this is bbc news. i'm shaun ley. the headlines at two... labour sets out key economic policies, claiming it is now the party of low taxation for middle and low earners. no income tax rises for all those earning under £80,000 a year. and there'll be no hikes in vat. and no changes in your national insurance either. the conservatives pledge more money to fund mental health staffing in the nhs and say fewer people will be detained against their will. it is new money going into the nhs thatis it is new money going into the nhs that is going into mental health. it is new money going into the nhs that is going into mental healthm is not just that is going into mental healthm is notjust money, it is having the people to deliver these jobs, which is why we need the 10,000 extra professionals. the liberal democrats commit to keeping the "triple lock" on pensions but those on higher incomes would lose the winter fuel payment. the french are choosing between emmanuel macron and marine le pen to be their next president.

finally freed — 82 of the nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by islamist militants three years ago have now arrived in the capital abuja. also in the next hour... tom daley dives into married life. the british olympic diver marries american film director dustin lance black in dartmoor national park in devon. and stories about charlie chaplin's extraordinary life from the silent film icon‘s son are told in witness. that's in half an hour here on bbc news. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. labour is promising not to raise income tax for anyone earning less than £80,000 a year as part of an election pledge

to low and middle earners. the shadow chancellor, john mcdonnell, said those earning over that amount would be asked to pay "a bit more" to help pay for public services. the conservatives say they have no plan to raise taxes but have so far refused to rule it out completely. here's our political correspondent, ellie price. a policy pledge to capture the imagination of low and middle—income voters — and the newspaper headlines. labour say 95% of taxpayers will benefit from what the shadow chancellor described as a personal tax guarantee. anyone running below £80,000, we will guarantee you will not have an increase in income tax, vat on national insurance can. —— national insurance contributions bill. and for those above £80,000, we will ask you to pay a modest bit more. why? to fund our public services. the policy—making sound relatively familiar... no increase in national insurance, no increase in income tax...

the conservatives made that pledge at the last election. so far, theresa may has ruled out a rise in vat but not committed to the previous manifesto pledge of not raising income tax or national insurance contributions. today, the tories said there was a black hole in labour's tax proposals. they're going back to type, they want to tax aspirations, they are always going to raise taxes, they will start at £80,000, you will brink and they will bring it down again. it's the same old labour, raising taxes and hurting aspiration. the lib dem leader, tim farron, was on a fun run today. his party said labour's tax pledges were not worth the paper they were written on. you can't get that much more by putting a few bends on income tax for the highest demos. if you really wa nt to for the highest demos. if you really want to raising that the contaminants want to raising that the co nta m i na nts of want to raising that the contaminants of money to support public services, i am afraid it

cannot just be other public services, i am afraid it cannotjust be other people who pay it. it has to be all others. announcing the pledge today, john mcdonnell do not rule out introducing a new higher rate of tax for top earners. he insisted the decision would be made when the party byes—mac manifesto is launched in the next few weeks. —— party ‘s. the conservatives say reforming mental health legislation in england and wales will be a priority if they win the election. theresa may said a new law would tackle discrimination and the unnecessary detention of vulnerable people. there would also be a boost to the number of mental health professionals by 2020. richard lister reports. when she entered downing street for the first time as prime minister last year, theresa may described the lack of sufficient mental health care as a burning injustice. now, in what the conservative campaign describes as its first major domestic policy announcement, the tories have pledged to employ an additional 10,000 mental health staff in the nhs, to give more legal protection to all people suffering from mental health issues, and to make mental health first aid available in every school.

if you have a child that has severe mental health problems, and you find that child, instead of getting treated by the nhs, actually ends up in a police cell, that is a terrible thing for the child, it'll probably make their condition worse. but it's also very bad for the police as well. we want to stop that. the tories say they will rip up the mental health act amid concerns it is allowing the widespread detention of people against their will. the liberal democrats say the conservatives delayed such reforms while in the coalition, and failed to fully fund children's mental health care. when i come across families who are waiting desperately for their children to receive the care they need, they feel badly let down by this government. so, for me, it's empty rhetoric at the moment. labour says there are 6,000 fewer mental health nurses than in 2010, and less investment. health care charities welcome the attention but worry about the future.

daily at sane, we hear of people struggling to get help, who are being turned away and neglected. we've lost over 25,000 beds since 2000. the main focus may be on brexit, but health care is also a key battleground in this campaign. richard lister, bbc news. the liberal democrats say that their ma nifesto the liberal democrats say that their manifesto will include a commitment to keep the triple lock on pensions, guaranteeing they rise by as much as wages inflation or 2.5%, which ever is highest. pensioners with annual incomes over £45,000 would lose the winter fuel payment. labour has also pledged to retain the triple lock but theresa may has declined to say if the conservatives would do so. to get more on the day's developments, i'mjoined by our political correspondent, ellie price. what has been most interesting today has been the interview amber rudd gave this lunchtime. the home secretary was asked, surprisingly, read immigration and what you might

do about it. it was interesting because so much has been made in the e referendum campaign, so much made before that with the conservative party commitment to cut immigration to the tens of thousands. made when david cameron was leader and theresa may was home secretary. it is an issue close to the heart of theresa may. we know that from the things she has said as prime minister. interestingly, amber rudd essentially refused to allow us to imagine that that limits to the tens of thousands would be the wording in the tory manifesto. she said, we have a manifesto that will not be identical to the last one. some quite political language being used here but certainly dodging, effectively, what has been a strong commitment from the conservative party. a personal view, she said, is that we need to bring immigration down. because we are leaving the eu, we need to take a look at it again.

so from the time that manifesto was made, the 10,000 commitment has made because we're leaving the european union. so there is an opportunity here to say, actually, maybe that number, which a lot of experts said was unrealistic, you might have it as an aspiration but you would never meet it, and to be fair, they haven't, have they? they have been way off it. maybe that is the chance to say, actually, leaving the eu changes things. whether it is objectively is one to argue, but thatis objectively is one to argue, but that is the case they would make? probably. but theresa may will be careful not to use this as an opportunity, to be seen to not be strong as —— on immigration. with immigration being such a big issue in the eu referendum campaign, it is a bit ofa in the eu referendum campaign, it is a bit of a surprise we have not had more about immigration in the election so far. but we know, for

example, that theresa may does not wa nt to example, that theresa may does not want to remove students from the immigration number. that is a huge number that would come down. she does not want to be seen to be bulging the figures, if you like. —— botching. the manifesto will come in next week. there is plenty opportunity for senior tories to say, wait until the manifesto... opportunity for senior tories to say, wait untilthe manifesto... and for opponents to keep hammering away at it. in practical terms, how big an issue will this be in terms of the brexit negotiations? i mean, the government, as far as i recall, said freedom of movement will end as we currently know it. but there is equally talk of a transitional period and pressure coming from business saying, hang on, we employ a lot of europeans at the moment and we do not want our supply of labour to just shut off like that. that is absolutely right. there is also the issue of whether theresa may should

guarantee the right of eu nationals already in the country before negotiations even start. she declined to do that, much against a number of senior tories and other opposition parties said that she should. itjust goes to show, doesn't it, that everything is up for grabs doesn't it, that everything is up forgrabs in the doesn't it, that everything is up for grabs in the negotiations. immigration is a key part, but clearly it is such a strong issue the country that theresa may does not want to be seen going soft on this issue. 0ver over to another election taking place today. people in france are voting in the final round of the presidential election. they're choosing between the centrist, emmanuel macron, and the far—right leader, marine le pen. both have promised change, but their policies on europe, tackling terrorism and managing the economy are radically different. karin gianonne is at a polling station in paris. hello. the french only have to wait a

matter of hours until they get a pretty definitive result. just after the polls close, eight o'clock local time, 7pm in the uk, the figure appeals of the winner. that is based on the collection of data from partial counts from polling station is right across france. they are very confident that that will be the actual outcome of the election. i have been speaking to one of the key people behind that. he is from a polling company. they come from a sample of polling station is that we build. we have interviewers and all those polling station is and those interviewers attend the counting and send us information for the first 200 ballots, then the 401st ballots. . . 200 ballots, then the 401st ballots... they send us information ona ballots... they send us information on a continuous basis. we take this

information, our computers, pundits and expats look into it and that it p-m-, -- and expats look into it and that it p.m., —— at eight p.m., we are confident that we will have the final results with the winner and the figures. he said he would be confident the winner's name would commit a few seconds, or a minute or so after the polls close. not long to wait at all for the french. let's remind you of the security background of this. france's still under the state of emergency and has been so under the attacks —— since the attacks in 2016. there has been a security alert in the last hour or so at the louvre. it is not done into anything significant but that is where emmanuel macron, the man in the lead in this election, has been planning to hold his election victory celebrations if he is to win. that is not turned into anything significant, we believe. but there are tens of thousands of extra security personnel on duty across

france in this election. 50,000 police, 7000 army and 12,000 extra officers on the streets of paris alone. so while people are thinking of which candidate they are choosing in this election today, security forces are thinking very much about keeping frantz says. just to remind you, we have special election coverage coming up. that will be at 6:30pm on the bbc news channel and it will be presented by my colleague, christian fraser. 82 nigerian schoolgirls have arrived in the capital, abuja, where they're due to meet the country's president after being freed by the islamist group, boko haram. the girls — who boarded an aircraft on their way back — were among 276 taken captive in the north—eastern town of chibok in 2014. they are the second group of chibok girls to be freed. they were released in a prisoner exchange deal. we can go live to abuja now, and chris ewokorfrom bbc hausa is following the latest developments for us. what do we know about the condition

in which these girls are in at the moment? well, first, before we talk about the conditions, i can tell you that the girls have arrived in abuja and they have been received at the airport by an official of the government. they will be hosted this afternoon by the president. meanwhile, what we have got to understand is the girls looked... there were pains on their faces. they looked a bit well, but they also looked stressed from pictures. those who have seen them say that they looked a bit pained but basically 0k. there is a tough line

on fighting boko haram. how difficult is it been for the authorities to be prepared to negotiate when that negotiation has involved, effectively, handing over some of the islamist militants, allowing them to go free in other to get his girls back? —— these girls. it is really a very difficult position. it must be a difficult position. it must be a difficult position for the government of nigeria. this incident happened about three years ago, in april, precisely. what we understand from this current negotiation is that it took a very long time, because according to sources close to those who negotiated, there was a lot of changes in conditions that kept coming up. we now understand that some boko haram suspects were released in exchange for these

girls. we do not know of any money was paid, but again, because of the situation of these girls in terms of their lives, and there has been a global campaign to get them released, the government seems boxed into a corner with what it can do. with securing the release, that will cost them. thank you for that update. the headlines on bbc news... labour is promising not to raise income tax for anyone earning less than £80,000 a year as it declares itself the party of low taxes for middle and low earners. the prime minister has announced plans to replace mental health legislation in england and wales with a new law tackling discrimination and the unnecessary detention of vulnerable people. the liberal democrats say their manifesto will include a commitment to keep the "triple lock" on pensions, but those with incomes above £45,000 would lose

the winter fuel payment. about 50,000 people in hannover are being evacuated from their homes while experts defuse five suspected world war ii bombs. the operation is the second largest of its kind carried out in germany, and will affect around a tenth of the city's population. the buildings being evacuated include seven care homes, a clinic, and a continental tyre plant. officials hope those affected will be able to return home by the evening. 0n the line is tony pearson, who lives in hannover, originally from newcastle. he's a teacher who's lived in the city for the past 14 years. when did you find out you would have to be moving? the first information came through about six weeks ago. this was through various different sites, the news and local papers. it

was also mentioned on public transport schemes. about one month ago, everyone in the area received a booklet in five different languages, telling us exactly what to do today. unlike a lot of these on fines, this was found in enough time for people to make good preparations for the evacuation. it must still be a very weird thing to be leaving your home in these circumstances? yes, i have to say, it was very strange. there is about 52,000 people who moved out of the area to the north of the hanover city centre. i would reckon, probably, 10—15,000 moved out last night. the roads were quiet last night, houses had very few lights on where we live. this morning, and owned nine o'clock, people were leaving their houses with bags and heading for buses and trams to move

away from the area. so, yes, it was away from the area. so, yes, it was a strange feeling. where have you been able to go two? have facilities been able to go two? have facilities been provided to people in other parts of the city? the city has been fantastic. the museums have been open today. the gardens here have been open. the swimming pools outside the area affected have been opened. we have been lucky enough to come to school to work. not so lucky as the other folks enjoying the museums and things like that. you have lived there for 14 years, so you're very much a post—war citizen. what have you been able to find out, all the time you have been there, the history of hanover in terms of how badly damaged it was during the war? it was absolutely devastated. in the town hall, there is a model of the construction phases of

hanover. it shows you very clearly from the origins of hanover right through to present—day. and round about the war period, he said he was totally a nd about the war period, he said he was totally and absolutely devastated. very little left of hanover after the war. so perhaps it is not such a surprise that there would be unexploded minish and is lying around? now supplies at all. there seems to be a lot of development, growth and building projects going on here. —— there is no surprise at all. it does not surprise me that these things have been discovered. you're a teacher living in hanover. can you settle an for the zurich bbc news? some people spell it with one news? some people spell it with one n and some two ns. living here in hanover, i spell it with two ns. thank you forjoining us on bbc

news. my pleasure. goodbye. the italian coastguard says about 6,000 migrants trying to reach europe have been rescued in the mediterranean over the past 48 hours. officials said they coordinated around 40 separate emergency missions on friday and saturday. many of the migrants were trying to make the crossing from libya in makeshift vessels. sarah corker reports. 0n the italian coast, this has become an all too familiar scene. rescued at sea, 400 migrants arrive in an italian seaport. many need medical help. this is a stark reminder of the dangers they face. the body of a gambian teenager allegedly shot by human traffickers because they wanted his baseball hat is taken off the boat. human rights groups have criticised the eu's response to this crisis. i'm sad that europe is failing and is not taking the responsibility of these humanitarian

catastrophes unfolding in front of our eyes. people continue to die. people are desperate. there had been a pause of migrant boats leaving libya since easter because of bad weather and rough seas but in the past 48 hours, the italian coastguard has rescued around 6000 migrants. others were intercepted by lybian officials and turned back. translation: i reckon our patrol left this morning to north—east tripoli. a migrant boat with 162 migrants on was rescued. they were being held at the naval base and had been given medical care. most of those attempting to make the perilous journey come from african countries. many seeking a better life and fleeing persecution. i am from gambia. today we entered the sea at 4am towards italia.

we went until we entered international seas. we were captured by these people. just this weekend, italy's foreign minister visited libya to discuss how to stop human traffickers. according to official figures, so far this year more than a thousand people have died or are missing trying to cross the mediterranean. sarah corker, bbc news. 75 years ago, during the height of the second world war, the isle of wight came under a ferocious aerial attack from the luftwaffe. 70 people lost their lives in the air raid. but the destruction would have been much worse had it not been for the actions of the crew of a polish warship. this weekend, their heroism is being remembered. kasha madeira reports. archive: polish destroyers, co—operating with the british navy, are visited by the polish president... the blyskawica, one of two grom destroyers built in cowes, was the pride of poland. during a refit back on the island,

the crew could not have foreseen the role they would play in defending cowes against that devastating air raid. ..you are not only serving the cuase of poland but the cause of mankind. josef wlodarczak is the last surviving crew member. he recalls how all on board had a critical role to play. translation: when it comes to the isle of wight, our guns were blazing. i was down in the engine rooms ensuring the motors were running so the gunner could keep firing. whilejosef was in the engine room, tom guy was next to the ship, on dry land. it was dangerous. the guns were so red hot, and i could prove it, i could actually see them, they was red hot, they was. they put water on them all the time. that decision to fire was controversial.

while in dry dock, the blyskawica should not have had any live ammunition on board, yet her captain, wojciech francki, was convinced an attack was imminent, after seeing german reconnaissance flights. june weeks' father saw the same planes. he was looking out of his bedroom window, and these german reconnaissance planes were so low, he could actually see the swastikas on them — they were really, really low. he said to my mother, we are going to get it soon. the isle of wight was used to coming under attack. the luftwaffe used the light reflected off the medina as a guide to fly further north to attack cities on the mainland, but that night, the attack was unprecedented because they were aiming directly at cowes itself. captain francki was denied permission from the admiralty to arm the blyskawica and in doing so he risked court—martial. playing at his commemorations, his granddaughter said he took the initiative.

when the bombing started, he sent smoke screens out. which actually they did afterwards praise him for his initiative in that. it was quite an unheard of thing to do, to disguise the ship, to kind of create a fog. his actions and that of the blyskawica's crew saved countless lives. today, a modern polish navy destroyer is anchored off the coast of the isle of wight, not to defend but to honour the blyskawica's memory. what a wonderful story. an 85—year—old nepalese man who was attempting to become the oldest person to climb everest has died at everest base camp. the death of min bahadur sherchan was confirmed by nepal's tourism department. the former gurkha was trying to reclaim his record from a japanese climber who reached the peak aged 80 in 2013. the number of people ripped off by holiday booking scams rose by almost a fifth last year, new figures have revealed.

actionfraud, the uk's fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, says there were almost 6,000 reported cases in 2016, with each victim losing an average of £1,200. british olympic diver tom daley has married his partner, american film director, dustin lance black. the couple got married in a service at a luxury hotel on dartmoor national park in devon. they announced their engagement in 2015. tom daley revealed in a youtube video in 2013 he had a boyfriend, saying his "whole world changed" when he fell in love with a man. more billionaires are based in the uk than ever before, according to the annual sunday times rich list published today. the hinduja brothers, who made their money from banking and manufacturing, top the table and are said to be worth more than £16 billion. joe lynam reports. sri and and gopi hinduja have been associated with the labour party since the mid—1990s, and acquired british passports in 1997. their investments in oil, it, energy and the media have made them

worth £16.2 billion, according to the sunday times rich list, up by a quarter in a single year. not far behind on £16 billion is the ukrainian music mogul len blavatnik. he owns warner music as well as stakes in a number of other companies. at number nine, the duke of westminster, worth £9.5 billion, is the highest—ranking british born person on the list. he owns property in large parts of central london. there are a record 134 billionaires in this year's top 1000 on the list, with a cumulative wealth of £658 billion. in order to get on the list, you need to be worth at least £110 million. although there are no women in the top 20 who became billionaires in their own right, the sunday times says this year's list is more diverse than ever. it says that many have benefited over the past yearfrom booming stock markets in europe and north america. joe lynam, bbc news. let me bring you some new pictures

that have just arrived from nigeria. they are of the 82 girls released after next change with boko haram, the militant group that had kidnapped them. —— after the exchange. they are medical centre undergoing a checkup before they meet the president, who will receive them at a reception later this afternoon. these women were teenage girls when kidnapped from a school in chibok in 2014. that was a group of armed islamists, the boko haram group, which has been running an insurgency in the north—eastern country for most of the last seven yea rs. country for most of the last seven years. it has been a violent insurgency, 15,000 people dead, more than 2 million displaced during that attack. the president has promised a crackdown on boko haram but it has proved easier to announce than actually deliver. this involved

negotiations with both the red cross and switzerland to try and ensure that these girls were brutal. but they are exchanged for militants, so it has involved the government releasing some of the people detained for their activities as pa rt detained for their activities as part of boko haram. but some good news that the girls are heading home. less take a look at the weather prospects. good afternoon. good afternoon. eoghan masteron of split fortunes and once again west is best for the sunshine. from this weather watcher picture, you will probably want to herd west. the beach in st ives in cornwall, beautiful sunshine, and beautiful sunshine in many western areas. in northern ireland we have temperatures 20 degrees,