this is bbc news. the headlines at apm: theresa may says her brexit plans will be outlined in a formal document to parliament, following pressure from some of her own mps. i can confirm to the house that our plan will be set out in a white paper published in this house. president trump renews his pledge to build a wall on the mexican border as he prepares to make a series of announcements on national security. concern over the sharp rise in the number of people sleeping rough on the streets. northumbria university is fined four hundred thousand pounds after two students nearly died taking part in an experiment examining the impact of caffeine on exercise. i'mjane hill, and in the next hour, giving companies a dressing down over what to wear at work. high heels, make—up and revealing clothes, mps say women are experiencing widespread discrimination when it comes to office dress codes. out of vogue after 25 years at the helm, the editor

of british vogue alexandra shulman says she's stepping down. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. after growing pressure from mps to publish her plans on how the uk will leave the european union. theresa may now says the government will publish a formal white paper on brexit for parliament's scrutiny. it will be separate from the legislation mps will vote on, which will trigger the process of leaving the eu. here's our political correspondent, carole walker. off to the commons. reporter: are you worried about defeat, prime minister? yesterday the supreme court ruled against the prime minister, forcing her to consult parliament

before starting formal brexit negotiations. that wasn't enough for some mps who complained about the lack of a clear vision of the government's plans. order, questions to the prime minister. but today she sought to seize the initiative with an unexpected announcement. i can confirm to the house that our plan will be set out in a white paper published in this house. a white paper, formally setting out the government's approach, was a central demand of the opposition. the labour leader struggled to rethink his attack. could we know when this white paper is going to be available to us, and why it's taken so long to get it? theresa may said the timing was less important than negotiating a good deal. he and others asked for a white paper. i've been clear there will be a white paper. but what i'm also clear about is that the right honourable gentleman always asks about process.

about the means to the end. i and this government are focusing on the outcomes. we're focusing... jeremy corbyn was concerned that the promise to protect the competitiveness of the economy would mean cutting taxes on big business. will she offer some clarity and some certainty and withdraw the threats to destroy the social structure of this country by turning us into the bargain basement she clearly threatens? tomorrow the government will publish the bill to get parliament's approval for starting formal brexit negotiations. ministers are confident they can get it through without significant setbacks. but long and complex battles lie ahead. our chief political correspondent vicki young is in westminster and we can speak to us now. this week and the next few weeks we will all be about the influence that parliament has in this process. not

just the triggering of article 50 which will get the negotiations going, but after that as well about the substance, about what the final deal is. i think it became obvious yesterday there were a number of conservative mps who were calling for this so—called white paper, this policy document to come. today theresa may unexpected announced it at prime minister's questions. earlier, i spoke to neil carmichael andi earlier, i spoke to neil carmichael and i asked him if parliament could have any say after article 50 is triggered. i think it is the beginning of the process of influence because really we've been conducting a phoney war, we've been talking about process all of the time and that's what article 50 is about. what we need to do get down to the nuts and bolts of this issue, what is going to happen to our economy and how are we going to make sure that economy of ours actually prospers in the circumstances we find ourselves? a year's time the situation might be completely different. a number of parties are saying they will try to amend this bill. we haven't seen it, but we will see it

tomorrow, but there are various options on the table. things they wa nt options on the table. things they want the government to agree to. let's speak to the liberal democrats alistair carmichael. a white paper today, do you see that as much of a concession? it is no concession, a white paper from the conservative party, a white flag from the labour party, a white flag from the labour party who are still saying whatever it is the tories are going to do, they will wave it through. we have had the promises before and when you actually see the substance, there is not an awful lot. everything theresa may has done, has been about controlling this issue by herself and numberten downing controlling this issue by herself and number ten downing street, marginising the role of parliament and refusing the people of britain, the final say, the opportunity to mark her homework when she comes back from brussels with that deal. if she's going to give us a meaningful say, then the people who should have that say are not mps in the palace of westminster, it is the people of britain as a whole when we see the shape of the deal. the liberal democrats only have nine

mps. you have more representation in the lords, but it doesn't look like an amendment along those lines is likely. so what about parliament having more influence? surely that's got to be worth something?m having more influence? surely that's got to be worth something? it is a meaningless gesture because you know the context of that vote. there will be pressure on mps to vote through whatever theresa may comes back with because it is seen as being somehow lesley jit mat because it is seen as being somehow lesleyjit mat than a vote of the people in a referendum. it was the people in a referendum. it was the people who started this process in the referendum and it is the people then who should finish it in a referendum. it's politically consistent and its logical, but of course, it denies theresa may complete control of the agenda and that's why she is desperate not to give it. whether we win the amendment in the bill proceedings is one thing, but this bill is not going to be the end of the story. however much the conservatives might wa nt however much the conservatives might want it to be. you say that and it does feel as if theresa may is dictating the terms. she said we are leaving the eu and

we are leaving the single market, how can parliament have an influence over the next year or so? we will see how the story develops once the negotiations start, just about anything you would have predicted a year, would have turned out to be wrong. let's not get hung up on predictions, let's focus on what's important. let's focus in getting theresa may to change her mind to re move theresa may to change her mind to remove the threats, to remove the threat of taking us out of the single market and the custom union and the damage that will do to people's incomes and job security in this country and take control. if this country and take control. if this is about taking control then control must not be left with a hard brexit conservative government. alistair carmichael, thank you very much indeed. so we will see this bill tomorrow. david davis says it's going to be incredibly short and simple and then parliament starts to debate it next week. vicki young, thank you very much. donald trump is promising to make today a "big day" on national security as he makes good on his pre—election

promises to crack down on illegal immigrants, and tighten america's borders. he's expected to give details of how america will build a wall along the border with mexico. he's also expected to halve the number of refugees allowed into the us and tighten visa controls on visitors from a number of predominantly muslim countries. opponents have reacted with alarm to the plans, as david willis now reports from washington. we're going to have our borders nice and strong. we're going to build the wall. build a wall. build a wall! we have to build a wall, folks. it was the soundtrack to donald trump's unorthodox campaign for president — a call to build a wall along america's southern border with mexico. now he seems set to press ahead with measures he believes are vital to stemming the illegal flow of immigrants into the united states. the president on his twitter account said simply, "big day planned on national security tomorrow. among many other things, we will build the wall!" he's vowed to make mexico pay for it what's more,

although the mexican government has refused to do so. translation: we recognise that the united states has the right to build a wall, even though we don't like it. but it's another thing to get a neighbouring country to pay for its construction. we have said many times that this is unacceptable. it's the clear position of the mexican government and the mexican people. later in the week, to round off a busy start to his presidency, mr trump is expected to sign executive orders, closing america's borders to refugees, and limiting access to citizens from seven african and middle eastern countries — countries the administration believes export terrorism. they're mainly muslim countries, but the mantra of the trump administration is "america first". a country that traditionally has opened its doors to immigrants is about to head in the opposite direction. to immigrants is about to head in

the opposite direction. in the last hour or so reports from washington have suggested that donald trump will sign an executive order which will ask for a review of america's methods for interrogating terror suspects and whether the us. should reopen cia—run black site prisons outside the united states. the associated press obtained a copy of the draft from a us official which says it would also continue america's use of the detention facility in guantanamo bay, cuba. the document stresses us laws should be obeyed at all times and explicitly rejects torture. gary o'donohue is in washington dc. this seems to suggest the first hints as to what might be in the executive order, gary, what do you

make of what we're hearing so far? well, we haven't seen it in black and white ourselves as yet, but if the reports are right, it's some of the reports are right, it's some of the stuff we would have expected particularly the keeping open of guantanamo bay. we knew that was going to happen. the question of reopening those cia black sites, those prisons abroad, they were in places like poland and lithuania had one, thailand had one where the idea was effectively you could get away with more in those prisons than you could on us soil. and also this question of reviewing interrogation techniques. now, during the campaign, of course, donald trump said he would think about torture. he said not only because it got results and he also said because they deserve it. this executive order says it should obey the law. the law, of course, can be changed, but as things stand, likes like waterboarding are against the law and one senior republican in congress, jane, the former

presidential candidate, he has said we are not bringing back torture. he can sign whatever executive orders he likes, the law is law, so we will see, but he is clearly ordering some review of how suspects are handled and where they're held. a suggestion we might hear more about limits on refugees for example, whether that's temporary or permanent, we're not quite sure, but there will be a lot of clamp—downs, i think that's the word he would wa nt to i think that's the word he would want to hear used ? i think that's the word he would want to hear used? yes, i think that's right. we haven't got the executive orders in black and white yet so let's, we should see some of those later this week, but the impetus here is to cut down the numbers of refugees coming into the country, last year, around 85,000 refugees arrived in the uk, there is talk of capping that at 50,000, but suspending it altogether for a period of time and also putting a suspension of possibly 30 days of

people coming from seven particular countries in north africa and the middle east pending what they want to do which is to institute a process of what is called extreme vetting. so anyone coming from countries they believe where terrorists enter the united states from would have to go through many, many more hoops than they do now. gary, thank you. you can see more analysis of these first days of the trump presidency tonight on 100 days with katty kay in washington and christian fraser in london at 7pm on the bbc news channel. northumbria university in newcastle has been fined £a00,000 after two students nearly died taking part in an experiment. the sports science students who were both 20were taking part in an experiment in march 2015 examining the impact of caffeine on exercise.

for more on this, our correspondent danny savage has been following the story and joins us from our leeds newsroom. they got much more than they bargained for? when you and i have a cup of coffee, the average cup of coffee has 0.1 grams of caffeine in it. these two students who were both 20 years old at the time were given, each given, 30 grams of caffeine and that was 100 times more than what they should have been given in this experiment. they should have been given more than what you would get ina cup given more than what you would get in a cup of coffee to see how their bodies would react to see what the effects of caffeine are on performance. the idea was they were given the caffeine and done some exercise and compared it to how they exercised without any caffeine in their system, the experiment didn't get far. they were given a huge overdose and developed side—effects and a reaction which was described

in court as life threatening and had to be rushed off to hospital where one of them spent six days in and the other spent two days being treated and they both needed dialysis because of the effects on their blood system and kidneys so a really serious case of getting it wrong by northumbria university and they were criticised in court for just a catalogue of errors which is surrounding what went wrong that day. 300 cups of coffee. what does that do to people? i am no medical expert, but the side—effects does send your pulse racing. sets you very high when you're given a high dose of caffeine. affects your bloods as well. serious enough for visible side reactions and side—effects that saw them admitted to hospital. it was said in court that the university took no steps to make sure the staff knew how to do the experiment. there was a catalogue of errors that led to the overdose which could have been

fatal. it was said in court that a lower dose, something like 18 grams of caffeine has proved fatal to people in the past. it included the calculation being done on a mobile phone, the decimal point being put in the wrong place and there being no risk assessment for the test. the failures to follow basic health and safety requirements were persistent and long—standing and systematic said the prosecutor in court today before thejudge said the prosecutor in court today before the judge retired to decide how much northumbria university was going to be fined for this disastrous experiment. danny, thank you. the headlines on bbc news: theresa may says her brexit plans will be outlined in a formal document to parliament, following pressure from some of her own mps. president trump renews his pledge to build a wall on the mexican border, as he prepares to make a series of announcements on national security. there has been a big increase in the

number of people sleeping rough in england. usain bolt is stripped of one of his nine olympic gold medals, after his teammate nesta carter was found guilty of doping. the ioc has stripped jamaica of its ax100m relay gold from beijing in 2008. serena williams has backed britain'sjohanna konta to be a future australian open champion, after knocking her out in this year's quarter—finals. and dylan hartley has been confirmed as england's captain for next month's six nations championship — just two days after his suspension for striking came to an end. i'll be back with more on those stories after a.30pm. there's been a big increase in the number of people sleeping rough — with more than half the councils in england recording a rise. overall more than 4,000 people a night were sleeping rough last year, a 16% increase on the year before. the homelessness charity, crisis,

says the numbers are going up at an "appalling rate". from birmingham, seema kotecha, sent this report. as the darkness creeps in, the wind chill begins to bite. those who have nowhere to go look for shelter. with outreach worker paul, we come across bob, who has been living on the streets for months. well, i'm used to being alone, i have been for most of my life, but sometimes i like a bit of company. someone to talk to. i did have some people who'd used to come and sit here and talk to me. i'd get my head down about half ten. you're smiling. yeah, i've got virtually everything i need. the number of rough sleepers in england has increased by 16% over the last year. local authority counts and estimates show that in autumn 2015 there were 3,569 rough sleepers. but counts carried out

in november last year show that the number has risen to 11,1311. well, as we were walking by paul just stopped to check up on this rough sleeper over here. he said that he was in a lot of pain. he said that he had actually been assaulted in the night. so paul called the paramedics and they're just making sure he's ok. we think they're probably going to have to take him to hospital because it seems like there is something seriously wrong with him. we were told that he was discharged later that day. some charities blame council cuts for putting more vulnerable people on the streets. local authority budgets have been reduced by around 20% over the last six years which they say have led to fewer services. homelessness is affected by austerity, the cuts that have come down from nationally, the cuts to the nhs, local authorities and also those in terms of benefit caps, that has a huge impact on why people are on the streets. birmingham city council are doing

a lot to try to reduce this by partnership work. we are working with key agencies. we are doing outreach surgeries and we're actually listening to rough sleepers. the government says by 2020 it will have invested more than £500 million on tackling homelessness. but with a further squeeze on council spending expected in april, there are concerns that hostels and shelters could be closed down. forcing more people to live rough. a statement from northumbria university. the university fined £400,000 after two 20—year—old stu d e nts £400,000 after two 20—year—old students suffered terrible medical complications after an experiment, sports science students, just a statement through from the university saying the university is genuinely sorry for what happened in

this case. it was an isolated incident and we reacted promptly to what took place. and that included fully co—operating with the health and safety executive investigation and safety executive investigation and the subsequent prosecution. the university wishes to emphasise that the welfare of students and staff is paramount at all times. the two stu d e nts paramount at all times. the two students who volunteered to take pa rt students who volunteered to take part in an experiment, but they were given enough caffeine for 300 cups of coffee in one go in a botched science experiment. reaction from the university. more from danny savage later on. some gps are reported to be looking at ways that doctors can earn extra cash from nhs patients. under the plans, doctors could use their own time to treat and charge patients as long as it doesn't conflict with their contractual arrangements with the nhs. joining me now via webcam is dr prit buttar, who leads the local medical committee for oxfordshire. thank you very much for talking to

us thank you very much for talking to us about this. just so viewers understand fully what exactly is the suggestion? what do you think gps could possibly do? at the moment there are a number of things that there are a number of things that the nhs either funds very badly or doesn't fund at all and patients would have to pay for this. this includes things like minor operations for benign skin conditions, moles and warts, and even things like vasectomies. the current rules, rather ridiculously allow g ps current rules, rather ridiculously allow gps to charge patients for these services provided that patient isn't actually registered with them. so if you're working in a town, you could provide those services to every patient in the town apart from the ones who happen to know you best and who in any event are going to have to pay if they want those

services. it is a restrictive and pointless rule. it would be far more straightforward if it was simply removed so that if a service isn't provided by the nhs and patients would have to pay for it, they should be at liberty to arrange that either with their own gp or whoever they wish, but if the government refuses to re m ove they wish, but if the government refuses to remove the rule then general practice will try to find other ways of providing these services. so those services, you suggested a vasectomy, so would your gp practise where you work do you, how often would you carry out a vasectomy for someone else who is not registered with your practise? does that really happen very often? clearly not every gp will be performing a lot of vasectomies, but in the past i used to provide a vasectomy service for my area and i will be doing one or two of these every month, but the rules where i couldn't provide that service for patients registered with my surgery which isjust patients registered with my surgery which is just ridiculous. patients registered with my surgery which isjust ridiculous. those

patients would have to pay regardless of where we went for it and to deny them the use of their own local surgery is rather pointless. 0k. own local surgery is rather pointless. ok. so if under the suggestion it was opened up and anyone who was registered at your practise could have those sort of procedures, i wonder whether people watching will think, "well, i don't really understand why the gps are going to get the time to do this?" aren't we always hearing that gps are always pushed and there isn't time for the extra work? that's right. the general practice system is under huge pressure, but the pressure is largely created by a huge gap between the funding that general practice receives and the demands that are placed upon it. that funding has really stagnated for yea rs that funding has really stagnated for years and years and years and it really does need to rise considerably if gps are to continue even just considerably if gps are to continue evenjust doing what considerably if gps are to continue even just doing what they do at present and let alone the huge ex pa nses present and let alone the huge expanses that are being suggested in terms of you know seven day working.

if the government is unable or unwilling to recognise a huge increase in workload in general practice and unable or unwilling to fund the increase, it is natural that gps will look at alternative ways of getting that additional funding. if there is a resistance to seven day working people watching this will think, why do you not want to do that on one hand, some gps, not want to do that on one hand, but you're prepared to work until 10pm at night to carry out some minor operations because it brings in money? clearly, it is going to be different for different practise, but the point is this. a lot of nhs work is so poorly paid that practises might be able to find ways of creating time to do additional work streams if they were better funded and this money is not necessarily going to go directly into gp pockets, it will be a way of getting the additional resources that practises need to survive. at present the nhs pays the average gp

about £140 a year per patient. in some areas, it is less than that. now in return for that, you get absolutely unlimited access to your gp. there is a limit to what can be prohaveded for that sum of money and if people want further services like treatment for skin conditions etcetera, it's only sensible that that has to be funded somehow. thank you very much indeed for joining us from oxfordshire, thank you. a russian aircraft carrier which passed through the english channel last year is heading back through the channel on its way home to russia. pictures released by the ministry of defence shows the admiral kuznetsov, which is the ship furthest away, being escorted through the channel, after its deployment off the coast of syria. david cameron has called for more funding for dementia research as he revealed that he is the new president of the charity alzheimer's research uk. the former prime minister says the focus on alzheimer's research lags too far behind that of cancer and strokes. mr cameron says he wants to "win the battle of priorities"

because dementia shouldn't be written off as "an inevitability of later life". it's the seventh day of the inquest into the deaths of 30 british holiday—makers, who were murdered by a gunman in an attack on a beach in tunisia injune 2015. today the inquest has heard more details from eyewitnesses about the gunman's behaviour as he carried out the attacks. our correspondent richard galpin was at the royal courts ofjustice in central london for us. it was extraordinary testimony. she described how on that day, 26th june, 2015 when the gunman attacked,

when they heard the gunfire initially they were lying on sunbeds by the beach and they hid under the sun loungers and they were shaking with fear, but they decided not to run because there was so much gunfire going on and they thought they wouldn't make it. initially she looked up and saw the gunman approaching another woman to the side of her. this woman was pleading with the gunman, "please do not shoot me. i have family." she said the gunman then paused and shot her. he then moved closer to them and as he reloaded the gun, and she said that he was looking at them for sometime and her husband was covering her and she was saying at one point basically she said, "just get on with it." she knew he was going to open fire. he did and she describes seeing the orange flame from the gun and then terrible pain in herarm and from the gun and then terrible pain in her arm and in her leg. from the gun and then terrible pain

in herarm and in her leg. at from the gun and then terrible pain in her arm and in her leg. at that point she started to begin to lose consciousness, but she said that her husband got up and later then she called out to him, but she heard nothing from him and discovered later that he had been killed. she said that, "i'm only here because of the bravery of my husband." now, we also heard a statement read out in court from a man called alan pembrokement he was staying at another hotel and when he heard the gunfire, he ran directly into the situation to try and help. and he helped sherle mellor. he saw that she had been badly injured and prior to that he had seen many bodies on the beach, but he ran to her and he could see that she had been badly injured and actually tied tourniquets and used a scarf and a beach towel to tie tourniquets and this may have saved her life. he offered to carry her away from the

beach to the hotel where he was staying, but she refused saying she wa nted staying, but she refused saying she wanted to be by her husband and it was al—pembroke who told her that her had been killed and he went over to him and felt his pulse and realised that he died. also incredible bravery. he offered to carry her away, but she stayed behind. he played a key role and was incredibly brave. just one more story to bring new before we take a look at the weather prospects. we are hearing that madonna has began another adoption process in malawi. a court official has confirmed that the singer is applying to adopt two children. she already, of course, has two children that she has adopted over various periods from malawi. the court has told us she is beginning a court application to adopt two more.

which will make for. and there are others besides, i believe. more on that story, clearly, in the next hour with someone who knows about showbiz. in the meantime, let's get our weather update. let me tell you all about our weather. it isa tell you all about our weather. it is a sandwich, today, with ugliness in southern and eastern areas and beautiful sunshine across northern england, eastern scotland and more cloud towards the north. there are some breaks in the cloud across scotla nd some breaks in the cloud across scotland and northern ireland. we keep that weather pattern through the night, driving that low cloud further northwards and westwards. not as for the overnight and with the wind strengthening as well, not as buggy in the north but for many parts of england and wales and rural scotland, it will again be a cold night and because that cloud is bigger, it did give us drizzle and

snow, meaning it could be icy and fit first thing in the morning. a great start as well. the best of the sunshine up in the north. later in the south, a cold day, because the cold continental air is drier and the thermometer may not get much past freezing and will feel significantly colder. hello. this is bbc news with simon mccoy and jane hill. the headlines at 4.30. theresa may says she will publish details of her brexit plan in a white paper to put before parliament. some of her own backbenchers had joined with opposition parties to ask for the document. president trump promises a "big day" ahead on national security — including an announcement about his plans for a wall on the mexican border. there's been a big jump in the number of people sleeping rough in england — and while london has the highest number of rough sleepers,

the problem is growing fastest outside the capital. northumbria university is fined £400,000 after two students nearly died after taking a massive overdose of caffeine — during an experiment to test the effect of the drug on exercise. women are experiencing widespread discrimination over how they dress at work, according to a report into office discrimination. mps began an inquiry after a receptionist was sent home for refusing to wear high heels. let's catch up with all the sports news now. good afternoon. big news from the world of athletics this afternoon, because usain bolt will lose one of his nine olympic gold medals, after the ioc disqualified his jamaican relay teammate nesta carter for doping, at the 2008 beijing games. our sports news correspondent alex capstick has been following the story. he's the man that runs all ran the

first leg of the jamaican sprint relay team, always a first —— fast starter, and it helped them to win two olympic titles, one in 2008, one in 2012 and also three world titles. the ioc have been beta testing samples and it was his sample from the 2008 olympics that showed the substance found in dietary supplements that is illegal, so he was disqualified, but not only him. under the ioc‘s rule, it means the whole jamaican team has been disqualified, meaning usain bolt loses one of those nine gold medals, cus loses one of those nine gold medals, cus disappointment for him and for jamaica, meaning the trinidad and tobago team are now the winners. dylan hartley has been confirmed as england's captain for next month's six nations. it comes just two days after his return after a six week suspension for striking.

(tx oov) he led england to the grand slam last year, but his career has been tarnished by a number of disciplinary issues, and he's spent over a year out of the game because of bans. hartley won't have played for nine weeks by the time england run out for their opening match against france, but he insists he is ready. i feel fresh, i feel fit, i feel focused. i think in any walk of life but especially in sport, if you have setbacks like i havejust but especially in sport, if you have setbacks like i have just had, time—out of the game is good for you. especially in a contact sport. it has given me a chance to get some good work done. hartley's captaincy was confirmed by england head coach eddiejones at a six nations photocall. here he is posing alongside his captain with the trophy. and also answering questions, like how did he get that black eye? well, he told our sports news correspondentjoe wilson that he had "slipped in the shower". i'll be fit for the opening game.

i'll be fit for the opening game. i'll get through it. i've got good medical treatment. it is one of those things that happened. looks like the shower went a bit high. did it get a red card? not sure yet. we'll have to have a look at the video. serena williams has backed joanna konta to win the australian open one day, despite knocking her out in the quarter finals in straight sets. the british number one reached the semis last year and hadn't dropped a set throughout the entire tournament. today though, konta was simply simply outplayed by williams — a 22—time grand slam champion, as tim hague reports. it's one thing having some of the greatest in history and the walls beside you but another having one walk onto court right behind you. a daunting challenge forjohanna konta, taking on serena williams and we soon saw why williams has 22 major titles to her name. yet the ninth seed on a nine match winning streak showed just what a threat she was. not though when williams raises her game to a level you can't compete with. two breaks in the opening set, 6—2 the score. but the briton bit

back in the second, saving break points and then going 3—1 ahead. but that was as good as it got. not only did williams break back, she actually one five games in a row to take the set and the victory. it means konta's run in melbourne is over. you feel it is just a start for her though. while for serena, she may have entered the court behind her opponent but she left it well ahead. and that's all the sport for now. i'll have more for you in the next hour. the laws which ban sexist dress rules at work aren't

being enforced properly, according to a group of mps. their findings follow the case of a woman who was sent home from herjob at an accountancy firm for not wearing high heels, while the same company had no dress code for men. when mps began to investigate, they were inundated with complaints from women with similar experiences. simon gompertz has more. the receptionist who wouldn't give in. nicola thorp refused to wear heels between 2—4 inches high. she kept her flat shoes on, was sent home without pay, and now mps have taken up her cause. the report is great because it doesn'tjust focus on high heels. this was never just about a pair of shoes. it's about how women are viewed in the workplace. there's so much pressure on women to notjust look professional, but to look attractive. mps heard from hundreds of women who said they had hurt their backs, were in crippling pain and thought being forced to wear heels was sexist. now there is a call for awareness campaigns and bigger fines for employers. it's just common sense. if people use their common sense. there are a lot of people wearing flat shoes now, which is the fashion. that's what it should be. you shouldn't have to totter around in high heels if you don't want to. dress codes at work have to comply

with health and safety regulation to reduce the risk of injury, and with the equality act which bans discrimination. while there are likely to be differences between the way men and women present themselves, what is required should be reasonable, which applies to hairand make—up, too. the government says what happened to nicola thorp over high heels was unlawful. but mps have found that the pressure on women is widespread and most would like to see something done about it. you're wearing high heels. have you been forced? definitely not. looking smart for a corporate image is very subjective. wearing flat shoes doesn't necessarily make you look not smart. if i feel comfortable wearing heels, iwill. but if i don't, i don't think i have to. it should not be a compulsory thing. i think there is a feeling that wearing high heels is more feminine, that it is smarter. i've never been told to wear heels. if you were, what would you do? i would be very, very put off working for that company.

jane advises companies over how to help their employees and recommends. the campaign over high heels has highlighted the tyranny some women feel subjected to over their appearance. mps are saying more still needs to be done to make sure they can step in to work in the shoes they choose. donald trump is expected to give more information later on his national security plans, with the centrepiece of his campaign being

his idea to build a wall along the mexican border. how practical is that idea and how would it work? could a wall that length, is it possible? it's possible. anything is possible? it's possible. anything is possible that there are certain logistical, economic and other problems involved which make it very, very difficult. right, so donald trump brings you up tonight and said, go to mexico, tell me how much this will be and what the difficulties are. what will you be looking at? it is such a huge length of completely different to rain. you have got mountainous areas, boundaries, desert areas, have got mountainous areas, boundaries, desertareas, rivers, land which is occupied and owned by other people, so the problems are so wide and varied that you really would have it up into several bite—size pieces, really. would have it up into several bite-size pieces, really. and how long could each bite—size piece look

after? well, the total length, as far as they understand, is a roundabout 2000 miles. i think there already exists a barrier for a portion of that. so let's say 1000 miles. he would have the split that up miles. he would have the split that up into 50 or 60 discrete bite sized pieces and treat each one as a separate project. so say donald trump shared your concerns but said, give mea trump shared your concerns but said, give me a realistic quote, what would it be? price—wise, iwould look at something in the region of 20, 20 $5 look at something in the region of 20,20 $5 billion. how look at something in the region of 20, 20 $5 billion. how have you worked that out? you can'tjust give him that figure. i came prepared. i did some very rough back of the bag packet calculations earlier on today when i knew i was coming on. mr

trump has said that he would like a wall 30 feet or ten metres, which is a significant height. we know that the concrete would be around about half a metre thick. we know it would have a substantial base. we know how much concrete costs. add some other costs for transport and placing and maintenance and so forth, so roundabout 20 or 25 billion, which you will appreciate with a lot of money. yet, but sounds like a good price. when you talk about transport, you will have to build rates do get to some of these places, went you? indeed, and not just to get there, but to maintain it as well. there is little point in building the wall if you are not going to permanently manette. a wall, as we found out in berlin in the 60s, when you build a wall, people will always want to go

through it, and it, over it, so you will have do provide provide welfare, living quarters for people, like and everything that goes with it, really. it's a huge comic huge undertaking. it's not just it, really. it's a huge comic huge undertaking. it's notjust a capital cost of the billions of dollars we have talked about. it's the ongoing costs of year after year after year, the maintenance of such a wall. ian, i have got a second quote here. is that really your best price? given the nature of the client, i'm going to hedge my bets. you don't need a wall, you've got a fence. ian, thank you very much. good talking to you. perhaps the most illuminating interview of the day. simon dries the hard bargain with his building

great. she's the editor who persuaded the duchess of cambridge to appear on the front of the centenary edition of vogue, but today alexandra shulman, has said she's stepping down from the job as editor in chief. she's been in charge for a quarter of a century, but she said she now wanted to "experience a different life". david silitto reports. in the world of high fashion and the catwalk show, you know where you stand, by where you sit. for 25 years the front row seat of british fashion has belonged to alexandra shulman. in a world all about what is new she has been a constant figure in an era in which british fashion blossomed with names likejohn galliano, stella mccartney and alexander mcqueen. i think the white... while british vogue, which hasjust celebrated its 100th anniversary, is still at the top of the fashion prestige list, it has been a torrid time in the magazine business. online now offers alternative ways for people to get their fashion fix. always unnerving then

when someone with a reputation for knowing what works, goes. what has also gone is a fashion editor who never really seemed like a typical fashion editor. calm, reserved, a recent documentary wondered why in a world of high emotion, she seemed to be immune to the high anxiety of fashion. you do not seem like someone who carries much stress with you. i know, it is amazing. i've never seemed like someone who carries stress. but you do? yes. 20 years ago she had faced criticism in an era of so—called heroin chic and super skinny models and by the end she questioned designers why fashion clothes had to be so tiny. and unlike other editors, her personal style was not controlled by the dictates of fashion. she rather stood out for being strangely normal. david sillito, bbc news. not many of us strangely normal

around. ina not many of us strangely normal around. in a moment, we will look at how the financial markets had closed the day. first, the headlines. the headlines on bbc news: theresa may says her brexit plans will be outlined in a formal white paper to parliament, following calls from mps. president trump renews his pledge to build a wall on the mexican border, as he prepares to make a series of announcements on national security. northumbria university is fined £400,000 after two students nearly died after taking a massive overdose of caffeine during an experience —— an experiment to test the effects of caffeine on exercise. now a look at how the markets in europe have ended the trading session. now the story on markets this afternoon is that the dowjones smashed the landmark 20,000 barrier for the first time ever as optimism about trump's pro—growth policies

boosted financial markets. now, are you a scotch drinker? well, your love for the spirit has helped it contribute £5bn a year to the uk economy. the scotch whisky association said more than 40,000 jobs are supported by the industry across the uk, including 7,000 in rural areas. santander has warned of a challenging year ahead in the uk. earnings in britain fell by almost 15% after the referendum largely because of the weakening of the pound against the euro following the vote. and as i mentioned before the us share index, the dowjones has topped 20,000 for the first time. a series of executive orders signed by the new us president donald trump helped — sentiment is that his policies will help boost the us economy. let's get detailed analysis of that. richard, let's start with the dow jones. on friday, the inauguration

saw the us dollar fall against the pound. it's interesting that all these executive orders now have boosted the markets and now it is essentially the best it is going to be. the dow jones essentially the best it is going to be. the dowjones have topped at the 20,000 mark. there is some international concern, i think, about the effect the new top administration will have on world trade and we have seen some political movement and adverse political movement and adverse political movement and adverse political movement on that front already and that's not necessarily good for sentiment on the currency in the long term but as far as the domestic economy is concerned, it is widely received that the incoming administration will be good for domestic growth and the policy of putting america first will actually help growth in the united states. let's move on to santander air. they saw a 15% drop in earnings and they are saying that is because of the wea ker are saying that is because of the weaker pound. how are they doing

outside of britain? of course, it is one of europe's biggest banks. they will always be pluses and minuses. one of the problem areas, although it's now beginning to look less problematic, as the businesses in south america look to be turning a corner. in particular in brazil. very good news. spain is looking like it has stronger lending activity. the bottom line is that the story is beginning to improve. richard, are you a whiskey fan?|j the story is beginning to improve. richard, are you a whiskey fan? i do like a richard, are you a whiskey fan? i do likea drum richard, are you a whiskey fan? i do like a drum every now and then. they seem like a drum every now and then. they seem to be doing quite well, contributing £5 billion a year to the uk economy. they want more tax breaks. do you think they are going to get it? also, a lot of it is consuming driven and with prices rising this year, inflation creeping up rising this year, inflation creeping up and the falling value of sterling, do you think about going to need the tax breaks to try to compensate for the lack of sales,

perhaps, over the next 12 months?” don't think anybody who's running a whiskey company should be basing its prospects on tax breaks, no. i can remember when there was actually a whiskey lake and we had far too much. more recently, it has been a success story, contributing to export quite strongly. it is a popular drink in countries like italy and japan and even france. at the same time, of course it contributes to revenues in the uk through excise duties and things like that. i don't know if a whiskey leg sounds too healthy. thanks very much, richard. a quick look at markets before we go. there we go. that was the dow jones, topping the 20,000 mark there for the first time ever. that's it from me. a round—up of all our other top business stories on our website. ijust top business stories on our website. i just asked jane what she would do if there was a whiskey leg. she

said, breaststroke. yes, to be fair, i would dive into it. i don't think it's meant to be healthy. it sounded quite nice. now, one more story to bring you before we look at the day's weather prospects. female mps say they're experiencing unprecedented levels of verbal and online abuse. around two thirds said they felt "less safe", following the murder of the labour mp, jo cox, last summer. some reported death threats, with more than half of those questioned by the bbc saying they had had physical threats. our political correspondent, ellie price, has more. it gives me the greatest pleasure to introduce to you the new national unionist women members. it took a long time to get women into parliament. the first female mp to take her seat, nancy astor, was elected 98 years ago. eventually, more would follow. they fought and died to get representation in parliament but now modern women mps face their own struggle. right, so, what you're

looking at are tweets, the abusive tweets that my team screenshoted. anne mclaughlin won't read the abuse she receives online, which is just as well. it's deeply personal. she doesn't really want to share it. it takes a lot of strength not to. it's very tempting if you're alone at night and nobody can see you if you get upset and you cry to just have a look, but why would i do that to myself? but it's notjust hurtful insults and social media. there is an even darker side of death threats and violence. jo cox was murdered outside her constituency surgery last june. such threats are of course faced by male members of parliament as well but two thirds of the female mps we spoke to said they have felt less safe since and well over half have received a physical threat from a member of the public. i have had death threats to myself and to my family, one of which is being

investigated by the police. one where an extremely graphic picture of a beheaded corpse was sent to me along with the threat to my life and that of my family and i have young children, so that was taken very seriously. this mp, begrudgingly, now make sure she has security whenever she have constituency surgeries. do you feel safer now? this building is a very safe building. there is a police presence outside. the staff are very supportive and i do feel very safe. the majority of mps we spoke to say they are concerned that hearing about this kind of abuse might put off good new people, give good new women from wanting to become mps. in fact, a third we heard from said they had considered giving up theirjob here in parliament because of it. and yet, none have. the majority we heard

from say that despite the difficulties, thejob is a privilege and well worth the flak. as promised, it is time for a look at the weather prospects. helen willetts has those. hello. hi there, jane. it was a murky picture driving in this afternoon but we do have some sunshine further afield. as we had the sunshine here yesterday, not today, but a lot of places have seen a lot of sunshine today. this is cornwall. what a beautiful weather watcher shot that has been sent in. in contrast, under that gloomy cloud, he we are in cambridgeshire. northamptonshire, the south—east. it is here for you and the satellite picture. also, there is a bit of

cloud towards the north and the west but it is lumpy. there are breaks in the cloud here. for many, it has been a decent day. it's not warm, but it hasn't been too bad. the wind is strengthening and that if significant. it will strengthen and prevent fog at lower levels. we will have hill fog for the likes of the downs and the pennines and into lincolnshire as well. up in the north and west, because of the breeze, not as cold as recent nights, but even though we have got the cloud in the south, it will be cold. in fact, the cloud in the south, it will be cold. infact, it the cloud in the south, it will be cold. in fact, it will feel quite bracing out and about. —4, —5, ice on the cards, and this cloud is big enough to give us if you spot the drizzle or snow, even, so it will be pretty icy i'd imagine tomorrow on untreated roads and pavements. not a particularly good start to our thursday morning. we are starting off icy in rural areas and grey with hill fog around, affecting routes in

the midlands and northern england. the best of the sunshine may well be across parts of scotland and northern ireland first thing although frosty in the glands. this weather front is waiting in the wings and it will feel cold even though we will see brightness developing later in the day. look at the tight—knit isoba rs. developing later in the day. look at the tight—knit isobars. the more lines we have, the stronger the wind, and it is coming on with cold continental air. dell and south easterly on friday, but mildly milder. stilljust as cloudy, and this time we could even see some rain across parts but the vast majority, it stays dry. then the weekend. we are starting to seeping slowly breaking down. as that when the system comes in, it could generate quite a lot of clout with heavy showers around. that peters out as we go into sunday when we could see cooler at and fog again

into next week. it does look as if this persistent high pressure, this cold weather, is starting to be breaking down. more on that later. —— broken down. today at five. president trump is promising a "big day," of announcements, on national security. he's expected to confirm pushing ahead plans to build a wall, along the border with mexico. he's already ordered a major investigation into claims of voter fraud, including people being registered in more than one state. we'll have reaction from washington and mexico. the other main stories on bbc news at five. mps will get a chance to scrutinise the government's brexit strategy after theresa may said she will set out details in a white paper. the only athlete ever to have won three gold medals at three olympics — usain bolt — has been stripped of one of them because of a doping

case involving one of his jamaican