reports of the latest incident come as benjamin netanyahu demands the un pull peacekeepers out of areas of lebanon where israel is fighting hezbollah. the king leads tributes to scotland's former first minister, alex salmond, who's died at 69. police in mumbai are investigating the motives behind the murder of the former state minister, baba siddique. hello, i'm azadeh moshiri. welcome to the programme. we start with a big milestone for spacex. elon musk�*s company spacex has succeeded in its ambition to catch the booster system which launches its starship rocket, safely landing the device as it dropped to earth after a test flight in texas. don't worry, we will explain why that's such an important moment, but first let's go to that spectacular moment. the feat means it will be

easier to reuse the launch technology to make space flights more often, and more cheaply. there were cheers in the spacex control room in texas as the machine, known as the super heavy booster, successfully lowered itself into mechanical claws known as chopsticks. elon musk wants his new rocket to revolutionise spaceflight and is hoping to develop a spaceship that can be used as often as a plane, rather than a traditional rocket system which breaks up when it returns to earth. that is the moment that you are looking at right now, when it realised it was going to be a successful test launch. our science correspondent pallab ghosh explained the significance of this test launch. well, in one word, wow. those pictures say it all. we have to say, this is not an animation, this really happened. so, sending rockets into space is hard

enough but for the first time, the first stage always separates, the first stage is to give it that push up into space, and generally they are just kind of thrown away, but on this occasion, they did a bit of acrobatics, they turned the rocket on its head and they guided it back to the launch pad and then slowed it down with a couple of burns and then gently brought it back to the launch pad, and as we saw, captured it with a couple of prongs on the launch pad called chopsticks. and the whole idea is to reuse the booster. you talked about it being like a plane flight — just imagine you took a trip to the states on a plane and they threw the plane away and they had to build a whole new plane for your flight back. you and i would not be able to afford it. no. so that is the whole idea, to reuse the bits that are normally thrown away. and i just can't say how difficult this was.

there were so many things that needed to go right both with the rocket, the booster and the launch pad technology, and this was the first time they tried it. i did not think they were going to succeed but they seemed to do it pretty successfully and there may have been one or two things that have gone wrong, but the pictures speak for themselves. and what is that bigger context here? what could this mean for space travel and also elon musk�*s own grand designs about mars, even? well, i am old enough to remember the apollo missions to the moon where astronauts did set foot on the moon in the late �*60s and �*70s and then stopped going for decades because it was too expensive. now the plan is notjust to go back but to stay there and have a long—term presence and build infrastructure. it was so expensive back in the �*60s and �*70s, theyjust did it for geopolitical reasons. now they are trying to do it for commercial reasons, to build new industries. so this is part of an effort to lower the cost of space flight and notjust go to the moon once or twice and

have a day trip, but to go there and stay there, and the ultimate aim is to build a spacecraft that can take up to 100 astronauts. can you believe that? you said it was about geopolitics in the �*60s but there is still a space race going on, though, isn't there? you are absolutely right, for decades congress were not interested in sending astronauts back to the moon even though presidents kept saying they wanted to, but the moment china said it wanted to send an astronaut to the moon — "oh, this is about national security", and all of a sudden the budget lines had two or three zeroes added to them. elon musk is running a private sector company but it is receiving a huge public sector subsidy to help it develop these technologies and the idea is to reduce the cost of space travel so the private sector can start making money out of it and it doesn't cost the taxpayer very much at all.

there is plenty more analysis from my colleague, pallab ghosh, and our other correspondence and we have a life page up on the website so please go there if you want any more information stop now to the latest on the middle east — and my colleagues. who in a moment will explain the latest developments fom there — but first lyse doucet is injerusalem. attention it seems to mount by the hour between israel and the un and the us has demanded explanations from israel after what it described as shocking actions in lebanon by them. ——

tensions seem to mount. —— the un has demanded explanations. it said an incursion that caused so much smoke that 15 of its peacekeepers were affected and for of its peacekeepers said they were injured by israeli fire ring in southern lebanon, two incidents last week and another in friday, when israeli forces are said to have opened fire on the watchtower of the unifil peacekeeping force in southern lebanon. antonio guterres, the un secretary—general, has described concerns about what he describes as violations of international humanitarian law but benjamin netanyahu, the prime minister of israel, is told antonio guterres that the un peacekeepers had to immediately be pulled out of areas where it forces were in combat with hezbollah. let's hear some of what he had to say. hear some of what he had to sa . ~ , , .,

say. missed out un secretary-general, | say. missed out un - secretary-general, get the secretary—general, get the unifil_ secretary—general, get the unifil forces out of harm's wax — unifil forces out of harm's wax it_ unifil forces out of harm's way. it should be done right now, — way. it should be done right now, immediately. —— mr un secretary—general. now, immediately. -- mr un secretary-general.— now, immediately. -- mr un secretary-general. lets get the latest on this _ secretary-general. lets get the latest on this developing - secretary-general. lets get the latest on this developing story i latest on this developing story with israel and the united nations in southern lebanon and anna foster nowjoins us from the lebanese capital, beirut, and we have a statement from israel saying it will not allow hezbollah to return to the border areas of southern lebanon after israeli forces pull out and we don't know when that will be. israeli operations are expanding, not retracting at the moment. what is the response from lebanon to these latest developments? it these latest developments? it has been a strong response, at doucet. — has been a strong response, at doucet, and it came from caretaker prime minister, najib mikati. — caretaker prime minister, najib mikati, not too long after benjamin netanyahu issued that statement you heard there and he said — statement you heard there and he said that it represents a new— he said that it represents a new chapter in the enemy's

approach _ new chapter in the enemy's approach of not complying with international legitimacy and its relevant resolutions and it says — its relevant resolutions and it says lebanon calls on the international community to take a firm _ international community to take a firm position to stop israeli incursions _ a firm position to stop israeli incursions against lebanon and international legitimacy as weii — international legitimacy as well. they were clear they had issued — well. they were clear they had issued four of these statements in four— issued four of these statements in four days after a whole series _ in four days after a whole series of _ in four days after a whole series of incidents involving un peacekeepers in lebanon and idf forces, tanks that fired towards _ idf forces, tanks that fired towards a watchtower on thursday and what we saw today when _ thursday and what we saw today when tanks actually forcibly entered a un position and smoke was admitted at that position a little _ was admitted at that position a little later on and they said 15 un — little later on and they said 15 un peacekeepers had to be treated — 15 un peacekeepers had to be treated for the effects of having _ treated for the effects of having inhaled that smoke so this has— having inhaled that smoke so this has come from unifil but we have — this has come from unifil but we have heard from the un secretary—general, antonio guterres, powerful words

calling _ guterres, powerful words calling this a violation of international humanitarian law and the — international humanitarian law and the idea did un peacekeepers are sacrosanct, peace keepers are sacrosanct, and they — peacekeepers are sacrosanct, and they are part of this battle _ and they are part of this battle in southern lebanon, this— battle in southern lebanon, this is— battle in southern lebanon, this is between israel and hezbollah, so there is concern about — hezbollah, so there is concern about how they have been drawn into these — about how they have been drawn into these battles in this area. _ into these battles in this area, saying they are using thenr — area, saying they are using thenr as— area, saying they are using them as human shields, but the message — them as human shields, but the message is clear that cannot be allowed — message is clear that cannot be allowed to happen and israel could — allowed to happen and israel could not be allowed to fire towards _ could not be allowed to fire towards those points. there has been _ towards those points. there has been a — towards those points. there has been a lot— towards those points. there has been a lot of fighting ongoing, israeii — been a lot of fighting ongoing, israeli forces and hezbollah involved in what has been called _ involved in what has been called close combat in southern lebanon — called close combat in southern lebanon and here are some pictures— lebanon and here are some pictures of that fighting today with the idf seeing two of their— with the idf seeing two of their soldiers have been wounded and hezbollah describing fighting at close range _ describing fighting at close range near the border and we

have — range near the border and we have been told strikes have killed — have been told strikes have killed 15_ have been told strikes have killed 15 people today, including areas outside the traditional hezbollah stronghold areas, strikes in the centre and north of the country— the centre and north of the country including in nabitiya, where — country including in nabitiya, where there has been a strike on the — where there has been a strike on the main marketplace, the nrain — on the main marketplace, the main soup, and people can't imagine _ main soup, and people can't imagine why there has been a strike — imagine why there has been a strike there, about 14 kilometres from the border with israei— kilometres from the border with israet and — kilometres from the border with israel and israel has issued fresh — israel and israel has issued fresh evacuation notices, asking _ fresh evacuation notices, asking people to move north of the awaii — asking people to move north of the awali river which is an area — the awali river which is an area much wider than the one covered — area much wider than the one covered by un resolution 1701 and an— covered by un resolution 1701 and an area which is supposed to be — and an area which is supposed to be part _ and an area which is supposed to be part of this current operation and also in israel, in haifa. _ operation and also in israel, in haifa, israel's third biggest city, sirens were heard

throughout the bay again this morning _ throughout the bay again this morning. the israeli authorities say the missile defence shield they're intercepted five more rockets fired — intercepted five more rockets fired from lebanon following more — fired from lebanon following more than 300 different projectiles at the israeli military and it says hezbollah fired — military and it says hezbollah fired into northern israel on saturday— fired into northern israel on saturday and that is continuing and we — saturday and that is continuing and we are still seeing, even as this — and we are still seeing, even as this military operation goes on, continued hezbollah missiles from southern lebanon into israet— missiles from southern lebanon into israel as that ground invasion— into israel as that ground invasion by the idf continues. indeed. — invasion by the idf continues. indeed, the idf said since midnight 100 missiles were fired by hezbollah into northern israel so even though it is certain that its leadership- it is certain that its leadershi; , .~ leadership has been weakened in the last weeks _ leadership has been weakened in the last weeks of _ leadership has been weakened in the last weeks of israel's - the last weeks of israel's accelerated operations, they have not been destroyed. we will come back to you in a

moment, and are, from more on lebanon but let's turn to gaza for the moment because israel's military operations are continuing there and reports from gaza that at least 29 palestinians have been killed on israeli air strikes that took place in the centre and north of the coastal enclave and particular attention being focused now on what seems to be the real focus of israeli operations in the north surrounding the jabalia refugee camp, the biggest refugee camp in all of the gaza strip and those operations have been going on for the last nine days and there have been cries of alarm from residents of that camp and aid agencies talking about the human cost of israeli military pressure onjabalia, although israel says it is only attacking hamas infrastructure. this comes at a time when the un's world food programme has said that no food aid or desperately needed humanitarian

aid has entered the coastal enclave since the beginning of this month and it is worried there aren't enough stocks in place to feed people as this month goes on. for some perspective on the pressure is now being exerted on the palestinians, particularly around jabalia, i have spoken to oliver mcternan who is the founder and director of a group called forward thinking, a mediation group which talks to all sides in the middle east. even when the americans were saying, "0h, we are close to agreement", i understand there was even then no real communication going on. it was either wishful thinking or, again, playing out in the background of the democratic convention that was going on at the time. but certainly the feedback i have been getting, there has been no serious attempt to address the hostages situation. when i was injerusalem ten days ago and had meetings in the knesset, the message then was very much,

"look, we have to focus on the security of the 10 million", hence the operations in lebanon. and sadly, the 100 or so still kept in gaza has not been given priority. i think that is the reality we have seen being acted out over the last ten days. oliver mcternan emphasising no ceasefire insight in gaza, note ceasefire insight in gaza, note ceasefire insight in lebanon and here in israel, the security cabinet is expected to meet shortly to discuss what is expected to be an israeli strike against iran, a retaliatory strike, they say, and today, the foreign minister of iran, has warned that iran has no red lines when it comes

to protecting its people and its interests. and are, in beirut when the sun sets, there must really be a sense of tension as people in the capital wonder where the israeli one plains will strike that night. —— israeli warplanes. that night. -- israeli warplanes.— that night. -- israeli warplanes. that night. -- israeli warlanes. ., that night. -- israeli warlanes. , . ., warplanes. yes, and for so many --eole warplanes. yes, and for so many peeple still— warplanes. yes, and for so many people still displaced _ warplanes. yes, and for so many people still displaced in - warplanes. yes, and for so many people still displaced in the - people still displaced in the capital— people still displaced in the capital here, there are real nerves— capital here, there are real nerves and real tension and many— nerves and real tension and many don't have a proper roof over— many don't have a proper roof over their— many don't have a proper roof over their heads and many are steeping — over their heads and many are sleeping on the corniche by the sea under— sleeping on the corniche by the sea under blankets, under plastic. _ sea under blankets, under plastic, and it really has changed the city which is used to war. — changed the city which is used to war, and this is a city which _ to war, and this is a city which has _ to war, and this is a city which has known war before, but as you _ which has known war before, but as you say. — which has known war before, but as you say, when the sun goes down — as you say, when the sun goes down it— as you say, when the sun goes down it really feels like the mood — down it really feels like the mood changes and you can probably hear the call to prayer— probably hear the call to prayer in the background ringing _ prayer in the background ringing out, and there has been a visitor— ringing out, and there has been a visitor from iran's foreign minister— a visitor from iran's foreign minister is part of their tour of the — minister is part of their tour of the middle east as part of

trying — of the middle east as part of trying to— of the middle east as part of trying to shore up that relationship with hezbollah and the suggestion that iran is still— the suggestion that iran is still somehow that subtly backing lebanon in this fight against _ backing lebanon in this fight against israel but i think many people — against israel but i think many people here don't feel backed or supported, they are angry with— or supported, they are angry with the _ or supported, they are angry with the fact that hezbollah have — with the fact that hezbollah have dragged them into this war and they— have dragged them into this war and they are just desperately hoping — and they are just desperately hoping it will somehow come to an end — hoping it will somehow come to an end and they can return to their— an end and they can return to their lives _ an end and they can return to their lives.— their lives. there was a reports _ their lives. there was a reports from _ their lives. there was a reports from lebanon | their lives. there was a | reports from lebanon to their lives. there was a - reports from lebanon to date saying hezbollah still had about a third of its missile arsenal, and before this about a