Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20161223

On the railways, that means no trains on many lines this christmas. And all smiles for big sam, as he returns to the Premier League as Crystal Palaces new manager. Also in the next hour, we will be taking a look at tomorrows papers, including the i, which says europes Open Border Policy has been blamed for allowing the berlin lorry Terror Suspect to flee more than 1,000 miles, across three countries. Good evening and welcome to bbc news. The hunt for the man who is believed to have carried out the berlin Christmas Market attack is over. Anis amri, who had evaded capture for four days, was killed in milan during a shootout with two police officers. Train tickets found on his body indicate that he had travelled from germany to france, and then onto italy, undetected despite the europe wide alert. 12 people died, and dozens were injured, when a lorry was driven into a crowd of shoppers on monday night. Germany has said it is relieved that amri no longer poses a danger, but officials have warned that he may have had accomplices. From berlin, our europe correspondent Damian Grammaticus has the latest. Anis amris reef, violent life as a terrorist ended here, in an exchange of gunfire on the edge of mallarme. Alone and hunted, he managed to flee iooo alone and hunted, he managed to flee 1000 kilometres south from berlin milan. After 3am in the morning, acting suspiciously, he was stopped by two offices, and tried to shoot them. Translation at that moment them. Translation at that moment the man, without hesitating, pulled out a pistol and fired towards the policeman who had asked for identity documents. The officers reacted immediately. 0ne documents. The officers reacted immediately. One who was hit is recovering in hospital. His condition not life threatening. Lee mack and this has been released by the so called Islamic State, a recording made in berlin by anis amri sometime before the attack, pledging his allegiance to is. Amri sometime before the attack, pledging his allegiance to isw amri sometime before the attack, pledging his allegiance to is. It is 110w pledging his allegiance to is. It is now believed that the 24 year old tunisian may have been radicalised after he arrived in europe, perhaps during the four years he spent in jail in italy. German Security Services knew he was a threat, but he talked of buying guns, not using a truck. So how did he get all the way to italy . This is what we know about his movements. At 8pm on monday the attack the Christmas Market, then he vanished, but managed to get to chambery in france. From there, a train ticket on his body shows he managed to travel to durian, then to milans central station. Finally he took the metro to the last stop, saint giovanni. Translation at the end of this week we can be relieved that one threat has come to an end, but the general threat remains. We will ta ke ste ps the general threat remains. We will take steps to make sure our state is a strong state. Germany is trying to root out islamic networks. We visited this place today, a short distance from where anis amris new video was recorded. This is one of the places that anis amri was known to frequent in the months he was in berlin. It is a residential complex, but the reason he would come here, overin but the reason he would come here, over in this corner, what used to be a mosque, it was closed down, though, and became a Meeting Point for radical islamist. 0ne though, and became a Meeting Point for radical islamist. One of the neighbours told us small groups of young islamic men continue to use the building. They would meet late at night, apparently discussing attacks. Translation of course it was dangerous. When the men sit here and fa ntasise about was dangerous. When the men sit here and fantasise about carrying out attacks, yes, i was worried. And fantasise about carrying out attacks, yes, iwas worried. My children and my family live here. With the immediate danger apparently over, Berliners Gatherfor with the immediate danger apparently over, berliners gather for a memorial this evening by the brandenburg gate. We are all one. All people come together here and think of the victims. The berlin people, there is Something Else they have to be. Germany is confronting a reality it faces new and hidden threats. Two men have been found guilty of using aid convoys to send thousands of pounds in cash to extremists in syria. The old bailey heard how high profile, Muslim Community led convoys became unwitting participants in a plan to fund terrorism. One of the aid missions which was targeted included alan henning, the eccles taxi driver later kidnapped and murdered by militants from so called Islamic State. Dominic casciani reports. Humanitarian aid for people stuck in one of the most dangerous places on earth. Syrians caught in the crossfire of serious conflict, three yea rs crossfire of serious conflict, three years ago these convoys were at the heart of those efforts. Now, to make men have been found guilty of infiltrating them. A former Probation Officer and another man used the aid missions as cover to send cash to fighters. 0ne sent these pictures by his nephew, who was fighting with a group affiliated with al qaeda. He was advised to head his enemies but not mutilate them. Aid convoys were infiltrated, and the goodwill of charities was abused. By taking money and goods from the uk out to syria to help terrorist. Element macatee is in the Public Gallery highlight how emotive theseissues Public Gallery highlight how emotive these issues have been for muslim communities. Alan henning, taken hostage by so called Islamic State in december 2013, and murdered nine months later. He went into syria on one of the convoys used by the guilty men. 0ne one of the convoys used by the guilty men. One of the men cleared of Funding Terrorism was on the same convoy, and publicly pled for Alan Hennings life. With plead for you to show him the compassion that allah has placed in the heart of believers. Under pressure from government and police, the aid convoys government and police, the aid c0 nvoys ca m e government and police, the aid convoys came to an end after mr hennings kidnap. In an unprecedented move, and a strong rebuke tonight, the United States has abstained from a Un Resolution which criticises israel. Traditionally, the us has always used its veto to stop such resolutions against its close ally. It condemns israeli settlement building on occupied palestinian territory, and passed with 1a votes in favour. A short time ago we heard from our correspondent Barbara Plett usher, who gave us the latest update from washington. I think the resolution shows a Strong International consensus that israeli settlement will bring in the occupied palestinian territories is illegal, and is a very serious threat to a viable peace deal, and the 0bama administration strongly felt that there was this threat, so it decided not to be so, it abstained, and therefore the resolution passed. At this is something that was a diplomatic earthquake at the un, because the americans always support the israelis, they always protect israel against criticism, so it was a very strong rebuke, as you said, and the israelis are very angry. President 0bama has only taken the step right at the end of his administration so it is going to have far less of an impact than it might have done had he done it earlier. Right now he is just putting down a marker, especially as he is going to be handing over to donald trump, who has shown that he is ready to strongly support the Israeli Government and its policies, and in fa ct after government and its policies, and in fact after the vote he has already tweeted things will be different afterjanuary 20, which is of course when he takes office. Reports are coming in that one of the original star wars cast, Carrie Fisher, has suffered a heart attack. The actress, most famous for playing princess leia, was travelling on a plane from london to la. According to the los angeles times, the 60 year old actress was rushed to hospital when her plane landed at lax airport. The newspaper is reporting that ms fisher is in a critical condition. Ms fisher was on a tour to promote her second autobiography, in which she revealed she had a short relationship with her co star Harrison Ford at the time of filming the original star wars in 1976. In the last half hour, mark hamill has tweeted. Well, we understand that she is now in the los angeles hospital, in a critical condition, after having, as you have just said, critical condition, after having, as you havejust said, that critical condition, after having, as you have just said, that she suffered a heart attack, a cardiac arrest, during her flight from london to los angeles, and this has all unfolded over the last couple of hours, the middle of the afternoon here. The flight arrived at around noon, the paramedics had been alerted at los angeles airport and we re alerted at los angeles airport and were waiting for the flight. She was taken away to hospital, we dont know the precise details about what happened. A number of people on her flight happened. A number of people on her flight have been tweeting that they we re flight have been tweeting that they were sitting close to where she was in the cabin, and that she had been unresponsive, it seems, for several minutes. So really thats all we know at the moment, that she is being treated in hospital, her condition is being described in various reports as critical, and a lot of people, of course, she is Carrie Fisher, princess leia, who became famous in the star wars movies, a lot of people hoping for the best for her. Of course she is a loosely best to ask for her role in star wars, as you say, but she has been promoting a book lately, as you are saying. She has been promoting her latest autobiography, she has written several books about this about her life over the years. She has been very open about some of the problems that she has had over the yea rs, problems that she has had over the years, with drugs and some mental problems as well, she wrote extensively about her relationship with her mother, who is debbie reynolds, she is the daughter of debbie reynolds, and of course she is hugely famous in her own right. And she has had a great career in hollywood, from those early days, when she started in star wars, that is what catapulted her to fame and fortune, but she has appeared in many other movies since then, but really made her mark as a writer. Extensive Rail Engineering is starting across britain tonight, with 200 different projects being carried out over the christmas break. The biggest re signalling scheme in the networks history will close the line between Cardiff Central and the valleys, and several stations, including paddington in london, will be either partially or completely shut for several days. 0ur Transport Correspondent Richard Westcott reports. It is going to be the biggest rail upgrade ever taken on, and it all starts late tonight, hitting services across south wales, london and manchester. The lack of trains will make the roads busier. This was the m6 today. And it is a popular time to fly away for the holidays. Here is sta nsted. So why do they always pick christmas to close the railways . We have a huge programme of works that we have to deliver, as part of our Railway Upgrade programme, and some of that workjust cant be done on a live railway. We have to shut the railway. And so christmas is the best time to do it, because its one of the quietest times of year. 211,000 engineers will work on 200 sites across britain. Well, one of the biggerjobs they are doing this christmas is to open up and test these new lines between the concrete blocks there. Critically, they unblock a bottleneck between the trains going from heathrow into Paddington Station in london. It will hit services across the country. Paddington station will actually close for six days after the last train leaves tonight. Services at other big stations, including london bridge, Charing Cross and liverpool street, will be severely affected. There will be no trains late on Christmas Eve between Cardiff Central, bridgend, newport and the valleys, because they are resignalling the whole area. Its affected me, i have to take an extra day off work because the Replacement Bus Service is not good enough for what i need. But i understand the work needs to be done. They know its the busiest time of year. Families want to get together, and they havent seen each other for a while, and theyre all disrupted, arent they . You cant get to where you want to go. Totally inconvenient. A lot of commuters over the christmas period, shopping between christmas and new year. The headlines on bbc news chancellor Angela Merkel says she will speed up deportations of failed asylum seekers, as she thanks Italian Police who shot dead the berlin Terror Suspect. Two british men are convicted of using Muslim Aid Convoys from the uk to syria to provide cash for extremists. A Record Number of Engineering Works are beginning on the rail network, that will mean no trains on many lines this christmas. Well have a full review of the papers at 11 30 but first lets have a quick look at some of the Christmas Eve front pages. The headline in the i newspaper is isis killer shot dead by rookie. It adds that europes Open Border Policy has been blamed for allowing the suspect to flee more than a thousand miles across three countries. The telegraph also leads on that story. It says Counter Terrorism experts are warning that europes open borders are putting security at risk. The guardians headline is the end of the manhunt. It says the moroccan authorities had warned germany about the wanted man, anis amri. The times has a picture of the body of anis amri, under a blanket in a milan street. It also carries the story of a Banking Terrorist Blacklist which is apparently so useless it includes a three year old member of the royal family. The daily mail has some advice for anyone whos feeling unwell over the festive season, postpone christmas. The paper says Health Chiefs prescribe self isolation to keep the pressure off casualty units. And the daily mirror says Chocolate Santas could kill. It reports the co op has withdrawn them from its shelves after Button Batteries were found inside. In syria, where Russian Forces helped seize the city of aleppo, the last buses have been taking away Rebel Fighters, their families and residents from the east of the city. The red cross say thirty 5,000 people have left their homes the red cross say 35,000 people have left their homes in the last few weeks. After four long years of bombardment, Syrian Government troops are now in complete control of aleppo. 0ur middle east editor, jeremy bowen, considers the significance of the victory and how it may affect the outcome of the war. In western aleppo, a Christmas Party became a victory celebration. It was watched over by banners of syrias three wise men, President Putin, Bashar Al Assad, and the leader of lebanons hezbollah movement. The regime supporters are often under estimated in the west. There was rumours that the killing might soon be over. The last buses out of the east of aleppo delivered thousands of fighters and civilians into an uncertain future. The fall of Eastern Aleppo is the rebels greatest defeat and it shows how the war is now being decided by the foreign powers that have intervened. So, what is next in syria . Bashar al assad and his allies have won themselves some options. Their victory in aleppo does not end the war. Thousands of Rebel Fighters have been bussed out to idlib, a neighbouring province. They regime will want it back. The question is where. They made decide to make eastern guta their military priority. It is part of damascus and is vulnerable because rebel groups have weakened themselves by infighting. Foreign powers are shaping the battlefield. Turkey has troops fighting in syria, and back some of the rebel groups in aleppo. But it watched while russia and its allies destroyed them. That is because turkey needs russia to stand aside while it hits the kurds, now its main target. While Eastern Aleppo fell, the west was a bystander. That is because the searing policy of the west, never coherent, has now failed completely. Aleppo, though, looks to be a turning point. Tonight, the Foreign Secretary of britain said that Bashar Al Assad must go again. But the downfall of the president looks like a hollow tree it. The president has not done it. Earlier in the war there was a chance to do it, but that chance is gone now that he is russias man. It will not be easy to move to victory in syria, but now they have the momentum. Jeremy bowen, bbc news. Vladimir putin has called donald trump to call for better relations. The russian president said he did not want a new arms race to the west after donald trump suggested he would expand the Nuclear Arsenal of america. He also rejected allegations they intervened in the election. He is always confident, but is he a little confused . As Vladimir Putin met the worlds media today, there was mixed signals from across the atlantic. Donald trump, Sabre Rattling one moment and stalking friendship the next. The kremlin leader said he hoped he and americas new president would Work Together to improve relations. It is not so simple. Russia says it is modernising its Nuclear Missile potential. Today, donald trump reportedly said that it be an arms race, we will outmatched them at every pass. So, with the kremlin respond . Well, every pass. So, with the kremlin respond . Well, putting every pass. So, with the kremlin respond . Well, putting a question to the president is not easy when there are 1000 of you and just one of him. But he took my question. Are you not concerned that there is a danger of a new arms race if america is talking about boosting its Nuclear Arsenal . Translation the basis for arsenal . Translation the basis for a new arms race was there already after the us pulled out of the Antiballistic Missile Treaty and started to create a missile shield. Either we create our own shield, or, as we are doing, develop weapons to penetrate there is. This was not our choice. Vladimir putin made it clear today that if there is to be a new arms race it will not be russias halts, and delivered a defiant message, russia is stronger than any potential aggressor. Fault. That goes for cyberspace as well. In recent months, russia has been accused of launching Cyber Attacks against america, either by using hacking to defeat hillary clinton, or otherwise. Your country has been accused of state sponsored hacking with the aim of influencing the results of the us president ial election. And president 0bama revealed that he told you personally to cut it out. So, what did you tell him in response . The president refused to say, dismissing all the talk of hacking as sour grapes from the democratic party. Translation the democratic party. Translation the losing side always tries to pass the buck. They should do better to look among themselves and their problems. But tough talk does not solve domestic problems. The russian economy is still struggling, not just because of sanctions, low oil prices have hit hard and economy reliant on exporting energy. For many here, stagnation breeds pessimism. There are growing problems with Living Standards and they see that. They see that the Health System is collapsing. They see inflation and a forecast of the government of russia will be surviving through the next 20 years ina surviving through the next 20 years in a state of stagnation. And that is one reason the kremlin is counting on donald trump, hoping he will ease sanctions against moscow. Russia wants to be seen as a global player. But if President Putin does not mean the cracks in the economy, he may be building a superpower on thin ice. Steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. A brief look at some of the days other other news stories. Two hijackers who held over 100 passengers hostage on a flight which they diverted from Libya To Malta have been arrested after a standoff on the runway lasting several hours. The crew and passengers were gradually released before the men were taken away for questioning. The United Nations Refugee Agency says over 5,000 migrants and refugees have died in the mediterranean this year, the highest annual death toll so far. About 100 migrants are reported to have died yesterday when two boats sank off the italian coast. Strong winds and driving rain have affected much of the north and west of britain as Storm Barbara blew in today. Worst affected was scotland where many Ferry Services were cancelled and a number of houses in more remote areas lost power. The former england manager Sam Allardyce has agreed a deal to become the new manager of Crystal Palace. Allardyce has been out of the game since having to leave the england job in september afterjust one match, following remarks he made to undercover reporters. Heres our sports correspondent, richard conway. Three months on from losing his dream job as england manager, Sam Allardyce is smiling once more. I like the look of the squad and thats probably the reason that im here. He was forced out of Wembley Afterjust one match in charge. Following a Newspaper Sting in which he discussed getting around fa transfer regulations. A period on the sidelines looked inevitable. Was that your last job in football . Who knows. But alan pardew has manoeuvred himself out of the Crystal Palace hot seat, after winning just 26 points in his 36 games in charge this year. And allardyce, well, he is seen as an expert in keeping teams in the top division, in a career that spans periods in charge of bolton, blackburn, west ham and sunderland. With Crystal Palace flirting with relegation, the clubs new american owners have been forced to take action. An attempt this season to play a more expansive style of football looks likely to be an abandoned. The focus now will be doing whatever it takes to stay in the Premier League. I think any team who gets big sam will tell you hes never got a team relegated, so its a great record and im sure palace will have that in the back of their mind. For Sam Allardyce theres Unfinished Business to attend to, after his briefest of stints with england. Crystal palace will settle for survival for now, but this ambitious club hope in time hell do much more thanjust keep them up. Richard conway, bbc news, selhurst park. And now for the weather forecast. It has been fairly bleak for some parts of the country. Hello. and hello. Looking at a dry and bright start with some sunshine. 0ne looking at a dry and bright start with some sunshine. One or two passing showers for the West Of England and across wales. Be further south and east you are, the better chance of starting the day on a bright note. The west of the day will be windy. Gale force winds will go across northern parts. There will be snow in the scottish hills. As we go through the afternoon, the card will thicken as a band of rain approaches northern ireland. Behind this area of rain in Christmas Eve night we have milder air. These are the temperatures we will star Christmas Morning with. 13, 1a, 15 but but through the day. Or through the day. Or rain through the day. Spells of rain it in northern ireland, the north of england, and northern wales. Behind the front, Cold Aircoming northern wales. Behind the front, cold air coming back in. That means late in the day we will see some late in thrday wewiltfseesvmfl 7 7 to late in thrday wewiltfseesvmfl 12 7; to snow late in thrday wewiltfseesvmfl to snow in the high ene er twe peepler. Etabite ~ ~ , ~ , ~ , ai ene er twe peepler. Etabite ~ ~ , ~ , ~ across {7,7 a ene er twe peepler. Etabite ~ ~ , ~ , ~ across the ene er twe peepler. Etabite ~ ~ , ~ , ~ across this how e a i ehe er twe peepte; ewhite ~ ~ , ~ , ~ across the how hour, ii be. That storm. A miles an hour, thatis be. That storm. A miles an hour, that is m9425 m be. That storm. A miles an hour, that is i wrde m 80 be. That storm. A miles an hour, that is wind; berg . 80 so that is the winds here. 80 so further south you are, the better chance you have a the weather staying dry with sunshine. Temperatures at best a round nine celsius. Next week, the weather comes down. A return of night time frost. Sunshine by the day as well. Mm your hello, this is bbc news. We will be taking a look at tomorrow mornings papers in a moment. First the headlines the man suspected of the berlin Christmas Market attack is shot dead in italy, after he was stopped by police in milan in the early hours, outside a train station. That means no trains on many lines this christmas. 90 mph winds are forecast in some parts of scotland, as Storm Barbara brings power cuts and difficult travelling conditions across the uk, with worse to come. Two british men are convicted of using Muslim Aid Convoys from the uk to syria to provide cash for extremists. And the star wars actress Carrie Fisher is taken to hospital, after a heart attack on board a flight from london to los angeles