welcome to bbc news. the headlines: a major victory for britney spears. a los angeles judge suspends her father from his role as controller of the singer's business affairs. it's a great day for britney spears and it's a great day forjustice. there is definitely something celebrate. 100 prisoners and guards are killed in ecuador�*s deadliest is in riot. a policeman who strangled sarah everard after falsely imprisoning and kidnapping her is facing a whole life sentence.

we all have our secrets, we just didn't get to yours yet. as james bond returns to the cinema, we ask the public if it has left them shaken or not stirred. a los angeles judge has said that britney spears�* father jamie has been immediately suspended from her conservatorship. the judge sided with britney spears�*s lawyer, saying the current situation reflected a toxic environment. the news saw a rapturous response from the die—hard britney spears fans gathered outside the court room.

they rallied around the free britney hatch tag in the last year. —— hashtag. a lot of us had grown up with her, if you were a straight guy, you wanted to date her. if you were a girl, you wanted to be her. she is a light, absolutely. she is a person, and when you hear her cry and say these shocking things she said, you say, how does this happen to anyone, much less one of the most beloved pop stars in the world? her lawyer gave a news conference. todayis today is a great day for britney spears and a great day for justice.

but it's also a solemn day. britney spears has been faced with a decade—long nightmare, a kafkaesque nightmare orchestrated by her father and others. and i'm so proud of herfor her courage, her strength and her poignancy. and i've only been on this matter for a couple of months, but i'm proud to say we have got to know each other very well, and she's so pleased and thankful to all of you. and i am as well. in terms of what happened today, i'm so pleased and proud to sayjamie spears is no longer a conservator. cheering. we heard there from her lawyer, i had a word with him

after the conference and i asked what his celebrity client made of the ruling. he smiled ruefully and cited attorney—client privilege. there is no doubt he is delighted, as is britney spears who was not in court today. her parents both were, they appeared by zoom. they heard a withering critique by the lawyer ofjamie spears. he described the relationship between father and daughter as cruel, toxic and abusive. jamie spears has been suspended as the conservator and an accountant has been put in place in the meantime. in another hearing in six weeks, discussions will be held on how to end this conservatorship altogether after 13 years. just explain how this conservatorship works. there was one for her person and one for her finances. that's right.

the main person in all of this has beenjamie spears, britney's father, he has had control of the purse strings, the $60 million estate. the relationship between the two where britney spears in a very emotional testimony in court a few months ago said the whole arrangement was abusive. she accused her father and others from preventing herfrom having more children and seeing her friends and so on. i asked her lawyer whether in order to end the conservatorship as is typical britney spears would have to undergo some sort of psychiatric evaluation. he said that was probably going to be avoided because both sides had intimated it wasn't necessarily required now. but going forward, there are going to be some painful and tortuous discussions in the weeks ahead to complete this whole affair, to wrap it up to britney spears specifications.

there have been calls for a change to the whole system of the conservatorship. do you think this case will have a wider impact? it may well do. there are said to be 1 million people under conservatorship in the united states. it is normally an arrangement reserved for those who are old or infirm. people incapable of making decisions for themselves. but in the 13 years in which this conservatorship has been in place, britney spears has recorded four albums, two went platinum. she had a four—year residency in las vegas. and she has been a judge on american idol and the x factor, hardly the behaviour of somebody who cannot manage their own affairs.

authorities in ecuador now say more than 100 died in tuesday's prison riot. several victims were decapitated, others were shot or died of injuries caused by explosive devices. local media say the uprising was ordered by local drug—trafficking gangs. panic after over 100 through the nose are decapitated, shot or blown up, and dozens more injured. during the onslaught, prisoners begged for help. —— over 100 prisoners. translation: ., . translation: called the police, look at where _ translation: called the police, look at where the _ translation: called the police, look at where the police - translation: called the police, look at where the police are. - look at where the police are. it's my brother, not a dog! it took hundreds of police officers several hours to regain order after the worst prison violence in ecuador�*s history. translation: ~ ., ., 4' history. translation: ~ ., ., translation: we took control of pavilions one _

translation: we took control of pavilions one and _ translation: we took control of pavilions one and three, - translation: we took control of pavilions one and three, where i pavilions one and three, where five died. then we entered pavilion five, where there was the most violence. we found approximately 19 corpses, killed by ammunition, and also by grenades. killed by ammunition, and also by grenades-— by grenades. ecuador lies between _ by grenades. ecuador lies between cocaine - by grenades. ecuador lies l between cocaine producers colombia and peru, and has been dubbed a cocaine superhighway to the us and europe. behind these prison walls lies a battle ground between prisoners into gangs, linked to the bitter mexican drug rivals, two cartels. the ecuador prosecutors office has ordered an investigation as relatives grieve. translation: ~ ., , . translation: we want 'ustice, mr president. * translation: we want 'ustice, mr president. at * translation: we want 'ustice, mr president. at least _ translation: we wantjustice, mr president. at least show - mr president. at least show yourface. forall the mr president. at least show your face. for all the mothers here who suffer for their here who sufferfor their children. here who suffer for their children.— children. the country's president _ children. the country's president declared - children. the country's president declared a i children. the country's i president declared a state children. the country's - president declared a state of emergency in the country's

overpopulated and understaffed prison system injuly, promising new facilities and equipment, but this latest bloody fighting came with a chilling warning from the former director of the ecuador military intelligence. he says, transnational organised crime is permeating ecuador�*s prisons simply to sow fear. we can speak to a journalist in the capital, quito. thank you for joining us. explain how things have got so bad.— have got so bad. hello. a few hours ago. — have got so bad. hello. a few hours ago, the _ have got so bad. hello. a few hours ago, the president - hours ago, the president confirmed 116 prisoners died in the incident. he also informed that many were injured, so the

final number of dead prisoners might increase. this is an enormous tragedy. the president flew to the area this afternoon. in order to take care of this situation. he said that besides the emergency state that he declared in the prison system, he will give $24 million to solve some problems in the penitentiaries. the place where all these incidents occurred yesterday. we place where all these incidents occurred yesterday.— occurred yesterday. we are havinu occurred yesterday. we are having a — occurred yesterday. we are having a bit _ occurred yesterday. we are having a bit of— occurred yesterday. we are

having a bit of background l having a bit of background noise. i will keep going for the moment but it is quite hard to hear you, the moment but it is quite hard to hearyou, i'm the moment but it is quite hard to hear you, i'm afraid. just explain why it is so easy seemingly for people to get weapons into prisons, such as grenades, guns and explosive devices being used?— grenades, guns and explosive devices being used? that's the auestion devices being used? that's the question we — devices being used? that's the question we are _ devices being used? that's the question we are all _ devices being used? that's the question we are all making - devices being used? that's the l question we are all making here in ecuador. how have the guns got into the prisons. the answer, it's very sad. the whole system is corrupt. not only guns, lots of drugs and guns inside the prisons. ok. guns inside the prisons. ok, i'm guns inside the prisons. 0k, i'm sorry. — guns inside the prisons. 0k, i'm sorry. we _ guns inside the prisons. ok, i'm sorry, we have _ guns inside the prisons. ok, i'm sorry, we have to - guns inside the prisons. ok, i'm sorry, we have to leave. guns inside the prisons. ok, i'm sorry, we have to leave it there because the background noise is too distracting, but thank you very much. the north

korean leader kim has condemned the us offer of talks as they showed to cover up the country's hostile acts. the comments were made at a speech at the parliament. he also expressed a willingness to restore the hotline with south korea that was severed in august. north korea has conducted three missile tests this month including successfully testing a new hypersonic missile. next year's winter olympics and paralympics in beijing will be held without fans from overseas, with tickets restricted to people in mainland china because of the covid—19 pandemic. the ioc also said only fully vaccinated participants would be exempt from a 21 day quarantine upon arrival, unless an athlete can provide a justified medical exemption. the leader of britain's main opposition labour party sir keir starmer has made a stinging attack on prime minister borisjohnson, prime minister boris johnson, calling prime minister borisjohnson, calling him a trickster and a

showman with nothing left to show. after last year's virtual conference he apologised to supporters who felt his party was not electable at the last general election. stay with us on bbc news. still to come, we talk to a conservationist about a new survey which declares 23 species extinct and explore those on the verge of extinction. in all russia's turmoil, it has never quite come to this. president yeltsin said it would decide the country's destiny. the nightmare is playing out its final act, russians are killing russians in front of a grandstand audience. it was his humility which produced affection from catholics throughout the world, his departure is a tragedy for the catholic church. this man, right—winger ariel sharon, visited the religious compound and that started the trouble. he wants israel alone to have sovereignty over

the holy sites, an idea that is unthinkable to palestinians. after 45 years of division, germany is one. in berlin, 1 million germans celebrate the rebirth of europe's biggest and richest nation. this is bbc news. a major victory for britney spears. a los angeles judge suspends her father from his role as controller of the singer's business affairs. 100 prisoners and guards are killed in ecuador�*s deadliest prison riot.

a british court has heard how an off—duty policeman performed a fake arrest using handcuffs to convince a woman she was being detained for breaching coronavirus restrictions. the policeman, wayne couzens, has admitted raping and murdering sarah everard in march. the case sparked an outcry against male violence towards women. our special correspondent lucy manning reports. "she was my precious little girl," said sarah everard's mother. "i can never talk to her, never hold her again. i am tormented at the thought of what she endured." that was at the hands of wayne couzens, in handcuffs when he was arrested at home, telling lie after lie. he'd already kidnapped, raped, murdered and burnt sarah. he's asked if he knows her. within minutes, he's pretending he's handed sarah over alive

to an eastern european gang. as sarah walked from her friend's house, couzens was hunting for a victim. this, the moment of that deception. his car on the pavement, hazard lights on, he stops sarah. his arm outstretched, showing her his warrant card. using his handcuffs, he arrests her. he'd previously been on covid patrols, so knew what to say. witnesses see sarah with her arms behind her back, but they think it's an undercover police operation. it was kidnap. he used all the equipment and knowledge of being a police officer to do it. couzens sat in the dock, never lifting his head. sarah's family and friends listened to the devastating detail that is their daily reality. in the hours after kidnapping her, there was a mixture

of the banal and the evil. after dumping sarah's body in woods in kent, he stops at costa coffee to get a hot chocolate. police think he's raped and murdered sarah by this time. the next day, he goes to buy a green can and fills it up with petrol. he returns to the woods and burns sarah's body in a fridge. later, it's dumped in water. he goes back again to the woods for a family trip with his wife and children, just days after he'd left sarah's remains there. sarah's family remained so dignified as they told the court about sarah and about what they had lost. her father and sister asked couzens, who had his head bowed, to face them. couzens started shaking. mr everard told him, "sarah was handcuffed and unable to defend herself. this preys on my mind all the time. i can never forgive you for taking sarah away from us.

all my family want is sarah back. you have broken our hearts." couzens has still never explained what exactly happened that night. a police officer betraying his uniform, a family left with no answers and without sarah, and a woman who had her life, herfuture, taken. 23 species have been declared extinct today by the us fish and wildlife service. the ivory billed woodpecker is among the species on the list, and before today only 11 species had been declared extinct since the project began. although the woodpecker and some other creatures proposed for removal from the us endangered species list have been functionally extinct for decades, scientists have warned that human—caused climate change and habitat destruction could make such things more common.

there was also good news, with 54 species removed as numbers have recovered, including the bald eagle. we spoke to a conservationist and a host on animal planet. i thought it was important for the world to see a face that adorable, which you really don't want to drive towards extinction! it is a sad thing going on. we are facing a true crisis the world over when it comes to the accelerated extinction rate. talk us through the 23 on this list. yeah, i'm happy to. the truth is it's great that the 23 species are being featured, but the reality is it is around 50,000 species per year that we are currently losing. although we are mentioning 23 in this article, which is making news because it is in the united states, the problem

is much larger. the 23 are 11 different bird species, two fish, eight freshwater mussels, a bat and some plants. it's a big problem for the us to lose that many species, including incredibly iconic ones, like the ivory billed woodpecker. the big question is why? why are we losing them? because we are facing... there's a lot of factors, that is the key, there is no one—stop answer. climate change, habitat loss, deforestation, human encroachment and so on, it's reducing wild areas for species, it's taking out pieces of the ecosystem that they require in order to thrive. especially animals near the top of the food chain or with high levels living in small areas.

once you wipe out the area, all the occupants are gone as well. when you put a golf course in hawaii where the bird species live and the only live in that region, they can't relocate. there is a snake down with a turtle there, is it ok? they are friends. she is a happy story, an animal that was actually heading towards trouble with regards to being over—harvested for the pet trade, and then was regulated in the us, and is now nowhere near the extinction level, one of only two boa species. at the end of the day, i don't believe we should look at it as doom and gloom. or that all hope is lost. because there are these wonderful recovery stories. it's scientists and people

alike making the difference to keep these species around for a very long time. first it was the critics, and now the fans, james bond has finally returned to the cinemark and midnight screenings have been held across the uk of no time to die. a fan gives us his opinion. was it worth the wait? yeah, it was brilliant. i should tell you not to ruin the film for anyone, don't tell us what happens. tell me as much as you can about what you liked about it? it as you can about what you liked about it? . , �* about it? it had everything. a bit of darkness, _ about it? it had everything. a bit of darkness, a _ about it? it had everything. a bit of darkness, a bit - about it? it had everything. a bit of darkness, a bit of- bit of darkness, a bit of humour, a lot of emotion. really everything you would

want in a bond movie and more. and some car chases presumably? yes. ~ , yes. where we seeing daniel crai: yes. where we seeing daniel craig showing _ yes. where we seeing daniel craig showing the _ yes. where we seeing daniel craig showing the softer- yes. where we seeing daniel craig showing the softer sidej craig showing the softer side of bond this time?— of bond this time? yes, you definitely — of bond this time? yes, you definitely get _ of bond this time? yes, you definitely get to _ of bond this time? yes, you definitely get to see - of bond this time? yes, you definitely get to see his - of bond this time? yes, you | definitely get to see his more vulnerable side. you get what you want from a bond film, but it digs deep into james bond and his background. i5 it digs deep into james bond and his background.- and his background. is that what you — and his background. is that what you want _ and his background. is that what you want from - and his background. is that what you want from your i and his background. is that - what you want from your bond, a softer side?— softer side? yes, it's nice to have many _ softer side? yes, it's nice to have many layers _ softer side? yes, it's nice to have many layers to - softer side? yes, it's nice to have many layers to bond, l softer side? yes, it's nice to i have many layers to bond, and daniel craig nailed it in this one. ., . ., ., one. some of the critics have said how _ one. some of the critics have said how funny _ one. some of the critics have said how funny this _ one. some of the critics have said how funny this was - one. some of the critics have said how funny this was as i said how funny this was as well. did you laugh out loud? yeah, a lot of funny moments mixed with the darkness. a very funny film as well.— funny film as well. let's have a little flavour. _

funny film as well. let's have a little flavour. why - funny film as well. let's have a little flavour. why would i l a little flavour. why would i betray you? _ a little flavour. why would i betray you? we _ a little flavour. why would i betray you? we all - a little flavour. why would i betray you? we all have i a little flavour. why would i | betray you? we all have our secrets. _ betray you? we all have our secrets. we _ betray you? we all have our secrets, we just _ betray you? we all have our secrets, we just didn't i betray you? we all have our secrets, we just didn't get l betray you? we all have our| secrets, we just didn't get to yours yet. the world is arming faster than we can— the world is arming faster than we can respond. _ the world is arming faster than we can respond.— the world is arming faster than we can respond. i we can respond. where is 007? i need a favour, _ we can respond. where is 007? i need a favour, you _ we can respond. where is 007? i need a favour, you are _ we can respond. where is 007? i need a favour, you are the i we can respond. where is 007? i need a favour, you are the only l need a favour, you are the only one i trust. need a favour, you are the only one i trust-— one i trust. the world has moved on. _ one i trust. the world has moved on, commander i one i trust. the world has i moved on, commander bond. one i trust. the world has - moved on, commander bond. stay in your— moved on, commander bond. stay in your lane — moved on, commander bond. stay in your lane. you get in my way, — in your lane. you get in my way, i— in your lane. you get in my way. iwill— in your lane. you get in my way, i will put a bullet in your— way, i will put a bullet in your knee. way, i will put a bullet in your knee-— way, i will put a bullet in your knee. way, i will put a bullet in our knee. , �*, your knee. sometimes it's quite exhausting _ your knee. sometimes it's quite exhausting just _ your knee. sometimes it's quite exhausting just watching - your knee. sometimes it's quite exhausting just watching the i exhausting just watching the trailer! so much action. is it reallyjam—packed? give us a flavour of what it was like. it was exhilarating and exhausting. jam—packed sums it

up exhausting. jam—packed sums it up perfectly. from zero to 100 from the first minute, and it doesn't let up.— from the first minute, and it doesn't let up. lovely for you to step out — doesn't let up. lovely for you to step out of _ doesn't let up. lovely for you to step out of the _ doesn't let up. lovely for you to step out of the cinema i doesn't let up. lovely for you to step out of the cinema asl doesn't let up. lovely for you | to step out of the cinema as it was ending, thank you for talking to us. before we go tonight, germany's affection for chancellor angela merkel. before she has left office, teddy bears have been made in her image and they are selling out. a german toymaker produced them to mark the end of angela merkel�*s 16 years in office, and all 500 have gone to good homes, sporting her trademark haircut and necklace, and the bears were priced at more than $200, but right now you cannot buy one. proof that germans have gone all soft on angela merkel. if you want to get in touch, you can on twitter. plenty more on the website.

hello there. after what was a mostly dry and clear end to wednesday for most of us, the weather steps up a gear through thursday and into the weekend. with spells of rain, some strong winds, some drier, brighter interludes in between, but the culprit — no prizes for guessing — is low pressure. and this frontal system pushing in from the west is going to bring rain for many of us through the day ahead, with some quite brisk winds as well, particularly in western areas. gusts across western scotland for a time in excess of 50mph. through the day, we will see cloud, we will see outbreaks of showery rain on and off with some drier interludes. best chance of any sunshine across northeast scotland and maybe for a time in the far southeast of england. those are the average wind speeds through the afternoon. gusts will be stronger than that.

temperatures ranging from 13 degrees in aberdeen to 17 in cardiff and in plymouth. now, through thursday night, we will see more cloud, more showery rain, and then through the early hours of friday, it looks like we'll have a band of really heavy rain and potentially some quite squally winds that will start to work eastwards, but a much milder night in prospect, with temperatures for many places staying in double digits. so this band of heavy rain and strong winds will cross east anglia and the southeast through friday morning. behind that, england and wales will see some sunshine, but scotland and northern ireland seeing further outbreaks of rain, very windy, with gusts in excess of 50mph across parts of scotland particularly, and temperatures between 13 and 17 degrees. and then we get to the weekend and this frontal system running in from the west could spell trouble, could spell disruption for some, bringing some very heavy rain and then potentially spinning into a really deep area of low pressure drifting northwards across the uk, with the risk of gales, perhaps most especially across scotland, and heavy rain affecting

most areas at times. so saturday may start off dry for many of us, but it looks like we'll see some really very heavy and persistent rain working in from the southwest, maybe northern scotland staying just about dry. the winds picking up as well. and then through saturday night, that's when we're expecting an area of low pressure to develop. the detail may change between now and then, but we could see a bout of very strong winds drifting across scotland, some rain continuing here into sunday. sunshine and heavy showers further south and top temperatures to end the weekend between 12 and 17 degrees.

the headlines. ajudge in los angeles has removed britney spears's father from the legal arrangement that gave him control of her finances after the american pop star accused him of years of abuse. the judge said it was in the singer's best interest that the legal arrangement should end. over 100 prisoners and guards have been killed in ecuador�*s deadliest of a prison riot. the police say the violence is the result of a dispute between local gangs affiliated to two powerful mexican drug trafficking organisations. and the police officer who raped and murdered the british woman is facing a full life sentence. court in london was given details of how he her using handcuffs and an id card to falsely arrest her. now it is

time