The us secretary of state has blamed iran for the drone strikes on two Saudi Oil Facilities, saying theres no evidence the attacks came from yemen. Mike pompeo accused iran of launching an unprecedented attack on the Worlds Energy supply. The Saudi Energy Minister said half of the countrys Oil Production would be temporarily halted. Houthi rebels in yemen earlier said said they had carried out the attacks. Our World Affairs correspondent paul adams, reports. Audacious attacks on the heart of saudi arabias economy. The Abqaiq Oil Processing Plant one of the Worlds Largest engulfed in flames, attacked by drones. The kingdoms second largest oilfield, khurais, also hit. The smoke visible from space, caught by a nasa satellite. Yemens Houthi Rebels are celebrating. Translation this Mission Comes as part of our legitimate and natural right to react to the crimes of the aggression and its continuous blockade on our country for the past five years. Aramco, owned by the saudi state, is one of the Worlds Biggest Oil companies. Khurais produces around 1 of the worlds oil. And abqaiq is capable of processing 7 of global supply. Some reports say half the kingdoms Oil Production will be affected. This could Impact Oil Prices in the coming days. In recent months, houthis have carried out a series of strikes on saudi arabias oil facilities, using missiles and drones, but the latest attacks are among their most destructive. This is embarrassing for saudi arabia. In this hugely uneven conflict, the houthis have once again demonstrated their ability to cause damage and fear in a war that shows no sign of ending. I spoke to Samaa Al Hamdani who is a non resident fellow at the middle east institute, i said that the houthis have claimed responsibility, but that the american administraitonseems to think iran may be to blame. Absolutely, there is some speculation online and lots of sources in the us are saying that this is possibly an attack that was launched in iraq, championed by iran. Secretary of state pompeo said something along those lines, that exacerbates those assumptions. And of course it looks like a really sophisticated attack. Drone strikes on two saudi sites, and the attacks seem to be very accurate, to have created strategic damage at a very strategic time, as saudi arabia prepares to put aramco in the investors market. So from those observers who have been watching houthi steps in the past, this looks quite sophisticated for them, so we would need to look at further investigations to see what type of weapons were used, whether they were in fact drone strikes, and of course i think in the next few hours and probably tomorrow we will have a better and clearer picture of what happened. If it is looking too sophisticated to be a houthi attack, why would the houthi led rebels admit responsibility . The houthi led rebels are quite eager to show saudi arabia they are not afraid of them and that they will go after them. As a matter of fact, in past drone strikes that the houthis have also claimed, there is some speculation as to whether they were launched from yemen or not. And according to the houthi statement, they said they had cooperation and help from some people within saudi arabia. And so it seems like were not getting the full picture there. It is still quite possible that they launched these strikes, but if they did, that would be quite embarrassing for saudi arabia, it has been besieging yemen and monitoring what is going on there, so for them to not be able to shut down those drones before they enter into their airspace. So this is notjust about yemen and saudi arabia. It is about the Global Oil Economy and the impact it will have on the entire world. So if it is proven that this is something, the basis of it comes from iran, what does that mean for us and iranian relations, which at the moment are not particularly good . They have two options. They can either escalate this, or they can take it as an opportunity to say, we dont want this to affect the entire world, we do not want the saudi iranian proxy war to damage the rest of the world, and to possibly bring them to negotiations and push both sides into agreeing they need to get along. Certainly this has an impact on the entire region, and yemens war is right in the middle of it, as whatever the houthis do or say is looked at as being done by iran, which is dangerous. But they are in a tough position. The government has been pushed out by the Southern Transitional council in this out of yemen, and so for yemen separately outside of the Saudi Arabian proxy war, it feels like it is about the right time for saudi arabia to come to a deal with the houthis. Hamza bin laden, a son of osama bin laden, has been killed in a us Counter Terrorism operation. He was reported dead at the end ofjuly, but the white house has just confirmed the information. David willis reports. The white house hasnt released details of the operation that brought about the death of hamza bin laden or its timing. There have been various reports here in recent months suggesting that he had been killed, but this is the first time President Trump has confirmed the news. The son of the man who masterminded the september 11 terrorist attacks, hamza bin laden, had called for further attacks on the United States to avenge his fathers killing. And earlier this year, the Us State Department offered a Million Dollar reward for information leading to his capture. President trump, in a brief statement, said that as well as the symbolic connection to his father, the loss of hamza bin laden deprived alqaeda of important leadership skills and undermined the operational activities of the group. David willis, bbc news, washington. Forensic scientists in mexico say they have identified 44 bodies in a well outside guadalajara. Mexican police have not yet given details about the victims. Jalisco, where this is taking place, is one of the most violent states in mexico. Two very big and dangerous cartels are at war with each other there. So the size of this mass grave thats been seen has really shocked people all over mexico and its reminded people of the case of the 43 students who were killed a few years ago and the kind of activism that started around that case since then. But its also shown how violent the war injalisco has become. And also, the tragedy of the vast amount of people in mexico who have disappeared and who have been killed, and the lack of interest infinding them from the authorities. So what are the challenges that mexico now faces . Well, mexico has a very good law around the disappearances, and really, if it manages to implement this, this is really going to make all the difference. It includes creating a National Database that doesnt exist, there is no database of dna samples from these bodies. There are 26,000 bodies in morgues waiting to be identified, and they say some 37,000 people have disappeared. Thats the latest figures, in the last decade or so. So creating this National Search commission is Something Else that is on the cards, and special legal units to deal with this very specialist part of the law. Now, the problem with this is that it requires the president to put money there and to do this. And also to overcome the resistance of, for example, the military, who dont want to be investigated for their crimes, and also the power of the cartels, which makes it very dangerous to investigate this kind of thing. Lets get some of the days other news. Police in the western french city of nantes have fired tear gas to disperse more than 1,500 people staging Anti Government demonstrations in a revival of whats known as the yellow vest movement. About 500 people rallied in central paris and there were other marches around the country. Police in the western french city of nantes have fired tear gas to disperse more than 1,500 people staging Anti Government demonstrations in a revival of whats known as the yellow vest movement. About 500 people rallied in central paris and there were other marches around the country. A new storm has brought heavy rain to the bahamas two weeks after Hurricane Dorian devastated the caribbean islands. Tropical storm humberto is passing east of great abaco island, one of the areas which were worst hit. The storm is expected to bring up to ten centimetres of rain in some areas although no significant storm surge is expected. The clear up operation is continuing, after parts of Southern Spain experienced some of the heaviest rainfall on record. Six people have lost their lives. The spanish Prime Minister, on a visit to the affected area, promised to do everything he could to help those affected. Simonjones reports. This is the dramatic moment a baby is rescued after the childs home became cut off by the rising water. 0thers clung on for safety as emergency workers navigated the flooding. The force of the water can be seen here in alicante. Cars simply swept away as the river burst its banks. The spanish Prime Minister flew over its banks. The spanish Prime Ministerflew over some its banks. The spanish Prime Minister flew over some of the affected areas. When he touched down, he promised support. First of all, i want to express the support of the spanish government, and i would add, the whole of the spanish people, to those affected in valencia and murcia, and other areas of spain. Secondly, i want to express on behalf of the government oui express on behalf of the government our condolences to the families of those victims who unfortunately lost their lives in the past few days. Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes. When they returned to survey the damage it was all too much for some. In the force of the rain slowly became heavier. More of the Running Water came down and at one point it started rising to the level of the garden and up to the house. And of course there was a point where we decided to go up to the attic, because we saw it was getting quite serious and we thought it would be best. The water levels remain dangerously high. For holidaymakers flying in and hoping for some spanish sunshine, and the airport there was chaos and confusion. We were told we were being diverted to valencia. We were in valencia for, what, how long . Four hours. Four hours. And we have been stuck here for another four hours. So eight hours, and we dont know how were going to get to our apartment. But many here are relieved they escaped with their lives. The forecast may be improving, but the cleanup operation wont be quick. Stay with us on bbc world news. Still to come the case of the gold toilet. Police investigate the theft of a 6 million solid gold artwork from Blenheim Palace. 30 hours after the earthquake that devastated mexico city, rescue teams still have no idea just how many people have died. There is people alive and there is people not alive. We just can help and give them whatever weve got. A state funeral is being held for princess grace of monaco at the church where she married prince rainier 26 years ago. It looked as though they had come to fight a war, but their mission is to bring peace to east timor, and nowhere on earth needs it more badly. The governments case is being forcefully presented by monsieur badinter, the justice minister. Hes campaigned vigorously for the abolition, having once witnessed one of his clients being executed. Elizabeth seton spent much of her time at this grotto, and every year, hundreds of pilgrimages are made here. Now that she has become a saint, its expected that this area will be inundated with tourists. The mayor and local businessman regard the anticipated boom as just another blessing of st elizabeth. This is bbc world news, the latest headlines the us secretary of state has blamed around for the drone strikes on two saudi oilfacilities around for the drone strikes on two Saudi Oil Facilities saying there around for the drone strikes on two saudi oilfacilities saying there is no evidence that the attacks came from yemen to the white house has confirmed that the sun and the white house has confirmed that hamza bin laden, the son and designated heir to the late alqaeda leader, osama bin laden, was killed in a us Counter Terrorism operation. Gareth thomas has really revealed he is hiv positive. Is believed to be the first british sportsman to speak publicly about living with the virus. He said he hoped it would help to break the stigma around the condition. I am doing this because firstly i want. I want to remember what it is to live again. I want to remember what it was like to feel free. And by doing that i want. I wa nt to free. And by doing that i want. I want to empower so many other people who are in exactly the same position as me. And probably ten times worse. To be able to feel free as well. Earlier i spoke to a hiv aids advocate who has written extensively about living with hiv since being diagnosed himself in 1985. M about living with hiv since being diagnosed himself in 1985. It is difficult to watch that and difficult to watch that and difficult to watch that and difficult to see somebody newly diagnosed with clearly in pain and is clearly feeling the weight of hiv stigma. You know, isay is clearly feeling the weight of hiv stigma. You know, i say that even as medical science has improved and those of us living with hiv can now live a normal lifespan, certainly someone live a normal lifespan, certainly someone who is newly diagnosed today can and probably will. That does not mean the social stigma has not left us. Mean the social stigma has not left us. In many ways it is greater. Gareth, in all of his pain, we know that he was feeling forced to make this very personal information public because other people wanted to exploit him. And that is very common. Those of us living with hiv are common. Those of us living with hiv a re often common. Those of us living with hiv are often perceived as having something inherently wrong with us, as being untrustworthy or promiscuous. And so all of these questions swell around us at all times about our value as human beings. That is what i see when i look at that video and it is difficult to watch. He says he wants to support People Living with hiv and, gosh, i just to support People Living with hiv and, gosh, ijust want to tell him as the millions of People Living with hiv are supporting him right now at a time when i believe he needs it. It is so important, isnt it, that someone like him who is famous and well known, who is a big sports star in this country can talk about hiv so openly. Yes. You have two competing things here. You have this man known for his physicality, for his health and he represents, of course now, the physicality of all of us living with hiv in the health we can achieve and then you also have the extreme vulnerability because he is face to face with hiv stigma and he is afraid of what may happen. Your story is very interesting because you tested positive with hiv back in 1985. How have things changed, do you think, from then to now and talk me through exactly, you know, where you were in your life when you were diagnosed. Exactly, you know, where you were in your life when you were diagnosedlj was your life when you were diagnosed. was 2a years old. It was march 1985. The hiv test, the virus had just been identified and the test had only been released two weeks earlier. I took it. I did because i wa nted earlier. I took it. I did because i wanted to know if i might be dead in a couple of years. I lived in West Hollywood california, an epicentre of the epidemic and it was starting to creep into my social circle. So within really only a few years i was living in a graveyard so to test positive during that time certainly meant facing a death sentence. There is no doubt about it. And i have no reason to believe that i would not be one of those people within a couple of years. I lived life in two year increments and that is very different from the life of someone diagnosed today. We still have had a generation of mortality and ignorance about hiv. And so that will be difficult to overcome. That is why i see the fear. Gareth talks about having considered suicide and all of this and how long he had to live when he was diagnosed, which tells us that even amongst those of us tells us that even amongst those of us who may be at risk, even within the gay community, many of us are not well versed on what it means to live with hiv today. The main message i would like to share is that harris already is on a successful treatment and he has rendered his virus undetectable in his body. What we know is that those who have an undetectable viral load, as doi, who have an undetectable viral load, as do i, we are incapable of transmitting the virus to someone else. So i can protect my partner. And yet, sorry to interrupt you, and yet, unbelievably, a survey showed that a quarter of the people in the us still think you can catch hiv by, you know, in ways like drinking water. Drinking water. Public bathroom, a pool. Itry water. Drinking water. Public bathroom, a pool. I try to be philosophical about this because i have been trying to educate people throughout my life it again we must remember that every day someone comes of age. Someone is having sex for the first time and someone is entering life. And does not have this information. And needs to be taught. We need to systematically teach people what it means to live with hiv and how would it is and is not transmitted. And you look at someone not transmitted. And you look at someone like gareth, well educated man of great accomplishment and yet he was afraid when he tested positive because he did not know what it meant. And for those of us fortu nate what it meant. And for those of us fortunate enough to have access to successful treatment and many of us here in the United States do not, we have every possibility of living a normal lifespan. Certainly Gareth Thomas does. And that was mark king talking to me earlier. The funeral of Chester Williams has taken place in south africa. He was the only non white member of the team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup a moment that symbolised the countrys return to international sport. He died earlier this month at the age of 49. The bbcs tim allman reports. Band plays Police Outriders and a marching band. Full honours for a hero of his nation. This farewell taking place in cape town where he had played so many times. Singing a big crowd paying tribute, singing his name. Chester williams and members of his family trying to deal with their loss. You are such an amazing person and nothing will be the same without you. You made the first 15 years of my life the best years that i will ever experience. We gained an angel and i know you will be looking down on me and keeping us all safe. Chester williams made 27 test appearances for the springboks, scoring 1a tries in his international career. He was part of the team that won the world cup only a year after the end of apartheid history for his sport and his country. He is a pioneer, really, and a lot of kids, black kids and coloured kids will look up to chester as a trailblazer, a person that used all his skills to the utmost and made us so proud. After the service, his casket was taken away for a private cremation. Chester williams was more than just a rugby player. As one former team mate said, he was an icon and a symbol of hope. Tim allman, bbc news. A toilet made of solid gold and said to be worth more than 6 million, has been stolen from an Art Exhibition at a stately home in southern england. Police have arrested a man in connection with the theft from Blenheim Palace the former home of Winston Churchill but theres no sign of the loo so far. Sarah campbell has the details. Its called america, and when on display in new yorks guggenheim museum, more than 100,000 people experienced this fully functioning artwork. Relocated to one of britains most famous stately homes, Blenheim Palace, visitors were to be allowed to spend three minutes alone with the toilet doing whatever came naturally. The exhibit itself was designed to be a reflection on the American Dream and the idea of something ordinarily unattainable in fact potentially being there in a way that you could touch. The choice of the toilet was designed to make that physical. Butjust two days after going on display, the toilet was stolen, causing significant flood damage to the palace. We believe they used at least two vehicles during the offence and they left the scene at around 4 50am. A 66 year old man has been arrested in connection with this incident and he is currently in police custody. Blenheim palace say they are relieved no one was hurt and are urging anyone with information to contact the police. Sarah campbell, bbc news. You can reach me and the team on twitter. 0r you can reach me and the team on twitter. Or you can go to our website for the latest on our stories. Hello. Welcome along. So, latest thoughts on how sunday is going to shape up right across the British Isles. Quite a variety of weather on offer and then we will take a look at the next few days after that. Sunday starting off really very windy again after a wild night across the north and north east of scotland. Some Storm Force Winds there. Weather front producing a fair amount of cloud and some rain for northern ireland, the western and southern parts of scotland in the first part of the day. Eventually that rain just moving a little bit further south, getting into the north of england, maybe into the far north west of wales. Thankfully, by this stage, clearer skies getting into scotland and the wind much reduced during the course of the afternoon. Very best of the sunshine across the south eastern quarter of the British Isles, temperatures responding accordingly. Further west through wales and the south west of england, i think therell be more in the way of cloud, and that may well be reinforced as we get on through the evening and overnight, so the remnants of that weather front Still Producing the odd bit and piece of rain will gradually ease its way into the southern half of the British Isles producing quite a mild night here, but further north, underneath the clear skies, you will end up with quite a chilly do, 4, 5 degrees, something of that order. Over the next few days, the week ahead, largely dry across the British Isles. Some pretty chilly nights to come. But there will be some rain across the far north of the British Isles. Monday, as i say, starts off on a relatively mild note across the south, but those colours beginning to drain away. Something a little bit fresherjust trying to dominate across all parts. Monday, as i say, the remnants of that weather front taking the last of the relatively mild airs away to the near continent. Following on behind, the very best of the sunshine will be found across the northern half of the British Isles, a pretty pleasant day. Not too much in the way of wind. A high on the day of about 21 degrees. As the last of that frontal cloud slips away and the High Pressure builds in, so tuesday will start on a pretty chilly note with clear skies, a lot of sunshine around. I think you will lose that somewhat as a frontal system just shows its hand towards northern ireland, the western side of scotland. Quite a noticeable north westerly breeze at this stage, so the temperatures struggling across the north east of scotland. 20 still to be had across the south. As we start the new day on wednesday, High Pressure centred towards the southern half of the British Isles, and it allows this weather front to roll around its northern flank, producing more cloud for the northern half of the British Isles and there will be some bits and pieces of rain coming in across the north of scotland on its way to the Northern Isles and, again, top temperature 00 28 50,307 2147483051 51 09,868 on the day around 2147483051 51 09,868 4294966103 13 29,430 about 21 in the sun
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