this is bbc news. i'm shaun ley. the headlines... labour must stamp out anti—semitism and rebuild relations with the jewish community, according to the newest member of labour's ruling executive, the comedian eddie izzard. it comes as labour distances itself from some pro—jeremy corbyn facebook groups featuring anti—semitic and abusive comments. anthonyjoshua moves a step closer to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after beating new zealand's joseph parker. if i was retiring on this high i'd be like, "yes, i'm the man". because you retire on a high. but i've got to kind of defend my throne again in a few months, so i'm kind of balanced. we're still hustling. pope francis has called for an end to what he says is carnage in syria was francis has called for an end traditional easter happy centenary, raf. 7:7 :17 7177 ::7”7 77:7 225 —7 77 7: 777777777; she said, had gallantly

defended freedom. and click investigates facebook‘s data sharing practices and explores who has your personal data. that's in half an hour, here on bbc news. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the comedian eddie izzard, who has just been appointed to labour's governing national executive committee, says the party must stamp out anti—semitism and rebuild relations with thejewish community. it follows the resignation of his predecessor after complaints she'd offered support to a council candidate accused of holocaust denial. our political correspondent jonathan blake has been following the story and joins me now. let's just begin with why eddie

izza rd let's just begin with why eddie izzard is now on the nec? he is taking upa izzard is now on the nec? he is taking up a place on labour's ruling body, the national executive council, vacated by christine shawcroft to step down last night, and acknowledging she had become a distraction in the royal around anti—semitism. that relates to her ina anti—semitism. that relates to her in a shoot to kill —— her initial support of a local candidate who was a holocaust denier. eddie izzard kbyte in the most recent election, he automatically takes her place. he comes into that post at what is a difficult time for the party, he has a knowledge that on a statement online, saying these are not the circumstances he would have wanted to ta ke circumstances he would have wanted to take up his place on that committee. he has been a labour campaign and support for many years and has spoken about running for office a few times. he says it is an important time for the party and

stamp out completely the stain of anti—semitism from a minority of members. it has no place in the party and the time has come to unite around the platform of hope that he says jeremy corbyn around the platform of hope that he sasteremy corbyn has built. around the platform of hope that he says jeremy corbyn has built. there are local government elections taking place in some of england's bigger cities and london. how worried is labour about this driving towards polling day and potentially damaging it support? the timing is not ideal. there have long been accusations of anti—semitism within the party and jeremy corbyn has for some time faced criticism about whether he has gone far enough to eradicate it and take a tough enough line in terms of disciplinary procedures, which is why we saw the chakrabarti procedures, which is why we saw the chakra barti report done procedures, which is why we saw the chakrabarti report done by baroness chakrabarti report done by baroness chakra barti a couple chakrabarti report done by baroness chakrabarti a couple of years ago in terms of assessing the level of racism within the labour party at the level of anti—semitism

specifically, excuse me. there is some concern that has been voiced in recent days about whether that report and its recommendations has been implemented fully enough. the timing is difficult, labour would much rather be talking about policies and have it hopes to win council seats in the various areas you said that local elections are taking place. as the row continues, some people will continue to find exa m ples of some people will continue to find examples of anti—semitism and point out that in their rightjeremy corbyn has not gone for another need to do more, but a lot of people are saying this is being used against him to destabilise him. thank you, jonathan. the british boxer anthonyjoshua has won his heavyweight title unification fight in cardiff against new zealand'sjoseph parker. the judges unanimously declared him the winner on points after 12 rounds. he now adds the wbo belt to his wba and ibf titles. david ornstein reports. cheering. he's one of the biggest

stars of british sport. but for that star to continue rising, anthonyjoshua must keep winning. and with each opponent comes danger. go, new zealand, go, joseph parker! never before had reigning heavyweight champions met on these shores, but with two unbeaten records on the line, this turned into a cagey contest. thouthoshua was the aggressor, joseph parker stood firm and the briton would go the distance for the first time in his career. the referee was criticised for how often he stepped in, yet the judges unanimously ruled in joshua's favour. he now has three of the four recognised world championship belts. nobody has held all of them at once. that is the aim. i think, like, 2018 was always a time to capture all the belts. we are one away now, and i think the sky's the limit for what we're trying to achieve. so a night that didn't quite deliver the drama so many wanted to see was no less significant

for anthonyjoshua on his rise towards sporting greatness. a journey that shows no sign of slowing down. joshua's breakthrough came at the london 2012 olympics. he turned professional a year later and collected his first major title with victory over charles martin. beating wladimir klitschko at wembley added a second crown in spectacular style. now only deontay wilder can prevent joshua from becoming undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. you see the good, the bad, the ugly. and long may it continue, i think. i'm not done. i think i have a lot of years left in me. if i can keep on controlling fighters like that, without taking too much punishment, i should be around for a long time. ominous for his rivals, tantalising for his fans. joshua's star burning brighter than ever. david ornstein, bbc news. britain's largest teaching union is warning that a growing number of children with special needs

are being left without suitable school places. last year, more than 4000 children with the most severe needs were not offered places. the union has accused the government of starving local councils of funding. but the department of education insists that local authorities now have more money for every pupil, in every school. 0ur education correspondent marc ashdown reports. like all schools, here in south gloucestershire the aim is to offer every child a place in the classroom alongside their peers. but the reality is a growing number of the most vulnerable pupils seem to be disappearing from the system. government figures obtained by the national education union show that in 2016, 1700 children in england with special educational needs or a disability didn't have a school place. but, last year, that figure more than doubled. more than 4000 send children are now without a place. can you imagine the torment that a parent goes through, a parent of a child with special needs, where we aren't educating them at all? those increases in numbers are something the government needs to look at really seriously.

and there needs to be a huge cash injection into the special needs, high needs, budget immediately. local authorities are allocated money to spend on children with high needs. recent figures suggest there was a £400 million shortfall in funding last year which, unions say, has led to dozens of councils asking for permission from the government to raid their wider schools budget to meet costs. well done. for schools already struggling with tight budgets, it's an added pressure. it would be really sad for me if i ever got to the point where i said we don't want to take children with additional needs for financial reasons. i suspect there are schools and trusts who are looking really closely at the level of needs that a child comes in with and the amount of funding that will be attached to that and making very difficult decisions. mehreen is a special needs teacher in south london. she's worried about the longer—term impact on the lives of vulnerable children. the danger for our children is that they disappear from society. that we are...

that they will come to a school to a certain extent, they won't be then able to access the wider community they live in. the department for education says it's investing a further £270 million over the next two years to ensure every child has the best opportunities, regardless of their needs. marc ashdown, bbc news. ceremonies are being held today to mark exactly 100 years since the raf became the world's first independent air force. it was formed by the merger of the army's royal flying corps and the royal naval air service. a number of events are being held across the country, including a fly past at biggin hill in kent where three world war ii aircrafts took to the skies watched by veterans. 0ur correspondent robert hall has been at stow maries great war aerodrome in essex where he's been speaking to people involved in today's celebrations. few better places to be on this milestone day for the raf, because

stow maries is the last intact first world war aerodrome in europe. intact because lots of people, many of them volunteers, have worked here for quite a few gears to get back to something resembling what it would have been a 1918. behind me the flagpole where the raf standard has just been raised to replace the unionjack just been raised to replace the union jack representing the just been raised to replace the unionjack representing the royal flying corps which went before it. if that sounds confusing, let's explain. ian flint is the chief executive of the stow maries trust. why is stow maries and iconic place for the raf, today and back then? why is stow maries and iconic place for the raf, today and back themm is the only one left, as far as we can see. this was genesis, where the royal flying corps on the 1st of april turned into the raf, absorbing the royal naval air service, the royal air corps and becoming the first truly independent air force in the world. there is no where we can

still fly aircraft that is not a commercial aerodrome, a housing estate, has not been redeveloped for farmland. this is it. i made reference them to the fact that if i had come five or ten years ago it would have looked very different. what have you achieved and what do you want to achieve? a true commemoration to the amazing work done here during the great war. we have been super successful over the last three years, there has been lots of very, very dedicated people. we have rescued five buildings from the heritage at risk register, there are about ten more to do and we are doing everything to save those. it will take about ten years and about £24 million but the end result will bea £24 million but the end result will be a centre of aviation history for europe, a fantastic reproduction of the 1918 royal flying corps and royal air force base and a place to learn about some of the most important history we have in our country. thank you and

congratulations, it has been a splendid event. taking part in the event was, perhaps, who knows, the raf for the future. i will get your names in minutes, this is all about commemorating and inspiring. cadet warrant officer cheyenne homes. what was it like standing here and thinking back? just spectacular. to be where we are now is where they effectively were all those years ago, it is fantastic, there is no place like this left in the world, probably. i can't. .. place like this left in the world, probably. i can't... there are not enough words. what is your name? cadet warrant officer thomas revol. you are from the digital age, we are talking about pilots who were very much them and the machine and that was it, very much on their own. can you make any connection in your mind between the raf you know today,

dealing with satellites and drones etc? definitely. visiting raf stations with cadets and looking at places like this you can see the similarities. you make a link but then you think about the stuff that has come about in our generation and the previous with the technology and how the raf has integrated that into the aircraft is fantastic to see how the aircraft is fantastic to see how the aircraft is fantastic to see how the aircraft had developed into extraordinary vehicles which can do extraordinary vehicles which can do extraordinary jobs. i extraordinary vehicles which can do extraordinaryjobs. i am cadet warrant officer carmina popa.fi extraordinaryjobs. i am cadet warrant officer carmina popa. it is all about inspiration, what do you think you can take from the courage. . . think you can take from the courage... these were aviation pioneers, the men who flew here? a group as you said, they are incredibly brave and courageous. coming into air cadets, everybody comes then maybe shy, they are introverted, lots of people. part of

the air cadets is to grow. one of them is to become more brave and courageous. one of those comes into today, what we have done. i don't think we could have done that without the organisation, but we have that example from the royal air force. it is an amazing example. you all look brilliant, or of you. i don't know how many hundreds of view there were. we ask the experts is all the time, the ref of the future, your future, what will it look like? we know what it looked like in the past and now, what do you think? 0h... past and now, what do you think? oh... will there be planes at all? of course. i don't think you could have the royal air force without aviation. digital age, what do you reckon? i reckon it will be a lot more automatic fighting, a lot more drones and a lot less pilots. are we

losing something because of that? potentially you are losing the human element and the human interaction side. ifeel like that element and the human interaction side. i feel like that is what makes the royal air force so special. when we go to raf stations they are so welcoming and talkative and want to inspire us, it would not be the same without them, if you had computers. there speak three of you from the computer age that is coming. thank you very much indeed. that's eight from stow maries for the time being ona from stow maries for the time being on a day when this airfield and the raf, those services and other ceremonies across the south and south—east of england, have looks back to the great milestone on april the 1st back to the great milestone on april the ist 1980. robert hall, reporting from stow maries. just worth reflecting on

what the 700 years ago on the manager about the army and naval air arms, coming into the royal air force. the manchester guardian on the 1st of april 1980 observed that today the two wings of the air servers become one. an old rivalry which perhaps was not without its value as a stimulus to both sections but lost in confusion much more than that achieved by healthy competition is ended. there is a single control and an identity of uniform. nothing is more significant than the haptic played among rmn amongst the dense german reinforcements converging on the front. —— the havoc played among our airmen. the headlines on bbc news... comedian eddie izzard joins labour's ruling committee — and says the party must stamp out anti—semitism. it comes as labour denies having any official links to facebook groups forjeremy corbyn supporters where anti—semitic

comments have been posted. pope francis has called for an end to what he says is "carnage" in syria and for humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach the vulnerable. two goals from pierre—emerick aubameyang for arsenal, the first penalty on the 75th minute and the second ten minutes later. alexandre la cazette second ten minutes later. alexandre lacazette has added a third with a couple of minutes to go. negotiations for a world heavyweight title unification between anthony joshua andy anson welder could start next week. joshua added joseph parker's title to his two crowns with a unanimous points when us know. england are in control of the second and final test against new zealand. england star dave four with a lead of 231 and seven innings winnings dier wickets. more on that in around one hour. pope francis has used his easter message to call for dialogue on the korean peninsula, and peace in syria.

thousands of people gathered in st peter's square in rome in bright sunshine to hear him speak from the balcony of the adjacent basilica. he said the power of the christian message gave hope to the deprived, including migrants and refugees who were so often rejected by what he called today's culture of waste. his blessing included a call for peace across the world. translation: today we implore fruits of peace upon the entire world. beginning with the beloved and long—suffering land of syria, whose people are worn down by an apparently endless war. this easter, may the light of the risen christ illuminate the consciences of all political and military leaders so that a swift end may be brought to the carnage in course, that humanitarian law may be respected and that provisions be

made to facilitate access to the aid so urgently needed by our brothers and sisters, while also ensuring fitting conditions for the return of the displaced. the pope began his address to an audience of thousands from the balcony of st peter's basilica. translation: dear brothers and sisters, happy easter. jesus is risen from the dead. this message resounds in the church and the world over, along with the singing of the hallelujah. jesus is lord, the father has raised him, and he lives forever in our midst.

hallelujah. pope francis delivering his traditional address to the crowds in saint peter's square earlier. the bishop of salisbury has described the poisoning of russian double agent sergei skripal and his daughter yulia as an act of violation. in his easter sermon, the right reverend nicholas holtam said following the attack people had experienced anxiety, puzzlement and anger. there has been anxiety, puzzlement and anger, but people in this community of salisbury are resilient. many military live here, as do the people who work at porton down. but we are only beginning to get back to normal. the first of two aircraft carrying expelled russian diplomats home from the united states has arrived in moscow.

a second aircraft is expected later today. in all, 60 russians were sent home by washington in response to the poisoning of a former russian spy in britain almost a month ago. earlier, a spokeswoman for the russian foreign ministry blamed the uk and the us of trying to sabotage the upcoming football world cup by implicating moscow in the incident. two people have been arrested after a nine—year—old boy from northern ireland died in hospitalfollowing a hit and run in tenerife on thursday. the boy was leaving a shopping centre with his family in adda—hay when the collision happened. he died in hospital on friday. it's believed a car that was involved was found abandoned a few miles from the scene. the foreign office says it is providing assistance to the boy's family. in syria, a deal has been reached to evacuate critically injured people from douma, in the eastern ghouta region. rebel fighters have stayed in the town, although there are reports in syrian state media, that they too have agreed to leave douma. several hundred civilians, mostly women and children, are among the latest evacuees. in all, over 150,000

civilians have now been evacuated from eastern ghouta. the region was a major opposition bastion — but most of it has been recaptured by the government in recent weeks. lebo diseko reports: this is what is left in much of eastern ghouta, the last few civilians on these streets along with government troops. the suburbs outside damascus a shadow of their former selves. on the horizon, douma, the last rebel enclave standing in eastern ghouta. if the government takes it, this whole area will be back in president assad's control. for weeks, there have been evacuations across the area with thousands of civilians and rebel fighters being allowed to leave. now russia says a deal has been made to get people safely out of douma. but forced displacement is what the rebels have called it. they accuse president assad of trying to change the demographics in this area in his favour.

for the families ripped apart by the fighting in the area, the hope is that at least they can be reunited. translation: my hope is that my sons, who are in ghouta, get out and to bring my children together, so we all live together. for those who don't leave, syria's army has threatened a full—scale military offensive. and as the war here goes into its eighth year, it is difficult to know how much more people can take. lebo diseko, bbc news. fees charged for children's funerals by local authorities in england are to be scrapped. the change comes after a campaign by the mp carolyn harris who needed a loan to bury her eight—year—old son, martin, after he was killed in a car accident in 1989. the costs will now be met by a new ten—million pound fund being set up by the government. the change brings england into line with wales, which scrapped the fees last year.

tougher penalties for littering come into force in england today. on the spot fines will increase from £80 up to £150. authorities can also use the penalties to target vehicles owners if it is possible to prove rubbish has been thrown from their car. jessica parker reports. hitting litter louts where it hurts — their pockets. on—the—spot fines are nearly doubling, with the maximum penalty now set at £150. littering is, of course, bad for the environment. it's not good for the taxpayer either. the government says keeping the country's streets clean cost local councils nearly £700 million last year. that is money which could be much better spent on other services. we want to encourage people to litter less, but also to recycle more and make sure that they work with their communities so that councils can invest their council tax in services that truly matter. it is also going to be easier to tackle littering from vehicles. previously officers had to identify exactly who threw litter from a car. now councils across england

will only need to prove that rubbish has been dropped from a vehicle in order to fine the owner, even if it was discarded by somebody else. cracking down on culprits is, it seems, a popular idea. well, there's too much litter around. it's a mess. i think it's dangerous, throwing it out of a car anyway, because of the cars behind you. and just in general, walking around, it's awful sometimes. fines and punishments drive behaviour, so yeah, ultimately i think it is a good thing if we want cleaner streets. increasing fines is one thing, but what about enforcement? the average council only issues ten fines for littering per week. if we are going to take advantage of the new legislation, the extra potential revenues generated, this figure really needs to increase. but ministers are warning authorities not to abuse the new powers, saying they should

be used in a proportionate way. jessica parker, bbc news. workers receiving the national living wage will get a pay rise today as it goes up to £7.83 an hour. but the living wage foundation claims it's still not enough to help low—paid workers make ends meet — especially for those living in london. our business correspondent joe lynam reports. the good news is that earnings are set to rise for two million people on low wages from today. the bad news, according to one charity, is that it still isn't enough to cover the real cost of living. the national living wage rises from £7.50 per hour for the over—25s to £7.83 from today. but the living wage foundation charity says the figure should be £8.75 outside london. inside london it believes the real living wage should be £10.20, to cover basics such as rent and transport. we welcome any step to close the gap between the government minimum and the real living wage, which is calculated based on what people need to live.

5.5 million people in the uk are still earning less than the wage they need to live on. so for a full—time worker, on the minimum wage, they are earning £1,800 a year less than the real living wage. that is the equivalent of six months or a year's worth of gas and electricity bills, or three month‘ rent. the gap is biggest for people in london. the government said the increased national living wage would be worth £600 per year to those on lower pay. it also said that millions could also benefit from a higher personal allowance of £11,850, which also comes into force today. joe lynam, bbc news. time for the weather with phil avery. thank you very much. obviously in a bit of a rush! perhaps he has forgotten his mac, which would be a

sensible investment at the moment, and a fleece lined one at that. it is drierfor and a fleece lined one at that. it is drier for many than of late but we will soon put a stop to that, especially across the southern half of britain. as we push the mild air with rain into cold air, we're down into two, three, four degrees or so. that is why rail will —— rain will convert to snow. it will become an issue for the high ground of northern ireland, southern scotland and the top end of the pennines. fears that the trans—pennine routes. to the south, not such an issue. 12 or 13 degrees. in the snow zone, three orfour, which is why or 13 degrees. in the snow zone, three or four, which is why on easter monday there will be a risk of snow, particularly but not exclusively on the high ground, and almost inevitable disruption. we will keep you up to date and you can tune in on your local radio. this is bbc news, our latest headlines: labour's newest nec member — comedian eddie izzard — says the party must

stamp out anti—semitism and rebuild relations with thejewish community. it comes as labour distances itself from some pro—jeremy corbyn facebook groups featuring anti—semitic and abusive comments. anthonyjoshua moves a step closer to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world after beating new zealand's joseph parker. pope francis has called for an end to what he says is carnage in syria and for humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach the vulnerable. the royal air force is 100 years old today. events are being held across the country to mark the time when the raf became the world's first independent air force. now on bbc news, it's time for click. a lot has happened on facebook since you last logged in — and that's an understatement. it's the week the world

got a wake—up call.