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tv   BBC News Now  BBC News  February 22, 2024 12:30pm-1:01pm GMT

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of many other medicines. this is bbc news, the headlines we have a special report from a ukrainian village that lost a fifth of its population in a single russian strike. us prosecutors charge an alleged member to camp to traffic nuclear materials to iran. and, scientists say they've finally worked out the mystery behind whale song. the brazilian footballer —— and former barcelona star — dani alves, has been sentenced to four and—a—half years in jail for rape. he was convicted of raping a woman in a nightclub in barcelona december 2022. he�*s been ordered to pay a— hundred— and— fifty— thousand euros to his victim. alves, who's forty,
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is one of the most— capped brazilian internationals. he's won numerous titles and cups with both the national squad and club sides, including barcelona, paris st germain and juventus. let's speak to our correspondent in madird, guy hedgecoe. just talk us through what has happened?— happened? well the court in barcelona — happened? well the court in barcelona found _ happened? well the court in barcelona found that - happened? well the court in barcelona found that there l happened? well the court in i barcelona found that there was happened? well the court in - barcelona found that there was no consent involved in this encounter between danny alvarez and this young woman who was 23. she met him in a nightclub at the end of 2022 and that he had indeed raped her in the toilet of the vip section of the nightclub. dani insisted that this was an consensual in character and
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he insisted that he had been drunk but he has been given a sentence of 4.5 years. so those damages that he has to pay. when he is released from prison he will be under supervision for another five prison he will be under supervision for anotherfive years. prison he will be under supervision for another five years. we should point out that he has already served more than a year of a sentence already because he has been in custody ever since january 2023. think very much that. it has been two years since the start of russia's invasion of ukraine. the un has listed thousands died but the real number is believed to be much higher. last 0ctober died but the real number is believed to be much higher. last october the small village here lost one fifth of its population in a single russian missile strike. months on many children who are orphaned are struggling to cope in the shadow of the front line.
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a cemetery for the victims of a single russian airstrike. 59 were killed here, all civilians. valentina lost most of her family that day. your husband, anatoly? your daughter. your son, ihor. and the youngest victim, her eight—year—old grandson, ivan. her other grandson, vlad, survived, becoming an orphan at the age of 14. he is now in the west of ukraine for safety. a video call replaces a hug. this is what the war has done to them. translation: the more time passes, the worse i feel. i feel very scared when i realise my family were killed. almost no—one survived.
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it's devastatingly hard. the missile landed here last october. people had gathered to commemorate a local man killed in the war. moments later, they themselves became a target. russia denies targeting civilians. four months on, every family in hroza is still grieving. valeri lost four family members to the strike, including his daughter, a mother of four. translation: my daughter | was conscious when she died. her last words were, how i want to live. a pensioner before the war, valeri's now working two jobs to provide for his daughter's orphans. translation: as long as you are alive, you should have hope. - myjob is to guide my grandchildren in the right direction. hope is in short supply. not far from the village,
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it looks like this. the nearby city of kharkiv, ukraine's second largest, is hit daily with civilians killed and injured. heavy snow covers the village overnight, and many here fear the war will soon get even closer. there is an emptiness which is not natural. from time to time, it's broken by explosions on the nearby front line. the future here is uncertain, but the unbreakable bond of family is clearfor all to see. the war continues, making it hard for valentina to recover from her loss. living alone, she, like so many ukrainians, continues to carry her pain. zhanna bezpiatchuk, bbc news, hraza village in the north east of ukraine.
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ijust want i just want to bring you ijust want to bring you one quick line of breaking news we're going to hear from our beauty colleague saying that this concerns the next general secretary of nato. downing street has said that the prime minister strongly backs the outgoing dutch prime minister to be the next general secretary of nato. the prime ministers official spokesperson said that they wanted and candidates that would keep nato and that he was well respected with serious defence and security credentials. an intriguing story next — and american prosecutors have charged an alleged member of a japanese organised crime group with attempting to traffic nuclear materials to iran. takeshi ebisawa is accused of selling uranium and plutonium which he believed would be used to build a nuclear bomb. the nuclear samples which came from myanmar were seized by the thai authorities, when mr ebisawa showed them to an undercover us agent, who was posing as a drug and weapons trafficker.
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he was among four people who were arrested in manhattan during a sting operation two years ago. let's speak to james simms, a freelance journalist and columnist in tokyo. thank you for coming on the programme. talk us through, this seems a slightly complicated story so talk us through what has happened? it so talk us through what has happened?— so talk us through what has ha ened? .. ., , , happened? it actually is quite complicated _ happened? it actually is quite complicated and _ happened? it actually is quite complicated and a _ happened? it actually is quite complicated and a lot - happened? it actually is quite complicated and a lot of - happened? it actually is quite - complicated and a lot of unknowns. there is a 20 page indictment from the us district attorney in new york and this involves a sting operation going back to 2020 that was done by the us drug enforcement administration with the help of law enforcement around the world including tokyo and so they are alleging that this man was trying to sell uranium yellow cake which can be processed to make nuclear weapons
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which can be used to make plutonium. the key thing was that the plutonium samples that they had from him showed that they were weapon grade plutonium and this was done in 2022. basically he was trying to sell yellow cake which could be weaponised for about {5.4 million and looking at the indictment there are some interesting conversations going on between the undercover agent as well as him and he acknowledged that iran was trying to
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get but i have access to more powerful plutonium and he also acknowledged that he did not have a licence to sell this which is obvious and the undercover informant said that this is going to be a quiet and secret legal transaction. 0ne quiet and secret legal transaction. one of the confidential, not confidential but one of the co—conspirators said that they were mining uranium in burma which i think most people i hadn't heard about anything in terms of burma being able to mine uranium but going back to, i was doing some research there is a report from 2010 by a us think tank that looked into the claims that potentially burma was mining uranium just
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claims that potentially burma was mining uranium— mining uranium 'ust to “ump in there. thank h mining uraniumjust to “ump in there. thank you h mining uraniumjust to “ump in there. thank you for _ mining uraniumjust tojump in there. thank you for talking i mining uraniumjust tojump in there. thank you for talking us through that extraordinary story but we have some breaking news which i want to go to straightaway. the house of commons. these are live pictures that we're going to bring you now. the speaker who has been under threat that is just take a quick listen to see what he says. {lin quick listen to see what he says. on all sides. i have a duty of care and i say that but if my mistake is looking after members than i am guilty. i am guilty because... i have a duty of care that i will carry out to protect people it is the protection that led me to make a wrong decision but when i do not apologise is the risk that all
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members i had serious meetings yesterday. with the police on the issues and the threats to politicians, threat heading to an election and i do not want anything to happen again so yes i will apologise. i always wear when i make apologise. i always wear when i make a mistake. i did, buti apologise. i always wear when i make a mistake. i did, but i will also say will do whatever it is to protect anybody in this chamber or anybody who works in this house. that is my duty of care. mr deputy speaker. mr— that is my duty of care. mr deputy speaker, mr speaker, _ that is my duty of care. mr deputy speaker, mr speaker, i— that is my duty of care. mr deputy speaker, mr speaker, i was - that is my duty of care. mr deputy speaker, mr speaker, i was in - that is my duty of care. mr deputy i speaker, mr speaker, iwas in israel speaker, mr speaker, i was in israel last week meeting with friends and survivors and hostage families and i felt safer in israel than i do in this country at this moment in time and i have two reflections on this and i have two reflections on this and what happened yesterday. first of all, nobody in this house as any
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business, agency at all intending the state of israel where it is able to operate to seek to rescue hostages who were being raped by islamic terrorists who hold them. nobody has any business. secondly, if we have a rerun of the debate we had yesterday, we— had yesterday, we those are the events in the _ had yesterday, we those are the events in the house _ had yesterday, we those are the events in the house of— had yesterday, we those are the | events in the house of commons. we'll be back there in just a moment. we'll be back there in 'ust a momentfi we'll be back there in 'ust a moment. ~ ., ., ., moment. we have heard from the seaker moment. we have heard from the speaker has _ moment. we have heard from the speaker has been _ moment. we have heard from the speaker has been criticised. - speaker has been criticised. delivering that apology there as you head to the house of commons. around the world and across the uk this is beauty news.
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bbc news bring you different stories from across the uk. for second—tier english language students keira and jenna the news that their lecturers could be made redundant and that their courses are under threat is concerning. there will be less modules for me to choose from. we don't know who our elections will be because a lot of them will be made redundant. we are unsure what is going to happen which is quite stressful. the university of kent is facing financial challenges. 50 jobs and ten courses are at risk. 58 jobs and ten courses are at risk. we are just struggling to find undergraduates who want to take some of these courses. at the university we are looking to stop recruitment on some of those. we will teach out of course so current students should not worry that they will not be able to graduate. more than 13,000 people have signed a petition against the proposals. the university of kent has said that none of its plans will impact current students. for more stories across the uk had to be bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. here in the uk, companies have been told they should make workplace
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attacks against muslims have trebled in the past months. just talk us through what the numbers are. it is a considerable _ through what the numbers are. it 3 a considerable increase. we are talking about 2000 tax that were recorded in the last month since the october seven attacks. it is really 0ctober seven attacks. it is really a huge number. the people that record this say it is the largest jump record this say it is the largest jump that has been recorded since their foundation jump that has been recorded since theirfoundation in jump that has been recorded since their foundation in 2011. jump that has been recorded since theirfoundation in 2011. over jump that has been recorded since their foundation in 2011. over half of them are attacks online but we also have instances of physical attacks, verbal abuse, threats, and vandalism. 0nce attacks, verbal abuse, threats, and vandalism. once again unfortunately as it is a constant in these reports. two out of three reports it is muslim women who were the main
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targets. that is because muslim women if they are wearing a hijab are more easily identifiable. nonetheless it is a huge increase and that is why the numbers have come out today to warn politicians to take a clear stance against anti—muslim and anti—semitic attacks that have surged her in the uk since october the 7th. here in the uk, companies have been told they should make workplace adjustments for women going through the menopause, including relaxing uniform policies and offering working from home on warm days. the equality and human rights commission guidance also states that using language that ridicules someone because of their menopausal symptoms could be harassment. let's speak to kate. the author of everything you need to know about menopause, when you think
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about these ideas? it is interesting it has been raised in a legal context by a don't think menopause should be characterised as a disability. it happens to every single women and non—binary people to and we should be doing something about the health aspects of it and not making reasonable adjustments all the time for symptoms. what we know now with the new research around the menopause is that we... the majority of us do not need to suffer from symptoms i've seen menopause if we took the new hrt which is a copy of our own hormones and not the scary stuff that had a risk of breast cancer in the past so we have solutions, we have answers for all sorts of women on the medicalfront and for all sorts of women on the medical front and somehow we are now putting this into law in telling employers that we are going to sue them if they do not put a fan in a room or give someone a quite place or let them work from home. i think
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we are making what should be an opportunity into a kind of disability and i don't think it needs to be that way. interesting, what about _ needs to be that way. interesting, what about the _ needs to be that way. interesting, what about the people _ needs to be that way. interesting, what about the people who - needs to be that way. interesting, what about the people who would | needs to be that way. interesting, i what about the people who would say that these are perfectly reasonable and sensible measures, lettuce de stigmatise them and introduce them and have that guidance out there and people can follow? i and have that guidance out there and people can follow?— people can follow? i think it is useful that — people can follow? i think it is useful that this _ people can follow? i think it is useful that this is _ people can follow? i think it is useful that this is out - people can follow? i think it is useful that this is out there i people can follow? i think it is. useful that this is out there and people can follow? i think it is i useful that this is out there and it is suggested that it should be part of discrimination, it is useful. but i think we are missing the big point looking at the tiny legal detail. and the big point is that women have now realised that they can do something about menopause. the conversation about menopause in the uk is magnificent in a sense. in the last four years million more women have gone on the safer hormone replacement therapy which has absolutely change what is happening because one in ten women were leaving theirjobs because of menopause symptoms and that was in a big pile we did of 4000 diverse
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women across the uk. women do not want to leave theirjobs. they don't want to leave theirjobs. they don't want to leave theirjobs. they don't want to be sitting in a room dealing with a hot fine and flushes. they want to be in the best health that they can be to do the job the best way that they can. the very best employers are telling women about their medical options and they are also saying that this is part of our medical insurance policy and we will give you time off to visit your nhs doctor. i think this is a conversation that is going to come out of the uk and go across europe and the world and women are increasingly realising that this is an opportunity for them. i think the narrow legal definition is very much around hot flushes and we actually know that menopause for 73% of women say that they have memory loss and rain flog in menopause and that is what makes them lose confidence at work notjust what makes them lose confidence at work not just the what makes them lose confidence at work notjust the occasional hot flash. do not understand the complexity of this and the idea that
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we give you a fine is going to help. i do think they are getting it. fascinating to get your perspective thank you for coming on the programme. we are going to get the latest honour a breaking news over the last hour out of the house of commons in the uk. the criticism being faced by the speaker of the house of commons. supposed to be the person in charge of mp's of the house. growing criticism for the way he handled the debate yesterday. we are getting plenty of reaction now. let's face take a listen to the labour leader stuckey are some —— so keir starmer. it is labour leader stuckey are some -- so keir starmer-— keir starmer. it is important to put the debate back— keir starmer. it is important to put the debate back into _ keir starmer. it is important to put the debate back into context. i keir starmer. it is important to put the debate back into context. last| the debate back into context. last weekend i was in the munich conference talking to world leaders about the plan to bring an end to the awful situation in gaza where
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people are dying. i drafted a labour amendment which not only dealt with how we stop fighting now and get aid but also about what the long—term plan is to make sure that we get to a peaceful outcome. iwent plan is to make sure that we get to a peaceful outcome. i went to see that amendments put before palance because i want to make sure that it was a good debate and we had the widest possible options and of course there were discussions with the speaker but all party leaders speak to the speaker but there was actually no threat to the speaker in the course of that. what he wanted to do was to ensure that parliament had the broadest possible debate which is very important. can had the broadest possible debate which is very important.— which is very important. can you categorically _ which is very important. can you categorically say _ which is very important. can you categorically say that _ which is very important. can you categorically say that no - which is very important. can you categorically say that no labour| which is very important. can you i categorically say that no labour mp warned lindsay hoyle that he could lose labour support if he did not select the amendments. i lose labour support if he did not select the amendments.- lose labour support if he did not select the amendments. i was very concerned that _ select the amendments. i was very concerned that the _ select the amendments. i was very.
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concerned that the debate yesterday should be elevated. it is a very important issue, that is probably the most important issue globally at the most important issue globally at the moment is the conflict in gaza and we can put an end to the situation so i wanted that amendment, of course i had conversations with the speaker. all political leaders had conversations. what passion you put on the speaker? i urged him to ensure that the debates could be as broad as possible and that mp's could vote on... we were talking about if there was one amendment or two amendments. the real issue is to have that proper debate. that did not happen. because the snp walked off, or they were interested in doing was dividing the labour party and once taste so they could do that they walked off and the government then walked off and the government then walked out of the debate on gazza because they thought they were going to lose a vote. i think that we
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should cut continued with that debate and for parliament to be able to speak on one of the most important issues of the day. can you sa that important issues of the day. can you say that you — important issues of the day. can you say that you and _ important issues of the day. can you say that you and your labour- important issues of the day. can you say that you and your labour mp's . say that you and your labour mp's did not put the pressure on the speaker, do not threaten to withdraw your support for it can you say that yes or no? 0r your support for it can you say that yes or no? or i can categorically tell you that i did not threaten the speaker in any way whatsoever. i simply urged him to ensure that we have the broadest possible debate so that the most important thing which is what we do about the situation in gaza could be properly discussed. with a number of options, that is the right thing to do. the speaker did the right thing in making sure that the debate was broad but the tragedy is that some people walked off the pitch because they did one to divide the labour party and the
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government walked off because of course they were going to lose a vote so we had one party that was seeking to divide labour and the government that was losing control of its own mps to control the vote. we should have a proper debate and a proper resolution. all three propositions in to vote? where you are under big _ propositions in to vote? where you are under big pressure _ propositions in to vote? where you are under big pressure in _ propositions in to vote? where you are under big pressure in your- propositions in to vote? where you | are under big pressure in your party to shift your position on gaza. the proposition _ to shift your position on gaza. the proposition i _ to shift your position on gaza. tue: proposition i put to shift your position on gaza. t'ta: proposition i put on to shift your position on gaza. tt2 proposition i put on the table was that to draft by me after i came back from the munich security conference after spoken to prime ministers and presidents i was speaking for people who are actually involved to try to make a way forward. i wanted that proposition heard and voted on and my mps wanted to vote on it. my focus is on what
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we need to do to resolve the awful situation going on in gaza. that was keir starmer — situation going on in gaza. that was keir starmer that _ situation going on in gaza. that was keir starmer that we _ situation going on in gaza. that was keir starmer that we will _ situation going on in gaza. that was keir starmer that we will have i keir starmer that we will have plenty more reaction there and what happened in parliament 24 hours earlier. scientists have worked out how some of the largest whales in the ocean produce their haunting and complex songs. humpbacks and other baleen whales have evolved a specialised "voice box" that enables them to sing underwater. lets take a listen. (upsot 4")the discovery, published in the journal nature, has also revealed why the noise lets take a listen. the discovery, published in the journal nature, has also revealed why the noise we make in the ocean is so disruptive for these ocean giants. whale song is restricted to a narrow frequency that overlaps with the noise produced by ships. let's speak to the person who led this study, professor coen elemans from the department of biology at the university of denmark.
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thank you for coming on the programme. just talk us through, we all kind of know or are familiar with those signs. they are quite extraordinary just talk us with those signs. they are quite extraordinaryjust talk us through? what we learn is that the larynx or the voice box is functional and that was not clear up to now. also that they have evolved adaptations to still make sound underwater while they have to hold their breath and it is not very trivial.— it is not very trivial. letters have another listen _ it is not very trivial. letters have another listen now _ it is not very trivial. letters have another listen now because i it is not very trivial. letters have i another listen now because everyone will want some more whale song no doubt. singing so they are amazing sounds. just focus about the influence of humans and human activity interrupting those songs? be and human activity interrupting those songs?—
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and human activity interrupting those songs? and human activity interrupting those sonus? �* ., ., ., , those songs? be found out that these animals have — those songs? be found out that these animals have evolved _ those songs? be found out that these animals have evolved to _ those songs? be found out that these| animals have evolved to communicate and we cannot express how important sound is for them and they live in water where you cannot see faso sound as the communication for them over long distances so we found that they made sound in a certain range and also in—depth. t they made sound in a certain range and also in-depth._ and also in-depth. i am so so sorry we have right _ and also in-depth. i am so so sorry we have right after _ and also in-depth. i am so so sorry we have right after time _ and also in-depth. i am so so sorry we have right after time just i and also in-depth. i am so so sorry we have right after time just as i and also in-depth. i am so so sorryj we have right after time just as you about to make your point, forgive me. we are back in a couple of minutes. this is beauty news. hello again. currently, there are a lot of flood warnings in force across england in particular. there are also a few in wales. something to keep a close eye on because, today, again, it is going to be a wet and windy day and it is also turning colder, particularly so through the day, in the south. that is where the passage of this weather front bringing the rain is moving eastwards. another one following on hot on its heels. behind that, we will see a return to cooler conditions. so we start the afternoon with the milder conditions but look
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how the colder air follows through, through the course of the day. this is the band of rain and squally winds, both of them pushing eastwards. you could well see on the back edge of this, some wintriness on the hills, the welsh hills in the south—west with gales and severe gales at times through the english channel. and strong winds across the coastlines of kent and east anglia. inland, you can see from the black circles the strength of the gales we are looking at. it will brighten up behind those bands of rain and for scotland and northern ireland, it is a day of sunny spells and showers, some of the showers could be heavy and thundery with hail, wintry on higher ground and later we could see some of that wintriness getting down to lower levels across the north—west. the rain pulls away through the course of the evening. clear skies following behind. there will be a lot of showers coming in on the wind in western areas. it will be a colder night, especially further south, than it has been of late.
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we are looking at frost and the risk of ice in the north—east. heading into tomorrow, this weather front will enhance the showers coming into the rest. we still have a westerly wind. most of the showers will be in western areas but some of them blow over toward central and eastern parts of the country but equally, a lot of dry weather with some of those showers, because we are now in the cold air mass, could be wintry, especially so in the hills, the temperature is between 6—10 degrees, more like you would expect in february. heading into the weekend, we have a slight ridge across us, so things are fairly settled, then we have this area of low pressure skirting past the south—west. on sunday it may bring rain, and windy conditions, but into the weekend there will be some mist and fog around, a slow to clear in the mornings, with some frost and some showers at times.
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we have seen year—on—year increases in the amount of people drunk driving, as a proportion two thirds
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of to drink.

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