at least 27 are killed as two explosions hit pakistan's baluchistan province — on the eve of the general election. israel continous its offensive in gaza as negotiations on a ceasefire continue. we will speak to a representative from the world food programme, who recently returned from gaza. ukraine has come under drone and missile attacks from russia — as the eu s chief diplomat, josep borrell, visits kyiv. we have teams with reports from the us about the opioid crisis. we look at some of the beautiful images from the �*wildlife photographer of the year�* competition — and talk to the organisers. sport and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, here's chetan.

hello from the bbc sport centre. hello i'm chetan pathak with your latest sports news — we start at afcon — the 34th edition of the africa cup of nations has reached the semi—final stage with both matches on wednesday. the hosts ivory coast play the democratic republic of congo — but before that it's the other heavyweights nigeria... who play south africa. and they've been given a massive boost with striker victor osimhen declared fit to play who had been a doubt with an abdominal problem. it's a rematch of the 2000 afcon semi—final which nigeria won and was the last time south africa reached the last four. this time their coach is hoping they can go one step further: i think for many people it was unexpected. but we did it, and that means that south africa became a good team. it's also more than 20 years ago that south africa played the semifinal, even more that we play the final. that means that

we've got a lot of motivation. meanwhile, ivory coast have never won the competition on home soil but expectations have risen after their improbable run to the last four. having scraped into the knockouts they then beat senegal on penalties, before finding a dramatic winner at the end of extra time against mali. later they'll face a dr congo side who'll wear black armbands for those recently affected by the conflict in the country. we will go to the stadium, maybe speak about that, but motivation. because all players know the importance of the game for us. also for the country. motivate, tomorrow is another game and we are ready for that.

in the afc asian cup, jordan will face the winner of wednesday's second semi—final between hosts qatar and three—time champions, iran. with around 30 minutes gone, it's curently one apiece. sardar azmoun gave iran the lead in the 4th minute before jassem gaber abdulsallam levelled for the hosts. qatar are hoping to become the first team since japan in 2004 to defend their title, while iran are looking to end a run of six semi—final defeats. two fa cup fourth round replays in engalnd tonight — manchester united will play the winner of nottingham forest against bristol city whilst mauricio pochettino�*s chelsea travel to aston villa. the chelsea boss is under increasing pressure with his team iith in the premier league after back to back defeats, but he's calling for a patience: the players have amazing quality,

but it takes time to build a team. that is the reality and a fancy to be patient. of course, we are going to find a way to succeed. we're four days out from super bowl 58 where the match up between the kansas city chiefs and the san francisco 49ers will pit two of the sport's best coaches in kyle shanahan and andy reid against one another. the a9ers�* shanahan has yet to taste victory in the super bowl... whereas reid has two championship rings to his name and is looking forward to the challenge his counterpart will pose. it's an honour to go against him. i think he is one of the top coaches in the national football league. this isn'tjust a one—year thing for andy, he's been doing this a while. i have a ten of respect for him. he is a great offensive, but grates on

the defence standpoint, and a greater head football coach. mast greater head football coach. most su er greater head football coach. most suer ole greater head football coach. most super pole build-up _ greater head football coach. most super pole build-up on _ greater head football coach. most super pole build—up on the bbc website, but that is your spot for now. now for more on the situation in gaza. while ceasefire negotiations are debated, the humanitarian crisis worsens. according to the hamas run health ministry, more than 27,500 people have been killed in gaza since the attacks on israel on october 7th. and with little aid getting in, the population faces severe shortages of food and healthcare. the world food programme says that more than half a million people — that's a quarter of gaza's population — are facing a high risk of starvation and death. live now to jerusalem, to speak to matthew hollingworth from the world food programme, who recently got back from gaza. thank you forjoining us on the programme, i know you just got back,

tells what you sow. dal programme, i know you 'ust got back, tells what you sow._ tells what you sow. daz is not a lace tells what you sow. daz is not a place today _ tells what you sow. daz is not a place today that _ tells what you sow. daz is not a place today that you _ tells what you sow. daz is not a place today that you would - tells what you sow. daz is not a - place today that you would recognise if you had visited prior to this particular war. 80% of the population is homeless, you've got vast numbers of people now displaced, 1.5 millionjust in rafah, the southernmost town. this is a country, an area of the country, with 2.2 million people live in an area of 140 square miles. people are packed, it's congested, desperate, and the war continues at pace. it's in fact getting a little bit worse day by day. fix, pace. it's in fact getting a little bit worse day by day.— pace. it's in fact getting a little bit worse day by day. a back to rafah, the _ bit worse day by day. a back to rafah, the secretary _ bit worse day by day. a back to rafah, the secretary general. bit worse day by day. a back to i rafah, the secretary general has just been referencing rafah in comments in the last 30 minutes, but in terms of the numbers ijust read out in the introduction, in this sense, it is slightly

incomprehensible to make sense of that. individual stories, incomprehensible to make sense of that. individualstories, have they stuck with that. individual stories, have they stuck with you that. individualstories, have they stuck with you in that. individual stories, have they stuck with you in terms that. individualstories, have they stuck with you in terms of that. individual stories, have they stuck with you in terms of what you've seen and heard? just yesterday. _ you've seen and heard? just yesterday. i _ you've seen and heard? just yesterday, i met _ you've seen and heard? jut yesterday, i met surgeons who have come to gaza from all around the world to dedicate a few weeks of their time to support people in life—saving surgery in hospitals. 0ne life—saving surgery in hospitals. one american palestinian surgeon told me he had completed 85 chest serve duties in a week, and is never done that anywhere else in his entire career. everybody you meet has a family member, friend, who have been killed or badly injured in the war. as i said, so many people made homeless. so many people made homeless and bewildered by the depth of deprivation they're now suffering. what they've lost, in

terms of their lives, livelihoods, homes and their members, so it is a desperate place right now. it's a public health crisis because sewage pipes have been destroyed, freshwater pipes have been destroyed, that's not enough clean water. hygiene is at a crisis level, with so many people packed into very small areas. with so many people packed into very smallareas. is with so many people packed into very small areas. is not a shelter, material, tense that people are living in makeshift shelters. it is dire. it's smelly, dusty and people just can't believe that it's continuing. everybody i have spoken to is just absolutely desperate for it to stop. at to is just absolutely desperate for it to sto -. �* ., it to stop. a twin thought, then, ou've it to stop. a twin thought, then, you've called — it to stop. a twin thought, then, you've called for _ it to stop. a twin thought, then, you've called for a _ it to stop. a twin thought, then, you've called for a ceasefire - it to stop. a twin thought, then, l you've called for a ceasefire many times. how difficult is it to work on the ground without one, and you share what has just been said in new york, it is alarming the reports

from the israeli military about their intention in rafah. figs from the israeli military about their intention in rafah. as far as crises go. — their intention in rafah. as far as crises go. this — their intention in rafah. as far as crises go, this isn't _ their intention in rafah. as far as crises go, this isn't a _ their intention in rafah. as far as crises go, this isn't a logistics - crises go, this isn't a logistics crisis, we can buy enough food and aid material, were in the middle of the mediterranean, we can get things into gaza if we are enabled to get things into gaza. the real difficulties are inside the district. coordinating through front getting meeting, very small deadlines to deliver. also working in a place where there is a complete vacuum of law and order. talking about individual stories, i met a headmaster, former headmaster of the school are no longer exists. he said it taps into. it's brutal, harsh and short. in terms of lifetime, and also survival of the fittest. law and order it's breaking down, all of that together means moving

materials, aid, life—saving assistance inside the strip is so incredibly complicated. a, assistance inside the strip is so incredibly complicated.- incredibly complicated. a quick . uestion incredibly complicated. a quick question about _ incredibly complicated. a quick question about unrwa, - incredibly complicated. a quick question about unrwa, it - incredibly complicated. a quick question about unrwa, it had| incredibly complicated. a quick. question about unrwa, it had a incredibly complicated. a quick- question about unrwa, it had a lot of its international funding suspended following serious allegations. do you think that should have happened without the detail evidence being put forward first, and what impact is it's having on the ground do you think, for the situation?— for the situation? certainly, as a secretary general _ for the situation? certainly, as a secretary general has _ for the situation? certainly, as a secretary general has said, - for the situation? certainly, as a secretary general has said, it i for the situation? certainly, as a| secretary general has said, it has to be a full, transparent open investigation of what happened, and make sure it can't happen again. absolutely. what happened on the 7th of october is heinous. however, andrew has existed for 75 years. there is an enormous dependency on an organisation that provides every acids of protection and changing and reforming overnight is now an

impossible without creating more suffering for people who are already suffering for people who are already suffering so much. i will call as to enable those investigations to take place, take them seriously, make sure it comes up with practical, workable recommendations, but don't do something that makes the people of gaza suffer even more than they are today. of gaza suffer even more than they are toda . ~ ., of gaza suffer even more than they are toda . a, ., ., are today. matthew hollingworth, aood of are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you _ are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you to — are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you to talk _ are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you to talk to _ are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you to talk to us - are today. matthew hollingworth, good of you to talk to us live - are today. matthew hollingworth, j good of you to talk to us live from jerusalem. the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, is fifty times stronger than heroin, and is responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the us last year. police in the us have told the bbc the public health crisis is comparable to a modern—day crack epidemic. will grant sent this special report and a warning this report contains some distressing images. there are no quiet nights for tijuana's fire brigade. called out to a local bar, there is no blaze here, but as some of the only available paramedics, they are tackling another

crisis, sweeping the city like wildfire — fentanyl. these two men, their lives fast slipping away, may not have even known they were taking it. cheap and highly addictive, mexico's drug cartels now cut it into recreational drugs like cocaine. the paramedics administer narcan, the most effective drug to reverse fenta nyl overdose. if, that is, it is not already too late. fenta nyl overdoses are now simply part of daily and nightly life in tijuana, part of the fabric of a city descending fast into the grip of full—blown drug epidemic. yet it is a crisis whose very existence has been denied by the country's president. having claimed mexico neither produces or consumes fentanyl, president lopez 0brador now says he will introduce a new law to make taking fentanyl illegal. people on tijuana's front lines fear that it's too little, too late. last year, the state forensics service found staggering one

in three bodies in the city's morgue contained fentanyl. this harm reduction and needle exchange says tijuana is awash with it. they tested four randomly selected syringes and vials and each one was positive for fenta nyl. translation: fentanyl exists. to suggest otherwise failed to recognise this reality. we have the evidence right here and in all the overdoses and deaths from fentanyl that we see, ignoring the problem won't solve it. 0n the contrary, people will keep dying. in the united states, the biggest illegal drug market in the world, fentanyl is now a nationwide crisis. coast to coast, border to border, us cities are increasingly in its vice—like grip. the drug claimed 70,000 lives in 2022 alone. not all victims were regular drug users. in el paso, in texas, elijah gonzales was 15, studious and sporty when he accidentally overdosed on one pill of

the widely available prescription drug xa nax. he had no idea that it was a counterfeit, fentanyl—laced pill from mexico. it was his first time experimenting with drugs with his best friend and his best friend's sister. within a year, all three had died the same way. three lives snuffed out by fentanyl. a lot of parents tell me, my son is in football, my son is in band, and my son is not in that crowd. neitherwas mine. and i had no idea, so i think it starts at home, it starts in the school system and just all the way around. are you angry at elijah? no. i'm not angry. i have never been angry, not even at the person who gave my son drugs. i forgave her. i am just angry that it happened to me. i am angry at the situation itself. el paso sits just over the borderfrom ciudad juarez,

one of mexico's most dangerous cities. injuarez, i met kevin, a 17—year—old drug trafficker and cartel hit man. he showed me how his gang uses tunnels to smuggle fentanyl across the us border. i asked kevin if he felt any remorse about the deaths of us teens like elijah. translation: no, it is all part of a chain. - it is like the guns. they send weapons south, we send fentanyl north. everyone is responsible for their own acts. back in tijuana, it took three doses of narcan but the paramedics brought one man back from the brink. his friend, however, died right there on the barroom floor. his mother arrived to devastating news. her son is another victim of this potent narcotic, his death a footnote in the polarised debate over the us—mexico border.

ukraine's president, volodymir zelensky, says large—scale russian drone and missile attacks have killed three people. the raids came as the eu s chief diplomat, josep borrell, was visiting kyiv. 0ur eastern european correspondent, sarah rainsford, has more details from kyiv. yes, i am outside the apartment block, one of the apartment blocks here in kyiv which was very badly damaged in this wave of missiles that was fired across ukraine. it's the worst missile attack that there has been for two weeks here. more than 60 missiles and drones fired and launched from russia and by russia across ukraine. two apartment blocks here in kyiv are very badly damaged. now, the onejust behind me here, there was a fire until very recently, big orange flames pouring out of the windows and lots and lots of black smoke. four people were killed here in their homes, and this was early this morning here in kyiv. the air raids started just before six o'clock.

lots of people were of course at home, asleep. people in this block have told me they were hiding in corridors or in their bathrooms, hoping that they would be a little safer there. what actually happened here was the ukrainian air defences intercepted the russian missile and then the pieces of that missile fell on this building, and people have been talking about a huge explosion, they said a very big bang and then the whole building shaking and lots and lots of glass, of course, being smashed and doors being blown out. terrifying for everybody who was involved. lots of people i have just been chatting to just standing around, looking, really, in disbelief, and very, very distraught by what has happened. so many of them have lost everything in this latest russian missile attack. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. bbc news bringing you different stories from across the uk. a couple from manchester with a special place in their hearts for cumbria. secondhome owners like howard

and mandy are due to get clobbered with a doubling of council tax from next april. we tried to put as much as we can into the community and to be involved in the local area when we're here. so we don'tjust come and sort of bring all our stuff and then go a short drive away, don says villages in the above derwent parish have seen a dramatic rise in second homes, and he thinks second home owners should pay more council tax. in this parish, we have a lot of holiday lets also and this is having a knock on effect of young people being able to afford a house to live in the area. cumberland council says the second home council tax premium would still raise £5 million, some of which could be used to tackle the housing crisis in beauty spots like this. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. now, a visual treat for you for the next few minutes —

the winning images in this year�*s wildlife photographer of the year�* have been made public. this stunning picture of a young polar bear sleeping on an iceberg, captured by british amateur photographer neema sarikani, was the people�*s choice among a roll—call of fabulous pictures. we go live now to the natural history museum�*s pauline robert, head of the wildlife photographer of the year programme. what a greatjob you�*ve got. this is an absolutely stunning image, isn�*t it? an absolutely stunning image, isn't it? ., an absolutely stunning image, isn't it? good afternoon, absolutely. what a stunnin: it? good afternoon, absolutely. what a stunning selection. _ it? good afternoon, absolutely. what a stunning selection. every _ it? good afternoon, absolutely. what a stunning selection. every year - a stunning selection. every year which is 25 images, thejury a stunning selection. every year which is 25 images, the jury chooses 25 images. that is then voted on by the public. this year, the selection was amazing as usual. the beauty of that polar bear, but the tenderness as well. the line could have been

groomed by two mothers, but also the turtle and the dragonfly. stiiiii groomed by two mothers, but also the turtle and the dragonfly.— turtle and the dragonfly. still on the screen _ turtle and the dragonfly. still on the screen is _ turtle and the dragonfly. still on the screen is the _ turtle and the dragonfly. still on the screen is the winning - turtle and the dragonfly. still on the screen is the winning image | turtle and the dragonfly. still on l the screen is the winning image of the screen is the winning image of the polar bear, as always with winning photography, tells a story. in this case, it�*s about climate change and habitat loss, isn�*t it? that is what the photographer says they were trying to portray here. absolutely. they didn�*t wait for quite a while, more than three days to find two polar bears and take that photo. it tells, also, the story of a rapidly changing world. 0ther story of a rapidly changing world. other than a population of polar bears in that region is stable, it is possible that with temperatures rising, this iconic animal will struggle in the future. j

rising, this iconic animal will struggle in the future. i would put on the screen, _ struggle in the future. i would put on the screen, the _ struggle in the future. i would put on the screen, the images - struggle in the future. i would put on the screen, the images you - on the screen, the images you referenced a moment or two ago. that�*s balkan turtle and the lioness is, i love that one on the rights of the screen, grooming a cab. tell briefly why you picked those two? the jury, briefly why you picked those two? thejury, the panel of international experts that gather every year to select those images, they look for unusual shots, select those images, they look for unusualshots, images select those images, they look for unusual shots, images that are unique, and also excellent photographs. that picture of the cab looking straight at you but also groomed by two mothers, that shared parenting moment is very moving. give me an idea ofjust how many pictures get sent in to you for a competition like this. as always, it must be tricky for a jury, because they are so different, some of them,

to try and work out which ones to highly commend, which want to actually win? jt highly commend, which want to actually win?— highly commend, which want to actually win? it is a very difficult 'ob. we actually win? it is a very difficult job. we received _ actually win? it is a very difficult job. we received for _ actually win? it is a very difficult job. we received for that - job. we received for that competition, nearly 50,000 entries from all around the world. the jury have the very difficultjob to choose 100 for the main competition, then another 25 for people�*s choice awards. they choose creativity, obviously, technical excellence as well, it has to be amazing photographs, but also the stories behind them. that�*s really important. that is why we have such a variety of amazing images. they are so unique from photographers all over the world. you are so unique from photographers all over the world.— over the world. you are exactly riaht, over the world. you are exactly right. we _ over the world. you are exactly right. we have _ over the world. you are exactly right, we have been _ over the world. you are exactly right, we have been showing i over the world. you are exactly right, we have been showing a| over the world. you are exactly i right, we have been showing a roll call of them as you�*ve been speaking. i�*m going to put another single image on come out of the northern lights, and i want you to

describe to us because you have here, the whole practical difficulty of photography on or around water. how did they pull off an image like this? jt�*s how did they pull off an image like this? �* , , , . this? it's very experienced photographer. _ this? it's very experienced photographer. it's - this? it's very experienced photographer. it's the - this? it's very experienced i photographer. it's the aurora photographer. it�*s the aurora borealis, and they have their own techniques. they had to work with long exposure, so it requires a lot of skill and very trained and experienced photographers to take this kind of photos. all of these photos these winners, highly commend it, they are on display at the natural history museum. how does it work, there it display like that gets physically taken around the world, or does it just exist where it is now and

available online for people to see more of these images? absolutely, the exhibition _ more of these images? absolutely, the exhibition in _ more of these images? absolutely, the exhibition in london _ more of these images? absolutely, the exhibition in london is - more of these images? absolutely, the exhibition in london is visible i the exhibition in london is visible until the 30th ofjune, but actually the images are also available online, and they go on tour all around the world every year. so they are seen by millions of people, and that�*s what book we would like to do. that's what book we would like to do. ~ �* ., ., ,., that's what book we would like to do. ~ �* ., ., ., ., ., do. we've got about a minute and a half left, do. we've got about a minute and a half left. less _ do. we've got about a minute and a half left, less cut _ do. we've got about a minute and a half left, less cut off _ do. we've got about a minute and a half left, less cut off the _ half left, less cut off the photographs. just tell me, the jury have sat, they have chosen, what did you like best? j have sat, they have chosen, what did you like best?— you like best? i had a favourite in the people's _ you like best? i had a favourite in the people's choice. _ you like best? i had a favourite in the people's choice. it _ you like best? i had a favourite in the people's choice. it was - you like best? i had a favourite in the people's choice. it was a - the people�*s choice. it was a species which is very rare, and ethiopian wolf, i don�*t know if you haveitin ethiopian wolf, i don�*t know if you have it in your selection and rotation. it is also the duty of the competition to raise awareness about a species that are not as known, and that might be suffering from human impact or habitat loss, or effect

from climate change. there are some beautiful, beautiful examples in the selection, whether it�*s people plasma choice or the main 100 winners in the competition. they all tell very important stories about the natural world. its beauty, as you�*ve seen from many of these images, but also its fragility and the fact we have a duty to look after this natural world that brings us such exquisite moments. pauline, ou're us such exquisite moments. pauline, you're absently _ us such exquisite moments. pauline, you're absently right _ us such exquisite moments. pauline, you're absently right about _ you�*re absently right about exquisite moments and photographs. you gave our poor director a bit of heart attack by cutting your personal favourites. heart attack by cutting your personalfavourites. he is trying heart attack by cutting your personal favourites. he is trying to go through his list to find it. thank you so much forjoining us. i�*m back with headlines in the programme in a moment.

hello. well, yes, there is some snow in the forecast, but it�*s not going to be particularly widespread. having said that, where it does fall, it could end up being quite heavy. 0n the one hand, we have mild weather and weather systems coming in from the south. 0n the other, colder air from the arctic is spreading into scotland right now. so it�*s a chilly, bright picture here through the rest of the day. some snow showers across the highlands, but still relatively mild with some damp weather across the south of the country. and here�*s that big low that�*s approaching us with its rain—bearing clouds. you can see all of that rain spreading towards the uk. so we�*ve got cold air in the north coming in from the arctic, milder air spreading in from the south. it�*s where these two air masses meet. well, that�*s where we�*re going to have that period of rain, sleet and snow, really icy conditions maybe in some areas from northern wales into the pennines. you can see how big that temperature contrast is as well. so from morning onwards it�*s

across the north of wales, mainly, around the pennines as well. there will be quite a broad area where we could have some rain, sleet and snow. sleet and snow in this area is certainly possible snow showers in scotland, but i think it�*s more likely to be heavy rain in the south of the country. so these are the lower risk yellow warnings from the met office and if we zoom into the amber warnings which have been issued. so this is for northern wales and also the pennines. well, i think broadly speaking, quite widespread, 10 to 15 centimetres of snow possible. but in some of the higher routes, the exposed higher elevations could be 20 to 25 centimeters. so really troublesome conditions i think in these areas. and then through the course of thursday, that rough weather, that wintry weather moves further northward. so that low pressure is still very much with us on friday. but i think the milder air wins and it spreads across the bulk of the country, some wintry

mess for sure, i think, across the highlands on friday. but if we have a look at the temperatures, you can see it�*s much too mild for snow by friday. it�*s nine degrees in liverpool, above average across the south of the country. and if you look at the outlook over the next few days, yes, briefly, i think turning cold across some parts of the uk, but on the whole it�*s still that west south—westerly. that�*s it for me. bye bye.

live from london. this is bbc news. at least 27 are killed as two explosions hit pakistan�*s

balochistan province on the eve of the general election. the crisis in dentistry in england as people queue for nhs appointments and the government sets out a new plan. the us secretary of state meets with israeli and palestinian leaders — the latest push for a ceasefire and hostage deal. 0n verify today, we have been looking at the government�*s claims that poor weather conditions had no impact on a fall in small boat crossings the channel. and three students have deciphered a two—thousand—year—old scroll using ai, unlocking mysteries of what the romans spent their time thinking about. hello, i�*m matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. two bombs have exploded in south—west pakistan —

just hours before polls open, for the general election tomorrow.