a once—in—a—generation clinical trial to find treatments for motor neurone disease, which devastates lives and families. 37—year—old ruth williamson was diagnosed with the disease two years ago. at the moment there are no effective treatments, let alone a cure. we'll be asking if these drug trials could prove to be a breakthrough for thousands of people with motor neurone disease. also tonight... the world has just experienced its hottest decade on record, with last year one of the warmest ever seen. the backlash over the government's rescue plan for flybe — rivals line up to complain about what they call a blatant misuse of public funds. meghan‘s first public appearance in canada since last week's shock announcement, as it emerges herfather

could testify against her in court in her privacy battle with the mail on sunday. and warming up for the australian open next week, some of the biggest names in tennis come together in melbourne to raise money for those affected by the bushfires. and coming up on bbc news... eni aluko retires from football at the age of 32 and says she now wants to drive the women's game forward in the future. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. motor neurone disease affects the nerves in your brain and spinal cord that tell your muscles what to do. it isa it is a devastating illness. it's nearly always fatal and there is no known cure.

but now people with the disease are being invited to sign up for one of the most comprehensive clinical trials in a generation. for the first time, it will give hundreds of people across britain the chance to test potential treatments. about 5,000 people have motor neurone disease in the uk, but some 1,500 people are diagnosed with it each year. the reason more people aren't living with it is that about 50% die within two years of their diagnosis. 0ur health correspondent, dominic hughes, has this exclusive report. for three—year—old anna, life with mum and dad must seem pretty normal. a loving family, safe and secure, but there is a deep sadness here, even fear. mum ruth williamson has motor neurone disease, an illness that, day by day, is stealing her future.

ruth was an active runner and cyclist when she was diagnosed a little over two years ago. now, the illness is affecting not just her speech but also her ability to walk. but, at edinburgh university, scientists are preparing to launch one of the biggest mnd drug trials ever seen in the uk. motor neurone disease sees muscles waste away after a loss of nerve cells that control movement, speech and breathing, so this trial will test new treatments,

but also look at drugs already being prescribed for other illnesses. this research matters because, as it stands, there is currently no effective treatment for motor neurone disease, let alone a cure, but repurposing existing drugs that are used to treat conditions such as alzheimer's disease or even anxiety and depression, well, that opens up new possibilities. these are medicines which have been shown to be effective in other brain disorders and, because they share common ways in which the brain doesn't work properly, we can look at these drugs and see if they work in motor neurone disease. and, for patients like alan, diagnosed three years ago, taking part in the trial offers the chance to contribute towards a better understanding of the disease. the hope is something that's a real positive, so i think, with having a trial now, we can see something that we can get some hope and strength from, so i think, as participants, we can help move science forward, so that's the one thing

that we will be learning. for this family, ruth, her husband, scott, and anna, there will be some tough days ahead, but this trial at least offers something positive in the face of a cruel and indiscriminate disease.

well, it was a real privilege to meet ruth and her family earlier this week, and i don't mind admitting that it was a very emotional interview for all of us, and that is because, when somebody gets a diagnosis of to neurone disease, they know that this is disease, they know that this is disease that will take their life, and that's why this trial is so important. yes, it's a trial, yes, it is early days, but it offers just a glimmer of hope, and it's designed to last for years, and here on bbc news we intend to follow that trial and bring you the results as and when they come. the last ten years were the hottest on record around the world — that's the conclusion of the met office, nasa and other meteorological agencies. measurements also reveal that last year was the second warmest year since records began, and the heat is set to continue to rise unless action is taken. 0ur science correspondent, rebecca morelle, has more. from the heatwaves across europe that saw the uk hit an all—time high of 38.7 degrees,

to greenland, which broke the record for the most ice lost in a single day, and our oceans, which are now the warmest they've been in human history, 2019 was a year of extremes. and this map shows how global temperatures have changed over time. each decade from the 1980s has been warmer than the decade before. the last ten years have now been confirmed as the hottest since records began. scientists say humans are to blame. carbon dioxide levels are at the highest that we've ever recorded in our atmosphere, and there's a definite connection between the amount of carbon dioxide and the temperature. we are seeing the highest global temperatures in the last decade, and we'll see more of that. as carbon dioxide continues to grow, we will see global temperatures increasing. measurements taken at observatories like this one show that our planet is heating up fast. already, the world's temperature has risen by 1.1 degrees above preindustrial levels.

scientists though say we need to stop temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees to stop the worst effects of global warming but, with our current climate policies, we are heading for more than three degrees, and that would bring unprecedented changes. higher temperatures will mean more heatwaves and droughts, sea levels would rise and rain would intensify, bringing more floods like the ones that hit yorkshire last year. what we have to remember is that the climate crisis is going to affect our economy across so many different dimensions, so it's going to impact on health and already it's impacting on health, it's going to impact on food supply and food security, it's going to impact on infrastructure, so we talk about critical infrastructure, the impact on electricity, the impact on schools and hospitals. climate awareness is now higher than ever before, but scientists say it's action that's needed, by cutting greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

this, though, will require huge changes, from swapping fossil fuels to renewables to drastically reducing how much we fly and rethinking the food we eat. but the extreme conditions show no signs of letting up, especially with australia's fires, which continue to burn. the met office is already forecasting that 2020 could be another record—breaking year. rebecca morelle, bbc news. and here's what's to come in a special season focusing on the planet. i'm in antarctica, satellite images show it's melting much more rapidly. the water is receding now, but then there are communities that have still not been reached. these soldiers in indonesia trying to clear a river blocked by plastic. walls of fire, 30, a0 kilometres wide. a crumbling norfolk cliff. this, though, could be the answer. a £20 million experiment. throughout 2020, across bbc news, there will be special coverage of issues affecting the climate and the planet.

"too many" types of hernia mesh implants are being used on nhs patients in england and scotland with little or no clinical evidence they are safe, the bbc has been told. currently, mesh devices can be approved if they are similar to older products, which themselves may not have been rigorously tested. the majority of operations use mesh and many go well, but some people have been left unable to walk. the whole of the russian government, including the prime minister, dmitry medvedev, has resigned. it comes after president vladimir putin outlined major constitutional changes, which could prolong his hold on power beyond 2024, when he is due to stand down. he has nominated the head of the federal tax service, mikhail mishustin, as the new prime minister. the owner of british airways has filed an official complaint with the european commission over the government's rescue plan for the uk's troubled regional airline flybe. the plan could mean that the airline defers payment of a substantial

air passenger duty bill. flybe‘s rivals are branding that a misuse of public funds. the government says any changes to taxes would apply to all airlines. our business editor, simon jack, has more. flybe‘s rescue by the government was greeted with relief and gratitude by workers, travellers and regional airports. today came a backlash from the rest of the industry. although airline companies have long argued for the newly promised reduction in airport passenger duty, allowing flybe to delay payment of millions of tax arrears drew fire from competitors. we would not support any state funding or state support to any carrier, any airline at all, because we believe that that is misuse of taxpayers‘ money. particularly when the company are, you know, backed by a well funded company also in the first place. you've been calling

for apd passenger duty to be cut for some time. they've done you a favour, haven't they? i don't see it in that way. we have always argued that, for instance, apd should be revised to more and better reflect the efficiencies of the operations that different airlines have. it is one of the highest passenger taxes in the world. we don't think that is designed in an appropriate way. and it's not linked at all in how you decarbonise the aviation industry. ba supremo willie walsh has lodged a complaint with the eu saying the taxpayer was picking up the tab for the mismanagement of the airline, adding, this is a blatant misuse of public funds. the government insisted the deal was fully compliant with state aid rules and preserved regional connectivity across the uk. flybe is the biggest operator from these airports, spanning scotland's north—east, to england's south—west. reducing taxes on domestic flights could make those journeys cheaper, but, at a time when many argue we should be flying less, should we?

no, i think that connectivity around the country is incredibly important. take the flights to the scilly isles, for instance. it's very hard and takes a long time to get to the scilly isles if you are not in an aeroplane. and being able to connect different parts of the country is important. at the same time, flying has already decarbonised and can decarbonise more. but flying still uses a lot of fuel and emits a lot of carbon. climate scientists say ministers are sending mixed messages. the government has been deeply inconsistent because you have to remember that they are mandated by uk law to reduce the carbon footprint of this country to zero by 2050 or earlier if possible. and actually, flying is one of the most carbon intensive forms of transport we have, so they should be doing everything they can to reduce the amount of flying we do. the flybe rescue poses more questions than it answers. how did it get in such trouble less than a year after its last rescue?

how did it rack up such massive tax arrears? the government thinks it has done what it can and what it should have done, and will hope that this deal will be enough to keep it aloft long term. simon jack, bbc news. our top story this evening... a once—in—a—generation clinical trial to find treatments for motor neurone disease. it could give hundreds of people the chance to help find treatments for the disease. and coming up — the day after smoke from the australian bushfires stops play in melbourne, the world's biggest tennis stars join the fundraising effort. coming up on sportsday on bbc news... tennis comes together in melbourne to help the australian bushfire relief efforts. the sport has now raised over £2.5 million. exactly a week after the duke and duchess of sussex took the world by surprise by announcing their plans for the future, there's no sign of the controversy

surrounding them abating. the latest twist is because of legal action meghan‘s taking against the mail on sunday. she is suing the paper for publishing a letter she wrote to her father, which she says breached her privacy and copyright. but it has now emerged that her father, thomas markle, is prepared to testify against her in the court case. here's our royal correspondent nicholas witchell. markle versus markle. as if the events of the past week haven't been enough, there is now the prospect of the relationship between meghan markle and her estranged father, thomas, being dissected at the high court in london. the reason — meghan is suing the mail on sunday for breach of privacy after the newspaper published a letter she had sent her father. mr markle had given the letter to the newspaper. unsurprisingly, in preparing its detailed defence, the mail on sunday regards thomas markle as its principal defence witness. meghan‘s half sister samantha has told the bbc, if he is called to give evidence,

he will come. meghan‘s relationship with herfather reached crisis point at the time of her wedding. mr markle, who lives in mexico, developed heart trouble and was unable to attend. now the mail on sunday's lawyers have revealed text messages between the two of them. in one, mr markle says... so what should meghan do? media lawyers say the answer is obvious. you really don't want to go down this particular road. whoever is advising them is frankly not doing them any service whatsoever. and it's, i think, important to note that the queen's solicitor started off dealing with this case and he's no longer dealing with this case. so, in snowy vancouver in canada, where meghan was photographed yesterday at a women's centre,

there are decisions to be made. in 2022, the invictus games... harry, who appeared in an invictus games video, which was released tonight, is expected to join her in the coming days. then the couple must take a view. do they really want to begin their new life with a court case which would make headlines around the world ? nicholas witchell, bbc news. in the philippines, scientists say a "hazardous eruption" is now imminent as the taal volcano continues to release ash into the sky. 40,000 people have fled the nine mile danger zone around the volcano, which is 60 miles south of the capital, manila. volcanologists fear an eruption could set off a tsunami from the lake in which the volcano sits. a man has been arrested in pakistan in connection with the murder of a policewoman in bradford in 2005. sharon beshenivsky was shot dead outside a travel agents while responding to an armed robbery.

71—year—old piran dhitta khan appeared in court today in islamabad. 0ur north of england correspondentjudith moritz is in bradford for us now. pc sharon beshenivsky responded to a robbery... you can see the memorial which stands as a testament to what happened. her murder sent shock waves around the country... studio: apologies, we will have to leave judith moritz because of the poor sound. members of the european parliament have expressed "grave concern" about aspects of the government's plan to safeguard the rights of eu citizens in the uk after brexit. anyone living here by the end of the year can apply to stay, and the goverment says their rights to live and work will be protected by law. but meps have warned of continued uncertainty and anxiety among more than 3 million eu citizens living in the uk. our political correspondent alex forsyth has more.

london has been katya's home for almost 17 years. a german citizen, she's built a life here with her british husband and children. she has the right to stay after brexit, but she's planning on leaving with her family, fearful about the future. i honestly cannot see how i can live my life every day, every year, year on year, waiting for something to happen to my rights. i feel literally that i've built my life on sand. we all know about the terrible things that have happened to various other migrant groups, for example, the windrush generation. all eu citizens living in the uk have to apply to a government settlement scheme designed to protect their rights if they want to stay. charities and support groups are holding sessions to raise awareness, like here in warwickshire, and helping people apply, such as irena, who's from poland. yeah, she's been sort of worried, haven't you? yes. she was worried coming here today. yes, i am worried. do you feel better now?

i'm better that they've sorted everything in here, my documents. so far, 2.8 million people have applied to the scheme, but there are worries not everyone will before next year's deadline. and it's all digital, so there is some concern about proving rights to landlords or employers in the future. there is a lot of concerns with those that, once they get the status, it's about how to access their rights and entitlements. the easiest thing to do to show someone your rights and entitlement is to pull out your wallet or your purse and show them a piece of paper. having a digital—only status is going to be a major obstacle for lots of groups in the future. more than 3 million eu citizens living here have been told their rights will be protected, but today, members of the european parliament expressed concern. they want, among other things, an assurance that there will be a properly independent body to keep a check on citizens' rights. the government says it is committed

to providing that, and its digital system will be permanent and secure. we are absolutely clear, we want those citizens to stay. they play a hugely important part, they contribute massively, notjust to our economy, which they do, but also to our communities. they are our friends, they're our family. we want them to stay. that's why we've put this scheme in place. it protects their rights forever. but for some, like katya, no assurance is enough. the last three and a half years have been pretty grim for us. the uncertainty has had a real impact on our everyday lives and ijust can't imagine living the rest of my life like that. alex forsyth, bbc news. we have fixed our sound problems with bradford so we can go back to judith moritz who has the latest on the arrest of a man in pakistan in connection with the murder of a policewoman in 2005.|j connection with the murder of a policewoman in 2005. i was explaining, it is nearly 15 years since pc sharon beshenivsky was

murdered. she was called to this travel agency in bradford to respond toa travel agency in bradford to respond to a robbery and was shot dead outside. you can see the memorial stone standing in her memory. the murder sent shock waves around the country. she had only been a police officerfor nine months. the mother officerfor nine months. the mother of five children, she was killed on her daughter's fourth birthday. her shift partner was also shot that day, but she survived. six men have already been convicted in connection with what happened, but west yorkshire police have always said they wanted to capture a seventh man, piran dhitta khan, and infact they offered a reward of £20,000 for his capture. he was in his 50s at the time of the attack, he is now 71 and they have confirmed he was arrested in pakistan yesterday, he appeared in court in islamabad today and discussions are already beginning about his extradition. he will appear in court again at the

end of this month. west yorkshire police say they worked with officers at the national crime agency in pakistan and also with staff from the british high commission in islamabad to make this happen. they have told paul beshenivsky, sharon's widower, about the arrest. he said he was shocked to take that phone call but he has welcomed the news of this latest arrest. the police say it isa this latest arrest. the police say it is a latest development in this long—running investigation. it is a latest development in this long-running investigation. judith moritz, thank you. at least 60 people — many of them children — have been treated for skin irritation and breathing problems in los angeles after an aeroplane dumped fuel over several schools. the delta airlines flight to shanghai had engine trouble and was trying to reduce its weight before making an emergency landing. aviation rules allow fuel to be dumped — but only over designated areas and at a high altitude. an investigation is underway. i was scared. i was scared too. we

we re i was scared. i was scared too. we were all scared. i started to realise what was happening with the fire department, the street was blocked off, so i ran over here. to australia now. rafa nadal, roger federer, serena williams and novak djokovic — some of the world's tennis greats — and they have all been playing a charity match in melbourne in the lead—up to the australian open. they even played against firefighters on court in a bid to raise more money for those affected by the bushfires as australia experiences one of its worst bushfire seasons on record. our sports correspondent andy swiss reports. announcer: the one, the only, the immortal, serena williams. cheering and applause. the biggest stars uniting for the biggest of causes. rally for relief — a chance for tennis's history makers to turn fundraisers. $100 to hit the giant letters? nice! no problem if you're roger federer. as for rafael nadal, well, he found a new doubles partner — deb, a firefighter who only on monday had been tackling the blazes near melbourne. it was a reminder behind the smiles

of the reason why they were there. with two of the sport's great rivals leading the fundraising effort. talking with roger a couple of hours ago, we decided to give 250,000 australian dollars to the fires relief, together, so... cheering. hopefully that keeps inspiring the people to support this terrible disaster that we are going through. earlier, the effect of the bushfires were still all too visible. with the air quality rated as unhealthy, qualifying matches in melbourne had to be delayed. they did eventually start with thankfully no repeat of the previous day's drama when slovenia's dalila jakupovic had to retire with breathing problems. today she said the conditions had been dangerous. we are used to pollution. like, we play in china, we play in more polluted countries, but, i mean, this smoke is something different and for sure we are not used to it.

citizens and everyone who is advised to stay inside, and we didn't expect the tour would be playing yesterday. thunder and lightning. at last, though, some good news. rain, which forced qualifying to be suspended, but which should help the air quality. encouragement for organisers and players. after raising more than £2 million, they will now be hoping the weather can offer some welcome relief. andy swiss, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. here's susan powell. the day improved quite nicely on the start of the week. today we saw sunshine in many areas but i'm afraid tomorrow the wind and rain will return. compared to this time yesterday, it is quieter for many of us yesterday, it is quieter for many of us just now. the area of low pressure pulling away to the continent. we still have the re m na nts of continent. we still have the remnants of storm brendan in the north—west, but the focus is now to

the south—west, and this next system coming in overnight from the atlantic. ahead of that, clear skies. breezy and windy for some with showers packing into scotland at the moment, but they thin out through the night. the coolest part of the night in the next few hours. through the course of the night temperatures will start to rise as the weather system pushes in from the weather system pushes in from the west as we switch to a southerly 01’ the west as we switch to a southerly or south—westerly air stream. for the likes of glasgow, perhaps seven 01’ the likes of glasgow, perhaps seven or8 the likes of glasgow, perhaps seven or 8 degrees as we move into thursday morning. still the chance of frost to the far north of scotland. as the weather system bumps into colder air there will be some snow across the hills, but the level will rise as the day goes by. wet first thing in scotland and then the rain will ease for a time before the rain will ease for a time before the next band of heavy rain coming across northern ireland into western england and wales through the afternoon. eastern areas look like they will stay essentially fine until later in the afternoon. may be a few spots after dark in the south—east of england and east

anglia. a milder story but a windy day across the uk tomorrow with the risk of gales in the west. the whole weather system winding its way to the north—east of us as we move into friday. left with a smaller weather system across england and wales. generally a more calm day, lighter wind again with quite a bit of dry weather to come. some showers could give us a prolonged spell of rain for parts of england and wales as they clear in the afternoon. view more showers to north—west of scotland. a cooler feel on more showers to north—west of scotland. a coolerfeel on friday more showers to north—west of scotland. a cooler feel on friday as we see temperatures returning to closer to where they should be at this of year. finally, looking further ahead to the weekend. i'm sure many people will be looking out for this, something more settled establishing itself across the uk. high pressure building through saturday and sunday. we can anticipate drier weather, light wind, more sunshine and the return of quite frosty nights. the outlook is online. that's all from the bbc news at six, so it's goodbye from me,

and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbc‘s news teams where you are.

the latest headlines. motherwell has just experienced its hottest decade on record with last year, one of the warmest ever seen. on record with last year, one of the warmest ever seen. meghan markle's first appearance in canada since last week's shock announcement. her father could test against her in court. the backlash over the government's rescue plan for flybe, rivals line up to complain about what they call a blatant misuse of public funds. russia's of resigned hours