no doubt ‘usn rrn 511i if‘ai‘ii commonwealth. i have no doubt that the baton and its carriers have been warmly welcomed by the many thousands of people who have lined the route. the ancient stories told by the indigenous people of australia remind us that even though we may be half a world away, we are all connected. over the years, these friendly games have shown the potential of the commonwealth to connect people of different backgrounds and nationalities. in this spirit of cooperation and togetherness, common ground has been established and enduring friendships forged. as you come together at the start of these games, i continue to be

inspired by the courage, enthusiasm, and dedication of all those taking part. i send and dedication of all those taking part. isend my and dedication of all those taking part. i send my warm wishes to every competing individual and team and to all those who have helped to bring about the first commonwealth games in this very special part of australia, the gold coast. it now gives me the greatest pleasure to declare the commonwealth games open. the scenes are from the 21st commonwealth games in australia. officially open the live slot. the

ceremony a little bit further to run. . we go now into 12 days of competition, and of course full coverage on the bbc, and we wish all the home nations at the very best of luck. 275 gold medals up for grabs if my memory serves me correctly, and a fantastic a fantastic i2 if my memory serves me correctly, and a fantastic a fantastic 12 days ahead. doesn't seem that long ago that we were at the commonwealth games in glasgow, and that was a fantastic couple of weeks. i'm sure that we have got it wonderful i2 days of competition there, coming from gold coast in australia. just to give you something of a

explainable for the weather. it relates to the salisbury poisoning. the story that we have been talking about so much, and the foreign office releasing a statement reflecting on a tweet that was sent out, in fact, reflecting on a tweet that was sent out, infact, a reflecting on a tweet that was sent out, in fact, a couple of weeks ago all about the nerve agent that was used in this. this is the novichok nerve agent that was used in salisbury in wiltshire. the foreign office but at a tweet that said that this was a substance produced in russia. that was the wording used. there has been something of a clarification, and the foreign office says that that tweet was truncated and state not accurately report the ambassador's words. we have removed this tweet, and in light of everything that we will be talking about today, the foreign office goes on to say, none of this the fact that it is our assessment

that russia was responsible for the brazen and reckless act, and as the international community agrees, there is no other plausible explanation. no other country has the combination of the capability, the combination of the capability, the intent and the motive to carry out such an act. the foreign office making it quite clear that it and many other countries believe that russia was responsible for the poisoning of a former russian spy and his daughter. they are both still in hospital, one month after that attack, but clarifying some of the language that was used there. it isi:31ipm. the language that was used there. it is 1:34pm. let's just cut up with the weather prospects. philip avery has those. thank you very much indeed. let's have a look at the short term, and indeed the forthcoming weekend. not too many problems with the day, so it would appear. depends where you are, though. this, same day, same

country, and that is glenrothes and five. it is notjust glenrothes. anywhere near the weather front, five. it is notjust glenrothes. anywhere near the weatherfront, you are still trapped in some pretty cold air. further south, you are closer to an area of low pressure. looking at that swell their perilously close to the south—west quarter of the british isles. so, it isa quarter of the british isles. so, it is a real compare and contrast with regard to the fortunes on the weather front, today. regard to the fortunes on the weatherfront, today. yes, some pretty heavy showers in the front, but plenty of sunshine away towards the north of the british isles, too, but anywhere near that zone, four centimetres of snow potentially across the highest ground. and then as that front seats away, you end up with a white spread frost across the top and of the british isles, a blanket of cloud keeping the judges up blanket of cloud keeping the judges up at least across the south. eventually, not too long into thursday, that cloud will pull off in towards the one to an end, and then a half decent stable break out because the british isles. not the

warmest, temperatures that in single figures, chilly in the far north of england and scotland, but you will see some sunshine, and that has got to be good news after the easter period that we have seen across many parts. here, we are into friday, and next set of weather front beginning to loom into the western side and northern parts of the british isles. cloudy, wet and windy weather returns, here, but that's little bit further east across the midlands, east and southern pennines and east anglia and the south—east, look at that! southerly breeze, it is getting to that sort of time of year when with a little bit of sunshine and a southerly wind, we are off and running. as we move towards the weekend, it just running. as we move towards the weekend, itjust depends where that weather front goes, it mayjust put on through, but if that card gets out of the way eventually, we will see quite a deal of dry weather across the british isles, and those temperatures widely will be pushing into double figures. so, we are in for a beacon that will be fairly quiet for most parts of the british

isles. a little rain at times, potentially warm. this is bbc news — our latest headlines. britain has strongly reiterated its belief that russia was behind a nerve agent attack on a former spy — and rejected as ‘perverse‘ a russian proposal for a joint investigation into the poisoning. the prime minister pledges to tackle the "burning injustice" of the uk's gender pay gap —

as the deadline approaches for companies to reveal their pay figures. so far nearly 80 percent of firms have shown that men earn more. vauxhall‘s parent company has announced an investment plan to build new vans at its luton plant. the deal will safeguard 1,400 jobs at the factory. a 78—year—old pensioner is arrested on suspicion of murder after a man died following a suspected burglary in south east london. and the duke of edinburgh is to undergo surgery on his hip later today. he was admitted to london's king edward the seventh hospital yesterday for a planned operation. events have been taking place in the united states to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the civil rights leader, martin luther king.

one was held at the church in memphis where king gave his final speech and his daughter told the audience that america should repent for its failure to eliminate racism. nada tawfik reports. at the mason temple church, dr martin luther king's children, closest advisers and his admirers gather to honour his life and legacy and promise to keep his dream alive. 50 years ago, the powerful preacher spoke of the struggles to come, but also of the promised land. i just want to do god's will. and he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. and i've looked over and i've seen the promised land. i may not get there with you! his daughter, bernice, came and took to the same podium

with a damning assessment of the state of the country. it's for america to repent because... ..we have not, in 50 years, dealt with, as daddy challenged us, to deal with the last vestiges of racism. dr king travelled to memphis because he saw the city and the plight of the sanitation workers as part of his larger campaign against poverty. laws prohibiting segregation and enshrining the right to vote for all led to integration, but true equality, he believed, meant fighting economic injustice. ambassador andrew young was one of his closest advisers, travelling with him in memphis. i'm almost certain he knew his days were numbered. and that if he was going to lose his life, he didn't want to lose it in new york or washington.

he wanted to give his life to what he would say, "the least of these god's children," and he wanted to die fighting poverty. and give his life, he did. on the balcony of the lorraine motel, he was assassinated by sniper. the fatal shot was fired at 6:01pm and to mark the moment, bells will ring here and around the nation 39 times to mark the number of years dr king lived. when reflecting on his legacy, his contribution to american history compared with the shortness of his life is striking and inspiring. nada tawfik, bbc news, memphis. the iranian foreign minister, has been speaking about the case of the british mother nazanin— zaghari—ratcliffe who is serving a five—year jail sentence after being convicted of spying charges. mrs zaghari—ratcliffe was arrested at tehran airport 2 years ago and denies all the charges against her. yesterday her husband

richard ratcliffe criticised boris johnson for failing to bring her home. the foreign minister told bbc arabic that iran are continuing to make efforts on humanitarian grounds but britain has to respect their decision. it is important for britain to respect the iran's sovereignty, and the decisions. the judiciary are totally independent, and asked in the executive group branch can only intervene on humanitarian grounds, thatis intervene on humanitarian grounds, that is what we have been doing. the

iran foreign minister that, talking about the case of nazanin zaghari—ratcliffe, arrested in terror and airport at the end of a visit to her family, terror and airport at the end of a visit to herfamily, and still in prison two years later. time for a look at the weather with phil avery. to say there is a mixed bag of weather across the british isles at the moment is an understatement. significance though full across scotland. eight centimetres mounting up scotland. eight centimetres mounting up before the weather front gets across the broader, bringing that threat to the top end of the pennines, and then overnight, we will push the weather front over to the south and east. eventually, with the south and east. eventually, with the low pressure moving off, the showers will disappear, but underneath the clearing skies further north it will be quite a frosty start to the north on thursday. towards the continent,

leaving the hind a little ridge of high pressure, and eventually, a decent day will break off right across the registrars, and a breeze, across the registrars, and a breeze, a significant one, and not the warmest of days that you have seen of late, but certainly for a good pa rt of late, but certainly for a good part of england and wales, those bridges will at last be into double figures. weight the government says it is a diversionary tactic, and that russia is nervous. we know that russia has been stockpiling amounts of this and that russia has been investigating ways of delivering it and that russia has been previously willing to poison outside bodies including in the united kingdom. we will have the latest on the diplomatic row. also this lunchtime, at least 4000

jobs are safe as it will build a new. . . jobs are safe as it will build a new... deadline day for companies to report their gender pay gap, so far nearly three quarters of an payment more than women. a 78 odd pensioner is arrested on suspicion of murder and, a glittering opening ceremony on australia's great coast, the 21st commonwealth games are now under way. and coming up on bbc news, it is all eyes on anfield as liverpool host manchester in the second leg of their quarterfinal. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one.

—— hello, good afternoon and welcome to the bbc lunchtime news. britain has rejected a russian proposal for a joint investigation into the poisoning of a former spy and his daughter, describing the idea as perverse. the british delegation to the international chemical weapons regulator said the idea was a diversionary tactic intended to undermine the agency and that russia is "nervous" about what the evidence will show. the regulator is holding an emergency meeting at the hague to discuss the poisoning, at moscow's request. our security correspondent frank gardner reports. poisoned in salisbury, and the row continues. the government repeated today that russia had poisoned sergei and yulia skripal with a nerve agent. moscow says even britain's own scientists don't know where it came from and that proves the government is unfairly blaming russia. international chemical weapons experts met at the hague today

at russia's request. moscow is demanding to see scientific evidence linking the nerve agent to russia. it is still reeling from the expulsion of more than 100 diplomatic staff from over 20 countries. all based on material shared by britain with its allies. but visiting turkey, president putin said he hoped a line could be drawn under last month's poisoning in salisbury. britain's chemical warfare research establishment at porton down has inadvertently thrown moscow a lifeline. in an interview yesterday, its chief executive said his scientists had identified the poison but not its source. opponents of the government say this is somewhat at odds with earlier assertions made to german media by the foreign secretary. how did you manage to find it out so quickly? does britain possess samples of this? when i look at the evidence, i mean the people from porton down, the laboratory... so they have the samples? they do.

and they were absolutely categorical. and i asked the guy myself, i said, are you sure. and he said there's no doubt. visiting a nursery in watford today, the opposition leader accused borisjohnson of not being straight with his information. well, he claimed categorically, i think he used the words "ioi%", that it had come from russia. porton down have not said that. they have said that they have identified it as novichok but they cannot identify the source of it. and so either the foreign secretary has information that he is not sharing with porton down, or it was a bit of exaggeration. number ten may now come under pressure to reveal more of what it knows. today the international trade secretary liam fox strongly defended the government's position. we know that russia has been stockpiling amounts of this. investigating ways of delivering it. we know that russia has previously been willing to poison outside its own borders.

including in the united kingdom. we know that it regards ex—agents as being candidates for assassination. the part of the government's case rests on secret intelligence, gathered by mi6 and other spy agencies, from sources government will not want to reveal. meanwhile the former russian spy turned double agent remains in critical condition in hospital as relations with russia plunge to a new low. frank gardner, bbc news. our diplomatic correspondent james landale is here. a new low, how difficult is this between the two nations? it is a self—inflicted wound by the british government on itself, essentially its assessment that russia's highly likely to be responsible has been based on two things, the science but also the intelligence assessment, now, what has happened in the last 24 hours, the interview with of porton down, we have had armour which suggested, well, porton down

was not going to be able to identify the source of this nerve agent. you've then got it emerge some loose language from the foreign secretary's interview with the german news organisation and an incorrect warrant officer tweet which has then been deleted suggesting that porton down could say, where this nerve agent came from, all of that has muddied the waters and allowed the russians to come back in and say, we think there is extra doubt now over the assessment made by the uk. in britain now is on the back foot of the information warfare that is going on at the moment. however, i don't think the fundamentals have changed absolutely on the basis of what we have seen this morning because at this meeting of the chemical weapons watchdog in the hague, the eu spokesman there are, the ambassador for the eu, hague, the eu spokesman there are, the ambassadorfor the eu, was absolutely copper bottomed in his support of the united kingdom and in his criticism of russia. so at the moment, as far as we can tell, the international alliance is still

holding. thank you for now. vauxhall is to build a new van in luton, the decision will safeguard 1,400 jobs and should secure the plant's future until 2030. the business secretary, greg clark, said the announcement is a vote of confidence in vauxhall‘s workforce and in the uk's car industry. our business correspondent theo leggett reports. this is vauxhall‘s factory in luton, it builds vans and employs 1400 people, but its future has been in doubt since vauxhall and its parent group opal were taken over last year by the french giant psa group, the owner of peugeot and citroen. the vauxhall vivaro, it is made in luton and exported across europe. and will be for another few years. but after that, the plant is going to need more work. and that's what today's announcement promises to provide. psa says it will start to make a new version of the vivaro in luton next year.

and is planning to expand the factory. 60,000 vans were made there last year. it currently has a maximum capacity of 70,000. but psa says it wants to increase that figure to 100,000. the plan unveiled today by psa boss carlos tava res is understood to involve an investment of more than £100 million. with the government providing 9 million. it is about not only safeguarding the 1400 jobs that are here, but expanding the jobs that would be available in the future. and more importantly, it is making sure that for many years to come, that luton continues to be synonymous with commercial vehicles. psa's decision comes despite rising concerns within the automotive industry about the uncertainty caused by britain leaving the european union. but experts say luton does have advantages over other european plants. well luton is a very productive plant, it has got a paint shop which is quite unusual for van sites.

you need a big paint shop for van sites. and really it is an easy answer to the question for psa, "why should they build vans?" luton has all the facilities and is a great place to build them. with the future of one factory now secure, attention's now likely to move to vauxhall‘s other uk plant at ellesmere port in cheshire. it builds the vauxhall astra but will need more work when the current model is phased out in a few years' time. unions are already calling on the company to ensure that its cars as well as its vans continue to be made in britain. theo leggett, bbc news. our business editor simon jack is in luton. how big a parts did that government lump sum play in securing all these jobs? obviously very good news here, grey day in luton but the mood is right, the life of these bands is

ten to 15 years, 1400 jobs and possibly many more secure until 2029 and beyond. —— vans. the government will think that is £9 million of public money very well spent, industry insiders tell me that of the options available to psa, this plant in luton was the only one with the appropriate painting facility so very little choice if they wanted to mmp very little choice if they wanted to ramp up production. the same rationale does not apply to 200 miles north—west of fear, at ellesmere port, where the vauxhall astra is made, that is coming to the end of its life, and there is a lot of concern that they need to get that new model, and unions and the government will be working very hard on that. for today, government will be working very hard on that. fortoday, great government will be working very hard on that. for today, great relief here in luton. by midnight tonight, all companies with more than 250 staff

must reveal their average pay figures to show the difference between male and female employees. the prime minister has vowed to tackle what she's called the burning injustice of the gender pay gap. of the more than 9,000 firms that have reported so far, the figures show: 78% of companies pay men more on average than they pay women. 13% pay women more than men. aad only 8% say they have reported no pay gap at all. our business correspondent simon gompertz reports. the pay gap, revealed for all to see. 72% at ryanair. individual employers being shown up. a 37% gap at british gas. some of the worst in finance and construction. women getting 44% less at ba rclays bank. another bank, tsb, has a 24% gap. but that's still big. and the question is, why? the reason we have a gender pay gap is not because we don't pay men and women in the same job the same amount.

however, we do have more women in more junior roles typically in our branches and more men in senior roles. now, what that means to us is to figure out how we fix that problem, getting more women into senior roles. to these women working in the city of london, lawyers, insurance experts and bankers, it's right that every company has to come clean. in order to galvanise change you need data and you need to be having that conversation inside the organisation. it is unfair for women, —— it is unfair for women, but unfortunately they live it day in and day out, quietly. it is not surprising. i hope this is the start of more people having uncomfortable conversations. some big high—street names, costa and starbucks, say they don't have the gap. also, mcdonald's. so, will the others face some sort of punishment? it is against the law to pay one gender, and usually it is women,

less for a similarjob of work. but the information that companies are rushing to submit before the deadline tonight is an average across a number of differentjobs within an organisation. now, they could get into trouble with the court if they submit it incorrectly, or late. but beyond that, the government is hoping that exposing and shaming the worst will spur employers into dealing with the problem. well, i think the difference it will make is that people looking to work for organisations will readily access what their gender pay gap is and actually organisation themselves who want to close the gender pay gap have now got the opportunity. this technology consultancy firm has eliminated gender pay differences by having women in half its senior roles, despite frequently caring for children or elderly relations as well. often women have to come back on a part—time basis.

employers have to be cognisant of this and have to be much more flexible, i believe, in order to shift the dial. and diageo, the company which sells guinness and also smirnoff vodka, has the opposite pay gap. women are 10% ahead of men. the more that happens, the more the average will move in the right direction. simon gompertz, bbc news. and you can look up the gender pay gap at any organisation that's released its figures on our website, bbc.co.uk/business. that is the calculator there, you can put in any company name. a 78—year—old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder, after an intruder was stabbed to death during a suspected burglary at his home. our correspondent jessica parker is outside the house in hither green in south east london. what more do we know? in the early

hours of this morning that police we re hours of this morning that police were called to a property on southpark crescent, just up there, after a 78—year—old man had discovered two suspected burglars in his home. what the metropolitan blease told as earlier is that while one suspect went upstairs and a property, another force the homeowner into the kitchen armed with a screwdriver. we understand a struggle in is you during which time the 37—year—old suspect was stabbed in the upper body. —— metropolitan police. he was discovered on the road, he was taken to hospital in the early hours, in central london, where he was pronounced dead. the 78—year—old, initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, now arrested on suspicion of murder, he sustained minor bruising during the incident. the second suspect we are told fled the scene and has yet to be found. i have been speaking to

people in the community here, it seems that burglary is not unusual here but while they may not be shocked about a suspected burglary, they are shocked by