this is bbc world news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories... fighting in the streets of bakhmut — as russian forces continue their attempt to capture the ukrainian city. more schoolgirls in iran have been targeted, in apparent poison gas attacks. the united nations and iran reach an agreement that would allow further inspections of tehran�*s nuclear programme. prince harry describes writing his memoir as an act of service — he says he hopes sharing details of his life will help others. once the book came out i felt incredibly free, i felt a huge weight off my shoulders. and still no deal — un countries try to reach an angreement on a long—awaited environmental treaty to protect the high seas.

hello and welcome. ukrainian forces have come under increased pressure from russian troops in the besieged city of bukhmut — which russia has been trying to capture in months of intense fighting. the deputy mayor of the city has told the bbc that 4,000 civilians still living there — out of an original population of 75,000 — have no gas, electricity or water. thousands of russian troops have died trying to take the eastern city. if it falls, it would be the first russian victory of note in more than six months. our diplomatic correspondent,

james landale, reports from kyiv. munitions explode this is bakhmut, or at least what's left of it, after some of the fiercest fighting since russia invaded ukraine. for more than six months, ukrainian forces have held off a ferocious onslaught, but now russian commanders are growing increasingly confident, including the leader of the mercenaries known as the wagner group, which have been at the heart of the assault. translation: we have - almost surrounded bakhmut. there's only one road that remains in and out of the city, the pincers are closing. before, we were fighting against the professional ukrainian army, but now we fight against old men and boys. ukrainian forces are still defending the city street by street and reports suggest reinforcements are being sent in. but these russian troops say the ukrainian army is destroying bridges like these, potentially to prepare for what western analysts call a "controlled fighting withdrawal"

from parts of the city. local officials insist ukraine still controls bakhmut, but they accept there is now fighting in the streets. translation: the city is almost destroyed, i not a single building has remained untouched. currently there is no communication in the city so it's cut off. the russians are shelling everything. they want to destroy bakhmut like they did with mariupol. for sergei shoigu, russia's defence minister, making a flying visit to his forces in eastern ukraine, seizing bakhmut would be a rare military victory for him and his bosses in the kremlin. and perhaps a much—needed diplomatic boost after an international audience in india laughed at russia's foreign minister. the war which we are trying to stop, and which was launched against us using ukraine... audience laughs

..ukrainian people... but for now, ukrainian fighters on the ground in bakhmut still seem ready to fight their invaders every inch of the way, with russia paying a much higher and bloodier price. james explained more about why the battle for bakhmut matters. this battle has been going on for over six months now. the fall of bakhmut has been long predicted, it has not happened so far. you are right, there is a question mark above this. why are both sides taking it so seriously, why are they allowing so many soldiers to die to try and take it and defend it? because if you talk to western analysts, officials they will all tell you that bakhmut has little strategic value in itself. it is not a garrison town, not a transport hub. it does not hold a particular geographic position

that is militarily significant. but, the russians desperately need a victory and they have chosen bakhmut to be the place where they are most likely to try and do that so they are throwing thousands of russian troops at it and thousands are dying in the process. and they have yet to succeed. they also want to be able to take bakhmut in an attempt to try and get a springboard, if you like, to further territorial gains in the donbas. again, that is questioned and challenged by military experts who say taking bakhmut will not necessarily mean you will take other cities in the area. that is for russia. what about ukraine? why is it defending it so hard at great cost, as well? the answer for that is fairly straightforward. ukraine is using this fight to tie up russian forces,

to stop them from going elsewhere, it is using this battle to, frankly, kill russian soldiers. to degrade russia's army as much as possible. hundreds and thousands of men are dying in the city, as i said, on the russian side. and it is a huge cost for the russian army. so the ukrainians are making the russians pay very dearly for every foot, every yard of territory they gain in the city. hundreds of schoolgirls in iran have been targeted, in apparent poison gas attacks. schools in at least 15 provinces were attacked on saturday. the incidents have been happening since november but have spread in scope and scale over the past week. nobody has been arrested and public anger is continuing to grow. you may find some of this report by parham ghobadi distressing.

mass poisoning of schoolgirls in iran, possibly with toxic gas. numerous schools in several provinces across the country were attacked on saturday. students who have fallen ill are being taken into an ambulance in karaj, a city near capital, tehran. this girl says she can't breathe. here in southern iran, some are taken into a hospital while coughing. hospitals are packed. a girl shouts. the principal is nowhere to be found. a student from tehran told us despite the smell of gas, they were kept indoors for a while. translation: they wouldn't let us leave the classrooms first, - although everyone was smelling the gas. when we finally went to the courtyard they wouldn't let us leave the school. asking us not to worry and they said the smell would go away. they feared the news would make it to the media. here, an ambulance is seen inside the school, but worried

parents are kept behind the closed doors. parents are furious. they chanted, "we don't want a child killing regime." it shows they think hardline elements backed by the regime are behind this to prevent girls from going to school. concerned mothers have staged a protest in tehran. one says they were dispersed from the ministry of education. but the iranian president put the blame on the west, calling the school poisoning hybrid warfare. translation: in this. psychological and media warfare regarding schools, they are seeking to frighten our students and their parents. a distressed mother in central town of kashan shouts at an official, "why are you doing this to our children?" some suspect this is a revenge attack because the schoolgirls joined a protest that swept the country in september. girls in iran have been fighting forfreedom.

now, they are fighting for their breath. parham ghobadi, bbc news. staying with iran. the united nations and iranian authorities have announced an agreement that would allow un officials to carry out further inspections of tehran�*s nuclear programme. the announcement was made at the end of a two—day visit to the capital, by the head of international atomic energy agency, rafael grossi. his trip followed the discovery of traces of uranium, enriched to near weapons—grade level, at an underground nuclear plant in iran. the bbc�*s bethany bell has been monitoring events for us in vienna. iran and the iaea have issued a joint statement which says that iran is prepared to give more information and more access to un nuclear inspectors who've been looking into past nuclear work by iran. and this announcement was made

after a two day visit by the head of the iaea, rafael grossi. and he said this included reinstalling monitoring equipment in some sites, including cameras. now, the iaea has also, in a separate development, been concerned about the discovery of traces of highly enriched uranium at one of iran's underground nuclear site at fordo. and the concern about this is because weapons—grade enriched uranium is 90%. and what was discovered at fordow was 84%. and we know now, mr grossi says, that there will be 50% more inspections at fordow to try to get to the bottom of this. iran says that its nuclear programme is peaceful. and although it did acknowledge

that there could have been what it called unintended fluctuations at fordow. mr grossi said he hoped that this was a new phase in relations between iran and the iaea. he said he had got concrete steps that had been agreed here, but other countries may be more sceptical, saying that iran has made such promises in the past and not delivered. will it deliver now, is the big question. to tunisia now, where hundreds of malians, ivorians and guineans living there have been flown home after controversial remarks by president kais saied sparked a wave of violence. he claimed sub—saharan africans were engaged in a plot to change tunisia's demographic makeup. rights groups say since he made the comments, many have been attacked, detained or evicted from their homes. the african union has urged tunisia to avoid "racialised hate speech".

president saied denies that his views were racist. the comments also triggered widespread protests this week. let's get more on this with meriam mastour. she is a human rights lawyer and looks at diversity and inclusion. thanks forjoining us. what you make of what has been happening there? there's a big problem in tunisia. there's a big problem in tunisia. the president is using black people, and this is a populist way to respond to the social and economic crisis which is happening in tunisia, so he is using them as scapegoats. this is exactly the same rhetoric of great replacement and everything that we have in europe, and now people are fleeing back to their country, the ones who can. what do we know about people getting

out? they are scared of the violence or they do not have homes and jobs any more? or they do not have homes and “obs an more? , or they do not have homes and “obs any more?— or they do not have homes and “obs an more? , ., any more? exactly. some people do have to leave _ any more? exactly. some people do have to leave their _ any more? exactly. some people do have to leave their homes _ any more? exactly. some people do have to leave their homes and - any more? exactly. some people do have to leave their homes and they| have to leave their homes and they are now in the streets and they have no work any more. even students are fleeing because they are scared from the violence they can face street. even tunisian black people, the ones who have papers and the nationality, they are now afraid of what is happening. they are now afraid of what is happening-— they are now afraid of what is happening. they are now afraid of what is haueninu.~ . ., .«r ., they are now afraid of what is haueninur ., ., ., , happening. what do you make of why this is happening _ happening. what do you make of why this is happening right _ happening. what do you make of why this is happening right now? - happening. what do you make of why this is happening right now? you - this is happening right now? you said this kind of language is being used as a scapegoat to divert from other problems in the country, but why now? other problems in the country, but wh now? , ., ., other problems in the country, but wh now? ., ., , , ., why now? the population is fed up of this situation — why now? the population is fed up of this situation and _ why now? the population is fed up of this situation and they _ why now? the population is fed up of this situation and they have - why now? the population is fed up of this situation and they have to -

why now? the population is fed up of this situation and they have to find i this situation and they have to find someone who is guilty so the president and also the anti—black racism exists in tunisia for ever, evenif racism exists in tunisia for ever, even if there are black tunisians in tunisia for ever, and so now you have these two things together and it is easy to find guilty people in this economic and social situation in the person of black people in tunisia. 3 in the person of black people in tunisia. �* ., ., ., ., ., , in the person of black people in tunisia. ., ., ., ., ., , ., tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the _ tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the end _ tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the end to _ tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the end to this _ tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the end to this kind - tunisia. a lot of organisations have called for the end to this kind of. called for the end to this kind of language and rhetoric. do you think that will happen? i language and rhetoric. do you think that will happen?— language and rhetoric. do you think that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time — that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time now, _ that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time now, it _ that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time now, it can _ that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time now, it can be _ that will happen? i hope so. for me, it is a time now, it can be another i it is a time now, it can be another opportunity for tunisia to face its racism and its anti—black racism because like words, a word used in

tunisian which can be related to slavery or equivalent to the n word, and problematic behaviour, which has existed since a long time, and activists including a black tunisian, she said there is an opportunity to have a real national debate about racism in tunisia. so maybe it is now the opportunity and the time for tunisian people, like the time for tunisian people, like the other north african countries, to define their identities between arabs, muslims, africans, and to really speak and find a solution about it. ., really speak and find a solution about it. . ., ., ,

un countries are working to finalise an agreement on a long—awaited environmental treaty to protect the high seas — the area of the ocean not controlled by any one country. they make up more than half of the surface of the earth and are crucial in the fight against climate change. after more than 15 years of informal and then formal talks, negotiators are coming to the end of what was hoped to be the final day of talks at a summit in new york but it seems likely they will continue sunday morning after failing to reach an agreement. dr laura meller is the head of the greenpeace delgation at the un and has been at the negotiations in new york where she joins me from now. thanks forjoining us. thank you, thanks for “oining us. thank you, aood thanks forjoining us. thank you, good evening- — thanks forjoining us. thank you, good evening. do _ thanks forjoining us. thank you, good evening. do we _ thanks forjoining us. thank you, good evening. do we have - thanks forjoining us. thank you, good evening. do we have an - good evening. do we have an agreement? _ good evening. do we have an agreement? i'm _ good evening. do we have an agreement? i'm afraid - good evening. do we have an agreement? i'm afraid not. good evening. do we have an agreement? i'm afraid not at| good evening. do we have an - agreement? i'm afraid not at the moment. governments - agreement? i'm afraid not at the moment. governments have - agreement? i'm afraid not at thel moment. governments have been talking through the night and into saturday evening to reach agreement.

these talks happen in so—called consultations behind closed doors and we have been waiting for an update for quite a while. the wait toes on, update for quite a while. the wait goes on, behind _ update for quite a while. the wait goes on, behind closed _ update for quite a while. the wait goes on, behind closed doors - update for quite a while. the wait goes on, behind closed doors at i update for quite a while. the wait i goes on, behind closed doors at the moment, and let's have a look at the potential problem, the issue of the high seas which means the oceans which are not owned by any one country, what is the importance of trying to protect these? the oceans are in crisis — trying to protect these? the oceans are in crisis and _ trying to protect these? the oceans are in crisis and it _ trying to protect these? the oceans are in crisis and it is _ trying to protect these? the oceans are in crisis and it is overfishing, i are in crisis and it is overfishing, climate crisis, pollution, changing the very chemistry and life of our oceans, so protecting at least of the few 30% of the oceans by 2030 is what marine life needs in order to

heal —— protecting at least 30% of the oceans. this was agreed to a few years ago, but without a strong treaty agreed here and now, they risk time running out on creating those ocean sanctuaries on time. what is your hope if you had to give a hope of an ascent that agreement? —— hope of an agreement? this a hope of an ascent that agreement? -- hope of an agreement?— a hope of an ascent that agreement? -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance — -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance to — -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance to have _ -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance to have a _ -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance to have a strong - -- hope of an agreement? this is the last chance to have a strong treaty i last chance to have a strong treaty which will protect 30% of the oceans by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you which will protect 30% of the oceans by 2030 so i'm hopeful.— by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are ho eful, by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are hopeful. but _ by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are hopeful, but in _ by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are hopeful, but in simple _ by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are hopeful, but in simple terms, i by 2030 so i'm hopeful. you are i hopeful, but in simple terms, what other kind of thing is that countries would have to do if they sign up and we do get an agreement, is it things like not minding in those areas are not using them as shipping lanes? —— mining. this

those areas are not using them as shipping lanes? -- mining. this is our biggest _ shipping lanes? -- mining. this is our biggest opportunity _ shipping lanes? -- mining. this is our biggest opportunity as - shipping lanes? -- mining. this is our biggest opportunity as a - our biggest opportunity as a generation to put conservation at the heart of how we look after our oceans. it would provide a pathway to creating ocean centuries which are off—limits to activities like industrial fishing and deep sea mining. indie industrial fishing and deep sea mininu. ~ , ~ , industrial fishing and deep sea mininu. , ~ , mining. we will be keeping across this and when _ mining. we will be keeping across this and when we _ mining. we will be keeping across this and when we get _ mining. we will be keeping across this and when we get an - mining. we will be keeping across this and when we get an update i mining. we will be keeping across| this and when we get an update or mining. we will be keeping across l this and when we get an update or a deal, we will come back to new york, but for the moment, thanks for joining us. but for the moment, thanks for joining us— here in the uk, new powers to crack down on small boats crossings in the channel are set to be announced by the government early next week. the legislation could come in as soon as tuesday. our political correspondent, helen catt is here. what could the proposals be? we have a lot of tough words this evening going into the newspapers tomorrow morning in the uk from the home secretary, suella braverman,

and the prime minister, rishi sunak, talking about this issue they have been trying to tackle of people crossing the english channel in small boats. it is very risky and dangerous. suella braverman says it has to be that if you come here illegally you will be detained and swiftly removed and what we are expecting to see in the legislation when it goes to parliament is that it will place a duty on her to remove anyone who arrives from a small boat either to rwanda or a safe third country as soon as reasonably practicable and there are other measures, if anyone does come to the uk using small boat crossings, that would be admissible to applying for asylum and banning them from applying again if they are removed and banning them from applying for asylum when they are in the uk. concerns have been raised by some organisations, whether it would be compatible with human rights laws

and the european convention on human rights and others have pointed to the practical difficulties, the scheme the government had for moving people to rwanda for processing has stalled because of legal challenges, so people are pointing to those kind of challenges as well. downing street though says the legislation will come in due course. this street though says the legislation will come in due course.— will come in due course. this was one of rishi _ will come in due course. this was one of rishi sunak's _ will come in due course. this was one of rishi sunak's priorities - will come in due course. this was one of rishi sunak's priorities for| one of rishi sunak's priorities for this year, so what is the outline of the problem as he sees it? he this year, so what is the outline of the problem as he sees it?- the problem as he sees it? he set five priorities _ the problem as he sees it? he set five priorities of _ the problem as he sees it? he set five priorities of what _ the problem as he sees it? he set five priorities of what he - the problem as he sees it? he set five priorities of what he wants i five priorities of what he wants people to judge him five priorities of what he wants people tojudge him on five priorities of what he wants people to judge him on as five priorities of what he wants people tojudge him on as prime minister and people tojudge him on as prime ministerand in people tojudge him on as prime minister and in government and one of those top five is stopping the small boat crossings. it has been a problem for countless years and the numbers of people coming across on these small boats that cross a very busy shipping lane in the english channel have grown over time. there is concern about it and also knock on issues in terms of housing people

who have arrived in this way and there are tensions about people being housed in hotels, for example, a lot of tensions around this, so he is looking at trying to solve that. that is the issue he's looking to tackle. ~ ~ , ., . , ., tackle. we will keep a close eye on that next week. _ people in leicestershire, northamptonshire and oxfordshire reported hearing a loud bang at lunchtime today, with some people saying their homes shook. loud bo0m well, it turns out they had heard a sonic boom. the ministry of defence says raf typhoon jets were authorised to fly at supersonic speed, after contact was lost with a civilian aircraft. a sonic boom is caused when planes fly faster than the speed of sound. prince harry has described writing his book �*spare'

as an act of service — and says he hopes that sharing details of his life will help others. in a livestreamed conversation with a trauma specialist, the prince said he's not a victim and has never looked for sympathy. but that he has always felt different to the rest of his family, and that he was grateful that he had been able to move to california. here's our royal correspondent daniela relph. for an hour and a half they talked. it had the feel of a therapy session. prince harry on grief, family and trauma. i certainly don't see myself as a victim. i'm really grateful to be able to share my story and i do not and i have never looked for sympathy in this. you had to buy a ticket to watch the online conversation. each one came with a copy of spare. harry described writing his book as an act of service and spoke of feeling trapped within the royal family. i always felt slightly different

to the rest of my family. i felt strange being in this container. and i know that my mum felt the same. now, 38 years old, dad to a son and a daughter, he vowed not to repeat what he saw as past mistakes. i, as a father, feel a huge responsibility to ensure that i don't pass on any traumas that... or, i guess, any negative experiences that i've had as a kid or as a man growing up. harry was candid about his own mental health. the doctor even diagnosed him as having attention deficit disorder, a condition that affects behaviour, and they spoke of using psychedelic medication. i started doing it recreationally and then started to realise how good it was for me.

and i would say that it is one of the fundamental parts of my life that changed me and helped me deal with the traumas and the pains of the past. on serving in afghanistan, not all of us agreed with the war, he said, but we did what we were trained to do. there was, though, nothing about his current relationship with the royal family. no questions on whether he would be at his father's coronation. and as for his wife, meghan, he described her as an exceptional human being to whom he was eternally grateful. daniela relph, bbc news. there's been no statement or reaction from buckingham palace in relation to that interview. that is it just that is itjust about that is it just about from that is itjust about from me. much more on the website and the bbc news app more on the website and the bbc news app including plenty more on the battle for bakhmut.

you can reach me on twitter — i'm @lvaughanjones hello, there. it's been a rather grey and gloomy saturday for many. a few scattered showers around as well. take a look at this weather watcher picture from thurnby in leicester, fairly indicative of the day. now, if you take a look at the satellite picture, you can see how extensive the cloud has been. there were some breaks across north—east england and parts of scotland, but also some showers. and drawing your attention to this speckled cloud in the far north—east, potential for some snow showers waiting in the wings to arrive later on monday. so, through the next few hours, we keep that blanket of cloud for many, some coastal showers out to the west and east, perhaps more persistent ones in the far north—east of scotland. but because of the cloud around, on the whole, temperatures should just stay up into low single

figures, but it's going to be a chilly start to our sunday morning. once again, another grey and gloomy day, almost a repeat performance of saturday's story. there will be some coastal showers around, on the whole, largely quiet and temperatures sitting between 6—9c, just that little bit colder in the northern isles as that cold air starts to descend. so, arctic air pushing its way steadily southwards as we go into monday. so, really from monday onwards, you're going to start to notice the difference to the feel of our weather. if you haven't already heard, it's going to turn cold and windy, and snow and ice could be an issue, particularly to the far north and east. so, it's likely as we go through the day on monday, this weather front will introduce the colder air. it's going to turn the rain ahead of the front into snow showers behind it, particularly across the far north and east of scotland and north—east england. to the south of that weather front we'll still keep those temperatures around generally 7—9c.

but then that sinks its way steadily south, so we start off on tuesday with some sunny spells, cold and frosty. and, yes, there will be further snow showers across northern and eastern coasts, and those temperatures are going to struggle, li—sc, but factor in the strength and the direction of the wind, it certainly will feel noticeably colder. so, certainly you'll need to wrap up warm. it looks likely that we are going to see that cold snap continuing through the middle part of the week as well. so, if you've got outdoor travel plans monday into tuesday, do be aware that there's a potential for snow and ice in the north—east.

this is bbc news. the headlines... russian and ukrainian forces are fighting in the streets of bakhmut — but russia does not control the city — its deputy mayor has said. 4000 civilians are living in shelters without access to electricity or water. hundreds of schoolgirls in iran have been targeted, in apparent poison gas attacks. schools in at least 15 provinces were attacked on saturday. the incidents have been happening since november but have spread in scope and scale over the past week. the united nations and iran reach an agreement that would allow un officials to carry out further inspections of tehran's nuclear programme — following talks between iranian officials and the head

of the un nuclear watchdog. in a new interview — prince harry describes