as famine looms in gaza, the us has again dropped aid from the skies. news agencies have withdrawn an official photo of the princess of wales, saying it appears to have been manipulated. it's oscars night here in the us. we will bring you the big winners live from hollywood. hello. i'm carl nasman. the us has conducted new airdrops of humanitarian assistance into northern gaza. us central command says the joint operation withjordan delivered over 11,000 meal equivalents, rice, flour, pasta and canned food. it's part of the us's ongoing relief efforts there. but more aid is needed on the ground. the un warns that people are starving as israel continues to hit targets in gaza. a spanish charity ship carrying more vital supplies

is preparing to set sail for gaza along a new maritime aid corridor. it's been loaded with around 200 tonnes of food and medical supplies. but, without a working port, it's not clear yet where the ship will actually dock or how its cargo will be distributed inside gaza. 0ur middle east correspondent quentin sommerville is in the port city of larnaca in cyprus and sent us this report. it's a drop in the ocean of gaza's need, but this is the first direct aid shipment by sea about to leave cyprus. the spanish ship the open arms, seen here in larnaca port, getting ready to set sail. it has a long journey ahead of it. the barge has 200 tonnes of desperately needed essentials — rice, flour and pre—prepared meals. this has taken months in planning. the cargo was loaded all weekend. the final security clearances from israel came through in the last few hours.

well, we've done truckloads of food through the rafah crossing. we've done airdrops with thejordanian army. this is the next step into providing food aid into gaza. but this is only a small breakthrough. israel's offensive has led to a collapse in civil order. few aid organisations dare risk delivering to the north. gaza is on the brink of famine. world central kitchen, the us charity, provided the speeded up footage of preparations under way to build a pier to receive the aid. gaza has no functioning port. and israel will be watching. this aid will be allowed to pass says its defense minister. translation: we will bring the aid through a maritime l route that is coordinated with the us on the security and humanitarian side with the assistance of the emirates on the civil side and appropriate inspection in cyprus. we will bring goods imported by international organisations

with american assistance. at the operations centre here in cyprus, they're mapping its route. it would normally take 15 hours, but the vessels involved and the cargo means it could take as long as two days. so starting point is larnaca port, and the landing zone is somewhere in the gaza strip. the open arms is on a journey that should be unnecessary. all the food that the hungry of gaza need is right by their border in israel and egypt, but the politics of war keeps it from their grasp. quentin sommerville, bbc news, larnaca. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu says he will defy us president joe biden�*s warning about a ground invasion of gaza's southern city of rafah. mr biden said an invasion would be a �*red line' and escalate the conflict. in an interview with german media, netanyahu said, "we'll go there.

we're not going to leave. "you know, i have a red line. "you know what the red line is, "that october 7 doesn't happen again — never happens again." around half of gaza's 2.3 million people are sheltering in rafah. aid organisations say an attack there would result in widespread civilian casualties. mr netayahu's comments come on the eve of the muslim holy month of ramadan. israel has continued military operations in gaza and ceasefire talks appear to have stalled. 0ur senior international correspondent 0rla guerin has more. and a warning — her report contains images you may find distressing. from the skies over gaza, aid comes dropping. but so little, and so late. 0n the ground, a desperate rush. many come away empty handed. like this woman. "i'm taking care of orphans," she says. "i want to feed them."

and here, some of the most vulnerable, born prematurely into war and man—made hunger. staff say all the babies delivered at this hospital in rafah since december have been underweight. struggling from their first breaths as many mothers have struggled. dr ahmed al—shair says there has been no proper food for pregnant women for the past four months. no meat, milk, eggs, fruit or vegetables. barak is fighting to keep her children alive. she can't hide the bullet holes and she can't hide her despair. "i'm feeding my baby with water," she says, "just so she doesn't die.

"i shouldn't be giving her this at her age. "but i have nothing else." after five months of war, much of gaza is in ruins, and hunger is killing now as well as israeli missiles and bombs. this man was buried alive after an israeli air strike. palestinian civil defense prised him free. but they say nine people were killed here in this residential building, crushed as they slept — the fate of many palestinian civilians. in gaza, the muslim holy month of ramadan will be marked in the rubble, amid grief and burials and a looming famine.

whatever aid may trickle in by air or sea won't be enough, and won't stop the war. to talk about the aid situation on the ground, earlier, i wasjoined by hani almadhoun, unrwa usa's director of philanthropy. thank you for being here. i want to start with the news that canada and sweden are resuming theirfunding for unrwa, they dropped that pending some investigation into the group. i want to ask — what does that mean for operations on the ground? it means that the agency, the agency in gaza will be able to bring food in and medications at least purchase them and have them at the border, to be able to afford some of the staff so they could bring food in the table and offer their families. it's much appreciated with unrwa with usa, the agency that basing the us that supports the un agency and any dollar that goes

to unrwa now goes a long way, especially during these dire circumstances right now. we saw in our coverage, aid deliveries coming from the air, making their way by sea as well, the us planning to build this floating pier to help deliver aid, what do you make of those plans, how effective do you think that could be? those are great. any aid right now in gaza is welcome, but we have to remember that the aid that comes from air is highly cost ineffective, it's expensive and it takes you, like, ten planes to do a load of a truck or two trucks so it is not very practical also, you don't control where goes who receives them, the solution is really simple, there is four crosses into gaza and there is miles of aid in the desert to be allowed into gaza. somebody has to make that decision and bring in this aid and notjust keep it in the south, live in the south but also in the north.

there is about 17,000 unaccompanied kids now and gaza, there is also a thousand kids who lost a limb, so this is not something that anybody wants to see. we spoke on saturday with the former spokesperson of the defence forces. i asked him if israel is doing enough to create the conditions to get aid to the civilians who need it, i want to play a little bit of what he said and then love to get your reaction to it, he was a bit of that clip. 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 civilians, and there are still israeli hostages held in gaza, israel is transferring humanitarian aid into the very same combat zone. what's your assessment — is israel, in your mind, doing enough to ensure that supplies and aid get to those who need it in gaza? i wouldn't know how

to comment on that. i can assure you that my own family is starving right now in the northern gaza. you have family there now? yes. ramadan is tomorrow and they tell me that there were about what food they will have tomorrow. despite having some money, there is no food to buy and that's a sad ramadan for them. i do think the trucks are more effective otherwise able to do that, now we need the political will to make that happen, and hopefully, soon enough, my family and my neighbours will the food on their table. ramadan begins as soon. it doesn't look as if we are going to get a ceasefire agreement before then. what would continue military operations during the holy month mean for the humanitarian situation and aid efforts over the next few weeks? like you, i'm disappointed on the humanitarian ceasefire, this is going to be not really any win—win situation right now, a lot of people are going to suffer,

there will be a lot of hard feelings, not just in gaza, but also in the west bank and the al—aqsa compound. also around the region, there is a lot issue that people protest things and unfortunately, it's going to make it very difficult for folks in gaza and people around the world to observe ramadan to notice and watch and know they can't do nothing about it, this is month six and this is gone for too long. usa's director of philanthropy, thank you very much for coming in to speak with us. thank you, carl. several news agencies have withdrawn a photograph of the princess of wales and her three children, saying it appears to have been manipulated. this is the photo here, which was sent out by kensington palace on sunday. it's the first image of princess catherine since her surgery in january, and was taken by her husband, prince william. the associated press was the first to pull the image as it "did not meet" the agency's photo standards, noting an "inconsistency in the alignment of "princess charlotte's left hand." other major news agencies, reuters and afp, have also pulled the image. the palace has declined

to comment on the retraction of the photo by the news agencies. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. let's look at some stories making the news in the uk. a man and a woman have been arrested as part of a police investigation into complaints about three funeral homes in hull and beverley. humberside police had received concerns about the care of the deceased. police said the deceased had now been transported from one of legacy funeral directors�* branches to a hull mortuary. a cordon remains in place at all three premises. a man has been charged with murder in relation to a 38—year—old man who was found dead in his home. john belfield was wanted by police following an investigation into the death of thomas campbell in mossley in 2022. he was arrested last week at manchester airport after being deported from south america. the shadow chancellor rachel reeves has said labour will not be able to

"turn things around straight away" if elected. speaking to the bbc�*s sunday with laura kuenssberg, ms reeves said labour would inherit the worst economy since world war ii. the conservatives said labour "didn't have a plan" to pay for their policies. you're live with bbc news. former us president donald trump met friday with victor albarn, the prime minister of hungary, at trump's florida mansion. 0rban widely considered to be an autocratic leader whose actions have led to an erosion of democracy in hungary. 0ver several years, mr 0rban�*s government has moved to curb press freedoms in hungary, implementjudicial reforms that maintain the ruling fidesz party's hold on power, and has isolated hungary from the european union, aligning himself with russia's vladimir putin and china's xi jinping. and at that meeting, mr trump heaped praise on the hungarian prime minister. take a look at this video, shared to mr 0rban�*s instagram account.

we kept in touch, there's nobody that's better, smarter or better than viktor 0rban. as you know, the prime minister of hungary, he does a greatjob, he's a noncontroversial figure because he said, "this is the way it's going to be "and that's the end of it." he is the boss. on sunday, mr 0rban posted another video online, saying it is his hope that mr trump is elected back to the white house in november. earlier, i spoke with zsuzsanna szelenyi. she's an author, foreign policy expert and former hungarian mp. thank you for taking the time to speak with us. what do you make of this meeting between donald trump and viktor 0rban and what were

they trying to get out of it? the interesting thing the whole thing is that 0rban is the prime minister of hungary, but this was a private visit for campaigning presidential candidate donald trump. 0rban requested this visit from trump and he went to the us to see the heritage foundation and visit trump on his private property. he didn't see the government so he didn't meet anyone from the administration, which was obviously something not usual, and this is exactly something 0rban likes to do. so, it's a very interesting. for both hungary and europe and the united states. this year, they are having elections, the european elections, which will take place injune and the presidential election in the us

will be later this year so, both people, 0rban and trump, are campaigning, so this is obviously campaign event. it's important for 0rban because he is at odds with many other european leaders, the hungarian prime minister is rather isolated in europe, there is no european leaders coming to hungary for years. so, he really needs to show also to hungarians that he is an important person who is taking seriously and he can visit world leaders, even if it is not in europe, then elsewhere, and it's also a kind of provocation to the the european allies that he is building a special relationship that at least his intention, a special relationship with trump intentions, which he hopes to be elected as us president later this year. you are saying that viktor 0rban is a bit isolated in europe. that doesn't seem

to be the case here. he's getting a pretty welcome reception from american conservatives. donald trump himself said "there is nobody that's better, "smarter or better leader than viktor 0rban." why do you think the hungarian prime minister is such a star in conservative circles in the us? viktor 0rban is a star because he demonstrates an illiberal state and is in power in hungary with a supermajority for 13 years now, and he systematically has changed hungary to a new 21st—century and he could do this in the circles, in the framework of the european union so, this is mainly the positive sign viktor 0rban is selling his regime to the word and of course, this is not very welcomed in europe, in the european union. that is why he is so isolated

because this is against european democracy. so 0rban�*s opinion about this war is different from the majority of european states, which is very pro—ukrainian, and he tells himself as a piece — pro—peace politician diversely, but obviously this is hindering european politics. briefly, if you don't mind, president biden has been framing this year's us election as essentially having democracy itself at stake. as someone who is a former hungarian mp who knows someone like viktor 0rban very well, what do you make of president biden�*s statement essentially about donald trump? i think democracy is in quite a big trouble in most many western countries. united states is definitely one of them,

and this is because the elaborate positions, basically — which means that one party would take a state position as their own, which is actually happening in hungary, which 0rban calls "illiberal state", is something that is undermining the liberal democracy basics and values and 0rban�*s aim is to resent this as a mainstream accepted position are basically not only to challenge the liberal democracy state of the western world as a status quo. so, this is happening, this is a challenge for many of us and hungary is a small and compact and rather centralised country, originally centralised administration where it's actually very easy to do. author for foreign policy and former hungarian mp, thank you very much for your time. thank you very much for having me.

the 0scars are now finished and 0ppenheimer�*s domination of the awards season is complete. the historical drama was the big winner of the night, winning in seven categories, including best picture, best director for christopher nolan, and best actor for cillian murphy. another majorfilm to win big was poor things. emma stone won best actress for the second time for her role in the surreal fantasy. let's go live to our los angeles correspondent peter bowes, and tom brook, the host of talking movies. it is great to see you both. they've been following all the action from hollywood. it was a big night for 0ppenheimer. it has been a very big night for 0ppenheimer. it is always a big night, 0scar�*s day in hollywood. the event is over but the party is just beginning as you might be able to hear from the noise in the room behind us here at the hollywood roosevelt hotel. la isn't usually a big party down, but

0scar�*s night is the main exception, and maybe you can go to a party in a moment. let's talk about 0ppenheimer. it was always predicted to do well, always predicted to do well, always predicted to be the best picture, and so it was to be. i think it deserved to do well because if you look at it as a piece of cinema in technical terms everything about it was expert and christopher nolan is really devoted to cinema as an art form, he shoots on film, he really cares about the image. and the acting was pretty brilliant. i think particularly with— brilliant. i think particularly with cillian murphy, he gave the film _ with cillian murphy, he gave the film as oppenheimer, but i have _ the film as oppenheimer, but i have to — the film as oppenheimer, but i have to say i was hoping that barbie. — have to say i was hoping that barbie, which also had quite a few nominations, would have done — few nominations, would have done better. it went home with 'ust done better. it went home with just one — done better. it went home with just one trophy. everyone talks about _ just one trophy. everyone talks about this _ just one trophy. everyone talks about this whole barbenheimer thing. — about this whole barbenheimer thing, and i am sure the oscar's _ thing, and i am sure the oscar's telecast has been bruised _ oscar's telecast has been bruised by two very popular movies— bruised by two very popular movies were featured in the

contest _ movies were featured in the contest. but i did think that barbie _ contest. but i did think that barbie was a very intelligent film — barbie was a very intelligent film in — barbie was a very intelligent film in many ways, perhaps seen as a bit— film in many ways, perhaps seen as a bit lightweight, too much of a comedy to be embraced by the academy. of a comedy to be embraced by the academy-— of a comedy to be embraced by the academy. more than that, it was seen as _ the academy. more than that, it was seen as a — the academy. more than that, it was seen as a turning _ the academy. more than that, it was seen as a turning point - was seen as a turning point for hollywood and for the academy awards, that a film like barbie could generate so much interest. there was at one stage i actually thought it would actually pull it off, it could become the best picture. but as the rollercoaster event goesin but as the rollercoaster event goes in the weeks before oscar's, interest seemed to waning barbie. i oscar's, interest seemed to waning barbie.— oscar's, interest seemed to waning barbie. i think that is true. in many _ waning barbie. i think that is true. in many ways, - waning barbie. i think that is true. in many ways, you - waning barbie. i think that is l true. in many ways, you know waning barbie. i think that is - true. in many ways, you know as welt— true. in many ways, you know as welt as— true. in many ways, you know as welt as i_ true. in many ways, you know as welt as i do— true. in many ways, you know as well as i do that basically the oscars — well as i do that basically the oscars is _ well as i do that basically the oscar's is not necessarily about _ oscar's is not necessarily about rewarding excellence. it is a gigantic public relations exercise _ is a gigantic public relations exercise for everyone involved and i— exercise for everyone involved and i think academy members care _ and i think academy members care in— and i think academy members care in the way they are perceived and oppenheimer is the right— perceived and oppenheimer is the right film to embrace, it is grand _ the right film to embrace, it is grand cinema, epic and important. and these people, they— important. and these people, they are — important. and these people, they are voting for oppenheimer at their— they are voting for oppenheimer at their dayjobs are making the kind _

at their dayjobs are making the kind of mediocre films that come _ the kind of mediocre films that come out — the kind of mediocre films that come out of the studio. so they put their— come out of the studio. so they put their weight behind oppenheimer put theirweight behind oppenheimerand it put their weight behind oppenheimerand it makes put their weight behind oppenheimer and it makes them look good. i think the thing is that— look good. i think the thing is that the — look good. i think the thing is that the problem with barbie is, especially with greta gowan, _ is, especially with greta gowan, the director, getting snubbed _ gowan, the director, getting snubbedis gowan, the director, getting snubbed is that the director's branch— snubbed is that the director's branch make that decision, and they— branch make that decision, and they tend — branch make that decision, and they tend to go for films that are international and serious, and _ are international and serious, and you — are international and serious, and you see that barbie was not seen _ and you see that barbie was not seen in — and you see that barbie was not seen in that regard.— seen in that regard. there was a hue seen in that regard. there was a huge cast — seen in that regard. there was a huge cast in _ seen in that regard. there was a huge cast in the _ seen in that regard. there was a huge cast in the room - seen in that regard. there was a huge cast in the room whenl a huge cast in the room when emma stone was announced the winner of a best actor �*s, and it was always going to be one of the most competitive categories and wasn't it? emma stone, the _ categories and wasn't it? emma stone, the star, _ categories and wasn't it? emma stone, the star, the _ categories and wasn't it? emma stone, the star, the leading - stone, the star, the leading lady— stone, the star, the leading lady of— stone, the star, the leading lady of poor things. a lot of people _ lady of poor things. a lot of people thought lily gladstone was going to get that prize and that was— was going to get that prize and that was seen as potentially being — that was seen as potentially being historic because it would have _ being historic because it would have been the first time a native _ have been the first time a native american had won the best— native american had won the best actress. she has made history— best actress. she has made history books because she is the first— history books because she is the first native american actress— the first native american actress to be nominated, but,

yes, _ actress to be nominated, but, yes, i— actress to be nominated, but, yes, ithink— actress to be nominated, but, yes, i think people were surprised. if you are objective about— surprised. if you are objective about this, i do think that emma _ about this, i do think that emma stone overall gave a better— emma stone overall gave a better performance. she is an amazing — better performance. she is an amazing actress, isn't she? she is a great _ amazing actress, isn't she? she is a great actress. _ amazing actress, isn't she? she is a great actress. i _ amazing actress, isn't she? sue: is a great actress. i wonder what this tells us about the future of the oscars? a lot of people in the city had been hoping the huge amount of attention from barbenheimer, from that extraordinary weekend during last summer when these two very different movies did extraordinary business at the box office, it might in some way rub off on the oscars and the popularity of the oscars on the popularity of the oscars on the television audience. we have to wait _ the television audience. we have to wait until tomorrow to see what — have to wait until tomorrow to see what the ratings are but i think— see what the ratings are but i think the _ see what the ratings are but i think the academy is hoping that— think the academy is hoping that the _ think the academy is hoping that the result of these two films. — that the result of these two films, oppenheimerand barbie, films, oppenheimer and barbie, being _ films, oppenheimerand barbie, being in— films, oppenheimerand barbie, being in the mix, that they wiii— being in the mix, that they will be _ being in the mix, that they will be a _ being in the mix, that they will be a ratings boost. the stark— will be a ratings boost. the stark reality is that last year the oscar's telecast here in the oscar's telecast here in the us— the oscar's telecast here in the us got $20 million. the super— the us got $20 million. the super bowl a few weeks ago got $123 million. so people will

hate _ $123 million. so people will hate me for saying this but it is becoming a bit of a diminishing spectacle. maybe it will turn — diminishing spectacle. maybe it will turn around this year. you are talking _ will turn around this year. you are talking millions _ will turn around this year. you are talking millions of- will turn around this year. wm. are talking millions of viewers and dollars. the comparative audiences for these events. it is a lingering question. it is always a pleasure to work with you on oscar's night. all the best and we will probably see each other next year. i best and we will probably see each other next year.- each other next year. i look forward to _ each other next year. i look forward to it. _ each other next year. i look forward to it. it _ each other next year. i look forward to it. it is _ forward to it. it is fascinating, - forward to it. it is fascinating, the l forward to it. it is - fascinating, the debate forward to it. it is _ fascinating, the debate after the oscars, and i think ruth will be ringing with the chairs and the questions that hang over the oscars and this event's future in coming years. that is half the fun. we had our popcorn in the newsroom as we were watching the oscars. thank you as always for your coverage. we will let you head off to the parties. they are certainly dressed for it. stay with us here on bbc news.

hello there. march so far has been quieter, but colder, and the wind direction has played its part. we've seen an easterly wind so far, and in the last few days, it's brought a lot of cloud in off the north sea and temperatures struggled along those exposed coasts — only around 6 degrees. but the story is set to change as we go through the next few days. with the wind direction swinging round to a southwesterly, temperatures may well peak into the mid—teens, but there's still a chance of seeing a return to some showers or longer spells of rain. monday, however, will be a quieter story. this weakening weather front still producing cloud thick enough for some drizzle first thing monday morning. a lot of cloud and some fog around as well early on. some showery outbreaks of rain moving out to the far north of northern ireland into the far northwest of scotland. and still, the wind direction coming from an easterly. here, always that little bit

cooler, 8 or 9 degrees. but out to the west, with the best of any brightness, we could see temperatures peaking at 12 celsius. now, as we move into tuesday, this weather front could bring some showery outbreaks of rain into wales and southern england for a time. it's a really messy story on tuesday. there'll be outbreaks of rain drifting their way steadily east, there'll be further drizzle as well a little bit further north. but the far north of scotland could cling onto some sunshine. here, not quite as warm, around 6 to 8 degrees, but further south, we'll see temperatures peaking at 13 celsius. low pressure will sit to the north by the middle part of the week, and this trailing cold front will introduce the risk of more rain. but the southwesterly winds starting to pick up, the milder air moving in. so despite a lot of cloud around potentially on wednesday, there should be some breaks in the cloud. temperatures will start to rise — highs of 16 degrees. brighter with a few scattered showers

into the far north and west. so as we move into thursday and friday, weatherfronts will continue to bring the threat of showers or longer spells of rain, and some of the showers could be heavy and thundery, but the wind direction will continue to push this milder air across the country, so temperatures on the rise, particularly in comparison to march so far. so, yes, there is a risk of some showers or some heavier rain from time to time, but it will be mild with it, with highs of 16 celsius.

voice-over: this is bbc news. we will have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk with me, stephen sackur. 2024 is a big year for elections worldwide. in some countries, that means political uncertainty, a whiff of change in the air, but not in russia. russians will vote for a new president in just a few days' time with zero expectation of a shift in the established order. ruthless repression of dissent has been vladimir putin's hallmark. and over the course of the last decade and more, i've spoken to the few prominent russians ready to make a stand against putinism.

the list includes alexei navalny, who died in prison last month.