this is bbc news, i'm lukwesa burak. the headlines at 3pm: the strongest typhoon so far this year has been battering the northern phillipines — with violent winds and 20 foot storm surges. 1a people have been killed so far, with the number expected to rise there will he need for water and hygiene kits and kitchen essentials to make their lives more tolerable in the evacuation centre. in the us, tropical storm florence is causing significant flooding on the east coast — five are reported dead so far. it will produce catastrophic flooding over parts of north and south carolina for some time. also coming up this hour: an overhaul of divorce law. ministers set out plans for ‘no fault—divorce' — removing the need to attribute blame. three, two, one... nasa has launched its most advanced space laser ever, the ice sat two, a billion dollar mission aimed

at studying the extend of the earth's melting ice. and in half an hour, facebook bosses will be taking questions from radio one listeners in a newsbeat special. 1a people have died in the philippines — where the strongest typhoon so far this year has brought violent winds and torrential rains. map typhoon mangkhut hit the country's main island , luzon , early this morning blowing down trees, ripping off roofs and knocking out electricity supplies across the north. tens of thousands have been evacuated from coastal areas. tiffany werthamer reports.

typhoon mangkhut hit just typhoon mangkhut hitjust before to me an last thursday, wreaking havoc in the predawn darkness. this is what people woke up to. almost every building is damaged in the city in some way. downed trees, crushed cars, debris including fallen power lines litter the streets. when the wave hit the road, it also hit the embankment and the houses were shaking. mangkhut is the strongest tropical cyclone the world has seen so tropical cyclone the world has seen so far this year, even though its wind speed dropped when it hit land and the storm is downgraded from a super typhoon, mangkhut is still packing winds of equivalent of a

hurricane for cyclone. 185 kilometres per hour. the philippines is no stranger to typhoons. residents were as prepared as they could be. flights have been cancelled, schools shut and the army is on standby. but the torrential rain has caused landslides, which have already claimed lives and authorities feared the death toll will rise. we are looking at a house varied because of the eruption. we are looking at a vehicle, they are still rescuing the vehicle, buried because of the landslide. now it's heading to china. the typhoon is forecast to pass over hong kong on sunday afternoon. authorities say when it hits, it may be upgraded once again to a super typhoon. conditions should ease by tuesday. lot felizco is oxfam's country directorfor the philippines — her team have been on the ground across the philippines assessing the extent of the damage. it's been 16 hours since

mangkhut made landfall. because of the coverage of this typhoon, it covers 33 provinces along the eastern seaboard and in the northern portion of luzon. some of these areas are mountainous areas, along the coast, not very accessible from town centres. we are only starting to receive initial reports now and looking to having a more complete picture, maybe in another day or two, even. we will of course have the focus primarily in the first few days on life—saving needs. considering the number of displaced families, already more than 50,000 scattered across more than 700 evacuation centres, there will be needs for access to water purification tablets to make sure there is drinkable water. there will be need for water

and hygiene kits, kitchen essentials to make their lives more tolerable in the evacuation centres. but also, although that will be over the next few days, we think that given the strength, the power of the typhoon, the heavy winds and rain that there would be considerable damage to shelter, to houses that were made of light or flimsy materials. so, there will be a need for shelter repair. in the medium term, considering this has hit farming and fishing areas, there will be a lot of support needed for livelihoods recovery. all of this we will have to coordinate with the local and national governments to make sure that our responses are aligned and coordinated. the united states' national hurricane centre has warned of catastrophic flooding as tropical storm florence moves through both north and south carolina. forecasters are warning

that the storm's slow progress could leave much of the region under water. at least five people have died — including a woman and her baby — who were killed when a tree fell on their house. keith doyle reports. the winds have dropped and hurricane florence is now a tropical storm but the rain continues to fall and people have been warned of life—threatening storm surges with catastrophic flooding. a metre of rain is expected to fall as the storm passes through north and south carolina. here in new bern, the area is already flooded. rescue teams have plucked people from the waters and rescued those who had moved into attics of houses as the water keeps rising. the storm is moving slowly inland, leaving death and destruction in its wake. the roof has gone.

yep. were you in here? i was in there, i had my kids asleep, a lot of wind, rain, spinning, blue lightning, green lightning. so you came here for safety and ended up with no roof. no roof. a woman and child died when a tree fell on their house in wilmington. three other deaths have been reported elsewhere. power supplies have been hit. the governor of north carolina said millions could be without electricity. we have about 650,000 north carolinians without power state—wide and the utility companies tell us that this number will keep rising and they think it could be anywhere from a million to 2.5 million people who could eventually lose power. the white house said president trump will visit the area next week if it does not affect rescue efforts. the storm may be weakening but its impact is still being felt and its full cost is yet to be determined. keith doyle, bbc news. in the last hour, the federal

emergency management agency has given an update on the situation in north and south carolina. as the storm moves inland, as the weather service just pointed out, large amounts of rain falling over both states and it will continue to fall. please urge citizens not to try to drive through high water, you don't know the depth of it, it's not safe, don't drown, turnaround. fema is well positioned to support the state, we have rescue is ongoing, hundreds of thousands without powerjust as anticipated. we are poised and ready to go in when conditions are safe to start the restoration of all critical lifelines. i urge everyone to wait for local officials to give the all clear for citizens returned to the impacted areas. as you know, the president declared a major disaster in north carolina, that opens up lines of assistance in the individual and assistance side.

0ther declarations will be anticipated to follow. we have thousands of people in shelters with adequate resources to support our state and local partners on that, we have adequate meals for emergency feeding, adequate generators for critical services, we continue to monitor those critical facilities to make sure we have plans in place should we need to enact any type of evacuation or support. the fueling of emergency generators. at this time we see no shortfalls, we continue to work closely not only with the partners that you see on the stage but our state and local partners, private sector, non—government partners, and the whole community approach. 0ur weather presenter is here with more about what's expected in the coming days. so much whether going on. let's

start in asia and the typhoon mangkhut. what next? mangkhut still affecting the philippines even though it's moving out into the west china sea, the difference between these storms is the speed of movement. mangkhut has whipped through the philippines causing com plete through the philippines causing complete devastation and what we will find is the winds are still very strong around the coast and particularly with all the rainfall to come down off the mountains, you can see in the picture behind me, it's enormous, 900 kilometres wide has been the quote. it has covered a vast pa rt has been the quote. it has covered a vast part of. also monsoon rain. if we ta ke vast part of. also monsoon rain. if we take that forecast forward, it will fall on southern parts of china. this week we have had a small storm affecting southern parts of china, wind off, this is expected to hit late afternoon hong kong time. still packing a punch with winds in

excess still packing a punch with winds in excess of 200 kilometres an hour, two or three metres of storm surge. the impact that has had, potentially more catastrophic flooding and another several hundred millimetres of rain. this will have severe impacts not too far from the south—west of hong kong. they will feel the effects in hong kong as wilma cowell. looks like a nasty beast. we have had several storms or depression is a map of the world in the last few months which have given more mental than you would expect so it's already saturated. unless it rips through, is it collecting energy from the sea? it is at the moment. since it left the philippines at was downgraded from a four starting to intensify again a bit but not expected to become more than a free. by the time it hits it may it may be a too. —— downgraded from a four 283. it is a beast. let's go to the united states and

florence has been downgraded, but the warnings are increased. again, this one quite unusual, do have to such powerful and huge storms across the world, the opposite side. this more minutes when strengths had hurricane force winds out the entire length of the carolina coast line and again you can see from the satellite picture it is enormous. the difference between this and mangkhut is the speed of movement, this one has ground to a halt, made la ndfall this one has ground to a halt, made landfall and is just sitting there very slowly moving south. it's just pouring with rain, it has all this energy it has gathered over the atla ntic energy it has gathered over the atlantic and picked up for that moisture. still a danger for storm surge although that is starting to ease down as the winds ease and the storms becoming a land—based but it does still have some energy off the sea. it will continue to reign for another two or three days moving slowly inland. the concerns are there will be some absolutely devastating flooding because the rivers are just filling up and then

it will hit the appellations and thatis it will hit the appellations and that is all going to come down from the mountain. the potentialfor landslides and mudslides across that pa rt landslides and mudslides across that part of america. very quickly, you said it's so unusual to have two storms of this magnitude. is that just the way either works or...?lj think it probably is, it's just unusual. i haven't seen two such massive storms in different parts but they are an entirely separate from the different part of the we have lots more activity in the atla ntic have lots more activity in the atlantic as well, we may have heard there are the remnants of storm hanna and heading into the uk, just the energy but there is also lots of activity after what was a quiet start to the season. —— the remnants of helene. let's find out what is happening in the us with tropical storm florence. 0n the line now is lieutenant bob berez

from the south carolina highway patrol. hejoins me on the line from charleston in south carolina. how is it where you are? well, we are continuing to get pounded with rain throughout the majority of south carolina, i drove the interstate this morning and there was still say heavy rain. winds dying down but we know this rain will continue over the weekend. 0bviously will continue over the weekend. obviously you are a highway patrol, what are the main hazards you are aware of and that you are passing on to the people of charleston? we are asking people about south carolina not to drive around because we had over 100 trees down throughout south carolina overnight. we responded to those calls and some of those trees brought down power lines are certainly it's not safe to travel. just a little while ago we had over 160,000 people without power still throughout south carolina. as far as

the power lines go, once they've come down, is still safe to be around them? no, absolutely not. you can't tell if a power line is still charged or not. we called the power company and work with the department for transport nation to remove the trees after it is safe to do so. there are a lot of people, lots of agencies involved in clearing roadways but we want to make sure the roads are clear and safer for anyone drives on them. we know that the rain will fall this weekend so some roadways may see some flooding. later this week when all that water comes down from upstate, we will certainly see the rivers rising. what sort of rescues are your team taking part in? have a lot of people evacuated the area, did they keep those warnings or are you having to step in and help out? —— hid those warnings? the majority of people heeded those warnings. we reversed the interstate 20 six, miles of interstate last week from the coastline and the myrtle beach 501

to expedite the evacuation process along with other routes we have. we have seen people leave, we encourage that early in the week but the people that are staying here still today, we encourage them to stay inside, be with your families but don't come out until authorities tell you it's safe to so. i suppose nothing can be done until that water sta rts nothing can be done until that water starts to subside. what are the utility vehicles, those looking into preparing for examples of power lines and just checking if everything is safe? when can they start to me then? when it's safe to do so. -- when can they start to move in? the winds are starting to die down in the charleston area so we are checking the roadways continuously and as we receive calls the service we arejust and as we receive calls the service we are just those calls and we want to make sure roadways are safe first and foremost for law enforcement, power companies and department of transportation workers. 0nce power companies and department of transportation workers. once it is safe we will let the public know. we

heard about the warnings concerning landslides, is this something you are dealing with or have seen?” have not seen any landslides as of yet. we certainly monitor and address each situation as it arises but that is one of the things we need to look out for also, as the rain continues to fall over the weekend. we will leave it there but thank you so much. do you stay safe on the. —— do stay safe on the roads. couples wishing to divorce could soon benefit from a less confrontational process, under proposals confirmed by thejustice secretary david gauke. in a consultation the government is proposing removing fault, and the ability of spouses to contest the divorce. the government has launched a consultation proposing removing the need to allege "fault", and the right of spouses to contest a divorce. the changes would apply to heterosexual and gay marriages, and civil partnerships. jo edwards is a lawyer

and former chair of the family justice organisation, resolution — who have campaigned for a change in the divorce law. she joins me via webcam from lugano in switzerland. thank you forjoining us. first, your reaction to this latest development in divorce law?” your reaction to this latest development in divorce law? i am absolutely delighted with the consultation paper which has come out today, and cautiously optimistic about what that will now need to will be a change in the law and something which really resolution has been campaigning for the nearly 30 years. we have had the same divorce law for 50 years in england and wales. why do you think it has taken so long? why was there this hesitation to change the law? it's been a bit of a political hot potato

to be perfectly honest for quite some years. you will be aware that backin some years. you will be aware that back in 1990, the law commission did recommend changing the law then. that became the family law act 1996 which ultimately was shelved. it became quite a complicated piece of legislation as it was going to the house of commons and ultimately did have to be shelved. more recently, richard bacon mp introduced a private member to the house of commons but that also fell by the wayside. most recently, baroness butler—sloss introduced into the house of lords a private bill earlier this year which is what is understood to have triggered this consultation today. along with their rice say lots of other things, not least of which was mrs 0wen‘s well—publicised fight which was in the supreme court only a couple of months ago which really had commentators around the world talking about wine in england and wales we have quite such an archaic system. how long do you think it will take to implement these

reforms? that really is the burning question. although resolution very much welcomes this consultation, we have been campaigning for a number of years and i think everybody who practices in this field, both academics who have looked at the law including most recent professors and judges who work in this area, are pretty much all on the same page that things need to change. i do not doubt there will be a vocal minority groups who feel that this is about making divorce easy, it's going to make it a speedy process, that people have the option to do now fault divorce at the moment but the problem with all of those arguments is no—fault divorces that exist, couples have to wait two and five yea rs couples have to wait two and five years depending on whether there is consent or not. the nub of this consultation is going to be how long is the right amount of time to make people wait? it's absolutely clear for the 107,000 couples who go to

divorce in england and wales each year, around 60% of which involve lane, this change cannot come quickly enough. —— around 60% of which involve blame. i do not doubt there will be voices in opposition, it's important that those voices be listened to but equally i'm very clear from my own listened to but equally i'm very clearfrom my own practice, from clients who go through the process, that they will on the whole welcomes this proposed change in the law as will i and resolution. this proposed change in the law as willl and resolution. finally, do you think this has gone far enough? could there be further reforms to oui’ could there be further reforms to our divorce laws? what is being proposed today in the consultation is welcomed because some of the previous attempts, most notably richard bacon mp‘s attempt in 2015, would have kept the fault —based grounds. we think it's absolutely key that there should be this simple notification system whereby one or

both parties can say, we feel the marriage has broken down irretrievably, they have a waiting period of time for that, and then at the end of that period they are entitled to their degree of divorce. it is alluded to in the consultation paper that one of the other areas which arguably is crying out for reform in this area is how money on divorce is approached. i am absolutely clear, i know resolution is clear as well, we need to deal with movable divorce as an opening gambit. we need to get that part of the law sorted first. —— no fault divorce. it's like there are other areas, finances, broader rights for cohabitants areas, finances, broader rights for cohabita nts which still don't areas, finances, broader rights for cohabitants which still don't exist in england and wales, all those things need to be looked at, but first and foremost, let's have a solid foundation of no—fault divorce which is going to really be only good for particularly the children of these parents who go through divorce every year in this country. thank you very much for that. the church of england is considering buying the loan book of the pay—day lender, wonga, after the company

collapsed last month. the idea was suggested by the chair of the work and pensions committee, frank field, who hopes the church might lead a group of investors willing to run wonga without charging high interest rates. the family of a former british soldier say he has been give a seven and a half yearjail sentence in turkey, because he helped the kurds fight against the islamic state group. joe robinson, who's 25, was arrested last year while holidaying in turkey and charged with terrorism offences. he'd previously helped kurdish fighters from the ypg, who the turkish authorities regard as terrorists. the liberal democrats are discussing a major shake—up of the party as their conference gets under way in brighton this morning. the changes, set out by the leader sir vince cable earlier this month, include allowing supporters — as well as fullyjoined—up members — to vote for a new leader. the lib dems are also urging

disillusioned labour and tory supporters to join them to help stop brexit. 0ur political correspondent jonathan blake is at the conference in brighton. what have you been hearing today? the sun is out here in brighton which might help lift the spirits of the liberal democrat party members arriving here for their annual conference today. these are serious times for the lib dems, just over three years ago there were a party of government alongside the conservatives on the coalition but since then they have lost most of their mps with only told members of parliament and they struggled to gain anything in double figures in opinion polls. they have not really been able to capitalise on their place as the only uk wide party which takes an anti—brexit stance. as you mentioned, the current leader of the lib dems, sir vince cable,

has set out what he hopes will be a policy to future proof the party and reinvigorated. he wants people to be able tojoin reinvigorated. he wants people to be able to join without paying any membership. he wants those people do have a say in formulating the policy of the party and choosing a new leader. he says the new leader could be somebody who is not one of the pa rty‘s directly elected be somebody who is not one of the party's directly elected mps. the party's directly elected mps. the party members are going to be considering all those changes this weekend, there won't be voting on it, there might be going through yet, but they have already caused a bit of consternation among some members. that phrase movement for moderates that so vince cable said he wanted the liberal democrat party to become is something he is hoping to become is something he is hoping to convince people is a winner. when he arrived at the conference earlier on today, he was asked if he was confident if he could bring the party membership on board. i think we will show the strength of

out i think we will show the strength of our party in putting this to move forward in a big way. will you get the support for your reforms, do you think? we are discussing that. it's a consultation. confident, though. he's confident, he said there. that will be one big theme of the liberal democrats' conference this afternoon, the other will be brexit. vince cable says he wants disaffected supporters of labour and the conservatives who have changed their mind on brexit or did not want it to happen in the first place to join the liberal democrats and as he has put it, provide an exit from brexit. we will hear the party's brexit. we will hear the party's brexit spokesman making that appeal when he makes a speech to the party members this afternoon. thank you. in the last half hour, nasa has launched its most advanced laser ever into space. lift off. the ice sat2

will measure the condition of earth's ice cover and should provide more precise information on how these frozen surfaces are being affected by global warming. earlier i spoke to our science correspondentjonathan amos, he told me just how important this satellite is to the scientific community. it is the most precise tool we've ever had, actually, to measure the ice sheets, to measure the height of antarctica, of greenland, but also the sea ice that surrounds antarctica and that which floats also in the arctic ocean. so, this particular device fires down about 10,000 shots a second. it's moving forward a shot every 70 centimetres. it's able to precisely measure the height of the ice to about a centimetre, less than a centimetre in fact. you may well say, what difference does a centimetre make if the ice melts that much?

if you were to scrape a centimetre off, say, the antarctic, that's1a0 billion tonnes of water. that goes into the ocean and that pushes up sea levels around the world. some of the changes that are taking place around the earth really quite subtle. you need precise tools to measure this and that is what icesat is all about. when will we start to see that data come back? they are just in the process of launching it into space, so it will go around the poles, and then they will have to check it out. the spacecraft went up with a door covering its instrument, they will have to open that in the coming week. then they will start to warm the laser up and test it. probably in the next few weeks they will start to take some measurements. of course, it's not an instant result. you have to follow the seasons. they get big seasons in the antarctic and also in the arctic. we have seen in the arctic how the summer sea ice gets very,

very small and then it grows again in the winter. you need a long series of measurements to start to pick out the trends. don't expect immediate results. really, this is going to give us a baseline, this particular spacecraft, for all the measurements we do in polar regions for the many years ahead. labour will likely vote against any brexit deal theresa may secures with the eu, according to senior frontbenchers. in a newspaper article yesterday shadow foreign secretary emily thornberry said she can't see the government coming back with an agreement that labour could endorse. earlier the bbc spoke to shadow chancellorjohn mcdonneell, who reiterated the message. we cannot see that theresa may will bring back a dealfrom brussels

which is acceptable notjust to parliament but even to her own party. and certainly not meet the criteria we have set to safeguard jobs and the economy. we will examine what comes back and we will be as constructive as we can but ijust cannot see that she will be able to deliver anything that most of parliament can vote for and our view is this is getting really worrying now, so why don't the conservatives move to one side, let us get on with the negotiations or failing that, let's have a general election and let the people decide. a zoo in colombia is celebrating the arrival of a newborn spider monkey. these monkeys are among the 25 most endangered primate species in the world. they're in critical danger of extinction. this tiny primate — seen here clinging to its mother — was born at the san fe zoological park in colombia's second largest city of medellin. this little guy weighs just one kilogram...