russia says missile fragments and the black boxes have been found at the site of a plane crash which is said to have killed tens of ukrainian prisoners of war. and hundreds flee khan younis in southern gaza, as britain's foreign secretary pushes israel for an immediate pause in the fighting. hello, i'm rich preston, welcome to the daily global, where we'll bring you the top stories from around the world. we start in the united states, where the supreme court has declined to halt the execution of a death row prisoner in alabama who is now expected to be executed in the coming hours. kenneth smith is due to become the first person in the us to be executed using nitrogen gas. it's a method which the united nations has called �*cruel and inhumane�*.

it will be the state's second attempt to execute smith, who was convicted in 1989 of murdering a preacher�*s wife, in a hired killing. tom bateman reports from southern alabama. a journey to the alabama jail where the first ever execution by nitrogen gas is due to happen. kenneth eugene smith has spent three decades on death row. he's already dodged death once — his executioners botched an attempt to kill him by lethal injection. and now he faces suffocation by the state. opponents see this as a crucial test case and are urging alabama's governor to stop it — here led by smith's spiritual adviser, who will be in the execution chamber with him. so, i need some assurance that this is safe. so this right here is an invitation to governor ivey to accompany me into the execution chamber.

it was two weeks ago today, 45—year—old... smith was convicted in 1989 for his part in the murder of elizabeth sennett, the wife of a preacher who paid smith $1,000. the jury said he should get life injail, but thejudge sentenced him to death. 0ne medical expert against capital punishment explains that inhaling pure nitrogen will starve the body of oxygen, but could cause catastrophic mishaps. it's very likely, if he doesn't die, he could be significantly injured by this experience — and, for that matter, so could other people in the proximity of kenneth smith, because the nitrogen gas, some of it will be exhaled, along with carbon dioxide, some of it may leak out of the mask. the victim's family backs the death penalty. alabama's governor's office claims the method has been thoroughly vetted, saying it is ready to move forward, although the authorities haven't presented any plausible evidence of its safety.

so far, urgent calls for a stay of execution, including from the un, have not been heeded. and smith, pictured on the left with his spiritual adviser this week, awaits death for a second time. many us states have been moving away from carrying out executions. alabama remains an outlier, and today's case is supercharging america's debate over state—sanctioned death. tom bateman, bbc news, atmore, alabama. we can speak live now to abraham bonowitz — co—founder of the abolitionist group death penalty action — and hejoins us from atmore in alabama. thank you very much for being with us. speaking generally first if we can, what is your opposition to the death penalty in the united states? i am speaking as a person who used to support the death penalty and it was a trial proved that it work, i

thought how wrong i am about the system and i changed my mind. the us supreme court carved into the face of that building other words, equal justice under law. that made me rethink the entire issue because anybody that has encountered the legal system in this country, whether the civil system or criminal system, knows that we do not have equaljustice. we do not live up to that aspiration. especially if you are poor, especially if you are off—colour, then what you are getting is not equaljustice. you getting is not equal “ustice. you net getting is not equal “ustice. you get screwed. h getting is not equal 'ustice. you get screwed. in _ getting is not equaljustice. you get screwed. in the case of mr smith and this execution which has been authorised using nitrogen gas, what are your specific opposition cor? fies are your specific opposition cor? s you are your specific opposition cor? sis you know, we oppose every execution. death itself is torture and with what has been happening in alabama, kenneth smith and others have been put in the death chamber for hours

while they try to establish an ivy so they can use these drugs to kill them and so he has already been through that for hours. —— iv. what people need to understand now, if kenny was on trial today, they couldn't sentence him to death because his jury was couldn't sentence him to death because hisjury was not couldn't sentence him to death because his jury was not unanimous. in alabama, they used to have it so a judge could overturn a jury recommendation but that was outlawed in 2017. now, we are executing a guy that has all been tortured, now they are torturing him again, all wiki has been throwing up and having trouble being calm and now they are going to try again with an experimental system that has never been used before, there is a lot of questions. it isjust been used before, there is a lot of questions. it is just untenable, unacceptable from a human rights perspective, from a constitutional

perspective, from a constitutional perspective, from a human and a love perspective. all of those things are being... perspective. all of those things are bein: . .. ., perspective. all of those things are beine... ., . ,~ ., ., perspective. all of those things are beine... ., . ,~ ., s, being... you are very clear on your oinion being... you are very clear on your opinion on — being... you are very clear on your opinion on this _ being... you are very clear on your opinion on this but _ being... you are very clear on your opinion on this but alabama - being... you are very clear on your opinion on this but alabama has i opinion on this but alabama has democratically elected representatives and they have overwhelmingly voted in favour of this so your opinion is one of an outlier, is it not?— outlier, is it not? actually, that isn't the case — outlier, is it not? actually, that isn't the case if _ outlier, is it not? actually, that isn't the case if you _ outlier, is it not? actually, that isn't the case if you actually - outlier, is it not? actually, that| isn't the case if you actually talk to people which is what we have been doing here all week and we work with the folksy on the ground hoping to abolish the death penalty. some other alabama organisations, as soon as people understand, as happened to me, once you understand the system and separates the idea that somebody who has done a horrible crime deserves whatever they get, and a look at how the system works, anybody that has examined this system understands that it is not a fair system and that it is not up to our values and especially if you are coming at it from a all life is precious perspective as the governor here is, hippocratic —— hypocritical

you. we have a lot of common ground herewith alabama that we can be safe from people who have done over crimes and allow them to live out their lives, we can hold them accountable with a punishment of death by incarceration, we know that works because that is what they do in the vast majority of cases. here we are today with this circus that is going on and with a guy that wouldn't even be eligible for the death penalty today and that is what is happening here and that is why we are out here. is happening here and that is why we are out here-— are out here. thank you very much for beine are out here. thank you very much for being with _ are out here. thank you very much for being with us. _ are out here. thank you very much for being with us. thank— are out here. thank you very much for being with us. thank you. - the families of three people stabbed to death in nottingham last summer have expressed their fury at how police and prosecutors have handled the case — saying 'true justice has not been served'. the relatives of 65—year—old ian coates, and 19—year—old students grace 0'malley—kumar and barnaby webber were speaking after the sentencing

of their killer, valdo calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic. he will be detained indefinitely in a high—security hospital, after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. 0ur midlands correspondent navteonhal reports from nottingham crown court. stay where you are! this was the moment valdo calocane, a killer who caused carnage on the streets of nottingham, was caught. an hour and a half earlier, at four in the morning, cctv footage shows his first two victims, barnaby webber and grace 0'malley—kumar, 19—year—old students, walking back from a night out, unaware that they will never make it home. he emerged from the alleyway and, without any sort of warning whatsoever, he launched an attack on barnaby to begin with. incredible bravery that grace showed. she tried to intervene, try to help herfriend, she tried to help barnaby.

and the defendant then turned on her and began stabbing at her. barnaby webber, from somerset, was a keen cricketer, studying history at the university of nottingham. grace 0'malley—kumarfrom london wanted to follow in her parents' footsteps and become a doctor. after killing them, calocane walks across the city. meanwhile, 65—year—old school caretaker ian coates is in his van on his way to work. the defendant causes ian to stop in his van and, again, seemingly without any sort of warning or conversation, he attacks ian and he launches an equally ferocious attack on him. ian was a father of three, a grandfather of eight, and was just five months away from retirement. calocane then drives ian's than towards the city centre and hits three pedestrians. they were wayne burkett

and sharon miller. and marcin gawronski. they were all injured, but survived stop minutes later, the van is tracked down and the killer is arrested. calocane pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility and guilty to three counts of attempted murder. the court heard he has had a history of mental illness, was in and out of hospital since 2020 and has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. he was also known to mental health services in nottingham and had been sectioned four times. a psychiatrist who assessed him told the court that calocane said the voices in his head told him that if you didn't carry out the attacks, they would kill his family. nottinghamshire police admitted yesterday that more should have been done to arrest calocane prior to the stabbings after a warrant had been issued for his arrest nine months earlier. but after the sentencing, the families of the victims were clear in their anger.

to the assistant chief constable, rob griffin, who finally released this information public yesterday, i say this. you have blood on your hands. if you had just done yourjobs properly, there is a very good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today. there is so much more to say and clearly serious questions regarding this case and events leading up to this monster being out in society. the fails from the police, the cps and health service have resulted in the murder of my father and these two innocent students. the nhs mental health trust have to be held accountable for their failures, along with the police. we will never come to terms with the loss of our beloved i daughter grace, and how she lost her life. - her heroic actions, | she was a gift to us and she was a gift to the country. we will look for answers - regarding missed opportunity to intervene and prevent this horrendous crime. l thank you. navteonhal, bbc news.

president biden is sending william burns to broker a deal on israeli hostages being held in gaza. he will meet mossad and kata for talks in france. in the ground in gaza, the hamas run health ministry... 0n the ground in gaza, the hamas—run health ministry says 20 people have been killed and 150 injured after israeli forces fired shells at palestinians queuing for food aid in gaza city in the north. in the south, hundreds are fleeing the city of khan younis, in a desperate scramble for safety, as israeli tanks bombard areas around two hospitals there. the city is encircled by israeli forces and residents say it is under almost nonstop aerial and ground fire. israel has denied hitting a un facility in the city on wednesday, killing at least 12 people who were sheltering there, and wounding more than 75.

let's speak to britain's former secretary of state for foreign, both of us. thank you very much for joining us on the programme, we appreciate your company. the current foreign secretary, lord cameron, is in the region at the moment and has made commitments about eight to the area, including 17 tonnes of family —sized tents being flown out. does this uk commitment go far enough given the situation currently being faced by those in gaza? i given the situation currently being faced by those in gaza?— given the situation currently being faced by those in gaza? i think the oints faced by those in gaza? i think the points you've _ faced by those in gaza? i think the points you've made _ faced by those in gaza? i think the points you've made are _ faced by those in gaza? i think the points you've made are just - faced by those in gaza? i think the points you've made are just a - faced by those in gaza? i think the| points you've made are just a very, very small part of the help that the united kingdom and other countries are giving at the humanitarian level. there isn't controversy about providing humanitarian aid, the uk is one of many countries and the items you mentioned are just a very small part of what is being given. 0ne small part of what is being given. one of the problem is, shall we say, when it comes to the relationship between the likes of britain and the united states with israel has been how this conflict has developed and whilst britain and the us continued to commit their support to israel's

self defence, there have been questions raised about the precise activity israeli forces are engaged in and british officials have asked israel to amend some of their tactics. do you think israel cares what its allies think? i tactics. do you think israel cares what its allies think?— what its allies think? i think israel does _ what its allies think? i think israel does care _ what its allies think? i think israel does care and - what its allies think? i think israel does care and if- what its allies think? i think israel does care and if you | israel does care and if you remember, israel isn't hamas. hamas went out of its way to murder innocent people is a deliberate target. israel acknowledges that there are international rules about trying to minimise casualties were civilians. we can never be certain that in the middle of the war, this applies when british and french and american soldiers have been in wars, sometimes things happen and there is either carelessness or attention, innocent people get killed who perhaps shouldn't have been. that can happen and it is naive to pretend it does not. the fundamental point we should never lose sight of is that this conflict in gaza could end immediately if hamas agreed to

two things. firstly, release all remaining hostages and secondly, to give a total commitment that no action of the kind we saw on october the 7th, a deliberate massacre of hundreds of people, over 1000 people, will ever be repeated again. but they have refused to do that. they said if they have the opportunity presented itself to do what they did on october the 7th again, they would take that opportunity. as long as that is their frame of opportunity. as long as that is theirframe of mind, they are opportunity. as long as that is their frame of mind, they are the people responsible for what is happening in gaza. i people responsible for what is happening in gaza. i appreciate your oint about happening in gaza. i appreciate your point about the _ happening in gaza. i appreciate your point about the way _ happening in gaza. i appreciate your point about the way hamas - happening in gaza. i appreciate your point about the way hamas and - happening in gaza. i appreciate your point about the way hamas and the | point about the way hamas and the way it behaves and its behaviour as why it is listed by many countries as a terrorist organisation but israel is a nation state and is therefore expected to adhere to certain values but has been accused of targeting areas near civilians, around hospitals, schools and such like. do you condone that action by israel from? it like. do you condone that action by israel from?— israel from? it isn't a question of whether i condone _ israel from? it isn't a question of whetherl condone it. _ israel from? it isn't a question of whetherl condone it. you - israel from? it isn't a question of whether i condone it. you say - israel from? it isn't a question of. whether i condone it. you say there has been action next to hospitals, it is now known for certain what is

always alleged that hamas operate underneath hospitals as one of the command centres. they deliberately chose that because they know that in civilised countries, it makes it more difficult then to get at them. the responsibility for determining where hamas puts its command centres, nearschools where hamas puts its command centres, near schools and hospitals, thatis centres, near schools and hospitals, that is something they have to answer for and that is something they have to answerfor and it is quite disgraceful that isn't something that has ever happened in most of the war is that in civilised countries have been involved in. in countries have been involved in. in the short—term, as you highlight, one of israel's main goals is to retrieve all of those hostages being held in gaza. thinking further ahead to the future longer term, how should israel be planning ahead for a potentialfuture? it is should israel be planning ahead for a potential future?— a potential future? it is a very important _ a potential future? it is a very important question _ a potential future? it is a very important question you - a potential future? it is a very important question you ask. a potential future? it is a very. important question you ask and a potential future? it is a very i important question you ask and i think there is an answer that can be given and i think it is when the israelis will ultimately adopt. the military action at the moment is to effectively try and destroy hamas' military capability so that as a

terrorist organisation, rather like isis or al-qaeda, they can't repeat the terrorist attacks they have done in the past. we know that military solutions solve part of the problem, they don't solve the whole problem. i think it is right and proper, and most moderate israelis accept this, that there must also be a political initiative once the fighting has stopped. there has to be a new dialogue between israel and the palestinians, notjust in gaza, in the west bank as well, as to what the west bank as well, as to what the long—term future should be so that israel and the palestinians can live more peacefully together and there is a huge change that has taken place in the last year, in the attitude of the moderate arab governments. egypt, saudi arabia, jordan, the united arab emirates, all of whom now have diplomatic relations with israel and say they want to have a long—term normal relationship with israel but that does require a progress on a political solution of israel's relations with the palestinians. i think what will happen is that once the fighting stops, there will be a

huge demand in israel for a general election to choose a new government and netanyahu's time will be over. one hopes a new israeli government 0ne hopes a new israeli government will use that opportunity for a fresh start in israel's relationship with the palestinians at a political level, notjust at with the palestinians at a political level, not just at a with the palestinians at a political level, notjust at a military level. britain's former secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. around the world and across the uk, you're watching bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a court has heard that a baby girl would still be alive if it wasn't for the "callous, cruel, arrogant and ultimately grossly negligent conduct" of her parents. constance marten and her partner mark gordon are on trial for the manslaughter of their newborn daughter victoria, who was found inside a shopping bag covered in rubbish. they deny the charges. the uk covid inquiry has heard that nicola sturgeon called borisjohnson a "clown" in an expletive—laden text conversation with her

chief of staff. her successor as first minister humza yousaf has been facing scrutiny at the inquiry over his tenure as scotland's health secretary during the pandemic and the government's use of mobile messaging apps like whatsapp. scientists are warning that children who became overweight during the coronavirus pandemic could face life—long health consequences. the researchers say periods of covid restrictions saw a sharp rise in obesity among ten and 11 year olds in england. prolonged absence from school, lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits have been blamed. you're live with bbc news. let's turn now to the war in ukraine — where questions remain over the shooting down of a russian military transport plane on wednesday, which moscow says was carrying ukrainian prisoners of war. according to russian investigators, it was shot down by a ukrainian zenit missile. and russia now says that missile fragments and the black boxes have been found at the site of the crash. ukraine's security service has opened a criminal inquiry —

and the government has called for the united nations and red cross to be given access to the crash site. earlier, emergency services found the black boxes from the plane. the bbc has verified this video shared on social media — which shows a plane going down, followed by an explosion by an explosion and a fireball. the crash happened 70km north—east of the city of belgorod near the border with ukraine. none of the details surrounding those on board can be independently verified. i've been speaking with 0leksandr merezhko , who is a member of the ukrainian parliament, and chair of its foreign affairs committee. i asked him whether ukraine shot down this plane. well, there is no official any confirmation of that. and the whole story to me looks obviously as a new russian typical propagandistic and disinformation provocation. that is the ukrainian response, neither confirming nor denying. i would like to play something to you. this is what russia's foreign minister, sergei lavrov, had to say about this incident a little earlier

today in the vicinity translation: ukrainian prisoners of war were transported to the belgorod region for the next exchange agreed upon between moscow and kyiv. instead of this exchange taking place, the ukrainian side from the kharkiv region launched an anti—aircraft missile attack on this plane, which became fatal. as you heard mr lavrov there, saying that this was the transportation of prisoners of war, which he says was agreed upon with ukraine. what do you say in response to that? well, in fact, russia has already been caught red handed lying about this because russian state propaganda officially declared that it has given at list of supposedly those people who were prisoners of war on the board of this military plane.

but as it turned out to be, at least 18 names on this list. these are the names of people who have been exchanged before. so it's a clear sign that russia is lying. additionally, our military intelligence provided information that, first of all, in the vicinity of this area, only five bodies were delivered to the nearest morgue. second, russians themselves didn't allow their own rescue team to come to investigate on the spot where it all happened. ijust want i just want to clarify something you said there. russia provided a list of names of people on board this plane but you are saying they were people who had already been transferred, did i hear that correctly?— transferred, did i hear that correctl? , , , ~ [k correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 eo - le, correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 peeple. those _ correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 people, those are _ correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 people, those are the - correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 people, those are the names . correctly? yes, yes. at least 18 i people, those are the names from this lift given by russia propaganda. these people had already been exchanged, those we are talking

about prisoners of war who are already in the territory of ukraine. president zelensky has called for an international inquiry into this, what do you want that to look like? well, first of all, we need objective international investigation. for example, conducted by the united nations, maybe with participation of international red cross. but it should be international, it should be objective because in any case, statements made by russia cannot be trusted. russia is absolutely not credible. it has proven itself as a mass murder of ukraine and pows. when russia committed a mass murder of ukrainian pow draw and try to put the blame on ukraine. it is very typical of russia to do it. just want to bring _ typical of russia to do it. just want to bring you _ typical of russia to do it. just want to bring you some breaking story from new york at the moment.

this is a development in the ejean carroll versus donald trump defamation case. donald trump has given testimony at the trial, but testimony concluded afterjust four minutes. he said he stands by his testimony and the deposition that he gave previously. this is the civil defamation case brought by the writer e gene carol. she is suing him for defamation after she accused him for defamation after she accused him of raping her in the 1990s. he has been held criminally liable for that but has continued to deny the charges. as i mentioned donald trump has taken the stand, a four minute exchange in which he said he stood by his previous testimony. consultants in england have voted to reject a pay rise offered by the government — raising the possibility of new strikes. the british medical association says 51% of its members voted against the offer of a 4.65% pay rise now, on top of

a 6% raise in april. consultants walked out four times last year, including a joint walk—out withjunior doctors. the bma said the pay offer does not go far enough. 0ur health editor hugh pym has more details. the government had given a strong message that they thought this was a very fair deal because as well as the money on the table, there were reforms of the whole pay band system to make it easier for consultants to move up the system and if they had to take time out of the workforce, particularly women leaving the workforce and coming back in, they weren't penalised. it was sold as a very, very good package and there had been a lot of debate about it amongst consultants but by this very narrow margin, it has been rejected by consultant members of the british medical association. 51% against. the consultants do have a mandate for a further strike action, untiljune, but they have chosen not to announce anything along those lines at this stage. they say they want talks with the government to see if the offer can be improved. the reaction from

the government so far has been disappointment that they thought it was a fair offer, but they aren't ruling out further talks. all this still leaves the junior doctors in england. they have been no talks between them and the government since the end of their six day strike earlier this month, there is a possibility they will stage further action. a possibility they will stage furtheraction. much a possibility they will stage further action. much more on that story on the bbc news website. along with that, details of that plane crash in russia and the developing situation in the ejean caroll versus donald trump trial which is under way in new york. much more still to come, do stick with us here in bbc news. hello there. today has certainly been a quieter, calmer weather story, but also quite cloudy with it as well. take a look at pateley bridge from earlier on in north yorkshire. misty, murky conditions here, and there has been quite a lot

of low grey cloud for many of us. now, we will see a change tomorrow because of this cold front that's moving through overnight tonight. change of wind direction, stronger winds will help break up that cloud. there'll be more in the way of sunshine. but it does mean through the night tonight, there's another spell of rain, some of it heavy for all of us at some point. that will drift its way south and east. clearer skies, a few wintry showers to higher ground behind low single figures in scotland. but a mild start in the south—east with that weather front still lingering, that will ease away, and for many of us, dry, settled and sunny. gale force gusts of wind driving in some showers across the far northwest. so after that mild start, actually temperatures may well fall away across central and southern england. so into the afternoon, we're looking at highs of 8—9 celsius, but there will be some sunshine to help compensate for that. that extends perhaps towards the scottish borders, and northern ireland showers should be few and far between, but there will continue to be a rash of showers, wintry flavour perhaps to higher ground, but rain at lower levels.

now, as we move out of friday into the start of the weekend, that high pressure is going to continue to dominate for much of england and wales. toppling across the high is always the risk of some weather fronts here. so here, temperatures will hold up, 7—8 celsius first thing on saturday. but clear skies, touch of light frost first thing in the morning across the southeast. that's where we'll start off with the best of the sunshine into the weekend. once again, there's the risk of further wet and often windy weather at times, just brushing northern ireland and the northwest of the great glen. temperatures peaking between 9—10 celsius. that's still pretty good, really, for this time of year. now, as we continue to look further ahead, this area of high pressure will continue to dominate across much of europe, but always the risk of further areas of low pressure trying to topple in. will take its time in doing so, so we're going to start off the new week with some sunshine coming through. there's a risk of things turning a little more unsettled by the middle of next week.

this is bbc news. the headlines... a death row inmate in alabama is due to become the first person in the us executed using nitrogen gas — after losing last—minute appeals. families of three people stabbed

to death in nottingham say they've been let down by police after their killer is given