prime minister sir keir starmer will pledge to scrap regulation that he says �*needlessly�* holds back investment. we will shortly be taking you to the opening it had been hidden inside a designer perfume bottle. the inquiry will examine the circumstances leading to her death. russia denies any involvement and has described the inquiry as a circus. it will come to us on a ten minute delay and we will bring it to you as soon as it begins. israels military says its investigating how a drone launched by hezbollah struck

a military base in the north of the country last night the iranian—backed group said it launched "a swarm of attack drones" at an israeli military training camp in binyamina, just south of haifa, killing 4 soldiers and wounding almost 60 other people. israel's army chief said an attack on a military target was difficult, and the results painful.(boxed 00v)meanwhile israeli forces have continued to hit targets a in both lebanon and gaza. to do more to protect un peacekeepers and civilians in lebanon, and to address the humanitarian situation in gaza. this report from our correspondent — vincent mcavenny

the aftermath of what hezbollah described as a swarm of attack drones on an israeli army training camp in binyamina, just south of haifa. many of those injured were in a communal canteen when it was struck. pictures on social media show a huge hole was torn in the roof. the israeli defence forces say several soldiers were killed all these cars have been completely mangled by the enormous power of this explosion. we do not know what their target was when they struck this neighbourhood, but there is enormous damage people

here say there was no and they do not know why they were targeted now. in the last few days, certainly over the weekend, we have not had any air strikes here in the capital beirut. some believe that the us has put pressure on israel to stop that because of the enormous impact on the city which is accommodating huge numbers of displaced people from the rest of the country from the rest of the country from the rest of the country from the conflict in the south where the air strikes go on. just looking at this, this is one air strike just looking at this, this is one airstrike and just looking at this, this is one air strike and we have had hundreds of these just in the past week. they are going on all the time now in the south of lebanon where israel is fighting this battle with hezbollah forces. there are air strikes constantly, every of them in areas in residential neighbourhoods doing this kind of damage. this is an enormously destructive war and what you see here is just one small piece of it.

what you see here is “ust one small piece of it._ small piece of it. and there were obviously _ small piece of it. and there were obviously people - small piece of it. and there l were obviously people living small piece of it. and there i were obviously people living in that area. where have they gone and what is the humanitarian situation across the home country?— situation across the home country? situation across the home count ? ~ , ~ , country? when things like this ha en, country? when things like this happen. peeple _ country? when things like this happen, people have - country? when things like this happen, people have to - country? when things like thisj happen, people have to leave. some people who are into buildings that are not damaged have left. this was a profound shock to this neighbourhood. nobody suspected they would be targeted. if they have families, they will live with them for a while. many don't have families, there are a lot of shelters set up by international aid, of shelters set up by internationalaid, but of shelters set up by international aid, but they are full. across beirut you can find people camping out in parks or squares down by the sea front. we have seen the police moved them on, but they have to go somewhere. i don't think the authorities here can really keep tabs on the numbers of displaced, but there are hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their homes from these air strikes in the past three weeks. many are now crossing the border into syria. many were syrian refugees who fled the civil war there. there is a constant movement of

people and always massive humanitarian need. that is the view from leven i mideast correspondence says there are plenty of questions about how those drains built israel's defences.— those drains built israel's defences. . , , ., defences. there has been a trend over _ defences. there has been a trend over the _ defences. there has been a trend over the last - defences. there has been a trend over the last year, i defences. there has been a| trend over the last year, the israeli military says these attack drains launched by hezbollah have been more of an issue for its air defences than the missiles that have been fired this way because of their unpredictable flight courses. this really does seem to have caught israeli air defences of god, because we really know that warning sirens did not go off in this army training base alerting the soldiers to the fact that a train was about to hit. an initial investigation found there were two drains launched from lebanon and one of these was intercepted and the other one was assumed it

seems that it crash landed but actually it went on to hit this training base with deadly results. one of the most deadly strikes by hezbollah against israel in the past year of fighting. i israel in the past year of fighting-— israel in the past year of fighting. i have 'ust seen . uotes fighting. i have 'ust seen quotes from _ fighting. i have just seen quotes from the - fighting. i have just seen quotes from the idf - fighting. i have just seen | quotes from the idf chief fighting. i have just seen i quotes from the idf chief of staff— quotes from the idf chief of staff saying we are at war and an attack_ staff saying we are at war and an attack on a training base is difficult — an attack on a training base is difficult and the results are painfuh _ difficult and the results are painful. what has been the public— painful. what has been the public reaction there to what happened last night? i public reaction there to what happened last night? i mean, of course, happened last night? i mean, of course. this— happened last night? i mean, of course, this is _ happened last night? i mean, of course, this is something - happened last night? i mean, of course, this is something which | course, this is something which has been followed extensively in the israeli media. we had a lot of footage being shown live of a helicopter going in to help the wounded, ambulances rushing to the scene. this is a scene where there is military conscription —— this is a country, so many will be worried about their loved ones at the moment and this raises the overall level of concern. i

should say fighting has been raging on in the gaza strip as well. we have been hearing in the past few hours about israel's continuing aerial bombardment is there and reports from palestinians on the ground about how the numbers of people killed in that attack which took place yesterday on a school turned shelter in the centre of gaza has now risen to at least 22. there was a strike in a hospital in central gaza in the early hours of this morning killing four people. israel saying it was targeting hamas there and using a tent city as a command and control centre but we know from those pictures that came from the saying that there was a big fire that raged there was a big fire that raged there and that a number of people displaced families have been among the wounded there, certainly as well. and the campaign in the north of the gaza strip goes on with israeli ground forces very much involved. that is where the un

has been warning that since the start of this month really there has been no food aid getting in, this is creating dire humanitarian circumstances. sir mark lyall grant is the uk's former ambassador to the un — and a former national security adviser. he gave me his reaction to the attacks on un pecekeepers in the region. made up of trips of 50 different countries. everyone who was critical of israel and naturally those who are close israel allies, naturally those who are close israelallies, italy naturally those who are close israel allies, italy and france, are all sending peacekeepers to unifil. this increases conflicts between unifil will be of great concern to a lot of countries around the world as well as the united

nations headquarters.- nations headquarters. israel's cab minister — nations headquarters. israel's cab minister saying _ nations headquarters. israel's cab minister saying today - nations headquarters. israel's cab minister saying today that j cab minister saying today that it is a useless force, a failed organisation and failed to enforce resolution 1701, explain to us what that resolution is. it explain to us what that resolution is.— explain to us what that resolution is. it was the resolution _ resolution is. it was the resolution that - resolution is. it was the resolution that ended . resolution is. it was the i resolution that ended the previous war between hezbollah and israel in 2006. the unifil mandate was changed at that point to allow it to both monitor the withdrawal of israeli soldiers from lebanon, but also the demilitarisation and disarmament of all but official lebanese armed forces in southern lebanon. now, israel would argue that they withdrew from lebanon as they was supposed to, but unifil was never sure that hezbollah were disarmed and allowed them to

rearm and strengthen their position in southern lebanon. they have always been very critical of unifil and they are particularly critical of unifil at this moment because they feel that the un forces interfering with their ground operations against hezbollah in that area. i operations against hezbollah in that area. . ., ., that area. i wanted to also get our that area. i wanted to also get your reaction _ that area. i wanted to also get your reaction on _ that area. i wanted to also get your reaction on this _ that area. i wanted to also get your reaction on this news - that area. i wanted to also get| your reaction on this news that president biden has confirmed that us troops are being sent with their missile system. how big a move is this from the us particularly with the presidential election so close? it is a significant move. we will pull away from that interview to take you to salisbury in wiltshire, because this is the start of the dawn sturgess inquiry, a public inquiry that will examine how a woman from wiltshire was killed in 2018 by a poisoning blamed on russian agents. dawn sturgess, who was 44 died after

coming into contact with novichok, the same chemical weapon used to target a former russian spy four months earlier, sergei skripal. sorry these pictures are slightly buffering, these pictures are coming into us on a ten minute delay, presumably because of the sensitivity of some of the evidence that is going to be heard. we will keep listening to audio when that comes in. just to give you more of the background, the nerve agent that killed dawn sturgess was inside a designer perfume bottle. let's try and listening to what is happening. happened nearly four _ to what is happening. happened nearly four months _ to what is happening. happened nearly four months later - to what is happening. happened nearly four months later and - nearly four months later and almost an equal amount of speculation and public attention. without making any assumptions about the accuracy is to examine evidence and say

what conclusions the evidence either does or doesn'tjustify. the second event has attracted rather less attention, but it is the second event, the untimely death of dawn sturgess at the end ofjune, beginning ofjuly, of 2018, which is the reason why this inquiry is taking place. any sudden and untimely death like that calls for a coroner's inquest and full findings of fact about how the deceased came to die. these proceedings began as just such an inquest. but an inquest can't investigate classified material where there is some, such as national security or

personal safety. and of that there is some here. so the inquest was converted into a public inquiry which does have the power to investigate that kind of material and to close some of its sessions so it can do so. this remains at route and investigation into the sudden death of an entirely private person. they had no kind of public role or profile. i should be very grateful if all of us who are minded to comment would do their utmost to remember that it is for a realfamily all about a to remember that it is for a real family all about a private tragedy and a private loss. the

members of herfamily tragedy and a private loss. the members of her family are welcome here and we should begin by assuring them of our understanding so far as we are able and of our sympathy. now, i should ask mr o'connor on behalf of the inquiry legal team to introduce the material that we should be looking at and after that, we will hear opening statements of other poor participants. mr o'connor,. dawn sturgess died on the 8th ofjuly— dawn sturgess died on the 8th ofjuly 2018 at the age ofjust 44. ofjuly 2018 at the age ofjust 44 she — ofjuly 2018 at the age ofjust 44. she died at the salisbury district — 44. she died at the salisbury district hospital which is only about— district hospital which is only about two miles from where we are now — about two miles from where we are now. the purpose of the inquiry— are now. the purpose of the inquiry that starts its public hearings this morning here in

salisbury's guildhall is to investigate the circumstances of her — investigate the circumstances of her death. and it is no exaggeration to say that the circumstances of dawn sturgess's death were extraordinary. they were indeed unique — extraordinary. they were indeed unique as— extraordinary. they were indeed unique. as you will hear, dawn sturgess — unique. as you will hear, dawn sturgess lived a life that was wholly — sturgess lived a life that was wholly removed from the worlds of politics and international relations. she was born here in salisbury— relations. she was born here in salisbury and spent the rest of her life — salisbury and spent the rest of her life in— salisbury and spent the rest of her life in and nearthe salisbury and spent the rest of her life in and near the city. she — her life in and near the city. she had _ her life in and near the city. she had three children. her life she had three children. her iife was_ she had three children. her life was not without its challenges, but she faced those challenges, but she faced those challenges with the support of friends — challenges with the support of friends and a loving family. the — friends and a loving family. the circumstances of dawn's life stand in stark contrast to the circumstances of her death. she died — the circumstances of her death. she died an unnatural and a

wholly— she died an unnatural and a wholly unexpected death, poisoned by a military grade chemical weapon. the poison you will chemical weapon. the poison you wiii hear— chemical weapon. the poison you wiii hear it— chemical weapon. the poison you will hear it was known as novichok, a nerve agent, a class — novichok, a nerve agent, a class of— novichok, a nerve agent, a class of nerve agents, said to be developed by russian agencies in the final years of the cold _ agencies in the final years of the cold war. a particularly shocking feature of dawn sturgess's death that she unwittingly applied the poison to her— unwittingly applied the poison to her own skin. she was entirely— to her own skin. she was entirely unaware of the mortal danger— entirely unaware of the mortal danger she faced, because the highly— danger she faced, because the highly toxic liquid had been concealed carefully and deliberately concealed, inside a perfume bottle. moreover, the evidence — a perfume bottle. moreover, the evidence will suggest that this bottle — evidence will suggest that this bottle which we will hear contained enough poison to kill thousands of people must eariier— thousands of people must earlier have been left somewhere in a public place creating _ somewhere in a public place creating the obvious risk that someone _ creating the obvious risk that someone would find it and take it home — someone would find it and take it home. you may conclude that those _ it home. you may conclude that those who — it home. you may conclude that

those who discarded the bottle in this— those who discarded the bottle in this way acted with a grotesque disregard for human life. unsurprisingly in the circumstances, dawn sturgess's death— circumstances, dawn sturgess's death attracted both national and international publicity and has become the focus of widespread public concern. as soon — widespread public concern. as soon as— widespread public concern. as soon as it _ widespread public concern. as soon as it became... that dawn had been — soon as it became... that dawn had been poisoned with novichok, her case was... with another— novichok, her case was... with another instant that as you have — another instant that as you have said had taken place in salisbury— have said had taken place in salisbury four months earlier and which had if anything gained _ and which had if anything gained wider notoriety. unlike dawn — gained wider notoriety. unlike dawn sturgess and as you will hear. — dawn sturgess and as you will hear, both sergei skripal and yuiia — hear, both sergei skripal and yulia skripal survived, albeit

having — yulia skripal survived, albeit having suffered very serious symptoms and having spent lengthy— symptoms and having spent lengthy periods in hospital. in the days— lengthy periods in hospital. in the days that followed the skripals poisoning, her majesty's government had taken the step— majesty's government had taken the step of publicly accusing the step of publicly accusing the russian government of hearing _ the russian government of bearing responsibility for the attack — bearing responsibility for the attack. thereafter, in fact, shortly— attack. thereafter, in fact, shortly after dawn sturgess's death, — shortly after dawn sturgess's death, charges including charges of attempting to murder the skripals were laid against two men _ the skripals were laid against two men who are believed to have — have travelled to salisbury on the day — have travelled to salisbury on the day of poisoning and to have — the day of poisoning and to have applied the poison to sergei _ have applied the poison to sergei skripal's front door handle _ sergei skripal's front door handle. both men are believed to be _ handle. both men are believed to be members of the gr you and to be members of the gr you and to have _ to be members of the gr you and to have travelled to this country _ to have travelled to this country under alias. sometime later— country under alias. sometime later similar charges were laid against — later similar charges were laid against a _ later similar charges were laid against a third man who was present— against a third man who was present in the uk at the time of the — present in the uk at the time of the poisoning. —— gru. he was _ of the poisoning. —— gru. he was believed to be a member of the gru — was believed to be a member of the gru and to have entered the uk using — the gru and to have entered the uk using a false name. so when

dawn— uk using a false name. so when dawn sturgess was poisoned by novichok four months later, the real possibility emerged that she had _ real possibility emerged that she had been caught, an innocent victim in the crossfire of an illegal and outrageous assassination attempt. whether or not that is in fact— attempt. whether or not that is in fact what happened will of course — in fact what happened will of course be for you to determine. i course be for you to determine. i hope _ course be for you to determine. i hope it— course be for you to determine. i hope it is— course be for you to determine. i hope it is already apparent that— i hope it is already apparent that the _ i hope it is already apparent that the two cases to which i have — that the two cases to which i have referred are inextricably interwoven. it is not possible to investigate dawn sturgess's death — to investigate dawn sturgess's death properly without understanding the skripals poisoning. there are key questions involving possible connections between the two cases— connections between the two cases that the evidence may enable — cases that the evidence may enable you to answer. for example, was the novichok that killed _ example, was the novichok that killed dawn sturgess the same type of— killed dawn sturgess the same type of chemical that poisoned sergei — type of chemical that poisoned sergei and yulia skripal?

cannot— sergei and yulia skripal? cannot be said that the nerve agent— cannot be said that the nerve agent in— cannot be said that the nerve agent in each case in fact identical? indeed, cannot be determined that the nerve agent in iroth— determined that the nerve agent in both cases was part of a single _ in both cases was part of a single batch? —— can it be determined. is it possible to say that— determined. is it possible to say that the bottle of novichok that poisoned dawn sturgess had been _ that poisoned dawn sturgess had been used on the skripals, might— been used on the skripals, might there have been a second container? — might there have been a second container? if it was the same bottle. — container? if it was the same bottle, how did a container hrought— bottle, how did a container brought to salisbury at the beginning of march 2018 come to beginning of march 2018 come to be in _ beginning of march 2018 come to be in dawn sturgess's possession in amesbury with such— possession in amesbury with such tragic consequences at the end of— such tragic consequences at the end ofjune 2018. should the bottle — end ofjune 2018. should the bottle have been found in the meantime? and a question that dawn— meantime? and a question that dawn sturgess's family are particularly concerned that you should — particularly concerned that you should investigate, had the uk government taken appropriate steps — government taken appropriate steps to— government taken appropriate steps to protect both sergei skripal— steps to protect both sergei skripal from attack and the wider— skripal from attack and the wider public from the collateral damage of any such

attackback to put the same question another way, is it possible _ question another way, is it possible that mistakes were made — possible that mistakes were made in _ possible that mistakes were made in protecting sergei skripal— made in protecting sergei skripal that might indirectly have — skripal that might indirectly have contributed to dawn sturgess's death? i have already— sturgess's death? i have already referred to the fact that — already referred to the fact that the _ already referred to the fact that the hearings we are commencing this morning from one part — commencing this morning from one part of the public inquiry. that— one part of the public inquiry. that is— one part of the public inquiry. that is to _ one part of the public inquiry. that is to say an inquiry established under section one of the — established under section one of the inquiries act 2005. it is obviously important that those _ is obviously important that those following this inquiry understand its purpose and at least — understand its purpose and at least in — understand its purpose and at least in broad terms its scope and how— least in broad terms its scope and how it _ least in broad terms its scope and how it will function. i will— and how it will function. i will therefore spend a few minutes saying something about how and — minutes saying something about how and why the inquiry was set ”p how and why the inquiry was set up and _ how and why the inquiry was set up and about its history to date _ up and about its history to date as— up and about its history to date. as with any other violent or unnatural death, dawn's death— or unnatural death, dawn's death was initially the subject of an— death was initially the subject of an investigation by the local— of an investigation by the local coroner. after receiving

iegai — local coroner. after receiving legal submissions he decided to conduct — legal submissions he decided to conduct an investigation into her death. his proposed investigation would have included the actions of the two men _ included the actions of the two men to— included the actions of the two men to whom i have referred, but would _ men to whom i have referred, but would not have included the actions — but would not have included the actions of— but would not have included the actions of others associated with — actions of others associated with them. nor would it have addressed the question of who directed — addressed the question of who directed the conduct, including the issue — directed the conduct, including the issue of potential russian state — the issue of potential russian state responsibility. the coroner _ state responsibility. the coroner also intended to exclude _ coroner also intended to exclude from his investigation any question as to where the novichok— any question as to where the novichok had come from. the sturgis— novichok had come from. the sturgis family successfully challenged the decision in the high— challenged the decision in the high court. i do not intend to spend — high court. i do not intend to spend any— high court. i do not intend to spend any time now on the detail— spend any time now on the detail of— spend any time now on the detail of the court decision. —— sturgess. a copy of the judgment can be found on the inquiry— judgment can be found on the inquiry website, but in summary, the court gave strong guidance _ summary, the court gave strong guidance that the investigation into dawn's death ought to be

irroader— into dawn's death ought to be broader than the coroner had proposed. paragraph 88 of the court's — proposed. paragraph 88 of the court's ruling which i will read _ court's ruling which i will read explains why it took this view — read explains why it took this view i— read explains why it took this view. i quote, there is acute and — view. i quote, there is acute and obvious public concern not merely— and obvious public concern not merely at— and obvious public concern not merely at the prime fa she evidence _ merely at the prime fa she evidence that an attempt was made — evidence that an attempt was made on _ evidence that an attempt was made on british soil by russian agents — made on british soil by russian agents to— made on british soil by russian agents to assassinate sergei skripal— agents to assassinate sergei skripal and it led to the death of dawn— skripal and it led to the death of dawn sturgess. but also at the fact — of dawn sturgess. but also at the fact that it involved the use of— the fact that it involved the use of a _ the fact that it involved the use of a prohibited nerve agent exposing — use of a prohibited nerve agent exposing the population of salisbury and amesbury to iethai— salisbury and amesbury to lethal risk. there has been, and — lethal risk. there has been, and to— lethal risk. there has been, and to be _ lethal risk. there has been, and to be realistic there will be, — and to be realistic there will be, no — and to be realistic there will be, no criminal trial in which the — be, no criminal trial in which the details of this appalling event — the details of this appalling event came to occur can be publicly— event came to occur can be publicly examined, and quote. injanuarv_ publicly examined, and quote. injanuary 2021, some months after— injanuary 2021, some months after the — injanuary 2021, some months after the high court ruling, an

inquest — after the high court ruling, an inquest was conducted into dawn sturgess's death. in april 2021 she rolled her investigation would — she rolled her investigation would be a wide one and that it would — would be a wide one and that it would include the question of potential russian state responsibility for the poisoning and the source of the novichok, — poisoning and the source of the novichok, that ruling is also to be — novichok, that ruling is also to be found on the inquiry website _ to be found on the inquiry website. the decision to adopt a wider— website. the decision to adopt a wider scope caused further procedural difficulties. as she recognised in the ruling to which _ recognised in the ruling to which i _ recognised in the ruling to which i have just referred, a thorough _ which i have just referred, a thorough investigation into issues _ thorough investigation into issues such as the source of the — issues such as the source of the novichok and possible russian state responsibility for the _ russian state responsibility for the skripals poisoning would _ for the skripals poisoning would inevitably require consideration of highly sensitive material held by uk government bodies. that material could not be admitted into evidence in an inquest where _ into evidence in an inquest where closed hearings are not permitted. this was an identical problem to that which

arose _ identical problem to that which arose some years ago in the investigation into the death of alexander litvinenko and subsequently the inquest into those — subsequently the inquest into those killed in the manchester arena — those killed in the manchester arena bombing. in the end, the same— arena bombing. in the end, the same solution was adopted here as had _ same solution was adopted here as had been used in those cases _ as had been used in those cases. that is, the conversion of the — cases. that is, the conversion of the inquest into a public inquirv _ of the inquest into a public inquiry. as of the inquest into a p