in north america and around the globe. my name is nkem ifejika. agent attack that poisoned a former spy and his daughter on uk soil. moscow's ambassador to the un for last week's nerve agent attack. denied russian involvement in the at the united nations, attack. its ambassador demands action. russian diplomats. russia accountable. across the united states to call for tighter moscow again denies any gun controls. involvement in the attack. who were killed in the florida school shooting exactly allegedly—found russian trace in this high—resonance a month ago. event. in some of the most popular brands of bottled water. in the largest study of its kind, more than 200 bottles were screened. walk out of their classrooms to demand tighter gun controls. each larger than the width of a human hair. now on bbc news, growing concerns over many brands of bottled water. hello hardtalk. and welcome to welcome hardtalk, i'm

to stephen sackur. the programme. and his daughter. and america stood in solidarity with its closest ally. doomed mission to rollback communism in vietnam. slaughtered in the village of my lai. to leave the uk. journalist seymour hersh. in the attempted murder. here's our political editor, laura kuenssberg. to provide an explanation. with the powers that be. for the gravity of these events. the truth to power? leaving a morning with no new answers.

since the cold war. in europe with sarcasm, contempt and defiance. murder of mr skripal and his daughter. against the united kingdom. so the uk will retaliate. who have been identified as undeclared intelligence officers. they have just one week to leave. norjust an act against the uk. on which we and our international partners depend.

will go to the world cup. with possible new laws to crack down on hostile states. on british streets. in dorset today, the lorry that removed the skripals‘ car, seized. were found still sealed off. in a diplomatic tangle that could last. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. canada and australia all offered support to britain. before deciding on any course of action.

jonathan allen. was used in a peaceful city in my country. to whether innocents are caught up in their attacks. back to them, or mistakenly believed that they could cover their traces. they consider traitors, even after the 4 march attack. that prompted a lengthy reply from the russian ambassador. here's part of it. requested in 2a hours to admit that we committed a crime. in other words, confess. to in that language

either. russian trace in this high—resonance event. as unacceptable, unjustified and short—sighted. has the view from the russian capital. in russia, at least the weather is showing signs of a thaw. after the long winter, moscow is melting. but in uk—russian relations, you can feel the chill. has sparked anger with theresa may. and is destroying international relationship. of course, it's the end of her career. it's a show.

that was a political show. and this is not... it's not serious, it's not for the serious politician. while mrs may was announcing sanctions. former russian agent alexander litvinenko in 2006. moscow refuses to extradite him. to decide whether it can keep its uk licence. what do you think the chances are of rt being censored in the uk? if rt is censored in the uk.

today to moscow. that the west is against russia. the territory vladimir putin annexed from ukraine. uk sanctions may help the kremlin leader rally support. tonight, moscow is showing no signs of buckling under british pressure. russia is promising retaliation soon. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.

and he was also director for russia at the national security council. at the national security council. asked him what impact such expulsions can have. i think it's actually going to have a very limited impact. a very limited impact. many long—term consequences for russia. russia. we thought were spies from the embassy here. embassy here. consequences from moscow were really nail. nail. impact, something which is concrete, which russia will feel? which russia will feel? have been imposed on russia have been really rather weak.

been really rather weak. we've gone after some defence firms, but really... but really... bank from doing any business at all with a western financial system. with a western financial system. the past, is restrict gas flows to countries in eastern europe. countries in eastern europe. start poking the bear, the bear will start fighting back. start fighting back. in terms of gas flows, it's a 2—way street. flows, it's a 2—way street. depends very much on gas revenue from western europe. from western europe.

countries, and gas is more and more becoming a... becoming a... of course that thread is hollow and empty —— from russia. of course that thread is hollow and empty -- from russia. empty -- from russia. suddenly the us or the uk finds these russians buys? —— that threat. —— russian spies. why expelled them now? now? used for espionage and that should have been curtailed long ago. have been curtailed long ago. frankly there's some overdue steps here that have finally happened. of the allegations. you'll also find an explanation of what novichok nerve agents are. com/news.

across the united states to call for tighter gun controls. who were killed in the florida school shooting exactly a month ago. here's our north america editor, jon sopel. all chant: hey-hey, ho-ho, the nra has got to go! it was with their hands up in terror after the florida shooting. demanding change on gun control. all chant: gun control! all chant: now! at the marjory stoneman douglas school in florida last month.

on the subject of gun control in america. of that fence seems to have got cold feet. all chant: hey-hey, ho-ho, the nra has got to go! the age at which you can buy a rifle. for being frightened of the national rifle association. some of you people are petrified of the nra. you can't be petrified. and so the young people are intensifying their campaign. we want them to pass common—sense gun laws. common—sense gun reform. background checks, everything. we don't want to be scared in school. it should be our safest institution. we're tired of being scared. we want actual change. we want it to happen with this protest. all: this is what democracy looks like! in washington in ten days' time.

than anyone could've imagined. and they're not in any mood to surrender. all chant: never again! jon sopel, bbc news, washington. stay with us on bbc news. inspired by science and stephen hawking. a curious generation pays tribute. today we have closed the book on apartheid and that chapter. more than 3,000 subway passengers were affected. all of this caused by an apparently organised attack. in the middle of the cabinet here.

international search. as possible, and that's what the voters wanted. this is bbc news. agent attack that poisoned a former spy and his daughter on uk soil. russia has dismissed the allegation. to demand tighter gun controls.

in some of the most popular brands of bottled water. through a screening process. unsafe to drink. as david shukman reports. particles of plastic. like stars in the night sky. china, india, brazil and many others. as the bottles were sent to a laboratory in new york state.

and she tested more than 250 of the bottles. i'm going to take a specific amount of nile red dye. to pieces of plastic. it was first used to detect plastic in sea water. was a mass of tiny particles. the next stage was then to analyse them under a microscope. a particular kind of light. what they were made of. at the lower end of the screen you see a fibre. this, what looks like a little hair, just there? correct. you see it in bottle after bottle and we see it in brand after brand.

that this is everywhere. so what exactly was found? a small minority of bottles had no plastic particles at all. lens, you can actually see pieces of plastic. it looks like a picture of the stars. a technique developed for astronomy had to be used to count every dot. of ten of them per litre. smaller particles were also found, an average of 314 per litre. these weren't positively identified, but were probably plastic. or any agreed way of checking for them. what's striking is how widespread this problem is. they found plastic

floating around inside. is often what's used to make the cap. maybe what pollutes it. we approached all the companies involved, a few didn't reply. those that did said they maintained the highest standards of safety. beyond a trace level in our products. positives, detecting something other than plastic. regulatory framework or scientific consensus on testing for them. below the limits for particles set for pharmaceutical companies.

even in highly treated products. plastic is turning up in unexpected places. last year this lab found it in samples of tap water. so what does this mean for our health? particles can cause any harm, but that isn't out of the question. of what that means on our various organs and tissues. and if there's plastic in bottled water, where else might it be? the nile red technique for detecting plastic. this study is maybe just the start.

is unique in that sense. if your tap water is dirty, bottled water is far safer. which makes research into it all the more urgent. david shukman, bbc news, in new york state. more than 20,000 people in a town in italy. italy. schools were evacuated and train services were suspended. youtubers across africa are becoming increasingly influential. to a group of vloggers — known

as ‘pap culture'. heart but also many of the young on the continent. hi guys, welcome to another episode of pap culture. of pap culture. engaging, thought provoking and relate. we —— relate double. to make reliable content that our girls, talking. —— related. —— relatable. is simple!

in south africa and grew up in the uk. uk. what makes somebody belong in south africa? south africa? of people on elsewhere but grew up here. here. have an understanding of what it to be south african. be south african. to the culture, to fashion, to the music. identity is your own. identify as something then you are it. it. and white but we don't include asians, for example. asians, for example.

everywhere she goes, how are you african? i am not even chinese actually. actually. understand that we are more alike than we are different. you have got to have a customary selfie. died at the age of 76. and popular culture. for new generations. scientists experimenting together. do it again! don't touch it. of their scientific superhero. how would you describe him? engaging, phenomenal.

i've read a brief history of time, i thought it was very interesting. did you read all of it? i did actually read all of it. of lectures about them. so, yeah, it fuelled a lot for me. from the scientists of tomorrow. hawking as a modern—day genius. he's the intellectual follower of einstein and newton. he was getting to that level. he was incredible. his legacy will live on. for ever. space and time theories, while taking selfies. it's a lot in one lifetime for anyone. i think he's encouraged science as a field as well.

nowadays because of him. it would navigate you to the nearest exit. escape a tower block fire using virtual reality. he admires hawking's personal courage. and try and do the same things. in a different sense. i was really inspired by that. perhaps the next stephen hawking was in this room today. jon kay, bbc news, birmingham. i'm @nkem|fejika. about elisabeth holmes being charged with $700 million pound fraud. with $700 million pound fraud. there you go. hello

there. degrees yesterday in london. 40mm of rain in northern ireland. those were the contrasts we had. winds as well. it starts as rain over the next few days but then it turns colder. we get an easterly wind just in time for the weekend. that's when it really feels cold. we may get some snow showers, mainly for england and wales. this is where we are, though, at the moment. north and east across the uk. some sunshine as well. and northern england. perhaps a bit of wintriness over the mountains. sunshine to the south and we get some sharp showers. possibly thundery. 12 or 13

degrees. but the cold day is yet to arrive. overnight in scotland. towards northern ireland. again, no frost i think early on friday morning. the high ground. more rain to northern ireland. where we'll get sunshine. contrasting temperatures again north and south across the uk. over the weekend, we all get into the same boat. we pick up an easterly wind. of the wind. perhaps not too many snow showers, actually, on saturday. dry on saturday.

the temperatures significantly lower. remember 12 or 13, perhaps, across the south on friday. and further north one or two celsius. of the uk on saturday. stronger winds to the south. counties of england. snow showers, again more likely across england and wales. still going to be cold on sunday, colder than it should be.