hello, i'm sarah campbell. to israel first, and benjamin netanyahu has vowed to reject any sanctions on the country's military, after reports that the us plans to cut aid to one unit. amid ongoing violence in the occupied west bank, the us says it will respond to apparent human rights violations against palestinians. explosion 15 children are among the dead, after an israeli air strike on the southern gazan city of rafah, where more than a million displaced palestinians are sheltering. the hamas—run health ministry in gaza says more than 30,000 people have died since the start of the war in october. emergency workers in khan younis say they've uncovered nearly 200 bodies buried in the courtyard of a hospital.

al nasser had been at the centre of an israeli military operation until two weeks ago. the world health organisation has previously said bodies were being buried within hospitals under israeli siege, but palestinians have accused israeli forces of killing some of the victims. israel accuses hamas of using medical facilities as command centres. let's get more on all of this — with our middle east correspondent, yolande knell. hello to you. let's start with the background, the reports that the us might sanction a section of the israeli military.— might sanction a section of the israeli military. that's right. this is the netzah _ israeli military. that's right. this is the netzah yehuda _ israeli military. that's right. this is the netzah yehuda battalion, l is the netzah yehuda battalion, historically operating in the occupied west bank, and they have just been reports suggesting that the us, because it is looking to comply with its own legislation that

says that its aid must not be used by foreign military units that have carried out human rights violations, there have been these reports indicating that us military aid, of course it is extremely substantial amounts, several billions of dollars amounts, several billions of dollars a year, to israel, could be cutjust for this one particular unit, it is a combat unit that was set up historically to bring ultraorthodox jewish men into the israeli military. now, already we have had israeli political leaders and military leaders coming out in response to this really saying it is unfair and shouldn't happen in a time of war. the israeli military saying this is a unit that does comply with international law. the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu saying that he will fight against this. but this is a particular unit that has been associated in the past with some high—profile in particular two years ago the death in detention of a

palestinian american, an elderly man who was picked up at a checkpoint and then he was blindfolded and gagged and found dead after israeli soldiers left that area. at the time the israeli military said it didn't see there was grounds for a criminal prosecution, they said he was a man who had underlying health issues. but there has been really an ongoing issue around what is the conduct of israeli forces in the west bank. in this war in gaza we have had a lot of tensions between the us and its close ally israel over the conduct of military personnel. fix, close ally israel over the conduct of military personnel.— close ally israel over the conduct of military personnel. a news line has come out _ of military personnel. a news line has come out in _ of military personnel. a news line has come out in the _ of military personnel. a news line has come out in the last - of military personnel. a news line has come out in the last few - of military personnel. a news line i has come out in the last few minutes i want to ask you about, according to afp, the news agency, an israeli army military intelligence chief has resigned over the october seven hamas attack. what more do we know about this individual? this

hamas attack. what more do we know about this individual?— about this individual? this is a ma'or about this individual? this is a major general— about this individual? this is a major general who _ about this individual? this is a major general who is - about this individual? this is a major general who is the - about this individual? this is a major general who is the head about this individual? this is a i major general who is the head of israeli military intelligence and not long after the 7th of october attacks and the week after those unprecedented attacks led by hamas with gun men, thousands of them breaking across the border into southern israel, he did publicly take responsibility for intelligence failings and now he has handed in his resignation formally after six months of the war. the israeli military is saying that he will stay in place until his successor can be chosen and can take over from him. but really it is interesting what you said, he talked about how the intelligence division did not live up intelligence division did not live up to the task we are entrusted with and also call for the establishment of a state investiture committee to look into the failings in depth that led to those attacks, that made them possible in the 7th of october. ==

possible in the 7th of october. —— investigative committee. yolande knell, middle east correspondent, thank you. the uk government says it's determined that its bill to allow some asylum seekers to be sent to rwanda should face no further delays. it says members of both the upper and lower chambers of parliament will have to keep voting until it's approved. the government hopes the policy will stop people trying to make the dangerous english channel crossing on small boats. so far this year, more than 6,000 migrants have made the journey. the prime minister will hold a press conference in about an hour and a half. we'll take you live to that when it happens. joining me now from the rwandan capital kigali is our africa correspondent barbara plett usher, and our political correspondent harry farley is in westminster for us. good morning to both of you. hello, both of you. barbara plett usher, first in kigali, if i could turn to you and ask what the view is there,

all of this debate happening, press conference happening in an hour and a half, how is this being viewed in kigali? a half, how is this being viewed in kiuali? ., ., , kigali? the government here has laruel kigali? the government here has largely stood _ kigali? the government here has largely stood back _ kigali? the government here has largely stood back and _ kigali? the government here has largely stood back and watched l kigali? the government here has l largely stood back and watched the legal and political wrangling in the uk, saying that that is a process for britain, they welcome debate and so on, but in the meantime they have stressed they are ready to receive these migrants at a moment's notice when and if they are allowed to arrive. and certainly the hostel that has been prepared to receive them has been standing ready for nearly two years now. the rwandan government has been making changes to its law to address concerns raised by the british supreme court about the safety of the migrants here, in particular about the risk of them being deported back to countries from which they fled, and so on. the government also has strongly objected to being called unsafe, which is something they say just isn't true, they say they have a very good safety record and that is certainly true when it comes to

crime. there had been an unwelcome spotlight put on allegations that the government does suppress dissent here. when it comes to people on the ground, ithink here. when it comes to people on the ground, i think really there isn't as much attention paid to it here as there is in the uk. but in terms of there is in the uk. but in terms of the views, i would say they are largely economic. so some people would say it is going to be good for the economy to have migrants coming, especially as many of them are expected to stay here, they bring new blood, they bring new ideas, they will be consumers, and so on. on the other hand, others say actually rwanda is a small, densely populated country, we don't have enough jobs and land for those of us here already and this is just going to increase the competition for them. that is the view also of the opposition party here. you them. that is the view also of the opposition party here.— them. that is the view also of the opposition party here. you have kind of answer the _ opposition party here. you have kind of answer the question _ opposition party here. you have kind of answer the question i _ opposition party here. you have kind of answer the question i was - opposition party here. you have kind of answer the question i was going l of answer the question i was going to ask, which is in terms of the rwandan people, what is it for them, —— what is in it for them, if you like? i -- what is in it for them, if you like? ~' -- what is in it for them, if you like? ~ ., -- what is in it for them, if you like? ~ . ., , , . like? i think that that is very much

the focus when _ like? i think that that is very much the focus when it _ like? i think that that is very much the focus when it comes _ like? i think that that is very much the focus when it comes to - like? i think that that is very much the focus when it comes to the - the focus when it comes to the migrant deal itself, they are wondering how this is going to work with the economy here because jobs, as we have been told by the people who are on the ground, are in short supply so they are wondering about that. one of the men with whom we spoke didn't want to be identified when he gave that view because it opposed government policy, which also reflects a sort of undercurrent of uneasiness here about the descent exactly. it is something again that the kigali government denies, but the kigali government denies, but the uk authorities have said or acknowledged that there are some restrictions on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. ——dissent. they do not believe the migrants core anybody relocating here are likely to face ill—treatment. barbara plett usher, thank you for the moment. harry farley is in westminster for us. the moment. harry farley is in westminsterfor us. this is a complicated process. take us through, for those who perhaps are not too familiar with how parliament works, what is going to happen this

afternoon? in works, what is going to happen this afternoon? , ., afternoon? in the uk there is two houses, afternoon? in the uk there is two houses. the _ afternoon? in the uk there is two houses, the house _ afternoon? in the uk there is two houses, the house of _ afternoon? in the uk there is two houses, the house of commons | afternoon? in the uk there is two i houses, the house of commons and afternoon? in the uk there is two - houses, the house of commons and the house of lords, the house of lords is the second chamber, the revising chamber as it were, the house of commons is the elected one with mp5. it has been bouncing between the two for several months now. you heard from barbara plett usher how long this policy has been in the offing, more than two years, but it's been more than two years, but it's been more than two years, but it's been more than four months since this bill first came to parliament. what has happened now is the house of lords have tabled some amendments, some changes, some suggested rewording of the bill. it has gone back to the house of commons, and mps are expected to overturn and get rid of those changes this afternoon and send it back to the lords. from what i'm hearing from speaking to people in the house of lords, particularly opposition peers, labour peers in the house of lords, they are in no mood to back down and they are in no mood to back down and they will reinsert their suggested changes. they want to see some sort of a compromise on what they want to see on those suggested changes. it

will then bounce between house of commons and house of lords, it is called ping—pong, so it will ping and pong between the two houses until the house of lords backs down, and it largely depends on a group of crossbench or independent peers in the house of lords as to when or how long they are prepared to keep going and when at some point they will give up. we are expecting a late night in westminster tonight with the prime minister saying he wants to get it done today.— the prime minister saying he wants to get it done today. indeed and he is due to give _ to get it done today. indeed and he is due to give a _ to get it done today. indeed and he is due to give a press _ to get it done today. indeed and he is due to give a press conference i to get it done today. indeed and he is due to give a press conference inj is due to give a press conference in the next hour and a half or so, that's presumably the message we will be expecting to hear?— will be expecting to hear? that's riaht will be expecting to hear? that's ri . ht and will be expecting to hear? that's right and he _ will be expecting to hear? that's right and he has _ will be expecting to hear? that's right and he has previously - will be expecting to hear? that's| right and he has previously urged the house of lords in his words, not to frustrate the will of the people. i think it is worth saying are busy there is opposition from labour peers in the house of lords. there are serious concerns from those independents, those crossbench peers, and some conservatives as well in house of lords, some fears this bill seeking to address the concerns of the supreme court which were raised when they ruled this

government policy to send some asylum seekers arriving illegally here in the uk to rwanda. the supreme court ruled that was unlawful last year and that's what this bill is trying to address, trying to say rwanda is safe and trying to say rwanda is safe and trying to say rwanda is safe and trying to block further legal challenges. what we don't know yet at this stage is exactly how many people will be sent to rwanda, when that will happen after the bill is passed, will it be a matter of weeks or months? and also how many flights will be able to get off before the general election. we are expecting that in the uk at some point later this year. that in the uk at some point later this ear. ., , ., , this year. harry farley in westminster, _ this year. harry farley in westminster, i'm - this year. harry farley in westminster, i'm sure i this year. harry farley in | westminster, i'm sure we this year. harry farley in - westminster, i'm sure we will this year. harry farley in _ westminster, i'm sure we will speak to you again but thank you for the moment, and barbara plett usher, who was speaking to us a little earlier from kigali. that press conference ijy from kigali. that press conference by the uk prime minister is due to happen within the next hour and half so we will cross to that as soon as it begins. for the moment, let's turn to ukraine. president zelensky says the $61 billion military aid package — approved by american

lawmakers — will give his country a chance of victory in its war against russia. in an interview on american television — he said more weapons would help kyiv retake the initiative — especially long—range missiles. ukrainian forces have been coming under increasing pressure recently in the east of the country — and there have been concerns in the west about russian advances — including the seizure of the strategic town of avdiivka back in february. james waterhouse has the latest from kyiv. a production line waiting for a presidential sign—off. freshly made artillery shells in this factory in pennsylvania, usa — now almost certain to make their way to a ukrainian battlefield, where there are holes instead of rounds. after america threw its weight back behind ukraine the message here is "you make it, we'll use it." near kupiansk in the north—east

it is the russians who are edging closer. translation: it's better now- if we let them attack and we defend but when we get the shells, drones, and whatever else in this package, we can turn things around. it's hoped this us aid will save ukrainian lives and cities like kyiv but it has been a painful wait. translation: our guys need help because they have - nothing to protect us. we always need help because without it, our enemy can advance further and can be in the centre of our city. of course it is not too late. in any case, aid is needed, and whether it would be later or earlier, in any case it will help. there has been a constant flow of diplomats through kyiv as they have tried to pave the way for this bill to be passed. "better late than never" is the reaction we are hearing this weekend.

never would have meant almost certain defeat for ukraine. however, late still means it'll be difficult for kyiv to change momentum on the battlefield straight away. translation: this aid - will strengthen ukraine and send the kremlin a powerful signal that it will not be the second afghanistan. the united states will stay with ukraine and it will protect democracy in the world. this is a show of leadership and strength. while the west has wavered, russia has stayed committed to its invasion. ukraine needs to make america's return count to keep moscow and western doubt at bay. james waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

you're watching bbc news. the metropolitan police has apologised to baroness doreen lawrence after breaking a promise to answer questions raised by a bbc investigation into the murder of her son stephen. the 18—year—old was stabbed to death in a racist attack by a group of young white men 31 years ago today in south london. two of the original five suspects were convicted of murder in 2012, but the met�*s disastrous handling of the case means no—one else has been brought to justice. in an exclusive bbc interview, baroness lawrence says the murder investigation should now be reopened. daniel de simone reports. the racist murder of stephen lawrence took place 31 years ago today at a south london bus stop. two of the original five prime suspects were convicted almost 20 years after the murder. but the met�*s disastrous handling of the case means no one else has been brought to justice.

last year, the bbc publicly identified a sixth suspect — matthew white, who died in 2021 — and revealed multiple failures by the met to properly investigate him. now, stephen's mother, baroness doreen lawrence, gives her first interview about the new evidence and the met�*s response. we knew there was five, possibly six. now we know that there were six. and the one that's just passed away, he's probably the key one who probably caused stephen's murder and they did nothing about it. we showed not everything possible was done before the murder investigation was closed four years ago. baroness lawrence now has a personal message for the met commissioner, sir mark rowley. there's still lines of inquiries for them to follow up on.

there's still three suspects out there, and i'm sure there's witnesses that probably could help them, if they're interested. so i think that's what i'd like to see him do — is to instruct his team to follow up on the information, whatever is out there. because if you don't go and look, you're never going to find anything. the officer now responsible for the case, deputy assistant commissioner matt ward, promised baroness lawrence answers last year about the met�*s handling of the sixth suspect, but failed to provide them. he wrote to her injanuary to say he's ashamed and regretful, and then went silent. last week, her lawyer wrote to the met commissioner himself to complain. now, in a statement to the bbc, sir mark says:

she says she won't settle for the met�*s failures. i don't think any mother would want to do that. and i'm no different. i think all mothers want to make sure that they're there to support their child if something happened. it's to hold those accountable for what happened to that person. i'm from the bbc. bleep. three prime suspects, including brothers neil and jamie acourt, remain free. they've always denied murder. were you there when stephen lawrence was attacked? - so would you like to see the investigation reopened? definitely so. she says the outstanding suspects are cheating justice. they're living their lives. they don't have to worry because the police have no intention of following up and seeking to investigate them. and they continue to get away with murder. daniel de simone, bbc news. well, daniel de simonejoins me now from the newsroom.

hello, daniel. it does seem quite surprising that 31 years after the death of stephen lawrence and the met police are still apologising to the lawrence family. it is absolutely _ the lawrence family. it is absolutely extraordinary. j the lawrence family. it 3 absolutely extraordinary. one of the criticisms that was in the landmark macpherson report 25 years ago was the met�*s failure around family liaison, the failure to treat the lawrence family, stephen's parents, in the proper way, in a fair way, and we are 25 years on and the met commissioner himself is having to issue an apology today about the treatment and their liaison with the family. the failures by a very serious senior police officer, a deputy commissioner in the met police, he leaves the met pot response to serious crime so this is not a junior officer, this is a senior officer and when we published our investigation last year there was a meeting arranged —— he leads

the met�*s response to serious crime. the meeting with her lawyer, imran khan, and they were not happy with what the met were saying and that they would look at the case again. at that point the deputy commissioner was offering to provide more information about their handling of the sixth suspect, including what had previously been communicated to the family because they didn't feel very much had been communicated and then he completely failed to do so, admitted it was a failure and then again failed to do so, that is what has led to the commissioner having to get involved over the last few days.— over the last few days. parallel to that, baroness _ over the last few days. parallel to that, baroness lawrence - over the last few days. parallel to that, baroness lawrence is - over the last few days. parallel to that, baroness lawrence is now. that, baroness lawrence is now calling for the original murder investigation to be reopened. we heard in your report it was closed four years ago. what is the process for that? four years ago. what is the process forthat? how four years ago. what is the process for that? how is that? at —— how likely is that? that for that? how is that? at -- how likely is that?— for that? how is that? at -- how likely is that? at the moment the met sa s likely is that? at the moment the met says they _ likely is that? at the moment the met says they will _ likely is that? at the moment the met says they will not _ likely is that? at the moment the met says they will not reopen - likely is that? at the moment the met says they will not reopen it l likely is that? at the moment the i met says they will not reopen it and when they closed the case four years ago this at all viable lines of inquiry had been followed and

exhausted. what we showed in our report last year and since is that there were things that were left under, witnesses that had not been spoken to, there are witnesses who have changed their evidence actually, quite important witnesses. we covered some of that last year. but the met is still saying that they feel there is no grounds to reopen it. obviously matthew white, the sixth suspect, is dead. there are outstanding suspects who are alive. i think this issue is not going to go away about whether there is more that the met could do. i've invested to kate to case a lot, know the case well now. i think there are opportunities around evidence, i know the family think that —— i've investigated the case a lot. the family will keep pressure on the met. because the met have failed here and had to issue an apology, they will have to be really straight with the lawrence family and there is going to be a meeting sir mark will attend personally with baroness lawrence at a future date.— lawrence at a future date. thank ou, lawrence at a future date. thank you. daniel— lawrence at a future date. thank you, daniel dessie _ lawrence at a future date. thank you, daniel dessie mone. -- -

lawrence at a future date. thank i you, daniel dessie mone. -- daniel you, daniel dessie mone. —— daniel de simone. in china, three people have died and 11 others are missing after days of heavy rain caused flooding in the south of the country. that's according to state media there. tens of thousands of people have been told to leave their homes. landslides have hit several villages, blocking roads. weather forecasters say the situation�*s "grim". the area is prone to flooding, but state media report that water levels are at their highest for half a century. laura bicker has more from beijing. officials in guangdong described the water levels as grim. they have been monitoring them for days. there are two problems here. first are days and days of heavy rain, coupled with what has been localised storms. now, these storms have been so fierce that even heavy hail, hail big enough to go through windscreens, has been falling from the sky. they have even been reports of some tornadoes. now, they have been monitoring these water levels and there were fears of a once in a half—century flooding event as those water

levels began to rise. quietly flowing rivers turned into torrential rivers which raised those water levels, risking tens of thousands of homes. they have evacuated around 60,000 people. they have taken them to safety. but it does seem that the worst has passed for now. water levels are beginning to recede. officials are a little less worried for now, especially as the rain is also beginning to ease. but now the clean—up begins. that was laura bicker reporting. before the break now. it's what fans have really, really wanted to see. all five members of the spice girls have reunited — just perhaps not as you'd expect. they came together to celebrate victoria beckham's 50th birthday in london. # stop right now, thank you very much # i need somebody with a human touch

# i need somebody with a human touch # hey you, always on the run... # the bandmates partied like it was 1997 — performing their classic song, stop. and victoria's husband david beckham was there to capture the moment — and have a sing—along too. stay with us here on bbc news. hello again. yesterday was northern ireland's warmest day this year so far. today, temperatures will be a little bit lower here. but by the time we get to wednesday, we'll all be in some chillier conditions with temperatures below the seasonal average. it will be the risk of night frosts, and then we'll see some rain coming our way this weekend, particularly saturday night into sunday as low pressure comes back to our shores. but today we've got this weather front sinking south. you can see there's a lot of cloud around and that weather front is producing some patchy light rain and some drizzle extending from south—west england, eastern parts of wales,

the midlands, northeast england, you could also see the odd shower across parts of south east scotland, but brightening up across much of scotland and northern ireland through the afternoon. and this is where we'll have the highest temperatures, 16 degrees in glasgow, we're looking at 10 or 11 in london and norwich. the average in the far southeast is 1a or 15. now through this evening and overnight, this is the weather front, still producing some patchy light rain and drizzle. behind that, though, the skies do clear it's the skies do clear, it's going to be a cold night once again, colder in the north than last night, a little bit milder under all this cloud in the southeast than last night. so, a real change in fortunes. as we head through tomorrow, we still have this weather front draped across southern areas, producing cloud and patchy light rain, the clearance in the sky, especially out towards the west. so, we hang on to quite a lot of cloud in parts of the southeast through the day, but brightening up southwest england, wales, northern england, scotland and northern ireland. but we'll have a brisk wind coming down the north sea coastline

and that will accentuate the cold feel. the temperatures are quite low anyway. but quite a blustery day really wherever you are. then for wednesday again there'll be a few showers coming down this north sea coastline, getting into norfolk, for example. some of these could be wintry in parts of the highlands and the pennines, a bit more cloud around during the course of wednesday. but there will be some brighter breaks nonetheless. and these are our temperatures, 7 to about 13 degrees north to south. as we move on through thursday and friday, there'll be some showers around. temperatures rising a little bit through the weekend. but then that low pressure comes in saturday night and sunday bringing some rain.

this is bbc news, the headlines... more dangerous then heroin, the bbc investigates the synthetic drugs, advertised online and smuggled into the uk. the met police chief sir mark rowley prepares to meet london's mayor, after a row over his force's handling of pro—palestinian protests. and, from wireless to the web, we take a trip back through the decades, to celebrate 100 years of bbc education broadcast. a bbc investigation has traced how deadly synthetic drugs have been getting into the uk. nitazenes, which are more deadly then heroin, have recently been

linked to more than two uk deaths a week. made in labs in china, nitazenes are being advertised on social media platforms and smuggled into the country, before being mixed into other illegal drugs by criminal gangs. colin campbell has the story. the 21—year—old southampton musician dylan rocha died after unknowingly taking synthetic opioids called nitazenes that were hidden in heroin. just really wanted to cuddle him. i put my head on his chest, really scared. i didn't want to put my head on his chest because because his heart wasn't beating. we've discovered the super—strength manmade drugs linked to more than 100 uk deaths are being openly advertised by chinese suppliers on major social media sites. on x, formerly twitter, we found more than 700 adverts for nitazenes. on the music sharing platform soundcloud, we found almost 3,000. finding adverts on this scale,

hundreds, thousands of adverts,