than a hundred palestinians were killed during an aid delivery in gaza. thousands of mourners defy the russian authorities to pay their respects to kremlin critic alexei navalny — at his funeral in moscow. as india prepares to head to the polls this month , we'll look at why prime minister narendra modi remains so popular with some. as india prepares to head to the polls this month , we'll look at why prime minister narendra modi remains so popular with some. could this be a eurovision winner? olly alexander unveils his song which is this year's uk entry. some breaking news to renewal, the metropolitan police have said three people have been injured after issue is in south london. officers were chasing a moped when a shotgun was fired from it, two people suffered shotgun pet injuries and work

treated in hospital, and a third was injured by the moped. none of the injuries are thought to be life—threatening, detectives are trying to trace the moped and its writers after the incident in the clapham area earlier this afternoon. severe weather has been hitting parts of asia over the last few days — afghanistan, northern pakistan and north western india have been hit by storms and heavy snowfall — temperatures are predicted to drop to minus 16 in kabul on sunday. according to local media, as a result of the recent extreme cold in some provinces of afghanistan, 15 people have died, and nearly 30 others have been injured. here to tell us more is our weather presenter chris fawkes. chris, that part of the world sees extreme weather sometimes, why is this significant now? look extreme weather sometimes, why is this significant now?— this significant now? look at the vulnerability _ this significant now? look at the vulnerability of _ this significant now? look at the vulnerability of the _ this significant now? look at the vulnerability of the population i this significant now? look at the vulnerability of the population isj vulnerability of the population is one of the factors, and of course afghanistan is going to struggle with cope with whether —— whether when with good cold weather like

this, this westerly cloud is bringing heavy rains at large parts of pakistan, afghanistan, heavy snow, 20—13 cm which is a lot, then the snow coming across north pakistan, west india, in the mountains there could be a metre of snow from that weather system. the indian authorities have issued a red whether it wanted for this and we talk about the risk of mounting passes getting blocks, lots of transport destruction in this part of the world and risk of avalanches and landslides as well, but it's not just the snow. in afghanistan, if we take a look at the temperatures, the blues you can see on this chart are temperature is below average, by the darker the blues, the more extreme the temperatures are and you can see afghanistan is right in the heart of this cold stop on sunday, in kabul, temperatures will start the day —16 celsius but out in the rural areas of afghanistan, you talk about —20

degrees and people don't have that much protection against a severe cold in this part of the world so we will see big impacts. so the risk of severe cold, heavy snow for afghanistan and i can sign up to a metre of snow which will cause problems in this part of the world. that is extreme. thank you, chris, or whether presenter. people in iran are voting in elections for a new parliament today... it's the first test of opinion there since a series of protests against the hardline islamic regime broke out in 2022, after the death of mahsa amini. turnout is expected to be low — many opponents of the country's authoritarian leadership say voting won't change anything. iran has been badly hit by international sanctions, an economic crisis, widespread hardship and violent unrest. earlier we spoke to our correspondent caroline davies it's been a fairly fascinating day here in tehran, to start, we went to one of the main polling stations and the international media and local media are invited to in central

tehran, and at that one station, they try to create a sense of celebratory spirit. we had someone handed out flowers outside the police station, saying it was a time for celebration, there was a newly married couple that arrived with the bright still dressed in whites, and most of ministers from iran that turned up to the centre as well, knowing there would be media there as well, and they were given and if —— interviews about this. amongst those, we spoke to people who brought their families who come along to vote and say they were determined to have their say in this election. many of them cited the fact that the supreme leader had seriously —— previously made comments encouraging them to come out and vote and that is something we've seen. the pre—port and suggested there would be a low turnout in these elections, and so we had had a concerted efforts by the authorities to encourage people to come out and vote. so that was one side of it, but on the other side we went to a different part of

tehran, we went to where people were doing their shopping ahead of the new year's holiday a couple of weeks' time, and there we could barely get anyone to stop and talk was about politics. the few people who did, did not want to go on camera and these talk to us about the fact that they were very concerned about the economy, about inflation here, and several of them told us as well that they weren't planning to vote because they didn't feel it was going to make much of a difference. the key difference here is going to be whether or not a large number of people are going to be in the first camp, feeling they are infused unwanted share their support for iran, or people who may be feeling disenfranchised and don't feel that their views are being heard and decided to stay at home. i know it's too early to settle what turnout is likely to be, but if it is low, what would that indicate? fix, is low, what would that indicate? few people have suggested that historically the turnout has indicated whether there is some form of legitimacy or the if there ——

iranian authorities. i spoke with someone today who said it shows the level to which people are engaged and believe the system, but if there is a low turnout, particularly for parliamentary elections, internal desire and for presidential elections it is 85% plus oma and pre—polling for the parliamentary elections are suggested and it may be around 40% or so, which is significantly lower. that would potentially indicate that maybe people don't feel quite as involved in the current system. maybe they don't feel that they are being listened to, but it is not clear or certain what to take away, and i would also say that the authorities there when we spoke to vice president earlier today about this, he suggested that there was a good turnout. we don't know the official figures yet, we won't so probably the earliest tomorrow. 2024 has been called the year of elections and other country going to

elections and other country going to elections is mexico. campaigning has now begun there for elections likely to produce the country's first female president. candidates will participate in rallies tonight, as the race heats up for thejune second vote. former mexico city mayor claudia sheinbaum, who is running under a coalition led by the leftist morena party, holds a comfortable 20 percentage point lead. her main opponent is xochitl galvez, also a woman, who launched her campaign in one of mexico's most dangerous states. galvez is hoping to tap into voter concerns about the country's high level of violence. earlier i spoke to our central america and cuba correspondent will grant, who is in mexico city. it set to be fascinated, and it is almost certain mexico would have its first woman president at the end of this process, and this is the starting pistol look for the next 90 days of campaigning. in three months, things might look a little

different but certainly claudia sheinbaum, the former mayor of mexico city, whose events i am at other moments, she hasn't yet spoken but supporters are arriving in their droves, is streets ahead and seems pretty confident of victory. she is an extension of the incumbent president and his popularity is certainly translates into a large extent to his preferred candidate, which is claudia sheinbaum. you mentioned her opponents, and that is very much been focused on fear. fear over the drug war, her campaign xochitl galvez, is for a mexico without fear, and we have to see over the coming weeks or months which of those messages sort of resonates most with the electorate. we have spoken a lot tonight about elections around the world. we heard from iran earlier, where there was not a great deal of engagement from people. how do mexicans feel western are they wanted to come out much do

they they can effect change in these elections? i they they can effect change in these elections? ~ , ., they they can effect change in these elections? ~' , ., ., elections? i think they are. you alwa s elections? i think they are. you always get _ elections? i think they are. you always get a — elections? i think they are. you always get a bit _ elections? i think they are. you always get a bit of _ elections? i think they are. you always get a bit of a _ elections? i think they are. you . always get a bit of a misconception at an event like this because it is so populated and loud, there's lots of music and excited people, but i think this will be an election that will get people not voting. the very fact that it would bring almost certainly the first woman president is historic, and i think people want to be part of that. supporters of the mud marina party will are dedicated to, i didn't want to see an extension of what the president because the fourth translation of mexico, which involves high social spending on things like pension and university grants, and see that continue under a future, what they hoped would be president claudia sheinbaum, so i think there will be an interesting and certainly quite high level of engagement.

still to come on the world today. over a billion people are now living with obesity , with rates for children and adolescents soaring across the world. and olly alexander is hoping he's got a hit on his hands. but will his new song dizzy put the eurovision song contest in a spin? we'll be taking a listen. around the world and across the uk. this is the world today on bbc news. bbc news bringing you different stories from across the uk. - this all terrain wheelchair has changed josh's life. 25 years ago was the last time i came up here when i used to be able to walk and i got this chair a year and a half ago and it was kind of all those childhood memories started coming back. this is what the chair is capable of doing, is giving people that freedom and independence that they lost because of the condition. although he's had a muscle—wasting condition since childhood, josh isn't a man who likes to take it easy. ijust knew snowdon would be a challenge and i knew that there was a route that was potentially accessible.

i saw another chap go up in a powered chair and i thought, "if he can do it, then i can". injune, he'll be racing to the top of mount snowdon against someone with the same condition. raising money to help buy more off road wheelchairs. not many people know these chairs exist, and this is part of the reason of kind of raising awareness that these chairs are out there. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. - you're live with bbc news in the coming months india will go to the polls, in what should be the largest democratic elections in the world. 1.37 billion people presently live in india. 968 million adult citizens will be eligible to vote for a new prime minister. it means 15 million election workers will be required to make it happen. india has a multiparty system with two major parties, the bjp and the indian national congress, dominating the national politics. as it gets closer,

the bbc is looking into the issues facing india, its people and its politics. our south asia correspondent, samira hussain, has been travelling across the nation ahead of the vote and has more now from delhi. any day now, india will call elections. a poll recently put prime minister narendra modi's popularity at 78%. so i set out to find out why, after ten years in office, he remains so popular in prime minister narendra in prime minister narendra modi's home constituency, courts have ruled that hindus can worship in the basement of the giant mosque built where they believe a 17th century temple once stood. a ruling welcomed by these women who see it only as a first step. translation: it's not | a mosque and a temple. it is ourjianguo temple

and we want to take our temple back. we want them to happily give us our temple back and they can go somewhere else, like in ayodhya. bringing the lord ram back to his birthplace in ayodhya, was an election promise made by the prime minister of a secular country. the temple sits where a 16th century mosque once was torn down by right wing hindu mobs. three decades earlier, influenced by a brand of hindu nationalism called hindutva. minorities are left fearfulfor their place in narendra modi's india. translation: i'm angry. i'm frustrated. there is pain, but there is also anger because we are not able to do anything. we have been praying there for 50

years, but we can't do anything to save it. i don't understand. is this the way our country will run? some at this local tea shop, though, don't understand why muslims feel excluded. why only muslims feel offended? since this country's inception, since people have known this country, since then it has been a hindu country. but only now has the word hindutva been coined. away from the politics of divide. i head to india's agricultural heartlands, where sanjay prajapati shows me his crops. he tells me he gets money and rations for free from the government. a great financial benefit for him. for mr modi, it means votes. i was a congress supporter, but then narendra modi came with his ideologies, his way of working, and the way he connects to the people on the ground. he understands people's way of thinking and what they want. now i vote for the bjp. everywhere voters go, his face is visible, plastered on billboards and even

covid vaccination certificates. and that energetic projection of himself and his embrace of hindu nationalism may have alarmed minorities, but will likely win mr modi a third term. political strategist prasha nt kishor, known as a political kingmaker in this country, has worked on campaigns for both the congress and bjp. so i asked him what is behind mr modi's enduring popularity? congress is a mass—based party with 100 year legacy. it's like an old building and so very difficult to maintain because of the way it is built. so and compared to that, bjp is a newly, newly structured villa. so they know things are more organised, in control, they know who does what. the accountabilities are better defined. there are less layers

and therefore less opportunity for anyone to manipulate. unless congress reincarnate itself, goes back to the drawing board, and get out of this mindset that these things can be fixed with the short—term corrections, i don't think there is great hope for congress in the near term. so why is it that so many people do vote in favour of mr modi? because he is the leader. he is representing a centre right, and he has built this political aura and cult around him, which is primarily based on four fundamental things. one is this hindutva ideology. second is this new narrative of neo—nationalism. india's arriving at the world stage. and the third is this direct delivery of services and benefits of the lot of schemes that used to be schemes run by governments, departments and different names are all now being presented and repackaged. some are newly done also.

aas the benefit coming directly from the prime minister. so every scheme has been pradhan mantri, rogerio pradhan mantri yojana. so everything. so everything coming not from the government, not from the department, not from any other person. it's all coming from three. and the fourth is this whole political electoral muscle which bjp has built over period. so these four things put together, put this together, which mr modi is the glue which binds all these four together. and that's why it is he is becoming so powerful. and so anyone who wants to take him on electorally has to work and better him or defeat him in at least two or three of these legs has to move. do you think congress can do that? yes. theoretically, they can do this provided they get their act together. if there is one party which has the space and opportunity to do this, it's congress, but not the congress under the present leadership. the congress we see under the present leadership, not the congress, which has organised itself the way they have done.

one has to realise that the decline of congress is not a short term phenomena. congress has not won india since 1984. after that, congress has been in government for 15 years. but all those governments were either coalition government or in minority government. congress has not been able to win post 1984. why? because there had been a structural problem in the way congress organises itself, the way it functions as an organisation, the way it reaches out to the public, the masses, the way it fights elections, the way they conduct and communicate. 968 million people will be eligible to vote in india's upcoming elections. and to pull that off, you need 15 million election workers. that is almost the combined population of london and new york. it is going to be a busy but exciting time for the world's

largest democracy when they set out to the polls in an election that matters not only to the people living in it, but elsewhere in the world. you can watch a special programme all about india's upcoming upcoming elections. �*this is india' is on the bbc news channel over the weekend, and you can watch it any time on the iplayer. dipping into this white house briefing and hear whatjohn terry has to say. figs briefing and hear what john terry has to say-— briefing and hear what john terry hasto sa . r ., ., has to say. as you heard from the resident has to say. as you heard from the president a _ has to say. as you heard from the president a bit _ has to say. as you heard from the president a bit ago _ has to say. as you heard from the president a bit ago the _ has to say. as you heard from the president a bit ago the two - has to say. as you heard from the | president a bit ago the two leaders will discuss shared challenges on a range of global challenges that include humanitarian assistance from palestinians as well as the aid to prevent regional estimation and release and protect international shipping in the red sea. the leaders will underscore their commitment to support ukraine as it defends against russian aggression, and the president would raise the efforts we are pursuing to seek supplemental

funding by powers. the president appreciates the leadership on all theseissues appreciates the leadership on all these issues and look forward to a good discussion. he was referring to gaza. . , ., good discussion. he was referring to gaza. . ., ~' good discussion. he was referring to gaza. ., i. ., ~ ., good discussion. he was referring to gaza. ., ., ~ ., ., good discussion. he was referring to gaza. ., ., ~' ., ., ,, gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that — gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that the _ gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that the airdrop _ gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that the airdrop aid - gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that the airdrop aid gets - gaza. can you talk about how the us ensures that the airdrop aid gets to l ensures that the airdrop aid gets to the people who needs it and up in the people who needs it and up in the hands — the people who needs it and up in the hands of hamas westmark i'm going _ the hands of hamas westmark i'm going to _ the hands of hamas westmark i'm going to ask that question. for some ou're going to ask that question. for some you're watching _ going to ask that question. for some you're watching bbc _ going to ask that question. for some you're watching bbc news. _ going to ask that question. for some you're watching bbc news. there - going to ask that question. for some | you're watching bbc news. there few things more competent than humanitarian assistance airjobs. humanitarian assistance air jobs. it's humanitarian assistance airjobs. it's tough to do because so many parameters have to be right. we are going to pursue this the week we would pursue any such operation. carefully stop we know we have to move with a sense of electricity, we are left to the need but we're going

to do this in concert with our jordanian partners in the planning will be robust on this. that said, i think, i don't think, i know, we will learn from the first air drops. it will be part of a sustained effort, it will not be one and done, there'll be additional air drops and executed, and with each one we will learn more and get better at them. it's very difficult for some it's extremely difficult to do and airdrop such a crowded environment as is gaza. very densely populated, lots of people confined to small places —— spaces, so you want to do it in a way to get as close as you consider people in need, but not in a way that puts them in any danger. so the pentagon would be doing a raft of planning on that but i want to stress that we fully expect that the third and fourth and fifth one,

won't the night of first and second, we will learn and try to improve. are you going to be more precise in the coming — are you going to be more precise in the coming disaster when the air drops _ the coming disaster when the air drops will— the coming disaster when the air drops will start? i the coming disaster when the air drops will start?— drops will start? i was sitting in cominu drops will start? i was sitting in coming days — drops will start? i was sitting in coming days as _ drops will start? i was sitting in coming days as a _ drops will start? i was sitting in coming days as a president - drops will start? i was sitting in l coming days as a president said, drops will start? i was sitting in i coming days as a president said, i don't have an exact delivery schedule for you, we are not within her own, the pentagon is recommended hard. ~ . . her own, the pentagon is recommended hard. ~ ., ., ., hard. what are the risks associated with an airdrop _ hard. what are the risks associated with an airdrop like _ hard. what are the risks associated with an airdrop like this? _ hard. what are the risks associated with an airdrop like this? the - with an airdrop like this? the bi est with an airdrop like this? the biggest risk _ with an airdrop like this? the biggest risk is _ with an airdrop like this? tie: biggest risk is making sure that nobody gets hurt underground. so you have to look at areas to drop that you know will be safe for people so that they don't become victims of the drop itself. when you'rejumping out of an aeroplane, again, it depends on what you're dropping. in this case, the first deliveries will be food. most likely the mras, the portable food the military uses. so you want to be up to get it in a place that is safe and nobody�*s getting hurt underground and then

you want to make sure that it is in a location that is also accessible to aid organisations to help distribute that food. you want to see as best you can, it may not be possible in gaza, as best you can a presence on the ground to help with distribution, so that the drop itself does not become a scene or site of insecurity and instability, people rushing in and getting hurt and try to get to it. and lastly, the big challenge is making sure it is physically any geographic location that is close to people that are most in need. there's an awful lot that goes into that and of course there's the whole air components in that. the weather and the winds and the need for the pilots on the aircraft to be safe as well. this is not like an area of humanitarian disaster such an earthquake or hurricane site, this is a war zone. so there's an unaided

element of potential danger to the pilots and aircraft, so if the factor that into.— pilots and aircraft, so if the factor that into. ., , ., ., ,, ., factor that into. can you talk about the timin: factor that into. can you talk about the timing of _ factor that into. can you talk about the timing of the _ factor that into. can you talk about the timing of the air— factor that into. can you talk about the timing of the air drops - factor that into. can you talk about the timing of the air drops and - factor that into. can you talk about j the timing of the air drops and why the timing of the air drops and why the us— the timing of the air drops and why the us hasn't considered... 0r hasn't — the us hasn't considered... 0r hasn't done one before now given the need for— hasn't done one before now given the need for aid _ hasn't done one before now given the need for aid is not new? we hasn't done one before now given the need for aid is not new?— need for aid is not new? we have been working _ need for aid is not new? we have been working on _ need for aid is not new? we have been working on the _ need for aid is not new? we have been working on the idea - need for aid is not new? we have been working on the idea of - need for aid is not new? we have been working on the idea of air. been working on the idea of air drops for a wild, the idea of thinking through that we need to do this, but again it's not the kind of thing you want to just do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully, and we've been doing that. certainly, the need is more acute care in recent weeks and we want to answer that. we had tried, and we said our train, to get the ground movement increased. that's another reason we are working so hard on this hostage field, because it would give us some breathing space to increase that level of stuff underground, but we have not been able to meet the need.

for all the world we have done to work with it is really increase the level, is not meeting the need. john kirb , the level, is not meeting the need. john kirby, the national— level, is not meeting the need. john kirby, the national security communications adviser talking about the us military amount which is going tojoin aid drops into gaza, so far it is only been thejordanian military doing it, but she has been talking about logistics and opening the maritime corridor for aid talking about logistics and opening the maritime corridorfor aid into gaza as well stop he said among the first deliveries of aid will be food, and he was being questioned there as you heard by some of the reporters in the room about the logistics of how all of this will work. much more to come on that, on the context with christine fraser, he will be here, but first let's get the weather. hello there. february in england and wales was the mildest on record, but the first day of march has brought something quite chilly. a lot of showers, too, for england and wales. and in norfolk, we had some hail in those showers as well.

and again, we've seen a bit more snow over some of the higher hills — here in derbyshire, a very slushy mix earlier on today. we've got cold air in place right the way across the uk. we're going to stay in cold air through the weekend as well. and with that cold air, we've got low pressure in charge, which is why we're seeing this wet weather with some winteryness over the hills. that weather front has been taking some rain and hail, snow across northern england. that's moving away, but heading its way into scotland overnight tonight. the same time, we'll see a northerly wind bringing showers into northern ireland and some wet weather developing in the south east of england, pushing into the midlands and other eastern parts of england. that could keep temperatures just above freezing. but it's touch and go. it will be a cold and frosty start for many, i think, on saturday morning, especially where we have the clearer skies. but through the weekend, we do stay in this cold air, and it's on saturday that will see most of the showers or longer spells of rain. drier picture on sunday, but more mist and fog around. and there will be some frosty mornings, as we've seen already. we've got this wetter weather on saturday across the south east of england, moving through east anglia, the midlands, up into northern england. also some wet weather and some hill

snow for northern parts of scotland. that northerly wind keeps those cold showers across northern ireland, wales in the southwest, the midlands and the south east of england should improve during the afternoon with some sunshine, but those temperatures aren't really improving from today. again, we're going to be around 7—8 degrees fairly widely. that low pressure is still with us. it's tending to drift northwards and weakening, hence something a bit drier. but this weather front is not far away. it looks like at the moment it's bringing rain through the north sea and up towards the northern isles. we're going to start with a bit more mist and fog, central, southern england, the midlands and northern england lifting and brightening up with some sunshine. a bit cloudy though, i think, for scotland and the odd shower out across these western areas. but many places will have a dry day, i think, on sunday with some light winds, hence the mist and fog. those temperatures still struggling to seven or eight degrees — below par for this time of the year. now, heading into next week, we start with a bit of rain around, particularly towards western areas. but crucially, it does become drier, but it also becomes less cold as well.

hello, i'm christian fraser. you're watching the context on bbc news. translation: the situation was unimaginably crazy. - if aid is going to come to us in this way, we don't want it. gazans dispensed upon the trucks, some began violently pushing and even tampling other gazans to death, looting the humanitarian supplies.

so desperate for food, i for fresh, for any supplies that they risk their lives - in getting any food, any supplies. no excuses, the truth is aid flowing to gaza is nowhere nearly enough. rishi sunak says there are forces in britain trying to tear the country apart. on the steps of downing st tonight the prime minister promised he would lead the fight against the poison that is dividing us. is he right? was the rochdale bi—election a free and fair election — or did it reflect the increasingly divisive nature of the political debate. we will get reaction to that. in spite of the threats in moscow an extraordinary turnout for the funeral of the opposition leader alexei navalny. and we will get reaction on news

this past hour that washington will air drop humanitarian aid into the gaza strip.