alternative can get access to alternative therapies. and the world's most prestigious flower show hosts its first "no adults allowed" garden — designed by children, for children. welcome to the programme. we begin with the latest on the israel—gaza conflict. america's top diplomat antony blinken has touched down in tel aviv in just the last hour. it's his his sixth visit to the middle east since the war began. today he will meet with israeli leaders to continue talks on a plan to govern and secure gaza after the war — while pushing for more aid, and the protection of civilians. the un security council will vote later on a draft resolution proposed by the us — which ties an immediate ceasefire

in gaza to the release of hostages held by hamas. washington has previously vetoed three ceasefire resolutions — but has grown increasingly critical of israel's military campaign. our reporter will vernon has the story. this is antony blinken�*s sixth trip to the middle east since the war in gaza began. the secretary of state met egyptian officials on thursday, holding crucial negotiations to bring an end to the fighting. mr blinken said very good progress was made in the talks. the i a . s progress was made in the talks. the a -s are progress was made in the talks. tue: gaps are narrowing, progress was made in the talks. tt;é: gaps are narrowing, we progress was made in the talks. tte: gaps are narrowing, we still progress was made in the talks. tt9 gaps are narrowing, we still have work to do but i believe the progress is good, it is real, i can't put a timeframe on it but we are getting close to a point i believe what we will have agreements. fin believe what we will have agreements.— believe what we will have agreements. believe what we will have aureements. :, , ., believe what we will have aureements. :, , :, ., agreements. on the table, a deal that would _ agreements. on the table, a deal that would lead _ agreements. on the table, a deal that would lead to _ agreements. on the table, a deal that would lead to a _ agreements. on the table, a deal that would lead to a six-week - agreements. on the table, a deal. that would lead to a six-week truce that would lead to a six—week truce and the release of dozens of hostages still held by hamas militants inside the war zone. later

today negotiators will hope for a breakthrough as they gather in the qatari capital breakthrough. qataris continue to urge _ qatari capital breakthrough. qataris continue to urge both _ qatari capital breakthrough. qataris continue to urge both sides, - qatari capital breakthrough. qataris continue to urge both sides, hamasi continue to urge both sides, hamas to release hostages and be more flexible and the israelis to be more cooperative and to hold kinetic operations to help negotiations and to save civilian lives in gaza too. i think things are moving forward. meanwhile the suffering in gaza is only intensifying. translation: yes. only intensifying. translation: yes, we suffer from — only intensifying. translation: t9: we suffer from nutritional deficiencies and the lack of material we can get. there are no vegetables nor fruits, therefore there are no natural nutritional elements available. fix, there are no natural nutritional elements available.— there are no natural nutritional elements available. : : ~ elements available. a un backed food security assessment _ elements available. a un backed food security assessment says _ elements available. a un backed food security assessment says famine - elements available. a un backed food security assessment says famine is i security assessment says famine is imminent for 300,000 civilians in the territory. israel says it places no limits on—year—old deliveries. president biden has made repeated pleas for israel to allow more humanitarian supplies into gaza.

frustration with the israelis is growing in washington. the un security council will today vote on a draft us text calling for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, but as the diplomacy continues, hope is fading for a swift resolution to this war. our state department correspondent tom bateman has been travelling with him and sent us this update from cairo airport as mr. blinken took off for israel. well, this trip to cairo focused on antony blinken trying to get the support of arab countries to back a plan, a postwar plan, for gaza which would be around trying to secure palestinian authority governance in gaza. so effectively having palestinian control in the gaza strip, backed by arab countries and crucially also financed by them, and helping to get palestinian security forces trained by these arab countries.

among them, crucially, too, there would be the biggest sponsors, egypt here and saudi arabia. the fact is that none of this will really get off the ground until there is a breakthrough in the ceasefire for hostage release talks taking place indirectly between hamas and the israelis in doha. now, mr blinken said that he felt that the gap was narrowing on that, that they were getting closer to a breakthrough, though it certainly doesn't feel imminent at the moment. the next stop for the secretary of state is tel aviv, with the us—israeli relationship under severe stress at the moment, and i think key to those talks when mr blinken meets israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu will be two issues. one will be the us trying to push the israelis

to flood aid into gaza, humanitarian aid, with the un—backed food monitor now saying that a famine is imminent in the gaza strip. the other will be the americans warning the israelis not to carry out a full ground assault into rafah, the city of rafah. that's where mr netanyahu has said they intend to do that. and so key points of difference that are going to be the key talking points of discussion in tel aviv today. that was the bbc�*s tom bateman. we will be speaking to our middle east correspondent injerusalem as mr blinken has now touched down in tel aviv. as he begins or is about to begin talks with the israeli prime minister, benjamin netanyahu. the city of zaporizhzhia in south—eastern ukraine has been targeted by a series of russian missile strikes overnight. the

regional governor said seven billions have been destroyed and 35 damage. ukraine's state hydro power company said a russian strike hit ukraine's largest town in zaporizhzhia but there was no risk of a peach. for more on this we can speak to vitaly shevchenko, the russia editor at bbc cut monitoring. what more do we know about these strikes, particularly around the zaporizhzhia dam? tt is strikes, particularly around the zaporizhzhia dam?— strikes, particularly around the zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second niuht zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second ni . ht of zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second night of massive _ zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second night of massive air _ zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second night of massive air strikes - zaporizhzhia dam? it is the second night of massive air strikes across| night of massive air strikes across ukraine and is one of the biggest attacks over the past two years involving around 90 missiles. ukrainian energy officials say that the energy system is badly affected. ukraine's second largest city, kharkiv, which had almost half a million people before the war, has

no electricity currently. an zaporizhzhia the hydropower dam was hit at least three times, it has two turbine holes and there are fears that one of those will never be restored, it is so badly damaged. officials say it is kharkiv that is particularly worst affected. one official says that russia tried to take out all of the key energy facilities feeding this major city. so right now details are still coming in, we don't know how many people have died across ukraine, at least two fatalities have been confirmed. rescue workers are sifting through the rubble in zaporizhzhia where a number of houses have been hit and in other parts of ukraine we believe there are still people under the rubble.

the ukrainian president, volodymyr zelensky, this morning reiterated his call for more air systems to be supplied to ukraine because as he put it russian missiles and drones do not know such delays as ukraine has been experiencing in obtaining military assistance from the west over the past few months. t just over the past few months. i 'ust wanted to — over the past few months. i 'ust wanted to ask i over the past few months. i 'ust wanted to ask you i over the past few months. i 'ust wanted to ask you about i over the past few months. i just wanted to ask you about the - over the past few months. ijust wanted to ask you about the breaking news coming into the bbc newsroom which is that russia's fsp state security service says it has detained seven moscow residents who were planning violent acts in the russian capital. it said these were individuals linked to the ukraine —based russian volunteer corps, a paramilitary group accused of carrying out incursions into russia from ukraine. what more can you tell us? ,, �* from ukraine. what more can you tell us? ,, :, :, us? the fsb, the russian federal security service, _ us? the fsb, the russian federal security service, does _ us? the fsb, the russian federal security service, does not - us? the fsb, the russian federal security service, does not exactlyj security service, does not exactly have a track record of complete

impartiality or being truthful in its reports. so this may or may not be true. this report comes after several attempts apparently by militants or paramilitaries linked to the ukrainian military�*s attempts to the ukrainian military�*s attempts to infiltrate russia across the board, so the russian security services will be under pressure to respond, they will be looking for people possibly linked to ukrainian security services within russia, but we have to understand that the fsb clearly is controlled by the kremlin and has an axe to grind.— and has an axe to grind. thank you very much. — and has an axe to grind. thank you very much. vitaly _ and has an axe to grind. thank you very much, vitaly shevchenko, - and has an axe to grind. thank you very much, vitaly shevchenko, our russia editor at bbc monitoring. as we were speaking to him, some news has come in from the afp news agency that emergency blackouts have now

occurred in seven ukrainian regions after those russian strikes, but is according to the grid operator in ukraine, emergency blackouts are now in place in several ukrainian regions after russian strikes. we will bring you more news on the strikes aren't on the impact here on bbc news. let's get more on the israel gaza conflict. the un security council vote later on a draft resolution proposed by the us which ties an immediate ceasefire in gaza to the release of hostages held by hamas. let's speak to yolande knell, our middle east correspondent who's injerusalem. this comes as the secretary of state arrives in israel for talks with the prime minister. what can we expect from those talks? he prime minister. what can we expect from those talks?— from those talks? he is here on the last sto from those talks? he is here on the last step of — from those talks? he is here on the last step of his _ from those talks? he is here on the last stop of his middle _ from those talks? he is here on the last stop of his middle east - from those talks? he is here on the last stop of his middle east tour, i last stop of his middle east tour, he will meet the prime minister and also members of the war cabinet. we

expect to hear more demands from the us at this time when tensions are quite high with its ally israel for more aid, more desperately needed aid to be allowed into gaza where you have this threat looming of a man—made famine because of the very severe shortages of food. on top of that mr blinken will be discussing, i am sure, the ongoing talks in qatar macro with mediators acting as for israel and hamas, trying to secure a new ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of some of the remaining israeli hostages held in the gaza strip. on top of that we expect mr blinken to talk to the israelis about their declared plans for an offensive and rafah in the very south of the gaza strip on the border with egypt. they say they had to act of against remaining hamas battalions in the area if they are to win the war, to achieve that war

aim of dismantling hamas in the gaza strip. that area is where you have something like 1.5 million gazans are most of them were displaced by the ongoing fighting, so to relocate there for their own safety by israel earlier in the war, now living in very desperate conditions. the us and others in the world have spoken out against such an operation, saying the cost of innocent lives were just be too great. they are trying to persuade israel to look at other options and perhaps much more targeted operations in that area. qt targeted operations in that area. of course the us has submitted for a vote at the un security council on a draft resolution for an immediate ceasefire in gaza. how is israel responding to this increased diplomatic pressure from the united states? t diplomatic pressure from the united states? ~ . . diplomatic pressure from the united states? ~ , , ., , diplomatic pressure from the united states? ~ , , , . states? i think it is seen as such, very much. _

states? i think it is seen as such, very much, diplomatic _ states? i think it is seen as such, very much, diplomatic pressure. | states? i think it is seen as such, l very much, diplomatic pressure. it is very worrying for some israeli analysts who are speaking out today, pointing out that of course diplomatically the us has been such an important friend to israel and repeatedly shielded it from even other draft resolutions, wielding its veto power at the un security council, other resolutions that would have called for a ceasefire and now the us is drawing up its own very carefully worded draft resolution, putting about five votes. this is seen as linked to the ongoing efforts in qatar to try to secure a new truce because that is how it is framed. that truth should come in return for the release of more israeli hostages, but we expect that the security council as well that the security council as well that other members could put in draft resolution for wedge, calling for an immediate ceasefire during the islamic holy month of ramadan ——

put a draft resolution forwards. thank you, yolande knell, and we will get more from you is that us secretary of state continues his visit to israel. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

eu leaders are meeting in brussels for the second day to discuss plans for providing more weapons to ukrainian forces, while also focusing on re—arming their own countries in response to an emboldened russia — they will also be addressing the war in gaza, with summit leaders agreeing on a text that says a pause should lead to sustainable ceasefire. live now to brussels where we can speak with our bbc europe correspondent nick beake. we have been talking a lot about the situation in the middle east. watch our are proposing? the situation in the middle east. watch our are proposing?— situation in the middle east. watch our are proposing? the focus today is on the eurozone _

our are proposing? the focus today is on the eurozone and _ our are proposing? the focus today is on the eurozone and the - our are proposing? the focus today | is on the eurozone and the european economy, basically trying to bring down inflation, stabilise the public finances after the shock, really, from covid and the energy prices crisis we have seen over the past year or so. crisis we have seen over the past year orso. it crisis we have seen over the past year or so. it also as you say the foreign policy aspect has been a really important part of this meeting. they started yesterday and will wind up today. they came up with a joint text in which they called for an immediate pause in the fighting which would lead to a lasting ceasefire in the middle east and the hedge of the european council is saying this is the most unanimous they have been in their mission and their wording, that they want to see an end to the fighting. they spoke about ukraine yesterday and there was one specific proposal taking the profits from russian assets that have been frozen in europe and using that money to buy weapons and sending them to ukraine

about ukraine can use them on the battlefield against russia. that is something they did not agree on yesterday, they said they would keep on working towards this plan and among those behind it is the belgian prime minister, this is what he said a short time ago. fin prime minister, this is what he said a short time ago.— a short time ago. on the belgian side we already _ a short time ago. on the belgian side we already always _ a short time ago. on the belgian side we already always use - a short time ago. on the belgian side we already always use the l side we already always use the taxation— side we already always use the taxation and the proceeds and isolated — taxation and the proceeds and isolated pattern gave out completely to ukraine, but on the proceeds themselves what was important as there _ themselves what was important as there is_ themselves what was important as there is a — themselves what was important as there is a much macroeconomic stability. — there is a much macroeconomic stability, making sure that from a legal— stability, making sure that from a legal point of view it is bullet—proof and also making sure it would _ bullet—proof and also making sure it would not _ bullet—proof and also making sure it would not have a macro economic impact _ would not have a macro economic impact that— would not have a macro economic impact that would be too hard to digest _ impact that would be too hard to dicest. �* ., impact that would be too hard to dicest. �* :, ~ , digest. the belgian prime minister sa s this digest. the belgian prime minister says this proposal _ digest. the belgian prime minister says this proposal is _ digest. the belgian prime minister says this proposal is watertight - says this proposal is watertight legally but there have been some warnings that could be difficulty ahead if this were to be the case,

that these russian profits were taken and used for weapons which would go to ukraine. the kremlin rather predictably has said this is banditry, taking things which do not belong to the eu. i think that it is one to watch in the weeks and months to come but certainly for now the focus is on the euro zone and whether there will be any big agreement today i'm not so sure, but once again european leaders are together and taking this as an opportunity to say how united they are, whether or not that it is the case had lots of issues. studio: thank you, nick beake in brussels for us. thousands of patients in england with suspected lung cancer are being offered a blood test which can show if they can get early access to alternative therapies. the test can identify genetic variations in tumours which can be treated with tablets rather than standard chemotherapy, often leading to fewer side effects. our medical editor fergus walsh reports. 0h, headaches for two weeks. i thought it was a migraine.

my gp just said you need to go to hospital right now. kat robinson is 33 and lives in dorset with her daughter, paige. a non—smoker, six months ago she was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer. i've got three tumours in my lungs, which then spread on to lymph nodes. they said, we can see you've got seven tumours in your brain and that's what's causing the pain. i couldn't believe it, couldn't understand it and it was a massive shock to my family and me. kat was being prepared for radiotherapy and standard chemotherapy, but a blood test showed her cancer had a genetic mutation, which responds to this drug, brigatinib. so it's only one tablet

a day, and it's amazing. the quality of life is improved massively. i don't stay in a hospital at all and i'm able to continue with my day—to—day life. have you done one carrot? doctors have told kat she has at least a year to live, but perhaps several more. she's decided to be completely open about her condition with 11—year—old paige. we're trying to build as many memories as we can, so that i can remember, she can remember, everyone can remember the times we had. she's learnt a lot of things in the last few months. she's grown up quite fast. this is a blood test. one of the blood tests that we use. what's special about the test is it can identify dna, which has broken off a cancer and is circulating in the blood. it can show what gene mutations are driving cancer growth, so patients get targeted drugs.

it really allows patients to get on treatment very, very quickly. but, more importantly, it allows them to get on absolutely the correct treatment for their particular cancer. these tablets have dramatic effects in shrinking the cancer down, and in most cases they have markedly fewer side effects. people don't lose their hair. over the next year, 10,000 patients across england will benefit from these blood tests. part of a revolution in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. kat knows that at some point her drug will stop working, but it is giving her more time with her sister and daughter. every spare minute we have, we just try and spend it together. my advice for people who are facing cancer diagnosis would be don't hide away.

don't close up. talk to people. be close to your family. until recently, there had been little improvement in survival for lung cancer. but the earlier, wider use of targeted treatments is beginning to change the outlook for patients. fergus walsh, bbc news. the chelsea flower show has stunned visitors with its beautiful displays for years, but this year the organisers have got something special in store. for the first time, a "no adults allowed" garden — designed by children, for children — will be on display. our culture correspondent, charlotte gallagher, has been given a look behind the scenes. i've been invited to a top secret summit — and, in fact, i shouldn't really be here. this is strictly no adults allowed. children from sullivan primary in south—west london are putting the finishing touches on their very own garden for chelsea flower show.

so have you been learning about gardening while you're doing this? yeah, we've been learning about gardening for a while now. what's been the favourite thing about doing this project? probably being able to design and make the garden in general, which is going to go into the flower show for everyone to enjoy and see. i think that's the key thing, when we're designing with plants, we're trying to find things that complement each other. but it's a steep learning curve, so some grown—ups have been allowed in. so lots of wacky ideas. things that we are making work — it's going to be things like carnivorous plants, which isn't typically what you'd find in a normal chelsea show garden, and some other wacky things that we said actually is a step too far. i mean, crocodiles... ..might not work. and we had underground lakes and rivers and really big, big features, which is distilled into kind of more show garden format.

so, yeah, certainly some things won't make the cut, but other things have really inspired what we're going to be creating. first of all, hands up. who's heard of an iris plant before? i'm impressed. more than i thought. these irises are being planted so they'll flower in time for the show in may. the garden will also include boulders to scramble over, a stream to splash in and a secret den. and, unfortunately for me, it seems like the pupils aren'tjust learning about gardening. hello. today, we are at rhs wisley gardens to help design our garden at the chelsea flower show. sorry. what's going on? this is myjob. what are you doing? sorry. no. no adults allowed. this is a garden designed by children for children. they're getting their hands dirty, learning how to grow plants. i was with one little girl today, and she was planting an iris, and i was giving her a few tips on making sure we press the soil down. and then she said to me, she said, "you know what? "i want to be a gardener when i grow up."

and then she stopped, and then she said, "actually, i am a gardener, aren't i?" an inspiring story from charlotte gallagher and those young students. you are watching bbc news. we have a fairly unsettled spell at spring weather over the next couple of days, low—pressure to the north of days, low—pressure to the north of the uk will bring a story some sunny spells but also heavy, showery downpours. feeling colder than recent days and pretty windy too. the colder air works slowly south, low pressure to the north of the uk, the weather front has brought rain, it will slowly clear from the south coast into the afternoon and we will be in the clearer skies but it will be in the clearer skies but it will be windy, especially across scotland, and showers will try then.

this is 3pm. showers across wales, north—west england, fewer further east across england, temperatures significantly cooler than recent days. showers more frequent this afternoon across parts of northern ireland and scotland where they are wintry over the highest ground, a few reaching aberdeenshire. this evening and overnight brisk winds, gusts of around 60 mph, driving more frequent showers from the north—west. fewer showers for parts of southern and eastern england that you could catch on almost anywhere through the night, and colder than recently the temperature is between about two and four in towns and cities but a touch colder in the more rural spots. low pressure starts to move towards the east into the second half of the weekend, meaning that the weather will start to improve. for saturday, plenty of showers rattling through on those brisk north—westerly winds, some of the showers a bit wintry over the higher ground of scotland and there could be hail and thunderstorms

mixed in too. some sunshine in between showers is but only nine or 10 degrees, not feeling particularly warm especially where you are exposed to the brisk winds. brisk winds bringing showers into the north and east, some rain approaching from the west later in the day but not too bad in between, sunny spell surrounded temperatures a degree or two warmer compared to saturday. into next week, low pressure stays fairly close to the uk, one area clears to the south—east, and other approaching on the atlantic. it will not be a complete wash—out, there will be drier and brighter weather, complete wash—out, there will be drierand brighterweather, but drier and brighter weather, but showers drierand brighterweather, but showers around in temperatures a little warmer later in the week. —— and temperatures a little warmer.

welcome to viewers on bbc news. we are talking about the huge controversy, and it really is. i woke up this morning i thought, what is that? many texts from 5 live are enraged about the fact that people are enraged. politicians are weighing in. keir starmer has spoken to the sun online and he has said that this cross is not a red cross, it's this new cross under the collar. it is red, navy, light blue

and purple, vermilion. the million duller question, are you cross? the like update, keir starmer has said the flag is used by everybody, it does need to be changed, wejust need to be proud of it. lee anderson, who defected from the conservatives to reform uk recently, called it virtually signalling nonsense, namby—pamby woke nonsense. people are calling on who might not be natural admirers of lee anderson, and they don't like it. nigel farage said it is a joke, there are no relationship to the st george's cross whatsoever. we have gotjess in halifax and harry in birmingham, joe in stirling and katie in clitheroe. katie, what do you think about all this fuss, are you cross?