24/12/2017 Breakfast

Hello, this is Breakfast,

with Roger Johnson.

The rescue effort continues today

after a tropical storm kills

more than 180 people

in the Phillipines.

Dozens more have been injured

and around 40,000 people have been

forced to leave their homes.

Good morning, it's Christmas Eve

on Sunday the 24th of December.

Also this morning:

Political leaders pay tribute

to those who help others

in their annual Christmas messages.

Travel trouble over Christmas

as rail lines close for more

than 250 engineering works.

After warnings about a "busy-body"

approach to anti-social behaviour

the government issues new guidance

for councils in England and Wales.

A very good morning.

In sport - a late goal damages

Manchester United's slim title

hopes, they draw 2-2 at Leicester,

leaving them 13 points behind

runaway Premier League

leaders Manchester City.

And in half an hour, I will be

looking back on a momentous year for

science. One that sort of fantastic

20-year finale to a mission to

Saturn.

And Louise has the weather.

It is a rather grey, dull, damp

story this Christmas Eve. That is

for England and Wales. Wet and windy

further north. More later.

Good morning.

First our main story.

A relief operation is under way

in the Philippines -

where nearly 200 people are known

to have died in flash

flooding and mudslides.

The President of the Philippines

will today visit communities

devastated by Tropical Storm Tembin.

Sarah Corker reports.

In the raging floodwaters, rescue

efforts are frantic and dangerous.

Ropes are all these villagers

have the pull each other to safety.

Storm Tembin tore through Mindanao,

the Philippines' second largest

island of home to 20 million people.

Flash floods and landslides have cut

off entire communities

and washed away homes.

And with more than 100 people

missing, that death toll may rise.

The remote village of

Dalama has been buried.

Official help has

been slow to arrive

and volunteers use their bare hands

to search for bodies.

TRANSLATION:

There used

to be 103 houses here,

but when the flashlight happened

everything was washed out.

All their homes and

livelihood is gone.

Tens of thousands of people have

been forced from their homes.

Blocked roads and power cuts

are hampering the rescue efforts.

The authorities are too many people

ignored warnings to leave.

The call for people to evacuate

in good time, before the storm,

actually did not have an effect.

The storm passed over some

of the absolute poorest areas

in the whole Philippines,

and people live in

hard to reach areas,

This disaster comes just a week

after another tropical storm hit

the central Philippines.

The resources of this disaster-prone

nation are under strain.

The UN says it is ready

to step in and help.

Sarah Corker, BBC News.

North Korea has described the latest

UN sanctions imposed on the country

as an "act of war".

On Friday, the United Nations voted

for measures that include limiting

the country's petrol imports

by up to 90%.

The sanctions were in response to

Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests.

Four people are being treated

in hospital after a serious

collision involving several vehicles

on the M40 motorway in Oxfordshire.

It happened between junctions 10

and 11 of the northbound

carriageway, which remains closed.

Two other people were treated

at the scene of the crash

which happened shortly

before midnight.

Britain's political leaders have

used their annual Christmas messages

to pay tribute to those

who help others.

They also urge people

to support those in need over

the festive season.

Our political correspondent,

Eleanor Garnier, has more.

Wishing everyone a happy Christmas,

the Prime Minister helped those who

think others during the festive

period. Like volunteers at eight

projects and international aid

workers. Theresa May highlighted the

courage and dedication of the

emergency services that went to the

grand belltower tragedy and

terrorist attacks in Manchester and

London. -- grand belltower. She

thanked the armed forces. Jono this

Christmas, as we celebrate this

special time of year with family and

friends. -- we will do so secure in

the knowledge that the valiant

hearts of our service men and women,

many far away from their own loved

ones at this special time of year,

are working to keep us safe.

--

Grenfell Tower.

In his second

message as Labour leader, he asked

to think of those he may be lonely

at this time of year. -- Jeremy

Corbyn.

Many older citizens, who we

owed so much, who should be spending

time joy, alone. We think of others

such as carers and people with

disabilities or dementia and abroad,

we think of people living in nations

such as Yemen, Syria and Libya in

fear of bullets, injury and death.

Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to

those working over the holidays and

visited a community cafe in Glasgow

to thank volunteers.

This cafe and

the volunteers are among thousands

of individuals who help all

throughout the year, not just at

Christmas.

The Lib Dems leader

highlighted the issue of

homelessness.

This is a time of year

to make that commitment. That is why

I am asking you to take out sometime

this Christmas and help with a local

charity near you.

The party leaders'

festive messages were shared on

social media to wish voters are

merry Christmas but also remind

people to spare a thought for those

in need.

Plans to scrap the army's crest

and the slogan "Be the Best" have

been halted by the Defence

Secretary, Gavin Williamson.

According to the Mail on Sunday,

a leaked internal army document

suggested the slogan was regarded

as dated and elitist.

The MoD says Mr Williamson believes

the army to be "the best

of the best" and had put

the proposals on hold.

Rail passengers are being warned

they could face disruption

as Network Rail carries

out its biggest ever

Christmas engineering programme.

260 projects across England,

Scotland and Wales

will lead to numerous station

closures over the festive period.

Many of Britain's mainline routes

will also be shut or running reduced

services over the coming days.

New guidance on how local autorities

combat anti-social behaviour has

been issued by the government,

following concerns that some

councils are misusing the measures.

Critics say so-called

Public Spaces Protection Orders have

been used inapproriately to target

groups such as rough

sleepers and dog-owners.

Andy Moore reports.

Some charities working with the

homeless say the new powers can be

used indiscriminately against rough

sleepers. Others say so-called

Public Spaces Protection Orders,

which can cover large areas, are

being used to target groups like

buskers or dog walkers. Councils

argue they are working with their

communities to crack down on serious

problems. The manifesto Group

campaigns on what they call the

overregulation on ordinary life. It

has hundreds of these orders have

been issued, making a wide range of

activities are criminal offence. The

group claims, for example, that is

part of a crackdown on again, like

Paul wanted and loitering around

shop owners -- shop entrances. Latch

Blackpool. Brighton wanted to stop

it anyone and sleeping in a car,

caravan or tent in the town. Fines

of up to £100 can be issued for any

breaches of these orders. The Local

Government Association says it will

work constructively with the

government to introduce the new

guidelines.

Public space protection

orders are used for the really

serious and of antisocial behaviour

and councils don't choose to do this

on their own. Residents will come to

us, businesses will come to us and

to say there might be some bedding,

daytime drinking or even street

racing. That is the sort of things

that these orders are used for.

The

revised guidelines say councils must

focus on specific problems rather

than blanket bans of behaviour that

are not in themselves antisocial.

They must make sure they consult the

public before the regulations are

introduced. Andy Moore, BBC News.

More children from vulnerable

backgrounds in England will get

the chance to attend

some of the country's

top boarding schools.

As part of a government scheme,

local authorities work

with children's charities

to put forward pupils

for bursaries and scholarships.

Ministers believe going to boarding

school can provide children in care

with greater stability.

London Zoo will reopen today,

after a fire left a number

of animals dead and several members

of staff needing medical attention.

A 9-year-old aardvark died

in the blaze and four meerkats

are also believed

to have been killed.

An investigation is under way

into the cause of the fire,

which broke out in the zoo's

children's area, before spreading

to a shop.

Tributes have been paid

to the reality TV star

Leon Bernicoff who died

yesterday at the age of 83,

following a short illness.

The retired teacher appeared

on the Channel Four show Gogglebox

alongside his wife.

The network said he would be

remembered for his "unique

personality and sharp wit".

Those are the main stories this

morning. Good morning if you are up

and about early for Christmas Eve.

No doubt with lots of jobs to do.

Here is a look at the front pages.

The Sunday Telegraph has a story.

Ministers, tax grab on Brexiteers is

bad for democracy. This is Michael

Gove on Boris Johnson taking a swipe

at the people being hit by big tax

bills. -- taking a swipe at the fact

that people being hit by big tax

bills worth it donated to the Leave

campaign. The remain as Word has

affected. The photograph is Dame

Diana Rigg. She stars in Victoria on

ITV this Christmas. She has given an

interview in which she reports her

heart stopped during cardiac surgery

at the months ago. --A few months

ago. The gap between the rich and

poor. The poor friend -- spend more

time in AME. -- A&E. Theresa May,

reportedly, ditching hunting to back

animal rights. Apparently, they

claim, she is abandoning roo will

tourists to woo the young. No

comment on Downing Street that this

morning. -- from Downing Street.

Ringo Starr will get a knighthood.

The Sunday Mirror story from George

Michael's family. His death still

haunts them. And the Mail on Sunday,

Sorrento. This is the story we just

reported. The army. The Be that Best

campaign. -- they will put those

plans on hold.

For many of us, tomorrow is the big

day that we've been building up

to for weeks.

But many people in the UK

do not celebrate Christmas

and our colleagues at BBC Three have

been speaking to some of them,

to find out what not to say to those

who choose NOT to embrace

the festivities.

Scrooge.

You have to have a tree.

What about Christmas dinner?

Seriously?

Oh, no, boo. You are

missing out, boo.

People are saying,

may god, you don't see family at

Christmas? When that people think I

am joking and then they say, you are

Muslim.

I am like, yeah, I am Jewish

and people are like, oh, OK!

There

are other relation -- that religion

is out there and there are Christian

people that don't celebrate

Christmas. Jetta why? Why not?

There

are a lot of things I don't do, I

don't punch kittens, you don't

question that.

But everyone loves

Christmas songs!

That is correct. I

love Christmas...

What about Mariah

Carey?

# Last Christmas I gave you my heart

that the very next day, you gave it

away.

# There is not a Christmas song.

It

is hard to avoid because it is

everywhere, it's on the streets, it

is in the supermarket.

What about

Christmas dinner?

It is a roast

dinner, isn't it? I have it every

Sunday. Nobody likes sprouts, you

have to eat it because it is

Christmas. It is law.

People spend

hours with Christmas dinners.

Especially in an African household!

Oh, you know! You know! Banner they

have their African grilled little...

Desserts and spend 20 minutes later,

people say, you want a biscuit?

Cup

of tea?

No, I want an NMR, to get it

out.

# It is the most wonderful time of

the year.

Oh, please.

The whole

thing is the end. I like it when it

is finished. Thank you. It is done.

Imagined a world when every day is

like Christmas?

Know! Please, let's

not do it.

And thank you to our colleagues

at BBC Three who put that

together for us.

You are watching

Breakfast from BBC News.

The main stories this morning:

Flash-floods and landslides have

killed nearly 200 people

and displaced 70,000 people

in the Philippines.

The Prime Minister and other

political leaders have

used their Christmas messages

to thank those who help others.

Let's catch up with the weather

forecast for the first time. You may

be travelling out on the roads.

Let's see how it is looking. Good

morning, Louise. Nice to see you and

happy Christmas.

And you, happy

Christmas. Most of us it should be a

nice day if you are travelling to

see friends and family. You can see

this conveyor belt of cloud which

has been spilling into the north and

west. That is where we have the

rain. Heavy and relentless across

north-west Scotland, and that will

bring at least 60 millimetres of

rainfall in some gusty winds as

well. 50 mph gust is with heavy rain

as we speak. But it looks as though

the rain mostly confined to the fire

north-west. For the rest of us are

similar story to the last four days.

It is mild, cloudy and pretty dull

in places. A chilly start of the

south-west. Here we are seeing some

breaks in the cloud but nevertheless

a good deal of dry weather in the

story. Drizzly rain through Wales

first thing this morning and rather

grey and places, but quite mild and

that mild feel will continue for the

rest of Christmas Eve. We see that

rain starting to push on the fringes

of Northern Ireland, the heaviest of

which across north-west Scotland,

that will gradually shift its way

steadily eastwards as we go through

the day. So not much change in the

story into the afternoon, the cloud

and rain slowly slipping into

Northern Ireland, mostly down

through western Scotland. Eastern

fringes of Scotland a bit more

shelter and it will be a reasonable

sort of day. Double digits quite

widely for most. Starting to see the

signs of something just a little bit

colder pushing into the fire

north-west. But as we move out of

Christmas Eve, it looks as though

the start to Christmas Day will

potentially be a light one.

Technically into higher ground of

Scotland, cold air sitting in behind

that rain, but the rain really

sitting through the Scottish Borders

and moving out of Northern Ireland

and eventually in the north of

England. Some of showers will be

wintry in nature in the far

north-west but the rain gradually

pushing into Wales and south-west

England. A wet end to your Christmas

Day. Double digits and windy with

it. Gales unexposed coasts but you

can see behind it that colder areas

likely to kick in. The rain moves

through at quite a pace. Some of it

will be quite heavy but thankfully

it is through Christmas night in the

early Boxing Day. Look at the

noticeable difference on Boxing Day.

Once the front moves through the

wind is swings around to

north-westerly. If you are trying to

walk off some of the excess on

Boxing Day you will need some extra

layers. There will be some rain

across Wales and England and it will

turn wintry on higher ground. It

will get colder from Boxing Day

onwards, only around four or five

degrees in the far north of

Scotland. I will be back later.

Louise, thank you very much indeed.

Warm and damp on Christmas Day, it

is always the way, isn't it?

The clock is ticking

for people still hoping to get

away for Christmas.

If you are planning on taking

the train, it is worth noting that

If you are planning on taking

the train, it is worth noting that

Network Rail is due to carry

out its biggest ever

festive engineering programme.

So how can you keep your

travel plans on track?

From London Paddington station,

we are joined by the Independent's

travel editor Simon Calder.

Good morning to you. Thank you for

getting up bright and early to talk

to us. That place is a bit quiet

today, isn't it?

It is really eerie,

actually, Roger. I have just been up

to the Concourse and effectively it

was me, a security guard and a

trickle of poor foreign tourists

hoping to catch the express train to

Heathrow Airport. That along with

everything else will not be running

from now until next Thursday. So

there is a whole lot of taxis doing

some really good business. That is

all to do with the Crossrail

project. They have closed this main

terminal station, which would

normally have on Sunday 50,000

people coming in from the West of

England, from south Wales, they just

say no, no trains running and they

will be back on Thursday. A similar

story on the other side of London.

Liverpool Street station, same

reason, the big Crossrail project

going through London. The main line

continuing onwards to Suffolk and

Norfolk will be closed on to the new

year. Heading south from the capital

you have problems at Charing Cross

Station, Cannon Street and London

Bridge station. Effectively they are

close down again, because the idea

is, of course, fewer people

travelling this time of year.

Getting all the heavy lifting done.

32,600 people working on 260 Network

Rail projects at a total cost of

£160 million.

It is incredible the

numbers, as you say, 32,600 people

working. But it is going to cause

disruption, and not just in London.

Other parts of the country have work

going on as well.

Yes, and of

course, the main railways all close

down anyway. Everywhere on Christmas

Day, and also on Boxing Day, on

almost all lines. But these Network

Rail projects are on top of that.

For example the main line coming

north out of Southampton Central is

going to be close right up until New

Year. You also have the Birmingham

to Wolverhampton mainline through

Dudley, that is closed. And

Manchester... Sorry, from the

north-west there are a few works

around Manchester but the line from

Preston to Lancaster, so the West

Coast Main Line heading between

Scotland and England, that is going

to be closed as well. And spare a

thought for poor old Blackpool. They

have been cut off from the West

Coast Main Line by train and that

will continue right until the end of

January.

I never cease to marble at

your encyclopaedic knowledge. You

did that all without a single note.

Thank you very much indeed, a very

happy Christmas to you and thank you

for joining us from Paddington

Station. Also worth noting as we

reported in the news a little

earlier, the M40 with problems in

Oxfordshire, closed northbound

following an accident overnight. We

will update you on that during the

course of the morning as well. That

may have a bearing on your travel

plans.

Richard is here with the sport.

Nice to see you, happy Christmas to

you as well. And a very happy

Christmas for Manchester City.

Absolutely, the statistics are

amazing. They beat Bournemouth 4-0,

that is their 17th win in a row.

Mentioning a few of this are the

sticks, they are the first team to

score 100 goals in the calendar year

since Liverpool in 1982. They are

unbeaten in all competitions in

2017. It is incredible and they have

the second longest sequence of

Windsor ever in Europe's top

divisions, that was by and Munich

with 19. -- Bayern and Munich.

So Manchester City are now 13

points clear at the top

of the Premier League, on a day

when their rivals all faltered.

There was more movement

at the bottom of the table,

where the battle for

survival is much tighter.

Nick Parrott rounds up yesterday's

action, starting at the Etihad.

And Aguero! 100 goals at the Etihad

Stadium for Aguero, the latest

landmark in the Manchester City

season. And it didn't stop there.

City's record scorer took

Bournemouth to pieces. He set up

sterling and bagged another himself

for good measure. City ran out 4-0

winners. There has been speculation

over the Argentine's future but his

boss told the media afterwards that

Aguero's legend would decide his own

future.

We have to do for the team,

for the club what is the best. I

understand completely with football

players, it is important they are

respectful of their team-mates. It

is not a problem.

City's winning

streak, which started against

Bournemouth in August, is now just

two short of that set over by and

Munich. They grew to -- believed

grew to a massive 13 points. Two

points from Mata saw them leading to

the Foxes. But Harry Maguire came to

Leicester's rescue deep in injury

time. There were no slipups for

Tottenham at Burnley as Kane claimed

the match ball at Turf Moor. Spurs

edged closer to a place in the top

four. Newcastle came from behind to

beat West Ham 3-2 in a thrilling

encounter at London's stadium.

Ending a run of nine league games

without a win saw them pull

themselves out of the relegation

zone. The pressure is used on Stoke

city manager Mark Hughes as he saw

his side beat West Brom 4-1. It kept

his club out of the relegation zone

at the expense of Alan Pardew's

team.

There was a lot of outside

pressure, I must say I have had

fantastic support from Peter and

John. They have been in all this

weekend and Norway have been doing

is reassuring me, reassuring the

staff, reassuring the places, but

they are fully behind what we are

doing, and that support is really

important.

Swansea sacked boss Paul

Clement last Thursday, they promoted

Leon Brittan the player manager. He

grins inspire them to victory at the

Liberty Stadium over Crystal Palace

which would have lifted them off the

bottom of the table but they did

come from behind to claim a point.

Next up for the Swans is a trip to

Liverpool, for what could be a

bruising encounter on Boxing Day.

Southampton's Charlie Austin could

face retrospective action from the

Football Association over an

incident which left the keeper with

a suspected broken nose during a 1-1

draw at St Mary 's and Brighton beat

Watford 1-0.

Middlesbrough have parted company

with manager Garry Monk,

hours after a 2-1 win

at Sheffield Wednesday.

The former Swansea and Leeds United

boss has been replaced by academy

manager Craig Liddle

on an interim basis.

Middlesbrough are ninth

in the Championship

following Ryan Shotton's

winner at Hillsborough.

In the Scottish Premiership,

Celtic are now eight points clear

in the Scottish Premiership

after beating second-placed Aberdeen

3-0, while Kilmarnock came

from behind to beat Rangers

for the first time since February

2012, Kris Boyd scoring twice

in three minutes against his former

club to secure a 2-1 victory.

Elsewhere, there were wins

for Hibernian and Partick Thistle.

Motherwell drew 1-1 with Dundee.

It ended goalless between

St Johnstone and Hearts.

Barcelona have tightened their grip

on the La Liga title with a 3-0 win

over Real Madrid in El Clasico.

After a goalless first half,

Luis Suarez scored the game's

opening goal, from a

typical flowing move.

Lionel Messi added a second

from the penalty spot,

before Barcelona made it

three in injury time.

They are now nine points clear

at the top, with Real Madrid lying

in fourth place.

In rugby union's Aviva Premiership,

champions Exeter Chiefs went 11

points clear at the top with a 35-14

victory over Northampton Saints

at Franklin's Gardens.

It was the Saints' first Premiership

match since the sacking of director

of rugby Jim Mallinder.

Exeter's Will Chudley opened

the scoring with the best try

of the match in the first half.

Exeter scored three more tries

to seal a bonus-point win and put

Exeter 11 points clear at the top.

Elsewhere, there were wins

for Newcastle, Sale, and Wasps.

In the Pro14, Edinburgh

pulled off a shock win,

beating Glasgow 18-17

with a last-minute try

at Murrayfield, despite only having

14 men for nearly all of the game.

It is Glasgow's first defeat

in the Pro14 this season.

There is some injury news out

of both the Australian and England

camps this morning, ahead

of the Boxing Day Ashes Test in

Melbourne.

Australia's fast bowler

Mitchell Starc will miss the match

with a heel injury, while England

bowler Craig Overton also misses out

due to a broken rib.

The Ashes, of course,

have already been lost,

with England trailing

3-0 in the series.

There has been plenty of talk

about sledging during the series,

but Australian batsman David Warner

says their success has quietened

the visitors down.

It is Test cricket, you know, it is

hard fought out there. Sometimes you

think you are times when you want to

go at people and sometimes you go in

your shell like a turtle. You know,

we have probably shut them up a

little bit at the moment. Hopefully

this gets them up and going, and

firing some barbs, because I love

that. I love whenever we are in a

contest, and I feel like they were

quite flat WA, that's for sure. --

quite flat in WA.

Phil 'The Power' Taylor

is into the third round of the PDC

World Darts Championship

at Alexandra Palace.

The Power breezed through his

second-round match against

Justin Pipe 4-0.

This will be the 16-time world

champion's last appearance

on the oche, as he retires

after the tournament.

And finally, do you ever feel

like you are seeing double?

Here is the moment Roy Hodgson's

lookalike met Crystal Palace manager

Roy Hodgson.

The real Roy was introduced

to the Swansea steward,

who looks incredibly

like the former England boss,

before yesterday's 1-1 draw

at the Liberty stadium.

Probably a slightly different

accent, I would imagine.

I have

never seen you and Phil Mitchell in

the same room.

Or you and George

Clooney!

Stay with us.

Headlines coming up.

Hello.

This is Breakfast

with Roger Johnson.

Good Morning, here's a summary

of today's main stories from BBC

News.

The president of the Philippines

is to visit victims of a tropical

storm that's claimed

almost 200 lives.

A relief operation is under

way following flash

flooding and mudslides.

A state of emergency has been

declared in several locations

across the region, where tens

of thousands of people have been

forced to flee their homes.

The storm is now heading

west towards Vietnam.

North Korea has described the latest

UN sanctions imposed on the country

as an "act of war".

On Friday, the United Nations voted

for measures that include limiting

the country's petrol imports

by up to 90%.

The sanctions were in response to

Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests.

Four people are being treated

in hospital after a serious

collision involving several vehicles

on the M40 motorway in Oxfordshire.

It happened between

junctions 10 and 11

of the northbound carriageway,

which remains closed.

Two other people were treated

at the scene of the crash,

which happened shortly

before midnight.

Britain's Political leaders have

been delivering their annual

Christmas messages.

The Prime Minister

highlighted the courage

and dedication of the emergency

services who responded

to the Grenfell Tower fire

and terrorist attacks

in Manchester and London.

The messages also call on people

to look out for vulnerable people -

including the homeless -

over the festive period.

Plans to scrap the army's crest

and the slogan "Be the Best" have

been halted by the Defence

Secretary, Gavin Williamson.

According to the Mail on Sunday,

a leaked internal army

document suggested the slogan

was regarded as dated and elitist.

The MoD says Mr Williamson believes

the army to be "the best

of the best" and had put

the proposals on hold.

New guidance on how local

authorities combat anti-social

behaviour has been issued

by the government,

following concerns that some regions

are misusing the measures.

Critics say so-called

Public Space Protection Orders have

been used to target groups such

as rough sleepers and dog-owners.

The revised guidelines stress

the need for councils to develop

proportionate responses

to unwanted behaviour.

London Zoo will reopen today,

after a fire left a number

More vulnerable children will get

the chance to attend board --

boarding schools. Scholarships are

being offered. Ministers believe it

can provide children in care with

greater stability.

London Zoo will reopen today,

after a fire left a number

of animals dead and several members

of staff needing medical attention.

A nine year old aardvark died

in the blaze and four meerkats

are also believed

to have been killed.

An investigation is under way

into the cause of the fire,

which broke out in the zoo's

children's area, before spreading

to a shop.

From a spectacular eclipse that

wowed millions of people,

to the finale of a 20

year mission to Saturn.

2017 was a busy year for science.

Rebecca Morelle's been taking a look

back at the last 12 months.

I'll be back with the

headlines at seven.

From a spectacular eruption

at Mount Etna, this was the year

we experienced a volcano's

devastating power first-hand.

To one of nature's most

awe-inspiring sights,

a total eclipse that wowed America.

In 2017 we also met this rhino,

she could be the key to saving

a species from extinction.

And we saw a car that is pushing

the boundaries by attempting to hit

record-breaking speeds.

This was also a year that put global

warming in the spotlight again,

when America pulled out

of the worldwide climate deal.

And after 20 years in space,

a mission to Saturn ended

in a blaze of glory.

A grand finale to a momentous

year in science.

I'm at the Science Museum in London

and here the public can come

to learn about our planet's place

in the solar system.

And with this incredible close-up

view you get a sense of the dynamic

world that we live in.

The earth is governed by immense

geological forces and some of these

are of course volcanoes.

Earlier this year I went to see one

of these wonders of nature

for myself but I wasn't expecting

such a close up encounter.

An explosive reawakening.

After years of quiet,

Mount Etna in Italy started to put

on a dramatic display.

I was there to report

on a cutting edge new project.

Etna and every volcano around

the world are being monitored

by satellites and they can track

minute movements on the ground

which show when an eruption

is likely, but the technology

could not foresee what was

about to happen to us.

We had gone to film a lava flow that

had formed overnight,

tourists had come to see this, too.

The molten rocks so slow-moving

it is usually considered safe

but then this happened.

A huge explosion.

Our camerawoman filmed as steam,

boiling hot rocks and lava

was blown into the air,

and we ran for our lives.

Many were hit.

There were cuts and burns and

bruises but amazingly nothing worse.

Are you OK?

You OK?

Stay down.

Eruptions at Etna are frequent

but incidents like this are very

rare, a volcano expert said this

was the most dangerous

experience he had experienced

in his 30 year career.

We have made it back down

the mountain and what happened

is only starting to sink in.

This hole was made by one

of the incredibly hot pieces

of volcanic rock that rained down

upon us, we really thought

we were going to die,

we had a very very narrow escape.

We later found out the blast

was called a type of explosion

caused when the incredibly hot lava

mixes with ice and snow.

Our footage will now help

scientists, who want to better

understand these rare events,

but for us, our close call

was a real insight into the danger

that volcanoes can pose.

This year also brought a dazzling

spectacle in the skies above.

The moon casting a shadow

above the sun, eating away

at the shining disc,

it was the start of the great

American eclipse.

Millions flocked to see it,

the first total eclipse

to sweep from coast-to-coast

in the United States for 100 years.

The lights dipped as day became

night and then a bright final flash

before the sun disappeared.

Blocked by the moon the atmosphere

shimmered like a halo.

It was like a religious experience.

I photographed it, I got some

successful pictures, I cried.

This was definitely something

you have to see in person.

You can't describe it

unless you have been

here and actually seen it.

The eclipse could be

seen across ten states,

turning all lights skywards

across its path.

For astronomers it was a chance

to collect vital data.

We would like to learn more

about how these eclipses affect

the planet and the atmosphere,

if there is any wind changes

or temporary climate

changes in the area.

The much anticipated event passed

by in a matter of minutes,

a brief but breathtaking moment

to revel in a true

astronomical wonder.

In 2017 we also met this rhino,

seven years of age,

at Longleat Safari Park in the South

West.

The hope is she can

save the species from extinction.

She was sedated, a little agitated

at first, but soon sound asleep.

Ready to take part in an experiment

of fertility treatment.

Scientists were harvesting her

eggs to be fertilised

in a lab, it's rhino IVF.

She has been given hormone

treatment over the last week,

but what is being done today

requires millimetre precision.

Egg collection is only

a technique that has been

perfected over the last year,

and this is conservation science

at its most extreme.

This is the animal that the rhino

could bring back from the brink,

her closest living relative,

the northern white rhino,

once widespread across Africa,

today there are just

three left on the planet,

but they are not able to breed.

Back at the safari park

in a makeshift lab

the researchers checked

for eggs - success.

The plan is to take this southern

white rhino egg and mix it

with sperm from one of the last

northern white rhinos,

creating a hybrid.

Designed so it is better than losing

the species altogether.

Anything can happen to them,

and then the genetics would be lost.

If we had at least 50% of this

species preserved in a hybrid embryo

we would preserve at least half

of it for future generations.

With her job done,

she was back on her feet.

At a later stage it could be

implanted with a fertilised egg,

but with her northern cousins

so close to extinction it will be

a race against time.

In this gallery we can find

out about the science

of who we are and ask

what are the factors that give each

of us a unique identity.

These are questions that

researchers are examining,

especially when it comes

to the brain.

This year they made a major

breakthrough, that sheds light

on the inner workings

of our brain matter.

The human brain revealed

in unprecedented detail,

this is one of the most

comprehensive scans that scientists

have produced showing nerve fibres,

the brain's internal wiring that

carries billions of electrical

workings, this could show a range

of neurological disorders.

It is similar to being handed

a Hubble telescope when you have

only had binoculars.

We can look in far more detail than

ever before.

And for the first time

we can address what I have

called the missing link

between structure and function.

In Canada they were carrying out

the world's biggest study

into sleep, what happens

if you don't get enough of it.

If you don't get four

hours I will personally

come and wake you up.

You are going to sleep for four

hours and then I will come and

personally wake you all up.

Volunteers were asked to carry out

tests designed to work at how well

we function if we are tired.

The hope is we will find out how

much sleep we need for our brains

to be at their best.

And at this lab in London

researchers have been manipulating

the DNA of very early embryos,

to see how one fertilised

cell can create a human.

This is basic research

that is providing a foundation

of knowledge about early human

development within this first

seven-day window and our hope

is that this information can be used

as a basis to build further

understanding about underlying

causes of infertility.

The technique is called gene

editing, and inside the nucleus

of each cell in our body

is our genome -

the blueprint for life.

A single error can affect

development, trigger

disease or disorders,

but now scientists can scan

the genome and replace the gene

they want to target.

A goal is to see if gene editing can

eradicate inherited disease.

Already this year scientists have

shown it is possible to remove

a gene in embryos that

causes heart disease.

It's early days but some believe

the technology has the potential

to transform medicine.

But with ethical and safety concerns

others warn that any research needs

to advance with caution.

In 2017 mysterious Mercury was also

in scientists' sights.

It's the smallest planet

in our solar system and the closest

to the Sun, covered in craters,

towering cliffs and ageing

volcanoes, until now it has been

little explored but this year

preparations were underway

for a major new mission.

This is the spacecraft called

Colombo after a famous Italian

scientist and the launch will take

place in 2018.

It is only when you get up close

that you get a sense of the size

of this huge piece of kit.

This is a spacecraft built

to withstand extremes,

and to get to Mercury has to travel

towards the Sun which means dealing

with intense radiation and heat.

On the surface of Mercury

temperatures can reach 450 Celsius

and that is hot enough to melt.

The journey will take seven years,

arriving at Mercury in 2025,

once it is there the engine will be

jettisoned and two spacecraft

will separate, and they will work

together to give us our

best ever view.

We will see its features

in incredible detail,

and look inside to solve the mystery

of what lies at the core of Mercury.

This is the instrument we have built

at the University of Leicester.

British scientists have developed

x-ray cameras for this mission.

We will be the first people

on the planet to see this data

coming back from Mercury,

the first people to see x-ray images

of the Mercury surface which will

tell us about what the surface

is made of and it will

revolutionise our understanding.

The spacecraft is now almost ready

for its long journey,

and while it might take some time

before we get the first results

back, scientists say

the wait will be worth it.

The Science Museum's Mathematics

Gallery was designed by the late

Zaha Hadid and this beautiful curved

overhead structure represents

the mathematical

modelling behind airflow.

In 2017 studying the atmosphere

was a priority for scientists,

as well, and with the surprise rise

in greenhouse gas emissions

and levels of carbon dioxide

reaching a record high,

climate change was in

the spotlight again.

The effects can be seen

in the stunning landscape

of the Arctic.

This year British scientists went

to Greenland to understand why

the ice sheet is melting

and they found that white ice

is turning dark.

And the blacker the surface

the more sunlight it absorbs

and the faster it warms.

Scientists believe it is linked

to microscopic algae.

What we want to know is,

how far the algae can spread under

the Greenland ice as the climate

warms, and it might well be

that they will cause more

melting and an acceleration

of sea-level rise.

Over the last 20 years Greenland has

been losing more ice than it gains,

scientists want to work out how much

the meltwater will raise sea levels

and impact on communities

around the globe.

Extreme weather also

hit the headlines.

From a deadly hurricane season

causing widespread devastation

across the Caribbean,

to catastrophic flooding in south

Asia.

And wildfires burning

across southern Europe,

2017 was forecasted to be one

of the top three warmest years

on record, making tackling

climate change a priority.

Two years earlier in Paris the world

came to a landmark agreement

to limit temperature rise but the US

president Donald Trump dealt

the deal a devastating

blow this summer.

In order to fulfil my solemn duty

to protect America and its citizens,

the United States will withdraw

from the Paris climate accord.

He claimed the deal did not put

America first and penalised

the country's workers.

This agreement is less

about the climate, and more

about other countries gaining

a financial advantage over

the United States.

It provoked an angry response.

For the second-largest pollutant

in the world and the largest

economy, to say they don't care any

more is a real blow to the rest

of the world.

Donald Trump says coal can be

a clean technology but the number

of Americans working in coal

is dwarfed by those employed

by the solar and wind industries

and falling prices are leading

to growing investments

in renewable energy.

The impact that Donald Trump's

position will have is still under

debate.

Many, though, remain determined

that, even without America,

the climate deal can survive.

Three, two, one.

This year in the world

of tech it was all about

finding innovative solutions.

This drone is being developed

to deliver medical goods in remote

parts of Rwanda.

It uses sat-nav to fly

to its destination, and then drops

off vital supplies.

While in the UK, scientists

have found a new use

for the wonder material graphene.

They are using it as a sieve

to filter out salt from seawater,

making it drinkable.

And in America, at last,

a solution to the age-old problem -

how to get the last drop

of ketchup out of a bottle.

Researchers have developed

a new, slippery coating

for the containers, that

allows sticky liquids

to glide out effortlessly.

So, in the future, not even a drop

of sauce will go to waste.

From the first steam train to early

forays into the air,

and the automobile revolution,

when it comes to getting around

we have been constantly pushing

the engineering boundaries

but in 2017 one British team

revealed how they wanted to take

things further and much much faster.

Getting ready for a test drive,

the Bloodhound supersonic car,

put through its paces in public

for the very first time.

Hurtling down the runway,

it reached from 0-200 mph

in just eight seconds.

But the aim is to speed things up.

In 2019, the car is heading

to South Africa, with the help

of a jet engine and a rocket that

would normally launch

vehicles into space,

the team will try to break

the world land-speed record,

and hit 1,000 mph.

Built in Britain, the project has

cost £30 million so far and has

taken ten years

to get to this stage.

Engineer Ron Ayres has already

worked on two successful speed

record attempts, and he is

ready to do it again.

I'm glad that we've got this far,

but of course, I'll really start

getting proud when it

starts breaking records.

What I really want to do is to make

nice loud supersonic bangs,

that

will reverberate around the world.

In its first public trials, the car

performed beyond expectations,

and is now on track to go full

throttle in the ultimate high-speed

test.

This year, the shocking trade

in baby chimps was exposed

by an undercover

investigation in Africa.

A BBC team was sent

these videos by dealers,

offering the animals for sale.

This one is about a

year old, an orphan.

He was captured in the wild

when poachers killed his family.

A reporter used a hidden camera

to film him being held

in Ivory Coast.

But the police were

ready, and moved in.

Police!

The dealer was arrested,

and later found to be part

of a global trade network.

For the police,

stopping this is a priority.

The chimp was given

a name, and was taken

to a nearby zoo to be looked after.

But he never recovered

from his ordeal, and just

a few

months after his rescue, he died.

Conservationists say his death

highlights the plight of animals

caught up in this brutal trade.

This was also a year that

a new field of astronomy came

into its own, deepening our

view of the universe.

Inside this tunnel in

the US is an experiment

that can detect some of the faintest

signals in the cosmos,

gravitational waves,

invisible ripples in space and time.

And in 2017, they revealed

a celestial smash-up,

two small but incredibly dense

objects called neutron stars,

130 million light years away,

they spiralled ever closer to each

other before eventually

they collide.

The huge explosion stretched

and distorted space,

hurling out gravitational waves.

And they were picked up here,

the first time astronomers have been

able to watch a collision

like this unfold.

We don't know if we were lucky,

and this happened to be an event

that happened close -

relatively close to earth,

but it's very rare,

or perhaps there are many more

neutron stars than we thought.

Gravitational waves were only seen

for the very first time in 2016.

This latest finding

confirms their potential.

A new observational window

on the universe typically leads

to surprises that

cannot yet be foreseen.

We are still rubbing our eyes,

or rather ears, as we have just

woken

up to the sound of

gravitational waves.

Researchers say this is just

the start, and they are expecting

many discoveries.

A new era in astronomy

is finally here.

I'm in the Science Museum's Space

Gallery, and from the Apollo lander

to the Scout rocket,

objects from decades of exploration

of our solar system are on display.

But one mission really stands out.

The Cassini orbiter

spent 20 years in space,

and transformed our

understanding of Saturn.

This year, though,

it was time for scientists

to say goodbye, but they wanted

their mission to go out with a bang.

Instantly recognisable,

Saturn and its stunning rings.

The Cassini spacecraft revealed this

giant planet in incredible detail,

taking countless amazing images.

But, in 2017, it was time

for one last look.

After spending an epic 20 years

in space, and completing hundreds

of orbits around Saturn,

Cassini was running

out of fuel.

So scientists planned

a very grand finale,

sending Cassini on a death-dive

into Saturn's thick atmosphere.

This is the control room

where the very final moments

of Cassini will be tracked,

and every last drop of science

is being squeezed

out of this mission.

As the spacecraft enters

Saturn's atmosphere,

the data will be streamed back here,

right up until the very

instant it is destroyed.

This will actually be

the grand truth, as it were,

being able to sample the atmosphere

as the spacecraft goes in,

it doesn't have much time,

but it will be one of the most

exciting points of the mission.

Right at the end of the mission.

The day itself was

bittersweet for the team.

Congratulations to everyone,

this has been an incredible mission

and a incredible spacecraft

and you are an incredible team.

I will call this the end of mission.

Some had spent entire careers

working on this mission.

Well, it's been a part

of my life for 20 years.

We've spent day in and day out

thinking about Cassini,

planning the observations,

focusing on the science.

My career has been

based on Cassini, so

it's really hard to see that go.

But Cassini has left

a remarkable legacy.

It has spotted colossal storms,

and found structures

as high

as mountains hidden

within its rings.

Cassini has also revealed

the planet's many moons,

from Titan, with its methane lakes,

to a liquid ocean beneath the icy

crust, shooting plumes into space,

a discovery that has shaken up

the idea of where we could

look for life.

We want to know, is there life

in Enceladus's ocean?

Could there be oceans

inside of other moons?

That will take future missions to go

back and answer those questions.

As the spacecraft hurtled

toward Saturn it vaporised,

finally becoming part of the planet

it had studied for so long.

But, for scientists,

the work isn't over.

So much data has been collected,

Saturn will keep surprising

for decades to come.

Hello, this is Breakfast,

with Roger Johnson.

The rescue effort continues today

after a tropical storm kills

more than 180 people

in the Phillipines.

Dozens more have been injured

and around 40,000 people have been

forced to leave their homes.

Good morning, it's Christmas Eve

on Sunday the 24th of December.

Also this morning:

Political leaders pay tribute

to those who help others

in their annual Christmas messages.

Travel trouble over Christmas

as rail lines close for more

than 250 engineering works.

After warnings about a "busy-body"

approach to anti-social behaviour

the government issues new guidance

for councils in England and Wales.

A very good morning.

In sport - a late goal damages

Manchester United's slim title

hopes, they draw 2-2 at Leicester,

leaving them 13 points behind

runaway Premier League

leaders Manchester City.

And Louise has the weather.

A grey, damp and dull start for

England and Wales.

Leigh

Leigh

Good morning.

First our main story.

A relief operation is under way

in the Philippines -

where nearly 200 people are known

to have died in flash

flooding and mudslides.

The President of the Philippines

will today visit communities

devastated by Tropical Storm Tembin.

Sarah Corker reports.

In the raging floodwaters, rescue

efforts are frantic and dangerous.

Ropes are all these villagers

have the pull each other to safety.

Storm Tembin tore through Mindanao,

the Philippines' second largest

island of home to 20 million people.

Flash floods and landslides have cut

off entire communities

and washed away homes.

And with more than 100 people

missing, that death toll may rise.

The remote village of

Dalama has been buried.

Official help has

been slow to arrive

and volunteers use their bare hands

to search for bodies.

TRANSLATION:

There used

to be 103 houses here,

but when the flash flood happened

everything was washed out.

All their homes and

livelihood is gone.

Tens of thousands of people have

been forced from their homes.

Blocked roads and power cuts

are hampering the rescue effort.

The authorities are too many people

ignored warnings to leave.

The call for people to evacuate

in good time, before the storm,

actually did not have an effect.

The storm passed over some

of the absolute poorest areas

in the whole Philippines,

and people live in

hard to reach areas.

This disaster comes just a week

after another tropical storm hit

the central Philippines.

The resources of this disaster-prone

nation are under strain.

The UN says it is ready

to step in and help.

Sarah Corker, BBC News.

North Korea has described the latest

UN sanctions imposed on the country

as an "act of war".

On Friday, the United Nations voted

for measures that include limiting

the country's petrol imports

by up to 90%.

The sanctions were in response to

Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests.

Four people are being treated

in hospital after a serious

collision involving several vehicles

on the M40 motorway in Oxfordshire.

It happened between junctions 10

and 11 of the northbound

carriageway, which remains closed.

Two other people were treated

at the scene of the crash

which happened shortly

before midnight.

Britain's political leaders have

used their annual Christmas messages

to pay tribute to those

who help others.

They also urge people

to support those in need over

the festive season.

Our political correspondent,

Eleanor Garnier, has more.

Wishing everyone a happy Christmas,

the Prime Minister thanked those

who help others during

the festive period.

Like volunteers at faith projects

and international aid workers.

Theresa May highlighted the courage

and dedication of the emergency

services who went to

the Grenfell Tower tragedy

and terrorist attacks

in Manchester and London.

And she thanked the

country's armed forces.

This Christmas, as people

across the UK celebrate this special

time of year with

family and friends,

we will do so secure

in the knowledge that the valiant

hearts of our service men and women,

many far away from their own loved

ones at this special time of year,

are working to keep us safe.

In his second Christmas

message as Labour leader,

Jeremy Corbyn called Britain

a compassionate nation,

urging people to think

of those who may be lonely

at this time of year.

Many older citizens,

to whom we owe so much,

who should be spending this time

with joy, are alone.

We think of others such

as carers and people

with disabilities or dementia.

And abroad, we think

of people living in nations

such as Yemen, Syria

and Libya in fear of bullets,

bombs, injury and death.

Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute

to those working over the holidays

and visited a community cafe

in Glasgow to thank volunteers.

This cafe and the volunteers

here are among thousands

of organisations and individuals

throughout Scotland who do so much

for local communities

all throughout the year,

not just at Christmas.

The Lib Dems leader highlighted

the issue of homelessness.

community has always been at the

heart of liberalism.

Community has always been at the

heart of liberalism.

This is a time of year

to make that commitment.

That is why I am asking

you to take out some time

this Christmas and help

with a local charity near you.

The party leaders' festive messages

were shared on social media to wish

voters a merry Christmas but also

remind people to spare a thought

for those in need.

Plans to scrap the army's crest

and the slogan "Be the Best" have

been halted by the Defence

Secretary, Gavin Williamson.

According to the Mail on Sunday,

a leaked internal army document

suggested the slogan was regarded

as dated and elitist.

The MoD says Mr Williamson believes

the army to be "the best

of the best" and had put

the proposals on hold.

Rail passengers are being warned

they could face disruption

as Network Rail carries

out its biggest ever

Christmas engineering programme.

Works are taking place

across England, Wales and Scotland

during the festive period.

The Travel Editor of

the Independent, Simon Calder,

is at London Paddington

station this morning.

That place is very deserted for

reasons you are about to explain but

these works really cover the whole

country. Lamb they certainly do.

Here we are at one of return's

busiest rail Way stations. -- they

certainly do.

Today, there is just a

trickle of foreign tourists who are

finding the Heathrow Express service

isn't running and the next train of

any sort of all isn't going to be

and to Thursday. We have also got

disruption on the other side of

London. Liverpool Street station and

the main lineout to ethics, Suffolk

-- -- Essex. Southampton Central

going up towards London, the main

line is closed to much for the new

year. As is the link on the West

Coast Main Line from Preston up to

Lancaster. Also problems between

Birmingham and Wolverhampton. If the

engineering works don't get you,

these strikes might. We have strikes

today and Wednesday. Country trains.

Other strikes coming up later in the

week.

You'd better tell them behind

you. -- those people behind you.

New guidance on how local autorities

combat anti-social behaviour has

been issued by the government,

following concerns that some

councils are misusing the measures.

Critics say so-called

Public Spaces Protection Orders have

been used inapproriately to target

groups such as rough

sleepers and dog-owners.

Andy Moore reports.

Some charities working

with the homeless say the new powers

can be used indiscriminately

against rough sleepers.

Others say so-called

Public Spaces Protection Orders,

which can cover large areas,

are being used to target groups

like buskers or dog walkers.

But councils argue they are working

with their communities to crack down

on serious problems.

The Manifesto Group campaigns

against what they call

the overregulation on ordinary life.

It says hundreds of these

orders have been issued,

making a wide range of activities

a criminal offence.

on begging, Blackpool wanted to ban

loitering around shop entrances.

Doncaster wanted to target people

being a nuisance.

Brighton wanted to stop anyone

and sleeping in a car,

caravan or tent in the town.

Fines of up to £100

can be issued for any

breaches of these orders.

The Local Government Association

says it will work constructively

with the government to introduce

the new guidelines.