Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20171015

Be closed tomorrow. And click goes inside the Fukushima Nuclear power plant where robots are helping to clean up after the disaster. Thats in half an hour, here on bbc news. Good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. The british actress Lysette Anthony has come forward to say she is the woman who reported a Sexual Assault by hollywood Film Producer Harvey Weinstein to merseyside police. The actress, who stars in hollyoaks, says she was raped by weinstein at her flat in the late 1980s. He continues to deny any allegations of non consensual sex. Alexandra mackenzie reports. The allegations against Harvey Weinstein have shaken the Film Industry to its core, and notjust in hollywood. The british actress Lysette Anthony met the producer in 1982 when she was given the lead role in the film krull. Now in hollyoaks, she is the fifth woman to claim she was raped by him, in her london home. In a sunday newspaper, she said she tried to push him off but he was too heavy. She said this historical allegation against Harvey Weinstein is being investigated by the metropolitan police. He has denied all claims of non consensual sex. It comes after another british actress, alice evans, said he made sinister advances towards her in 2002, claiming he wanted to touch her breasts. It was very odd. The overtures were nothing to do with, wow, youre really pretty, or, you know, i really enjoyed talking. It was nothing to do with me, it was, i want to touch your bleep. They say your blood runs cold but it is not really your blood, it is almost like your stomach turns. The organisation behind the oscars has voted to expel Harvey Weinstein. It said the era of shameful complicity in sexually predatory behaviour is over. So the sparkle of tinseltown is overshadowed by the allegations against one man who used to wield so much power. That power has crumbled and insiders are unsure what that means for the Film Industry. Joining me now from new york city is melissa silverstein, the founder of women and hollywood, who fight for gender equality in hollywood. Thanks for joining gender equality in hollywood. Thanks forjoining us today. Listening to all of these revelations, many people will be thinking did everyone know this was going on . Is this something that has been going on in hollywood for a very long time . Well, clearly, its been going on for a very long time. We have allegations going back 30 years and he seems to have spent a lot of time going up the women and also covering it up. It must have been a lot of work and the culture of silence that he created around himself, and the fear that he build, isjust disgusting that he built. Fear that he build, isjust disgusting that he built. You talk about power and that presumably is the reason why women didnt speak out earlier. There will be some saying, actually, they should have spoken out much sooner and it would have stopped the pattern of behaviour, potentially. Lets remember, this is not on the women who have been victimised by him and who have been victimised by him and who are his survivors, this is on him and the people who protected him and created this culture of silence and created this culture of silence and fear around and created this culture of silence and feararound him. And created this culture of silence and fear around him. All the women thought he was going to ruin their careers and he clearly did ruin some womens careers, who said no to him. And one of the things i have been noticing this weekend is a deep sadness about the fact. The lack of what would have happened to these women had they not been blacklisted by him or had he not whispered rumours to other people about working with so and so . And i find that, he spread his hate and his toxic masculinity or throughout the industry. Do you think there is a broader problem within hollywood . Do you think there is sexism going on there in other ways as well . Absolutely. I think hollywood is a place where there is institutionalised sexism, where this kind of behaviour is laughed off as locker room talk and you are supposed to take it and not say that is unacceptable, because that is just how boys act and that is the film business, you have to take it from you have to have a tough skin. And people are saying, no, we are not going to allow this behaviour to be normalised anymore. We need to actually interrupted when it happens and it needs to happen by men. The men need to take responsibility for changing their behaviour. This is on men. Harvey weinstein, of course, has denied doing anything wrong. Do you think there is a wider problem that if women do speak out, they are not always believed anyway . Of course, women are not believed in general but i think what we have seen here is a shift on the onus not only on the survivors but onto the predator and i think that is a welcome change. This is about the fa ct welcome change. This is about the fact that women, whenever they speak out about this, it is not easy, it is always going to be hard. So it is something that, when you do it, you are doing it because you must do it and you are going against every grain of everybody saying dont do it because it is going to hurt you. So when women speak out about Sexual Assault, in the film business or any other area, believe them. This is the first, most fundamental piece of oui the first, most fundamental piece of our culture that we must shift, is to believe women when they speak. We must leave it there, thank you for joining us to talk about this today, melissa silverstream in new york city melissa silverstein. In a Statement Last week, Harvey Weinstein insisted that any sexual contacts he had were consensual, and he denied accusations of criminal sexual harassment, rape and Sexual Assault. The government has insisted that its confident of reaching a brexit deal with the European Union and that britain will succeed whatever happens. But the transport secretary Chris Grayling said ministers were fully preparing for the possibility of leaving without agreement. Labour meanwhile said it is working with mps in other parties to prevent a no deal brexit. It comes as the chairman of sainsburys warns that food prices will rise sharply if britain leaves without an agreement. 0ur Political Correspondent susannah mendonca reports. Susana mendonca reports. No deal is better than a bad deal, thats what the government keeps telling us, but what might that mean for your supermarket shop . Retail giant sainsburys has warned that food prices could go up by 22 if britain leaves the European Union without a trade deal. If that happens, it looks like we might have to start growing more of our own food. We will grow more here and buy more from around the world, but that will mean bad news for continental farmers, that is why it will not happen, because it is actually in their interest to reach a deal. There have been questions around whether our seaports like dover could cope with backed up lorries in the event of no trade deal with the eu. The transport secretary said he thought a deal would be done, but if it wasnt, we already have 0peration stack set up to cope with it, and he rejected suggestions that planes would be grounded. The deadlock in the latest negotiations with the eu has made the prospect of no deal one that the government insists it is now planning for. But parliament is gearing up for a fight, with labour suggesting it will join forces with tory remainers to try to change the legislation in the eu withdrawal bill to stop the government from being able to opt for no deal. I think on a cross party basis, you will see in the debates in the coming week, the government will get the message, there will be a deal. When we amend the legislation, which i think we will, i think there is a majority to do that, have a meaningful vote, what weve said all the way along, we can say to the government that whatever you are negotiating will not be on the basis of no deal, because the damage to this economy will be so great. With the lay of the land on a future trade deal looking uncertain, the advice seems to be that we might have to become more self sufficient, and as far as the future of eu citizens go, one brexit minister has said that they would be able to stay in the uk whatever happens. 400 jobs are to go at the vauxhall car plant in Ellesmere Port by the end of the year. The car maker is moving to just one production shift a day because of a fall in demand. It says its struggling in european markets and hopes job cuts can be made by voluntary redundancies. Our business correspondent, joe lynam, says demand for vauxhalls c class cars has dropped. People are preferring to opt for suvs, sports utility vehicles, instead, and in order to get the company shipshape for bidding for the next generation of astras in 2020, they will have to cut down the shifts from two shifts around the clock to one shift. Now, 400 jobs, they are hoping they will be voluntary before the end of the year. They have been in talks with unite, the union, but obviously if they cant get the 400 names, they might have to proceed to a different type of redundancy. That is 22 of the workforce, that is a significant number of jobs, but what the company is saying is that this is not related to brexit and this is not related to the takeover of vauxhall by the french group psa last year. Us backed forces battling to capture the city of iraq say they have launched their final assault on the city. A number of Islamic State fighters and family left the city on sunday city of raqqa. Allan johnston is with me, who is following the story. We have heard a lot about raqqa and how it is the centre for so called Islamic State. How likely are the western forces to be successful . We have heard a lot about raqqa, as you say, a battle that has ground on all through the long, hot summer months. The city has been reduced largely to ruins, there have been many reports of civilian casualties but we do now seem civilian casualties but we do now seem to be entering a final phase of the battle. The attacking forces, the battle. The attacking forces, the Syrian Democratic forces as they are known, the sdf, says there have been negotiations with militants who are holding out and as a result, about 275 of them surrendered, gave up about 275 of them surrendered, gave up the fight effectively and about 3,000 civilians who they had been holding as supposedly and shields we re holding as supposedly and shields were also freed. But the sdf says that about 300 foreign fighters have refused to surrender and they continue to hold out with some of theirfamily continue to hold out with some of their family members in continue to hold out with some of theirfamily members in a small area in the centre of raqqa and the sdf, as you say, has announced that it has launched what it calls its final offensive, its must drive against these groups that are holding out and they say it will continue until they have been cleared away. It is impossible to know quite how long that will take. Could it be ours . Could it be days . 0r slightly longer . But it really is a matter of time now. What does it mean for the wider so called Islamic State movement . People have said that it raqqa is taken, it may well hold them back elsewhere or will they simply move elsewhere and carry on what they have been doing . Raqqa is tremendously important in symbolic terms. It was the capital of the so called caliphate, at the centre of that state that Islamic State wa nted of that state that Islamic State wanted to found and hoped would continue to expand and obviously it being routed and the last of the city speaks as clearly as anything could that those dreams of state building have been brought nothing for iis. Is continue to hold small area of territory straddling the iraqi Syrian Border but it is under pressure there as well. Nobody who watches this group closely believes that will be the end of the story, that will be the end of the story, that it will disappear. The feeling very much is that is will go underground and operate much more conventional guerrilla tactics, hit and run and so on, and they become more dangerous in other ways, maybe even more determined to strike out in places like the cities of europe in an effort to hit back at the forces that have routed them on their Islamic State. They must leave it there, alan johnston, their Islamic State. They must leave it there, alanjohnston, thank you very much. People who kill someone on the roads could face life sentences under new laws being proposed by the government. Motorists who cause death by speeding, street racing or driving while on a mobile phone are among those who could face the maximum penalty. Andy moore reports. Joseph brown lartey was known to his friends as the gentle giant. At six foot six, he towered over his parents. He was killed three years ago in rochdale by a driver travelling 80 miles an hour in a 30 mph zone. Addil haroon was sentenced to six years in jail. The government says drivers like him could now face life behind bars. We do think the courts should have power to impose life sentences for the very worst reckless life changing cases perhaps with multiple victims, or theyve been speeding or racing or looking at a mobile phone. The wreckage ofjosephs car was displayed in front of the houses of parliament by the Road Safety Charity brake. The organisation has welcomed todays announcement. It is a victory, really, for years and years of campaigning by families of bereaved, Crash Victims and charities including brake, but we would like the government to go further and also increase resources for enforcement so the law can be properly enforced. The Parliamentary Advisory Council for transport safety said there was no evidence that tougher sentences would act as a deterrent. I think its understandable where its coming from, but i think there is a danger that it will disappoint the victims families and have no effect on road safety. This lorry driver, tomasz kroker, was scrolling through music on his mobile phonejust seconds before he ploughed into a line of stationary traffic, killing four people. He was sentenced to ten years in jail. The government says cases like this should be seen as similar to manslaughter and the prison term should reflect that. The headlines now on bbc news. Two more women come forward accusing producer Harvey Weinstein of rape. British actress Lysette Anthony says he attacked her in her home in the 19805. The government insists it is confident of reaching a deal with the eu but the transport secretary says ministers are preparing for the possibility of a no deal brexit. And Irelands National Emergency Coordination Group warns against all unnecessary travel as forecasters say the storm due to hit the British Isles tomorrow has the potential to bea isles tomorrow has the potential to be a life threatening event. In sport, it is approaching full time at brighton in the premier league. They are drawing 1 1 against everton. Southampton face newcastle at 4pm. Derby county have won the east midlands derby in the championship, beating Nottingham Forest 2 0. Kurz scored after 24 seconds. Roger federer beat rafael nadal and can knock the spaniard from the top the rankings at the end of the year. Munster drew 17 17 away at castro is. Scots have just kicked off toulon. I will be back with a full update at 4 15pm. The met office has issued an amber warning for Northern Ireland, meaning theres a potential danger to life, ahead of the expected arrival of hurricane 0phelia tomorrow. Lets cross now to our belfast newsroom and speak to our correspondent sara girvin. Presumably, people bracing themselves for whats to come in the next few hours. Yes, preparations are currently under way on both sides of the irish border as ex hurricane 0phelia, before it hits short in highlander the republic of ireland. An amber warning short in highlander the republic of ireland. An amberwarning is in place in Northern Ireland, meaning there is the potential for injury and danger to life. Gusts of up to 70 mph are expected when the storm hits Northern Ireland at around 3pm tomorrow. The met office has warned that could lead to flying debris, damage to trees and risk to electricity lines. In the republic of ireland, a red warning, red weather warning is in place for tomorrow morning, from about 9am onwards. That means high winds of up to 80 mph, storm surge is possible, structure damage and the potential for flooding. Structure damage and the potential forflooding. Earlier this morning, an emergency meeting was held in dublin to discuss preparations ahead of the storm. The red weather warning had taken in five counties but has since been extended to eight counties. At the meeting, it was explained what could happen. The track is very consistent, has been four days and we have seen it is going to cummerbund impact the ce ntre going to cummerbund impact the centre to the very south west coast come centre to the very south west coast come up and impact. That will monday morning and it will track at the centre, going along the western pa rt of the centre, going along the western part of the country, the strongest winds across most of the country, but it is the coastal counties, from wexford, waterford, cork, up to limerick, those will get the very strongest winds but that is not to say other places wont have very strong conditions also. Following that meeting in dublin, all schools and childcare facilities within those affected red weather warning areas were advised to close and school buses in those areas have been cancelled. In terms of advice in Northern Ireland, it is simply to ta ke in Northern Ireland, it is simply to take care and be aware of those incoming stormy conditions. Northern ireland electricity has said they are monitoring the situation and that emergency plans are being put in place. For people travelling in the evening rush hour tomorrow, they are being urged to take care as travel delays are certainly expected and anyone considering making long journeys from later tomorrow afternoon onwards, they are being asked to reconsider those plans. 0k, thank you. We are getting some breaking news from the press association, reporting that British Police are investigating three further Sexual Assault allegations involving Film Producer Harvey Weinstein in london in 2010, 2011 and 2015. That is according to sources. Harvey weinstein, of course, has denied any accusations against him, saying it was consensual sex in all cases. British police are investigating three further Sexual Assault allegations against the hollywood Film Producer. A number of women have, of course, come out in the last couple of days, alleging that he abused them, so the British Police saying they are going to now investigate three further Sexual Assault allegations. Health professionals in england are to ask patients aged 16 or over about their sexual orientation, under new nhs guidelines. Nhs england said no one would be forced to answer the question but recording the data would help to avoid discrimination. Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are currently disproportionately affected by Health Inequalities such as Poor Mental Health and a higher risk of self harm and suicide. A woman is in a Critical Condition in hospital with life threatening injuries, after becoming trapped under a carnival cart in somerset. The woman, whos in herforties, was part of the road crew at the chard carnival. An investigation has been launched and the health and safety executive and the local authority has been notified. Austrians have less than an hour to cast their vote in a snap general election. The country could elect europes youngest leader. But 31 year Old Conservative Party leader Sebastian Kurz may have to rely on a coalition with a far right anti Immigration Party in order to take power. We can go live now to our correspondent bethany bell in vienna. People are expecting mr kurz to be elected. Is there any doubt about that at this point, bethany . Well, that at this point, bethany . Well, thatis that at this point, bethany . Well, that is according to the opinion polls, if they are correct. The polls, if they are correct. The polls have put mr kurz in quite a strong leading position for a while, but we have to wait and see what the austrian voters today have decided when it comes to that. He has espoused quite a tough line, particularly when it comes to the question of migrants. Austria was one of those countries that was very much impacted by the migrant crisis backin much impacted by the migrant crisis back in 2015 and 16. It took in tens of thousands of Asylum Seekers and the country started moving towards the country started moving towards the right. The far right Freedom Party initially got a lot of support with its anti migrant message, but then mr kurz and the conservatives started saying that as well in a slightly softened form and that is certainly giving him a boost according to the opinion polls but we are waiting to see whether those opinion polls are correct. Bethany, if he does have to go into coalition with the far right anti Immigration Party, what effect might that have on the government he eventually forms . Well, there will be a coalition of some sort, whatever the result is. No party is likely to get enough to rule by themselves. The question is will they go into coalition with the far right if he wins or will there be a coalition, will they try and patch together their old centre left, centre right coalition with the social democrats . The last one of those collapsed ignominiously back in may. There is not that much appetite, it would seem, for that to be renewed, so that would leave the Freedom Party as the kingmaker if it gets enough votes. So that is something that could push this country even further to the right, it could be a problem for the eu. The far right party is quite a eurosceptic party, it has campaigned quite strongly against migrants, against muslims, and that could create a problem for the European Union. We must leave it there, thank you bethany, live in vienna with the austrian elections. 137 people are now know to have been killed in two bomb blasts that struck the heart of somalias capital mogadishu. Its unclear who was responsible, but its one of the deadliest attacks in somalia since the Islamist Al Shabab Movement Began its insurgency ten years ago. Will be revealed next week. The years biggest literary prize, the man booker award, will be revealed next week. Between now and then well be previewing the six shortlisted titles here on bbc news. 0ur look at the would be Prize Winners continues today with Emily Fridlund discussing her fiction debut history of wolves, in which a young girl, growing up in an isolated Community Experiences a shocking coming of age. History of wolves takes the voice of an adult woman looking back on important events in her life. She is remembering when she became a baby sitter for a family that moved in across the lake from where she lived. She sees or senses something is not quite right in that household, but does not allow herself to act for a long time, until its too late. Its not that i never think about paul, he comes to me occasionally, before im fully awake. Though i almost never remember what he said or what i did or did not do to him. We are sitting in the Nature Centre on a Late Afternoon like any other, and his body moves automatically toward mine. Not out of love or respect, but simply because he has not yet learned the etiquette of minding where his body stops and another begins. Outside the window, an avalanche of poplar fluff floats by, silent and weightless as air. I decided early on to reveal the death of one of the central characters, paul, the little boy. I was more interested in thinking about how that event of his death is processed in lindas memory. Linda, as a teenage girl, does not really know when she is approaching the most traumatic things that are going to happen to her. Of course, the adult narrator looking back does know, and so i was playing with that kind of tension between the two perspectives. And those narrative questions became the ethical questions of the book. The book is asking us to think through why linda fails to act. The sense of place is incredibly important. This north woods setting infuses everything, gives the texture of mood and tone. It really brings out lindas unusual perspective. This book has been called a coming of age story. Coming of age into the world that we live in, for most of us, is coming of age into patriarchy and coming of age into racism. That means a loss as much as a gain for many people who are not white men. That can make a person angry. Time foran time for an update on the weather with ben rich. Hello, some turbulence and potentially disruptive weather is on the way for Western Areas particularly over the next 24 48 hours. Things are very quiet for the time being, overnight we will see clouds and some outbreaks of rain across northern areas. Further south dry with clear spells, the wind is picking up to the south west. Exceptionally mild night, temperatures no lower than 14 or 15 in the south. Tomorrow, the big weather maker is this, currently hurricane 0phelia out in the atlantic. It will not be a hurricane as it approaches our shores but look at the isobars, some very strong winds, could see gusts of 60 70 mph in Western Areas particularly the coast sandhills. Parts of Northern Ireland later in the day could see wind gusts of 80 mph. Rain in Western Areas as well. Completely different south and east, warm sunshine, highs of 23 or 24 degrees but Northern Ireland in particular, met office, amber, be prepared warning for the strength of the winds tomorrow. Hello. This is bbc news with me, vicki young. The headlines the bbc understands the metropolitan police are investigating a further three Sexual Assault allegations involving Film Producer Harvey Weinstein, against one women in london since 2010. It comes after british actress Lysette Anthony accused him of raping her in the 19805. Shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell says parliament can stop the uk leaving the eu without negotiating a deal. He told the bbc he would work with other parties to stop a damaging outcome. Gusts of up to 80 miles an hour are expected to batter the British Isles, as hurricane 0phelia sweeps its way up the atlantic. Polling stations will shortly be closing in austrias snap general election