live from washington. this is bbc news. final preparations are under way for the first aid shipment by sea from cyprus — carrying vital supplies for gaza civilians, on the brink of famine. another mass kidnapping in nigeria — the third injust over a week. as the hunt for hundreds of missing students continues. and — the gloves are off in the us presidential race — asjoe biden and donald trump hold duelling rallies in georgia. hello, i'm carl nasman. a ship carrying much—needed food and medical supplies is preparing to set sailto gaza, from cyprus, is preparing to set sailto gaza, from cyprus, sail to gaza, from cyprus, the closest eu nation to gaza.

the spanish vessel hopes to use a newly opened shipping route to arrive in the next few days. but where it will arrive, is still up in the air. there is no functioning port in gaza, so its unclear where the boat will dock. the ship, called the open arms, will set off from the port of larnaca, our special correspondent quentin sommerville is there. it's taken an enormous effort to even get this far with this relief mission. but the real challenge will come as they get closer to gaza. it might take as long as 2—3 days for as long as 2—3 days closer to gaza. it might take as long as 2—3 days for them to make the 210 nautical miles from here in cyprus to gaza. but when they get there, they are arriving at a territory that has no functioning port so they have to off—load that aid, and in the north of gaza distributing aid, it's the most badly affected, most desperately in need part of gaza. distributing aid there is extremely difficult. all law and order has broken down

there, it's absolute chaos on there, it's absolute chaos on the ground, so they were also have to manage that. that will be a great success if they managed to open this first maritime aid quarter. there are others who say, in fact, maritime aid core and air drops by western governments are a sign of western failure because the list has been asking israel for months to send more trucks by land into gaza at the two crossing points in the south of gaza. it is the quickest and most effective way of getting aid into gaza, but still, israel refuses to budge. 100 or so trucks make it through a day, before the war it was 420 trucks. the need is much greater than that now. the british foreign secretary david cameron has been asking for 500 trucks, he's been asking for that for months, still israel has not been listening. so the situation in gaza tonight is desperate. people are going to sleep hungry, when they wake in the morning, in the north, they

are scavenging for food. they are scavenging for food. they are now having to make bread from animal feed are now having to make bread from animalfeed and are now having to make bread from animal feed and we've been hearing that children and the elderly are beginning to die from malnutrition. the adults are losing their hair, they are losing their teeth because they aren't getting enough food. gaza really is on the brink. the un says that famine there is almost inevitable. but while attempts to get more aid into gaza are progressing — talks of a ceasefire are not. the us hoped a ceasefire would be in place by the muslim holy month of ramadan, which starts on sunday. the head of israel's intelligence service accused hamas of hardening its position in ceasefire talks, saying hamas was planning to escalate tensions during ramadan. hamas has similarly blamed israel for a lack of progress in ceasefire negotations, which are expected to continue in cairo next week. i spoke earlier with former israeli defence forces spokesmanjonathan conricus about how humanitarian aid efforts are connected to efforts to stop violence. thank you so much for being here. i wanted to start with some of the remarks made by

presidentjoe biden in that state of the union address where he talks about the situation in gaza, take a listen. ., , listen. to israeli say this. humanitarian _ listen. to israeli say this. humanitarian assistance l listen. to israeli say this. - humanitarian assistance cannot be a _ humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration, or a _ be a secondary consideration, ora bargaining be a secondary consideration, or a bargaining chip. protecting and saving innocent lives _ protecting and saving innocent lives has — protecting and saving innocent lives has to be priority. and if we — lives has to be priority. and if we look _ lives has to be priority. and if we look to the future, the only— if we look to the future, the only real— if we look to the future, the only real solution to the situation is a two state solution over time. applause yeah, a lot in there, and we heard the president essentially warning israel against using aid as a bargaining chip. what's your response to what he said there?— said there? yeah, there were many very — said there? yeah, there were many very positive _ said there? yeah, there were many very positive things - said there? yeah, there were l many very positive things from my perspective said by the president, regarding up a specific statement, i think it is very much correct. humanitarian aid shouldn't and isn't used as bargaining. the only people who are bargaining humanitarian matters are hamas, for keeping israelis hostage for keeping israelis hostage for more than 154 days. and

they are the ones who on the humanitarian front are the cruel, the heartless and the terrorist. and i think that we will have to look forward, there are lots of people in gaza who probably are not affiliated with hamas and should get humanitarian assistance, it would have been great if these people would have been taken care of by the un facilities in gaza, un organisations in gaza, and put in humanitarian zones and provided their needs, that was a unrwa decided 3.5 — four months ago, not to do, not to provide that assistance and we are seeing it on the unfortunate consequences... we have spoken to many people from unrwa, many leaders of humanitarian aid organisations and what they've been telling the bbc as they simply cannot continue with those humanitarian missions. they are not able to access areas, not able to get supplies in and they say it's simply too dangerous. the security situation doesn't allow them to

do that. is israel doing enough to provide the conditions in order to actually deliver aid safely to those civilians that needed? , , , , needed? definitely, yes. i think israel— needed? definitely, yes. i think israel is _ needed? definitely, yes. i think israel is doing - needed? definitely, yes. i think israel is doing far. needed? definitely, yes. i| think israel is doing far and beyond what any military in fighting, in combat is doing, while there is a clear and imminent threat to israeli citizens and there are still israeli hostages held in gaza. israeli hostages held in gaza. israel is transferring humanitarian aid into the very same combat zone and i would like to say that unrwa is a complete and utter failure of their mandates, they have failed the palestinians, they have failed in their charter, they have failed the values of they have failed the values of the un, and they have failed their humanitarian mission and they arejust nothing their humanitarian mission and they are just nothing more but a front for hamas, doing hamas' dirty work and enabling the continued rule of hamas over the gaza strip. i continued rule of hamas over the gaza strip.— the gaza strip. i want to get to another— the gaza strip. i want to get to another part _ the gaza strip. i want to get to another part of _ the gaza strip. i want to get to another part of that - the gaza strip. i want to get to another part of that state j to another part of that state of the union address, and this got big applause in the room, president biden reiterating his support for a two state

solution. what you make of that and how much support is there in israel right now for a two state solution?— in israel right now for a two state solution? between slim and none- — state solution? between slim and none. in _ state solution? between slim and none. in the _ state solution? between slim and none. in the current - and none. in the current situation, because israel, we are looking at the posting is, i would say in a general sense, and asking who represents the palestinians and what are the main politics that represent palestinian sentiment? and according to polls done in palestinian territories, both in judea, palestinian territories, both injudea, samaria, and in gaza, if elections were held today, hamas would win a landslide victory by 86% in samaria, at about 70% in gaza. so the question that begs answering is, i agree that there should be a two state solution, but with whom? in palestinian, hamas would be the representative of the palestinians and i don't think thatis palestinians and i don't think that is a plausible situation

at all, just as it wouldn't be possible to negotiated two state solution with isis or with al-qaeda. this is the same type of people, the same organisations, the same type of religious extremism, and in fact talking with them, negotiating with them and rewarding them a prize for their atrocities of october the 7th, is not, ithink, anything really sick and i think it did is not going to happen as long as these are the sentiments of the palestinians, i do not think that that is a plausible situation. israelis want peace. different israeli prime ministers including right—wing prime ministers have offered palestinians extensive peace plans and they have sadly been rejected. i think the israelis will continue to aspire for peace, and to defend themselves... i peace, and to defend themselves. . .- peace, and to defend themselves... ., ., themselves... i want to make sure to ask — themselves... i want to make sure to ask you _ themselves... i want to make sure to ask you about - themselves... i want to make sure to ask you about the - sure to ask you about the cease—fire negotiations which have been going on, i'm sure you have been paying very close attention, it seems that they have broken down and we are not long away now from the start of ramadan. how optimistic are

you? because there had been goals to try and get a multi—day cease—fire in place before the holy month, how optimistic are you that that will happen no? i optimistic are you that that will happen no?— optimistic are you that that will happen no? i think hamas' lan will happen no? i think hamas' [an is will happen no? i think hamas' plan is working _ will happen no? i think hamas' plan is working out _ will happen no? i think hamas' plan is working out quite - plan is working out quite nicely and they are getting support and they are using the international committee and the us very cleverly. i think their plan all along was to bide time, spend time until the month of ramadan comes along, banking on or hoping that israel would not do major combat operations during that month, in fear of additional escalation in other parts of the middle east and religious extremism bubbling over into general violence in the area. and sadly, that plan appears to be have been working. according to all the information and indications that i have, hamas never wanted to release israeli hostages and a real hostage deal wasn't in the works. they were playing for time in order to get close to ramadan and then to try to derail israel

from continuing fighting, and they think that they are hoping hamas, that they will be able to wiggle their way out of the fighting here come out of the war and claim victory by existing and having some long—term unofficial cease—fire. i don't think it's going to have, i hope it's not going to have, i hope it's not going to have, i hope it's not going to happen and i hope that israel stays true to its mission which is to defend israeli civilians, to get the hostages home and to defeat the threat and the menace of hamas from gaza. threat and the menace of hamas from gaza-— threat and the menace of hamas from gaza. former spokesperson for the israeli _ from gaza. former spokesperson for the israeli defence _ from gaza. former spokesperson for the israeli defence forces, - for the israeli defence forces, thank you very much for your time. . ~ thank you very much for your time. ., ~' ,, thank you very much for your time. ., ~ i. ., ., there's been another mass kidnapping in nigeria — the third in just over a week. armed men abducted 15 students from their school in the northwestern state of sokoto in the early hours of saturday. four women were also taken. there is already a major search for almost 300 students who were abducted by armed men on thursday from the north west town of kerrigar in kaduna state. it's the biggest mass abduction

from a school since 2021.and and about 200 people were abducted in borno state on february 29.more than 4,700 people have been kidnapped since president bola tinubu came into power last may — that's according to one risk consultancy group. 0ur west africa correspondent mayenijones has more on this latest kidnapping. we don't know very much. all we know is that it happened very early this morning in an area called gada in sokoto in the north—west of nigeria. local members of the community told the bbc�*s hausa service that gunmen came into the town shooting into the air, they took a number of women, and as they were fleeing, they saw some students running into their dormitories and decided to abduct them too. this, obviously, is coming at a time of heightened tensions in the region. a search operation is under way to recover these almost 300 students that were taken from their school in kaduna on thursday. the military, the police and local hunters are combing the forest in the region trying

to recover the students. for more on the situation, i spoke to the director of global rights. abioden byaywu. her work focuses on security and governance in nigeria. we appreciate you being here on bbc, we are hearing more than 280 students kidnapped earlier this week, another incident on saturday morning involving about a dozen more students kidnapped. what more do we know at this point about the fate of these children and who might be responsible for these deductions? i responsible for these deductions?- responsible for these deductions? ~ . v deductions? i think that it's the numbers _ deductions? i think that it's the numbers that _ deductions? i think that it's the numbers that alarms i the numbers that alarms everyone at this point in time, but the kidnappings go on every day in nigeria, it's become a regular crime in nigeria and that's very disturbing. just last week we had more than 400 people kidnapped in the

north—east, idp�*s kidnapped by terrorists. there are lots of terrorists. there are lots of terrorist groups ravaging the north of nigeria come from the north—west to the north—east, and these kidnapped have gone on for a long time. the children that were kidnapped were elementary school and high school children in kaduna state. it is a christian community in a very, very divided state where the lines are divided between muslims and christians and so it's really troubling phenomenon that's going on there.— troubling phenomenon that's going on there. like students? the kidnappers _ going on there. like students? the kidnappers going - going on there. like students? the kidnappers going after - the kidnappers going after young people? are they trying to get a ransom or making a political statement, to get a ransom or making a politicalstatement, is to get a ransom or making a political statement, is this about terror, what is behind us? �* , ., �* about terror, what is behind us? , 4' ., us? because we don't know them, we don't know _ us? because we don't know them, we don't know their _ us? because we don't know them, we don't know their reasoning. - we don't know their reasoning. but then i think that the very easy ones that we can think about first of all is that it's

easier to kidnap school children because they are together, they are a mass group, they're constantly group, they�* re constantly together, group, they're constantly together, they are in unprotected spaces in school, all of the time, that makes them very easy targets. if your mother that she bought girls and other kidnappings —— chibok girls. we have many kidnapped in nigeria in the past ten years. the other is that because they are children, parents are more panicked and parents are more panicked and parents will be more willing to play pay ransoms. also because they are children, government is more pressured to act because they are a vulnerable group. the third reason why i

think students, they consider kidnappings students because they can kidnapped them en masse and make more money. you mention money. — masse and make more money. you mention money, this is almost becoming more of a business in nigeria, isn't it? it is becoming more of a business in nigeria, isn't it?— nigeria, isn't it? it is an industry _ nigeria, isn't it? it is an industry in _ nigeria, isn't it? it is an industry in nigeria, - industry in nigeria, unfortunately the government is doing very little to fix it. they have gone to the police who sometimes would advise them to pay the ransoms. now for the children were kidnapped in kaduna state, its children were kidnapped in kaduna state, it's interesting that even the government is talking about a negotiator and when the government begins to talk about a negotiator, most of the time we're talking about money exchanging hands or rather money being exchanged in return for the children. and that continues to be a very, very troublesome trend that has gone on in nigeria, so for the

non—mass could not cases, you hear the stories where people have to pay ransoms. taste hear the stories where people have to pay ransoms. we only have to pay ransoms. we only have a few — have to pay ransoms. we only have a few seconds _ have to pay ransoms. we only have a few seconds left, - have to pay ransoms. we only have a few seconds left, but l have a few seconds left, but it's almost been ten years to the day since the 300 girls kidnapped from that school in chibok, is there any hope ten years after this incident, because it became a worldwide incident. we because it became a worldwide incident. ~ ., ., ., because it became a worldwide incident. ., ., ., ., incident. we had a lot of initiatives _ incident. we had a lot of initiatives and _ incident. we had a lot of initiatives and a - incident. we had a lot of initiatives and a lot - incident. we had a lot of initiatives and a lot of. initiatives and a lot of funding went into that and it felt like a lot of money went into black holes. no, it spread from chibok as you've seen, to kaduna, in nigeria state across the country where you are having more mass kidnapped, other states as well. it's all over the country now. exercise to a dimension that is absolutely scary, it's a nightmare.—

absolutely scary, it's a niahtmare. . . ., nightmare. executive director of ulobal nightmare. executive director of global rights, _ nightmare. executive director of global rights, thank - nightmare. executive director of global rights, thank you i nightmare. executive director of global rights, thank you so j of global rights, thank you so much for your perspective. thank you for having me. with super tuesday in the books it looks as if a rematch for the us presidency between donald trump and joe biden is set. both candidates are in georgia today, holding head—to—head campaign events — kicking off their battle for the white house in what will likely be an eventful us general election season. president biden won georgia — a key swing state — by a small margin back in 2020. president biden delivered a fiery state of the union address on thursday. now his campaign is looking to capitalise on that momentum — a new ad out saturday gives a nod and a wink to what many voters see as biden's key weakness: his age. take a listen. look, i'm not a young guy. thrat's— look, i'm not a young guy. that's no— look, i'm not a young guy. that's no secret. but here's the — that's no secret. but here's the deai~ _ that's no secret. but here's the deat i_ that's no secret. but here's the deal. i understand how to -et the deal. i understand how to get things done for the american people. i believe the 'ob american people. i believe the joh of— american people. i believe the job of the _ american people. i believe the job of the present is to fight for you. _ job of the present is to fight for you, the american people, and that's— for you, the american people, and that's what i'm doing. i'm

joe biden— and that's what i'm doing. i'm joe biden and i approve this message. joe biden and i approve this message-— joe biden and i approve this messaue. ., ., ., ., message. can we do one more take? look, _ message. can we do one more take? look, i'm— message. can we do one more take? look, i'm very _ message. can we do one more take? look, i'm very young, i take? look, i'm very young, energetic— take? look, i'm very young, energetic and _ take? look, i'm very young, energetic and handsome, i take? look, i'm very young, i energetic and handsome, what the hell— energetic and handsome, what the hell am i energetic and handsome, what the hellam i doing energetic and handsome, what the hell am i doing this for? mr trump immediately responded with his own attack ad — making fun of mr biden's age, with footage of a number of falls and slip ups made byjoe biden during his time in office. mr trump is holding his own campaign rally in georgia, where he is facing charges of allegedly interfering with the 2020 election results in the state. let's go live to our washington correspondent gary 0'donoghue who's in georgia at the biden event. gary, that wrapped up about an hour ago or so, what was the reception like for the president, what with the energy like in the room especially after that fiery, energetic state of the union address that we saw? fit.

state of the union address that we saw? �* , , state of the union address that wesaw?m ,, ., we saw? a pretty small audience, _ we saw? a pretty small audience, actually, i we saw? a pretty small audience, actually, a i we saw? a pretty small- audience, actually, a couple hundred people, very enthusiastic as you could imagine, very controlled. we did have one interruption from a gaza protester that was pulled out yelling and the president didn't seem to be put off too much by that. he really hit a number of those points that he made on the state of the union address, and a maintaining of that energy level we saw on thursday. he was sort of punching it out today. we have eight months to go to till the general election, let's see if anybody can keep that up for that long. and also you know, the crucial thing here is georgia is the most marginable state last time around, 0.3%, he won it by less than 12,000 votes. we seen a bit of a dip in that support of african—american communities and there were a lot of reinforcements of the message of things that have been done,

things that will be done and also accusing donald trump of attempting to turn back race relations in this country. and therefore sort of trying to in a sense play that game against the former president who was just up the road, as he said, at about the same time, making at about the same time, making a speech and don't forget, mr trump is also claimed in the past that black voters, african—american voters will support him because they understand what it's like to be invited. �* , ., understand what it's like to be invited. �* , . . invited. and, gary, we heard a bit of that _ invited. and, gary, we heard a bit of that campaign _ invited. and, gary, we heard a bit of that campaign add i invited. and, gary, we heard a bit of that campaign add clip i bit of that campaign add clip there from president biden, he isjoking about his there from president biden, he is joking about his age but it goes on to really make a lot of policy differences, doesn't it, between himself and donald trump. how much is policy going to figure on the campaign trail? i5 to figure on the campaign trail? , . my to figure on the campaign trail? , ., ., to figure on the campaign trail? ., , �* trail? is a tricky one, isn't it, trail? is a tricky one, isn't it. because _ trail? is a tricky one, isn't it, because policy - trail? is a tricky one, isn't it, because policy is i trail? is a tricky one, isn't i it, because policy is colocated and people sort of switch off with policy, quite a lot of time and people focus on personality quite a lot and the

age issue is a big one. it's a real one. and that's why i think you've seen the biden campaign embrace it in some way and also tried to make light of it. ithink and also tried to make light of it. i think it's a much more serious issue for them than that, among voters, and certainly my experience the last couple of days people raising that issue without being asked about it. it's one of those messages from the other side that is hitting home, has hit home. so i think thatis home, has hit home. so i think that is a serious challenge, but what you're saying also from the biden campaign is sort of a new brand if you like of populism, his version of populism, his version of populism, particularly on the economic side, talking about the rich, talking about corporations, talking about inflation and things getting smaller for the inflation and things getting smallerfor the same inflation and things getting smaller for the same amount of money. and also talking about trying to target the working people for some help. so you know, it's a kind of populism as i say, it's certainly not a donald trump kind of populism but we may see this election

shaping intojust but we may see this election shaping into just a but we may see this election shaping intojust a personality struggle but also a battle of the populism's. at, struggle but also a battle of the populism's._ struggle but also a battle of the populism's. a battle you will be tracking _ the populism's. a battle you will be tracking closely i the populism's. a battle you will be tracking closely as i will be tracking closely as this campaign is reallyjust getting started. gary 0'donoghue, ourwashington correspondent in atlanta, thank you very much. sunday is oscars night here in the us. and the holocaust era film, the zone of interest, may make history by becoming the first uk production to win for best international feature at the academy awards in los angeles. the authorities at auschwitz, where the film is set, recently held a special screening at the former concentration camp to mark the official polish premiere of the movie. it was attended by our reporter tom brook. the 0scar nominated british film the zone of interest has become one of the most talked about movies of recent times. it has the feel of experimental cinema, an anthropological study of a man responsible for mass extermination, rudolf hertz, the commandant of the auschwitz concentration camp. it observes him, his family and their domestic routines. the film's dialogue

is in german, british film—maker jonathan glazer has won a slew of awards for the zone of interest since he unveiled his picture at the cannes film festival. now, it's a big contender in the oscars race with five nominations. so this is auschwitz. it's. ..unsettling. i've come to auschwitz to join the film—making team for a unique event, a screening of the film at the former concentration camp marking its official polish premiere. it's glazer's first film in ten years. a labour of love. he wanted authenticity. he wanted to shoot it here. i felt that the film had to be about and the, you know, i felt that very, very strongly to begin with.

but what really sets the director's film apart from standard holocaust movies is its point of view. the focus is not on those who suffered at auschwitz, but on the perpetrators. chief among them, rudolf hertz, the nazi commandant of the camp who lived with his family, a seemingly blissful life in a house adjacent to a concentration camp where more than a million people were being murdered. among the films, five oscar nominations is won among the films' five oscar nominations is won for its british sound designers. their craftsmanship really haunted me. when you hear the noises of hertz�*s children playing joyfully in the garden just back here, combined with the suffering coming out of these buildings, people in pain, gunfire, the juxtaposition of these sounds, it's truly horrifying.

but the director of the auschwitz—birkenau state museum, the zone of interest is a tool that can further understanding and help the horrors of the nazi era from being repeated. the role of this film, i think, is to to ask ourselves about what we are doing today, now, in order to to make our world more safe and more better, more safe and more better. more than anything else, the zone of interest is a triumph of cinema. there's an unblinking coldness to its observations that makes you acknowledge, rather frighteningly, that the perpetrators of the violence here in auschwitz weren't in certain key respects that different from you or me. that is the power of the film, and it's a picture that stimulates debate. it makes us ponder what could happen if, like the heartz family, we compartmentalise our lives and blissfully disconnect how then real horrors may flourish in our midst. tom brook, bbc news, auschwitz.

we will have special coverage tomorrow night of the academy awards — bringing you all the results and of course, the best looks from the red carpet. for now — stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. cloudy skies will remain a dominant feature with the weather story as we continue through the weekend. so mothering sunday, a rather grey start for many of us and there will be more in the way of rain around at times. now it really is quite a messy story, but we're still under this influence of low pressure, despite itjust sinking a little bit further south towards northern spain. the isobars open up, lighter winds across central and southern england. but this trailing weather front will introduce cloud and showery bits and pieces of rain. a relatively bright start across wales and south west england. but the rain will tend to drift its way westwards as we go through the afternoon. so sunny spells and a few

scattered showers, potentially, across cornwall, devon and parts of south wales. a line of more persistent rain moving its way slowly eastwards, cloudier skies remaining behind quite a lot eastwards, cloudier skies remaining behind. quite a lot of clouds to the east of the pennines, some showery outbreaks of rain moving into northern ireland and always along that east coast. it will stay cloudy, cool, breezy and wet at times. so that could have an impact once again on the feel of the weather — 6—8 degrees here. but further west where we may well see the best of the brightness, 11—12 celsius. now, as we move out of sunday into monday, that low pressure is going to drift its way over into central europe. the trailing weather front still producing quite a lot of cloud and a few bits and pieces of showery rain across parts of london and towards kent first thing on monday morning. so monday, again, a grey start. we've got this easterly feed continuing to push in cloud and maybe some outbreaks of light drizzle along exposed east coasts. so sheltered western areas

potentially seeing the best of any brighter weather. and that's where we'll see the best of the warmth. 10—11 degrees, always cooler on those exposed coasts where the cloud and the drizzle may remain all day. now, as we move through the middle part of the week, there is another weather front. but on the whole, a quieter story until we get to the end of the week where we could see weather fronts starting to push in from the west, but the wind direction will change to more of a southwesterly and we will tend to see it turning a little milder. so it is going to stay pretty messy throughout the week, a greater chance of seeing more persistent rain by the end of the working week, butjust that little bit milder.

this is bbc news. you will have the headlines for you at the top of the hour which is straight after this programme. i've been an opera fan for decades and i want to share my passion with you. so, i am on a mission to find out how opera is trying to attract new audiences and reinvent itself. this time, one of opera possibles greatest singers 80. happy birthday, becoming a global star to the british

royal family's favourite soprano.