the government gives the go ahead to a third runway at heathrow after almost twenty years of delays. it says it will help the entire uk thrive after brexit but acknowledges the strength of feeling against it. it's going to be a battle going forward, there is still strong opposition to this. there's still some difficult stages to overcome. but we are absolutely determined to deliver this project, which we think is crucial to all of our future's. the runway will only go ahead if clean air targets are met, there's talk of a legal challenge, we'll be looking at the obstacles ahead. also tonight.... the companies involved in refurbishing grenfell tower are accused of increasing the families‘ suffering by refusing to fully engage with the public inquiry. emotions spill over at westminster as mp's share their personal experience of abortion. i was having seizures every day. i wasn't able to control my own body let alone care for a new life. children cowerfrom military aircraft in myanmar as the army is accused of targeting civilians in a fresh offensive. and a carpet of plastic covering a beach in mumbai as the un

says 11 million plastic bags are used around the world every minute of every day. and coming up on sportsday on bbc news, england's raheem sterling says he does not feel picked on after a number of negative headlines in the build—up to next week's world cup. good evening. after almost 20 years of delays and bitter arguments, the government has finally given the go—ahead to build a third runway at heathrow — if air quality targets can be met. the prime minister says the decision shows the government's commitment to jobs and infrastructure that britain needs to thrive after brexit — and that it could be completed by 2026. but opponents claim it will damage

the environment and they plan to challenge the decision in the courts. parliament will vote on the plans in the coming weeks. our deputy political editor john pienaar reports. after years of waiting and a few wobbles on the way, britain's biggest transport plan in years is finally in. buckle up for trouble. today, ministers decided the uk and europe's busiest airport, heathrow, should get a new runway and plenty of people hate the idea. are you going to lie down in front of the bulldozers? hear that? i don't think you'll see bulldozers, said borisjohnson, whose promise to lay down in front of one to stop the digging near his constituency. is the runway now going to happen? wait, wait, chris will be making a statement. the secretary, chris grayling. mr speaker, i come to this house to mark a historic moment which signals our commitment to securing global connectivity, creating tens of thousands of local jobs and apprenticeships and boosting our economy for future generations by expanding heathrow airport.

so this is a test of whether the government is fit for purpose on big projects? it's going to be a battle going forward, there's still strong opposition to this, there's still some difficult stages to overcome. but we are absolutely determined to deliver this project which we think is crucial to all of our futures. at least that's the plan — thousands of new jobs, around £2.6 billion in compensation and noise insulation for neighbours. 800 homes could be demolished, many here in harmondsworth and many don't believe cleaner, quieter planes mean less noise and air pollution. labour's split in too. protesters daubed party headquarters this week and the labour leader is not backing expansion yet. tests must be undertaken on the economic impact for the whole country, noise pollution, air pollution and connectivity to heathrow for transport links. those are the tests that have to be put before any decision is made. in the commons, mps lined up for and against the plan.

the truth is, we don't know how the third runway could be reconciled with air quality limits. we don't know how the third runway can be recognised with our climate change targets. the various scottish chambers of commerce all support expansion of heathrow as well, because they recognise the business benefits that can bring to scotland, creating up to 16,000 newjobs. an expanded heathrow must deliver for the whole of the uk, notjust the south—east of england. so for heathrow, what's next? the commons will vote on the decision within weeks, there will be a planning inspectors' consultation on heathrow‘s detailed proposals. but legal challenges look certain from councils and environmental groups. the final target — third runway completed by 2026. with labour and the tories both split, the government will need the support of opposition mps to win through and there will be plenty more fights in parliament, in the courts and outside before it settled.

billions of pounds, britain's airport capacity and the reputation of the prime minister and her government all at stake. this huge project hasn't been landed just yet. john pienaar, bbc news, westminster. 0ur transport correspondent victoria fritz is at heathrow. the prime minister says a third runway will help the uk thrive after brexit — how much of a difference could it make? feel now, there is a key industrial economic debate going on which is, every bit as important as the politics and the passengers, because this is the uk's bigas port by value. heathrow actually carries more airfreight value. heathrow actually carries more air freight than any other uk airports combined. most of us, we never see it, but in fact 33% of all non—eu exports currently go through

heathrow. airport expansion could meana heathrow. airport expansion could mean a doubling of air cargo capacity and perhaps new long—haul destinations for british made goods and that matters because that could be a much—needed boost to trade infrastructure at a time where britain is looking to renegotiate and strengthen its trade relationships outside of the eu. there is a lot of scepticism about the numbers, about the veracity of economic forecast, the commercial benefits that might bring and whether a project of this scale could be delivered on time and within budget. the boss of heathrow told me that the world is waiting for britain, but is it? china, a key trading partner, is building over 17 new airports. it thinks it could have them operational five years ahead of the most optimistic forecasts of when a new runway here in britain could be delivered. thank you. firms involved in the refurbishment

of grenfell tower have been accused of increasing the "pain and uncertainty" of victims‘ families by not fully engaging with the public inquiry into the disaster. there was also a statement from the london fire brigade, which said the speed and spread of the fire posed an "unprecedented set of challenges". 72 people died. our special correspondent lucy manning was at the inquiry today — you may find some of the images in her report distressing. grenfell, before it was refurbished and after. it might have looked better, but it had gone from a safe building to a lethal one. and those who order the changes and carried them out have been accused of delay, of trying to derail the inquiry. the corporate silence deprives the families of the degree of resolution and understanding to which they are entitled, and has only served to increase their pain and uncertainty. it is inhumane to remain silent, when so many seek understanding and answers. sakina afrasehabi, disabled yet housed on the 18th floor, died

with her sister, her son demanding those answers. it's very hurtful, and it's been insulting. my recommendation is just to speak out, tell us what has happened. let's get to the truth. don't hide behind these things. some of the companies in their written evidence said they needed more written information or were unable to provide details now. those representing the bereaved also demanded more information from government, the council and the tenant management 0rganisation. the time is now to help the inquiry, they were told. pictures played to the inquiry yesterday showed how quickly the fire spread. today, it was revealed that the cladding made flames spread quicker than dropping a match in petrol and the ventilation system in the building broke days before the fire and was not repaired. a local authority instigated and oversaw the refurbishment of a social housing

high—rise tower block in such a way as to render it a death trap. questions were raised whether the victims would have died if they were mainly white and middle—class. was it ethnic and social cleansing that these families ended up in grenfell, the inquiry was asked? we submit that what occurred at grenfell tower may be explained as a product of institutional racism. and we consider it right and proper that this should be investigated. there was more criticism of the fire service. those who escaped that night, the barrister said, owe their lives mainly to chance, rather than proper planning. the inquiry was told the obvious heroism shouldn't take away from the obvious errors from those in control. the fire service said it faced multiple dilemmas about whether to tell people to leave, because of the dangerous and toxic escape route,

the single stairwell and difficulties communicating with residents. it had more calls that night from people needing immediate help to get out than in the previous decade from the whole of london. lucy manning, bbc news. newspapers across the north of england have joined forces to call on theresa may to "get a grip" and deal with the delays and cancellations on the rail network. the papers — including the manchester evening news, liverpool echo and yorkshire post — have urged the prime minister to call an emergency summit at downing street to find a solution to the disruption caused by the new rail timetables. danny savage reports. commuters passing through leeds station tonight. they and their counterparts on lines in south—east england are now being told their travel woes are a government priority. the pledge came on the day collective anger in the north boils over onto the front pages of local and regional newspapers. united with one voice,

editors sent a message to the powers that be in london, that the rail chaos must end. we are not willing to take this any more. there has to be some deliverables, written down on paper that people like chris grayling. .. and if chris grayling is unwilling to be held to account, then the prime minister, theresa may must be held to account. but what effect did that message have? as services rattled to and fro, political leaders have their say. northern rail seemed surprised at their own timetable announcement. they are incapable of running services properly all across the north of england, because they are unprepared for their own changes. well, that says an awful lot about the nonsense of a privatised railway and the franchise system. the prime minister agreed that the situation was absolutely unacceptable and said it was vital for the government to get to grips with the problem. but do passengers now feel like the focus is finally on them?

it really needs to be sorted out. people pay lots of money to go on trains and you need to get to work. yeah, it needs to be on time. is your boss understanding? no, not very understanding, no. so, i won't have a job if it carries on. with all the newspaper editorials coming together with one voice in northern england, the message is clear. something must be done about the way the trains are managed in this part of the country. and the other message they are trying to put forward is that services around here cannot be cared for properly by people 200 miles or so down the track, in london. that is a hint towards a long—held desire for more devolved power to the region, but before any of that, the pressure is on the government to fix the train problems here, fast. danny savage, bbc news, leeds. at least 69 people are now known to have died after guatemala's most violent volcanic eruption in more than a century. the fuego volcano, which is 25 miles from the country's capital, erupted on sunday, dozens of people are still missing.

whole villages were wiped out by fast moving mud and ash when the volcano exploded. thousands have been forced to take shelter in nearby schools and churches. from guatemala, aleem maqbool reports. the volcano may be shrouded in smoke, but it now gives away little of the sudden, catastrophic violence it brought here. sirens. with more eruptions feared following further, sporadic explosions of the volcano, a frantic recovery effort goes on. we are going in with one rescue team as close as we can get to the volcano. they've been digging for days now into the ash, but there are still so many bodies to be found. as we went in, we saw a recovery team coming out. they'd been trying to find survivors but the only living things they could bring out this time were abandoned chickens. and this is why.

the entire village of el rodeo was smothered in a thick blanket of burning volcanic ash. in some homes, entire families were buried alive. the land was scarred and suffocated by lava and ash. the assault from the volcano came so fast, it's no wonder so many simply had no chance of escape. survivors who did manage to flee for their lives have been left traumatised. thousands are now in makeshift shelters. 35 members of this family fled as lava, ash flows and debris engulfed their town. but five of their relatives didn't make it, including francisco's brother and two grand nieces, aged 12 and 1a. "the place is completely destroyed", he says. "i don't believe any of them survived because the homes are totally buried under the ashes. there is no more space

in the morgue for more bodies". as night falls, they remember the dead and those presumed dead. even when bodies are found, so few victims have as yet been identified. 0ne rescuer said when he did find bodies after hours digging in ash, they often looked like statues, so hard to recognise. aleem maqbool, bbc news, in guatemala. the government is to allow rupert murdoch's 21st century fox to continue its proposed takeover of the broadcasting giant sky. but any deal depends on sky news being sold off. two us companies, comcast and disney, are also trying to buy most of mr murdoch's media empire. the government had already referred the proposed fox takeover to the competition and markets authority and the media regulator, 0fcom. there were emotional scenes in westminster today, as mps shared their personal experiences of abortion. they told their stories as part

of a debate on whether abortion should be legalised in northern ireland, following the republic of ireland's vote to allow terminations. the government has said stormont should have the final say. 0ur political correspondent alex forsyth reports. cheering and applause this result did more than shift the landscape in the irish republic. it reopened the debate about abortion in northern ireland too, where terminations are illegal in all but very limited circumstances. in westminster today, a succession of mps argued for the uk government to act. some spoke from a very personal perspective. i was ill when i made the incredibly hard decision to have a termination. i was having seizures every day. i wasn't even able to control my own body let alone care for a new life. so, mr speaker, are you seriously telling me that in a civilised world, rape, incest or a foetus that is so badly deformed that it could never live,

are not sufficient grounds for a woman to have the power to decide for herself, that she shouldn't make that decision? no, enough. such testimony isn't common in parliament, yet today more than one mp spoke about their own abortion. myself and the member for south cambridgeshire are not criminals. but this debate was highly charged on both sides. with people today in northern ireland who are raring families, who are contributing to society, who are building their businesses, who are working in our factories, who are sitting in our schools, who otherwise, if we had had the legislation which exists here in the rest of the united kingdom, would have been discarded and put in a bin before they were ever born. the government says although there is currently no assembly in stormont, westminster shouldn't impose its will on a devolved issue. although some ministers

made their own views very clear. personally, i want to see reform in northern ireland but it is a matter for the people of northern ireland. the government, like its predecessors, believes the best forums for debate to resolve these and many other matters is in a locally elected northern ireland assembly. the debate here today was never going to force the government to act, but it showed the strength of feeling there is and that's why this is difficult for theresa may. on one hand, some mps saying it's time to act. 0n the other, the dup, on whose support she depends in parliament, defending the status quo. this most sensitive issue is a political dilemma too. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. in myanmar the country's military is facing fresh accusations that it's launched deadly attacks against civilians. this time, not against the rohingya's in the west of the country but against the kachin people in the north. for decades they've been calling for independence from myanmar. this has led to conflict with the burmese military.

the army insists its troops only target armed enemies — but villagers say whole communities have been forced to flee. 0ur myanmar correspondent nick beake has this exclusive report. the depth of the burmese jungle. where mothers clamber for safety. and elephants carry the few possessions people had time to gather. it is the latest scramble for survival in myanmar. where children are forced to hide from their own country's militaryjets. and these are not rohingya families. but the people of kachin state. the latest ethnic group to flee a burmese army on the attack. the same burmese army which killed this man's eldest son. he was 22.

caught in artillery fire on his village six weeks ago. the only words his mother can get out, her son's name. and his dad watched his son die. he bears the scars, physical and otherwise. translation: imagine how you would feel if this happened to your own child. i have lost him. i won't see him again. these children had nearly forgotten what a decent meal tastes like. they had just emerged from a month—long trek through the jungle to safety. they were living in land controlled by kachin rebels who have been fighting for independence for decades. but the burmese army calls the rebels terrorists and are now trying to drive them out,

at any cost, it seems. this woman worked as a sunday school teacher in her christian village and explained why she fled her home. translation: on april the 11th, four fighterjets fired on the village. we also heard that the army had raped women and tortured old people nearby, so we left. the stories we are hearing from these villagers, one after another, are consistent. they are the first eyewitness accounts of the burmese military targeting civilians in their latest offensive here in kachin state. beyond this forest, hundreds more kachin villagers are believed to be running for the safety of the city. we met two parents who were forced to choose which of their children to take with them. they carried their twin boys, but had to entrust two

older daughters to nuns. they have not seen them since. a family torn apart in a country where the military still calls the shots and aung san suu kyi's government looks away. nick beake, bbc news, myanmar. a gang on two mopeds is reported to have carried out an attempted robbery on a jewellery store in central london. police were called to reports that a number of suspects, armed with knives and hammers, had entered the the store on regent street. a man has been arrested. the director of public prosecutions says she deeply regrets failures in 47 rape and serious sexual offence cases where vital evidence was withheld from defence lawyers. alison saunders was questioned by mps about prosecutions that were stopped after it emerged key information had not been shared. earlier this year, a review of more than three and a half thousand cases was launched in england and wales

after a series of high profile rape cases collapsed. our legal affairs correspondent clive coleman is here. how serious a problem are these figures? 47 cases where vital evidence was withheld? it isa it is a foundation of our fair trial system the prosecution must pass to the defence that assists the defence case 01’ the defence that assists the defence case or undermines the prosecution. 47 rape and sexual assault cases have been dropped and 1a defendants have been dropped and 1a defendants have had to be released from custody. more and better training is under way for police and prosecutors, but this review simply covers rape. it is a tiny sample of all criminal cases. we have reported on this programme on disclosure failures. the government acknowledges the problem is systemic and if this is the tip of the

iceberg, why no review into the types of cases that are currently in the system and why no review into past cases where disclosure failings may have led to miscarriages of justice and wrongful convictions? clive, thank you. tributes have been pouring in for the american designer, kate spade, who has been found dead at her home in new york. the 55 year old was best known for designing handbags and a range of accessories. launched in 1993. the kate spade brand became a household name with stores around the world. she sold her remaining share of the business in 2006. a 50—year—old man has been killed after a shooting at a boxing club in the irish republic. the father of olympic boxing gold medallist katie taylor was also hurt in the shooting at a gym along with a second man. there's been a sharp rise in the number of cases in england of some of the most serious sexually transmitted infections. reported cases of syphilis were up by 20% last year there was a similar rise

in the number of people infected with gonorrhoea. the number of cases of chlamydia fell slightly, but it's thought that's because fewer people are being tested for it by sexual health services. a bbc news investigation has found that funding cuts in england are making it harderfor some people to access those services. there are flashing images in this report by shelley phelps. hundreds of thousands of stis are diagnosed in the uk every year. we are having more sexual partners than previous generations. are we more experimental? because you hear that about millennials. definitely. we try anything and everything. our investigation shows funding cuts in england are making it harder for some people to access sexual health services. this clinic in south london says it's having to reduce its opening hours because of funding cuts. six other clinics in the capital have closed and they say they have seen a surge in demand for services. so, where i think we are in sexual health services

is a potential crisis point. the reality now is that, with cuts to the public health budget, local authorities are having to cut the budgets of sexual health services and it makes it practically impossible to maintain the services as we used to do. in 2013, the government took responsibility for sexual health services away from the nhs and handed it to english councils. in scotland, wales and northern ireland, public health services are still run by the nhs. our investigation shows that almost half of english councils are planning to cut sexual health funding this year, with 2a planning to increase it. new technologies are being harnessed to improve the way services are delivered. many areas are increasing the availability of home self test kits like this one. they're available to order online for patients who don't have symptoms. commissioners say it's a cost—effective way of doing things and helps free up time at clinics for patients most in need. liv from rural norfolk told us about the challenges she now faces in getting an appointment after having an sti in the past.

i can't remember the medical term for it so i'm going to use the horrible term, which is great! genital warts. they can be quite difficult to get rid of. when that happened, it was before the funding in my area had been cut and so actually the service was fantastic. since it's been moved and the funding has been cut, it's really difficult to access. it's good news that we've got growing demand because that means young people are taking their health, their sexual health, really seriously and being responsible, but of course it's difficult for us to match growing demand with a reducing budget. the government says local areas are best placed to understand their own needs. in two years' time, the government wants to remove the protections around the money they give to councils for sexual health, but campaigners warn of a postcode lottery leading people hoping to get lucky. shelley phelps, bbc news. 11 million plastic bags are being used and a million plastic bottles are being bought around

the world every minute of every day. that's according a new report from the united nations. it warns that if the current levels of production continue, the earth will be inundated with 12 billion tonnes of plastics by the middle of this century. the study says that while some countries are tackling the issue, less than 10% of the plastics are being recycled. 0ur science editor david shukman has more. the shocking sight of a beach in mumbai. it's totally covered in a thick layer of plastic waste. week after week, volunteers try to keep it clean. but more plastic keeps getting dumped here. as citizens and residents of mumbai, or any part of this world, we have got to take the onus in our own hands. we have got to keep our city clean. people in such large droves coming in and doing this is really great, and i think it will make a difference. and every day we see how plastic can be deadly in the oceans. this pilot whale died in thailand last week after eating 80 plastic bags.

so, how bad is the threat from plastic in the oceans? well, every year another 8 million tonnes of it gets added and within a decade, there could be 250 million tonnes of plasticjust drifting around. so where's it all coming from? well, the rivers of asia are one major source. we filmed this mass of plastic blocking a river in indonesia and all of this will eventually flow out into the sea. where does it then go? well, it can be carried a very long distance by currents. plastic from america makes it all away across the atlantic to britain. and in the same way, plastic waste from asia crosses the pacific. 0n midway atoll, a tiny island, i once found a cigarette lighter from taiwan. but much of this stuff gets caught in circular currents known as gyres and scientists say the plastic accumulates here. now, over time, some of it sinks, even into the mariana trench, the deepest part of the ocean. in one shocking discovery, it was found in tiny animals living

nearly 11,000 metres down. that is almost seven miles. so, what happens to it? well a plastic bag could remain in one piece for up to 20 years. a styrofoam cup might well last for 50 years. even though it was just used once. while a plastic bottle could last around a50 years. they are designed to be strong. and then? well, plastic does not go away, it just breaks down into ever smaller fragments. and these micro plastics are getting everywhere and they will last for thousands of years. a river in the philippines sending plastic into the oceans. dozens of countries have pledged to try to stop this. in kenya, you can be jailed for selling plastic bags. other governments have tough laws, but do not enforce them.