Hours clinging to his board, describes the moment a Helicopter Crew spotted him. In the end they saved my life. I cant thank them enough. President trump celebrates at the white house, after republicans help him take the First Step Towards scrapping Barack Obamas Flagship Health plan. This is a repeal and a replace of obamacare, make no mistake about it. We never had rows. And National Treasures alan bennett and Nicholas Hytner tell us How Theirfriendship has fuelled theatrical success. And coming up in sportsday on bbc news. Could Manchester United finally find a way past the celta vigo goalkeeper in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal in spain . Good evening. After nearly 70 years in the public eye, the duke of edinburgh has decided to retire from royal duties from august. Buckingham palace said that Prince Philip, wholl be 96 next month, has the full support of the queen. She will continue with all her engagements. The announcement has prompted tributes from the public and politicians alike. Heres our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell. Its an image to which the nation has become accustomed over a good many decades. The queen and the duke of edinburgh side by side on official business. Today, they were at a reception at st jamess palace. The duke, a few steps behind, and there in support. Inside, meeting members of the order of merit. Swapping stories about hearing aids. Weve all got them. And joking about retirement. Youre standing down. I cant stand up much. Never mind standing down, i have trouble standing up, he said. But, come the autumn, his attendance at events such as this will be the exception. After nearly 70 years of Public Service, the duke has decided a few weeks short of his 96th birthday that its finally time to step back from public duties. The palace says the decision has not been prompted by any particular concerns about his health and the evidence would support that. Yesterday he was at lords cricket ground, opening a new stand, and sharing a familiarjoke. Im the worlds most experienced plaque unveiler. Alongside all those plaques hes unveiled are the serious achievements, things like the duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. But his most important contribution has been the support hes given to his wife, the queen. As shes become the longest reigning monarch in british history, hes become the longest serving consort. Theyve done it together. On their golden wedding anniversary, the queen spoke about how much her husband meant to her. He is someone who doesnt take easily to compliments. But he has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years. And i, and his whole family, and this, and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know. Soon, though, the dukes public role will come largely to an end. The palace statement said, Prince Philip will attend previously scheduled engagements between now and august, both individually and accompanying the queen. Thereafter, the duke will not be accepting new invitations for visits and engagements, although he may still choose to attend certain Public Events from time to time. Political leaders paid their tributes. For his steadfast support for her majesty the queen, to his inspirational duke of Edinburgh Awards, and his patronage of hundreds of charities and good causes. His contribution to our united kingdom, the commonwealth, and the wider world will be of huge benefit to us all for years to come. I wish him well in his retirement. I wish him well spending time doing the things he wants to do, as opposed to being required to attend lots of events, some of which he may find very exciting, some less so. So, all the best. Good luck. Hes dedicated his life to Public Service and supporting the queen. I think hes more than earned his retirement. Prince philip, as well as the support hes given the queen and his own Public Service, of course, hes done an amazing amount of charity work as well. It was in a bbc interview to mark his 90th Birthday in 2011 that the duke first hinted that he was thinking of scaling back. I reckon ive done my bit. I want to enjoy myself a bit now. With less responsibility, less frantic rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say. On top of that, the memorys going. I cant remember names. Just sort of winding down. Six years later, that winding down is finally taking place. It means that other members of the royal family will step up to support the queen. Its likely shell be seen more frequently at major occasions with the prince of wales or princess ann. Those who know the couple say it wont be quite the same for the queen. The queen will undoubtedly miss him on public occasions. Theres no doubt that when they go out for a day together, they are mutual support system. Having been on tours with them, having followed in the car behind them, you see at the end of the day they get together into the car and he entertains her hugely, telling her funny stories about whats happened during the day. So she will definitely miss all that and occasionally she will strike us as a lonely figure. But shell be going back to Buckingham Palace, windsor castle, balmoral, and he will be there. Slowly but surely there is a generational shift taking place at the palace. Officials have made it clear that the queen will continue with her public engagements. But, at the age of 91 now, her load is being lightened. As monarch, she is still the centralfigure. As today has underlined, there is starting to be tangible evidence of transition. Nicholas witchell, bbc news. Prince philip has accompanied the queen on countless state visits around the world. Hes carried out more than 22,000 solo engagements, and made thousands of speeches while supporting charities and organisations including his own the duke of edinburghs award for young people. 0ur Royal Correspondent peter hunt reflects on a long life in the public eye. Prince philip has been an unstoppable royal force for seven decades. While hes finally taking it easier, the organisations he champions will continue. Millions have benefited from the duke of edinburghs award scheme. When i spoke to him a decade ago, he was modest about what hed achieved. I know you hate the l word, but do you see it as an important part of your legacy . Legacy no, i dont its got nothing to do with me. Its there for people to use. I couldnt care less. And you would both obviously argue its still relevant . As school is relevant, isnt it . And your scheme . Its relevant too, because its part of the process of growing up. Theyve been growing up with his help since 1956. The queens husband may be stepping down. He wont be backing off. Everyone is entitled to step back a little bit and certainly his retirement from public duties doesnt mean hes going to lose interest in what were doing. I think ill still have to stay on my mettle and report to him regularly. News archive hes obviously got a genius for that sort of thing. Skipping in a suit in the 50s might not have been his thing, but links with youth clubs he fostered in his young adult life, he sustained into old age. This London Youth Club benefits from Prince Philips support and from his visits. He was quite a lively man and he made lots ofjokes and different things. He went round talking to lots of different people and he also had a meal here, which he really enjoyed and made good comments about the food as well. Another of his causes, the environment and conservation. Princely passions philip embraced long before they were mainstream popular issues. Probably the biggest thing hes done is help us reach lots of people globally in different parts of the world and bring together really influential people in support of conservation. Hes got a great convening power, he brings people together. Travelling the world here he was with british troops in iraq, when he was in his 80s is also at an end. The former Naval Officer doesnt do bland. His bluntness has occasionally got him into trouble on his travels. For his critics hes a gaffe prone prince. The most notorious was during the queens state visit to china, when her husband told british students there, if you stay here much longer youll all be slitty eyed. Such public encounters, which supporters portray as an attempt by the prince to put people at their ease, will now diminish, allowing philip more time to enjoy the sport of carriage driving. Its a friendship, theres no holds barred. Ive had plenty of disagreements with him i dont mean nasty ones. Prince philip on duty, on display during the diamond jubilee. As he relinquishes all this, the Princely Pensioner is now free to enjoy himself. Peter hunt, bbc news. And Nicholas Witchell is at Buckingham Palace for us this evening. Almost 70 years side by side with the queen in the public eye. How important changes this going to be for her . She will take it in her stride. 0f for her . She will take it in her stride. Of course she will. Shes used to carrying out soloing agement. She willjust carry out rather more from the autumn. But she will im sure missed the companionship, the Levelling Influence that the duke brings to public engagements. Its quite a solitary life being Head Of State and she will miss that sense of shared experience im sure, with the person with whom shes experienced so person with whom shes experienced so much over the decades. It reminds us so much over the decades. It reminds us of the contribution he has made to the success of this reign. He has no constitutional role. As the husband of the queen is principal role as being, as she boarded herself at the of their golden wedding, my strength and stay over the years. Other sense of support and frequently pithy advice in private and that of course will continue. Hes been considering this step, as i understand it, since the turn of the year. He wanted to spend last year, the year of the queens 90th Birthday at her side in public, but he is now putting into practice what he talked about at the time of his 90th Birthday, winding down, stepping back, although he has said he reserves the right to attend some Public Events, decided on an ad hoc basis. But as he does wind down now, so basis. But as he does wind down now, so of course the younger generations will have to step forward even more in support of the queen, and one does get that real sense now of a generational shift within the family. Nick witchell, thank you. An nhs trust has paid out millions of pounds in compensation, after errors in monitoring babies heart rates during birth led to brain injuries. A bbc investigation also revealed that at least five babies have died at shrewsbury and Telford Hospital nhs trust as a result of similar errors. But the trust said the sums paid out offer little insight into its Maternity Services. 0ur correspondent Michael Buchanan has this exclusive report. Beth and olivia are identical twins. What swing are you going on . Theyre now 11 and the older they get, the less similar their lives become. Beth is fit and healthy, but 0livia was born with a brain injury. Problems with monitoring her heart rate and delays in delivering her means she has cerebral palsy. She struggles to walk, cant talk and has carers 2a hours a day. Our family life is not the same as it should be. Weve all had to make drastic changes to our life. I wasnt able to go back to work, i had to become a full time. Well, i say a full time mum, a full time carer, i think. And a mum second. And obviously i have two children to look after. 0livia cant swallow, so is fed through a tube. All problems the shrewsbury and Telford Hospital trust has admitted causing. Similar errors have also left other children with brain injuries. In 2015 we have learned a consultant at the trust told a meeting that one compensation claim for £41; million related to ctg or foetal heartrate interpretation. Two other claims, he said, worth £144,000, were also due to failures to properly interpret the babies heart rates. Medical negligence lawyer Beth Harrison says her firm has 27 open investigations into allegations that the trusts Maternity Errors have caused brain injuries. We are seeing repeatedly the same mistakes again and again. There is generally a delay in acting upon foetal distress. I also think there is a culture of trying to push for a vaginal delivery in some circumstances. These women need a caesarean section and they arent getting that. The trust has been under intense scrutiny since we revealed last month the Health Secretary has ordered an investigation following the avoidable deaths of at least seven babies. Over the past decade we have learned they have paid out nearly £25 million in compensation following Maternity Errors among the highest figures for similar units. The trust told us they would not comment in detail in case they prejudiced the ongoing review, but did say claims can be and frequently are brought and resolved many years after incidents occur and that the sums paid out in recent years offer little insight into the Maternity Services provided by the trust. Beth and olivia will be lifelong friends but basic Maternity Errors mean only one of them will fully flourish. Beth is going to do all the things that most children do, or adults university, work, a family of her own. 0livia will never do any of those, she will always live at home with us, for the rest of her life. Michael buchanan, bbc news, shropshire. President trump has been celebrating at the white house after the us House Of Representatives passed a healthcare bill, bringing his pledge to repeal and replace so called 0bamacare a step closer. He vowed to finish off barack 0bamas Signature Health care law, which offered medical insurance to millions more americans. But president trumps plan may well face a tougher ride in the senate where republicans have a smaller majority. Heres our north america editor, jon sopel. The ayes are 217. The nays are 213. The bill is passed. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. The moment at just after two oclock this afternoon in washington, when trumpcare became a thing. Shame, shame, shame, shame. Outside, a rather different scene, as protesters chant, shame. This fight isnt over yet. Getting the measure through the senate is going to be every bit as tough. Because, as todays debate showed, this is a deeply divisive issue. So, i ask you, my colleagues, does trumpcare Lower Health Costs . No. Does trumpca re provide Better Health care . No. Does trumpca re protect seniors and families . No. Has panto season come to politics . Yes. Are we going to be men and women of our word . Yes. Are we going to keep the promises that we made . Yes, or are we going to falter . Thank you. In the rose garden this afternoon, the president beamed. A time for fist pumps and hugs with the speaker. This is an important legislative victory. This is a great plan. I actually think it will get even better. This is. Make no mistake. This is a repeal and a replace of 0bamacare, make no mistake about it. Make no mistake. They are dancing a happy dance at the white house today. The extraordinary thing about this vote is, there has been no independent assessment done on who will be affected, in what way, and what the costs will be. By the time it gets to the senate, that will have happened. And that could affect whether 0bamacare really does become trumpcare. Jon sopel, bbc news, washington. A man who was rescued from the irish sea after clinging to his surfboard for more than 30 hours says he was convinced he was going to die. Matthew bryce had set off on Sunday Morning and was last seen heading towards Westport Beach near campbeltown. Eight rescue teams were mobilised when the alarm was raised. The 22 year old was finally spotted by a helicopter, drifting 13 miles offshore. Hes now recovering in hospital. Hes been describing his ordeal to our correspondent, chris buckler. By the night time, it wasntjust my shoulder, all my limbs were cramping. Matthew bryce is exhausted, sunburnt and still recovering. But hes just thankful to have survived after drifting alone in the irish sea for more than 30 hours. I would say thats probably a yellow surfboard so thats the right colour. This picture, taken on sunday, shows him surfing off the west coast of scotland, before he was pulled out to sea by strong winds and tides. The current changes and i cant do anything. All this time the winds pushing me further and further and further out. And then night fell. Sorry. He ended up clinging to his surfboard in the middle of the irish sea for a day and a half. He was eventually found halfway between Northern Ireland and scotland, just as the sun was setting and a second night was approaching. I was pretty certain that i was going to die with that sunset. So i was watching the sun set, i had pretty much made peace with all, and then i heard a helicopter. And the helicopter flew right over. So ijumped off the board and i lifted the board up and i started waving the board. And they flew right over and i thought they had missed me. They turned. They turned round. And then they saved my life. This is the moment he was rescued from the water and his family could finally be told that he was alive. You have this elation and then, 20 minutes later, you crash back down. You dont know what state hes in. You dont know how unwell he is and until we got that phone call from matthew, just to hear his voice. The search teams even managed to recover his surfboard. Are you looking forward to being reunited with your surfboard . Is that the right question . I think well find a good use for it. Maybe as starter fuel but, yeah. Thats it, youre done with surfing . I think so. I couldnt do that again. And that pledge to keep away from the surf is one his family seem determined to make him keep. Chris buckler, bbc news, at the ulster hospital in belfast. The general election is just five weeks away. But today millions of voters have been taking part in local and mayoral elections in england, wales and scotland. Polls have just closed and counting is getting under way in a handful of places. Most of the results will come in tomorrow. Well be hearing the latest from cardiff and from westminster. But first, lorna gordon is in glasgow tonight. Yes, all 32 local authorities are being contested here in scotland. 0ne being contested here in scotland. One of the key Battle Grounds is here in glasgow. Will the City Chambers here, for decades dominated by labour, go to the snp . Will the snp, a party that has been empowering National Level for ten yea rs empowering National Level for ten years now become the Principal Party at the local level as well . The question of an Independence Referendum has been one of the issues of the campaign. The conservatives, positioning themselves as protectors of the union, are confident they say are making gains. The Liberal Democrats and greens are hopeful of increasing the number of councillors they have in certain parts of the country. Labour, it is possible, could be looking at heavy losses. If the snp becomes Largest Party here in glasgow, once a labour stronghold, it will be a hugely symbolic win. It is expected that labour will suffer local losses in wales as well. It has the most to lose for the cardiff is seen as a key battle ground. It is one where labour has a slim majority to defend it is facing pressure in the west of the city from plaid cymru and in the north from plaid cymru and in the north from the conservatives. Well be looking how labour fares in north wales. If it slides further up there, it will be seen as a bad night for the party. Plaid cymru has the second largest member of councillors here in wales. Ill be looking to gain overall control in carmarthenshire. The big question, how will the conservatives perform in wales . The part is looking to benefit from Theresa May Riding High in the polls. Swansea, the Vale Of Glamorgan and newport, some of the places they will look to do well. Labour politicians here in england are also bracing themselves for bad results. One insider told me they are going to get a kicking. Labour has never been strong in the english shires. Their own polling is suggesting they retain overall control of just one suggesting they retain overall control ofjust one council suggesting they retain overall control of just one council and suggesting they retain overall control ofjust one council and are no longer likely to be the Largest Party in nottinghamshire or in lancashire. They are expecting much better news in a contest for new metro mayors in Greater Manchester and merseyside a close eye on what is happening in the tightly fought contest in the West Midlands foot of this is where labour and the conservatives are scrapping of crucial, marginal seats in the general elections. The local elections do not provide as with an exact blueprint for the general election result. The lib dems tend to do much better locally than nationally. The outcome will influence the tactics of the main parties over the next five weeks. Thank you all. The two candidates vying to become the next french president were back on the Campaign Trail today, after clashing in a tv debate last night when centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron called his far right challenger, Marine Le Pen, the High Priestess of fear. She in turn accused him of being soft on terrorism as our correspondent, lucy williamson, reports. Borders and barriers arent really Emmanuel Macrons thing. But when you might be the next president of france, your supporters have to get used to them. And so the european flags that mark his rallies were waved today from behind rows of fencing. France, he said, needed to end divisions, of its people, its land, and its social classes. Weve seen that society in the uk, where the middle class implodes. And that was the moment that britain decided to withdraw from the world stage. Momentum is building behind Emmanuel Macron but this fight has been getting ever more personal. With just one more day of campaigning left, the end of frances extraordinary president ial race is in sight. 2a hours after a bitter debate with Marine Le Pen, mr macron is still seen as the firm favourite. Some of his voters say they are not choosing him, so much as blocking the far right. Two thirds of the countrys far left supporters may not vote for him at all. If Marine Le Pen wins, it will be a of course. If Emmanuel Macron wins, what will be the consequence . In five years, Marine Le Pen will be so strong. Its not what i prefer. Its what i have to do. Critics have accused Marine Le Pen of using last nights debate to goad her opponent. But personal attacks happen on the Campaign Trail, too. Today, an egg, thrown during a visit to northern france. Translation the french people know my programme very well. That is because it is very clear. I have been presenting it to them for several years. I want to lift the veil, and i believe i did that successfully, on who mr macron is. Theres more than one role at stake in this campaign. The presidency is the real treasure but, for frances far right party, emerging as the official opposition would also be a prize. This campaign has been, in many ways, and argument over french identity. No matter how many european flags are waved, every Election Rally here ends the same. Even if frances political map has changed. Lucy williams, bbc news. 0ur europe editor, katya adler, is in paris. You have been following this campaign very closely. Can anything stop emanuel macron now . Never say never. Polls here are consistently showing emanuel macron with a 20 lead over his rival. If he does make it, that really is quite something. He is only 39, a former banker. Never elected before to political office. He only formed his Political Party the year ago. If french voters do choose him for the top politicaljob in this country, which is a political and economic heavyweight in europe, and outsiders well, you could say that is quite a risk. So, Marine Le Pen has a plan. The plan is to do as well in these elections with an eye on the next president ial elections because she thinks president macron will be a failure. This country is really hungry for change but it is divided over the kind of change it once. She thinks president macron will not be able to unite the country may not even be able to introduce Ger Matip Change of you cannot form a strong government. He is still a political novice. If he does fail she will be waiting in the political wings. Some football. And Manchester United have been in action tonight in the first leg of their Europa League semi final against the spanish side, celta vigo. Marcus ratchets free kick in the second half gave mantis united a 1 0 win. Mantis united a 1 0 win. Alan bennett is one of this countrys greatest living playwrights. Sir Nicholas Hytner is one of our most successful theatre directors. Together they have brought some of the most critically acclaimed works to the stage creating huge hits like the history boys and the lady in the van. 0ur arts editor, will gompertz, has been talking to them about their collaboration which has lasted more than a quarter of a century. They treat me like an oracle. And thats what oracles do, they repeat themselves. Laughter here is a scene from Alan Bennetts play the habit of art which, on the face of it, imagines a meeting between a poet, wh auden, and composer, benjamin britten. But there are also plenty ofjokes that allude to another meeting of creative minds. Do you always mean what you write . That of the playwright and his long term collaborator, the director Nicholas Hytner. We never had rows. I mean, i can only remember about two disagreements. If you believe that art comes out of conflict, it doesnt work in that way, no. But it does come out of compromise. What would you say, of all those plays that you two have made together some of which have become films is the high point . Well, the thing we enjoyed absolutely every minute of it was obviously the history boys. So ill thank you if no one mentions oxford
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