Australia captain steve smith hits a double century, as his side takes complete control of the third test in perth. And in half an hour dateline london reflects on the movement in brexit talks, and asks whether the election of a democrat in alabama really is a blow to donald trump. Good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. Police investigating the deaths of 75 year old canadian billionaire and his wife have said that the circumstances appear suspicious. Barry sherman, a billionaire who founded canadas largest drugs firm, and his wife honey, have been found dead at their home in toronto. Reports say that there were no signs of forced entry. Angus crawford reports. One of torontos richest suburbs, a house for sale. In the basement, a discovery two bodies, a man and a woman. Barry sherman and his wife, honey, one of the richest couples in the country. Police cannot yet say what happened. The circumstances of their death lead us to believe that there may be suspicious circumstances. It is an investigative tool. Until we know exactly how they died, we treat it as suspicious, Barry Sherman, who was 75, is thought to be worth more than £2 billion. He made his money in pharmaceuticals, setting up apotex in the 1970s, and building it into one of the biggest Drugs Companies in the world. Stepping down as chief executive in 2012, he dedicated himself to charity work. Today, canadian premier Justin Trudeau said that he and his wife sent their condolences to the shermans family and friends and everyone touched by their vision and spirit. This woman, an employee, came to the couples home to place flowers and pay her respects. She still couldnt believe the news. We look up to. People are in shock. And crying. We are genuinely heartbroken. The Investigation Continues into two deaths that will leave a community in shock, and a family in mourning. The governing party of south africa, the anc are meeting to elect a new party leader to succeed president jacob zuma, when he stands down. He said that its losses in elections last year were due to perceptions that that had become arrogant and soft on corruption. The conference is expected to choose a new party leader who will become leader in 2019. 0ur correspondent Pumza Fihlani reports. A call for change by members of the embattled African National congress. These are some of the delegates wholl be voting for the anc leader. The party has never been more divided but its time to present a united front. These people waiting patiently have the future of the anc in their hands and possibly south africas. Underjacob zumas leadership, the party has been plagued by allegations of corruption and cronyism and the row over his governments has split the party down the middle. There is a desire that the vote should bring africas oldest Liberation Movement back together. I hope that on the conference floor people will find one another. This has not been easy, for the last five years. Its a hope against hope, but i hope that, you know, the life of the anc will somehow surge today. The anc has been losing support and the two candidates have very different ideas on how to arrest that decline. Its been such a bitter fight that whoever wins will have the difficult task of bringing the opposing faction on board. But with a National Election in just two years, many say unless the party cleans up house, it could find itself out of power for the First Time Since the end of apartheid. President zuma has been addressing the anc conference injohannesberg. He told delegates that the party must respect whoever becomes leader. I believe we all love our movement. That is why we are given a choice to choose whom we think should lead the anc, but, when we make those choices, its not like we make one choice. We make different choices because we are a big delegation but it leads to what has taken place since 1912. We know, therefore, what to do. No matter how strong we think the candidate, once the branches of the candidate, once the branches of the anc have made a choice, you have to respect that, and agree to be led at that point. Applause a leading supporter of brexit has said the uk cannot become a colony of the eu during the expected 2 year transition period after britains withdrawal in march 2019. Jacob rees mogg made the comments after eu leaders yesterday agreed to move to the next phase of brexit discussions in the new year. They also suggested the uk would continue to participate in the Single Market and remain under thejurisdiction of the European Court ofjustice during any transition phase. The date when the uk leaves the eu, march 29 2019, is now likely not to be set in law. That others objections by some conservative mps. Follows objections. A short time ago i spoke with our Political Correspondent tom barton. He began by explaining the source of Jacob Rees Moggs frustrations. This was published by the European Council after that summit that theresa may attended earlier in the week. Now, im sure you will remember back in september at a speech in florence, theresa may committed the government to trying to get a transition deal for about two years and essentially, what this does is lay out what the eu thinks that transition period involves. In essence, what they are saying is that the uk will have to continue to accept eu laws, but also to accept any changes or new laws which were introduced during that period. On top of that, theyll have to carry on with things like Free Movement and carry on accepting thejudgments of the European Courts ofjustice. But its that detail around having to accept changes to laws which is really getting Jacob Rees Mogg worried. The Prime Ministers consistently said that she is in favour of an implementation which means we leave in march 2019 and that the consequences of leaving are implemented. But we cannot be a colony of the European Union for two years from 2019 2021, accepting new laws that are made without any say so of the british people, parliament or government. That is not leaving the European Union, that is being a vassal state of the European Union and i would be very surprised if that were government policy. Does he have support for his view . 0n the broad issue of a transition period, there is generally consensus within the conservative party. After the florence speech, the idea of a couple of years of transition was generally accepted and it was mostly for the reason that although trade talks are going to start now, formal trade negotiations cant begin until after britain has left the European Union and so it seems that across the board the view has been taken that some sort of transition period which gives continuity for business while those detailed trade negotiations are taking place is broadly a good thing. There are though, as we heard from Jacob Rees Mogg the questions around the detail of that and in particular whether or not we should be forced to accept changes to the rules after weve left. On that broad issue today, Philip Hammond, the chancellor, on a visit to china, was asked whether britain was committed to essentially maintaining the status quo. In his answer, he said yes. We will no longer be members of the European Union. We wont technically or legally be in the Customs Union or in the Single Market, but we are committed, as a result of the agreement we have made this week, to creating an environment which will effectively replicate the current status quo so that businesses can carry on trading with their commercial partners across the European Union as they do now. Borders will operate as they do now and financial services, businesses will be able to carry on conducting their business across borders, as they do now. So it seems for the transition period at least, things are going to stay the same. 0bviously beyond that, its all down to the trade deal which is going to be negotiated over the next year or so. Tom barton. Severn trent water has apologised to customers in tewkesbury, who are still without water because of a burst main. The company said a wide area has been affected, and it was a complicated job to get the system back to normal. Severn trent has been handing out water to around 10,000 homes and businesses. It is the second major leak to hit the utility in recent months. Lets get more on this, we have jamesjessops, lets get more on this, we have james jessops, managing director of production at maicon. Yesterday the was a feeling that the water was gradually returning and there was a lot of work being done to restore pressure. What went wrong and why is is becoming such a difficult leak . |j would is becoming such a difficult leak . would like to apologise again to everybody affected by this. I know how difficult it can be to be without water for such an extended period of time. I can assure you that we, i can assure the customers that we, i can assure the customers that we, i can assure the customers that we have lots of staff in the area try to fix this issue as quickly as possible. Yesterday we we re quickly as possible. Yesterday we were compounded by a lot of flooding in the area. The burst itself is actually on a flood plain and the river levels themselves are up which has made getting on to that particular burst particularly difficult. In the meantime we have been looking to move as much water around as we possibly can to refill the particular area and im pleased to say, we are actually starting to see supplies coming back into the tewkesbu ry see supplies coming back into the tewkesbury area. This will take some time. It is early days. It will take a bit of time for supplies to return to tewkesbury, but we are gradually seen that building up over the next while. Does that mean that the leak is now fixed . While. Does that mean that the leak is now fixed . What weve been able to ashley do is isolate the burst itself. Its an incredibly complicated network. But the weather and flooding it has been incredibly difficult for engineers in the area to get out and about. And to be able to get out and about. And to be able to move water around the network. What we have been able to do is isolate that particular burst, and provide water into the area so although it is not yet fixed and we 110w although it is not yet fixed and we now have alternative supplies for the zone around tewkesbury. What was the zone around tewkesbury. What was the cause . Because you had that a recent problem with the pipes back in october when around 7000 households were affected. Whats causing them . Bursts are something that happened across the water industry. It is often affected at this time of year, when we get periods of frost and then thawing, we see an increase in the number of bursts we get across the network. After the event will try to do everything to understand what has happened in this particular area, and make sure that it doesnt happen again. You said you are slowly restoring water to the affected households. Just clarify something for me, does that mean that there was water coming out of the taps and it is safe to drink . I understand there are three bottled water facilities for your customers. There are three bottled water facilities for our customers. The water that will be starting to appear in taps will be starting to appear in taps will be starting to appear in taps will be safe to drink. There may be times when it looks a little discoloured, but is perfectly safe. There will be, this will take a period of time, as you can imagine, the network being emptied of water over that period of time, it does ta ke over that period of time, it does take quite a long period of time for that network to refill with water, so some customers may not see water out of their taps for a further period. If you are without water, i would encourage people, we do have three bottled water stations open until late this evening and all of those details are available on our website. The headlines on Bbc News Police in canada say theyre treating the deaths of the billionaire businessman Barry Sherman and his wife as suspicious. The South African president , jacob zuma, has spoken of the enormous challenges facing the country and the governing anc as it chooses his successor. And a leading brexit supporting mp says hes unhappy about the idea of britain staying in the Single Market and Customs Union during any transition period. In sport, englands hopes of retaining the ashes are looking slim. Australia build a big first innings lead in the third test in perth. Crystal palace win away for the First Time Since april, beating leicester 3 0 to move out of the relegation zone. Elsewhere, chelsea, arsenal and huddersfield are all winning their respective matches. Saracens beat alive hopes in europeans cup after victory over ben elton in italy, but glasgow are losing. I will have more sport at around quarter to five. Victory over benetton. Officials in california say the biggest of the wildfires which have driven tens of thousands of people from their homes now covers nearly four hundred square miles. A firefighter has died tackling the flames north of los angeles. 0ur correspondent james cook sent this report from the town of fillmore. 12 days on and still it burns. More than 8,000 men and women are now battling this blaze, saving homes one by one. Not far from here, the fire claimed the life of 32 year old cory iverson, a firefighter, a father and a husband. He is survived by his wife, ashley, his two year old daughter, evie. Cory and ashley are expecting a second daughter this spring. The fire has destroyed homes, too. More than 700 of them, and another 18,000 buildings remain at risk. This is one of five homes in this tiny neighbourhood which was destroyed when the flames swept through here so fast that firefighters had to abandon the area. Which ones survived and which were destroyed was a matter of pure luck. Aaron lawson and his family were among the lucky ones. Their home was scorched, but it survived, thanks in part to neighbours who lost everything but stayed to fight the fire. The most rewarding thing is seeing them, some of the guys who lost their houses, working with us, side by side, to keep our houses safe those first few days. All week, they have been racing to contain the fire, and with fierce winds forecast again tonight, that battle is about to intensify. James cook, bbc news, fillmore in california. Austria is poised to become the only western european country with a far right party in government. The conservative peoples party, which won the parliamentary election two months ago, but failed to secure a majority has struck a Coalition Deal with the anti immigration freedom party. The leaders of the two parties have met with the austrian president , who has given his approval for the deal. The head of the peoples party, sebastian kurz, whos 31, will be the Youngest National leader in the world. Former Prime Minister, David Cameron, is to lead a uk Government Investment initiative with china. The announcement comes off the back of a two day visit to the country by the chancellor Phillip Hammond. Mr cameron will be involved in a new 1 billion fund which will invest in the uk, china and other countries. Earlier the bbcs china correspondent robin brant was asked to explain why Phillip Hammond was bringing David Cameron back into the political fold. Well, i think maybe the answer to that is more about uk institutional investors, their desire to have such a prominent figure on board, and mr camerons desire to continue the work he did in government when he championed even closer ties, expanded ties, between the uk and china. I mean, Philip Hammond told me a few hours ago at the event here in beijing that he supports this investment fund, he endorses it but its not public money or taxpayers money, its not a government fund. Nonetheless, David Cameron, very well known, has taken a pretty low profile since he left downing street as Prime Minister a year ago. Hes campaigned on health causes and been involved with the National Citizens service, a thing for 16 17 year olds in the uk, but this sees him turning his aim to institutional investing and continuing that focus on trying to improve and expand economic ties between china and the uk. So i think Philip Hammond thinks that David Cameron will lead this fund. Its going to invest in a swathe of projects, possibly pipelines, railways, theyre all Infrastructure Projects and theyre very closely linked with this rather awkwardly named belton road initiative, chinas number one Foreign Policy priority and its aimed at helping economies immediately to the west of china and beyond into to develop because china believes that helps it gain access there, also helps those countries then improve their economic ties with china. But what i think it shows more than anything, and when you add it to the comments if Philip Hammond, is about how much the uk continues to believe in better relations with china and better economic ties, because it believes, especially as brexit approaches and then passes, that china, the worlds number two economy, is key to helping the uk economy grow. The renowned scientist and Television Presenter heinz wolff has died at the age of 89. Bookmark this street was edition when we ask teams to perform miracles in science and Technology Using the sort of materials that you would find in your household. With his trademark bow tie and hair, the german born inventor became known to british tv audiences in the 70s and 80s on the great egg race, which encouraged teams to invent useful things out of everyday objects. The person that people saw when they met him was the person that we knew at home. You know, his sense of humour, his curiosity, enthusiasm. That was our father too. I have to say, ive got an older brother as well. Hes been described by some of his colleagues at Brunel University as a sparkling scientist. What was his background in science . Just take us through that. He used to say that his First Experience of science was doing chemistry with his father in berlin as a four year old holding sugar in a test tube over a bunsen burner and he encouraged that in us as well. We had work benches. It will horrify those concerned with health and safety, we had a bunsen burner at six, my brother and i, in our rooms. But, yes, he wasjust an extremely bright student. When he arrived at 0xford, he was already inventing proper medical instruments in his teens. It began there. We talk of tim peake today. But your father was actually, he played a huge role in getting the first briton up in space, dr helen sharman, of course. How did he come to the world of space, what brought him there . He always thought that science was a cultural thing as well and that he knew that there needed to be big projects like sending somebody into space to inspire others, particularly young people. That was one reason. He knew that there were some very big challenges for the human physiology when you go up into space, so he was the scientific director of that programme. Of course, it was done through, not through state funding. I think there wasnt as much science in it in the end as he wanted but in the end, helen went into space. We are very lucky because you have brought some personal photos into us at bbc news. Look at that obviously a sense of humour. Hes been described as something of a joker as well . Yes. That was his natural sense of fun but he knew that it was also a way of engaging people. From just looking at some of the comments on social media, he obviously entertained as well as educated and he made no excuses for that, but it was also something absolutely within his character, you know, to have fun in that way. Lovely picture there with a little girl. Well, i mean that one i think is a lovely portrait of him showing his kindness. He was enormously valued for that quality of kindness. The one of my, i dont know if you can go back to it, with my daughter and son with a strange instrument, it was a machine that was designed to perhaps grow food on a mars mission. My children had just come into the laboratory to look at it. He has been described by so, many including my husband, as inspirational. It encouraged him, for example, to go into sciences. What would he like to be remembered for . I think that really was important. It always struck me that he had the most desirable kind of fame because people would just stop him in the street, just as your husband said, they would say, you got me into science, or two paramedic teams that came to him a few days ago, they said, we used to watch you and you really explained things well and incidentally, he also had a morphine pump on him this morning or yesterday, of which a little part of the mechanism was designed by him. So you can see how he touched so many people through his ingenuity, in terms of his inventing, you might say, and his great belief in educating about science and technology. Im going to squeeze one more question in and get into trouble, but in terms of everyday life and sciences, what sort of inventions do we not realise your dad played a part in . Can you name a few . Well, i think its true to say, when you have an ecg and you have if those little sticky things on, well back in the 50s, you literally just stuck a wire, it was glued on to the skin. I was with him in hospital and one of these rather more comfortable things with a bit of gel in them, i believe he casually said, oh yes, we invented those there are absolutely basic things you see in hospital. When he started, the hospital ward really was a room with beds in it and that was all. All the paraphernalia you see around a hospital bed, he was there at the very beginning developing that sort of thing. Did he like his time on tv in front of the camera . He did. It was a small part of his career but of course its the magic box is what of course makes people so well known. Laurence wolff remember his father, heinzz. The. That chills staying to the east side of the pennines, through east anglia and east midlands. Some fog around also. Saturday, milder in the south west and bringing milder air out of the western side of scotland and northern ireland, accompanied by and northern ireland, accompanied by a lot of cloud and wind and rain as we start the new day and sunday and increasingly, that every of cloud and rain gradually slumps down towards the greater part of england and wales. It will not be a warm day through east anglia. Milder air is dominating western areas. And we have something of a west east split. 0n have something of a west east split. On monday, the brightest skies after a frosty start will be in the east, the milder air trying to win out across western areas, and it is the milder air that wins out as we go through the week. Hello. This is bbc news. Your headlines. The Canadian Pharmaceutical billionaire Barry Sherman and his wife have been found dead at their home in toronto. Police have described the death as suspicious. The South African president jacob zuma says that the country and the governing anc faces enormous challenges as the Party Gathers to vote for a new leader. A leading supporter brexit has said the uk cannot become a colony of the European Union during the expected two year transition period after britains withdrawal. And renowned scientist and Television Presenter heinz wolff has died at the age of 89. Well, now, it is dateline london