parts of the country and in december wind—chill. temperatures need to feel below freezing. more on our main story, the tragedy in the english channel, at least 31 migrants feared to have drowned after their boat capsized. we can talk to our political editor. prime minister earlier was saying that clearly sympathy was with the victims and families but it underlines yet again the danger of crossing. it is a very sensitive issue for the government. yes, and the political — issue for the government. yes, and the political alarm _ issue for the government. yes, and the political alarm has _ issue for the government. yes, and the political alarm has been - issue for the government. yes, and the political alarm has been ringingi the political alarm has been ringing about this for some weeks louder and louder. i think you can see the prime minister's frustration that also downing street is appalled by what has happened and borisjohnson seeing the people smugglers are literally trying to get away with murder. the government has been grappling with how to fix this problem. 0pposition parties saying there have to be safe and legal rights for people who want to come to the uk, downing street requesting joint patrols with france to try to ease this problem. relationships with france are tricky right now. that has been an issue in various different ways in the last couple of months and a real feature of what is a modern horror is this is not a problem that any one politician or any one country can solve on its own. a , any one country can solve on its own. , ., ., ., . own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more _ own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more for— own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more for you _ own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more for you at _ own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more for you at ten - own. indeed. many thanks again. we will have more for you at ten on the l will have more for you at ten on the tragedy and more from glasgow on what the prime minister has 7 first minister has been sent today. i think the people evening, i'm olly foster with the latest from the bbc sport center. it's another champions league night, matchday five in the group stages and a few sides can secure their passage to the last 16 with a game to spare, liverpool are already through, they face porto at anfield. the pick of the games is at the etihad where manchester city need just a point against paris st germain to qualify, john murray is commentating on the match for radio slive. i hope it's going to be a city going for an psg going for it. i think we are almost getting to the stage are awake was met as we expected and his group with manchester city and psg will be the ones to go through. that could happen tonight depending on the group. ijust hope we get a good contest. obviously, as ever, they will want to finish top of the group to qualify. so that's an issue as well. world snooker say they strongly disagreee with shaun murphy but he is standing by his comments that amateurs shouldn't be allowed to play in professional tournaments. he was knocked out of the uk championship by 19—year—old sijar—hui last night, one of half a dozen amateurs in the field. i'v e i've seen today how the story has blown up and is still trending in all the rest of it. it's madness from my point of view. for me that has to be a line. if there is no distinction between the probe towards an amateur tors, let's just have one big tour then. i think amateurs, very good amateurs standing in front and potentially being banana skins for professional players who earn their living this way is a problem. the bbc has dropped michael vaughan from its coverage of this winter's ashes series the former england captain was named in yorkshire's report into azeem rafiq's claims of racism during his time with the club. vaughan has denied the allegation but the bbc say "we require our contributors to talk about relevant topics and his involvement in the yorkshire story represents a conflict of interest". you can read much more about that on the bbc website. from me that is latest from the bbc sport centre. you're watching bbc news in the latest from the bbc sport centre. you're watching bbc news in the uk and around the world. we are bringing you the latest on the tragedy unfolding in the english channel tonight. at least 31 people are feared to have drowned while trying to cross the sea from france after their boat capsized. these 26 have been rescued but some are in a serious condition. we understand that the rescue operation which is happening in the busiest stretch, one of the busiest stretchers of the waterway in the world is still continuing as temperatures plummet in the english channel. it is a continuing crisis in terms of illegal migrations with crossings having been so far across the channel three times the level of last year. 20 5,000, 600 people are estimated to have crossed so far this year. three times the number of last year. the prime minister and others have said they did not their sympathies lie with the victims. you are joining sympathies lie with the victims. you arejoining us sympathies lie with the victims. you are joining us from across the world as we report the latest on the tragedy unfolding on the english channel where at least 31 migrants are known to have drowned after they are overloaded boat side. these are people who will up and pushed into the channel because they paid people smugglers often to get them from other countries across the world. they've been smuggled through europe and ended up in the coastline of france, belgium and the netherlands. in this case probably off the coast of calais trying to get on some two small boats, often not very seaworthy boats without any protection against the weather conditions, it's particularly cold against that waterway tonight. one of the busiest in the world. we know about 25,000 have used this route this year so far for that which is three times as many and has used it in 2020. the british prime minister is among those to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives. the situation is developing at the moment. the rescue is continuing. here is the reaction we've had so far. i here is the reaction we've had so far. , ., ., ., �* far. i just want to say that i'm shocked and _ far. i just want to say that i'm shocked and appalled - far. i just want to say that i'm shocked and appalled and - far. i just want to say that i'm i shocked and appalled and deeply saddened by the loss of life at sea in the channel. i think the details are still coming in but more than 20 people have lost their lives as you know. my thoughts and sympathies are first of all with the victims and their families. first of all with the victims and theirfamilies. and it's an appalling thing that they have suffered. i also want to say that this disaster underscores how dangerous it is to cross the channel in this way. it also shows how vital it is that we now step up our efforts to break the business model of the gangsters who are sending people to see in this way. and that's why it's important that we accelerate if we possibly can all the measures contained in our borders and nationality bills and we distinguish between people who come here legally and people who come here legally and people who come here illegally. but we also use every power that we can we would leave no stone unturned to demolish the business proposition of the human traffickers and the gangsters. 0f human traffickers and the gangsters. of course, we have to work with our french friends, with our european partners. and i say to our partners across the channel, now is the time for us all to step up, to work out two together, to do everything we can to break these gangs who are literally getting away with murder. you've known for some time that a tragedy— you've known for some time that a tragedy like this was a possibility. but the _ tragedy like this was a possibility. but the measures you've taken haven't — but the measures you've taken haven't stopped the boats crossing the channel. does this show and the saddest_ the channel. does this show and the saddest possible way that your plan is it working?— is it working? what this shows is that the gangs — is it working? what this shows is that the gangs who _ is it working? what this shows is that the gangs who are - is it working? what this shows is that the gangs who are sending l that the gangs who are sending people to see and these dangerous crane not will literally stop at nothing. what it also shows as the operation that's being offered by our friends on the beaches, supported as you know with £54,000,000 from the uk to help patrol the beaches, all the technical support that we've been given, they haven't been enough. our offer is to increase our support but also to work together with our partners. on the beach is concerned, on the launching grounds for these bows. that's something i hope that will be acceptable now in view of what is happening. because there is no doubt at all that the gangs concerned, unless they are showing that their business model won't work, that they can't simply get people over the channel from france to the uk, they will continue to deceive people, to put peoples lives are risk and as i say, to get away with murder. are risk and as i say, to get away with murder-— are risk and as i say, to get away with murder. you mentioned about workin: with murder. you mentioned about working together _ with murder. you mentioned about working together and _ with murder. you mentioned about working together and it _ with murder. you mentioned about working together and it being - working together and it being acceptable now, things being acceptable, that implies they were so measures that were acceptable, what's _ so measures that were acceptable, what's changing?— what's changing? we've had difficulties _ what's changing? we've had difficulties persuading - what's changing? we've had difficulties persuading some what's changing? we've had i difficulties persuading some of what's changing? we've had - difficulties persuading some of our partners, particularly the french to do things in a way that we think is... the situation deserves. i understand that all countries face but what we want now is to do more to gather and that's the offer we are making. to gather and that's the offer we are making-— to gather and that's the offer we are makinu. . ~' ,, , . are making. thank you very much. one more, do are making. thank you very much. one more. do you — are making. thank you very much. one more, do you have _ are making. thank you very much. one more, do you have full _ are making. thank you very much. one more, do you have full confidence - are making. thank you very much. one more, do you have full confidence in i more, do you have full confidence in the home _ more, do you have full confidence in the home secretary? of more, do you have full confidence in the home secretary?— the home secretary? of course to start thank _ the home secretary? of course to start thank you. _ the home secretary? of course to start thank you. boris _ the home secretary? of course to start thank you. boris johnson - the home secretary? of course to start thank you. boris johnson the british prime _ start thank you. boris johnson the british prime minister— start thank you. boris johnson the british prime minister there. - british prime minister there. breaking news unrelated, it's important to put them so that you know about. a30 for —year—old man has been charged with the murders of two people, stephen and jennifer chappell 7 34. they found dead at their home in somerset. that was on sunday evening. a double killing of a call was up into the united states now where a jury trial in georgia has convicted and found guilty three men for the murder three ointment, chase a man through a neighbourhood in georgia. this was a man called they thought he was a burglar they claim. and they pursued him. when they wouldn't stop they shot him. and he was shot dead some controversy on that trial on tuesday evening when the defence attorney summing up, made some disparaging comments about the status of the dead man's toenails, that they were dirty. it was so distressing for his mother that she left the trial in tears. and issued a statement afterwards saying, strange that the defence attorney was talking about my son's toenails when there was a hole in him where he had been shot dead of gold. thejury hole in him where he had been shot dead of gold. the jury claimed they were not impressed by the defence, didn't accept the defence argument. three men found guilty. mcmichael 35, his father 65, and their neighbour who is 52. all have pleaded not guilty to murder and they will be sentenced probably in they will be sentenced probably in the next few minutes. there may be delays for sentencing. we will wait and see. we will bring it to you of course are on bbc news. let's return to our main story tonight and that is the drowning of migrants trying to cross the french coast into the english channel and are hoping to land on the kent coast. our correspondent isn't over speaking to us in the last 20 minutes and gave us in the last 20 minutes and gave us an update to what is known about the tragedy this evening. irate us an update to what is known about the tragedy this evening.— the tragedy this evening. we are bein: told the tragedy this evening. we are being told that _ the tragedy this evening. we are being told that more _ the tragedy this evening. we are being told that more than - the tragedy this evening. we are being told that more than 30 - the tragedy this evening. we are - being told that more than 30 people have died. the search operation is continuing. a confusing picture because when these boats take to the water they are often overloaded. that is not entirely clear who is on board. so these searches will continue. at this time of the year the sea is very cold. so chances of finding any survivors remain pretty small. the authorities on both sides of the channel have repeatedly warned, it was only a matter of time before there was a tragedy at sea, that has now happened. home office officials were expecting numbers to fall quite dramatically as we went into autumn, as they have done in previous years. but it's now clear this is an all year—round operation because it is so lucrative to the people smugglers organising the crossings. recently a boat was found in the channel with 88 people on board if each paid around £3000 on board if each paid around £3000 on board that would've made the smugglers a quarter of £1,000,000 from that single boat. let smugglers a quarter of £1,000,000 from that single boat.— from that single boat. let me bring ou some from that single boat. let me bring you some pictures _ from that single boat. let me bring you some pictures without - from that single boat. let me bring you some pictures without these i from that single boat. let me bring | you some pictures without these are the scenes live outside the hospital in calais where the injured, and i fear also the bodies are being taken of those who have tried unsuccessfully to cross the english channel. one of the busiest port was in the world. it's always been feared they would be hit by another boat. whether or not that happened tonight, the conditions we are told by local fishermen tonight, the conditions we are told by localfishermen were tonight, the conditions we are told by local fishermen were very, very cold. it's been bitterly cold in the uk over the last couple of nights and it's hard to imagine what it would be like in the english channel. bearing in mind that giving the time of day in the uk, it is now a quarter to seven in the evening gmt. it would've been very dark in the english channel probably from about four o'clock in the afternoon. so depending on when the sinking happened it would've been hard to draw attention to their presence in the water. thankfully, somebody clearly did know that something was happening and an emergency operation was made. this is the scene at the hospital. we are told the interior minister of france is due at the hospital. we expect them to be making some sort of statement in the next hour. once he's been updated both by the rescue operation and by those who are treating survivors. we have already been told that the survivors are not in good condition, some of them. that has been offered as an explanation why the death toll has continued to rise during the afternoon. we ended at the start of the afternoon around mid afternoon, about 20 people, that has already reached more than 31. i'll pause here for that we are hoping to talk to a couple of guess shortly about what this story it means any implication from both the british and european union. written no longer a member of the european union but having co—operated. let's go to georgia. this is the scene in brunswick. these are, we expect the formal words from the judge following conviction. there has been some words but we are going to get more words in a moment. as i said, the terrible case of ahmaud arbery who is 25 years old when he was fatally shot having been out running. it fatally shot having been out runninu. , , _, fatally shot having been out runninu. , , , ., running. it is this court usual ractice running. it is this court usual practice with _ running. it is this court usual practice with regard - running. it is this court usual practice with regard to - running. it is this court usual- practice with regard to sentencing to go ahead and give everybody time to go ahead and give everybody time to put together what they need to put together for a full sentencing hearing. i'm going to have to look at the schedule and see how that works. with my schedule and a schedule here. i will get back to everybody about some dates and see what works with respect to dates. that you give everybody an opportunity to put together whatever evidence may be shown in aggravation and mitigation from defence. locally, we will get to that next couple weeks. i will make sure do not counsel knows what those dates are. that addresses the open matter before the court. anything from the state before we adjourned7 before the court. anything from the state before we adjourned? state before we ad'ourned? nothing further from _ state before we ad'ourned? nothing further from the — state before we adjourned? nothing further from the state. _ state before we adjourned? nothing further from the state. from - further from the state. from michael's. .. _ further from the state. from michael's. .. the _ further from the state. from michael's. .. the defendant l further from the state. from i michael's. .. the defendant sent further from the state. from - michael's. .. the defendant sent or ordered to — michael's. .. the defendant sent or ordered to remain _ michael's. .. the defendant sent or ordered to remain in _ michael's. .. the defendant sent or ordered to remain in the _ michael's. .. the defendant sent or ordered to remain in the custody l michael's. .. the defendant sent or| ordered to remain in the custody of the sheriff and we are adjourned. thank you. the sheriff and we are ad'ourned. thank you.— the sheriff and we are ad'ourned. thank ou. ,, ., ., , thank you. short and sweet there. that really — thank you. short and sweet there. that really confirms _ thank you. short and sweet there. that really confirms what - thank you. short and sweet there. that really confirms what we - that really confirms what we say that the sentencing might wait for a couple of weeks. we are going to go to calais to the hospital... we are not able to go there at the moment. we don't have a translation of the remarks. it looks like the interior minister talking now. let's cross back to georgia. thank you very much forjoining us here. this is a verdict that we were waiting for for some time now. we've had to sum it up some time now. we've had to sum it up within the last 24 hours. some come two controversial remarks at the defence say those remarks into accounted for nothing with the jury. that's right. there was really a sense the defence lawyers in this place were playing to a jury that were comprised of 11 white people... indian thatjury has come up with these guilty men. at least on some accounts. a reminder of this case. ahmaud arbery, a 25 —year—old black man was running and just refused blocks from his home in february of last year when greg and travis mcmichael, a father and son decided to chase him in their trucks, they armed themselves and chased him saying later that he fit the description of a burglary suspect. a third man roddy bryantjoined them. they cornered it him, although he was unarmed, there was no evidence presented that he done anything illegal and yet there was an altercation and he was shot and killed. the police reaction was something that caused some outrage in the coming weeks because no arrests were made until a video of the killing went viral. but those of the killing went viral. but those of the best two arrests were made 74 days after the killing of ahmaud arbery. a lot was made of the composition of thejury, arbery. a lot was made of the composition of the jury, the tactics used by the defence lawyers but ultimately, when those verdicts were read out, huge chair went up here outside the courthouse which with supporters of the ahmaud arbery family who were very nervous about how this was going to go. they are certainly not chanting and happy with what they heard. what certainly not chanting and happy with what they heard. what would you sa has with what they heard. what would you say has been — with what they heard. what would you say has been the _ with what they heard. what would you say has been the climax _ with what they heard. what would you say has been the climax locally - with what they heard. what would you say has been the climax locally at - say has been the climax locally at with this trial has been conducted? actually, there's been a considerable amount of introspection over the last year or so about what contributed to this murder was that what about the history of this place, what about the make—up of these men and the way they thought that they can behave in this way contributed to all of that. already even before this trial, that is due in a sense that already change things here. because after his killing a citizens arrest statue for a civil war era, citizens arrest statue was all but torn up here in georgia. and there was a sense that something had to change. i have to say in speaking to people here, there are some in this community who will still say, "well, this is about three men doing something stupid and don't really still except the race played a part in this. they are their underlying issues that need to be dealt with for of vocals you speak to african—americans there and a lot of them have told us that they still feel there are areas for example that they can't go to freely. and that they at some stage of their lives have felt that other people in the community feel they have the right to tell them what to do. certainly, thisjudgement may help move things forward in sending out a signal. this is not clearly a way that people can behave. thank ou ve way that people can behave. thank you very much- _ way that people can behave. thank you very much. we _ way that people can behave. thank you very much. we will— way that people can behave. thank you very much. we will return - way that people can behave. thank you very much. we will return to i way that people can behave. thank. you very much. we will return to our main story this hour. this is the drowning off the french coast between france and england. krysztof used to be a member of the french assembly national come up francis parliament from northern europe which includes the uk. thank you very much for talking to us magically in these very distressing circumstances. some hard questions facing both the british and the french government tonight. yes. facing both the british and the french government tonight. yes, it's a realtragedy- _ french government tonight. yes, it's a realtragedy. unfortunately, - a real tragedy. unfortunately, always think about that human beings, the families and what they tried to do in this horrible situation. but now you have time for sorrow and a time for politics... this kind of situation which might happen tomorrow or even days if we don't face that.— don't face that. france interior minister is _ don't face that. france interior minister is speaking _ don't face that. france interior minister is speaking at - don't face that. france interior minister is speaking at the - don't face that. france interior - minister is speaking at the moment at the hospital in calais. he says he is an almost daily contact with the british over this issue, britain's equivalent to the minister priti patel has talked constantly on the telephone to see him. yet the problem remains withoutjudging by the statistics that we have, in the last ten months or so, 11 months, 25,600 people of estimated to come into the uk this way or tried to get in. most have been stopped as far as we know. three times the number of last year. why is the situation getting so much harder, would you say? getting so much harder, would you sa ? ., . ' getting so much harder, would you sa ? ., ., , , getting so much harder, would you sa? ., ., , ., getting so much harder, would you sa ? ., ., , ., say? you have different ways to look at the situation. _ say? you have different ways to look at the situation. a _ say? you have different ways to look at the situation. a culture _ say? you have different ways to look at the situation. a culture of- say? you have different ways to look at the situation. a culture of the - at the situation. a culture of the context, the brexit, post brexit situation, you have now the is establishment of the new border between the france of the uk in the uk and europe in that situation. the disagreement between the governments, we don't have to hide the fact that it was not the best relation that we had over the last month. i think we also delayed actually the process that we have now put very glad to hear that they tried to have a conversation and made a joint statement, a good state the next step to move forward. i think the tragedy of the migrants trying to choose small boats, and fax in a tragic way the figures of death there. irate fax in a tragic way the figures of death there.— death there. we have sympathies exressed death there. we have sympathies exoressed not — death there. we have sympathies expressed not just _ death there. we have sympathies expressed notjust by _ death there. we have sympathies expressed notjust by the - death there. we have sympathies expressed notjust by the prime l expressed notjust by the prime minister but also president emmanuel macron. there's been a lot of rhetoric on both sides of the do you think this tragedy could possibly have a positive outcome is not for the people who suffered so terribly but in the future?— the people who suffered so terribly but in the future? yes, they can be more apathy- _ but in the future? yes, they can be more apathy- if— but in the future? yes, they can be more apathy. if you _ but in the future? yes, they can be more apathy. if you try to - but in the future? yes, they can be more apathy. if you try to identify i more apathy. if you try to identify with the migrants, where they come from, the families then you will see them as human beings as we are. it might affect the government. they cannot accept that, every day a lot of people tried to desperately get into the uk and die like that. that is a pure tragedy that we have to face. of course you have many ways to consider the situation. it face. of course you have many ways to consider the situation.— to consider the situation. it would be aood to consider the situation. it would be good to _ to consider the situation. it would be good to act- — to consider the situation. it would be good to act. so _ to consider the situation. it would be good to act. so sorry _ to consider the situation. it would be good to act. so sorry to - be good to act. so sorry to interrupt for that we are out of time. speaking about the terrible tragedy unfolding in the english channel, at least 31 migrants have drowned, the rescue operation continues you are watching bbc news. and now it is time for a look at the weather. good evening. a decidedly cold feel to the weather as we head towards the end of this week, but not only cold weather, some quite turbulent weather on the way as well. spells of rain, sleet and snow in the forecast and the risk of severe gales, particularly through friday night and into the start of the weekend. now, as we go through this evening and tonight, we've got this area of cloud and patchy rain continuing to sink its way southwards. behind that, the skies clear, some colder air filtering down from the north with some showers into northern ireland and northern scotland. the showers here will be wintry, blustery winds with gusts of 50 mph or more in the most exposed spots in the far north. and temperatures widely getting close to freezing, below freezing in places, so a touch of frost to start tomorrow morning. and all of us feeling the effects of this cold air. where you're exposed to the brisk winds, particularly around coastal areas, well, there's a potential for some showers. wintry showers in northern scotland, especially over high ground, but even to relatively low levels i think we could see some snow mixing in. elsewhere, though, a lot of sunshine. it's a bright, crisp day, a cold day with top temperatures between 5—9 degrees. maybe just getting up to ten there in the channel islands. now, as we head into friday, this area of low pressure dives its way into the picture. that'll strengthen the winds. it'll bring outbreaks of rain southwards through friday morning, and with cold air continuing to tuck in from the north, well, there is a potential for some wintry showers across the north and the west and this curl of a weather front bringing some quite significant snow to parts of northern scotland through the day. a cold day, a windy day, in fact increasingly windy as we get into the evening. now, depending upon the exact shape of this area of low pressure, somewhere is likely to see the isobars really squashing together, meaning a swathe of extremely strong winds, especially to the north and the west of the uk, perhaps for wales and south west england, parts of north east england as well. gales are likely, severe gates in places. with some areas of rain, sleet and snow drifting southwards, that wintry weather only slowly pushing eastwards on saturday. it stays quite windy for many, just a little calmer out towards the west. and it is going to feel cold, particularly when you factor in the strength of the wind. sunday does look a little calmer for all of us, but temperatures really will struggle, 3—7 degrees. hello, i'm ros atkins. this is outside source. at least 27 migrants have died in the sea off calais at least 33 migrants have died in the sea off calais trying to reach the uk. migration experts say it's the worst loss of life in the english channel so far. the british minister says people smugglers are to blame. now is the time for us all to step up, to work together to do everything we can to break these gangs who are literally getting away with murder. we'll be live in calais with all the latest throughout the hour on this developing story. we will also be live in georgia in the us as three men have been found guilty of a