to come next week. live from london. this is bbc news. two israeli women have been killed in an attack in the occupied west bank. earlier, israel launched air strikes on gaza and lebanon, calling it retaliation for several dozen hamas rockets fired at israel. northern ireland on high alert — police warn republicans could provoke violence as the country marks 25 years of the good friday agreement. translation: i made a choice to leave firstl to give you a better life. we speak to a mum and daughter about their incredible escape from north korea. hello, i'm lucy hockings. we start in the middle east — where in the last few minutes

the israeli chief of staff ordered the mobilization of a number of reserve soldiers in air defence units, fighterjet pilots and drone operators amid heightened tensions in the region. in the latest escalation of tensions between israel and the palestinians — two israeli women have been killed in an attack in the occupied west bank. the authorities say a third person was also seriously wounded in the incident, near the settlement of hamra. the israeli military says troops are searching for suspects who opened fire at a car, causing it to crash. this latest development comes after the israeli military hit targets belonging to the palestinian militant group hamas. the air strikes hit areas of the gaza strip and lebanon — israel says they're in retaliation for a major rocket attack on israel launched from southern lebanon — which the israelis blamed on hamas. these images from gaza show the aftermath. they're the heaviest air strikes

that israel has carried out on gaza since last august. we are also getting live pictures from thejordan valley. the israeli army launching a manhunt from the perpetrators of the shooting we have seenin perpetrators of the shooting we have seen in the west bank. two women have been killed. a third was wounded. it was said that women were fired on as a car as they passed through the junction in the northern part of thejordan through the junction in the northern part of the jordan valley. we haven't had a claim of responsibility there but that is the scene live in thejordan valley, a big operation under way stop you can see a huge amount of smoke filling the air, we are not sure what has caused it. we will return live shortly. our correspondent lucy williamson spoke to us from jerusalem. israel says it carried out a series of strikes overnight against targets it says were linked to the palestinian militant group hamas in both lebanon and in gaza.

in gaza, it says it hit tunnels and also weapons manufacturing sites, and reports from southern lebanon describe explosions around the palestinian refugee camp there. in return, palestinian militants fired dozens of rockets from gaza at israel overnight. most were intercepted or landed in open ground, but one hit a house in the southern israeli town of sterot. speaking before a security meeting last night, benjamin netanyahu said any internal debate in israel would not prevent it from acting against its enemies, saying "we are all united in this." but there are fears these sorts of tit—for—tat exchanges could escalate into a wider conflict, as has happened in the past. this is a particularly

sensitive time, because you have holidays for muslims, jews and christians all converging, meaning any incidents around the holy sites injerusalem have the potential to trigger wider conflict. the un peacekeeping force in lebanon has put out a statement saying it believes the actions of the past 2a hours are dangerous and risk serious escalation. in a few minutes we'll be live in lebanon — to get the latest from our beirut correspondent carine torbey. let's return to those of my pictures from thejordan valley, this is the scene of a massive operation because to israeli women were killed and another seriously wounded in a shooting attack on the vehicle, on the occupied west bank, at the junction in hamra. emergency services confirming these women died and they are providing medical treatment to a woman in their 40s. the two women who were killed were only in their 20s. the media are out in force but also the army has

blocked roads around the scene of the shooting. we will bring you date with what happened in lebanon, which came after israel afforded —— bombarded gaza and lebanon. police in northern ireland have warned that some republicans could try to provoke street violence over the easter weekend. the country is marking the 25th anniversary since the signing of the good friday agreement, which largely ended 30 years of sectarian violence. hundreds of extra police have been brought in for events which culminate with a visit to belfast by us president biden on wednesday. live now to denis murray, a former bbc ireland correspodent, who covered the troubles in northern ireland for many years and was also there when the good friday agreement was signed in 1998. we will talk about that in a moment

but firstly what a police saying and what is the concern they have about the upcoming weekend? just a what is the concern they have about the upcoming weekend?— the upcoming weekend? just a few da 5 the upcoming weekend? just a few da s auo the upcoming weekend? just a few days ago the _ the upcoming weekend? just a few days ago the overall _ the upcoming weekend? just a few days ago the overall threat - the upcoming weekend? just a few days ago the overall threat level. days ago the overall threat level here was raised as you might remember and then the police chief constable simon byrne made a point of saying very publicly yesterday as he said that dissident as they are now republican paramilitaries might try to stage street disturbances in order to draw police in so they could be attacked or to allow attacks take place elsewhere. a few weeks ago these dissident republicans tried to murder police officers, at a litter centre where he was taking schoolboy football. the thing about these republicans is they are very much a hangover from they are very much a hangover from the troubles that were meant to and with the good friday agreement. as for the loyalist paramilitaries. for the loyalist pa ramilitaries. there for the loyalist paramilitaries. there is a mini feud going on in the

town called newtownards just outside belfast between two wings of a group called the ulster defence association and it is a row over drug dealing. none of these problems have completely gone away. but nobody really wants these people around and nobody wants a return to the troubles because they were awful and maybe younger people don't rememberjust how awful and maybe younger people don't remember just how awful they were but they were truly awful like the good friday agreement touches every aspect of life in good friday agreement touches every asect of life ., good friday agreement touches every mm of life— aspect of life in northern ireland but we haven't _ aspect of life in northern ireland but we haven't seen _ aspect of life in northern ireland but we haven't seen devolved i but we haven't seen devolved government since february 2022 so how are people feeling as this anniversary is marked? bi; how are people feeling as this anniversary is marked? by and large the want anniversary is marked? by and large they want devolution _ anniversary is marked? by and large they want devolution back _ anniversary is marked? by and large they want devolution back i - anniversary is marked? by and largej they want devolution back i suspect. what's the problem is, you must understand this on behalf of unionists, the way the last election to the assembly worked out was that a sinn fein leader in northern ireland would become the first minister of northern ireland and thatis minister of northern ireland and that is difficult for unionists to

deal with. that is difficult for unionists to dealwith. it that is difficult for unionists to deal with. it is notjust to do with the protocol that is the legacy of brexit although it is a large part of it, the two main parties in the republic of ireland in the irish parliament will share power with sinn fein at all and yet unionists are expected to. so while the good friday agreement was designed to stop the conflict, which it did because it was of the core problem of identity and now you can be british or irish or both, as you wish, but then the idea was once the assembly and all the other political institutions arrived with north—south bodies between dublin and london, everything else would fall into place behind it, and certain things were left unresolved and they are still unresolved like the legacy of the troubles which one of my colleagues thanks nothing will be achieved in northern ireland until legacy is resolved. b, lat be achieved in northern ireland until legacy is resolved. a lot of

eo - le's until legacy is resolved. a lot of peeple's today _ until legacy is resolved. a lot of people's today are _ until legacy is resolved. a lot of people's today are talking - until legacy is resolved. a lot ofj people's today are talking today about political backing just creating and an environment where violence can fester, would you agree with that? ' :: :: , . , , with that? 100% which is why the assembly needs _ with that? 10096 which is why the assembly needs to _ with that? 10096 which is why the assembly needs to come - with that? 10096 which is why the assembly needs to come back. with that? 10096 which is why the assembly needs to come back asj with that? 10096 which is why the - assembly needs to come back as soon as possible but i think it will have to be resolved, one thing you could do very simply is stop the titles of first and deputy first minister i just have joined first minister because that is where the posts are anyway, they are effectivelyjoint at the hip, they appear together and can't appear separately as office owners stop there has to be a mechanism in the assembly that no single party can collapse it in future. a single party would be welcome to leave the executive, the cabinet, they would be welcome to walk away but the executive would continue to function and run ministries and take decisions. i think while the good friday agreement, it's also the problem was at the time, it is not written in tablets of stone and i think there

has to be change in order to bring it up—to—date. has to be change in order to bring it un-to-date-_ has to be change in order to bring it up-to-date. always good to see ou, it up-to-date. always good to see you. thanks _ it up-to-date. always good to see you. thanks for — it up-to-date. always good to see you, thanks forjoining _ it up-to-date. always good to see you, thanks forjoining us. - in the uk an advert posted to the labour party's official twitter account is receiving cross—party criticism for suggesting the prime minister doesn't believe adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison. so far the labour party have stood by the ad. live now to the newsroom for the latest with our reporter pete saull. just gives the background. we have 'ust been just gives the background. we have just been talking _ just gives the background. we have just been talking about _ just gives the background. we have just been talking about peace - just gives the background. we have just been talking about peace on i just been talking about peace on good friday. quite a lot of rancour in british politics today because of this tweet put out by the labour party yesterday. we are in election campaign mode here in the uk at the moment. local elections due to take place in a month. the labour party particularly keen to talk about crime, although it is not something local councils are specifically responsible for they believe it is potentially a vote winner. it is this tweet here using the prime minister rishi sunak of not thinking

adults convicted of sexual assault children should go to prison. it has left a sour taste in the mouth of a lot of people, people watching politics have all persuasions, the figures accompanying out here, under the conservative so say the labour party, a500 adults convicted of sexually assaulting children under 16 served no prison time. that goes i6 served no prison time. that goes back to 2010 when the conservatives first came to power, rishi sunak the man in the picture here only became an mp in 2015 it so it is perhaps a bit ofa an mp in 2015 it so it is perhaps a bit of a stretch to blame him for that. the conservatives are also pointing out keir starmer in a former life as director of public prosecutions and he sat on the sentencing council in 2012 when the sentencing council in 2012 when the sentencing for these kinds of offences was decided, although the labour party say it is the government that sets the tone for that kind of thing but some criticism from within the labour party, i will show you another tweet here from the former shadow

chancellorjohn mcdonnell. quite an influentialfigure in chancellorjohn mcdonnell. quite an influential figure in the chancellorjohn mcdonnell. quite an influentialfigure in the labour party. he says this is not the sort of politics labour party confident of politics labour party confident of its employees are preparing to govern should be engaged in. i say to the people who have taken unpleasant to publish that please withdraw it. there is signed the labour party are planning withdraw that particular advert. it is still up that particular advert. it is still up on twitter. this morning on bbc we spoke to the shadow culture secretary as a senior figure lucy powell and she was repeatedly asked whether she should have stood by the central claim in that tweet. well, the record of his government says that people are getting off lightly for these sorts of offences and he is the prime minister of that government. and, you know, people produce digital campaigns and digital material and campaign literature to highlight these sorts of sorts of issues in these ways. and there are some really serious

issues here at stake. that is lucy powell shadow culture secretary, repeatedly asked whether she stood by it and say specifically on that, but defending what the advert was trying to say about the conservatives record on tackling crime. there are those within the labour movement to think this has gone too far. your summer has been advised to try and find his party now as being the grown ups in the room. this rather contradicts that strategy some might argue. equally labour quite happy perhaps to keep this issue of the conservatives record in terms of tackling crime front and centre. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. so i'm going to start here with you. a student—led wellbeing workshop at this secondary school in abergavenny. here being open about mental health

and supporting pupil wellbeing is a key focus, especially since the pandemic. a national school survey of ii—to—i6—year—olds found girls were almost twice as likely as boys to experience high levels of mental health symptoms. spending too much time on my phone, but also it doesn't have to be on screens. i find that i am impacted when i spend lots of time just not doing anything. the survey, which is carried out every two years, found that between 2017 and 2021 fewer teenagers said they were exercising regularly. there was an increase in the amount who said they were looking at screens before going to bed. and when it comes to diet, fewer said they ate breakfast on weekdays before school. it's hoped the findings of the latest survey will continue to influence changes in communities across wales. you're live with bbc news. escaping from north korea has always been perilous. but the country's leader — kimjong—un — made it harder during the covid outbreak by practically sealing

the country's borders. the number of people making it to south korea has plunged as a result — from around a thousand a year, to just 67 last year. our correspondentjean mackenzie spoke to one of the last known people to escape before the border was closed. shejoins us now she joins us now from shejoins us now from seoul. i have loved listening to his story today on world service radio and we have been running the report as well today. incredibly emotional when you hear the story of people escaping but how did you find this particular mother and daughter. i but how did you find this particular mother and daughter.— but how did you find this particular mother and daughter. i first met the dau~hter mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi — mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi when _ mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi when i _ mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi when i went - mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi when i went to - mother and daughter. i first met the daughter songmi when i went to a l daughter songmi when i went to a trip to the demilitarised zone between north and south korea and all north koreans who escaped have these remarkable stories but what songmi told me the details of her as i wasjust songmi told me the details of her as i was just blown away. the details as we are about to hear of how she was left in north korea as a child

by her mother and she had to escape on her own and reunite with her mother years later, i thought we had to tell the story but i was desperate obviously to meet her mother as well and i really wanted to bring the pair of them together to bring the pair of them together to hear her mother's side of things and what she had gone through but that was a lot harder because the pair were rebuilding their relationship and it was very delicate but we were able to convince them to meet us together and bring them together so the pc are about see shows the conversation we were able to have with them. there are days songmi still doesn't believe she is living with her mother. what she has endured to be here made it seem like this day would never come. songmi was four years old when her mother tried to escape north korea with her strapped to her chest. her mother was caught and sent to prison. when she was released, she decided to escape

again, this time alone. songmi was left with her grandparents, but shortly after, they died, leaving songmi to fend for herself. translation: i made a living by foraging for herbs - in the mountains and selling them. i was just trying to survive for the day without starving to death. it would take years before songmi's mother was able to arrange her daughter's own treacherous escape across the river to china. translation: before you cross the river, you're supposed to be scared. the river is deep and the current is strong. i could have died. but the thought of getting to my mother felt like i was throwing away a heavy burden and flying away. after ia years apart, the pair have reunited in south korea. but songmi has never

asked her mother why she left, until now. translation: i was nine - when you came back from prison. why did you escape then? translation: i wanted to bring you with me at first, _ but the broker said, no children. if we got caught, both of us would have suffered again. so i asked your grandparents to watch you for a year. but much more time has passed. i see. i knew the morning she left, i rememberjust lying in bed, crying. what would you like to say to your daughter? what would you like her to know? translation: i want to say that i didn't abandon you. _ i made a choice to leave first

to give you a better life. this choice might seem unthinkable, but these are the lengths people must go to to escape north korea, and it's only getting tougher. one of the big reasons i wanted to tell this story is because of how hard it has become now to leave north korea. it has always been difficult but since the pandemic came young and has sealed the border so you can now be shot and killed by even trying to escape so songmi was one of the last people to make it out in 2019 before the borders closed, so the information, her memory she can give us, such viable information about what is happening information about what is happening in north korea as recently as 2019, we go into a lot of detail online

because north korean escapees are one of our best sources of information when it comes to finding out what is happening in north korea and as he said the numbers have dwindled so we used to have about 1000 arriving in south korea every iooo arriving in south korea every year but we only know of a handful who have made it here since the beginning of the pandemic so it has made it much more difficult to know what is happening in north korea. people who study north korea, analysts, part of this as an iteration black hole and we think people in north korea are suffering because of these border closures but unless you have people like songmi who managed to escape it is hard to confirm what is happening. aha, who managed to escape it is hard to confirm what is happening.- confirm what is happening. a great sto and confirm what is happening. a great story and really _ confirm what is happening. a great story and really interesting - confirm what is happening. a great story and really interesting to - story and really interesting to hear. thank you forjoining us. the bbc has learned the company which audits the snp�*s finances has resigned.

johnston carmichael — a firm of accountants — say they've taken the decision following a review of their client portfolio. the news has emerged in the week the former snp chief executive was arrested and then released without charge as police investigate the party's finances. johnston carmichael is scotland's largest independent firm of chartered accountants. they've had a long—standing relationship with the snp. the bbc can reveal the company has now resigned. they've taken the decision following a "review" of their client portfolio. a court in the united arab emirates has rejected south africa's request to extradite members of the gupta family wanted on corruption charges. atul and rajesh gupta fled to dubai in 2018 after south africa launched a judicial inquiry into large—scale money laundering and corruption. the gupta brothers are a wealthy and influentialfamily from india who moved to south africa in the 1990s. they're accused of using their close

relationship with former presidentjacob zuma to win government contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. let us speak to now to shingai nyoka, who is in harare. what have we heard from the court in the uae, why have they rejected south africa's request to extradite the guptas? south africa's request to extradite the gums?— south africa's request to extradite the gutas? ~ . . ., ., the guptas? according to the south african justice _ the guptas? according to the south african justice minister _ the guptas? according to the south african justice minister which - african justice minister which receives africanjustice minister which receives the notification just last night, they say the court had ruled that on one of the charges of money laundering which the guptas are alleged to have committed in both south africa and the united arab emirates, the uae courts could effectively deal with that particular case. so it struck down that extradition application and then there was another on charges of fraud and because that arrest

warrant had been cancelled they ruled the gupta brothers were free to go. south africa said it was deeply shocked as well as dismayed. they weren't expecting the court to rule in that way because they said they had received assurances that they had received assurances that they had received assurances that they had fulfilled all of the requirements to be able to have these two brothers extradited to south africa at.— these two brothers extradited to south africa at. remind us of the secific south africa at. remind us of the specific allegations _ south africa at. remind us of the specific allegations against - south africa at. remind us of the specific allegations against the i specific allegations against the brothers. . ., , , specific allegations against the brothers. . . , , . brothers. there are many. they are wanted in south _ brothers. there are many. they are wanted in south africa _ brothers. there are many. they are wanted in south africa for- wanted in south africa for widespread corruption that has been dubbed state capture. they are alleged to have interfered with government appointments and paid bribes to secure lucrative contracts worth hundreds of means of dollars. they felt south africa so that is why this particular arrest warrant and extradition had taken place.

south africans have been waiting many years to try to see whether justice would happen so there is frustration in south africa from the authorities and ordinary south africans who are questioning whether the guptas will face justice. there the guptas will face 'ustice. there is frustration _ the guptas will face 'ustice. there is frustration and _ the guptas will face justice. there is frustration and anger _ the guptas will face justice. there is frustration and anger we - the guptas will face justice. there is frustration and anger we are . is frustration and anger we are going across the board but is there a past they could pursue now, any other legal mechanisms they could use critical the government have said use critical the government have saia , use critical the government have sai. , ., �* . use critical the government have saia , . �* . ., said they haven't received a comprehensive _ said they haven't received a comprehensive judgments i said they haven't received a i comprehensive judgments on said they haven't received a - comprehensive judgments on that basis they will consider the judgment but they are likely to appeal. one of the issues that angered them was that the guptas were cited allegedly in switzerland over the last couple of days so were unaware they had been released and that this court case judgment had happened as far back as february.

thank you. a ia—year—old girl was the victim of a fire at a block of flats in east london on thursday and a 16—year—old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder, the metropolitan police has said. five others were also injured in the blaze but they have since been discharged from hospital. the fire is being treated as arson. more of the story for you on the website. do take a look for the very latest updates. that raking is

coming to us. the ia—year—old girl was a victim of a fatal fire and a 16—year—old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder. police are treating this as arson. hello. it may have been a chilly start to this easter weekend, but we've got plenty of fine weather to come over the next few days. changes late on sunday, turning wetter in the west, and that rain pushing south across the uk overnight and into monday, with showers following behind. until then, it's high pressure holding on, keeping atlantic weather systems at bay. that means there's going to be plenty of fine weather and some sunshine, the best of the sunshine in the west until late sunday, when this weather system moves in and you can see it turning wetter overnight and into monday. let's look at the detail for the rest of today. we are going to see cloud increasing towards eastern coastal parts of scotland and north—east england, so turning grey this afternoon, maybe some drizzle and a rather chilly day here. just one or two light showers are possible across the south—eastern

parts of england. other than that, there will be patchy cloud here and there. most places will stay dry, we'll get to see some sunshine. but those coastal parts of eastern scotland and north—east england with the cloud here may not get into double figures. the cloud is becoming a bit more widespread across eastern areas overnight and into the morning, and some patchy mist and fog is possible here and there. not quite as chilly going into saturday morning, but the coldest spots in the countryside will be close to freezing, so a touch of frost is possible. we are going to see often quite large amounts of cloud towards eastern coastal parts of the uk during saturday, whereas further inland, you get to see some sunny spells. the odd spot of drizzle can't be ruled out and another fairly chilly day where the cloud is thickest. but elsewhere, a touch breezier, but there will be plenty of dry and sunny weather on the way. the high pressure is trying to hold on going into sunday, but this weather system in the west will gradually start to move in. and whilst there is still something

to play for in the timing of the arrival of the rain, it looks like northern ireland and western scotland will be first to see that moving in. other western areas, it could be well into the evening. ahead of that, there will be some areas of cloud and sunny spells, and temperatures are warmer on sunday, so more places with highs in the range of 15 to 17 celsius. overnight and into monday, that rain moves south across all areas. look at the showers following behind. some of these will be heavy and thundery on a blustery day with stronger winds, with more wet weather to come next week.

this is bbc news. the headlines: two israeli women have been killed in the israeli—occupied west bank. earlier, israel launched air strikes. northern ireland on high alert — police warn republicans could provoke violence as the country marks 25 years of the good friday agreement. and escaping north korea, we speak to a mum and daughter who are one of the few to have fled. let's return to the violence unfolding in the middle east — after the israeli military carried out one of the largest air strikes