live from washington. this is bbc news the us and uk lead coalition airstrikes on iran—backed houthi targets in yemen — in the latest response to attacks on red sea ships. it comes a day after the us hit targets in iraq and syria — in retaliation for last weekend's deadly drone strike on us troops injordan. and — we take a closer look at the issue of concussions and other severe injuries in impact sports, like american football and rugby. hello.

we begin in the middle east, where the us and u—k have led fresh coalition strikes against the iran—backed houthis in yemen. these are the very latest pictures from us centcom — showing us aircraft taking off for the raids. according to us central command — 36 houthi targets have been struck. this is the third round of strikes led by the us and uk and involved support from australia, bahrain, denmark, canada, the netherlands and new zealand. in addition to these latest joint strikes. us central command says it also launched what it calls �*defensive�* strikes against six anti—ship cruise missiles in houthi—held areas in yemen. in a statement — the us defense secretary loyd austin says the action "sends a clear message to the houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences. if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels," we have also heard from the uk defence secretary grant shapps — in a statement, he says, the raids follow u—s strikes in iraq and syria on friday. 85 sites were hit in retaliation for the killing injordan of three american soldiers by iranian—backed militants. these pictures —

verified by the bbc — show the aftermath of friday's strikes in iraq. iraqi officials say that 16 people were killed and 25 injured in those strikes. iran has condemned the attacks as a... the un security council will meet on monday to discuss the us strikes, on the request of russia. for the latest — i spoke with our senior international correspondent orla guerin, who is in baghdad. we have seen the us and we have seen the us and uk we have seen the us and uk have we have seen the us and uk have launched the third round of strikes against houthi targets in yemen, what is the latest you can tell us it's been happening in the region? yes, third round — happening in the region? yes, third round of— happening in the region? yes, third round ofjoint _ happening in the region? yes, third round ofjoint strikes - happening in the region? 133 third round ofjoint strikes in the third round carried out over the next month or so and we have been told that the aim was self—defense, to prevent the houthis from carrying out attacks. in an earlier round of strikes have destroyed six

anti—ship missiles that the houthis were targeting nbc in the spring carried out and it hasn't so far been stopping the houthis from carrying out attacks and i think it is a sign of the times and of the instability in the middle east at the moment that we are talking about american strikes on targets in three countries of the past 2a hours and we have heard these joint strikes of the uk and the iranian backed in yemen and of course last night, we had to strikes by the us on 85 targets and iranian backed militia here in iraq also in syria and part of america's response to the killing of three us service people last sunday and since then, the region has been counting the costs and the been

angry statements from the areas here in baghdad accusing america fuelling instability and condemnation from syria in tehran and interestingly, that's all, angry words but no action, no action taken by tehran and america is a careful last night not dated iranian soil and us last night not dated iranian soiland us air last night not dated iranian soil and us air strikes and we were told there would be more, it seems as if the fundamentals of not shifted in the americans are still signalling that they do not want a major escalation with iran and it seems like is still the same and do not want anything to get worse and so far, at least, we have not seen any major response by the iranian backed militias on the ground in iraq, they seemed for now, to be low. ) comes a time of retention in the region with israel's war on gaza, what you think the larger reactions could be in the region? i think

we have tojudge could be in the region? i think we have to judge this day by day and it's an indication of what a dangerous moment this is in the middle east and we cannot look beyond the next 2a hours and to some extent, looks like what america does next is the second wave of strikes in the second wave of strikes in the same kind of magnitude and i expect it will be, pretty much in line with what was expected in the region and bear in mind that america's signalled in advance that there will be retaliation there was plenty of time for senior iranian figures to get out of harms way and indeed for weapons and ammunition to be moved to safer locations and i think the white house is made its point without inflicting a massive military loss of the iranian backed militias and it seems provoking any kind of major response from them, that

said, we may continue and probably will continue carrying out attacks on us spaces as they have been doing a more than 160 attacks since hamas attacked israel on october the 7th, leading to the israeli assault on gaza. and running through all of this now for the americans is the hope that there can be a diplomatic breakthrough coming from antony blinken�*s next trip to the region and his pushing hard to change and secure another cease—fire in gaza for one to two months which was in the grizzlies for the remaining israeli hostages and those remain alive under the release of a large number of palestinian prisoners from israeli jails. we do not know if they can secure that agreement but that is increasingly the focus in the white house because the belief is if they can be a cease—fire in gaza, it will take the fires

that are burning throughout the middle east now.— middle east now. thank you for our middle east now. thank you for your insight — live now to former senior directorfor middle east affairs at the white house national security council michael singh, who's now with the washington institute. i want to start with this fresh round of strikes against houthi targets to be seen, 36 targets do you think this will be effective integrated the houthis capabilities? i think desite houthis capabilities? i think despite the _ houthis capabilities? i think despite the us _ houthis capabilities? i think despite the us and - houthis capabilities? i think despite the us and british l houthis capabilities? i think. despite the us and british air strikes, the houthis have been able to maintain significant capabilities and will continue their attacks on red sea shipping and that's in large part due to the types of attacks that houthis amounting to not require an enormous amount of military capabilities that are using things that are mobile, like drones and missiles that can be moved from place to place and there's a

real challenge for the united states in the uk to eliminate the capabilities and the us and uk have not pursued the alternative which is to engage in a strike that is so tough and iranian targets that could they convince houthis to pull back. to they convince houthis to pull back. ., ., ., , back. to tour the houthis completely? _ back. to tour the houthis completely? inside - back. to tour the houthis i completely? inside yemen, back. to tour the houthis - completely? inside yemen, it would be _ completely? inside yemen, it would be difficult _ completely? inside yemen, it would be difficult to _ completely? inside yemen, it would be difficult to find - completely? inside yemen, it would be difficult to find such | would be difficult to find such a target and with the united states with the uk do not want to do, they do not want to reignite or get themselves involved more than they have to involved more than they have to in yemen and if you want to escalate further, take the next step and again horizontal escalation in looking at targets that can be supporting the houthis. at the same time. that we have seen the strikes

in iraq and syria, we see in the usa and sailor, this is just the beginning, deceive your pick involved what could be a long running operation in the region? i be a long running operation in the region?— be a long running operation in the region? i think that's what the region? i think that's what the white _ the region? i think that's what the white house _ the region? i think that's what the white house is _ the region? i think that's what the white house is trying - the region? i think that's what the white house is trying to i the white house is trying to avoid, the white house wants to retaliate because we did average american service members killed, does want to be dragged to a long way east or spark a regional war and they want to prevent and avoid and so what that means is you get this us retaliation that is relatively modest, drop want to downplay it because they did kill some militia members on the other side but it is not perhaps to stop the attacks or spark that confrontation were trying to avoid in its rather in the middle, as it were. tend to net is in the middle, as it were. tend to get is possible _ in the middle, as it were. tend

to get is possible to _ in the middle, as it were. tend to get is possible to deter - to get is possible to deter some of these iranian backed militias in iraq and syria that you appear to be operating with the premade in the go—ahead from iran itself? i the premade in the go-ahead from iran itself?— from iran itself? i think there are strong — from iran itself? i think there are strong with _ from iran itself? i think there are strong with the _ from iran itself? i think there are strong with the militias . are strong with the militias acting against the united states for what we have seen this it requires a much greater risk tolerance of the united states and so far the biden administration has been willing to show, whether it's the 2000s of the last administration, it's going after much more serious targets in the biden administration doesn't really want to take that risk and looking at the regional situation i think it's been more volatile and more fragile they were worry more about the consequences of taking on that kind of target but the consequence of that risk aversion means you get stuck in this tit—for—tat cycle that has no foreseeable end. find

this tit-for-tat cycle that has no foreseeable end.- no foreseeable end. and the volatility of _ no foreseeable end. and the volatility of the _ no foreseeable end. and the volatility of the region - no foreseeable end. and the volatility of the region with l volatility of the region with the israel gaza war, i want to ask about that as well because the secretary of state is heading towards the region again and how much do you think this increases the pressure tub facilitates and something that leads towards a cease—fire shall that pressure is already there and i think probably with there and i think probably with the administration is thinking of internally is that you're committed to this idea of retaliating to the united states that retaliation has been pretty measured, may be too measured in the eyes of some in washington but they think the real way to take the wind out of the sails of the houthis and syrian militias is to get some kind of intimate fighting in gaza release some long cease—fire and that is where he is going to devote most of his energy in other situations will talk about but the view gaza as the central

pillar of what is happening in the region. thank you so much. the rising tensions in the middle east of course, come against the backdrop of the israel—gaza war. the hamas—run health ministry says at least 27,238 palestinians have been killed since october the 7th. and 66,452 injured — by israeli strikes and military actions in the strip. the death toll has increased by 107 in the past day — with 165 injured. diplomatic efforts are ongoing to secure another deal— to allow for more humanitarian aid into gaza — and release remaining hostages. and on saturday, thousands gathered in israel — protesting against the government, and calling for it to do more to facilitate a deal to release the more than one hundred hostages still in captivity. relatives of the hostages and their supporters have been gathering almost daily in tel aviv. meanwhile in london, thousands of people joined the latest pro—palestinian protest. it was the first major demonstration in the uk capital — since the un's international

court ofjustice directed israel to take every measure possible to avoid genocide — while also ensuring humanitarian aid in gaza. now — it's been a historic day in belfast, where devolved government has been restored in northern ireland — and it has chosen its first irish nationalist leader. michelle 0'neill was elected first minister. her party, sinn fein, hopes to one day unite northern ireland with the republic of ireland. sinn fein became the biggest party during elections 2 years ago. it is also two years to the day that the assembly at stormont last met, after the main unionist party — the democratic unionists — walked out of the power—sharing agreement over post—brexit trading rules. 0ur political editor, chris mason, reports from belfast. good morning, stormont! stormont�*s back up and running today, we've been running the past two years. limbering up and under way — park runners here first thing, pounding around the stormont estate. and the politicians are back, too. whoo!

and it's notjust you guys rattling around here now. no, there's going to be a few others rattling around. so there's going to be quite a number in the house, i believe, today. but they're welcome tojoin the park run. good to see them back? erm... we'll see. to be confirmed, still. so you thought you'd run at stormont today because the politicians are back? yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. hopefully, a wee bit more conversation, going forward. arriving here not long later, today's headline—maker, michelle 0'neill, walking towards a place in northern ireland's history as the first nationalist first minister. the assembly is back, and now with a first minister who speaks in english and irish. she speaks irish today opens the door to a future, a shared future. i am honoured to stand here as first minister. michelle 0'neill pledged

that she would work for everyone in northern ireland. with all those colleagues of a british, of a unionist tradition who cherish the union, this is an assembly for all — catholic, protestant, and the centre. 0n northern ireland's violence murder, known as the troubles, a notable apology for all deaths. we must never forget all those who have died or been injured or theirfamilies. i am sorry for all the lives lost during the conflict, without exception. history can at once be national, however defined, and deeply personal. and this is an historic day. and it does represent a new dawn. for the very first time, a nationalist takes up the position of first minister. that such a day would ever come was unimaginable to my parents�* and grandparents�* generation.

northern ireland's first and deputy first ministers have equal legal powers, but sinn fein won more seats than the second—biggest party, the democratic unionists, at the last elections. so the dup take the deputy position. michelle is an irish republican and i am a very proud unionist. we will never agree on those issues, but what we can agree on is that cancer doesn't discriminate and our hospitals need fixed. there is widespread support here for the return of devolution, but it's not universal. some unionists think the dup should not have come back because some eu rules still apply in northern ireland. of all those attempts to spin defeat as victory, this is a climb—down of monumental proportions. the business of governing, deciding, scrutinising resumes again here. chris mason, bbc news, in belfast. let's turn to some important news around the world.

forest fires in chile have killed at least 46 people in the coastal tourist city of vina del mar, according to officials there. rescue teams have been deployed to affected areas throughout the valparaiso region. the fire has destroyed homes and cars, reaching urban areas. the extent of the destruction has not yet been measured according to the country's interior minister. police in paris are investigating a knife attack at a busy train station. police say three people were wounded saturday at the city's gare de lyon rail station. the suspected attacker was arrested, though a motive was not immediately clear. armed soldiers are now patrolling the station. mass demonstrations against the far—right afd party have taken place in towns and cities across germany for the third weekend in a row. in the biggest protest in berlin, an estimated one hundred and fifty thousand people rallied outside the german parliament building — the reichstag. that's fifty thousand more than organisers had expected. the rallies were in response to revelations afd leading figures participated in a meeting with extremists, where plans were discussed to deport people with non—german backgrounds. senegal�*s president macky sall announced he will postpone this month's

presidential election — because of a political dispute that erupted after many candidates were barred from standing. sall says he does not seek a third term — but some opposition candidates have condemned the move as a constitutional coup, and that they will challenge it in court. influential islamic clerics warn that postponing the vote risks destabilising senegal. american football's biggest night is just over a week away — the super bowl. with interest high in the approaching championship game, it's bringing back questions of safety in the sport. reports say that players in the nfl suffered 219 concussions during regular season and preseason practices and games — which is on par with the season before. that's down from 2015 and 2017 when the annual number reached 281 concussions. just this week the washington post released what it calls �*the concussion files', an examination into a 2015 settlement that promised compensation for players with dementia and their families. i spoke about the findings of the investigation,

and the wider problem facing impact sports, with neuroscientist chris nowinski. chris, want to ask you about the concussion files that the concussion settlement is routinely failing to deliver money to former players. what stood out to you from these findings. stood out to you from these findinus. ., ., ., , , findings. two ma'or problems, i didn't realise — findings. two major problems, i didn't realise the _ findings. two major problems, i didn't realise the lot _ findings. two major problems, i didn't realise the lot of - didn't realise the lot of people didn't realise that they're using a scale for dementia that has not been used before most doctors would consider for too before most doctors would considerfor too high for consider for too high for people considerfor too high for people and for those doctors diagnosing with dimension of severe problems are not being given the dementia settlement because of the art skills are using in point number two, they are letting the bureaucrats basically tell doctors they made a wrong diagnosis of the hundreds of cases being

rejected of long shot you didn't check for vitamin b deficiency in all these wacky things that doctors to check for it and therefore they say they don't deserve the dementia diagnosis because there might be another cause. it is in and injustice to former players and injustice to former players and 700 million attention should be in the hands of families who needed. players sufferin: families who needed. players suffering from _ families who needed. players suffering from dementia - families who needed. players suffering from dementia and| suffering from dementia and cte. and the end of the disputes the success of the washington spoke to him or wrong but why do you think this is happening? um? wrong but why do you think this is happening?— is happening? why this is happening _ is happening? why this is happening is _ is happening? why this is happening is pretty - is happening? why this is i happening is pretty standard that the nfl is looking for a clever ways to not pay out the money that these families deserve because even though it is a pittance to the nfl, couple billion dollars is a lot of money and part of the problem here is co—founding the

brain bank that is not shown that 14 brain bank that is not shown that 1a of the people who did applied to benefits had diagnosis with severe cte but the sediments that they did not have any problems and we know people with severe cte always have cognitive problem and often dementia. these people had dementia diagnosis, had been proven to have severe cte and did not get their payments is the most troubling part of this all. ~ ~ ., , , this all. we know this is being discussed _ this all. we know this is being discussed every _ this all. we know this is being discussed every single - discussed every single improvement and help in our teens are being called in the nfl and it's that they had in such? , , �* , nfl and it's that they had in such? ,, �*, ., ., such? yes but it's important to ut that such? yes but it's important to put that in _ such? yes but it's important to put that in context, _ such? yes but it's important to put that in context, illusion - put that in context, illusion of safety, the game is more ethical because their attempts to try to eliminate some of the worst hits and some of it is driven by the players association to a limited repetitive it's in practice but

because these plans are bigger, stronger and faster in none of these changes are being made at these changes are being made at the lower levels and that the plan is to get to the nfl, we will not see any changes in any long—term cte risk—based will return today, because of this, i think it's only going to get worse because we could say they're trying but they're not trying hard enough by any stretch of the imagination which is point to continue to see this problem until we take this far more seriously. we have seen _ this far more seriously. we have seen this _ this far more seriously. we have seen this in _ this far more seriously. we have seen this in sports like rugby and widely publicised to the potential of long—term impacts of its today had and we saw a news study above three british universities seeing their children, allowing children to play sports like rugby or boxing amounts to a form of child abuse. what you think of that characterisation? i understand why you are making it but the educational conversation and a youth football player in america

averages 378 blows to the head. each year. and we know that causes cte. if a parent had their own child and ed that many times they would go to jailfor the sign you many times they would go to jail for the sign you up for a programme where another child it's you that many times, we all cheer and ethically, there's something wrong there and it's important to ask these questions it's important to use this difficult aggressive language to sometimes get peoples attention because i'm a firm believer that we should stop eating kids and they had, we should not be giving children cte but that's where we are today and that is not where we should be.- where we should be. other --eole where we should be. other people watching _ where we should be. other people watching this - where we should be. other people watching this and l where we should be. other. people watching this and say look, these are impact sports to understand where you're getting into a specially talking about the nfl, these are adults, why do you think it is important to highlight what is important to highlight what is happening? this is important to highlight what is happening?— is important to highlight what is happening? this idea that we know what _ is happening? this idea that we know what we _ is happening? this idea that we know what we are _ is happening? this idea that we know what we are getting - is happening? this idea that we know what we are getting into i know what we are getting into is complete garbage because

everyone in the sports or signing up is a small child, shimkus five and once you're in the system, you're considered weak if you quit. it rewarded if you are good. i have nfl players calling me at the moment they wake up to all my god, the cte is a thing, i do not want to be doing this any more and i'm watching them quit quietly and multiple players in the understand cte, they're walking away from millions, thatis walking away from millions, that is really happening, the idea that we should have kids taking the same risks is insane and nobody knows what they're getting into until it's too late. �* , getting into until it's too late. �*, . , getting into until it's too late. �*, ., , ., late. it's cadaver insight on this. late. it's cadaver insight on this- -- — late. it's cadaver insight on this- -- it _ late. it's cadaver insight on this. -- it is— late. it's cadaver insight on this. -- it is great - late. it's cadaver insight on this. -- it is great to - late. it's cadaver insight on this. -- it is great to get i this. —— it is great to get your insight on this. some news to bring you from pakistan now, the former prime minister imran khan and his wife bushra bibi have each been sentenced to seven years in prison,

after a court declared their marriage illegal. the court was set up inside the adiala jail where mr khan is already serving sentences for other cases. the court also fined them each half a million pakistani rupees — that's about 11120 british pounds or about 1800 us dollars. the verdict declared their marriage was, quote, un—islamic and illegal. before we go, let's recap our top story. the us and uk have led fresh coalition strikes against the iran—backed houthis in yemen. according to us central command, 36 houthi targets have been struck. this is the third round of strikes, and involved support from australia, bahrain, denmark, canada, the netherlands and new zealand. the raids follow us strikes in syria and iraq on friday. 85 sites were hit in retaliation for the killing injordan of three american soldiers by iranian—backed militants. these pictures — verified by the bbc — show the aftermath of friday's strikes in iraq. iraqi officials say that 16 people were killed and 25 injured in those strikes. stay with us here on bbc news.

hello. cloudy, windy and mild pretty much covers sunday's weather forecast in most parts of the uk. we do have this wriggling weather front which will bring rainforsome, particularly in the western side of scotland. but with that front edging a little bit further northwards, it will introduce milder air for more of us. but with that extensive cloud cover, it will be quite misty and murky for some coasts and hills. a bit of rain across north—west england, parts of northern ireland, but more especially, this western side of scotland, the rain becoming heavy and persistent. eastern scotland with a bit of shelter from the winds, while here, we mayjust see a little bit of sunshine. but it is going to be a windy day for many of us. very windy in the far north. gusts of 60 miles per hour, for example, in shetland, where temperatures will only climb to four degrees. but elsewhere, further south, highs of 13 or 1a degrees — well above the average

for early—february. and then during sunday night, the rain keeps on coming in western scotland, hence this met office yellow weather warning. the wettest locations over higher ground could see 170 millimetres of rain. some snow mixing into the north of our weather front, where it engages some cold air. very mild, though, further south, as we start monday morning. through monday, we'll continue to see these outbreaks of heavy rain just waxing and waning across the north—west of scotland, with some snow across the far north. but to the south of that, it stays mild, it stays quite windy, it stays very cloudy, with some mist and murk and some spots of drizzle. temperatures up to around 13, maybe 1a degrees once again, but always colder to the north of our weather front. just two degrees there, in lerwick. and by tuesday, well, that frontal system looks set to push a little bit further southwards. so rain for northern ireland, northern england, perhaps into north wales. to the south of that, still

cloudy, a bit murky, very mild. to the north of our weather front, well, some sunny spells, a few wintry showers in the far north and something just a little bit chillier. now, this weather front just wriggles around through the middle part of the week. it will bring further outbreaks of rain. later in the week, it does look like these various frontal systems will eventually push southwards and that will allow some colder air to dig its way across more parts of the uk. it is going to take a while for that colder air to spread southwards, but it does look like, as we get through the end of the week and into the weekend, it will turn colder for all of us. yes, there'll be some rain, but for some, there may also be some snow.

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