at 6pm: another rise in interest rates — the 11th in a row — piling on the pressure for many people with mortgages or loans. interest rates now stand at 4.25% — the highest level for m years — as the bank of england keeps trying to slow inflation. our other main story on the programme tonight is from right up on the front line in ukraine. explosions. we have a special report, as quentin sommerville ukrainian troops fighting trench warfare there. one, two, three, four... we can't take it any more! junior doctors in england escalate their strike action — they'll walk out for four days next month. and back to school —

the headteacher whose decision to put a debrilator in the building ended up and coming—up on the bbc news channel. coming up on the bbc news channel. the premier league's environmental credentials are under the spotlight — with the amount of plane travel questioned after a bbc investigation... good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. the bank of england has raised interest rates to their highest level for m years, as it continues trying to curb inflation. interest rates now stand at 4.25% — and to give you an idea of how much they have risen — they were right down at 0.1% at the start of december 2021. the latest rise comes a day after an unexpected jump in the rate of inflation. the governor of the bank of england

did say he is much more hopeful now that the uk can avoid a recession. but he wouldn't say if interest rates had reached their peak yet, or if they'd have to go even higher, putting even more pressure on homeowners and people with loans. our economics editor faisal islam is here. thank you. the 11th rate rise in a row today, interest rates at 4.25%, incredible to think that they were at 0.75% exactly a year ago. all of this designed to tame stubbornly high inflation. now uk interest rates are moving in a similar way to other major central banks. here are rates in the us and the eurozone. and that has been the backdrop of a few blow—ups across the banking system. some us banks and a massive swiss one needing rescuing. rate rises here have had a consequence on business borrowing rents and of course mortgages, with a typical tracker mortgage costing an extra £24 a month

as a result of today's change. but if you add up all of the rate rises over the last 16 months it's more like £394 a month, thousands of pounds a year, something with a naughty human cost, as we found out when we visited neal in cambridge. well, what does house mean to us? it means everything. it means 20 years of memories. but last year, these letters started arriving from the bank, notifying neil that his mortgage payments were increasing hugely. in january last year, we were paying £255 a month, and now from next month onwards, we're having to pay £1,465. that, neil says, will force him and he seriously ill wife out of their home. you despair quietly, inwardly but you can't let that show because you've got to keep things running here and do what you can to keep up with it.

a day on from surging fresh produce prices and stubborn inflation, the bank's further rice was inspected but there signs it could be the last rise for now. we don't know if it is going to be the peak. what i can tell you is that we've seen signs of inflation really peaking now, but, of course, it is far too high. we think it is going to come down sharply from the early summer onwards, but we haven't seen that happen yet. the bank of england has been pretty gloomy over the last few months and understandably so given the size of the ukraine war shock. but in today's interest rate deliberations, they've rolled back, say their predicted recession may not now happen, that unemployment could stay flat and not go up, and whilst the economy does remain broadly stagnant, that's a lot better than expectations given the sheer size of the energy price shock. one former rate setting expert says the inflation battle is far from won. it's not that inflation went up,

it's also that services inflation went up, it was that core inflation went up, food prices went up, even on the last month's basis, let alone in the last three months. so, it was pretty significant that inflation is embedded. the governor says that authorities were vigilant over some international bank failures, such as america's silicon valley bank, but there were no fears of a repeat of the financial crisis of a decade and a half ago. people shouldn't worry that is a repeat of 2008. no, i don't think it's a repeat of 2008 at all. we have obviously increased the regulation of the banking system since then. we learned a lot of lessons from the financial crisis. it is a three way balancing act for the bank of england on the financial system, the economy and inflation. faisal islam, bbc news. and if you want to find out more about what those interest rates mean for you along with useful tips and information, we do have a special section on the bbc website, called

tackling it together. you can find it by going to the bbc website. our other main story tonight comes from the front line of the war in ukraine, where soldiers are engaged in fierce trench warfare reminiscient of scenes from more than a century ago during world war i. the battles going on around the key city of bakhmut in eastern ukraine are some of the bloodiest seen during this entire year—long campaign. and yet neither side is gaining a significant advantage along a front line that stretches for hundreds of miles. our correspondent quentin sommerville and camera journalist darren conway have got right up to what's called zero line, the closest trench to the russian position just south of bakmut. they were accompanied by a safety advisor but even so, as you're about to see, there is very little cover to protect troops on the ground. and no—one is safe. into a cratered no man's land, where even tank armour can be breached.

up close and in range, this tank crew releases everything it's got against russian targets. explosions. the enemy is just 500 metres away across the field. watch this round hit, top right. the orders are get in, get out and take cover. we are right behind them. quickly! go to position. go, quickly. go quickly! open ground is their enemy's friend. translation: our tank worked successfully on the target, - so the enemy artillery is now targeting us. our drone spotters gave the tank crew the commands to urgently

roll back out of range. so our guys won't be hit by the enemy's artillery. explosions. that was a 120 millimetre shell landing, maybe around 20—30 metres away from us. a brief lull and it's time to move again. this is what a year of attacks has done to the town of velyka novosilka. once thriving, it's all but abandoned. and still, russian bombs fall here. explosion. a mortar lands to the right. the town has already been reduced to rubble. and yet another mortar lands... explosion. ..even closer. they are zeroing in. any movement here captures russia's attention. in the town and on its outskirts, travelling in the open can be a matter of life or death.

this road is within range of russian guns and it has to be taken at speed. to a stricken wasteland, where russian eyes are always watching. gunfire. infantryman dima, only 22—years—old, is escorting us forward. the trenches we are heading to are about a kilometre ahead. and dima hasjust told me that the village over here is half held by the ukrainians and half held by the russians. gunfire. explosions. gunfire.

he breathes heavily. explosion. whoa! mortars, tank fire, grenades — they get hit by everything here. fast, fast, fast! separated by incoming fire, camera journalist darren conway... in here! calls us into the trench. there is a bunker here! this way. come on, run, run, run! straight to me. down, down, down, down. get in, get down. those two russian shells that have just come in, i think it's tank fire. i think they're very

close to these positions. it gives you an idea of how exposed it is here. there's absolutely no tree cover. the safest place for these men...is in the trenches. they've already taken a couple of casualties here in the last week. the bombardments never stop. explosions. translation: we are standing at zero position and right now— we are under mortar fire. when the next one might be a direct hit... ..it�*s hard not to flinch. does dima think russia could win here? translation: it's a good question. this question needs to be addressed to the senior military. explosion. oh, that was close.

what do you think, can russia win? i don't know. they have an unlimited amount of shells. they have entire warehouses full of them. they can shoot all day and they will never run out of shells. and what about us? we will run out of shells this year. but we are forming various assault brigades and we have been given tanks like abrams. so i think with their help, we will win. and we are cossacks, we are brave guys. we can handle it. translation: ok, you and dima go together and i will go _ with the other group. dima checks if the ground is clear. explosion.

"we won't go for now", he says. dima welcomes the cover of darkness. a single shift here feels like a lifetime. beyond these trees lurks a great danger. their daily duty is holding it back. their country's freedom depends on it. russia could attack again at any moment. dima and his comrades will be waiting. quentin sommerville, bbc news, velyka novosilka. quentin sommerville and darren conway on the zero line in ukraine, giving you a clear idea of the brutality on that front line. junior doctors in england have announced another strike next month, this time for four days, as they intensify their fight for a pay rise of 35%.

the walk—outs will begin at 7am on tuesday 11th april, just after the easter weekend, and finish at 7am on saturday 15th april. joining me now is our health editor, hugh pym. escalating this, the fight for more pay? yes, this is set to be the longest action of its kind so far and a planned 96 hour strike will be right after the easter weekend, when traditionally hospitals are under more pressure because gp services and social care have been wound back and social care have been wound back a bit for the bank holiday. of course, earlier this month we saw a 72 hour strike in england byjunior doctors affecting all forms of care and that resulted in 175,000 cancellations of routine operations and outpatient appointment. so nhs providers representing trusts say alarm bells are ringing about the scale of disruption which could follow this. there were talks

yesterday between the british medical association representing junior doctors and steve barclay, the health secretary, but the meeting did not last very long. the doctors won a 35% pay rise to compensate for previous information, steve barclay said it was unaffordable and an unnecessary precondition. the bma have hit back saying it wasn't a pre—condition but they wanted to get the talks going but certainly notice signs of further talks of resolution at this stage. further talks of resolution at this sta . e. . ~ further talks of resolution at this staue. . ~' ,, a 28—year—old man has been remanded in custody charged with attempted murder after two elderly men were set alight after leaving their local mosques. mohammed abbkr who lives in edgbaston appeared at bimingham magistrates court today and was remanded in custody until 20th april. west midlands police are appealing to the community for any information that could help with their investigation. more than two million people in the uk turned to food banks for help in just one year as they struggled with the rising cost of living, according to the first set of official figures released by the government.

11% of families on state income—related benefits say they used a food bank in the last year. that compares with 3% of families in the uk overall. the figures cover the period from april 2021 to march 2022, so before the soaring energy price rises which have put even more pressure on people's finances. our social affairs correspondent michael buchanan reports. last week we had our busiest ever session, we had 119 households, which is just crazy. the session, we had 119 households, which is just crazy.— which is 'ust crazy. the lines are nettina which isjust crazy. the lines are getting longer. _ which isjust crazy. the lines are getting longer, the _ which isjust crazy. the lines are getting longer, the need, - which isjust crazy. the lines are getting longer, the need, at- which isjust crazy. the lines are i getting longer, the need, at times, overwhelming. this food bank in south london occasionally runs out of stock. for the past eight months, nick browne has had just £112 a month to live on, as his rising rent has eaten into his benefit payments. the food bank is everything, it is basically— the food bank is everything, it is basically survival or not, basically, because what we can't

afford _ basically, because what we can't afford we — basically, because what we can't afford we can get from the food bank, _ afford we can get from the food bank, and — afford we can get from the food bank, and on top of that, itjust takes _ bank, and on top of that, itjust takes such_ bank, and on top of that, itjust takes such a massive pressure off the food — takes such a massive pressure off the food bill. for a lot of people like myself a lot of the time it means— like myself a lot of the time it means either starving or getting something to eat.— something to eat. some of the clients here _ something to eat. some of the clients here are _ something to eat. some of the clients here are new, - something to eat. some of the clients here are new, others i something to eat. some of the i clients here are new, others have long struggled. clients here are new, others have long struggled-— clients here are new, others have long struggled. everything is going u . long struggled. everything is going u- toda , long struggled. everything is going up today. gas. _ long struggled. everything is going up today, gas, electric, _ long struggled. everything is going up today, gas, electric, all- long struggled. everything is going up today, gas, electric, all the - up today, gas, electric, allthe bills, _ up today, gas, electric, allthe bills. showing. _ up today, gas, electric, allthe bills, shopping, everything. i up today, gas, electric, all the i bills, shopping, everything. and up today, gas, electric, all the - bills, shopping, everything. and it is a lot_ bills, shopping, everything. and it is a lot for— bills, shopping, everything. and it is a lot for us, _ bills, shopping, everything. and it is a lot for us, working. _ bills, shopping, everything. and it is a lot for us, working.— is a lot for us, working. today's data suggests _ is a lot for us, working. today's data suggests families - is a lot for us, working. today's data suggests families on - is a lot for us, working. today's - data suggests families on benefits, single—parent households and single—pa rent households and disabled single—parent households and disabled people are the most likely to help, but many food banks are becoming increasingly diverse. the number of becoming increasingly diverse. tue: number of working becoming increasingly diverse. tte: number of working people becoming increasingly diverse. "tte: number of working people is becoming increasingly diverse. t'te: number of working people is actually really, really shocking, i would say that is probably the most alarming trend we have seen in the last 12 months, so many people now have gone on full—time jobs it is months, so many people now have gone on full—timejobs it is not months, so many people now have gone on full—time jobs it is not enough to get by. and also we have a range of people, we now have people with mortgages needing the food bank that we never used to see before. mani; we never used to see before. many food banks — we never used to see before. many food banks have _ we never used to see before. many food banks have seen _ we never used to see before. many food banks have seen demand is rising rapidly in the past few

months and the figures published today do not capture what has happened over the past 12 months, when bills have soared and the impact that that has had on many household budgets. 800,000 children live in households that needed a food bank. some of the 11.2 million children that are living in poverty, a figure that is increasing. we really need — a figure that is increasing. - really need to see more action to ensure that our social security system is doing a much betterjob of protecting people from going without the essentials.— the essentials. ministers say they are providing _ the essentials. ministers say they are providing record _ the essentials. ministers say they are providing record levels - the essentials. ministers say they are providing record levels of - the essentials. ministers say they| are providing record levels of help to the poorest families, but so far it hasn't stopped huge numbers of people needing food banks to survive. michael buchanan, bbc news. the time is coming up to 6.20. our top story this evening... interest rates have gone to their highest level for 1h years in an effort to curb inflation.

and coming—up on the bbc news channel: england kick off their euro 2024 qualifying campaign tonight. they're playing defending champions italy in naples. to the u11s before the summer. and... we want a fairer system, because for ofsted to be replaced. would you fly from newcastle to liverpool, london to leicester or birmingham to blackpool? they're alljourneys of 100 miles or so and an investigation by bbc sport has found that premier league teams are doing just that, taking flights that on average last around a0 minutes. the bbc�*s research found that across 100 games, 81 short—haul domestic flights were used instead of road or rail. it of course raises all kinds questions about the premier league's commitment to reducing its environmental impact. our sports editor dan roan has the story. everton, arriving by coach for their match against chelsea at the weekend. but this was just the final step

of theirjourney to stamford bridge, having flown to london for the fixture 2a hours earlier, and they're far from alone. the bbc has uncovered evidence that in just two months, there were 81 domestic flights by premier league clubs acrossjust100 matches, including cup competitions, and that the shortest flight was just 27 minutes. one top manager admits it's an issue the game must now tackle. i think it's something that we have to do better with, is my personal opinion. that's not to say it's straightforward, because there's factors, but i think it's an area we can improve. but it's notjust the planes that take teams to fixtures. a positioning flight, as it's known, arriving at liverpool airport last week to pick up everton forjust a 35—minute journey south for that game against chelsea — one of 37 such flights, often largely empty, that we found evidence of in the two—month window.

premier league teams taking short domestic flights like this one to and from matches, despite it being worse for the environment than travelling by road or rail, has raised serious questions overjust how committed the top of the sport truly is to sustainability. last weekend, a positioning flight came all the way from inverness to take bournemouth to birmingham for a match against aston villa, the plane going on empty to liverpool. the next day, another positioning flight from aberdeen picked the team up and took them home before returning back to scotland. league one forest green rovers are known as the country's most sustainable club and its owner told me he was dismayed by ourfindings. i think it's shocking data injust two months. it's an illusion to think there is a game for there is a gain for a flight of that duration. you know, modern coaches are very comfortable and aren't going to impair the performance of a player over that relatively short distance. the carbon impact is one thing and it might not be the biggest thing, but the optics, you've got premier league teams setting a very bad example for the rest

of the country. the fa says it's the responsibility of each club to make their own travel choices and some in the game point out these flights make up a small proportion of domestic air travel. in a statement, the premier league said it recognises the need to take action on climate change and is committed to reducing its overall climate impact. this includes aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2040. a generation ago it was all very different. what's the theory, then, behind hiring a plane to fly bournemouth to an away match? it's a bit extravagant. yeah, it's only a one—off, though, tony. but these days, with more money and more matches in football than ever, persuading top clubs to remain grounded could be a challenge. dan roan, bbc news. and now to an extraordinary story involving a nigerian politician and his wife and a plot to get a 21—year—old man to the uk where they planned to take his kidney for their daughter who has a serious medical condition. now the husband and wife along with a medical middle man are facing jail after they were found guilty at the old bailey of conspiring to arrange the travel of a young man with a view to exploiting him for his body part.

their daughter was acquitted. our home affairs correspondent tom symonds reports. a young nigerian man walks into a west london police station with a remarkable story. he's run away because people want to take his kidney. weeks before, daniel — not his real name — had been selling mobile phone accessories in the markets of lagos. at the other end of the nigerian social scale, ike ekweremadu, a powerful senator, and his wife, beatrice. their daughter, sonia, has a debilitating kidney condition. she needs a transplant. for help, ekweremadu turned to this man, dr obinna obeta... i'm fine, i'm 0k. ..who'd posted his own transplant on facebook, afterfinding a young nigerian donor. obeta suggested his donor's friend, daniel. in lagos, the young market trader was told to get some tests. he thought a wealthy man was helping him travel to britain for a better life.

he was told that there would be some form of employment for him in a manner, some form of assistance. was he told that he would be required to give a kidney? my understanding is that that was never a subject of discussion. he flew to britain, there was nojob. while waiting for meetings with doctors, he slept on a sofa at a flat where dr obeta lived here in south london and he was taken for lunch at this restaurant — and there was a reason for that. sonia ekweremadu was there and her picture was taken with daniel. while she was acquitted, the court heard her parents and obeta were falsely claiming daniel and sonia were cousins. when daniel met doctors here, he suddenly realised why he was in britain. the doctors called a halt to the transplant. the senator, his wife and the middleman, convicted in a case which is the first of its kind, though

investigations continue into whether others were involved. tom symonds, bbc news, at the old baily. now a look at some other stories making the news today. the labour leader, sir keir starmer, has promised to cut violence against women and girls and knife crime by 50% if he wins the next general election. in a speech in stoke—on—trent he said his party would restore confidence in police "to its highest—ever level", and "make britain's streets safe". the chief executive of social media giant tiktok has told a congressional committeee in washington that the chinese—owned social media app is not a threat to us national security. it comes as pressure mounts for an outright ban on the app in the united states because of national security concerns. meanwhile here in the uk parliament has announced it is blocking tiktok on all parliamentary devices and networks. the scottish government has also today banned tiktok from all its official mobile phones. nicola sturgeon has given herfinal first minister's questions in the scottish parliament.

voting is still ongoing to choose a new leader of the scottish national party. ms sturgeon, who's held the position for eight years, received a standing ovation from colleagues and said being first minister had been the privilage of her lifetime. the privilege of her lifetime. transgender women will no longer be allowed to compete in female track and field events. speaking after a world athletics council meeting, lord coe sad... "the council has agreed to exclude male or female transgender athletes who have been through male puberty from female world ranking competitions from march the 31st this year." our sports correspondent is in salford. this has just been announced, tell us more details? this hasjust been announced, tell us more details?— this hasjust been announced, tell us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe, us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe. who is — us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe. who is the _ us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe, who is the president _ us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe, who is the president of - us more details? yes, lord sebastian coe, who is the president of world . coe, who is the president of world at a has been laying out the new transgender policy and it is similar to those adopted by swimming and rugby. as you said, anyone who has been through male puberty will not been through male puberty will not be able to compete at elite female

events said the decision was made to protect the integrity of the female category, and after consulting with the trans community and the international olympic committee. this is not the end of the matter. a working group will be set up to study evidence as it emerges, but as it stands, he said, with the science so unclear, he had no choice but to act decisively. meanwhile, the rules surrounding dst athletes, those with differences of sexual development, have been tightened, they must lower their testosterone levels from five to a maximum of 2.5 per litre, and thatis to a maximum of 2.5 per litre, and that is important for world athletics, because at the moment there are 13 est international athletes, while there are no trans athletes. and we finish with the head teacher who says he's the luckiest head teacher alive. and that's because his decision to install a life saving defibrilator in his school's playground ended up saving his own life, asjohn maguire explains. children shout and scream.

it's the first day back at a highly excited birkdale primary school in lancashire for their head teacher nick sheeran. he's been off work since the final day of term last summer when he suffered a cardiac arrest in the playground and was saved by staff using one of the school's defibrillators. i'm the luckiest head teacher on the planet, really. i'm so grateful to everyone and the part that they played in saving my life and allowing me to be back in school today for the first time in months and months. i'm all raring to go. the staff reaction took just 32 seconds. if you would have asked me several years ago do you think you ever would be able to chest compressions on someone and use a defib, i'd have probably gone, oh, no, i'm not one of those people that could step up and do that. but actually something happens. there was no negative, there was no, "what is going to happen?" _ it was all very positive —| this is what we do, these are the roles we've got, we'll carry this out - and the outcome will be positive. nick's the 68th person to be treated

by a defibrillator and training donated by the charity set up by mark king whose son ollie died after a cardiac arrest when he was just 12 years old. birkdale installed the machines after a previous visit from mark. very emotional seeing the kids in assembly, i just see our ollie's face in there, you know, and it's... really, really ecstatic, that our defib that was there that we trained his staff on was used to save his life. the head's return also means the school band are getting back together. this is ab/cd, and mark is star of the week. following his campaign, the government has pledged to put machines into all schools in england by the summer. it's hoped they won't be needed but if that need arises, they will be there ready for deployment, ready to save precious lives. john maguire, bbc news, birkdale near southport.

time for a look at the weather. here's tomasz schafernaker. moody looking skies? ? indeed, starting with this rather angry —looking sky, and that is on the way tomorrow, a bit of everything, thunder and lightning, tomorrow, a bit of everything, thunderand lightning, hail, thunder and lightning, hail, downpours, thunderand lightning, hail, downpours, gusty winds, looking very unsettled over the next few days, and then a dose of colder weather at the weekend. look at this conveyor belt of cloud sweeping across southern britain bringing showers for the next few days. you can see the rain sweeping across the country this evening, with clear spells in between. freshening winds, there is a low pressure just to the west of ireland approaching us, the morning temperatures, 7 degrees in london, 5 degrees in aberdeen, about that in lerwick. and then tomorrow, this low—pressure wheelbarrow over ireland, and where you see these isobars tightly packed that is where you have got strong winds rushing

out of the south—west,