newsday reporting live from singapore. let's get the headlines. joy in india is 41 construction workers are rescued from the tunnel they had been trapped in for over a fortnight. i2 had been trapped in for over a fortnight. 12 more hostages have been released from gaza as talks continue for a fresh extension to the truce. the largest national security trial to date resumes in hong kong following a four month adjournment. and aviation history in the making? ajet powered by waste fats and plant protein flies from london and lands in new york. live from our studio in singapore.

hello and welcome to the programme. we begin with good news that came in from india in the state of all that i can't wear 41 construction workers who had been trapped in a collapsed tunnel for 17 days have finally been rescued. they are said to be in good health but will now be affordably medically examined at a nearby hospital. similar hudson has the details. this moment more than two weeks in the making. 41 trapped workers finally rescued. cheering. an eruption of cheers from workers and onlookers. people sharing sweets and hugs. these are the ambulances with the first workers that

have come out from inside the tunnel. 17 days, they have spent inside that tunnel and now they are finally out and in those ambulances. rescuers spent the last several days pushing an 800—millimetre pipe through 60 metres of rubble and debris. once through, the men were pulled out on wheeled stretchers, one by one. it's been a harrowing experience for the men inside and those working to get them out. and how do you feel? 0h, after 12 days... he sobs chaudhary has been waiting for 14 days, watching the mouth of the tunnel, and waiting for this moment where he could kiss his son. translation: i am very happy. i'm 55 and i've seen life, but my son is very young

and he has a long life. i want him to fight every storm in his long life. the rescue operation that gripped the country finally has its happy ending. samira hussain, bbc news, uttarakhand. turning our attention now to the latest coming in on the israel gaza conflict. i2 the latest coming in on the israel gaza conflict. 12 more hostages have now been released from gaza on the fifth day of the temporary truce. they are now back in israel and include ten israelis and two people from thailand. in return israel has freed another 30 palestinian prisoners, all women and children, so they join 150 others, mostly women and teenage boys who have been freed since friday. as the

exchanges continue, efforts are still under way to try and prolong the current cease fire extension for a few more days. we are yet to hear more on that. but in gaza, scores of hostages are still being held and it is believed that the youngest of those is just ten months old as our reporter tells us from tel aviv. it's a nerve—racking wait for hostages to come home, among them a baby. the truce is due to last until tomorrow. these are anxious hours. will baby kfir bibas be freed? he is the youngest hostage, just ten months old. israel has taken him to its heart. kidnapped with him, his brother, ariel, who's four and loves his batman costume. their mother, shiri,

held them in her arms, trying to protect them as hamas closed in. theirfather, yarden. surrounded and bleeding. all four now hostages. israel says hamas has passed them on to another palestinian militant group. their relatives are tormented by worry and by waiting. how difficult have the last few days been when each day has come and gone and each list has come and gone and they have not come home? it's dreadful. it's the worst scenario. having to wait for that list every night. seeing all those beautiful moments of reunion and hoping that ours will be the next day, and it's not. relatives and supporters are gathered here once again. they want to keep the pressure on the government.

for all those released in recent days, many more remain trapped in gaza. their families are hoping against hope that the deal between israel and hamas will be extended once again. that deal has freed almost 200 palestinian prisoners from israeli jails. here the latest group to be released, arriving tojubilation in the west bank tonight. it is mostly women and teenage boys who have been let out. in gaza, while the ceasefire holds, a chance to survey the wreckage. the un says there is hunger, destruction and — especially for women and children — the risk of famine. "we see our homes getting destroyed and our dreams getting destroyed," says maryam. "they gave us a four—day truce, what good is that?"

back in israel, balloons are released for kfir and ariel, in the hope that they will soon see the sky again. tonight there are hopes that the ceasefire could be extended even further. the anxious wait continues for families and their loved ones. meanwhile we have more on the israeli hostages released. these are the hostages released the latest exchange. the elders is denser, 84 years old and one of the cofounders of the kibbutz. she is a social worker and her late husband made it to

the uk on kendo transport. the rescue effort during the second world war that saved children from nazi controlled areas. the youngest is mia. she is 17 years old and several members of herfamily were years old and several members of her family were taken alongside her. she has been released along with her mother, gabriella as well as her aunt. they are an argentinian israeli family in one of their relatives said alongside to others they were hiding in a safe room when they were taken by hamas. another is room on. 36 years old and taken from her kibbutz alongside her husband who is still in custody in hamas. she appeared in a video released by hamas along side daniel who was released a few days ago. finally, ada is 75 years old and the daughter of a holocaust survivor. she was meant to celebrate her birthday in london one week after she was taken by hamas. there are

plenty more stories on our website and we update them regularly with any more information so please go read some of their stories. now to the ongoing war in ukraine. the country's military is saying that forces continue to repel russian attacks on various fronts near the embattled eastern town. russian troops have been trying to encircle the town close to the dinette city and the area is witnessing a struggle that some have compared to the battle for bakhmut. a heavy storm has damaged infrastructure in impacted combat. to australia now and anthony albanese has apologised to the people whose lives had been four by thalidomide, the morning sickness drug that caused significant birth defects in babies. ., , babies. our government in this parliament _ babies. our government in this parliament offer _ babies. our government in this parliament offer a _ babies. our government in this parliament offer a full - parliament offer a full

unreserved and overdue apology to all thalidomide survivors, theirfamilies, loved ones and carers. this apology takes in one of the darkest chapters in australia's medical history. the drug was issued to expectant mothers in the early 19605 expectant mothers in the early 1960s but was later found to cause deformities in unborn babies, including damage to internal organs. the australian government says 146 people are officially registered with the thalidomide survivor support programme but it is unclear how many more may have been impacted. 0ne many more may have been impacted. one of those survivors is tricia jackson who was at parliament house to hear the apology today and i have been speaking to her ahead of the prime minister �*s speech. i the prime minister '5 speech. i think the apology, it won't change anything. it won't change anything. it won't change that i've got no arms, it will not change the pain i live in but it is recognition

that we have suffered at the hands of the government from protecting us from thalidomide. and i think it is a good chance to remember all those who have not made it this far and all the parents who have passed away. no—one has ever said sorry to the parents at all. and i think, i hope it finds closure for some people, especially to my parents were 96. they live with so much guilt and i hope it gives them some peace. guilt and i hope it gives them some peace-— some peace. you talk about closure- _ some peace. you talk about closure. how— some peace. you talk about closure. how do _ some peace. you talk about closure. how do you - some peace. you talk about closure. how do you feel. some peace. you talk about. closure. how do you feel about the time it is taken for the apology to finally come? it should have been done years and years and years ago when people were alive, the mothers and parents were alive and, sadly, some of the survivors have died at a very young age and they never got to hear this apology. that is sad. we should remember them. it was the greatest

pharmaceutical disaster and it should never have happened and it should never happen again. on that note i want to ask, for that i'd change the way pharmaceuticals were approved around the world, really. you see the revolution in drug testing and approval regimes to be one of the critical achievements, in a way, that is come out have the campaigning by people like you? it is come out have the campaigning by people like you?— by people like you? it is a aood by people like you? it is a good thing _ by people like you? it is a good thing and _ by people like you? it is a good thing and the - by people like you? it is a | good thing and the reason by people like you? it is a - good thing and the reason we have such stringent testing in australia now is because of thalidomide and if we can get one good thing out of thalidomide that is probably a good thing to do. it is one of the better ones. the... did it want more — the better ones. the... did it want more in _ the better ones. the... did it want more in your— the better ones. the... did it want more in your opinions i the better ones. the... did it i want more in your opinions that should the government be doing to help for the mode survivors? the government has enacted for 60 years so they have a lot of catching up to do and the ecology is fantastic and we are appreciative of the help that they have started to give us but the apology means nothing

if they do not help survivors and the health fund they set up for us is demanding on us as a disabled person. it is highly inaccessible and many survivors do not bother claiming what was promised to them because it is just too hard to get anything from it. there has to be an easier way for us.- easier way for us. any suggestions _ easier way for us. any suggestions you - easier way for us. any | suggestions you would easier way for us. any - suggestions you would like easier way for us. any suggestions you would like to put forth? suggestions you would like to ut forth? ., suggestions you would like to put forth?— suggestions you would like to utforth? ., ., �* ~ ., ., put forth? no. i don't know how the can put forth? no. i don't know how they can make _ put forth? no. i don't know how they can make it _ put forth? no. i don't know how they can make it easier. - put forth? no. i don't know how they can make it easier. maybe | they can make it easier. maybe a card for medicare? maybe that would be easier. i don't know how they can make it easier but there has to be away. it is just so time—consuming. carrying forms to the doctor every time you go to a doctor you need them to sign a form. there is no doc patient confidentiality. the health department know everything that happens to us and everything we discuss with our doctor. it is

wrong. that is scary and they should not know our private information.— should not know our private information. you spoke about the auilt information. you spoke about the guilt your _ information. you spoke about the guilt your parents - information. you spoke about the guilt your parents have i information. you spoke about. the guilt your parents have had to live with and that is an important aspect to address as well. you are one of the youngest survivors of thalidomide. how has your life been impacted physically and emotionally?— emotionally? watching my mother's _ emotionally? watching my mother's guilt _ emotionally? watching my mother's guilt for - emotionally? watching my mother's guilt for taking i emotionally? watching my. mother's guilt for taking the tablet has been very hard to watch for 60 years. she will have that guilt until her last breath and it was not her fault and it does not matter how many times i say, ma'am, it is not yourfault and i do not blame yourfault and i do not blame you one bit, it does not matter. she has that guilt and it will not go away. it is not just mom. thalidomide has a ripple effect. it affected mum when she took the tablet and thenit when she took the tablet and then it affected me and then it affected my whole family. and thatis affected my whole family. and that is how, i think, it affected anyone who had something to do with thalidomide. i something to do with thalidomide.- something to do with thalidomide. . ., ., .,

thalidomide. i also want to ask ou in thalidomide. i also want to ask you in terms — thalidomide. i also want to ask you in terms of— thalidomide. i also want to ask you in terms of your _ you in terms of your activities, you like painting, i believe? i activities, you like painting, i believe?— activities, you like painting, ibelieve? ., ., i believe? i do love painting. i believe? i do love painting. i started _ i believe? i do love painting. i started painting _ i believe? i do love painting. i started painting about - i believe? i do love painting. | i started painting about seven years ago when i was in a pretty bad headspace. because i live in a lot of pain and i knewi live in a lot of pain and i knew i had to do something to get out of that headspace. so i started taking up painting and now i am a student of the mouth and foot painters worldwide so thatis and foot painters worldwide so that is pretty awesome. trish jackson there _ that is pretty awesome. trish jackson there speaking - that is pretty awesome. trish jackson there speaking to - that is pretty awesome. trishj jackson there speaking to me earlier. this is bbc news. some more news that we are tracking. australia has announced a ban on importing disposable vapes from the start of january. the health minister mark butler said the goal was to reverse what he called a disturbed me

increase in vaping among young people. legislation is due last year that will restrict disposable vapes by prohibiting the manufacture, advertising or supply in australia. the philippines is saying it is starting — just restarting formal negotiations to end a decades long conflict with communist rebels. while they have been no official talks for six years, though unofficial negotiations have continued, the goal is to transform the new people's army into a peaceful political movement but no ceasefire has been agreed and the government says security operations will continue. the chinese president has called for greater legal protection for foreign protection forforeign companies that protection for foreign companies that invest protection forforeign companies that invest in china as he seeks to leave your back overseas investors. — law back. you alive with bbc news. straight to hong kong and these are live pictures coming out of the court where a high profile

national security trial is likely to resume. that is what we're getting from hong kong at the moment, a story we have been tracking closely. that is a situation outside court and it is significant this is where that high—profile trial is resuming following a four—month adjournment. the case involves 47 pro—democracy activists who are facing life in prison after taking part in an unofficial primary election in 2020. 31 of the defendants have already pleaded guilty and for more on this we can cross live to hong kong and join my colleague, martin, good to have you with us. this really has been a child for the largest national security case. put it into perspective, why are they being tried and what does the trial really signify? to

tried and what does the trial really signify?— tried and what does the trial really signify? to begin with, and all went _ really signify? to begin with, and all went back _ really signify? to begin with, and all went back to - really signify? to begin with, and all went back to july - really signify? to begin with, | and all went back to july 2020 with and all went back tojuly 2020 with an and all went back to july 2020 with an unofficial and all went back tojuly 2020 with an unofficial and binding primary election of pro—democracy camp legislative council hopefuls, if you like. this unofficial primary, new, young activists, had a major victory but they could not make it into the actual election because the action ban got postponed because of covid—i9, but then, in january 2021, national security police initiated a raid and arrested these 47 people who are involved in the primaries, including organisers, participants, candidates of this unofficial primary and they have been charged. four

days of court sessions, many have been denied bail since then. the trial did not begin until february this year. martin, what are we likely to see in the next few days and is there a timeframe for the verdict expected? not quite a timeframe for the verdict, i'm afraid, because what is starting today is the closing submission by the prosecutors as well as the defendant lawyers for the 16 defenders who pleaded not guilty to the case. the court is reportedly allocated ten days for this part of the running of the child, so to speak. then, we will have to wait and see what the panel ofjudges, three of them from the high court, decide to do with writing up theirformal verdict on decide to do with writing up their formal verdict on this case that may take even longer. even when we have a date for

the verdict, they will then have to bring back all other defenders, 47 of them, to go through mitigation procedures because then it would take weeks, if not months, for the child to carry on.— child to carry on. thank you very much _ child to carry on. thank you very much for— child to carry on. thank you very much for getting - child to carry on. thank you very much for getting the i very much for getting the details and putting the story in perspective. it is a story we will give you updates on during the bbc news. a bit of aviation history in the making. for the first time ever, a commercial plane flew all the way across the atlantic ocean without using fossil fuels, instead, it was entirely powered by waste fats and plant proteins and has successfully flown all the way from london and landed in new york. airlines see the flight as proof that a greener way of flying is possible but it will be a while until we see all planes running on this type of fuel, if at all. here is a transport reporter. does this journey takes us journey to

guiltily flying, no kerosene on board just only fuel from fats in coal production waste. progress but not a silver bullet for an industry particularly hard to decarbonise. ,, ., ., , decarbonise. shorthaul people can are most _ decarbonise. shorthaul people can are most likely _ decarbonise. shorthaul people can are most likely should - decarbonise. shorthaul people can are most likely should go l can are most likely should go by train. long haul across the atlantic or across the pacific, they have no choice. so, it is “p they have no choice. so, it is up to our industry to try to make it as sustainable for them. �* ,.,, , , make it as sustainable for them. �* , them. airline bosses say this li . ht them. airline bosses say this light shows _ them. airline bosses say this light shows what _ them. airline bosses say this light shows what can - them. airline bosses say this light shows what can be - them. airline bosses say this. light shows what can be done. it does not mean it is about to become the norm. for alternative fuels like this to be used more widely, much more will have to be produced, and they are expensive. plus, other technologies will be needed to hit emission reduction targets. we cannot produce a majority of our fuel we cannot produce a majority of ourfuel requirements we cannot produce a majority of our fuel requirements this way because we do not have the feedstocks and even if you do, those fuels are not true net—zero. we have to treat it as what it must be, which is a

stepping towards future genuine net zero technologies, which might be a fuels running conventional engines or maybe hybrid. conventional engines or maybe h brid. ., ., hybrid. environmental campaigners - hybrid. environmental campaigners say, - hybrid. environmental campaigners say, forl hybrid. environmental - campaigners say, for now, people need to fly less. wendy to reduce the _ people need to fly less. wendy to reduce the amount - people need to fly less. wendy to reduce the amount we - people need to fly less. wendy to reduce the amount we are i to reduce the amount we are flying in a potentially use those so—called sustainable fuels for remaining flights will be taking in the future. the government disagrees. irate the government disagrees. we want the government disagrees. - want people to be able to continue flying but want to do it in a way consistent with the environment, which is why sustainable aviation fuel matters, hydrogen matters, electric light matters, all of these things are part of the journey. these things are part of the “ourne . �* , ., , , journey. airlines and ministers insist that _ journey. airlines and ministers insist that fuels _ journey. airlines and ministers insist that fuels like _ journey. airlines and ministers insist that fuels like this - journey. airlines and ministers insist that fuels like this can i insist that fuels like this can play a big part in making the industry greener but there is still a long journey ahead, and is likely to mean passengers pay more. katie austin, bbc news. nasa has brought back specimens from a 4000 —— word

old —— 4 billion old planet. a piece of asteroid from deep space has finally arrived at the natural history museum. irate the natural history museum. we have the natural history museum. - have separated these out. scientists have been waiting years for the chance of a close—up look and get their gloved hands on this precious extra terrestrial material. i think it's beyond our wildest dreams! incredibly beautiful rock. very, very black but with some tiny white bits as well. with found each little grain looks a bit different to the other grains so it will keep us busy for many years trying to figure it all out.— figure it all out. the sample comes from _ figure it all out. the sample comes from a _ figure it all out. the sample comes from a 500 - figure it all out. the sample comes from a 500 metre i figure it all out. the sample i comes from a 500 metre white space rock called benno, collected by a nasa spacecraft in a smash and grab manoeuvre. packed into a capsule, then brought back to earth, landing in the utah desert. it is incredible _ in the utah desert. it is incredible to _ in the utah desert. it is incredible to see - in the utah desert. it is incredible to see this i in the utah desert. it 3 incredible to see this material

up incredible to see this material up close, grab from an asteroid hundreds of millions of miles away. hundreds of millions of miles awa . , ., . away. there is not much in here, away. there is not much in here. just _ away. there is not much in here. just a _ away. there is not much in here, just a few— away. there is not much in j here, just a few milligrams away. there is not much in - here, just a few milligrams but for scientists, this is a treasure trove. every single tiny bit of grain will be analysed and the hope is they can answer some of the biggest questions we have about our solar system. we rn, this polished section, there are tiny particles when we look under the microscope, we can see all this information. this ultra close—up view provides a map of the minerals and elements in the rock. it is a relic from the early solar system as scientists ask finding it is rich in carbon and water.— finding it is rich in carbon and water. ~ ~ ., ., and water. we know we have water on _ and water. we know we have water on the _ and water. we know we have water on the earth _ and water. we know we have water on the earth but - and water. we know we have| water on the earth but harder to get here? we think things like benno brought the water so we will study the water in benu and see if it is similar to that on the earth and it will give us information that asteroids like benu will help delivering water to the earth when it was starting out. the

uk has a _ when it was starting out. the uk has a teaspoon _ when it was starting out. the uk has a teaspoon of material but there may be more to come because some of the space rock is stuck in the sample contained year at nasa h0. screws approving tricky to unscrew the new tools are being developed to retrieve every little bit of benu. material here is being shared with uk universities expect a slew of discoveries and some out of this world surprises along the way! rebecca morelle, bbc news. before we go, look at these pictures. did you ever wish there was something keeping you entertained while you were stuck in your car waiting for the light to change? this traffic enforcer from manilla may just traffic enforcer from manilla mayjust have something for you! they have been strutting their stuff dressed as father christmas to help ease people's boredom while they wait in traffic. while his aim is to bring cheer in this notoriously gridlocked city, he can also practise his dance moves as he

directs traffic! that is all from a spot more on the bbc website. thank you for watching. stay with us. hello there. well, temperatures will be plunging even further still as we head through the rest of the week. there's more snowfall always possible, particularly across the north of scotland, such as here in aviemore, but even potentially to some lower levels as well, with wintry showers feeding into north sea facing coast. there'll be some icy stretches here. but for most of us, it is expected to stay dry. but just temperatures really struggling by day to get out of mid single figures, widespread air frost by night. and that's how we're starting off wednesday morning, with temperatures widely below freezing, maybe as low as —7 to —9 degrees celsius across parts of scotland, a little milderfor the south and the west underneath some areas of cloud, and with a few rain showers around. there'll also be some patches of freezing fog. and where we see those, they'll

be slow to lift and clear. there'll be some more wintry showers just feeding into northern scotland for these north sea facing coasts as well. possibly a few accumulations a little further inland. those showers as far south as lincolnshire, but for most, sunny spells, temperatures not getting much past three to five degrees, but of course, milder in the far south and the west underneath all of that cloud. and that's where we look to find this low pressure system that's been really quite troublesome through the week. but now, it does look much more likely that this is going to be falling as rain towards the channel coast as we head through thursday, could possibly lap onshore at times given more clouds and outbreaks of rain towards the south coast, and maybe a bit of wintryness over the tops of the moors in the south or west with the elevation. further north, though, some sunny spells again, wintry showers for north sea facing coast. temperatures once more unlikely to make it much past three to five degrees celsius. let's take a look at friday because not a lot is set to change. we've got more of an easterly wind possibly feeding some showers through parts of the thames estuary, over the downs, perhaps

the higher ground here. but for the most part, i think it should stay dry. again, there'll be some sunny spells and quite a bit of added wind chill as well. as you can see from the temperature anomaly map, temperatures are well below the seasonal average marked in the blue here. all of that cold air just sweeping down from scandinavia. and there's no real improvement in the temperatures, either, as we head through the weekend and into the start of next week. still feeling bitterly cold. here's the temperature outlook for our capital cities, possibly a bit of wintryness on saturday night, again, into sunday further south. bye for now.

jackson there speaking to me earlier.

american tech giant amazon unveils a range of new a! products to challenge its rivals in the market will stop and un climate talks begin this week but can achieve much with the oil producing giant uae as its host? hello and welcome to asia business report with me. our top story this hour is amazon because the american tech giant has unveiled its own ai tech giant has unveiled its own a! assistant called 0 and to ai assistant called 0 and to help its business customers, the chat. which will cost $20 each month and summarise

documents,