live from london, this is bbc news. a humanitarian sea corridor into gaza. should open on sunday. foreign secretary lord cameron says people are in desperate need. we need more aid to go in. in the last few days, we've averaged about 120 trucks of aid going in. we need more like 500 a day, not 120. the nigerian army is searching for more than 280 children abducted from their school by gunmen. a seven—year investigation finds the british army's top ira spy probably cost more lives during the northern ireland troubles than he saved. and police in north yorkshire found an 11—year—old boy behind the wheel when they pulled over a bmw x5 towing a suspected stolen caravan along a highway.

hello, i'm rajini vaidyanathan. welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories and checking out the truth behind them. the un has been warning that gaza faces famine, and that children there are dying from hunger. it says there have been "overwhelming obstacles" when it comes to getting aid into the territory. in the past few hours, a potential breakthrough — the uk says it willjoin the us and other allies to create a maritime corridor to deliver essential aid directly to gaza. ajoint statement from the uk, us, eu, cyprus and the united arab emirates said...

the plan is to establish a shipping route that would get aid from cyprus to gaza by sea, working with the un to facilitate, co—ordinate, monitor and verify the flow of aid. the statement said efforts will be closely co—ordinated with israel's government. initial shipments would arrive via cyprus, where israeli security inspections will take place. the maritime corridor announcement follows presidentjoe biden�*s announcement that the us military will set up a temporary port in gaza to allow more aid to be delivered to the territory. the british foreign secretary lord cameron has been speaking about this latest announcement. we've been involved in this maritime corridor from the start because what it's going to do is take aid from cyprus in the mediterranean and directly into gaza. what we've been doing is helping with the pre—screening of aid. so you check it in cyprus so it doesn't have to be rechecked when it arrives. that's important. we also had the royal auxiliary ship lyme bay delivering aid from cyprus

right at the start. but this new idea from the of united states, which were involved in building a temporary harbour in gaza, means that aid will be able to go directly from cyprus to gaza, but it's going to take time to build. so the crucial thing is today, the israelis must confirm that they'll open the port at ashdod, that is in israel, but that's a working port. it could take aid now that would increase the amount of aid. and that aid can then be driven into gaza. that would make a real difference. and we need to make a real difference right now. are you frustrated at how long it's taken to set this corridor up and overall at how aid is getting in to gaza? this is frustrating because we need more aid to go in. in the last few days, we've averaged about 120 trucks of aid going in. we need more like 500 a day, not 120. and we've repeatedly called on the israelis to change the things that need to be changed more openings into gaza, more un

staff inside gaza, able to transport the aid around gaza, making sure that they switch back on the water and electricity that goes from israel to gaza. these things will make a difference. and if we want to make a difference quickly, it is the number of trucks that go in that's most important and that we can measure, because at the moment, the humanitarian situation is dire with people who are going hungry, with people dying of disease, and with a shortage of food and medicine and all the things that people need. given these delays, does this just not show that there's not much hope of a ceasefire anytime soon? well, i think there is the chance of a ceasefire, but it requires hamas, who should have released the hostages, in my view, already. but it relies... it needs them to sign up to the deal that israel has agreed to release prisoners in theirjails in return for hostage release. hamas should sign that today, then we could have that pause for 45 days or maybe even longer, and use that pause to build momentum for a permanent, sustainable cease ceasefire without a return to fighting _ we all want to see this terrible fighting stop,

and that would be the best way to make it happen. but it is for hamas to make that decision, — and they should do that today. on a visit to cyprus, the head of the european commission ursula von der leyen said the new maritime corridor will begin operating very soon, hopefully by sunday. today, the republic of cyprus, the european commission, the united arab emirates and the united states, of course, supported by other critical partners, announced our intent to open the maritime corridor to deliver much—needed additional amounts of humanitarian assistance by sea. we are launching the cyprus maritime corridor together, cyprus, the european union, the united arab emirates, and the united states, and

it is your relentless work to get this corridor up and running, despite all the challenges, and this is truly inspiring. we are now very close to the opening of the corridor. hopefully this saturday, the sunday. and i'm very glad to see that an initial pilot operation will be launched today.— that an initial pilot operation will be launched today. ursula von der le en be launched today. ursula von der leyen there- _ this displaced gazan says that what the palestinians really need is an end to the violence and death. translation: instead of telling us l they will build a port to help us, l stop providing the weapons to throw at us. all these american weapons are killing our kids and killing us wherever we go. we don't need aid from them. we need them to stop the killing, stop the death. wherever we go, we find death. let's hear now from our correspondent tom bateman, who is in washington.

what we heard from president biden in his state of the union address last night was the establishment of this sea port, a floating port to be constructed by the us military off the coast of gaza. that would then be floated to shore and that would allow, you know, a very large amount of aid to be delivered. the problem being that nobody seems to know yet. once it gets onto the beach how it would be secured, and you're back into the same problems that security has collapsed around aid convoys, especially in the north of gaza. and that is the issue. it's about distribution. and also this thing is going to take up to two months, according to briefings from us officials, to be built. so we're not talking about that happening imminently. but the other thing now in the mix that we're hearing from david cameron, for example, is them urging the israelis to make more use of the port of ashdod in israel, which has an international container port. it is a 45—minute drive to the gaza fence from there. so they're putting pressure

on the israelis over that. but this has nothing to do with what president biden announced here last night. this has always been the case, and it's always been very political because, for example, the far right ultranationalist finance minister of israel, bezalel smotrich, had held up for several weeks a huge shipment of flour that the americans had paid for last month. they stopped that getting into gaza for domestic political reasons. he didn't want his political base seeing israel facilitating aid to palestinians in gaza. now, that dynamic remains, and that is going to be an issue. it is why the americans have said now that they believe there are no excuses as far as they're concerned, that are valid from the israelis for the problems distributing aid in gaza. the israelis, for their part, say they're allowing aid in, but it's not being distributed. they blame the united nations for that in what has become a very heated row.

so i'm not really sure that any of this solves the fundamental problem. and at the same time, you have the un warning that a quarter of the population of gaza is now on the brink of famine. let's speak to our correspondent wyre davis, who's injerusalem. some developments i wanted to ask you about to start with. our team here has been looking at a story which has also come into us from the newsagency, and that is that a medical gaza's largest hospital has said that a humanitarian air drop in the north of the territory has killed five people and wounded ten. the copy says the casualties were taken to hospital, and that has come from the emergency room at�*s head nurse. i appreciate that we are also trying to work on this at this end, but i wondered if there's any more you have at your end.—

you have at your end. yeah, there are certainly _ you have at your end. yeah, there are certainly unconfirmed - you have at your end. yeah, there are certainly unconfirmed reportsl are certainly unconfirmed reports that not surprising, because the british and jordanians have been dropping tonnes of food, trying to target them towards hospital compounds and open ground, which there's not much in gaza. so the fact that an airdrop might have missed its target or hit somebody in the scramble on the ground to reach these packages, because that is the other phenomenon you see, people rush towards the packages, irrespective of what might still be dropping from the sky. there are unconfirmed reports to the plan to bring air in by sea might be dramatic but it is a drop in the

oceanis dramatic but it is a drop in the ocean is compared to what is needed. the israelis say there is no limits to what can come through, but the aid agencies would contradict that,, being stocked off and turned around, and at least 500 trucks a day of mood and medical aid are clearly needed, particularly in the northern gaza, whether as risk of starvation, and agencies like oxfam have been very sceptical about this announcement today. it looks and sounds very dramatic, but you wonder how much aid can be brought in on one pretty small boat from cyprus men remember there's not even a harbour in the gaza for it to land, so this would have to be somehow, this aid on the spot, however much it is, will have to be got to the beach, then delivered securely to those who need it. so what of scepticism with this breakthrough news today. {bs scepticism with this breakthrough news today-—

news today. cbs is closer an eyewitness _ news today. cbs is closer an eyewitness and _ news today. cbs is closer an eyewitness and the - news today. cbs is closer an eyewitness and the health . news today. cbs is closer an - eyewitness and the health ministry in gaza saying that five people have been killed after a parachute failed to properly deploy and a parcel fell on them —— cbs has quoted. this happened in northern gaza. you talk about the challenges of getting aid to northern gaza, and i guess the question is, will any of these initiatives announced by the us, will any of that relieve some of the diet need that people particularly in the north of gaza are desperate for? —— the diet need —— dire. governments say that what is really needed, a trust would have allowed more need to be brought in over land, we have seen drumming children

dying from starvation, the israelis have welcomed this today. they have a duty under various conventions to make sure that aid gets in.- make sure that aid gets in. wyre, an more make sure that aid gets in. wyre, any more on _ make sure that aid gets in. wyre, any more on the _ make sure that aid gets in. wyre, any more on the talks _ make sure that aid gets in. wyre, any more on the talks that - make sure that aid gets in. wyre, any more on the talks that have l make sure that aid gets in. wyre, - any more on the talks that have been ongoing for a truce or some sort of ceasefire? . ., , ongoing for a truce or some sort of ceasefire?— ongoing for a truce or some sort of ceasefire? . ., , ., ., ., ceasefire? the hamas delegation have aareed ceasefire? the hamas delegation have a . reed to ceasefire? the hamas delegation have agreed to return. _ ceasefire? the hamas delegation have agreed to return, that _ ceasefire? the hamas delegation have agreed to return, that would _ agreed to return, that would allow... crucially, the bottom line is that would allow much more aid

in, but both sides in fact have got obstacles in the way of a potential agreement. joe biden would have liked to announce a ceasefire last night comments that he had to announce the building of a pontoon and a couple of months�* time. mere and a couple of months' time. wyre davis in jerusalem, _ and a couple of months' time. wyre davis in jerusalem, thank _ and a couple of months' time. wyre davis injerusalem, thank you very much for bringing us up to date. just to recap, we are hearing reports, the bbc�*s us partner cbs has quoted an eyewitness as well as cutting the hamas run health ministry, saying that five people have been killed after airdrops aid has fallen into the north of the territory. it says that parachutes did not deploy properly, and a parcel fell on them. the afp news agency has also quoted a medical official in gaza that people have been killed by an airdrop, the

incident was said to have happened incident was said to have happened in the northern gaza. social media footage shows aid being dropped from a cargo plane and a number of parachutes failing to open. we are working on verifying that footage. in one of the clips, aid parcels can be seen falling. we know that on thursday, aircraft from jordan, belgium, egypt, france and the netherlands carried out airdrops, in the mind of course of the dire need to get aid to people in gaza. we will bring you more much developing story as and when we get it. gunmen have kidnapped more than 200 school pupils in nigeria — it�*s the second mass kidnapping this week. in the north—east, the authorities are searching for at least 200 people kidnapped early this week by suspected

boko haram fighters. the victims are thought to be mostly women and children who lived in a camp in the town of gambaru — after fleeing their homes because of attacks by insurgents. and officials say more than 280 school students were abducted from in the north—western town of kuriga on thursday. pictures from the town show parents of the schoolchildren, calling for them to be found and returned. the pupils — who are aged between 8 and 15 — were in the assembly ground when dozens of gunmen arrived on motorbikes. here�*s the state governor. we have also sat down with the parents of those children that have been kidnapped. in doing that, we sent a strong message to the mothers, and we made it clear to them that one of the most important things for the government is to ensure

that we protect the lives and properties of our citizens. 0ur west africa correspondent, mayenijones, updated us on the story, from maiduguri. see that they are throwing everything at trying to find these children that were abducted just 2a hours ago. they were sitting in their morning assembly on thursday morning when armed men rolled into their school compound. now it�*s two schools a primary and secondary school, right side by side, just separated by a line of trees. and apparently the assailants rounded up these children and took them into a nearby forest. some of them managed to escape, as well as some of the teachers. they say that they then tried to get local militias, vigilante groups, to go after the children. unfortunately, they were unsuccessful and one of the community members that went after them was killed. we�*ve also now gotten news that a teenager that was a pupil at the school was also killed in kaduna in northwestern nigeria.

the area where it happens is dominated by a group called ansaru. it�*s a fraction, a splinter group of boko haram. and here in the northeast, some of the women who were taken, who were able to make their way back to this camp for internally displaced people, said that it was boko haram fighters that had taken the dozens of women or children that went missing late last week. they were out gathering firewood by their camp when they disappeared. next month is going to be ten years since there�*s 276 girls were taken from their dormitory, from their school in chibok. and it�*s interesting that as the anniversary is looming closer, we�*re seeing a resurgence in these kind of mass kidnappings, because i think it has to be said they hadn�*t really happened a lot in the last couple of years. the last big one like this was in 2021. although nigerians were still being kidnapped, they were in much smaller numbers. and so it�*s interesting that as the chibok anniversary

is coming by, we�*re seeing a resurgence in this kind of attack which always brings so much publicity to boko haram. some breaking news from the united states. it pertains to one of the cases involving donald trump. you may remember that a jury injanuary found mrtrump may remember that a jury injanuary found mr trump owed a former columnist millions of dollars in the definition after he denied he had sexually assaulted her. today, the development is that mr trump has posted a $91.63 million bond were to court in new york, and more crucially, he has formally filed his notice of appeal in the case. he has requested a pause in executing the judgment pending the appeal. so mr trump has now until monday to secure and post a bond with the court. this is after a judge on thursday denied his request to have more time. he now has until monday. the jury found

mr trump owed the former columnist that money after defamation. in the breaking news is that donald trump will formally file a notice of appeal. he has requested a pause in excusing thejudgment appeal. he has requested a pause in excusing the judgment there. the jury excusing the judgment there. the jury found last year that mr trump sexually assaulted the former magazine columnist in the mid—90s, but thejury magazine columnist in the mid—90s, but the jury found mr trump liable of defamation for lying about the assault in 2019, and so it was in january that he was ordered to pay her $83.3 million, and mr trump is meeting in viktor 0rban, the hungarian prime minister, in the mara largo today as well, in another

development, so a busy week for him, but we will have more on the latest on that visit by viktor 0rban, and indeed on thatjudgment from new york. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let�*s take a look at some of the other stories making the news here in the uk. mps are warning that the uk will be left increasingly reliant upon military allies because of a £29 billion financial black hole in defence spending. the influential public accounts committee warned the government lacked a "credible plan" to fund the ministry of defence. the chancellor says defence spending will rise to 2.5% of gdp when "economic conditions allow." the government�*s counter—extremism commissioner says london has become a "no—go zone for jews" during weekend pro—palestinian marches. robin simcox also urged ministers

to "be willing to accept higher legal risk" when tackling extremism. rishi sunak�*s spokesman said the prime minister took concerns of extremism "extremely seriously" and noted a rise in both anti—semitism and islamaphobia. new rules on paternity leave have come into effect in england, scotland and wales. fathers will be allowed to take their statutory two weeks leave in two separate chunks instead of in one go. campaign groups want all fathers to be given more time off work at better pay. you�*re live with bbc news. a report has found that a british army spy operating at the heart of the ira during the troubles in northern ireland probably cost more lives than he saved. 0peration kenova took seven years to examine the activities freddie scappaticci. the investigation cost nearly £40 million and the intelligence asset has been linked to multiple murders. sara girvin reports.

don�*t take any more photos of this house, i�*m telling you now. because if you, i'll come out and i'll- do you. - this is freddie scappaticci. his double life personified the so—called dirty war between the ira and the british state during the troubles in northern ireland. on one hand, he was the ira�*s chief interrogator, tasked with identifying informers inside the terrorist group, a role that saw him linked to numerous murders. 0n the other, he was himself a british agent codenamed sta keknife. the investigation into his action delivered the findings of its interim report today. while stakeknife was undoubtedly a valuable asset who provided intelligence about the ira at considerable risk to himself, claims that he was responsible for saving countless or hundreds of lives are hugely exaggerated. most importantly, these claims belie the fact that stakeknife was himself involved in very serious and wholly unjustifiable criminality whilst operating as an agent,

including murders. 32 people were considered for prosecution in connection with the agent stakeknife case, on charges that range from murder to misconduct in a public office. those questioned included ira members, former military personnel, including the agent�*s handlers, and a former police officer. but the public prosecution service says no—one will be charged due to what it calls insufficient evidence. that�*s a decision that has frustrated some. it might tell the relatives how their loved ones died, but that seems to be about the height of it. if no—one's going to be charged, then it's a whitewash. former ira members who knew scappaticci described him as a traitor. he was a disgusting human being. in any army, in any organisation, the person who gives away- the organisation's secret is a very, very unsavoury character, -

a character that no—one likes. those involved in intelligence gathering during the troubles say there was no other option. there�*s no perfect solution. and intelligence is far from perfect. but it was — in the circumstances, it�*s as good as it gets. i would say if this happened again, we�*d actually do precisely the same again. it would be intelligence—led and it would be, who are the people within these organisations who you can talk to to give you information to try and stop these organisations? 0peration kenova has investigated one of the murkiest periods of time in northern ireland�*s history. hong kong�*s legislature has debated a draft national security law that critics say would further reduce freedoms in the territory. the legislation would allow police

to detain suspects for up to 16 days without charge, up from 48 hours. critics say the new law would further squeeze basic rights, such as freedom of expression. the bill also proposes jail terms of up to three years for possessing what it calls a seditious publication. stay with us here on bbc news. hello there, good afternoon. today looking very similar to how it was yesterday, still a lot of cloud around for places but brighter now with some sunshine across the south of england, east anglia in particular, lots of blue skies here in norwich. and more sunny spells for western wales and north—west scotland, where it�*s set to continue through the rest of the day. but a brisk and chilly easterly wind blowing. for most of us, it will stay dry. low pressure along the south with milder air. chilly air across much of the uk and high pressure towards the north and the east. drawing in this wind still from the north sea. quite cloudy with spots of drizzle for areas of northeastern england and eastern scotland, but the cloud breaking up a little, and still in exposure to that brisk easterly wind, it�*s going to feel rather chilly.

more blustery winds towards the south—west of devon and cornwall and rain here too by the end of the day. temperatures ranging between 6 and 11 celsius. 0vernight, drawing in a lot more in the way of cloud, so not quite as cold as last night. these areas of rain pushing northwards across the south—west of england and into western wales by tomorrow. perhaps a touch of localised frost in the central glens of scotland, but for most of us, a frost—free night. low pressure towards the south and the west pushing further northwards through saturday, so none of this rain is likely to be particularly heavy but some spots at times across parts of wales, into northern england, northern ireland and heavier downpours across south—west england. lots of dry weather around too, the brisk easterly wind making it feel colder than these numbers suggest. rather windy again on sunday, keeping that easterly wind. a lot more in the way of rain on sunday, mostly across england,

wales, northern ireland. some rain pushing into southern scotland but scotland looking a lot drier on sunday, mother�*s day, temperatures once again 6—11 celsius. as we head into the start next week, not quite so windy, the winds easing down as low pressure pulls away. a lot of dry weather next week and we will start to draw in more south—westerly winds so temperature starting to rise through the week and feeling a little milder. bye— bye.

this is bbc news. the headlines: in his state of the union address, president biden makes an impassioned pitch for a second term, while taking swipes at his rival, donald trump. here�*s the simple truth. you can�*t love your country only when you win! cheering. the us has approved a bill, forcing tiktok�*s china—based company to sell the app or face a ban. and a shock for police pulling over to a suspected stolen car and caravan, they find an 11—year—old boy behind the wheel.

and coming up it�*s international women�*s day — a time