ha rvey harvey weinstein has been in a case that me to movement. he was sentenced next month. his defence tea m sentenced next month. his defence team has already lodged an appeal. health experts are warning the chances of containing the spread of the coronavirus are diminishing as the coronavirus are diminishing as the number of global cases passes the number of global cases passes the 80,000 mark. a night person has now died after contracting the virus in south korea. president trumbull moved from warm welcome is to tough trade talks on his 2— day trip to india. the two nations have agreed a defence deal with $3 billion but there is no sign of a long—sought trade deal.

now it's time for a look back at the day in parliament. hello, and welcome to monday in parliament. coming up on the programme: the home secretary calls on uk businesses to boost pay for british workers. no longer will employers be able to rely on cutprice eu workers. instead, we are calling on them rightly to invest in british people. but opposition mps think the changes to the immigration system are insulting. there is no such thing as low—skill work, just low—paid work. all work is skilled when it's done well. labour tells the government to wake up to the reality of extreme weather events. i'm disappointed by the slow and pedestrian approach

we've seen from ministers since the flooding hit. where was the prime minister? where was he? and concerns in the lords over changing the rules on the automatic early release of terror offenders. we know that this will result in the continued incarceration, without regard to their personal circumstances, of some prisoners who were sentenced on the basis that they are not dangerous and who pose no continuing threat to the public. but first, the home secretary priti patel has had a difficult few days. there've been media reports suggesting she's not trusted by intelligence officials and that she's bullied home office staff. both claims have been firmly rejected by the government. and undeterred by the negative press, priti patel came to the commons to make a statement on her plans for a post—brexit immigration system. she announced the changes and gave media interviews during the half—term break last week. this was the first chance for mps to question her. the proposals include a minimum salary requirement of £25,600 and reducing the flow of foreign workers with so called "low skills".

our points—based system will provide simple and flexible arrangements to give top priority to the skilled workers we need to star economy and support a brilliant public services. all applicants will need to demonstrate they have a job offer from an approved sponsor, the job demonstrate they have a job offer from an approved sponsor, thejob is to be at an appropriate skill level, the applicant must be able to speak english and meet tougher liminality standards and checks. the proposals include a minimum salary requirement of £25,600 and reducing the flow of foreign workers with so called "low skills". in line with ending free movement, there will be no immigration reach for lower skilled workers, no longer will employers be able to rely on cut—price eu workers. instead we are calling on them rightly to invest in british people as well as invest in technology, skills to improve productivity and join the uk government's mission to level up on skills, economic growth across our

country and these changes are vital if we are to deliver a high skill, high wage and highly productive economy. speaking for labour, not diane abbott on this occasion but bell ribeiro addy. the truth is mr speaker the government is introducing a set of restrictions on migration for work including the damaging salary threshold but this is what —— not the sole restriction. workers earning below this salary threshold are not low—skilled at all. there is i'io are not low—skilled at all. there is no such thing as low—skilled work, just low—paid no such thing as low—skilled work, just low— paid work. all work no such thing as low—skilled work, just low—paid work. all work is skilled when it's done well. the home secretary believes the gaps can be filled to the economically active but surely this government intends to get carers, the elderly, students into work by waging their raises —— wages but more likely they will cut benefits once again.|j wages but more likely they will cut benefits once again. i welcome the honourable lady to her new position

and wish her every success in the role. if i may say so, mr speaker, a bit disappointed because it sounds like the honourable lady has not read the policy statement and has used her remarks to complain. if the honourable gentleman allows me without being rudely interrupted, i will come to the points. perhaps you should have the courtesy and patience... i am should have the courtesy and patience... iam not should have the courtesy and patience... i am not in a hurry. the honourable lady, i wasn't putting her down. she is obviously, if you would like to listen, conflating a number of issues with a new immigration system that very clearly i have out lined as a phased approach that is focusing on skills. the home secretary did, however, get a vote of confidence. canl can i say to my right honourable friend how enormously pleased i am that she is here in thisjob which she is doing brilliantly. and all of us she is doing brilliantly. and all of us believe that here for certain. canl us believe that here for certain. can i go on to say that on the migration policy that she has announced over the last week, could

she also confirm, the reality is that many ask concern about the scale of migration, where over a million that number of migrants coming in over three years are now responding to about 80% of all population growth. this is a scale unprecedented. but the snp didn't think she was doing brilliantly. despite lots of competition, this pretend points—based system is one of the most damaging, and unimaginative home policy announcements by a home secretary in recent yea rs. announcements by a home secretary in recent years. don't get me wrong, it will be fine for multinational companies in the city with their immigration lawyers but a disaster for all else. surely she regrets that half the population have been insulted as cheap, unskilled labour and her insinuation that the work could easily be done by robots. another senior tory spoke up

for the home secretary. our excellent home secretary had two fundamental questions to answer today. one, was she going to reflect the democratic will of 70— 80% of the democratic will of 70— 80% of the british public, not to do with immigration ——do away with immigration ——do away with immigration but to manage it hotly and was she going to do it in a way that worked in the national interest for all of us and all the immigrants who come here to work and give our country the skills that they carry. the secretary of state said in her statement there will be no immigration movement for low—skilled work. patronising aside, who does she think will build homes, serve them in restaurants, care for the elderly? while she might see this statement is delivering high—skilled, high wage and high productive economy, the rest of us see it as low caring. i would say to the honourable lady, if she's the

policy statement, when it comes to needs and our labour markets and our economy, the points—based system involved there, if she heard what i said about the migration of eyes re— committee, we will look at the labour market as a whole across key set is and i'm sorry she continues to shake her head but it's the right move forward and it's vital that businesses invest in people, invest in people domestically, skilled them up, but also pay them well and create the right kind of career paths for them. the home secretary, priti patel. now, two winter storms in quick succession — ciara and dennis — have left thousands of homes and businesses flooded. the impact of the wet weather has been felt across the uk. the environment secretary, george eustice, offered his condolences to the families of the five people who have lost their lives, and he said the effect of the storms would continue to be felt this week.

some areas already received double their average rainfall for debris with others experiencing a months worth of rain injust21i with others experiencing a months worth of rain in just 2a hours. records have been broken, 18 river gauges across the dean rivers recorded the highest levels on record. on the 17th of february, a record. on the 17th of february, a record concurrent total of 632 flood warnings and alerts issued in a single day, to severe flood warnings, 107 warnings and 207 blood alerts remain in place in england. an additional 13 flood warnings and 39 but alerts that remain in place in wales and one flood warning in scotland. the minister said the government was committed to spending another £4 billion on the defences over the next five years and then he progressed to the bigger picture. climate change is making the uk warmer and wetter with more extreme frequent weather events. we need to

make nature part of our solution alongside traditional engineer defences. it's because i have so much time for the secretary that i'm disappointed by the slow, pedestrian approach we've seen from ministers since the flooding hit. where was the prime minister? why wasn't a cobra meeting convened, why no national leadership? why has the welsh government and communities in wales not received the same support as in england? during the election, the prime minister reluctantly visited blood communities to win votes. he was out with his mop, pushing water around shops but with his majority now, nowhere to be seen. “— his majority now, nowhere to be seen. —— flooded. iwant his majority now, nowhere to be seen. —— flooded. i want the government to wake up to the reality more extreme weather will happen more extreme weather will happen more often, it's not an offer, not freak accidents, this is the world we live in and we need to have a proper plan for flooding that is going to address the causes and help those communities underwater. wales has seen its highest—ever

recorded water levels. the secretary of state will be aware of the horrendous and un— precedented flooding that has hit pontrypridd, unlike we've seen, and our community local authority could not prepare for this amount of devastation. with the secretary of state agree with me that we need to see further action and coal mining in the area, bringing back necessary funding to ensure the safety of all our communities? well, the honourable lady would be aware this isa honourable lady would be aware this is a devolved matter and i'm conscious, i am more than... don't shout at the secretary of state. and don't shout it me either. secretary of state. madam deputy speaker, flood response in dealing with the results of floods is a devolved matter between to have arrangements across the uk to support one another when one area is particularly

affected. the coal industry in 1994 says the uk government is responsible for the management of all former coal sites. but ask the secretary of state to agree to investigate these sites, there had been slips in recent days and ensure the funding needed will make the site is safe because we don't want repeats of what's happened recently in wales. we are all conscious of the terrible history related to this issue and i can confirm that my right honourable friend, the secretary of state for wales met the first minister this morning where this was one of the issues, and we reiterated our offer for help and on this particular issue of coal areas and flood risk in those areas, there is going to be a joint approach to it. the devastation in shrewsbury, our town in shropshire is appalling andl our town in shropshire is appalling and i hope the secretary of state will take time to see the extent of

the misery our town is facing. i've written to ask him to visit shropshire, meet with the local environment agency and local shropshire council as they have a local solution for managing the river severn. 18 constituencies are on this river and rather than piecemeal flood defences which push the problem further downstream, we need a holistic approach as to how we manage the whole of the river severn including wet washing schemes. my honourable friend makes the point, severn has been the most affected water catchment in this eventin affected water catchment in this event in the demountable barriers we have in place along the severn have proved absolutely crucial in preventing more properties being flooded. and the environment secretary said he'd be more than happy to visit his constituency. you're watching monday in parliament with me, kristiina cooper. coming up, raising a glass — or not — to the first woman to speak in the commons.

iam i am with her in my disagreement with lady astor about her strange ideas about alcohol. there are many ways... peers have expressed reservations about emergency legislation to end the automatic early release from prison of terror offenders. the new law was introduced following two attacks in london carried out by convicted terrorists. earlier this month, sudesh amman stabbed two people in streatham. he was, at the time, being followed by armed police. and in november, two people were killed near london bridge by usman khan. the new measures mean terrorist offenders will only be considered for release once they have served two—thirds of their sentence rather than halfway through and with the approval of the parole board. it is clear that we must put a stop to the current arrangements where dangerous criminals can be released

before the end of their sentence. it is clear that automatic halfway release is simply not right in all cases. we must now respond as quickly as possible. a lib dem peer wanted to amend the bill. he set out his objections. first is that the bill alters release dates and the first release from prison for all offenders to which it relates, but contains or p resa 9 es which it relates, but contains or presages no new measures to improve the chances of deradicalising and rehabilitating such offenders. and the second is that the bill defends against the commonwealth principle against the commonwealth principle against retrospectivity which is that new criminal legislation should not have the effect of increasing the length of a prison sentence imposed upon an offender who was sentenced before the new legislation is passed. some peers regretted that the law

needed to be changed in such a rush, but they did support it. we do have to look at recent disasters, and they have provided very disquieting evidence that the deradicalisation processes in prison have been far from successful, and that convicted terrorist still subject to the sentence imposed by the court have immediately resumed terrorist attacks. there is an immediate danger, we have two address at. the proportionate step is let the parole board say, is this person safe to release? if he or she is not, then he or she is not released at halftime and you have got the breathing space. can see no justification whatsoever, whether it be under common law or under the human rights convention 7.1 two update from half to two—thirds. it

is worth pointing out that the person who committed the atrocities in streatham would have been released four months later it had been up from one half to two—thirds. he wouldn't have been released at all until the end of his sentence if the parole board had been brought in. we know that this will result in the continued incarceration, without regard to their personal circumstances, of some prisoners who are sentenced on the basis that they are sentenced on the basis that they are not dangerous and who pose no continuing threat to the public. those prisoners were told by the sentencing judge that they would be released at the halfway point copy what purpose is served by delaying the parole board assessment any longer? a conservative peer described how one prisoner was the victim of attempted radicalisation. during his time in prison, he was regularly approached by muslim prisoners and encouraged to convert to islam. the message to be exact

was, if you convert to islam you will have a better life in here and we will protect you. various incentives and enticements were offered to him to put pressure on him to convert. one was the opportunity to meet without being heard by the prison authorities on a friday, every friday at 1pm for prayers where, quote, stuff was planned. several peers concentrated on the case of the streatham attacker, sudesh amman. it, such a person, who despite getting a relatively short sentence is thought to be suitable for armed police supervision, well then you might think that he is the sort of person who ought not to be released at all. while i admire the optimism of those noble lords wanting men like sudesh amman getting the

opportunity, that seems inadequate. he would have been followed to his meeting to a probation officer by armed surveillance officers. vi support the bill but a urge the government to do much more. the humanitarian and security emergency in northwest syria was the subject of an urgent question in the commons, with mps wanting to know what the government was doing to help ease the crisis there. air strikes and ground operations launched by the syrian regime of president bashar al—assad with russian and iranian help have driven almost a million civilians from their homes since december — the biggest single displacement of syria's nine—year civil war. the foreign office ministerjames cleverly said the government was deeply concerned at the extent of the crisis in syria. over 900,000 people fleeing the fighting and bombardments are being squeezed into dense enclaves of refugees in the north of the country and many are sleeping in freezing conditions in the open.

the minister said only a political settlement in line with un nearly 300 civilians have been killed at 11, and aleppo since the first of january this killed at 11, and aleppo since the first ofjanuary this year stopping the humanitarian rights office have concern dominic confirmed that 93% of those deaths were caused by the regime and its allies copy international humanitarian law continues to be ignored, with civilian infrastructure being hit, probably as a result of active targeting. as recently as yesterday, the white helmet reported that russian warplanes hit a children's and women's hospital in the village in.... --in idlib. the minister said only a political settlement in line with un security council resolutions could bring lasting peace.

we have repeatedly pressed for an immediate, genuine, and lasting ceasefire. including at the un security council. we have called a numberof emergent security council. we have called a number of emergent counsel sessions on idlib, most recently on the sixth of february alongside the p3, where uk ambassador to the un reiterated our clear call for a ceasefire and our clear call for a ceasefire and our support for turkey's if in this region. yet again, attempts by the un security council to secure a ceasefire are vetoed by russia. though the prospect of a bloodbath growth higher, as does the conflict between turkey and syria. the words come again from the west, will we continue to watch on? can they ask the minister, given the uk's p5 status, what is our role? has turkey, a nato ally, requested support and has any been offered?

such as preventing a no—fly zone to prevent those helicopters from dropping those bonds? there is a summit on the fifth of march, is present even invited to that? what options can we look at which bypass a statement at the united nations? labour's khalid mahmood despaired at what he thought was the inevitable course of events. thousands forced to flee their homes, infant civilians targeted by the side extracts. indiscriminate bombing of towns and cities and turkey being drawn ever deeper into the conflict as its number of casualties continues to rise copy and these, mr speaker, arejust the immediate consequences copy i would like to ask the minister of state, what he expects to happen once the syrian government enforces full control over idlib. does he expect as many analysts that the gerhardy‘s

of hts will give up on their campaign of territorial control and instead commit to a long—term campaign on terrorist insurgency and guerrilla warfare? when we hear words such as, there is no military solution to the conflict in syria, does he not recognise that what we are watching is the military solution to the conflict in syria? it is being written in the blood and the debt of syrian civilians, and our voice, sadly, is the debt of syrian civilians, and ourvoice, sadly, is too the debt of syrian civilians, and our voice, sadly, is too quiet and that. hope very much that he will inject life into britain's strategy in syria, because there is an opportunity for britain to speak out, there is an opportunity for britain to partner with important allies in the region to make our voice heard. that regime and its allied militias using sexual violence against girls, women, and men as a weapon of violence against girls, women, and men as a weapon of war.

violence against girls, women, and men as a weapon of war. we must not stand by and turn a blind it this action. the ambassador to the un said that what the syrian government is doing on the ground is protected bya is doing on the ground is protected by a russian veto, and called on russia to end its support for this murderous campaign and the barbaric city and government. russia's indifference to human life and the obligation to protect it must be challenged directly. hannah ba rdell. now, you know and i know that drink really promises everything and gives you nothing. those were the arresting words of nancy astor, the first woman mp to speak in the commons chamber on 20 february 1920. lady astor was warning about the evils of alcohol. she told her all—male audience that she found it hard to be humourous about alcohol when she thought of the "misery" it could bring. but there was a plentiful supply of good humour when mps celebrated lady astor's achievement.

100 years ago today, a woman made eachin 100 years ago today, a woman made each in this chamber for the first time. while i can't agree with everything that nancy astor said or did, her maiden each on the dangers and perils of alcohol pave the way for many more of us to speak in the south. and wonder if you have heard of any way to celebrate that ce nte nary ? of any way to celebrate that centenary? i congratulate the honourable lady in ringing forward the best point of order i have ever heard in this chamber. first of all, it is very good to note important anniversary. it was a wonderful occasion, when lady astor made her maiden speech in the chamber, as the honourable gentleman at the opposition dispatch box knows so well, given all of the work that he has done in order to arrange celebrations for this great

centenary, but the honourable lady tim me to give a personal answer to her question, and i am with her in my disagreement with lady astor about her strange ideas about alcohol. there are many ways in which this centenary ought to be celebrated, and i think perhaps some of us bought to be able to do so this evening, by proving lady astor wrong. we say "cheers" to that! well, that's it from monday in parliament. david cornock will be holding the fort for the rest of the week. but from me, kristiina cooper, goodbye!

we are drawing down cold air, and today will be a day of sunshine and showers, almost anywhere could catch a shallow, there will probably be more frequent in western areas of the uk, snow mainly over the hills, some hail and thunder mixed in as well and windy across the far south—west of england stopping it will be a cold wind everywhere and will be a cold wind everywhere and will feel quite a bit colder for england and wales than it did, i think, on monday. wednesday morning sta rts think, on monday. wednesday morning starts with frost and maybe some icy conditions as well. it is another day of sunshine and showers, some early showers to move away from the eastern side of the uk, wintry showers too, and then much of england and wales, eastern scotland having a dry day some sunshine, the showers more toward the north and west of the uk. it will feel cold

again with temperatures 5— eight celsius.

welcome to bbc news — my name's mike embley. our top stories: hollywood producer harvey weinstein is found guilty of sexual assault and rape — he now faces up to 25 years in jail. health experts warn the chances of containing the spread of the coronavirus are diminishing — global financial markets fall as the number of cases rise. president donald trump will move from warm welcomes and sightseeing, to tough trade talks on his 2—day trip to india. and thousands of people attend a memorial in los angeles for basketball superstar kobe bryant, who died in a helicopter crash last month. god knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other. he had to bring them home to have them