hello, i'm rich preston, welcome to bbc news now, 3 hours of fast—moving news, interviews and reaction. we begin in russia — where the defence ministry says the ukrainian government has launched what it's called "a terrorist drone attack" on moscow. several buildings were damaged by the attack. there are no reported deaths. moscow's regional governor said many drones had been shot down outside the city, and blamed ukraine for the attack. an adviser to president zelensky has denied any ukrainian responsibility but added that kyiv is "watching with pleasure and forecast an increasing number of attacks". moscow is around 500 km from ukraine. our russia editor steve rosenberg sent this report from moscow. explosion russian tv says this is the moment that moscow came under attack. from early morning, people in and around the russian capital reported hearing explosions.

idid, too. at home, my window shook from the force of the blast. russia's defence ministry says that ukraine had targeted moscow with drones. the russian military claimed it had brought them all down. "look at that," a man says in this video. "right above our house!" later, russian investigators announced that no—one had been injured. they've opened an official investigation into the attack. one of the drones had crashed into a high—rise apartment block. another reportedly flew into this residential building. here is part of it on the ground. it had failed to explode. the area was cordoned off, and emergency services removed it. amongst local residents, the sense of shock is palpable. "we're all on edge," marat says. "i don't know what we should do about it."

"i fear for my life and the lives of my loved ones," says yelena. "things are not as calm and stable as we've been told." the moscow authorities say there was minor damage, no serious injuries, and the situation is under control. but for muscovites, this drone attack is a wake—up call — a sign that this war, that many here still perceive as being far away, is coming much closer to home. that feeling has been growing since these explosions over the kremlin earlier this month — an apparent drone attack. and just days ago, a large—scale cross—border incursion from ukraine into russian territory was another embarrassment for the russian authorities and a sign of growing insecurity. but no sign of any political u—turn. after this morning's drone attacks, the message from the kremlin is great — the

kremlin is clear — what it calls the special military operation in ukraine will continue. meanwhile, russian forces have carried out their third aerial bombardment of the ukrainian capital, kyiv, in twenty—four hours. these are the latest pictures coming in to us from kyiv. one person was killed in what was the seventeeth attack on the capital since the start of may. ukraine claims it shot down 29 of 31 drones, mainly over kyiv. the mayor of kyiv, vitali klitschko, gave his reaction to these latest russian attacks. 12 people have injuries, one people killed from the attack last night. and the last two days is attack number four. can you describe how it makes you feel to see your citizens being terrorised like this? putin needs ukraine without ukrainians. it's terrorism. everyone is, of course,

worried about that, and russians want to bring depression to our people. instead of depression, people are very angry. i've been speaking to our russia editor steve rosenberg and our diplomatic correspondent james landale. they've updated us on the reactions in both russia and ukraine. i heard some reaction from the kremlin, from president putin's spokesman who basically said that what happened this morning, there is a drone attack on moscow and the moscow region, showed the need to continue with what the kremlin still culls at the special military operation in ukraine, the more on ukraine. that is the message from the kremlin. the kremlin controls the kremlin. the kremlin controls the area here, especially importantly controlled television which is very powerful in shaping public opinion. that is the message that hazy is going to put across, i

think. there will be many people watching state television who will accept that narrative, that what happened this morning means that russia has to carry on with its campaign there.— russia has to carry on with its campaign there. russia has to carry on with its camaian there. , . , , , , ., campaign there. james, pretty strong words there from _ campaign there. james, pretty strong words there from the _ campaign there. james, pretty strong words there from the kremlin. - campaign there. james, pretty strong words there from the kremlin. what i words there from the kremlin. what have ukrainian officials been saying about the strike on moscow? figs have ukrainian officials been saying about the strike on moscow? as you said, the about the strike on moscow? as you said. they have _ about the strike on moscow? as you said, they have been _ about the strike on moscow? as you said, they have been denying - said, they have been denying responsibility but they have also been _ responsibility but they have also been expressing some grim satisfaction. a spokesman for the air force — satisfaction. a spokesman for the air force said there is simply that he had _ air force said there is simply that he had read and seen what had happened in moscow and he rejoiced. an adviser_ happened in moscow and he rejoiced. an adviser to mist or zelensky, at the presidential office here, said he watched with pleasure. the thing is people _ he watched with pleasure. the thing is people of ukraine have now experienced the 17th night of air strikes — experienced the 17th night of air strikes this month alone. moscow had, _ strikes this month alone. moscow had, according to the defence ministry— had, according to the defence ministry there, eight, possibly more drones _

ministry there, eight, possibly more drones. hewitt ukraine says they suffered — drones. hewitt ukraine says they suffered from 31 russian drones. that is— suffered from 31 russian drones. that is riot— suffered from 31 russian drones. that is not an excessive number, that is— that is not an excessive number, that is a — that is not an excessive number, that is a sort— that is not an excessive number, that is a sort of normal night which is why— that is a sort of normal night which is why people here are expressing a little bit _ is why people here are expressing a little bit of— is why people here are expressing a little bit of satisfaction that may be little bit of satisfaction that may he he _ little bit of satisfaction that may be be people in moscow are receiving or experiencing something close to what the _ or experiencing something close to what the people of ukraine have been experiencing. let me give you a piece _ experiencing. let me give you a piece of— experiencing. let me give you a piece of evidence for that. the mayor— piece of evidence for that. the mayor of— piece of evidence for that. the mayor of ukraine was on television last night— mayor of ukraine was on television last night and he asked an open question— last night and he asked an open question two senior ukrainian military— question two senior ukrainian military commanders and i will quote, — military commanders and i will quote, he _ military commanders and i will quote, he said if people of kyiv can be given— quote, he said if people of kyiv can be given nightmares by russia, why should _ be given nightmares by russia, why should the — be given nightmares by russia, why should the people of moscow rest? a few hours _ should the people of moscow rest? a few hours later, the people of moscow — few hours later, the people of moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned, moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned. this _ moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned, this kind _ moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned, this kind of— moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned, this kind of attack - moscow had the rest broken. as james mentioned, this kind of attack is - mentioned, this kind of attack is parfor mentioned, this kind of attack is par for the course for ukrainian citizens at the moment, for much of the conflict those in moscow, this

has been a distant war for them, something they have read about in newspapers, this special military operation. does this bring things home to them?— operation. does this bring things home to them? , ,, , home to them? yes, 5 moore has been auoin on home to them? yes, 5 moore has been going on for— home to them? yes, 5 moore has been going on for more _ home to them? yes, 5 moore has been going on for more than _ home to them? yes, 5 moore has been going on for more than 15 _ home to them? yes, 5 moore has been going on for more than 15 months - going on for more than 15 months now. —— this war. many muscovites tend to turn away, many pretend it is not happening. for some people here it is a war happening on the television screens. their own lives are not impacted directly. of course globalisation that we sell being announced last autumn, that it affected some people here when hundreds of thousands of russians were called up and drafted into the army to fight in ukraine. even at that, here in moscow, many people continued as normal and you see the sun shining, people are strolling on the streets, sitting by the fountains. what happened this morning, this attack on the capital and moscow region, even though damage was minor and there were no

serious injuries, that will be a wake—up call for many people in the city, that actually this is happening and i think many people will feel this war has suddenly become much closer to home. let's go to north—east africa now. in sudan, a humanitarian truce has been extended for another five days. the ceasefire between sudan's military and its rival was announced hours before the existing agreement was due to expire. according to the united nations, the conflict has left more than half of the country's population in need of humanitarian aid and protection. our correspondent is following developments.— our correspondent is following developments. our correspondent is following develoments. ., ., . ., developments. from nairobi. we are watchin: developments. from nairobi. we are watching what _ developments. from nairobi. we are watching what is _ developments. from nairobi. we are watching what is happening - developments. from nairobi. we are watching what is happening in - developments. from nairobi. we are watching what is happening in sudan| watching what is happening in sudan and the latest ceasefire, it is an extension of a 70 ceasefire that was already in effect but unfortunately even through the ceasefire there were a lot of reports of gunfire, of

air strikes, were a lot of reports of gunfire, of airstrikes, of were a lot of reports of gunfire, of air strikes, of battles and fighting on the ground. as much as in the last seven days, we have seen a little bit of aid and medical assistance getting into hospitals in khartoum, it is not much and there are millions of people, especially in places in darfur where there have been heavy fighting, that really need aid, really need attention but this has not been able to get to them because despite all these talks of a ceasefire, a humanitarian corridor has not been established yet. we do not know whether this will lead to a complete secession at least for five days because that has not happened for any of the ceasefires. that is what many people are helpful for and ceasefires. that is what many people are helpfulfor and aiming for. —— hopefulfor. i've been sppeaking to hamid khallafallah, from the international institute for democracy and electoral assistance. he's in cairo, having fled

sudan two weeks ago, and says the extension of the ceasefire is a start. i think it is better than nothing. it had allowed some humanitarian assistance to get into khartoum for the first time, the world food programme were able to distribute some food packages for the very first time in khartoum. so it did have some positive impact. citizens were able to get some humanitarian assistance. but on the general spectrum and so on it was not effective. people who wanted to leave khartoum to safer areas and so on were not able to do so because the roads were still unsafe, there was a lot of checkpoints and shooting was happening all the time as well. people inside the houses were also not secure and despite this it was relatively extended

for the whole week, this did not allow for the power stations and water stations to get fixed so people could get electricity and water in the houses. so many areas have not seen electricity or water for the last six weeks or so. various previous ceasefires have been attempted and have repeatedly been broken or failed for various reasons. we seem to be lurching from one failed ceasefire to another. what is really needed to bring these two sides together and stop the fighting? unfortunately, the mediators of the mediation initiatives seem to be repeating the same thing, although it keeps not working and they expect different outcomes. i don't know why anyone would think that a ceasefire would hold. if there wasn't accountability and punishment, it is very clear whoever violates the ceasefire will be subject to this and that.

that is not in place and these warring factions have no incentive in ceasing hostilities. both of them are using the talks and the agreement on ceasefires and so on as a tactical kind of position, where it will give them time with the international community to make them seem cooperative. but on the ground, continued hostilities and continued violent attacks until one of them claims victory in one way or another. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. time to look at some other news here in the uk. the prime minister has voiced support for an academic whose appearance this evening at the oxford union has sparked controversy. the university's lgbtq+ society wants kathleen stock�*s talk to be cancelled,

because she believes that trans women are not the same as women. rishi sunak says debate at universities should be encouraged, not stifled. the oxford union says attendees will have a chance to challenge professor stock�*s views. the british retail consortium says the rate of price rises at uk supermarkets hit a new high in the year to may — due in part to coffee and chocolate. it says the overall rate of inflation at grocery stores reached 9% — though prices for fresh food have fallen slightly. workers at the homeless charity st mungo's will begin a month—long strike today, in a dispute over pay. the unite union said workers were "taking a stand" following the offer of a 2.25 percent pay rise, while st mungo's has said it cannot afford to meet the union's demands and called you're live with bbc news.... let's go to the us and pittsburgh. a

trial is under way for the deadliest attack injewish community in us history. according to witnesses the 50—year—old shouted anti—semitic slogans and fired an assault rifle and semiautomatic handguns for 15 minutes, working his way from room to room in the building. he faces 63 charges including hate crimes. i asked our correspondent to explain what happened during the attack. it really was a brutal and horrendous attack. four and a half years ago and now in a small synagogue with three congregations split over several floors and at about ten to ten that saturday morning, while the sabbath services for going on, it is alleged robert bowes entered the synagogue, began shooting and eventually it would

kill 11 people, wound another seven or more, including four police offices. he eventually gave himself up offices. he eventually gave himself up and has been awaiting trial ever since. the federal government, because this is a federal case being prosecuted by the government in washington, they are seeking the death penalty for robert bowes. it is something that has been pretty contentious. the defensive try to enter a plea bargain and say we will plead guilty if you give us life without parole. that has been rejected by the prosecution, defensive try to move this trial a number of time. they have also tried to exclude certain parts of the evidence but here we are today, four and a half years on from the trial with the trial beginning. the gilt phase, the first part of this trial determine whether or not robert bowers did it, is likely to be the place where much of the evidence will not be contested because there is very little doubt about intensity

in this case. the real crux will come at what is called the penalty phaseif come at what is called the penalty phase if he is found guilty because thatis phase if he is found guilty because that is when the victims will get their chance to argue for the death penalty if that is what they believe, and the defence will get to argue their defence which will be about mitigating circumstances, psychiatric illnesses and the effects of epilepsy etc that they say robert bowers has, as a way of keeping him from death row. that will all unfold over the next nine weeks or so. the possibility that the covid—19 virus leaked from a laboratory should not be ruled out, a former top chinese government scientist has told bbc news. george gao, who was director of the chinese centre for disease control for much of the pandemic, has told a new bbc podcast that the question of the virus's origin remains open. many scientists still believe that the virus is most likely to have passed naturally from animals to humans. but others argue that an accidental leak can't be ruled out. john sudworth — was our correspondent in china

until he was forced to leave in 2021 — he's sent this report from new york. ever since the world got its first glimpse of the deadly disease circulating in wuhan, china has dismissed the theory that covid might have leaked from a lab known to have been experimenting with coronaviruses, as a lie. but now, one of china's most senior scientists seems far less forthright when i ask him about that possibility. you know, i haven't seen anything. you know, a lot of people have some suspicions, but i haven't seen anything. but nor can you rule it out? for science you have to be open—minded. that means everything is possible. don't rule out anything. don't rule out anything, he says. but the lab leak theory was ruled out. perhaps its association with this man helped cast it as a conspiracy theory.

have you seen anything at this point that gives you a high degree of confidence that the wuhan institute of virology was the origin of this virus? yes, i have. as did the claims from some western scientists of overwhelming evidence that the virus, which started in bats, passed naturally to humans, perhaps via other animals in a market, a route by which deadly pandemics are known to have emerged in the past. it was that past precedent that influenced the world health 0rganization mission to wuhan when it too effectively ruled out a lab leak. everyone is biased, i am biased for natural origin because of everything we have seen in the past. the sheer amount of consumption of wild animal

meat is such a known high—risk situation. mil meat is such a known high-risk situation. . ., ., ., situation. all along other scientists _ situation. all along other scientists were _ situation. all along other scientists were agreeing | situation. all along other - scientists were agreeing that covid may well have come from animals in a market, say there is not yet enough evidence to definitively rule out the other possibility, that it leaked from a lad. and with a change of presidency here in the us, that view, now somewhat freed from its political associations, has gained traction. following a review ordered by president biden, two out of eight us intelligence agencies are now said to favour a lab leak with low to moderate confidence. and there is a renewed focus on the wider issue of the risks of lab work with dangerous pathogens, although the political partisanship still looms large. robert redfield was a tramp appointee to one of america's top scientificjobs. i appointee to one of america's top scientific jobs.— scientificjobs. i had 11 living grandchildren, _ scientificjobs. i had 11 living grandchildren, they - scientificjobs. i had 11 living grandchildren, they are - scientificjobs. i had 11 living grandchildren, they are at l scientificjobs. i had 11 living i

grandchildren, they are at high scientificjobs. i had 11 living - grandchildren, they are at high risk of a pandemic in the next decade or two and i think that will because by man, not by nature, either intentional or by terrorism, or possiblyjust a lab accident. you've no right to tell me not to ask questions. i have all the rights. under what grounds? the signs of china's heavy handed political control have been there from the start. and the mystery of what happened in wuhan has become one of the most controversial questions of our time. but it's also one of the most important. where did covid come from? john sudworth, bbc news, new york. i'm joined now by ravi gupta — professor of clinical microbiology at the university of cambridge. more than three years since this virus was first detected, lots of theories still are regarding where it came from. where do you think the virus came from? it is it came from. where do you think the virus came from?—

virus came from? it is clear there are two main _ virus came from? it is clear there are two main possibilities, - virus came from? it is clear there are two main possibilities, one i virus came from? it is clear there are two main possibilities, one is| are two main possibilities, one is that it was a natural spill—over and as has been mentioned in this programme, these events happen continually and there is a very high risk for them happening, most of them do not become pandemics that many human infections occur as a result of the transmission from animals. and then of course the other possibility is that whilst investigating viruses, researchers at the wuhan institute of urology inadvertently released a virus that was in the wild initially but then through week in the lab or practices in the lab ended up enabling that virus to transmit into humans, with the market as a main expansion for that virus. those are the two main possibilities in people's mines. the probability is weighted towards the natural spill—over event. what probability is weighted towards the natural spill-over event.— natural spill-over event. why is it so important _ natural spill-over event. why is it so important to — natural spill-over event. why is it so important to understand - natural spill-over event. why is it. so important to understand precisely where this virus came from? there are two answers — where this virus came from? there are two answers to _ where this virus came from? there are two answers to that, _

where this virus came from? there are two answers to that, i - where this virus came from? there are two answers to that, i think- where this virus came from? there are two answers to that, i think if. are two answers to that, i think if this had not been such a severe pandemic with so much loss of life and economic destruction, then potentially the precise event will have been of less interest but because this was such a major event, i think people really want to know exactly what happened and they want to know the possibilities, even if those possibilities are small and i do support that. i think that is one of the key reasons people, the public want to know. scientists want to know because we want to get to the facts, that is what we do and whether it makes much difference in terms of where we go from here is more debatable because we realise that laboratories are places where we do need a degree of oversight and regulation of what is conducted in those laboratories, and of course if this was a natural spill—over than the implications are that we need to think about how we might limit those

cross species transmission is in wet markets or other forms of human animal interface.— markets or other forms of human animal interface. whether this does -rove animal interface. whether this does rove to animal interface. whether this does prove to be — animal interface. whether this does prove to be elaborate _ animal interface. whether this does prove to be elaborate or _ animal interface. whether this does prove to be elaborate or not, - animal interface. whether this does prove to be elaborate or not, many| prove to be elaborate or not, many people may question why a lab in the first place would be holding onto so many deadly pathogens and viruses at all, why might a laboratory need or want to hold onto these kinds of things? i want to hold onto these kinds of thins? ~ ., want to hold onto these kinds of thins? ,, ., , ~ , things? i think that is... as soppose — things? i think that is... as soppose the _ things? i think that is... as suppose the viruses - things? i think that is... as suppose the viruses have i things? i think that is. .. as . suppose the viruses have been identified but for some time when you bring from bats into a lab under containment, you don't necessarily know what is in those samples so they then need to undergo a process of sequencing, in order to figure out what genetic codes are in there and what viruses those represents, and what viruses those represents, and then to know which ones are dangerous or not, you need to have a greater understanding through one of the way to figure that out is through laboratory experiments. the level of risk in any one particular

example is very much unknown, and thatis example is very much unknown, and that is probably why we need to do certain research in the right containment and safe environments, in order to expand our knowledge of what is out there. if we do not know what is out there. if we do not know what is out there. if we do not know what is out there and what is dangerous, we will struggle to defend ourselves in the future from the natural spill—over events that happen in nature and transmit into humans. ., ~ happen in nature and transmit into humans. ., ,, , ., happen in nature and transmit into humans. ., ~' , ., , happen in nature and transmit into humans. ., ,, , ., , . foreign secretary, james cleverly is visiting estonia today to underline the british commitment to nato and the defence of its "eastern flank�*. let's listen to what he is saying. question for the british foreign secretary, we have seen reports today of drone attacks in moscow. do you have any details about who could be behind them and if not, given

that kyiv comes under weekly, sometimes daily, attack from russian drones, regardless of who was responsible... we are not going to have time to listen to the foreign secretary answer that question but we will bring you much more on that story here on bbc news. hello. for some of us, it has been a while since we last saw any rain, particularly across parts of england and wales. in fact, close to swansea there's been no measurable rain for more than three weeks. plymouth, nottingham, sheffield, not far behind. it has rained a little more recently than that in parts of northern ireland and scotland. over the next five days, unlike southern europe where there is going to be quite a lot of wet weather, across our shores many places are going to stay bone dry. with that, though, there

will be some variations. the warmest and sunniest weather will always be across western parts with cooler and cloudier weather further east. through the rest of today, some eastern coasts of england will cling onto some areas of cloud, parts of eastern scotland. northern scotland too staying quite cloudy and where that happens it will be cool. 12 degrees for lerwick, 1a for norwich, but further west highs of 2a there in glasgow. this evening and tonight we do it all over again. we bring this cloud in from the north sea. it rolls its way westwards. clearest of the skies across parts of western scotland, northern ireland, north—west england. that's where it will turn a little bit chilly. temperatures generally between six and 11 degrees. tomorrow, parts of east wales, a good part of england, eastern scotland starting cloudy. a lot of that cloud will roll its way back towards the east coast. if you are spending your day along the coast, if it stays cloudy, when you're exposed to the breeze temperatures are likely to only get to 1a, 15, 16 degrees. parts of north—east scotland only

getting to 12 or 13 degrees. however, further west in the sunshine, temperatures around glasgow likely to get to 25, 26 degrees. 23 for western parts of northern ireland. many western parts of england and wales not too far behind. into thursday, really, it is more of the same. the cloudy and coolest weather to be found across eastern parts of scotland, the eastern side of england. further west, more sunshine, more warmth, temperatures up to around 23 or 2a degrees. as we head towards the weekend, high pressure remains the dominant weather feature. we will continue to see the winds flowing around that area of high pressure. where you're exposed to that breeze around eastern coasts it will feel quite cool and it will be cloudy at times. the highest temperatures and the best of the sunshine further west.

i'm ben thompson. regulating the future. the us and the eu step up cooperation on al, but can they keep up with the speed of change? and as australia bans recreational vaping — a warning that it could simply fuel a new black market.

welcome to world business report, artificial intelligence may offer a whole new array of tools, but there are also fears over the impact of the new techology on everyday life. and so later today, the european union and the united states will discuss cooperation on al.