this is bbc news. welcome if you're watching here in the uk or around the globe. i'm maryam moshiri. our top stories... our approach is robust and novel which is why we cannot make a definitive statement of compatibility under section 19 one be over rights act.— be over rights act. china's leader makes an unusually _ be over rights act. china's leader makes an unusually direct - be over rights act. china's leader| makes an unusually direct rebuke be over rights act. china's leader i makes an unusually direct rebuke of the united states, blaming it trying to contain, encircle and suppress his country. russia's full scale invasion has the magically increased the need for rehabilitation services

across ukraine. money from international allies and local sponsors has paid for the state—of—the—art gyms. the grand final tickets sell out in 36 minutes as eurovision super fans final tickets sell out in 36 minutes as eurovision superfans rush final tickets sell out in 36 minutes as eurovision super fans rush to get their hands on tickets for the contest. the uk's home secretary has been outlining the government's plans to stop migrants arriving in the country from france in small boats. suella braverman told the house of commons that enough is enough as she introduced the illegal migration bill to the house of commons. it puts a duty on ministers to detain and deport anyone who enters the country illegally, though the government has admitted the bill does push the boundaries of international law. refugee charities and the main opposition labour party have called the new plan unworkable.

from dover, duncan kennedy reports. dover yesterday and more migrants brought ashore after being picked up in the channel. 115,000 people came across like this in the past year, 3,000 more have travelled this year. the government says it has to act to stop these kinds of numbers. we have seen a 500% increase in small boat crossings in two years, and this, mr speaker, is the crucial point of this bill. they won't stop coming here until the world knows that if you enter britain illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed. the new measures will come in the illegal migration bill, which will say that anyone arriving by small boat will be unable to claim asylum. they will be removed to rwanda

or another "safe" third country and they won't be allowed to return to the uk to claim asylum. what the government wants to create with all this is a deterrent to the migrants. it wants to send out the message that if you come across, you will not only be detained in the future, but you will be sent back and you won't be allowed back in. but, after so many other measures in the past, will these new ones actually work? the government has tried various methods in the past, like funding french police to patrol beaches in northern france and putting naval vessels in the channel. it is also trying to send migrants to rwanda, but so far, that policy is being challenged by opponents. labour and the liberal democrats say the measures are unworkable. they say it would be impossible to detain thousands of migrants and return them to safe places. and many refugee charities say the new system is simply unfair on the migrants. it doesn't matter what side of the argument you sit on,

stopping the boats is a priority, people risk their lives taking these journeys, but the way we do that is to offer safe legal routes. currently we don't have adequate safe legal routes and that is what pushes people into small boats. until we offer people an alternative, the small boats will not stop. the coast around dover has been the main landing spot for the migrants. local people we spoke to simply say they want the boats to stop. i would like to think . that they would work, i don't have the confidence to think that it will finally do it. _ at the moment the problem seems completely intractable, it seems like we have got to do something different to deter people from coming here in the first place, from getting on the boats in france. it is already an offence to physically arrive on the shores of the uk without permission, but the government believes it must push back on its critics and go further. the main opposition labour party says the government has allowed criminal gangs to take hold.

and the shadow home secretary, yvette cooper, said there was nothing new in this announcement and no reason to think it would be any more successful than previous failed attempts to tackle the issue. a record 115,000 people crossed the channel on dangerous small boats last year. up from just 284 years ago. in that short time, the government has allowed criminal gangs to take hold along the channel and along our border. at the same time, convictions of people smugglers have halved, home office asylum offices have collapsed and hotel use has soared. removals of unsuccessful asylum seekers are down 80% in the last labour government and legalfamily reunion 80% in the last labour government and legal family reunion visas for refugees are down 40%. this is deeply damaging chaos.

live now to westminster and our uk political correspondent, rob watson. why does the home secretary think this plan is going to work with i think she thinks it's a potential win—win for the government conservative party because number one, it practically works, and conservative party because number one, it practically works,— one, it practically works, and it is our strong _ one, it practically works, and it is our strong deterrent _ one, it practically works, and it is our strong deterrent element - one, it practically works, and it is our strong deterrent element as l one, it practically works, and it is i our strong deterrent element as our colleague was explaining, and fantastic because this is a big issue for people. the government will be able to turn around and say we did something about this but i think they think it is also going to be a win if the policy is not able to go through because then the government will be able to see we were doing our best but we have been scuppered by lefty lawyers, do—gooders, the opposition party and foreign and domesticjudges. that is the way the conservatives are looking at this, as an issue that has to be dealt with, something the voters care about and i think potentially as a wedge issue, an issue that will be able to see you are either with us or against us

when it comes to dealing with immigration. 50 when it comes to dealing with immigration.— when it comes to dealing with immigration. when it comes to dealing with immiaration. ., ., immigration. so more politicalthan ractical's immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i — immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i think _ immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i think it _ immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i think it is _ immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i think it is both. - immigration. so more politicalthan practical's i think it is both. i - practical's i think it is both. i don't think— practical's i think it is both. i don't think there's _ practical's i think it is both. i don't think there's any - practical's i think it is both. i j don't think there's any doubt practical's i think it is both. i - don't think there's any doubt the conservatives are hoping this will have a deterrent effect. there are all sorts of practical questions at the heart of this policy, this idea you could detain people for 28 days. where in the uk? and then send them away, deport them to wear? but i think they hope it will have a practical effect, a deterrent effect but absolutely there is politics here and the conservatives say this is a values issue. soft on illegal immigration or aren't you? mas is a values issue. soft on illegal immigration or aren't you? was there not a similar— immigration or aren't you? was there not a similar bill— immigration or aren't you? was there not a similar bill brought _ immigration or aren't you? was there not a similar bill brought into - immigration or aren't you? was there not a similar bill brought into law - not a similar bill brought into law last year and how different is this? this is different principally because of the issue of the 28 detention and deportation. you are right, only a year ago the conservative government made it illegal to come here on these boats

and the way migrants are coming here but what is key, what is really different is this promise, and it is as the government has said, robust and novel in international terms, that you would be deported after 28 days and that only asylum claim that she wanted to file would have to be done from a third country. how does the uk compare _ done from a third country. how does the uk compare to _ done from a third country. how does the uk compare to other— done from a third country. how does the uk compare to other countries . done from a third country. how doesj the uk compare to other countries in europe in terms of how many asylum seekers are accepted and how many try to enter the country? it is seekers are accepted and how many try to enter the country?— try to enter the country? it is a aood try to enter the country? it is a good question. _ try to enter the country? it is a good question. in _ try to enter the country? it is a good question. in terms - try to enter the country? it is a good question. in terms of- try to enter the country? it is a - good question. in terms of asylum seekers here and trying to get asylum, i think in the uk it is about 178,000, in france it is somewhat higher, in germany, it is a lot higher. it is over 200,000. in terms of how do you deal with this, what the uk government is hoping to do is more robust than anything that exists in europe and that's why this

is such a fascinating issue notjust in terms of domestic policy here in the uk but it is hugely interesting, it could be a decisive issue in next general election but fascinating internationally because lots of countries, lots of rich countries will be saying can britain do this? is it possible to do what it is doing and be on the right side of international law? you in conventions and the european convention on human rights, this is going to watched all around the world. the chinese leader, xijinping, has made an unusually direct criticism of washington, saying that the balloon incident is just one of a series of american actions which show that the us is trying to encircle and contain his country. it comes as the chinese leadership is gathered in beijing for the national people's congress and mr xi's foreign minister, has also voiced criticisms. he said that the us knew china's

balloon posed no threat, but over—reacted and created a diplomatic crisis. washington has claimed the balloon was part of a sprawling chinese intelligence collection programme. we'll hearfrom our correspondent in beijing in just a moment, but first, let's hear what qin gang had to say to america. translation: the united states claims to be _ translation: the united states claims to be competing _ translation: the united states claims to be competing to - translation: the united states claims to be competing to win - claims to be competing to win against china rather than seeking conflict. but in fact, the united states's so—called competition is total containment and suppression. a zero—sum game in which you die and i live. the united states's perception and views of china are seriously distorted. they regard china as the primary rival and the most consequential international challenge. 0ur china correspondent steve mcdonell has more from the foreign minister's press conference, where he warns of a real risk of conflict

between us and china. this has been a very high—profile, two—pronged attack on the us from the chinese government, not only involving the foreign minister, but also the supreme leader, xijinping, no less. he made a speech in which he said that the west, as led by the us, was encircling and containing china and that this represented a serious threat for this country. now, we don't know a lot more about what he said, because that was a speech behind closed doors to these business delegates at a political advisory body. but foreign minister qin gang held a press conference on the sidelines of the national people's congress. he said that unless washington hits the brakes soon, instead of ramping up tensions, that there was a real risk of conflict between the us and china. he went through these various points of tensions, for example, the balloon incident.

now, he said that was basically an accident, but the us hyped it up, leading to a diplomatic crisis. he said that the biden administration, when it speaks about competition with china, really means trying to control china, trying to constrain it. and in terms of the ukraine war, he said that china had put forward a peace plan for ukraine, but that the proposals for peace were being stifled by this invisible actor, this invisible hand. it's pretty obvious he's talking about the us there, but the accusation from qin gang is this invisible hand wanted the conflict to continue in ukraine for its own geopolitical ends. so this is a very serious allegation being levelled at the us, that it wants the war there to keep going. you know, in recent times, we've had

a lot of tension between washington and beijing and it does seem to continue to deteriorate. it seems it was not that long ago that there was to be this visit by the us secretary of state to beijing to try to repair relations. and yet now, we have this tension increasing and even more dire warnings coming from the chinese side, as to what this tension could lead to. let's turn to the war in ukraine now and the ongoing fighting in the eastern city of bakhmut. the city, close to the areas occupied by russia in ukraine's eastern donbas region, has effectively been under siege for months. russian forces have been advancing on it, but ukraine's military leadership has promised to keep fighting for the city. that came after it seemed preparations were being made for a withdrawal. but that has now been ruled out by president zelensky. and the head of the wagner mercenary group, which is spearheading the russian attack, has called for more ammunition and reinforcements, if he is to win the battle. the uk's ministry of defence has also touched on bakhmut in its daily intelligence bulletin on ukraine.

it says the ukrainian defence of the city continues to degrade forces on both side. but it adds that over the weekend, the defenders likely stabilised their defensive perimeter, following previous russian advances into the north of the town. however, it notes that because russia has destroyed bridges to bakhmut, ukraine's resupply efforts are being hampered by the need to use unpaved tracks. well, we often report the statistics about casualties from the war in ukraine, but rarely do we hear about what happens to those who've injured in the conflict. the bbc has been given access to one hospitial in lviv in western ukraine, where the wounded are given specialist rehabilitation treatment. a warning, you may find some parts of this report from our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse upsetting. this is when illya pylypenko's war ended.

his tank had just gone over a mine in the southern kherson region last september. he holds on as his comrades take him to safety. illya suffered burns across a third of his body and seriously injured his leg. the journey for wounded soldiers is a long one. in lviv, western ukraine, thousands end up at this rehabilitation centre. in this war of old, injuries from explosions or shells are the most common. while illya is one of many, it's been an isolating six months. translation: i had many surgeries, a skin graft and three _ operations on my leg.

there was a search for doctors, hope for a specialist who may be able to save my leg. then there was disappointment and then some hope, because losing a limb is not the end. illya is learning to look ahead. but his next chapter is unlikely to be from the front line. thousands of injured soldiers find themselves in hospitals like this across ukraine and that is putting a real strain on the country's health system. the fighting, or the brutality of it that they've come from, is unimaginable. but a return to a fuller life is possible. on a cold kyiv morning is a perfect case in point. we last saw hlib stryzhko in may, when he was being treated for a broken pelvis and jaw, after he returned from captivity. he's also lost vision

in one eye and has been told his military days are over. instead, he helps other veterans. translation: my country, | my troops, the marines need the best of the best. deep inside, i still feel guilty i'm not in the forces. but i can be effective, even when i'm not in military uniform. every ukrainian bears some of this invasion�*s weight. where there is hurt, there is some healing, despite everything. james waterhouse, bbc news, kyiv. france is in the grip of another nationwide strike, as protests against plans to reform pensions continue. many of the country's biggest unions are taking part in the stoppage, affecting transport, schools, and many public services. the dispute is over government plans to raise the age at which workers can claim state pensions from 62 to 64. as well as the stoppages

at transport depots, there have also been blockades set up on some major roads. this was the scene in rennes in the north—western brittany region, you can see barricades set on fire. the french government says that if the reforms are not introduced, france will run up around a $160 billion of deficit to pay the pensions over the next decade. hugh schofield is our paris correspondent. give a givea sin give a sin idea of how much disruption is being caused by the strikes. ., , ., ., ., strikes. one does not want to overla strikes. one does not want to overplay it. — strikes. one does not want to overplay it. it's _ strikes. one does not want to overplay it, it's not _ strikes. one does not want to overplay it, it's not a - strikes. one does not want to overplay it, it's not a general| overplay it, it's not a general strike. most rocks in paris are open, people going about their business. it's a day of difficulty, no doubt about that. public transport, schools, basically in

general it is a public—sector movement, as so it is the public sector leading and we have shutdown large parts of the public sector. there are private—sector workers involved in the big industries like electricity and gas, imported gas and so on. it is notjust public sector, that is the bulk of it. a lot of people are trying to go about their daily lives and the fact many people work from home helps and means also compared to the past, these big days of disruption, big strike days don't have the same effect on the economy as they once used to. , . , ., , used to. explain this for viewers potentially _ used to. explain this for viewers potentially watching _ used to. explain this for viewers potentially watching in - used to. explain this for viewers potentially watching in other - potentially watching in other countries. the age of claiming state benefit, pension, sorry, they want to raise it to 64. some people in the uk might think that sounds pretty good, what is it about that that upsets french people so much? fit,

that upsets french people so much? lot of people will be gassing that question, i have been asking many times. even if it goes up to 64 for its state pension, it will still be at the back of the queue, one of the earliest ages in the whole of europe. the answer is part history, part politics. the historical site is this traditional, cultural tradition going back to the revolution of fighting for rights and this thing everybody, or many people share about never turning back, having gained a right, never renouncing or reneging on it, and the age of retirement when down to 60 50 years ago and it has been painful pushing back to 62 and it is painful pushing back to 62 and it is painful pushing back higher. 0n the political front there is among many people are kind of hatred i would say of president macron. he has got a good bed of support among may be one third of the country,

particularly the big cities, but many people do notjust not like him, they really actively load him. this is an opportunity for them to exercise their frustrations, their hatred of him and to protest in general. against the way things are now. they see him as a classic liberal money minded man who has forgotten the imperative to make social action and society the real kind of drivers of policy, he is simply answering to the moneybags in brussels and london and so on. that is their view. his view is that that changes necessary because otherwise money will run out but that's not an argument that a lot of people in france like to listen to.- argument that a lot of people in france like to listen to. thank you very much- _ tickets for grand final of the eurovision song contest in liverpool this may went on sale at lunchtime and it took just 36 minutes for them to sell out. the website selling them crashed,

such was the demand. let's speak now to eurovision fan and journalist, bella ovist, who's in stockholm. did you get tickets? i did, thanks to a very good — did you get tickets? i did, thanks to a very good friend _ did you get tickets? i did, thanks to a very good friend of— did you get tickets? i did, thanks to a very good friend of mine. - did you get tickets? i did, thanks i to a very good friend of mine. many others did not, there was a very high demand. fit, others did not, there was a very high demand-— high demand. a lot of people watchin: high demand. a lot of people watching this _ high demand. a lot of people watching this will _ high demand. a lot of people watching this will be - high demand. a lot of people watching this will be jealous. | high demand. a lot of people - watching this will be jealous. tell me exactly why there are such demands for tickets to watch the final live given that throughout my childhood it was very much a tv event, in my family. i am sure it is a tv event for many people around the world? {iii a tv event for many people around the world? .., , a tv event for many people around the world? _, , , ., ., the world? of course, it is made to be a tv production, _ the world? of course, it is made to be a tv production, amazing - the world? of course, it is made to be a tv production, amazing to - the world? of course, it is made to i be a tv production, amazing to watch it on tv but to be there live and experience the whole thing, it is next level. i had the pleasure of doing it myself previously, i went to lisburn, stockholm and it was

here, and it is amazing to have that experience so i understand a lot of people were interested in tickets. i also feel it may be eurovision is more popular than ever. i can see the demand for it. with; more popular than ever. i can see the demand for it.— more popular than ever. i can see the demand for it. why do you think eurovision is — the demand for it. why do you think eurovision is more _ the demand for it. why do you think eurovision is more popular- the demand for it. why do you think eurovision is more popular now? . the demand for it. why do you think. eurovision is more popular now? what is it touching amongst so many people that is making it so popular? almost everyone i know wants tickets. i almost everyone i know wants tickets. ~ . almost everyone i know wants tickets. ~' . , ., tickets. i think there are several reasons. tickets. i think there are several reosons- l _ tickets. i think there are several reasons. i have _ tickets. i think there are several reasons. i have been _ tickets. i think there are several reasons. i have been a - tickets. i think there are several reasons. i have been a big - reasons. i have been a big eurovision fan all my life. i feel like in these times of darkness when there's lots of difficulty going on, eurovision rings that light and love and i know it sounds cheesy but it unites people through the power of music and i think a lot of people are saying. of course via all the social media tiktok etc, in the recent years which has seen a lot of eurovision stars breakthrough there, i think that has definitely had an

impact as well.— i think that has definitely had an impact as well. you're presenting the english _ impact as well. you're presenting the english commentary - impact as well. you're presenting the english commentary for - impact as well. you're presenting - the english commentary for sweden's grand final, at the weekend, tell us more. , , ., grand final, at the weekend, tell us more. , , grand final, at the weekend, tell us more. , i, more. yes, saturday is a very big da here more. yes, saturday is a very big day here because _ more. yes, saturday is a very big day here because that _ more. yes, saturday is a very big day here because that is - more. yes, saturday is a very big day here because that is when i more. yes, saturday is a very big| day here because that is when we pick our entry for eurovision this year. we have a show which goes on for six weeks and on saturday it is the big grand final. i have the pleasure of doing the live commentary together with my dear friend who is also a bbcjournalist. we will be guiding viewers from around the world through all the glitz and glamour of the final. we have had the pleasure of doing it for our third year and people tune in from around the world. we had messages from 20—something countries mostly. messages from 20-something countries mostl . ~ . messages from 20-something countries mostl .~ . .,~ , messages from 20-something countries mostl . ~ . .,~ messages from 20-something countries mostl .~ . w mostly. what makes a winning song? what is the formula _ mostly. what makes a winning song? what is the formula you _ mostly. what makes a winning song? what is the formula you need - mostly. what makes a winning song? what is the formula you need to i mostly. what makes a winning song? what is the formula you need to do . what is the formula you need to do well in eurovision? it's not necessarily the one song you might think is a good one in terms of melody or words. it

think is a good one in terms of melody or words.— think is a good one in terms of melody or words. it is a tricky one. i sit melody or words. it is a tricky one. i sit there — melody or words. it is a tricky one. i sit there looking _ melody or words. it is a tricky one. i sit there looking at _ melody or words. it is a tricky one. i sit there looking at the _ i sit there looking at the rehearsals and thinking could be this or this. it comes down to what happens on the night. the magic of that final night. of course you need an entry that stands out and grabs the audience, especially through the screen. it is difficult to pinpoint what it is but something that really grabs people's attention and their hearts and again unites them in their love for the songs. it is difficult to pinpoint what it is but it's a magic whatever it is. it is difficult to pinpoint what it is but it's a magic whatever it is.- it's a magic whatever it is. it is a kind of magic— it's a magic whatever it is. it is a kind of magic as _ it's a magic whatever it is. it is a kind of magic as freddie - it's a magic whatever it is. it is a | kind of magic as freddie mercury used to say. good to talk to you, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. if you have managed to get tickets for eurovision let us know. you can e—mail us or put need. you can reach me on twitter, i'm @bbcmaryam. 0r or you 0ryou can go or you can go to the website for

more information. coming up is my colleague ben thomson with the business news. don't go anywhere. good afternoon. some lovely weather watcher pictures coming in of the snow in the north. but, as we know, snow can cause significant disruption and that's what we're expecting for the next couple of days — transport delays, cancellations, stranded vehicles, power cuts. there are numerous warnings in force. and we're pretty certain that what comes out of the sky on weather fronts will fall as snow, because we're all in the arctic air right now and we've got weather fronts waiting in the atlantic to bring that snow in. but, for the rest of the day, our smattering of sleet and snow has cleared the south. most of the snow showers will continue across the north and the east, northern ireland, and it's cold out there despite the sunshine. and overnight, temperatures will drop like a stone. it's going to be the coldest night of the year so far across the glens of scotland.

further snow showers around the coast for northern ireland, too. but this is obviously going to give concern. we could see a few centimetres of snow across some southern parts of england, possibly south wales, by morning. so we could wake up to a light covering of snow across the southern half of the country. a cold night, as i've already said, right across the board. a crisp start. ice will be an issue, of course, tomorrow morning where we've had those showers, where we have that lying snow, then a brief respite before we get another area of rain and then sleet turning to sleet and snow in that cold air across southern england, south wales, the south midlands, the south of east anglia as well. again, we could see five to ten centimetres over the hills. it is going to cause some concerns as it coincides with the evening rush hour, and it continues to fall through into thursday morning as well. now, by the time we get to thursday, we've got another issue, this deep area of low pressure. so strong winds and widespread, quite heavy snow. we're talking 15 to 20 centimetres in the heavier bursts, even at lower levels, perhaps double that over the hills.

so, it looks like it's aiming for north wales, northern england, northern ireland into southern parts of scotland during thursday. clearly temperatures won't be this high where the snow is falling, mostly rain further south, but there's quite a lot of uncertainty. so, for the next couple of days, we're monitoring the snow across northern areas through the rest of today and overnight. through the overnight period today, through tomorrow and tomorrow night, we're concerned about disruptive snowfall across the southern half of england and wales, and then quite a widespread significant snowfall event on thursday. as ever, we'll keep you posted.

when business meets politics — california's governor says his state will not do business with walgreens, over the pharmacy�*s stance on dispensing abortion pills. and reprieve for sri lanka as china agrees to restructure the country's debt, paving the way for a possible $3 billion bailout from the imf. welcome to world business report. i'm ben thompson. we're also going to hear from the editor of the forbes 30 under 30 list, about what it takes to forge an early successful path in the world of business.