marc ashdown, bbc news, essex.from across the middle east including israeli campaigners say attitudes towards asian people with disabilities hoping to get married, need to change, the lab is designed to encourage collaboration between the nations. this machine acts as an equally powerful microscope. there are some 60 of these around the world and they are used for studying everything from pharmaceuticals to plants, to ancient remains. this is the first to be built in the middle east. what is the big deal, you might think? some of the countries involved in this project arejordan, egypt, turkey, cyprus, iran, and amazingly israel as well. one of the people who has been steering this project to fruition is chris llewellyn smith, a british physicist. how amazed are you given the sort of countries involved? given how hostile they can be to each other, they're here you are today and the thing is starting to work? the scientists involved in sesame overlook the politics, they work together as scientists producing a facilit

here's our education correspondent marc ashdown.e worried the importance placed on how children perform and isolated tests leads to a multitude of problems. results are used to judge schools in performance tables annually, which is set to create a high—stakes environment damaging to stu d e nts high—stakes environment damaging to students and teachers. these year 6 stu d e nts students and teachers. these year 6 students are gearing up their test. it isa students are gearing up their test. it is a good school in a challenging area of london. the reality is children at the age of ten or ii are going to do and how are's test, which will evaluate their reading forfour which will evaluate their reading for four years. which will evaluate their reading forfour years. it is high—stakes. —— hour's. it is high stakes for our school, too, because it is how it is rated. a rolling three-year average has been proposed. well, also this morning, the organisation representing nhs groups has called on political parties to commit to linking health s

marc ashdown reports. this is ground—penetrating radar.is year that there was suspicious activity here in 2001, around the time danielle vanished. questions have been raised as to why these garages weren't searched as part of the original investigation back in 2001. this was one of hundreds of leads and tip—offs detectives received. at the time, it was one of the most expensive police operations ever mounted. danielle jones disappeared on her way to school. her uncle, stuart campbell, was found guilty of abducting and murdering her. he was sentenced to life in prison, but has never given any clue as to what happened to her. i'd implore stuart campbell, or anybody else that knows anything around danielle jones's disappearance, her murder, and where her body is, to come forward and speak to us. her parents and the rest of the family have suffered unimaginably over the last 16 years. they deserve to know where their daughter is and be reunited with her. over the years, this investigation has generated 8000 lines of inquiry, with 1000 separate

here's our education correspondent marc ashdown.sted, but mps are worried the importance placed nowadays on how pupils perform in isolated tests leads to a multitude of problems. results are used to judge schools in annual performance tables, which this education select committee report says create a high—stakes environment, damaging to both pupils and teachers. these year 6 students are gearing up for their tests. it is a good school in a challenging area of london. the reality is, children at the age of ten or 11 are going to do an hour's test, which will rate their learning and reading for four years. it's a very high—stakes hour. for us, as a school, the results of that are also very high stakes for our school, too, because it is how it is rated. the report recommends scrapping the annual publication of tests in favour of a rolling three—year average. teaching unions say this just reinforces what school leaders have been saying for years. one union described the current system as toxic. we've been clear for a long time that the

here's our education correspondent, marc ashdown.o garton, a former head teacher of bridlewood primary school in swindon. she resigned last year in part over new assessment methods for 11—year—olds. she was also chair of the swindon primary heads group, which represents nearly 80 schools in the area. thank you forjoining us. tell us more about what your concerns were to the extent that you resigned. more about what your concerns were to the extent that you resignedlj felt to the extent that you resigned.” felt the testing was detrimental to the children's progress. it was not assessing them in educational terms. it had become training, especially with the 11—year—olds. especially the grammarand with the 11—year—olds. especially the grammar and spelling which had a disproportionate weighting compare to what it used to have. as a head teacher, is it not in your controller to decide how a school treats the tests and how the pupils are guided as they headed towards them? to an extent it is, but last year it was a mess of chaos and confus

here's our education correspondent marc ashdown. but mps are worried the importance placed on how children perform and isolated tests leads to a multitude of problems. results are used to judge schools in annual performance tables, which the education select committee has said can create a high—stakes environment, damaging to students and teachers. these year 6 students are gearing up for their test. it is a good school in a challenging area of london. the reality is children at the age of ten or 11 are going to do an hour's test, which will evaluate their reading for four years. it is high—stakes. it is high stakes for our school, too, because it is how it is rated. the report recommends the scrapping annual tests. as an alternative, a rolling three—year average has been proposed. ofsted said it looks for a broad curriculum. the department for education has said it will consider the proposals. they are used for 5 million journeys a year but bus services outside of london are in crisis according to campaigners. councils across engla

here‘s our education correspondent marc ashdown.ems. results are used to judge schools in annual performance tables, which this education select committee report says create a high—stakes environment — damaging to both pupils and teachers. these year 6 students are gearing up for their tests. it‘s a good school in a challenging area of london. the reality is children at the age of ten or 11 are going to do an hour‘s test, which will rate their learning and reading for four years. it‘s a very high—stakes hour. for us, as a school, the results of that are also very high stakes, in that that‘s how our school is rated. the report recommends scrapping the annual publication of tests, in favour of a rolling three—year average. 0fsted too is also urged to take the focus off sats and look for a broad and balanced curriculum in its inspections, to prevent so—called "teaching to test". 0fsted said it already looks for a broad curriculum. the department for education said it will consider the report and respond in due course. a sculptor previo

marc ashdown, bbc news. tornados hit the us state of texas over the weekend. more than 50 people in hospital according to local authorities. the american midwest has been struck by an intensive weather system that has caused damage across several states, including neighbouring missouri and oklahoma, which are now in a state of emergency. a chance discovery by a preschool child has saved a family of owls. three large eggs were found in a bucket in a forest school near winchester. at first, quite rightly, they were not sure what it was, until they saw that flying from the outdoor loo. they set up a camera and caught the father owl feeding them while the mother hatched the eggs. they have been named twit and twoo i see what they did there. so gorgeous. testing your knowledge, what birds were they?” gorgeous. testing your knowledge, what birds were they? i have no idea. me either. someone out there can tell us. don't worry about it. get in touch in all of the usual ways. kat, do you know what kind of outlet was?