killed in a drone strike in beirut. britain's prime minister says a general election is likely to take place in the second half of this year. a shooting in a high school in iowa. a shooting in a high school in iowa. a news conference is due to take place shortly. a major incident is declared in nottinghamshire as the county is hit by flooding and rising river levels caused by storm henk. hello, i'm samantha simmonds, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. we begin in the middle east — and the aftermath of several acts of deadly violence in different countries. we will return to that story shortly. i want to go straight to iowa, where there has been a school

shooting. we understand one person has been killed. the sheriff office is holding a news conference. let's have a look. we are expecting that to take place at any moment, the state trooper they're addressing the cameras. we thought it was going to start, it is notjust yet. we will return to that as soon as it does. let us get more now on the middle east. the funeral has been taking place in lebanon, just outside beirut, for saleh al—arouri, the deputy leader of hamas, who was one of several people killed in an explosion in beirut on tuesday. hezbollah — a powerful paramilitary and political group in lebanon — the funeral has been taking place in lebanon, hezbollah — a powerful paramilitary and political group in lebanon — has blamed that attack on what it says was "flagra nt israeli aggression." israel has not commented. both hamas and hezbollah — proscribed terrorists organisations in many countries — have close ties to iran — which itself is holding a day of mourning, after 84 people were killed by explosions near an event to mark the anniversary of the death of the iranian general qasem soleimani. alongside this, several nations have

issued a warning to the houthi militants in yemen — who are also close to iran — to stop the attacks on shipping in the key lanes in the red sea. and of course, the fighting in israel and gaza, which has played a role in sparking all this — there are reports of dozens more deaths from air strikes in southern gaza as israel continues its military operation. let us begin with the death of the hamas funerals in beirut. palestinian refugees from across lebanon have come here to the capital, beirut, to take part in the funeral of saleh al—arouri, who was assassinated two days ago in an air strike in the southern suburb of beirut. this killing was seen as potentially becoming a turning point in the conflict between lebanon and israel. hezbollah said: this is not going

unpunished. especially given it happened in the southern suburb of beirut. that has not occurred since 2006. studio: for more on the deputy leader of hamas, i spoke earlier with our middle east correspondent hugo bachega, who is in beirut. an important hamas figure, saleh al—arouri, he was the deputy leader, he was killed in this attack on tuesday. we are seeing images today of crowds gathered for his funeral, waving the green flag of hamas. also, carrying posters with pictures of his face. we saw music and prayers and heavy gunfire as of this funeral happened here in beirut. 50. funeral happened here in beirut. so, a blow for hamas. an important figure being assassinated. but, also, it was an attack that it is because it happened in a suburb in

beirut, a stronghold of hezbollah. yesterday, we heard from the influential leader of his brother who again it described this assassination as a flagrant israeli aggression, a crime that cannot go unpunished. people in lab and in to see what kind of action is going to be taken in response to the assassination of the lebanese authorities and hezbollah leaders have been blaming on israel. studio: explain the link between hamas and hezbollah. the leader of hamas and hezbollah. the leader of hamas was in lebanon at the time. what are the links between the two and the fear is that you suggest there: that the assassination, if it was by israel, they have not commented, could lead to a spreading of this conflict.— of this conflict. exactly. these are two grouns _

of this conflict. exactly. these are two grouns that — of this conflict. exactly. these are two groups that are _ of this conflict. exactly. these are two groups that are supported - of this conflict. exactly. these are two groups that are supported by| two groups that are supported by iran. they are part of the so—called axis of resistance which is an alliance of forces in the middle east and supported by iran. hezbollah is the main factor in this alliance. this is a very powerful lebanese group. it is not only powerful because of its military force, it is also extremely influential here. a massive political force, influential here. a massive politicalforce, also. a huge social movement here in lebanon. so, obviously, everything that hezbollah does has massive impact across the country. i think that ever since the attacks in october, and since the israel — hamas war happened in gaza, has has been attacking israel almost on a daily basis. so far, these attacks have been largely contained to the border region between lebanon and israel. so, obviously, the fear

is that this attack could lead to some kind of escalation that could, you know, increase tensions along the region. but, ithink you know, increase tensions along the region. but, i think that yesterday we had strong words from the leader of hezbollah, but we have had no indication that hezbollah is planning to start up in its attacks against israel. so, hassan nasrallah knows that he needs to be responding to the attack, but any response will need to be calculated to avoid any israeli retaliation.— israeli retaliation. coming in from the reuters _ israeli retaliation. coming in from the reuters agency: _ israeli retaliation. coming in from the reuters agency: the - israeli retaliation. coming in from the reuters agency: the islamic l the reuters agency: the islamic state group are claiming responsibility for two explosions that have killed nearly 100 people and wounded scores at a ceremony in iran to commemorate the death of the commander qasem soleimani, killed by

a us drone in 2020. these explosions happened yesterday while the islamic state group have posted a statement on its telegram channels claiming responsibility for this. we will get more on events on the middle east very shortly with an expert in doha. i want to go back to iowa: the breaking news that one person has been killed in an active shooter situation in iowa in the past few hours. we can hear now live from the sheriff's office. i hours. we can hear now live from the sheriff's office.— sheriff's office. i am “oined by our state and federal _ sheriff's office. i am joined by our state and federal partners - sheriff's office. i am joined by our state and federal partners here i sheriff's office. i am joined by our state and federal partners here at the perry high school. this morning, at approximately 7:37am, we had a serious activation at a high school which indicated an active shooter situation. an officerfirst which indicated an active shooter situation. an officer first arrived

within seven minutes of the activation and located multiple gunshot victims. we are still unclear exactly how many are injured or what the extent of those are, but we are working on that right now. there is no further danger to the public. the community is safe. we are just now working backwards, trying to figure out everything that happened and make notifications. there will be another update later on today. it is still very early. this happened at approximately 7:30am this morning. the school had not yet started, there were very few students in the building. i think that contributed to a good outcome in that sense. we will have more information this afternoon, we will not be releasing any more information in the meantime. please be patient with others so that we can talk with the victims and their

families and try to figure out what happened. we will not be answering any questions today right now. we will let you know later on this afternoon what time we will be meeting back with you again and we hope to provide more detailed then. just to be clear, you do not have a number_ just to be clear, you do not have a number of— just to be clear, you do not have a number of the people who were injured — number of the people who were injured ? — number of the people who were in'ured. ? ., number of the people who were in'ured. ? . i. number of the people who were injured- ?_ number of the people who were in'ured. ? . i. injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. _ injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. we _ injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. we will _ injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. we will get - injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. we will get to - injured. ? have you identified the shooter? yes. we will get to that j shooter? yes. we will get to that later this afternoon. _ shooter? yes. we will get to that later this afternoon. can - shooter? yes. we will get to that later this afternoon. can you - later this afternoon. can you confirm any _ later this afternoon. can you confirm any deaths? - later this afternoon. can you confirm any deaths? no. - later this afternoon. can you | confirm any deaths? no. the reunification _ confirm any deaths? no. the reunification centres - confirm any deaths? no. the reunification centres have . confirm any deaths? no. the i reunification centres have been established, most of those... most of the kids have been reunified already. we are good in that area, thank you. ...i already. we are good in that area, thank you. i cannot answer that question yet. i cannot answer that question yet either. we cannot

take any more _ that question yet either. we cannot take any more questions _ that question yet either. we cannot take any more questions at - that question yet either. we cannot take any more questions at this - take any more questions at this time _ take any more questions at this time |— take any more questions at this time. , ., ~ ., take any more questions at this time. i. ~ ., �* time. i will let you know. blue -- if ou no time. i will let you know. blue -- if you go to _ time. i will let you know. blue -- if you go to the — time. i will let you know. blue -- if you go to the iowa _ time. i will let you know. blue -- if you go to the iowa department| time. i will let you know. blue -- l if you go to the iowa department of safety _ if you go to the iowa department of safety website, it will be posted there _ safety website, it will be posted there probably shortly after noon. the sheriff pass office confirming there that they were called to perry high school at 7:37am local time to an active shooter situation. the officers encountered multiple gunshot victims, they said that they were unclear how many victims were injured. they said that there is no further threat to the public and that they are trying to work out what happened, they would not confirm whether the shooter had been injured, killed, orarrested. we will bring you more on that as soon as we hear any more from the

sheriff's department in iowa. now, we return to our top story: events in the middle east. we can speak to the director of the gulf study centre at qatar university. thank you for being with us. i want to pick up on the breaking news line we had just before we went to the events in the united states: islamic state have claimed responsibility for two explosions that killed nearly 100 people in iran yesterday. what do you make of that claim? this claim ist in: you make of that claim? this claim is trying to — you make of that claim? this claim is trying to basically _ you make of that claim? this claim is trying to basically add _ you make of that claim? this claim is trying to basically add more - is trying to basically add more confusion to the situation. in the last 24—hour set has been a lot of debate over the israeli... now a third party is intervening. the iranian authorities have announced that they have an issue with what they called a terrorist organisation. the location is very

close to pakistan and afghanistan. i think that there was some suspicion from media outlets about an element of islamic state.— of islamic state. islamic state have been involved _ of islamic state. islamic state have been involved in _ of islamic state. islamic state have been involved in incidents - of islamic state. islamic state have been involved in incidents in - of islamic state. islamic state have been involved in incidents in the i been involved in incidents in the past haven't they? explain the relationship between iran and islamic state, why they would target people in the country.— people in the country. according to the iranian... _ people in the country. according to the iranian... incidents _ people in the country. according to the iranian... incidents happened l people in the country. according to | the iranian... incidents happened in tehran and also on the eastern... on the southern part of iran. and also in the place in the border of pakistan. basically, iran believes that the islamic state is connected to the intelligence region, the regional intelligence. those basically give support to attack iran. of course, they link it to

some region and israel. they believe that islamic state is not behaving based on its own plan, it is supported and guided by support for some countries. that was the summary of the story that iran is always reading about islamic state activating in iran. let reading about islamic state activating in iran.— reading about islamic state activating in iran. let us talk about the — activating in iran. let us talk about the wider _ activating in iran. let us talk about the wider conflict - activating in iran. let us talk - about the wider conflict involving israel and other players. we have seen the deputy leader of hamas assassinated in beirut, israel not confirming or denying if they were involved. what do you think, given that event, given the warnings against the houthis operating in the red sea, they are linked... what is your assessment now? they are in the middle east, close to those countries, of the potential of this conflict is now spreading.- countries, of the potential of this conflict is now spreading. there is a clear understanding _ conflict is now spreading. there is a clear understanding that - conflict is now spreading. there is a clear understanding that what i conflict is now spreading. there is l a clear understanding that what the

israeli government wants is actually this conflict to spread everywhere in the region which will serve the interest of benjamin netanyahu in particular, taking into consideration the government crisis he is facing and the decision made by the supreme court about so—called reform. this should not be achieved, and that is the reason why i personally believe iran and hezbollah and other groups will intervene and try to have any kind of activities, any kind of reactions to what has happened in lebanon or what has happened in iraq just today and also what happened in syria ten days ago to one of the iranians military personnel. so, i think that theissue military personnel. so, i think that the issue now is that they want to focus on the issue in gaza and i think in response it will be the day after this war. in summary, they do

not want to give benjamin netanyahu any opportunity to benefit from any action they may have. what any opportunity to benefit from any action they may have.— action they may have. what is your anal sis action they may have. what is your analysis of— action they may have. what is your analysis of iran's _ action they may have. what is your analysis of iran's influence - action they may have. what is your analysis of iran's influence being i analysis of iran's influence being exerted over hezbollah, hamas, and the houthis. what is in their interest to happen next? i think iran interest to happen next? i think iran has--- _ interest to happen next? i think iran has... basically, _ interest to happen next? i think iran has... basically, i'm - interest to happen next? i think iran has... basically, i'm not. interest to happen next? i think. iran has... basically, i'm not sure that they are directly influencing the decision. i think that there is an agreement on the what happened in gaza has been influencing the civilians and should stop immediately. i think that the houthi are trying to send a message by saying: israel will not be allowed to move in the... unless the food and the medicine and the water enter into gaza. basically it is a message that the international community should... that is how they present what they do. other parties are

trying to show solidarity with the palestinians in gaza and trying to show support, but i'm not sure that this will affect the operation underground in gaza. it has an indicator of support and also helps may be to bring attention of the world to gaza more and more. mahjoob zweiri in doha. thank you very much. around the world and across uk, this is bbc news. a row about emergency cover has broken out as a six—day strike enters its second day. the doctors' union has accused health leaders of misusing the system for calling doctors back to work when patient safety is at risk. but nhs england insists they were genuine requests for help. a 49—year—old man has been arrested after reports shots were fired at a cinema in liverpool on wednesday evening. merseyside police locked down the showcase cinema in croxteth

when a man threatened staff in the foyer before shooting at the outside of the building. officers responded to three separate incidents involving shots being fired but no—one was injured. the average rate on a two year fixed mortgage has fallen to the lowest level for nearly seven months as people compete for custom. money fact said the average rate had fallen from 5.90% to 5.87% in a day, more reductions are expected. you're live with bbc news. rishi sunak has been a closed of squatting in downing street by his political opponents after downplaying holding a general election in spring. speaking in mansfield, mr sunak said his working assumption is that a poll will be held in the second half of 202a. labour say he's delaying a vote because the tories are unpopular. here's mr sunak earlier. my working assumption is we will have a general election

in the second half of this year, and in the meantime i have got lots that i want to get on with. this saturday, we will be introducing a significant tax cut for millions of people in work, worth on average £450 for an average worker, because we have halved inflation and we want to keep managing the economy well and cutting people's taxes. and i also want to keep tackling illegal migration. we cut the number of arrivals last year by over a third, but we have got more to do and we plan to get the rwanda scheme through parliament and up and running. we have a full deterrent. that is how i am going to solve this problem once and for all. so i have got plenty to get on with and that is what i am focusing on doing, delivering for the british people and it is great to be talking to people here in the east midlands about our progress today. our political correspondent says it was not ruled out entirely, but it looks increasingly likely general election will be in the autumn. just be careful a bit of the language from rishi sunak, because he is saying it is not his working assumption that it will be in the first half of may. in the first of the year.

he did not rule it out entirely, there is a prospect he catches everyone by surprise and cause an election in the spring but it looks more probable that it would happen in the autumn. he was making a point that he has lots of things he wants to do. a tax cut is due to come in at the weekend. in fact, it was a bringing forward of that tax cut, usually those things happen at the start of the financial year in april, that led to some of the feverish speculation that it would have been in the spring. lots of people pointed to the dates of the budget as well, which is happening in the first week of march, of evidence that they would announce measures and giveaways there. then head into a general election campaign. this is also politically motivated to an extent because the opposition parties have really been piling the pressure on rishi sunak to call and it election in may. the liberal democrats are going to try to bring about a vote in the house of commons next week on it, well aware that rishi sunak will not allow that vote to go through. of course, the conservatives have a large majority in the house of commons. labouralso

large majority in the house of commons. labour also saying he has been clinging on to power. have a listen to this, though, the response from sir keir starmer, the labour leader and response to comments from rishi sunak. we are ready for a general election, i think the country is ready for a general election, turn its back on this the client turn its back on this decline and usher in the hope and change the labour government can bring. the prime minister is now hinting, without setting a date, that it might be later in the year. what's he hiding? why can't he set a date? this squatting in downing street for months on end, dithering and delaying when the country wants change, what's he hiding? sir keir starmer not mincing his words there. of course, the other effect of these comments from rishi sunak is there rather dampened the parade of keir starmer, who was given a big

new year's speech today. really setting out his stall, saying that 2024 is the real opportunity for british voters to bring about change after 1a years of conservative governments. the headlines rather specially by the current high specially by the current prime minister, though, today. nottingham county council has announced a rage incident for the county. it is caused by storm henk. villages along the trent valley are most at risk, water levels on the river could reach their highest level since 2000. it is expected to peak this evening. elsewhere, a met office yellow warning frame covering the south of england came into force at midday and will last until 3am on friday morning. the one in stretches from cornwall to east anglia and says that there could be power cuts and travel disruption. as of 1pm this afternoon, there will 115 active flood risks in england, scotland, and wales. now we speak to

a cabinet memberfor scotland, and wales. now we speak to a cabinet member for transport and environment for nottingham county council. explain the impact on the county. council. explain the impact on the coun . , , , county. yes, it is extremely serious- _ county. yes, it is extremely serious. as _ county. yes, it is extremely serious. as you _ county. yes, it is extremely serious. as you have - county. yes, it is extremely | serious. as you have already indicated, we have declared a major incident. the river trent is still rising. you already indicated, the environment agency has said they expect it to peak sometime this evening will stop so, some communities downriver have already been effected. many people have evacuated as a precaution. various partners of the county council, district councils, environment agencies and other partners, they have been making sure people are evacuated as a precaution. there are several communities. down the banks of the trent being affected. it is

the water coming from the tributaries in derbyshire, leicestershire, etc, that is bringing all of the water down. it is definitely similar severity to that of 2000. hopefully, it will not get much worse, but it will be at least as bad as that. and, it is just the amount of rainfall that has been coming down continuously or repeatedly. the ground is so saturated that there is nowhere for it to go. this saturated that there is nowhere for itto no. a saturated that there is nowhere for it to go. as you say, you declared a ma'or it to go. as you say, you declared a major incident. _ it to go. as you say, you declared a major incident. what _ it to go. as you say, you declared a major incident. what does - it to go. as you say, you declared a major incident. what does that - it to go. as you say, you declared a i major incident. what does that mean? what does it enable you to do? in reality, itjust means that what does it enable you to do? in reality, it just means that we are reality, itjust means that we are indicating the severity of the problem, it does not change anything we are doing. all of our resources are pretty stretched. as i said, we are pretty stretched. as i said, we are dealing with our partners, the district councils and partners. the

community volunteers and the flood water and also form an important part to try to keep people safe. —— flood warden. are many roads closed the country. our message to everybody is: do not go on the roads unless your journey everybody is: do not go on the roads unless yourjourney is absolutely necessary because there are so many road closures due to floods that we need emergency and essential workers to get through. it is important people stay out of the floodwater. we do not want people driving through the floodwater at speed and creating waves which also flood neighbouring houses that may well otherwise not have been flooded. so, it is just making sure that we are helping everybody, everybody is working together. we are stretched, but we are working as hard as we can. ~ . but we are working as hard as we can, ~ ., , ., but we are working as hard as we can. ~ . , ., ., but we are working as hard as we can. . ., but we are working as hard as we

can. what should other people do? those whose _ can. what should other people do? those whose homes _ can. what should other people do? those whose homes have - can. what should other people do? those whose homes have been - can. what should other people do? - those whose homes have been flooded or are at risk of being flooded? for those... or are at risk of being flooded? for those- -- and _ or are at risk of being flooded? fr?" those... and some may already have sandbags. if they do not already, then they need to put those out. what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they — what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need _ what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need rescuing? - what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need rescuing? we - what if they need rescuing? sorry? what if they need rescuing? we do| what if they need rescuing? we do have some — what if they need rescuing? we do have some people _ what if they need rescuing? we do have some people on _ what if they need rescuing? we do have some people on hand - what if they need rescuing? we do have some people on hand and - what if they need rescuing? we do have some people on hand and we | what if they need rescuing? , cf have some people on hand and we are working with the emergency services. the fire brigade has already helped to evacuate some people to temporary accommodation. so to evacuate some people to temporary accommodation.— accommodation. so they should call 999 if they need _ accommodation. so they should call 999 if they need urgent _ accommodation. so they should call 999 if they need urgent help. - accommodation. so they should call 999 if they need urgent help. if - 999 if they need urgent help. if they need urgent help, sure. we have emergency numbers on the council website as well. we emergency numbers on the council website as well.— website as well. we wish you the best, thank _ website as well. we wish you the best, thank you _ website as well. we wish you the best, thank you for _ website as well. we wish you the best, thank you for being - website as well. we wish you the best, thank you for being with i website as well. we wish you the | best, thank you for being with us. thank you. best, thank you for being with us. thank you-— thank you. stay with his hero bbc news.

hello. weather across the uk has certainly been testing our patience in recent weeks, but there are indications of something a little quieter as we head towards the weekend. but until then, most of the countryside looking like this, fairly waterlogged, a lot of flooding out there. at the moment, there are hundreds of flood warnings in effect across the country. and in fact, we may well add to those across southern england overnight tonight as there's yet more rain to come. it's this basic swirl of cloud that's moving in from the southwest. it will bring a brief spell of heavy rain once again and strengthening winds ahead of it, spilling in quite a lot of cloud across much of wales and the midlands. the best of any brighter skies through northern england, northern ireland and western scotland still pretty windy across the northern isles with a trail of showers through northeast scotland. temperatures generally around single figures between seven and nine degrees. but let's zoom in.

a look at this rain in a little more detail: once it arrives gusts of winds are likely to reach 50 to 60 miles an hour in exposed coasts through the channel. perhaps there'll be a spell of wet weather. we're going to see another inch or two of rain falling on already saturated ground in areas where we've got flooding. so this is just going to exacerbate the issue. it will move through at quite a pace, lingering across lincolnshire perhaps, and there will be a scattering of showers through the night across the east coast of england and scotland. but elsewhere, temperatures perhaps into low single figures for many — two or three degrees first thing. so we've got that weather front continuing to bring some windier and slightly showery conditions across north east scotland. our weather front through the night has eased away. and so that means first thing on friday morning, it will be a cloudy story with a little bit of mist and fog around. but on the whole, quite quiet. the best of the sunshine on friday out to the west, a few scattered showers through wales and again, those temperatures generally at around 6 to 9 degrees. now, as we move out of friday, it looks likely that we could see areas of high pressure building. so friday into the start

of the weekend, here's that high quietening things down, but the blue tones taking over means temperatures will be just that below par for the time of year. and that could be a bit of a shock to the system. we will be chasing cloud amounts around, but certainly it's going to be a drier story and a slightly cooler story with a brisk northeasterly wind at times. take care.

this is bbc news. the headlines: thousands of people attend the funeral of hamas's deputy leader — killed in a drone strike — in beirut. britain's prime minister says a general election is likely to take place in the second half of this year. police respond to a shooting at a high school in the us state of iowa. one reported dead so far. police say dozens others are injured. time for a look at the business news now with lukwesa burak. thank you very much indeed. starting here in the uk, and while many people struggle with the cost of living crisis, as of today, the bosses of britain's biggest companies will have made more money in 2024 so far than the typical worker makes all year. and that pay gap is growing. the average pay of the top ftse100 chiefs amounts to £3.81 million per year,

including pensions —