reports say this report from our correspondent, chris buckler, in washington. whether they cheered him offered him, all basketball fans recognised kobe bryant as 1 of the sport? greatest players. his entire career was spent in la lakers jazzy and his death on the outskirts of the city has left people across the united states grieving. he was on board helicopter with other people when it crashed in cala basas. helicopter with other people when it crashed in calabasas. the la sheriffposmac office said no 1 survive the accident. 1 of his daughters was travelling with him and also died. his list of achievements is long, and all—star, an nba champion, and olympic gold medallist, he was unashamedly competitive. and he was deeply frustrated when his playing career was cut short by injuries. he was

bold enough and brave enough to announce. . . bold enough and brave enough to announce... and foolish enough, that he would be the greatest, and he did everything possible, humanly possible, to deliver on that promise. since his retirement from basketball, he had put his considerable energy into business ventures and charity work, particularly pushing health and education courses for children. president trump and a series of celebrities and sports stars have been paying tribute to a man who worked to overcome inequality and promote women's sport, but nowhere was kobe bryant more inspiring than on the court. when he left basketball, the la lakers retired his jersey. they knew he was irreplaceable. and we can go live now to los angeles. i want to show you these pictures. these are from the staples centre in la, and as you can see,

tributes and people gathering, lots and lots of people gathering, it is the afternoon there and they have come to pay their respects. you can see kobe written on the floor, and people gathering around as they have been absorbing the news that kobe bryant, the basketball legend, a hero in los angeles, notjust in los angeles but of course across the country and around the world, but people in that community there particularly affected, and they have come out to pay their respects and hold a vigil. right now, also in los angeles is our correspondent david willis. we can speak to him now. david, thanks very much. we heard a press conference from the authorities in the last hour or so. what more did we learn? well, we learned, lewis, that nine people were. . . learned, lewis, that nine people were... the remains of nine people we re were... the remains of nine people were found amongst the wreckage of that crash, of course, the

helicopter. that coming as a surprise, somewhat, particularly to those in the media who have been following the initial reports of five people killed in that helicopter crash. now, officials are not releasing names, but we know that kobe bryant was among those who died, and also his 13—year—old daughter, who herself was a promising basketball player. indeed, kobe bryant is thought to have been en route from his home in newport beach to the sports centre, the training facility in,000 oaks, that he helped found and opened last year. and it was there that his daughter and some other young basketball players were to have commenced a training session. about 18 miles away from that training centre, the helicopter went down. no survivors, the officials had to say.

and david, just give us a sense of how important he was. what has been the reaction across the country there today? a huge reaction, lewis. this was one of the finest, greatest basketball players in history. there is no question about that. his list of achievements runs the length of your arm, of achievements runs the length of yourarm, and he of achievements runs the length of your arm, and he was a of achievements runs the length of yourarm, and he was a man of achievements runs the length of your arm, and he was a man who was known simply by his first name, kobe i known simply by his first name, kobe ,and known simply by his first name, kobe , and everyone knew who you are talking to, but also an inspiring figure of the court. he had business interests and a variety of other sporting interests since his retirement from full—time basketball, about three years ago. and he was one of the most popular personalities and public figures here in los angeles, a city which has quite a few, of course, very public figures. of course. david, thank you very much for talking us through that. that's david willis, live for us in los angeles, and we

will be back for you later on. before we move on, rico, on a personal level, you are a huge fan of the sport, but he also met him. that's right, i met him in 2009, lewis, and he was a very funny, very candid, very humble and down—to—earth guy. you wouldn't think that he was a basketball star. i grew think that he was a basketball star. igrew up think that he was a basketball star. i grew up with kobe bryant, i followed his basketball career when he was in high school, all the way up he was in high school, all the way up to his 20 year career as a los angeles lake. he won numerous championships, and during that interview, you know, he was so candid about just winning interview, you know, he was so candid aboutjust winning a championship, about his career stop and off—camera, when he met me, we even did a body bump and a fist pump. so he really made me relax during the interview, being one of

the greats of basketball. let's listen into my interview with the legendary kobe bryant, 11 years ago. you won your first nba title without shaquille o'neal, and you said afterwards that it felt like a big old monkey was off your back. how important is this championship for you, kobe? how important? it's very important to me. because you want to win, and the object of playing a game is to be the last team standing at the end of the year. and there's just so much pressure on us, and in particular to try to get us back to that level. and do it was kind of like, you know, itjust felt so good. what about ming? he will be sidelined this season, and basically global basketball is also about ming, and not only about kobe bryant 01’ ming, and not only about kobe bryant or vince carter or lebron james. ming, and not only about kobe bryant or vince carter or lebronjames. how important is he to the nba game?|j

think important is he to the nba game?” think for yao, he important is he to the nba game?” think foryao, he hasjust important is he to the nba game?” think for yao, he hasjust done so much to open the doors for basketball internationally, particular nature, and for him as an individual and as a person, you know, it's about him getting healthy and getting stronger, and being able to come back and have a successful season and a successful career. so kobe, at what point would you hang up kobe, at what point would you hang up your basketball shoes and call it a career? that's a tough question, really. i look at all the players preceding me, and some of the things that they have tried to go by in terms of when to retire, and i haven't heard, like, one really great response. i guess when you know, you know. rico, ijust love rico, i just love that last rico, ijust love that last question that you asked in there about retiring, because of course, it was difficult for him when he did, because he was so driven. you know, he was absolutely focused on attacking basketball and getting the most out of it, which he did in that

amazing 20 year career in los angeles. but what was really interesting is that he had an impact not just interesting is that he had an impact notjust in interesting is that he had an impact not just in los interesting is that he had an impact notjust in los angeles, notjust in the united states, all around the world, and an impact where you are. that's right. asia is a huge... basically big fans of the nba, particularly kobe bryant, also the other greats such as lebronjames and curry, but he was really a legend here in asia. everyone knows about kobe bryant, everyone loves the los angeles lakers. he had a 20 year career. he only spent his whole nba career with just one team, and 15 nba championships and numerous most valuable player awards, and was on more than a dozen all—star teams throughout his basketball career. he made the nba famous here in asia and

around the world. that's why we are now seeing games being played in london, and earlier this week in paris, and south america. so he has been a major part of making the nba and basketball grow around the world. and it is indeed very sad and devastating for many fans who love kobe bryant, and as we can see right now, live pictures from staples centre in los angeles, which is the home of the los angeles lakers, people gathering around a memorial, paying tribute to kobe bryant, who retired in 2016 as the nba's third highest all—time scoring. and on saturday night, lewis, another nba legend, lebron james, paid saturday night, lewis, another nba legend, lebronjames, paid tribute to bryant after passing him to become the third highest scorer in the league's history. you know, kobe

brya nt the league's history. you know, kobe bryant is indeed a true gentleman on and off the court, and he will be remembered. and he is indeed a future hall of famer. no—one will ever forget kobe bryant, future hall of famer. no—one will everforget kobe bryant, with future hall of famer. no—one will ever forget kobe bryant, with what he has done in his basketball career. kobe bryant was a1. moving now to other news, and the chinese government has said it will extend the lunar new year holiday to try to bring the outbreak of the new coronavirus under control. officials have learned that the disease spreading faster than before. they have established that people can pass on the infection before show any symptoms, making it much harder to contain. our correspondent rupert wingfield hayes has this report from hong kong. ‘on the outskirts of wuhan, the race is on to beat the coronavirus. every bulldozer and excavator that can be found is

being used to clear land for a 1,000—bed isolation hospital. it must be finished in two weeks. the trouble is, it's needed now. chinese officials today admitted the virus is spreading faster, and that it can be passed on by people who show no symptoms. state television is showing scenes like this, of people being treated in modern intensive care units. chinese state tv is showing scenes like this, of people treated in modern intensive care units. but videos like this one uploaded to the internet claim to show a different picture — of hospitals overwhelmed and staff unable to cope. in beijing, reporters mobbed the head of china's cdc as he tried to calm the growing sense of panic. "this virus is not as strong or as dangerous as the sars virus was," he says, "but it's a new virus so we need time to develop treatment." while the chinese government is now taking decisive measures to try and contain

the spread of this virus, many experts think it is already too late. one study suggests that in wuhan city alone by the end of next week, there will be nearly 200,000 infections. and that's why senior doctors in hong kong are calling on the government to close the border with mainland china. the british government, meanwhile, is under pressure to evacuate britons stranded in wuhan, as the americans are doing with their citizens. i think the uk government is aware now that all the transport links are closed. so, ifind it a little bit surprising that we're being told to leave if we can when there is no possible route. across central china, the sense of panic is rising. these pictures and videos posted on the internet appear to show villages and towns putting up their own improvised borders, shutting themselves off, making sure travellers from outside cannot come in. wuhan itself is now a ghost town. today, this was the centre of a city of 11 million people

during the biggest holiday of the year. rupert wingfield—hayes, bbc news, in hong kong. support from a rug say security forces have fired live bullets at protesters. young demonstrators are demanding a removal of what they call a corrupt government and an end to an american and iranian influence in the country. hundreds of protesters have been killed. running street battles in the heart of baghdad today. iraqi police flowing —— throwing lobbed at them by demonstrators. it was a violent game of cat and mouse going on here. the police are pushing up towards the protesters to try and clear them away. those protesters have been throwing stones and molotov

cocktails and this is the situation that often turns deadly. this policeman was injured. but he it is protesters who bear the brunt. over 600 killed in months of demonstrations. despite the despair, they are still turning out. they wa nt they are still turning out. they want a new iraqi, free of sectarianism and corruption. not worried about the violence of killings, assassination, kidnapping and —— kidnapping and everything. he was not worried about that is to mark but what are we supposed to do? should we just stay and keep under slavery? there will be more protest. but no winners. in a country coming apart at the seams.

you are watching newsday on the bbc. live from singapore and london. still to come on the programme, not just an athlete but an oscar winner. we will find out more about kobe brya nt‘s success we will find out more about kobe bryant's success in hollywood. the shuttle challenger exploded soon after lift—off. there were seven astronauts on board, one of them a woman school teacher. all of them are believed to have been killed. by the evening, tahrir square, the heart of official cairo, was in the hands of the demonstrators. they were using the word ‘revolution'. the earthquake brought down buildings in seconds. tonight, the search for any survivors has an increasing desperation about it as the hours passed. the government is a family

in control of the entire republic of uganda. survivors of auschwitz have been commemorating the 40th anniversary of the liberation. they toured the crematoria and the gas chambers and relived the horrifying experiences. welcome back everybody. this is newsday on the bbc. our top stories. the american basketball legend kobe brya nt the american basketball legend kobe bryant has died in a helicopter crash in southern california. he was 41. crash in southern california. he was a1. officials say eight others including his 13—year—old daughter we re including his 13—year—old daughter were killed alongside him when a helicopter went down. since retiring

from basketball, kobe bryant continued to inspire many through other ventures. let's have a look now at some live pictures outside sta ples now at some live pictures outside staples centre which is the home of the los angeles lakers. we will get back to that in a little while. but he was not only a successful basketball player, he was also a producer and a filmmaker because in 2018 he won an oscar for the animated short film dear basketball, based on his retirement letter written in the players tribune publication. mac three. you gave us a dream. —— opposition three. dear basketball you know that no matter what i do next you know i will always be the kid with socks

and a garbage can in the corner, five seconds from the buzzer. five, four, three, two, one. joining us now for more on kobe bryant's two, one. joining us now for more on kobe brya nt‘s life two, one. joining us now for more on kobe bryant's life is our la correspondent david willis. david, despite a very successful and legendary basketball career of two decades, kobe bryant did not sit on his laurels and until today was still a very successful post retirement basketball career. absolutely. this is somebody who reinvented himself after a very successful 20 years on the court with the la lakers. he was a considerable favourite here in los angeles and as a result they are mourning his death very widely as

you can imagine. this was somebody who reinvented himself with a television production career, he was also a champion of women's sport and as you mentioned he won an academy award just a couple of years ago for his involvement in an animated short called mac three. —— dear basketball. he was described as one of the most part beulah personalities in los angeles, a city with quite a few of those. of course, currently there is a vigil outside staples centre which is the home of the los angeles lakers where he spent his entire 20 year basketball career. he is loved on and off the court, david. in actual

fa ct and off the court, david. in actual fact that is the scene as well of the grammy awards which are due to get under way, those musical awards, ina get under way, those musical awards, in a couple of hours time. expect many tribute, they are hastily trying to incorporate them into the grammy ceremony itself. such was his stature and such was the way he transcended the fields of basketball to woo people from the worlds of entertainment and politics and so on, all of whom have been paying tribute to him here today via twitter and other forms of social media. he will certainly be remembered for his accomplishments on the court but he will also be remembered for many qualities. i interviewed him way back injuly 2009 and he was a kind, funny and a true gentleman of the sport. absolutely. seen as a leading ambassador, i think for the sport of

basketball, a sport that he loved and we are hearing a lot in the tributes of how competitive he was and that was something that drove him constantly to seek even better and better for the la him constantly to seek even better and betterfor the la lakers and, of course, that is what made him into such a hometown hero here full of his adopted home, los angeles. of course he grew up his adopted home, los angeles. of course he grew up in philadelphia but this was where he really made his home and he would regularly commute as a player from his his home and he would regularly commute as a playerfrom his home in newport beach in orange county to the staples centre by means of his own private helicopter. now the world is coming to grips with the news that indeed he appears to have died in that same helicopter, along with his 13—year—old daughter, gianna. he will be missed. thank you very much for that update. arenberg

and grew up in los angeles and is now a oscar ball scalp. he told us the impact kobe bryant had. just like anyone who grew up in the city of los angeles and grew up idolising kobe bryant, this afternoon is really ha rd kobe bryant, this afternoon is really hard for all of us. i have shed tears over someone i have only spent maybe one second within my life. it really has made an impact on everyone. you will not find many kobe bryant's when you watch high school hoops but one thing you look for is the competitive desire and the ability to just fight and fight through adversity. and just a 1—person perspective, kobe meant the world to me. thank you to him for his personal memories there and i am sure so many

his personal memories there and i am sure so many people right across the country will be sharing their stories and memories of kobe bryant. and you have been telling us about yours, rico. what do you think today will mean for basketball fans around the world? it is huge. the loss of kobe bryant will be massive. basketball scout who we spoke with earlier was talking about meeting kobe for a second and he shed a tear. i was with him for 15 minutes and he really left a big impression on me. about celebrities and about the sport. and he will be missed by the sport. and he will be missed by the basketball world here in asia. he visited asia several times. i interviewed him here in singapore for the black number two and he was accommodating and down—to—earth. and that was one trait i will never forget about kobe bryant. thank you so forget about kobe bryant. thank you

so much for watching newsday. hello. after a largely dry and settled week last week, things are now changing. we had some rain for many parts on sunday which cleared, clear skies during sunset and this was a stunning picture in the shetland islands on sunday evening. things are going to be turning colder over the next day also because you can see the blue colours on the map, we have a westerly influence to our weather. the mild air that has been with us has been pushed to the east. a chilly start on monday morning with averages below freezing on the northern half of the uk. we have some sleet and some snow showers around as well, likely to bring icy stretches to monday morning across parts of scotland, northern ireland and northern england as well. a sharp

frost, watch out for some ice around first thing with sleet and snow showers not only on the hills but down to relatively lower levels as well. further south it is mostly rain showers here with some sleepiness over the high ground in wales. could have hail and thunder and a drip bit of dry weather around on monday for parts of east anglia northern england towards eastern scotla nd northern england towards eastern scotland as well but further south and west that is where you see the bulk of those showers and once again they will be wintry across parts of northern ireland and scotland as well. colder than in recent days with temperatures around four, nine degrees on monday and quite blustery of well. you notice the breeze picking up on monday evening and blustery through the channels. more of those heavy showers rattling through as we had through monday night and into tuesday morning. it will be another cold night, a widespread frost and a risk of icing is almost anywhere on tuesday,

particularly for scotland, northern ireland, northern england and north wales. tuesday dawns on the cold note with some wintry showers again in the north. sunny spells through the day and quite a deal of dry weather but more showers rattling in from the west and a little colder once again, a—8d on tuesday. then we have a ridge of high pressure working in from the atlantic as we head into wednesday so that will quieten the weather for head into wednesday so that will quieten the weatherfor a head into wednesday so that will quieten the weather for a day or so, especially in this hour. a dry day for england and wales and northern ireland also drying up as well but we will see rain snow pushing across scotla nd we will see rain snow pushing across scotland during the day on wednesday. relatively cool this stage of the week, 7— 10 degrees, but things have been turning milder and back into double figures more widely towards the end of the week. a chilly start with snow and ice, dry through the middle of the week and then things once again turn mild and then things once again turn mild and unsettled later in the week.

our top story: us basketball star kobe bryant has died in a helicopter crash aged a1. considered one of the best players in the history of the game, kobe bryant had a glittering 20 year career. the private helicopter he was travelling in crashed in california and burst into flames. his 13—year—old daughter was among the eight other victims. the chinese government has said it will extend the lunar new year holiday until second of february to help control the new coronavirus outbreak. and this is trending on bbc .com. it is an amazing story of survival among the tragedy of the earthquake in turkey. this baby was born just as the quake struck, and hospital doctors said both mother and baby are healthy. that's it. stay with bbc