eurovision with m eurovision with oranisers ”crearin for _ eurevisien with l organisers preparing for protests _ eurovision with - organisers preparing for protests as israel's entry takes to the stage. welcome to the programme. we begin with the war in gaza — president biden has said the us will not supply heavy weapons to israel which could be used in a major assault on rafah in southern gaza. the president says munitions will be sent that allow israel to defend itself, but that the country would not keep washington's support if it carried out operations in densely populated areas. israel's envoy to the united nations said mr biden�*s remarks were �*disappointing' and that a pause in the transfer of weapons will significantly impair israel's ability to achieve military objectives. more on that in a moment, but first here's more of what president biden said. civilians have been killed in gaza as a consequence of those bombs

and other ways in which they go after population centres. and i made it clear that if they go into rafah, they haven't gone in rafah yet. they're going to rafah. i'm not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with that problem. we're going to continue to make sure israel is secure in terms of iron dome and their ability to respond to attacks like came out of the middle east recently. let's speak to our middle east correspondent, yolande knell. what is the reaction from israel? we still what is the reaction from israel? - still haven't heard from the israeli prime minister's office. we have some comments in the past hour also from the israeli foreign minister, but equally referring to it, he has written on twitter, there's gnome

wore morejust written on twitter, there's gnome wore more just than written on twitter, there's gnome wore morejust than it written on twitter, there's gnome wore more just than it and written on twitter, there's gnome wore morejust than it and israel will continue to fight until hamas's destruction. we had in a characteristically shocking, and from the national security minister, the far right, he has put on his account, hamas heart biden. there is upset here about these latest comments from the us president, the us is israel's closest ally, putting pressure on this is really coalition government as to what it does —— israeli. we know reports from within the israeli defence establishment, concern about what it means for such a critical relationship. and concern about what it means for such a critical relationship.— a critical relationship. and all of this as we _ a critical relationship. and all of this as we are _ a critical relationship. and all of this as we are hearing _ a critical relationship. and all of this as we are hearing reports i a critical relationship. and all of| this as we are hearing reports of heavy shelling in rafah this morning. heavy shelling in rafah this morninu. ., , heavy shelling in rafah this morning-— heavy shelling in rafah this morninu. . . . heavy shelling in rafah this mornin, . . . . morning. that is correct. we have been hearing _ morning. that is correct. we have been hearing from _ morning. that is correct. we have been hearing from a _ morning. that is correct. we have been hearing from a colleague - been hearing from a colleague working there, from doctors and

other residents that the has been heavy shelling. one man was saying as he was involved in bringing wounded people including children and a baby, had footage we saw into the hospital in rafah, they said it would be a limited incursion but they are hitting very close to these two main hospitals. we know already a hospital has been put out of use effectively, and some people have been leaving from the hospital. on top of it, you have the humanitarian situation made so much more difficult by the closure of these two important crossings, the rafah crossing, which israel took control of on tuesday, the the crossing which is reopened. no supplies are able to get into the gaza side. palestinian workers aren't able to access that, and we've got the different un agencies saying they are running out of fuel, hospitals are running out of fuel, hospitals

are running out of fuel and very soon there will be no food either because food supplies are getting rapidly used up with so many people crammed into rafah, and a lot of people starting to fully to other locations, places like khan younis in the south of the gaza strip, but knowing betts little suitable accommodation for people there. it would be difficult for them to find supplies. would be difficult for them to find su lies. ., ~' ,, , . would be difficult for them to find su lies. ., ~ ,, , . ., supplies. thank you very much for the moment _ supplies. thank you very much for the moment. we _ supplies. thank you very much for the moment. we have _ supplies. thank you very much for the moment. we havejust - supplies. thank you very much for the moment. we have just heard. supplies. thank you very much for - the moment. we have just heard from the moment. we havejust heard from the moment. we havejust heard from the hamas run health ministry in gaza. the latest figures saying 34,934 palestinians have been killed, and 78,000 injured since the start of israel's offensive after the sabbath of october. —— october seven. let's speak to fawaz gerges, who is a professor of international relations at london school of economics.

i wanted to ask you your reaction from the us, from president biden. i think it seems to me president biden has finally realised that israeli prime minister has outmanoeuvred them, and has played them. he seems to be fed up. it is the first time president biden has used leveraged, causing an arms shipment to israel. american arms continue to flow to israel. it is causing the 2000 bombs that have done considerable damage to urban areas in gaza. president biden at the same time, in the same interview, he acknowledged american bombs have killed palestinian civilians, but we know they have killed many palestinian civilians. the reality now, i think president biden knows the ball is in his court to prevent another humanitarian

catastrophe in rafah. you have, as your report said, 1.3 million civilians in rafah, most have been displaced from many parts of gaza. the humanitarian situation really is at breaking point. no fuel supplies, food is running out, hospitals are being targeted again by israel systematically. we have to wait and see how president biden's next move will affect the decision by the israeli war cabinet in the next two hours and days. {if israeli war cabinet in the next two hours and days-— hours and days. of course, all of this as the _ hours and days. of course, all of this as the conflict _ hours and days. of course, all of this as the conflict continues - hours and days. of course, all of this as the conflict continues on | this as the conflict continues on and so indeed the humanitarian suffering. we heard from my colleague talking about real concerns about power, hospitals, all of those things.— of those things. they continue as concerns- — of those things. they continue as concerns- as _ of those things. they continue as concerns. as you _ of those things. they continue as concerns. as you just _ of those things. they continue as | concerns. as you just mentioned, almost 35,000 palestinians have been killed, not to mention the 77,000

palestinians injured. we know the plight of the displaced people. where do you expect the 1.3 million palestinians in rafah to go, what part of gaza that has been raised by israel? my take on it is it is the first time the americans have used leveraged against israel. my take on it, it will probably speed up. a ceasefire deal between hamas and israel. also the war cabinet in israel. also the war cabinet in israel is unlikely to basically carry out all—out assault on rafah. i think benjamin netanyahu noted, the game is almost over, the tail coat wag the dog all the time. the americans have leveraged, and i was surprised, pleasantly surprised when president biden was asked if he hears student protesters in america: the president genocide biden, and he

said, quote, absolutely, i do. this tells me domestic pressure in the us is having an effect. on the decision—making of president biden, and he has to take something in orderfrom doing harm to the president in his campaign in the us, understanding of it worldwide, not just the global south.— just the global south. thank you very much- _ there's been more reaction to the decision by the leader of the opposition — sir keir starmer — to allow the former conservative natalie elphicke to defect from the government's side to labour. some of his own party have criticised the decision. natalie elphicke, the mp for dover says rishi sunak has failed on his pledge to stop the boats, but she had previously accused labour of having no plan to deal with illegal immigration. canterbury mp rosie duffield said labour mps were "baffled" by her "really peculiar" move

to swap sides. but a senior party figure hailed her switch as "one hell of a coup". let's speak to our chief political correspondent from westminster. there's been disquiet in the labour party over this decision, despite the fact some people say, as i repeated the phrase, one helluva queue. what is your assessment of how it will impact labour? i

the conservative party, for rishi sunak. however, there is significant unease, mostly private but a little in public from labour mps about it. basically because natalie elphicke is quite right wing as they would see it, she was properly on the right of the conservative party, although there is some nuance around it. there are some labour mps who said it should be a broad church, but how broad is too broad? there are specific questions over the circumstances in which she became the mp for dover in 2019, all a bit messy, but she succeeded head then husband charlie who had been the mp for that seat for the best part of a decade after he was charged with sexual assault. decade after he was charged with sexualassault. he decade after he was charged with sexual assault. he was convicted and jailed and they are no longer married. nevertheless, some labour mps uneasy about some elements of that. . ~ mps uneasy about some elements of that. ., ~ , ., mps uneasy about some elements of that. . ~' , ;, , mps uneasy about some elements of that. ., ~ , ., , . ., that. 0k, thank you very much for brinuain that. 0k, thank you very much for bringing us _ that. 0k, thank you very much for bringing us up-to-date _ that. 0k, thank you very much for bringing us up-to-date on - that. 0k, thank you very much for bringing us up-to-date on that. bringing us up—to—date on that

story. soon, russia will mark the anniversary of the soviet union's victory over nazi germany in world war ii. it comes as relations with the west spiral deeper into crisis, over the advance of russian troops against ukraine's forces. president vladimir putin is due to speak at the victory day parade on red square, although there will be less military hardware on display than in parades before russia's 2022 invasion of ukraine. translation: all the participants in the military operation, - those are our heroes. we bow our heads before your resilience. together with you, the whole of russia believes in you. and the moral supremacy of your exploits.

let's show you the live pictures from the victory day in russia, it continues on. you can see some of the crowds. earlier we did see a military display as well. that is vladimir putin, if you look in the centre you can see him there, you can see other military officials. and that continues on. we did see some quite dramatic displays of russia's military might. let's speak to katarzyna zysk, who is a professor of international relations and contemporary history at the norwegian institute for defence studies. welcome to the programme. this is something which happens every year. how has this one been different? 50. how has this one been different? so, this ear

how has this one been different? srr, this year putin how has this one been different? sn, this year putin actually, how has this one been different? sr3, this year putin actually, the circumstances surrounded the victory parade is better than last year for putin, he appears to have another hand on the battlefield. this is partly because of the weakness the west has shown by delaying, the us in particular, the air package for ukraine which also allowed putin to make limited advances. so, there is also large—scale military organisation programme going on in russia. russia after the initial shockin russia. russia after the initial shock in the first month of the war, they have managed to resume and significantly increase production of weapons. as i mentioned, there is the military reform that aims basically into building a soviet style mass army. there are many potential problems along the way

that russia is facing. but we see a different russia that is fighting the war today.— different russia that is fighting the war today. different russia that is fighting the war toda . ., the war today. one thing we did also hear from president _ the war today. one thing we did also hear from president putin _ the war today. one thing we did also hear from president putin was - the war today. one thing we did also hear from president putin was some | hear from president putin was some sort of acknowledgement his country is living through a difficult time. what did you read into that? i think for one, i believe _ what did you read into that? i think for one, i believe it _ what did you read into that? i think for one, i believe it is _ what did you read into that? i think for one, i believe it is very - what did you read into that? i think for one, i believe it is very hard - for one, i believe it is very hard for one, i believe it is very hard for the russian propaganda to hide russia is experiencing economic problems, that this war is carrying an enormous economic, financial and tube and price. i think this is one potential reference to it. but i think putin is preparing the russian public it may take much longer. one date for the victory in ukraine which has been discussed is 2026. so i think this is something the propaganda tries to prepare the russian public. it is also related to the fact there is a victory

parade and the war against nazi germany is basically translated into the war in ukraine. this is a way of mobilising the public to prepare it for sacrifices, economic, financial and human. also russia has increased repressions, so this is something, this existential war russia is facing, that is how putin tries to present the war in ukraine. thank ou so present the war in ukraine. thank you so much _ present the war in ukraine. thank you so much for— present the war in ukraine. thank you so much for taking _ present the war in ukraine. thank you so much for taking us - present the war in ukraine. thankj you so much for taking us through developments in russia. let's take you to hungary, the live scenes in budapest, as a chinese prime minister has arrived to meet the hungarian primer set. he has welcomed him on the tarmac. you can see the red carpet treatment, the two are due to hold talks today put

hungary and china have marked 75 years of diplomatic relations and they are expected to sign a number of cooperation agreements, one which could be a large infrastructure projects within china's much—publicised belt and road project. a sign of closer ties between the two countries. before he went to hungary, the president visited france and serbia. let's have a listen briefly in. we will be live in budapest with more on what the visit means in a moment. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

a bbc investigation has found that more than 1,700 people in the uk could be living with undiagnosed hepatitis c after being given

a transfusion containing contaminated blood. as many as 27,000 people were exposed to the virus the 19705, �*80s and �*90s — but official documents suggest that efforts by the government and the nhs to trace those who were most at risk, were inadequate. our health editor, hugh pym, has this report. in the 20 years before 1990, up to 27,000 people had transfusions with blood that was contaminated with the virus hepatitis c. a quick diagnosis and treatment can save lives, but transfusion cases are still coming forward. the hep c trust says two newly diagnosed people call their helpline every month. there are people still out there that have the virus that haven't been picked up, up until now. and that's really quite shocking that there's people walking around, having had blood transfusions many years ago that have never actually had any treatment for the hep c and had they had treatment

for the hep c, their prognosis would be hugely different. maureen passed away in february with liver cancer five months after she was diagnosed with hep c and 47 years after she had the blood transfusion that infected her. even though her medical records show she needed many blood transfusions in 1976 and had hep c symptoms since 2008, she wasn't tested for the virus. her daughter victoria is furious. why was there not a campaign on the tv? posters in the doctors? you know, why was mum not tested? because if mum would have been tested many, many years earlier, the outcome would have been very, very different and my mum would still have been with us. in 1995, the government announced a look back exercise but restricted funding for the process and didn't publicise it. despite saying they wanted to find

victims in the mid �*90s, new evidence seen by the bbc shows that the government instead actively tried to limit public awareness of the hepatitis c virus, deciding not to speed up detection to avoid embarrassing bottlenecks in liver clinics. this internal note written by a government official says "raising awareness poses undoubted difficulties for the nhs." ahead of the inquiry�*s report the government says it will listen carefully to the community as this dreadful scandal is addressed. the failings for patients with infected blood transfusions will certainly form a large part of that report. hugh pym, bbc news. let's speak to karisa jones, who is the wife of an infected blood scandal victim. first of all, really sorry for your loss and we really appreciate you coming on and speaking to us about

what happened. tell us more about what happened. tell us more about what happened. tell us more about what happened to your husband? he what happened to your husband? ii2 had an accident in 1990. at work he was crushed by a forklift truck. as a result, he ended up losing his leg, his right leg, and he was an amputee. he had the blood then in the hospital. we got over the accident and everything was fine, and then we knew nothing about anything about the hepatitis or the contaminated blood. we had heard about it, but we just thought it wouldn't happen to us. in april 2012, you woke from the bed and started vomiting blood. he was taken into hospital and that was when we were told he had hepatitis c through the contaminated blood in 1990. the

difficult thing to process, isn't it? how do you feel about the news now, that there were so many other people who also were infected in their blurred, in the same way as your husband? == their blurred, in the same way as your husband?— their blurred, in the same way as your husband? -- blurred. ifeel so bitter and angry — your husband? -- blurred. ifeel so bitter and angry that _ your husband? -- blurred. ifeel so bitter and angry that this _ your husband? -- blurred. ifeel so bitter and angry that this could - bitter and angry that this could have been prevented years and years ago. it wasjust have been prevented years and years ago. it was just overlooked, just push to one side and, you know, no one had a chance. it was too late with him. you couldn't even have the treatment, and obviously he passed the hepatitis onto me but i was lucky i was able to go on to treatment.— lucky i was able to go on to treatment. ., ., ., , ., lucky i was able to go on to treatment. ., . ., , ., treatment. you are ok, are you? yes, but ou treatment. you are ok, are you? yes, but you live _ treatment. you are ok, are you? yes, but you live in — treatment. you are ok, are you? yes, but you live in fear _ treatment. you are ok, are you? yes, but you live in fear everyday _ but you live in fear everyday whether it will reactivate and whether it will reactivate and whether i would go back onto the

horrendous treatment i was on for six months. i horrendous treatment i was on for six months-— six months. i was going to say, i think it is _ six months. i was going to say, i think it is something _ six months. i was going to say, i think it is something people - think it is something people watching may be don't realise as much, is it is notjust the victims and so many others, but the family members living with the legacy of this, like yourself.— this, like yourself. yes, and my children and _ this, like yourself. yes, and my children and my _ this, like yourself. yes, and my children and my grandchildren. | this, like yourself. yes, and my- children and my grandchildren. most are by grandchildren never knew that grandfather. my children have had a great impact on them. find grandfather. my children have had a great impact on them.— grandfather. my children have had a great impact on them. and we really a- reciate great impact on them. and we really appreciate you _ great impact on them. and we really appreciate you speaking _ great impact on them. and we really appreciate you speaking to _ great impact on them. and we really appreciate you speaking to us - great impact on them. and we really appreciate you speaking to us here. | appreciate you speaking to us here. the inquiry is ongoing. if you get the chance to speak in front of it, i'm not sure if you well or not, what would you like to say to those in charge? i what would you like to say to those in char: e? . what would you like to say to those in charae? . ., ., in charge? i want them to hold their hands u - , in charge? i want them to hold their hands up. i — in charge? i want them to hold their hands up. i want — in charge? i want them to hold their hands up, i want them _ in charge? i want them to hold their hands up, i want them to _ in charge? i want them to hold their hands up, i want them to say, - in charge? i want them to hold their hands up, i want them to say, yes, | hands up, i want them to say, yes, what we did was wrong. it is not

about money because no amount of money you can put on someone's lie. it's all about recognising what they have done to us and what they keep on doing. i am living every day, every single day with this. i can't put closure on it, i can't lay my husband to rest. because there is no closure at the moment, and that all i want, closure, closure at the moment, and that all iwant, closure, and closure at the moment, and that all i want, closure, and for him to rest in peace at last. knowing that they have actually admitted to what they have actually admitted to what they have done. ok; have actually admitted to what they have done. . ~ have actually admitted to what they have done. ., ~ , ., ,., have done. ok, thank you so merge for takin: have done. ok, thank you so merge for taking the _ have done. ok, thank you so merge for taking the time _ have done. ok, thank you so merge for taking the time to _ have done. ok, thank you so merge for taking the time to share - have done. ok, thank you so merge for taking the time to share yours i for taking the time to share yours and your husband's story, and we wish you and your family well. thank you. before we go, let's take you to budapest as the chinese president is meeting with the hungarian prime minister. the red carpet has being

laid out. we are expecting to hear of more deals to be done between the two countries, including more chinese investment into hungary. we will be live in budapest shortly. to stay with us. hello. we have a long—awaited spell of dry and sunny weather over the next few days. not quite dry everywhere, some rain over the far north of scotland and also some misty, murky patches in the morning. they could be slow to clear. not all blue skies but high pressure bringing a lot or dried, settled weather with light winds. likely to start thursday with patchy rain in the far north—west, but mist and followed in the south, particularly the south—west and wales. could be submersed into east anglia was up around the irish close and isle of man, some fog could be slow to clear. for scotland, brighter spells across eastern areas

like aberdeenshire, but more cloud and rain. moving in across the western isles and the highlands. the rain eases away, pushes further north. for much of the uk, dry and sunny spells, lifting the temper just to somewhere around 19—22 . cooler around the north of scotland. through thursday evening, we have some more rain pushing across the highlands. elsewhere, dried, relatively mild, temperatures in double figures, but friday morning could see misty patches clearing away. friday itself, longerspells of sunshine on offer, light wind and temperatures of age agree also, so we're looking at the low 20s, possibly made in the south. cooler for stornoway and lerwick. into the weekend, high pressure close but slips away to these, opening the doors for areas of low pressure to try and move on from the west.

saturday itself, good dry weather, cloud bubbling up, sparking off some showers in northern england and scotland, but hit and miss. temperatures up into the mid—20s, could see 24 in one or two places. similar start on sunday, but shall wish pushing into the west, slow—moving and heavy and thundery potentially. where it does stay dry towards the south and south—east, temperatures in the mid 20s. then it looks like the showers are dominating into next week, so more unsettled weather on the cards for the start of next week. still warmer than average, but not as warm as the next few days.

this is bbc news, the headlines... president biden warns israel the us will stop supplying some weapons if it launches a major ground invasion in rafah. china's president xijinping is in hungary, to deepen relations with their closest ally in the european unio. yay! a british toddler born deaf receives a world first gene therapy treatment — allowing her to hear unaided. now, to the chinese president xi jinping's european tour,

after visiting france and serbia, he's beginning two days of meetings in hungary. he'll be meeting the hungarian prime minister, victor orban, and hungary's president tamas sulyok. hungary is seen by beiijng as one of its closest allies in the eu, and there have been high levels of chinese investment there. let's speak to our correspondent nick thorpe who's in budapest for us. they have been rolling out the red carpet where you are. how is china viewed in hungary?— viewed in hungary? from the hungarian — viewed in hungary? from the hungarian government, - viewed in hungary? from the hungarian government, very| hungarian government, very positively indeed. there was a long essay by xi jinping positively indeed. there was a long essay by xijinping in positively indeed. there was a long essay by xi jinping in the positively indeed. there was a long essay by xijinping in the hungarian media, the pro—government hungarian media, the pro—government hungarian media, he has been warmly welcomed. the prime minister and his wife were out at the airport to meet him there. very much a popular visitor from the government's point of view. the prime minister here, talking