this is bbc news. the headlines at four: the bbc understands that traces of analogies —— nerve agent used to poison sergei skripal and his daughter... pub goers and diners have been told to wash their clothes and possession. the people who work in either zizzi's restaurant or the mill pub should clean the clothes they wore. the chancellor says their‘s cause for economic optimism. there is light at the end of the tunnel because we are seeing get stuck to fall. but we are still in the tunnel. also

in the next hour: china's congress approves the removal of term limits for its leader. the move effectively allows president xijin ping to remain in powerfor life. and in half an hour: sarah raynsford travels around russia to see how deep the country's rejection of the west remains. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. up to 500 people in salisbury who went to the same pub and restaurant as a poisoned former russian spy and his daughter are being advised to wash their clothes and clean any possessions they handled while they were there. england's chief medical officer, dame sally davies, stressed the risk from the nerve agent was extremely low. the advice was aimed at those

——from the nerve agent was extremely low. the bbc understands that traces of the substance were found on and around a table that the pair ate at at zizzi's restaurant. scientists believe it could take weeks for the premises to reopen. meanwhile, sergei skripal and his daughter remain to be critically ill —— remain to be critically ill —— remain critically ill in hospital. i want to reassure the general public rigorous scientific analysis has been an ongoing and continues, but we have now learnt that there has been some trace contamination by the nerve agent in both the mill pub and zizzi restaurant in salisbury.

iam confident that this has not harm the health of anyone who was in those places. however, some people are that prolonged exposure to these substances may, over weeks and particularly months, give rise to health problems. i am therefore advising, as a belt and braces approach, that people who work in either zizzi's restaurant or the mill pub from 1:30pm sunday until evening on monday should clean the clothes they wore and the possessions they handled while there. the relevant closing times when 9pm for zizzi and 11pm on monday for the mill pub. this means wash clothing you have not already, ideally in the washing machine. any items which cannot be washed and would normally be dry cleaned should be double bag in plastic until further information is available. white purple —— wipe down personal items with baby wipes and dispose of them in plastic bags in the bin. wash hard items such

as jewellery and spectacles which cannot go in the washing machine with warm water and detergent. more information is now on the website of public health england and will be made available at key sites in salisbury. i want to reiterate that this is precautionary advice aimed at only those people who were at the venues at these times, which i believe to be less than 500 people. meanwhile, let me repeat that the risk to the general public remains low, and i am confident that none of these customers or staff will have suffered harm. that was dame sally davies there. meanwhile, the police officer who try to help sergei skripal and his daughter after the nerve gas attack remains in hospital. detective sergeant nick bailey fell seriously ill after he responded to the emergency. the wiltshire chief constable has been giving this update on his condition. i don't think anything could have

prepared me or my force for the news of a member of our staff, a police officer, who has been admitted to hospital, notjust to the ward but then transferred to the intensive care unit. that personal aspect has sent shock waves through my force. a huge level of concern and anxiety. what i have been touched with this week is the high level of outpouring of support we have seen across the country from members of our staff, from the public, from police officers up and down the country, but also across the world, wishing to pay their respects, their regards, to nick and his family. so, despite such tragedy, it's been a genuine honour to have had the privilege to have gone to hospital on two occasions this week, one of those with the home secretary, to speak to nick and to thank the staff for providing the

world—class medical intervention they are providing to nick and his family. and it was a great honour. you will hear about his condition as we go through today, but he's talking, engaging, though still in a serious condition. of course, he is stable. catherine is in salisbury for us. there have been a number of developments today and the emergency vehicles are still behind you. yes, that's true. a new location where in tens activity has been focused today. this is the back of bourne hill, just outside salisbury city centre. there is a police station just off—camera to my right, and there is a public car park as well. police vehicles are also part they are. the road behind me is called

bellevue road, and in the last couple of hours, there have been several vehicles that have been made secure. they had been wrapped up and put on the back of military style low loader tow trucks and taken away. the people dealing with these ca i’s away. the people dealing with these cars are in full protective gear, so the biohazard suits that cover the full body and head, masked as well, to protect breeding and just after my right, there was a military personnel tent that has been erected. as you say, there are lots of emergency service vehicles here as well. we believe there are three vehicles that have been taken away from this spot — two normal cars, one grey, one black, and two police vehicles that i just saw wrapped up and taken vehicles that i just saw wrapped up and ta ken away. vehicles that i just saw wrapped up and taken away. a little earlier, going through the main part of salisbury city centre, two of those trucks were seen with the wrapped up

vehicles on the back. this place has only been of interest to date, but there is still some activity, just near to the mouldings shopping centre, near to the park bench where the skripals were found seven days ago now almost exactly, last sunday afternoon. there has been an incident support unit, a couple of them actually, set up behind there, and clothing was seen being taken out of vehicles and moved around. we have now heard that the zizzi restau ra nt have now heard that the zizzi restaurant where the skripals dined last sunday, a table they were sat at that is believed to have had traces of the nerve agent used in this attack, that table, we believe, as been taken away and destroyed. we know that there are several items that have been removed from various locations around the city, believed to have been taken to a decontamination unit and destroyed.

the activity you can see going on behind me now, those two vehicles on the back of those military style vehicles. they are being removed to be examined. this investigation is widespread, obviously. we have got a huge amount of information still coming in, and the home secretary said yesterday they could be 240 eyewitnesses as well. one of the most important things that has happened today is that public health situation, so anyone who was in either the mill pub or the zizzi restau ra nt last either the mill pub or the zizzi restaurant last sunday are being advised to wash their clothes and their possessions. the risk is minimal, but it is better to be safe than sorry. the police have said it is unknown

when some of these locations will be released. at zizzi, it could continue for some weeks. the chancellor, philip hammond, has rejected calls to announce the end of austerity. speaking two days before he delivers his spring statement, mr hammond said the government would still need to continue paying down the debt, but that there was "light at the end of the tunnel". labour has the accused the government of holding back growth. 0ur political correspondent, jonathan blake reports. morning, chancellor! is that a spring in the chancellor's step? philip hammond looked reasonably cheerful this morning as he arrived to deliver his message that the economy could be turning a corner. after a gloomy few years of relatively low growth, a hint things could be looking brighter. there is light at the end

of the tunnel because what we are about to see is debt starting to fall, after it has been growing for 17 continuous years. that is a very important moment for us. but we are still in the tunnel at the moment. we have to get debt down. we've got all sorts of other things we want to do, we've taken a balanced approach. that debt the chancellor talked about is too high for his liking, but forecasts show the amount the uk owes could have peaked and might fall in the coming years. no cause for celebration according to labour who say other factors tell a different story. we shouldn't be celebrating that. austerity, this isn't me saying it, the head of the 0br has said it, austerity is holding growth back and wages are below what they were in 2007, 2008, below the banking crisis. this week a report warned many councils in england were at breaking point after cuts in central government funding — one example of the effect that strict limits on spending can have. we will not see the chancellor's red box this week. the budget has been moved to the autumn.

his spring statement to parliament on tuesday will be just an update on the economy. and a reminder that whilst his political opponents say people have suffered under austerity for too long, there will be no spending spree any time soon. jonathan blake, bbc news. jon lansman, the founder of the left wing campaign group, momentum, has pulled out of the race to become the next general secretary of the labour party. in a statement, mr lansman said that he'd "decided to step back" having achieved his aim of opening up the contest. china's people's congress has voted to approve a constitutional amendment abolishing two—term limits for the country's president. the move will allow xi jinping to stay in office beyond the end of his second term in 2023 and possibly rule indefinitely. among the nearly 3000 delegates, just two voted against the change and three abstained. i'm joined by celia hatton, the

world service asia—pacific editor. great to have year. there were some abstentions, some didn't agree, some have said, just how brave was it for them to do that? what reaction has there been on the streets of it has been fascinating. xi jin it has been fascinating. xijin ping isa it has been fascinating. xijin ping is a popularfigure, a man whom many think has really restored china or is in the process of doing so, to what chinese people believe is china's vital place in the world. he has a lot of grand projects eliciting national pride — establishing new global trading routes, about two eradicate poverty in the next three years, even the fa ct in the next three years, even the fact that china is hosting another winter olympics is seen as an important step for them to take. there is that. however, the fact that he is abolishing term limits, oi’ that he is abolishing term limits, or they have been abolished, has had an interesting reaction, because we've seen internet censorship go

into overdrive, so comments that we re into overdrive, so comments that were made were quickly wiped away. we've also seen the chinese state media really try to downplay this news. i have chinese friends living in the centre of china. i asked what they thought about this, and these are educated people, and they didn't know anything about it, and this was three days ago. i had friends checking the internet to double—check what i was saying was true, and they were shocked to learn this from me. it goes to show that, really, this has been really kind shuffled under the carpet in china. why? because the government knows -- the goverment knows it is a sensitive issue. it has been through a lot of turmoil in the last 50 yea rs, a lot of turmoil in the last 50 years, and they are trying to push the idea that stability is what the country needs right now. it really is something that could bring up a lot of emotions if many people really knew what was happening. lot of emotions if many people really knew what was happeningm terms of timing, how does this tie

in with ambitions that we are not aware of? what's your assessment of this? xijin ping has huge projects that he wants to push. the goverment, the party, has been saying, this will allow our strong leader to really go ahead and keep going and achieve success with these big projects. term limits with problems for any goverment, and they can create a lame duck out of a leader in his final term. he has done away with a lot of opponents. he feels he is in the power position right now and could push this through. interesting that we haven't heard anything in terms of criticism from other international leaders. could this backfire for xi jin from other international leaders. could this backfire for xijin ping? i think so. he's in a tricky position. the chinese economy is on a bit ofa position. the chinese economy is on a bit of a knife edge. china is

carrying a lot of corporate and local vet and is encountering problems. there is all so i huge demographic problem with a rapidly ageing society, and the goverment is expected to deliver social services we re expected to deliver social services were many ageing people and is not ina were many ageing people and is not in a position to do so. china has significant problems and xi jin in a position to do so. china has significant problems and xijin ping has tied himself to china's future for the next way over five years and for the next way over five years and foran for the next way over five years and for an indefinite period. he could be taking a huge risk with this move. thank you, fascinating. thank you, fascinating. new evidence has emerged about an attempt by the construction firm carillion, to get an emergency government bailout of 10 million pounds — days before it collapsed. mps say carillion paid out 6.4 million pounds to professional advisers on the same day it sought financial aid. the firm was wound—up with debts of almosti billion pounds. manchester piccadilly train station

has been closed after protesters made their way onto the tracks. the pro—kurdish group forced network rail to stop trains from going in and out of the station. the time is 70 minutes past 4. the headlines go on the bbc understands traces of the nerve agent used to poison sergei skripal and his daughter were found on and around the restaurant table where they ate. philip hammond says there is cause for economic optimism ahead of his spring statement on tuesday. and, as we have just been spring statement on tuesday. and, as we havejust been hearing, china's congress has approved the removal of term limits for its leader, which effectively allows president xi jin ping to remain in powerfor life. time to catch up with the sport, and we will cross to lay in the bbc

sports centre. a busy day. we have seen one of the great old firm matches at ibrox today. celtic came from behind twice against rangers then took the lead with ten men, winning 3—2 in the end. an absolute thriller, played at a furious pace. after three minutes, rangers were ahead whenjosh windass fired in his 11th goal in nine games. but that was good? look at this. tom rogic slightly deflected but brought the hoops level. rangers took the lead again. nonstop staff. moussa dembele equalised for celtic before the break, and despite having joseph simunovic sent off in the second half, they scored again. what a winner! celtic stretch their 4.45 é the top over rangers to nine at the top over rangers to nine points. arsenal beat watford 3—0 at the

emirates. they are still ten points off the top four as it stands. patrick geary reports. the empty seats told the hollowing out of arsenal's league season. recently, everything about this club has been questioned. not everyone's asked so nicely. a good time to simply buy things this. mezut ozil to mustafi, minimalist and effective. complications at the other round. roberto parreira was left alone with his regrets after a free kick. arsenal's midweek victory over ac milan perhaps reminded them of what they are capable. they did not have aubameyang available for that. his third arsenal goal. less than two minutes after that flick it might have been cancelled out by a trip. troy deeney took the penalty. he had accused arsenal of lacking fight earlier this season. petr cech responded with his fist. arsenal's

feel—good sunday got rosier still. henrikh mkhitaryan made it three. it bee—l7 won't feel like an empty victory. it”. . ,, . . , “f““fi‘ for us to win “f“";“‘ for us to win toda was important for us to win today after milan. it was a different game. we had the battle, and we did. we had somejaded legs at game. we had the battle, and we did. we had some jaded legs at some stage, but overall, the desire and spirit in the team was good. bournemouth are taking on spurs. that has happened. junior stanislas had already hit the bar when he again found himself in space and found the bottom corner. bournemouth would move into the top of the table with a win. wales and italy are playing the

final six nations game of the weekend. wales enjoyed their biggest six nations victory when these gear sides met last year. hagley park crossed the line in the fourth minute. italy barely had time to collect their thoughts when george north added a second try soon after. italy will be sure of another wooden spoon unless they win this match. they are into the second half, and wales are 24—7 up. it is dave two in peon chang. millie knight and her guide have now claimed two silvers in as many days, this time in the super—g. there were also bronze medal. this season has been tough. the highest we finish was third and that was because people crashed out. to get our best

result at the paralympic games has been really great. even on the podium yesterday, it was really hard not to terror up a little bit. i can't believe this is what is hanging around our neck. we'll have an update in the next hour. see you then. thanks, 0llie. 0fwat says its review will determine whether companies had proper contingency plans in place. simonjones reports. emergency water handouts on the streets. tens of thousands of customers, particularly in south—east england and parts of wales, forced to endure days of inconvenience as the taps run dry. they are simply meant to get the water fixed. i think this is

absolutely appalling. it is shocking that there is such poor communication — well, zero communication. as pipes burst in the thaw which followed the cold spell, the water company said they were facing an unprecedented situation. the government ordered a review into what went wrong. 0fwat said today it understood how distressing it had been for people to be left without a vital public service. the review will examine: southern water, for example, is giving households who were cut off for more than a day l75 — condemned as "derisory" by some of those affected. 0fwat wants to hear from businesses, households and local authorities. it wants proof that lessons will be learnt. otherwise, it says, it may be forced to act. let's return to the investigation

into the nerve agent attack on the former russian spy sergei skripal and his daughter. i have been speaking to a professor of environmental toxicology from the university of leeds who told us the process of investigating which nerve agent had been used. but they would do with environmental samples that they can't do the biological samples, which are too small, with environmental ones, you can look for the sort of chemicals that were in the sort of chemicals that were in the mixture that were used to make the mixture that were used to make the nerve agent. you can also look for any unwanted by—products in a chemical reaction, so the nerve agent may not have been, if you like, 100% pure. it's the mixture of the precursors, unwanted products, maybe some degradation material, that give a clue as to the manufacture and likely place where it was made. in terms of who has

stocks of agents, well, there was a chemical weapons convention that 192 countries have signed, and that has been responsible for the destruction of over 97% of the world's declared chemical weapons stockpiles, but many countries are allowed to have small stocks of chemical agents which are intensively investigated and audited by an international inspectorate. but these countries have some of these stocks, and the uk has some of these stocks at porton down. but every milligram of these has to be accounted for. in terms of what happens to nerve agents when they are out in the environment, there are two factors that determine their rate of disappearance: the one is that the agent is volatile. imagine a glass of brandy or whisky — if it is in a glass, the heat from the palm of your hand, that enables you to smell

it, and you are smelling a vapour. the same thing happens with a nerve agent, and the hotter the environment, the more rapidly in the paper writes. the other factor in environment that is outside is the presence of water. water will degrade these agents, which is why you have to try and get your environmental samples as rapidly as possible. these agents will disappear over time through a variety of factors. when they vaporise, usually the concentration will be very very small. alistair hay is the professor of environmental toxicology at the university of leeds, speaking to me earlier. there have been calls for uk

politicians no longer to appear on the tv station russia today. we are concerned not just about the tv station russia today. we are concerned notjust about russia's robot about the international scene overall. i think that is right because from what we have seen from russia tack—mac today at times, it goes beyond objective journalism, russia tack—mac today at times, it goes beyond objectivejournalism, so i think that's right. —— russia today. will you encourage your collea g u es today. will you encourage your colleagues to follow that lead? today. will you encourage your colleagues to follow that lead ?|j will. colleagues to follow that lead?” will. i have been looking overnight in terms of what has happened in terms of changes in coverage, and i think we have to step back now. i can understand why people have up until now because we have treated it like every other television station, trying to be fair and making sure we do that as long as they abide by journalistic standards which are objective, that is fine, but it looks as if they have gone beyond that line. the time is 27 minutes

past four. a reminder of the stories making the news is afternoon: a charity co—founded by bono has apologised after allegations of abuse of staff in south africa. the 0ne organisation has admitted institutional failures. 0ne organisation has admitted institutionalfailures. 0ne 0ne organisation has admitted institutional failures. one of the allegations involves a young woman who was sacked after refusing to get intimate with a foreign government official. a 35—year—old who was thought to be in experiencing mental health crisis was detained in —— on friday before being taken to hospital, where he later died. police investigation has been launched after anti—muslim letters we re launched after anti—muslim letters were sent to several people in several cities. they were addressed to people in bradford, london,

leicester and sheffield, containing suggestions of a series of violent a cts suggestions of a series of violent acts to be taken against muslims and masks. counterterrorism police say they are investigating a possible hate crime. people living near a volcano injapan have been urged to wear hard—hats as its eruptions get more violent. mount shinmodake is ejecting rocks and smoke several kilometres into the air. it's the volcano's fourth eruption this century. andrew plant reports. night—time in south—western japan. high above these houses, the red glow of one of the country's most active volcanoes. this is mount shinmoedake, awake again after seven years. in 2011, locals were evacuated. it's now being watched very closely. smoke is rising more than 3,000 metres into the air. high winds blowing ash across the towns nearby. these schoolchildren now wearing protective hard hats, with authorities warning of the risk of flying rocks up to 4 km

around the volcano. deep in the south of japan, it's part of a long volcanic range, in a country with more than 100 active volcanoes. in 1967, it was made famous on the big screen, in the james bond film you only live twice, as the location of the secret rocket base for the mysterious villains of the spectre organisation. the volcano has been spitting smoke and lava since the beginning of march, and with ground tremors and more than ten eruptions every day, experts are watching to see just how violent this volcano will become. andrew plant, bbc news. here is nick with the weather.