this is newsday on the bbc. i'm rico hizon in singapore. the headlines: after the florida school shooting, america's gun lobby hits back, saying tragedy is being used for political gain. to stop a bad guy with a gun it ta kes a to stop a bad guy with a gun it takes a good guy with a gun. north korea will send its intelligence chief, believed to have plotted attacks on the south, to the olympics closing ceremony. i'm kasia madera in london. also in the programme: we meet the philippines‘ pagpag collectors, who scavenge for food in rubbish dumps. and it's a chinese new year tradition, but who actually owns that red envelope money? it's 8am in singapore.

midnight in london and 7pm in the eastern united states where the american gun lobby has lashed out against calls for tougher weapons limits. relatives and friends of the 17 students who died in florida have called for the measures to stop another school shooting. but the head of the national rifle association said it was an elitist plot to infringe american freedoms. wayne lapierre said teachers should be armed instead — an idea supported by president trump. here'sjon sopel. will the florida school shooting come to be seen as a landmark moment, when impotence gave way to rage, and rage led to action? never again! the vociferous students who have taken to the streets are bringing change. but not always in the way they wanted. the president, making clear that he thinks the way to make schools more secure is to train

and arm more teachers. tweeting today, "if a potential sicko shooter knows that a school has a large number of very weapon—talented teachers and others who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will never attack at school. cowards won't go there. problem solved." he first floated the idea at an emotional white house meeting last night, with victims‘ families. one of those in attendance was a pupil at the parklands school, sam zeif. how is it that easy to buy this type of weapon? afterwards, he was dismissive about the president's plan. arming teachers is just not what we need. you know? this is a problem because guns were brought into our school. why would it make sense to bring more guns into school? and the president has held another white house meeting today to discuss the issue, promising action that will win the support of many of the students.

i think we are making a lot of progress, and i can tell you it is a tremendous feeling that we want to get something done. he wants increased background checks on those seeking to purchase weapons. to ban bump stocks — this is the device that turns a semiautomatic rifle into a machine—gun. and he backs raising the minimum age for buying a rifle to 21. to those arguing for comprehensive gun control measures, what donald trump is proposing might seem like teeny—weeny baby steps. but any measure will have to get congressional approval, and doing that is never achieved without a fight. and no—one fights for gun rights like the national rifle association. today, in a rare public appearance, the leader of the nra spoke out, and he was in no mood for compromise. lean in, listen to me now, and never forget these words. to stop a bad guy with a gun, it takes a good guy with a gun. applause

thank you very much. in other words, what america needs is more guns, not fewer. the president is being pulled in one direction by the nra, another by the students. if past form as a guide, there will only be one winner — and it won't be the students. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. more on the us gun debate in a moment. let's take a look at some of the day's other news. a senior north korean official, blamed for two attacks on south korea that killed 50 people, will attend the closing ceremony of the winter olympics. kim yong—chol will also have a meeting with south korea's president, moonjae—in. the south hopes it will continue to warm relations between the two countries.

translation: we believe that the north korean high—level delegation‘s participation in the closing ceremony will help improve the relationship between south and north korea and bring peace to the korean peninsula, including the north's denuclearisation, so we will accept their visit to the south. also in the news today: the un security council has not been able to agree on a humanitarian ceasefire for syria. russia said a draft resolution needed amendments, but western diplomats have called the move a delaying tactic, to allow the syrian government to carry on with its offensive in eastern ghouta. syria too says the resolution is flawed. translation: will not succumb to those who have supported terrorism in syria, we will not be complacent of the plans of governments in five countries, five countries that met in washington last month to divide syria. the un children's fund unicef

is warning that almost three quarters of a million rohingya children face huge risks for years to come. in a report to mark six months since the start of the crisis, unicef says hundreds of thousands of children remain trapped in makeshift camps, denied education, and at risk of disease and violence. a policeman has died during violent clashes between rival football fans in the spanish city of bilbao. more than 500 police were deployed for athletic bilbao‘s europa league match against spartak moscow on thursday evening. supporters launched fireworks at each other, and at least five arrests were made. the police officer who died, reportedly suffered a heart attack. uefa has strongly condemned the clashes. at the winter olympics, hungary has made history with its first ever winter olympics gold. the short track speed skaters were the ones to do it, beating the favoured south koreans. there are four gold medals to be won on friday including the long track speed skating and women's figure skating. hong kong's harbourfront is known for glistening skyscrapers. now a sculpture park isjoining the skyline.

the aim of the collection of works by 19 local and international artists, is to increase public access to art in a city associated more with exclusive high—end galleries. let's return to our top story. the nra criticising those calling for tougher gun control laws following the florida school shooting. for more on this we can cross to california and speak tojoshua marx, a professor at sanjose state university. professor, thank you so much the joining us on music. trained and armed teachers, is this the answer to the problem —— newsday?” armed teachers, is this the answer to the problem -- newsday? i think absolutely not. the way that i feel and the way the majority of my campus feels, i think, is the notion of us having to be responsible for

firearms or having a lethal environment at a school wart ultimately deterred the learning environment that we are so delicately trying to balance. how safe do you feel, as a teacher in school? i mean, it is where i work. i feel just a safe school? i mean, it is where i work. i feeljust a safe here as they do walking down the street or getting on the bus —— as a saviour. i don't think anybody walks into work and think anybody walks into work and think that is the dates on the bad will happen. in your view, what are the alternative solutions? there is this raging debate on gun control for many years? yes. i think a lot of people in my country feel that gun rights have been equated with freedom or security, whereas in made —— in my profession we equate that with education. one thing put on the

table has been taking guns out of the hands of those who could be dangerous to us, without necessarily persecuting or demonising those with disabilities. what you make of these proposals being put forward by president trump, more background checks, banning of stocks, raising the minimum age to 21? they all seem like steps in the right direction. but i don't think they ultimately solve the problem. thank you for joining us from sanjose state university in california, joshua marx. thank you to having me. is eight too young for children to get careers advice? that's the recommendation submitted to a parliamentary inquiry in the australian state of victoria. the aim is to explain the different job options available. research indicates that children divide jobs into what's suitable for a boy and what's suitable for a girl, from as early as seven years old. and those ideas tend to come from traditional perceptions. popularjobs for boys include being a police officer, while teaching is a popular choice for girls. the same research also showed

exposing children to different choices is key. earlier, i spoke to bernadette gigliotti from the career education association to the victorian government, which submitted the evidence to parliament. she explained what her organisation hopes to achieve. we are aiming to ensure that young people have an opportunity for quality career education programmes. we are not talking about career advice, i want to make that quite clear. in terms of our submission, we are talking about career education, structured programmes from a younger age, that allow young people to explore the world of work and to get an understanding of the language of korea price of having to make more informed choices as they progress through their secondary education —— career. progress through their secondary education -- career. introducing

children from as early as eight is all to the world of work, are we not curtailing their childhood somewhat? not at all. i think young children are quite curious. they are already exploring the world. work makes up a significant component of the world and what we have available to them. i think we are not actually curtailing, we are opening up their eyes. this natural curiosity to explore and to find out what could possibly be available to them is pa rt possibly be available to them is part of a good educational progress. i will draw your attention to quite a significant piece of research that has come out of the uk, called drawing the future, where seven and eight —year—olds were asked to draw occupational choices. in this particular piece of research it showed quite clearly that if we are able to start the conversation quite early with young people they will be able to, perhaps, struck down some

of the myths and stereotypes that come with very old paradigms in relation to occupational choices —— strike down. what led you to that age? it is a young age. we are talking about very young children. yes. the evidence we have conducted ourselves and from right around the globe, there is quite a bit of international evidence, it suggests that if we start quite early having the conversation about what makes up the conversation about what makes up the world of work and what interests them, what skills that they might have already, their talents, and where those talents might be used, this evidence—based is quite clearly that we can start to have those conversations in a way that will allow young people to explore a wider selection of opportunities, including, perhaps, even subject choices. we are not at all suggesting that we start with career

advice with seven —year—olds. that is absurd. that is not what we are suggesting. we are suggesting plant, structured educational programmes that have a component of exploration involved in the discovery of the world of work. that is bernadette gigliotti, speaking earlier. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme: second hand food. we report on the so called "pagpag" trade in the philippines where millions live under the poverty line. also on the programme: the lunar new year tradition of giving children lucky money. but can parents pocket it? a court in china had a say. prince charles has chosen his bride.

the prince proposed to lady diana spencer three weeks ago. she accepted, she says, without hesitation. as revolutions go, this had its fair share of bullets. a climax in the night outside the gates of mr marcos's sanctuary, malacanang, the name itself symbolising one of the cruellest regimes of modern aaia. the world's first clone has been produced of an adult mammal. scientists in scotland have produced a sheep called dolly, using a cell from another sheep. citizens are trying to come to grips with their new freedom. though there is joy and relief today, the scars are everywhere. not for 20 years have locusts been seen in such numbers in this part of africa. some of the swarms have been ten miles long. this is the last time the public will see this pope, very soon for the sake of the credibility and authority of the next pope. benedict xvi will, in his own words, be hidden from the world for the rest of his life. this is newsday on the bbc.

i'm rico hizon in singapore. i'm kasia madeira in london. our top stories. america's hugely influential gun lobby, the nra, has launched a strident defence of weapons ownership, in the face of demands for stricter controls after last week's school shooting in florida. a senior north korean official blamed for two attacks on south korea that killed fifty people will attend the closing ceremony of the winter olympics. a letter containing white powder that was sent to the office of prince harry and his fiancee megan markle is being treated as a race hate crime according to london police. that story is popular on bbc.com let's take a look at some front pages from around the world. we'll start with arab news, which is leading on the intensive

bombardment of eastern ghouta. it reports that saudi arabia is calling on the syrian regime to halt the offensive whilst aid agencies are struggling to reach those who are in need of help. moving on to gulf news. they've got more on the story we're leading on, the issue of gun control in the us following the school massacre in florida. they're reporting that president trump has endorsed stiff measures by pushing for more background checks and raising the minimum age of buyers to 21. and and the china daily is featuring a picture of the country's olympic competitor wu dajing celebrating a victory after winning the men's 500—metre final of short—track speed skating at the winter games. the paper reports that his win, which gives china their first gold medal of the games, triggered a standing ovation from hundreds of chinese spectators. now, what stories are sparking

discussions online? rico, canada's prime minister, justin trudeau, has caught people's attention online. he's on a visit to india and his locally inspired outfits have got people taking. here are the trudeaus at the golden temple in amritsar. now mr trudeau is no stranger to wearing traditional indian dress. he has regularly worn it at home during official celebrations of diwali, the hindu festival of lights. now to the philippines, where it's estimated that more than 21 million people live under the poverty line. in the capital manila, many struggle to find work and the money to buy food. that's led to the rise of a trade of "pagpag", that's food scavenged from rubbish tips, then cooked and sold in poor communities. our philippines correspondent howard johnson visited happyland barangay to meet the people involved in the trade. this man thinks through the rubbish,

looking for scraps of meat thrown away by fast food restaurant in manila. he became a pagpag collector after he lost his job in the nearby dock. translation: after he lost his job in the nearby dock. translationzlj after he lost his job in the nearby dock. translation: i get around $6 per week after the pagpag is sold. somehow it is ok because it helps with house expenses, rice and other food. like him, millions of filipinos live under the poverty line and in the overcrowded slums of manila, this is what the poorest of the poor eat. pagpag, food thrown away by others. it is 4am in happyland ba rangay, i away by others. it is 4am in happyland barangay, i have seen different groups of people sifting

through the rubbish already this morning. the smell here is very intense, it smells like a mixture of cheese and vinegar and seek. lots of maggots on the floor, i have seen rats running past. i have to say this is what you would not expect from a place preparing food to sell to the public. this restaurant owner buys the salvaged meet. pagpag is all he can afford. translation: pagpag is for poor people like us. we make it because we needed temporary leave of hunger the cheapest way we can. —— relief. for i cook it, remove any bones to make sure that only the meat goes into the actual food. once the meat is separated from the bones, i washed it. to mask the rotting smell, he cooks the meat with strong herbs and spices. charities are working with

local authorities to supply clean food and educate people about the risks of recycled meet. project pearls helps to fight feed malnourished children everyday. pearls helps to fight feed malnourished children eve ryday.m you observed and ask the kids can realise they are very short and small for their age. some of them will say they are 12—year—old sold but they look like eight years old. -- 12 but they look like eight years old. —— 12 years old. but they look like eight years old. -- 12 years old. but for her regular customers, eating healthy, nutritious food is the least of their worries. translation: nutritious food is the least of their worries. translationzlj nutritious food is the least of their worries. translation: i eat pagpag because it is tasty. it is really good to eat. it is about having a strong stomach, us here, well, we are used to it. howard johnson reporting from manila in the philippines. it isa it is a lunar new year tradition, pa rents it is a lunar new year tradition, parents giving children red envelopes containing lucky money. while it is meant to express good

wishes for the year ahead and revive a aspect for the future, but whose money is it? this week a young chinese woman went to court and force the parents to pay $9,000 in university fees, a sum she believes is covered by her lucky money. to tell us more about this, i am joined by a reporterfor the los tell us more about this, i am joined by a reporter for the los angeles times covering asian—american issues. shejoins us now. thank you so issues. shejoins us now. thank you so much tojoining us on newsday. in your view, who should be holding the money? should it be the kids or their parents? i think a lot of people will say both. the kids get a portion because it is their gift and the parents, who provide all the other necessities during the year, wa nt to other necessities during the year, want to have something else. you are vietnamese and during your time when you were a kid and when you are

still a single adult, how much did you receive in terms of lucky money ina red you receive in terms of lucky money in a red packet? several100 you receive in terms of lucky money in a red packet? several 100 dollars every season, in a red packet? several 100 dollars every season, especially when it is a time for big family reunions. you have all of your relatives and cousins and you can get 300, $500. that is what the money to get all at once, especially if you are ten yea rs old once, especially if you are ten years old or eight or 11. so at which age do you think that all of this money should be transferred to the child? what i see in a lot of families is when they get to the couege families is when they get to the college years, they keep the whole looped. the whole looped. —— loot. right now i have three red packages with me, looking inside added think it adds up to $500. maybe you could give us some explanation, why did tradition of red packets. in

mandarin is called hongbao?m tradition of red packets. in mandarin is called hongbao? it is called something different in vietnamese and it is a tradition for the elders to give to their children and grandchildren and to the older, unmarried adult. this is a wishful good luck and it is also like a symbol, carry you into prosperity into the new year and children line up into the new year and children line up and share their best wishes for good health and happiness to the older members of their family before they get the gifts. this tradition efiifgéifib‘g'i iii very popular of course, because is very popular of course, because it isa is very popular of course, because it is a lunar new year holiday, what about in the united states? is hongbao still properly practised? —— popularity. yes, the asian-americans have carried out on an as a contrast it isa have carried out on an as a contrast it is a seller —— it is similar to

celebrating halloween. if you don't dress up you cannot expect to go door to door and receive treat. if you don't give, dedicate your best wishes to your family members, you can't expect to get crisp, new bills. in china we read about this case, a child suing their parents for $9,000. has there been any kind of similar event in the, with kids not getting their money?” of similar event in the, with kids not getting their money? i haven't heard about this. this is very rare. it will be big news in our community. a lot of parents will say, you are 12 years old, you have got three, $1100. let's put a portion of that into your college fund and you can spend the rest on new clothes, shoes, books. younger kids, i think, will fall in line with that practice. the older kids have car

expenses, insurance, textbooks and so they don't expect to be able to 01’ so they don't expect to be able to or to have two turn over the entire total to their parents. thank you so much for your insight. thank you and happy new year. i have my red packets with thousands of dollars in it and you have been watching newsday on the bbc.” it and you have been watching newsday on the bbc. i hope you are sharing that with me too! don't forget your co— presenter. and before we go, if you're were ever in doubt about the power of social media— this could the ultimate proof. snapchat has lost$ 1.5 billion in market value — apparently all because the celebrity kylie jenner tweeted she didn't like the redesign. we have been talking to several days

110w we have been talking to several days now about how cold the weather is on the way, over the next few days i think you will really start to feel the effects of that cold a. some of us the effects of that cold a. some of us have already seen a little bit of snow and as we get on into next week there could well be more on the way as we increasingly tap into this bitterly cold pool of a currently sitting across siberia. but actually you may well think it is cold enough already, certainly as we start friday morning with a widespread frost, you can see the blue colours on the chart indicating temperatures down below freezing. that is because skies have been clear overnight and that translates into sunny skies as we go on through the day on friday. some areas of cloud floating around as well, publicly across parts of england but we could even see just the odd light shower here at times throughout the day. if we take a closer look at 3pm on our high—resolution weather model, you can see large areas of clear skies expected and quite a lot of such unexpected across scotland, northern

ireland and north—west england. and extra clout across the east of england but through wales and into the west it should be largely sunny through the afternoon with temperatures around five or six degrees. the wind is starting to strengthen particularly in the south, that will continue to the weekend as this area of high pressure strengthens it rip across scandinavia, squeezing its way south and squeezing these strong easterly wind in our direction. that a chilly day, quite bright. some good spells of sunshine around and some areas of cloud floating around. britches on the thermometer, four, five, six degrees and with the strength of the wind it will feel colder than that. into sunday, more of the same essentially but a greater chance at this stage that it will bring some clout in from the north sea towards parts of eastern scotland, north—east england and that cloud could produce some snow flurries at this stage. quite a chilly feeling day to say the least. as we get into the start of the new week that is

when we really begin to bring this very cold air sitting across siberia in our direction on this strong easterly wind. through monday and tuesday, two bridges will struggle. that averages i show you hear are the daytime highs, the absolute highs. two bridges for a good part will be lower than that and that is even by day somewhere like norwich will struggle to get above freezing and as we continue to tap into that colder air, there certainly is the chance for some snow in places through next week, very tough to predict exactly where at this stage, stay tuned to the forecast. this is bbc world news. our top story: the head of the most powerful gun lobby in the us has accused democrats and media of exploiting the florida school shooting that left seventeen people dead. wayne lapierre said "opportunists" were using the tragedy to expand gun control and abolish us gun rights. president trump has suggested giving weapons to teachers. a senior north korean official, blamed for two attacks on south korea that killed 50

people, will attend the closing ceremony of the winter olympics. kim yong—chol will also have a meeting with south korea's president. and this video is trending on bbc.com. the canadian prime ministerjustin trudeau, is on a visit to india and his locally inspired outfits have got people taking. here he is at the golden temple in amritsar. that's all from me now. stay with bbc world news. now on bbc news stephen sackur is here with hardtalk.