06/03/2017 BBC News at Six

Concerns for thousands of jobs at Vauxhall's UK plants after it's

The new owners try to allay the fears of more than 4000 people

who work at Luton and Ellesmere Port - but many are concerned.

We're all going to be worried because we've all got families.

I myself have been here nearly 30 years.

Disbelief because no one really knows what's going on.

Ministers say they're "cautiously optimistic" about the future -

we'll be asking if they are right to be.

President Trump orders a new travel ban -

on citizens from six mainly Muslim countries - this time

ADVERT VOICEOVER: Don't worry, don't delay, just act.

The new drive by counter-terrorism police to keep the public alert

as they reveal they've thwarted 13 potential plots in four years.

Threatened with closure - the Cumbrian zoo where almost 500

animals have died loses its licence - what now for the hundreds

And how cold weather testing for new black cabs could save our

And coming up in the sport on BBC News: after facing

criticism over its make up, the FA table a series of proposals

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at 6.

There are concerns about the future of around 4,500

people who work at Vauxhall plants in the UK after the business

PSA - which already owns Peugeot and Citroen -

has agreed a deal to buy Vauxhall in Britain and Opel in Germany

Vauxhall has two factories - in Luton and Ellesmere Port.

Unions say the fight begins now to try to safeguard jobs.

Here's our industry correspondent John Moylan.

Vauxhall's vast vehicle plant at Luton, for decades a cornerstone

But soon what happens here will be decided in France.

Creating uncertainty for thousands of workers.

We're all going to be worried because we've all got families.

I myself have been here nearly 30 years.

Disbelief because no-one really knows what's going on.

I don't see the reason to shut it down.

Earlier in Paris, Peugeot's boss, Carlos Tavares,

alongside his counterpart from General Motors confirmed plans

to create a European auto giant, second only to Volkswagen.

Huge cost savings are planned, and we asked him what that will mean

I trust my Vauxhall employees in the UK, I trust them.

I know that they are dedicated and I know they are committed

and I trust that they will be in a very good position by working

in a constructive and open manner, as long as we

improve the performance and we become the best,

The deal redraws the map of the European car industry.

Across Europe, the PSA group has 14 production sites

It's buying GM Europe, known as Opel, with its eight plants

The deal includes Vauxhall's plants in Luton and Ellesmere Port

Here at Ellesmere Port, the Vauxhall Astra has been rolling

off the production line since the 1980s.

To secure the future of the site, unions know the new French owners

must commit to a new vehicle for the plant in the coming year.

A message to PSA, or indeed, General Motors before it.

If they want to sell cars in the United Kingdom,

they're going to have to build cars in the United Kingdom.

That's Unite's position and we will fight tooth and nail

The conversations that I and the Prime Minister have had,

both with GM and PSA, tell me that they

intend to safeguard the plants, honour their commitments

and look to increase the performance and the sales of cars.

So, we want to hold them to those commitments.

UK plants are known to be amongst the most productive

But it's what goes into the vehicles,

which are built in our plants, which could be the big problem.

60% of the components that go into the Vivaro van which is built

For the Astra built up at Ellesmere Port, it is 75%.

The former boss of GM's European operations warns that this crucial

issue puts the UK's plants at a disadvantage.

They just don't have enough components purchased here,

because they have to import so many components.

the UK is in a weaker position than other operations.

The UK's Brexit deal will play into this, too.

Trade tariffs could increase the cost of those components,

Britain's auto sector has been a huge success story.

But the creation of this new European car giant

Well, bosses from across the global motor industry are meeting

at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, and our

business editor Simon Jack is there for us now.

Ministers here saying they are cautiously optimistic about the

future, are they right to be? It is what everyone is talking about, the

bosses would rather people were talking about their shiny new cars,

but GM moving out of Europe after 100 years and PSA doubling down,

those things moving in both directions, but one thing people

agree on, the 24 plants they will have across Europe is too many and

that will have to come down. In the short-term ministers are right to be

optimistic or not too worried, because they will be no immediate

changes. The Vauxhall Astra is to be made there until 2021 but after

there, the boss of the new company was pretty clear that it will be

every plant for itself and the subtext of the message, don't

imagine that what you have been doing until now will be good enough

then. Automated jobs have a political resonance, so these

governments will be getting involved around Europe, and the government of

the UK scored the early victory by persuading Nissan to invest more in

Sunderland and they have to turn on the charm after 2021 for that to

happen here, although in the short term no immediate changes, and in

the long-term, efficiencies will have to be made and governments

around Europe will have to be fighting to make sure they not the

ones that get trimmed. Thanks for joining us.

President Trump has announced a new travel ban to prevent citizens

from a number of predominantly Muslim countries from

His original version was blocked by the US courts.

The latest temporary ban will now affect people from six countries

who are seeking new visas but Iraq will no longer be affected.

Here's our North America correspondent Nick Bryant.

There was anger, chaos and confusion at America's airports

when the original travel ban on entrants from seven

Muslim-majority countries was hurriedly put into effect.

But the US courts ruled it was unconstitutional,

delivering an embarrassing rebuke to President Trump.

So, today, the president signed a revised ban,

this time drafted more carefully, with the involvement

of key Cabinet members, which the administration hopes

will withstand an inevitable legal challenge.

It is the President's solemn duty to protect the American people,

and with this order, President Trump is exercising

his rightful authority to keep our people safe.

The Department of Justice believes that this Executive Order,

just as the first Executive Order, is a lawful and proper exercise

While citizens from Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya

and Yemen are still affected, Iraq, unlike last time,

People with legal residency in the US, who are holders of green

cards, and those who already have visas,

And Syrian refugees, originally banned indefinitely,

are not singled out for harsher treatment.

In Muslim neighbourhoods of America, such as Dearborn, Michigan,

the travel ban affects family members and friends,

and many complain it also marginalises them.

It's really sad, because it's affecting a lot of people,

and it's going to hurt a lot of people.

I wish he would teach us how to love each other more

Do not say, "this group is bad, that group is bad".

America has long celebrated its welcoming tradition

towards immigrants, symbolised by the Statue of Liberty.

But opinion on the travel ban exposes deep divisions here,

between those who protest it's un-American and those who believe

it's necessary to protect the American homeland.

And of course this order is a massive conversation changer, the

talk was about his Twitter tirade against Barack Obama, over the

weekend, and it was noticeable the photograph we saw, President Trump

signing the executive order, but no press was allowed in. Perhaps they

are trying to shield him from reporters questions, because they

will doubtless ask what evidence does he have two back of his

accusations against his predecessor. STUDIO: Thanks for joining us.

Police say 13 potential terror attacks have been thwarted

The UK's most senior counter-terrorism police officer has

also revealed that more than 500 investigations are being

He disclosed the figures as he launched an appeal that aims

to get members of the public to report any suspicious behaviour.

Our home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford reports.

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This man stored a huge bag of fertiliser to make

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tipped police off, saving hundreds of lives.

Detectives are concerned some people might be worried

Their advice is, don't worry, use your instincts, and if you see

something suspicious, call the anti-terrorist hotline

In the background, the devastating attacks in mainland Europe.

The trucks driven into crowds in Berlin and Nice.

The mass shootings in Paris and Brussels.

All inspired by so-called Islamic State, from a distance.

We see increasing use of encrypted communications which can

instantaneously and dynamically link terrorists across the world.

That brings about a greater danger for us in our communities,

that somebody in our community can be influenced by someone working

in a terrorist stronghold on the other side of the world.

In Westminster the Home Secretary was also asking for the public's

It's essential that we don't simply think we can solve this

We need to work closely with local communities so that everyone plays

a part in countering this vile crime.

And to emphasise the scale of the threat, police said today

they have now thwarted 13 terrorist attacks on Britain in

Daniel Sandford, BBC News, at New Scotland Yard.

The supermarket chain Asda has been fined ?300,000

Inspectors found dead mice and flies at its north London home delivery

depot which distributes food to online customers

Mouse droppings were also found on the shelves.

Cereal and sugar packets had been gnawed by rodents.

A zoo in Cumbria where a keeper was mauled to death by a tiger -

and nearly 500 animals have died over a three year period -

has been ordered to close, pending appeal.

South Lakes Zoo had been sharply criticised

by inspectors for overcrowding and poor animal welfare.

Our correspondent Danny Savage is there.

Conditions here for some of the animals were very poor, the exotic

animals were kept in on heated rat infested conditions, falling over on

icy surfaces, as well. If you read the report, by inspectors who, you

would be large white has been granted a licence and has been told

to close down. -- you would soon see. Thin this afternoon, visitor

attraction as singled out as having so many problems it has now been

ordered to close -- South Lakes Zoo this afternoon. The issue is animal

welfare, and inspection found multiple problems with accommodation

and a lack of proper care. We have had reports from the public over

many years that we have chased up with the council, with animals

having head injuries from feeding experiences where people have been

absolutely disgusted at the state of them. It has been an ongoing issue

with animal welfare and neglect for even the most basic needs. The zoo

has been dogged with trouble for a keeper 24-year-old Sarah was killed

by a tiger in 2013. Her partner told me today that a lot needs to change,

but it can be turned around. With so many other zoos in the country being

able to manage in a safe way, it stands to reason that these can be

managed appropriately. It will take some time to fix the faults but

there's no reason why they can't operate a safe zoo. The man refused

a licence was David Gill, described by inspectors as being desperate to

keep control here one way or another. And it was David Gill's

attitudes towards the number of animal deaths which concerned

inspectors. They say he did not seem to have a problem with it. And a

keeper told the inspection team that they are instructions were to

dispose of bodies and not tell anyone about them. David Gill says

he wants to stand aside from running the zoo but the new operating

company needs his licence and without it the site will close.

Danny Savage, BBC News. There are concerns for thousands

of jobs at Vauxhall's UK plants, after the company is sold

to a French car maker. The beauty of the brain -

and the British-based researchers Coming up in Sportsday on BBC News:

Can anyone stop Chelsea? The league leaders look

to re-establish a ten-point lead at the top of the table with victory

over West Ham tonight. Air pollution is one

of the greatest dangers to public health around the world -

that's according to the head of And diesel fumes are one

of the worst pollutants. The problem is particularly severe

in cities like Edinburgh, Leeds, Birmingham and London with diesel

being largely to blame. To try to combat it,

the firm behind London's diesel-powered black cabs

is introducing a brand As part of our ongoing series,

Richard Westcott travelled to Arctic Norway, where the taxi

is being tested to the limit. On some of the coldest

roads on earth, in some of the cleanest air,

secret tests are going on. For a vehicle that could help

cut pollution thousands This is the brand-new design

for the iconic London black cab. It's camouflaged because

it's a test vehicle. But before they can put this

through its paces, in the cities, they have to try it out in one

of the most hostile And it doesn't get a lot

more hostile than here. It looks like the traditional

London black cab. Most of the time driving

with zero emissions. Although a small petrol

motor charges the battery It feels like a ride

in any normal black cab except it is a lot quieter,

because you haven't What you can't see is all the wires

and the computers that are rigged up in here,

because they are live analysing how the cab is performing in this kind

of hostile weather. So this really is the traditional

design and shape, isn't it? It's a 21st-century take

on a 19th-century design. It's never easy finding a cabbie

who will go to Norway Steve McNamara represents

many London taxi drivers Do cabbies care

about the environment? Cabbies care much more

about the environment The worst place to be,

sitting in traffic, breathing the poor air,

is in a vehicle. You're better off

walking or cycling. If we can go some way to cleaning

up our own air and better the city the city we work in,

and Londoners recognise that, The people they'll need

to convince are here in London. Even with subsidies, the new cabs

will be more than ?40,000. Too steep for the drivers

we flagged down. They've got to put all the charging

points on ranks and it just wouldn't But as long as you've got the charge

points and the money to pay for it. It all comes down to

the dollar, Governor. Back in Norway, government support

means you can even get a fast charge The new taxis will be built

in Britain, using Chinese money, More and more countries are looking

to make the centre of the cities We developed a taxi

for the City of London. And other countries

and cities in Europe By the start of next year,

every newly-licensed taxi in London will have to be capable of running

with zero emissions. But it will be some years

yet before every famous Richard Wescott, BBC

News, the Arctic Circle. Talks aimed at forming

a new power-sharing government are underway

in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein and the DUP have three

weeks to agree a deal or risk having direct rule

imposed from Westminster. Our Ireland Correspondent Chris

Buckler is at Stormont tonight. Complex negotiations -

and they've not got There is a lot that Sinn Fein and

the DUP disagree on. Perhaps no more fundamental disagreement within

these negotiations than the position of Arlene Foster. Sinn Fein want the

DUP leader to step aside as First Minister while an investigation

takes place into a financial scandal surrounding a botched green energy

scheme. The Democratic Unionist party say she has done nothing wrong

and that Sinn Fein's demand is completely unacceptable. That is how

they walk into these talks, a total stalemate. Sinn Fein have been

overly jubilant, celebrating their election results which have seen

them reduce the difference between them and the DUP at Stormont from

ten seats to just a single seat. The Democratic Unionists have been

somewhat defensive. Arlene Foster has been here having to defend

herself against claims of a revolt within her party. She says she is

facing problems but it has got to be said that power-sharing has a

difficulty. That is meeting that three-week time period to get it

back and running again. Thank you. The Zeebrugge ferry tragedy

is the worst peacetime British maritime disaster at

sea in living memory. of Free Enterprise capsized

within minutes of setting sail They died because the ship's bow

doors hadn't been closed. Today, ceremonies have been held

in Britain and Belgium Our correspondent Duncan Kennedy

joined the families, In the choppy waters

of the North Sea, not far from where the Herald went down,

the day of remembrance began It was 30 years ago tonight,

the Herald of Free Enterprise capsized just outside

Zeebrugge harbour. A crew member had left

the bow doors open. Across-Channel sailing became

a mid-Channel disaster. ARCHIVE FOOTAGE: Below,

there was chaos, people clawing and fighting their way up,

injured and freezing cold. In the grim night of horror and loss

that followed, 193 people died. All the lights went out,

it was completely pitch black dark and we could hear

the inrushing water. Brian Gibbons used his watch to tap

on pipes and alert his rescuers. With the screams and the shouts

and everything else, and unfortunately some people

didn't make it. And the reason I'm talking

to you today is because I think people need to know what happened

because of the 193 Three decades on, the legacy

of the Herald's loss is its capacity to fill a church

with family and friends. Amongst them, the aunt

and uncle of Kim Spooner, then eight years of age,

but still able to recall her My goodness, I remember

it so vividly. Didn't really process what it meant

at the time, to be honest. But sitting up all night waiting

to hear them call, waiting To the lasting regret

of Kim and many families, no-one was ever prosecuted

for the Herald disaster. Today, her salvage bell was finally

returned to the harbour that the Herald had set sail

for but never reached. It's one of the most prestigious

awards in the world of science. A prize of almost ?1 million

for cutting-edge research aimed And this year, it's been won by

three British-based neuroscientists for their work on how the brain uses

a system of chemical rewards They've been speaking to our Medical

Correspondent, Fergus Walsh. How do we motivate

ourselves in life? Whether it's the choices we make

about the food we eat - cream cake or fruit -

to the friends we make. The pleasure of a hug, or the goals

we set ourselves at work to succeed, What underpins our decision-making

is a chemical in the brain called dopamine, which is released whenever

there is a reward. This sense of reward,

which can sometimes be equated with happiness,

pleasure, or simply a desire to do something, has been

crucial in human evolution. The three neuroscientists

who share the prize, given by the Lundbeck Foundation

in Denmark, have spent 30 years studying the dopamine reward

pathway, and say it underpins If you look at a menu

in a new restaurant, you have an interesting thing -

should you explore a new type of cuisine that

you haven't tried before? So, you make a prediction

of what it might be like, and then you say, "well,

maybe I'll try it". If you try it and it's

better than you expect, Next time you come back to that

restaurant, you have a higher chance of choosing that food

that you liked. If it's worse than you expected,

then you won't choose it. There is a dark side

to the dopamine reward pathway. It can reinforce poor

decision-making, such as with drug addiction,

and lead to compulsive behaviour. Parkinson's disease

leads to the loss of Drugs that boost dopamine levels

can sometimes trigger It can often have very negative

effects, leading to excess gambling. I had numerous patients who,

when treated with these drugs, have resorted to gambling,

often secretive, and this has resulted in the tragedy of them

losing their entire life savings. The three prizewinners

are all based in the UK, which has a track record

of world-leading brain research. Their work will help

in the development of treatments for patients with psychiatric

illnesses like schizophrenia, where the brain reward

system goes wrong. Springlike sky in West Yorkshire.

Equal measure of blue. It could have been a different story today with an

area of low pressure giving a glancing blow to south-west England

and the Channel Islands with wet weather to start the day. Wind gusts

of almost 120 mph in an exposed part of north-west France. The dodged

that one and it moves away. Showers this evening, East and west in the

UK. In the east, they will fade. North Seaton of Aberdeenshire in the

Northern Isles. In the west, they will take longer to die away, some

in north-west governed by the end of the night. Temperatures lower than

this in rural spots, widespread ground frost tomorrow. One or two

fog patches around. You can see the extent of the fine weather as we go

into Tuesday morning. Chilly start, that good and sunny spells. Showers

in north-west Scotland but not many in the afternoon, and some rain in

Shetland. Wet weather coming in from the west. Not much progress into

Scotland at this stage but across Northern Ireland with a freshening

breeze by 4pm, a wet end to the day. Fine end for Northern England, the

Midlands. Wales and south-west England, you get the breeze picking

up, cloud moving in and aspects of rain. East Anglia South East

England, you hold onto the fine weather at this stage. Like wind in

comparison. Temperatures 7-10. If you are snug at the end of the day

and not yet wet, tomorrow evening -- if you are smug. Especially in

Scotland. Sales in north-west Scotland lasting into Wednesday with

showers. Sunny spells elsewhere. Away from southern parts of Wales

and England but some cloud and rain to clear away on Wednesday. Wet at

times. Not all the time. Drier and brighter moment that time

and turning milder, especially for Thursday and Friday with

temperatures into double figures and some spots in the mid-teens.

There are concerns for thousands of jobs at Vauxhall's UK plants

after the company is sold to a French car maker.

That's all from the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me

and on BBC One, we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.