live from london, this is bbc news. fighting between rival armed factions in sudan intensifies, with nearly a hundred people killed and hundreds more injured. russian opposition activist vladimir kara—murza is sentenced to 25 years in jail. here in the uk, the prime minister rishi sunak faces a declaration of interest inquiry over the childcare firm his wife holds shares in. vigils are held for four people killed in a mass shooting at a sixteenth birthday party in alabama. and elon musk�*s spacex gets the all clear to launch its mammoth rocket starship. these are some of the latest pictures from the launch site. we'll bring you that

live when it happens. fighting is raging for a third day in the sudanese capital, khartoum. the clashes are part of a power struggle within the country's military leadership, which has failed to deliver a transition to civilian government. a doctors�* union in sudan says almost a hundred civilians have died but the true number is likely to be higher. our senior africa correspondent, anne soy, reports. this is one of the warring groups in sudan. it's the powerful paramilitary group currently fighting against the country's army. both sides remain defiant and post videos like these claiming gains in the clashes. we cannot verify their claims. civilians are bearing the brunt of the fighting. there is nowhere safe to go. sudan is a majority muslim nation. it's a difficult ramadan for them. we do not have water here in khartoum.

we are also afraid of running short of ourfood supplies here because all markets are closed. unless there is a very immediate humanitarian truce for the people to get their needs, i think the people will be compelled to do some looting. millions who depend on humanitarian aid are not receiving any. the un says a four hour pause announced last evening to allow for humanitarian access was breached. these are images of the international airport in the capital khartoum, one of the areas targeted by the fighters. the rebel forces are battling for control of key security installations, including the presidential palace. regional leaders are due to travel to sudan to help broker peace. the international community is calling for the silencing of guns

and a return to talks aimed at transitioning the country from military rule to democracy. the immediate future lies in the hands of the generals who are engaged in this fight, and we call upon them to put peace first. but there is no sign of either side backing down. casualties are piling up by the day, putting a strain on a health system that was already on its knees due to political instability and a devastating economic crisis. anne soy, bbc news. our africa editor mary harper has been speaking to people in country. i did manage to get through to somebody a few minutes ago, in fact. she's a civilian who lives in a crowded residential area in khartoum. and she was absolutely terrified because she said overhead you have air strikes, you have tanks rumbling

through the streets, you have fighting going on all around. so it's impossible for the civilians to get out, to get food. this is the third day now. there isn't electricity. water is running very scarce. hospitals are running out of blood. so as each hour passes, the situation is getting more and more precarious, notjust from a military point of view, but also from a humanitarian standpoint. so, mary, potentially that 100 people killed and hundreds more injured could be an underestimate? absolutely. the doctors say that they've confirmed that 100 civilians have been killed, but they fear the numbers are far higher. and also, we mustn't forget that there are two rival military forces fighting each other. so there will be many of those people will have been killed and injured as well. and the fighting is notjust happening in khartoum. what's happening in the rest of the country?

it's spread to many towns and cities in the north, in the east, in the west. it's becoming a national crisis. in this kind of battle for power between these two ambitious, ruthless generals who don't seem to have any intention of stopping the fighting, they've been ignoring international calls for them to stop, and it looks like, in terms of the language they're using, they're basically saying they're not going to stop fighting until one has destroyed the other. yeah. james copnall was reflecting on that with us a short time ago as well, mary, saying that a negotiated solution isn't likely to happen because of that language. but can you also just give us a sense of life in sudan as well? because they've had this terrible drought. presumably, things were really difficult for people before all this started. they were indeed. the horn of africa has... ..is enduring its worst drought in more than a0 years, partly caused by climate change. so you have that problem.

you also have the problem of spiralling inflation, because there's been so much political paralysis in sudan, there's been constant opposition protests with people calling for a transition to civilian rule to start happening. so with now sort of all out conflict engulfing several parts of the country, sudan is really in the most terrible state. you thought it couldn't really get much worse before this fighting broke out. in russia, a leading critic of president putin has been sentenced to 25 years in jail — the longest sentence any opposition figure has received so far. vladimir kara—murza has been convicted for treason and other charges linked to his criticism of the war in ukraine. mr kara—murza, who has british citizenship, is the latest of a series of opponents of president putin to have been arrested or forced to flee russia. the foreign office has

condemned his conviction and has summoned maskell�*s ambassador to the foreign office. —— must cope crime—buster. from moscow, our russia editor steve rosenberg has the latest. handcuffed and in a bullet—proof cage. one of president putin's most prominent critics. vladimir kara—murza faced multiple charges, including treason. the verdict, guilty. the punishment, the maximum possible. 25 years in prison. access to the courtroom was heavily restricted. along with otherjournalists and foreign diplomats, we crowded into another room to watch on tv screens. for more than a decade, vladimir kara—murza has been a high—profile opponent of the kremlin. he helped persuade western governments to impose sanctions on russian officials for corruption and human rights violations. and he publicly condemned the war in ukraine. mr kara—murza is also a british citizen.

the uk hasjoined international condemnation of what happened here today. the british government will continue to support him, and stand in solidarity with him and his family, and we will continue to call for his release. vladimir kara—murza has a british passport. what will britain do to try to secure his release? we are continuing to ask for consular access to mr kara—murza and we will continue to do that. for a critic of the kremlin, a political opponent of president putin, a prison sentence of 25 years is unprecedented in its severity. and it's a sign that, in today's russia, the authorities are determined not only to silence all criticism, but to neutralise anyone and anything they believe could be a threat to the political system here. there will be an appeal, but there is little hope there will be a different outcome.

british prime minister rishi sunak is being investigated by parliament's standards commissioner. the bbc understands the investigation is in relation to koru kids, a childcare firm his wife has shares in. an update on the commissioner's website says that the prime minister is being probed for a declaration of interest. in reaction number ten has said: "we are happy to assist the commissioner to clarify how this has been transparently declared as a ministerial interest." here's our political correspondent nick eardley for more on this. the prime minister has previously said that these shares were properly declared to the cabinet office, to the sort of engine room of british government, where british ministers tell the whitehall civil servants about their ministerial interests. but it wasn't declared publicly and it's the fact it wasn't declared publicly that has raised some questions. publicly that has raised some questions-— publicly that has raised some question— publicly that has raised some cuestions. �* , , ., ., , questions. and this is around his wife's shares, _ questions. and this is around his wife's shares, or— questions. and this is around his wife's shares, or the _ questions. and this is around his wife's shares, or the firm - questions. and this is around his wife's shares, or the firm she . wife's shares, or the firm she partly owns, that a childcare firm

called koru kids, what further details do we have? hot called koru kids, what further details do we have? ., . , details do we have? not much, is the short answer- — details do we have? not much, is the short answer. the _ details do we have? not much, is the short answer. the commissioner - short answer. the commissioner doesn't tell us much about his investigation, simply that it's happening, but my understanding it's about koru kids, this childcare firm that reaches sunak�*s wife has shares in. the question is whether that firm will benefit from the uk government's expansion of free childcare in england, something that's not actually happening for a while, it was announced by the chancellor in the budget a few weeks ago. at the time, again, there were questions from opposition parties asked about whether mr sunak should have made it clear in his public interests that his wife had these shares, with potentially that the firm and thus his family could benefit from the expansion of free childcare, whether they could make some money out of it. mr sunak has always insisted this was done properly, numberten always insisted this was done properly, number ten told me in the last half an hour that they will

assist this investigation and they are confident they've played the rules. the last half an hour occurred in paris has acquitted erebus and air france of the deadliest accident in their history. the flight crashed in 2009 on the way from rio to france. they were facing charges of involuntary manslaughter but the court said even if errors had been committed it was not possible to prove a causal link between them and the disaster. president biden has condemned the killing of four people at a 16th birthday party in alabama this weekend as outrageous and unacceptable. 28 people were injured in the attack in dadeville, several critically. police haven't released details about who carried out the shooting or why. gun crime in the us, always high, is now on the rise. in 2019 there were a17 mass shootings, where four or more people were killed or injured. but since 2020 this has increased to more than 600 each year, that's an average of two per day. so far this year there have been

at least 161 mass shootings. 0ur north america correspondentjessica parker reports from dadeville. shaken, shocked. a community gathers to grieve and to console one another in this small, rural town in east central alabama. 0ur help is going to come from the creator of the universe... this is a tight—knit town. people know each other, and know the victims too, who'd been attending a sweet 16 birthday party. they were being free, they were having fun, they were celebrating a life. they were celebrating 16 years of life. and then it just turned tragic. it got dark, it got loud with gunshots and gunfire. the police have released very little information about suspects or a motive. local media have started naming those who were killed,

including phil dowdell, a star high school athlete, well known here and well loved. he did not deserve that at all. he was too sweet of a person. he was too sweet for his own good. like, he was a promising young football star. - he had signed to a college. he had his whole life ahead of him, and notjust him, all of them. - this is the building, the dance studio, where that 16th birthday party was taking place on saturday night. there's now no police tape. the door�*s sealed off, but it's a muted scene, after the horrific events that unfolded here. the bullet holes in the glass, another trace of america's rising gun violence. president biden�*s again called for tighter firearms controls. it's a familiar call in a divisive debate that's happened so many times before. jessica parker, bbc news, dadeville, alabama.

let's ta ke let's take you to spain, where roads and railways between northern spain and railways between northern spain and southern france has been closed because of this, a massive wildfire that's on both sides of the border right now. the worst affected areas in northern catalonia, where huge plumes of smoke are above this town we can see here, the area has seen little rainfall over the winter following on from last summer's drought. angry birds is being bought by sonic the hedgehog. the maker of the hugely popular mobile game has agreed to be taken over by the japanese gaming giant sega. they will pay $175 million. let's ta ke let's take you know back to texas. we are keeping an eye on elon musk�*s company spacex, counting down to the take—off of the most powerful rocket ever built. we think it is about five minutes to scheduled lunch time

and it's been put to the test in the brief it could eventually usher in an era of interplanetary travel. if all goes well, as hoped, it will land on the ocean 90 minutes after liftoff. we will bring you more shortly but to let you know we are keeping a close eye on what's happening, the most powerful rocket ever developed attempting its media launch today. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

straight back to texas, all morning we have been watching this live picture from there, which is of the most powerful rocket ever developed, which is attempting, we had hoped its maiden launch today, a starship built by elon musk�*s spacex. we have heard that the lodge has been delayed, we're now hearing it

may be delayed. elon musk has said there's a problem with the pressure valve, which appears to be frozen. so unless it starts operating soon there will be no lunch today, so unless it starts operating soon, there will be no launch today, so that countdown we were on of five minutes or so, that countdown we were on of five minutes orso, might that countdown we were on of five minutes or so, might not happen. we are waiting to hear more about at the moment, it looks like there will be a potential delay, so the made launch of starship not happening, we think, at this moment. there is the tweet, we are following closely elon musk on twitter, he is letting us know and we've got the news there of the pressure and valve. we have the details, we will take you back to texas. let's ta ke let's take you now to northern ireland, hillary clinton has been there today. 25 women are being honoured by her. they are being given medals for their role in

bringing peace to northern ireland. mrs clinton is making the award is in her role as the chancellor of queen's university belfast. they include honorary degrees and some for those who are no longer with us. it comes as events marking the 25th anniversary of the good friday agreement continue. to remind you, that's the deal that largely ended sectarian violence there. speaking at the start of this three—day conference being held by the university, mrs clinton said there would not have been an agreement to celebrate were it not for the women of northern ireland. i celebrate were it not for the women of northern ireland.— of northern ireland. i remember startin: of northern ireland. i remember starting in _ of northern ireland. i remember starting in 1995, _ of northern ireland. i remember starting in 1995, meeting - of northern ireland. i remember starting in 1995, meeting with i starting in 1995, meeting with protestant and catholic women, mothers, and daughters, sisters, aunts, friends, who may have attended different churches on sunday but seven days a week prayed that their husbands and sons, their friends, we'd come back and forth from work, from shopping, peacefully. prayed for a better

future for their children and grandchildren. women like the late mo mowlam, pat hume, determined, unstoppable forces for peace. and joyce mccartan, who brought together protestant and catholic women in a safe house where they realised they all wanted the same things, good jobs, good schools, peaceful, secure neighbourhoods, streets you could walk safely down. doctor claire rice is also in belfast from liverpool university, she specialises in northern irish politics and told me why she thinks these events are so important. the eace these events are so important. the peace process _ these events are so important. the peace process in northern ireland is something _ peace process in northern ireland is something that suddenly in 1998, women's — something that suddenly in 1998, women's role was downplayed and in the time _ women's role was downplayed and in the time since there's been a lot of work_ the time since there's been a lot of work to— the time since there's been a lot of work to try— the time since there's been a lot of work to try to that. it's true there

wasn't _ work to try to that. it's true there wasn't a — work to try to that. it's true there wasn't a lot— work to try to that. it's true there wasn't a lot of women in the room at the time _ wasn't a lot of women in the room at the time of— wasn't a lot of women in the room at the time of the negotiations and that's— the time of the negotiations and that's pretty common when you look across— that's pretty common when you look across peace processes, and negotiation processes in conflict settings — negotiation processes in conflict settings across the world. but the woman _ settings across the world. but the woman that are present or very powerful— woman that are present or very powerful in their voices, they made sure that _ powerful in their voices, they made sure that they took forward agendas that were _ sure that they took forward agendas that were more based on equality, let's say, — that were more based on equality, let's say, that extended beyond the parameters of unionism, nationalism and the _ parameters of unionism, nationalism and the religious element of the divide _ and the religious element of the divide here in northern ireland, they— divide here in northern ireland, they made an effort to try to expand they made an effort to try to expand the range _ they made an effort to try to expand the range of topics being discussed as opposed to trying to dominate the talks in_ as opposed to trying to dominate the talks in a _ as opposed to trying to dominate the talks in a particular direction, as such _ talks in a particular direction, as such so — talks in a particular direction, as such. so they held a very key role in ensuring — such. so they held a very key role in ensuring women's voices were not on the _ in ensuring women's voices were not on the hard — in ensuring women's voices were not on the hard in the negotiation processes but that woman's interest and indeed, broader, more diverse interests— and indeed, broader, more diverse interests were fed into the notations and the peace process going _ notations and the peace process going forward from that point. how difficult was _ going forward from that point. how difficult was it _ going forward from that point. how difficult was it for _ going forward from that point. firm" difficult was it for them? what sort of thing is that they face in making sure they were part of the process? very difficult. so as was seen in

northern— very difficult. so as was seen in northern ireland and indeed is a pattern— northern ireland and indeed is a pattern mirrored across the globe, conflict, _ pattern mirrored across the globe, conflict, particularly, is quite heavily— conflict, particularly, is quite heavily masculinised, so that, effectively if i can boil it down, the combatants, active combatants in any conflicts are broadly categorised as men, that means when it comes _ categorised as men, that means when it comes to— categorised as men, that means when it comes to formalising peace process— it comes to formalising peace process are negotiations, it's normativ— process are negotiations, it's normally meant as leaders within the conflict _ normally meant as leaders within the conflict that prevail and come forward _ conflict that prevail and come forward. so that's the kind of dynamics— forward. so that's the kind of dynamics that women were trying to contend _ dynamics that women were trying to contend with back in 1998, and we saw the _ contend with back in 1998, and we saw the northern ireland woman's collision _ saw the northern ireland woman's collision as — saw the northern ireland woman's collision as a key player coming forward — collision as a key player coming forward to— collision as a key player coming forward to trying to rectify that somewhat and ensure women's voices were heard _ somewhat and ensure women's voices were heard in the process, because of course _ were heard in the process, because of course this wasn't just a conflict _ of course this wasn't just a conflict that involved males, it involve — conflict that involved males, it involve everyone in northern ireiand _ involve everyone in northern ireland. women held a role in it in terms _ ireland. women held a role in it in terms of— ireland. women held a role in it in terms of supporting the peace process, — terms of supporting the peace process, negotiating the peace process, — process, negotiating the peace process, in terms of encouraging how people _ process, in terms of encouraging how people should vote in the referendum following _ people should vote in the referendum following the good friday agreement in 1998. _ following the good friday agreement in 1998, and indeed within

communities and within politics, increasingly so since 1998 as well, increasingly so since 1998 as well, in terms _ increasingly so since 1998 as well, in terms of— increasingly so since 1998 as well, in terms of steering that peace process— in terms of steering that peace process forward. so they've held a very crucial — process forward. so they've held a very crucial role but it's one that's— very crucial role but it's one that's often been overlooked in northern— that's often been overlooked in northern ireland's story. let's ta ke let's take you back to texas, to first may, where we've been watching for the past few hours these images come of the most powerful rocket ever developed. it's known as starship. we were expecting a countdown that they would have a maiden launch today, but we've heard the news in the last few minutes that it's been postponed, so will not happen today probably, and elon musk has taken to twitter to say the problem appears to be a pressurant valve which is frozen. i'm hoping our space expert can shed some light on this, but perhaps not, pressurant valve sounds pretty important? thea;r valve sounds pretty important? they need to keep — valve sounds pretty important? they need to keep the _ valve sounds pretty important? tue: need to keep the pressure valve sounds pretty important? tt;s: need to keep the pressure up valve sounds pretty important? "tt9:1: need to keep the pressure up in valve sounds pretty important? tt91: need to keep the pressure up in the fuel tank, so as the rocket goes up

into the skies it starts exhaust propellant but you need to maintain pressure within those tanks, and it sounds like that valve that brings the gas into those tanks to pressure them has become a little bit sticky. and so they're not prepared to take the risk of and something going wrong with the rocket. but they've done pretty well, actually, they have had in effect what's termed in the industry as a wet dress rehearsal, that's when you put a rocket on the pad and fill it with fuel, you do a countdown, and the only way to t0 or thereabouts, but you don't actually launch. and it gives everybody in mission control a chance to understand how things should work, understand the protocols, so that when you do come to do the launch for proper, it should go swimmingly. apart from this sticky valve, that's what's happened. it has gone very well indeed. we are told by spacex that it is a minimum 48—hour turnaround so we will not launch here tuesday

but perhaps wednesday or thursday. we will see. they need permissions, obviously, from the federal aviation administration to ensure the airspace is cleared for them, that there is no marine traffic out in there is no marine traffic out in the gulf of mexico, in case any debris were to come down in that area. but they should be good to go. a little bit of disappointment but this is what it is all about. what this is what it is all about. what is elon musk's _ this is what it is all about. what is elon musk's vision _ this is what it is all about. what is elon musk's vision when - this is what it is all about. what is elon musk's vision when it. this is what it is all about. what is elon musk's vision when it comes to starship? he is elon musk's vision when it comes to starship?— to starship? he is trying to give something _ to starship? he is trying to give something we've _ to starship? he is trying to give something we've never - to starship? he is trying to give something we've never really i to starship? he is trying to give i something we've never really had before and that is a fully and rapidly reusable rocket. if you look back through the history of rocketry, vehicles are expendable. use them once and throw them away. through time we've had bits of rockets that are reusable. his own folk in nine rocket of course, he brings the bottom part, the lowest edge every time he flies it. —— his own flacon nine rocket. but he

expends the top part. that would be like to put a new cockpit on, if you want to bring it back, because you had expended the cockpit. we need a rocket that is totally reusable, and rapidly, as well, and then you're just paying for the price of the fuel that you put in the tanks. and thatis fuel that you put in the tanks. and that is a game changer. that really is a game changer because that transforms the cost of access to space and when you have got a vehicle that's this big, not only does it become exceptionally cheap to launch, but you can put a huge amount in orbit as well. this vehicle will put over 100 tonnes in orbit, 0k? the space station weighs just in excess of 400 tonnes and you remember how long it took to build the space station. this could lift at mass in four goes. 9nd the space station. this could lift at mass in four goes. and eventually take us to mars. _ at mass in four goes. and eventually take us to mars, i _ at mass in four goes. and eventually take us to mars, i know— at mass in four goes. and eventually take us to mars, i know that's - at mass in four goes. and eventually take us to mars, i know that's the i take us to mars, i know that's the plan. stay with us here on bbc news. coming up, we have the business, some breaking news coming to us, one

of the most closely watched media trials in decades, it the folks dominion trial, we understand it will proceed on tuesday after a delay. more on that. —— the fox dominion trial. after what seemed like ca esa r�*s caesar's rain at times this week, this is by comparison looking a lot quieter. —— ceaseless rain. for many of us, nothing significant in the way of rain to come until the end of the week, it could get quite lively and that we can but sunshine won't always guarantee you won't see through this week. high pressure across scandinavia will bring dry weather but also mean easterly winds across the uk, and that's quite a chilly direction at this time of year. by the end of the week, you start to see things becoming a little livelier towards the south—east. forthe little livelier towards the south—east. for the here and now, the easterly breeze, bringing in a line of low cloud, mist and murk off the north sea, through the night, some quite grey starts initially

across the eastern half of the uk. brightest first thing in the west. 0vernight lows somewhere between four and eight. you are on tuesday, the high is still across scandinavia, easterly winds still affecting the southern half of the uk, a little weather system out there in the north sea ushering in some thicker cloud later in the day but much of the early mist and murk will burn off and through the middle of the day, i think almost wall—to—wall sunshine. in the afternoon, the ticker cloud into the south—east, could produce one or two scattered showers. why is that easterly wind so cold in particular at this time of year? them to the temperature in the north sea. you're basically feeding in air on shore from the top of the north sea and at this time of year that's pretty cold, temperatures in the water 8 or 9 and that's the figures will see along some of the spots in the north sea coast. towards the north—west come in the sunshine, sheltered from the easterly breeze, 16, 17 possible, and that will feel quite warm. high pressure still across

scandinavia as we look at wednesday and thursday. still some bits and pieces of thicker cloud been picked up pieces of thicker cloud been picked up from the north sea. the chances of showers perhaps further south for southern counties of england on wednesday, and favouring the south west later in the afternoon but a lot of sunshine as we look further north. again on the cooler side along the length of the coast but towards the west and with the shelter, top temperatures sitting in the mid—teens. for the rest of the week, it's kind of all downhill from thursday onwards, unsettled in the south through friday and then rain i think spreading to most parts of the uk in time the weekend.

the billion dollar showdown, the voting showdown between them and fox news has been delayed amid speculation of a settlement. i'm michelle fleury with the latest promise of the courthouse in delaware where the trial was due to today. and making a move in mobile gaming, the japanese giant sega agrees to buy angry birds maker for $750 million.