tonight at six more than 200 people are killed after a powerful earthquake hits mexico. dozens of buildings in the capital have been damaged, some reduced to rubble, the army has been drafted in to help in the rescue effort. at least 21 children are known to have died in this school — a desperate search for the dozens still missing. translation: i'm desperate. i want them to get the children out. i want to see something. this is the second earthquake in as many weeks — we'll be asking what — if anything — can be done to prepare for them. also tonight, more arrests after the parsons green tube explosion. counter—terror police have detained two men in newport, that's five people in custody so far. the england women's manager, mark sampson, loses hisjob — the fa says it's about inappropriate behaviour in a previous post. hurricane maria's path takes it right over puerto rico, winds of over 160 miles an hour and torrential rain. human life and how it all starts — for the first time in the uk scientists use gene editing

on an embryo. and coming up in sportsday on bbc news. i'll have details of a bronze medal for tour de france winner chris froome at the time trial in the world championships in norway. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. a desperate search for survivors is under way in mexico tonight, after a huge earthquake struck the country, killing more than 200 people. it's the second earthquake to hit mexico in as many weeks and the deadliest in more than thirty years. the epicentre of the 7.1 magnitude quake was some 75 miles south of the capital, mexico city, demolishing hundreds of buildings, among them a primary school.

our correspondent aleem maqool is in mexico tonight and sent this report. all over this part of mexico they are desperate for signs of life. here a terrified boy trapped under the remains of his classroom. this was his primary school. it collapsed just after lunchtime when the earthquake struck on top of so many of its younger pupils. at least 20 are known to have been killed here. many more are missing. this school has become the grim symbol of mexico's loss. volunteers are doing what they can. sniffer dogs have been brought in to try to locate the

children who might be trapped. the mexican president visited the school to see the rescue operation for himself. and there have been moments of hope. several have been brought out alive. but the window to find others is closing fast. it is today that the full scale of the destruction in mexico city has been revealed and more buildings collapsed overnight. it is extraordinary that even though much of mexico city and more buildings collapsed overnight. it is extraordinary that even though much of mexico city appears to be ok you can suddenly turn a corner and find something like this, a building that used to be apartments, or an office block, now it has been reduced to rocks and dust and where people lost their lives. but also all over the town lines of volunteers trying to help those who may still be alive. here rescue workers raise their hands to ask for silence to hear any calls for help from under the rubble but no joy this time. cctv footage

is from shopping centre as the roof begins to collapse. this woman getting out of the way, not a moment too soon. and on their mobile phones report recorded countless shocking videos of buildings collapsing. here, an office block. there is destruction and loss in mexico city but the epicentre of this massive earthquake was some 75 miles away and the full extent of the tragedy that this has brought in remote communities is not yet clear. aleem maqbool, mexico city. mexico sits at the heart of an earthquake zone. the country was recovering from one just two weeks ago. so mexicans know they are likely, but of course they can't be sure when they'll occur or how severe they'll be. 0ur science editor david shukman reports now on the risks the country faces, and what if anything can be done to minimise

the death and destruction these earthquakes cause. the terrifying moment that the quake struck. this is a newsroom in mexico city, wrecked by the tremors. the most violent earthquake in the memory of residents of central mexico. mexico is all too familiar with this kind of threat. these scenes were filmed in the 1950s and after every tragedy there has been an effort to make buildings tough enough to cope. this was an earthquake that struck in haphazard fashion... but in 1985, another devastating quake tore down 3,000 buildings in mexico city. killing about 10,000 people. and the government again ordered stricter controls on development. and that did make a difference. when the tremors hit yesterday, this building was among many to shake but not to fall. using the latest designs to withstand the impact. sadly, dozens of other

places were less resilient. the recent buildings in mexico city should have been built to withstand this kind of shake. it was some way away from mexico city, and still buildings in mexico city collapsed. so what is behind this earthquake and why does it seem so severe? countries around the pacific light on what is called the ring of fire, where the geology is highly active. mexico has repeatedly suffered from quakes caused yesterday by a violent shift in the rock. the tectonic plate pushing into the north american plate. if we look at a cross section, you can see how one of these plates is actually sliding under the other, moving ata speed of eight centimetres a year, so massive pressures build up, and occasionally there is a sudden rupture. but making things even worse is that much of mexico city has been built on land that is unusually soft, so any tremors from an

earthquake are amplified. mexico city sits on this old lake bed, soft sediments with a lot of water in them, so when the earthquake strikes it, it just goes like jelly. a lot of the buildings cannot handle it and they just collapse. so long before this latest quake, the threat was very the technology to keep buildings safe. the problem is making sure the rules are applied, and as rescuers search the school that has collapsed, investigators will want to know what went wrong. were corners cut in the construction? is that what led to such terrible losses? david shuknam bbc new. david shuknam bbc news. and aleem joins me now. you said there was hope to find

survivors. there are hopes that they are slim, we have seen regular people holding shovels, trying to go to wherever they think there might be survivors, people suddenly as they hear about another building where there might be survivors killing by the roadside, trying to get lifts to go there. a real spirit to try to get the city through this. here at the school that we are talking about, the one that we are saying has touched people, across this country, is just one block or two back from here, and this really has become the centre of those people who do want to help. it has virtually become a village around here with soldiers here and then lots of other people trying to provide refreshments for them. we have just seen more provide refreshments for them. we havejust seen more rubble pulled out. and we keep seeing those signs of volu nteers out. and we keep seeing those signs of volunteers and soldiers holding up of volunteers and soldiers holding up their fists to say be quiet, we are trying to listen for cries of help from in the rubble. just in the

last hour or so there is a suggestion from one rescuer at least, it cannot be confirmed, that there may be a classroom full of children who may still be alive in that building. but also we have heard from rescuers that there are more bodies that they have seen that they will be pulling out. but as i say this kind of scene, in smaller way is happening across the city and of course beyond, in more remote areas, where we do not quite know the extent of the damage yet. aleem, thank you very much. two men have been arrested in south wales in connection with friday's terror attack on a london underground train at parsons green. it followed a search at an address in newport. 0ur correspondent sian lloyd is there. sian, what more can you tell us about this? george, it is over 12 hours since counterterrorism officers arrived in

west street a short distance from newport city centre. the street is still cordoned off and soldiers are taking place. a man of 30 and a man of 48 were arrested early in the morning and have been taken away. we've been told by locals that the house being searched is used for asylu m house being searched is used for asylum seekers. that has not been confirmed by the authorities. it does follow the arrest of a 25—year—old man in another part of newport last night and a property in jeffrey street is being searched. we spoken to a local couple there who say they know this man, that he was a regular customer in their butcher ‘s shop and used to do odd jobs for them. this operation is being led by them. this operation is being led by the metropolitan police counter terror command, supported by officers from the gwent police force. and this evening the deputy chief constable of the gwent force hasissued chief constable of the gwent force has issued a statement to the local

community in newport in which he wa nts to community in newport in which he wants to reassure them about their safety. yet she also says they need to be vigilant at all times. charm, many thanks. tata steel has agreed the first stage of a merger between its european business and a german rival, thyssen krupp. tata employs more than 8,000 people in the uk, and any deal will include britain's biggest steelworks at port talbot in south wales. unions and politicians are calling for both companies to safeguard those jobs when they go ahead with their planned merger. last night mark sampson led the england women's team to a 6—0 victory over russia. tonight he's been fired as manager by the football association. in a statement the fa said his departure is connected to inappropriate behaviour during a previousjob in bristol. more recentl, as we have reported, he's been the subject of allegations of racism and bullying. mr sampson has denied those allegations. here's our sports correspondent katie gornall, who broke today's story. 0n the pitch it all seemed to be

going well for mark sampson. last night his england team won their world cup qualifier 6—0 and made a very public show of support. commentator: it is the togetherness ofa group, commentator: it is the togetherness of a group, and commentator: it is the togetherness ofa group, and he is commentator: it is the togetherness of a group, and he is visibly moved by it. but behind—the—scenes mark sampson's england career was unravelling. today the fa confirmed they had terminated his contract due to safeguarding allegations made against him when he was manager of bristol academy before taking the england job. the fa says the full details only came to the attention last week. the issue became one of his conduct. it is really about the boundaries between a player and a coach, in this case the coach coaching players. when reading that report, i felt that what i saw was not compatible with the standards we would expect for somebody to work at the fa. the fa says his departure is not related to recent allegations of bullying and discrimination made against him by one england striker.

he denied the claims and was cleared of wrongdoing in a two is investigations. but last night when i spoke to him it was clear recent events i spoke to him it was clear recent eve nts ha d i spoke to him it was clear recent events had taken a toll. a new programme notes he imagined what a tough time it has been for you and your staff, how hard it has been coming into this in the light of the allegations made. it was a difficult time but a difficult time for eve ryo ne time but a difficult time for everyone involved. this is a serious situation. everyone is aware of that. spectacular fall from grace for a that. spectacular fall from grace fora man that. spectacular fall from grace for a man who has transformed the fortu nes for a man who has transformed the fortunes of the lionesses since he was appointed four years ago, a bronze medal at the last world cup and the semifinal at the euros this year lifting england to third in the world, their highest ever was handled, the sports minister tonight

calling the situation is. for mark sampson a career that promised so much on the pitch has ended in controversy of it, his burgeoning reputation for the f avis has raised even more serious questions about its governance and the way the investigation was handled, the sports minister tonight calling the situation is. for mark sampson a career that promised so much on the pitch has ended in controversy of it, his burgeoning reputation in i think. this matter has dragged on for months, today when we were summoned to wembley at short notice martin glenn and the chief executive explained the decision. i think there will also be scrutiny of his actions, he says he knew in november katie gornall, bbc news. richard conway is at wembley. katie says this raises questions for the fa, how damaging is it. i think it's very damaging. we had a strong statement from sports minister tracey crouch. that will be reflected in the coverage around as i think. this matter has

dragged on for months, today when we we re dragged on for months, today when we were summoned to wembley at short notice martin glenn and the chief executive explained the decision. i think there will also be scrutiny of his actions, he says he knew in november 2015 about a safeguarding report but didn't look into the details. 0nly last week did he look at the report after two an unnamed individuals said they had made him aware of the contents. a lot will follow in the fa over their recruitment methods and the way they have handled this damaging to the team, mark sampson having great success with them but now he must move sport, no safeguarding worries about him, it isjust move sport, no safeguarding worries about him, it is just that they see him as not fit to be the team coach of the women's national the fa say he is free to take up a position elsewhere in the sport, no safeguarding worries about him, it is just that they see him as not fit to be the team coach of the women's national richard, thank you. our top story this evening: more than 200 people are known to have died in mexico's most powerful earthquake for decades. coming up in sportsday on bbc news. two major paralympic world championships have been postponed by the ipc after the earthquake in mexico. they were due to take place there later this month. for the first time in the uk, scientists have altered the dna of human embryos. the research — using a technique known as gene editing — was performed at the francis crick

institute in london. it is aimed at increasing understanding of the first days of human development. the scientists say it might eventually lead to improved ivf treatment. 0ur medical correspondent fergus walsh reports. in this lab in central london, scientists are trying to unlock the mysteries of life. how one fertilised cell can go on to create a human. they are doing it by studying the dna of embryos in a dish in theirfirst week. this is basic research that is providing us with a foundation of knowledge about early human development within this first seven—day window and our hope is that this information can be used as a basis to build further understanding about underlying causes of infertility. inside the nucleus of our cells is our genome. made of dna, it's the instruction manual for life. the key sections are genes — 20,000 of them, which control

how cells function. scientists at the crick institute were targeting a single, super gene called 0ct—4, to see what would happen if it was switched off. this is one of the donated human embryos they used, left over from ivf. you can see that the nucleus of the sperm and the egg haven't yet merged to share their dna. they injected the gene editing system known as crisper into each of them. now the crisper system scans the billions of letters of dna like a spell—check, until it gets to the 0ct—4 gene and cuts both strands, removing a tiny section which inactivates or silences the gene. now we can see what effect tha had. the healthy control on the left shows how an embryo should develop over five days, it's getting bigger and eventually developing a cavity at the centre.

now compare that to the gene edited embryo. it keeps collapsing, confirmation thatjust one tiny section of dna is crucial for healthy development. in the long term it could help explain why women like natasha keep losing their pregnancies. last year alone she had four miscarriages. it's the unknown. we don't know exactly what's going on. to be able to research and find out the crux of what it is, what potentially it could be, could be, just — save a lot of heartache. this research was not about creating babies. but in theory, embryo gene editing could one day be used to get rid of inherited disease. that would raise major ethical issues. the aim of this study was basic research. it was to produce knowledge about human development. the embryos that were used in the study were never intended to be implanted.

so we should, with respect to this study, put all talk of designer babies off the table. the crick institute in london is a world leader in gene editing. a technology which has the potential to transform medicine and our understanding of human biology. fergus walsh, bbc news. hurricane maria, the second maximum strength storm to hit the caribbean in two weeks, has slammed into puerto rico with winds of over 160 miles an hour. us virgin island of st croix is also being hit. communications with the island of dominica — which was hit yesterday — remain largely cut off but aerial photographs show flattened buildings and fallen trees. 0ur correspondent will grant is in puerto rico. as you can see, hurricane maria is still almost at full strength as she passes over the territory of puerto

rico, dumping a large amounts of rain on the island, the winds have caused disruption across its path and despite the preparations made and despite the preparations made and people in evacuation centres, people hunkering down throughout the night, when it hit it was still far more powerful than many had expected. the longer this uncommonly powerful hurricane season goes on, the more records it breaks. hurricane maria is now the strongest storm to make landfall in puerto rico in almost a century. and when it hit, it certainly felt like it. maria approached with the full force of a category five storm and only weakened slightly on reaching the island. winds of up to 165 mph have been recorded, and as much as 25 inches of rainfall seen in some areas along its path. from space, the picture is even clearer. the vast storm engulfing the entire island. worse still, maria is moving slowly,

creeping its way over puerto rico, meaning the window for potential damage and destruction is several hours long. the tiny island of dominica was directly in the path of the huge storm and apparently suffered some of the worst of the damage. the country's prime minister described the situation as it was unfolding, calling the damage mind—boggling. puerto ricans generally know what to expect from hurricanes, but this is something quite different. hurricane maria, the sheer power of it, outweighs that of even hurricane irma which struck a week ago and brought so much devastation to the caribbean. the islands authorities tried to prepare as best they could, urging thousands into evacuation shelters or to seek refuge with friends and family. the federal emergency agency fema is also on hand, particularly to help in the days to come.

but it's too early for most people in puerto rico to even think about the clean—up yet. many simply aren't going to emerge until they are sure it is safe to do so. 0nce maria eventually moves on they can begin to excess the extent of the damage to their lives and property. but for many communities, maria has already finished off what irma left behind. will grant, bbc news, puerto rico. birmingham's bin strike has been suspended after a high courtjudge granted the unite union an injunction, blocking redundancy notices from being issued by the city council. sincejuly, piles of rubbish have been building up on the streets of the city as the union and council officials fought over the proposals. sophie long is at winson green in birmingham. it's not just it's notjust the piles of rubbish that people have to step over or swerve in their cars to avoid, it's

the smell and the rats which have sniffed it out which people here are really fed up with. some of them have been putting up with it for months. for them the lorries cannot come soon enough. weeks of waste festering on street corners across britain's second city. while union leaders and the city council fought it out in the high court, this is what people in birmingham have been living with. rising piles of stinking, rat infested rubbish. when were your bins last emptied? it will be about four weeks now. it needs to be collected now because it's really smelling now. there is too much mess. they've got rat droppings everywhere. cat droppings. and there's maggots going at the rubbish and that. it's not good. it began back injune when the council announced plans to restructure its waste management services. there was a pause in august when it looked like a deal might be reached. but the strike resumed in september after the council issued redundancy notices to 106 staff. today the high court granted

an interim injunction against those notices and the strike was suspended. a trial will take place to determine whether the council acted unlawfully. this judgment is as close to the truth as any judgment i've heard. it lambasts both the officers and councillors, it tells us all that this problem has been of the council's making, that we upheld our end of the agreement and then it was sabotaged. the council said they respect the ruling and remain committed to resolving the dispute as quickly as possible. the workers may have won this battle, but the war on waste management is not over yet. sophie long, bbc news, birmingham. time for a look at the weather. here's chris fawkes. you have the latest on hurricane maria. you have the latest on hurricane maria. it was category five before it made la ndfall

it was category five before it made landfall in puerto rico, making la ndfall landfall in puerto rico, making landfall about 1130 our time and it has sliced right the way across the length of the island, it is currently just about on the length of the island, it is currentlyjust about on the north coast, winds of about 165 mph so catastrophic damage expected. from here it could yet bend into the dominican republic, but it will be close enough to do damage and then on towards the turks & caicos islands. more damage to do before it clears into the atlantic. here we have had this weather front across the western side of the uk bringing outbreaks of rain particularly for northern ireland and scotland and it's a particularly slow—moving front, it will take about 36 hours to get from the west to the east. slow—moving continues to work overnight, rain getting heavy across wales and west are in areas of scotla nd wales and west are in areas of scotland through the night, mild one, tempters11—14d. mild start to thursday, cloud breaking up, this

band of rain will continue its journey east, wet weather across the pennines into central, southern england. the cloud and rain, not the warmest, but in the sunshine across east england highs reaching about 20. it's only during the early hours of friday morning we see the back of that front, after a dry and bright start to friday at the next weather comes into the west bringing another bout of wet and windy weather to northern island. edwards into high—pressure and the rain will ease a little but central and eastern england with the best of the weather with highs into the low 20s. a reminder of our main story: more than 200 people are known to have died in mexico's most powerful earthquake for decades. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me — and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc‘s news teams where you are. you are watching bbc news. rescue workers in central mexico have been digging through rubble with their

bare hands, searching for survivors ofa bare hands, searching for survivors of a powerful earthquake. more than 200 people have been killed, including 22 children. translation: iam including 22 children. translation: i am desperate, i want them to get the children out. i want to see something. hurricane maria has made la ndfall something. hurricane maria has made landfall on puerto rico. it is the second powerful storm to hit the area in recent weeks. 90% of the island is now without power. in the next hour, theresa may will be addressing world leaders at the nice the nations general assembly in new york. that is mahmoud abbas, the palestinian leader at the moment, talking at the un general assembly in new york. theresa may speaking they're very shortly. two men have been arrested in south wales

connected with the terror attack at parsons green on the london underground. it follows a search at an address in newport. birmingham's bin strike is on hold after a high courtjudge bin strike is on hold after a high court judge blocked redundancy notices being issued. the refuge workers have been on strike for 11 weeks in a row overjob losses. in a moment it is time the sports day, but first a look at what else is coming up. theresa may is due to speak at the united nations general assembly in new york. that should be at around seven p:m.. in beyond 100 days we will be assessing reaction to what she says on the world stage in new york. as hurricane maria continues to sweep through the caribbean, we will be live in the region and after 8pm we'll be talking to the head of the commonwealth about what it is leaving in its wake. as the row

intensifies between the leader of the catalonia region of spain and the catalonia region of spain and the spanish government, we be hearing from an expert on the issues of cata la n hearing from an expert on the issues of catalan region. let's bring you some breaking news... this is about another earthquake, but