britain's foreign secretary says the latest attacks are justified. votes are cast in the new hampshire primary, where nikki haley challenges donald trump for the republican nomination. and nominations for this year's oscars will be announced shortly, with blockbusters oppenheimer and barbie expected to top the list. hello. i'm lucy hockings. welcome to bbc news now, three hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. it's been the deadliest day for israeli forces since the start of their ground operation in gaza. funerals are now taking place for some of the 2a soldiers killed on monday. and there's increasing pressure, internationally and from within israel, for the fighting to stop to secure the release

of the remaining 130 hostages held by hamas and to allow in more humanitarian aid. prime minister netanyahu says, "yesterday we experienced one of our most difficult days since the war erupted. "in the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory." in this video from the idf, you can see strikes on hamas targets. the israeli military says that its forces have completed the encirclement of the city of khan younis in southern gaza, which has been the focus of intense fighting in recent days. this is the scene, looking across at gaza from southern israel. the hamas—run health ministry in gaza says more than 350 people were wounded and at least 195 palestinians have been killed in the past 2a hours, taking the total killed since the 7th october to 25,490.

live now to jerusalem. we can speak to mark lowen. mark, just looking at the israeli newspapers this morning, seeing the faces of those young soldiers, many of them reservists, who have been killed in gaza in that operation. i wonder if that has changed in any way public sentiment and what the reaction has been to their deaths. i think it will of course deep in the sense of national trauma, already very deep over the fate of the hostages and the attack in october, the worst in israel's history. but now you have got the number of israeli soldiers killed in the ground operation going past 200, and as you say, 2a killed in those attacks yesterday, and i don't think in and of itself it is going to change public opinion here, but i think it is going to deepen an

already subtle shift in public opinion. there is a sense from families of the hostages that the government is not doing enough in their review to prioritise the release of the 130 or so remaining hostages, although 30 of them according to israel may already be dead. but there is a growing frustration against the government, and then seeing this big single loss of life in these attacks on monday will exacerbate the pain and trauma. have to say, the majority of israelis are still behind the war and still behind destroying hamas, but at the same time, the majority of israelis according to opinion polls want the hostage release to be prioritised, so that is the nuance and public opinion that spread throughout this country. find and public opinion that spread throughout this country. and some of the soldiers yesterday _ throughout this country. and some of the soldiers yesterday were _ throughout this country. and some of the soldiers yesterday were in - the soldiers yesterday were in buildings that were designated for destruction. yes.— buildings that were designated for destruction. yes. what we understand from a spokesperson _

destruction. yes. what we understand from a spokesperson of _ destruction. yes. what we understand from a spokesperson of the _ destruction. yes. what we understand from a spokesperson of the israeli - from a spokesperson of the israeli defence forces is that 21 of the 2a soldiers, because three were killed in a separate attack, but 2a of them were in buildings that they themselves, we understand, had already mined for demolition, but then we understand the israeli defence forces saying that hamas fired either a rocket propelled grenade a missile, we're not sure, that position which then actually accelerated the collapse of those buildings which probably collapsed on the soldiers themselves. so it was a tragic incident for the is reallys, and they are talking this morning about an unbearably difficult morning as more details emerge on the funerals begin, which will the sense of national heartbreak here.- will the sense of national heartbreak here. . ., ., , heartbreak here. have we had any clarification _ heartbreak here. have we had any clarification around _ heartbreak here. have we had any clarification around reports - heartbreak here. have we had any clarification around reports that i clarification around reports that qatari and egyptian negotiators may have to get a halt in the fighting

for two nights? i have to get a halt in the fighting for two nights?— have to get a halt in the fighting for two nights? i don't think we are there et for two nights? i don't think we are there yet about _ for two nights? i don't think we are there yet about the _ for two nights? i don't think we are there yet about the idea _ for two nights? i don't think we are there yet about the idea that - for two nights? i don't think we are there yet about the idea that they i there yet about the idea that they have managed to get a halt in the fighting, but we understand that negotiations are ongoing in that direction. certainly what the us media site is reporting is a plan that israel has proposed which would see a two month ceasefire during which they would be a phased release of all israeli hostages and the bodies of the dead hostages in exchange for an unknown number of palestinian prisoners being released from israeli jails, rememberthere from israeli jails, remember there are from israeli jails, rememberthere are about 6000 palestinian prisoners injails in israel. after this two month truce, israel would reduce its military presence in cities across gaza and allow residents to return. to what? much of a wasteland, there is not much to return to. but we haven't yet managed to independently

verify those reports. they are chiming with other reports we have had from other media outlets, and what we know of course is that the white house special coordinator for the middle east has been in cairo and doha are in the last couple of days, so certainly there seems to be some kind of movement behind the scenes in the diplomacy, but we have not heard whether hamas would accept israel's proposal, because until now, they have been saying they would only accept a hostage release deal that sees a permanent ceasefire in the war. mark lowen, thank you very much. we will go live to gaza very shortly to get further updates. but to nottingham, where a man who killed three people has had his manslaughter plea accepted. valdo calocane stabbed two students under 65—year—old caretaker last year. his has been approved on the grounds of

diminished responsibility due to serious mental illness. we look now at the background of the case. first came the shock, and then the sadness. and then the support. on the 13th ofjune, the city of nottingham was scarred by a killer who left three people dead. they were 19—year—old students barnaby webber and grace o'malley kumar, and school caretaker ian coates, who was 65. and this is the man who took their lives. valdo calocane, a 31—year—old dual guinea—bissau portuguese national with subtle status in the uk. we are walking the same route that grace and barnaby were walking on their way home after a night out clubbing at around 4am. they werejust five a night out clubbing at around 4am. they were just five minutes from the student accommodation when they were stabbed to death. valdo calocane

then walked to a hospital a mile away and tried unsuccessfully to break in before attacking his next victim. ian coates, who was just a few months away from retirement, was killed on his way to work. his van was stolen and then driven by valdo calocane back into the city centre, where he used it to hit three pedestrians, one of whom was critically injured. the deaths caused an outpouring of grief. i have lost my baby boy, and i can't even comprehend how i am going to deal with it. the even comprehend howl am going to deal with it— deal with it. the student's father s - oke deal with it. the student's father soke at deal with it. the student's father spoke at this _ deal with it. the student's father spoke at this vigil _ deal with it. the student's father spoke at this vigiljust _ deal with it. the student's father spoke at this vigiljust a - deal with it. the student's father spoke at this vigiljust a day - deal with it. the student's father| spoke at this vigiljust a day after the students were killed. and spoke at this vigiljust a day after the students were killed.- the students were killed. and all the students were killed. and all the were the students were killed. and all they were doing _ the students were killed. and all they were doing was _ the students were killed. and all i they were doing was walking home. the next _ they were doing was walking home. the next death, we heard from all three families at an event in the city centre, attended by thousands. it feels like he has touched a lot of hearts over the years, more than we assumed anew that he had. 35.311de we assumed anew that he had. valdo calocane has — we assumed anew that he had. valdo calocane has pleaded _ we assumed anew that he had. valdo calocane has pleaded guilty to three

counts of manslaughter on the base of diminished responsibility, and three counts of attempted murder. he will be sentenced later this week. but more than six months on, even if the process in court may be drawing to a close, the pain and grief of the victims' families continues. lets ta ke lets take you back to gaza now. there has been a fierce fighting around khan younis, the idf saying they have encircled the city in the south of gaza. we also understand there is fighting around some of the hospitals there. live now to gaza — we can speak to leo cans, the head of mission for palestine with the msf, also known as doctors without borders. can you tell us where you are? i was in gaza for— can you tell us where you are? i was in gaza for the _ can you tell us where you are? i was in gaza for the last _ can you tell us where you are? i was in gaza for the last two _ can you tell us where you are? i was in gaza for the last two weeks. - in gaza for the last two weeks. where you and khan younis? yes. in gaza for the last two weeks. where you and khan younis? yes, in the west, where you and khan younis? yes, in the west. and _ where you and khan younis? yes, in the west. and l _ where you and khan younis? yes, in the west, and i went _ where you and khan younis? yes, in

the west, and i went to _ where you and khan younis? yes, in the west, and i went to visit - where you and khan younis? yes, in the west, and i went to visit the - the west, and i went to visit the hospital and the european hospital as well. ~ . . , hospital and the european hospital as well. ~ . , ., ., as well. what was the situation in those hospitals, _ as well. what was the situation in those hospitals, and _ as well. what was the situation in those hospitals, and what - as well. what was the situation in those hospitals, and what was - those hospitals, and what was happening around them? was there fighting around the hospitals? i just went there a week ago and there was already fighting quite close to the hospital. when i went there there was a bomb just 150 metres from the hospital. it killed two boys, four years old in five years old, and six more people, and 81 dead, so already the fighting was quite bad. in the last few days it becoming increasingly close. ijust talked with my team this morning, they are very scared with what is going on, they don't know where the troops are and they hear a lot of shooting and bombing. they are scared to get out of the hospitals because they are scared of being shot at, like it happened in hospital in the north, and they are terrorised by what is happening. it

is not acceptable. they have to bury bodies inside the hospital because they were too scared to go to the cemetery that is 100 metres from hospital. cemetery that is 100 metres from hos - ital. �* . cemetery that is 100 metres from hosital. �* ., , cemetery that is 100 metres from hosital. �* . , ., , , hospital. and what is happening in terms of treating _ hospital. and what is happening in terms of treating people _ hospital. and what is happening in terms of treating people inside - hospital. and what is happening in| terms of treating people inside the hospital? what is needed there, how overcrowded is it? what do you have in terms of equipment? it overcrowded is it? what do you have in terms of equipment?— in terms of equipment? it was already overcrowded - in terms of equipment? it was already overcrowded when - in terms of equipment? it was already overcrowded when i i in terms of equipment? it was. already overcrowded when i get there. people were everywhere, way too many patients for the number of health care workers, so many patience are just lying on their beds for days or weeks without proper medical care because there are not enough staff. currently more than 70% of the staff have left because they are scared for their lives, and this is not acceptable, what is going on. we are forced to abandon patients, to leave a patient to die on their bed. it happened in

the north and again in the south, the north and again in the south, the hospitals are barely functioning any more because there is no more staff and no more staff to take care of the patients. patients are in critical condition and we cannot give care to them. it is inhuman, what is going on. is give care to them. it is inhuman, what is going on.— give care to them. it is inhuman, what is going on. is any medical aid caettin what is going on. is any medical aid getting across _ what is going on. is any medical aid getting across the _ what is going on. is any medical aid getting across the border _ what is going on. is any medical aid getting across the border to - what is going on. is any medical aid getting across the border to the i getting across the border to the hospital? we getting across the border to the hosital? ~ ., ., getting across the border to the hosital? ~ . ., ., getting across the border to the hosital? . ., ., ., ,., getting across the border to the hosital? . ., ., ., , ., ., hospital? we managed to get some aid across the border, _ hospital? we managed to get some aid across the border, but _ hospital? we managed to get some aid across the border, but it _ hospital? we managed to get some aid across the border, but it is _ hospital? we managed to get some aid across the border, but it is very - across the border, but it is very difficult to bring it to the hospital. when i was there a week ago we brought medical supplies, so they have some medical supplies. but when we talk about the north of gaza, there is no supply at all that can reach this area. when i worked there, i tried four times to go to north gaza, and four times we were denied by the army to reach the area. this is a completely forbidden

under international law to forbid humanitarian people to bring essential goods like medicines to the population. what is going on in gaza now, it is too much. i hope we are not getting used to it. it is a massacre that is going on everyday, and i remind you that since the beginning of the war, 25,000 people got killed. if you just count women and children, it is 15,000 killed since the beginning of the war. it is 150 children and women being killed every single day since the beginning of the war. that is not a normal war. this is a war that is targeting civilians. when i visiting the hospital and the european hospital, i was shocked, truly shocked, by the number of children and women inside the hospital. it was mainly women and children. i have never seen this in any other war, and i have been in the wars. mostly you see a competents, and you see these people, and it must be

specific that they get treated for very difficult wounds, a lot of burns, on the face, on the arms and legs, on the body. it is extremely difficult, and it is shocking and outraging that so many civilians are being wounded and killed. thank you very much forjoining us, head of mission for palestine with the msf. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. government borrowing in december was lower than expected, helped by a steep drop in interest payments. the office for national statistics says that borrowing — which is the difference between spending and tax income — was 7.8 billion pounds. the amount was below forecasts with many analysts expecting it to be about 1k billion. two million people could have their gas and electricity cut

off this winter because they cannot afford to top up their prepayment meter. that's according to new research by citizens advice. it comes as a separate report suggests millions are living far below the poverty line. the government said its spending billions on supporting households. a simple blood test could detect alzheimer's up to 15 years before symptoms emerge. swedish trials found the test to be as accurate as painful lumbar punctures, and better than a range of other tests currently being worked on. experts say it could "revolutionise" early diagnosis of the disease. you're live with bbc news. the us and uk have again hit houthi targets in yemen in response to attacks by the group on red sea shipping. the action has received support from australia, bahrain, canada and the netherlands. the six countries have released a joint statement saying, "these precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners".

these latest attacks followed a phone call between president biden and prime minister rishi sunak. our north america correspondent david willis reports. royal air forcejets, armed with precision guided bombs, joined us forces to rain missiles on houthi targets, prompting explosions which rocked the capital sanaa and other parts of yemen in the early hours of tuesday morning. us officials said among the targets was a weapons storage site buried deep underground. the uk ministry of defence said they hit multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of sanaa airfield. this was the second round of military action undertaken jointly on the part of the us and the uk. a previous effort 12 days ago,

coupled with half a dozen attacks mounted by the us alone, has so far failed to stop the houthis. are the air strikes in yemen working? well, when you say working, are they stopping the houthis? no. are they going to continue? yes. before the latest strikes, houthi leaders had vowed to continue their attacks on shipping in the red sea as part of a show of support for palestinians caught up in the war with israel. however, the defence secretary, grant shapps, predicted this latest mission would erode the houthis' ability to threaten global trade. yet more than 30 attacks on commercial vessels navigating a key route for world trade have already prompted fears of inflation, as freight supplies are delayed or re—routed. added to which, iran's backing of the rebels raises the troubling possibility of a broader conflict in the middle east. david willis, bbc news, washington. let's look more now into what has

been happening in the red sea. bbc verify have prepared more analysis for us. here's nick eardley. there is information emerging already, we are getting that statement in the uk parliament shortly but we're still trying to find out stuff, building up a picture of what went on last night and why. let's start with this. this is just a picture of one of the jets taking off last night to launch those air strikes. the big question is why the uk in the us feel the need to launch further air strikes, and part of the picture is about what has been going on with attacks since the original strikes ten days ago. a number of videos circulating online said to be of the strike, but some of those are old so we are doing work to verify others, but one

of the questions is where the strikes have been targeted. i want to show this map. we have some information about where the strike last night were, some of this is from the houthi s, and this sets out some of the areas where the strikes were. sanna is an airfield, set make sense to try to hit the military capabilities. we are trying to find out more about these other targets and exactly was hit. the backdrop to all of this is what was going on, and bbc verify spent the last couple of weeks looking at the situation there, and there have been frequent attacks, this one shows a drone attacks, this one shows a drone attack on a ship going through the red sea. what seems to be important in explaining why the strikes are still going is this. it shows the

number of strikes from a military intelligence firm, and it seems it was fairly consistent. it did go down, and here are the strikes ten days ago, and the number of strikes by ruthies on ships in the red sea goes up, and this is perhaps why they thought they needed to launch more strike last night. finally, there is a lot on the bbc website, a really interesting piece here about what has been going on in the red sea, tracking some of it. ijust want to show you one of the maps here. this is november 2023, you can see all the ships going through the red sea. this is what has happened since. the vast majority are now going around africa, which takes more time and costs more money. we

will keep looking through those videos and figure out more about what went on last night, and bring you more this afternoon. yes, nick, thank you very much for that. prime minister rishi sunak will be in the house of commons at 12:30pm, they are getting ready there, that is in about nine minutes, to explain what happened last night, the reason for it and why it was important. we will bring you that statement to the house from rishi sunak. to ukraine now. ukraine says at least five people have been killed in a wave of missile attacks overnight, with the capital kyiv and second city kharkiv among cities targeted. once again, people were seen seeking shelter in the kyiv metro. the ukrainian military says of 41 missiles launched by russia, 21 were destroyed by air defences. the mayor of kharkiv says two women were killed and nearly a0 injured in attacks there. another woman was killed in the capital, kyiv, while there were two more fatalities in the dnipro region.

live now to kyiv. our eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford is there for us. just looking at those cities, when you see reports from there, it sounds like one of the worst nights they have had for a while. definitely a bad night, certainly, particularly for kyiv and kharkiv. we are reporting right now from the hotel bunker because there was an air raid just hotel bunker because there was an air raidjusta hotel bunker because there was an air raid just a while ago. it is now over, so people have left this area, we are just down here for the moment so we can talk to you. this is the second air raid today, the first one was early this morning before six o'clock and it lasted about two and a half hours, which is the longest siren that has sounded here since the beginning of this month, and it heralded the arrival in ukraine as you said of several dozen russian missiles. we are talking about 41 missiles. we are talking about 41 missiles according to the ukrainian authorities. they did seem to be

targeting particularly kharkiv and kyiv, and that fact i think it's critical to understanding what has happened. kharkiv has been pretty badly hit again, we know that several dozen people have been killed and at least two injured. we have seen an apartment building very badly damaged. i spoke to contact there who told me had multiple explosions. she said other than fear and hatred, i don't feel anything any more. life is difficult because it is so hard to intercept emitter missiles fired at such close range. the damage has been extensive, nobody has been killed, one woman was thought to be dead but was pulled from the rubble and is now fighting for her life in hospital here in the capital of kyiv, but there is damage here, car set on fire, damage to residential

buildings too, and the president, volodymyr zelensky, buildings too, and the president, volodymyrzelensky, has buildings too, and the president, volodymyr zelensky, has talked about deliberate terror against ordinary people, and that is a reminder of this now near daily reality of air raids and fearand this now near daily reality of air raids and fear and the threat that russian missiles could be heading this way. russian missiles could be heading this wa . ., , ., russian missiles could be heading thiswa . ., ,., , russian missiles could be heading thiswa. ., , , this way. could this also be seen as a response — this way. could this also be seen as a response to _ this way. could this also be seen as a response to ukraine _ this way. could this also be seen as a response to ukraine going - this way. could this also be seen as a response to ukraine going on i this way. could this also be seen as a response to ukraine going on the | a response to ukraine going on the offensive over the weekend? we did see that increasing attacks russia, particularly in donetsk. i see that increasing attacks russia, particularly in donetsk.— particularly in donetsk. i think you could say it _ particularly in donetsk. i think you could say it is _ particularly in donetsk. i think you could say it is a _ particularly in donetsk. i think you could say it is a retaliation, - particularly in donetsk. i think you could say it is a retaliation, a i could say it is a retaliation, a response. it is part of this war which is now, it is hard to believe, almost two years long, and perhaps this is a response ukrainian action, but ultimately it is part of a war that russia launched nearly two years ago. certainly what ukraine

has been doing of late, we did see in recent days what i think looks like a fairly audacious track with ukrainian drones which targeted a fuel facility near st petersburg. that drone attack started a huge fire and appears at ukrainian belt drones are reaching further into russia proper than they have done previously. russia proper than they have done reviousl . ,,. ., russia proper than they have done reviousl. ., ., , ., previously. sarah rainsford there, do stay safe _ previously. sarah rainsford there, do stay safe there _ previously. sarah rainsford there, do stay safe there in _ previously. sarah rainsford there, do stay safe there in kyiv. - stay with us here on bbc news. we are waiting for rishi sunak to give a statement to parliament very shortly on those overnight air strikes in yemen. stay with us for that.

good afternoon. more heavy rain and strengthening winds as storm joceleyn rolls in from the west, and this just serves to hamper the clear up this just serves to hamper the clear up after storm isha from sunday night with trees and is already weak and the ground already saturated as well, so worsening conditions through today, and then tonight severe gales developing in the far north and west. for the rest of today, wind warnings coming into force in much of the northern half of the uk, heavy rain across north—west england in south—west scotland and wales, some places could see as much as 60 millimetres of rain. it is largely dry in the south and east, very mild with a lot of cloud and outbreaks of drizzle, and the wind will pick up as well, so widely gusts of 40—50 mph, on the irish sea coast, gusts of up to 55, and this is the amber warning whether across parts of northern scotland, where gusts could reach up to 80 mph. the area of low pressure

isn't as deep as it was, but again it could have severe impacts. it is following the same sort of path as storm isha, and the amber weather warning is in place until eight o'clock tomorrow morning. still a very windy start to the day. so this is how we start wednesday, warning is how we start wednesday, warning is in force into the afternoon for the strength of the winds, there will be sunshine but also some blustery showers just moving into northern ireland and north—west scotland in particular, but many places staying dry. the winds are moderating as we head through this afternoon, but turning cloudy across the south and west with outbreaks of patchy rain and drizzle. still mild for the time of year, but temperatures lower than tuesday. as we had for wednesday and into thursday, the warm front gradually pushing north and east, likely to bring a lot of cloud around, outbreaks of patchy rain and drizzle, but the rain will be heavy across northern ireland into north—west england and south—west

scotland, again falling on pretty saturated ground. the air is mild, 12 or 13 celsius, the wind will pick up 12 or 13 celsius, the wind will pick up and it will be as windy as it is today, and then on friday it is a chilly stop at a much more subtle day.

this is bbc news, the headlines.

the israeli military suffers its heaviest losses since it launched its ground offensive in gaza, with 24 soldiers killed. the uk and the us carry out more strikes on houthi targets in yemen — prime minister rishi sunak will address the commons shortly. and votes are cast in the new hampshire primary, where nikki haley is challenging donald trump for the republican nomination. the latest round of uk and allied strikes against houthi targets was designed to "send the clearest possible message" to the rebels that attacks on cargo ships are "unacceptable". the words of the uk foreign secretary lord cameron. britainjoined the us in carrying out a fresh set ofjoint air strikes in yemen in response to the houthi rebels targeting international shipping along vital red sea and gulf of aden trade routes. let's show you the scene in the house of commons, where we are expecting the prime minister rishi sunak to update mps on the decision to further target the houthis.