at least 20 are killed as two explosions hit pakistan's baluchistan province a day before the country's general election. hundreds queued just to see a dentist in bristol. the government says it is taking steps to help patients in england. america's top diplomat meet israeli leaders as efforts to reach agreement on a new sea ceasefire continue. this stunning image by an amateur photographer of a young polar bear drifting to sleep on an iceberg. it takes the top spot in a major photography competition. we start with breaking news from pakistan. at least 20 people have been killed,

and dozens injured in two reported explosions in the pishin district of baluchistan, according to a local government official. one of the explosions happened in front of the party office of an independent candidate from the area. these pictures just in show the aftermath of one of the blast. these pictures just in show the aftermath of one of the blast. police are trying to determine the cause of the blast, and the injured are being transported to the nearest hospitals. no group has claimed it carried out the attack, which has come just a day before the pakistan general elections. these are some fresh images we are getting from baluchistan in pakistan, the aftermath of one of the two explosions which are now reported to have killed 20 people in pakistan. let's turn to the situation in the middle east. and diplomatic efforts to reach agreement on a new ceasefire between israel and hamas

in gaza are intensifying. america's top diplomat — secretary of state anthony blinken — will meet israeli and palestinian officials today. the talks in tel aviv and the west bank follow reports that hamas has reacted positively to a proposed deal. president biden said there was �*some movement'. mr blinken said it was possible and essential to come to an agreement. here's a little of what he said after his talks with the qatari prime minister in doha. we had meetings already on the strip in cairo, now today in doha, focused on ensuring as well that we can use any pause to continue to build our plans for the day after in gaza. security, humanitarian, reconstruction, governance, all bring real challenges with them, but that is exactly why we are and need to be focused on them now. we are also determined to use any pause to continue to pave a diplomatic path forward to a just and lasting peace and security for the region.

antony blinken speaking in doha there. meanwhile, israel's chief military spokesperson says 31 of the remaining hostages held in gaza are dead. rear admiral daniel hagari said theirfamilies had been informed. israel has previously said 136 hostages were held in gaza. the israeli government has faced growing pressure to make the release of the hostages its main priority. earlier, i spoke to our correspondent injerusalem nick beake about when an agreement might be reached. i think it is really hard to assess at what point we are in this process. forthe at what point we are in this process. for the past week hamas have been studying a framework of a deal and what happened last night was that they came forward with basically counter proposals although

a senior member of hamas told the bbc that in his way to put forward a positive vision for this sort of negotiation that is coming forward. what is interesting is the reuters news agency are reporting this morning they have seen a draft of hamas�*s latest plans and some of them are quite interesting, i think them are quite interesting, i think the caveat is it is a behind the scenes negotiations so sometimes information is leaked such an emphasis is put on a different part but for a particular aim, emphasis is put on a different part but fora particularaim, but writers are saying there are three parts to the hamas proposals two writers. and if they were to be put in place, a big if, there would be a considerable part in the fighting so apparently the talk is about 45 day initial phase during which the hostages taken by hamas on october the 7th, the women and children would be released, then another 45 day period during which other hostages were released, the men, and

then finally the bodies, the remains of other people who were taken would be released in that third stage. at the same time, hamas has put a figure on how many palestinian prisoners they want to be released from israel and the figure is 1500, of those 500 apparently have been given life sentences by israel. so clearly quite a lot for the israelis to accept and that is why president biden has said, in his words, hamas are probably asking a little bit too much so it is no means a simple process. much so it is no means a simple rocess. ,, . ., , ., ,, ., process. the secretary of state antony blinken _ process. the secretary of state antony blinken continues - process. the secretary of state antony blinken continues his i process. the secretary of state i antony blinken continues his visit in the middle east today and he is in the middle east today and he is in israel. what can we expect from his talks with israeli leaders? we know the his talks with israeli leaders? - know the number one priority for antony blinken is to get a ceasefire in gaza. also, he is talking about

what would happen after a lull in the fighting or other permanent, in his hope, end to the fighting and looking even further ahead, it seems a long way off, a two state solution, a palestinian state alongside israel. so he is talking to israeli politicians today and going to the west bank where he will meet seniorfigures air going to the west bank where he will meet senior figures air so is talking to both sides and the hope is that really constructive discussions will lead to something but i think to go back to where we started, it is hard to assess where we are at this point. the positive thing is that back in november there were some hostages released so we do have precedent that was set there but i think the main fundamental point here is that hamas are talking about a ceasefire which would involve the complete withdrawal of israeli troops from gaza. israel says that is simply not possible, that the mission is to destroy hamas

and they won't be moving out anytime soon so at the moment you have two very fundamental positions and so it seems all the movement and discussion will be on bridging those two positions and may be some sort of fudge in that short time which would mean a stop in the fighting which the people living in gaza are desperate for, the two million palestinians living in such a difficult situation and also the families of the hostages taken, they want to see them return as soon as possible. want to see them return as soon as ossible. �* , ., possible. let's return to the breaking — possible. let's return to the breaking news _ possible. let's return to the breaking news from - possible. let's return to the i breaking news from pakistan. possible. let's return to the - breaking news from pakistan. the death toll from two explosions in the baluchistan region rises, it has risen from 12 to 20 in the past hour and doesn't i've been injured in the two explosions in the pishin district of baluchistan. that is according to a local government official. 0ne according to a local government official. one of the explosions happened in front of the party office of an independent candidate

for the area. these pictures that we have received in the past few minute show the aftermath of one of the blasts. police are trying to determine what caused the explosions while the injured are being transported to the nearest hospitals. no group has claimed it is carried out the attack, which has come just one day before pakistan holds its general elections. for more of this, we can go live to islamabad and speak to the bbc reporter. what more can you tell us about these explosions in baluchistan?— about these explosions in baluchistan? ., ,., . baluchistan? right now the police have informed _ baluchistan? right now the police have informed us _ baluchistan? right now the police have informed us that _ baluchistan? right now the police have informed us that two - baluchistan? right now the police have informed us that two cities l baluchistan? right now the police| have informed us that two cities in baluchistan were targeted, one was pishin. an independent candidate in pishin. an independent candidate in pishin was targeted and another

party was targeted so both of them and both cities are passed to dominated areas and so far the suspicion among police if this may be the work of a militant group, most likely, but they have not named it. the suspicion is that a militant group may be behind it. itruiith it. the suspicion is that a militant group may be behind it. with these olitical group may be behind it. with these political headquarters _ group may be behind it. with these political headquarters being - political headquarters being targeted, you mentioned an independent party candidate's office and party offices in baluchistan, how is it likely to affect election campaigns but also the mood in the country ahead of thursday's vote? when such incidents have been happening for a while now so there are two different scenarios, for instance south—west of baluchistan, and this is north—west as well which are being targeted, so for the past few days we have been hearing especially since the middle of january about small—scale attacks

happening in southwest baluchistan are being claimed by the insurgent groups in that area. this one has actually caused a lot of casualties and the suspicion is basically it may be a militant group that has basically done that. there are two scenarios on two things that have happened before the election. it made not impact the election as such on election day because people are quite gung ho about the elections this time around and they are going for participating in the elections and casting their vote because even before in other areas, when such incidents have happened people have gone out. there is an overall dampener that people are not expected to come out in droves, but this is causing worry for a lot of people in that area. i this is causing worry for a lot of people in that area.— this is causing worry for a lot of people in that area. i want to ask ou people in that area. i want to ask you about — people in that area. i want to ask you about campaigns, _ people in that area. i want to ask you about campaigns, how - people in that area. i want to ask you about campaigns, how they l people in that area. i want to ask - you about campaigns, how they have been going because obviously here on the bbc we have been covering the

three sentences of imran khan over the past week. he is not standing in this election, he has been bad but what has the mood been in the lead up what has the mood been in the lead up to thursday's vote. 50 what has the mood been in the lead up to thursday's vote.— up to thursday's vote. so far ma'or olitical up to thursday's vote. so far ma'or political parties d up to thursday's vote. so far ma'or political parties such d up to thursday's vote. so far ma'or political parties such as i up to thursday's vote. so far major political parties such as pakistan i political parties such as pakistan people's party other parties are campaigning and their campaigns are being attended by a lot of people but when it comes to the pti, they are trying to contest, arrange a lot of campaigning on digital media, for instance are taken over a lot of social media platforms to convey imran khan's message. but there are a lot of internet should dance reported from different areas. to some extent there are major political parties who are interested in it, take the ones ijust name, the people's party, but when it comes to the pti, they believe their leader is not participating in the

elections and eight may not vote at all. . ~ , ., elections and eight may not vote at all. . ~' ,, �* �* elections and eight may not vote at all. . ~ “ h, ., all. thank you, the bbc in islamabad without update. _ all. thank you, the bbc in islamabad without update. we _ all. thank you, the bbc in islamabad without update. we will _ all. thank you, the bbc in islamabad without update. we will be _ all. thank you, the bbc in islamabad without update. we will be bringing. without update. we will be bringing you more updates throughout the day on bbc news. these are images we are getting from baluchistan province in pakistan where 20 people are believed to have killed in two explosions that happened there outside an independent party candidate's office as well as another political party. this is news coming from pakistan, two explosions ahead of thursday plasma collections in the country. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. england's patient safety commissioner has said that the families of children left disabled by an epilepsy drug and women injured by pelvic mesh implants should be given

urgent financial help. it follows a review which found lives had been ruined because concerns about some treatments were not listened to. ministers say they will consider and respond to the review. the government has dropped a commitment to increase the money disabled people in england can claim to adapt their homes. the disabled facilities grant is used to make home living easier by funding the installation of the likes of wet—rooms or stairlifts. the government said it had put an additional £100 million towards the grant over two years. 0ne one person has been left with minor injuries after a passenger train struck a large tree on the track and derailed. this is news coming in from norfolk. you are life with bbc news. take a look at these pictures.

filmed on tuesday showing a queue of people all lining up to see a dentist. at one stage the police were called to help control the crowd. campaigners in england sate dental care in the country is in crisis, with millions unable to get help on the nhs. the government is announcing new plans to improve access. those plans include offering top up payments for dentists to take on new nhs patients as well as bonuses to working under served areas. but health leaders say their measures don't go far enough. here is our health editor. a long queue outside a new dental practice in bristol. local people simply wanting to register as nhs patients. the opening following a public campaign after the previous site closed. the story was covered on bbc breakfast yesterday. the images illustrate the growing sense of frustration at the lack of nhs treatment in areas of the country which have been branded dental deserts.

a new government and nhs plan for england has been unveiled today. this will involve 2.5 million more appointments over 12 months and a new patient premium for dentists to treat around one million new patients who haven't seen a dentist for at least two years. nhs fees for dentists paid by the government will rise and around 240 dentists will be offered payments of up to £20,000 to work in under—served areas for up to three years. but the association representing dentists has said the plan doesn't go far enough to tackle the problems. we're not currently spending the money that's already allocated to dentistry and that's because many of my colleagues are finding it difficult to recruit dentists into their practices to deliver on the contract. so what we need is a contract that's attractive to the profession so that dentists on the high street can work within the nhs and see more patients. research by bbc news in 2022 found that nine out of ten dental

practices in the uk offering nhs care were not taking on any new adult patients for treatment. some patients were found to be driving hundreds of miles in search of treatment and even pulling out their own teeth. the research led to a parliamentary inquiry. mps' post bags are said to be full of correspondence on the issue. labour argues that the problems are down to 1a years of conservative neglect. hugh pym, bbc news. the health secretary victoria atkins explained that uk government plan plan. pm explained that uk government plan lan. �* ., ., ., explained that uk government plan -lan. �* ., ., ., i: i: explained that uk government plan jan, ~ ., ., ., z: z: ., explained that uk government plan jan, ~ ., ., ., :::: ., ., plan. an additional £200 million on to - . .. a plan. an additional £200 million on tep- -- a budget _ plan. an additional £200 million on top... a budget cut? _ plan. an additional £200 million on top... a budget cut? it _ plan. an additional £200 million on top... a budget cut? it is _ plan. an additional £200 million on top... a budget cut? it is rich - plan. an additional £200 million on top... a budget cut? it is rich for i top... a budget cut? it is rich for labour to be lecturing to us when their proposal will only provide 700,000 greek appointments. we want to turbo—charge this and we are offering 2.5 million appointments

with her long—term plan. offering 2.5 million appointments with her long-term plan. labour's shadow health _ with her long-term plan. labour's shadow health secretary - with her long-term plan. labour's shadow health secretary was - with her long-term plan. labour's. shadow health secretary was outside a dental practice in bristol this morning. it a dental practice in bristol this morninu. ., , a dental practice in bristol this morninu. , ., a dental practice in bristol this mornin.. . , , ., . morning. it has 'ust gone quarter ast morning. it has 'ust gone quarter past — morning. it hasjust gone quarter past seven, there _ morning. it hasjust gone quarter past seven, there is _ morning. it hasjust gone quarter past seven, there is already - morning. it hasjust gone quarter past seven, there is already a - morning. it hasjust gone quarter i past seven, there is already a crew of people —— queue. those people have been told the practice in enrolling new patients to labour people are still queueing already on a very cold morning because they are desperate. i have spoken to one woman who had to go private to get some emergency dental work, a bit of patching up with a temporary filling. she is desperate now to get into this nhs dentist because of the way she will be hit with a built or potentially thousands of pounds she can't afford. i spoke to another man waiting three years without a dentist and those images we have seen on our tv screens in recent days of people queueing around the block will resonate with millions of people across the country who are in exactly the same position after 1a years of conservative government,

and what the government has announced a day, much of which has been lifted from what labour has announced as an emergency dental rescue package, will go some way to plugging the immediate shortfall but what it doesn't do and what the dentist are crying out for is reform of the dentist contract so we can recruit and retain the nhs dentist we need and frankly if they are not doing it now after 1a years of conservative government, and they are saying we will do contract reform after the general election, why should anyone believe them when this was in their 2010 manifesto and we now see the consequences of 1a years of failure to get a grip on reform of nhs dentistry? that was labour's shadow _ reform of nhs dentistry? that was labour's shadow health _ reform of nhs dentistry? that was labour's shadow health secretary. for more on this we can go live now to westminster and our political correspondent. this is notjust a health story but a political one as well. how bad is the situation when

it comes to access to dentist in the uk and why are politicians now voicing concerns and offering options? voicing concerns and offering 0 tions? ~ , ., voicing concerns and offering otions? ~ , ., options? whenever there is a debate on this in the — options? whenever there is a debate on this in the house _ options? whenever there is a debate on this in the house of— options? whenever there is a debate on this in the house of commons - on this in the house of commons there are lots of mps who want to speak because they are getting it in the neck from their constituents when they are in there. this is why the government has come up with a series of plans today, the latest one talks about offering bonuses for dentist to relocate to dental deserts, offering other incentives to take on more patients and preventative measures. the idea of encouraging more younger children to brush their teeth, something labour are saying, that sounds like one of our ideas, to which the conservative say, ourapproach our ideas, to which the conservative say, our approach is different and labour have nanny state approach but ours will be much more targeted. so this speaks to an argument we are likely to hear more of today. at prime minister plasma questions. and

also the general election. it is interesting to that those pictures of those queues outside a bristol practice, there is a by—election just up the road from that in a seat that labour is hoping to take from the conservatives next week. plenty of ponds flying around from the liberal democrats, accusing the conservatives of allowing the dentist system to rot. to add another punt into the mix, the opposition party is quite happy to talk about what they believe speaking to a general sense of decay in public services but the current tory administration clearly believe they have got some plans here that are going to make a significant difference. are going to make a significant difference-— are going to make a significant difference. . ., ., difference. that reaction there from the opposition _ difference. that reaction there from the opposition parties _ difference. that reaction there from the opposition parties but _ difference. that reaction there from the opposition parties but how - difference. that reaction there from | the opposition parties but how about medical professionals? what do dentist make of the government

proposals? the dentist make of the government mammals?— proposals? the british dental association, _ proposals? the british dental association, as _ proposals? the british dental association, as you _ proposals? the british dental association, as you saw - proposals? the british dental association, as you saw in . proposals? the british dentall association, as you saw in that report, pointing out that actually this doesn't go far enough, there is a real issue in terms of recruitment and retention. they would like more money to go into the system. that is not an area on which their health secretary victoria atkins were struggling when she was on bbc breakfast this morning. there are been claims that the overall level of funding for dentistry is lower now than it was in 2014. she was pointing out that overall spending on the nhs is higher under this particular conservative administration but in many respects the tories have been on the back foot. this is an attempt for them to get onto the front foot with it. they have already reform the dental contract, i think those in the profession will want those reforms to go even further.— to go even further. thank you very much, to go even further. thank you very much. bbc's _ to go even further. thank you very much, bbc's political— to go even further. thank you very i much, bbc's political correspondence speaking to from westminster.

the prince of wales will return to public engagements today, for the first time since his father king charles' cancer diagnosis was revealed. the king is in sandringham in norfolk as he recovers from his first round of cancer treatment. prince william had taken some time off while his wife, kate, had abdominal surgery. he is now expected to carry out more duties whilst the king steps back from public engagements. earlier, i spoke to our royal correspondent, charlotte gallagher, from outside windsor castle. i asked her what prince william will be doing today.( sot tx) i asked her what prince william will be doing today. this morning is a location for prince william's first public engagement since the king plasma diagnosis and also since his wife underwent surgery. the location is spectacular windsor castle and there will be a ceremony for people to becoming mbes and 0b es which prince william recites over and later today he will be going to london and attending a gala dinnerfor london's

ambulance. he was an air ambulance pilot himself so it is a court important to him but a full day of work for prince william. what we are not expecting to see this week however is principally a meeting with his brother prince harry. prince harry flew into the uk yesterday to see his father after his father plasma diagnosis but we're not expecting any kind of reunion or meeting between the two brothers. at one point they seemed incredibly close but now they have had a strained relationship for the past couple of years. prince harry met with his father yesterday a clarence house and now the king flown to norfolk to the sandringham estate where he will rest and recuperate after his first round of cancer treatment and i think what we cancer treatment and i think what we can expect to see over the coming weeks is more senior royals like prince william, queen camilla, princess anne, prince edward stepping up and doing more of these public engagements by the king is treated for cancer. this is an

incredibly difficult time for the prince of wales because not only has his father being diagnosed with cancer and receiving treatment for cancer, but his wife is also recovering from surgery so you can imagine this is a difficult time for him. ., , imagine this is a difficult time for him. . , , . ., imagine this is a difficult time for him. m ., ., _ him. really difficult and obviously he is bein: him. really difficult and obviously he is being pulled _ him. really difficult and obviously he is being pulled in _ him. really difficult and obviously he is being pulled in many- him. really difficult and obviously i he is being pulled in many different directions at this point. his wife is recuperating at home in winter and he had three children with his wife and they need looking after. his wife need caring for. they do have staff but the prince will be wanting to look after his family and also his father has received a cancer diagnosis so we wants to be with his father, be close to his father and then there is also there is public engagements he needs to do, public events like today, the ceremony at windsor castle, across the uk he will be up and down giving engagements. we don't know, overseas trips that had been planned, whether prince william will have to step in or whether they will be postponed until the king feels well enough. so

for a lot of senior roles it will be a very busy few months. we for a lot of senior roles it will be a very busy few months. we have some breakin: a very busy few months. we have some breaking news — a very busy few months. we have some breaking news to _ a very busy few months. we have some breaking news to bring _ a very busy few months. we have some breaking news to bring you. _ a very busy few months. we have some breaking news to bring you. the - breaking news to bring you. the disgraced paedophile pop star gary glitter has lost a parole board bid to be freed from jail. breaking news that the disgraced paedophile pop star gary glitter is lost that parole bid to be freed from jail. the decision comes after a parole hearing took place behind closed bars last month to consider the 79—year—old's case. later, he was jailed for 16 years in 2015 for sexually abusing three schoolgirls between 1975 and 1980. his sentence expired in february 2031. you are watching bbc news.

hello. the weather is changing, getting colder and that will bring the risk of snow to some parts of the country. on tuesday the temperatures were 14 degrees, ahead of that weather front which is taking rain down into the english channel and following on from that, we have colder air moving down from the north and we are seeing wintry showers falling in scotland. could well be a covering of snow in many places, particularly in the north—west but a there is a danger of snow falling in the central belt of scotland early in the morning also. increasingly those wintry showers will be confined to northern scotland, the rest of scotland has sunny spells and northern ireland and much of england and wales although cloudy in the south, rain in the english channel not far from the south coast. here it will be colder on tuesday but it will be much less windy, typical temperatures of six or seven degrees. a chilly day and into the colder air, that weather front in the channel will be swept northwards by this big

area of low pressure. that is moving into the colder air and that will give us a risk of snow. these are the temperatures we have first thing on thursday morning. a frosty start in scotland and northern parts of england. in the south, a little milder, rain in southern parts of england and wales and into the midlands, wet weather moves northwards into cold air so we will find sleet and snow. we still have this yellow warning from the met office. the area has changed a bit so we are seeing less snow in the midlands and extending into northern ireland. while there is snow to low levels, it is mainly over the hills with significant hills over the higher hills bringing disruption. we have snow continuing into the evening across northern england, northern ireland and heading into southernmost parts

of scotland, a band of wet weather coming in before midnight. that will bring a mixture of rain, sleet and snow but we never remove that block of colder air in scotland so we will find snow developing more widely, away from the east coast, more snow in the northern pennines as well. cold easterly wind in scotland. furthersouth, milder, more likely to have rain which could be on the heavy side.

this is bbc news, the headlines. at least 20 are killed as two explosions hit pakistan's balochistan province one day before the country's general election. hundreds queue just to see a dentist in bristol. the government says it is taking steps to help patients in england. and in the last few minutes it has been confirmed that the disgraced paedophile popstar gary glitter has lost a parole board bid to be freed from jail. much has been reported on the damage caused to our seas and rivers by raw sewage leaks, but human waste is not the only problem, there is also chicken to which gets spread onto fields as

fertiliser and then washed into