last night's interview statement. last night's interview did not lead to the editorial standards as he was not a suitable person to interview as an impartial analyst and we did not make the relevant but as background clear to our audience. we will look into how this happened. there has been no further word yet on that but in the meantime there have been more objections to another bbc interview about this case and it took place on new year's eve on the radio for a two—day programme and clips of it were shown during the day on the news channel. the cast was ghilane maxwell's brother who challenge their version of events set out in court by her accusers. i their version of events set out in court by her accusers.— court by her accusers. i am not saying that _ court by her accusers. i am not saying that they _ court by her accusers. i am not saying that they are _ court by her accusers. i am not saying that they are lying. - court by her accusers. i am not saying that they are lying. it i court by her accusers. i am not l saying that they are lying. it may be that they were victims ofjeffrey epstein but they do not accept that they were victims of ghilane maxwell and that's my position.—

and that's my position. again, many listeners and — and that's my position. again, many listeners and viewers _ and that's my position. again, many listeners and viewers were - listeners and viewers were concerned. icame to i came to believe he put out a statement in response but this time defended their podcasts. we did want to talk to someone at the bbc about those interviews but were told they had nothing to add to the statement we have heard. we can hear more on this now from sarah who is professor of american literature and public understanding of the humanities at london university. you

saw that interview, what was your concern? i saw that interview, what was your concern? ., , ., concern? iwas horrified. iwas outraged- _ concern? iwas horrified. iwas outraged- it — concern? iwas horrified. iwas outraged. it was _ concern? iwas horrified. iwas outraged. it was the _ concern? iwas horrified. iwas outraged. it was the phrase, l outraged. it was the phrase, formidable conflicts in your description it sticks with me from the other if you are. he has multiple conflicts of interest in this case and he is in directly implicated as he said. not only did he not comment on the verdict he did not comment on the verdict at all. he took the opportunity to charge virginia who has accused him of abuse and to see the verdict somehow vindicated him. so it was problematic on multiple levels because at no point for a uk audience or an audience who does not know who alan dershowitz is in his complex relationship at this case they took him as a constitutional lawyer that he was described as an impartial neutral expert when in fact he expressed that he implicated in the case and has been accused of criminal wrongdoing, a very serious criminal wrongdoing, a very serious criminal wrongdoing, a very serious criminal wrongdoing could ——. if

criminal wrongdoing could ——. if enough context had been given about his connections and is conflicts of interest? he his connections and is conflicts of interest? . ., ., , interest? he could have been. if he was not challenged _ interest? he could have been. if he was not challenged either. - interest? he could have been. if he was not challenged either. he - interest? he could have been. if he was not challenged either. he wasl was not challenged either. he was giving airtime to put his case out there. and even when he said base has cleared me at no point was that taken up a challenge. if he had been interviewed where it had been made very clear that he represented f —— jeffrey epstein and acted for him has been so controversial and he had been challenged and he had been robustly interviewed and i think that would have been acceptable. but the problem was that none of those things happen. he the problem was that none of those things happen-— things happen. he absolutely denies any involvement _ things happen. he absolutely denies any involvement in _ things happen. he absolutely denies any involvement in abuse. _ things happen. he absolutely denies any involvement in abuse. the - things happen. he absolutely denies any involvement in abuse. the bbc. any involvement in abuse. the bbc said they are investigating what went on. he heard that statement. it depends on what the outcome of the investigation is. my concern watching it was that at no point did the present to say wait a minute, are you implicated, what is your implication even if the presenter did not know until that moment which

of course they should have done. but evenif of course they should have done. but even if you get to that point i would still expect a bbcjournalist to hear somebody say this verdict has cleared me personally and to ask some of the obvious follow—up questions. for me it'll very much matter what the result of investigation is.— matter what the result of investigation is. matter what the result of investiuation is. ., , ., investigation is. two days later, her brother _ investigation is. two days later, her brother was _ investigation is. two days later, her brother was on _ investigation is. two days later, her brother was on the - investigation is. two days later, her brother was on the today i her brother was on the today programme defending her and why did you think of that decision. it seemed as though it was a pragmatic decision for me. i think that it felt like preferential treatment and i understand that they are saying a lesson he dared to challenge the position and that the story was about the decision to appeal but i have to agree with your viewer who said that if this now going to be the standard practice for people who are convicted of child sex trafficking. because at what point are we saying that the bbc is going to bring on the relatives and the

interested parties in a criminal case in order to defend against a verdict that has been made. [30 case in order to defend against a verdict that has been made. do you think the bbc _ verdict that has been made. do you think the bbc needs _ verdict that has been made. do you think the bbc needs to _ verdict that has been made. do you think the bbc needs to rethink- verdict that has been made. do you think the bbc needs to rethink the l think the bbc needs to rethink the interviews they do on the stories like this? i interviews they do on the stories like this? ., ~' interviews they do on the stories like this? ., ~ ., like this? i do. i think that there was an effort — like this? i do. i think that there was an effort to _ like this? i do. i think that there was an effort to create - like this? i do. i think that there was an effort to create balance i was an effort to create balance which is very important for the bbc to do but this feels like false balance because what you're doing is allowing people who have been convicted of wrongdoing, people who have been convicted for their surrogates and proxies to argue the conviction was problematic or overtime. why should be overturned. at that point the balance in question is somebody defending a criminal or arguing that it was not criminal. that's not balance. that's not a balanced coverage of a criminal verdict in a society that obeys the rule of law. the

difficulties _ obeys the rule of law. the difficulties tennis - obeys the rule of law. the difficulties tennis star - obeys the rule of law. the difficulties tennis star novak djokovic has faced in trying to enter australia and the argument that prompted over covid—i9 vaccinations has been widely covered this week across bbc news. some he was considered the airtime he was given to be unwarranted particularly in comparison with that given to the violence in kazakhstan although the bbc has pointed out that the latter has featured across its output and doctor david pearson had this to say. on wednesday bbc one but of a notable achievement on the music six. a british army officer has become the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition to the

south pole. the captain who is 32 tract 700 miles in a0 days putting all her equipment on a slab. in the report that followed she spoke about herself as an asian woman and how she wanted to inspire others with similar backgrounds. nevertheless, he was unhappy with the phrase the first woman of colour used in that introduction and recorded this video. it introduction and recorded this video. ., , , , introduction and recorded this video. . , , , ., ., introduction and recorded this video. ., , , ., ., video. it was inspiring to hear some ositive video. it was inspiring to hear some positive none _ video. it was inspiring to hear some positive none covid-19 _ video. it was inspiring to hear some positive none covid-19 news - video. it was inspiring to hear some positive none covid-19 news about. positive none covid—i9 news about the brave young woman who recently trekked to the south pole but totally unnecessary and irrelevant totally unnecessary and irrelevant to describe her as a woman of colour. we have not even noticed her skin colour. this bbc bias is simply inverse of local racism which encourages division and undermines our civil society. last

encourages division and undermines our civil society-— our civil society. last saturday to a new challenge _ our civil society. last saturday to a new challenge broadcast - our civil society. last saturday to a new challenge broadcast live i our civil society. last saturday to l a new challenge broadcast live the funeral service for archbishop desmond tutu who died on boxing day. some of the proceedings were interrupted by studio discussion about the archbishop and that unlike the race. i was very disappointed by the way... the name of the next person to run bbc news and current affairs was announced on thursday. deborah faces announced on thursday. deborah faces a big task as evidenced by the user of two contrasting messages posted on twitter.

in the meantime we will be speaking to the outgoing director in two weeks' time. send us any questions or comments he would like us to put to her or any of your opinions are what you see or read or hear on bbc news on tv or radio, or online social media. you can also e—mail us. why find on twitter. or you can call us. that's all from us. we'll

be back to hear your thoughts about bbc news coverage again next week. goodbye. it was a pretty winter and to the reek in many parts of the uk. snell brought disruption for some although he did bring beautiful scenes as well. that's how it looked in east dunbartonshire. tonight as could be a hazard for a time but it will turn my other and also let her into the second half of the night. clear skies with temperatures plummeting and ice from southern scotland and spots further south as well. but then we seek cloud bringing rain in from the west and a spell of snow as it bumps into the cold air but it will turn back to me as temperatures climb. by the end of the night eight, nine, orio degrees. a mile they started to saturday morning but

with cloud and outbreaks of rain. the frontal system will bring unsettled day of whether that heavy breaths of rain and wind sandwiched between the two other funds we have this wedge of mild air. a different feel to it being saturday morning with outbreaks of heavy rain pushing east with the rain organising itself into bands and this last band of rain pushing east is likely to give intense downpours with thunder and lightning and gusty winds which could get up to a0 or 50 mph or more in the most exposed spots. they were anne leclair and some showers will turn when terry as temperatures drop away again. five to 10 degrees around three o'clock in the afternoon. he called night saturday night with some went to shower particularly towards the west but as we get into sunday we have to squint at the map to see it but there is a little bump air with a range of high pressure just trying to build its way and and it won't be able to kill

off the shower activity completely but this there will be some but not too many and they should be a decent amount of weather and sunshine. temperature is between four and 10 degrees and then our next weather system bringing cloud and rain from the rest. the story for next week is for things to settle down. high pressure will build its way from the south and establishing strongly across the southern half of the uk. he will see some spells of sunshine with rain at times in the north where it will be windy and it will few milderfor all of us.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. the giant of hollywood, sir sidney poitier, has died aged 9a. he was the first black man to win the oscar for best actor. he was my generation's sort of icon. there was no one really before him who had the kind of stature. the aftermath of days of unrest in kazakhstan. security forces are ordered, to shoot to kill protestors. novak djokovic has thanked fans for their support and remains in this hotel. the australian government rejects claims that the grand slam champion is being held captive afterfailing to meet vaccine entry requirements.