the 75th anniversary of their alliance, with promises to play a greater role in providing military aid to ukraine. hello, i'm sally bundock. a warm welcome to what is the packed programme, so let's get started. president biden is to talk to the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu later today, as israel faces international condemnation for what it calls a mistaken air strike that killed seven aid workers in gaza. the un has supended overnight aid operations in gaza for at least 48 hours to evaluate security in the wake of the attack on monday. the head of the charity the victims had worked for has accused israel of deliberately

targeting his staff. israel's economy minister nir barkat says it's nonsense to suggest that the idf deliberately targeted aid workers, describing the incident as a tragic mistake. lucy williamson reports from jerusalem. israel's army said it had misidentified them. today, colleagues wrote their names on the body bags that carried them out of gaza. john chapman. james henderson. and james kirby. three british men, among seven aid workers killed in israeli air strikes this week. their bodies driven through the rafah crossing into egypt to be flown home to the uk. today, the head of their organisation spoke for the first time about what happened. they attacked the first car. they were able to move in the second one. again, this one was hit. they were able to move in the third one.

in the process, we know they were trying to call. but in the chaos of the moment, whatever happened, they... to try to be telling idf that why are they doing, that they were targeting us, and then they hit the third one. under pressure to provide answers, israel has promised an investigation. i welcome what the israeli foreign minister said yesterday to me about a full, urgent and transparent inquiry into how this dreadful event was allowed to happen, and we want to see that happen very, very quickly. israel's army initially pointed to poor coordination on the ground, and announced new measures to tackle it. but precise strikes on aid vehicles need a very high bar under both military regulations and international law, and some here say both sets of rules are being broken in gaza, describing a culture of impunity. no, i don't agree with that.

there are cases where soldiers have been disciplined throughout the course of this war. how many times? i don't have those figures at hand but this is the situation. how many other investigations do you have going on, where aid workers have been killed by israeli forces? i'm not aware of those cases, but what we need to understand is that there are very clear rules and regulations. soldiers need to adhere by them, and when they don't, they are held accountable for their actions. this investigation is being driven by international outrage over a single event. but poor coordination on the ground doesn't fully explain why forces were allowed to fire on a clearly marked convoy that appeared to pose no immediate threat, and there are people both inside and outside the defence ministry who say the explanation goes beyond any individual decision or any individual mistake. one organisation that collects testimony from serving soldiers says there's been a shift in military

culture and policies. you know, when i served in the military, the rules were — if there is doubt, there is no doubt, meaning if you have any doubt that you're going to hit an innocent person, you don't shoot. today, it means the opposite. if there is any doubt that you are under risk, you need to shoot. these are not the first aid workers to be killed here, just the first known foreign ones. but their deaths have spotlit questions that foreign journalists currently can't investigate — banned by israel from entering gaza. six bodies left this conflict zone today — the questions did not. lucy williamson, bbc news, tel aviv. with me is mohamed taha from bbc arabic. hello again. let's talk about

this move on the part of the un to announce that evernote made supply won't be happening for 48 hours. . �* , supply won't be happening for 48 hours. . v , 48 hours. that's very unfortunate - 48 hours. that's very unfortunate for - 48 hours. that's very unfortunate for the i unfortunate for the palestinians who are really desperate for aid, but analysts say this is exactly what israel wants, it wants to be in full control of the war in gaza and they look at agency workers as kind of doing some work out of their control which they do not like. that's whatjose andres, head of the international world kitchen says israel deliberately killed his workers and he has got a detailed account with reuters were he said they had their first car, the workers hit the first, and second car, the drone hit the third car, five killed, and after that within minutes, the third car also was hit. he has a detailed account of this

incident and that it was deliberate. there are about 200 people, aid workers who died in gaza in six months and we saw many incidents similar to this where israel attacked aid workers. where israel attacked aid workers-_ where israel attacked aid workers. , ., workers. just to say israel denies that _ workers. just to say israel denies that it _ workers. just to say israel denies that it was - workers. just to say israel. denies that it was deliberate, but it was just a very tragic mistake. today president biden will be talking to prime minister benjamin netanyahu on the telephone. that will no doubt be quite a difficult discussion. it doubt be quite a difficult discussion.— discussion. it is indeed because _ discussion. it is indeed because now _ discussion. it is indeed because now there - discussion. it is indeed because now there are | discussion. it is indeed - because now there are mounting pressures on western leaders that if they do not talk seriously with israel about this incident, they might be accountable in front of the international court ofjustice, they do not want to do that, biden is facing elections this year, also rishi sunak in the uk, and they do not want this

incident to happen frequently as they are facing threat internally.— as they are facing threat internally. thank you, as always. _ internally. thank you, as always. for— internally. thank you, as always, for your - internally. thank you, as always, for your updates | internally. thank you, as i always, for your updates on what's happening in the middle east stop let's bring the latest on the aftermath of the earthquake in taiwan. rescue efforts are continuing in taiwan after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake. at least nine people were killed, more than 1,000 others injured in the strongest quake to hit taiwan in 25 years. more than 100 people are understood to be trapped under rubble in collapsed tunnels along the coastline. around 30 buildings are reported to have collapsed. however, some analysts have said the death toll has remained relatively low because people were able to escape damaged buildings that had been built to withstand strong tremors after the last major quake in 1999. rupert wingfield—hayes reports.

this is the moment the quake struck a taipei tv station, in the middle of its morning news show. the shaking was intense and prolonged, even in the capital, more than 100 miles from the quake's epicentre. this is what it did to morning traffic on an elevated highway, and to passengers on a metro train, who remained remarkably calm, as the car was tossed around like a toy. elsewhere, people ran for their lives, abandoning their coffees and breakfast. most young people here have never experienced a quake like this, and were badly shaken. translation: an earthquake | hasn't happened in a long time, so it felt really terrifying. close to the epicentre, in the city of hualien, the shaking was more intense and the damage much worse. you can see people running from their cars, as the building on the left begins to collapse. dozens of buildings have been badly damaged. some now lean over at absurd angles, as if ready to topple

at any moment. the death toll is, so far, mercifully low, but the number of injured has skyrocketed past 1,000. eastern taiwan is a mountainous and rugged landscape, and that brought another terrifying threat — landslides. along the coast, the quake unleashed massive rock falls — whole mountainsides seemingly slipping into the valleys below. roads are now strewn with massive boulders, bridges severed and tunnels blocked. these shots, from a military helicopter, show one famously perilous stretch of road. it is now completely cut off at both ends, with cars and buses stuck inside. rescue crews are continuing to work into the night in hualien city and across the east of the island. dozens have been brought to safety, but more than 140 people are still reported to be trapped. many of those still trapped are along this highway, behind me.

several dozen are reported to be tourists in buses, trapped inside a tunnel. one can only imagine the horror of being in that tunnel when the earth began to shake and the rocks began to fall. the race is now on to get to them and to bring them to safety. it is. rupert wingfield—hayes reporting there. we can speak to jan camenzind broomby, a freelance journalist who is in taipei. hearing from rupert that the urgency to find those people who are still trapped, what more can you tell us? i’m who are still trapped, what more can you tell us? i'm in the city _ more can you tell us? i'm in the city of — more can you tell us? i'm in the city of wiley _ more can you tell us? i'm in the city of wiley and - more can you tell us? i'm in the city of wiley and that. more can you tell us? i'm in l the city of wiley and that was kilometres from the epicentre of the earthquake, the largest of the earthquake, the largest of the earthquake, the largest of the island has felt in 25 years —— hualien. you see behind me shelters that have been set up on the ground of this school, used to people whose homes were destroyed and damaged. they don't feel safe

to go back home tonight or yesterday night, people sleeping out here and in me. we spoke to people who said they were scared for their lives and children's lives, they felt the ground moving beneath them and the water gushing down the stairs and they hugged their family in the corridor and another person said it felt like a movie but it was real life for them here in hualien. typically, you are in hualien, as you say, closest to the epicentre where this all happened. the real concern is for those who are trapped in more rural areas in the mountains, that will be much harder to try and rescue. that's right and hualien is a very touristy town normally, known for its proximity to the mountains, known also for its main tourist attraction, a beautiful set of rolling hills and mountains with roads at between them and through tunnels. as we had earlier, tourist buses are now trapped

or people are trapped in these panels as the landslide caused by this earthquake have blocked entrances and exits.— entrances and exits. similarly --eole entrances and exits. similarly peeple are — entrances and exits. similarly people are still _ entrances and exits. similarly people are still in _ entrances and exits. similarly people are still in shock- entrances and exits. similarly people are still in shock this i people are still in shock this morning, having woken up following one of the worst earthquakes they've seen for a quarter of a century.— quarter of a century. some --eole quarter of a century. some people definitely _ quarter of a century. some people definitely are - quarter of a century. some people definitely are in - quarter of a century. some . people definitely are in shock. we spoke to a person who was deeply upset. his own building had been partially destroyed and he had lost a friend of his who had died in the collapse of one of the large buildings in hualien that had slumped over, losing his friend. 0thers hualien that had slumped over, losing his friend. others you speak to say this is taiwan, where used earthquakes. taiwan has especially since 1999, last time we saw an earthquake of roughly this magnitude, and implement policies to ensure damage to —— from earthquakes can be mitigated, school classes are given, alights to phones, so people who are used

to earthquakes, just not of this size. jan camenzind broomby, a freelance journalist who is in taipei. thank you forjoining us close to where the magnitude earthquake struck, the epicentre. a new yorkjudge has denied donald trump's bid to delay his forthcoming trial over alleged hush money paid to a porn star — the first ever criminal trial of a former us president. in 2016 a lawyer for the former president, michael cohen, said he'd paid $130,000 to stormy daniels to stop herfrom revealing an affairwith mrtrump ten years previously. mr trump wanted a delay until the supreme court reviews his claim of presidential immunity in another criminal case. 0ur washington reporter, will vernon, sent this update. this is an by the new york judge relates to the so—called hush money case, so this is where mr trump is accused of falsifying business records over an alleged pay—out to an

aduu over an alleged pay—out to an adult film actress back in 2016 in the final days of the presidential election campaign and he is accused of trying to hide this payment allegedly. mr trump argued that this case should be delayed while the us supreme court considers a separate legal question over whether mr trump and enjoys immunity from prosecution over acts he took while in office and that stems from a separate case which is the washington federal crimes case where mr trump is accused of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election results. today the judge to overturn the 2020 election results. today thejudge in new york, as we expected him to do, denied that request to postpone that trial once again, so that now clears the way, removes the final obstacle to the start of the first criminal prosecution of a former president. it could

be the only case to go to trial before the november election. mr trump's legal strategy across all four of his criminal cases, and there are four of them, ada criminal charges across four separate cases, his tactic has been to dismiss, delay and distract. he is doing everything possible to ensure that none of those cases kick off before the november 2020 presidential election. legal experts say the reason he is doing that is because if he wins the election, he could instruct his hand—picked attorney general, so the head of the department ofjustice, in the us, to dismiss most of those charges against him, that's why he is trying to delay all the best and to a large extent he has been successful at doing that. this hush money, new york trail, could be the only one possibly that actually starts before the crucial november election date. will burn in washington. ——

will learn on. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

it isa it is a really big day for nato today. nato foreign ministers are meeting today to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their alliance, having agreed to start planning for a greater role incoordinating military aid to ukraine. 0n the second day of a meeting in brussels, the ministers will mark the signing in washington on april 4, 1949, of the north atlantic treaty that established the transatlantic political and military alliance. nato started with 12 members but now has 32 with the newest being finland and sweden. let's speak to heidi hardt, an associate professor of political science at the university of california, irvine. good to have you on the

programme, heidi. this is a very big moment and it could not be more critical now, nato, many would argue.— not be more critical now, nato, many would argue. that's right. this is truly _ many would argue. that's right. this is truly a _ many would argue. that's right. this is truly a neato _ many would argue. that's right. this is truly a neato moment. . this is truly a neato moment. i'd argue that what's going on in ukraine, the absolute tragedy in ukraine has truly high into the importance of article 5 which is ultimately the agreement among those are now 32 allies, as you mentioned, their agreement to defend what other in the event of one being attacked. do defend what other in the event of one being attacked.- of one being attacked. do you think that _ of one being attacked. do you think that actually _ of one being attacked. do you think that actually the - think that actually the conflict in ukraine, the war happening there, rush out�*s invasion, actually has given an injection to nato? prior to that there was a lot of conversation about nato and its membership and certainly of course when donald trump was president he was quite about nato. �* , ,., , president he was quite about nato. , , nato. absolutely. -- scathing. one thing _ nato. absolutely. -- scathing. one thing that's _ nato. absolutely. -- scathing. one thing that's been - one thing that's been interesting is that in the

aftermath of the invasion of ukraine, we really saw a rallying, notjust among rallying, not just among leaders rallying, notjust among leaders but also among the public, around nato. public opinion in europe, canada and the us has always been quite strong for nato and that's across different parties. but we really saw that in action after the invasion. country suddenly along the eastern flank in europe have some real security threats to be worried about. �* ., , ., ., about. but many would argue that nate _ about. but many would argue that nato and _ about. but many would argue that nato and its _ about. but many would argue that nato and its growth, - about. but many would argue that nato and its growth, itsl that nato and its growth, its presence, is one reason why russia invaded ukraine initially because it was looking, ukraine was looking at hoping tojoin nato, something russia did not want. hoping to join nato, something russia did not want.— russia did not want. that's true. that's _ russia did not want. that's true. that's true _ russia did not want. that's true. that's true that - russia did not want. that'sl true. that's true that russia has been very clear particularly pertinent about his desire to not see nato expand —— especially vladimir

putin. there are continuing to debate about whether there was a formal agreement. it is clear there was never a formal signed agreement that nato would not expand and i'd argue the more important point is that ukraine is and has been for a very long time a sovereign state. and russia itself as the government has signed multiple international agreements recognising and legitimising ukraine sovereignty. it is important to keep in mind that russia did invade a sovereign state without any type of provocation, even though that same government, russia, acknowledge the sovereignty and really the independence and astronomy of ukraine. which crosstalk reinforces the tragedy. absolutely. thank you for talking to us. good to have your take on this important day for nato. let's speak to heidi hardt, an associate professor of political science at the university of california, irvine. we will have a lot more on that in business.

the man who's been called the first rock star of comedy, steve martin, is having his life celebrated in a major new documentary which has just had its world premiere in the us. tom brook has been to meet 78—year—old steve martin. pretty well —— no good evening, i am steve martin. pretty well -- no good evening, i am steve martin.— i am steve martin. steve martin, _ i am steve martin. steve martin, steve! _ i am steve martin. steve martin, steve! (martin). i am steve martin. steve | martin, steve! (martin) a documentary in two pieces explores the life of a man who first made his name with stand—up comedy. his absurdist humour was big on silliness and human fragility. it's hard to overestimate how huge steve martin once was.— martin once was. steve is a rock star — martin once was. steve is a rock star and _ martin once was. steve is a rock star and i _ martin once was. steve is a rock star and i don't - martin once was. steve is a rock star and i don't think l rock star and i don't think steve quite remembers how big of a star he was and he was out trying the eagles in fleetwood mac and concert stadiums. he was a phenomena in america. the documentary _ was a phenomena in america. the documentary shows how steve martin played with the conventions of stand—up comedy, holding back when punchlines or indicators as he calls them, to signal audiences as to when they could laugh. i

signal audiences as to when they could laugh.— they could laugh. i had this theo , they could laugh. i had this theory. what _ they could laugh. i had this theory, what if _ they could laugh. i had this theory, what if i _ they could laugh. i had this theory, what if i took - they could laugh. i had this theory, what if i took out i they could laugh. i had this i theory, what if i took out the indicators, butjust kept going? i was after that quality thatis going? i was after that quality that is indefinable, i don't know why it was funny. but it was. know why it was funny. but it was- when — know why it was funny. but it was. when you _ know why it was funny. but it was. when you look - know why it was funny. but it was. when you look back- know why it was funny. but it was. when you look back at l know why it was funny. but it i was. when you look back at the early part of your career when you are doing stand—up, what was it that enabled you to prevail? i was it that enabled you to revail? . . was it that enabled you to revail? ., ., , prevail? i call it workarounds. to me, talent _ prevail? i call it workarounds. to me, talent is _ prevail? i call it workarounds. to me, talent is when - prevail? i call it workarounds. i to me, talent is when someone goes on a broadway stage and they hit the high note and then they hit the high note and then they go the no note and then they go the no note and then they dance across the stage with a big finish, with a big note. i couldn't do one of those things. so i had to kind of workaround my things that were missing in the talen department. unfortunately i have been able to learn as i go along how to act.— along how to act. water? in 1977 steve _

along how to act. water? in 1977 steve martin _ along how to act. water? in 1977 steve martin in - along how to act. water? in 1977 steve martin in his - along how to act. water? in i 1977 steve martin in his debut short film the absent—minded waiter and four years later he left that up behind, and making movies became his focus. he became a big film star. there were so many _ became a big film star. there were so many movies - became a big film star. there were so many movies that. were so many movies that defined his career. films like author of me but i think important film for him because he could be silly and strict at the same time. these more emotional movies like plans stranded automobiles, father the bride and things that are about who steve really was which is very emotional. surveys of his film carushow he has been willing to stray from hollywood studio formula. he was so impressed with the bbc production of dennis potterphysical romantic drama, he started a film version. tap dancing for eight months. it was a commercialfailure but many critics praised it. was a commercial failure but many critics praised it. dennis potter wrote _ many critics praised it. dennis potter wrote it _ many critics praised it. dennis potter wrote it and _ many critics praised it. dennis potter wrote it and he - many critics praised it. dennisj potter wrote it and he became many critics praised it. dennis i potter wrote it and he became a curmudgeonly friend but i was

so enchanted with the bbc version that i wanted to be part of it. version that i wanted to be part of it— version that i wanted to be part of it. this steve martin documentary _ part of it. this steve martin documentary goes out - part of it. this steve martin documentary goes out and | part of it. this steve martin - documentary goes out and about, we see him riding his bike here in new york where he owns a home. but this film is more thanjust a chronicle home. but this film is more than just a chronicle of his daily activities. and that iteration of his career achievements. it's also the story of a man who made millions laugh but often struggle to find happiness himself. ,, ., ., ., ., himself. steve had a lot of success — himself. steve had a lot of success but _ himself. steve had a lot of success but not _ himself. steve had a lot of success but not a - himself. steve had a lot of success but not a lot - himself. steve had a lot of success but not a lot of. success but not a lot of happiness. then he worked as hard on his happiness as his success. that is actually inspirational. he is now happier that he has ever been. 0n happier that he has ever been. on that point, 78—year—old martin would agree. i on that point, 78-year-old martin would agree.- on that point, 78-year-old martin would agree. i have a beautiful _ martin would agree. i have a beautiful family, _ martin would agree. i have a beautiful family, the - martin would agree. i have a beautiful family, the last - martin would agree. i have a | beautiful family, the last part of your life is really about friends, family, and working. here this documentary probably won't alter prevailing perceptions of steve buchan is a very talented and thoughtful

performer with many interests. it shows that whatever he's tackled in life, he is more often than not prevailed by never giving up on himself. and for more than half a century, audiences have never really given up on him. tom brook, bbc news, new york. we have not given up. so many fans in this newsroom, steve martin fans. i'll be tuning into that. we have the top business stories next, moron nato. see you in a moment. hello. areas of low pressure are forming an orderly queue in the atlantic, heading our way over the next few days, bringing further bouts of rain. there will be some drier, sunnier interludes, and then, by the weekend, two things will happen — it will turn warmer, but it will also turn windier. the area of low pressure heading our way for the weekend isjust starting to take shape behind me. not much to see just yet,

but that low is set to deepen. in the shorter term, you can see a couple of different low pressure systems working through. thursday morning, starting with some pretty heavy rain, actually, across parts of england and wales. that will tend to pull away eastwards as the day wears on, then we'll see some sunny spells, scattered showers, then later on, more rain will push through the southwest of england and into wales. for northern ireland and scotland, you can expect largely cloudy skies, some bits and pieces of rain and drizzle, but also a bit of snow mixing in over high ground in scotland. temperatures in the north of scotland only up to around 5 or 6 degrees. 16 in the southeast of england, and then through thursday night, we'll see outbreaks of heavy rain driving northwards once again, still the chance of some snow, even to relatively low levels across the northern half of scotland, where it will be a cold start to friday. further south, a very different story — starting the day at 11 or 12 degrees in much of england and wales, and then through friday, that rain and hill snow continues to journey northwards across scotland. behind it, we get into a mix of sunny spells and heavy, blustery showers, turning quite windy through friday, particularly out towards the west, but temperatures

will be climbing. still cold in the north of scotland, but for northern ireland, england and wales, 15 to 18 degrees, and then, into the start of the weekend, this deep area of low pressure, with lots of isobars squeezing together, is set to pass to the west of the uk. now, that is going to bring some very strong winds. we will see rain clearing the north of scotland, clearing to a mix of sunny spells and showers, probably not too many showers. there will be a decent amount of dry weather around, but the winds very brisk indeed, particularly for some of these western coasts, 60mph gusts or more. with those winds coming from the south, though, feeling pretty warm. it could be the warmest day of the year so far, particularly in eastern england. highs of 20, maybe 21 degrees. not quite as warm on sunday, but temperatures still well up into the teens. some showers, some sunshine too.

live from london. this is bbc news. as nato celebrates its 75th anniversary, member states weigh up its plans for a $100 billion military aid programme for ukraine. countering addictive slot machines. we take a look at revamped bowling clubs in australia that help to kick the gambling habit.

plus, man versus machine. notable artists across the music industry denounce what they call the �*predatory�* use of artificial intelligence. hello. i'm sally bundock with the top business stories, and we start with more on nato. as you've been hearing it is celebrating its creation 75 years ago today — just four years after the end of the second world war. back then nato had just 12 members — now it has 32 member countries — with the newest — sweden and finland who have recently signed up following russia's invasion of ukraine. and to mark this big

moment for nato, its secretary general, jens stoltenberg, announced