live from london. this is bbc news... the uk government has released a barge that will has 500 asylum—seekers as it seeks to cut costs for migrants. president zelensky makes his first visit to poland since russia visited ukraine. poland signed an agreement promising to send more fighterjets to ukraine. the husband of former scottish first minister, nicola sturgeon, is arrested over an investigation into the party's finances.

around 500 migrants —— this is what the barge looks like. it is called that bb stockholm and it has 222 rooms. let's take a look inside. this is what it looks like. it's been refurbished since it was criticised as an oppressive environment when the dutch government used it for asylum—seekers. it now has ian suite rooms, a tv and games remanded gym. the home office as it will be significantly cheaper than using motels. the prime minister has defended the use of the barge, insisting it would save taxpayers�* money. as part of stopping the boats, we have got to reduce the price on hotels and motels of the country. we

are spending £6 million a day housing illegal asylum—seekers and hotels. i can't be right. i've committed to reducing that number, moving those figures out of hotels and we need to find alternative sites, including barges, like the one we brought forward today, that's going to save the taxpayer money, reduce pressure on hotels and part of our broader plan to stop the blow, that's why we are passing a new law through parliament that will ensure that if you arrive here illegally, you will not be able to stay, we will be able to detain humans with a remove you to your own country if it is safe or a safe alternative like rolando. that is our plan. i'm committed to stopping the boats and that is part of delivering on that. then wright explains why the government is moving forward with this plan. this announcement _ moving forward with this plan. this announcement from the home office had been _ announcement from the home office had been expected since last week when _ had been expected since last week when the _ had been expected since last week when the immigration minister said the government was really keen to reduce _ the government was really keen to reduce the — the government was really keen to reduce the amount of money that the government is spending on putting asylum—seekers and hotels. there are

currently _ asylum—seekers and hotels. there are currently about 50,000 being housed in hotels, _ currently about 50,000 being housed in hotels, and crucially the government wants to do something to try to deter— government wants to do something to try to deter the number of people crossing _ try to deter the number of people crossing the channel in small boats, about _ crossing the channel in small boats, about 45,000 people need that perilous — about 45,000 people need that perilous journey last year and it thinks _ perilous journey last year and it thinks that one solution is to try to make — thinks that one solution is to try to make the accommodation that asylum—seekers are housed in less attractive, — asylum—seekers are housed in less attractive, if you would like, and when _ attractive, if you would like, and when option they have gone for is hiring _ when option they have gone for is hiring a _ when option they have gone for is hiring a vessel, and this is the first— hiring a vessel, and this is the first announcement, the first one that they— first announcement, the first one that they have decided to hire. it is called — that they have decided to hire. it is called the bb stockholm, a 3-story— is called the bb stockholm, a 3—story vessel that they are teasing. _ 3—story vessel that they are leasing, and as you said, it will be more _ leasing, and as you said, it will be more it— leasing, and as you said, it will be more it off— leasing, and as you said, it will be more it off the dorset coast. it will he — more it off the dorset coast. it will be operational in a few months' time and _ will be operational in a few months' time and according to the home office _ time and according to the home office will house around 500 adult men who— office will house around 500 adult men who are seeking asylum. this is controversial— men who are seeking asylum. this is controversial for lots of reasons, not least — controversial for lots of reasons, not least locally, the tory run council — not least locally, the tory run council there in portland is opposed to these _

council there in portland is opposed to these measures and said it has real questions for the home office about— real questions for the home office about how— real questions for the home office about how this will work in practice _ about how this will work in practice. the local tory mp has been furious _ practice. the local tory mp has been furious that — practice. the local tory mp has been furious that his constituency has been _ furious that his constituency has been chosen as the site of this barge — been chosen as the site of this barge to — been chosen as the site of this barge to be marred. this is, as i said, _ barge to be marred. this is, as i said. not— barge to be marred. this is, as i said, not without controversy at all, opposition parties have criticised these ideas, but for the government, they think this is a necessary— government, they think this is a necessary and probably popular, in their view, — necessary and probably popular, in their view, thing to do. our olitical their view, thing to do. oi" political correspondent, let's speak now to megan knowles, thank you forjoining us, what is your reaction to what we have heard about this barge and its use in terms of housing potential asylum—seekers? i use in terms of housing potential asylum-seekers?— use in terms of housing potential asylum-seekers? i think it's utterly terri inc, asylum-seekers? i think it's utterly terrifying, really. _ asylum-seekers? i think it's utterly terrifying, really. these _ asylum-seekers? i think it's utterly terrifying, really. these kinds - asylum-seekers? i think it's utterly terrifying, really. these kinds of. terrifying, really. these kinds of accommodation are completely inappropriate for asylum accommodation. we need to remember that we are talking about human beings and people who have fled war,

persecution, violence and who are really innately vulnerable people. we have just released a report this week into the use of the barix as an asylum accommodation and one of the key findings of that is that there is no privacy, and people are kind of forced to relive the trauma of the memories of where they fled. so when you are hearing the reports of 500 people being accommodated and 220 rooms, that is incredibly terrifying. the sense in which people will be forced to relive that trauma over and over again. isolated from communities, in and places offshore even, how are people going to access health care? how are they going to access community? how will they integrate? it is deeply terrifying. d0 they integrate? it is deeply terrifying-— they integrate? it is deeply terri inc. ~' , they integrate? it is deeply terri inc. ,, terrifying. do you think they are able to integrate _ terrifying. do you think they are able to integrate and _ terrifying. do you think they are able to integrate and access - able to integrate and access communities when they are being housed in hotels?— communities when they are being housed in hotels? now, it's the same thin , this housed in hotels? now, it's the same thing. this kind _ housed in hotels? now, it's the same thing, this kind of _ housed in hotels? now, it's the same thing, this kind of institutional - thing, this kind of institutional accommodation is not appropriate.

the whole way of accommodating people in these kind of mass institutional ways really ignores the fundamental issue, which is that it's the governments own making, you have an asylum backlog of over 150 people, 150,000 people, sorry, who are awaiting decisions on their claims and that is where we are calling for a fair and speedy decisions on claims, and that's where the problem lies. thea;r decisions on claims, and that's where the problem lies. they have to be housed somewhere, _ where the problem lies. they have to be housed somewhere, so _ where the problem lies. they have to be housed somewhere, so the - where the problem lies. they have to be housed somewhere, so the choicej be housed somewhere, so the choice is either, according to the government can at least, hotel, which is potentially costing thousands and thousands of pounds a day coming into barge which the government says is going to be cheaper. ultimately, they have to be housed somewhere, however long that period of time is.— period of time is. there are so many different options _ period of time is. there are so many different options that _ period of time is. there are so many different options that we _ period of time is. there are so many different options that we can - period of time is. there are so many different options that we can use - different options that we can use and learn from that integrates people into communities and napped within isolated out of town hotels, placing hundreds of people in one place is never going to work. what

place is never going to work. what is our place is never going to work. what is your solution? _ place is never going to work. what is your solution? i _ place is never going to work. what is your solution? i think _ place is never going to work. what is your solution? i think there - place is never going to work. what is your solution? i think there is i is your solution? i think there is not 'ust is your solution? i think there is notjust one _ is your solution? i think there is notjust one solution. _ is your solution? i think there is notjust one solution. that's - is your solution? i think there is| notjust one solution. that's part of the challenge that we are all facing, and that refugee sector communities and people talking together, if we are trying to find one solution, we are going to fail, thinking about housing and supporting people within communities is ultimately one way to do it. 0k, ok, megan, good to have you on the programme. i think you once again for taking the time to talk to us here on the bbc. to poland now, where president zelensky of ukraine has made his first official visit to the country since russia invaded ukraine. the polish president, andrzej duda, has told his ukrainian counterpart that poland will urge nato to give kyiv additional security guarantees. ukraine's leader has been welcomed by president duda at the presidential palace and he's expected to thank the polish people at the royal castle in warsaw later. poland has been one of the most outspoken and generous supporters

of kyiv since the war started in february last year. it's taken in millions of refugees and sent more than 300 tanks. it was also one of the first countries to send fighter jets to ukraine. we will not speak to the bbc�*s adam easton. this is a hugely symbolic and important visit by the ukrainian president to poland, given the history of these two countries. yes. history of these two countries. yes, that is right- — history of these two countries. yes, that is right- i— history of these two countries. yes, that is right. i am _ history of these two countries. “he: that is right. i am standing outside the warsaw castle where president zelensky and president due are due at any moment now to start speaking, their speech will be played on large screens that have been erected here, and a crowd of young people from ukrainians who fled the fighting in their homeland as well as polls. they are expecting to hear from resident zelinski, a very public

show of gratitude for both the humanitarian and military aid that poland has provided its neighbour. —— president zelensky. last year, poland opened its borders, its hearts and its homes to refugees and hundreds of thousands of poles. if they had a spare room in their home, they had a spare room in their home, they gave it to the refugees to stay in many of them are still there with their polish hosts. so president zelensky has said this is, he wanted particularly to talk to ordinary polls, the polish public, he said he would bow in front of them for their humanity. so this public symbolic part of that, behind the scenes, we have had a lot of political talks with president zelensky meeting his

polish counterpart, president duda, and the prime minister, and they have been talking about additional military support for ukraine. president duda said that poland would send all 14 of its fighter jets for the ukrainian to use in the coming months whether they are repairing them and sending them in the weeks and months. prime minister was talking about agreements that had been signed, military agreements, production, joint production of tank ammunition and also the economic difficulty of grain, would you believe can ukrainian grain, exporting to the middle east via the black sea ports, which has been blockaded by russia, that has had to go through romania and poland to get to its target

markets, but unfortunately, due to logistical part and the grain is much cheaper than polish green, much of that green has stayed in poland and brought up by polish animal feed companies, and that has sent the price of polish grain plummeting, and president zelensky said they discussed this and would come up with a solution which should be implemented in the coming weeks. tibia implemented in the coming weeks. 0k, adam, in implemented in the coming weeks. ok, adam, in warsaw, thank you very much indeed for that. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news... what i love most about myjob and what makes it most unique is the ability to tell stories of people all of the world, give them a platform to be able to share their stories, and i love doing it whether it's in the studio or out in the

field, the focus of my storytelling throughout my career has been limited in children. those who have been impacted by conflict, a people, i often find my tory neck storytelling that the issues that concern a young woman in kabul is also something that young women here in london are thinking about. we are far more connected, or concerns, whether that's about child care or the cost of living or about energy prices. it's something that's truly global, so to be able to bring uk audiences those stories into their living rooms, onto their mobile phones, on their digital platforms is so critical, increasingly interconnected world. with bbc news. to scotland now. peter murrell, the husband of scotland's former first minister nicola sturgeon, has been arrested as part of a police investigtion into the finances of the scottish national party. mr murrell was the snp's chief

executive until he quit last month. scotland's first minister, humza yousaf, gave his reaction. obviously i can't comment on a live police investigation. you would know that, but what i will say is that the snp has fully cooperated with the investigation and it will continue to do so and of course on the weekend just past my first nec meeting as party leader, we agreed to carry out a review on governance, and transparency, and of course with some external input too. and the details of that will come forth in the next few days. when did you first hear the news about the arrest and what was your reaction? i was told this morning after the event and, of course, my reaction, as you'd imagine, much like anybody involved in the snp is that this is a difficult day for the party, but again, ijust reiterate and emphasise, it's so important for me not to comment on a live police investigation and be seen to prejudice that in any way, shape or form. is this the real reason why nicola sturgeon resigned? no, i believe nicola sturgeon absolutely, you know, she had taken the party as further forward as she possibly could.

i think anybody who has particularly seen nicola through the covid pandemic could really sympathise with just how exhausted she absolutely was. crossing live now to glasgow, as we had there, this is a live investigation, so you have to be careful with what you say, but we can give a bit more background in terms of what is happening here. yes, we can give a bit of background and i am here outside the home of peter and nicola sturgeon, the former first minister, police officers have been here all day. the houseis officers have been here all day. the house is cordoned off. there's a large tent outside in the garden, a couple of police vans and police officers have also been working in the back of the house as well. as we heard, this is a live investigation, but we can give you some details,

and back in 2021, police scotland launched an investigation into snp finances. the party had raised more than £600,000. that was between 2017 and 2020. the party pledged to spend that on a new independence campaign. there was a referendum back in 2014, nicola sturgeon wanted to hold another one in october this year, but questions were asked about how that money was spent. the snp accounts show that it had just under £97,000 at the end of 2019. nicola sturgeon, back when she was first minister, said that every penny of cash raised in online crowd campaigns would be sent to the next spent on the drive for independence. peter provided a loan of more than

£100,000 in 2021. he resigned as the chief executive during the campaign for the new first minister. that was part of a row over the number of the snp member is. the snp has lost a significant amount of members in the last couple of years. for now, this police search continues in the home of peterjust behind me. tibia of peterjust behind me. 0k, alexander. — of peterjust behind me. 0k, alexander, thank— of peterjust behind me. 0k, alexander, thank you - of peterjust behind me. ok, alexander, thank you very much indeed. police in israel have clashed with dozens of palestinian worshipers inside jerusalem's compound. they say they carried out a pre—dawn raid into the holy site after what they described as agitators locked themselves inside the mosque. the palestinian red crescent say at least 50 people were injured. nine rockets were fired at southern israeli towns from gaza following the police raid. lets explain some of the context behind these tensions surrounding the mask. as he

is the whole site. this includes the dome of the rock, a religious shrine, the mosque is the third holiest site in islam and its known as the noble sanctuary. jewish people call it the temple mount, the most holy site injudaism. earlier, i spoke tojoel greenberg from bbc monitoring who is in jerusalem. these clashes happened overnight and they led to this exchange of fire across the gaza border. but in recent hours, there haven't been any more reports of any violence at this site. but there's a lot of speculation here in the media that the intensity of the confrontation overnight and the images that went out of police facing palestinians inside the mosque with violence, use of batons and fireworks being set off by the palestinians, that these scenes are going to inflame passions in the region, in gaza, in the west bank, and perhaps lead to more violence. but in the immediate aftermath, things have remained calm

there after last night's events. joel, we talked very briefly about this a second ago, butjust explain to viewers, why is this site so important? well, again, this site has really been the flashpoint of the israeli—palestinian conflict because it combines both the political conflict and the religious significance of the area. as you mentioned, it's known tojews as the temple mount, the site of ancientjewish temples. to muslims, it is the third holiest site in islam. and al—aqsa mosque is, of course, a focus of worship. and now is the month of ramadan, which is about to coincide with thejewish holiday of passover, which is a combination that many here are concerned would lead to heightened tensions. let's talk about other tensions. there has been political tension in israel over the past few weeks. there have been protests on the streets against the government. what kind of role does that play

in what's going on here, if any? yeah, it's really unclear at the moment. there doesn't seem to be a connection between the two. i mean, part of the israeli turmoil has led to the firing a dismissal letter. so he's kind of in limbo and he's the one who would be managing a lot of what's going on. but in general, i would say that this is playing out in a different arena. it's the israeli—palestinian conflict, and it hasn't really been impacted, at least in the short term, by the political turmoil inside israel proper. turning to the united states now where donald trump gave his first remarks since being charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records — the former president said the legal action is an "insult" to america. trump pleaded not guilty on tuesday — to hiding damaging information during the 2016 election — related to hush money payments for a former porn star. earlier, our north america correspondent nada tawfik talked through some of the headlines. this is the new york post.

it is a right—leaning paper. and they have criticised donald trump in the past, actually. even after the midterms, claiming the future is desantis. but even they are defending donald trump here. look at the headline, "trumped up, is that it? "bragg's historic case vs don falls flat." so that's their headline. they go on in several pages to cover the story. but down here, it says that legal analysts say manhattan district attorney alvin bragg's case has a lot of holes in it. so the new york post focusing on that line, many people coming out, saying they felt like this indictment landed without any real surprises in it. the daily news, more of a liberal paper, simply saying, "donald trump under arrest, charged with 34 felony counts in historic indictment." so a different angle there from the daily news. and very similarly, the new york times and the wall streetjournal, both with very straightforward headlines about the historic nature of donald trump being charged.

so that was the new york times, here is the wall streetjournal. the wall streetjournal making the point that the former president's intent will be a key issue. because of course it is a matter of whether these payments were a personal expenditure or a matter of campaign violations because it was contributions to the campaign. certainly, you can see the new york post there, that was the most telling headline of them all. we saw the big day yesterday in court — what happens next? how does the process proceed? the next hearing on this will be in december. already, donald trump's attorney, joe tacopina, was asked if they have filed any motions yet, because that hearing will be to hear any motions that the defence may submit, including a motion to dismiss the case, possibly. he said they have not submitted anything yet. that will be in the weeks to come. but i think the timeline just shows

how long and drawn—out the process will be. we're talking about the prosecution hoping for a trial by january of 2024. that would be right as the republican primary gets under way, with the first one in iowa. trump's lawyers have said that's a bit of an aggressive timeline. they would rather see a trial, if it gets to that point, by the summer of 2024. and just to throw more uncertainty into this, some legal experts also threw out the idea that if these other investigations hovering over donald trump, into election interference at the federal level and in georgia, there's no telling if those could end in prosecutions, and that could come even before that december hearing here in this manhattan case. oui’ our correspondent speaking with me earlier about the day before president trump and his appearance in front of that manhattan

courthouse. now, a story for you from brazil. four children have been killed and four other injured in an attack on a pre—school in the southern brazilian state of santa catarina on wednesday. that's according to local police. police say a 25—year—old man responsible for the attack has been arrested, without providing further details. a hospital also confirmed four kids are receiving medical treatment. i'm joined now by camilla mota, who is in brazil and can provide some context for this attack. a tragic attack, for young children killed, what sort of details are we getting right now? the killed, what sort of details are we getting right now?— getting right now? the news 'ust broke. there fl getting right now? the news 'ust broke. there is i getting right now? the news 'ust broke. there is still i getting right now? the newsjust broke. there is still information | broke. there is still information coming in, but what we know is that a 25—year—old man invaded a school in a city off southern brazil. he attacked children who were playing, that were on the playground killed four of them, attacked them, hit

them in the head. he killed four of them in the head. he killed four of them commit three boys and one girl aged 4—7 and injured another four. as you are saying to me they are already receiving medical attention in the hospital. police say he turned himself in after the attack, but they didn't provide any information on his possible motivation. so that's something that we are really eager to know and we are following closely here in brazil are following closely here in brazil a stop at this incident comes just a few days after a teenager stabbed a teacher to death in a school in sao paulo. rights, he was here in sao paulo. rights, he was here in sao paulojust a week paulo. rights, he was here in sao paulo just a week ago, an 18—year—old invaded a school and killed a 71—year—old teacher with a knife and injured another four people. so there is a big debate in brazil with whether these type of attacks company school attacks will become a green new normal, the numbers in brazil are not like those

in the us and they are still very worrying. since the year 2000, for attacks happened only in the second half of 2022 and two this year. so there's a big debate on brazilian society on why this has happened, what can we do to prevent it, if we need to pay more attention to our youngsters and whether social media plays a part in all of this.— plays a part in all of this. thank ou ve plays a part in all of this. thank you very much _ plays a part in all of this. thank you very much indeed, - plays a part in all of this. thank you very much indeed, that - plays a part in all of this. thank i you very much indeed, that story, plays a part in all of this. thank - you very much indeed, that story, if you very much indeed, that story, if you were to read somewhere about it, it is an awful story, the brazil kindergarten attack. it's on our website, of course, you can read that in plenty of other stories. there's also a live page with all the very latest on what is happening globally and worldwide. for now, stay with us here on bbc news. i will be back in just a few minutes. stay with us on the bbc.

hello. not quite as much sunshine around today, for many, quite a cloudy day, outbreaks of rain, some of it quite drizzly at times, bit of a nuisance, really, and all of that cloud and rain spilling its way steadily east rates. several weather fronts have been invading from the far northwest, where the strongest of the winds have been today, best of the winds have been today, best of the sunshine across south east england, but it's not lasting because the cloud arrives. you can see a dark blue, more intensity to the rain with the package of that wet weather, so some heavier bursts from time to time slowly clearing its way eastwards. through the night, quite a lot of cloud around. some outbreaks of rain, slowly improving across western scotland and northern ireland, here, a few

scattered showers, but we keep that cloud and rain first thing in the morning, so temperatures will hold up above freezing generally around 6-9 up above freezing generally around 6—9 some ecstasies. so a mild start to thursday but it could be a cloudy and rather wet when it is that frontal system is still yet to clear. little ridge of high pressure starts to building behind and that means that the start of the easter weekend is looking quite promising. up weekend is looking quite promising. up for thursday morning, gray, dull, damp along the east for a time, slowly breaking up from the west, there will be a rash of showers developing with that northwesterly wind feeding them in unexposed coasts. some of them heavy, meaty thunder as well from time to time. top temperatures ranging from 9—14 celsius. as we move out of thursday into friday, that ridge of high pressure is set to build. it is going to last until the beginning of the easter weekend, but with different starting to push and from the west, threatening, certainly by easter monday. so, for easter weekend, i suspect we could be chasing some cow to around. let's

take a look at a little more detail. the east coast on friday and easterly feed mightjust produce a little more cloud on those exposed east coast. shelter west seeing the best of the sunshine. again, 10—14 celsius. as we move out of good friday into the start of the weekend, saturday looks dry and settled, and the same for easter sunday, maybe a little bit of rain from time to time but the rain is certainly expected to arrive as we move into easter monday. that's it. take care.

live from london. this is bbc news. the uk government has leased a barge that will house 500 asylum—seekers, it seeks to cut hotel cost for migrants. 24 people in the uk are arrested following the shutdown of following one of the worlds biggest criminal marketplaces, genesis used by online fraudsters to buy passwords. public anger grows in iran after 20 female students are hospitalised after being allegedly poisoned by an unknown toxic gas. hello and welcome.