To bring her home by christmas. I am hopeful that he is fully engaged on trying to bring her back. Concern for the british explorer Benedict Allen who has gone missing in Papua New Guinea, a search has been launched. Celebrations as australians vote overwhelmingly in favour of legalising same sex marriage in a historic poll. Coming up in sport eight days until the first ashes test in brisbane, chris woakes the first ashes test in brisbane, chris woa kes takes the first ashes test in brisbane, chris woakes takes six wickets on the opening day of englands final warm up match. Good afternoon, welcome to the bbc news at one. The army is now in control in zimbabwe after taking over the state broadcaster overnight. Armoured vehicles are on the streets but the military have insisted they have not staged a coup. President mugabe is reported to be under house arrest. The British Embassy in zimbabwe has advised uk nationals to stay indoors until the situation becomes clearer. Our Diplomatic CorrespondentJames Robbins reports. Snatched video films furtively tells some of the story, troops on the streets of harare, as the generals ta ke streets of harare, as the generals take control after 37 years of president mugabes increasingly dictatorial rule. Heavy gunfire could be heard in parts of the capital early this morning, but the picture overall is of uncertain quiet. It looks as if the bulk of the army has been moving to secure its hold on zimbabwe. Soldiers seized the headquarters of the straight forecast, so that a general read out a statement. The situation in our country has moved to another level. Firstly, we wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president of the republic of zimbabwe and commander in chief of the Zimbabwe Defence forces, comrade Robert Mugabe, and his family, are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed. We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice. As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy. This was president Robert Mugabe last week, very frail, seriously ill, renaming the countrys main airport for himself. Hoping perhaps to cement still further a cult of personality and try to make the succession of his wife, race, at his side, more certain. Key military leaders now seem unwilling to let that happen, Robert Mugabe is under house arrest, in office but certainly not in power. Grace, a0 years hisjunior, has helped split the entire ruling party, zanu pf. Ten days ago she was booed at a rally and the army clearly blames her for splitting factions. She is reported to be out of the country, apparently seeking protection in namibia. This is the man the army may favour, the Vice President until he fired him last week, Army Commanders were desperate to stop the purge and Emmerson Mnangagwa saw himself as a frontrunner to succeed until his sacking and flight into exile, now, britain, former colonial power, is urging calm. Our ambassador has been touch because uk nationals that are worried should get in touch with the embassy. It is fluid and hard to say exactly how this will turn out, the most important point to make is that eve ryo ne most important point to make is that Everyone Wants to see a stable and successful zimbabwe, and i think we appealfor everyone to successful zimbabwe, and i think we appeal for everyone to refrain from violence, that is being porting thing. Harare does appear to be generally quiet, zimbabwe and people will be nervous after enduring decades of violent row and the catastrophic economic collapse of a once thriving economy. Powerful neighbour south africa is also calling for calm and restraint. Im hoping that the Defence Force will not move and do more damage, that they will be able to respect the constitution of zimbabwe, as well as the people of zimbabwe, so that this situation does not go beyond the situation does not go beyond the situation where it is now. This mornings newspaper headlines on the streets of harare highlights tension between the army chief, chiwenga, and president mugabe, but events have moved a long way since those words were printed. It seems president Robert Mugabe has finally lost his grip on power after nearly four decades. The 93 year old has ruled zimbabwe since independence from the uk in 1980. But the economy of the country has descended into chaos, with thousands of people reduced to poverty. 0ur correspondent milton nkosi reports. I, robert gabriel. Robert gabriel mugabe was a revolutionary leader who fought in the liberation struggle against white minority rule. And bear true allegiance to zimbabwe. His tight grip on power earned him the title of being the oldest head of state in the world. The 93 year old leader has been in power since zimba bwes independence in 1980. He has continued his life as an international statesman, despite a diminishing reputation as zimbabwes economy crumbled amid corruption and violence. Mugabes rise to power began in 1979 when the lancaster house agreement ended white minority rule. At first he protected minority rights. But in the 2000s he changed tack. He led a chaotic Land Reform Programme including redistributing land from white farmers without compensation. The countrys economy collapsed with runaway inflation figures. The central bank printed money on a massive scale. Supermarket shelves were empty. A loaf of bread would cost you trillions to buy. Mugabes misrule prompted widespread protests, that was the birth of the opposition mdc, led by trade unionist Morgan Tsvangirai who later entered into power sharing agreements with mugabe following a disputed election. The economic climate was unbearable, something it is still struggling to recover from. Millions of zimbabweans cross the border into neighbouring south africa looking for a better life. And now the end seems near. As he tried to pave the way for his wife grace mugabe to be his successor. The army found that unacceptable saying that this is not a dynasty. 0ur correspondent Shingai Nyoka is in harare. What is the mood . The mood is very quiet, the Million Dollar question among zimbabwe ands is what happens next, a lot of uncertainty around that, we we re a lot of uncertainty around that, we were in the street earlier, there was gunfire and explosions and that has been replaced by calm, but there is still a heavy military presence in the Central Business district. Zimbabweans. I personally witnessed tankers and some parts of the capital are in lockdown, tankers have sealed off access to president Robert Mugabes office, his administrative office, as well as key buildings Like Parliament and the courts, many of the people moving around town they did not seem to be any fear in them, they were calm, in spite of the fact that the military is there. You can follow all the latest developments from zimbabwe as it happens. That is on our website, you can get live updates, analysis and much more. Scotland will become the first country in the world to set a minimum unit price for alcohol. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Scottish Government can proceed with its plan to set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit. Currently some alcohol can be bought for as little as 18p a unit. It follows a five year legal battle with the Scotch Whisky association, which had claimed the policy was a restriction on trade. Other parts of the uk could now follow scotlands example. Heres our correspondent catriona renton. The Scottish Government says the problem with drink in scotland is so significant that Ground Breaking measures are required to save lives, the law to introduce a minimum price for alcohol was passed more than five years ago, but a lengthy battle in the courts with the Scotch Whisky association has stopped it from being in fermented until now. The 2012 act does not reach eu law, minimum pricing is a proportional means of achieving a legitimate aim. The idea of minimum pricing is simple, the more alcohol a drink contains, the stronger it is, and therefore, the more expensive it will be. The government wants to set it at 50p per unit, that means, four ca ns it at 50p per unit, that means, four cans of 5 strength lager would cost at least £a. A0. And a bottle of wine, £a 50. And a 70 cents a litre bottle of whiskey, could not be sold for less than £1a. Almost all alcoholic drinks bought in pubs sell for well above the minimum price, so they will not really be effective. In shops like this, lets take this bottle of strong cider, at the moment, selling for ea 50, but it will go up to £1125. What do people make of that . It is dear enough as it is now, and they make enough money from it. People will get together and they will buy cider, thatis together and they will buy cider, that is the most popular thing for them. That is four or £5. They will not be able to pay for it. , be quite a good thing, i work as a psychiatric nurse, we get a lot of people addicted to alcohol and things like that. It will probably bea things like that. It will probably be a positive thing from my point of view. The Scotch Whiskey Association argued the policy goes against eu trade rules but the Scottish Government says it will change lives. Policy is by its very nature controversial because, again, this is an example of scotland leading the world. It will continue to have its critics. But it is the kind of bold and necessary policy that we need to tackle a Public Health challenge. Campaigners in other parts of the uk will have been closely watching todays ruling, and this may well have an influence. The foreign secretary, borisjohnson, has held his first meeting with richard ratcliffe, the husband of the british iranian woman detained in iran. Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe was jailed for five years in april last year for spying, which she denies. Tom burridge is at westminster. He has been separated from his wife and young daughter for a he has been separated from his wife and young daughterfor a yet he has been separated from his wife and young daughter for a yet and he has been separated from his wife and young daughterfor a yet and a half. This morning, a meeting at the Foreign Office. Richard ratcliffe was troubled when the foreign secretary suggested his wife might not have been purely on holiday in iran, as Boris Johnson not have been purely on holiday in iran, as borisjohnson apologised, today, mr ratcliffe was able to ask the foreign secretary whether he could join him on his trip to iran next month. We talked about his trip to iran, in the meeting, he said it is not quite confirmed when. We talked about whether i would be able to accompany him, he said he was keen to take me, but it is a question to resolve with the advice of the Foreign Office and also in the a s on with the iranianss. Of the Foreign Office and also in the a s on with the iranianss. This was nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe a week before her arrest, her daughter now only gets to see her during prison visits. She has dual british and iranians citizens, and was arrested at terrain airport, after visiting her parents. Citizenship. At terrain airport, after visiting her parents. Citizenship. People here in the Foreign Office and across government have been working very ha rd over across government have been working very hard over the last 19 months to secure the release of nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe and indeed to solve some other very difficult consulate cases in iran. And we will continue to do that and we will leave absolutely no stone unturned. Richard ratcliffe says his wife is in poor health and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Their daughter cannot travel to britain to be reunited with her father. Cannot travel to britain to be reunited with herfather. This morning he was able to press the foreign secretary on all of those issues, and asked that his wife be granted diplomatic protection. Diplomatic protection would essentially turn her plight from an individual consulate issue into an official dispute between britain and iran. 0fficials here at the foreign 0ffice have been trying to work out whether that move would have a positive impact on the case in iran. According to mr ratcliffe, the foreign secretary expressed reservations about granting diplomatic protection. He still hopes his wife will be home in time for christmas. The interim leader of the scottish labour party, alex rowley, has stepped down from the post because of allegations about his past conduct. Hes referred himself to the partys Investigations Unit following newspaper allegations that he sent abusive Text Messages to an ex girlfriend. He denies all the allegations. The winner of the partys leadership contest is due to be announced this weekend. At least five people have died in greece after a storm last night near athens. A sudden downpour in towns around the capital left roads flooded and trapped people in their homes an cars. The fire brigade says three men and two women were found dead in or near buildings. A british backpacker and her canadian friend have been found dead in hotel in cambodia. It is thought the 22 year old from bedfordshire herfriend became the 22 year old from bedfordshire her friend became ill after the 22 year old from bedfordshire herfriend became ill after buying counterfeit medicines from a pharmacy in cambodia. Unemployment has fallen again. It dropped by 59,000 between july and september. But the new figures show that average earnings are still failing to keep up with inflation. The official figures also show that the number of people born outside the uk joining the workforce has fallen sharply, as 0ur economics correspondent andy verity reports. The Service Industry may have slowed down but has not stopped churning outjobs. Down but has not stopped churning out jobs. With fewer unemployed workers are claiming a larger slice of the pie with wages edging up. The boys this food manufacturer in West Yorkshire are struggling to find enough people to do the work to make their orders. On the factory workforce we are seeing that the Labour Market is more difficult to get good workers. The number of people classified as unemployed dropped slightly from july to september to la million, a rate of a. 3 of the working population, unchanged from last month. The number in work is now estimated at 32. 1 million, slightly less than the last count, the first drop in two yea rs. Last count, the first drop in two years. The figures today reveal a big change in the supply of labour from outside the uk. Last year a30,000 nonuk from outside the uk. Last year a30,000 non uk born workers found work here. This year is just 130 2000. That drop in the supply of labour from abroad has 2000. That drop in the supply of labourfrom abroad has implications not just for labourfrom abroad has implications notjust forjobs but labourfrom abroad has implications not just for jobs but wages. Labourfrom abroad has implications not just forjobs but wages. The drop in non uk born workers is significant particularly for wages. In 20001690 of the increase in employment came from Migrant Workers and small proportion from domestic workers, that is dropping off as workers, that is dropping off as workers have been deterred from coming here from overseas or maybe have gone home in light of brexit. Maybe wages will start to pick up on the back of that. Todays official figures also show a marked change in productivity. The amount the economy produces per worker. Afterfalling for six months that is estimated to have grown by more. 9 . Many each worker is producing a little more. If that figure is accurate it may not be, it is good news for the chance ahead of the budget next week. The more each worker produces them or theirfirms week. The more each worker produces them or their firms can afford to pay them and more taxes the chancellor receive. Could receive. Our top story this lunchtime. The army in zimbabwe seizes control of the country but insists its not staging a coup. And coming up. A home for a pound . But be ready to do some renovations. Coming up in sport. Australia are the latest team to qualifiy for next years world cup in brazil. Theyve beaten honduras 3 1 in the 2nd leg of their play off in sydney, aston villas mile jedinak with a hatrick. Thousands of people have been celebrating in cities across australia, after the country voted to legalise same sex marriage. More than 60 percent of voters backed the proposal in what was a non binding postal referendum. But the Prime Minister called it a vote for love and says he plans to introduce legislation before the end of the year. From sydney, Hywel Griffith reports. So now to the final count. After months of divisive debate, finally australia has its answer. Cheering. Numbers confirmed what the opinion polls have said all along. That the majority of australians do support same sex marriage. But for veronica and louise, it means everything. It is huge. It is equality, it is everything. It is just being recognised as being just like everyone else. It is freedom, it is acceptance. All of that. The eight week vote was according to the government meant to prompt respectful discussion. It didnt always work out that way. Go home, homophobes both sides have been accused of demonising each other. Faith groups say their right to religious freedom has been diminished. And they will carry on fighting to ensure people who oppose gay marriage have a legal right to do so. The way in which we have seen the western world and other democracies, the coercive effect of changing the definition of marriage has been to restrict peoples ability to hold a different point of view. Everyone knows this is not the end of the line. It is not done and dusted until Parliament Passes legislation. That, they hope, will be done before christmas. But that is a concern for another day. Today is about celebrating, getting the party started. Theres very few photographs. Not everyone was out dancing in the streets. But forjohn and arthur, the moment is just as sweet. After 50 years together as a couple, they can now plan their wedding. Itjust gives our relationship exactly the same status, exactly the same dignity as the relationships of our heterosexual friends, of whom weve got many. And we willjust feel we are first class citizens and not second class citizens. Many who have campaigned for same sex marriage did not want their relationships put to a public vote. But todays result means they should soon have the law on their side. Hywel griffith, bbc news, sydney. A search has been launched for the british explorer, Benedict Allen, after his family said he went missing during an expedition to Papua New Guinea. The 57 year olds wife says he missed his flight home, and hasnt been heard from for the past three weeks. Earlier this year hed appeared in a documentary with the bbc correspondent Frank Gardner in which they travelled to Papua New Guinea in search of birds of paradise. Frank joins us now. How worried are you . Im keeping an open mind because all travel schedules go out of the window in papau new guinea with mudslides, landslides, torrential rain, bridges fall down, anything could have happened to delay him. The most likely explanation is probably the line. It is possible that he has been invited to stay on to some tribal ceremony and out of politeness and not to risk insulting his post he has stayed on. The darker side though is that he has gone to visit quite a war like tribe, it is completely unknown what state they re tribe, it is completely unknown what state theyre in, theres a lot of intertribal warfare, the risk is that he could have taken someone with them one tried considered to be an enemy by another. It is very territorial and when we went last year our location scout checked it all out in advance to make sure we do not have a hostile reception. He has not had that luxury sophie is going on his own with no mobile phone, he was dropped by helicopter in already a pretty depressed place where missionaries had abandoned it and there is a lot of malnutrition. So quite a dangerous part of the country but he is a resourceful guy and absolutely love this kind of thing. He will be in his own Little Paradise doing this so i really hope that he is fine and chances are he will be but until he makes contact i think many people will be very worried. Thank you. Almost a00 individuals and organisations have been given the right to participate at the Grenfell Tower inquiry. The decision could give them the right to provide opening statements, highlight evidence or suggest lines of questioning. Meanwhile officials from the inquiry, which is being led by the retired judge sir martin moore bick, say they have yet to finish taking statements from residents and firefighters. Global leaders are in germany this afternoon for the start of the annual world talks on Climate Change. Theyre trying to finalise the details from the big Climate Change agreement in paris two years ago. But theres anger that the United States will be promoting fossil fuels at the conference including what they call clean coal. Heres our environment analyst Roger Harrabin reports. Are we changing the climate . Well, scientists are more convinced than ever that its mainly our fault that the planet is heating. 13 us agencies say there is no other realistic cause. Scientists say Carbon Dioxide emissions from our society didnt trigger the california wildfires, for instance, but it did make them worse. The oceans are also absorbing some of that Carbon Dioxide and that is making sea water more acidic. Scientists warn that all marine life will be affected. The vast majority of the countries in the world understand that Climate Change is real, that its caused by humans, that its already doing great damage to life, health, property, economies and ecosystems. And that its in everybodys interest to Work Together to reduce the threat. So what are we doing about it . In paris, World Leaders promised to hold the worlds temperature rise as close as possible to 1. 5 celsius. That is thought to be a danger point. That would mean very steep cuts in greenhouse gases. But look, this is what the politicians pledges in paris will give us. A steadily increasing level of greenhouse gases. So theres a huge gap between what politicians are doing and what they admit they need to do. And unless things improve, scientists think were heading for a dangerous temperature rise of three celsius. So what is this meeting about . This year, governments, led by fiji, have gathered to agree the fine print of the paris climate accord. Every nation is on board, except the usa. My administration is putting an end to the war on coal. Were going to have clean coal, really clean coal. But environmentalists are furious that President Trump is trying to promote coal at the climate talks. Some developing countries do want the energy that coal can bring. But scientists are clear that the climate cannot be stabilised if nations invest heavily in coal. Nobody said it was easy. Roger harrabin, bbc news. The actor keith barron has died at the age of 83. He was best known for his role in the 1980s sitcom duty free. He also stared in the 1975 hollywood film the land that time forgot. His agent said hed enjoyed a long and varied career. Sir Bradley Wiggins and team sky will face no charges, following an investigation into the contents of a package delivered to the record breaking cyclist. The investigation was opened in september last year, after newspaper reports that a mystery package had been delivered to wiggins doctor, at the end of a race in france in 2011. Uk anti doping says it has been unable to prove the package contained a banned substance. A new home for a pound. It sounds far too good to be true. But in stoke on trent the council is selling a handful of homes for just that. Its all part of an attempt to breath new life into old homes that are lying empty. Frankie mccamley has been to stoke on trent to find out more. A normal street in stoke on trent with a very unusual way of solving the housing crisis. Thanks to a project by the local council, it costs just £1 to get a key to one of these front doors. What did you have to do here . Yes, so in here it was the same again, so had to get all the flooring in. Gavin took up the offer and bought his first home after the council spent £30,000 partially renovating it. He had to do the rest. It was quite a shock when you came in first. Just because it was just plaster everywhere. But i had to get family members and friends in to come and help. Put in all new flooring, all new lights everywhere, appliances, furniture, that kind of thing. He has to pay the money the council spent back but says he would never have been able to afford the property by himself. A lot of friends were quite jealous because you know, they have bought houses in the more traditional way. So it took them a lot longer and it is a lot more expensive to get somewhere about the same calibre. Ok, this is one of the properties for the new scheme. And after the success of the first round, stoke on Trent City Council is launching the scheme again, offering up to 25 homes in the same area. We want to help this community, we want to improve the area. The thing is the city council have a real commitment to improving private sector housing areas. So areas where there is high numbers of private rented properties, areas where there is a high number of empty homes. For anyone who wants to take part in this second phase of the scheme, there is going to be a very strict selection process. People need to either live, work or have a very strong connection to the city, earn a certain amount of money, and they must not own a property already. Whilst a scheme like this one wont solve the problem alone, its a creative part of the puzzle. Frankie mccamley, bbc news in stoke on trent. Ina in a surprise move frist has been named as the host nation of the 2023 Rugby Union World cup. South africa had been recommended by walden rugby board by the Council Members voted in favour of the french bid. Ireland had also entered a bid to stage the tournament. The world rugby board. Time for a look at the weather. Heres lucy martin. While we had brighter conditions in the north than the south and moving through the rest of the day we start to see some outbreaks of rain moving into north west of scotland. That rain pushing south and east through the night bringing some heavy rain at times and a strong wind in Northern Ireland and far north of