fears that hundreds of thousands are homeless in africa after what the un says might be one of the worst natural disasters to hit the southern hemisphere. a tropical cyclone swept across mozambique, zimbabwe and malawi four days ago. aid agencies say the extent of the disaster is only just becoming clear. floodwaters in some places were said to be 20 feet deep — villages and towns were submerged, homes completely flattened. translation: my house was destroyed in the floods and i was buried underneath. my daughter was with me in bed and was washed away from me. the striking thing as you walk through here is just how exhausted they are. person after person has come up to us asking for help, wondering when aid is going to arrive. it's unclear exactly how many people may have died but the death toll is rising.

also tonight... after the spea ker‘s intervention on another brexit vote in parliament, the prime minister's expected to write to the eu tomorrow asking for a delayed leaving date. the first funerals are about to get under way in new zealand for the 50 people who were killed in the mosque attacks last friday. england's danny rose talks to us about claims that the media's portrayal of black footballers helps to fuel racism amongst supporters. and how to be happy. it's international happiness day tomorrow, so what's the key? and coming up on sportsday on bbc news... team sky becomes team inneos — we'll be discussing whether this new major sponsorship deal could lead to total domination in cycling. good evening.

it's feared hundreds of thousands of people are homeless after what's thought to be one of the worst natural disasters to hit africa. cyclone idai struck the coast of east africa four days ago, swamping mozambique, zimbabwe and malawi. the united nations says the world has yet to realise the full scale of the massive disaster. the storm made landfall on the coast of mozambique, bringing 100 mile—per—hour winds and floodwaters that were swept inland. no—one knows how many people may have died. the red cross says urgent aid is needed. in a moment, shingai nyoka reports from zimbabwe but first our africa editor fergal keane is in the port city of beira in mozambique, which has been flattened. whatever once lay here has been overwhelmed. now the flooded land is an expanse of questions. what has become of those who lived here? only a silence below. and very occasional moments of reprieve. these survivors landing

at beira airport, rescued from high ground near their submerged village. driving into the city, we saw how nature's full, awesome force had ripped through homes and lives. 90% of the city has suffered destruction. and you see it in the ruins, and in faces. because we were foreign, because we came from a richer world, the people called out to us for help. no food, no water, no place to rest. we heard it again and again. this man led me to his family's battered, one—room house. the floodwater soaked

their meagre belongings. so how many of you live here? ten people. ten people? in this little room? yes. here, his sister, seriously ill with tuberculosis. already marginal lives, now made desperate. i have more problems. my house is broken. in my house, i have nothing to eat, nothing, nothing. from morning up till now, we have nothing to eat. we are getting a few minutes‘ respite now from the rain because it's been falling nonstop and just adding to people's misery. the really striking thing as you walk through here is just how exhausted they are. person after person has come up to us, as you have seen, asking for help, wondering when aid is going to arrive. beira is severely damaged but it is at least reachable, and even here the warehouses that store food aid have been badly damaged.

it is out in the countryside, though, that many are thought to be waiting for rescue. this is a glimpse of what helicopters and courage can do, but there are too few such rescues. some food aid is now being distributed, but the relief effort is still nowhere near what is needed. everything the storm could destroy, it did, and there is an ominous sense that the tragedy we have seen so far foreshadows much worse to come. fergal keane, bbc news, beira. the cyclone has carved out a whole new landscape. rivers and waterfalls now flow where generations have lived. communities separated and in need of help. the weak, the old, women with children on their backs, have trekked four hours through the mud to get to safety. have trekked for hours

through the mud to get to safety. this makeshift centre has only the basics. food, shelter, a few medicines for the injured. we have heard harrowing stories. some rescuers have told me of homes, and also bodies being washed away in the rivers below, washed away to mozambique, which is behind this mountain range, gone, never to come back again. the trauma of the last few days is written on most faces here. many homes collapsed as people slept. this woman managed to escape. herjob, as a survivor, has been to bury the dead. translation: most of the bodies were badly decomposed. we were not able to move them and we had to bury them in pairs because we didn't have enough coffins. yesterday we buried 70 people. others are making their way back through the treacherous roads to search for their loved ones. this man's uncle and his wife have been missing for days.

we are not confident but we want to get information, so we can get help from other people, or from well—wishers. many more people remain huddled in schools and basic clinics, waiting for help. translation: my mother, my father, my two young sisters, one of whom had just had a child, they are all dead. translation: my house was destroyed in the floods and i was buried underneath. translation: my house was destroyed in the floods and i was buried underneath. my daughter was with me in bed and was washed away from me. the nation is trying to keep up with the death toll. burying the dead is meant to bring a sense of closure but many here don't even have time to grieve. they are still trying to survive. shingai nyoka, bbc news. our science editor david shukman joins me now. such terrible destruction over such large parts of africa. it is climate

change to blame? it's impossible to a nswer change to blame? it's impossible to answer that tonight but scientists have been working on that and will give an answer in the next few weeks. there are to ways climate change may have made the disaster worse. one is we change may have made the disaster worse. one is we are change may have made the disaster worse. one is we are seeing the sea—level rise, as ice sheet melt, and that means when you get the big waves of a storm surge they are better able to reach further inland and cause more destruction. at the same time as you are getting global warming, warm aircan same time as you are getting global warming, warm air can hold more moisture so when you get rain storms the rainfall is much more intensely and we have seen that in mozambique in this disaster, adding to the flooding. mozambique has been hit by tropical cyclones before, this one has been particularly bad. they will have to think how they rebuild now. it is particularly bad. i have reported on a flooding disaster in mozambique before, but back then there wasn't a lot of thought given

to the future. a lot of experts are saying now that when mozambique gets into the phase of reconstruction and building, people have got to be helped to do that in a way that makes them more resilient so if we are entering a world where bigger storms are more likely, more frequent, those people are better able to help. david, thank you. with just ten days to go until the uk is due to leave the european union, the prime minister is preparing to make a formal request to the president of the european council for an extension to the two—year deadline of negotiating britain's withdrawal. there was disagreement at the cabinet meeting this morning, as options for both a short delay until the end ofjune and a longer postponement were discussed. the eu's chief brexit negotiator, michel barnier, says theresa may must be clear about what the extension is for and how long it will last. our political editor laura kuenssberg reports from westminster. coffee ? i'm fine, thank you. coffee ? tea ?

something stronger might have been required in number ten last night. how do you explain to the public what you did, mr bercow? it's a very, very impressive bobble hat you're wearing... after the speaker said yesterday the government can't have another vote on its brexit deal right now, not when he wanted to talk about this morning. lots of people are annoyed at this decision. what would you reply to that? using a rule from the 17th century to block the possibility of another vote. thank you, sir. traitor! shockingly, that's a call heard often around here these days. while in government, where there's long been simmering frustration with the speaker, the search is on to find a way of keeping the prime minister's deal alive. will brexit ever happen? absolutely. ministers were told by the speaker they can'tjust keep going. is the deal finally dead, mr hunt? have another third go at getting theresa may's compromise through the commons unless it changes. the speaker's ruling yesterday raises the bar and we need to see what's different as we approach the next vote. but what one cabinet minister

described as pantomime is not the big problem. that's still getting enough tories to back the pm. are you still persuadable after yesterday's column? no answers there yet. and the prime minister's northern irish allies are not budging either. there is an opportunity over the next number of days for the prime minister to go out to europe and say, "the speaker's ruling now makes it imperative we have some change to the current agreement." don't hold out for that happening, at least not fast. after a fraught cabinet meeting this morning, theresa may is writing to her counterparts on the continent asking for a pause. after this morning's meeting, it's understood she'll say we should delay until end ofjune, but with an option to go further if needs be. downing street says there's been no final decision, but it seems the cabinet can't yet agree. people have got different approaches to how we should do this, of course, but we're all clear we want to get it done as soon as we possibly can. but maybe that's a forlorn hope now.

what i'm trying to do is reach out all across the house for an alternative. because clearly her proposals do not enjoy a majority in the house. and whatever the prime minister asks for... bonjour. attention — in truth it's not up to her. it will be for the 27 leaders to assess the reason and the usefulness for an extension. eu leaders will need a concrete plan for the uk. a plan? there are plenty of them round here, but one that's sure to work and last, don't be so sure. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. our europe editor katya adler is in brussels. the prime minister is expected to send her a letter tomorrow asking for the delay, what will her response be? i think in the prime

minister will get an extension to the brexit process but i don't think it will be that straightforward. eu leaders are frustrated and resentful about brexit by this stage. the bottom line is they want to avoid a no—deal brexit and the blame game they think it inevitably will follow. they think the prime minister will send a letter asking for a short extension with the possibility to lengthen it but they have always said they won't grant a longer extension unless something politically significant happens in the uk like a general election. trust in circles around the prime minister is low now so eu leaders say they want proof parliament would sign up to a longer extension before the eu debate said, organises it and signs off on it which means the prime minister may not get a definitive answer on an extension on thursday this week when she comes face—to—face with eu leaders at a

summit. that in turn is fuelling rumours and loud whispers there could be a second emergency summit a week later on the 28th of march, just one day before the uk is still officially leaving the european union. there is no appetite for the second summit in eu circles but if it takes place eu leaders won't see it takes place eu leaders won't see it as it takes place eu leaders won't see itasa it takes place eu leaders won't see it as a rubber—stamping exercise on an extension but rather the moment the european union took action to prevent a no—deal brexit. the european union took action to prevent a no-deal brexit. katya adler in brussels, thank you. american—backed forces in syria say they have captured the last piece of territory held by islamic state. it follows a lengthy air and ground assault on is's final stronghold, near the syrian village of baghouz. local forces have been celebrating what they called a victory not just for the middle east but for all humanity. but they say some is fighters may still be hiding underground. from baghouz, aleem maqbool reports. and a warning, his report contains some flashing images.

they're dancing forjoy in northern syria after fighters here claim they've taken back every last bit of territory from the islamic state group. we got to this point after a massive ground offensive. we were there for the opening salvos, a barrage from the hills into the remnants of the is camp. the militants had so many chances to surrender, but patience had been running out. the assault came from positions all around the camp and went on for many hours. in daylight, we were taken by a local fighter to a point where we could survey the damage. a large part of the camp had already been taken from the militants, but the offensive continued, including from our own position. at one point, we could make out islamic state group fighters running through the battlefield — perhaps trying to launch a counterattack.

is itself released a video from inside the camp, a female militant among those still fighting. but just hours later, the front went quieter. "the entire area is under the control of our fighters," says the spokesman of the local forces. "we can say, as a territory, the so—called islamic state is completely finished." he cautioned that some is fighters were still hidden and sporadic clashes would go on. but that wasn't dampening joy here. there is no doubting how these fighters who've just come back from the front line feel. they feel the job is done. they say that for the first time tomorrow, they're going to relax and celebrate what they feel is the end of the so—called islamic state. even if all is territory really has been retaken, no—one's under the illusion the danger posed

by the group is over. for now, though, these men are savouring what they feel is their moment. aleem maqbool, bbc news, in baghouz, syria. the number of people in work in the uk has risen again and now stands at more than 32.5 million. according to the latest quarterly figures, the employment rate is 76.1% — the highest since records began in 1971. today's figures also show the rate of unemployment fell below 4% for the first time since 1975. the first funerals for the victims of the mosque attacks in new zealand have just begun. new zealand's prime minister, jacinda ardern, has arrived back in christchurch where the attacks took place last friday to pay her respects. clive myrie is there for us. yes, two burials are taking place as eyes ultimate coup of the victims of

these atrocities. there has been consternation that the bodies are not being given back to them quick enough for burial. under islamic law the dead should be buried within 2a hours. authority said they are working as fast as they can to speed up working as fast as they can to speed up the process. 21 victims had been identified in the body is handed backin identified in the body is handed back in the name is releasable to the papers by the end of the vehicle 50 of those who died will be laid to rest. —— by the end of the week, all 50 of those who died. the man who carried out the attacks is in prison and the prime minister has made it clear she will never add to his name. “ clear she will never add to his name. -- at his name. bereft of a son, a brother, a friend, hussain al—umari's family want to celebrate his life. witnesses saw the 35—year—old confront the christchurch gunman,

moments before being shot. born in abu dhabi to a family from iraq, they say he lived and died a new zealander, and the country should honour him. that's what he did in the mosque, he sacrificed his life. he's a giver. he gave his soul. he immediately stood up and tried... tried tojump and grab the gun from him, and telling him, "what are you doing here? get out, get out!" he's a hero. at parliament, the day started with reflection, and anger against the 28—year—old australian man accused of bringing bloodshed to christchurch. he sought many things from his act of terror. but one was notoriety. and that is why you will never hear me mention his name. he is a terrorist, he is a criminal, he is an extremist. but he will, when i speak, be nameless.

some have described this terror attack as new zealand's loss of innocence. the reality is more complicated. just like any other country, there are racial tensions here and politicians have railed against immigration. prior to the attacks in 2017, new zealand's deputy prime minister described immigrants as "not people we need", blaming them for low wages and a housing shortage. according to nayan, there is an undertow of racism here, which has allowed extremism to fester. it's very much present in new zealand, very deep—rooted. i mean, since i have been here for ten years, i have faced soft racism, getting called an n—word. you don't know it unless you are a person of colour. since the attack, hussain al—umari's family say they have experienced nothing but love and support. they hope that unity lasts beyond these first difficult days. when we see the people, when we see

the community is together... it's an amazing feeling. i love it. thank you, new zealand. i love you, new zealand. the first funeral for one of the victims takes place today. others, will be buried in a group service. i want to show you the swelling carpet of flowers here that tens of thousands of people had been visiting in recent days to pay their respects. flowers are sometimes a shorthand for words. how do you explain the terrible events that took place in the two mosques? the

prime minister, jacinda ardern, is in christchurch. maybe she will be able to find the words to convey the grief of a whole new nation. back to you. police in northern ireland say two men have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over the deaths of three teenagers at a st patrick's day party in cookstown on sunday night. one of them is the owner of the hotel where the event took place. officers said up to 400 people were outside the greenvale hotel — waiting to get in — and more could have died in the incident. they're continuing to examine cctv footage. the england footballer danny rose has backed claims from manchester city's raheem sterling that the media s portrayal of black footballers helps to "fuel racism" amongst supporters. last december sterling was the victim of alleged racist abuse from a fan during a match against chelsea. tottenham's danny rose claims players were over the moon to see the issue highlighted. he was speaking to our correspondent natalie pirks ahead of england's euro qualifier against the czech republic on friday.

this england team is flying but it is not only results that have been a breath of fresh air. their previous players were afraid to speak their mind, the rise of social media has given modern footballers a voice. and in the case of raheem sterling, a powerful one. after he was allegedly racially abused chelsea earlier in the season he took to instagram to say the media's different treatment of black and white players