tv Verified Live BBC News July 31, 2024 5:00pm-5:31pm BST
5:00 pm
yesterday evening. reports in the last few minutes saying his body hasjust reports in the last few minutes saying his body has just been found. i am injerusalem saying his body has just been found. lam injerusalem more saying his body has just been found. i am injerusalem more people are weighing up the implications of this although the israeli government has not yet commented on the death of ismail haniyeh.— not yet commented on the death of ismail haniyeh. unverified today we have been looking _ ismail haniyeh. unverified today we have been looking at _ ismail haniyeh. unverified today we | have been looking at misinformation circulating _ have been looking at misinformation circulating online on the attack in the impact — circulating online on the attack in the impact on subsequent protests. -- on _ the impact on subsequent protests. —— on verified. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala. we start with that news coming from the bc because it has condemned the of its most well—known news presenters after he pleaded guilty today of making indecent images of children. the corporations that he
5:01 pm
would have been sacked over accessing indecent images while he was still working for the corporation and said they were shocked at his conduct. once his most senior news presenter, he admitted having 41 indecent images of children which had been sent to him by another man on whatsapp, the included seven category eight images, the most serious classification. he was arrested in november and charged last month. you will be sentenced on the 16th of september. with me is our correspondent charlotte gallagher. i will come to that bbc statement that has just been released, but you have additional new information. we do have additional new information. - do because the metropolitan police has confirmed the man who was sharing those indecent images of children with huw edwards was a convicted paedophile. 25—year—old alex williams. police say he pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing category a, b and c images. a, the most severe and
5:02 pm
seemed the least. as well as possessing prohibited images of children. sentenced to 12 months jail sentence in march in wales. please save the investigation into edwards began after a phone seized by officers as part of an unrelated investigation revealed his participation in a whatsapp conversation. that is the latest from the metropolitan police. this images shared with huw edwards was shared by a convicted paedophile. the images we are seeing on the screen is of course when huw edwards arrived at magistrates�* court surrounded by all of the media. as i was saying, the bbc has just released a statement. just was saying, the bbc has 'ust released a statement. just take me throu~h released a statement. just take me through that _ released a statement. just take me through that. fair _ released a statement. just take me through that. fair to _ released a statement. just take me through that. fair to say _ released a statement. just take me through that. fair to say this - released a statement. just take me through that. fair to say this has i through that. fair to say this has shocked the corporation. the bbc says it�*s a shock to hear details that have emerged in court today. there can be no place for such a boring behaviour and our thoughts are with all of those affected. the police have confirmed the charges are not connected to the original
5:03 pm
complaint raised with the bbc in the summer of 2023, nevertheless in the interest of transparency, we think it is important to set out some points about the events of last year. in november 2023 whilst mr edwards was suspended, that he was the bbc as his employer at the time was made aware in confidence that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences and released on bail. whilst the police continued their investigation. at the time, no charges have been brought against him in the bbc had also been made aware of the significant risk to his health. today, we have learned of the conclusion of the police process and the details and presented to court. if at any point during. mr edwards have been employed by the bbc and had been charged, the bbc determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. in the end, the point of charge, he was no longer an employee of the bbc. during this period, and the usual way, bbc is kept its corporate management of theseissues
5:04 pm
kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions. we want to reiterate our shock at mr edward�*s actions in our thoughts remain with all of those affected. that touches on that we knew in the last few hours since the court appearance, some of the questions that were being asked of the bbc, when did they know about the arrests, why did the not make it public if they did know and the continued payment of the former presenter. he continued payment of the former resenter. ., , continued payment of the former resenter. . , ,., continued payment of the former resenter. . , .. ., , presenter. he was paid in actually received a — presenter. he was paid in actually received a £40,000 _ presenter. he was paid in actually received a £40,000 increase - presenter. he was paid in actually received a £40,000 increase on | presenter. he was paid in actually l received a £40,000 increase on his salary for the last financial year due to additional duties performed, we believe to do with the coronation. the bbc in that statement can it very clear, had he been charged, he would have been sacked. but because he was arrested and still under investigation, he was still employed by the bbc. that, we believe is a normal policy, but if someone is arrested, there continue to be employed because if they are cleared or no charges are brought against them, then they would have a case for unlawful
5:05 pm
dismissal. so that is the situation at the moment. however there will be at the moment. however there will be a lot of questions asked of the bbc commented they know exactly with the offences war, they said they were serious, did they know they were indecent images of children, something obsolete incredibly shocking to people within the bbc and outside of the bbc. this was the man who presented national events, the general election, all of those things. the general election, all of those thins. ,, ., ., �* things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now, things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now. thank— things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now, thank you _ things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now, thank you very _ things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now, thank you very much - things. stay with me, charlotte. but for now, thank you very much for. for now, thank you very much for that additional new information. i will talk to charlotte again in a moment or two. the retouching on today�*s court hearing that happened in the early part of today and how it ended. huw edwards�*s career. our correspondent has been looking at the events and in the preceding months. huw edwards. for decades, the calm, trusted face of bbc news. walking into court charged with making indecent images of children. minutes later, he would plead guilty to all three charges.
5:06 pm
41 images, seven class a, the most serious classification. to the crowds outside, there was no visible emotion, just the familiar demeanour of one of television�*s best known faces. for 20 years, he fronted the news at ten. tonight at ten, thousands of police officers... he has also been the face of the bbc for elections. so, as big ben reaches ten o�*clock... political crises... we are live in downing street... and royal and state occasions. welcome to windsor. but a newspaper headline changed everything. the media frenzy of lastjuly followed a series of articles published in the sun alleging that an unnamed bbc presenter was paying a young person to send photographs described by the sun as "sordid images." police eventually concluded there was no evidence of illegality and a statement from huw edwards�* wife finally revealed his name to the public. a decision she said was out of concern for his mental wellbeing. he remained off airfor another nine
5:07 pm
months until in april it was announced he had resigned from the corporation on medical advice. it was the end of a career that had taken him from reporting on politics for bbc wales... speaks welsh. to being made a lead presenter of bbc tv news and become one of the most familiar faces on british television. there are 650 mps... when he was given the job of presenting the bbc�*s tv election coverage of 2019, it was the first change of host in 40 years. he occupied a role that demanded reliability, trustworthiness, dignity for those era defining moments. here, the minutesjust before the announcement of the death of the queen. contrast that with today, a man who we have learnt this week was arrested in november, charged injune and today pleaded
5:08 pm
guilty to those charges. he had already resigned but he was to the public still one of the faces of the bbc. this is more thanjust the end of a career and a reputation destroyed. clamouring. david sillito, bbc news. charlotte gallagher is still here with me with that breaking news. for anyone that missed at the last few minutes, important new information that you have learned.— that you have learned. we've had a development _ that you have learned. we've had a development from _ that you have learned. we've had a development from the _ that you have learned. we've had a| development from the metropolitan police and that they have told us the man that huw edwards had been communicating with on whatsapp and that had been setting huw edwards indecent images of children was a convicted paedophile. 25—year—old alex williams. he arty pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing indecent images children and sentenced to a
5:09 pm
suspended jail sentence in march this year. we�*ve heard from the bbc themselves who say they are shocked by what they are calling abhorrent behaviour by huw edwards. they say they were made aware in november last year when he was arrested that he had been arrested on suspicion of serious offences. he resigned in april. he was charged injune. the bbc basically said, if he had been charged at any point while he was still employed by the bbc, he would have been sacked. that is what they are saying and saying their thoughts are saying and saying their thoughts are with everyone who has been affected by this. the are with everyone who has been affected by this.— affected by this. the statement startin: affected by this. the statement starting and — affected by this. the statement starting and finishing _ affected by this. the statement starting and finishing by - affected by this. the statement starting and finishing by talking about the shock at these developments. thank you for taking us through all of that. if there is more we will of sleep return to that. had to our website, the full bbc statement as they are currently running. let�*s turn to the middle east, where two separate attacks
5:10 pm
in the space of 12 hours — on two senior iran—backed militant leaders, have raised fears of a wider regional conflict. hamas says, its political leader ismail haniyeh was killed during a visit to tehran. early indications suggest that, he and his bodyguard, died when a rocket hit the house where he was staying. hamas has accused israel of being responsible — and described the killing as a �*grave escalation�*. hours earlier, israel said it had killed a senior his brother figure hours earlier, israel said it had killed a senior hexbollah figure in a strike in beirut. the movement has confirmed that fuad shukr, one of its top military commanders was in a building targeted by israel — but hasn�*t confirmed his fate. israel said he was responsible for an attack that killed 12 youngsters in the israeli—occupied golan heights. we�*ve had an indication from hezbollah officials that his body has been found in the rubble. that report coming in in the last little while. let�*s speak to our correspondent injerusalem, barbara plett usher. they very rarely if ever speak about
5:11 pm
these sorts of assassinations on foreign territory. i assume the same is true today in israel from the government there.— is true today in israel from the government there. is true today in israel from the covernment there. , , ., , , ., ,, government there. yes, they do speak about assassinations _ government there. yes, they do speak about assassinations or _ government there. yes, they do speak about assassinations or killings - government there. yes, they do speak about assassinations or killings in - about assassinations or killings in lebanon. you see they claim to the killing of that hezbollah commander, but when they are accused of a carrier assassinations especially in iran, they traditionally have not acknowledged any involvement. again, israelis saying they have no comments on the incident. but it is widely believed in the region and beyond, they were behind this will stop because they had said after the 7th of october attack led by hamas that they will go after all of the political and military leadership of hamas. we have very little information on how the attack took place. it was overnight at 2am according to iranian media. that mr ismail haniyeh was killed along with his bodyguard. he was staying at one of the official residences of the tehran government. mixed reports
5:12 pm
about how it took place. once set a rocket fired from outside of iran another said a rocket fired from a building across from the residence. we don�*t know exactly how it happened. this has of course focused attention on how iran will respond and what the consequences will be for the region. you had some quite harsh rhetoric. you had the ayatollah come the spiritual leader of iran saying they wouldn�*t have to, it is their duty to avenge the death of a gas they were hosting and you had the iran revolutionary guards think it be a harsh and painful response. you had hezbollah talk about how this will make iran aligned to groups more determined to confront israel. but equally, you had the iranian vice president saying they have no intention of escalating the middle east conflict. recently, hamas official has said, they do not want to create a
5:13 pm
regional war. they do not want to create a regionalwar. but they do not want to create a regional war. but this can michael unpunished. people are now wondering what exactly that means. the other element here of course is all the attention on had been on try to a cease—fire in gaza. now that has been put in hold and now there are a harsh response also from qatar which had been mediating the talks and from egypt suggesting that israel lacks the political will for a de—escalation and the qatar use set, how can mediation succeed when one sites killed the main negotiator on the other side because this man, ismail haniyeh had taken a key role in those talks as the representative for hamas. so we are at the end of this the day looking agri—and certainty in the region about whether things are going to escalate, whether there�*s going to be a response and we will continue with the the uncertainty or whether the cease—fire talks have any chance at all of achieving anything in the next weeks and months. liee at all of achieving anything in the next weeks and months.- next weeks and months. live in jerusalem. _ next weeks and months. live in
5:14 pm
jerusalem, barbara, _ next weeks and months. live in jerusalem, barbara, thank- next weeks and months. live in jerusalem, barbara, thank you | next weeks and months. live in - jerusalem, barbara, thank you very much for that update. let�*s speak to sanam vakil, director of middle east and north africa for chatham house. thank you for being here on the programme with us. you were listening to what barbara was saying. just how dangerous a moment to think this is? hill this is certainly a really grave up moment but we have been here before in april there was a lot of uncertainty after israel attacked the damascus consular facilities of iran and we saw a new level of escalation direct strikes back and forth between israel and iran. this is a different circumstance. over the past 48 hours we have seen fuad shukr, the hezbollah commander killed in beirut. we have seen ismail haniyeh killed in tehran and this is going to probably curate a much more axis of resistance response. hezbollah and iran will work together with the other groups in order to respond in
5:15 pm
order to show they have not been integrated, there has not been deterrence achieved. this is going to be developing over the coming days and i think right now, we are in a bit of a waiting game. exactly on that point are you able to make an assessment of the likely responses both from hamas that have been so downgraded over the last ten months and has below, with of course the tremendous arsenal that they actually have? it is the tremendous arsenal that they actually have?— actually have? it is important to understand _ actually have? it is important to understand the _ actually have? it is important to understand the different - actually have? it is important to - understand the different motivations at play. israel, since october the 7th is trying to achieve two principal aims. 7th is trying to achieve two principalaims. of 7th is trying to achieve two principal aims. of course trying to eliminate hamas in gaza and address its domestic security crisis. it also has a regional security crisis with iranian backed groups sitting on the borders of israel. having not fully met its war aims in gaza, israel is also simultaneously trying to take out key commanders. key
5:16 pm
parts of the axis of resistance network to, perhaps address its regional security problem with iran and iranian backed groups. so this gradual and continual degradation and an effort to restore deterrence is going to continue. in the meantime, these groups are trying to survive. the axis of resistance wants to come out of those war, still there, still standing and working in a transnational way. so it is likely these groups will try to co—ordinate a response that shows that they are still present, still viable, but is it going to compromise their long—term presence within their domestic theatres, but also on the borders of israel? flan also on the borders of israel? can ou see also on the borders of israel? can you see a — also on the borders of israel? can you see a way _ also on the borders of israel? can you see a way that you can navigate through their hostage releases after all of this? , , , all of this? this is the big question _ all of this? this is the big question on _ all of this? this is the big question on the - all of this? this is the big question on the table. i all of this? this is the big i question on the table. what is all of this? this is the big _ question on the table. what is clear is by putting the region ahead of the cease—fire talks, the israeli
5:17 pm
leadership is showing its hand, its priorities. this comes at the expense of the hostages that are being held in gaza and it certainly is going to set back of the cease—fire negotiations that have been dragging on for months and had not really delivered any progress. just a final thought. what does it tell us, again, with the relationship in washington and president biden. all the way through this, the us has been urging restraint because they fear this broadening into a wider conflict in the region, yet, you see this further escalation.— the region, yet, you see this further escalation. nine months in, the us has — further escalation. nine months in, the us has been _ further escalation. nine months in, the us has been able _ further escalation. nine months in, the us has been able to _ further escalation. nine months in, the us has been able to prevent i further escalation. nine months in, | the us has been able to prevent the break—out of a wider regional war. that is also because all of these actors are not seeking a war, but they are just trying to bring each other down. in this circumstance, though, what we see is the us has not been able to end the war in gaza or bring about a political
5:18 pm
settlement. without that big effort, without that muscle in the political process, this cycle of escalation and walking back will continue. and of course it has widespread consequences for the people of gaza, obviously the region more broadly and is released as well. we obviously the region more broadly and is released as well.— obviously the region more broadly and is released as well. we have to leave it there, _ and is released as well. we have to leave it there, doctor _ and is released as well. we have to leave it there, doctor but _ and is released as well. we have toj leave it there, doctor but thank you so much. just as you were concluding that sentence. i read the israeli prime minister is due to deliver a televised address little later. so he will lay out that israeli strategy after another remark after the last 18 hours or so as to see how hezbollah hamas respond. around the world and across the uk, you are watching bbc news.
5:19 pm
5:20 pm
to question a 17—year—old suspect. hundreds of people attended a vigil last night, to pay tribute to the three girls — who were killed in a knife attack, at a children�*s dance workshop. just hours later — violent clashes broke out close to where the girls were stabbed. 39 police officers were injured, with 27 needing hospital treatment. merseyside police described the violence as �*sickening�*. members of the community, including the mother of one of the victims of the stabbing, have appealed for calm. let�*s speak to our correspondent nicky schiller. let�*s start by asking, has there been any further updates from any of the three hospitals treating the other children and those two adults? yes we have had an update this afternoon. you will remember that when this incident happened, this horrific incident on monday, we knew that two adults helps and themselves
5:21 pm
between the children will stop and the man with a knife. the bbc has managed to speak from his hospital bed to one of those men. it was not on camera because, of course, he has been critically ill, but the article is on the bbc news website. ijust want to redo some of the words that jonathan hayes has said. he has told us that he was saddened he could not do more to protect those children. he owns a business next door to where this horrific incident happened and he ran into try and protect those children. unfortunately, he was stabbed. lots of people on social media have called him a hero. whereas, he told us, some would say confronting a guy wielding a hunting knife is utter madness. so he does not see himself as a hero. he is telling us that he
5:22 pm
is going to be in hospitalfor some time because he has had surgery and he currently cannot walk because a knife was used to attack his leg. but he does tell us that he was overwhelmed by the number of well wishes. that also applies the well wishes. that also applies the well wishes going to the other person, the other until we know who was injured who is leanne lucas. she was the younger teacher —— yoga teacher running this class. we have not had any update on the children in hospital. we know that five of those remain in a critical condition. in remain in a critical condition. in terms of what we have heard from police, tell me more about what they have been saying about those dreadful scenes last night. the writing that took place and also we had that update that the amount of time to have been given to question the subject has been extended. let
5:23 pm
the sub'ect has been extended. let me the subject has been extended. let me sa , the subject has been extended. let me say, where i am, i the subject has been extended. let me say, where i am, lam the subject has been extended. let me say, where i am, i am outside the mosque that got attacked last night. you can see, the builders here having a joint photo taken at the moment because at the moment, they have just finished moment because at the moment, they havejust finished rebuilding moment because at the moment, they have just finished rebuilding this wall that you can see here. this wall that you can see here. this wall was destroyed last night by the writers and they used the bricks that were here this morning to attack the mosque. so they threw the bricks into the mosque, the windows at the top, there was a car is damaged, around the corner, windows were blown out. at a local community came out today to rebuilds of both the small and also to clean up the area. the police are saying that in that incident last night there are about 2—300 people and they believe most of those were not from this
5:24 pm
area. and were associated with english defence league. they are the ones that cause the violence. we saw some awful pictures of the bricks being thrown at the police and also a police van was set on fire. the chief constable visited the area earlier. she said four people had been arrested and that they were prepared, if there was further violence. they expected further requests to be made. they are appealing for calm, particularly appealing for calm, particularly appealing for calm, particularly appealing for calm. the mother of one of the victims, elsie dot stancombe, seven, saying the violence had to stop. on the suspect. as he say, a 17—year—old boy, detectives have been given extra time to question him. they now have 96 hours to question him after a magistrate extended the 48 hour period. a magistrate extended the 48 hour eriod. ., ~' ,, a magistrate extended the 48 hour eriod. . ,, i. .,
5:25 pm
period. thank you, live on the round, period. thank you, live on the ground, talking _ period. thank you, live on the ground, talking about - period. thank you, live on the ground, talking about that. i period. thank you, live on the i ground, talking about that. and of the interview that the bbc has done. that is currently running on the bbc website. back with the headlines in a moment or two. don�*t go away. hello there. the heatwave continues today across some parts of the country but overnight tonight and into tomorrow, the weather looks like it will start to break down. we�*ve the risk of heavy rain, thunder and lightning, mainly across england and wales. still difficult to pin the details down because those storms are yet to develop. we�*ve had some threatening cloud here in the far southeast of england with showers close by. these are the temperatures we have this afternoon. not really changing much for the northern half of the uk, it�*s much hotter further south, but because we�*ve got an easterly breeze this time, the highest temperatures will get pushed that little further towards the west. even some showers into wales and northern ireland but things get going overnight. the wetter weather develops overnight in northern ireland
5:26 pm
and pushes across to scotland with thundery downpours across parts of england and wales. more cloud around tonight, for scotland, warmer than last night, 5 degrees in glasgow. further south, no lower than 17 in the southeast of england. this wet weather through the midlands and northern england, possibly thundery, moving away with sunshine coming through, triggering more thundery showers across england and east wales. more sunshine across scotland and northern ireland in the afternoon with temperatures a shade higher than today but not quite so high further south. very warm or hot in places depending on those heavy showers. we end the week with low pressure approaching from the atlantic, so quite a turnaround in the weather. still heavy or thundery showers across eastern parts of england which will move away and as the breeze picks up in the west, outbreaks of rain moving in here. that will keep the temperatures a bit lower, only 20 degrees, though still very warm across eastern england, up to 28 celsius here.
5:27 pm
as that weather front pushes west from saturday, we will have cooler and fresher air following, a west or southwesterly wind and low pressure bringing rain into the northwest of the uk on sunday. in the southeast, rain to begin on saturday and the rest of the weekend dry, temperatures are lower and nearer normal for the time of year.
5:29 pm
this is bbc news, the headlines... the bbc says it is "shocked" by what it calls the "abhorrent behaviour" of former presenter huw edwards — who has pleaded guilty to charges of making indecent images of children. hamas says its leader, ismail haniyeh, has been killed in the iranian capital. tehran accuses israel of being responsible. iran promises the harshest response. the supreme leader says avenging the killing is iran�*s duty. hezbollah says one of its most senior military commanders, fuad shukr, was in a building in beirut targeted by israel yesterday evening. reports in the past few minutes say his body has been found.
5:30 pm
we�*ll have more on that in a moment, but for now, the sport with gavin. great britain�*s rowers failed to win a single gold in tokyo, bringing home just two medals. but what a turnaround for them so far in paris — with their first gold on the board with an incredible finish in the women�*s quadruple sculls. with 200 metres to go, the british boat trailed the netherlands, but they pulled it back to take the win with the final stroke. the gb quartet of lauren henry, lola anderson, hannah scott and georgina brayshaw won it by 0.15 of a second. the first time team gb had won the event either mens or womens. netherlands won the men�*s quad. we were trying to make growing a bit more interesting, so that�*s kind of what we were going for. last few strokes, i mean, laura and i were just going, we got this. we had so
19 Views
IN COLLECTIONS
BBC News Television Archive Television Archive News Search ServiceUploaded by TV Archive on