i'm kasia madera in london — the headlines. israel's election is too close to call. both the main candidates say they've won. it looks like the uk will get more time for brexit after prime minister theresa may meets the french and german leaders. i'm sharanjit leyl in singapore. also in the programme... with the indian election looming, in a rare interview pakistan's leader imran khan tells the bbc he's willing to talk peace after the polls. and we meet the couple who won a race across the world from london to singapore. life from our studios in london and

singapore. this is bbc world news. it's newsday. hello, and welcome to the programme. it's midnight in london, and 2:00am in the morning in israel where votes are being counted in the country's general election. exit polls suggest the blue and white alliance of challenger benny gantz is neck and neck with prime minister benjamin netanyahu's likud party. one exit poll by israel tv has likud winning 36 seats in the knesset, blue and white on 37, and labour coming next with 8 seats. but with 61 seats needed for a majority, coalitions with smaller parties are the norm in israel. yolande knell reports from tel aviv. at the end of voting came the first predictions. speaking hebrew. this poll giving political newcomer benny gantz a narrow lead over the prime minister.

but both men have now claimed victory. benjamin netanyahu, who has corruption charges looming, has been fighting a tough campaign to win a fifth term in office. his main rival, benny gantz, has won popular support with his strong military record and promise of change. some in israel vote along religious lines. others, on key issues like security. in this poll, there were more than a0 parties to choose from. the next prime minister will have to build and lead a coalition government. and this election could reshape the political landscape. reaching out to right—wing voters, mr netanyahu made a campaign pledge to makejewish settlements in the west bank into part of israel. they are widely seen as illegal and palestinians want this land for a future state. but in this settlement supermarket,

israelis made their election picks expecting a new approach to solving a decades—old conflict. yes, it's very important who wins this election and who will be handling that whole process. excitement among backers of benny gantz when exit polls came through. but these have to be treated with caution. here among mr netanyahu's supporters, there is still high hope that he will stay in power with help from smaller right—wing parties. this vote has been a referendum on his leadership and has shown a country that's deeply split. yolande knell, bbc news, tel aviv. we will have more on those israeli elections on the programme. also making news today, robert mueller‘s report into russian interference in the 2016 us election will be made public within a week.

us attorney general william barr told a congressional committee that he plans to release a redacted version of the report. a four—page note summarising its conclusions was released last month, sparking demands for the report to be released in its entirety. new protests have broken out in algeria after an interim head of state was appointed to replace president abdelaziz bouteflika, who was forced to resign last week. abdelkader bensalah is set to become the new leader but it's an unpopular choice with many people. he is promising elections within 90 days of taking office. former nissan boss, carlos ghosn, says the charges against him are part of a conspiracy. he's been charged with under—reporting his pay by tens of millions of dollars. in a video made before his re—arrest in japan, he said he hoped for a fair trial. us actress allison mack has pleaded guilty to charges linked to an alleged sex trafficking operation disguised as a mentoring group. the actress, who is best known for her role in superhero

television series smallville, was arrested a year ago on sex trafficking charges. she could face up to a0 years in prison after pleading guilty to racketeering. take a look at this. isn't it gorgeous? these are cherry blossoms injapan. they represent the nature of life and a season of renewal injapanese culture. it also accounts for an annual boost. last year of whopping 2.7 billion. each spring, "hanami", or "flower viewing", events and festivals are held, with many people picnicing under the trees to enjoy the flowers‘ transient beauty. it is absolutely stunning. i'm sure you will agree. european union leaders would appear to be moving towards extending the uk's brexit deadline beyond this coming friday. prime minister theresa may headed to europe on tuesday, starting in berlin, for talks ahead

of wednesday's european summit in brussels. the german chancellor angela merkel told party colleagues that a flexible extension could run until the end of this year or the beginning of 2020. mrs may then moved on to paris to meet president macron. draft proposals seen by the bbc leave the extension date blank for eu leaders to fill in on wednesday. but if the draft is agreed, britain would have to leave onjune the ist if it fails to take part in next month's european elections. i asked georgina wright from the independent think tank, the institute for government, what her advice would be for theresa may as she prepares to speak to the 27 european leaders. the government policy is to ensure there is an extension. i think theresa may has been trying to tell

her mps theresa may has been trying to tell hermps and mps theresa may has been trying to tell her mps and mps impairment is "we need to have a plan the eu are not going to accept an extension if it means delaying a no—deal, we need to reassure them that this is going to make a difference". in terms of an extension, that would involve the uk taking part in the european parliamentary elections. how will that play out to? the eu have been pretty clear on this and have said they have given them a chance to pass a withdrawal agreement and leave in time before the elections and they have not done that and if there is a risk that you will still be an eu country, past may, then you will take part in european parliament elections. that has ulcers of complications here. the government would need to plan for the selections and the eu as well because they are drying up there was without british seats in the european parliament so they would need to halt that reconfiguration and plan elections according to the

current set up which does include uk seats. donald tusk has issued some conditions if this extension is given, a lot of thefts as usual when it comes to brexit. that the uk need to be sincere and insincere cooperation. it would have to behave ultimately but yet you have members of the european research group in the tory partner advent brexiteer is her saying they will behave like trojan horses, that is not behaving well stop out this is a big concern for eu leaders in particular, the uk has a history of being quite firm and its possession. when it would agree with the european policy, great and if they did not, they would say so loudly. what some eu leaders are concerned about our "if you will remain a member say, will you will remain a member say, will you be proactive? will you try to build and improve the policy or obstructed witch" the government has been cleared that they would be

intent on leaving the eu and that would be the number one conserve. —— oi’ would be the number one conserve. —— or obstruct it? all eu remaining states have to agree and president macron may be changing his mind in going with this stopping of the front have been consistent throughout the negotiations. fine if you need more time, but what is the purpose? would make more of a difference? if it is simply a matter of delaying no deal that maybe we should go through with it now. but if we wake a difference in the house of commons in the uk, and improve the relationship further down the line, maybe it is worth it stop right georgina right speaking earlier. —— right georgina right speaking earlier. -- georgina right speaking earlier. with india's election looming, pakistan's prime minister imran khan has told the bbc he's willing to talk peace after the polls. he insisted his country was dismantling the radical groups involved in the violence in kashmir. and he claimed he had the pakistani

army's full backing. imran khan has been talking to the bbc‘s world affairs editor, john simpson. these are testing times for imran khan. in february, he had to cope with an aerial bombing against his territory by india. had things have gone wrong, there could have been a serious escalation between the two nuclear powers. instead, he seems to have diffused the situation. india was targeting what it claimed were terrorists from the daesh organisation operating against it from pakistani territory. a lot of people in india will see this interview with you. what message would you like to send the modi government and the people of india? surely, the number one task of the two governments should be how are we going to reduce poverty? and the way reduce poverty is by settling our differences through dialogue and there is only

one difference which is kashmir. it has to be settled. it cannot keep on boiling lake it is. because anything happening in kashmir to a reaction to the oppression that is taking place in kashmir, it will be pawned off on pakistan. we will be blamed and tensions will rise as they have risen in the past. so, if we can settle kashmir, the benefits of peace are tremendous for the subcontinent. the indian government would say you're still simply not doing enough about terrorism. we are already dismantling the organisations as we speak... including daesh? including daesh. we have taken over their madrasas, their various organisations they ran. this is the first serious effort that has been taken to disarm militant groups. and you have the will to see it through? we have the

will to see it through? we have the willjohn because it is the future for pakistan. 0utside pressure or not, it is in our interest that we do not have any of these militant groups any more. given pakistan's nuclear weapons, india's attack last february could have led to a very dangerous conflict indeed. imran khan maintains he was determined to make sure pakistan's reply was strictly limited. once you respond, no one can predict where it can go from there. it could go anywhere because they could come back and again attacked pakistan. pakistan would have no choice but to respond. so in that situation, two nuclear armed countries, i felt so in that situation, two nuclear armed countries, ifelt that so in that situation, two nuclear armed countries, i felt that it was very irresponsible. last october, there was trouble in the streets right across pakistan when the supreme court acquitted a question woman who had been sentenced to

death for blaspheming against the prophet muhammad. her acquittal was confirmed in january and prophet muhammad. her acquittal was confirmed injanuary and she has been offered a asylum in europe and yet she still has not been allowed to leave pakistan secular you will find that she is leaving very soon. are we talking days or weeks? we are talking about weeks. is that your decision to let her go? there is a little bit of a complication and i can't speak on the media about it. but i can assure you, she is safe and she will be leaving in weeks. imran khan hurries off. following him, the officer caring i was told the briefcase which holds pakistan's nuclear codes. john simpson, bbc news, islam about. —— islam abide. you're watching newsday on the bbc. still to come on the programme, we'll have more anaylsis

on the election deadlock in israel from our chief international correspondent, lyse doucet. also on the programme, it's the race across the world as five couples race from london to singapore on a very limited budget. 35 years of hatred and rage as they jump up 35 years of hatred and rage as they jump up on the statue. this funeral became a massive demonstration of black power. the power to influence. todayis black power. the power to influence. today is about the promise of a bright future. a day where we hope a line can be drawn on our buddy pass. —— blood line can be drawn on our buddy pass. — — blood he line can be drawn on our buddy pass. —— blood he passed.

i think picasso's works were beautiful. they were intelligent, and it is a set of us to everybody who loves art. —— a sad loss. this is newsday on the bbc. i'm sharanjit leyl in singapore. i'm kasia madera in london. our top stories. they're claiming victory, even when the race is too close to call. both candidates in israel's election say they've won. eu leaders move towards extending britian's brexit deadline as theresa may makes her case in paris and berlin. more now on the israeli elections where the results are so far too close to call. the bbc‘s chief international correspondent, lyse doucet is injerusalem for us.

this was an election being described as one of the most closely fought in israeli history and now it is still being described as too close to call. we have two main challengers saying they had both won. benny gantz, the former army chief, the biggest challenge to prime minister netanyahu biggest challenge to prime minister neta nyahu for biggest challenge to prime minister netanyahu for a decade has done well. but benjamin netanyahu says that he also won or at least the right wing block as he called that lead by his party with food has one. it will be hours before we know who truly has one. but the real numbers are in the selection and the two men now want to look like winners because in israel, they really are two processes. winning the election and winning the battle to form the next government. how does it well? we arejoined here by next government. how does it well? we are joined here by an expert next government. how does it well? we arejoined here by an expert in all that. he is the president of the

israel democracy institute norma mack. thank you forjoining us. it's still too close to call for you. how does it look? usually they say exit polls or exit polls and in this case, it is evermore true. the final results might be dramatically different than what we are seeing in the exit polls because there are about two parties at least that are very close to the threshold. and if each and everyone of them if they ci’oss or each and everyone of them if they cross or do not each and everyone of them if they ci’oss oi’ do not ci’oss each and everyone of them if they cross or do not cross the threshold, it may upset the entire balance between the two different blocks, the right—wing pot ultra—orthodox box versus the centreleft plus the air parties. and it will change the likelihood of who will form the government. we go to bed picking one party or one leader has triumphed and then usually we wake up and it is on complete different. and then usually we wake up and it is on complete differentlj and then usually we wake up and it is on complete different. i have memories of that exact experience. but we need to look out for is the

arab party. if they will cross the threshold, that would mean the balance of power between the blocks is much more likely to be very close. if on the other hand the balance between the blocks will be clearly tilted in favour of the right—wing plus ultra—orthodox, then we are a lot more likely to see mr netanyahu as prime minister even if he does not believe, even if likud is not the largest party. for benny gantz who has the blue—and—white alliance, it's crucial for him he must have a wider gap in the exit polls if the precedent is to turn to him to try to form the next government. because the other parties looked like more of the kind that would join benjamin netanyahu. we have to wait for the final results. if the relationship between the blocs will be say 60—60, then who has the largest party will be

what matters. if on the other hand mr netanyahu's right—wing plus ultra—orthodox block will have a majority, even if mr gantz has a slightly larger party, it will not necessarily manner. and even if netanyahu's necessarily manner. and even if neta nyahu's block still necessarily manner. and even if netanyahu's block still has a majority, he still needs those parties to recommend him to the president so as you alluded, we still have a process of the parties making the recommendations to the president. so far in israel's history, the president's judgement was mainly symbolic. the president never really needed to exercise his judgement. we are entering potentially the first time in our history a situation whereby if nobody has more than 61 recommendations, that the president will have to exercise his judgement and then who has the largest party will play as a factor. if these

broad projections in these exit polls are correct, what else does it tell us about the political landscape in israel? so far it looks as though some of the new far right parties having to cross the threshold to make it into the israeli knesset. two right-wing parties, one of them ran a very un—israeli libertarian agenda and it seemed they might be able to cross and they didn't. and they also had the combination of other extreme positions. the other right—wing party headed by the education minister ran on an anti—institutions agenda, antiestablishment, subverting the independence of the supreme court and so on. and fortunately in my eyes as head of the israel democracy institute, the israeli public rejected that agenda. we will have to wait and see what it

looks like in the end. thank you very much forjoining us here from the israel democracy institute. it is all about democracy but really what these numbers will tell us once they are officially confirmed, it will tell us a lot about the political future of israel and the wider region but it will also tell us wider region but it will also tell us something about the state of democracy here in israel. lyse doucet there injerusalem. now, you might think that international travel is fairly straight forward these days. but imagine a journey of more than 19,000 kilometres, through 21 countries — without stepping on an plane or having the use of a smartphone, the internet or credit cards. and to cap it all off — a very limited budget. that was the challenge set by the bbc programme race across the world which gave five couples the cash equvalent of a single airfare from london to singapore to make their way here to the lion city. and the winners, who made it

here to singapore first, retired pe teachers tony and elaine teasdale, told me how it felt to relive the experience as the tv series went out. it was incredible! the best part was watching the other competitors and the journey they took because of course that was different to our journey. that was interesting to us. i wanted to take you? something like 50 days, right? yes, it was 50 days. we picked up the race i think day two or three —— date you are day three. it was a long haul no doubt about that. but it was the most wonderful journey. we about that. but it was the most wonderfuljourney. we saw some of the world's most beautiful locations and met some wonderful, wonderful people who helped us along the way. so, yeah, it was a good old race. beautiful locations you say. you went through countries like

cambodia, malaysia, china, what with some of the best bits and potentially the worst bits? the best bet was of course signing the book at the top of the tower at the hotel. but we love cambodia, kind of raw and natural and interesting welcoming people. we love uzbekistan and we worked with camels there. so, that was a first for us. you said you worked with camels, what were you worked with camels, what were you doing exactly? picking