this is bbc news. i'm shaun ley. the headlines at eight. the government outlines plans for trade after britain leaves the european union — but the eu's chief negotiator says there are other issues to settle first. commuters face the biggest increase in railfares for 4 years, as inflation hits 3.6%. so many of us are not getting pay rises that can manage that, i work in the public sector, my pay rises maximum 1%, that makes us worse off when they put the fares up like that. the public inquiry into the grenfell fire will examine the response of the authorities, and refurbishment of the tower — but not wider social problems. the death toll in sierra leone rises to 400 after yesterday's mudslide in the capital freetown. now health experts fear the spread of cholera and typhoid. also this hour, india's prime minister leads celebrations marking the seventieth anniversary of the country's independence from britain. narendra modi said he wanted to transform india into a prosperous and technologically—advanced nation. and sailing to the north pole — it's never been done — but explorer pen haddow is giving

it a go. for the first time in human history possibly for the first time in 130,000 years it is now possible to sail ships into this seat area. —— this sea area. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the government has set out its plans for trading with the eu and the rest of the world after brexit. ministers want to avoid a sudden and drastic change for business so they're calling for a temporary relationship with the eu while a more permanent arrangement is developed. their ultimate goal is to have a system of trade with the eu that is as close as possible to what we have now. but the eu parliament's chief negotiator described that as a fantasy. our business editor simonjack reports. dover, the uk's busiest port.

nearly 20% of all goods traded with the eu come through here. businesses fear any blockages to trading arteries like this would have serious consequences for them and the rest of the uk. for logistics firms, like this one in kent, time is money. our business runs on a just in time basis, moving goods to and from the continent. if we ended up having shipments, having to do customs clearances both inbound and outbound, that would be damaging in terms of the amount of time we would spend at dover going in and out of the country and that would almost grind our business to a halt. there may be 21 miles of sea between here and france, but in trade terms there is no barrier, thanks to our membership of the customs union. it's a club of eu countries in which individual country borders disappear.

goods move freely and with minimal check—up. but there is still an external border between the eu and the rest of the world at which goods are checked and in some cases tariffs are payable. so, what happens when we are outside the club? today the government said it wanted to leave, it wanted a new deal, but in the period before that could happen, little would change in our borders. there are two bits of that. one is the ongoing, easy customs arrangement that allows sale of goods into the european union but also from them to us, without restrictions. the interim period, when we get to it because it'll take time to get the structures in place, will be a bit like the customs union now. this is an ambitious document, by technically leaving the customs union, while leaving border arrangements pretty much unchanged for a couple of years, we get

minimised disruption, while at the same time forging new arrangements with people around the world before we eventually end up with an almost frictionless arrangement with our old friends in the eu. it's a win, win, win situation. which is why many think there's one long recipe for having your cake and eating it. 0ne eu official described parts of the proposal as "fantasy" while brussels' top negotiator said there were more important things to settle first like citizens rights and the divorce bill. no—one wants friction at the borders, especially the one between ireland and the uk. the government will release more details on that tomorrow. there are so many issues to unpick, some politicians wonder whether the government has its priorities right. this seems to be all about the problems in the conservative party and really not about addressing the challenges faced by the british public and the needs of the economy and jobs. well, why don't we just stay in the customs union? if they want to have something,

that, you know, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, you know, it's a duck. we're leaving, but nothing will change at the border for now, that at least is what the government is hoping for. simon jack, bbc news. well our correspondent adam fleming, who's in brussels, says eu officials want to see british negotiators concentrate on two key elements of the brexit process in order that the talks are a success. the questions here in brussels boil down to two issues. timing and content. 0n timing, eu's chief negotiator michel barnier has tweeted that he wants to stick to his timetable, which is that you make progress on issues like the irish border, the uk's financial obligations and the rights of eu citizens living in the uk and british citizens living elsewhere in europe after brexit before you talk about the future relationship. he is clear about that. on a twitter he said, the quicker you make that

progress the quicker you can talk about the other things. in terms of what the uk is asking for which is a close relationship on customs in the near future and the longer term, the european commission put out a statement saying, you can really only have a frictionless border for trade if you are not in a customs union but you are in the eu's customs union and also in the single market. in other words staying a member of the eu. the way that was put ina member of the eu. the way that was put in a tweet by the chief brexit coordinator for the european parliament is that what the uk government is asking for is a fa ntasy. government is asking for is a fantasy. having said that, officials here in brussels have been asking for some time now for more clarity from the british government on what it wants to achieve with brexit and the detail of its position on a range of issues. so they are glad that today's paper is the start of the deluge of documents heading their way from london. that's the view in brussels. 0ur

political correspondent alex forsyth has the picture in westminster, she says that has been an immediate response thereto proposals put forward by the brexit secretary. we've had some pretty striking reaction from the government ‘s political opponents, you just heard nicola sturgeon of the snp say that the government is effectively having its cake and eating it, why notjust stay in the customs union. the liberal democrats who want the uk to stay in the eu say the same, this should be about pushing for staying in the customs union, and the single market, not seeking alternatives. labour have also been critical of the government ‘s approach. they say labour is just —— they say the government is trying to paper over cracks in the cabinet because we know that have been divided views among senior ministers of the approach the government should take. when you talk to senior tories, even the most ardent brexiteers, those who have wanted the uk to leave the eu for a long time are broadly accepting of the need for a

transition period. see that as a pragmatic approach. that may go some way towards appeasing those in the cabinet and elsewhere in the tory party who are worried about the government taking a hard—line to brexit. government may have done is give its own party happy, it certainly has not satisfied its political opponents. one important omission from david stig is this morning, this customs union arrangement, —— from david davis, if the eu agrees with that it will prevent us signing other trade treaties of other countries until this ends. is that a source of trouble? it said the uk couldn't implement side deal steering that period of transition. that's what he sees the position as, whether the eu wood is a different matter because as things stand membership of the customs union prevents the uk from striking those trade deals which has long been the argument for the customs union so now it can do that.

but this is one of several points of contention. for the moment the conservative party broadly accepting that you can see that question of whether or not the uk can do trade deals in a transition period, that could become contentious, with brexiteers insisting on it. the other point yet to be resolved is if the uk stays in a customs union — like arrangement with the eu for a period of transition for many years, who would govern that. today david davis, brexit secretary, said he could not see that being the european court of justice. could not see that being the european court ofjustice. the eu is likely to want the ec] to do it and that will be another area where brexiteers will push hard to see that they are free from the jurisdiction of the ec]. this is by no means resolved. huge, complicated and very politically contentious issues to an pic. thank you, alex forsyth. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:40 and 23:30 this

evening in the papers — our guests joining me tonight are the politicaljournalist and former conservative advisor jo—anne nadler, and the broadcaster david davies. millions of rail passengers will see the biggest rise in fares forfour years. they're going up by 3.6% injanuary, because of a rise in the rate of inflation. the increases will affect season tickets, so called ‘anytime' tickets and some off—peak fares. unions have called it a kick in the teeth for passengers. 0ur transport correspondent richard westcott has the story. quick coffee. good boy. little treat for einstein the cat. and catch the train. rebecca's commute from taunton to bristol costs £3,500 a year and it's due to go up by £130 next year as most commuters face a 3.6% price rise. there is this gradual erosion of your actual real wealth that's happening to an awful lot of people, where you will find that your salary may have gone up, but everything

else is going up so much faster and so much more that year on year we're all actually, it feels like, worse off. it's not the train companies that set around half of our rail fares, it's actually the government and they've been putting the fares up for years because they want to change who pays for the railways. it's all part of a plan to shift the financial burden away from taxpayers, most of whom don't commute on trains, and on to passengers. fares used to account for about half the cost of running our trains. that's risen to around 65%. across britain, people are facing tough choices. if it goes up, i probably won't even be able to afford to go to work. i will have to get the car to work because it's cheaper to get the car to work. i work in the public sector, my pay rise is maximum 1%, so that makes us worse off when they put fares up like that. i wouldn't mind the rise if you got a better quality carriage and everything else.

they're pretty tatty, these things now. campaigners have criticised the use of the rpi rate of inflation which is usually higher, but the rail firms say they face the same increases. railway companies costs are going up in line with that inflation as well so they have to cover those costs in order to be able to provide the services that we want as passengers. ministers argue that the money is needed to pay for a £40 billion upgrade to the network. a lot of it is still victorian and it's struggling to cope with record numbers of passengers. critics claim fares have outstripped wages for years and say it's time for a price freeze. the government could still change its mind in the autumn budget. richard westcott, bbc news, luton. a desperate dig for survivors is under way in sierra leone's capital, freetown, after mudslides and floods claimed the lives of nearly 400 people. their homes on the outskirts of freetown were engulfed after part of a mountain collapsed yesterday morning.

thousands have been left homeless. as our correspondent umaru fofana reports, the authorities are planning mass burials because the mortuaries are already full. 0n the day after, emergency services are still overstretched. inside the central mortuary of the main hospital there are piles of bodies. they are lying on the floor in the open because there is no more space. nearly 100 bodies were brought in on tuesday morning, bringing the total number to nearly 400, some of them limbless. the head of the mortuary says they are completely overstretched and that is not all, as they were trying to sort corpses out, more corpses are being brought in from different parts of the city. even the rescue effort here is challenged. people are believed to still be alive underneath this spot. even if they are, it'll be a miracle to find them breathing. the government and development partners have now set up a response centre, registering those left behind by the disaster.

relief supplies are, however, slow in coming. but the testimonies from people who have been badly hit by this disaster are in no short supply. translation: i first saw the body of my sister and called on people to help me and we laid her on the floor. then i started hearing other people nearby crying. i have lost all of my family. monday's mudslide and flash floods have shaken this country. even for a country that has known a bloody civil war and a destabilising ebola outbreak, this is unbearable. at least 11 people have been killed after a 200—year—old oak tree fell and crushed them on the portuguese island of madeira. local media said at least 35 people were injured when the tree toppled into a crowd outside a church in a village in the hills overlooking the island's capital, funchal. 0ne portuguese broadcaster said two children were among the dead at what is the main religious festival in madeira. the headlines on bbc news.

brexit secretary david davis says the government wants to negotiate a temporary customs union with the eu when the uk leaves the eu. rail fa res when the uk leaves the eu. rail fares will go up by 2.6% injanuary, the biggest increase the four years, passenger groups say commuters will be worst hit. kensington and chelsea council will be examined as part of the public inquiry into the grenfell tower disaster in june, the public inquiry into the grenfell tower disaster injune, people were killed when a fire spread throughout the tower block. sport now, and a full round up, from the bbc sport centre. good evening. good evening, let's start with liverpool's play off against hockenheim. half an hour into the match its been eventful already, but the former leicester forward

missed a spot kick which was saved by the keeper. liverpool could have gone ahead but their record signing wasted this one. both sides have had chances but it is still goalless in germany. celtic are in champions league action tomorrow night. their play—off is against astarna from kazakhstan — with the first leg at celtic park. the two sides met in the qualifying rounds last season and the scottish champions won 3—2 overall. they went on to qualify for the group stage and manager brendan rodgers says it's important to be there again. you have to approach it as another game, you know. there's a huge consequence of the game but the only way you can get through it is by staying focused. you have to stay very much in the present, in what you have to do, and the players now, what they've built over the course of the last season is this ability

to handle pressure. and emotionally, to handle pressure. and emotionally, to deal with the big games. you understand what is in it, you understand what is in it, you understand where you want to be, no one wants to be that more than as but for that there's a process, and thatis but for that there's a process, and that is something that we are concentrating on. later this week, it will all be about the power of the pink ball, as england play their first ever day—night test match against the west indies at edgbaston. why pink? well, it's believed to be easier to see than the traditional red ball in darker conditions. but with more on that, here's joe wilson. when it comes to playing a test match under floodlights one key issueis match under floodlights one key issue is the ball, this is a red dux, one that has been used for many yea rs dux, one that has been used for many years in dux, one that has been used for many yea rs in test dux, one that has been used for many years in test matches in england, you can see its colour and a prominent theme and that will deteriorate as the day goes on which is part of test cricket. but under

light it is too dark. no good. so what do you do come you go over the bank. a compromise. visible under light, also durable so it will last for several hours of play and would have to be replaced like a white ball when it gets discoloured. you can see the prominent seam, this is a deep's pink ball and to keep that sheen there's an extra layer of protective coating. some batsmen say it feels different when you hit it and under light when you are bowling, the evidence of england practising last night, as far as i'm aware it did a lot. i haven't used it except to train last night and it did move a bit in the twilight period, i suppose that is the time to bowl. it isn't easy to say, yes, we will bowl in that period, you might have to bat in those conditions as well. i suppose the more we can get used to using it in practice sessions the better. at least one player will hope that the

ball behaves impeccably, mark stoneman will be trying to solve england's opening batting problem this week as we saw what practice today, he can certainly catch. joe wilson, bbc news, edgbaston. maria sharapova has been given a wildcard entry to the us open. it's the first time she's received a wild card into the main draw of a grand slam tournament since her drugs ban. although the russian is currently struggling with an injury which forced her to pull out of of her last two tournaments. the us open begins in new york on august 28th. it's still goalless between hoffenheim and liverpool after 34 minutes. we will update you with this and the rest of the sports news later. now back to the news. the public inquiry into the grenfell tower fire — which left more than 80 people dead — is officially under way today. it will examine how the blaze started and the actions of kensington and chelsea council.

that council was responsible for the tower. but broader questions about social housing will not be considered. this has led to criticism from the local mp, residents and campaigners, as our special correspondent lucy manning reports. hanging from near the top of the tower. there are still remains to be found, bodies to be identified. a crime scene to be investigated. and still, so many questions to be answered. why did it happen? how did it happen? questions the public inquiry says it will look at. the inquiry now says it will examine the cause and spread of the fire, the design and construction of the tower block, including safety regulations, and the response of the fire brigade to the blaze and central and local government's response after it. but it won't look at social housing policy, or the relationship between residents and the council, and the tenant management association. karim is still waiting for the remains of his uncle to be found and identified.

we thought that it's covering pretty much what we want it to cover, in terms of, you know, the cause and spread of the fire, the response with the local authorities and the residents, before and after. do you think the inquiry could be broader? i think it should be more broader and be more detailed in terms of that, yeah, definitely. you would like it to look at social housing? absolutely, it is a massive aspect. but he still can't say he has confidence in the inquiry. i support it. confidence is a very strong word. i mean, i have more confidence in a criminal investigation than i do in a public inquiry. while sir martin moore—bick, the head of the inquiry, won't examine policy on social housing, the government says ministers will. there is a listening exercise we have to do in government as well as about wider social housing policy and that is precisely what i will be doing over the coming weeks and months.

as residents marched in silence last night to remember the tragedy, many still feel the inquiry doesn't go far enough. the prime minister said no stone would be unturned and this terms of reference does not do that. we need to make sure social housing is considered. we do feel betrayed. this is what we felt was going to happen at the beginning of this consultation process and this is what we've ended up with. the inquiry‘s had a difficult start with thejudge accused of being out of touch. he needs the confidence of the survivors, the bereaved, the whole community here, or this will be seen as a whitewash, and after today's announcement, he still doesn't have theirfull support. the grenfell inquiry will hold its first hearing next month, and hopes to have an initial report on the cause and spread of the fire by easter. 0ne survivor said, "we just want the truth." lucy manning bbc news, west london. india's prime minister,

narendra modi, has led his nation in marking the 70th anniversary of the country's independence from britain. the division of colonial india into two states — india and pakistan — in 1947 was followed by sectarian violence between hindus, muslims and sikhs. up to a million people were killed. partition led to the movement of around 12 million people in one of the largest migrations ever seen. many muslims fled east and west out of hindu dominated india. similarly, millions of hindus and sikhs headed the other way. that was the past — so what is today's india like. reeta chakra barti reports from amritsar. you join me at the holiest site for the sick religion, the golden temple stands in the state of punjab, which 70 years ago was terribly hurt by the horrors of partition. 0n the 70th anniversary, india is looking both at its past and at its present, and it is a mixed picture. its

present day is a very optimistic one. it has a huge and young population, and a growing economy. but there has been a rise in religious violence that's been directed mostly against muslims as we report. this is a day of celebration for india. the indian prime minister talked of the country's successes, its growing economy, its efforts to tackle corruption and his vision for secure developed nation with equal opportunities for all. he knows there are challenges, he made a point of speaking out against hate crimes. in the name of religion, some people in this country commit crimes. this is the land of gandhi and buddha, and violence in the name of fate will not be tolerated —— in the name of faith. he's talking about india's tiny minority of hindu

extremists, people like this man. brenda modi is a hindu nationalist and tensions have been growing between the country's hindu majority and its large muslim minority. at the centre of the controversy is the slaughter of cows for meat. muslims eat beef but the cow is a sacred animal in hinduism, regarded as a motherfigure. translation: animal in hinduism, regarded as a mother figure. translatiosz animal in hinduism, regarded as a mother figure. translation: if i find somebody killing my mother kauai will not hesitate to kill him. i don't need the police or the authorities. i am the court, i give the verdict. vijay is so passionate about protecting the cow, he and his supporters take to the streets. they have been told they have no permission to stop vehicles but they are stopping them anywhere. stopping these lorries to see if they are

carrying any cows. translation: these lorries to see if they are carrying any cows. translationzlj have information that they are smuggling cows in a truck like this. co—vigilantes have smuggling cows in a truck like this. co—vigila ntes have been smuggling cows in a truck like this. co—vigilantes have been increasingly active across the country since modi took power and there have been murders —— cow vigilantes. avoiding conflict is crucial for india, this new bridge one of scores of major new bridge one of scores of major new infrastructure projects. the country is doing well, the fastest—growing large economy in the world. there is a lot for india to celebrate today but the prime minister knows keeping this country growing depends on keeping religious conflict in check. justin roll—out, bbc news, delhi. this city is right on the border with pakistan and 70 yea rs on the border with pakistan and 70 years on, india is now starting to address publicly its brutal and bloody beginning when the country

was effectively cut and two. as i have found out it was a difficult start for india's founding fathers and for its first prime minister. one of a tiny number of transport links between neighbours. this train operates just twice a week, taking indians over the border and bringing pakistanis here to the outskirts of amritsar. but it's a journey very few make, because of decades of mistrust between the two countries, which started with the horrors of partition. amritsar is becoming a centre of remembrance. this week, india is launching the first ever partition museum here, recording the acts of violence and bravery of that time. people actually haven't spoken much about partition in the past, which is a real tragedy. the reason being that i think that generation when they came across, a, they were traumatised, and b, because they were so busy setting up their own lives, because they had lost everything. we made a tryst with destiny... as the newly independent

state of india was born, its first prime minister, jawaharlal nehru, was full of optimism and hope. at the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, india will awake to life and freedom. his vision was of a democratic, secular state in which poverty and inequality were gradually reduced. amolak swani was 17 at the time. she lived through the horrors and only narrowly escaped with her life, hidden with a fruit truck and disguised in a burkha. now 87, she's been recording her memories for her grandson rishi and also reflecting on modern india and nehru's legacy. translation: all the dreams that he showed us, they've not been fulfilled. we thought that after independence, all sorts of things would happen. we are still better off, but there are many poor people. there is still so much poverty in india. there has been major

economic growth in india, but nehru's vision of a more equal society hasn't happened yet. one thing endures, the political mistrust between india and pakistan, a hostility that some born many years after partition can't understand. we are the same people. we probably eat similar food. we speak in a similar tongue. we mightjust worship different gods but that doesn't make us any different. but he's never been to pakistan, which is less than 20 miles away. the border between the two countries is real and psychological. partition is both history and ever present. it is very difficult for indians to go to pakistan and vice versa. there are few transport links and few people make thatjourney. yesterday we we re people make thatjourney. yesterday we were broadcasting from lahore, pakistan, only 30 miles from here and we made the land crossing today.

and there were very few people coming with us. a real illustration of how that border is very rarely used. it is all because of an undercurrent of hostility between the two nation states, india and pakistan. people may speak of friendship and 70 years after partition these two states feel as farapart as partition these two states feel as far apart as ever. good evening. let's take a look at the weather for the next couple of days. they have not been many showers, but they will continue around the coast overnight. most dry, with clear skies, and chillier than in recent nights. temperatures away from towns and cities will certainly fall down into single figures, around 45 degrees in parts of highland scotland. a fresh but bright start to tomorrow morning. make the best of the brightness in the west while you can, the rain

will push into the west throughout the day. most of england and wales will stay dry during the daytime, temperatures into the low if not mid—20s. all areas should see at least some rain. that will hopefully clear by thursday rush—hour. we are then back to sunshine and showers. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: the government has published proposals for a temporary customs union with the eu after brexit. labour has criticised the plans, but the brexit secretary says the ideas will help minimise disruption to business. millions of rail passengers will see a 3.6% increase in fare when prices rise in january 2018. the price rise will affect season tickets and some off—peak fares in england and wales.

the actions of kensington and chelsea council will be examined as part of the public inquiry into the grenfell tower disaster. at least 80 people died when a fire quickly spread through the tower block injune. the search for survivors continues following mudslides and floods in freetown in sierra leone which have the claimed lives of nearly 400 people. a falling tree kills at least 12 people and injures more than 50 at a catholic festival on the portuguese island of madeira. and a british explorer‘s attempt to sail to the north pole. an expert explains the challenges ahead and how that has only been recently possible. more now on the mudslides which struck sierra leone's capital freetown yesterday. nearly 400 people are so far known to have died in the natural disaster,

which was triggered by heavy rainfall. joining me now is thynn thynn hlaing, 0xfam country director in sierra. thank you for breaking off from your busy work to talk to us today. what is the latest situation there? the emergency has been broken up. there are around 300 people that have lost their lives, and they have lost their lives, and they have lost their property. if a structure such as roads and bridges have been damaged. the situation is quite bad. around 3000 people need shelter, and they need to relocate to where they could be safe. to where they will have access to clean water and sanitation. what is striking from the reports from the people who were

leading that when the mudslides struck is how quickly it devastated the buildings. presumably some people were saying about two minutes from when the mudslides hit to when the houses were washed away. the stories of a child being swept away by the force of the mud. are these properties that should have been built in that part of the hugger ability to heavy rainfall? —— given the fun ability boss it did not come asa the fun ability boss it did not come as a surprise. but this was significant. 0xfam have been working on disaster risk reduction planning,

but we were excepting only flooding, not that much of a landslide issue. it was a big surprise to everybody working on the ground. the practical issue now is burying the dead, because the mortuaries are already full and the country is talking about mass burial. how real is the threat of cholera and typhoid from infected water supplies, do you think? i don't think there is a big threat, but the government has set up threat, but the government has set up the response mechanism which is led by the office of international security, and they have defined nine different pillars. there have been discussions on the speedy process

for the burial process as well. there is a lot of assistance needed, but things are gradually moving. what will not be clear for some time is the exact number of people who died and whose bodies have yet to be recovered. how big a recovery and rebuilding operation do you think freetown now faces? how significant a challenge will it be in the months ahead? the challenge is quite significant because the requirement for the immediate response is very broad. we're talking about the burial process, shelter, food distribution, water and sanitation. so the need is very significant but again we are expecting another heavy rain tonight, so we are looking at

the areas of flooding, especially in the areas of flooding, especially in the slums. we're looking at an evacuation plan for those people who are the honourable to another flood. it could come tonight or tomorrow. after the terrible scenes yesterday, people are at least aware of the risk now. our people choosing to evacuate themselves from parts of freetown? we just came out of the office of national security meeting, at the moment, the government and military are looking at how soon they can implement that evacuation planning. thank you very much for breaking off from the important work you are doing to speak to us on bbc

news this evening. good luck with the efforts to protect people in the city. people have been killed in a suicide bombing attack by boko haram. following the partition of india 70 years ago, thousand of families came to the midlands where the anniversary has resulted in many families taking a look at their own past. satnam rana has been to meet two men who made the midlands their home. tumultuous crowds fill the streets, celebrating with singing and laughing. police were called many times to restore order when people work running through the streets with joy. pakistani rejoiced as a

new nation was created. it is karachi's first day of independence, and the crowds out to meet him. the moment in history which is defined the identity of the two men, strangers who have met. they seek man from wolverhampton. as they take over their own affairs and violence flares in the punjab. a million displaced persons. a mere babe in arms, his family fled for pakistan. within ten or 15 minutes, we had some relatives who came from

other parts of punjab who will bring in other places, they were in that house. they all moved out. within a few minutes. british india was split, new borders drawn up, causing confusion about who belonged where. what followed was mass migration and hate attacks. this man was seven and living in jaipur, he remember the bloodshed. they told us, don't go to that well because you will be frightened. in that well, there were dead bodies. i have no grudge of any kind. it is not in our control animal. at least if we are good to each other, that is compensation. i lived as a lodger

with a pakistani family. i still meet them sometimes. they may have been children in 1947, but the memory of partition lives on. the british explorer pen hadow and his team have set off for the north pole — in two 50 foot yachts. his team say the melting of sea ice in the region is making the voyage possible for the first time. hadow left nome in alaska earlier today. he'll sail along the baring strait into the central arctic ocean. after that his team will use satellites to plot the best route through the ice. they are attempting to reach the geographic north pole and the expedition should take about six weeks. 0ur science correspondent, rebecca morelle, reports. setting off into uncharted arctic waters. a pair of yachts attempting a first — sailing all the way to the north pole. a crew of ten — and a dog — have just departed from alaska.

led by british explorer pen hadow, they have a 3,500—mile voyage ahead. for the first time in human history, possibly for the first time in130,000 years, it is now possible to sail ships into the sea area. it is the rapidly warming conditions in the arctic that have made this expedition even possible. there is still dated come for 2017, but the amount of ice does not look good. since the 1970s, it is estimated that half of the body of seaice estimated that half of the body of sea ice has been lost. 0nce inaccessible waters are opening up. at reading university, scientists are studying how this could change these commercial shipping routes. instead of having to sail

around the frozen pole, they will have a new short cut. at the moment we are seeing a few experimental voyages through the arctic. in the future, as the ice continues to melt, the possibility of having more commercial ships travelling through the region will only increase. an ice—strengthened ship will be able to go right over the pole by the middle of the century. the team don't know how far north they will get, but this expedition might be the start of a new era of arctic voyages. joining me now is dr huw griffiths, marine biogeographer at the british antarctic survey. thank you for being with us. first of all, this is really a journey into the unknown, isn't it? as they said, nobody has been able to do

this before. we don't know if they will get at this time. the fact it isa will get at this time. the fact it is a possibility makes it something tremendous. how difficult will it be to track the route they will take? because of the way the ice is breaking up. when we work in the antarctic, will use new technology like drones to find the way through the ice. experienced captains and ice pilots will meet to get through that terrain. other any visible geographical markets you can use, or is it just geographical markets you can use, or is itjust a case of relying on the satellite technology and your instincts? i think you can spot the big iceberg in the distance, but essentially you need a good gps system and good chance if they are available of the region you are sailing in. talking about the warming of the seas and the melting of the sea ice, but what weather

conditions will the team be expecting? it is quite amazing. we're in greenland, we have been in the north, in the arctic circle, and at certain points we have in wearing t—shirts because it was sunny and bright. we have had every kind of weather from fog to strong winds, and you will get some cold conditions as well. essentially, polar conditions change. four seasons in one day does not quite describe it really. what material will they have to take with them? they can't rely on aerial drops or additional support being provided, they have got to carry what they need. yes, these sort of votes will be carrying all the food and fuel and emergency supplies they need, and emergency supplies they need, and in particular the right sort of clothes to keep everyone on and save. and to pass the time, what is there to look at? even from the

beaches here, i have been watching humpback whales feeding and baby wa ils humpback whales feeding and baby wails swimming past. there is plenty to look at in the ocean. where there is ice, there are seals and eventually polar bears. there is a lot to look at. a lot of people will be watching with a great deal of interest what you do, not least all those nations that have territory in the antarctic and have been eyeing the antarctic and have been eyeing the commercial opportunities that the commercial opportunities that the melting of the sea ice might open up. it will start getting quite crowded out there, isn't it, if this tea m crowded out there, isn't it, if this team are successful? the arctic is different to the antarctic, where every thing is covered by the antarctic treaty. international laws apply, and they‘ re antarctic treaty. international laws apply, and they're already great debates within the communities about who owns which bits of the arctic sea floor. that will only increase with these opportunities, as they would see them. are you all excited about this? i'm excited about any

exploration. as a scientist, anything new and interesting excites me. because i am a biologist, i want to know what is living up that, so it is not just to know what is living up that, so it is notjust purely about human endeavour at about the natural world as well. and how they cope with the changing environment they are living in? yes, we are already seeing a lot of northern species moving further north, up the coasts into the polar regions because they have to chase the cold water to stay in a happy that they are used to. what are the odds that they will make it?|j that they are used to. what are the odds that they will make it? i don't wa nt to odds that they will make it? i don't want tojinx it for odds that they will make it? i don't want to jinx it for them, odds that they will make it? i don't want tojinx it for them, i will leave that one. a very wise man. thanks so much for speaking to us from greenland this evening. thank you. the headlines on bbc news...

david davis says that the uk wants to negotiate a temporary customs union with the eu. rail fares will go union with the eu. rail fares will 9° up union with the eu. rail fares will 9° up by union with the eu. rail fares will go up by 3.6% injanuary, the biggest increase for four years. commuter groups say it is the customer who will suffer. the actions of kensington and chelsea borough council will be examined indie investigation into the grenfell tower tragedy. looking at the markets, and this is how london and frankfurt ended the day, and how the dowjones and the nasdaq are getting on at mid—afternoon on the east coast. the northern ireland blood transfusion service has apologised to 120 members of the indian community who were turned away from giving blood. they weren't allowed to do so because of confusion about whether they had been to india and needed a malaria test. peter coulter reports.

members of northern ireland's indian community wanted to organise this blood drive to do something positive. around 120 people were due to attend. there are people who travel from delhi, and those who travel from delhi, and those who travel from delhi, and those who travel from derry, because there are people all over the place. if you we re people all over the place. if you were born in india or have lived there, you may need to take a test before you donate. in the end, most of them were turned away. they didn't check your passport or anything, they were just looking at the face. they did not check weather you have been there in the last three or six months. a couple of guys we re three or six months. a couple of guys were taking half a day off. three or six months. a couple of guys were taking half a day offm

is shocking and embarrassing. the blood transfusion service has issued a statement saying there was a breakdown in communication regarding this session. it goes on to say that lessons have been learned and it fully accepted and apologises for the upset and inconvenience caused to those unable to donate. baby boxes containing essential items such as clothes, books and blankets are being delivered to new mothers across scotland for the first time today. the cardboard boxes also include a mattress, so can be used as a cot. 0ur scotland correspondent, lorna gordon, reports. a first look at a scottish baby box for these mums and mums to be. 0h, a blanket as well. from today, all expectant mothers in scotland will receive a box like this. it doubles as a crib and contains dozens of items which could help parents in their child's first few months of life. i think it's excellent. as first—time parents we are a bit like, what do we need, what do we not need?

it's good to know that they have covered everything that we're going to need from the start. i really like the idea of it being a safe sleeping space, probably more for use during the day rather than at night—time, but i think i would it as a living space, for putting down for naps during the day. having a baby can be an expensive time for parents so most mums and dads say that anything that helps ease their costs is welcome but at £160 per box, is this money well spent by the scottish government? essentially what we want to do is make sure that all children in scotland have the very best start in life and we believe that a baby box with essential items will be of benefit to parents and their children is about that, giving children the very best start in life regardless of the circumstances they are born into. support groups say there is as yet no evidence that baby boxes will directly reduce the rate of infant mortality. but welcome any initiatives which encourage parents to think about safe sleeping for their babies.

we understand that boxes themselves can't have an impact on infant mortality, and for us, what we are really looking forward to is the evaluation of this whole initiative to see whether families have a greater awareness of safe sleeping messages for their babies. tens of thousands of parents will receive baby boxes every year. the scottish government says it will assess whether the initiative helps reduce the number of cot deaths. the last of four huge plastic pipes, which washed up on norfolk beaches at the end of last week, was hauled off today. they even turned into a tourist attraction. the largest of them was nearly 500 metres long. they were being towed from norway to algeria when they came loose and drifted ashore just north of great yarmouth. but in the past few days a major salvage operation swung into action. ian barmer has the story. 150 tonnes of plastic pipework on

the beach between two coastal towns. every effort was being made to drag them act out to sea. for the man in charge, the scale of the job in them act out to sea. for the man in charge, the scale of thejob in hand was a first. i've dealt with a lot of single pipes, but they have been only 800 metres in diameter, these are 2.4 metres, so they arrive —— they are rather large. this was the last of the sections to be taken off the beach. the one remaining pipe is stuck north of here. over the past five days, they have been a huge draw on this part of the coast. they have never seen anything quite like it. i couldn't make out what it was. you could not see the rocks, just that. didn't know what it was. i don't think it will put people off coming here. it will draw more people down to see something different. back on the beach, the

talk moved in and the three diggers took up their positions. the recovery was a combination of pulling and pushing. a huge amount of horsepower, of course, if they are sink and eyes correctly. although the tag can easily manage the pipe when it is afloat, when it has resistance on the beach and the rocks, you need that extra horsepower to help them free. it went very well. everybody knew their place and what they were supposed to do at a particular point in the operation. we were just waiting for the target to bring in that line, and then it was all systems go. other pipes sank to the sea bed, and they were filled with compressed air and raised. they will be checked over and then towed back to where they came from, in norway. we seem to have been covering a lot

of stories related to the weather. time for a look at the weather. imight i might have some good news up my sleeve. 0ut there, a cracking and to the day. some lovely sunsets. 0ne sleeve. 0ut there, a cracking and to the day. some lovely sunsets. one of two isolated showers left over after what has been a largely fine day. through tonight, the showers may continue across the islands of scotland. it might be a night to get under the duvet, under the towns and cities tipped as down to 45 degrees potentially. there are range cluster -- rain potentially. there are range cluster —— rain clouds gathering to the west. it will be a slow process for them coming in, so many will get

away with the bulk of the day being dry. nothing especially heavy in the morning, but then through the afternoon that spreads into parts of central and western scotland and the western fringes of england and wales. much of eastern scotland and wales. much of eastern scotland and wales and central and eastern england will stay dry through the day. with some hazy sunshine, clouds will increase through the day, and some could get into the 20s. cool in the west with the breeze. through tomorrow evening and overnight, more rain spread across the country. a night—time feature, so the heaviest bursts will be across england and wales. it could linger longer across the eastern coasts. for most, thursday a date similar to today. a bit more breeze potentially on thursday, but out of the show as it isa thursday, but out of the show as it is a nice day, two bridges into the high teens or no to mid 20s. low pressure to the north of us, winds

coming around from the top of the atlantic. more frequent showers, more of you will see them. sunshine in between, but the showers could be heavy and thundery. many are not getting out of the teens. the same on saturday to begin with. whilst we have sunshine and showers, the sunshine will take over late in the day. what happens beyond that is down to this, a harry kane. it is churning away to the east of the united states. more of a friend than iphone, it gets consumed in this area of pressure which could bring some potentially heavy rain to some areas on sunday. particular for northwest england and south scotland. as that clears into next week, could we start to have the start of a resurgence of summer? 0r have more in the next hour. hello,

and philippa thomas, this is outside source. in sierra leone at least 400 people have died in mudslides and massive flooding. the president says urgent support is needed and there are fears that the number of dead could rise. trying to sort the helicopters and, more have been brought in, this is a disaster. it's absolutely unprecedented. also on the show more white has intrigued as reports circulated that one of the president's top advisers might be on his way out but it's not all bad

news for the us president, kimjong and says he will hold fire on the north korea's proposal to