and royalty gather at the sight of the nazi concentration camp auschwitz to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation. king charles is expected to make a speech later. i'm gita guru—murthy in london, also coming up... tens of thousands of displaced palestinians have begun returning to their homes in northern gaza, as part of a ceasefire deal involving the return of israeli hostages. these are live pictures from the gaza strip. donald trump has reversed his plan to impose sanctions and tariffs on columbia after it agreed to accept deported migrants from the us. sir keir starmer and donald trump have agreed to meet soon after the prime minister praised the us president for his role in securing the gaza ceasefire deal.

hello, i'm lucy hockings, you're watching news now. 80 years ago today, on the 27th of january 1945, troops came to where i standing discover the horrors of the auschwitz—birkenau concentration and extermination camp. here, 1.1 million men, women and children were killed. during the second world war, more than 6 million people were murdered in what is known as the holocaust, and today is holocaust memorial day, commemorating those victims, the vast majority of whom were jews. events will take place around the world but the main focus is here at auschwitz in south—western poland. the weather is clear as you can see but it is very, very cold, close to freezing. it hasn't discouraged about 50 survivors.

they are in their 805, some in their 905. you can see them here supported by their friends and relatives. the day 5tarted and relatives. the day started with them laying wreaths before the blackwall which is also known as the death wall. it stands between two blocks of the former concentration camps. 0ne the former concentration camps. one of the blocks wa5 the former concentration camps. one of the blocks was used as a punishment centre. for some, one of the blocks was used as a punishment centre. forsome, it could be the last time for these survivors that they are the5e survivors that they are able to visit in memory of those who did not survive. a hugely better significant thing for them to have them today. you can see the polish president here. he is the only head of state who is making a speech today because they want 5peech today because they want this to be about the survivors and victims. he said it was the job of poland to preserve the memory of auschwitz. he is just

one of many world leaders who will attend the commemoration i5 will attend the commemoration is today. among them, king charles, who will pay re5pects behalf of all the people he represents. before his arrival, represent5. before his arrival, we also saw president zelensky who commemorated the victims of the holocaust in kyiv seeing the holocaust in kyiv seeing the world must unite against evil. he warned the memory of the holocaust i5 evil. he warned the memory of the holocaust is growing weaker. here he is here, president zelensky, saying some countries are trying —— 5till countries are trying —— still trying to destroy entire nations. you might hear the sound of silence behind me as the dignitaries begin to arrive later on. all though the cameras may be on them at times, the focus will very much be on those survivors come on those 50 people who have come. their message, we have spoken to a few of them, they want to tell the world what happened

here, it is vital to tell the world what happened here, to ensure it will never happen again. bbc breakfast presenter john kay has been looking at the life of auschwitz 5urvivor. my number was 84,303 and i can't forget it for the life of me. i tried so many times to forget it, but i can't. you know, iforget so many things, you know, what happened... hearing zigi's story never gets any easier. his family have gathered to watch the film he made with bbc breakfast five years ago. it's the first time his great grand5on5 have seen this. you couldn't escape from auschwitz—birkenau. it was electrified fences with guards on top. i wouldn't like to be in a situation like that at all. yeah, cos you're nearly his age when he was i fighting in the war, 14. yeah, it's crazy. he was always like, "you're my family and i love you."

when we walked along here, dad said, "we're going to go through an opening and there'll be a huge tree." and then when we saw it, it wasn't huge because he remembered from when he was a little boy. two years after zigi's death, his daughters lu and michelle have come to poland. they want to find out more about his life before he was sent to auschwitz. zigi was born in the city of lodz in 1930, but when he was just ten, the nazis rounded up thousands ofjewish familie5 like his and forced them to live and work in an overcrowded ghetto, cut off from the rest of the world. the ghetto was a place filled with brutality and disease. zigi's granddad was one of thousands who 5tarved to death here.

i know there's one place that you've always wanted to find. and that's. .. where my dad lived in the ghetto. and that's where we are right now. the reason the sisters never managed to find this place before is because the nazis changed all the street names. to be inside what was his home, awaiting being taken to auschwitz, what's it like for you to be here today? this is where he said he would come down from here in the morning to go to work. he'd walk down, walk outside and step over dead bodies as he came out of this apartment building. as a little boy having to do that? he would have been 11 or 12. he moved from affluence to a hellhole, a hellhole. but even this was better than where he ended up.

zigi was just 14 when he arrived at auschwitz, brought here in a cattle truck, a journey of 150 miles. it's the first time i've been here. and you think you're going to be prepared, because so much of it is familiar. becau5e i've seen the documentaries and the films and the footage and the pictures, but... nothing can prepare you for this. it's the silence is what, you know, the total silence is so... bleak, isn't it? he told us that he remembered arriving in the morning, and it was quite mi5ty and hazy, with a lot of smoke. and in his innocence and naivety they thought the smoke was from a bakery. but it wasn't until later on they were to discover that it was a crematorium that they'd seen the smoke from. the problem was, where were you escaping to? there was nowhere to escape. zigi came back to auschwitz

with his daughters in 2001. returning to the site where more than one million men, women and children were killed. now michelle and lu are here without him. this is where zigi and his grandmother arrived in a cattle truck. and this is where they were separated as well. they'd never see one another again. being a similar age to my great grandma, i can't imagine what it must have been like for her. it must have been so scary for both of them. i think he must have been terrified. absolutely terrified. the only maternal figure that he had was taken away from him. they were in this vast place where they didn't know anybody. they didn't know what was happening. there was chaos, pandemonium, people separated. we know that she died in terezin the day after she would have been liberated, so she survived the whole war.

she survived four and a half years in the ghetto. we saw yesterday how horrific that was. she survived all of that. she then would have survived a further ten months, as zigi did in concentration camps, and died in terezin, never to be a free woman. in a place of no hope, we are that hope. and there are 18 descendants now of zigi's family. from zigi's life being saved, there are now 18 of us. i think you need to tell people who this is. this is zigi. my grandpa zigi's great grandson. hi, zigi. it's a very special connection. yeah, yeah. look here, please, say zigi. zigi! my

my colleague there with the family. let's talk to mary fulbrook who is a professor of german history. she has been joining us all day, it is so good to have her expertise. she is usually at the university couege is usually at the university college london. if we can think about today is the anniversary, not just about today is the anniversary, notjust holocaust memorial day, but the liberation of this camp here at auschwitz—birkenau, can you tell us what the red army would have seen when they first arrived. ~ , .., have seen when they first arrived. ~ , .. , arrived. when they came in they found 7000 _ arrived. when they came in they found 7000 survivors _ arrived. when they came in they found 7000 survivorsjust - found 7000 survivors just about, those who were too sick, too ill to walk to be taken on the best match. the nazis had cleared out to ten days earlier, taken those surviving prisoners who are still fated to walk, taking them to other camps. the ones that the red army found were dying, ill,

starving, emaciated, and horrific scene, i can hardly imagine it. we have some film footage. an awful scene. it is hard to generalise it, but we have been hearing from the families of some of the victims and also from the survivors. how long did it take for some of that to be put down in writing, for it to be made into popular culture so the world had a conversation about what happened here?— world had a conversation about what happened here? those are three different _ what happened here? those are three different questions. - what happened here? those are three different questions. some survivors started writing immediately. we got the reports they were still writing even in hospital, is trying to recover. you get people writing up their diary notes in 1946—47. you get people talking to each other

and giving testimony to the commission straight after the war, orto commission straight after the war, or to the most remarkable series of interviews, recorded interviews with survivors. there was a lot of trying to get it out there immediately. what happens though is a lot of people don't want to hear about it and survivors eventually find that they can only talk among themselves, the wider world doesn't want to know about it. apart from a very few rare examples like anne frank diary, lots of it fell on deaf ears in the 19505. it is only from the onwards that some people, had written right after the war, finally found publishers. it is only from the late 19705 in the late 19805 they find a wide audience. this is when entering into popular

culture takes place with the screening of the mini tv series, holocaust, in 1978. from then on we get the video testimony and the big films that really bring it to the wider world, that really bring it to the widerworld, shindler that really bring it to the wider world, shindler celeste for example. that is when it starts infiltrating popular culture in a large way. to summarise that, it really is the second generation or even third generation that begin to want to hear survivors stories and not the other people who had lived through it.- had lived through it. mary, thank you _ had lived through it. mary, thank you very _ had lived through it. mary, thank you very much. - had lived through it. mary, thank you very much. we l had lived through it. mary, i thank you very much. we will hear other stories throughout the day. i hope you can stay where there is a full coverage around the world and in the uk. this is bbc news.

this is bbc news. after months of fighting in gaza, which has seen many people forced to move several times to seek shelter, tens of thousands of displaced palestinians are now returning to their homes in the northern territory. these are the live pictures from gaza, we have seen long lines of people walking along the coast road, there are a few vehicles but many seem to be carrying their possessions on their back. some have told the bbc the houses are completely destroyed. to give you a sense of the geography, people are walking all along the seam line on the gaza strip. theirjourney to the corridor from the south of the corridor from the south of the gaza strip and wrens right along. when they arrive at that corridor, people have to go through checkpoints where long queues have been reported. 0nly

queues have been reported. only then can they get into northern gaza. the movement of people is due to start after the weekend but it was delayed after israel accused hamas of not releasing accused hamas of not releasing a civilian hostage. she wasn't released on saturday, hamas said they will now release her on thursday and three more on saturday. in other developments, egypt has rejected any attempt to relocate palestinians from gaza after the us president donald trump said he would like to see more than a million of gaza residents being taken in by other nations. he said it was a demolition site and suggested it should be therefore, they should be a clean—out of gaza. 0ur correspondent spoke to us as displaced palestinians were returning.

as displaced palestinians were returnina. , , ., returning. they will try to returning. they will try to return to _ returning. they will try to return to their— returning. they will try to return to their homes, i returning. they will try to return to their homes, ifl returning. they will try to - return to their homes, if they have still got one left. the united nations at the end of last year estimated that more than 60% of all buildings in gaza have been destroyed or damaged, but you are right, they are on the move in large numbers of that coastal road and just in the last few minutes the central road heading through gaza will allow cars and vehicles to pass. they will have to be screened by the idf and i can imagine people are going to be waiting a very long time but at least they are able to return home, if they have still got a home. let's speak to the ian rose. just what you — speak to the ian rose. just what you are _ speak to the ian rose. just what you are hearing - speak to the ian rose. just what you are hearing and seeing about how this movement is happening. thanks for having me on. it

started early this morning but people have been getting prepared for it for days now. it was late last night that the announcement came through that the beach road would be open at 7am this morning, on the central road a few hours later for vehicles to cross. i live in a place that is about a kilometre south of that crossing on the beach road. we woke up to noise from about 4am, not the noise of bombs but the noise of people packing up. we had assumed it would be aduu we had assumed it would be adult males that were crossing bots, it is like the campsites just being dismantled, whole families on the move, children with backpacks on, adults with bags refashioned as rucksacks carrying belongings to fulfil that basic human emotion of going home. now we are seeing those crowds passing the

checkpoint, so mass movement of people. is checkpoint, so mass movement of --eole. , . , checkpoint, so mass movement of theole, , ., , , people. is there any support for people — people. is there any support for people because - people. is there any support for people because how- people. is there any support for people because how are | people. is there any support - for people because how are they going to live once they arrive if the houses have been demolished?— if the houses have been demolished? , ,., demolished? there is some support- — demolished? there is some support- we _ demolished? there is some support. we carry _ demolished? there is some support. we carry on - demolished? there is some i support. we carry on providing services to the extent that we can since the evacuation orders were issued in the middle of october 2023. as have other agencies as well. since the ceasefire came into effect last sunday, about a week or so ago, aid flows have been coming into gaza and levels we have not seen since the start of the conflict. aid is getting in to northern gaza. this is the basics, supplies that have been backed up on the borderfor several months. it is basic food aid, shelter items. we can get food aid in, shelter items is going to take a bit more

time. we need other sorts of things for this to happen, rubble needs to be removed, people need to be able to access their buildings safely so we need mine clearance experts to court and off the area, carry out assessments. we also need basic such as water supply to be re—established. can ijust quickly come in 20 seconds, you are due to have that macro is anybody going to step in and take the role? rhys scale of what _ step in and take the role? rhys scale of what we _ step in and take the role? rhys scale of what we do, _ step in and take the role? rhys scale of what we do, it - step in and take the role? rhys scale of what we do, it is - step in and take the role? rhys scale of what we do, it is not i scale of what we do, it is not possible to replace. we have 8000 un staff working every single day, 25 times more than the rest of the un together. we are a national ngo, but the system, the scale of what we do simply can't be replaced in short order. it will have dramatic consequences. thank ou so dramatic consequences. thank you so much- _

you so much. downing street says donald trump and sir keir starmer have agreed to meet soon after the prime minister praised the us president for his role in securing the landmark gaza ceasefire between israel and hamas. donald trump complimented the prime minister's leadership. they spoke on the phone yesterday. it isa it is a diplomatic win for sir keir starmer. until yesterday, donald trump hadn't spoken to a single european media on the phone. keir starmerwas single european media on the phone. keir starmer was the first. that is being taken as a diplomatic achievement by the uk government. it does sound both from the readout as it is turned, front bonuses in the white house, as if it was a warm conversation. it talked about the middle east, keir

starmer praise donald trump are bringing about the ceasefire. we know they talked about the economy and keir starmer talked about his plans to deregulate the uk economy. that was clearly an attempt to appeal to donald trump's sensibilities. we also know that they talked about the royal family, we also know that they talked about the royalfamily, because when it comes to the uk, donald trump whose mother was scottish, absolutely loves and has deep affection for the royal family. the us as it will not go ahead with tariffs and other sanctions against colombia after bogota agreed the return of the us describes as illegal aliens from the country. donald trump announced measures which would have added up to 50% taxes on colombia on sunday after it turned back to military planes carrying migrants deported from the us. the us president —— the colombia president had threatened tariffs himself.

the tide are on hold but still potentially could go into place if there is another breakdown in communication, and agreements between the colombian government and the us government. as we were mentioning here, colombia was my president said it would not accept these military, us military planes that had deported migrants from colombia they were bringing back to the country. we saw this trade war, retaliatory back—and—forth happening over the course of a couple of hours. it seems this is currently in a holding pattern. is currently in a holding the migrants donald pattern-— is currently in a holding attern. . , ., pattern. the migrants donald trum - pattern. the migrants donald pattern. the migrants donald trum - pattern. the migrants donald trump does _ trump does _ pattern. the migrants donald trump does want _ pattern. the migrants donald trump does want to - pattern. the migrants donald trump does want to deport, i pattern. the migrants donald i trump does want to deport, how pattern. the migrants donald trump does want _ pattern. the migrants donald trump does want to - pattern. the migrants donald trump does want to deport, i pattern. the migrants donald i trump does want to deport, how are they found and what happens are they found and what happens when they are sent back? it when they are sent back? it depends on, when it comes to depends on, when it comes to being sent back, aids talks at being sent back, aids talks at —— depends on the country. they —— depends on the country. they

are focusing on people who have some sort of criminal background, whatever that is. allegations or convictions related to a myriad of different crimes, especially some that are more violent. if they encounter someone interim, what they see as collateral. those folks are being sent back to the countries where they came via military planes. there is word the temp administration is word the temp administration is working with the government of el salvador to

is working with the government of el se trump to is working with the government of el se trump has used donald trump has used the threat of tariffs to get some policy change. threat of tariffs to get some policy change-— threat of tariffs to get some policy change. especially when it comes to. — policy change. especially when it comes to, when _ policy change. especially when it comes to, when it _ policy change. especially when it comes to, when it comes - policy change. especially when it comes to, when it comes to | it comes to, when it comes to this it seems the first time we are seeing it play out. president trump in his first term was a man who used the threat of tariffs if not a tariffs in their own right to try and sway policies when it schemes to steal in the united states, it is something he has threatened in the run up to him coming back into office. we will have to see now how much of a tactic this is going forward for him and how much this works with other countries. thank you very much indeed. we are back in a few minutes. this is bbc news. hello again.

storm erminia is making its presence felt across our shores, so named by the spanish met service because of the impacts in spain. but the met office also has a couple of yellow weather warnings in force connected with the storm. so, wind for southern parts of england and wales valid until 6am tomorrow morning, and rain for wales valid until midnight tonight. so, we've got the rain that crossed us through the morning and overnight pushing up towards northeast scotland and rotating around the low pressure which is this storm. we've got squally showers — some heavy, some merging to give longer spells of rain — some hail and thunder mixed in there, and gusty winds — the strongest across the west and also the south. temperature—wise, around about average for the time of year. we're looking six to about nine degrees. as we head on through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening and overnight period, the rain continues to push northeastwards across scotland. we continue with this rash of showers moving across england, wales and northern ireland, some of those will be

wintry on highest ground. the winds will slowly start to ease, but it still will be blustery tonight, and we're looking at two to seven degrees as our overnight lows. tomorrow, the low pressure, which is this storm, continues to drift towards the east, and then we've got another low pressure coming in from the atlantic. so, during the course of tuesday, all these showers continue to push eastwards. it will be brighter behind, but it's still going to be blustery. and we've got a cold northerly wind blowing in some showers across the north of scotland. temperatures seven to about ten degrees north to south. so we say goodbye to the low pressure that's the storm. and then we've got this next area of low pressure coming in. now, there's still a little bit of uncertainty as to just how far north the rain will come. this is what we think at the moment across some southern counties of england. but it could push a little bit further north than that. some showers coming in on the northwesterly wind, but in between, a quieter day. a lot of dry weather around. temperatures seven

to about ten degrees. and then, looking beyond that, well, as we head through thursday, it's looking like it's going to be dry for most of us. more settled, and it continues more settled as we head into the ensuing days. but there will still be some rain on the cards.

hundreds of thousands of displaced palestinians are returning home to northern gaza. these are live pictures from the gaza strip. the belarus president has been re—elected winning over 86% of the vote. the eu says the vote was a blatant affront to democracy. china's ai model deep seek has become the most downloaded app on the apple i store. people are gathering at auschwitz to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation. prince charles is expected to make a speech later. in belarus, officials say alexander lukashenko has won the general election which was

held on sunday. he has