this is the briefing. i'm sally bundock. our top story: professor stephen hawking, world famous physicist and author, dies at the age of 76. russia could face new sanctions, and international isolation, after defying a deadline to explain the nerve agent attack in britain. us secretary of state rex tillerson bows out of public life after his shock sacking on twitter. and oprah hits the red carpet, as fans and fantasy collide for the london premiere of a wrinkle in time. we take a look at theresa may's possible options against russia, covering a complex and lucrative web of interests, that include energy and football. in business briefing we'll also discuss why stock markets in asia are falling in anticipation of the new us secretary of state, mike pompeo. a warm welcome to the programme, briefing you on all you need to know

in global news, business, and sport. some say stephen hawking is the most talked about physicist since albert einstein. do get in touch with your comments and tributes. just use #bbcthebriefing. what was his legacy? britain's most famous scientist, professor stephen hawking, has died at the age of 76. in a statement, his children called him "an extraordinary man" and said his "legacy will live on". hawking's fame came largely from his best—selling book, a brief history of time, which outlined his theories about the universe. he had a brilliant career

despite being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1964 and being told he had just a few years to live. nick higham looks back at a remarkable life. he was instantly recognisable and utterly remarkable. the visionary scientist, helpless in his high—tech wheelchair, who nonetheless transformed our view of the universe. while a student, he developed the first signs of motor neurone disease. gradually his body shut down until he could communicate only using a computerised voice synthesiser, controlled, to start with, by hand. it didn't hold him back. i was never actually told that i had only two years to live, but i could see the doctors didn't think my prospects were good. his fame sprang from his book, a brief history of time. it sold 10 million copies. but though many bought it, rather fewer actually read it. his theories about time, space and black holes

were stupendously difficult for non—specialists to grasp, but he turned out to have a genius for communication. he gave lectures and interviews, and became an unlikely celebrity. he even appeared in the simpsons. i don't like to your tone. if you are looking for trouble, you've found it. yeah, just try me, you... on an episode of star trek he played poker with isaac newton, his predecessor as lucasian professor of mathematics at cambridge. the day that apple fell on my head was the most momentous day in the history of science. not the apple story again! his private life was complicated. with his wife, jane, he had three children and she looked after him until, in 1990, he left her for his nurse, elaine. they eventually married only for claims to emerge that hawking had been physically abused. police investigated but the case

was dropped for lack of evidence. the couple later divorced. too often we are told that these are stupid questions to ask, but this is said by grown—ups who don't know the answers and don't want to look silly by admitting they don't know. he never lost his sense of humour. though by the end, he could only speak by twitching his cheek to move an infrared beam. i don't have much positive to say about motor neurone disease, but it taught me not to pity myself and to get on with what i still could do. i'm happier now than before i developed the condition. if general relativity's correct then the universe is expanding, yes? yes. so if you reverse time then the universe is getting smaller? all right. in 2014, his life was dramatised in the theory of everything, with eddie redmayne playing hawking. ..right back to see happened with the beginning of time itself. stephen, here you are. at cambridge, they unveiled a statue of him, a rare honour for someone still living. but few did more to transform our understanding of the universe and to overcome personal challenges.

nick higham, looking back on the life of the british scientist professor stephen hawking, who's died at the age of 76. joining us from san diego in the us is professor robert caldwell, a theoretical physicist specialising in cosmology. he was at cambridge university in the 1990s and studied his post doctorate in analytical maths under the guidance of professor hawkings. thank you for being on the programme. tell us your thoughts with this news emerging in the last few hours. what is your remembrance of him? well, it is sad news. he was a key road to myself and my colleagues. and we will remember him for his contributions to physics and also for his spirit. i was at a birthday celebration for him just

this past summer. it wasn't his birthday, but the summer has nicer weather than january, when birthday, but the summer has nicer weather thanjanuary, when his vote eight years, and it was a real celebration of his life and contributions to physics —— when his birthday is. what was he like to work with? well, you can imagine he was very direct, because of his challenges in speaking. but he had a sense of humour that came through in conversation and also in his scientific papers. being so remarkable, so intelligent, you would imagine he is quite tough to work under. was he? did he have high expectations of you and those who worked for him? sure. but he was a good mentor and gay people space to work and develop their ideas and to

work and develop their ideas and to work with him... in many ways he has absolutely defied the odds, notjust in terms of his life expectancy, that was very short when he was diagnosed in his early 20s with motor neurone disease, for you what stood out about him the most?|j a lwa ys stood out about him the most?|j always knew him in the condition that he had been in in recent years, speaking through this device. and you just sort of thought he might live for ever like many of us have seen live for ever like many of us have seen the film the theory of everything. dzon schismatic gives you an idea of the story. i don't know if you have seen it the story, but does it give you an insight? he had a really remarkable spirit.

robert caldwell, thank you so much for talking to us. it must be quite difficult. thank you so much of your time on the bbc. and we have asked you as well for your comments, your memories, what professor stephen hawking meant to you. with whichever is later on in the programme. britain is expected announce measures targeting russian diplomats and businessmen later, after an attack on a former spy. a midnight deadline set by the uk for moscow to explain the use of a nerve agent, thought to have been made in russia, passed without response. russia denies any involvement in the attempted murder of sergei skripal and his daughter yulia in salisbury. lebo diseko has more. if the kremlin felt pressure to respond to britain's ultimatum, there was no sign of it. theresa may's deadline came and went with

its man's unanswered. the only response from officials, indignation. speaking to the russians, it would be better to give up russians, it would be better to give up on all kinds of ultimatums. it is not the way to speak to russian. the russian federation has nothing to do with this. on tuesday, british ministers met and reiterated the threat of extensive measures if russia failed to respond. so what might those be? russia is already under sanctions because of its intervention in the ukraine and crimea. but how effective they have beenin crimea. but how effective they have been in moderating russia's behaviour is debatable. future options for the uk might include expelling some of russia's diplomats, but that risks british diplomats, but that risks british diplomats being expelled from moscow in response. wealthy russians in london could face financial sanctions and travel bans and there could be tougher laws to crack down on russian officials thought to have

carried out human rights abuses. a russian tv station could also lose its licence. and that prospect provoked this response from the russian foreign ministry. not a single british media outlets will work in our country if they shut down in russia today. it is a threat that could have a particular impact with the fifa world cup just months away. moscow has demands of its own. it wants apples of the chemical agent alleged to have been used and it argues international protocols mean it has ten days to respond to the uk's accusation —— samples. russia's embassy in london is warning that any punitive measures will meet with a response and that every action has an opposite and equal reaction. a diplomatic tit for tat, it seems, is almost inevitable. there could be repercussion for

businesses in all sorts of areas. it isa businesses in all sorts of areas. it is a long list. i have lawrence gosling with me. it is good to see you. a lot of analysis on our website about how russian and retaliation could hurt uk business. bp, the oil giant, has a 20% stake in the state owned russian oil giant. it is complicated. it is incredibly compensated. anyone watching the champions league would have seen their main sponsor. the uk government is in a corner, it has backed itself into a corner by putting this deadline. it could have banking sanctions against movement of money under russian banks based in london, for example, you talked about the football clubs in the uk,

some have russian ownership, chelsea being the most famous. 0ne some have russian ownership, chelsea being the most famous. one of the keyissuesis being the most famous. one of the key issues is that of energy security. so much of the energy that comes into the uk, one way or the other, is reliant on russian utility businesses. when looking at the situation with bp, they sit on the board meetings that the one in russia. sometimes they had to leave the meetings and were there being a state owned company. also with the ftse 100, 70 state owned company. also with the ftse100, 70 russian countries are listed there. it could be difficult to ascertain the impact on the uk if there were strong sanctions or a strong there were strong sanctions or a strong response there were strong sanctions or a strong response from the uk gutmann, which many are saying there has to be this time. —— government. which many are saying there has to be this time. -- government. the uk government will find it hard to suspend the shares, for example, of

russian trading on the london stock market. that is against the spirit ofan market. that is against the spirit of an open stock exchange. you go back to bt, it has a long presence in russia but it has had problems operating there. the governor has got itself in a difficult position in terms of how it puts through economic centres, if that is what they decide to do. thank you for now. he will return. we will talk about some stories in the media in more detail. the coverage across social media and the internet on some of the other story today. this is what else is coming up. and i could get at old trafford. that and more in the sports briefing. the numbers of dead and wounded defied belief. this, the worst terrorist atrocity on european soil in modern times. in less than 2a hours then, the soviet union lost an elderly sick leader and replaced him

with a dynamic figure 20 years hisjunior. we heard these gunshots in the gym. then he came out through a fire exit and started firing at our huts. god, we were all petrified. james earl ray, aged 41, sentenced to 99 years and due for parole when he's 90, travelled from memphis jail to nashville state prison in an 8—car convoy. paul, what's it feel like to be married at last? it feels fine, thank you. what are you going to do now? is it going to change your life much, do you think? i don't know, really. i've never been married before. you're watching the briefing.

0ur headlines: professor stephen hawking — world famous physicist and author of a brief history of time — has died at the age of 76. within the past few minutes the democrat candidate conor lamb has claimed victory in the election in pennsylvania for a seat in the us house of representatives. now it's time to get all the latest from the bbc sports centre. hello i'm azi farni and welcome to your sports briefing for wednesday — where we'll look ahead to barcelona's champions league match against chelsea, reflect on victories for sevilla and roma and have the latest from indian wells — the biggest tennis tournament away from the grand slams. chelsea have it all to do if they are to make it through to the quarter finals of the champions league. antonio conte's men are in barcelona, with the score tied at 1—all after the first leg. the catalans have only lost one home tie in europe in the last nine years. but it's notjust history on their side — it's form too. barca are still undefeated in the league and have only lost once in the regular season. translation: i expect another

difficult game like the first leg. they are a difficult team to face. it is true the first leg benefits but we can't focus on what they do, we need to remain focused on our game. things are much more comfortable for bayern munich in wednesday's other tie. the germans — who have a 20—point advantage in the bundesliga — are taking a 5—0 lead to turkey for their second leg against besiktas. and bayerncome into the game on a 19—match unbeaten run. now to tennis and world number one roger federer is back in action later on wednesday at indian wells. he's taking on frenchman jeremy chardy for a place in the quarter—finals after he thrashed serbia's filip krajinovic injust 58 minutes in the last round. in case you missed it

manchester united are out of the champions league — beaten 2—1 on the night by sevilla. substitute wissam ben yedder was the match—winner for the spanish side, scoring twice — once from inside the area just two minutes after coming on from the subs bench and his second via a headerjust four minutes later. i don't have regrets. i did my best, the players did their best. we tried, we lost. edin dzeko's only goal of the game saw roma through to the quarter—finals for the first time since 2008, with victory over shakhtar donetsk. the italians who lost the first leg 2—1 went through 2—2 on away goals. simona halep is through to the quarter—finals at indian wells after beating china's wang qiang in straight sets. the world number one beat her practice partner 7—5,

6—1 in just 76 minutes to take her record to 17—1 this season. she will now face unseeded petra martic of croatia. and team sky have scored their first major victory of the 2018 cycling season — meekal kwiatkoffski won tirreno—adriatico while his team—mate geraint thomas was third. kwiatkoffski but put in a storming ride on the ten kilometre individual time—trail for victory. now to the best from social media and it's the champions league that has been dominating! everyone's looking forward to the big game between chelsea and barcelona, including the players. here are the chelsea team on their flight over to spain. olivier giroud had his picture taken just after they arrived and barcelona goalkeeper marc—andre ter stegen posted this after barcelona's final training session before the game. you can get all the latest sports news at our website

— that's bbc.com/sport. but from me, that's your sports briefing for wednesday. within the past few minutes the democrat candidate conor lamb has claimed victory in the election in pennsylvania for a seat in the us house of representatives. it was seen as a referendum on president donald trump's performance and a solidly republican area. that is a real shakeup. in the meantime, the us secretary of state rex tillerson has made his first statement since being sacked by president trump, he failed to thank donald trump. he said dipper had a different mindset on key issues. the

director of the cia might pompeo has been named as his replacement. david willis has the latest. with washington reeling over the sacking of his secretary of state, president trump was nearly 3000 miles away, inspecting prototypes that a war that he still insists will be across the mexican border. —— wall. you'll make the people who say no wall, if you didn't have walls here, you wouldn't have country. there was a lax than diplomatic —— less than diplomatic dismissal of his top diplomat. might pompeo will become a new secretary of state, thank you to rex tillerson for his service, read the cast announcement. rex tillerson's sacking brutal even by donald trump's standards came at the end of a long trip to africa by the secretary of state. it ended one of the most fractious relationships in

washington, a relationship so bad that at one point the secretary of state allegedly called the president a moron. i'm not from this place but the places i come from, we don't deal with that kind of petty nonsense. deformity party congressmen, might pompeo, a man who's ideas are more closely aligned with his boss. the current deputy director of the cia is supposed to replace him who faced criticism of facing a secret cia prison where detainees were tortured. an emotional rex tillerson told reporters he will now be returning to private life but he neglected to mention donald trump by name or thank him, preferring to make this point to promote —— remarks about russia. much work remains to respond to the troubling actions on the part of the russian government. russia must assess carefully as to how its actions are in the best interests of

the russian people and of the world more broadly. isolated, beleaguered, rex tillerson pons tenure has finally come to an end. dramatic though his departure was, it may not be the last. president trump suggested other names in the frame as he seeks to clean house —— rex tillotson's. disney's new film — a wrinkle in time — had its european premiere in london on tuesday evening. the film which stars oprah winfrey and reese witherspoon, is already doing well at the box office in america. what makes this film different, it's the first time a black woman has directed such a big budget film — costing more than $100 million. our entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba reports. oprah on the red carpet. one of the tea m oprah on the red carpet. one of the team of women who brought a wrinkle in time to the cinema screen. the story, written in the 1960s, has a

message of courage and confronting perceived wrong. something oprah saysis perceived wrong. something oprah says is as relevant today as it was when the book was first published. when she wrote it in 62, she had no idea we would be facing what we are looking at everyday in politics in the world. but when you understand that you have within yourself the ability to banish the darkness by the light that you bring three thoughts, through your kindness, three grace, three love, then you have one. the fantasy film follows a girl searching the universe for her father, helped by three magical beings. with its diverse cast and a black female director, ava duvernay, the movie also represents another step forward in representation, something crucial to its stars. is imperative we start seeing different kinds of stories being told and by doing that, i think you have to change the storytellers to change the story. so getting an opportunity

to work with a duvernay on a movie of this scope and magnitude was extraordinary. —— ava duvernay. she got to build word —— worlds and show a cast that actually reflects the population of the world. together with black paper, the first time ever the top two films that the american box office come from african american filmmakers, another sign of change in hollywood. lead in december, bbc news. —— lizo mzimba. stay with us. i want to talk you through some of the many tweets we have had from you to talk about stephen —— stephen hawking and the passing of him at the age of 76. "a black hole appears" and we have heard from many of you who say rest in peace, physics will never be the same thanks to you. we have also got

many just saying he same thanks to you. we have also got manyjust saying he is a great person. we have one from david eades, my colleague here at the bbc who talks about the fact that stephen hawking has of course been an incredible influence with the most recognisable voice on the planet, most powerful ambassador for british science, most popular scientist of our times. i will be back for the business briefing. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there.

west east divide with the weather is deemed this wednesday. it is the western —— the wettest and the windiest weather looks at it will a lwa ys windiest weather looks at it will always be at the west. it is tied into this area of low pressure that will sit in the atlantic and influence what is happening across the uk for the next couple of days. it is dragging a milder airfrom iberia so that is welcome news. if you get the driest and sunny is whether, it will feel pleasant. actually start through central and eastern areas but sunshine coming through and it will stay promising. however, out of the west, that's where we will see the disappearing story today. —— disappointing story. gale force winds on exposed coasts and as we come to lunchtime, some of the rain turning heavy towards cornwall, devon and parts of west wales. some of the rain will move into northern ireland for a fairly miserable afternoon and western french is always likely on the

exposed coasts. —— fringes. 1a degrees will feel nice. as we move into thursday, a weather front comes in which will make slow progress north and east. you find it, scattered showers. some of them could be heavy and thundery. here, slightly milder air, 10— 12. we are starting to see the signs of a change of into the north and east and that is because the wind will start to change direction, becoming more of a south—easterly which will eventually be an easterly. it means that these showers running in off the north sea coast to higher ground on friday could turn wintry, once again. a few scattered showers down to the south and west, 10— 12 at the high. that marks the we move out of friday and into saturday. once again, we have to look out to the east for this scandinavian hayek which will influence the story with wins. —— scandinavian high. it will

scatter wins from a cold sauce. —— winds. not quite as cold as a week ago but we will see a dramatic change to the feel of our weather as we head into the weekend and orissa possibility of seeing some snow showers, even at lower levels so you will need to —— need to keep abreast of the forecast. this is business briefing. i'm sally bundock. raising the stakes. what are theresa may's options against russia? retaliation could cover a complex and lucrative web of interests, including energy and football. and no men allowed. we report on the rise of women—only and find out why thousands of women choosing to join spaces like these. looking at financial markets you can

see it is a mixed picture emerging. also losses injapan. investors in asia are concerned about the