live from london — this is bbc news... the far—right french politician, jean—marie le pen, has died at the age of 96. a powerful earthquake hits china's tibet region, near mount everest — state media says 95 people are dead and hundreds more injured. at least five people have died in a winter storm across the us — with seven states declaring an emergency. flood warnings are in force in more than a hundred parts of the uk — with a danger to life warning near one river in leicestershire. the head of the uk's inquiry into sex abuse gangs says there's no need for a new national investigation — because action should be taken now. mcdonald's staff say they are still facing sexual abuse and harrassment — despite the company promising to clean up behaviour

at its uk operations. hello, i'm anita mcveigh. welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. the veteran french far—right politician, jean—marie le pen, has died in france. he was 96. he was the founder of the national front, and in 2002 reached the run—off in the french presidential election. but controversial comments about the nazi atrocities of the second world war left him estranged from his daughter, marine — who took over his party and put his career on the sidelines. andrew harding looks back at his life. he was for years the most divisive figure in all of france. jean—marie le pen — his surname like a bullet ricocheting

through french politics. le pen was born in rural obscurity. he studied law, then became a soldier — fighting in the wars that hastened the end of france's colonial empire. in the 19705, he founded the extreme right national front. le pen could be thuggish, a brawler, quick to scrap with critics who saw him as a dangerous populist and racist. but it was his views about the past that provoked the most outrage. he defended france's wartime collaboration with the nazis, and he described the gas chambers and genocide of six millionjews as... a detail of history. even le pen�*s aides winced at that. i consider that it was a mistake, but it's absolutely ridiculous to reduce the work of such a statesman to this word.

in the 1980s, le pen began inching closer to serious political power. it's a great victory for the french right. elected to the european parliament despite his opposition to european integration. and finally, in 2002, he shocked france by getting through to a second round run—off for the presidency itself. it was the peak of his career. hey, i'm ready to win. instead, le pen lost heavily. many french uniting against him in disgust. soon he would be eclipsed by his own daughter, marine le pen. she took over the national front, sought to soften its image, and ended up expelling her own father from the party. history may well nudge jean—marie le pen to the sidelines — too extreme, too much the maverick

for french tastes — but his name lives on, as do many of his beliefs, modified by his daughter. the le pens still challenging and reshaping french politics. andrew harding, bbc news, paris. let's speak to emmanuel dupuy — a french political commentator and president of the institute for european perspective and security studies. just as we come to you we are seeing a brief statement from the french presidency, saying history willjudgejean—marie history will judge jean—marie le pen's history willjudgejean—marie le pen's role in france. what do you make of that particular statement? i do you make of that particular statement?— statement? i think of because it is correct. _ statement? i think of because it is correct. a _ statement? i think of because it is correct. a number- statement? i think of because it is correct. a number of- it is correct. a number of processes has been engaged

against a certain number of issues that you mention in your report, is at a number of scandalous positions concerning the french past and the french history, namely, his wording concerning anti—semitic positions, racist positions, or calling the gas chamber is a detail of the history of the last century. justice has already been done for that. i must say, he has also been politically condemned since he has been booted by his own daughter in 2015, sophie was no longer part of the political spectrum. the issue is his name, his legacy. will there be the possibility of his daughter, marine le pen, or maybe his granddaughter to come and be part of the run out, as

it was the case with 80% of the votes in 2002. we it was the case with 80% of the votes in 2002.— it was the case with 80% of the votes in 2002. we have seen in recent years — votes in 2002. we have seen in recent years a _ votes in 2002. we have seen in recent years a rise _ votes in 2002. we have seen in recent years a rise in _ votes in 2002. we have seen in recent years a rise in the - recent years a rise in the profile and electoral gains of the far right across europe. to what extent did jean—marie le pen lay the ground work for that? i think the actual populace in power... fir that? i think the actual populace in power... or victor or holbein _ populace in power... or victor or holbein in _ populace in power... or victor or holbein in hungary. - populace in power... or victor or holbein in hungary. they i populace in power... or victor. or holbein in hungary. they are less extremist in the wording, at least, thanjean—marie le at least, than jean—marie le pen. jean—marie at least, thanjean—marie le pen. jean—marie le pen was sort of a veteran of the very stubborn, racist, anti—immigration, anti—semite positions. which is not the case now with parties shaping the way in europe. i think

marine le pen is an example of the... he is a result of the stage of the french political scene today. he was kicked out of his own party for having a position which was too extremist for most of the believers still in the national front. today, it is more leaning towards neoliberalism, whichjean—marie le pen always thought during his political career, when he appears directly in chapter... thank ou directly in chapter... thank you very — directly in chapter... thank you very much _ directly in chapter... thank you very much for - directly in chapter. .. thank you very much for your- directly in chapter... thank| you very much for your time today. here in the uk, a number of major incidents has been

declared as the country deals with severe weather. ranging from ice and snow in the north of england, wales, and scotland, to flooding in the midlands. more than 120 flood warnings are in place across england — that means flooding is expected — and there's one severe flood warning, affecting caravan parks near barrow upon soar — which means there's potential danger to life. let's return now to leicestershire where we can speak to our correspondent, kasia madera. places like this in leicestershire, a picturesque village. they have seen this all before. this is the high street. we have been watching the water receded over the past few hours, but as you can see it is still very much there. people are frustrated because this is the second time in as many years that their main high street has been flooded like this. the local pub once again under water, we believe there

are sellers could be possibly flooded as well. the local mp joins us live. it comes under yourjurisdiction. 0bviously yourjurisdiction. obviously there is a lot of concern and angen there is a lot of concern and men �* , . , there is a lot of concern and men 2 . , ., ., , anger. there's a my heart goes out to all— anger. there's a my heart goes out to all those _ anger. there's a my heart goes out to all those affected. - anger. there's a my heart goes out to all those affected. this | out to all those affected. this is one — out to all those affected. this is one of— out to all those affected. this is one of the many things we have — is one of the many things we have two— is one of the many things we have two things in this country. flood resilience management is a little bit better_ management is a little bit better here. i will be asking the minister to bring some of that— the minister to bring some of that £24 _ the minister to bring some of that {2.4 million hero. the minister to bring some of that £21» million hero.- the minister to bring some of that £21» million hero. here in leicestershire _ that £21» million hero. here in leicestershire you _ that £21» million hero. here in leicestershire you have - that £21» million hero. here in leicestershire you have the - that £21» million hero. here in | leicestershire you have the one severe warning, which means there is a danger to life. that is just a few moments up the road from here. isjust a few moments up the road from here.— isjust a few moments up the road from here. that is also in my constituency. _ road from here. that is also in my constituency. anyone - road from here. that is also in i my constituency. anyone around the area — my constituency. anyone around the area watching today, please follow _ the area watching today, please follow the advice and call 999 if there — follow the advice and call 999 if there is an immediate risk to harm _ if there is an immediate risk to harm i_ if there is an immediate risk to harm. i would like to thank all the — to harm. i would like to thank all the emergency services and

local_ all the emergency services and local authorities for all the work— local authorities for all the work we _ local authorities for all the work we have been doing. east midlands and _ work we have been doing. east midlands and linn _ work we have been doing. east midlands and linn service have in common is a critical situation.— in common is a critical situation. ~ , , , in common is a critical situation. ~ , , ., situation. absolutely it is a critical situation. _ situation. absolutely it is a critical situation. there - situation. absolutely it is a critical situation. there is i situation. absolutely it is a| critical situation. there is a huge — critical situation. there is a huge amount of work to be done. i would _ huge amount of work to be done. i would just— huge amount of work to be done. i would just stress again, do call it— i would just stress again, do call it 999 if you need help. that — call it 999 if you need help. that is_ call it 999 if you need help. that is frustration speaking to residency at that new—build premises have been built on floodplains. is that something that could potentially be causing this? i that could potentially be causing this?— that could potentially be causing this? that could potentially be causina this? ., causing this? i went into the secifics causing this? i went into the specifics because _ causing this? i went into the specifics because i'm - causing this? i went into the specifics because i'm not. specifics because i'm not exactly— specifics because i'm not exactly sure what the causes are coming in the sense that there — are coming in the sense that there are _ are coming in the sense that there are a lot of different mechanisms here. we'll review what _ mechanisms here. we'll review what needs to be done. for example. _ what needs to be done. for example, is at the reservoir run-off— example, is at the reservoir run-off on _ example, is at the reservoir run—off on the other side, is it about _ run—off on the other side, is it about drainage? 0n the other side, _ it about drainage? 0n the other side, climate we will have more severe — side, climate we will have more severe and _ side, climate we will have more severe and heavy downpours to come — severe and heavy downpours to come we — severe and heavy downpours to come. we absolutely need to address— come. we absolutely need to address this and be prepared for it— address this and be prepared for it in— address this and be prepared for it in the years to come.

people _ for it in the years to come. people who are once again cleaning up their homes from the flood water. when jordan is, all of those things want to get on their minds. what you say? get on their minds. what you sa ? ., , , . ., , say? for my residence, that is the flood _ say? for my residence, that is the flood schemes _ say? for my residence, that is the flood schemes to - say? for my residence, that is the flood schemes to help - say? for my residence, that is i the flood schemes to help those residents. if you do need to make — residents. if you do need to make applications, do contact my office _ make applications, do contact my office-— make applications, do contact m office. ., , . my office. thank you very much for speaking — my office. thank you very much for speaking to _ my office. thank you very much for speaking to us. _ my office. thank you very much for speaking to us. i _ my office. thank you very much for speaking to us. i know- my office. thank you very much for speaking to us. i know it - for speaking to us. i know it is a difficulty for your constituents. no frustration here is that this has been happening and once again we are seeing places like this underneath the water. the waters are receding, but you can understand that there is a lot of anger. there are of course severe weather warnings. just keep checking the website in order to make sure that you know what services are or are not running.

and a reminder we have the very latest on the floods on our online live page, with our correspondents across the worst—hit areas. you'll find that on the bbc news website and app. news from china, more than 126 people have died and 188 are injured after a major earthquake struck tibet. it was six miles deep with a magnitude of 7.1, and hit the city of shigatse — which is considered holy by buddhists — at around 9:00 in the morning local time. tremors were also felt in neighbouring nepal and parts of india. laura bicker has the latest. fear has rattled through

the foothills of everest. the injured are still in shock, crouched in the rubble. they can barely call for help, and they cradle and cling to those who have been saved. their remote mountain homes are no longer shelters. their small brick houses crumbled in the strong and shallow quake. china's response has been swift. more than 1000 rescuers were sent to the region. the first few hours are critical to save lives, and brick by brick they searched for survivors, going from building to shattered building, looking for signs of life. the chinese air force launched an unmanned drone across the himalayan plateau, the quickest way to discover the worst—hit areas. but the challenge for rescuers is clear. this valley is a000m high and temperatures

are well below freezing. roads have also been split by the shifting ground. foreign reporters cannot enter tibet without government permission. we are told the army have been dispatched to help and instructions have come from president xi. we will do our best to investigate and search for trapped people. we will help save the injured and wounded and assist those who need help to rebuild their lives. hundreds of people now need shelter in villages scattered across the roof of the world. as temperatures dip to —18 celsius, they can huddle in tents for now, as the search for the missing goes on. laura bicker, bbc news, beijing. dr roger musson from the british geological survey gave us some background to the geology behind this event.

well, that's a major earthquake, but it's certainly not the biggest that you could get. this is a very much an active seismic zone, and it's caused because of the way that the indian sub—plate is actually moving north, and it is colliding with the eurasian plate. so, you have this continent to continent collision, which is what has thrown up the himalayas. that's why we have those mountains in the first place. and the actual collision is controlled by several very major east—west faults. but the interesting thing about this earthquake is that it wasn't on any of them. this is actually on a north—south trending fault that is entirely within the eurasian plate. this is because the indian plate doesn't collide evenly

all the way along, and so you get some parts will be colliding faster than others, and that sets up these tensions in the overlying plate which produces these earthquakes along the north—south fault. and how long might the aftershocks go on for? probably it's difficult to say, but i would expect them to go on for a week or so. and we probably have not had the largest aftershock yet. usually, the largest aftershock will be about one magnitude less than the main shock. so, since we had the 7.1, then we could expect a magnitude 6 aftershock. that's the sort of usual rule of thumb, but it doesn't always apply. and in a region prone to earthquakes, doctor musson, is it difficult to get advance warning? in other words, you know, if there's quite a lot of movement off those plates anyway, is it tricky to work out which of those movements might evolve into a sizeable earthquake? well, you can't say when.

you can only say that it will happen sometime. so it's not helpful to try and predict when an earthquake is going to happen, because it won't succeed. what needs to be done is an awareness of the the hazard from earthquakes. and if you know that this is a major earthquake zone and the sort of earthquakes that occur there, then you can try and build buildings that are strong enough to resist the shaking. just to recap that news coming to us from the official news agency in china, reporting that the death toll as a result of that earthquake has risen to 126 come up with 188 injured. sadly, of course, those figures are expected to rise. 28 of those injured are reported to be particularly hurt, and they

have been transferred to hospital for treatment. the number of homes that has collapsed is 3609, according to the latest from the official news agency in china. investigators in south korea have secured another arrest warrant for the suspended, president yoon suk yeol. an attempt to arrest him on friday failed, after investigators were blocked by the president's security team. mr yoon — who is currently barricaded inside his house — is being investigated for insurrection, after he declared martial law last month. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

at least five people have died in a winter storm that has seized parts of the us in its icy grip — leading to mass school closures, travel chaos and power cuts.

seven us states — maryland, virginia, west virginia, kansas, missouri, kentucky and arkansas arkansas — have all declared emergencies. more than 2300 flights have been cancelled, with nearly 9000 delays also reported owing to the extreme weather. it's caused by the polar vortex of icy cold air that usually circles the north pole, but is reaching further south. thousands of people were left without power early on tuesday across states in the storm's path. the sun is coming up, the brittle code has set in. we don't often get snow like this here in washington, dc. it is beautiful watching it on the television screen.

schools have been closed again. many federal buildings and museums are shut down again. but the code is going all the way down to the deep south. even after the storm has passed, another system is developing out of texas which will track across many of the same areas tomorrow, thursday, and into friday, and like we have a similar impact in dumping more snow and ice towards the weekend. we have had some very mild winters for the past couple of years, but obviously mother nature has different ideas for 2025. much of the country is doing with some brittle code that will not go away any time soon. the woman who led a seven—year inquiry into child sexual abuse has said victims "want action" — not a new national inquiry into grooming gangs. professor alexis jay was speaking as the conservatives and reform uk call for the issue to be re—investigated.

she says recommendations she made still need to be acted on. yesterday, the prime minister defended his record on dealing with child sexual exploitation. 0ur political correspondent, damian grammaticas, reports. rotherham — one of many towns where hundreds of girls were raped and abused by gangs, mostly men of south asian heritage. a decade ago, a report detailed failings by the police and child protection agencies there. its author says politicians now seizing on the issue are ignoring the victims. certainly we've been very unhappy about the politicisation of child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse, and the way that many people, sometimes in a very uninformed way, have waded into the argument. professorjay went on to chair a seven—year inquiry which delivered its findings two years ago. she said another national inquiry would be another delay.

i think the time has passed for more inquiries. we have had enough inquiries, consultations and discussions, especially for those victims and survivors who have had the courage to come forward, and there are many of them, not simply in child sexual exploitation, and they clearly want action. and we have set out what action is required, and people should just get on with it, locally and nationally. her independent inquiry into abuse recommended, in 2022, it be mandatory for child abuse to be reported to authorities, and it be a criminal offence if those in a position of trust didn't report abuse. there were more points, too, including the need for more data. yesterday the government promised it would criminalise failing to report abuse this year — something the conservatives did not commit to in office. this inquiry took seven years, it cost £100 million, over 7000 victims and survivors gave their brave testament to that inquiry, and it is on the government now to listen

to them and work at pace to look through these recommendations and deliver them. thousands of girls suffered abuse in towns across the country over many years. the opposition parties say the scale of it is why a new national inquiry is needed. shadowjustice secretary robert jenrick was asked why he is urging for action now, when he didn't do so in office. when you put in the name robert jenrick, grooming, no mention. i wrote about this last year... no mention. rochdale, no mention. there is no mention, mrjenrick. child rape, no mention. you have not raised, and please correct me if my search is wrong, the issues that you are so energised about. you have no evidence you raised it as a ministerand no evidence you raised it in the house of commons. i wrote about this last

year, and was criticised by the media for doing so. sir keir starmer too has said a new inquiry is not needed, but the question is whether the controversy being stirred by opposition parties and online might force him to concede. damian grammaticas, bbc news, westminster. president—elect trump's son, donald trump gender, has arrived in greenland. while it is being billed as a private visit, comes after his father b is a true to his interest in the united states gaining control of the autonomous danish territory in the arctic. donald jr is not due to meet any officials in greenland. his father says it is a matter of time before greenland joined the united states. greenland's prime minister says that greenland is for greenlanders, as she advocates for independence from denmark. the foreign minister has also said that greenland is not for sale. some of washington dc�*s

residents have had a fun day pointing in the snow. the two giant pandas arrived last year from china and seem to be having a whale of a time in the snow. hello there. there are still lots of flood warnings in england, but the numbers are dropping and that's because many places today are dry with some sunshine as well, although it's still cold out there. typical temperatures this afternoon are 3—6, similar to what we had yesterday. perhaps not quite as windy as yesterday, the strongest winds are in the northeast of scotland, but we've still got some blustery west northwesterly winds near those showers, and those will continue to blow in more snow showers across this part of scotland and northern ireland through tonight and into tomorrow morning. a few centimetres widely, more than that over the hills in northern scotland. could be some further snow falling in the showers across north—west england, wales, the north—west midlands. those will die out, but some

icy conditions are likely to be left behind. 0therwise, we're going to have some clear skies developing overnight, and with the winds falling light, it's going to be a cold one. a widespread, sharp frost. temperatures are likely to be lower than they were last night in many places. heading into tomorrow, there could be some early mist and fog patches across northern ireland, parts of north—west england and the north—west midlands. otherwise, for many northern parts of the uk it will be sunny. one or two wintry showers for northern ireland. further snow showers across northernmost parts of scotland. temperatures will struggle after that colder night, typically 2 or 3 degrees. for much of wales, the midlands and southern england, it's going to be clouding over. we've got the chance of some rain, even a bit of sleet and snow, coming into the far south of england for a while. then we're going to find an area of low pressure, and that weather front bringing weather through the channel, weather through the channel, moving away, moving away, and then we're going to be left and then we're going to be left across northern, still with the winds still with the winds coming in from the north, coming in from the north, keeping us in this cold air. keeping us in this cold air. so, another widespread so, another widespread

quite severe frost quite severe frost overnight into thursday. overnight into thursday. a few more snow showers perhaps eastern scotland. one or two wintry showers around some irish sea coasts. many places, though, will be dry and sunny. a sunnier day for southern parts of england and wales on thursday, but another cold one. and with no wind and clear skies overnight, thursday night could get very cold, perhaps as low as —15 to —20 in the far north of england and inland parts of scotland. so, the rest of the week is staying cold, particularly cold at night. we've got the risk of some further snow and ice. but over the weekend it becomes less cold but with more cloud.

live from new york at the opening bell, this is business today. investors await us economic data due in the next hour which could set the scene for all important numbers on friday. also on the radar, but scrap over metal. nippon still comes out fighting as it tries to salvage its takeover of us steel. terminal up north, could political upheaval in canada reshaped relations with one of america's biggest trading partners? also coming up, tech tensions flare with china as

the us accuses tencent and