instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of scotland. politics is not a game. the other main headlines this hour: as famine looms for 20 million people across africa and the middle east, we report from somalia. rail services on some of the busiest lines in england have been disrupted because of a 24 hour strike. and the queen launches the baton relay for next commonwealth games, which are being held on australia s gold coast next spring. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the legislation to begin the process of the uk leaving the european union, the so called brexit bill, has been approved by both houses of parliament. amendments earlier proposed by the house of lords, which would have protected the rights of eu citizens living here and given parliament a final say on the outcome of the exit talks, were dismissed. the way is now clear for theresa may to
singapore. this is bbc world news. it s newsday. hello and welcome. it s 9am in singapore and iam in the morning here in london, where in the past few hours british parliament has given its final approval to a landmark law allowing the government to formally start the process of leaving the european union. earlier, scotland s first minister nicola sturgeon dropped a political bombshell, announcing plans for a second independence referendum prompted by opposition to brexit. britain s prime minister theresa may wasn t too impressed. let s hear from nicola sturgeon first. i will now take the steps necessary to make sure that scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. a choice of whether to follow the uk to a hard brexit, or to become an independent country. instead of playing politics with the future of our country, the scottish government should focus on delivering good government and public services for the people of scotland. politics is not a game. a little earl
britain has stepped significantly closer to leaving the european union. parliament has given its final approval to a crucial law that allows the government to trigger brexit. mps in the house of commons overturned amendments from the upper house, the lords, seeking guarantees on the rights of eu nationals in the uk, and on how much say parliament will have on the final terms of the brexit deal. this from our political correspondent chris mason. so, it was the final stage of the whole process of getting a law to give the british prime minister, theresa may, permission to say to brussels that the uk is going to leave the european union. now, you might think, well, that s a bit odd. didn t british people leave the european union almost a year ago, so why couldn t she have just done it anyway? well, there was a challenge in the courts, that decided that there had to be this law for the brexit process to start. that took place a couple of months ago. since then, the legislation ha
britain has stepped significantly closer to leaving the european union. parliament has given its final approval to a crucial law that allows the government to trigger brexit. mps in the house of commons overturned amendments from the upper house, the lords, seeking guarantees on the rights of eu nationals in the uk, and on how much say parliament will have on the final terms of the brexit deal. this from our political correspondent chris mason. so, it was the final stage of the whole process of getting a law to give the british prime minister, theresa may, permission to say to brussels that the uk is going to leave the european union. now, you might think, well, that s a bit odd. didn t british people leave the european union almost a year ago, so why couldn t she have just done it anyway? well, there was a challenge in the courts, that decided that there had to be this law for the brexit process to start. that took place a couple of months ago. since then, the legislation ha