helena wilkinson reports.love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times. and i don't want that to happen. dame esther rantzen is best known for presenting the bbc show that's life. injanuary, she revealed she'd been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and is currently undergoing what she describes as "a miracle treatment". but if that doesn't work, dame esther says she might go to dignitas, an assisted dying clinic in switzerland. it's an idea that's supported by her daughter, rebecca. she doesn't want us to see her have an awful, painful death. she wants us to remember her as she is now, which is epically wonderful. but rebecca fears she could be prosecuted if she helps her mother travel to dignitas. i wouldn't be able to go with her. my husband would go nuts if he thought i was going to go with her. i'm looking after two kids. i'm trying to work. i can't go to prison. i can't go through a court case at the worst point in my life. when i've lost my person, i'm suddenly being prosecuted w

helena wilkinson, bbc news.as ground to a halt for tens of thousands of people today because of strong winds and also an unexpected strike by eurotunnel workers in france. storm pia has brought wind gusts of up to 80 mph in northern parts of the uk, bringing down power lines in parts of scotland and leaving homes without electricity. train services between london and scotland on the west coast mainline have been cancelled because of damage to overhead power lines. and on top of that, a last—minute strike by eurotunnel workers in france means all eurostar and leshuttle services in and out of london are cancelled until further notice. the young boy whose bedroom the 60 tonne tree fell on top of indaba ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard. i ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard.- ship was in it at the time. don't worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what i worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what t thought i worry, he wasn't heard. i 'ust heard what i thought was _ worry, he

with the latest on all the developments, here is our reporter, helena wilkinson.anic and confusion in the streets of central prague this afternoon. dozens fleeing after a gunman opened fire just days before christmas, in one of the most popular cities in europe. eyewitnesses filmed this dramatic video showing peoplejumping out of the university window to safety. four british tourists described the moment they first heard the gunshots. i remember the first one, i sort of looked atjoe and i said, "is that...", almost questioning myself. then you saw people running and you heard a few screams and you thought, "it can't be." you tell yourself, you see it on the news and you always think, i don't believe it. you always think you won't be in that situation. and then you hear another one and another one and we were like, and we heard police sirens and then it became clear that we need to get out of here. emergency services rushed to the charles university where it happens. reports of the mass shooting began to emerge at around 3:30pm local time. this wife of this man was

helena wilkinson reports. household name during her decades—long broadcasting career. injanuary she revealed she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, now at its most advanced stage. the 83—year—old's diagnosis has made her think about her own death. she is currently undergoing what she describes as a miracle treatment, but if that doesn't work, dame esther says she might go to dignitas, an assisted dying clinic in switzerland which she hasjoined. i have joined dignitas. i have in my brain thought, "well, if the next scan "says nothing is working, i might buzz off to zurich." if you watch someone you love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times. and i don't want that to happen. i don't want, you know, to be that sort of victim in their lives. the law around assisted suicide is one that sharply divides opinions on both sides. campaigners say it would give people with terminal illnesses, or those who are suffering, greater control over how and when they die. 0pponents argue a change in the

wilkinson is here. russell brand is believed to have been interviewed under caution by detectives from the metropolitan police last thursday. it is understood it is the second time the actor and comedian has been interviewed under caution. this time interviewed under caution. this time in relation to a further six allegations of historical six mac offences put up back in september, the investigation by the times newspaper and channel 4 dispatches when russell brand was accused of rape and sexual assault, and also emotional abuse, which he strongly denied, the metropolitan police later opened an investigation into historical alleged sexual offences. today in a statement the met said a man in his 40s attended a police station in south london on december 14. he station in south london on december 1a. he was first questioned by police last month over three claims, the met has also said the man has now been questioned in relation to nine alleged offences.— a new type of drug that prevents hot flushes and nig

helena wilkinson, bbc news. we're going to go live to canada to retired senatorjim helton.the country. thank you very much for coming on. thank you very much for coming on. thank you very much for coming on. thank you for having me. could you tell us the situation in canada we have enabled who qualified in a very strict eligibility criteria. in order to qualify, you have to be a canadian resident, you have to have canadian health insurance, you have to be 18 and you have to have decision—making capacity because this is all about individuals making choices for themselves and not others making choices for others. you have to have what's described in the legislation as a grievous and irredeemable condition. you have to make a voluntary request and be able to give at the very time that you are provided the medical assistance in dying, you have to provide and confirm consent. i dying, you have to provide and confirm consent.— dying, you have to provide and confirm consent. i 'ust have to “ump in there. that's b confirm consent. i 'ust have to “ump in there. that's a i confirm co

helena wilkinson has the latest.dated figures, because i understand the authorities have just told us some new figures. yes. told us some new figures. yes, according _ told us some new figures. yes, according to — told us some new figures. yes, according to the _ told us some new figures. yes, according to the ministry, - told us some new figures. yes, according to the ministry, at i told us some new figures. is: according to the ministry, at least 15 students were killed and 2a were reported under medical observation, so at least 15 killed. i reported under medical observation, so at least 15 killed.— so at least 15 killed. i said it was one of the _ so at least 15 killed. i said it was one of the last _ so at least 15 killed. i said it was one of the last days _ so at least 15 killed. i said it was one of the last days of— so at least 15 killed. i said it was one of the last days of term. - so at least 15 killed. i said it was i one of the last days of term. were people packing up to go home and leave the city? it

tom wilkinson was very, very easy to work with.there's always plenty more on our website bbc.com/news — stay with us, if you can. hello. the weather's been continuing to cause some disruption through the final few days of 2023. we've had heavy rain, heavy snow across parts of scotland on saturday. for new year's eve on sunday, still some strong winds and heavy showers, especially in the south and the west. generally, a bit drier and less windy across the northeast of the uk, away from the northern isles. that is where we'll have this lingering weather front. but low pressure very much with us drifting its way gradually eastwards and there'll be a rash of showers rotating around that area of low pressure, blown in on these brisk west or south—westerly winds. so the strongest of the winds probably for the south—west of england, the channel isles could be gusting 60 miles an hour. similarfor the northern isles, too. 50 mile per hour gusts possible through the davis straits, for instance. and plenty of those heavy showers really across