says that "questions need to be answered" over the case of 10—year—old sara sharif murdered by herfather and stepmother. these are the live pictures from berlin, where eu foreign ministers are meeting later to discuss the war in ukraine, and the fall of the assad regime in syria. australia is planning to force big social media companies to pay local publishers for news content carried on their platforms. the uk government says it will make change to the planning system, that could force councils in england to build on green belt land. hello, i'm annita mcveigh. let's get more on one of those headline stories now. eu foreign ministers are meeting in berlin. on the agenda — the war in ukraine and the fall of the assad regime in syria. our correspondent damien mcguinnessjoins us now from berlin.

hello to you. events in syria, those quickly unfolding events in syria, adding a new dimension to these discussions, what sort of impact will that have? . ~ , , have? yeah, i think it is being seen as an — have? yeah, i think it is being seen as an urgent _ have? yeah, i think it is being seen as an urgent matter, - seen as an urgent matter, obviously, because it has a big impact on europe. i think what we have seen over the last few daysis we have seen over the last few days is a flurry of action between european leaders and also between european leaders and the middle east, so what happened on monday german chancellor olaf scholz talked to french president manual micron, both released a statement saying they thought the fall of assad was good news but they were cautious because they want to see who is the new ruler —— emmanuel macron. they have offered to talk to the new administering in syria and i think that is the general outline we have seen coming out today from european governments, that there is a willingness to talk to hecs and

to the new rulers of syria but on the condition that human rights are respected, that minority rights are respected and particular women's rights are respected because there is lots of concerns about what potentially an islamist government could mean for syria and then for relations between europe and syria. but since when did 12, germany has had no relations at all so this is all new territory, there is no embassy, german or european, in syria right now so right now embassies and foreign ministries across europe are sending fact—finding missions to syria, partly to decide what to syria, partly to decide what to do but mainly to find out first of all what the situation is like on the ground because there is a lot of uncertainty going on right now. find there is a lot of uncertainty going on right now. and the ukrainian — going on right now. and the ukrainian foreign _ going on right now. and the ukrainian foreign minister. going on right now. and the i ukrainian foreign minister will also be attending that meeting. do you have any more specifics on what has been discussed in terms of support for ukraine, especially in the context of the president elect of the us donald trump and it being

unclear exactly what the support will be like from the us in the future?— support will be like from the us in the future? yeah, i think that is it- _ us in the future? yeah, i think that is it- i _ us in the future? yeah, i think that is it. | think _ us in the future? yeah, i think that is it. i think really - us in the future? yeah, i think that is it. i think really the - that is it. i think really the big question looming over european foreign policy right now when it comes to ukraine is not so much european support but what american support is going to look like next year with a neutron presidency. he has indicated quite clearly that he could be prepared to wind back his support, saying europeans need to do more. of course europe has already spent a lot of money militarily but also humanitarian support for ukraine and european societies are quite divided on how much more they can afford. so it is a big political issue. we have key elections in a number of european states next year including here in germany in february and ukraine is already featuring as an electoral issue, particularly when you look at supporters and parties within the far right and the

radical left. it is one of those topics that divides the centre with the extremes, if you like, and i think it does add to the worries of politicians because european leaders are quite firm about their support for ukraine but when it comes down to money with european economies are slowing down, it is a controversial issue here and i think the other question is of course if there is a piece in ukraine, a ceasefire or a longer term peace settlement, what has also been discussed in the last few days is whether european troops would be sent to ukraine in a peacekeeping capacity, that is also incredibly controversial particularly here in germany and it has already sparked a debate here in germany about whether they would be willing to do that because the big question for ukraine is how do you guarantee that putin wouldn't invade again after a potential peace settlement in the future? those particularly big questions right now, not an easy discussion but those two issues, syria and ukraine, vitalfor issues, syria and ukraine, vital for european security and thatis vital for european security and that is why european foreign

ministers are meeting today in berlin. ., ~ , ., , berlin. damien, thank you very much, damien _ berlin. damien, thank you very much, damien mcguinness. i a report has revealed that a85 children in england died or were seriously injured as a result of suspected abuse or neglect in the year to the end of march. in the previous twelve months, the number stood at 538. the findings by the child safeguarding practice review panel have been released a day after the authorities were accused of failing to prevent the murder of ten—year—old sara sharif at herfamily home in woking in surrey. prime minister sir keir starmer said, "there are going to be questions that need to be answered", after sara's father, urfan, and stepmother, beinash batool, were found guilty of her murder. a warning, you might find some of the details in helena wilkinson's report upsetting. singing sara sharif, in her happy place, singing and playing the guitar. she was kind and caring, confident and chatty. but in august last year,

she was murdered after months of brutal violence. after a trial at the old bailey, herfather, urfan sharif, and her stepmother, beinash batool, were found guilty of her murder. after sara died, they abandoned her body at the family's surrey home and fled to pakistan. it was from there where sara's father called the police. your daughter has died? i killed my daughter. it was that call which led police to the family home, where, upstairs, in a bunk bed, covered in a blanket, they found sara's body. her father had left this note. it said, "it's me, urfan sharif, who killed my daughter by beating." after a month on the run in pakistan, sara's father, stepmother and her uncle, faisal malik, returned to the uk and were arrested.

they all gave no—comment interviews to police. who did that to sara? no comment. do you love sara? no comment. did you care about her at all? no comment. a postmortem examination revealed that sara had around 100 injuries, including broken bones, bruising, burns and bite marks. during searches, police found this cricket bat with sara's blood on it, and this white metal pole, which sara's father hit her with as she lay dying. during the trial, urfan sharif dramatically changed his evidence in the witness box. he ended up admitting to beating his daughter repeatedly and with force over a number of weeks. the murder of a child is absolutely shocking, but the horrific nature of the abuse sara suffered during her short life has made this case particularly disturbing.

today, justice for sara has been served. sara's mother, olga sharif, paid tribute to her daughter, saying that sara's smile could brighten up the darkest room. helena wilkinson, bbc news. prime minister sir keir starmer was asked about the case — let's here what he had to say. this is just the most awful case. it's very hard to see and to read about for many people who will be viewing this. just shocking. so that's where i start on this. obviously there will be questions that need to be answered in relation to this case. i don't think that we should allow ourselves to think that whatever the rules on smacking has got anything to do with this case. this is about violence, it's abuse, it's making sure there are safeguards in place for children, particularly those who are being home—schooled. so that's where my priorities are. my response, first and foremost is just a human it is news that

many viewers will find very very hard to hear. australia says it'll force big tech companies such as facebook and google to pay for news content produced by local publishers which they carry on their sites. under new rules they'll either have to pay a new tax or give money directly to media organisations. media companies around the world say they often struggle to make money because their content appears on other platforms for free. let's speak tojonathan hair, a journalist with abc news in sydney. jonathan, good to see you, thanks forjoining us on the programme. there were pre—existing rules but they placed more of an onus on the social media companies, didn't they, to actually pay other outlets for their content? yeah, that's right. the federal government is calling this a news bargaining incentive and

what it essentially requires is that social media and search companies that make more than $250 million in revenue here in australia will be hit with a huge levy, unless they make deals with media companies here in australia to pay for content. if they do that, the fee they pay will be reduced and with enough of those deals being made, that fee will be reduced down to zero. essentially, the government is trying to put social media giants in a position where they are being given a choice to either pay this money to the government or pay this money to media organisations here in australia. the government saying it will be cheaper for the companies to go with the latter. this move has been to break somewhat of a stalemate here in australia that has been going on for most of this year where meta announced, owners of facebook and instagram, it

wouldn't be renewing funding deals it made back in 2021 with various news organisations throughout australia. the company saying that news just wasn't enough of a priority for its users. it also said that if the government did try to force it to pay for news content on its platforms, then it would remove news altogether from platforms like facebook and instagram. in fact, platforms like facebook and instagram. infact, in platforms like facebook and instagram. in fact, in 2021 when these original deals were being negotiated, meta in some ways kind of flexed its muscles on this issue by briefly removing news from its websites for a time before coming back to the negotiating table and it also has form on this. for example, in canada, where the government was trying to implement a similar policy and because of those tests by the government, facebook and instagram removed news from its platforms altogether for more than one year now.—

platforms altogether for more than one year now. going to be really interesting _ than one year now. going to be really interesting to _ than one year now. going to be really interesting to see - than one year now. going to be really interesting to see how. really interesting to see how that plays out, jonathan. finally and briefly if you would come australia seems to be positioning itself as a government that is really willing to take on the big tech companies, i'm thinking of because of the recent story where it is introducing this ban on social media use for under 16 is?— ban on social media use for under 16 is? under16 is? that's right. the federal government - under16 is? that's right. the federal government and - under16 is? that's right. the federal government and it. federal government and it should be said in the lead up to the next federal election which is expected in the next year, has been quite bullish on these matters, especially to do with the social media giants. you mentioned the the ban on under 16 is using social media which hasjust come into law, will come into effect in the next year which could see social media giants charge millions of dollars if they are allowing people under the age of 16 to be on those platforms, not putting the onus on parents or individuals but on the platforms on a wider level to be enforcing these laws and now

this latest set of taxes, really, that would hit them with large amounts of money if they don't go to media organisations to pay for the content that exists on their platforms. content that exists on their platforms-— content that exists on their latforms. , ., ., ., ., ~ �* platforms. jonathan from abc news in sydney, _ platforms. jonathan from abc news in sydney, thank - platforms. jonathan from abc news in sydney, thank you . platforms. jonathan from abc i news in sydney, thank you very much. turning to the us now and authorities have revealed further evidence linking suspect luigi mangione to the shooting of united health care ceo brian thompson. new york police commissioner said on wednesday that shell casings found at the scene match the gun seized during mangione's arrest. for more on this we can speak now to cbs correspondent jarred hill in new york. hello to you, mr mangione's lawyer has been speaking more about the case saying he hasn't seen any evidence linking his client to the scene, contrary to what investigators are saying, tell us a little bit more about the back and forth between the two sides? that's riaht between the two sides? that's ri . ht and between the two sides? that's right and there _ between the two sides? that's right and there is _ between the two sides? that's right and there is obviously - between the two sides? that's right and there is obviously a l right and there is obviously a question about whether these are very specific and precise

legal words that he is using that he go through the legal process here in the states for the murder charges there but these are some of the latest pieces of evidence we are seeing from investigators as they try and piece together a stronger and stronger case against him.— stronger and stronger case against him. there is a huge motor fascination _ against him. there is a huge motor fascination with - against him. there is a huge motor fascination with this l motor fascination with this case, jarred, there has been right from the outset. we are even seeing people on social media fundraising for legal costs, why do you think we are seeing this kind of 1532