and starvation in what's described as a war the world's forgotten. we have a special bbc report. the uk's largest delivery of aid arrives in gaza as america's top diplomat visits saudi arabia amid a renewed diplomatic push. the london hospital which treated the princess of wales says it will investigate after reports that staff tried to access her private medical records. and who will be picked in the draft for the hundred? we have the latest. hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. and checking out we start in ireland where the prime minister leo vardkar has resigned. in an unexpected announcement mr varadkar described the period leading his country as "the most fulfilling time of his life".

he will step down before the next general election in the republic of ireland. mr varadkar became ireland's youngest taoiseach in 2017 when he became leader of fine gael. shortly i'll speak to one of our chief presenters in washington caitriona perry who used to work for the irish broadcaster rte and who has followed leo varadkar since his early days, but first, let's listen to mr varadkar announcing his resignation from the steps of government buildings earlier today. i know this will come as a surprise to many people and a disappointment to some, and i hope at least you will understand my decision. i know that others will, how shall i put it, cope with the news just fine. that is the great thing about living in a democracy. there is never a right time to resign high office, however, this is as good a time as any. budget 2024 is done, negotiations have not yet commenced on the next one, the institutions of the good friday agreement are working again, and our trading

relationship with the uk in the post—brexit era is settled and stable. the new taoiseach will have a full two months to prepare for the local and european elections and up to a year before the next general election. my reasons for stepping down are both personal and political. i believe this government can be re—elected and i believe my party, fine gael, can gain seats in the next dail. most of all, i believe the re—election of this three—party government would be the right thing for the future of our country, continuing to take us forward, protecting all that's been achieved and building on it. but after careful consideration and some soul—searching i believe that a new taoiseach and a new leader will be better placed than me to achieve that. to renew and strengthen the team, to focus our message on policies, to drive implementation and after seven years in office, i don't feel i'm the best person

for thatjob anymore. let's speak to one of our chief presenters in washington dc, caitriona perry, who's a former anchorfor the irish broadcaster, rte. thank you for being with us. how surprised were you by that announcement and what do you think lies behind it? i announcement and what do you think lies behind it?— lies behind it? i suppose most --eole lies behind it? i suppose most peeple weren't _ lies behind it? i suppose most people weren't surprised - lies behind it? i suppose most people weren't surprised that l lies behind it? i suppose most. people weren't surprised that leo varadkar is stepping out of politics, it is something he had signalled, saying, he is only 45 now but he did not think that he saw a career in politics for himself beyond the age of 50. i suppose it is the timing which is the shock parts to it. he left here on sunday night after several glorious days, as they would be perceived, spent with the great and good of washington dc, including meetings over three separate days with the us presidentjoe biden, and so the timing of the, kind of having that last glory moment, was come as a

surprise to people. obviously there were two referendums held in ireland in the last couple of weeks which the government lost both of those, there are local and european elections coming up in ireland at the beginning ofjune and fine gael, leo varadkar�*s party, is not doing well in the polls. so there is a sense i suppose of all the lines lining up at this point, that this is a good moment to go on a high without further electoral feats. as to what comes next for him, well, we don't know. he said in his speech that there was no secret reason for this and he thought people might speculate about that, but that he just felt that it was better for the party, for the country, for somebody else to lead fine gael into those local and european elections and into the next general election, which must be held by the spring of next year. he which must be held by the spring of next ear. . ~ ., next year. he talked in that statement _ next year. he talked in that statement about _ next year. he talked in that statement about expanding next year. he talked in that - statement about expanding ireland's diplomatic footprint on the global stage, he is absolutely right about that, isn't he?

stage, he is absolutely right about that. isn't he?— that, isn't he? yeah, during his time in office, _ that, isn't he? yeah, during his time in office, ireland - that, isn't he? yeah, during his time in office, ireland opened l time in office, ireland opened several new embassies around the world and many ministers have been visiting them just over the last few days for st patrick's day, that is the big diplomatic moment of the yearfor the irish the big diplomatic moment of the year for the irish government and irish businesses and so on, massive delegations travel all around the world to visit different countries to sell the story of ireland, that there is peace on our island, prosperity there, obviously the institutions were restored in northern ireland just in the last month, the first and deputy first minister were here as well in the last few days and spent a lot of time with the taoiseach and with the presidentjoe biden selling that good story of northern ireland and good story of northern ireland and good story of ireland. he good story of northern ireland and good story of ireland.— good story of ireland. he said in that statement _ good story of ireland. he said in that statement that _ good story of ireland. he said in that statement that in _ good story of ireland. he said in that statement that in some - good story of ireland. he said in l that statement that in some areas they had not made progress, in some areas they had actually moved backwards, he said he would leave it to others to point those areas out, so what is your assessment of that,

what were the principal failures and what were the principal failures and what were the principal failures and what were the principal successes? well, i suppose the big failure that people would label with the current government and the issue that will be of most concern with the general election and local elections are held, is the issue of housing. there is a housing crisis in ireland, there are large numbers of homeless people, that is something that this government has not managed to get a handle on and previous governments either have not, there is a dysfunctional housing market in ireland, private landlords are fleeing that sector, rents are capped but they are capped at a price that are unaffordable for most people, the price of purchasing a houseis people, the price of purchasing a house is also beyond the reach of most young people, so, that is a major issue that has caused the electorate to be extremely vocal, thatis electorate to be extremely vocal, that is the issue that is being singled out time and time in polls and that is something that will be quite difficult i think for the government to defend when they have to go to the doorsteps in the next

election, and it is something that people obviously feel very strongly about, that they want a roof over their heads and they want somewhere to provide for theirfamilies. find to provide for their families. and briefl , to provide for their families. and briefly. the _ to provide for their families. and briefly, the successes? the - briefly, the successes? the successes. _ briefly, the successes? the successes, i— briefly, the successes? the successes, i mean, - briefly, the successes? tie: successes, i mean, ireland is generally a prosperous country now, we came out of that recession following the celtic tiger, the bailout that was necessitated in ireland back at a point of very low unemployment, very high amp line and, and people would i suppose credit in many ways the fine gael fianna fail green party government for turning that around, even though there is still, like in many parts of the world, a cost of living crisis and it does not necessarily feel that way for people. caitriona per in feel that way for people. caitriona perry in washington, _ feel that way for people. caitriona perry in washington, thank - feel that way for people. caitriona perry in washington, thank you i feel that way for people. caitriona l perry in washington, thank you very much. now to a special bbc report on what's being described as a war the world forgot. civilians caught up in sudan's civil war have given our correspondent graphic accounts of rape, ethnic violence and street executions.

top united nations officials say the conflict has plunged the country into "one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history". the latest round of violence started in april last year, the un says, around eight million people have been displaced tens of thousands have been killed, a backdrop that could trigger the world's largest hunger cirsis. feras kilani has been to the front lines near the capital khartoum and sent this exclusive report. gun shots. the front line of a war the world has forgotten. sudanese army troops, celebrating success as they push towards the capital. a fragile victory over their rivals, the rapid support forces. this market used to be the life of the city. now look at it. normal life here, destroyed. we heard stories of rape, looting and indiscriminate violence

at the hands of the rsf. this war is taking everything from people. millions across the country have had to leave their lives behind. few have stayed. 64—year—old mukhtar took us to see what used to be a town square, now a makeshift graveyard. translation: there are 150 people here. | i knew many of them. mohammed, abdullah, jalal. .. there's just me left. a moment to remember their names. for many, a grave is only a number. the un says both sides face accusations of horrific abuses, even war crimes, claims both deny.

the army was keen to show us the damage they say was inflicted to the city and its people by the rsf. they tightly controlled what we saw and where we went. children in sudan are facing a living nightmare. aid agencies warn an entire generation is at risk. 300 families are crammed into this school here in port sudan. these classrooms should be full of children learning. instead, desperate people from across sudan are sheltering here for safety. but there are horrible stories hidden here. five people have died of cholera and others are suffering from severe diseases. zubaida, a mother of eight, has leukaemia. she hasn't been able to get her medication

since the war erupted last april. translation: my last pills finished three days before the war. - from that moment on, i'm suffering. i'm in constant pain. i'm so tired. zubaida's husband is fighting in khartoum with the army. she hasn't heard from him for two months. this clinic feels like a front line of a humanitarian disaster the world doesn't know is happening. starving children getting what little help they can. we meet ikram, who has lost all hope, struggling to keep her three—year—old daughter menasik alive. she could barely tell us the rsf stole her home, stole her life. families clinging on for survival,

but it could get a lot worse. so we're facing right now a lethal combination of displacement, mass displacement, hunger and disease outbreaks, and that's putting sudan on the brink of famine. the world has been distracted with other wars, other suffering, but the appeal from here is clear — the world is being urged not to forget sudan. feras killani, bbc news, sudan. with me is bbc arabic�*s special correspondent feras kilani. how shocked were you buy what you actually saw and heard? it is harrowing- _ actually saw and heard? it is harrowing. to _ actually saw and heard? it is harrowing. to see _ actually saw and heard? te 3 harrowing. to see sudan afterjust a few years, from the uprising, in 2019, and the hopes of that time, after they toppled the regime, and where it is now, it is really,

really devastating. when you see the capital, where we were, the other side of the river nile, where khartoum is, cartoon by the way is still under the rss, rapid support forces, control, and you see from that place where to dine is, is something really shocking. the stories of rape, the destruction in the city, especially in the old market, beautiful places, the old buildings the looting committed in the city is unbelievable. the destruction, of the infrastructure, is unbelievable as well. so, the country turned back for the kids, not just for five years. country turned back for the kids, notjust for five years. find country turned back for the kids, not just for five years.— country turned back for the kids, not just for five years. notjust for five years. and we are seeinu notjust for five years. and we are seeing pictures. _ notjust for five years. and we are seeing pictures, absolutely- notjust for five years. and we are seeing pictures, absolutely the i seeing pictures, absolutely the devastation you are describing, but the impact on a whole generation of children go that is what the aid agencies have been flagging up, and you flagged up in your report, what are the united nations aid agency saying to you in terms of what is required now in terms of response?

the biggest problem here in port sudan, let's say, that the aid agencies can't operate under deliver food and assistance, all kinds of what they need, but in a huge part of the country, they can't reach evenin of the country, they can't reach even in the capital itself, khartoum, or in the province of darfur or others, where the biggest violations have been committed there against the known arab —— the non—arab tribes by the rsf, which forced almost half a million people to leave the country, to chat, for example, they can't reach these areas. millions of people still under the rsf control and they can't get anything, literally anything, some of them have managed to leave the country to chat or other parts of sudan, but what is needed to be done now, badly, is to try to find a way to put more pressure on both warring parties to allow aid agencies to get what is needed to

those refugees and people in need. thank you very much for taking us through more of those details, feras kilani. and just a pointer, we will have the second of our special reports from the region, from neighbouring chad, here on the programme in the next couple of hours, so do stay with us, we will have plenty more on that. one of our main stories, the ongoing situation in sudan. the london hospital which treated the princess of wales says it will investigate any breach of patient information after reports that staff tried to access her private medical records. the daily mirror alleges at least one staff member at the london clinic in marylebone was involved. the chief executive of the london clinic has said "all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken" when looking at the alleged breaches. here's our royal correspondentjonny dymond. privacy and the princess — the mirror makes a splash with a story about an attempt to access private medical information regarding kate, the princess of wales. she was here two months ago for an abdominal operation.

since then, she's been out of sight, but hardly out of mind. from the palace, silence. from the hospital, a statement. "we firmly believe that all our patients, no matter their status, deserve total privacy and confidentiality regarding their medical information. "all of this, the hospital visit, the long recovery all of this, the hospital visit, the long recovery was supposed to be ordinary. a woman, wife and mother getting better after an operation. the palace has been flabbergasted by the response. the concern often that the princess's right to privacy has been shredded in a world of phone and feed. this is not the first time that the princess's private medical records, some of the most protected personal data there is, have come to others' attention. a decade ago, phone pranksters duped a nurse into revealing some petty details. profile is part of royal duty.

for a monarch, opting out is not an option, but the prince and princess of wales are less bound by law and tradition. that's one reason they issued their own photo last week, a move that backfired as its authenticity was questioned by publishers worldwide. the couple may have thought they'd be able to step back a little for a long recovery from an operation, but events and rumours and their own mistake have conspired against them. jonny dymond, bbc news. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

in the middle east, efforts to secure a ceasefire continue. the us state department has confirmed that secretary of state antony blinken will travel to israel as part of his current trip to the middle east.

he's injeddah where he's meeting the saudi leadership. talks there will also focus on gaza's long—term, post—war future. mr blinken�*s visit comes after he warned that gaza's population is starving, saying that its two million people are experiencing "severe levels of acute food insecurity". today, the uk's largest delivery of aid to gaza has crossed the border and is being distributed by the world food programme. a full uk field hospital has also been set up in the territory. meanwhile israel's prime minister benjamin netanyahu says that preparations are under way for the invasion of rafah in the southern gaza strip where1.4 million displaced palestinians are sheltering. let's speak to our correspondent injerusalem, mark lowen. mark, israel's prime minister talking about preparing for that rafah invasion, is there any clue as to the timescale we are talking

about? he to the timescale we are talking about? ,., . ., to the timescale we are talking about? ,., _, ., ~ to the timescale we are talking about? _, ., ~ ,., about? he said it could take some weeks for the _ about? he said it could take some weeks for the israeli _ about? he said it could take some weeks for the israeli army - about? he said it could take some weeks for the israeli army to - about? he said it could take some| weeks for the israeli army to move into rafah, matthew, he said he has approved the operational plan for the incursion into rafah and soon they will be an approval for the civilian evacuation plan. but that is not as simple as he might be making out because we are talking about 1.4 million people who are now sheltering in rafah, over half the entire population of the gaza strip. and plenty of countries, plenty of israel's western allies including the us have warned that sending the israeli army into such a densely populated, small place as rafah without a really proper and thorough evacuation plan could mean horrendous atrocities and horrendous bloodshed, the likes of which have not been seen in the war so far. and so i think that is likely to be very much at the front and centre of talks later on in the week when antony blinken comes to israel on friday, previously unannounced step

of the middle east trip, the sixth time he has been to the region since the war broke out. there has already been sharp disapproval from the us over israel's plans to enter rafah and i think that once again antony blinken is going to express his disapproval. we have also got a comment from hamas over the ceasefire talks, matthew, because at the same time as talking about peace in doha israel's prime minister says he has announced these operational plans for rafah and we have just heard a senior member of hamas who has spoken to the media saying that israel appears to have received the ceasefire talks in a generally negative way, so that would suggest that benjamin netanyahu is veering much more towards expending the offensive into rafah rather than accepting peace.— offensive into rafah rather than accepting peace. let's talk about aid because _ accepting peace. let's talk about aid because i _ accepting peace. let's talk about aid because i mentioned - accepting peace. let's talk about aid because i mentioned in - accepting peace. let's talk about aid because i mentioned in the i aid because i mentioned in the introduction the uk's largest delivery arriving there in gaza including a field hospital but it comes as the un secretary—general again in the last few minutes has said that time is running out to

mmp said that time is running out to ramp up aid into the strip? yeah, i mean half — ramp up aid into the strip? yeah, i mean half the _ ramp up aid into the strip? yeah, i mean half the population, - ramp up aid into the strip? yeah, i l mean half the population, according to the un and aid agencies are facing catastrophic levels of hunger, britain has now sent in its biggest aid delivery into gaza since the war broke out, that is about 2000 tons of a which the uk says would feed 200 and 75,000 people, but if you make a quick calculation, 2000 tons would represent about 100 truckloads of aid. before the war broke out in october, 500 trucks per day were going into gaza to feed the entire population of the strip. so, 100 trucks coming in is maybe britain's biggest contribution so far but it really is a fraction of what is needed across the gaza strip as a whole and that is why there are these dire warnings about how gazans are starving to death and how the aid operation needs to be ramped up considerably in order to reach even near to the level that is needed since the war broke out and since

really aid delivery into the north in particular has been considerably lacking, withjust a in particular has been considerably lacking, with just a fuel convoys getting in and of the year. —— just getting in and of the year. -- just a fuel convoys. -- just getting in and of the year. —— just a fuel convoys. —— just a few convoys. the european union's foreign policy chiefjosep borrell has proposed that the bloc takes 90% of revenues from russian assets frozen in europe and transfers them to buy weapons for ukraine. under misty borrell�*s plan, proceeds from the assets such as interest payments would go to the european peace facility which provides military aid to countries outside the eu. russian officials have cold the move theft and warned about potential consequences for those who make this decision. let's speak to timothy ash who's an economist and an associate fellow in the russia and eurasia programme at chatham house. welcome, timothy, to the programme. what do you make of whatjosep borrell is suggesting here, and what

are these sums of money potentially we could be talking about? well, unfortunately it is a fudge, it is 3 billion euros to for billion euros a year, the total amount of russian assets frozen in western jurisdictions is about $330 billion, thatis jurisdictions is about $330 billion, that is cash, russian government cash, in westernjurisdictions. the cost to front ukraine annually is about $100 billion a year. unfortunately 61 billion is stuck in the us out of congress, there is a massive hole in terms of ukraine's financing. western governments should really allocate the underlying assets, that is the 300-odd underlying assets, that is the 300—odd billion which would help ukraine meet that financing gap, front its military needs, even to be able to buy the weapons it needs to defend itself and ensure victory. so this is not really success for the europeans, it is a big fudge. you describe it _ europeans, it is a big fudge. you describe it as _ europeans, it is a big fudge. you describe it as a _ europeans, it is a big fudge. you describe it as a fudge but if they were to cross that line, is there anything which really stops them going much further, as you suggest? well, it has been done before.

remember in the first gulf war, iraq is central bank assets were seized by the international community and were allocated to kuwait. also ask any central bank reserves were done. there is a sovereign state immunity defence, but actually, the argument against is a countermeasure is argument that sovereign immunity only counts when that country is acting according to international law. russia clearly isn't, it has invaded ukraine, it has committed war crimes, probably genocide, the moral, national defence, economic argument, for actually seizing the assets and giving them to ukraine is pretty strong, i would argue. yes. pretty strong, i would argue. yes, in terms of _ pretty strong, i would argue. yes, in terms of moscow _ pretty strong, i would argue. yes, in terms of moscow and _ pretty strong, i would argue. yes, in terms of moscow and vladimir putin, moscow has already called it theft, the act of bandits, breaching international law, all of that you would expect to come from the kremlin, but are there actually any practical obstacles that actually would prevent this happening? hat would prevent this happening? not reall . it is would prevent this happening? tirrt really. it is political will ultimately. laws are made by

politicians, our governments want to do it, unfortunately at the moment what is happening is that the 100 billion bill is essentially being paid by western taxpayers, where russian taxpayers' money is stuck in western banks, but our governments are not willing to go after it, they would rather spend western taxpayers' money than actually spend russian taxpayers' money, which i would think should be a political scandal in western countries, but politicians are sweeping this all under the carpet. i politicians are sweeping this all under the carpet.— politicians are sweeping this all under the carpet. i have only got about 40 seconds _ under the carpet. i have only got about 40 seconds left, _ under the carpet. i have only got about 40 seconds left, so - under the carpet. i have only got about 40 seconds left, so briefly under the carpet. i have only got l about 40 seconds left, so briefly if you would comedy impact on russia if they were to do this, because these are assets that have been frozen out for two years so they have lived without this money, to so does it have any significant impact in terms of russia itself, do you think? actually the more interesting question is what happens if we don't give it to ukraine. if we don't give ukraine this money, it does not have the money to front its defence, it loses the war, the impact of europe of tens of millions of ukrainians

flee in west, the fact that we will have to spend a lot more on our own defence, will be up to 2% of gdp, thatis defence, will be up to 2% of gdp, that is hundreds of billions of dollars annually extra, and it will create huge social, political instability in europe, so i think thatis instability in europe, so i think that is the most important point. we have to get this done, frozen russian assets have to be given to ukraine. ., , ~ , .,, i. ukraine. timothy ash, as you can hear, the — ukraine. timothy ash, as you can hear, the music _ ukraine. timothy ash, as you can hear, the music is _ ukraine. timothy ash, as you can hear, the music is playing, - ukraine. timothy ash, as you can hear, the music is playing, which| hear, the music is playing, which means time is up. i am back for headlines and just a moment. for england and wales we have got weakening low pressure this afternoon, cloudy with a drizzle, damp conditions loitering in eastern scotland, the north and west of scotland and northern ireland the weather system is disappearing with sunshine following, the stripe of cloud on the horizon in orkney is the weather system disappearing over the horizon. for the rest of today, damp and drizzly conditions for wales, the midlands, a swathe of northern england, eastern scotland, drizzle,

reluctant to clear away. some sunshine for south—east england, temperatures could get up to 17—18 here. in the north of the uk the weather will be feeling quite chilly, particularly for the east coast of scotland. overnight tonight there could be one or two mist and fog patches and then later in the night we will have rain moving into scotland and northern ireland. the rain is associated with the next weather system moving in off the atlantic. this warm front will be bringing some milder air back into northern areas of the uk so temperatures will be climbing by a few degrees. however, it is going to be a wet day, particularly for scotland on thursday, with some strong winds across the far north where we will see gusts running into 50mph, damp weather for wales and northern ireland and the far north of england in the afternoon, further south you might see

the cloud thin and break and we could see some pretty high temperatures for the time of year. friday, a cold front pushing across, bringing cloud and rain, followed by sunshine and showers. across scotland, northern ireland and the north—west, could be heavy, with some hail. temperatures near average for the time of year, 10—12, but feeling quite a bit cooler. but feeling quite a bit cooler than it has done. for the weekend low pressure stays in charge, sunny spells and showers on saturday, the showers having some hail mixed in with them, and we could have a bit of sleet over the hills in the north of the uk and there will be a chilly wind knocking the edge off these temperatures, feeling cool. further showers are in the forecast on sunday but probably with bigger gaps between them. some places will stay dry. on monday, with colder air moving in across the north of the uk, we might actually see a bit of hill snow in parts of scotland.