03/03/2018 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today.

Our top stories:

It's a change that could

revolutionise football. Video

assistant referees are set to be

used at the World Cup in Russia.

President Trump says he will tax

European car imports in the latest

spat over trade.

The Philippines government warned

her not to investigate alleged

police killings but this UN

investigator says she will not be

intimidated.

The threats have been

misogynist and sexualised but they

will not silence me.

And on the eve of the Oscars -

we look at how film

schools are trying to cut

out gender discrimination.

Hello and welcome

to World News Today.

In one of the biggest shake-ups

in football for years,

it looks like the World Cup

in Russia will use video technology

to assist referees.

The system, known as VAR,

lets referees review controversial

incidents like disputed

goals or penalties.

The body which sets the rules

for world football has voted

to approve it after a series

of top-level trials -

even though some of the decisions

have proved controversial.

Here's our sports news

reporter Richard Conway.

From Diego Maradona's hand of God

to injustice in the biggest games.

Football has long opposed technology

to help officials make

the important decisions.

But after an historic vote,

all that has changed,

with video assistant referees,

or VAR, as it's known,

finally given the go-ahead.

VAR is good for football,

it's good for refereeing.

It brings more fairness in the game.

And for these reasons

we have decided to approve.

VAR will be used to correct

errors relating to goals,

penalties, straight red cards

and mistaken identity.

Nearly 1000 games have formed part

of a two-year VAR experiment.

Tottenham's match against Rochdale

last week was included in the trial

but was criticised given lengthy

delays while the referee

reviewed incidents,

leading to claims

technology is killing the atmosphere

and pace of the match.

But one of the architects

of the new system told me

there is evidence video

assistants are working.

On clear error situations,

the accuracy of the referee

decisions went from,

initially, 93% up to around 99%.

Of course there are grey areas where

an incident could be a penalty,

could not be a penalty,

and they will always

remain grey areas.

VAR will almost certainly now be

used at the summer's World Cup

although some Premier League clubs

have opted to delay its

implementation. Lawmakers say there

is still work to be done.

How to

maintain this spectacle has to be

worked on but we also need the

confidence to sell it to people. It

is a small change to make a big

difference.

Football's leaders want to eliminate

game-changing mistakes but as

the trials have shown,

anyone who thinks technology

is going to stop controversy may

want to think again.

With us now is Richard Jolly,

football writer for the Guardian,

ESPN, and others.

He joins me from Bolton

in north-west England.

What do you think, good thing or a

bad thing?

I think on balance a good

thing. In this country the trial has

not gone entirely swimmingly and

there are a lot of doubters but the

survey they conducted as not just

been based on England but a lot more

games, it has been trialled in Italy

and Germany and in the

Confederations Cup and they say it

is between 93% and 99% success rate

using VAR on big decisions and I

think technology has been coming for

a while and once it comes, it

doesn't get removed, it is just

where you implement it.

The data

seems to point in that direction, it

would remove some of those infamous

injustices, you might think back

tonight 1986 and Diego Maradona and

the hand of God but doesn't take the

emotion out of the game, the speed

at the heart of it?

It has done to

some other degree in some trials in

this country and the critics include

football managers, Mauricio

Pochettino said that after the

Tottenham game last week,

Huddersfield manager David Wagoner

said that after VAR was used in

their game against Manchester

United, even though it benefited

their team so the crucial thing in

that respect is the time it takes

because we have seen games where we

had about eight minutes added onto

the first half in the Tottenham and

Rochdale games and the Liverpool

West Brom game, which is far too

many, so we need those decisions to

be made quicker and referees and VAR

officials to be clearer about what

they reviewed rather than taking

time out of the game where it

doesn't need to be taken.

Would it

be better if we could hear the

conversations going on? May be part

of the frustration is that there is

this silence while people wait while

the referee puts his finger to his

ear. If we could hear what is going

on with that make it better?

I think

it would. Fans are looking for

greater understanding. In rugby we

hear referees talking and that helps

understand the decisions. The other

thing, which people seem to

understand, is that there needs to

be communication with fans in the

stadium so they know quite a

decision has been made because at

the moment we have not had that.

I'm

sorry to interrupt you but we're up

against a clock of our own, but we

appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.

Donald Trump has stepped up his war

of words over trade tariffs.

He's now threatened to slap

a tax on car imports

from the European Union.

It follows Mr Trump's call for heavy

tariffs on foreign steel -

a move that's been criticised

by world leaders.

Chris Buckler reports

from Washington.

Steel is essential

to America's economy.

But inside the US for many years,

it has been an industry in decline.

President Trump

blames cheap imports.

Our trade

blames cheap imports.

Our trade deficit

blames cheap imports.

Our trade deficit essentially

blames cheap imports.

Our trade deficit essentially equals

blames cheap imports.

Our trade deficit essentially equals

the cumulative trade surplus of the

rest of the world and that is no

longer acceptable.

However, his solution of new tariffs

has sparked fears of a trade war

and led to increasingly heated

language from many of America's

trading partners, including

China, Mexico and Canada.

We are impressing upon the American

administration, the unacceptable

nature of these proposals that

are going to hurt them every

bit as much as they will hurt us

and we are confident

The president announced his plan

for 25% tariffs for steel

and 10% for aluminium at a meeting

with industry executives

but it came as a surprise to many.

Apparently, including some

inside the White House

where details of the policy

are still being worked out.

European leaders made a point

of singling out the most

American of products.

TRANSLATION:

We will impose

tariffs on Harley-Davidson,

on bourbon, on blue jeans,

Levis blue jeans.

This is, well, highly regrettable.

We are not en route

to start trade wars.

We would like to have a reasonable

relationship with the United States

of America but we cannot simply

bury our head in the sand.

President Trump himself doesn't

seem worried, tweeting,

trade wars are good and easy to win.

Words probably not intended

for the international community,

but instead communities

in the former industrial heartland

of the US where some

old steel mills lie derelict.

It was here President Trump found

huge support with his

America first message.

However, it's the modern supply

steel that worries many businesses

here as well as abroad.

After some time, given the

plaintiffs will exert on the US

economy, he will have to back down.

Is it tomorrow or six months or a

year from now? I don't know.

They are concerned.

Their costs will rise with tariffs

and that could prove to be the hard

truth of this protectionist policy.

Let's take a look at some of

the other stories making the news.

Thousands of UK homes

are still without electricity,

and motorists and rail passengers

face continuing disruption,

as the UK struggles

with the bitter weather.

Snow drifts are blocking some major

roads and many rural

communities remain cut off.

The US Secret Service says

a man is reported to have

shot himself outside

the White House in Washington.

No-one else was injured

in the incident.

President Trump is currently away,

at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

The funeral has taken place

in Slovakia of the murdered

investigative journalist Jan Kuciak.

Hundreds of mourners

attended the ceremony

in the village of Stiavnik,

a day after the burial

of his fiancee who was shot

dead at the same time.

Mr Kuciak's last article focused

on alleged ties between

the Italian mafia and officials.

The government of the Philippines

has warned the United Nations'

special rapporteur on human rights

not to try to investigate

alleged abuses.

A presidential spokesman claimed

Agnes Callamard was biased.

Activists say President Rodrigo

Duterte's war on drugs has killed

as many as 12,000 people.

A little earlier I spoke

to Agnes Callamard who gave me

her reaction to the government's

comments.

They have made those comments for a

while now. It has become more

threatening in recent days, probably

as a reaction to the human rights

Council happening in Geneva now. The

threats have included throwing me

into a river with fish and threats

have been very sexist, misogynist,

sexualised, the unacceptable and we

should not normalise this kind of

language but one thing is for sure,

they will not silence me.

The

government in Manila say they don't

want to be prejudged and in

reference to that they are talking

about your comments about

extrajudicial killings that you have

made in the past. You accept that

you have to some extent made your

mind up on what is going on in the

Philippines?

Absolutely not, I

always referred to as alleged

executions. I have spoken about the

numerous allegations I have

received, including here in Geneva

through numerous communications from

the Philippines. I have not shown

any bias, I have responded to my

mandate which is to call on the

government to provide information

about how they deal with those

allegations, what investigations

they have undertaken. As far as I

know there has been no impartial

official investigation into the

12,000 killings that they have

admitted, they have admitted about

4000 killings. I have not received

any investment -- any information

about investigations they have

taken. All my questions have been

based on the UN human rights

standard. They are not about bias is

but about asking the government to

provide me with the information that

I am entitled to ask them.

If you

are not allowed to go in your

official capacity, where does that

leave the investigation? What can

you do?

Beside me there are a number

of other mechanisms. We need to

highlight the fact that the

International Criminal Court

announced it would take a

preliminary investigation into those

killings on the basis that they may

amount to crimes against humanity. A

number of member states have called

on the UN to undertake an

investigation into those

extrajudicial alleged killings.

The

UN investigator determined to probe

killings in the Philippines.

Still to come...

The results of the top matches as

Liverpool take on Newcastle.

First the plate slid gently off

restaurant tables, then the tables

chairs and people crashed sideways

and downwards. It was just a matter

of seconds as the ferry lurched onto

its side.

On the remote Pacific

atoll, the Americans have

successfully tested a weapon whose

explosive force dwarfed that of the

bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

I had

heard the news earlier, it went

bang.

The constitutional rights of

the citizens of the United States

should be tested, so they don't get

their heads broken.

Does it bother

you?

It does bother me but I think

we will be all right.

Welcome back. This is BBC World News

today.

A change that could

revolutionise football.

Video assistant

referees are set to be

used at the World Cup in Russia.

President Trump says he will tax

European car imports in

the latest spat over trade.

The world's biggest investment

management firm is stepping up

pressure on companies that make

and sell guns after

the Florida school shooting.

BlackRock says it may offer

investors the choice of

not investing in gun firms.

It follows the decision by a number

of companies to reduce their links

to the arms industry.

With me for more on this

is Catherine Howarth.

Catherine is the CEO

of Share Action, that promotes

responsible investment

to serve communities.

Is this actually new? Blackrock and

many other companies offer are

screened protected funds, ethical

funds.

It is new Baker's Blackrock

are saying that in addition to

providing consumers of its

investment product with a chance to

invest without buying gun companies,

it will use its large shareholder

power to push those companies to

adopt more responsible practices and

that is fantastic because Blackrock

is the biggest fund manager in the

world, probably the most powerful

company because it holds the shares

in every other company in every

sector, and earlier this year the

CEO, Larry Fink, wrote to all the

companies in their portfolio saying,

we expect you to show how you make a

positive contribution to society,

then along comes this latest

shocking event in February, 17

children mown down, and BC Blackrock

saying, we will be an active

shareholder and will have a dialogue

with these companies and we have the

voting power to back that up, so

that is a very positive development.

A huge Wall Street company, does it

affect that muscle?

Blackrock has

been very cautious about using its

power but it recognises that

consumers want that. Especially in

the case of gun control, but many

social issues, we are seeing

deadlocked politically and we

realise we can vote with our money

and in so far as our pension funds

and investment funds have holdings

in the company is doing things we're

not happy about, there is a chance

to make a positive difference.

Do

you think it is time for activist

investors to try to invest in gun

companies and affect change

internally?

That would be an

interesting development. If there

are shareholder resolutions, then

Blackrock will have an interesting

question on how they cast their

votes at those resolutions.

It has

been good talking to you.

Let's get the sport now.

Mo Salah scored for a seventh game

in a row to help Liverpool go second

in the Premier League.

They beat Newcastle and their former

boss Rafa Benitez 2-0 at Anfield.

Liverpool had to wait until the 40th

minute to make a breakthrough thanks

to Salah's 31st goal of the season.

-- 32nd.

Sadio Mane doubled the scoreline

early in the second half.

The defeat and other

results see Newcastle slip

to 16th in the table,

two points above

the relegation zone.

You always try to improve things

when you see them but you have

to score in the right moment

and keep a clean sheet,

so 2-0 is a fantastic result,

if you asked me two weeks ago

what I wished for against West Ham

and Newcastle I would say twice 1-0

so I will buy it immediately.

So now it is even better, completely

happy.

Burnley had their first win since

December, beating Everton. Adelaide

Riyad Mahrez equaliser gave

Leicester a win at Bournemouth. -- a

draw. Swansea are up to 13th, rising

four places because of their win

against West Ham. West Brom at the

bottom off the table, they lost at

Watford. Juventus have reduced the

gap to leaders Napoli to just one

points. Napoli lost 3-1 at home to

third placed Roma. Juventus will

have a game in hand once Napoli

finished so just a point against the

top two. Real Madrid are hoping to

bounce back from their latest defeat

in La Liga. Sevilla beat Atletico

Bilbao 2-0, one of the highlights

from Spain. And plenty of eyes on

Brooklyn for the fight between Dion

tape welder and Luis Ortiz of Cuba.

One of them will be British fighter

Anthony Joshua, who if he wins his

own boat later in the month will

face the winner.

Nobody that he has

faced has been like me, ready to

knock his head off and do all the

things I am ready to do and he knows

that and when you're knocking

everyone off like that, you will

have concerns as a fighter.

Australia have taken control of the

first test against South Africa in

Durban.

The visitors have taken

a substantial lead.

A half century from opener

Cameron Bancroft helped the tourists

take that lead beyond the 400 mark.

Captain Steve Smith also

chipping in South Africa

with a mountain to climb,

Australia finishing the day

on 213-9, a lead of 402 runs.

England have taken a 2-1 lead

in their best of five ODI series

with New Zealand after a thrilling

match in Wellington.

The hosts set just 235 for victory

and despite a century

from their captain Kane Williamson,

the Black Caps struggled to get

on top of the run rate

after a middle order collapse.

Game three is in Dunedin on

Wednesday.

Marcel Hirscher has won the men's

World Cup giant slalom title

with a race to spare

at Kranjska Gora in Slovenia.

The Olympic giant slalom champion

from Austria dominated

the penultimate event of the season

giving him an unbeatable 125-point

in the standings over Norwegian

rival Henrik Kristoffersen.

It was Hirscher's fourth

successive giant slalom

title and fifth in total.

Only Ingemar Stenmark won

the trophy more times - eight.

And that's all the sport for now.

Thank you, Hugh.

Whoever is victorious

at the Oscars in Sunday,

there's no doubt the ceremony

will very different

to previous years.

The exposure of Harvey Weinstein

and the MeToo campaign

have seen to that.

Will Gompertz has been

to talk to young artists

and technicians to find out how

they view the future.

I just have to figure out how I see

this...

We are on set with a group

of postgraduate students from the

USC School of cinematic arts in Los

Angeles. They are making a film for

The Post Harvey Weinstein Iraq,

exploring how an encounter between

an aspiring actress and a milk

producer results in lines being

crossed.

I have plenty of stories of

my own work in Hollywood that are in

line with the me to movement and I

wanted to, that's the area I know

most about so I wanted to put a

story in the business I know most

about.

Do you think things are

changing?

I'm cautiously optimistic.

I think the pendulum has swung in

the other direction and needs to

find its way to the middle where we

can make some significant change

because right now it's sort of, you

know... It's a bit of a panic

situation.

At this point what

worries me is still people being

judged for speaking out because it's

such a grey area and because you

don't want to build a bad reputation

when you're starting your career,

especially because it's such a

financially risky industry to go

into. If you say the wrong thing or

paint something in the wrong light,

that jeopardises your well-being and

that is scary. How do you change

that? We're trying to figure that

out.

All this stuff is happening as

we speak. How long will it take to

turn it around?

Probably a while. I

would hope that by the time my

career is ending that it would be

maybe a little more equal but I'm

not sure if that's realistic.

So you

think it's at least a 40 year

turnaround.

I think so.

The Times up

campaigners will not be happy with

that. They are lobbying for equal

male and female representation on

film sets within two years and that

will require some serious action.

And we are at the Oscars on Sunday,

so tune in for full coverage. You've

been watching BBC World News today.