more new on our top story, the breaking news that prime minister sir keir starmer has announced a public inquiry into the southport killings. he described the knife attack at a taylor swift—themed dance class as "senseless" and "barbaric". yesterday, 18—year—old axel rudaku ba na yesterday, 18—year—old axel rudakubana pleaded guilty to stabbing the young girls. it emerged he had had contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years, including the police, social services, years, including the police, socialservices, mental years, including the police, social services, mental health services and an anti—terrorist organisation. circularsaid services and an anti—terrorist organisation. circular said the public inquiry into the killings would seek to answer difficult questions. let's speak to councillor sean halsall, who grew up on the street where the attack happened in southport. good to talk to you under unfortunate circumstances. let u nfortu nate ci rcu msta nces. let me unfortunate circumstances. let me ask you first of all about your reaction to what we have

heard from sir keir starmer this morning.— heard from sir keir starmer this morning. yes, i think that an hinu this morning. yes, i think that anything that _ this morning. yes, i think that anything that starts _ this morning. yes, i think that anything that starts getting i anything that starts getting into why this happens is positive. i would into why this happens is positive. iwould be into why this happens is positive. i would be interested in what the contacts of the inquiry is. —— in what the context of the inquiry is. we don't need to get some answers and then nothing gets done about it. we need to make sure there are proper, concrete proposals that come out of it and there are resources put into make sure this never happens again.— into make sure this never ha ens aain. ~ ., happens again. when you heard esterda happens again. when you heard yesterday some _ happens again. when you heard yesterday some of _ happens again. when you heard yesterday some of the - happens again. when you heard yesterday some of the details, l yesterday some of the details, the fact that axel rudakubana had come into contact with various agencies, including prevent, which is meant to root out people who could be radicalised into terrorism, what do you make of that? there have clearly _ what do you make of that? there have clearly been _ what do you make of that? there have clearly been massive - have clearly been massive failing is someone to come into

contact with so many different state agencies and there are serious questions to be asked about why all those different agencies have failed. i think thatis agencies have failed. i think that is the biggest thing for me. ~ ., that is the biggest thing for me. ~ . , ., , that is the biggest thing for me. . , ., , ., that is the biggest thing for me.~ ., , ., , ., me. what questions would you like to ask _ me. what questions would you like to ask the _ me. what questions would you like to ask the inquiry? - me. what questions would you like to ask the inquiry? 0r- like to ask the inquiry? or would you like the inquiry to answer i should say? i would you like the inquiry to answer i should say?- answerl should say? i 'ust think where i answerl should say? i 'ust think where those * answer i should say? ijust think where those causes i answer i should say? ijustl think where those causes of answer i should say? ijust - think where those causes of the failings came from. i can't imagine 16 years of austerity have helped in any way with that, but it can'tjust be about funding either. there are likely failings there, social services, prevent, the police, clearly there is a lack of communication between different state agencies that ended up in the horrific attacks last summer. the horrific attacks last summer-— the horrific attacks last summer. a ., ., , summer. as someone who lives in that area it — summer. as someone who lives in that area it is _ summer. as someone who lives in that area it is difficult _ summer. as someone who lives in that area it is difficult to _ that area it is difficult to say how our people healing

because it will take weeks, months, years, and people will never really get over the horror of what happened, but what have people been saying to you since yesterday and axel rudakubana's admission of guilt? rudakubana's admission of . uilt? , rudakubana's admission of auilt? , ., ., guilt? there is a level of shell shock _ guilt? there is a level of shell shock as _ guilt? there is a level of shell shock as well - guilt? there is a level of shell shock as well with | guilt? there is a level of- shell shock as well with some of the details that have emerged since yesterday. i think southport is an incredible place and the community came together amazingly to look after each other. i think there is deep trauma clearly that will live with people for the rest of their lives, a lot of them. in their lives, a lot of them. in particular the families, i don't particularthe families, i don't know if you know them, of course they were not in court yesterday and the judge did apologise for that because he was not aware this was going to happen in the way that it unfolded without admission of guilt. unfolded without admission of auilt. , ., �* unfolded without admission of i uilt, , ., �* 4' ., guilt. yes, i don't know the families — guilt. yes, i don't know the families personally - guilt. yes, i don't know the families personally but - guilt. yes, i don't know the l families personally but there is some positive with not having to be dragged through

this for months and potentially years with a court case that would be cracking up that sort of trauma again. but, yes, what do you say to those families? that will be with them for the rest of their lives, that horrific incident, taking those little girls away from them. thank you very much for talking to us on this story, which is very close to home for you personally. we do appreciate it. ., ~ personally. we do appreciate it. . ~ , ., personally. we do appreciate it. ., ~ we personally. we do appreciate it-_ we will - personally. we do appreciate it._ we will have i it. thank you. we will have more on — it. thank you. we will have more on that _ it. thank you. we will have more on that story - it. thank you. we will have more on that story in - it. thank you. we will have more on that story in the l it. thank you. we will have i more on that story in the next ten minutes or so so you will be updated on that. there have been calls for the far—right group patriotic alternative to be banned after an undercover bbc investigation exposed extreme racist views among some of its supporters and members. posing as a new recruit, a bbcjournalist recorded the groups supporters calling for migrants to be killed if they refuse to leave the uk, as well as violent and graphic comments from one of its guest speakers. wyre davies reports.

patriotic alternative says it campaigns for the rights of indigenous british people, and is neither extremist nor racist. it organises social events like this hike in the peak district, on which patrick — a former history teacher — compared pa's tactics now to how hitler and the nazis came to power. a bbcjournalist spent months undercover with pa, recording conversations and the views of members like aaron. they're going to exterminate us, destroy our country, our people and our families and call us racist. you got two choices — fight or die.

aaron later told ourjournalist while working together on a decorating job what he thinks should be done with migrants. our investigation exposes how members of this far—right—wing group want new recruits to join what they call a race war on our streets, how they ask for cash to bankroll convicted racists, and how they peddle misinformation online and in communities to sow division. accused of exploiting genuine local concerns over plans to bring migrants to a hotel in llanelli, or the violent scenes that followed the murders of three young girls in southport, pa insists their campaigns are peaceful and within the law. but at their annual conference,

ourjournalist repeatedly heard extreme opinions — including the views of a guest speaker on punishment for non—white criminals. the only language they understand is violence, and the only way to effectively respond to a crime they've committed that's as heinous to what is described is you literally skin them, and you hang a few of their bodies up across some traffic lights or something. we contacted blair cottrell in australia, asking him about his comments, but he didn't answer any of our questions. former teacher patrick, when asked about his pro—nazi comments on the hike and others at conference, accused the bbc of having an anti—white bias. as for aaron — who'd advocated shooting migrants — we asked him face—to—face. get out of the way. i'm not on your property. you're not getting - any comment off me. because anything i say, you'll lie about, ok? i so just stay out my way, i'm leaving for work. - get out of the way. why do you think the migrants should be rounded up, put in camps and shot

if they refuse to leave? mr watkins? will you speak to us, sir? they may not engage in terrorism, but are they creating a climate that's conducive to it? i would argue, yes. britain's first counter—extremism commissioner has called for new laws to ban groups like pa. i think we need hateful extremism proscription orders to outlaw those organisations. i think we need legislation to criminalise the leaders of these organisations, because i don't believe they can be de—radicalised. the last government described patriotic alternative as akin to being a neo—nazi, white supremacist organisation. the current home office says extremism has no place in our society. for now, pa is still allowed to operate and campaign within the law. but for how long? wyre davies, bbc news. let's get more now on our top story — the breaking news that prime minister sir keir starmer has announced a public inquiry into the southport killings. he described the knife attack at a taylor swift—themed dance

class as "senseless" and "barbaric". let's speak to brendan cox, who works with survivors against terror, which supports families affected by terror offences, and the together coalition whichs works to build community cohesion. welcome to bbc news. i was just looking at some of the comments made by sir keir starmer. one of the things that struck me in his words were saying the blunt truth is that britain now faces a new threat, terrorism has changed. in the past the predominant threat was highly organised groups with clear, political intent, groups like al-anda. so now the prime minister is saying that what we define as terrorism is to change. what is your view on that as someone who works in this field? it

that as someone who works in this field?— this field? it is definitely clear the _ this field? it is definitely clear the terrorist - this field? it is definitely - clear the terrorist landscape has definitely changed. it has changed in two really significant ways. one is that it has the methodology of the attacks has changed. i used to have what terrorists would call spectaculars, like 9/11, the coordinated bombings, centrally directed and planned and designed to create huge amounts of casualties and huge amounts of casualties and huge amounts of disruption. that has changed to being a much more devolved methodology where you are more likely to use a car or a knife, or something much easier to get hold of it. that is a real risk because it makes it much easier for people to take part and it creates far fewer points of disruption for law enforcement. the second change, which is the one the prime minister was talking about today, is the change around what is driving

it. so the ideology behind it. again, overtime it. so the ideology behind it. again, over time that has changed stop this is not something massively new. in the 19705 something massively new. in the 1970s and 1980s, the biggest threat was the ira and the irish republican terrorism, thenit irish republican terrorism, then it changed to islamist extremism. more recently there has been the rise of far right extremism with its domestic extremism. but what the southport attack shows and other similar to it, southport attack shows and othersimilarto it, is southport attack shows and other similar to it, is there is this new category which our people who are using terrorist methodology but without the traditional ideology. that is difficult because we don't have the infrastructure under plans to be able to deal with that. and sir keir starmer said as well that axel rudakubana had been referred to the prevent programme on three separate occasions. prevent is meant to

root out early signs of radicalisation, particularly amongst younger people. do you think prevent is still fit for purpose? it think prevent is still fit for purpose?— think prevent is still fit for --urose? , , . ., purpose? it is definitely clear something — purpose? it is definitely clear something awful _ purpose? it is definitely clear something awful went - purpose? it is definitely clear something awful went wrong | purpose? it is definitely clear. something awful went wrong in this case. i think there is a design problem here rather than a competence problem, which is the design of the prevent programme is to look for ideology driving the extremism. it is not looking just for people who are randomly going to be violent. the way we have tended to characterise this, the question about whether this is the right way of doing it, but terrorism we have defined as being acts of violence predominantly against civilians for a political purpose driven by an ideology. what we are seeing with this more sort of nihilistic violence such as the southport attacks is there isn't a clear ideology. when prevent, i imagine, looked at this case they were trying to identify is there an ideology?

is he an islamist or a far right extremist? whatever else. because it wasn't clear there was an ideology because it was driven, if you like, just by the desire for violence, it doesn't fit onto the prevent programme and they probably thought it wasn't their role. the problem we have either it does need to be prevent�*s role and it needs to take on that wider work, and it needs to take on that widerwork, orwe and it needs to take on that wider work, or we need another well resourced, clear programme to be able to refer, particularly children into when they are going down a route of they are going down a route of the fixation. i guess one of the fixation. i guess one of the best ways of looking at it is that in the us you have obviously the sort of very current, very regular school shootings. kids go into their own school and try to kill as many people as possible. those are not defined as a terror attack, they are defined as school shooters. what we are seeing here is we have got the

traditional terrorists who are driven by an ideology but using different methodology, and this new cohort using the same methodology but without that ideology. methodology but without that ideolo: . ~ . ideology. whichever way you look at it _ ideology. whichever way you look at it it _ ideology. whichever way you look at it it is _ ideology. whichever way you look at it it is not _ ideology. whichever way you look at it it is not working . look at it it is not working because axel rudakubana had contact with various other agencies as well, including we understand social services and the police. there were alarm bells raised because he had been watching violent material and footage online, including of shootings in the us i think, i was reading somewhere, it was reported. so clearly things are not working. what would you say needs to change in the way the people look at these things? categorisations are not enough, are they? categorisations are not enough, are the ? ., categorisations are not enough, arethe ? ., , ., are they? no, absolutely not, but that is _ are they? no, absolutely not, but that is the _ are they? no, absolutely not, but that is the reason - are they? no, absolutely not, but that is the reason why - but that is the reason why doing this through a public inquiry is the right way to do it because there is a design problem here in exactly what you are saying. something went fundamentally wrong in this case, but what it isn't is a

question ofjust of competence, it is a design problem, which is that we don't have the infrastructure to be able to deal with these kind of cases, and that is what we need to create. we need to create new infrastructure which is focused on this non—determinate ideology, so that when people are driven to want to create large acts and when they are obsessing online about mass killings and they are thinking about and watching gore online, those things should be a red flag and there should be a clear programme. there is a real question about is the nature of that programme quite different to prevent. the way prevent was constructed was to look at the ideology and say, ok, this individual is motivated by this ideology, how do we try to de—radicalised them? how do we try to change them? how do we try to change the interpretation of islam? how do we change the interpretation of white supremacy and far right extremism? it was designed to get at the ideology. where there is not an ideology we need something different, which

is how we change the mindset of this person and get them on a programme that takes them away from a desire to commit random acts of violence. that is a different nature of programme. my different nature of programme. my instinct is it is probably best to adapt the prevent programme to be able to do that, ratherthan programme to be able to do that, rather than create an entirely new programme. however, that is not clear and thatis however, that is not clear and that is why the inquiry is welcome. that is why the inquiry is welcome-— that is why the inquiry is welcome. ., ., , ., welcome. thank you for sharing our welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts — welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts on _ welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts on what - welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts on what is - welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts on what is a - welcome. thank you for sharing your thoughts on what is a very | your thoughts on what is a very complicated area to discuss, brendan cox. as we mentioned, one of the organisers of the 2021 us capitol riots has been among the first to be released from prison after being pardoned by donald trump. stewart rhodes was one of more than 1,500 people who stormed the capitol. he was serving an 18—year prison sentence after being convicted of seditious conspiracy. last month, thejudge who presided over rhodes' trial said it would be "frightening" if rhodes and other members of his oath keepers group

were pardoned and released. mr trump has also threatened to introduce new tariffs in his america—first approach to trade. sir liam fox is a former secretary for international trade, leading negotiations post—brexit. he gave me his take on the way forward. i think europe will need to get to understand there is a different world view from washington. i spent the last week there, i spoke to politicians on both sides of the divide. there is a very strong feeling in the united states that the number one security issue — and, to an extent, the number one economic issue — is china, and that cuts across the parties in washington. i think europe has to understand that america will be looking at the risk from china in all its facets as the main issue that it has. and then when it comes to ukraine, they see that more as... it is more an issue i think in congress than perhaps it might be in this white house, but i think it is still regarded as a major issue.

there is a strong feeling that europe doesn't pay its way, european nato members do not pay their way when it comes to defence spending, and they are right. a number of us have been warning for years that there would not be an indefinite amount of patience amongst american taxpayers if europe continue to take a free ride on the coats of american defence spending. that will have to change. the other thing that i think is a big difference is there is a much greater focus on the threat from iran in washington than in lots of european capitals, and i think we will see that played out through policy and the abraham accords. more broadly, where do you see the uk—us diplomatic relationship moving forward? we have seen lots of tweets from elon musk in the last few weeks being very vocal about the current british government. he now sits in mr trump's cabinet. a number of us are very critical about the current british government.

i don't think that makes a difference because the fundamental relationship and what people call the special relationship is a security one between the united states and the united kingdom where there is greater sharing of security information than between any other two nations in the world. that will continue, that will be a very strong bond. we might see more aukus, a bringing in the australians into this relationship as well, because i think president trump sees nation states that are like america rather than looking to geographical blocs, which is where i think the european union might fall foul. sir liam fox. our climate correspondent navin singh khadka told us what might happen if president trump's "energy emergency" extended beyond the us. the key question now being asked is will this remain just within the us or will it spiral elsewhere as well? that is the real concern, because the us

has done it before. and, mind you, even during joe biden's administration, the oil production was going up despite all these acts — we saw green acts and all that. but then the thing is, you know, as a prelude to this, we saw major us banks making exodus from a major alliance, it's called the net zero banking alliance. and now we're hearing we're seeing reports now, european banks are reconsidering their membership within that alliance. what does that mean? that is the question being asked now. and then elsewhere, for example, countries like south east asian countries, we are seeing reports again that they will also buy fossil fuels from the us because the trade surplus is a major issue, trump is threatening that there cannot be this thing. and then also, you know, we see figures from china, for instance, around 2% rise in oil production, still going up. they are still struggling to bring down coal production. india has openly declared that its coal production will go up. so the thing is, just when we

were supposed to bring down... all these scientists have told that no new fossil fuels can come up if we are to keep 1.5 there, and then when we saw this, and then now the question is, will other countries follow suit? the signals are most of them might. among the excutive actions announced in his inaugural address, president trump spoke about immigration. he's declared a national emergency at the us—mexico border, and has plans for large—scale deportations of undocumented migrants. will grant sent this update from san diego. in his decision to declare an emergency on the us southern border with mexico, president trump has opened the door to a number of things. the first is access to more federal funding for us border security, and the second is the possibility of deploying the military here. but that wasn't the only step he's taking on the issue of immigration. there was a whole host of others — some more

controversial than others, particularly the idea, for example, of removing birthright citizenship to the children of undocumented immigrants in the united states. that is sure to face legal challenges because it is enshrined in the constitution. nevertheless, there have already been real—time effects of some of the steps he's taking. he has removed, for example, the use of an app called cbp one by which migrants who make it to the us border with mexico get an appointment with the us authorities to make their case for asylum. they show that they are fleeing credible fear, ie, violence from drug cartels and so on. and if they can do that, they then have the right to remain in the us. that app has gone, and around 30,000 people who were due to have appointments with the us authorities

are left empty—handed. it is a wholesale, comprehensive effort to change things at the border by the trump administration as it comes into office to deliver, as he promised to his supporters, a complete new approach to the border that will be far harsher and more draconian than that seen under the biden administration. that is will grant at the us and mexico border. just some developing news that is coming into us from the reuters news agency relating to the situation in the middle east, and they are saying that the israeli military has launched an operation in the west bank city ofjenin. israeli security forces have begun an operation in the volatile west bank city ofjenin. of course, the occupied west bank. we don't

have any more details beyond that. of course that comes as president trump as he took office rescinded sanctions imposed by the former biden administration on far right israeli settlers in the occupied west bank who have been accused of being involved in violence against palestinians. we will have more from the middle east on that when we get it. in the summer of 2021, 35 puppies and a dog were rescued from a caravan in eastbourne after they were found living in what police called "a state of squalor". four years on, their owner — who had already been banned from keeping pets — has been handed a two—year suspended sentence for causing their suffering. our reporter fiona irving has been to see how the dogs are doing now. oh, look at that! oh, no, they're so thirsty. dehydrated, starving and just weeks old. when they were found, these puppies suffered from infections and infestations. one — a dachshund — didn't survive. eddie, come here. but the others were all rehomed. come here.

yeah! sit! meet eddie. he was one of the sickest puppies taken from the caravan. we got him and he had salmonella, he had some, like, joint issues going on. he had ringworm so there's, like — there were spots in his fur where it was falling off. all round, just not great. this is pepper. now three and a half, this feisty dachshund was hospitalised for weeks after her rescue. she had compiler bacter, which is a bacterial infection that's resulting from having lived in faeces, and eating raw food and just general, really unwell. despite their rough start in life and the thousands spent on vet fees, all the dogs are now doing well.

she's loving life. she's enjoying every minute. he's a gentle, a gentle little giant dog. puppies that have at last found love. fiona irving, bbc news. now it's time for a look at the weather with carol hello again. the weather for the next couple of days is very similar to what we had yesterday, but it is going to change towards the end of the week. so, today, we've got a weather front across the northwest of the country enhancing the showers here, and we've got another weather front draped across the central swathe of the country, which is producing all this cloud and outbreaks of rain. to the south of that, we could see one or two brighter breaks, but there'll be a fair bit of cloud around. the sunniest skies today, northern ireland and scotland, and later in northern england. but even so, there will be a peppering of showers across the north and the west, with top temperatures 8—9 celsius. through this evening and overnight, our weather front moves a little bit further south. we import more cloud

and some showery outbreaks of rain from the south. but as we push further north, with light winds and clear skies, here we could see some mist and fog patches forming and it's going to be a cold night with a touch of frost here and there. tomorrow, we do have a weather front very close to the south east. that will be moving away as we go through the course of the day. so this cloud and the showery outbreaks of rain will continue to drift southeastwards, but we will still be left with a fair bit of cloud in the southeastern quadrant of the country, whereas move north and west of that, we're into brighter skies, some sunshine and just a just a peppering of showers in the north and the west. temperatures 5—8. then on thursday, after a dry start, a weather front coming in from the west will introduce some rain pushing west to east. there'll be some transient snow in the hills of northern ireland, also northern england and also scotland. and the wind is going to pick up in the west and the south through the course of the day. then things change. we've got this potent area of low pressure coming our way,

drifting northeastwards. look at the isobars. so we're looking at widespread gales. now, the position of this low pressure could still change. it ould be a bit further north, it could be a bit further south. but what we think at the moment is it's going to take all this rain, preceded by some heavy hill snow, as well, in the north of the country. we'll have widespread gales and as it moves away, things will dry up. temperature—wise, we're looking at 10—11. but as it moves through, the temperature will actually drop through the course of the day. and then beyond that, it remains unsettled with the potential for another low pressure at the end of the weekend.

live from london. this is bbc news. prime minister keir starmer announces an inquiry into failings that led to the murders of three young girls in southport last summer. as part of the inquiry launched by the home secretary yesterday. i will not let any institution of the state deflect from theirfailure. failure which in this case, frankly leaps off the page. donald trump uses his first hours back in the white house to tear upjoe biden's policies — issuing pardons for those who stormed the us capitol four years ago. just hours after that pardon, a far—right militia leader involved in the riots

is released from prison. and prince harry's legal battle against british tabloids for allegedly unlawfully intruding into his life goes to trial. in breaking news, prime minister sir keir starmer has announced a public inquiry into what he called the "senseless, barbaric" murders of three schoolgirls at a taylor swift—themed dance class, in southport last summer. on monday, 18—year—old axel rudakubana pleaded guilty to stabbing the girls. in the wake of his plea, it emerged he'd had "contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years" including the police, social services and mental health services. in an address from downing street, sir keir said the public inquiry into the killings would seek to answer "difficult questions".