theresa may's brexit deal. the brexit secretary is among those trying to win over critics, as mps prepare for their historic vote on the deal next week. the government warns a no deal brexit would mean six months of chaos at out ports. there are emergency plans to fly in medicines and fast—track them through the docks. we need to make sure that in all eventualities, there's unhindered flow of medicines for people who need them. that work is ongoing. there's further details that we are releasing today, including about how we'll prioritise medicines if there's a blockage at the border. we'll have the latest from westminster. also this lunchtime.... a teenagerjailed for bomb hoaxes that led to schools being evacuated and an aiport security security scare. a british backpacker missing in new zealand —

herfather appeals for help to find her. we last had contact with her on saturday 1st december. and as a family, we've been extremely concerned for her welfare. a big rise in cash machine robberies, with criminals blowing them up to steal money. and stepping off the red carpet — the american comedian kevin hart won't now host the oscars, after homophobic tweets he sent ten years ago. and coming up on bbc news... arsenal say they will remind players of their responsibilities after a group of them were just pictured a p pa re ntly of them were just pictured apparently inhaling laughing gas. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one.

30 government ministers are fanning out around the uk in a last ditch attempt to sell theresa may's brexit deal. they're visiting businesses, schools and hospitals, in a push to win over critics of the agreement, before mps vote on it next tuesday. it comes as the government has warned there could be up to six months of disruption at channel ports if there's a no deal brexit. our political correspondent jonathan blake reports. ona on a factory floor in peterborough, a long way from westminster, the brexit secretary, stephen barclay, one of 30 or so government ministers and sent out today with a sales pitch for the prime minister's brexit deal. what is really coming through in constituencies like this in peterborough is the strong view of business that they want the certainty of the deal and they don't

wa nt certainty of the deal and they don't want the uncertainty of no deal or no brexit and that's why we are making the case to colleagues across parliament, this is a way of honouring the referendum result. the message is clear — the deal might not be perfect but it is the best you're going to get and the man who is effectively the prime minister's deputy says people want the government to get on with it. the voice of ordinary people is to say, let's get on and get this done. they know that in real—life, agreements, deals, involve compromises and pragmatism and they see the prime minister's deal is a sensible, constructive way forward that will enable us to have a good trading partnership with the eu in the future and deliver on the referendum in 2016. but it is here that the next big decision will be made, after five days of debate, on tuesday parliament will decide whether to back the dealjust tuesday parliament will decide whether to back the deal just this is the latest attempt to win over wavering mps, an amendment backed by

the government offering parliament more of a say over the controversial backstop, to avoid a hard border in northern ireland if a trade deal can't be done. the dup leader, arlene foster, whose party to may relies on four votes, dismissed it as tinkerman. conservative brexiteers are also not convinced. the idea that this is the irish backstop which is the only problem with this deal, there's virtually nothing which is right with it. giving away £39 billion and getting absolutely nothing in return, a political declaration that is not binding, which could be interpreted in100 binding, which could be interpreted in 100 different ways, no end to the free movement of people, and the fa ct free movement of people, and the fact is, our laws will still be made in europe and will still be judged bya in europe and will still be judged by a european court. christmas may have arrived in downing street last night, but with four days to go until parliament votes, there's not much sense of seasonal goodwill. jonathan blake joins us much sense of seasonal goodwill. jonathan blakejoins us now from westminster. ministers going around

the country trying to persuade the public about the brexit deal, but really it is mps who need persuading at this stage? yes, this is a last—minute attempt by the prime minister and her senior ministers to sell her brexit deal to the public. they can shake as many hands and have as many photos taken as they like, which you will see a lot of today, but as you say, ben, it is really m ps today, but as you say, ben, it is really mps in westminster who now need to be talked around for theresa may to have any chance of winning that meaningful vote here in parliament on tuesday. downing street has said today, again, confirming that the vote is to take place as scheduled on tuesday evening, after five days of debate in the house of commons. but privately, ministers are pressing for a delay. one senior minister we understand has told the bbc, " i've been asking till i'm blue in the face, when will we see sense?" suggesting that a delay to the vote is the only sensible thing to do.

and privately it is clear that the decision as to whether the vote will go ahead definitely on tuesday november made until later on, possibly on monday evening. so, with four days left, a lot can still happen. but certainly, that latest attempt by the government to win over mps who might be wavering, that amendment that would suggest that parliament could have a say in when, how and if the backstop arrangement would be put into place, is not getting much traction at all, dismissed by conservative mps as having no power and not changing anything. as we've heard, the government has been outlining its plans for the health service in the event of a no deal brexit. our health editor hugh pym is here. the government outlining some of its emergency planning on this, can you tell us more about it? well, there have been concerns in the nhs and among some patients that if there is

no deal, and there is real disruption at the channel ports, it will be difficult to get medicines into the uk. 90% of pharmaceutical products for the uk and for the republic of ireland come through dover. and what would happen in that scenario? a number of plans are being unveiled, the health secretary was setting them out again this morning, six weeks of stockpiling, and that has largely been achieved. and other issues like chartering aircraft to bring in supplies if required. this is what he had to say earlier. we need to make sure that in all eventualities, there's unhindered flow of medicines for people who need them. that work is ongoing. there's further details that we are releasing today, including about how we'll prioritise medicines if there's a blockage at the border. so, that the health secretary, what more are the government saying about possible disruption if there is no deal brexit? well, just in the last few minutes, the government has

issued some technical advice from officials, which says that there could be up to six months of disruption at channel ports, dover and folkestone, if there is no deal. that is seen as a worst case scenario, but different departments are being told to go away and look at their contingency plans. and matt hancock, the health secretary, will be writing to the nhs and to the pharmaceutical industry on the back of that, saying the six—week stop i'll will remain in place, that does not need to be extended, but other arrangements will be made to get lorries in more rapidly through other ports, fasttrack checking procedures, that has just been set out by him in this letter. so clearly a lot more planning needs to be looked at. as government ministers crisscross the country trying to boost support for the prime minister's brexit deal, our correspondent nina warhurst has been getting the views of people in eccles in greater manchester. eccles, where 53% voted remain. in almost one in five households,

there's nobody in paid employment. but the income gap has been closing. transport links to central manchester, a media investment in nearby salford, have helped increase property prices. for those who have lived there all their lives, this town is changing before their eyes. my name's simon, i'm a delivery driver and i voted leave. does it get on your nerves when people say, "they didn't know what they were voting for, they'd probably change their mind now?" yeah, it really does. it does my head in. does it? oh, yeah. reading the papers, watching the news, question time and stuff like that. i fully understood what i was voting for. both eccles mps firmly reject the prime minister's deal, they're close to the labour leader and say workers' rights have been overlooked. this is what was posted on the day of the referendum... shocking. where the factories once pumped out produce, now, digital designers feed the wider economy. my name'sjoe, i run a brand design company and i voted to remain. i've already noticed, in fact,

i had a phone call the other day where somebody said, "we want to work with you on this project..." it's a vegan juice drink, but they're actually french, they're based in the uk at the moment and they said, "but we're not sure we're going to be able to because i may well not be able to work in the uk anymore, i'll be back in france." another vote, then? i think it's the only possible way to get out of this scenario. one that feels precarious for the large and well—integrated polish community. they share the same fears as british nationals over duties and visas, but it hurts to feel left out of the political process. my name's monica, i'm polish, i couldn't vote. we work really hard, we try to build our family home here. but we are too small, we are just people, they make decisions what will happen after. so you feel powerless?

a little bit, yeah. in many ways, eccles is on the up — but will that be built on by a brexit they never asked for? nina warhurst, bbc news, eccles. a teenager has been jailed for three yea rs after making bogus bomb threats to hundreds of uk schools and sparking an airport security scare. george duke—cohen, who is 19 and from hertfordshire, sent the hoaxes in emails to more than 1,700 schools claiming he would set off a device if money wasn't paid. he's just been sentenced at luton crown court and duncan kennedy is there. it was the sheer scale of the hoaxing which sets this apart. he sent the true thousands of e—mails to schools in the united kingdom and some to the states as well, and that

meant hundreds of schools here in the united kingdom had to be evacuated because of his actions. this was the moment george duke—cohan was arrested at his home in hertfordshire. the 19—year—old was calm when officers from the national crime agency finally brought an end to his months—long campaign of hoaxes where he had sent e—mails to more than 2000 schools. some of the schools were for children with learning difficulties, and duke—cohan's actions were said to have caused panic among some pupils. the schools also included marlborough college in wiltshire, where he claimed he would set off a device if he wasn't paid money. duke—cohan also targeted a united airlines flight en route from london to san francisco, carrying 295 passengers. he posed as the father of a daughter on board. she was crying, she said that they were holding them hostage and that they were being

pushed to the back of the plane and one of them had a bomb. he pleaded guilty and he was described as immature and someone who craved the attention he got from his followers on social media. prosecution said he created thousands of victims with his sustained campaign of hoax communications. this was hoaxing on an industrial scale, and passing sentence in the past few moments, thejudge has said sentence in the past few moments, the judge has said that george duke—cohan was seeking notoriety and knew exactly what he was doing. he jailed him for three years and said that duke—cohan wanted to create havoc and publicity for his own perverted sense of fun.

the father of a young british backpacker missing in new zealand has made an emotional appeal for help in finding her. david millane said his family is "extremely concerned" about his daughter grace, who was last seen in auckland on saturday. hywel griffith reports. she came to new zealand to look for adventure. but grace millane is now at the centre of a major police search. today, herfather david landed in auckland, desperate to find his daughter. we last had contact with her on saturday ist december. and as a family we've been extremely concerned for her welfare. grace is a lovely, outgoing, fun—loving family—orientated daughter. grace has never been out of contact for this amount of time. she's usually in daily contact with either her mum and myself, her two brothers, members of the family on social media. grace was last seen on saturday night, just hours before her 22nd birthday.

the police have called hours of cctv footage through auckland's city streets and have found footage of her being accompanied into a hotel. it has now been six days since grace was last seen. at this point, we hold great fears for her safety. we've now had the last known sighting of grace at 9.41pm on saturday ist december at the city life hotel with a male companion. police have identified this man and he has been spoken to. grace's family say she had been bombarding them with photos of her adventures. until she disappeared, she was travelling with british bank cards, which has made it harder for the police in new zealand to trace any spending. as they appeal for more information, officers say there is no evidence of foul play,

but that they hold grave fears for grace's safety. hywel griffith, bbc news. a bbc investigation has revealed that academics from black and arab backgrounds at britain's top universities are being paid a quarter less on average than their white colleagues. it's a pay gap that nearly doubles for women from those backgrounds. rianna croxford reports. the 24 the 2a universities in the russell group represent the best in academia that britain has to offer, they have a global reputation, cutting—edge research and top class teaching. if you are an academic, this is where you are an academic, this is where you want to be. the bbc has found that academics from ethnic backgrounds are paid less. 22 universities responded to our freedom of information requests for salary details. they reveal that academics from black or arab backgrounds expect to earn on average £15,000 less than white

colleagues. this gap is smallerfor asian and mixed heritage academics, at around asian and mixed heritage academics, ataround £6,000. asian and mixed heritage academics, at around £6,000. it's a lot bigger for women from ethnic minorities. research shows that on average, the gap range from £13,000 up to £20,000 when compared to white men. —— 20 £1000. we spoke with a professor in education at birmingham university, she says these women are affected by what is called a double pay penalty. it is about time that we looked at racial inequality in higher education and the labour market, race, gender has taken precedence within higher education policy making and white women have been the main beneficiaries, actually, of policy—making. if you are, for instance, a woman of colour, not only do you experience an ethnic penalty, you also experience a gender penalty. we found that many female academics were too afraid to speak to us publicly for fear of losing theirjobs. they felt

frustrated, ignored, that they were overqualified but underpaid. one lecturer told me that she felt like a third class citizen, another used the term cheap labour. we spoke with a teaching fellow at leeds university, who has nearly two decades of global business experience. she says the university did not take that into account when setting her salary. i know people who have come from non—academic backgrounds and they have come and they have got better pay and higher grade jobs, they have got better pay and higher gradejobs, which they have got better pay and higher grade jobs, which makes they have got better pay and higher gradejobs, which makes me sometimes question, did i make the right choice to come to this country? in response, leeds university say they pay academics from both ethnic minorities and white backgrounds at comparable levels, for the same level of work. the russell group said it was unable to comment on the recruitment practices of affiliated universities, and the government says it does not interfere on how universities set their pay. bbc findings come as the government is

consulting on pay reporting. our top story this lunchtime. 30 government ministers fanning out around the country, trying to sell theresa may's "brexit" deal. and still to come... olympic funding for a half—pipe dream — why skateboarding is one of 1a sports to receive new money. coming up on bbc news, ben stokes and alex hales should find out today if they face further punishment after that fight outside a nightclub in bristol last year, both charged with bringing cricket into disrepute. the american comedian kevin hart has stepped down as host of next year's oscars ceremony, after criticism tweets he posted years ago were homophobic. hart said he did not want to be a distraction on oscars night and that he was "sorry he had hurt people". our entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba reports. it was only a few days ago that the

academy announced that kevin hart, once an invited guest at the oscars, was to be the next host of the show watched by millions but that was before it emerged the comedian turned actor had a decade earlier made homophobic comments in his stand—up show and on social media. his response did not help, it actually made things worse.|j his response did not help, it actually made things worse. i was told that the world is upset about a tweet i did years ago. i am almost 40 tweet i did years ago. i am almost a0 yea rs tweet i did years ago. i am almost a0 years old. if you don't believe that people change, grow, evolve, as they get older, then i don't know what to tell you. the academy asked him to apologise, but he refused. that is the past. the reason why it is passed, i have addressed it several times, this is not the first

time it has come up, i have addressed it, i have spoken on it, i have said where the rights and wrongs were, i have said who i am now and that is who i was then, i have done this. within hours he changed his mind and stood down from hosting, finally apologising to the lgbtqia hosting, finally apologising to the lg btoia rights hosting, finally apologising to the lgbtoia rights community. over the last few years, kevin hart has been seen as one of the most exciting new talents in entertainment, appearing on screen in some of the biggest films, including jumanji. in his next role, he appears alongside brya n next role, he appears alongside bryan cra nston, but next role, he appears alongside bryan cranston, but many believe that he should have handled this weeks that he should have handled this wee ks eve nts that he should have handled this weeks events far better. if he is on the mainstream stage, he has got to adjust his act, he should have been faster to apologise. very mealy mouth, iam faster to apologise. very mealy mouth, i am sorry, i'm faster to apologise. very mealy mouth, iam sorry, i'm not faster to apologise. very mealy mouth, i am sorry, i'm not sorry, faster to apologise. very mealy mouth, iam sorry, i'm not sorry, i am better... the whole thing is a mess. that includes the oscars themselves, with the ceremony now fewer than three months away, they

now search for a new host, someone they are sure won't end up being surrounded by controversy in the same way that kevin hart has. there's been a big rise in the number of robberies of cash machines. they've almost doubled in the last four years, according one of the biggest atm operators, cardtronics. it says there were around 720 attempts to steal cash last year, though less than half of them successful. our personal finance correspondent simon gompertz has more. two thieves, their faces covered, getting ready to blow up a cash machine using gas. this is the explosion from the inside. the number of raids has been accelerating. there were a00 attacks in 201a. by last year, the annual total was 722 — nearly double. in almost half the cases, theives don't get the cash, but that doesn't stop them trying. atm crime is not a victimless crime.

it is an attack on a local community, it means that people can't get money out of a cash machine. often you will find the shop is damaged, which damages that business as well. in this raid, in a cotswolds village, a stolen digger was used to smash the local bank's machine. tougher policing in cities has pushed the ramraiding gangs into the country. for the mational police chiefs' council, deputy stephenjupp said, yet, last month, another machine ripped out in a south lanarkshire village, and this at a time when plenty of machines are being taken out of service anyway. there has been a spate of cash machines being blown up using gas and more ramraids. we used to have over 70,000 in the uk. the latest figures i saw say that we have now got 65,000. part of that is atms being attacked, but part of that of course is bank branches closing and the atms that are in those branches being taken away, so this is a very serious issue. we can't afford to lose any atms through crime because we're losing

enough through bank closures and atms being removed from those branches. the machines can contain tens of thousands of pounds. that's the attraction. defences have been built up, they can spray smart water on the thieves which can be detected later, and squirt ink on the banknotes. there is still an expectation, though, that the number of these attacks will carry on going up. it's from the spate of cash machines being blown up using gas, like this one in clydebank, and from ram raids. operators are calling for better surveillance and even harsher prison sentences, because we now have more attacks than any other country in europe. simon gompertz, bbc news. a dramatic rescue attempt is underway in the southern pacific ocean, where a british yachstwoman has been stranded for several days after being caught in a vicious storm.

a cargo ship has pulled up alongside susie goodall‘s yacht, which was competing in the golden globe round—the—world race when it was flipped over and its mast smashed. the plan is for her to be brought off the boat by a crane, using a hook in the harness she's wearing. penzance in cornwall attracts thousands of visitors every year, but like many seaside towns it also suffers from high levels of deprevation. a government funded night shelter for the homeless offers respite to those who sleep rough, but funding is due to end next february. ben woolvin has been to find out more. penzance, a quintessential cornish tourist destination, its beauty attracts thousands every year, but like many other coastal towns, some of its residents have complex needs. have you had a good day? we're here! you're here, that's epic. check—in at penzance's new night shelter. dan's desperate to get through the doors... give me your can, pal,

i'll put a sticker on it. ..even though he has to give up his can of beer. we tolerate them being under the influence when they present, if they are particularly difficult, then we say, not tonight, come back tomorrow, we'll see how you are. there is a strict last entry time, and dan and dave have onlyjust made it. cor, you're out of breath, have you been running? being filmed, as well. when did you guys realise that it was getting close to 9.30pm? just as we walked around the corner. the whole idea of this is to cut down the amount of chaos in peoples lives, so we are introducing boundaries as gently as we can. and this, the type of incident night shelter staff hope to address. the nine beds are fully booked. dan says he has been homeless on—and—off since his mum died when he was five. what does this place mean? better than being out on the streets, try to get into rehab. most of penzance's homeless are farfrom aggressive, but not all of them want a place at the shelter. personal preference — i would rather be in my tent.

it's going to be windy tonight. it was windy last night! laughter all right, dan, it's that time, i'm afraid. going to have to get up, mate. at 7am, the night is officially over, and there is no sign of dan's friend, dave. what happened to dave? i don't know, he went somewhere. the shelter is being turned back into a cafe for the day, and later, we spot dave in the queue. i couldn't sleep. i suffer with bipolar. i left last night, i couldn't relax. i went for a walk. dave says the shelter is helping him work towards a more settled life, but its government funding is set to stop in february. wheelchair rugby, table tennis and badminton have been the big winners of a new fund to support sports ahead of the 2020 tokyo olympic and paralympic games. uk sport announced that a total of 1a sports have obtained funding including new olympic sports of skateboarding,

surfing and softball. our sports correspondent natalie pirks has the story. the olympics has never looked quite like this before... with skateboarding new for tokyo today saw a much—needed injection of cash for them, and 13 others. not all the sports have medal prospects but at least some athletes now have a fighting chance of qualifying. least some athletes now have a fighting chance of qualifyingm going to help hugely, in a load of different ways. travel is expensive. it won't be coming out of my money, i won't be struggling to find the money, it will take the stress off that. sports like wheelchair rugby, badminton, fencing and archery were among the 1a sports handed cash today, after having millions stripped following the rio olympics. new sports for the 2020 games like

skateboarding and surfing also came away with money, these figures are a drop in the ocean compared to the kinds of cash handed out to british powerhouses like rowing, almost 37 million in total ahead of the tokyo olympics and paralympics. this is about specific athletes on a specific journey to tokyo, about specific athletes on a specificjourney to tokyo, so, the co re specificjourney to tokyo, so, the core investment in medal success in the other sports, where millions of pounds are invested, is about long—term sustainable pathway for athletes, supported to be the very best they can be, notjust at athletes, supported to be the very best they can be, not just at the next games but at future games as well. not much cash but it is a boost to those who have dayjobs, for example, or those who have to travel to far—flung places around the globe. carla is on britain's karate team, also a new sport for tokyo, before today, she was having to crowdfund her way through qualifying. it is difficult, a lot of people up against here are fully funded athletes, and full—time. we

work, so it is a struggle, and it is not only finding the money to compete at this level but finding the time to get annual leave. sports who bid for this cash have do not only prove they can compete but also that they could inspire. britain's softball tea m that they could inspire. britain's softball team believes this money could change everything. softball team believes this money could change everythingm softball team believes this money could change everything. it is a real possibility that great britain will be at the olympics. it would be cool if it is more of a household name, andi cool if it is more of a household name, and i tell people, i play softball, and they say, that is really cool, rather than answering, what is softball? not long before we no longer have to wait. time for a look at the weather... here's lucy martin