this is bbc news. the headlines: fifa's president hits back at western critics of qatar's human rights record, accusing them of hypocrisy. talks at the un's climate summit in egypt hang in the balance as countries are given an extra day to reach a deal. hello and welcome to bbc world news. on the eve of the world cup kick—off in qatar, the focus has been more on politics than sport. fifa president gianni infantino accused western countries of hypocrisy for criticising the human rights record of the host

country and made a passionate defence of qatar and the tournament. our sports editor, dan roan, reports from doha. despite everything, qatar is determined to put on a show — a celebration to mark the opening of the fan park in doha tonight on the eve of the world cup. but fifa has come under fire for bringing the event here amid human rights concerns, and today the game's most powerful figure turned on his critics in an extraordinary speech. today i feel gay. today i feel disabled. today i feel a migrant worker. because i know what it means to be discriminated. but that was just the start. infantino then appeared to liken his own experience as a redheaded child of immigrants in switzerland to the plight of gay people in the middle east. as a foreigner in a foreign country, as a child at school, i was bullied

because i had red hair. qatar has been under mounting scrutiny, especially in europe over its treatment of migrant workers and the lgbt community, and infantino then turned on the critics. i think for what we europeans have been doing in the last 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years before starting to give moral lessons. it's just hypocrisy. isn't it hypocritical on the one had to say that fifa stands for equality and non—discrimination, while at the same time supporting an event in a country which has discriminatory laws? the only weapon that we have is this, is the ball, and we have to try with this to engage. infantino praised qatar for recent labour reforms and said europe was in no position to criticise on migrant rights, but his comments have been condemned.

ifound itjaw—dropping to listen to. it really felt like it was a way to try and dismiss very legitimate human rights criticisms, to try and treat them as culture war issues rather than universal values that fifa has committed to uphold. as for fifa's late u—turn with beer banned at world cup stadia, infantino was no less defiant. i think, personally, if for three hours a day you cannot drink a beer, you will survive. gianni infantino intended just then to hit back against this tournament's critics amid a barrage of negative headlines in the build—up. but after that remarkable hour and a half long press conference on the eve of this tournament, once again the focus is away from the football. 0rganisers hope tonight's festivities will kick—start the excitement, but right now this world cup seems more divisive than ever.

reports from the un climate summit in egypt suggest delegates are close to reaching a deal to set up a fund which would help the poorest countries tackle climate change. there's still thought to be disagreement about who should pay into the loss and damage fund.0ur climate editorjustin rowlatt is at the conference. they're discussing the final details of the deal in this room behind me here. we thought they'd be done in the next half—hour or hour or so, but a few grim—faced negotiators have come out shaking their heads and saying it is probably hours away, a deal. the logjam was broken, loss and damage, this key issue for developing nations, an agreement�*s been done on that. the last issue is raisng ambition on cutting carbon emissions and it seems that is just a lot tougher than we expected, so we are waiting out here for news as it happens.

dr hazim el—nasser is the former minister of water and agriculturejordan and chairman of the middle east water forum. well, in general, i think the outcomes are below expectations because the world is still discussing and debating principles related to the impact of climate change. for example, countries still are resisting limiting global warming and reduction of gas emissions, mobilisation of needed finance and funds, as well as a delay in national plans for mitigation measures. all of that is still being debated by cop27 and i think all of these issues will be pushed again to cop28, even if they reach agreement today or tonight in egypt related to what they call the �*loss

and damage�* fund, but this in principle will be on paper, not by intention and focus related to this issue. rishi sunak has made his first visit to ukraine since becoming prime minister. he held talks with president zelenksy, pledging £50 million in defence aid and said the uk would continue to stand by ukrainians as they face further attacks from russia. 0ur political correspondent ione wells reports. a warm reception on a snowy day in kyiv. very good to see you. chatter. i've got my coat for later. in footage released by the ukrainian government and number 10, rishi sunak can be seen laying flowers at a memorial for victims of the war.

he met with emergency responders and announced a new package of air defence to help protect ukrainian civilians and infrastructure from russian air strikes. ukraine has faced months of intense russian aerial attacks. forces there say there have been 148 missile strikes on critical services, leaving 10 million people without power. the prime minister's main message was to confirm the uk's support for the country would continue. as prime minister of the united kingdom, i'm proud of how we stood with you from the very beginning. and i am here today to say that the united kingdom will continue to stand with you. we will stand with you until ukraine has won the peace and security it needs and deserves. and then we will stand with you as you rebuild your great country. thank you so much, rishi. president zelensky thanked the prime ministerfor supporting his country and the dialogue they had.

his visit comes after a difficult week for him and the chancellor, who announced a range of tax rises and public spending squeezes. the uk's foreign aid and defence budgets won't go up as planned yet until the economic situation improves. ministers blamed the war in ukraine for the dire economic situation in the uk. 0pposition parties argue political decisions played a role too. there is a clear desire to avoid public fatigue with the conflict and demonstrate the positives of supporting ukraine, an easier message to sell, perhaps, than the economic headlines they face back home. ione wells, bbc news. a man staying at the manston migrant processing centre in kent has died. he became ill while at the detention site and was taken to hospital, but died this morning. the home office said there was no evidence the man had died of an infectious disease and said it took the safety of those in its care

extremely seriously. the site has been criticised for overcrowding and there have been reports of diptheria spreading there. the boss of a housing association has been sacked four days after a coroner found that a toddler died from exposure to mould in one of its properties. two—year—old awaab ishak, who lived in rochdale, died in december 2020 from a respiratory condition caused by the mould. gareth swarbrick apologised on thursday but had rejected calls to step down. 0ur correspondent sharon barbour reports. today, many from the rochdale community came together to remember two—year—old awaab ishak and to put pressure on rochdale boroughwide housing. since the coroner's damning verdict that the mould in awaab�*s family home had contributed to his death, there had been calls for gareth swarbrick to go. but he refused, saying he had the full backing of the board

at rochdale boroughwide housing. but no longer. today the board took the decision to remove him from his post with immediate effect. in a statement, rochdale boroughwide housing said... for a family in grief, this offered some sense ofjustice. the fact that rbh's chief executive had to be sacked as opposed to resign, for the family speaks volumes. however, they find it wholly unacceptable that the board expressed confidence in him in the first place. the family still feel that much more needs to be done.

a government source told the bbc that it welcomed gareth swarbrick�*s removalfrom office, but said rochdale boroughwide housing still had very serious questions to answer. sharon barbour, bbc news. a search has resumed for a woman who is thought to have been swept away into a river as torrential rain battered parts of scotland yesterday. with roads and rail services affected. robert townsend reports. this was the scene in fife after heavy rainfall brought severe flooding to parts of the road network. elsewhere, in dunfermline, commuters faced impassable conditions. whilst floodwaters also rose across parts of edinburgh. the past 2a hours have seen heavy rain and winds batter much of the east coast. residents, with the help of fire crews, tried their best to defend their homes against flooding, until the rising water levels proved too much.

when the water started seeping through the floorboards, through the tiles in the bathroom, initiallyjust come all the way through, and itjust spread into the bottom level of the house. what can you do? put down towels? well, that's not going to help. it's happened before, and i mean, it's really upsetting because it's uprooting my family again. for some, the conditions brought devastation to property. i'm back at square one. all these floors are going to have to come up now. that partition's going to have to come out, the plasterboards. for others, it was an anxious wait to see if they'd be spared the very worst of the weather. i've got a nine—month—old son and so, you know, - about where are you going to go, i and all the things you need to take for him and stuff.

what we are asking people to do is plan ahead, make sure themselves and the vehicle are prepared for the journey, take notice of the police scotland travel advice warning. with disruption expected to continue into the weekend, residents are being urged to follow official advice. robert townsend, bbc news. as the world cup opens in doha, here in the uk there have been two separate protests outside qatar's embassy in london. they come after the country's world cup ambassador, khalid salman, attracted international condemnation for saying homosexuality was "damage in the mind". the uk foreign secretary, james cleverly, also faced criticism for saying lgbt football fans should mind their behaviour when visiting the tournament. barry caffery reports. what do we want? gay rights! when do we want them? now! the voices of football fans

boycotting the world cup this year, all concerned about conditions for lgbtq+ people in qatar. never again, fifa. carl from the gaygoonners, arsenal's official supporters group, helped organise today's protest. we're here because we're not welcome to go to qatar, and with the world cup starting tomorrow, we just wanted to make our voices heard. the comments that have been coming out of qatar in the last couple of weeks have just highlighted our concerns that we've had for a number of years now that this tournament should not be held in a country like qatar. these football fans told me why they can't watch the world cup this year. because i feel that this is the only way that i can make a protest, so being here and getting my voice heard here, and in all conscience, i can't watch it. we're going to the women's super league game today, so arsenal. are still playing in that. and i'm also going to try and go- to some non—league football, so i'm

going to put my money elsewhere. david hancock is a football fan and sports travel agent who's been to every world cup since italia �*90. but this year he won't be traveling. from a football point of view, of course, it's going to be different. i mean, i don't feel like there's going to be any atmospheres there. there's a lack of fans, there's a lack of passion. and just send our love and solidarity. peter tatchell helped organise today's protest. he says it's important to highlight the human rights issues in qatar, where homosexuality can be punishable by death. these protests have succeeded in shifting the narrative away from purely football to the human rights issues which are so important for many qatari people. they can't protest — they end up in prison and being tortured, so we have a duty to protest on their behalf. qatar must legislate... england have their first match on monday against iran, but these protesters at least

won't be watching. barry caffery, bbc news, london. i'm joined now by sam lansdale, who's a youth football coach and club secretary at sevenoaks town fc and is gay. what are your thoughts about the tournament being held in qatar and also homosexuality and sex outside marriage is banned in this conservative gulf state? well, i think it's incredibly _ conservative gulf state? well, i think it's incredibly worrying - conservative gulf state? well, i think it's incredibly worrying forj think it's incredibly worrying for members of the lgbt queue plus society, fundamentally it is not a safe environment for us to watch what is one of the keystone sporting events of the world. it doesn't shine a light on human rights in a way that should be upheld in

countries across the world. i make the oint countries across the world. i make the point about _ countries across the world. i make the point about it _ countries across the world. i make the point about it being _ countries across the world. i make the point about it being a - the point about it being a conservative muslim country, so it's notjust homosexuality conservative muslim country, so it's not just homosexuality which conservative muslim country, so it's notjust homosexuality which has had the spotlight put on it here, it is sex outside marriage. is there an argument that countries with such conservative views have to be treated with respect? the french football captain, for example, says people come to france, france expects people to abide by its laws and standards and culture, and that is what the french football team would be doing in qatar? i is what the french football team would be doing in qatar?- would be doing in qatar? i think there is a difference _ would be doing in qatar? i think there is a difference between i there is a difference between respect and also the benchmark of minimum human rights standards. yes, there should be a celebration of cultures across the world, but fundamentally if they don't meet minimum benchmarks of human rights, we cannot and should not take one of the biggest sporting events in the

world to that country. did the biggest sporting events in the world to that country.— the biggest sporting events in the world to that country. did you feel the same way _ world to that country. did you feel the same way about _ world to that country. did you feel the same way about the _ world to that country. did you feel the same way about the world - world to that country. did you feel| the same way about the world cup world to that country. did you feel. the same way about the world cup in russia, about the olympics in china? absolutely. i think this is definitely attracted more media attention and i can only be a good thing. as i said before, if over a period of time, i'm not naive enough to think that these changes will happen overnight, it's taken societies around the world a long time to come to something like gay rights, but if we are going to see progressive change that needs to be demonstrated by not holding our german like the world cup in those countries and i don't think we have seen changes in the last 12 or 14 years since the world cup was awarded to qatar. the years since the world cup was awarded to qatar.— years since the world cup was awarded to qatar. the fact that harry kane _ awarded to qatar. the fact that harry kane will— awarded to qatar. the fact that harry kane will be _ awarded to qatar. the fact that harry kane will be wearing - awarded to qatar. the fact that harry kane will be wearing a i awarded to qatar. the fact that. harry kane will be wearing a one love armband, other european captains will be doing that as well, how important is that to make

statements like that, and how important is it for fifa to accept that individual countries want to do this? the fifa president doesn't want anything political, he wants the focus to be on the game itself. his comments today were beyond remarkable. yes, it is important. for hundreds of thousands for young, gay, bisexual, transgender young people around the world, they need to see role models like that take a stance against these appalling human rights records. yes, absolutely it is important, but i think we can do more. ~ ., ., ., , is important, but i think we can do more. ., ., more. what do your youth teams say about whether _ more. what do your youth teams say about whether england _ more. what do your youth teams say about whether england should - more. what do your youth teams say about whether england should be - about whether england should be playing there? i about whether england should be playing there?— playing there? ithink, sadly, the football takes _ playing there? ithink, sadly, the football takes over _ playing there? ithink, sadly, the football takes over a _ playing there? ithink, sadly, the football takes over a young - playing there? i think, sadly, the | football takes over a young person does not mind and sometimes it is

difficult to portray these human rights issues, but it is important that that narrative is laid down in clubs across the country if we are going to progress this narrative towards positive change.- going to progress this narrative towards positive change. sam, thank ou ve towards positive change. sam, thank you very much _ towards positive change. sam, thank you very much indeed. _ the prime minister, rishi sunak, has said he wants to make britain's streets safer for women and girls, following a number of recent high profile cases. mr sunak said his eldest daughter reaching the age where she wanted to walk to school by herself "brings home" the dangers faced by women and girls. simon jones has more. the role of prime minister inevitably brings with it a high level of security. but on a personal level, it was when rishi sunak�*s 11—year—old daughter said she wanted to walk to school herself that he had to reflect on the issue of safety. he told journalists — in the past i've taken it for granted and many of us as men have, and the events of the last year showed us that so many women and girls actually, for a while, have not felt safe as they should. so tackling that in making it safer for people is something that is personally quite

important to me. there have been numerous walks, vigils and protests calling for change. she this one was in honour of zara aleena. she was attacked by a stranger as she was walking home in east london injune. police said she had every right to be there, every right to feel safe. jordan mcsweeney was caught on camera following her. yesterday, he pleaded guilty to murder. at the time of the attack, he only recently been released from prison and his licence had been revoked by the probation service. in a separate case, these women were killed in solihull in 2018. they didn't feel safe, they had asked the police for help. they were stabbed to death by her estranged husband. this is him following them on a night out. west midlands police have failed them beyond imagination. they had so many opportunities to save their lives right up until the end. both were murdered

while on the phone to the police begging for help. this is the moment he was finally arrested. yesterday, a jury at the inquest found earlier police errors materially contributed to their deaths. west midlands police have apologised. last year, the murder of sarah everard by a met police officer prompted grief protests and a national debate on women's safety. police say it's still rare for people to be abducted from the streets but have promised reform. rishi sunak said he is committed to putting more police officers on the streets and increasing the number of prison places. but labour has accused the government are taking an axe to the vital services that are supposed to protect us. simon jones, bbc news. rugby league star kevin sinfield has completed his gruelling endurance challenge of running seven ultra—marathons in seven days, raising money for those affected by motor neurone disease. he was inspired by his friend rob burrow, who suffers from mnd.

this was the moment he entered old trafford at half—time of the rugby league world cup final. a very special moment here at old trafford. heather small hasjust been singing search for the hero inside yourself. and as she finishes, that man there, kevin sinfield, who had so many special nights here at old trafford as a player, is now walking to the centre circle, having run an ultramarathon every day for the last week, so 40 miles a day, to raise money for motor neurone disease in the name of his great, great friend and leeds rhinos legend rob burrow, who is suffering from motor neurone disease. kevin sinfield, congratulations, you made it. yeah, thank you, sally. that team is incredible.

i think you all know why. rob burrow, doddie weir, stephen darby, ed slater, the full mnd community, the full rugby league community have got behind the mnd community, i can't thank you enough. kevin, you have done seven ultramarathons in seven days. you said you were just going for a run for a mate. what kept you going? that exact thought. it's all about friendship and the love for rob. cheering. i know that everybody feels the same way that i do about rob burrow. he's an absolute champion and the way the burrow family have

been so courageous and brave, we just wanted to be a great friend, and if we can all try and be a bit of a better friend from time to time, i think we'll have a better place to live in. an american woman who falsely claimed her blood testing company could transform the way diseases are diagnosed has beenjailed for more than 11 years. elizabeth holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors. herfirm, theranos, made her a billionaire with claims that it could identify medical conditions using just a few drops of blood. james clayton reports from san francisco. when elizabeth holmes arrived at court today, she hoped the sentence she'd receive would be lenient. instead, she was given 11 years. she broke down in court after sentencing. a spectacular fall from grace for the former billionaire. and we'd like to see a world in which every person gets access to this type of basic testing. elizabeth holmes had an idea that turned her into a billionaire,

that she could create a machine that she called the edison that could detect hundreds of diseases with just a few drops of blood. the pitch convinced some very important people. media tycoon rupert murdoch invested. henry kissinger was on the company's board. she was even on the front cover of forbes. she could do no wrong. but inside this building, the theranos lavish headquarters in silicon valley, there was a major problem. the tech simply didn't work as had been claimed. but the retail giant walgreens had a contract with theranos to diagnose patients. this is erika chung, a whistle—blower at theranos. we didn't let them know, hey, we reran your patient sample and we're not actually positive about what the diagnosis is. this is someone's health information. exactly. this isn't an app crashing. this isn't, you know, someone's food delivery coming late. that's just a different ball game. the company went from having an £8 billion valuation

to being worth nothing. eileen lepera lost a chunk of her life savings. i think that 11.25 years makes sense, and i think it's fair considering all the facts of the case. holmes had argued at trial that she'd always attempted to create a genuine product and that she'd never intended to commit fraud. in january, a jury disagreed. she had hoped to be given house arrest. elizabeth holmes has a young child and has another one on the way. a series of photos were given to court by her partner, showing the happy family life that would be destroyed if she were given a custodial sentence. thejudge, though, gave her no reprieve. the world works in certain ways until a new great idea comes along and changes everything. holmes has become a household name. documentaries, podcasts, even a hulu series have been made about her and the culture of faking it until you make it in silicon valley.

perhaps now executives will be more careful when hyping up their products. james clayton, bbc news, silicon valley. the anonymous british artist banksy has released video footage of his artwork in ukraine. the works feature people doing daily tasks against war—torn buildings in hostomel, horenka and borodyanka. the footage also shows a man's hand creating the art, but in true banksy style, his face is never shown. let us have a look.

now on bbc news, the weather with matt taylor. hello. river levels may have dropped a little bit for some of you through the day, but there are still flood warnings in place across the uk. all the latest details on the bbc weather website. the not great news is that we have some further rain to come tonight. it's pushing its way from west to east. some heavier bursts mixed in. it's not going to be the widespread persistent rain we have seen over recent days, but given that the ground is saturated, any rain is unwelcome in some parts at the moment. it will be across eastern areas to finish the night. clearer skies into the west. temperatures a little bit up and down for many overnight and roughly around six or seven degrees for most as we start sunday morning.

a wet start, though, for some across eastern scotland and eastern england. the rain persists in north—east aberdeenshire, caithness and into 0rkney through the day. a windy, but brighter day in shetland. things will brighten up in eastern scotland and eastern england through the day after that cloudy and damp start. some good long sunny spells. in the west, sunshine, then some showers. some of those showers heavy and thundery. winds a bit lighter, so those showers will be slow moving, and a cool day, all in all. that's how it's looking. see you again soon. this is bbc world news, the headlines... fifa's president hits back at western critics of qatar's human rights record, accusing them of hypocrisy. talks at the un's climate summit in egypt hang in the balance as countries are given an extra day to reach a deal. and rishi sunak meets ukrainian president zelensky in kyiv for the first as prime minister, and pledges to continue the uk's support.

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