the white house says the threat of an iranian attack on israel is �*real and viable�*. police launch an investigation into claims that the uk's deputy opposition leader broke electoral law. angela broke electoral law. rayner says she will stand down angela rayner says she will stand down if they prove any wrongdoing. a coroner rules the shooting dead of 10 protestant workmen in northern ireland in 1976 was an "overtly sectarian attack by the ira". also coming up on the world today: and what sparked the brightest burst of light every recorded? scientists solve the cosmic question, but has it unlocked more mysteries? welcome to the world today — an hour of international news from the bbc.

we begin in the middle east where reports of hezbollah launching dozens of soils into israel. confirming a0 lodges were identified to some were intercepted. unclear whether this is linked to the threat that has been reported today that an attack by iran on israel is imminent. the white house described that the right as quote, real and viable. media reporting in israel that the prime minister is meeting top officials for such an attack which would be seen as retaliation or the air strike that killed senior iranian commanders nearly two weeks ago on a iranian consulate in damascus. here's what the white house spokesman said when he briefed reporters earlier on. we're watching this very, very closely. we still deemed the potential threat by iran here to be real, to be viable, certainly credible.

and we're watching it as closely as we can. right now, ourfocus is on having conversations with our israeli counterparts and making sure — notjust conversations — but making sure that they have what they need and that they're able to defend themselves. and as i think, you know, we're also clearly it would be imprudent if we didn't take a look at our own posture in the region to make sure that we're properly prepared as well. well that followed a briefing from us officials to our broadcast partner cbs that an iranian attack on israel could begin as early as today, although they added that �*nothing is certain and other outcomes are possible'. the us officials were talking to david martin, a cbs news correspondent who spoke to us from the pentagon.

the estimate actually comes from two us officials is that iran is preparing a strike against israel that would use more than 100 drones, dozens of cruise missiles and perhaps ballistic missiles as well. and that this attack could come this evening at at the earliest. several countries are issuing travel warnings for the region french citizens are being asked not to travel to iran, lebanon, israel and the palestinian territories. the united states has restricted travel for its embassy personel in israel, and the british foreign office and india have travel warnings in place for israel. let's speak to charles lister, director of syria and counter terrorism programmes at the middle east institute. thank you for being with us. first,

we've had these threats which clearly the americans are very worried about. the white house is warned, a real and credible threat from iran. we have now seen rockets fired in by hezbollah which is backed, of course, by iran. do you think this could be connected, do you think this is a hezbollah attack at the behest of iran? i you think this is a hezbollah attack at the behest of iran?— at the behest of iran? i think hezbollah — at the behest of iran? i think hezbollah has _ at the behest of iran? i think hezbollah has been - at the behest of iran? i think. hezbollah has been conducting attacks against israel almost daily for the last six months so it is likely that what has happened just now, literallyjust minutes ago, is part and parcel of that tit—for—tat violence that we have seen. at the same time, everything that is happening across the region, whether from lebanon, iraq, serie a or elsewhere is often linked into the ongoing conflict in gaza and all of these groups including hezbollah are proxies of iran so in a way it is directly related. do you think iran would want to directly attack israel

because clearly there would be a response. netanyahu has said if you hurt us, we will hurt you, that is a retaliation from israel if iran were to attack. ., , to attack. ultimately, untilthe relatively recent _ to attack. ultimately, untilthe relatively recent israeli - to attack. ultimately, untilthe relatively recent israeli strike i to attack. ultimately, untilthe i relatively recent israeli strike on part of the iranian consulate in the syrian capital of damascus, i would say no, there's absolutely no with that person would want to take the risk of attacking israel directly. but that is really air strike into the basket is not too long ago was a major incident. and i think it has pushed iran into a corner where it has to respond to. but we have seen of the last six months is iran conductjust of the last six months is iran conduct just about everything of the last six months is iran conductjust about everything it could have done through its proxies, except for, a direct attack from iran. it is really the only response it has left on the table that has not already been witnessed over the last six months which is why i think, everyone is expecting that is exactly what will happen. and

certainly listening to us intelligence, european officials, regional officials, everybody seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet which presumably means we have detected in various things that would seem to imply that this is exactly what is about to happen. if it does happen, to what extent can israel defended itself against that sort of attack, a direct attack from iran, we know israelis have pretty sophisticated missile—defense systems, but that they still be vulnerable?— systems, but that they still be vulnerable? ~ ., �* , , vulnerable? what you've 'ust said is ke . israel vulnerable? what you've 'ust said is key. israel more * vulnerable? what you've 'ust said is key. israel more than _ vulnerable? what you've just said is key. israel more than any _ vulnerable? what you've just said is i key. israel more than any government in the world, arguably, samosas sophisticated, connected network of air defences anywhere in the world. so they are as well—prepared as they could be for any kind of this attack, whether using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, one—way suicide drones. having said that, it is also possible, no matter how

sophisticated and well—equipped you are, for those kinds of air defences to be overwhelmed byjust a sheer number of different projectiles. that is theoretically possible and unquestionably, iran is able to do that, but looking at the bigger picture, frankly, iran, overthe last six months has been very, very risk adverse and surprisingly measured in terms of its engagement in all of his regional conflicts. so i suspect it will probably seek to do something and it looks like it could be imminent, but at the same time, i don't think it will seek to do something so dramatic that it forces a reciprocal israeli response. i think, forces a reciprocal israeli response. ithink, ultimately, this will be something that iran feels like it has to do, but as i say, it does not want to find itself in a war that ultimately, it would not be able to win. i war that ultimately, it would not be able to win-— able to win. i suppose the worry for israel would — able to win. i suppose the worry for israel would be _ able to win. i suppose the worry for israel would be opening _ able to win. i suppose the worry for israel would be opening up a - able to win. i suppose the worry for| israel would be opening up a second front. clearly there is a front with iran already in some ways, but to have all out war with iran at the same time they are fighting hamas in

gazais same time they are fighting hamas in gaza is very difficult. i think unquestionably. _ gaza is very difficult. i think unquestionably. i— gaza is very difficult. i think unquestionably. ithink- gaza is very difficult. i think unquestionably. i think the | gaza is very difficult. i think - unquestionably. i think the israelis have done a lot in gaza for bad and for good, but they are stretched. all of the discussion around the potential operation in the south has been held back until now. not because of diplomatic pressure, but because of diplomatic pressure, but because the israelis do not for combat troops ready to conduct an operation in rafah. so, yes, as you say, if there was suddenly the prospect of an actual direct war between israel and iran, the israelis would quickly find themselves stretched. that is where all of the pressure now on the us in the region in particular is coming to the fore and that is, unquestionably, some think that the biting administration was to find itself involved in either. that is the message channels to both sides, into the iranians. —— biting administration. into the iranians. -- biting

administration.— into the iranians. -- biting administration. are you positive that the israelis _ administration. are you positive that the israelis would - administration. are you positive that the israelis would want - administration. are you positive that the israelis would want to i that the israelis would want to carry out that attack on the iranian consulate in damascus knowing that it would be likely to provoke a response from iran?— it would be likely to provoke a response from iran? when we are in as intense a — response from iran? when we are in as intense a conflict _ response from iran? when we are in as intense a conflict and as - response from iran? when we are in as intense a conflict and as a - response from iran? when we are in as intense a conflict and as a hot - as intense a conflict and as a hot situation we have been in for the less expense across the middle east, it is always hard to measure where ever one's redline is. israel has been engaged in a hot conflict with iran and its proxies in syria for years now and it has conducted a number of very, very sensitive strikes against iran and iranian personnel. unquestionably, hitting part of a conflict would generally cross most people's redlines. am i surprised that it happened? not necessarily. israel feels itself cornered by many of these iranian proxies and i think from the israeli perspective, perhaps pushing one of those redlines is trying to send the message of, back off. we know where you are, who you are, where you are

operating. maybe that was the calculation that would've convinced the iranians to step back. ultimately what we are watching play out right now, is not that playing out right now, is not that playing out at all. but also as i say, iran is likely to make the calculation that it also does not want to find itself in a direct regional war. so itself in a direct regional war. so it will have to respond, yes, but not in the weight that draws itself into that kind of conflagration. so ultimately, may be both sides come out of this equation relatively intact, speaking for themselves, at least. , ., , ., least. very good to get your analysis. — least. very good to get your analysis, director— least. very good to get your analysis, director of - least. very good to get your analysis, director of syrian i analysis, director of syrian counterterrorism programmes at the police and situate. we were talk about that barrage of rockets that has been fired into northern israel by hezbollah who are iranian proxies, iranian back. we arejust here from cbs who are our broadcast partners in the united states that they have been told by the us government official that that barrage of rockets and drones into northern israel from hezbollah

controlling southern lebanon, totally separate from any expected iranian attack on israel. so that is quite an interesting development and clarification. these are some pictures, from the scene. you can see the night sky there lighting up. and that barrage of rockets, according to the israeli defence forces, saying a0 lunches were identified coming across from lebanese territory. some of which were intercepted. the rest fell into open areas. the americans, the us official talking to cvs, sang about 50 rockets falling into open fields making it clear that as far as the us is concerned, this attack is totally separate from any expected iranian attack on israel in response for that attack a few weeks ago on the iranian consulate in damascus that we were just discussing there.

let's be truck diplomatic correspondent injerusalem. correspondent in jerusalem. james lindell who is correspondent injerusalem. james lindell who is also following developments. it's important to be clear, hezbollah have been firing lots of rockets into northern israel for quite some time now. so this is not necessarily part of any white iranian response to that consulate attack. —— wider response. we iranian response to that consulate attack. -- wider response. we always must remind — attack. -- wider response. we always must remind ourselves _ attack. -- wider response. we always must remind ourselves of— attack. -- wider response. we always must remind ourselves of the - attack. -- wider response. we always must remind ourselves of the war - attack. -- wider response. we always must remind ourselves of the war is l must remind ourselves of the war is notjust must remind ourselves of the war is not just confined must remind ourselves of the war is notjust confined to the borders of gaza. there has been fighting elsewhere for many, many months in as you say, cross—border exchanges fired between israel and the north and hezbollah, the armed militant force, political movement in lebanon. his regular, common, it happens a great deal. it has been fairly calibrated by both sides ensured that it does not escalate too much. people here say that the numbers of the attacks tonight is probably at the upper level of where

most of these attacks are, but it is certainly not unusual. at the moment, hezbollah are saying that this is in response to an israeli attack on their own positions. it has not made any connection or link to the wider iran israel conflict. if there were a direct iranian attack on israel, a big if, but certainly the white house is saying it could be possible, and that the threat is real, if there were to be such an attack, there is no doubt that israel would respond. netanyahu has been saying, if they hurt us, we hurt them. , ~ , has been saying, if they hurt us, we hurt them-— hurt them. yes. i think there is no question that _ hurt them. yes. i think there is no question that israel _ hurt them. yes. i think there is no question that israel would - hurt them. yes. i think there is no | question that israel would respond if it were attacked. it has made that incredibly clear. so the americans, in an attempt to try to deter the scale of any iranian response, so that is a core part of

the iranian calculus on how to respond. iran has said that it has to make a response, it is a necessity it says because of what they see as a violation of its toulouse international law and their own diplomatic premises in damascus which is triggered this whole attack, this whole escalation i2 attack, this whole escalation 12 days ago. at the same time, iranians are saying that they do not wish to expand the scope of the war. so that does the parameters through which iran is having to make their decision. how do they respond in a way that projects force, power, but does not escalate this conflict. it is a very, very difficult line to tread. . ., ~ ., ., ., ., tread. so much talk about a iranian resonse tread. so much talk about a iranian response to — tread. so much talk about a iranian response to that _ tread. so much talk about a iranian response to that attack _ tread. so much talk about a iranian response to that attack on their - response to that attack on their conflict, our israelis worried? i know you've been out and about in jerusalem today, what is the mood, what is the sense from the israeli population with this heightened level of threat from iran? the mood

here to stay — level of threat from iran? the mood here to stay in _ level of threat from iran? the mood here to stay in israel _ level of threat from iran? the mood here to stay in israel was pretty - here to stay in israel was pretty calm. i spent a few hours talking to people wandering the streets of jerusalem this morning, they were all in the streets, the markets packed, everyone shopping is normal appearing for sabbath meals. i saw a juggler on the streets, a dance troupe, i mean the streets were as he would normally expect. the people i spoke to, most shrugged their shoulders saying the he lived with the threat all the time. those a resignation about it. there was not any sense of heightened concern. 0r imminent threat and how they felt. but the talk to you, james, thank you for being with us. live from jerusalem. 0ur diplomatic correspondent. still to come on the world today. 0fficials on the world today. officials believe. 0fficial�*s believe sudan's catastrophic hunger crisis is even worse than expected we'll speak to a former deputy head of mission in sudan.

and the results are in an investigation reveals which airports are the best and worst for flight delays. around the world and across the uk. this is the world today on bbc news.

big political stories at westminster, police investigating claims that the labour deputy leader, angela rayner may have broken electoral law following a complaint by its deputy chairman of the conservative party over whether she paid the correct amount of tax on the sale of her council house back in 2015. angela rayner strongly denies that she has done anything wrong, but she says she will stand down if it is proved otherwise. greater manchester police had originally said there would be no investigation. let's bring in our

political correspondent in. the stakes have been raised, saying she will step down if the police can prove anything, against her. this is anuela prove anything, against her. this is angela rayner _ prove anything, against her. this is angela rayner sounding _ prove anything, against her. this is angela rayner sounding confident, | angela rayner sounding confident, that she will not be found guilty of any wrongdoing. she is explicit that she will stand out for her role as deputy leader of the labour party if she is found guilty of any criminal offence. withjust she is found guilty of any criminal offence. with just spelling she is found guilty of any criminal offence. withjust spelling out exactly what police are going to be looking into. this follows a complaint by the tory mp, james daly. the deputy chairman currently of the conservative party and he has been questioning whether at the time that angela rayner owned a house in stockport between 2007—2015, she was really living there as her permanent residence. because she was registered to vote there and that usually means you are registered at what would be your permanent residence. during that. she married and her husband at the time owned a

house nearby and she reregistered the birth of her children and on that reregistration, she put down a second address bleeds to be that of her husband. so there were two residences in question, so claims about whether she was really living at the property that she was registered on the electoral roll as. there are separate claims that have been raised about whether, when she sold her house in 2015, she should have paid capital gains tax. not usually owed on a property that is considered your primary residence. angela rayner has denied that she should have paid any tax on it. she said she has received legal advice and advice from tax officials as well, to say that she should not have paid any tax on that. and that she is confident on that. then tonight, the wider statement saying that she welcomes this investigation by police and she hopes it will draw a line under the matter and she will cooperate with them. she does say that if she is found to have

committed a criminal offence, she would do the right thing, and her words, and step down. she does accuse this of being, essentially, a political attack by the conservative party. she describes it as being, straight out of their playbook, reporting political opponents to the police during an election campaign. remember, there are local elections coming up in england in the next few weeks. so angela rayner tonight standing firm, saying she has done nothing wrong and will welcome the police investigation. but i think it is clearly distracting for the labour party of these questions have been rumbling on for some weeks now. thank you very much. 0ur political correspondent in westminster. now to the continuing tragedy in sudan where the international medical charity, doctors without borders, is warning that a catastrophic hunger crisis is even worse than feared. it's screened tens of thousands of women and children from a displaced peoples' camp in north darfur, and found a third were malnourished twice the threshold required for a �*nutritional

emergency�* to be declared. a year of civil war has had a devastating humanitarian impact, across the country. especially in the darfur region — it�*s been almost impossible to transfer aid across conflict lines. the paramilitary rapid support forces now control much of darfur. warehouses have been looted and most aid workers have withdrawn. the army has blocked land routes from outside the country, to stop weapons it says. that has eased, slightly, for food supplies, but not nearly enough. let�*s speak to david shinn a former deputy head of mission in sudan. we have sown off spoken about tragedy in sudan but this really seems to be getting worse all the time. it seems to be getting worse all the time. , ., , time. it is indeed getting worse. you have a _ time. it is indeed getting worse. you have a population _ time. it is indeed getting worse. you have a population of - time. it is indeed getting worse. you have a population of about i time. it is indeed getting worse. i you have a population of about 50 million in sudan and the estimate todayis million in sudan and the estimate today is that about half of them need some kind of humanitarian

assistance. that number is likely will continuing to grow as the situation continues to worsen and in fact, there is a conference coming up fact, there is a conference coming up in paris on april 15 to try to encourage the donor community to increase, significantly, their commitments to sudan. at the moment they�*re only providing about 5% of they�*re only providing about 5% of the need. so there�*s a long way to go to get additional donor support. and of course, even if you have donor support, there are problems in moving the assistance into sudan to help the people. that moving the assistance into sudan to help the people-— help the people. that was exactly what i help the people. that was exactly what i was _ help the people. that was exactly what i was going _ help the people. that was exactly what i was going to _ help the people. that was exactly what i was going to ask— help the people. that was exactly what i was going to ask you, - help the people. that was exactly j what i was going to ask you, what help the people. that was exactly i what i was going to ask you, what is the point of donor saying, yes we will give more money for more eight if you cannot get it to the people who need it. if you cannot get it to the people who need it— if you cannot get it to the people who need it. you do have to have assistance _ who need it. you do have to have assistance in _ who need it. you do have to have assistance in the _ who need it. you do have to have assistance in the pipeline - who need it. you do have to have assistance in the pipeline and - who need it. you do have to have assistance in the pipeline and i i assistance in the pipeline and i think there are some way to get assistance in that perhaps summed up and not have been fully explored yet. so it could be possible to get some additional food and let medical supplies in. but it is a challenge,

your point is well taken, you can only have so much assistance stacked up only have so much assistance stacked up on the borders outside, if you cannot move it forward. itruihat up on the borders outside, if you cannot move it forward. what would ou sa to cannot move it forward. what would you say to the _ cannot move it forward. what would you say to the various _ cannot move it forward. what would you say to the various military - you say to the various military groups, the factions who are fighting, in terms of the level of hunger, malnutrition, even famine that we are seeing. what did they need to do?— that we are seeing. what did they need to do? ., ., , , ., �* need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care — need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care much. _ need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care much. as _ need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care much. as long - need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care much. as long as - need to do? unfortunately they don't seem to care much. as long as they. seem to care much. as long as they get fat and as long as they continue to fight each other, they seem to be quite content. theyjust are not taking the needs of the sudanese people seriously which is what they have to do. and it is getting more complicated because you have a new group of militia and north marker one who has very recently agreed to join forces with the sudan armed forces to come back the rapid support forces in darfur. where much of the problem exists. so the

problem is actually worsening than improving. it is problem is actually worsening than imrovinu. , . problem is actually worsening than imrovin.. , problem is actually worsening than imrovinu. , ., improving. it is a problem not 'ust of food, i think�* improving. it is a problem not 'ust of food, i think it i improving. it is a problem not 'ust of food, i think it is i improving. it is a problem not 'ust of food, i think it is health i improving. it is a problem notjust of food, i think it is health care i of food, i think it is health care and disease and so on as well, is it not? �* , ,., , , and disease and so on as well, is it not? absolutely. it is estimated that only 20-30% _ not? absolutely. it is estimated that only 20-30% of _ not? absolutely. it is estimated that only 20-30% of the - not? absolutely. it is estimated that only 20-30% of the health | that only 20—30% of the health structure in sudan is currently functioning. the rest is either badly damaged or it totally shut down. ., , . ., , down. the world is consumed with what is going _ down. the world is consumed with what is going on — down. the world is consumed with what is going on in _ down. the world is consumed with what is going on in the _ down. the world is consumed with what is going on in the middle - down. the world is consumed with i what is going on in the middle east, gaza and ukraine and so on, do you sometimes think, as an expert on sudan, that sudan and all of its problems that we have just been discussing are forgotten by the world or even ignored? i discussing are forgotten by the world or even ignored?- discussing are forgotten by the world or even ignored? i don't think there is any — world or even ignored? i don't think there is any question _ world or even ignored? i don't think there is any question that _ world or even ignored? i don't think there is any question that that - there is any question that that is what is happening. it is not too surprising, those parts of the world like ukraine and gaza are more likely to attract international attention fan sudan is. african problems often seem to get less attention than those of their parts

of the world. so this is happened before and it is certainly happening now. it is unfortunate that the world, the international community cannot focus on three or four or five problems all at the same time, but it is very difficult to do that. it is even difficult for the international media to do that. thank you very much, david. if you are thinking about taking a flight, maybe you should consider where you are taking off from. an investigation has found that gatwick was the worst airport in the uk for flight delays last year. departures from the west sussex airport the second busiest in uk were an average of nearly 27 minutes behind schedule in 2023. luton and manchester airports followed gatwick byjust a couple of minutes. stay with us here on bbc news. hello. temperatures for some of us today

got up into the high teens, the low 20s celsius — particularly where we saw some sunshine — but don�*t expect those warm conditions to last. it�*s actually going to turn cooler this weekend. 0ften windy, the wettest weather towards the north and the west of the uk. today, we�*ve had this feed of south or south—westerly winds bringing this relatively warm air, but notice some colder air lurking out in the atlantic. that will head our way as westerly winds start to kick in through the weekend. those westerly winds moving in behind various different frontal systems. here comes one. not much more than just a little bit of showery rain, certainly more cloud with that. most places, i think, will be largely dry through the night. some further hefty showers into north—west scotland, where it will be windy. it�*s going to be mild to take us into saturday morning. so, for saturday, a couple of different weather fronts to pass across the uk. this first one here bringing some mostly fairly light, showery rain. this next weather front here bringing some more intense downpours across northern ireland and the north—west of scotland. some heavy, thundery downpours are possible. between the rain bands, we will see some spells of sunshine and what will be quite a windy day,

particularly across northern areas, gusts of a0 mph or more, but a pretty windy day wherever you are. temperatures in the south—east corner getting up to 20 degrees celsius. further north and west, it will be turning cooler as the day wears on, and actually saturday night could be quite cold. we could see a touch of frost in northern areas. these weather fronts moving out of the way, a window of drier weather, but we�*re into those westerly winds and that chillier air mass by this stage. sunday is going to be a sunshine and showers day. it could be a frosty start for some northern areas, then some spells of sunshine. showers getting going, particularly across northern ireland, scotland, northern england, some down into wales. some of the showers wintry over the highest ground in the north. not as many showers down towards the south—east corner, 9—15 degrees. that is about where we should be temperature—wise for this time of year.

now, monday, we�*ll see this area of low pressure passing across the uk. we�*ll see showers or longer spells of rain, some pretty blustery winds as well. the showers becoming fewer and further between as we head deeper into next week. temperature—wise, well, around the average for the time of year.

this is the world today from bbc news. the headlines —

the white house says the threat of an iranian attack on israel is "real and viable". warnings of the uk could be facing a doctor retention crisis in the nhs. and what sparked the brightest burst of light every recorded? scientists solve the cosmic question, but has it unlocked more mysteries? millions of people in kazakhstan have been transfixed by the trial of a former government minister who�*s accused of torturing his wife and beating her to death. prosecutors say former economy minister quandyq bishimbaev murdered 31—year—old saltanat nukenova in a vip booth of a restaurant. he denies the allegations and insists that she was "drunk" and "provoked him with aggression".

he says she died from self—sustained injuries.