after receiving a letter from kim jong—un, president trump says the summit between the us and north korea will take onjune 12 in singapore. mr trump held talks with kim yong—chol — the highest level representative from pyongyang to visit the white house since 2000. europe, mexico, and canada have rejected america's new tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. canada said it would join the european union in filing a challenge at the world trade organization. washington claims the policy would safeguard national security. giuseppe conte has been sworn in as italy's prime minister, ending a period of political deadlock. the leaders of two anti—establishment parties who nominated him will serve as ministers. the president had previously rejected his pick for finance minister. the spanish prime minister, mariano rajoy, was forced out of office this week. 0ne pressing issue facing his successor is the future of the northeastern region of catalonia, where an unsanctioned referendum on independence

was held last year. niall 0'gallagher reports for our world. barcelona. capital of catalonia. 0ne of the most prosperous parts of spain. it has a distinct culture, and its own language. but under the dictatorship of general francisco franco, speaking catalan was banned and the region's autonomy was lost. when democracy was restored, catalonia was able to govern itself within spain, and most people here expected that. —— accepted that. but recently support for independence has risen, and the region's people are now split on whether they should remain part of this pain. —— part of

spain. with political tension rising, a referendum on independent was called for the first of october 2017. i reported on a referendum and that people personally involved on both sides of the debate. this programme tells the story of the struggle and asks what next catalonia? —— for catalonia. to understand what happened on the day of the referendum, you have to travel to france. to a small town called elna in catalan. it is in the pyrenees just over the border from catalonia in north—east spain. this pa rt catalonia in north—east spain. this part of france was once catalan as well stop many still speak catalan and feel loyal to those south of the border. so when the spanish authorities declared the catalan referendum illegal, the people of

elna stepped in to help. some of those involved agreed to talk to us on the condition of anonymity. the operation was closely guarded, even in a small town like elna, the conspirators‘ identities we re elna, the conspirators‘ identities were kept secret from each other. the operation lasted months, culminating on the night before the

vote. spain had refused to allow voters to use official ballot boxes, and ballot papers were seized. so replacements were printed in secret in elna. ballot boxes were brought in from china and hidden in the countryside around the town. everything needed to hold the referendum was then driven across the border to volunteers waiting in spain. some here will talk openly about their involvement. they are proud that a few volunteers from elna could outwit the spanish police. this man shows me a video about the operation. jordi believes the police‘s

embarrassment at being outsmarted led directly to the violence that was to follow. with the ballot boxes and papers safely across the mountains, the referendum could go ahead. queues formed as people waited in the rain to cast their vote. but the spanish authorities were determined to stop it. police brought in from the rest of

spain used batons and rubber bullets to try and prevent people from voting. pulling voters from polling stations and confiscating ballot boxes. the catalan government said that almost 1000 people were injured, around a quarter of them here. mata was helping at the polling station at her children‘s stall. —— children‘s school. some of the worst violence happened at this school, in girona, where the then president of catalonia, carles puigdemont, was due to vote. the reason of what happened here are as vivid as ever. —— memories of what happened here. the spanish government was that

representative in catalonia comes from girona. he blames the organisers of the referendum for what happened. some here have always supported independence. catalonia accounts for one fifth of spain‘s gdp, giving them confidence the region could prosper as an independent country. but until recently, that was a minority view. barely ten years ago europe was rocked by financial crisis and spain‘s highest court downgraded a rule that would have

downgraded a rule that would have downgraded the region. this brought cata la ns to downgraded the region. this brought catalans to the street, insisting they should decide how they should be governed. the catalan leader at the time warned madrid demands for independence would increase. after last year‘s referendum, empty ballot boxes were carried in the street. many boats confiscated by the police were never counted. those that were accounted for just 42% of the population, as pro— spain voters stayed at home. those who did take pa rt stayed at home. those who did take part overwhelmingly backed independence. but triumphal street was short lives as europe refused to recognise the results. —— shortlist. —— short lived. in the weeks that followed the world

waited to see whether catalonia would declare independence unilaterally. rumours circulated that ca rles unilaterally. rumours circulated that carles puigdemont was ready to pull back and call elections, at the cata la n pull back and call elections, at the catalan president came under pressure from supporters of independence. and on the 27th of 0ctober, after crowds had waited for hours in the heat, the catalan parliament declared the region and independent republic. the then speaker of the parliament had been threatened with legal action if she allowed the debates on independence go ahead. but almost as soon as the parliament

had declared independence, the spanish senate voted to suspend cata la n spanish senate voted to suspend catalan autonomy and remove carles puigdemont‘s government from office. the first time since the dictatorship, the spanish government assumed control of catalonia. by the end of that week for catalan leaders we re end of that week for catalan leaders were injail, where they end of that week for catalan leaders were in jail, where they have remained ever since. the speaker also had to spend a night in prison. carme forcadell was sent back to prison shortly after we spoke as spain escalated its response to the crisis in march this year. there are now nine catalan leaders held without charge in spanish jails. now nine catalan leaders held without charge in spanishjails. the yellow ribbon has become a recognisable symbol of the campaign

to free them. in girona, weekly visuals are held calling for their release. —— vigils. despite massive protest in catalonia and criticism abroad, the spanish government denies jailing political prisoners. cata la n catalan is a deeply split on independence. since the autumn many have taken to the streets to insist that catalonia is part of spain and that catalonia is part of spain and that they have the right to be both cata la n that they have the right to be both catalan and spanish. both sentiments are especially strong in the region‘s industrial cities. i am on my way to the outskirts of the capital barcelona. this area has a long history of migration. most people here speak spanish before cata la n people here speak spanish before catalan and few back independence. i‘ve been invited to meet the local

history society to find out how the area‘s history influences attitudes to independence. 0n the day of the referendum, jesus stayed home. manuel, whose parents came to catalonia in the 60s, the attitude of older generation of catalan leaders towards the incomers remains a problem that present—day independence campaigners. in december, elections to the

cata la n in december, elections to the catalan parliament were held and people in places like these come out in large numbers to assert their spanish identity at the ballot box. pro— independence parties kept their majority but for the first time, the largest party was prue spain. —— —— pro spain. deposed catalan president carles

puigdemont missed the election after the declaration of independence, he fled for brussels. in march she was arrested in germany and subsequently let out on bail. speaking on his release, he called for a political solution to the crisis. the time for dialogue has arrived! we are demanding the dialogue from the last year and we only received a violent response. now, seeing the form of that response, it‘s time to do politics. if the german court agrees to his extradition, he could spend yea rs to his extradition, he could spend years ina to his extradition, he could spend years in a spanishjail. independent

commentators blame a failure of leadership on both sides of the current crisis. after months of stalemate, carles puigdemont nominated a new president, kim tora, decisive figure who has had to apologise for comments he made about spanish leaders in the past. —— comments he made about spanish leaders in the past. -- quim torra. the apartment of a new government means rule from spain will end, mr torra continues to push further release those imprisoned. so far, politicians have been unable or unwilling to break the deadlock. backin or unwilling to break the deadlock. back injerona, or unwilling to break the deadlock. back in jerona, the or unwilling to break the deadlock. back injerona, the weekly vigils continue. —— girona. and ordinary cata la ns continue. —— girona. and ordinary catalans on continue. —— girona. and ordinary catala ns on both continue. —— girona. and ordinary catalans on both sides have serious doubts about the future. catalonia‘s autonomy is set to be restored but the crisis goes on. spain continues to press its case in the courts but a political solution seems more distant than ever. and

for ordinary catalans, it seems unlikely how or when the issue of independence will be resolved. hello there. friday was another day when we had plenty of thunderstorms around but this time they were mainly focused across the northern half of the uk. flashing away across the north of wales, northern england, northern ireland and scotland, where we had some localised surface water flooding issues as well. what catches my eye on the satellite picture at the moment is this area of cloud extending out from europe across east anglia. it is bringing outbreaks of rain. most of it‘s quite light but i think this will have a bearing

on the weather forecast across eastern counties of england, as i‘ll explain in a moment. for the time being, a few splashes of rain for the next few hours across some of these eastern counties. not as murky a night as it has been, particularly across southern england, although around coastal areas there are still some patches of mist and fog. perhaps a few patches of mist, too, around the pennines and north midlands, we have the most humid air. thunderstorms developing through today. i think they will be mostly in scotland. one or two for northern ireland, one or two for east anglia. so this is how the day starts. we will see this cloud and light rain working in across parts of norfolk, moving across lincolnshire and in across yorkshire. that might get to northumberland and durham as well later in the afternoon. what that area of cloud will do is stop temperatures rising so high. further north we can see some sunshine, with heavy thundery showers for scotland. a risk of localised flooding here, but it‘s not certain these showers will develop across eastern england. that cloud that i showed you might actually stop the showers from falling here. there could be a few thunderstorms, though, to the south in east anglia.

southern counties of england and across southern wales, this is where the driest weather is going to be with the best of the day‘s sunshine. the heaviest of the downpours, i‘m pretty sure, will be across scotland and maybe into east anglia. those showers will fade away through the night. on sunday, a lot of dry weather for the second half of the weekend. not completely dry. a few showers around. northern england, parts of southern scotland, the favoured areas for catching those showers. quite a bit of cloud around the north sea coast of scotland. the best of the sunshine further south with a ridge of high pressure keeping the weather settled here. and it will be a bit warmer. temperatures could reach 25 degrees around london and the south—east. 0n into the early stages of next week. this area of high pressure to the north—west of the uk is going to start to draw in some north—easterly winds. there will be some cloud coming onto the north sea coast. it might well start out cloudy on monday before that cloud tends to thin out. it will burn back to a degree, to the coasts, with some brighter and sunny spells, but it will certainly be a bit cooler and fresher.

temperatures in london around about 20 degrees on monday. that‘s your weather. welcome to bbc news, broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe — my name is nkem ifejika. our top stories. hand delivered to the white house — a personal letterfrom kimjong—un — as president trump confirms the singapore summit is back on. i think we‘re going to have a relationship and it will start onjune 12. after weeks of political uncertainty, italy has a new prime minister — giuseppe conte leads a controversial populist government. europe, mexico, and canada pledge to hit back at america‘s new tariffs on steel and aluminium imports — promising retaliation. and the german state of bavaria imposes a new law requiring a christian cross in the entrance to every public building.