they are making us think why are they doing it? the bbc reports the bbc reports from the front line of ukraine's war with russia, from the front line of ukraine's war with russia, in the almost deserted in the almost deserted city of pokrovsk city of pokrovsk spacex successfully catches a rocket booster spacex successfully catches a rocket booster for first time ever — for first time ever — as it returns to earth as it returns to earth after the launch after the launch of its starship craft. of its starship craft. we begin with breaking we begin with breaking news out of israel — news out of israel — where the idf says four israeli where the idf says four israeli soldiers have been killed soldiers have been killed and seven others severely and seven others severely injured in a drone strike by injured in a drone strike by hezbollah. hezbollah. they say an investigation is now under way. they say an investigation is now under way. it follows earlier reports it follows earlier reports that around 60 people that around 60 people were injured in a drone were injured in a drone attack by hezbollah. attack by hezbollah. the armed group said it the armed group said it launched "a swarm of attack launched "a swarm of attack drones" at an israeli military drones" at an israeli military training camp in binya—mina, training camp in binya—mina, just south of haifa. just south of haifa. some reports say people some reports say people had been eating in had been eating in a canteen at the time a canteen at the time of the strike. of the strike. hezbollah hezbollah

left their homes and have not been able to come back yet. the drone attack comes as the un peacekeeping mission in southern lebanon insists its flags will continue to fly — despite benjamin netanyahu telling uni—fil to immediately evacuate its troops. the un accused israeli forces of forcibly entering one of its bases in southern lebanon, breaking down its main gate. israel says it was trying to rescue wounded soldiers. about 10 thousand un peacekeepers from 50 countries are stationed in lebanon. since 1978, they've patrolled the area between the litani river and the un—recognized boundary between lebanon and israel, known as the blue line. in recent days, a number of unifil troops have been injured in military action — israel has admitted responsibility forfiring toward un posts in some cases. israeli tanks today entered the un base in ramyah, as our correspondent hugo bachega reports from beirut:

they're deployed to keep the peace in southern lebanon. but there's no peace left to keep. now, they're caught up in this war. today, un peacekeepers came under israeli attack again. earlier this year, we joined them on a patrol along the border, when they were still able to leave their bases. israel's war against hezbollah is expanding, and even peacekeepers are not safe. today, we had israeli forces entering inside one of our positions in the middle of the night. they stayed there for 45 minutes, damaging the entrance and leaving shortly after. it's the fourth time in as many days that you've come under attack, come under israeli attack. do you think this is deliberate? well, we have seen that the first one was injuring two peacekeepers inside our headquarters. inside one of the towers inside. so, that's a deliberate attack. these are all incidents that are making us think, why are they doing it?

the israeli military said a tank that was trying today, the israeli prime minister had this message. mr secretary general, get the unifil forces out of harm's way. it should be done right now, immediately. the israeli prime minister is saying that you should leave those bases along the border. we decided just the other day that we are staying. there was a unanimous decision. we are here at the request of the security council. we cannot let one member state decide the fate of an international organisation, of a peacekeeping mission that is there because of the will of the international community. israel says it's targeting hezbollah in lebanon, but the entire country is under attack, even the un. hugo bachega, bbc news, beirut.

as israel's offensive continues in gaza — its forces have struck what they say are hamas targets in the north. in the al—shati region — five young boys were reportedly killed by the strikes while they were playing on a street corner. a bbc correspondent was told seven others were injured in the attack. the israeli military has not yet commented on the incident. joining me live now is matthew levitt, senior fellow at the washington insitute and former deputy assistant secretary for intelligence and analysis at the us treasury department. he's also written extensively on hamas and hezbollah. matthew, we heard today that israeli tanks have pushed their way onto a un peacekeeping base in southern lebanon. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has called for the immediate withdrawal of peacekeepers. what s your take on the situation?

thank you for having me. we are in the middle of a war which is a terrible place to be. but the uni-fil a terrible place to be. but the uni—fil peacekeepers are not going to be able to do their jobs therejust sitting going to be able to do their jobs there just sitting in the middle of the war and the reality is, uni—fil has a role to play and it's never played a particularly well in the last war ended in 2006, the passed resolution and they were there to enforce it. hezbollah was not to deploy as well but that didn't happen. 0ver not to deploy as well but that didn't happen. over the past couple of days from the israelis have uncovered tunnels dug within metres of uni—fil bases and there's no way they could not have known about it. the israeli defense forces remain today a map of rocket fire from lebanon into israel where rocket fire came from within 300 metres of uni—fil basis and it's not clear to me what uni-fil basis and it's not clear to me what uni—fil is constructively doing it even before this, if

they wanted to patrol and michael and said you cannot go into this space, they could've just said ok. the reality is i don't think uni-fil just said ok. the reality is i don't think uni—fil has much of a role to play in this war but my personal feeling is they should not consolidate and discern basis for the protection of those peacekeepers because it's going to be very difficult in the middle of war as the israelis are trained to evacuate soldiers in the tank is going to move a particular way and smashing to the gate, the type of thing that will happen. it’s of thing that will happen. it's artner of thing that will happen. it's partner also _ of thing that will happen. it's partner also has a role to play when it comes to observing and reporting. isn't that an important part of its role as a peacekeeper? it’s important part of its role as a peacekeeper?_ peacekeeper? it's “ust that it's peacekeeper? it's “ust that as done * peacekeeper? it's “ust that it's done the _ peacekeeper? it's just that it's done the observing - peacekeeper? it's just that j it's done the observing and reporting terribly even when it wasn't a matter of war. you have seen all of the tunnels and all the infrastructures that hezbollah built under their noses and that is what they were observing and failing to report before they went to

war and what exactly are people thinking they're going to be able to report from within their bases, they are not patrolling right now on the amount of war. at the end of the day, everyone needs to be careful not to hit uni—fil forces and without question, thatis forces and without question, that is to be difficult with" or combat that we are seeing in southern lebanon. we or combat that we are seeing in southern lebanon.— southern lebanon. we look at prospects _ southern lebanon. we look at prospects or _ southern lebanon. we look at prospects or de-escalation . southern lebanon. we look at prospects or de-escalation in | prospects or de—escalation in that area at resolution 1701 is clearly failing. what prospects do you think there are for that kind of de—escalation or do you think some us officials have been looking into that there's any hopes of actually reviving that resolution?— that resolution? there two thins that resolution? there two things on _ that resolution? there two things on the _ that resolution? there two things on the table - that resolution? there two things on the table right i that resolution? there two i things on the table right now. one is ironically trying to read couple gaza and lebanon and the israelis wanted hezbollah to stop shooting into northern israel and hezbollah said they would not do it until there was a cease—fire and that is why we are where we are

today. israelis are now saying, hezbollah if you want a cease—fire now, get hamas to release the hostages and get them to do a cease—fire. that is one thing in the moment more broadly, there is no expectation among anybody i've spoken to, certainly not here in washington that is going to be any new kind of useful un security council resolution not with russia and china behaving the way they have at the united nations. and what people are doing is looking for ways to enforce un security council resolution 1701 and a way that it was never enforced before and preventing hezbollah from deploying south of the river and preventing hezbollah from resupplying its weaponry. that is what is supposed to happen in the un security council resolution and it is not happened in the resupplied many times over and deployed all the way to the border.— way to the border. when it comes to _ way to the border. when it comes to hezbollah - way to the border. when it - comes to hezbollah resupplying

evenif comes to hezbollah resupplying even if it is somewhat diminished, did think there's a prospect that iran mayjust resupply them with further weaponry and even longer range weaponry and even longer range weaponry even if they are pushed back further? that is certainly what _ pushed back further? that is certainly what iran _ pushed back further? that is certainly what iran will - pushed back further? that is certainly what iran will try i pushed back further? that is certainly what iran will try to j certainly what iran will try to do and already to signal that they intend to take a harder line on that and example, two iranian plans are going to arrive at the airport and they made it clear that if they arrive, they will be targeted and they turned around. i think the international community of the international community of the united states, great britain, the european union, israel in the gulf states of the step of their efforts to frustrate iran's ability to rearm and refund its proxies from hezbollah and lebanon and hamas in gaza and in yemen, because we have seen what failing to do that for 15 to 18 years has done to this region.

a man armed with guns and a fake media pass was arrested by police at a checkpoint near a trump election campaign rally in california on saturday. the suspect, a 49—year—old man from las vegas was stopped in a black 4x4 more than a quarter of a mile from the location in coachella where donald trump had yet to appear. in the last half an hour the secret service has issued a statement saying the former president was not in any danger and their investigation is ongoing. us presidentjoe biden has visited florida, as the state recovers from two back—to—back hurricanes, milton and helene. mr biden said more than half—a—billion dollars will be made available for restoring power grids damaged by the storms. more than three— million homes and businesses are without power in the wake of the hurricanes, which together killed more than 250 people across the southeastern united states. mr biden praised the resilience of floridians, and the way they had come together, not as democrats or republicans, he said — but as americans.

iam i am proud to announce $612 million to six new cutting edge projects to support communities impacted by hurricane helene and milton. that includes $47 million for gainesville utilities and another $47 million for florida power & light. this funding will not only restore power but make the regions power system stronger and more capable and reducing the frequency and durations of power outage or around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. the government has admitted it had to have a conversation with logistics firm, dp world, to secure a billion pound port investment — after one of its subsidiary companies was criticised by the transport secretary. louise haigh called for a boycott of p&0 ferries and criticised its record on workers' rights. business secretary, jonathan reynolds, said her comments didn't reflect

the government's stance. more than 100 venues across britain are backing a new law, known as martyn�*s law, to protect the public from terror attacks. it's due to be debated in the house of commons later. the bill is is named after martyn hett, who was killed alongside 21 others in the 2017 manchester arena terror attack at the age of 29. the bbc boss is to warn that the scaling back the corporation's world service output because of funding cuts, has helped russia and china broadcast "unchallenged propaganda". tim davie is expected to say in parts of africa, latin america and the middle east, facts—based journalism is being replaced by state—sponsored propaganda. the bbc world service transmits news and current affairs in more than 40 languages. you're live with bbc news. in ukraine s eastern donetsk region, russia has

advanced swiftly in the last few months. fighting is intense, with the ukrainian military reporting nearly 150 battles every day as it tries to stall russia s momentum. just two months ago po—krovsk was considered a relatively safe place. about 14,000 civilians are still there — war weary, and desperate for the conflict to end. from the frontline, the bbc s yogita limaye reports, with imogen anderson and sanjay gan—guly — and a warning you may find some of the images in this report distressing. ? just before dawn, we are taken to what's being called the hottest front line in ukraine. the darkness, a bit of cover from being spotted by russian drones. ukraine is throwing its might into defending pokrovsk. if it falls, russia would gain a gateway to central ukraine. in a bunker nearby, vadym tells us he knows what's at stake.

translation: the russians are constantly attacking us. | they have more manpower and weapons. yes, we are tired, but we have to fight. otherwise it will be catastrophic. and just a few miles behind the front line, this is where the toll of battle is most clearly visible. the first point of treatment for injured soldiers. serhii has shrapnel in his eyes, nose, skulland brain. "my friend, i'm going to take off your bandage. let me know if it hurts," the doctor says. he's in a serious condition. they work quickly to stop the bleeding. they are receiving dozens of injured every day. early this morning, two were brought in dead. under a barrage of fire, ivan and taras are unclear

of whether they were hit by mortars or grenades dropped from drones. all of the soldiers brought here, they were injured about eight to ten hours ago. but it's only now, about two hours after dusk, that it's become safe enough to evacuate them till this point, and that's because of the constant threat of being attacked by russian drones. the delay in getting treated could have grave consequences. taras has no sensation in his arm and it might have to be amputated, his doctor tells us. this is now the third year of a grinding war. driving through pokrovsk, it's evident that most of its residents have left. "this is one of the most dangerous districts of the city," says serhii.

a volunteer, finding his way through an empty neighbourhood to evacuate some of those still here. 80—year—old nadia is disabled. she's been living alone in the dark in this room. "i'm falling," she screams. serhii reassures her. "this damn war, i'm going to die," she cries. another evacuee, viktoria, tells us she can't believe the front line moved so quickly to pokrovsk. translation: the neighbouring towns have been wiped out - and drones buzz near our windows all the time. theyjust stop and look inside.

i have constant panic attacks. i'm afraid of the nights. we should negotiate. there's nothing left standing in the areas russia has taken anyway. over the past few months, ukraine has lost territory in the donetsk region at an unexpected pace. many blame this on faltering military aid from foreign allies. after the loss of avdiivka earlier this year, russia's military has advanced very quickly towards pokrovsk. if ukraine's invasion of kursk in russia was meant to distract the russian military from here, that has not happened. even until a couple of months ago, this city was considered a relatively safe spot where soldiers would retreat to for a bit of rest, where people from further east were brought to so that they could be evacuated from the train station. among most of the people we speak to, we find eroded morale. translation: we have to negotiate. _ so many of our boys have been dying.

so many have become disabled. they are sacrificing themselves and it's going on and on. a sentiment that might have once been unthinkable for ukrainians, now being voiced by many — at least here near the front line. yogita limaye, bbc news, pokrovsk. let's turn to some other news around the world. russia strengthening alliances with regimes like north korea notjust with regimes like north korea not just about transferring weapons but the kremlin is called the reports fake news. a petition to stop chris brown performing in south africa — over several previous allegations of violence against women — has gained over twenty—thousand signatures.

tickets to see the grammy award winner injohannesburg sold out in less than two hours. but the concert has led to a renewed focus on the country's high levels of violence against women — with campaigners it sends the wrong message. and thousands have taken to the streets of madrid — to demand more affordable housing, amid rising rents in spain. demonstrators also chanted anti—tourist slogans. the city has been at the forefront of a debate around tourism — with a growing number of short—term holiday rentals increasing prices and reducing long—term capacity. more tributes have been paid to scotland's former first minister alex salmond, who died suddenly on saturday at the age of 69. he was a formidable campaigner for independence and has been widely praised for his dedication to the country and its people. among those leading tributes — his friend and fellow campaigner for scottish independence — the actor, brian cox. he gave this reflection earlier — to sunday with laura kuenssberg. he was a lot of fun. he was

very entertaining. he had created humanity. he was probably, i think, created humanity. he was probably, ithink, where created humanity. he was probably, i think, where the greatest political thinkers that scotland is ever produce anything possibly these islands have ever produced. he an extraordinary man. i think his appeal was his humanity and how he came across to other people. when i first met alex, i was not and discussed national party, as a labour supporter what happened with labour and we were just talking about that, it may be very disillusioned. especially social democracy unit for the one place that social democracy was happening was back in my own country and i suddenly had to rethink my whole feelings and alex. and he enabled me to do that. spacex is celebrating what it's called �*a day for the history books�*, after successfully guiding the booster from this starship rocket back to the launch pad — intact — for the first time.

the booster was caught in mid air by two mechanical arms — nicknamed chopsticks — as it slowly descended back to earth. the achievement is a major step forward for spacex — which one day hopes to make resuable rockets that are capable of reaching the moon and mars. 0ur science correspondent pallab ghosh has this report. three, two, one! cheering. it's the most powerful rocket ever built and it's about to make history. we have lift off. a perfect take—off. .. vehicle down range. stage separation. ..followed by a successful separation of the first and second stages. but now, watch this. instead of crashing into the sea, the lower stage makes its way back to the launch pad. it's falling at supersonic speed but its engines

fire to slow it down. then, most of them are turned off so that it gently makes its way to the launch tower. then it's actually caught by two robotic arms. the process is called the "chopsticks manoeuvre". there were so many things that could have gone wrong, but they succeeded first time of asking. let's have a closer look at starship. it is 120 metres tall — that is 400 feet — and, as we saw, it has two main parts. the bottom is the super heavy booster which has 33 engines. on top is the spacecraft, which can carry cargo and eventually have room for up to 100 astronauts.

the aim of the starship system is to be reusable and so bring down the costs of space travel. and really, that is the big gamechanger in terms of making spacecraft more reusable and having a faster turnaround to land them back on earth almost ready to go again. an hour after liftoff, the rocket�*s top section splashes into the indian ocean. we have a ship in the water! but there are concerns about the environmental impact of these tests. the more things such as satellites and rocket bodies that go up into space, the more of that material comes back through the atmosphere, burns up, leaving soot and, again, lots of heavy elements in the upper atmosphere. the long—term environmental effects of which, we don't yet know. we can see those chopsticks... the mid—air catch was an incredible achievement, paving the way for cheaper space travel — which may bring with it its own problems. pallab ghosh, bbc news.

the world record for the women's marathon has been smashed, in chicago. kenya s ruth chepenga—titch became the first woman to run the 26.2 miles in under2 hours 10. the 30 year old crossed the finish line in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 57 seconds — shaving nearly 2 minutes off the previous world record. afterwards, she said it was "her dream — that has come true". stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. for the past few days we have had colder air across the uk the risk of some frost. but over this week, things are going to be very different, because that colder air is getting pushed away, the wind direction is changing, and in the next few days we will have a strengthening southerly wind. that will some mild air all the way up from spain,but it will also bring cloud and rain.

we have got that around mainly through the midlands and eastern england early on monday morning. that should tend to move away, leaving cloudy skies behind, a little bit of dampness too. the far north of england, much of scotland and northern ireland though, having a good day with some sunshine, and temperatures widely reaching 12 or 13 in the afternoon, so a little bit higher than what it was on sunday. now if we look out in the atlantic, here it is all dominated by a big area of low pressure, with some cloud and some rain. that eventually is going to head our way, notjust yet, because ahead of that on tuesday we are seeing this southerly wind develop. that in turn will bring a lot of cloud, so there won't be much sunshine. the best of it for a while probably in northern scotland. later in the day there could be rain in these western areas, particularly in the south—west, it is certainly a risk here, but temperatures widely reaching 14 or 15 degrees, perhaps 16 or 17 in the south. those temperatures could get

a little bit higher, as we head into wednesday. but at the same time, we have got these weather fronts and this area of rain pushing in from the atlantic, combined with a stronger wind, and that wind is pushing the rain northwards across scotland and gradually eastwards across england and wales. it will be a strong wind, i think, on wednesday. of course it is still a southerly wind, that is bringing in the mild air, so even where you have the rain it is mild for the time of year, but ahead of the rain there could be a bit of sunshine for a while across lincolnshire, east anglia and perhaps the south—east, so temperatures could reach 20 or 21, just depends how quickly the rain moves in and how widespread it is. we are expecting that rain to move eastwards overnight, a bit of a clearance by thursday, but we are going to keep an eye on the rain in france. that could head northwards into southern areas during the afternoon, rather than the showers coming in from the atlantic. but ahead of that, many places will be dry, with some sunshine for a while, and those temperatures in the south—westerly winds still very mild,

16 to 18 celsius. goodbye.

v0|ce—0ver: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk, i'm stephen sackur. are you old enough to remember when the internet was touted as a liberating, empowering, democratising tool for

humanity? well, a generation ago, the pioneers of the tech revolution told us they were unleashing a force for good, not evil. we believed them. but that was then. now, it's different. my guest is marietje schaake, a former member of the european parliament, now a cyber specialist at stanford university. she foresees a dystopian future if we don't reset our relationship with technology, but is it already too late?

marietje schaake, welcome to hardtalk. thank you.