Was motivated by religious extremism. His period in luton and before, he wasnt a radical. In prison in saudi arabia and in the period he spent in luton. If he was i definitely would have identified those signs. In sport, Great Britain will be without andy murray as they take on france in the davis cup Quarter Finals next week. And matt has the weather. Good morning. Cloudy skies rather than sunny ones muggy today, Rain In The West at times. Details on all that and a bit more warmth on the way. More details in 15 minutes. Good morning. First, our main story. Theresa may has signed the letter that will formally begin the uks departure from the European Union. The letter will be delivered by hand to the president of the European Council donald tusk at 12 30pm this lunchtime. At the same time, the Prime Minister will make a statement to the commons in which shell urge the country to come together as it embarks on a momentousjourney. Our Political Correspondent carol walker is in Downing Street. Thats where the cabinet will meet this morning. It isa it is a significant day, isnt it . Yes, this is a day we can truly call historic because the process which begins really will shape our lives and our laws for decades to come. We saw those pictures last night of the Prime Minister signing that letter, setting out the uks Negotiating Stance. As you said, that will be delivered by hand to the president of the European Council at about the same time that theresa may will stand up in the Houses Of Parliament and tell us what it said, setting out the uks Negotiating Stance. We know what the priorities are going to be, the broad outlines, were going to be leaving notjust the eu but the Single Market, theyll be an end to the Free Movement of people, well almost certainly be leaving the customs union. But what was striking last night in the Statement Released by Downing Street was theresa may spoke about her fierce determination to get the right deal for everyone in the country. Sheet spoke of it as a time to come together. Her big challenge is to find a deal that works notjust for those that really want to leave and the cleanest possible break from the eu, but those that wanted to stay in the eu and are very concerned about what the future brings. Lets look at how we reached this point. This report from my colleague, alex forsyth. More than four decades ago the uk first signed up to the then european community. Today those years of membership will start to come to an end. David camerons promised back in 2013 was key in getting to this point. He said that britain would get to choose whether to stay in or leave the European Union, hoping to end years of debate about the relationship. It is time for the british people to have their say. It is time for us to settle this question about britain and europe. So last year, politicians of all persuasions took to britains streets, making the case for leave and remain. Then injune, the country decided. The british people have spoken and the answer is, were out. The consequences were immediate. For some there was jubilation. For others, contemplation, even devastation. And for him, resignation. Ithink contemplation, even devastation. And for him, resignation. I think that the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction. The new Prime Minister pledged from the start to honour the referendum result. Brexit memes brexit, and were going to make a success brexit, and were going to make a success of it. And that process will begin in earnest today with a letter sent from here to brussels formally saying the uk wants to leave the eu. Then some two years of negotiations will follow with a whole host of issues to be resolved. Everything from the rights of eu citizens living here and elsewhere to britains financial commitments to the eu and its future trading relationship. And there are decades of eu legislation and regulations that need to be un pick. The process of leaving is unprecedented. It will be complex and at times uncertain. There will be challenges and opportunities. And with the Prime Ministers signature on this letter, it all begins today. Alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. Throughout the morning well hear from politicians who backed brexit, and those who campaigned to remain, as well as speaking to our correspondents around the uk and europe. Commemorative events are taking place this afternoon to remember those killed and injured in the westminster attack a week ago. Khalid masood ran over and killed three pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing a policeman to Death Outside the Houses Of Parliament. Inquests into his victims deaths will also begin today. The former boss of the Language School in luton where the westminster attacker Khalid Masood taught for two years has told the bbc that he doesnt believe the attack was motivated by religious extremism. The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, has not seen masood since 2012, but says he wouldnt have believed him to be capable of such violence. Mike cartwright reports. Khalid masood, who killed and caused horrific injuries. A man who here in luton taught english as a foreign language. Funny, intelligent, popular. How his former boss, who didnt want to show his face, described him. It took me about a day for it to dawn on me that it was him that committed the crime. |j day for it to dawn on me that it was him that committed the crime. I was bewildered, shocked, angry, in disbelief really, he wasnt the kind of mani disbelief really, he wasnt the kind of man i knew. What was he, what we re of man i knew. What was he, what were his habits, what was he like . only knew him in an office environment, he came in to have a cup of tea every now and again, he talked about his past, his transition to islam. Farasat told me masood prayed in his lunch hour, a practising muslim but not an mystery missed. His period in luton and before he wasnt a radical. And extremist. If he was i definitely would have identified those signs. 0nce would have identified those signs. Once again would have identified those signs. 0nce againa would have identified those signs. Once again a count defending itself against links to terrorism, but if masood was radicalised, prominent voices within this community said it didnt happen here. Mark kyle trite, bbc news mike cartright. President trump has signed a new Executive Order to rip up measures put in place by barack 0bama to curb global warming. Hes ended numerous restrictions on the Coal Industry, and promised that more jobs would be created as a result. Environmental campaigners say they will fight the move in court. 0ur North America editor jon sopel reports. The the Coal Industry was beginning to look like an Endangered Species in the us under barack 0bama but if President Trump has his way coal will soon be king again and today he signed a raft of measures reversing the policies of his predecessor. My administration is putting an end to the war on coal, were going to have clean coal, really clean coal. With todays Executive Action im taking historic steps to lift the restrictions on american energy, to reverse Government Intrusion and to cancel job killing regulations. This is waynesburg, pennsylvania, a town that voted overwhelmingly for donald trump last november, in part down to his pledge to overturn 0bama era pledges on energy. The colliery here shut down a year ago. Today theres growing confidence their industry might be coming back. As of right now, money is picking back up, they do believe mining is going to pick up and they are going to get theirjobs back. Around this area, mining is picking back up. But environmental campaigners are aghast and wonder where it leaves the paris Limate Change Agreement that president 0bama committed the us To In December, 2015. If mr trump does not honour the paris deal, he would join a very small club that includes syria, nicaragua and uzbekistan. The president wants oil men to be able to drill and miners to be able to dig, but the reason so many pits shut down wasnt because of regulation, it was because theyd become uneconomic as consumers moved to cheaper, cleaner forms of fuel. Its hard to see how the signing of an Executive Order changes that. Jon sopel, bbc news, washington. The british wife of the french president ial candidate Francois Fillon, has been placed under investigation over claims that she was paid by her husband for work she didnt do. Penelope fillon is being investigated in connection with her role as her husbands parliamentary assistant. The scandal is thought to have seriously harmed her husbands chances of becoming the next french president. An american man who was paralysed from the shoulders down has been able to feed himself and hold onto a cup of coffee after surgeons placed implants in his brain and arm. Bill had paralysis in all four of his limbs, after his bicycle ran into the back of a lorry. Alexandra mackenzie has more details. Numberand number and behold, iwas number and behold, i was able to eat the Mashed Potatoes really well. 58 year old bill was paralysed from the shoulders down after a cycling accident eight years ago. Lo and behold. I was raining really badly. I was following a meal truck and i was keeping my distance pretty good but then it stopped to deliver a package and i ran right into the back of the mail truck mail truck. Bill was left totally dependent but determine his life didnt end there, he signed himself up didnt end there, he signed himself upfor didnt end there, he signed himself up for medical research in ohio. My father said, you really want to do this . I said yes, somebody has to do research. If nobody does research, things dont get done. He volunteered for surgery. Censors we re volunteered for surgery. Censors were placed in the part of his brain that controls hand movement. They send messages to the 36 Muscles Stimulating electrodes placed in his arm. Weve bridged his spinal injury, he can now think about moving his arm and his arm moves. can move it up and down, its pretty cool. I get to be the first one in the world to do it. Bill is the only person to use the new experimental technology, tested in america. But the medicaljournal the technology, tested in america. But the medical journal the lancet technology, tested in america. But the medicaljournal the lancet said its a major advance. Doctors acknowledge this has some way to go before it is clinically accepted but said it could eventually transform the lives of many living with paralysis. Im still. I hope it will help out many more people for used to come. Alexandra mackenzie, bbc news. An amazing incredible of Element Technology is sometimes a brilliant thing sometimes you are worried about it . I dont worry, ifight it. A monumental day in brexit, it is on its way, the letter, to brussels, around lunchtime. We will speak to those who have been pro brexit, some have been remainers, to try to get a sense of what might happen in the next few months. Lots to do today. Lots going on in the sport. Two years today. Lots going on in the sport. Two yea rs it today. Lots going on in the sport. Two years it is going to take and the ongoing ramifications good morning andy murray missing for Great Britain for the davis cup tie against france this week, a big loss to the team, obviously, hes the world number one, but france, one of the world superpowers in tennis, so a tough time for the players that are a tough time for the players that a re left. Great britain captain leon smith says being without andy murray will be a big loss to his Davis Cup Team for their quarter final against france. The world number one wont be fit for the tie in rouen, which starts a week on friday, because of a tear in his elbow. No decision has been made yet about when hell return to action. Liverpool could be without midfielder adam lallana for up to a month. He injured his thigh while on International Duty with england. Its thought he could potentially miss five games for his club including this weekends mersyside derby. The referee had a little help last night as france played spain in a friendly. Video refereeing was used to correct two wrong decisions, including this, a goal that wasnt a goalfrom Antoine Griezmann. Spain went on to win 2 0. And after missing most of the 6 nations with an ankle injury, Scotland Rugby Union captain Greig Laidlaw hopes to be back playing in three or four weeks. Both scotland and the British And Irish Lions are touring this summer. Some big fixtures coming up for scotla nd some big fixtures coming up for scotland against australia, fiji and italy, which will be a bit easier than the australian and fijian fixtures. Shovelling the papers and getting ready for the paper review, which we will do shortly. Shuffling. Map is here with a look at the weather. A bit of drizzle around . Matt. Skies today, but there will be some outbreaks of rain, some drizzle around, especially in the west, good news for some of the gardens at the moment. Clear skies in continental europe, bringing the cloud in off the atlantic. The biggest cloud in Western Areas, here youre likely to get wet, but like rain and result elsewhere in Eastern Parts and southern scotland. Heaviest bursts around today, most likely in the hills in Western Parts, especially in parts of wales and North West England and later in south west scotland. Some will stay dry. Not bad in shetland. A cool feel as we see across eastern scotland. This to the hills and the rest of scotland. Wet as we finish the afternoon and into rush hour. Rain on and off through the day in the northern isles. Maybe some sunshine. Fairly damp in the hills of cumbria, North Lancashire, patchy rain to the east of the pennines. Damp around snowdonia. While we will have to resolve this morning in the southern and Eastern Parts of england, dry in the afternoon. Highs of about 17 degrees. Tonight The Rain Will Come And Go in the north and west. Still heavier bursts, especially late in the night. Some splashes towards the midlands and maybe the south east for those getting up early tomorrow. Note temperatures tomorrow morning. Double figures for many. Southerly winds bringing in warm air. That is most noticeable on thursday in the south east corner. 21 or 22 is the high. Dry with sunny spells. A lot of cloud elsewhere, much like today. The Western Areas sees the rain come and go. The heaviest Bursting Cumbria and the north and west of wales. In the Western Areas the rain gets heavier into friday. Mild air still coming in on friday and parts of Eastern England staying dry, with sunny spells too. A change into the weekend. We swapped low pressure on friday with High Pressure by the time we get to sunday. That means that on saturday the progress from low to high means we have a band of showers and a lot of cloud, outbreaks of heavy and thundery rain pushing eastwards. Temperatures dropping later. Still sunshine around on saturday, but more of it to come on sunday as the High Pressure builds in. The second half looking dry and bright for many. Lets bring you up to date with our main story this morning. The Prime Minister officially begins the brexit process. A letter stating the uks intention to leave the eu will be delivered to brussels at lunchtime. Environmental campaigners criticise Donald TrumpsExecutive Order overturning restrictions on coal mining. The us president says it will create millions ofjobs. Thats a big signature. Another important signature makes the front pages of all of the papers this morning. My fierce determination. This is about what the Prime Minister will say later today. My determination to get the right dealfor every today. My determination to get the right deal for every Single Person in this country. Thats what theresa may says. Thats on the front page of the telegraph. Thats the picture on most of the papers this morning. The times. Weve got the first Prime Minister watching on, as the reason may signs that. It is also on the front page of the express. Theresa may. The sun. Theyve got to sign up on the white cliffs of jove. This is the guardian. They have a little digs or