hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. more than a hundred people are killed in two explosions in iran. no—one has yet claimed responsibility. we'll ask who could be behind it. on our panel tonight — elise labott is contributing editor to politico and author of cosmopolitics on substack — and tom peck is the parliamentary sketch writer for the times. also coming up... the un security council is due to be talking about the attacks on ships in the red sea. we'll cross to that live in new york. in lebanon — a warning from the head of hezbollah. he says the killing of a hamas leader in lebanon will not go unpunished. in england —junior doctors have started their longest ever strike. we'll ask a doctor what could end

the ongoing disputes. and the darts — a 16 year old is the world championship final right now. can he go all the way? we should know in the hours ahead. welcome to the programme. we start with the events and ironic that took place this afternoon uk time. 100 people killed, two explosions, 100 people killed, two 2 bags of explosives detonated by remote control. this picture shortly afterwards. all this during ceremony to mark the anniversary of the killing of qasam soleimani. he was a top commander in the revolutionary guards — a branch of the iranian armed forces. soleimani was killed in 2020 in us air strike in iraq. let's ta ke let's take a look at where they were in the southeast of iran, next to

the grave. qasem soleimani. 0ur diplomatic correspondent caroline hawley. the first bomb was fired by a second more deadly explosion. it comes four years to the day since he was killed himself. in an american drone attacks all on a visit to iraq. the general was a huge field gear in iran qasem soleimani, responsible for arming its proxy militias in the middle east including his brother in lebanon and forfunding middle east including his brother in

lebanon and for funding hamas. middle east including his brother in lebanon and forfunding hamas. his funeral was attended by more than a million mourners. who would attack the commemoration of his death and why? the commemoration of his death and wh ? .,, , the commemoration of his death and wh ? ., , , , why? the most stunning thing here is that this attack _ why? the most stunning thing here is that this attack does _ why? the most stunning thing here is that this attack does not _ why? the most stunning thing here is that this attack does not fit _ why? the most stunning thing here is that this attack does not fit any - that this attack does not fit any modus operandi with the israelis have traditionally done. they are looking for a specific individual not with watch events with lots of people. there are at least two groups to do this thing around. the sunni jihadist groups on whom suspicion but this is likely to fall, although no group has yet claimed to have carried it out. the iranoan supreme leader, ayatollah khomeini said there would be a harsh response. it is the deadliest attack in the country in decades and can only increase tensions in a region that is already a tinderbox. caroline hawley, bbc news.

the numbers shocking here. more than 100 killed. absolutely. this isn't the kind of things you see in iran, these big blast. you see these attacks elsewhere like caroline and her guest said, this isn't really the m0 of israel, although there is a lot of tension between the us and israel and iran and its proxies. this isn't really what the us and israel would do. they are looking for a specific individual that are looking to calm would not cause harm to israel. it's most likely one of these sunni extremists groups. that's pretty much what the experts are saying. that's what us officials believe. tom, if that is true, that is then a dent to the reputation of the authorities.—

is then a dent to the reputation of the authorities. yes. i wasn't aware of this incident _ the authorities. yes. i wasn't aware of this incident until _ the authorities. yes. i wasn't aware of this incident until we _ the authorities. yes. i wasn't aware of this incident until we came - the authorities. yes. i wasn't aware of this incident until we came on i of this incident until we came on air, i_ of this incident until we came on air, i write — of this incident until we came on air, lwrite 6_ of this incident until we came on air, i write a column about uk politics. — air, i write a column about uk politics, i'm not in a strong position— politics, i'm not in a strong position to pontificate about the cause _ position to pontificate about the cause of— position to pontificate about the cause of something that's onlyjust happen, _ cause of something that's onlyjust happen, who's done it, why they're done _ happen, who's done it, why they're done a _ happen, who's done it, why they're done a couple who weakens and does weekend~ _ done a couple who weakens and does weekend. it certainly clear and so many— weekend. it certainly clear and so many other— weekend. it certainly clear and so many other things that we will discuss — many other things that we will discuss later on that while this is tiptoeing — discuss later on that while this is tiptoeing towards a point in that region— tiptoeing towards a point in that region from which it will be difficult _ region from which it will be difficult to return. gn region from which it will be difficult to return.— region from which it will be difficult to return. on that point ofthe difficult to return. on that point of the wider _ difficult to return. on that point of the wider region, _ difficult to return. on that point of the wider region, let's - difficult to return. on that point of the wider region, let's take l difficult to return. on that point of the wider region, let's take a i of the wider region, let's take a look at exactly some of the other developments in the middle east. we will head to lebanon. we've been hearing from the leader of his brother, the political party in lebanon. this is hassan nasrallah. he said the deaths of senior hamas leaders aren't lebanon soil would not go unpunished. this all relates

to yesterday, tuesday, hamas deputy leader was killed in lebanon. saleh al arouri this is, they say it is strike on israel. israel did not comment on that claim for the fears in the region of a has bullet response, and escalation of the conflicts are middle east correspondent hugo but shade. some strong words from hassan nasrallah, the powerful leader of the group hezbollah. he said the attack on tuesday here in beirut was a flagrant israeli aggression. he said this was a dangerous crime that would not go unpunished. obviously this attack happened in an area of beirut that is his brother stronghold. a blow for hamas but possibly a message to hezbollah as well that parts that are under the control of the group can be hit by these attacks. hassan nasrallah also said

that we are not are afraid of war. and in a message to israel he said that if israel decided to go to war against hezbollah, this would come at a very heavy cost. which is essentially the same message given by the israelis, they've been saying that if the group escalates the situation as it's been happening here since the beginning of the hamas— israel war that israel would respond with a devastating consequences. israeli authorities have been saying event that they could do to beirut what they've done to gaza. i think this really shows the difficult position that hezbollah finds itself in. here in lebanon people still remember the devastation brought by the 2006 war between israel and his brother. there is no support for

complex here so that the leader hassan nasrallah trying to show leadership and at the same time aware that any kind of miss sstteepp could drag this country into another conflict with israel. let's bring in our panel. many have been watching since the 7th of october and worried about potential spread of the conflict in the region. that's why so many people were watching these words so closely today. were watching these words so closely toda . , ., were watching these words so closely toda . y., ., ., “ were watching these words so closely toda . ., today. right. if you look back to hassan nasrallah's/ _ today. right. if you look back to hassan nasrallah's/ speech - today. right. if you look back to i hassan nasrallah's/ speech shortly after october seven he was very measured in terms of not wanting to go to war with israel. i think a lot of his supporters were very disappointed that he didn't declare all out war. even though after this attack he did say this would not go unpunished, he didn't say this is war. he said if israel wants to go

to war. so you still see that measured approach. i think it's comical the israeli response that saying, not confirming that they did it but whoever did do this, this was not an attack on lebanon, not an attack on has the law. a surgical strike against hamas. i do think is your correspondent said, they want to show support for solidarity but they don't want a repeat of 2006. if you remember, israel was in a two front warfor that israel you remember, israel was in a two front war for that israel is saying it could do that. i think neither party wants to do that. i do think you will continue to see the scrimmages and it might escalate a little bit. ithink scrimmages and it might escalate a little bit. i think all parties are pretty clear that nobody wants a full out war. i think the danger is

of a miscalculation where things spiral out of control.— spiral out of control. thank you very much _ spiral out of control. thank you very much for— spiral out of control. thank you very much for that. _ we had to new york. the security council is meeting and talking about attacks on ships in the red sea. houthi rebels in yemen attacking ships they say with links to israel. i will show you the map, of course a long way around at the bottom, ships having to be diverted because they are avoiding the potentially dangerous area, avoiding the suez canal. and that big delay and shipping routes extra cost and delay to goods. the background being that who the rebels are backed by iran, they support hamas in the war against israel. and that has had a huge impact on global shipping. we're keeping across. will go back lives to the united nations in new

york. the security council meeting for that we're keeping across that meeting and what is being said. we have already heard from the us, uk, ten other countries a joint statement saying that the who thieves will face consequences if they continue to threaten life. let's speak to our panel again. —— who the un security council secured to eight considering this issue all too familiar of the potential risk to life and certainly the disruption to the shipping industry. 0riginally if you look back, i recently wrote about this, if you look back to this war between the cooties in saudi arabia the us was thinking —— cooties. they were thinking —— cooties. they were thinking they were not the bogeyman and took them off the terrorism list and took them off the terrorism list and didn't think they are such big

threat and coaxing them to the table. the who the rebels didn't seem all that dangerous but now because iran doesn't want a full out war and his brother doesn't want the full out war there picking up their attacks to show solidarity and all of a sudden the us is fighting the houthi. houthi seem to be posing a significant threat in the red sea, notjust significant threat in the red sea, not just to significant threat in the red sea, notjust to us significant threat in the red sea, not just to us forces significant threat in the red sea, notjust to us forces but significant threat in the red sea, not just to us forces but also to shipping lanes. the houthi's start feeling their power right now. i think you're going to see a much bigger show from the houthi's. they seem to be a bigger threat than originally thought. 0bviously, they are backed by our iran. nobody knows the extent to which iran is the mastermind behind the attacks. certainly they are arming, and guidance but iran has always said

reports of how much iran is directing them is overrated. certainly there seems to be a connection to what's going on in the region. connection to what's going on in the reuion. ., , , ., ., region. tom, the disruption for businesses _ region. tom, the disruption for businesses in _ region. tom, the disruption for businesses in the _ region. tom, the disruption for businesses in the uk, - region. tom, the disruption for businesses in the uk, the - region. tom, the disruption for. businesses in the uk, the increase in delays and costs. you businesses in the uk, the increase in delays and costs.— businesses in the uk, the increase in delays and costs. you can be sure that if houthi _ in delays and costs. you can be sure that if houthi rebels _ in delays and costs. you can be sure that if houthi rebels continue - that if houthi rebels continue attacks— that if houthi rebels continue attacks you could be absolutely sure that the _ attacks you could be absolutely sure that the rich countries in though world _ that the rich countries in though world would not tolerate it. in regard — world would not tolerate it. in regard to _ world would not tolerate it. in regard to the previous two story, every _ regard to the previous two story, every time — regard to the previous two story, every time you act you risk escalation. you risk a misstep. the world _ escalation. you risk a misstep. the world is— escalation. you risk a misstep. the world is heading in the wrong direction _ world is heading in the wrong direction if iran is controlling what — direction if iran is controlling what the _ direction if iran is controlling what the houthi rebels are up to. and supporting a mass eric tober seventh _ and supporting a mass eric tober seventh in — and supporting a mass eric tober seventh in the aftermath then we existed _ seventh in the aftermath then we existed a — seventh in the aftermath then we existed a very dangerous situation. it specifically dangerous here because _ it specifically dangerous here because it has potential real—world

consequences, real people. when the shipping _ consequences, real people. when the shipping container was stuck in the suez canal— shipping container was stuck in the suez canal last year or the year before — suez canal last year or the year before my— suez canal last year or the year before my next—door neighbour sells garden _ before my next—door neighbour sells garden furniture and it really affected him. that shipping lane is the worlds — affected him. that shipping lane is the worlds busy busiest shipping lane _ the worlds busy busiest shipping lane. therefore it poses immense risk because there will definitely be action — risk because there will definitely be action. it won't be something that the — be action. it won't be something that the uk and the us in the un will he _ that the uk and the us in the un will be able to turn away from. tom, el se, will be able to turn away from. tom, elyse. thank — will be able to turn away from. tom, elyse. thank you _ will be able to turn away from. tom, elyse, thank you very _ will be able to turn away from. tom, elyse, thank you very much. - will be able to turn away from. torn, elyse, thank you very much. speak to you both injust a minute. an update on the darts. we're on target for some sporting history in london tonight. this is teen darts sensation luke littler. atjust 16 years old, he's become the youngest person to reach the final of the world darts championship. can he go on to win it? that's the big question. so far, so good. he is

4—2 out. luke humphreys current world number one is on to. luke littler, 4—2 up. the first of 7 cents. we will keep you posted at out that match is developing. stay with us. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a 15—year—old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murdering teenager harry pitman, who was fatally stabbed in north london on new year's eve. harry — who was 16 and from haringey was attacked in primrose hill shortly before midnight on sunday. the metropolitan police said 18—year—old man was also arrested on suspicion of affray. the government says pupils at english schools that have been partially closed because of dangerous concrete will not get extra help in their exams.

since september, some students have not been able to access design and technology work rooms, laboratories and other specialist spaces, because of crumbling concrete, known as raac. school leaders have called for special consideration. new research suggests that supermarkets experienced their busiest christmas period since 2019. the research firm kantar said customers made 488 million trips to the supermarket in the four weeks to christmas eve with nearly £14 billion passing through the tills. you're live with bbc news. taiwan's defense ministry said that china sent four balloons over the island, three of which passed near to a key air force base. the reported incursions on tuesday come as china has been upping its threat to use force to annex the self—governing republic. here you see taiwan fighterjets being scrambled in december after china jets were intercepted over its terrritory.

taiwan is holding elections for its president and legislature onjanuary 13th, and china has used its military, diplomatic and economic power to influence voters to back candidates favoring unification between the sides. despite that, the pro—independence democratic progressive party is leading in most polls, reaffirming the electorate's backing for the status of de—facto independence from mainland china. let's speak to rorry daniels managing director at asia society policy institute. thank you for coming on the programme. let's start with the balloons for that we will come onto the politics and the wider collection orjust the politics and the wider collection or just a the politics and the wider collection orjust a moment what do we know about them and make of them? it's clear that the chinese have been sending these balloons around the world for some time. there was a very famous case of that happening earlier last year in 2023 in the us.

what's not clear is the value of the balloons to chinese intelligence services. in many ways these balloons do serve as either striking visual representation of chinese surveillance. it is very understandable that the taiwan defence ministry would want to call attention to them, to speak more broadly about the issue of chinese surveillance. in reality i think the greater threat of surveillance and the cyber intrusions is in our phones, honour devices, computer screens and a little bit less clear that there is a major intelligence failure threat from these massive balloons that seem to collect very little sensitive data.— little sensitive data. let's get onto the politics, _ little sensitive data. let's get onto the politics, election - little sensitive data. let's get - onto the politics, election coming up, ten days away or so. talk us about the role of china here. i

about the role of china here. i think the role of china in a national election in taiwan is quite important. a lot of the issues that voters will be coming out in thinking about is choosing their next president elect. it will be how the island handles across the taiwan strait relationships. how will it handle its relationship with beijing and washington, dc. the two candidates from the major parties have put together very different ideas for how to manage those relationships. the current ruling party, the dpp is to maintain that really strong relationship with washington because of the pressure that the dpp faces from beijing, both military pressure and political pressure. and for the kmt, the opposition party it is to open back up opposition party it is to open back up the channel of dialogue between taipei and beijing and see if the relationship could be better managed through dialogue and communication.

0n the election itself, talk to us about the polling potential outcomes here. ., , , .., ., about the polling potential outcomes here. ., , , ., , here. right now the dpd candidate is leadin: in here. right now the dpd candidate is leading in the — here. right now the dpd candidate is leading in the polls _ here. right now the dpd candidate is leading in the polls but _ here. right now the dpd candidate is leading in the polls but the _ here. right now the dpd candidate is leading in the polls but the kmt- leading in the polls but the kmt candidate is not terribly far behind. —— dpp. there is a third party candidate who is polling relatively low for the presidential election but his party is fielding more promising candidates in the legislative election. the key here is, do those voters who are interested in a third party candidate break for either the ruling party or the opposition party in the end because the amount of support that he is getting could decisively influence the election if those voters break from one of the other party. in those voters break from one of the other party-— other party. in the wider context, why should _ other party. in the wider context,

why should people _ other party. in the wider context, why should people around - other party. in the wider context, why should people around the - other party. in the wider context, i why should people around the world be interested in these elections? what consequence do they have? thea;r what consequence do they have? they will set the tone _ what consequence do they have? they will set the tone for _ what consequence do they have? iie: will set the tone for at what consequence do they have? tie: will set the tone for at least what consequence do they have? tiez1: will set the tone for at least the next four or eight years and both cross taiwan strait relationship, the relationship between taiwan and china but also to some extent what is possible in us — china relations. the us— china relations is one of the most consequential relationships in the world. it's a number one global economy and a relationship with age fraught with tension including sensitivity with taiwan. what happens with taiwan will affect how the us and china manage their relationship going forward. rana; relationship going forward. rorry daniels, thank— relationship going forward. rorry daniels, thank you _ relationship going forward. rorry daniels, thank you for _ relationship going forward. rorry daniels, thank you for coming on the programme and talking us through that. let's bring in our payroll. the us will be watching very closely here. . �* , ~ the us will be watching very closely here. ., �* , ,, ,, here. that's right. i think the us exects here. that's right. i think the us exoects china — here. that's right. i think the us expects china to _ here. that's right. i think the us expects china to push _ here. that's right. i think the us expects china to push you - here. that's right. i think the us l expects china to push you towards some kind of move against taiwan. no

matter who gets elected, it doesn't look like a pro unification candidate would get elected. even some of the candidates that are pro—independent didn't seem to say if they were elected, including the ruling party, the vice president that they would lean towards the current cautious stance of pro—independence. clearly the us is looking at this very closely. 0n the spy looking at this very closely. 0n the spy balloons, i don't think anybody had is really surprised. we saw what happened in the us last february when the us shot down when it said was a chinese surveillance balloon. the chinese aren't saying anything right now. i think everyone is not surprised. the election and what happens after i think is going to be something that the us is going to be looking at very closely. i think that's why you are not seeing taiwan act very angrily at these balloons.

everyone i think once you keep the temperature down so as not to provoke any more chinese provocations, which we've seen in the last few months.— provocations, which we've seen in the last few months. thank you for that. back with _ the last few months. thank you for that. back with you _ the last few months. thank you for that. back with you in _ the last few months. thank you for that. back with you in just - the last few months. thank you for that. back with you in just a - that. back with you in just a moment. uka medieval cemetery has been unearthed near an airport runway in cardiff. the 70 graves found have provided a rare glimpse into life in britain rebecca morrelle reports. uncovering a medieval mystery. just outside of cardiff, archaeologists have discovered a graveyard they think is 1500 years old. the bodies, buried so long ago, are giving an insight into a period we know little about. each one of these is a grave, and the team have excavated 18 so far, but they think there could be more than 70 at this site. now, they're all aligned in the same position,

running from east to west. and in some of them the skeletons are flat on their backs with their legs outstretched. but in others, like this one over here, the skeleton is in a really unusual crouching position. why this is isn't clear. were burial practices changing over time? or was there something else marking these people out as different? the skeletons are being carefully excavated and they're already providing clues about who these people were and what they did. we have some teeth that are very worn in kind of a funny way. that might indicate the use of teeth as tools, maybe for textile work, leatherwork, basketry, and where they're pulling something through their front teeth. that is glass. a shard of fine french glass has just been discovered. probably the rim from a cone beaker, so which would have looked - like an ice cream cone. a really nice find. it's just one of an array of artefacts, from fragments

of pottery, perhaps from north africa, to a tiny carved peg. this little object is manufactured from animal bone. could be a peg for fora gaming board. it suggests people were coming to the cemetery to meet up — the living and the dead existing together. they are burying their dead, but they're also undertaking other forms of activity and social practice, including eating and drinking and feasting. the items unearthed in the cemetery suggest that the people were of a high status. the next step is to work out exactly who they were. archaeologists hope their excavation will reveal much more about the medieval way of life that's remained an enigma for so long. rebecca morelle, bbc news, cardiff. i will be back in a few minutes. do you lewis vaughanjones i will be back in a few minutes. do you lewis vaughan jones stay with us. i am thank you, bye—bye.

hello. after the wind and rain from storm henk on tuesday — wednesday brought more heavy downpours in places. not helping the ongoing flooding situation, check the latest flood warnings on our website or on your bbc local radio station. and there is some more rain to come as we head through tonight. still some showers around, but some clearer spells starting to spread from the south—west as the night wears on. temperatures will drop away down to around three, four or five degrees in quite a few spots. one or two places could get quite close to freezing. so we head in to thursday with low pressure still in charge to the north that will bring some showers. and then this little weather system here threatening to bring more unwanted rain into southern parts of the uk. so across northern england, northern ireland and scotland, a lot of clouds and bits and pieces of showery rain still very windy in the northern isles. then a slice of sunshine across north wales, parts

of northern england, the north midlands through the afternoon, but to the south of that cloud will be gathering and here comes our next area of rain. now, this is going to deal a glancing blow, really, but it is going to slide along the southern counties of england, perhaps getting into south—east wales and then moving up across the london area and into east anglia through thursday evening. this rain falling on saturated ground so could well cause furtherflooding issues. it may turn quite windy for a time down towards the south as well. that weather system swirling its way off into the near continent on friday. still some showery rain across eastern scotland and eastern england. sunshine and showers out towards the west. temperatures a little bit lower by this stage, 6—9 degrees. and then as we head into the weekend, low pressure will at long last loosen its grip. high pressure will be building across the uk, still possibly one or two showers, but a lot more in the way of dry weather. i'm sure that'll be good news for many. however, we will also start to introduce some colder air. so saturday looks

a little bit like this — still some areas of cloud, a few bits and pieces of showery rain around, but broadly speaking does turn dry up brighter some spells of sunshine once any early morning mist has clear, but those temperatures 6—9 degrees at best. and as we look ahead to sunday, those temperatures may drop back even further. lots of dry weather after any early mist and fog and it stays mostly dry but chilly into next week.

hello, i'm lewis vaughanjones. you're watching the context on bbc news. junior doctors in england begin the longest strike in the health service's history , in a six—day walk—out over pay. in england. the longest strike in nhs history is under way. junior doctors started their six—day walk—out. it's over a long—running dispute over pay. thousands of routine appointments and operations have been postponed as hospitals focus on emergency care. a pay increase of 8.8% has been awarded by the government and they have offered an extra 3% on top of that. but the doctors union — the british medical association — says that is still not a credible offer that reflects the rise in inflation.

the government says the union's demands are unrealistic.