hello, this is bbc news with martine croxall. the headlines: 1a people have died in a massive storm in the northern philippines. it's the strongest typhoon so far this year, with 20—foot storm surges. in the us, tropical storm florence is causing catastrophic flooding on the east coast — five people have died, as forecasters warn that storm surges remain a dangerous threat. a former british soldier is given a seven—and—a—half—year jail sentence in turkey, for helping kurdish forces in the fight against so—called islamic state. next on bbc news,

a special investigation by bbc scotland into milk production. it is a controversial trade. these animals are babies. the age that they are when they arrive is three weeks. i go on the trail of cattle trucks across europe. six days, two ferries, five countries. that was the most stressful journey i think i have ever begun. i discover the bleak choice farmers are faced with. the alternative argument may well be that you just have to shoot this animal. tonight, i investigate the dark side of dairy. it is auction day at one of the busiest markets in the uk.

part of today's sale are these dairy bull calves, some just two weeks old. dairy farmers don't want them, because in an industry which relies on milk from female cattle, boys are surplus to requirements. these guys are only between two and four weeks of age and they are absolutely tiny. every now and again, they come up and try and suck on your fingers. in scotland, what happens to these surplus boy calves is at the heart of a deeply controversial trade. it is one which i am setting out to investigate. galloway, the heart of the scottish dairy industry.

this business is all about milk. to get cows to produce it, they need to have calves, but in the vast majority of dairy farms those calves are then taken away from their mums atjust a few days old, so that we can drink the milk. david finlay grew up in that business and it has left its mark. when you take a calf away from its mum, what is that process like, for the calf, for the mum, for the farmer? well, it is something as a farmer that you just do, you get on with it, it is part of the job and you need to take the calf away because you need the milk. the calf at that point of course knows no better, other than its instinct tells them something is a bit funny, a bit odd.

the mother, well, it varies. sometimes theyjust walked over to the feed and start eating and you thought they haven't even noticed. and then there is other is that would bawl for days. really? yeah. and that was probably the distressing sight of it. that affects you now, talking about it. cut. it is notjust that calves are normally taken away from their mothers. male calves obviously can't join the milking herd. in europe, they are often slaughtered around 20 weeks of age for veal, but that is not popular with uk consumers, and the industry says there is no market for them here. so, these dairy calves are essentially a waste product, and that has led to a dark trade.

the export of calves to europe. these are irish animals being exported for veal in the netherlands. the images were taken by campaign group eyes on animals. one of its investigators is nicola glen. she has been looking into the scottish trade, one that saw more than 5000 animals shipped to spain and italy last year. that is a massive increase on the few hundred just two years ago. nicola glen has obtained official journey logs, which establish that almost every fortnight for the last two years shipments of calves have been leaving scotland.

they left the port on a p&0 ferry in northern ireland, where they continued theirjourney to the southern island, they caught the ferry in dublin with an onward journey to spain. how long did this journey take? this journey would have taken around six days. the logs say that calves are unloaded and rested several times during the journey, as legislation demands, but nicola glen thinks the journey itself is unacceptable. these animals are babies and they are not adapted to cope with these sort ofjourneys. the longer the journey, it has been proven scientifically, that more suffering is involved for those animals. campaigners object to long journeys for calves because they can't control their own temperature and don't have developed immune systems.

but the alternative to export is potentiallyjust as bleak. right now, farmers in scotland say these animals are worth some little that it is either ship them or shoot them at birth. are we comfortable with either of those? we are certainly not comfortable with shooting them, because no farmer wants to shoot anything. we are in the business of trying to produce good food for people to consume. but exporting calves at the age of two weeks old, is that something we are comfortable with? i don't think we are particularly comfortable with it. it certainly would be the bottom of our list of wants for what we do with those calves. but if we come down to the point where it is that or shooting them, then it is marginally better. it doesn't sound like much of a choice. but if i am to understand the favoured option of export better, then i'm going to have to get closer to the trade itself. all i've got to go

on is the journey logs. they show that animals travel on the same boat every two weeks, mainly to spain, but also to italy. i start to watch the port of cairnryan and the roads around it. there is the occasional brief glimpse of dairy calves in trucks. 0ne haulier i notice fits the exact pattern of the journey logs. that's the second time i've seen this truck. the first time two weeks ago. tonight's the second. so, i'm going to try and follow that truck. two weeks later, i pick it up on the road to the port. this truck is loaded with scottish dairy calves bound for spain.

immediately, the boat arrives, the truck and its cattle head to an inspection point. and they seem to be checking the cattle. that's the truck leaving now. the journey logs tell me the truck is headed for one of two control points. a place where calves can be unloaded, fed and rested, but in the dark countryside, it is difficult to follow without being spotted, so i pull back. and the truck disappears into the darkness. um, we have lost the truck,

which is not ideal. trying to keep an eye on a control post for 31 hours was very difficult. but we know according to the paperwork where it is due to arrive next, and that's france. it is 10:15am on sunday morning and i am at the port or cherbourg, in france, and the boat which left the port yesterday is just pulling into the dock. i'm hoping my truck is going to be on this boat. within minutes of arriving, truck after truck carrying livestock roll off the boat. i am beginning to get a sense of the scale of the trade. since january this year, more than 100,000 cattle have been shipped to mainland

europe from ireland. a lot of them to be reared until ready for slaughter, a process called fattening. my truck isn't on this boat. i am going to have to head into the control post in the hope that they arrive. that's not a cattle truck... suddenly, here it is. the last livestock truck to come off the ferry. the crossing took 17 hours. the animals weren't unloaded and spent all that time inside the lorry. and they're straight into an overland crossing. 0h, we've got the truck. 0h! after several hours on the road, the truck pulls

into a service station. by law, the driver gets a break of at least 45 minutes every four and a half hours. the animals don't. they're left in the truck, in the heat of the afternoon sun. finally, we get a chance to see what's inside the truck. but there is a surprise. these aren't the calves i know were on board when this truck left for scotland. these animals are older. but this truck is clearly a key link in the export chain. so i decide to see where they end up. the driver returns from his break and checks the animals. he spots something wrong with one of the cattle. and then does this. he takes a long stick from underneath the truck and then

repeatedly pushes it through the bars. as we head further south through france, the temperature rises. the truck is specially adapted to keep the animals cool. legally the temperature in the lorry shouldn't exceed 30 degrees. we know it is that hot outside. the truck keeps going. near the swiss border, the truck pulls off the route and into an anonymous facility in an industrial site. it parks up and unloads the cattle in the sheds, which is just as well.

they have been in the lorry for 29—and—a—half hours. the legal maximum is 30. over the next 2a hours, the animals are rested off the truck. that's a legal requirement. this facility is a control point, like the ones i didn't get a chance to see in northern ireland. i keep watch. when they're loaded back into the truck the next evening, there is a worrying sight. the pole is out again and this time it is clear as day. i watch as the driver repeatedly hits the cattle, forcing them back into the lorry they spent the majority of the last few days in. it is now our fifth night on the road.

the driver continues to make the stops he is meant to. as dawn breaks, we are as far east as milan. as we near venice, the truck turns off the main road. previous journey logs have shown calves and other cattle being transported to northern italy from scotland. finally, six days after starting out, our truck comes to a stop. i don't know if you can see, but our truck is just reversing itself into position to offload the animals. that was the most stressful journey i think i've ever done. and i can only assume this is the final destination

because i cannot see how those animals can do any more. and they won't have to. this is their final destination. when i contact the hauliers, they don't want to be interviewed, but they confirm that when the truck left scotland it was carrying calves. they were dropped off somewhere in northern ireland to be shipped on to spain. the animals we saw, from cherbourg onwards, were picked up in southern ireland, and taken to italy, eitherfor breeding or fattening and slaughter. the company also said the driver used a stick both to ensure the cattle were standing and fit for thejourney, and to protect himself when moving large animals. back home in scotland,

i show our footage to someone who has spent more than 20 years highlighting abuses in the export trade. i think as soon as you see people prodding animals with sticks through the slats, that is worrying. that bothers you? yes. it looks like he is notjust prodding but hitting the animal, and that is totally unacceptable. one of peter's frustrations is that scottish calves like the ones i have seen face export. calves born in england don't. the uk government is considering banning all export for fattening and slaughter. the scottish government isn't, saying shipping is better than shooting. i think that's scotland's reputation for good welfare is being undermined by the scottish government's clumsy attempt to justify

this inhumane trade. scotland's position on calf export means the animals will keep on coming here to spain. the journey logs say calves are arriving in catalonia and, according to the paperwork, this is where they're shipped to, a control post run by a company called vilotta. the owner will not be interviewed but is happy to take a call from me. the cattle from scotland that arrives here, or at vilotta, what is happening to those cattle? it is for fattening? all of them? thank you for your time, i appreciate that. so, all of the cattle from scotland are coming here for fattening and fattening only, he says, before slaughter. the age they are when they arrive

here is three weeks of age. spain has a huge agricultural economy, yet it doesn't have enough beef. we have too much. but why must the animals be brought here alive? i travelled to madrid to meet the man who tells me the answer is in the profits to be made along the supply chain. what happens is that we have economic interests in the middle. we have the meat industry, we have transport companies, we have importers and we have exporters. and everyone is taking money in this business. for animal rights campaigners like alberto diaz, any welfare abuse is a burden. but the next step in the supply chain that he is telling me about isn't anything i expected. the vast majority stay in spain, in catalonia, for two months, two and a half months,

and afterwards they enter the general market of cows. and in the general market is the middle east and north africa. and in my opinion that is where the real horrible animal abuse situation starts. this is what happens once the cattle leave spain. shipped to north africa, where they will be taken straight to a harbour slaughterhouse. can we be 100% sure that scottish cattle end up like that? no. but can we be 100% sure that they don't end up like that? equally, no. because this is a massive part of the meat industry here in spain.

is it acceptable to say, once an animal leaves our borders, once an animal leaves what we can control, it is ok? i'm not sure if i would say it is acceptable. i think it is the real world at the moment. and we would obviously prefer to be able to control everything but i think we have to be realistic. so if acceptable means, do we reluctantly accept it, then the answer is yes. the south—west of scotland is key to all of this. not only is it at the heart of the dairy trade, but it also has the most vital link in the export chain — the port. ferry companies elsewhere in the uk won't carry calves for fattening and slaughter direct

to the continent. so the only way to export the dairy calves is to move them via northern ireland and then south. i watched p&0 carry the animals from cairnryan to lairne. yet its own policy says "we will not ship any livestock intended for fattening or slaughter." but i know the calves going to spain are destined for fattening and slaughter. when i asked p&0 about that, it tells me it cooperates with the scottish government on the shipping of livestock from cairnryan to lairne for onward transportation to the continent. so, p&0 say it is decisions made here at the scottish government which are driving its business. we know the government has commissioned research into animal welfare during shipments,

and officials have observed them. i want to know how it views the trade and p805 involvement in it. p&0 going against their own regulations for that, i mean, that's. .. i wouldn't know how to respond to that. they are laying it at your door. and saying they are working with us? again, i wasn't aware of their own regulations, that that was contrary to their own regulations. can you see yourself in a position where you stop this export? this export? live animal transportation is something that is important for scottish agriculture, it is important for our island communities. we just need to make sure it is done as humanely as possible and that we uphold the highest possible standards in terms of animal welfare. this is a financial decision for you? it's not as straightforward as that. it's a case of looking at all the information that comes forward and also trying to balance that with our rural communities and agriculture in scotland, because that is vitally important as well.

the scottish government says it will take note of any changes in england, but currently the options for calves here remain shoot them or ship them. but deep in the galloway countryside, another option is taking shape. back on david findlay‘s farm, he is trying to break the mould. you can see coming up behind are the calves. the calves are still with their mothers. this is nearly five months after calving. and these are dairy cows. so, that is almost unique. this experiment of keeping calves and their mothers together means both less milk and immediate profit for the farmer. they are keeping the milk that they can hold onto for the calf. you have to sit there, presumably, and do that mathematical equation and say, ok, i'm not getting the milk but further down the line...

i have to trust in the numbers. and those numbers are based on these calves. when they are 18 months or so, they will go for slaughter, and david findlay will have income from the sale to compensate for what he has lost in milk, and the calves will have lived with their mums until they‘ re weaned. it has already got the attention of the wider industry. if we can make it profitable at current prices, then the question then becomes the one which we are really aiming for, which is, and it is the one the industry doesn't want to hear, which is, ok, if you can do it... i know, the policymakers won't change anything, the supermarkets won't change anything, nobody will change anything because it is working for them just now. the only thing that will change is public perception and if public perception is changed sufficiently, then the rest will follow. milk means calves.

but consumers potentially do have power over what happens to the ones the industry doesn't need. calves born on this farm will have 18 months with their mums before slaughter. calves born elsewhere won't. and there is a massive world of difference. the question i am asking is, are we comfortable with that difference? the end result is still the same. the cattle will go to slaughter. but the journey to get there is just worlds apart. the day after this programme was first broadcast, p&0 ferries said it would cease transporting young calves across the irish sea, destined for continental europe, with immediate effect.

hello. things turn increasingly windy for many of us over the next few days, and that process has already begun across northern ireland and scotland, strengthening winds here overnight, some rain, some of which will be heavy. that will extend its way down into parts of northern england and north wales. further south and east, mainly dry. a mixture of variable cloud and clear spells. these are the average wind speeds overnight, but gusts will be higher, perhaps touching a0 or 50 miles an hour on irish sea coasts and for the western isles of scotland. but it is a mild night for all of us, temperatures only dropping to between 11—14 celsius. so here is how it's looking through sunday. we have an area of high pressure to the south of the uk, to the north and west, an area of low pressure. these fronts sinking their way south eastwards across the uk. as they run into the area of high pressure, any rain on it will tend to fizzle out, but it's a damp start across parts of scotland, northern england,

the midlands and into wales. notice how through the afternoon it just really becomes a band of cloud, with the odd patch of light rain across the midlands, wales and south—west england. for the north and the south of that cloud bands, some spells of sunshine, but quite a breezy day for all of us, although not as strong as the winds were overnight. still quite gusty for the western isles of scotland. some patchy rain at times here. where we have the sunshine, temperatures up between 17—23 celsius, warmest for east anglia and south—east england. we are keeping an eye on this area of low pressure because it's the remnants of what was hurricane helene. by this time the stage, certainly not a hurricane but still bringing some very strong winds later on monday. and also some warm, tropical air. so by tuesday, could see temperatures across east anglia and south—east england getting up to 2a or 25 celsius. on monday, for most of us mainly dry through daylight hours. a fair amount of cloud across wales, central and southern england, but some sunshine through the afternoon. outbreaks of rain arriving into northern ireland, parts of scotland and north west england and the wind starting to pick up. again, these

are the average speeds but the gusts will be strengthening. 0vernight monday into tuesday, gusts getting up monday into tuesday, gusts getting up to 70 miles an hourfor monday into tuesday, gusts getting up to 70 miles an hour for scotland and northern ireland. again, some warmth around in parts of england and wales but a very messy and u nsettled and wales but a very messy and unsettled picture monday night into tuesday. see how that isobars are tightly packed together. some really strong winds for a time as we go into tuesday. for the early part in next week, strong winds, very warm in the south and east, some rain for the north and west. this is bbc world news today.

i'm samantha simmonds. our top stories: destruction in the philippines — at least 14 are killed after this year's strongest typhoon batters the north of the country. more weather warnings in the us — the military assess the damage as storm florence wreaks havoc on north and south carolina. the pope visits sicily and urges mafia mobsters to abandon a life of crime and violence. and the american space agency launches a laser into orbit to measure the condition of earth's ice sheets. hello and welcome to world news today. at least 14 people have now died in a massive storm which has