0:00:00 > 0:00:12That's all from the BBC News at One, so it's goodbye from me.
0:00:12 > 0:00:17Good afternoon, I'm Asad Ahmad.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20The BBC has found the social media giant, Facebook -
0:00:20 > 0:00:23funding a project which uses their messenger system -
0:00:23 > 0:00:32to try and deradicalise far-right and other extremists.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Users posting illegal content in the UK -
0:00:34 > 0:00:36are identified and contacted in an attempt to
0:00:36 > 0:00:40challenge their views.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42But the method has also been criticised by some
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Catrin Nye has been speaking to someone directly involved.
0:00:45 > 0:00:46Colin Bidwell is a victim of terrorism.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48He survived the 2015 Tunisia beach attack.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51He has since been paid to go on Facebook using a fake profile
0:00:51 > 0:00:52to message extremists.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56It's part of a project funded by Facebook themselves.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Be nice to people, whatever your beliefs or religion.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02For me, it's simple.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Researchers found people were posting both extreme Islamist
0:01:04 > 0:01:06and far-right material on Facebook.
0:01:06 > 0:01:0911 people including Colin were tasked with trying
0:01:09 > 0:01:10to challenge their views with conversations
0:01:10 > 0:01:14on Facebook Messenger.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Counter-extremism organisation Institute for Strategic Dialogue
0:01:16 > 0:01:19was behind the research.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22We were trying to fill a really big gap in responses to online
0:01:22 > 0:01:25recruitment and radicalisation and that gap is in the
0:01:25 > 0:01:27direct messaging space.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31In all, 569 people were contacted on Facebook.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34112 people replied.
0:01:34 > 0:01:3876 had sustained conversations.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40And IST claim eight people showed signs that the conversation
0:01:41 > 0:01:44had a positive impact.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47People like Colin used fake profiles to have
0:01:47 > 0:01:49these conversations - something against
0:01:49 > 0:01:52Facebook's own rules.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57I would say that we don't allow fake accounts on our platform
0:01:57 > 0:02:00and we don't advise people to use fake accounts at all
0:02:00 > 0:02:01in any circumstances because they will be disrupted.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03But you did here.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Exactly what the researchers did in this circumstance was done
0:02:06 > 0:02:10independently of Facebook.
0:02:10 > 0:02:15The project has raised serious concerns for privacy campaigners.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19I think there are concerns over who exactly is carrying out this work.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Even if the organisation itself may have been involved in doing
0:02:22 > 0:02:25research over many years, it does not mean they are qualified
0:02:25 > 0:02:29to carry out this quasi-law enforcement surveillance.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32I think it will make people sceptical about the role of social
0:02:32 > 0:02:33media organisations.
0:02:33 > 0:02:42When are you not being monitored?
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Only if they were specifically asked were the people having
0:02:44 > 0:02:47the conversations admit they were doing it on behalf
0:02:47 > 0:02:48of a research organisation.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Those behind the project argue this was not deception,
0:02:50 > 0:02:51but critics disagree.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Two men have died in a fire in a flat above a shop
0:02:54 > 0:03:00in south-west London.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02They were pronounced dead at the scene, after London Fire
0:03:02 > 0:03:07brigade were called early this morning.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12Peter Stewart.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17Fire crews battled the blaze until just before eight o'clock. Two men
0:03:17 > 0:03:21unfortunately lost their lives. It's thought that the fire started in the
0:03:21 > 0:03:25first floor of the property and spread to the loft conversion and
0:03:25 > 0:03:31then across to the loft conversion of the adjoining property. Crews
0:03:31 > 0:03:37from eight fire engines, a total of 53 firefighters attended the blaze.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Another five people are in hospital suffering from the effects of smoke
0:03:40 > 0:03:44inhalation.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The number of vacancies in key medical positions -
0:03:47 > 0:03:50means women in London are the least likely to be screened
0:03:50 > 0:03:52for breast cancer - compared to women
0:03:52 > 0:03:55in the rest of the country.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57A study by Breast Cancer UK shows that a quarter
0:03:57 > 0:03:59of mammography posts - are 'unfilled'.
0:03:59 > 0:04:06NHS England say "cancer survival rates have never been higher".
0:04:06 > 0:04:09The winners of the new London Borough of Culture award
0:04:09 > 0:04:11have been announced by the Mayor of London.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12Waltham Forest is the 2019 winner
0:04:12 > 0:04:15and Brent is the winner for 2020.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Each borough will receive over £1 million - to help deliver
0:04:17 > 0:04:20a programme of cultural activities.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22The idea is to celebrate the unique character of local people
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and places across London.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29London's theatres have had a record breaking year with attendances
0:04:29 > 0:04:32topping 15 million for the first time since data
0:04:32 > 0:04:36was collected over 30 years ago.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41It means numbers were up by over 5% on the previous year -
0:04:41 > 0:04:44the Society for London Theatre says the figures show London to be
0:04:44 > 0:04:47the world's theatre capital.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49You might remember these from the 1990s.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53But now, these Furbys are being used as a musical instrument
0:04:53 > 0:04:56by a performer from east London who's got a strange knack of turning
0:04:56 > 0:04:59old goods and junk - into musical instruments.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03To tell us more, here's our reporter, Gareth Furby
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- and that is his real name - but he's not related to them.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09We are inside a disused building just off
0:05:09 > 0:05:11the Mile End Road in East London.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15A 27-year-old called Sam Battle who is rapidly filling this room
0:05:15 > 0:05:20with electronic inventions he has built himself.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23This is my lair where I make things.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28Basically, I build this stuff.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32They are musical instruments, often made out of other people's junk.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36When I'm very lucky, I find it on the street.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I've never been shy of diving in a skip when I see one.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43While not recommending you do this at home,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46but this is a skill Sam has taught himself over the past six years.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48I was quite bad in physics at school.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49I didn't get very good grades.
0:05:49 > 0:05:50But I'm just very practically minded.
0:05:51 > 0:06:01So, this just, kind of, works.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04He starting to make a bit name for himself taking
0:06:04 > 0:06:05his inventions on tour.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07So here are his top three.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10In third place, the musical bike.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15With a synthesiser and a drum machine on it.
0:06:15 > 0:06:21In second place, the mega drone.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24I call it a mega drone because one pitch would be a drone
0:06:24 > 0:06:34but this is 100 of them.
0:06:34 > 0:06:41The point is to see what it sounds like. If it doesn't exist, build it.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43But even that can't compared to his newest and most ambitious creation.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45At number one...
0:06:45 > 0:06:48This is a Furby orchestra.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52It takes 45 Furbys.
0:06:52 > 0:07:01I found them in charity shops, car-boot sales,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Each of them are assigned a note and a key to sing, so they are singing
0:07:05 > 0:07:17in June.Of course, for someone who shares the name, which goes back to
0:07:17 > 0:07:21medieval Yorkshire but was adopted by a tour company, this is all quite
0:07:21 > 0:07:26fascinated. But even some bits he might have created something a
0:07:26 > 0:07:27little unpleasant.
0:07:27 > 0:07:32I've made a monstrosity.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37This is like Frankenstein's evil monster. What have I done?
0:07:37 > 0:07:40It's already a viral hit
0:07:40 > 0:07:45on the Internet and soon they'll be joining him on tour.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48We should have wide up Gareth Furby to that machine and see what
0:07:48 > 0:07:53happens! It's been a cold one.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55It's been a cold one.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59Now let's check on the Weather with Kate.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04We have seen the worst of the snow in parts of Kent and Essex but we
0:08:04 > 0:08:08are starting to see those snow showers move across London. We
0:08:08 > 0:08:08are starting to see those snow showers move across London. We have
0:08:08 > 0:08:14had a light dusting in one or two places but also some sunny spells.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18The main thing is the bitter coldness, it really is quite raw out
0:08:18 > 0:08:23there. The snow showers from the south-east have been sweeping
0:08:23 > 0:08:28across, joined by a north-easterly wind which is bitterly cold.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Temperatures at one if we are lucky and factoring in the wind-chill it
0:08:32 > 0:08:39feels a little bit colder. Snow showers falling in the same places
0:08:39 > 0:08:43as last night but could drift a little further west as we head
0:08:43 > 0:08:50towards dawn. Italy cold, -5 minus six. We have one or two snow showers
0:08:50 > 0:08:55around but gradually they are moving west and north so a little bit of
0:08:55 > 0:08:59respite from the snow tomorrow. Some clearer and brighter spells in the
0:08:59 > 0:09:03afternoon. The wind strengthens and it could be quite strong and feeling
0:09:03 > 0:09:09very cold. Factor in the wind-chill, it is going to feel much colder than
0:09:09 > 0:09:15the temperatures. For Thursday and Friday, this low-pressure sweeping
0:09:15 > 0:09:24towards the UK and it will turn to snow so some disruption is expected.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26That's it for now.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Riz will have our next news at 6.30 on BBC One.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Until then, stay warm and have a very good afternoon.