this is bbc news. i'm ben brown. the headlines at 9... theresa may says she has new ideas on brexit ahead of her return to brussels for talks on the irish backstop. a new search begins off guernsey today to find missing cardiff city footballer emiliano sala and his pilot. hundreds of students join police to search for libby squires, who disappeared in hull on thursday night — police say they're extremely concerned for her welfare. victims of crime will be given new powers to challenge the release of violent offenders from prison, after a review in england & wales. in sport — england celebrate a stunning victory over ireland in the six nations. and our sunday morning edition of the papers is at 9.35 — this morning's reviewers are business commentatorjosie cox and the education editor of the sunday times, sian grifiths. good morning.

theresa may says she is still determined to deliver brexit on time, as she prepares to re—open negotiations in brussels. writing in today's sunday telegraph, the prime minister says she will be "battling for britain" in the talks, and claims she will be armed with a fresh mandate and "new ideas". here's our political correspondent, chris mason. so firstly, the prime minister clearly wants to squash these suggestions that have been floating around in the ether that brexit may be delayed. she says explicitly she wants to deliver it on time on the 29th of march next month. but there is still a row about the so—called backstop — this is the insurance policy to ensure that the border between northern ireland and the republic remains open under any circumstances after brexit. now, the prime minister says

she gets that parliament wants it to be either time—limited or for the uk to be able to leave the backstop at a time of its choosing. but enter ireland, and their deputy prime minister, simon coveney, writing a piece in the sunday times. he says "look, the backstop is there for a good reason, it is a legal guarantee to keep that border open, and nothing has been suggested that could replace it." so guess what? we are where we were. ireland and the eu is saying "look, the deal is on the table. you can take it or leave it." and the uk is saying "we don't like the backstop" but has not presented yet anything publicly to persuade the eu to change its view. our political correspondent jonathan blake is here with the latest. so she has a fresh ideas, she has written this article in the sunday

to. your opinion? nothing the government has come for the so far isn't anything that hasn't already been ruled out by brussels and the eu in terms of changing that particularly toxic part of theresa may's deeley, which involves the backstop. and so the prime minister says she will be battling for britain when she goes to brussels. we expect at some point in the coming week. as chris said we have a sense of what she will be up against from eu member states, with simon coveney‘s piece in the papers this morning talking about the backstop being a fundamental part of any deal. the political declaration which outlines the future relationship between the eu in the uk, they don't want to start rehashing the withdrawal agreement that has been nailed down and set in

stone. but the prime minister will go back and hoping to change the minds of ireland and the 26 other member states. she says she will be battling for britain and northern ireland, when is she going to brussels? we don't know yet, time is short, we are working towards the deadline of the 29th of march and she said this morning she will deliver rigs at by that date. i will imagine at some point she made travel to brussels and will be interesting to see the reception she gets. —— deliver brexit. an underwater search for the missing plane carrying footballer emiliano sala and his pilot is due to begin this morning. cardiff city's new signing disappeared with his pilot david ibbotson over the english channel 13 days ago. two search ships — one privately—funded and one from the air accidents investigation branch — will search the sea bed off guernsey. john fernandez has the latest from guernsey. this new search effort launched at

3am this morning, left guernsey harbor on behalf of of the family of emiliano sala. it's a crowd funded operation. its meeting up with the search vessel and they will be searching four square nautical miles, compare this to the 1700 square miles covered ide official search launched by the guernsey coastguard more than a week ago. it shows they have an idea of where they believe this missing piper malibu is that was believed to be containing the footballer and the pilot. it's hoped within the three days they are out searching the break in the weather that has been hampering them so far and they will be able to find some evidence which will give some hope to both families who are waiting for some evidence. victims of crime will be given

new rights to challenge the release of violent offenders, under a review of the parole system. the change follows an outcry last year over the planned release of the so—called black cab rapistjohn worboys. it will mean that victims will not have to go to court to contest parole board decisions. instead they'll be able to apply to the department ofjustice and present their objections. hundreds of students have joined the search for libby squires, who went missing after a night out in hull on thursday. police say they are extremely concerned for her welfare, and herfamily said her disappearance was completely out of character, as simon clemison reports. no search is easy. but try subzero temperatures. the conditions here couldn't have made things more difficult. loving, down to earth, 21—year—old libby squire is studying at the university of hull. she got into a taxi outside the welly club on beverley road

at about 11 o'clock on thursday night. it's thought she got out a short time later near her home off the same road, and was last seen on cctv at about 11:45pm. officers have been leading the operation to find libby, going from house to house. about 200 students have also been involved. i want to thank everyone for their messages of concern, for sharing the information about libby, and those who live in the area have been checking their gardens, porches and sheds to try to help us locate her. over 70 officers have been out searching, speaking to herfriends, visiting the pubs and clubs in the area, and making enquiries with those who saw her during thursday evening. despite these efforts, we have still not located libby. libby's family say her disappearance is out of character and so, police are still concerned. but with more freezing temperatures this morning, for now, this search is not getting any easier. simon clemison, bbc news. elsewhere, police say they're extremely concerned for the welfare of a missing student

from the university of reading. daniel williams — who is 19 — was last seen seen in a student union bar in the early hours of thursday. he was reported missing after failing to return to his student accommodation. police say it's out of character for the 19—year—old and have urged the public to report any possible sightings. britain's car manufacturing industry is expected to be dealt a blow this week, when nissan announces it's cancelling a planned investment at its plant in sunderland. three years ago, the company said it would build a new version of its "x—trail" people—carrier at the site, after getting government assurances about the impact of brexit. but it's understood executives will announce tomorrow that they're withdrawing the planned investment, though no immediate job losses are expected. thousands of police officers and civilian staff in england and wales have not been vetted to national standards. new guidelines — designed to weed out rogue recruits — were introduced in 2006, but the bbc has seen figures from 36 forces which show almost

six—thousand staff have not had the retrospective checks. the national police chiefs' council says it's working hard to bring that figure down. venezuela's president nicolas maduro, has told supporters at a rally in caracas that he is prepared to hold parliamentary elections. but the offer falls short of the presidential poll demanded by some european countries. leaderjuan guido, if that doesn't happen. at a rival rally in the capital, mr guaido called for more protests, promising to bring in humanitarian supplies if he took power. 0rla guerin reports from caracas. the opposition called, and from early morning, they came. that word — freedom — was on many lips in caracas today.

and we met plenty who believed venezuela's opposition leader, juan guaido, will be the one to deliver it. we are very proud of him, because he has taken us through the right route to have liberty, democracy and what we have yearned for so many years. 20 years, more or less, yearning for this moment. well, there's a sense here of celebration, the mood is very relaxed, but the intent is serious — to send a message to president nicolas maduro that time is up. the opposition has gathered here in numbers. they believe that a process of change is under way in venezuela and that it won't be stopped. a military helicopter passed overhead, but the security forces kept their distance. speakers told the crowd this was a moment of history, a moment of hope for venezuela.

beaming on stage, the man many now look to as a saviour, juan guaido. already being called venezuelan‘s 0bama, he's a powerful symbol, but an untested leader. today, he tried to court the military with what voice he had left. "welcome to every officer "thatjoins the side of the constitution," he said. "we have amnesties. "soldier of the nation, you have a role in the recovery "of the nation of venezuela." these were the images broadcast by state tv. massive crowds that some claim were suspiciously large. president maduro offered to bring forward parliamentary elections

to this year. that might sound like a concession, but the opposition already control parliament, so he's not giving much. back at thejuan guaido rally, venezuelans literally throwing their money away. it's worth little or nothing anyway. the opposition has called for protests to continue until the maduro era is consigned to history. 0rla guerin, bbc news, caracas. it's being claimed that workers in their 30s have been hit hardest by the effects of the 2008 financial crisis. the resolution foundation, a think tank which focuses on people on lower incomes, has been examining the impact of the crash on salaries. our business correspondent rob young has more details. the height of the financial crisis may have been more than a decade ago but many people are still feeling its effects in their wallet or purse.

according to an analysis of pay data by the resolution foundation, most age groups continue to see a squeeze on their pay, with pay packets buying 3% less than they did a decade ago. 0ne age groupjumps out — people who were starting out in their careers during the crisis and are now in their 30s. their pay is said to be 7% below its high point. there is concern that fall in real wages for those 30—somethings may affect them at big moments in their lives with property and family. this age group is now doing things like trying to save enough to buy a house, settling down and having children, and yet they've just gone through a really significant pay squeeze so it's important we see pay growth returning, productivity growth driving higher pay, and helping these people be able to afford to do things like settle down, have a family and move into their own home. unemployment is currently the lowest it's been for a0 years and wages

have been rising in recent months, so economists hope that means better pay news to come. rob young, bbc news. pope francis will become the first pontiff to visit the arabian peninsula, when he arrives in the united arab emirates later. abu dhabi's crown prince has invited him to take part in an inter—faith conference. the trip will also feature a mass on tuesday, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of people. it's just coming up to a quarter past nine. the headlines on bbc news... a new search begins off guernsey today to find missing cardiff city footballer emiliano sala and his pilot. hundreds of students join police to search for libby squires, who disappeared in hull on thursday night — police say they're extremely concerned for her welfare. the democratic governor

of the us state of virginia, ralph northam, insists he won't resign over a photograph showing two men in racist costumes in his student yearbook. he'd initially apologised but then said he didn't believe that he was in the picture. chris buckler has the story. ralf northam called the photograph on his own college yearbook page racist and despicable. 0n the right of the picture it features a man in blackface and someone in a ku klux klan costume. i am deeply sorry. when it surfaced he immediately released a statement apologising but after countless calls for his resignation the virginia governor is continuing to fight for his political career and now he has changed his story, claiming he wasn't in the picture. we're here today standing in the very space that codified the law

that created slavery. governor northam was elected as a democrat who presented himself as a staunch opponent of racism. there is undeniable anger among voters in virginia — many simply can't accept he could have made a mistake about appearing in such a photograph. a former soldier and doctor, ralf northam has for years been a respected figure in the democratic party but a politician who had the public support of president 0bama now has vice presidentjoe biden saying he has lost all moral authority and should resign immediately. at this news conference ralf northam was questioned about his past, including claims of a very questionable nickname and although he denied being the man in blackface in the yearbook photo, he admitted that on another occasion he had used boot polish to darken his skin to perform as michaeljackson in a talent contest. i had always liked michaeljackson. i actually won the contest because i had learned

how to do the moonwalk. mr northam said resigning would be the easy option and as long as he remains governor he faces more scrutiny of his past and further questions about this controversial picture. chris buckler, bbc news, washington. some council—run nurseries are at risk of having to close because of threats to funding — according to a group of mps. maintained nurseries are often in deprived areas and are given "top up" money to help meet their needs. but that money's under threat, and campaigners say that could devastate the life chances of thousands of vulnerable children. nina warhurst reports. no! billy isn't having his best day. mum! any 3—year—old can feel overwhelmed, but billy's social and communication problems mean he needs extra support, which is what he gets at hindley.

how do you think the staff here handle children like billy? fa nta stically. i've never once heard any of them raise their voices. they are just so calm, they're just so understanding. they get it. and it seems really silly because all nurseries do that, but it does — it'sjust different. maintained nurseries excel. almost two thirds are rated outstanding by 0fsted, but increasingly, they are struggling financially. in 2013, less than 6% of them were in debt. last year, that figure went up to more than 20%. and it's with the extra funding they currently receive from government — funding that could stop next year. sometimes, you can see the relief on the family's faces when they come here and think "these staff are here to help my child, and they're here to help me." what would happen to hindley without that top—up money? we would not be here. we would close because we would not have enough money. it's that serious?

yeah, it's that serious. some children simply have a harder start in life with problems at home or issues with their physical or emotional development. and those are the children who come first in these nurseries — they are guaranteed a place and told that everything possible will be done to close the gaps in those vital early years. yeah! the government told us they do recognise the excellence of maintained nurseries but they have not decided on long—term funding. this week, mps from both main parties came together to say that's not good enough. i think this would be social vandalism of the worst kind to let these nursery schools go by default, when we don't really want them to go but we cannot actually find the pot of money to keep them open. and it could be autumn before we find out if that pot‘s

being provided — too long a wait for some nurseries already making cuts. billy is behaving now that mum's gone, unaware that decisions happening hundreds of miles away could have a profound impact on his future here in wigan. nina warhurst, bbc news. sikhs who carry small swords known as kirpans, for religious reasons, say they are facing discrimination and harassment amid concerns about terrorism and heightened security. some sikhs have been questioned at airports, while another was banned from a theme park. now campaigners are hoping for clearer legislation to protect their right to continue carrying the kirpan. alex strangeways—booth reports. long hair, cotton underwear, a wooden comb, steel bangle, and a small sword called a kirpan — all a vital part of a baptised sikh's identity. jagmeet singh was questioned at gatwick airport, while meeting his family off a flight. a member of the public had reported a man carrying a knife.

i could see if there was a concealed weapon of some sort and someone was acting dodgy in any way, but i'm literally a family man picking up my young family. this was quite disheartening in the fact that people who really should be aware had no idea. it's notjust airport security who will stop sikhs wearing the kirpan. 0ne family's experience of being banned from a theme park led to a change of policy at nearly all the major tourist attractions in the uk — but you still can't get on the london eye if you're wearing one. the experiences of jagmeet and those like him have prompted a sikh education charity to launch a leaflet campaign and to get out and about to educate the public about the kirpan. for a sikh, a kirpan represents a religious honour and a blessing, it's a symbol of defence but in today's world, they say they wouldn't use it as a weapon. in the general world today,

a sikh goes about wearing a kirpan all the time, but it's generally out of sight. a sikh is someone who wakes in the morning and they meditate, and also when it comes to our practices, we stay away from alcohol, we stay away from drugs. so when it comes to a sikh, they're there to protect other people. the current law does say knives can be carried for religious reasons, and sikhs hope the new 0ffensive weapons bill being drawn up at the moment will have more specific protections. the newly formed sikh police association wants all forces to use the leaflet to train their officers. we wouldn't say it's a blade or it's a dagger, the correct terminology is it's a kirpan. it is what it is. first rule of all, there wasn't an issue. second rule, there weren't any issues. legacy will show that there hasn't been any issues in the past. gatwick say it's up to the airport manager to get permission to carry manager to give permission to carry blades more than six centimetres long in an airport terminal,

but many sikhs say it's more important than ever for the public to understand that defence and defending the weak is an integral part of their faith and carrying the kirpan is an outward show of that belief. alex strangeways—booth, bbc news. most raffle winners walk away with a bottle of wine or a box of chocolates. but how would you fancy scooping a six—bedroomed georgian manor house for the cost of a two—pound ticket? one woman did exactly that in 2017. but as increasing numbers of properties are sold via raffles, the advertising standards authority is receiving more complaints about prizes that were too good to be true. jon cuthill reports. this was dunstan low in 2017, announcing the winner of his house. i believe you've just won a house. no way! yes! dunstan owned melling manor in lancashire. but with no income and an increasing mortgage, he was £600,000 in debt. my wife suggested that we give

the keys back to the bank and i actually agreed with that, but i said "just let me try one last thing." dunstan gave people the chance to win his manor, selling tickets forjust £2 each. six months later, he gave away the keys. we just saw it take over £1 million and it was quite unbelievable, the moment — it was such a sense of relief. 0ne leading website that tracks competitions like dunstan‘s says there have been a0 similar ones since his. only two have actually given away a property. last year, this competition was offering the chance to win a £3 million huf haus on the hampshire dorset border for £25 a ticket. it was a dream, wasn't it? it was! i was sold the dream. quantity surveyorjohn black was one of many who bought a raffle ticket, hoping to win avon place. it wasn't until afterwards when i read the ts and cs, it stated that if not enough ticket sales were made,

then a cash prize would be given. you know, that wasn't in the headline on the website. the competition was being run by the property's owners, mr and mrs beresford, who sold around £750,000 worth of tickets. the prize fund given was 110k. you know, where's the rest of the money? the beresfords say huge amounts of money went on advertising, which failed to cover its costs. they say they calculated the price exactly as described in the ts and cs, which all entrants had to accept. but that hasn't stopped some disgruntled punters from going to the authorities. andrew bruce is the investigations manager at the advertising standards authority. the rules say that you need to offer the prize or a reasonable equivalent. the onus is on the promoter to make sure if you want to offer a house as a central prize in this promotion, you need to make sure that you can deliver on that promise.

the berefords have previously said they fully complied with all competition rules and would be filing their accounts in line with statutory requirements. they've since told us they have nothing further to add. jon cuthill, bbc news. and you can see more on that story tomorrow night on bbc inside out south, at 7.30pm or on the bbc iplayer. american football's showpiece event takes place tonight, as the new england patriots and the la rams meet in the super bowl in atlanta. millions of people worldwide are expected to watch the game, which could see patriots quarterback tom brady make history by becoming the only person to win six super bowl titles. a town in poland has been hosting an unusual skiing event this week — a competition for catholic priests. they took to the slopes in cassocks and crash helmets, hoping to bring the coveted title back to their parishes. bill hayton reports. these boots were made for skiing but that cassock wasn't.

no matter, these men have faith and in this event, that's more important than practical skiwear. a sing and a prayer and then the priests hit the piste. it may be a slippery slope but the competitors say there's no conflict between skiing and believing. translation: the model for us is seeing john paul i! who went is stjohn paul i! who went skiing in poland. many of us took an example from him. the churchmen say being in the mountains brings them closer to god. translation: creation is linked to evangelism. there are priests amongst us, amongst some believers, who everyday, through entertainment, through such recreation, show how they live by this faith. you might say it's an indulgence but for these roaming

catholics, this fun has a serious purpose. bill hayton, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with tomasz schafernaker. we have big changes going on for many of us over . it's turning much milder, certainly by the time we reached tomorrow. the weather has not been great across western scotland, it's been icy in some parts but by the time we reach the afternoon the weather will have will have improved across western scotland. in the south that stays bright. tonight, changes coming in, wet and windy weather sweeping across the uk, some snow temporarily across scottish hills, much milder, tonight it will

be frost free. temperatures between 1-7d be frost free. temperatures between 1—7d for the most part. tomorrow temporarily out whether in the morning, some rain and wind, improving for most of us, sunshine for dull fast and manchester, the southeast stain cloudy and damp. for dull fast and manchester, the southeast stain cloudy and damp. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: theresa may says she has new ideas on brexit ahead of her return to brussels for talks on the irish backstop. a new search begins off guernsey today to find missing cardiff city footballer emiliano sala and his pilot.