today at 6:00, we're live from birmingham as the commonwealth games get under way with final preparations for the opening ceremony. the city is getting ready to party — as 6,500 athletes from 72 teams arrive for the biggest sporting programme in commonwealth games history. i think it's a wonderful, wonderful thing. it's good for the community, good for the city in total. it's good for the next generation of people that want to get involved in athletics as well. also on the programme tonight — the harrowing story of a woman who killed the baby she hoped to adopt. one—year—old leiland—james corkill died from catastrophic head injuries — a safeguarding review says the woman who tried to adopt him repeatedly lied to social workers.

bumper profits for the owner of british gas — centrica — more than a billion pounds this year as household bills keep rising. right on time! and from the railway children to the wombles and doctor who — bernard cribbins has died at the age of 93. and coming up on the bbc news channel, we'll be in birmingham ahead of the commonwealth games and we'll look at what threat germany pose to england in the final of the women's euros. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. you the commonwealth games 2022 opens here at the alexander stadium in birmingham injust two hours�* time. this huge space seats 30,000 people, and although we don't entirely know the themes of the opening ceremony you do get hints of how

they want to celebrate birmingham, with a mock canal and brickwork heralding its industrial past, and graffiti and skateboard ramps celebrating its gritty present. and we've also been told to watch out for exactly how the royal guests arrive. 0rganisers say it's the biggest in the event's history. prince charles will represent the queen tonight and performances will include local music and dance groups, emphasising birmingham's diversity. more than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories will take part over the next 11 days. athletes will compete in 19 sports and 280 medal events and for the first time there will be more medals for women than for men — and the games will include a fully integrated para sport programme. phil mackie reports. cheering and applause. the queen's baton is on its final leg. first stop, birmingham's jewellery quarter, where the medals that they'll be competing

for tomorrow have been made. the last stop will be opening ceremony. these pictures are from the dress rehearsals. the show�*s director is peaky blinders creator stephen knight, so it will celebrate both the west midlands and the commonwealth. in the city, excitement is building. one, two, three, go! this is the festival park in victoria square. the commonwealth teams have arrived and are taking it all in. it is very majestic in a way, but, with the games just about to start, i find it exciting and very buzzing. so, a very electric atmosphere. this, they say, will be the most inclusive games. there are more para games than before, more medals for women than men, and lgbt athletes will be allowed to carry the rainbow flag for the first time. there have

also been protests because same—sex relationships are against the law in two thirds of competing nations. well, it has all come together pretty well, considering they only knew they were hosting the games just overfour years ago. birmingham and the west midlands has always felt overlooked and unloved by by the rest of the country, so this is an opportunity to overcome those perceptions. we are actually going to sell the brand of birmingham and the west midlands right around the world. it gives an opportunity to show the world just how this place has progressed in recent years. for brummies, that is what is really important. for brummies, that is what is really im ortant. ,., ., ., for brummies, that is what is really imortant. ., . , important. good for the city, good for the next _ important. good for the city, good for the next generation _ important. good for the city, good for the next generation that - important. good for the city, good for the next generation that wantsj for the next generation that wants to get involved in athletics. its to get involved in athletics. its really good for young children, because — really good for young children, because they _ really good for young children, because they get _ really good for young children, because they get to _ really good for young children, | because they get to experience different— because they get to experience different types _ because they get to experience different types of— because they get to experience different types of sports - because they get to experience different types of sports as - because they get to experience i different types of sports as well. this is— different types of sports as well. this is the — different types of sports as well. this is the start _ different types of sports as well. this is the start of— different types of sports as well. this is the start of 12— different types of sports as well. this is the start of 12 days - different types of sports as well. this is the start of 12 days of - this is the start of 12 days of sporting and cultural events that it is hoped will live long in the memory.

from funding for sports, to hospitality and potential legacy what do these games mean for the people of birmingham and the west midlands? nesta mcgregor has been finding out. this time round at least, bike polo isn't one of the 26 sports being showcased, but across birmingham, projects like this one are benefiting from funding allocated to the host city. there's probably eight to ten cities around the uk that play it. we've spent our money on some equipment, the facilities, our time. we're hoping to do a little tournament at the end, will have refreshments, first aid. you know, we're trying to have a bit of a party at the end. more than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations and territories will experience the best in brummie hospitality. world champion gymnastjoe fraser already knows it well. it's not very often you get an opportunity to do a major competition in your back garden. everyone's buying tickets, everyone wants to support, but now they're going to have the opportunity to see what i've been doing, and what i've been grafting for my whole life.

the commonwealth games is the first major multisport event held in the uk since the covid pandemic, reason enough to be excited. can't remember the last time that birmingham hosted something as big as the commonwealth games. i think it was a good use of money, it's definitely bringing a lot more attention to birmingham, and it is a really good city, so i think it's good that it's getting the attention it deserves. makes me proud to be a brummie. birmingham is one of the youngest cities in europe and it's also one of the most diverse, with large asian, african and caribbean communities. and for some, the occasion hasn't lived up to its motto of games for everyone. for example, the organising board was accused of lacking diversity. changes have been made since. newsreel: we, all loyal subjects of his majesty, | will take part in the games- in the true spirit of sportsmanship. then there are those who say its colonial origins are still being felt today. at a sensitive time, when the windrush scandal hasn't been fully resolved yet, families torn apart, people who spent all their lives here,

people who were born in caribbean countries and african countries and parts of asia, when the union flag flew over those countries, being told, "you have no right to be here," and then we're saying, "yes, but we embrace our commonwealth family," it does say double standards. the commonwealth games organisers say they are committed to the event reflecting the region. the city of birmingham's official slogan is "forward", and ultimately, the legacy these games leave behind will be far more important than the medals won. nesta mcgregor, bbc news. i'm joined now by our sports editor dan roan. is we just heard, there's a lot riding on of these games? for many, it remains a — riding on of these games? for many, it remains a real _ riding on of these games? for many, it remains a realjewel _ riding on of these games? for many, it remains a realjewel in _ riding on of these games? for many, it remains a realjewel in the - it remains a realjewel in the sporting calendar, and some of the finest athletes are in town, top british stars like adam peaty, laura

kenny, geraint thomas, overseas legends as well full stop for some sports, this is the pinnacle. it is a off first as well, more medals for women than men, the biggest para— sports programme in history of the event. and yet there are some for whom this is an outdated legacy of empire, something of an anachronism. there is a real sense that, for the sake of the games going forward, at a time when it is struggling, perhaps, to find future host cities, it needs the next few days in birmingham to to plan. there is a lot at stake for the government. £800 million, this event is costing. they want to see it to strengthen ties at a time when the future and the commonwealth is under renewed focus. perhaps above all, it is crucial for this city. this will be the biggest sports event of the west midlands and birmingham have ever hosted. injust under two hours' time, they think more than i billion people, globally, we'll be watching. a tremendous showcase. this is birmingham's big chance to shine. many thanks, lots to look forward

to, but that is it from us in birmingham for now. now time for the rest of the news. a woman who murdered the one—year—old boy she was trying to adopt lied about her alcohol use, mental health problems, and debt. a safeguarding review found there were systemic failings in the adoption process and information was not always shared between agencies. in her first interview, the little boy's mother says her son leiland—james was wrongly taken away from her at birth and would still be alive if he had been left with her. this report from our special correspondent, ed thomas, contains some distressing details. "mummy, please don't be sad. "i miss you so much, too. "i'm safe. "it's so beautiful up here. "but i do worry when i see you cry." laura inhales sharply. the words of laura corkill, read at the funeral of her son, leiland—james. .. and what do you remember about him? his smile, his cheeky laugh, his big, bright eyes.

..murdered by the woman who promised to love and care for him. when he came home, it was in a wooden box. is this home? yeah. this is the first time laura corkill has told her story. how long have you been here for? six years. it starts with her son being removed by a social worker, taken at birth from his hospital cot. i was in bits. what was leiland—james doing? crying. cumbria county council say they told laura they planned to remove leiland—james. she denies this. years before, laura suffered severe domestic violence, abuse that she says social workers feared would happen again — a so—called "risk of future emotional harm." she believes that is why her son was taken. what should have happened to leiland—james? he'd come home with support in place. absolutely. yeah, absolutely. aishea and rebecca support women

who have faced domestic abuse. they offered social workers a plan to bring leiland—james home. we did have e—mails going back and forward between us to see if we could work out a plan of support to see what we could offer. and was that negotiated, were you listened to? no. no. leiland—james' fate was already determined. cumbria county council had identified him for adoption. yeah, i was expecting him to come home. this was the last photo of mother and son together. was this during contact? that was my last contact. she would never hold leiland—james alive again. laura corkill says she repeatedly asked for leiland—james to come back home. inside, she told me she passed several parenting assessments. and one social worker, she says, told her she could get the baby's room ready for when he came back here. cumbria county council say in april

2020, they told laura the plan was for leiland—james to be adopted. and injuly, the family courts agreed. in august 2020, social workers placed leiland—james with this woman, laura castle. he cries. she would repeatedly beat him. she filmed him in distress. stood up like that... injanuary, 2021, she murdered leiland—james. how can someone hurt an innocent child? what, just because they couldn't cope with him? doesn't mean you've got to kill them. sorry. before leiland—james died, a social worker refused to tell laura which hospital he was in. it was 2a hours later, and then they eventually told me it was liverpool alder hey hospital. by the time i got down there he'd already been dead. and then eventually i went into his room. ijust wanted to pick him up.

but they wouldn't allow me. your child? they wouldn't allow me to pick him up. a safeguarding review into the adoption of leiland—james found that his killer, laura castle, lied and misled social workers about her mental health, alcohol use and debts, and relevant information was not shared between agencies. laura corkhill was not asked to be part of it. i was nothing. i was nobody. and they tried to make me forget that i was a mother. i spent more time with leiland in death than in life. you can watch the full documentary on that story on the bbc iplayer now. the latest annual uk climate report from the met office shows sea levels are rising much faster than a century ago.

it also says higher temperatures are the new normal for britain and that spring is coming earlier. conservationists warn that plant and animal life is not evolving quickly enough to adapt to climate change. labour leader sir keir starmer said he sacked sam tarry for doing interviews without permission, and making up policy. he was fired after he gave a round of broadcast intervals interviews from the picket line in which he said workers should get pay rises in line with inflation. keir starmer has been criticised by trade unions and his own mps for the move. tory leadership candidates rishi sunak and liz truss will go head to head in the first official hustings with party members in leeds tonight. speak they will be 12 events over the next few weeks, in which they will take questions from tory party members, the only ones who can vote to choose the next prime minister full stop chris mason reports. one of the candidates to be prime minister, rishi sunak, represents a seat in yorkshire.

the other grew up here. this is roundhay in leeds, where liz truss went to school. this is my homeland, this is my school. this is where my mum now lives in chapel allerton. on a visit to talk about improving digital connectivity, the internet, she also said she would improve transport links in the north of england. i know how poor the transport is and, frankly, it has not got much better since i was a teenager getting the bus into leeds city centre. this was rishi sunak leaving for leeds earlier. and when he got here he acknowledged he's got some catching up to do. yes, i'm the underdog in this race but what i'm finding is that i'm getting a really positive reception everywhere i'm going across the country. and i want to be honest with people about the challenges we face as an economy, i want to be responsible in dealing with them and talk to people about my vision. from promises about the future, to reflections on the past. this is a spinning mule — a workhorse of the wool industry during the industrial revolution,

now an exhibit at leeds industrial museum. i'm here to meet heather, angelo and sam — three local conservatives, each with a vote on who replaces borisjohnson, and feeling the weight of picking the prime minister on our behalf. we do have a responsibility, and it isn't a decision that i want to make on my own, albeit i tick the box and make that decision, i do want the input of other people as well because they're going to be the leader of the country and not the leader of the 160,000 members. so i asked angelo what he made of the candidates falling out with each other so spectacularly. i didn't like it very much when rishi sunak was speaking over liz truss. but then i also thought you need to be very strong and tough as a leader. so kind of a proper scrap is part of road testing a potential prime minister? yeah, and for both of them, being able to give and to take. i think the biggest issuej for people here in leeds is ultimately levelling up.

i the fact is, we won a significant. majority in 2019 and we're halfway through a term and now we've got two years to make sure, _ with a new leader, that actually, we are not onlyjust delivering. on our promises but a promise of more. i rishi sunak versus liz truss. i am going tonight to the hustings to actually make my mind up. - minds are meeting to be made, it's time for persuasion, argument — soon, a decision. this stage is being set here at elland road in leeds with party members taking their seats ahead of the hustings. liz truss arrived in the hustings. liz truss arrived in the past half an hour with her mum who lives locally, rishi sunak has also been out onto the stage to get also been out onto the stage to get a feel for the room he and liz truss will be performing in, the first of 12 hustings before ballot papers start arriving for a conservative party members next week. it all gets

under way here and about 45 minutes' time. chris mason, our political editor, thank you. the prime minister has responded to comments that his government is not doing enough to help people with their energy bills. speaking today he said that periods of difficulty were inevitable but the country had to get through these difficult times. it comes as the energy companies centrica and shell announced a large rise in profits today. 0ur correspondent emma simpson has been looking at the numbers. thanks, sophie. a lot of energy companies are coining it in because of soaring oil and gas prices. shell announced today that it made £9.5 billion of profit in just the last three months — more than double the previous year. meanwhile, britain's largest energy supplier, centrica, the owner of british gas, announced profits of £1.3 billion for the first half of this year — more than five times the amount it made 12 months ago. this isn't being driven by the rise in customer bills,

it's down to higher sales from its oil and gas production arm as well as nuclear assets. profits at british gas are down. centrica has taken on 750,000 customers from failed suppliers, and has had to then find energy to sell to them which it didn't necessarily have hanging around, as it were, for it to sell, so it has had to go into the open market, buying that energy and so it has had to pay top dollar, to a degree, just like everybody else for that. even so, these profits and the news that centrica is sharing the spoils with investors through a small dividend may not sit easily with households facing rocketing energy bills this winter. the average annual bill for gas and electricity was already predicted to hit £2800 by october. and some are predicting bills could now tip over £3000 with the worst still to come. charities say more help is needed. we're worried about problems we would normally only see in winter, which are turning up

in the summer, particularly people who can't afford to top up their prepayment meter with gas and electricity. we helped more people injune with those problems than we did injanuary. centrica says it knows these are difficult times for households but that it had to strike the right balance. if shareholders don't get a return, they won't bother investing. and that's not good for the long term future of the business or its big investment plans. the time is 6:20. our top story this evening... final preparations are under way for the start of the commonwealth games in birmingham — with the opening ceremony set to start in a matter of hours. scotland continues to have the highest drug rate death in europe — despite the numbers falling for the first time in eight years. coming up in sportsday on the bbc news channel, more from the commonwealth games and will have reaction to the news that four—time world champion sebastian vettel is to retire at the end of the formula 1 season.

a 25—year—old man has been jailed for life for killing his grandfather — and for the first time tv cameras were able to broadcast his sentencing live. from today some criminal courts in england and wales are now allowing filming. our legal correspondent dominic casciani was watching. would you stand up, please? the sentence i pass upon you is therefore one of life imprisonment, with a minimum term of ten years and eight months. justice in action, and broadcasting history. judge sarah munro qc todayjailing ben 0liver for the manslaughter of his grandfather. you will not be released by the parole board unless they conclude that you no longer pose a risk to the public. that concludes these sentencing remarks, and he may go down, thank you. news channels can now televise

the sentencing of serious criminals in england and wales, starting with cases at the old bailey. cameras can already enter scotland's courts but few cases are ever filmed. for more than a century, these benches have been the only way the public have been able to witness trials of gangsters like the kray twins or serial killers including peter sutcliffe. the tv cameras still won't be able to film defendants, but, for the first time, the audience will be able to watch and listen to the judge as he or she sentences serious criminals, fulfilling a maxim of the law that not only should justice be done, it should be seen to be done. sentencing of serious criminal cases is something in which there is a legitimate public interest, and it has always seemed to me this is part of the criminal process which can be recorded and broadcast, in many cases but not all, without compromising the administration ofjustice.

..and the defendant 0renthaljames simpson not guilty of the crime of murder... it is scenes like this that concern ourjudges. the 1995 oj simpson murder trial became nightly entertainment for america. here, we can't film evidence or victims, and defendants like ben 0liver today will still be sketched by a court artist. but an introduction of a camera on thejudge is revolutionary and might help the public understand how justice really works. dominic casciani, bbc news. the nhs is to close england's only dedicated gender identity clinic for children and young people at the tavistock and portman nhs foundation trust in london. the clinic had been criticised for the way it cared for some of its patients. 0ur social affairs editor alison holt is here. tell us more about the clinic and what has happened. it tell us more about the clinic and what has happened.— what has happened. it has faced increasin: what has happened. it has faced increasing criticism _ what has happened. it has faced increasing criticism in _ what has happened. it has faced increasing criticism in recent - what has happened. it has faced l increasing criticism in recent years with some former staff questioning how it operated, there was legal

action brought by kedar bale, a former patient he was given puberty blockers at the clinic at the age of 16 and she feels she was not challenged enough and later regretted her decision to transition from female—to—male. it also find long waiting list, and also and inconclusive evidence base. it called for a transformation of the service and that is what we're seeing so the plan is while tavistock will close in spring 2023 it will be replaced by regional centres based in children's hospitals and they will have multidisciplinary teams which support young people and that is really important because with those long waiting list there is of distress among young people waiting for support so the hope is that will ease some of the pressures. tavistock says it will work with the new services to provide continuity

of care and important expertise. thank you. the number of people who died of drug misuse in scotland last year dropped slightly to just over 1300 — the first fall for eight years. but it remains by far the worst toll recorded in europe, and more than five times as high as in england. the scottish government admitted the situation was unacceptable, as conservative politicians called the latest figures a "badge of shame" for the first minister nicola sturgeon. 0ur scotland editor james cook reports. i started at an early age, yeah, started at about 11 or 12 year old. by the time he was 16, chris had tried cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy, lsd and amphetamines. but it was heroin which he says ruined his life. i'm very lucky to be alive. there's been many occasions where i possibly could have overdosed and died. and i know people, i have had people within my life that have passed away, sadly, to overdose. over the past two decades drug deaths have risen fastest here in dundee.

most of those dying are men, and the toll is much heaviest in the poorest parts of the city. in recent years, dundee has boomed. it looks and feels like a city on the up. but under the surface there are challenges — with poverty, mental health and education, and all of these challenges feed into the drugs death crisis, making it difficult to solve, precisely because its causes are so complex. this is our needle exchange site. this charity provides clean needles for addicts, and it's busy. people are still dying. just one person is too many. i think that, given the attention that dundee has had, has meant better action and faster action has had to take place, but unfortunately that does take time. it's not happening nearly fast enough for these campaigners. we have seen a trend of increasing drug deaths since 2013, which has halted, but i am

determined to use this change as a real platform to power ahead, to do more. but this critic say ministers should be trying harder to get people off drugs altogether. the majority of our treatment budget is currently going into what we would call really vital harm reduction practices, but we are not offering people the chance to get well. for this city, for the nation, this remains a deep crisis. a scottish national emergency. james cook, bbc news, glasgow. the actor and singer bernard cribbins, whose career spanned seven decades, has died aged 93. he narrated the 1970s children's programme the wombles. and his appeareances in doctor who date back to the 1960s when the series began. 0ur media and arts correspondent david sillito looks back at his life. one i must have and no offence,

i know, day like this. haven't taken too great a liberty, have i, on a day like this? you know? bernard cribbins. from perks in the railway children... morning, tobermory. you look hot. ..to the wombles and, before that... what about a nice drop of brandy in your tea? films like two way stretch with peter sellers in 1960. this was far from the beginning of his career. it started out in rep in 0ldham when he was 1a. in the �*60s... i'm the new midshipman. poopdecker�*s my name — albert poopdecker. he was appearing in carry on films and recordings very successful comic songs. # there i was, a—digging this hole...# but it was film and tv aimed at children that he'll be perhaps best remembered for. the wombles, jackanory and so much more. he was, for one fellow children's performer, a funny and inspiring friend. i adored working with bernard. we did children's programmes together, and he was so generous and kind, and i learned so much from him because he was a genius.

a creative genius who knewjust how to communicate with the audience. he adored children. he adored doing children's programmes. 0h, doctor... what about you now? who have you got? and he continued well into old age. this was his second doctor who, a0 years after his first spell in the tardis. still, that's fine. from perks, to songs, to jackanory to fawlty towers, bernard cribbins could turn his hand to anything. right on time! he was, for millions of us, a down—to—earth, funny, friendly, much loved part of childhood. bernard cribbins, who has died at the age of 93. time for a look at the weather. time for a look at the weather, with darren and all eyes on birmingham. temperatures aren't about 20 degrees right now and it should stay dry.

there has been some heavy rain today as it pushes northwards across scotland and still affected north england and that put peter out for a while but we could see further pulses of rain into northern england and southern scotland overnight otherwise clear skies and the winds will be light. similar temperatures took last night, 11—111. if you're hoping for something warmer stay tuned for tomorrow because it looks like temperatures will be a bit higher and lighter winds and some sunshine. we start cloudy in the north and north—east of england and southern scotland with the rain, that peters sunny elsewhere, the odd shower possible across northern england and eastern scotland. warmer day and temperatures could reach 28 celsius. we have some rain threatening northern ireland by the end of the day and into western scotland on that weather front which will head into england and wales