tonight at ten. inflation at a two—year low. delivering a boost for household finances. lower energy and fuel bills have been major factors in driving inflation down, with wages now rising faster than prices. just don't like spending willy—nilly. you know, still spend carefully but i'm living a comfortable life. but the news comes as many councils in england are set to increase their council tax bills. we'll have more details. also tonight. in exeter, a man is arrested on suspicion of murder after three pensioners are found dead. the victims were all in their 80s. a schoolgirl from london who travelled to syria to join the islamic state group says she now wants to return to the uk because she's pregnant. a bbc investigation finds dogs trained for illegal fighting, being traded around the world. we confront one of the dealers. is it right that the dogs you put in to fight get injured and get killed?

in it goes towards son. here's a chance! oh, what a start that is. and in tonight's football. tottenham take the lead in their champions league tie against borussia dortmund. and coming up on sportsday on bbc news, racing resumes in the uk after a six—day shutdown from the british horseracing authority because of the highly contagious equine flu. good evening. in welcome news for households, the rate of inflation is at its lowest for two years, which economists say is a boost for real spending. lower energy and fuel bills have been major factors in driving inflation down. injanuary, the cost of living was up by i.8%, below the bank

of england's target of 2%. wages are now rising faster than prices, which means that wages are going further every month. but as our economics correspondent andy verity explains, there are some downsides, too. do you fancy some dinner? at home in bolton, melanie gee and jason sharples are among millions of households who benefited from cheaper bills. as a sales executive for a successful packaging company, jason's seen his wages rise faster than prices for five years now, allowing him to buy more with his pay. and other elements of the cost of living are getting more manageable, not less. i do think that petrol has got a lot cheaper than it were. still expensive and i think as a country, we are charging too much for fuel. but petrol, i would say... and i can't really think of much more that's got a lot cheaper. food, certain foods. pay rises have been so weak for

so long, the average rise now of 3.3% is the highest since 2009. but compare that with prices and spending power, the gap between the two, is growing faster than it has in two years. just don't like spending willy— nilly. you know, still spend carefully but i'm living a comfortable life. there's also little sign of inflationary pressure from the rest of the world, with prices paid by producers for imported supplies, such as raw materials, rising only modestly. while the energy price cap played a part in driving inflation down, there's another factor at play, the global slowdown. the more people around the world want to buy and sell and trade goods and transport them around the world, the more oil they need to do it. if there isn't enough to go around, those who want it most will pay more for it and that pushes up the price. but when the world slows down, that goes into reverse, there's plenty of oil and the price drops, and with it, the price of energy. if cheaper bills are making life more affordable,

then for now at least, the global slowdown may have helped. but will it last? what boosted our spending power in the past was each worker producing more per hour than they did the year before, so businesses could afford inflation—beating pay rises. right now, that's barely happening. falling inflation means the gap between wages and prices is as big as it was on the eve of the eu referendum for the first time. that's great news but it can only be short—term. for that gap to get bigger, what we are going to need is improvements in productivity, and those have been lacking forfar too long. cheaper oil and energy may have helped to boost living standards, but it's also a by—product of the global economic slowdown. the silver lining of better living standards is accompanied by a big, grey cloud. andy verity, bbc news. one of the biggest bills households face is council tax, and there are warnings tonight from a survey of councils in england that those bills are set to rise.

our home editor mark easton is here. what kind of rises are we talking about and how extensive? just over one third of english councils responded to the survey and almost every single one said that council tax would rise. three quarters said it would rise by at least 2.5% and most of them i suspect we'll put it up most of them i suspect we'll put it up by most of them i suspect we'll put it up by nearly 3%, the maximum that councils can put it up without a local referendum. this shouldn't come as a surprise. the government in december trumpeted an increase of £1.73 in december trumpeted an increase of £1.3 billion in local authorities's core spending power, which sounds great but the increase assumes every council will raise council tax by the 3% maximum that they are allowed to do. local government has seen central government funding, money from whitehall, cut by 60% since 2010 and council leaders say that even with the extra money announced in the budget last year, they're

still facing a spending gap of over 3000 million pounds, £3 billion. even with putting up council tax, they will need to cut... 29% said they will need to cut... 29% said they would cut adult social care, 2496 they would cut adult social care, 24% said that they would cut children's care and more than half said that they would be dipping into reserves. the government said that councils have had £1 billion more this year and they will be able to keep more of business rates and some other money but all eyes will be on the spending review in march. will the spending review in march. will the chancellor listen to the town halls who are saying they are struggling to protect even the most vital local services? thanks. a 27—year—old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after three pensioners were found dead in exeter. the victims were all in their 80s, and police say the level of violence used against all three had led them to link the deaths. residents say two of the victims were identical twins, aged 8a. 0ur correspondentjon kay is in exeter tonight.

this is the property where two of the bodies were found. violent incidents like these are very unusual in devon, so there is genuine shock here tonight that three men in their 80s are a dead, a triple murder investigation is under way and people are being most to check on elderly relatives and neighbours. in a quiet suburb of a cathedral city, the house where the 84—year—old twins were found dead. all day, police searched the large detached property, and a sprawling back garden. neighbours described the elderly brothers as private and eccentric. they've been named locally as dick and roger carter. they were such nice, quiet men. sylvia told me she'd known the brothers for nearly 60 years. she said they once ran a grocery shop and were always kind. they were so nice.

you just... i don't understand why somebody would do that to them. no, i can't understand it at all. police found the twins' bodies at the house yesterday afternoon. we did think it was unusual for the gates to be open. moments earlier, colin summers had noticed the property was unlocked. my wife and ijust walked past and we came down and thought, it's a bit unusual, because the gates were open. you never see them open, you know. that's the first time we've actually seen inside that garden for the 30 odd years i've been here. a mile away, another house, another crime scene. 2a hours earlier, on monday afternoon, police were called to this terraced property where they've now erected an investigation tent at the front. here they found the body of an 80—year—old man. this note on the front door said a man of that age had been looking for new accommodation for himself and his pet cat.

neighbours told us it had been on the doorfor weeks. police say at the moment the only thing linking the two attacks is the level of violence used against the victims. i know that this news will cause significant and understandable concern, given what is an unprecedented event in our city, which has shocked us all. i know that everyone's immediate concerns will be for the family and friends of the gentlemen involved in this incident. a 27—year—old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. jon kay, bbc news, exeter. senior ministers, including david lidington and stephen barclay, have held talks with the shadow brexit secretary, keir starmer, to discuss labour's brexit proposals. the prime minister is facing a major challenge tomorrow, in a key brexit vote in parliament, because eurosceptic conservatives are threatening not to back her agreement. they say it would effectively rule out leaving the eu without a deal. 0ur political editor laura kuenssberg is at westminster.

what could tomorrow bring for the prime minister? tomorrow is not meant to be a big deal in this very troubled journey towards our departure from the european union. it isn't meant to behind, not meant to bea it isn't meant to behind, not meant to be a big showdown. it is meant to bea to be a big showdown. it is meant to be a day when prime minister asks for permission from parliament to keep the show on the road, to keep going with her pursuit to get a twea k, going with her pursuit to get a tweak, a change to the brexit compromise she's done with the european union over such a long period of time. in that way, mps will be putting forward different ideas, arguing for another referendum, arguing to take the idea of leaving without a formal arrangement off the table. it shouldn't in that sense be a big event because none of those things, as things stand, have a majority on their own. but where the prime minister may come unstuck again is that those brexiteers, the trickiest

customers in this, the mps on her back benches, are threatening not to vote with her tomorrow, which could in the end result in another government defeat. why does that matter, when this is not a big decision—making moment? it matters because right now, theresa may is in and make evidence proving session with the european union. her cou nterpa rts with the european union. her counterparts around the continent wa nt to counterparts around the continent want to see she can get parliament on her side, and want to see she can get parliament on herside, and if want to see she can get parliament on her side, and if she can't tomorrow, that chips away at her credibility again, the credibility that she must show to her cou nterpa rts that she must show to her counterparts in the eu if they are to give her the change that she believes she needs to get the deal through in the end. . thanks for joining us. a ao—year—old man has been found guilty of robbery and the manslaughter of a 100—year—old woman in derby. sofija kaczan, who was born in poland and survived a nazi camp

during the second world war, died of pneumonia just days after being mugged for her handbag. she suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured neck and cheekbone. artur waszkiewicz had denied the charges. one of the three schoolgirls from north london who travelled to syria to join the islamic state group has been speaking of her experiences. shamima begum told the times newspaper that she didn't regret joining is, but that she was nine months' pregnant, and wanted to return to the uk. our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford reports. pictured for the first time in almost four years, in a camp in northern syria, shamima begum, one of the three schoolgirls from bethnal green who left to join the islamic state group which by then already had a murderous reputation. just 15 when they went, she told the

times about their arrival in is territory. she told the times's reported that herfriend she told the times's reported that her friend was killed she told the times's reported that herfriend was killed in an air strike and said that the third bethnal green girl was alive two weeks ago and shamima begum doesn't accept that they made a mistake in joining the islamic state group. but she says that while she was with

is she lost two children through malnutrition and sickness. she is nine months pregnant with a third child and is now desperate to get back to the uk. though it is far from clear whether the british government will allow anyone who spent so long with the brutal islamic state group to return. daniel sandford, bbc news. as pressure grows on the embattled venezuelan president, nicolas maduro, attention is focused on the country s military. he says they remain loyal to him as commader—in—chief, but the bbc has spoken to soldiers who say he has lost the support of the rank and file. with venezuela in economic and political crisis, the us and dozens of other countries have recognised the opposition leader, juan guaido, as interim president.

from caracas, our international correspondent 0rla guerin sent this report. woven into the fabric of the socialist revolution, the venezuelan military — key to the survival of the maduro regime, but hard to penetrate. few soldiers dare to speak out forfear of being jailed, but some have told us there is growing unrest in the ranks. we met a sergeant who has been in uniform for 30 years. for his own protection, he asked us not to show his face. he told us how troops are being kept in line. translation: there is fear in the military family because of special intelligence officers supplied by cuba. anyone suspected of being a traitor to the regime is sent to the cells and left to rot.

many of my fellow soldiers are in this situation. they come at you through your family. they say things like, hey, your boy is getting bad grades at school. and then, of course, you start panicking. we asked the venezuelan leader about allegations of intimidation in the armed forces — amiss, he says, insisting his troops will not rebel. translation: these armed forces are loyal to the constitution, firmly loyal to the constitution, and loyal to the constitutional commander—in—chief, who is nicolas maduro. i am the head of state and the head of government and, according to the constitution, the commander—in—chief. but we drove across town to a poor neighbourhood to get a very different view from a young sergeant.

he didn't want us to broadcast his voice. he says up to 98% of his colleagues are opposed to maduro. no—one can speak freely. phones are tapped and even whispering can be dangerous. the unrest is evident, he told us, and he believes some senior officers are just waiting for a chance to move against the president. the official picture is one of togetherness, with nicolas maduro the commander—in—chief. venezuela has been holding its largest ever military drill this week. for nicolas maduro, a chance to rally the troops. you thousands of men and women have shown the kind of skill, training and moral strength that we need, he said, in order to say to the us empire, hands off venezuela.

yankee, go home! it seems the top brass are continuing to back him. what's clear is that if nicolas maduro ever loses the army, he'll be gone. 0rla guerin, bbc news, caracas. the pilot on trial for the deaths of 11 people during a crash at the shoreham air show in 2015 has rejected claims that he had a cavalier attitude to flying. giving evidence at the old bailey, andrew hill said he took a "disciplined and structured" approach to flying. he denies 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence, as our correspondent daniela relph reports. andrew hill has not spoken publicly since the crash in august, 2015. but today, he began to give his version of events. on a perfect summer's day, he'd been at the controls of this vintage jet fighter at the shoreham airshow. but during a loop manoeuvre, the prosecution say he was too low and too slow, with devastating consequences.

oh, my god! the plane hit the busy a27 road and 11 people died. 0ne expert witness for the prosecution told the court andrew hill's flying had been about as negligent as you can get. but in his defence, mr hill described his extensive experience from the raf, to british airways. his barrister karim kalil asked him... andrew hill replied... asked by his barrister about shoreham's catastrophic end, andrew hill spoke about his attitude to risk. he said the primary aim of the display had been to avoid risk. the trial has already heard from medical staff who treated andrew hill.

he told them he had blacked out during the flight. he continues his evidence tomorrow. daniela relph, bbc news, the old bailey. a bbc undercover investigation has found that dogs trained for illegal fighting are being traded around the world, including britain, for thousands of pounds. a year—long investigation was originally based on evidence from the charity the league against cruel sports. tonight it has called for tougher policing of illegal dogfighting and tougher penalties. a warning, this report by our correspondent tom symonds includes some distressing images of animal cruelty. for more than an hour, this dog has fought for his survival, until this... he died the next day. they call this a sport, but it's illegal in most countries. the injuries are horrific. it's a very horrible crime. this is an italian investigator who has been working undercover for us for months.

i can't understand how it's possible that people who work with dogs can do that. she was sent this video by one of the men who attended the fight. bulgarian ivaylo nikolov wants you to think he's delivering pets around the world, but one of his dogs chewed through the bars of its cage. we'd been told he was involved in the trafficking of fighting dogs. the uk charity, the league against cruel sports, had been watching him. we found 29 countries across four continents where he is selling dogs. 29 countries?! 29 countries in four continents. so that's big business? yeah, big business. bulgaria — this is where he lives, and where many fighting dogs are now coming from. 0ur undercover investigator made contact, interested in buying one. he took the bait. he said he could get us tested dogs, match winners. we used specialist pedigree websites to examine which dogs

had been bred from his. it turned out ivaylo nikolov shipped one of his champions to britain, where it bred this dog. clues in the picture helped us identify its owner. he's kerry evans, who was convicted of dogfighting offences in 2014. this video was filmed in his back garden. nikolov‘s bulgarian bloodline extends to britain. and now he's keen to do a deal with our investigator. he's offered us a fully grown fighting dog. the price is 3000 euros. we're on our way to meet up with him. the dog is tested, ready to go. previously he said, keep it private. but he seems to trust us. he's now sending messages. he's now sending voice messages. very greatjoy for me, when i meet people with such a great desire. and i'm not talking about sales, money or anything else.

i'm only talking about the true, pure love for the game. but this is the game. he sent us this video. the lighter dog is the one we're buying. by the end, both are covered in blood, and the men have blood on their hands. it's time to meet on the way to picking up the dog. we have friends who do dogs for many years. they breed, they select and they use. he's made preparations. in his car there is a box forthe dog, and... so i have made bulgarian documents, also blood tests and export certificates. but we're not about to give him money, so... we'd like to talk to you about your dogs business. and the dogs you're trading around the world. how much money do you make from that? how much money are you making from it? nothing. nothing?

no. you're not making anything? you're not trading fighting dogs around the world? no. yes, you are. we've been watching you for some time, ivo. we know what you've been doing. is it right that the dogs you put into fights get injured and killed? no. so why do you do it? are you going to answer our questions? i don't know you, i don't want to talk to you. back in the uk, the scottish society for the prevention of cruelty to animals recently seized these dogs. with police under pressure, when it comes to animal cruelty, charities lead the way. the crime is horrific and leads to such dreadful injuries to the dogs. i think we've got to get much tougher with the sentencing than where we are at the moment with six months and a fine. as for ivaylo nikolov, we've heard nothing. butjust after we confronted him, his online social media profiles disappeared. tom symonds, bbc news. new footage has emerged of the hull university

student, libby squire, on the night she disappeared. the cctv images show the 21—year—old near the welly club music venue in hull, just after 11:00pm on the 31st of january. police are continuing to search an area close to 0ak road playing fields, near the last known sighting. millions of children and young people are using social media every day, everything from instagram to snapchat, facebook to twitter. the level of use has led to widespread and growing concern about the impact it has on their lives. the family of 14—year—old molly russell, who killed herself after viewing images of self harm and suicide, say they partly blame instagram for her death. her suicide has provoked a wider debate about social media. 0ur correspondent ashley john—baptiste has been talking to young people in birmingham. a group of people in their 20s. they're from different parts of the country and have never met before. they've come to birmingham to share their experiences of social media.

how has social media enhanced your life? for me, social media created what i am today. so, i run my own business, i've been doing that since the age of 11. being so young, starting that out, i didn't learn that from a textbook. i didn't learn it from being told by my family. it was all learnt online. i know i wouldn't be where i am without social media. it's introduced me to people from all over the world. they can be from anywhere. i've got in touch with people from the philippines, i've got in touch with people from vietnam. taneeka, you have multiple sclerosis. how has social media helped you with your condition? it's helped me a lot. for example, on instagram, all i have to do is type in #ms, and so many things pop up, and people. i can find out about diets, what has worked for certain people. what sort of things triggered their symptoms. i think when you use social media properly, it can be really good.

it can support you in different ways. for me, i was exposed to a lot of content of self harm images. i didn't even have to seek these graphic images. they were just posted by the people that i followed. it became a habit for me to still view this content. i was in this mindset, this really dark place. eventually i actually started self harming myself. so, i started cutting on my arms and on my legs, just like these photos had shown. it got to a point where ijust had to delete all my social media. how has that been for you? i think it's unfair to say that social media caused me to feel really down and depressed, but it didn't help. and i feel since deleting all my social media, i feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. do you guys feel safe on social media? i feel totally safe on social media, just due to the fact that i only follow what i want to see. for me it's to do with a mindset. because if your mind is strong enough then

you can overcome anything. i think social media is doing "enough", quote unquote. do you? i think so. we don't get to see all the positives that they do, all the thousands of images that they do delete. and of course, some slip through. if one person is abusing a platform to post an inflammatory image, then that is that person's fault. it's not the platform's fault, especially if they are doing a good job of scrubbing most of the content that shouldn't be on there. it's up to everyone else to be educated on the issues and how to deal with them appropriately. social media has got its good and its bad points. it's brilliant for people like yourself who can reach people all across the world, but then we are increasingly disconnected from a situation we are in right now. like, you go out for food with your friends, and you're all on your phone and not actually taking in the atmosphere. can you relate to that? yeah. i can't relate to that. you can't?! go on. just due to the fact that if you're with your friends, it's a moment with all your friends, so there's no need to be on your phone unless you're trying to capture a moment. whilst views differ on its impact,

what they will agree on is that social media cannot always replace the benefit of meeting face—to—face. ashleyjohn—baptiste, bbc news. if you're affected by any of the issues raised in tonight's report and would like details of organisations which offer advice and support, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline, or you can call free at any time to hear recorded information 0800 066 066. football, and tottenham have been in action in the first leg of their last 16 champions league tie against borussia dortmund. 0ur sports correspondent joe wilson is at wembley. long before the arch here at wembley, this place was really for finals. when you are in the knockout stages of the champions league, that final seems feasible. tottenham have a lwa ys final seems feasible. tottenham have always said they are in it to win it, and after this game, this 3—0

win over the german league leaders, maybe they are right. wembley may be football's ultimate destination. for spurs, it's the home which isn't home. still, if you're walking, march with belief. there is a suspicion at tottenham that football's almost forgotten them. tonight, hmm. .. they had a statement to make. in a flash, lucas moura for tottenham. . . missed. remember, they're without the injured harry kane and dele alli. borussia dortmund, though, did have one of england's most exciting attackers, the teenage feet of jadon sancho. he left england to seek opportunity in germany and often left spurs getting. and often left spurs guessing. no foul spotted here by the referee. tottenham's goalkeeper had to stay fully alert. goalless, just, at half time.