Coming up in the sport on bbc news. Leg spinner mason crane can start what he hopes is a long journey in test cricket as england consider their options for the fourth ashes test. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. The foreign secretary borisjohnson has acknowledged there are serious difficulties in the relationship between russia and the uk. Hes on the first visit to moscow by a British Foreign secretary for more than five years. In a tense press conference, the Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov rejected suggestions that russia had behaved aggressively towards the uk, but agreed that relations were at a very low level. Our moscow correspondent Sarah Rainsford reports. The first handshake looked warm enough, but Boris Johnson the first handshake looked warm enough, but borisjohnson came here promising to talk tough, general war on russia to stop what he called its destabilising actions. It was russias foreign minister who set the tone. Sergei lavrov said relations with britain were at a very low level and chided the foreign secretary for such public criticism. Things arent easy, Boris Johnson agreed, before battling the russians with talk of crisps. There are increasing exports of british kettle crisps to russia. But both men agreed one thing, that after five years without a visit by a uk foreign minister it was time to talk face to face again. Relations broke down over conflict and ukraine, still unresolved, still deadly, after almost four years. Theresa may recently accused russia of fermenting the crisis here. Today, borisjohnson again called the annexation of crimea from ukraine illegal, then theres syria and russias Controversial Military support for president assad. This month, Vladimir Putin declared Mission Accomplished in syria, but the threat of terrorism there, the need to build the peace now is one that concerns britain and russia equally. So it was that sense of common interest that the foreign secretary underlined, after talks that lasted well over the hour. There is no point in simply sitting on the sidelines and complaining about each other will. We have to engage, we have to talk to each other. There were some light moments. Sergei lavrov said he trusted Boris Johnson moments. Sergei lavrov said he trusted borisjohnson so much, he used his russian name, boris. Boris but there were frosty touches, as well. Translation i cannot recall any action by russia that was aggressive in relation to the uk, but we have heard accusations, even insultingly, that we support a criminal regime in syria, that we are aggressors that we are occupiers week annex of the territories. Those are all claims russia denies, even now. Relations with moscow have been bad, verging on hostile. Boris johnson with moscow have been bad, verging on hostile. Borisjohnson came here to address the reasons for that directly. There were no breakthroughs, none were expected, but the first steps towards storing the chill has now been taken. Sarah ra i nsfo rd , the chill has now been taken. Sarah rainsford, bbc news, moscow. Our Diplomatic CorrespondentJames Landale is here. Given some of the test and as we saw there, what can be achieved by a trip like this . Very simply, dialogue. When you have relations at such a frozen level you need to do something to improve that. Because for all the differences and there are genuine differences between uk and russia, there are areas of commonality, where there an interest to cooperate with the russians. It could be the iran nuclear deal, if it went pear shaped the uk would need to talk to the russians to see they could help resolve it. Also on they could help resolve it. Also on the future of syria, when there is some kind of political settlement in the future, the uk wants to be able to talk to the russians about that. The russians want to talk to us about some of the funding. Theres a whole issue of north korea. The uk has to talk to russia to put pressure on the regime in pyongyang, also on the chinese to put pressure on themselves. These are all areas where the uk needs to have a channel of communication with the russians, despite all of those differences, and thats why you have to have these kinds of meetings. I think the fa ct these kinds of meetings. I think the fact it has happened might have led toa fact it has happened might have led to a recitation of always differences, we have just to a recitation of always differences, we havejust seen in the report, but at the same time officials now have another relationship. It means borisjohnson and Sergei Lavrov can talk to each other a bit more easily on those areas where we have a National Interest and lets not forget all the british football fans going to russia next year for the world cup. We need to be able to talk about visas and stuff like that. James landale, thanks very much. Theresa may James Landale, thanks very much. Theresa may has denied she knew about claims that the former first secretary of state damian green made inappropriate advances towards the conservative activist kate maltby before she promoted him to serve as her deputy. Yesterday ms maltby told the bbc that she had raised concerns about him with a downing street official last year. Speaking this morning on a visit to a British Air Force base in cyprus, the Prime Minister said she only knew about the allegations when they were published in a newspaper last month. I first learnt of these allegations when kate maltby wrote about them in the times. Ms maltby was clearly distressed, he has apologised and thats the right thing to do. Theresa may, speaking in cyprus. Lets get the latest from our Political Correspondent leila nathoo. Where does this go from here, given what the Prime Minister was saying there . The official investigation triggered by kate maltbys claim that damian green centre are suggestive text and fleetingly touch tone knee, is now over. It found kate maltbys account was plausible and although that wasnt the reason deb ian green eventually had to resign, it damian green eventually had to resign, it did find the encounters between kate maltby and damian green we re between kate maltby and damian green were inconclusive but her account was plausible. Damian green is now gone. He still disputes her version of events and has apologised for making her feel uncomfortable, but theresa may will hope this is a line drawn over the whole matter. She has sacked her closest political ally. Shes denied knowing anything about the claims made against him before she promoted him to be the effective deputy Prime Minister, but the idea that kate maltby may have told a senior downing street official about her concerns speaks to the idea that perhaps in the past there was not a culture in westminster of taking allegations of inappropriate behaviour seriously enough. The Prime Minister, since we had this wave of people coming forward and allegations, has talked about renewing, a renewed push to tackle harassment in westminster, to make people feel safe at work. The Political Parties themselves have brought in new complaints procedures, but it remains to be seen whether there will be a significant cultural shift in terms of the way people are treated, in terms of the willingness for people to come forward with complaints, and to come forward with complaints, and to ta ke to come forward with complaints, and to take action when complaints are made. Leila nathoo at westminster, thank you. The Spanish Government has been meeting to discuss the results of Regional Elections in catalonia which saw separatist parties win a slim majority in the new assembly. The result is a setback for the government in madrid, which called the election after an independence referendum held earlier this year was ruled unlawful. Our europe correspondent gavin lee is outside the Catalan Regional Assembly in barcelona. Well, after these extraordinary weeks, this was the moment today the Spanish Government had hoped they would settle the independence crisis. It hasnt turned out that way. After a Record Number of votes, 4. 5 Million People here voting, a region the size of belgium, it seems its a very splintered, fractured result. There was one singular party that was the all out winner, a unity party. The separatist parties are claiming victory. Having followed the result for the past 2a hours. Smiling and on the face of it triumphant, the pro spain leader of the Citizens Party has taken the most seats in the catalan parliament, but not enough for a majority. Is this your victory . Its a victory. Your moment . We have won elections in catalonia. And you can form a coalition . Its difficult, but we will try. This may be a fleeting moment in the limelight for her, because the power balance now belongs to the party in second place, the self exiled ex president ca rles place, the self exiled ex president carles puigdemont, who is watching and waiting in belgium having fled following his attempt to break the region away. Collectively the three separatist parties that declared independence and triggered these elections are the only party is likely to be able to form a coalition for a majority. But the ex president is setting conditions first. Translation i am ready to meet in brussels with rajoy. Im ready to do so, because there have to be new policies in spain and europe for political solutions, not repression. While the politicians work out their next moves, catalans will continue to feel the impact. Thousands of companies have temporarily left the region, blaming a stability. The co nsta nt region, blaming a stability. The constant adversity and global headlines has led to a 10 drop in tourism as well. From the outside it seems like a lot of revolutionary dramas, but we are losing business a little bit in the last months because of spain and catalonia, and they find a way to work it. Everybody has something to lose. Spains Prime MinisterMariano Rajoy held an extraordinary Cabinet Meeting this morning, his government gambled by calling these elections and temporarily placing the region and temporarily placing the region and its direct rule. That gamble appears to have failed. Catalonia is still under emergency measures and that will now be down to weeks of Coalition Talks to see how the independence crisis plays out. Gavin lee, bbc news, barcelona. There has been a development in the past few minutes. Mario gaspar rajoy says he acknowledges Unity Parties have lost, its in the hands of separatist parties to go forward and he will speak in a dialogue with ca rles he will speak in a dialogue with carles puigdemont. We are potentially entering a new phase of talks ahead of the attempt to build a coalition government. Thank you, gavin lee. A 44 year old man is being questioned on suspicion of murder, after a woman was stabbed to death while at work in a supermarket in skipton in north yorkshire. The victim who has been named locally as 30 year old Jodie Willsher was attacked in the aldi store in front of shoppers yesterday afternoon. For nearly 30 years, britons have been carrying these burgundy passports the common colour of the eu. But its been confirmed this will change when britain leaves. The home office has announced that the covers will revert to blue from 2019. The new design wont carry the eu insignia, and for some brexit campaigners the colour blue has become a symbol of independence. Our Home Affairs Correspondent tom symonds reports. The Great British passport, shortly not to be available in european burgundy, because, it turns out, brexit means blue. And the e word nowhere to be seen. Some never liked, well, the pink one, as this bbc usenet report in 1995 made perfectly clear. And for some people pocket sized burgundy simply isnt british. The passport is something so british. The passport is something so many people still have fond memories of, the british passport, that blue companion on your travels with the family for many years. Im pleased to let people know we are going back to that classic blue and gold design. Well, not quite. The last british passport was much bigger, hardbacks, and a very dark blue. The european one which replaced it way back now in 1988 was flppy, replaced it way back now in 1988 was floppy, smaller and easier to put in a pocket. The new one, and this is just a mock up, is of roughly the same design, but it will keep all of the security features that are currently built into passports to make them hard to copy, and it will add some. My first passport. Wow, thats interesting. It seems going blue is largely about showing we are going it alone. Reaction . Blue, isnt it, back to england. Going it alone. Reaction . Blue, isnt it, back to englandlj going it alone. Reaction . Blue, isnt it, back to england. I think its a shame. We had a fantastic ability to travel around the rest of the world and we looked upon favourably with our immigration policy and now its a bit embarrassing be honest. Policy and now its a bit embarrassing be honestlj policy and now its a bit embarrassing be honest. I think the decision was a huge aspect of the country moving forward and i think in orderto country moving forward and i think in order to move forward there needs to be changes and if that is distinguished by a simple colour, then why not . Whats the difference . Its a different colour. I preferred it when we were in europe, everything. Just everything, yeah. dont think it was needed but we wanted to give a message that we are different and to that extent it sails above us. He says things are looking up. Its the first bit of good news brexiteers have had for a long time. The last few months have been very frustrating. The new passports will be issued from late 2019, when older ones are renewed or people simply apply for one. The new column will may split the country as much as brexit itself, perhaps this, the winner of an unofficial passport Design Competition might have been an even better choice. Tom symonds, bbc news, at the passport office. Our top story this lunchtime britain and russia say relations between the two countries are the worst for many years. And still to come. An ode tojoy. Why 10,000 japanese singers gather to perform beethovens 9th symphony. Coming up in sport. Mark hughes insists he isnt one game from the sack. His stoke side are onlyjust above the premier leagues bottom three after one win in the last eight games. Drivers, rail passengers and coach travellers are being warned to expect delays as many people begin the christmas getaway. Highways england has suspended 400 miles of roadworks, but says busy Road Conditions should be expected. Virgin trains says strikes which were due to affect the west coast mainline have been called off, but the Company Expects there will still be some cancellations. Our transport correspondent, Richard Westcott, has the latest. Its not the White Christmas the kids were hoping for. The midlands motorway, shrouded in fog today. But despite the warnings, a christmas getaway seems to be running smoothly. So, a busy day for you guys . Yes, busy. Of course, not everyone gets christmas off. The motorways still need patrolling. Well, they had called this frantic friday, because they thought that the commuter traffic would be mixing with all the holiday traffic, creating millions morejourneys. Touch wood, though, despite the fog, the roads havent been too bad so far. At the nearby services, some were taking a little break from the driving. Its been quite quiet, hasnt it . Yeah, not too bad at all. It hasnt been busy at all, really. Weve come from chippenham, and its been straight through. Even the junction m4 to m5 was fine. Its been quite busy, just zipping about the roads and stuff. The motorways not been too bad, but the side roads with the snow and stuff will be quite slippy. Highways england are temporarily lifting 400 miles of road works to help ease anyjams. Airports will also have the busiest day of the season with the biggest, heathrow, handling 130,000 passengers. Another Christmas Holiday tradition is Engineering Works on the railways, with a £160 million upgrade programme starting tomorrow. If youre travelling, check online. Some services will be cut. Some london stations will be shut or partly shut, including London Bridge, where they are putting the finishing touches to a £1 billion rebuild. If youve used London Bridge station over the last few years, you know how stressful its been as theyve tried to redevelop it whilst keeping it open as best they can. Theres going to be lots of work going on over here over christmas so that these five platforms can open onjanuary the 2nd. Its more frustration for holiday travellers. So why do it at christmas . We do it at this time of year because the railway is closed anyway on Christmas Day and boxing day. But also, at this time of year, about 50 fewer people travel by train, so in terms of the overall level of impact on passengers, this is the best time of year to do it. Back on the roads, it could be busy later today, tomorrow and when the shops are back open after christmas. A bit worrying for adults. Well, yeah, it was kind of hyped up, but we were going to have to make the journey either way. We kind of prepared for it, but its been a lot better than we thought it would be. But some have got other things on their mind. Happy Christmas Richard westcott, bbc news, on the m5. In a moment, well hear more from richard, who is at highways englands headquarters in birmingham. Hes at the National TrafficOperation Centre in the midlands. But first, lets talk to ian palmer, who is outside euston station in london. How has it been and how is it looking, ian . Jane, a lot better now that virgin train cancel the planned industrial action that they announced earlier. Virgin trains. The main headline as you have been hearing in richards report is that London Bridge station will be completing the third phase of its upgrade. That means there will be no services into London Bridge one london Charing Cross station is between, well, from tomorrow until january, end of playjanuary between, well, from tomorrow until january, end of play january the 1st. That is really going to disrupt all mainline routes right across britain. The west coast main line is urging passengers to complete their journeys by the end of play on saturday because london paddington station will be closed between the 27th of december and christmas eve. And if you are travelling on the west coast main line, there is going to be no service between preston and lancaster to be no service between preston and la ncaster west. To be no service between preston and lancaster west. If you have to travel between london and glasgow, you are being urged to travel via edinburgh. And that will add an hour to your journey. As edinburgh. And that will add an hour to yourjourney. As far as the airports are concerned, there are going to be 4. 3 Million People trying to fly to different climbs over the festive period. Heathrow airport is expected to deal with 130 passengers today alone. Gatwick airport will deal with 67,000 passengers. There are no specific problems if you are travelling by air today, but the advice is that if you are going to fly, then arrive at least an hour before you normally would. Jane. Eon, thank you. Richard westcott, how was it looking on the roads . Well, that board behind me sums it up. This is the nerve centre of highways england, you can see all of the roads and all of the cameras. We have the m1, the m60, the m25. As of the cameras. We have the m1, the m60, the m25. As you can see, pretty free flowing at the moment. I suspect most people see things on the papers, the tv on the radio that its going to be really bad, and i suspect a lot of people stay awake or stagger the journey across the weekend. Because obviously you have got saturday and sunday to get where you want to go as well. We will see what happens later on tonight when the commuters darted in grade as well. But as it stands at the moment, touch wood, its been 0k. Touchwood indeed thank you very much, Richard Westcott and ian palmer. People should pay a deposit for using plastic bottles to help protect the seas from the devastating effects of plastic pollution thats the call from a group of mps. The Commons Environmental Audit Committee recommends a deposit of between 10p and 20p, which consumers would get back when they returned the bottle. It also wants more public water fountains and all cafes and restaurants so people can top up refillable bottles. Heres our environment analyst, roger harrabin. The uk uses around 13 billion plastic bottles every year. Nearly half are put into landfill, incinerated or left as litter. Many ultimately find their way into the sea. The mps are urging the government to introduce a deposit and return scheme for bottles as soon as possible. They want a new rule obliging all cafes, pubs and restaurants to provide free tap water so people can top up their own refillable bottles. And they want many more public water fountains. We want people to think before they leave the house, will i be needing water . To re use the bottles theyve got. We want people to be able to fill up for free in cafes and restaurants. And we want then to capture the bottles that we do use, so we have a sustainable, resource efficient economy. But crucially, so that we end up with far fewer of these bottles in our streets and on our beaches and in the sea. The mps also propose a sliding scale of charges on Plastic Packaging so firms using easy to recycle materials pay least, and those using complex materials paid most. Ministers say theyre consulting with firms to find the best solutions to what they acknowledge is a serious problem with plastic waste. Roger harrabin, bbc news. How can we keep the memories, and lessons, of the holocaust forfuture generations . One idea is to capture survivors stories on film. One holocaust survivor, eva schloss, the step sister of anne frank, has been taking part in an interactive project that will allow people to ask her questions about her life, and preserve her testimony long into the future. Reeta chakra barti has been to meet her. Three, two, one, go ahead. Meet eva schloss. Shes 88, and survived the horrors of auschwitz. She spent days being filmed recounting the past, so that people now and in the future can question her virtual self about what happened. My name is eva schloss. Would you like to ask me some questions about my life . Survivors are worrying what will happen when we are not around anymore, who is going to continue telling the story . Because we think it is very important. Now, at the museum of jewish heritage in new york, people can directly ask eva about what it was like in auschwitz, how she survived, and how its affected her since. One of the questions, what was your most terrible moment in the camp . One day, my mother was selected to be gassed. And we were separated. And i thought, you know, i had lost her. But through a miracle she was saved. And about three months later, we were reunited. Over five days, eva answered more than 1000 questions about her story. And while she was doing so, a film maker recorded the process. I think whats different about this experience is it puts the viewer in a really active role. So instead of sort of passively watching a movie or reading a book, youre sort of forced to think of your own question, what you want to ask. And this is more or less the only picture i have with my mother and my father. Because my father usually took all the pictures. Eva schloss lost her father and her brother in the holocaust. Remarkably, she say she has no hatred or bitterness in her heart. But she does want people to listen and to learn. This is what we have to teach our young people, to get involved with what goes on. And to, if they see things going on, to speak out. Technology is helping to prepare for the time when the survivors of this monstrous crime are no longer alive. It means eva schloss can continue telling her story for many decades to come. Reeta chakrabarti, bbc news. A policeman in the us state of florida has been dragged clinging to a car door after he tried to search a driver who was suspected of taking drugs. He has survived the incident. The driver sped off, but the policeman held on to the car for more than half a mile before falling off onto the side of the road. The whole incident was filmed on his body camera. The driver was later arrested, and the Police Officer is recovering in hospital. Andrew plant reports. Now, here is a festive tradition you may not have heard of. Every year, 10,000 singers injapan come together to perform beethovens 9th symphony. The tradition is thought to have emerged during the first world war, when a group of german prisoners of war being held in the country sang ode tojoy at christmas. Now, every year, hundreds of professional and amateur choirs from across the country meet for a spectacular performance. Jon donnison has the story. Freude, schoner gotterfunken tochter aus elysium. It is music to lift the soul. Each december, 10,000 choristers pack the osaka arena to perform beethovens ode tojoy. A tradition with its origins a century ago. Translation im told it started among german prisoners of war during world war i in tokushima. So theyd sing it in prison, despite the sad circumstances. I think that is how it became an important part of our culture. Injapan, beethovens 9th symphony is known simply as ky literally, number nine. Its become the traditional anthem to celebrate the end of the year. Singing scales. Many of those performing are not professional singers. For months beforehand, they practice in smaller groups. I really love it. Its so powerful, energetic. I love it it empowers me and encourages me in the bad times and good times. And singing in german is no mean feat. Freude, schoner gotterfunken freude, schoner gotterfunkerfl tochter aus elysium wir betreten feuertrunken himmlische, dein heiligtum when it all comes together, it is something to behold. The conductor reckons he loses seven kilos during the performance. His reward an ode tojoy like youve rarely heard before. Jon donnison, bbc news. Glorious lets have a look at the weather, i wonder whether that is. Here is sarah keith lucas. Its actually quite mild over the next few days in the run up to christmas with a lot of cloud around. Here was the scene in worcestershire taken by one of our weather watchers. There has been some fog. It has lifted across many