his thoughts are the prime minister. the polish prime minister has put that on twitter. and as i mentioned, the european union commissioner saying that this was a violent act on the slovak prime minister. the eu and the slovakian prime minister, as i have mentioned, especially on the issue of ukraine and russia have their differences. but she is calling it a violent act. we don't know the results in terms of his physical condition, we are hearing that he has been transferred from the hospital where he was first taken, to a hospital in bratislava. we saw those pictures of him being put into a car, the prime ministerial car, and driven away at high speed, one presumes for that

injury to be treated. the only information we have at the moment, and this is not confirmed, is that four shots were fired in. the prime minister walked out of that government meeting which was taking place outside bratislava, four shots rang out and won apparently has hit the prime minister, so it looks like he has been injured in the abdomen. the slovak emergency service dispatched a helicopter we are told, after receiving information that the prime minister had been shot. they put that out on facebook, in fact. the slovak emergency services are saying that they sent an emergency helicopter to stop we can also talk to our freelance journalist based in bratislava. perhaps you could give

us your latest information on what has happened to the prime minister. so the attack is very recent, it only happens perhaps half an hour ago. what you have said is completely correct. the prime minister has been transported to the nearest hospital. he has been shot in the small city of... where a government meeting has been held in front of the house of culture. there were eyewitnesses, they heard several gunshots, they saw the prime minister leaving and then he fell on the grounds that he has been transported to the hospital by paramedics. everyone in slovakia has been very shocked with the news, the president has already —— this attack was very brutal, right now the

parliament is holding an emergency meeting where they are trying to discuss what the next steps are after the prime minister has been shot. just tell us a little bit about the prime minister. what are his policies? we were saying that he is quite a colourful character but a prominent figure, he has been prime ministerfor so many years. exactly thatis ministerfor so many years. exactly that is correct. he has been prime minister for many years. he that is correct. he has been prime ministerfor many years. he is a very influential slovak figure. however, as you said, he is quite controversial. he is known, due to his pro—russian attitudes, and he has expressed some points that have been considered quite controversial by several other politicians, and also by western media. obviously the

reaction to this _ also by western media. obviously the reaction to this is _ also by western media. obviously the reaction to this is a _ also by western media. obviously the reaction to this is a huge _ also by western media. obviously the reaction to this is a huge shock. - also by western media. obviously the reaction to this is a huge shock. we l reaction to this is a huge shock. we have heard from various different leaders around europe, including the head of the eu, and the polish prime minister, huge shock. this is not something that europe is used to, seeing politicians shots like this. whether this was a planned assassination, we don't know. we don't have any more details. but this will have shocked the people there in slovakia and politicians around the world as well. yes there in slovakia and politicians around the world as well.- around the world as well. yes i think you _ around the world as well. yes i think you are — around the world as well. yes i think you are right _ around the world as well. yes i think you are right and - around the world as well. yes i think you are right and it is - around the world as well. yes i think you are right and it is fairj think you are right and it is fair to say that everyone is shocked. obviously politicians and government figures, public figures, just the general population, everyone is really shocked. this is nothing that we have ever heard of all thought about in a country like slovakia.

this comes as a huge shock. it is aenerall this comes as a huge shock. it is generally a _ this comes as a huge shock. it is generally a peaceful country, shootings are not that common. is that right? i shootings are not that common. is that riuht? ~ ., , _, . that right? i think that is correct. i have to say _ that right? i think that is correct. i have to say that _ that right? i think that is correct. i have to say that there - that right? i think that is correct. i have to say that there has - that right? i think that is correct. i have to say that there has been j that right? i think that is correct. i i have to say that there has been a terrorist attack against a gay bar in to slather in 2022. there has been a shooting, that has been qualified as a terrorist attacked. it is also very exceptional. we definitely did not expect the prime minister or any politician to be shot. this is really something that is completely unexpected in country like slovakia. this is completely unexpected in country like slovakia.— like slovakia. this is a news conference. _ like slovakia. this is a news conference. in _ like slovakia. this is a news conference. in slovakia, - like slovakia. this is a news. conference. in slovakia, they like slovakia. this is a news - conference. in slovakia, they are confirming that this was an assassination attempt carried out on

the prime minister of the country. no more details on the condition of the prime minister who has been taken at very high speed to hospital in bratislava. the slovak interior minister spokesman has said that we can confirm that this was an assassination attempt. we don't have more details on the nature of that sack other than this was after that government meeting. the prime minister was coming out of that meeting, four shots rang out and one of the shots, apparently, hit the prime minister, robert fico, in the abdomen. his condition we do not yet know, but we do know he has been taken to a hospital in the capital of bratislava for urgent treatment. we have heard from various politicians around europe condemning

that attack and the hungarian prime minister is latest to talk on x, on twitter, saying that he was deeply shocked by the heinous attack against his friend robert fico. he in some ways shares news on russia and ukraine are certainly more pro—russian than many european politicians, but the hungarian prime minister is saying that he is deeply shocked by what he calls a heinous attack on his friends, the prime minister of slovakia, robert fico. the prime minister has been at various stages in his career prime minister of that country, for some ten years. when you add up all his terms in office, a very dominant

figure in recent political history of slovakia. hugely important and influential there. of slovakia. hugely important and influentialthere. he of slovakia. hugely important and influential there. he has been shot after a meeting in... influential there. he has been shot aftera meeting in... and influential there. he has been shot after a meeting in... and shot in the abdomen according to reports that we have had a that has not actually been confirmed. he has been taken to hospital in bratislava, he was rushed there. the still pictures of the aftermath of that shooting, which is now being said to be an assassination attempt. the car sped away, we are also told that a helicopter was sent to the scene. the freelance journalist based in slather, sara, we are hearing their that they are confirming that this was an assassination attempt as we would have suspected. that will clearly add to the shock that people

in slovakia will feel at this news. i am not currently there so i cannot confirm further details, but from what i know, we know that the shooter has been identified and has been found by the authorities —— mac caught by the authorities. there will be a thorough investigation into what has happens and an investigation. i5 into what has happens and an investigation.— into what has happens and an investigation. is there any clue about the _ investigation. is there any clue about the protection _ investigation. is there any clue about the protection that - investigation. is there any clue about the protection that a - investigation. is there any clue | about the protection that a man investigation. is there any clue - about the protection that a man like the prime minister has? the amount of security, the amount of bodyguards he has? from those pictures that we just saw, though still pictures, it looks like those were bodyguards that put him into the car after the shooting incident. i cannot confirm that but i

certainly think that robert fico had a very robust security protection and bodyguards. what i understand, based on the news reports that i have read, is that the shooting happened just in front of the house of culture. that is where a government meeting was held. my understanding is that there will be witnesses who probably wanted to say hello to him. witnesses who probably wanted to say hello to him-— hello to him. thank you very much. we are running _ hello to him. thank you very much. we are running out _ hello to him. thank you very much. we are running out of— hello to him. thank you very much. we are running out of time, - hello to him. thank you very much. we are running out of time, but - we are running out of time, but according to the slovak government there has been an assassination attempt on the slovakian prime minister robert fico with a wound to the abdomen. minister robert fico with a wound to the abdomen.

this is a weather front bringing out some of the sun. this is a weather front still bringing some outbreaks of rain. it's also quite misty and murky close to some north sea coasts of north—east england and eastern scotland. but we do have some sunshine to speak of. parts of wales, southern counties of england, just the odd shower here. also quite a lot of sunshine across northern ireland, again with one or two showers. and in northern scotland, the sunniest spot seeing highs of 2a or 25 degrees. so where you've got blue skies overhead, yes, it does feel quite warm out there now. through this evening and tonight, our weather front continues to bring some splashes of rain. it will also stay quite misty and murky for some north sea coasts, some clear skies which may well fill in with some patches of mist and fog, slightly cooler than the last couple of nights. for some of us, generally, we will be between nine and 12 degrees. so, for thursday, our weather front still bringing cloud and some

splashes of rain. in fact, some heavy rain could develop across parts of east anglia, the north midlands, north wales into parts of northern england. to the north of that, sunny spells and some warmth. temperatures again up to around 22 or 23 degrees in the highlands. but with one or two sharp showers and thunderstorms breaking out, we could see some of those for northern ireland, the far north of england. and then here is our rain bands. there's a bit of uncertainty about the position of this rain band. it may be just a little bit further south, but it looks like south wales and southern england will see some spells of warm sunshine, but also a scattering of heavy showers. now, as you move into friday, still an old weather front bringing cloud and some splashes of rain. elsewhere, sunny spells, one or two sharp showers, perhaps most especially in western scotland, where temperatures could reach 22 or 23 degrees. that's still a little bit cooler for some at north sea coast. now into the weekend, really, we will be between weather systems. this area of low pressure is tending to move eastwards, high pressure trying to build from the west, but not making an awful lot of progress. so we will see some dry weather, some spells of sunshine, particularly across the north of

the uk, parts of western scotland, maybe not quite as warm as they have been further south, a greater chance of seeing some showers, even some longer spells of rain, but still feeling warm in any sunshine.

live from london. this is bbc news. slovakia's prime minister is shot and injured.

the interior ministry says it was an assissination attempt. he's been taken to hospital. a man has been arrested we'll have more of the emerging details. a russia's offensive in the north—east of ukraine intensifies, as president zelensky cancels all future trips abroad. us secretary of state antony blinken states that they are rushing ammunition and air defense systems to the front line to protect, both soldiers and civilians amidst a renewed russian offensive. the prime minister promises no prisoner will be released early if they're a risk to the public, as new measures are due, to tackle prison overcrowding. let's start this hour with breaking news. local media in slovakia says, the prime minister, robert fico has