from washington, this is bbc news. us state department criticises israel conduct of gaza but stopped short of recommending that the us hauled club and supplies. in gaza, the territory main aid agency says it only has three days with the food remaining. and russian forces launched a surprise cross—border attack on ukrainian territory near the city of kharkiv. hello i'm sumi somaskanda. the us has released a report to congress — finding that israel may have used american—supplied weapons in breach of international humanitarian law in some instances during the war in gaza. the document says however that the us government does not have "complete information" to verify its assessment. it also finds that, despite israel not fully

cooperating with us efforts to get humanitarian aid into gaza in the initial months, it does not currently assess that israel is prohibiting or restricting the transport of aid supplies. the report culminates a difficult week for us—israel relations. presidentjoe biden said the us could suspend certain arms shipments to israel if it launches a full scale invasion in to rafah — a densley populated area where one million civilians are sheltering and in dire need of humanitarian assistance. our correspondent tom bateman has been at the us state department and hejoined me earlier with more. what do you take away from this report? trying to come down on two sides of the same issue, it is a very interesting report and i think the fact that this criticism of the israeli government is very significant in its own right but that is in couched in a whole series of caviar to put the key line is

she read out is this that the report finds that it is reasonable to assess the weapons and supplied by the americans have been used by israeli security forces since october seven and instances with international humanitarian law and the administration for the first time says that it thinks that they're very serious questions being raised at least in some cases about the way it is use the bombs and munitions supplied by the americans. what this national security memorandum is known as is ordered by the president backin is ordered by the president back in february and allows the administration, to withdraw weapons if it believes they're being used in breach of the rules. this report makes very clear that that is not going to happen on the basis of what they found here and they say thatis they found here and they say that is because israelis have given a series of assurances that there is mediation and there's investigations that

soldiers are therefore an accountability process the report suggests that they're taking the israelis at their word on that and therefore, they won't withhold weapons to israel further than what is been announced earlier this week. ~ ., been announced earlier this week. ~ . . been announced earlier this week. . ., ,., been announced earlier this week. ~ ., ~ week. what impact you think this report — week. what impact you think this report has? _ week. what impact you think this report has? i _ week. what impact you think this report has? i think- week. what impact you think this report has? i think is - week. what impact you think this report has? i think is a l this report has? i think is a reflection _ this report has? i think is a reflection of the _ this report has? i think is a reflection of the way - this report has? i think is a - reflection of the way president biden has been trying to walk a tight rope on this because you have human rights group saying what on earth is going on, look at what is happening on the ground in gaza where supplying these weapons and on the other hand, they are squeezed and punch the party and divided party on this issue and by republicans who have tried to say president biden is offering ironclad support for israel. and that's one reason why we are seeing this come down into different places at the same time but i do think ultimately with the increased pressure on

the administration, especially at the moment because you have the crossing and gaza closed again and no aid coming in for five days because of the israeli operation and limited operation and rafah, the longer that goes on, the harder it makes these kinds of reports the administration harder to sustain and in that sense, they only increases the pressure president biden. i've also been speaking with david satterfield, a us diplomat and former special envoy for middle east humanitarian issues. he also contributed to that report. i want to ask you it is reasonable to assess that the us supplied weapons and have been used by the israeli military and instances inconsistent with international humanitarian law obligations but it also states of the us government doesn't have complete information to verify the assessment. referred from a

correspondent that this could be seen as a softening of conclusions to what this report actually means. what you think of that? , ., ,., of that? there is no softening. this report _ of that? there is no softening. this report is _ of that? there is no softening. this report is comprehensive l this report is comprehensive and it is as noted by your correspondent, the first of its kind and we will keep under review, under considerations the actions as time goes by by the actions as time goes by by the report frankly notes those areas where there were difficulties and problems in the obstructions in the delivery of assistance were? have been raised with respect to international humanitarian law and it also notes as it has to come in the context in which this review took place. what information is available what information is available what information is available what information is alleged and cannot be confirmed in the overall context of the conflict with the terrorist group deeply embedded in, underand around civilian and humanitarian infrastructure. this is a conflict quite unlike any that

the world has seen and we had tried to take account of all of those factors in coming up with a very frank but also credible judgment. a very frank but also credible judgment-— a very frank but also credible 'udrment. �* ., ., , judgment. after follow-up with the judgment. _ judgment. after follow-up with the judgment, how— judgment. after follow-up with the judgment, how can - judgment. after follow-up with the judgment, how can this - judgment. after follow-up with the judgment, how can this be | the judgment, how can this be comprehensive if it also says the us doesn't have complete information to verify its findings? it information to verify its findings?— information to verify its findinus? , , , findings? it is comprehensive and looking — findings? it is comprehensive and looking where _ findings? it is comprehensive and looking where we - findings? it is comprehensive and looking where we have i and looking where we have information, where we believe our credible allegations have been made, even if they cannot been made, even if they cannot be confirmed, we do not admit them which was concluded in the report. that is the conference of character. we cannot make up facts or confirmation of assertions where none exist but we are obliged to know them and we are obliged to know them and we have. it we are obliged to know them and we have. ., ,., we are obliged to know them and we have. ., , ., we have. it also says that it doesnt we have. it also says that it doesn't currently _ we have. it also says that it doesn't currently assess - we have. it also says that it i doesn't currently assess israel prohibiting or restricting the transport of eight supply and thatis transport of eight supply and that is something we have talked about on the show

earlier but that does not line up earlier but that does not line up with what we have heard from aid organisations on the ground including the un, unicef and other organisations that have told us that they are saying that aid shipments are not getting through and that is because israel is been restricting that flow. irate because israel is been restricting that flow. we made a judgment — restricting that flow. we made a judgment is _ restricting that flow. we made a judgment is the _ restricting that flow. we made a judgment is the us - a judgment is the us government, based on the totality of information available to us, including information from un and other humanitarian actors with direct knowledge of circumstances on the ground. and makes reference to it is based upon those assessments and we stand by it. the agency that is responsible for palestinian refugees as you know has said that it only has three days of food left in again, ijust want three days of food left in again, i just want to ask three days of food left in again, ijust want to ask how that assessment lines up with the reality on the ground right now were aid is running short, especially with the crossing being closed.—

especially with the crossing being closed. are very much concerned — being closed. are very much concerned about _ being closed. are very much concerned about the - being closed. are very much l concerned about the president and i mean over the last three to four days situations in which the logistics reasons and related to the state of leading to the crossing up to rafah and distribution points and warehouses that have been difficulties moving it in but there also significant difficulties in moving aid and fuel into gaza not because of israeli actions because of restraints imposed by the parties. restraints imposed by the arties. ., ,, , parties. how does the us insure these rules _ parties. how does the us insure these rules are _ parties. how does the us insure these rules are not _ parties. how does the us insure these rules are not violated - these rules are not violated again? these rules are not violated auain? ~ u, these rules are not violated aiain? . . ., ., these rules are not violated auain? ~ ., ., ., again? we continue to monitor and continue _ again? we continue to monitor and continue to _ again? we continue to monitor and continue to speak - again? we continue to monitor and continue to speak with - again? we continue to monitor and continue to speak with the| and continue to speak with the other humanitarian implementers on the ground in a continuing basis and we have done this since october and will continue to formulate a judgment based on the totality of that information and will be fine

credible and will be can confirm. credible and will be can confirm-— credible and will be can confirm. ~ �* . confirm. do you think ben'amin netanyahu-s i confirm. do you think ben'amin netanyahu's government h confirm. do you think benjamin netanyahu's government is - netanyahu's government is working with with the us? should be addressed to the government of israel. but we said earlier this week that he would suspend arms, efficient arms shipments if they carry forward with an operation in rafa which the israeli prime minister said they would go in, regardless of what it takes and also a loan if need be, that raises the question, does this report stand up to that conflict? we will base will be due, the president will base his decisions on what we see, not what we hear. we his decisions on what we see, not what we hear.— his decisions on what we see, not what we hear. we will have to leave it _ not what we hear. we will have to leave it here _ not what we hear. we will have to leave it here but _ not what we hear. we will have to leave it here but thank - to leave it here but thank you forjoining us on bbc news. laura blumenfeld, former us state department senior policy advisor for the middle east peace process.

i want to get your take on this report and we have heard a few times now and people we been speaking to that it appears this report is trying to come down on both sides of the issue, what is your take? listening to the previous report, there some days are missed government service and not sure today will be one of them because they're in a really tough spot and i would say the israeli american relationship is suffering from borderline diplomacy disorder and the israelis just keep going right up to the line without quite crossing it according to the americans and this is the latest example as the report stated, the israelis have, israel is clearly behaved in ways that are not according to our rules and our laws and they haven't quite violated the weapons transfer redline and we saw that earlier today when the war cabinet, the israeli cabinet approved for the card and expansion of operations by

two out of three sources said it doesn't quite cross the redline down in rafa and tanks and troops are massing and finally as you talked about earlier, the question of aid we had to squint to say that we haven't crossed the line. these are foxhole buddies in these kinds of fights are ugly and has been particularly public this week which makes even harder. ~ , ., this week which makes even harder. ~ ., ., , ., harder. we spoke to others and the said harder. we spoke to others and they said were _ harder. we spoke to others and they said were the _ harder. we spoke to others and they said were the reasons - harder. we spoke to others and they said were the reasons why| they said were the reasons why israel doesn't want to have us troops on the ground, not that i wasn't really a question but because they don't want to follow us rules of engagement and warfare. do you think that is a fair assessment?- is a fair assessment? israel's model especially _ is a fair assessment? israel's model especially with - is a fair assessment? israel's i model especially with benjamin netanyahu is will defend neta nyahu is will defend ourselves netanyahu is will defend ourselves by ourselves and it's a matter of pride and i also think that is where the drum is so high this week because her coming up on independence day for israel next week and there's clearly anything but independent. they're quite dependent arguably co—dependent on the united states. and

again, we saw than the un today where you have the israeli ambassadors to the un shredding the un charter and was operatic and whether cabinet members tweeting yesterday that hamas loves joe tweeting yesterday that hamas lovesjoe biden. anything but. joe biden is more than most pro—israel presidents on record but it's the undercutting of autonomy that feeling acutely today as they are kind of at this last stand moment at the edge of rafah but they're really feeling the heat between allies. ., ~ ., really feeling the heat between allies. . ~ ., ., really feeling the heat between allies. w ., ., ., allies. taking all of that together. _ allies. taking all of that together, what - allies. taking all of that together, what does - allies. taking all of that | together, what does this allies. taking all of that - together, what does this report actually mean for us policies and its and its relationship with israel as well. i and its and its relationship with israel as well.- and its and its relationship with israel as well. i think it is a morning _ with israel as well. i think it is a morning there've - with israel as well. i think it is a morning there've beenl with israel as well. i think it - is a morning there've been many warnings and superpowers do not blow off and i think the next step will be real consequences and with his paws and with his positive weapons transfers, a guillotine is raised and hasn't fallen and there really is

quite dramatic, i don't want to call it panic but in the pro—israel community, the steps would be taken and we saw that following the come tojesus phone call several weeks ago that the road central kitchen aid workers were tragically killed. you awesome moderation of in behaviour behalf of the prime minister and gather the idf. i didn't where the reasons why we are seeing so much i drama this week is very caring so much of for the first time and that is scary for both sides of this alliance and the ironclad alliance receiving some deaths. it ironclad alliance receiving some deaths.— ironclad alliance receiving some deaths. it says that we didn't see — some deaths. it says that we didn't see enough _ some deaths. it says that we | didn't see enough information to verify assessment, does that mean we could see another report released in further assessments? i report released in further assessments?— report released in further assessments? i think so and i think it is _ assessments? i think so and i think it is a — assessments? i think so and i think it is a very _ assessments? i think so and i think it is a very stark - think it is a very stark warning to the israelis that they have moderated their behaviour and i think the hope is that the israelis again will

change their behaviour going forward and secretary blink and said that it can be the headline on this whole war, how you do this matters and we support your fight but show us that you can do it in the right way and help us, actually make it right in the middle east because the united states, were looking for second chances as well. we are kind of owning our mistakes and present biden and said that but the way we prosecuted the wars in iraq and afghanistan. israel prosperous future is at stake but our moral grounds are also there. as always, great to talk to you. meanwhile on the ground, the main aid agency in gaza, unrwa, says it only has three days worth of food supply left in its stockpiles. which means that by sunday, the food is expected to run out. when speaking to bbc�*s us partner — cbs news — scott anderson, senior deputy director of operations for unrwa, also confirmed

that is7—thousand litres of fuel was permitted in the region today which he says will buy the agency a few days. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at another story making the headlines confirmation on friday that the uk economy is no longer in recession. the economy grew by 0.6% between january and march, the fastest rate for two years, according to officialfigures. with stronger consumer spending in shops, hotels and restaurants — the service sector perked up, and while a rebound in trade kept manufacturers busy, the heavy rain did dampen construction activity. prime minister rishi sunak spoke to our economics editor, faisal islam. it's going to take time for people to really feel better but i'm confident that today's figures now have momentum in the economy israel momentum and it is hard to argue that with the figures show that we have enjoyed the highest for the rate and is positive. more work to do in wages are rising and focusing on the gdp but actually with people at home

will be watching what does this mean for me, is myjob secure? are my wages rising? both labour and the lib dems said there was little to celebrate. labour's rachel reeves said working people are still worse off you're live with bbc news. sir keir starmer says a labour government would scrap the conservatives rwanda policy straight away. he's been in dover outlining measures that labour would introduce to tackle cross channel migration. but the labour leader refused to commit to stopping the boats saying he would not put 'false numbers�* on his plans. new figures from the home office show more than 9,000 people have crossed the channel in small boats this year. that's a rise of 35% on the same period last year. our political editor chris mason has more from dover. dover this morning. the latest arrivals picked up by border force in the english channel. the ambulance, a reminder of the perils of a crossing.

a few miles away, the man who thinks he has a solution. and just look who's following in keir starmer�*s footsteps. the local mp, natalie elphicke, who walked into this week as a conservative mp and ends it sitting with labour. sir keir�*s main idea is this... border security command will bring together hundreds of specialist investigators — the best of the best — from the national crime agency, the border force, immigration enforcement, the crown prosecution service and, yes, mi5. listening, responding, the prime minister. as far as i can tell, all the things that they're talking about today are all things that we're already doing. crunching through the backlog, having more law enforcement officers do more. that's all happening already. we announced all of that more than a year ago. there is, then, a battle of ideas and a tussle over sounding tough. these vile people smugglers are no better than terrorists. they're a threat to

our national security and a threat to life. that means new powers that will allow us to shut off internet access, close their bank accounts. labour want to use counter—terrorism laws "to smash people smuggling gangs", as they put it. but how much difference would this make? so i think there's an open question here about what precisely these anti—terrorism powers will amount to, whether it will make it considerably easier to police smuggling gangs and, ultimately, whether it will have a material impact on getting small boat arrivals down. next, then, time to scrutinise labour's ideas. keir starmer, you say that you want what you call a border security command. the prime minister's set up a small boats operational command. what, in practical terms, is the difference? well, let me tell you. the prime minister's operation, which is good, is a processing operation here, coordinating with those

in france about the boats that are actually coming across. but i want something much more ambitious than that, which is to set up a command that will take down the gangs that are putting people in the boats in the first place. how can you be certain that the government's rwanda scheme won't be a deterrent? maybe, just maybe, it'll work. i think it's a gimmick. i think it's an extremely expensive gimmick. £600 million to removejust a few hundred people, less than i% of those that arrive via small boat. but maybe it will act as a deterrent. i do not think it's going to work. i'm not going to come into government — if we're privileged enough to do so — and flog a dead horse, at great expense to the taxpayer. a deeply complex issue, over which keir starmer and rishi sunak grapple for credibility and long for solutions, as partial as they may prove to be. chris mason, bbc news, in dover. where better than rollquick, in bristol, to see a turn—up

russian forces have launched a surprise new ground offensive in ukraine — crossing the border into the northeastern kharkiv region. for months fighting has been focussed in the east — where russia occupies large areas. friday's attack may be an attempt to open a new front — and intensify pressure on kharkiv, which is the country's second largest city. it comes as president biden authorised more us military aid for ukraine. small groups of russian troops with armoured vehicles pushed through the frontline — military sources say they advanced a kilometre, before being pushed back — amid reports of sustained russian shelling. here's president zelensky. russia started a new wave of offensive actions in the kharkiv region. ukrainian forces met them there with brigades and artillery fire. it is important to understand that they can increase and bring more forces into this direction. it is a fact. our defence correspondent jonathan beale sent this report from kharkiv in north—eastern ukraine. there is no doubt these are dangerous and difficult times

for ukraine. remember, since the start of this year, russia is taking about 300 square miles of ukrainian territory. the focus of its efforts have beenin the focus of its efforts have been in the east where it is been in the east where it is been making slow but significant progress. but at the same time, russia has been massing forces, tens of thousands of troops just across the borderfrom europe 20 miles from the city of kharkiv are in speaking to you now from and in the early hours of this morning, some of those troops crossed the border from what we toured where a massive air and artillery strikes and they now have a foothold in the kharkiv region. president zelensky says they have repelled those initial attacks but there are concerns that there will be another wave in the coming days. there is no doubt president putin believes he has a window of opportunity here, not because ukraine is outgunned or outmanned but also

because of the delay in us military support, delay of six months and aid is only slowly coming to the front line and these are going to be difficult dangerous months for ukraine and already there being stretched right across this 800 mile front. let's turn to some important news around the world. taliban officials in afghanistan say at least sixty people have died in flash floods in the northern province of baghlan. more than a hundred have been injured by the heavy rains, and at least five districts had been hit — according to a taliban spokesman. brazil has announced the release of ten billion dollars to help rescue efforts and reconstruction in the state of rio grande do sul. at least 113 people have died, more than 100 are still missing, and more than 330 thousand have been displaced. donald trump's hush money trial continues in new york. on friday, the adult film actress stormy daniels clashed with the former president's defence team during a combative cross—examination.

mr trump denies falsifying business records to conceal a 2016 payment made to ms daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual encounter between the two in 2006. prosecutors say the payment amounted to election fraud our new york correspondent, nada tawfik, is at the manhattan courthouse with the latest. this week saw testimony in one big witness, stormy daniels and next week, another massive name, the star witness of michael cohen, donald trump on spence former lawyer is set to take the stand as early as monday and it's really them moment the prosecutor have been building up to the last three weeks of their case. piecing together testimony from corroborating witnesses and pieces of evidence as they went through with the alleged was a conspiracy to hide information from the voting public. printing figures like the tabloid editor of the national enquirer to outline catch and

kill scheme to combine negative stories and kill them before they reach the public. to some of mike stormy daniels lawyer, keith davidson who outlined that the payment was being done at the head of the 2016 election and then prosecutors moved with a set was the cover of the testimony from donald trumps organisation and former controller and another accounting executive and as they outlined the payments and they outlined the payments and the physical records and invoices in e—mails and checks that they say all corresponded to the reimbursement of michael cohen for the so—called hush money payments and then stormy daniels with vivid salacious testimony which was meant to cooperate her account that the alleged sexual encounter with donald trump did take place and that she was paid off to keep

silent about it in the defence all throughout tried to sell enough doubt injurors minds but michael cohen, he is a make or break witness for prosecutors and he has a history of lying under oath and so, he is problematic. but they are hoping they have built up enough evidence to bolster his account when he takes the stand in for the defence, they are hoping that they are able to attack his credibility enough to makejurors attack his credibility enough to make jurors second—guess everything he says. and finally, a shipment of 15 million bees destinated to pollinate blueberry fields in maine 'were mostly contained' according to state police. the truck hauling them crashed thursday evening on a busy highway. police say officers responded to the scene rounding them up to 'save them.�* the truck's driver was transported to the hospital 'with complaints of pain.'no word on their condition. stay with us here on bbc news

hello there. settled and warm again on friday, with plenty of late spring sunshine around and temperatures rising across the four nations into the low 20s in celsius. the warmth is set to last as we head through the weekend. temperatures will remain above the seasonal average, warmest towards the east. and it's still dry for the vast majority of us on saturday, a scattering of showers, with the real breakdown happening on sunday — heavy, thundery showers out towards the western half of the uk. further east, should stay largely dry. and here is the area of high pressure that's keeping these dry, settled conditions for the time being. it will eventually push further eastwards into scandinavia, but we've got a bit of an easterly breeze, and that's been dragging some mist and low cloud in from the north sea. but that will lift and clear across the south—east of england and east anglia

through saturday morning. still maybe a hang—back of cloud towards parts of the yorkshire lincolnshire coast, though. lots of sunshine to start the day and we'll keep the sunny skies for most through the afternoon. but a scattering of showers across scotland pushing northwards, perhaps some heavy and thundery, but they'll be fairly isolated. it's still very warm — 2a degrees celsius in glasgow. chance of a shower, too, across northern areas of northern ireland and north wales. a little cooler towards these north sea—facing coasts, with some of the cloud possibly lapping onshore again at times. 25 or 26 degrees celsius in london and south—east england. so the high pressure starts to push further eastwards as we head through sunday. that allows for these low pressure systems to roll in from the west. and this weather front will bring a thickening cloud across the south—west of england, western wales on sunday morning. some showers across the western

isles and western scotland, pushing into northern ireland, and the chance of some thunderstorms developing all across the western half of the uk. but it should stay drier further east. again, there will be a lot of sunshine here, and once again, we could see temperatures in the low to the mid—20s in celsius. but cooler out towards the west, of course, underneath the cloud and with the eventual rain. and here comes that low pressure system swinging in as we head through monday. it's going to give us quite widespread rain on monday, especially through the afternoon, so expect it to turn a lot more showery as we head through it next week. and there'll be a drop in temperature, too, so unsettled and cooler as we head through next week. bye—bye for now.

this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to one of the most breathtaking and extraordinary places on earth. i'm in antarctica. on a journey across the coldest, the windiest... ..and surely one of the world's most awe—inspiring continents. i'm sharing the experience with 400 passengers on an expedition cruise ship. in the second part of my journey, i'll be meeting the scientists performing vital research to protect this region's vast ecosystem.

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