welcome to newsday. i'm ben bland in london, the headlines... the search for answers — british police try to identify the 39 people found dead in the back of a lorry. it is imperative that the operation is conducted with the utmost respect for the 39 people who have lost their lives. president trump says he's dropping all sanctions against turkey, after ankara promised him its offensive against the kurds in syria was over. i'm rico hizon in singapore, also in the programme: republican lawmakers disrupt the trump impeachment inquiry — barging into a hearing room, moments before a senior pentagon specialists was due to testify.

and, officially, only men can become monks in thailand. but that didn't stop these women — we visit their all—female temple it's 7am in singapore and midnight here in britain, where investigations are continuing into the deaths of 39 people whose bodies were found in the trailer of a lorry, about 30 kilometres outside of london. it's not known who they are or where they came from, one was a teenager. the lorry driver who's from northern ireland, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. our special correspondent ed thomas has this report from the town of grays.

just before 1.40am, paramedics call police. the doors of the lorry container had been opened. inside, 39 bodies. 39 lives. people with hopes and ambitions. the youngest was a teenager. that's tragic. absolutely terrible. yeah, such a shame. obviously trying to get over here for a better life. it is heartbreaking for me. feels very sorry for them. it's horrible. it's quite difficult to believe that's happening quite close to the place where you are working every day for many years. we've obtained this cctv from 1.13am this morning. close to where it was found, the lorry passes at speed. the final moments before its journey ended. when paramedics arrived, all 39 people were pronounced dead. the trailer is believed to be refrigerated,

with temperatures as low as minus 25. this is as close as the police will allow us to the lorry, and all morning forensic teams have been coming and going from that tent. we still don't know who put these people on the lorry. we don't know exactly how they died. all we know is that the lorry was found here in the early hours of this morning. we know the truck was registered in bulgaria. police said the trailer arrived, on a ferry from zeebrugge in belgium, into purfleet on the river thames, docking just after midnight. the driver of the lorry has been named in northern ireland as 25—year—old mo robinson. he is being questioned on suspicion of murder. this matter has attracted national and international interest, and it's absolutely imperative that the operation is conducted with the utmost respect for the 39 people who have lost their lives. grays is at the centre of a huge haulage network.

where the lorries are stopping overnight and people are coming out of them. some here are shocked, but not surprised. this cabbie says he and his colleagues are often approached by desperate people. all they do, is they come up, they can't speak english, they hand you a phone, you speak to someone on the other end of a phone, and they ask you to take them to an address. it's normally round by london. i've seen six people getting out of the back of a lorry in the same location. this man didn't want to be identified. as has my best friend, seen people running out of a lorry, and scattering in all directions. he walks past the place where the lorry was found most mornings. it seems everybody's had experience, that i know, especially in that area in particular, and itjust seems to be a thing that no—one seems to care about. today, the prime minister and labour leaderjeremy corbyn spoke of their shock and sadness. this is an unimaginable tragedy and truly heartbreaking. i know that the thoughts and prayers of all members are with those

who lost their lives and their loved ones. all of us should just think for a moment what it's like to be a police officer or a firefighter, to open that container and have to remove 39 bodies from it, and deal with them in an appropriate and humane way. tonight, the lorry and the people still inside have been taken away. police said their dignity and finding their loved ones comes first. ed thomas, bbc news, grays. a short time ago our europe correspondent damian grammaticas sent this update from the belgian port of zeebrugge, where police believe the vehicle came from. it is not the trailer was loaded onto the vote here across the channel and that were part of the focus of the inquiry is. prosecutors

have received information from the uk site and have begun their own inquiries. in the focus of those inquiries. in the focus of those inquiries is to determine where the trailer originated his journey and with that and belgium or outside. prosecutors said they don't know and where was it loaded. and how did it then proceed to hear. belgian authorities have been cooperating with the uk for quite some time to control the migrant flow and particularly through this port, or 100 km from calais, as security has improved have french ports, and fencing and controls have been put in there. so migrants have been looking for other routes and this is been one of them. for the past year at least they have been talking here aboutjoint operations, controlling the flow of migrants to here and there have been attempts to stop people boarding trucks at truck stops down the motorway but what belgian police need to focus on they say is to identify where this group

of migrants were picked up and therefore how they manage to get through this route. also making news today... ambassadors from european union countries meeting in brussels say a decision on whether to grant london's request for an extension to the brexit process has been delayed. diplomats say a decision will be made on friday on the duration of any extension and the conditions attached to it. a controversial extradition bill, which sparked months of violent protests in hong kong, has been formally withdrawn. the legislation would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland china. the bill sparked mass demonstrations that have turned into the worst crisis for hong kong since it was handed back by britain to china more than 20 years ago. a man has been found dead, and five more people are missing, after severe flooding hit parts of north—east spain. there's been devastation across europe: flash floods

in northern italy left two people dead on tuesday and roads in the south of france were blocked as rivers burst their banks. there have been more clashes between protesters and security forces in chile. protesters have rejected reforms from president pinera, aimed at ending days of violent unrest. they say it's not enough to heal deep social and economic problems. at least 15 people have died and more than 5000 have been detained in protests so far. the technology giant google says a revolutionary type of computer has surpassed the abilities of a conventional one for the first time. the quantum device performed a calculation in seconds that would have taken a normal computer 10,000 years to complete. north korean leader kimjong—un has ordered the demolition of all hotels

and other buildings constructed by south korea at a famous tourist site. the resort at mount kumgang in the north — once hailed as a symbol of inter—korean co—operation — was described by mr kim as being built "like makeshift tents in a disaster—stricken area", according to state media. president trump says the united states has brokered a permanent ceasefire in north east syria — and that he's going to lift sanctions against turkey, after being told ankara will stop military operations against the kurds. fierce fighting has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee since turkey began its assault on kurdish fighters. but mr trump declared it was someone else‘s fight. 0ur washington correspondent nick bryant reports on a day that donald trump claimed an american diplomatic triumph, the facts on the ground

contradicted his words. these were russian forces consolidating their power in northern syria, in an area that, just weeks ago, was home to a key us base in the region. and these were turkish soldiers and turkey—backed syrian rebels unveiling their flags in triumph in a border town they've now taken from the kurds. america's forces have been continuing their pull—out, much to the fury of their kurdish allies in the fight against islamic state. these images have come to define a major power shift. departing us soldiers, former brothers in arms, pelted with potatoes. in washington, the president tried to turn what's been condemned as a tale of american betrayal into a story of personal success. today's validates our course of action with turkey, today's announcement

validates our course people are saying, wow, what a great outcome. let someone else fight over this long—bloodstained sand. but the great outcome is for president erdogan of turkey and his russian counterpart, vladimir putin, who met yesterday in sochi to shape the endgame in syria's eight—year civil war. america is no longer a significant player in determining syria's future. from capitol hill, the president has been pelted with criticism, and it's come from senior republicans. if not arrested, withdrawing from syria will invite more of the chaos that breeds terrorism and create a vacuum our adversaries will certainly fill. the withdrawal of most of america's forces from syria means a waning of us influence in the middle east and maybe beyond, but this is a commander in chief who campaigned on disentangling his

country from costly and unending conflicts, and many of his supporters will see this as he does, as a case of mission accomplished. democrats say the move was to prevent evidence that mr trump withheld aid to ukraine until they investigated his political rival, joe biden. the president has urged republicans to toughen their opposition to the impeachment investigation. joining me now is our correspondent david willis. david, dramatic scenes on capitol hill. why did the republican storm the inquiry? very dramatic scenes. about two dozen republican lawmakers

storming the impeachment inquiry today. causing proceedings to be delayed for about five hours. they are demanding greater transparency as far as the impeachment proceedings are concerned. those proceedings are concerned. those proceedings taking place for the time being at least behind closed doors. despite the fact that democrats have promised to hold open hearings and to release documents. there are republicans on each of the three house committees that follow pa rt three house committees that follow part of this impeachment inquiry, they have equal time with the democrats to examine witnesses, but it isa democrats to examine witnesses, but it is a feeling that this could be related to donald trump's exultation a few days ago for members of his own party to fight back as he put it against the ongoing impeachment inquiry. who is not testifying that made these republicans barged into that committee hearing? —— who is 110w that committee hearing? —— who is

now testifying. a senior member of staff at the pentagon, laura cooper, the lady who is responsible for ukraine policy as far as the pentagon is concerned. she had just sat down to testify when this process started. she has now since been able to give some of her testimony at least, and she is somebody who was very much in favour of us aid money getting through to ukraine. it was of course froze and we now know following testimony potentially damning from william taylor, who is the former most senior ambassador to the ukraine as far as the united states is concerned. he basically said that he became aware that aid to ukraine was conditional on the ukraine president coming out publicly in declaring an investigation of mr trump 0zment political rival, joe biden. that is

undercutting the white house a session that there was no quid pro quo as far as foreign aid to ukraine was concerned. briefly, what is been the reaction of democrats to this and what did they plan to do in the next committee hearings? democrats are bewildered by this, they have been highly critical, some actually left the hearing today as this protest dragged on, but i think there is a feeling that this could mark a new and slightly more confrontational element to the opposition to the impeachment inquiry against president trump. thank you for the update. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme... they have two of the world's leading econmies — is the trade and and diplomatic dispute between japan and south korea about to ease? also on the programme... they're forbidden

from being ordained — but that didn't stop thailand's rebel female monks. we pay a visit to an all—women temple. a historic moment that many of his victims have waited forfor decades. the former dictator in the dock, older, slimmer, and as he sat down, obedient enough. dawn, and as the sun broke through the piercing night on the plain, it lights up a biblical famine. now in the 20th century. the depressing conclusion in argentina today — it is actually cheaper to paper your walls with money. we've had controversies in the past with great britain, but as good friends, we have always found a good and lasting solution.

concorde bows out in style after almost three decades in service, from an aircraft that has enthralled many admirers for so long taxis home one last time. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm rico hizon and singapore. i'm at bended plant in london. our top story stopbeck —— been bland. british police begin the search to identify the thirty—nine people found dead in the back of a lorry president trump says he's dropping all sanctions against turkey, after ankara promised him its offensive against the kurds in syria was over let's take a look at some front pages from around the world. let's begin with hong kong's south

china morning post — who, like us, are looking at the scrapped extradition bill. it quotes an opposition lawmaker saying the move was ‘too little, too late' — and that it wouldn't solve the ongoing political crisis. the financial times' frontpage is covering the latest brexit developments after the uk parliament rejected borisjohnson‘s brexit timetable, reporters say his government is deeply split on whether to push for a general election or attempt again to deliver a deal. and finally, the japan times focuses on the destruction wreaked by typhoon. it says that the warming of the planet magnifies the risk of typhoons — and asks if severe weather is ‘the new normal‘. now... what stories are sparking discussions online? yes let's looks at what's trending right now. british singer ellie goulding has urged young people to choose hope and keep fighting the climate change

battle, despite the backlash they may face from big businesses and politicians. ms goulding, who is a un environmental ambassador was speaking at the one young world summit in london. high level talks betweenjapan and south korea are expected to take place later, the first since a major diplomatic spat erupted between the two countries earlier this year. south korean prime minister lee nak—yon will meet his japanese counterpart, shinzo abe, in tokyo, where world leaders are attending the enthronement ceremony for emperor naruhuto. but what, if anything, is likely to come out of the talks? john delury, associate professor at yonsei university graduate school of international studies spoke to me earlier. when you ask about the root, we have to go all the way back into the japanese colonial period and it's really unresolved historical issues that stem from that. but most recently, there was a supreme court ruling

here in south korea that would green light korean citizens who were coerced forced labour back in the japanese colonial period, that they can file claims against japanese companies for damages, going back to the earlier part of the 20th century. professor, the japanese are saying that issues around this were resolved in the 1965 treaty. exactly. but japan, the japanese government, view is as you say, the 1965 normalisation treaty covers everything past and future. and therefore there is no standing. in legal terms, they have a conflict between the korean courts and how they interpret national law and the japanese court and how the government interprets the treaty. but really these legalistic issues are just part of something much deeper. which is that the south korean public and the japanese public have

not been able to come to a common memory and a common understanding of the very painful period in their history with japan. do you think that the prime minister of south korea and japan can't do you think that the prime ministers of south korea and japan can't resolve this conflict? no, i don't think we are looking for resolution. it is really been a spiral and things have gotten quite bad. one of the lowest points in the relationship since 1965. so at least here in south korea, what people are looking for is just the beginning of dialogue, and that this meeting could set up potentially a summit level meeting between the president here in south korea and prime minister abe, but i will say we are still early in the process of trying to mend the relationship. indeed. 0n the ground level in south korea, where you are based, things have hardened, the south korean people don't want to buy japanese goods any more and tourism to japan is down. yes. that is right.

there is a kind of grassroots boycott going gone. i would say that the south korean government is actually holding back a lot of the public anger. a common interpretation that the government here is feeding the flames but my sense is the opposite. the south korean public feels very strongly that the situation just keeps getting worse, that japan doesn't want to face its past and that it doesn't want to educate future generations of japanese to know about that history and so the south korean public feels to me like it is kind of dug in its heels and that makes it quite difficult for the political leadership to come to some kind of agreement. women aren't allowed to be ordained as monks in thailand — but some women have instead been ordained abroad, and have returned to the country to live as female monks. it began with the venerable dhammananda, the woman who founded this temple, who was the first woman in thai history to be ordained as a female monk. she's being celebrated as a member

of the bbc 100 women list this year. my ordained name is dhammnanada. i live here with otherfemale monks. i live here with 1a otherfemale monks. but i have also been called a rebel monk because some of my fellow male monks, the ones with authority, do not want to recognise me as one of them.

they were really bombarding, like how dare you as a woman to put on the robe, because in several hundred years of thai history, we never had women wearing the rope. we never had women wearing the robe. but that is because they have not studied buddhism. in the text itself, the buddha provided this space for woman. everybody was saying you are doing something wrong, how dare you do it, you will soil your robe with your meunestration. we study the teaching of the buddha and we do all the rituals that are needed. exactly like monks.

being female monk, woman that is half of the world population, don't have access to things in a much more freely way than the male monks. the future is in our hand. the guidance of the men have led us to so much problems, as it is. it is about time that women should come up with solutions, social solutions from handling the situation completely different from the way the men handle them. you have been watching newsday. i'm ben bland in london. and i'm rico hizon in singapore. stay with us. heated exchanges in the us congress as facebook‘s mark zuckerberg defends libra — the new cryptocurrency everybody's talking about. that's coming up. and before we go, we'd like to leave you with these

pictures. more details online. see you soon. hello there. i think it's fair to say many of us will be glad to see the back of october and we've still got a week to come and there is more rain in the forecast for the next few days. some of it quite heavy as well. however, as we do close out the month, it does look as though we are likely to see a change. a different trend — drier, but it will feel noticeably colder by day and by night. for the here and now though we've got a couple of weather fronts sandwiched across england and wales producing some cloud and light patchy rain. as they sink south and east behind it, the winds will strengthen and this weather front up into the north—west is going to enhance some showers for the remainder of the day. we will start a little milder than the mornings just past. so, double digits quite widely across the country. some early morning mist and fog patches perhaps in the south—east and those weak weather fronts,

a band of cloud, and drizzle driving its way south and east. but behind it there will be quite a clearance. some sunny spells coming through before that frontal system enhances the showers up into the north—west with some pretty gale force gusts of winds at times. top temperatures, 11—14 degrees. now, as that low pressure starts to tuck in from the north—west, it's going to introduce a colder flow. so, a bit of a north—south divide in the feel of the weather and the type of the weather that we're going to see. so, as we move into friday, we've got that low pressure just enhancing plenty of showers into the north—west and with the colder air kicking in, some of the more wintry will be in the higher ground. but at the same time into the south west, we've got a pulse of wet weather that's going to move in and once it arrives, it's here to stay for quite some time. it will bring some rain, some of it heavy as it pushes into wales, northern england, and northern ireland. now, that's the dividing line between that colder air into the far north. eight or 9 degrees as a maximum, and slightly milder conditions down into the south—east corner. but unfortunately, it's

like a relentless conveyor belt of rain through friday into saturday across much of wales and northern england before it slowly starts to show that it will clear away during the latter stages of saturday afternoon. but be prepared for some disruption for wales and north west england. we could have another 100 mm of rain on top of the already wet month that we've seen. so, please tune in to your local bbc radio stations for updates of any traffic and travel issues. but once that front‘s cleared away, we're going to see a change. some chillier mornings, some frost around but some dry, sunny weather conditions and that's because high—pressure is set to build in from the atlantic and quieten things down over the next few days. that's it. whatever you're doing, take care.

i'm ben bland with bbc world news.

our top story. british police launch a murder inquiry after the bodies of 39 people are found in a lorry container in south—east england. their identities are not yet known. it's thought the lorry crossed the english channel from zeebrugge in belgium. the driver, a 25—year—old man from northern ireland, has been arrested. president trump says he'll lift all sanctions imposed on turkey over its incursion against the kurds in syria. he said ankara promised him its military operation in the region had stopped. and this story is getting a lot of attention on bbc.com. google says it's made a computing breakthrough, claiming a new revolutionary type of machine completed a calculation in just over three minutes that would take a conventional supercomputer 10,000 yea rs to process. that's all. stay with bbc world news. now on bbc news, hardtalk‘s stephen sackur speaks