this is bbc news. the headlines at 7: the brexit party leader, nigel farage, says he is not going to stand as a candidate in the general election. do i find a seat, try and get myself into parliament, or do i serve the cause better, traversing the length and the breadth of the united kingdom, supporting 600 candidates? i've decided that the latter is the right one. the government confirms the benefits freeze introduced by the conservatives three years ago will end next april. income tax will rise for the top 5% of earners and there'll be increases to corporation tax under a labour government, according to shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell. 33 people have been injured in a coach crash in france — 11 of them are british. delhi's toxic smog forces airports to cancel flights. the city's chief minister says the air has become unbearable.

lewis hamilton will start the us formula one grand prix in fifth position on the grid but is still poised to win the world drivers‘ championship. and coming up: leicester city are flying high in the premier league after a fine win at crystal palace. reaction to that result and more in sportdsay. good evening. the leader of the brexit party, nigel farage, has announced he won't be standing as a candidate in the coming general election. he says he'll focus instead on touring the country to support his party's candidates. it comes days after his offer of an electoral pact with the conservatives was rejected by borisjohnson. here's our political correspondent, nick eardley.

love him or hate him, nigel farage has been a key face in british politics for years. it's like sponsored drinking! there might be fewer pints these days, more chats with us presidents, but after years of trying, seven elections, to be precise, he will not be standing to be an mp. i don't want to be in politics for the rest of my life. do i find a seat, try to get myself in the parliament, or do i serve the cause better, traversing the length and breadth of the united kingdom, supporting 600 candidates? and i have decided that the latter course is the right one. will you stand yourself? no, very difficult to do both. not that he is disappearing, after borisjohnson rejected offer of a pro "brexit" pact, he is stepping up attacks on the government deal. does not get us out of anything, does not work on any level, is a gigantic on. we should not sell out to this, it is a remainer‘s brexit, virtually worse than staying where we are and if we go through this root,

we will end up rejoining. some think this could split the pro—leave vote, allowing labour through the middle. the only way to end this indecision and uncertainty and move on to focus on what they want is to vote for a majority conservative government that is going to get brexit done in a matter of weeks but also has an exciting and inclusive agenda. the brexit party are gunning for labour votes, too. jeremy corbyn said this about nigel farage‘s decision not to stand. a bit weird to lead a political party apparently contesting all, or most of the seats in the election, and he himself is not offering himself for election. he is obviously very comfortable on his mep salary. nigel farage still wants to be part of the brexit debate, but in this election, that does not mean standing. the government has confirmed it

will end the freeze on increases to benefits next year. ministers say universal credit and other welfare payments will rise in line with inflation from april and the state pension will increase by 3.9%. labour called it a cynically—timed announcement in the run—up to next month's election. so what has the freeze meant to people on benefits? since the benefit freeze was introduced in 2016, 7 million families have lost an average of £560 a year. that's more than £2,200 that they've had to do without over that period. ending the freeze won't restore that money but, if you're on job—seeker‘s allowance, for example, you will see your weekly payment increase by £1.24 — from £73.10, £74.34. 0ur social affairs correspondent, michael buchanan, has more. karl has been on universal credit for the past two years. the 57—year—old has struggled to find work since being made

redundant and has to get by on little more than £200 a month. he doesn't think the extra money he will get next year will make much difference. 0k, they may take off the cap, an extra £5 every month. but, within three or four weeks of them altering that, you will get letters, you will get letters from the council tax, saying, this is going up £3 a month, that is going up £2 a month. so, they have that money back of you already. the benefit freeze has seen most welfare payments for people of working age stay at the same level as they were in 2015 rather than rising with inflation. while confirming the policy will end next april, ministers again emphasise their belief that what was the surest route out of poverty. one of the key things we want to do is make sure people work their way out of poverty unless they cannot work, and there is a key difference, that is part of what the philosophy with the universal credit is, better off in work than if they do not work or if they cannot work.

being in work is no guarantee of not being in poor. 4 million families have a job that live in poverty. labour have described it, the entire announcement, a cynically timed in the middle of an election campaign and they emphasise that the benefit freeze will continue for a number of months yet. meanwhile, the labour leader, jeremy corbyn, has been setting out his plans to upgrade almost 27 million homes in the uk to make them more energy—efficient. the work would include installing loft insulation and double glazing at an estimated cost of around £60 billion. the conservatives say the plans don't stack up. 0ur deputy political editor, john pienaar, has been giving us more details about the parties' pledges. parties generally save their big expensive promises until well into the campaign. this campaign has been running for weeks and months and today we have seen a supermarket sweep of expensive promises, many of them with questions of credibility or affordability hanging over them or both.

borisjohnson, his promise to end the freeze on benefits is on top of a promise to pump billions into schools and hospitals. this is to end austerity. he was happy to support it as an mp and cabinet minister for so long and they are also promising to cut taxes. jeremy corbyn was never going to be outbid by a conservative party when it comes to public spending, but his promises are also on top of a massive renationalisation programme with an effect on the pound, markets, the cost of borrowing. we cannot know or calculate at this stage. so it is none election unlike any we have seen and the voters are taking a big gamble. the scottish conservative mp ross thomson is to stand down after being accused of sexually assaulting a labour mp in a house of commons bar. mr thomson says he's made the hardest decision of his life not to contest the seat for aberdeen south at the general election and denies any wrongdoing.

11 british people are reported to have been injured in a bus crash in northern france. the british embassy in france said the vehicle was travelling from paris to london when police say it toppled over taking a motorway exit. in all, 33 people were injured, four of them seriously. a mass has been taking place in a catholic vietnamese church in london to remember the 39 people who were found dead in a refrigerated lorry in essex ten days ago. police have not confirmed the individual identities of the victims but believe they were all from vietnam. 0ur correspondent, chi chi izundu, was at the service. they gathered to remember. this mass started with a video of the removal of the trailer with the 39 bodies inside, then a minute's silence followed. the service was led by the bishop of westminster who offered prayers for the victims, their relatives and

the emergency services. i suggested that we pray as well for the traffickers themselves. they might have a change of heart. i did say that i do think human trafficking is an abominable crime which needs to be eradicated. this community is following news of this investigation closely. it is a community in mourning as it is believed some members possibly related to those victims found in that trailer two weeks ago may have attended today's mass. the parish priest confirmed some families in the uk and vietnam have contacted him with information to help identify their loved ones, and he has passed that on to the police. so far, i have got eight people, and two more tomorrow, i will see the police and get more information about these people. there is a reluctance in this

community to speak out. an escape from vietnam by boat meant witnessing the deaths of those, according to this woman. we want freedom. that's why we left vietnam. essex police believe they may have identified families for some of the victims and have been in contact with relatives both in the uk and vietnam. they say they are still conducting their investigation which is spanning manyjurisdictions across the world. dozens of flights to the indian capital, delhi, have been diverted because of poor visibility caused by toxic smog. schools are closed and a public health emergency is in place in a city that's home to 20 million people. pratiksha ghildial has sent this report. people in delhi are breathing the season's worst and most toxic air.

pollution levels are more than 20 times the safe limit. the problem returns her every winter but many are saying this is the worst they have experienced. protesters demanding a basic right, clean air. they believe there is not the political will to find a solution. you can obviously see how terrible it is and it is actually scary, you can see things in front of you. patients are coming with more lung respiratory diseases, more affected by asthma. one major source of the solution is stubble burning. farmers say they do not have the modern machinery they need to clear their fields without setting them alight so fields without setting them alight so the smoke from their fires drifts of the city, where it states the days on end. but the worst sufferers are people who work on the streets,

like traffic police, tucked up drivers and the homeless. india's government says it is doing what it can. it has banned construction activities, is limiting the number of cars on the road, and has asked for schools to remain shut for a few days. but despite the public health emergency, no long—term solution seems to be in sight. there is virtually no sunlight in delhi today due to the declare of smog hanging over the city. here on the streets, it is particularly difficult to breathe, and i can feel an itch in my throat. it is a huge concern for residents. studies show that pollution is causing high levels of lung cancer and premature deaths. at least four people have been injured in a knife attack in hong kong after another day of clashes between pro—democracy protesters and riot police.

local media say that the assailant had been arguing over politics before taking out a knife. he was then turned on and subdued by an angry crowd. riot police had stormed the shopping centre in tai koo district earlier after some protesters forming a human chain inside and began vandalising restaurants. earlier, our correspondent richard lister told my colleague shaun ley more about these developments in hong kong. this is the 22nd weekend of protests, so this has been a long—running drama plaguing hong kong. there are rallies actually staged outside multiple shopping centres around hong kong. as you say, there are some protesters in this one particular incident, formed a human chain, eyewitnesses said that restaurants were vandalised before riot police intervened. and subdued some of the protesters with pepper spray. this incident that seems to have caused these injuries seems to have been sparked when someone went up to argue with the pro—democracy protesters. at some stage, he pulled a knife, it said. there was a fight, a pro—democracy councillor saw what was happening, he intervened and, in the course

of the scuffle that followed, he seemed to have got part of his ear bitten off. 0ther protesters then turned on the original attacker and seem to have beaten him very badly. much of this was captured pretty much live by cameras that were following some of these protesters around. as you say, police say there have been a number of arrests and as we also know there have been at least four people quite badly hurt, but it gives you a sense of the intensity of these protests that today's were not even as sustained and violent as those that took place yesterday when police were using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against protesters who were using molotov cocktails and setting fire to subway stations. what are the long—term prospects for bringing some kind of end to these protests? as you say, we have been going on for 22 weeks now and we saw with the gilet jaune protests in paris that they eventually subsided when there was some movement by the french government. the chinese authorities certainly don't seem to be moving at all in the protesters' direction

in hong kong. they did move in the protesters' direction in september which, if we cast our minds back tojune, that was the original source of these demonstrations. this extradition? the extradition proposal whereby it was proposed to make it easier for mainland china to extradite some criminal suspects from hong kong. protesters went out in their millions back injune and in september it seems that beijing blinked and they withdrew that bill, but these demonstrations have developed a momentum of their own. now there are a number of other demands that the protesters have. they want an amnesty for those arrested, they want an enquiry into police brutality and, crucially, they are calling for universal suffrage. the chinese leaders have signalled that they are preparing to change in the way they deal with these demonstrations but we don't know how. the headlines on bbc news: the brexit party leader, nigel farage, says he is not going to stand as a candidate in the general election.

the government confirms the benefits freeze introduced by the conservatives three years ago will end next april. income tax will rise for the top 5% of earners and there'll be increases to corporation tax under a labour government, according to shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell. the people of south africa continue to celebrate yesterday's rugby world cup final victory. the springboks, once an all—white team and symbol of the country's deep racial divisions, is now a truly multi—racial team and is captained for the first time by a black player, siya kolise. 0ur africa correspondent, andrew harding, reports now from kolise's home, the township of zwide in port elizabeth. port elizabeth, the heartland of black rugby in south africa. after yesterday's celebrations, they are either clearing up the mess, or still hard at it.

still drinking? obviously, in the morning! still celebrating? a block away, on the street where siya kolisi grew up, his old neighbours have composed a song for the first black rugby captain. it is inspiring these dirty streets, inspiring the country, inspiring the continent. kolisi's younger brother agreed to show us inside the humble family's home and the floor on which they used to sleep. i would sleep here when i got home from school. so it was a poor family? yes, poor, very poor. it is still a tough life for many black south africans here, half of young people are unemployed. and at siya kolisi's old rugby club, children dreaming of following in his footsteps still turn up hungry. it's still a challenge when it comes to equality. for black players, of course.

struggling with facilities, and a lack of nutrition. it is tempting to exaggerate the impact of sport on any society, but south africa is a young democracy, still finding its feet, and badly in need of the sort of inspiration that nelson mandela once provided. so this victory really does matter here. a 36—year—old man has died and three people have been hurt after a car drove into a pub in colchester. a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. the 40—year—old is also being held on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent as well as death by dangerous driving, and assault. jenny kirk reports. tire tracks across the pavement leading to this, the smoking area of the spinnaker inn, a group of people we re

the spinnaker inn, a group of people were hitjust the spinnaker inn, a group of people were hit just before 1am the spinnaker inn, a group of people were hitjust before 1am where the car crashed through the fence. 0ne man aged 36 was killed, another left with life changing injuries, and two others were taken to hospital as well. all we heard was a massive bang. but because of it being halloween and guy folks, we put it down for fireworks, went back to sleep, it was a very busy pub, locals go to it, especially on a sunday, it is very popular on a saturday night, so whilst there were a couple of casualties, it could have been a lot worse. people were out to parties which is why it was packed out. high skis was closed for seven hours this morning and police are urging anyone who saw a white nissan car sky before the crash to contact them along with anyone else in the public area at the time who they have not yet spoken to. the shop next door to the pub have a number of cctv cameras and when i went inside they were replaying the

footage of one of the once up here. they should the aftermath of the scene with the emergency services arriving on a number of people already standing around. this is a very residential area and this was a very residential area and this was a very loud noise so police are hopeful that there will be a number of witnesses who can help with the investigation. the family of a man who died in the croydon tram crash say they are calling for a change in the law after investigators said the driver would not face prosecution for manslaughter. seven people were killed and 51 injured when the tram derailed. simonjones reports. the tram was travelling at almost four times the line speed limit when overturned. investigators concluded the most likely explanation is that the most likely explanation is that the driver fell asleep shortly before the derailment, but he will not face prosecution for gross negligence manslaughter. philip logan's family is dismayed. he will

not face charges. the last three yea rs not face charges. the last three years that myself, my family and the otherfamilies, years that myself, my family and the other families, and the survivors, have been through hell over nearly the last three years, and i am disgusted with the result we have got. the crown prosecution service said there was no compelling evidence that the driver had done anything which he ought to have known could adversely affect its concentration or make him susceptible to falling asleep. 0ther charges were considered but causing death by dangerous driving only applies to roads and public places and the offence of endangering the safety of person on a tramway does not exist like it does for railways. the family have set up a petition calling for change. the laws have got to change so that no one else, no otherfamily got to change so that no one else, no other family has to go through what we have all gone through in the last few years. it will not bring my grandad back but it protects someone else's family, that is all we can hope for. aslef said the driver was

also one of the many victims in this terrible incident caused by lack of adequate safety systems. transport for london says improvements have been made. routine hip checks for babies are failing to spot problems that can lead to major surgery and complications in later life, according to surgeons in dundee. hip dysplasia is a common condition where the joint is not properly formed. it is usually picked up during a child's medical check at six weeks old, but research suggests four out of five children with the condition are going undiagnosed. lisa summers reports. hello! this kind of routine check is done twice, within days of birth and then as a safety net at six weeks. it's a very difficult examination to do, actually. is that funny? elena is four months old. she was lucky as her hip dysplasia was caught early and her treatment straightforward. there you go! this was the harness she had, herfirst harness.

you can see this strap, it was designed to keep her legs in that frog position. hip dysplasia is a common childhood condition, but doctors say that too many cases of it are being missed. it's a very gentle and controlled method which isn't causing any discomfort or anything to elena, which is fantastic. part of the problem we have with these children, when they present at walking age or late, the more time that passes, the harder it is to get a normal result. even with the best surgery you can ever do. there is no stopping rowan now, but she had to undergo major surgery at around four months old. problems with her hip were missed in both checks. she was in a traction for a week, so 24 hours a day with her leg suspended by her ankles in this frame over her cot. you miss the closeness you have with a young baby, it separates you physically from your child. it was only by chance that her dysplasia was discovered

by a physio the family received for another matter. it shouldn't be down to luck, it should be down to proper training or systems that make sure it is picked up at the right time. it shouldn't be down to luck, it should be down to proper training all of the health visitors that we saw were doing theirjob, it was just a lack of that fundamental expertise. the team of doctors based here at ninewells studied data over a five—year period and found if dysplasia was missed at the early check, it was frequently missed later on. we are really failing our patients and our population in not picking up the condition at an early stage. therefore, subjecting our patients to major surgery at a later stage and an uncertain future. that can even mean hip replacements at a young age and a higher risk of arthritis. that is why doctors say an expert eye is required in the first few days. what we know is that, if you have people with experience at doing

the check, your rate of pick—up is much higher. so if we can really focus on improving the pick—up in the neonatal period and avoid the need to pick up at six to eight weeks when it is a really difficult thing to do. meanwhile, to the delight of elena and her mum and dad, she's just been given the all clear. a professional musician, who left his rare violin worth £250,000 on a train, has been reunited with the instrument. stephen morris said a young man handed the violin back in a late night meeting in a supermarket car park in south london. tara welsh has the story. it was made in 1709.

mozart wasn't even thought of. bach was in his 20s. a 310—year—old violin, but just last week stephen feared it was gone forever. he left it on an 0rpington bound train after a long day. a violin is one of the closest instruments to the human voice. it is your voice as a violinist so it is strange to have that taken away. he was desperate to find it and made an appeal on this programme. if you have it, hand it in. it would be extremely difficult to sell. the story went viral on social media. i have had messages from new york, australia, everywhere. and then came a breakthrough. the first thing was a tweet saying, i know somebody who knows somebody

who knows where your violin is, please give me your phone number, and at this point i was thinking, it could be a hoax, but maybe it might be right, and i had a chat, and it turned out, i was pretty sure that it was the guy. the man agreed to meet stephen in this waitrose car park in beckenham and, after 10pm, this is where the violin was returned. i saw him coming towards me, and he just had this lovely big smile on his face, and was clearlyjust very happy to be bringing it back. we shook hands, had a warm conversation, he said he was sorry he had put me through so much stress. and on future journeys, stephen will not be letting go of his violin. as wildfires have raged across parts of eastern australia, there have been concerns over the fate of hundreds of koalas.

many are believed to have died but there have been some survivors. tim allman has the story. his name, for reasons unexplained, is corduroy paul, and he's been very, very lucky indeed. he was found curled up in a ball, dehydrated and clinging to life. along with another koala called anwin, corduroy paul survived the fires that have ravaged his habitat. thousands of hectares of land destroyed, trees and foliage turned to ash. koalas are especially vulnerable, often defenceless in the face of the flames. it's just gone straight through and very little would actually survive in there unscathed. wallabies, kangaroos, deerwould get out because they can run, but koalas just really can't. in the last few days, sydney has been shrouded in smoke. the strong winds have fanned

dozens of bushfires. they are an annual occurrence but they have come unusually early this year. there are no reports so far of any injuries to people at least, but the scale of what's happening is frightening, nonetheless. very scary. we've been clearing out as much as we can of leaf litter and stuff like that, but what else can you do? this whole area is home to a very rare, genetically diverse koala population. as these fires recede, they will look to see how many remain. corduroy paul may have survived but, for others, it could well be a different story. now it's time for a look at the weather with sarah keith lucas. we have had rain and strong winds around. low pressure is still with us. around. low pressure is still with us. it is a slow—moving area pressure with showers rotating

around it so through the rest of this evening and tonight, heavy showers in the nuts south—west, pushing northwards for the odd rumble of thunder. some heavy rain for eastern scotland through tonight but it should be frost free with temperatures 5—10d. tomorrow, eastern scotland keeps heavy persistent rain, flooding issues here. away from eastern scotland, sunny spells and scattered showers. most of them will be across southern and south—western england. some sunshine for northern ireland, central parts of england, and temperatures 10—13d. the tuesday, the winds turned to a northerly direction so things will turn colder. 0ne direction so things will turn colder. one or two shows the eastern england and top temperature is 7-13d. england and top temperature is 7—13d. goodbye for now. hello, this is bbc news. the brexit party leader, nigel farage, says he is not