our main headlines here. the uk is sending long—range cruise missiles to ukraine to help with the expected counteroffensive against russia. these weapon systems give ukraine the best chance to defend themselves against russia's continued brutality. against russia's continued brutality-— against russia's continued brutali . , ., ,, , ., brutality. pakistan supreme court and former— brutality. pakistan supreme court and former prime _ brutality. pakistan supreme court and former prime minister- brutality. pakistan supreme court and former prime minister saying | brutality. pakistan supreme court i and former prime minister saying his arrest on tuesday was illegal. the bank of penguin hikes interest rates to 4.5%, the highest in nearly 15 years but that is the outlook for the economy has improved. after months of cancelled trains, the biggest train operators is stripped

of its contract. fever heats up in 16 countries take the stage in liverpool and later for the second semifinals. let us start with one of those headline stories and interest rates are not the highest level from the 15 years at lunchtime, he raised them by a quarter of 1% of 4.5%. the increase means some mortgages and loan costs will rise for many, but is that the uk was no longer expected to go into recession and predicted moderate but positive growth. let's speak now to the chief economist of red flag alert and company monitoring the financial help of firms. thank you so much for being here and just to assess the impact this rise will have. it

being here and just to assess the impact this rise will have.- impact this rise will have. it was widely trialed _ impact this rise will have. it was widely trialed and _ impact this rise will have. it was widely trialed and more - impact this rise will have. it was l widely trialed and more headroom impact this rise will have. it was - widely trialed and more headroom for interest rates and what is really salient is that the monetary policy committee, there were two dissenting voters and for the last three rises, to the members of the committee were persuaded by the cost—of—living and are difficult both families are finding it to observe all the high prices and the cost—of—living crisis elements into their budgets and so, again, a finely balanced judgment but people can get some hope from the report and the website a few weeks ago and some of the pressures and completely focused on certain

households and certain businesses. coming to some the issues economically, we heard from andrew bayley himself but in terms of the stories that you are hearing from people struggling with the cost of living in mortgages already, your assessment on that? you living in mortgages already, your assessment on that?— living in mortgages already, your assessment on that? you do not have to no ve assessment on that? you do not have to go very far — assessment on that? you do not have to go very far to _ assessment on that? you do not have to go very far to find _ assessment on that? you do not have to go very far to find people _ to go very far to find people completely overleveraged and really struggling and doing some appearances on radio five live in is the fancy chancellor in people in absolute aspirations and people talking about eating baked potatoes every single nightjust talking about eating baked potatoes every single night just waiting talking about eating baked potatoes every single nightjust waiting for the news to go down. in some ways, the news to go down. in some ways, the household stories are well told and in some ways, it is more important in that small and medium—sized businesses appear to be completely ignored because the

borrowing they need to do that either fund this or keep the doors open, they're operating in the same market as households but of course, we do work on distress insolvency and the high point of her forecast is 32,000 businesses this year purely because these costs will have toppled them. we purely because these costs will have teppled them-— toppled them. we know about food inflation we — toppled them. we know about food inflation we know _ toppled them. we know about food inflation we know about _ toppled them. we know about food inflation we know about energy - inflation we know about energy inflation, what eating the interest rates when the prediction on inflation, it was supposed to be coming down by now but why has it not? why is it still high? the coming down by now but why has it not? why is it still high?— not? why is it still high? the bank is operating _ not? why is it still high? the bank is operating within _ not? why is it still high? the bank is operating within the _ not? why is it still high? the bank is operating within the economic l is operating within the economic space that is been given by the government and the government has been extremely motivated by not embedding inflation by meeting public sector pay awards in the

argument if you meet those requirements for teachers and nurses in all estimates you end up embedding inflation where they bet the house on the idea that inflation will start to decline this year but i think there is more to say on inflation but again, that is the bank of england operating on the available territory and i think with the men think is people need to understand this, interest rates and mortgage rates and percentage points above or below the line about gdp, this is about an economy that is very little growth in it. growth will improve both sides of the equation and a government that is more focused on activists and industrial policy and working on where that growth will come from, actually would change the equation

significantly and if you like we are sort of coming to the end of the point when the levers that are available to the bank and coming out of number ten are actually having much effect. i’m of number ten are actually having much effect-— of number ten are actually having much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt ou but much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we — much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we are — much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we are going _ much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we are going to _ much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we are going to have - much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt you but we are going to have to i much effect. i'm sorry to interrupt. you but we are going to have to move on but interesting point to end with the government saying in an interview that he thought they could still avoid recession and thank you very much indeed forjoining us on the programme. a very important story here in the uk — after months of cancelled trains — the company which runs rail services across the north of england and parts of scotland has lost its contract. the network will now be run by the government. transpennine express is the fourth rail operator to be nationalised since 2018. live now to our correspondent, danny savage, who's in north yorkshire. talking to people throughout the course of the day in terms of reaction, what is it been like

because for months now when you hear about people talking about their journeys, it is a nightmare. i think the feeling — journeys, it is a nightmare. i think the feeling from _ journeys, it is a nightmare. i think the feeling from passengers - journeys, it is a nightmare. i think the feeling from passengers is - journeys, it is a nightmare. i think| the feeling from passengers is that things cannot get any worse. there was a real low point late last year where more than 20% of services by the pin nine express, north yorkshire, it's on the mainline not a regular stop for the longest of trains was moving down. i was here recently when passengers had to get on a different service because the macro to express a been cancelled and it'sjust macro to express a been cancelled and it's just want to get from down the road in new york back up to here on an evening and sometimes at the road in new york back up to here on an evening and sometimes had to wait two and a half hours for training to do so and there's hope now for the passengers point of view and resort coming in to take over the transpennine contracts and it means

that things will get better and there is some form to go on for this and to operating companies in support of the country have been taken over by the government in recent years and things are fairly good with them and improved rapidly once it's taken over. the hope is that things will get better for the trans transpennine, this is not a silver bullet and things may not improve rapidly but slowly, they should. ., , ., should. how did they get to the oint should. how did they get to the point where _ should. how did they get to the point where they _ should. how did they get to the point where they are _ should. how did they get to the point where they are making i point where they are making progress, given how broken or really in trouble things like industrial relations are currently. what actually change so that whoever is running this can improvements? what running this can improvements? what the have running this can improvements? what they have to — running this can improvements? what they have to do _ running this can improvements? what they have to do is _ running this can improvements? wiat they have to do is come to running this can improvements? wisgt they have to do is come to an agreement with working on rest days

because at the moment, transpennine workers will not do this to the pay. but not enough to make the difference, but that will be the key thing and because things are not good at all between transpennine management and employees, the change of the top made just actually bring about an agreement which will get more services running in viewer resources cancelled and we can get that every night the following dealership to take into account which will not be running the majority of services will once again be operating again on the network and cancelled on a daily basis a few hours before the timetable starts.— timetable starts. thank you very much for the _ timetable starts. thank you very much for the latest _ timetable starts. thank you very much for the latest there, - much for the latest there, throughout the course the day and the announcement was made i spoke to the announcement was made i spoke to

the mayor of a structure about the decision and what actually means for commuters. it’s decision and what actually means for commuters-_ commuters. it's been a victory for commuters _ commuters. it's been a victory for commuters in _ commuters. it's been a victory for commuters in the _ commuters. it's been a victory for commuters in the north _ commuters. it's been a victory for commuters in the north today - commuters. it's been a victory for| commuters in the north today who commuters. it's been a victory for- commuters in the north today who for too long, as you have said they have been subject to delays and cancellations and derailing plans and also ambitions for a strong northern economy. it is very welcomed news but things aren't going to change overnight in the comes to an end on may the 28th and going into an operator of last resorts, there is people looking under the bonnet, so to speak to look at what can be done to make the service fit for the 21st century and so, i'm hoping this is also a moment for partners to reset of relationships and i'm really hopeful that this can make a difference and i made a play my part as the voice of passengers in the north. in terms

of everyday — of passengers in the north. in terms of everyday commuting _ of passengers in the north. in terms of everyday commuting for - of passengers in the north. in terms of everyday commuting for people, | of everyday commuting for people, and commuters, it is been a nightmare does for people watching around the world, given the stuff flavour briefly of trying to get from a to b. if flavour briefly of trying to get from a to 5-— flavour briefly of trying to get from a to b. ,, ., �* from a to b. if you don't live here, ou don't from a to b. if you don't live here, you don't understand _ from a to b. if you don't live here, you don't understand the - from a to b. if you don't live here, you don't understand the misery . from a to b. if you don't live here, | you don't understand the misery of cancellations, being squashed in, checking your phone and night, checking your phone and night, checking your phone free go to sleep and we make up in the morning, getting to the platform and that it's cancelled and i think it's just been a really impactful for our economy and as a commuter and the mayor, people tell me the stories, people choosing different universities not going to the city because they don't know they can get home at night. missing funerals, missing job interviews, it is really held us back in this company has not

been working for quite some time. is that they are not creating their absolutely terrible and that is a huge part of the problem. the government are quite open about this and it will be a silver bullet taking it under government control and what has to change in terms of the dynamic to make progress and other things you just outlined? i’zre other things you 'ust outlined? i've been other things you just outlined? i�*e: been speaking other things you just outlined? ie: been speaking to other things you just outlined? i�*”2 been speaking to them this other things you just outlined? i“2 been speaking to them this morning and speaking to richard george she was the operator of the last resort and there does seem to be a sense of relief that they can reset and management in the direction of businesses and the company owned by the government. i5 businesses and the company owned by the government. is a businesses and the company owned by the government-— the government. is a come down to money and — the government. is a come down to money and is _ the government. is a come down to money and is a _ the government. is a come down to money and is a need _ the government. is a come down to money and is a need to _ the government. is a come down to money and is a need to be - the government. is a come down to money and is a need to be more - the government. is a come down to - money and is a need to be more money on the table from government. flit on the table from government. of course money on the table from government. oi course money is part of on the table from government. iii course money is part of the narrative but it's more nuanced than

that, certainly if you think about safety for example and stuffing themselves and taking pictures of themselves and taking pictures of the commuters and apologising and saying i am sending these pictures to my manager and it is unsafe and i'm extremely worried. there are many elements to this but i am hopeful that government will put the shoulder to the wheel and make sure this new research gives us over the line and procuring relations. we have a refresh moment and his northern mayors come we stand shoulder to shoulder to do our business as well. the second day of the trial at the high court. several high—profile figures including prince harry claimed that the publisher hacked phones to gain information. piers morgan denies the allegations and says he will not be giving evidence. but it's up to the court and back to

a correspondent was been following all today's developments and take us through this court is for today? very briefly, she said in the outset, people at all levels in the newspapers knew about concealing unlawful gathering, this includes not just unlawful gathering, this includes notjust phone hacking is a colour, but also other methods and obtaining information and pretending to be someone you're not. and what the lawyer the claimants and with his been known about levels, and what they're doing this. and we're trying to reference by individual stories that appeared in the paper, that the claimants say it was sourced from all unlawful information using a complex jigsaw of different pieces of information. some of the day and by disclosure from mirror group

itself. while mirror group itself since these are skipping allegations that there is not evidence to back them up and also says a lot of these claims that are being made in this case are read of time. he heard the details of the articles the prince harry is specifically complaining about and an article in 1996 about his 12th birthday 22,009 with the covered issues like personal life and the relationship withjosie devey and all of those newspapers deny the use of unlawful information gathering to get those stories. it's going to be a long and detailed fight, it looks like. it's been eight months since the death of mahsa amini — which sparked waves of protests across iran. the protests — represent the biggest threat to

the islamic republic in decades. women — defying the strict laws on wearing a headscarf. it was all sparked after mahsa amini died in custody, accused of not obeying iran's strict dress code for women, for allegedly wearing her hijab "improperly". the us based, iranian dissident — masi alin—ejad, has been one of the highest profile critics of the tehran regime. she's currently in the uk, and has been placed under 2a hour police protection, such is the level of threat against her. shejoined me in the studio earlier — and said that the repressions have not silenced the protestors. there was a huge gap between the young generation and those who are telling you what life is like to follow and cover your head, not allowed to sing, you're not allowed to dance or listen to music that you want to. so, for that, the young generation saying that we don't have anything to lose. and of the older generation, those parents as

children got killed adjourning the revolution saying that we here to end this gender apartheid regime. you quoted the handmaids tale, just remind us of what you said there and is the reality on the ground that every turn, the the regime has been even more brutal.— even more brutal. more brutal but with the iranian _ even more brutal. more brutal but with the iranian regime _ even more brutal. more brutal but with the iranian regime killed, - even more brutal. more brutal but with the iranian regime killed, thej with the iranian regime killed, the more the people get braver and determined to actually push back the boundaries and pushback and ac that they announce that we are actually going to identify unveiled women and metros and shops, because with the women did, the response was i'm sorry to say that, showing middle fingers to the cameras and saying that we are here. take photos of us, we are not scared of you. but the demand is beyond the compulsory, it's one of the main pillars of the

gender apartheid regime and they want to and that. that is why we want, the books says if you do not want us to be an army against you, you shouldn't have put us in this same uniform and this is right now the situation in iran. women are being forced for a0 years to cover themselves and now they're taking their compulsory feelings off and saying we are not afraid of you. we are an army against you. you saying we are not afraid of you. we are an army against you.— are an army against you. you are under 24 hour _ are an army against you. you are under 24 hour protection - are an army against you. you are under 24 hour protection for- are an army against you. you are under 24 hour protection for the | under 2a hour protection for the metropolitan police in the uk, how scary is it when you heard that given the background? it�*s scary is it when you heard that given the background? it's shocking. many journalists _ given the background? it's shocking. many journalists left _ given the background? it's shocking. many journalists left iran _ given the background? it's shocking. many journalists left iran because i manyjournalists left iran because we found you to a safe haven, we founded the united states to practice our freedom of expression. but it seems that the uk, the united

states, the west is not safe any more as far as the islamic republic is in power in challenging the uk government on the uk's soil. sol was shocked because after my appearance on piers morgan's show, so four metropolitan police came to my hotel and said we are going to protect you 2a hours but my people, they do not have protection and iran. that's what i want to call the uk government to protectjournalists and counter the terrorist regime. coming off the back of the assassination attempt in the us, when details of the plot emerged, how shocked were you that, that you consider that there was a possibility that perhaps you would be targeted? {lii possibility that perhaps you would be targeted?— be targeted? of course. tilling, assassinating, _ be targeted? of course. tilling, assassinating, taking _ be targeted? of course. tilling, assassinating, taking hostages| be targeted? of course. tilling, i assassinating, taking hostages are in the dna of the islamic forces. we

know about the brutality of the regime. of course it is scary to see a man with a loaded gun in front of your house, three men hired by the islamic republic are in prison in america because they were trying to kill me. but i am not afraid, as you can hearfrom my voice, i am not going to give up my fight. can hear from my voice, i am not going to give up my fight. heading to social media, _ going to give up my fight. heading to social media, you _ going to give up my fight. heading to social media, you can _ going to give up my fight. heading to social media, you can see - going to give up my fight. heading to social media, you can see the i to social media, you can see the full interview that we did earlier on the programme. a couple of stories to squeeze in because one of the stars of the was penny mordaunt. who you may remember carrying this sword throughout much of the ceremony. it's the sword of state — which she later swapped for the sword of offering after charles was crowned. she was the first woman ever to take on the role — as lord of the privy council — and she's been talking about the experience with the bbc�*s nick robinson.

so, how much pumping iron was there before you picked up that sword? this story has developed and has run away with itself. i was not in the gym for six months prior to this. six weeks? six days? no, i think you want to make sure you are in good nick. and i did take a couple of painkillers beforehand, just to make sure i was going to be all right, but it�*s fine. it�*s all good and we got through it, and it was my only half the ceremony i had to carry that sword of state, which is a really heavy one, and then i traded it in for the very exquisite jewels sword of offering. it�*s much lighter. the really heavy one, what other tips? if god help us, in a few years' time, somebody needs to say, i've got to do this job, what are the tips to holding that sword? notjust aloft, but erect, without any shake at all? i think it�*s practice. like anything that you�*re preparing for, you know,

don�*t leave anything to chance. have a good breakfast, wear comfortable shoes... i had a great team with me because the chaps who... haven�*t got any plaudits at all, the former defence chiefs who were standing behind me, with the other swords in the ceremony, we were all there, supporting each other, and we�*d obviously been talking under our breath at each other during rehearsals, so keeping each other going. penny mordaunt talking to nick robinson on his bbc podcast political thinking — about her role in the coronation of king charles. you can listen to the full podcast via the bbc app. white make millions around the world expected to be watching with 16 competing with the final. uk hosting this contest on behalf of ukraine masters winner, someone who knows what it is like to represent

someone who knows what it's like to represent ukraine at eurovision is tina karol. she was the country's entry in 2006 and finished seventh in the grand final. she's been telling my colleague maryam moshiri what it's like to be back at eurovision: iamso i am so grateful and so thankful and ukrainian citizens, you give us a huge opportunity to represent but we have and this is incredible. you are finding this is, we feel that someone is watching her back and someone is watching her back and someone is watching her back and someone is fighting with us. this is part of the resistance because this music festival, the eurovision that year, this is how europe united and the show goes on about russia, yes. that is a huge mission and we bring the mission and freedom, the hope,

onejoy, one home and this is for our troops and soldiers and nation. thank you so much. you our troops and soldiers and nation. thank you so much.— our troops and soldiers and nation. thank you so much. you competed in 2006 and you — thank you so much. you competed in 2006 and you are _ thank you so much. you competed in 2006 and you are sheer. _ thank you so much. you competed in 2006 and you are sheer. how- thank you so much. you competed in| 2006 and you are sheer. how exciting is it to be a part of eurovision again because you will be involved in the parade on saturday. it is again because you will be involved in the parade on saturday.- in the parade on saturday. it is a bi in the parade on saturday. it is a his honour _ in the parade on saturday. it is a his honour to — in the parade on saturday. it is a big honour to represent - in the parade on saturday. it is a big honour to represent my - in the parade on saturday. it is a i big honour to represent my country didn't have beautiful our culture and our professional singers are and i am a part of that mission. thank you for the opportunity again. so much reference to ukraine here you can see discover ukraine area and ukrainian songbird all around the report, ukrainian music is everywhere you walk, how does that make you feel? it everywhere you walk, how does that make you feel?— make you feel? it feels like i'm at home,

make you feel? it feels like i'm at home. better _ make you feel? it feels like i'm at home, better than _ make you feel? it feels like i'm at home, better than home - make you feel? it feels like i'm at i home, better than home sometimes. you give us the feeling that we are not alone. so, it makes me cry sometimes. thank you so much. i need to listen to the — sometimes. thank you so much. i need to listen to the competitors, _ sometimes. thank you so much. i need to listen to the competitors, as - to listen to the competitors, as their favourite country that you have other than ukraine? yes. their favourite country that you have other than ukraine? yes, thank ou for have other than ukraine? yes, thank you for that- — have other than ukraine? yes, thank you for that- i— have other than ukraine? yes, thank you for that. i really _ have other than ukraine? yes, thank you for that. i really like _ have other than ukraine? yes, thank you for that. i really like the - you for that. i really like the music from great britain. in the music from great britain. in the music from great britain. in the music from israel, very nice. everyone tried to be the best but this, for me, the eurovision, people felt united because they laugh, but they want to have joy and sell, its about bringing joy and live your life you want. and that is it bsl.

it means a lot.— life you want. and that is it bsl. it means a lot. that is it from me and thank you — it means a lot. that is it from me and thank you for _ it means a lot. that is it from me and thank you for watching i it means a lot. that is it from me and thank you for watching and l and thank you for watching and we will see you next time. hello there. well, it's been another day of widespread heavy showers and thunderstorms, particularly focused across england and wales, as we can see on the radar and the lightning detector picture here. now, some of the storms today have been particularly slow moving, raising the prospect of flash flooding. and we've had a number of funnel cloud spotted. this particular one, a beauty from the bedford area. now, looking at the weather picture overnight tonight, the showers fade away pretty quickly as we lose the heat of the day and we start to develop cooler northeasterly winds which will drag a lot of cloud in from the north sea. probably thick enough for an occasional spot of drizzle and maybe a few mist patches around as well. 0ur temperatures overnight generally around six to nine degrees celsius. and then tomorrow, complete change

in the weather picture across east scotland, eastern england, where it's going to be cloudy with a bit of rain coming in across east anglia, south east england and working to the midlands and central southern england later on. across western areas of england, wales, northern ireland and scotland. mostly a fine day with some pleasant spells of sunshine. it will feel quite warm in the west with that sunshine and highs up to around 18 or 19 degrees. contrast that with the cooler conditions that we'll have in the east, where temperatures at best will get to about 13 or 1a degrees. and in saturday's forecast we have a build of pressure across the uk and that should bring us a more settled weather day. saturday, any early morning cloud and drizzle fizzles away pretty

quickly and we'll see some sunshine come out. now for scotland and northern ireland, temperatures might hit 22 degrees celsius, which would make it the warmest day of the year so far. but i think wherever we feel that may sunshine, it will feel pleasantly warm. whereas around some of the east coast temperatures about 1a, 15 degrees here. for sunday, a cold front brings rain to scotland and northern ireland. so, that will dump the temperatures, 50 and 16 degrees through the afternoon here. england, wales, well, rain pushed into the north and the west as we go on through the day, might be a few showers elsewhere. the highest temperatures, east anglia in the south east where again, we could see temperatures reached the low twenties. so, that's our weather. but i want to show you what's going on in south asia, where a nasty looking cyclonic storm is heading towards the border region of myanmar and bangladesh. this is the zone that currently houses many hundreds of thousands of rohingya refugees in camps. given the weather, there is the potential for some catastrophic impacts. that's the latest.

at 6pm: another rise for interest rates, as the bank of england warns prices will stay higher for longer. rates are up to a.5% — bad news for many people with mortgages, credit cards and loans. we cards and loans. do expect food inflation to come down we do expect food inflation to come down quite rapidly throughout the course of this year but what we have come... the view we've come to ears it will take a bit longer than we thought it would. we'll explain why rates keep rising and report on the impact on household budgets. also on the programme... 0vercrowding and cancellations. 0ne 0vercrowding and cancellations. one of britain's most complained about services, transpennine express, is stripped of its contract to run trains across northern england and into scotland.

the government confirms it is supplying ukraine