Of recommendations, they say they cant met the deadline for pay parity in the womens and mens game. Good evening and welcome to bbc news at six. The metropolitan police have launched an investigation into allegations of Sexual Offences following the recent claims against Russell Brand. They are already looking into a possible offence back in 2003, these new claims are also historic. Brand has denied all the allegations against him which include rape and Sexual Assault. Our media editor Katie Razzall is here. This has just this hasjust broken in the this has just broken in the last half an hour or this has just broken in the last halfan hour orso, this has just broken in the last half an hour or so, what can you tell us . It half an hour or so, what can you tell us . ,. , a, tell us . It is a significant development. Tell us . It is a significant development. Up tell us . It is a significant development. Up until. Tell us . It is a significant development. Up until a| tell us . It is a significant development. Up until a few hours ago, the metropolitan police had been saying they had been assessing one report of an alleged Sexual Assault in soho in 2003. Now they have confirmed they have launched an investigation into Sexual Offences. They do not name Russell Brand but they make it clearly follows an investigation by channel 4 dispatches and the sunday times. The have been a number of Sexual Offences in london and elsewhere in the rest of the country, all of them non recent. The women have been offered special support and police are encourage anyone who may have been a victim of a sexual offence no matter how long ago, to contact them. Russell brand vehemently denies the allegations against him, but clearly what has happened today has turned into. It shows it is a complex and sensitive Police Investigation and given there are a number of allegations made, it is likely this is going to take some time for the police to investigate. Russell brand has been talking on mine again this evening . Russell brand has been talking on mine again this evening . He has been a aearin mine again this evening . He has been appearing on mine again this evening . He has been appearing on the mine again this evening . He has been appearing on the platform mine again this evening . He has been appearing on the platform rumble. I appearing on the platform rumble. He as people to talk about the state the legacy medias war on free speech, i think that is you and i and particularly how it has affected him this week. He did seem a bit more nervous, breathless imports, critical of the Mainstream Media throughout and in a pre recorded segment he talks about the events of the last few weeks, in particular the last few weeks, in particular the collusion between big tech in government and a concerted effort by legacy media at the state to silent independent voices. He said it was difficult for me to be objective given what has happened this week, but this is what we try to do. As that was going out, there were 72,000 people watching. Katie russell, thank 72,000 people watching. Katie russell, thank you. Shes been sentenced to life for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others. Now the former nurse lucy letby will face a retrial for the Attempted Murder of a baby girl. The jury at the trial which ended last month had failed to reach a verdict on that charge. A provisional date for her retrial has been set forjune next year. 0ur Correspondent Danny Savage was at court today. Shes serving a whole life term for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others. Lucy letby will now face a retrial on one charge the jury convicted her couldnt decide on. Did she attempt to kill a girl referred to in court as baby k . She was being treated at the countess of Chester Hospital in february 2016. Letby appeared via video link today from her prison. She spoke only to confirm her name and that she could see and hear proceedings. Her barrister told the court she maintained her innocence on all charges. Lucy letby will face a retrial here in manchester next summer. The jury in her trial also couldnt decide on five other charges of Attempted Murder on these wards. Shes not facing a retrial on those allegations. That has left some families upset. Its disappointing that the cps are not going to move forward with a retrial on five of the charges. I think that we need to start looking now about the other avenues available to those families. Its really important that we find answers for these families as to what happened to their children. The Crown Prosecution Service says. These decisions on whether to seek retrial is on the remaining counts of Attempted Murder were extremely complex and difficult. Before reaching our conclusions, we listened carefully to the views of the families affected, police and prosecution counsel. Lucy letby was cleared of two charges of Attempted Murder and has lodged an appeal against her convictions. But she is set to face a jury again. As things stand, that will be here in these buildings at Manchester Crown court injune next year. That retrial expected to last between two and three weeks. Separately, she has lodged an appeal against all her convictions at the court of appeal. Fiona. Danny at manchester court, thank you. The Nhs In England has passed a grim milestone with more than a million Hospital Appointments cancelled because of the long running strikes. They began in december last year and last week saw the first ever strike byJunior Doctors and consultants at the same time. Our Health Correspondent Sophie Hutchinson is here. This is a number no one wanted to reach. Absolutely. This is a big moment for the Nhs In England. It underlines how disruptive and risky this Industrial Action has been between, this dispute between nhs staff and the government. It started ten months ago with the nurses strike. That was eventually resolved early in the summer and now it has been followed by 22 days of Industrial Action by doctors. We can see from the figures it is when doctors strike that the biggest impact is on patients. Many patients we have spoken to have had multiple cancellations of their treatments and procedures. Behind that, more Thani Million cancelled than i million cancelled Thani Million cancelled appointments, appointments that were never even scheduled because of the threat of Industrial Action. Many thousands of people will not have had the appointments they were expecting to have. Hospital chiefs and other nhs leaders have appealed to both sides, the government and nhs staff to come together and resolve this. There is no end in sight, the two sides have not spoken in 100 days and there is further Industrial Action next week when Junior Doctors and consultants come back togetherfor a Junior Doctors and consultants come back together for a coordinated action for three days. Back together for a coordinated action for three days. Sophie, thank ou. The army has been stood down from supporting the metropolitan police after enough Firearms Officers returned to work. Hundreds had stepped back from their duties after one of their colleagues was charged with murder following the shooting of chris kaba in south london last year. Soldiers were put on standby and officers from other forces were drafted in to help. Tom symonds has the latest. Westminster today, no shortage of armed police. The met now says it has the numbers to cover the demands it might face with some help from other forces. It might face with some help from otherforces. But over it might face with some help from other forces. But over the last week, the bbc has been told that up to 300 officers may have reconsidered whether they should carry a gun. A direct result of the Fatal Shooting of 24 year old chris kaba and the decision to charge the Police Officer who pulled the trigger, with murder. I cannot understand why trigger, with murder. I cannot understand why that can trigger, with murder. I cannot understand why that can me l trigger, with murder. I cannot understand why that can me an arm wrapped around that person and say, you are innocent until proven guilty. We will support you and your family throughout this process and let Justice Family throughout this process and letjustice prevail. But at least they have shown support. At the moment they back off straightaway, they dont want to talk to the officers, they dont want to be seen with them. ,. ,. ,. , with them. These armed police and training were with them. These armed police and training were among those training were among those refusing to carry weapons. At the weekend, the met had to ask the military to be on standby, but now says that is no longer needed. Counterterrorism specialist Firearms Officers of the most highly trained of the met� s armed units, but a large number decided to hand in their ticket. There were concerns among specialist Firearms Officers who carry out planned raids on criminals. And authorised Firearms Officers who often are seen Guarding Buildings in london. They know they are legally and personally responsible for firing and carrying a gun. They have to show they have used force that is reasonable and proportionate. Either in self defence or to protect others. Such was the concern that Scotland Yard asked the government to review the way Police Shootings are investigated. Are investigated. When they are usina are investigated. When they are using these are investigated. When they are using these lethal are investigated. When they are using these lethal powers are investigated. When they are using these lethal powers it are investigated. When they are using these lethal powers it is l using these lethal powers it is important they do so with confidence and with legal clarity. That is why the Home Secretary has asked the department to review the guidance that we have that governs all of this, to ensure it commands the confidence of Police Officers and the wider public. The wider public. But an inquiry into the culture the wider public. But an inquiry into the culture of the wider public. But an inquiry into the culture of the the wider public. But an inquiry into the culture of the met the wider public. But an inquiry i into the culture of the met carried out by Baroness Casey raised concerns about attitudes in the types of police teams which carry weapons. Types of police teams which carry wea ons. , types of police teams which carry wea ons. ,. ,. , weapons. She singled out armed officers and weapons. She singled out armed officers and the weapons. She singled out armed officers and the elite weapons. She singled out armed officers and the elite squads weapons. She singled out armed officers and the elite squads of l weapons. She singled out armed | officers and the elite squads of m weapons. She singled out armed i officers and the elite squads of m 0 19, as they are called as having an attitude that they were somehow above the law and they should be given special dispensation. They should be part of the task of the met police to tackle that. 5 should be part of the task of the met police to tackle that. As the olice met police to tackle that. As the Police Officer met police to tackle that. As the Police Officer who met police to tackle that. As the Police Officer who shot met police to tackle that. As the Police Officer who shot chris i met police to tackle that. As the | Police Officer who shot chris kaba in the street awaits trial, Firearms Officers will wait for the view into the Legal Process they might face should they pull the trigger. For some, their consent to bear arms is in the balance. Tom symonds, bbc news. Our home and Legal Affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani the met are now conducting a review, what will it look at . There are lots of issues. One of the issuesis there are lots of issues. One of the issues is the cultural issue, the time it takes to investigate officers. There have been complaints from officers how the way it can take years for the Police Watchdog to reach a decision in relation to disciplinary action. But at the heart of this is a rumbling debate over the different interpretations of the law. If an officer is charged with murder, they can go to court and say, in the moment i opened fire, i honestly believed i was facing a threat to life and my only choice was to shoot to protect myself or my fellow officers. In that context, criminal law will find somebody innocent. That has been established in other cases. The big question for other action, disciplinary action or an investigation by the Police Watchdog, the test is notjust whether they honestly believe they had to open fire, but whether or not it was a reasonable course of action in the circumstances. A lot of officers are furious that in one particular case the Supreme Court upheld the test that they had to act reasonably as well as with an honest belief. They want that reverse, they want it universally applied because that will give them better protection and an insurance that people who are not in their situation try to make split second life or death decisions, are not going to Second Guess A very, very difficult situation. That is what they were after. But that will take legislation through parliament and whether or not the government has got time is another dominic, thank you. The Prime Minister has refused to confirm or deny speculation that he plans to scrap part of hs2 and today said only that he remains committed to spreading opportunity across the country. Theres a growing outcry following reports that the most northern part of the high speed route may be about to be axed, including from the former chancellor george osborne. 0ur Transport correspondent katy austin has more. The Hs2 Construction Journey is under way, but whats the destination . It was designed to create more space on the rail network and shorten Journey Times between major cities. This manchester based office and lab space rental Company Thinks it would be a big boost for businesses. Theyre concerned by the new doubt hanging over the scheme. We dont plan our business on one or two year cycles. We think five, ten, 15 years ahead. And its really important to know what the big pieces of the jigsaw look like so that you can make your individual investments. Almost 30,000 people are already working on the hs2 programme. The first stretch between 0ld 0ak Common In West London and birmingham is being built now, with at least £22. 5 billion already spent. 2. 3 billion has already gone towards the other sections on things like buying land. The latest official Cost Estimate for the whole thing, excluding the eastern leg, was £71 billion, but thats in 2019 prices. Inflation will have pushed up the price tag. The chancellor and the Prime Ministers refusal to confirm hs2 would be completed as planned has prompted both calls for clarity from businesses and warnings from senior conservatives, including two former Prime Ministers. Today, rishi sunak was asked how any decision to cut the leg to manchester would square with levelling up. This kind of speculation that people are making is not right. I mean, weve got spades in the ground. Were getting on and delivering. But across the north, what were also doing is connecting up all the towns and cities in the north east to west. Thats a really important part of how we will create jobs, drive growth across the region. The Greater Manchester mayor said he had considered the idea of a new line east to west being built first. We could rephase it so that hsz is built after. But the point is we need new north south rail lines and we need new east west rail lines. London has never been forced to choose. A new station at London Euston is also reportedly in the balance. Without it, 0ld 0ak Common would remain hs2s southern end. Well, it would leave the h52 core routes, the expensive bit, the bit thats gone through peoples houses in buckinghamshire and northamptonshire, it would leave it running at about one third of its potential capacity. Hs2 still has many critics, including those who think the cost and disruption is not worth it. As well as many rail passengers, businesses just want to know what the plan is. Katy austin, bbc news in manchester. Gatwick airport will cancel around 82 departures over the coming week because of high levels of sickness, including covid, among air Traffic Control staff. The largest number of cancellations is expected to happen on friday, with 33 departures affected. Easyjet passengers will be the most impacted, with ba and ryanair also cancelling flights. The cost of living crisis has changed Shopping Habits for good, according to the boss of aldi in the uk and ireland. He says shoppers are buying more own label products and he expects that trend to continue. Aldi is the uks fourth biggest supermarket and one of the fastest growing. Emma simpson has more. Aldis just opened its 1,000th store here in woking and its got ambitions for another 500. A business thats growing fast. The boss says its added nearly a million new customers in the last 12 months. I think the cost of living crisis has fundamentally changed the way the British Public shop. And first of all, customers are shopping around. So when it comes to grocery, shoppers are reappraising value like never before. And one of the big stories in the Supermarket Aisles is the rise of own label products. In 2013, own label made up 48 of all the groceries bought in supermarkets. Now its more than half. A small percentage change, but its the equivalent of a £3 billion a year shift in sales away from brands. The trends accelerated in these tougher economic times. Branded products are a really big part of british life. We like brands and we like to buy them when we can. So shoppers are interested in buying them, but they need to be able to buy them at the right price. Like these shoppers. This is on offer. Only if its on offer. Yes, yes. If it goes up, then no. Everyone wants a deal. Yes, definitely. Yes. Ill buy whatevers on offer, really. And i think thats what a lot of folks are doing nowadays. Right now, own label sales are growing at twice the rate of brands. The boss of aldi thinks the shift to own label is permanent. Well, british customers are very savvy and low prices never go out of fashion. So were very confident that consumers will continue to buy own label. Of course, thats what he mostly sells. For now the discounters are having their day, but rivals are upping the pressure, matching prices on key lines and cutting some of them, too. The competitions never been fiercer at the checkout. Emma simpson, bbc news. The time is 6. 18. Our top story this evening the metropolitan police lost crash investigators into allegations of Sexual Offences following the accusations against Russell Brand. And still to come. After the report that found widespread inequality and racism in england and Wales Cricket, new plans to make the sport more inclusive. 0n bbc london. Coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news. The white water, White Knuckle ride, we hear from great britains Gold Medallist in kayak cross. Ukraine is now the most heavily mined country in the world and clearing them is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Specialist british army bomb disposalteams, orsappers, have been training their ukrainian counterparts how to clear the hundreds of thousands of explosive devices littering the countryside and slowing ukraines offensive operations. 0ur defence correspondent Jonathan Beale reports from poland, where the training has been taking place. Imagine doing this under enemy fire, trying to find a deadly hidden device which could also kill you. Its what these experienced ukrainian engineers have been doing for the past year. Now, in neighboring poland, honing their skills with the help of british sappers who faced a similar threat in the heat and dust of helmand. And its failed to function. Machine gun fire. This is what theyre facing. Ground littered with russian explosives. Ukraines now the most heavily mined country in the world, and its slowing their advance. Russias laid hundreds of thousands of mines across ukraine scattered over an area the size of florida. In some places, the mine fields are ten kilometers deep, and in just one square metre, there could be as many as five mines. Sappers like den are now being targeted by russian forces, so they mostly have to conduct their work at night. And theres simply not enough of them. Would you describe being a sapper in ukraine at the moment as being the most dangerousjob in the world . Yes, absolutely. A lot of them being killed by mines, by russian artillery, because theyre working on the front line . Yeah. Have you lost many friends . What message would you like to send the west . Keep going. We need your help. Is that because youre worried that the west wont keep going . Because we wont make it by our own, so. We should make sure the team is in cover in case the worst thing happens. The uk has given Ukraine Hundreds of mine detecting kits. The hope, that with this training, it will make a difference. Were fellow soldiers at the end of the day and we share experiences throughout the course of our experiences and their experiences, and we train together. And you think youve given them the skills to stay alive . Weve added to them. But the clock is ticking on ukraines offensive. And there are still hundreds of thousands of russian mines in their way. Jonathan beale, bbc news, poland. The england and Wales Cricket board has laid out its plans to make the game more inclusive after a damning report into the sport earlier this year. The independent commission for equity in cricket said that racism, sexism, elitism and classism were widespread and deep rooted, and made more than a0 recommendations. Heres our sport editor, dan roan. 0n the field, its been a summer to cherish for english cricket, but the compelling drama of both mens and womens ashes series was played out against a backdrop of soul searching after a damning independent report found deep rooted discrimination across the sport. Today, the ecb vowed to change the game by committing to a host of recommendations, including a new independent regulator to conduct investigations, £25 million a year to further grow the womens and girls game, and action plans to break down barriers for ethnic minority communities and state educated children. Yorkshires players preparing for their final match of the season earlier. The countys still trying to recover from the Racism Scandal that engulfed it two years ago. And the man in charge here told me he welcomed todays news. Weve been, i guess, accelerated in terms of ourjourney around dealing with socioeconomic backgrounds, with the Ethnic Diversity within yorkshire and, you know, and what we can do around bringing people from State Schools into the game and the inequality around gender. And its really starting to pay dividends now. Our membership is much more diverse than it ever was. So, yeah, i do think that it will make a change. England women players match fees have now been increased to equal the mens, but when it comes to the more valuable actual pay, the ecb would not commit to the recommended parity across the sport at domestic level by 2029 and for internationals by 2030. I look at it and i think, wheres all the money coming from to immediately raise things to a parity . Its quite hard, but the intention of travel is to do that and i think, you know, ive got to take them on good faith that that is something that theyre moving towards and i think that should be welcomed. Training at the south Asian Cricket Academy in birmingham today, tackling under representation in the professional game, it will benefit from a share of £2 million of Extra Ecb Funding designed to address inequality. But azeem rafiq, the former yorkshire player whose allegations of racism sparked an unprecedented crisis for the game, believes more should be done. Theres a couple of positives, but on a large basis, i think it lacks a lot of detail, which is incredibly disappointing and a little bit frustrating. But after one of the most challenging periods the domestic game has faced, many in the sport will hope it can now move forward. Its too early to assess the effectiveness of the measures announced today, and its unclear where the tens of millions of pounds the ecb says theyll cost will come from. But the Governing Body does insist that they are needed if crickets to become the most Inclusive Sport in the country. Dan roan, bbc news at headingley. The start of the University Year is being disrupted as staff at more than a0 universities go on strike. Its part of a long running dispute about pay and conditions although the Industrial Action has been scaled down significantly. The walk out by lecturers, librarians and technicians coincides with freshers week for tens of thousands of first year students. From tomorrow schools across 2a Council Areas in scotland will close because of Strike Action by the trade union unison. But the unite and gmb unions say they are suspending their strikes while they consult their members. The Liberal Democrats leader, sir ed davey, says his party is making the nhs its priority for the next general election. Speaking to the bbc from the partys conference in bournemouth, sir ed said he would introduce policies including free Personal Care, but abandoned a longstanding party pledge to put a penny on income tax. Take our free Personal Care offer, which is really important, thats going to cost 5 billion up front. But its going to save a lot of money too, because it will enable people to get discharged from hospital more quickly, so they can be cared for in their home. Its going to then free up spaces in care homes and that will really save, we think, about £3 billion. So some of that 5 billion will be clawed back and help our nhs and help our care homes. The strike which has brought hollywood to a standstill may be about to come to an end. The Writers Guild says its come to an agreement, albeit a tentative one. The strike began back in may and has cost the californian economy billions of dollars. But theres no sign of a resolution yet of the dispute with actors which has brought a large part of the british Film Industry to a halt. Heres david sillito. Hey, barbie. Barbie, could there be anything more american . And yet it was largely made in the uk. The same goes for marvel� s the avengers. Dracarys. And also game of thrones. Britains studios are a major part of the hollywood production line, and the current strikes have shut down production on both sides of the atlantic. The union bectu says half its freelancers are now out of work. And for people like riz here on the right, who develops camera technology. We did a lot of r d on star wars, rogue one with our technologies. The contrast between 2022 and 2023 is stark. We had a boom and it was insane. Everyone was busy and now, because of the strikes, its come to another lockdown, really. Were impacted on it because productions are not working and therefore were not working. 0ur Technologies are sitting there waiting for the. Seeing how can we kind of like, when will these talks resolve . The uk has in recent years enjoyed a studio building boom, but the empty car parks are a good clue as to how its going at the moment. Everyone that i know in the industry is out of work and personally ive been out of work for. On and off, on and off for about a month, month and a half. If it was any other industry, thered be questions asked and people would be on the streets protesting. And while there are many issues in this dispute, at its heart is a battle over how to share the rewards of a rapidly changing industry. And for actors like ana mulvoy ten, a member of sag, the screen actors guild, a screen roll doesnt even guarantee youll be able to pay the rent. What we see on tv in terms of hollywood is that its just people are making millions and thats everybody and its just all fun and games. And 87 of the sag members arent making £20,000 a year. And while todays announcement by the Writers Guild of a tentative agreement suggests there may be Movement Towards a resolution, for thousands here in the uk it cant come soon enough. David sillito, bbc news. Time for a look at the weather, heres chris faulkes. It has been in the areas of the country. Some stronger winds on the way for the middle part of the week. More on that in just a moment. 0vernight initially we had regulations with the brisk southerly wind. Later in the night some rain working into Northern Ireland and a few showers putting into suffering. Temperatures for most of us holding up temperatures for most of us holding up into double figures. Tomorrow we start with a bit of heavy rain on Northern Ireland pushing into scotland with rain at times for the north west of england and wales will showers may begin across central and eastern areas of england for a time. Temperatures on the mild side. 16 23 towards the south east. Many of us will see a bit of sunshine. Towards the middle part of the week we have storm agnes on the way bringing some very strong winds. At the moment agnes is this area of low cloud with winds of 30 mph, but it will be passing on the very powerful 140 mph jet stream, the trough causing explosive deepening with the pressure dropping. It is a weather bomb. It could have 100 miles an hour gusts, but the peak will be a long wait for land and as it starts moving into the uk it will begin to weaken as it moves away from the trough in the jet stream. How quickly that weakening takes place will determine the strength of the winds. The strongest winds will be through the irish sea coast and there we will most likely see the risk of disruption. In an gusts in the west reaching around 50 60 mph Strong Enough to bring down walter trees but along the coasts and hills we could seek gusts stronger, 70 or 80 mph so potentially damaging gusts of wind from storm agnes through wednesday. It will
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.