this is bbc news. i'm clive myrie. the headlines at 11pm: police investigating wednesday's attack in westminster say they've found no evidence that khalid masood had any link with so—called islamic state. i would more describe him as someone who has been exploited, a man who is clearly a lone actor who has come up from the basement so to speak to commit a murderous and cowardly attack. with only two days to go before the brexit process is triggered, nicola sturgeon and theresa may hold their first face—to—face talks since the demand for a new independence referendum. political parties in northern ireland have been given more time to try to form a power—sharing government after failing to meet today's deadline. and on newsnight, we have the uk television exclusive with rachel dollars out, the black activist who turned out to be white. —— rachel

dolezal. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the metropolitan police say they've found no evidence that the westminster attacker had links to the so—called islamic state group or al-qaeda. officers said that khalid masood clearly had an interest injihad and they were still investigating the circumstances that led to the attack, which claimed four lives and injured dozens of people. khalid masood's mother has broken her silence today speaking of her shock and sadness. our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford has the latest. ploughing across westminster bridge at speeds of up to 76mph, khalid masood, using his hired 4x4 as a weapon. going back through cctv, detectives have discovered that he drove around westminster sometime before his attack too,

possibly on a reconnaissance mission. today, masood's elderly mother, janet ajao, said: detectives have established that the westminster attacker had a clear interest injihad, but have so farfound no evidence that khalid masood discussed his attack with others or had contact with al-qaeda or so—called islamic state, who had described him as a soldier of the caliphate. he's not a soldier. i would more describe him as somebody who has been exploited, and a man who was clearly a actor who has come up from the basement, so to speak, to commit a murderous and cowardly attack. in the last three minutes before the carnage, masood's phone used the encrypted messaging service whatsapp.

as the mountain of flowers and wreaths grew, detectives made it clear today that the communications that khalid masood had in the immediate build—up to the attack were a main line of inquiry for them. they're asking anybody who heard from him that day to come forward to help them to establish what his state of mind was. there is little doubt that khalid masood had a violent past. danny smith got into an argument with him in 2003, when masood was still called adrian elms. and he just pulled a knife out, and he sort of flinched to see what my reaction would be. i didn't flinch. i just stood there. i thought, surely he ain't going to stab me for this. and then hejust... full—on punched me, stabbed me straight in the face. on wednesday, one week on from the attack, the westminster coroner will formally begin the inquests into the four people killed before adjourning them for further investigation.

on thursday, she'll do the same for the man who murdered them, khalid masood. daniel sandford, bbc news, westminster. it's the start of a historic week for britain. on wednesday, theresa may will trigger the brexit process, but that hasn't stopped the political row between the prime minister, and the scottish government over another independence referendum. they met in glasgow today but apparently ended the talks as far apart as ever. mrs may says this is a time for the whole of the uk to be pulling together. our scotland editor sarah smith reports. theresa may knows this could be awkward. she's here to talk about her article 50 letter. she's here to press her demand for a referendum on independence. so no handshakes, no press conference, just a couple of souvenir photographs that neither woman looks like they're enjoying. by stark contrast, their first meeting just eight months ago. then they said they had a good

working relationship, not now, as mrs may says she will reject any request for a vote on scottish independence. my position isn't going to change, which is now is not the time to be talking about a second independence referendum, because it wouldn't be fair on the scottish people to ask them to make that decision when the facts aren't clear. and also because now is the time when we need to pull together, to make sure we get the best possible deal for the uk, including the people of scotland. the meeting, which took place on the 15th floor of this hotel, was, i'm told, businesslike and cordial. probably the longest meeting between nicola sturgeon and theresa may yet, but very little was agreed. the scottish government had been expecting to hear about new powers to be devolved to the scottish parliament after brexit, but there was no detail on that, and when the first minister told the prime minister how she intends to formally request another scottish referendum she was told simply,

"you know my position on that". the first minister says mrs may agreed, the shape of the brexit deal should be clear in 18—24 months‘ time, which is when the scottish government want to hold that referendum. i've said that i want people in scotland to have an informed choice when the terms of brexit are clear. she has confirmed to me today that that will be in a period from autumn next year to the spring of 2019. we both agree, now is not the time to ask people to make that choice, but since we both appear to be in agreement as to when that term, the terms of brexit will become clear on her timetable, then that would underline my view that that is the right time. visiting police scotland, theresa may announced a major counterterrorism exercise. the message, the importance of co—ordinating security across the uk. when this great union of nations, england, scotland, wales and northern ireland, sets its mind on something, and works together with determination, we are an unstoppable force. in a speech to staff

at the department for international development in east kilbride, she said she wants to build a more united nation. but it is scottish independence on the agenda at the holyrood parliament tomorrow, when they'll almost certainly vote to call for a second referendum. sarah smith, bbc news, glasgow. political parties in northern ireland have been given more time to try to form a power—sharing government after failing to meet today's deadline. after three weeks of talks, there's still no sign of agreement between the democratic unionist party and sinn fein. the northern ireland secretary james brokenshire said he believed there was no appetite for yet another election, as our ireland correspondent chris buckler reports. there's been a lot of talk in northern ireland about restoring power—sharing, but at times it's felt like sinn fein and the dup have been speaking a very different language. much of the funding for this class for migrant workers in dungannon

comes through stormont, but with no government, there's no budget. we might want to ask how much... and that means this community group can't be sure how much money they'll have once the new financial year begins, and that's just next week. if there's no funding, it would mean imminent closure within two months and alljobs lost. that's how serious it is. those concerns about budgets stretch across all departments including health and education. but at lipm, the deadline for an agreement, the politicians weren't electing a first and deputy first minister. the assembly chamber was empty. i think there are a short few weeks in order to resolve matters. the reason i say that is because of this issue, the stark issue in relation to public services here in northern ireland, and the lack of a budget having been set. the northern ireland secretary has a limited number of options.

he can call another election, but he's indicated that there is no appetite for that. however, because he only has to call a vote within a reasonable time period, that does allow more time forfurther talks. the other option is what's known as direct rule, where the westminster government would take control of the running of northern ireland, at least for a time. last week at martin mcguinness‘s funeral, the leaders of the dup and sinn fein did reach out to each other. but any signs of friendship were missing at stormont today when arlene foster and michelle o'neill spoke separately. there's a gulf between the parties on a whole range of issues, from sinn fein‘s demands for legislation to give official status to the irish language, to that thorny old problem of how to recognise and deal with northern ireland's troubled past. that all leaves major worries about the future of power—sharing, and in places like this dungannon community group, another generation affected by northern ireland's old divides.

chris buckler, bbc news, stormont. the pentagon says it places the highest priority on investigating claims that us—led coalition air strikes killed large numbers of civilians in the iraqi city of mosul earlier this month. it comes as iraqi forces have intensified their assault against so—called islamic state as they attempt to drive the group of out of the western half of the city. thousands of people have been forced to leave mosul with their lives at risk. with the city still divided between is and the iraqi army, our middle east editorjeremy bowen is in western mosul and sent us this report. this is the iraqi solution to an offensive that's stalled over the last week or so, attack again. it feels as if the air war over mosul is intensifying. the gunship pilots fly low.

they seem confident they won't get shot down. and every day, a few thousand more people come walking out of the areas of mosul still held by the jihadists who call themselves islamic state. many said is used them as human shields, shooting out from the cover of their homes and streets, but the response, more air strikes, horrified them. translation: they destroyed our homes, our cars, everything. they destroyed us. entire families are gone, they are under the rubble. translation: a lot of people died, children, women and men. houses collapsed on them. i lost both my sons.

some very sophisticated modern weapons are in this fight, and so are these, locally made rockets over a short range. a blunt instrument. that is an inaccurate weapon. it might be good for the tempo of the military operation, but it isn't necessarily good for preserving civilian lives. but they want to win this battle, and they're using everything they've got. most of the people arriving in government—held territory are bussed out to camps. many said is forced themselves into their homes. but hamoud suleiman said,

"don't bomb them with us there". nine of this woman's family were killed in the big raid on the 17th. she said she wasn't escaping the jihadists, but air strikes that use tons of bombs on a single sniper. translation: they destroy the houses when there are one or two or three so—called islamic state men inside them. they turn houses into cemeteries. they bring the dead out burned. we can't recognise them. my children, nine of my family killed. they call them smart bombs, but this is stupid. my grandchildren, some have gone. iraq has been shattered by the years of warand iraq has been shattered by the years of war and sectarian conflict that followed the us and british invasion. it might be too late to put this country back together. jeremy bowen, bbc news, mosul.

now on bbc news it's time for newsnight with emily maitlis. tonight on newsnight — the former head of the diplomatic service on negotiating brexit. it's certain we won't have resolved everything in the period before the expiry of the article 50 process. 48 hours from now article 50 will be triggered. two years after that, we'll be out of the eu picture. do the government have a plan for a half finished deal? i've been told that, on the contrary, theresa may said to nicola sturgeon that the whole brexit negotiation would be done and dusted within 18 months. also tonight: peter was most read fully frightened. he rushed all over the garden looking for the brexit. he ran straight into a messy tangle of red tape. will british farmers thrive or die without brussels looking down on them?

as a fell farmer, i can't survive without subsidy. there, i've said it! i need the subsidy. and, do not adjust your sets... are you african—american? i don't understand the question. rachel dolezal, the black activist who turned out to be white — we have the uk television exclusive with her. racism is a lie, so how can you like about a lie? good evening. two days before article 50 is finally triggered, newsnight has been given an exclusive insight into how the negotiations with the eu will be conducted, by the former head of the diplomatic service.