us, this is as close as

you ever got to David Barry. For his fans, he was like an alien who had

arrived in strange clothes -- David Bowie. What he did was give people

permission to live their lives differently. He probably saved my

life, through his lyrics and songs differently. He probably saved my

and attitude. When I was a troubled teenager. I actually appear on this

record. David Bowie has been part of my life since I first met him in

1967 so it feels like a major pet prop has been knocked away. Among

the tributes... Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney and the man who helped

create some of his greatest albums, Brian Eno. He said I received an

e-mail seven days ago, it ended, thank you for our good times, Brian.

They will never rot. I realise now he was saying goodbye.

David Bowie stretched musical boundaries -

His willingness to challenge convention influenced what people

Some have said he changed the face of modern Britain.

Our Home Editor Mark Easton looks at the huge influence David Bowie

David Bowie provided a changing soundtrack to the formative years

But across the decades he was also an advocate for imagination,

A 17-year-old David Jones has just founded the Society

for the prevention of cruelty to long-haired men.

In 1964 the boy from south London was interviewed by the BBC,

For the last two years we've had comments like,

I think it just has to stop now. thrown at us.

Britain has become far more tolerant of difference.

The cultural influence of David Bowie provided the social fuel for

that revolution. I have found I collect, I am a collector. I collect

personalities. His artistry and energy prodded Britain towards the

global creative powerhouse it has become. He was fearless, courageous,

innovative, he kept on changing, and he's had a massive impact on the way

this country is seen by the world as the most creative nation on earth. A

retrospective put together by the V documented his influence into

every corner of creative space, fashion, digital technology, design,

sexuality. He declared he was gay and always have been and he was

pushing a pram and had a wife. He was very provocative, he played with

the media. In presenting that vision, being super cool, looking

gorgeous, he changed the minds of millions. We are asking you to cut

down to the absolute minimum the use of electricity for heating and for

other purposes in your homes. In grey, troubled Britain, David Bowie

was a colourful antidote. Glam rock star man cultural conformity. He

gave space to strangeness and made it cool. If he defined what it meant

to be young and smart, for many British Abie Boomers he was also a

companion when it came to getting older. He never lost his sense of

urgency and vitality and creativity right up to his death. Some will

wonder what the fuss is about, he was not to everyone's taste. But

when the British team stepped into the Olympic Stadium it was David

Bowie who provided the anthem. He is a hero to many. A man who changed

the way the world sees Britain and Britain sees itself.

Well, our Arts Editor Will Gompertz is here, he was much more

He was a great artist. Plain and simple. Like any true artist, what

he was able to do was reflect the world back to us, in a way that not

only helped us make sense of it but opened it up, ask us questions. Help

us understand ourselves. Those personas he too gone. Character

after character. It was helpful for us because he shifted as the Times

shifted. We grew up with him. He remained relevant. What was crucial

about him, what he said was universal. Those characters were not

just awed folk. They were versions of the Everyman. They were coming up

with themes which are important to all of us. When we show our own

children David Bowie, even 13-year-olds, quite extraordinary. I

called him the Picasso of pop in the way that he synthesised ideas of the

modern age and make sense of them in beautiful, precise pieces of work,

pieces of art. And there will be a special

programme on the life and music of of David Bowie on BBC One

a little later tonight. That's David Bowie -

Sound and Vision - We've been reporting on the death of

David Bowie - musical superstar and And still to come, last minute pleas

for junior doctors in England How some of the country's biggest

counties are not taking of the most polluting vehicles on the road.

An aid convoy carrying a month's supply of food,

medicine and winter clothing, has entered the besieged Syrian town

40,000 people are trapped there by a government blockade

and they've received no food since October.

There are reports that some have starved to death.

The convoy left Damascus this morning.

Our chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet reports.

Aid finally arrived in Madaya just as darkness fell.

Cheers of joy and relief rose from the crowds.

Thousands waited all day in the cold at this barrier at the entrance

Many had been living on boiled grass.

Look at what we're eating, this woman wails.

This cry for help was filmed by activists.

But the UN says it has credible reports that people have

Food, blankets, medicine will be unloaded in warehouses tonight.

And the same mission is now underway in northern Syria in two villages

In this conflict, food is used by all sides as a weapon of war.

Images said to be Madaya's emaciated children raised alarm in many

This is now the face of Syria's suffering.

Today's aid will help ease this crisis but it's not enough.

We know that in the city there is around 40,000 people

We are taking in supplies that should feed them for a month.

But what we really need is access all the time to ensure this

The lorries will keep moving if there are no other delays.

But missions like this are urgently needed across Syria.

4.5 million people are living in desperate conditions,

The Chairman of the Environment Agency, Sir Phillip Dilley,

has resigned following criticism over his handling of

Sir Phillip was summoned before MPs after it emerged

he was at his holiday home in Barbados while parts

of the country battled severe weather.

Our Science Editor David Shukman is here.

This happened over Christmas, why is he only resigning now? Yesterday

they dug up new details, the newspapers about their holiday in

Barbados. MPs from both sides of the house representing victims of the

flooding Lancashire and Yorkshire, he was enjoying the Caribbean. In a

statement this evening, he said he thought the job was part-time, three

days per week. He said he never realised he would be on-call around

the clock short notice but he will not get much sympathy. Before this

blew up, he said it would be a good thing for someone in his position

blew up, he said it would be a good turn up at flood events and

blew up, he said it would be a good was happening, to see if he could

help but this comes as was happening, to see if he could

review into flood defences. was happening, to see if he could

holiday in the sun at the was happening, to see if he could

was becoming a distraction. Thank you.

he compiled a video diary of his shifts on Saturday and Sunday.

could mean longer hours and reduced pay.

In its current form, this contract will stretch already

demoralised and overstretched junior doctors to a breaking point.

But the government says many doctors will be better off and protected

It will be damaging and we will do everything we can to mitigate

its effects but you can't have a strike of this scale

in our NHS without there being some real difficulties for patients.

Hospitals like Milton Keynes University Hospital have made

contingency plans for the junior doctors walk-out which will affect

Other patients have been told their appointments have been

postponed although some will go ahead involving consultants

who are not affected by the industrial action.

Across England, more than 1400 in patient and more than 2500

outpatient procedures and appointments have been put off

Because it is the not knowing that is the horrid part.

Doctors like Henry will walk out tomorrow but talks will continue

in the hope of averting two further planned strikes.

The Justice Secretary, Michael Gove, is to meet officials from G4S

after allegations of abuse and mistreatment at a young

offenders' institution run by the company.

The claims, to be aired tonight on the BBC's Panorama programme,

centre on the Medway Secure Training Centre,

Here's our social affairs correspondent Alison Holt.

This is Medway secure training centre in Kent,

here 12-17 year olds who have committed crimes

Panarama were able to see first-hand the way some trainees were treated.

Filming secretly, he witnessed some staff slapping some children.

The teenagers are challenging, this 14-year-old is trying to wind

up a male member of staff on the other side of the door

but rather than calming the situation, when the boy appears

radio, the man moves in rapidly to restrain him.

The programme shows one has his fingers on the boy's

windpipe as he complained he can't breathe.

More generally, some staff appeared to deliver the hide their actions

The Justice Secretary told MPs he will meet officials

from the company that runs Medway tomorrow,

We must treat these allegations with the utmost seriousness.

Kent Police and Medway child protection team are investigating

matters on the basis of the information shared with them

The police will decide in due course whether criminal charges

G4S has suspended seven staff, it has already said it is shocked

by the allegations and that with others involved in safeguarding

children at Medway, it will investigate thoroughly but it

won't comment further until it has seen the programme.

You can see the story in full on

Panorama: Teenage Prison Abuse Exposed, on BBC One,

Anglican church leaders from around the world are meeting in Canterbury,

hoping to resolve differences over homosexuality and women clerics.

There's a deep divide within the church,

with African bishops threatening to walk out.

Our religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt

Through the ages, Canterbury Cathedral has seen

many of its archbishops martyred for their faith.

Its archbishop today, Justin Welby, has been trying to resolve

the future of the Anglican Communion and bring together liberals

and conservatives to bridge the divides over homosexuality.

There are deep divisions within individual churches

I think I would be disappointed if, at the end of the week,

it just looked like a fudge, like papering over the issues.

What happens if some of the primates, as we've heard

they might, actually do walk out of the meeting,

some of the most conservative primates?

If they decide to leave, that is up to them.

We are a Communion, but each church is autonomous.

So, will the most traditionalists from Africa and elsewhere really

walk out of this meeting angry with churches that have

When the North Americans took their stand, it

Therefore, there has been trouble getting together all this time

So it is possible that that trouble will continue and it will manifest

itself in folk having to leave the meeting, and I understand that.

Clergyman Jeremy Davies wants the primates here to

stand up for gay people, especially in Africa.

He married his long-term partner Simon, despite the Church

of England's ban on same-sex marriage.

The church has an opportunity to be prophetic about it,

to stand up against not only the vilification of gay people

but the way they are oppressed and abused, and often put to death.

The primates will come together here to pray.

So far, we are told, the meeting is going well.

Caroline Wyatt, BBC News, Canterbury.

Time for a look at the weather - here's Sarah Keith-Lucas.

It has been a day of sunny spells and heavy showers. That was captured

nicely by a weather watcher. Dark shower clouds looming. Heavy showers

set to continue through the course of this evening and overnight. Low

pressure firmly in charge towards the east. Rotating around that

low-pressure, brisk winds and heavy showers. Severe gales in parts of

western Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Sea coasts in

particular. 1-6 degrees Celsius in towns and cities but cold in the

countryside. Could be some frost and icy stretches first thing on Tuesday

morning. Take care on an treated services, slippery roads and icy

patches. Another day of sunny intervals but blustery showers.

Heavy showers across parts of Scotland falling as snow on top of

the hills. A chance of hail and thunder in Northern Ireland mixed in

with showers. Sunny intervals and showers in northern England.

Blustery winds in the Irish Sea. Hill snow in central Wales but South

and Southern and central England, dry and bright weather. It will feel

cold, particularly exposed to the north breeze. Wind chill in

tomorrow's forecast. The heaviest showers out of Northern Ireland, in

the Midlands. Hill snow for parts of Wales and Scotland. Drier, brighter

weather with sunshine. Highs of 5-8 degrees Celsius. Typical but turning

colder through the course of this week. Feeling more like winter and

less like spring. In a moment the news where you are -

but before we go another look back at David Bowie's

incredible life and work.