the family of the four children who died following a house fire in salford this week say the children were the best of friends. they were aged between three and 15 and their mother, who survived, remains in a coma and knows nothing of what happened. how can i turn around and say, they've gone? i can't even turn round and say one's gone, all her young ones, all her babies, have gone. the police say the fire was a targeted attack, three people have been charged with murder. the family say the mother had called the police before and the night of the fire claiming the family was being harrassed. also tonight — eu leaders give the official go ahead for the brexit talks to proceed to the next stage. a student is cleared of rape after police fail to disclose evidence which could have proved his innocence. battle for the heartland of the anc — as south africa's ruling party votes for a new leader and to regain public trust. and can england hang

on in the ashes? they need at least a draw to avoid a series defeat. coming up in sport on bbc news, britain's number two tennis player, aljaz bedene, switches back to slovenia in a bid to play at the next olympics. good evening. relatives of the four children who died in a housefire in salford have said they don't know how they will be able to tell the children's mother — who is in a medically induced coma and likely to remain that way for several weeks. 15—year—old demi pearson, three—year—old lia, lacie aged seven, and brandon who was eight died following the fire on monday, which police are calling a targeted attack.

the child ren‘s grandfather says the family had been harrassed before and the police had been called on sunday night but left. the house was set alight a few hours later. three people have been charged with murder. judith moritz has been speaking to the family, and is at police headquarters in manchester tonight. judith. yes, fiona, ispent yes, fiona, i spent the afternoon here with the pearson family, with mike pearson, whose four grandchildren have died, and whose daughter michelle is now fighting for her life in hospital. and with michelle's brother and sister, claire and chris. the family are in obvious pain and though it took all of their strength, they told me that they wanted to speak publicly today to show the world the scale of what they have lost. brandon and lacie was running up—and—down the street. theyjust, they were so happy that it was snowing. brother and sister playing in the snow last week. brandon and lacie pearson were inseparable.

lia was the baby of the family. everyone doted on her. she melted your heart. you couldn't have a serious face on with that child. she brought you so much happiness. their teenage sister demi looked out for them all. demi mothered them like they was her own. they wasn't siblings, they were best friends, the lot of them. four young lives ta ken. their mother michelle is badly burned in a coma. she doesn't know that her children have died. how can i turn around and say, "they've gone?" i can't even turn around and say one's gone. all her young ones, all her babies have gone. she'sjust going to say, "why have you brought me back?" "why didn't you just let me go." this is the first time her family has spoken of their pain, their loss, and their memories of

the night they saw fire engulfing the house where the children and their mother were asleep. there's not words what your eyes can describe what you see. no, you can't describe what you see. i remember going down the street and then just being surrounded by police officers. and i'm screaming at them, screaming at them, and i'm calling them all sorts of names. you just wanted to go in and help but you couldn't. little lia's life hung in the balance for two days. her auntie claire comforted her as she slipped away. they allowed me to cuddle her and hold her as she passed. did you speak to her? i spoke to her, i sang to her. it must have been so difficult. it broke me, it did. i didn't want to let that little girl go. the police say that the house was targeted. the family say michelle complained of being unsafe there. she'd said she'd actually been to the housing that week and

begged them to move her to a safe house, or get her out of the area. michelle's been unsafe in that property for months and months and the police was aware of this. the council was aware of this. and i'm sorry to say this, but... people have let her down. they've let her down. and my sister and her kids would have had a chance of survival if they did theirjob properly. the family is broken, the pain is raw and the loss is immeasurable. judith moritz, bbc news, manchester. judith moritz speaking to the pearson family. eu leaders have agreed to move brexit talks on to the next phase, which will deal with the future relationship between britain and the eu once britain leaves. theresa may has called it an important step on the road to a smooth and orderly brexit. but the president of the european council, donald tusk, has warned it will be dramatically

difficult to reach a final deal by march 2019. here's our political editor laura kuenssberg. the men with the message. part one is done. the european union is ready to grant the prime minister's wish and move on. she was a tough, smart, polite and friendly negotiator. and so we were able to conclude that sufficient progress has been made. to get this far on brexit, there has been some conflict and a lot of compromise. what is needed to get to the end of the next phase, and is theresa may's goal of a full agreement by march 2019 realistic? still realistic and, of course, dramatically difficult. the real negotiations on the second phase will start in march next year. i cannot say when these negotiations will be concluded. but i don't hope that i will have to have as early morning meeting

with the british prime minister than the one i had last week. hopefully, with fewer last—minute trips to brussels in the middle of the night, the negotiations step up. it has been a slog to get this far, but their words this morning are part of our history now, the official end of the beginning of our departure from the european union. it's taken time, but at last the government's negotiating team can crack on with initial talks about how we do business in future, and vitally the transition a couple of years after brexit itself. the uk and the eu have shown what can be achieved by commitment and perseverance on both sides. i'm pleased that it's been agreed we should make rapid progress on an implementation period, which will give certainty to businesses and individuals. the eu's brokers believe the cabinet at home must bury their differences, though, to give a clearer picture of how they want the future to look, before getting a decent hearing. the divide within the conservative

party is going to make it very difficult for us to negotiate a way through as a country. and theresa may, ultimately, has to be able to deliver for business here. business need that certainty now. the 27 we are leaving behind don't agree with much of what the uk has already put on the table, especially during the transition period. they want the european court to be in charge during that whole time, for the uk to accept any changes without a say, and for immigration to stay the same. this is a big junction. phase two will be even tougher, she warned. we would like it to look as much like the current relationship as possible, but that wouldn't necessarily be the view of everyone. it's a marathon race. we have just finished the first mile. given how far apart the two sides were, and the distance between the different wings of the tory party, the prime minister might feel entitled tonight to take a pause

for breath, a moment to savour having reached this junction. but with clashes in the commons to come, in the cabinet, and contradictions between the european union and the uk, still, she has little time or energy to waste on celebration. and to reach this point, not even halfway, she's already had to yield so much. indeed, at times it felt like the prime minister simply might not make it even this far. it is a very long way still until the end of this whole journey. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, brussels. the two sides now need to finalise the brexit withdrawal agreement, and turn it into something legally binding. but negotiations are also turning to the future. chris morris from the bbc‘s reality check team looks ahead to what the next phase of talks will be about. nearly 18 months after the referendum the eu and the uk are finally going to start talking about the future.

negotiations will focus initially on a transition period of roughly two years after brexit, with the aim of getting businesses some extra certainty. this transition will take place under existing eu rules and regulations where things mosly stay the same, except the uk no longer has a seat at the decision—making table. for example, the eu says the uk will have to follow all eu rules and regulations, including new ones approved during the transition. the jurisdiction of the european court ofjustice will still apply in full and free movement of people will continue too. the eu says that means the uk staying in the single market and customs union. the british government doesn't agree and says we will leave both of these on 29th march 2019. it could become a dispute over a form of words but politically it's important. so, lots to negotiate. but time is short.

if all goes to plan, more eu guidelines will be issued next march, allowing talks on the future relationship to start, on things like security, foreign policy and, of course, trade. the eu says formal trade negotiations cannot begin legally until after the uk has left in 2019. the government wants to be more ambitious and finish trade talks as quickly as possible. but realistically, says the eu, they will continue long after brexit has actually happened. chris morris, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent ben wright is in westminster. the brexit talks move onto phase two — a good day for theresa may? i , yes, ,yes, a , yes, a big moment for theresa may's government, this first negotiating hurdle has been cleared and now talks can move on, so i think there is great relief within no 10. tonight it seems too that the government has swerved a potential

second defeat in the commons next week when mps vote on the government's plan to chisel into british law the precise date we leave the european union. march 29, 2019. 0pposition parties and a number of tory mps are really worried about this and have said it was boxing the government in through the brexit negotiations and didn't recognise the fact that the deadline could be extended if the uk and all eu countries agreed, so there was a rebellion brewing. but today a number of tory mps from across the party have put forward a compromise that keeps the date in law but also allows ministers to change it if they think it needs to be. and perhaps for once all tory mps across the board seem happy with the compromise. but as laura said, there are much bigger, tougher arguments to be had now within the government, around the cabinet table, about the precise sort of economic relationship britain wants with the european union after brexit. ben wright at westminster, thank you. ajudge has called for an inquiry after a university student

was cleared of rape because police failed to disclose evidence which could have proven his innocence. 22—year—old liam allan spent two years on bail, before his trial at croydon crown court was halted when it was revealed his accuser had sent him thousands of text messages. he's been speaking exclusively to clive coleman. the day after the case against him was dropped, liam allan is coming to terms with the end of a two—year nightmare. i was relieved, notjust for myself, but for everyone that's been with me every step of the way. and everyone it has impacted. it wasjust a huge, huge relief. you sort of get your life back. you don't realise that you've lost parts of your life until you actually have it completely done. the trial may be over, but the strain it caused remains vivid. i'll be honest, i did start to suffer from panic attacks, a couple of weeks before court, which is why i said it was probably my worst time. because you just, you have to have your own reaction, panic attacks are an internal reaction that you can't help yourself. but it is to be expected, you can't not go through this and not panic and not fear,

and remain strong through the whole thing. it could bring the strongest person in the world to their knees. liam went on trial charged with six rapes and six sexual assaults. his lawyers were repeatedly refused access to his alleged victim's phone records. they were finally handed over at the start of the trial. 40,000 phone messages included details which clearly suggested he was innocent. his trial at croydon crown court collapsed yesterday. she said she didn't like sex with him. text messages to say she loves sex with him. there were rape fantasies, there was sex in the open air. this was a 12—count indictment. if the defence hadn't got that, that man would have been convicted, that man would have got 12 years, that man would have had his life trashed, and on a sexual offences register for ever. it's a fundamental principle of our system that the prosecution must hand over any evidence that it holds that could help

the person on trial. lawyers tell me that liam allan's experience is far from a one—off and that there's a widespread problem. the metropolitan police are carrying out an urgent assessment the case. but for liam, sorry just won't do it. an apologyjust doesn't feel like enough. the length of time i faced, the fact that the person remains anonymous and i am everywhere and got dragged through hell for the last two years, apology doesn't even slightly cut it at all. liam's case adds to mounting concerns that the system for ensuring that those on trial receive all of the evidence that could help their defence, is failing far too often. clive coleman, bbc news. six months ago we brought you the story of ian shaw who has learning disabilities, autism and epilepsy. he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and in january was told he had three months to live. but after watching our report, a psychiatrist got in touch,

suggesting ian's case should be looked at again. it was, and ian is now responding well to treatment. charities say it raises questions about the care given to some people with learning disabilities, as alison holt reports. september, and it's an important moment in the shaw household. 34—year—old ian will soon be on his way to hospital. going out for a drive, ian, in the ambulance? yes, please. yeah, please. ian has learning disabilities, autism, epilepsy and can't speak for himself. morning, everyone. hello. he also has testicular cancer. he's being taken for his second round of chemotherapy, and that's a major change. at the start of the year, his family was told he was terminally ill and had three months to live. he spent a long time in bed, especially when i thought there was no treatment and no cure, ijust thought... just a waiting game, but now, it's like there is hope. i followed ian's story for ten months now because his family wanted others

to understand how people with learning disabilities are too often failed by the system. only recently has it become clear what that has meant for ian. turn the clock back to our report, broadcast injuly, and ian was clearly ill. difficult for his parents, who believed his cancer should have been spotted sooner. he'd spent nine years in secure health units because of his challenging behaviour, and they felt he'd been overmedicated and his health neglected. i was told there was no treatment. because it'd been there a long time and they couldn't treat it because it would be too much. it just wouldn't work, it's gone too far. watching that report was drjustin wilson, a psychiatrist who had researched cancer treatments in people with learning disabilities. knowing that testicular cancer is one of the most treatable cancers that there is, i was surprised that a decision had been made not to provide treatment. i wanted to understand what that was about. we put him in touch with the family.

he suggested getting a second opinion, which led to ian having chemo at the royal marsden hospital. my concern was that perhaps judgments are made about the quality—of—life that he has, because of his severe learning disabilities and because of the physical impact of how the cancer had spread. i'm also clearly aware that providing cancer treatment for somebody with the problems that ian has is a real challenge, but my view is that those challenges can be overcome. give me your hands... it is now november and another big day for ian. he's being moved to a wheelchair because the doctors want him up and about. the cancer has affected his spine, so he can't walk, but he's doing really well. do you like it, ian? after ten months stuck in a bed, he's had enough of people talking. he's desperate to have a chair, isn't he? 0nce moving, he doesn't want to stop. the look on his face is fantastic. there's still a long way to go

for ian, but the change is staggering since i first met him, and since his family was told there was no hope at the luton and dunstable hospital injanuary. in a statement the hospital says, "a number of experts were consulted about ian's case. it was agreed that mr shaw was too ill to undergo chemotherapy. it concludes his learning difficulties were not a factor in the decision to move to a palliative care pathway". first time in the chair? for ages. he's over moon. dr wilson and bernadette adams, the family's advocate, haven't seen ian for a couple of months. hello, how are you? i think we need to learn that people with autism and learning disabilities have the same rights as anyone else, and there doesn't need to be a barrier, we can make adjustments so that they get the right treatment, at the right time. nhs england says it's working to reduce the health inequalities

faced by people with learning disabilities, but it didn't want to comment on ian's case. the latest scan has shown that his cancer is shrinking. give us a kiss! alison holt, bbc news. south africa's governing african national congress is preparing this weekend to pick a new party leader to replace jacob zuma, who is also the country's president. the anc is still the dominant political force, but has faced a loss of public trust. president zuma is facing corruption allegations, which he denies. the bbc‘s africa editor, fergal keane, has travelled through the anc stronghold of the eastern cape. many dreams of freedom were born here, died here and were reborn. from its earliest days, the eastern cape was an anc stronghold. new brighton was where the party's military wing was founded, and the first south african township i visited in the years of apartheid. when i first came to this township, more than 30 years ago,

the anc were still banned, mandela was in jail, jacob zuma was in exile. but to the people who live here now, that's all ancient history. what they care about is what the anc hasn't done. anger over the failure to deliver enough houses and services saw people here force the closure of this museum to the heroes of the freedom struggle. they've come in from the rural areas... paul mbewana is a lifelong anc supporter who led the community protest. he is astonished at the looting of state resources that has burgeoned underjacob zuma. in fact, i'm disgusted with it, because it's eating all the resources which are meant for the poor, the poorest of the poor. so they can't... they can't benefit from services and all those things. but go north into still impoverished rural areas and you are reminded

of an essential fact. the virus of corruption, moral and financial, was present long before zuma. here, tens of millions were squandered by the white regime to create so—called independent homelands, where black people were to be dumped far from the cities. it's partly that memory that keeps older voters, like this 77—year—old, loyal to the anc and zuma. "i like jacob zuma because he's part of the anc", she told me. "he took us to freedom. "even if they remove him, he took us to freedom". but a culture of protest is thriving in south africa, driven by a free press and independent judiciary fighting to rein injacob zuma. i came here to fort hare university, alma mater of nelson mandela, and four other african presidents, and found students eager for change. my perception of our politicians

is that they are people who are self—absorbed, who do not have the best interests of the people of this country, especially the poor people, who fought for them to be in power. do not put the leaders that are going to continue with the culture of robbing poor south africans' money. bring leaders that are progressive, that see vision, that see progress, that want to improve the lives of south africans. that's my stand. south africa's strength has always been the determination of the majority to confront injustice, whether racism or corruption. it's that spirit which will demand accountability from whoever ends up leading the anc. fergal keane, bbc news in the eastern cape. the date has been announced for prince harry and meghan markle's wedding. the service at st george's chapel, windsor castle, will take place on saturday may 19th. that's something of a break with tradition for the royal family,

whose weddings usually take place on a weekday. cricket, and england failed to capitalise on centuries from jonny bairstow and dawid malan on the second day of the third ashes test against australia. they were bowled out for 403. australia, in reply, are 203—3. andy swiss reports. the waca is traditionally where australian heroes are made, but would this be another day for english ones? well, it seemed so at first, as dawid malan and johnny bairstow picked up their marathon partnership where they had left off, bairstow completing a superb century. after his now infamous incident in a perth bar, he celebrated by head—butting his helmet. england were enjoying themselves. but out of nowhere, guess what. malan went to a brilliant catch by peter handscomb for 1110. and the rest crumbled in all too familiar fashion, losing their last six wickets in 48 mind—boggling minutes. theyjust made it to the 400

mark, but it should have been so much better. well, to be all out by lunchtime here wasn't exactly part of england's plan. that was some batting collapse, even by their standards, and australia are suddenly right back in this. so could england's bowlers repair the damage? well, they made a decent start, craig 0verton removing both openers. but further chances slipped through theirfingers. they were difficult ones, but they proved damaging. usman khawaja made a half century by the time he was eventually trapped leg before, and there was no budging his skipper. steve smith, still there on 92. if only some of england's earlier batting had shown such stickability. a day which belonged to australia then, but a test which england can't afford to lose is still tantalisingly poised. yes, england's bowlers resume here

inafew yes, england's bowlers resume here in a few hours, knowing that they need early wickets, especially the australian captain, steve smith. england have not won in perth for nearly 40 years. they have a chance, but they know defeat and their ashes hopes are over. that's it. now on bbc one, it's time for the news where you are. have a very good night. hello and welcome to sports day. the headlines this evening: jonny ba i rstow headlines this evening: jonny bairstow joins the wacko headlines this evening: jonny bairstowjoins the wacko centurions clu b bairstowjoins the wacko centurions club as england stay ahead in the crucial third test. wolves go seven clear that the championship with a win against sheffield wednesday. but in‘s number two aljaz bedene is going back to to savini. —— slovenia. lots to tell you about this evening

but we start with cricket and the crucial third ashes test in perth where england will start day three 200 runs ahead but needing quick wickets to stay in the series. the australian captain steve smith is 92 not out and his wicked will be key when play resumes in a few hours at the raqqa. andy swiss reports. —— at the raqqa. andy swiss reports. —— at the waca. if day one of the test match belonged to england, day two has belonged to england, day two has belonged to england, day two has belonged to australia, not that it seems that way at first as dawid malan and jonny bairstow continued their marathon partnership. burstow reaching his century and celebrating by head—butting his helmet. ——jonny ba i rstow. a reference by head—butting his helmet. ——jonny bairstow. a reference to that infamous incident in a bar in perth. when dawid malan went for 140 the rest of england's batting collapse pretty horribly, losing their last six wickets for just 35 runs.

pretty horribly, losing their last six wickets forjust 35 runs. 403 all out. they will feel they should have got a lot more than that. the england bowlers set about repairing the damage, two wickets for craig 0verton and a half—century from usman khan larger. 92 not out from captain steve smith turned things round in australia's favour. in the end it was australia's day but no doubting england man of the day, jonny bairstow with that century. these were his thoughts afterwards. these were his thoughts afterwards. the 100 in many ways was my favourite because i've played in a few ashes series now and to score an ashes hundred is something you dream about as a kid to be honest. it has alluded me until now. —— eluded. a heap of emotions came running through. bit of a light—hearted fun wasn't it with everything that has gone on, exactly the way it should be taken. as australia, they will

feel right back in this. guzman khawaja, one of their key men, a battling half—century turn things round. afterwards he said he was surprised by the speed of the england batting collapse. never an easy place to bat. particularly as a tail—ender. we knew if we got one wicket we'd have a chance. the boys bowled well to get 6—450 —— — 40.. good day for australia, you sense steve smith is the key man. 92 not out going into day three. if he gets a big century australia will still be hopeful of securing a first—innings lead and potentially a match—winning and ashes winning position. andy swiss reporting for us.