Thank you for being with us. We start this hour here in the uk where the government has begun releasing prisoners early from jails in england and wales, as part of an Emergency Bid to Ease Overcrowding. A lack of Prison Space is a common issue the united states is predicted to be 10 over capacity by 2025. And even denmark renowned for the relative comfort of its cells is renting Jail Space in kosovo. Around 1,750 inmates are expected to be freed in england and wales as part of a scheme intended to make available up to 5,500 Prison Places. Some offenders whove served at least 40 of their sentences will be released. The plan excludes offenders jailed for violent offences with sentences of at least four years, as well as Sex Offenders and domestic abusers. The government says its taken every measure available to protect the public but concerns have been expressed about Offender Rehabilitation and ensuring victims are safe. And this is the scene live outside Hmp Brixton in South London where we have seen prisoners leaving through those gates already this morning of course, we dont know if they are ones released early or not. Well discuss the release with our Home Editor in moment but first this report from adina campbell. One of the most dangerous and crowded jails in the uk. This was Pentonville Prison in North London last week. The bbc was given rare access, and within minutes, disorder was rife. In an attempt to fix a criminalJustice System at breaking point, from today, thousands of prisoners in england and wales will be released after serving 40 of their sentence rather than 50 . It was the only option on the table, and that is because the alternative to not making this change would have been to allow the Prison System to collapse, and therefore to allow Law And Order in this country to collapse. But these Emergency Measures are controversial, with big concerns from some Prison Staff and campaigners about Public Safety and an increase in reoffending. Theyve got nowhere to live, they fall back into drug taking, theyve got Mental Health difficulties already. If theyre not getting the support, the treatment, the stable housing, the danger is either they fall back into reoffending or they simply breach their Licence Conditions and end up inside again anyway. The Prison Population in england and wales is at a record high, with more than 88,000 people in jail according to the latest Ministry Ofjustice data. Its estimated 4,000 extra male prisoners and around 1,000 female inmates will be released over the next 18 months under these new measures, with the government hoping to free up 5,500 beds to hold newly sentenced criminals. Those convicted of the most serious crimes such as murder, terrorism, and domestic abuse are excluded from this programme. But for rebecca, a victim of domestic abuse, she is fearing the worst again. She recently received a letter saying her ex partner, who served time for domestic abuse, would now be released early for a connected offence. Feels like hes just had a bit of a slap on the wrist and told not to be a naughty boy. Whereas i have to deal with the damage that hes done to me. The conservatives say the government should focus on building more prisons to help Ease Overcrowding, and for those charged or convicted of offences related to the recent riots, more Prison Places are expected to be quickly filled in the coming weeks. Adina campbell, Bbc News. With me is our Home Editor, mark easton. This is a bigger number of early releases than normal. Can you just explain, because prisoners in any case, in england and wales, are released earlier than their full sentences as a standard. The normal situation sentences as a standard. Tue normal situation would sentences as a standard. Tte normal situation would be somebody is given two years in prison, you would come out after one year, after 50 , the remaining time you would be a licence. So, you could be sent back to prison. But that has been the situation for a long time. But they have done, because of the shortage of Prison Spaces, they have said that some prisoners, and there are exemptions as you discussed already, will be released at 40 . Already, will be released at A0 . Sometimes that can be a matter of just a few days, sometimes it can be a few months. But what it has meant is that you have suddenly got, as today we are looking at perhaps 1750 additional prisoners coming out on one day, and that is on top of those people who would have been released in the normal way at this point. Which is probably about 1000 a week. Suddenly, youve got a system, both in the Prison Service and the Probation Service, the people who have to look after prisoners when they come out, huge pressure on them at the moment. Now, the government, the previous government is well, had been talking about this scheme, that when the election happened the new Labour Government said that they were going to introduce this game but not immediately. They were going to wait for a few weeks, deliberately, in order that the Probation Service and Prison Service and other organisations who inform victims on those kind of things, can make sure to reduce the risk to the absolute minimum. But it is absolutely clear, when you did this kind of thing, theres always a risk when you release any prisoner into the community. But this, i think people would accept there are going to be additional risksjust because of are going to be additional risks just because of the number coming out all at once. And that is what the public is going to be very focused on, isnt it . Risks, not only to victims, but to the wider public. It is difficult to quantify that, isnt it . Because all of the services and the Justice System do seem very stretched, according to what the government is saying. Reoffending is a huge problem anyway. When prisoners come out, often the resources are not there to look after them properly. That is going to be an additional problem this time, because there is only a limited amount of probation hostile space, special accommodation for the riskier prisoners. And i think there are real concerns that perhaps are real concerns that perhaps a greater proportion than do anyway it will fall through the Net And End of the homeless. In fact, the Chief Inspector of prisons has said recently that he is very concerned that we are going to see an increase in prisoners ending up sleeping rough. If that happens, the chances of them reoffending or causing other problems obviously increase. So, the Probation Service has been working really very hard to make sure that every prisoner has a plan, that all things are in place as best they can. But this is a system from top to bottom, frankly, that is under enormous pressure at the moment. Today is going to be one of the busiest days it has seenin one of the busiest days it has seen in a while. One of the busiest days it has seen in a while. Thank you very much indeed seen in a while. Thank you very much indeed for seen in a while. Thank you very much indeed for talking seen in a while. Thank you very much indeed for talking us much indeed for talking us through that. And we have a live page running as prisoners across england and wales are released early today. We have reporters outside prisons across the country along with analysis from our team of correspondents. You can find that on the Bbc News website or app. Some breaking news. The European Unions highest court has confirmed that ireland will have to recover illegal subsidies worth billions of euros from the technology giant apple, the European Court of justice upheld the decision issued by the European Commission eight years ago. In which it suggested that apple had received unfair tax advantages from the irish government. The decision covered from 1991 through 22014 and related to the weight which profits generated by two subsidiaries based in ireland were treated for tax purposes. Those Tax Arrangements were deemed to be illegal because other companies were not able to obtain the same advantages. The original ruling came at a time when the commission was attempting to clamp down on multinational giants, which it believed were using creative financial arrangements to reduce their tax bills. This ruling means that ireland will have to recover the lost taxes from apple, which dublin has spent legal wrangling dozens of years of legal wrangling trying to do. More on this shortly. To france now. And a child that has gripped the nation and made international headlines. Dominique p licot, the man at the heart of a Rape Case that has horrified france, was expected to testify at his trial in avignon later today. But the court has announced that he will not now appear because he is sick. Live to our correspondent, andrew harding, who is in avignon. Tell us what is known here, we were expecting him to be in court. T were expecting him to be in court. ,. ,. , were expecting him to be in court. ,. ,. , court. I have ust come out of the court court. I have just come out of the court were court. I have just come out of the court were Dominique The Court were Dominique P licot was expected to be and give evidence this afternoon. But he complained yesterday of some sort of unknown Stomach Bug or illness and left court then, we were expecting, his lawyer was expecting him to return today to take the stand, but we have since been told by his lawyer in a Phone Call to the courtroom that he will not be in court. Thejudge president said it could be a delay of one or two or three days, possibly through to next week. Frustration in court, we saw the daughter of Dominique P licot showing real frustration, she sat next to her mother, who showed no emotion. The wife spoke last week, very powerfully and movingly, and talked about the strength that she needed to remain calm. She talked of the sort of inner trauma that she was disguising, she continues to hide at that trauma. But everyone here is waiting to hear how Dominique P licot will seek to provide context for his acts. The facts themselves are already clear, they have been captured on film, the police have them, Dominique P licot has confessed. But he is expected to talk about childhood trauma, the experience he says of being raped at the age of nine, some sort of violent Group Assault of a woman when he was 14, perhaps not to justify but to give context to his extraordinary actions over the past decade or more. For anyone who mightve past decade or more. For anyone who mightve missed past decade or more. For anyone who mightve missed the past decade or more. For anyone who mightve missed the basic. Who mightve missed the basic background to this incredibly distressing case, can you spell that out . What is the background here. Dominique p licot, 71 years old now, for a decade he drugged his wife and invited mostly local men from a ten km radius, around 80 men to come for no money, but simile so he could film them raping his wife as she lay unconscious, heavily sedated in that couples bed. He was only discovered a couple of years ago when some women complained that they hadnt seen him up skirting, filming their skirts in a public place. The police arrested him and during the course of a search of his laptop they found all these other shocking images. It was only then that his wife discovered what her husband had been doing. Discovered what her husband had been doing discovered what her husband had been doing. Thank you very much indeed. Russian officials say ukraine struck moscow and western russia in one of its biggest ever drone attacks, killing at least one woman, wrecking dozens of homes and forcing the closure of major airports in the capital. Flightradar tracker shows almost empty moscow sky. As a result of the attack, four Airports Servicing Moscow , including major Hubs Domodedovo and sheremetyevo, had cancelled or delayed flights, according to state media. This is a moment when one of the drone hits a residential building in the town of ramenskoye, which is in moscow region. Local officials said that the Air Defence units destroyed at least seven ukrainian drones targeting russias capital. Ukraine and russia regularly Launch Night time Drone Raids on each other� s territory. Americas top diplomat, secretary of state, Antony Blinken is expected to discuss the war in ukraine and The Middle East on a trip to the uk. He arrived in london late Last Night and is expected to meet both the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer and the foreign secretary, david lammy. His visit comes ahead of Sir Keir visting washington on friday. Plans to end Winter Fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners will be voted on in parliament today. The chancellors plans would see the Winter Allowance of up to £300 become means tested meaning millions of people would no longer be eligible. The treasury says this will save around 1. 4 billion pounds. Live to our chief political correspondent, henry zeffman, who is at westminster. Henry, today is that the vote. And the government must be wondering whether the political pressure they have felt over this Issue Wasnt really worth the cost saving, whether it was a political misstep. T the cost saving, whether it was a political misstep. A political misstep. I think the government a political misstep. I think the government are a political misstep. I think. The government are adamant a political misstep. I think the government are adamant that this is absolutely the right thing to have done, both physically, where it will save they reckon about £1. 5 billion, just this year, but also politically. As a demonstration that they are willing to make tough decisions, indeed, that they have to make tough decisions because of the worst economic inheritance of pretty much any government ever, they say. It is much more Backbench Labour mps with no particular status in the government, many of them new to politics just this year. They are the ones who are really anxious about the political capital that may have been expended here. Not just by the government, but also for those Labour Mps, many of whom have very marginal seats. The next General Election is not untilfour or five years from now but older people tend to vote in greater numbers than younger people. And a lot of Labour Mps are conscious that they are not a demographic group that any government necessarily can afford to upset you. So, those are some of the political calculations here. But i should stress, it feels from talking to people in government this morning that things are moving in their direction. There was never any danger they were to lose this vote because they have got such a vast majority, but in terms of the size of the rebellion, people in government are increasingly optimistic that the number of Labour Mps who define them is falling pretty much by the hour. The names that pretty much by the hour. The names that have pretty much by the hour. The names that have come out though, calling for the government to rethink, include the mayor of Greater Manchester andy burnham, Diane Abbott has said that she will not support the party in the vote, and given that this is all coming ahead of a budget which would have explained targeting on a wider scale. Have explained targeting on a widerscale. Does have explained targeting on a wider scale. Does this not raise questions about the judgment of Rachel Reeves in it going for this move . Potentially, there are certainly questions about the sequencing of it. There are people who i speak to In Westminster here who do not really understand why the government decided to announce this injuly, just two or three weeks into office. When it is not until, as You Say, 0ctober not until, as You Say, October The 30th when the full suite of tax and spend measures will be announced, some of which will No Doubt be painfulfor announced, some of which will No Doubt be painful for other demographic groups beyond pensioners. So, there are certainly questions, and i think various questions are being posed inside government as well as outside government, about whether the handling of this move could have been better. But given those are questions essentially about Rachel Reevess political judgment as chancellor, i should say that speaking to Labour MpsLast Night and this morning many of them were very impressed by the argument that she made Behind Closed Doors in a private meeting of Labour MpsLast Night, when she personally appealed to them to back her, she said, we stand, we lead and we governed together. And i appeal to unity. But she also warned them that there are more difficult decisions to come. Essentially, she was saying, if you think this one is tough you have not seen nothing yet. Thank you very much indeed. Around the world and across the uk. This is Bbc News. Rescuers are searching for survivors buried under the sand in a designated humanitarian zone in the southern Gaza Strip which was hit by israeli Air Strikes overnight. The Israeli Military said it had targeted hamas commanders directly involved in carrying out the october seventh attack. Local residents said three strikes targeted tents in al mawasi, west of the city of khan younis. The hamas run civil Defence Authority says at least 40 people were killed although israels military says this number � does not align with its own information. The strikes left craters several metres deep these are some of the latest pictures from the scene. Residents said more than 20 Tents Housing displaced palestinians were destroyed. Rescuers have been searching for survivors buried under the sand. Palestinian officials said Search And Rescue efforts were being hampered by a lack of necessary equipment. The Israeli Military said that it had taken steps to mitigate risk of harming civilians. Hamas denied it was present there. Lets speak to our middle east bureau chief, jo floto, who joins us from jerusalem. Can you tell us what the different sides are saying about this incident . figs different sides are saying about this incident . As You Sa , about this incident . As You Say. The about this incident . As You Say, the hamas about this incident . As You Say, the hamas Run About this incident . As You Say, the hamas Run A about this incident . As You Say, the hamas Run A civil. Say, the hamas Run A civil Defence Group say that there are at least 40 killed, at the moment we cannot verify that. The idf are saying it does not tally with their information. We have got at least 13 confirmed dead, have arrived at the hospital in Con Eunice and we think that will arise. There are dozens of confirmed wounded. The israeli defense forces are talking about significant hamas terrorists they were targeting, they have given three names who they describe as senior commanders and hamas, all of whom were intimately involved in the october seven assault on 0ctober seven assault on israel. Forthe 0ctober seven assault on israel. For the civilians living in the area, it is a different story. They tell of these huge explosions coming just after midnight, and ripping through this tent city. Thousands of families have been sheltering here, they are living under canvas or improvised shelters and none of that would have provided any shelter at all from heavy munitions coming from the sky. And in terms of any Search And Rescue, is that literally left to those palestinians there or any Aid Agencies or other agencies involved in that now . Nothing is operating as it should in gaza, or even as it was before October The 7th, there are limited resources, limited vehicles, and we saw images Last Night of people digging through the sand. This area is built on sand dunes, it is next to the sea, it is not designed for people to live on. And the reports we have from eyewitnesses who arrived at the scene said that there were people trapped under the sand and rubble. We saw images of People Scraping that away with their bare hands. fiend People Scraping that away with their bare hands. Their bare hands. And what further information their bare hands. And what further information does i their bare hands. And what further information does israel give generally, if any, about how it does target those that it is attacking . It is saying that these were hamas commanders directly involved in the October The 7th attacks. Israel says it has taken a lot of measures and a lot of care to mitigate civilian harm, and part of those measures will be intense surveillance of the area to make sure that their targets are there, and using smaller munitions in order to minimise the blast area. When they press the trigger, as it were. But this is a pact, absolutelyjam packed area. Absolutely jam packed area. There is absolutelyjam packed area. There is no way to target anyone in that area without causing significant damage to the people nearby. Causing significant damage to the people nearby. Thank you very much the people nearby. Thank you very much indeed. Lucy letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven more whilst she was a neonatal nurse here in the uk. Today the public Inquiry into the case begins. It will look at how she was able to carry out her crimes whilst working at the countess of Chester Hospital in 2015 and 2016. Lets speak to our correspondent rowan bridge. Tell us what we are expecting with this public Inquiry. With this public Inquiry. Yes, that Inquiry with this public Inquiry. Yes, that Inquiry that with this public Inquiry. Yes, that Inquiry that you with this public Inquiry. Yes, that Inquiry that you talked i that Inquiry that you talked about is due to begin within the next hour or so here at liverpool town hall. It was set P Liverpool Town hall. It was set up in the wake of lucy letby� s conviction for its seven murders and seven attempted murders. It will look into the circumstances surrounding how she was able to carry out her crimes. As you point out i should point out there have been questions raised around the validity of her conviction, around some of the evidence presented and whether it was an accurate and fair representation. However the case did go to the Court Of Appeal and her convictions were upheld. And the Inquiry-today'>Inquiry Today will not look into the validity or otherwise of her conviction but rather what needs to change in the nhs and what lessons are to be learned from the case. It will have, basically, three strands. The first strand of the Inquiry will look at the experiences of the parents of the babies involved in this. How are they treated by the hospital and at the other authorities . The second strand will look at the hospital itself and how it dealt with lucy letby. So, for example, during letby� s trial it came out that consultants had raised concerns about her Behaviour And Presence on the word. And that they did not feel that those concerns were taken seriously by the Senior Management at the hospital. And then a third strand of the Inquiry will look at the broader nhs and culture within the nhs. If more needs to be done to protect newborn babies across the uk. It is worth pointing out that this is not the first time we have had an Inquiry around the deaths of baby by a nurse. In the 90s there was a case of a nurse Called Beverly who was convicted of murdering babies in lincolnshire. Part of the Inquiry is to work out why this was allowed to given there was an Inquiry-post'>Inquiry Post other case. Thank you very much indeed. We are back in a few minutes, you are back in a few minutes, you are watching Bbc News. Do say with us. Hello, there. It has been mild, relatively speaking, despite all the rain in the south and very warm towards the far north and west. At some changes for the next couple of days. Autumn is fighting back, temperature wise at least. It is going to turn colder by day and by night with the chance of a frost for some, especially on thursday night. It will be windy, Brisk Northwesterly Wind with sunny spells and some blustery showers. This changes have already started, deep area of low Pressure Pressure sweeping across the northern parts, sweeping it southwards and eastwards across the uk. You see that mild weather being pushed away, the blue and yellow are colder air taking over through the middle part of the week. It will feel bitingly cold, and exposure to that Northwesterly Wind. Heres the Cold Front for the rest of tuesday. It sinks southwards and eastwards, a narrow band of rain for most. There will be some Cut Ahead but sunshine developing behind, blustery showers and Heavy Rain across the northern aisles could lead to localised flooding. It is windy wherever you are across the uk, but particularly so in the uk, but particularly so in the northern articles. Here are the northern articles. Here are the temperatures, ranging between 11 and 18 celsius. Mild towards the south but the rain could pep up here perhaps as we head through Tuesday Evening before it clears overnight. It is going to feel cold on tuesday night, some of our temperatures could drop back to mid single figures. I think you will really notice the chill on wednesday morning, still some blustery showers out towards the north and west. We will see clear skies the further South And East you are. On wednesday, and east you are. On wednesday, a typical day, we see a Northwesterly Wind at this time of year. Sunny spells and showers, most of them towards the north and west. Some heavy and thundering. It will feel cold in exposure, so that brisk northwesterly Wind And Temperature is now below the seasonal average across the board. It is still september, so in the spells of sunshine and sheltered from the wind it will not feel too bad. Again, more sunny spells and showers perhaps on thursday. And then high pressure starts to build in from the southwest. It is going to have the effect of lightening the wind, there could be a bit of frost in Northern England and parts of scotland into friday morning. Some Mist And Fog developing as well. Mostly dry on friday, temperatures recovered on friday and through the weekend. Goodbye. This is Bbc News, the headlines more than 1,700 prisoners are being released early today across england and wales, to Ease Overcrowding in jails. An israeli Air Strike has Hit A Safe Zone in southern gaza, killing more than 40 people. Israel said it was targeting hamas commanders directly involved in the October 7th attack. Australia is to ban children from using social media. The prime minister says young people should get off their devices, and � on to the footy fields. Hello, im geeta guru murthy. Thank you for being with us. Lets return to our top story this hour. Up to 1,750 prisoners are being released from jails in england and Wales Today as the government seeks to resolve overcrowding. Those eligible will have served 40 of their sentences and will be allowed out on licence. Meghan 0wen is outside wormwood scrubs. Have you seen many people being Let Out, and of course, presumably, nobody knows who is being Let Out early or who is being Let Out early or who is being Let Out on their regular release date. We being Let Out on their regular release date. Being Let Out on their regular release date. We havent seen any prisoners release date. We havent seen any prisoners being release date. We havent seen any prisoners being released l any prisoners being released early yet, although there has been a flurry of activity in the last hour or so