0:00:06 > 0:00:08Standing together - America, Germany and France join
0:00:08 > 0:00:09Britain in blaming Russia for the Salisbury
0:00:09 > 0:00:12nerve agent attack.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15The Prime Minister visited the crime scene today and welcomed
0:00:15 > 0:00:17the international support in the wake of the poisoning
0:00:17 > 0:00:20of the former Russian spy.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25This happened in the UK, but it could have happened anywhere.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27And we take a united stance against it.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30Now streets are cordoned off around the home of the police officer,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32still seriously ill after the attack, as the Defence
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Secretary voices his anger.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37If you are a nation and another nation has launched a nerve agent
0:00:37 > 0:00:39attack on your people and you have every right to tell Russia
0:00:39 > 0:00:43to shut up and go away.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Moscow continues to deny being involved and says
0:00:46 > 0:00:48it will expel British diplomats in retaliation.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Also on the programme tonight.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Thousands flee the Syrian enclave of eastern Ghouta as government
0:00:55 > 0:00:57forces intensify their attacks on the rebel held area.
0:00:57 > 0:01:03A police investigation reveals that a fire door at Grenfell Tower only
0:01:03 > 0:01:06held back the flames for 15 minutes - half the time it should have.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10The world health organisation orders a review into the potential risks
0:01:10 > 0:01:12of microplastics after hundreds are found in leading
0:01:12 > 0:01:15brands of bottled water.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17And coming up on Sportsday on BBC News:
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Penhill wins a thrilling Stayers' Hurdle - giving trainer
0:01:20 > 0:01:28Willie Mullins his 60th winner at the Cheltenham Festival.
0:01:44 > 0:01:51Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56President Trump has joined France, Germany and the United Kingdom in
0:01:56 > 0:02:00issuing a joint statement, laying the blame for the Salisbury nerve
0:02:00 > 0:02:04agent attack firmly on Russia.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07They said the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe
0:02:07 > 0:02:10since World War II was an assault on British sovereignty
0:02:10 > 0:02:12and there was no plausible alternative explanation other
0:02:12 > 0:02:13than that Russia was responsible.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Today Theresa May went to Salisbury and spoke to the police officer
0:02:16 > 0:02:19who's still seriously ill in hospital after trying to help
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22Russia continues to deny any involvement.
0:02:22 > 0:02:30James Landale reports.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35This was Theresa May's first visit to Salisbury since the nerve agent
0:02:35 > 0:02:40attack. A chance to be briefed by the police and public health
0:02:40 > 0:02:43experts, but a chance to meet and reassure members of the public,
0:02:43 > 0:02:48whose lives have been so disrupted. The spirit of those that live here
0:02:48 > 0:02:53has been fantastic.She visited the scene of the attack on the former
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Russian intelligence officer and his daughter 11 days ago. The restaurant
0:02:57 > 0:03:01where they ate and a park bench, under a tense, where they were
0:03:01 > 0:03:06found. The Prime Minister thanked some of the police officers who
0:03:06 > 0:03:11first responded to the call.Thank you, what you did is what the police
0:03:11 > 0:03:16do day in and day out. You go to a routine call, you don't know what
0:03:16 > 0:03:21you find.Then at the local hospital she met and thank Detective Sergeant
0:03:21 > 0:03:26Nick Bailey, who is still recovering from exposure to the nerve agent.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32Russia, she said was guilty of a brazen and despicable attack. She
0:03:32 > 0:03:39expelled 23 of its diplomats, but is ready to do more.There are other
0:03:39 > 0:03:44things we're looking at. What is important in the international arena
0:03:44 > 0:03:48and we have taken this into Nato, the United Nations and we will be
0:03:48 > 0:03:52taking it to enter the European Union, allies are standing alongside
0:03:52 > 0:03:57us.That came in a joint statement from the leaders of Britain, France,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Germany and the US, blaming Russia for what they called an assault on
0:04:01 > 0:04:07UK sovereignty.
0:04:15 > 0:04:21I spoke with the Prime Minister and we are in deep discussions, very sad
0:04:21 > 0:04:26situation and it looks like the Russians are behind it. Something
0:04:26 > 0:04:30that should never, ever happen and we are taking it very seriously, as
0:04:30 > 0:04:35I think are many others.The joint statement is significant because it
0:04:35 > 0:04:39shows the Foreign Office and Downing Street are convincing Britain's
0:04:39 > 0:04:43allies that the Salisbury attack is different, it represents an
0:04:43 > 0:04:48escalation of Russia's hostile behaviour. And as such, those allies
0:04:48 > 0:04:51are ready to crank up the pressure on Moscow. Bad diplomacy continued
0:04:51 > 0:04:56today in Brussels where British security officials briefed Nato
0:04:56 > 0:05:02allies. The head of the alliance said Russia had clearly breached
0:05:02 > 0:05:05international agreements.It is important to express strong,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09political support to the United Kingdom, sending a clear message
0:05:09 > 0:05:15that the United Kingdom is not alone. We stand together with them.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19In Moscow, President Putin discussed the Salisbury case with his
0:05:19 > 0:05:24ministers, who denied Russia and the soviet union had ever run a Novichok
0:05:24 > 0:05:28nerve agent programme and promised to respond soon to the expulsion of
0:05:28 > 0:05:32its diplomats. The Porton Down military research laboratory, which
0:05:32 > 0:05:37identified the nerve agent is to get an extra £48 million in funding.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42Ministers confirmed it would provide a sample to the chemical watchdog.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47Ministers, whose diplomacy is not extending to Russia.If you are a
0:05:47 > 0:05:50nation and another nation has launched a nerve agent attack on
0:05:50 > 0:05:56your people, you have every right to tell Russia to shut up and go away.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Meanwhile, this afternoon near Salisbury, the investigation
0:05:59 > 0:06:06continued with the Army recovering a car from the village near the home
0:06:06 > 0:06:08of Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11In a moment we'll get the latest from Washington and Moscow but first
0:06:11 > 0:06:15let's speak to Daniel Sandford who's in Salisbury.
0:06:15 > 0:06:22More cordons as we saw, the investigation goes on?Yes, what is
0:06:22 > 0:06:27unusual about this investigation is because of the use of the nerve
0:06:27 > 0:06:31agent in this English cathedral city, there are an unprecedented
0:06:31 > 0:06:34number of safety concerns. The main thing we have been seeing is the
0:06:34 > 0:06:40recovery of those two vehicles from the village where Detective Sergeant
0:06:40 > 0:06:45Nick Bailey lived. You wouldn't normally have to do that in a
0:06:45 > 0:06:47counterterrorism investigation, recovering the vehicles of first
0:06:47 > 0:06:52responders, but they have to do that to decontaminate them. Troops have
0:06:52 > 0:06:57had to put on protective clothes and gas masks, load the vehicles onto
0:06:57 > 0:07:01the low loaders and carefully removed the protective clothing
0:07:01 > 0:07:05again to avoid being contaminated. That is because of this
0:07:05 > 0:07:09identification of this military grade nerve agent from the Novichok
0:07:09 > 0:07:14class, which was made in the Soviet Union. That was identified last week
0:07:14 > 0:07:18by the scientists from Porton Down. It took them several days to get to
0:07:18 > 0:07:25that point. Now a sample will be made available for independent
0:07:25 > 0:07:29verification. It is part of the internationally agreed process of
0:07:29 > 0:07:34the UK, proving its charge against Russia, that Russia has used a
0:07:34 > 0:07:38chemical weapon, and nerve agent in Europe for the first time since the
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Second World War. The UK will be hoping it will persuade enough
0:07:41 > 0:07:47countries the Kremlin is simply lying and no amount of Russia
0:07:47 > 0:07:49muddying the waters with conspiracy theories and propaganda will
0:07:49 > 0:07:50undermine its case.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Steve Rosenberg is in Moscow.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Russia says it will retaliate after its diplomats were expelled but we
0:07:59 > 0:08:04still don't know when or how? Absolutely, there will be
0:08:04 > 0:08:08retaliation, but we do know Vladimir Putin discussed the matter today
0:08:08 > 0:08:13here in the Kremlin with his top security officials. A meeting of the
0:08:13 > 0:08:18powerful Russian Security Council and they denounced Britain's stance
0:08:18 > 0:08:22as destructive and provocative but there was no announcement about
0:08:22 > 0:08:27their planned response. As we await that response, you can feel the
0:08:27 > 0:08:30anti-British sentiment bubbling up in the state-controlled media here.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35I was watching Russian TV and rolling news channel and there was a
0:08:35 > 0:08:39report which listed all the bad things that Russia alleges Britain
0:08:39 > 0:08:45has done to Russia over the last 200 years. Whenever there is a
0:08:45 > 0:08:48diplomatic row between Moscow and London, there is one famous Russian
0:08:48 > 0:08:56expression you always hear in the state media here, the English man
0:08:56 > 0:09:00spoils everything. We have been hearing that a lot in the last
0:09:00 > 0:09:01couple of days.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05And Jon at the White House.
0:09:05 > 0:09:14President Trump has joined UK in blaming Russia, a significant
0:09:14 > 0:09:18moment?Yes, since he came to office there has been a stubborn refusal to
0:09:18 > 0:09:22blame Russia for anything and ignored the advice of his own
0:09:22 > 0:09:26intelligence services. But now he stands square behind Theresa May and
0:09:26 > 0:09:29the accusation she has made about the Russians. The statement issued
0:09:29 > 0:09:35last night saying just that. Donald Trump did something, he joint signed
0:09:35 > 0:09:40the letter with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44Furthermore, he had a brief news conference with the Irish Prime
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Minister, who is here in Washington at the moment and said, it looks
0:09:47 > 0:09:51like it was the Russians who were behind it, something which should
0:09:51 > 0:09:56never have happened and we are taking it very seriously. One other
0:09:56 > 0:10:01thing, the Americans have imposed sanctions against 19 Russians over a
0:10:01 > 0:10:05separate investigation. It looks as though the calculation appears to be
0:10:05 > 0:10:10this... If everyone is acting together against Russia, much more
0:10:10 > 0:10:15difficult for Vladimir Putin to pick Theresa May off individually.Thank
0:10:15 > 0:10:17you all very much.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Thousands of people are fleeing Syria's rebel held enclave
0:10:21 > 0:10:24of Eastern Ghouta, as government forces step up their offensive.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Doctors there have sent out desperate messages saying
0:10:26 > 0:10:29they are overwhelmed by the number of casualties.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31President Assad's forces have now retaken large
0:10:31 > 0:10:33parts of Eastern Ghouta, the last rebel stronghold
0:10:33 > 0:10:40near the capital Damascus.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Our Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen report contains some
0:10:42 > 0:10:46distressing scenes.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Thousands of people are fleeing parts of eastern pewter, going into
0:10:51 > 0:10:54an uncertain future that looks better now than the deadly present.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57These are the people who have spent weeks hiding in basements from the
0:10:57 > 0:11:03shelling. Eastern Ghouta is a big area and this isn't happening
0:11:03 > 0:11:08everywhere.
0:11:10 > 0:11:17everywhere. Many tens of thousands are still besieged. This was filmed
0:11:17 > 0:11:23by Omar, a cameraman who gives his material to the BBC. The attack
0:11:23 > 0:11:28happened outside his building. A small boy was caught up in it. He is
0:11:28 > 0:11:34deaf, so he hadn't heard warnings to take cover. Omar, the cameraman
0:11:34 > 0:11:38worried the boy would be to death and told us the eight minutes it
0:11:38 > 0:11:43took for the ambulance to arrive were the worst he had enjoyed since
0:11:43 > 0:11:48the battle for Eastern Ghouta had began. Omar carried him to the
0:11:48 > 0:11:51ambulance where he was squeezed in next to the bodies of the dead. Omar
0:11:51 > 0:11:58has seen a lot of death. He said the boy was a soul he wanted to say. We
0:11:58 > 0:12:04have been following this doctor, a paediatrician and an underground
0:12:04 > 0:12:09hospital who spends every day with the wounded and the dying. In that
0:12:09 > 0:12:15place, they are all fighting fear, where regime soldiers are advancing
0:12:15 > 0:12:21into the eastern Ghouta. The doctor sent a message.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25sent a message. TRANSLATION:It is the worst it has been for many days,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30the shelling is brutal, bombs, rockets, all kinds of weapons. This
0:12:30 > 0:12:34may be my last message. The injured are everywhere, the operating
0:12:34 > 0:12:38theatres are full of wounded people. We don't have enough doctors to help
0:12:38 > 0:12:41them and our own homes are being shelved.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46A small amount of aid is being brought into Eastern Ghouta. All the
0:12:46 > 0:12:53talk of a humanitarian ceasefire is being ignored.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57being ignored. This war started seven years ago. It's horror goes
0:12:57 > 0:13:02on. Jeremy Bowen, BBC News.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05A man's been sentenced to at least 30 years in jail for stabbing
0:13:05 > 0:13:07to death the daughter of his ex-partner at an Aldi
0:13:07 > 0:13:09supermarket in Skipton in West Yorkshire.
0:13:09 > 0:13:1130-year-old Jodie Wilsher, a mother of one, was working
0:13:11 > 0:13:13at the supermarket four days before Christmas when she was stabbed
0:13:13 > 0:13:16several times by Neville Hord.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18The 44-year-old admitted killing her.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21He was told he may never be released.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24The Crown Prosecution Service has ruled out a further review
0:13:24 > 0:13:27of the death of Poppi Worthington, the 13 month-old girl who died
0:13:27 > 0:13:29in Barrow-in-Furness in December 2012.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34A coroner concluded in January she had been sexually
0:13:34 > 0:13:37assaulted by her father Paul Worthington, hours before
0:13:37 > 0:13:37she died of asphyxia.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39He denies any wrongdoing.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42The Anglo-Dutch consumer company Unilever, the third
0:13:42 > 0:13:44biggest firm in the UK, has denied Brexit is a factor
0:13:44 > 0:13:48in its decision to base its new headquarters in Rotterdam,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50rather than London.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Unilever, which makes staples such as Marmite
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and Hellmann's mayonnaise, insists it's fully committed
0:13:56 > 0:14:01to its British operations.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04A police investigation into the deaths of 71 people
0:14:04 > 0:14:08who died in the Grenfell Tower blaze has revealed that a fire door
0:14:08 > 0:14:11installed in the tower block was only able to hold back
0:14:11 > 0:14:14the flames for around 15 minutes - just half the time it was
0:14:14 > 0:14:15supposed to work for.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Survivors of the fire have called the revelations "shocking".
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Tom Symonds reports.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Could what happened here be the result of
0:14:24 > 0:14:26corporate manslaughter?
0:14:26 > 0:14:29That is what the police are investigating.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Highly technical work, including the test of a door
0:14:31 > 0:14:32from a Grenfell flat.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36One that was undamaged in the fire.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38In this standard test, heat is applied to one side
0:14:38 > 0:14:46and the door must hold for 30 minutes.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Here, there's some smoke, but this door easily passes the test.
0:14:50 > 0:14:51The sample from Grenfell lasted 15 minutes.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54The police informed the government, which has consulted its own experts.
0:14:54 > 0:14:55The response...
0:14:55 > 0:14:56There is no change to fire safety advice
0:14:56 > 0:15:01that the public should follow.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03I, nevertheless, fully appreciate that this news will be
0:15:03 > 0:15:06troubling for many people, not least all those affected
0:15:06 > 0:15:10by the Grenfell tragedy.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13That is why, based on expert advice, we have begun the process
0:15:13 > 0:15:16of conducting further tests and we will continue to consult
0:15:16 > 0:15:19with the expert panel to identify the implications
0:15:19 > 0:15:21of these further tests.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23This picture is from before the fire.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Flats appear to have had a variety of doors,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30but they were fairly new.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33The doors were replaced in 2012, not as part as the major
0:15:33 > 0:15:35refurbishment of Grenfell Tower.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39After that work there was a safety inspection.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43The investigators will want to know were the doors properly assessed?
0:15:43 > 0:15:47For the survivors, understanding why it happened is vital.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52It's very important for Grenfell survivors and the bereaved families
0:15:52 > 0:15:55to feel that we can honour the memory of those who have died.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59One way we can bring justice is to make sure that regulations
0:15:59 > 0:16:02and progressive policies ensure that people feel safe in their homes once
0:16:02 > 0:16:05again and that means tightening the regulations.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08But those questions will come later.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11For now, this is still the scene of a criminal investigation.
0:16:11 > 0:16:17Tom Symonds, BBC News, at Grenfell Tower.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20The time is just after quarter past six.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21Our top story this evening...
0:16:21 > 0:16:23America, Germany and France join Britain in blaming Russia
0:16:23 > 0:16:25for the Salisbury nerve agent attack as the Prime Minister
0:16:25 > 0:16:26visits the crime scene.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27And still to come...
0:16:27 > 0:16:31How to spot fake news - the task set to thousands of pupils
0:16:31 > 0:16:33across the country for BBC School Report.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Coming up on Sportsday on BBC News...
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Gareth Southgate names four uncapped players in his 27-man squad
0:16:38 > 0:16:40for England's pre-world cup friendlies against
0:16:40 > 0:16:48the Netherlands and Italy.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Microplastics - they're tiny pieces of plastic small enough to be
0:16:56 > 0:16:58ingested by the human body.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00Now the World Health Organisation is launching a review
0:17:00 > 0:17:03into the potential risks of microplastics after
0:17:03 > 0:17:07researchers found hundreds, even thousands of the tiny particles
0:17:07 > 0:17:11in many major brands of bottled water.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14At the moment there is no evidence that microplastics can harm human
0:17:14 > 0:17:20health as our Science Editor, David Shukman reports.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22In the latest research into plastic, more than 200
0:17:22 > 0:17:25bottles of water were put through a screening process.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31Most turned out to have particles of plastic floating around inside.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34There is no evidence this is harmful but we asked people around the world
0:17:34 > 0:17:37what they think of this discovery.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40This phenomenon is really a cause for concern.
0:17:40 > 0:17:46And with the usage going up, I think it's going to hit a large
0:17:46 > 0:17:50And with the usage going up, I think it's going to affect a large
0:17:50 > 0:17:51segment of the population.
0:17:51 > 0:17:57They tell you to not eat this or drink this, that or the other.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I prefer bottled water than tap water so I would have
0:17:59 > 0:18:01to just have to carry on.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03I'd rather just boil my own water.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04That is more important, than actually buying water
0:18:04 > 0:18:07at an expensive price which is actually a health risk.
0:18:07 > 0:18:14It's kind of like you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16If you drink the bottled water, if you drink
0:18:16 > 0:18:17the fawcet water it's scary.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Tests on this scale have never been tried before.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22A special dye which sticks to particles of plastic was added
0:18:22 > 0:18:23to more than 200 bottles.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26In the right lighting conditions, it makes the plastic glow.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30And when the dyed water was poured through a filter,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33each particle was trapped so it could then be counted and analysed.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36So what are the results from this laboratory testing showing us?
0:18:36 > 0:18:38On average, each litre contains ten larger pieces of plastic.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41That's bigger than the width of a human hair.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43And with smaller particles, which were probably plastic, you get
0:18:43 > 0:18:50an average of 314 per litre.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51So, does this matter?
0:18:51 > 0:18:54There's no evidence that ingesting plastic causes any harm
0:18:54 > 0:18:59but scientists say they can't rule it out.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Plastic could release chemicals inside the body.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Tiny particles could cross from the gut into the bloodstream
0:19:04 > 0:19:06and potentially they might accumulate in organs like the liver.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09The risks may turn out to be minor but the World Health
0:19:09 > 0:19:17Organisation wants to be sure.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21We need to understand what's in the plastic,
0:19:21 > 0:19:27what the plastic might actually carry on it -
0:19:27 > 0:19:30whether that's microbes or chemicals - and when it happens in the body.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32So all those things need to be explored with research.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35There's a lot that scientists don't know but they say it's plausible
0:19:35 > 0:19:37that microplastics could have an effect.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39These are non-degradable persistent particles that can enter the body
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and cause an inflammatory response, and there's potential for more
0:19:42 > 0:19:43complex situations to arise because of the plastic
0:19:43 > 0:19:45itself and its chemicals.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46The companies involved told us they stand by
0:19:46 > 0:19:50the safety of their products.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55They've questioned how the study was conducted, and they point out
0:19:55 > 0:19:57there are no regulations on microplastics or any agreed way
0:19:57 > 0:19:58of testing for them.
0:19:58 > 0:20:04This is a totally new area of science.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07The research is in its earliest days but there is a growing
0:20:07 > 0:20:08demand for answers.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10David Shukman, BBC News.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12An 18-year-old student from Egypt has died in Nottingham three weeks
0:20:12 > 0:20:14after she was attacked by a group of women.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Mariam Moustapha fell into a coma after allegedly
0:20:17 > 0:20:18being sent home from hospital, following the incident
0:20:18 > 0:20:23in the city centre.
0:20:23 > 0:20:24Detectives says there's no information to suggest
0:20:24 > 0:20:26it was motivated by hate.
0:20:26 > 0:20:33Our correspondent, Sima Kotecha is in Nottingham.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42Mariam Moustapha was an engineering student in Nottingham, she went to
0:20:42 > 0:20:47the local college, but on February the 20th as she went to meet her
0:20:47 > 0:20:51mother and sister she was attacked by a group. Police say she was
0:20:51 > 0:20:57punched several times. Today in response to rumours circulating on
0:20:57 > 0:21:01social media, officers have released a statement saying there is little
0:21:01 > 0:21:05or no information suggesting this was a hate crime, but at this stage
0:21:05 > 0:21:09in the investigation they are keeping an open mind. A 17-year-old
0:21:09 > 0:21:19girl was arrested on suspicion of assault, she's now been released on
0:21:19 > 0:21:21bail.Thank you.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23A financial crisis at Northamptonshire County Council has
0:21:23 > 0:21:25become so serious that it should be abolished, according
0:21:25 > 0:21:26to a Government report.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28It says that living within budget constraints is not part
0:21:28 > 0:21:30of the council's culture and Northamptonshire
0:21:30 > 0:21:31now needs a new start.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33The leader of the council has resigned.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Our Social Affairs Correspondent Alison Holt looks at
0:21:35 > 0:21:40what it will all mean.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Libraries closing, bus routes cut, potholes not filled and prevention
0:21:45 > 0:21:50services struggling. This is the financial cost of Northamptonshire
0:21:50 > 0:21:55County Council's failures. The report concludes it lost control of
0:21:55 > 0:22:00its budget. And this is the human cost, John Smith relies on council
0:22:00 > 0:22:06care. He feels cuts are leaving him and others isolated and worried.If
0:22:06 > 0:22:11community organisations that provide support are juiced, they are minimal
0:22:11 > 0:22:16now, they're only doing the basic so you cannot get less than what we
0:22:16 > 0:22:21have got at the moment, so if it goes even further I don't know what
0:22:21 > 0:22:26will happen.Today's government commissioned report says the
0:22:26 > 0:22:29council's problems are lack of management and it should be
0:22:29 > 0:22:34abolished. The report says the 2013 plan to change the way the council
0:22:34 > 0:22:39delivers its services is at the root of Northamptonshire's problems. It
0:22:39 > 0:22:43concludes there wasn't enough scrutiny from councillors and
0:22:43 > 0:22:47regular budget spends were not addressed. The Conservative council
0:22:47 > 0:22:50leader who resign today blames the increasing demand for social care
0:22:50 > 0:22:56for the problems they and other councils face.I am aware
0:22:56 > 0:23:01significant changes need to be made. I do not believe these changes will
0:23:01 > 0:23:06amount to the additional £15 million per year that was genuinely needed
0:23:06 > 0:23:16in our budget to meet our statutory obligations.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19obligations.Charities facing cuts now describe the current situation
0:23:19 > 0:23:25is a nightmare, so believe something had to happen.Maybe this is a
0:23:25 > 0:23:28couple of years of uncertainty but with the hope of a much brighter,
0:23:28 > 0:23:37better future.It is now for the Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42to decide on the authority's future.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Thousands of pupils around the country have been taking part
0:23:44 > 0:23:47in the BBC's School Report day, finding stories in their local
0:23:47 > 0:23:48area and producing their own news bulletins.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52The focus of this year's project is fake news and how to spot it,
0:23:52 > 0:24:00as our Wales correspondent Sian Lloyd has been finding out.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05These pupils have been learning how to unpick fact from fiction.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08In the online world they have been born into, it's a skill that is more
0:24:08 > 0:24:10important than it's ever been.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13As part of BBC School Report, resources will now be available
0:24:13 > 0:24:16to help young people across the UK, but these pupils at Maesteg School
0:24:16 > 0:24:19are ahead of the game.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23They have researched their own project into fake news.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Fake news is when someone shares a fake news story online,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29and then other people have seen it and shared it with their friends,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and their friends have shared it with their friends.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36Sometimes it can get out of hand and rumours can start.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39We need to know how to tell it is fake news, to actually
0:24:39 > 0:24:42establish if it's fake news.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44So how do you do that?
0:24:44 > 0:24:46You can check the URL, you can ask an expert -
0:24:46 > 0:24:48someone with higher knowledge than you.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Do you think that young people are particularly susceptible
0:24:50 > 0:24:56to believing fake news?
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Yes, I think so because I think social media and mobile devices have
0:24:59 > 0:25:01become very popular now and they just believe
0:25:01 > 0:25:09anything they see.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13After learning about it at school, I personally like to look into news
0:25:13 > 0:25:16stories to see whether they're true or not and have a look
0:25:16 > 0:25:20on different news websites.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23The next headline is a boy who is nine got locked in a safe
0:25:23 > 0:25:25during a game of hide and seek in Berlin.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Do you think this story is true or false?
0:25:27 > 0:25:30I think this headline is false because it is difficult
0:25:30 > 0:25:32to get locked in a safe.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35It sounded unbelievable to him, but that headline was true.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38A lesson to the class in how tricky it can be to sift
0:25:38 > 0:25:39what is true from what's false.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41These young journalists have created their own presentation
0:25:41 > 0:25:46about fake news and are sharing what they've learned.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49The BBC is encouraging young people to learn how to check the facts
0:25:49 > 0:25:54and know where to look for reliable information.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56While these students can identify a false story,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58BBC School Report wants to ensure other young people
0:25:58 > 0:26:01are also well-equipped.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Sian Lloyd, BBC News, Maesteg.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07And you can find out more on the BBC's website
0:26:07 > 0:26:14on bbc.co.uk/schoolreport.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Time for a look at the weather.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22Here's Helen Willets.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Just one we all thought spring had sprung, it
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Just one we all thought spring had sprung, it is rather blue behind
0:26:27 > 0:26:33you. Take out the winter coats again!
0:26:33 > 0:26:39There is an increasing risk of snow, and the hazards that go with it,
0:26:39 > 0:26:44such as ice. Rain has been causing issues, we've had a couple of inches
0:26:44 > 0:26:50of rain in Northern Ireland for a start. It stays down, with mist and
0:26:50 > 0:26:54fog in some places but on the whole it is relatively mild compared with
0:26:54 > 0:26:59what is on the way. We should see those showers turning to snow across
0:26:59 > 0:27:06the Scottish mountains progressively during tomorrow. It is a tale of two
0:27:06 > 0:27:09seasons tomorrow with wintriness across parts of Scotland,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13increasingly so later in the day at lower levels, and the concern for
0:27:13 > 0:27:17flooding because this rain has been ongoing for much of today and will
0:27:17 > 0:27:22be tonight and tomorrow. More rain to Northern Ireland but further
0:27:22 > 0:27:30south and west, 14 with light winds but it doesn't last. You can see it
0:27:30 > 0:27:33turns progressively to snow and a much colder night tomorrow with
0:27:33 > 0:27:36widespread frost in central and eastern areas and a bit of frost is
0:27:36 > 0:27:41well with that wind, which will continue dragging in showers which
0:27:41 > 0:27:49will fall as snow everywhere because it is so cold. It will be a shock to
0:27:49 > 0:27:54the system, add on the wind chill and you don't need me to tell you it
0:27:54 > 0:28:00will feel bitter. It is showers we think on Saturday. Come Sunday,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04another fly in the ointment which could bring more widespread snow
0:28:04 > 0:28:09across the southern half of the country. It is another icy cold day,
0:28:09 > 0:28:14and we see a spell of more persistent snow in the south which
0:28:14 > 0:28:16can cause a
0:28:16 > 0:28:17persistent snow in the south which can cause a lot of possible
0:28:17 > 0:28:22disruption, stay tuned. A reminder of our main story...
0:28:22 > 0:28:26President Trump joins Germany, France and Britain in blaming Russia
0:28:26 > 0:28:30for the Salisbury nerve attack as the Prime Minister visits the crime
0:28:30 > 0:28:45scene.