the headlines: provisional clinical trials of a new experimental drug for severe covid suggests it cuts the risk of hospitalisation or death by about half. if authorised by regulators, the new drug which is a pill, would be the first oral antiviral medication for covid—19. after the murder of sarah everard, the british prime minister has urged the public to trust me police despite the revelation that her police that her killer was a serving officer. borisjohnson said the government was examining how cases of violence against women are handled. and the volcano that has been erupting for over a week on the spanish island of la palma is spewing out two new streams of lava, threatening further disruption that destruction and forcing thousands more to flee. hundreds of buildings have already been damaged on the spanish island.

now on bbc news, our world, and contains scenes that some viewers may find upsetting. hi mum,... for months, a threat had been looming over northern mozambique. on the 24th of march, 2021, that threat became real. i on the 24th of march, 2021, that threat became real. i “ust saw people i that threat became real. i “ust saw people running �* that threat became real. i “ust saw people running and h saw people running and shooting. mothers dropping the children, people falling. this is the story _ children, people falling. this is the story of _ children, people falling. this is the story of the _ children, people falling. this is the story of the people who became trapped at the centre of mozambique's biggestjihadist attack yet. i'm catherine br a hunger, i've travelled to hear the extraordinary accounts of those

who survived.— who survived. this was a particular _ who survived. this was a particular form _ who survived. this was a particular form of - who survived. this was a i particular form of brutality, and i have been in a lot of wars. �* ., ., , wars. and defined out of these shores up _ wars. and defined out of these shores up becoming _ wars. and defined out of these shores up becoming the - wars. and defined out of these shores up becoming the new i shores up becoming the new front line in the spread of the islamic state group. this in the morning, greg always gave me a morning call. at home in south africa, mum merrill kept in daily contact with her two sons and their dad who were working in mozambique. i think that alljust who were working in mozambique. i think that all just live the life in mozambique. beautiful people, and beautiful beaches. i love you broke. i people, and beautiful beaches. i love you broke.— i love you broke. i love you my man.

i love you broke. i love you my man- that _ i love you broke. i love you my man. that morning, _ i love you broke. i love you my man. that morning, her - i love you broke. i love you my man. that morning, her sons i man. that morning, her sons wesley and — man. that morning, her sons wesley and adrian _ man. that morning, her sons wesley and adrian were - man. that morning, her sons wesley and adrian were at i man. that morning, her sons l wesley and adrian were at the building sites with her dad greg. building sites with her dad greu. ~ ., building sites with her dad greu. . ,, building sites with her dad greu. . ., greg. we were at camps all over africa. contractors, _ greg. we were at camps all over africa. contractors, we - greg. we were at camps all over africa. contractors, we have - africa. contractors, we have been working in mozambique for a long time so we had a big mozambique workforce. jagi a long time so we had a big mozambique workforce. jogi was also in mozambique _ mozambique workforce. jogi was also in mozambique that - mozambique workforce. jogi was also in mozambique that day. . mozambique workforce. jogi was j also in mozambique that day. he had come to the town looking for work. located in northern mozambique, palma was booming. because of the $20 million gas project being built by french energy giant hotel. works had been suspended amid concerns it could be the target of islamist militants. but that very morning, it announced it was

starting up again after the government promised extra security in the area. in the fields nearby, local residents were working there small farms. this woman was among them, with a large family, including her granddaughter. that morning, greg sent me two

pictures of the clouds over palma matt day. i thought that looks a bit ominous. we palma matt day. i thought that looks a bit ominous.— all looks a bit ominous. we were all working — looks a bit ominous. we were all working normally - looks a bit ominous. we were all working normally and - looks a bit ominous. we were all working normally and one| looks a bit ominous. we were i all working normally and one of our cars— all working normally and one of our cars got a phone call that stuff— our cars got a phone call that stuff was _ our cars got a phone call that stuff was happening and he couldnt— stuff was happening and he couldn't say much, but they were — couldn't say much, but they were attacking palma. wesley be . an to were attacking palma. wesley began to film _ were attacking palma. wesley began to film on _ were attacking palma. wesley began to film on his _ were attacking palma. wesley began to film on his phone. i began to film on his phone. once it started, adjusted just didn't— once it started, adjusted just didn't stop.

19—year—old ancha was heavily pregnant.

ancha and her grandmother escaped to hide in the bush with thousands of others. wesley, his dad and brother were also hunting safety. we turned around and stopped at the amarillo hotel, and a whole lot of— the amarillo hotel, and a whole lot of people just started streaming in. lot of people 'ust started streaming in.- lot of people 'ust started streaming in. lot of people 'ust started streamin: in. ~ ., ., streaming in. the amarillo was known as a _ streaming in. the amarillo was known as a local _ streaming in. the amarillo was known as a local haunt - streaming in. the amarillo was known as a local haunt for- known as a local haunt for white foreign workers. with security gates and a helipad, people flocked here in search of safety. as the attackers

swept through town, they targeted key sites, like banks, food shops and phone markets. trying to get hold of them on their cellphones, nobody was answering, and i started to panic. eventually, about nine o'clock that night greg phoned me from his satellite phone, and said they were safe, they were in amarillo, going to get evacuated. were in amarillo, going to get evacuated-— were in amarillo, going to get evacuated. , evacuated. they were under fire for more than _ evacuated. they were under fire for more than 100 _ evacuated. they were under fire for more than 100 militants, - for more than 100 militants, known locally as al—shabab, who are affiliated with islamic state. and insurgency had been spreading across the region since 2017. what began with small scattered heads had grown into bigger, more organised and brutal assaults affecting many districts. this is the first major attacked impacting

foreign workers. around 200 workers and locals had now sought refuge at the amarillo. we were inside the hotel, upstairs at the restaurant and the bar. we started getting shot at, they were shooting at us over the wall, so we all were lying on the floor and just keeping our heads down. we had no weapons, it was just just keeping our heads down. we had no weapons, it wasjust us, so now— had no weapons, it wasjust us, so now we — had no weapons, it wasjust us, so now we were going through our head. _ so now we were going through our head, there are people coming, _ our head, there are people coming, am i going to be killed like an— coming, am i going to be killed like an animal, is my head going _ like an animal, is my head going to _ like an animal, is my head going to be cut off? is nobody going — going to be cut off? is nobody going to — going to be cut off? is nobody going to be cut off? is nobody going to be cut off? is nobody going to be cut into pieces? as

the going to be cut into pieces? is they advance towards the hotel they advance towards the hotel the insurgents had been inflicting their trademark act of violence, beheadings. outside, the military were struggling to contain them. 400 kilometres away, a controversial private security firm was working from them mozambique police was alerted to the attacks, leading the operation was season former colonel, lionel dyke. the initial thing _ colonel, lionel dyke. the initial thing from - colonel, lionel dyke. the initial thing from the - colonel, lionel dyke. ire: initial thing from the sky, there were bodies lying next to trucks, they had decapitated some truck drivers. there were a lot of bodies lying around. on the ground, people trapped by the attackers trying to signal to the helicopters. people came running out, waving, you can't leave people like that alone. whenever we

had choppers above us, that was a big sense of relief. we thought, ok, we're going to get rescued, we felt a bit better. about the situation. that's when they did the four loads of evacuating people, and the one chopper got shot twice, but even after the chopper had been shot they still came back.

dag rescued more than 20 people from the amarillo, but the small helicopters could only take a few passengers at a time. those trapped on the ground believed more help was coming. ground believed more help was cominu. , ., , ., coming. they are 'ust waiting for coming. they are just waiting for authorisation... _ coming. they are just waiting for authorisation... we - coming. they are just waiting for authorisation... we were | for authorisation... we were waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting. waiting, waiting, waiting, waitinu. �* , waiting. but help never came. dan , waiting. but help never came. dag. struggling _ waiting. but help never came. dag, struggling fuel _ waiting. but help never came. dag, struggling fuel supplies, | dag, struggling fuel supplies, said they had to leave. we were 'ust left said they had to leave. we were just left there. _ said they had to leave. we were just left there. no-one - said they had to leave. we were just left there. no-one sent - just left there. no—one sent out, no—one did nothing, we had two way radios and we managed to speak to the total security controller, and the total security's control room, i am

receiving 80 plus phone calls from this guy �*s family, there is nothing we can do for them, it is what it is. the control room was just ten kilometres away, at the gas project. the away, at the gas pro'ect. the government had _ away, at the gas project. the government had just approved to provide a 25 kilometres security zone around the side. there should have included palma. but while the town was under siege, the gas project itself was never breached. dag claims that total refused to share fuel and the military refused to share larger helicopters, hampering their rescue mission. those inside the amarillo had found a weapon now and hatched a plan.- now and hatched a plan. when ou bu now and hatched a plan. when you buy friday _ now and hatched a plan. when you buy friday night _ now and hatched a plan. when you buy friday night we - now and hatched a plan. when you buy friday night we would| you buy friday night we would not survive another night, they were going to get in, and if they got in, then it would be

slaughter. we have got the vehicles there, if the choppers are not going to be able to evacuate us, then we need to make a run for it before nightfall. make a run for it before nightfall-— make a run for it before nightfall. make a run for it before niehtfall. ~ , ., ., nightfall. we took list of all the people. _ nightfall. we took list of all the people, and _ nightfall. we took list of all the people, and their - nightfall. we took list of all l the people, and their names, and worked out how many vehicles we needed, and we started to load, we put all the women and children in armoured vehicles, and the rest of us were all in on armoured vehicles. i were all in on armoured vehicles-— were all in on armoured vehicles. ., ., ., vehicles. i have a wife and three children, _ vehicles. i have a wife and three children, that - vehicles. i have a wife and three children, that was i vehicles. i have a wife and l three children, that was my motivation, to get in a car and to try— motivation, to get in a car and to try to— motivation, to get in a car and to try to drive to a place, we do not — to try to drive to a place, we do not know if the road is open, _ do not know if the road is open, will be get killed or not. — open, will be get killed or not. but _ open, will be get killed or not, but if we stay here we will — not, but if we stay here we will die _ not, but if we stay here we will die-— not, but if we stay here we will die. my brother said to me, he

will die. my brother said to me. he said _ will die. my brother said to me, he said he _ will die. my brother said to me, he said he thought - will die. my brother said to | me, he said he thought this will die. my brother said to - me, he said he thought this was a bad idea, we have a weapon, maybe we should stay. and i said to him let'sjust go. in a forest on the edge of town, ancha and herfamily were also planning an escape. before they left, muanassa went back to check on their home. they, and thousands of others, headed for the shore to flee by boat. with little food or water, the 400km journey was a huge risk.

ancha went into labour in the middle of the sea. back at the amarula, the convoy was preparing to leave. low on fuel and losing daylight, dag says they were unable to give the cars air cover.

we just went as fast as we could. about 2—3km out on that road to tanzania, we got hit by the first ambush. the guy that was driving, they shot his glasses off his head — that's how close the bullet was to killing him. probably about, uh, 5km further, we got hit by another ambush. my brother, he got hit. he just was shouting, "i'm hit. "i can't drive. "somebody else needs to take over."

and i was just shouting to him "i love you!" we pushed him to the back, where my dad was holding him and holding his wounds to stop the blood. and i started to drive and i was just shouting back, "use another pack. "put it in the — put it in the wound!" just before the quarry was — were all the dump trucks that had been ambushed three days before. they had placed bodies across the road. so we had to drive over the bodies to carry on going. by saturday morning, we hadn't heard anything. and, uh... my manager, he phoned me with the news. he started off with saying, "wes and greg are safe, but adrian didn't make it..."

so, i said goodbye to him and thank you for saving all of our lives. we then left him in the car and we ran into the bush. and then we hid in that bush and thick undergrowth for two days. four days after the attacks began, wesley and greg were finally rescued by lionel�*s pilots. they landed a small plane next to my brother and ijust held his hand the whole flight back. 17 vehicles left the amarula. it's estimated six didn't make it. jorge and tobias made it to the shore and were evacuated by boat.

jorge is now back home, with no work. he says he would go back to palma if morejobs come up. but the town is almost deserted, and total has suspended this project indefinitely. many believe the company has questions to answer about what happened. my personal opinion is total do not value human life. i do not think they should have the right to operate in mozambique. because as far as i know, i grew up, a human life is worth more than anything. worth more than anything. just imagine if i died on that road, do you think total would have taken care of my family? would they provide for my children? if they are not doing that, why should they have the right

to take any mineral from this country? but there are also serious questions for the government about whether a lack of military strategy cost many citizens their lives. mozambique has now agreed to accept troops from its allies in southern africa, before the jihadism spreads. why was nothing done beforehand? this is going to come to an end, and it'sjust creeping further and further down the coast. before you know it, we're going to see it right here on our doorstep. the mozambican military did not provide a response to the bbc. total told the bbc that:

ancha and her family survived the crossing and reached the port of pemba. she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. ancha's husband is still missing.

now, they are just two of thousands now, they are just two of thousands stuck in temporary camps. while the foreign contractors may have gone home, for many mozambicans, this crisis is their everyday reality. nearly 3,000 people are thought to have been killed and 700,000 displaced by insurgent attacks in mozambique since 2017. ancha named her baby after the boat that rescued them — �*esperanza' — it name means hope.

more rain and wind on the way. it is autumn, after all, but for some of us saturday may end up being a bit of a write—off. and in fact, over the next few days the weather will remain very unsettled — spells of heavy rain, gales at times and even the possibility of some travel disruption. and the atlantic is looking a lot more vigorous in its weather patterns in the last few days. we're seeing low pressures forming, propelled by a powerful jet stream. and you can see a low pressure anchored just to the north—west of the uk, another one to the south forming, and that's the one that's going to bring the particularly wet spell of weather on saturday. so, through the early hours, we're already expecting some rain across western

areas of the uk. but ahead of that there is plenty of clear, dry weather, so eastern and central areas may actually wake up to some sunshine. that sunshine may even last until mid—morning or perhaps early afternoon in the extreme east, but very quickly those clouds will increase, and we've got some particularly wet weather there for the south and the south—east and some strong winds too. further north—west in the afternoon, it's going to be more of a mixed bag, so for belfast and glasgow i think some sunny spells certainly in the forecast. so here's saturday night. that low pressure and its extensive rain front moves out of the way, and then the weather opens up a little bitjust in time for the marathons on sunday. so for the london marathon, expect some sunshine, the marathon in belfast as well. nowhere will be completely dry. in fact showers are expected on sunday, with a keen westerly breeze, but at least we're not going to have that really prolonged rain. now, the temperatures both on saturday and sunday will be around the mid—teens — not that it'll feel like it

because of the strength of the wind and also the prolonged rain. and then, on monday, the next area of low pressure heads our way. so early on monday there could be some sunshine around, but certainly by monday afternoon and evening we'll start to see the next area of wet weather approaching south—western parts of the uk. so a very unsettled spell of weather over the next few days — quite typical for october, really. here's the summary. you can see a lot of rain shower icons there, temperatures mostly in the mid—teens. there's just a hint that, sometime later next week, things will settle down at least for a bit. bye— bye.

welcome to bbc news. i'm rich preston. our top stories. optimism from health experts as a pill developed to treat severe coronavirus reports positive trial results that could halve the chances of dying. after the murder of sarah everard by a serving police officer, london's metropolitan police tries to regain the public trust. two new streams of lava pose a further threat of destruction as the la palma volcano forces thousands to flee. nobody knows how much more lava is going to flow into the sea. there is no sign of this ending anytime $0011. europe's first mission to mercury is making a flyby

approach on the night side of the planet.