this is bbc news, the headlines: israel has carried out fresh strikes on several parts of gaza — as it tells palestinians to leave parts of the southern city of rafah. that comes as britain says restricting arms supplies to israel would not be a wise move and would only play into hamas�*s hand. meanwhile, the foreign office is investigating a hamas claim that british—israeli hostage, nadav popplewell, has been killed in gaza. relief workers are struggling to deliver aid to those hit hard by devastating flash floods in northern afghanistan. the un says more than 300 people have died and thousands more have been injured after rivers of water and mud swept away houses. it is switzerland! cheering. after one of the most controversial eurovision song contests — switzerland are crowned this year's winners. now on bbc news, unspun world

withjohn simpson. hello and welcome to our new season. what is benyamin netanyahu planning in gaza now and why?— what is benyamin netanyahu planning in gaza now and why? netanyahu would sa the onl in gaza now and why? netanyahu would say the only way — in gaza now and why? netanyahu would say the only way to _ in gaza now and why? netanyahu would say the only way to have _ in gaza now and why? netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces - in gaza now and why? netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces for - say the only way to have pieces for israel to have security. the only way for israel to have security is for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein. for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein-— for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein. more than a touch of uloom very tight rein. more than a touch of gloom in _ very tight rein. more than a touch of gloom in ukraine _ very tight rein. more than a touch of gloom in ukraine as _ very tight rein. more than a touch of gloom in ukraine as its - very tight rein. more than a touch of gloom in ukraine as its people | of gloom in ukraine as its people face unpalatable realities. ukraine is not able to _

face unpalatable realities. ukraine is not able to retake _ face unpalatable realities. ukraine is not able to retake all— is not able to retake all territories, including the crimea. and 30 _ territories, including the crimea. and 30 years after the glory days of nelson mandela's arrival in power, south africa marks the anniversary with disillusion and anger. the oor, with disillusion and anger. the poor, disenfranchised black majority that suffered — poor, disenfranchised black majority that suffered during _ poor, disenfranchised black majority that suffered during apartheid - that suffered during apartheid expected _ that suffered during apartheid expected that _ that suffered during apartheid expected that they— that suffered during apartheid expected that they also - that suffered during apartheid expected that they also would that suffered during apartheid - expected that they also would have been economic_ expected that they also would have been economic freedom _ expected that they also would have been economic freedom to - been economic freedom to follow political— been economic freedom to follow political freedoms. _ political freedoms. hamas— political freedoms. hamas and - political freedoms. hamas and the - political freedoms. i hamas and the israeli political freedoms. _ hamas and the israeli government are engaged in a complexjewel at present, with hamas, slightly to the surprise of the us and other western countries, accepting considerable number of israel's demands for a cease and fire. israel insists that while tacro hasn't gone far enough.

benjamin netanyahu, israel's prime minister has decided to push into the southern town of rafah, greatly against american wishes. the un warns of serious danger to the civilians who have been forced out of their homes. a great deal of israel's strategy in gaza is dictated by internal politics as mr netanyahu tries to keep enough support from his far right associates in government. i asked jeremy bowen, the bbc�*s international editor, who has had years of experience reporting from israel to explain how the decision by hamas to accept some former ceasefire has changed things? you can argue that their decision to sign up to a version of a peace deal was a good piece of politics. it has put the pressure on netanyahu and the pressure is coming at him now from all sides. first of all, from inside his own cabinet. the two

ultranationalists, highly ultra nationalists, highly religionist figures ultranationalists, highly religionist figures who are in there, they are people who have said very clearly, that hamas offensive needs to be complete, as complete as anything else in gaza and israel needs to occupy the city and any kind of deal with hamas they don't like would be a surrender. and if he doesn't do as they want, they will bring down the government, which they could do. on the other side of things in israel, there are the hostage families who sayjust bring our people back, don't do a deal. i have spoken to lots of the families who say, if we have to release every palestinian prisoner, release them and then do what you want in gaza, but bring our people back. as well as that, there is israel's western allies led by the united states. this whole business of supporting israel is starting to hurt in an

election year. the campuses are ablaze and he is clearly losing votes in some crucial areas. he would like to get this thing over with. so the americans would like very much for, first of all, before we go anywhere else with diplomacy, a ceasefire. d0 we go anywhere else with diplomacy, a ceasefire. , ., ~ .., a ceasefire. do you think if he can ersuade a ceasefire. do you think if he can persuade netanyahu _ a ceasefire. do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to _ a ceasefire. do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to accept - a ceasefire. do you think if he can persuade netanyahu to accept a l persuade netanyahu to accept a ceasefire, will that helpjoe biden's position? ceasefire, will that help joe biden's position?- ceasefire, will that help joe biden's position? anything that sto -s the biden's position? anything that stops the killing _ biden's position? anything that stops the killing in _ biden's position? anything that stops the killing in girls - biden's position? anything that stops the killing in girls that . biden's position? anything that| stops the killing in girls that will help biden because mac position. it will help everybody, to be honest. but first of all if they do a ceasefire deal, will it last? 0ne imponderable, is that within israel there is a widespread assumption, notjust among netanyahu's critics, that he would like to lengthen the war? why? because he wants to put off the moment of reckoning when

there will be an inquiry and then he will have to bear some responsibility for the policies he followed, notjust four responsibility for the policies he followed, not just four weeks, responsibility for the policies he followed, notjust fourweeks, but for many years towards gaza, which its critics in israel said help create the situation that led to the 7th of october attack. netanyahu would say the only way to have pieces for israel to have security. the only way for israel to have security is for the palestinians to be kept on very tight rein, not to have independence, not to have self—determination, not to have freedom. because they are intractable enemies of the israelis. that is more or less his point of view. there is the other, much more widespread view that many countries have, which is there is only one way of getting peace and security for both israelis and palestinians and thatis both israelis and palestinians and that is to have the two state solution. , ., , solution. independent palestine alon . side solution. independent palestine

alongside israel. _ solution. independent palestine alongside israel. that's- solution. independent palestine alongside israel. that's of- solution. independent palestinel alongside israel. that's of course the biden line?— alongside israel. that's of course the biden line? biden have revised this idea, biden _ the biden line? biden have revised this idea, biden and _ the biden line? biden have revised this idea, biden and blinken. - the biden line? biden have revised i this idea, biden and blinken. people have paid lip service to it and i have paid lip service to it and i have had to say repeatedly, it has become a slogan, it was empty. now, since the 7th of october, i think the americans are serious about it again. the americans are serious about it aaain. ., ~' , , ., again. one of the key elements of this whole war _ again. one of the key elements of this whole war on _ again. one of the key elements of this whole war on netanyahu's - again. one of the key elements of i this whole war on netanyahu's part, it was really effectively to destroy hamas root and branch. they have done a lot of damage to hamas, but that hasn't happened, has it? it hasn't, they are doing a great deal to destroy gaza, the infrastructure, the buildings. apart from the fact it is very hard to knock out every last weapon, it is also an idea that is very embedded in the palestinian

political consciousness, the idea of a sort of religious nationalism. so he has failed? the _ a sort of religious nationalism. so he has failed? the state - a sort of religious nationalism. so he has failed? the state of - a sort of religious nationalism. so he has failed? the state of war. a sort of religious nationalism. so i he has failed? the state of war aims was as as follows, _ he has failed? the state of war aims was as as follows, eradicate - he has failed? the state of war aimsj was as as follows, eradicate hamas, wipe them off the face of the earth. they haven't done that, clearly. the other one was get the hostages back and as we speak, that hasn't happened. hostages have come out, but that was as a result of the brief truce they had back in november of negotiation. the position of the israeli government is the only way to get the hostages backis is the only way to get the hostages back is to use force. the one thing he has achieved, on the first day he made a speech saying, well to this effect, mighty vengeance against these perpetrators. i think we can certainly sate that has happened. you know, gaza is in ruins, more than 34,000

you know, gaza is in ruins, more than 3a,000 people killed, majority of whom are civilians, women and children. so he has the vengeance, he hasn't got the other things. in ukraine slow but seemingly relentless russian advance grinds on. the aim now seems to be to grab new territory in the east. a russian summer offensive is taking shape and how bitterly ukraine must regret it summer offensive last year wasn't more successful. we may soon be hearing a lot more about the donetsk city which could well block the russians' way to ukraine because macro second city to kharkiv. if vladimir putin can threaten kharkiv, ukraine's position will be very bad. we have this report for the bbc

ukrainian service from kyiv. it is the riaht ukrainian service from kyiv. it is the right time — ukrainian service from kyiv. it is the right time to _ ukrainian service from kyiv. it 3 the right time to acknowledge to meet delays in the supplies of western weapons. 0ne meet delays in the supplies of western weapons. one of the biggest problems for ukraine since the very beginning of the war. i think the ukrainian forces are training for any big offensive operations in 2024. ~ , ., , ., , 2024. the western leaders are seen now to be quite _ 2024. the western leaders are seen now to be quite open _ 2024. the western leaders are seen now to be quite open to _ 2024. the western leaders are seen now to be quite open to the - 2024. the western leaders are seen now to be quite open to the idea - now to be quite open to the idea that ukraine should carry out attacks deep inside russia. will that change the course of the war? ukrainian forces, especially ukrainian forces, especially ukrainian intelligence, they have already carried out some military operations on rushing round. the question is whether they used or didn't use the weapons provided by the west. in order to be able to

continue this for, to defend the ukrainian territories, it is necessary to target russian military, military and critical infrastructure. russia succeeded in bypassing certain sanctions imposed on its industries. if it's not possible to stop the production of missiles which are regularly launched against ukrainian cities, not only the front line, one of the military answers to this problem is the use of the long—range missiles which can be launched against russian military production. i know you have spent quite a lot of time on the front line and you have to talk to ordinary soldiers right up to the commanders, tell me, what is your own personal opinion about

this, is ukraine losing the war? the first thing, they don't feel that ukraine is winning the war now. it's not about the defeat for them for now, the other thing that is really, really important is they all speak about the lack of people. there are simply not enough fighters, not enough military on the front line and ukraine is now trying to boost its conscription but it's hard because the most motivated people, those that volunteered to serve in the army and defend ukraine they signed up to the army service at the beginning of the vote. at the beginning of the vote. at the beginning of the vote. at the beginning of the vote the ukrainian military supported the conscription. they had to handle the keenness of

people willing to serve in the army and now they have to handle the emptiness, they have to handle the situation where very few people... there is also a very widespread understanding that by military measures, by military means, ukraine is not able to retake all territories, including the crimea. so other means like diplomatic talks will be needed in the future to restore the territorial integrity of ukraine. the chinese have now bought this entire mountain. china's growing reach around the world extends to several continents. i filmed in chinese owned mines in peru, zambia in southern africa and in assembly

plants in different parts of asia, and just about every case the pattern is that the same, the plant is a little version of china with as much chinese labour as the plant can bring in and as few links with the countries surrounding it as possible. a bbc investigation has found that chinese companies now control an estimated third of lithium projects in an area of chile, argentina and bolivia known as a lithium triangle, which holds most of the world's reserves. lithium is the chemical elements the world needs in particularfor its mobile phones. the research was overseen by the editor of the bbc global china unit. tote overseen by the editor of the bbc global china unit.— global china unit. we set out lookin: global china unit. we set out looking through _ global china unit. we set out looking through open - global china unit. we set out looking through open source | global china unit. we set out - looking through open source data are chinese mines operating all across the world and we found over 60 mines that are designed to extract these

nails. what is more interesting that we found is that we can look over the course of the last ten years, for example, and see how china has been making rapid strategic gains in terms of its investments to these projects. that was especially clear in the lithium triangle. ten years ago a chinese company made its first investment in the triangle. ten years on what we can now say is that 33% of the lithium on the ground of these projects either already producing with those already under construction are now controlled by chinese companies. i construction are now controlled by chinese companies.— chinese companies. i always associate — chinese companies. i always associate lithium _ chinese companies. i always associate lithium with - chinese companies. i always| associate lithium with mobile phones, but there are many, many more ways of using it, aren't there? absolutely. these minerals are critical to slowing down climate change, used in electric vehicles, the lithium ion factories that are needed for those vehicles. if we are

to meet net zero targets for 2050 we will have to use six times more of these critical minerals by 2040 to get there. we these critical minerals by 2040 to net there. ~ , ., �* these critical minerals by 2040 to netthere. , ., �* . ., get there. we shouldn't criticise china for wanting _ get there. we shouldn't criticise china for wanting to _ get there. we shouldn't criticise china for wanting to go - get there. we shouldn't criticise china for wanting to go green, l get there. we shouldn't criticise | china for wanting to go green, it get there. we shouldn't criticise i china for wanting to go green, it is something that is an everybody�*s interests? something that is an everybody's interests? ~ , ,., , something that is an everybody's interests? ~ , . ., ., interests? absolutely. what china has done and _ interests? absolutely. what china has done and what _ interests? absolutely. what china has done and what it _ interests? absolutely. what china has done and what it will- interests? absolutely. what china has done and what it will say - interests? absolutely. what china has done and what it will say it. interests? absolutely. what china | has done and what it will say it has done, that it is making these green technologies more accessible, more cheaply available, more readily available across the global south. it will also set it to providing job creation and global opportunities to the global companies it is investing heavily in. there is massive global incentive, also from the us, the eu and these western nations are actually themselves are waking up to this reality of how important these minerals are. this reality of how important these minerals are-— minerals are. what do you think china's basic _ minerals are. what do you think china's basic aim _ minerals are. what do you think china's basic aim is? _ minerals are. what do you think china's basic aim is? do - minerals are. what do you think china's basic aim is? do you - minerals are. what do you think i china's basic aim is? do you think it is simply they want the materials

to carry on producing the things they produce or do you think there is something that western countries would find more sinister about it? there is a clear geopolitical incentive because of the leveraged china gets in its negotiations with other countries by having such a dominance over these incredibly important minerals. what you are also seeing is the role of profit. naturally in driving some of these companies abroad, huge profits are to be gained. it is not simply about being purely geographical, there is a profit element as well. it being purely geographical, there is a profit element as well.— a profit element as well. it would be a complete — a profit element as well. it would be a complete mistake _ a profit element as well. it would be a complete mistake to - a profit element as well. it would be a complete mistake to see - a profit element as well. it would be a complete mistake to see xil be a complete mistake to see xi jinping sitting there in beijing pulling the strings. it is the chinese economy which is doing these things, chinese businesses? i chinese economy which is doing these things, chinese businesses?— things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a _ things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a mistake _ things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a mistake to _ things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a mistake to think - things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a mistake to think of. things, chinese businesses? ithink it would be a mistake to think of it| it would be a mistake to think of it as purely sensually driven by beijing. yes, policy is dispersed from beijing centrally and yes, that policy includes subsidies which encourage those companies to invest and it makes it a lot cheaper for them to achieve the scale that they

need. however, there is also entrepreneurship, companies going abroad, companies taking advantage of all of that. it is those two factors at play that has led to china's dominance in this sector. this little tour that xi jinping is taking around europe, what is the point of it? what is the purpose of it, first of all?— it, first of all? let's put it into context. _ it, first of all? let's put it into context. xi — it, first of all? let's put it into context, xi has _ it, first of all? let's put it into context, xi has been - it, first of all? let's put it into context, xi has been to - it, first of all? let's put it into | context, xi has been to france it, first of all? let's put it into i context, xi has been to france in five years, this is an incredibly important trip for him. you have france, serbia, hungary, all three of them i would say, in their own way, some more than others, would position themselves as independent from the us, i think. especially france under macron. this is a term that the foreign ministry of china also makes around strategic autonomy. what they want is to have an independent eu that perceives its own policy and its multipolar world,

separable from the us. that would be one of the key goals from this trip. i have reported on some pretty superb moments in my time. but the election which brought nelson mandela to power in south africa entirely peacefully in 1994 was right up there with the best. the experts had been forecasting the end of apartheid and the start of majority rule would bring violence and civil war to south africa. instead, on the evening of mandela's inauguration, my team rang the south african police and found not a single crime had been reported in any of the country's main cities that day. with such a start, you might have hoped that south africa's future would be rosy. instead, the 30 years since then have been marked

by extraordinary corruption, crime and economic failure. now, with another election due at the end of this month, i talked to the bbc�*s southern africa correspondent. the oor southern africa correspondent. tie: poor disenfranchised black southern africa correspondent. ti2 poor disenfranchised black majority that suffered during apartheid expected that also there would be economic freedom to follow political freedom. yes, it has happened in some quarters, however, not everyone is satisfied. particularly because the unemployment rate is a 35% currently. and the majority of those that are unemployed, it is the youth, young people. notjust any young people, it is graduates. we know of some unemployed graduates he will be queueing on the 29th of may wearing their scrubs and their

graduation gowns because they are hoping that their vote is going to bring about some change. but hoping that their vote is going to bring about some change. but who do the blame bring about some change. but who do they blame for— bring about some change. but who do they blame for what's _ bring about some change. but who do they blame for what's gone _ bring about some change. but who do they blame for what's gone wrong? i they blame for what's gone wrong? they feel that they have been neglected and as a result it is easy for them to blame the anc. also it is because so much corruption within the government. they feel that all that money that is being stolen all the time could have created jobs, the time could have created jobs, the anc could have created an environment that would ensure that jobs are created, notjust coming from the government, but also from the private sector. it is from the government, but also from the private sector.— the private sector. it is corruption that has caused _ the private sector. it is corruption that has caused the _ the private sector. it is corruption that has caused the anger, - the private sector. it is corruption that has caused the anger, hasn'tj that has caused the anger, hasn't it? it has got worse and worse and underjacob zuma it became stratospheric?— underjacob zuma it became stratospheric? underjacob zuma it became stratos - heric? �* , stratospheric? even the anc itself will tell you _ stratospheric? even the anc itself will tell you that _ stratospheric? even the anc itself will tell you that during _ stratospheric? even the anc itself will tell you that during jacob - will tell you that during jacob zuma's nine years in office, that is where the looting was just so much

rampant than it has ever been in any administration, you know, let alone what happened during the covid pandemic. but the anc also needs to remember thatjacob zuma is the monster that they created and now jacob zuma is literally attempting to eat into the votes of the anc in the selection and it looks like he may well succeed.— the selection and it looks like he may well succeed. how will he do that? what _ may well succeed. how will he do that? what he _ may well succeed. how will he do that? what he is _ may well succeed. how will he do that? what he is doing _ may well succeed. how will he do that? what he is doing is - may well succeed. how will he do that? what he is doing is that - may well succeed. how will he do that? what he is doing is that he| that? what he is doing is that he has been seriously _ that? what he is doing is that he has been seriously campaigning, particularly in his home province and in the natal and other areas. a lot of people are disillusioned, even within the governing party itself. the senior leadership of the governing party itself, they are not happy with what president ramaphosa has been doing. in that when he started campaigning, he was the president who promised to get rid of corruption. he was the president who

said send me, i will clean up the corruption. however, the covid—19 pandemic happened, more money was looted in that two years than what happened during the jacob zuma tenure. yes, people are disillusioned, even within the anc. some senior anc members are even helping jacob zuma's new party. so the selection is definitely going to be interesting. i5 the selection is definitely going to be interesting.— the selection is definitely going to be interesting. is south africa ever auoin to be interesting. is south africa ever going to shake _ be interesting. is south africa ever going to shake this _ be interesting. is south africa ever going to shake this off, _ be interesting. is south africa ever going to shake this off, really - going to shake this off, really basically corruption is the one system that properly works? corruption has been deeply entrenched into society. however, there are people within the government that don't want that. it is easy to bribe for the service you are supposed to be getting because it is supposed to be provided for by the government, it will be up to

ordinary south africans to ensure that that kind of thing does not continue perpetually. mar; that that kind of thing does not continue perpetually.— that that kind of thing does not continue perpetually. may it not 'ust kind continue perpetually. may it not just kind of _ continue perpetually. may it not just kind of continue _ continue perpetually. may it not just kind of continue with - continue perpetually. may it not just kind of continue with the i continue perpetually. may it not i just kind of continue with the anc still governing things, basically and still continuing on their old way? i and still continuing on their old wa ? ., �* ~' and still continuing on their old wa ? ., �* ., ~ and still continuing on their old wa ? ., �* ,, ., ~ , way? i don't think that the anc is auoin to way? i don't think that the anc is going to continue _ way? i don't think that the anc is going to continue in _ way? i don't think that the anc is going to continue in their- way? i don't think that the anc is going to continue in their old - way? | don't think that the anc is | going to continue in their old way. i don't think after this election it is going to be business as usual. the older generation, people like my mum who have always been supporters of the anc voting differently in the selection. because that is what will make the anc wake up to see that it is not business as usual.— is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who _ is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who i _ is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who i first _ is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who i first met _ is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who i first met in - is not business as usual. vladimir putin, who i first met in 1992 - is not business as usual. vladimir. putin, who i first met in 1992 when he was the newly appointed, and i have to say, not terribly impressive

deputy mayor of saint petersburg, has just been sworn in for his fifth term as russia's most powerful leader sincejoseph stalin. as he took the oath, putin said that russia did not rule out dialogue with the rest, but it needed to be on equal terms. that made a lot of diplomatic ears prick up in washington, london and other places. russia has been doing well all along the front line in the war recently and as the bbc ukrainian service told us early in this programme, ukraine's hopes of recapturing crimea and the territory in the east are fading. but although russia's economy has shifted successfully on 204 footing, not everything is going vladimir putin's way. russia's oil exports might be doing well but its

exports might be doing well but its exports of gas have been badly hit by western boycotts and the russian economy is looking vulnerable to banking sanctions planned by the americans. so although russia has the edge in the actual fighting, it would probably like to find a way to end the war good terms. all walls do end the war good terms. all walls do end eventually and the time to start thinking about peace is when one side or the other senses that the seat is starting to be a possibility. could that be soon? maybe, just may be. that's it from the new summer season of unspun world. it is good to be back, so from the team and from me, goodbye, until we meet again.

hello again. we started this morning with a bit of mist and fog, but that's largely clearing away. and for many of us today, it's not looking too bad again, there will be some sunny spells, but there are some changes that will come into western areas with some thunderstorms. but that was the scene this morning in 0xfordshire through yesterday. it was the warmest day of the year so far for all four nations of the uk. but we've got to 26 degrees celsius in the south east of england and the far north of scotland. there'll be some sunshine continuing for much of the day towards eastern areas of england today. but look at these showers around the the west of scotland, northern ireland, wales, south west england, some of these could be heavy torrential showers with some thunderstorms mixed in. some sunny spells in between. temperatures down by a few degrees in the west but in the east with the sunshine again, we could see temperatures approaching 27 degrees celsius. so potentially the warmest day of the year so far again. now through tonight, we've got some clouds and those showers continuing across the midlands into northeast

england, up into scotland. there's a chance of seeing the aurora again tonight, but the cloud cover may scupper that slightly geomagnetic levels are expected to increase a little bit through tonight. 0vernight, temperatures down to about nine to 13 degrees. but for the week ahead, it's going to be much more unsettled than the weather we've had over the last few days. not quite as warm. temperatures coming down into the mid to the high teens for many of us. and on monday, we've got this area of low pressure moving in, bringing some rain towards the southwest and that will gradually push its way north and eastward. for much of the day across scotland, looking like a dry one or two showers here, mostly dry, too, for northern england, the midlands into eastern england with some warm sunshine. but that rain, you can see moving its way in through parts of the southwest. and as a result of that, with that rain, temperatures will be lower at about 15 or 16 degrees. but as i said, pleasantly warm in the east, 20 to 23 degrees. this area of low pressure sticks around a little bit as we go through the week, just drifting

southward and it's going to continue to bring us some unsettled weather. so that means there'll be some showers, perhaps some longer spells of rain, particularly on tuesday, turning a little bit drier as the week goes on. maximum temperatures there about 15 to 20 degrees celsius. that's it for me. bye bye.

live from london. this is bbc news. israel carries out fresh strikes on parts of gaza — as it tells palestinians to leave the southern city of rafah. meanwhile, the foreign office is investigating a hamas claim that british—israeli hostage, nadav popplewell, has been killed in gaza. more than 300 have died following devastating flash floods in northern afghanistan — relief workers struggle to deliver aid. voting is underway in catalonia where pro—independence supporters wanting to break away from spain are hoping to maintain their majority in the regional parliament. and after one of the most controversial eurovision song contests — switzerland are crowned this year's winners.