0:00:09 > 0:00:11This is BBC World News Today.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12I'm Kasia Madera.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Our top stories...
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Britain's anti-terror police launch a murder inquiry into the death
0:00:15 > 0:00:18of a Russian exile living in the UK.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Nikolai Glushkov was found dead at his home
0:00:19 > 0:00:22near London on Monday - he had been a critic
0:00:22 > 0:00:24of Vladimir Putin.
0:00:24 > 0:00:25In a separate development, the British Foreign Secretary
0:00:25 > 0:00:28accuses President Putin of being behind the recent nerve
0:00:28 > 0:00:33agent attack in the UK.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin and with his decision,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38and we think it overwhelmingly is likely that it was his decision
0:00:38 > 0:00:42to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44on the streets of Europe, for the first time since
0:00:44 > 0:00:45the Second World War.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Tens of thousand of people are forced to flee from Syria
0:00:48 > 0:00:52following two separate offensives against rebel forces.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54And coming up - pictures of the first polar bear
0:00:54 > 0:01:02to be born in the UK in 25 years.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Hello and welcome to World News Today.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15We start with the news that UK counter-terrorism police
0:01:15 > 0:01:22are treating the death of a Russian businessman on Monday as murder.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25It comes as a war of words between London and Moscow continues
0:01:25 > 0:01:28over the use of a nerve agent to poison former Russian double
0:01:28 > 0:01:30agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury
0:01:30 > 0:01:33nearly two weeks ago.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Police now say that Nikolai Glushkov, whose body
0:01:37 > 0:01:39was found in his London home, died from a "compression
0:01:39 > 0:01:40to the neck".
0:01:40 > 0:01:43However, at this stage, they say there is no evidence
0:01:43 > 0:01:45linking his death to the attempted murders two weeks ago.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Naomi Grimley reports.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51A dramatic new twist.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The Met Police have a new investigation on their hands,
0:01:54 > 0:02:00this time into the murder of 68-year-old Nikolai Glushkov.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02Officers have been investigating his death carefully since he was found
0:02:02 > 0:02:04at home in New Malden on Monday.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06But a postmortem has now found he died from
0:02:06 > 0:02:12compression to the neck.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16In the 1990s, Glushkov was a director of the state
0:02:16 > 0:02:18airline Aeroflot.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20He was charged with money laundering and fraud and spent some
0:02:20 > 0:02:27time in jail in Russia.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28Glushkov was a close friend of the Russian
0:02:28 > 0:02:30tycoon Boris Berezovsky, and, like his friend,
0:02:30 > 0:02:38he fled to the UK and was granted political asylum here.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40In 2013, Berezovsky himself was found dead.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42The police said it was suicide, but Glushkov was convinced his
0:02:42 > 0:02:43friend had been killed.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45As for the diplomatic fallout from the two attempted
0:02:45 > 0:02:47murders in Salisbury, British diplomats in Moscow
0:02:47 > 0:02:49are still braced for tit-for-tat reprisals after Britain announced
0:02:49 > 0:02:57the expulsion of 23 Russian officials.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03There is no word on that yet, but Russia says it has stopped
0:03:03 > 0:03:06listening to the long list of allegations from the West.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08TRANSLATION:There's investigations, hearings, but not a single piece
0:03:08 > 0:03:10of evidence has been presented to the public.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13The lack of facts is instead being compensated for by more
0:03:13 > 0:03:18and more waves of sanctions.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24At RAF Northolt, Boris Johnson was standing shoulder to shoulder
0:03:24 > 0:03:26with his Polish counterpart, making it clear that President Putin
0:03:26 > 0:03:34is the man he wants to see punished, not Russians in general.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin and with his decision,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and we think it overwhelmingly is likely that it was his decision
0:03:39 > 0:03:42to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45on the streets of Europe, for the first time since
0:03:45 > 0:03:47the Second World War.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49The Russians gave an immediate response to that remark, saying
0:03:49 > 0:03:57it was shocking and unforgivable.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06In Salisbury last night, specialist police teams
0:04:06 > 0:04:09were still at the graveside of Sergei Skripal's wife and son.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11131 people in this quintessentially English city are believed to have
0:04:11 > 0:04:13had possible contact with the deadly nerve agent.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16They may not be in hospital, but the anxiety caused
0:04:16 > 0:04:17to them is trouble enough.
0:04:17 > 0:04:25Naomi Grimley, BBC News.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31We will have an update on that story from the home of Nikolai Glushkov
0:04:31 > 0:04:42shortly, so stay with us.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Police say the focus of the Miami bridge operation has switched
0:04:49 > 0:04:52from rescue to recovery, as hopes fade of finding more
0:04:52 > 0:04:53survivors in the rubble.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55At least six people were killed when the footbridge near
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Florida International University collapsed on to a
0:04:57 > 0:04:58freeway on Thursday.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00BBC Mundo's Patricia Sulbaran has the latest from the scene.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03They are trying to recover the remaining victims that are trapped
0:05:03 > 0:05:04underneath the rubble. Yesterday this bridge collapsed, crashing at
0:05:04 > 0:05:10least eight vehicles and now the rescuers are trying day and night
0:05:10 > 0:05:15just to recover these victims. They have said that there are no
0:05:15 > 0:05:17survivors, unfortunately. This bridge was supposed to bring safety
0:05:17 > 0:05:24to the students at the University of Florida because it was meant to
0:05:24 > 0:05:27cross a heavily travelled highway. However, had collapsed yesterday but
0:05:27 > 0:05:33what we know is that there was testing performed on the same day,
0:05:33 > 0:05:38but we do not yet know the results of the collapse of this bridge, any
0:05:38 > 0:05:42investigation could take days. We know that it was put up on Saturday
0:05:42 > 0:05:48in a matter of six hours because it was a bridge that was constructed in
0:05:48 > 0:05:52an accelerated fashion. But the authorities are being cautious and
0:05:52 > 0:05:57are not getting any conclusions and they have said that they will have a
0:05:57 > 0:06:08thorough investigation into what caused this tragedy.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Let's take a look at some of the other
0:06:11 > 0:06:13stories making the news...
0:06:13 > 0:06:14German Chancellor Angela Merkel is distancing
0:06:14 > 0:06:16herself from comments by the new Interior Minister,
0:06:16 > 0:06:18who says Islam doesn't belong to the country.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20In a newspaper interview, Horst Zayhoffer said Germany
0:06:20 > 0:06:21was shaped by Christianity, and shouldn't give
0:06:21 > 0:06:23up its traditions.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Mr Seehofer, who heads a Bavaria sister party
0:06:24 > 0:06:26of Merkel's Conservatives, has been a vocal critic
0:06:26 > 0:06:29of her refugee policies.
0:06:29 > 0:06:30Thousands of protestors in Tokyo have gathered
0:06:30 > 0:06:32in front of Parliament, calling for the resignation
0:06:32 > 0:06:34of the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Mr Abe has been accused of a suspected cover-up
0:06:37 > 0:06:43linked to cronyism, but denies any wrongdoing.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Two Israeli soldiers have been killed
0:06:44 > 0:06:47in what the Israeli military says was a deliberate car-ramming.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Two other people were injured in the incident in the West Bank
0:06:49 > 0:06:51near the town of Jenin.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53The driver, a Palestinian, has been detained and is being
0:06:53 > 0:07:00treated for injuries.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Zimbabwe's current leadership is dismissing comments
0:07:02 > 0:07:05by the former President, Robert Mugabe, saying
0:07:05 > 0:07:10he was ousted illegally.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Mr Mugabe is insisting that what he calls "the disgrace" be undone.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16But the country is looking to move on from his decades
0:07:16 > 0:07:21of rule, as Shingai Nyoka reports from Harare.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23He cut a lonely figure as he emerged from seclusion,
0:07:23 > 0:07:30still deeply embittered by the events of last November.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33This is how Zimbabweans reacted to the news that
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Robert Mugabe had resigned.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Under pressure from his own party and the military,
0:07:40 > 0:07:41he had finally relented.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43He now says his successor assumed power through a coup
0:07:43 > 0:07:50and this must be undone.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53We must undo this disgrace which we have imposed on ourselves.
0:07:53 > 0:08:01We don't deserve it.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Yes, we may have our shortcomings here and there, but overall
0:08:05 > 0:08:13we must obey the law.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19He says he is not seeking to be president again but is open
0:08:19 > 0:08:21for dialogue to help legitimise his successor.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Just four months ago Zimbabweans witnessed some surreal
0:08:23 > 0:08:27scenes at this very spot.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Soldiers, military tanks, stationed here just a few
0:08:29 > 0:08:30metres from where former President Robert
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Mugabe's office was.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36And now with his re-emergence, Zimbabweans are wondering
0:08:36 > 0:08:39once again what role, if any, he has to play
0:08:39 > 0:08:40in their future.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42He has had enough.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47I think it is about time he let others take over.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50The current president is actually doing better than what he was doing.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52TRANSLATION:During his time he failed to deliver so now
0:08:52 > 0:08:55there is nothing that he can fix.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58TRANSLATION:Yes, the coup was illegal but we have had
0:08:58 > 0:08:59one leader since 1980.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00We don't want that anymore.
0:09:00 > 0:09:06We need to change.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09The man who never liked to lose has now thrown his support behind
0:09:09 > 0:09:13a new political party of old Zanu PF members.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Some believe it could divide the Zanu PF vote in what were his
0:09:16 > 0:09:21stronghold provinces.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23But President Mnangagwa appears unfazed at the new developments.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26In a statement he said Robert Mugabe resigned according to the
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Constitution and the nation has moved on.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Isolated for now even by regional peers, it seems the sun has
0:09:32 > 0:09:33set on Robert Mugabe's old career.
0:09:33 > 0:09:41But even now he seems determined to carve out a new path.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01Let us get the latest on our top story. The murder of the businessmen
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Nikolai Glushkov. Our reporter is outside his home in south-west
0:10:06 > 0:10:13London. Simon, police are treating this now as a murder investigation.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Yes, I do a lot of activity at the home as there has been throughout
0:10:16 > 0:10:20the week, ever since the body was discovered on Monday evening. The
0:10:20 > 0:10:24amount of police activity suggested right from the word go that this was
0:10:24 > 0:10:28perhaps simply more than an unexplained death as the police
0:10:28 > 0:10:34labelled it at the start of the week. It was Russian authorities
0:10:34 > 0:10:38during the course of the afternoon with their own investigations who
0:10:38 > 0:10:42rebut this as a murder. That prompted the Metropolitan Police in
0:10:42 > 0:10:47London to issue further details during the course of the afternoon,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50they have said that they were initially called here on Monday
0:10:50 > 0:10:53evening when the body was discovered. A postmortem
0:10:53 > 0:10:56investigation was carried out and that determine the cause of death
0:10:56 > 0:11:00was compression to the neck. At that point, the police were prepared to
0:11:00 > 0:11:08declare that this was a murder. They have said that there is nothing to
0:11:08 > 0:11:11link this at the moment with the events in Salsbury, with the nerve
0:11:11 > 0:11:13agent poisoning. We have also said there is nothing to suggest that
0:11:13 > 0:11:17anyone has been poisoned here, they are keeping an open mind about the
0:11:17 > 0:11:20situation. But they have been prepared to tell us that they do
0:11:20 > 0:11:24believe this was murder. Of course, a prominent former Russian
0:11:24 > 0:11:28businessmen, it will raise great concerns. This was a businessman who
0:11:28 > 0:11:34had been jailed for fraud.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42had been jailed for fraud. He came to this country seeking asylum. He
0:11:42 > 0:11:46was also a close associate of other critics of President Putin, and that
0:11:46 > 0:11:49is why there have been so many questions about his death ever since
0:11:49 > 0:11:51it became public knowledge in the early part of this week.Yes,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Nikolai Glushkov was wanted by the Russian Federation and was on the
0:11:54 > 0:11:56list of those they wanted extradited. Two years ago the Home
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Office Secretary refused that extradition. It is someone that the
0:11:58 > 0:12:02Russians want to speak to.Yes, he had been living here for two years
0:12:02 > 0:12:05and neighbours have told us that they did not realise his background,
0:12:05 > 0:12:09they did not realise that he was this former Russian businessmen, but
0:12:09 > 0:12:14neighbours have said about how shocked at the heart and it will be
0:12:14 > 0:12:17those close associations with his past in Russia, with his links with
0:12:17 > 0:12:21the authorities, the fact that he had been very critical of President
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Putin, that will raise many questions about whether or not there
0:12:24 > 0:12:29was any more sinister involvement in this. But for the moment the police
0:12:29 > 0:12:32activity continues here and in the last few minutes we have seen more
0:12:32 > 0:12:37of go into one of the tents at the house, the investigation is still
0:12:37 > 0:12:41ongoing during the course of the evening.Simon Jones, from
0:12:41 > 0:12:48south-west London outside the home of Nikolai Glushkov, thank you.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52South Africa's chief prosecutor has announced
0:12:52 > 0:12:55that the former president Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted for
0:12:55 > 0:12:57corruption, just weeks after being ousted from power.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59The charges relate to a multi-billion dollar arms deal
0:12:59 > 0:13:00before he took office.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01Mr Zuma denies any wrongdoing.
0:13:01 > 0:13:09The BBC's Milton Nkosi reports from Johannesburg.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18The call for Jacob Zuma to have his day in court has been a long time
0:13:18 > 0:13:21coming. He faces 16 charges of corruption, including money
0:13:21 > 0:13:27laundering, fraud and racketeering. This was set aside nine years ago,
0:13:27 > 0:13:34paving the way for Mr Zuma to become president.I have come to the
0:13:34 > 0:13:40difficult conclusion that it is neither possible, nor desirable to
0:13:40 > 0:13:44continue with the prosecution of Mr Zuma.This case dates back to the
0:13:44 > 0:13:51early 90s when the state purchased fighter jets, patrol boats and other
0:13:51 > 0:13:56arms any massive defence overall. Now known as the arms deal. The
0:13:56 > 0:13:59charges relate to allegations that Mr Zuma solicited bribes for his
0:13:59 > 0:14:04personal benefit from the French arms company, through his financial
0:14:04 > 0:14:08advisor.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11advisor. He, the financial advisor, was tried and found guilty of
0:14:11 > 0:14:17corruption in 2005. But the former president has always maintained his
0:14:17 > 0:14:21innocence. This is what he told me when I asked them about this
0:14:21 > 0:14:25corruption allegations back in 2012. There is nothing to clear my name
0:14:25 > 0:14:33on. Absolutely. Nothing. I am sure that is just politics more than
0:14:33 > 0:14:39anything. It is nothing. There was only one issue that was raised some
0:14:39 > 0:14:47time ago, the arms deal issue. And I was never involved in that process,
0:14:47 > 0:14:53I was a provincial minister. So I never got involved. There were
0:14:53 > 0:15:00allegations. These allegations could not stick. I have no corruption to
0:15:00 > 0:15:09clear.Mr Zuma is no stranger to controversy. Two years ago, he was
0:15:09 > 0:15:13ordered by the highest court in the land to repay some of the public
0:15:13 > 0:15:20money used for security upgrades at his private residence. The current
0:15:20 > 0:15:24charges he is facing have nothing to do with his latest corruption
0:15:24 > 0:15:29scandal, involving his relationship with the controversial book the
0:15:29 > 0:15:33family. The prosecuting authority has said it has more than 200
0:15:33 > 0:15:39witnesses lined up for this case. This is going to be a long and
0:15:39 > 0:15:46complicated trial. -- gripped her family.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50-- Gupta family.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52North Korea's Foreign Minister has made a surprise visit
0:15:52 > 0:15:54to Sweden for talks, prompting speculation that it
0:15:54 > 0:15:56could prepare the groundwork for a meeting between Donald Trump
0:15:56 > 0:15:58and the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00The Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Wallstrom, says Sweden
0:16:00 > 0:16:03is happy to help with problems on the Korean peninsula but that
0:16:03 > 0:16:05it's up to the parties involved to find a way forward.
0:16:05 > 0:16:13Celia Hatton has more.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27There has been speculation that those talks could take place in
0:16:27 > 0:16:34Sweden.Of course, the security situation on the train peninsula is
0:16:34 > 0:16:40of interest to the whole world and in the eyes of the world are on the
0:16:40 > 0:16:47situation in North Korea and on the Korean peninsula. We value this
0:16:47 > 0:16:51opportunity to arrange a meeting. We believe in dialogue and in the
0:16:51 > 0:16:58political process.But we are not naive. The Swedish website SVT has
0:16:58 > 0:17:03said that he could extend his trip by two days to Sunday, possibly to
0:17:03 > 0:17:07discuss the release of US citizens from North Korean detention. Other
0:17:07 > 0:17:11countries are eager to talk to North Korea, too. The South Korean
0:17:11 > 0:17:14government has said it would like to set up a high-level summit of its
0:17:14 > 0:17:24own ahead of a separate planned meeting between the two Korean
0:17:24 > 0:17:26leaders. TRANSLATION: The preparation
0:17:26 > 0:17:28committee would like to hold high-level talks between North Korea
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and South Korea in late March to make way for the summit that is
0:17:30 > 0:17:34coming up. We will propose these talks to North Korea.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38High-level summits normally take months, not weeks to engineer, North
0:17:38 > 0:17:43Korea's state media has yet to confirm any talks meeting with the
0:17:43 > 0:17:48US or South Korean leaders, leaving outsiders to watch and wait at a
0:17:48 > 0:17:57summit to date or place is announced. Celia Hatton, BBC News.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02And the White House says President Trump and the South Korean
0:18:02 > 0:18:05president Moon Jae-In have spoken to discuss preparation for upcoming
0:18:05 > 0:18:06engagements with North Korea.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08And that they've both expressed cautious optimism that - quote -
0:18:08 > 0:18:11a brighter future is available for North Korea if it
0:18:11 > 0:18:19chooses the correct path.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41There were taught that there would be more changes at the White House
0:18:41 > 0:18:45but we have heard that that is not the case.I have spoken to in number
0:18:45 > 0:18:50of staff this morning, reassuring them that the personnel changes,
0:18:50 > 0:18:55there will be no immediate changes at this time. People should not be
0:18:55 > 0:18:59concerned, we should do exactly what we do every day and that is come to
0:18:59 > 0:19:04work and do the very best job that we can't and that is exactly what
0:19:04 > 0:19:06we're doing and what we are doing and what we're focused on and many
0:19:06 > 0:19:09of us have relate that to other staffers that were not part of that
0:19:09 > 0:19:16meeting.Sarah Sanders, we will keep you posted.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23The Syrian Government has appealed to civilians
0:19:23 > 0:19:25to leave all remaining areas of Eastern Ghouta
0:19:25 > 0:19:26under rebel control.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Dozens of people have died in renewed shelling of the enclave.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Thousands are being displaced by fighting across the country.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It's one of two main military operations
0:19:33 > 0:19:35going on in Syria - in Eastern Ghouta near
0:19:35 > 0:19:36the capital Damascus
0:19:36 > 0:19:37and the other in the north.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39There, Turkish Armed forces and their allies have almost
0:19:39 > 0:19:41completely encircled the city of Afrin.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43Some 30,000 people have fled the area.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45The Syrian regime is also trying to retake Eastern Ghouta,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48where 20,000 people have left their homes as the Syrian
0:19:48 > 0:19:53Army gains territory.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57The BBC has spoken to an American teacher that is in Eastern Ghouta.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01She has been living there for ten years, she is the mother of eight
0:20:01 > 0:20:04children and that describe what it is like to live there day after day
0:20:04 > 0:20:11under these bombardments.Right now the situation is very difficult. We
0:20:11 > 0:20:16are being bombed on a daily basis. We live every day under fire from
0:20:16 > 0:20:24air strikes. From helicopters that send barrel bombs. From surface to
0:20:24 > 0:20:29surface missiles. From mortar shells. We send our days and nights
0:20:29 > 0:20:36in the basements. The basements are not equipped, of course, for life to
0:20:36 > 0:20:42live in. So we have to cook upstairs and use the bathroom upstairs. That
0:20:42 > 0:20:48makes things very difficult. Right now, today, there is less bombing
0:20:48 > 0:20:52than usual in the city that I am currently in. But other cities have
0:20:52 > 0:20:59experienced a terrible bombardment today. There are more than 55 people
0:20:59 > 0:21:05have died in one incident today from a Russian air strike. More than 200
0:21:05 > 0:21:13people were injured in that air strike. Present al Assad's forces
0:21:13 > 0:21:18are trying to stir up the people. They are trying to make them leave.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21They have no food or medicine. They have no home because of the
0:21:21 > 0:21:27destruction. -- President Bashar al-Assad. I hope this does not
0:21:27 > 0:21:36happen because there is a fire at both ends. We are being killed here
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and will be killed elsewhere eventually. They will not leave the
0:21:39 > 0:21:46people here. They will take revenge on them. They will not leave them
0:21:46 > 0:21:51alone to live their own lives. If it is not now, it will be solely in the
0:21:51 > 0:21:55future, they will pick them up from the universities, from the schools,
0:21:55 > 0:22:01from the places of work, that is how they work, that is how the regime of
0:22:01 > 0:22:10President Bashar al-Assad works. That was us hearing from an American
0:22:10 > 0:22:15teacher who has lived there for the past ten years.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18An Indian pop star has been sentenced to two years in prison
0:22:18 > 0:22:19for smuggling migrants abroad.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Daler Mehndi and six others were accused of cheating people
0:22:22 > 0:22:24of large sums of money by falsely promising to take them
0:22:24 > 0:22:25to Western countries.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Mehndi said he will appeal the conviction in a higher court.
0:22:28 > 0:22:34He was one of the most popular Punjabi singers of the 1990s.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36About a dozen people are reported to have been injured
0:22:36 > 0:22:39after a ski lift ran out of control, in the Caucasus
0:22:39 > 0:22:40mountains in Georgia.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Video footage of the incident in the Gudauri ski resort shows
0:22:42 > 0:22:44a chairlift apparently moving in reverse, pulling skiers
0:22:44 > 0:22:47back around the pulley to the start of the lift.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49As it malfunctions, the cable doesn't stop and the chairs start
0:22:49 > 0:22:50smashing into each other.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Several skiers try to jump off the moving lift,
0:22:52 > 0:22:53to avoid the pile-up.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56A local mayor said the lift stopped in a power cut,
0:22:56 > 0:23:04and then started travelling at speed in reverse.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Footage has been released of a polar bear born in the Scottish Highlands,
0:23:11 > 0:23:16just before Christmas.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Staff at the wildlife park where the cub was born are yet
0:23:19 > 0:23:22to find out whether the bear is a boy or a girl but it is
0:23:22 > 0:23:24proving to be a confident and curious little character,
0:23:24 > 0:23:32as our Scotland Correspondent Lorna Gordon has been finding out.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36The first tentative steps outside for Britain's polar
0:23:36 > 0:23:39bear cub in 25 years.
0:23:39 > 0:23:45Emerging from its den in the Highlands, its mum close by.
0:23:45 > 0:23:53This is how I knew we had a polar bear cub, you can hear the sound.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Keeper Vickie Larkin was the first to find out that a cub had arrived.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01I am super excited.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04It is probably the most exciting thing to happen
0:24:04 > 0:24:05in my whole zoo career.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08I am really excited seeing how the cub grows, getting
0:24:08 > 0:24:13to know its little character and also just eventually sharing it
0:24:13 > 0:24:17with the public as well.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It is just such an amazing thing to happen.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23The two male polar bears at the park are kept in a separate enclosure,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27well away from the female and its new offspring.
0:24:27 > 0:24:33Arktos, who you can just see at the back will never meet his cub.
0:24:33 > 0:24:40This replicates what would happen in the wild.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42The cub copies everything its mum does.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46It's learning and growing fast.
0:24:46 > 0:24:53Inquisitive and, for the most part, fearless.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Some conservationists question whether these animals should ever
0:24:55 > 0:24:58be bred in captivity, but keepers here say diminishing sea
0:24:58 > 0:25:03ice threatens the polar bear population in the wild.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07We try to give our animals the best quality of life we can,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09we have some of the biggest enclosures in captivity.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13The wild population is in trouble.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Whilst we may not be able to do it right now,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19it may be necessary to augment the wild population from a captive
0:25:19 > 0:25:21population in future.
0:25:21 > 0:25:27The area the cub is exploring is growing fast.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30It is still being shielded from view but this polar bear cub
0:25:30 > 0:25:32is likely to be a big draw, and people could get
0:25:32 > 0:25:35to see it in the open within the next few weeks.
0:25:35 > 0:25:43Lorna Gordon, BBC News, at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Some super cute images to end the programme. That is one of the most
0:25:51 > 0:25:55viewed videos on our website. Have a look on our website if you want to
0:25:55 > 0:25:56see it again.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Don't forget you can get in touch with me and some
0:25:58 > 0:26:06of the team on Twitter.