today at 6pm, we're live in brussels, where theresa may is attending the emergency brexit summit, with just two days to the set date for britain's departure from the eu. the prime minister arrived here a short while ago. she's talking to european leaders, requesting an extension to the brexit process. but it's not clear how long they will grant her. i'm working to ensure that we can leave the european union within the timescale that the government wants to see. i want us to be able to leave the european union in a smooth and orderly way as soon as possible, and that's what i'm going to be working for. any extension will be met with anger by some conservatives back in westminster. we'll have the latest on events here in brussels, as this crucial summit gets underway. and the other main stories

on the programme... jack shepherd, convicted while on the run of a speedboat death on the thames, is flying back to the uk after extradition from georgia. the first—ever image of a black hole. scientists say it's a monster, at three million times the size of earth. now, having the data, seeing this, it turns the black hole into something tangible, into something that you can see, and there's so much we're going to learn from this. and rory mcilroy is the tournament favourite for golf‘s first major of the year, the masters, which starts tomorrow. and coming in sportsday later in the hour on bbc news, another big night in the champions league. the stand out quarterfinal, as manchester united host barcelona at old trafford.

good evening, we're live in brussels, where theresa may is meeting herfellow eu leaders, at today's emergency summit. they will decide whether to offer the uk another delay, to the brexit process. mrs may wants to postpone the date the uk leaves the eu beyond this friday, until 30th june. but the eu is expected to offer a longer delay, after the european council president, donald tusk, urged the other 27 leaders, to back a flexible extension, possibly of up to a year, with certain conditions. mr tusk said that "neither side should be allowed to feel humiliated". any delay here is likely to provoke angerfrom many conservative mps at home. our first report is by our political editor laura kuenssberg. the urgency of dna. the prime minister wants to leave the eu as

soon as possible. but doesn't have the support at home for speedy departure —— the urgency of the delay. so she is here again with only hours to persuade the others let us stay for now. are you embarrassed to be asking for another delay? firstly, i am here with fellow leaders to talk about the request i put in for a short extension to article 50 and i know many people will be frustrated that the summit is taking place at all. because the uk should have left the eu by now. i greatly regret the fact that parliament has not been able to pass a deal. but, prime minister, the decision of the length of the delay is not in your hands. you've said, as prime minister, you could not countenance a delay beyond june 30, soi not countenance a delay beyond june 30, so i ask you again, what would you do if the eu insists on a longer delay? i'm working to ensure we can be the european union within the timescale that the garment wants to see. i want us to be able to leave the european union in a smooth and orderly way as soon as possible and that's what i'm going to be working for. thank you. she doesn't want to

a nswer for. thank you. she doesn't want to answer that yet. her counterparts will take some convincing of what she could do with a short pause. an extension in itself does not solve this problem. but in a way, it gives the british side more time, more space, to find a solution. i think it's worth trying. at the same time, i also think it's frustrating. the french president is the most resista nt, french president is the most resistant, saying he still needs more clarity. and repeated "nothing yet nothing is decided". the consensus yet nothing is decided". the consensus here in brussels and across the european union will be to give the united kingdom a little bit more time for the cross—party talks that are happening to conclude. we can review the situation in a few months' time. remember the uk is still walking this red carpet because at home, the government's failed to win the case for its brexit deal in parliament. order! questions to the prime minister. the proposal even for a delay of three

months is hated by many on her own side. rather than delivering a deluded deal, which is unrecognisable to many of those who voted to leave, is to go under wto rules, and we should grab that opportunity and believe in the ability of the british people. what the rest of us... yet for those who would rather stop it altogether, a likely longer wait is the chance to ask all of us again. in her final days as prime minister, will she acce pt days as prime minister, will she accept the eu offer of a long extension? i accept that she has run out of road and accept that the only choice now is to put this back to the people? —— and accept. choice now is to put this back to the people? -- and accept. her only a nswer to the people? -- and accept. her only answer to them all is to go on. i'm continuing to work, continuing to work, to ensure we can deliver brexit and can do that in a way that works for people across this country. knowing the date of our eventual departure from the eu is tied to her own exit, too. the prime minister has agreed to go. i was in

discussions with her. she is given a period for that. she has hinged it to the past passage or ratification ofa to the past passage or ratification of a deal. but i think the reality, now, is that that is becoming a firm date for departure. the end of may, june. date for departure. the end of may, june. discord at home watched so closely here. a big reason why this process has stumbled again and again. voices are slamming the prime minister buzz leadership or lack of it never far away. two minister buzz leadership or lack of it neverfar away. two prime minister's leadership. the prime minister's leadership. the prime minister is back here and we are all still in, arguing for more time to stay. because the politics of getting out had proved impossible, so far. now, theresa may is trying to persuade the eu that she can make it happen by finding common ground with labour. but, as yet, there's simply no hard proof she will ever be to make that work. tonight's play is about avoiding the turmoil of leaving without a deal at all. but on its own, without time it does not

remove the same dilemmas stabbing the country in the face. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, brussels. so there's undisguised frustration here that the brexit process is taking longer than expected. we've already passed the march 29th deadline to leave. that frustration of the politicians is shared by some voters. when it came to voting in the referendum in 2016, few areas had a higher turnout than derbyshire dales in the east midlands. nearly five out of six people there cast their ballot and the result mirrored the national vote to leave. our special correspondent ed thomas has been finding out how people are feeling there. the government have totally let us down, mate. both sides. embarrassing. shouldn't even be... they're not fit to govern, end of story. it's split us, hasn't it? it's divided us all. we're allarguing. i'll never vote again.

never. seriously? seriously, i'm not. never voting again. so my fear is that the children of tomorrow are going to be left really short—handed and are going to have to pick up a lot of slack that these mps have now brought upon ourselves. the derbyshire dales, a place for people to relax and escape. except when it comes to brexit. i'd like to remain, but i voted out, and we should be out. he wants another referendum! excuse me, you've heard about this, haven't you? if we vote out again, that's fine, that's wonderful. but let's have another... but you know more now than you did three years ago. i did a lot of research before i voted. you're the only one! in matlock, stephen and norman have only just met. .. iam derbyshire, born and bred. ..but there's only one thing they're talking about. if we have another vote, and you can vote again to leave and everyone will accept it.

we voted... oh, come on. you vote once in your life? you vote once and that's the end of it? mr cameron promised. one vote? i got it on my telephone, mr cameron promised that this is a one—time vote and we will do... he also promised that he would stay. down the road to matlock bath, nicknamed little switzerland. but when it comes to the benefits of europe... brexit? i'm all for being out. i think no deal, walk away. ..opinions are split. what about the economy? it's short—term. short—term's going to be difficult, i accept that, and i'm prepared for that. and i think anybody that's not... who voted out and wasn't aware that that was going to be a couple of years of hardship, then that was daft on their part. are you worried about it? your future? yeah, i'm worried about the amount ofjobs that will go from brexit, and the lack ofjobs that could possibly come from it. i'm not too worried about that because, at the end of the day... but have you got a job? yes. your daughter hasn't? no, but i still think she'll be all right.

i never voted before the referendum, never in a general election, never in my locals... and three years on from that vote, liana's fears haven't gone away. i think it's unfair, i think people hadn't been given the true reflection of what exactly‘s going to happen and me, personally, i think it should go back to a people's vote, another referendum. time and again, we kept hearing the same word. people are frustrated because we haven't got an answer. we are divided, aren't we? whichever way we go, the choices are fracturing a nation. ed thomas, bbc news, in the derbyshire dales. some of the voices and some rather angry voices in the derbyshire dales. with me, our europe editor katya adler and political editor laura kuenssberg. we will talk about the prospects for this emergency summit. the leaders have gathered. katya, first, any

indications as to what eu leaders are thinking in terms of an extension? as they come in, they are always quizzed by the waiting media and they were pretty coy. that's because they were pretty coy. that's because the results of this summit are not precooked, pre—decided, eu leaders didn't want to contradict each other. they are now in a room with the prime minister and quizzing her, what will they do with that extra time if they give her a new brexit extension? what of those cross—party talks with jeremy extension? what of those cross—party talks withjeremy corbyn? does she think the brexit deal is dead in the house of commons? whatever she replies, it's unlikely any one of those eu leaders will give her a flat no because they want to avoid a no—deal brexit this friday but her performance today is very important because the length of any extension and the severity of any conditions attached will depend on it. for example, should that extension be reviewed periodically and cut short? if the uk is not deemed to be making enough brexit progress? or if there isa enough brexit progress? or if there is a new prime minister who seems to be trying to disrupt the eu from the inside? they are already thinking about what happens after theresa

may. whatever they decide tonight is not going to be about doing the prime minister a favour or about punishing the uk. these eu leaders will do whatever it takes to act, they believe, in their own interest. we have those dynamics in this room. the dynamics back in westminster, which we were talking about earlier. the pressure on mrs may has never been higher. high fever all around, this is a huge moment at a vital night for the prime minister who, for so long, told us repeatedly she wants to keep the option of leaving without a deal on the table. that has completely changed and she believes that would be a huge mistake and could be a complete disaster. therefore, tonight, she is arguing to avoid that almost at any cost. there is a real irony about where we are at, now, nearly three years after the vote when the country decided clearly, but narrowly, to leave the european union ina narrowly, to leave the european union in a bid to take back control of our political system. but, tonight, whatever theresa may says, the ultimate decision is with the

european union. whatever, however much of the failure of our political process is down to the prime minister as process is down to the prime ministeras an process is down to the prime minister as an individual or whether responsibility for this mess is shared right across parliament, and, of course, our viewers will have different views about who exactly is to blame, it is absolutely clear at the moment what happens next to her and what happens next at home is not in british hands tonight. we will see where we are later. we will talk to you later on, thank you both, laura and cathy. that's all from brussels for now, as theresa may continues her talks with eu leaders. we'll be back here for bbc news at ten, when we'll have the latest on the emergency summit, and whether the uk has been offered another delay to brexit. but for now, back to reeta in the studio. thank you very much. jack shepherd, who spent ten months on the run, after a speedboat accident in which a woman died, is on a plane returning to the uk ahead of an appearance at the old bailey tomorrow. the 31—year—old skipped bail last summer and fled to georgia. in his absence, he was found

guilty and given six years for the manslaughter of 24—year—old charlotte brown. sarah rainsford boarded the same plane as shepherd. jack shepherd, the so—called speedboat killer, left georgia tonight, escorted by police onto this flight. why did you run? erm. . .fear. he's heading back to britain to facejustice. it wasn't premeditated as, you know, some have said. but it was just a case of being driven by a kind of animal instinct of fear and just jumping on a plane, really, with not much of a plan. it's over three years since jack shepherd's boat was found capsized in the thames after a first date ended in tragedy. this footage was filmed by charlotte brown shortly before the crash that killed her. at some point, jack shepherd handed her the controls. the boat hit an obstacle at high speed and overturned. charlotte brown was discovered in the icy water.

she died later in hospital. it's more than a year since jack shepherd arrived in georgia, where he was living discreetly, but not in hiding. he is now heading back from here to the uk to begin serving his sentence for manslaughter. something charlotte brown's family have said they welcome. it wasn't until january that he turned himself in to georgian police after securing the right to appeal against his conviction. the trials, which will take place in great britain... in court here, jack shepherd described charlotte's death as his greatest regret. but he has since made clear that he doesn't believe he is solely responsible for the crash. his georgian lawyer told me that he fled before his trial because he was depressed, even suicidal. now he knows the fact that his case is in appeal court. if he will be running, he will be lose. he will be lose his case, his last chance to prove his innocence.

but charlotte brown's family wanted jack shepherd to take responsibility for charlotte's death, saying his appeal will only prolong their pain and suffering. sarah rainsford, bbc news. the welsh government is making it easier for those living with conditions such as dementia and parkinson's disease to get discounts and rebates on their council tax bills. residents across the uk with severe mental impairments are entitled to council tax discounts and exemptions. but the consumer website moneysavingexpert says differences in how local authorities handle the process make it too confusing, and that people are missing out. it hopes scotland and england will follow wales' example. in israel, the prime minister benjamin netanyahu looks set to secure a record fifth term in office after his election challenger conceeded defeat. his likud party is expected to win the same number of seats as the centrist blue and white alliance, headed by the former military chief benny gantz.

but likud is likely to be able to form a coalition with its right—wing allies and become the largest group. mr netanyahu is a controversial figure. he's faced claims of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in connection with three cases. he denies all the allegations, saying it's a political witchhunt. we go live now tojerusalem and our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet. nearly all the votes have been counted, but what does this tell us about where israel is heading, politically? this probable result? there was really only one issue in israel's election, the leadership of benjamin netanyahu. election, the leadership of benjamin neta nyahu. but it election, the leadership of benjamin netanyahu. but it was a test about whether country heading, shifting steadily to the right in one election after another. and with likely indictment on corruption charges seeming to matter far less

than the strong economy, strong security credited to mr netanyahu. but there are israelis who worry about the direction of the country, and the extraordinary rise of a political newcomer, former army chief benny gantz, he presented that have this political challenge to mr netanyahu in a decade. and to face eight, the prime minister has had to make promises to his right—wing and religious allies, including an indication that he may and exports of the west bank which the palestinians are expecting to form pa rt palestinians are expecting to form part of their future state. president trump has indicated he will shortly unveil his new peace plan and says mr netanyahu's victory gives it a greater chance of success , gives it a greater chance of success, but many now feel this very difficult peace will be harder to achieve. lyse doucet, thank you. the time is 18:18.

our top story this evening... theresa may makes her brexit case to fellow leaders in brussels, with just two days to the set date for britain's departure from the eu. and still to come... why sir richard branson says his train business virgin could be gone from the uk in months. coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news... we will have the lastest from the augusta national on the eve of the masters. rory mcilroy is the man in form and he's the favourite, even though it's the one major he's never won. astronomers are used to dealing in massive numbers when uncovering the mysteries of space. today they've revealed the first ever picture of a black hole, which measures a whopping a0 billion kilometres across — and is 500 million trillion kilometres away! it was located by a network of eight telescopes located across the globe — and the hope is its discovery will help space research, and particularly how galaxies came into being.

with more, here's our science correspondent pallab ghosh. that. this is the nucleus of the galaxy m87 and this is the first—ever image of a black hole. unveiled to the world, this black hole is more than 3 million times the size of the earth. and devouring material that falls into it. it's been described as a monster at the heart of a galaxy. on top of a mountain in southern spain, seemingly touching the clouds, is one of the instruments astronomers used to take the picture. pico valeta is one of eight radio telescopes around the world that was pointed towards a distant galaxy, 300 million trillion miles away. together, they scanned its centre for ten days and were able to take a picture of the gigantic black hole at its heart. astronomers have used a global network of dishes from all across the world and linked them together.

no single telescope is powerful enough to see the black hole, but by adding together the information from each of them, the image gradually becomes sharper. we can actually see black holes! that's crazy! i always thought this is just way beyond what we can be doing. this is a super heavyweight champion among the black holes in the universe. they're important because they're at the heart of every galaxy and probably the reason that stars and planets form around them. gravity is so strong close to a black hole that it even alters how time flows, making it seem to pass slowly. it's not known what is on the other side of a black hole, some speculate that they may be a doorway to parallel universes. this new image proves that black holes actually exist and it's hoped it will help astronomers learn more about space, time and our own existence. i think that what's so exciting is that we're taking our knowledge of black holes, which is really

focused on the theory, simulation, simulating how the environment of a black hole looks. now having the data, seeing this, it's turns the black hole into something tangible, something you could see and there's so much we're going to learn from this. inside the telescope, the researchers are recalibrating their instruments, to take a picture of another supermassive black hole. this time, at the heart of our own galaxy, the milky way. " the boss of virgin, sir richard branson,