this is bbc news. the headlines at eight p:m.. the duke and duchess of side effects i to step back as senior members of the royal family, a decision made it they say after many months of reflection. in a statement, as abe plaintiff carve out a progressive in their intend to become financially independent. the middle east crisis, president trump gives his first public reaction since iran's missile strike the us air forces since iran's missile strike the us airforces in iraq. the moment the hips, the president said there were no casualties, and spelled out why he feels iran as a threat to the world. iran has been the leading

sponsor world. iran has been the leading sponsor of terrorism in their pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens that the civilized world. we will never let that happen. elsewhere in iran, mystery surrounds the crash of a ukrainian passenger plane in tehran, which scaled 176 people including three britons. and the former boss of nissan explains his decision to skip bail and flee japan when he is under investigation over financial misconduct. that evening and welcome to bbc news. they did and duchess of sussex, announced that they will step back as senior members of the

royal family. step back as senior members of the royalfamily. and step back as senior members of the royal family. and him step back as senior members of the royalfamily. and him to become financially independent. the couple said that they intended to split their time between the uk and north america. in a statement posted on that instagram accounts, the couple said: with us now as our royal correspondentjohnny bynum and since he broke this news about an hour and a half ago i have to say i have been trying to make sense of it. i hope you can, are they essentially saying we are resigning? no, they are not.

they are talking about and they —— i will use their work website, a a new working model. what is clear as they are going to spend a lot of my time outside britain, they have made that clear in their original statements, north america i'd like talk about probably canada into that, he spent six weeks there, they clearly enjoyed themselves there and they are no longer going to take part in i think it's fair to say this institutional structure of the royal family as they have done for the last couple of years. that includes the way that they feel with the media, which is still the traditional media, the print and broadcast media of the uk, they have put out a statement again saying that they will no longer do the traditional way of dealing with the media, it means i think every activities that you might have thought that whales do and that goal

still opening hospitals and all kinds of things they will no longer do as well. the big projects like the invictus games, the games that harry set up for injured servicemen and women i suspect he will still wa nt to and women i suspect he will still want to hang onto, he showed enormous enthusiasm for that, i will be surprised if they do royal toys any more, i think that's very, very unlikely. but we are waiting for the ca re unlikely. but we are waiting for the care and they say that my detail will come. but, they are not clicking the royal family, will come. but, they are not clicking the royalfamily, they will come. but, they are not clicking the royal family, they are definitely changing the royal role. and this is unprecedented and as you say uncharted territory, can actually work? how would it work? we have to wait and see. i think it's going to be difficult, they are all kinds of questions, on the question of precedent, there is one before and he go back to the 1930s, we go back to the great crisis of their wild family facing when king edward viii was torn between his love for a divorcee which was then seen as

absolutely impossible for him to marry a divorcee and his unity to the crown. and he chose love and he abdicated. that was a massive crisis with a well family. this is not the same kind of thing because of course harry is not in line for this round, he is eight or ninth in line for the throne, it's very unlikely that he will get back and it is still in modern times unprecedented, can it work? we will wait and see, they seem fairly confident that they can make this work, i think there are a lot of questions about first of all as you are a saying, what there was will become a there still be some degree of taxpayer funding, they are talking about financial independence, we know that they have considerable savings. harry has his inheritance from his mother, diana princess of wales, his estate, megan has money that she earned at a pretty well—paid actor in this series suits, that she finished when she announced her plans to get

married,... do you think it means they will getjobs? married,... do you think it means they will get jobs? no, married,... do you think it means they will getjobs? no, i don't. when they say can this work, this is one of the problems, there is a problem for members of the royal family. relatively senior ones, even if they say they are no longer senior, getting jobs because they are seeing to commoditize, to monetize their brand. and he went into a whole host of questions about conflicts of interest. if you say look, i am announcing everything and i becoming a private citizen, flying from a big deal but if you are in what appears to be something like a halfway house, that's in all these questions get raised about any degree of public funding and a no doubt about money that's already been spent, money that was spent on their house and the land of windsor, about the kind of money that gets spanked when they get back here and about what they do with their lives. they have talked about taking the time over this decision, it is

clearly not something they have taken clearly not something they have ta ken lightly clearly not something they have taken lightly —— lightly. what set of conversations do you think will be going on with the well family and the queen? the presumption has to be andi the queen? the presumption has to be and i have not had this come from from the palace yet, the presumption must be that this has been sanctioned by the queen. but at the same time, from the time i have spent with them, not particularly close, but as a well correspondent, it's been very visible from very early on that there were great chunks off this job, such to me that harry did not enjoy, and parts of it that megan did not enjoy. harry could not bear the ceremonial, he really, really hated the cameras he would turn away from our cameras, he could not bear the constant presence of that media which is just part of the royaljob. she made it clear she did not want to be a voiceless figurehead, someone who just went and had lunch but as soon as she

raised her voice she went into criticism. there were times when she was doing the humdrum side of the job, even a consummate professional like her, she let it slip that she was impatient and she did not like it. so both of them have gone, what are we getting out of this, is there are we getting out of this, is there a different way? and we are really in rate and fee mode as to whether or not this new working model they talk about to actually work or if this is really a staging post for them to leave the royal family. we will leave it there. thank you. them to leave the royal family. we will leave it there. thank youlj them to leave the royal family. we will leave it there. thank you. i am quite surprised actually i'm also a bit befuddled because if they wait to become financially independent while continuing to fully support her majesty the queen while continuing to support the queen,

there is the commitment to the commonwealth as president and vice president of the queens commonwealth trust so how they are going to do that as financial independence i don't know, there is also the fair amount of expense because if they're going to base themselves in north america for a while they are going to be traipsing back and forth between there and the united kingdom so between there and the united kingdom so it's a bit muddled at the moment, i think we need to wait for my clarification and it will come in due course. probably the site of massive press onslaught during the course of the time when they went away to the south of france i think megan is feeling fairly bruised i'm sorry but this decision has been

taken and it almost looks like it's been taken by both of them, harry probably is nodding his head and it's a bit of a let down because he was pointing to this family, he did incredibly well as an independent memberof the family incredibly well as an independent member of the family and to step backis member of the family and to step back is quite a major move within royal circles. the former buckingham palace press secretary there. if you read this on this morning you will have heard an inkling of this announcement. the executive editor had the exclusive as he has had many times when it comes to the duke and duchess of sussex and he joins us now from wellington new zealand, and congratulations i think probably in order on your scooper. actually, the announcement has gone much further than even you anticipated. how surprised are you by this means?” am not surprised at all, it's an interesting one though because just

a few hours ago... it is fair to say that this decision by harry and megan has caused much consternation within the royal family, this statement as unconventional, it is provocative, it was not approved by senior members of the royal family, this is a massive, massive move by the couple and it is being cutting loose, breaking free is one told me yesterday, that initially harry and megan exiled themselves from the re st of megan exiled themselves from the rest of the royal family so it's highly significant and also. to pick up highly significant and also. to pick up on highly significant and also. to pick up on one highly significant and also. to pick up on one things you said, you said it was not approved by senior members of the royal family in the sunindeed members of the royal family in the sun indeed you write about the couple being sidelined by the

monarchy, just tell us a little bit more about what you know.” monarchy, just tell us a little bit more about what you know. i was absolutely fascinated when i was speaking to friends of harry and megan andl speaking to friends of harry and megan and i have been working on the story for the last two weeks but the moment that i think really got to the couple and made them put the sensation into high gear was the release of that picture last week featuring the queen, prince charles, prince william, and prince george. harry and megan whether it was intended this way by the way i don't know but harry and megan took that photo is very much a sign from the institution, from the monarchy, that they are not part of the essential feature of the royal family. and i think the release of that photo very much sped up this decision which in fairness though they had been thinking about for many months and remember that documentary last year, she made it clear she was deeply unhappy, not coping with the british stiff upper lip and they had this,

they went only for six weeks and tried it out in canada, they loved it, they weren't photographed once, but it's still a shock, i think senior members of the royal family hoped it would not come to this and that there was a way that could be some type of compromise decision. but harry and megan they have to be broke the story on the front pages of the sun, they want to tell the world what their plans are, they don't want to wait. listening to what you're saying, would you go so far as to say this a serious rift within the royal family over this? 0h absolutely. without a doubt. prince william and prince harry have been engaged in some type of civil war now for many months, i've been reporting on that, people don't like to hear it, it's very uncomfortable and it's not a great thing for the institution but yes, absolutely. as a civil war going on within the well family over the treatment of harry

and megan. harry and megan want to move towards a more progressive monarchy but what does that mean? what does that mean for an institution where the queen is all about tradition? and you know i don't think the queen would be happy with this statement today. how much do you and the rest of the tablet press have i will in this do you think because we know that prince harry has had a lot of trouble with the press, he's been very worried about the way that his wife has been treated by that tablet press, do you bear any responsibility do you think? absolutely no role, absolutely not. when people say this i say effectively megan joined the royal family, there was a wide celebration by the tablet press, we we re celebration by the tablet press, we were running page after page after page, we get magazines for their wedding, this is a couple that was absolutely embraced by the press. when the problems came as men harry and megan decided they were going to

start making political statements, they were going to start making controversial moves to support things like climate change and the environment at the same time as they we re environment at the same time as they were flying around the world and private jets and i have to say that is the reason why the whale family have been so encouraged in the past to stay out of politics because actually if you stop moving down that path we preaching and leading into political issues you have to expect to be covered like a public figure talking about political statements and pots all the press did. we all know that prince harry has a long—running issue with the media, there's obviously a lot of sympathy for prince harry and they should be for what he went through asa should be for what he went through as a child which is obviously very much affecting his life. with megan, not sure i have that same sympathy to be honest, she was a hollywood actress and she knew what she was getting into when she joined the royal family. i think some getting into when she joined the royalfamily. i think some people might say you can never know what you're getting into you until you joina you're getting into you until you

join a well family. but we believe that one tonight. that's a final question getting your impeccable contacts, question getting your impeccable co nta cts, i question getting your impeccable contacts, i wondered do you think they have really thought this through and can you give us a sense of how exactly it's going to work being members of the royalfamily but not members of the royal family? to be honest, i think that family from what i'm told is that family desperately wanted harry and megan to take some more time to think this through because as you point out, there are so many contradictions here, there are so many issues, for example what happens with that mentioned that the british taxpayer just paid £2 million renovating, what happens with the security costs for this couple, well they'd still be afflicted out of this, there's a lot of questions about how exactly this will work but i think it does showjust how deeply harry and megan have been and just how badly they feel they have been treated by the institution with the fact that just

hours, 21 hours after we broke the story on the front page of the sun this morning, they decided to release this statement. have you got more in the paper tomorrow? yes, much more because i have to say there are lots and lots of machinations behind the scenes going on and that's in there while a family, not happy and we have some more details about what their plans are going there as well. really good of you to talk to us. thank you for your time. we arejoined by quyen smith who is ceo of the republic, that's a tempting group calling for the operation of the monarchy. thank you forjoining us. are you happy about this? the statement was extraordinary in being rather crass and self—serving, this notion that they will work towards being financially independent when they are sitting on millions of pounds, i think it will raise quite a few

eyebrows and a lot of the questions that will be race this evening are going to come to the fore in times of standing and the huge cost of transport across the atlantic and are we going to be responsible for it sending them back and forth to do providing security. but also raising lots of questions for the future of the monarchy because prince charles and the queen seem very comfortable with all the nonsense of the oil duties and the engagement and so on but quite clearly and i don't think it's just her mother is in the younger generations are not so keen to go through all that and they are not that keen what's that say for the future of the royal household? of course harry and megan had sent in their statement they can only do this because of the huge support that they enjoy. i think that support is pretty shallow. 66% of

the population was mp not interested in that wedding, most people were very indifferent to the well is generally the support for the monarchy itself is high but it's fairly shallow and may be sustained by the queen herself. we are going to find that we have got this prince in north america who is happy to do his own thing, and a very self—serving way, keeping an adult of royal duties when it pleases him and otherwise making political state m e nts and otherwise making political statements and getting involved in his own campaigns which is going to cause more problems and then back to where you have got the prospect of king charles who is not commanding the popularity that his father does and there's going to be that difference. sorry to interrupt you but the same pole did say that seven in ten britons support having a monarchy and of course it does draw in millions and millions of pounds

worth of money to the economy through tourism into the uk doesn't it? no, no it does not. this is also what we did at the time of harry's wedding, many times we have done this, we made it clear that there is simply not any evidence of that and also fundamentally irrelevant. we are talking about the monarchy as we saw in the last finance when the queen got embroiled in it, this is not a tourist attraction, it's part of the constitution and prince harry isa of the constitution and prince harry is a public official and it's simply not good enough that he gets bails out of the things that are expected of him still continues to take money from us, just think two, £3 million of our money on announcement and there needs to be accountability on this notion that to be simply sit back and wait for that we try to be

busy bees to work out what their intentions are and there needs to be very serious accountability and there needs to be scrutiny and a lot of questions asked about what they are allup to of questions asked about what they are all up to you. all the meat here is one head of state, and we need a head of state that's going to do a properjob and be accountable i'm not going to continue to allow their family to use the taxpayer to their own ranking and do as they please in the meantime. thank you so much for your thoughts tonight. thank you. we are joined your thoughts tonight. thank you. we arejoined now by our your thoughts tonight. thank you. we are joined now by our world your thoughts tonight. thank you. we arejoined now by our world —— royal correspondent and i was just talking to the executive editor of the son andi to the executive editor of the son and i was interested that he said that this announcement by megan and harry was not approved by senior members of the royal family, harry was not approved by senior members of the royalfamily, can harry was not approved by senior members of the royal family, can you tell us any more about that? the bbc has been speaking to various people within the palace and we understand that no member of the royal family was informed about this. which is

hugely surprising. hugely surprising that in particular the queen was not informed and that as we understand it, how we did not speak to his brother william either and it gives you an insight taking into the position they felt that they themselves have come into in the position they want to be in which is independent and also equally surprising the palace has told the bbc that it is disappointed by the personal statement given by harry and making and again i think that you get these words out of palace officials and they are very, very carefully chosen, the identity mother with john carefully chosen, the identity mother withjohn and carefully chosen, the identity mother with john and they back, the word that disappointed is pretty strong actually and i think it

indicates a real strength of feeling in the palace tonight. maybe some not —— in the palace tonight. maybe some not — — maybe in the palace tonight. maybe some not —— maybe not so much about what has been done but about how it has been done and the lack of consultation i think a little steam and the fact that the palace as being open about that lack of consultation is very, very notable. this is clearly a major rift between harry and megan on one part and the re st of harry and megan on one part and the rest of the royal family on the other. so a major rift, is it putting it too strongly to use the word crisis? it is difficult because with it while family you don't know where a crisis goes or what it means or house to be resolved. i think it is extraordinarily challenging times all of a sudden. i think if they had come out and said we are stuck into the queen as they did with the trip to canada and the absence from christmas and we discussed this with the queen, this is where we are going, we are all on board, then you

can see a kind of institutional momentum, we will sort this all out to get that but in fact what this points out, the fact that they did not wanted by anyone so we believe and that that that the policy saying is disappointed suggests a very serious rift between them and the palace and it throws up this question which we were talking about not ten minutes ago, what are they going to do in the future, how well has this been thought out, how will they fit in with the rest of the rather delicate machinery of the royal family. i think it's crisis is one word, extraordinarily difficult times. they are not taking advice from press office areas or advisers at buckingham palace, do you have any sense of where they are getting their advice from our dayjust acting alone? i think they have acted setting you apart from the palace for nearly the whole time that they have been married. i do not think they take advice from the re st of not think they take advice from the rest of the palace machinery, i think a lot of it comes from them as

individuals who believe that they know the right way forward and from there impatience with what they see at ethics additional structures they are doing things they don't think has served them again look at their website and look at particularly what they said about the role of the media going forward and how they are treated, they are making a very strong point that they no longer wa nt strong point that they no longer want to operate within the way that the palace has traditionally worked. we will be talking again but for now thank you so much. that's our royal correspondence. we will be finding out how this story and others are covered in the front pages, that is at half past 11 this evening in the paper is and our guestsjoining me tonight the former trade minister and the black henry. let us turn now to our other menus today. president donald trump has given his first formal reaction since the escalation

in the middle east crisis. it came after iran fired missiles at us airbases in neighbouring iraq overnight. there were no casualties and mr trump said he believed the iranian authorities were standing down — as he put it. iranian state television has released this video of what it says is the attack, ordered in response to the killing of the military commander qassem soleimani in a us drone strike. the ballistic missiles were launched from the western kermanshah province. two bases in iraq were targetted. al—asad airbase in iraq s anbar but, the problem with the nuclear

plans our ambitions is re—emerging what has happened in the last few days is still a serious, serious, dangerous moment and the worst crisis in relations between iran and the us since 1979. the iranians promised retaliation and delivered it not long after midnight. they wind up the iraqi government that the missiles were coming. more than a dozen were launched. iraqi soldiers filmed the impact. and they shouted warnings to each other. this was the huge base in western iraq. the americans also stationed there have

been hunkering down expecting trouble since the assassination. in washington, resident trent believes he has got the better of iran, assassinating its most effective general and writing out iran's response. no americans were harmed in two attack by the iranian regime. we suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, iran appears to be standing down which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world. thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the worldm iran, the crowd chanted death to america as the supreme leader said they had not finished yet. the issue is something else, what happened la st is something else, what happened last night was just a slap

is something else, what happened last night wasjust a slap in is something else, what happened last night was just a slap in the face but... the big objective was to drive the americans out of the middle east. the crowd chanting god is great test. —— greatest. in baghdad, the morning did not bring much reassurance for iraqis who don't want yet another war. the political party based on pro—iranian militia gathered tomorrow mourn the assassination and condemned the us refusal to pull their troops out of iraq. they insist they are presenting a rack, that means there —— a forced everybody in iraq to vote for a resistance against iran. do you think now the iranians have made this attack at the end of this chapter? they do more, and they increase, this is only a message, not more. a message that we are

serious. this is a long-time conflict, the biggest danger at the moment in the most unstable parts of the world. without a political dialogue and some kind of deal, the slide towards war will continue. in his address this afternoon donald trump said that the us would impose additional sanctions on iran. mr trump has been a fierce critic of the 2015 deal aimed at limiting iran's nuclear ambitions and pulled the us out of it. today he urged europe and the other signatories to the deal to follow his lead. our north amercia correspondent, nick bryant, reports from washington. christmas 2018 and a surprise visit from donald trump to the airbase in western iraq, one of the targets for

last night attack, the belief in the trump administration is that the missiles deliberately missed areas crowded with americans. tehran also appears to have given advance warnings than an attack on the basis was coming. finality now the iranians have launched what looks like a face—saving strike, and presented america's commander—in—chief with an off ramp from this crisis. the president appeared with his generals behind him but has decided not to order them to strike back. at the escalation, instead he has opted for an economic run and military response, more sanctions against iran. britain included, who we called upon to finally abandon the iranian nuclear deal, negotiated by the obama administration. they must now break away from the remnants of the iran deal for a jc now break away from the remnants of the iran dealfor ajc poa, and we must all work together toward making a deal with iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful

place. on the 24 hours ago the president was threatening strong us military retaliation for any iranian attack. if iran does anything that they should not be doing, they will be suffering the consequences and very strongly. for now though, he has decided to exercise restraint. from israel today, a reminderfrom the prime minister that the threat from iran has not gone away. we stand with regulation and strength he says, whoever tries to attack us with —— will be dealt the strongest bill. snapshots at the neck from his florida mansion when donald trump ordered the assassination of general qasem soleimani, for now he can present this as a foreign—policy victory, dramatically weakening the and —— regime by assassinating its second most powerful figure with a self i took in a stick response from tehran. this was very much teleprompter trump today rather than

twitter trump, his remarks were very measured. he did not mock iran for what's seen at the fairly —— feeble response, he did not gloat, the question is what he continue to show restraint, if iran follows up its over action against us military bases, with covert action against us targets or those of us allies in the region or around the world. depending if this book to president trump about the crisis this afternoon. he made his first public comments about it in the house of commons. boris johnson wind comments about it in the house of commons. borisjohnson wind iran not to repeat the reckless and dangerous missile attacks on the air bases. he also said that the iranian general killed by us also said that the iranian general killed by us drone strikes last week has the blood of british troops on his hands. but called for urging to de—escalation. this report from our

political editor contains some flash photography. not the first day back at work but the first glimpse of the pie minister this year. that task to try and calm tempers between the middle east and the man in the white house thousands of miles away. the solemn situation as a contrastive borisjohnson conquest solemn situation as a contrastive boris johnson conquest at the commons. we condemn the attack on military bases, iran should not repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks but instead pursue urgent de—escalation. attacks but instead pursue urgent de-escalation. but the labour leaders get at the dispatch box x —— claiming that the act can killing the iranian general was against international law. what evidence has the prime minister got to suggest that this attack on him and his death was not an illegal act by the united states. district issue of

legality was not for the uk to determine since it was not our operation but i think our most reasonable people would accept that the united states has a right to protect his bases on his personnel. the prime minister attacks mr corbyn for not explicitly condemning qasem soleimani for his role in terror attacks. that man has the blood of british troops on his hand. mystic speaker, if we stand by international law as i'm sure the government does, surely killing somebody in a foreign territory as an illegal act. ministers wanted to avoid any further conflict, but also there's a sense the government wa nted there's a sense the government wanted to avoid getting tangled the politics of all the face, the bp unpredictable friend in the white house with some uncertainty about how the prime minister wants to shape his relationships with the rest of the world.

means that depends on part on brexit. the kind of long term relationship the prime minister agrees for after the leaves with this new visitor today. the eu top official porch transcendent must define the uk links with its neighbours, friends, and hostile runnels abroad. bbc news, at westminster. with me is doctor this siri could be taken as a research fellow at the royal united services institute and we are also joined from washington byjohn alternate temperature of the middle eastern programme at the centre for strategic and international studies. very good evening to you both. the doctor if i might start with the first of all, and let us start with iran. are we to take at face value the statement from the iranian foreign minister that they have concluded their measures and that this is the end of the matter? well he answered most often the official

saying the operation that was conducted yesterday was a de facto, in revenge for the killing of soleimani, however, we head bet the supreme leader saying that the missile attack was not enough. i think we should disregard the possibility this was a warning and that something else might come. i think what is important is to see what the iranian reaction will be to president trumps statement today. in the web—enabled decide if the is in their interest and decide to open up to some sort of engagement. what did you make of president trumps statement today did you feel that he was trying to diss —— de—escalate and defuse the situation even though he was talking top? there is no question that he was trying to de—escalate, i think there's a sense on the iranian side that this could get very messy very quickly and the us without really breaking much of a

sweat, could take out much of iran defensive apparatus. at the same time, the us after doing that would do what? doesn't want to invade, we've had these long running waters and the president said we don't want more wars in the middle east. the president has had time and time again we want to have less to do with the middle east. sol again we want to have less to do with the middle east. so i think the iranians senta with the middle east. so i think the iranians sent a signal that this was a possible offer. the president took a possible offer. the president took a signal, it's a positive offer. the president even offered some carrots that we want to have a smaller footprint in iraq. we have the ability to have a smaller footprint in the middle east. i think this was the president's signal inc. they are something to talk about. frankly i think the iranian government is likely to push a more aggressive agenda which will includes proxy activities in the region. the possibility of all—out warm between

the us and iran is much less now thanit the us and iran is much less now than it was 12 ago. back and pick up on that point about what iran and their next steps might be. even if a man best drawback this time, as he suggested here it does have considerable influence in the region can you give us a considerable influence in the region can you give us a sense considerable influence in the region can you give us a sense of what else it might do? it really depends on what the strategic decision at the upper level and iran is. what the strategic decision at the upper leveland iran is. i what the strategic decision at the upper level and iran is. i think it will have to be taken after consideration from president trumps statement. i think, consideration from president trumps statement. ithink, in consideration from president trumps statement. i think, in general, consideration from president trumps statement. ithink, in general, and iran is very likely to continue with their activities that have been conducted over the past three months, especially since may 2019, with regard to maintaining its presence in the region. some have responded to that pressure campaign especially if this is kept on

maintaining the plausible deniability that has characterised the iranian activities in the region. differently from what had happened yesterday which was a signal of the intention of iran taking full credit for the operation. jill one thing that struck me from donald trumps statement that was still no detail about why general soleimani was killed. does donald trump still have some explaining to do or do you think we will never know?” some explaining to do or do you think we will never know? i don't think we will never know? i don't think he feels he has a need to explain it. certainly in a republican and the karen craddick body there is no question that general soleimani was involved in building up in acrobatics for the middle east that carried out acts of violence, that killed thousands of civilians. but i think there is a difference between what is needed for the international peace and what is needed for the domestic peace. i think the president felt he was dealing with his domestic peace

today, i think the attacks last night that iran carried out were intended to deal with it domestic peace. we still have a big international problem and i think one of the things iran is going to do is try to deepen that split between the us and europe. to do it using the nuclear file but that is all in the chess game to come. we have avoided the all—out warm, but as the doctor points out quite accurately we are already engaged in warm that has many more months or years ago back interesting and from a domestic point of you and iran, doctor wade is think of this crisis at least the iranian leadership? doctor wade is think of this crisis at least the iranian leadership7m at least the iranian leadership7m a regime strengthened or weakened by all of this? we will have to wait and see i think the first task as that will be the elections and parliamentary elections which will be take place in february. obviously, at this time it seems to add their leadership has managed to

unite iran to some extent. especially during the funerals. in regard to foreign policy decision—making i think the state m e nts decision—making i think the statements that we have seen in regards to the operations in iraq and and also to the reaction to the killing has showcased that the issue forforeign affairs killing has showcased that the issue for foreign affairs and iran is united to show what is generally considered hardliners and also the rtc, which is quite unusual. it has happened in the past few months especially after the maximum pressure campaign has been initiated by the us but this is normally not the case, i think the first and important element to be analysed is to what extent what has happened with managed to renew the competition with iran inland to a more united leadership. jail a final thought to you and i take your point that in some ways donald trump is addressing it to audiences hear his

domestic and his international audience, but from a foreign policy plaintiff you do you think he has an ultimate goal? is a strategy?” don't think the president thinks a lot about his foreign policy goals a lot about his foreign policy goals a lot of what he has talked about... the we had last seen him since i had such a strain in such an interesting conversation if you can hear me i wa nt to conversation if you can hear me i want to thank you both the great to talk to you thank you. now an investigation has begun after eight ukrainian passenger plane carrying 176 people crashed shortly after take—off and iran. there were no survivors. three british people were not online the billing airliner the majority of the passengers were from iran and canada. several airlines will avoid iranian airspace. he is a

transport cons put this device. devastation cannot minutes after take—off. later devastation cannot minutes after ta ke—off. later bodies devastation cannot minutes after take—off. later bodies on the flight we re take—off. later bodies on the flight were taken away. there were no survivors. belongings and parts of the plane strewn across the crash site. most of those killed were iranian or canadian. three british nationals were on board. it's an emotional press conference, the airlines technical temperature said the plane it was one of the best. the aircraft was three years old, and had a maintenance checked two days ago. the plane left at tehran early this morning. bound for the ukrainian capital kiev. data published online should the plane

crashed minutes after take—off. it steadily climbed some four thousand 500 feet take—off initially appeared normal. in the plane suddenly disappears from radar. that suggests there was a type of a catastrophic incident. an initial suggestion from a ukrainian official of an engine failure. but if an engine fails a boeing 737 should be able to keep flying. pilots trained regularly for that scenario. establishing the cause of that will be the aircraft recorders. the iranian authorities had it. its kind this video shows the plane, if genuine it seems to be on fire. there's a flash, before the impact. if they had been an engine failure when it the two engines on board it would still be capable of climbing and baffle capable of returning to the airfield and if

necessary it landed in the approach planning away again for coming back around for a second approach, and said they should be no reason why the aeroplane fell out of the sky as it did. attributes outside canada as embassy and kiev bride and groom and that 27 gas travelling back to canada after their wedding, reported to have been on the plane. airlines have every vetted flights away from iranian and iraqi aeroplane space following the missile strike on us bases. because the plane was made by filling the americans should have a role in the investigation but it will be shrouded in geopolitics from the start. termites bbc news. let's return to our main news this out of the duke and duchess of sussex i just got back as seniors members of the royal family. they posted the following statements on instagram.

the bbc has also learned that no member of the royal family was consulted before the statement was released. let's talk to doubts that she is a can author at vanity fair and author of numerous biographies on the royal family and she joins us now from our washington, dc parent. thank you so much for coming into talk with us here at the bbc. we are

trying to digest the statement which let's face it, comes in something as a surprise. what do you make of it? it's utterly unprecedented. it sort of consistent with the weight they have operated since their marriage relay. which is to do things in their own way. not in the traditional royal way. there statement, bags the question what did they mean? financial independence? hairy as a result of his mothers legacy probably has an estimated fund anywhere 15 on his own. megan was estimated when she left her hollywood career to have around $7 million, but what they mean about becoming financially independent, is a very intriguing

question. also, they really hasn't been this kind of stepping back from royalties. obviously the most infamous example of that was king edward viii. he advocated and become —— becamea edward viii. he advocated and become —— became a private citizen. let megan and harry are announcing is some sort of amalgam, keeping their feetin some sort of amalgam, keeping their feet in both camps. on the one hand, getting some broiled work on the other hand and making money. whatever that means. let that megan decides to go back into the world of hollywood, possibly. there has been stories that may be setting up a much more ambitious foundation that will require them to raise a lot of

money. a supportive unique selling proposition in raising money as they are members of the royalfamily. by definition, because they thought not because harry is the prince of prince charles and even more significant make diana the princess of wales, he has and will continue to have a very unique and special place in the royalfamily. how they are able to navigate all of this is very much open to question. sorry you mentioned that the application and that's going back to a very different time and this is to very different time and this is to very different circumstances, but they still are two women from north america who have, and had a huge impact on the royal family in different ways our intimate? very much so. while i sense and was eight

classic socialite, and was much reviled at the time for stealing thinking from his throne. i think he as nice as she wanted to escape, but the stakes were so much higher because he was a raining monarch. this had never been done before. interestingly, after he abdicated he really tried to find some sort of role that he could have within the royal family role that he could have within the royalfamily as role that he could have within the royal family as the subordinate brother to the raining king. who is his actual younger brother. all of his actual younger brother. all of his efforts to find some sort of role in the united states where rebuffed by the royalfamily. but this is a very different situation, megan is a professional, she had a

career as an actress. she is very co nversa nt career as an actress. she is very conversant with the ways of hollywood, she may be envisioning a different role for herself. producing over his nose? it could be some sort of return to the film world. the television world, the production world one has to try to imagine what they mean by making their own independent livelihood stoplight as he say a lot of questions still to be answered in the in the statement that they tend to divide their time between peak uk and north america. we know they spent six weeks in canada where they we re spent six weeks in canada where they were not pictured and they were left alone. but for the time to get us a sense of what things are like on your side of the atlantic. were they to come and live there, what would they be left alone? how much interest do you think it would be

and then there? i think the interest would continue and i think... i don't think it would necessarily there being realistic. they are very special category. much as harry says he has horrible flashbacks when the cameras chase then, if they were to live someplace like los angeles i don't see how they could escape that. however, private they tried to live their lives. white knight do you make of the timing of this announcement coming off the back of the six week break? and the fact that we are learning over here at the clean and senior members at the royal family were not consulted. i think the fact that they did it on their own back is very consistent

with various actions they had taken and the reason passed. i'm sure the senior members of the royal family and the advisers around them are not pleased to have been cut out of the decision. it is a significant decision. it is a significant decision with implications for the royalfamily, decision with implications for the royal family, after decision with implications for the royalfamily, after all decision with implications for the royal family, after all prince charles who had spoken about sending down the monarchy has very much had in mind harry as part of that core family that he has been emphasising the every sense dina jubilee. when they all appeared on the balcony together. for charles to have the proper support of other members of the royal family he certainly going

to be his sister, princess anne, who matches hand in the level of work she does. prince edward who does a lot of work. the other members of the royalfamily, lot of work. the other members of the royal family, billy lot of work. the other members of the royalfamily, billy been minor but older members of the family princess alexandra, the duke of gloucester, the duke of cans are getting much older stoplight stoplight side to cut you off we are short on time. really good to hear your thoughts stoplight thank you for joining your thoughts stoplight thank you forjoining us here at bbc news. carlos ghosn, the former boss of nissan, who fled japan while preparing to stand trial on financial misconduct charges, has spoken for the first time since his extraordinary journey to lebanon. mr ghosn said the decision to skip bail was the "most difficult" of his life. our world editorjohn simpson

was at todays press conference in the city — his report contains flash photography. it was utter chaos as for photographers and cameramen from around the world thought to get that first image is of the man who had escaped the soap spectacularly from japan. in fact spoke he refused to go into any detail whatsoever about the way he escaped from japan's ports. though it seemed clear now he was smuggled out case made for musical equipment. in david producing document after document that he maintained proved his innocence, he writes his old hyperactive south. the man at five foot six tell who had been bed tightened on the international car making industry he is a hero to many lebanese generalists and they applauded him again and again. to the japanese generalist and the audience he was polite and pleasant though he could be quite pointed. what happened in pearl harbour that night did you see what happened

pearl harbour? did you notice what happened in pearl harbour? so you are telling me you are asking me how we didn't notice? mostly fell, he wanted to attack the japanese legal system, which had kept him in solitary confinement for more than a theatre, questioned aggressively week after week in order to get a confession from him. just about all criminal trials injapan depend on getting people to confess. it will get worse for you if you don'tjust confess. the persecutor told me repeatedly. his basic case is that he was the victim of what he calls a conspiracy. at the top people injapan wanted to stop nissan from being swallowed up by and concerned. how high up in the japanese system that does not conspiracy go? there's a bill perhaps to the very top would you

believe? i don't personally think that the top level was involved. if this is your question. if you are talking about... and i don't think he was involved. injapan the response that was furious. his one—sided criticism of the japanese justice system was completely unacceptable they authority said. by skipping bail he had flagrantly disregarded japanese law. but the basic reason he escaped was sitting in the front row, never taking her eyes off of him. his wife carol. he couldn't bear to be parted from her he said. john simpson, bbc news, beirut. let's catch up with all of the weather. good evening, and it has been a much colder, the rain has been marching in on

strengthening winds pushing their way northwards and come into the cold air would likely to see some snow. to the south it's relatively mild because he had all of the cloud in the wind and rain as well for the noise, some issues that eyes potentially ask to start thursday morning through scotland. as you can see that wet weather, when the weather, wintry weather, still with a for the morning gradually even if the skies brightens and looks like a drier afternoon, except in the south and west. once again we had that mild they are established more rain coming in and strengthening grants once again to set up into tomorrow evening. tomorrow night as well sing that smell of wet weather whipping eastward with a low pressure behind it. much colder and more widely tomorrow night as he can see. the learning centre on the website.

shape his relationships with the rest of the world. hello, i'm ros atkins, this is outside source. a pause comes, but after the us and iran walk right up to the brink. we had a statement at the white house area and it seems that president weber is calling the situation. iran appears to be standing down which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world. also in iran a plane crash kills 176 people, but officials there won't give up the black box fuelling questions about what happened. britain's prince harry says he and meghan intend to step back as senior members of the royal family. the duke and duchess say their long term goal is to become