this is the business briefing. i‘m ben bland. presidential pals: as brazil‘s right—wing leader jair bolsonaro hits it off with donald trump, this is the briefing, i'm ben bland. how are things back at home? we take a closer look our top story: at the brazilian economy. and game on for google: victims of the mosque shootings the tech giant launches are being buried in christchurch. its new streaming platform, called stadia. police say all the bodies will be released by the end of the day. and on the markets, asian shares slipped from six—month highs cyclone idai leaves hundreds of thousands homeless after striking africa. as investors took profits ahead of a policy decision by the us federal reserve. it may be he worst natural disaster that's ever hit the southern hemisphere. with brexit deadlocked, theresa may is formally asking the european union to delay britain's withdrawal beyond march the 29th. and game on for google: the tech giant launches its new streaming platform, called stadia.

a warm welcome to the programme, briefing you on all you need to know in global news, business and sport. so today is international happiness day, so it's a simple question today — what makes you happy? ona on a wednesday! i know! also, keep it clean! tell us what you think. just use the hashtag #bbcthebriefing. hello. the first burials of people who died in last friday's mass shootings at two mosques in new zealand have happened in christchurch. the bodies of an unnamed father and son were carried in open caskets on the shoulders of mourners into a large tent at the city's memorial park cemetery. their relatives have asked for privacy. new zealand police say they hope to have completed the formal identification of all 50 victims by the end of wednesday,

and would then be able to release the bodies to the families. my colleague clive myrie has been speaking to new zealand's prime minister, jacinda ardern, where she explained her decision not to name the gunman. you know, it is very clear from the ma nifesto you know, it is very clear from the manifesto that this individual sought to distribute that one of his goals, apart from of course raining terror upon a community, the muslim community, of new zealand, but he sought notoriety and we will absolutely deny him that. trying to understand the mind of someone like this to prevent a future tragedy, doesn't your action mitigate against that? if he is simply forgotten? 0h, no. and you can't even say his name.

let us not forget about learning the lessons here and fulfilling the wish of the perpetrator. we absolutely have to learn the lessons from both what kay ‘s rise to the ugly ideology of this individually —— gave rise to the ugly ideology of this individual and what helped that to grow and spread but i distinguish from that, from fulfilling his wish to gain notoriety out of his heinous act and so that is the distinction i make. but when you heard the news of what happened, what were your thoughts? i don't think any leader, anywhere, can really prepare themselves for those moments. but it is fairto themselves for those moments. but it is fair to say, i happen to be, though, the prime minister of a particularly peaceful nation, and

inclusive nation, a place where 200 ethnicities and 160 languages are spoken. we pride ourselves on being well—known as a welcoming place. in fa ct, well—known as a welcoming place. in fact, the terrorist who bought this act to new zealand chose us for this terrorist act because we are all of those things. and so, shock was my — was of course my immediate reaction. you know, how could this happen here? to ask? and to this community? jacinda ardern there, the new zealand prime minister, speaking to my colleague. joining me now is our correspondent mariko oi in christchurch. mariko, a very difficult day ahead for the families as they prepare to bury their loved ones. that's right, ben. the first funerals i finally

got under way today so it was a particularly special day for those victims, —— victims‘ families. the prime minister acknowledged again during the press conference the frustrations they may have felt about getting their loved ones bodies back. the islamic tradition dictates the bodies be buried within 24 dictates the bodies be buried within 2a hours but because of the identification process and the criminal case against the alleged suspect, but needs to be built, there was an obvious delay. the police commissioner even apologised for it but he emphasised the importance of this whole process. as he mentioned the majority of bodies have been released to the families and more funerals are going to take place here. mariko, every day i speak to you and your colleagues christchurch it seems the number of people around you and behind you coming to pay tribute seems to grow. indeed, ben. this makeshift memorial at the botanic gardens has been

really overwhelmed with floral tributes, personal messages, hundreds and hundreds of people coming to pay their respect to the victims. and while the mood remains sombre, we have been struck by the strength and support of the local community, the public and police officers, even, offering muffins to the people here. so we have really been noticing their resilience, sharing their stories, sharing their grief as well. and is there any development in the investigation but the police are carrying out? —— that the. we heard from the police commissioner mike bush earlier today, he talked about how the suspect was arrested on his way to a potential third attack, a third location, and he visited the first responders earlier today, praising their work for saving many more

lives that could have been lost without their effort. she also visited cashmere high school, she made a very emotional speech, telling the students it was ok to grieve but she also asked for their help to stop the spread of racism and extremism. she told the students they could ask her anything they wa nted they could ask her anything they wanted and one of them actually asked her how she was and she said "thank you for asking, i am very sad but thank you for asking" so an emotional day for the prime minister who made her second visit to christchurch since last week‘s attack. mariko, thank you very much. mariko oi in christchurch. 300 people are now known to have died after cyclone idai hit southern africa. 200 of the victims were in mozambique, and another 100 in zimbabwe, where ministers have admitted the government failed to anticipate the magnitude of the tropical storm. potentially, millions of people are affected in mozambique, zimbabwe and malawi. aid agencies are struggling to reach communities that have been cut off. our africa editor fergal keane

sent this report from one of the worst—hit areas of mozambique. 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 this 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 — ten peoples. ten people. yes. 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. and in my house, i don‘t have nothing to eat — nothing, nothing. from morning up to now, we have nothing to eat. we‘re getting a few minutes‘ respite now from the rain, because it‘s been falling non—stop,

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‘ve 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 farforeshadows much worse to come. fergal keane, bbc news, beira.

let‘s brief you on some of the other stories making the news. dutch police have arrested another man suspected of involvement in monday‘s shooting on a tram in utrecht. three people died. police say their prime suspect, gokmen tanis, is being kept in custody, but they‘ve still not established a motive for the attack. a usjury has found that the weedkiller roundup substantially contributed to a man‘s cancer. the court in california ruled in favour of edwin hardeman, who‘d sued the chemical giant monsanto after using the herbicide on his property for 25 years. the national portrait gallery in london has said it will not accept a gift from a family with links to an addictive painkiller. the sackler trust was forced to withdraw its $1.3 donation following protests about oxycontin. the british prime minister,

theresa may, is to write to the president of the european council, donald tusk, today to formally ask for brexit to be postponed. it‘s still not clear how long she wants the proposed extension to be. but any delay will need the approval of all 27 remaining eu states. caroline rigby reports. it is 1000 day since britain voted to leave, theresa may chose the deadline, much 29,2019. to leave, theresa may chose the deadline, much 29, 2019. now, just one week away. but with parliament and her own party still hugely divided... order. and this further spanner divided... order. and this further spanner thrown in the box by the speaker. what the government cannot legitimately do is to resubmit to the house the same proposition, or substantially the same proposition, as that of last week, which was rejected by 149 votes. will brexit

be delayed? time is running out for the prime minister and it appears europe is fast losing patience too. the clock is ticking and time is running out and we are really exhausted by these negotiations. are you here for a chat or to do a deal? so despite months of talking, even the odd argument, perhaps, mrs may is doing what you never wanted to do — formally asking the eu for an extension. initially until the end ofjune extension. initially until the end of june with the extension. initially until the end ofjune with the option for a lengthy delay if needed. there are plenty of barriers here in westminster and theresa may has come up westminster and theresa may has come up against one after another in the commons so brussels will be looking for assurances she has a plan to ove 1120 m e for assurances she has a plan to overcome those obstacles before they remove their own. we need an ant initiative, we need something new because if it is an extension to

remain in the same deadlock where we are, how do we get out of this deadlock? mrs may's request for a delay will be requested —— considered by the eu 27 and if they fail to reach agreement on thursday they could be forced to reconvene foran they could be forced to reconvene for an emergency summit a week later, just one day before brexit is due to happen. nothing like a tight deadline to focus the mind! caroline rigby, bbc news. david buik, a market commentator at core spreads, is here with me. good morning. iwonder what good morning. i wonder what the rest of the world makes of this when they are looking from the outside at all thatis are looking from the outside at all that is going on and the latest tricks in the —— twist in the saga. they would have to be as embarrassed as we are, this is a shambles and a mess, we have had 2.5 years, even though you know i have done a lot of spadework, the actual achievement for you and i is zero and here we are with something like nine days to go until we are supposed to be leaving the european union with not

the remotest chance of coming to an agreement that would agree that parliament would agree to, i mean, we have 400 odd mps who are passionately remain, 250 who are leavers, we have a prime minister who appears not to consult anybody, apart from her immediate advisers, we have no cross—party discussions at all on how we are, we have now got to a situation where she cannot, even to be honest with you, even if don burke oh had not had said about the vote the couple days ago, you could not present this for the third time, having plenty of help from people in the house who are looking to subvert brexit, what is he going to subvert brexit, what is he going to— to subvert brexit, what is he going to — what is she going to say to the eu?! to — what is she going to say to the eu? i need an extension to the end ofjune eu? i need an extension to the end of june with european eu? i need an extension to the end ofjune with european elections coming up so michel barnier will hold his arms and say mrs may, what

for and how long and why? and it will be difficult because i cannot get my country to agree... it is appalling. so he is either going to say if we give you an extension, we‘re going to have to probably say that you will need to stay in the single market for two years. that is not brexit. or at the end of the day if you cannot do it, we will have to persuade you to have a people ‘s vote, and that again, only five mps agreed to that. picking up on that point a little later, so now we will do the papers. stay with us for that. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: the latest sports news, including plans for player names and numbers in test cricket. today, we have closed the book on apartheid and that chapter. more than 3,000 subway passengers were affected. nausea, bleeding, headaches and a dimming of vision — all of this caused by an apparently organised attack. the trophy itself was on the pedestal

in the middle of the cabinet here. now, this was an international trophy, and we understand now that the search for it has become an international search. above all, this was a triumph for the christian democrats of the west, offering reunification as quickly as possible, and that‘s what the voters wanted. you‘re watching the briefing. our headlines: victims of the mosque shootings are being burried in christchurch. police say all the bodies will be released by the end of the day. cyclone idai leaves hundreds of thousands homeless after striking africa. it may be he worst natural disaster

that‘s ever hit the southern hemisphere. in brussels, the european people party meets to discuss a proposal that fidesz — the governing party in hungary — be expelled. viktor orban, the hungarian prime minister, has angered moderate conservatives in europe with what they see as his increasingly radical nationalism, and most recently by calling his critics within the epp "useful idiots." he has apologised for that remark, but will it be enough to save his party‘s membership? nick thorpe is in budapest. yes, this is a very important day. will it be expelled? will it be suspended from the european people‘s party or will it hang onto that position which it cherishes so much? the prime minister has always said that plan a is to stay within the european people‘s party. he doesn‘t regard himself as a conservative,

although i suppose is a national conservative. i have been talking to some of those involved in this dispute, including a visit to a university which may hold the key to whether the very important german vote at today‘s european people‘s party session goes with or against the hungarian —— hungarian governing party. a national holiday in hungary to commemorate the heroes of the 1848 freedom fight against the monarchy. a day when prime minister viktor orban always stirs the crowds. we want the peoples of europe to be cured of their partial blindness and for them to realise that in a liberal european empire we will lose all our freedom to be truly feed, one cannot be the subject of an empire. one must be the child of a free nation. but mr orban did not answer the main questions on his supporters minds. will he bend enough to stay in the

european people‘s party? and was he right to apologise to fellow conservatives? i think that was a good idea. it... to say sorry. because we made a lot of mistakes. yes, i agree with him, yes. he should apologise. it was good he apologised? i think so, yes. no, should apologise. it was good he apologised? ithink so, yes. no, he shouldn‘t have apologised. we apologise? that is our opinion. this is our country. we do not have to stay in the eu either. there is life outside of it. look at brexit. you are getting out. mr orban does not just have two apologise and take down offensive posters. he also has to guarantee that this university can stay in budapest. the government has made life so miserable for the

central european university, in the past two years it has begun moving to vienna. we were minding our own business and we were essentially attacked by the government for electoral purposes. i think it is unnecessary, it is scandalous. i think they should have left us alone. if we come out with a solution that allows us to stay, i will not claim victory. i willjust wish we hadn‘t wasted two years of this kind of political nonsense. analysts a re this kind of political nonsense. analysts are divided over whether expulsion from the ebp would help or harm for days. there are opportunities outside of the european people‘s party to side with the polish governing party. this is victor orban‘s new office in a convent on castle hill. he is facing a choice which could crown or crack

his political career. whether to stay with europe‘s conservative mainstream or to cut loose and form a new nationalists block. just some of the views there on whether hungary, whether feeders should stay within the european people‘s party, so the vote taking place in seven or eight hours time. we don‘t even know right up until the last minute what tepp presenting and will offer on this issue, that the majority of parties in this main conservative political block in the european parliament, what they would decide to do with this long—standing problem for them just a few weeks ahead of the european party, european parliamentary elections —— epp. many thanks indeed. now, it‘s time to get all the latest from the bbc sports centre. hello, i‘m tulsen tollett and this is your wednesday sport briefing, where we start with the news that tsunekazu ta keda, the head ofjapan‘s olympic committee, says he‘ll stand down following allegations of bribery.

just to warn you, there‘s some flash photography coming up. it relates to tokyo‘s successful bid to host the games next year. french prosecutors placed mr takeda under formal investigation in december for suspected corruption in the bid. mr takeda said he wants to prove his innocence and would also stand down from his post on the international olympic committee where he heads the marketing commission. it‘s the biggest change to kits in test cricket for 142 years. england and australia will wear names and numbers on the their shirts during this year‘s ashes series. the icc thinks making players more easily identifiable will help more people engage with test cricket. while names and numbers have been used in limited overs cricket for some time, test match whites have remained relatively unchanged. a record nine countries have bid to host the women‘s world cup in 2023 with a joint offer from north and south korea among them. the usa will defend the title in this year‘s competition in france, but the next tournament

won‘t be back in europe. the other bids come from argentina, australia, bolivia, brazil, colombia, japan, new zealand and south africa all offering to host. a decision will be made by fifa next march. germany‘s footballers head into a new era after head coach joachim loew said he wouldn‘t pick thomas mueller, jerome boateng and mats hummels again — that followed their relegation from the uefa nations league. germany play serbia in a friendly in wolfsburg on wednesday ahead of their opening euro 2020 qualifier away to the netherlands on sunday. germany haven‘t won any of their last five competitive matches and have ten players in their revamped squad with less than ten caps each to their name. translation: some young players will make mistakes and have difficulties.

it is important we have patience and the fans do too. they must be able to forgive here and there if things are not going as they should. that does not change the big ambition and determination with which we pursue oui’ determination with which we pursue our goal, to get back to the top of the world as quickly as possible. in the nba, san antonio will have home—court advantage later when they face the miami heat. the spurs are on a roll as they aim for a 10th straight win. their victory over champions golden state warriors was a massive confidence boost. in this form, a place in next month‘s play—offs could be theirs. san antonio last won a championship in 2014. it is international happiness day. i have been asking you what makes you happy. people say, accomplishing my tasks makes me happy. spring isjust around the corner. music makes me happy. happiness is default state in

the absence of anything to worry about. very profound. thank you for all of the tweets. i will go through them some more of them later. hello there. many of us will be feeling that hint of spring in the air over the next few days as we import some very mild air from the south—west. now, there‘ll be quite a bit of cloud around at times too, but also, some sunshine, and where you get that sunshine, it‘ll feel very mild indeed. now, the reason for those mild south—westerlies is because we‘ve got low pressure to the north of the uk, high pressure building in across the south and we‘re drawing this mild air up from the south—west across oui’ shores. it‘s very moisture—laden air, so that‘s why we‘re seeing quite a bit of cloud around. but a very mild start to this morning, temperatures no lower than 10 degrees, for example, in belfast. we‘ll hold on to the cloud across northern and western areas, but i think central and southern and eastern parts could see the best of the cloud breaks into the afternoon where it‘ll feel very mild indeed.

light winds for most, quite breezy with outbreaks of rain across the north—west of scotland, but those temperatures will reach the high teens celsius in the brighter spots, but even where it stays cloudy, 13 or 14, maybe 15 degrees. as we head on into thursday, it stays very wet across the north—west of scotland, rainfall totals really mounting up here day on day. elsewhere, it‘s much the same, relatively cloudy with a few holes appearing in that to allow for some sunny spells and, again, where you get the sunshine, then the mid—to—high teens celsius, otherwise closer to 13 or 14 for most. now, we see this developing area of low pressure deepen as it moves towards the north of the country for friday. that‘ll bring a spell of gales and heavy rain to the north of the uk. further south, close to that area of high pressure, then again, it‘s another similar day with variable cloud and some spells of sunshine. but it will be a breezier day for most, particularly the further north you head, where we‘ll see gales, gusts of 60, 70mph across the northern and western isles, and we‘ll see a band of rain spreading it‘s way southwards and eastwards,

weakening as it does so. but turning chillier behind it with a few wintry showers, but ahead of it, with some sunny spells, it‘s going to be very mild indeed again. and then through friday evening, that band of cloud and rain sinks southwards and eastwards, tends to fizzle out, but it will introduce this cooler air to most of the country again with wintry showers continuing across the higher ground of scotland. so, you can see the cooler air invading the country as we head on into the weekend. but again, it‘s still higher pressure in control, so it should be fine and dry for many of us. it will feel cooler and fresher with slightly drier air. we should see more in the way of sunshine. but it‘s worth noting as well we could start to see a return of chilly nights again with a touch of frost.