this is bbc news. fierce fighting is under way in ukraine's kharkiv region, as thousands are evacuated from their homes. russia's defence minister sergei shoigu is out — as vladimir putin has him replaced in a rare cabinet shake—up. and israel says its opened a new humanitarian crossing, as more palestinians are urged to leave the city of rafah ahead of an assault. hello, i'm helena humphrey. glad you could join me. ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy says there's fierce fighting along a large part of the kharkiv region border in the northeast of the country. russia says it captured another four villages in the region — an area where russian troops had been pushed back nearly two years ago. since russia launched

their surprise offensive two days ago, they claim to have taken nine villages altogether, something the bbc has not been able to verify. there have also been strikes on the russian side of the border in belgorod on sunday. the russian military claimed a ukrainian airstrike destroyed a section of a 10—storey apartment block. with the latest on the conflict, our defence correspondentjonathan beale reports from vovchansk, in kharkiv under russian attack. the road to russia, just a few miles from the border. and proof that the russians are back in the kharkiv region again. the town of vovchansk was liberated in a surprise ukrainian offensive less than two years ago. now it's at risk of falling back into russian hands. alexi, a local policeman, is once again telling the population to leave. he says it's better than dying. the shelling is constant and chaotic. and it's all over the town. we quickly move on at the sound

of a russian drone. this is all that's left of sergei's home. the familiar russian tactic of reducing towns to rubble. but sergei says he can't leave. he needs to look after his goats — now his only worldly possessions. you can still hear the artillery battle going on. it was more intense yesterday. this devastation — one man's house — was created by a russian glide bomb. jet roars nearby. and that's the sound of a jet somewhere. explosions.

ukraine's outgunned and outnumbered, and russia's using aerial glide bombs to devastating effect. alexi simply says, "look at what's happening". for some, it's made the decision to flee unavoidable, though it's still heartbreaking for olexander. this was the home he grew up in. he doesn't know if he'll ever return. ukrainian officials insist they were ready. not everyone agrees. this drone footage appears to show russian troops crossing the border unopposed. i've been in front line. for something you've already fought for before in 2022. same again.

you're angry? very angry. denys, a ukrainian reconnaissance commander, helped push back the russians in 2022. now he's having to fight for the same territory again. translation: there was no first line of defence. - we saw it. the russiansjust walked in. where were the minefields? they just walked in. ukraine says it's repelling this attack with reinforcements, but russia's been probing the entire 800—mile front, and in kharkiv, it's exposed the weakness. jonathan beale, bbc news, vovchansk. in russia, vladimir putin has removed his defence secretary, sergei shoigu from his post — appointing him head of the country's security council instead. mr shoigu has been a long—standing ally of the kremlin leader and has served as defence minister

since 2012, playing a key role in russia's invasion of ukraine. his replacement will be andrei belousov, an economist and the deputy prime minister. our russia editor, steve rosenberg, explains why reshuffles are unusual for the kremlin. whoever the russian government ministers are, whoever�*s sitting around that cabinet table, there is one man and one man alone in russia who calls the shots, and that is vladimir putin. he's the man with all the power. having said that, a government reshuffle in russia is interesting, particularly when key ministers like the defence minister is being changed. they don't happen too often. the foreign minister, he's been in his post for 20 years. mr shoigu, he has been defence minister for 12 years. he was appointed by vladimir putin in 2012, i think. the two men were said to be pretty close for a long time. they even went on holiday a few times to siberia together. last week, we were on red square watching the victory day parade and defence minister

shoigu was there inspecting the russian troops. but there had been rumours for some time that he could be moved, he could lose hisjob, and it seems that's what's happening. he still has a job to go to. he's being moved to the russian security council as the head of the security council. but i think that's a demotion compared to being defence minister. who's coming in, who's replacing him? someone called andrey belousov, who's an economist, and i think that reflects the fact that over the last couple of years, president putin has put the russian economy on a war footing and wants an economist to run things because it's vital, as far as he's concerned, that the defence industry has enough money to fund this war. joining me now to discuss these developments is melinda haring, non—resident senior fellow

at the atlantic council's eurasia center. great to have you back in the programme. i want to talk about those developments in russia. firstly i want to talk about the situation on the ground. we heard from one trip who said there is no first line of defence, the russians walked in. do you think they were unprepared for what they faced? great to be back with you. no, i think there has been expectation for weeks and weeks that the russians were going to try and come back. the reporting is a little indefinite at this point but it seems the russian side has taken seven to nine ukrainian villages for that i would keep my eye on the city of kharkiv. the put an elaborate system of fortifications that include

tripwire, razorwire, dragon �*s teeth. anything you could think of. ukrainians are prepared. it is possible ukrainians will lose quite a bit of but it is sound and will remain on ukrainian side.— sound and will remain on ukrainian side. the distinction between the _ ukrainian side. the distinction between the region _ ukrainian side. the distinction between the region and - between the region and second—largest city of kharkiv. do you think there is potential russia is eyeing on moving on the second largest city in ukraine?— the second largest city in ukraine? zelensky saying he doesnt ukraine? zelensky saying he doesn't think _ ukraine? zelensky saying he doesn't think the _ ukraine? zelensky saying he doesn't think the russians i ukraine? zelensky saying he i doesn't think the russians are a play for kharkiv. he thinks this is a distraction technique and i think that is probably right. ukrainians have been waiting for all of the un kit

locked up by the congressional decision and we are still waiting for the kids to arrive —— kit. the russians have been probing for weaknesses and they see a weakness in kharkiv and there was further fighting in there was further fighting in the donbas, it is likely the probing we see in kharkiv 0blast is likely to make ukrainian spread their forces even thinner so that they will be even more vulnerable in the south. also to signal to be ukrainian people how vulnerable they are an hour. i think it is meant to stretch out the ukrainian side and also and also psychological pressure at this very vulnerable moment. in terms of weaponry, manpower, they are fighting on multiple fronts. we also saw a bill go through parliament about having convicts fights on the frontline. what does that

indicate to you? are forces struggling for manpower? ukrainian side has a shortage of men because they did not turn them over. they have passed a bill and we will see more ukrainian forces turnover. it takes time to train people. it takes time to train people. i know from my own experience, i know from my own experience, i have been out in zaporizhzhia, talking to forces on the front, people are starting to turn over and they are getting the break they need. that is fantastic. it probably should have come much sooner. there are people willing to fight. just a matter of time until they are trained up of time until they are trained up and deployed. i of time until they are trained up and deployed.— of time until they are trained up and deployed. i want to get our up and deployed. i want to get your assessment _ up and deployed. i want to get your assessment on _ up and deployed. i want to get your assessment on the - your assessment on the replacement of the russian defence minister sergei shoigu pretty rare for the kremlin to do this kind of shakeup. from the ukrainian side, how do you think they will be reading his replacement? i think they will be reading his replacement?— think they will be reading his replacement? i think the most interesting _ replacement? i think the most interesting thing _ replacement? i think the most

interesting thing i _ replacement? i think the most interesting thing i have - replacement? i think the most interesting thing i have seen i interesting thing i have seen out of this shakeup is the kremlin spokesman �*s comment. he said innovation is the key to victory. what that means is sergei shoigu had been the defence secretary in russia for 12 years, it means gael monfils at moscow's sang we are going to be as innovative and creative as you guys are in kyiv and sewing they are therefore a time and he is not thinking creatively anymore. they brought in a guy that has no military experience but he is an economist and has britain's trust. they are also worried about defence spending and there was a big corruption scandal on his watch obvious elements, that is how i read the tea leaves, this is why he has been replaced now. i was good to talk to you, thank you. pleasure. —— always.

around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at another story making the headlines. top boy, happy valley and the sixth commandment were the big winners at sunday's bafta television awards. the most prestigious award — the bafta fellowship went to baroness floella benjamin. our culture reporter, noor nanji was at the royal festival hall in london and has the highlights. emotional when she accepted it, in tears, thanking her co—stars. matthew mcfadden won best supporting actor for his role as tom in succession, he wasn't actually there himself to accept the award but helena bonham carter accepted on his behalf. there are also wins for the hosts, which is quite rare, you don't see the host or want to accept an award themselves.

strictly come dancing won the best entertainment prize in its 20th year on the air and co—host tess daly celebrated the triumph, saying it was "the best birthday present". you're live with bbc news. the israeli military says it has opened a new humanitarian crossing into the gaza strip, in co—ordination with the us government. the opening is called the western erez. it's exact location has not yet been confirmed — and it's not yet known whether it will make a difference to aid reaching those most in need. meanwhile, more palestinians have been told to leave the southern city of rafah towards a coastal area around al mawasi , which israel calls an "expanded humanitarian zone" the un says there is no sanitation or clean running water in the area. since the war broke out, gaza's hamas run health ministry says that at least 35 thousand palestinians have been killed. 0ur middle east correspondent, lucy williamson, reports from jerusalem. a country increasingly divided by its war aims, brought togetherfor a day by its war dead. israel's prime minister marked

the start of the nation's annual remembrance day, honouring those who died at the hands of israel's enemies, and seven months after the hamas attacks, the soldiers now fighting in gaza, who he said wanted to finish the war. translation: all of them, without exception, even - the amputees, told me that the spirit of our people lifts them. "keep going until victory", and we will. netanyahu has insisted he will keep going in gaza, even as warnings increase over the future cost of war. america's president has said he will not supply weapons for a major ground assault on the town of rafah. he doesn't want to see american weapons used in that kind of operation. that's not to say that he is going to abandon israel or cut them off from weapons. he was focused on a particular

operation that he doesn't believe will succeed in defeating hamas and that will cause grievous harm. israel's army is still fighting hamas across the gaza strip, returning to areas it once labelled clear. and in rafah, once labelled safe, carrying out what it calls a precise operation. some of the one million palestinians sheltering there have begun moving out from eastern areas as the army edges in, lives shrinking with every move. zeinab ignored three evacuation orders before moving herfamily to the coastal area of deir al—balah, the tent that sheltered them for five months in rafah too worn out to mend. translation: my children and i ran under fire. - people died in front of us. shrapnel hit our faces and houses were hit by strikes

while we ran. we have no money. 0ur situation is very hard. i came here and there is no place to stay. siren wails. tonight, a siren marked the start of the remembrance ceremony byjerusalem's western wall. israel's military chief taking personal responsibility for those killed and kidnapped by hamas. but many here tonight will be thinking of those still fighting in gaza, where palestinians are also counting their dead. lucy williamson, bbc news, jerusalem. meanwhile, protests over the war in gaza continue at universities around the world including at ireland's oldest university. at trinity college in dublin, students and university officials agreed last monday

to divest from three israeli companies. it ended a five—day encampment that blocked access to the famed medieval book of kells. it's a major tourist attraction on campus and a reliable source of income for the university. trinity originally fined the students about $230,000 for blocking it. for more on this, i spoke to david wolfe, editor in chief of trinity news, the university's student newspaper. we saw pro—palestinian protesters at trinity college in dublin: for the university to divest financial ties from israel. they managed it, tell us more about how they did achieve that. it us more about how they did achieve that.— achieve that. it set up last friday evening _ achieve that. it set up last friday evening and - achieve that. it set up last friday evening and set - achieve that. it set up last friday evening and set up| achieve that. it set up last| friday evening and set up a achieve that. it set up last - friday evening and set up a day earlier than planned because it was a leaked report on the media that it was to be set up and they wanted us to get the couege and they wanted us to get the college reinforcing security. it went peacefully. no interruption over the weekend, no stand—off with security. starting monday, tuesday there were negotiations between

leaders of the encampments and trinity college students union and the college administering got to the heart of the issue and started to brush up specifics on demands. 0n specifics on demands. on tuesday they got a promising first move. they got a commitment they would review ties with companies with investments in israel and made a stronger statement condemning israel's assault on gaza than they had done before. 0n they had done before. on wednesday they had a much more for the concessionary on every demand they had. reparations and be forms of scholarships for posting students. it came out quickly the got most of the demands met and there was an consensus between the college and protesters. in consensus between the college and protesters.— and protesters. in terms of encampment. _ and protesters. in terms of encampment, around - and protesters. in terms of encampment, around 60 l and protesters. in terms of - encampment, around 60 students taking part. 0n—campus for jewish students. whether concerns on how they thought

going about their studies? there is no element of anti—semitism in the campaign and the campaigners have been purposeful that they have censored that in their campaign. jenna really know, it was entirely peaceful, very careful with messaging, focusing on college divestments from the state of israel rather than any sort of bigger picture than any sort of bigger picture than that. no, i would than any sort of bigger picture than that. no, iwould not than any sort of bigger picture than that. no, i would not say so. it was very peaceful and very amicable. in so. it was very peaceful and very amicable.— so. it was very peaceful and very amicable. in terms of the encampment _ very amicable. in terms of the encampment actually - very amicable. in terms of the encampment actually being i very amicable. in terms of the i encampment actually being there on—campus, what was the response from the university? i am sure yourself would have seen the scenes of quite some people in the united states. was there anything like that? absolutely not. the college were scalpel about that. then it is likely what they did not want, the images they did not want, the images they did not want coming from the campus visit there was commitment early on the guards would not

be involved and it would deal with it as an internal measure. they were already on the back footin they were already on the back foot in terms of political standing, the previous week it was recorded in the bbc and other outlets be college had levied a 214,000 year old fine on the seventh, that was seen as a poor move. did not a lot of support for that was a lot of support for that was a lot of support for that was a lot of support for that was appended they could not come down the side and embolden support for students and the students themselves. they were careful not to do that, they knew it would be more reputational with damaging than just pulling the protests. however more broadly in ireland? what was the mood, the feeling of support or otherwise from this encampment? i think it was one _ from this encampment? i think it was one of — from this encampment? i think it was one of resounding - it was one of resounding support. even the irish times today or yesterday put out an editorial saying fair play to

be —— the students. saying it was an impressive show of student activism for them that was the feeling on—campus. and there are the contrary, people really admired the follow through on their campaign for divestment from israel for the people really admired the principles of it, very specifically and clearly messaging what they were asking for an meet israel's assault on gaza, they wanted the college not to be complicit in that. that very much chimed with the irish feeling generally, to support the palestinians and hold is accountable.- hold is accountable. coming back to scenes _ hold is accountable. coming back to scenes we _ hold is accountable. coming back to scenes we saw - hold is accountable. coming back to scenes we saw in i hold is accountable. coming | back to scenes we saw in the united states, for any students or protesters watching what has been happening in the united states, what have they been making of the way it has been handled in this country? i would say it is clear that trinity students operating in a

different political context. trinity able to divest without a amount of backlash from irish people, from its partners, donors, alumni, that is not necessarily the case in the united states. i think that definitely is a context difference there. what i would say is it was absolutely the kind of outside support the trinity encampment received was crucial in its success that trinity felt it did not have much room, much leeway to push back on the demands there was such overwhelming support. the more support shown for this encampment protests internationally, nationally in their own countries, the more effective they will be pushing the universities themselves to meet demands and diverse. it's a big election year across the globe, and in lithuania, its presidential election is heading to the next stage. with almost all ballots counted for, the conservative incumbent gitanas nauseda will face off against prime minister ingrida simonyte in the second round of the baltic state's presidential vote on may 26.

and in spain, a separatist coalition in catalonia has lost its decade—long majority after sunday's elections for the regional parliament. with most votes counted, the socialist party which governs spain nationally, is emerging as the biggest in the catalan chamber. it would still need to make alliances to govern. 0ur correspondent guy hedgecoe has been following developments. this was a clear victory for the socialist party of spanish prime minister pedro sanchez which made gains on the last election in catalonia in 2021. however, it is not clear whether the socialist will be able to form a new catalan government because of the fragmented nature of the region's politics. the other major development with this result was the fact the pro—independence parties lost their majority in the regional parliament. something that has not happened for a long time and it will be seen as a major setback for the independence movement.

having said all that, the together for catalonia party, the hardline pro—independence party, a former catalan president carles puigdemont, who has been in self exiled for the last 6.5 years, did perform relatively well and came in second. because of the fragmented nature of catalonia's politics, there is a possibility instead of the socialists forming a new government, it could be mr puigdemont�*s party that could form a new administration but a lot will depend on the conversations that take place over the coming days and weeks between the different parties across the political spectrum. let's turn to some important news around the world. several thousand people gathered outside parliament in tbilisi in georgia on sunday, in the latest protest against a controversial new law over foreign influence. the bill would force organisations and independent media to declare foreign funding that they receive. the government claims it's

all about transparency. the law, expected to pass in the coming days, could harm georgia's attempt tojoin the eu. flash flooding across northern afghanistan has devastated villages, killing at least 315 people and injuring more than one thousand 600. the flooding, caused by recent heavy rains, hit five districts in afghanistan's baghlan province on friday. the taliban—run refugee ministry said thousands of homes have been damaged and livestock wiped out. the first man to receive a genetically modified pig kidney has died two months after the operation. the us hospital that carried out the procedure said on sunday there was no indication that his death was a result of the transplant. 62—year—old richard slayman, was suffering from end—stage kidney disease before undergoing the transplant in late march. stay with us here on bbc news.

hello. there were definitely two sides to sunday's weather story. 0n the one hand, it was very warm. in fact, it looks like it was the warmest day of the year so far. temperatures touching 27 celsius to the west of london, but we saw some really intense downpours and thunderstorms breaking up, especially across western and northern parts of the uk, ushering in a change. low pressure taking charge of our weather through this week, which will bring rain at times, not least across the southwest of england, wales and northern ireland through monday. that rain arriving through the morning and then sticking in place right through into the afternoon. could be enough rain to give some localised flooding and travel disruption, — and under the cloud and rain not feeling particularly impressive — 15 or 16 degrees, but for a good part of scotland, central and eastern parts of england, we will hold on to some sunshine and some warmth, maybe 23 or 24 degrees. in fact, for some north sea coasts, it is likely to be warmer on monday afternoon than it was over the weekend. now, through monday

nights, this band of rain will be moving slowly, northwards and eastwards on what will be a very mild, even warm night, with temperatures holding up at between 9—14 degrees. so, we start tuesday with our area of low pressure still in place. this frontal system wraps around the low, continuing to drive some outbreaks of rain. this time, the rain bands sitting across the south—east of england, east anglia, parts of the midlands, northern england, still some further rain to come across northern ireland, and then that rain pulling northwards across scotland. sunny spells and showers following on behind. temperatures broadly 17, 18 degrees, but still up to 20 in the north of scotland. those temperatures still a touch above the average for the time of year, just not as warm as it has been over the last few days. now, this is wednesday's forecast. still a weakening weather front likely to bring rain for a time in northern england. then it's a sunshine and showers day, and temperatures 17—20, maybe 21 degrees. now, our area of low pressure will still be with us

through the second half of the week, but it will tend to loosen its grip, the centre of the low, pulling away southward. so, while there will still be some showers, especially in southern parts, more in the way of dry weather, some spells of sunshine, actually will dry up for some of us as we head into the weekend. and those temperatures still a touch above normal for the time of year.

we're on inflation watch — the latest data suggest beijing's policies may be starting to boost consumer confidence in the world's second biggest economy. and — do you get al's help to write your resume? we ask an expert if that's a good idea. hello and welcome to business today. i'm steve lai. let's begin in china, where the latest data showed that inflation is starting to pick up. consumer prices rose for a third month in a row in april, which signals a comeback in demand. while much of the world has been battling the cost of living crisis, the world's second biggest economy fell into deflation last year, that means prices fell. beijing has announced measures to boost consumer confidence. over in the us, it's a very different story — all eyes are on the latest inflation figures out this, because if consumer prices rise too quickly, america's central

bank will likely push the timing of interest rate