this is bbc news, the headlines: with almost all the votes counted in israel's general election, the likud party of prime minister benjamin netanyahu appears welcome to bbc news — to be gaining a narrow lead. broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: both mr netanyahu and his main rival, benny gantz, declared victory after polls closed. they would require the backing of smaller parties to form a government. with two—thirds of the votes counted in israel's general election, the likud party of prime european union leaders meet minister benjamin netanyahu appears in brussels on wednesday to consider to be on course for a narrow win. a request by the uk's prime minister to delay brexit britain's prime minister meets until the end ofjune. germany's chancellor to discuss a short delay to brexit. the president of the european there are signs the eu favours a longer extension — council has suggested the uk may be asked to accept a much longer which could mean more trouble for mrs may. extension, up to a year. still awaiting more details that is likely to give theresa may from the mueller report. the us attorney general says he'll let congress and the public see serious political problems at home. a redacted version ‘within a week'. parts of brooklyn in new york are seeing the worst outbreak of measles in nearly three decades, no pause in the protests in algeria as a new interim and the mayor of new york has declared a public health emergency. president is sworn in. bill de blasio has warned residents to get vaccinated or pay fines. nearly 300 cases have been reported since october.

you are up—to—date with two—thirds of votes counted in israel's general election, the likud party of prime minister benjamin netanyahu looks to be on course for a narrow win, with the help of far—right parties in a likely governing coalition. but his main rival, benny gantz, declared victory himself after polls closed. within hours, mr netanyahu is also due to hear details of corruption charges, which he denies. the bbc‘s yolande knell sent this report from tel aviv. at the end of the voting came the first predictions, this poll giving political newcomer benny gantz a narrow lead over the prime minister. but both men have now claimed victory. translation: the largest party is the one that needs to be mandated by the president and form the government. translation: i want to thank you,

from the bottom of my heart. you have brought an amazing, almost inconceivable achievement. it is an almost unimaginable achievement, in the face of hostile media, and the likud has actually grown dramatically. benjamin netanyahu, who has corruption charges looming, has been fighting a tough campaign to win a fifth term in office. his rival has gained 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. during this campaign, a pledge to makejewish settlements in the west bank into part of israel was mr netanyahu's way to reach out

to right—wing voters. 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 — and who will be handling that whole process. this shopper tells me she is surprised gantz hasn't really revealed his position. excitement among backers of benny gantz when exit polls came through, although these have to be treated with caution. likud headquarters were less crowded, but the mood was positive. 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 it has shown a country that is deeply split. we'll have more on this later in the programme. and you can keep up to date with the results as they come in, by going to our website. you'll also find profiles of the main candidates and a guide to key things about israel's election system. that's all at bbc.com/news or download the bbc news app. just 3 days before the uk is officially due to leave the european union, there are signs the eu may be favouring a long extension to the brexit process — longer than the brief extension the british prime minister has been seeking. if so, it's likely to cause further problems for theresa may at home, particularly in her own party. she spent tuesday visiting germany's chancellor and france's president, and meets all 27 eu leaders for a summit on wednesday. our political editor

laura kuenssberg reports. no—one could accuse the prime minister of not covering the ground, but clocking up the miles isn't the same is convincing your audience. theresa may landed in berlin first, to plead for more time. but the normal red carpet was rather lonely today. the prime minister had to wait for a welcome, before the two leaders headed back outside for the usual snaps and smiles. the mission, though — notjust to ask for a delay, but to give the answer why. we want to understand what the uk need this extension for. there's a real effort to try to bring structure to brexit. you know, we've had extraordinary division, really. we still need clarity from the uk side. newsreader: theresa may has arrived in berlin... the reason for the delay this time is to give more space for talks to play out at home.

those aren't government ministers on the march at whitehall... good morning. we're here to continue our discussions, and we're looking forward to hearing what the government has to say, so we're just going to start those discussions now. . . but labour's team, invited again for negotiations. if the prime minister can't get her brexit deal through parliament with tory votes, they could compromise to get labour numbers too. there's not really been any fundamental shift, of a change in position in the deal itself, but we're hopeful that progress can be made. we're continuing discussions with the government over the coming days. both sides are engaged seriously on a number of issues. we're looking for a way forward. as you'd expect, there are a number of areas where we differ, but we are anxious to ensure that we can carry on with this process. the immediatejob is hardest here in paris, the prime minister to persuade the reluctant president that pressing pause on brexit will be worthwhile.

but he is just one of 27 leaders who will have to agree a draft of an accord seen by the bbc tonight, which shows the eu club is poised to offer a delay to the uk. but for how long? eight xs in the space where a date should be — the crucial blank to be filled in tomorrow night. emmanuel macron has long been theresa may's toughest eu customer, so she is here tonight to ask for help — let brexit wait. he and other eu leaders are not likely to refuse her, but there is political cost to delay at home, and it might comes with strings attached. talks just a warm—up, really, for the main event in brussels tomorrow. but the prime minister has no doubt learnt, on this painfuljourney, even neighbours can be friends and allies — but rivals too. laura kuenssberg, bbc news, paris. let's get some of the day's other news.

sudan's police have been ordered not to intervene against thousands of protesters who are spending a fourth night outside the military headquarters in the capital, khartoum, according to a statement from the police spokesman. the demonstrators are calling on the president to resign. the police statement says the sudanese people should unite "for an agreement which would support the peaceful transition of power. " the dalai lama has been admitted to hospital in the indian capital new delhi with a chest infection. his aides say his condition is stable. the spiritual leader of the gelug school of tibetan buddhism is 83. he has lived in northern india since fleeing tibet 60 years ago, after a failed uprising against chinese rule. japan's defence ministry is investigating what happened to an f35 stealth fighter missing over the pacific. officials believe it crashed, and have found wreckage thought to be from the plane. a search for the pilot continues. similarjapanesejets have been grounded.

the us attorney general had to field a barrage of questions about the mueller report, on capitol hill on tuesday. he was there to talk budgets to a congressional subcommittee, but since william barr issued a brief summary of the special counsel's findings last month, democrats have been demanding to see the full report. he's promised a redacted version, at least, soon. mr mueller‘s team did not play a role in drafting the document. within a week, i will be in a position to release the report to the public, and then i will engage with the chairman of both judiciary committees about that report. our washington correspondent chris buckler has more on the latest developments. well, i think if the sub—hearing committee show anything, it is that the fight over the report is not over. we may have the summary of the findings coming from the us attorney, bill barr, but democrats are making clear they want to see the whole thing, and they still have

many, many questions. there were tough moments in this hearing, in which democrats suggested there was a danger that barr had cherry picked information, you may remember that his conclusions were that there was no collusion, but then there was the question of whether the president had obstructed justice, and on that the special counsel made no decision. he said, frankly, he wasn't prepared to go either way. he left it to the us attorney general to make that call. it was barr that said he was concerned there was no evidence that justice had been obstructed. democrats must say that because they have not seen the full report, there is a danger that barr had cherry—picked, and that his summary had left more questions than answers. now, it's difficult for democrats to say that information has been cherry—picked, because they have not seen the full report, and indeed, barr has not given a guarantee that they could see the full report.

but that issue of questions and answers — certainly there is a lot that has not been settled, and not even the publication of the report, it will have sections blacked out. i'm not sure it's going to answer all the questions, also, can they satisfy the democrats? suspicions are also raised when it emerged that mueller had provided his own summary of his own report. he chose that it not be used. yeah, and the other question is why he chose, and this is the democrats putting this, why he chose not to show the summary that he was putting in beforehand. but there were all these questions aboutjust how happy the special counsel and his investigators are. both the new york times at the washington post have quoted people who are part of the mueller team, although not named, who have said they feel it does not fairly represent their conclusions,

and the report isn't full, as far as bill barr's summary. that is the question going forward. he said he would look at concerns that people had that he is committed to putting this report out within a week which gives people a chance to have a look at it. and he says that anything that is redacted, that is blacked out, he will put notes in to say why it has happened. it could be, for example, because there's an ongoing criminal investigation, or because it was sensitive grand jury information. i don't think anyone is going end up satisfied here with the questions about the report. the investigations are going to dog the president, and they're going to continue to cause suspicions within democrats. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: the worst measles outbreak in nearly 30 years. residents in parts of brooklyn are told ‘get vaccinated

orface fines‘. 25 years of hatred and rage as theyjump up on the statue. this funeral became a massive demonstration of black power, a power to influence. today, it's about the promise of a bright future. a day when we hope a line can be drawn under the bloody past. i think that picasso's works were beautiful, they were intelligent, and it's a sad loss

to everybody who loves art. this is bbc world news, the latest headlines: with two—thirds of the votes counted in israel's general election, the likud party of prime minister benjamin netanyahu looks to be on course for a narrow win. britain's prime minister has met germany's chancellor to discuss a short delay to brexit. there are signs the eu favours a longer extension, that could mean more trouble at home for mrs may. let's get more on our top story. a short while ago, i spoke to joshua davidovich, deputy editor of the times of israel, in jerusalem, who gave me the latest.

it seems to be a pretty clear victory for benjamin netanyahu. the latest figures put him on the same number of votes as benny gantz, but what benjamin neta nyahu number of votes as benny gantz, but what benjamin netanyahu is going for is that he is going to have a clearer path to cobble together a coalition with his right wing path to our partners, outperforms just as well, not just as to our partners, outperforms just as well, notjust as well but have managed to get enough seats. so how it is looking now is benjamin netanyahu it is looking now is benjamin neta nyahu has it is looking now is benjamin netanyahu has had a big party and declared victory. —— who have managed to perform just as well. but what about the corruption charges he is about to face? i think within hours he is going to be presented with those documents, how will this impact, could it mean his term, his fifth term, his record system is actually rather short? well, he will probably have a chance to at least start his turn. whether he is able to finish it out as a whole other question. there are talks of him

possibly asking his coalition partners to try to legislate some sort of law something to give him immunity, but short of that, in the next three months, we could see how it plays out, he could be indicted and the attorney general will have to decide if he has to step down and his political allies could also force him out, but as of now, it is really not clear how it is going to 90, really not clear how it is going to go, so we're going to have to wait and see once the actual... cases filed, how it all plays out. what do you think this says about the direction of the israeli government? a think it says that government will continue to be very right wing, at least for the time being. benjamin netanyahu's least for the time being. benjamin neta nyahu's last coalition least for the time being. benjamin netanyahu's last coalition was called the most right—wing in the country past history and his coalition that he set to put together now will be at least as right wing, if not even more, further to the right that it is now.

he brought in the extremist party into the unified right wing parties coalition, and it seems that they will enter his government, so if anything, it is moving further to the right than it was in the past. joshua, of course, there was not much of a peace process for the palestinians really to speak of, how do you think it impacts on them particularly? is not great. but before the election, benjamin netanyahu before the election, benjamin neta nyahu put out before the election, benjamin netanyahu put out a message talking about wanting to annex all west bank settlements, not just in about wanting to annex all west bank settlements, notjust in the main settle m e nt settlements, notjust in the main settlement blocks but isolated settle m e nts settlement blocks but isolated settlements as well. —— it is not great. which would essentially make a palestinian state impossible. it is not clear yet whether it was an election ploy and he is looking to, he was just election ploy and he is looking to, he wasjust doing election ploy and he is looking to, he was just doing it to try and grab votes on the right wing or whether he is actually going to push forward with it, but, for the last ten

yea rs, with it, but, for the last ten years, since he has been in power, for palestinians, there has been pretty much no movement on the two state solution and i do not see any, is moving forward in any meaningful way right now. at least nine people have been killed by flash floods in the brazilian city of rio de janeiro. authorities have declared a crisis. heavy rains turned streets into rivers and swept away vehicles. three people were found dead in their car. two others died when water poured through their home. more than 30 centimetres of rain are reported in some parts of the city over 2a hours. residents of a japanese town near the fukushima nuclear power plant have been allowed to move back for the first time since it was destroyed by a tsunami eight years ago. 0kuma has been a ghost town since a wave, triggered by an earthquake, caused the worst nuclear disaster in decades. the town has been intensively cleaned to reduce radiation, but officials say only 40?% it is currently safe to return to.

in algeria, thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in protests against the government. last week, the country's long—serving president, abdelaziz bouteflika, stood down. that decision was meant to appease demonstrators, who first took to the streets eight weeks ago. but on tuesday, one of the former president's close colleagues was named interim president and that has led to even greater anger, as our correspondent 0rla guerin reports from the capital, algiers. new tension on the streets of algiers. a change in the air, after weeks of peaceful mass protests. young revolutionaries facing down the police who tried to ban this demonstration. but the protesters gathered anyway. they won't be swept away easily. the landscape has changed here. what's missing is fear. well, the security presence has been building here. in the last half an hour or so,

we've had tear gas and water cannon being used. the authorities are trying to control what's happening here on the streets, to stop the protests. 0ld habits die hard. but the demonstrators say it's too late for that. algeria's vast young population has found its voice, another generation in the arab world trying to break with the past. i don't think i've ever dreamt of living in such interesting times, but i'm very grateful, and i'm very happy that i got to witness this, and i got to be part of it and contribute to it. do you feel free now? i'm getting closer to my freedom, yeah. having seen off algeria's veteran leader, abdelaziz bouteflika, they believe they can remove his allies and cronies, known here as le pouvoir.

it's going to be complicated. it's going to take some time. it's going, probably, to take a long time. but it's going to happen sooner or later. we believe in this. but across town, parliamentarians gathered for what looked like a rerun of the past. standing in as president, abdelkader bensalah, a bouteflika loyalist from the old school. this former prime minister told me his appointment sends the wrong message. translation: it's a provocation that hurts the dignity of the nation. it's not a good sign, but i'm sure the only way forward is to listen to the people. they'll be back on the streets again on friday, and insist they won't follow the same path as syria or libya, where hopes of a change ended

in chaos and bloodshed. allison mack has pleaded guilty to charges linked to what's alleged to have been a sex trafficking operation. the american actress, best known for her role in the superhero tv series smallville, has admitted recruiting women by telling them they were joining a female mentorship group. she's pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy and could face up to a0 years in prison. the mayor of new york has declared a public emergency in part of brooklyn, after the worst outbreak of measles since 1991. he's ordered everyone living there to get vaccinated against measles or face fines. bill de blasio's order applies to an area which has a high ultra—0rthodox jewish population. many there oppose vaccination on religious grounds. there've been other recent outbreaks in new york state, in washington, in california, texas and illinois. caroline rigby reports. this, according to the mayor of new york, is the epicentre

of the largest measles outbreak in the city since 1991. a highly contagious and potentially fatal disease, which had eradicated from the us nearly two decades ago. the area is home to a high ultraorthodoxjewish population, many of whom oppose immunisation on religious grounds. and that, combined with lingering fears over the safety of vaccines led by the so—called anti—vaxxer movement, has led officials in new york to take drastic action. today, we are declaring a public health of agency effective immediately. the only way to stop this outbreak is to ensure those who are unvaccinated who get the vaccine. it's important for people to understand that the vaccine works. it is safe, it is effective, it is time—tested.

under the order, anyone who has been vaccinated must be immunised within 48 hours. or they could face a fine of up to $1000. some residents remain unconvinced by the move. well, my rabbi said otherwise. and i will not name him. what's the basis for saying no? oh, i could go on and on and on. just like i said, preventative measures are not a reason to inject toxins into my child's body. i think it's an overstep to get people to essentially say, you have to do this, so that you can do other, every day things. i know it puts some other people injeopardy, in some regard, but there are some legitimate reasons why people fear taking vaccines. officials say the brooklyn outbreak has been traced to an unvaccinated child, who became infected on a trip to israel. as each day passes, more cases emerge with almost 300 reported

in new york city since october. the vast majority of those affected children and although there have been no deaths, 21 people have been hospitalised. just two weeks ago, the state of new york declared a state of emergency. yet, as the number of confirmed measles cases continues to rise, officials say they will appeal against what they have described as the illogic that gets in the way of public health. caroline rigby, bbc news. in a suprise annoucement, magicjohnson is saying he will step down as the lakers's president of basketball operations. he's held the job for two years and has been key to the team's improved performance and ability to bring in big signings, including of course, lebronjames. but the decision to quit, he says, was a difficult one, so difficult that he says he "couldn't face" telling the team's owner. just a brief reminder of our top story, that with nearly two—thirds

of all votes counted in israel's general election, benjamin netanyahu appears to be gaining a lead with the help of right—wing coalition partners. he is also accused of corruption charges, which he denies. that is it for now, thank you for watching. hello, good morning. temperatures are on a downward trend over the next few days and nights. we still managed 16 degrees in western scotland, cold air is coming down from scandinavia over the north sea, so it will feel chilly for the next few days. but at least we're going to get some sunshine, a bit like we did here in dumfries and galloway on tuesday. tuesday was still cold and grey and wet at times across southern england, and it will be southern england that sees the biggest change in the weather for wednesday because the cloud that was sitting there, bringing some rain at times, is finally moving its way out into the english channel. still a bit of cloud, along the south coast,

otherwise dry. clear skies further north, the winds lighter, so we're more likely to have a frost. temperatures down to —2, —3. it will warm up to a certain extent on wednesday in the sunshine, the cloud moves away from the south—west, otherwise a dry day. a bit of fairweather cloud building up in north—east england, over the pennines. and a noticeable wind down the eastern side of england, especially in the south—east, willjust add to the chill, but at least the sunshine will be out, still only nine degrees along those north sea coasts, further west, highs of 12 or 13 celsius. those temperatures will fall away in the evening and overnight and we'll have clear skies. except for northern scotland, where there is more cloud coming in, so it won't be as cold. a frost possible for the way out was the west country by thursday morning.

as we head towards the end of the week, high pressure dominating the weather, building down from scandinavia across the uk, locking all the weather fronts for the time being. so a lot of dry weather, there's cloud in northern scotland and there might be a few spots of drizzle over the hills. we're likely to find increasing cloud over central and eastern parts of england, northern ireland, sunshine. typical temperatures still only 10 or 11 degrees. light winds on thursday, but that changes on friday. dry with some sunshine at times, more sunshine as we head into the weekend but the winds going to be strengthening. it might feel a bit cold out there, with pressure lowering out to the west, a chance of rain for northern ireland and essentially high pressure still in charge in the south—east, 00:28:52,422 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 it should get less cold next week.