in all the countries around israel's border — including with lebanon — and we are working to try and make sure that this does not become a regional conflict. and to iran, we've made it clear it would be completely against their own interest to see this escalate. we do not want to see the militia groups or terrorist organisations that we know they fund to get involved in this. we need to de—escalate. we need to get the humanitarian aid to the people of gaza. and we need to make sure that this terrible, terrible situation does not get any worse for the people in the region. scotland's first minister humza yousaf has also spoken about the situation in gaza today. members of his family are there and he said communications have been near impossible but he's now been able to speak to them. just this morning, before i came to this event, i heard from my mother—in—law. the situation is still dire, they're alive, which is what we keep hoping

and praying for every single night. but the situation is really dire. they are down to, i would say not even clean water, they have salty water, coming, no doubt, from the sea, it's not great to be drinking, in fact they shouldn't be drinking it. they are using it where they can to clean dishes, they have little food and they haven't slept for well over three weeks now as the bombing continues. and that is why my call, not just for my family but for all the people who are suffering, is for that ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid in, notjust trickle but significant humanitarian aid in to allow those people who want to leave and need to leave to be able to get out of gaza. humza yousaf was also asked about the uk covid inquiry which is this week hearing from senior government advisers. you can scan the qr code on your screen now to follow all of those updates live

on our website but the focus today has been on whatsapp messages. the scottish government has been accused of failing to hand over whatsapp messages to the inquiry. mr yousaf denies deleting anything. certainly not true from my perspective. i've kept and retained all of the whatsapp messages and are more than happy to hand them over to the covid inquiry. i don't know where those press reports have come in relation to my own whatsapp messages, i have retained them and will be more than happy to hand them overin will be more than happy to hand them over in relation to the covid inquiry if required. what about jason leitch and nicola sturgeon? i don't know what is in nicola sturgeon�*s statement, she will have to address her own whatsapp messages and i've not seenjason leitch�*s

statement. the government will comply fully with the covid inquiry. government business isn't routinely done over whatsapp and where decisions were made, they are appropriately recorded within our record management system but if the covid inquiry needs more information, i expect every minister past and present, every government official or clinical advisor to comply. where --eole or clinical advisor to comply. where peeple ever — or clinical advisor to comply. where peeple ever told — or clinical advisor to comply. where people ever told to _ or clinical advisor to comply. where people ever told to delete - or clinical advisor to comply. where | people ever told to delete messages because they may be embarrassing if they were made public? m0. because they may be embarrassing if they were made public?— because they may be embarrassing if they were made public? no, we have a social media — they were made public? no, we have a social media messaging _ they were made public? no, we have a social media messaging policy - they were made public? no, we have a social media messaging policy that - social media messaging policy that has been in government for a number of years now which talks about retention of data. i'm pretty sure i gave a link to that policy to msps earlier this year. we had the do not destroy notice as well from the inquiry which is my expectation that ministers and officials comply with that and i can speak on my behalf and say that i have retained all of

my whatsapp messages and i'm more than happy to hand them over whenever the inquiry wishes to see. why did it take until this month for the government to as the uk covid inquiry for the legal order to be obliged to hand over messages? same obliged to hand over messages? some ofthe obliged to hand over messages? some of the messages _ obliged to hand over messages? some of the messages had _ obliged to hand over messages? fine of the messages had personal information so it's important if we are handing over information is done within a legal framework. are handing over information is done within a legalframework. a number of weeks ago, we asked for the section 21 order which we are still waiting for but as soon as we have it, we will hand over those whatsapp messages. we've released about 13,000 documents to the inquiries and my intention is to continue to make sure we are fully cooperative. i repeat again, these press reports of me deleting these whatsapp messages is simply not true. i have the messages retained and whenever the messages retained and whenever the inquiry wishes to see them, i will hand them over. but the inquiry wishes to see them, i will hand them over.— the inquiry wishes to see them, i will hand them over. but if you are couperating _ will hand them over. but if you are cooperating fully, _ will hand them over. but if you are cooperating fully, why _ will hand them over. but if you are cooperating fully, why is _ will hand them over. but if you are cooperating fully, why is a - will hand them over. but if you are cooperating fully, why is a legal. cooperating fully, why is a legal order necessary? it looks like you are loathe to share material. because we have to make sure we are

operating within the bounds of the law, whether that's gdp are our legislation, we have to make sure we have the appropriate order. i don't think there will be any difficulty in getting that order, when we get that orderfrom the in getting that order, when we get that order from the inquiry, in getting that order, when we get that orderfrom the inquiry, we in getting that order, when we get that order from the inquiry, we will be able to hand over those messages. what can you see two bereaved families are businesses that struggled during the pandemic to reassure them that this inquiry will get to the bottom of everything it needs to? , , ., ., ., , needs to? they should have absolute reassurance — needs to? they should have absolute reassurance we _ needs to? they should have absolute reassurance we will _ needs to? they should have absolute reassurance we will cooperate - needs to? they should have absolute reassurance we will cooperate fully, l reassurance we will cooperate fully, we've handed over 13,000 documents, whatsapp messages, social media messages, whatever messages the inquiry wants to see. it's certainly my intention as first minister to make sure they are handed over from the government i lead. we set up the inquiry for that purpose, we set up the inquiry to be transparent, to get to the bottom of a number of questions that people have, particularly families bereaved by covid, they have a number of

questions and they feel let down about the most recent episode so it's important that the government works hard to restore trust. if messages have been deleted, that's not going to be possible, is it? i know we focus on whatsapp messages and i understand the reason, if any decisions were ever made over whatsapp they would be appropriately recorded within our record management system so it's important that information is sent across. i can speak as first minister, i kept and retained those whatsapp messages and retained those whatsapp messages and will hand over anything the inquiry wishes to see. humza yousaf, first minister of scotland speaking earlier. you can find out more about what was discussed on the bbc news website, just go to the covid—19 life page —— live page. while many parts of the uk are preparing for potential floods this week, one town in lincolnshire is still clearing up after its defences failed nine days ago.

the environment agency has apologised to residents of horncastle after a sluice gate failed, causing around 80 properties to be flooded. lindsey smith went to see the damage. this isn'tjust a clean—up — it's a race against time to get this pre—school ready for the first day of term today. a term where 52 children will be without their outdoor classroom, thanks to the flood waters. we've had to bin nearly everything. we had a box of the children's wellies, we had all our forest school stuff, we've lost our firepit. and in our natural garden we've lost all our diggers, our slide — everything. parents have rallied to help — some setting up a gofundme page to replace toys. it's just really... it's really sad that we've come to this, but it is really, really heart—warming to see that everybody is willing to rally round. heighington millfield primary school next door was not so lucky —

water flowed into the classrooms, pupils will be home—schooled this week. this land is normally home to horses and ponies that have been rescued by bransby horses — a welfare charity. they were given a two—hour warning from the environment agency that it was to be flooded. thankfully, all our staff and our horses are safe. i mean, we fully support the environment agency in needing to use that washland because obviously it protects homes and businesses further down in lincoln. but what it does mean is we have had to move around 100 horses, and try and find some different living accommodation for them. in horncastle, there were more sandbags than people. some business owners told us they were too angry to talk on camera, after the environment agency admitted they were flooded because of a faulty flood defence. there's going to need to be some answers. we're going to need to know why. because insurance for us is going to absolutely rocket. there's a lot of angry people. a lot of angry people. it's not good when so much money was

spent on a scheme that didn't work. somebody needs...needs a serious talking to. the water may have receded in horncastle, but worries are rising — will this happen again if the defences designed to protect them failed so badly? linsey smith, bbc news. legendary singer sir cliff richard has been speaking to bbc breakfast about his 65 years in showbiz from his morning stretching routine to ageism in the music industry. here's a little of what he said. you'vejust had a birthday, right? yes, i have. i mean, i... i can't believe it, really. i'm going on tour and it's my 65th year singing. # it's so funny # why we don't talk any more

my birthday led me to be 83. and are we comfortable with 83? how's the cliff richard mindset at 83? i don't know how to f... i mean, ifeel fantastic. i mean, i'm... i'm going on tour. i've got a book out. i've got an album coming out. and when my tour starts, we're going to film it and i'm going to be in cinema. so...what do i feel? fabulous. does the word "slowing down" ever have anything to do with your life? yes. i have, in the last few years, tried to slow down. in other words, i don't do as much. like what? well, for instance, if i'm going to do a tour, i try to make sure that i have a day off every other day so that i'm not constantly singing. i can't do that any more. and obviously i don't want to retire, but i'm probably going to stop. like a red light. see the red light, you stop. if it goes green, you think, "ok, i'll go now."

so i've left myself open to still be available to do things as long as i can. fortunately, i can still sing. you can find more of that interview on our website — including a clip of cliff richard singing a little melody — and that's currently the most watched video on our website. if you'd like to follow the covid inquiry, all you need to do is scan a qr code, we will put inquiry, all you need to do is scan a qr code, we will put that inquiry, all you need to do is scan a qr code, we will put that on inquiry, all you need to do is scan a qr code, we will put that on the screen for you. that will take you to the bbc live page for the inquiry this afternoon, hearing from lee kane, the former director of communications at number ten. tomorrow, it's dominic cummings. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. we are going to see more impacts from the weather this week. storm

ciaran is pushing on wednesday into thursday. a double whammy of potentially damaging winds across the south but more widespread rainfall on saturated ground could lead to flooding. this low pressure will depend how it interacts with the jet stream so don't treat this as gospel yet, it could move further north or south which will impact where the winds will be. the strongest winds look like they will be southern england and wales, 50 to 60 mph and stronger on coasts and the channel islands and northwest france. rainfall on saturated ground, you can see the total is totting up through the second half of this week and it could lead to further flooding. whitest conditions to the southeast of northern ireland, even before storm ciaran arrives we have a met office amber warning in force for tonight and tomorrow. we've already seen lots of rainfall here, more to come through today and with more tonight, which is why we will see that increasing

risk of further flooding. the northern half of scotland should be dry and bright, further rain for england and wales, central and southern england and wales, it will be a mix of heavy and thundery showers. some of them could have an impact but some will stay dry, highs of 15. shrubbery rain in the southeast for the evening rush hour but the rain piling into the southeast of northern ireland, hence the met office amber warning coming into force tonight and tomorrow. a touch of frost across rural scotland, milderfurther touch of frost across rural scotland, milder further south where there will be outbreaks of rain coming and going. introduced to, parts of northern england and northern ireland, still cloud outbreaks of rain, bright and sunny to the northern half of scotland, slightly drier and brighter to some parts of central and southern england and wales but the southwest will see the next batch of heavy rain sweeping its way northwards with a first area of low pressure set to push on through tuesday night into wednesday. it will produce lots of rain across scotland, snow on the

mountains, strong easterly winds, a blustery day with a mixture of sunshine and heavy, thundery showers. into wednesday night and through to thursday morning, storm ciaran. to have its impact. —— will start to have its impact.

live from jerusalem — this is bbc news. continuing this is bbc news. our special coverage of the continuing our special coverage of the israel gaza war. we start this hour with breaking news that has just come in. hamas's military wing hasissued just come in. hamas's military wing has issued on its telegram channel another hostage video. the bbc does not normally broadcast hostage videos and we are not going to give the names of the three individuals who are part of this message. what we have seen and heard and translated what they have to say. let's look at some of the details of what is as distressing video to emerge. we've been speaking to our correspondent paul adams. what can you tell us about this video? its reall you tell us about this video? it; really hard to watch. three women, we have confirmed their identities but we are not going to

name them at the moment.