live from london. this is bbc news. missiles narrowly miss a kharkiv hospital in the latest russian attack as the pentagon says it will �*rush�* air defence missiles to ukraine. south africa celebrates freedom day — 30 years since the end of apartheid and its first democratic elections. a our shackles have been cast off. with his government on the edge after a week of turmoil, scotland's first minister insists he won't resign. and taylor swift matches a madonna chart record. we'll tell you why. hello. i'm catherine byaruhanga. the ukrainian military says russia carried out another massive air attack overnight.

the mayor of kharkiv, ukraine's second city, said a missile narrowly missed a hospital with 1,000 people inside. attacks also took place in the dnipro region in central ukraine — and in the western areas of lviv and ivano—frankivsk. ukrainian officials say equipment has been damaged and at least one energy worker injured. russia has repeatedly targeted ukrainian energy infrastructure over recent months. it's attacks such as these that have led to more us aid to ukraine. the united states has outlined what will be included in a $6 billion package of military assistance. it's part of a larger $60 billion commitment which was approved by congress a week ago following six months of delays. the package will focus on air defence and includes interceptor missiles, anti—drone systems and artillery ammunition. what's not included are the new patriot air defence batteries,

which ukraine's president volodymyr zelensky says are critical. the us defence secretary, lloyd austin, has been speaking about the importance of the aid. the outcome in ukraine will determine the trajectory of our times. if putin prevails in ukraine, the security consequences would be grave and global. europe would face a security threat it hasn't seen in our lifetimes. as president biden has noted, russia will not stop in ukraine. if the kremlin gets its way, if putin's war of imperial aggression succeeds, every tyrant on earth will take note. ivan verstyuk is a journalist based in kyiv. i asked him about the latest attacks by russia — as well as reports of drone attacks by ukraine on an oil refinery in southern russia.

it's pretty clear that russians are hurrying up to increase pressure on ukrainian energy infrastructure before new air defence systems and new supplies for air defence get installed. so russians are using this period of time to do the rest of their plans to our energy system. so it's going to be harder for ukrainian business and the population to survive this year of war. in this way russians want to make ukrainians more thinking about, maybe we should sign a peace agreement or something, because our energy infrastructure is so badly damaged. and with ukrainian drones targeting russian oil refineries in some of the western region of that country, this is also very important because those two oil refineries are directly involved in russian military logistics and resupplying russian troops in eastern ukraine with all kinds of fuel. so this direct military target, and what's also important is that we know well that vladimir putin, the russian leader, mostly doesn't pay any attention to russian economic crisis or any western economic sanctions.

to him, this is not a priority. but the only economic indicator that he pays attention to is inflation and price growth. and i'm sorry to cut you off. i know our time is going to run out shortly. i just wanted to ask you about this us military aid package for ukraine. i just want to ask you about the reaction there when the us announced it was not going to send these patriot air defence batteries to ukraine as part of this package, what's the reaction there? 0verall, despite having problems with getting more patriot systems to ukraine, all of our weapons are going to be resupplied with this recent us assistance package — anti—tank weapons, anti—aircraft weapons, all kinds of artillery. so people generally now feel much easier because the general expectation is the russians will belong another big advance in may orjune. that's why they're concentrating their military personnel and also firepower, mostly in eastern ukraine. so that change the new supply line.

it changes the mood of people who now feel substantially safer, expecting of what's going to be happening next. and also, it's really important to resupply our troops, especially in eastern ukraine, where the intensity of fighting is the highest among all of it. that's the ukrainian journalist ivan verstyuk. there've been developments in ceasefire negotiations between israel and hamas — with both sides continuing to review proposals. egyptian mediators have arrived in israel — and local media are reporting there's been "notable progress" in finding common ground. in gaza itself, the hamas—run health agency says at least 50 people have been killed in israeli attacks over the past 2a hours. this was the scene in rafah on friday night.

the bbc has learnt that british troops could be deployed on the ground in gaza to help deliver aid via a new sea route. aid would be delivered from cyprus on large ships before being transferred into trucks and smaller landing craft. the floating causeway would be "several hundred metres long" and anchored firmly into the sand. the united states has decided not to put american boots on the ground. 0ur diplomatic correspondentjames landale is following the developments from jerusalem. well, this week, catherine, the american defence department gave a long briefing to media in america about how this new maritime aid corridor would work but there was a big hole in the plans and that is because the united states has made it very clear they are not going to put us boots on the ground in gaza. they are not going to drive those aid trucks off the landing craft, onto the floating pontoon or causeway when it is established and onto the beach into a secure zone on the beach in gaza.

so, someone is going to have to do that. the americans said an unnamed third party would do it. they said it would be a significant partner of the united states, a nation, not some private military company. my understanding is that one option being considered by the british government is that british troops would drive those trucks. i should be very clear, no decision has been made, the issue hasn't yet reached the prime minister's desk. the mod is not commenting, nor is the israeli army. but, the british have been very closely involved in this operation�*s planning from the very beginning, both in american headquarters in florida and also in cyprus. a british ship is going to be used as a dormitory for hundreds of american servicemen and women involved and even the british hydrographic office has been giving detailed information to planners about the nature of gaza's shoreline. so, it is a possibility, it is an option that british forces will drive those trucks onto the beach in gaza in harm's way but it is just an option, no decision has been taken.

and james, looking at the situation in gaza, we are hearing of notable progress in terms of mediation talks between israel and hamas, do we have any detail on how those talks are proceeding? look, i'm always cautious about being hopeful and disappointed and progress and stalled in these kind of negotiations because they are just a long and difficult. what we do know is that talking is continuing. egyptian officials were here in jerusalem yesterday. we know that hamas overnight has said they have received the latest israeli proposal. we know that there is a big conference taking place in saudi arabia this weekend and there is the possibility of some parties talking to each other on the sidelines of that conference. i think the idea is that there is going to be another attempt to see if a deal is possible for a ceasefire, for some hostages to be released, for some palestinian prisoners to be

released before any military operation begins in rafah in the south of gaza against hamas fighters that israel says are holed up there in tunnels. so, it is another attempt to try and make some progress. we will see if it does because thus far, it has been very, very difficult for both sides to try and bridge the divide. the bbc�*s james landale injerusalem for us. let's speak to chris parry, a former british naval officer. how would an operation like this work? what british naval officer. how would an operation like this work?— operation like this work? what we have to imagine _ operation like this work? what we have to imagine is _ operation like this work? what we have to imagine is the _ operation like this work? what we have to imagine is the coastline . have to imagine is the coastline doesn't have any port facilities so if anybody can remember what d—day was like we have pontoons that lead from deep water into the shallow zone and also the shore. what this is called by the americans is joint

logistics over the shore. it is essentially a floating pier and it enables you to put heavy trucks and other loads ashore from ships that can only go into deep water. find can only go into deep water. and there will be _ can only go into deep water. and there will be a _ can only go into deep water. and there will be a real questions about there will be a real questions about the safety of any troops that will take part in the operation like this. how would their safety be guaranteed?— this. how would their safety be auaranteed? , , . ., guaranteed? during the construction of this pontoon _ guaranteed? during the construction of this pontoon peer _ guaranteed? during the construction of this pontoon peer people - guaranteed? during the construction of this pontoon peer people are - of this pontoon peer people are going to stay in and an auxiliary fleet, ship that works for the royal navy. i think we have heard already that the aids are going to be driving instructors up it won't be british troops. that we know there is endemic criminality in gaza which dominates all aid and supplies that are going in. i suspect the interface would best be served by an arab country rather than any british troops going ashore. i suspect we are going to be limited to doing

offshore and the truck driving and all the other things are best placed amongst those who are understand the local culture and can deal with it. as we have seen during the course of the war in gaza, there is the possibility of mistakes, as happened with the aid workers with the world central kitchen. the thing that will be a factor in the government's decision and what would be the consequences of british troops are injured? i consequences of british troops are in'ured? ., �* ~' consequences of british troops are in'ured? ., �* ~ �* , injured? i don't think british troo -s injured? i don't think british troops will _ injured? i don't think british troops will be _ injured? i don't think british troops will be involved. - injured? i don't think british troops will be involved. . . injured? i don't think british | troops will be involved. . but injured? i don't think british i troops will be involved. . but if the are troops will be involved. . but if they are on _ troops will be involved. . but if they are on the _ troops will be involved. . but if they are on the ground - troops will be involved. . but if they are on the ground in - troops will be involved. . but if they are on the ground in gaza | troops will be involved. . but if they are on the ground in gaza there is the potential for anything to happen. is the potential for anything to ha en. , ., �* , is the potential for anything to hauen. , ., �* , ., , is the potential for anything to hauen. , .,�* , ., , , happen. they won't be, that is my oint. happen. they won't be, that is my point- they _ happen. they won't be, that is my point- they will — happen. they won't be, that is my point. they will be _ happen. they won't be, that is my point. they will be offshore - happen. they won't be, that is my point. they will be offshore on - happen. they won't be, that is myj point. they will be offshore on the installation i think, and clearly demarcated. the israelis know that. i don't think the israelis or anybody else is going to be deliberately attacking the pontoon and other aid supplies offshore unless they intend to do so. i think there will be instant retribution on anybody who tries to do that. thank

ou ve anybody who tries to do that. thank you very much. _ anybody who tries to do that. thank you very much, chris _ anybody who tries to do that. thank you very much, chris parry, - anybody who tries to do that. thank you very much, chris parry, the - you very much, chris parry, the former british royal navy officer. we have been reporting on developments in the mediation efforts. the former head of the palestinian desk at israel's ministry for strategic affairs, kobi michael — gave me his assessment on the progress of the ceasefire talks. i'm a bit sceptical about any progress. it looks like the leadership of hamas in the gaza strip still believe that the time works in favour of them, and not only the time but the us and the entire international community by pressuring israel and criticising israel, i assume they have no real incentive for them to make some further concessions with regard to the negotiation. i hope i'm wrong in my assessment.

but i believe that the main goal of hamas leadership is to survive and to remain the sovereign power in the gaza strip in the days after the war. this would be the ultimate victory for them. and therefore, they intend to keep hostages as a sort of insurance policy, and even if there will be a sort of appeal, they will not release all of the hostages. what is your assessment of the role that the possible invasion of rafah has had on these talks? has it cast a shadow over the talks and should the offensive happen, how will it impact any mediation? i think that the offensive by itself is not enough in order to create the impact or the required impact on hamas leadership in gaza. in order to create such an impact and in order to increase the probability for a more successful negotiation, we have to add to the military

offensive two additional pressures. the first one is the pressure on qatar, and this is a pressure that only the us can create, because qatar has the most significant leverage over hamas. the second pressure is to create an alternative, the replacement for hamas on the ground immediately, at least in the northern part of the gaza strip, in a way that will signal to the leadership of hamas and to the people of gaza that still support hamas, that hamas is not an option any more. only by creating these three vectors or pressures simultaneously, i think there is a higher probability for a breakthrough in the negotiation. south africa is marking 30 years since the end of apartheid and the country's first democratic elections. the events come at a difficult time for the governing african national congress. south africa is preparing

for elections next month, and is experiencing failing infrastructure and high levels of crime and unemployment. analysts say the deteriorating conditions might endanger the anc�*s majority for the first time. president ramaphosa outlined what the end of apartheid — a our shackles have been cast off. the shackles that have tied us down for hundreds of years. the weight of centuries of oppression was no longer holding us down. even though our backs or scars of

the cruel lashes of those who were whipped and subjected us for more than 300 years, on that day, as a united people we stood tall as south africans. , , ., ., , ., , ., 0ur correspondentjenny hill is in johannesburg following the developments. we have been listening to president cyril ramaphosa speaking at the commemorative events. it is a very stirring speech that he is giving. he said that freedom's bell 30 years ago rang across this great country and that the weight of centuries of oppression were finally thrown off. this is a big day for this country. it is an opportunity for many to, first of all, think back to the suffering which many endured under the apartheid regime, and to commemorate those who fought against it and ultimately won,

but also to recall the joy and hope that so many people here felt when nelson mandela and his anc party swept to victory in the first democratic election. the current president has been reminding people that it was a moment of, if you like, rebirth, a new flag, a new constitution. in many ways, a very new country. you are quite right. it is a country which faces enormous challenges and cyril ramaphosa is extremely well aware of that. this kind of historic anniversary is often a chance for people to make comparisons with how life was then and how life is now. that mood of hope about the future 30 years ago, felt by so many people, contrasts now with, i think, a real sense of, certainly not optimism. a lot of people here really concerned about where this country is. massive worries about infrastructure.

electricity and water infrastructure simply doesn't work much of the time. it is failing. crime and unemployment are huge issues. cyril ramaphosa faces a potentially and extremely bruising election in just over a month's time. his party, which has been in power uninterrupted for 30 years, ever since that first democratic election, is not looking like it's going to perform as well as it would like to, and some pollsjust overnight are predicting it will lose its majority. one of the interesting things about these commemorations is that, among the dignitaries gathered, the former president, thabo mbeki, one figure is missing and that is jacob zuma, the disgraced former south african president, mr ramaphosa's predecessor. he is no longer a member of the anc. he has thrown his political weight behind a newly formed opposition party, which takes its name and indeed its logo from the now disbanded armed wing of the anc.

he has become a real thorn in the side of the anc. the bbc�*sjenny the bbc�*s jenny hill the bbc�*sjenny hill reporting there. joe biden says he is ready to take on donald trump in a presidential debate ahead of their likely november rematch. the biden campaign has for months been non—committal on the matter — however that all changed on friday — as the president confirmed his intention. meanwhile, mr trump has said he's ready to face mr biden "anytime, anywhere, any place. " will vernon sent this update from washington. this wasn't the first time president biden has been asked whether he'll take part in televised debates with donald trump. the biden campaign has been tight—lipped about this for some time now, so much so that, earlier this month, 12 major us news organisations penned an open letter urging bothjoe biden and donald trump to agree to participate in the debates, saying they have a rich tradition

in american democracy. and mr trump, too, has been goading joe biden incessantly over whether he will agree to the debates. so the president has been under pressure over this. now, the last time the two men faced off on tv was during the 2020 election campaign. there were two debates then and they were notable for their vitriol, for the aggressive atmosphere between the two men. there was one notable moment whenjoe biden said to then—president trump, "shut up, man." but most analysts agreed that joe biden generally came off better than donald trump did in those. but now, finally, mr biden has agreed to take part. in response to that, former president trump said he was ready "anywhere, anytime, anyplace." an old expression, he said, used by fighters. and mr trump proposed that the first debate could even take place as soon as next week. now, that is almost certainly

not going to happen, and the official date for the first televised presidential debate is this september, just under two months before that crucial election day. will vernon reporting there. let's take you to the netherlands where the country is celebrating king's day. those are live pictures from amsterdam and you can see the parade along one of the city's historic canals. this is the king's 57th birthday and this is done like he is with his family and there have been massive celebrations there earlier. the royal family was playing massive celebrations there earlier. the royalfamily was playing games with some members of the public. this is a major holiday there in the netherlands, king's day. the olympic flame for this year's games has begun its journey to france. a short while ago, the torch,

onboard the belem set sail from the port of piraeus in greece. its arrival in marseille next month will signal the start of a torch relay across france, and french territories, which will end at the 0lympics' opening ceremony on the 26th of july. well, joining me from athens is philip barker — 0lympic historian and author of "�*the story of the olympic torch�*. thank you forjoining us. i understand you have been following events there in greece. just explain what has been happening and what the mood has been like. the what has been happening and what the mood has been like.— mood has been like. the mood this mornin: mood has been like. the mood this morning was _ mood has been like. the mood this morning was euphoric— mood has been like. the mood this morning was euphoric down - mood has been like. the mood this morning was euphoric down at - mood has been like. the mood this i morning was euphoric down at piraeus where the belem slip anchor and sailed out on its voyage to marseille. it was accompanied the first part of its journey by a reconstructed tribe from the times of antiquity in greece, which had carried the flame in 19 80 and 2004, but this was something out of a film

like 300, the film about the spartans. it was a bit of ancient history. but the belem itself, the floating mustard sailing ship, the president of the organising committee for paris 2024 took the flame aboard and a tiny little safety lamp and it has been stowed carefully because that must not go out. it is the flame from olympia and that will be the one that lights all the torches when they take the flame around france from may the 8th. to flame around france from may the 8th. ., , , ., flame around france from may the 8th. ., , ., , ., 8th. to 'ust explain the logistics for us. 8th. to just explain the logistics for us. everyone _ 8th. to just explain the logistics for us. everyone is _ 8th. to just explain the logistics for us. everyone is imagining . 8th. to just explain the logistics l for us. everyone is imagining this flame travelling for hundreds of kilometres. does it stay lit the whole time? what are the logistics like? , , ., y whole time? what are the logistics like? , , ., , ., like? they try to. they do actually have little safety _ like? they try to. they do actually have little safety lamps. - like? they try to. they do actually have little safety lamps. there - like? they try to. they do actually have little safety lamps. there is| like? they try to. they do actually| have little safety lamps. there is a cavalcade, i am sure everybody will remember, from 2012, when the flame came to any town. there was this huge cavalcade of vehicles and

amongst them a vehicle containing the olympic flame. that is the originalflame that was the olympic flame. that is the original flame that was lit in ancient 0lympia from the rays of the sun and it is kept in a little safety lamp, a bit like one that miners use. and i have a couple of these in case it should go out. each torch is tested within an inch of its life. it goes through wind tunnels, rain and anything else, to try to make sure that the flame won't go out. but accidents do happen and then they have to relight it from the flame that was originally lit in olympia. that is the idea of keeping the safety valve there, the safety lamp, in the background, so they can relight it if it should go out for any missed chance. at the end of each day they typically have a celebration with a mini cauldron in the centre of the town where the flame has reached. then that burns and it kind of goes out overnight but they have still got the flame in that safety lamp for the following morning to start the really off again.—

the really off again. thank you, a “ourne the really off again. thank you, a journey that _ the really off again. thank you, a journey that will _ the really off again. thank you, a journey that will surely _ the really off again. thank you, a journey that will surely be - journey that will surely be following. that is philip barker, the olympic historian. taylor swift has matched madonna's record of having 12 number one albums in the uk — the most by a female artist. "the tortured poets department" had the american singer's best—ever first week sales in the uk — and the highest first week sales for any artist since 2017. her next target in the history books is elvis presley, who has 13 number one albums. the beatles have the most, with 16. the stats around this album are truly incredible. it is the first ever album to pass1 billion streams on spotify inside a week. it sold more vinyl albums in three days than anybody has managed in a week since modern records began. it is the fastest—selling album of the year in the uk. we could go on and on and on. you are watching bbc news.

hello. it's a weekend of mixed fortunes weather—wise because things are still very unsettled. some rain around at times and it is going to feel chilly for the time of year as well. if you are after a bit of warmer weather, you might well see it into next week but the weather still remaining pretty unsettled. low pressure never very far away. we have it to the south at the moment towards the bay of biscay, that low pressure approaching us from the south. we have an area of cloud and patchy rain through central parts of england and wales for the rest of the day. that rain tending to peter out as it pushes northwards. some sunny spells and a few scattered heavy showers around the south coast but then the next area of rain works into the south later on in the afternoon. for northern england, scotland and northern ireland, much of the day will see some sunshine, a largely dry picture but there will be some scattered showers, most frequent across the north—west of scotland. it is going to feel cool, particularly under the cloud. this evening and tonight, that area of rain pushes its way northwards across the bulk of england, much of wales as well. it could be really quite heavy. under the cloud and rain

in the south and east, it is going to be relatively mild but across scotland and northern ireland, a cold night, under those clear skies, a touch of frost. not as cold as last night. low pressure still with us tomorrow. it's pushing its way gradually northwards and eastwards so that rain through the morning sits across parts of north—east england into east wales, central southern england. some heavy showers, perhaps thunderstorms for the likes of east anglia. that rain pushing into the east of scotland, winding that rain pushing into the east of scotland, windy close to the east coast and it is going to feel chilly. eight to ten degrees. over the rest of scotland, northern ireland, wales and south england highs of up to 13 degrees. this stage in the week it is moving on from the west so showery rain from northern ireland, western parts of england and wales. dry and a little bit warmer. 16 degrees or so, only 12 for the likes of belfast. low pressure still looks like it will sit out towards the west of us so some rain around at times

but a change in wind direction with the winds rotating around that low pressure, they are going to be coming in from a south—easterly direction bringing a slightly warmer air mass. those temperatures will be on the rise, we could see 20 degrees in the south by the middle of the week but it is going to stay unsettled, there will be some sunshine and some rain around at times through next week. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. the headlines. ukraine says russia has carried out another air attack, narrowly missing a hospital. the us says it will "rush" patriot air defence missiles and ammunition to ukraine as part of its new $6 billion military aid package. scotland's first minister, humza yousaf, insists he won't resign despite a week of political turmoil. he's expected to spend the weekend announcing policies to shore up support before two potential confidence votes next week. wildlife in antarctica is being exposed to potentially damaging levels of ultraviolet light, thanks to a hole in the ozone layer and australian bushfires. scientists say both animals and plants are at risk from the rays.