hello to you. the charity save the children has warned that planned reductions in british aid to syria could lead to hundreds of thousands of children losing their access to education entirely. since the start of the conflict a decade ago, thousands of schools have been destroyed, in what the un says is a deliberate ploy by president bashar al—assad and his allies to terrorise communities — a charge the regime denies. the foreign office says no final decisions have been made but it is warning there are tough decisions ahead because of the pandemic. our middle east correspondent, quentin sommerville, reports. to be a parent in syria is to carry the world on your shoulders. forabu bahar, his burden is constant vigilance. for years he's watched the sun set and rise from this hilltop, waiting for the next attack. he's a flight spotter, a one—man early warning system, protecting the village below where his wife and five children live. at the end of another long shift, he calls home. he knows firsthand the fear and the fury the warplanes bring. the screams in this playground are of terror. these are school days in syria, an entire generation brutalised and traumatised, as bombs fall by the school gates. how do you break the opposition�*s will? target their children, their teachers, their schools. there have been thousands of attacks on schools since the war began. they are relentless in opposition areas and come mostly from regime and russian bombs. taken as a whole, it is a systematic terror campaign against children. in october 2016, a parachute bomb dropped steadily onto this school in haas. inside pupils as young as five years old. 36 were killed in a series of strikes that day. 21 of them were kids. five years later, with their parents�* permission, they told us what happened. the world has turned its back on these children. it's tired of the syrian conflict. the un does what it can, applying a sticking plaster britain, for example, is contemplating a 67% cut in its aid to syria. what would that mean for the un? what would that mean for people on the ground in syria? well, we can only give aid to those 7.5 million people we reach every month if we get the money to do so. the un doesn't have a magic... 350,000 fewer kids in school if britain pulls the plug on that money? it will mean feeding fewer people, it will mean fewer kids in school, it will mean less medical services and it is the wrong thing to do, to balance the books on the backs of these starving and suffering people. 10 years of international failure has left syria a landscape in ruin. this was a normal school day just last week. beeping until the aircraft early warning alarm sounds. carefully, the children pack up and evacuate the school. they know the drill only too well. for syria, this is not history, this is now. quentin sommerville, bbc news. russia may be hit with new sanctions from the united states, now us intelligence agencies have reported that russia's president, vladimir putin, probably authorised attempts to influence last year's us election in favour of donald trump. president biden has said mr putin will pay a price. he also told the american network abc he thinks the russian leader is "a killer". we had a long talk, he and i. we — i know him relatively well. and the conversation started off, i said, "i know you, and you know me." "if i establish this occurred, then be prepared." you said you know he doesn't have a soul? i did say that to him, yes. and his response was, "we understand one another." russia has withdrawn its ambassador from washington for consultations about future ties with the us. the intelligence report found moscow spread "misleading or unsubsta ntiated" allegations aboutjoe biden during the presidential campaign, with the aim of undermining the broader election process. the report also accuses iran of trying to weaken support for donald trump. and it alleges russian intelligence pushed anti—biden narratives to media outlets and to senior officials and allies of mr trump. yuval weber is a research assistant and professor at texas a&m's bush school of government and he is the bren chair of russian military and political strategy at the brute krulak center at the marine corps university. he's in washington. it's good to talk to you. thank you. presumably both sides have acted in these kinds of responses and think what they're doing is worth the response? they're doing is worth the re5ponse?_ they're doing is worth the response? they're doing is worth the resonse? ,, �* response? sure. agreeing with that phrase _ response? sure. agreeing with that phrase that _ response? sure. agreeing with that phrase that president - that phrase that president putin is a killer, but was clearly what caused the russians to bring back their ambassadorfor russians to bring back their ambassador for consultations. although the official statement put out from both the wash russian embassy in washington and the one in moscow was fairly mild. they made no mention of the comments. they only said they are bringing ambassador anatolian zone of four consultations to moscow, just to see where the relationship is and where it could go, that was far less bloodthirsty than one might imagine that mia didn't to do, in response to such a personal attack. . , ., in response to such a personal attack. . ., ~ ., ”i attack. -- ambassador anatoly antonov- _ attack. -- ambassador anatoly antonov- do — attack. -- ambassador anatoly antonov. do you _ attack. -- ambassador anatoly antonov. do you think- attack. -- ambassador anatoly antonov. do you think other i antonov. do you think other issues are going to drop? fine issues are going to drop? one ofthe issues are going to drop? one of the things _ issues are going to drop? (me: of the things president biden was referring to was when george w bush famously said a look into vladimir putin's eyes and i saw his soul, that is in fact what he was referencing. what biden was in effect trying to say was the red lines in a sense had already been drawn, and whatever he is going to do, he has already put down the marker and he is going to probably signal sanctions or something else coming fairly soon down the pipeline, because right now with the office of the director of national intelligence report, it clearly names putin and the russians were having tried to interfere into the elections, not by messing around with any of the actual votes or technical aspects, but by trying to put misinformation into the american political sphere out elections. american political sphere out elections-_ elections. does this reflect the idea that _ elections. does this reflect the idea that president - elections. does this reflect i the idea that president biden doesn't — the idea that president biden doesn't need to usher in foreign _ doesn't need to usher in foreign policy in the way that president trump did?- president trump did? every ostwar president trump did? every postwar us _ president trump did? every postwar us president, - president trump did? every postwar us president, bill i postwar us president, bill clinton, bush, 0bama and trump, all needed russia for something in particular. clint for nato enlargement, 0bama for nuclear non—proliferation, trump to get the united states out of the middle east, and each one of these gentle men coming into office really needed russia to make those things happen. for biden, the things he has worked with russia so far on renewing the new start treaty, he said that was in humanity's interest, notjust russia's it to reduce the opportunity of nuclear exchange. and the iran talks are also in russia's interest, so biden is in a position where he doesn't need russia, and more to the point, he has made his entire campaign as well as first 100 days in office about connecting domestic policy and foreign policy in ways that when he says build back better in his campaign slogan, he is often referring to increasing democracy, human rights and civil rights at home. if he didn't pursue basically the same ideas in terms of values and morality when it comes to foreign policy, then he would look inconsistent either at home or abroad. so basically, the unfortunate recipient of thatis the unfortunate recipient of that is vladimir burton, who not only has to deal with the election issue, but the alexei navalny poisoning, and basically everything else that divides the united states and russia, but with the us president that doesn't really need him to advance any of the american national interest. yuval weber, thank you very much. i, ~ yuval weber, thank you very much. . ,, ., ., the president of tanzania, john magufuli, has died at the age of 61. the vice president said mr magufuli who was being treated in hospital in dar es salaam, had succumbed to complications related to a heart condition. the bbc�*s salim kikeke reports. whenjohn magufuli rose to power in 2015, he seemed to be the leader tanzania needed and wanted, efficient and incorru ptible. his fast action was to purge thousands of so—called ghost workers, officials that were considered corrupt were fired publicly, sometimes on live television. his style was applauded by many inside and outside the country. the international community even hoped his influence would radiate in the region and help neighbouring countries with governance issues. but the honeymoon period was short—lived and magufuli instantly attracted criticism when live broadcasts of parliamentary debate were banned in 2016. the opposition saw the changes he implemented as a threat to freedom of expression, and his government grew increasingly intolerant of any criticism. translation: the truth | is i have never suppressed democracy. since elected as president, i've actually been promoting it. democracy must have limits. what we are doing it in accordance with our constitution and tradition. but it was his handling of the covid—19 pandemic that became the most controversial, advising tanzanians to dedicate themselves to prayer to defeat the virus. and without offering any scientific proof himself, he also warned tanzanians to beware of the vaccine. this directly challenged the who efforts to build vaccine trust in the country. translation: there are some tanzanians who recently - travelled abroad in search of coronavirus vaccines. these people brought the virus into our country when they returned. let us stand firm. this vaccine is not good at all. after the death of zanzibar�*s first vice president, and as the country faced an important increase in the number of deaths, john magufuli finally seems to accept the importance of face covering and social distancing. in october 2020, he won a second term in office, co ntroversially. the opposition cried foul as he won with a landslide 84% of the vote. despite the promising start to his presidency, mr magufuli leaves behind a tanzania very different from the one he took over in 2015. some would say a very divided one. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: when firefighters in colombia got more than they bargained for. today we have closed the book on apartheid, and that chapter. more than 3,000 subway passengers were affected. nausea, bleeding, headaches and a dimming of vision, all of this caused by an apparently organised attack. the trophy itself is on the pedestal in the middle this was an international trophy and we understand now the search for it has become an international search. above all, this was a triumph of the christian democrats i of the west, after- reunification as quickly as possible, and that's. what the voters wanted. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: a leading charity says many thousands of children in syria could lose access to education — if britain cuts its foreign aid. tanzania's president, john magufuli, has died at the age of 61. the vice president said he'd succumbed to complications related to a heart condition. the canadian senate has passed a bill that expands access to medically assisted death. assisted death has been legal in canada since 2016, but the revised law includes people with an intolerable medical condition but whose death is not considered imminent. it means that it could become an option for those whose sole underlying condition is mental illness, once a two year prohibition on such cases has passed. the bill requires a formal signing to be made law. let's speak to krista carr from the group inclusion canada which opposed the change to the law. it does look like it's going to happen? it does look like it's going to ha en? , it does look like it's going to hauen? , i , it does look like it's going to hauen? , . i“, happen? yes, recently saw the tweet from _ happen? yes, recently saw the tweet from the _ happen? yes, recently saw the tweet from the minister - happen? yes, recently saw the tweet from the minister for - tweet from the minister for justice that the bill has received royal assent, so it is in force. ., , received royal assent, so it is in force. , i, in force. there has been more than a year— in force. there has been more than a year of _ in force. there has been more than a year of bitter— in force. there has been more than a year of bitter debate. l than a year of bitter debate. what other problems as you see them? $55 what other problems as you see them? �* , , ., what other problems as you see them? ~ , , ., ., what other problems as you see them? ~ , i. ., ., them? as you mentioned, we have access to medical— them? as you mentioned, we have access to medical assistance - them? as you mentioned, we have access to medical assistance in - access to medical assistance in dying for anyone whose death is reasonably foreseeable. what this bill does is add in a separate track with people with disabling medical conditions, just people with disabilities, to receive assistance in dying or assisted suicide when they are not actually dying. and they've added mental illness to that. it was added by the senate and accepted by parliament. also on the basis of the soul condition being a mental illness. it's extremely dangerous. and we've done it under the guise of autonomous choice. we are only going to, this is going to be a choice for people who are living with disabilities and something —— suffering intolerably. when you look at the state of people with disabilities in canada and the levels of poverty and the lack of supports people experienced and the lack of access to mental health supports, and services, and things they need, the broken systems, and the wait lists for housing. people are living in intolerable conditions. this will not be a real choice. there can be no autonomous decision—making when you are living in those kinds of conditions. we know for a fact when you couple that with the systemic and ableist bison discrimination that already exists in the medical system for with disabilities, this will be a complete recipe for disaster. i will be a complete recipe for disaster. ., �* ., ., disaster. i don't mean to interrunt _ disaster. i don't mean to interrupt you, _ disaster. i don't mean to interrupt you, i - disaster. i don't mean to interrupt you, i have - disaster. i don't mean to interrupt you, i have to i disaster. i don't mean to - interrupt you, i have to dress you on that, somewhere arguing the previous law did not go far enough, that it excluded too many people. surely people, you cannot argue people with a mental health disability or illness are not entitled to a choice of some kind. should we not extend choice to them? no, i don't believe that we should. at the end of the day, people can't get access to the supports and services they need. the wait list to get psychiatry or any kind of support. there is no agreement in our mental health community in our mental health community in canada that mental illness is an incurable or irremediable condition which is what the law sort of allows for. we are essentially throwing suicide prevention efforts right out the window and saying, if people get in a bad place, if they are struggling with mental illness or disability, we're just going to allow an exemption the criminal crowed to the crime of murder and allow us to support them to end their lives, but we're not going to give this special privilege to anyone in canadian society who suffers intolerably, only this one group of people. forgive me, as you know, there are strong arguments on the other side as well. we will hear from those a little later on but you very much for that. police in atlanta have said the lone gunman responsible for the fatal shooting of eight people, including six women of asian descent, may have had an issue with sexual addiction and had lashed out at targets of opportunity. the attacks took place at three massage parlours in the northern suburbs of the city. the cherokee country sheriff told a news conference that the suspect may have previously been a customer of establishments similar to the ones he attacked. he has now been charged with eight counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault. we were able to interview him with the police department and the fbi. he made indicators that he has some issues, potentially sexual addiction and may have frequented some of these places in the past. as these places in the past. as the chief indicated, it's early on, we have things to talk about. ' i i, , on, we have things to talk about. ' i ii i ii on, we have things to talk about. ' i ii , i, i, about. officials are also sa in: about. officials are also saying it's _ about. officials are also saying it's too - about. officials are also saying it's too early - about. officials are also saying it's too early to l about. officials are also - saying it's too early to save the attack was racially motivated. there has been a sharp rise in attacks against asian—americans during this pandemic. let's speak to author giboom park about all of this. she wrote the book not your yellow fantasy, and joins us from chicago. we have to bear in mind there are charges, there will be a court case, there is no guilt yet but what are you making of this case? i yet but what are you making of this case?— this case? i think it's extremely _ this case? i think it's - extremely heartbreaking that this case? i think it's _ extremely heartbreaking that we see the direct results of that authorisation, misogyny and white supremacy all combining into this white case which not only dehumanises the women i takes away from the centralisation of their stories and focuses on this white man and focuses on this white man and what he wants, what his goals are and his treatment of these women as objects to eliminate to help defend his sexual temptations and to escape or his religious benefits.— benefits. there are all sorts of extraordinary statements around this case including a suggestion from police that the suspect was just having a bad day and this is how it laid out. more generally, there has been a rise, as we reported, in attacks against asian—americans. some have connected back to president from's remarks, is persistent labelling of the pandemic as the china virus. labour right, and i think that has been a trend on why they have been so many increases in asian—american eight crimes. i believe stop api hate has already recorded 300, and that doesn't include the ones reported yet. by politicians and higher authorities tying the coronavirus into xenophobic sentiments and elements of the asian dye aspirate, skin colour, we arrive at this very unfortunate result, we arrive at this hate crime, xenophobia and constant dehumanising efforts across the world. if you don't mind, we are at least seeing quite a response in support of the kind of point of view you're putting from politicians and celebrities, including the vice president. do you have a sense that people are finally listening? i believe we have seen an incr