you're watching bbc news. suburb of eastern ghouta. to talks with the us. its nuclear weapons first. vote for independence.

of barcelona, refused to attend a formal reception. and now it's time for dateline london. welcome to dateline london. i'm carrie gracie.

jeffrey kaufman, and a water from the gulf weekly. the gulf weekly. 500 people this week, many of them children. children. syrian capital damascus has been described as hell on earth. described as hell on earth. the un has called for a ceasefire. has called for a ceasefire. see any end to the suffering of the people in ghouta? people in ghouta? the lines of what the united nations issued. issued. there was nothing

further to say about this. about this. you have to recognise that words can have the quality of deeds. you can pretty much do whatever he wants of the country. wants of the country. as long as he has been the river. has been the river. strategy that president assad is using. using. and they can't do it because the russians are stopping it. the russians are stopping it. faqs on the ground that the syrian regime is there. it is not going away. away.

regime kind of approach, because they don't go anywhere. they don't go anywhere. end if you recognise the facts on the ground. the ground. views on the trump administration recognising the facts on the ground? recognising the facts on the ground? destroyed 20% of the syrian air force. force. away with it, and that is what has happened. happened. america is in the midst of an noticed breakdown. noticed breakdown.

it is too inward looking to kill about this. looking to kill about this. i don't see how this is good to work. see how this is good to work. is playing chess and the rest of the world is playing checkers. world is playing checkers. we can hope that in some way there must be a solution. must be a solution. i struggle to see where this. see where this. mark wells, france, long experience in the middle east. long experience in the middle east. the french, pushing hard for that un security council resolution. security council resolution. there a game of chess that can be turned into checkers and vice versa? turned into checkers and vice versa? veto and as a permanent un security council member. council member. it is making the situation impossible. situation impossible. thought that america being out of the game, is france and britain. the game, is france and britain. they have one our moment that they can use against the assad regime. can use against the assad regime. it is russia. is russia.

issue, france and britain are showing the world... showing the world... mentioned russia and its involvement with the assad regime. with the assad regime. east weather front that we are experiencing in the uk. experiencing in the uk. crusher —— criticism of russia's very well founded. very well founded.

matter so much, fighting against the americans directly. americans directly. fighting alongside the assad forces against the americans. against the americans. it is an incredibly dangerous situation. incredibly dangerous situation. is the potential risk of americans and russians facing off directly. and russians facing off directly. the kremlin admitted that several dozen were wounded. dozen were wounded. bad news. jeffrey

kaufman. for russia, there was a lot of —— a lot at stake. was a lot of —— a lot at stake. the only russian mediterranean base is in syria. is in syria. its foothold geopolitically in this area. and the us is focused elsewhere. elsewhere. give their syrian allies time to finish off the rebels. finish off the rebels. prevent the collapse of the syrian state. libya is not a shining template. no one wants to go there. this is not about rewarding bad behaviour and giving carte blanche. behaviour and giving carte blanche. suffering of the syrian people, this war needs to stop. war needs to stop. was that the french and british responsibility applies. responsibility applies. we are now not quite sure about assad. not quite sure about assad.

should not collapse and those poor disease might hundred ik each other. disease might hundred ik each other. but the point is that we need to let the syrian people out. this. may talk about at some point that he has mentioned at from time to time. has mentioned at from time to time. and maybe the russians, they have let the situation get to this. let the situation get to this. not get the message, then get help and get out. i cover libya for ages.

and the failed state solution is one that we all fear now. that we all fear now. and iraqis very much like that as well. very much like that as well. the footage last night, it is hard to watch. to watch. something on buzzfeed than to look at children having to suffer. at children having to suffer. president assad is a broad criminal. he shouldn't be doing what he's doing. he should be in date. we are sitting in london. sitting in london. where is the outrage from westminster? outrage from westminster?

were as boris johnson on this? boris johnson on this? there is fatigued on this. fatigued on this. point, jeffrey, who can enforce that? that? country that we have not talked about yet, iran? about yet, iran? in syria which is of course another issue? issue? other, so irani is not the main proponent. proponent. without the russian air force, assad is dead. force, assad is dead. so it is russia shoe —— who should target. russia shoe —— who should target. brexit, but is there a role for the uk showing leadership? uk showing leadership?

heritage of operation in the middle east. east. but i do think that we should not overstep our bounds. not overstep our bounds. responsibility for propping up that vision? vision? propping up a new regime for which we bear complete responsibility. we bear complete responsibility. war criminal sometimes have to be tolerated. yes. criminal, not a bad leader, a war criminal. criminal. but he's the person is the president, potentially. president, potentially. what about the un? the un? but also not for united

nations security council. security council. resolutions on this, and has vetoed them? resolutions on this, and has vetoed them ? resolutions on this, and has vetoed them? them? polarised and credibility is very much at stake. much at stake. failed to be resolved because of the current imbalances at the un. current imbalances at the un. form these so called coalitions of the willing. the willing. good job with the 5 million refugees. refugees. it is good for other things, but... .. it is good for other things, but... things, but...

and the siege that they are living on the? now. there is always hope. don't see it, but i want to believe it. it. brexit, ambitious managed by versions. versions. my future relationship with the european union. european union. european council called it pure illusion. illusion. leaderjeremy corbyn will set out his alternative vision. his alternative vision. this ambitious managed diversions stand today? stand today?

brexit in a cabinet, or war cabinet, to discuss what happens next. to discuss what happens next. between the government and the opposition. opposition. the mid—stage that we are now looking at. looking at. showing his hand on where he is on brexit so much, so far. brexit so much, so far. retake the labour party with him to vote against the government? vote against the government? what's the answer to this? the answer to this? i think he probably won't. probably won't.

voters who voted to leave the european union. european union. this country and you are seeking to thwart it. thwart it. question is, could he defeat the government, and that i don't know. government, and that i don't know. union, some conservative mps with vote with him. vote with him. it the prime minister playing a blinder. blinder. that you now understood where the government stands on brexit? government stands on brexit?

expressing great surprise and the order meant at the british position. order meant at the british position. it has always been clear. the british want everything. british want everything. they've said it. they've said it over and over. which part of that do they not understand? is it unattainable or not? not? illusion but is there a route by which the uk can win? which the uk can win? you cannot choose and pick. choose and pick. and the customs union, you are in all you are out. all you are out.

because as far as the 27 are concerned, they will refuse. concerned, they will refuse. so it is a fudge for domestic consumption. is a fudge for domestic consumption. a domestic fudge. side which you forget, the 27 are all united. all united. they all know what they want to do. britain is isolated. let jeffrey infers. jeffrey infers. you want to call it, that supplied word. an open marriage. maybe. are still talking about general terms and concepts. terms and concepts.

and we are not getting into specifics. specifics. impossible balancing act within her party. party. the country doesn't know what's going on. what's going on. concerned about a leadership contest. contest. be bad for britain, but i feel bad for britain, but it is moving on. for britain, but it is moving on. trade now is the most important thing. thing. this isolated delusion of grandeur that they can get an award. that they can get an award. it is a medium—size country facing 27. that they can get an award. it is a medium-size country facing 27. medium-size country facing 27. a negotiation which people are taking postures in. taking postures in.

this over and done with, but it will not be concluded until 01 next year. not be concluded until 01 next year. for the eu, the united position is likely to start splintering. let me explain... explain... budget of 2021 is now starting to be discussed. we will see it in this. there are significant differences emerging and more will emerge. emerging and more will emerge. are trying to plug their big hole of 10 billion euros. 10 billion euros. that is something that the uk can take advantage of. indeed. because the europeans have to spend more on security. more on security.

going to look like, perhaps not even alex. alex. the important thing is not the security, we all agreed. security, we all agreed. but it is trade, the thing. trade, the thing. the uk that can adapt plus, plus, plus. that canada deal took seven years. years. so you know very well that does not include financial services. does not include financial services. average trade deal takes two all this. this. eu, given that we are each other‘s most largest trading partners. most largest trading partners. not like any deal with another third nation. nation. trading partner with whom they have trade surplus. they will want a deal.

deal. will want something is more than others. i want to go back to the beginning. beginning. theresa may, he could potentially as you say force the government's can. you say force the government's can. outrageous that says the good force an election at some point this year. an election at some point this year. by peeling off some of the government rebels. government rebels. softer brexit and that would potentially bring in... potentially bring in...

do you think thatjeremy corbyn will do that? do you think that jeremy corbyn will do that? that jeremy corbyn will do that? ” will put my crystal ball away. will put my crystal ball away. times, what i think that we should watch and see. watch and see. give her position, donald tusk has already said that she is delusional. already said that she is delusional. this is a critical week to see what happens. happens. the person you're supposed to be negotiating with? negotiating with? what you have to say about the corbyn dilemma. corbyn dilemma. where do you think he will come down? he will come down? and that this government, useless government... strong! government which is not

knowing what it was. when do you think that will happen? happen? i think that corbyn will go for the customs union. for the customs union. labour leader will go for a customs union. union. it is all aboutjobs as the shadow foreign secretary said. shadow foreign secretary said. believe that is the right thing to think of. think of. potentially bring down the government... government... whether they are and remain supporter before a tory. supporter before a tory. and think that they will be a tory before remain. before remain.

labour party aim which is not actually that simple. actually that simple. and he crushes them because? them because? on the one point, they have been the pro—european party. have been the pro—european party. government they gather up of lib dem vote. vote. if labour is both a left wing and pro—european party... if labour is both a left wing and pro-european party... and pro-european party... so what is the lib dem opportunity here? the lib dem opportunity here? need to watch what happens on monday. the lib dems are not in the equation. i think it is true. can really change the course of this debate. debate. the question is whether he has the stomach to do that. has the stomach to do that. you ask what is the lib dem possibility? what is the lib dem possibility? m is constructive discussion. is constructive discussion. doesn't matter what happens to the lib dems.

lib dems. the problem is that europe is going forward. it is not only brexit. brexit. there is the budget but also this macro phenomenon. this macro phenomenon. europe has this macron who was to create a european... create a european... with the rest of the world and work out trade deals. out trade deals. are leaving the european union, we have to accept that reality. have to accept that reality. we have to close, i'm sorry to all of you. to close, i'm sorry to all of you. thanks you for coming in. that is all we have time for. all we have time for. thank you for coming in. coming in. next week, same time, same place. for now, goodbye. hello

there. to see out the end of february and into the start of march. particularly disruptive. some heavy snowfall along with bitter winds. a lot of frost and ice around. some wintry sunshine but really, the temperatures will be really low. for this time of year.

to the working week. showers pushing their way further west to the day. a little bit of snow through the midlands. of the wind—chill. for some of us, it won't feel much warmer than minus five celsius. bitterly cold. snow showers working. certainly well below freezing to start your day on tuesday. cold easterly winds. for eastern england, the south—east too. we could see disruption to travel, perhaps school closures. as these heavy snow showers continue to work in. towards the southwest of england. persistent of the

snow showers. a bit of sunshine in between. a fair bit of dry weather for western scotland. showers drifting from east to west across many parts of the country. through the course of wednesday. it is going to feel cold. snow could accumulate fairly quickly. we could see around 10—20 centimetres. perhaps more than that over the higher ground. probably not so much snow further west. and widespread snow from the south up to the country by thursday. bye for now.

north america and around the globe. my name is nkem ifejika. our top stories. suburb of eastern ghouta. health officials say they suspect chlorine gas was involved. to talks with the us. washington says pyongyang must give up its nuclear weapons. the vote for independence.

who's died of a heart attack aged 5a. hello and welcome to bbc news. gas exposure during attacks by pro—government forces. using chemical weapons. the syrian regime to honour the un brokered ceasefire.