07/03/2018 BBC News at Six

Police say the former Russian spy

who collapsed in Salisbury

was poisoned by a nerve agent -

a police officer who was first

on the scene is also seriously ill.

Sergei Skripal -

seen here last week -

and his daughter were specifically

targeted say detectives.

He and his daughter remain

critically ill in hospital.

This is been treated as a a major

incident involving attempted murder

by administration of a nerve agent.

by administration of a nerve agent.

As police widened the cordon

in Salisbury - detectives urged

anyone in the area on Sunday to come

forward to help with their inquiry.

The revelations threaten to damage

further Britain's strained

relations with Moscow.

Also on the programme tonight.

An 18-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker

goes on trial accused

of planting a bomb on the tube

at London's Parsons Green.

Two lorry drivers are facing jail

tonight after 8 people died

in a motorway pile up on the M1

last summer.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince arrives

in Downing Street for talks

with Theresa May as she expresses

deep concerns about

the crisis in Yemen.

And Scott Meenagh gets ready

for the Winter Paralympics on Friday

with Britain hoping for a record

medal haul.

Coming up on Sportsday on BBC News

can Starman Harry Kane help Spurs

make it into the Champions League

last eight, as they host Juventus at

Wembley?

Good evening and welcome

to the BBC News at Six.

The Home Secretary Amber Rudd has

revealed today that more is known

about the substance used

in the suspected poisoning of a

former Russian Spy and his daughter.

Sergei and Yulia Skripal were found

unconscious in Salisbury on Sunday

afternoon and remain critically ill.

Detectives say they believe they

were targeted as they are treating

the incident at attempted murder.

The police officer who was first on

the scene on Sunday afternoon is in

a serious condition in hospital. The

Government's chiefed medical officer

say it posed a low risk to the

general public and the hazard has

been contained. Let us speak to

Daniel Sandford at Scotland Yard.

The police revealed that few moments

ago, tell us what they said.

That is

right. Just about half an hour ago,

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley,

the most senior counter-terrorism

policing officer in Britain came

down to give the latest on this

investigation and it moved this

investigation into a new gear,

really, because until now, there had

been a suspicion about how it was

that these people had become so ill,

so quickly, how it was that Sergei

Skripal and his daughter Yulia had

developed such serious symptoms and

he of course being a former Russian

military intelligence officer

accused by the Russians of selling

secrets to Britain. Well, Mark roly

told us they have now identified the

cause of those very very serious

illnesses the two people are

suffering, and it was a nerve

agents, a nerve agent that

Government scientists have

identified, which they are not

telling us are specifically what it

was, for investigative reasons but

it was a nerve agent that made them

ill and this is an attempted murder

investigation. As well as that, we

have this police officer that

treated them very early on at the

scene on the day also very seriously

ill in hospital.

Theres have widened the cordon?

This

area is a popular green space,

surrounded by water, and its popular

on Sundays, people come here

shopping. Now the people of

Salisbury have had to put up with

this major investigation and

tonight, the news that a nerve

agents, a chemical designed to

target the nervous system has been

used among them. As we all now know,

it has sparked a huge investigation.

Sergei Skripal was a man with a

shadowy past. Relatives said he

feared it would catch up with him

but he was using his own name,

living a normal life, popping into a

corner shop last month for milk and

bacon. Tonight, he and his daughter

are gravely ill and now, the police

have revealed why. In summary, this

is being treated as a major incident

involved attempting murder by the

administration of the a nerve agent.

As you know, these two people remain

critically ill in hospital. Sadly,

in addition, a police officer who

was one of the first to attend the

scene and respond to the incident is

now also in a serious condition in

hospital.

Counter-terrorism officers are being

advised by public health agency,

they say there is no obvious

outstanding risk.ment and, they are

trying to work out what the gyps

were doing in Salisbury after

arriving on Sunday. Police are

investigating reports that Sergei

Skripal had lunch with a woman at

this Italian restaurant. They were

behaving strangely, she had dark

hair, resembled his daughter Yulia

in this picture. But police have

already seized this CCTV footage

from just before 4pm. A man and a

blonde haired woman heading to the

area where the family were taken ill

on a park bench. An eyewitness who

saw that has told us.

The girl was

pretty, blonde hair, I couldn't see

her face very well because she was

leaping on him.

Blonde hair, dark

hair, detectives will need to sort

through a mass of eyewitness reports

and CCTV, to establish the truth.

The Government was briefed on the

inquiry today.

We need to keep a

cool head and make sure that we

collect all the evidence we can, and

we need to make sure that we respond

not to rumour but to all the

evidence that they collect. And

then, we will need to decide what

action to take.

But life in central Salisbury is now

dominated by the response to the

suspected poisoning.

At lunchtime this, after a woman

appeared to have been taken ill at

the offices next to the restaurant.

Police would not discuss why there

was such a huge emergency response.

But with two lives in jeopardy at

the local hospital, it is clear why

the risk has to be taken seriously.

This is a significant moment. Nerve

agents are danger to manufacture,

they are complex to manufacture.

This is not something that for

instance a criminal would use, oner

even an organised crime gang would

ewe. Nerve agents are tiply produced

by countries and states in a

relatively small number, you can see

why this narrows the focus of the

inquiry. Government officials are

still being cautious to not say that

it is definitely Russia. You can see

why they don't want to get ahead of

the fact, that he know which nerve

agent it was, that might help them

narrow it down further but they

don't want to get ahead of what the

facts are showing them, because when

it does come to saying who they

think is behind it, they want to be

sure they have a significant body of

evidence and proof, because

especially now with the police

officer also having been affected by

this, the pressure will be on to

take significant action, but

certainly, this increases the

likelihood, it was a state and

Russia continues to be the most

likely culprit. Thank you.

An 18-year-old asylum seeker

from Iraq has gone on trial

accused of planting a bomb

on a London Underground train

at Parson's Green in southwest

London last September.

The jury has been told

that the device was designed

to cause 'maximum harm and carnage'.

30 people were injured were the bomb

partially exploded..

Ahmed Hassan denies attempted murder

and causing an explosion

likely to endanger life.

Our home affairs correspondent

June Kelly is at the Old Bailey.

Especially now with the police

officer also having been affected by

this, the pressure will be on to

take significant action, but

certainly, this increases the

likelihood, it was a state and

Russia continues to be the most

likely culprit. Thank you.

Ahmed Hassan arrived three years

ago, on a lorry, and hen he came in,

he told officials here, that in his

native Iraq he had been forced to

train with Isis fighters but he was

opposed to Isis. Isis: He was living

with foster parents here at the time

of his arrest.

of his arrest.

SIRENS.

An autumn morning last year.

And today the Old Bailey heard how

an improvised explosive

device partially detonated

on an underground train just as it

pulled into Parsons Green station.

The partial explosion created

a large fireball in a carriage

carrying around 93 passengers.

Some were caught by the flames

and sustained significant burns.

The teenager on trial for the attack

was brought to court to face charges

of attempted murder and causing

an explosion likely

to endanger life.

18-year-old Ahmed Hassan,

an asylum seeker from Iraq,

is pleading not guilty.

When he arrived in the UK he told

immigration officials

that he had been forcibly taken

by the Islamic State group

and trained to kill by them.

He said he had got away

from IS and was in fear of them.

Today the court heard that

Hassan left his device

in a bucket on the train.

It was said to be loaded

with shrapnel to cause

maximum harm and damage.

Fighters

And he had used the

volatile explosive TATP.

The prosecutor Alison Morgan

said of the passengers,

many ran in fear and panic.

They were fortunate.

Have the device fully detonated,

it is inevitable that serious injury

and significant damage would have

been caused within the carriage.

Those in close oximetry to the

device may well have been killed.

Ahmed Hassan had fitted

the device with a timer.

He got off at the station before.

He was arrested 24 hours later.

June Kelly, BBC News,

at the Old Bailey.

The president of the European

Council, Donald Tusk, has told

Theresa May that there can be no

pick and mix approach to Brexit.

With just over a year to

go until the UK leaves the EU,

Mr Tusk said Mrs May wanted

to "demonstrate at any price that

Brexit could be a success",

but that was not the EU's objective.

Meanwhile, the Chancellor Phillip

Hammond said any deal that didn't

include Britain's service sector -

which includes banks -

would not be a fair deal.

Our political editor

Laura Kuenssberg reports.

A different Mansion House. This

time, in a Luxembourg garden.

But this strife ahead, even this the

most tranquil surroundings. The

European Union, revealed its

response to Theresa May's plans for

Brexit.

It will make it more complicated and

costly than today, for all of us.

This is the essence of Brexit.

A pick and mix approach for a

non-member state is out of the

question.

We are not going to sacrifice these

principles. It is simply not in our

interest.

Unfortunately and we have

to know, there will be be no

winnerses after the Brexit. Both

sides will be losing.

The EU has

been united with that gloomy message

but it was only on Friday the Prime

Minister said she wanted an

ambitious trade partnership where

the bloc but accepted compromises

would be made. So how do the two

sides compare? The EU guidelines of

a possible deal say there will be

negative economic consequences. And

while the Prime Minister said all

agreements mean picking and

choosing, the EU insists the UK

can't cherry pick the bits of the EU

it likes. But the unions' accepted

the goal of a trade deal where there

are no tariff, but controversially,

only if the EU keeps access to fish

British waters. Crucially there is

space to budge. The document says if

the UK positions were to evolves,

the union will be prepared to

reconsider its off and there is the

chance of brokering is a limited

deal over services, including the

giant money machine of the City of

London. Where the Chancellor

shrugged off the Brussels position.

They are very skilled and

disciplined in the way they carry

out negotiation. It doesn't surprise

me remotely that what they have set

out this morning is a very tough

position.

But Labour claims the Government's

approach is all over the place.

We can change the tone of xhur

respect we can get the deal that

will protect the economy and jobs.

There are big gaps between what the

Government wants and what the EU is

willing to give. And it is clear, it

is easier for Brussels not

Westminster to call the shots, but

in this long tortured process, today

is not a moment of political panic,

it is clear from both sides and from

these guidelines, there is a real

conversation to be had.

Laura Kuenssberg. BBC News,

Westminster.

Our economic editor is here, so the

UK's financial service proving to be

a sticking point, is there any sign

of a way out of it?

I think Sophie

as with all negotiation, the two

sides tend to start a long way apart

and then they tend to come towards

some form of agreement, we must not

forget both sides say they wanted a

deal. I think there was a small

window opened by Donald Tusk, I say

no more than that. He said the EU

was willing to look at trade in

services and that could include

financial service, so important to

the UK economy, we employ two

million people in financial services

across the UK, but also Philip

Hammond made the point very

important to the European Union,

their businesses, their Government

use the deep capital pools in London

to fund their operation, Philip

Hammond said it is no time for a

brick wall between Britain and the

EU on financial services, but he did

admit and Donald Tusk would agree

with him here there will be cost,

Britain's relationship with the

European Union will not be as good

on financial services as it is now.

The time is nearly 6:15pm.

Our top story this evening:

Police confirm the former Russian

spy and his daughter

were poisoned by a nerve agent.

A police officer who was first

on the scene is also seriously ill.

On Friday, Britain's winter

Paralympians set their sights

on a record-breaking games

on the slopes of South Korea.

Coming up on Sportsday on BBC News:

The Wales head coach Warren Gatland

has made ten changes

to his side for this weekend's

Six Nations meeting with Italy.

Taulupe Faletau returns at No.8

to captain the side.

The head of world cycling's

governing body, the UCI,

is calling for an investigation

into Team Sky following a damning

report by Mps this week.

David Lappartient has told the BBC

that the findings of the inquiry

into doping in sport

were "unacceptable"

and "could affect the global

credibility" cycling.

The report accused Team Sky and Sir

Bradley Wiggins of having "crossed

an ethical line" by using drugs

allowed under anti-doping rules

to enhance performance, instead

of just for medical purposes.

From Switzerland, here's our

Sports Editor Dan Roan.

They may be the dominant

force in cycling but

the pressure is on Team Sky.

Today, they tried to focus

on their latest race in Italy,

but it's the way they've won

in the past that's under scrutiny.

Team Sky have admitted mistakes

following this week's damning report

by a Parliamentary committee,

but today the most powerful figure

in the sport told me

that wasn't good enough.

Mistake is something you've done

with the intention to be wrong.

The report - it's

a little bit different.

It seems it was a bit organised,

so maybe not a mistake but a fault,

which is different, because that

could affect the credibility

globally of our sport,

and that's why I'm

concerned about this.

MPs alleged Sir Bradley Wiggins used

asthma drugs to boost performance

and not just the medical need

when he rode for Team Sky.

A claim that both they and he'd

deny, but Lappartient

seems unconvinced.

Do you feel an ethical line

was crossed, as the MPs suggest?

It's what in the report

and what I read.

When you can see that

substances were used,

not for health problems

but to increase your performances,

then yes, that's something

unacceptable for me

and the philosophy we have.

So if it's not breaking the rules,

can it be cheating?

If you are using, you know,

substances to increase your

performances, I think this

is exactly what is cheating.

Despite the controversy,

Sir Dave Brailsford remains

in charge of Team Sky,

but Lappartient told me he now wants

the world Federation's anti-doping

division to launch

their own inquiry.

I want them to investigate

and to see if there is some

violation of anti-doping rules.

Britain's top rider Chris Froome

continues to compete,

despite an adverse drugs test last

year, and the Team Sky star

could defend his title

in the summer's Tour de France

with the case still unresolved.

What would the effect of that be?

That would be a disaster

for the image of cycling.

Even if...

On a legal point of view

he has a right to ride,

but for the image of our sport,

that could be a disaster.

The UCI President now wants

Chris Froome to withdraw from racing

either until he clears his name

or is banned.

The road to reputational recovery

could be a long one.

Dan Roan, BBC News.

Two lorry drivers are facing jail

tonight after eight people

were killed when their minibus

was crushed in a pile-up on the M1

in August last year.

They'd been on their

way to Disneyland.

One of the lorry drivers,

who was twice the drink-drive

limit, was found guilty

of dangerous driving.

This afternoon the other,

David Wagstaff, was cleared of that

charge but did admit eight charges

of careless driving.

Helena Lee is at

Reading Crown Court.

It emerged after the trial today

that one of the lorry drivers,

Ryszard Masierak, had had his

professional driving licence revoked

before the crash, so he shouldn't

have been driving the lorry at. The

judge in this case praised the

families who lost loved ones in the

collision for their constant dignity

in what he said has been a

devastating case.

The sheer force of the impact

of the crash is clear to see.

A crash that was entirely

avoidable, the trial heard,

with the most catastrophic

and tragic of consequences.

Ryszard Masierak stopped his

lorry in the slow lane

of the M1 for 12 minutes.

The jury was shown this dash-cam

footage from another lorry driver

on the road before the collision.

He passed Masierak's

lorry, here on the left,

stationary in the slow lane.

The court heard Masierak was twice

over the legal limit and he'd

been driving erratically

in the hours before.

Soon after, Cyriac Joseph,

the minibus driver, tried to go

round Masierak's lorry.

He missed his chance, stopped behind

it and put his hazards on.

Moments later, David

Wagstaff's lorry ploughed

into the back of the minibus.

During the trial, the court heard

how Wagstaff had been

on a hands-free call for nearly

an hour at the time of the crash,

and his lorry on cruise control.

Cyriac Joseph and seven

of his passengers died in the crash.

He'd been taking them to London,

where they were going

on to Disneyland in Paris.

Four others in the minibus

were seriously injured.

Six months on from the crash,

and Mr Joseph's family

feel his loss deeply.

I miss him a lot.

I mean, my life has

completely changed,

like completely changed so much.

Yeah, it's hard, and I'm trying

to get through it, like we all are.

Today, outside court,

tributes were paid to those

who helped at the scene.

All of the emergency services,

together with staff

and Highways England and members

of the public, worked

extremely hard to bring

comfort to those involved

in exceptionally

difficult circumstances.

Everyone who attended

will not forget the scene

they faced that day.

For the families, the end of this

trial may bring some closure,

after one of the worst motorway

crashes in recent years.

Helena Lee, BBC News,

Reading Crown Court.

The leader and deputy leader

of the far-right group,

Britain First, have been found

guilty of religiously

aggravated harassment.

Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen

were arrested after targeting

Muslims they believed were part

of a gang-rape trial

taking place last May.

The court heard that the pair posted

offensive leaflets through the doors

of Muslims living in Kent and filmed

themselves confronting

people in public.

Almost 1000 are to go

at the high street

fashion chain New Look.

The retailer says it's planning

to close 60 stores and reduce rent

on 400 shops as part

of rescue plans.

The company says the cuts

are tough but necessary

to restore profitability.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince,

Mohammed bin Salman, has held talks

with the Prime Minister at the start

of a three-day visit to the UK.

It comes amid protests about Saudi's

role in the war in Yemen.

Our Security Correspondent Frank

Gardner is at Downing Street.

Something of a balancing act, this

visit, for the Prime Minister?

Yes,

it is. Just beyond the gates of

Downing Street there is a very small

but very noisy protest going on. It

is just coming to an end now, it has

been heavily policed and they have

been chanting "Stop bombing Yedlin."

I don't think it will have rattled

the man who came out a few minutes

ago from number ten Downing St. He

and a large delegation of Saudi

ministers have been ensconced inside

Downing Street, discussing how to

deepen the relationship, the links

between Britain and Saudi Arabia.

These links go back 100 years. It is

very heavily weighted towards

defence. That is controversial,

because British weapons are involved

in the war in Yemen and Britain is

pushing to stop that and that has

been coming up in the talks over and

above the trade Guilds both

countries want to conclude.

Frank

Gardner, thank you.

The Winter Paralympics get underway

in South Korea on Friday

and Paralympics GB are fielding 17

athletes - their biggest

team since 2006.

They won six medals

at the last Winter Games

in Sochi four years ago.

Now they're looking

to beat that record.

Kate Grey reports from Pyeongchang.

17 athletes competing over

nine days of action.

Never has Paralympics GB been

represented in so many

sports at a Winter Games.

Among them, the trusted

hands of Aileen Neilson,

leading the curling team.

We know each other inside out.

We've worked together for a few

years now and travelled all over

the world, so we certainly know each

other and can hopefully get

the best out of each other.

Bronze medallist last time

round, they'll be hoping

for more in South Korea.

But this is a team that mixes

experience with youthful exuberance.

In the Alpine Skiing,

19-year-old Menna Fitzpatrick,

who only has 5% vision,

is guided by Jen Kehoe.

Recently crowned World Cup

champions, they've built

a solid partnership.

The longer you work with somebody,

the more you know them and the more

you can second-guess

and interpret before...

And finish each other's sentences.

Finish each other's sentences,

what you're going to say!

And react quickly when something

does go wrong or you need

to change the plan.

Joining them on the slopes will be

Britain's first-ever

Paralympics snowboarders,

but far from being there just

for the ride, they too

are in with a chance of medals.

Got silver at the World Champs,

I've had a few medals

in the World Cups, you know.

Been invited to some pretty big,

high profile events,

as well, like the X-Games.

It's been incredible.

Just starting this journey

from having never snowboarded

to five years later I'm now

in the team go into the Paralympics.

It's been amazing.

And for the first time in 20 years,

they'll be a British Nordic skier.

Scott Meenagh will go in the cross

country and biathlon.

Having narrowly missed out

on competing as a rower in Rio,

he's finally earned the chance

to test himself on

the Paralympic stage.

You can't just assume you're

going to go in and beat

the best in the world,

because there're incredible,

and we are new to this sport,

so we are still learning valuable

lessons.

We're learning from those guys,

but we're starting to, as I say,

we starting to tap on the shoulders

of the big boys, paint targets

on people's backs and,

yeah, watch this space!

Here in South Korea,

Paralympics GB will be hoping

to match the success

of their Olympic

counterparts, achieving

a record-breaking medal haul.

Kate Grey, BBC News, Pyeongchang.

Time for a look at the weather...

Here's Stav Danaos.

Here's Stav Danaos.

Hello and thank you. What a lovely

day it turned out to be for many

places, some places escaping showers

altogether so quite a lot of

sunshine and feeling springlike.

This evening temperatures will fall

away under clear skies, many will

still see some showers, some heavy

in western Scotland, and some snow

over the high ground first thing

this evening and tonight. To the

south, this speech of running into

Wales and south-west England will

spread northwards on Edwards. It

will bring a lot of rain but there

could be some snow, sickly over high

ground. Ice could be a problem in

parts of Scotland, so watch out for

that. The other hazard will be

further south in Wales, parts of the

Midlands into northern England, this

area of rain, sleet and snow. Over

the hills, 1-4 centimetres of

settling snow. Maybe to lower

levels, a little wet snow as well.

But not as severe as what we had

last week, just something to bear in

mind as it could cause some

disruption in the morning commute.

Further south and east, largely

rain. The whole thing will be slowly

moving eastwards, into the North

Sea. By the late morning, it has

cleared away and skies brightening

up nicely. Lots of sunshine in the

afternoon. Showers in some Western

areas, wintry over higher ground,

typically in Scotland. 7-10d, a

degree or so lower than this

afternoon. A little bit fresher. On

Friday, an area of low pressure in

Scotland bringing some rain, sleet

and hill snow. To the far south, an

area of low pressure will be

arriving to bring outbreaks of rain

and strengthening winds. Elsewhere,

a lovely day, lots of sunshine.

Temperatures fairly mild in the

south, looks like it is set to turn

milder as we had through the weekend

for some of us.

milder as we had through the weekend

for some of us.

Thank you.

A reminder of our main story...

Police confirm the former Russian

spy and his daughter

were poisoned by a nerve agent.

A police officer who was first

on the scene is also seriously ill.

Police have widened the cordon in

Salisbury and are urging anyone who

was in the area on Sunday afternoon

to come forward to help with the

investigation.