to kabul to talk about security — but refuses to say whether us forces will leave afghanistan by may. and — the largest asteroid to pass earth this year provides the chance to see a space rock that formed, at the dawn of the solar system. hello and welcome. here in the uk: two police officers are in hospital after clashes with hundreds of protesters in the city of bristol. it happened after a rally against plans to limit demonstrations turned violent. the uk's home secretary condemned what she called unacceptable thuggery and disorder. our correspondent andrew plant sent this report from the scene. in a protest against new police powers, it was soon police themselves who became the target. vans and a police car set on fire, fireworks thrown into the crowd as around 1000 protesters gathered in bristol city centre in what has been, police say, the worst violence the city has seen in years. there's a row of police blocking off what is the central police station here in bristol, but you can see at the end of the road, they've also blocked off now the end of this city centre street, but also the side roads too, and they're doing it from behind, but there are still about 1000 people here and now they are being left with nowhere to go. protesters here holding banners, concerned, they say, that the uk is becoming a police state. the kill the bill march started in the early afternoon, but as night fell, the clashes began. projectiles thrown at officers in riot gear. we saw several people with head injuries being helped from the crowd. i think it's horrible and i agree with the cause of the protest is but i don't think this is going to do anybody any good. several officers have been injured, some reported to have broken bones. the chair of the avon and somerset police federation said people's right to protest had been hijacked by protesters hell—bent on violence. heavy rains have triggered the worst floods for a century in parts of australia. thousands of residents in the state of new south wales have been told to leave their homes. forecasters are warning that more rain is expected. to give you an idea ofjust how saturated the ground is, take a look at these pictures, filmed at 0xley island, about 250 kilometres north of sydney. the water simply has nowhere to go. and that's led to images like this — a house, literally floating away. it's believed it belonged to a couple who were due to get married on saturday. the river is peaking nearly six metres above normal — that's almost 20 feet. it's already burst its banks. things are so serious that prime minister, scott morrison, has put the australian defence force on standby. sophie love lives in tom's creek, which is around 80 kilometres inland from one of the worst—hit areas. she told me how tough the past few days have been on her and her family. ok, so we are on the banks of the river. this is the viewjust about five metres from my house. the river came up, all the grass that you can see, yesterday the water was lapping at the top of the bank near the house. it covered the flat right in front of the house. it has never come up this high before. it dropped about six metres yesterday and it is coming up again now. this is actually nothing compared to what it was like yesterday. we have lost the bridge that is our access into the property, we've lost our flying fox, we've lost acres of river bank. i don't know how we are going to recover from this, quite honestly. you say it's about five minutes from your house, far too close for comfort, and what is the weather forecast like? so it's rainina . weather forecast like? so it's raining- it's _ weather forecast like? so it's raining. it's raining _ weather forecast like? so it's raining. it's raining again - weather forecast like? so it's| raining. it's raining again now and it'sjust going raining. it's raining again now and it's just going to raining. it's raining again now and it'sjust going to keep raining. ithink and it'sjust going to keep raining. i think the peak is supposed to be tomorrow night when two weather systems collide. we are pretty scared about that, quite frankly. having seen what we went through yesterday. [30 having seen what we went through yesterday.- having seen what we went through yesterday. do you think it's safer for _ through yesterday. do you think it's safer for you _ through yesterday. do you think it's safer for you to _ through yesterday. do you think it's safer for you to get - through yesterday. do you think it's safer for you to get out - it's safer for you to get out or is it too dangerous to be out on the roads? we or is it too dangerous to be out on the roads?- or is it too dangerous to be out on the roads? we can't get out. our bridge, _ out on the roads? we can't get out. our bridge, normally- out on the roads? we can't get| out. our bridge, normally when the river is flooded we would get on a flying fox and then go across to the other side but none of the creeks are passable, all of the bridges have been washed away. we've lost a bridge on our property. the bridges on most of the access roads have been washed away. i don't know how the entire area is going to recover from this. i don't know how any of us are ever going to get back to work or get back to school. ., , ., , back to work or get back to school. . , ., , ., ~ school. have you been talking, honin: school. have you been talking, phoning with — school. have you been talking, phoning with neighbors - school. have you been talking, phoning with neighbors who i school. have you been talking, i phoning with neighbors who have got the same problems as you, presumably, the water coming at you and nowhere to go? yes presumably, the water coming at you and nowhere to go?- you and nowhere to go? yes but all of the land _ you and nowhere to go? yes but all of the land lines _ you and nowhere to go? yes but all of the land lines are - you and nowhere to go? yes but all of the land lines are out, - all of the land lines are out, so the land lines are out the mobile towers have been out since friday. so it's only those of us who have got satellite internet who can communicate with anybody and i lifeline although it does not work a lot when it's raining. it's been very patchy. most of our neighbors are in their 80s and there's no way to communicate with them. it's a real worry, communicate with them. it's a realworry, quite communicate with them. it's a real worry, quite frankly. communicate with them. it's a realworry, quite frankly. i don't think i could be as calm as you are being right now. i guess inside it's very tough. yesterday, we are all very common in emergency and yesterday made a very scary couple of hours rescuing animals and like portable buildings. we have a tiny house and all of the trailers from the flat. including my 12—year—old son come all very calm but all had a headache last night and this morning we live through the bushfires and drought, we know that we can survive. it is depressing and we don't know how bad the damage is. and wejust have we don't know how bad the damage is. and we just have to keep putting one front in front of another. let's get some of the day's other news. the british government says a record number of vaccinations were administered on saturday. a total of more than sim—thousand injections took place. but it's not yet clear whether british nationals will be allowed to take holidays abroad this summer. brazil's president, jair bolsonaro, has hit out at coronavirus lockdown measures imposed by local authorities there, saying it was time to reopen the economy and restore freedoms. his comments have been criticised though with the country battling record numbers of cases and deaths. the palestinian authority has launched a coronavirus vaccination programme. it's received sixty thousand doses from covax — a global initiative to ensure equal distribution. the jabs will initially be given to people over 75. officials in miami have extended a state of emergency for three weeks saying crowds of visitors are spreading chaos and disorder. just look at these scenes — filmed on saturday evening. this is the time of year when young americans — particularly college students — head off on spring break. police used pepper balls to clear these crowds — as you can see, there was little social distancing or mask wearing in evidence. let's speak to our north america correspondent peter bowes. the curfew has been extended, it's all very dramatic. what are the authorities saying? welcome to the authorities interestingly are saying now that it interestingly are saying now thatitis interestingly are saying now that it is not come as far as they're concerned, just as students, college students who are flocking to florida and miami beach. it's adults as well. general tour is coming to florida and increasing numbers that they would normally see at this time of year. and in large part seems to be the issue. these huge crowds which local officials say have left them overwhelmed in terms of trying to police the situation. that's why they brought in this state of emergency. initially a curfew from 8pm to 6am was due to last until tuesday of this week and that's now been extended. potentially for up to three weeks such as the seriousness of this three weeks such as the serio to, is gags—fat three weeks such as the serio to, for sssicai three weeks such as the serio to, for hospitality for open to, for hospitality for example? i know there's differences between state to state. you florida is quite different, in fact right now florida is one of the few states that is really completely open at least free of coronavirus restrictions. and last month the state governor who republican declared florida and oasis free of coronavirus restrictions. and a lot of people believe that may have encouraged people from other parts of the country to decide to head to florida. beautifully warm at this time of year for a holiday at the time of year.— of year for a holiday at the time of year. perhaps falsely believin: time of year. perhaps falsely believing the _ time of year. perhaps falsely believing the pandemic- time of year. perhaps falsely believing the pandemic is - time of year. perhaps falsely i believing the pandemic is over when of course it isn't, in fact if you look at the statistics in florida and neighboring counties, there's a thousand new cases of coronavirus every day and more than 4000 new cases across the state. and certainly florida has fared no better than anywhere else in the united states, and indeed far worse than some regions because of covid—i9. some would say a political element in terms of the liberal attitude in terms of enforcing restrictions of the last 12 months.- of enforcing restrictions of the last 12 months. the us defense secretary has refused to say whether american forces will leave afghanistan by the may deadline — which was announced by donald trump while he was president. lloyd austin was speaking after talks with the afghan leader, ashraf ghani, during a brief visit to kabul. he didn't refer directly to the peace talks with the taliban, which are taking place in qatar — but did say, he hoped a negotiated settlement to end the conflict could be reached. that process of reviewing the conditions that have been met or not met is ongoing. as you have seen with our efforts in doha, so, i will not care to comment on that, but what i will say is that it is obvious that the level of violence remains pretty high in the country. we would like to see that violence come down, and i think, if it does come down, we can begin to set the conditions for some really fruitful diplomatic work. stay with us on bbc news, still to come. thousands attend a music festival, in the netherlands — as scientists test whether large scale gatherings are safe in a pandemic. let there be no more wars or bloodshed between arabs and israelis. with great regret, the committee have decided that south africa be excluded from the 1970 competition. singing. streaking across the sky, the white—hot wreckage i from mir drew gasps . from onlookers on fiji. wow! this is bbc world news, the latest headlines. violent clashes on the streets of bristol, after thousands protest against increased police powers to control british demonstrations. mass evacuations — as south—east australia is struck by the worst floods in a century — the prime minister offers emergency funds to those affected. in households around the world, covid restrictions have meant couples spending more time together than before the pandemic. families have been sharing space, working from home, and home schooling. but spare a thought for the men and women just trying to get to know each other — especially when living in different countries. here's david campanale with the story of how one couple split between canada and the united states have kept their relationship alive. room to move safely and space to keep love alive. for american reading steel and canadian rod greenwood, this park has become central to their relationship. since the beginning of the pandemic a border crossing at peace arch park is where they get together. we have been dating now about six, six this year? we met online. we have been spending some time down in the states because his son was there. that was how we met up. every weekend, flanked by a tent, portable heater, coffee and hot chocolate, the couple meet to do jigsaw puzzles, listen to music and talk. this time last year, the us— canada border was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. british columbia closed its side of the park, but washington state remained open for canadians to enter, and has proved a lifeline for couples in cross—border relationships. it has been great coming to the park and having this here, because this is the only way we have been able to spend time with each other in the last almost 11 months now and if we didn't have this we wouldn't be able to see each other. but with covid restrictions pushed to the limit and border officials under political pressure to act, park access might come to a close, and couples will have to fix the puzzle of another kind, how to keep love alive online. david campanale, bbc news. now to the southern philippines and an area rarely visited by the western media. the newly established bangsamoro autonomous region of muslim mindanao is the product of a recent peace deal between separatist fighters and the philippine government. after decades of conflict, the moro islamic liberation front are now transitioning to politics, helping to establish a fledgling regional parliament in return for the decommissioning of firearms. but with other factions still at war with state forces, can the peace hold? 0ur correspondent howard johnson, visited the region, with the westminster foundation for democracy, to take a closer look. the dimaukom mosque was painted electric pink to promote peace and love in an area beset by violence. we've come here to meet umi and comenie, two former fighters of the separatist group the moro islamic liberation front. i ask umi why shejoined the group. translation: i saw my parents being hit by some soldiers. - they killed my uncle who was tending to his water buffalo on his farm when they passed by. another relative was also killed. they threw their bodies into the river. the bangsamoro, meaning nation of the moro people, say that this is part of decades of religious discrimination from catholic—dominated manila. first established as the moro national liberation front, the milf split away to form the region's most dominant insurgency in the 1990s. the group that once trained with al-qaeda now say they reject that violent ideology, hoping to build a better future for their people through a fledgling regional parliament. translation: the ethnic cleansing back then - was during the times of my parents. the difference now — i'm myself an employee of the government. i became one of the instruments to continue to fight for the bangsmoro cause through the government. and it appears that the peace is holding. the milf have publicly decommissioned hundreds of firearms. the organisation international alert say overall violence in the region has declined year on year since 2016 but intensified in some localities. although the peace process appears to be taking root, there are factions here that never wanted to be part of it in the first place. so, that's why we're travelling with a police escort because in recent weeks, there have been roadside bomb attacks, skirmishes between local clans, and there remains a kidnapping risk for westerners like me. but in the main market of the regional capital cotabato city, there's a palpable sense that things are changing. translation: we want peace. we muslims and christians come from the same place. stop the war, stop the misunderstandings. the peace deal agreed full elections for parliament next year but the region's chief minister says he'd like to push back the vote until 2025 because of setbacks caused by the pandemic. what do you say to those critics who say, "could this be seen as a power grab?" there's nothing wrong in the extension because we see the failure to properly implement the agreement will result in the failure of the peace process. for years, umi and comenie were enemies of the state. a family outing like this would have been impossible. but now the police turn a blind eye to them. the mosque's appeal for peace seems to be working. howard johnson, bbc news, maguindanao. the largest asteroid to pass by earth this year has reached its closest point, giving astronomers an opportunity to observe a space rock that formed at the dawn of the solar system. the asteroid — first discovered 20 years ago — is about 900 metres in diameter. the american space agency nasa says that even at its nearest point, it was still 2 million kilometres away. professor alan fitzsimmons is at the astrophysics research centre at queen's university in belfast and explained what's known about the asteroid. asteroids are relics of the history and the berthing and the evolution of our solar system, and by understanding what they are made of and how they are created, and even how they come to be, and the orbits around the sun that can bring them close to our planet, we can get a much better idea of how our planetary system has evolved, and continues to change right now. asteroids of this size are quite hazardous. in fact, we think something about this size, one kilometre across or larger could cause global effects, if it hit our planet, but the good news is first of all that we have found or astronomers believe that we have found most of these, and we are in no immediate danger, but our attention is now turning to the smaller asteroids, perhapsjust a few hundred metres across wear, if they hit us, they could still devastate a small region of our planet, and so the next few years, both nasa and the european space agency are performing their first planetary defence missions, where they will test technologies and our understanding of how we might divert a future threatening asteroid, so that it doesn't actually hit us. scientists in iceland say the eruption of a volcano near the capital, reykjavik, appears to be subsiding. the volcano — which last erupted around eight hundred years ago, burst through a huge crack in the earth's crust on friday night. icelanders had been bracing themselves for an eruption for several weeks, after more than 50,000 earthquakes and tremors were felt in the region. you can see more of these stunning pictures on the website or of course the bbc news app. a music festival is going ahead in the netherlands this weekend, despite the rest of the country being under a covid19 lockdown. the two—day event is an experiment, to try to work out whether there's a safe way to allow large social gatherings without increasing the spread of the virus. our correspondent anna holligan sent this report from biddinghuizen near amsterdam. surreal as it might look, a reminder of what life was once like, and an opportunity to pilot a way back to this. i'm just really happy, we can party again! what does it feel like? euphoric! 1500 people managed to get a ticket for this, and everyone here had to show a negative test before they were allowed in. everyone is meant to be wearing a mask, though, and as you can see, they aren't. they either don't realise or they don't care. and of course the risk with an event like this is when people stop following the rules, that could potentially affect everyone outside this controlled environment. soon they were all mixing, and the masks had mostly vanished. once you're into the mood of dancing and partying, they fly away in no time. they become a party hat, as i usually say. as all these people are tested and known negatives, of course this is not a normal situation. you have to see them as test bunnies during an experiment. this is not normal life. there will be people who think it's unethical to use these young people like guinea pigs. what do you say to them? uh, all these people, all the participants, know that there's a minor risk, they're well aware of it. we believe from the first data that we can say the risk is not much higher than staying at home. these are motion sensors designed to track the group dynamics, and the government is paying for the scientific research. this event will inevitably raise eyebrows and questions about how ethical it is, especially when neighbouring nations are locking down. here in the netherlands, the infection rate has gone up by 25% since last week. in what sense is this valuable when the risks are still so great? yeah, it will only give us the data to reopen society. if you plan it right, you can do safe things. so this is not an unsafe event. the entertainment industry in the netherlands and around the world has been shut down by measures to stop our social interactions. the isolation has huge consequences for businesses and our mental health. and finally wales has found itself welcoming an unexpected visitor. a giant walrus has been spotted in pembrokeshire, thousands of miles from its home in the arctic circle. it's thought it's the same animal that was spotted off the coast of county kerry in ireland last week. biologists believe there's a chance it fell asleep on an iceberg and was then carried south. a lot of interest in that story on the bbc online. a reminder of our top story. several police officers have been seriously you can reach me on twitter — i'm @philippabbc. thanks very much for watching bbc news. hello there. it looks like our weather pattern is going to change over the week ahead. for the past few days we've had quiet, settled weather. it's been warm when the sun has been out. high pressure in charge. let me show you the upper level winds, the jet stream, that's the position of the jet stream and you can see how undulating that pattern is right now. but as we head into the week, we get more of a zonal flow. west—to—east wind coming in and bringing in air from the atlantic, and lower pressure means the weather is eventually going to turn more unsettled. fairly quiet at the moment, still. we've got a chilly start underneath those clear skies. more cloud coming into northern ireland, north west england and especially western scotland. a little light rain or drizzle here. elsewhere it looks like it's going to be a dry day. some sunshine at times, light winds, temperatures again peaking at 13 or 14 celsius through the midlands, south east england, east anglia and the north east of scotland. moving quickly onto tuesday, and we've got a fresher breeze picking up. south or south—westerly wind, looks like it's going to bring in a lot of cloud. maybe some dampness in the air out towards the west ahead of a band of rain that comes into northern ireland, western scotland later. temperatures again are perhaps 13 or 14 in the east where skies should be a bit brighter. we start to see the weather changing, though from midweek. that weather front bringing rain down from the north west into england and wales, not going to amount to very much at all. still dry in the south east for a while. after that band of patchy rain, we get some sunshine and then the weather turns wetter in the north west, especially into western scotland. the winds are bit stronger here. elsewhere, the winds should be fairly light which is why that band of cloud and rain isn't moving very far. temperatures not changing very much, again, on wednesday. the winds continue to pick up though, i think, during thursday and we start to see some mixture, really, of sunshine and showers. some wetter weather, though, a band of rain coming into northern ireland, into western scotland through the day. and temperatures of 12, 13, maybe 14 celsius — near normal for this time of the year. but as we head towards the end of the week, we've got low pressure in charge. that's coming down from greenland, settling between iceland and scotland and that's going to bring colder air across the uk together with some much stronger wind. and we're looking at some bands of rain or showers and it's cold enough for those showers to be wintry over northern hills, perhaps even down into parts of wales as well. temperature wise, 7 celsius in the north, maybe making double figures in the south east. this is bbc news. the headlines. several police officers have been seriously injured during violent protests in bristol. thousands of people gathered to oppose the uk government's police and crime bill which would give forces in england and wales more powers to curb protests. clashes then broke out at a city centre police station. parts of new south wales in australia are suffering their worst floods in a century. torrential downpours have caused dams to overflow and river levels to surge. around 1,000 people in the western suburbs of sydney are the latest to be urged to evacuate their homes. city officials in miami beach in florida have approved an extension to a state of emergency after thousands of tourists descended for the annual spring break holiday, risking the spread of coronavirus. the decision means that a night—time curfew will continue for at least three weeks. now on bbc news, it's hardtalk.