and medical supplies — arrives off the coast of gaza. this operation, the amount of food that we have brought is not enough, it is just a tiny part of the daily needs, we have to consider it as a test. russia heads to the polls — with vladimir putin certain to secure his fifth term as president — with any sort of dissent crushed. at least 16 people are killed in russian strikes in odesa — as the leaders of germany, france and poland hold emergency talks on ukraine. hello, i m matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. let's turn now to the middle east. an israeli team is travelling to qatar for new talks on a possible ceasefire and hostage deal.

israel's pm — benjamin netanyahu has downplayed the chances of a truce in gaza, after hamas gave what it called a "comprehensive vision" to mediators. meanwhile a ship carrying food supplies for gaza — has arrived and is now waiting off the coast — in a test run, of what is hoped will become a new route for aid into the territory. i spoke to our correspondent, mark lowen, who is injerusalem and he told us more about the israeli team heading back to qatar. that is a sign certainly that the two sides are still talking, even though the israeli prime minister's office has said that the new hamas proposal for the ceasefire is unrealistic and that hamas are making unrealistic demands. in other words, that the demand that israel withdraw all troops from gaza is something that i think the netanyahu government wouldn't accept.

what we do understand is that the substance of this proposal would be a six—week ceasefire which has been talked about for some time, and a release of israeli hostages, possibly around a0 in exchange for palestinian prisoners released from israeli jails with a ratio of up to 20 per hostage. and during that six—week ceasefire, hamas is saying that there needs to be a withdrawal of israeli troops from gaza to allow the population to return. that is a possibly slight softening of what hamas had initially demanded which was a complete ceasefire first before discussing prison exchange. but the aim still on the hamas side is israeli withdrawal from gaza which at the moment israel seems unwilling to accept. the fact that they are going back to negotiations suggest that the chancel can occasion are still open. separately, i am reading that

benjamin netanyahu has approved a plan for military action in rafah. remember, the original timeline coming from the israelis was around the ramadan period. what are you hearing the latest on that side of things? rafah is where more than half of the population of gaza is now sheltering, maybe as many as 1.4 million people, president biden has said that it would be a red line as far as his administration is concerned if the israeli military sent troops into rafah given the huge risks to the civilian population. but the government in israel is determined to push on, the prime minister's office saying that benjamin netanyahu has green lit that operation. the question is when it will happen, it will require a significant movement of the evacuation of the civilian population. the idf has said there would be some

sort of humanitarian island set up in central gaza to move people to other parts of gaza but that would require a lot of time and manpowerfrom israeli troops. i don't think there is the expectation that israel it will do this imminently, possibly at the end of the ramadan month. it is hard to tell. if they do move that poses a huge risk to the population in rafah and to that increasingly fractious relationship with the us. that ship has now arrived off the coast of gaza, what are you hearing in terms of when it will be unloaded, how that will happen, where and when the aid goes? this is a spanish aid ship carrying aid from a us charity, about 200 tonnes of aid which are coming in through this maritime corridor because the overland aid by trucks going into gaza has been held up consistently and not enough has been coming in to feed the starving population of gaza. what we understand is that the ship

has now reached the coast of gaza and the aid is being off—loaded onto smaller boats which will then be taken to gaza and then possibly driven into gaza. it is still unclear how it will be distributed. distributing the aid on the ground could be extremely complex and very disorderly. we saw at the end of february, 112 people killed in that disastrous aid distribution that israel blames on a stampede and trucks running over people. palestinians blame on israeli gunfire. there has been another incident on wednesday which the palestinians are blaming israel for opening fire on another aid distribution. the israelis say their investigation shows they did not open fire on that aid distribution. it is extremely disorderly and extremely risky to distribute aid in a place where civil order has broken down.

more on the boat in more on the boat in a more on the boat in a moment. more on the boat in a moment. the more on the boat in a moment. the us more on the boat in a moment. the us secretary of state antony blinken has been talking about negotiations. answering questions from the press the secretary of state said that both sides are working to bridge the gaps. the hostages. yes, there has been a counter proposal put forward by hamas, i cant get into the details of what that involves. but what i can tell you is that we are working intensively with israel, with qatar, with egypt to bridge the remaining gaps and to try and reach an agreement. we have conversations that are happening now as we speak here, and i am convinced that they will go on into the coming days. israel has sent back a negotiating team to pursue this and i think it reflects the sense both of possibility and emergency.

antony blinken in the last hour. president biden has praised a speech made by chuck schumer yesterday, when the senate majority leader called for new elections in israel and harshly criticized prime minister benjamin netanyahu as an �*obstacle to peace�*. president biden said his fellow democrat had expressed serious concerns, shared by many americans. do you have any comments around senator schumer�*s speech yesterday? senator schumer�*s speech yesterday? senator schumer�*s speech yesterday? senator schumer contacted my staff, he, i'm _ senator schumer contacted my staff, he, i'm not— senator schumer contacted my staff, he, i'm not going to elaborate on the speech, he made a good speech and i_ the speech, he made a good speech and i think_ the speech, he made a good speech and i think he expressed a serious concern _ and i think he expressed a serious concern shared notjust by him but by many— concern shared notjust by him but by many americans. let concern shared notjust by him but by many americans.— concern shared notjust by him but by many americans. let us return to that aid shipment _ by many americans. let us return to that aid shipment that _ by many americans. let us return to that aid shipment that has _ by many americans. let us return to that aid shipment that has arrived i that aid shipment that has arrived off the coast of gaza. i have been

talking to open arms, the people who are partly behind this relief operation. they told me more about where they have got to with this mission. , , , . , where they have got to with this mission, , , . , . mission. just started this crude with their trucks, _ mission. just started this crude with their trucks, they - mission. just started this crude with their trucks, they will - mission. just started this crude i with their trucks, they will deliver the food to world central people on the food to world central people on the ground, to distribute. it is happening at this moment. logistically, how complicated has this mission been. getting together a boatload of aid was one part of the mission, but being able to land it anywhere, that was the first of many challenges.— it anywhere, that was the first of many challenges. yes, this is the tricky part. _ many challenges. yes, this is the tricky part. that _ many challenges. yes, this is the tricky part, that is _ many challenges. yes, this is the tricky part, that is why _ many challenges. yes, this is the tricky part, that is why this - tricky part, that is why this corridor was opened, this is the first ship arriving and it is because the waters are very shallow in the last mile, and big ships

can't get close. even our ship can't get close enough that is why we decided to charter a barge, 200 square metre barge and to loaded with these pallets, 200 tonnes, and then we just push this barge using our rescue crafts to get it close enough to the jetty. and then take the line and fix it to the ground. give me an idea of what is probably happening as we are speaking, does the aid have to be inspected again by the israelis? 0r the aid have to be inspected again by the israelis? or has it been already inspected before the start of the journey? it already inspected before the start of the journey?— of the journey? it was inspected before we started _ of the journey? it was inspected before we started from - of the journey? it was inspected before we started from cyprus, | of the journey? it was inspected | before we started from cyprus, i don't know if it will happen again, i don't think so because once it was

inspected, we couldn't get any more loaded, we couldn't get it inside or outside the ship, it seems from that moment it is completely secured. do you have any idea, this is in operation together with world kitchen. in terms of the distribution, where do you think this aid will end up in gaza? and how would it be distributed? . i can't answer those questions, this is a joint operation between 0pen is a joint operation between open arms and world central kitchen but we only fill this gap at sea. from the moment we link this barge to the ground, they are the ones taking all the food and taking the responsibility on how to distribute the food. i responsibility on how to distribute the food. ~ ., ., , responsibility on how to distribute thefood. ~ ., ., ., the food. i know a second operation is bein: the food. i know a second operation is being planned. — the food. i know a second operation is being planned, do _ the food. i know a second operation is being planned, do you _ the food. i know a second operation is being planned, do you have - the food. i know a second operation is being planned, do you have any l is being planned, do you have any idea of how frequent shiploads could

use that a route like this potentially?— use that a route like this otentiall ? , , , potentially? this is the first operation — potentially? this is the first operation and _ potentially? this is the first operation and the _ potentially? this is the first operation and the amount l potentially? this is the first | operation and the amount of potentially? this is the first - operation and the amount of food isn't enough, it is just a tiny part of the daily needs. we have to think of the daily needs. we have to think of it as a test and we are doing it, open arms is small ship but bigger ships can come closer and then we can transfer the goods to this barge and we can do this last part of the operation. i think we can bring a lot of food if the operation ends well, and again, this isjust a test and probably we can continue to scale it up. is and probably we can continue to scale it un— scale it up. is a test, it has worked _ scale it up. is a test, it has worked so _ scale it up. is a test, it has worked so far? _ scale it up. is a test, it has worked so far? yes - scale it up. is a test, it has worked so far? yes it - scale it up. is a test, it has worked so far? yes it is - scale it up. is a test, it has - worked so far? yes it is working so far, it is still _ worked so far? yes it is working so far, it is still ongoing. _ worked so far? yes it is working so far, it is still ongoing. we - worked so far? yes it is working so far, it is still ongoing. we did - worked so far? yes it is working so far, it is still ongoing. we did the l far, it is still ongoing. we did the most difficult part and now we are waiting to disembark the food. the latest there on that aid shipment. let me assure you the live pictures

in moscow, a polling station on the first day of russia's presidential elections. vladimir putin certain to win with all opposition being crushed. we havejust received win with all opposition being crushed. we have just received word that vladimir putin has now cast his ballot in those elections. more on that in just a moment or two. around the world across the uk you are watching bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. prime minister rishi sunak rules out holding a general election on the second of may, when voters will go to the polls for local elections in england. labour accuse him of �*chickening out�* of announcing a date — he previously said his "working assumption" is that an election would be held in the second half of the year. mps will get a 5.5% pay rise from april — meaning their annual salary will increase to over £91,000. the independent parliamentary standards authority says the decision was in line with the award recently agreed

for senior civil servants, adding that it aims to be "fair, both for mps and the public". food delivery firm hellofresh denies taking subscriptions from customers who say they had cancelled their accounts. some customers say their accounts reactivated with money taken for orders they had not made. they believe thatjust logging on to the app reactivated their accounts — but hellofresh says money was taken food delivery firm hellofresh denies taking subscriptions russians are heading to the polls — with vladimir putin the only serious candidate in the presidential elections and certain to win. live pictures from the polling station. the three day voting exercise, comes a month after the death of the main russian opposition leader, alexei navalny, in an arctic prison colony, with the kremlin widely seen as responsible. russia's only independent election

monitoring organisation — has been deemed a foreign agent and banned. 0ur russia editor steve rosenberg reports. russia's democracy is the best in the world, the kremlin says. and at polling station 38 in moscow, we found a choice of candidates, and plenty of voters. democracy in action, right? not quite. realistically, only one man can win this. vladimir putin! the man who's been on russia's political stage for the last quarter of a century. vladimir putin faces no serious challenger. his fiercest rivals are in exile or in prison. not that this woman, whose son is fighting in ukraine, wants any change at the top. "of course i voted for putin," she says. "i trust him." across the country, there are polling stations that don't look or sound like polling stations.

and there is voting in parts of ukraine which are under russian occupation — what russia calls its new territories. the ukrainian government called the election here illegal. polls close on sunday night. expect a putin landslide. unpredictability is very much a feature of life now in russia, but that does not apply to elections. the political system here is built around one man, vladimir putin, and the kremlin tightly controls that system, including elections. so mr putin's re—election is not in doubt. it's absolutely impossible to say about our presidential election that this election is fair and free. politician boris nadezhdin had tried to get on the ballot but was barred from running, he claims, because his calls to end the war were becoming popular. we have propaganda and we have a myth that everybody

in russia supports putin, and everybody in russia supports the special military operation. it's really not the fact. and my election campaign showed that a lot of people are against putin's politics and a lot of people are against the special military operation. you won't hear the kremlin saying that. this is an election designed to show that vladimir putin has the full support of his people. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. earlier, i spoke to natalia pelevina, a russian activist and playwright who is organising a protest on sunday. i asked her what she expects to see in that gathering. we are hoping to see a turnout of people who are against the current regime or against those fraudulent we know for a fact elections.

so—called reinstatement of vladimir putin and obviously against the war. we do believe there is a lot of support for that inside russia and outside russia as well because a lot of people have been forced to flee russia, but talking about russia, even when it was dangerous to come out and voice your opinion against the regime, we do believe there is a lot of people who are brave. we saw that, it was something that we took from the funeral of alexei navalny. the authorities have said that coming out at noon would be to take part in an illegal gathering. are you entirely comfortable sitting abroad, encouraging people in russia to do that when the consequences could be so dangerous for them? irate could be so dangerous for them? we are could be so dangerous for them? - are not forcing anyone, obviously. we created this concept and anybody who wants to join willjoin. and we

do understand all the potential threats and people in russia understand the threats, what alexei navalny�*s funeral showed was that even though there weren't a lot of same kind of threats, from the authorities before the funeral, a lot of people, definitely tens of thousands of people showed up. many young people showed up even though a lot of them are students and they were warned by their universities that they will be consequences, they went to the funeral nevertheless. 0f went to the funeral nevertheless. of course, people make their own mind up, we won't force anyone to do anything. in up, we won't force anyone to do an hina. , ., , up, we won't force anyone to do an hina. ,., , , ., anything. in terms of this question, do ou anything. in terms of this question, do you have — anything. in terms of this question, do you have any _ anything. in terms of this question, do you have any realistic _ anything. in terms of this question, do you have any realistic idea - anything. in terms of this question, do you have any realistic idea of- do you have any realistic idea of the size of the opposition, the resistance inside russia? presumably, so much has been driven underground or simplyjust underground or simply just completely demolished, underground or simplyjust completely demolished, given what we

have seen. ~ ., ., have seen. well, there are two different sides _ have seen. well, there are two different sides to _ have seen. well, there are two different sides to this. - have seen. well, there are two different sides to this. there i have seen. well, there are two l different sides to this. there are people who are against the regime, we believe millions of people are not happy with what is going on in russia and the war. those that are actively able or capable of overcoming the fear, there is a lot of fear in the country, to actually do something, that is obviously not millions at the moment. this might change. currently we have seen in moscow we saw tens of thousands of people show up for the funeral of alexei navalny which is a marker. we do believe hundreds of thousands throughout russia will show up on the 17th of march. we do believe this number might increase in the future. because a lot of people are unhappy. future. because a lot of people are unha - . . future. because a lot of people are unha . . _ ., ., , future. because a lot of people are unhau. ., ., , future. because a lot of people are unha-n. ., ., , ., unhappy. that was the latest on the russian elections. _ officials in the ukrainian city of 0desa say, at least 16 people have been killed — in russian missile attacks — on a residential area.

the governor of the black sea port said another 46 people were wounded. earlier, the kremlin said, ukraine had carried out attacks in the region of belgorod in southern russia, and accused kyiv of attempting to disrupt russia's presidential election. i spoke to our eastern europe correspondent sarah rainsford well, there's, of course, a lot of focus at the moment on what the re—election, the impending re—election of vladimir putin means for russia. but here in ukraine, it is very clear what that means. and it means more war, more missiles, more aggression. and today we've seen that in the starkest possible form in 0desa, the city on the black sea, which was hit by russian ballistic missiles fired from crimea today. now, one missile hit what ukrainian officials are describing as ten homes and a recreational facility and other what the what they're calling civilian infrastructure. now, they say when rescue teams, emergency teams headed to the scene, they went there to try to find casualties, to put out

the fire that began. when they were at the scene, they said another russian missile hit the spot and more people were killed and injured. and they're talking about dozens of people injured, some 55 people in hospital and at least 16 people have been killed. now, in terms of what exactly russia was aiming at, it's not exactly clear. but we do know what they hit. we do know about those casualties. i can say, though, that the interior ministry here in ukraine has also talked about losses amongst the national police force. and we understand that a former deputy mayor who joined the army was killed as well, we believe, as a police battalion commander. so some police, military security forces, certainly amongst those dead, but also rescue workers, emergency services. 0ne medic killed in this double missile attack on 0desa today by russian missiles. meanwhile — the leaders of germany, france and poland are in berlin — for a meeting intended to ease tensions — among major european powers — on support for ukraine's war with russia. the french president,

emmanuel macron, has called on kyiv�*s allies not be cowards, and said he would not rule out deploying western troops on the ground in ukraine. that suggestion was pointedly rejected by the german chancellor, 0laf scholz, whose country supplies far more military aid to kyiv than france. i spoke to mushtaba rahman, managing directorfor europe, eurasia group. i think we have, and that's driven by a number of reasons within ukraine. i think the fact that ukraine is struggling on the front line and hasn't made the progress that was expected, i think really that began with the performance of the counter—offensive last summer. and then i think externally it's really about what's happening in america, both the fact that the aid for ukraine is struggling and not getting through congress. but even more importantly, the concerns about a trump 2.0

presidency, the implications of that for the eu. i'll come back to that point in a moment. but how do you explain why emmanuel macron has gone as far as he has done in recent days? and how do you explain also the german chancellor ruling out sending the missiles that are so desperately needed in ukraine? so i'll start with germany, the chancellor. his position is not determined by what ukraine needs on the ground. it's determined by a desire to swim in the middle of the pack. that is effectively the guiding principle on germany, certainly the spd and schulz and their outlook for the ukraine. well, they don't want to be responsible for the provision of any standout military technology in the ukraine war. as i say, they want to swim in the middle of the pack and they want to make sure they're not further or more exposed, certainly, than where the americans or others are. france, ithink, is now seeing the war in ukraine in a very different way. i think the change in mindset happened with macron in a big speech

he gave in bratislava over a year ago where he felt perhaps the way western europe had treated central and eastern europe was perhaps a was not serious enough, didn't take their concerns seriously enough. and you've seen major changes in french policy, notjust on whether ukraine should join the eu, but also the perspective on nato and now how the war should be managed in light of the risks that trump represents. yes, it's really interesting, france, because one remembers way back towards the beginning of this conflict that emmanuel macron was being accused at different stages of being too close to vladimir putin. so we've seen a really significant shift from the french president in terms of where we are likely to end up. was saying less words, more ammunition. that is what is required. can you see those european partners getting to that position to provide more ammunition,

given everything you said about the potential for a trump presidency? yes, i think the question of ammunition is now more or less been resolved. i don't wish to overexaggerate this, but there has been a change. again, regarding the french position, you can now use european money to buy non european ammo. the czechs have an initiative that they're leading. there's a coalition of states that are now looking to buy ammunition on the global markets and send that to ukraine. i think that will effectively bridge the gap between now and the end of the year. and by the end of the year we will see an increase in the output and industrial production capacity within the eu to provide the kind of ammunition ukraine needs on a monthly basis. so i think on the question of ammo, there is a formula and a solution where europe is not aligned. again, coming back to the big question of donald trump, if he comes in and says we're going to end the war on my first day, i'm going to freeze the conflict along current lines, what is the european response to that kind of policy? and i think france and germany see that very differently, and i see nothing to suggest they're going to align around how to address

that potential threat again that donald trump represents. 0ne one more story to squeeze in. lots of hazards for tennis players, but have a look at this. a swarm of bees descended on the tennis tournament in california. the player tried to swat them away but ended up getting stung on the side of his head. the bees were particularly attracted to the spider camp, a tv camera that moves on cables. a match had to be late so that a beekeeper could get rid of this will be back swarm. this is what the play had to say. it rid of this will be back swarm. this is what the play had to say.- is what the play had to say. it was stranae, is what the play had to say. it was strange. i — is what the play had to say. it was strange. i have — is what the play had to say. it was strange, i have never— is what the play had to say. it was strange, i have never seen - is what the play had to say. it was - strange, i have never seen something like that, when we ran out of the court, we were watching the bees on the tv. we laughed a lot about it,

it was funny for me. but, it will be remembered for that notjust for the remembered for that not just for the tennis remembered for that notjust for the tennis or anything else. quite bizarre. back— tennis or anything else. quite bizarre. back in _ tennis or anything else. quite bizarre. back in just _ tennis or anything else. quite bizarre. back in just a - tennis or anything else. quite i bizarre. back injust a moment. hello. the weekend is going to bring us some ups and downs weather wise, not least in terms of the temperatures. it will be a cold and in places frosty starts. temperatures for saturday morning down around minus two celsius for some. but by the end of the weekend, sunday afternoon, i6 degrees, a mild end. and along the way, we'll see some rain. yes, but also some spells of sunshine. today, we've got this area of low pressure pushing eastwards, this frontal system moving its way south eastwards across the uk. generally, there is quite a lot of cloud out there, but some bright, sunny spells developing northern ireland, having a decent sort of afternoon, some showers in the mix, some of which will be heavy, particularly down towards the south.

temperature—wise, by the end of the afternoon, when it will be cooling off actually across the northern half of the uk. and that sets us up for what will be quite a cold night because the cloud will tend to break up. we'll see some lengthy, clear spells, few mist and fog patches around some cloud and rain into the southwest corner parts of wales later in the night that'll hold the temperatures up, but elsewhere will be cold. will be frosty those lows of minus one or minus two celsius. so a chilly starts under this ridge of high pressure. but then we see this next frontal system pushing in from the west that will bring cloud, will bring rain for some of us. but as we go through the day on saturday, more and more of this mild air will work its way into the mix. so for many places, actually, temperatures will come up quite nicely through the day. a sunny and rather chilly starts across northern and eastern parts. further west, some clouds, some splashes of rain, a lot of the rain not particularly heavy. i think we will see some slightly more intense bursts for a time in northern ireland moving into southwest scotland. the winds picking up in western parts and temperatures rising through the day.

12 degrees in london, norwich, plymouth by the end of the afternoon. and as we move through saturday night, this band of rain wriggles its way through and we see some quite heavy bursts in places where we will continue to feed milder air into the mix. so by sunday morning, a very different start to the day. temperatures in double digits for many places, frost free to start sunday. with that, a lot of clouds, some outbreaks of rain to start the day in eastern parts. that rain will tend to clear. then we'll see some spells of sunshine, but also some showers. and one or two of those could be on the heavy side, but a very mild end to the weekend. temperatures for sunday afternoon, 13 to 16 degrees.